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tv   NBC Nightly News  NBC  September 14, 2010 7:00pm-7:30pm EDT

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change, the question is is it good news? first response -- what it sounded like when those first frantic reports started surfacing that an entire california neighborhood was on fire after that colossal explosion. best medicine -- teens are using common cough medicines to gehigh, but tonight, a surpsing decision about a possible solution. and top secret -- what we now know was going on in the background in some of the most famous images of the civil rights era. famous images of the civil rights era. "nightly ns" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. it's always been a huge gulf in american society and in our workforce, especially, what men and women are paid for the same work. tonight, we can report the numbs have moved. though the reason for it isn't good. figures from this year show
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women earned 83 cents on the dollar compared to what men earn. that's the highest number ever recorded. the bad news is the reason for it. the onomy is in such crummy shape, a ton of men have been hard hit and many women in turn have prospered in this economy. still, in terms of women's inme and earning power in the u.s., the number represents a victory, a milestone and it's where we begin tonight with nbc's michelle kosinski. she's in miami beach for us tonight. michelle, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. we're here at a start-up software company started by a woman. and in this econy with men outnumbering women on the employment line this year for the first time ever, women outnumber men in the american workforce. they outnumber men at colleges and now some might say a milestone that really counts, thatong debated wage gap between men and women is the smallest it has ever been. across america, women are more than ever a workforce to be reckoned with.
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making headway against the relentless we gap, by earning almost 83 cents to every dollar earned by a man. ten years ago it was 76. in 1979, 62 cents. >> makes it sound pretty good. >> 24-year-old lauren kerry in miami found success as a nse. >> within 24 hours of graduation, i had my first offer. >> lauren is in e age group of women earning more, 8% more than young single men in most of america's big cities. >> women are earning more because they're better educated so they can get better occupations why higher wages. they're taking less time off during child bearing years and there has been a decline in overt gender discrimination. >> reporter: over the last >> reporter: over the last three decades, but for men, they've only risen 3% for whites, not at all for black men and have
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fallen 6% for hispanics. in chicago, 33-year-old corporatlawyer deidre norris is climbing the corporate ladder steadily but looking back at her male counterparts. >> i encountered in my profession more african-american female attorneys than i have african-american male attorney >> reporter: part of this is women are weathered the recession better. but manufacturing, construction, dominated by men has been among the hardest hit. and that affects women, too. >> women are more likely to be the primary or the only breadwinners for the family right now. >> reporter: in new york, this 38-year-old door and mother knows it's a balance. >> we all have eectations about tang care of children and home care and we need men to step up to the plate. >> reporter:e're still talking about a wage gap that means it still exist, that means household income ithis country
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continues to erode. is this progress? absolutelythough some wod be quick to point out that a woman's 83 cents still does not a dollar make. brian? >> michelle kosinski starting us off from miami beach tonight, thanks. a bit more on the economy before we move on. retail sales rose 0.4% in august. the biggest gain in five months usually means back to school shopping is robust. on wall stet, the dow broke a four session winning streak closing down a bit, almost 18 points, but gold prices have skyrocketed to new all-time highs, up more than $24 an ounce worth now trading north of $1,200 an ounce. now we turn to california where for the first time we're hearing what it sound like when a gas explosion leveled part of a neighborhood in san bruno, south of san francisco and we're hearing from the perspective of the first responders who were trying to make sense of what they were seeing and hearing what was going on there.
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again, tonight, our own miel almaguer is in san bruno for us this evening. good evening. >> good evening. that dinner time blast claimed lives and destroyed the community behind me. we're only about three miles away from san francisco international airport and after the explosion just about everyone here feared the worst. >> it appears we have a plane down in a neighborhood, multiple structures on fire and we have a fireball still coming out. >> reporter: as firefighters raced towards the flames, the blast sent neighbors running for their lives. >> it was a pretty chaotic scene coming down the hill, people running up the hill, just trying to get out. >> reporter: the heat was so intense, the inferno so massive, it took nearly a half hour to determine thisas no plane crash. >> it does not appear this is an aircraft down, it appears this is some sort of natural gas explosion. >> reporter: the cause of thursday's gas line rupture that
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killed at least four people is still under investigation. >> i grew up here, i work here and it's my family. >> reporter: firefighter john friolo. >> you're seeing people run up to you, they're burnt, they're loing at us for help and right then and there we didn't have the resources. >> reporter: chaos and confusion and then no way to fight the fire. >> we think we got a broken water main down here so they need to lay in from the corner of san bruno avenue. >> it's a sinkg feeling to say the least because u count on that water being there and if there was ever a time when you needed it, it was there. >> reporter: this neighborhood burned for a day and a half. by the time crews beat back the flames, nearly 40 homes were destroyed, hundreds more damaged. federal investigators have wrapped up their probe in the blast zone behind me. we're told their preliminary report could take about 30 days and while at least four people are dead tonight, brian, another three are still missing. >> miguel almaguer on the job in san bruno, california, again
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tonight. thanks for that. overseas tonight, the american hiker sarah shourd is free tonight after morthan a year in a famous priss therein in iran. but the story isn't over. our chief correspondent andrea mitchell iin tehran reporting on the fate of shourd and the two american men who traveled with her still being held captive there tonight. andrea, good evening. >> good evening, brian, 32-year-old sarah shourd is a free woman tonight after more than a year in an iranian prison, even while her fiance shane baueand their friend josh fattal remain behind bars. not quite home, but reunited with her mother and uncle. after an international rescue as dramatic as her capture 14 months ago. when the three hikers say they accidently crossed an unmarked border into iran. pale and thin after her ordeal, sarah shourd said she was
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grateful even to iran for letting her go. >> iant to really offer my thanks to everyone in the world, all the governments, all the people who have been involved and especially particularly want to address president ahmadinejad and the iranian officials that have really just leaders and thank them for this humanitarian gesture. >> reporter: but in a carefully staged interview with an adviser to presint aadinejad shourd pointedly appealed for the rerelease of shane bauer and josh fattal, both 28 years old. >> i have a huge debt to repay the world for what it's done for me and my first priority is to help my fiance shane bauer and my friend josh fattal to gain their freedom because they don't deservto be in prison anymore. >> reporter: tonight in new york, josh's mother laura fattal. >> i'm very happy but it was very bittersweet because i want to have that same happiness and i know cindy does, too, and we want josh and shane home as soon as possible.
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>> reporter: last january, shane and sarah became engaged in the prison yard during the one hour a day she wasn't in solitary confinement. the ring? some string he pulled together and tied into a knot. now, they're separated again. as she was swept from prison to a sleek private jet owned by the govement of oman. did the wealthy gulf ste pay the half a million dollar bail iran was demanding which the u.s. refused to pay? >> you're asking if money has changed hands and the short answer is we don't know. >> reporter: tonight, iran said that it released sarah shourd on compassionate grounds because she had medical problems but the prosecutor here said that the two men will haveo stand trial on charges of spying. brian? >> andrea, as we were watching this unfold as you were getting set to go there, all these fits and starts, she's not being released, then she's being leased. what's going on the whole time
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behind the scenes? >> reporter: well, there are reports of divisions in the government he in the regime and the judiciary wanting to keep her in jail but president ahmadinejad and his supporters won out and she finally was release, but it certainly has raised a lot of concerns and a lot of issues about what is really going on here. >> andrea mitchell on the job and on the story in tehran tonight, andrea, thanks. we switch back to this country, primary day today, seven states and the district of columbia. here in new york what could be a big stories in the days ahead, loof problems with voting machines reported today. noon the political front, what a lot of people are watching closely is whether voters are in an anti-washington, anti-establishment mood. they're watching what happens tonight in delaware, for example, with great attention where there's anmportant gop senate primary, it's where our own kelly o'donnell is stationed tonight. kelly, good evening. >> reporter: hi, brian. people are watching delaware because this little state has big implications for the rest of
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the countr what's happening here is really a vivid example of the conflict within the republican party about what kinds of candidates and what brand of politics could work best in november. there is aenate seat here, it belonged to joe biden, it's up for grabs. republicans all chose mike castle who's won more elections in delaware than any republican. and then in just the last two weeks, an insurgent tea party candidate named christine o'donnell came out of almost where to be a rious challenger. why? outside tea party money. sarah palin's influence and real tension in this race. now, there have been questions about whether she's qualified, her financial history and work history has been a part of this race, she says she's had hard times but that means she can understand what voters are feeling. what happens here matters elsewhere because republicans have viewed this seat, delaware, as a chance to take something away from democrats.
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and for democrats believe this is an important place to protect because this is joe biden's home and that's a simple for them. this could be a very important measure of the outsider/insider e country.e seeing all across ian? >> kelly o'dnell in delaware tonight. we'll have more on what happens tomorrow evening. kelly, thanks. hurricane season fully under way all across the atlantic tonight. two big hurricanes igor and julia swirling in the middle of the ocean and now tropical storm karl appears ready to join the mix. igor still a big and dangerous category 4 storm could side swipe bermuda this weekend. julia, category 1, not a threat to land but karl could strengthen into a hurricane and threaten the coast of mexico in the next coming few days. when our broadcast ctinues in just a moment on a tuesday night, are some common medicines now sold over-the-counter about to be put behind t pharmacy counter? and later, he took some of the most iconic pictures of the
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u.s. civil rights era but all the while he had a stunning secret. maybe you want to provide meals for the needy. or maybe you want to help when the unexpected happens. whatever you want to do, members prect from american express can help you take the first step. vote, volunteer, or donate fothe causes you believe in at membersproject.com. take charge of making a difference. [ but aleve can last 12 hours. tylenol 8 hour lasts 8 hours. and aleve was proven to work better on pain than tylenol 8 hour. so why am i still thinking about this? how are you? good, hoare you? [ male announcer ] aleve. proven better on pain. for every pink lid you send in, yoplait will donate 10ents to susan g. komen r the cure. with your help, we've donated $25 million over 12 years.
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so let's continue toake a difference one lid at a time. [ susan ] i hate that the reason we're always stopping is because i have to go to the bathroo and when we're sitting in traffic, i worry i'll have an accident. be right back. so today i'm filly going to talk to my doctor about overactive bladder. [ female announcer ] if y're suffering, today is the day to talk to your doctor and ask about prescription toviaz. one toviaz pill a day significantly reduces sudden urges and accidents all day and all night. and toviaz comes with a simple, 12-week plan with tips on training your bladder. if you have certain stomach probls or gucoma or cannot empty your bladder, you should not take toviaz. toviaz can cause blurred vision and drowsiness, so use caution when driving or doing unsafe tasks. the most common side effects are dry mouth and constipation. [ susan ] today, i'm visiting mson without visiting every single bathroom.
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[ female anouncer ] why wait? ask about toviaz today. we're back. we mentioned this at the top of the broadcast, a decision that surprised some people late this afternoon, despite an alarming number of teenagers who are using common we're back. we mentioned this at the top of the broadcast, a decision that surprised some people late this afternoon, despite an alarming number of teenagers who are escription to buy them has decided th it isot a good idea for now. our own tom costello has more on the decision and t problem. >> reporter:t's a teenage craze that's fuelled in large part by the internet. thousands of teens posting video of themselves robotripping, getting high on cough medicines like robitussin that contain the key ingredient dextromethorphan or dex.
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>> on dex, i feel like going -- >> 8,000 er vits in 2008, up 74%. symptoms can range from mild intoxication to a far more serious irregular heartbeat, seizure, loss of consciousness and brain damage. despite being an er nurse, misty never saw the signs that her son carl was abusing cough syrup, he died after mixing it with drugs. >> i noticed an empty bottle of cough syrup in the back seat of his car, but unftunately by ay during the night. d passed >> reporter: today in washington, an fda panel heard testimony about the abuse of dextmethorphan. >> dea has related to us increasing problems relate to the drug's abuse. >> reporter: and whether cough medicine should require a prescription.
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but the cough medicine industry opposes that saying these are sa and the harm from abuse is rare and the millions of americans depend on the dozens of medicines that contain dxm. as an ingredient. already some national chains refuse to sell those to under 18. today, the advisory panel recommended ainst inquiring prescriptions for cough medicine, but the fda could decide to place age restrictions on buying cough medicines. the questions whether any actions should be warrant or rather an overreaction. tom costello from our washington bureau tonight. when we come back, what's in a name? which common household ingredient is anxious to be known as something else? . and ignoring it can lead to... sipping water can help but dentists recommend biotene. biotene moisturizes and helps supplement some of saliva's enzymes,
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for the second straight year, president obama addressed the nation's school students today. you may recall it was hugely controversial last year as critics feared kids would somehow be indoctrinated, nothing of tt sort this year. the white house released his remarks a day early so educators could all see what he was ing to say. there was a lot about hard work and making the effort specifically and what it was like, as he put it, growing up a skinny kid with ears that stuck out with a funny name. reggie bush is giving back his heisn trophy, college football's top honor, awarded to him in '05 at usc, bush, these days, the great new orleans saints running back, gave the heisman back after the ncaa determined he had received improper benefits and should have been ineligible for the '05
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season. rather than being stripped of it, he's giving it back. the first time a heisman h been returned by its recipient. the folks who make high fructose corn syrup would like it to be known by another name, corn sugar. the industry wants to stop the confusion as they put over the sweetener, specifically the perception it's somehow more harmful than ordiny sugar. they say what they produce has been disparaged and misunderstood. the federal government is making its own decision on the name what to call it. while we're talking a lot about women and men on the broadcast tonight, there's this -- who do you think is more diligent at hand washing in rest rooms? men or women? well, you're right, 93% of women wash their hands, in a recent study, while the number fell to only 77% omen. the overall number could u improvement but it's the best rate of hand washing in over a decade. according to the folks who track such things.
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up next, what you couldn't see in the pictures of an entire era in america. do you think i'd let osteoporosis slow me down? so i asked my doctor about reclast because i heard it's the only once-a-ar iv osteoporosis treatment. he told me all about it and i said that's the one for nana. he said reclast can help restrengthen my bones to help make them resistant to fracture for twelve months. and reclast is approved to help protect from fracture in many places: hip, spine, even other bones. [ale announcer ] you should not take reclast if you're on zota, have low blood calcium, kidney problems. or you're pregnant, plan to become pregnant or nursing. take calcium and vitamin d daily. tell your doctor if you develop severe muscle, bone or joint pain, of if you have dental problems, as rarely jaw problems have been reported. the most common side effects include flu like symptoms, fever, muscle or joint pain and headache. share the world with the ones you love!
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and ask your doctor about reclast. once-a-year reclast. year-long protection for on-the-go women. you don't love me anymore doou billy? what? i didn't buy this cereal to sweet talk your taste buds it's for my heart heal. good speech dad. [ whimper ] [ male announcer ] honey nut cheerios tastes great d its whole grain oats can help lower cholesterol. bee happy. bee healthy. [ but aleve can last 12 hours. tylenol 8 hour lasts 8 hours. and aleve was proven to work better on pain than tylenol 8 hour.
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so why am i still thinking about this? how are you? good, how are you? [ male announcer ] aleve. proven better on pain. you may remember when we profiled him right here on this
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broadct about a month back, zach bonner, a 12-year-old florida boy, set out to make a diffence by walking across this nation to raise awareness of homeless chilen. this is the day zach reaches the finish line, santa monica, california. nearly 2,500 miles away from where he started out. there's a stunning report tonight that an african-american photographer who took some of the most recognizable images from the civil rights era was doing double duty all the while by acting as an informant on the likes of the reverend dr. martin luther king jr. and others. our own ron mott has more on these revelations abouthe photographer ernest withers and the reaction to it. >> reporter: the times were turbulent, the nation was on everyone and he was there, up close and personal. the pictures he took during the civil rights movement, unlike anyone else's, he had tremendous access, yet none of his famous
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and t so famous subjects knew he was collecting more than snapshots, the centerpiece of a special report called uble exposure, withers was also allegedly on the payroll of j. edgar hoover's fbi as informant number me338r. withers died three years ago. >> what was going on in the heart of a man who was a strong believer and supporter of civil rights but at the same time was working hand-in-hand with the fbi? >> reporter: the newspaper used federal documents to chronicle withers' front lines of coverage of the civil rights movement. >> anybody who might possibly threaten the establishment or might be a celebrity oany kind and this was a good conduit for getting that information. >> while the fbi was using him, he was using the fbi. >> reporter: the reverend joph wery is among those withers documented. >> i still would like to think that he understood that there was nothing he could do or give the fbi that could be used to
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hurt us. to hurt the movement. i believe that about ernest. >> reporter: the works of ernest withers have been in high demand for decades at museums a galleries around the country including this one here in atlanta. in fact, the ernest withers museum is set to open in memphis. the allegations are a blow to withers' family, fearful they could stn his legacy. >> he left images that are in our nds giving us a true picture of what took place. and to say that he betrayed african-americans is a false statement. >> reporter: images of the country's troubled history and the man behind them, drawing new headlines decades later. ron mott, nbc news, atlanta. and that's our broadcast on a tuesday evening. thank you as always for being here with us, i'm bria williams. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com
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