welcome to "world news tonight." a massive storm. forecasters say it could be stronger than sandy. 60-foot waves, and plummeting temperatures. >> and double the troops heading to iraq. and chasing the kidnapper down. developing now, what the coronner has just revealed about robin williams. and bruce springsteen, our person of the week.

good evening, we begin with two breaking stories tonight. first, the monster of a storm, 800 miles which will bring a polar plunge all the way to the gulf. and forecasters say this system is stronger than superstorm sandy. and just listen to its fury. tonight, much of this country preparing, from the midwest to texas. bracing for arctic air. and the map says it all. temperatures 30 degrees below normal in some areas. rob marciano starts us off. >> reporter: winds clocked at 96

miles an hour. winds already clocked at 96 miles per hour in alaska. hurricane wind warnings now posted, seas expected to build giant waves at least 50 feet high. but like superstorm m sandy, it much more than just a hurrane. and this one could be even stronger. and right in the crosshairs, the crews on the fishing boats from discovery's "deadliest catch." >> we're trying to get our pots on as fast as we can and get out of here as quick as we can. we don't need anybody hurt, and just get home safe and go home for thanksgiving. >> reporter: tonight, his fellow fishermen are already back in dutch harbor, scrambling to unload their catch. this monster storm will push arctic air all the way down to the gulf coast. in just 24 hours, temps in omaha this weekend will drop from the 60s to the 20s. more than half of the country will feel the big chill. >> millions getting ready for this. and rob is here with a new track. >> well, the story remains the

same. heading to the bering sea and intensifying. heading to the gulf coast this weekend, and through next week. probably no big snowstorms, but some snow will fly. near zero windchills in the northern plains. and now, to the number of u.s. troops being sent to iraq. doubled to more than 3,000. late word from president obama, authorizing the deployment of more troops. let's go straight to martha raddatz. >> this is a significant move that puts u.s. troops at greater risk. but the president says that will not be in a combat role. they will be where isis doesn't have a significant presence.

the new troops will be in much more volatile areas. >> and as you know, a lot of americans are going hear these new numbers and say, is this mission creep? >> well, the white house says it is not mission creep? in june, they announced 300 troops. now, 1,500 additional trainers, and the white house says there are no ceilings or limits on how many more troops will go. >> thank you. now to a major development when it comes to the airbags in millions of americancars. was there a coverup?

7.8 millions of airbags that safety experts say could explode like an i.e.d. now, abc news has been pressing for answers for weeks. >> i'm with abc. are they talking to me? >> being sent away there. tonight, lawmakers calling for a criminal investigation as honda issues a new warning on some of its airbags. david kerley has the story. >> reporter: more customers told tonight to urgently replace airbags. and now, fed-up members of congress, calling for a criminal investigation of the manufacturer. this, after a report that takata industries knew some of its bags were exploding too forcefully, even started testing a decade ago according to claims by two insiders. the former unnamed testing engineers tell the "new york times" takata started the secret testing in 2004. it was after the first death

from an airbag inflator fracturing and sending shards of metal through the bag and into a passenger. but after three months, according to the "times," the secret effort was shut down. technicians told to delete data, to dispose of the airbags that were tested. never telling government regulators. >> what's surprising is not the disclosure of the tests, but how long it has taken to get out, because what we've seen is more than a decade of quality control problems atta -- takata's plants. >> reporter: takata says the anonymous allegations are "fundamentally inaccurate." meanwhile, honda is telling more customers to take their cars in now for airbag replacements. as dealers around the country try to keep up. and even with this expansion, you think you will be able to serve your customers? >> yes. they have been incredibly forthcoming with us, and are supplying us with all the parts we need. >> reporter: honda and takata are already subjects of a government investigation.

regulators want to know what they knew and when they knew about the faulty airbags. to utah, and a stunning kidnapping case. this little girl, just five years old, in her mother's arms after a harrowing ordeal. tonight, the 911 call, and the one parent that chased the kidnapper. here's brandi hitt. >> there was a man in my home, and he took my 5-year-old daughter. >> reporter: it's every parent's nightmare. stephanie holladay edson, calling 911 right after catching a man trying to abduct her daughter. >> this just happened. please hurry. >> reporter: it was 4:30 in the morning. police say the man entered the edsons' sandy, utah, home through an unlocked door. grabbing the little girl as she slept in her basement bedroom. carrying her out the front door.

>> aez as he was exiting, some noises were made. which awoke the parents, who went to investigate. >> we heard the front door open and i heard her talking. >> reporter: the girl's stepfather, rushing outside, confronting the man carrying his daughter across the front lawn. police say the suspect then dropped the child and ran off. >> she looks like she's still dressed and everything. oh, my god! >> reporter: k9 units moving in. finding the man, 48-year-old troy morley, in a neighbor's home. he'd entered that house through the dog door. morley, behind bars tonight, booked on child kidnapping and burglary charges. >> there was a bit of a miracle that occurred that morning. that allowed the mom and the stepfather here to wake up in time to rescue this child. >> reporter: this case, reminding many of elizabeth smart, who was taken from her bedroom 12 years ago, and rescued in the same neighborhood. the edson family, back home tonight, relieved this abduction was stopped in the nick of time. brandi hitt, abc news, los angeles.

>> >> thank you. tonight, the aftermath of a bruising election for president obama and the democrats. tension already over a key issue. stern faces all around as the president sat down with leaders from both parties this afternoon. president obama saying he will act alone if necessary. and breaking now from the white house, president obama naming lo rhett the lynch as the first african-american woman to head the justice department if confirmed. and pierre thomas with the story about an fbi

investigation. >> reporter: the fbi suddenly appeared at this home in an upscale washington neighborhood. neighbors were shocked. why was the fbi executing a search warrant at the home of robin raphael? >> we are aware of this law enforcement matter. the state department has been cooperating. >> generally, a counterintelligence investigation involves some kind of espionage activity. >> reporter: robin raphael as a patriot, whose husband arnold, a former u.s. ambassador to pakistan, died in a plane crash with that country's leader in 1988. raphael began her career as a cia analyst before spending decades with the foreign service. she had most recently been a consultant for the state department, but her appointment has expired. her family says she is cooperating with the investigation. the exact nature of the investigation is unclear, but her security clearance has been suspended. and authorities not only

searched her home but offices as well. and a developing story in the west tonight,hat the coroner has revealed about the death of robin williams. >> reporter: he did not have any illegal drugs or alcohol in his system when he took his own life. he was found dead last august 11th, the cause of death, asphyxiation, death by hanging. his wife said he was restless due to his parkenson's and sleep issues. he put wristwatches in a sock, and reportedly was worried about them and wanted to keep them safe. and he was found the next

morning. the report's conclusion, that robin williams committed suicide. and now to a health alert. any parent or grandparent would like to pay attention. paula faris on how fast germs spread in just one hour. >> reporter: a third of the students at this elementary school in the chicago area stayed home this week because of a stomach virus, causing the school to close for deep cleaning. and 150 students and 10 staff at this boston school feel ill with norovirus. these viruses spread like wildfire. >> look at that, whoa! >> reporter: to see how quickly we teamed up with this fourth grade new jersey class. we poured a product called

glo-germ on just two kids, julia and jonathan. invisible to the eye. but not under black lights. we followed our two volunteers throughout the school day. after just one hour. >> look at that. i see fingerprints. >> reporter: the germ had spread to every single child in the classroom. what started here just one hour later was everywhere. not just on the kids, but on everything they touched. norovirus can live on a surface for 12 days or more and it only takes a droplet to spread but it's easy to prevent. >> we just disinfect every surface. >> reporter: proper hand hygiene is key. washing your hands for 20 seconds and most importantly, stay home if you're feeling sick. >> it's all along your cheek. these kids with a lesson for us

all. paula faris, abc news, new jersey. still much more ahead. is your car safe in the driveway? watch this man, getting in the car, and driving off. this isn't his car. the new way thieves are stealing cars. and that's ginger zee, dropping from midair, and reporting in live on her way down. and tonight, we take you backstage with bruce springsteen. woman: everyone in the nicu -- all the nurses wanted to watch him when he was there 118 days. everything that you thought was important to you changes in light of having a child that needs you every moment.

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watch, as they dismantle the gate and roll out. then, just a few doors down, the thieves strike again. watch as they easily make off with another luxury car. keyless ignition systems are more convenient for owners, but if leave them in the car, it's no different than leaving your keys in the car. and that's convenient for thieves. but even if you don't leave your keys, thieves can still break in without breaking anything. watch this thief in chicago as he walks by a car. he's holding something. the lights go on, and he's in. wireless signal experts say it's possible for thieves to mimic the wireless signal that unlocks your car doors. in effect, grabbing the code instead of the keys. >> we believe that this code grabbing technology was utilized and we are looking into it and investigating. >> reporter: car thieves have kept up with technology, and that means a car is stolen every 43 seconds in the u.s. more than a million every year.

matt gutman, abc news, miami. >> and when we come back here tonight, this is ginger zee dropping at 120 miles per hour and still reporting in live. what she said in a moment. and backstage with stars, why we were all together. in a moment. this kind of stress on my feet. putting i have flat feet. i found this out at the free dr.scholl's foot mapping center. in less than two minutes, i got my foot map and my custom number. i'm a 440. i'm a 210. 340. that number matched the dr.scholl's custom fit orthotic inserts with just the right support to help relieve stress on my feet. i'm a believer. go to drscholls.com for locations and save $10 [ telephone rings ] [ shirley ] edward jones. this is shirley speaking. how may i help you? oh hey, neill, how are you? how was the trip?

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finally tonight here, our persons of the week. it's not often we get to take you backstage with so many. tonight, the stars helping us honor our heroes, our person of the week. thank you. i can salute you. we found our friend. there you are. bob, eight years running, injured himself covering the war. we all remember his comeback. never forgetting the veterans coming back, too.

john stewart, who comes back every year. one thing you said is that it's quite moving to perform for people so much better than you. >> i stand by that statement. we're good at making veterans, not as good as taking care of them. >> and louie ck,remembering his own visit to walter reed. >> i said i'm story for what happened to you. he said, i'm alive. >> and john oliver, his new hbo show, he calls it "last week tonight." he married an iraq veteran. >> i was in afghanistan last year, all they want to kno is, are they thinking about us. >> and now, bob woodruff's wife

lee. >> you're a poser. >> no one is denying that. >> but the true star, waiting in his dressing room. captain derek herrera, shot by a sniper, now about to put on a rewalk. e exoskeleton technology. tonight, you're going to surprise this audience. and he does it. [ applause ] >> backstage, his wife laura, a ballet teacher. >> to see him back on his feet again, to be able to give him a hug, look him in the eye standing up. it's one of the moments i won't

forget. >> a tribute by the boss. ♪ >> one night, all of us honoring them. a reminder we have never forget. >> with veteran's day coming, we want to hear from you. leave us a message on our facebook page. i'll see you right here later tonight on "20/20" and on monday. until then, good night.