roll it! >> announcing our fall and winter maintenance specials. you could save up to $65 dollars in additional rebates. only from auto service plus. service you can trust. go to autoserviceplus.biz for a location near you. home base, president obama back at the white house after a long trip overseas, and what's waiting for him in washington could be just as tough. freedom. after more than a year in the hands of pirates, how this british couple got out with their lives. missing. the mystery deepens about the disappearance of a family including two children after one of them turns up bound and gagged. and making a difference. how's this for an idea? free health care. meet the young people who are making it happen.

from nbc news world headquarters in new york this is "nbc nightly news" are bester holt. president obama is back at the white house tonight after his trip to asia. he set out on that trip days after getting a shellacking in the midterm elections. he barely has time to unpack bags before confronting the challenges of washington's new political landscape. mike is at the white house to tell us about a very big week there. mike. >> reporter: good evening. after an asia trip that saw successes and letdowns, it doesn't get easier. tomorrow that lame duck session of congress begins, and mr. obama faces a republican party with democrats trying to regroup. back home after ten days broad, today president obama stepped off marine one and arrived home to a new washington reality.

near capitol hill the republicans were coming, some 85 of them, joining all newly elected candidates to learn the ropes and prepare for january when they are sworn into a new gop-ruled house. >> i look forward to representing my constituents and very thankful for their support. >> reporter: for now democrats are still in charge. tomorrow nancy pelosi convenes a lame duck session where a fight over tax cuts looms. amid signs mr. obama will soften his position and except a temporary extension for cut force the wealthy. today a top obama aid would not tip the president's hand. >> there's no bend on the permanent extension of tax cuts for the wealthiest americans. >> he's open to compromise? >> we want to get this done. the american people expect it to get this done, and we are eager to sit down and talk about how to move forward. >> reporter: compromise is growing more likely. today a conservative senator and tea party leader said he would go along with a temporary

renewal. >> well, if that's all we can get out of the president, then he is the president. we'll work with him on that. >> reporter: much depends on pelosi. liberals urge her and the president to draw the line on extending cuts for the wealthy. one matter moderate challengeds her. >> if she doesn't step aside, i will challenge her. >> while it isn't an official announcement, today top aide axelrod gave a strong indication that the president will mount a 2012 bid for re-election. >> sometime in the spring, late winter early spring i'll go back -- coming back here to chicago and beginning to work on that project. >> lester, we may know more late thursday about the outcome of that tax cut debate. that's when the president has invited all congressional leaders, democrats and republicans, house and senate here to the white house for a meeting and he takes them

upstairs for dinner to talk things through. lester. >> thanks. we woke this morning to word that the long ordeal of a retired couple held captive by somali pirates for more than a year was over. they were hijacked aboard their sailboat and captivated people around the world. few can forget the video images of the british husband and wife pleading for their lives as their captors pointed weapons at her head. their freedom likely came at a hefty price. >> reporter: free at last. >> happy to be free and here and desperate to see our family and friends. >> reporter: a day of high drama after more than a year in captivity. it was during medical checks. >> we were kept separate in solitary confinement.

>> reporter: delighted and relieved to be released. >> we're absolutely over the moon to be free. to be away from those people. to be amongst civilized, decent, honest people, not criminals. >> reporter: the retired british couple was sailing around the world when they were kidnapped at gunpoint. somali pirates stormed their boat while they slept. the ordeal was played out across the world as they pleaded for their lives. >> i have no doubt that they will not rez at a time to kill us perhaps within the week or so of now if there is no response. >> reporter: earlier this year they pleaded again.

>> reporter: a so mally businessman stepped in to help negotiate their freedom, but at what price? the british government has a strict policy of not negotiating or paying a ransom, and the family said it would be irresponsible to discuss the release process as it could encourage more kidnappings. it's believed the ransom was raised by the family and the rest by the somali government, the final figure is reported to be about $1 million. a big business for them holding more than 500 hostage. they're safe in kenya tonight and hope to be reunited with their families as soon as possible. another story of freedom that captured the world's attention tonight. the story of the pro-democracy leader that was released from house arrest yesterday triggering a wave of thousands of people to rush to her home as you saw in this broadcast last night. it happened in myanmar, some

still call it burburma. what's next? a report from john irvine from itn. >> reporter: leaving home a free woman for the first time in seven years. quickly word spread around rangoon. she came home to a political rally. if she was hoping for a low-key drive to party headquarters, it hasn't worked out that way. she's managed to bring the center of rangoon virtually to a stand still. when she finally made it to her party offices, there were thousands of well-wishers. her affinity with the masses appears to be undiminished, but how might she choose to harness her appeal? interestingly she told the crowd she bore her jailers no ill

will. later after a chaotic news conference i asked her about future relations with burma's generals. how are you going to use your moral authority, are you willing to compromise with the opposition. >> so far she has chosen her words carefully and has not openly criticized burma's regime. she says the generals have nothing to fear from her, but she's not what they're afraid of. it's her popularity. john irvine, itv news, rangoon. a wreak before teek before discuss afghanistan, har. >> i is calling on u.s. troops to cut a lower profile and

reduce the intensity of combat operations. karzai says the special operations night raids have become a sore point with the afghan people and could worsen the insurgency. we've been reporting in the region for the last two years. she joins us from kabul. the u.s. says the troop surge has worked so why is karzai asking the u.s. to back off? >> lester, president karzai is loud and clear to both parties as well as the taliban leaders here in afghanistan and pakistan that he is ready to negotiate, but he wants the taliban to reintegrate back into the government as well as the society here in afghanistan. by using "the washington post" it's a megaphone for his message to d.c. politicians and it's a prominent enough newspaper for that message to make it bab to the tribal regions in afghanistan and pakistan. so the taliban leaders know he's serious as well.

he has admitted to speaking to two level taliban commanders, one from the network that is notorious for killing both nato soldiers and afghan civilians. many of these taliban leaders including those within the network say they will not negotiate with the afghan government until nato forces leave. so he's bringing this message out. he wants the taliban to know that he's serious, because in the last nine years president karzai's mindset is to work with the international community and there's not peace in afghanistan yet. he feels by talking to the taliban, maybe that will bring peace into his country and that's a gamble that he's willing to take. lester. >> in kabul for us tonight. back in this country a horrific accident in california outside san diego. five people including four members of of a motorcycle club were killed when at driver of a gold honda accord swerved into the opposite lane forcing an

oncoming car off the road and into a pack of motorcycles. the driver of the second car is in custody. the driver of the honda is still at large. a 13-year-old girl missing since wednesday has been found alive by sheriffs deputies after an early morning raid near her home in ohio. still missing is the girl's mother, brother, and a family friend. the latest on this still unfolding story from nbc's miguel amagare. >> reporter: 13-year-old sarah was found bound and gagged in the basement of this rural ohio home. she couldn't call out for help as a s.w.a.t. team raided the house. 30-year-old matthew hoffman is charged with kidnapping, but will likely face additional charges. investigators believe he can lead them to sarah's mother, tina herman, her 10-year-old brother and a family friend. all four were reported missing five days ago. >> we don't know if he's connected to the family or

whether he connected himself to the family. a lot of that remains to be seen as the investigation continues. >> reporter: as sarah is treated at a local hospital, investigators are piecing together a time line. last wednesday deputies responded to sarah's home after her mother failed to show up at work. the next day, after no sign of the family and friend, the sheriff's department discovered blood inside the house. what's your gut tell you? >> i think something bad happened. >> reporter: greg is tina's estranged boyfriend. he shares the house with the family but says he never came home the night they went missing. >> where do you think they could be? >> i have no clue. >> reporter: saturday volunteers and sheriff's deputies combed wooded areases, scoured this lake and used a plane equipped with infrared technology to search. 24 hours later the investigation led them to matthew hoffman's home and sarah. you say he's not cooperative.

can he lead you to these three people? >> absolutely. >> tonight sarah is safe but the extensive for her family and mother's friend continues. nbc news. when "nightly news" continues this sunday evening, it's never been seen until now. a report that is shedding new light on how the u.s. government dealt with nazis after world war ii. you met him here last night, but that was before the big fight. we'll see how pacman packs a punch. boss: and now i'll turn it over to the gecko. gecko: ah, thank you, sir. as we all know, geico has been saving people money on rv, camper and trailer insurance... ...as well as motorcycle insurance... gecko: oh...sorry, technical difficulties. boss: uh...what about this? gecko: what's this one do? gecko: um...maybe that one. ♪ dance music boss: ok, let's keep rolling. we're on motorcycle insurance. vo: take fifteen minutes to see how much you can save on motorcycle, rv, and camper insurance.

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a dark chapter it america's past is getting new attention tonight with a disclosure of a never before seen justice department report on what the u.s. government did to hunt down n nazis after world war ii, in some cases giving them protection in the u.s. now jewish groups are calling for full disclosure. >> lift-off. we have a lift-off. >> reporter: the never disclosed report details the government's

complicated dealings with former nazi scientists including a launch that put the man on the moon. arthur rudolph who worked on rockets for hitler's germany was brought to the u.s. after the war errand secret program to keep other countries from getting their hands on german scientific break throughs. that program was appalling. though the u.s. knew rudolph has been a nazi, i was not considered explicit of the atroscities. he became the father of the mighty saturn rocket. des moines 1 in 1984 as they prepared to prosecute him for involve in nazi use of slave labor he left the u.s. and renounced his citizenship. it's among dozens of cases detailed in a report never made public but obtained by "the new york times." >> the government knows much more about the history of american collaboration with the nazis than were previously

acknowledged in this remarkable post-world war ii period. >> reporter: it describes battles over whether it could be proven that swiss banks bought gold looted by jewish victims. jewish groups say the justice department should make the report public. >> they sit on the report, which only leads to guesswork. >> we're still covering up and hiding the role that some in our country played by some perverse sense of national interest. i think it's time that our country knew. >> reporter: a former director of the justice department's nazi hunting unit says whatever comes out must be accurate for the sake of history. >> we're talking now about issues of the holocaust and justice, and it seems imperative what is released be accurate. >> reporter: tonight the justice

department says the report is a draft that kans some mistakes. it was never finished because prosecutors said they had higher priorities chasing current cases. when we come back, our making the difference report. would you believe free health care? art can cause a stroke in your brain? it's true. an irregular heartbeat, called atrial fibrillation, or afib, can make a blood clot form, here, in your heart, that can break free and go straight to your brain where it can cause a serious stroke. having atrial fibrillation gives you a 5 times greater risk of stroke than if you didn't have it. strokes that are twice as likely to be deadly or severely disabling as other types of strokes. if you, or someone you care for, have atrial fibrillation, even if you're already taking medication, there are still important things you'll want to know. for a free interactive book call 1-877-afib-stroke, or log onto afibstroke.com. learn more about

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many a teacher will tell thaw a real world education beats book learning hands down, and in the real world quality, affordable health care is too often out of reach. you put those two fablgt facts together you have an opportunity for boston medical students to make a difference. here's nbc's peter alexander. >> reporter: they look like real doctors, maybe a bit more fresh-faced, but most doctors

don't build their own offices from scratch. every time they open their door. these are the next generation's m.d.s mostly medical students who each opportunity night transform this church basement near boston into a place of care for their neighbors in need. >> the american medical system is broken, unfortunately, and we have a lot of people that fall through the cracks. >> reporter: like this 9-year-old whose father lost his job and his insurance last year, so when she got sicks, her grandmother didn't know what to do. >> i panicked. i was going to take her to the hospital, and then they charge you. i can't afford it. >> reporte >> reporter: at the sharewood project run and funded entirely by students and supervised by physicians, care is free. from general checkups to vaccines. the need for these free services is swelling. in 14 years the students have

treated more than 2500 patients. tonight alone they ran out of flu shots in the first two hours. matthew shepard has been va volunteering here since. >> it's infectious. one you come it's hard to come back. this is why we went to medical school. >> reporter: this med student says it's a symbiotic relationship. getting on-the-job training and passing along those lessons to undergrad students and peers. elizabeth went home with instructions to take it easy, no strep just a sore throat. >> this is great. this is great. >> reporter: for her grandmother relief and for these students a sense of purpose. still excited to be a doctor one day? >> yes, i am. yes, i am. >> reporter: showing dedication to their patients before earning their degrees, peter eight lex ander, nbc news, massachusetts. british royalty paid a visit

to afghanistan today. prince william took part in a memorial service where british forces have taken heavy casualties. the prince trained as a chopper pilot spent times with troops and stopped by the base's medical center. speaking of royalty, william's father will talk with brian williams tomorrow night here on "nbc nightly news." when we come back, when is pacman not a game? how that question got answered big-time in the boxing ring last night. [piano keys banging] [scraping] [horns honking] with deposits in your engine, it can feel like something's holding your car back. let me guess, 16. [laughing] yeeah. that's why there's castrol gtx... with our most powerful deposit fighting ingredient ever. castrol gtx exceeds the toughest new industry standard. don't let deposits hold your car back. get castrol gtx.

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last night here on this broadcast we told you about manny who when he's not legislating as a congressman of the philippines happens to be one of the best boxers you've seen. his big fight in dallas last night, how did it turn out? here's nbc's ron allen. >> reporter: what you're watching is one of the greatest boxers of all time achieve something no one else in this sport has ever done. the smaller man is devastating ant tone yo margrito, when it

was over he had won his eighth boxing title in eight different weight classes, each against a significantly larger opponent. a feat that has had the world of professional boxing in awe. >> we're watching something in manny that is -- ma may not be just once in a generation, once-in-a-lifetime, maybe once period. >> he's known as the filipino phenom because he rose from the poverty to become one of the world's richest athletes. he's 31, perhaps nearing the end of his boxing days, and just beginning a new career. last may elected to his nation's congress. now being mentioned by fans as a possible president. there was concern he was too distracted to fight. >> it's going to be a good fight on saturday, so don't miss it. it's going to be fun. >> reporter: as he won his latest unprecedented title, the congressman showed a bit of heart and compassion looking to the referee to stop the fight and pulling his punches in the

closing round, apparently concerned about how badly his opponent was getting battered. like so many adversaries he has faced in the ring and if life a foe much bigger but not better. >> by the way, with that he now has more wins at cowboys stadium this year than the cowboys do. that's "nbc nightly news" for this sunday. coming up next, "football night in america" followed by nbc "sunday night football." the patriots versus the steelers. troy williams will be here tomorrow. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. from all of us here at "nightly new york. from all of us here at "nightly news," good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com