. >>> and message of hope, ann curry with one woman, who never gave up. her message for the rest of us. nightly news begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television >>> good evening, mitt romney today released his tax returns for the year 2011, and in the world of politics, anything a campaign or a politician releases on a friday afternoon is very often not something they like to stress as a positive. romney has talked openly about his business success, his high net worth, and others sure have. and sure enough, he made over $13 million from his investments last year. he also overpaid his tax obligation so he would end up in about a 14% tax bracket. he had an option of paying even less, which would have put him in true rarified air. while this happened, his vp nominee, paul ryan was facing a tough crowd of seniors today we have it all with our team, beginning with peter alexander, traveling with the romney campaign, good evening, peter. >> reporter: brian, good evening to you. it has been a rough couple of weeks now for the romney campaign, trail

. >>> plus we're on patrol with the third infantry division and ann curry on the ground in syria aftersive attack there. >>> the face-off back at home just three days before the first presidential debate. tonight inside the obama and romney debate camps. how the candidates are preparing for the showdown. >>> making the case. the supreme court begins. >>> and carmageddo 2. what happened this weekend when one of the busiest highways in the countries was shut down. how did california cope with its freeway car free? >>> good evening from the joint command headquarters of the international security assistance force in kabul. we have been traveling through this country all week trying to take measure of this war, another insider attack has left a u.s. soldier and an american civilian dead. that brings the death toll to 2,118. so far this year, 267 have been killed. 31 of those killed at the hands of afghan police and military members. insider attacks. tonight against the backdrop of next month's presidential election, we're beginning a special look at a region at the brink and the foreign po

>> ann curry continuing her reporting from the region for us tonight. ann, thanks. >>> still ahead along the way for us this tuesday evening, fish oil. millions take it for a lot of reasons, but does it make a difference in one crucial area? >>> and later, what butterflies in flight may be trying to tell us about something much bigger. >>> as you may know, doctors often recommend fish oil to patients for a number of things, your heart, digestion, your skin, your hair, your brain. but fish oil is being talked about in the news today because of one of those new studies. it narrows in on the effect it has or doesn't have on your heart. our report on this new study tonight from our chief science correspondent robert bazell. >> reporter: katie killian has been taking fish oil supplements as part of a heart healthy program for 20 years. >> taking fish oil has lowered my cholesterol. and that makes me happy, because i don't have to take any other medications. >> reporter: she is hardly alone. the supplements are a source of omega 3 fatty acid. which is known to

>> ann curry continuing her reporting from the region for us tonight. ann, thanks. >>> still ahead along the way, fish oil, millions take it for a lot of reasons, does it make a difference in one crucial area? >>> what butterflies in flight may be trying to tell us about something much bigger. ix helped. i honestly loved smoking, and i honestly didn't think i would ever quit. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantix is proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke. it put me at ease that you could smoke on the first week. [ male announcer ] some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you develop these stop taking chantix and see yo

meanwhile, ann curry sat down with the president of libya to discuss the situation. >> reporter: would you call the attack on the u.s. consulate in benghazi an act of terrorism? >> i have no doubt about that. and it is a pre-planned act of terrorism directed against american citizens. >> reporter: you're confirming that rpgs were used in the original attack? >> mortars -- >> reporter: they were used in the attack? >> yes. >> reporter: and do you know how many mortars were used? >> about 500. >> reporter: and you were saying they were fired with such accuracy that this could not have been done by somebody who didn't have experience? >> experience and knew what he was doing. >> reporter: and this is what is helping to convince you that this was a pre-planned attack, not a reaction to a controversial movie? >> yes, i have no doubt about this. >> reporter: do you think the movie had anything to do with this attack on the consulate? >> not on this attack, not on this attack, has nothing to do with this attack. >> ann curry, with libya's president. >>> in syria today, rebels struck at the he

. >>> and ann curry, reporting on people running for their lives. >>> and the classic debate, comforting your fussy baby or letting them cry. nightly news begins now. >>> from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is nbc nightly news with brian williams. >>> good evening, it has been a tough summer in the nation's third largest city, 360 murders in chicago, so far this year. and now in the city schools, the fall season is off to a very tough start. this morning, the teacher's union in the city of chicago went out on strike. it leaves students running for a place to go and parents with no options, just as the union said it had no other option. and like any big city population in our country, nothing is simple, a complicated system with hundreds of thousands of innocent victims. there was a big protest rally called there by the union in chicago, we start with the story. >> reporter: brian, the crowd is starting to thin somewhat, but thousands of teachers have been walking in the streets of downtown chicago. and police were so concerned about it they blocked off the street, right in

but next, ann curry reports from the syrian border where civilians are running for their lives.watching "andrea mitchell reports" only on msnbc. with the spark cash card from capital one, olaf's pizza palace gets the most rewards of any small business credit card! pizza!!!!! [ garth ] olaf's small business earns 2% cash back on every purchase, every day! put it on my spark card! [ high-pitched ] nice doin' business with you! [ garth ] why settle for less? great businesses deserve the most rewards! awesome!!! [ male announcer ] the spark business card from capital one. choose unlimited rewards with 2% cash back or double miles on every purchase, every day! what's in your wallet? powerful trading tools for all. like our all-in-one trade ticket. we put strategies, chains and positions all on one screen. start trading today with optionsxpress by charles schwab. [ "the odd couple" theme playing ] humans. even when we cross our "t"s and dot our "i"s, we still run into problems -- mainly other humans. at liberty mutual insurance, we understand. that's why our auto policies come with ac

today, she sat down with nbc's ann curry to talk about her mission. >> what is the most important message that you have to all the people around the world who are struggling as you have for freedom? for democracy? >> it's the same struggle for everybody everywhere. because unless we are free, we cannot really realize our own potential. and if we can't realize our own potential, we are like a crippled tree. it would be a stunted growth. and because of that, we all want to be free. free to be able to realize one's own potential. but obviously without hurting the chances of other people to realize theirs. >> you can watch more of ann curry's interview with aung san suu kyi tonight on "nightly news" with brian williams. >>> more on the emergency landing involving the plane carrying ann romney, the wife of republican presidential nominee mitt romney. smoke filled the cabin of the plane. mrs. romney was on a flight from omaha to los angeles. the plane landed safely in colorado. the romney campaign tweeted a photo of firefighters boarding the plane. mitt romy is campaigning in nevada right now.

the libyan president spoke exclusively to nbc's ann curry about the trouble his country is now facing for many years. what made you want to leave the comfort and relative safety of staying in this life and jump into the fire, as you have? >> as much a jump into the fire didn't start now, i started in 1980, when i decide to defect from the regime and called for openly, for its downfall and its toppling, and to topple it, and i didn't leave home for good in exile. i left my home with the hope to return it. being liberated now, it's my dream and my hope to return to my hope to libya, and to die there and to be buried in libya. but at one time, i was preparing myself to die in exile. >> that's very emotional for you to think about? you thought you might die, never being able to see your country again. >> to see that take place, the tyrant, and to return my country and to have a chance to participate in putting the foundations for a new democratic agreement. this is more than i expected in my life. >> and so you have a dream then. >> yes. yes. >> to see libya become something. >> yes. i'm

one of the things the libyan president also said to ann curry, it lacks to be a branch of al qaeda. that's something we heard after the benghazi attack happened. where do you think we are now in terms of terrorism. obviously as the president said, the traditional al qaeda as we know it seems to have been decimated. top leaders including osama bin laden are gone but where are we? >> i think again that's a statement. the ail die is the al qaeda. there are mutant forms. there are a lot of wannabes and look-alikes. i think active terrorism in spite of the fact that the president rightly has given some credit for eliminated osama bin land, it's a misnomer and somewhat naive to say merely because you cut the head of the organization, now you have other groups affiliated, oftentimes rhetorically affiliated but others given guidance from others and the arabian peninsula. it ooh's dominant force in the region in cahoots from time to time with the iranian influence as well. we're going be dealing with activism terrorism, look-alikes and wannabes. >> i'm going to ask you to play chameleon agai

here's nbc's ann curry. >> reporter: unhcr special envoy angelina jolie arrived at the refugee camp drawing a crush of media attention to the crisis just as it intensifies. standing with jordan's foreign minister and the u.n.'s refugee chief, she spoke after meeting with refugees on the border last night and in the camp today. she said they told her chilling stories. >> little children, i asked what they saw and they described body parts separated and burning people being pulled apart like chicken. that's a little 9-year-old said that. >> reporter: the united nations has confirmed atrocities are occurring inside syria. how much frustration do you have that you're unable to reach these people still inside syria running for their lives? >> ie been speaking the last two days with the people from syria. and what they describe on the ground, hearing it from them is so horrific. the people of syria are asking who's on their side. >> reporter: today, unhcr chief tony gutierrez says 200,000 syrians have spilled across the border into jordan alone in the last 18 months. it is clear that this crisis

ann curry is in jordan near the syrian border. >> reporter: just before sunset last night, a distant fire fight highlighted syria's growing human tragedy. people struggle to escape government attacks by crossing this river valley into jordan. most traveled on foot. but some had to be carried out in vehicles. including this 20-year-old, said to be a civilian who was seriously wounded in an attack on a building in his town. and it happened the day before he was to be married. the nightly drama has now more than 1,000 people crossing here every day. according to jordan border commander. they're crossing along a 70-kilometer area. >> yes. >> reporter: what are we hearing? >> they are shooting. >> reporter: how close to the border are they shelling? >> around a kilometer. >> reporter: that's about a mile away. are they trying to stop the refugees from coming across? >> yes. >> reporter: you think so? still, 69,000 people have been able to cross just this stretch of border over the last 18 months. many families with children. the attacks by syria's government targets sunni muslims and the

brian will be here to bring you a series of reports we're calling "at the brink" including ann curry, and richard engel in syria, and more. a hard look at some of the most dangerous conflicts in the world, and here at home, special coverage will start sunday on nightly news. >>> and on the presidential campaign trail today, mitt romney acknowledges he is fighting an uphill battle in the battleground state of pennsylvania, but he maintains he can win there, as attention is already turning to the debates next week, which could be a game-changer. good evening, peter. >> reporter: savannah, good evening to you, this weekend both mitt romney and the president have light schedules planned. instead, they will be hunkering down in private, focusing on trying to refine their message ahead of next week's debate, that will be watched by the largest audience that either of them has seen all campaign. rallying supporters in pennsylvania this afternoon, mitt romney made this bold promise. >> you're right, they're wrong, and we'll win pennsylvania and take the white house. >> reporter: but for that

nbc's ann curry is near the syrian bordner jordan. ann, good morning. >> reporter: matt, good morning to you from a massive and very dusty refugee camp 15 miles from the syrian border. the war in syria has reached a stunning new intensity. in recent days the government has increased systematic air strikes on civilian targets, and now the flow of refugees has turned into a flood. more than 240,000 people have fled across syria's borders, including running here to jordan. just before sunset last night, a distant firefight highlighted syria's growing human tragedy. people struggle to escape government attacks by crossing this river valley into jordan. most traveled on foot, but some had to be carried out in vehicles. including this 20-year-old, said to be a civilian who was seriously wounded in an attack on a building in his town, and it happened the day before he was to be married. the nightly drama has now more than 1,000 people crossing here every day, according to this jordan border commander. they are crossing along a 70-kilometer ar

ann curry made her way into syria. look for her reporting this week. >>> some important health news about lung cancer. a large new study on the genetic makeup of one type of lung cancer is raising hopes that new treatments may soon be available for this killer. robert bezel is live with more. >> the study looked at one type of lung cancer that accounts for about one in four cases of the disease. as part of a giant government funded research project scientists sequenced all the jeangen genes in 178 patients. several of the drugs that may work are already on the market or in late testing phases. researchers say based on this new information clinical trials will begin soon to find out how many new treatments this treasure-trove of genetic information will bring. >>> still ahead as we continue here on "nbc nightly news" the mystery surrounding part of a jumbo jet about the size of a refrigerator that came falling from the sky crashing into a neighborhood. >>> the allegations about o.j. simpson's star attorney and those inf

plus, ann curry continues her reporting from inside a syrian refugee camp as the violence there escalates> and then new at 6:00, a bay area school deals with the dramatic increase in violence. learn where it is and what the school is trying to do to keep its students safe. we'll have those stories and more coming up on nbc bay area news at 6:00 when i join raj. >> okay, thanks, jessica. >> that's going to do it for now. we leave you on this september 11th with that tribute in light in new york city. good night. [ laughter ] [ girl ] wow. you guys have it easy. i wish i had u-verse when i was your age. in my day, we didn't have these fancy wireless receivers. blah, blah, blah. if i had a sleepover, i couldn't just move the tv into the playroom. no, we had to watch movies in the den because that's where the tv outlet was. and if dad was snoring on the couch, we muscled through it. is she for real? your generation has it made. [ male announcer ] the wireless receiver. only from at&t u-verse. get a free wireless receiver with a qualifying u-verse plan. rethink possible.

ann curry will bring reports from syria. it's after news 4 at 6:00. >>> one man died from a hit-and-run in prince george's county. police are looking for a white shf impala and they have not released the name of the man who died. >> also, we learned the identities of the two people who died in a plane cash. john morton jr. and his 13-year-old son kyle died. both were from stafford and died on the scene. the plane crash last night happened near the river heights mobile home park in fredericksburg. a witness describes what he saw moments before the crash. >> the engines were running, then i stay go up, and then corkscrew down. >> neighbors tried to help the victims, but it was too late. >> now to decision 2012 where we're just three days to the presidential debate. crews in denver are setting the stage at the campus arena. about 1,000 people will get tickets to the debate where president obama and mitt romney will debate domestic policy issues. the debate is set for wednesday night at 9:00 p.m., and today the president will go

nbc's ann curry was there as well and joins us. ann, good morning to you. >> reporter: savannah, good morning to you. good morning, everybody. angelina jolie came to this refugee camp to join a direct appeal asking the world to do more for syria's refugees. she said she went to syria's border last night and saw firsthand the desperate need for international donations, especially now as the crisis intensifies. she said no mother could see what is happening here and simply stand by. unhcr special enjoy angelina jolie arrived at the refugee camp throwing a crush of media attention to the tension just as it intensifies. standing with jordan's foreign minister and the u.n.'s refugee chief, she spoke after meeting with refugees on the border last night and at camp today. >> it's been a very heavy experience because oftentimes you come to these camps, and we've all been around the world and met with people in conflict situations. very rarely do you come when you meet them as they cross the border, and you get to know people the moment they

kim catrell and ann curry. wow. >> i just want to thank michael khors. i was wearing his dress. that's very nice. >> isn't that sweet? >> look who's in the 40s. >> you know what's sad? it had the 50s, which i still am, but they didn't put me in that. they put me in the "at any age." >> so there's a rumor out there. i feel my age today. got to do a shoutout to neil sedaka and his beautiful wife leva have been married for 50 years. want to go to memory lane with this. ♪ i love i love i love michal encar girl ♪ here they are. probably -- >> chocolate bars? >> chocolate bars. all going to enjoy little bit of neil and leva after this. this is what they look like today. >> great shot. great shot. >> the sweetest people on the planet. ♪ ooh, i hear laughter in the rain ♪ >> we had a really, really nice time last night. saw the reg man. sat next to clive davis. >> gave him an earful. >> did you? >> i don't know. i don't remember it. he is such a sweetheart. he really is. it was fun. so, what rumor? >> well, there's a rumor out there that the duchess -- >> kate. >> middleton, is pregnant

the "today" show says matt lauer had nothing to do with the controversial decision to dump co-host ann currys the move to replace her with savannah guthrie wasn't matt's call, it was bell's decision. he discussed losing ratings lead to good morning america after a 16 year run and called the "today" show a more serious program and said abc's news program is doing something else, asked if that meant going tabloid, bell said that's what i am saying. >>> at first i thought this was a bloody parody, after all, you would think it would be a scoop when the bbc reported o

ann curry is going to go to new zealand to cover the premiere for the "today" show and for "rock centerry is going to be broken up into three films. they are going to stretch that. >> a billion bucks. >> out. all righty, patty millet, we had such a reaction yesterday. >> sorry, your interview did cause -- >> people are fascinated by her story. she is -- we all knew that she was a teenage mom, unmarried teenage mom, now people are discovering what she actually went through 18 years before she gave birth to justin bieber, they are really taking notice of what an extraordinary survivor she is. what a great lady. >> she is a real sweetheart. we are going to talk to her in a little bit live in the studio. and guess who else is here, proud mama, so thrilled for her, guiliana rancic is here. plus actor andrew mccarthy and singer josh turner. >> a sexy song coming up. hanging out as if they like each other. >> we will be right back after these messages. throughout our entire lives. ♪ one a day men's 50+ is a complete multi-vitamin designed for men's health concerns as we age. ♪ it has more of s

she sat down for a rare interview with nbc's ann curry. >> it is a privilege. and it is also very enjoyable. i like your president. >> did you ask him to lift economic sanctions on burma? >> i had already discussed this with the members of congress the previous day. >> would you like to see these economic sanctions lifted? >> yes. because i think that we must now learn to stand on our own feet and not depend on the sanctions to push us towards democracy. >> you have called democracy, though flawed, a beacon of hope. you have become now a beacon of hope to so many. >> flawed as well. >> but what is the most important message that you have to all the people around the world who are struggling as you have for freedom and democracy? >> it's the same struggle for everybody everywhere. because unless we are free, we cannot really realize our own potential. >> one of the things that people admire about you is that you did not give up. >> it never occurred to me to give up. >> but there were moments, i'm certain, that you felt all hope might be lost. >> no, never. i wa

in an exclusive interview wit nbws ann curry, claims were discounted the attack were in response to a video produced in cifornia and available on youtube. >> would you call the attack on the u.s. consulate inenghi ie doubt about that. and it's a preplanned act of terrorism directed against american citizs. >> do you think the movie had anything to do with this attack on the consulate? >> not on this attack not on this at. it nngdoit this attack. >> and yesterday white house press secretary told reporters traveling on air force one, "it's the case that it's our view as an administration, the president's ew, that it was a terrorist tack." it's the first explicit acknowledgement that t taas an act of terror. secretary of state hillary clinton speaking at the united nations on wednesday became the highest ranked officia to publicly say there was a link between the attack and al qaeda. >> f some time al qaeda and othegrou hnche ats kidnappings into neighboring countrs and they are working with other violent extremists to undermine the democratic transitions under way in north africa as we

ann curry from syria. richard engel and i reporting from afghanistan. tamron? then, everyone. have a great day. ♪ i'd do anything for you, dear ♪ ♪ anything, yes, i'd do anything ♪ ♪ anything for you ♪ with your favorite instant coffee same great taste, now with a great new look that can be ready in a... [ pop! ] ♪ folgers instant coffee the taste you love just got more instant. >> good morning from the weather center. we are talking about a very hot weekend shaping up. by sunday and monday we will look at temperatures in the mid 90s across the north, south, and east bay and and the warmest locations will be the east and south bay with temperatures in the triple-digits. you will be close to triple-digit heat. at the coast, we will see the cooler numbers with 70s there into the south and east bay and looking at the warmest locations. even the potential for triple-digit heat. we are talking about a spare the air weekend. the north and east and south bay into the unhealthy category. if you have asthma and suffer from any type of respiratory illness, limit your tim

ann curry from syria. richard engel and i reporting from afghanistan. tamron? then, everyone. have a great day. ♪ i'd do anything for you, dear ♪ ♪ anything, yes, i'd do anything ♪ ♪ anything for you ♪ with your favorite instant coffee same great taste, now with a great new look that can be ready in a... [ pop! ] ♪ folgers instant coffee the taste you love just got more instant. >> good morning. i'm jennifer franciotti. the time right now 8:57. here's a look at one of our top stories. commuters in baltimore city take heat. charles street will start to get tricky come monday. city transportation officials say that's when a reconstruction project begins to improve traffic flow. that project totals $28 million. the entire project will take two years. road closures and detours will come and go in phases. the scheduled completion date is 2014. well now let's look at the forecast with john collins. hey, john. >> good morning. we have a mix of sun and clouds. temperatures starting out in the 50s. cooler, less humid. highs will on be up around 70 in our area. definitel

. >> as "today" fires off on "good morning america" and response to criticism over ann curry's firingfault or matt lauer's decision. >>> katy perry and a new hollywood murder mystery. >> her ex-boyfriend just found dead. >> i'm at the hollywood home where the actor and an elderly woman both passed away under suspicious circumstances. >>> tonight, "scandal" premiere and inside the white house with star kerry washington. >> you look good here. >> president frazier has a certain ring to it. >>> then -- inside britney's fashion evolution, from sexy schoolgirl to "x factor" bombshell. >> she dresses more like a grownup. >>> and -- inside tv's most extreme weddings. >> the couple tying the knot 24 times. >> two dogs saying i do. >> and the nuptials in the nude. >> my god, you know, i should start working out. >>> now from hollywood, "the insider" is on. >>> or, how about you put on a wedding dress? >> or that. >>

or he loses. [ screaming ] >> stephanie: somewhere ann curry is laughing uncontrollably. [ laughter ]ward tee bone -- everybody back at the current tv studio. see you tomorrow.

. >> as "today" fires off on "good morning america" and response to criticism over ann curry's firingywood murder mystery. >> her ex-boyfriend just found dead. >> i'm at the hollywood home where the actor and an elderly woman both passed away under suspicious circumstances. >>> tonight, "scandal" premiere and inside the white house with star kerry washington. >> you look good here. >> president frazier has a certain ring to it. >>> then -- inside britney's fashion evolution, from sexy schoolgirl to "x factor" bombshell. >> she dresses more like a grownup. >>> and -- inside tv's most extreme weddings. >> the couple tying the knot 24 times. >> two dogs saying i do. >> and the nuptials in the nude. >> my god, you know, i should start working out. >>> now from hollywood, "the insider" is on. >>> or, how about you put on a wedding dress? >> or that. >>> welcome to "the insider." i'm kevin frazier. crazy, extreme weddings on the way. >> and i'm brooke anderson. thanks for spending some time with us. >>> the morning show wars heat up, with a report of matt lauer pay cut, and with "good morni

he sat down with ann curry.s is what he said happened there. >> attack on the consulate was preplanned, with the intention of killing ambassador stevens. that's -- [inaudible] bill: what he is saying it was preplanned and had nothing to do with video. video was even talked about the at u.n. yesterday by the president. also this week he went on "the view" and said the best way to marginalize that kind of speech, referring to the film, is to ignore it. what's the effect then of talking about it day after day? >> i don't know because this thing is getting more play than it did when it ran in los angeles. the reports that came out were that it ran for a day, maybe two days in some obscure little theater called the vine and, nobody really saw this thing. so, it's getting far too much play and most of these demonstrators, in fact, i will bet you 99% of the demonstrators in the 20 countries where there have been demonstrations and riots over this haven't even seen the film or the organizers who organized all these mobs