i'm joined now by abc's jeffrey kofman, who is in tripoli. jeffrey?porter: good evening, cynthia. what a day it has been here. what a week it has been here. the revolution in this country seemed caught in a stalemate for months, but suddenly in the last few days, major advances by the rebels, with help from the u.s. and nato in the skies, cull min napted today in the storming of gadhafi's compound. as for gadhafi, we don't know where he is, but he allegedly, apparently spoke on local radio tonight, vowing to fight back, saying that his retreat from his compound was tactical. but given the scale of the defeat he has faced over the last few days, it's very hard to see how w can come back. it was early afternoon when the rebels broke through. triumphant day for a rag tag army that has been backed by the u.s. and europe. a two-square mile forbidden city that was both home and military headquarters more moammar gadhafi. this country's brutal dictator who tortured his people and taunted the world. we're now approaching. i've been through these gates just a

we do have a team on the ground tonight, beginning with abc's jeffrey kofman. jeffrey, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, david. well, this is the moment that libya has been waiting for but many libyans have been waiting all their lives for it. as we speak, the gadhafi regime is crumbling. the unthinkable is happening in tripoli. rebels are now in green square, raising the rebel flag. they are taking over government buildings. just a week ago, they would have been shot and killed for doing such things. and tonight, more dramatic developments. saif al islam, the most powerful son of gadhafi, has been arrested. this has happened at lightning pace, after six months of a revolution that was stalemated for so long, suddenly, it's moved so quickly. the only piece missing, where is moammar gadhafi and what is going to happen to him? for the first time since this revolution began six months ago, the uprising has engulfed the capitol, tripoli, where tonight, some neighbors are reportedly under rebel control and there are pitched gun battles for cocorol l others. de

jeffrey kofman, abc news, tripoli. >>> now to the resignation heard around the world. the news that steve jobs, the godfather of the ipad, iphone, and ipod, is stepping down from apple. it touched quite a chord today. check out the messages on twitter. a world without steve jobs running apple? what are we going to do? there wewe so many more. that response to a corporate farewell is something we have never seen b bore. abc's neal karlinsky has more. on the visionary man who sparked it. >> reporter: before steve jobs was a modern day thomas edison, he was an adopted kid growing up in cupertino, california. by the time he was 13, seen here in his school yearbook, he was already obsessed with technology, something he reminisced about during his visit to the cupertino city council this year. >> when i was 13, i think i called up hewlett and packard were my idols. i called up bill hewlett and he gave me a job that summer. >> reporter: it turns out talent runs in the family. as an adult, jobs tracked down his biological sister, successful author of "anywhere but here," mona

jeffrey kofman, abc news, tripoli. >>> and still ahead here on "world news" -- one man gives up a big part of s salary to help hometown schools. would you do it? >>> how chocolate may be the secret weapon against heart disease. >>> and how this one little aviator braved irene and came out on the other side unruffled and singing. look at all this stuff for coffee. oh there's tons. french presses, espresso tampers, filters. it can get really complicated. not nearly as complicated as shipping it, though. i mean shipping is a hassle. not with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service. if it fits it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. that is easy. best news i've heard all day! i'm soooo amped! i mean not amped. excited. well, sort of amped. really kind of in between. have you ever thought about decaf? do you think that would help? yeah. priority mail flat rate shipping starts at just $4.95, only from the postal service. a simpler way to ship. desperate for nighttime heartburn relief? for many, nexium helps relieve heartburn symptoms caused by acid reflux disease

and as abc's jeffrey kofman reports, today, we also learned that a loss gadhafi often used to elicit sympathy, the death of his daughter, may have been a hoax. >> reporter: no one disputes that an american bomb hit gadhafi's compound on that april day in 1986. ronald reagan ordered the attack on the mad dog of the middle east after libyan agents targeted american soldiers at a nightclub in berlin, killing two and injuring dozens. >> this monstrous brutality is but the latest act in colonel gadhafi's reign of terror. >> reporter: gadhafi survived. but he has always claimed that that bomb killed his infant daughter, hanna. after the regime crumbled last we week, rebels found a room in one of his houses with medical books belonging to dr. hanna gadhafi. regime insiders now believe her death was all a lie. this is the building that reagan bombed. gadhafi never repaired it. instead, it became the ultimate propaganda tool. for 25 years, it served as a backdrop for his diatribes against america. for years, skeptics wondered if hanna ever existed. this week, a tripoli hospital confirmed that

abc's jeffrey kofman is there. [ sirens ] >> disperse yourselves now -- >> reporter: these are not images anyone in london wants to see or anyone in london wants the world to see. one of the great cities of the world engulfed in an inferno of anarchy. roving gangs on a rampage. smashing store windows. stealing with impunity. watch this. one of the most disturbs images. a bloody boy appears to be getting help. but watch closely. the helpers help themselves. stealing the contents of his backpack. >> he just took something from his back -- >> reporter: another unforgettable image, a news photographer caught this woman leaping to safety as the building around her is engulfed in flames. it has been like this across britain for four nights running. most serious disorder here in london. historic buildings that survived the blitz of world war ii lost in the arson of mindless vandals. last night alone, more than ten major fires devoured city blocks. businesses lost. homes lost. one person is dead. it's amazing the number isn't higher. >> i saw the building, it had flames -- the building and it was

jeffrey kofman, abc news, tripoli. >>> we return back home where many people bracing for hurricane irenere still recovering from tuesday's earthquake. the washington monument is closed indefinitely because inspectors have found significant cracks on its peak. and the national cathedral is losing heavy stones on three of its four spires, after rumblings of aftershocks, one registering 4.5, early this morning. what a week, huh? >> uh-huh. >>> we were talking earlier about steve jobs and how his vision has revolutionized the world. part of that revolution is taking place in a small alabama town, where the high school is setting aside textbooks in favor of mac books. >> a sign of the times. the laptops are part of a $2 million pilot program, aimed at making the teachers and students more interactive. >> i'd love to get a mac book from my school. students get to keep them all year in the classroom as well as at home, for taking tests, doing homework and conducting research. nice perk there. >> the superintendent said the school is trying to eliminate textbooks altogether and give every studen

jeffrey kofman, abc news, tripoli. >> and our thanks to jeffrey kofman for that. >>> meantime, back inunusual scene in kansas city. a family was watching tv when this suv slammed into their roof. the driver had missed the turn and went airborne. now, no one inside was seriously injured. but the house may have to be condemned. >>> and a spectacular, new record in major league baseball. the yankees hit three grand slams in one game. the first team ever to do that. now, when it was over, they had scored 22 runs, quite a shock to all the fans who went home early in the rain when the yankees were trailing, 7-1. that just goes to show, you never leave the yankees hanging even if there is rain. >>> now, let's head up to lara spencer in central park with this morning's "pop news heat index." good morning, lara. >> good morning, bianna. let's get right to "the pop news heat index." it is burning up here in central park. and we begin with the prince and princess. you know, their wedding, the royal wedding, of course, was one of the most fabulous and expensive in history. but that doesn't mean th

abc's jeffrey kofman made his way into the compound with them and has the latest for us tonight. >> reporter: good evening, diane. what we saw here today was libya's equivalent of the fall of the berlin wall. the fortress that was a symbol of a regime that ruled by fear, falling into the hands of rebels. an unforgettable sight. the rebels poured into gadhafi's compound today, rejoicing. after a fierce battle, they had broken through the dictator's defenses, in reality and in symbolism, striking at the heart of his brutal regime. this was his home, his base of power. so, this is it. this is the entrance to gadhafi's compound. i was brought here several times over the last few months by gadhafi government minders. they told us where we could go. they told us what we could shoot. now, take a look at this free for all. inside, they stomped on a golden bust of gadhafi. a moment of elation for people who have lived for more than four decades under his iron fist. remember this bizarre scene, when gadhafi made an appearance on his golf cart? today, the victorious rebels took it out for a

and we begin our coverage with abc's jeffrey kofman who sent us this report as he traveled with the rebels toward tripoli. >> reporter: today, on the streets of tripoli, the smell of victory. tempered by fear and uncertainty. rebel forces are in control of almost all of libya and most of the capital. after their lightning advance this weekend that caught gadhafi forces by surprise. [ gunfire ] they were ready to call this revolution over last night. spontaneous celebrations broke out across the country. but it's now clear it's not over yet. there is still fierce fighting in many neighborhoods as forces loyal to gadhafi make one final stand. our colleagues from the bbc were reporting while driving into the capital with rebels when they were fired on. but high up in the building, gadhafi's snipers rain down their terror. there are reports of power outages across the city and libyan state tv went black. >> firing began from two directions and then three. as the fighting went on, the type of weapons being used by both sides seemed to go up in caliber. the bangs got louder and louder. the shell

but tonight, gadhafi is still on the run and abc's jeffrey kofman is in tripoli, reporting between bursts of gun fire. >> reporter: this is not what victory is meant to look like. just a day after gadhafi's compound fell, no celebration. no throngs of curious gawkers. instead, snipers. who is on top of that building? rebel soldier muhammad was telling us why we should go no further. >> the militia from gadhafi from up in the building. >> reporter: we were not about to test his words. this route is not safe? >> yeah, it is not safe. >> reporter: all right, yeah, come on. we're as far as we can go inside the gadhafi compound. let's go this wawa please. those snipers hit this rebel in the neck. he died before our eyes. he lived to taste just one day of a free libya. there was real concern for the safety of 35 journalists and others being held by gadhafi loyalists at tripoli's rixos hotel. armed guards roamed the corridors. they were running out of food. they were released this afternoon. bbc's matthew price was one of them. >> they simply did not believe that the city could fall. they believ

jeffrey kofman has the latest. >> reporter: these are incredible days here in libya.brutal deck d dictatorship of moammar gadhafi is coming to an end, it's crumbling before our eyes. many of his troops have fled. but that said, it's not time to declare this revolution over. there are still battles in some neighborhoods in tripoli. >> thank you. >>> an ugly family fight has broken out in the search for susan powell, as police searched in nevada, family members got into a very public confrontation. >> reporter: both sides of susan powell's family are hurlg poisonous allegations >> they have accused me of murdering my daughter in law. >> reporter: anger erupted when susan's father and father in law. steve powell believes his son, josh, named a person of interest in his wife's disappearance is innocent. >> you come out against my family. >> reporter: susan's in-laws are gi giving journalists part of her journal. josh said that he left his wife at home in december, taking their two young boys on a midnight camp. susan's parents do not buy that. >> they have used my sons as

we go to abc's jeffrey kofman. jeffrey? >> reporter: the source is reuters. they arereaying gadhafi and several of his sons are in that apartment building. we are watching closely. and we will keep you posted. that gadhafi compound that was liberated this week. who's on top that have building? it is controlled not by rebels. but by snipers. >> there is some militia of gadhafi from the building. >> reporter: some gadhafi soldiers just won't give up. this route is -- >> not safe. this is not safe. [ gunfire ] >> reporter: all right. yeah. come on. we're as far as we can go inside the gadhafi compound. let's go this way, please. come on. this is not an image of victory. a rebel soldier shot in the neck. we watched helplessly as he died. he got to taste just 24 hours of a free libya. the news was better at the rixos hotel where 35 journalists and hers were freed after being held by gadhafi loyalists. their captors had no idea that gadhafi had been toppleded >> they believed they were protecting us from the rebels. they said if we go outside the hotel, the rebels

jeffrey kofman, abc news, tripoli. >>> a new mexico police officer has been caught in a compromisingtch vandals captured the officer in full uniform having sex with a woman on the hood of a car. the incident took place at a county-owned ranch in santa fe. the officer has been placed on leave during an internal investigation but it's not clear if he will face disciplinary action. >> you have the right to remain horizontal. >> we can't show you the complete photo. >> no, we can't. looks for it on cinemax. >>> tv and movies make shooting a gun look really simple. in reality it's a skill acquired after hours and hours of practice, especially if you're trying to be as quick as you are accurate. >> b.j. norris is one of only a few people in the world who can claim the title, world speed shooting champion. at this year's competition he shot his way through the eight-stage course in 81.8 seconds. >> impressive. he says he keeps his fingers nimble and in shape by playing what? video games. >> that's a talent. >> don't want to see him in a dark alley. >> no, no. said i don't games and guns. >>

jeffrey kofman, abc news, on the road to tripoli. >> that's right.er rebel control there is still a big section of southern libya that is under the gadhafi regime. >> still. and then according to reports now too the gadhafi forces fired a scud missile last night. t quite sure where it landed or what the damage was. so this is not going to end without a fight, without more lives lost here. so stay tuned, as we like to say. >> absolutely. not a done deal. >>> moving on now, new york nators have asked the libyan transitional national council to arrest abdelbaset al megrahi, the lockerbie bomber who was actually freed by the scottish government in 2009. prison doctors said he had prostate cancer and just three months to live. but he is still very much alive and well. that bombing killed 270 people, including 189 americans. >>> and our coverage for the battle of libya does not end here. we'll get live updates later today on "america this morning" and also look for some extended coverage on "good morning america." >>> hurricane irire is poised to take aim

we want to get to the latest with jeffrey kofman. >> good morning. the compound is not just his compound it's also one of the biggest military bases in libya. we saw their loot yesterday. gadhafi has not broken. this morning, forces make it clear that they're not giving up. rebels claim that captured moammar gadhafi's son, but he made a surprise appearance last night. taunted the rebels. >> these people, we live here and die here. we are going to win. because the people are us. >> reporter: another son had been captured by rebels but he was liberated by loyalists last night and he, too, is free. now clear reports that a rebel victory here were premature. instead the battle for tripoli is under way. the rebels control large parts of the city but not all of it. they can't kill gadhafi until they find it. it's cheer that he's no longer in control of this country. >> this much is clear, the gadhafi regime is coming to an end. the future of libya is in the hands of its people. we found these rebels troop s laden with munition from his main military compou

abc's jeffrey kofman is there with the latest. good morning, jeffrey. >> reporter: good morning to you, george. i'm reporting from a very noisy square in the heart of tripoli. yoyomay know this place as green square. but gadhafi renamed it martyr's square. now that he's gone they brought back the old name. and what was -- you can hear the noise in the background. that is not a gunfight. that is a celebration. what a 24 hours in this city, in this country. another huge triumph for those rebels so determined to oust moammar gadhafi. after a bloody street battle, they broke into the dictator's private compmpnd, a two-square-mile forbidden city that was his home and his military headquarters. but in an audio message broadcast on a local tv station, he said he was discreetly out on gadhafi pledged martyrdom and victory. we're now approaching bab al aziziya. and i've been through these gates just a couple of weeks ago with gadhafi's government minders taking us through. what a different place it is now. everyone wanted to see what was be

abc's jeffrey kofman is in tripoli with more. >> reporter: a week after moammar gadhafi was pushed from power his family has fled the country. behind me the palatial home his daughter has abandoned and, boy, would she hate to see what is happening here now. they have opened its doors for all to see the lavish lifestyle she left behind. until a week ago you could literally be shot for simply pausing in front of this house but this is the new libya and now anyone can enter. this was aisha gadhafi's house the dictator's only daughter, once called the claudia schiffer of south africa. she became a strident t fender of her father's regime. the people want moammar, she chanted, referring to her dad, the dictator. not quite the people deposed him last week. yesterday, her mother and two brothers fled to neighboring algeria. her father is still thought to be in libya still being hunted. she would not like to hear what's being said about her in her own home. the silk she says as she rifles through the wardrobe, look, look says the woman, and the people are starving. god willing, she will wear it