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enduring music duos. daryl dragon, the quiet keyboard playing captain has died of renal failure at the age of 76. he and then wife toni tennille rocking with their grammy winning record "love will keep us together." he and toni divorced three years ago but she was at his side until the very end. and america has lost a couple of other accomplished entertainers, including actor and writer bob einstein, best known to most as marty funkhouser on "curb your enthusiasm." he was also 76. >> and also passing at 76, the man known as the voice. mean" gene okerlund. here is some of his work. >> intercontinental champion of the world, randy "macho man." >> nothing means nothing. >> what do you mean by that? >> i'm talking all the way at the top. but the cream rise to the top.

oh, yeah. macho madness. yes, got more -- than president jackson thinks that i got. >> unbelievable. right there. don't -- unbelievable things happen. >> i could be. >> here's when it goes. winning the belt from you is going to be easier than -- hold this. taking candy away from a baby. >> i'm ready for a -- i'm ready for a beer and a bratwurst, what about it? >> no way, when we're done, maybe. but not now. >> hulk, what in the world are you doing here at this hour of the day? it's only 6:00. give me a break! >> hey, it's time to train, daddy. time to train. come on geno. up, geno. come on, geno, all the way to the top.

eye of the hulkster. >> that is hilarious. >> i remember watching wrestling as a kid. >> yeah? >> and certainly, you know, seeing him. while the wrestlers, you know, they're legendary, he was a legend in his own right. >> his voice, obviously. that rings -- hits home for you. >> absolutely. well, coming up, just in time for your new year's resolutions, a new report on the best diets in 2019. and what is the best diet overall according to experts? you're watching "world news now." you're watching "world news now." iet overall according to experts? you're watching "world news now."

all right. if a diet is anywhere on your new year's resolution, your list, you might want to sink your teeth into this new report. >> "u.s. news & world report" has ranked this year's best diets, and which of those diets are better for whom. >> reporter: a new year and a new chance to change your diet for the better, but which diet is best for you? "u.s. news & world report" releasing their annual ranking of the 41 best diet plans. >> we have convened a panel of experts in nutrition and obesity research and diabetes and heart disease. and each year they score a pool of diets for us. >> reporter: from the best diets for diabetes to the diets that will help keep you heart healthy. >> i love bread. >> reporter: this year, ww,

formerly known as weightwatchers, taking the top spot in the best weight loss diet category. the point counting system also ranked number one among commercial diets. >> the thing about this diet that our experts like is no food is actually off limits and you can shape your diet however you like, so long as you're meeting a certain points target every day. that makes a diet a whole lot easier to follow. >> reporter: and if fast weight loss is what you're looking for, what about the keto diet? the high fat, low carb plan was one of the most buzzed about diets last year, but experts warn -- >> the keto diet is extremely popular right now. our experts say it's an extremely bad idea, yet it did jump this year to snag that number two spot on the best fast weight loss diets list, and that is because it probably will help you take pounds off for the short term, but that does not mean that you'll keep them off for the long haul. >> reporter: and so what's the best overall diet to follow? according to experts, the

mediterranean diet, which is at the top of the list for the second year in a row. >> it's also the easiest diet to follow and the best plant-based diet and the best diet for diabetes and heart disease, so this is a really solid plan. it's gotten top marks every year. ♪ ♪ >> hmm. >> so, so many options. i mean, if a diet is your thing -- for me, it's like i can eat healthy. i don't do it by a diet. i'll try to eat healthy for a couple of days, by day 2 1/2, 3, i'm gorging my face on sweets. >> at least you tried. >> i missed you. it's the sugar addiction. in all honesty, it's the sugar addiction. >> i mean, i don't know. i've never really tried a diet. maybe the whole -- you know what? >> what? >> jay-z and beyonce. i'm doing -- i'm going to try to the vegan. i'm going to try it. >> a lie. this man -- >> just remember you got to stay hydrated. >> i was just drinking my water. i was just drinking my water. >> the app that tells you when to drink water. >> he was just asking for barbecue. where can i get some barbecue in

new york? this is not texas, marcus. >> i'm from texas. >> i'm going to try jay-z and beyonce's vegan diet. >> i haven't started yet, though. tarted yet, though. en't started yet, though. 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.

time for "this happened" on this thursday. so remember pizza rat? >> yes. >> that rambunctious rat in new york city that was like taking this whole pizza. so this happened, egg roll squirrel. look. how unreal is this? >> what? >> he knows how to hold it. first off, that's a nice sized egg roll. >> where's the soy sauce? >> where's the soy sauce? where's the sauce, squirrel. is this crazy? this was in new york. someone captioned this video and said, "doesn't look like this squirrel's first egg roll." that person's 100% right. this squirrel has been eating egg rolls forever. >> how did the squirrel get it up the tree? >> no kidding. handy. handy little guy.

>> so many questions. >> how long was he eating it for? >> yeah, long enough for them to get video. anyhow, that's pretty cool there. okay. let's check out what happened in iowa. all right. check this out. you're used to driving down the highway. >> yeah. >> there's a couple cruising. and you see the long trailer. and then check this out -- >> huh? >> that's a pickup truck. that's like a ford f-150. >> let us know, texas, what is it? >> f-250 or 350. but it's a ford. that's like a 50-foot trailer. >> you're going to see this in a ford truck commercial. look at the power of our trucks. >> the couple that actually recorded this, they have their own trucking company. when they saw that, whoa, what in the world? >> taking notes. >> save a little money. >> i guess so. how about this one? it looks like this story out of dekalb, illinois, also where i'm

from, grandpa surprises his wife with a new engagement ring. she'd lost it some years ago at a retirement home where they -- where they lived, so he asked his daughter to take him shopping to get her a new engagement ring, and you can see how excited she is. how adorable. >> look at that. >> keeping the love alive. they've been married for 67 years. that is incredible. >> that's a pro move right there. >> yes. absolutely. take notes. major key. all right. here's one more video for you. do you love skiing? >> yeah. >> okay, well, check this out. this is ania morton. she loves -- she has a passion for skiing. she's a canadian skier. she was on the national ski team, and that is her kiddo right there skiing for the very first time. >> wow. >> in beaver creek, colorado. >> like a boss. >> and what happens next? yeah, they keep going down the slope and everything is wonderful. >> she doesn't even fall. >> for the first day of skiing,

quote, a success. >> i put you on the spot? you put me on the the spot. did you see that game?

this morning this morning on "world news now," shutdown showdown day 13. >> the president meeting with congressional leaders at the white house. and we have the outcome of that meeting and what the president is tweeting about overnight. also this morning, wicked weather wreaking havoc across multiple areas of the country. even forcing some schools to cancel classes today. the latest from accuweather straight ahead. plus, a final salute to the captain. one of several passings of note on the same day. and wrestling fans remembering "mean" gene okerlund, the sports iconic interviewer, that is "mean" gene. also new this morning, pack me in your suitcase. expression coming to life. there are now backpacks where yoteern. ll you where this idea is already a hit. it is january 3rd, thursday.

from abc news, this is "world news now." >> oh, my goodness. >> i'm immediately thinking about, you know, going to the airport with your one carry-on. >> no kidding. uh-huh. >> just have my one backpack here. >> can that fit under the seat? lord. >> that's interesting. we'll have to see that one to believe it. >> yes, we will tell you all about that later. but we begin this half hour with a failed attempt to end the government shutdown. a meeting at the white house ending with no deal. >> president trump tweeting last night that he's ready and willing to work with democrats, adding, "let's get it done" but both sides making it clear they are not ready to budge when it comes to funding for a border wall. abc's mary bruce has the details. >> reporter: as congressional leaders headed to the white house, president trump told reporters to brace for the long haul. >> how long do you think the government's going to stay partially shut down? >> could ulbe l. it's -itmporta subjecto walk away from. ter: ty

deepening. the president digging in on his demand for $5.6 billion to build his border wall. >> look, when they say the wall's immoral, well, then you got to do something about the vatican because the vatican has the biggest wall of them all. the wall is immoral. look at all of the countries that have walls. and they work 100%. >> reporter: the effects of this shutdown now literally piling up. mountains of trash spotted on the national mall. 800,000 government workers furloughed or working without pay. even harder hit, at least 2,000 contract workers like janitors who may never get any of their back pay. still, the president publicly rejected a $2.5 billion compromise proposed to democrats by his own vice president. >> would you accept anything less than that $2.5 billion? >> no, not 2.5. we're asking for 5.6.

somebody said 2.5. no, look, this is national security we're talking about. >> reporter: democrats made clear they aren't budging either. >> they are now feeling the heat. it is not helping the president. it is not helping the republicans to be the owners of this shutdown. >> we're asking the president to open up government. we are giving him a republican path to do that. why would he not do it? why would he not do it? >> thank you. >> reporter: now once democrats take control of the house here later today, they are going to first pass legislation that would open the government but not fund the president's wall. and i'm told by a source familiar with what happened in that white house meeting yesterday that the democrats repeatedly pushed the president to see if he would at least commit to opening the agencies that are unrelated to this immigration fight, but the president's only response, "i would look foolish." mary bruce, abc news, capitol hill. >> big thanks to mary there. so much, i mean, going into

this. now on to day 13. >> absolutely. >> you know, top lawmakers expected to again meet with the president. hoping to make some kind of ground. >> well, i mean, not only are we talking about hundreds of thousands of federal workers who are hoping that they can reach some bit of compromise and make some progress, but also marriage licenses in d.c., they apparently have not been issued because of this shutdown. so a lot going on there and certainly affecting a lot of people across the country. >> yeah. moving on now to russia. that country has allowed the u.s. ambassador in moscow to meet with a michigan man accused of spying. >> that visit came five days after paul whelan, a former marine, was arrested. russian officials say he was caught in an espionage operation but his family insists he is innocent. abc's martha raddatz has more >> reporter: paul whelan sits in a notorious moscow prison charged with spying. the u.s. ambassador to russia visited him, telling whelan's family he was in good condition, but secretary of state mike

pompeo wants answers. >> if the detention is not appropriate, we will demand his immediate return. >> reporter: whelan, who was kicked out of the marine corps ten years ago for attempted larceny, is the head of global security for a michigan auto parts company. he has visited russia multiple times and has a social media presence there as well. this trip was personal, a friend's wedding. his brother says he is 100% certain his twin is not a spy. >> i can't think of any plausible reason that paul was arrested in russia. >> reporter: whelan's arrest follows on the heels of russian agent maria butina's guilty plea in the u.s. to charges of trying to infiltrate conservative political circles. the russians will likely present some kind of evidence, fabricated or not. already a russian news agency is saying whelan was caught with a classified list of russian operatives, but if convicted, whelan could face up to 20 years in prison. martha raddatz, abc news, washington.

and back here at home, the southern u.s. will see more winter weather today. >> a severe storm system stretches across the southern plains from the gulf coast all the way to the carolinas. and then another rain of snow, sleet and heavy rain is expected this morning in oklahoma, texas and louisiana. >> already the bad weather has caused dozens of accidents. look at this truck on its side. oklahoma city public schools aren't waiting. classes are already cancelled there. let's take a look at the fullest extent of the storm. accuweather's paul williams has that forecast. good morning. >> good morning, janai, marcus. this storm that is going to hit oklahoma is taking no prisoners. big-time problems on the roads because of the ice. up to 4 inches of snow in some areas. slippery travel, reduced visibility. this storm is going to crank up through texas and swing rain flooding showers throughout the lower mississippi valley region. not just there, the entire southeast. you see this area? they've already been receiving

crazy rain for the past few weeks and they're going to get another 2 to 3 inches or even more than that in some areas. the southern new england states throughout massachusetts rain, snow to the north, courtesy of this low pressure system, and then to the northwest, we're going to have poor air quality problems in oregon. janai? marcus? >> our thanks to paul. a zoo in florida has closed a rhino exhibit after a young girl wound up in the animal's enclosure. the 2-year-old slipped through a nearly eight-inch gap between bars that allow guests to touch the rhinos. that part of the zoo is now off limits as zoo officials consider ways to make it safer. the rhino will not be punished, according to zookeepers. a final report on the parkland school massacre in florida has documented glaring failures that may have saved some of the 17 lives lost. the commission found that eight sheriff's deputies were near stoneman douglas high school and heard the gunshots but none of them immediately entered the school, that includes the school resource officer who you may

recall was widely criticized for not confronting the shooter. unlocked and open gates were regularly left unstaffed. >> i'm sure it's heartbreaking for those parents to hear. >> absolutely. well, turning now to a deal that frequent flyers dream of. a first-class seat for thousands of dollars off. >> yes. have you heard about this. this was due to a computer glitch. people were able to buy tickets on cathay pacific from vietnam to new york. now, these tickets usually cost $16,000. janai is usually on that one. >> yeah. >> they got them for 600 bucks. the airline said it was a mistake but will honor those much lower fares. quote, we look forward to welcoming you on board. >> you better come through, cathay pacific. >> enjoy those trips. the drama only growing over who holds the winning ticket for the new year's day mega millions drawing. that ticket was sold at a gas station on new york's long

island. >> that station is very close to a wealthy area that's full of large homes. the jackpot was over $437 million. and some locals spoke ironically about the area and not being the lucky winner. >> there's no millionaires in old brookville, right? >> no, never. that's why you would never expect it. never in a million years would you expect a ticket to be sold in a neighborhood like this. >> i wish it was me. it's not me. >> i wish it was more than one winner, you know? they should do something about that. >> show me that fur again. just last week, a single winning powerball ticket worth nearly $300 million was sold in brooklyn, new york. are you taking notes? it might be worth the trip up. >> something good's going on in that neighborhood. of course, you know, i don't care how big your house is. you can always use a little extra for home improvements. if somebody shows up with a roller coaster in the

backyard -- >> we know who is what. we'll be watching out. coming up, what president trump just showed off in a cabinet meeting. look closely. do you see it? that is a "game of thrones" poster. why it's triggering so many questions this morning. okay. plus the american soccer star who is turning into the next big thing in europe. have you heard of him? what we're learning about a 20-year-old native of hershey, pennsylvania, who has now become the most expensive u.s. soccer player in history. but first, the major arrest in los angeles. a man accused of breaking into celebrities' homes and making off with millions of dollars worth of valuables. and remember, check out our behind the scenes pics on instagram. we're going to update those soon. abcwnn. you're watching "world news now." the major arrest in los angeles. a man accused of breaking in celebrities' homes and making off with millions of dollars worth of valuables. and remember, check out our behind the scenes picks on instagram. we're going to update those soon. abcwnn. you're watching "world news now." so now, i use heavy duty swiffer sweeper and dusters.

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whoa. this is newly released video of a routine traffic stop in los angeles that turned into a wild and dangerous chase with shots fired. police pulled over a range rover last month. you see it there.

when it suddenly sped off. they chased the suv through city streets. you see all the people driving there. and on to highway 101 where it finally stopped. the driver circled there in red jumped out, took off running. police say that's when he shot at them. they eventually caught him and took him into custody. and a viral video shows the violent start to the new year at a mcdonald's in st. petersburg, florida. look at that. a customer, as you see there, appears to grab an employee's shirt and seems to try to pull her over the counter. police say that also as that customer was being escorted out of the mcdonald's he kicked another employee in the stomach. he is being charged with assault. well, police in los angeles may have cracked a case involving recent burglaries of the homes of celebrities. >> they have arrested a man who they say broke into those homes after posing as a real estate broker or a client then returning and scooping up millions of dollars worth of valuables. here is abc's matt gutman. >> reporter: the targets include the plush homes of musicians like usher, jason derulo and adam lambert.

the haul, according to police, was enormous. >> we estimate the total worth in the millions of dollars. we have diamond necklaces. we have to see what type of diamonds they are, whose they are and what the actually values are. >> reporter: the lapd says 32-year-old benjamin ackerman would pose as a realtor, roll up to open houses in a fancy car, sign in and burglarize them at a later time. at least a dozen victims. police saying he amassed so much loot in a storage facility, they created a website to catalog it. >> when he showed up, he was dressed to the nines. he acted the part. he was very slick. >> reporter: police tell us the investigation was complicated because ackerman was somehow able to disable security cameras. the recordings turned black during the crimes. he has not yet been charged. matt gutman, abc news, los angeles. >> that is fascinating. >> right?

>> cameras turned black? >> cameras turned black. of course, it begs the question, was he working alone or did he have a team? >> right. >> police reportedly looking into that very question. >> they found more than 2,000 items in his home and a storage locker, so, i mean, he was cleaning up. good thing they caught him. well, some big news about an american soccer star who is playing in europe. 20-year-old christian pulisic is now the most expensive u.s. soccer player in history. >> his current club in germany just sold pulisic to england's chelsea soccer club for about $73 million. yes. that's the biggest fee ever paid for an american player. now, how much will he personally earn from this new club? that's not yet known this morning, but this deal could also help boost chelsea's american fan base. >> maybe. >> janai might actually watch soccer now, right? >> i don't know why marcus is

sitting here telling stories. >> no, you might. >> you know, i hope that he gets a nice cut of that because -- >> he should. >> yeah, absolutely. that's crazy they paid that much. we are told he makes about $1 million at this point or something. >> he's 20, by the way. >> right. i guess that's not too bad. >> must be nice. >> must be nice. >> we wish him the very best. coming up, remembering an american music icon. one day after his death, what you may not have known about the quiet half of the captain and tennille. that's next on "world news now." ♪ ayep, and my teeth are yellow.? time for whitestrips. crest glamorous white whitestrips are the only ada-accepted whitening strips proven to be safe and effective. and they whiten 25x better than a leading whitening toothpaste. crest. healthy, beautiful smiles for life.

♪ love will keep us together it was that song that was playing everywhere in the summer of 1975. i remember. going on to win that year's best record, grammy award. and this morning, we're remembering daryl dragon better known as the captain of the captain & tennille. >> that's what the lyrics you hear in that song, love did keep them together, despite divorcing in 2014, ex-wife toni tennille was at his side when he died yesterday of renal failure. daryl dragon was 76. >> rest in peace. also passing yesterday, actor and writer bob einstein. best known to lots of viewers as marty funkhouser on "curb your enthusiasm." his career spanned 50 years. einstein had recently been diagnosed with cancer. he was also 76 years old. and then the man known as the voice of professional wrestling has also passed away. "mean" gene okerlund, he was 76 years old as well, and he was known to generations of fans

over his nearly three-decade career in wrestling for his interviews with hulk hogan and andre the giant. it was actually jesse ventura who dubbed okerlund as "mean" gene. this as a joke over his straight shooting on-camera persona. >> as we are remembering three accomplished entertainers gone in one day, all of them coincidentally 76 years old. "mean" gene was considered to be the voice and soundtrack to an entire era of his industry. something you'd think daryl dragon could have been but he famously never sang. >> albert brook's real last name is einstein, but for obvious reasons, he changed it personally. >> that makes sense. daryl dragon, the captain, was a classically trained musician who started playing keyboard for the beach boys in 1967. they even had their own variety show right here on abc.

how cool is that. all 76 years old. what a coincidence. >> all right. we'll be right back after this. ♪ i'll be thinking of you

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it is time now for "the mix" on this thursday morning. and we're starting -- i mean, "game of thrones," i think it was hbo tweeted out saying this is the year that "game of thrones" comes back. i think that's what they said. then there was a poster that popped up in the president's cabinet meeting yesterday. look at this. so remember when the president first tweeted out this "game of thrones" themed poster of him and it had the words "sanctions are coming" kind of like "winter is coming." he faced some backlash back in november. then the hard copy of it shows up in the middle of the table during his cabinet meeting yesterday. some people thinking that he used that to kind of enhance his argument for a border wall that, you know, essentially to shut down the government.

but it's bizarre. it seems that no one really knows why it was there. >> well -- >> but -- >> what did you say? >> i could see why it would work. >> i mean, i guess. >> got to do what you got to do. >> i guess so. print out the poster. >> we'll find out as we go along. we're going to keep mixing things up a little bit. check this out. this is what i want for christmas -- for my birthday, actually. >> okay. >> giant life-size backpacks. >> will you carry me around in it? >> i will gladly carry you around. this is incredible. made by cwf. it's really getting a lot of hype over in japan. it is what it is. this is not photoshop. this is a massive backpack/closet/whatever you want to call it. >> slash closet. >> slash bean bag it looks like there. >> whatever you want to use it for.

>> you know, you can cuddle with the backpack. i don't know how much they are, but a japanese retailer is selling them. >> what it's going to cost you, back problems. >> you think so? >> 100%. >> just depends on what you put in there. >> i guess so. your children. carry them around. okay. ongoing with "the mix." so toto's song "africa," you know, the 1982 hit, well, there is this man on youtube, poopsy, could be pupsy, we're not sure which one, but he carved some some sweet potatoes and squash and incredibly used them. ♪ ♪ >> to play the song. >> that's impressive. >> sing along with it, janai. ♪ ♪ >> you don't know the words? >> you don't either. >> you don't even know the song. >> something about the rain. jack's grooving to it. jack's always grooving as soon as we get a beat going. >> that's really cool. that's impressive, to say the least. can we get this one in? a cute little puppy. you know we love kids and animals here on "world news

now." this 8-week-old puppy loves the sliding game.

and i take my job seriously. while i'm busy watching the game, i need your help keeping an eye on the stands. if you see something that doesn't look quite right, tell a law enforcement official. we all play an important role in protecting our communities, and you can help. if you see something suspicious, say something to local authorities. [ crowd cheering ]

this morning on "world news now," roll call. the new congress is set to be sworn in just hours from now with the democrats officially taking control of the u.s. house. this as the government shutdown continues. still developing, a deadly prank leaving a teenager facing a murder charge. how the egging of cars led to the death of a woman. and new this half hour, a performance by pope francis. >> the pontiff wowing people as he joins a circus at the vatican. his message as he showed this off, a ball spinning on the tip of his finger. wow. and "the bachelor" bombshell even before next week's big premier. could colton underwood no longer be a virgin? >> gasp. >> that's later in "the skinny" on this thursday, january 3rd.

from abc news, this is "world news now." is he or isn't he? >> that's the question. we'll find out, right? >> will we? i don't know. we'll just keep asking the questions. we'll get to that later. we begin this half hour with the 116th congress, newly elected members of the house and senate just hours away from taking the oath of office. >> want to show you a live look at the u.s. capitol this morning where it will all take place this afternoon with a record 25 women poised to serve in the senate. this is the most diverse congress ever. it includes the two first muslim-american, democratic representative from minnesota and also michigan. they're being sworn in with the koran. it actually once belonged to thomas jefferson. >> new york democrat alexandria ocasio-cortez will become the youngest serving woman in congress, she is 29. nancy pelosi set to be voted in as house speaker as democrats

take control of the house. >> now, the new congress will be immediately tasked with reaching a compromise with president trump to end the government shutdown. >> after their first meeting in three weeks, both sides remain at an impasse over the president's demand for billions of dollars to fund a border wall, and he was back on twitter overnight declaring that no -- there is no real border security without a wall. abc's mary bruce has the latest. >> reporter: two weeks into this shutdown fight and the impasse is only deepening. the president is digging in on his demands for $5.6 billion to build his border wall while the effects of the shutdown are now literally piling up. mountains of trash have been spotted on the national mall and at parks across the country. while 800,000 government workers remain furloughed or working without pay. even harder hit, at least 2,000 contract workers like janitors may never get any of their back pay. still, the president has now publicly rejected a $2.5 billion

compromise that was proposed to democrats by his own vice president. saying, no, he will not accept $2.5 billion. he wants 5.6. and democrats have made clear they aren't budging either. they will not fund the president's border wall. once democrats te ntl of the house, their first order of business will be to pass legislation that would re-open the government but not fund the wall. that is a nonstarter, the white house says. meeting face-to-face for the first time since the shutdown began, a source tells me that democrats repeatedly pushed the president to see if he would at least commit to opening the agencies unrelated to this immigration fight, but the president's only response, quote, i would look foolish. i'm mary bruce on capitol hill. >> our thanks to mary bruce. if you think the government shutdown isn't affecting you, consider this, the shutdown could soon cause flight delays. air traffic controllers are on the job, although whether they'll get their next paycheck is not certain and neither is maintenance of the equipment they use. the controller's union says maintenance workers are among those on furlough.

so are newly trained controllers, putting more of a strain on the existing staff. civil rights activists are now swarming social media, posting rewards, hoping that it will lead to the killer of a 7-year-old girl in houston. >> they now say the shooting of jazmine barnes was racially motivated but police say until they track down the gunman, they're not ruling anything out. abc's kayna whitworth has the details. >> reporter: the manhunt intensifying in texas after police say jazmine barnes was shot and killed in an unprovoked attack that also injured her mother. >> the top priority for our agency is to bring justice for jazmine. >> reporter: early saturday, the 7-year-old was in the car with her mother laporsha washington and three other siblings. they had just passed a local walmart when a pickup truck pulled up and opened fire. >> i heard shots start firing and they came through my window, broke my glass, hit me in my arm. they sped off in front of us.

the truck slowed down and continued to fire. >> reporter: one of washington's other daughters alerted her of jazmine's condition. >> she said, mama, jazmine's not moving. she's not talking. >> reporter: describing the driver as a white male in his mid-40s with a beard. he was last seen fleeing in this red pickup truck. police plan to have jazmine's older sisters who were in the car with her that day work with a sketch artist. >> the fbi has joined local authorities and the atf is analyzing shell casings found at the scene to see if they're connected to other shootings, but at this point police don't know if this attack was targeted or random. kayna whitworth, abc news, los angeles. >> awful story. and also in houston, a 14-year-old boy accused of driving an suv that caused a fatal car accident is in custody, charged with murder. police say he and two friends had been throwing eggs at other cars when another driver began chasing them. new surveillance video here shows the 14-year-old then ran a red light and crashed into a

pickup truck, killing the driver sylvia zavala. she had been visiting family from out of town and was set to leave that day. >> she was about to come home and get her stuff and say bye and she was about to leave. yeah. she couldn't say bye. he did what he did and he took my mother's life, so he has to pay for what happened. >> so sad for that family. police say the driver who chased after the teens is cooperating but he could also face charges. turning now to the weather. a major storm system is sweeping across the south. >> it is bringing heavy rain and even snow from eastern texas to the southern plains and even as far east as the carolinas. winter weather advisories and warnings are in effect this morning. >> the rare snow in tucson gave a pair of police dogs a chance to play. oni showed his talent at catching snowballs. look there. not too bad. hey, it's just over a month until spring training begins. >> wow. >> in arizona. so hope that clears up quickly. >> let us hope. okay.

it could be a rough day for apple's stock after the company issued a warning about lower revenues. apple's ceo tom cook telling investors that sales over the holiday season fell well below projections. cook blamed most of the shortfall on slowing iphone sales in china. meantime, 2019 got off to a wild start on the u.s. stock market. the dow sank nearly 400 points yesterday morning. this before recovering and posting a small gain for the day. the other major averages also started the year fractionally higher. overnight most asian markets lost ground. the company says dark chocolate oreos will help you, quote, embrace these colder, darker days. >> oh. >> yeah, but it's not a seasonal flavor. they'll actually be available all year long. >> wow. and this year's girl scout cookies also feature a new flavor, gluten-free caramel

chocolate chip. gluten-free, how about that? the scouts say the cookies also have a little sea salt in them. the last new girl scout cookie flavor was the s'more a year ago. >> the scouts have offered gluten-free cookies for about four years. >> okay. >> and the traditional flavors do include the thin mints, the do-si-dos, the samoas and the trefoils. if you're having trouble finding a girl scout cookie -- a girl scout selling cookies -- >> there's an app for that. >> there's an app for that. >> you know, all those names. i don't even know them by those names. i know the thin mints but then the peanut butter ones, the shortbread ones. >> those are my favorite but they're called something else. >> they changed up the name. i was a girl scout for a long time. >> why am i not surprised? i know you were a tough seller, too. >> absolutely. i was the pusher of the cookies. >> janai's coming with the cookies. y'all, look out. coming up, the new warning

from netflix. >> yeah. >> that's right, boy and girl. in just a bit i'm going to tell you about the "bird box" challenge and how netflix itself is weighing in. >> oh, lord, y'all. >> boy? girl? >> oh, goodness. thank you, will. we will see you later in this half hour. and what prompted icon olivia newton-john to take to twitter with a rare video? the rumors that she's not denying. we'll have the details for you on that later in "the skinny." you're watching "world news now." ♪ ♪ ♪ let me hear your body talk ♪ let's get physical, physical ean impossible kitchen and bathroom messes with wipes and spray cleaners? try mr. clean magic eraser. just add water, squeeze, and erase. mr. clean magic eraser works great on burnt-on food in the kitchen. it's perfect for cleaning stubborn bathroom soap scum. even on glass. and it even removes four times more permanent marker per swipe.

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zzzquil pure zzzs. no rain, no lightning, but the dust devils sweeping through western nevada packed a powerful punch. look at that. a homeowner's security camera recorded the damage in his front and backyards about 50 miles from las vegas. >> wow. >> holy cow. no one was injured and the property damage was minor, but you can bet that suv will need a new paint job. well, a florida woman who began the new year trapped in her car sinking in a water-filled ditch said she owes her life to first responders. >> amanda antonio says she lost

control of her car when another driver cut her off. she couldn't see a thing. but she did manage to call 911 as that murky water was quickly rising. >> the water's just coming in deeper and deeper and deeper. it's getting to my neck. >> it's getting to your neck? >> yes. i'm really scared. amanda says the dispatcher kept her calm until the rescue team arrived. they say her suv was almost fully encased in mud when they managed to pull her to safety. >> i thought i wasn't going to make it out because i couldn't open the door. there was no windows. i didn't think i was going to make it out. i'm just thankful i didn't break anything, that i'm still here and for all the police officers and the dispatch lady who helped me. >> wow. she is so lucky. amazingly, amanda only suffered a few minor injuries and she says literally she is lucky to be alive. >> so nice to be reunited with that dispatcher who helped.

>> absolutely. so the pope is coming off a busy christmas season so you can't blame him for having a little fun. >> pope francis had a spinning ball put on his finger. here it is. this during a performance by a cuban circus troupe at the vatican. he was seated as those performers did their thing all around him there. later he took a selfie with one of the acrobats and he thanked all of them for displaying their god-given talents. >> it even looked like he knew where to look at the camera, at the selfie. how cool. >> what a show. >> i mean, is he not the coolest pope ever? >> some will say that. >> yeah. >> what a real treat that must have been for the performers. >> completely. look how fun that looks. >> absolutely. >> all the bright colors and everything. so cool. well, when we come back, barack obama makes it on to the music charts. and, okay, could "bachelor" colton underwood no longer be a virgin? "the skinny" is next. virgin? "the skinny" is next.

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let's get physical. time now for "the skinny." and we start with a rare video by olivia newton-john. >> the '70s icon is speaking out after a report that she had just weeks to live. here's what she had to say about that. >> happy new year, everyone. this is olivia newton-john and i just want to say that the rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated, to quote a very famous quote, and i'm doing great and i want to wish all of you the happiest, healthiest 2019 that's possible, and thank you all for your wonderful love and support for me and for my olivia newton-john cancer wellness center in australia. thank you very much. happy new year. >> she looks fabulous. >> she is looking great. her most recent diagnosis is now her third bout with cancer but we certainly wish her the very best this morning. >> absolutely. such a fighter, clearly. >> yes. next to a possible bombshell from the world of "the bachelor." jack, we're going to need you to weigh in on this.

>> colton underwood, who reallyr airgin d n a osudden being cot queson ill a virgin, but he deflected the question with a nonresponse. >> why didn't the reporter follow back up and get very pushy? he did, however, open up about the upcoming season to michael strahan yesterday on "gma." >> and you know on "the bachelorette" and "bachelor in paradise," you were not afraid to show your emotions, but i think that's why people connected to you. so in this season, are we going to see a lot of tears? >> you're going to see all the emotions and, yes, there are some tears. >> there are some tears? >> there are. >> see, look at that, they're connecting with you even more right now. >> let's bring in our chief national "bachelor" analyst, jack. jack? >> yes? >> is colton a virgin still? >> i have no idea, but i'm sure

it -- everything will be laid out perfectly during the upcoming season. >> during the upcoming -- >> which no doubt will be the most emotional tear-filled season of "the bachelor" ever. >> what makes you predict that, jack? >> because i've seen past seasons of "the bachelor" and, you know, we never regress, let's put it that way. >> oh yeah. >> there's never fewer tears. >> always high drama, high emotion and it keeps getting higher, right? >> you got to do it. sort of like apple stock, only different. >> jack, i wonder, though, if he deflected because it's none of her business. what if that was the reason why he didn't? >> no, if you build your brand on being a virgin, when we ask, you answer, right? >> okay. i suppose. >> right? doesn't that make sense. next, to the premier of a show that mashes up celebrities and it guesses -- it's really a guessing game. it has music and always bizarre costumes. >> last night fox produced "the

masked singer." it's based on an identical show in south korea in which celebrities hide in costumes and try to impress the judges with their vocal talent. the losers must remove their masks and head home. >> in last night's premier, the big reveal was quite an over the top ordeal. that was pittsburgh steeler antonio brown as he is the show's very first loser. there you go. >> i knew it! >> more drama. >> so was he the loser because no one guessed him? the shade. the shade. >> i don't know, my dad loves the steelers so he's a winner in my book, no matter what. >> oh, marcus. >> just keeping it in the family. >> i'm just saying, define celebrities. if you had to guess, oh, whose voice is that? oh, antonio brown from the steelers. never. >> you have to follow the celebrities. >> can we be celebrities? are we celebrities. >> you might be a celebrity. you a star. >> a star.

>> i'm a nobody. speaking of another star, former president barack obama has made his debut on the billboard hot r&b song charts this week. >> this is no joke. mr. obama landed at number 22 with "one last time: 44 remix." "hamilton" creator lin-manuel miranda released the track which is a gospel-inspired remix from the show. >> president obama's actually a two-time grammy award winner, nabbing two spoken word album prizes in 2006 and 2008. >> okay. i didn't hear about this. >> right? neither. >> there you go. >> the things you learn. and another baby is on the way for kimye. >> kim kardashian and kanye are reportedly expecting their fourth child by surrogate. this according to "us weekly." >> a source tells them a baby boy is set to arrive in may. chicago, their youngest daughter, was born via surrogate last january.

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blindfold. you must listen as closely as you can. if you hear something in the woods, you tell me. if you hear something in the water, you tell me. do you understand? >> oh, yeah. but now the movie is breaking more than just records, it's breaking lamps and walls and all kinds of things, thanks to a new viral trend, the #birdboxchallenge encourages participants to try various activities blindfolded. from biking indoors like this guy to eating dinner with your entire family. there are even some four-legged participants trying to bark through the blindfolds to track down a treat. netflix posted this tweet on wednesday afternoon saying, "can't believe i have to say this, but please don't hurt yourselves with the "bird box" challenge." notice how they didn't say not to do it, they just said don't hurt yourself while you're trying to. >> will, come on now. >> which is why i'm putting this

blindfold on and i'm coming over there very carefully with this tray of treats for you guys. >> don't make a sound. >> okay. here we go. did you say don't make a sound? not fair. >> ka-kaw. >> oh, candy down. candy down. >> look out, now. don't twist your ankle. okay. hold on. here we go. >> you made it. >> can you see through there, though? >> no, i really can't. >> how many fingers am i holding up? >> four. >> it's all real. what kind of candy is this, though? not bad. not bad. >> i haven't seen the movie yet. >> i just gave you a sandra bullock-worthy performance. >> you so did. we love sandra. >> she's good. >> netflix keeps telling me to watch it, but i've been watching, like, "sex and the city" and old reruns of "scandal." >> i've been binge watching "designated survivor." >> while you guys are watching things that are two years old and 30 years old, i'll keep you guys updated on the trending stuff, all right? >> all rigs..

>> we should watch netflix, you and i. >>

america this morning. s making news in america this morning. making news in america this morning, the balance of power shifts in washington today. democrats take control of the house. the new proposal to end the government shutdown and president trump's response. plus, what he said about his military generals that's raising eyebrows. new worries about the economy. overnight apple's stocks plunge after a new warning about iphone sales. how it could affect the markets today. plus, the new prediction about gas prices. breaking overnight, history in space. china lands on the far side of the moon while nasa releases the first image of an object 1 billion miles beyond pluto. teenager accused of cheating on the s.a.t. exam. was her score too good to be true and how she's fighting

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