on our broadcast tonight, another monster storm on the way east. many still snowed under from the last one. this one could have a ripple effect across the country. toyota troubles take another bad turn. should americans stop driving them? we'll ask the transportation secretary ray lahood what thinks now. in haiti, the red tape that is making it so hard to help those who need it the most. heavy lifting, the first lady on a mission. her message to parents about what our families consume. how much would you pay to stay warm on an airplane? "nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television

good evening. by one estimate, 48 million americans are tonight preparing for at least six inches of snow. for some of them in some of the big population centers, there's already two to three feet on the ground and they may get a foot more. the eastern seaboard is going to get battered, damaging winds expected, power will go out, heavy snow will fall. that's where it begins. then comes the ripple effect across the country. again washington, d.c., is in its path among other cities. remember, the federal government is still shut down because of last weekend's storm. tom costello is there night for this next one. good evening. >> reporter: hi, brian. we still have thousands here in the d.c. metro area without heat or electricity. now we are looking at 12 to 15 inches more here, more in baltimore, more in philadelphia, on top of the two to three feet

we already have. from the midwest to the east coast, the snow is all anyone can talk about. >> we are talking about very heavy amounts of snowfall coming in here. >> reporter: 22 states are under a winter watch or warning, especially bad news for the mid atlantic still digging out from two to three feet of snow. now more is on the way. >> i just want to scream. >> i'm just waiting for the sun now. this is getting ridiculous. >> reporter: in d.c., virginia and maryland, schools remain closed. some gas stations are out of fuel and grocery stores are running low ontaples. >> i'm trying to get what i can. ere isn't any regular milk so we are going to soy milk. >> reporter: this auto repair garage collapsed under the weight of the snow. >> roof collapses are going to become an increasing problem. we had a number of those around the state and anticipate more. >> reporter: with blizzard conditions forecast for new

york, the mayor today acted preemptively. >> we are going to close all of the city's public schools on wednesday. >> reporter: meanwhile, the second act to the travel nightmare has already begun with airlines canceling flights and moving planes away from the storm. wmaq's christian farr is in chicago. >> here at midway airport, southwest canceled all their flights for 24 hours, while at o'hare more than 500 flights canceled due to the weather. >> reporter: back in official washington -- >> the weather is interfering this week with our ability to do business, as well. >> reporter: day two of the federal government shutdown and many law makers left town. many roads in the nation's capital at an impasse of their

own. al, this is dangerous and serious. >> on our maps we have winter weather advisories and winter storm watches stretching from iowa all the way to new england. almost 50 million people affected by these systems. in fact, a number of areas are goingo cities are going to see their biggest snowfall seasons ever. philadelphia, baltimore, washington, atlantic city, we'll all break records. the coastal lose should become the dominant one early tomorrow

morning. a mix of rain and snow along the coast. then as it pulls away it turns to all snow late tomorrow night and moves away. here is what we expect as far as accumulations by late tomorrow night. in the midwest, anywhere from three to six inches. some areas as much as nine inches from chicago, cleveland to erie, pennsylvania. along the eastern seaboard, wind gusts 50 to 55 miles per hour. possibility of blizzard-like conditions. from baltimore to philadelphia, we expect the heaviest, up to 20 inches. in new york city, close to 16 inches. as we move as far south as washington, another seven to 14 inches of snow. we'll update this for you tomorrow morning on "wake up with al" on the weather channel and "the today show" starting at 7:00. >> al, thanks. we'll see you in the morning. now we turn to what has become the largest consumer product crisis in recent memory in this country, the growing number of toyota recalls.

today another one, a big one. nearly 500,000 new prius and other hybrids recalled for braking problems. the prius is the new wave flagship for this car company. and 7,300 camry sedans recalled because of a potential steering problem. in all, some 8.5 million toyota vehicles have been recalled worldwide. production shut down while they work on the fix. you may recall almost a week ago transportation secretary ray lahood warned toyota owners to stop driving their recalled cars. that happened during a hearing. he later said it was obviously a misstatement. the question is, what do you tell toyotowners right about now? secretary lahood has been kind enough to join us from our washington, d.c., newsroom. mr. secretary, we do appreciate your time. a lot of americans don't believe the fix. a lot of them never believed it was floor mats.

how do they believe now that this is over? what will be their assurance? >> the fact that we're paying a lot of attention to this, brian. our safety people are working night and day to make sure that these toyota customers that are driving these cars will drive safe cars. we listed on our website dot.gov all the cars recalled. we encourage people to take these cars back to their toyota dealer and get them fixed. safety is our number one priority. we are going to make sure these recalled automobiles are the safest the toyota drivers can drive. >> and we realize you're not toyota, you're the federal government, regulators, folks in charge of safety where u.s. drivers are concerned. toyota says they are definitely sure it's not the electronics. do you believe them? does that company at this point still have credibility with you considering the history? >> we are going to hold their feet to the fire. we are going to hold toyota's

feet to the fire when it comes to these recalls. we are looking into all aspects of complaints that have come to our department. we are going to take them seriously and make this sure that toyota gets it right so these cars are safe. >> we asked our viewers to submit questions knowing we were going to talk to you tonight. one of them said, ask the secretary if back last week when he said people shouldn't drive their toyotas, he was perhaps speaking his mind before he realized it was impractical. do you feel that way? did you then? do you know? >> what i feel is i want people to know that we are really on top of this. we will make sure that toyota customers and toyota drivers will be driving safe cars. they should look on our website. if their car is on there take it to the dealer. get it fixed. we will not sleep until all these cars are fixed properly and are safe to drive. >> and for people who don't know, what can the u.s.

government bring to bear on a company like this, a company that may come to you and say, all clear. it's fine. we're going to start production back up again. we are going to put these back on the market, allow people to drive them home. >> we are not going to sleep until there's 100% assurance that these cars are safe. that every recalled automobile is fixed properly. that every recalled automobile is as safe as it can possibly be, and we are going to continue our investigation and hold their feet to the fire until we have 100% assurance, brian. >> final question, mr. secretary. you've been on this case, including a trip to japan. you've been on toyota on these issues and suspicions. are you confident that everything possible was done by the federal government or could any of these accidents, even fatal, have been prevented with more aggressive controls? >> if we had not held toyota's feet to the fire, if we had not gone to japan, i made a phone

call to the president of toyota and i emphasized to him, you need to get on this. safety is most important here. you need to make sure your cars are safe for our people in america to be driving them and around the world. i think they've taken that message seriously now, and i think they get it. we will continue to work very hard to make sure they get it. >> secretary of transportation ray lahood, thank you very much for joining us. >> thank you, brian. we turn to wall street today. debt was a big topic as word that germany is considering loan guarantees for some european union countries with big debt problems now. all of that sent stocks in this country higher. the dow was up 150 points, regaining the 10,000 level that mythic boundary. and on the issue of high debt levels saddling government's overseas and here at home, in our second of two reports this week, our chief foreign affairs correspondent andrea mitchell

reports tonight on how much of america's debt is currently owned by china, and why it could mean we're in for a real future shock in this country. >> reporter: the breathtaking shanghai skyline tells the story. china is an economic powerhouse. does that mean it could become the world's next superpower? beijing is the world's number one banker holding $790 billion of u.s. debt. while most weren't looking, china has been swallowing up oil, gas, iron ore plants in asia, africa, latin america and europe. close to $56 million in one year alone. even investing in some of the best-known american brands, apple, coca-cola, johnson&johnson, morgan stanley and tigrou as china rises, it's watched the u.s. and western economies fall. >> chinas feeling its oats after the economic recession. they feel they came through it

pretty well. they are feeling robust about their future, and so they sort of have a little bit of a swagger to their step. >> reporter: flexing their muscles blocking sanctions on iran, threatening to retaliate u.s. arm sales to taiwan, opposing a climate change deal in copenhagen, launching cyber attacks, protesting president obama's planned meeting with dalai lama. blocking tv coverage of the president's town hall there last november. and yes, even though they had every right to do it, reclaiming those beloved pandas. but for all its clout and increasing willingness to throw its weight around, china has its problems. remember all that toxic tooth paste, theead paint in toys, the lack of regulation that cost the lives of thousands of children in the 2008 earthquake. many because of shoddy school construction leading t protests. >> people are going to be demanding more things. they haven't been through the women's revolution, consumer revolution, internet revolution fully. they are going to have water problems.

they may have their own financial bubble right now. >> reporter: experts say eventually china will have to grant more freedom to its people if it wants to take its place as a true world power. andrea mitchell, nbc news, washington. now to a story we are watching closely overseas right now. our tehran bureau chief tells us things are growing tense in iran tonight. there are other signs from there something may be coming. the government and the political opposition are squaring off for what could be a big confrontation on thursday, which is the anniversary of the revolution there. there is, according to ali arouzi, a visible and massive security presence in the capital. authorities have issued serious threats to anybody who plans to protest. there's been a new wave of arrests across iran in recent weeks. we'll stay on this story closely, again over the next 24 to 48 hours. as our broadcast continues here on a tuesday night, haitian children in need of medical help, but these days what's stopping them from getting it? ting it?

when your eyes are smiling... you're smiling. and when they're laughing... you're laughing. be kind to your eyes... with transitions lenses. transitions adapt to changing light so you see your whole day comfortably... and conviently while protecting your eyes from the sun. ask your eyecare professional which transitions lenses are right for you. while i was building my friendships, my family, while i was building my life, my high cholesterol was contributing to plaque buildup in my arteries. that's why my doctor prescribed crestor. she said plaque buildup in arteries is a real reason to lower cholesterol. and that along with diet, crestor does more than lower bad cholesterol, it raises good. crestor is also proven to slow

the buildup of plaque in arteries. crestor isn't for everyone, like people with liver disease, or women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. simple blood tests will check for liver problems. you should tell your doctor about other medicines you are taking, or if you have muscle pain or weakness. that could be a sign of serious side effects. while you've been building your life, plaque may have been building in your arteries. find out more about slowing the buildup of plaque at crestor.com. then ask your doctor if it's time for crestor. announcer: if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help.

this is video of the man some are calling the miracle survivor in haiti. found in the rubble alive 27 days after the quake. he was taken for treatment at a university of miami field hospital over near the airport. doctors say he was dehydrated, badly disoriented. they're not sure how he survived, if he was indeed under the rubble this whole time. meanwhile, the haitian government now says the death toll is 230,000 and counting. in haiti, according to one newspaper there, right now the effort is a race to avoid what they're calling death by red tape in haiti. there is a theory that the case involving those american missionaries has made it tougher, made it worse to get children out of that country for

immediate needed medical treatment. our report tonight from port-au-prince and nbc's mike taibbi. >> reporter: this 3-month-old woib baby needed life-saving cranial surgery, but the doctors without borders specialists couldn't do it in haiti. with no documentation papers available, no pilot would evacuate her. that's been the store on the grounds of the port-au-prince airport, ever since those baptist missionaries were arrested and jailed. pilots willing to fly, but only on one condition. >> hand me some papers, i'll do it. i want to make sure i'm not going to get in trouble. >> reporter: for about all the children in this pediatrics ward, there are no papers to obtain. add in the typical red tape for special permission and the fear of flying without it, and private evacuations have slowed from 10 to 15 a day to no more than a half dozen total in the nearly two weeks since the baptist missionaries' case became what the prime minister call a huge distraction.

some doctors say for the sickest kids here, the most seriously injured, it's a question of life or death. still, pediatricians working these crowded wards state the obvious. >> the longer we wait with any child who is sick, their condition will probably worsen. >> reporter: u.s. military rescue flights are still taking off daily. and more specialists and better equipment are arriving by the day, but private evacuations are way down, adding to the grim tally. >> a few deaths last week and the patients that could have gotten out but didn't or the papers weren't done in time, and certainly worse outcomes for a lot of children. >> reporter: another stumbling block for a country still in the beginning of its struggle to recover. mike taibbi, nbc news, port-au-prince. when we continue our reporting here tonight in just a moment, michelle obama gets personal in henew campaign. at 43. when i try to eat right and take care of myself.

now i'm on an aspirin regimen because it helps me live the life i want to live. so i can continue to do the things that i love. it's so simple. [ male announcer ] aspirin is not appropriate for everyone. so be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. i feel great about the future. i'm here. i got a second chance. it's not a big deal to go to your doctor. it is a big deal to have a heart attack. [ male announcer ] learn more about protecting your heart at iamproheart.com. sure, but do we speak hybrid? yes, we do. and we can say 700 miles on a single tank and epa-estimated 41 mpg city and all the words stick because they're true. we speak the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan in america. yes, we speak car, and apparently quite well. fusion is now motor trend's 2010 car of the year. get in...and drive one. ♪ get in...and drive one. it can be tough living with copd... but i try not to let it slow me down. i go down to the pool for a swim...

get out and dance... even play a little hide-n-seek. i'm breathing better... with spiriva. announcer: spiriva is the only ce-daily inhaled maintenance treatment for both forms of copd, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. i take it every day. it keeps my airways open... to help me breathe better all day long. and it's not a steroid. announcer: spiriva does not replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms. stop taking spiriva and call your doctor if your breathing suddenly worsens, your throat or tongue swells, you get hives, or have vision changes or eye pain. tell your doctor if you have glaucoma, problems passing urine or an enlarged prostate, as these may worsen withpiriva. also discuss the medicines you take, even eye drops. side effects may include dry mouth, constipation and trouble passing urine. every day could be a good day to breathe better. announcer: ask your doctor if once-daily spiriva is right for you.

she's been talking about it for some time now, but today, first lady michelle obama officially kicked off her mission to fight this nation's epidemic of childhood obesity. the campaign is called "let's move." she talked about it today in a personal and urgent way. >> because this isn't about inches and pounds, and it's not about how our kids look. it h notng to do with that. it's about how our kids feel. >> first lady's goals are ambitious, they include getting kids to do more exercise, providing healthier foods in schools, better foods in neighborhoods in this country. we all know the health dangers of smoking and even breathing second-hand smoke. now a new category to consider, add to that list what is being called third-hand smoke. that's smoke residue on carpets, upholstery, the kind you smell on a smoker's clothing. a new study says it can mix with

chemicals already in the air to create a cancer threat. at greatest risk, the study says, infants and small children. what were once the comforts of flying are getting harder to come by, as you may know. american airlines says starting the 1st of may, most of its passengers will have to pay $8 if they want a blanket. domestic flights lasting less than two hours, coach passengers won't have blanket access at any price. in this current climate, it's conceivable passengers will be urged by the airlines to sit as close as possible to their seat mate to stay warm and avoid those blanket charges. up next, a city welcoming home its champions. y welcoming home its champions. [ male announcer ] for over 50 years, providing you with safe, reliable, high-quality vehicles has been our first priority. ♪ in recent days, our company hasn't been living up

to the standards that you've come to expect from us or that we expect from ourselves. that's why 172,000 toyota and dealership employees are dedicated to making things right we have a fix foour recalls. we stopped production so we could focus on our customers' cars first. and technicians are making repairs. we're working around the clock to ensure we build vehicles of the highest qlity... to restore your faith... in our company. for more information visit toyota.com. ...anywhere that cough and cold strikes ready. set. robitussin® to go. introducing new robitussin® to go. the medicine is already dissolved... ready for your body to take in. robitussin® relief.

in a new neat little... ...single dose spoon you can take anywhere. ...now feel that robitussin® sensation. anytime. anywhere. new robitussin® to go. it's pure robitussin® relief...to go. bad cholesterol but your good cholesterol and triglycerides are still out of line? then you may not be seeing the whole picture. ask your doctor about trilipix. if you're at high risk of heart disease and taking a atin to lower bad cholesterol, along with diet, adding trilipix can lower fatty triglycerides and raise good cholesterol to help improve all three cholesterol numbers. trilipix has not been shown to prevent heart attacks or stroke more than a statin alone. trilipix is not for everyone, including people with liver, gallbladder, or severe kidney disease, or nursing women. tell your doctor about all the medicines you take and if you are pregnant may become pregnant. blood tests are needed before and during treatment to check for liver problems. contact your doctor if you develop unexplained muscle pain or weakness, as ts can be a sign of a rare

but serious side effect. this risk may be increased when trilipix is used with a statin. if you cannot afford your medication, call 1-866-4-trilipix for more information. trilipix. there's more to cholesterol. get the picture. now, if they do this right in new orleans, and knowing them, they probably will. it will become one continuous party from super bowl sunday all the way until mardi gras. they are well on their way to their goal tonight. the victory parade starting at the superdome, the place where we witnessed so much misery during and after katrina is,

tonight, the center of blissful celebration in that great american city. of course, new orleans knows how to put on a parade, but with only a couple of days' notice to pull it all together, tonight's event was a bit of a staging challenge. they needed experts fast, but it turns out they have a lot of them right there. our story tonight from nbc's janet shamlian. >> reporter: for barry kerns, life can feel like a never-ending parade. it's in his blood. for three generations, his family turned out mega-sized mardi gras floats, towers of fiber glass, plaster and millions of twinkling lights. >> you work all year long for a 12-day period. >> reporter: so in the middle of mardi gras, kerns got the call, would he, could he put on the super bowl parade? >> i want to thank you very much on behalf of the team and city. >> reporter: putting everything else aside they launched the

monumental task with just hours to get it done. >> you see the macy's up in new york and the rose bowl out in california, if you threw something, if you told them they had to do a parade tomorrow morning, there is no way they could pull it off. here in new orleans, we are set up and pulling off parades on a daily basis. >> reporter: from the papier mache lombardi trophy, to the last-minute repairs, perhaps no job was bigger than asking them to donate their creations to a party, over which they would have no control. >> i said, guys, i need your float to represent your crew for the saints and city of new orleans. not one single person said no. >> reporter: it's been an around-the-clock job. >> this is the bachus kings float which is sunday night in mardi gras. drew brees will be riding this. >> reporter: just about everyone feels what they are doing can't compare to what the saints have done. >> i don't think there's been any team ever that has made this kind of impact on a city. >> reporter: they'll turn their attention back to mardi gras tomorrow, but tonight the saints are back in town. janet shamlian, nbc news, new

orleans. >> indeed they are. that'sur broadcast for this tuesday night. thank you for being with us. i'm brian williams. we hope to see you back here tomorrow evening. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com i'm jim vance. >> i'm doreen gentzler. here we go again. the d.c. area is bracing for a lot of snow. this snow combined with what's left from last week's blizzard has many schools across our area shut down the rest of the week. we will be running a complete list of the school closings we have across the bottom of your screen. and just a short time ago we learned the federal government will be closed tomorrow for a third straight