on our broadcast tonight, chaos in cairo, an extraordinary scene, and here we go again. as 100,000 people take to the streets and some young americans are caught in the middle. our own richard engel is there live tonight. travel warning. why it could be a rough day tomorrow weatherwise for millions of folks trying to get home for thanksgiving. game on in new hampshire. the president trying to gain back some lost ground. mitt romney goes negative in a new ad. and we'll show you what all the talk is about. canned soup. why the safety of an american staple is suddenly in the news tonight. first it was those hard plastic bottles, now it's soup cans, all because of a new research into a possible health risk. and what a mess? one bag of flour, two small boys

and one mom's reaction when she discovered the scene. "nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. when you look at the live pictures, you can't help but say, here we go again. the revolution was supposed to be over. we went through this last winter, the people of cairo flocking into tahrir square. the protest erupting into violence and bloodshed. mubarak, remember, was forced out. and yet tonight, this is where we are, violence and bloodshed in cairo, in a society that badly needs order and leadership. this is day four of this uprising, by the way, the death toll at least 30. at least 2,000 people injured, that number on the rise. and once again our chief foreign correspondent richard engel is

there for us. richard, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. there are still tens of thousands of people tonight in this square, trying for two revolutions in a single year. today the egyptian military did offer some concession but it wasn't enough. protesters today carpeted tahrir square. they were mixed with force. there were more clashes, some intense. the anger here is focused on one man, president hosni mubarak's successor, field marshall hussein tantawi. protesters say he never implemented democracy as he promised. today in tahrir square, they hanged his effigy. and now caught up in this second revolution are three american college students on a semester abroad. egyptian television showed them looking sheepish, in detention, accused of throwing molotov cocktails at security forces. back in the square, by 4:00 p.m., hundreds of thousands

packed in. this is the biggest demonstration since hosni mubarak was toppled nearly one year ago. it's also the biggest challenge for the military, which has dominated political life here for nearly six decades. they were promised democracy, it wasn't delivered. now they're determined to take it for themselves. but would toppling the egyptian military be good for the united states? the military is secular, it's u.s. funded. it defends the peace treaty with israel. and for decades, it's been the peace broker in the middle east. >> the main roll of the army is to protect egypt. and so far, and to this day, to this point in time, it is fully affecting the public. affecting the egyptians. >> reporter: in the evening, tantawi gave a rare television address. but it was soon clear, he wasn't stepping down. instead, he said egypt will form a new government and have early presidential elections.

the reaction in tahrir, the field marshall is a trader, he said. and clashes resumed, more intense than before. and brian, regarding those three american students, u.s. embassy officials here in cairo have already been in contact with them. >> richard engel back again in tahrir square, cairo. richard, thanks. let's bring things back domestically to the rush that's underway in this country tonight. this is top of mind for millions of american families. and if you're waiting for someone to come home for thanks giving, depending on where you live and where they're trying to start from, it could be a while. we'll put it that way. our friend, meteorologist jim cantore with us from weather channel headquarters tonight. jim, show us where it's the worst right now, and likely to be. >> brian, it's tough when you see a storm heading to the eastern seaboard, that i-95 corridor, but that's exactly what we've got. let's take a look at it here. the storm that dumped a foot of

rain on arkansas in the last week is pushing to the east. a cold rain tonight across much of the upper northeast, especially in chicago, a couple tornado watches down to the south, we're keeping an eye on that. let's forward this to tomorrow. there it is, that i-95 corridor, just inundated by rain. if you can hold off until late in the day, you'll be doing better. now those red airplanes signal where we expect problems at the airports tomorrow. keep that in mind. yes, that is snow in northern new england for those of you who will be skiing on this holiday weekend. here's a few select cities for you. atlanta looks good, which is a good thing, because that is one of the busier airports out there, if not the busiest. as we shift off toward the west coast, we're fine in the middle. denver, salt lake, all the way to los angeles. most of the rain seattle and portland expect some wind there and airport delays as well. all in all, the travel woes are on the edges. if you're traveling in the middle, all is good. use a little patience and get there safely. >> all right, don't know how you thank you. jim cantore at the weather channel tonight. thanks, pal.

president obama was in the midst of a political storm in new hampshire today, facing an uphill fight in that state in the race for president, with new polls showing him running behind mitt romney in what is still, of course, a hypothetical matchup. today as the president arrived in new hampshire, romney went negative on the airwaves. our report tonight from nbc's kristen welker. >> reporter: with his poll numbers down in new hampshire, president obama took his anti-congress campaign and tried to win back support. >> if your members of congress aren't delivering, you have got to send a message. make sure they're listening. tell them, don't be a grinch. >> reporter: but he found himself under attack from republican mitt romney, who hasn't even won his own party's nomination. romney released this $134,000 commercial in the granite state, slamming the president for his handling of the economy. but president obama's campaign says this key line from the ad is out of context.

>> if we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose. >> reporter: here's the original. >> senator mccain's campaign actually said and i quote, if we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose. >> reporter: mr. obama's campaign called the romney ad deceitful and dishonest. but romney's camp issued this defense. then candidate obama criticized his opponent for not wanting to talk about the economy. today president obama and his campaign are afraid to talk about the economy. despite it's size, new hampshire could be pivotal in a close general election. the president won it in 2008. but polls show romney, who owns a house in the state, and served as governor in nearby massachusetts, is leading obama in new hampshire by as much as ten points. before romney can actually take on the president, he still has a tough primary battle. and right now, some polls show him running second to newt gingrich. as the polls have shifted, occupy wall street protesters have targeted the candidate.

today it was mr. obama's turn. republican candidates have a chance to reshuffle the deck once again tonight. they face off in their 11th debate. one of the key topics will be foreign policy. that's a topic that some of them have struggled with. brian? >> kristen welker back at the white house tonight. kristen, thanks. at the other end of pennsylvania avenue today, after that special congressional deficit committee, the so-called super committee failed to come to a deal, it looks like congress is willing to compromise on at least a few things that americans might notice. our report on that from nbc's kelly o'donnell. >> reporter: out of the dysfunction of the failed super mmittee that did nothing about the country's long term debt, today a glimmer of bipartisan agreement on two issues that could directly affect your wallet. unemployment benefits are about to run out for about 2 million

out of work. and this year's payroll tax cut is about to expire. >> we can't let that happen. not right now. it would be bad for the economy. it would be bad for employment. >> reporter: today the president pushed hard to extend that tax cut into next year. >> if congress refuses to act, middle class families are going to get hit with a tax increase at the worst possible time. >> conservative and tea party groups agreed. >> what do you think should be happening? >> extend it. right now is not the time to raise taxes. frankly, i don't think there is ever a time. >> reporter: 121 million families got that break. for those earning $50,000, a 2% cut in payroll taxes saves about $1,000. today, speaker boehner spoke to president obama. we stand ready to have an honest and fruitful discussion with him regarding the payroll tax

extension. what's the hitch? it will cost the government an estimated $170 billion. that sets up a fight coming after thanksgiving, when congress will either have to add more debt or find enough spending cuts to make this agreement stick. kelly o'donnell, nbc news, washington. there is news tonight in the penn state investigation, the local newspaper reporting new trouble for the former assistant coach jerry sandusky. nbc's peter alexander has more from the penn state campus tonight. peter, good evening. >> reporter: brian, good evening to you. tonight we are learning about two new child sexual abuse allegations against jerry sandusky, where both alleged victims are still under the age of 18. the harrisburg "patriot news" tonight reports that the two cases have been opened by child and youth services right here in pennsylvania within the last 60 days. if they are found to be credible, this could raise new questions about why authorities waited until the end of a three-year grand jury investigation to arrest sandusky. also tonight, there are new indications that the penn state scandal may now include obstruction of justice.

according to a source familiar with the investigation, pennsylvania state prosecutors filed a secret motion in july to hold sandusky's charity, called the second mile, in contempt after the organization failed to turn over sandusky's subpoenaed expense records. the motion was later withdrawn, but many of those records may have contained details about sandusky's relationships with the second mile children, brian, are still missing. >> peter alexander in state college, pennsylvania tonight. peter, thank you for that. and a high profile cheating scandal has expanded tonight. this one involves high school students from long island, new york accused of cheating on their s.a.t.'s by paying other kids to take the test for them. it's a story that's getting national attention and stirring outrage over the honest hardworking students who are losing out to cheaters in this case. our education correspondent rehema ellis has our report. >> did you cheat on the s.a.t.s? >> reporter: 13 current and former students from some of

america's top ranked public high schools turned themselves in today, in the high stakes cheating scandal that has now spread to several new york communities. some of the students are accused of accepting up to $3,600 in exchange for taking critical college entrance exams for other students. including the s.a.t. and the a.c.t. the others, who are suspected of paying students to take the tests for them face misdemeanor charges. >> this affects millions of college students and college bound students. >> reporter: the attorneys for those accused say their clients have pled not guilty. this is the latest chapter in the growing cheating scandal that began in september, with the arrest of seven students from great neck north high school. >> every s.a.t. score from our school is going to be taken with a grain of salt because of these kids. >> reporter: the investigation has cast a national spotlight on security surrounding college entrance exams.

>> all it takes is a simple homemade fake i.d. to take the a.c.t.s or the s.a.t for someone else. >> reporter: with so much at stake and the pressure many students feel to get into college, some say people should think twice about how to hold the students accountable. >> this is not a criminal matter that should be processed here in the court system. >> reporter: that attorney who represents one of the students says this matter should be handled by the school districts instead. as for the students accused of accepting money to take the exams, they could face up to four years in prison if convicted. >> there's nothing fair about this case. it's pressed everyone's buttons. rehema, thanks. up next here as we continue, is there a hidden risk in soup cans? how about cans of cranberry sauce for that matter. new research tonight about a chemical that's raised health questions before. and later, you think you're a mess in the kitchen? the viral video showing what happened when mom left the room.

back now with a health news story, a staple in every home. there's new research about a chemical called bpa, which some studies, as you may know, have linked to a higher risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes. we reported not long ago about concerns over bpa in some of those hard plastic water bottles and other products. well, tonight, a new study raises concerns about bpa in canned foods. our report from our chief science correspondent robert bazell. >> let's put the peach on like this. >> reporter: iris williams tries hard to make healthy meals for her family. and she often uses canned food. >> it's easy to prepare, when we get home from work and school.

and it's relatively inexpensive. >> reporter: almost all food that comes from a can contains trace amounts of bpa. and the researchers who carried out the latest study, say consumers need to be aware of it. >> i think that anyone who wants to reduce their exposure to bpa, one way they can do that is by avoiding canned foods. >> reporter: in a public health study, volunteers ate a serving of canned soup each day for five days. soon afterwards, their levels of bpa were 12 times as high as those who ate soup from scratch made in the cafeteria. the bpa levels dropped back to zero within a few hours. there's no scientific argument that bpa always passes quickly through the body. the big dispute is whether constant exposure from sources like the lining of metal cans and certain water bottles presenting a danger, especially to fetuses and young children. in a statement issued today, the association representing the canned food industry says the

bpa exposure levels cited are not surprising. fda and canadian authorities have consistently concluded that current exposures through canned foods do not pose a health risk to consumers, including newborns and infants. despite studies showing bpa can be dangerous to animals, no government has concluded it is harmful to humans. but canada and the state of connecticut have banned it in baby bottles and cans that contain baby formula. >> you're going to make how many baskets? >> reporter: hearing the latest news, iris williams says she'll try to cut back on canned foods, but says it won't be easy. robert bazell, nbc news, new york. when we come back here tonight, you get to hear someone stand up for the fat cats in this country. and what did happen in congress this week? a shouting match broke out.

well, here's something you don't hear every day, because people don't usually say it

outloud. ken langone is a businessman, co-founder of home depot, a philanthropist and an ardent foe of president obama. and this morning on "squawk box" on cnbc under questioning by andrew ross sorkin, he said this. >> if we change the faces in the white house, we're on the road to recovery. >> you think it's that simple? >> i believe it's that simple. we need leadership, we need cheerleading, we need encouragement. we need businessmen and fat cats do feel like their doing something good. not that they're criminals. >> as you might imagine, people had at ken langone all day. the writer john cook on the website gawker said, "why should fat cats feel badly about getting fat, while the middle class taxpayers who financed that bailout, slide into poverty? they need to feel good about earning record profits. it's hard enough without cheerleaders." the moment of the week on capitol hill took place at a hearing about oil drilling in the alaskan wildlife refuge,

what you're about to see is an exchange between alaska republican congressman don young and the witness, the historian and author doug brinkley of rice university. it goes very haywire very quickly. the two men don't agree, they don't like each other, pay special attention, by the way, to the young female aide sitting behind the congressman. >> that side already made up his mind. this side already made up his mind. and the -- i call it garbage, dr. rice -- that comes from -- >> dr. brinkley, rice is a university. you know -- >> i will call you anything i want to call you when you sit in that chair. >> pardon? >> you be quiet. >> you don't own me. i pay your salary. >> i'll tell you -- >> the gentleman will suspend and i'll remind members -- >> i work for the private sector, you work for the taxpayer. >> mr. brinkley. >> nice to see everyone getting along. it is rare to hear a witness talk back to a member of

congress. and that's pretty much how the rest of the hearing went. we'll take a break. when we come back, a recipe for disaster. two little boys, one bag of flour.

finally tonight, with folks gathering for the holidays, a piece of video we thought you should see. it shows what happened when the mother of two boys left the room. and what can happen when two young boys have their way with a bag of flour. we thought it was topical given the time of year, and given how much time we'll be spending in the lesson. let this be a lesson, and it got people talking today. our story from anne thompson. >> reporter: if thanksgiving preparations have your kitchen floor looking like this, at least it isn't your living room. >> what are you doing? >> reporter: mary napoli says this is what her 1 and 3-year-old sons did with a five-pound bag of flour while she was in the bathroom. >> see? >> yeah, i see. you emptied the whole thing. >> reporter: when she saw the mess, napoli grabbed her video camera. >> oh, my gosh, not there. oh, my gosh. i knew i had to videotape it, because i knew my husband would

never believe me. or anyone for that matter. i'm going to throw up. >> reporter: the video is now a youtube sensation with more than a million hits. but today, some people insist this flour fiasco is a fake. a british newspaper asks, was it staged by mom? on our nightly facebook page, skepticism rules the day. doubters say napoli's too calm. >> did you guys get into the flour? >> reporter: skeptics think the flour is too evenly spread to be child's play. there's flour on places a toddler can't reach. >> it's like a snowman puked all over my living room. >> reporter: napoli insists it's real, and wanted to share it with the world. >> i guess if it brings people a laugh, people can really connect with it. oh, my gosh. >> reporter: a family snapshot that just might make you feel better about what's going on at your house this thanksgiving week. >> oh, boy. >> anne thompson, nbc news, new york. >> you can see for yourselves, the mom and her two little boys will be live on "today" tomorrow

morning, along with the biebs, of course. that's our broadcast for this tuesday night. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams. we sure hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com good evening, and thanks for joining us. >> we begin tonight at uc davis where right now students and faculty are in the middle of a contentious meeting over the recent pepper spraying of peaceful protesters there. tonight the calls continue for the chancellor's resignation. yesterday she was apologizing.