right now on america this morning, millions under a flood watch overnight as another storm impacts travel delays on the road and in the air. on one of the busiest travel days of the year. plus yet another bird strike forces a plane to make an emergency landing, a showdown over the migrant crisis at the southern border. >> the new demand from big city mayors after texas sends more migrant busses north, and what mexico is now agreeing to do. >> presidential candidate nikki

haley facing fallout after this town hall where someone asked her what caused the u.s. civil war, how she answered cold and flu season ramping up. >> but this morning, the new study on what poses the biggest risk for children when it comes to respiratory illnesses. >> plus, the man rescued after being trapped in his truck for six long days after a crash. we hear from the fisherman who found him and his inspirational message from his hospital bed vacation of a lifetime. >> the company, now planning a three and a half year long cruise around the world. how much it'll cost in from trash to treasure. >> what this innocent looking stuffed animal bought at a flea market was really worth. >> from abc news in new york. this is america this morning. >> good thursday morning, everyone. i'm rhiannon ally, and i'm andrew dymburt. >> we begin with extreme weather once again impacting travel for millions of americans during

this holiday week. >> as we approach the new year's weekend today is one of the busiest travel days of the entire year, and we are seeing a big storm in the northeast and the aftermath of flight delays in the south. this morning, just days after a flood emergency in the northeast cut off neighborhoods, prompting evacuations and high water rescues in new jersey, another flood threat up to four inches of rain possible through the morning, causing more travel trouble through the busy northeast and in the midwest. snow in missouri reducing visibility on the roads to less than a mile in the air. this holiday travel week. already seeing a long list of flight delays with record crowds at the airport, the faa blaming air traffic, staffing problems and flight congestion for traveler frustration in florida, just days after southwest airlines was fined a record $140 million for last year's travel meltdown, the airline saw hundreds of delays yesterday. today, the

faa, for the second day in a row, imposed ground delays in florida due to higher than usual traffic in the sky. we had a big flock of birds we went through and they even hit one there. it was a bird strike that caused problems for this flight headed to austin, quickly returning to fort lauderdale. it's the second bird strike on a southwest plane in less than a week. one expert tells abc's gio benitez that despite nearly 15,000 bird strikes in the last year, they remain a major concern. >> they can be very serious. the airplanes are not built to brush them aside. it can cause an engine to fail. >> meanwhile, across the pond. oh 40 mile per hour winds made for a tricky landing at heathrow airport. but this american airlines flight managed to touch down safely. really scary video there. back in florida, many flight delays approached for hours. one flight was delayed 21 hours. >> now to the crisis on the southern border. mexico has

agreed to form a task force to look at ways to slow the flow of migrants coming from central and south america. it follows high level talks between u.s. and mexican officials. meanwhile the mayors of new york, chicago and denver are demanding more money from the federal government. they say they are overwhelmed by migrants being bused from texas. here's abc's rachel bade mexican officials unveiling a new task force to address the migrant surge at the u.s. >> mexico border, a move that comes after u.s. officials pressed the nation to do more to stem the crisis. sources telling abc news that u.s. secretary of state antony blinken and dhs secretary alejandro mayorkas pushed mexico to step up immigration enforcement within their country, help reopen ports of entry and encourage migrants to stay in mexico, mayor mexico's foreign affairs minister, heeding that request, telling reporters after the meeting that as part of the new task force, mexico will regularly meet with countries in central and latin america. the next meeting will be in january. one senior u.s. administration

official telling abc news that the u.s. is pleased with what mexico proposed and the news coming as over whelmed border officials brace for the arrival of this caravan. a group that's estimated to top 6000 migrants the month of december is on track to have the highest number of apprehensions ever, according to cbp officials. some days, they predict, could even reach 10,000. elsewhere in the u.s, republican texas governor greg abbott continues to infuriate democratic mayors by sending migrants to their own cities, all on the taxpayer dime. new york city mayor eric adams rebuking him to stop the games and use of migrants as potential as political pawns. >> we need the state and federal government's help in resettling and supporting the 68,000 migrants still in our care, as well as those who are on their way and those yet to come. >> mexican leaders also told u.s. officials that they'll crack down on smuggling.

meanwhile, back here in the united states, a sweeping bipartisan border bill remains stuck in congress. rachel bade abc news, washington thanks, rachel presidential candidate nikki haley is facing backlash over her response to a question about the civil war in new hampshire. >> last night, a voter asked haley what caused the war. she said it came down to the role of government. um, what was the cause of the united states civil war? >> i mean, i think it always comes down to the role of government and what the rights of the people are. >> and we i will always stand by the fact that i think government was intended to secure the rights and freedoms of the people. it was never meant to be all things to all people. government doesn't need to tell you how to live your life. they don't need to tell you what you can and can't do. they don't need to be a part of your life in the year 2023.

>> it's astonishing to me that you answer that question without mentioning the word slavery. >> what do you want me to say about slavery? >> well, president biden responded on social media overnight, saying the civil war was about slavery, and haley has been climbing in the polls and was recently endorsed by new hampshire's popular governor. >> michigan's supreme court has rejected an attempt to remove former president trump from the primary ballot. the court refused to hear an appeal that claims trump should be disqualified based on the 14th amendment, which bars an insurrectionist from holding office. a colorado decision banning trump from the ballot is being appealed. >> israeli forces are conducting some of their heaviest airstrikes in gaza, despite international pressure for a cease fire. the hamas run health ministry says 250 people were killed in a 24 hour period yesterday, and now israel is warning of a second front in this war. it says diplomacy with lebanon is running out as hezbollah launches more attacks into israel from the north. >> we turn now to the death of

tom smothers from the smothers brothers, the pioneering comedy duo helped change the landscape of television, not afraid to express their views about war and civil rights, they took a stand when it was not easy to do so. >> if i had a ship this morning. >> tom smothers, half of the iconic comedy duo the smothers brothers, has died after a battle with cancer. >> you don't sing the rest of the rest of the show, okay? i'll do. i'll do a song my way. we like to do. yeah, well, mom always liked you best. >> tom and dick smothers made a name for themselves in the late 1950s, performing as folk musicians, blending comedy into their routine with tom on guitar and dick on bass. their unique style would land them appearances on tv in the 60s and eventually their own show, the smothers brothers. comedy hour. we will try to put us to talk about jesus and jesus. >> the show was a hit with younger audiences, featuring musicians and comedians, other shows would shy away from due to political reasons. >> oh well, i'm only 18. i got a

ruptured spleen and i always carry a purse. >> despite the pair's clean cut appearance, they became known for pushing the edge. their endorsement of the counterculture prompted cbs to censor the show, cutting lines or even entire sketches. the war with the network came to a head in 1969, and the show was canceled. the problems of the young people is never reflected in television. >> it has to be just because it's unpopular. it has to still be said. >> undeterred from his antiwar message, a few months later, tom would play the guitar on john lennon's give peace a chance, give peace a chance, and in 2008, nearly 40 years after the comedy hour was canceled, tom smothers was awarded an honorary emmy. i dedicate this, this emmy , to all people who feel compelled to speak out. steve martin, a writer on the comedy hour, saying tom smothers irreplaceable brilliance, benefactor to free speech in the age of television, and tom's brother dick saying our relationship was like a good marriage the longer we were

together, the more we loved and respected one another. tom died at his home in california. he was 86. it is time now for a look at your thursday weather. >> millions of people are under flood watches in the northeast as heavy rain moves up the i-95 corridor. the worst downpours will be seen around new york city before the storm moves north around the morning rush hour, and some areas of pennsylvania, new jersey and new york could see more than three inches of rain over a 12 hour period. looking at today's high temperatures, 60s across much of the west and the south, upper 30s and the plains 50s and 60s along much of the northeast corridor 66 in laredo, 46 in denver >> coming up, a taylor swift fan dies at one of her concerts. her cause of death now revealed. >> also ahead, a new study on respiratory viruses in children

and the biggest threat right now and later, the stuffed animal bought at a flea market. >> what it's really worth

>> we have new details this morning about the death of a taylor swift fan after a concert last month. >> officials have ruled the cause of death was heat exhaustion. they say the 23 year old, who passed out during a concert in rio de janeiro, had no preexisting conditions, was the temperature. there was 105 degrees in vance. they were not allowed to take water into the stadium from the flu to covid. >> it's that time of year when more people get sick. but a new study reveals the biggest risk for children rsv researchers found kids are far more likely to be hospitalized for rsv than for the flu or covid. the study looked at nearly 2600 children and found kids with rsv were 11

times more likely to be hospitalized than kids with covid, the cdc says. the study confirms the importance of vaccines. >> we turn now to the murders of four idaho college students just over a year ago today. the crime scene is set to be demolished and some of the victims families are not happy about it. here's abc's andrea fujii this morning. >> the home where four university of idaho college students were killed last year is set to be torn down, but not without opposition from some of the victims families. >> i think the world agrees with them. but the home also has a significant emotional, uh, value to it. >> in a new statement, the families of kaylee goncalves and xana kernodle argue the house is also a critical piece of evidence, saying when the victims can't speak, you have to speak for them. when you feel someone is hurting the case. they say having access to the house could eventually help with key questions such as could the surviving roommates hear a dog barking from the third floor?

screams can you hear those same sounds from the bottom apartment? goncalves. kernodle ethan chapin, and madison mogen were found stabbed to death in the home in november last year. prosecutors allege. brian coburger, a criminology phd student at nearby washington state university, broke in and killed them. he did not offer a plea, so the judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. the fbi recently canvased the home in october, gathering data to create visual aids that can be used during the trial. >> visual aids. they provide more information that allow for the understanding of photographs and videos they can provide measurements. they can provide the location of walls, for example, or the directions of cameras. >> the university of idaho owns the home and says it represents a grim reminder of the murders, saying it is time for its removal and to allow the collective healing of our community to continue. meanwhile, a trial date for coburger has still not been scheduled and added frustration for the victims families. the

demolition of that house is set to begin this morning. neither the prosecution nor the defense has objected. rhiannon >> andrew andria. thank you. coming up, a bizarre injury in the nba, a player was sidelined because of a dog bite. >> also ahead, hear from the fisherman who found a man trapped in his truck for six days after a crash. his days after a crash. his inspiring message this morning. ♪ my name is josh sanabria and i am the owner at isla veterinary boutique hospital. i was 5...6 years of age and i knew i was going to be a vet. once alexandra called me to let me know that bank of america had approved my loan... it was important to me. we not only just provide the financing piece, we do everything that we can to surround them with the right people. all you need is a perfect, amazing team that will guide you through the right steps to be successful. and that's what bank of america was for me. how do i love thee? through the right steps to be successful. ...let me count the ways. ♪

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metal is reem's pickup. when it was found yesterday under a highway overpass, he'd been trapped inside after driving off the road last wednesday. >> it was more like a mangled. you couldn't tell it was a truck or not, but. but it caught our curiosity. >> mario garcia and his son in law were looking for fishing spots along a creek near interstate 94 yesterday, when they came across the mangled truck, i looked inside and moved the white air bag and he there was a body in there and i went to touch it, and he turned around and that just it almost killed me there because it was kind of shocking. >> but he was alive, reem told garcia his phone was just out of reach and he tried screaming for help, but no one heard him. >> the two fishermen called 911. rescuers needed several hours to get reem out of the wreckage. he managed to survive alone for six long days by drinking rainwater. >> it does not surprise me at all because he is, uh. he is the most positive. just forward

thinking person. >> reem now releasing this statement from his hospital bed saying no matter how tough things get, there is light at the end of the tunnel. sometimes in the least expected way. by the way, part of his leg did have to be amputated. a website has raised more than $25,000 to help pay for his medical bills in sports. >> the headline from the nba is dog bites man, man misses games. denver's aaron gordon is out indefinitely after a dog bit him multiple times on christmas. the nuggets forward suffered cuts to his face and hand, requiring 21 stitches. he is in good condition but needs time to recover. denver needs him desperately to, of course, you know, won at all last year. absolutely >> coming up, a surprise from dolly parton. >> plus the vacation of a lifetime. the company now offering a cruise that's more than three years long

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>> sunday night on abc. >> time to check the pulse. we begin with the ultimate vacation getaway. >> you'll soon be able to book a cruise that lasts more than three years. just recently, one company actually postponed plans for a three year cruise, but now a company called villa residences is planning a three and a half year cruise, and it will stop in 147 countries. the cost about $115,000 before taxes . >> i think we're sort of in the beginning stages of will this really be a concept that people are buying into? it probably is really appealing to a person who's like, boy, i, you know, i could spend money and sit in a condo or sit in my house or i could go see the world. and so there is some comparability there that people would really consider it a nice value. i mean , while royal caribbean ship is currently on a nine month voyage with passengers, videos going

viral next. >> the powerball jackpot just got even bigger. >> there was no big winner last night. that means saturday night's jackpot will be worth an estimated $760 million. not bad. next, a dream come true for a dolly parton fan battling cancer. >> grand gold says meeting dolly was on his bucket list. he and his wife wrote down the bucket list. they say complete strangers have been reaching out, trying to help them in the other day, they got the biggest surprise phone call, and he's right here and you should see the smile on his face. >> okay, well hey lg hey dolly p. >> hey, i cannot believe this >> i'm doing pretty good right now, actually. oh, good. well, i've heard you've been a fan of mine for many years, and i just wanted to thank you for that. >> well, just when you thought you couldn't love dolly anymore, she serenaded him with a few lines of, i will always love you. legrand says he now feels immortal. next up, the animals

are everywhere, but sometimes you get a real treasure. >> someone bought this stuffed animal at a flea market. it turns out it's a rare bonzo dog from 1927, based on an old british cartoon and auction house in arizona, is selling it and says it could fetch up to four 80,000 thousand dollars. i'm gonna go through my kids i'm gonna go through my kids stuffed animals next. me the all-in-one and done symptom relief of mucinex is delivered fast with doordash to the comfort of your couch. slow down!... i mean (coughs) slow down! ahh! watch it! ♪ come on! a hero will answer the call... (laughs) you just have to answer the door. oof! that was fast. ♪ mucinex available on doordash. ahh! it's comeback season. did you know most dish soaps don't remove all the grease, even with scrubbing? whaaat? i just cleaned those. try dawn platinum. it removes 99% of grease and food residue. that's why dawn is trusted to save wildlife affected by oil.

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just like that. oakland is back to square one and its search for a new police chief. now at five. the mayor's decision to reject all finalists now causing a serious delay in the process for flood protection. >> the name of the game, the work being done in the south bay in an effort to avoid a repeat of the destruction and the mess left behind, almost a year ago. >> choppy, rough and dangerous. a high surf alert is in effect along the coast, but some adrenaline junkies just cannot stay away. look at those waves there. wow wow ooh ooh. well, good morning to you. it is thursday, december 28th. >> yes. we're going to start with a check of our forecast with drew. >> good morning. good morning. so we do have t