Transcripts For WBAL NBC Nightly News 20100701 : vimarsana.c

this is nbc "nightly news" with brian williams. good evening. i'm anne curry in for brian williams. new signs tonight the economy is slowing down. from a jump in unemployment benefits to a record low number of home sales to slowdowns in manufacturing, construction and auto sales, it's all pointing to an economy that looks less healthy than it did a few weeks ago. the dow closed down another 41 points now at 9,732. the dow has been down six trading days in a row now. all this is leading up to a monthly unemployment report out tomorrow. many are bracing for more bad news. we have nbc's lee cowan joining us from los angeles. lee? >> reporter: well, anne, the obama administration was calling this recovery summer with trips planned for the president and vice president to all around the country to highlight various infrastructure projects that they hope will create new jobs, but numbers out today indicate the recovery may be fizzling and there are new economic worries on the rise. [ bell ringing ] >> reporter: stocks plunged again today as worries over the nation's economic health were spelled out in black and white. from dips in manufacturing and construction to slides in both home and auto sales, today's figures were discouraging. >> the worry about these numbers is that they speak of worse to come in the economy and they raise the specter that maybe we'll have a double-dip recession. >> reporter: the biggest worry is jobs. the june numbers out tomorrow are expected to be weak. for people like michael white, unemployed for two years, the summer seems to be hardly that. >> i don't see it as a recovery summer. there are still no jobs. they are still laying people off. >> reporter: he got his last unemployment check but he, like others, are hoping he'll get another extension, but congress adjourned for a week-long recess without agreeing on a package. the labor department says more than 1.7 million people will have their benefits cut off by the end of this week and more than 3 million by the end of the month. federal incentives propping up the housing market have expired, too. tax credits for home buyers ended in april. a month later, pending home sales plunged 30%, even though mortgage rates remained fairly low. >> it isn't just one piece of data. it's all of the data that shows the stronger growth we had earlier this year has definitely eased off. >> reporter: bill vaughan was counting on federal stimulus money to keep his construction company afloat. now, even that's drying up. >> there is nothing out there right now. >> reporter: he was set to hire two employees this summer. now he says he can't afford to. what happens when this job is done? >> i'm seriously contemplating closing up my company. >> reporter: local governments are struggling, too. today is the beginning of the new fiscal year and several states announced pretty deep cuts for 2011, everything from education to slashing workers' pay. >> lee, thank you very much. in other news there were stunning admissions today in the case involving several russians living undercover lives in the u.s. and now accused of being secret agents for moscow. andrea mitchell joins us from the washington bureau with more on what happened the first day in court for some of the suspects. >> reporter: good evening. at a bail hearing in new york, prosecutors say the accused spies have a lot of russian officials and a powerful intelligence network ready to help them if they wanted to flee bail. this as the government reveals that one of the suspects acknowledged his loyalty to russian intelligence and waived his miranda rights. the most glamorous member of the group, she's still not talking. the bond girl in this spy story, anna chapman was always the life of the party. >> we met before. it's great to meet you again. >> reporter: she remains in solitary confinement in a brooklyn jail. in courts around the country today, prosecutors argued the nine others in the alleged ring should be denied bail. most importantly because christopher metsos, their accused paymaster jumped bail within 24 hours in cyprus setting off a manhunt on land and sea. >> cyprus police issued a warrant for his arrest but fear he may have left the greek controlled area and traveled to the turkish north from where it is easy to catch a boat to lebanon or turkey. >> reporter: more details about chapman. her family name is kuschenko. tonight her ex-husband told london's daily telegraph that anna told him her father was high up in the ranks of the kgb. he said he was interviewed by mi5, britain's spy service, yesterday and said he was not surprised to learn she was a spy. their london flat was in a posh neighborhood. she inflated her resumé working briefly for netjets and barclays bank. >> i was also an investment banker. >> reporter: she's page one in the u.s. but the story wasn't mentioned in the evening news in russia. the couple calling themselves richard and cynthia murphy were the most important players in the alleged ring. when cynthia was studying at cornell, quote, she reports on her classmates and clients. the svr is what the kgb is now called. the fbi said a 2009 message from the murphys said the only goal and task of our service and of all of us is security of our country. all our activities are subjected to this goal. only for reaching this goal you were dispatched to u.s., settled down there, gained legal status and were expected to start strike up useful acquaintances. >> the message ought to be that the kgb is a paranoid institution. it is an instrument of power of the russian state. >> reporter: in boston, the two sons of one of the couples showed up at court, but their parents' hearing was postponed. the prosecutors said the new york suspects wouldn't have to leave manhattan to jump bail. they could find safe haven at the russian consulate or the u.n. mission. >> thanks, andrea. now to the gulf of mexico where the bp disaster became one of the worst oil spills in the world. according to estimates, more than 140 million gallons have spewed into if gulf. anne thompson joins us again tonight from venice, louisiana. anne? >> reporter: good evening. we never got the thunderstorms that were forecast for the entire day here in venice. but seas did reach the height of five feet. that was enough to shut down cleanup operations for a third straight day. tonight, bp officials say it could be saturday before weather conditions are good enough to put the crews back to work. unimpeded under gray skies, the oil seeps into the marshes near louisiana's baritaria pass. today, bp promised a beefed-up response, nearly doubling the number of skimmers and using more planes, even a blimp, to alert gulf communities. >> we are learning as we go. it hasn't been perfect or you wouldn't see sights like that. but the effort has doubled in the last month. >> reporter: could this ship be a big help? the a-whale makes a dramatic impression even on the mighty mississippi. billed as a super skimmer, it is three and a half football fields long. to get on the mammoth vessel, you are hauled up ten stories. this massive ship was built in south korea to carry iron ore and oil, retro-fitted in portugal to separate oil and water and is now in louisiana hoping to join the cleanup effort. it collects oily water through a dozen vents on either side of the ship's bow. the chief officer calls them jaws. so most of the ships don't have this. >> no ships have this. >> reporter: this is the first of its kind. >> yes. >> reporter: the oil and water go down through pipes to be separated in tanks, the same way oil and water are separated when oil tanks get cleaned. the government is considering the offer but says the giant ship has limited capability. and the limits are that the ship works best when the oil is freshest and so it would have to work near the wellhead site and that's already a very congested area. so they are trying to figure out where it would fit in. the "a whale" is on its way to the gulf tonight for a test. >> more solutions needed there. anne thompson, thank you very much. we'll have more from the gulf later in the broadcast. president obama today made a very public push for immigration reform in his first speech devoted entirely to the issue. he pushed congress to pass new laws to toughen up what's on the books and create a path to citizenship for millions of americans in the u.s. illegally. >> in some, the system is broken. and everybody knows it. unfortunately, reform has been held hostage to political posturing and special interest wrangling. and to the pervasive sentiment in washington that tackling such a thorny issue is inherently bad politics. >> many political observers believe what mr. obama said today may be more designed to help his party win the hispanic vote because it's unlikely that the white house and democrats in congress will be able to push forward a new immigration law this year. the president also criticized the new law in arizona authorizing local police to routinely check for immigration status during a traffic stop or arrest. as that debate rages on, some of arizona's and the nation's youngest citizens, children born in the u.s. to illegal immigrants are caught in the middle. >> reporter: these mothers do not want to be identified because they are in the country illegally, but they do want you to meet their children who they are proud to call american citizens. but some call them something else -- anchor babies, considered a derogatory term for children who an chore undocumented parents to the united states. >> it's got to stop. >> reporter: this is the face of the war on illegal immigration. he plans to reduce a law that requires a child born in arizona to have at least one documented parent in order to be given citizenship at birth. this after the state made headlines for passing pierce's last bill which requires local police to check for proof of citizenship of anyone they suspect might be in the country illegally. constitutional lawyer dan barre filed lawsuits against the bill and says pierce's new initiative is misguided. >> the 14th amendment to the constitution says all persons born in the united states are citizens. that's the beginning and the ending of the analysis. >> reporter: but pierce is un pha -- unfazed. >> it is against the law to come into the country. >> reporter: some countries only grant citizenship to children born to at least one parent who's a citizen and polls are evenly split with emotions running high on both sides. >> i love this country. i would die for this country. >> reporter: the term anchor baby infuriates henry. born in the u.s., he went on to win wrestling in gold in beijing, as an american citizen. >> red, white and blue. that's what i bleed. >> reporter: as the debate rages on, lawmakers here and in other states continue to grapple with the future of immigration and its next generation. kristen welker, nbc news, phoenix. when "nightly news" continues in a moment, imagine taking a test that can tell you if you will live to a ripe old age. it could be closer than you think. and later, struggling to protect wildlife in the gulf oil disaster and making a difference in the process. 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[ judy ] what are you waiting for? call or click today for a free quote or to find an allstate agent. call or click today for a free quote from the ford model year end sales event...y roger's workday. 9 to 5? try 5 to 9... everyday. that's why roger needs the ford f-150. it's the only truck that can keep up with him. best-in-class towing and payload, and now, best-in-class residual value. course, roger would never sell his f-150, even if he had the time. anncr: hurry in now and get a built-ford-tough f-150 with 0% financing for sixty months. mike rowe: remember roger and that f-150? yeah, they're gone. if a test could tell you you could live to be 100, would you take that test? a scientist who spent decades trying to figure out why some people live to be 100 has concluded the answer may have a lot more to do with genetics than you might think. robert bezel now explains. >> reporter: it's a story we have been following for a good bit of time. since the mid '90s dr. thomas pearls has been studying healthy 100-year-olds, more than 1,000 so far, trying to find the secrets of their longevity. he looked at happiness in marriage and career, drinkers, abstainers. eventually he concluded that the obvious factors -- not smoking, exercising and eating right got lots of people into their 80s. >> but then to live the extra 10, 15, 20 years beyond that, i think you may need the genetic booster rockets. >> reporter: at least some of the anti-aging genes are clearly associated with the x or female chromosome. 85% of centenarians are women. what about other genes that increase chances for a long life? today pearls and his team identified a set of genetic changes that predict with 77% accuracy the chances for a person to live to be 100. what do the scientists do next with the knowledge? >> if we can understand the pathways that they are involved in, maybe that would allow us to start thinking about some drugs that do the same thing as what these folks do naturally. >> reporter: centenarians are already the fastest growing segment of the population. there is an evergrowing waiting list to get birthday wishes from willard scott and the latest research may allow more of us to live long, healthy lives. >> that would be nice. when we come back, a busy holiday travel weekend gets rolling and just who is in charge of keeping you safe in the skies, on the rails and on the road. a heart attack that's caused by a clot, one that could be fatal. but plavix helps save lives. plavix, taken with other heart medicines, goes beyond what other heart medicines do alone, to provide greater protection against heart attack or stroke and even death by helping to keep blood platelets from sticking together and forming dangerous clots. ask your doctor if plavix is right for you. protection that helps save lives. [ female announcer ] certain genetic factors and some medicines, such as prilosec, reduce the effect of plavix leaving you at greater risk for heart attack and stroke. your doctor may use genetic tests to determine treatment. don't stop taking plavix without talking to your doctor as your risk of heart attack or stroke may increase. people with stomach ulcers or conditions that cause bleeding should not use plavix. taking plavix alone or with some other medicines, including aspirin, may increase bleeding risk, so tell your doctor when planning surgery. tell your doctor all medicines you take, including aspirin, especially if you've had a stroke. if fever, unexplained weakness or confusion develops, tell your doctor promptly. these may be signs of ttp, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, reported sometimes less than 2 weeks after starting plavix. other rare but serious side effects may occur. reported sometimes less than 2 weeks after starting plavix. discover customers are getting 5% cashback bonus at the pump... and at many of the places their summer plans take them. it pays to get more. it pays to discover. you're looking at the scene today -- a beautiful sunny day in washington as the late senator robert byrd made one last trip to his beloved senate. his coffin carried through the capitol building into the senate chamber to lie in repose. cameras weren't allowed inside as members of congress, members of the obama administration and old friends gathered to pay respects to byrd's family. the fourth of july holiday travel rush is getting started and you may be surprised to hear the government agency charged with keeping us safe while traveling, the tsa, has been without a permanent leader for 18 months. today a new push for safety on trains is getting under way. here's tom costello. >> reporter: sworn in in new york's penn station, the new head of the tsa john pistol started his day amid a heavy rush at rail stations up and down the east coast over the holiday week against a backdrop of a tax on trains and stations in madrid, pakistan and others, there was a new see something, say something program. >> the focus is solely on suspicious actions or behaviors associated with crime. >> reporter: since 9/11 rail security has taken a back seat to heavier security at the nation's airports. in the northeast alone some three-quarters of a million people ride amtrak every day. this "see something, say something" program, borrowed from the nypd. >> it's been a source of a lot of important information for us. in new york, thousands of telephone calls. >> reporter: train and airport security are among the tsa's responsibilities. surprisingly in may, a government accountability report found that tsa has not conducted comprehensive risk assessments for the aviation and surface transportation sectors. today the new chief insisted assessing risk and acting on intelligence are his top priorities. the underwear bomber represents the most immediate threat to the traveling public. >> i think the biggest threat to aviation is what we saw on christmas day. we know from the intelligence that the individual who constructed that device is still out there, still alive and the concern is that he has constructed similar devices that others may use. >> reporter: a bomb-maker on the other side of the world and renewed vigilance at home. when we come back, citizens of the gulf doing what they can to save a precious treasure to make a difference for the place they live in and love. s notice. and when it does, men with erectile dysfunction can be more confident in their ability to be ready with cialis for daily use. cialis for daily use is a clinically proven, low-dose tablet you take every day, so you can be ready anytime the moment's right for you and your partner. tell your doctor about your medical condition and all medications and ask if you're healthy enough for sexual activity. don't take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. don't drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed back ache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than 4 hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, stop taking cialis and call your doctor right away. ask your doctor if cialis for daily use is right for you. for a 30-tablet free trial offer, go to cialis.com. how's it work? ok, she's gas. he's constipation... why am i constipation? ...he's diarrhea. and our special fiber helps our probiotics so that you can show those symptoms who's in charge. this isn't even floor. 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