he's a chaos candidate. >> marco knows what he's saying isn't true. >> he's the weakest on immigration. >> republicans shooting verbal daggers in a face tee debate that focused mostly on how to keep the country safe from terrorists. good evening at 11:00. i'm sade baderinwa. >> i'm bill ritter. 48 days before the iowa caucus and the republicans in their last debate of the year, some taking aim at donald trump. >> others trying to show some presidential timber. >> political reporter dave evans. >> it was an interesting evening. senator ted cruz of texas and marco rubio of florida are lately seen as the next in line if donald trump falters. tonight they mostly left trump alone and instead went at each other on everything from immigration to how to best fight isis. nine candidates in all. all about national security given the recent terrorist attacks in paris and california.

donald trump's plan to ban muslim immigrants coming to america. jeb bush hit first. >> so donald is great at the one-liners. but he's a chaos candidate. he would be a chaos president. >> but trump dismissed bush as a failed candidate in a struggling campaign. >> jeb doesn't really believe i'm unhinged. he said that very simply because he has failed in this campaign. it's been a total disaster. >> ted cruz and marco rubio became bogged down bickering over a surveillance bill. governor christie seized the opportunity. >> if your eyes are glazed over like mine this is what it's like to be on the floor of the united states senate. >> later they quarreled over what is tougher on isis with rubio questioning cuts to our defense budget. >> it is a fact the cuts we are facing today and the cuts that senator cruz would have supported would leave us with a smaller air force. >> if i am elect president we will hunt down and kill the terrorists.

>> i'm talking right now. >> you can go back. >> and again later in the debate bush and trump quarreled over trump's plan to fight isis. >> donald, you are not going to be able to insult your way to the presidency. that's not going to happen. and i do have the strength. >> with jeb's attitude we will never be great again, that i can tell you. >> donald trump as the front runner took plenty of incoming fire. >> whoever you are that think you are donald trump, think do you believe in the constitution? are you going to change the constitution? >> late in this debate trump complained the focus is so much here and in every debate, all about him. >> but i thought it was very unfair that virtually the entire early portion of the debate was trump this, trump that. >> it was a good debate this evening for ted cruz and also for jeb bush. tonight's debate seen as so important because it's the first debate since the attacks in paris and california. also the final republican

about six weeks in iowa. now to that bogus threat to schools here in new york and l.a. officials in los angeles say school will reopen tomorrow. tonight they officially declared that threat not credible. it's something city leaders here in new york have been saying all day but parents in the five boroughs still have questions about how that decision was made. tim fleischer with new information from the chancellor. >> reporter: sade, two very similar threats in new york and los angeles but two very different reactions and outcomes. certainly though tonight here in new york city education officials are giving us more of an insight into how they made the decision to hold school. >> safety is my first priority on all circumstances but we felt very confident that this was the right thing to do.

of a threat of a large-scale jihadi attack. >> nypd contacted the fbi who said it was not a credible threat. so as a result, the mayor and commissioner bratton made a decision to keep schools open. >> reporter: another threat, however, would lead to los angeles shutting down schools. >> we believe our schools are safe, and we can reopen schools in los angeles unified school district tomorrow morning. >> reporter: late today officials revealed that all facilities had been checked. >> 1531 school sites have been walked through. >> reporter: classrooms had sat empty, buildings were closed, and buses held in place after school officials received the threatening e- mail. city officials stressing they made their decision with what information they had. >> we can now announce the fbi

something we couldn't have announced earlier. >> reporter: back here in new york some students and parents had not even heard about the threat and went about their normal day. police officials began investigating this as a hoax. >> we believe that the e-mail originated overseas. the language in the e-mail would lead to us believe that this is not a jihadist initiative. >> reporter: but as the investigation continues, students both here in new york and in los angeles go back to classes tomorrow. tim fleischer, channel 7 eyewitness news. a driver is in critical condition on long island tonight after his car was hit by a stolen van. it happened near geraldine avenue in amityville. police are searching for the driver now. also, why did a commuter crash on a truck on the tracks?

crash. the crash in bethpage could have been so much worse. cefaan kim on the scene with cefaan. >> reporter: well, bill, investigators say that truck driver was trying to back into that parking lot behind me. passengers say that train was sitting on top of the tracks when that train cale approaching and at the last second that driver backed off that train just enough avoiding what could have been a more serious collision. >> we just felt the train just pop us back, because he hit the brakes. >> reporter: passengers on the l.i.r.r. train say it was a close call. sean henderson was sitting by the window that that tractor- trailer burped into and took these pictures, that truck nearly colliding westbound train around 5:30 tonight. investigators say the truck driver got stuck in traffic as he was trying to back into the cvs parking lot. eyewitnesses say the crossing gate had already come down when the driver tried to back

out of the truck before clearing it off the tracks. >> he jumped out. wouldn't you have jumped out? >> he backed it up. >> he tried backing up as far's could sought wouldn't collide. >> reporter: it happened at the broadway crossing in bethpage. police say the gates worked properly but came down between the truck's cab and trailer, and the driver had nowhere to go. henderson said the train clipped the truck by an inch >> it's crazy. it's a major safety hazard. >> reporter: the accident caused 90 minutes of delays. the good news no, one was injured. meanwhile mta police are investigating. live in bethpage, cefaan kim, channel 7 eyewitness news. >> okay, cefaan, thank you. and from trains to planes, new at 11:00, another dangerous laser attack on a passenger plane, this time at newark airport. the crew on board the united airlines airbus reported seeing a green laser at 3,000 feet which is 14 miles from

the faa has been notified and is now trying to track down the. bill. the faa right now investigating why a boeing 737 rolled off a runway tonight in nashville at the international airport. the southwest airlines flight from houston going off a taxiway, getting stuck in a grassy ditch as it approached an arrival gate. eight people were taken to the hospital with an arrest for three arson fires in queens. this surveillance video released. cops say they arrested the man. the rubbish fires outside a station house damaged a police cruiser. a 36-year-old who lives a mile away is now facing charges. investigators believe seven unsolved arsons at homes in the neighborhood are not connected. a carelessly discarded cigarette blamed tonight for a six-alarm fire in the bronx that left 89 people homeless including 15 children.

on valentine staff in fordham section last friday. firefighters say the fire spread quickly because of the wood-framed home. three residents and six firefighters suffered minor injuries. the director of the fbi is in new york city tomorrow to meet with bill bratton. no official reason but is it also coincidence that the department of homeland security will release details about how terror alert system? the update coming in the wake of attacks in paris and san bernardino. a special education teacher in new jersey charged with child abuse until an investigation pays out. the 30-year-old taught at 16th avenue elementary school in elmwood park. she allegedly grabbed a nine- year-old boy and pushed him to the floor causing him to hit his head on a piece of furniture. alsoors say she also grabbed -- investigators say she also

classes set to resume tomorrow@school that was shut down today after people got sick by mystery fumes. there was a strong chemical odor. 35 people were taken to the hospital. everyone is okay. investigators are trying to figure out what caused those fumes. temperatures begin to drop tomorrow and we could see some rain. jeff smith is in for lee goldberg. >> by this time tomorrow night a little light rain moving in. plus we have one day in your accuweather seven-day forecast that might feel like december. we'll talk about that the break. shocking new video. bullets fly. people run for cover. the desperate search to find the suspect all because of who was inside that car. and literally uncovering a man's secrets. his underground home. hey there everybody, private brandon hughes, stationed in italy, a shout-

i only buy solid gold staples. because, um, sometimes regular staples, they just don't capture the richness of what you're stapling. like, um, like this illuminated page from medieval monks and this original sketch by leonardo da vincis. eh, separate they're fine... (vo) a new york man buys $80 gold staples to staple expensive things. see the gold staple, it just looks right. probably worth more now. (vo) you'd make a way better rich person.

dramatic new video of a drive-by shooting in new jersey. it shows a toyota camry driving up, a gunman opens fire on the group from the passenger's side. police are searching for suspects who they say had a child in the car with them during this drive-by shooting. new details in the shooting at the famous waldorf astoria.

one person faces charges of illegal weapons possession and evidence tampering. his brother is charged with trying to cover up what happened. surveillance video shows innocent bystanders running for cover as bullets fly in the bronx today. police say a gunman dressed in a business suit got into a shoot-out with armored car workers. the thief who made off with $78,000 is on the loose. it is not known if he was shot. the second shake-up in the de blasio administration's homeless strategy in the past three months, the mayor announcing the commissioner of homeless services, gilbert taylor, resigning. the entire department will be restructured. taylor's boss quit in late summer, frustrated with the homeless problem. now mr. de blasio insists he is fully engaged in reducing homelessness. >> we recognize as the home

that we have to evaluate whether the current structures make sense and what changes we can make to improve the work of these agencies. >> to that tend mayor sheas ordered a comprehensive review of the homeless programs. police in virginia tonight trying to figure out how a homeless man kept his underground home under wraps right under the noses of police. the 25-year-old was arrested in fairfax after digging an underground cave and turning it into his home. it was discovered in a wooded area behind the fairfax police station. the united nations will song be -- the united nations will soon be looking for a new secretary. next year companies will have the chance to openly interview candidates. the list will be shared regularly. secretary general moon's term send at the end of next year.

eyes on the federal reserve as it weighs a potential hike in interest rates. with the u.s. economy steadily improving the fed is expected to increase rates. rates have been held at historic lows for the last nine years. and an arrest in a hacking of kids technology maker vtech. a 21-year-old man was arrested in england. last month's hacking compromised the personal information of more than 6 million kids along with 5 million parent accounts. vtech claims financial information was not exposed. and we now have jeff smith in for lee goldberg. he came in on a nice night. >> not a bad night. still 54 degrees. we got up to 68 after midnight. that made it for a record for today. just to put everything in perspective the warmth of this december so far is actually rivalling the cold of last february. about 11.3 degrees below average last february. remember how bitterly cold it was? the warmth is on the other

we're just as extreme so far this month. right now that temperature 54 degrees that wind from the northwest. still gusting up to 23 miles per hour at times, calming down a little bit from earlier when it was gusting past 30 miles per hour across much of the area. again it got up to 68 just after midnight last night. that was a record for the day. the old record was 67 set back in 2008. normally we should only be getting up to 43 this time of year. normally we get down to freezing for a low test. look at these departures from normal. 11 degrees above normal in new york city. this is almost unheard of. even warmer in chicago. over 12 degrees above normal. so this is a situation that's going on across the whole northeastern corridor of the country. a really nice day shaping up tomorrow. less wind, a lot of sunshine. probably the nicest day of the week. rain returns on thursday. steadiest in the afternoon. guess what, it is going to feel like december finally,

is a feels like it's in the 30s with highs around 40, but with a wind making it feel colder. right now 52 morristown, low 50s down the shore, lower 40s well north and west of city. high pressure moving in from the ohio valley. between those two systems a pretty strong pressure gradient. so a lot of wind out there still but that will tend to calm down overnight. we're pretty calm by 8:00 tomorrow morning, temperatures in the mid-40s in the park. we do have some 30s north and west of the city. a nice day tomorrow. not as warm as it has been. still up to 50, though. that's well above average for this time of year by 3:00 p.m., probably staying in the 40s well north and west. then tomorrow night, by this time tomorrow night we have a southeasterly flow off the atlantic ocean. that might cause some drizzle and maybe some light rain to start developing across parts of the area. that lasts into thursday morning. then thursday afternoon is when some steadier rain begins to move in. here is your accuweather forecast for tonight.

the sun coming up at 7:14 tomorrow morning, mainly clear, cooler. near 40 in many of the suburbs, even down into the 30s. up to 52 in the afternoon, the sun going down just before 4:30. it opportunities overcast. a shower or drizzle late. down to 46. your accuweather seven-day forecast, rain returning on thursday. between a half inch and an inch of rain expected, the high getting up to 56. as we head into friday a lot of clouds, breezy. 54. could still be a shower around, especially along the coastal areas. saturday is only 40. it will feel like the 30s with the wind out there. a normal day for december. not as chilly sunday. monday 52. the first day of winter is tuesday. and we're back up near 60 degrees. just an incredible pattern. bill evans has more in the morning. >> thanks, jeff. up next, a common virus linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

a pint-sized thief steals an elderly man's car. see how he tricked the victim. but first jimmy. >> tonight from espn chris fouler, music from seal, special donald when a moment spontaneously turns romantic, why pause to take a pill?

cialis for daily use, is the only daily tablet approved to treat erectile dysfunction so you can be ready anytime the moment is right. plus cialis treats the frustrating urinary symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently, day or night. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or any symptoms of an allergic reaction, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use. insurance coverage has expanded nationally and you may now be covered.

new video of a pint-sized young thief ditching his bike for a stolen car. surveillance video shows a 12- year-old boy circling around a car on his bike. the child told the 89-year-old driver to pull over because

when the driver gets out, yep, the boy jumps in the car and drives off. a police detective recognized the boy andy was arrested. he has been arrested more than 20 times. in tonight's health a letter a troubling link between shingles and increased risk of stroke. researchers studied patient data from tens of thousands of people over a 20-year period. those who developed shingles were 50% more likely to have a stroke three months after the shingles breakout. the study showed no difference in risk of heart attack but beware. rob powers up next with sports. >> talking baseball in mid- december. maybe not like this. pete rose wants back in baseball but baseball setsz not ready to take him back. banned for gambling, rose speaks today in vegas about yesterday's decision to reject

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ho he hasn't played in decades but pete rose still making news around baseball. >> still the all-time hit king and still making news. they called him charlie hustle but pete rose hasn't been able to hustle his way back into baseball or the hall of fame or the good grazes of many fans. others, however, want rose's exile to end now. the commissioner turned down the request to be reinstated. suspended for gambling when he was a player and manager. rose, at ij 74, is still on the outside looking in. he still makes the occasional baseball bet. >> once is enough. everything i do today is legal. i'm in control of myself. i'm in control of what i'm doing. >> rangers back on home ice after a horrible road trip.

took on the task of trying to slow down the oilers. brady shea makes his debut. dylan mcilrath scored his first nhl goal. rick nash puts the rangers in front to statement rangers win it 4-2. in brooklyn the red-hot islanders against the panthers. it wasn't their night tonight. even though they outshot florida 34-16 brock tell son did score second period. panthers made their shots count. they get the road win 5-1. devils lost to the islanders over the weekend. they were in buffalo tonight. cory schneider 25 saves, his second shutout of the season. devils win 2-0. that snaps buffalo's winning streak. a saturday night special for the jets. at dallas to play the cowboys and try to keep the playoff push alive.

got a christmas present forfeits patrick. the jets at practice on tuesday. another workday because even at 8-5 their work to get to the playoffs isn't done. >> that's what you play for going into the season. you want to do that but there's a process and steps to going about. that obviously you see the playoffs at the end of the tunnel but in the short area right now it's the dallas cowboys. more baseball getting in the holiday spirit with the mets. they held their annual holiday party honoring 35 new york city school kids. santa claus stopped by. one of santa's helpers, neil walker. >> i kind of felt like this was going to happen this transition was going to happen at some point but it was -- whether it was last year, this year, or next year, and i couldn't ask for a better place. first and foremost i hope my desire to win will be the thing people see.

time against big east schools, but tonight they took it to the hoyas. the most entertaining bench in college basketball. something else to have fun with. monmouth wins. the hawks win number seven, 83- 68 on the road. if you ever have the time just

that's the news for now. i'm sade baderinwa. >> i'm bill ritter.