lindsey janice, abc news, new york. general motors is expanding its recall of small cars to repair defective ignition switches. the recall covers 1.6 million compact cars. various saturn, chevrolet and pontiac models from 2003 to 2007 that need repair. the faulty ignitions can shut off and 13 deaths are linked to the defect. federal safety advocates insist gm knew about the defects for years and did not issue a recall. you won t see the best car in america at your gas station because it runs on a battery. consumer reports shows that the tesla model s is the top pick. the magazine says this electric car has exceptional performance and an exceptional price tag, $90,000. among consumer reports, other top picks are ram 1500 as best pickup. the small suv is the subaru forester and honda accord is the number one midsize sedan. here is a question, what did you get when you mix a children s playground, snow and
americans enrolled. obesity in young children. the obama administration may be due some of the credit. nbc s lindsay janice has more. four years after michelle obama launched her let s move initiative to get kids to eat right and exercise that stunning headline. new government numbers showing in 2004, 14% of 2 to 5-year-olds were obese. but by 2012, that number dropped to just 8%. the cdc calling the first significant decrease in the epidem epidemic. it is particularly important since new evidence suggests that kids who are overweight that age are more likely to be overweight as adults. experts point to a number of factors that may have contributed to the dramatic decline. kids are consuming fewer sugary drinks. more moms are breast-feeding. they also credit the first lady with raising awareness. lessons that may be starting to stick.
about childhood obesity. a drop of obesity in young children. the obama administration may be due some of the credit. nbc s linzie janis has more. four years after michelle obama launched her let s move initiative to get kids to eat right and exercise that stunning headline. new government numbers showing in 2004, 14% of 2 to 5-year-olds were obese. but by 2012, that number dropped to just 8%. the cdc calling the first significant decrease in the epidemic. it is particularly important since new evidence suggests that kids who are overweight that age are more likely to be overweight as adults. experts point to a number of factors that may have contributed to the dramatic decline. kids are consuming fewer sugary drinks. more moms are breast-feeding. they also credit the first lady with raising awareness. lessons that may be starting to stick.
too often, america s servicemen and women return home from the war zone to a life of pain. for some of them the very agency set up to help them entraps them instead. abc news teamed up with the center for investigative reporting for this report, coming home america s promise. here is abc s byron pitts. these are probably the most difficult ones to look at. snap shots of a father by his own admission was anything but . decorated army veteran, justin, bronze star in iraq, here so stoned on prescription drugs he can barely hold his 3-year-old daughter. the war hero turned addict. i had everything going for me. and like a flash, that fast, you look up and it s gone. this was my family. he is not alone. according to the center for investigative reporting, a v.a. hospitals, number prescriptions for highly addictive pain killers surge 270% in the past 12 years. a rate far above the increase in patients. in fact, more than 50,000 veterans treated by the v.a. for pai
impressive moves. and good morning, everyone. we begin with breaking news involving international intrigue and an american fugitive on the run. edward snowden, the man who told the world about the federal government s sweeping top secret domestic spying program, is on the move as we speak this morning. officials in hong kong say snowden who s charged with espionage by the u.s. government boarded a plane overnight and will soon land in russia, and this group, wikileaks claims to be helping him get away. we will speak to george stephanopoulos in a moment. but we begin with gloria riviera in hong kong. gloria, good morning to you. reporter: good morning. dan. it s been a stunning turn of events today. edward snowden, the man wanted on charges of espionage, manages to sneak out of the country. it was just after 4:00 p.m. when the hong kong government released a statement saying he left the country of his own accord. and what was a blow to the u.s. government, saying the u.s