>> you're watching abc 7 news at noon, on your side. >> delay in afghanistan. president obama made the announcement just an hour ago. the new plan would keep u.s. forces in afghanistan for much of next year. kerry travers takes a look at what this means for the u.s. and thousands of military families. reporter: it's a significant reversal for president obama.

>> this modest but meaningful extension of our presence, while sitting to our current and near omissions, can make a real difference. reporter: there are about 9000 u.s. troops in afghanistan. nearly all were supposed to be home by the end of 2016. on the recommendation of his current military commanders, he will now leave as many as 5500 in place. it will be a twofold mission, similar to the current one. counterterrorism and training afghan forces. why the shift in policy? officials believe afghan forces were ready -- were not ready to operate on their own. and a recent surge environment by the taliban and now isis. >> the security situation is still very fragile. and in some places there is risk of deterioration. reporter: last month taliban fighters took control of the key northern city.

kunduzught back in with airstrikes. a hospital was hit, leaving 22 people dead. including 12 staffers from doctors without borders. >> a hospital was mistakenly struck. we would never intentionally target a protected medical facility. reporter: president obama says the decision is not disappointing. his approach is to make adjustments when necessary and the u.s. commitment to afghanistan will not waiver. karen travers, abc 7 news. larry: supporters are to many police released more than a dozen protesters arrested a second and baltimore city hall overnight. they were protesting the confirmation of the city's police commissioner. sam sweeney is in baltimore now. reporter: the good news right now is that things have remained largely calm for much of the morning in baltimore. this morning at about 3:00 it was a much different situation. look at this video.

police nextnd outside the political that city hall area. inside about 15 or 16 protesters were being arrested. they were charged with trespassing after they refused to leave the building after three warnings. it started last night with protesters demonstrating against an ongoing confirmation hearing for interim police commissioner kevin davis. declined to me with the protesters. that is when they began to shout and where refusing to leave the building. we spoke with some of the demonstrators outside the city hall. this is what they had to say. >> when you get our protesters out of jail. these are young people who are to injectdialogue and themselves into the political conversation. they can't vote. they have to enter the process through formal process and they have been met with run around and dog and pony shows.

they were forced to engage in the civil disobedience tactics. reporter: things remain calm. 16 protesters remain in custody. three of which are in high school. they are facing trespassing charges this afternoon. sam sweeney, abc 7 news. larry: happening today, the two men at the center of a viral video involving a npd officer are speaking out. michael brown's video shows a man being forcibly handcuffed by d.c. officer. a white comfortable felt uncomfortable around the -- a white couple felt uncomfortable around them. we will bring you updates as soon as we have them. taking a look outside,. beautiful fall weather sunny skies. look atl is here to your forecast. cloudsesterday, lots of but not so much now.

beautiful clear skies all across the city. a look at our picture in our numbers. 63 at reagan national airport. a light breeze out of the northwest at nine miles per hour bringing in some dry air. he will be a delightful thursday. lots of sunshine and temperatures will slowly climb through the 60's. frederick, 61 at annapolis. 64 degrees in fredericksburg. not much in the way of any satellite stuff to show. not many clouds around. it is pretty much clear out there. some fairweather clouds might pop this afternoon -- but most of us will enjoying sunshine. just a few degrees above sunshine. temperatures will settle at about 50 degrees i morning. a quick look ahead to our friday whether. could be some stray showers. a cold front will come through but not make a lot of noise. the cold air that will follow the front this weekend, you will notice that. i will break down those details in a few minutes. larry: thanks so much.

a look at the roads. danielle is checking traffic of this hour. danielle: it looks like we have some midday work zones. take a look at three -- 355. just north of walter reed. it looks like all of the plaintiff and reopened. all lanes open southbound pas cedar lane. things looking good in the northbound side. check of this camera at canal road. we have some construction blocking the right lane on the outbound side over towards -- watch out for that it are heading that way. a look at 395. we have not to much of a delay right now as he had towards the 14th street bridge. northbound 395 is the left lane blocked with roadwork just after seminary road. the southbound side is also seeing roadwork blocking the right lane in the same area. that's the latest in the traffic center. larry: a woman that is the

sweetheart swimmer sentenced today. of swindlingcted and 87-year-old man out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. kevin lewis is live now in rockville with reaction from outside the courtroom. foreign metsetta the victim at an assisted living center. -- thetors say she men believed the two was an item. there were photos of horn in action, using his credit card at luxury stores like bloomingdale's. and withdrawing money from his bank. born also bought it audi with his money. and all she stole $404,000. her daughter told me her mother was in love with the 87-year-old who suffer from dementia. not happy with the

sentencing? >> no. she is 66 years of age and has a lot of problems. people put her in jail. swindled anys she old man out of a lot of money? >> there was a lot of money involved. rosetta horn will spend the weekend getting her life in order to force a running herself to prison on monday morning. she is sentenced to five years and full restitution for $404,000 and a chunk of change. kevin lewis, abc 7 news. larry: an accused serial killer back in court. testimony continuing in the charles severance trial. he's accused in three high-profile deaths in alexandria over a decade ago. jeff goldberg has been following every aspect of this trial. he is live outside the fairfax county courthouse with the

latest developments. this is day five and the testimony in the trial of trial severance. to begin with a forensic evidence analyst from the fbi lab in quantico who was looking -- you had looked at the farmers -- fibers found in the murder scene. this analyst telling the jury she did not find any trace of hair from trial severance at either of these scenes. this should not come as a big surprise seeing that during the opening statement the prosecution many clear to the jury they will not be presented any dna evidence, anything are friends, any hair, any forensic evidence linking severance to these murders. a lot of circumstantial evidence in the murder of two people but no direct evidence. it's an effort by the prosecution to remind jurors that they are seeking any direct evidence, any link between charles severance of these murders they should not expect it moving forward. we are told, rather just

checking twitter from several reporters in there now, we are hearing testimony from nancy dunning's son. we will here is yes to say. the trial begins of the prosecution focusing on the murder of rosanne ladato and shifted to the murder of ron curry. irby.e -- k the defense has made it clear they will try to cast doubt on whether jim dunning was the one who actually killed nancy dunning. he was the former husband of nancy, the former sheriff of alexandria who died in 2012. a lot of doubt and a lot of questions about his involvement in her murder. he was never charged. we can certainly expect to see that in the courtroom moving forward. we will have updates for you on twitter in throughout the day here on abc 7 news. jeff goldberg, abc 7 news. larry: great work today. a man is behind bars in arlington today, accused of living in a church attic.

police and he's been there for three years. john gonzalez is in arlington with the bizarre details, including how he was finally caught. reporter: we've all heard of squatters living in the -- illegally and houses. he was apparently living inside the attic at saint and catholic church in arlington, virginia for three years. no one noticed him. william barker has been arrested and charged with unlawful entry. he confessed to police that he would wait for the right time, when all was quiet and then use a ladder to climb out. maintenance workers found him. they said they heard voices above the kitchen. they found a large watercooler, food, a guitar, and clothing hanging from the rafters. he would actually attended some of the services here in and wait until everyone was gone. some of the parishioners we spoke to say that they hope you

can find some real help. >> i hope there is a compassionate way to deal with him. >> three years? >> it really does surprise me. how can nobody had noticed? >> i heard he told the father he was catholic and maybe you thought that was what he thought this place was a refuge. but he went up to the kitchen. i just can't understand how it happened. reporter: he has been in trouble with the law before. in 2012 he was charged with burglary for breaking into another church in arlington about a mile away. he still some items including food and a gift card. last night they held a liturgy committee meeting and they pray for the man and they're hoping everybody will forgive him. john gonzalez, abc 7 news. larry: coming up at noon, new details on the mark amodei -- lamar odum as he fights for his life. olympianstep for an

after he was convicted in the murder of his girlfriend. doug

here at humana, we value sticking with things. when something works, people stick with it. more people stick with humana medicare advantage. because we stick with them. humana medicare advantage. the plan people stick with. you can't breathed. through your nose.

suddenly, you're a mouthbreather. well, just put on a breathe right strip which instantly opens your nose up to 38% more than cold medicine alone. shut your mouth and say goodnight mouthbreathers. >> you're watching abc 7 news at noon, on your side. we are learning more about lamar odum. he remains in a, fighting for his life in a las vegas hospital after he drug field night at a brothel. is he conscious/ reporter: newly released 911 calls where lamarr orum was found unconscious on tuesday. we can't get him to wake up.

reporter: unresponsive and barely breathing at the nevada love ranch. he was rushed to a local hospital and then moved to a hospital in las vegas. he now is surrounded by family and friends. fellow nba stars in france offering prayers and support. >> i hope he pulls through. that is really important. he is a big heart and touched so many people. reporter: staffers at the ranch say he was there for four days, drinking and taking herbal viagra. >> he was acting like a fun guy. he was not out of his mind. he was not speeding around. reporter: one employee saying something changed monday night. >> he got a phone call, and that phone call seemed to have bummed him out. reporter: when he did not rise by 3:00, two women found

implicitly on alert. >> it's a horrifying site. one of the girls is not quick crying. t crying. reporter: did minister should i nothing today they will not be a cost-of-living increase in 2016. is the first in five years. benefits are tied to inflation which is the -- which has declined because of falling gas prices. most seniors spend very little on gas was a medical costs have risen faster than inflation. officials to a glitch that checks passenger names against the terror watch list is the cost was a major delays at some the biggest airports in the country. federal officials say the of homeland security computer system went down for about 90 minutes last night. it caused backups for thousands of passengers. some stuck in customs lines for nearly two hours. it's still not clear what caused the problem but officials say there is no indication it was malicious.

south african pair olympian oscar pistorius will be released from prison and go on house arrest next week. the parole board says he will be under house arrest for four years. a judge sentenced him for five years in prison for the homicide in the 2013 death of his girlfriend. prosecutors have filed an appeal against that verdict. turning to weather. love this weather. this week in canada chilly? doug: it will get cooler in crisper. has releasedervice their initial winter outlook for the upcoming weather season. temperatures -- this is eir map. this is not our map. it looks interesting. this is based on what is been established as a strong el niño what are having -- weather pattern. we are expecting an equal chance of average to slightly above

average temperatures in our part of the country. the best chance for cooler than average winter will be down south and the northern tier states. alaska with an above averaged average or for the winter. we will tend to be on the wet side. 30%-40% seasonal for the winter. he see the probability is much higher to the south. even with that said, there are so many other oscillations that can change day-to-day weather. we can do virtually no snow or a blizzard. only connect images that are incredibly cold or very mild. milder and wetter. temperatures are comfortable. lower 60's at reagan national. 61 at annapolis. 65 it would bridge. woodbridge. a cold front will make its way through our area tomorrow.

maybe a stray shower but generally it's the leading edges some very chilly air. the weekend looks nice. a lot of sunshine. it will just be chilly around here. with the front on the move, by 7:00 in the morning it will be west of the appellations. -- appalachians. we have a bit of a breeze in the afternoon and it sets the stage for much cooler temperatures through the upcoming weekend. today, 69 degrees. tomorrow, 67 and very mild before the front arrives. after it arrives we will see some changes in the weekend weather pattern. saturday, only 59 it best. i'm telling you we have a real change. it will be below average temperatures as he moves through this time period. a lot of the low average temperatures and the numbers will get very chilly at night but comfortable he so for the big event, the world of montgomery this weekend in rockville and montgomery counties. a lot to share through the

weekend and beyond when temperatures take a bit of a rise next week. we will get towards the end of october. this is all pretty normal stuff. i think it will be pleasant weather for outdoor activities. the leaves are changing. just a gorgeous time of year. no major storms inside. larry: just gorgeous colors already. thanks. coming up on abc 7 news, a new uber option coming to the district. and losing weight will eating cupcakes? and losing weight will eating cupcakes? how to local women did

the health care law gives us powerful tools to fight it. on medicare fraud. to investigate it. prosecute it.

and stop criminals. our senior medicare patrol volunteers are teaching seniors across the country to stop, spot and report fraud. you can help. guard your medicare card. don't give out your card number over the phone. call to report any suspected fraud. we're cracking down on medicare fraud. let's make medicare stronger for all of us. larry: taking ride sharing to a uber pool helps

you share the right in cost with somebody else requesting a similar route. it launches a week from today. a sweet weight loss story. they are the cofounders of a georgetown cupcake. they are stars of " d.c. cupcakes." catherine gained 60 pounds will pregnant and the other put on 40 pounds of sympathy weight. a combined 100d pounds in nine months by walking. >> that is all we did. we walked six miles a day, five days a week. we did it. we do not want to diet. that is not a word in our vocabulary. larry: the sisters have allowed themselves one cupcake per day but focus on sensible portions overall. they motivated each other daily. doug is back with how long the sun will stick around.

i'm chris bosh. when i was sidelined with blood clots in my lung, it was serious. fortunately, my doctor had a game plan. treatment with xarelto®. hey guys! hey, finally, somebody i can look up to... ...besides arnie. xarelto® is proven to treat and he reduce the risk of dvt and pe blood clots.

xarelto® is also proven to reduce the risk of stroke in people with afib, not caused by a heart valve problem. for people with afib currently well managed on warfarin, there's limited information on how xarelto® and warfarin compare in reducing the risk of stroke. you know, i tried warfarin, t the blood testing and dietary restrictions... don't get me started on that. i didn't have to. we started on xarelto®. nice pass. safety first. like all blood thinners, don't stop taking xarelto® without talking to your doctor, as this may increase your risk of a blood clot or stroke. while taking, you may bruise more easily and it may take longer for bleeding to stop. xarelto® may increase your risk of bleeding if you take certain medicines. xarelto® can cause serious, and in rare cases, fatal bleeding. get help right away for unexpected bleeding, unusual bruising, or tingling. if you have had spinal anesthesia while on xarelto®, watch for back pain or any nerve or muscle related signs or symptoms. do not take xarelto® if you have an artificial heart valve

or abnormal blbleeding. tell your doctor before all planned medical or dental procedures. bebefore starting xarelto®, tell your doctor about any kidney, liver, or bleeding problems. you know xarelto® is the #1 prescribed blood thinner in its class. doug: 8341. today, sunshine in the forecast. 50 tonight. tomorrow parisi and 67. maybe issue -- maybe a few showers with a cold front. how much chillier? you'll have to join the at 4:00 to find out. larry: thank you for joining us

it's the little things in life that make me smile. spending the day with my niece. i don't use super poligrip for hold, because my dentures fit well. before those little pieces would get in between my dentures and my gum and it was uncomfortable. even well fitting dentureset in food particles. just a few dabs of super poligrip free is clinically proven to seal out more food particles so you're more comfortable and confident while you eat. so it's not about keeping my dentures in, it's about keeping the food particles out.

>> to win the million dollars on this show, you've got to have a mixture of guts, brains, and nerves of steel. does one of our players today have the right stuff? we are about to find out when we play "who wants to be a millionaire." [dramatic music] ♪ hey, everybody. how you doing? thank you. welcome to the show. you guys ready to play "who wants to be a millionaire"? [cheers and applause] that's good, because our returning contestant is a teacher whose only claim to fame is winning her elementary school spelling bee. she's hoping to leave a bigger legacy here today. from brooklyn, new york, please welcome back lauren stripling. [cheers and applause] good to see you again, my dear. >> good to see you. >> welcome back. >> thank you. good to be back. >> you know, last we hung out together, you were just saying you were so relieved, because