alison, christi?kareen. >>> so what do anderson cooper, kathy griffin, and nude pictures on a couch have in common? >> i don't think i want to know. >> why is it our own candy crowley speechless? stick around for a bizarre and unforgettable moment from last night's "situation room." ♪ if loving you is wrong ♪ i don't wanna be right [ record scratch ] what?! it's not bad for you. it just tastes that way. [ female announcer ] honey nut cheerios cereal -- heart-healthy, whole grain oats. you can't go wrong loving it. it's lots of things. all waking up. ♪ becoming part of the global phenomenon we call the internet of everything. ♪ trees will talk to networks will talk to scientists about climate change. cars will talk to road sensors will talk to stoplights about traffic efficiency. the ambulance will talk to patient records will talk to doctors about saving lives. it's going to be amazing. and exciting. and maybe, most remarkably, not that far away. the next big thing? we're going to wake the world up. ♪

alison? >> thanks. >>> lawmakers could vote as early as today and when it happens, you can watch live coverage right here on cnn. >>> the president will continue to plead his case for a deal today. he's making his first appearance on a sunday talk show in more than three years. he'll be on nbc's "meet the press." he'll call for an immediately vote for congress on a scale-back plan that would only extend middle class tax breaks if the negotiations fail. >>> other news now, second degree murder as a hate crime. that's the charge facing erica menendez. she is the woman accused of shoving a man to his death in front of a subway strain on thursday. she says it's a feeling she's had since the september 11th attacks. the second time this month that someone was pushed to death on a new york subway platform. >>> two missing brothers had been found safe and their father is now in police custody. ben and harry cleary were found 250 miles from an atlanta area home after a tipster saw it here on cnn. they

i'm alison kosik. >> and i'm christi paul.is 8:00 on the east coast. 5:00 for all you early birds out west, obviously. >> and it's early. >> yes. >>> start with negotiations going on this weekend to try and keep going off the fiscal cliff. the deadline is now just three days away. president obama is modestly optimistic. our chief white house correspondent jessica yellin has more on what needs to happen in order to make a deal. >> reporter: alison, christi, hi. the good news is things could have been worse. it doesn't seem to those of us watching from the sidelines as though time is running out, but congress does some of its best or at least its speediest work when the nation's back is against the wall. after a rare oval office meeting with top congressional leaders, the president said he's modestly optimistic a deal can come together. emphasis on "modestly." >> the american people are watching what we do here. obviously, their patience is already thin. this is deja vu all over again. >> reporter: both sides left an agreement,

alison? >> it seems the rebels are gaining ground or a crackdown by syrian forces? >> essentially a war of attrition. it has been for quite a while. yes, the rebels have been gaining ground. that's according to most analysts and the members we speak with on the ground. they have been able to capture more in the north of the territory and even in and around the capital and the fact of the matter is the regime is cracking down. they continue to crack down and the regime still has the air power. very hard for the dynamic to shift dramatically why the regime has the warplanes. what we hear again and again when rebels capture a city or liberate a city and then the airplanes come in and warplanes start shelling and drive them out of those areas. >> we know the international envoy for syria he was in russia and today he's in egypt. what specifically is he trying to accomplish? >> well, he's in egypt today to report back to the arab league and to the secretary-general of the arab league and his findi

alison? >> reporter: claudine, we could get word about more of the cases it will consider this term. now the justices met again behind closed doors to continue talking about a number of challenges to gay marriage laws. among them, california's proposition 8. >> the supporters of prop 8 are hoping they wouldn't review prop 8 and it would take hold legalizing same-sex marriage in california and marriages could begin almost immediately. the court is also considering a number of changele-of challenges. we should tell you no news doesn't mean much. we have to wait until the court releases its next set of orders on monday. if we don't hear anything on monday, then the wait gets a little longer. we have to wait until january. reporting live, from washington d.c., alison burns. ktvu news. >>> well, a radio stunt by a pair of shock jocks took a tragic turn this morning. the nurse revealed confidential information has apparently committed suicide. tara moriarty has more. we have reaction from the coupl

alison kosik is in newtown. good morning, alison. >> reporter: good morning. the elementary school. sources are telling us, that he blasted his way in. he shot his way, creating an entrance to get inside the school. despite, yes, the doors were locked as of 9:30. you had to be buzzed in to get into the school. and authorities are saying, once inside the school, he focused his shooting on two classrooms and in the hallway. police say they found three weapons on him inside the school, that he fired dozens of bull bullets, a semiautomatic rifle on his victims and a handgun to kill himself. >> the weapon that was utilized most of the time during this crime, was a bushmaster ar-15 assault weapon. it had addition aal magazines. and he had a glock and a 6 millimeter. all weapons had additional magazines and additional ammunition. the fourth weapon we recovered was a shotgun, recovered from the suspect's vehicle, that was parked outside of a school. >> reporter: he talks about ammunition that he still had with him, he's talking about he had hundreds of bullets with hi

alison kosik is at the new york stock exchange. tell us more. >> it's like having a flashback to black friday. the deals, everybody killing each other just to get the deals but if you're a retailer you take a big hit on a day like today because the national retail federation says almost 11% of whole day gifts we got are returns. that adds up to $60 billion and a lot of that happens today. it's a busy day for retailers. if you're returning stuff today that's some good news here, most stores are keeping their return policies the same as last year so the whole process should be more familiar. even better, 10% of retailers say they're loosening their return policies, compares to 5% who loosen their policies last year so that works in shoppers' favor but remember retailers are still trying to get you in to spend money. they're offering big sales as you said, carol, and they know if you come in with a return you're likely to look around and do a little extra shopping on your own so you get rid of the sweater, buy the dress, they got you

thank you, alison. appreciate it.congress can't reach this deal by midnight, higher taxes is not the only concern for a lot of folks. many families may not have money many can youing in at all. nearly 2 million people are at risk of losing their long-term federal unemployment benefits as the new year begins. another 1 million workers are going to exhaust their 26 weeks of state unemployment benefits in the first quarter and are not going to be able to file for a federal extension. joining us now is the president of optimum capital management ryan mack. ryan, good to see you. first of all, a lot of people very worried here because we are talking about those who are really at risk, those who might not get their unemployment benefits. what kind of options do they have. >> essentially, these are a lot of individuals operating out of fear. we do a lot of work around the country talking to those collecting the checks and basic questions, am i going to be able to eat? am i going to be able to pay for housing and shelter? the

alison kosik is in new york to tell you. hi, alison. >> hi, carol.t lawsuits of its kind in the auto sector. it revolves around the sticky pedal issue that started happening from a few years ago. that's where some toyota drivers said they were experiencing what's known as unintended acceleration and that's when their gas pedals were getting stuck in floor mats, about 16 million vehicles are going to be covered by this settlement, and the model years ranging from 1998 through 2010. once a judge approves this settlement, the current owners, they're going to get a break override system installed as well as a customer care plan that will have a warranty on certain parts tied to the acceleration for up to ten years. another part of this payout will compensate current owners whose cars are not eligible for the override system and a separate fund that will go to former owners of these toyota models who sold their cars for reduced values because of the negative publicity. what the settlement does not cover, though, are any personal injury claims. remember, t

hope you're having a good morning so far. >> and i'm alison kosik.ing your morning with us. >>> let's start in washington where it's down to the wire in the fiscal cliffhanger. three days left for the president and congress to make a deal and avoid those automatic tax hikes and spending cuts. obama met with top leaders from the both sides of the aisle in a rare meeting that lasted over an hour. afterward, he spoke about the importance of the deal for the u.s.'s still recovering economy. >> economists, business leaders, all think we're poised to grow in 2013. as long as politics in washington don't get in the way of america's progress. so we've got to get this done. >> senate minority leader mitch mcconnell also spoke after their meeting expressing home that the weekend would bring a deal. >> we are engaged in discussions, the majority leader and myself and the white house in the hopes that we can come forward as early as sunday and have a recommendation i can make to my conference and the majority leader can make to his conference. and we'll be worki

alison, anything left to say? >> i agree, i agree. there's money there to fix us and to make us whole. and not even to become whole like we were, just something near, something near and we'll do the rest, but, but to build in an area that is totally unprotected and not to do anything toward that, it's just, it's putting the cart before the horse and it's, we're going to get devastated again. >> well, we're very grateful that you took the time to be with us today and share your stories with us this afternoon. thank you so much. >> thank you. [applause] >> all right, thank you all. and if you'd like to help victims of superstorm sandy one of the ways is going to tunnel to towers.org. their home find a elp those place to live and you get to pick the specific area you want to donate to. if you're a new york resident who has trouble collecting insurance the state set up a website to assist with insurance related issues stemming from sandy. www.nyinsure .ny.gov. we'll be back with some closing thoughts. want to try to crack it? yeah, that's

alison kosik joining us with the latest information. what's coming up, alison?the box office. a record $10.8 billion in tickets just this year. with the total number of tickets sold rising for the first time in three years. a big reason for it was because it was a big year for blockbuster movies. look at "the avengers." morehan $620 million in sales in the u.s. alone. also helping, "the hobbit," "the dark knight rises" and "skyfall," a pretty good pic i saw. theaters have switched to digital projectors which helps them move to extra screens to meet the demand. also social media builds up a big buzz behind these films. that's driven more people to the box office than in previous years. that's been a good thing for shares of movie studios and movie chains. lions gate which owns "the hunger games" franchise, lions gate has seen its stock price almost double this year. >> sort of an impact did it have on more movies on more screens? it just means there were more showings. that clearly had to have an impact. >> yeah, just think about it. when you're going to see a mo

alison kosik at the new york stock exchange.ry 19 minutes someone dies of a drug overdose. most are not from elicit drugs, but fda drugs prescribed to millions of americans. dr. sanjay gupta reports. >> reporter: i rode along with lieutenant craig. he's been on the job for 30 years. he will tell you when he takes an overdose call, the usual suspect is a painkiller. >> what sort of impact have you seen here in seattle? >> i think if you pull a group of people together from this community, someone in that group is going to have had a friend or loved one that's had difficulty with a prescription drug or potentially died from that. >> reporter: the unit responds to 45 calls a month of overdoses involving these types of medications. this is important, it can be difficult to tell whether it's a painkiller or heroin because they come from the same ingredient and do the same sort of thing to your body. >> aside from needle tracks in the arms, someone who has had an overdose or heroin they could look the same. >> absolutely. they could b

>> alison, stick around. we'll get back to you as well. >>> from wall street now to washington where the white house is keep iing a close eye on today's numbers. brianna keilar joins us now live. good morning, brianna. >> reporter: good morning to you, don. we're still awaiting reaction from the white house and also from congssional republicans. they've long said at the white house, take a look at the trend of these nuchls over the month. so this number, paired with the last couple of months on its face, they will say the trajectory looks good, obviously more needs to be done. maybe the president can point to this and say my economic policies are working. the fact is that the election is over, many americans bought that argument. you're not seeing the frenzy here or even on the hill, quite frankly, in responding to these jobs numbers and trying to spin them. but also to the point that alison made as well. perhaps it's something that doesn't add a whole lot of fuel to this current debate that is occupying wash

alison. >> thanks. with everyone from the president to republican leaders expressing hope for a deal by tomorrow night, at least one congressman says the chances look slim to none. listen to virginia democrat jim moran as he describes why he'll likely vote against a deal. >> my congressional district would be the hardest-hit if we go over the fiscal cliff. i have tens of thousands of federal employees and a great deal of defense spending would be at risk. so if we don't suspend the sequester and it looks like this very small deal may not even achieve that, then i'd have to be a no vote. so if i had to guess right now, i don't think we're going to be able to reach a deal no matter how small it might be. >> a vote could take place later today, and you can watch coverage right here on cnn. >>> the president will continue to plead his case for a deal today. he's making his first appearance on a sunday talk show in more than three years. he's on nbc's "meet the press." mr. obama is expected to call for an im

alison kosik joins us live from lansing this morning. alison, we are expecting a big turnout there.far? a lot of people behind you, obviously. people are there. >> reporter: yeah, ted, the crowd certainly is growing, as the morning goes on. it's 10:00, which means that the house here at the michigan statehouse is in session. first, what's going to happen is they're going to have their usual opening ceremony. then i'm hearing that they're going to have a farewell ceremony for one of their members. and then they're going to take up this right to work issue. what you're seeing out here, obviously, protesters gathering. they're chanting, they're holding signs that say, right to work is not right. shame on schneider. of course, they're referring to governor rick schneider, the governor of michigan, who is expected to get this bill, once it is expected to pass in the house, some time this morning. he is expected to get that bill and sign it. ted? >> all right, alison kosik, we'll be watching very closely as that unravels or happens in michigan today. historic legislation expected to be si

alison deans is with us, senior adviser at varick asset management. nice to see you.ns for 2012, one that includes the fiscal cliff and one that doesn't? how do you prepare for the new year as an investor? >> pretty much. i mean, the outcome, if there is some type of healthy resolution to the fiscal cliff, even if they defer it for a week or two but come up with some healthy resolution, i think it bodes really well for global markets. if we wind up going into fiscal cliff and the world loses any faith in our government to accomplish anything that's helpful or relevant, i think that could impact the markets and it could impact the economy. >> there has to be a long-term impact, though. i mean, let's face it. any deal that they can come up with is an austerity deal. it will involve some form of tax increases, you would think, and some kind of spending cuts on the wealthy. that slows things down. it's not a growth initiative, necessarily. >> it's not a growth initiative, although my sense is most of it will be cutbacks in government and there will be some higher tax rate

alison burns in our washington, d.c. newsroom with this morning's big developments. alison?er: well, dave, first we thought we would hear something on friday. now early this morning. now we're waiting again. the justices will not meet again to talk about the same- sex marriage cases until friday. they've been asked to consider ten cases involving gay marriage laws. california's ban on same-sex marriage. now, san francisco city officials have told us they will be ready to perform weddings almost immediately if the court decides not to take up prop. a lower court overturned the law and supporters are hoping the supreme court will let that decision stand. we're prepared for the crowd that we had in 2004 and 2008 and again, we will just be open and ready for anyone who wants to come and get married. >> >> the justices are considering several challenges to a federal law that limits benefits for same-sex couples. we will certainly be staying on top of it for you and get the news when we receive it. alison burns, washington, d.c. >>> 8:16 the with less than a month to go, congress

alison? >> reporter: tori, the pressure is on. members of congress are back this morning after a long weekend. and in just about 15 minutes, democrats will be speaking out about the fiscal cliff saying medicaid should not be subject to cuts. in the past 48 hours since president obama and john boehner met face to face, no details on the discussions have -- have been released. the president said he's willing to compromise but maintains his stance on tax increases for the wealthy. >> we ask the wealthiest americans to pay 2%. i won't comhe promice on -- compromise on that >> reporter: and then an official came on tv and said they could save money by making tax cuts to the food stamp program. >>> aig is selling off most of its profit and the government will end up with a profit of $22 billion, to many people's surprise. aig was rescued in 2008 just before it had to file for bankruptcy. now aig executives say the company may be able to pay a dividends to the shareholders by next summer. >>> we're

alison kosik has the latest. alison, good morning. >> good morning, soledad.e're getting a closer look at where the gunman lived with his mother nancy, a very quiet, affluent neighborhood here in sandy hook. the house is a big house sitting on top of the hill. even a wreath above the front door. we're also learning new details of how the gunman got into the school, despite the fact that the school had security, that it locked its doors at 9:30, had to be buzzed into the school. we are learning how many weapons he on him, how much ammunition he was carrying. the gunman, adam lanza, fired dozens of bullets, using a semiautomatic weapon, using a pistol to kill himself. >> the weapon has been identified as a bushmaster ar-15 assault style weapon. high-capacity magazines, and, in addition, the subject had a glock .10 millimeter and .9 millimeter sig sauer. all weapons had additional magazines. >> a fourth weapon was found in a car outside the school. we are learning more about the shooter's activities in the days, weeks and months leading up to the second worst mas

our alison kosik is live in lansing with the latest.ally bracing for an onslaught of people. specifically by tomorrow. lay out the essentials of the story for me if you would. >> exactly. they are police are bracing for what's to come tomorrow. right now is sort of the quiet before the storm. you know, you see the barricades going up here and there is a pretty good police presence here today in and around the state capital building here in michigan in preparation for who's to come because last week, we got a taste of it. thousands of demonstrators descends upon this building as these votes were coming through on this right to work law. and you know, as we get closer to the final votes, which are expected to happen tomorrow, these demonstrations are expected to grow even more intense. what's going to happen tomorrow is the house and senate inside the building here, each has to pass each other's bill and once that happens, by the way, the votes will start around 10:00 a.m. once that happens and it is expected to pass, that bill will go to

he may address this situation as well. >> alison kosik, thank you very much.east coast port strike since 1977. [music: artist: willy moon song: "yeah yeah" label: universal] ♪ everybody well don't you know it's me now? ♪ ♪ yeah who's it, who's it huh? ♪ ♪ willy's back with a brand new beat now, ♪ ♪ yeah doin' it doin' it up! ♪ heyyy yeah, tryin' to bite my style! ♪ ♪ heyyy yeah, how you like me now? ♪ ♪ na na na na na na na na ♪ and everybody go uh! >>> 2012 was a great year for the world of showbiz. it brought us some spectacular and unforgettable moments that captured our hearts and tragic ones like the passing of some of hollywood's best. we have look at the top 10 most fascinating entertainers of this year. >> catchy dance tunes, celebrity breakups and the tragic death of a singing icon, just a few topics that had people talking in the world of show business. here's a look at cnn's top 10 entertainment news stories from 2012. ♪ so "call me maybe" >> the song was almost inescapable. the viral sensation "call me maybe." it earned her two grammy nominations a

cnn's alison kosik joins us live from lansing, michigan.lison, i know this was a surprise to some in michigan because governor rick snyder did a bit of an about face on this issue. >> reporter: and some are accusing the governor of really pushing this issue through the state house, and clearly they're not happy with it. you can see how unhappy those opposed to this bill are, just looking at the sheer number of demonstrators who came out last week and are expected to come out this week. thousands are expected to come out between today and tomorrow. president of one teachers union who we spoke with put it this way. she said, you know what, never in a million years did i ever think that michigan would ever become a right to work state, that michigan was built on unions, and you know what, she has a point there. unions have really been the backbone for workers in this state, especially when you look at the auto industry. 17.5% of the workers in this state are unionized. it's one of the highest rates in the country. and if this law passes, ted,

alison burns ktvu channel 2 news. >>> controversial comedian katt williams says he's done. he's quitting stand up comedy after another run in with the law. >> i'm just going to go ahead and announce my retirement from stand up. i'm kind of done. >> katt williams made that announcement outside of a hotel sunday night after being kicked out of the hotel. on sunday he was taken to jail accused of fight inside of a bar in seattle. now his tour stop in oakland you may remember was cut short by an on stage meltdown the one you're looking at here. also a beckly man accused williams of hitting him in the head with a bottle. he is also accused of leading police on a chase in downtown sacramento. >>> police in fremont searching for a suspect blamed for several robberies. a felony arrest warrant issued for kane barzeal. he described as a light skinned 18-year-old man about 5'11" weighing about 180 pounds with black hair. he may be living in oakland or in his hometown of benicia. >> san francisco police are using a new tool to help solve crimes. the public can use it to high pressure s

i want to go to alison kosik who joins me with more on that information. what do you know, alison?> i'm standing in the neighborhood where adam lanza, the gunman in this massacre, used to live with his mom nancy. we haven't confirmed yet whether or not this crime scene has been shut down. we haven't seen any activity since yesterday afternoon. the focus, though, still seems to be on the school. we are learning new details from the governor of connecticut dan maloy. he was on "state of the union" quit candy crowley this morning and we're getting a better picture, a more devastating picture, of how this gunman made his way into the school, which by the way had security. you had to be buzzed into the school. there were security cameras there as well. you had to be buzzed into the school as of 9:30 in the morning. governor maloy did confirm what our sources have been telling us, that this gunman literally blasted his way into the school. here's how the governor puts it. >> what we know is he shot his way into the building. he wasn't buzzed in. he shot his way in by shooting an entrance

ktvu alison burns reports from our washington, d.c.newsroom more jobs were added in november than the economists predicted. alison. >> reporter: dave, 146,000 jobs were added in november. that is twice as many as economists were expecting as for the unemployment rate it also improved. it's at 7.7% down from 7.9%. that is the lowest unemployment rate in four years. now economists thought the fallout from hurricane sandy would play a big role the labor department says it really didn't effect hiring. as for fiscal cliff fears would keep businesses from around the country from hiring that does not seem to be the case. either more than half of the jobs added last month came in retail and health care. the jobs were lost in construction and manufacturing. we're working now to get reaction from the white house and members of congress and hope to have that for you during my next update. reporting live from washington, d.c. alison burns. >>> time now 6:17. another story about controversial comedian katt williams. he has more legal problems after

>> alison kosik for us live outside the state capitol in lansing, michigan. and of course, that state, michigan, synonymous with the auto industry and union jobs. in fact, it is the birthplace of the unusual united autoworkers or uaw union. so for michigan to become a right to work state could be quite a blow, especially to the uaw. our poppy harlow is live outside, also in the snow, but with the president of the uaw. so take it away, poppy. maybe you can get some reaction live for us on the scene. >> reporter: absolutely, ashleigh. well, this is the birthplace of the united autoworkers and with me now is bob king, the president of the united autoworkers. to give our viewers some perspective, when you think union, you think uaw and bob king. so no one better to weigh in on the union perspective for us. bottom line, we were just talking, and you said, looks like this is going to pass. i know the governor is going to sign it, because he told me that on friday. what does this mean for the workers in the state of michigan? >> well, it demonstrates to workers and

alison kosik is live out in front of the lanza home. what are you finding out today? >> first of all, we are standing in front of the lanza home. it is the one behind me here on the hill. it is picturesque when you look at it. it is huge. sitting on a beautiful green lawn. there is a wreath over the front door. this, though is still an active crime scene and the investigation really does continue into what adam lanza was doing in the days and in the weeks and months before this massacre on friday. investigators now have proof that the gunman -- was -- at least one shooting range. they are not say when, they are not saying where. they are also saying that his mother, nancy lanza, who also lived with him at the house behind me, who he shot and killed before he went to the school, that she also visited at least one shooting range several times. they are not saying when. they are not saying where. there was a press conference a short time ago where police were asked if they recovered anything from a smashed hard drive and the way -- the lieutenant put it is that they are

let me go to lansing, to alison kosik there, and just, alison, set the scene for me, how many people have you seen out there and i imagine quite a police presence as well. >> there is beginning to be a police presence, but consider this more of the calm before the storm. you just showed the demonstrations from last week, if that's any indication, yes, police have been getting ready, they're getting their barricades ready. we have seen them out today. i walked inside the capital, saw a lot of police inside because what is expected tomorrow, thousands are expected to descend upon the michigan state capital, expected to march down this street, all the way up to the state -- the city hall here for lansing. these roads are expected to be closed and you'll see thousands of blanketing the street, right up until the first vote, 10:00 a.m., the senate takes up the house measure. the house will take up the senate measure. they are expected to pass. once that happens, if that indeed does happen, brooke, it would go to the governor's desk where he's expected to sign it. >> as we anticipate that,

alison? >> reporter: and dave, the defense industry projects about 135,000 jobs would be lost in california over the next few years if those tax increases and massive spending cuts kick in at the end of this month. if there's no deal on those, the pentagon was initially told not to plan for the cuts. that's all changed. in the last 24 hours, the pentagon leaders say they are preparing to slice about 10% of the budget. if we go over the fiscal cliff experts predict one in five defense contracts in california could be -- would be lost. both parties say there's still time to reach a deal and avoid those major losses. >> nobody wants to get this done more than me. >> our goal is to make sure this gets resolved. and i'm available any moment to sit down with the president to solve this. >> reporter: and leon panetta will speak to reporters from the pentagon in about an hour ago. alison burns, ktvu channel 2 news. >>> 81-year-old former senator allen simpson wants young people to get involved in red

alison?>> reporter: dave, leaderpy low say is trying to use a procedural move to force a vote on -- leader pelosi is trying to use a procedural move to force a vote on the fiscal cliff. >> let the house vote. >> reporter: that was the plea from harry reid with negotiations going nowhere. he's calling on john boehner to let a senate bill come to the floor. it would raise taxes on the wealthiest 2% of americans but extend current tax rates for everyone else. the pressure is mounting on both sides. a new poll out this morning, a pew research polls show most americans would blame republicans in congress if we go over the fiscal cliff. alison burns, ktvu channel 2 news. >>> 8:13. right now, president obama is meeting at the white house with a bipartisan group of governors. reportedly, those governors asked for the meeting with the president. they want to urge president obama to work with congress on the solution to the fiscal cliff. in the afternoon, the same group will meet with house speaker joh

alison kosik is in new york. you probably get the best price on things today. >> you would think so. if you ever had any doubts that we're not a nation of procrastinators, think again. 17 million people out in the stores just today. believe it or not, it's not as many as the number of people who hit the stores on black friday weekend. still "consumer reports" put out a survey they conducted september 10th through 17th, and look at what they found. 67% of shoppers, they're not done yet shopping. 14%, they haven't even begun. so today is the first day they're starting their christmas shopping with hours to go. as you said, carol, you're probably going to find a lot of bargains out there for toys, winter clothes, and other items retailers want off their shelves by january. that's not what last-minute shoppers are likely looking for surprisingly. well over half told "consumer reports," they'll just grab a gift card at this point. wine and liquor, they're also popular last-minute shoppers. 27% said they'll give cash.

alison kosik joins me from the this morning stock exchange. >> have you run into walls?not turn right or left here. big props with apple maps. this adds to the bad pr, right? >> you know, it could. very very least for google, it gives google a chance to say, hey, told you we were good. but apple could also turn this thing around, this goof, and say, you know what, we're not the best, we can't doefrg perfectly, but as apple, we're willing to do what's best for the customer. and you remember what happened. tim cook apologized, he actually apologized for its map app just weeks after it was introduced. this thing was just not forward prime time. cook went out and said apple fell short of its commitment to users. even ran into such problems that police in australia said the apple map put people 40 miles away from their destination in the middle of nowhere. so now it comes to today, though. we have this google option again. so as of last night, google maps are available for download, it's free. and i'm telling you, i'm seeing a lot of excitement about it on social media. so wh

alison? >> reporter: that's.emocrats are echoing the president's demand in the past half-hour. nancy pelosi renewed her call for an immediate house vote on a bill that would extend current tax rates or the -- for the middle school and increase tax increases for the wealthiest, 2% of the americans. >> if the republicans agree to bringing up the middle income tax cut, which i hope they will, that will be a victory for the american people. that's why we're here. and the cliff, which is becoming more of a slope, if they do that. >> reporter: john boehner met with house republicans. he's about to hold a news conference. he will be speaking in a few minutes. he's facing a potential revolt within his party if he caves to the pressure from the president and lets the tax rates go up. president obama is meeting with business leaders about all of this right now and we expect to hear with him -- from him within the hour. alison burns, ktvu channel 2 news. >>> 7:16. florida republican senator marco rubio said republicans shou

. >> alison kosik is in lancing with the latest for us.f we could take this to the 101 level here. explain right to work. >> it essentially means if this law passes, the right to work law, even it passes here in michigan, it means if you are looking for work in michigan you wouldn't be forced to pay union dues 0 are join a union as a condition to get a job or keep a job. for a state like michigan which was built on unions, it really is a huge sea of change here. and it comes with an element of symbolism as well. especially since unions are so engrained in this state. not only sort of undermine the power of unions in michigan, it could undercut the power and influence of unions even across the country, zoraida. >> how likely is to happen? i know i've been reading that the governor supports it. >> yes. i mean, we're hearing it is likely. first all, what's happening here today at the statehouse in michigan is around 10:00 a.m. the senate and house which have already passed measures last week, they just need to pass each other's measure. so th

alison, the smaller but feistier twin, was discharged earlier this week. amelia will need a little more time to recover. >> we need to see more stories like that. >> and the advances in medicine. joined at the chest and abdomen. and now they're separated, going to live full lives. that's incredible. >> doctors earn their paychecks. nothing but respect. >>> still to come, it might be the most wonderful time of the year, but it's also the busiest. especially for the big guy at the north pole. >> but santa has nothing to worry about, because i am on the job. next up, i take a job as an elf. oh, yeah. you're watching "world news now." of course you're watching. where else would you see that? >>> it's got to be the most thankless job in the world this time of year, santa's elf. but this is one of our favorite stories of the day. >> here we go. that's because in the true spear otof holidays, selfilousness and giving, i decided to try out for the job and here is how it went. i'm about to start now this very important duty as one of santa's main elves here as the

cnn's alison kosik joining us from the lanza home.he state police, connecticut state police, just gave us an update. for those of the viewers weren't watching cnn live, tell us the main points that the police made. >> state police say that adam lanza shot and killed his mother, shooting her multiple times inside the house, that is in this neighborhood where i'm standing right now. police still have the street leading up to his house blocked off. you know, there hasn't been much activity since yesterday afternoon, up until about -- i would say a little over an hour ago, we watched about six police cars drive up several officials got out of their car, talked a built and then got back in the cars and drove off, we assume to adam lanza's house. we learned from state police, their focus was on this school. they found that four weapons were found at the school, three found in the classroom a shotgun was found in lanza's car that was parked outside the school. we also learned that lanza mostly used a semiautomatic weapon called a bushmaster

alison kosik has more.bout how this deal is going to pay out people who currently own toyotas and those who sold them. >> there are three parts to this. this is turning out to be one of the biggest lawsuits of its kind. it reinvolves around the sticky pedal issue. that's where some drivers said they experienced unintended acceleration. their gas pedals got stuck in floor mats. this settlement is going to cover about 16 million vehicles for 1998 to 2010 models. once a judge approves the settlement, current owners of the cars will get a brake override system installed as well as a customer care plan with a ten-year warranty on parts tied to the acceleration. another part will compensation current owners whose cars are not eligible for the system and a third and separate fund will go to all the former toyota owners who sold their cars but for reduced prices because of all the negative publicity surrounding these events. the settlement does not cover personal injury claims, but it comes as they try to move past

alison kosik, live from the new york stock exchange.hank you as always. >>> the head of the national rifle association says to call him crazy for proposing more guns in schools. the nra's ceo wayne lapierre insists a ban on assault weapons won't prevent mass killings, which he blames on violent video games and the media. he says armed guns eed guards are the best way to prevent tragedies. >> if it's crazy to call for putting police and armed security in our school to protect our children, then call me crazy. i'll tell you what the american people, what they think it's crazy not to do it. >> and it's the end of an era for "newsweek" magazine. it's very last print e edition. the magazine will become a digital-only publication. this is a black and white photo and it's of the magazine's old new york headquarters. the 80-year-old "newsweek" fell victim to readers who moved online. in a statement, the editor said "we're making our last momentous change, embracing a digital medium that all our competitors one day will need to embrace. we are a

alison? >> thank you. i am delighted to be here. i want to talk about some basic the discussion we're having today is not about that this booklet at all. the fiscal cliff is more than -- is not about the fiscal cliff at all. this fiscal cliff is about other things. there are a number of things that need be addressed. this discussion really is not about the fiscal cliff, per cent. congress and the president can come together quickly and pass a bill that would put off the fiscal cliff, he there for some large amount of time or even indefinitely. it really is about making a down payment on closing deficits in the future. i would say it is also really about the president's campaign not this -- not just this past election but his first election to hike taxes on the successful. we have to see some real leadership on the longer-term budget unsustainable issues. what we do not need is negotiating in the political theater. when we see that stop, that we know we will be serious about whether we will resolve the fiscal class -- cliff and have

. >> you are watching abc 7 news at 11:00 with leon harris, alison starling blogger un weather, and timber exports. this is abc 7 news at 11:00, on your side. >> a maryland man is fighting for his life after police say he was shot in the head in aspen hill. at last check, the 21-year-old victim is in grave condition. detectives say the suspect is a anyone with information is asked to call police. >> a vote over jobs led to a racially charged debate. >> councilman marion barry was behind a bill who -- that would help men and women released from prison obtain new jobs. when the measure failed, the fireworks began. >> this all unfolded during a vote today on a couple of different bills that would make it easier for those with criminal backgrounds to get employment, housing, etc. it was the way that the city council voted on marion barry's bill that left him doing. >> how you explain the fact that mr. gramm is the only white member of this council supporting this bill? >> just seconds on the boat on the bill that would help criminals with employment and housing, the discussion turned testy. >>

reporting live alison burns. >>> more problems for controversial comedian katt williams. he was fighting with a worker at a bar. the day before he was caught on tape slapping an employee at a target store. days before that williams had a run in with police in downtown sacramento after he nearly hit five pedestrians. he was also arrested in oakland and had a very public meltdown on stage last month. >>> all lanes have reopened on highway 580 but that is following a fatal accident involving a big rig and pedestrian. the chp says the pedestrian was hit and killed at 8:30 last night on westbound 580 near the harbor way exit. authorities are look into why the person was walking on the freeway and say the big rig driver is cooperating. the identity of the victim has not been released. >>> your time 6:16. disability activists may sue to try to shut down a bike lane. the cyclists right now can ride between parked cars on the sidewalk along 1.5 miles of john f. kennedy drive. the speeds of both cars and bikes have been lowered since that loan opened. however disability activists s

alison burns is in our washington, d.c. newsroom with what is at stake and when we could hear from the court. >> reporter: pam within the next few hours we expect to get word from the u.s. supreme court about more of the cases it will consider this term. the justices met friday to talk about a number of challenges to gay marriage laws. among them california's ban on same sex marriage proposition 8. supporters of same sex marriage are hoping the court will decide not to review prop 8. that would mean the lower court ruling would take hold legalizing same sex marriage in california. san francisco city officials tell us they are ready to perform marriages as soon as tomorrow. >> we will be ready with volunteers that we already have in place and volunteers who are being trained today. we'll have a one-stop shop for anyone who wants to get married. >> reporter: and we are waiting for word from the court. we'll bring it for you here on channel 2. reporting live from washington, d.c. alison burns ktvu channel 2 news. >>> last nigh

alison kosik is at the new york stock exchange to explain this. so what is this all about? affect anyone who foreclosures on their home or who sells their home as what's known as a short sale. that's when you sell your home at a loss but avoid foreclosure. this could involve up to a million people. this is about a law put in place in 2007 called the mortgage forgiveness debt relief act. let's say you sell your house for $100,000 but your mortgage is $150,000. you normally have to pay taxes on the remaining $50,000. this law excuses homeowners from paying that tax. this law is expiring in a few days as part of the fiscal cliff. if congress does nothing, homeowners selling at a loss will have a big tax bill to deal with. it could be in the tens of thousands of dollars. it it comes at a time when they can least afford it. >> how are the markets doing today with all the news about the fiscal cliff and going over it being a possibility? >> markets are selling off just a bit. the dow is down 75 points. with rumors of congress coming back into session over the weekend, we did see

let's get straight to alison kosik at the new york stock exchange.n edge and stocks are lower and up and down, they aren't going to make any big moves on the last day of the year not knowing what's going to happen with the cliff. >> a wait and see mode, christine. the stocks are flat right now. the investors are waiting for lawmakers to make their move. what's interesting this session, stocks started off deeper in the red. they turned around. they're more flat now because the market really is trading on these headlines coming out of washington. right now those headlines seem more positive than negative. volatility could pick up toward the close as we get closer to the deadline and investors get more uneasy about holding onto their positions because they're gun-shy to hold onto positions because they don't know which way lawmakers will go on wednesday when the markets re-open after new year's day. >> they made a lot of money this year. let's be honest, this has been a good year in stocks, despite all the fiscal cliff uncertainty. i mean, this could be

alison kosik is at the new york stock exchange so is it being sold and what does this mean?well the deal has been made, that still needs regulatory approval but if the deal does go through it would mean the building i'm sitting in, the new york stock exchange euronex will wind up operating essentially under new ownership. intercontinental exchange is looking to buy nyse, the parent of the new york stock exchange, an $8.2 billion cash and stock deal. it's known as i.c.e., it operates as this electronic exchange and trades futures and over-the-counter energy and commodity contracts. i.c.e. has other exchanges looking to buy the nyse is trades in other things different from what's traded here. they trade crude oil, natural gas, and they've even expanded their activities into softer commodities like cotton and sugar and coffee, so you're seeing sort of something new being thrown into the mix. as we speak shares of the nyse are surging 35% in the premarket. remember the nyse euronex is a public company and you're seeing these shares surge, carol, because the deal values it at $33