on our broadcast tonight, outbreak. out of nowhere a warning from doctors about whooping cough, the worst they've seen in more than 50 years. highly contagious, potentially dangerous, and tonight what is behind the surge. spending scandal. another black eye tonight for the agency that is supposed to keep government costs down. another lavish event and once again your money paid for it. the bomber who blew up a bus filled with tourists caught on tape carrying a fake american i.d. now tensions have spiked across a whole region. in an instant a chilling attempted abduction on camera. what this little girl did to get away that has a lot of parents taking notice. and the frenzy over bat man. critics getting death threats. scalpers getting hundreds for opening night movie tickets.

is it all worth it? opening night movie tickets. is it all worth it? "nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. as we said at the very top of the broadcast, there is troubling health and medical news tonight. for most people this comes out of nowhere. it's about whooping cough making a big comeback in this country. this is ontrack to be the worst year in five decades. there have been 18,000 reported cases just this year. that's more than double last year's number. it's hhly contagious. it has already caused nine deaths. doctors seem to know what's behind this sudden rise. it's where we begin our coverage tonight with our chief science correspondent robert bazell. >> reporter: the cdc says the u.s. is ontrack to have the greatest number of whooping cough cases in some 50 years. 12-week-old marco is part of the

epidemic. he spent much of his life in intensive care. >> we even had him baptized because we just didn't think he was going to make it. >> reporter: whooping cough, a bacterial infection known as pertussis usually causes this characteristic wheeze recorded in a home video posted on youtube. >> it can be very serious in children under a year especially under six months of age. they can develop pneumonia, seizures. >> reporter: there were several outbreaks but the biggest is in washington state where through july 14th there were more than 3,000 cases, a 1300% increase over the same period last year. so far nationwide there have been nine deaths. marco was still too young to have his first dpt shot, which protects against pertussis but was almost certainly infected by an older child or adult. that is a tragically common story. protection from the vaccine that's been used since 1997 often wanes over time so

children and adults can get infected even if they got their baby shots. usually they don't get too sick but can put infants at risk. scientists want a better vaccine but meanwhile the key to containing outbreaks is to get booster shots for both children and adults. in washington state and other outbreak sites people have been lining up to get their boosters. i'm jeff gordon warning parents about pertussis. >> reporter: while the march of dimes and other organizations are putting out the message. >> ask your health care provider about the pertussis vaccine. >> reporter: there is evidence the boosters are bringing the outbreaks under control, but experts say new cases will continue to pop up until all infants, children, and adults are properly immunized. robert bazell, nbc news, new york. >> our chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman is already in london tonight part of our team covering the olympics. nancy, especially people with small kids are going to see this and worry. what can folks do about this?

>> brian, the underlying message is get immunized. immunizations are almost a victim of their own success. perhaps the greatest public health outreach that we've had in our generation. but because now so many young parents don't remember ever seeing these communicable diseases we've got a bit lax thinking i don't have to get my child immunized. with every child and young adult who goes unimmunized this very infectious agent can then strike the most vulnerable. remember there are three doses, 2, 4, and 6 months. another booster between the ages of 4 and 6 years, then another one in preteens. but pregnant women and young adults going off to college or the military, you get vaccinated, too. the underlying message is if we all get vaccinated, we can protect everyone and it takes about 90% of our population to have that herd immunity. that is what this public health message is all about. kids don't have to die this way, brian. >> that's right. the new numbers are very troubling. nancy snyderman in our nbc news london bureau tonight.

thanks. now we turn to a big mystery playing out on the world stage. somebody blew up a bus filled with israeli tourists. the bomber was carrying a fake american i.d. it turns out. six people died in the blast. dozens more were hurt. investigators want to know who the bomber was and who ordered this. and this of course is being felt across a whole region now. our report tonight from nbc's martin fletcher in tel aviv. >> reporter: shock and panic moments after a bomb blew up a bus full of israeli tourists in bulgaria yesterday. caught on a tourist's smart phone. my family, my family is there she screamed in desperation. today the more than 30 wounded were brought home, three in critical condition. five israelis were killed. as for the terrorist, bulgarian officials say this was him. could be any tourist from anywhere.

airport security cameras showed him wandering the terminal for an hour. police say he placed a bomb in the bus's baggage compartment and died in the blast. police found this michigan driving license on his remains. jacques filip martin from baton rouge, louisiana. it turned out to be a fake. who was he? his dna and fingerprints have been circulated to interpol, the cia, fbi, israeli secret services. and another key question, who sent him? israel again accused iran and hezbollah. prime minister netanyahu today. >> this attack was part of a global campaign of terror carried out by iran and hezbollah. this terror campaign has reached a dozen countries on five continents. >> reporter: iran called the claim baseless but netanyahu said everything must be done to stop, quote, the world's most dangerous regime from developing the world's most dangerous weapon -- the nuclear weapon.

israel and iran are said to be fighting a secret war of assassinations, bombs, and cyber warfare. but in the case of this latest attack washington wants more proof before accusing iran. brian? >> martin fletcher, nbc news headquarters in tel aviv. martin, thanks. now to the crisis in syria, a nation truly now on the brink after that deadly strike that took out four of president assad's top deputies. there are reports 250 people were killed across that country just today. that would make it the deadliest day since the uprising started. as we've reported time may be running out for president assad. >> reporter: a day after his regime was dealt a devastating blow president assad appeared on state television swearing in his new defense minister. still alive, still in control, and still in damascus. in the once secure capital intense fighting continued for a

fifth day close to key government installations. assad's control is slipping. outside damascus at border crossings like this one with turkey rebels overran syrian guards smashing pictures of the president and capturing a gateway for more weapons and more fighters. the rebels advanced. footage posted online shows syrian tanks withdrawing from the city and abandoned tanks in rebel hands. but as the pace quickens inside syria the diplomatic stalemate at the u.n. continues. russia and china vetoing the resolution calling for tougher sanctions and drawing an angry u.s. response. >> the russians and the chinese decided yet again they would rather protect assad to the bitter end even though the bitter end is coming and this is manifestly not in their long-term interests. >> reporter: assad may have avoided tougher sanctions for now but he remains staggered by yesterday's attack which removed key players from his inner circle and gave a huge

psychological victory to the rebels, now more intent than ever on removing him from power. brian, the violence there is escalating. the refugee crisis, the u.s. today said close to 10,000 syrians have fled into neighboring countries just in the past 24 hours as assad's struggle for control now includes a fight to control his own borders. brian? >> thanks. in washington another outrage from the agency that's supposed to be promoting efficiency in government. the gsa, general services administration, tonight we are learning they blew more than $250,000 on what amounted to an awards ceremony for their own employees. our senior investigative correspondent lisa myers has our report on what some are saying is just another example of the fleecing of america. >> reporter: the latest gsa conference that generates bipartisan outrage features drummers supposed to help the audience find its working rhythm.

>> it's all about rhythm. there's monday morning rhythm. there's friday afternoon rhythm. >> reporter: the one-day affair to highlight performance awards was held in this virginia hotel in november, 2010. it cost taxpayers a stunning $268,000. >> what troubled me most was this one-day conference was a party to celebrate the fact they were getting bonuses with taxpayer money. >> reporter: gsa has handed out tens of millions of dollars a year in taxpayer paid bonuses. even in some cases to officials under investigation for misconduct. in a letter today the agency's inspector general said so far his investigation found conference costs include $140,000 for coordination and logistics, $42,000 for flying in 49 attendees, and almost $57,000 for gifts. time and temperature picture frames, shadow box frames, and thousands of pairs of drum sticks.

>> when you see these drum sticks and somebody tells you the government spent $20,000 for these, that is offensive to the taxpayer. >> reporter: there was also a $20,000 cost for catering, $8600 for a motivational speaker called agent x who we're told was dressed in trench coat and hat ala james bond. the new head of the gsa also condemned the spending and says he is cutting executive bonuses. his spokesperson says this ceremony has been going on for eight years and that all such events will be terminated. lisa myers, nbc news, washington. on the campaign trail today president obama and the critical state of florida where he told that state's large elderly population mitt romney supports a plan that would move medicare toward a voucher system and that would hurt them according to the president. he also said romney's promise to roll back health care reform would end up costing them more at the prescription drug counter. for the first time in this

campaign, we are getting an up close look at the romney boys, all five of the romney sons. they spoke exclusively to nbc's peter alexander for tonight's broadcast of "rock center" and peter asked them whether they wanted their father to try a second run for the presidency after losing the nomination to john mccain in '08 and notably four of the five sons initially said no. >> i didn't want him to run again. i really didn't. i thought you gave it your best shot in 2008, you felt like you had to do it and you had to go and give back to the country and you tried and they didn't take you, so let's move on. >> reporter: for a candidate who at times has struggled to connect, the campaign hopes the sons can also help explain some of their father's more idiosyncratic moments. >> feels good being in michigan. the trees are the right height. >> a little goofy. that's part of his charm i think. >> we were with him recently -- he said i was guffawing when i

looked at this whole picture. >> i lost it. i was completely guffawing. >> at one point he was with you guys when he said i love them like they're my own sons and they are my own sons. >> the same corny jokes we grew up with. we're used to it. it's just kind of part of his personality. >> just a small snippet of what we have for you tonight. the full interview with the romney five tonight on "rock center" 10:00, 9:00 central here on nbc. the news tonight on the drought that has so much of this country in its grip is not good we're afraid. weather experts at noaa said today the hot, dry weather could last right through halloween and could spread further north and east into states like minnesota, michigan, pennsylvania, new york. that's on top of the states that are burning up right now. still ahead for us as we continue along the way on a thursday, frightening moments caught on video. what one little girl and her brother did to get away and where they might have learned about it. and later, would you pay a scalper $300 for an opening

night ticket to any movie? the frenzy over the opening for bat man. the frenzy over the opening for bat man. copd like i do, you know how hard it can be to breathe and what that feels like. copd includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. spiriva helps control my copd symptoms by keeping my airways open a full 24 hours. plus, it reduces copd flare-ups. spiriva is the only once-daily inhaled copd maintenance treatment that does both. and it's steroid-free. spiriva does not replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms. tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, glaucoma, trouble urinating, or an enlarged prostate. these may worsen with spiriva. discuss all medicines you take, even eye drops. stop taking spiriva and seek immediate medical help if your breathing suddenly worsens, your throat or tongue swells, you get hives, vision changes or eye pain, or problems passing urine. other side effects include dry mouth and constipation. nothing can reverse copd. spiriva helps me breathe better.

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now, that's a pill worth taking. [ male announcer ] ocuvite. help protect your eye health. there is a chilling piece of video getting attention across the country. the attempted abduction of a 10-year-old girl caught by a surveillance camera has provided what's become known as a teachable moment for a lot of children and adults. our report on this tonight from nbc's anne thompson. >> reporter: the picture is grainy but the intent disturbingly clear. two children walk by this car in south philadelphia and the driver gets out to follow them. a second security camera shows him grabbing the 10-year-old girl putting his hand over her mouth and picking her up.

she struggles and breaks free as her 2-year-old brother screams. >> she said he's never screamed as loud. >> reporter: the brazen crime tuesday afternoon shocked the nation's fifth largest city. >> a kidnapping attempt caught on tape. >> reporter: and brought this demand from the mayor. >> i want this creep off our streets. immediately. >> reporter: the suspect? 33-year-old carlos figero arrested this morning wearing a "sesame street" t-shirt. he faces a list of charges including attempted kidnapping. police credit the quick arrest to pressure brought by the suspect's family and the videotape. >> he felt that he could not walk, talk, or breathe. >> reporter: for the children's parents there is relief. >> i am ecstatic he's off the streets. somebody like this isn't going to stop. we know this from history. >> reporter: they say their daughter is a determined, strong-willed child who says she learned how to get away watching the tv show "law and order svu." >> she's always been, it's going to be my way or no way.

>> reporter: this is a classic case of stranger abduction says the national center for missing and exploited children. it reports 7,000 attempts in the last seven years and in 81% of those cases the children got away because like the sister and brother they did exactly what they should. >> parents and guardians need to sit down, practice these safety scenarios with their kids, and reassure them that they are strong and that they can get away. >> two smart, aware kids who saved themselves. anne thompson, nbc news, new york. we're back in a moment with another tsa incident at the airport causing some passenger outrage all over again. passeng outrage all over again. [ male announcer ] every day, thousands of people are choosing advil® for their headaches.

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days will remember him as one-half of the duo franken and davis. franken became senator al franken and davis continued in comedy, wrote books, and famously experimented with and enjoyed to the fullest a slew of drugs from opium to lsd. lauren michaels discovered the duo doing stand up in l.a. they worked on "snl" for 13 years on and off and shared three emmys for their work. tom davis dead of cancer at the age of 59. you might call the following the sound of freedom. ♪ o say can you see >> let me explain this. william dillon was convicted of murder and sent to prison when he was 21 years old. he spent 27 years behind bars before he was cleared of the charges with the help of the innocence project. once he was freed, he had a wish -- to sing the national anthem at a tampa bay rays

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finally tonight it is easily the most anticipated movie of the summer, for the most part getting stellar reviews and heading for a huge opening weekend. in fact as demand for "the dark night" rises it's so out of control scalpers are charging hundreds for tickets and some critics who didn't like it are finding themselves running for cover. we get the story tonight from nbc's kristen dahlgren. >> reporter: as the latest bat man film opens it's not just "the dark night rising." the hype is reaching fever pitch. >> i've had my ticket for seven months. >> reporter: many of the first shows are sold out spurring something we haven't seen for a movie premiere before -- scalpers. on ebay tickets are being auctioned for up to $300 bucks apiece. in london this week the red carpet was star studded. even prince harry was there. but the runup to tonight's "dark

knight" premiere also had some darker moments. >> there's a storm coming, mr. wayne. >> reporter: when some critics criticized the film, fans sent them death threats forcing movie review site rotten tomatoes to shut down its comment section. >> one fellow said he wanted to beat me into a coma with a rubber hose. someone else said he wanted to set me on fire. >> what are you? >> reporter: it's even taken a political turn. while the villain named bain has appeared in bat man comics since 1993, this week conservative radio host rush limbaugh wondered if the character was a swipe at republican candidate mitt romney who once ran bain capital. >> there's now a discussion out there as to whether or not this was purposeful and whether or not it'll influence -- >> it just shows you what a cultural phenomenon this movie is. it's entering the conversation in so many different realms. >> reporter: a summer blockbuster stirring some pretty heated debate and stirring up

fans who just can't wait for their favorite hero. kristen dahlgren, nbc news, hollywood. that's our broadcast for this thursday night. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams. we hope to see you later this evening for "rock center" tonight at 10:00, 9:00 central and then back here tomorrow night for "nightly news." good night. i'm barack obama and i approve this message. [romney singing]: oh beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountains majesty, above the fruited plain, america, america,