. >> i'm amy robach. you've had quite a week this week. >> very emotional, very difficult story to report. folks in the community that's demanding answers rightfully. some were getting them, at least about the shooter, jared loughner. it shows the alleged gunman on his community college campus rambling about what he called his genocide school. this disturbing video raises more questions about the warning signs of what led to last saturday's tragedy. we'll have more on this coming up in a few moments. >>> then michael steele the embattled head for the republican national commit se no longer in charge. so who is? we'll tell you about the new chairman and what he might mean for the party. >>> also from exposed to more exposure for anna chapman, the head-turning secret agent from russia. she's back in the spotlight again and cashing in on her new tv gig. >>> and inside "american idol." the show kicks off its tenth season this week. this season it is without simon. it's still a huge hit, but ratings have been

i'm lester holt. >> and i'm amy robach.e say this every year but again it's hard to believe it's 2011. we'll have to change how we write our checks and i always have a hard time with that. >> i always say it means you're getting older. >> gee, thanks. >> it's hard to believe. well, we are. but we have to adjust to the whole thing. and, you know -- >> i'm glad i'm here to see it. >> there you go, good answer. coming up on this first 2011 "today" show, the year something we all do every new year's eve, make resolutions. but as we all know making them is one thing, sticking with them is another. so how do you do it? we'll show you how to keep the commitment. >> also, one word, hangover. millions are waking up with probably a big one from ringing in the new year. so we have a few good remedies on how to get rid of the hangover blues. >> then the best of weekend "today." all morning we're going to take a look back at some of our favorite stories of the year from the olympics, my first trip to afghanistan to going inside the smit

back inside studio 1a, i'm amy robach along with lester holt. and coming up here on "today," where is felicia simone barnes? >> felicia is a 16-year-old honor student from north carolina. she traveled to baltimore to spend a new year holiday with her half-sister when she simply vanished. the fbi and baltimore police are baffled. they're doing everything they can to find her. she turned 17, by the way, later this month. coming up we'll talk with felicia's mom live about how she is dealing with her daughter's disappearance and what's being done to find her. >> plus it's been called the milkshake murder. nancy kissel, the american banker's wife living in hong kong was sentenced to life in prison for allegedly lacing her husband's milkshake with sedatives and killing him. hong kong's highest court ruled there should be a new trial and that trial begins next week. coming up we'll take a look at the case and what life has been like for kissel. >> and then die-hard fans probably knew this already, but today would have been elvis presl presley's 76th bi

. >> and i'm amy robach. it's been two weeks since the tragedy in tucson and in that short time span, gabby giffords' recovery has been remarkable. >> at the airport, the stretcher carrying giffords was lifted on to a private jet that would fly her to a houston rehabilitation hospital. >> and you see in will this picture mark kelly watches as giffords' mother sits next to the congresswoman on the flight. the road to recovery is sure to be long and difficult for giffords, so we'll have the late nest a live report. >>> and then we'll turn back the clock a bit and remember the iran hostage crisis. this week marks the 30th anniversa anniversary. i sat down with one of the former hostages and he releases new detail. >>> plus amanda knox has another clarns to overturn her murder conviction. she's appealing the verdict and is back in court relying on key evidence that was not permitted in her trial. we'll have a hive report from italy coming up. >>> and eberts encore. two years after cancer left him without a voice,

but first, national correspondent amy robach has details. amy? >> reporter: meredith, good morning.ly rare skill. only six people have been diagnosed with something called superior autobiographical memory and it is nothing short of amazing. >> i lied about having this great, steady guy. >> reporter: more than 30 years ago, actress marilu henner landed a role on the tv sitcom "taxi". >> i didn't remember that story, how did you remember it? >> reporter: henner played elaine, a role that launched her career. >> yeah. >> reporter: what most people don't know is that helper has a super-sized memory, a rare ability that allows her to recall vivid details about every singledy of her life. henner talked about it to on "60 minutes" last month. >> these shoes, i wore them october -- the first time, i wore them october 18, 2007. these i wore on april 21st of this year, so that was a tuesday. i was putting in a dvd and it cues up. >> reporter: it is known as superior autobiographical people trick is so uncommon, doctors are still trying to figure out how it works. >> they have memorized their

. >> and i'm amy robach. we're getting disturbing new details. there are thousands of people now in the streets of cairo. some estimates putting that number at 50,000. >> you have to wonder if this is all getting ahead of where the mubarnemubarak government thoug would be. there are new reports from suez that says they're using live ammunition. americans and other foreigners desperately trying to get out of the country. at least 35 people have been killed since the violence began five days ago. >> president nmubarak has fired his entire cabinet, but he's defending the crackdown. he also spoke to president obama in a 30 minute phone call. we'll have a live report from egypt and washington in just a moment. >>> in other news, we'll also have new accusations against the dating game killer. he appeared on the show back in the late '70s. at the same time, he was a predator who would later be sentenced to death for several murders. now he's linked to two more killings this i'm in new york. we'll have much more on this story ahead. >>> also the new look

inside of studio 1-a, i'm willie geist along with natalie morales and amy robach.nesday into thursday. tens of thousands of people have no power still. we'll get the latest in a live report. >> it's been fun though. >> how much more can we take? >> snow day! >> more trouble for charlie sheen after two 911 calls were made. he was rushed to a los angeles hospital after a night of partying at his house. we'll get the latest on his condition and what happened. >> then in real estate from new york to mexico, texas to tennessee, we have great property from $350,000 or less. you will be surprised what you can get. if you have had it up to here with the fighting and screaming between your children, people will tell you there are three things to do as parents to limit sibling rivalry in the family. we'll tell you what the tips are to keep the peace. >> all three of us will be watching that one. >> my sisters and i used to get each other. >> ann's off and you have a check of the top stories. >> egyptian police are firing teargas, water cannons and rubber bullets at protester

we're going to talk to both of them in a moment, but here's amy robach with how it all happened. >> reporter a few days ted williams has gone from begging for money on a freeway to widespread fame, numerous job offers and a chance to rebuild his life. >> hi, mommy, hi mommy. >> reporter: a week ago this reunion would have seemed impossible for ted williams and his mother julia. >> this has been a dream, a dream and a prayer, finally a sign that has some kind of validity. >> reporter: signs that i have a good given voice, prompting a videoographer to listen. >> when you're listening to the best of oldies, you're listening to 98.9. >> and then alcohol and drugs and a few other things became a part of my life and i got two years clean. and i'm trying hard to get it back. >> reporter: since it was posted on the internet just this monday, the video has been viewed nearly 1 million times. >> i see a lot of videos but few of them change people's lives like this one has. >> reporter: within a few days, ted williams, 53 years old and homeless found himself back inside a radio station and flooded with

today, national correspondent amy robach is here with details on that.good morning to you. this is the second medical leave in two years for the apple billionaire and his third since 2004. he's already battled pancreas cancer and had a liver transplant. this news is raising questions about his health and how apple will be impacted. >> and we call it -- the ipad. [ applause ] >> reporter: he's the genius behind the products that have changed the world. as ceo of apple, steve jobs is used to getting attention. >> anywhere i want to go, anything i want to make bigger. >> reporter: now he's in the spotlight for a different reason. on monday jobs announced he'll take another leave of absence to focus on health. in an e-mail to employees he said, i love apple so much and hope to be back as soon as i can. my family and i deeply appreciate respect for our privacy. it's the latest health scare for the 55-year-old ceo. in 2004, jobs revealed he had pancreatic cancer and declared surgery to remove the cancer was a success. in 2008 while introducing the newest ipod,