jeremy hubbard, abc news. >> it really is some compelling video. ly news has identified the woman, the good samaritan, her name is angela pierce. i think the takeaway is they don't recommend you doing something like that. getting so involved. >> that and especially the woman with the guy in florida, hitting the gun out of his hand with a pocketbo pocketbook. amazing what people are able to do in dangerous situations. more after this. >> for information on services for older adults, the eldercare locator can help! >> it's great having a friendly person deliver a healthy meal- and having meals delivered makes it possible for me to stay in my own home. >> the eldercare locator can put you in touch with local resources to help older persons find home and community based services. call 1.800.677.1116 or visit eldercare.gov today! the eldercare locator is a free public service of the u.s. administration on aging. >>> they are the quick essential nuclear family. 2.5 kids, the dog, the cat. i'm talking of course about tvs. >> hard to believe they have been

authorities tell abc news it happens all the time. t the screen. >> whith a determined threat, that should be troubling news indeed. >> reporter: in fact, the owner of the gun in houston boarded a continental flight and flew to his destination before realizing the gun was in his bag. >> i mean this is not a small gun. it's a .40 caliber gun. >> reporter: farid seif says he carries a gun because he works late, and says he forgot to unpack it before the trip, and reported the incident as soon as he landed, astounded at the security lapse. >> there was nothing else in there. how can you miss it? you cannot miss it. >> reporter: the failures of tsa screeners to spot guns and other dangerous items is a closely held government secret. results from the most recent so-called red team test by the government accountability office were apparently so bad they are classified, to the outrage of congressional critics. >> how many times did they fail? the public has a right to know those bottom line results. >> reporter: a person briefed on the latest

matt gutman, abc news, dundee, florida. >>> now for the big question. our weather going to be like today? heavy lake-effect snow from michigan to buffalo. up to 10 inches in the mountains of northern new england. flurries from boston to washington. and rain in the pacific northwest. snow showers from colorado to southern montana. >> 50s in colorado springs and albuquerque. 44 in boise. fargo and minneapolis remain in the teens. and chicago climbs all the way up to 20. 36 here in new york. 39 in atlanta. 61 in miami. >>> the legal battle over gay marriage in california went before a federal appeals court monday and it could be headed next for the supreme court. more than 40 states have already outlawed such unions but the california challenge could shape the nation if the supreme court decides to review the appeals court decision. abc's terry moran explains. >> reporter: inside the federal appeals court, battling lawyers drew sharp lines over gay marriage with eloquence and passion. >> the traditional definition of marriage has existed throughout the hist

john berman, abc news, new york. >> the date has been pushed back i think.been pushed back to february 11. some are wondering will they even make that date, possibly? setback after setback. >> i know one reporter who was interested in the story as well, that was you, doing this for "gma" yesterday. >> right. >> were there people talking about this out there? >> people saw the cameras saying, what was going on? we said -- i said, well, spider-man was hurt. everybody had the same reaction. again? again? they've heard all the reports about all the injuries on this show. it was funny. hopefully early february it will get off the ground. >> we remember the story of the evil love interest, the woman, she got hit in the head with a rope and had a concussion. the stories keep coming out. there are no sick days. vicks dayquil defeats 5 cold and flu symptoms. ♪ ♪ [ snoring ] [ male announcer ] in the nfl you can't win tomorrow if a cold keeps you up tonight. vicks nyquil cold and flu. the nighttime sniffling, sneezing coughing, aching, fever, best sleep you ever got w

linsey davis, abc news, new york. >> linsey mentioned discounts there.es are pretty cheap right now. and if you wake up often in the middle of the night... rest is here, on the wings of lunesta. lunesta helps you fall asleep and stay asleep, so you can wake up feeling rested. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a $0 co-pay at lunesta.com. sleep well, on the wings of lunesta. the same old way... consider this: things just got beautifully simple. intro

. >> reporter: sharyn alfonsi, abc news, new york. >> at&t does deserve some level of credit for puttingere. we have to wonder after the effects of documentary wear off, whether it's a message that will stick with kids next time they're in the car. hearing it is one thing. actually it's in your hand and the car, that's another set of circumstances. >> yeah, it is troubling. i will say it's not just teenagers. i know that story was about teenagers. adults and e-mail can be just as guilty. >> so many distractions. >> put the phone down. >>> coming up next the blockbuster holiday film with a rather involved behind the scenes romance. >> and what a gift for elton john. that's next in "the skinny." llll >>> welcome back, everybody. what a year natalie portman is having. not only a huge success with "the black swan," all kinds of award nominations coming out. even more good news for her now. she is engaged and is pregnant on top of all that. she's having quite a year here. she's 29 years old and her fiance and father of her child is benjamin millepied, who actually starred with her, as choreog

jeremy hubbard, abc news. >> it really is some compelling video. aily news has identified the woman, the good samaritan, her name is angela pierce. i think the takeaway is they don't recommend you doing something like that. getting so involved. >> that and especially the woman with the guy in florida, hitting the gun out of his hand with a pocketbo pocketbook. amazing what people are able to do in dangerous situations. more after this. [croaking] let's turn over this log. yeah! both: whoa! i like the big black ones. i like the brown wiggly ones. mmm. i like the green crunchy ones myself. whoa. get out and explore nature. there are surpris everywhere. go to discovertheforest.org. [burps] anyone up for dessert? >>> they are the quick essential nuclear family. 2.5 kids, the dog, the cat. i'm talking of course about tvs. >> hard to believe they have been doing it since 21 years now. homer, marge, bart, lisa and maggie premiered on tv then. we go to the abc news as a result july 27th, 2007. >> the best thing for comedy i think is the stuff that keeps you

jeremy hubbard, abc news, new york. >> it is amazing what those phones do.an that stuff, it's amazing. >> the most amazing thing about that is when he ended up scanning for that tv he found best buy was the cheapest deal. the next cheapest was $100 more than that price you saw, $299, from an online vendor. it's counterintuitive. we think online vendor, it must be cheaper. >> not always the case, though. >>> coming up, if you're still shopping for children stay tuned for the next segment. >> that's right, our toy insider's favorite gift ideas. lots of things for the little ones and lots of wonderful things to put in stockings if they're not full yet just days before christmas. you're watching "world news now." they're not full yet just days before christmas. you're watching "world news now." "ú"ú"ú"p >>> and welcome back, everybody. of course christmas now just a few days away. if there's one thing every kid can't wait to see of course it's what santa brought them in their stocking this year. joining me with great last-minute stocking stuffer ideas, laurie sh

jeremy hubbard, abc news. >> it really is some compelling video. s identified the woman, the good samaritan, her name is angela pierce. i think the takeaway is they don't recommend you doing something like that. getting so involved. >> that and especially the woman with the guy in florida, hitting the gun out of his hand with a pocketbook. amazing what people are able to do in dangerous situations. more after this. etboo pocketbook. amazing what people are able to do in dangerous situations. more after this. >>> they are the quintessential nuclear family. 2.5 kids, the dog, the cat. the dad even works in a nuclear power plant. i'm talking of course about tv's "the simpsons." >> hard to believe they have been doing it 21 years now. homer, marge, bart, lisa and maggie premiered on tv then. we go to the abc news vault july 27th, 2007. >> the best thing for comedy i think is the stuff that keeps you lying in bed awake in the middle of the night. money and death and religion and all of those big themes that bother people so much. i think those are great

abc 7 news at 6:00 p.m. c 7 news at 6, on your side. >>> we begin with the signing of the tax-cut compromise. the compromise extends tax cuts to all americans for the next two years. >> not everyone is happy about this. there were a few notable people missing from the signing. >> plenty to talk about here. this was about as bipartisan aid --

aaron katersky, abc news, new york. >>> bankruptcy hearings are set for later today, for a&p, once the's biggest grocery chain. the a&p company owns 400 stores. including pathmark and super fresh supermarkets. court documents filed yesterday show that a&p is more than $1 billion in debt. while operating under chapter 11, the stores are expected to be in operation and fully stocked. >> this next story is hard to believe, the holiday spirit is in full swing deep in the heart of texas. it's giving thousands of kids the warm and fuzzy feeling. >> the coats for kids foundation handed out a record 35,000 new coats in austin over the weekend. parents were so eager, they started lining up with their children overnight. >> it says so much about the need in a place you wouldn't think of as being that cold. there were 2,000 volunteers on-hand to help out. and many kids said they found exactly what they were looking for. a good reminder to donate coats this time of year. i just cleaned out my closet and found several things. >> it's amazing what a simple coat will do. and 35,000 people looking for

rob nelson, abc news, new york. >> in that piece, rob mentioned the new york fire department.ooking at what other cuts that could be made. one interesting one that people are pointing to. the new york fire department, they have paid drivers for the fire chiefs. some people are saying maybe that can be some of the fat trimmed off. >> the insurance industry is trying to rally against the cost of premiums that go up. they started this website, accidenttax.com, to rally opposition for the fees. but that's outrageous. >> yeah. to say the least. >>> coming up, miley cyrus lights up. and her dad has plenty to say about this. pretty shocking photos. >>> and the jokes that have kathy griffin on the defensive. that's next in "the skinny." ♪ skinny so skinny ♪ >>> miley cyrus cannot get out of the negative spotlight, it seems like. more drama. this time, dealing with some video of her smoking salvia, which apparently has a similar effect to lsd and marijuana. we should point out, it is legal. there you see from the tmz video, she's smoking this. i guess it was five days after her 18th bi

it's thursday, december 30th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> we both saw "true grit"nd loved it. it really was a good movie. jeff bridges is great in it. he's totally believable. the remake of the john wayne classic. he's funny, he's good. >> tough with remakes. sometimes they're not as good. i think this one was terrific. unfortunately jeff bridges was not recognized for the golden globes. >> i thought he would, yeah. >> sort of interesting. he won the oscar last year for a different role. we'll see. we'll see what the oscars have in store for him this year. >> it's true. good morning and thanks for being with us. i'm rob nelson. >> i'm mike marusarz in for vinita nair this morning. >>> the wrath of mother nature has switched back to the west coast, and this newest round of fierce weather has turned deadly. >> heavy rain has left hillsides dangerously saturated, roads closed, and thousands without power. mike von fremd reports from a soggy highland, california. >> reporter: it is a furious effort to pile more sandbags as residents watch the water rising into their ho

it's friday, december 10th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> if anyone's surprised thatade oprah cry? >> yeah, you're right. >> that's kind of like on barbara's bucket list, get the queen of talk to cry. >> i wonder has anyone made barbara cry? >> i thought of the same thing. i've never seen that. >> maybe it's a goal for you and i down the road. >> good to have goals. good morning, everybody, happy friday, i'm rob nelson. >> i'm vinita nair. >>> senate leaders worked late into the night. adding incentives. hoping to bring skeptical democrats on board. >> in a raucous closed-door meeting, furious house democrats rebelled promising to keep the deal from even hitting the floor. john hendren has the latest on all of this. good morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, rob and vinita. democrats at least in the house seem united against the president and they seem determined to change the plan he so carefully negotiated with republicans on tax cuts. a move that could ultimately cause the plan to unravel. president obama presented a stark choice for congress. approve the tax d

absolutely shocked. >> reporter: sharyn alfonsi, abc news, new york. >> wow. he has declined himself to comment on this story but his lawyers said eventually as always it will be all cleared up in time. >> in addition to all those lectures, he was also contributing to some pretty interesting journal articles. and it's just hard to believe that no one in the field was able to find him out. >> he must be a tremendous actor and very convincing like they said. >>> coming up next, innovation on a budget. >> our favorite giz wiz shows us gifts for gadget lovers. shows us gifts for gadget lovers. c some >>> welcome back. gifts for gadget lovers.8 >>> welcome back. as you know we are days away from christmas and that means the clock is ticking on getting your holiday shopping done. today we will tell you the must-have holiday gadgets out there that are all under $30. to help me do that is the one and only giz wiz. dick debartolo, always a pleasure and i love the outfit today. >> oh, thank you. actually, it's now under $40. because i added something. everything's under

7 update. >> good evening, everyone. >> on air, mobile device or on the i-pad, abc 7 news your world covered. >> the i-pad being such a popular device for bay area residents, we're really excited to offer this. >> the best thing is the abc 7 news app is free. just search the app store for abc san francisco to download it. >> next at 5 a.m. why the 49ers will be calling candlestick park home for a few more years. >> i'm terry mcsweeney live in marin county where a lot of people want just one thing for christmas and that is a good solid cleanup of two raw sewage spills because if they don't get one by tomorrow, they might get another one. the story in a live report. >> all part of this as well, absolutely. >> and a new take on an old idea. new at 5:00, "7 on your side" with a twist on gift cards,

david muir, abc news, new york. >> wow. that sounds scary enough, get this.he ghostwriter in that story says he's written papers for seminary students. >> he says he takes excerpts including you know those summaries for amazon books? from everything. he's taken excerpts from that. that scares me if i was a student and knew that little detail. >> only one professor got it right, that's crazy. >>> a major development involving tiger woods' ex-wife. >> michael jackson's new album is out today. and another performer is disgusted about it. all coming up next in "the skinny." lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll >>> the british newspaper "the sun" has a story out that is sure to catch anyone's eye because they're basically saying that elin nordegren, tiger's ex, might have a ne

it's tuesday, december 21st. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, everybody.ou have to feel so bad. thousands around the planet right now are stuck in airports. they're not even saying it's going to be hours, they're saying it could be days. people can't get home for christmas all around the globe. >> i couldn't believe hearing after christmas. your heart goes out to all those people who won't get to see their friends and family. >> good luck to you guys all out there. good morning, everybody, i'm rob nelson. >> i'm vinita nair. >>> holiday shoppers aren't the only ones facing a saturday deadline. lawmakers on capitol hill are working furiously before the christmas break. >> there is a key vote in the senate today on sia. also the house will vote on food safety. karen travers is joining us now from washington with more on the congressional rush. hi, karen. >> reporter: good morning, rob and vinita. after months of debate the senate's ratification of a new nuclear treaty with russia is calle dussio rkier a election when cgrss legislative members take off. under

it could have been prevented. >> reporter: brian ross, abc news, new york. >>> a woman in north carolinatal evaluation after causing a big scare at our abc station in charlotte, north carolina. wsoc was off the air for about an hour last night. a woman walked in, pulled out an unloaded gun and put it to her head. she was reportedly upset about her financial situation. no one was injured. and it is unclear if she will be charged. >>> bernie madoff's former secretary is behind bars this morning, after a judge revoked her bail. annette bong joran know surrendered. the judge said there was a great risk that she would not appear in court to face charges next month. authorities say she helped madoff cover up his massive ponzi scheme. >>> there are questions about whether the show will go on, after another serious accident on the set of the broadway musical, "spider-man: turn off the dark." aerialist christopher tierney broke his ribs after falling off a platform and plunging about 30 feet during monday night's preview performance. tierney is the fourth actor injured in that $65 million product

rob nelson, abc news, new york. >>> and, up next, from the absurd to the infuriating. were the most memorable things people said this year? ♪ [ male announcer ] at ge capital, we're out there every day with clients like jetblue -- financing their fleet, sharing our expertise, and working with people who are changing the face of business in america. after 25 years in the aviation business, i kind of feel like if you're not having fun at what you do, then you've got the wrong job. my landing was better than yours. no, it wasn't. yes, it was. was not. yes, it was. what do you think? take one of the big ones out? nah. [ sneezes ] [ male announcer ] got a cold? [ coughs ] ♪ [ male announcer ] confused what to get? now robitussin makes it simple. click on the robitussin relief finder at robitussin.com. [ nose blowing ] [ male announcer ] click on your symptoms. ♪ get the right relief. ♪ makes the cold aisle easy. the robitussin relief finder it's that simple. >>> britain's royal family released some official engagement photos today. the first shows prince william and kate mi

jeremy hubbard, abc news, new york. >> i'm all about convenience.ree online. what's next? >> it's all therc c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c

7 news i-pad app has everything you want from abc 7 news and abc7news.com. >> michael finneyre. >> you can watch slide shows of hot topics or check in on facebook.com. >> this is really unique because we're going to be able to offer live streaming video and break news situations which a lot don't offer. >> whether it's online, on air, on your mobile device or on the i-pad, abc 7 news has your world covered. >> the i-pad such a popular device for bay area residents, we're really excited to offer this. >> the best thing about the app, it's free! just search the app store for abc san francisco to download it. >> millions of people will be doing that, we hope. just ahead on abc 7 news at 6:00, the criminal that brought more than his wallet as he went shopping at a popular san jose mall. >> i'm terry mcsweeney in marin county where a whole lot of people have the very same thing on their christmas list. all they want for christmas is a fixed sewer pipe. bet it's not on >> 3 million gallons of sewage and a partridge in a pear

john berman, abc news, new york. >> already the story's going national. this guy, he's going to be just fine as the story starts making the rounds. >> it's such an impressive story. we were trying t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t

rob nelson, abc news, new york. >> crazy to think you could shop in that manner. phone and then you have the apps that are already preloaded? just one more series of phone calls you have to make, i suppose, to cancel everything out. >> i've seen the applications where you have a coupon or something like that to be able to take advantage. but this is something i think, it sounds convenient, but i think a lot of kinks still have to be worked out early on, especially when you're talking about bank information and credit card information and sometimes people are a little leery to jump on. >> i know it's so much better than saying check me out, i don't want to stand in this line. don't you find yourself at the counter -- >> all the time. no doubt. ççççççççççççççççççççççççççñ >>> back to work. are fewer people in the unemployment line? what our experts are saying about the new jobs report. >>> the prodigal son returns home. [ boos ] what cleveland really thinks about lebron james and his new team. >>> and crawling to the finish line. the california girl who didn't say d

7 news ipad app has everything you want from abc 7 news and abc 7 news.com. and sh watch slide shows or check in on face. >> book. >> we're going to offer live streaming video a lot of others don't off. >> and whether it's online... on air, mobile device or ipad... abc 7 news has your world covered. >> this is such a popular device. >> and very excited to offer that. and many people have ip yadz this, app is tree. just search for the san francisco words at the app store. >> pretty cool. >> yes lightning fast. lightning strong. rizon 4g lte. rule the air on the most advanced 4g network in the world. >>> coming up at 6:00 high school security concerns tonight who is demanding service -- series-surveillance cameras be installed and a wound that still haven't healed. >> and... fun factor is a part of this as well. absolutely. >> and also tonight a new take on an old idea 7 on your side with a twist on gift cards, one featuring the gift of giving. those stories and more when we see you again at kf 6:00. >> right. finally tonight chimps at the oakland zoo got celeb

. >> reporter: sharyn alfonsi, abc news, new york. >> wow. so far, he has declined himself to comment on this story but his lawyers said eventually as always it will be all cleared up in time. >> in addition to all those lectures, he was also contributing to some pretty interesting journal articles. and it's just hard to believe that no one in the field was able to find him out. >> he must be a tremendous actor and very convincing like they said. >>> coming up next, innovation on a budget. >> our favorite gitds busy shows us gifts for gadget lovers. [female announcer] in today's tough economy, your debt problems shouldn't fall into the wrong hands. having a trusted partner to turn to can make all the difference. the national foundation for credit counseling is a non-profit organization whose members will create a personalized plan that gets you on the road to recovery. knowing the difference can make all the difference. to connect with a certified counselor in your community, call us or visit debtadvice dot org. >>> welcome back. as you know

>> abc 7 news has been documenting problems and complaints for years now.been forth coming but today had a visit from two

john berman, abc news, new york. >> another kind of championship. >>> so good to be with you tonight.you right back here tomorrow night. until then, good night. >>> tragedy at the hyatt. how an 18-month-old twin wound up in a fountain in a san francisco hotel. >> and a lawmaker fighting what a path he's been forced to take. >> and why why wikileaks is hailed as a war time whistle blower by some in the bay area. >> and and why there is now a fight over replacing them. >>> good evening, a painful reality check as lawmakers take a look at just how fire the budget situation is. >> it's being called budget 101 for incoming lawmakers. the forum taking a scared straight approach in outlining the problem. nannette miranda is live tonight for us. >> reporter: governor elect jerry brown pledged to do everything we can get the state finances back in order. and the first step to define the scope of the problem. the state does not have enough tax revenue to cover spending commitments. >> what we're looking at today is much worse thans

dan harris, abc news, new york. >> abortion, never an easy issue in this country.tal did release a statement saying, st. joseph's will continue through our words and deeds to carry out the healing ministry of jesus. our operations, policies and procedures will not change. >> they say basically they were established by the sisters of mercy in 1895, and they don't plan to change their name or their mission. >> no end in sight on that debate, we know that. >>> coming up next, vinita heads into the "insomniac kitchen" for a holiday tradition. >> that's right. chef marcus jernmark has a really creative way to cook a christmas ham. if you do it every year, stick around, this is a cool twist on it, scandinavian. you're watching "world news now." around, this is a cool twist on it, scandinavian. you're watching "world news now." so, a flight to hawaii using our points from chase sapphire. last minute... on christmas. and sitting next to us, chevy chase. and we really hit it off. we play golf, and then the luau. he's like da vinci with ice. and after, we help hang christmas

john berman, abc news, new york. >>> and that is what is making news in america this morning. >> get." >> have a great weekend.

. >>> here are stories to watch today on abc news. ler is following gm by posting help wanted signs. each automaker wants to hire 1,000 engineers. chrysler needs the new workers over the next four months. >>> members of the house plan to vote today on childhood nutrition laws. it's a $4.5 billion plan that would revise the federal food stamp program over the next three years. >>> sundown marks the beginning of hanukkah. the jewish festival of lights will be celebrated over the next eight nights as families worldwide light candles on the menorah. >>> finally, how a mixup on twitter has turned one massachusetts babysitter into a worldwide sensation. >> what she thought was an original screen name was anything but. now it's landed her a trip to australia. kimberly bookman from our affiliate boston wcvb has the story. >> reporter: meet the newest international superstar, westfield's ashley kerekes, otherwise known as the ashes on twitter. it's that user name, a nickname her boyfriend calls her, that's making her famous. >> i had the twitte

authorities tell abc news it happens all the time. determined threat, that should be troubling news indeed. >> reporter: in fact, the owner of the gun in houston boarded a continental flight and flew to his destination before realizing the gun was in his bag. >> i mean this is not a small gun. it's a .40 caliber gun. >> reporter: houston businessman farid seif who carries a gun because he works late says he forgot to unpack it before the trip, and reported the incident as soon as he landed, astounded at the security lapse. >> there was nothing else in there. how can you miss it? you cannot miss it. >> reporter: the failures of tsa screeners to spot guns and other dangerous items is a closely held government secret. results from the most recent so-called red team test by the government accountability office were apparently so bad they are classified, to the outrage of congressional critics. >> how many times did they fail? the public has a right to know those bottom line results. >> reporter: a person briefed on the latest results told

. >> announcer: from the global resources of abc news, with terry moran, cynthia mcfadden and bill weir in new york city, this is "nightline," december 14th, 2010. >> good evening, i'm bill weir. the beginning of this story seems tragically familiar. and angry man interrupted a school board meeting in panama city, florida, today, blaming them for firing his wife and leveled a handgun. he said he planned to die and >> reporter: this woman, a >> but why? please -- >> we have reports that mike jones, the officer in the back of the room, was taken to the hospital with chest pains but is okay. a lot of heros in that room. be sure to watch "good morning america" tomorrow morning for tlatest on the story. >>> and we turn now to another disturbing story of illicit drug use and the emergence of a prescription cocktail that's taken hundreds of lives in texas. the trend is abetted by so-called pill mills, pain easi houston these days? chris cuomo goes undercover as "nightline" investigates. >> reporter: houston is in a battle against rogue medical clinics known as pill mills. >> you get a doctor o

andrea canning, abc news, new york. >> i'll just stay fat. >> given the arctic chill, it's the perfectidding. >>> that is what is making news

>> reporter: john berman, abc news, new york. >> on to 2011.ave a great night tonight. good to begin another week with you. see you again tomorrow night. >>> a 12-year-old girl heads home after a week long kidnapping ordeal. >> new safety concerns tonight at napa state hospital two. more workers have been attacked and a former doctor says criminals often roam free. >> and a looming deadline for landing the next america's cup event. and what happens if this is not good enough. >> and in sacramento, if you need to renew your california driver's license, koit take two months to get it. >> good evening, everyone. the woman credited with spotting a missing virginia girl in san francisco is sharing her story. >> the 12-year-old girl disappeared after her mother's murder. >> the girl is back home in virginia, and teresa is being hail aid hero. and we're live with the story. >> reporter: you know it's interesting. the family says she never shops at this safeway. she was in the neighborhood and decide stod-to-stop here sherks told me she looked into bri

andrea canning, abc news, new york.

reporting live from falls church, gail pennybacker, abc 7 news. >>> new figures from the census bureau says the highest median income in the nation is falls church, virginia. virginia is also home to the highest median household incomes. >>> still to come on abc 7 news, donovan mcnabb versus mike shanahan. the high-profile quarterback is benched for the rest of the season. >>> a soldier from virginia has died in the war in afghanistan. sean cutsworth grew up in manassas. he was an athlete who loved swimming, football, and baseball. his parents say they were proud when he enlisted. >> on a voice in, there are bad people in the world. he was able to --unfortunately, there are bad people in the world. he was able to help. >> he died just one week before it is one year tour was set to end. his will is expecting their first child. >>> there is an agreement to clean up contamination on a 400 tract of land in the northwest edge of the base. the epa will help oversee the cleanup as part of a new formal agreement. >>> random bag inspections are due to start at the metro. bomb sniffing dogs will

. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> yesterday i went out to try to beat the storm.nd i left a certain store here in manhattan. as soon as i left the flakes started to fly and people scurried. it was like they knew what was going to happen. >> it's still going on. that is our top story this morning, a crazy day in the northeast. feet of snow in some places out there. a monday morning nightmare for folks heading back after the christmas holiday. >> it's not over yet. all right. good morning, everybody, on this blustery monday. i'm mike marusarz in for vinita nair. >> i'm rob nelson. >>> by the time the sun rises in the northeast on monday morning some areas as we said could see two feet of snow. >> blizzard conditions arrived in philadelphia and new york around midday sunday, and the harsh winds and rapidly falling snow shut down service at airports around the area, stopped amtrak trains between new york and new england. our coverage begins with abc's ron claiborne. >> reporter: conditions out here along the new jersey turnpike are absolutely terrible and they're cont

linsey davis, abc news, grant county, kentucky. >>> that is the news for this half hour. always follow us on ncer. we hear her lessons on strength and grace in her own words. >>> then, give and take. >> on the republican side, this is their holy grail. >> president obama defends his compromise to fellow democrats saying tax cuts were held hostage. >>> and, report card. why american students are falling behind the rest of the world. and what it means for your children. it's wednesday, december 8th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >>> good morning and thanks for being with us on this chilly wednesday morning just about everywhere in the country. >> i bought my first hat yesterday, it's so cold out there. it's ugly, too. i'm rob nelson, good morning. to the news now. >>> in the end, elizabeth edwards was surrounded by family, close friends and her estranged husband. >> edwards passed away yesterday after a six-year battle with cancer. she was 61 years old and leaves behind three children, including a 10 and 12-year-old. john hendren joins us with more on this str

he told abc news he wants to re-enlist. so does mike. >> i look forward to wearing the uniform again of the united states air force. >> the white house says the president will sign the law next wiebe. that doesn't mean immediate repeal. all the law does is give the pentagon the ability to decide when it is ready to lift these restrictions. that could take several months. some say it could take up to a year. david. >>> david kerley tonight starting us off. and as he pointed out, this goes to the president for his signature and the pentagon is expected to slowly roll it out. how smoothly will it go. we go to christiane amanpour, who has covered this overseas in countries where a similar decision was made long ago. what if anything can we learn from what we have seen elsewhere on this? >> some 30 countries or more from canada to europe to australia and israel have now openly gay service members in their militaries and these are countries who have served alongside the united states in campaigns as recently as afghanistan and ir

>> reporter: john berman, abc news, new york. >> there you go. that's my favorite christmas movie.will be mariah carey. at all i want for christmas." >> there you go. that's good. >> that's what's making news in america this morni

now a new round of storms is descending. abc'sde has that story. >> there might be a break in the weather. forecasters are predicting the rains will stop later today. of course, that will be good news. this weekend the town of bethlehem is seeing its biggest holiday crowds in years. israel military officials say 100,000 pilgrims and tourists have poured in since christmas eve and that is twice as many as last year. the town's hotel rooms are booked solid for the week. mass at the church of nativity. they packed the world catholic church where the traditional site of jesus' birth is enshrined. violence in the middle east. the israeli military killed terrorists. a helicopter gun ship attacked the two as they were trying to plant an explosive device where israeli soldiers patrol. palestinians gathered at the scene of the killing. they ran when gunshots were heard. tensions are increasing along the border after two years of relative calm. that came when israel invaded gaza to stop rocket attacks. now iraq is threatening to escalate ho

her will just obtained by abc news has her valued at more than $6 million.hile the hollywood press has been searching for motives for the seemingly random crime, tight-lipped investigators are still trying to determine the connection between the suicide in hollywood and chasen's murder. one thing is certain. for this story, there will be no hollywood ending. for "nightline," this is mike von fremd in beverly hills. >> a real life mystery there. thanks to mike von fremd for that report. >>> and when we come back, we'll go to the natural world. incredible scenes from the marshes of northern australia. natural habitat and native [ male announcer ] this is the evo 4g. this is android, which powers the evo. this is something nice someone said about the evo. so is this. ♪ and this. and all this. and this is something really, really nice that someone said about the evo. well, we thought it was nice. this is the htc evo 4g. with speech disabilities, deaf, hard-of-hearing and people only from sprint, the now network. access www.sprintrelay.com. and go everywhere. to