likely to go gray within three months. >> he does have a big old head of hair. >> he does have a big head of hair. >> i'm jealous. >> prison is not kind on your coif so hang in there. here's a look at your weather. wet from minnesota down to louisiana. expect heavy downpours and floodingssisi an alabamapsnasca ic bamapsnasca from seattle to thustoshe carolinas to florida. a soggy morning in the northeast. >> parts of the northeast could re wari w ay. orls. 70 in kansas city. 40s in the pacific northwest. 63 in colorado springs. >> i don't see any gray. >> it's there. >> i don't see much. >> no, not up there. in toledo, ohio -- >> armpit. it's a collection of 16 checks written by former presidents, including abraham lincoln. the lincoln check was made out to himself for 800 bucks and signed just two days before he was assassinated. >> also a check written by george washington in may of 1799. the whole collection is a bit of a mystery. they were all found together in a bank vault after that bank was purchased by another bank. >> a little piece of history there. kind of cool to see that. >> but they've been cashed. don't try to -- >> yeah, don't try. we'll be back with more "world news now" right after this. ♪ check it out check it out ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by colonial penn life insurance. hi, alex. hi, everyone. i thought it'd be interesting to hear from you what your customers say are some of the things they like best about colonial penn's whole life insurance. who's gonna start? well, it's guaranteed acceptance for people over age 50. they don't have to take a physical or answer any health questions. and it gives them peace of mind knowing that their family has some insurance to help cover funeral costs. and other final expenses. great point, and that's something everybody needs to plan for, especially in this economy. it costs just $9.95 a month per unit. it's an affordable way to provide protection for loved ones. yes, and that rate never goes up. and their coverage never goes down because of their age. they can get permanent insurance at a price that fits into their budget. alex: do you want to help protect your loved ones from the burden of final expenses? if you're between 50 and 85, you should call colonial penn now. for just $9.95 a month per unit, you can get quality insurance that does not require any health questions or a medical exam. your rate will never increase and your coverage will never decrease. that's guaranteed. they're waiting to hear from you, so call now. not financially. so we switched to the bargain detergent and i found myself using three times more than they say to and the clothes still weren't as clean as with tide. so we're back to tide. they're cuter in clean clothes. that's my tide. what's yours? ♪ our house in the middle of our street ♪ ♪ our house in the middle of our ♪ ♪ our house here is some encouraging news for the economy. and our ears all perked up. the housing market is showing signs of recovery with a big surge last month in existing home sales. >> and experts say the sale of just one home, actually, can have a huge ripple effect. with more on this, here is abc's david muir. >> reporter: massachusetts mom jennifer manning took "world news" on a video tour of their new home. >> hi, david, welcome to our home. let me show you around. >> reporter: it's their first spring in groveland, massachusetts. >> this is, by far, my favorite room of the house. >> reporter: they are here now because they finally sold their last home, eight months on the market in upstate new york. selling that house allowed them to buy their new one. they upgraded following a new job for her husband. and in buying this house, it allowed the couple selling to move on and build their brand new home. it's that simple domino effect economists say they are starting to see again. >> it's jobs and confidence. we've been adding jobs. and that's good because it gives people the confidence to go out and buy. >> reporter: and what truly drives the housing market? those existing homes. 90% of all home sales aren't brand new ones but those already in your neighborhood. who is driving the best winter sales in five years? couples like andy and kate in atlanta. profiled by the popular program "house hunters." they were hunting for a home $200,000 or less. the first, just under $200,000, three bedrooms and a new kitchen. >> the kitchen, it was awesome. it was totally updated, but i don't think it was really our style. >> reporter: the second just under $190,000. two bedrooms instead of three but a giant backyard. and lastly, the least expensive, 185 grand but, by far, the largest. but the renovations also the costliest. they bought number two. we called them and they've been renovating before and after. >> kate surprised me with how handy she is. >> i went to the hardware store and i even got tools. tools. >> tools. >> i don't even know the names of some of these things. >> reporter: names don't matter as long as she can operate them. a jigsaw. also a nail gun on the list. i did talk with the couple. they've spent $3,000 on renovations which explains that domino effect economists say they're seeing. just a week ago abc was reporting on lowe's and home depot and their sales up because of those buyers finally feeling comfortable enough to buy those homes and then spend money on renovations. david muir, abc news, new york. >> and that phrase "comfortable enough" is so important because consumer confidence has been the killer issue now for, you know, a few years. and that's what brought the economy down. no one felt comfortable investing, buying. we're starting to turn that corner. >> you still had to get all those foreclosures off the market and short sales. and i know for us, we sold. we found someone to buy it. but we took a big hit, about 25%. so they are selling but you are hoping to make it up on the other side. >> and there's you in your new york apartment trying to get things together. just clear out the rats and roaches. >> got to get those windowsills. a little caulk. >> a little what? >> a little caulk. remember, we went over this. since it's thursday, it's once again time for march madness. >> excitement is building as the sweet 16 games are just about ready to tip off. we're back with our picks competition straight ahead. >> announcer: abc's "world news now" will continue after this from our abc sdadadadadadadadada ♪ welcome back, everybody. the music means it's time for more march madness. the tournament moves into the sweet 16 and our picks competition moves into high gear. >> before anything else, let's remind everybody what's going on. as we said on monday, i am locked in a tie with jamie the sport guys. we have 43 points. rob, you're just two points back. and my little once are getting torched, caroline and j.j. they get points just for the cute factor. >> they are cute but losing. time to look ahead to the sweet 16. successful picks are worth three points each and the teams that you've chosen that are still alive you'll see in white. paula, get us started. >> i keep scoring in this round with wins by kentucky, indiana, baylor, michigan state, louisville, duke, murray state and missouri. oh, they're already out. i also need wins by syracuse, wisconsin, the ohio state buckeyes and north carolina and kansas. can't score any more with those others. >> as for the sports guy, he can keep scoring with kentucky, indiana, baylor, michigan state, louisville, marquette and florida. also syracuse, ohio state, north carolina and kansas. all his other teams have gone home. my picks, kentucky. forget about bcu. also need baylor, spartans and louisville and marquette. in my second eight, i have syracuse, ohio state, my tar heels, and rock chalk, those jayhawks from kansas. >> last but not least, carolina and j.j. are pulling for kentucky and indiana. as well as the gators. those other teams already watching on tv. also wisconsin, ohio state and kansas for them to have any hope. they need the jayhawks to win it all. and when they filled out their brackets, they didn't put university of florida. they put fu all the way. throughout the bracket. >> the final four team that remains, you, jamie and your kids, each have three. i have two teams left. and a big concern whether the injury to the tar heels may hurt their chances. could be a broken wrist. tune in for that. we'll have highlights here tomorrow. stay tuned. papers is next. xt. rrow. >> announcer: "world news now" delivers your "morning papers." >> there are so many wonderful things about living here in new york. this guy takes his volvo to the repairman, the mechanic. says something is wrong with the engine. the guy looks under the hood. he says, you didn't tell me about the party going on under your hood. the guy goes, what do you mean? what's wrong with the car? he says, basically, rats had t eaten out the inside of the man's car. rats are a monstrous problem here. they say there are as many rats as people and 8 million people live in the city of new york. basically in this guy's volvo, these rats have climbed in there. they'd eaten through wires, tangled the wires up. they found piles of chicken bones in the car. and what makes the car appetizing to the rats, when it gets cold here, during normal winters unlike this one, and snow, and it's bitter cold and high wind, the car is a warm place to be. so rats get in there and they had a field day under your car. "the daily news" had a little fun with that drawing right there. so just another pleasure of living here in the world's greatest city. >> here. slam that. oreos are made by kraft. they are splitting off into another brand. mondelez. the delicious world. they are going to spin this off as a global brand and then sell into separate publicly traded company later this year. basically -- >> kraft trying to get fancy. right? >> trying to get fancy. >> these won't be oreos anymore. they will be oreos. and this will be tridente instead of trident. >> that can't be true. >> you got a little oreo on your tooth. >> i probably do. so kraft snack division is getting a new corporate name to make it sound all -- >> it's a vicious world. >> you think kraft, you think mac and cheese. that kind of thing. >> i love mac and cheese. >> who doesn't. >> with oreos in them. >> that's ridiculous. moving on here. interesting article in "the new york times." we all go -- we love girl scout cookies, but when the parents sell them instead of the little girls are the less yons being lost there in terms of girls learning money management? entrepreneurship. some people are making a point. the little girls go out there and sell. don't take the little sheet to work. the girls should be doing the work and learning the skills, not mom and dad. i think that's an excellent point. i agree. >> have you ever bought a box of cookies? >> from a little girl. >> the only time i have is like outside of a grocery store. >> yeah. other than that, the other time is people at work. hi, liz. bill and hillary clinton are getting a nice little honor from little rock where he was governor. they're going to rename the airport there the bill and hillary airport. >> really?wswswswswswswswswswsws this morning on "world news now" -- a new call for justice. demonstrators angry about a teenager's shooting death near orlando march here in new york and in miami. >> they are demanding the arrest of a neighborhood watchman who claims he shot the unarmed teen in self-defense. it's monday, march 22nd. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> thursday, right? >> it is thursday. good thursday morning. time on this shift is a very flexible thing. don't worry about it. >> it is a day, though. we know that. >> yeah, it's close to friday, too. that's the thing to keep in mind. >> exactly. well, good morning, everyone. i'm paula faris. those demonstrators angry about the trayvon martin case wore hoodies because that's what the young african-american teen was wearing when he was fatally shot. today his parents are meeting with federal investigators who are looking into that case. reports that potentially al sharpton may be there as well. no word on exactly where they will meet with the department of justice. >> they're keeping that quiet, too. you are seeing this rise in national attention that this case is starting to get. it's hard to believe that heads are not going to roll from this. already a call for the police chief to step down. a formal vote of no confidence we'll get to that in just a second, from the commissioners down. and also in florida this morning, from children's toys to now political symbol. how did the etch-a-sketch find its way into the republican presidential campaign? another perceived, i'll say, gaffe from the romney camp. >> every day it's something new. and later on in this half hour, on this thursday morning, she's known as one of the sexiest women in all of the world. famous for her swimsuit modeling but now she is wearing prison garb. accused of being a criminal mastermind. >> living that double life a little bit, allegedly. so we'll get to that in just a second. a little scandal there. but first, outrage over the shooting of an unarmed florida teenager is now spreading far beyond the sunshine state. >> hundreds of new yorkers hit the streets last night to demand justice. wabc's carolina lead was there. [ chanting ] >> reporter: it was a rally with a specific goal. justice for 17-year-old trayvon martin. this million hoodies march drew more than 2,000 people to union square. his parents' voices empowered by the crowd. >> trayvon martin was you. trayvon martin did matter. i just want new york to know that we're not going to stop until we get justice for trayvon. >> reporter: the florida boy was wearing a hoodie and carrying a soda and a pack of skittles when he was confronted, then shot and killed walking to his family's home. much of the nationwide outrage came after 911 calls were released. >> are you following him? >> yeah. >> okay. we don't need you to do that. >> okay. >> reporter: that's the voice of george zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain. a man tired of recent break-ins near his home outside orlando. zimmerman was not charged or arrested for allegedly shooting and killing martin. police are investigating whether it was self-defense or murder. and the teen's parents are meeting with the florida department of justice today. last night, city commissioners voted no confidence in their police chief. reporting in union square, i'm carolina lead, abc news, new york. >> and in a sign of solidarity, students at trayvon martin's high school wore hoodies to class yesterday. one student spoke for many saying it could have been me that night. shows of support have also popped up in other schools around the country. we have seen an online petition calling for the perpetrator zimmerman for his arrest and prosecution. at least 700,000 people have signed that. >> and they say, that petition now, the thing about this, that petition now is the fastest growing internet petition in the history of the internet. so it shows you the incredibly intense scrutiny this case is getting around the country. also the police chief in question is under a lot of fire. said yesterday, because -- before i would make that decision to prejudge or to fire based on the outcry, i'd like to have some information that i would feel comfortable in terminating the employment. as of now he's standing by his decision not to step down and not to, you know, to move forward in the way people hope he does. >> even though you mentioned earlier the commissioners voted, what 3 to 2 in a vote of no confidence against the police chief. you mentioned that earlier. >> and the quote i just read was from the city manager, who is the only one who has the authority to fire him but no action just yet. we'll keep an eye on that. now to the tense standoff in the french city of toulouse. overnight, police set off explosions outside a building where 24-year-old suspect mohammed merah has been holed up for more than a day. he's already admitted to killing four people at a jewish school on monday and to last week's killing of three french military members. merah has trained with a radical islamic group several times in fact. authorities want to take him alive in order to learn his motives and to also find out if he had any accomplices. and back here at home, and to presidential politics where the romney campaign is trying to recover from another embarra embarrassing misstep. >> believe it or not, a popular children's toy is playing a role in this latest gaffe. abc's karen travers is joining us from washington with more on the fun and games. hey, karen. >> reporter: good morning, rob. good morning, paula. we've seen many twists and turns in this campaign. now we may have entered the silly season. just as mitt romney was gaining some momentum. yesterday the candidates were literally playing with toys. mitt romney scored a coveted endorsement. jeb bush, who many republicans hoped would run himself, announced he's backing romney. in a statement, the former florida governor said now is the time for republicans to unite behind governor romney and take our message of fiscal conservativism and job creation to all voters this fall. rick santorum doesn't sound impressed. or like he's ready to step aside. >> that's what this race is coming down to is the establishment, the money versus the people. >> reporter: just as the romney campaign picks up some momentum, another self-inflicted wound. his top strategist was asked on cnn whether santorum and newt gingrich have forced romney to take conservative positions. positions that could hurt him among moderate voters in november. >> i think he hit a reset button for the fall campaign. everything changes. it's almost like an etch-a-sketch. you can kind of shake it up and we start all over again. >> reporter: santorum and newt gingrich are having fun with the romney campaign's slipup. both candidates walked into events holding an actual etch-a-sketch. >> reporter: romney was forced to respond. >> i'll be running as a conservative republican. excuse me, hopefully, at that point, nominee for president. the policies and positions are the same. >> reporter: the romney campaign is starting to drop some big hints that maybe it's time for rick santorum and newt gingrich to drop out of the race. with jeb bush's endorsement yesterday, the calls are likely to increase in the republican party that they should do just that. rob and paula, back to you. >> we've seen this before. we had the $10,000 bet. we had the "i like to fire people." i think a lot of it is a little unfair. i think the etch a sketch was more of a metaphor, for how after the primary, we get to the general election. that's just a different season. everyone resets and it's mano-e-mano. it's just an easy political you know, jab. >> it's almost laughable. i feel like we're grasping at straws. >> it gets desperate as we get toward the end here. >> make it end, please. >> counting on it. it was a rare day of bipartisan agreement on capitol hill, believe it or not. democrats and republicans came together to honor senator barbara mikulski. now the longer serving female member of congress. the popular lawmaker from the state of maryland first went to washington back in 1976, before i was born. there were just 19 women in congress then. today, though, 74 women in the house and count another 17 in the senate. >> i was 1. all of 1, and probably out of diapers that year. >> hopefully, maybe. you developed quickly. the mississippi valley is getting pounded by severe storms that have already triggered widespread flooding from oklahoma to louisiana for many areas where the rain and wild weather have stopped. the nightmare is far from over. we get more from abc's jim ryan. >> the walls were vibrating and all of a sudden, that loud -- those buffeting winds and then, bam! bam! you could just feel like something tore off. >> reporter: arthur contreras of devine, texas, says that's what it was like when his roof was being ripped off by a twister tuesday night. >> the roof was gone. we found it this morning. it's all along that back wall. >> reporter: tornadoes are not the only concern. flash flooding from heavy rains is turning rural roads into river rapids. investigators say the rain caused this ambulance to hydroplane and flip over in jefferson county, texas. fortunately no patients were on board. but the woman driving this mustang wasn't as fortunate. after hydroplaning, she slammed into this pickup, cutting the car in half. she suffered fatal injuries. these storms aren't just nightmares for drivers. they also grounded hundreds of flyers passing through houston. >> they were just canceling, three, four, five flights at a time. then it was a mad rush to try to get a car or a hotel. >> reporter: as the rain moves east, residents in flood-prone louisiana and arkansas are doing their best to prepare. one louisiana community saw ten inches of rain in a 24-hour period. residents in this western arkansas town were surprised by the power of these devastating storms. >> transformers sitting in the middle of somebody's driveway. >> we've got ceilings falling down as the rain pours in. >> reporter: seven states from oklahoma to mississippi are under flood warnings and watches. jim ryan, abc news, dallas. here's your thursday forecast. again, it's thursday, not monday. aside from the rain and flooding, expect thunderstorms from the carolinas up to florida. and from oklahoma city to minneapolis. rain and mountain snow in the northwest. up to 30 degrees warmer than normal from the dakotas to the northeast. >> it's going to be a beautiful tuesday. only kidding. mostly 70s from new orleans to atlanta. and up to boston. 80 again in chicago. record warmth continues in the windy city. 68 in omaha. wet 45 in seattle. 68 in sacramento. >> the only day it hasn't been so far on this show is wednesday. which is a day. speaking of today. our favorite story of this thursday. it's a reminder that honest people are still out there. >> meet ron warren of illinois. he was shopping for some new boots last december right before a trip out to vegas. he had a big money clip with about two grand in it. >> he lost it. no idea where it went. even called the boot shop. nowhere to be found. last saturday, an employee came upon it in a box. >> she called ron and returned the money. then refused a cash reward. but did accept a gift card to a restaurant. ron says he learned never to carry that much money around, even when going to vegas. lesson learned for us all. >> good to know there are some honest folks out there on this sunday. >> we'll be right back with more "world news" on this saturday. ♪ money, money, money we don't need your money ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by hoveround power chair. und power chair. t around like you used to? when you fear losing your independence? who do you call? call hoveround now, to see if you qualify for america's premier power chair. hi, i'm tom kruse, inventor and founder of hoveround. now you can do more, see more, enjoy life more. here's why hoveround makes it easier than any other power chair. hoveround is more maneuverable to get you through the 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[ gigi ] nice 'n easy. available in original or award winning foam from the color experts at clairol. ♪ welcome back. it's generated plenty of debate over the years. should stem cell research be funded with government money and should the research even happen at all? >> big questions. well, back in 2004, california said yes to both those questions. and also created an agency that uses public money to develop stem cell treatments for many diseases. but as abc's nanette miranda reports, that money is now running out. >> reporter: the california institute for regenerative medicine or cirm is about to enter a crucial stage in stem cell research. going to clinical trials. the most promising experiments could cure diabetes, hiv, sickle cell an neem ya, and blindness in the elderly. >> you don't really get to find out whether the potential of the treatment is really going to be effective until you start to treat the patients. >> reporter: cirm's board is discussing how much to allocate for that trial phase. through the 2004 voter-approved bonds under proposition 71, it has already given out or spent half of the $3 billion. despite the medical promise, though, there's little to show for it beyond basic research and several high-tech labs. but the agency says the breakthroughs will come over the next few years, way ahead of the rest of the world. >> this would all be happening in california. all driven by this proposition 71 money. >> reporter: the bond money is expected to last only several more years. one option is to ask voters to approve more bonds. something taxpayer groups oppose. >> when people think about bond financing, they think about a bridge, a school, a canal. stem cell research is just kind of out there. >> actual stem cells were injected here. >> reporter: rancher diana sousa says it would be a shame to stop public funding of stem cell research. through clinical trials at ucla davis medical center not financed by prop 71 money, she says stem cells helped restore full use of her severely fractured arm. >> i hope they can continue doing it because it is a miracle. it does work. and i have a good arm to prove it. >> reporter: cirm's transition plan already submitted to governor brown and lawmakers assumes no more taxpayer support after the bond money runs out. the agency is also thinking about becoming a non-profit. nanette miranda reporting for abc news. >> interesting debate as always. interesting. >> does the end justify the means? that's the big question. >> it always is. coming up, the sexy swimsuit model accused of something pretty dirty. >> she made a name for herself posing in magazines. now she's in a prison down under. the rest of the story is next. >> announcer: abc's "world news now" will continue after this from our abc stations. ♪ welcome back to the quiet storm. yeah, buddy. now to the international swimsuit model accused of running a worldwide drug ring out of her hollywood apartment. this story has it all. >> just for the ladies, do that again. >> been working out. >> the australian native was arrested last week in her home country. abc's david wright has the tawdry details. >> reporter: former pinup girl simone farrow has traded her high rise condo near the sunset strip for a cell in this australian prison. after skipping bail and eluding a nationwide dragnet for nearly a month, she's back behind bars after being busted in a seedy queensland motel last wednesday. she said she ran because her life was in danger. >> i actually did this because someone was trying to burn me. >> reporter: she's accused of being the mastermind between a methamphetamine smuggling ring all the while, leading the posh life of her alter ego, simone starr. a singer -- ♪ >> reporter: -- an aspiring reality show star. >> i'm really lost, i think. >> reporter: and three-time member of "fhm" magazine's sexiest women in the world list. authorities say her company global starr used fedex and the postal service to ship high grade methamphetamines hidden in bath salts, designer clothing and other luxury items. in october 2009, the dea raided this west hollywood apartment and allegedly found 89 grams of meth on her desk. farrow's $160,000 bond was posted by anthony renshaw, a sydney attorney, and prominent doctor, joseph grech. when she fled, renshaw quickly asked to withdraw his bail offer telling the court, i'm extremely embarrassed. the judge agreed saying, once bitten, twice shy. before her capture, farrow updated her facebook page. i sit here being maliciously treated and wrongfully defamed. i'm tired of being fearful and people threatening my life for reasons unknown to me. back in her cell in the silverwater women's prison, farrow now waits until friday to find out just how much longer she'll call this her home. david wright, abc news, los angeles. >> if you were a successful model like that, why turn to the drug game? i don't get it at all. i don't get it. >> always looking for the next high, no pun intended. but she was actually putting the math in bags of salt and had 19 different aliases. she has a long lost teenage daughter. >> just a wonderful little story there. which is why we put on our favorite porn music to celebrate. this wonderful story. so we'll be right back. >> not that we would know anything about porn music. >> not at all, not at all. i just enjoy the music. >> not at all, not at all. i just enjoy the music. that's why you should consider an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. all medicare supplement plans can help pay some of what medicare doesn't, so you could save up to thousands of dollars in out of pocket expenses. call now for this free information kit and medicare guide. if you're turning 65 or you're already on medicare... you should know about the only medicare supplement plans endorsed by aarp; see if one's right for you. all medicare supplement plans let you choose any doctor or hospital, that accepts medicare patients... and could help you save up to thousands of dollars in out of pocket expenses. plus, there are no networks... no referrals needed to see a specialist... and virtually no claim forms to fill out. how's that for convenience? 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[ male announcer ] febreze air effects doesn't mix, it actually removes odors. so you can breathe happy. ♪ if i could read your mind, love, what a tale your thoughts could tell ♪ ♪ just like a paperback novel the kind the drugstore sells ♪ that music not quite as fun as the cinemax we just played. >> the "50 shades of gray," or the shades of grey, whatever it's called, i learn a lot of things from my mommy friends out there. >> it's female adult reading. >> well, speaking of good reading, it may be the biggest blockbuster ever. we are one day away from the opening of "the hunger games." advance tickets are already selling out. fans have been lining up for days. >> look at that. man, this movie is based on the incredibly popular books. few have heard from the book's reclusive author. her name is suzanne collins. whose own life helped shape the story's very dark landscape. with more on this, here's abc's dan harris. >> reporter: if you look closely during this frenzied hollywood premiere, you could catch a fleeting glimpse of her. the woman who made this all happen. a media shy 49-year-old mother of two. suzanne collins has never done a tv interview but we do get a rare insight into her and the inspiration for the "hunger games" trilogy in this video from her publisher, scholastic. >> and i was flipping through images of reality television where there were these young people competing for $1 million. and i was seeing footage from the iraq war. and these two things began to sort of fuse together in a very unsettling way. >> i volunteer! >> reporter: katniss, the fierce heroine at the heart of the story, is a far cry from the "twilight" saga's bella, who is often a damsel in distress. collins' story is heavy stuff. it is set in a futuristic dystopia where every year a tyrannical government forces teenagers to fight to the death on reality tv. collins, whose father served in vietnam when she was a little girl, explained in this scholastic interview that she wants young people to think critically. >> what do you think about choices your government, past and present, or other governments around the world make? what's your relationship to reality tv versus your relationship to the news? >> reporter: collins may shun the spotlight herself, but this mom and her views are about to be everywhere. dan harris, abc news, new york. >> i love there's like a political undercurrent to it and what is your relationship to reality tv versus yours to the news? i love that. >> think. think. that's the message. and everybody says, the you cane medicare. it doesn't cover everything. and what it doesn't cover can cost you some money. that's why you should consider an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. all medicare supplement insurance plans can help pay... some of what medicare doesn't, so you could save... thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses. call now for this free information kit and medicare guide. if you're turning 65 or you're already on medicare... you should know about this card -- it's the only one of its kind endorsed by aarp; see if it's right for you. all medicare supplement plans let you keep your own doctor, or hospital that accepts medicare. there are no networks and no referrals needed. help protect yourself from some of what medicare doesn't pay... and save up to thousands of dollars in potential... out-of-pocket expenses with an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. call this toll-free number on your screen now... for this free information kit, including this... medicare guide and customized rate quote. this morning on "world news now" -- intense standoff. riot police in france set off explosions to force out a gunman wanted in a school shooting rampage. >> that gunman accused of having ties to al qaeda has been holding police at bay for more than 24 hours. it is thursday, march 22nd. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good thursday morning, everybody. i'm paula faris. >> and i'm rob nelson. that suspected gunman is linked to seven shooting deaths and investigators say he was planning to kill even more people. we'll update you on a very long standoff in the city of toulouse. you have to wonder how this is going to end. >> hopefully -- i don't really see -- >> sooner than later. >> yes. exactly. >> they want him alive. they want to know why he did this. >> they want to know why and if he has any accomplices as well. also a 77-year-old woman in southern michigan is thanking her lucky stars.sage, though, behind this high heel event. i always wonder how you women walk in those things. i can't -- i have no idea. >> we don't. >> that's why some of y'all have an tha- i n't tand cf1 o surrounded that house. and now it is simply a waiting game. lama hasan has the latest details. >> reporter: french special forces moved in. holed up inside this building, 24-year-old mohammed merah, seen here in these pictures aired on french tv. wanted for the murder of seven people, including these three children shot at point-blank range as they were dropped off at a jewish school. the man the president of france called a monster had killed every four days, sparking fear he was readying to strike again by week's end. the pain he caused on display at a funeral in israel for the victims. and in france where he caused terror. we met this woman at the school. her 14-year-old son was there when the gunman opened fire. >> he was very shocked because he saw the children dead on the floor. he saw blood. he heard the parents shouting and crying everywhere. >> reporter: officials believe merah may have been trained in afghanistan. he expressed no remorse, boasting he wanted to kill again, quote, bringing france to its knees. the police hope this showdown will end without more blood spilled. lama hasan, abc news, london. >> as you can hear there, there's been gunfire there throughout the night as this thing just continued to roll on. you heard days after that shooting, you can imagine what the folks in that area hearing those sounds over and over what that must -- what toll that must take psychologically. keep you on edge as there's no end to it. >> it's part of the psychology of this. they kind of want to scare him out. at the same time, we mentioned earlier, they want to keep him alive. they want to know who else was involved, where he trained and how deep he was into this process if there are other people. >> just a scary waiting game. we'll keep an eye on this throughout the rest of today. here at home, there is growing anger over the shooting of an unarmed teenager in florida. hundreds of protesters, many of them wearing hoodies, marched in new york last night. trayvon martin was wearing a hoodie the night he was shot to death by a neighborhood watch captain. his parents were among those demanding justice during last night's march. and there is growing pressure on the police chief involved in the trayvon martin case to step down. sanford chief bill lee was given a vote of no confidence by city commissioners last night. now the move is largely symbolic since the commission cannot fire anyone. that is up to the city manager who says he's waiting for the results of an investigation before making a move. >> increasing pressure, though, to do something. that's for sure. all right. some stunning video in now from the war in afghanistan. a u.s. apache helicopter, look at this, flies low over a remote outpost and then gains altitude but on the way back down, something goes horribly wrong and it then wildly bounces off a snow-covered landing zone and keeps going. luckily, no one on the ground was hurt and the two-man crew actually survived all this. the army, of course, is investigating. that $20 million chopper was, as you can imagine, destroyed. hard to believe anyone could survive that. amazing footage. here at home, a very lucky family in southeastern ohio. that's for sure. they were home when a massive boulder and debris broke free from a hillside and came crashing down. no one was injured in this because they all were in the back area of the house that luckily was not damaged. two vehicles were also crushed and several utility poles knocked down as well. some burned out walls and a pile of scorching rubble. that's all that's left of a southeastern michigan home after a huge explosion. the force of the blast, it was so powerful that it sent the elderly homeowner flying. we get the details from wtvg's tony geftos. >> i went to open the door and all of a sudden, something goes whoosh. and i'm flying through the air. >> reporter: nora southwell says she was standing where her porch used to be when her home of nearly 44 years blasted apart. nora, who is 77, estimates she ended up 15 feet from the door. flat on her back with a major bruise to prove it. the monroe evening newspaper delivery man saw it happen. according to the southwells, who credit him with calling 911. meantime, their house went up in flames. investigators tell the couple a gas-powered space heater may have been the cause of the explosion. it was turned off but the pilot light was on. the southwells say they may never know what caused it to blow up, but they do know there is a lot of cleaning up to do after one close brush with a house-shattering blast. >> i was found because the paperman actually saw me sail through the air. i don't know why my back isn't broke. i can't complain. i'm fine. >> if you have your life, you still have it all. that's the lesson there. they haven't decided yet whether to rebuild or not yet but we'll see. >> i just can't imagine that you look at the devastation. you look at that home and how that woman survives? >> lucky. a guardian angel somewhere, right? >> for sure. let me get my heart together to tell this next story. this one hurts badly to report this morning. the stiff penalties being imposed on the new orleans saints all stemming from the bounty program where players, of course, were offered money to take out opposing players on the field. head coach sean payton has been suspended without pay for the next year. he's out for the next season. on top of that, the former defensive coach gregg williams who admitted overseeing the program has been banned indefinitely now by the league. on top of that, the team has been fined $500,000 and also has lost two draft picks. breaks my heart, but i think, actually, in this case, the punishment fits the crime. even i, diehard fan, say that. plus other big sports story of the day. look out big apple. here comes tim tebow. his former team, the broncos, and the new york jets finally completed a trade overnight sending the popular, if somewhat controversial, qb here to new york. the deal almost fell apart over a $5 million salary advance that tebow was owed. finally, though, the teams decided to split it between them. what a day in the sports world. man! >> new yorkers aren't really embracing the whole tebow to new york. i know joe namath thinks it's a publicity stunt. you just heard the radio waves going off, but how are they going to use him? because they just signed mark sanchez to an extension. maybe as a hybrid? who knows. >> new york is a rough if not the roughest sports town in the city. so i'm not quite -- this ain't denver. i'm not quite sure tebow is even -- you know, pray all you want. new york fans, we don't mess around here. i hope you're ready for rough and tumble introduction to the big leagues here. this can be a rough, rough town. >> he'll need to pray about it. >> yes, indeed. get started. >> power of prayer, though. elementary school children from henryville, indiana, are back in class for the first time since the deadly tornado destroyed their school three weeks ago. the 700 students are now attending a temporary school about 20 miles away but officials decided that it would be in the best interest for the kids to skip a statewide tornado drill. >> i think that was a wise choice because, especially for the little ones, i was really concerned about the fear that it would put into them. >> there's a whole fear factor there. fear is a powerful motivator. we don't want to lose the day. >> the students were more excited about seeing their friends and getting back to work. the superintendent hopes to have their old school rebuilt by september 1st, the start of the new school year. of course, after something that important, just to try to get back to normal. >> a big deal. so many communities in the last year of weather have been forced to rebuild and getting back to life. good luck to those folks in that area. here's the thursday forecast, everybody. some thunderstorms from the carolinas down to florida. up to a half foot of rain across mississippi and alabama. more flooding from louisiana to missouri. thunderstorms in the upper midwest. some snow in the cascades, and more downpours from seattle to portland. >> 60 in boise. 58 in albuquerque. 74 in phoenix. 65 in the twin cities. 70 in kc. 73 in the big apple. 83 in miami. imagine steering a skyscraper. well, that's pretty much what the captain of a ship was doing yesterday. it's the largest cargo ship ever to pass under the golden gate bridge and into san francisco bay. that thing was huge. >> look at that. the "msc fabiola" is nearly as long as the empire state building is high, which is 1,250 feet and can actually carry more than 12,000 shipping containers. >> by the way, if all those containers were placed end to end, the line would stretch over 47 miles. >> i'd be worried not only about the size of the ship but all that fog going under that bridge. hope that dude was all right. he made it, though. it's good. we'll be back with more "world news now" right after this. ♪ proud mary keep on burning rolling rolling rolling on the river ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by autostop. 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[ laughs ] [ female announcer ] just one dose of tide original liquid helps remove food stains better than an entire 40 load bottle of the leading liquid bargain brand. that's my tide. what's yours? ♪ the heat is on ♪ so, with more than 3 million ipads sold in the first week alone, there's really no hotter product on the market. >> we love that play on words. >> so funny. aren't we so funny? >> so clever. is the new ipad too hot to handle? it's reaching temperatures 116 degrees in some lab tests. jim avila has the latest on the hot trend. >> reporter: how hot is too hot? the new ipad's brighter screen and bigger battery may come with a price. the tablet can become uncomfortably hot to hold for long periods of time. but abc news tech editor joanna stern says it's not burning anyone. >> i haven't felt like i had to set it aside. it didn't get that warm or that uncomfortable for me. >> reporter: "consumer reports" which likes the new ipad overall tested the third generation apple game-changer and found those who have complained of a hotter to hold device are right. after all, it is designed to be held in your hand. and after 45 minutes of nonstop game-playing, the surface reached 116 degrees. 13 degrees hotter than last generation's ipad 2. but well below the temperature of, say, a sauna, 140 degrees. or a hot coffee spill, 160 degrees. >> it never becomes so hot that you can't hold the device. and it also never became so hot that the device seemed to suffer in any way. >> reporter: apple has had complaints before. most notably, the iphone 4. its metal banded screen seemed to cause reception problems. and there were reports that ipod batteries hissed and overheated. but somehow, apple seems to thrive. >> this new ipad is really amazing when you look at the screen and think about what they've jammed in there. it sort of makes sense it's gotten warmer. >> reporter: apple doesn't sound too concerned either. no apology here. quote, the new ipad delivers all while operating well within our thermal specifications. if customers have any concerns, they should contact applecare. jim avila, abc news, washington. >> apple has sold more than 55 million ipads since it came out april 2010. it's unbelievable. >> that's all? >> you thought it would be more than that? we did a story a couple of weeks ago, maybe a month ago now in "papers" and about how those devices on your lap if you're using them, if they get too warm, they can affect the dude's -- sperm count. so you got to be careful. >> isn't that the beef with particular brands of underwear, too? >> yeah, too hot, too tight. you got to take care of yourself out there. >> you don't want a situation, right? >> get too hot then you start running cold. and speaking of "the situation." the situation addresses a very personal situation. >> mm-hmm. and who made miss piggy very angry? it wasn't kermit. it's all next in "the skinny." >> it wasn't kermit? no? >> announcer: abc's "world news now" will continue after ♪ skinny so skinny we should have you do that song. >> no, you don't want that. here we go. update on the situation. we told you yesterday during "the skinny" he is in rehab. according to tmz, he's at the cirque lodge in utah. a pretty famous rehab facility. again, according to tmz, they are saying he's there for substance abuse problems. that's what their sources are saying. he's only confirming he's there for a prescription medication problem. he says, i -- he said he got that problem due to exhaustion. quote, i've spent the last several weeks getting treatment for this problem and recuperating from my work and appearance schedule. tmz is saying it's prescription medications and middle east still trying to get in shape for the sixth season of "the jersey shore," which starts some time this summer. apparently the situation has a situation but he's in utah getting help. we'll see how it plays out and how it affects the show. alec baldwin had a situation but doesn't any longer. >> he played a good card here. >> don't mess with his words with games -- >> words with friends. >> why did i just say that? >> i don't know. >> whatever day it is. don't mess with his girlfriend. clearly there was a tweeter out on twitter that was messing with his girlfriend. her name is hilaria thomas. the handle was scarface madam. and he rallied all of his followers to respond to this particular woman and kind of give them a piece of her mind, and the alleged harasser deleted his or her profile. and he, as well, has deleted most of his tweets that called for his followers to -- >> what comes around goes around. that's what you get, dude, messing with alec. >> don't do it. and don't mess with miss piggy's man. that's the lesson we learned yesterday on "the talk." apparently miss piggy was on there and told sharon osbourne, me and ozzy had a thing. then sharon said, me and kermie had a thing, too. take a look at how it ended up. >> in the morning, kermit liked his feet rubbed. so i was just rubbing his feet. >> oh, you were just giving him a massage. is that it? >> ye, that's all. how would you like a massage? >> hey! hey! hey! what's up with you? hey! how dare you come after me. >> whoa! i haven't seen anything that bad since elisabeth and rosie on "the view." >> you like your feet rubbed? >> what i do on the weekend is my business. you want to touch these bunions, you go for it, girl. >> a couple of bunions. a couple of corns. >> we'll be right back. >> we'll be right back. symptom . 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take it down a little bit. >> i can't walk in them either, though. >> i've seccccccccccccccccccccca medicare. it doesn't cover everything. and what it doesn't cover can cost you some money. that's why you should consider an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. all medicare supplement insurance plans can help pay... some of what medicare doesn't, so you could save... thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses. call now for this free information kit and medicare guide. if you're turning 65 or you're already on medicare... you should know about this card -- it's the only one of its kind endorsed by aarp; see if it's right for you. all medicare supplement plans let you keep your own doctor, or hospital that accepts medicare. there are no networks and no referrals needed. help protect yourself from some of what medicare doesn't pay... and save up to thousands of dollars in potential... out-of-pocket expenses with an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. call this toll-free number on your screen now... for this free information kit, including this... medicare guide and customized rate quote.