breaking down walls and making dreams come true. "nightly news" begins right now. from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. good evening, a major attack on the internet is under way at this hour, the fbi and homeland security are urgently trying to find out who is behind the targeting a company that acts as an internet switch board. the intermittent outages began this morning primarily on the east coast, but follow-up attacks have been felt across the country. it all comes amid heightened anxieties over cyber attacks, leading up to the u.s. election. nbc's miguel almaguer has late details for us. >> the powerful and sophisticated cyber internet users in at least six countries, but mostly here in the u.s., unable to load popular websites like twitter, netflix, amazon, paypal, and a long list of others. >> what we know is that a cyber criminal group or a group of people created the opportunity where they had web traffic and they funneled all of that traffic at a particular company, dyn. aimed at dyn, an attack company based in new hampshire that serves as an internet switch board and allows people to connect to websites. it crippled domain name servers, the address book for the internet, essentially overloading it. the hack will cost major corporations dearly. it's too early to tell who's responsible. some say based on the methods and magnitude of the attack, it may be russian in origin. intelligence official and other cyber experts tell nbc news, this is a classic case of internet vandalism, and likely not state-sponsored. >> there are a host of adversaries that can launch these types of attacks, and we've got to make sure that we have a rezil gent network that is able to withstand these types of probes. >> reporter: with the largest outage in the northeast, a second wave spread west. tens of millions couldn't check their banking accounts or in los angeles, epic interactive sent employees home. with paypal and twitter down, nobody could work. >> i think we should be concerned. it's one thing when there's an attack. it's another thing when an entire day goes by and the company involved can't fix it. >> reporter: the case of cyber warfare comes just before our election. tonight experts say we are in uncharted territory. while this attack did individuals, it brought down websites temporarily that millions of us use every day. it appears no critical, personal or financial information was lost, but it shows how vulnerable servers can be. experts say every time security firms make a fix, thieves find another way in. >> joining us now, nbc's cyber security expert, president and chief security officer of crowd strike. no indications of where this is from, or what it could be related to. but with our election just two weeks away, would there be anything to prevent an attack like this on election day? >> this appears to be a complex botnet, made up of hundreds of thousands of computers, like i p. connected security cameras. it's difficult to detect these types of attacks. to our election process. i think the distributed nature of our system doesn't render that specifically susceptible, but attackers will continue to use this device inevitably, or until they're detected and stopped, or the botnet itself can be disrupted. >> all right, shaun henry, thank you very much. now to the campaign trail, new attacks being launched tonight on both sides, and new fall-out after an uncomfortable scene in new york last night where donald trump and the stage and traded barbs. barely concealed by comedy. tonight as trump continues to push his message about a so-called rigged system, we have new numbers to show how that's resonating with his supporters. we have it all covered starting with nbc's hallie jackson. hallie, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, lester. at that event, donald trump shared a player with hillary clinton, a polite pause, a short one in the attacks, about you now some critics are wondering about trump's overall strategy. promising an all-out push. a battleground blitz for donald trump today with new reflective, real talk. >> win, lose, or draw and i'm almost sure, if the people come out, we're going to win. but i will be -- i will be happy with myself. >> reporter: his comments capping a 24-hour stretch in which many see a series of strategic mistakes, like bringing michelle obama into the mix as he did today. >> we have a pres campaign. his wife, all she wants to do is campaign. >> reporter: but the first lady is the most popular political figure in the country, potentially risky for trump to take her on. and he's still talking about a rigged system. our new nbc news/survey monkey online tracking poll also shows more than 4 in 10 republicans do side with trump and may not accept the results of this election. >> i imagine that on certain issues, if he's elected, you're going to have i the country potentially in a different direction than the republican president. >> reporter: and for trump, what many see as another misstep at a political roast in new york, where his rival landed some punches with her punchlines. >> it is great also to see mayor bloomberg here. it's a shame he's not speaking tonight. i'm curious to hear what a billionaire has to say. >> reporter: and while not everybody laughed, it was trump who struggled more. despite starting strong. >> gives a speech, and everyone loves it. my wife melania gives the exact same speech and people get on her case. >> reporter: a few lines later, much more partisan. >> hillary is so corrupt -- >> reporter: the dinner. >> he's not behaving in a way that suggests he's even trying to win the election. he's doing everything to the opposite of what a seasoned strategist would recommend he do. >> reporter: hallie jackson, nbc news, newtown, pennsylvania. >> reporter: i'm kristen welker in cleveland where early voting is already under way. tonight hillary clinton rallying the base. >> i have now spent four and a half hours on stage with proving once again i have the stamina to be president. >> reporter: and going after trump's comments about a rigged election. >> he is threatening our democracy. >> reporter: a new poll showing ohio is a jump ball. clinton and donald trump tied. but good news for clinton in our new nbc news analysis. more democrats have voted so far in ohio than republicans. campaign sources tell nbc news clinton is not just thinking about election day, but beyond. country, if she wins, like reaching out to her opponent in a private moment last night. >> she said to him, and donald, whatever happens, we need to work together afterwards. >> reporter: and clinton increasing her outreach to republicans and independents too. this new ad featuring kaiser khan, a gold star family member, once again going after trump. and joe biden taking shoots too. >> i wish we were in take him behind the gym. >> right now, she's killing time, just run the clock out. >> reporter: but tonight, more fall-out from the stolen e-mails from her campaign chairman. a new e-mail showing clinton's top aides disagreed with her push to hold a clinton global initiative meeting in morocco in return for a $12 million pledge from the moroccan government. huma abedin writing, she created this mess $12 million from the king of morocco for an appearance. more pay for play. >> reporter: tonight the clinton campaign saying ultimately clinton decided not to attend that meeting and they're accusing russia of weaponizing wikileaks. meanwhile, clinton is getting ready for a major swing through brauld states from now until election day. lester? let's turn overseas now, where iraqi forces say they're within fou launching a deadly counterattack in another city over a hundred miles away. our richard engel is on the front lines inside iraq with a look at the american role in the offensive. >> reporter: american jets launching in the mediterranean from the uss eisenhower. they're headed for mosul, to attack isis. but once they get to mosul, the mission is extremely difficult. finding isis fighters >> it's a bustling city, just like we would have back home. it just show happens that the city is run by isis. >> reporter: and this is not just a ground war. for the first time today, we saw american soldiers in full combat gear, clearing a bomb. one of the most dangerous jobs in a war zone. it's the same job 34-year-old chief petty officer jason finnan had, he was killed yesterday near went off by his vehicle. we traveled with them to one of their forward positions east of mosul. the closer iraqi troops get to the center of mosul, the harder isis has been fighting back. there's been fighting in this front line village today. isis has been using mortars and snipers, and car bombs like this one. as a vehicle approached the soldiers, they drew down on the driver and shouted for him to identify himself. isis may be losing ground around mosul, but today, the militants hit back with coordinated attacks in the relatively far away city of kirkuk. more than 20 people were killed. this could be how isis plans to fight, digging in to protect its stronghold city of mosul and key towns around it, while at the same time, launching terrorist attacks on soft targets and civilians. lester? >> richard engel you. back in this country, to the weather extremes in the northeast, flash floods triggered by heavy rains, downpours so many have been hoping for. with many areas hit hard by a terrible drought, but this was far too much rain too soon. we get details from nbc's tammy leitner. >> reporter: in the northeast, a much needed soaking has turned fatal. today flash flooding in central pennsylvania left at least one dead and nearly two dozen steady pounding from mother nature, but all this rain won't be enough to reverse a drought that has been building for months. below normal precipitation has created the worst drought across the northeast in more than a decade. conditions that could last through the winter. just the latest part of the country to be hit with water shortages. in upstate new york, existing residential wells are dry. leaving some homeowners desperate. >> without d water source. so their only option is for us to come in and drill them a well. >> reporter: in connecticut, where 89% of the state is under severe drought conditions, an emergency pipeline is being built to pump in water. in massachusetts, the situation is so serious, farmers are being forced to pick cranberries by hand. >> we probably are down about four feet. so it's been difficult trying to harvest this under some sort of drought, with areas in red under extreme drought. the good news is, those are the two areas that will see the heaviest rain going into this weekend. water that may put a small dent in the problem, but won't be enough to quench this historic drought. tammy leitner, nbc news, new york. still ahead, some critical news you need to hear tonight if you're worried about how much time your children spend in front of electronic screens perform. also, this might spark a lot of arguments at the dinner table tonight. ? who h before it became a medicine, it was an idea. a wild "what-if." so scientists went to work. they examined 87 different protein structures and worked for 12 long years. there were thousands of patient volunteers and the hope of millions. and so after it became a medicine, someone who couldn't be cured, could be. me. (war drums beating) fight heartburn fast. with tums chewy delights. the mouthwatering soft chew that goes to work in seconds to conquer heartburn fast. tum tum tum tum. chewy delights. uh, first of all, i plan to vote for donald trump. when it served her purpose, ayotte buddied up to trump, even calling him a role model. would you tell a child to aspire to be like donald trump? oh absolutely, i would do that. but she kept playing politics and flip flopping around. ayotte is running away from trump as quickly as she can. and what she values is her seat. and she's trying - to keep something she values. - i know. kelly ayotte. the politician. looking out for herself. independence usa pac is responsible we're back now with some brand-new research and recommendations that will be of high interest to parents and grandparents worried about how much kids should be expose said to modern-day electronic media. cell phones, laptops, tablets, and yes, tv. the american academy of pediatrics has new recommendations that relax some previous guidance to give families more here's nbc's tom costello. >> hello. >> reporter: in virginia this afternoon, 3-year-old ari and 18-month-old emmaery were face timi timi timing grandma and grandpa. >> you want to have a wel rounded kid. >> reporter: pediatricians have recommended no screen time for kids under computers and tvs, the academy is adjusting guidelines. for children under 18 months, video chatting is fine, but no other screen time. >> if you want to start introducing media as young as 18 months, that's fine, but use it together with your child and choose really good media. >> reporter: here's why. researchers at lafayette college have found that starting at 17 months, children can start recognizing faces and learning over video chats. >> toddlers learn from meaningfuler social relationships with them. >> reporter: for 2 to 5-year-olds, the academy recommends no more than an hour a day of screen time. children 6 and older can have more, but they need an hour of exercise. families should establish media-free time together, like dinner. and no devices within an hour before bed. >> when kids consume media, even infants, late into the hours of the day, they have a later sleep onset and fewer hours of sleep bottom line, screen time should not be a babysitter. used wisely, it can actually bring families together. >> she's trying to give him a kiss. >> reporter: tom costello, nbc news, ashburn, virginia. we're back in a moment with a special guest who crashed the white house briefing today. i use what's already inside me to reach my goals. so i liked when my doctor told me i may reach my blood sugar and a1c goals by activating what's within me... with once-weekly trulicity. trulicity is not insulin. it helps activate my body to do what it's supposed to do... release its own insulin. trulicity responds when my blood sugar rises. i take it once a week, and it works 24/7. it comes in an easy-to-use pen and i may even lose a little weight. trulicity is a once-weekly injectable prescription medicine exercise. trulicity is not insulin. it should not be the first medicine to treat diabetes or for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. do not take trulicity if you or a family member has had medullary thyroid cancer, if you've had multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to trulicity. stop trulicity and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms such as itching, rash, or trouble breathing; a lump or swelling in your neck; or severe pain in your stomach area. which can be fatal. taking trulicity with a sulfonylurea or insulin increases your risk for low blood sugar. common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, decreased appetite and indigestion. some side effects can lead to dehydration, which may make existing kidney problems worse. with trulicity, i click to activate what's within me. if you want help improving your a1c and blood sugar numbers with a non-insulin option click to activate your within. ? ? i found a better deal on prescriptions. we found lower co-pays... ...and a free wellness visit. new plan...same doctor. i'm happy. it's medicare open enrollment. have you compared plans yet? it's easy at medicare.gov. or you can call 1-800-medicare. medicare open enrollment. you'll never know unless you go. i did it. you can too. ? ? narrator: planned parenthood provides many kinds of healthcare. woman: i depend on planned parenthood for birth control. woman: i had my annual physical there. woman: the cancer screenings at planned deciding vote to eliminate state funding for planned parenthood. chris sununu put partisan politics above women's health care. colin van ostern: i'm colin van ostern. i fought to restore funding for planned parenthood and got it done, because women's health care should always be above politics. there is major news tonight of a mega merger in the business world. our partners at cnbc have confirmed that at&t is in advanced talks to buy media and entertainment giant time warner. a blockbuster deal that would bring together at&t's wireless broadband and properties like hbo, cnn, and the warner brothers movie studio. who would you say gets angrier behind the wheel, men or women? according to a new study, women. researchers found on average, women were 12% angrier by driving. pump the brakes, because a number of previous studies have pointed the finger overwhelmingly at men. the white house surprise when a special guest star crashed the briefing room. actor bill murray decked out in cubs gear, dropped in to talk baseball. murray is a white sox fan but he's supporting the cross-town cubs who are chasing their own cinderella story this weekend. they're one win away from their first world series since 1945. when we come back, series since 1945. when we come back, how students are ? is depression more than sadness? series since 1945. when we come back, how students are ? ? trintellix (vortioxetine) is a prescription medicine for depression. trintellix may start to untangle or help improve the multiple symptoms of depression. for me, trintellix made a difference. tell your healthcare professional right away if your depression worsens, or you have unusual changes in mood, behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, trintellix has not been studied in children. do not take with maois. tell your healthcare professional about your medications, including migraine, psychiatric and depression medications to avoid a potentially life-threatening condition. increased risk of bleeding or bruising may occur especially if taken with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners. manic episodes or vision problems may occur in some people. may cause low sodium levels. the most common side effects are nausea, ask your healthcare professional if trintellix could make a difference for you. i spent many years as a nuclear missile launch officer. if the president gave the order, we had to launch the missiles. that would be it. i prayed that call would never come. self control may be all that keeps these missiles from firing. i would bomb the [ beep ] out of 'em. i want to be unpredictable. i love war. the thought of donald trump with nuclear weapons i'm hillary clinton and i approve this message. mom's got this cold. hashtag stuffy nose. hashtag no sleep. hashtag mouthbreather. just put on a breathe right strip. it instantly opens your nose up to 38% more than cold medicine alone. shut your mouth and say goodnight mouthbreathers. breathe right. folks out there whose diabetic nerve pain... shoots and burns its way into your day, i hear you. extraordinarily painful, i hear you. make sure your doctor hears you too! i hear you because i was there when my dad suffered with diabetic nerve pain. if you have diabetes and burning, shooting pain in your feet or hands, don't suffer in silence! step on up and ask your doctor about diabetic nerve pain. tell 'em cedric sent you. finally tonight, a story about tearing the down the invisible barriers that too often divide us. a student extended a hand to one of the many workers who keep the esteemed school inspiring america. here's rehema ellis. >> reporter: at georgetown jesuit university, learning is rooted in caring. bellamy is taking it to heart. >> i see the same worker. his name is o'neil bachelor. i sparked up a conversation with him. hey, how you doing? shook his hand. >> reporter: that handshake happened late at night while fechb ip was studying in the library. and both had big dreams. >> my dream was to open a restaurant, you know, i love cooking. i explained that to him. he supported it. he said, man, i'm going to do everything i can to help you. >> reporter: and he did. fevin started a facebook page called unsung heroes, telling the stories of the workers who keep the university running. >> i know there's kind of a wall between the students and the workers sometimes. i wanted to use this opportunity to share his story with other human beings just like us, the only difference is the color of their uniforms. >> reporter: fevin said students responded immediately, welcoming the chance to make new friends and make an impact. they recently helped raise $2500 for o'neil to start his catering business. >> reporter: so far, unsung heroes has profiled 20 campus workers, like umberto, a dining students raised $5,000 so he can visit family in south sudan he hasn't seen in 45 years. now fevin hopes the idea spreads beyond campus. >> imagine how much more can happen if we interact more on a daily basis. >> reporter: confident, unsung heroes are everywhere, and so are people who cares. and that's going to do it for us on a uh, first of all, i plan to vote for donald trump. when it served her purpose, ayotte buddied up to trump, even calling him a role model. would you tell a child to aspire to be like donald trump? oh absolutely, i would do that. but she kept playing politics and flip flopping around. ayotte is running away from trump as quickly as she can. and what she values is her seat. and she's trying - to keep something she values. - i know. kelly ayotte. the politician. for the content of this advertising. >> john: now at 7:00, breaking news. a trench caves in, killing two workers in boston. the latest on what triggered the collapse. we have team 7 coverage. >> jadiann: servers shut down. a hack attack cripples major internet sites. >> jeremy: showers to start the weekend, wind to finish the weekend. >> reporter: clarence schools have a warning for par >> it's very important that we win on november 8th. >> if people come out, we're going to win. >> jadiann: 18 days until the election. >> john: and the pats hitting the road. it's a big matchup with an old rival. >> jadiann: we're getting you ready for game day. >> 7news at 7:00 starts now. >> john: and we begin with a weather alert tonight. a flash flood warning has just been issued for worcester county. >> jadiann: let's get straight over the chief meteorologist