deadline to pay america's bills now just three days away. tonight, urgent warnings of a potential economic catastrophe with no deal in sight. cold case solved. vowing to never give up. 12 years later, police make an arrest close to home in the baby hope case. amber alert, the search is on for five missing teens who police say could be in danger tonight. the ranch they are missing from under investigation for abuse. late word tonight of a bomb blast in syria as the red cross confirms seven aid workers there are kidnapped. "nightly news" begins now.

>> announcer: from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is nbc nightly ne"nbc nigh lester holt. another day of lots of talk and no action. what we have sadly come to expect from our leaders 13 days after they allowed much of the u.s. government to run aground. the pain the shut down inflicted on americans isn't enough, in 72 hours it will go from bad to worse. it's when the debt ceiling expires. 80 times since 1960 the congress has raised the limit without drama. contrary to what some may think, raising the debt ceiling doesn't give authority to take on new spending, only to pay bills it already has. like social security, military pay and veterans benefits. paying those bills is expected to burn through the cash on hand at the end of the month leaving the u.s. the first time ever in default. what are the white house and congress doing to avoid it?

we start with kelly o'donnell on capitol hill where frustration spilled in to the streets for a time today. >> reporter: sure did, lester. with the dire consequences days away, tonight the senate and republican top officials responsible for finding a solution had just one phone call and made no progress. senators are divide over how much federal spending should be permitted in a budget extension that would reopen the government and how long any new borrowing limits should last. today, this impasse brought out anger and emotion. voices from across the political divide brought their frustrations to washington's landmarks today, both liberal and con can servetive protests. the far larger turnout, tea party inspired demonstrators toppled and stacked barricades in front of the white house. today, barricades became a

symbol of anger over closed monuments and were cut apart and carried from the closed world war ii memorial. >> all of these people are here because things are broken. the memorial is a flash point for conservatives. tea party stars sarah palin and ted cruz were there. >> our veterans should be above politics. enough games. >> reporter: inside the capitol, senators were on the job today. the senate's top party leaders are talking. >> it's a breakthrough. hard to imagine but it's a breakthrough. >> reporter: the negotiations are not considered the best chance to open government an renew the government's ability to borrow known as the debt ceiling which runs out this week. >> i think it is not a good idea to go through the debt ceiling deadline. >> reporter: republicans are suspicious about a senate compromise and maintain a deal that reduces government debt will make the pain of the gridlock worthwhile.

>> in the short-term sacrifice of a shutdown is inconsequential if you change spending patterns in the united states of america and get us on a path of growth and prosperity. >> reporter: many who came to be heard say they are out of patience. >> my own personal opinion is i blame actually the congress, not the president. >> what do we want. >> to end the shut down. >> when do we want it? >> now. >> reporter: they say they believe within a day or so the senate could come up with an agreement. what remains unclear is how house republicans will react. >> kelly o'donnell starting us off and for more we turn to chief white house correspondent chuck todd also in washington. what do you make of all of this. >> reporter: what a wasted weekend of the leaders. it was amazing how things had been moving starting on thursday night in to friday. another meeting of senate republicans and the president.

you had some back and forth and looked like things were moving along. they had a schedule of different meetings an all of a sudden everything came grinding to a halt. some of it harry reid feeling emboldened by the poll numbers that are punishing the republicans and house republicans walking away and leaving it in the hands of senate republicans. we have two paths. path one is negotiation in the senate. maybe they come up with an agreement that gets us through january. math two, if that fails, is the house caving in at the last minute and passing a quick six-week extension an do this all again a couple of weeks before thanksgiving. >> thank you. overseas, late developments from syria tonight. the red cross announced six of its workers and a volunteer have been kidnapped at gun point. twin bomb blasts rocked the city of damascus. we are following the developments from neighboring

beirut. >> reporter: a team of the international red cross in to deliver medical supplies and inspect facilities were abducted by rebel forces by a group possibly linked to allocate tachlt the icrc says six volunteers an one other have been taken. they are trying to negotiate their safe release. also this evening, multiple explosions rocked the capital of damascus. a double car bombing targeting a syrian state television killed at least two security guards and temporarily took the station off air. the explosions took place two miles from a hotel where chemical weapons inspectors had been staying. they are working alongside the united nations and had arrived on october 1st. the continued violence is making their job very difficult. so far they have only been able to reach three out of 20 sites connected to the weaponry. >> thank you. to afghanistan now, where a

manwaring an afghan army uniform opened fire on soldiers near kabul killing one. the insider attack is the fout in less than a month and could strain tense relations between coalition and afghan forces. here at home, an amber alert is in effect for five teen boys still missing from a retreat for troubled youth in new mexico. as we first reported last night, the unlicensed program was already under investigation for alleged abuse. now we are getting a clearer picture of those allegations. kristin dahlgren is following the story from hillsborough, new mexico. >> reporter: from the air and on the ground today, authorities continue to scour the vast new mexico desert looking for the teens and the tierra blanca owner chander. officials came to shut the ranch down. in a statement the attorney said the boys are home with parents

and safe. but authorities say until they can verify that the amber alert remains. chandler has been under investigation for alleged abuses at the sprawling rez ranch. residents of the ranch and their families made allegations of terrible abuse calling the camp child slavery. in another report, a runaway is found with leg shackles and another says he picked up mr. could youen from his cuffed hands and slammed his face on the ground. >> wake them up in the middle of the night, forced to do call less tenics. if you can't do them over kids have to drag or beat you. >> reporter: parents sent them to the ranch for camp. many not realizing it wasn't regulated. new mexico child and family services say abuse allegations came to its attention in 2012. >> at that point, the allegations made were about

individuals no longer at the ranch. it didn't fall under protective services. >> reporter: last week, before disappearing chandler responded to allegations. >> there's proof in the pudding. everyone wants to make it about credentials. >> reporter: some teens have come forward to say tierra blanca saved their lives. >> i'd trust him to hold me on top of the empire state building. no doubt in my mind he would never do anything like that. >> reporter: we saw state police officials heading to the ranch with binoculars. this is an active search. authorities say they will not cancel the amber alert until they physically set eyes on each of those teens. lester? >> thank you. 22 years since new york city detectives vowed to find the killer of a young girl whose body was found stuffed in a cooler on the side of the highway. she became to be known as baby hope. but her real name is finally

known and her alleged killer under arrest. >> reporter: after more than two decades, the murder case of a young girl known only as baby hope until now is finally solved. police say following the arrest of a suspect on saturday. >> today, nypd investigators have given young anjelica her due justice. >> reporter: in 1991, police found the body of a 4-year-old girl in a picnic cooler, dumped along a highway in manhattan. it launched an investigation that would span 22 years. officers assigned to the case, including retired homicide detective giorgio never stopped looking for her killer. >> we thought of her as almost one of our own children. >> reporter: they helped to pay for her head stone at saint raymonds cemetery, enkriebed because we care. this sum isser they renewed their focus on the cold case,

canvassing neighborhoods for clues. in july, a woman came forward, investigators say, with information about the child's adult sister. the tip and dna test allowed the police to locate the baby's mother and identify a suspect. saturday, police arrested cored in a doe juarez, a cousin of baby home, now identified as anjelica castillo. >> juarez admitted he sexually assaulted anjelica. that he smothered her and disposed of the body. with the aid of juarez ramirez who is now deceased. >> reporter: detectives who worked the case from the beginning expressed relief. >> when we vids this plot now out at saint raymonds we can now attach a name to this little girl. >> reporter: a name and a place in the hearts of those who never gave up. michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. when we came on the air last night a cyclone was

making landfall. people heeded the calls to flee to higher ground. duncan is in calcutta with the latest. >> reporter: people along india's eastern coast are just beginning to discover how much has been destroyed and how many lives lost. >> this damage is really historical. never happened like this. >> reporter: slowly they cut and clear the way, trying to reach isolated areas where there could be more casualties. >> primary concern at the moment is look for survivors. communication has been crippled. >> reporter: phailin slammed in with winds of 150 miles an hour killing at least 15 people. >> phailin was comparable in strength to the 1999 cyclone

over the bay of bengal. but as it approached phailin weakened. >> reporter: strong enough to down trees and power lines and damage homes. nearly 1 million people were evacuated from the coast and moved in to shelters on higher ground. >> the large scale evacuation of people has yielded positive results. >> reporter: the crisis is not over. many struggling to get back to their villages won't have homes to return to. nearly a quarter million have been destroyed in one district alone. >> they will go back and find their houses are gone. we need to get them some kind of temporary shelter while they rebuild their homes. we are also looking at water. do they have clean water? >> reporter: the challenge is helping those whose lives have been saved but turned upside down. though the hard work is just beginning there is a sense of relief here and almost pride

that this time the indian government led its people to safety. still to come here this evening, six years after madeleine mccann vanished from a portuguese resort, investigators are about to announce big leads in the case. and story behind this dramatic video of a woman and a bridge too far. need a spoon, dear? not anymore.

ladies... kitchen counselor. it's likely your detergent. cascade platinum's triple cleaning formula delivers brilliant shine finish gel can't beat. it even helps keep your dishwasher sparkling. cascade platinum is cascade's best. icaused by acid reflux disease, relieving heartburn,kling. relief is at hand. for many, nexium provides 24-hour heartburn relief and may be available for just $18 a month. there is risk of bone fracture and low magnesium levels. side effects may include headache, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. if you have persistent diarrhea, contact your doctor right away. other serious stomach conditions may exist. don't take nexium if you take clopidogrel. relief is at hand for just $18 a month.

talk to your doctor about nexium. the recent increase in cafeteria prices is not cool. when you vote for flo, we'll have discounts. ice-cream discounts. multi-cookie discounts. pizza loyalty discounts! [ kids chanting "flo!" ] i also have some great ideas on car insurance. [ silence ] finding you discounts since back in the day. call or click today. i like her. now to the madeleine mccann case and a possible break six years in the making. new reason to think the little girl from scotland who vanished from her bed in a portuguese resort could ultimately be found. the latest from nbc's annabelle roberts. >> reporter: an image of 3-year-old maddie mccann hours

before she disappeared is now part of a british tv broadcast airing tomorrow night that will reconstruct the final moments, six years after she vanished from this vacation apartment in portugal. >> primarily what we sought to do if from the beginning is bringing everything back to zero, if you like. sort of taking everything back to the beginning and reanalyze and assess everything, accepting nothing. >> reporter: after six frustrating years, the investigation has been reenergized and it's hoped this broadcast will bring new leads to explain what happened here in the room the mccanns left maddie and her brother and sister sleeping while they ate dinner at a restaurant 100 yards away. >> reporter: police are releasing computer-generated sketches of a white man between 20 and 40 years old seen by witnesses the night madeleine went missing. they say speaking to this man is of vital importance and maybe the break they need to solve

this case. >> reporter: with the momentum, new hope for maddie's parents because missing madeleine does not get easier. >> when it is a special occasion, when you should be the happiest and madeleine's not there, that's when it really hits home. >> it is family occasion when you haven't got your complete family. >> reporter: this reconstruction broadcast is britain's equivalent of "america's most wanted" and seen in germany and the netherlands where many vacationers six years ago came from. the hope is the appeal will finally solve the mystery of what happened to madeleine. n nbc news, london. the addiction to chocolate you have got, it's about to take a bite out of your wallet. when i first felt the diabetic nerve pain, of course i had no idea what it was. i felt like my feet were going to sleep. it progressed from there to burning

like i was walking on hot coals... to like 1,000 bees that were just stinging my feet. i have a great relationship with my doctor... he found lyrica for me. [ female announcer ] it's known that diabetes damages nerves. lyrica is fda approved to treat diabetic nerve pain. lyrica is not for everyone. it may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior. or swelling, trouble breathing, rash, hives, blisters, changes in eyesight including blurry vision, muscle pain with fever, tired feeling, or skin sores from diabetes. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. those who have had a drug or alcohol problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. having less pain -- it's a wonderful feeling. [ female announcer ] ask your doctor about lyrica today. it's specific treatment for diabetic nerve pain. to hear more of phyllis's story, visit lyrica.com.

overnight in washington state, hundreds of party goers at western washington college clashed with police.

police say the crowd threw projectiles when they fried to break up the party. they responded by using pepper spray to disperse the 500 people gathered at the park. several arrests were made. now to other video captured in ft. lauderdale, florida, where a 55-year-old woman was walking across a railroad drawbridge when it suddenly opened. the breast cancer walk participant, dressed in pink, is seen clinging for her life on the underside of the bridge. she held on for hours, for an hour actually, before rescuers were able to reach her. bittersweet news for anyone who loves their chocolate or who is thinking of handing it out on halloween. the good stuff will cost you now more than ever. demand is soaring and here's the news that no chocoholic wants to hear. >> reporter: if you are a chocolate lover, this could be a dangerous place to hang around. >> are you normally dark or lighter chocolate person? >> reporter: they turn out what you may consider designer

chocolate like these hand-dipped truffles. >> every one of these has a lot of love in them. >> reporter: they were never inexpensive but now -- how much does a truffle like that cost. >> $2.75 for one truffle. >> reporter: what did it cost two years ago at this time? >> two years ago about 2.25. >> reporter: an increase of 20% and this is why. cocoa beans, chocolate's brain ingredient are in limited supply and worldwide demand is spiking as india, china and others develop a sweet tooth. >> how much more are you paying for the beans. >> today versus last year, approximately 20 to 25% more than a year ago. >> reporter: this chocolate company is the largest grinder of cocoa beans. chocolate produced here is shaped in to disks and sent to bakers. >> the industry is concerned these prices today could be with us a long period of time and could move higher.

>> reporter: it's more than an overseas hunger. americans specifically adults, are indulging more than they used to. the culprit in this might be dark chocolate. many believing this is a healthier choice and demand is skyrocketing. it is 90% of sales here and dark chocolate uses more cocoa beans making it priceyer. we found few complainers. this customer calling it still cheaper than therapy. >> som something is going right, i will have a piece of chocolate or if smk something is wrong i will get my myself a little piece of chocolate and make it all melt away. >> really good. >> reporter: bittersweet as lovers of chocolate dig deeper for a little luxury. nbc news, washington chicago. >> i think i know what we will be craving the rest of the evening. just ahead, neighbors picking up the slack where the government isn't delivering. well ladies, now there's big news in controlling your overactive bladder symptoms.

thinking less about them with new oxytrol for women. it's a patch. the first and only over the counter treatment for overactive bladder. it's good to know how to put the control back in your go. new oxytrol for women. now over the counter in the feminine care aisle. visit oxytrolforwomen.com to learn more.

to stretch my party budget. but when my so-called bargain brand towel made a mess of things, i switched to bounty basic. look! one sheet of bounty basic is 50% stronger than a full sheet of the bargain brand. bounty basic. the strong but affordable picker upper.

finally tonight, over the last two weeks we have seen just about the worse in partisan politics but the government shutdown has allowed us to see some of the best in each other. americans have shown the opposite of washington's pettiness by stepping in to fill the needs our government no longer can. here's nbc's mark potter. >> reporter: in head start school near atlanta, closed by the government shutdown, the doors are open again, thanks to a $10 million gift to head start

from houston billionaires john and laura arnold. >> it was such a relief. an answer to our prayers really. >> reporter: in arizona, the closure of the grand canyon national park left 2200 workers furloughed. fearing food shortages, a local church made a plea for help to the saint mary's food bank in phoenix which quickly loaded 600 food boxes and drove them north to feed the park workers. >> a lot of them live paycheck to paycheck. we are talking minimum wage workers up there. >> reporter: in colorado springs, colorado, this bank is giving away interest-free loans to help with furloughed workers. >> reporter: in miami, this house straining to feed 5,000 low-income families a month is giving diapers baby formula to desperate moms losing federal subsidies. >> mothers having to dilute the milk to stretch it, to provide milk to their kids. >> reporter: in marion, iowa, a

group of moms created a facebook page, seeking donations for parents who lost government benefits. >> we need to pull together as a nation and fill in the gaps and get through this together. >> reporter: she appreciates the much-needed help. >> it's amazing these girls came up with it to give a helping hand to everyone in the community. >> reporter: in tough times, reaching out to neighbors in need. mark potter, nbc news, miami. that's "nbc nightly news" for this sunday. brian williams will be here tomorrow. "football night in america" is next followed by washington versus the dallas cowboys. for us us here at nbc news, good night. here at nbc news, good night.

at&t stadium in arlington, texas, where tonight sunday night football features a pair of long time division rivals in an nfc matchup. tony romo's tremendous production was undermind by a critical late game error and gave the broncos a 51-48 victory and dropped the cowboys to a 2-3 record. following an nfc title last season, few could match the approval ratings of robert