but as steve handelsman reports, so far, fear isn't a factor for many americans on the move. >> repter: dulles airport outside washington, despite warnings traveling to europe, no panic among people heading twl. >> it doesn't bother me. i am going home. >> i'm not afraid. >> the same tore americans in europe. >> but i'm not really wored here. >> reporter: police across europe are looking for ten al qaeda suspects. u.s. officials are worried. >> it speaks to al qaeda central still having the capability to threaten the west. >> reporter: osama bin laden is back in business, five german recruits killed by a rocket from a u.s. drone. key intelligences coming from an al qaeda captive afghanistan. >> the spectrum of information suggested we needed to put something out to warn people about the potential for attacks. . >> reporter: what might be the target? big train stations and transits are guarded. >> if they want to cook up a bomb in their kitchen or pick up a gun and shoot someone, that's far more difficul to stop that a sophisticated airline plot. >> reporter: officials most fear somethi

but as nbc's steve handelsman reports, so far, fear isn't a factor for many americans on the move. >> reporter: dulles airport outside washington, despite more nations warnings today about travel to europe, no panic among people headed there. >> it doesn't bother me. i have my suitcase. i have everything packed. i'm going home. >> i'm not afraid. >> reporter: the same for americans in europe. >> but i'm not really worried here. >> reporter: police across europe are looking for ten al qaeda suspects. u.s. experts are worried. >> this is the most significant threat we've seen in years. it speaks of al qaeda still having a capability to threaten the west. >> reporter: osama bin laden is back in business, five german recruits killed by a rocket from a u.s. drone. key intelligence is coming from an al qaeda captive in afghanistan. >> the spectrum of information suggested we needed to put something out to warn people about the potential for attacks. >> reporter: what might be the target? tourist attractions like the vatican, big train stations in europe are well guarded. another 9/11 would

steve handelsman has more details on the president's west coast swing. >> reporter: in washington state, to try to preserve his senate majority, president obama campaigned for incumbent democrat patti murray who is in a tough race. >> in just a few days, your decision in this election is going to set the direction of this state and of this country for years to come. >> reporter: murray's republican opponent expired back. >> she has her d.c. friends coming to washington state to defend the indefensible, which happens to be her 18-year record. >> reporter: the president touted the votes for women. key in these states. >> when we come out, they can make the difference. it's always important to get women out. this election in particular. >> reporter: in kentucky, republican senate candidate rand paul complained democrats are focusing on his alleged extremism. >> personally vilifying me because they don't want to talk about their support for obama care. >> the u.s. senate debate. >> reporter: in pennsylvania's democrat race, joe sestak and pat toomey discussed extremism. >> the stimulus, gov

i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, washington. >>> meanwhile, in germany, a u.s. drone strike has reportedly killed five nationals. last night on the rachel madow show, rachel asked michael isakof what we know about the germans reportedly killed in the missile strike in pakistan. >> we don't know a whole lot about the germans killed in this particular drone strike because we don't know a lot about who gets killed in any of these drone strikes. by definition, these are strikes in areas where u.s. intelligence and law enforcement, it does not center easy access nor for that matter to the pakistanis. that's why we're firing drones at them because we can't send troops there, we can't put boots on the ground there nor are the pakistanis doing it. so what we get are claims of strikes, climbs of people killed. and in this case, the pakistanis, who are very eager at this point to show how much they're cooperating with the u.s. reported today, said today that eight germans have been killed and told people that these are among the germans of pakistani decent who are believe

i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, washington. >>> are you ready for this one? a little tiny pill with some big hopes this week in the fight against obesity as researchers reveal, they have a capsule for curbing appetites. if you think you've heard it all before, this time the pill is basically a fake food that expands in your stomach. scientists in calgary say it is all based on the same science used when a balloon is inserted into a patient's stomach to make them feel fulfill in this case, the gelatin capsule is filled with edle but expandible material. how does it taste? >> i don't know hoyt tastes but that could certainly save you huge calories. >>> who says nice guys finish last? good news for good guys everywhere day. >> researchers in england say as humans evolve, we're becoming more selfless and altruistic. it makes us feel more attractive to our mates. in other words, bad boys get the boot more often than their nice guy downer parts. >> now the survival theory is that nice guys might offer more of a hand in things like raising children, for example. >>

i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, washington. >>> when news4 at 4:00 continues, a red toxic udge is sweeping through an entire village. the latest on the possible impact. >>> some encouraging economic news about the upcoming holiday retail season. >>> and get the national anthem wrong and there is a severe consequence. we'll tell but the new ban. >>> flooding and mud slides have killed at least 75 people and left thousands homeless in indonesia. days of torrential downpours have submerged hundreds of homes and destroyed roads and bridges in west papua ovince. in one village a river burst, sweeping residents away and leaving thigh high water behind. more than 2,000 people have sought shelter in government buildings and makeshift camps. indonesia experiences these deadly landslides and flooding evy year. >>> meanwhile in hungary, crews are working the stop a different kind of mud floe. a flood of toxic sludge has already entered se of the country's waterways and could potentially affect all of europe if officials can't stop it. michelle kosinski has that story. >> reporter: parts of western hu

i'm steve handelsman, news4, capitol hill. >>> a traffic alert to pass along. d.c. has canceled scheduled construction work on the chain bridge. that means bridge that connects d.c. and arlington will remain open this weekend. a different story, however, out in tyson's corner. route 123, that's chain bridge road, will be shut down beginning tonight at the beltway. that's so crews can take down the old beltway bridges that cross over chain bridge road. traffic will be rerouted on to route 7. >>> let's check out the traffic at this hour inhe afternoon. hi, ash. >> reporter: it is certainly friday out there. we've got big delays every whi way. let's look at the painful outer loop commute. this is the pace past new hampshire avenue. headed away from us will be the outer loop. austin, the pace is a little slow and you will find that those delays do pick up for outer loop drivers. the inner loop is definitely slammed as you head toward silver spring. past old georgetown road. the one inching along there, barely moving wilbe the inner loop. headed around towa river road. b

steve handelsman has our report. >> reporter: dulles airport outside washington. despite more nations warning about travel to europe no, panic among people headed there. >> it doesn't bother me. i ha my suitcase. i have everything packed. i'm going home. >> i'm not afraid. >> reporter: the same for americans in europe. >> i'm not really worried here. >> reporter: but police across europe areooking for ten al qaeda suspects. u.s. experts are worried. >> this is the most significant threat we have seen toward europe in the past five years. it suppose the al qaeda central, still having the capability to threaten the west. >> reporter: osama bin laden back inbusiness. said to be training europeans in pakistan. five german recruits reported today, killed a rocket from a u.s. drone. key intelligence is coming from an al qaeda captive in afghanistan. >> the spectrum of information suggested we needed to put something out to warn people about potential for attacks. >> reporter: what might be the target? tourist attractions like the vatican, b train stions in europe are we

steve handelsman takes a look. >> reporter: it was a grand sendoff. an emotional sendoff. barack obama and rahm emanuel by all accounts grew closer in the trenches in two years of political combat. >> mr. president, i thought i was tough. but as someo who saw firstnd how close our nation came to the brink, and what you had to do to put america back on track, i want to thank you for being the toughest leader any country could ask for in the toughest times any president haever faced. >> reporter: now one chicagoan goes home to work 24/7, yell at staffers, and run for mayor. e other chicagoan needs a chief of staff. for now, it will be mrobama's top senate staffer, pete rouse. >> there is a saying around the white house. let's let pete fix it. >> reporter: there will be a lot toix. obama backers agree. >> where are we going from here now? i'm looking forward to sing what he does in the next two years. >> i think now, particularly if obama gets a setback in the midterm, meaning his policies, republicans say take over congress, if that happened, then it will probably help the p

. >> details from steve handelsman. >> reporter: the afghan government in talk with the taliban. the white house supports reconciliation meaning a compromise to end the afghan war that cost more than 1200 u.s. lives. >> the terms of the deal seemed reasonable and did not led to atally ban takeover i think most would welcome it. >> reporter: staff sergeant miller lost his life to the taliban in 2008. today was awarded the medal of honor. president obama described how miller counterattacked, protecting his fellow green berets. >> he had been hit but kept calling out enemy positions, still he kept firing, still he kept throwing his grenades. then they heard it, rob's weapon, fell silent. >> reporter: president obama wants the start of a u.s. pullout next summer. the taliban is on the rise in afghanistan and next door in pakistan, u.s. convoys under attack. if a deal gets cut between the taliban leader and the afghan president karzai, is that a defeat for the u.s.? one opinion. >> no. no. cutting a deal allows us to refocus on what's important to us, al qaeda and stabilizing pakistan

i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, washington. >> bay area airports have been following developments to see if any security changes need to be affected here. damian trujillo live at sfo with the story. damian? >> keeping a close eye on the situation here at sfo. so far no major security changes. and passengers are talking about news from overseas and east coast. >> it is always busy at sfo domestic terminal. midday, passengers were getting bits and pieces about the international security scare. some on their phones. >> i did. i did. i was waiting for somebody to pick me up. i checked the news. that's where i got it. >> i wasn't very concerned. i have been getting phone calls all day from family members. trying to fly to new york. >> sfo says there are no changes to the security operations because of the threat. in a statement, tsa says airports are taking extra security measures, some visible and some not. tsa says there is also heightened cargo screenings and additional security at airports. but the agency didn't say which airports. passen jesh eengers are vigila comfortable. >> i fly

i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, capitol hill. >>> the first lady will be back in her home town tonight. she has two appearances scheduled in chicago ts evening. >>> meanwhile a conntion has been found between president obama, and sarah palin. a genealogist at ancestry.com says all three are related according to the genealogist. the president and palin palin are tenth cousins through an ancestor named john smith. as for rush himbaugh, he and the president 10th cousins one time removed from an ancestor named chmond terrell. the company made the connection while searching for theamily history of political rivals. >>> a group that opposes same sex marriage wants to go to the supreme court. harry jackson filed a petition. he has a group that argued the gay marage issue should be decided by voters because judge ruled the city could pass the law without the voters if it conflicted wh a human rights law. washington began allowing same sex marriages back in march. jackson hopes to hear back from the supreme court by early 2011. >>> there is more to come on news4 at 4:00 this aftnoon. enng those

steve handelsman reports. >> reporter: the stunning news come months after the tea party emerges demanding lower taxes and smaller government. today's poll finds one-third of all likely voters now support the tea party. a third. tea party sarah palin. >> enough is enough. we'll get america back on the ght track. that toward the exptionalism that ronald reagan used to speak of. >> reporter: an exceptnal wind would be to harry reid. he trails in some nevada polls. the tea party republican sharron angle is hammering him on the 14% unemployment. >> my job is to create jobs. >> it is not your job to crea job. it is your job to create policy that's create the confidence for the private sector. >> reporter: that's the argument. joe miller in alaska. all tea party senate candidates who could win. the tea partier christine o'donnell is in trouble in delaware. president obama nt to help put chris coons in joe biden's old seat. >> i understand some of the excitement has faded since election day. don't let them convince you that we have not made progress. we have made progress. >> reporter: the obama

i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, capitol hill. >>> well, things may be looking up if you're hoping to sell a home. sale of previously occupied homes went up last month after a dismal summer. the national association of realtors says, sales grew about 10% which is still down 19% from the same time last year. the median home price was $171,700. down 2 that i 4% from last year xfl per experts say fears of lawsuits dampened the market. as some banksromised to restart foreclosures soon, they promise to investigate the big foreclosure mess. ben bernankettended a housing fince conference in arlington today. he said they're looking at whether mortgage companies cut corners on their own procedures when they foreclosed on people's home he expects preliminary results from the investigation next month. >>> the university of mary shington in fredericksburg is apologizing to i neighbors after complaints over an outdoor concert. that is the sound of local born rapper performing as part of the homecoming celebration. the university president wrote a letter to the freelance star apologizing to area re

i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, washington. >>> coming up, abandoned animals find a new home after sufferinghrough a toxic sludge flood. >>> we'll show what you a publication calls the absolute worst credit card. >>> and doug >>> crews are working the stop a flow of toxic sludge. it comes from a plan in western hungary and has three counties under a state of emergency. the floods even entered into the country's waterways and it could potentially affect all of europe if officis can't stop it quickly. nbc's michelle kosinski reports. >> reporter: parts of western hungary are under a state of emergency because of flooding. we're not just talking about water. we know how damaging that can be on its own. but this is a toxic caustic red sludge that flooded at least six villages. broke free from a dam and it is containing a reservoir. apparently it causes burns on contact. it has already killed four including two young children. we know that mud was as deep as nine feet in some areas. >> this is a serious environmental problem. and we're concerned, not just for the environments in hungary but this

i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, capitol hill. >> the white house today said the don't ask don't tellolicy of the military is running out. the white house press secretary robert gates said president obama's view remains that the ban on openly gay service member in the military should be ended. meanwhile, the defense secretary robert gates said faye abruptly ending the policy would have enormous consequences for the troops. yesterday, a federal judge ordered the pentagon to stop enforcement of that policy. the justice department is consering whether to appeal that ruling. >>> a group opposed to same sex marriage in d.c. wants to take their case to the u.s. supreme court. bishop harry jackson file a petition. he had a group that had argued the gay marriage issue should be decided by voters. a judge ruled the city could pass the law without the voter's approval if it conflicted with human rights law. washington began allowing sail sex marriages in march. jackson hopes to hear back from the supreme court by rly 2011. >>> coming up, remembering a woman who leaves behind quite the legacy at

steve handelsman reporting from capitol hill. thank you. >>> jury selection began in the trial for the murder of a local music producer. raymond brown was known as scotty. he was killed in largo four years ago. poce believe a man named jamal alexis shot and killed brown during a bus car robbery. he is also accused of aranging the death of his accomplice from that crime. that man was expected to testify against alexis in court. if convicted, jamal could face life in prison without parole. >>> investigators are on the scene of a dely fre in laurel, maryland. that fire was in the house along brooklyn bridge roa firefighters say one person was killed. the victim's name is not being released now. the cause. fire, they're still trying to figure out what it was. >>>ll lanes of interstate 95 northbound are now open after an afternoon crash that sent a virginia state trooper and a driver to the hospital. it happen about a mile south of route 23 in wood bridge. the trooper was attending to a minor whks another vehicle hit his parked cruise

steve handelsman has our report. >> reporter: it was a grand sendoff. an emotional sendoff. barack obama and rahm emanuel by all accounts grew closer in the trenches in two years of political combat. >> mr. presidt, i thought i was tough. but as someone who saw firsthand how close our nation came to the brink, and what you had to do to put america back on track, i want to thank you for being the toughest leader any country could ask for any the toughest times any president has ever faced. >> reporter: now one chicagoan goes home to work 24/7, yell at staffer, and run for mayor. the other chicagoan needs a chief of staff. for now, it will be mr. obama's top senate staffer, pete rouse. >> there is a saying around the white house. let's let pete fix it. >> reporter: there will be a lot to fix. obama backers agree. >> where are we going from here now? i'm looking forward to seeing what he does in the next two years. >> i think now, particularly if obama gets a setback in t midterm, meaning his policies, republicans say take over congress, if that happened, then it will probably

i'm steve handelsman,news4, capitol hill. >>> the president had a book thrown at him during a rally in philadelphia. the secret service says an overexhibit rant fan threw on it stage -- an overexuberant fan threw it on stage. the man was hoping the president would read the book. authorities deemed he pose nod threat to the resident. >>our guys have e day off after what really turned out to be a really good win yesterday. they would not giveup. >> i think in the beginning of that game, everybody was toward turn the channel, i'm sure. donavan started to develop a rhythm. the key things especially on offense, they feel like they can beat any team out there. you can say there was a little bit of luck. seven seconds to go. the redskins get a lucky the bate break. mason crosby with the feel goal attempt nailed a huge break. we know hear that fm the press box. in the end it would be the dskins inovertime who would find a way to turn a greaty performance into what they hoped would be the game winning field goal. graham gano. the redskins get the win. they're now 3-2. they'll take a win anyway

steve handelsman has more. >> reporter: dulles airport outside washinon.ore nations warning about travel to europe, no panic among people headed there. >> it doest bother me. i have my suitcase. i have everything packed. i'll going home. >> reporter: the same for americans in europe. >> i'm not really wored here. >> reporter: but police across europe a looking for ten al qaeda suspects. u.s. experts are worried.