and as our own michelle kosinski reports from milan, the prime minister last night lost his cool. >>eporter: silvio berlusconi been called the teflon prime minister. a 74-year-old man with a notorious weakness for beautiful, young women. the billionaire media mogul is suspected of paying a 17-year-old belly dancer for sex. her stage name is ruby the heart stealer. abusing his power, allegedly cavorting with showgirls and prostitutes during wild parties at his villa, described by police as orgies. this showgirl turned dental hygienist turned politician is suspected of recruiting women for him. for weeks, sordid details have leaked from the investigation, filled with wiretap transcripts. one woman describes berlusconi's parties, "it's like a brothel in there, worse than the papers say, all of which he has cooley denied. then last night -- he phoned in to a tv talk show to berate the host. calling his coverage repugnant, despicable. the host called the prime minister an ignorant lout. could this be a sign berlusconi's feeling the heat coming from his own party? even the vatican? many it

michelle kosinski joins us live now from tel aviv with that part of the story. michelle? >> reporter: hi, kate. people here say they know they are watching history unfold around the clock on their television. of course, for them, the difference is it is so close. already, we are seeing some people enter gaza from egypt through tunnels and what happens to egypt next will determine whether israel still has that one key ally in its own region. on a rainy night in tel aviv, people warm up in cafes to relax, the conversation returns to the fire that's raging a border away. >> we watch television and we are frayed. we are afraid. no doubt, every israeli is afraid. >> reporter: afraid of losing mubarak and egypt as an ally, even if it is, they acknowledge, a cold peace, but one that's endured more than 30 years. afraid of the potential for a harder line islamic leadership there, strengthening others around them. afraid of militants crossing through tunnels into the gaza strip, like newly escaped prisoner hassan washa, who readily admits he was locked up in egypt for plotting an

michelle kosinski has more on this growing disaster. >> reporter: from above, it was it was a 26-foot high wall of water. but on the ground, there seemed no bounds to it. unstoppable through this town in queensland. it ripped homes from foundations. those that remained were islands, residents clinging to roofs. people were caught by surprise in their cars. this couple narrowly rescued. others plucked from the raging water itself. this man held on to a tree while vehicles were swept around him. now, brisbane, australia's third largest city of 2 million people is where all this water is heading as soon as tomorrow night. evacuations have started. this has claimed 20 lives since late december with nearly 80 people missing. in some cases, entire families. in this video posted on youtube, people watch their creek quickly rising and overtaking its banks -- >> that's coming fast. should we move the cars? >> reporter: but there was no time. >> oh, my god. let it go. >> reporter: one man saves his truck just before the creek is a run-away river and their cars pebbles in it. carelessly piled up

nbc's michelle kosinski is in kent with details.er: willie, the gorilla is behind us. i'm just kidding. you can't talk it up to something in the water or the rich soil of the english countryside because just one of this group of male western lowland gorillas, a 21 year old, has decided it's much better to live when you walk like a man. hey, what's up? i'm standing. what are you looking at? watch this. ♪ walk like a man >> reporter: while pals are content to knuckle drag the day ahead he looks like he's ready to walk to work with his lunch box. that's a log he's carrying. no big deal. they don't seem to notice he's made a little breakthrough on the evolutionary chain. >> what's the problem? >> reporter: walking tall around the gorilla enclosure. 450 pounds of purposeful swagger. >> he would look up and then go back down on all fours. but he stands up and he'll fully extend his hips. he tends to lean back slightly. he walks like this. just like us. >> reporter: do you ever just give him a high five and say you've done it. you've broke

nbc's michelle kosinski has been following the story from our london bureau. t's the latest? >> hi, natalie. seems like we've been hearing about this australian flooding for a while. we have. it started before christmas and now more pummeling thunderstorms dropped six inches of rain in a half hour creating this 26-foot high torrent and raising the death toll even higher. the wall of water was racing through toowoomba and queensland was described as looking, and for those unfortunate enough to be in its path, feeling like a tsunami. residents rescued from roofs. and from the rushing water itself. this couple narrowly escaped their car. vehicles of all kinds, even homes have been tossed through these streets and farm fields. >> oh, no! oh, no. >> reporter: the man had been clinging to a tree when he was almost hit by a floating van. but the muddy waters have been deadly for at least 20 people in this flood soaked region. more than 70 are missing. the peak of the flooding not expected until thursday. in one town, the entire population of 300 had to be air lifted t

michelle kosinski for us in milan this morning. check of the weather this morning from maria who is filling in for al. maria? >> well, it is cold and we have a party crowd here and despite the snowflakes out, we have a warmup across the northeast. take a look at the 24-hour temperature changes across the northeast, and 26 degrees warmer in cleveland then this time yesterday, and new york 22 degrees warmer than it was yesterday. as we look at what we were expecting through the afternoon in the northeast and in the 20s and the 30s and a lot better in the single digits and the teens and across the south, 60s and 70s into the north, and southern california and florida. meanwhile, florida will see some storms from the weather system that is going to kick into high >>> good morning to you. high pressure our friend this week as we are going to see temperatures about 15 degrees above the seasonal averages. one again today, mild conditions to start you out. 45 degrees in san jose. grab a jacket to take off later because 70 degrees is the fo

here's nbc's michelle kosinski. >> the scenes on the streets of the capital of tunisia has been extraordinarily, openly violent, relentless. police used live bullets on crowds of thousands. according to official reports, two dozen protesters have been killed since dmemonstration begn last month. but they have also been successful. >> we don't want food, we don't want jobs, we want him out. >> the president has relinquished power and fled the country. just the day before, he tried to quell the fury by offering to not run again for office, opening up the internet and press. in in u.s. friendly islamic country with a long history of combatting terror, supporting education and women's rights, a stunning downfall. >> extraordinary, absolutely extraordinary to watch. this was an extraordinary moment in mien histoddle eastern histo. >> wikileaks released a cable describing this troubled state. just as in iran, twitter and you tube opened the world's eyes to unrest, is this the first wikileaks revolution? freedom of expression found those virtual rivers to flow through. >> there was so much that was co

as michelle kosinski reports, it's about gender equality and the throne. >> reporter: nothing proclaims the power of royal tradition like a coronation. and when queen elizabeth ii was crowned at 25, the only reason either of these beloved monarchs made it there was because there were no brothers to take over instead. unfair? well, it's only been this way since the norman invasion. about 1,000 years. and written into constitutional law in 1701. fast forward to william and kate. if they have a daughter first, then a son, the boy still gets to jump the line and grab the crown. something many brits, including lawmakers, feel is just wrong. >> very unfair. it this is the age of gender y'allity. >> reporter: long time member of parliament is daring to try to change things with this new bill. other royalty has recently a ban doned the boy comes first rule. sweden, holland, spain, deny mac, they've all done it. japan is thinking about it. so why can't england, too? >> the families are slightly behind the times, so there is a head will of steam building. >> reporter: the law is 3 ten-years old.

nbc's michelle kosinski is at buckingham palace. >> reporter: oh, the tourists and commercial possibilities on memorabilia so you don't get wc which here means bathroom. also we discovered the newest addition to the town, the william and kate walking tour. granted, neither william nor kate has likely slogged through the streets of london in wind and rain. but now you can for them. for two hours, two miles, two dozen stops in this royal love story. >> prince william hit this nightclub hard and spent over 11,000 pounds in one week. >> reporter: it's the place where princess diana saw the ring, breaking tradition by choosing it from a catalog and a store where kate worked. >> she got an e-mail saying he was no longer interested and she burst into tears. >> reporter: this is where william and harry spent time and so did henry viii and where the bachelor blowout said to be in planning by prince harry may be held. >> i'm guessing this is not a strip club? >> no, no. it's a members only club for men. just the men. >> reporter: the tour is the brainchild of 29-year-old james bonney who lost a film