president obama officially begins his second term days from now facing a host of challenges. >> his choice for defense secretary is under attack before the nomination is announced. tahman bradley joins us from washington with more on this. good morning, tahman. >> reporter: good morning, rob and sunny. hopefully, the hawaiian sand and sun gave the president energy. he's going to need it. he's got a packed agenda that republicans don't love. president obama returned from hawaii with a fight already looming. sources tell abc news that mr. obama will announce today that the nominee for sect tear of defense is chuck hagel. some have questioned his commitment. >> this is an in-your-face nomination by the president. >> it's difficult to imagine the circumstances in which i would

support his nomination. >> reporter: besides the fight over his cabinet nominees, the president must deal with the country's fiscal mess. by tend of february, the treasury will lose the able to boar moe more money and automatic spending cuts kick in on march 1st. >> we're going to be talking about further deficit reduction. >> reporter: the president has also promised to take swift action against gun violence. vice president biden is heading up a task force. the group is considering universal background checks for all gun buyers. and stiff penalties for carrying guns near schools or giving them to minors. >> that's way -- way in extreme of what is necessary. it's not going to pass. >> reporter: and that reaction is from a democrat, so whatever president obama proposes will likely face major battle over gun control.

>> tahman bradley in washington. thank you so much. well, billions of dollars in flood aid may soon be flowing to victims of superstorm sandy. the president signed into law a bill that increases fema's borrowing authority. l lawmakers on capitol hill are set to vote on another payment of $51 billion to flood victims. overseas, president bashar assad gave his first speech in months. he rejected calls to step down and tried to just fie his crackdown on government rebels. he outlined what he called a peace plan, including a new constitution. a state department official says he's detached from reality. rescue teams are spending another day looking for the head

of the famded missoni design house. hillary clinton returns to her office at the state department today for the first time in a month. clinton was released from the hospital last week after being treated for a blood clot. before that, she came down with a stomach flu and suffered a concussion. her time as secretary of state is expected to end within days. a 17-year-old alabama high school student is due in court this morning, accused of plotting to blow up his school. police say the suspect, derek shrouf is a self-proe lamed white supremacist. he's been charged as an adult with attempted murder after a teacher discovered a disturbing journal. >> the journal contained several plans that looked like potential terrorist attacks and attacks of

violence and danger on the school. and in particular, there were six students specifically named and one teacher. >> police say they found dozens of canisters packed with shrapnel at the suspect's house. already six months after the aurora, colorado, theater massacre, a pretrial hearing starts today. james holmes is charged with killing 12 people and wounding 70 others. a judge will decide whether to send the case to trial. many legal experts believe holmes will likely accept a plea deal. and newtown, connecticut, is being overwhelmed by donations. toys, school supplies, and other gifts keep pouring in in the wake of massacre. they now have a warehouse to

hold the items being trucked in every day. tomorrow marks the second anniversary of another shooting. the one that severely injured former congresswoman gabby giffords. she sat down with diane sawyer for an interview to air tomorrow night. six people were killed in the shooting that nearly killed giffords as well. her recovery beyond remarkable. time for the forecast. drenching wane in the pacific northwest. evening thunderstorms from houston to corpus christi. thawing out there new york to denver. 50s in atlanta and dallas. 30s in the middle of the country. 55 in sacramento. and 61 in phoenix. and when we come back this morning, the hollywood star who spent part of new year's day in jail. he apparently partied just a

little too hard. then, new warnings about the flu that's making so many people sick. how to protect yourself. and later, face to face with 1,000 pounds of raw animal power that wanted to make lunch out of a photographer.

welcome back. we're closing in on a foreclosure deal. a $10 billion settlement over foreclosure abuse reportedly could be announced soon, possibly later today. 14 banks have been cited for shoddy paperwork and botched loan modifications. a third of the money will go to

people who have already lost their homes. the rest to people in trouble now. we're looking at another year of higher prices, but no increases in our pay. food, travel, housing, college, even government fees are all going up. and with millions of people still looking for work out there, employers don't have to be too generous. economists say we may see better times tlart year. and that the economy is gaining some momentum. gas prices, they're creeping up as well. after hitting a low for the year, back in mid december. the average price for gallon has gained eight cents in the past two weeks. analysts expect prices to peak in early april, but still average less this year than last. the annual consumer electronics show open this is week in las vegas. the nearly unbreakable gorilla glass three for use on phones and tablets is getting buzz. another is a fab let, a cross

between a smartphone and a tablet. and texas chain saw 3rks-d cut up the competition at the box office this weekend. nearly two-thirds of the audience were under 25, not even born when the original came out. this reboot opened with 23 million bucks. "django unchained" was second and "the how about bit" was third. and we have a story about the one that didn't get away. a bluefin tuna sold for a record $1.8 mt. at a tokyo auction this weekend. it works out to about $3600 a pound. the winning bidder plans to serve it at his restaurant. that's expensive sushi right there. the pastor going on trial accused of kills not one wife

but two. and rough going for rg3 and the redskins on wild ward weekend. ( birds chirping )

everything's better with a great cup of coffee. exceptionally smooth and perfectly balanced for a harmonious blend of flavor, body and aroma. green mountain coffee for your keurig brewer. brew a better day. i'm a sheets girl, but i don't just put'em in the dryer to freshen up my clothes. i put'em in my shoes, i put'em in my car, i put'em in my vases. girl, i been put'n'em for as long as i can remember. [ male announcer ] how do you get your bounce? [ woman ] sheets, i put'em! you know you could just use bengay zero degrees. medicated pain relief you store in the freezer. brrr...see ya boys. [ male announcer ] bengay zero degrees. freeze and move on.

parts of the sierra nevada are covered in white this morning. a fresh blanket of snow came down over the weekend along blue canyon in northern california. the scene was picture-perfect. at least for those who didn't have to get behind the wheel. now for a look at morning road conditions. rain drenches highways from seattle to the northern california bodier. snow covered passes in the cascades and northern rockies. looks like an ideal day to fly. no weather related delays are expect d. i don't think i have ever said that. >> very rare. particular already this time of

the year. back to the new this is morning. something sure to impact most of us. growing concerns over major flu outbreak. >> hospitals across the country are taking extra precautions to prevent the spread of the flu. visitors are being restricted from entering certain areas. a doctor says they've given up testing for the flu. the a patient has the symptom, they'll get treatment. we asked abc's dr. jennifer ashton how to say void getting sick. >> recently, the fda approved the drug tamiflu for infants as young as 2 weeks of age. first and most important thing, get a flu vaccine. it's not too late. there's enough available. second thing is keep your hands and anything your hands touch -- phones, keyboards -- clean as possible. that's how the virus is transmitted. it's very important to do that. >> doctors say if you are sick, please stay home from work.

most people will infect four to five other people before they know they have it. >> skcary stat. a retired pennsylvania pastor charged with killing both of his wives goes on trial today. arthur shermer is accused of killing betty jean in 2008 and stages a car accident to cover it up. they found betty jean's dried blood in his garage, indicating she was injured before she got in the car. a georgia mom saved her family by shooting an druder. when the man broke into the house and started rum ajs around. when he opened the door to the attic, she shot him five times. the suspect is expected to survive. no one in the family was hurt. a sky diver is still missing this morning, four days after jumping from a helicopter.

kurt rupert was wearing a winged suit to make him glide like a flying squirrel. rescuers used his cell phone pings to narrow down a search area. they're hoping he's still alive. lind ssay lohan is expectedn court today. she's accused of slapping a woman's hand an knocking a drunk out of her hands at a party in november. actor josh brolin spent part of the new year's holiday in jail. police picked him up on new year's eve saying he was highly intoxicated and unable to care for himself. they let him sleep it off in a jail cell and sent him away with a citation. it's unlikely he'll have to go to court. pro hockey players could be back on the ice as early as next week. the league and the union have

tentatively agreed on a new ten-year deal. the scheduling details are being ironed out. opening night will likely face all 30 teams facing off against their main rivals. here's espn news with the rest of this morning's high ligts. good morning, i'm todd grisham this is your "sportscenter" update. for the first time in history, two rookie quarterbacks faced off in a playoff game. rg3 striking first, two touchdown basses for him. redskins up, 14-0. fourth quarter, a one-point game. look at russell wilson, the quarterback. throwing a block, allowing marshawn lynch to score. a scary moment. griffin can't handle the snap. his knee buckles. he would walk off under his own power. oh, a sad moment there.

the redskins lose by ten. seattle place atlanta next week. colts and ravens. perhaps the final game ever for ray lewis. he was feeling the flow. chuck pagano, an emotional moment for him. he battled cancer all year long. baltimore up by four. you can make it an 11-point game. dennis pitta with a touchdown grab. flacco going deep. looking for boldin. showing off strength. refusing to relinquish this ball, despite having a denernd his face. terrell suggs would give pagano a hug. baltimore wins the game, 24-9. so much emotion on both sides of the ball. ray lewis, a defensive player comes on for the final offensive play of the game so he can do

this. they advance to play denver next weekend. i'm todd grisham. have great day. >> stinky leg? here's what next weekend's playoff picture looks like. saturday, baltimore at denver and green bay at the 49ers. then sunday, seattle versus atlanta and houston taking on new england in new england. o horks. getting good. good matchups there. coming up next, "the pulse." and financial planning honey boo-boo style. turning the reality star into a trust fund kid. and one of the most dangerous animals on the planet goes after a photographer with all her might. but when you wake upep m, in the middle of the night it can be frustrating. it's hard to turn off and go back to sleep. intermezzo is the first and only prescription sleep aid approved for use as needed in the middle of the night when you can't get back to sleep. it's an effective sleep medicine you don't take before bedtime. take it in bed only when you need it

and have at least four hours left for sleep. do not take intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as ambien. allergic reactions such as shortness of breath or swelling of your tongue or throat may occur and may be fatal. intermezzo should not be taken if you have taken another sleep medicine at bedtime or in the middle of the night or drank alcohol that day. do not drive or operate machinery until at least 4 hours after taking intermezzo and you're fully awake. driving, eating, or engaging in other activities while not fully awake without remembering the event the next day have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. alcohol or taking other medicines that make you sleepy may increase these risks. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. intermezzo, like most sleep medicines, has some risk of dependency. common side effects are headache, nausea, and fatigue. so if you suffer from middle-of-the-night insomnia,

ask your doctor about intermezzo and return to sleep again. ♪ and return to sleep again. it'and start talking aboutt whawhat you really wanthroom. from your toilet paper. it's time to talk about clean. feeling clean is so important. i use quilted northern. quilted northern soft and strong is stronger than the leading value brand, for a confident clean. can your moisturizer do that? [ female announcer ] dermatologist recommended aveeno has an oat formula, now proven to build a moisture reserve, so skin can replenish itself. that's healthy skin for life. only from aveeno.

time to check "the pulse" this morning. beginning with the one and only honey boo-boo child. turns out that mama june is determined not let fame and fortune ruin her family. >> she tells tmz most of the earnings from their show on tlc go directly into trust funds she's set up for her daughters and newborn granddaughter. they can't touch it until they're 21. >> the family's biggest splurge so far is the purchase of a used 2005 ford expedition. i admire that. staying frugal despite sudden fame. one of the most incredible encounters between man and beast we have seen. >> a wild life photographer travelled to norway to get footage of a polar bear family. he got more than he bargained

for. >> he came face to face with a 1,000-pound, eight foot all the mother bear. she spent 45 minutes trying to get inside his safety cage. he kept the camera rolling for all of us to see now. you can catch it tonight on the bbc. braver man than i. >> i would rather watch it on television. >> yeah, me, too. football fans are gearing up for super bowl sunday. now less than a month away. the pros won't be the only ones hitting the gridiron. >> this year marx pup by bowl 9. these mans available for adoption are not playing by any particular rules. it certainly looks like they're having fun. and looking cute while they do it. >> and they may find homes because of it. >> even better. >> for some of you, your local news is next. for everyone else, the super bowl for the college crowd. this is $100,000.

we asked total strangers to watch it for us. thank you so much. i appreciate it. i'll be right back. they didn't take a dime. how much in fees does your bank take to watch your money? if your bank takes more money than a stranger, you need an ally. ally bank. your money needs an ally. i'm a sheets girl, but i don't just put'em in the dryer to freshen up my clothes. i put'em in my shoes, i put'em in my car, i put'em in my vases. girl, i been put'n'em for as long as i can remember. [ male announcer ] how do you get your bounce? [ woman ] sheets, i put'em! [ male announcer ] how do you get your bounce? living with moderate to semeans living with pain.is it could also mean living with joint damage. help relieve the pain and stop the damage with humira, adalimumab. for many adults with moderate to severe ra, humira is clinically proven to help relieve pain and stop joint damage. so you can treat more than just the pain.

humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer, have happened. blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure have occurred. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live in or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. ask your rheumatologist about humira, to help relieve pain and stop further joint damage before they stop you.