A alle family is celebrating tonight -- what suprise awaited a valley woman who was expecting triplets --
next.
Finally at five, she expected to have triplets.
So how did a valley mother feel when she gave birth to a fourth child?"I was shocked. I was shocked." Carletta smith gave birth to four healthy boys this morning at community hospital. The happy and exhausted parents have picked four names, but e waiting before actually "assigning" the names to their babies.
That'll do it for this edition of action news live at five. Thanks for joining us.
World news tonight is next, followed by action news at six.
>>> On "world news tonight" -- confusion in the democratic party. Former vice president gore says howard dean is the only candidate who can win support at the grassroots.
>>> A difficult day for U.S. Forces in iraq. 2 suicide bombs, 60 wounded and a helicopter shot down.
>>> The michael jackson case. The los angeles police and child welfare investigation that found he did not molest the boy who now accuses him.
>>> And bouncing at the bell. The simple, high-impact way to make children's bones stronger.
>>> Good evening, everyone. We're going to begin tonight on the presidential campaign trial, littered, as it is today, with democratic candidates who have suddenly been obliged to reassess their futures. When former vice president al gore endorsed howard dean as the presidential candidate today, the contest for the democratic nomination got a lot more interesting. Here's abc's bob woodruff.
>> Reporter: For months, al gore has promised he would endorse a candidate.
>> Howard dean!
>> It's great to be here because today, I endorse howard dean to be the next president of the united states of america.
>> Reporter: For many democrats in iowa, the endorsement has already had its intended effect.
>> For me, his endorsement today seals my support for howard dean.
>> Reporter: Al gore told governor dean of his decision last friday night.
>> I was surprised and ecstatic, but I was unable to show my emotions.
>> Reporter: Gore told the iowa crowd he chose dean because he is the only candidate to ignite excitement at the grassroots. And it was dean who opposed war in iraq.
>> The only major candidate for the nomination of my party that had the good judgment, experience and good sense to feel and see and articulate the right choice was howard dean.
>> Reporter: Gore and dean have known each other for years. Dean endorsed gore for his presidential run in 2000.
>> I'm howard dean, the governor of vermont. It's a big pleasure for me to endorse al gore for presidency of the united states.
>> Reporter: The two grew closer after gore's anti-war speech in september of last year. For the past few months, the men have been talking about every ten days. Gore acting as a sounding board for dean's policies.
>> I, actually, never did ask the vice president for his endorsement. I knew he would make that decision on his own.
>> Reporter: On the way to iowa today, they stopped at new york. And at a harlem fund-raiser, gore called on the other candidates to back dean and stop attacking each other.
>> We don't have the luxury of fighting among ourselves to the point where we seriously damage our ability to win on behalf of the american people.
>> Reporter: Howard dean especially welcomed that possibility.
>> I've been picking a fair amount of buck shot out of my rear end. We're going to new hampshire tonight and see if I do more.
>> Reporter: One question now is how deeply will al gore get in this campaign? In the past, some endorsers have come and gone in a day. Others have stuck throughout the end. Now, al gore has a chance to stick around and really help this campaign out. Peter?
>> Many thanks, bob. Bob woodruff in new hampshire.
>>> The republican national committee has had its partisan slogans about al gore and howard dean well-honed for some time. Today, the committee said --
>>> Mr. Gore has certainly sewed some confusion, not to mention some resentment in his own party. Here's abc's barbara pinto.
>> Reporter: Al gore surprised every one of the democrats vying for the nomination. His old running mate, joe lieberman, didn't get a phone call from gore until early this morning.
>> I would not care to characterize it. With all respect. All I will say is it was four or five minutes in length. And too late.
>> Reporter: The democrats competing with howard dean tried to downplay the significance.
>> I don't think it will have a huge impact on the race one way or another.
>> Reporter: Senator john kerry said "this election is about the future, not about the past." General wesley clark pointed out the "more than 20 former gore aides" on his staff. But gore could help draw money and voters for dean, particularly in iowa. In 2000, gore won the caucuses there by a two to one margin.
>> A big prize. All of them would have liked to get closer to howard dean. The endorsement of howard dean by gore, moves him away from the field, after he had a pretty big advantage.
>> Reporter: One influential former gore adviser says it's a message to the others.
>> I think it's quittin' time for a number of democrats who have not been able to draw the type of support howard dean has been able to attract. It's also quittin' time for democrats who are running out of money.
>> Reporter: Brazille says gore wanted to throw his weight behind someone who might actually beat george W. Bush. And gore's politics appear to have changed since 2000.
>> On issues like the economy, on health care, on the war against iraq, he's become, in some ways, a siamese twin intellectually with howard dean.
>> Reporter: In tonight's debate moderated by abc's ted koppel, several of the candidates attacked al gore for his decision.
>> I was surprised today, actually, by the endorsement because I thought that joe lieberman had had such an extraordinary, in his own campaign, that surprised me.
>> Reporter: The front runner jumped to his endorser's defense.
>> If you are upset about al gore's endorsement, attack me, don't attack al gore.
>> Reporter: Endorsement was the hot topic 06 the evening.
>> If senator clinton or former president clinton would offer his endorsement, would you take it.
>> I never really thought about that.
>> Oh, sure you have.
>> No, i haven't. To quote another former democratic leader, i think elections are about the people.
>> Reporter: Ultimately, the endorsement of the voters matters most. But al gore did wrach et up the energy of what is a series of detates.
>>> You can see a large part of the new hampshire debate on tonight's "nightline."
>>> The former democratic senator, paul simon, has died after heart surgery. He represented illinois for 22 years in the house and then the senate. Mr. Simon dropped out of college at 19 to run a small newspaper before he got into politics. He ran for president in 1988, as an old-school liberal. His bow tie was always his trademark. After congress, he campaigned for reform of the death penalty and the campaign finance system. And he was 75 years old.
>>> Now, overseas. There was an outburst of violence in iraq today. Four major attacks, after a week of relative calm. Two of the attacks were suicide bombings that were aimed at U.S. Bases near mosul and baghdad. The explosions wounded 61 soldiers. But most of the injuries were described as minor. It could clearly have been much worse. Here's abc's mike cerre.
>> Reporter: Just before dawn, according to the U.S. Military, two soldiers in a watchtower spotted the car speeding toward their checkpoint and opened fire.
>> The soldiers hit the vehicle several times, we believe, causing the driver to prematurely detonate the bomb.
>> Reporter: The explosion in front of their compound, sprayed the outside of the barracks area with metal and glass, wounding the soldiers, several iraqis and damaging a nearby school. Hours later, according to officials, a second suicide bomber approached an american base northeast of baghdad. Soldiers opened fire on the man who was acting suspiciously, as he reached their front gates, then blew himself up. Alert guards in both suicide incidents prevented what could have been far more serious attacks. Later today, an army observation helicopter was brought down by small-arms fire around fallujah. All of this comes after a relatively quiet week. Attacks on americans had dropped to 18 a day, from an average of 33 a day at the beginning of november. U.S. Military officials attribute the dramatic decline to their most recent offensive.
>> The only way you win in a combat situation is to stay on the offensive. We will continue to do that.
>> Reporter: Iraqis were also targeted in this latest round of attacks. A bomb blew up in the courtyard of this baghdad mosque, killing three and wounding four, during the day's morning call to prayer. Mike cerre, abc news, baghdad.
>>> There was a suicide bombing in moscow today, just across the street from the kremlin. 5 people were killed and 12 were injured. Here's abc's jim sciutto.
>> Reporter: This was the scene just seconds after the blast. Dazed victims. Bystanders tending to the wounded. The bomb was packed with bolts and nails. Most of the injured were university students on their way to classes. "We immediately fell to the ground," said this eyewitness. "The blast deafened us." Moscow's mayor said two female suicide bombers asked for directions to the russian parliament just before detonating an explosive belt. Police believe a third woman may have triggered the blast by remote control, a method attributed to chechen separatists, designed to avert last-minute changes of heart by the bombers themselves. Laster, police used a robot to destroy what they feared was a second bomb. Russian president vladimir putin, who was in the kremlin at the time of the bombing, said criminals and terrorists were trying to destabilize russia's democracy. Today's attack comes just four days after suicide bombers killed 44 people on a train in southern russia. This year, nearly 300 people have been killed in russia in terror attacks blamed on chechens. Chechen separatists have struck before in moscow, but never so close to the heart of the russian government. Jim sciutto, abc news, london.
>>> When we come back this evening, the police investigation that cleared michael jackson of abuse allegations.
>>> We'll take "a closer look" tonight at the hidden side of china's economic boom.
>>> And making children healthier in just seconds a day. (Sam jnson) we've been a family companysince 1886.
>>> In rhode island today, the first criminal charges were filed in the nightclub fire that killed 100 people in february. A grand jury indicted the club's two owners and the tour manager of the band whose pyrotechnics ignited the blaze. Each was charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter and all three pleaded innocent.
>>> An intriguing document surfaced today, involving the singer, michael jackson. It involves another investigation by california authorities of whether the entertainer sexually abused an underaged cancer victim. Here's abc's cynthia mcfadden.
>> Reporter: Michael jackson said nothing publicly last month when he was arrested for sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy. But his lawyer, mark geragos, did.
>> These charges are categorically untrue.
>> Reporter: And now, this document, obtained by thesmokinggun.Com, concludes that, as of last february, police and child welfare officials in los angeles reached the same conclusion -- jackson had done nothing wrong. Their investigation was conducted in response to a complaint from a los angeles school official. The allegations of sexual abuse, they said, wunfounded. The child denied any form of sexual abuse. He denied that he ever slept in the same bed as the entertainer. Officials had interviewed the alleged victim. His 12-year-old brother, his 16-year-old sister and his mother. All of whom told authorities that while the child a relationship with jackson, it was not sexual. The mother stated that her son had slept in the same room as the entertainer, but they did not share a bed. The entertainer would sleep on the floor. That is consistent with what michael jackson said in this british documentary, last february, on abc.
>> I said, "no, you sleep in the bed. I'll sleep in the floor."
>> Reporter: In the documentary, jackson is seen holding hands with the boy the santa barbara prosecutor says is now accusing jackson of sexual assault. The 13-year-old cancer survivor said on the program that he slept in the entertainer's bed, alone. Santa barbara prosecutor, tom snedon, responded today that his investigators were aware of the pron los angeles. And that "given what we know, we do not consider it a significant factor." Cynthia mcfadden, abc news, new york.
>>> On wall street today -- the dow jones average climbed above 10,000 points for the first time in 18 months but it retreated and ended down nearly 42 points.
>>> When we come back evening, the truth behind all those made in china labels. We'll take "a closer look."
>>> We're going to take "a closer look" tonight behind the scenes of U.S. Relations with china. President bush and the chinese premier at the white house today together. This is one of the most important relationships in the world, for now and for the future. First, here's abc's terry moran.
>> Reporter: The president welcomed chinese premier wen to the white house this morning with plenty of high ceremony. And with something of a gift to the chinese leader, a rare rebuke of china's adversary, taiwan, which is also a key U.S. Ally. Mr. Bush publicly warned taiwan not to proceed with a planned referendum next year, denouncing china's missile buildup.
>> The comments, and actions made by the leader of taiwan, indicate that he may be willing to make decisions unilaterally that change the status quo, which we oppose.
>> Reporter: For months, mr. Bush had declared his commitment to advancing democracy around the world. But with today's warning to taiwan, he condemned an effort by a democratic government, allow its people to vote on a key issue. Some of the president's conservative supporters are outraged.
>> The administration can convince itself it's not a contradiction. But the truth is, it will be understood as backing away from that pledge.
>> Reporter: The reality is that president bush needs china's help on major issues like north korea. And he can't afford another world crisis. Terry moran, abc news, the white house.
>>> We know the two presidents discussed a huge trade deficit today. The latest government figures show that the U.S. Bought $12.7 billion more from china than it sold to china in september. But this business with china, selling so much to the U.S., Is not the whole story. Not at all. Here's abc's robert krulwich.
>> Reporter: No question, lots of chinese workers are now making things for the american market. But here's the surprise -- over the last ten years, 65% of the increase in chinese exports, that say "made in china," were created not by chinese companies but by companies like -- yep, kodak, american and other rich multinationals who opened factories in china. We are hiring the chinese, says this economist.
>> These are our companies. These are not chinese companies.
>> Reporter: So, the label "made in china," doesn't tell the full story. For example, this motorola cell phone is definitely assembled in china. It's made there. But when it's put on a ship, the chinese custom says it's a chinese export. And when it arrives in america, U.S. Customs says it's a chinese import. When 1 million cell phones come in from china, the official statistics say this is a flood of chinese products. But you could say these aren't really chinese products.
>> All it is a transfer between one motorola factory and another.
>> Reporter: From the american company, motorola's, point of view, the usa is motorola east. China, motorola west. And all that's happened is goods has moved between two branches of an american firm. U.S. Politicians know that american companies are hiring people in china.
>> We have to do something --
>> Reporter: But what? To protect american jobs, the president is considering tariffs. But tariffs only work against foreign companies. The idea is to put a barrier, say between the united states and china. So that chinese companies have to pay extra to get through to america. But of course, if they're not really chinese companies, then, who pays the tariff, if there is one? In this case, an american company, motorola pays. So, if 65% of china's newest exports are made by american and other international companies, the chinese premier could have said today it's not the chinese who are flooding america with goods, it's the big multinationals. And you know what? He'd be 65% right. Robert krulwich, abc news, new york.
>> U.S./China "closer look."
>>> When we come back, stronger bones in seconds a day. - I hate colds. - Colds are nasty. Action news at six.W sever ga members who ran a local sex slavery ring are back in court. A the head of the uc system visits merced, why he says the newest campus is in danger. Plus the latest in the wor la shooting that left two s th valley men dead. Men dead.Two south valley shooting that left plus the latest in danger.He says the newest visits merced, why and the head of court.Local sex slaver
>>> Finally this evening, we're going to go to vancouver, british columbia, for a report about children that really surprised a lot of people when they heard it. American doctors have been treating an increasing number of children with broken bones. Doesn't bode well for their future, in that weak bones in children become brittle and fragile bones when they're older. In vancouver, they've come upon a very simple way to avoid this. Here's abc's john mckenzie.
>> How many decimals in this factor here?
>> Reporter: It looks like any other elementary school -- until the bell.
[ Bell rings ] And when it sounds, these sixth graders begin to jump. Not for long, just a few seconds. But scientists now say that can be enough to build stronger bones.
>> Initially, my first response was, "oh, come on. That little bit of time will make that big a difference?" But they gave us the research. And the research says it makes a difference.
>> Reporter: Researchers found that some children here were not getting any exercise. But even those who were not getting the kind of exercise that's best for building bone. Specifically, jumping. Every time the foot hits the ground this way, the skeleton is absorbing a force of about five-times the child's body weight. That causes the bone to actually bend ever so slightly and triggers the bone's building cells to turn on.
>> The key is that there is a higher than usual impact.
>> Reporter: Professor heather mckay followed almost 100 students here, kids with similar eating habits and physical activity levels. The only difference -- half of them jumped at the bell, just five jumps, three times a day. After only eight months, mckay found those who had jumped had actually built 3% more bone mass than the other children. That could be enough to postpone or perhaps even prevent osteoporosis later in life.
>> We saw the greatest benefit in these children right here, in this region of the body, at the hip. When you get older, you're most likely, if you fall, to fracture either in this portion of the hip or on the outside.
>> Reporter: Today, the "bounce at the bell" program, as it's called, has been introduced in six vancouver schools.
>> It's fun. You exercise. You get a lot of energy.
>> Reporter: And much stronger bones in only seconds a day. John mckenzie, abc news, vancouver.
>> Live and learn.
>>> That's our report on "world news tonight." I'm peter jennings. Have a good evening. Hope we'll see you again tomorrow. Good night. <