natalie morales, nbc news, new york. >>> and a quick update on the making a difference report from lastog lovers responded to our story about some folks who look after the pets of u.s. soldiers when they head off to war. so much so, in fact, the responses crashed the organization's website as hundreds of our viewers, potential new dog watchers signed up to help their fellow citizens. that is our broadcast for this wednesday night. as always, we 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

inside studio 1a, i'm lester holt, along with al roker and natalie morales. matt and ann are off today. we've got it covered. don't worry. >>> tiger talks f the first time since the november accident and the revelations of infilities, tiger woods has answered reporter's questions about his affairs and his return to the golf course. he called his behavior disgusting and said he's working on his marriage. we'll hear more of what he had to say and have some advice for dealing with infidelity, if it happens in your own marriage. >>> also ahead, looking for a fresh start in a new city, barbara corcoran's picks for the five most affordable and fun cities in america. >>> plus if the warm weather is inspiring you to get in shape for summer, we'll tell you some food that is can help to fill you up and kick start your weight loss. >>> first, since ann is off today, natalie has a check of our headlines. >> that's right. in the news this morning, president obama is expected to sign the health care bill as soon as tomorrow. the battle over that bill that passed the house

. >>> we want to get a check of the rest of the morning's top stories from natalie morales in for ann at the news desk. >>> good morning, everyone. today at the white house more help for the millions of homeowners who owe more than their homes are worth to try to stem the foreclosure crisis. nbc's chief white house correspondent chuck todd joins us now. chuck, what's in this new plan? >> well, this new plan is directly aimed at those folks who are unemployed. it is sort of a temporary program the government is going to require lenders to give temporary relief to unemployed folks on their mortgage payments. maybe it will be slashing the principle. maybe it will be allowing them to skip a payment. whichever program the lender wants to do. look, this is an attempt -- it was over a year ago that the president announced a big housing program. it is not gone as planned. they thought they could help 4 million to 5 million homeowners. so far these mortgage modification efforts, only 200,000 folks have been able to qualify so it's been very hard to get lenders to cooperate today. it is another

all right. >>> well, let's go inside to natalie morales, who is hopefully safe and sound at the news safe in here. thank you, meredith, lester and al. >>> the health care bill is headed to president obama for his signature. it passed the house by a super close 219-212 vote and aims to extend coverage to millions of uninsured americans, crack down on insurance company abuses and reduce deficits. republicans were unanimous in their opposition, calling it an over-priced government takeover. president obama, though, calls it a victory for common sense. the bill will head to the senate next, where it will likely face procedural hurdles from senate republicans. >>> immigration reform rallied on the national mall. president obama told them he is still committed to working with congress on the issue ts year. >>> police in washington state are resuming their search for a mother who vanished nine months ago. her 8-year-old son's body was found last week. their final moments together don't seem to add up. here is nbc's lee cowan. reporter: the mystery surrounding the disappearance of a mother a

. >>> natalie morales is sitting in again for me at the news desk. >>> good morning, everyone. a new report is suggesting the vatican was washrned in the 199 about a wisconsin priest who may have molested some boys. the paper says disciplinary proceedings against the priest were halted after the priest said he repented. that priest died in 1998. >>> today the pentagon announces an easing in the way of the military's "don't ask don't tell" policy is enforced. defense secretary robert gates says he wants the policy on gays in the military implemented more humanely. discharges would have to be approved by a one-star general or above. >>> actor robert cult died wednesday of an apparent heart attack after collapsing outside his california home. culp is perhaps best remembered for his role in "eye spy wts in the 1960s. he was 79. >>> overseas markets are mostly high they are morning. cnbc's trish regan is at the new york stock exchange watching action again for us. >> good morning, natalie. we'll be watching capitol hill. ben bernanke, the fed chairman, is testifying before the house

. >>> now let's get a check of the rest of the morning's top stories, natalie morales is in for me at the news desk. >>> good morning, everyone. today in washington high-level talks between the u.s. and pakistan. pakistan wants to be recognized as a nuclear weapons power. before today's meeting with pakistan's foreign minister, secretary of state hillary clinton was in mexico on tuesday. she promised help in curbing growing drug violence along the u.s.-mexican border. >>> israel prime minister benjamin netanyahu met twice tuesday with president obama amid disputes over israel's settlement plans in east jerusalem. there were no photo-ops or statements afterwards. >>> uniform standards in school lunches are being proposed. >>> in denver, forecasters say the area could get between one and two feet of snow. >>> overseas markets are mostly high they are morning after the dow closed tuesday at an 18-month high. cnbc's trish regan is at the new york stock exchange for us this morning. what's the focus there today, trish? >> good morning, natalie. focus is housing. we did get some numbers thi

. >>> before we get to all of that, let's get a check of the news from natalie morales filling in for me at the news desk. >>> good morning, everyone. there is a new threat this morning said to be from osama bin laden. al jazeera aired a new videotape in which the speaker identified to be bin laden says if the u.s. executes khalid shaikh mohammed, it will launch an attack. >>> today president obama goes to iowa to try to sell the new health care law to those who are still skeptical about it. he travels to iowa city where in 2007 he pushed the idea of health care reform while he was a candidate. during the night meanwhile, senate republicans found some glitches in the health care fix-it bill. glitches that will force the measure back to the house. >>> meantime, the fbi is investigating threats made against at least ten members of congress after democrats passed health care reform. the windows at some congressional offices were apparently broken and threats were left on some answering machines. >>> a new report is suggesting the vatican was warned in the 1990s about a wisconsin priest w

. >>> but first we get a check of the morning's headlines from natalie morales who's in for me at the news desk. >>> good morning, everyone. today president obama plans to sign an executive order re-affirming long-standing restrictions on federal funding of abortion. that executive order is part of a deal with democratic abortion opponents that won their yes votes on health care reform. the president signed the almost-1 trillion bill tuesday. the senate is debating a number of so-called fixes. >>> the consumer product safety commission this morning announced the recall of more than 1 million baby slings because of the risk babies can suffocate and die while being carried in them. nbc's tom costello has more. tom, good morning. >> reporter: hi, good morning. a lot of moms think this is a great way to bond with their child. having the baby in the sling. experts agree. however, if the baby isn't positioned properly, it can literally suffocate and die in the fabric. ca kathleen ross was a happy, smiling 12 week old when she went with her mom to run errands. but when she went to take her o

i'm matt lauer along with al roker and natalie morales. >>> and coming up in this half hour, more on the devastation down in chile as the situation gets more desperate in some hard-hit cities and aid is slowly trickling in, quake survivors are raiding markets and pharmacies looking for food, water, medicine, everything they need in these desperate few days. ann is reporting from chile this morning. we're going to check in with her live in just a couple of minutes. >>> all right, switching gears then. joy bauer is here with some important advice on staying healthy not just for yourself, but for your kids, especially if you're trying to manage their weight. she's going to answer all of your questions, from wha kinds of breakfasts are best to get your child moving to simple dinner ideas for all five nights of the week. so, we've got your "diet s.o.s." today. >> all right. >>> and we've got a '70s flashback to a time when bell b bottoms, flyback hair and -- well, not for me. >> you had some hair. >> you had some mutton chops. >> i had some mutton chops. the soundtrack that sang for milli

the story tonight from nbc's natalie morales. ♪ 526 minutes >> reporter: while it's singing in harmonyr dancing to the beat, for the past three years, he's taught a thousand kids in the new york city area to dream big. it's that dream that got louise from puerto rico to broadway. >> i got to find who i was because of art, because of dancing, singing, acting. >> reporter: now as an assistant choreographer and dancer in the acclaimed "in the heights," he formed the nonprofit dancing group with his colleagues, giving free singing, dancing and drama lessons, especially for latino kids like him. >> i come from a poor family. this is what's fun for me. this is where i can feel safe. >> reporter: he teaches kids not only at its summer camp, but at schools where students have limited resources. like at mercy school in the bronx. >> the part that i like about dancing and acting, i get to express myself in a whole new different way. it's just, i just love it. >> reporter: these classes helped the once-shy come out of herschel. >> i let nobody knock me down, nobody tell me i can't do something. i