nt to take it up a notch we use k-y yours & mine. tingling for me, warming for him. wow! this holiday season get what you want fire ripped through this yacht off the coast of australia, forcing an entire family to jump overboard. you can see the smoke billowing into the air. all six people from the boat including a 5-year-old child were rescued. officials say the flames spread so quickly there was no time to

grab life jackets or send out a distress signal. the family was plucked from the water by a passing boat. thankfully, amazingly, no one was injured. >> incredible video. here at home, a 911 dispatcher in florida is being called a christmas day hero after helping save the life of a young boy. >> the 1-year-old wandered out of the house before falling into the family's pool and he wasn't breathing. johnny fernandez, a friend from our orlando station, has our story. >> reporter: sarah is an orange county dispatcher. she was not the dispatcher that gave cpr instructions to save the baby boy's life but told me what her co-worker did was a prime example of how hard their jobs are. >> we have 60 seconds from the time that we answer a call until it's initially dispatched to get an address, to verify the phone number and to get a general complaint. year-old baby connor not y breathing.his parents told me t

walked out of their back door and into the pool. when mom called for help, the dispatcher quickly gave cpr instructions. >> place your hand on his forehead, the other hand under his neck and carefully tilt the head back. >> okay. okay. >> reporter: after chest compressions, paramedics arrived and the boy was taken to the hospital. she says dispatchers have to think fast. i found out this year alone orange county dispatchers have received about 134,000 calls, that's 10,000 more calls than last year. >> it's something that we are very well-trained for so we don't really doubt it, we just jump right in to it. >> and as of this morning, the baby's family says they're waiting for him to transition out of the hospital icu unit. so very scary moments for that family. >> just a reminder for all parents to make sure that that pool is, you know, fenced in. keep an eye on those kids, right? >> absolutely. especially a place like florida where so many people have pools. well, a photographer from florida has finally cracked a mystery. she snapped this couple's

proposal eight years ago in palm beach. joy gruver was taking photos when the mystery couple caught her eye but they got away before she could introduce herself. >> since then every year she has posted the photos on facebook and on december 12th in hopes of hearing from them, and this year she finally did. they live in texas. they were on vacation when david popped the question. >> how cool. glad she finally found them. >> again, social media, a pretty powerful tool. >> just kept sharing it. kept sharing it. some day they'll see it. when we come back, the big news about miley cyrus and the pictures of what we already knew happened. and could a wedding be in the future for j-rod? "the skinny" is next. girlfriend? "the skinny" is coming up next.

♪i am beautiful in every single way♪ ♪words, can't bring me down♪ ♪ skinny ♪ just give me the skinny time now for "the skinny" on this thursday. we are starting with big news from miley cyrus. the 26-year-old "wrecking ball" singer has just revealed that she tied the knot with liam hemsworth. we knew it. we knew it. >> here we go.

cyrus and the 28-year-old "hunger games" actor have been in a rocky on and off again relationship for years. this goes back to 2012 when he first proposed, but now cyrus is sharing these touching snaps from their wedding sunday night from their home in franklin, tennessee. this photo captioned "ten years later." >> you can tell how excited zach is about this. probably our 1 millionth kiss. they reconnected in 2015 after she had all her js on my feet moments when she got into the hip-hop. he was obviously like i'm not taking this. cyrus even sang about finding love again with hemsworth on her latest album. good for them. next, talking about weddings, could j. lo and a-rod be getting together? >> j. lo, a-rod, j-rod. jennifer lopez sharing these family snaps from christmas morning. everyone in matching pajamas, obviously, tearing into their christmas gifts, including, of course, a $40,000 set of louis vuitton luggage.

duh! proving, of course, that stars really are just like us. >> just like us. >> yeah. i had mine, too, on christmas. >> now friends of the power couple are telling "us weekly" that, quote, an engagement is definitely on the horizon and alex is obsessed with jen and spends as much time with her as he can. >> and we are obsessed with them. if it's true, this would be alex's second time down the aisle. it would be j. lo's fourth, but, look, girl, we're not throwing any shade. you find your love, you march down that aisle as many times as it takes. >> we'll see if it happens. and a final christmas note, mariah carey has set a new mark. >> he's not even getting her name right and she is the reigning queen of christmas. 24 years after its released, "all i want for christmas is you" has set a brand-new one-day streaming record for spotify because duh. of course it was. all we needed was the technology to keep up with it. >> crazy numbers. crazy numbers. chart data reports the song was

played 11 million times on christmas eve. >> who is surprised? because i'm not. >> everyone was playing that one. >> i had like 3 million of those plays. "all i want for christmas is you" was released back in 1994 when video was this grainy, so pretty much before the internet as we know it was born. again, we all knew that was the biggest christmas song of all time, we just needed spotify to come along to prove that everyone is listening to it. >> everyone. >> on repeat. on christmas eve. >> 11 million? wow! >> a ton. next to what some critics are already calling the worst movie ever, and remember thanks to mariah, we've got "glitter." but now there's something worse. >> "holmes and watson" starring will ferrell and john c. reilly is set for release tomorrow. the victorian-era detective spoof is already getting the colder shoulder from the critics. >> your majesty, do you think i could have a picture of us together? >> but who is going to take the photograph? >> no, no, i'll take the

photograph. you see, it's a type of a self photograph. i can take it and i will be in it also. >> you know what i find to take the most attractive photographs, you need to purse your lips together like a duck-billed platypus. >> platypus face. chins up. >> hey. >> hey. hey, girl. >> you know, maybe over by the window. the lighting is much better. >> yes. good idea. >> whoa. >> okay. that was a little bit funny. it was totally cheesy, and if the whole movie's like that, i totally get it. so far "holmes and watson" is scoring only 4% on rotten tomatoes, which basically is the equivalent of like trash. with one critic describing it as a desperate, sweaty mess. poor will ferrell. that's not right. >> poor guy. i mean, hey -- >> they need to be nicer to him. and finally, wolverine meets the harlem globetrotters. >> tmz reports hugh jackman got an impromptu schooling from globetrotters star cheese

chisholm at madison square garden. check this out. >> video shows jackman's moves aren't all that good. not all that bad but not all that good either. >> he gave it a shot. good. not all that bad but not all that good either. dryer to iron less. simply toss twe we dried one shirt without bounce, and an identical shirt using bounce. the bounce shirt has fewer wrinkles, less static, and more softness and freshness. for extra large or wrinkly loads, toss in three sheets. dermatologist tested bounce free and gentle is free of dyes and perfumes. bounce out wrinkles, bounce out static.

know what turns me on? my better half, hors d oeuvres and bubbly. and when i really want to take it up a notch we use k-y yours & mine. tingling for me, warming for him. wow! this holiday season get what you want about the colonial penn program. here to tell you if you're age 50 to 85, and looking to buy life insurance on a fixed budget, remember the three p's. what are the three p's? the three p's of life insurance on a fixed budget are price, price, and price.

a price you can afford, a price that can't increase, and a price that fits your budget. i'm 54. alex, what's my price? you can get coverage for $9.95 a month. i'm 65 and take medications. what's my price? also $9.95 a month. i just turned 80. what's my price? $9.95 a month for you too. if you're age 50 to 85, call now about the #1 most popular whole life insurance plan, available through the colonial penn program. it has an affordable rate starting at $9.95 a month. no medical exam, no health questions. your acceptance is guaranteed. and this plan has a guaranteed lifetime rate lock, so your rate can never go up for any reason. so call now for free information. and you'll also get this free beneficiary planner. and it's yours just for calling. so call now.

new york city at night. >> great shot. the world of twitter was a hot place to find some of the most touching christmas moments. >> but one video really caught our eye. it's from a guy named josh who says his grandparents have been struggling with bills so he surprised them with $1,500 in a new bank account and a monthly allowance. >> the money is a gift. it is yours. >> thank you, josh. >> i love you guys. >> i love you, too.

>> oh, how sweet is that? and a similar touching scene played out for the family of a major league baseball rookie. >> yes. parents investing in their son and it's now paying off. here is abc's tom llamas. >> reporter: the newest kansas city royal, brady singer, has a hard to hit mid-90s fastball. he's known for his big arm but it turns out he has an even bigger heart. >> dear mom and dad, i just want to say thank you for everything you've done to help me reach my dreams. >> reporter: that's jacquelin and brett singer reading a christmas card from brady, who is their son. >> the money you both spent on traveling, gear, hotel, food and all those gatorades i drank is much more than i could ever give you, but there is something that i want to give to you. >> reporter: what comes next in this christmas card leaving mom speechless. >> i am paying off the loan from the bank. also, i paid off all your debt as well.

what? now instead of trying to save money every week to replace the savings account while traveling to play baseball, you can spend it on yourselves. because you deserve the very best -- >> reporter: mom and dad in tears. it's been a long journey from little league to the big league. brady's rookie deal with the royals included a signing bonus of more than $4 million. the 22-year-old may be the one wearing the jersey, but deep down he knows the whole family worked for it. >> i want you both to know how much i appreciate you and how none of this would be possible without you. your giving hearts shaped my tiny dream into a reality. i love you both more than you could ever imagine. >> reporter: tom llamas, abc news, new york. >> powerful stuff. >> i'm not crying. you are. >> i was going to say powerful story. goose bumps. obviously they raised this kid right, huh? awtoesome. $4.25 million signing bonus.

he better. this is abc's "world news now" informing insomniacs for two decades.

good morning. i'm janai norman. >> and i'm zachary kiesch. here are some of the top stories we're following on "world news now." homeland security is making sweeping changes. this follows the death of a second migrant child in u.s. custody this month. now all children under the age of 10 must get medical checks and coast guard medical personnel have been sent to the border to help respond to the crisis. a severe storm system extends over most of the nation's midsection, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the south and snow and ice to the north. delays and cancellations are likely on the roads and at airports today. the coast guard is searching for a cruise ship employee who went overboard about 200 miles off of puerto rico.

the 20-year-old crew member from the uk was last seen entering a deck area on royal caribbean's "harmony of the seas". today a crew will begin installing the t waterford crystals on the ball in times square for new year's eve. weighs nearly 6 tons. whoa. those are some of our top stories this thursday, december 27th. from abc news, this is "world news now." we're starting off the day, guys, just five days left in 2018. >> wow. >> make the most of it. >> right? >> before we ring in the new year. we begin this half hour with u.s. border patrol facing growing scrutiny after the second death of a migrant child this month. the homeland security secretary kirstjen nielsen says the system has been pushed to a breaking point. mandatory medical checks have been ordered for all children under the age of 10 in federal detentn. review screening practices. and the cdc is launching an investigation into the increase

of migrants reporting illnesses. abc's matt gutman has more. >> reporter: homeland security announcing it's assessing its medical screening practices of migrants after another child died in the agency's custody for the second time this month. the boy, 8-year-old felipe alonzo-gomez, and his father were both traveling from guatemala. they were both detained near el paso on december 18th. on december 22nd the pair was moved due to overcrowding but on christmas eve the boy showed possible flu symptoms. at about 9:30 that morning he was taken to this hospital and evaluated. at 1:20 he had spiked a fever of 103 but just 90 minutes later the hospital released him back to the border patrol, prescribing him antibiotics. that evening border patrol agents noticed the boy had vomited, but the agency says his father declined further medical assistance as the child had been feeling better. later that night as the boy's condition worsened, he was

rushed back to the hospital. pronounced dead minutes before christmas. >> it's just tragic. and we're thinking about his family right now. >> reporter: democrats in the house now vowing a congressional investigation. earlier this month jakelin, a 7-year-old girl from guatemala, also died while in border patrol custody. the agency telling abc news it's in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. 24,000 children attempting to cross into the u.s. just in the month of december. mostly with their families. crossing attempts in the el paso region have surged ten-fold over previous years. >> our stations are not built for that group that's crossing today. >> reporter: immigrations and customs enforcement also overwhelmed. this week bussing hundreds of migrants to a local el paso park and leaving them there. all this amidst a partial government shutdown in washington fueled by president trump's refusal to sign a budget without money ear marked for some kind of border barrier. >> i can't tell you when the government's going to be open.

i can tell you it's not going to be open until we have a wall, a fence, whatever they'd like to call it. >> reporter: homeland security seems to recognize now that its current system at the border with this historic influx of children isn't working. now, the commissioner for customs and border protection told me that they are ordering the mandatory medical checks of all children in cbp custody under the age of 10. the agency is also launching an internal investigation. matt gutman, abc news, los angeles. >> that border continuing to be a hot issue again. matt gutman, thank you so much for that report. president trump and the first lady dropped in on u.s. troops in germany after a secret visit to iraq, the first trip of his presidency to a warzone. the president shook hands with service members and met with generals during a refueling stop at ramstein air force base. in iraq he defended his decision to withdraw from syria but said he has no plans to do the same in iraq. the president said he's in no rush to replace outgoing defense

secretary jim mattis, but claims everybody wants the job. >> everybody wants it. the president also talked about the government shutdown during his trip, saying he'll do whatever it takes to get funding for his border wall. with no deal at hand, the standoff could stretch into the new year and into the new congress with democrats in control. here is abc's kenneth moton. >> reporter: with 1/4 of the federal government closed there are signs of the partial shutdown in washington and across the country. lawmakers are back thursday to continue talks with the president over funding to fully re-open the government and build a southern border wall. the president even commenting on the shutdown during a surprise visit to iraq. >> whatever it takes. i mean, we're going to have a wall. we're going to have safety. we need safety for our country. even from this standpoint -- >> reporter: house minority leader nancy pelosi told "usa today" trump is being a fear monger and using scare tactics to gain support. oursre fced to work without pay. the rest on nonpaid leave. >> i mean, border security is great, but to basically -- it

feels like extortion. he's holding our jobs hostage. >> reporter: the uncertainty is leading to more worry on wall street. >> if you look at the economy right now, the real economy, the thing that we feel every day of our lives, things are okay. you look at the unemployment rate, we're now at the lowest level in 49 years, and when you look at next year, 2019, most economists don't see the positivity that we feel in this moment adding up to next year. >> reporter: so far it's been the worst december on record for stocks since the great depression. the president's economic adviser weighed in. >> i think that markets are focused on downside risks, but i think when they start to see, say, the holiday sales data they're going to have to focus on upside as well. >> the president's economic adviser says powell's job is safe. kenneth moton, abc news, washington. >> thank you, kenneth. pilots are being told to stay even farther away from that

volcano in indonesia that triggered a deadly tsunami over the weekend. commercial flights have been rerouted with the exclusion zone now three miles. experts say the volcanic activity is continuing to increase. the eruption triggered underwater landslides. the resulting tsunami killed at least 430 people. another volcano sent people in sicily running for safety. italy's mount etna generated a 4.8 magnitude earthquake that damaged buildings and injured some people. most of the injuries were minor but an elderlyd multiple fractures. etna is europe's most active volcano and the earthquake was a swarm of about 1,000 tremors this week. but in this country, police in california's central valley are looking for a man suspected of fatally shooting a police officer during a traffic stop. the truck the suspect was driving has been found in a mobile home park. police also have surveillance photos of the suspect. abc's clayton sandell has more. >> reporter: a manhunt for a cop killer. >> the officer here is telling me that the opd officer was

shot. >> reporter: just before 1:00 a.m.e smalhe california town of gunfire. 33-year-old corporal and k-9 officer was shot multiple times. >> he was transported to a local hospital but unfortunately succumbed to his injuries from the incident. as my understanding, the dog was not injured. >> reporter: police now searching for this suspect. singe was an immigrant from fiji married with a young son, a seven-year department veteran. >> it definitely makes a toll, an impact. one of my buddies, you know, died doing his job. >> reporter: so far this year 52 officers have died in gun-related incidents, a 13% jump over 2017. investigators say they do not know the suspect's name but they do know he is armed and extremely dangerous. they're hoping someone recognizes him and calls police. clayton sandell, abc news, denver. tesla owners say they're getting tired of rude pickup truck drivers. a growing number of drivers are

complaining about truck drivers intentionally blocking charging stations. the practice is known as icing. the ice stands for internal combustion engine. it is so common that nine states and washington, d.c. have outlawed it. tesla drivers say the truck drivers are judging them for driving electronic cars. >> lol. america's favorite and most active centenarian is at it again. this time 109-year-old virginia mclaurin was on the court with the harlem globetrotters. look at that. spun the ball on her finger as thousands watched and cheered. she celebrated her birthday earlier this month with the globetrotters which is her favorite team. >> you may recall mclaurin danced at the white house with then president barack obama, check that out. way back when she was just 106 years old. >> she is still shining like a fine wine. >> young, young, young. aboucaei, alho how researchers say all three of those things can actually be

good for you. >> hey-o. also ahead, new details in the case of that high school wrestler forced to cut his dreadlocks off before a match. what the school district is now saying. you're watching "world news now." what the school district is now saying.

we're back with this remarkable sand sculpture on the beach in india. in addition to sand, the artists used 10,000 plastic bottles to create the 30-foot-tall santa. it took two days to finish it. he's trying to raise awareness about the impact of plastic pollution on the environment. >> wow. well, some encouraging health news this morning. that cup of joe in the morning or glass of wine with dinner may be the key to living into your 90s. pour it up. yeah, clap it up, jack. we all love this. a new study shows people who drink coffee or alcohol in moderation are likely to live longer than those who abstained from either drink. yes, say it again for the people in the back. researchers from the university of california found people who are overweight in their 70s also tended to live longer than others. all this good news. the coffee, the alcohol, the fat.

live a lot of it, yeah. >> yes! turning now to the growing outrage over that high school wrestler who was forced to have his dreadlocks cut off before a match. >> the school board held an emergency meeting last night as the superintendent made it clear that the referee who made that call will never officiate a match there again. annie mccormick from our philadelphia station has the latest. >> reporter: andrew johnson, an african-american varsity wrestler with buena regional high school forced to cut his dreadlocks before the match or forfeit. referee alan maloney said his hair was against the rules. >> i came here because i'm a wrestler and i wanted to defend that kid. >> reporter: the community questioned whether the referee's actions were racially motivated and if school officials should have stepped in. >> what i saw made me sick to my stomach. i don't know who is at fault. that's their job to come tell me what happened. >> it didn't matter if he was black, white, green or purple, it broke my heart to watch that young man stand there and be humiliated like that.

>> we are discussing personnel and legal matters in this closed session. >> reporter: the superintendent said he met with the board to review what happened. the johnsons' attorney defended the coach and the trainer, but questioned the rules administrators who were at the meet. the rules state if an individual has hair longer than allowed, it must be contained in a legal hair cover that is attached to the ear guards. the wrestler opting to wear a legal hair cover must wear it to the weigh-in procedure. maloney reportedly used a racial slur at a gathering of referees several years ago. the johnson family said through their attorney the referee was late and missed weigh-in and johnson's head covering was allowed in prior matches. >> he was emotionally drained. he had tears coming out of his . >> reporter: a state investigation is under way and the interscholastic athletic association is not assigning maloney to any matches until the matter is reviewed. >> he's done working with our district. >> reporter: there is a wrestling match scheduled for thursday evening, but according

to andrew johnson's attorney he will not be wrestling in that match because of the overwhelming media attention but he will be wrestling again this season. reporting in buena, new jersey, annie mccormick, abc news. >> such a big story coming out of there. >> absolutely. >> good to see the school district taking some action. coming up, a holiday book report. >> we have a must-see list of book titles for your holiday vacation. you're watching "world news now." do i use a toothpaste that whitens my teeth or one that's good for my teeth? now i don't have to choose! from crest 3d white the whitening therapy collection test test know what turns me on? my better half, hors d oeuvres and bubbly. and when i really want to take it up a notch we use k-y yours & mine. tingling for me, warming for him. wow! this holiday season get what you want

so you may know him as our "world news now" polka guy, but did you know that barry mitchell is quite the bibliofile. and i'm mad at whoever put that word bibliofile.

>> barry is sharing his favorite titles of the year and why you shouldn't miss them. >> this is a book. you read it. this is how you turn it on. here are five of my favorites from the past year. paula finn was born into sitcom royalty. her dad herbert finn wrote many classic episodes of jackie gleeson's "the honeymooners." >> you are a blabbermouth. >> in "sitcom writers talk shop, behind the scenes with carl reiner," 41 writers and producers discussed the creative process and the most important element of the writer's room, good food and silly putty. the title of his book is "memoir of a nobody" but steve bluestein has had a remarkably full comedy career. >> boy, i bet you're really glad to see me. >> despite a life of devastating personal setbacks, he opened

for some big names and wrote one the brady bunch variety hour which he said was staffed by a bunch of stoned freaks. "monty python" fans will enjoy eric idle's sorta biography, "always look on the bright side of life." to his broadway smash hit "spamalot" wilkerson founded the trade paper the "hollywood reporter" but his true claim to fame was introducing organized crime to la la land. in hollywood godfather "the life and crimes of billy wilkerson". his son tells how his father orchestrated mob shakedowns of major studios. a really dark but fascinating story. and finally, gary shandling once

complimented nel by saying, hey, you write like a guy. welcome to just the funny parts. after an unhappy few months writing on "late night" with david letterman, she went on to create the hit sitcom "sabrina the teenage witch" for abc. my favorite part of the book, she wrote a script for "the simpsons" which she deconstructs for us here in minute detail. her personal motto, that which doesn't kill me allows me to regroup and retaliate. i'm barry mitchell and i'm an insomniac who reads in bed. >> how about that? >> an insomniac that reads in bed. >> barry also wrote this book, "you're not wearing any pants: my crazy nights with the world news polka." how about that? are you wearing pants? >> he's a great storyteller. >> i was talking to you. >> oh, you're talking to me? >> who else? jack, are you wearing pants?

barry's not wearing pants. >> this morning i am. >> good. everybody's covered. i'm in a dress. fair enough. >> stay with us. >> pants, no pants, however you wear it. ou wear it. about the colonial penn program. here to tell you

if you're age 50 to 85, and looking to buy life insurance on a fixed budget, remember the three p's. what are the three p's? the three p's of life insurance on a fixed budget are price, price, and price. a price you can afford, a price that can't increase, and a price that fits your budget. i'm 54. alex, what's my price? you can get coverage for $9.95 a month. i'm 65 and take medications. what's my price? also $9.95 a month. i just turned 80. what's my price? $9.95 a month for you too. if you're age 50 to 85, call now about the #1 most popular whole life insurance plan, available through the colonial penn program. it has an affordable rate starting at $9.95 a month. no medical exam, no health questions. your acceptance is guaranteed. and this plan has a guaranteed lifetime rate lock,

so your rate can never go up for any reason. so call now for free information. and you'll also get this free beneficiary planner. and it's yours just for calling. so call now. still fresh... ♪ unstopables in-wash scent booster ♪

unstdowny unstopablescent booster ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ loving all the ways we're looking to fill time this holiday week. >> looking back. that's what we're going to do more of. as the clock winds down on 2018, we're going to look back at some of our favorite stories of the year. >> and among them, the man who set the guinness record for being the oldest working barber. he's just a few months away from turning 108 years old. tom kelly has the story.

>> reporter: it's just a typical day for anthony mancinelli. at 107 years young, he wakes up, visits the grave of his beloved wife carmella and drives himself to work. that's right. i said work. so anthony, hold on, your son is retired and you're not? >> i got a customer already. >> reporter: anthony is the guinness book of world records record holder for the world's oldest practicing barber. it's a title he's held for nearly ten years. he's been profiled twice by "the new york times," appeared on television and received commendations from new york governor andrew cuomo and president barack obama. many of his customers have been coming to him for decades and his client list continues to grow. >> i came here about a year ago. i looked on the mirror and realized he was 107 years old. >> he cut my hair through the '60s and part of the '70s when i was a kid. >> i couldn't visit the world's oldest barber without having l

you ever cut the hair of any mobsters? >> quite a few. they used to tell me if anybody's looking for me, put a towel over my face so they won't notice. >> reporter: as he cut my hair, i asked anthony for the secret to his longevity. what i got were great stories about the history of his industry and growing up in naples, italy and in newberg, new york. i asked him the question people ask him every day, why does he work? it's not that you go to work. you love your job. >> i met people. people talking, they like to get a haircut. >> reporter: and meeting anthony mancinelli, i met a great man who wasn't trying to be a great man. his success is in his tenacity and simplicity. he loves his wife, he loves his family, he loves his job, he happens to be 107 years old and he has no plans on retiring. >> started cutting hair 96 years ago. what were you doing 96 years ago?rcs.

this morning on "world news surprise visits to u.s. troops abroad. >> stopping over in germany and iraq, his first trip to a combat zone since being commander in chief. defending his highly controversial move to pull out of syria. also this morning, a winter storm on the move slamming the heartland with blizzard-like conditions. the treacherous travel conditions including turbulence forcing a plane to make an emergency landing. plus, possible new evidence in the sexual assault case against actor kevin spacey. the video shared on social media. and what's going on here? a mother catches her son who found a high-tech way to cheat on his homework. it is thursday, december 27th.

from abc news, this is "world news now." >> caught him. >> alexa, do all of my homework. how about that? >> do it. get it done. >> the love/hate relationship with technology. we'll get to that later. but we begin this half hour with president trump making yet another visit to american troops overseas as he heads back home from his surprise trip to iraq. >> during his stop in germany, the president greeted troops at ramstein air force base. the trip to iraq was his first ever to a combat zone coming after his controversial decision to withdraw u.s. troops from syria. abc's jonathan karl has more. >> reporter: a visit by the commander in chief to troops at the al asad air force base in iraq. president trump's first visit to troops in a warzone since taking office two years ago. >> we came to al asad to share our eternal gratitude for everything you do to keep

america safe, strong and free. >> reporter: arriving with the first lady, president trump was greeted with a standing ovation by some of the now 5,000 troops deployed in iraq. he praised their effort in taking on isis, the terrorist group at its peak some five years ago controlled about 40% of iraqi territory. >> when i became president, they were a very dominant group. they were very dominant. today they're not so dominant anymore. >> reporter: america played a key role in helping the iraqi army to expel isis from most of the country. >> great job. i looked at a map and two years ago it was a lot of red all over that map, and now you have a couple little spots, and that's happening very quickly. >> reporter: the president said he would keep u.s. troops in iraq, even as he defended his bankrupt decision last week to

withdraw all 2,000 american troops now deployed in neighboring syria. >> our presence in syria was not open-ended and was never intended to be permanent. >> reporter: for too long he said america has been bearing too much of the cost for leading the war on terror and defending our allies. >> so we're not the suckers of the world. >> reporter: the surprise trip, which came in the middle of a government shutdown, was shrouded in secrecy. military jets escorted air force one on the 11-hour flight that left washington at midnight on christmas. >> i had concerns for the institution of the presidency. because -- not for myself personally. i have concerns for the first lady, i will tell you, but if you would have seen what we had to go through with the darkened plane with all windows closed, with no lights on whatsoever anywhere, pitch black. i've never seen it. >> reporter: the president spent more than three hours on the

ground with the troops, posing for selfies and signing autographs. at a refueling stop in germany on the way home, the president addressed another group of american troops. the christmas time visit to troops coming after perhaps the most chaotic week of his administration. the withdrawal from syria came as a shock to even some of his strongest allies. that prompted widespread criticism from some of the president's staunchest supporters in congress and the resignation of defense secretary jim mattis. outgoing defense secretary jim mattis was not on the trip, although the president was asked when he intends to nominate a permanent replacement for mattis as defense secretary. he said he is in no hurry to do so but he insisted that, quote, everybody wants the job. jonathan karl, abc news, the white house. >> jonathan karl, thank you there. there is no end in sight to the partial government shutdown now entering day six. during his trip to iraq, president trump said he'll do

whatever it takes to get the money for the border wall. democrats are still refusing to approve any such funding. the senate is scheduled to return to session today and house members have been told they'll be given 24 hours notice when they'll have to be back to washington if there's a vote. >> hopefully we get to see the president in that bomber jacket again. what a difference a holiday makes. wall street went into christmas heading for its worst december since the great depression, but wednesday investors celebrated a 1,000-point gain. and this morning overseas markets also rallied. abc's rebecca jarvis explains what's behind the big gains. >> reporter: it was the worst christmas eve ever for stocks, followed by the biggest point increase ever for stocks in a single day, with the dow up more than 1,000 points. so what's changed? fundamentally, not a lot. there is some great consumer data that came out showing that americans spent more than $850 billion over the holiday season, according to mastercard that is a record. the best we've seen in six years. also, the white house coming out suggesting that there is absolutely no way that president

trump would ever even think about firing fed chair powell. that had been something that was hanging over the markets in recent days and weeks as well. now going forward, the question is, what happens next? if you look at the stock market year to date, it's still down about 8%. but going forward, traders here at the new york stock exchange tell me the one certainty is this, there's more volatility ahead. rebecca jarvis, abc news, new york. a midair emergency over texas, an american airlines regional jet flying from mexico had to divert to austin because of bad turbulence. three people were injured, two had to be taken to the hospital, but they're expectbekay. plane aded tas where stngtorms igrea and that massive weather system is slamming much of our country right now with heavy rain, damaging wind in texas, while the northern plains see blizzard-like conditions. new video from sioux falls, south dakota shows this snowy

scene, a winter weather advisory is posted there until midday tomorrow. travelers from colorado to michigan could run into whiteout conditions. abc's senior meteorologist rob marciano tells us where the storm is headed next. >> reporter: very dynamic storm. we've already had winds measuring to 71 miles per hour. let's take a look at the radar. the winds are ripping north of this thing with blizzard warnings up near the dakotas. drives east along i-10. tapping moisture from the gulf of mexico. we'll see heavy rain as well. flood watches as far north as virginia. the rain gets to the northeast here on friday. some of the rain in the south, 2 to 4 inches. up to a foot of snow is in the northern plains. rob marciano, abc news, new york. turning now to homeland security which has ordered mandatory medical checks for all children under 10 in federal detention. this follows the death of an 8-year-old guatemalan boy in u.s. custody. dhs is sending coast guard medical personnel to the border

to help and the cdc will investigate the increase in migrants reporting flu-like symptoms. homeland security administration will visit this week. she calls the boy's death deeply concerning. supreme court justice ruth bader ginsberg has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home. she had two cancer spots removed from her lung. the cancer was found after the 85-year-old fractured her ribs in november. no official word on when she'll return back to work but the court is back in session january 7. the ftc says there is another e-mail scam targeting netflix users. the e-mail asks customers to update their payment information. it features the netflix logo and says the account is on hold because the company is unable to process payments. netflix and the ftc urge customers to report any suspicious e-mails. so from hackers to shoplifters, here is a tip, make sure your getaway vehicle is up to task. >> police near fort lauderdale say this man obviously didn't do that. he walked out of a walmart with a 43-inch television.

his buddy was waiting for him with a scooter. he climbed on board. obviously they couldn't get away. they lose their balance there. they drop the tv. >> just go. just go. after picking it up, he and his friend rode off. leaving us to wonder, does that tv even work? >> that's a bad plan. >> who planned to bring the scooter? yo, bring the scooter. i'll hold the tv and just go. awful. >> bad idea. coming up, bringing cheating on your homework into the 21st century. what the mother of this little boy says she caught him doing red-handed. but first, new details about the sexual assault charge that actor kevin spacey is facing. the video that could now become evidence in the case. and remember, check out our behind the scenes instagram photos, abcwnn on instagram. you're watching "world news now." w." ew

about the colonial penn program. here to tell you if you're age 50 to 85, and looking to buy life insurance on a fixed budget, remember the three p's. what are the three p's? the three p's of life insurance on a fixed budget are price, price, and price. a price you can afford, a price that can't increase, and a price that fits your budget. i'm 54. alex, what's my price? you can get coverage for $9.95 a month. i'm 65 and take medications. what's my price? also $9.95 a month. i just turned 80. what's my price? $9.95 a month for you too. if you're age 50 to 85, call now about the #1 most popular whole life insurance plan, available through the colonial penn program. it has an affordable rate starting at $9.95 a month.

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to blame for damaging this home in phoenix. the surveillance system showed neighbors setting off what appears to be rocket-like fireworks. they shattered a living room window and left burn marks on the furniture. the homeowner said it felt like a bomb went off. >> merry christmas, ya filthy animals. we have an update on the flint water crisis. two state regulators have now pleaded no contest to misdemeanors. that's in exchange for more serious charges being dropped. >> they also agreed to testify against others in the case. six officials implicated in the scandal have agreed to similar plea deals. we turn now to the growing legal troubles for actor kevin spacey. >> as the oscar winner faces his first sexual assault charge, we're learning that a video on social media could be used as evidence. gio benitez has more. >> reporter: just days ago as actor kevin spacey faced a sexual assault charge, he

released this cryptic personal video pretending to be his former character on "house of cards." >> i'm certainly not going to pay the price for the things i didn't do, but you wouldn't believe the worst without evidence, would you? you wouldn't rush to judgement without facts, would you? >> reporter: but now we're learning that video evidence may exist in the criminal case against him. the accuser, then 18-year-old bus boy at club car on nantucket, telling police his girlfriend did not believe what was happening so he sent his girlfriend a video through snapchat as spacey was allegedly assaulting him. shown the video, he said, was of spacey touching him. the accuser tells police he didn't know what to do because saying anything would get him and his employer in trouble. he was drinking while underage. meanwhile, spacey is charged with indecent assault and battery. he's denied the allegations. it's a felony. he could face up to five years in prison. he'll be arraigned in january. gio benitez, abc news, new york. >> a big thanks to gio there.

it's been a tough time for kevin spacey. more than 30 accusers have now come out against him. obviously he was written off of house of cards. >> yeah, how remarkable is that, the role this video and social media could play in this case, right? >> absolutely. the second video this week involving spacey allegedly to make news. yeah, coming up in our next half hour, the dramatic 911 call as a boy's life is in danger. a dispatcher helped save a baby who had stopped breathing after falling into the family pool. the christmas his parents will never forget. but first, 2018's most unforgettable gadgets. our giz wiz dick debartolo shares his favorites. that's next on "world news now." our giz wiz dick debartolo shares his favorites. lf, hors ds and bubbly. that's next on "world news now." we use k-y yours & mine. tingling for me, warming for him. wow! this holiday season get what you want there are so many toothpastes out there... ...which one should i use? choose one that takes care of your gums and enamel.

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welcome back. 2018 has been a long and exciting road paved with some of the most innovative high-tech gadgets we have ever seen, and this morning our giz wiz dick debartolo joins us to wrap up the year with a selection of his five favorite gadgets of 2018. dick, good morning. show me what you got. >> good morning. yes, i can also tell by viewers' reactions e-mailing me, where did you find that? zip snip, this goes back to last december but it was amazing. clam packages are so hard to cut roh. the thing is you'll need scissors one last time because ironically it comes in a clam shell package, but once you have

a zip snip, you can go through packages -- >> so easily. >> so easily. i'm going to cut off another piece here. >> whoa. >> like that. i won't cut it all the way through. you can cut anything up to 1/4 inch. >> okay. >> okay. like leather or cardboard and there are replaceable blades if you need them. >> so easy. >> zip snip. these are amazing. these are little button lamps. they have adhesive on the back and they are a very bright l.e.d. and they're for tiny places like inside a drawer. >> okay. >> i have one at the top of my toolbox. >> yeah. >> when i open the toolbox, you can look in, inside a purse. >> yeah. >> and so the great thing about them is six of them are $9. >> okay. >> so the batteries aren't replaceable, but actually they're cheaper than replacing the batteries. >> okay, cool. >> that's the button lamp.

people loved the smash mute button. >> mmm-hmm. >> because it's 200 times bigger than the little mute button on your remote. so when a commercial comes on or the phone rings and you want to silence the tv, all you do is hit it -- >> no! >> tv's off. hit it, tv's back on. >> really? >> yes. okay? you have to program it once. there is a little button that says "learn." you hold your remote up to it, push the mute button once and then put it on "run" and now it knows your tv's volume -- >> wow. >> -- button. it's great. >> okay. it's very festive. it's bleeped out the expletives. >> yes, exactly. >> good. >> exactly. i use this all the time. i do a podcast about gadgets. my co-host, chad johnson, found these. these are called shoe slotz. okay? and what this is, you take a pair of shoes. one goes in this way. >> yeah. >> one goes in on this way. >> whoa. >> so now you've doubled the

amount of space on the shelf and you always know where the mate is to the shoe. >> yeah. and then it's not smooshed. >> exactly. exactly. it works with anything. obviously can't work with a boot or anything. >> yeah. >> but this is great. and you get six of them for $15. >> perfect. >> i got them on amazon, but i saw them at bed, bed & beyond. >> okay. and now the fun. >> kids love this, okay? >> yes. we're going to give it a go. >> it's called glove-a-bubble. and what's neat about it is the package is the glove. >> yeah? >> the soap solution is in the package. they are dirt cheap. >> stick it in here. >> they are $2 to $3. >> just stick it in there? >> just stick your hand in there and wave it about. >> these and other top gadge of 2018. this is as high-tech as it gets. check out dick's website, gizwiz.com -- >> our website, wnnfans.com.

giz wiz, dick debartolo, thank you so much. >> happy new year, everybody. >> happy new year. you're watching "world news now." you so much. >> happy new year, everybody. >> happy new year. you're watching "world news now."

about the colonial penn program. here to tell you if you're age 50 to 85, and looking to buy life insurance on a fixed budget, remember the three p's. what are the three p's? the three p's of life insurance on a fixed budget are price, price, and price. a price you can afford, a price that can't increase, and a price that fits your budget. i'm 54. alex, what's my price? you can get coverage for $9.95 a month. i'm 65 and take medications.

what's my price? also $9.95 a month. i just turned 80. what's my price? $9.95 a month for you too. if you're age 50 to 85, call now about the #1 most popular whole life insurance plan, available through the colonial penn program. it has an affordable rate starting at $9.95 a month. no medical exam, no health questions. your acceptance is guaranteed. and this plan has a guaranteed lifetime rate lock, so your rate can never go up for any reason. so call now for free information. and you'll also get this free beneficiary planner. and it's yours just for calling. so call now.

it is time for "the mix" on this thursday. two days after christmas, lots of kids getting some high-tech gadgets. this 6-year-old is putting a high-tech gadget to good use, using alexa for homework. >> yeah, put her to work. put her to work. >> check this out. the kid's mom. >> alexa, what's 5 minus 3? >> 5 minus 3 equals 2. >> how cute is that? that little boy, alexa, what's 5 minus 3? obviously cheating on his homework, but it's so cute. it's cute, right? we're gonna let him get away with it, right? at least for now. can you use headphones with alexa? i don't know.

it's adorable. kids don't need to know any of that stuff these days. they've got alexa. they've got google, cellphones, they're good to go. >> i thought i was doing it back in the day with that calculator, the big calculator. >> the t-9 one. >> yeah. they got all the answers these days. let's keep it moving and check this out. a burglar broke into a house. check this out. can you imagine coming back to your house and seeing another person in your crib eating your food, took a shower. that's what happened with this guy. michael came home and found a gentleman sitting in his house and then he convinced the guy, the homeowner, to bring him to another house. >> is he sure that wasn't just his son? isn't that how kids work? they're in your house, eating your stuff, using all your things. >> this is a true story -- >> making you do things for them, fo' free. now to cincinnati.

fiona the hippo. we all love fiona. she was born prematurely. she was only 29 pounds. newborn hippos weigh between 55 and 100 pounds. fiona just hit a milestone, she ways 1,000 pounds. they are celebrating because they didn't know if she would survive in the first place. there she is, weighing in at 1,002, 3 pounds. >> that is a big old hippo. >> she won hearts around the world. even though she weighs 1,000 pounds, she's under the average of 3,000 pounds that the average adult female hippo can weigh. she's got a ways to go, but her birthday is coming up january 24th. are you a rose drinker, by chance? >> rose all day. >> in the summertime. check this one out. people are always trying to cash in and urban outfitters has figured it out with this new rose pillow. they're trying to get folks to snag this up for 69 bucks.

>> those are great pictures, too. >> you like that? >> 69 bucks? >> not cheap.

this morning on "world news now," a massive winter storm this morning on "world news now," a massive winter storm slamming much of the country with heavy rain in blizzard-like conditions. turbulence even forcing a passenger plane to divert. the regions being hit the hardest. a record rebound on wall street. the dow soaring more than 1,000 points in one day. what's behind the rally and can it last? also new this hour, the 911 dispatcher being hailed as a christmas hero. >> what she did that helped save the life of a little boy who wandered out of his house and into the family's swimming pool. you'll hear the life-saving call. can this really be the worst movie ever? "holmes & watson" starring will ferrell and john c. reilly is set to release this weekend scoring a dismal 4% on rotten tomatoes.

why one critic is calling it "desperate, sweaty mess." later this half hour in "the skinny." it's thursday, december 27th. from abc news, this is "world news now." i am no movie critic, but i'll say that movie looks like it deserves about a 4%. >> hey, tough, tough crowd out there, huh? wow. >> we'll hear more about that. but we begin with more travel trouble for millions of americans trying to get home after the holidays. a massive storm system is hitting half the country this morning. >> texas is seeing some of the worst conditions and an american airlines regional jet heading to dallas had to divert to austin because of turbulence. a passenger and flight attendant were taken to the hospital. >> travel on the ground hasn't been much better. abc's marcus moore explains. >> reporter: that powerful winter storm dumping up to a foot of snow is in the northern plains and leaving wreckage in its wake. along interstate 90 in south dakota, first responders using a ladder to rescue this motorist after his suv slid off the

highway and flipped on its side. more than 100 million of us traveling this season and 25 states, half the country, are on alert as the storm marches east. this video taken just before interstate 25 shut down in the new mexico mountains south of santa fe. there is misery at some of the nation's busiest airports with cancellations and delays starting to build, with nearly 3 million traveling by air, multiple airlines already waiving change fees for passengers. the storms brought two feet of snow to the mountains above sacramento over the holiday. as you can tell, it is snowing right now. a lot of cars are pulled over on the side of the freeway here, as you can see, to put chains on their vehicles. and in san bernardino -- >> watch out. >> reporter: icy conditions causing a multi-car crash. this driver recording the scene, trying to warn others. >> oh, the guy just hit the truck. >> reporter: at least ten people were hurt. marcus moore, abc news, dallas. >> thank you, marcus. those storms cover most of the midwest right now, stretching from the mexican border to canada. it's snow in the north with whiteout conditions likely at

times from colorado to michigan. a little farther south, damaging winds, heavy rain and hail are expected along with some flooding. this system is pushing east overnight and through the day, and by this time tomorrow forecasters say that system will be hitting the northeast. turning now to president trump surprising u.s. forces in germany fresh from his first visit to a warzone. the president and first lady met with a group of generals aboard air force one at ramstein air force base after flying in from their unannounced trip to iraq. abc's kenneth moton has the details. >> reporter: president trump greeted u.s. troops during his layover in germany. earlier the commander in chief and the first lady surprised troops at al asad air force base in iraq, west of baghdad. >> we came to al asad to share our eternal gratitude for everything you do to keep america safe, strong and free. >> reporter: it was trump's first visit to service members

in a warzone since taking office nearly two years ago. 5,000 troops deployed in iraq. the president praised their efforts in the fight against isis. >> two years ago when i became president, they were a very dominant group. they were very dominant. today they're not so dominant anymore. >> reporter: the president said u.s. troops will remain in iraq but defended his abrupt decision last week to withdraw all 2,000 american troops in neighboring syria. >> our presence in syria was not open-ended and was never intended to be permanent. >> reporter: the trip in the middle of a partial government shutdown shrouded in secrecy. military jets escorted air force one on the 11-hour flight that left washington christmas night. >> i mean, look, i had concerns for the institution of the presidency. because -- not for myself personally. i have concerns for the first lady, i will tell you. >> reporter: the president's visit comes after his allies in congress criticized his plan to withdraw troops from syria, a move that led to the resignation of defense secretary james mattis.

janai? zachary? >> a big thanks to kenneth there in washington. but we have got to rewind it back a little bit to see the president killing 'em in this bomber jacket. >> look at that. >> it was a hit on twitter. some people saying we need to talk about the bomber jacket trump was wearing in iraq. one person said he's not the first but definitely the worst. another person said he's the first person i've seen who doesn't look cool wearing a bomber jacket. poor president trump. he's just trying to fit in, look good. but, man, that's a -- that's a big bomber jacket. >> that's tough. that's tough. the first lady's supposed to have some fashion sense, too. you'd think that she would have, you know, put the kibosh on that. the 4xl. >> no, she let him walk right into that. very, very not cool. now to the stock market after a disappointing month, wall street scored its best day in ten years on wednesday, erasing some but not all of the month's losses. overnight, asian markets followed that positive trend. here is abc's dave packer.

>> reporter: the dow jones saw its biggest one-day point gain ever, rising 1,086 points. wednesday's big comeback coming after the dow posted its worst ever christmas eve decline. >> it has been a brutal month for stocks. december the worst on record since the great depression in 1931. >> reporter: a partial government shutdown. treasury secretary steve mnuchin's questions about banks' health, and signs the president could be about to fire federal reserve chairman jerome powell upset markets, sending the dow jones down 653 points on monday. but assurances from the white house that the fed chair's job is safe helped send stocks higher wednesday. the dow's 1,000-point plus rebound not the only bright spot. the s&p 500 and the nasdaq also. rising 113 and 352 points respectively. the energy sector helped fuel those gains. crude oil prices rose and shares of exxon and chevron both increased. investors also received some good news from the retail sector.

sales increased just over 5% this year, marking the best holiday shopping season in six years. amazon's stock jumped 7% after the company announced it had more items ordered worldwide than ever before. many expect the volatility on wall street could continue. >> interest rates are rising. you have the uncertainty over trade with china and then there is a global slowdown in the economy. >> reporter: and despite wednesday's rally, the s&p 500 still risks entering a bear market, which would end the longest run of a bull market. dave packer, abc news, new york. vladimir putin is celebrating the successful test of a new hypersonic missile. the russians claim it's impossible to intercept. u.s. military experts say it travels at mach 5 and the u.s. currently has no way to defend against it. putin called the launch an excellent new year's gift to his nation. and japan is facing criticism this morning after pulling out of a global agreement that banned commercial whaling.

it plans to resume whale hunts this summer for the first time in 30 years despite international protests. japanese officials claim whale populations have recovered enough to justify resuming commercial hunts. interesting. an american adventurer, colin o'brady, has become the first person to complete a solo trek across antarctica. it took him 54 days to complete the 932-mile trek across the frozen continent. he did it without any assistance while pulling a 300-pound sled in subzero temperatures. >> his journey was tracked by gps, which provided live updates on his website. a british army captain was attempting the same feat but in the end o'brady won the race thanks to an 80-mile push in one day. my goodness. >> that's some work out there. wow. >> yeah. now to the dad who spent christmas in the sky with his daughter. pierce vaughn is a flight attendant for delta airlines and her dad hal was bummed when he found out that she was going to have to work on christmas so he used her family flight benefits to join her at work, spending the day in the air together.

>> how precious is that? the two were on flights together from ft. meyers to detroit, from detroit to massachusetts. mike levey, a fellow passenger, shared their story on social media. his post now has more than 100,000 reactions and comments and it's because that's such a sweet story. and the daughter posted on facebook that her dad's first trip using her benefits was a success. obviously to get -- >> first time? >> i guess so. yeah, dad needs to start racking up those free flights. >> right? what a day to spend in the air. >> yeah. well, coming up, a terrifying scene on the high seas. a luxury yacht engulfed in flames. look at that. the distress calls and the dramatic rescue. coming up later in "the skinny," could a wedding be on the horizon for jennifer lopez and alex rodriguez? what a source close to the couple is now saying. source close to the couple is now saying. o first da! you look amazing.

and you look amazingly comfortable. when your v-neck looks more like a u-neck... that's when you know, it's half-washed. add downy to keep your collars from stretching. unlike detergent alone, downy conditions to smooth and strengthen fibers. so, next time don't half-wash it. downy and it's done. about the colonial penn program. here to tell you if you're age 50 to 85, and looking to buy life insurance on a fixed budget, remember the three p's. what are the three p's? the three p's of life insurance on a fixed budget are price, price, and price. a price you can afford, a price that can't increase,

and a price that fits your budget. i'm 54. alex, what's my price? you can get coverage for $9.95 a month. i'm 65 and take medications. what's my price? also $9.95 a month. i just turned 80. what's my price? $9.95 a month for you too. if you're age 50 to 85, call now about the #1 most popular whole life insurance plan, available through the colonial penn program. it has an affordable rate starting at $9.95 a month. no medical exam, no health questions. your acceptance is guaranteed. and this plan has a guaranteed lifetime rate lock, so your rate can never go up for any reason. so call now for free information. and you'll also get this free beneficiary planner. and it's yours just for calling. so call now.

know what turns me on? my better half, hors d oeuvres and bubbly. and when i really want to take it up a notch we use k-y yours & mine. tingling for me, warming for him. wow! this holiday season get what you want fire ripped through this yacht off the coast of australia, forcing an entire family to jump overboard. you can see the smoke billowing into the air. all six people from the boat including a 5-year-old child were rescued. officials say the flames spread so quickly there was no time to grab life jackets or send out a distress signal.

the family was plucked from the water by a passing boat. thankfullyt mea 91atcherora be after helping save the life of a young boy. >> the 1-year-old wandered out of the house before falling into the family's pool and he wasn't breathing. johnny fernandez, a friend from our orlando station, has our story. >> reporter: sarah is an orange county dispatcher. she was not the dispatcher that gave cpr instructions to save the baby boy's life but told me what her co-worker did was a prime example of how hard their jobs are. >> we have 60 seconds from the time that we answer a call until it's initially dispatched to get an address, to verify the phone number and to get a general complaint. >> reporter: orange county fire say it was around 3:00 on christmas when dispatchers received a 911 call about 1-year-old baby connor not breathing. his parents told me the baby walked out of their back door and into the pool.

when mom called for help, the dispatcher quickly gave cpr instructions. >> place your hand on his forehead, the other hand under his neck and carefully tilt the head back. >> okay. okay. >> reporter: after chest compressions, paramedics arrived and the boy was taken to the hospital. she says dispatchers have to think fast. i found out this year alone orange county dispatchers have received about 134,000 calls, that's 10,000 more calls than last year. >> it's something that we are very well-trained for so we don't really doubt it, we just jump right in to it. >> and as of this morning, the baby's family says they're waiting for him to transition out of the hospital icu unit. so very scary moments for that family. >> just a reminder for all parents to make sure that that pool is, you know, fenced in. keep an eye on those kids, right? >> absolutely. especially a place like florida where so many people have pools. well, a photographer from florida has finally cracked a mystery. she snapped this couple's proposal eight years ago in palm shd odhef.

post thes on hearing from them, and this year she finally did. they live in texas. they were on vacation when david popped the question. >> how cool. glad she finally found them. >> again, social media, a pretty powerful tool. >> just kept sharing it. kept sharing it. some day they'll see it. when we come back, the big news about miley cyrus and the pictures of what we already knew happened. and could a wedding be in the future for j-rod? "the skinny" is next. girlfriend? "the skinny" is coming up next.

♪ skinn ♪ skinny ♪ just give me the skinny time now for "the skinny" on this thursday. we are starting with big news from miley cyrus. the 26-year-old "wrecking ball" si she tied the knot with liam hemsworth. we knew it. we knew it. >> here we go. cyrus and the 28-year-old

is goes cko 2012 when he first proposed, but now cyru sharing these touching snaps from their wedding sunday night from their home in franklin, tennessee. this photo captioned "ten years later." >> you can tell how excited zach is about this. probably our 1 millionth kiss. they reconnected in 2015 after she had all her js on my feet moments when she got into the hip-hop. he was obviously like i'm not taking this. cyrus even sang about finding love again with hemsworth on her latest album. good for them. next, talking about weddings, could j. lo and a-rod be getting together? >> j. lo, a-rod, j-rod. jennifer lopez sharing these family snaps from christmas morning. everyone in matching pajamas, obviously, tearing into their christmas gifts, including, of course, a $40,000 set of louis vuitton luggage. duh!

proving, of course, that stars really are just like us. >> just like us. >> yeah. i had mine, too, on christmas. >> now friends of the power couple are telling "us weekly" that, quote, an engagement is definitely on the horizon and alex is obsessed with jen and spends as much time with her as he can. >> and we are obsessed with them. if it's true, this would be alex's second time down the aisle. it would be j. lo's fourth, but, look, girl, we're not throwing any shade. you find your love, you march down that aisle as many times as it takes. >> we'll see if it happens. and a final christmas note, mariah carey has set a new mark. >> he's not even getting her name right and she is the reigning queen of christmas. 24 years after its released, "all i want for christmas is you" has set a brand-new one-day streaming record for spotify because duh. of course it was. all we needed was the technology to keep up with it. >> crazy numbers. crazy numbers. chart data reports the song was played 11 million times on christmas eve.

>> who is surprised? because i'm not. >> everyone was playing that one. >> i had like 3 million of those plays. "all i want for christmas is you" was released back in 1994 when video was this grainy, so pretty much before the internet as we know it was born. again, we all knew that was the biggest christmas song of all time, we just needed spotify to come along to prove that everyone is listening to it. >> everyone. >> on repeat. on christmas eve. >> 11 million? wow! >> a ton. next to what some critics are already calling the worst movie ever, and remember thanks to mariah, we've got "glitter." but now there's something worse. >> "holmes and watson" starring will ferrell and john c. reilly is set for release tomorrow. the victorian-era detective spoof is already getting the colder shoulder from the critics. >> your majesty, do you think i could have a picture of us together? >> but who is going to take the photograph? >> no, no, i'll take the photograph. you see, it's a type of a self photograph.

i can take it and i will be in it also. >> you know what i find to take the most attractive photographs, you need to purse your lips together like a duck-billed platypus. >> platypus face. chins up. >> hey. >> hey. hey, girl. >> you know, maybe over by the window. the lighting is much better. >> yes. good idea. >> whoa. >> okay. that was a little bit funny. it was totally cheesy, and if the whole movie's like that, i totally get it. so far "holmes and watson" is scoring only 4% on rotten tomatoes, which basically is the equivalent of like trash. with one critic describing it as a desperate, sweaty mess. poor will ferrell. that's not right. >> poor guy. i mean, hey -- >> they need to be nicer to him. and finally, wolverine meets the harlem globetrotters. >> tmz reports hugh jackman got an impromptu schooling from globetrotters star cheese chisholm at madison square garden.

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new york city at night. >> great shot. the world of twitter was a hot place to find some of the most touching christmas moments. >> but one video really caught our eye. it's from a guy named josh who says his grandparents have been struggling with bills so he surprised them with $1,500 in a new bank account and a monthly allowance. >> the money is a gift. it is yours. >> thank you, josh. >> i love you guys. >> i love you, too. >> oh, how sweet is that?

and a similar touching scene played out for the family of a major league baseball rookie. >> yes. parents investing in their son and it's now paying off. here is abc's tom llamas. >> reporter: the newest kansas city royal, brady singer, has a hard to hit mid-90s fastball. he's known for his big arm but it turns out he has an even bigger heart. >> dear mom and dad, i just want to say thank you for everything you've done to help me reach my dreams. >> reporter: that's jacquelin and brett singer reading a christmas card from brady, who is their son. >> the money you both spent on traveling, gear, hotel, food and all those gatorades i drank is much more than i could ever give you, but there is something that i want to give to you. >> reporter: what comes next in this christmas card leaving mom speechless. >> i am paying off the loan from the bank. also, i paid off all your debt as well. what? now instead of trying to save

money every week to replace the savings account while traveling to play baseball, you can spend it on yourselves. because you deserve the very best -- >> reporter: mom and dad in tears. it's been a long journey from little league to the big league. brady's rookie deal with the royals included a signing bonus of more than $4 million. the 22-year-old may be the one wearing the jersey, but deep down he knows the whole family worked for it. >> i want you both to know how much i appreciate you and how none of this would be possible without you. your giving hearts shaped my tiny dream into a reality. i love you both more than you could ever imagine. >> reporter: tom llamas, abc news, new york. >> powerful stuff. >> i'm not crying. you are. >> i was going to say powerful story. goose bumps. obviously they raised this kid right, huh? >> super sweet story. awesome. $4.25 million signing bonus. he better.

this is abc's "world news now" informing insomniacs for two decades. two decades.

making news in america this morning, holiday travel trouble for millions of americans as a powerful storm spreads across half the nation. turbulence forcing a flight in texas to divert. injured passengers taken to the hospital. the forecast for where it's heading next. president trump surprising the troops, heading to a war zone for the first time as commander in chief. sending a message to america's allies. >> we're no longer the suckers, folks. >> how he is defending his decision to pull out of syria. possible new evidence in the sexual assault case against kevin spacey. could a video that was shared on social media be admissible in court? plus, a parent's worst nightmare. a baby falling into a pool on

christmas day. the child not breathing. >> he's not responding.