real ones, they're on their way. >> his son-in-law, kevin, is sitting next to him and the two of them are going on a little adventure to poe field. >> where the cowboys play? >> no. this game is not just any game but the division rival chicago bears are going to face off and dad is going to be there to watch it go down. >> even if it's ice cold the fans will show up. >> there wasn't going to have number fun. >> the gifts don't stop there, because they hand him two more tickets, anybody care to guess? >> taylor swift. >> no >> you got to. get your ass bac to chicago. >> you're kidding me. i'm going to see the cubs and the reds? >> yes. >> you didn't tell me that. >> surprise! >> you notice that kevin is also pretty shocked but that's because there's two tickets and well, he and his father-in-law are buds, so yeah you're going, too. >> to wrigley field. >> his wife and his daughter,

christine, didn't only just get game tickets, this he got tickets to the tailgate on wednesday night as well. they arrived in lambeau field on tuesday and say he cried the entire time. ♪ thanks for watching everybody. we'll see you on the next all new "rtm."

i'd like to be remembered as somebody who played some positive part in changing the social sexual values of his time and had a very good time doing it. >> and he did. both. those are the words of hugh hefner, the larger than life publishing titan who helped redefine how americans look at e

also died at the age of 91. abc's brandie hit has more on his life and legacy. >> reporter: hugh hefner was the ultimate playboy, hosting wild parties at his mansion, in his trademark robe and pajamas, surrounded by a harem of young women, celebrities and always an aura of sex. >> made for a good party. >> reporter: for hefner, the party started in 1953 with the first issue of "playboy" magazine and featured a cover of a featured a photo of a nude marilyn monroe. and was abdomen instant success. hefner saw himself as the pamphletier and its host. >> glad you could join us this evening. >> reporter: the magazine led to tv shows and an entire playboy empire. there were playboy key featur featuring waitresses wearing revealing bunny costumes. in the '70s, hefner was attacked

by feminists for exploiting feminism. >> playboy exploits sex like sports illustrated exploits sports. >> reporter: attendance and profits at the playboy clubs dropped. by 1988, hefner closed the last of them and turned over the control of the still-profitable magazine to his daughter christie. a year later, he seemed ready to change his bachelor ways. hefner's marriage to a former playmate resulted in two sons. but after eight years it ended, and he went back to his old ways. in his mid-70s and touting the benefits of viagra, hefner took on seven girlfriendses, all in their 20s, starring in a reality tv show. and in 2012, at 86, hefner settled down again, marrying 26-year-old crystal harris. >> my age has changed. the women i'm attracted to have not changed. >> reporter: hefner has been immortalized in wax and in the wages of his magazine. asked once what prouof, saihe cngedheasos m amt erica's attitude toward sex. brandi hitt, abc news, los

angeles. >> he did. when "playboy" magazine came out, you couldn't say "pregnant" on tv. "i love lucy" was on tv and they were -- >> in separate beds. >> exactly. >> so just imagineow revolutionary that must have been when he came out with his first issue there. >> as you can imagine, people on social media are reacting big time to this. my favorite post is r.i.p. hugh hefner. dude's been in heaven for decades, anyway. >> that he has. even jesse jackson is saying, you know what? we shall never forget him. but that really says it. >> been in heaven for decades anyway. when we come back, why bruce springsteen's massive fan base doesn't include his own kids. >> "the skinny" next. massive fan base doesn't include his own kids.

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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. ♪ >> ♪ >> ah. nothing better than "the boss." >> especially at this hour. >> unless, apparently, you're one of his kids. so, yeah.

so "the boss" is now talking a bit about his family life, and apparently, his kids may have been born to run, but not so much listening. they're not big on that part. >> so 20 grammy awards. an oscar, more than 120 million records sold, so it's no surprise that bruce springsteen has one of the most loyal fan bases in music and industry. >> but it apparently does not include his own children. the 68-year-old rock legend says his three kids have shown a healthy disinterest in his work over the years. >> he says he doubts any of them have read his best-selling memoir, "born to run," but he was quick to add that he's not at all hurt that his kids aren't fans. he feels he did a good job in raising them. >> they don't like my music, so i did a good job? >> so they were smart kids. >> well, we're fans, bruce, for what that's worth. next to twitter 280. >> we told you yesterday about how twitter's testing out

doubling its current 140 character lilt had. well, it's surprised a select number of random users with that new limit. >> yeah. among them, jimmy kimmel. and apparently, he can't resist bragging about it. >> yes. so he tweeted yesterday afternoon, hey, twice, i feel so sorry for those of you who have to abbreviate tweets because you only have 140 characters. so lame. >> look at how huge that is. he went on to say or type, just type, type, typing away, so many characters, talk to you soon. #blessed. #280 characters. >> he's doing #blessed. >> abcdefg, wow. >> just because he can. >> just seeing it there, though. >> it's nice to see that jimmy isn't gloating. >> no humblebrag at all. >> taking responsibility very seriously. thanks jimmy.

next up, tom cruise weighs in on the stunt butt controversy. >> yep. >> yep. i just said the words stunt butt. >> that's bc education right there at its best. boston college proud. last month, an eagle-eyed fan tweeted out this screen grab of a scene from cruz's film "valkyrie" showing what appears to be an enhancement. and it nearly broke the inner webs with speculation that cruise may have used either a stunt butt or had had something extra stuffed down his khakis. >> but now cruise is telling screen rant that there was no prosthetic of any kind used in that scene, nor was there a butt double involved. he apparently will soon provide proof of this, by the way. >> oh, good. fans will tc 55-year-old's actual behind in his upcoming film "american made." in which hesitate character

reportedly moons members of his family not just once, not twice, but several times. >> to show off his american-made butt. >> butt. >> maybe i should say made in america. >> i just laughed in my head. you know that's david's series, can you imagine david doing a piece of that? >> i wasn't even trying to go there. >> tonight on made in america, tom cruise. okay, and finally, a major revelation from zac efron. >> the 29-year-old opened up to "vogue" in the magazine's interview about hang ago poster of the tyra banks in his childhood bedroom to wanting to make a cameo appearance on "stranger things". >> but perhaps the strangest revelation is that he'd love to share a love scene with dwayne the rock johnson. >> wait, what? >> back of the line, buddy. >> have you not smooched the rock as yet? >> no, i have not.

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nice. cascade. ♪ we could be heroes >> we could all be heroes. some just choose not to be. but there are many who choose to be heroes indeed. >> and this morning we are meeting two men who couldn't appear to be more different, finding a common cause in restoring a symbol of american pride. wabc's nina paneda has more. >> nothing's left at all now. it's like a piece of rag. >> reporter: call it this veteran's stars and gripes, jack's dismayed about the two frayed flags just hanging from the staff outside his local post office. >> terrible. the flag looks terrible and it's the country that we fought for. >> reporter: 17 when he enlisted, all four brothers were in world war ii.

>> when we see this condition of the flag we don't like it. >> reporter: jack says he noticed the flag's condition last spring. how many months ago did you call? >> 12 months ago. >> reporter: the 91-year-old's notepad filled with names of post office personnel. >> and they said they're going to get in touch with this post office. >> reporter: and nothing happened. except the flag got worse. now the p.o.w. m.i.a. flag beneath it disintegrated. what do you think about the condition of the flag? >> it's so bad. >> reporter: we called our contacts at the u.s. postal inspection service which has always helped with mail fraud and counterfeit stories. and by the time the sun went down, old glory was replaced to its original glory. >> oh, boy. nina and their crew is terrific. >> reporter: but someone else had also acted. a man we interviewed the day before. >> america is great. >> reporter: assam abdel, too, said he wanted to replace the

tattered flag to thank the u.s. for the opportunities it will give his young family. and this morning, the recent immigrant from yemen had a gift to share with the world war ii vet. >> i got chills up my arm. >> reporter: strangers before, the neighbors and now friends pay tribute in their own way to the symbol which means the same to both, freedom. >> this is unbelievable that you did something like, that somebody cares about the flag and about the country. >> by the way, there are all these rules to displaying the flag, including you're not supposed to leave it out during inclement weather and when the flag is in such condition that it's not a fitting emblem, you have to destroy it in a dignified way. you don't leave it dangling outside the post office. >> and good that those two people recognized those problems. >> working together. >> that's it for this half hour. this is abc's "world news now," informing insomniacs for two decades. s.

good morning. good morning. i'm kendis gibson. >> and i'm diane macedo. here are some of the top headlines we're following on world news now. fema and other government officials say they will have visited every town in hurricane-ravaged puerto rico by the end of the day. only 4% of the island has power and just over half have drinkable water. we have full details on the crisis, straight ahead. one person is dead, another hurt after a giant hunk of granite fell from the face of yosemite's el capitan. you see the dust it left behind there. at least 30 people were scaling the wall at the time. but it's unclear whether the victims were climbers or tourists. and abc has obtainedew n somes of the ads that russian agents bought on facebook aimed at stirring up the presidential campaign. the house and senate intelligence committees invited executives from facebook, google and twitter to testify as part of their itiesnvontiga into

and breaking overnight, the tributes pouring in for playboy founder hugh hefner dead at the age of 91. hefner introduced the world to his iconic magazine in the 1950s and instrumental in changing america's attitude toward sex. those are some of our top stories on this thursday, september 28. from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning to you all. we begin with the crisis in puerto rico after hurricane maria. residents in some remote areas say they've seen no relief since the storm hit. >> the supplies are in a bottleneck waiting to get out of port. abc's eva pilgrim shows us how things are going in other areas. >> reporter: a lifeline to a town cut off since the hurricane.

>> i want to talk to them. i want to tell them that i'm okay. don't worry for me. >> reporter: the red cross setting up satellite internet. for lydia rivera, it's a god send. once she's connected, relief as her phone lights up with messages from her family. leaving a voice mail from her mother. military operations are bringing equipment and tons of supplies to the island, but residents in this country tell me they're still waiting for help. >> there are supplies coming tomorrow. that's what they told us. >> reporter: a full week after the storm ravaged this u.s. territory, thousands are still in shelters. one man posting videos from residents in utuado to facebook. >> my name is robert strong. and if they see this thing, know that i am okay and that i am well taken care of. >> reporter: nearly half of the island still without water. the lines of people hoping to get gas, food, even money, seem longer than ever. san juan's mayor says people are

starting to die. >> what's out there is total devastation, total annihilation. people literally gasping for air. >> reporter: and a crowd at the airport, people hoping for a seat on one of the few flights out. for hurricanes harvey and irma, a waiver of the jones act which prevents foreign ships from transporting goods here in the u.s. was granted. the president is considering doing the same for hurricane maria, but that a lot of shippers and people who work in the shipping industry don't want that waived. the president is planning to come to puerto rico on tuesday. eva pilgrim, abc news, san juan, puerto rico. >> you can see still in it atas and not a lot of lights were on. >> a big problem is getting the le who need it.opants to the pe top puerto rican tourism official is asking cruise operators and airlines to help wifo t.isl ae l th the rieelf

caribbean liner was in the port of san juan delivering a shipment of generators, water and medical supplies. the adventure of the seas is bringing aid to the u.s. virgin islands which were hit by both hurricane maria and irma.entrum not happy with health and human services tom price taking expensive chartered flights on the taxpayer dime. prices's luxury jet travel has cost taxpayers more than $400,000. a practice that has now put his job in jeopardy. now congress has launched an investigation asking for detailed records of all travel by administrative officials. treasury secretary steve mnuchin is accused of using a government plane to fly to kentucky with his wife to watch the eclipse. and the "washington post" reports the epa administrator, scott pruitt, has taken at least four military or charter flights that have cost taxpayers nearly $60,000. and president trump is shifting his focus to tax reform after striking out on health care. he proposed the sweeping cuts in indianapolis, calling it a once in a generation opportunity.

he's promising big benefits for the middle class. critics say the biggest winners are actually the wealthy. abc's serena marshall takes a look. >> reporter: president trump calling his plan a middle class miracle. >> these tax cuts are significant. there's never been tax cuts like what we're talking about. >> reporter: the president in indiana started a cross-country blitz to sell tax reform to the country. the details are up to the congress but the framework released wednesday calls for slashing the tax on corporations now 35% to 20%. for individuals and families, reducing the tax brackets from seven to three. doubling the deduction for families, no income tax erwoseeier on the first $24,000. eat p to rate drop to 35%. the political stakes for the president are high after congress's failure to pass repeal and replace. and the president making a

bipartisan plea. >> democrats and republicans in congress should come together finally, to deliver this giant win to the american people and begin middle class miracle. >> reporter: democrats, though, calling the plan a false promise to the middle class. >> it is a framework that gives away the store to the wealthiest, while stocking the -- sticking the middle class with the bill. >> reporter: speaker of the house paul ryan says he hopes to have the bill before the president and signed by the end of the year. but without a clear plan on how to pay for these tax cut he could have trouble getting some republicans on board. serena marshall, abc news, washington. the taliban and isis claiming responsibility for a rocket attack in afghanistan following the arrival of jim the militants say the target was mattis's plane, but it was not hit. mattis was meeting with the afghan president at the time. american forcespres d deon wi an airstrike that accidentally

killed a civilian. this was mattis's first visit since the u.s. announced it was sending 3,000 additional troops to afghanistan. and the trump administration is defending its refugee limit. it will announce a new cap of 45,000 refugees per year, dramatically lower than the 110,000 president obama was hoping to admit. humanitarian groups are urging the administration to reconsider, as the worldwide refugee crisis escalates. but u.s. officials are citing national security concerns. and thousands of kurds celebrated a hisritoc tevo approving independence from iraq. people danced, waved flags and honked their horns. nearly 93% of people are in favor of seeking independence. but so far the vote is only escalating tensions in the region. iraq is threatening military action in retaliation for the vote. to california now and the new images of a violent shoot-out in sacramento earlier

this month that ended with a double murder suspect dead and two police officers injured. abc's matt gutman with the details. >> reporter: police began following eric arnold because he was wanted in connection with a double murder. in the seconds after the stop it became clear what it seemed he was capable of. tonight sacramento police releasing 15 dash and body camera angles of the september 7 shooting. after the stop, you can hear the officers give arnold explicit instructions. >> drop the keys out the window multiple angles, you see arnold burst out of his truck, spin and fire. getting off six shots from his semi automatic, police respond with over 30 bullets. arnold is hit over 14 times, but some of the six shots hitting their mark. two officers wounded, this officer badly limping. both of those officers were released from the hospital and are recuperating.

one of them, the man who was shot in the vest, is expected back at work this week. as for the suspect, he was pronounced dead on the scene. matt gutman, abc news, los angeles. >> matt, thank you. and along the california/mexico border, a construction worker fell into a 40-foot hole while working on president trump's border wall prototype. co-workers scrambled to help him. eventually, they were able to pull him to safety. the worker suffered some minor injuries, but he was treated and cleared to go back to work. a 47-year-old british man got good news but odd news about his health. doctors thought he had lung cancer, but it was actually a toy he swallowed 40 years ago. the patient was coughing and suffering from other symptoms after be being treated for pneumonia. x-rays revealed what appeared to be tumor, but another procedure found a tiny toy cone which doctors removed. the man remembers playing with the toy as a child and says he might have inhaled it sometime after his 7th birthday.

>> 40 years and look how tiny that thing is. >> and it's just been in there all that time. >> caused so much trouble. all right, glad that's done. that was it. who knew? and american skier lindsey vonn may soon have her chance to race against men. vonn often trains with the guys before and during her racing season. for a long time she said she wanted to test herself against them in a real event. her requests have always been denied. but now ski officials say they will consider having vonn in the men's field at the downhill race next week. if she wins approval, her chance to race against guys will come at a race in canadian next year. as they say, everything in texas is bigger, including this guy. >> check out that long horn bull named cowboy tough checks. he's got a record horn span of more than eight feet the tip to tip. that's enough to get him in the

guinness book of world records. >> he was actually just sold at auction. the winning bidder says he was willing to pay $1 million for tough but got him for the bargain price of $165,000. >> that is a bargain. >> that is a pretty good deal. >> though i wonder, do you have to reconstruct the barn door? >> yes, yes. it's like -- it's like when you have an a-380, a jumbo jet coming through. >> i can just picture him trying to -- >> imagine all the other bull around there trying to hang out. >> they're feeling very inferior. >> trying to say hi. >> good luck tough checks. coming up, the big change for women in saudi arabia. they will soon be allowed to drive. and this morning we're meeting one of the brave activists helping to lead that change. plus, the break in a 27-year-old cold case that now has an alleged killer clown behind bars. but first, here's a look at today's temperatures.

"world news now" weather, brought to you by liberator medical supply. " weather, brought to you by liberator medical supply. you by liberator medical supply.

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banks. watch as he goes completely airborne. got a little extra lift from the intense wind generated by hurricane maria still swirling off the coast. that storm is finally expected to move out later today. and it is not recommended to go kite boarding. well, turning now to a major break in a 27-year-old cold case in florida, what had been called the killer clown murder. >> police have arrested a female suspect who allegedly killed a woman dressed as a clown and later married her had husband. abc's linzie janis has more. >> reporter: the crime was chilling. police say marine warren opened the door of her floridao eom h balloons and flowers then pulled out a gun and shot her to death. for 27 years, no arrest until now. >> this is the woman who detectives say dressed as a clown. >> reporter: police in virginia arresting sheila keen warren, who has been married to the

victim's husband, michael warren, since 2002. at the time of the murder, investigators suspected keen warren, who worked at the couple's used car dealership. police reopening the cold case three years ago and doing new dna testing. >> it took us 27 years to bring closure to the victim's family. >> reporter: the victim's son, joe, who says he saw the clown drive away that day in this white convertible says i'm happier than i've been in many years. as foris step dad michael warren, he says there's no doubt he was involved. however, police are not saying michael warren is a suspect. keen warren is behind bars in virginia and will soon be extradited to florida where she faces charges of first degree murder. lindsay janice, abc news, new york. >> such a bizarre case. and that son who said he saw the clown drive away, apparently, the shooting happened in front of him and his friends. >> and the husband's own car,

car dealership, by the way. she managed the couple's rental properties as well. interesting. coming up, the seismic shift for millions of women in saudi arabia. >> they'll soon be allowed to drive. so what drove the change, and what other changes could be next? we'll check that out next in "world news now." "world news now." ould be next? we'll check that out next in "world news now." i'll take a sick day tomorrow. sleep with this cold. on our daughter's birthday? moms don't take sick days... moms take nyquil severe. stock up on nyquil severe, so you don't lose a moment to... ...sick days.

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♪ ♪ some interesting things from the book list. "it." >> "it" climbing up to number two.s ck out in 1986 by steven king. and now in the top five, as well, there in fiction. and hillary clinton as expecteded -- >> sorry. >> no, that's okay. >> do you read it before or after you watch the movie? >> you read it and don't watch the movie, because i think the movie would scare you more than the book. or maybe it's the other way around. who knows. >> i think we'll do both, we'll let you know.

big news out of saudi arabia. women there will soon be allowed to drive. >> it's a right women have been fighting for nearly 30 years. we told you about that. and it could be a sign of more freedoms to come. here's abc's molly hunter. >> reporter: the deeply conservative kingdom of saudi gi arn woiaabme hn thase right to drive. >> a decree has been issued in saudi arabia giving women the right to drive! >> reporter: it's the last country on earth to do so.vis have been fighting for years. >> couldn't believe it. because for 27 years, we've been waiting for this. and finally, it has come. >> reporter: the first major 1 in 2011, mena al wheel in her brother's car. she drove a fes , lemi re acilw up 700,000 views in one day. after serving jail time, she explains even more women started their engines.

>> june 17 comes. the streets were packed with police cars and religious police cars. but some 100 brave saudi women broke the ban and drove that day. none were arrested. we broke the taboo. >> reporter: the campaign women to drive gaining speed and finally permission granted. manal tweeting, saudi arabia will never be the same, we did it. the list of things that saudi women can't do in the kingdom is still very, very long. but next summer, without male permission, saudi women will also be allowed to get behind the wheel. molly hunter, abc news, london. >> amazing this has been going on since the '90s, she was campaigning for this. >> and we were discussing, why is it going to take until june of next year. somebody suggested maybe it will take that long for women to actually train. >> they do need to learn to drive and take the road test and so on. but some of the clerics are still fighting this.

>> oh, yeah. all right, coming up, a well-deserved honor. >> see how one worker changed the lives of thousands. well-deserved honor. >> see how one worker changed the lives of thousands. hd5 hd5 hd5 hd5 hd5 hd5 hd5 hd5 hd5 hd5 hd5 hd5 hd5 hd5 hd5 hd5

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nice. cascade. ♪ ♪ okay, so we all know this. when it comes to award shows and awards, you have the grammys, the oscars, the emmies, the world news nowskers up there. >> those are big time. >> yeah. it's really an honor. now a different award show. >> this is for the country's millions of civil servants. here's abc's catherine fallers with more.

>> reporter: it's the oscars of government service. once a year, america's best civil servants gather in the had nation's capital for their black tie gala, the samuel j.ham had us awards, also known as the sammys. former vice president joe biden honored last year's winners. >> you do so much for so little recognition, so little pay. >> reporter: this year, seven winners were chosen from 26 finalists and more than 440 nominees. one medal represent recipient, u.s. army veteran rory cooper, has pioneered innovative wheelchairs with robotic arms and hands. his work was inspired by a bicycle accident years ago while serving in germany. that accident left him paralyzed and in a wheelchair. >> we're inspired every day by the veterans that we serve. and no one deserves more of our commitment every day than those who place themselves in harm's way.

>> reporter: his project has improved the lives of thousands of veterans. who can now access different terrain their wheelchairs could not. secretary of affairs david shulkin there to celebrate. other winners last night included a humanitarian response team recognized for their relief efforts in syria and iraq. an equipment developer for generating a new generation of body armor for marines and a deputy inspector general for leading an investigation into a massive irs impersonation scam. abc news, washington. >> thank you. and the partnership that puts this whole thing on is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. they say the goal is to make government more effective by inspiring the people. >> and it is inspiring some of the work they have been doing. it's great they have an awards show for them. that's the news for this half hour. >> remember to follow us on facebook at wnnfans.com. for this half hour. >> remember to follow us on facebook at wnnfans.com.

this morning on "world news now," the president's plo tan cut taxes, but for all? >> president trump's new tax plan aims to bring back jobs and cut taxes for the middle class, but he's fighting some criticism that only the richest americans and corporations will feel most of those benefits. we'll tell you what's in the plan and see if congress is ready to play ball. and a rock slide at one of the y'trunstmos least one person dead. the investigation now under way at yosemite after a massive chunk of rock described as the size of a building fell off the famed el capitan. and then we're getting our first look at some of those facebook ads bought by russian agents allegedly to sway the presidential election. hear what congressional investigators are now finding out about exactly where those ads came from. and please don't say the word "treat." oh, no, they heard me.

the dogs are going nuts. but this photographer was there to capture the magic of treat time. now, just stay, stay -- good boy. keep watching. it's thursday, september 28th. keep it weird.fr abc news, thisd news now. >> it is thursday. some odd things happening there in "the mix" a little bit later. >> yeah. good photographs. >> absolutely. we do want to get to breaking news that developed a matter of hours ago. a major passing overnight, the legendary playboy founder, hugh hefner passing away at the age of 91. >> hefner started "playboy" magazine in his chicago kitchen in 1953 and transformed it into a sprawling empire of clubs, mansions and even movies. he is credited for bringing a major role of bringing the taboo topic of sex into mainstream conversation. hefner is known for his over the top lifestyle marked by wild

parties attended by celebrities. he was often spotted in a silk robe smoking a pipe and surrounded by young, beautiful women. >> there have been many reactions to his had death, including the former playboy bun fee jenny mccarthy is among the many stars paying tribute tweeting thank you for being a revolutionary and changing so many people's lives, especially mine. hefner is survived by four adult children and his wife, crystal, who is 60 years his junior, i might add. he passed away in had his mansion in l.a. surrounded by loved ones. but everyone from reverend jesse jackson jr. and kim kardashian have been tweeting and paying tribute to hefner. and the other big story this half hour. president trump proposing the most sweeping tax overhaul in decades. >> the president told supporters in indianapolis thatla pheuld n middle class, but democrats are calling it a windfall for the wealthy. >> critics point to the prt enidelmshi children, who stand to gain millions if he succeeds in repealing the estate tax. abc's jonathan karl breaks down

the new tax plan for us. >> reporter: after failing yet again to get a republican health care plan through congress, president trump is now promising to deliver on something even more ambitious. a massive new tax cut. >> there's never been tax cuts like what we're talking about. >> reporter: details are still sketchy, but the plan calls for slashing the tax on corporations, now 35% to 20%. for individuals and families, reducing the number of tax brackets from seven to just three. doubling the standard deduction for families, that would mean no income tax whatsoever on the first $24,000 of income. the president insists his plan will benefit the working class and not the wealthy. >> they can call me all they want. it's not going to help. i'm doing the right thing. and it's not good for me, believe me. >> reporter: of course it's impossible to know how any plan will affect the president, because he still has not released his tax returns. but there's one big provision that would clearly benefit the

wealthy. wants to eliminate the estate tax. something that is only paid on estates valued at more than $5.5 million for individuals, $11 million for couples. while congress will surely make changes in the plan, the president insists there's one thing he won't budge on. that huge tax cut for corporations. >> 20 is my number. so i'm not negotiating that number. 20 is a perfect number. >> reporter: the president doesn't explain how he'll pay for these hefty tax cuts, leaving congress already deeply divided to figure that out. >> tax reform is going to make health care look like a piece of cake. >> reporter: white house officials and speaker of the house paul ryan have said they hope to get this tax plan through congress by the end of the year. that is an extremely ambitious timeline. in fact, this would be a heavy lift to even get done by next year. that said, there is immense pressure on republicans both here at the white house and on capitol hill to show they can

deliver on this. jonathan karl, abc news, the white house. the president says that he's upset, in the meantime, with the health secretary, tom price after dozens of expensive trips on private jets paid for by taxpayers. >> price says future charter flights are now on hold, but it may not be enough to save his job. >> president trump says he's not pleased. >> what are you going to do about it, mr. president? >> i'm going to look at it.m kn. >> two other top white house officials are also had under fire for questionable travel choigss. treasury secretary steve mnuchin is accused of using a government plane to fly to kentucky to watch the eclipse. and according to the "washington post, epa administrator scott pruitt has taken at least four military or charter flights that have cost taxpayers $58,000. congress is now investigating. a rock slide if in yosemite national park in california leaves one person dead and another injured. a giant hunk of granite

described by one witness as the pg inmefe opartment build f rodust into the air. at least 30 climbers were scaling the granite monolith at the time. an emergency chopper transported the the injured climber to a hospital. no word yet to the extent of the injuries. and it looks like a death of an american college student imprisoned in north korea may never be solved. an ohio coroner says an autopsy was inconclusive as to whether no sign of r was tortured. torture to his teeth. that contradicts his parents would say his teeth looked like they were rearranged by pliers. the coroner says warmbier died from brain damage. she says it's fought clear what caused that. and bottom line, we don't know what happened to him. now to the crisis in puerto rico. fema and other government officials say they will have visited every town on the island

by sometime today. wh they'll see, more than a week after the hurricane, is utter devastation and a recovery effort that's just getting started. here's abc's richard cantu. >> reporter: so much of the recovery from last week's devastating hurricane has been a do it yourself affair for puerto ricans as the wait for help from the outside stretches on. the governor wednesday visiting a national guard base in heart-hit salinas. more than three-quarters of the wooden structures there destroyed. >> we're an island. it is hard to get things over here from the mainland. >> reporter: military operations bringing in tons of equipment and supplies, but many still waiting for help. only 4% of the island has electricity, just over half drinkable water. and 80% of the telecommunications are down. in vega alta, the red cross is setting up a satellite internet, a lifeline for residents trying to reach loved ones. >> i want to talk to them. i want to tell them that i'm okay, that don't worry for me. >> reporter: and in utuado, fans there posting videos to

facebook. >> my name is robert strong. if they see this thing, know that i am okay and i'm well taken care of. >> reporter: in old san juan, family-owned businesses are slowly opening. managing the best they can without power. a restaurant, setting up tables on the sidewalk. too hot to sve inside. and this pharmacy, selling things at a discount or giving them away to customers without cash. while the lines for basic necessities, water, cash and especially gasoline grow exasperatingly long. richard cantu, abc news, new york. >> as for the storm that started it all, maria is out to sea. it's still a weak hurricane category 1. sustained winds around 75 miles per hour. it's likely to lose hurricane status once and for all later today. >> maria brought big waves and flooding to the outer banks of north carolina. but conditions there are improving as the storm moves. all the watches and warnings have been canceled. to miami now.

three workers have been killed after part of a television tower collapsed. the workers were near the top of the 1,200 foot tower when a piece of equipment that they were on collapsed and they fell to their deaths. the tower transmits the signal for two local tv stations, including the abc affiliate there in the miami area. but the men worked for an outside company. an investigation is in its early stages. and a coal train crashed near pittsburgh, derailing about a dozen cars, live power lines were knocked down, but so far no injuries reported. one witness saying the impact felt like an earthquake. two locomotive engines were pulling 126 cars all loaded with coal. a massive clean up and investigation is under way there. and one candidate for boston city council knows how to get attention. his name is pat hayasao. when he showed up at a polling place on tuesday, some voters were a little scared. >> so payasao is spanish for clown. pat payasao is no political novice.

>> nope. he's run for city council and even mayor in the past. this time someone called the police when he was hanging around on tuesday. a responding officer quickly realized he wasn't a threat, he will be on the city council general election ballot in november. >> pat payaso. >> wonder what he'll show ups then. >> he'll apparently be facing seven other candidates for an at-large city council seat. >> that is one way to stand out. >> t yreheo. gou even the car. wow. commitment. commitment. >> is that a clown car then? >> he's got the looks. >> exactly. why not? coming up, the russian infiltration of facebook. see if you recognize any of these ads that russian placed allegedly to sway the election in favor of donald trump. the new questions now being raised by congress. and the new warning for those looking to buy a puppy online. the adorable ad could be a scam. remember to check us out behind the scenes on instagram @abcwnn. you're watching "world news

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ukrainian leaders are blaming sabotage for this massive explosion at an ammunition depot. ukrainian leaders are blaming sabotage for this massive explosion at an ammunition depot. at least 30,000 people were evacuated from a nearby town. airspace over the region has been closed, about 188,000 tonst depot. ukraine has been fighting russia-backed separatists for three years. we're getting our first look at some of those ads purchased dus ntring the presidential election. >> and now congressional investigators want to know how those agents half a world away were able to target those ads with such precision 37 here's abc's brian ross. >> reporter: abc news has obtained some of the posts and ads congressional investigators say russians planted on facebooo help get donald trump elected. americans would have no idea what they were reading was written by the russians. they rail against illegal immigrants. this one warns against so-called refugees jeopardizing our national security. this ad uses a popular cartoon.

dora the explorer knows how easy it is to cross the u.s. border. it's like a children's game. with this line, we need to stop this madness. we need trump. the ads supposed by come from a group called secured borders, but congressional investigators say there is no such group, that they were, in fact, created by russian companies which paid more than $100,000 to facebook to post them during, after and the election. >> their goal was to spread dissension, was to split our country apart. and they did a pretty good job. >> reporter: many of the ads, investigators say, came from an operation in st. petersburg russia. in this building where young russians are hired to send out fake news. a former employee says she took this undercover video inside when she worked there in 2015, hoping to expose the operation where the so-called trolls worked 12-hour shifts. the former employee told abc news facebook was one of the

their main platforms. according to investigators, the ads show their slant is pro-trump, anti-clinton. their targets, voters in specific areas of key swing states. >> how do they have that level of specificity? that's one of the questions we need answered. >> brian ross, abc news, new york. in the meantime, on capitol hill, james lankford, a member of the senate intelligence committee, says russian trolls have been busy tweeting on both sides of the issue. he says they're trying to raise the noise level and push divisiveness in our country. >> president trump responded to the issue tweeting facebook was always anti-trump. and facebook ceo mark zuckerberg responded in a statement saying, quote, trump says facebook is against him. liberals say we helped trump. both sides are upset about ideas and content they don't like. that's what running a platform for all ideas looks like. >> and zuckerberg continued saying we'll keep working to ensure the integrity of free and fair elections around the world and to ensure our community is a

platform for all ideas and a force for good in democracy. but it's not just facebook. twitter, apparently, had plenty of ads or fake accounts that were posting some things that supposedly the russians were behind. and that was supposedly even bigger than the facebook infiltration. >> we have fake news, fake ads. it comes down to the onus is on us, as the media to put out information that is true that people can trust and on us as consumers to not always believe everything we read on these sites. >> my god, the pressure. >> there's a lot. >> there's a lot of pressure. coming up, the big warning for anyone thinking of buying a puppy online. >> speaking of fake ads. those ads tugging at your heartstrings may be a scam. that's coming up next on "world news now." artstrings may be a scam. that's coming up next on "world news now."

toxic chemicals and carcinogens are leaching into the environment. it's happening right where we live, work and play. everywhere. cigarette butts are toxic waste.

let's stop the toxic litter. learn more at rethinkbutts.org [female narrator] foods rich in folic acid like white bread and leafy greens can help prevent some birth defects before you even know you're pregnant. ♪ how much is that doggie in the window ♪ ♪ the one with the waggly tail ♪ how much is that doggie in the window ♪

>> ah, the good old days. >> when doggies were sold in windows. now it's how much is that doggie on that website. >> and is that doggie real? because this morning, the new warning for anyone looking to buy a puppy online, the better business bureau says chances are that cute ad you're reading is a scam. here's abc's t.j. holmes. >> reporter: puppies like these yorkies and french bulldogs are some of the most popular breeds to adopt. but go online searching to buy one, the better business bureau says beware, they're also the mop popular lures for scammers. >> i don't think it's possible to do a search onlr foe t pea running into one of these fraudulent sites. >> reporter: that's what dan shel ton says happened to him.

he paid $700 to buy another dog online. >> i got an e-mail from a shipping company. and it said you are required to pay $1500 additional. when i looked at, the shipping company was the same guy that i bought the puppy from. i knew then i was scammed. >> reporter: the better business bureau believes 80% of sponsored links and search results for pets may lead to fraudulent sites. the bureau is warning anyone searching for a pet online is likely to encounter this fraud. according to the consumer watchdog report, the thieves often insist on e-mail and text correspondence and refuse to meet in person or see the animal before paying. >> i don't think you really can avoid a scam online. the only way to be sure is to go and see the puppy in person. >> reporter: t.j. holmes, new >> in person is best. even better, don't buy the puppy, rescue it from a shelter. adopt, don't shop. the ones in the shelter are reae coming up, how you can tell if your partner is cheating,

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♪ oh, this is going to cause some trouble a little bit later on. new research on this thursday mix that shows how you can tell if your partner is cheating. >> why is that going to cause trouble? for who? >> because you're speaking very quickly. it's all in your pitch and the speed, the way you speak. this is from researchers in two universities in in -->> 'rriou yght now, kendis, does t make you nervous? >> no, not at all. i will admit if i've wronged. and there's nothing wrong with what i've done. they say if you suspect greater variation in pitch and fewer silent pauses may be indications that your partner is a cheater. participants rated the voices on leaklyhood of them cheating and then they found out that it all varied of those who had a

history of cheating as more likely to cheat when they rated them. >> so basically, we now know why you're single. this is what we're learning from this. anybody notice that entire read? pretty varied.pi he wd. i>>peas what? >> depends on the definition of cheating. >> tisk, tisk. the better sign is if someone is cheating on you is if they say something like, i mean, what really is cheating? >> like a free day on your diet? okay. on to dogs -- >> you can't cheat if you don't commit. >> on to a different type of dog. these dogs have no need to cheat because they have what they want right here at home. check this out. these are dogs jumping for treats. this photographer managed to capture the moment just before they catch or in some cases missed the treat and the results are hilarious. the emotions range from panic,

delight, this one i'm going with joy, sheer joy, and in some cases they missed the treat and you see this kind of sadness on their face. >> yeah, we've seen it with water before, where dogs have that look, but this, this photographer capturing it there. >> this could be my new favorite meme. dogs catching treats. >> beautiful. so here is this virginia tech kid who found the world's largest rubik's cube. or lookse ik ls. iit it is 13x13 and he decided, you know what? i'm going to take on this challenge. and it might seem impossible, but -- that's a rubik's cube? >> that's a rubiks cube. two hours later, simon here, a freshman at virginia tech. >> no way. >> solved it. boom. >> that is mind-boggling. all right. almost as mind-boggling as golden retrievers and tortoises being friends. but that's what happened in this case. case. that is a rescue tortoise.

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>> this morning on "world news now," members of president trump's cabinet, grounded. why he says he's not happy about the use of pricey private jets for government business and members of congress on both sides of the aisle want answers. and the latest incident of an airline passenger being dragged off a plane by officers after complaining of an allergy. we'll tell you what else was on board that prompted that request. and later, remembering a cultural icon. >> hugh hefner, the man behind "playboy" magazine has died at the age of 91. see what we're finding about the life and times of the man who changed america's attitude about sex. and one of america's biggest stars opens up about three of the important people in his life who apparently don't count themselves among his fans. who doesn't like "the boss"? >> who doesn't love "the boss"? >> who doesn't love "the boss"?

"the skinny" will detail it out. it is thursday, september 28. from abc news, this is "world news now." >> aye yi yi. you got to love "the boss." >> yeah, baby we were born to run. >> and walk. >> we'll have more on "the boss," including some tunes, i'm sure, coming up. but we're starting things off with new questions about health and human services secretary tom price and other officials traveling on private planes funded by taxpayers. >> well, the president says he's not happy, signaling that price's job could actually be in jeopardy. mind alitary flights has trigg a congressional investigation into administration travel. >> the treasury secretary steve mnuchin is also a target of that investigation. he's accused of using a government plane to fly to kentucky with his wife to watch the eclipse. abc's cecelia vega is tracking

your money. >> reporter: president trump making it clear he is angry with his health secretary's penchant for private planes on the public dime. >> i will tell you personally, i'm not happy about it. >> what are you going to do about it, mr. president? >> i'm going to look at it. i'm not happy about it and i let him know it. >> reporter: secretary tom price under fire for his luxury jet travel, costing tax payers more than $400,000. an investigation now under way, and price says those high-priced trips are on hold. >> we've heard the criticism. we've heard the concerns, and we take that very seriously and i've taken it to heart. >> reporter: but the president made it clear price's future is in question. >> would you fire him, sir? >> reporter: three cabinet secretaries now under investigation for expensive travel. treasury secretary steve mnuchin accused of taking costly government jets over commercial flights, including that trip to kentucky with his wife where they viewed the eclipse. and new revelations about the

epa administrator, scott pruitt's frequent trips home to oklahoma paid by tax payers, and now he's under fire for installing a $25,000 secure private phone booth in his office, something previous administrators didn't have. a spokeswoman says pruitt, a vocal critic of the agency before he took the top job needs the secure phone booth so his calls are not subject to hacking from the outside. now democrats and republicans on the house oversight committee want to know more. they have launched an investigation. they want to see travel records and the cost of those trips since inauguration day. the white house and two dozen federal agencies have less than two weeks to turn these documents in. cecelia vega, the white house. in the meantime, the pridens

first major legislative victory. >> the president unveiled the proposal in indianapolis, insisting the cuts would be good for the middle class. he wants to reduce the corporate tax rate from 35% to 20%. rates for individuals would be lowered and simplified from seven to three brackets and the size of the standard deduction would double. >> so the plan is facing an uphill battle in congress where democrats say it's a boone for the wealthy.heth care, the pres optimistic. >> i look forward to working with congress to deliver these historic tax cuts and reforms to the american people. these tax cuts are significant. there's never been tax cuts like what we're talking about. >> the plan also calls for the elimination of the estate tax, which would be a big gain for the richest american families, like the president's. overall, the details are

clear how the cut would be paid for. so congress will have to figure that out. a giant piece of rock described as the size of an apartment building fell from the face of yosemite's el capitan, killing one person and injuring another. the rock slide sent a plume of white dust into the air. park rangers say this is the height of climbing season and at least 30 people were scaling that rock face at the time. an emergency chopper transported the injured climber to a hospital. no word yet on the extent of the injuries. disaster relief is slowly pouring into hurricane-damaged puerto rico. but a lot of it is caught in a bottleneck waiting to get out of port and to those in need. more than a week now after hurricane maria hit, 96% of puerto rico is still without electricity.halfow have drinking water. a puerto rican tourism official is asking cruise operators and airlines to help had bring in aid. a royal caribbean liner delivered generators and other supplies on wednesday, and puerto rican native j.j. barea of the dallas mavericks is planning another trip. he used the maverick's team plane on friday to fly donated

supplies in to puerto rico. mark cuban personally donated the plane for that effort. college basketball legend rick pitino is apparently out of a job. the 65-year-old coach has been placed on unpaid administrative leave. pgram was linked to a federal investigation into fraud and corruption in recruiting. his attorney says he has effectively been fired. school officials are promising to move forward. >> effective immediately, coach pitino has been placed on an unpaid, administrative leave. coach pitino's employment will be reviewed at a later date. while this may be a dark day for the university of louisville, better days are ahead. >> the athletic director was also placed on administrative leave, and this is the latest black eye for the program. the school is currently on probation for a scandal involving escorts for recruits. and derek jeter will have his hands full as part owner of the miami marlins.

baseball owners had unanimously approved the sale of $1.2 billion for the franchise. the former yankees captain will be in charge of the marlins' baseball operations. they're about to finish their eighth consecutive losing season, so he's going to hope to turn that around. >> absolutely. they have big stars there. another scuffle caught on camera between an airline passenger and police. this time a woman was forcibly removed from a southwest flight as it prepared to take off from baltimore to los angeles. the woman was asked to leave the plane after she complained that she had a life-threatening allergy to animals. southwest said they offered to rebook her on another flight because there were two dogs that were on board, but clearly she refused. she was arrested, charged with disorderly conduct. southwest says it's disheartened by the way the situation unfolded. delta airlines is offering free text messaging to flyers starting sunday. in-flight mobile messaging will

be available through imessage, facebook messenger and whatsapp. they will be able to send and receive messages but it does not include the exchange of photos, video files or audio messages. just the old school stuff. >> old fashioned. >> yep. and it seems a driver in minnesota was either having a really bad day or maybe needs their eyes checked. check out the black suv. >> okay. while in stop and go traffic, the driver seems to accidentally rear end the suv that it's behind. so both drivers pull over. >> but when they get onto the shoulder, again, watch as the black suv rear ends the white one again. yeah. guessing they're ready to end that road trip. >> what were you doing in minnesota? >> i am an excellent driver. >> yeah. coming up, tom cruise breaks his silence.

is this photo of his, was this evidence of a -- >> i never thought i would see the words stunt butt in the prompter. >> stunt butt double. it's ahead in "the skinny." i know it's in the skinny, but seriously, brian ross is investigating this. >> big story coming up in "the skinny," but first, remembering an american cultural icon, hugh hefner dead at the age of 91. hear how he wants to be remembered. a surprising spot he chose for his had final resting place. first, here's a look at today'so "world news now" weather, brought to you by mypillow.

i'd like to be remembered as somebody who played some positive part in changing the social sexual values of his time and had a very good time doing it. >> and he did. both. those are the words of hugh hefner, the larger than life publishing titan who helped redefine how americans look at

sex. >> founder of "playboy" magazine also died at the age of 91. >> founder of "playboy" magazine also died at the age of 91. abc's brandie hitt has more on his life and legacy. >> reporter: hugh hefner was the ultimate playboy, hosting wild parties at his mansion, in his trademark robe and pajamas, surrounded by a harem of young women, celebrities and always an aura of sex. >> made for a good party. >> reporter: for hefner, the party started in 1953 in chicago with the first issue of "playboy" magazine and featured a nude photo of marilyn monroe and was an instant success. hefner saw himself as the pamphletier and its host. >> glad you could join us this evening. >> reporter: the magazine led to tv shows and an entire playboy empire. there were playboy key clubs featuring waitresses wearing revealing bunny costumes. in the '70s, hefner was attacked by feminists for exploiting women. >> playboy exploits sex like sports illustrated exploits sports. >> reporter: but the nation's mood had changed.

attendance and profits at the playboy clubs had dropped. by 1988, hefner closed the last of them and turned over the control of the still-profitable magazine to his daughter christie. a year later, he seemed ready to change his bachelor ways. hefner's marriage to a former playmate resulted in two sons. but after eight years it ended, and he went back to his old ways. in his mid-70s and touting the benefits of viagra, hefner took on seven girlfriends, all in their 20s, starring in a reality tv show. and in 2012, at 86, hefner settled down again, marrying 26-year-old crystal harris. >> my age has changed. the women i'm attracted to have not changed. >> reporter: hefner has been immortalized in wax and in the pages of his magazine. asked once what he was most proud of, he said he changed america's attitude toward sex. brandi hitt, abc news, los angeles.

>> he did. when "playboy" magazine came out, you couldn't say "pregnant" on tv. "i love lucy" was on tv and they were -- >> in separate beds. >> exactly. >> so just imagine how revolutionary that must have been when he came out with his first issue there. >> as you can imagine, people on social media are reacting big time to this. my favorite post is r.i.p. hugh hefner. dude's been in heaven for decades, anyway. >> that he has. even jesse jackson is saying, you know what? we shall never forget him. but that really says it. >> been in heaven for decades anyway. when we come back, why bruce springsteen's massive fan base doesn't include his own kids. >> "the skinny" next. >> "the skinny" next. >> skinny's next. massive fan base doesn't include his own kids.

♪ >> ♪ >> ah. >> ah. nothing better than "the boss." >> especially at this hour. >> unless, apparently, you're one of his kids. so, yeah. so "the boss" is now talking a bit about his family life, and apparently, his kids may have been born to run, but not so much listening. they're not big on that part.

records sold, so it's no surprise that bruce springsteen has one of the most loyal fan bases in music and industry. >> but it apparently does not include his own children. the 68-year-old rock legend says his three kids have shown a healthy disinterest in his work over the years. >> he says he doubts any of them have read his best-selling memoir, "born to run," but he was quick to add that he's not at all hurt that his kids aren't fans. he feels he did a good job in raising them. >> they don't like my music, so i did a good job? >> so they were smart kids. >> well, we're fans, bruce, for what that's worth. next to twitter 280. >> we told you yesterday about how twitter's testing out doubling its current 140

character limit. well, it's surprised a select number of random users with that new limit. >> yeah. among them, jimmy kimmel. and apparently, he can't resist bragging about it. >> yes. so he tweeted yesterday afternoon, hey, twice, i feel so sorry for those of you who have to abbreviate tweets because you only have 140 characters. so lame. >> look at how huge that is. he went on to say or type, just type, type, typing away, so many characters, talk to you soon. #blessed. #280 characters. >> he's doing #blessed. >> abcdefg, wow. >> just because he can. >> just seeing it there, though. >> it's nice to see that jimmy isn't gloating. >> no humblebrag at all. thks jmy. responsibiliseouy. ise y weighs cerru

in on the stunt butt controversy. >> yep. >> yep. i just said the words stunt butt. >> that's bc education right there at its best. boston college proud. last month, an eagle-eyed fan tweeted out this screen grab of a scene from cruz's film "valkyrie" showing what appears to be an enhancement. and it nearly broke the inner webs with speculation that cruise may have used either a stunt butt or had had something extra stuffed down his khakis. >> but now cruise is telling screen rant that there was no prosthetic of any kind used in that scene, nor was there a butt double involved. he apparently will soon provide proof of this, by the way. >> oh, good. fans will catch glimpses of the 55-year-old's actual behind in his upcoming film "american made."

in which hesitate character reportedly moons members of his family not just once, not twice, but several times. >> to show off his american-made butt. >> butt. >> maybe i should say made in america. >> i just laughed in my head. you know that's david's series, can you imagine david doing a piece of that? >> i wasn't even trying to go there. >> tonight on made in america, tom cruise. okay, and finally, a major revelation from zac efron. >> the 29-year-old opened up to "vogue" in the magazine's interview about hang ago poster of the tyra banks in his childhood bedroom to wanting to make a cameo appearance on "stranger things." >> but perhaps the strangest revelation is that he'd love to share a love scene with dwayne the rock johnson. >> wait, what?

>> get in line, zac efron. back of the line, buddy. >> have you not smooched the rock as yet? >> no, i have not. >> all right, coming up. saving old glory. saving old glory. >> all right, coming up. saving old glory. a dollar. and i never thought i could get quality life insurance with my spare change. neither did i. until i saw a commercial for the colonial penn program. imagine people our age getting life insurance at such an affordable rate. it's true. if you're 50 to 85, you can get guaranteed acceptance life insurance through the colonial penn program for less than 35 cents a day, just $9.95 a month. there's no medical exam and no health questions. you know, the average cost of a funeral is over $8,300. now that's a big burden to leave your loved ones. as long as you're 50 to 85, you cannot be turned down because of your health. your premium never goes up and your benefit never goes down due to age.

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nice. cascade. ♪ we could be heroes >> we could all be heroes. some just choose not to be. but there are many who choose to be heroes indeed. >> and this morning we are meeting two men who couldn't appear to be more different, finding a common cause in restoring a symbol of american pride. wabc's nina paneda has more. >> nothing's left at all now. it's like a piece of rag. >> reporter: call it this veteran's stars and gripes, jack's dismayed about the two frayed flags just hanging from the staff outside his local post office. >> terrible. the flag looks terrible and it's the country that we fought for. enineporter: 17 when he world war ii.

>> when we see this condition of the flag we don't like it. >> reporter: jack says he noticed the flag's condition last spring. how many months ago did you call? >> 12 months ago. >> reporter: the 91-year-old's notepad filled with names of post office personnel. >> and they said they're going to get in touch with this post office. >> reporter: and nothing happened. except the flag got worse. now the p.o.w. m.i.a. flag beneath it disintegrated. what do you think about the condition of the flag? >> it's so bad. >> reporter: we called our contacts at the u.s. postal inspection service which has always helped with mail fraud and counterfeit stories. and by the time the sun went down, old glory was replaced to its original glory. >> oh, boy. nina and their crew is terrific. >> reporter: but someone else had also acted. a man we interviewed the day before. >> america is great. >> reporter: assam abdel, too, said he wanted to replace the

tattered flag to thank the u.s. for the opportunities it will give his young family. and this morning, the recent immigrant from yemen had a gift to share with the world war ii vet. >> i got chills up my arm. >> reporter: strangers before, the neighbors and now friends pay tribute in their own way to the symbol which means the same to both, freedom. >> this is unbelievable that you did something like, that somebody cares about the flag and about the country. >> by the way, there are all these rules to displaying the flag, including you're not supposed to leave it out during inclement weather and when the flag is in such condition that it's not a fitting emblem, you have to destroy it in a dignified way. you don't leave it dangling outside the post office. >> and good that those two people recognized those problems. >> working together. >> that's it for this half hour. this is abc's "world news now," informing insomniacs for two decades.

forged out of bravery, sacrifice, and duty. from all corners of the country, a family for life. ♪ but whether they served in lands far away or communities close to home, some of these men and women may face difficult times or even crisis. but sometimes reaching out for help can be the most challenging and worthwhile mission of all. thankfully, friends, family, and communities are standing by their service members and veterans now more than ever. ♪ we're all in this together. when you recognize something isn't right, make the call to the veterans crisis line or military crisis line. during times of crisis, reach out and call. dial 1-800-273-8255 and press 1.

>> i will pay the bill for the glass. that's okay. >> that's what's making news this morning in america. >> making news in america this thursday morning. crisis in puerto rico. desperately needed supplies arriving but sit ng port not delivered. millions with no power or water one week after hurricane maria. what's behind the lifesint trum tax cut plan. who stands to benefit and who will pay for it. >> the overnight intelligence leak. fbi transcripts revealing how one contractor named reality winner smug led a secret report on russian hacking. >> the death of an icon t. remembering hugh hefner how he built the play boy empire and the one piece of advice he gave to living a