nbc nightly news is next. we have more at 6:00. hope you can join us. on this sunday night, russia retaliates. vladimir putin says more than 750 u.s. diplomats will be forced to leave russia following a new sanction's bill that president trump has promised to sign. tipping point. a deadly day of protests as venezuela's president holds a special election that could forever change the face of democracy in that country. cyber security or threat? concern that a popular anti-virus software company may also be a tool of the russian government. squeezed in. a federal judge comes at the rescue of anyone that's felt uncomfortable in shrinking airlines seats. the faa has to force size up if they're safe. how a bird helps give one man the wings to succeed and in turn

he is helps others to soar. "nightly news" begins now. from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is nbc nightly news with jose diaz balart. >> good evening, kate snow is off tonight. details are emerging that vladimir putin is expelling more than 700 american diplomats from russia. provocative counterpunch in a pitched fight between the two countries that began after russian meddling in the u.s. election. putin, in an interview on russian state television today said the move was a direct response to a bill passed by congress that would impose heavy new financial sanctions on his country in addition to north korea and iran. some major shift in the relationship at the g20 meeting just three weeks ago seemed to be warming. kelly o'donnell has the latest. >> reporter: tonight, a new power play from vladimir putin. as the russian president surveyed his nation's military

might on parade, putin ordered a diplomatic retaliation against the united states. in an interview on state-owned tv, putin said he will cut the number of americans allowed to serve in russia by 755. traveling today, the vice president is in astonia, a former soviet state. >> we expect russian behavior to change. >> reporter: putin blamed the u.s. for deteriorating relations. after congress overwhelmingly approved new sanctions to punish russia for 2016 election interference and aggression toward it's neighbors. >> president made it clear that very soon, he will sign the sanctions from the congress of the united states to reinforce that. >> reporter: the strain tonight is far greater than just three weeks ago when president trump and putin met in hamburg. >> president putin and i have been discussing various things and i think it's going very well. >> reporter:

complicating this kaeslating tension is the political drama around the trump team and investigations into russian election intrusion. putin said that did not play into his decision. there are unresolved conflicts like control over two russian diplomatic compounds seized by the obama administration. unknown, will president trump give them back? >> no decisions have been made on that satveoer. >> reporter: president trump does not have his own man in moscow yet. he picked john huntsman to serve as u.s. ambassador to russia but he is waiting confirmation. former ambassador described putin's ouster of american diplomats as a troubling low point. >> you have to go ke keep -- deep into the world war to remember a time that we were in this level of confrontation with russia or the soviet union. most certainly even the end of the cold war was a friendlier time than we are today. >> reporter: white house officials say they have no reaction tonight and referred

me to the state department. state is not commenting yet either. putin said he chose to cut 755 american positions to match the number of russian diplomats permitted to work in the u.s. senior white house official told me the president has not received the text of the sanctions bill that congress said it sent over friday. so no word yet on when he will sign it. jose. >> kelly o'donnell at the white house, thank you. u.s. military sending a message to north korea in response to it's intercontinental missile test on friday. early this morning, the agency says it destroyed a medium range u.s. ballistic missile in a test of its defense system. the u.s. also flew two supersonic b1 bombers over south korea seen here escorted by japanese and south korean fighter jets. there is heightened security at airports across australia tonight after the government said it disrupted a terrorist plot to bring down an airplane. several people have been arrested. nbc's sarah james is in melbourne with the latest on the investigation. sarah? >> reporter: jose,

security has been ramped up near melbourne and at airports across australia after authorities foiled what they say was an elaborate islamic-inspired terrorist plot to bring down an airplane. police haven't named a specific terrorist group yet, but today a major counterterrorism investigation is under way. four men were arrested and remain in custody after a blitz of police raids across sydney this weekend. authorities also seized a number of items. law enforcement swooped in after receiving what they called credible information about an alleged conspiracy to target aviation with a homemade device. >> at the time, we don't have a great deal of information on the specific attack, the location, date, or time. >> reporter: passengers here are being told to arrive early and expect delays as they wait to connect to their flights, authorities are trying to connect the leads in an investigation they say is far from over. jose. >> sarah james, thank

you. a key day for venezuela today. the country with the largest oil reserves on earth held a special election that critics say could lead to a dictatorship. many venezuelans boycotted and clashed with government forces in another day of protests. under the threat of force, protests were banned during today's controversial special election as voters lined up to cast their ballots. but just hours after polls opened, the streets erupted in violence once again. with sections engulfed in smoke and tear gas. opposition leaders say at least 14 people were killed just today, bringing the death toll to more than 120 in four months of protests. >> they want to break us down, when they do that, they give us more strength. >> reporter: with today's vote, the president wants to create a political assembly with vast power to rewrite the constitution and

potentially dismantle the democratically elected legislature. polls show most venezuelans are against the creation of a new assembly, and all of the candidates today are meduro supporters, including his wife and son. the opposition is largely boycotting the election, calling it illegitimate. supporters say, this is a vote for peace. >> i am voting because we're trying to support what our main leader taught us, the road to the peace. >> on national television this morning, the president tried to cast his vote when a poll worker scanned his id, the screen read this person does not exist, or the id was annulled. after that mishap, the president's vote was recognized, the u.s. and other countries around the world have condemned today's election. tonight, we are learning more about the extent of the damage transmission cables that provide electricity to two well known islands on north carolina's island banks. tens of thousands were forced to evacuate and

for business owners, the timing could not be worse. nbc's mya rodriguez reports. >> reporter: for a fourth day, lights out on parts of the outer banks. a widespread power outage prompting mandatory evacuations on hatteras and other islands. visitors forced out by the thousands. >> incredibly frustrating. these friends that we were meeting have been there for years 69 that's where they spend a lot of time. for four years we've talked about joining them. this was the first trip. >> reporter: it all started thursday when construction crews working on the bonner bridge to the island accidentally cut into a transmission line. knocking out power to both islands. today, the electric corporative announced there's damage, to not one but three lines. the summer tourism season is now in jeopardy. hotels telling visitors they needed to leave right away. >> all the guests did get a refund for the nights that they did not stay. >> reporter: margie clark is frustrated

over a man-made problem. >> we need the income. >> reporter: on the two islands, summer brings upwards of 55,000 visitors each week making this time of year make or break for businesses. >> we have approximately 16 good weeks to make our living for the entire year. three or four days of work for some families will mean a mortgage payment. >> reporter: officials with the electric co-op say there is no timetable for when they'll be able to restore power. leaving these outer banks businesses in the dark during what should be their brightest time of year. mya rodriguez, nbc news. does it feel like every time you fly the seats are tighter and tighter? a federal judge agrees with you and she is ordering the faa to take a second look at it's policies. steve patterson has that story. >> reporter: for years, it's been a growing problem, americans getting larger while the space between airline seats shrinks. >> it's ridiculous that prices rise and the seats smaller. >> reporter: on

friday, a federal judge in washington, d.c. ordered the faa to review its decision not to regulate seat size on commercial airlines. the agency previously denied passenger please that it step in and set standards to protect health and safety. critics say they are cramming people in for one reason. >> the airlines to want make more profits. >> reporter: the judge's strongly-worded opinion told the feds to take another look calling the case of the incredibly shrinking airline cede. >> as more and more people squeeze in, we're now reaching a point where we don't think people can get out like they need to. and this has become a safety issue. >> reporter: the industry says they meet or exceed all d afety standaans say there's no need for the government to interfere with the market. the advocacy group flyers rights, cited data that over a number of decades, the seat pitch, the distance between the same point on two seats has dwindled from a comfortable 35 inches to 31. some planes as low as

28 inches. while seat width narrowed from 18.5 to 17 inches over the last decade. during that same time, the average american, well, has gotten steadily bigger. >> bigger, now. get them bigger. they are too small. not good for your tushies. >> reporter: the ruling does not force the faa to set minimum seat standards but says the agency has to explain why in the case of passenger safety, size isn't an issue. in a statement to nbc news, the faa says it will review that ruling carefully alongside any actions the agency can take to address the court findings. in the meantime, passengers heading on board their flights tonight and those ever so slightly smaller seats. jose. >> in los angeles, steve patterson, thank you. one thing the faa cannot control is unruly passenger behavior. which is one hot topic addressed on "sunday night with megyn kelly. here's megyn with a preview of that. >> fasten your seat belts. josh with what's happening in the

unfriendly skies. >> we've reached a boiling point. >> is it the airline's fault? >> ts hera e'dirty secret in the airline industry and all passengers are not created equal. >> we're not equal? >> no. >> is there equal blame to go around? >> on instagram and twitter, you are documenting some fear somely ill-mannered behavior. >> uh-huh. >> and in a chicago neighborhood that is ground zero for that city's gun violence epidemic -- >> on a scale of one to two in terms of the violence, where would you put it? >> 12. >> craig melvin meets a remarkable coach trying to make a difference in young lives. >> he's like what the pope is to the vatican, he's like the glue in this area. >> a coach and his team finding success against seemingly impossible odds. plus we sit down with actor and comedian, ricky gervais. a thing about yourself that you would want to change? >> how long have you got?

>> that is all and more coming up at 7:00, 6:00 central right here on sunday night. >> thank you. still ahead, the widely used software that some say could be giving russia back door access to american computers. and we'll take you to cooperstown where we're celebrating the newest legends in baseball's hall of fame.

russian company that makes antivirus software came under new scrutiny this past week by congress. the company is called the lab and it's

products are used in personal computers and business network and u.s. government computer systems, maybe one is in your computer. software supposed to keep those systems safe, but there's concern about whether it has ties to the russian government, something the company strongly denies. richard engel has more from moscow including an interview with the founder. >> reporter: the lab runs one of the largest computer security operations in the world. is all of this just a front for russian intelligence? >> reporter: the software runs on computers all over the united states, but it's also installed on u.s. government networks, and that has officials in washington worried. >> we have lots of reports about the connections bet we the company and the fsb, russian intelligence, and the

russian government. >> reporter: senator jeanne shaheen is introducing language into a bill that would ban the products from department of defense systems. so you think the labs is a danger to the united states? >> i think they pose a threat. >> reporter: how serious? >> well, we don't know yet. >> reporter: but the leaders of the intelligence and defense agencies already seem to have made up their minds. >> would any of you be comfortable with the lab software on your computers? >> resounding no from me. >> no. >> no, senator. >> no, sir. >> no, senator. >> no, sir. >> reporter: which may be why the fbi is questioned several of

the employees at the states recently. robert anderson is a former fbi assistant director. >> that's what we do. we talk to people. >> reporter: how close is the company to the kremlin? >> i don't know. i don't know that answer. but i know there's enough there that if i was still in the fbi, i'd probably be talking to them too. >> was the labs involved in any way in the russian effort to infiltrate and influence the u.s. election? >> not possible. >> reporter: but a congressional panel has now asked dozens of government agencies for information, warning, the products could be used for, quote, nefarious activities. richard engel, nbc news, moscow. and we are back in a moment with a bold plan that could fundamentally change the way people drive.

three more of baseball's greats were

inducted into the hall of fame today. outfielder tim raines, first baseman jeff bagwell and ivan rodriguez. raines was one of the game's great base stealers and was a seven-time all-star. rodriguez caught in a record 2,427 games. more than any other catcher in the history of the majors. and bagwell had 449 home runs and 202 steals. all with the astros. as electric cars take on a bigger share of the u.s. market, great britain is taking it a step further with an outright ban on gas powered cars by 2040. going so far as to call it a public health emergency. it's news that could have huge implications for the auto industry as our matt bradley reports. >> reporter: as president donald trump shifts american climate commitments into reverse -- >> so we're getting out. >> reporter: britain is green lighting an audacious plan to cut emissions and put the brakes on a public health disaster that

causes some 40,000 premature deaths a year. >> i think in the end, everybody will have to go electric. otherwise more will be growing up with asthma, things like that. >> reporter: it'll take more than two decades to get the mandate in place. environmentalists say the new rule is too little too late. >> secretary of state says this is a public health emergency but doesn't seem to get the urgency of dealing with this. >> reporter: for iconic car brands -- sus -- such as asten martin -- >> most famous customer. >> reporter: the new law will spell disaster if it doesn't come with government help to make sure the country has the battery plants and home grown tech to power the plane. >> we buy into the vision of zero emissions, the danger is if you don't put the investment in, you're going to become a net importer. that would be a disaster. >> reporter: here in european countries like britain, cars and fuel already heavily taxed and regulated. it's hard to imagine a

rule like this in the u.s., one of the world's top polluters. >> i don't think the u.s. will set a date where it eliminates the sale of gas or diesel powered vehicles. it's not going to happen. especially under the trump administration. >> reporter: while the u.s. likely make the move soon, britain isn't alone. france announced a similar rule two weeks ago, the netherlands and norway have tighter restrictions. a growing global consensus that's leaving the u.s. on the sidelines. matt bradley, nbc news, london. when we come back, how working with birds of prey became a liberating experience for one man and how he is now helping others soar. >> wait a minute.

finally tonight, if you've ever thought of soaring like a bird, consider the story of a man that didn't learn to fly, but who wound forking with birds a liberating experience at a time in his life when he desperately needed one. and now with the birds he loves, he is helping young people spread their wings. tammie lightner caught up with him in washington, d.c. >> not flying today. >> reporter: rodney found an unexpected calling in birds of prey known as raptors. >> freedom. that's what all the numbers mean. >> reporter: two decades ago, his father was murdered, mother addicted to crack, his life was headed in the wrong direction. >> i wasn't kind of lost. i was lost. i was a drug dealer, nonsense, street life. >> reporter: then he

met a bird that would change his life. an eagle-owl famed mr. hoots. >> he's the first bird that i ever really worked with and from that moment, he was one of the greatest inspirations for me doing what i do now. >> reporter: as mr. hoots began to heal and spread his wings, so did rodney. >> it feels great just to get back to be able to give something back. >> reporter: now a licensed falconer, he take mrs. hoots around to schools in the d.c. area, partnering with police and youth services as director of the nonprofit wings over america. >> mr. hoots, please open your wings. >> reporter: many kids have never seen a wild bird up close. >> it's cool. little scary. >> scary, why? >> because he's a bird. we don't know what he'll do next. >> reporter: you can see and hear the bond between rodney and his birds. >> don't open your fist no matter what this bird does. >> okay. well hello. >> does he feel soft? >> he sure did. he felt so soft. >> reporter: rodney teaches the kids more than just handling and feeding the raptors,

they learn about conservation and animal migration. >> like a little jacket. >> reporter: scientists rob beergarden and rodney work together to capture an osprey and attach a tracker. >> the radio was on a bird we called rodney after rodney. >> reporter: they helped log on the bird they named leila and get a lesson in caring and conservation. >> little nervous, that's all. >> reporter: he hopes some day the kids will spread their wings and soar, just like him and his birds. >> bye, leila. >> reporter: tammie lightner, nbc news, washington. and that is nbc nightly news for this sunday. lester holt will be here tomorrow. i'm jose diaz balart reporting from new york, thank you for the privilege of your time and good night. a

right now at 6:00. a warmup across the bay area. temperatures about to soar presenting a fire danger in the coming days. >> the news at 6:00 starts right now. good evening everyone thank you for joining us. i'm terry mcsweeney. peggy bunker has the night off. we have changes coming for your workweek. temperatures about to rise and something else may be coming our way that could increase the fire threat. meteorologist rob mayeda here with the details. >> rising temperatures lowering humidity levels and a chance perhaps of thunder later in the week. right now temperatures in the 60s to near 90 in inland and concord. most bay areas seeing temperatures up five to eight degrees from yesterday. look at these numbers from san jose into gilroy in the