World News Tonight (ABC) - 1999-12-30

The transition into the new millennium triggers unprecedented global security measures and intense scrutiny of technological infrastructure. Law enforcement agencies, particularly the FBI, are on high alert following the arrest of individuals linked to terrorist plots targeting American soil, including connections to Algerian extremist groups and Osama bin Laden. Simultaneously, the nation races to ensure Y2K compliance across critical systems, ranging from air traffic control to nuclear missile tracking, to prevent potential computer failures. Amidst these urgent preparations, the broadcast reflects on the 20th century’s historical predictions about the year 2000, noting that while some technological forecasts like personal computers and global networks proved accurate, many social and domestic visions—such as the disappearance of lawyers or the widespread use of household robots—remained largely speculative or unrealized.