tonight, the terror concern and the emergency security ban fears over possible explosives smuggled inside laptops and tablets. the new rules for passengers flying to the u.s. from eight muslim-majority countries. martha raddatz standing by. president trump's fight to take down obamacare -- the president's warning to republicans with the bill fails. in the hot seat. supreme court nominee, neil gorsuch, grilled at his confirmation hearing. the questions on abortion, and president trump's travel ban that hit a nerve. in. inferno investigation. more than a dozen homes damaged. firefighters describing the scene as a war zone. nationwide manhunt, the coast to coast search for a teacher and his 15-year-old female student he's accused of kidnapping. what she put on social media

that is raising concern tonight. good evening on this tuesday night. i'm tom llamas in for david, and we begin with that emergency order from the department of homeland security. banning all electronics bigger than a cell phone, and even on direct flights to the united states. abc news learning just moments ago the new security measures a result of threat intelligence obtained earlier this year that associates of isis are working on smuggling explosives like electronics on u.s. bound flight flights. hours after the u.s. announcement, the united kingdom did the same, and tonight, the real terror threat and the time line to stop it. we begin tonight with abc's david kerley. >> reporter: the new emergency security ban is being put in place by airlines in the middle east and north africa.

all passengers heading directly to the u.s. from eight countries will be forced to check electronic devices other than their phones. u.s. officials telling abc news that new intelligence deemed substantial and incredible drove the action. >> terrorist groups continue to target commercial aviation and are aggressive in pursuing innovative methods to undertake their attacks to include smuggling explosive device in various consumer objects. >> reporter: the flights from the countries, many of them allies, the gulf states, saudi arabia, egypt, are covered by the emergency order by homeland security. the intelligence on consumer electronics, shared with the british, today led the u.k. to institute its own ban on devices in the cabin for flights from six middle eastern countries. >> the fact that the u.k. is now also instituting a similar prohibition suggests to me that there is some new element to the intelligence. >> reporter: we've already seen the hole blown through the fuselage of a somalia jetliner a year ago with a laptop filled with explosives.

terrorists have tried printer cartridges and even shoes. the ban applies to predominately muslim nations, but according to the administration, is not related to the travel ban. >> this is going to make the relationships between the region and the u.s. more tense. >> reporter: u.s. officials are giving carriers through friday to enforce the order. >> and david joins us live. david, on that last point you just mentioned, is a threat why they are waiting to enforce this new ban? >> reporter: they have gotten the intelligence several weeks ago. earlier this year as we have heard from our sources, tom, and they needed to give time for the airlines to implement it, so they gave them the four days to make it operational. >> david kerley for us tonight. david, thank you. abc's chief global affairs correspondent, martha raddatz joins us. and you heard this new policy is based to an threat intelligence. what are your sources telling you about how this decision was made? >> reporter: they know the terrorists want to target civilian aviation, those bound for the u.s. and other western

countries. u.s. authorities have been closely monitoring this and gaining insight based on how terrorists are adapting to our security measures, and the tsa felt they had to adjust the security posture. one source telling me that the totality of evidence reached a point where this was a sound decision. this was not a administration trying to change policy, tom. it was simply the right thing to do, said the source. tom? >> martha raddatz, thank you. let's turn to capitol hill. the clock is ticking. the house is set to vote on that high stakes health care reform on thursday, and president trump is trying to close the deal. traveling to the capital, telling republicans they must keep their promise to repeal obamacare or pay the price. speaker paul ryan saying the president knocked the ball out of park. but did he? some of the conservative members of the president's own party are still not on board.

abc's mary bruce on capitol hill tonight. >> reporter: the closer in chief on capitol hill to make his final argument. with a wave, a thumbs up and a warning. >> mr. president, can you get the votes? >> reporter: huddling with republicans for nearly an hour. lawmakers snapping photos as the president used charm and a strong arm. insisting they would be fools not to support the bill, cautioning a no-vote could cost them in the mid terms. saying if he doesn't get on board i'm going to come after you. jon karl asking the press secretary if it's a threat. >> i think they will pay a price at home. >> will they campaign against it? >> let's get through the vote, and we'll remember those who stood by us and stood by the word they gave to their voters. >> reporter: are making changes. these changes give states flexibility over medicaid

spending, requiring people to show proof they are working, and to moderate to boost aid for older americans to buy insurance. under the original bill, a 64-year-old earning $26,000 a year would see their premium spike by nearly $13,000. some members tell us they are now on board. >> you know, there are a few other things i might have liked to get, but this moved me and others and hopefully, it will get us over the line. >> reporter: many on the far line on the there. >> we're still a no. >> are you supporting the health care bill? >> no right now. >> even with the changes? >> undecided. thank you. >> reporter: 22 no votes could kill the bill in the house. by hour count, at least that many members are voting no or still on the fence. even if president trump gets them to yes, the bill still faces major hurdles. >> i believe the house bill does not accomplish the task in front

of it. this bill will not pass the united states senate. >> the president and speaker ryan with more work to do. mary bruce joins us from capitol hill, and mary tonight, the cbo is reviewing the revisions to the bill. what can we expect to hear from them? >> reporter: tom, we expect to hear before thursday's vote how these revisions will impact americans, and their premiums. last week, they determined the original bill would leave 24 million fewer americans with coverage under that bill. experts tell us that number is unlikely to significantly change. tom. >> thank you. let's go to our chief white house correspondent, jonathan karl. the white house says republicans who vote no will pay a price. what is the president whpd to tell them in the final hours? >> reporter: the president is saying if republicans fail on this, they could face steep losses in the midterm elections. the president is all in, and not just because a signature campaign promise is at stake.

not just because a loss here could jeopardize the agenda, but this is nothing less than the president's brand. he is the deal maker. he needs to prove he can close the deal on this. the white house i remember ifs i have spoken to say they are optimistic they will get victory in the house. frankly, there is no plan "b" here at the white house. >> we'll have to wait and see. thanks so much. euncertainty over the health care vote giving wall street the biggest loss of the year. the dow closing at 20,668. down 237 points. the most since october before the election. ne next, the supreme court nominee, facing tough questions for the first time. challenged on abortion, gun rights and the president's travel ban. gorsuch telling the senators no one is above the law. abc's terry moran at the supreme court tonight. >> reporter: neil gorsuch came to his confirmation hearing with a message -- >> the bottom line is i would

like to convey to you from the bottom of my heart, i'm a fair judge. >> reporter: democrats spent hours testing that claim. on torture, which president trump considers a legitimate option. >> let me ask you this. does the president have the right to authorize torture if it violates the laws passed by congress or the other ones you cited? >> senator, no man is above the law. >> reporter: on the president's travel ban -- >> i will apply the law faithfully, and fearlessly and without regard to persons. i don't care -- >> how about with regard to religion? >> anyone. any law is going to get a fair and square deal with me. >> reporter: on abortion, which president trump declared during the campaign was a litmus test. >> i am pro-life and i will be appointing pro-life judges. >> reporter: senators grilling gorsuch on his meeting with the

president. >> in that interview, did he ever ask you to overrule roe v. wade? >> no, senator. >> what would he have done if he had asked? >> senator, i would have walked out the door. it's not what judges do. >> reporter: and several senators zeroed in on one case where gorsuch sided with a company that abandoned a truck driver for abandoning his truck in sub zero weather. >> seven different judges took a look at those facts and came down on al madden's side. except for one. you. why? >> senator, this is one of those you take home at night. mr. madden chose to operate his vehicle, to drive away, and therefore wasn't protected by the law. >> reporter: that answer drew rebukes. >> it makes me question your judgment. >> an action-packed day in that hearing, and you have covered several of these confirmation hearings. two days in, has he helped or hurt his chances of being confirmed? >> reporter: the first rule of

to being confirmed is do no harm, and he has been calm and knowledgeable, and he has put differences between him and president trump. he has criticized his attacks on the jew dish area, saying any time anybody attacks a federal judge, he finds it disheartening, saying that means anyone. >> thanks so much. next, new questions about the trump administration's foreign policy priorities. the state department revealing that secretary of state, rex tillerson plans to skip a meeting of nato ministers because of a scheduling issue, but secretary tillerson will travel to russia later in april. tillerson worked closely with russia's government and vladimir putin as the ceo of exxonmobil. announcing the u.s. and south korea conducting their annual joint military exercises right now, promising north korea will speed up development of its nuclear and missile programs,

including missiles capable of reaching the u.s. mainland. next tonight, the neighborhood inferno in kansas. look at the fire starting at a construction site, jumping from home to home. firefighters describing the scene as a war zone. abc's alex perez on the scene. >> reporter: the raging flames, destructive and fast. tonight, a team of investigators working to figure out what ignited this blaze. >> this is big, and we're still trying to get our minds around it. >> reporter: the fire engulfing this apartment complex, still under construction, just outside kansas city. >> the whole thing is going up in complete flames. >> reporter: so massive, the plumes of thick smoke captured on radar. the fire, quickly hopscotching, 22 homes damaged, including cindy kulpahongpatana's house. she scrambled to help neighbors. >> we were already knocking on doors to see, to get everybody out. >> i wouldn't be surprised to find out that a lot of these are wood shake roofs and as we know that those are just a tinder box. >> reporter: like this monster fire in raleigh, north carolina

last week, investigators here in kansas say the incomplete structure was mostly a wooden frame, making it the perfect fuel. >> this fire occurred in this building at its most vulnerable time. >> reporter: you can see those powerful flames completely destroyed this roof. the cause of this fire still under investigation. officials say they are lucky all residents got out safely. tom? >> that is incredible with those devastating images. alex, thanks so much. next the desperate hunt for a tennessee teacher and his 15-year-old student going nationwide tonight, but their trail has gone cold. the teen's heartbroken father revealing how that teacher manipulated his daughter with madeup stories of his exciting past. abc's eva pilgrim in tennessee for us again tonight. >> reporter: tonight, police in tennessee have released a new photo of the teacher and student he is accused of kidnapping. the two pictured in his office just days before he was accused of having inappropriate contact with 15-year-old elizabeth thomas. police say teacher tad cummins fled with the girl last week after being suspended from

school. >> our message is elizabeth is, we're still coming for you. >> reporter: thomas was last seen getting dropped off at a restaurant in columbia, tennessee, carrying what appears to be clothing. >> she said, you know, if i'm not back by 6:00, you need to find me or call the cops. >> reporter: the last cell phone ping, a day later in alabama. the two believed to be traveling in a silver nissan. her father says her teacher spun tall tales of wealth and secret missions as a former cia agent. >> she had just been taken up so much by him and he had told her all these lies, and it just was so much more exciting than the world she had come up with. >> reporter: police believe all the while cummins was grooming his victim. >> he declared himself a father figure to her. then she changes her social media status to that of wife and that adds up to a very scary picture. >> reporter: investigators say they haven't gotten many tips or any sighting. the worry tonight is that they somehow living off the grid. tom? >> eva pilgrim, thanks so much.

there is much more ahead this tuesday. the trooper attacked after chasing a biker. you will see the video. the suspect's brother joined the fight on the side of the highway. drivers coming to the trooper's rescue. we'll have more. plus the severe weather threat tonight. the funnel clouds reported and the warnings for what's on the way. and the great jersey keeper. tom brady's stolen super bowl jersey recovered. news about the alleged thief. our reporter on the trail tracking him down at his home in mexico. risk of stroke due to afib, i even accept i have a hr a type of irregular heartbeat not caused by a heart valve problem. but whatever trail i take, i go for my best. so if there's something better than warfarin, i'll go for that too. eliquis. eliquis reduced the risk of stroke better than warfarin, plus had less major bleeding than warfarin. eliquis had both. don't stop taking eliquis unless your doctor tells you to, as stopping increases your risk of having a stroke. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding.

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mauricio ortega's super bowl caper. it starts on the field. there's tom brady pulling off his jersey, handing it to a team employee. you see him, carrying brady's jersey and his pads into the locker room. then at 10:04, ortega enters the locker room, blending in with head coach bill belichick's posse. he's wearing a shoulder bag, and for an instant looks right at that hd camera. exiting 14 minutes later, black plastic bag now under his arm, allegedly containing brady's jersey, beelining off the field. tonight, here's that jersey, and authorities say he's done it before, taking this one, after super bowl xlix. today we found ortega's his home. we're gonna see if he's willing to talk to us. senor ortega esta? his housekeeper tells us she'll ask. we wait, and wait, nothing. mr. ortega, matt gutman from abc news, i know you're in there. we just want your side of the story.

nothing. now he has resigned from the newspaper, but he is a free man because to charges have been filed yet, tom. >> matt gutman for us. thanks so much. when we come back, the superstore about to enter the online grocery wars. we'll tell you which one. and the wild police chase. a biker trying to get away, and then going after the trooper chasing him. plus the evidenthieves with expensive taste. you won't believe what they are stealing. stay with us. alright, and before that? you mean after that? no, i'm talking before that. do you have things you want to do before you retire? oh yeah sure... ok, like what? but i thought we were supposed to be talking about investing for retirement? we're absolutely doing that. but there's no law you can't make the most of today. what do you want to do? i'd really like to run with the bulls. wow. yea. hope you're fast. i am. get a portfolio that works for you now and as your needs change. investment management services from td ameritrade. no one burns on my watch! try alka seltzer heartburn relief chews.

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back now with the index and the severe weather in the west and the south. reports of funnel clouds spotted in california, but no damage. potentially dangerous thunderstorms stretching from nashville to atlanta tonight. in michigan, a state trooper attacked on the highway. take a look. police say the trooper was chasing a suspect on a stolen motorcycle. the two then start to fight on the side of the road. that's when the suspect's brother runs into it. gets into the fight, puts the trooper in a choke hold, while two other drivers pulled up and helped the rooper.

both brothers now facing charges. a major store joining the online wars over home delivery. cost koe customers will be able to receive delivers at home. they will start in tampa, and the company plans to expand to 50 markets by the end of the year. and overseas and thieves with expensive taste. italian police launching operation wine and cheese. the suspects are accused of stealing about 16,000 bottles of wine, worth more than $100,000 and huge wheels of parmesan cheese, and they are worth about $86,000. they were stealing cheese. when we come back, the the bus driver when turned into a hero, saving the family from what could have been a horrible strategy. it's america strong. fun in art class. come close, come close. i like that. [ all sounds come to a crashing halt ] ah. when your pain reliever stops working,

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finally tonight, the little boy in the bitter cold and the bus driver stopping at just the right time. here's abc's steve osunsami. >> reporter: denise wilson is everyday people. she drives a bus in milwaukee, and cameras installed by the county were rolling when she saw something on center street that kept her from finishing her shift. it was a 5-year old-boy with no shoes and barely anything on, wandering after midnight in the freezing cold. she decides to bring him in. >> you okay? still cold? still a little cold? >> reporter: she could've kept driving, let it be someone else's problem.

she was on break, but instead, she searches her pockets for cash, and then runs across the street to get the boy something to eat. >> he came out of nowhere, out of nowhere. i just happened to look over and heard him crying. >> reporter: police say the child had gotten away from his family by mistake and went home safely that night. and it's all thanks to a wonderful human being who's driving the streets of milwaukee this evening. >> if we're there to help, if we have the ability or the means to do it, that's what we're supposed to do. i'm happy i made that stop. you know, i always say god puts us in places he needs us at. >> our thanks to steve, and thank you for watching. i'm tom llamas. i hope to see you right back here tomorrow. for david and all of us here, good night.

and check out live doppler 7. it's clear in the bay area right now, but take a look toward the sierra where you can see lots of lightning and even thunderstorms. and we could see some of that ourselves in just a few hours. good afternoon, thank you for joining us. i'm ama daetz. >> and i'm larry beil. you want to talk about a little bit of everything, we scored just behind us. that's going to change. we'll take a look live at some of our cameras outside. mt. tam, windy and gray. looks like it wants to rain. emeryville looking toward san francisco, the sun is shining. a lot of changes on the way. spencer christian joining us now. >> it looks like it wants to rain. believe me, it does want to rain because it's going to rain again. right now as you can see on live doppler 7 things are pretty calm. we'll see a few little patches of green way up north, some light scattered showers but check out the activity to our east.

moving out of the central valley and over to the sierra foothills, a line of powerful thunderstorms with numerous lightning strikes. notice the area there with the red. well, those storms a little earlier were closer to merced. they were so intense that tornado warnings had been issued. but we have no reports yet of actual tornados and we still have snow falling in the sierra. ignore the labels on these camera shots, i just changed them. i want to show you the view from the east bay hills camera. look at those dark clouds mixed in with the breaks of sunshine. 62 in san francisco, mid60s at oakland, mountain view, san jose, gilroy. this is the sutro camera. we've got lots of blue sky so conditions are calm the next couple of hours. temperature readings at santa rosa, napa, novato, fairfield, concord and livermore all in the mid-60s. the storm coming in late tonight and tomorrow morning ranks 2 on the storm impact scale.