and more local news on the bay area at 6:00. >> tale of two cities, gadhafi tries to show he is still in control. but tonight, what our reporters say on the streets of libya. on the streets at home, tens of thousands keep up the fight in wisconsin and beyond. pain killers, the crackdown on florida's pill mills. and the devastation from drugs so easy to buy. and southern comfort. a solution to hard times. what we can all learn from one small town. ♪

>> from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >> good evening. battle lines. some being manned by armed civilians. supporters of moammar gadhafi tonight in anticipation of a violent show down with rebel forces. as the regime tries to prove it is still in control of the country, those rebel forces are reportedly nearing the outskirts of tripoli. and the center of power. today for the first time, president obama called for the leader to step down. saying the libyan dick tator ha lost his legitimatesy. we want to begin with jonathan rugman in tripoli tonight. >> reporter: they were burying their dead today. paying the ultimate price. for protesting against moammar gadhafi's rule. thousands attended this funeral and some were overcome with grief. 68 bodies counted by one doctor

here in the last few days. gadhafi we will bury you they shouted. such defiance in the capital almost unthinkable to this uprising which began only last week. just outside of tripoli, another sign of the crisis confronting libya's regime. soldiers joining protesters 30 in the town 30 miles from the capitol. these pictures can't be verified but it seems that the rebellion is now on gadhafi's doorstep. and now small groups are on converging on tripoli itself. this checkpoint, many long coats defending the city itself. when we started filming openly, the guns suddenly disappeared. instead, the militia ripped up a demonstration in support of 41

years of doll colonel gadhafi's rule. >> and when we spotted three helicopters, heading off towards trouble, defectors or not we don't know, they made it impossible for us to film. >> everything -- everything is peaceful. >> and libya loves him. >> all the people in libya love gadhafi? >> is mr. gadafi going to survive as your leader? >> i think so. there has been violence down the road here. >> i don't think so. >> this roadblock is five miles from the center of tripoli. if army defectors get as far as this, the regime will have a tighter grip. from one of gadhafi's sons late last night an extraordinary denial.

in a relaxed mode telling us that everything in libya is calm. when i asked him about the second city. he sounded as if he couldn't believe it himself. >> he lost control of benghazi, he must feel that this is a big blow. >> listen, in bengaszi there are 1.5 million people. people that are afraid of the militia on the ground. >> but do you think he will ever get back the parts that he has lost? >> no, it is part of libya. >> do you think your father -- >> excuse me, it is part of libya. >> is there no fear that you may be on the brink of a civil war? if there is no central control? >> not anymore. because the libyan people they woke up and now they realize the danger. >> what spirits is your father in? >> very good.

very high. >> yet video shot in the last few days appears to challenge that. this is a divided city where brute force is all that lives between the leader and those risking death to get rid of him. jonathan rugman sh nxn channel tripoli. >> and as we saw the libyan regime is trying to project a calm public face. nbc's jim mesada just arrived there. when we spoke with him a short time ago, we asked him which city he saw on his way in. >> reporter: i think i've seen some of both. really on the one hand, tripoli as least the ride from the airport to the center of town looks like a city and not a war zone. you see streetlights everywhere and that is the first thing that goes in an urban battle. along the route, gadhafi's face was on the biggest posters. the city is clean and quiet but

not a normal city. it feels like it is in lock down or under curfew which it is not. tonight is saturday night and you saw no people and few cars in the streets. while i saw no soldiers either, we did run into a checkpoint manned by civilians who were suspicious asking our driver for his id before waving us through. you certainly do feel two libyas, and two tripolis. one that has been cleaned up for the press and another one that is clearly tense and bracing for something. it is quite eerie. lester? >> now you heard that claim by gadhafi's son that the city was still in control. although he may be one of the few that think that is still true. in fact it was the tipping point of the rebellion. stephanie gosk remains there for us tonight. with new details on how the b

battle has unfolded and how it has changed libyan's lives. >> reporter: good evening lester. it is peaceful here but no one is sure how long that is going to last. foreigners are still fleeing and earlier today, the british the military had to send in two planes to rescue 150 oil workers stranded in the desert. the city fell fast to the opposition. nbc obtained his video from protesters of the final moments of the battle. almost unimaginable until it happened. the nighttime gun fight outside this city's military base. rebel forces took over the compound and looted the weapons. in the streets riot police were outnumbered and forced to turn and run from an obviously angry mob. today at the courthouse, the opposition is trying to put the city back together with a new set of rules. the most important is the freedom to say whatever they

want in public. this used to be the political tribunal building. places like this have been set up to try and put in prison anyone who speaks out about the government. this is one of the first buildings to be burned down. >> a lawyer and a mother of two told me people here used to live in fear. >> if i speak out, i will be arrested. >> while talking to her, this man stopped to tell this story. >> are people like him now able to come out on the street? >> yes. >> yes. >> others have new way to express themselves. today the first edition of the freedom of libya newspaper was printed. the head line, "unit against oppression". and the former voice of benghazi radio station is now the voice of libya. >> it is as if i'm in a dream.

i never imagined i would be able to express myself this freely. >> as people here continue to bury the dead. they know the fight isn't over. their eyes are on tripoli. many say they are ready to fight again to protect their new-found freedom. the opposition says it has armed force of 2,000 to support the forces. they will have to travel 700 miles to get to the capitol and go straight through pro gadhafi territory. >> battle to get americans and other foreigners out goes on. martin fletcher is in malta and has that part of the story for us, good even >> reporter: good evening. it is an all-out effort to get the last of the americans out of ing. libya. those who want to go tonight is flying a plane out to bring 150 people to land here in malta. it isn't clear how many

americans will be onboard but the british raised the stakes. in the rescue that stephanie referred to in the southern deserts of libya. two planes flew there to take out in several locations citizens who weren't able to make it to the ports or airports. reportedly they had fighters onboard to secure the area. while the evacuees were boarding the planes. they flew to malta here today and they arrived tired here but happy. >> that sounds like a pretty dicey rescue mission. do we have more details on how risky it might have been,

martin? >> reporter: well, they had to fly through libyan air. we don't know the clear details. but they had to fly through libyan air space. he was sending planes to bomb his own people, so they are in their own skies so those lumbering transport planes must have had fighter escort as they came in. as i mentioned, lordly there were troops on the ground to secure the area. it would have been a dodgy, risky mission but the british felt it was necessary to evacuate their nation >> as we noted at the top of the ales. >> broadcast, the white house is taking hard lines against libya. with sanctionsd yesterday and today, tough new words for moammar gadhafi. mike vicara has more on this. >> reporter: good evening lester.

for the first time since this uprising in libya began, the president is publicly calls for the ouster of moammar gadhafi. today he spoke with the chancellor and the president told him during a conversation: and shortly after that statement, secretary of state, hillary clinton came out with almost identical words. and you mentioned last night. the white house announcing sanctions against colonel gadhafi freezing their assets and shout terri shuttering the in tripoli.

>> a vote later tonight in the un security council. there has been talk of a no-fly zone similar to what we have seen over iraq years ago. there seem to be concerns that the entire country could not be covered by a no-fly zone. >> thank you. when we continue this saturday evening, the latest in the protest at home. the huge demonstration in wisconsin. and cracking down on those who fuel a devastating addiction. that have fewer emissions, to new ways to charge electric cars, to renewable sources of clean energy, ecomagination from ge is advanced technology that's good for both the economy and the environment. ♪ it's technology that makes the world work. [ squawking ] ♪

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we turn now to the uprising we have been following here at home in wisconsin. a huge turnout today. no let up in the protest of the governor's plan to cut the power of public unions in that state. it was just one of many rallies across the country. mike tiebe has more from madison tonight. mike? >> reporter: the roucrowds in madison got bigger by the hour. by mond >> the crowds got bigger by the hour. many leaving the interior of the state house where they have been living for a week. sistence that restricting is bargaining rights is the only way to control the budget.

at the state and local level now and into the future. >> federal employees have no collective bargaining and already half of the employees are non union. >> there were rallies in other states in support of the unions in wisconsin, but the drum beat was loudest in madison. ♪ >> here, it is only the absence of the 14 senate democrats that is delaying the inevitable vote to turn the governor's bill into law. these huge numbers are seen as potent weapons for the future. >> you know what, if you never voted before, i bet you will now. >> reporter: the next step could be a blast of real world consequences. the possible layoffs as many as 1,500 state workers who doesn't get his bill voted or passed by tuesday. >> coming up tomorrow on "meet the press," an exclusive

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from 220 miles above earth as the shuttle docked today. the shuttle brought along supplies a flying robot as well as six astronauts. right now 12 people are onboard representing the united states russia and italy. >> there was a major drug crack down today. pain killers sold illegally by doctors and widely available. even as these arrests were underway, there was a growing debate about the best way to combat this prescription drug abuse. mark potter has more tonight. >> reporter: police in south florida arrested doctors and shut down clinics for allegedly selling thousands of prescription pain killers

illegally. >> florida has become the center of pain killers. the eoxyexpress. >> reporter: officials say the pain clinics are easy fixes for addics. >> they are a cash-only business. they don't take insurance. there is little if no physical exam and there are armed guards at the door. >> reporter: prescription drug abuse in florida is now blamed for seven deaths per day. at a protest rally, this woman said her 24-year-old daughter, marcie is addicted to pain killers and in her sixth stint in rehab. >> there is a new face of addition. it is the middle class all american kid. >> reporter: in 2009, nearly 1,000 babies in florida were born addicted suffering withdrawal symptoms. >> reporter: the florida

legislature two years ago passed a law establishing a computer database to monitor prescription drug sales and cut down on the practice of going from clinic to clinic to buy pills. >> this is the budget you asked for. >> reporter: but rick scott wants to cut the program which drew harsh criticism from police and other officials. >> we cannot arrest our way out of this problem. we need tools. like the prescription drug monitoring program, like that database. >> reporter: during a time of difficult budget cuts, a battle over the cost of saving lives. lake worth, florida. >> for much of the country, this has been a brutal winter. san francisco can now say it too was hit by snow. just a dusting, but the first snow on the ground in san francisco in 35 years none the less.

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tough economic times. >> reporter: in a town where folks believe their past is the future, a blend of ideas and southern hospitality has the scent of success. >> downtown is a star among struggling small towns. there are no for-rent, for-sale or other signs here. >> downtown has 40 retails shops how many closed? >> we had one close. >> 15 restaurants downtown, karen smith says only one closed. it is her job to keep main street vibrant. >> we concentrate on downtown development within the context of historic preservation. >> we believe this is the heart of the community. >> from old fashioned face-to-face chats to a city installed and run fiber optic

networks so moms and pops can stay connected. new condo projects, and it center. projects brought 219 workers to main street who eat and shop here. it vitalizes the community and makes it alive. >> several festivals bring in tourists. the city will take your picture and post it on the internet. quirky, but it works. when it comes to making improvements downtown, the bricks of yesterday offer more charm than a new layer of asphalt. instead of widening the street, widen the sidewalk it is easier for people to shop or just to sit. and parking? park as long as you want, it is free. >> new young shop keepers are buying into the old feel of the city. >> people are getting unchained from the big chain stores. >> a downtown full of life where

yesterday is tomorrow. roger o'neal, nbc news, thomasville, georgia. that is "nbc nightly news" for this saturday. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. i will see you tomorrow morning on "today". and right back here tomorrow evening. good night. right now at 6:00, don't attempt to fix your television in the bay area. we are seeing snow. although not to the degree forecasted.