and standing right here next to me: sergeant first class daniel wade, who just got to that $5,000 threshold. [cheers and applause] so you're at least going home with $5,000. but you've still got three lifelines. use 'em if you need to. let's go. let's play "who wants to be a millionaire." [dramatic musical flourish] ♪ $7,000 question. the animal featured in which of these minor league baseball team nicknames is an example of an arthropod? >> all right. an arthropod, i believe, is... is the... they're jointed, i believe, which would put it with, like, the tarantulas and lobsters and crabs... if i'm not mistaken, so chihuahuas, definitely not.

squirrels, definitely not. pelicans...not. i'm about 99% sure on this, so i'm just gonna go with... d, charlotte stone crabs. final answer. >> and you... got that right. [cheers and applause] $7,000. [horn blares] that sound means that time is up for today. sergeant first class daniel wade, you're not going anywhere. you're coming back. you're gonna play more. still got three lifelines. we'll see how far this guy can go. thank you so much for watching on military appreciation week. for everyone who's been a part of this one, i'm chris harrison. we'll see you next time. closed captioning sponsored by:

sfx: music ♪lays throughout. it appears. is that a dark spot? new gold bond dark spot minimizing cream for body. targeted treatment: results begin in 4 weeks. gold bond.

one pill lasts 12 hours. i'm good all day. wait! your loss. i was going to wear a sombrero. only mucinex has a bi-layer tablet that starts fast, and keeps working. not 4, not 6, but 12 full hours. start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. (politely) wait, wait, wait! you cayou have to rinse it first. that's baked-on alfredo. baked-on? it's never gonna work.

dish issues? trust your dishwasher with cascade platinum. it powers... through... your toughest stuck-on food. better than finish. cascade. we've been changing things up witoh yeah.ve. it's a pleasure gel that magnifies both our sensations. it gives us chills in places we've never gotten chills before. yeah, it makes us feel like... dare to feel more with new k-y love. ♪ welcome back. the final gop debate of the year is history. the democrats will debate on saturday. leaving 46 days until the iowa caucus. >> joining us to talk about the state of the race is abc's

deputy political director shushannah walshe. welcome. >> of course. >> donald trump. the latest polling, there's an abc poll that came out recently that was very interesting. what did it say? >> it really is interesting because it shows donald trump leading by such a wide margin. 38%. the next after that is ted cruz with 15%. then marco rubio with 12%. so you really have this really wide margin. also interesting is that his muslim ban comments that were so controversial, it shows that with the republican voters who are the base of the party it didn't hurt him one bit. >> what does this mean? does it mean that donald trump could possibly be the gop nominee? >> definitely he could possibly be. he hasn't fallen in any polls. instead he has the widest margin of any poll since he entered the race six months ago. so i think that as the party leader for so long of course there's the possibility he'll be

the nominee. >> him against another 13 versus him against just one other or two other people. and all those other votes have coalesced somewhere else. that's the big question, isn't it? that's where he could really fall down, i think. >> right. when voters have less of a choice of course it will narrow. and that's why we're seeing all these different kinds of lanes of the republican party. other highlights, marco rubio and ted cruz, in tonight's debate you really saw them go after each other because they represent different lanes of the republican party, an alternative to trump. but there weren't really any candidates who took trump on except for jeb bush. he who has been really low in the polls. he really made after donald trump tonight 20 make a dent. >> do you think he had an impact? because he was the one who walked in with a huge war chest when it comes to money. do you think he has a chance in this? >> i think he did the best tonight that he has in any debate, and he was really the

only candidate to take donald trump on head to head. but i still think he has a large hill to climb. >> it's the race you can't predict, isn't it? we can always explain it afterwards. but when you get these big moments like trump talking about muslims, a lot of commentators think that's it. >> our analysis says oh, that will hurt donald trump. and instead quite the opposite. i want to look ahead to saturday's debate with the democrats. >> abc news debate. >> yes, the abc news debate. what can we expect? >> i think that really hillary clinton is going to want to look like the front-runner nationally that she is and to position herself toward the general election. but of course there is still that primary beforehand. in new hampshire, where our debate is, bernie sanders is leading there. and in iowa, the first caucus state, hillary clinton is leading, but he is only behind by about 10 points or so. >> does he have a route? does he actually have a realistic and credible route, bernie sanders, to the democratic nomination? >> i think at this point it's difficult to see him beating hillary clinton. but we can't ignore those polls, especially in new hampshire,

which is the first primary state where he's leading. >> a lot to watch. our thanks to shushannah walshe. next up, "the skinny." our thanks to shushannah walshe. next up, "the sk

♪ skinny so skinny ♪ okay, leading us off.

a moment during the break in the republican debate last night. >> yeah, a campaign man snuck his way into the commercial lineup. it was quite a surprise. take a look. >> it's a new day in america. today more people will go to work, return home to their families and sleep more soundly than ever before. all because one man refuses to settle, putting people before politics. that man is frank underwood. >> america. i'm only getting started. i'm frank underwood, and i approve this message. >> did you see that, fu frank underwood. >> that has to be deliberate, doesn't it? what is really interesting about that for me is it just shows you how easy it is to parody political adverts. because until he turns up and says "america, i'm only getting started," it looks like a campaign ad. it could be a campaign ad. if i'd said to you this is a real campaign ad, guess which candidate turns up at the end, you wouldn't have been able to

guess. >> looks like the rnc put that out. i think the rnc should hook up with "house of cards." >> they do do it very well. it's interesting, isn't it, "house of cards" has only been around for four years. this is -- >> the website. >> there's an actual website as well that you can go to. >> look at his eyes moving back and forth. he's watching you, richard. >> that's quite neat. you can go down, you can scroll around. you have to be careful. there we are. >> there we are. frank underwood speaks his mind now with us. we'll be interviewing -- >> thanks again, graphics department. if you go to the website, go to the end of the last season there is a plot spoiler on that website to look out for. you're welcome. >> you know, richard, you used to call me on your cell phone. just kidding. >> you've never given me your number. >> i haven't ever given you my number, huh? "hotline bling," very famous

song by drake, went viral. we want to show what you happens when some actors recently nominated for the golden globes, they do their own dramatic interpretation of drake's lyrics. here it is. >> ever since i left the city. >> you got a reputation for yourself now. >> go. you got me down. >> you got me stressed out. >> because ever since i left the city -- >> you start wearing less and going out more. >> hanging with some girls i've never seen before. >> you used to call me on my cell phone. >> late night when you needed my love. >> call me on my cell phone. >> late night when you need my love. >> that can only mean one thing. >> i know when that hotline bling. >> that can only mean one thing. ♪ you used to call me on my cell phone ♪ >> late night when you need my love. >> call me on my cell phone late night when you need my love. >> i love it. isn't that remarkable? i thought they did a great, great job. this could only be topped i

think if maybe george stephanopoulos, dan harris and the gang got together and did a rendition by this, abc news version. >> it's amazing how intimidating bryan cranston -- because he was doing a little bit of walter white in there. how intimidating he can be when he's simply reading a random note from drake. >> if we rolled some of the music from "hotline bling," could you do drake's dance? >> let's work on that. that needs rehearsal. i mean, sure, i agree with you. it's very popular. rehearsal. howard stern has renewed his contract as well with sirius xm for i think more than the gross national product of the united kingdom. something like 18 -- >> five-year deal. we're talking about, yeah. he earned around $80 million annually. and it's expected to rise to 90 million. >> he works three days a week. also a 12-year licensing deal to produce streaming content. >> what are we doing wrong, richard? >> i think more or less everything.

we're basically volunteers compared with him. coming up, wearing pajamas all day and much more than that.

>> i'm alex trebek. if you're age 50 to 85, this is an important message. so please, write down the number on your screen. the lock i want to talk to you about isn't the one on your door. it's a rate lock for your life insurance that guarantees your rate can never go up at any time, for any reason. but be careful. many policies you see do not have one, but you can get a lifetime rate lock through the colonial penn program. call this number to learn more. this plan was designed with a rate lock for people on a fixed income

who want affordable life insurance that's simple to get. coverage options for just $9.95 a month, less than 35 cents a day. act now and your rate will be locked in for life. it will never increase. your coverage can never be cancelled as long as you pay your premiums, and your acceptance is guaranteed, with no health questions. you cannot be turned down because of your health. call for your information kit and gift. both are free, with no obligation. don't wait, call this number now. ♪ did you know there's a cough liquid that lasts for twelve hours? try delsym® twelve hour cough liquid. its advanced formula releases powerful medicine that acts fast

while its extended release medicine lasts for 12 hours. try delsym®. ♪ let's all get down ♪ let's all get down ♪ let's all get elfed they're back. the holderness family with another pajamagram to the internet that went viral a couple years ago and cannot be stopped. >> it turns out it's more than just strange youtube families are getting in on the pajama act. the onesies. the hottest holiday fashion trend. and abc's becky worley tries it on. >> maybe it started with that pajama family. >> they are christmas jammies. >> or maybe it was ralphie in "a christmas story." >> you look like a deranged easter bunny. >> these one-pieces for grown-ups are a thing.

google says searches for adult onesies are trending higher than searches for ugly christmas sweaters. selling at major retailers and marked down. these at macy's marked down from $40 to $19. these at target 25. also kohl's and abercrombie & fitch have them. two retailers who offer those percentage off deals regularly. >> on christmas morning when you wake up all you want to do is basically not get out of bed but still be opening presents and i think a onesie's the best way to be doing that. >> whether you call them union suits blanket sleepers or footsie pajamas they're not just for bedtime anymore. celebrities like khloe kardashian are attempting to make a fashion statement out of one sees, and they're big hits on social media sites like instagram. >> when you're instagramming, it's better to put up a picture of yourself with a cute onesie with a cute design than yourself in a blankets. >> some of these styles are quite inventive. >> rrr. >> reporter: and this one even has built-in paws. i do have to say they are ridiculously comfortable and cozy.

>> maybe the reason these onesies are so popular is that they take us back to our childhood. and this time of year that can be a really good thing. >> it's kind of the grownup way of being in your pajamas all the time. >> reporter: becky worley, abc news, new york. >> it could be worse. they could be footed onesies. >> that's true. i've never had a onesie. >> really? >> yeah. >> i think there should be anchor onesies for the anchor desk. because it gets cold here sometimes. >> it gets cold here. strange things happen in the studio. we should reassure everyone after last night's program where the fire alarm went off we had a few tweets expressing concern for us. just so you know we're very much alive. we made it through the night. >> we certainly did. and it was a false alarm. they told us, my floor director says in 30 years he's been here they never had it go off like this during the live show. the things you bet during the middle of the night. >> don't forget to check out our facebook site whilst you're with us. >> this is abc's "world news now," informing insomniacs for two decades. g the middle of the night. >> don't forget to check out our facebook site whilst you're with us. >> this is abc's "world news now," informing insomniacs for two decades. decades.

good morning. i'm richard bacon. >> and i'm reena ninan. here are some of the top headlines we're following this morning on "world news now." fights over foreign policy were highlights of last night's republican debate in las vegas. donald trump clashing with jeb bush. marco rubio and ted cruz toe to toe. an agreement in congress on a major spending bill, meaning no government shutdown at the end of the year. it lifts a 40-year-old ban on exporting crude oil, which is a major victory for the republicans. the faa is investigating what caused a southwest airlines jet to go off the runway in nashville. passengers say started with a rough landing perhaps from a blown tire or damaged landing gear. and next week is shaping up to shatter holiday travel records. more than 1 in 3 americans, more than 100 million of us, are

expected to hit the roads, rails, and skies. the busiest travel day will be december the 23rd. those are some of our top stories on this wednesday december the 16th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning, everyone. we begin this half hour with the republican presidential candidates. >> we certainly do. and in their final debate of the year a concentrated on the issues most americans are concerned about right now, national security and terrorism. there was also plenty of criticism, as you would imagine, of president obama and hillary clinton. >> front-runner donald trump said that he knew he was going to be attacked last night. jeb bush did exactly that. >> am i talking or are you talking, jeb? >> i'm talking right now. i'm talking. >> you can go back. you're not talking. you interrupted me, jeb. are you going to apologize, jeb? no. am i allowed to finish?

>> one at a time. go ahead, mr. trump. >> a little of your medicine there. >> governor bush. please. >> it's not working very well. >> one at a time. >> we keep working from president obama and hillary clinton and washington republicans that they're searching for these mythical moderate rebels. it's like a purple unicorn. they never exist. >> and for the russians frankly it's time that we punch the russians in the nose. they've gotten away with too much in this world. >> i'd like to also go back to another question, which is is donald trump a serious candidate. >> you're a tough guy, jeb. >> and we need to have a leader that is -- >> real tough. >> we're never going to have a president insulting his way to the presidency. >> i'm at 42 and you're at 3. so far i'm doing better. >> doesn't matter. >> margaret thatcher once said if you want something talked about ask a man. if you want something done ask a woman. [ cheers and applause ] >> now, that was a good line. >> but donald trump is like a bear you just don't want to poke. jeb bush was i think the only person that went for him. and you could see the nervousness. because he's quick and he is dominant. and he's forceful. and but worst of all, he's

funny. i think whenever you -- if you're going to put someone down, it's always more effective if it's funny. so even the way he said you're -- i'm at 42, you're at 3. a, true. b, was -- his delivery was quite amusing which made it that much more effective. >> which is kind of hard for these republicans to break out of, that sort of authenticity. i think that's why a lot people really donald trump resonates for them. because he knows how to get in that moment and make it real and authentic. >> i think in this many ways, this particular debate -- i'm looking forward to the democratic debate on abc on saturday. this debate is better seen through the highlights we're showing you. because i find this election the most -- the best show in the world, the most gripping with the best turns and the twists. but in some ways the debates can be -- i'm not talking about saturday. but they can be like a cup final where the build-up is better than the match is itself. i think the match itself is like that. >> stick around for the highlights. >> that's what i'm saying.

we'll show you more of it later. >> we're going to have much more as richard mentioned from the republican debate coming up in the next half hour. secretary of state john kerry says the u.s. and russia can make a significant difference in syria. kerry met with russian leaders in moscow yesterday, reaching an agreement on some issues but not the future of syrian president bashar al assad. they will participate in a u.n. conference friday in new york. defense secretary ash carter is asking turkey to do more in the fight against isis. an air base in turkey was his first stop on a tour of the middle east. in particular carter wants turkey to better police its border with syria to prevent isis from bringing in weapons and recruits. schools in los angeles will be open again this morning following a one-day closure yesterday. that's because of a terror threat. keeping those schools closed meant $29 million in state funding lost. here in new york city a similar threat was met with a very different response. the schools remained open.

abc's brian ross with that part of the story. >> reporter: the first tip-off for new york police was that the alleged threat involving the secret jihadist terror cell, nerve gas agents, high-powered weapons, and mass casualties seemed remarkably similar to the plot line of the tv program "homeland." >> the instigator of the threat may be a "homeland" fan, basically watching homeland episodes that it mirrors a lot of recent episodes on "homeland." >> reporter: police said the message sent to new york read in part "something big is going down. not only are there bombs, but there are nerve gas agents set to go off at a specific time, during lunch hour." new york officials said they knew immediately it was a hoax and a bad one. >> it was so generic, so outlandish, and posed to numerous school systems simultaneously. >> reporter: the message continued with a glaring typo, "me and my 138 comrades will die tomorrow in the name of allah,"

with a lower case a, at least in the new york version. >> that would be incredible to think that any jihadist would not spell allah with a capital a. >> reporter: los angeles got a similar message, with the sender saying he would personally lead the attacks. >> one person can't lead an attack in both cities. so they realized right then and there that it didn't have credibility. >> cut and paste job? >> definitely. >> reporter: while new york police call the hoax threats almost comically inept, there's really nothing funny about them. the fbi cyber teams are now working to track down the person who sent them, apparently from an internet address in frankfurt, germany. under federal law anyone convicted of sending a hoax alert could face up to ten years in prison. brian ross, abc news, new york. >> brian, thank you very much. we have some breaking news out of arizona. a search and rescue mission is under way after the crash of a medical helicopter. the chopper went down in the superstition mountains about 20 miles east of apache junction. investigators say the crash site is located in very rugged terrain. there's no word on the

conditions of the three people on board or the cause of the crash. it's back to work for the jury in the first freddie gray case. the jurors will continue deliberating even though they say they are deadlocked on the charges against police officer william porter. gray died last spring after suffering neck and spinal cord injuries in a police van. porter is one of six officers charged in gray's death. a massachusetts teenager has been convicted of rape and murder of his high school math teacher. phillip chisholm was just 14 when he attacked the teacher in the school restroom. his attorneys never denied he committed the crime but blamed severe mental illness. he faces a long prison sentence. debris spilled from a cargo ship off san francisco could pose a danger to marine wildlife. meanwhile, the cleanup of the shipping containers and packing materials continues. a dozen containers fell off a ship in the storm this weekend. some are still floating off shore waiting to make landfall. there's a state of emergency in flint, michigan because of

lead levels in the city's water system. it affects the city's children in particular because lead can cause mental retardation. the crisis began after the city began taking its water from flint river. the mayor wants federal disaster relief. a preseason snowstorm nearly paralyzed america's mile-high city in denver yesterday. flights were delayed, highways were shut down. by a snowstorm that dumped over a foot in some areas. mountain snow were in the one to two-foot range. the wintry conditions continue again today in the west. here's accuweather's paul williams. hey, paul, good morning. >> thanks, richard, reena. we have cold air expected to take over the southwest part of the country. making it a little bit chilly in l.a. as well as vegas and phoenix, but then along the east coast totally different story. here comes a low slung through with a jet stream guiding it through and it's going to translate into widespread scattered showers as we go into thursday. wednesday is clear, thursday is

wet, and over here this is where the weekend's going to come into play. much colder air dropping temps below the norm for this time. year. reena, richard. >> okay, paul, thanks so much. across the pond the lady who transformed he britain with her free market policies has managed to raise millions after her -- >> oh, yeah, her. we're talking about former british prime minister margaret thatcher. speeches, books, and even outfits belonging to the iron lady were turned into auction gold. soaring above their estimated prices at christie's in london. >> there's even a signed copy of the speech she made on becoming britain's first prime minister in 1979, first female prime minister. sold for $56,000. and her blue velvet wedding dress. that fetched 38,000. i would love to have something from margaret thatcher. >> where there is discord that will bring harmony. that's what happens when you're a political anarak. you can remember speeches that were made when you were 4 years old.

coming up, we'll return to our political coverage and how hillary clinton is preparing for saturday's debate. >> and also developments for people trying to sign up for health insurance through the obamacare website. new hang-ups at a critical deadline. and later the "star wars" movie makers and all the creative energy that went into the wildly anticipated film. the insider's look at "the force awakens." you're watching "world news now." luke, i am still your father. luke, i am still your father. enough pressure in here for ya? ugh. my sinuses are killing me. yeah...just wait 'til we hit ten thousand feet. i'm gonna take mucinex sinus-max. too late, we're about to take off. these dissolve fast. they're new liquid gels. and you're coming with me... wait, what?! you realize i have gold status? do i still get the miles? new mucinex sinus-max liquid gels.

dissolves fast to unleash max strength medicine. start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. >> i'm alex trebek. if you're age 50 to 85, this is an important message. so please, write down the number on your screen. the lock i want to talk to you about isn't the one on your door. it's a rate lock for your life insurance that guarantees your rate can never go up at any time, for any reason. but be careful.

many policies you see do not have one, but you can get a lifetime rate lock through the colonial penn program. call this number to learn more. this plan was designed with a rate lock for people on a fixed income who want affordable life insurance that's simple to get. coverage options for just $9.95 a month, less than 35 cents a day. act now and your rate will be locked in for life. it will never increase. your coverage can never be cancelled as long as you pay your premiums, and your acceptance is guaranteed, with no health questions. you cannot be turned down because of your health. call for your information kit and gift. both are free, with no obligation. don't wait, call this number now.

♪ looking for 24/7 digestive support? try align for a non-stop, sweet-treat-goodness hold-onto-your-tiara, kind-of-day. live 24/7 with 24/7 digestive support. try align, the undisputed #1 ge recommended probiotic. we've been changing things up witoh yeah.ve. it's a pleasure gel that magnifies both our sensations. it gives us chills in places we've never gotten chills before. yeah, it makes us feel like... dare to feel more with new k-y love. five people north of boston including a mother and her baby found themselves trapped under a temporary construction wall yesterday. the collapse of that wall in a gust of wind happened on a sidewalk in the city of malden. dozens of people rushed to their aid. the baby was in a stroller at the time. that stroller may have just saved her life. luckily the only injuries were minor.

a stunning blow. i don't know if you followed this story. it's a gripping story but a stunning blow for actress kelly rutherford in her custody battle. reports say a judge in monaco has awarded her ex-his full custody of their two children. and the "gossip girl" actress can only visit them in monaco and in france. she cannot bring them to the u.s. there was a gripping article, to use that word again, about this case in "vanity fair" a couple months ago. but rutherford is appealing the decision. if you haven't yet filed for obamacare, you have a little more time. the government says there was unprecedented demand yesterday on the healthcare.gov website. the deadline now the end of the day this thursday. the penalty for not being insured jumps to nearly $700 next year. returning to politics and the democratic candidates getting ready for their debate saturday night here, right here on abc. >> hillary clinton has been staking out her position on terrorism. as "your voice, your vote." and abc's tom llamas covering the clinton campaign.

>> reporter: with terror on the minds of voters hillary clinton out to prove she'll take on isis and protect the homeland. >> it is not enough to contain isis. we must defeat isis, break its momentum and then its back. >> reporter: the former secretary of state is pledging to target isis's efforts to recruit online but also slamming republicans for fear-mongering. >> bluster and bigotry are not credentials for becoming commander in chief. >> reporter: clinton heads into saturday's new hampshire debate dominating national polls, but it's senator bernie sanders who's the one ahead in the granite state. and now sanders whose loyal supporters have been packing massive rallies is talking more and more about isis. >> our goal is to put together a coalition to destroy isis and not once again get bogged down in a never-ending war in that part of the world. [ applause ] >> reporter: and next month

sanders will have another clinton to worry about. we've learned that chelsea clinton will be playing a bigger role in the campaign, headlining two fund-raisers and then off to the new primary states. tom llamas, abc news, new york. >> great. i like tom's reports. it's going to be a really good debate, i think, here on abc on saturday night. and it's a bernie sanders -- partly because bernie sanders is so charismatic and entertaining. but there's also that question of can he thread a route through to the nomination for the democrats? it's very, very difficult for him. so he needs -- he just needs to do something here. >> and he's expected to challenge hillary on foreign policy. one of the things is hillary's vote to authorize the iraq war back over ten years ago and he's expected to hit her hard on that. >> and he's got a lot to say about the climate change deal as well. >> and we'll be right back. >> we will. lot to say about the climate change deal as well. >> and we'll be right back. >> we will.

♪ ♪ it's the cantina music from "star wars." >> maybe you've heard about the new one. we just saw it. it's pretty amazing, isn't it? >> what reena's really saying there is she fell asleep. fell asleep. >> it's the night shift folks. they turn the lights off. you're sitting down. i doze off for a little bit. it's not because of the movie.

it was fantastic. >> here are two people who wouldn't be happy to hear about you falling asleep. we're up all night with abc's chris connelly. >> reporter: monday night in hollywood. the world premiere of "star wars: the force awakens." >> give it everything you've got. >> reporter: it's action and humor. it's new characters and lightsabers. >> it ends up being a story of adventure and loyalty and shock and surprise and uses this amazing and precious thing called the force that tells us that we're all somehow connected. >> camera, action. >> reporter: so much of it the work of producer kathleen kennedy and director co-writer j.j. abrams. all of this inspired by "star wars" creator george lucas. >> there isn't a day that goes by or went by as we were making the movie where we don't talk about george. it's the standard, what would george do? >> the thing that is most remarkable is that george got everything right. >> reporter: a veteran of "alias," "lost," "mission impossible 3," and the star

trek" series. for decades a top producer on steven spielberg's acclaimed films. >> i did pose this provocative idea who is luke skywalker, that that would be something that was said by one of our characters. >> why was who is luke skywalker such a fascinating question? >> i guess because it spoke to a new generation. it was that idea there would be young people for whom luke skywalker was essentially a myth. >> reporter: in crafting and casting "the force wakens" set 30 years after "return of the jedi," abrams wanted its characters young. even bad guys like kylo ren. >> i will finish what you started. >> and kathy's like adam driver. i'm like mike drop. >> reporter: john boyega was cast as the ex-storm trooper finn. >> are we really doing this? >> while daisy ridley was the

choice for rae. >> when she came in and read you just know. and literally i had to not giggle from behind the camera because i was amazed at what she was doing. >> abrams hoping this film will have the same emotional punch as the 1977 one had on him as a child. >> the thing i felt when i was a kid when i left the theater was the world was huge and to have people, especially kids go to see the movie and see themselves in it and feel like i'm capable of something extraordinary, that would be the greatest gift of all. >> reporter: for "nightline" -- >> we're home. >> reporter: -- i'm chris connelly in los angeles. >> it's excellent, basically. we don't want to ruin anything. but it takes itself seriously in a good way. there are some good one-liners in there, but it takes the emotional element seriously. and i hope this doesn't give anything away but it also uses as the old one did the emotional trigger was built around a

father-son relationship. and let's just say this is built around it again. >> don't give away any more details. coming up, finding extra cash for christmas. >> we'll be right back. lt around it again. >> don't give away any more details. coming up, finding extra cash for christmas. >> we'll be right back. are you kidding? wash it? let's wash it with febreze. for all the things you can't wash, use... ...febreze fabric refresher whoa hey mrs. webber inhales hey, it smells nice in here and try pluggable febreze... ...to continuously eliminate odors for... ...up to 45 days of freshness pluggable febreze and fabric refresher... ...[inhale + exhale mnemonic]... ... , two more ways to breathe happy mike? janet? cough if you can hear me. don't even think about it. i took mucinex dm for my phlegmy cough. yeah...but what about mike? he has that dry scratchy thing going on. guess what? it works on his cough too. cough! guess what? it works on his cough too. what? stop! don't pull me! spoiler alert! she doesn't make it! only mucinex dm relieves both wet and dry coughs for 12 hours

with two medicines in one pill. start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. renews from within, plumping surface cells for a dramatic transformation without the need for fillers with olay, you age less so you can be ageless olay. ageless. we've been changing things up witoh yeah.ve. it's a pleasure gel that magnifies both our sensations. it gives us chills in places we've never gotten chills before. yeah, it makes us feel like... dare to feel more with new k-y love. she pretty much lives in her favorite princess dress. but once a week i let her play sheriff so i can wash it. i use tide to get out those week old stains and downy to get it fresh and soft. you are free to go. tide and downy together.

and there's moving with move free ultra. it has triple-action support for your joints,

cartilage and bones. and unlike the big osteo-bi flex pills, it's all in one tiny pill. move free ultra. get your move on. ♪ this christmas ♪ fireside is blazing bright ♪ this christmas ♪ fireside is blazing bright don hathaway with an absolute classic, "this christmas." we all want to get the best gifts for our loved ones but budgeting for it can be quite

swap.com the mulders fill two boxes with toys in good condition and clothes that are in season. the company pays for shipping, and once the boxes arrive at their warehouse they'll be put up for sale on the website. on average sellers earn about $150 per box. and bonus points. save the boxes your toys come in. those can be worth cash too. an american girl doll box can fetch as much as $30 on ebay. next up, old electronics. even broken ones. check out websites like kiiboo.com. just box up your items and send them to their california office where they will inspect, price, and post your electronics. two smartphones and an airport express expected to fetch christie about $100. and finally, even old books can make a buck. using the amazon seller app christie scans the books' bar codes to find out how much they're worth. then she sets the price before sending them off to amazon, who will sell them.

>> this book is worth $74.50. >> reporter: bringing in a whopping $196. in total the mulders found 6 50 $56. >> how is that going to impact christmas? >> it's going to help out a lot. >> reporter: mara schiavocampo, abc news, new york. >> do you know how many times i -- how many toys i have that the kids aren't using? that's great. they pay for shipping, box it up, take care of selling. >> kids go off toys after about three days. don't forget to follow us. we're on twitter. we're on facebook. posting behind-the-scenes photos. i have an instagram i set up just for this show. it's richardp, letter p, bacon. it's largely pictures -- we never leave this room. so you're seeing pictures of this room which you've already seen. but if you'd like to see more of it go to instagram. >> that's it for "world news now" this half hour. we'll see you soon. this room which you've already seen. but if you'd like to see more of it go to instagram. >> that's it for "world news now" this half hour. we'll see you soon. "world news

now" this half hour. we'll see you soon.

this morning on "world news now," las vegas showdown. >> the republicans debate about terrorism, foreign policy, and donald trump's plan to ban muslims from the protests to the surprises. we have extensive coverage live from las vegas. threatening schools. similar e-mails, threats sent to the biggest districts in the country. why some schools were shut down and others stayed open. >> travel trends. the surprises in the air and on the roads for americans vacationing over christmas and new year's. what makes this month different from the last. and later, richard and i both just saw "star wars: the force awakens." we're sharing our views after getting a sneak peek just hours ago. it's wednesday december 16th. >> announcer: from abc news this is "world news now."

hey, everyone. good morning on this busy wednesday. i'm reena ninan. >> good morning to you. i'm richard bacon. let's just say that one of us didn't see all of "star wars" tonight. >> there's a reason. >> a great reason. details to come. you're looking for a plot twist, we've got one. let's get started with last night's republican presidential face-off. nine candidates took the stage in las vegas. >> their answers and attacks on each other reflecting the nation's concerns about terrorism and security. we begin with abc's brandi hitt who's in las vegas this morning. brandi, good morning. >> good morning. good morning, richard and reena. it's hard saying both of your names together back to back now that you're on set together. what a night here in las vegas. they talked about terrorism, protecting the homeland and battling isis. really critical issues that dominated last night's republican debate. and as you mentioned, man, was it entertaining because several of these candidates didn't pull any punches.

>> donald is great at the one-liners. but he's a chaos candidate. and he'd be a chaos president. >> reporter: in their fifth faceoff, it was a no-holds-barred battle over national security with donald trump's plan to ban muslims from entering the u.s. front and center. >> we're not talking about religion. we're talking about security. our country is out of control. >> if we're going to ban all muslims, how are we going to get them to be part of a coalition to destroy isis? >> reporter: marco rubio under attack on several fronts, whether surveillance and data collection needs to be ramped up to track terrorists. >> that tool we lost, the meta data program, was a valuable hall to we no longer have at our disposal. >> what marco says isn't true. he get it wrong. >> he's one of the weakest candidates on immigration. >> reporter: an argument that clearly got under governor chris christie's skin. >> i want to talk to the audience at home. your eyes are glazing over like

mine, this is what it's like to be on the floor of the united states senate. >> a protester interrupted trump and was taken out. that didn't stop the front-runner and bush from going at it on stage. >> if you think this is tough -- you're not being treated fairly, imagine what it's going to be like dealing with president xi or the islamic terrorism that exists -- >> oh, i know. you're a tough guy, jeb. i know. [ laughter ] >> this isn't tough. i wish it was always as easy -- >> we have to have a leader -- >> real tough. you're real touch -- >> you're never going to win your way to the president by insulting your way -- >> so far i'm at 42 and you're at 3. >> doesn't matter. >> reporter: that was just a small snippet of the back and forth between trump and bush all night long. this is the last debate for the republicans in 2015. next up the democrats will be facing off in new hampshire saturday. and that debate is hosted by abc news. reena and richard. >> i think it's like any night out in vegas. two or three bits that stand out. several moments. by the next day you've completely forgotten. >> well said. >> trump spoke in the spin room, didn't he, afterwards. what did he have to say? >> reporter: oh different,

richard. in true trump fashion, when asked how he did he said he thought this was his best perform performance of any debate so far. and a lot of analysts agree, they thought he was strong. when it came to the back and forth with bush he said you know what, jeb had to attack me, he's lowest in he polls and i expected it. he said even if the roles were reversed, he would have done the exact same thing. >> interesting fireworks. abc's brandi hitt live in las vegas. brandi, big thanks to you. let's turn next to insight from our deputy political editor who i'm pleased to say joins us here in the studio. schuh shushanna walsh is here. >> he really came out swinging and needed to. >> really he's the only candidate that went head to head with donald trump and it was throughout the debate. let's listen. >> so donald is great at the one liners, but he's a chaos

candidate. he would be a chaotic president. he would not be the commander in chief we need to keep our country safe. >> jeb does not believe i'm unhinged. he said that because he's failed in that th campaign, it's been a total disaster, nobody cares, and frankly i'm the most solid person up here. >> bush did pretty well. he made an impact. ted cruz and marco rubio. >> these candidates really represent two different lanes of the republican party, and many people say that they could be the two on top at the end. let's listen to this clip. >> you can't carpet bomb isis if you don't have planes and bombs to attack them with. >> and if we continue the cuts we're doing now not to mention additional cuts, we're going to be left with the oldest and smallest air force this country have and that leaves us less safe. >> one of the problems with marco's foreign policy is he has far too often supported hillary clinton and barack obama, undermining governments in the middle east that have helped radical islamic terrorists. >> really as i said, they

represent two different parts of the republican party, and they really have been going at each other not just at last night's debate but throughout this primary process and recent three's ramped up. both candidates trying to stay away from donald trump but going after each other. this is going to continue and it is going to one to watch. >> it seemed like it was very deliberate. i want to ask you trump made a pledge not to run as an independent like he did in september. does this really matter? >> we've heard this before again. in september he signed a pledge saying he wouldn't run as a third-party candidate, but recently he's been sounding he could run as a third party again. he kept saying if the party doesn't treat him fairly. but tonight -- last night, excuse me, he ruled it out again and said the party is treating him fairly and he will not run as a third party candidate. i think a lot of establishment republicans are breathing a sigh

of relief this morning. >> and he's doing well in the polls. >> there ways story i saw doing the rounds on twitter about a cough, a mystery cough. what do you know about that? >> it really exploded on twitter. who was coughing throughout this debate? it turns out it was ben carson. the doctor of the bunch. and his campaign says that all of them got -- came down with this -- with a cough. not really a cold but they were all under the weather with a cough. so mystery solved. >> heal thyself, physician. >> you know, our viewers said honey, lemon and tea. and that's -- >> the campaign trail can be hard on your system for sure. >> lots of germs floating around there. abc's shushannah walshe. we'll get more reaction from shush and take you to las vegas again in our next half hour. on the democratic side, front-runner hillary clinton is providing new details on her plan to battle isis. speaking to an audience in minneapolis clinton said the u.s. needs a 360-degree strategy to prevent domestic terrorism. she positioned herself as the

more serious and experienced candidate compared to her republican rivals. >> promising to carpet bomb until the desert glows doesn't make you sound strong. >> it makes sound like you're in over your head. [ cheers and applause ] >> clinton also emphasized the importance of working with muslim-american communities. not a surprise considering the large muslim community in minneapolis-st. paul. be sure to watch the democratic debate this saturday night. as we mentioned earlier, it's on abc. it's hosted by david muir and martha raddatz and coverage begins at 8:00 eastern, 7:00 central. threats in two school districts were dealt with two very different way. students will be back in class today in l.a. following a terror threat that shut down the entire district. that threat was e-mailed to a school board member promising an attack with guns and bombs. administrators admitted that fears following the san bernardino attack influenced the

decision to close the schools. 37 schools in new york were open despite the school superintendent receiving almost the exact same e-mail that was sent to l.a. the e-mail was declared a hoax. new york's police commissioner said the type of threat it contains were similar to recent episodes of the showtime drama "homeland." all eyes on the federal reserve today which wraps up its last meeting of the year. the central bank is expected to raise short-term interest rates, the first increase in nearly a decade. it's not expected to have much impact on consumer loans. britain's first official astronaut is now on board the international space station. tim peak and two others, an american and a russian, arrived yesterday, bringing the space station crew to 6. >> other brits have gone into space as tourist or u.s. citizens. soyuz craft approached the --

the automated system failed and the russian pilot had to dock manually. >> i just hope they're eating a lot of space ice cream. that's the only thing i've ever had space related. >> i was watching "apollo 13." you remember that? >> i love that movie. >> there's a scene about something that goes wrong and -- not the big thing goes wrong. and tom hanks said, "every mission has a glitch." that's that one glitch. coming up in "the mix," "star wars" themed lunches. who's behind it? that's ahead. what travelers can expect on the air and on the roads. and we just saw the "star wars" movie at a sneak peek premiere last night. our opinions after so much anticipation. you're watching "world news now." premiere last night. our opinions after so much anticipation. you're watching "world news now." u have. you see, medicare doesn't cover everything - only about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. so if 65 is around the corner, think about an

aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement insurance plans, they help cover some of what medicare doesn't pay. and could save you in out-of-pocket medical costs. so don't wait. call to request your free decision guide. and gather the information now to help you choose a plan later. these types of plans let you pick any doctor or hospital that takes medicare patients. and there's a range of plans to choose from, depending on you needs and your budget. so if you're turning 65 soon, call now and get started. because the time to think about tomorrow...is today. go long. dayquil liquid gels and go. hey buddy, let's get these but these liquid gels are new. mucinex fast max. it's the same difference. these are multi-symptom. well so are these. this one is max strength and fights mucus. that one doesn't. uh...think fast!

you dropped something. oh...i'll put it back on the shelf... new from mucinex fast max. the only cold and flu liquid gel that's max-strength and fights mucus. start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. ♪ strangelove ♪ strange love gucci guilty the fragrances for him and for her with toothpaste or plain water.an their dentures and even though their dentures look clean, in reality they're not. if a denture were to be put under a microscope, we can see all the bacteria that still exists on the denture, and that bacteria multiplies very rapidly. that's why dentists recommend cleaning with polident everyday. polident's unique micro clean formula works in just 3 minutes, killing 99.99% of odor causing bacteria. for a cleaner, fresher, brighter denture every day.

♪♪ holy night ♪ sleep in heavenly peace ♪ sleep in heavenly peace

passengers on this southwest jet are describing the few frightening moments when the plane went off the runway in nashville. they say it began way rough landing perhaps from a blown tire or collapsed landing gear. the jet then ended up in a ditch. eight people were taken to the hospital. the faa is investigating. and an unclaimed cell phone triggered an emergency response at the miami airport. the bomb squad was called when the american airlines plane arrived from paris. someone reported a suspicious item. the passenger eventually claimed the phone, and he is not being charged. rough landings and cell phone emergencies aren't expected to keep americans away. >> next week is expected to

shatter records for travel in the sky and on the ground. rebecca jarvis explains. >> reporter: nearly one in three americans, that's more than 100 million of us, expected to hit the roads this holiday season and when we do gas prices should be below $2 a gallon for most of the country. the national average for a gallon of gas expected to hit $1.98 by christmas, and that is the lowest level since 2008. also a gift for the flyers out there. 87% of planes are coming in on time. and that is the third best rate in more than 20 years. rebecca jarvis, abc news, new york. what would you guess is the busiest day to travel, to fly? >> of the whole year? >> no, during next week. >> okay. i think it's probably this friday because it's like a buffer before christmas. yeah, friday. long story short. >> wait, isn't friday christmas? oh, you mean this week.

no, it's the 23rd. so the day before christmas eve everybody books their tickets, they're off. >> i've done a lot of traveling on christmas eve itself and it turns out the roads are quieter than you'd expect. >> well, when you're driving on the road, everybody clears the roads. especially when you haven't slept much. >> has someone created that graphic in that last 35 seconds? >> that was a real road trip we took. >> my mistake. coming up in the next half-hour, the campaign ads at the republican debate that freaked everyone out. and the branding of the ad that is sure to gather up votes. but first our take on "the force awakens." we actually got a sneak peek last night, and richard has a lot to say, including who luke skywalker's real father is. >> we're going to break an embargo next. skywalker's real father is. >> we're going to break an embargo next.

you're in a group most likely to develop skin cancer, including melanoma. that's why your best shot is to check for a spot. follow through and check your skin. go to spotskincancer.org to find out how.

♪ "return of the jedi" there. celebrating the defeat of the empire after the battle of ender. that's the last scene. that's where the story left off in 1983. >> and can you believe over 30 years later we've picked up with "the force awakens." richard and i had the pleasure of being able to see it. and what a ride. that ending, oh, my goodness. let me tell everyone what actually happened. the big -- [ bleep ]. ♪ >> we share a parent company -- >> we do.

>> with "star wars." this is what -- this is what disney do. if you break the embargo and give away a plot spoiler. you are a traitor and part of a rebel alliance. i thought that was quite good. it was actually sensational. and it's quite difficult -- it's quite hard to know what constitutes a breach of the embargo because people were tweeting about it last night. i guess you can say it's good. quite a few people say it has twists, which you could argue is a plot spoiler. i'll tell you this. some storm troopers die. >> there you go. you just ruined it for all of us. i have to say it was remarkable. i was really riveted. i found it incredibly compelling. and i think it does honestly, parent company aside, it really does live up to the hype. >> you don't know what -- you're making stuff up. hang on. >> what? >> you had your own plot twist. you fell asleep.

>> richard, do you know the hours i work? i have two young children at home. i sleep about three hours a day. somebody turning the lights off and gives me a comfy little chair. there were a few moments that i accidentally did doze off. it was not a reflection of the movie. it's a reflection of my current lifestyle. but i have to say it's really remarkable. these two are amazing. they were a fantastic choice for this film. >> there is a fantastic -- and i talked to you about it. how did that happen? >> did i really say that? >> i think not only did you sleep, you slept through the crucial bit. but here's the thing i would say. it's a really good story. it actually is a good story. and they used dialogue sparingly. i re-watched "the fan ton menace" the other day, and there a lot of what i would call waffle, and here is just super smart, pin-sharp dialogue that serves the story. and it's got several little funny bits, but crucially it takes the story seriously. and i watched and i thought you have to do that to buy into that.

>> and i have to say the last scene of the movie was remarkable. and i just said j.j. abrams, how could you do that to us? when's the next one coming out? because i can't wait. the way they left it i just can't wait for the next one. and instead of getting a dog we're going to get a bb-8. >> forgot the dog. >> new droid, isn't it? >> yeah. >> it's really exciting. the theater bursting into applause i would say eight, nine, ten different points. and also harrison ford really nailing that part again. the way he just slips back into han solo. >> it's good. >> for the first few seconds i wasn't sure, is he rusty, and then he totally nails it. that's our message. i found it thrilling and reena fell asleep. >> just for a few minutes. just a few minutes. coming up, which u.s. state googles matching height xxl over any other phrase, any other phrase on google. >> "the mix" up next. height xxl over any other phrase, any other phrase on google. >> "the mix" up next.

♪you are my whole life! ♪your two blue eyes are shining!♪ dolce and gabbana. light blue we've been changing things up witoh yeah.ve. it's a pleasure gel that magnifies both our sensations. it gives us chills in places we've never gotten chills before.

yeah, it makes us feel like... dare to feel more with new k-y love. welcome back to "the mix." this is the section where we tell you about the viral stories of the day. the first one is excellent. this is about the states in america and the phrases over the last year that they have googled the most. so it's really interesting. let's start with florida. so the most googled phrase in florida, "concealed weapons." "concealed weapons permit." more than anything else, they are the three words put into google. let's try wisconsin next. and wisconsin, their most googled -- no, is it west virginia? >> west virginia. >> west virginia. and their most googled word

is -- magic mike. >> i never would have guessed that in west virginia. really? >> now, look, i think you're from florida, reena. >> i am. >> that's not a huge amount of information on either state. but based on those two things, i'd rather live in west virginia. >> you know, it is the second amendment. yeah. >> yeah. >> legal means. >> that's true. in mississippi the most googled words were ashley madison. which you know is that website that revealed people having the affair. >> is it because they're checking to see their names are on the list or they're just curious what the site is? >> that's a great question. you don't know. are they doing it out of interest because it was a good story, or are they panicking? reena, what have you got? >> school lunch is really hard to make. one dad goes the extra length to show his kids he cares about them by doing "star wars." do you see that? >> yeah. >> that's bb-8. >> that's bb-8. and that's a storm trooper. >> it's a storm trooper. you're absolutely right. >>. >> there's another storm trooper. >> and he said it makes about 30 minutes to make these lunches.

and he goes have some sort of -- >> the cucumber are not the x wing fighters. the bad guy fighters -- they're the other ones that darth vader has. that's sensational. >> sensational? okay. so he picks a character -- >> i'm sorry, reena's nodded off again. >> and chewy. there you go. so he picks a character and a theme and goes with that for the week. and he says it only takes him 30 minutes. but i actually love to make these for my son because it's hard to get them to eat anything and this is an interesting way to spice up their lunches. >> yeah. he's certainly a better father than me. i tend to wake up and say oh, my god, is it a school day? and let's have another look. finally, this is a dog which found -- it's viral. it's very popular. >> what is that? >> it's a dog that appears to have been converted into a toolbox. is that cute? is that exploitation, reena? no, it's probably not. >> they claim he's weighted on both sides equally so it's not heavy. >> that dog is taking work away from very hard-working tool-carrying americans. >> folks, don't do this to your animal. >> we will be right back. dog is taking work away

from very hard-working

this morning on "world news now" -- donald trump on the defensive at last night's gop debate. how trump and his challengers confronted national security and foreign policy issues in their final debate of the year. full live coverage ahead. school scare. similar e-mail bomb threats sent to the two largest school districts in the nation. how police in each city handled the scares quite differently. and details about a frightening scene on a runway. >> passengers describe what happened to a southwest jet before it ran off the runway. the injuries and the investigation. and later in "the skinny," it looked like a political ad, but it was a preview of the next season of "house of cards." we will reveal hints about the next episodes.

it is wednesday december 16th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." stacking my papers because that's what news readers do. good morning. it's a busy wednesday. i'm richard bacon. >> and i'm reena ninan. >> let's begin with the republicans who want to be president of the united states of america. last night's debate marked by several flash points. >> jeb bush taking on donald trump. two senators, marco rubio and ted cruz, going at it. >> and for details we are joined by abc's brandi hitt who is still there live in las vegas for us. brandi, you've not hit the slot machines yet. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, reena. good morning, richard. no, we're still here covering the debate. not at the slot machines just yet. but man did things get a little ugly last night. we saw jeb bush and donald trump go after each other not once but twice. and then you saw ted cruz and rand paul also on the attack together against marco rubio.

>> donald, you know, is great at the one-liners. but he's a chaos candidate. and he'd be a chaos president. >> reporter: in their fifth faceoff, it was a no-holds-barred battle over national security with donald trump's proposal to ban muslims from entering the u.s. front and center. >> we're not talking about religion. we're talking about security. our country is out of control. >> if we're going to ban our muslims, how are we going to get them to be part of a old-fashioned to destroy isis? >> reporter: marco rubio also under attack on several fronts over whether surveillance and data collection needs to be ramped up to track terrorists. >> that tool we lost, the meta data program, was a valuable tool that we no longer have at our disposal. >> marco knows what he's saying isn't true. >> i think marco gets it completely wrong. but he's weakest of all the candidates on immigration. >> reporter: an argument that clearly got under governor chris christie's skin. >> i want to talk to the audience at home for a second. if your eyes are glazing over like mine, this is what it's like to be on the floor of the united states senate. >> reporter: a protester interrupted trump and was escorted out. that didn't stop the national

front-runner and bush from going back at it on stage. >> if you think this is tough and you're not being treated fairly -- >> this isn't tough -- >> imagine what it's going to be like dealing with putin or dealing with president xi or dealing with the islamic terrorism that exists. this is a tough business to run for -- >> you're a tough guy, jeb. >> and we need to have a leader that is -- >> real tough. >> you're never going to be president of the united states by insulting your way to the presidency. >> let's see. i'm at 42 and you're at 3. >> doesn't matter. >> so far i'm doing better. >> doesn't matter. >> reporter: the two top-tweeted moments were those just tough times between trump and bush going back and forth. this is the last republican debate of 2015, as we now get a whole lot closer to iowa and new hampshire, reena and richard. >> i'm at 42, you're at 3. that's got to hurt. >> brandi, you were mentioning chris christie we saw there in your report was taking aim at the senators on stage but did that really gain him anything as far as attention goes? >> reporter: some experts believe, analysts believe this is one of his best performances yet. he's one of the lowest in the polls, and he really took that moment when you saw ted cruz and rand paul and marco rubio

arguing saying hey, this is what happens with senators in washington, d.c., they bicker and bicker and we don't see anything get done. he used that to make a point you that need someone with executive leadership as president and he said that's what he has as governor of new jersey. >> brandi, is there any chance, any chance at all that donald trump will run as an independent? >> reporter: oh, that is the question, richard. everybody keeps asking. he was asked that twice again tonight and he said, "i will not run as an independent no matter what." now, remember this. back in september he also said he wouldn't run as an independent and then later said maybe i will. so who knows? from here on out we've got a lost time left until election day. >> abc's brandi hitt in las vegas. >> take a ride on the venetian canal. >> clearly richard's been there a couple times. and stay with us for more debate coverage. our deputy political director joins us for her insights. that's later in this half hour. >> look forward to that. the democrats, meanwhile, are preparing for their next debate set for saturday night on abc. during a campaign stop in

minneapolis hillary clinton emphasized her experience when it comes to preventing domestic terror. she also said the u.s. needs to stand up against anti-muslim bigotry. minneapolis is home to one of the largest muslim american communities in the u.s. back to class for thousands of kids in los angeles had an unscheduled day off yesterday because of a terror threat. officials saying the decision to close the schools was influenced by continued concerns following the san bernardino massacre. abc's matt gutman is live in l.a. >> reporter: the threat leaving a sea of school buses silent, shuttering nearly 1100 schools, classes canceled for at least 650,000. some parents turned away. >> i as superintendent am not going to take the chance with the life of a student. >> reporter: l.a. superintendent ramon cortines saying the city is still rattled by the terrorist attack in san bernardino two weeks ago. the fbi still investigating why one of the attackers there, syed farook, had pictures of a high school on his phone. the first alert came at 5:00

a.m. that threat e-mailed to a school board member. by 6:32, the decision had been made. >> the superintendent has directed all schools to be closed todd, tuesday, december 15th, to ensure the safety of all students. >> reporter: abc news learning the note invoked allah and directly referenced the terrorist attack in san bernardino. it also threatened attacks on several schools with suicide bombers, automatic weapons, and grenades. new york city got an almost identical note. >> we are investigating this as a hoax. >> reporter: in los angeles the lapd and sheriff's office combing every single school for suspicious objects. >> they have to take into account the safety of the children of los angeles. i think it's irresponsible based on facts that have yet to be determined to criticize that decision at this point. >> reporter: that threat nearly paralyzing the nation's second

biggest city. now, investigators tell me they believe that threat to have been a hoax. still, they've done their due diligence, clearing every single school in the district, and say this morning they will be open. matt gutman, abc news, los angeles. >> and you heard reference there to the threat against new york city schools in matt's piece. the big apple schools remained open. despite the school superintendent receiving almost the exact same e-mail that was sent to the l.a. school. that also was declared a hoax. new york's police commissioner said the type of threats it contained were similar to recent episodes of the showtime drama "homeland." scary moments on board a southwest airlines plane as it ran off the runway in nashville. take a look at this. incredible images. passengers said the jet experienced a rough landing and then ended up in a ditch. the plane from houston hobby was completely full. 138 people on board. after the accident eight people taken to the hospital and later

released. the faa will look into whether the plane had either a blown tire or collapsed landing gear. in denver flights were delayed and canceled. highways were shut down and schools were closed after a snowstorm dumped nearly a foot of snow over some areas. just over 6 1/2 inches of snow was officially recorded at denver international airport. mountain snow totals were in the one to two-foot range. obviously good news if you're a skier. you might call this next one a kittenectomy. firefighters in phoenix rescued two newborn kittens who were stuck in a home. one was inside the wall, the other in an attic. the owner had heard meowing inside her house even though she doesn't own any cats. >> the firefighters used saws to cut into the wall. both kittens are doing fine. no one knows what happened to their mother or how she got into the attic. >> glad there was a happy ending. well coming up -- [ meow ] >> they're hot on the trigger, aren't they? the sound department. bam. coming up in "the skinny,"

golden globe nominees taking on drake's latest hit. back to our top story -- what could stop donald trump from becoming the gop nominee? expert insight ahead for you. and what to give the person on your list who has everything. onesies for all ages. first, the wednesday forecast. you're watching "world news now." looks like hot in orlando. 85 down in disneyland. o. 85 down in disneyland. >> important message for residents age 50 to 85. write down this number now. right now, people are receiving this free information kit for guaranteed acceptance life insurance with a rate lock through the colonial penn program. if you are on a fixed income, learn about affordable whole life insurance that guarantees your rate can never increase for any reason. if you did not receive your information, call this number now. your acceptance is guaranteed, with no health questions. stand by to learn more. >> i'm alex trebek,

here to tell you about a popular life insurance plan with a rate lock that locks in your rate for life so it can never increase. did you get your free information kit? if not, please call this number now. this affordable plan through the colonial penn program has coverage options for just $9.95 a month. your rate is locked in and can never go up. and your acceptance is guaranteed, with no health questions. see how much coverage you can get for just $9.95 a month. call now for your free information kit. ♪ seriously? where do you think you're going? to work, with you. it's taco tuesday. you're not coming.

i took mucinex to help get rid of my mucusy congestion. oh, right then i'll swing by in like 4 hours. forget the tacos! one pill lasts 12 hours. i'm good all day. wait! your loss. i was going to wear a sombrero. only mucinex has a bi-layer tablet that starts fast, and keeps working. not 4, not 6, but 12 full hours. start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. (politely) wait, wait, wait! you cayou have to rinse it first. that's baked-on alfredo. baked-on? it's never gonna work.

dish issues? trust your dishwasher with cascade platinum. it powers... through... your toughest stuck-on food. better than finish. cascade. we've been changing things up witoh yeah.ve. it's a pleasure gel that magnifies both our sensations. it gives us chills in places we've never gotten chills before. yeah, it makes us feel like... dare to feel more with new k-y love. ♪ the final gop debate of the year is history. the democrats will debate on saturday. leaving 46 days until the iowa

caucus. >> joining us to talk about the state of the race is abc's deputy political director shushannah walshe. welcome. >> of course. >> donald trump. the latest polling, there's an abc poll that came out recently that was very interesting. what did it say? >> it really is interesting because it shows donald trump leading by such a wide margin. 38%. the next after that is ted cruz with 15%. then marco rubio with 12%. so you really have this really wide margin. also interesting is that his muslim ban comments that were so controversial, it shows that with the republican voters who are the base of the party it didn't hurt him one bit. >> what does this mean? does it mean that donald trump could possibly be the gop nominee? >> definitely he could possibly be. he hasn't fallen in any polls. instead he has the widest margin of any poll since he entered the race six months ago. so i think that as the party

leader for so long of course there's the possibility he'll be the nominee. >> him against another 13 versus him against just one other or two other people. and all those other votes have coalesced somewhere else. that's the big question, isn't it? that's where he could really fall down, i think. >> right. when voters have less of a choice of course it will narrow. and that's why we're seeing all these different kinds of lanes of the republican party. other candidates, marco rubio, and ted cruz, in tonight's debate you really saw them go after each other because they represent different lanes of the republican party, an alternative to trump. but there weren't really any candidates who took trump on except for jeb bush. he who has been really low in the polls. he really made after donald trump tonight 20 make a dent. >> do you think he had an impact? because he was the one who walked in with a huge war chest when it comes to money. do you think he has a chance in this? >> i think he did the best tonight that he has in any debate, and he was really the only candidate to take donald

trump on head to head. but i still think he has a large hill to climb. >> it's the race you can't predict, isn't it? we can always explain it afterwards. but when you get these big moments like trump talking about muslims, a lot of commentators think that's it. >> our analysis says oh, that will hurt donald trump. and instead quite the opposite. i want to look ahead to saturday's debate with the democrats. >> abc news debate. >> yes, the abc news debate. what can we expect? >> i think that really hillary clinton is going to want to look like the front-runner nationally that she is and to position herself toward the general election. but of course there is still that primary beforehand. in new hampshire, where our debate is, bernie sanders is leading there. and in iowa, the first caucus state, hillary clinton is leading, but he is only behind by about 10 points or so. >> does he have a route? does he actually have a realistic and credible route, bernie sanders, to the democratic nomination? >> i think at this point it's difficult to see him beating hillary clinton. but we can't ignore those polls, especially in new hampshire,

which is the first primary state where he's leading. >> a lot to watch. our thanks to shushannah walshe. next up, "the skinny." our thanks to shushannah walshe. next u whatcha' been doing braydon? reading let's see pictures, pictures,pictures there's a boy riding on his bicycle you can read too grandpa!

♪yea it's always better when we're together♪ ♪ skinny so skinny ♪ okay, leading us off.

a moment during the break in the republican debate last night. >> yeah, a campaign man snuck his way into the commercial lineup. it was quite a surprise. take a look. >> it's a new day in america. today more people will go to work, return home to their families and sleep more soundly than ever before. all because one man refuses to settle, putting people before politics. that man is frank underwood. >> america. i'm only getting started. i'm frank underwood, and i approve this message. >> did you see that, fu 2016 for frank underwood. >> that has to be deliberate, doesn't it? what is really interesting about that for me is it just shows you how easy it is to parody political adverts. because until he turns up and says "america, i'm only getting started," it looks like a campaign ad. it could be a campaign ad. if i'd said to you this is a real campaign ad, guess which candidate turns up at the end, you wouldn't have been able to

guess. >> looks like the rnc put that out. i think the rnc should hook up with "house of cards." >> they do do it very well. it's interesting, isn't it, "house of cards" has only been around for four years. this is -- >> the website. >> there's an actual website as well that you can go to. >> look at his eyes moving back and forth. he's watching you, richard. >> that's quite neat. you can go down, you can scroll around. you have to be careful. there we are. >> there we are. frank underwood speaks his mind now with us. we'll be interviewing -- >> thanks again, graphics department. if you go to the website, go to the end of the last season there is a plot spoiler on that website to look out for. you're welcome. >> you know, richard, you used to call me on your cell phone. just kidding. >> you've never given me your number. >> i haven't ever given you my number, huh? "hotline bling," very famous song by drake, went viral. we want to show what you happens when some actors recently nominated for the golden globes, they do their own dramatic interpretation of drake's lyrics. here it is.

>> ever since i left the city. >> you got a reputation for yourself now. >> go. you got me down. >> you got me stressed out. >> because ever since i left the city -- >> you start wearing less and going out more. >> hanging with some girls i've never seen before. >> you used to call me on my cell phone. >> late night when you needed my love. >> call me on my cell phone. >> late night when you need my love. >> that can only mean one thing. >> i know when that hotline bling. >> that can only mean one thing. ♪ you used to call me on my cell phone ♪ >> late night when you need my love. >> call me on my cell phone late night when you need my love. >> i love it. isn't that remarkable? i thought they did a great, great job. this could only be topped i

think if maybe george stephanopoulos, dan harris and the gang got together and did a rendition by this, abc news version. >> it's amazing how intimidating bryan cranston -- because he was doing a little bit of walter white in there. how intimidating he can be when he's simply reading a random note from drake. >> if we rolled some of the music from "hotline bling," could you do drake's dance? >> let's work on that. that needs rehearsal. i mean, sure, i agree with you. it's very popular. rehearsal. howard stern has renewed his contract as well with sirius xm for i think more than the gross national product of the united kingdom. something like 18 -- >> five-year deal. we're talking about, yeah. he earned around $80 million annually. and it's expected to rise to 90 million. >> he works three days a week. also a 12-year licensing deal to produce streaming content. >> what are we doing wrong, richard? >> i think more or less everything.

we're basically volunteers compared with him. coming up, wearing pajamas all day and much more than that. an that.

>> i'm alex trebek. if you're age 50 to 85, this is an important message. so please, write down the number on your screen. the lock i want to talk to you about isn't the one on your door. it's a rate lock for your life insurance that guarantees your rate can never go up at any time, for any reason. but be careful. many policies you see do not have one, but you can get a lifetime rate lock through the colonial penn program. call this number to learn more. this plan was designed with a rate lock for people on a fixed income

who want affordable life insurance that's simple to get. coverage options for just $9.95 a month, less than 35 cents a day. act now and your rate will be locked in for life. it will never increase. your coverage can never be cancelled as long as you pay your premiums, and your acceptance is guaranteed, with no health questions. you cannot be turned down because of your health. call for your information kit and gift. both are free, with no obligation. don't wait, call this number now. ♪ did you know there's a cough liquid that lasts for twelve hours? try delsym® twelve hour cough liquid.

its advanced formula releases powerful medicine that acts fast while its extended release medicine lasts for 12 hours. try delsym®. ♪ let's all get down ♪ let's all get down ♪ let's all get elfed they're back. the holderness family with another pajamagram to the internet that went viral a couple years ago and cannot be stopped. >> it turns out it's more than just strange youtube families are getting in on the pajama act. the onesies. the hottest holiday fashion trend. and abc's becky worley tries it on. >> maybe it started with that pajama family. >> they are christmas jammies. >> or maybe it was ralphie in "a christmas story." >> you look like a deranged easter bunny. >> these one-pieces for grown-ups are a thing.

google says searches for adult onesies are trending higher than searches for ugly christmas sweaters. selling at major retailers and marked down. these at macy's marked down from $40 to $19. these at target 25. also kohl's and abercrombie & fitch have them. two retailers who offer those percentage off deals regularly. >> on christmas morning when you wake up all you want to do is basically not get out of bed but still be opening presents and i think a onesie's the best way to be doing that. >> whether you call them union suits blanket sleepers or footsie pajamas they're not just for bedtime anymore. celebrities like khloe kardashian are attempting to make a fashion statement out of one sees, and they're big hits on social media sites like instagram. >> when you're instagramming, it's better to put up a picture of yourself with a cute onesie with a cute design than yourself in a blankets. >> some of these styles are quite inventive. >> rrr. >> reporter: and this one even has built-in paws. i do have to say they are ridiculously comfortable and cozy.

>> maybe the reason these onesies are so popular is that they take us back to our childhood. and this time of year that can be a really good thing. >> it's kind of the grownup way of being in your pajamas all the time. >> reporter: becky worley, abc news, new york. >> it could be worse. they could be footed onesies. >> that's true. i've never had a onesie. >> really? >> yeah. >> i think there should be anchor onesies for the anchor desk. because it gets cold here sometimes. >> it gets cold here. strange things happen in the studio. we should reassure everyone after last night's program where the fire alarm went off we had a few tweets expressing concern for us. just so you know we're very much alive. we made it through the night. >> we certainly did. and it was a false alarm. they told us, my floor director says in 30 years he's been here they never had it go off like this during the live show. the things you bet during the middle of the night. >> don't forget to check out our facebook site whilst you're with us. >> this is abc's "world news now," informing insomniacs for two decades. g the middle of the night. >> don't forget to check out our facebook site whilst you're with us. >> this is abc's "world news now," informing insomniacs for two decades. decades.

>> that's news in america this morning. >> reena l asleep. making news in america this morning, heated debate. the gop candidates with a fiercely combative tone. donald trump, jeb bush squaring off. >> he's a chaos candidate, and he'd be a chaos president. >> let's see. i'm at 42, and you're at 3. >> complete analysis and a live report. the most talked about moments and who the experts say came out on top. runway scare. a plane rolling off course right into a ditch. the passengers forced to evacuate and talking about the ordeal this morning. caught on camera, he really got the scoop. a reporter putting down the microphone and calling 911 after spotting a bank robbery suspect. >> right. and no spoilers, but the reviews from critics are just in for "star wars: the force awakens."