live and in hd, this is abc 7 news at noon, on your side. this is breaking news. >> we are following this. president obama just wrapped up an address concerning the death of an american-born all, a leader in yemen. officials say an overnight drop on strike killed our anwar al- aulaqi -- killed al-aulaqi. ben eisler there has more. >> he and his network were described as al qaeda's biggest

threats to our safety. >> probably the most significant risk to the u.s. homeland. >> sources confirmed he was killed in yemen. tribal forces say that it was in an air strike. u.s. officials had been tracking him for months. >> make no mistake, this is further proof that al qaeda and its affiliates will find no safe haven anywhere in the world. >> born in the u.s. in mexico in 1971, he went to college in colorado path that eventually went to virginia. he served as the imam of a mosque in falls church. he presented a calm demeanor in 2001. just a year later he would move to yemen where authorities say he became one of al qaeda's top operational planners and its leading english-language propaganda person, using the internet to wage jihad against

the u.s. >> never esther -- never underestimate the power of fear. >> u.s. authorities have connected him to the accused gunman at fort hood, the attempt to bring down an american jetliner over detroit on christmas day 2009, and the underwear bomber. >> a major achievement in terms of american security. >> his death could prove more significant in terms of safety than even that of osama bin laden. ben eisler reporting from the satellite center. >> we will continue tracking this story all day. you can also look for the latest developments on our website wjla.com. turning to the weather. getting a sunny start for the afternoon. big change on the way. steve rudin has a look at the forecast. >> a beautiful afternoon shaping up across the mid-atlantic. plenty of sunshine, but a few clouds beginning to roll in. this is part of a cold front that will change the way it

feels for the weekend. if temperatures outside are comfortable. 73 at reagan national. incumbent, 10 degrees less. you can see where the front is located, how the clouds are beginning to increase across the potomac highlands and central valley. we will look for an area of low pressure that will bring unsettled weather for the day tomorrow after this. then unnoticeable cooldown. highs only in the 50's. how long will the cold weather last? that's coming up in a few minutes. we are following a developing story that could have a significant impact on your next trip on the beltway. a major traffic shift is about to take effect at the interchange with interstate 66. brianne carter is in fairfax county this afternoon with all the details. >> we are at that interchange along the northbound lanes of

495. here's the new exit you'll need to take to get on to 66 west starting tomorrow. you know that this is an area where you have a chance to get off on the left or the rights for an exit ramp to 66. that will not be the case starting tomorrow. the right side will be your only option. the reason for this is the hot lanes project. they have been working on that to get completed by 2012. officials say that they believe this right lane change will be beneficial in the long run. >> we think that this is going to be an improvement because you always have drivers going from afar right to the left and that slows down traffic. anytime you have a left exit, traffic slows. overall, the design is better and traffic will move smoothly through that area by having the right exit.

>> there's been a lot of construction out here. they are asking drivers to be patient while all this work continues. they understand there will be some confusion from those not aware of the changes as we get into a tomorrow and in the upcoming weeks. but they believe in the long run it will be the best option. all this on the left lanes that will be closed will eventually become part of the hot lanes and there will be and eventually an exit ramps for the hot lanes. if this project will be completed entirely december 2012. >> thank you. metro passengers should allow an extra 20 minutes this weekend because of track work. that will begin at 10:00 tonight and will continue through closing on sunday. trains will be single-tracking on parts of the red line, green orange, and blue line. also on the blue line is a special shuttle trains running between van dorn street and franconia springfield. we have an update on the

ongoing inspection of the washington monument. the national park service says that the four engineers who have been rappelling down the sides have completed their inspection of the top part of the monument the pyramid. if as expected cracks were found. the park service said the inspection is necessary to determine if well landmarked and reopen -- when the landmark can reopen. >> these chips could fall off from quite a sight. we need to make sure the danger is removed before we allow the public back on to the site. >> engineers will continue expecting through the weekend and will wrap up on tuesday. a house fire under investigation in southeast washington. when they arrived this morning but crews saw flames on the second floor of this home near the corner of eighth street and d street. the fire is out and there are no reports of injury. prosecutors are dropping a misdemeanor reckless driving

charge against a bus driver who was charged in the deadly accident on 95. four people died in may and when a sky express bus swerved off the interstates in caroline county, virginia. the 37-year-old driver will sextile critics and challenge january on four pelham involuntary manslaughter charges. the trial for the grandmother accused of murder will resume on monday. their effects county court is in recess today. yesterday attention shifted to carmela dela rosa's mental health history. witnesses testified that she attempted suicide twice and was diagnosed with depression as well. that was only weeks before she threw her granddaughter of six stories down at tysons corner. the little girl died. lawyers for her a sedative effects -- was insane at the time. police in arlington are searching for the man who attacked a jogger yesterday at around 6:30 a.m. on army navy drive.

the suspect knocked down a 37- year-old woman, kicked the woman, sexually assaulted her. neighbors say they are surprised by the violence. >> my mother and i walk frequently, not really early in the morning, but still there are many people commuting to work. it is scary that would happen right here. >> arlington police are asking for the help of the public. anyone who might have seen or heard anything, is asked to come forward. the new martin luther king jr. memorial library will remain open on sunday. mayor vincent gray made the announcement today. funding will be available to keep the doors open. the library will get $316,000 to pay for the sunday hours. the library in the west d.c. will be open on sundays from 1:00 until 5:00 p.m. a tweet about a hostage situation on the hill is now the focus of a police investigation.

the onion coarsely reported that lawmakers were holding a group of schoolchildren for ransom. the proposed social media page also puts out fake pictures. a spokesperson for the capitol police says her department is looking into the incident. the inion refused to apologize for the story. following breaking news from the 2012 campaign trail. florida just announced it will hold a presidential primary on january 31. that is expected to prompt officials in four states to move their primaries and caucuses up as well. those four states are the only ones allowed to hold contests before march 5 under republican and democratic party rules. president obama and vice president joe biden attending the swearing-in ceremony for the new chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. a ceremony taking place at fort myer in arlington.

admiral mike mullen is retiring after fourfour is as chairman and more than 40 years in uniform. president obama thanks adderall mullen -- thanked him for his service. >> our nation is more secure because of the service you have rendered. >> army general, martin dempsey is being sworn in. he is the 18th chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. when we continue, a high school football coaches off the job. coming up, and what the man says is the reason he decided to hold a motivational team meeting in a graveyard. >> we looked over every hill. >> the family would not give up until they found a missing loved one. a missing man survived for days strapped to the bottom of a debt. and later, you never know where you might run into when you get

out for a shopping trip. all that and if steve rudin returns with a look

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the stand today in the michael jackson death trial. the court went into session a few minutes ago. we'll hear from the paramedic who responded to the mansion the day the singer died. they're expected to say dr. conrad murray never mentioned giving tax and the powerful anesthetic propofol. yesterday one of jackson's bodyguards described the moment one of jackson's children realize their father was in serious trouble. >> paris screamed out daddy. >> when you heard her scream daddy, was crying? >> yes. >> the paramedics believe jackson died by the time they arrived. dr. murray insisted jackson be taken to the hospital anyway. we will have a complete update on the trial at 5:00 today. a new york football coach has been suspended for motivational exercise that he arranged for his players. after a loss, he reportedly had

his team bus pull over at a cemetery. the orders the players to lie down on graves while he spoke to them about the importance of playing cards. yesterday apologize to the players and their parents. the city was trying to inspire the team by borrowing from the movie "remember the titans." california father was missing four days, but he is safe today. his family refused to believe that he ran away. if his children found their father at the bottom of a 200 foot ravine. scott goldberg has this remarkable story of survival. >> when a car veers off a winding road and tumbled 200 feet into a ravine, you would be forgiven for so many things would not end well. >> if anybody can find my dad it is us. we know he's alive. >> if they were determined to find their father david and they did. six days after his car fell into

the pits in southern california. his kids formed their own search party. >> we stopped at every ravine and looked over every hill. then my brother got out of the car and we kept screaming. the next thing we heard my dad's a help and there he was. >> police hoisted him out of the ravine by helicopter. the likely loss control while driving home last friday and was blinded by oncoming red lights. he landed next to another driver, apparently an earlier victim of the same twisting road who;s story ended differently. >> there was a vehicle down there from a previous incident. unfortunately that they and did not survive. >> david's doctors say that he is stable. >> it's unusual to come out as stable as he is. he did not sustain any life- threatening injuries. >> if this family said that he survived by setting up camp. >> he was living on water from a

stream and leaves and then he asked for a chocolate milkshake. >> pin factor in a few ribs, one of his arms, and is back in several places. is life is not in danger. it is just in a lot of pain and very hungry. scott goldberg, abc news. 7 is on your side with the new driving law that will take effect in maryland tomorrow. the new rules include a ban on texting while driving and the stricter penalties and regulations for convicted drunk drivers. new legislation will allow police to install security cameras in school buses as well. you never know where you might find chris lee michelle obama. she wore a baseball cap and sunglasses to pick up a few items from the target store on route 1 in alexandria on thursday. -- first lady michelle obama. a photographer snapped the photographs. the first lady spent about 30 minutes shopping can sometimes says that she misses the normal

stuff like running out to the store. the first lady has to go to target too. >> there are more pictures on our web site. a great picture of a lady holding the lamp shades and just casually looking. >> i think that was her assistant. >> it was another shopper. lots of sunshine today. are you ready for cooler temperatures on the way tomorrow? that's just in time for the taste of bethesda. lots of sunshine in annapolis as we move through the early afternoon. 73 degrees at reagan national airport. the dew point level in the 50's. it is beginning to feel much more comfortable. 75 degrees at george washington university. wind gusts around 10 miles an hour. the same in alexandria, 75 degrees. oakland, maryland, 85 degrees. there were gusts of 32 miles an hour earlier today. cool air and breezy conditions

on the way tonight and into tomorrow. cooler air will to the north and west of us, temperatures in the 60's. lexington park, maryland, 77 degrees. 51 degrees in detroit, a 43 in michigan. the dew point levels tumbling. drier air will stick around for of a few days and then a sunshine will make another appearance. we will not see a lot of it for the day tomorrow. more sunshine on sunday. pressure over the great lakes will eventually bring us increasing clouds and a chance of a few showers tomorrow. 20% to 30% chance. cooler temperatures with highs in the upper 50's to ow 60's. slight chance of showers tomorrow.

clearing out a little on sunday with more sunshine and cool air. highs today 73-77. added clouds later this afternoon. temperatures tonight in the mid 40's in the suburbs low 50's's downtown. tomorrow, mostly cloudy, tens of showers, 57-62. . the extended outlook. the most beautiful weather in washington comes in october. monday tuesday, and wednesday look fantastic with high temperatures in the mid 70's. tomorrow and sunday will be a shock to the system. >> jennifer donelan is working on a story about the first lady. so we will see all the pictures. next, the makers of a controversial smartphone application, what they say about a gay test. and on anderson couples who never connected w

captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- some debit card customers are about to get hit with yet another fee. starting early next year bank of america customers will pay for the privilege of using their debit card. the nation's largest bank says it will institute a $5 per month fee to cover the cost of implementing new regulations. customer so only use their cards at atm machines, they will not have to pay the fee. other banks including wells fargo and chase are testing out similar fees in several states. a new smartphone application is sparking controversy. it is called "is my son gay?"

it is climbing to provide an answer in 20 questions or less. the makers said they used a fun approach but some say this could cause a rift in some families if someone took the application seriously.

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become a fan and we will announce the winner today on abc 7 news at 5:00. >> the big chill is on the way. look the extended outlook. tomorrow but temperatures will be in the upper 50's, low 60's. cooler air is on the way. a warm up next week. taste of bethesda tomorrow. >> thanks for