the rose parade in pasadena had a spectacular but completely unplanned end. this train caught fire, train float. the blaze was quickly put out by those aboard, but then the tow truck trying to remove the float from the parade broke down. a series of misfortunate events. the two floats behind the train never made it into the parade. no one was injured. >> thank goodness. >> wow. well, it is day two of 2019, which means those new year's resolutions are out, but some new laws are already taking effect around the u.s. >> that's right. you may already know about the pet store ban in california or the new fashion options for >>ew year! the stre but there u mi didn't just bring the new year, it also ushered in

good news for hourly employees across the country. more than 20 states increasing their minimum wage in 2019, with about 17 million americans receiving pay bumps. >> the impact is incredible. it's really economic justice. >> reporter: the entire west coast now paying workers at least $11 an hour and new york city jacking hourly wages up to $15 an hour. >> hopefully things will even out, but definitely you can't have quality employees if you don't pay them. >> reporter: the slew of new laws also bringing new opportunities for some. former felons in florida and nevada will regain voting rights. laws going into effect that allow felons who have met certain requirements to head to the polls in the next election. new york city is allowing residents to change their birth certificate to show they identify as gender x. and a new statewide law in california allows citizens to choose a third gender on their driver's licenses. law cra d puppy mills. pet stores now required to sell rescue animals. safety laws in illinois allowing hunters to wear pink vests in

addition to the traditional neon orange. but it's not just adults that have to follow new rules. while kids in arizona are enjoying an extra recess each day, students in ohio have to start practicing their cursive. the buckeye state now requires all students to know the script by fifth grade. >> i have a confession to make -- >> do not -- you better not say it. >> i won't. i won't. i won't. >> it better not be what i'm thinking, marcus. you can't write in cursive? >> no, i can. i used to be able to. i just haven't practiced. >> get out. get out. >> janai, i just got here. >> you can't write in cursive because what you stopped doing it -- >> i can do an "m." >> a long lost art form. that is -- that's not cursive, honey. that's not cursive, honey. awful. >> why did i even volunteer this information? i was trying to be honest. >> i'm judging so hard. my cursive is beautiful. i know you guys can't see that

at home, but janai was here. i -- i am a cursive writer. i know you can't see it that well, but -- >> okay, yeah. >> look at this trash he tried to present to me as cursive. >> that is not trash, that is art. that's not trash. that's my signature. >> long lost art. a signature, you can get away with it. >> that's a pretty cool law, though. >> i think so, too. all right. when we come back, how a few celebrities -- how they rang in the new year. it was pretty cool. and the new year's challenge by beyonce and jay-z that so many fans are declining. "the skinny" is next.

♪i am beautiful in every single way♪ ♪words, can't bring me down♪

♪ skinny ♪ skinny ♪ just give me the skinny it is time now for "the skinny." starting with stars, they're just like us. >> apparently after partying too much, they get hungover just like us everyday people. victoria beckham sharing this snapshot of her hubby david sitting outside yesterday all snuggled up in a bathrobe. >> looking like he just needs some time to himself. >> still looks good. >> he does. >> the beckhams hosted a $40,000 new year's eve bash for friends

and relatives last night at their english country home. i did the same thing a couple of years ago. stars are just like us, right? >> yeah, absolutely. then mark wahlberg, he shared yet another shirtless video as he vacationed in barbados. >> see, i don't think that's exactly what he looked like back in the '90s when he was doing that, but, you know, his wife, ria durham, added her own 2019 goal for him saying, "hopefully you'll find a shirt." we don't mind it, right? >> i'm not mad at it. here at home, a very special new year's surprise in greenwich village. >> yeah, about 40 blocks south of the madness of times square, the material girl quietly showed up at the stonewall inn where she gave a speech and she sang two songs. that's her 13-year-old son david there backing her up on guitar. what a surprise for everybody there. >> wow. next to a new year's challenge by beyonce and jay-z

-- >> here it is. >> ready? veganism. >> yeah, queen bey has been a vegan for less than a year. her husband jay-z, reportedly struggled with it last spring. but he's supporting his wife and their new dietary lifestyle, of course. >> i love them but this is a sign of misery loves company. that's not stopping the music power couple from employing their fans to follow their lead. that is if they can afford it. listen to this. beyonce reportedly shells out $7,500 a month for a live-in chef to prepare her vegan meals. >> now, i did hear she reportedly pays a separate dietitian $4,000 a month. >> that is so much money. by the way, social media has been lighting up with fan reactions because the bey hive ain't for it. so many of them rejecting this vegan challenge. >> some of the comments on twitter include, "challenge declined." somebody said, "i love bey and jay so much, but there is a point where i have to draw the

line." another said, "send me your private chef and i'm all over it." >> i'm with this person. send me the tools you have. >> you know what? red lobster has a vegan menu. >> nuh-uh. >> a vegan option. >> so she is still taking him to red lobster? okay. >> there you go. all right. next, a new year and new ink for justin bieber. >> he has actually been hinting at a new tattoo for a couple months and this morning we're getting our first look at it. no, those aren't stitches over his right eyebrow, that's a tattoo that looks like stitches but it says the word "grace" written in cursive, not by marcus. >> not by me. it would have been horrible. only the latest in the countless number of tattoos he's covered his body. >> what? there is a dog in that picture. i was like, what? just look at the difference between now and just two years ago. i mean, he was well on his way.

>> you know, in the picture that he sent out, bieber hints in the caption of the instagram photo that his "grace" tattoo referred to -- refers to god's grace in helping him -- helping him through his struggles. >> through his struggles. i was hoping when we said he did something to his face, he shaved off that mustache -- >> janai -- >> if you're going to go with a face tattoo, probably better to go with the "grace" than sort of tyson style, you know? >> something. this could have been worse. >> if he gets a wrinkle there, you're not going to be able to see the "grace" tattoo. sorry, but you're not. >> well, the man has his reasons. there you go. let him wear a mustache. >> all right. fine. there may be a new dog for snoop dogg. >> the rapper was apparently touched by news of this young pitbull terrier that was abandoned in england shortly before the holidays. in fact, rescue workers even named that dog snoop. >> and this morning the original snoop dogg is saying, "there is always room for another dog in casa de snoop. if he really needed a home, he has one with us." >> the dog not available for

adoption just yet. once police figured out who abandoned the dog in the first place. but the og, he's willing to step in and help. >> he's all right. >> yeah, not bad. ng to step in and help. the og, he's willing to step in and help.

so now that the party's over and the hangovers hopefully have cleared up, it's time to get serious about those new year's resolutions. >> this year a help sticking to those resolutions is only a swipe away on your smartphone. abc's becky worley checks them out for us. >> reporter: from fitness -- >> the name of this hit class is called hit -- >> reporter: -- to weight loss. >> so you got 12 points for that meal. >> reporter: we know that apps can help us track personal progress, but according to cnet's sharon profis, the trend has broadened significantly. >> self-help apps, this is a thing? >> oh, yeah, this is a thing. so there's pretty much an app for any type of goal you have in the new year. >> reporter: there are

meditation apps. >> i think a lot of people might think it's just sitting there and being quiet, but it's not, it's actually a skill that you have to learn and get good at. >> reporter: there are apps that help you have more consistent bedtimes. >> you may want to consider an app like sleep cycle. >> reporter: and as counterintuitive as it may seem in this age of tech overload, you can even use an app to work on your happiness. >> one app that i absolutely love is called "shine." it's kind of like a personal trainer for your mental health. >> reporter: one feature, a chat robot that you can text about your problems. >> i feel tense. >> okay. >> and then you can see here, it's got this little heart emoji. we got you. >> yes, it's so cute. >> even though i know it's a robot, it gives me a warm fuzzy. >> reporter: these apps have even more reach because they can nudge us beyond our home screen. >> i actually just got a notification on my apple watch telling me it's time to drink water. so if you have an iphone or an

apple watch or android phone and accompanying wearable, then you can actually amplify your goals in these reminders on your wrist as well. >> reporter: if your only goal for the new year is to stay hydrated -- >> to 2019 and more water. >> reporter: -- yeah, there's an app for that. >> and there she is. do youe the app yet? >> my phone just reminded me -- no, i'm a liar. i'm a fraud. no, no, no, but i do -- they always give us water bottles and i try to drink them because -- i'm not sharing. >> i don't drink coffee. with your cooties. >> i do think that's a good app to drink more water. >> it is. >> i like that one. >> really using the technology to enhance your life is a good way to incorporate it. >> completely. >> then i wonder, though, what about the tech neck, though? because that's a real thing. >> see, that's the thing, technology, it's like a gift and a curse. so much scariness out there but so much good. come back for more jack. >> download the abc app, too.

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

good morning. i'm janai norman. >> and i'm marcus moore. here are some of the top headlines we're following for you this morning on "world news now." president trump has invited congressional leaders to the white house today for a briefing on border security. he's calling on democrats to make a deal to end the government shutdown, but neither side is relenting on that border wall. a 2-year-old girl is recovering in the hospital after falling into a rhino exhibit at a zoo in melbourne, florida. it's the first such incident in more than nine years the zoo has offered its hand-on rhino experience. mega millions says there was one winning ticket sold for its $425 million lottery. it was sold on new york's long island and the second time a mega millions jackpot was won on new year's day.

there was mascot mayhem before the sugar bowl. the texas mascot broke out of his pen, seeming to go after the georgia bulldogs mascot. order was quickly restored. no one was hurt. texas defeated georgia as if it were an omen. those are some of our top stories on this wednesday, january 2nd. from abc news, this is "world news now." janai, you caught that game last night, didn't you? >> you so shady. you know, i told him earlier, you know i didn't watch that game. you know i did not watch that game. >> you know what? neither did i. i didn't see it either. okay, because i'm not a sports guy. >> right. >> but there was some excitement at the beginning. >> but we saw those highlights. we'll show you those in just a little bit. we begin this half hour with new details about the american arrested in russia and accused of spying. >> relatives of the marine veteran who served in iraq insist he did nothing wrong. they say paul whelan was in moscow to attend a friend's wedding. now, if convicted he could face a lengthy prison sentence.

>> so far the u.s. embassy in moscow has not been able to speak with him. abc's james longman has more. >> reporter: the family of paul whelan speaking out. the former marine placed under arrest in moscow accused of being a spy. >> the only goal, the only idea we have is to get him back. >> reporter: david whelan says his brother was in russia last week for a wedding and toured moscow with friends the friday he vanished. >> we realized something had gone wrong and that paul wasn't where he was supposed to be but no one knew where he was. >> reporter: on sunday, friends filed a missing person's report and then russian security services put out a statement saying they have initiated a criminal case against a u.s. citizen under article 276 of the the criminal code of the russian federation. article 276, espionage. he's being held by authorities in russia but his brother firmly denies the allegations. >> there's no chance paul was engaged in espionage in russia. >> reporter: the 48-year-old heads up security for a michigan-based auto parts company but has a checkered past

in the u.s. armed forces. whelan was active on russian social media. spy scandals have long been part of the theater of u.s.-russia relations. this arrest comes just two weeks after the guilty plea of confessed russian agent mary butina, who admitted to infiltrating republican political circles to influence u.s.-russia relations. no word yet from the state department whether or not they've spoken to whelan. the charges against him are serious, and if convicted he'd spend a minimum of ten years in prison. james longman, abc news, london. >> such a crazy story there that we will continue following, but a very random fun fact, marcus, you speak russian. [ speaking russian ] >> this man stepped in to abc here in new york on sunday and one of our makeup artists here, she is from russia and he just starts speaking in russian. >> yeah, she's my new russian professor. of course, like spanish, i just roll my rs, make it sound good.

>> like spanish because he speaks a couple different languages. do a little more. what were you and katia talking about today? >> we were talking about a lot. there's no time. >> give me a little more. >> later on. i'll practice. >> i'm so pushy. you did some. i'm not mad at it. >> she's always putting me on the spot. all right. top lawmakers from both parties are expected to head to the white house today for a border security briefing at the request of president trump. the president tweeted, quote, let's make a deal, nearly two weeks into the government shutdown. when democrats take over control of the house tomorrow, they plan to introduce two bills aimed at opening the government up, but the president is not expected to sign them because they don't include funding for a border wall. meanwhile, tensions have flared up again at the border with another clash between u.s. officials and migrants. border authorities fired tear gas into mexico after a group of migrants tried to cross into the u.s. from tijuana. witnesses say some people are lifting toddlers through razor

wire, but officials insist that tear gas was aimed at breaking up what they called a violent mob of migrants who were throwing rocks. >> our agents responded with the least amount of force they possibly could to protect themselves and the border and did actually secure the border in this area. >> customs and border protection said 25 people were arrested and the incident is now under internal review. it follows a similar confrontation in november when tear gas was fired near mothers with small children. officials are now investigating another terrifying zoo accident. this one in central florida. the latest girl involved, a young girl, and it comes just two days after the death of a worker in north carolina. abc's natalie brunell reports. >> reporter: a 2-year-old girl is recovering at an orlando sp rhino exhibit tuesday at the zoo mbourne, orida. is pinned up against the wall. she is conscious at this time. >> reporter: zoo officials say

the toddler stumbled and fell between the poles of a hands-on experience where visitors can touch the animals. >> they're going to react to anything new in their exhibit and startle them. anything something that large makes contact with a person, there is an opportunity to get hurt. that's why we have bars in between. this is one of those i want to say sort of unfortunate incidents. >> reporter: one of the rhinos reportedly making contact with the girl. this photo showing her little shoe left behind. her father releasing a statement saying she's doing well and that it's been a trying day for the family. the terrifying incident coming just days after a deadly lion attack in burlington, north carolina. >> the person that was attacked, how bad are they hurt? >> they're incapacitated. >> reporter: 22-year-old alexandra black killed less than two weeks into an internship at the center when a male lion escaped a locked enclosure while black was doing a routine cleaning.

neighbors demanding more oversight, saying that wasn't the first time a lion had escaped. >> we were all just really upset about her death and what had happened to her. i guess we were just hoping something good could come out of it, you know, that more safety regulations could happen. we just want to know that it is safe so nothing like this ever happens again. >> the lion was shot and killed so deputies could retrieve black's body and the center is now shut down indefinitely while authorities investigate the attack. natalie brunell, abc news, los angeles. >> our thanks to natalie there in los angeles. overseas, police say a stabbing attack at a train station in manchester, england is terror related. new year's eve, a man wielding a knife attacked three people, including a police officer. none of the injuries are life-threatening. the 25-year-old suspect was arrested on the scene and he's been detained under the mental health act but is not cooperating with authorities. tests will be done today at cleveland water fountains after some passengers got sick. they were treated and released thankfully.

an official says the fountains in cleveland's airport may be connected to their illnesses. for now those fountains have been turned off and water quality tests will be performed today. so at first look it's just a pair of glasses. >> but these eyeglasses brought color into a 23-year-old man's life for the very first time. nick noah from iowa had been looking into buying a pair of these special glasses for himself. >> but his father surprised him with the $350 gift for christmas, and the video of him using the glasses for the first time has gone viral. >> you can see the color of my house, right? >> look at your shirt. >> i never realized how colorblind i was. >> wow. >> nick says it was a sensory overload at first. as you can see in that video. but, wow, it must be like looking into a whole new world. >> absolutely. they say colorblindness is usually inherited. interesting, though. >> yeah, absolutely. and great to see how once again technology is being used to

enrich someone's life. >> absolutely. >> the lock on his face was priceless. >> such a good one there. well, coming up, the traffic incident that reduced police officers to tears. >> a krispy kreme truck. jinx. on fire. >> and now the company is responding. and later, how the power of music is being harnessed to help heal america's wounded warriors. you're watching "world news now." ♪ ♪ dn't keep my place as clean as i would like 'cuz i'm way too busy. who's got the time to chase around down dirt, dust and hair? so now, i use heavy duty swiffer sweeper and dusters. for hard-to-reach places, duster makes it easy to clean. it captures dust in one swipe. ha! gotcha! test test start swiffering.

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sad news this morning about a very special college football fan. tyler trent loved the purdue boilermakers and he fought a brave battle against a rare form of bone cancer. trent was an honorary purdue captain at their bowl game last week in nashville. sadly he passed away yesterday at the age of 20. purdue's football program tweeting last night, saying trent will forever be our captain. we're getting our first look at a tense armed faceoff with police in arkansas all caught on camera. >> then caught in the middle of it all was a little girl, only a year old. here is abc's steve osunsami. >> don't do this with your baby.

>> listen, just drop it, man. >> reporter: little rock police are sharing this dash camera video. >> he's got a gun! >> reporter: of an intense standoff between a father behind the wheel of this white suv and these city police officers who had to chase him for miles before he stopped the car. the 43-year-old holding a gun with his 1-year-old daughter in the side seat. police believe he had just used the same gun to fire at the baby's mother during a child custody exchange at this nearby walmart on december 19th. >> he was picking up the kids, an argument ensued and that's when shots were fired. >> reporter: here is the moment when one of the officers risks her life to open the door and pull the baby away. >> watch her in the passenger seat. that's our officer in the passenger seat. >> reporter: he's how holding the gun to his head and they keep telling him it's not worth it. >> it ain't worth it. look, that baby girl's going to grow up and you're going to be there. you're going to be there every step of the way. >> reporter: their words finally convince him life is worth living. >> just keep your hands up, keep walking. you're doing good.

>> reporter: the father is now charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a minor. he is pleading not guilty. steve osunsami, abc news, atlanta. >> that gives you goose bumps. they say it's not clear what started the dispute. a better ending than could have been. >> absolutely. so glad that baby is okay. florida deputies have recovered more than $500,000 of stolen tequila. >> four men caught trying to get away with several cases, hundreds of cases of patron tequila. the truck driver hauling the tequila stopped for dinner. he later realized his trailer was no longer attached to his truck. police found the men and the tequila several miles away. they are facing multiple charges, including grand theft. what a party they would have had. what are you even going to do with all of that? >> i was going to say, that party didn't last very long at all. >> did they have the limes and salt to go with it? this is difficult news for some people coming out of

lexington, kentucky where police are mourning a devastating loss. >> what was that language you just used? >> no salt, spanish. >> a krispy kreme truck caught fire and its entire cargo was destroyed. the lexington police department posted photos of its officers overcome by grief like the rest of us hearing this. messages of support have poured in from other police departments around the country who understand the loss. >> yeah, as does krispy kreme because they tweeted that they have more donuts on the way to lexington. >> oh, thank goodness. but, you know, the donuts are best served warm. >> oh, i see what you did there. i see what you did there. the truck caught on -- >> those donuts when they melt in your mouth are look, ooh. >> see, now i'm hungry. >> hungry and thirsty. >> donuts with tequila, what about that? >> that's living life.

coming up, how a classically trained pianist is helping to heal america's wounded heros. >> what music is doing that drugs and therapy cannot. you're watching "world news now." ♪ ♪ 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.

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today is back to work for millions of americans, but working tirelessly through the holiday season are so many dedicated staff members of walter reed army medical center. >> it's now home to an innovative program that is harnessing the power of music to help heal america's wounded warriors. here is abc's martha raddatz. >> reporter: doctors through countless surgeries put these wounded soldiers back together. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: but it was the music that made them feel alive again. ♪ do the right thing, do the right thing ♪ >> we've had guys tell us that, you know, during the darkest

period of their lives, being able to play music instead of stare at the ceiling all day helped in a way that nothing else did. >> reporter: this julliard trained pianist created musicorps out of necessity. adapting instruments and music lessons for wounded soldiers. >> they are bad ass marines and soldiers. they want to work with badass musicians so we get the best musicians we can find. >> reporter: they've turned them into talented artists, performing with the likes of pink floyd's roger waters, yo-yo ma, and sheryl crow. but what they didn't expect is how profound the personal transformations would be. >> i felt like i was stuck in a rut and i needed to do something more. >> reporter: for army specialist tyler mcgibbon, music helped

reawaken parts of his mind after he suffered a traumatic injury from a humvee rollover in kuwait. >> i guess that brain injury unlocked something. it just has me in the moment of, this is my music. this is my time. this is my zone. nothing can interfere with it. just pure joy. >> the design of the holder is a little bit looser, so it's great for strumming. >> reporter: musicorps helped sergeant shane heath rediscover his joy after he lost his arm and leg to a roadside bomb in iraq. his injuries left him struggling. >> they definitely help reaffirm that purpose. ♪ don't you know you're not the only one suffering? ♪ >> all the stress, all that stuff that kind of goes away and it's a feeling of peace. >> i know it's not just these guys who benefit, these women and men who are in the musicorps, you do, too. >> there's that saying, if you want to help yourself, put your arm around someone else that

needs it a little more. it gives me purpose. music gives them purpose. >> arthur and the wounded veterans get so much out of this musicorps program, but watching them perform is equally joyful. and musicorps is about to expand to the west coast in san diego, meaning they will be a step closer to arthur's goal of bringing the healing power of music to veterans all across the country. martha raddatz, abc news, washington. >> such a cool story there. >> yeah, absolutely. >> so interesting. >> there are so many programs out there around the country that help veterans in some way re-assimilate and try to heal. i think about a program i covered back home in dallas where it involved gardening and the sense of comradery that the veterans get there. >> oh, wow. >> truly helps them take the next step towards healing. >> and seeing music being used, i just think that's so cool. well, coming up, the epic failure of a guard dog. >> what the homeowner found inside her home sleeping with

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it is time for "this happened" on this wednesday. so you get a guard dog to protect you, right? >> absolutely. >> so that's what this woman in wisconsin did. and then this happened. she ends up finding a stranger asleep in her house on her dog's bed. she says she woke up at 5:15 in the morning, checked to make sure the man lying with her dog wasn't her son and it wasn't. the guy had too much to drink, walked into her house, slept next to her guard dog, a 120-pound mastiff. the dog's job was to scare intruders away. that didn't happen. so of course she calls police. this guy cuddled up to her guard dog. >> the dog knew the guy was no threat. man's best friend there. >> apparently. >> check out what happened in gladstone, oregon. you may have heard about this.

if you haven't, it's kind of hard to believe. there is surveillance video of this guy who you see on your screen. he goes up to the police department. look at that, that's the gladstone pd. what's he doing? police say he's trying to steal the bike. officer comes out -- >> of course. >> -- confronts the man who is wearing a -- >> oh. was he going to try to run? >> no, he used a taser. >> oh, gosh. >> i don't know if he tased him, but he had the taser out to get the guy in custody. the police department sent out a message on facebook saying, "suspect arrested for attempting to steal a bike from the pd." >> foolish criminals 101. >> oh well. >> the one place you don't go to steal anything. so amazon, when you are getting confirmation that your package is delivered, to make sure porch pirates haven't gotten it or anything, amazon will send you a picture. for one customer, this happened. they got a picture of that package. the package is not like

levitating. it hasn't even landed yet. the delivery person literally threw it, snapped a picture and it's still midair. it hasn't landed yet. >> let's hope it isn't fragile. >> absolutely, thanks, amazon. home security cameras captured this. how crazy is that picture? >> that is impressive. >> how fast was that delivery person like, whoosh, quick. >> like they've done that before, apparently. >> you're probably right. >> well, there you go. okay. looks can be deceiving sometimes. you've got to hear about this story. a 14-month-old girl sees her dad for the first time without a beard. >> mmm-hmm. >> so pretty much her entire life she's seen him with the beard, but then here he is -- she's like, wait a minute, who is this. she didn't recognize him. so she was very -- >> like -- >> -- suspicious. yeah. that's little amelia there. >> look at her hand up. just like, i'm not sure. are you? are you him? >> but eventually she comes around.

this morning on "world news now," a possible breakthrough in the government shutdown. >> president trump has invited top congressional leaders to the white house today as hundreds of thousands of workers remain in limbo and trash is piling up at national landmarks. also this morning, terrifying moments at a florida zoo. a toddler falls into a rhino exhibit, coming in close contact with the animal just days after a woman was killed by a lion at a conservation center. new details on that attack just in. and what a way to start the new year. there is a new mega millions winner. that jackpot worth $425 million. grab your ticket. we're going to have the winning numbers ahead. and the close call pregame chaos at the super bowl as the te the scary mascot meeting on this wednesday, january 2nd. from abc news, this is

"world news now." hopefully that white house meeting doesn't look like that. >> oh, let us hope. if it is that way, let there be cameras there. the mega millions, a winner in new york. >> suddenly i think i know where kendis went. >> you might be right. we're both here so we didn't win. we'll get to that later this half hour. but we begin with president trump poised to sit down today with democratic leaders for the the first time in three weeks. >> trash bins are overflowing on the national mall, facing limited garbage pickups at the government shutdown enters day 12. the president has also invited top lawmakers from both parties today, signaling he's ready to negotiate. >> but he tweeted again there can be no real border security without a wall. abc's tara palmeri has more. >> reporter: new signs of movement in the government shutdown stalemate. president trump inviting democratic congressional leaders to the white house, tweeting this question to incoming house speaker nancy pelosi. "let's make a deal?" their first meeting since this heated clash 21 days ago.

>> we disagree. >> i tell you what, i am proud to shut down the government for border security, chuck. >> reporter: the president then pledged he wouldn't budge unless congress gave him $5 billion to build a wall on the southern border, a wall he long promised mexico was going to pay for. >> who's going to pay for the wall? >> mexico! >> reporter: now 11 days into the shutdown, 800,000 federal employees are furloughed or working without pay. >> say good night. >> reporter: their families in limbo. angela cabana's husband jason is an air traffic controller. >> he's the sole breadwinner. we've got two young kids and it's pretty scary not knowing when you're going to get paid. >> reporter: on the national mall, signs of the shutdown everywhere. garbage piling up in the shadow of the washington monument. museums and the national zoo shuttering. thursday, democrats officially take over the house. in his new year's message, the president hinting at the battle still to come.

>> it's going to be a great year. complicated but great. >> reporter: with the new congress, democrats gain even more leverage in this shutdown fight. the president has been advised to offer incentive. like a solution for dreamers, those undocumented immigrants who came to the country illegally as children. tara palmeri, abc news, the white house. mitt romney is slamming president trump as he prepares to be sworn in to the senate tomorrow. in a scathing "washington post" op-ed, romney wrote that trump's character has fallen short and his conduct has not risen to the mantle of the office. he also said the departures of the defense secretary jim mattis and chief of staff john kelly marked a decline in the presidency. the president's campaign manager fired back, saying romney lacked the ability to save the nation and trump has saved it. water fountains may have been to blame for making some passengers sick on a frontier airlines flight. six passengers were removed from the plane after its flight from cleveland to tampa. they were treated and released. an official says water from fountains in cleveland's airport may be connected to the illnesses. for now those fountains have

been turned off. water quality tests will be performed. >> in england, police have detained a suspect in a new year's eve terror incident at a train station in manchester. authorities say the 25-year-old suspect is being held under the mental health act and is refusing to cooperate. police say he stabbed three people with a kitchen knife but all are expected to recover. it appears he acted alone. rain and snow has been plaguing the south where drivers are not used to it so getting home from the holidays may be difficult. it's already proven difficult for some people. here is abc's ginger zee. >> reporter: a frantic effort to rescue a driver near tampa. fog hampering first responders as they try to locate her vehicle. >> our lights are bouncing back at us from the fog as we try to find this woman that is literally drowning. >> reporter: the woman's car careening off interstate 4 after another driver cut her off. overturning and sinking into a ditch. >> it was thick, muddy, disgusting water that came up to your chest.

>> reporter: deputies prying open her doors, helping to get her out just in time. >> i'm thankful i didn't break anything and for all the police officers and the dispatch lady who helped me. >> reporter: dense fog enveloping much of southeast texas, too, resulting in numerous crashes, including these near galveston. in the houston area, families abandoning their vehicles. a man killed after he failed to stop at an intersection and hit a tree. >> he either wasn't aware or due to the fog didn't see that it's a "t" intersection. >> reporter: in austin, this chain reaction crash involving more than 30 vehicles. to the west in new mexico, semis overturning on snowy roads. that developing system now marching east. ginger zee, abc news. >> incredible pictures there. and the south will again have the nation's worst weather today. >> accuweather's paul williams has the forecast. paul, good morning. >> good morning, janai, marcus. we have a neapolitan flavor of precipitation across texas.

snow in the west part going into new mexico. freezing rain and sleet in the middle and then heavy showers along the eastern side. now those showers will lean into mississippi, alabama, arkansas, georgia, going into tennessee. for the northeast, cold with this high pressure system in place. chilly in the northwest corner of the country. and at least chilly around the great lakes but warmer in the dakotas. marcus? janai? >> our thanks to paul there. so attention, mega millions players, especially those who bought a ticket in new york state yesterday. unfortunately, i didn't. >> you missed out. >> you may be a multimillionaire. >> last night's drawing was worth $425 million. these are the winning numbers for you 34, 44, 57, 62, 70, and then the mega ball was 14. mega millions says there was one winning ticket -- >> oh, my gosh.

>> -- matching all those numbers. it was sold right here in new york. that mean friday's grand prize will only be worth $40 million. >> did you play? >> i didn't play. you can't win if you don't play. >> janai, marcus, i'm not saying anything, but -- >> jack. >> uncle jack. >> he would just walk out, wouldn't he? >> he would. >> no loyalty. see what money does to you? >> you are absolutely right. some people won millions of dollars on new year's day and some people did this. in chicago of all places, dozens ignored the bone-chilling temperatures to take a dip in lake michigan for the annual polar plunge. look at her face. you know it was cold. they were happening all around the world. >> yeah, at new york's coney island, they gathered at the beach there for the 115th annual new year's polar plunge. >> it wasn't that cold here.

>> it was cold enough. it was unseasonably warm because the temperatures were in the 50s. some did it for the thrills. others for charity. and others just to wash away 2018 perhaps. >> it's fabulous and freezing all at once. >> the best part of this tradition is you cleanse off last year and it's like a baptism and you start the new year afresh. from brooklyn, new york, baby! brooklyn in the house! god bless america! >> good lord. is that how people justify it? >> there you go. hey, you have to have a reason? o. thousands of dutch revellers braved the cold waters and biting winds for the annual plunge there. it's now a charity event with participants required to buy tickets. more than 60,000 people joined similar events across the netherlands. but i don't know if they have as much energy as that guy from brooklyn. >> brooklyn in the house. in the water. then i wonder, though -- >> oreold? is there a limit? can you call it a polar plunge when temperatures are in the 50s? >> that is a good point. i don't know. >> still too cold for me. >> absolutely. i wouldn't have been doing it. well, good for them.

happy 2019. coming up, jet pack racing, it's about to be a thing. you're excited. >> this is going to be awesome, i'm sorry. >> what we're finding out this morning about the world's first jet pack racing league set to be launched sometime in the new year. >> all right. but first, the close call in florida. a toddler falling into a rhino pit at a zoo. how this happened and what we have just learned about the girl's condition. and remember, find us on facebook, wnnfans.com and on twitter @abcwnn. you're watching "world news now." twitter @abcwnn. you're watching "world news now."

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for a convenient clean, try swiffer wetjet with a money back guarantee. brand power. helping you buy better. . we are we are back this morning with a new year's day miracle in russia. we are back this morning with a new year's day miracle in russia. an 11-month-old baby boy rescued from the deadly collapse of an apartment complex there. this is 36 hours after a gas explosion destroyed the building. that baby is in serious condition and crews are still searching for surv >> this happened after a little girl fell into a rhino exhibit. here is ramos. >> reporter: terrifying moments as a toddler slipped into a rhino exhibit at this florida

zoo. >> we have a 1-year-old who fell into the rhino pit. pinned up against the wall. she is conscious at this time. >> reporter: a visitor snapping this picture after the chaos, a shoe seen inside the exhibit. the zoo says the little girl stumbled and fell through the poles during the zoo's rhino encounter, coming in contact with one rhino. the zoo calls the exhibit an educational experience. pictures from its website show people interacting with rhinos, even touching them. it comes just days after an intern was killed by a lion, who authorities say broke through a locked enclosure at this conservation center in north carolina. we're seeing the first images of the enclosures as authorities released the call to 911. 22-year-old alex black was killed. the sheriff's department says it all happened during a routine cleaning. >> the person that was attacked, how bad are they hurt? >> they're incapacitated.

>> reporter: one of the responding deputies tells affiliate wral they had to kill the lion when tranquilizers didn't work. >> it took several shots to bring him down. he was amped up. he had been moving around the kennel or the enclosure several times. >> reporter: the child's mom was also treated after hurting her arm. she has been released from the hospital. the little girl's father says this has been a trying day for all of them, but the little girl is in good care and is doing well. stephanie ramos, abc news, north carolina. >> good news that she's going to be okay. nasa is celebrating for a different reason than the start of the new year. >> it's "new horizon" spacecraft zipped past a small body at the far end of our solar system called ultima thule, it's about 4 billion miles from here and the message took six hours to reach us. >> ultima thule wasn't even known to exist when the spacecraft left earth about seven years ago.

>> so interesting. >> yeah, very interesting, to say the least. and the tsa is paying more attention to ears at the airports. >> so the agency is switching to bomb sniffing dogs with floppy ears. tells "the washington examiner" newspaper that those breeds are less intimidating than dogs with pointy ears. >> so that means you'll be seeing a lot more labs and pointers and also golden retrievers. >> you know, wouldn't you kind of want the tsa dogs to look a little intimidating? >> aggressive, right? your first instinct when you see a cute little dog is to reach out -- >> despite the sign that says do not pet you're still like puppy. that's like too cute for the job. >> i will tell you what -- >> what? >> there is something to be said about relieving the stress at the airport. it's already bad enough to have to go through tsa. >> that is so true. you know what, marcus? you may be on to something. you and tsa. >> i try. coming up in our next half hour, what was billed as the greatest tennis battle of the sexes since 1973, roger federer versus serena williams.

the top tennis players facing each other for the first time ever. but first, tense moments before the sugar bowl. did you see this? this between the team's mascots. that's next on "world news now." our because of smoking.ital. but we still had to have a cigarette. had to. but then, we were like. what are we doing? the nicodermcq patch helps prevent your urge to smoke all day. nicodermcq. you know why, we know how.

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at the goal line. >> he's going -- he gets air. >> he did get air. >> grabs it at the 10 and then disposes of it. >> that umpire showing some athletic prowess at the rose wletween ohio state and washington. >> the buckeyes built a big lead

against the huskies thanks to three touchdown passes by quarterback dwayne haskins. washington staged a big comeback. they closed within five points. ohio state wins it 28-23. >> then it was time for the buckeyes to say good-bye to their head coach urban meyer. he says he's stepping down because of health reasons. he suffers from severe headaches because of a cyst in his brain. after the win, a reporter asked meyer the question on a lot of people's minds. >> why do you believe you won't coach again? >> i think i have been very blessed. i started young. 17 years as a head coach, 33 years doing this, and i'm just very fortunate and i do believe i'm done. >> well, meyer's not -- ooh, i'm sorry. >> no worries. hey, meyer's not leaving ohio state entirely, as you were saying. he will co-teach a course about character and leadership this spring. >> i was just going to say, look how good we're reading these scripts like we know anything

about sports. >> like we know anything about it. moving on to last night's sugar bowl in new orleans. things got a little testy pregame. >> i do know about pregame drama here. the texas mascot named bevo went after georgia's bulldog mascot. >> nice. >> yeah, look at this. coming through the barriers of that enclosure. now listen to how the guys at espn handled this. >> ladies and gentlemen, this is like a man walking on the moon. never before -- oh! oh! >> shoot! >> oh, my lord! >> bevo. >> oh! >> can live television get better than that? no. maybe that was not the best idea, but we don't care. >> can we get a replay on that? >> can we get a replay? >> that's targeting. se othgs>> it s woh . >> that'taeting. >> it was worth it. >> that was awesome. >> that is wrong.

you saw the lady fall. >> that dog knew to get out of dodge. >> right? real quick with the red shirt. there he is. we should say nobody was hurt and this whole thing happened as they were trying to position the mascot for a picture. one of bevo's handlers said the 1,600-pound steer wanted to go say hi, say howdy, as we say in texas. as for the game, texas quarterback sam ehlinger ran in three touchdowns. texas pulls out the upset there. they beat the bulldogs 28-21. hey, bevo set the tone for the game. >> yeah, apparently. what a way to kick things off there. >> right? >> those announcers were loving that. >> oh, they loved that. >> oh, my gosh. >> i mean, who could have planned that? >> yeah. this is wild. >> she like dove out of the way. >> i see her on the ground. those horns, i would have been scared. >> a little rough after his night on bourbon street. you never know. >> maybe that was it.

bevo starting the year off right. >> we're back after this. back after this. right. >> we're back after this. 50 to , 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.

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time now for "the mix" on this wednesday. and we're starting out with a guinness world record that may be totally fake. so this woman who is believed to be the oldest person ever at 122 years old, plus like 1/2 a year, turns out she may have actually assumed her mother's identity and was only 99 years old. >> oh. >> right? so turns out she is probably jean's daughter yvonne. assumed her mom's identity so the family wouldn't have to pay inheritance taxes. quite a tax fraud which then becomes a guinness world record fraud. so some people were looking into this and they found, you know, a birth certificate and some other

information that didn't list the same hair color and eye color and even like a -- the name of a maid who was taking her to school. it didn't all add up. >> wow. >> so they think she was 99 instead of 122, which means the new record would go to an american. 'murica. >> isn't there a saying, age is just a number? that's proof right there. we talked about this earlier this week, jet pack racing. there is a company, jet pack aviation, they are behind the first commercially available jet packs and they're now saying they are ready to put together an actual racing league, jet pack racing league, where people will race each other -- >> it looks -- >> -- for bragging rights, points, money, who knows. >> you're into racing. >> i love racing. this is incredible. >> do you think this looks safe and doable? >> you know, here's the deal. you want to talk about safe? jet packs used in the racing will be able to fly at speeds

right there. they've been doing tes to make sure the people -- the pilots can ride or fly next to each other safely. the tests have gone on for about 12 months. this is really cool. >> wow. >> so we'll see what happens. they think 2019 will be the first year. >> you know, drones in the air are already causing issues. i don't know about people with these jet packs. >> we'll just have to see. >> i guess so. so moving on to a baby penguin. an adorable little penguin. >> oh, where? janai -- >> i think we told you the other day that marcus loves penguins. he used to check out books at the library about penguins. >> that i never took back to the library. >> look at his little -- are they fins? what are they? >> little wings. that's the cutest video we've seen all day today. we go from bevo to this right here. >> oh, don't put that thing in front of bevo. more animals for you. check out the cat that just can't stay awake. this is how we all feel on mondays. >> i was going to say, is this cat working our shift? >> he's, like, sleeping standing up like a horse.

i'm super excited to introduce my dad because he's my hero. when i was little, he was doing this really important work driving ambulances in iraq. now he's home. and he's still a hero because he tells the ambulances where to go when there's an emergency. i'm so proud of him. he's awesome. he's my dad! announcer: if your service-connected disability hinders your civilian career, vocrehab offers a variety of services to help prepare you for your next mission.

this morning on "world news now," the latest confrontation on the border. the u.s. firing tear gas into mexico to stop migrants as border security is the focus of a major meeting today at the white house. the family of an american arrested in russia and accused of spying is now speaking out. if convicted of spying he could face up to 20 years in prison. and new this half hour, new laws now in effect nationwide. >> from minimum wage increases >> from minimum wage increases to voting rights laws. plus, where pet stores are now required to sell rescue animals and where students now have to practice their cursive. if you were looking for a new year's resolution, look to beyonce and jay-z. what they're asking their fans to do and why so many fans are already declining the challenge. that's ahead in "the skinny." it is wednesday, january 2nd. from abc news, this is

"world news now." so right off the top, things that i am for, students learning cursive. it's like a long lost art. >> right? >> things i am not for, beyonce and jay-z, we love you but i'm not doing it. >> what? >> oh, you're with it? >> i didn't say i'm with it. i'm just saying don't knock it until you try it. give it a shot. see if it works for you. >> look, we will explain all of this later. but we begin this half hour with new overtures to end the government shutdown as we learn of another dramatic confrontation at the southern border. >> customs and border protection said agents fired tear gas into mexico after a group of migrants tried to cross over the border into san diego. they say it was aimed at the violent mob that was throwing rocks and 25 people were arrested. >> as the stalemate continues over funding for a wall, the president is now asking democrats back to the white house today for the first time since he told them he'd be pury. abc's katherine faulders has the latest. >> reporter: good morning, janai

and marcus. congressional sources say that president trump has invited leaders from both parties to the white house later this afternoon for a briefing on border security. now, this meeting will be the first sit-down between trump and democratic leaders nancy pelosi and chuck schumer in 22 days, since that contentious sit-down in the oval office last month. >> we disagree. >> i tell you what, i am proud to shut down the government for border security, chuck. >> reporter: now, the white house has not provided any information on the meeting or the administration officials who will be present. house democrats, they've prepared two bills aimed at ending the shutdown with plans to vote on those thursday. neither includes any money for the border wall. a proposal that trump will likely reject. but after 11 days of no progress, the president signaled on twitter that he's ready to make a deal. he's continued to blame democrats for the shutdown and has privately been reassuring

allies that he will not back down, but it's not clear what the president could offer that would convince democrats to give him any money for a wall. janai? marcus? >> all right, katherine, thank you very much for that. president trump used one of his first tweets of the year to attack retired four-star general stanley mcchrystal. this after mcchrystal called him dishonest and immoral. the president said mcchrystal got fired like a dog by obama, adding that he was known for his, quote, big dumb mouth. mcchrystal was commander of troops in afghanistan, but he resigned in 2010 after he criticized vice president biden and other obama officials. senator elizabeth warren says she is ready to run for president. the massachusetts democrat is a longtime critic of president trump and she's already planning campaign events, but warren knows she won't have the democratic field all to herself for very long. abc's david wright reports. >> reporter: as she announces her first big campaign swing through iowa, senator elizabeth warren is trying to showcase how relatable she is. >> hold on a sec.

i'm going to get me, um, a beer. >> reporter: cracking a cold one on this new year's live stream with supporters. the video also featured her husband. >> this is my sweetie. >> hello. >> reporter: and their 8-month-old puppy. hours earlier warren announced her intentions on facebook. >> america's middle class is under attack. >> reporter: president trump says he's not impressed. >> i'd love to run against her. >> she says she's in the fight all the way, mr. president. do you really think she believes she can win? >> well, that i don't know. you'd have to ask her psychiatrist. >> reporter: there's a growing list of possible democratic hopefuls. former vice president joe biden said this week he'll make up his mind in the next two months. senators kamala harris, cory booker and kirsten gillibrand are reportedly already staffing up. vermont senator bernie sanders hasn't ruled out running himself, and the big wild card, outgoing congressman beto o'rourke. will he get into the race? over new year's o'rourke tweeted out this picture, building an

igloo with his wife and kids. this weekend in iowa, senator warren has four big campaign events planned across the state. she is really trying to take advantage of this moment when she's the biggest named challenger to make her intentions clear. david wright, abc news, new york. the family of an american accused by russia of spying insists he's innocent. they say paul whelan, a former u.s. marine, was in moscow for a wedding when he was arrested last week on spying charges. whelan is the head of a security company, a michigan-based company. head of security there and they distribute auto parts. he is active on russian social media. after two tours in iraq he was discharged for larceny. if convicted of spying he could face up to 20 years in prison. his arrest follows a guilty plea here in the u.s. by confessed russian agent maria butina. a chicago priest accused of child sex abuse is missing. the reverend richard mcgrath is

absent without leave. the 72-year-old left the st. johnstone friary in the last several months of his own accord. he's accused of abusing a student in 1990s at the catholic high school where he served as principal for decades. much of the country is seeing winter weather overnight, but not where you'd expect it. >> this winter wonderland, look at that, is in santa fe, new mexico where the overnight low will be about 9 degrees. single digits. >> but not so wonderful is the driving in new mexico. look at this. with snow and ice covering the roadways there. accuweather's paul williams has the rest of the forecast for us. good morning, paul. >> good morning, janai, marcus. we have every flavor of precipitation you'd ever want across texas. rain, sleet, freezing rain and snow leading into new mexico. now speaking of new mexico, we could see up to another 6 to 12 inches in northern portions of new mexico and it just keeps getting worse for them. rain rampant throughout the southeast. warm throughout florida but cold as all get-out for the northeast, courtesy of that high

pressure system. cold in the northwest and then for the southwest it's staying cold and dry as well. marcus? janai? >> paul, thank you very much. now to a milestone near houston. 17 black female judges have been sworn in in harris county, texas. the judges made history and headlines after winning their midterm elections in november. >> yes. the women are believed to be the largest group of black female judges ever elected at the same time. they are all part of a local democratic campaign called "black girl magic, texas." there's more than 200 years experience between them. amazing. we are here for it. >> quite the picture there. >> yes. so two g.o.a.t.s, as in greatest of all time, took to the same court in a sort of battle of the sexes. >> of course we're talking about serena williams and roger federer, along with their mixed doubles partners. they were taking part in an international competition. federer's teamnterview on the

court. take a listen. >> it was a great experience. i'm kind of sad it's over. i was just warming up. >> i was telling myself, this is what i always wanted maybe, a big time moment like this. i made the serve, but i actually totally missed the target. i thank you for missing the ball. >> she was nice to him for sure. following the interview, williams and federer posed for a selfie, as you see there. the two of them, they have won 43 grand slam titles combined. >> wow. and ironically, both of them 37 years old. that's just a random fun fact. >> absolutely. >> incredible, though, to see those two g.o.a.t.s go at it. >> yeah, that was history in the making there, and what a treat for everybody who was in the audience. >> absolutely. so good natured about it all. well, coming up, the new laws already taking effect in this new year. the states where minimum wage workers will now earn $15 an hour and where convicted felons will now be allowed to vote. in segment, "the skinny," the new revelation by justin bieber.

what he just did to his face. you're watching "world news now." ♪ ♪ ♪ put 'em high ♪ put 'em high well, here's to first dates! 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.

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the rose parade in pasadena the rose parade in pasadena had a spectacular but completely unplanned end. this train caught fire, train float. the blaze was quickly put out by those aboard, but then the tow truck trying to remove the float from the parade broke down. a series of misfortunate events. the two floats behind the train never made it into the parade. no one was injured. >> thank goodness. >> wow. well, it is day two of 2019, which means those new year's resolutions are out, but some new laws are already taking effect around the u.s. >> that's right. you may already know about the pet store ban in california or the new fashion options for hunters in illinois, but there are a few others that could mean some good news for you. >> happy new year! >> reporter: the stroke of midnight didn't just bring the new year, it also ushered in good news for hourly employees across the country. more than 20 states increasing

their minimum wage in 2019, with about 17 million americans receiving pay bumps. >> the impact is incredible. it's really economic justice. >> reporter: the entire west coast now paying workers at least $11 an hour and new york city jacking hourly wages up to $15 an hour. >> hopefully things will even out, but definitely you can't have quality employees if you don't pay them. >> reporter: the slew of new laws also bringing new opportunities for some. former felons in florida and nevada will regain voting rights. laws going into effect that allow felons who have met certain requirements to head to the polls in the next election. new york city is allowing residents to change their birth certificate to show they identify as gender x. and a new statewide law in california allows citizens to t law to crack down on puppy mills. pet stores now required to sell rescue animals. safety laws in illinois allowing hunters to wear pink vests in addition to the traditional neon orange. but it's not just adults that

have to follow new rules. while kids in arizona are enjoying an extra recess each day, students in ohio have to start practicing their cursive. the buckeye state now requires all students to know the script by fifth grade. >> i have a confession to make -- >> do not -- you better not say it. >> i won't. i won't. i won't. >> it better not be what i'm thinking, marcus. you can't write in cursive? >> no, i can. i used to be able to. i just haven't practiced. >> get out. get out. >> janai, i just got here. >> you can't write in cursive because what you stopped doing it -- >> i can do an "m." >> a long lost art form. that is -- that's not cursive, honey. that's not cursive, honey. awful. >> why did i even volunteer this information? i was trying to be honest. >> i'm judging so hard. my cursive is beautiful. i know you guys can't see that at home, but janai was here. i -- i am a cursive writer. i know you can't see it that well, but -- >> okay, yeah. >> look at this trash he tried

to present to me as cursive. >> that is not trash, that is art. that's not trash. that's my signature. >> long lost art. a signature, you can get away with it. >> that's a pretty cool law, though. >> i think so, too. all right. when we come back, how a few celebrities -- how they rang in the new year. it was pretty cool. and the new year's challenge by beyonce and jay-z that so many fans are declining. "the skinny" is next.

♪ skinny ♪ skinny ♪ just give me the skinny ♪ skinny ♪ just give me the skinny it is time now for "the skinny." starting with stars, they're just like us. >> apparently after partying too much, they get hungover just like us everyday people. victoria beckham sharing this snapshot of her hubby david sitting outside yesterday all snuggled up in a bathrobe. >> looking like he just needs some time to himself. >> still looks good. >> he does. >> the beckhams hosted a $40,000 new year's eve bash for friends and relatives last night at their english country home. i did the same thing a couple of years ago. stars are just like us, right? >> yeah, absolutely.

then mark wahlberg, he shared yet another shirtless video as he vacationed in barbados. >> see, i don't think that's exactly what he looked like back in the '90s when he was ria durham, added her own 2019 goal for him saying, "hopefully you'll find a shirt." we don't mind it, right? >> i'm not mad at it. here at home, a very special new year's surprise in greenwich village. >> yeah, about 40 blocks south of the madness of times square, the material girl quietly showed up at the stonewall inn where she gave a speech and she sang two songs. that's her 13-year-old son david there backing her up on guitar. what a surprise for everybody there. >> wow. next to a new year's challenge by beyonce and jay-z -- >> here it is. >> ready? convert to veganism. >> yeah, queen bey has been a

vegan for less than a year. her husband jay-z, reportedly struggled with it last spring. but he's supporting his wife and their new dietary lifestyle, of course. >> i love them but this is a sign of misery loves company. that's not stopping the music power couple from employing their fans to follow their lead. that is if they can afford it. listen to this. beyonce reportedly shells out $7,500 a month for a live-in chef to prepare her vegan meals. >> now, i did hear she reportedly pays a separate dietitian $4,000 a month. >> that is so much money. by the way, social media has been lighting up with fan reactions because the bey hive ain't for it. so many of them rejecting this vegan challenge. >> some of the comments on twitter include, "challenge declined." somebody said, "i love bey and jay so much, but there is a point where i have to draw the line." another said, "send me your private chef and i'm all over it." >> i'm with this person. send me the tools you have. >> you know what?

red lobster has a vegan menu. >> nuh-uh. >> a vegan option. >> so she is still taking him to red lobster? okay. >> there you go. all right. next, a new year and new ink for justin bieber. >> he has actually been hinting at a new tattoo for a couple months and this morning we're getting our first look at it. no, those aren't stitches over his right eyebrow, that's a tattoo that looks like stitches but it says the word "grace" written in cursive, not by marcus. >> not by me. it would have been horrible. only the latest in the countless number of tattoos he's covered his body. >> what? there is a dog in that picture. i was like, what? just look at the difference between now and just two years ago. i mean, he was well on his way. >> you know, in the picture that he sent out, bieber hints in the caption of the instagram photo that his "grace" tattoo referred

to -- refers to god's grace in helping him -- helping him through his struggles. >> through his struggles. i was hoping when we said he did something to his face, he shaved off that mustache -- >> janai -- >> if you're going to go with a face tattoo, probably better to go with the "grace" than sort of tyson style, you know? >> something. this could have been worse. >> if he gets a wrinkle there, you're not going to be able to see the "grace" tattoo. sorry, but you're not. >> well, the man has his reasons. there you go. let him wear a mustache. >> all right. fine. there may be a new dog for snoop dogg. >> the rapper was apparently touched by news of this young pitbull terrier that was abandoned in england shortly before the holidays. in fact, rescue workers even named that dog snoop. >> and this morning the original snoop dogg is saying, "there is always room for another dog in casa de snoop. if he really needed a home, he has one with us." >> the dog not available for adoption just yet. once police figured out who abandoned the dog in the first place. but the og, he's willing to step in and help.

>> he's all right. >> yeah, not bad. help. the og, he's willing to step in and help.

so now that the party's over and the hangovers hopefully have cleared up, it's time to get serious about those new year's resolutions. >> this year a help sticking to those resolutions is only a swipe away on your smartphone. abc's becky worley checks them out for us. >> reporter: from fitness -- >> the name of this hit class is called hit -- >> reporter: -- to weight loss. >> so you got 12 points for that meal. >> reporter: we know that apps can help us track personal progress, but according to cnet's sharon profis, the trend has broadened significantly. >> self-help apps, this is a thing? >> oh, yeah, this is a thing. so there's pretty much an app for any type of goal you have in the new year. >> reporter: there are meditation apps. >> i think a lot of people might

think it's just sitting there and being quiet, but it's not, it's actually a skill that you have to learn and get good at. >> reporter: there are apps that help you have more consistent bedtimes. >> you may want to consider an app like sleep cycle. >> reporter: and as counterintuitive as it may seem in this age of tech overload, you can even use an app to work on your happiness. >> one app that i absolutely love is called "shine." it's kind of like a personal trainer for your mental health. >> reporter: one feature, a chat robot that you can text about your problems. >> i feel tense. >> okay. >> and then you can see here, it's got this little heart emoji. we got you. >> yes, it's so cute. >> even though i know it's a robot, it gives me a warm fuzzy. >> reporter: these apps have even more reach because they can nudge us beyond our home screen. >> i actually just got a notification on my apple watch telling me it's time to drink water. so if you have an iphone or an apple watch or android phone and accompanying wearable, then you can actually amplify your goals in these reminders on your wrist

as well. >> reporter: if your only goal for the new year is to stay hydrated -- >> to 2019 and more water. >> reporter: -- yeah, there's an app for that. >> and there she is. do you have the app yet? >> my phone just reminded me -- no, i'm a liar. i'm a fraud. no, no, no, but i do -- they always give us water bottles and i try to drink them because -- i'm not sharing. >> i don't drink coffee. with your cooties. >> i do think that's a good app to drink more water. >> it is. >> i like that one. >> really using the technology to enhance your life is a good way to incorporate it. >> completely. >> then i wonder, though, what about the tech neck, though? because that's a real thing. >> see, that's the thing, technology, it's like a gift and a curse. so much scariness out there but so much good. come back for more jack. >> download the abc app, too. this is abc's "world news now" informing insomniacs for two decades.

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making news in america this morning, possible breakthrough. president trump ready to negotiate inviting democratic leaders to the table as the shutdown enters day 12. plus, the president facing new attacks from his own party. mitt romney sharply criticizing trump questioning his character and calling for an end to the tribalism. spy claims. a former marine arrested in russia after disappearing while traveling with friends. the kremlin now accusing the man of espionage but his family insisting he's innocent. >> there's no chance that paul was engaged in espionage in russia. >> the new concerns about his safety this morning. terrifying encounter. a toddler rushed to the hospital after falling into a rhino exhibit.