Scientists track them and discover a kind of feline frankenstein. Good evening. We begin with that wall of wind howling across the country tonight. Millions of americans bracing for the impact, everything from stalled trains and planes to tornadoes. And here is the map. An area from the Florida Panhandle to new york, under a Severe Weather warning. Abcs Steve Osunsami is outside atlanta tonight in adairsville, georgia, where one powerful tornado has already torn through town. Reporter an hour north of atlanta, an amazing picture, the sky was falling. Weve got debris flying to the left and center of this system. The sirens have been going off here. The wind is kicking up, along with the rain. Again, a funnel crossing the interstate here in adairsville. Reporter witnesses here say the tornado was on the ground, churning through homes, Office Buildings and factories for more than 20 minutes. Scientists think it was an ef2 or greater, with wind speeds more than 125 miles an hour. Please take safe shelter for us right now. Get in the Center Portion of your home. A basement if you have it. Reporter in calhoun, georgia, homes were leveled. At this factory in adairsville, workers scrambled for cover. Neighbors had to rescue families trapped inside their homes. One man was killed. There was no warnings, no nothing. Reporter we talked with the family of the man who tied. They were at home looking for a lost pet. Jessica cantrell told us she cant bear to look. I wouldnt anybody else to look at this. Its tragic. Its hard. Because you never know if you are going to have somebody else thats going to be able to get back on your feet. Reporter im sorry. The tornado left behind what looked like a junkyard, with twisted semitrailers, more than 100 cars flipped by the end. Travis richardson was in his 18wheeler when the tornado lifted his truck off the ground and threw it off the road. I couldnt believe it picked up my truck and flipped it over like that. I cant believe it. Reporter the storm still stretches more than 900 long miles, and as it marched across the country, it brought high winds to texas. In missouri, flash flooding. And then winds that knocked down 50 train cars. Further north in green county, indiana, dozens of homes were damaged or destroyed. Todays misery reached quinn county, tennessee, where families are counting their blessings. Its just the worst sound i ever heard in my life. Reporter and the storm isnt done yet. In pennsylvania, blistering winds flipped this helicopter. Tonight, there will be Severe Weather warnings across the south. High wind, rain, thunderstorms. And the extreme weather is expected to reach as far north as new york. Diane . Thank you so much, steve. Well be watching it through this stormy night. And now, we turn to another developing story tonight. Word of a bold strike by americas biggest ally in the middle east, israel. An air attack across the syrian border. Everyone waiting for what happens next. Abcs steve Global Affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz tracking it for us tonight. Martha . Reporter diane, this is a very significant move and clearly a red line for israel. This is what we know. Officials say truckloads of dangerous weapons were being loaded from a facility in syria and then were headed for lebanon. Officials say inside those trucks were fa17s. Those are very capable, mobile radarguided surface to air missiles. Israel little war planes were launched to destroy the trucks and stop them from entering lebanon before the militant Group Hezbollah could get their hands on them. The building where the trucks were loading and departing was also hit. Hezbollah is a swosh enemy of israel. If hezbollah had gotten those missiles, it would have significantly increased their capability in any future conflict with israel. So, this was not israel getting involved in the conflict in syria, per se, it was very much israel making a preemptive strike to protect itself. But this will increase tension in the region, diane. All right, martha. Another story to be watching through this night. Thanks so much. And now, a dramatic day in washington. A kind of showdown over gun violence in america. It began with a surprise appearance by Gabby Giffords, who made a plea for a nation awash in guns to do something. Abcs chief White House CorrespondentJonathan Karl tells us what happened. Reporter you wouldnt know it by watching the way she arrived on capitol hill today, but it was just two years ago that a bullet shattered Gabby Giffords skull. Too many children are dying. Too many children. Reporter they were the very first words giffords has spoken before Congress Since she was shot. She used them to employ her former colleagues to act against gun violence. It will be hard, but the time is now. You must act. Be bold. Be courageous. Americans are counting on you. Reporter and with that, give fords left, leaving her husband, mark kelly, to take on the National Rifle associations wayne lapierre. Kelly argued for better background checks for all gun sales. My wife would not be sitting in this seat, she would not have been sitting here today if we had stronger background checks. My problem with background checks is youre never going to get criminals to go through universal background checks. Reporter and kelly said that if the man who shot his wife had been limited to an ammunition clip with just ten bullets, a little girl killed that day might still be alive today. The first bullet went into gabbys head. Bullet number 13 went into a 9yearold girl named Christina Taylor green. Reporter lapierre said that new gun laws would only punish those that dont break the law. Lawabiding gun owners will not accept blame for the acts of violent criminals. Reporter when it was over, kelly went over to shake lapierres hand. The two only agreed on one thing the need for stronger measures to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill. But as giffords and kelly told diane sawyer earlier this month, they are hoping for more Common Ground than just that. So, it is the common sense consensus youre going for. We are. And i think most gun owners are in the same camp with us. When it can happen to children in a classroom, its time to say enough. Reporter after the hearing was over, Gabby Giffords and mark kelly met with the president here at the white house. He is counting on them to help build public support for his gun control plans and he is going to need it, diane. Right now, even the president s allies on capitol hill say it is will extremely difficult for him to get any of it passed. Okay, jon, and as you well know, there are two facts driving those hearings today. 30 americans die from gun violence in this country every single day. And nearly 23,000 have died in the past two years alone. And one of those lost became a kind of presence in those hearings today. Hadiya pebdndleton was in washington 11 days ago, with her High School Band for the inauguration. But yesterday, with her team in a chicago park, a gunman, possibly a gang member, shot her dead as she took shelter. She was just trying to get out of the rain. And theres another note out of washington tonight. Look closely at this picture. That is William Mo Cowan of massachusetts. He will be heading to washington, d. C. Soon and straight into the history books. He will take over the senate seat of the new secretary of state, john kerry. And that means, for the first time in americas 236year history, we will have two africanamerican senators serving at one time in the senate. The other is tim scott of south carolina. And from an historic day to a day just short of making history on wall street. The dow has been flirting with a return to the 14,000 mark, on a rocket ride of economic energy. But today, a new report on growth created a speed bump. We wanted to know how serious is it . Abcs david muir, here to tell us what he found out today. Reporter fascinated, diane, with the race to the 14,000 mark on the dow. Something to watch. Welcome news for so many boomers. Finally seeing their 401 k s come back. But tonight, the first real bump in some time. Look at this. The market closing down. We came so close to that alltime high there, before the crash. 14,164 there. Look where we are tonight. We fast forward to current day, so close, 13,910. And tonight, those jittery boomers want to know, can they believe in the recovery . The stock market on a rocket ride. The dow with the best start to the year since 1989. But with todays speed bump, what are baby boomers to think . Is the recovery in their investments, their 401 k s, the real thing . What would you say to boomers who say, is the foundation really there . I think we have a real recovery. Corporate profits are growing pretty nicely. They were actually up 8 last year. But i think the lesson we have to take is to approach this with some element of caution. Reporter thats advice boomers bill and kathy will take, watching their 401 k s tank and finally now recover so much lost ground. Theyre used to giving their own advice to fellow boomers, recording messages while they travel. Travel tips, after years of w k working and saving themselves. Make sure that you wear your money on you inside. Reporter but to keep traveling, they need the recovery to continue. I retired in 2008 and my retirement crashed. And the recovery has been fantastic. So, it makes life a lot easier. A lot more fun. You can do a lot more things. Reporter world news reached out to a team of economists who said todays blip in the stock market run comes off a slight slowdown in gdp, the countrys economic output. If you see more trucks, she says its not a leap, but the economy is chugging along. Trucking is up in recent markets. Joel naroff said, look at shoppers leaving the malls. Are they empty handed or still carrying several bags . And paint prices. Its more than just a fresh coat. It the writing on the wall. More demand for paint and its key ingredients send the prices up. All things to watch for and tonight, the walters say theyll be looking, as they look for more pralaces to travel to. We can think about those places wed like to travel that are still on our bucket list. Reporter there are many places still on their bucket list. And you heard the economists there say, while were not there yet, that the foundation of this recovery is real. Watch for those trucks on the entertainment, watch for the paint prices, when they start to go up, theres real demand. The big picture tonight from david muir. Thank you. And we want to bring you upto date on the eerie sight in china tonight. You know they are battling polluted smog, so thick, you can barely make out those cars on the highway. More than 100,000 masks are being sold every day this month in the city of beijing alone. And have you heard this . A wealthy chinese businessman is selling fresh air in soft drink cans. About 80 cents per can. What you do is take the cab and you, in essence, drink from it with your mouth or nose by breathing it in deeply. The air has not been this dirty in china since 1954. And still ahead on world news, he earned 234,000 every time he walks into a ballpark. Tonight, is the king of baseball about to strike out for good . Do you often experience the feeling of a dry mouth . It can be the side effect of many medications. Dry mouth can be frustrating. And ignoring it can lead to. Sipping water can help, but dentists recommend biotene. Biotene moisturizes and helps supplement some of salivas enzymes, providing soothing relief when you need it most. Dont ignore dry mouth. Look for biotene in your oral care section today. This has been medifacts for biotene. A body at rest tends to stay at rest. While a body in motion tends to stay in motion. Staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. But if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. Prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. Because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. Plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. Celebrex can be taken with or without food. And its not a narcotic. You and your doctor should balance the benefits with the risks. All prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. They all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. This chance increases if you have Heart Disease or risk factors such as high Blood Pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. Nsaids, including celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. Patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. Do not take celebrex if youve had an asthma attack, hives, or other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. Get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. Tell your doctor your medical history. And find an Arthritis Treatment for you. Visit celebrex. Com and ask your doctor about celebrex. For a body in motion. And tonight, talk about the wheel of fortune. The highest paid player in the history of baseball might be one step away from losing it all. Alex rodriguez, who lived a big, glamorous life off the field, facing new accusations about performance enhancing drugs. So, will his team say his big and lucrative ride is over . Abcs bob woodruff. Reporter they are one of the greatest teams in sports. He was on track to become the best in baseball. And so the yankees signed alex rodriguez, known as arod, to a tenyear contract worth 275 million the biggest in history. The numbers were just mind boggling. People thought his career is set, this guy is going to walk into cooperstown some day as the greatest of alltime. Reporter the yankees paid arod 30 million last year alone. Thats more than 238,000 per game. 234,000 per hit. And each home run . A whopping 1. 6 million. His prowess on the field often overshadowed by his prowess off. Those blue eyes charming the likes of cameron diaz, kate hudson, even madonna, as red sox fans gleefully mocked. But now, it could all be falling apart. Rodriguez is facing new accusations of using performance enhancing drugs. Major League Baseball is investigating and sources tell espn the yankees want arod out. Im really tired of this. Its really starting to tick me off. Reporter hes long been accused of using steroids. You can see how he bulked up. He finally came clean back in 2009. I did take a banned substance. And, you know, for that, im very sorry and deep lip regretful. Reporter arod insisted he stopped doping back in 2004, and that hes always been clean as a yankee. His spokesman repeating that claim as these new charges swirl. But hes got another 114 million left on that megacontract, which is why the yankees may be looking for ways out of this troubled marriage. Bob woodruff, abc news, new york. And coming up next here, the other showdown tonight. Adele or barbara . Who will steal the show at the oscars . Our instant index, coming up. 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Visit your eyecare professional today to ask about our newest lenses, transitions vantage and transitions xtractive lenses. Experience life well lit. Ask which transitions adaptive lens is best for you. And we have a surprise at the top of our instant index tonight. A new headturning college freshman. Well, look here. You see him there in the middle. That, of course, is watson, the super computer who trounced humans on jeopardy. He has enrolled at Rensselaer Institute in upstate new york to be modernized in english and math. And programmed to understand images and videos on the web. By the way, were told, for now, watson will be living offcampus. And, look who is back. Remember this moment . Hello gorgeous. Reporter that was barbra streisand, winning the oscar for funny girl in 1969. And today, an announcement. For the first time in 36 years, streisand will perform again at the oscars. And as you know, shell be the second big voice on the stage this year. Recognize the other one . Its the Skyfall Adele and streisand on one stage. 25 days until the oscars. Stay tuned. And we have a big announcement tonight from a familiar face in our past. Its gomer pyle. Shazam thats the Andy Griffith show and jim nabors. Today, the 82yearold has announced he has married his longtime partner. They have been together for 38 years. Nabors said hes never been ashamed of being gay, but liked his privacy and says he wants everyone to know he feels blessed and happy to have had a love that lasted so long. And we send our congratulations. And coming up, a new report. It spokes fluffy, your pet cat, may have a shocking secret life. Well tell you about something making news tonight. ] hi, i just switched jobs, and i want to roll over my old 401 k into a fidelity ira. Man okay, no problem. Its easy to get started; i can help you with the paperwork. Um. This green line just appeared on my floor. Yeah, thats fidelity helping you reach your financial goals. Could you hold on a second . 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Say louisiana or theres no dessert. Brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home. Get coricidin hbp. The number one pharmacist recommended cold brand designed for people with high Blood Pressure. And the only one i use to relieve my cold symptoms without raising my Blood Pressure. Coricidin hbp. Then i read an article about a study that looked at the Long Term Health benefits of taking multivitamins. They used centrum silver for the study. So i guess my wife was right. [ male announcer ] centrum. Always your most complete. And finally, we have learned that the number of cats roaming outside in america tonight is exponentially larger than ever before. And not just stray cats, but pets, too. So, some scientists decided to spy on them. What did they learn . Abcs dan harris tells us our Furry Friends may have a double life. Reporter in the age of youtube, they play pattycake, get stuck in sleeves, and even, in this viral video i made with the aspca, fly. But do not be fooled by all this alleged innocence. Reality might be closer to this. Behind the adorable exterior, lurks lethal intent. The serial killer purring in your lap. You will never look at fluffy the same. Reporter ben johnson voices trailers for movies. We wrote that for him. But turns out, its all true. We all know cats eat birds, but what stunned the scientists behind this weeks new study is when you do some thorough sleuthing on cats, it turns out they are four times more vicious than previewly imagined. Every year, they kill 12. 3 billion mammals like chipmoneyings and 2. 4 billion birds. A feeding frenzy that is even endangering some rare birds. Why . Because the number of stray cats has exploded. And because, it turns out, felines are much deadlier than we knew. Hes the cutest serial killer you will ever meet. Reporter amy watts thought she knew her cat, booker t. , but when scientists put a little camera on the kitty, it captured carnage. The new numbers took me by surprise. I never thought my wife and i were harboring three cold blooded killers in our own home. Today, i went back to the aspca, where we adopted the cats. On a scale of 1 to 10, how worried should i be that one of my sleep . Not likely. Reporter but it is a real problem. A human problem. Experts say we are the reason the cat population has exploded and we all have to do a better job of keeping them inside. Dan, you will never look at your cats the same. Reporter maybe not. Thanks, ben. Dan harris, abc news, new york. And the saying goes, every cat owner knows nobody owns a cat. And thank you so much for watching. Were always working for you at abcnews. Com. Nightline later at its new time, 12 35 a. M. Eastern. And ill see you again tomorrow night. Good night