ago. this is nbc "nightly news" with lester holt. >> good evening. from one extreme to the next just months after wild fires marched across the drought-stricken west, what experts call a bomb cyclone has brought damaging rains to california. the wild weather swing a dramatic and deadly illustration of climate change at its most severe. many forced to evacuation as torrents of water roared through communities. areas burned by recent wild fires at particular risk. it is all a part of a triple weather threat gripping the country this evening parts of illinois and missouri already pounded by deadly tornados and millions living in the northeast right now bracing for a nor'easter, expected to bring high winds and flooding steve patterson is watching it all. >> reporter: tonight the west blasted by the destructive power of a bomb cyclone. a swift and massive drop in air pressure combined with an influx of extra tropical moisture causing a deluge of rain and high winds. 8 million under rain alerts tens of thousands still without power. forecasters calling it the single strongest storm to ever hit the west coast. >> these individuals are stuck in a large amount of water here. >> reporter: just outside seattle, tragedy. two people killed by a fallen tree. in northern california, historic rainfall residents racing to keep water out of their homes. the storm pounding the region a result of climate change driving extreme weather more frequently with the globe's warming climate. >> a week ago we were saying the drought, we have no water. here we are a week later going, too much water. >> reporter: the storm upending trucks, toppling trees, forcing evacuation, burn scars now pathways for dangerous debris and this is the reason why this storm system has been so dangerous inside of these burn scars. we're in the devastation that's been left behind from the dixie fire you can see this massive rock slide coming down, cutting off access to a major highway here in northern california. meanwhile, tornados flattening homes across illinois and missouri as another powerful storm system turns over the country. >> ripped the lid off the house. >> reporter: 35 million now under flood alerts across the northeast. residents bracing for heavy rain and high winds. while the recovery out west is just getting started. >> are these mud slides going to be a lingering threat >> reporter: lester, essentially any time you have a burn scar, you have the potential for a dangerous debris flow and with the fires that we've had recently in california, those scars are all over the state. so with the potential for more rain in the forecast, this is far from over. lester >> steve patterson in california tonight, thanks. we're getting a revealing look behind the curtain at facebook nbc news has obtained tens of thousands of pages of the company's internal documents first shared with the sec and congress tonight mark zuckerberg is calling that release a selective use of leaked documents to paint a false picture of his company jake ward has the latest >> reporter: for years, facebook has been studying practically every social ill that plagues its platforms from misinformation to threats of violence. and newly revealed documents show the company appears to be at war with itself as to what should be done about it in a post called, "what is collateral damage" on an internal message board, an employee says when it comes to misinformation, facebook's core mechanics allow potentially dangerous and harmful content to flourish divisive posts and comments, researchers warn, seem to be better for business. researchers created fictitious accounts to examine where facebook's rules and recommendations sent them one set up to follow conservative news got conspiracy recommendations after only two days. we asked facebook head of content policy whether these problems whether these problems can be fixed >> there will always be challenges in the social media landscape, just like you will never stop abuse in the offline world and you'll never stop abuse in the online world, you can get better at detecting it and preventing it. >> reporter: until whistleblower frances haugen turned these documents over to the sec and congress, much of this research was unknown. >> reporter: why should the public not get to see everything that you know about us >> our research is not secret in fact, we have a research program with more than a thousand people, and we publish hundreds of research articles every year. >> reporter: in this case, it took someone actually turning over documents for us to see a huge amount of what you know that we didn't know about before. >> there is research that we do that is peer-reviewed. some research we do internally to help drive what our features will look like some of that is proprietary, but we do share research findings on very important areas. >> reporter: we examined the documents, but some of them are very specific for example, mark zuckerberg told congress -- >> we are proactively identifying i think it is 94% of the hate speech we end up taking down. >> reporter: but internal research suggestions less than 5% is removed. facebook says that's because of different metrics. >> when the company uses specific percentages like that, that certainly goes beyond what is actionable statements if they are in fact inaccurate. >> reporter: and the sec can go after not just the company but individuals, executives mark zuckerberg could be held responsible. >> under federal security laws, if the sec can prove its case, yes. >> reporter: the sec can in a way lay the groundwork for whole new laws that can change the industry? >> yeah. and that is one of the paramount consequences of the federal securities laws. >> reporter: the sec has not said if it will investigate the eight complaints it received connected to francis haugen how will you respond to those >> we will answer any questions from regulators we standby the disclosures we made to the sec to date and we are happy to discuss those disclosures. >> and, jake, based on what's in the documents, what do people at facebook think needs to be done to fix this? >> well, lester, it's important to understand these are not journalists. these are not senators these are people inside the company who understand the data better than anyone they say that something fundamental has to change. that the things that make facebook what it is like shares, the way things go viral, all of that may in fact need to be reinvented. >> all right great to have you here tonight. thank you. there is breaking news out of boise, idaho where a deadly shooting has occurred at a mall. cell phone video captured the sound of shots and the massive police response that followed moments ago police saying two people were killed and multiple people injured, including a police officer. one person is in custody according to investigators. the public has been asked to stay away until further notice. new developments tonight on covid vaccines and kids. moderna says its vaccine generated a strong immune response in younger children while tens of millions could soon get the pfizer vaccine stephanie gosk now with late details. >> reporter: the pediatric doses of pfizer's vaccine are ready to go for ages 5 to 11. on tuesday the fda advisory board will meet to discuss eua approval officials in some states already getting ahead of an expected authorization. >> in just a few days' time, millions of parents all across the united states should be able to breathe a sigh of relief. >> reporter: pfizer says its two-dose pediatric shot, which is one-third the adult dosage is more than 90% effective. while moderna just announced its covid vaccine for children triggers a robust immune response with mostly mild to moderate side effects. near ly 30 million children could become eligible but being eligible and being vaccinated are two different things only 30% of parents say they would get their children vaccinated right away. this mom of four in kentucky is not one of them. >> it's so mild in kids like why why even risk it on them >> reporter: university of indiana sociologist looked into the underlying factors with a group of 80 moms from different backgrounds. were you surprised by how many parents in your group are vaccinated themselves but aren't going to get their kids vaccinated right away? >> absolutely. yes. and that's something they heard throughout the pandemic, that kids are going to be okay so they're more willing to take that chance. >> reporter: and the message of social responsibility is not resonating. >> that's one of the big problems here, is that we have a model of public health in the u.s. that is very focussed on individual risk and individual responsibility with vaccines, we need as many people to be vaccinated as possible to protect those that can't get vaccinated. >> reporter: the other issue, she says, is covid news fatigue. >> one mom told me she's just putting her head in the sand she's just tired of all the information. >> reporter: if they aren't listening, changing minds won't be easy. >> stephanie, the american academy of pediatrics released its latest covid numbers. sounds like another week of good news. >> it is, lester seven weeks in a row of cases going down. the peak was about 250,000. last week it was less than half that the academy says the number is still too high lester >> stephanie gosk tonight, thank you and it is about to get much easier for non-americans to visit this country the white house out tonight with new travel rules tom costello is in atlanta's hartsfield jackson airport. the bottom lines are vaccinations will be required. >> reporter: that's it the bottom line also is this is coming nearly two years after the u.s. shut its borders to foreigners now they will be included in, including driving in from canada and mexico, but they have to provide proof they have been vaccinated so here's the rules. foreign visitors have to provide that proof that they are fully vaccinated, in fact, and it must be an fda or w.h.o.-approved vaccine before they leave their home countries. they must also provide a negative covid test. taken within 72 hours of coming to the u.s the airlines will verify the information. foreign kids 18 and under don't need to be vaccinated, but those two and older will have to take a covid test as the u.s. begins reopening to the rest of the world. lester. >> all right tom costello in atlanta, thank you in just 60 seconds, the moments just before and after alec baldwin fired that deadly shot on a movie set. what we're learning tonight. new details about that fatal movie set shooting with alec baldwin in santa fe, new mexico what happened after the shot was fired according to witnesses and the surviving victim here's miguel almaguer. >> reporter: it was onset during rehearsal when the fatal shot was fired. the cast and crew of "rust" preparing for an old west shoot-out in this church when, according to a search warrant, alex baldwin was given a prop gun declared safe for use. sitting on a wooden pew, baldwin was drawing his weapon and pointing the revolver toward the camera lens the director joel souza who was wounded says he was looking over the shoulder of cinematographer halyna hutchins when he heard what sounded like a whip and then a loud pop. >> reporter: hutchins was shot in the chest and began to stumble backwards. another witness telling investigators she wouldn't feel her legs court documents allege assistant director dave halls is the man who yelled "cold gun", deeming it safe. later telling investigators he didn't know live rounds were in the weapon the 911 caller reporting the incident. >> he's supposed to check the gun. he's responsible >> reporter: in 2019, halls was fired from a previous production when a crew member was injured in an accidental discharge prop maker maggie goll says halls failed to maintain a safe work environment on their previous project. >> sort of dangerous work standards, pace, too fast of pace, ignoring people when they say they need a minute to do something safely. >> reporter: citing safety concerns, several crew members walked off the set hours before the shooting 24-year-old hannah guterrez-reed was the armorer in charge of the weapons on the set. she recently discussed her experience on a podcast for her first film in september. >> i was really nervous about it at first, and i almost didn't take the job because i wasn't sure if i was ready. >> reporter: clay van sickle says it could be a fatal mistake if anyone other than the armorer handles weapons onset. >> nobody else touches it so that chain of custody is unbroken from armorer to talent and back >> reporter: investigators have now left this ranch with bags of evidence the production of "rust" remains suspended. >> miguel, thank you. we'll turn to the critical week for president biden. democrats rush in to cut a deal on his multi-trillion dollar spending deal before he leaves for europe kelly o'donnell is at the white house with more. >> reporter: in new jersey today, president biden visited a classroom of four-year-olds. >> hey how are you doing? my name is joe. >> reporter: to highlight the kind of universal pre-kindergarten program he wants expanded nationwide. his newly reduced social spending plan of about $2 trillion is expected to include four weeks of paid family leave and a one-year extension of the child care tax credit today the president also pushed for his long delayed $1 trillion bipartisan roads and bridges bill. >> these bills are about competitiveness versus complacency. >> reporter: a critical week for the biden agenda after months of internal battles among democrats. the president met with moderate joe manchin, who said today he would only support a $1.5 trillion price tag for the larger bill with issues like climate and clean energy not yet finalized. >> well, we're working on climate, basically. >> reporter: today republicans predict higher taxes. >> washington democrats have spent months dreaming up new cash grabs for the irs. >> reporter: for president biden, there is new urgency to act this week. >> it would be very, very positive to get it done this week. >> reporter: the president is expected to leave thursday for summits in rome and glasgow, hoping to take along a much needed win to europe where leaders will talk about issues like climate change. lester >> kelly o'donnell at the white house. thank you. overseas, there is turmoil this evening in the african country of sudan where the military has seized power in a coupe the prime minister and other political leaders have been arrested protests erupted and multiple demonstrators were reportedly killed when soldiers opened fire the u.s. responded to the coup by suspending $700 million in aid to sudan. up next, the road less traveled. dealing with the great trucker shortage back now with our new reporting on a critical challenge in the company's supply chain crisis we told you about the backlog in ports, but america also has a desperate need for truckdrivers, tens of thousands of them. here's emilie ikeda. >> reporter: truck after truck, that's unmanned and unused in total transportation's mississippi parking lot. >> it's the worst that i have ever seen. >> reporter: how many tractors do you have parked here because there is not a driver to fill it. >> we have 910 tractors total in our fleet and today we're sitting at -- as of this morning, we're at 47 open. >> reporter: and ceo john stom says his worker woes are minor compared to some of his competitors. the industry is short a record 80,000 drivers according to the american trucking association, further aggravating the nation's troubled supply chain just ahead of the holiday season trucks in the u.s. haul 12 billion tons of freight a year. >> everything you eat, touch, wear comes from a truck. and it takes a driver in this truck to get it to him. >> reporter: but where there is need, there is opportunity and the face of trucking is changing. >> this basically controls the brakes of the trailer. >> reporter: more minorities and women like alicia hudson are getting behind the wheel at the dsc training academy in jackson. >> females are taking over >> reporter: 7% of drivers in the u.s. now women, a new high. hauling up to 80,000 pounds can be intimidating at first for both men and women, but instructors say, once you get the vehicle moving and feel its power, that fear starts to fall away willy jones is graduating roughly 30 new drivers a month while changing the perception around what they should look like. >> when we talk about the glass ceiling, there is no glass ceiling in trucking. women come back empowered after becoming a truckdriver and being out there for even a short period of time they say, if i can drive this truck, i can do anything. >> reporter: in an attempt to lure new talent by improving benefits, boosting wages, in some cases, multiple times in the past year. that's what led trey collins to switch gears from fire fighting. >> however i can help, i want to do that. but i want to make more money, and being in the trucking industry is a essential business >> reporter: a newfound appreciation for trucking as the nation feels the absence of its truckers emilie ikeda, nbc news, jackson, mississippi. finally tonight, honoring a soldier we never knew who became a symbol for so many others exactly a century ago. aaron gilchrist tonight from france with "those who serve. >> reporter: it is a powerful celebration 100 years in the making. >> that's a once in a lifetime experience. this is where we have to be on the centennial. >> reporter: leading former guards to arlington's tomb of the unknown soldier to france for the 100th anniversary of this, the october 24th, 1921 selection of an american world war i soldier killed in france representing thousands that never came home. that soldier returned to the u.s. and buried at arlington on what we now call veterans day. >> it is something that touches your life forever. >> reporter: this pilgrimage an emotional experience for will, a korean war vet and former tomb guard. >> when i get here and look around at the scale of the war, world war i, that just -- i can't get my brain around it. >> reporter: there are tens of thousands of american soldiers from world war i buried all over europe, but this journey was intended to honor one soldier who represents all of the unknowns the small city of chalons-en-champagne is where the unknown selection took place and where a request for a simple replay became this. ♪ >> reporter: french soldiers, alongside american service members, a casket draped with an american flag, a flashback in living color in vivid tribute. and now as they did then, the french coming out in droves. >> i want to -- to show to the american people that we don't forget this event. we want to thank them. >> reporter: remembering our history, a shared story of sacrifice and victory. aaron gilchrist, nbc news, chalons-en-champagne, france and that's "nightly news" for this monday. thank you for watching, everyone i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. good night good evening. this is nbc bay area news tonight. i'm raj mathai. last night our exclusive report exposing the problems and dysfunction within the district attorney's office chesa boudin. top attorneys who parted ways with the da now want him out of office. tonight we're joined by two of those attorneys and by one of the leaders who still works for the district attorney. she is ready to defend chesa boudin. and we're going to take a look at why other counties in the bay area should be aware of what's happening in san francisco. that's coming up in just a few minutes. let's start, though, with this storm, the biggest storm we've seen in decades. in fact, it was the third biggest storm to hit the bay area since 1950. think about that. the rain is now done. we know that. but the cleanup is