thanks for joining us. >> world news welcome to "world news" on this thanksgiving. the mall of madness, it is here and earlier than ever. the strategy revealed tonight, why the stores are racing to rack up sales and how you can win. our team on the hunt tonight, the best deals they could find. home free, after driving through the storm to get there, what do you face on your way home. haven't seen that much snow this early in a decade. abc meteorologist ginger zee right here. neighborhood nightmare, the 9-hour standoff. a gunman opening fire on place. tonight one officer lucky to be alive. and the modern american mishap, tonight the thanksgiving videos and the butterball operators on the line with "world news," the crazy questions they heard today from panicked cooks. >> they've been in closets where they're whispering. >> hold on.

"world news" starts now. good evening on this thanksgiving. diane is with her family tonight, and it's great to have you with us here. despite the storm millions had to travel through, you made it. tonight, right to the images here. spectators getting into the spirit, dressed as turkeys to watch the bigs macy's parade right here in new york, joy on the faces of the children watching the balloons go by. we cannot forget who we need to thank on this holiday, this soldier in the spirit right there in afghanistan. as many of you try to enjoy your dinner tonight or head back in for leftovers, just look at the long lines already forming at the mall this thanksgiving. so many shoppers who cut dinner short. more stores open this thanksgiving than ever before, and if anyone needs reminding, take a look at this. this is what's coming tomorrow. black friday and crowds expected before sunrise, and we have team

coverage from the shopping centers to the weather center. we begin with abc's chief business correspondent rebecca jarvis at toys r us in times square. happy thanksgiving, rebecca. >> reporter: happy thanksgiving, david. more stores than ever this year have opened today. here at toys r us people lined up since this morning to get inside. once they opened the doors, the cash registers started ringing within five minutes. they came, they saw, they shopped. >> is this your first time shopping on thanksgiving? >> it is. >> you look like you've got a game plan. >> i'm getting xbox. >> an xbox? >> hopefully. that's the game plan. >> reporter: in ft. lauderdale, florida, an early thanksgiving feast so tammy rodriguez and her family could hit the sales. at a kmart in tennessee, an even earlier start, doors opening before sunrise. >> the reality is shopping on thanksgiving is becoming a

tradition for a lot of folks. >> reporter: in los angeles people camping out for days. >> we got here monday night. >> i've been here ten hours. >> reporter: americans by the millions rushing stores with turkey in their bellies hoping to score the deal of the year. retailers scrambling to keep up. >> last year in the first hour we did 10 million just in the first hour. >> reporter: more stores opening earlier than ever before. our alex perez in chicago. >> reporter: here in chicago this flagship macy's store will be breaking a 155-year tradition and opening up right after thanksgiving dinner and it's not just macy's. kohl's and jcpenney across the country will be open on thanksgiving day to get the shoppers inside. >> reporter: the best news for shoppers this year, the deals are better than ever. average discount 35 percent off, up from 25 percent in 2010. bargains to fill every room in the house. for the kitchen, kohl's selling this kitchenaid mixer, before $229. now $101. or how about a new tv for the

family room? this 39-incher usually $330, now $170 at best buy. for your laundry room this new washer/drier set at kmart, first $670, now $500. the deals this year as sweet as pecan pie. one reason the retailers want to get everybody in the door earlier than ever this year is that there are six fewer shopping days between thanksgiving and christmas, but keep this in mind while you're shopping. the best deals are 30 percent off or more. that's what the experts tell us. >> rebecca and alex, our thanks to you both. what a crowd behind you. now to the weather tonight. even this morning that wind threatening the balloons in new york city. the crowd favorite, snoopy, waiting on the sidelines tethered by ropes just waiting for a decision, and then the all clear, snoopy and everyone else there high above the crowds gathered along the route. tonight something else, after the storm more than a third of the country now covered in snow, the most snow this early in a decade.

abc meteorologist ginger zee tonight with the pictures and the forecast now for the trip home. >> reporter: a thanksgiving mess in michigan. dozens of accidents reported on i-75 near flint. lake effect snow making it all the way to the detroit parade. kermit happily floating through the flurries. on the west side of michigan, all that snow adding up, more than a half foot in hart. on the road it was worrying drivers. >> i'm always nervous. i went into a ditch before and i sure do not want to do it again. >> reporter: in the northeast, after wednesday's travel mess, a bright and sunny, albeit freezing, macy's thanksgiving day parade. the winds relaxing just in time. we just got great news, the balloons will fly. the net is off snoopy and all his friends. we are getting this parade going. peaceful and frozen in new england. a perfect day for playing. and in wisconsin a little help

on the sled and a greeting for all. >> happy thanksgiving, everyone! >> ginger back with us live on columbus avenue on manhattan's upper west side. ginger, you were right there along the parade route. the weather did cooperate. the big question now, how does the weekend look when we have to travel back home? >> reporter: i have some great news, david. it is looking a lot better, especially for the northeast. look at this map. the only area of concern really in the pacific northwest, places like seattle where you'll see rain and some wind and maybe some mountain snow but really overall such a better picture than we had yesterday going in. >> great news. happy thanksgiving, ginger. the first family spending a quiet thanksgiving at the white house celebrating with a traditional turkey dinner. president obama did sneak away for a little while, phoning service men and women to thank them for their service, the whole family marking the holiday overnight, giving out bags of food to families in need in the capital. an abc news exclusive tonight, the president and the first lady telling barbara walters who they're thinking of on this thanksgiving.

>> mr. president, do you have a thanksgiving message? >> there are a lot of people out there who work hard every day, do right by their family, but are still working through some of their ravages of that big recession that we had. my message to them is know that every day i'm going to be working as hard as i can on your behalf. >> i want americans to remember that even as we draw down our troops we still have men and women serving abroad. i just want america to keep those people close to their hearts and to serve them as well as they have served us. >> the president and first lady on this thanksgiving and tomorrow night here on a special edition of "20/20," barbara walters at the white house, and barbara asking the president about the rough rollout of obama care and when he thinks america will elect the first female president. tomorrow night, 10:00 eastern right here. overseas tonight and to iran

making good on a promise it made about its nuclear program. secretary of state kerry shaking hands with iran's foreign minister on this historic deal last weekend. tonight iran is officially inviting united nations inspectors to visit an unfinished reactor that could have produced plutonium for bombs. next here to china tonight, that country sending war planes into dispute air space today, raising the stakes in its latest campaign to demonstrate its military might. china's move has drawn the u.s. to respond tonight. abc's gloria riviera reporting from beijing. gloria? >> reporter: david, the tension here is only growing. china has flexed its muscle to the world and is refusing to back down. the message was delivered by america's new ambassador to japan, caroline kennedy, a warning to china after it insisted it has the right to police the sky over a series of islands. what might seem small, experts say is a big, bold move by china, an act of defiance from the super power. but the u.s. was quick to respond, flying two b-52 bombers unannounced into the zone, and now japan and south korea have tested china, too, with their

own flights. today china responded by sending fighter jets into the zone. raising the stakes, vice-president joe biden will be in china in the coming days. we are told he will ask china to explain what's behind the aggression. david? >> gloria tonight in beijing. back here at home and to los angeles and a standoff that kept neighbors hiding in their homes. a gunman opening fire on police, and it's all caught on tape. abc's cecilia vega on the hostage situation that unfolded and the officer lucky to be alive. >> reporter: it was a pre-thanksgiving day shoot-out caught on camera, a barrage of gunfire that sent families prepare their holiday dinners running for cover. as soon as officers responding to a domestic disturbance approached the front door, police say the man inside opened fire. >> it sounded like an army or some type of automatic weapon.

>> reporter: police fired back. inside the house, investigators say the suspect barricaded himself, holding his girlfriend and her 14-year-old daughter hostage. >> officer down. >> reporter: one officer was hit. this video shows fellow officers rushing him out of the line of fire. he survived, thanks to a bulletproof vest. >> we would like everybody to remain inside their residence. >> reporter: officers evacuated residents. police and even little children carrying babies to safety during a standoff that went late into the night until the suspect finally surrendered. he reportedly had two strikes on his record and feared going to jail with a third. david, so many people in that neighborhood today thankful no one was seriously hurt. >> cecilia vega, thank you. now to a courtroom tonight where celebrity chef nigella lawson is confronting claims made by her employees. abc's lama hasan now from london. >> it's all about the taste and

nothing but the taste. >> reporter: nigella lawson is the beloved celebrity chef known for her sumptuous dishes. but allegations made against her paint a different picture of the domestic goddess. lawson and ex-husband charles saatchi claimed a former assistant assistant embezzled more than $1 million. the two claimed they had a tas et understanding with the tv chef, allowing them to use her credit card as long as they kept quiet about allegations of cocaine, marijuana and prescription drugs. lawson will testify during this two-week trial. she's due to host abc's show "the taste" in january. the courthouse behind me is bracing for another turn tomorrow when nigella lawson's former husband, charles saatchi, takes the stand to once and for all tell his side of the story. david? >> lama hasan from london, thank you. look over my shoulder here

this evening. this is the comet so many people were watching, the so-called comet of the century. thousands, in fact, tweeting about it on this thanksgiving. >> reporter: all eyes were trained on that comet today called ison, four and a half billion years old, traveling on its way to the sun. 1:37 eastern time. and that comet was expected to pass fewer than 737,000 miles from the sun's surface, slingshot around and head back out again. >> a once-in-a-lifetime chance. it's not going to come back. >> reporter: scientists had been tracking ison and hoechg that by studying it, it would give them a snapshot of the atmosphere billions of years ago. >> we're going to find out a great deal about what the solar system was like. >> reporter: as the comet approached the sun today, temperatures up to 5,000 degrees fahrenheit, it seems to disappear, evaporate. scientists are examining the data but they believe ison most likely did not survive that 5 and a half million year journey. there were more than 11,000 tweets about the comet in one

hour this afternoon. one star gazer tweeting "rip comet ison. we'll never forget." much more ahead on "world news." the basketball fan that took the challenge. watch this. he makes the shot, the prize 20 grand. why did he learn afterward he doesn't get the money? the outrage tonight. we want you to weigh in. later here, preparing the perfect thanksgiving dinner is nearly impossible. tonight on the line with the operators. this poor welcome right there. what they were asked today, panicked cooks from all over america, some hiding in the closets of their home to make the call. back in two minutes. 123450 as your life and career change, fidelity is there for your personal economy, helping you readjust your retirement plan along the way, rethink how you're invested, and refocus

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butterball hotline from panicked cooks all over. we were a little glad to hear we weren't the only ones working today, those dedicated operators, we asked them what were they asked about those cooks. >> reporter: from all over the country, american families and their dinner drama. in this kitchen the thanksgiving turkey still not done. >> the turkey is not done. we cooked it for nine and a half hours. >> reporter: the size of the turkey, the average size now 30 pounds, just 16 pounds back in 1960. there is a classic video from this family and their deep fried plans. it happens more than you think. >> we're having a problem on this thanksgiving day. >> reporter: you can always count on the kids to be positive. listen to the little girl in the background. >> daddy turkey ready. >> reporter: outside chicago tonight they tried to keep that from happening, butterball operators, carol, stan, nicole and mary all checking in with

"world news" this thanksgiving. >> happy thanksgiving, "world news." >> reporter: all working 8-hour shifts today. >> they're in a panic. they want to be talked off the ledge. >> reporter: mary answering the phone for 28 years, calls from everywhere, every corner of the house. >> absolutely. they have been in closets where they are whispering because they don't want anybody to know that they're calling because there is an argument going on. >> reporter: one in four callers, men. 80 percent of men now helping to make the thanksgiving meal. but how much help? >> a gentleman called and was given a to do list by his wife. he was told that he needed to thaw the turkey and bathe the twins so he was going to knock it all out and bathe the twins and have the turkey alongside in the bathtub and do it all in one shot. >> he put the turkey in with the kids? >> yes, he did. >> reporter: operators have heard it all. >> we hear electric blankets, use a jacuzzi to thaw their turkey. >> wait a minute. someone used an electric blanket to thaw their turkey? >> yes, they did. >> or the woman whose oven kept shutting off. >> the dog had his paws on the

oven. she found the culprit. >> reporter: nicole answering the line for more than a decade now. she started the year she got married. >> i had to postpone not the wedding but the honeymoon. >> to take turkey calls? >> i did, i sure did. >> reporter: honeymoon is over because her husband is the one home cooking today. >> still married and we actually have four butter balls of our own now. so going strong. >> still married and four butter balls. happy thanksgiving. still ahead, he shoots, he scores, the prize $20,000. timeout. why doesn't he get the money tonight? timeout. why doesn't he get the money tonight?

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finally here on this thanksgiving, two families and one gift unlike any other. here's "nightline" anchor, cynthia mcfadden. >> reporter: two years ago this girl struggled for every breath she took. at age two she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. a genetic disease which causes mucous to build up in the lungs. >> my lung capacity by the time i was 18, 19 years old was to the point where they were telling me that i was going to need a lung transplant in two years. >> reporter: her mother knew without the transplant lindsey wouldn't see another birthday. >> i would walk to work crying, knowing that my daughter was dying before my eyes and there wasn't a thing i could do about it. >> reporter: then on the morning of april 4, 2011 -- >> they called. they said they have a potential match. hopefully it's for real. >> we're a go, yep.

>> we love you. >> love you, too. i'll be fine. >> reporter: tense moments, but in the end -- >> all good, all good. >> reporter: whose death allowed her to live? >> all i knew was he was 18 and he was a male. >> reporter: adrian rodriguez was a real charmer, a high school senior, a beloved only son. >> adrian was running to school and he slipped on the subway platform. >> reporter: as the train pulled in, he fell. one mother's loss would save another mother's child. >> all i could think of that day was how lucky we were and how unfortunate she was. we were just so grateful. >> hi, how are you? >> reporter: on the day before thanksgiving, the two families, tied forever, decided to meet.

>> i think about him every day. >> there is a funny kind of bond i would think. i mean, adrian is a part of you. >> he's definitely part of me. he is why i'm here. >> reporter: cynthia mcfadden, abc news, new york. >> so powerful. >> cynthia has more tonight on "nightline." happy thanksgiving, good night. t. 0 a big responsibility to be the representative of the non-binary gender immunity. >> that's the east bay teenager

who was burned on the bus taking on a new role in the gender neutral community. good evening, everybody, happy thanksgiving. >> this is shaping up to be a joyful holiday for the family of an east bay hate crime victim. he suffered terrible burns when a 16-year-old boy set sasha's skirt on fire on a bus. he was released from the hospital today and spoke to reporters for the first time today. laura anthony joins us at a bus stop near the crime scene. >> reporter: sasha is heavily bandaged but there is no bitterness. is an effort to move forward in the little ways. for sasha fleischman this thanksgiving is unlike any other. home with family, safe and

surrounded by the well wishes of hundreds of people, friends and strangers alike. >> when i was in the hospital every day my parents world visit and bring a stack of cards this high, most of them from total strangers. >> we are thankful to have sasha not just hope but with us at all. >> i looked down and my skirt is on fire. >> reporter: for fleischman life changed forever when a 16-year-old boy lit his skirt on fire on an ac transit bus. >> my first instinct i start waving it around and that just fans the flames. >> reporter: other passengers helped put out the flames. sasha was burned but alive. the boy who set the fire has been charged with two felony hate crimes. >> probably didn't realize how