and our brand new abc news/"washington post" poll showing newt gingrich has opened up a commanding lead in iowa and nationwide, he's riding a wave of momentum, racking up twice the support of mitt romney, just four weeks before the vote in iowa and four days before the top republican contenders come together for our abc news debate. as jake tapper reports, that surge has brought new scrutiny to the former speaker. >> reporter: as new clear front-runner newt gingrich enjoys his stunning new status, his opponents and skeptical conservatives are just now beginning to unleash the hounds of hell on his record. >> he's demonstrating himself to be the very essence of the washington insider. >> reporter: congressmen ron paul is taking to the airwaves to lambaste gingrich for being paid $1.6 million by mortgage giant freddie mac in the years leading up to the housing and economic crisis. >> it's about serial hypocrisy. >> reporter: in the new abc news/"washington post" poll, one of gingrich's greatest strengths, where he beats mitt romney 2 to 1, is standing up for what he believes in. so, that'

. >> reporter: in the new abc news/"washington post" poll, one of gingrich's greatest strengths, where he beats mitt romney 2 to 1, is standing up for what he believes in. so that's exactly what his opponents are attacking his beliefs. >> if you take a look at the top contenders, mitt romney and newt gingrich, it's very hard for a tea partier to see them as the consistent conservative. >> reporter: congresswoman michele bachmann is portraying romney and gingrich as two peas in a liberal pod. >> i would love to have him convince me that i'm wrong. >> reporter: and in a phone interview today with conservative talk show host glenn beck, gingrich was challenged for being too moderate on the role of government. >> regulation and the government scares the crap out of me and i think most tea party kind of leaning conservatives. >> there are minimum regulatory standards of public health and safety that are i think really important. >> reporter: that was a civil exchange, george, compared to the blistering attacks he's likely to face at saturday night's abc news debate. george? >> and one of th

jim avila, abc news, new york. >> abc's legal analyst dan abrams is here. and, dan, you saw sandusky's lawyer try to defend the strategy. i don't get it. >> well, look, i hold the lawyer responsible to some degree. it's the lawyer who should be taking him through all the questions and then doing a cost benefit analysis and saying is this worth it. when he's going to give nuanced answers as to the definition of attraction and provide fodder for prosecutors to use later, as well as upset the victims, you've got to say how could it have been worth it? >> so this interview can't help even if it keeps him off the stand. >> i don't think it would. i don't think he would take the stand, but this sort of interview because it wasn't particularly helpful is not going to prevent him from taking the stand. i don't find that those kind of interviews in an effort to poison the jury pool tend to work at all. >> okay, dan abrams, thanks very much. >>> and still ahead, the new research tonight, what sitting at work all day really can do to your body. nyquil (stuffy): hey, t

. >>> then, an abc news exclusive. barbara walters inside syria, with the only one-on-one with syria's embattled president. >> why is this such a brutal crackdown? >> does he fear civil war? does he sense the circle closing around him? barbara is right here with us tonight. >>> family values. why mitt romney is hoping voters will focus on this image tonight, as the gloves come off, taking aim at the new front-runner. ♪ have you driven a ford >>> that famous question, and our question tonight for the ceo of ford, who turned that c carmaker around. what is the key to bringing america back? >>> kicked off. after alec baldwin booted after that battle, who was right? the famous actor or the flight attendant? >>> and pearl harbor. the image we learned today we will never see again. >>> good evening. diane is on assignment tonight. and we begin here with two major stories this evening. barbara walters and her exclusive one-on-one with syria's embattled president. face-to-face as she asks, why the deadly crackdown? she's rig

jim avila, abc news, new york. >> abc's legal analyst dan abrams is here. dan, you saw sandusky's lawyer try to defend the strategy. i don't get it. >> look, i hold the lawyer responsible to some degree. it's the lawyer who should be taking him through all the questions and then doing a cost benefit analysis and saying is this worth it when he's going to give nuanced answers to the definition of attraction and provide fodder for prosecutors to use later as well as upset the victims you've got to say how could it have been worth it? >> this can't help even if it keeps him off the stand. >> i don't think it would. i don't think he would take the stand. this sort of interview because it wasn't particularly helpful is not going to prevent him from taking the stand. i don't find those kind of interviews in an effort to poison the jury pool tend to work at all. >> okay, dan abrams, thanks very much. >>> still ahead, the new research tonight, what sitting at work all day can really do to your body. nyquil (stuffy): hey, tylenol. you know we're kinda like twins. ty

and so tonight here, another abc news exclusive. this time, with the ceo of ford, who revived that auto giant, invifting me for a tour of one of ford's factories and revealing his plan for thousands of new jobs. ♪ have you driven a ford >> reporter: that iconic question asked by ford for decades. just a couple of years ago, ford was an american auto giant fighting for survival. but unlike its american competitors, ford would not file for bankruptcy and no taxpayer bailout, borrowing $23.5 billion on its own to get back on track. how much of that $23.5 billion do you still have to pay back? >> we have repaid over $21 billion of the original 23.5. >> reporter: almost there? >> we're almost there. >> reporter: you were able to do this without filing for bankruptcy, without taking a federal bailout. and that resonated with the american people. >> oh, absolutely. >> reporter: ford ceo alan mulally took us on an exclusive tour of this michigan plant that makes f-150s. the proud factually workers here had no idea mr. mulally would show u

we're going to begin tonight with an abc news exclusive. it's the first interview with an american businessman, immediately after his release from four months in jail on the caribbean island of aruba, wra he but suspected of, though never charged with, the murder of his traveling companion. she was robyn gardner. a 35-year-old maryland woman, not presumed yesterday. he is gary giordano, answering some questions and raising others. abc's matt gutman has been covering the story from the start and here he is now. >> reporter: after 116 days in an aruba prison, gary giordano, arrested for the suspected murder of robyn gardner, back on u.s. soil. did you ever think this would come, all those nights in prison? >> no. no. i'd accepted the fact that they were going to -- keep me from my kids forever. >> reporter: in new york, an onslaught of reporters. and soon, this emotional reunion with his three teenage sons. >> this is an opportunity just to ask you some questions. >> reporter: flanked along with his attorney jose baez in his first interview w

abc news. >> trump, not out at all. he says if the republicans don't pick a candidate that he thinks can win, he's going to go in as an independent, could go in as an independent. i don't want to announce a candidacy for him. >> he doesn't want to leave "the apprentice." he said that. >> yeah, very true. >> i just don't think that will happen. i guess we will see. how about mrs. cain standing near her man? >> that was an interesting photo opportunity. >> it really was. i think we were all wondering what his announcement would be once we saw them holding hands. this was unbelievable. she sort of is in the line of women that stand by their men when all these accusations are coming forward. i remembered -- >> yeah, now this. we'll have to wait and see where supporters will go to. still, very, very much in the air. >>> but also this morning, new tensions between the u.s. and iran. military officials in iran say they have shot down a u.s. drone. american officials admit that one of them went missing over afghanistan last wee

for "nightline," this is dan harris in new york. >> ah, youth. thank you for watching abc news. we do hope you check in on "good

john berman, abc news, concord, new hampshire. >>> and one programming note. barbara walters has her interview with the president and first lady, the only joint interview they've given this year, tonight on "20/20" at 10:00 p.m. eastern. >>> and still ahead on "world news," the young coma patient about to be taken off life support, back from the brink. one family's worst fears make a miraculous turn, just in time for christmas. >>> and what happens when your neighbor's house shines like a christmas-themed surface of the sun? the showdown tonight in one texas town. >>> and an ever-heartwarming scene, the parents back from war. but wait until you see the surprise one soldier mom had for her kids, and they for her. our "person of the week." man: my electric bill was breaking the bank. so to save some money, i trained this team of guinea pigs to row this tiny boat. guinea pig: row...row. they generate electricity, which lets me surf the web all day. guinea pig: row...row. took me 6 months to train each one, 8 months to get the guinea pig: row...row. little chubby

. >>> then, an abc news exclusive. barbara walters inside syria, with the only one-on-one with syria's 'embattled president. >> why is this such a brutal crackdown? >> does he fear civil war? does he sense the circle closing around him? barbara is right here with us tonight. >>> family values. why mitt romney is hoping voters will focus on this image tonight, as the gloves come off, taking aim at the new front-runner. >>> that famous question, and our question tonight for the ceo of ford who turned that car maker around. what is the key to bringing america back? >>> kicked off. after alec baldwin booted after that battle, who was right? the famous actor or the flight attendant? >>> and pearl harbor. the image we learned today we will never see again. >>> good evening. diane is on assignment tonight. and we begin here with two major stories this evening. barbara walters and her skwloouf one-on-one with syria's embattled president. face to face as she asks why the deadly crackdown. she's right here tonight. >>> but first

zw . >> announcer: from the global resources of abc news, with cynthia mcfadden and bill weir in new york city, and terry moran in washington, this is "nightline," december 9th, 2011. >> good evening. we don't hear very often about the acts of citizen heroism that

for the debate on abc news. >>> thank you for watching abc news. we're always online at goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo!. we'll see you tomorrow.

linsey davis, abc news. >>> and we have an update tonight. it was earlier this week here on "world news," chris cuomo reported on the popular birth control pills yaz and yasmin, and the troubling risk of deadly blood clots. a panel is calling for stronger warnings on the boxes, advising women who take them about those blood clot dangers. our thanks to chris and his reporting. >>> still ahead here on "world news," does this look like your house, particularly around the holidays? it might look chaotic, but the new science tonight. it could hold the clue to a happy family. >>> and later here, that new york hotel, the maid accused that french leader, now come surveillance video, and we'll show it to you, right here tonight. when you have tough pain, do you want fast relief? try bayer advanced aspirin. it has microparticles so it enters the bloodstream fast and rushes relief to the site of your tough pain. it's proven to relieve pain twice as fast as before. bayer advanced aspirin. i'm a dad, coach... and i quit smoking with chantix. knowing that

bob woodruff, abc news, new york. >> thanks to bob woodruff. now abc's david wright in south korea where they are on high alert tonight. good evening, david. >> reporter: good evening, george. this is a moment of huge uncertainty in the decades-old standoff between these two countries. one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world is just 20 miles away from here. and where i'm standing is easily within artillery range of north korean guns. remember, the korean war never officially ended. there have been flare-ups. just this morning, news of another missile test. and that's potentially the most alarming of all. what people here in south korea fear most is instability. the possibility of a power struggle with nuclear weapons in the mix. george. >> thanks, david. and from the white house now, abc's jake tapper. jake, i know they spent some time in the white house war-gaming this transition, looking at all the dangerous scenarios. how do they think this transition is unfolding so far? and what more do they know about ki jong-un? >> reporte

every 12 seconds, another 911 call and it isn't over. >>> abc news exclusive. and our year-long investigation. we track down the doctors prescribing multiple mind-altering drugs to foster children. >>> and coke falls flat? a new can, an uproar and we'll show you how the can can trick you on the taste. >>> good evening. we begin tonight with the interview that is already making big headlines. newt gingrich threw down a kind of political gauntlet today. the professor and politician with the moxy of a prize fighter sat down one-on-one with our own jake tapper. and the former speaker of the house seemed ready to claim the man the. here's jake now. >> reporter: in iowa today, former house speaker newt gingrich told us that his rise from asterisk afterthought to front-runner is different from that of other former republican flavors of the week, michele bachmann, rick perry, herman cain. >> those guys were the new kids on the block and isn't this wonderful and boy it'd be great if it worked out and we don't know anything about them. i'm the guy that's been around fore

for the debate on abc news. >>> thank you for watching abc news. we're always online at goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo!. don't forget, "world news" with david muir later this evening live from iowa. we'll see you tomorrow. >>> good morning. let's start with a look at the forecast. >> it's cold out there. the view is nice from mount tam. high clouds we also have another spare-the-air day today. temperatures will be cooler. this is why. numbers in the upper 20s. sun freezing around napa. 27 in novato. mountain view 33 dress. 35 in redwood city with 33 in livermore. very cold out there. tahoe airport 9 truckee is at 7 this morning. we have a few high clouds but not mitigating that chill to the air. they will allow for a partly cloudy sky this afternoon. high pressure has been keeping us high and dry will slide to the east allowing the system to slide down the coast. how weak? it's not going to bring us any rain. we're talking about a tenth at most. here we are by tomorrow evening. this is when the rain should move through the bay area late afternoon

abc news, washington. >> it's significant. military analysts are now questioning if iran shot down the drone as opposed to hackers sort of messing with the systems and bringing it down that way. lot of questions still out there. >> they don't know how this thing malfunctioned. important. this kind of drone was used to get information on osama bin laden's compound in pakistan months ago during that raid there. so this is very important military tool for this country. so -- >> that's right. we'll see. a gunman is dead after a wild shootout with police in dallas. aboard an amtrak train filled with passengers. witnesses say plain clothesed narcotics officers approached a suspicious passenger and asked to check his bags. the passenger opened fire. shooting at random. an officer shot in the hand and by stander shot in the shoulder. the shooter identified as a michigan man was shot dead. >>> now we turn to an horrific story this morning -- a terrible accident at a small airport in texas. 23-year-old lauren scruggs is hospitalized. sh

abc news is hosting tomorrow night's debate. and our jake tapper is in iowa with a preview. >> reporter: at dobb's grocery store in the heart of des moines, iowa voters were taking it all in. >> it's kind of a tossup. i haven't decided on anybody specific. and it will be interesting to see how things play out. >> reporter: as the clock ticks down to the caucuses, candidates look for any edge and any chance to hit the leader, newt gingrich. mitt romney is using surrogates to do his dirty work. >> i don't think newt gingrich cares about conservative principles. newt gingrich cares about newt gingrich. >> reporter: but gingrich continues to hover above the rest of the pack in iowa polls and hover above the fray. >> i'm going to stay positive. i'm going to talk about how we solve the country's problems. others are allowed to do what they want to. >> reporter: so, what's the gingrich appeal? polling shows several candidates, including gingrich, are seen as authentic, truly believing what they say. not romney, though. meanwhile, romne

jim avila, abc news, new york. >> no small number here. we're talking about 200,000 african-americans and hispanics. >> with good credit. it's despicable. it's despicable. i mean, you know, i can't believe this sort of thing is still going on today. >> and they had good credit. that's the main issue to me. it's crazy. also that one sound bite said it all. how can no one from countrywide be facing prosecution in light of all this? talking about millions of dollars. hundreds of thousands of people. i don't understand it. >> you can't put organizations in prison, but you certainly can hold executives accountable. >> their executives. exactly. but not in this case. staggering. >>> parents of newborns should take note of walmart's decision to pull infant formula off store shelves. a 10-day-old boy died from a rare bacterial infection in missouri. and he was fed enfamil newborn powder formula sold in 12.5-ounce cans. after testing the product, the makers of that formula found no sign of the rare bacteria, but as a precaution, walmart is removing

less than a week until our crucial abc news debate there. and the latest poll shows newt gingrich leading in fact with ron paul in the surprising second place. mitt romney is pulling up behind in third. and this morning, donald trump remember him telling "usa today" he has not ruled out a run. if republicans pick some one who can't win. with the latest now. here is abc's david kerley. >> reporter: this morning it is looking luke a two man race. romney/gingrich for the republic republican nomination after the bombshell over the weekend. >> i am suspending by presidential campaign. >> reporter: sun date rest of the republican field couldn't say enough nice things about cain hoping to snag his supporters and endorsement. >> newt gingrich is most likely to benefit. he likes newt gingrich and likely to say good things. more good news for gingrich. leading in the iowa poll. the former house speaker moved up in new hampshire. romney iss ahead 16 points ther. is it now a two-man race. >> i was supposedly dead in june and july. >> reporter: mitt romn

more abc news right after the break. griffinches out there right. more abc news right after the break.

abc news, washington. >> it's significant. military analysts are now questioning if iran shot down the drone as opposed to hackers sort of messing with the systems and bringing it down that way. lot of questions still out there. >> they don't know how this thing malfunctioned. it's important because this kind of drone was used to get information on osama bin laden's compound in pakistan months ago during that raid there. so this is very important military tool for this country. so -- >> we'll see. >>> and a gunman is dead after a wild shoot-out with police in dallas aboard an amtrak train filled with passengers. witnesses say officers approached a passenger, asking to check his bags. that's when the suspect opened fire, apparently just shooting at random. an officer shot in the hand and bystander shot in the shoulder. the shooter identified as a michigan man, shot dead. >>> a terrible accident at a small airport in texas. 23-year-old lauren scruggs is hospitalized. she lost her hand saturday night after walking into the propel

sources tell abc news at any given moment, there are hundreds of cyber attacks targeting u.s. companies and government agencies. in late 2009, authorities say china-based hackers broke into google's computers and looked at the e-mail accounts of human rights activists. in the same operation, 29 other companies were hit, including dow chemical, yahoo! and morgan stanley. >> it's reached an intolerable level and it is getting exponentially worse. >> reporter: two years ago, an operative at ford motor company downloaded thousands of files on hybrid engine design and gave them to the people's republic. and design secrets for this u.s. stealth fighter jet were allegedly attacked. take a look at china's version of the plane. very similar. >> this may be the greatest transfer of wealth through theft and piracy in the history of the world and we are on the losing end of it. >> reporter: how much wealth? intelligence sources say the u.s. is hemorrhaging $250 billion in losses to economic espionage annually. >> this is a national, long-term strategic threat to the united states of ameri

linsey davis, abc news. >>> and we have an update tonight. it was earlier this week here on "world news," chris cuomo reported on the popular birth control pills yaz and yasmin, and the troubling questions about an increased risk of deadly blood clots. tonight, new word that an fda advisory panel is calling for stronger warnings on the boxes, advising women who take them about blood clot dangers. our thanks to chris and his reporting. >>> still ahead here on "world news" this thursday night, does this look like your house, particularly around the holidays? it might look chaotic, but the new science tonight. it could hold the clue to a happy family. >>> and later here, that new york hotel, the maid accused that french leader. now come surveillance video and we'll show it to you, right here tonight. when you have tough pain, do you want fast relief? try bayer advanced aspirin. it has microparticles so it enters the bloodstream fast and rushes relief to the site of your tough pain. it's proven to relieve pain twice as fast as before. bayer advan

john donvan, abc news, washington. >>> that's "world news" for this saturday. we're always online at abcnews.com. don't forget "good morning america" first thing in the morning. we leave you tonight with one more christmas image from sacramento, california. thanks to our affiliate kxtv in sacramento. for all of us at abc new, thanks for watching, merry christmas, happy hanukkah and good night. christmas, happy hanukkah and good night. >> i kept saying, tomorrow i'll do it. i've run out of tomorrows. >> certainly have. a shopping for frenzy just hours before christmas. thank you for joining us. >> time just about running out for shoppers. a lot of people hit the stores. >> we're live at union square where shoppers are still out tonight. >> reporter: that's it, though. time is up. most of the stories story stores here and around the bay area are closing at 6:00. what a day it's been for retailers especially since so

kelly cobiella, abc news. >> the snoring? that's what she talks about? >>> when we return, what the voters here in iowa told us they think the candidates are all missing. iowa told us they think the candidates are all missing. that's not caused by a heart valve problem? are you taking warfarin to reduce your risk of stroke caused by a clot? you should know about pradaxa. an important study showed that pradaxa 150mg reduced stroke risk 35% more than warfarin. and with pradaxa, there's no need for those regular blood tests. pradaxa is progress. pradaxa can cause serious, sometimes fatal, bleeding. don't take pradaxa if you have abnormal bleeding, and seek immediate medical care for unexpected signs of bleeding like unusual bruising. pradaxa may increase your bleeding risk if you're 75 or older, have kidney problems or a bleeding condition, like stomach ulcers. or if you take aspirin products, nsaids, or blood thinners. tell your doctor about all medicines you take, any planned medical or dental procedures, and don't stop taking pradaxa without your doctors

jonathan carl, abc news, new york. >> getting a little nasty now. interesting, a little flip-flopping. rick perry told voters in iowa he opposes abortion in all forms even when there is rape, incest or life threaten condition for the mother. which is a change. because he wasn't all the way there. he opposed abortion not when there was rape, or incest. >> courting the conservative vote. michele bachmann saying she is not campaigning in the state to be third place. went so far to call herself america's margaret thatcher. apparently pulling references from across the pond. days away from the caucus. stay in politics now, one more note from nebraska. ben nelson announced he will not seek a third term. the 70-year-old moderate had been facing a tough re-election challenge. his retirement could mean an easy crucial victory for republicans trying to win back control of the senate. >> this year's most admired man and woman should be familiar to you. for the tenth year in a row, hillary clinton named the most admired woman in the world in a nationwide poll b

abc news. >> harry's a tough guy. cute. >> he has a little bit of that common touch, which which think is always appealing for someone of that stature on something like that too. and he's offered to testify in this case. he could become the most senior royal ever to testify in court, to appear in court. >> that is unbelievable. >> so it may not be over just yet. >> we'll see. crime fighter. >> the prince. yes indeed. >>> well, next, you can help up-and-coming musicians -- that's a little tough yeah. point and click and your favorite performer's career can s>@qh$ú >>> a unique way more and more musicians are getting support for their work. it's based on what's called fan funding. >> very cool idea here. at the center of this there's a website called pledgemusic.com. as i found out, it lets you turn fledgling artists into stars. ♪ they all started somewhere. justin bieber famously found on youtube. ♪ jessica simpson discovered at summer camp. and u2, they got their start in a talent competition. ♪ >> reporter: s

zw . >> announcer: from the global resources of abc news, with cynthia mcfadden and bill weir in new york city, and terry moran in washington, this is "nightline," december 9th, 2011. >> good evening. we don't hear very often about the acts of citizen heroism that lift the american reality closer to the american ideal. but 11 years ago, hollywood brought us the extraordinary story of one exceptional hero, erin brockovich, who stood up for a community who she says was being poisoning. she's out there again raising the alarm, and the community she's trying to protect might just be yourses. here's my co-anchor cynthia mcfadden. >> so, ball up and make it right. >> reporter: meet the real erin brockovich. bold, brassy, with more than enough fast to play herself in the movie named for her. >> you want me to trust you? do me a favor, ed, don't use big words you don't understand. >> reporter: instead, julia roberts got the part and the oscar. >> once the chromium hits the pound -- >> reporter: we met the real erin brockovich 15 years ago, reporting on the discontent in inkley and another sm

abc news. >> business is booming. u.s. online sales, are up 15%. >> ooh. >> thanks to that woman right there making sure your packages get there on time. >> i will make sure. i am into holidays. >> are you big, right? no matter what, rain, snow, sleet, hail. sunny will be there with your packages. that's right. >>> well, coming up, alec baldwin pokes fun at his airline meltdown. >> we never will agree on this story. did he get the laughs he was looking for on "saturday night live." we'll be back with "world news now" right after this. @@@@ ú ♪ come fly with me let's fly away ♪ >>> that's it, that's it. perfect song for the next story. take it away. >> in case you weren't watching over the weekend, after some apparent words with a friend, alec baldwin had fun at his own expense following last week's little tantrum. you know i am obsessed with the story. >> yes, indeed. showed up on "saturday night live," familiar territory for alec and offered a not-so-sincere apology. >> so, let me get this straight -- you, captain ro

abc news/"washington post" poll. our poll finds that among republican voters, 49% expect their nominee to win. while 46% expect president obama to be re-elected. >>> president obama and vice president biden will visit andrews air force base later today for a ceremony marking the end of the war in iraq. they will welcome back the troops and the flag of the u.s. forces in iraq. the flag or colors, as it is called, was lowered and placed in a casing at a solemn ceremony in baghdad last friday. >>> the body of north korean leader kim jong-il went on public view this morning. the state tv shows the glass coffin in which he lay. his successor, kim jong un, was the first to pay respects. mourners can visit until tuesday. the state funeral will take place a week from tomorrow. >>> officials are holding urgent talks with allies in the wake of kim's death. they are hoping for a peaceful and stable transition in that nuclear arms nation. but it is preparing for other possibilities, as well. abc's jake tapper reports from the wh

chris cuomo, abc news, new york. >> so brightening. your heart bleeds for the woman in the piece. >> so many people take the pills. >> unbelievable. look for a medical controversy, fda will begin deciding to day whether to end age restriction on those who can buy plan b emergency contraceptive pill without a prescription a nother big, political/medical debate. stay tuned for that as well. >> well, coming up saying myrrhy christmas with a fresh baked cookie. >> there is no better way. why a california man wants to give the holiday treat to some very special people like sunny and me, in fact. you are watching "world news now." >> yes. >> all right. here we go. time for our boom, "favorite story of the day. you would think only ebeneezer skrooge would make his employees work on christmas, it does happen everywhere unclueding right here. >> that's right. one sacramento man wants to put an end to that. he came up with a plan to send a message to bosses on the naughty list. he calls it the cookie project. >> my name is john marcot. i am tryi

our new abc news poll shows the republican race for the white house is now a dead heat. newt gingrich, the latest in a series of front-runners, has fallen fast and hard, now even with mitt romney, which may be why gingrich said today that it was a mistake to say this to abc's jake tapper a couple weeks ago. >> i'm going to be the nominee. i mean, it's very hard not to look at the recent polls and think that the odds are very high i'm going to be the nominee. >> and we got reports from iowa today that the new front-runner there is ron paul. just about everybody's been in front there one time or another. >>> overseas to north korea, where tonight, an 11-day period of mourning is under way for kim jong-il, the dictator that died saturday. and we were struck by images showing koreans in despair, wailing uncontrollably. but is all that emotion real, forced or a bit of both? abc's david wright reports from south korea tonight. >> reporter: today, kim jong-il lay in state. news of his death, one final insult to the foreign intelligence agencies who tried for years unsuccessfull

. >>> this is "world news." tonight, an abc news exclusive. our year-long investigation. tens of thousands of foster children, even infants, given massive doses of powerful mind-altering drugs. we bring you the stories of some tiny survivors as a giant government report delivers a brutal indictment. >>> rocket ride. the dow delivers an early christmas present, up nearly 500 points. the average investor pocketing $4,000 today. and can we trust the good news about jobs that seems to be on the way? >>> arsenic and apple juice. another troubling report. and tonight, after their televised duel, dr. mehmet oz and our dr. richard besser sit down together to weigh in on what families should do. >>> and made in america. our team goes door to door with a challenge. will you spend some of your christmas dollars to help create jobs? from dallas to pittsburgh, you have been answering the call. >> we're in! >>> good evening. tonight, we begin with an abc news exclusive investigation, an indictment of what the u.s. government does to some of the most vulnerable children in this country.

. >> r: thr go news or bad news on whether more snow makes you money or c clayton sandell, abc news, los angeles. >> we're crying wolf that we don't have a winter. all of a sudden, it's going to hit us. >> winter is pretty young. just got into winter december 22nd. hold off, everyone. 1 ophitf, everyone. >>> here's your thursday forecast. downpours with flooding in the seattle casnortok rain in the ler e oisling the ler e a wintry mix in the dak detr >> most in t. 56 in atlanta. and 61 in dallas. kansas city, 54. chicago, 44. rainy, 50, seattle. 64 in sacramento. 52 in colorado springs. >> dust in the wind not snow in the wind. from southern germany now, holy ice church, ice church. yes, we're serious. >> the priest was there blessing the opening of the church. and yes, it's made completely of ice and snow. 75 feet long. features a tower 60 feet high. created to mark the 100th anniversary of another ice church built in the same place. >> the project had to be delayed a couple of weeks because of the warm temperatures. before it melts, the church will be used for religious services an

for diane and all of us at abc news, thank you for watching. we're going to leave you with the tree lighting at city hall in fresno, california, courtesy of our affiliate, abc 30. have a good night. >>> a fire races through buildings. live coverage on blazes and efforts to put it out. >> and also, we investigate how this transit bus ended up in a field after going out of control in the east bay. >> struggling in the sierra. businesses and tourists trying to get by despite the lack of snow. >> and it's not just waist line. the toll the holidays can take on your teeth. >> fire larm went off. the whole thing. >> flames ripped through three buildings. amazingly, no one was seriously hurt. good evening, everyone. >> and of course there is never a good time for a fire. but days before christmas, it's sure to be the worst. flames race through the buildings in the alamo square area of san francisco. mark matthews is live with the stri some people said they heard low booms and others just cries of fire. residents in two buildings scrambled to get away f

an abc news exclusive. foster kids given an avalanche of drugs. even the youngest of children. >> the city sneezes and the county shivers. >> a fisherman's wharf up north is about to come alive again after asking for a big favor from san francisco. >>> and not for the faint hearted. here is one way to take in the sights at yosemite. we'll have that story. >>> and the light in the middle of the tunnel. the big breakthrough for the big breakthrough for construction crews at the [ male announcer ] citibank's new app for ipad makes it easy for anne to view her finances from anywhere. like gate d12 for the next three hours. citibank for ipad. easier banking. standard at citibank. really? [ male announcer ] kate uses her citibank debit card because kate knows there are some things you shouldn't be charged for. refill? i'm ok. [ male announcer ] so does that guy. the citibank debit card with no monthly fee. easier banking. standard at citibank. tonight two governors are asking the obama administration to agree tha

. >>> abc news exclusive. and our year-long investigation. we track down the doctors prescribing multiple mind-altering drugs to foster care children. >>> and coke falls flat? a new can, an uproar and we'll show you how the can can trick you on the taste. >>> good evening. we begin tonight on the west coast, all that chaos caused by something that sounds so benign. the warm santa ana winds. suddenly, like mr. hyde, tearing through towns with the ferocity of a hurricane. the worst wind storm in ten years, six states pummeled so far and the storm has three more in its sights. abc's david wright in pasadena with the latest right now. >> the winds are really bad right now. excuse me. >> reporter: early this morning, winds so fierce, local reporters and residents struggled to stand their ground. at l.a.x., cameras were rolling when the lights went out in all nine terminals. high winds blew out transformers, sending sparks into dry winter brush. and when the sun came up, traffic lights and trees toppled like toothpicks. littering the roads. >> it w

cecilia vega, abc news, san francisco. >> and we leave you with lights tonight. the national christmas tree, just lit up. have a great night. see you tomorrow. [ female announcer ] more people are using wireless devices... in more ways than ever. and our networks are getting crowded. but if congress frees up more wireless spectrum... we can empower more people to innovate... putting momentum behind our economy. and we can reduce the deficit... with more than thirty billion dollars paid by america's wireless cocompanies. it's simple -- more spectrum means more freedom. for everyone. [ coughing continues ] [ female announcer ] more pollution from power plants means more childhood asthma attacks. [ labored breathing ] there's technology that makes the air cleaner, but too many plants don't use it. we can't wait. epa must update power plant standards to protect our kids. [ baby coughing ] to protect our kids. wheel... of... fortune! ladies and gentlemen-- pat sajak and vanna white! oh, thank you, jim. it's alpine week. ahh, i love the smell of pine needles in the mor

saturday night's republican debate from iowa will air right here on abc news. diane sawyer and george stephanopoulos moderate. >>> voters in russia have delivered strongman vladimir putin a setback there. the united russia party will hold on to just a slim majority in the parliament. the vote went to the communist party, who looks to get 20% of the seats. putin is still looking to win back the president's seat. >>> californians who just got their power back are bracing to lose it again. the powerful santa ana winds pick up steam today. utility crews scrambled over the week end to restore power. winds as high as 150 miles an hour toppled trees, overturned trucks, and damaged cars and homes. rough weather in california. >> those folks need break out there. we hope they get it in the next couple of days. >>> time now for the weather across the nation. flood advisories in nearly a dozen states from texas all the way up to ohio. heavy rain in little rock, shreveport, memphis, louisville, cincinnati. that will spread to the northeast. that will happen by this evening

the pentagon isn't saying much, but officials tell abc news that the drone was -- the drone that was lost actually broke apart. they say this one was probably put back together. for als say it is a blow u.s. intelligence. >> it is 5:35. the republican presidential the ates are hitting campaign trail with only a few short weeks to go until the iowa caucusses. mit romney is in iowa today. g.o.p. front-runner newt here in ill be right washington signing books at union station. >> we invite you to tune in to abc news on saturday night. that's when the next g.o.p. be held.ill abc's diane sawyer will moderate the debate. 9:00. bate begins at >> looking at the day ahead this morning, it is sentencing day for former prince george's council woman leslie johnson. guilty to lead conspiracy and evidence tampering charges in july. earlier this week her husband, , was sentenced to more than seven years in prison on corruption charges. >> ok. track work will make it tough to use metro this weekend. en van ness and friendship heights. blueline trains will single track. orange line between foggy bott

many of you watched our abc news debate and wanted to know more about these two women. and that's coming up. >>> a revolutionary change in the real modern family in america. why are laundry commercials now marketing to dad? >>> and how a photographer of some of america's biggest celebrities is bringing help and hope to so many children for the holidays. [ knock on door ] cool. you found it. wow. nice place. yeah. [ chuckles ] the family thinks i'm out shipping these. smooth move. you used priority mail flat rate boxes. if it fits, it ships for a low, flat rate. paid for postage online and arranged a free pickup. and i'm gonna track them online, too. nice. between those boxes and this place, i'm totally staying sane this year. do i smell snickerdoodles? maybe. [ timer dings ] got to go. priority mail flat rate shipping at usps.com. a simpler way to ship. but my nose is still runny. [ male announcer ] truth is, dayquil doesn't treat that. really? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms, plus it relieves your runny nose. [ deep breath] awesome.