making news in america this morning, the thanksgiving weather nightmare for millions of americans on the move. from a snow emergency to stranded drivers to record winds threatening to ground the macy's parade balloons, what you can expect this morning. also happening right now, mandatory evacuations, a four-mile radius ordered to flee as another explosion rips through this chemical plant in texas. debris flying into the air. nearby homes damaged. 60,000 people affected. the big concern overnight. the dash for deals under way at this hour, the biggest bargains on this thanksgiving day, and we ask the question, is it even worth going to the store? the online deals and what retailers are doing today to get you off the couch.

the new warning about flu season. the symptoms now sidelining even the toughest pro football players. plus, the mystery surrounding this image posted by president trump. and the young man who mistakenly received a text from a stranger inviting him to thanksgiving dinner and the unique bond they've now formed. good thursday morning. happy thanksgiving. i'm janai norman. >> and i'm will reeve in for kenneth moton. it's been a rough start to the holiday thanks to that weather all around the country. looking at the radar right now, 140 million americans dealing with snow, rain, heavy winds, thousands without power naon way to new jersey and because of those heavy winds, the decision on whether to fly the macy's parade

balloons today remains up in the air. those balloons can soar up to 55 feet high but could be lowered or grounded. abc's megan tevrizian has more on all of this. megan, good thanksgiving morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, janai and will. 55 million americans are expected to travel this thanksgiving holiday and these two storms could create extra headaches for those travelers through the weekend. two major storms hitting coast to coast on one of the busiest travel times of the year. the first blowing through the midwest dumping six inches of snow in wisconsin. minneapolis declaring a snow emergency. meanwhile, another storm is pounding the west coast with rain. in northern california, part of interstate 5 shut down stranding travelers for 5, 6, even 12 hours. >> packed the usual. it's like from l.a. all the way to get there.

>> reporter: the wind wreaking across the country causing power outages to at least 305,000 customers across 8 states putting the iconic macy's thanksgiving day parade balloons at risk of being grounded. >> keep the city of new york in your thoughts and prayers so the wind will stay calm. >> reporter: the giant balloons already inflated but officials still uncertain if winds will be too dangerous saying they'll make a game day decision later today. at full height the balloons can reach 55 feet. they can be lowered to ten feet if the winds are too strong. >> i can tell peak gusts in an hour, the sustained speed. >> reporter: information that can be transmitted in realtime to the nypd from a network of wind meters along the route and the balloons cannot fly if winds exceed 23 miles per hour or if gusts are stronger than 34 miles per hour. more than 3 million people are expected at the parade later today. will.

>> megan, thank you. we'll take a closer look at the weather forecast in less than five minutes. in the meantime, following breaking news overnight, angry reaction from china after president trump showed his support for pro-democracy protesters in hong kong and he's now signed a pair of bills that would authorize sanctions against chinese officials responsible for human rights abused in hong kong. in response, china has now summoned the u.s. ambassador in beijing. the chinese government says the u.s. will bear the consequences for interfering in its internal affairs. new details about the internal investigation into the origins of the russia investigation. sources tell "the new york times" that the justice department's inspector general has found no evidence that the fbi tried to spy on the trump campaign in 2016, which contradicts what the president has claimed, but the inspector general did criticize fbi leaders for errors that were made while obtaining a secret wiretap for the russia probe. now to the massive explosions rocking a chemical

plant in southeast texas felt ten miles away. the fire still burning overnight, 60,000 people nearby have been told to evacuate. overnight, residents within a four-mile radius of this burning chemical plant facing a mandatory evacuation order and curfew. the plant about 90 miles east of houston in port neches produces chemical and petroleum-based products. three tanks burst into flames. and now crews are fighting to keep the fire from spreading to other tanks. the first emergency call came in early wednesday. surveillance footage from this nearby cafe shows the power of the initial explosion blowing out windows and blowing open doors. homes in the area also damaged. >> i run to the bedroom to get my daughter and say we have to get out of here because i don't know if something else is going to blow up. >> reporter: 13 hours after the first explosion a second blast sending burning debris flying into the air. a huge plume of black smoke seen for miles.

officials rushing to begin air quality checks. >> all the monitoring to date shows that our air quality is within the guidelines. there exists no danger to the public as a result of the plume thus far. >> reporter: authorities now warning people to stay away from debris scattered by the explosions as they try to determine what caused this disaster. >> we certainly don't want people touching it with their bare hands, et cetera, because it could be contaminated. >> three workers at the plant were injured, but they're already out of the hospital. officials are not giving any time line as to when the evacuations in the area will be lifted. a fugitive marine wanted for murder has been arrested weeks after deserting his post at camp lejeune. 22-year-old michael brown was taken into custody after returning to the crime scene in southern virginia. he's accused of shooting his mother's boyfriend. at this point a motive remains unclear. turning overseas this morning, anti-government protesters have burned down the iranian consulate in southern

iraq. iran is demanding the iraqi government act forcefully to respond. consulate staffers were safely evacuated but one protester was killed when police opened fire. former president jimmy carter is out of the hospital and home in time for the holiday. the 95-year-old released yesterday after surgery to stop bleeding around his brain caused by a series of falls. his recovery will continue at his home in plains, georgia. turning back now to the weather, let's take a closer look at your thanksgiving forecast. good morning and happy thanksgiving. this low pressure system exiting out of the northeast. there will be some snow to start the day across new england. bigger story, the powerful winds across the area, could be talking gusts up to 50 miles per hour, unfortunately, impacting that macy's thanksgiving day parade. yet another storm making its way in across california, bringing heavy rainfall, especially along

the coast of southern california, one to two inches expected. you get into the mountains around arizona, flagstaff, one to two feet of snow expected with that, and even out ahead of it, we've got a surge of some moisture bringing some rain and even some icy spots as you make your way northward into the central plains. i'm accuweather meteorologist adam del rosso. coming up, a new warning about counterfeit cash that looks just like the real thing. we'll see if you can spot the difference. and also ahead, a major drug trafficking bust allegedly involving workers at u.p.s. plus, the shocking moment a child falls out of a moving van onto the street.

we're back with new details on this helicopter rescue that went horribly wrong. the 74-year-old woman who was spinning out of control in that basket is now suing the city of phoenix for $2 million claiming the rescue caused her physical and emotional injuries. she was hiking in june when she fell. she allegedly told rescuers she did not want to be air-lifted. >> i remember that video, very scary. the secret service is warning of a wave of counterfeit cash making the rounds. the bills are used as props in hollywood movies, and even though they look like the real thing, if you look closer, they actually say for motion picture use only. you got to pay attention. many people didn't notice those words and are getting scammed. a virginia man was just sentenced to three years in prison for using the fake cash to buy electronics. >> i always assumed they used real money. people planning to catch a ride with uber or lyft are being warned about a growing scam.

the better business bureau says more customers are complaining about drivers wrongly charging them cleanup fees claiming the rider got sick in their car after a night of drinking. the charge can be as high as $100. many customers don't notice the charge until days later, so they're warning riders to take a picture of the seats in your car to protect yourself. four u.p.s. employees under arrest charged with running a massive drug shipment operation which went undetected for more than a decade. investigators say u.p.s. drivers and two supervisors worked with drug traffickers to ship the drugs out of tucson, arizona, and ship money back in. the workers allegedly used their insider knowledge to hide drugs and money in regular packages. >> while you're here talking to me, there may be a package being delivered to your house today and if you manage to find it and bring it into the house, that drug trafficker doesn't interdict it, get it themselves before you get it, then

they may do a home invasion to get it. >> wow. at least 50,000 counterfeit vape pens were also seized. a sheriff's deputy in tulsa is being called a hero after an incredible save. he was making a traffic stop when a van came down the street, a child tumbled out of -- you can see there -- out of a moving van onto the road. the deputy raced over, picked up the little girl, got her out of the way of oncoming traffic. her mom received a citation because none of the children in the van were buckled up. the little girl is okay. >> goodness. coming up, a new warning about the flu season and how bad it may get. but first the black friday frenzy is already under way this morning. the best bargains right now. what's different this year and where you need to go for the steal of the season. ♪ ozempic®! ♪ (announcer) people with type 2 diabetes are excited about the potential of once-weekly ozempic®. in a study with ozempic®, a majority of adults lowered their blood sugar and reached an a1c

of less than 7 and maintained it. oh! under 7? (announcer) and you may lose weight. in the same one-year study, adults lost on average up to 12 pounds. oh! up to 12 pounds? (announcer) a two-year study showed that ozempic® does not increase the risk of major cardiovascular events like heart attack, stroke, or death. oh! no increased risk? (announcer) ozempic® should not be the first medicine for treating diabetes, or for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. do not share needles or pens. don't reuse needles. do not take ozempic® if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to ozempic®. stop taking ozempic® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, itching, rash, or trouble breathing. serious side effects may happen, including pancreatitis. tell your doctor if you have diabetic retinopathy or vision changes. taking ozempic® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase the risk for low blood sugar. common side effects are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,

stomach pain, and constipation. some side effects can lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. i discovered the potential with ozempic®. ♪ oh! oh! oh! ozempic®! ♪ (announcer) if eligible, you may pay as little as $25 per prescription. ask your health care provider today about once-weekly ozempic®. only roomba i7+ uses two multi-surface rubber brushes. ♪ and the filter captures 99% of dog and cat allergens. if it's not from irobot, it's not a roomba™. hey, folks, happy thanksgiving, everybody. this is a total success story

thanks to the staff in the building behind me. the city didn't lose two people today. we're back in the game. we're not going anywhere. [ applause ] >> it's a special holiday for a new york city emt. he spent six weeks in the hospital after a stroke but will get to spend thanksgiving at home. >> oh, it's such a feel good story. that's because doctors used a new procedure to remove a blockage in an artery and it worked. a first responder who helped him also had a medical emergency. but both are now recovered. both are home for the holiday. we turn now to the rush to save money this thanksgiving weekend. the dash for deals, it's already started. >> ah, the shopping season between thanksgiving and christmas is shorter this year and that means the sales are more aggressive than ever. this morning, the black friday frenzy is kicking off early with a whopping 165 million people expected to hit the stores or shop online between today and

monday. thanksgiving day sales are pareo last year and overnight retailers launching these deals online. at walmart this phillips 65-inch 4k smart tv has been marked down more than 40%. at best buy this microsoft surface pro 7 is marked down 360 bucks and amazon is offering $125 off the samsung gear sport smartwatch. the big debate now, whether to even get off the couch this weekend. >> it's really not worth the hassle to go all the way to a store. >> reporter: analysts say these are the average discounts you can expect online. nearly 9% off toys, 14% off computers and 17% off tvs. but there's a caveat. >> when it comes to tvs, you're not going to be getting the newest and latest model for sale on black friday. >> reporter: still several major retailers are going to new lengths to get you off the couch and into the store.

macy's says diamond stud earrings that normally cost $750 will be available for $179 but only in stores. and after closing its stores in 2018, the revamped and much smaller toys "r" us is back opening locations in new jersey and texas hoping character appearances will lure shoppers through the doors. >> being able to reimagine the business was kind of a dream come true. >> reporter: for additional savings, take advantage of apps like honey and rakuten, which is offering up to 15% cash back at hundreds of retailers tomorrow. okay, so even though several major retailers are opening later today, one survey claims that one in five people are expected to shop online today from the thanksgiving table. now to a terrifying case of road rage on a highway in texas. police say a driver in a white suv was going after a couple in

their car with their toddler in the backseat, apparently because they weren't driving fast enough. the suv then slams into a motorcycle. they were on the phone with 911 as he crashed into that motorcycle. a really severe scene. >> i have a baby. >> we have a baby. >> and he just hit us. >> he just hit my car. >> he just hit my car. >> it escalated very quickly and it got scary. when something like that happens if you've never been in the situation, you panic. >> the couple stopped to help the man on the motorcycle. the driver of the suv was arrested. his child was also in that suv. all right, in lighter news turning to sports there is a football frenzy on tap today. it's on the menu. the bears take on the lions at 12:30 eastern, then it's the bills versus dallas at 4:30 and tonight the saints take on atlanta. well, the new england

patriots' latest opponent is making them sick. eight players missed practice yesterday because of the flu. coach bill belichick says players need to do whatever they can to stay healthy. meanwhile, doctors say everyone six months and older should get a flu shot. the college basketball player whose final shot helped defeat number one duke is seeing a big payoff. nathan bain's layup made stephen f. austin the first non-acc school to beat the blue devils at home since 2000. it also put bain's story in the spotlight. he's from the bahamas and lost nearly everything in hurricane dorian. the school set up a gofundme account. since the game donations have jumped from $2,000 to more than 107,000. >> wow. good for him. up next in "the pulse," the picture of president trump going viral. also ahead, the grandmother who texted a thanksgiving invitation to the wrong number who ended up with a lifelong friend. thousands of women with metastatic breast cancer,

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♪ time to check "the pulse" on this thanksgiving morning. and we begin with another mysterious presidential tweet. >> this one shows the president with his head on the ripped body of sylvester stallone's rocky balboa. president trump was reportedly on the golf course when this picture was posted. >> the white house hasn't answered questions about what the photo might mean, but stallone is reportedly a big trump fan. are we sure that's not just the president with his shirt off. >> it could be. anyway, next a story about a thanksgiving dinner date that began with a text message to the wrong number. >> and four years later the grandmother who sent that text and the man she mistakenly believed was her grandson, they're still celebrating the holiday together. that's wanda dench and jamal hinton of arizona. they will get together again

today. >> yeah, he was a high school senior when they met and since then they go on dinner dates and get together for barbecue. >> love that story. a baby boom is giving the staff at a cincinnati hospital 21 reasons to be thankful. >> that's because 21 maternity nurses were pregnant at the same time. they posted a group photo over the summer. a parade of babies followed. >> your patients are like, what's going on because everybody that's walked in here is pregnant. >> it's amazing that many miracles in such a short amount of time. >> it's a blessing and then, you know, the business boss side of your brain is like, oh, how are we going to staff? >> reporter: five babies are still on the way. did someone get me a water bottle from cincinnati? >> pretty good. and finally the most popular thanksgiving side dishes. >> google is out with a list of side dishes people are searching for the most. in illinois it's stuffing.

washington, nevada, green bean casserole. butternut squash in massachusetts. >> in texas it's fruit salad. and it tastes like grilling chicken in your backyard. they definitely got it right. hey i'm colin. i like chick-fil-a's mac & cheese because it reminds me of my nana's mac & cheese. but this is a little bit better because it has the perfect amount of smoothness and creaminess. but i still love you, nana. i am totally blind. and non-24 can throw my days and nights out of sync, keeping me from the things i love to do. talk to your doctor, and call 844-214-2424. thanks to move free ultra i keep up with this little one. see the world with this guy. and hit the town with these girls. in a clinical study, 4 out of 5 users felt better joint comfort.

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get powerful relief with pepto bismol liquicaps. checking more top stories, china is firing back after president trump signed two bills supporting pro-democracy protesters in hong kong. beijing calls the move arrogant warning the u.s. will face consequences. ahead of next week's summit the white house says it's cutting back on how much money the u.s. contributes to nato's operating budget. the reduction will be about 6%. more contributions from allies will make up the difference. a massive fire burned through the night at a chemical plant 90 miles east of houston. it started with two explosions wednesday. a mandatory evacuation was orr r ordered within a four-mile radius. heavy snow and rain across almost the entire western half of the country and then strong winds in the northeast which could ground the balloons at

today's macy's parade in new york city. speaking of those balloon, they're all set to fly, fingers crossed, conditions will allow, they were inflated as huge crowds looked on just a few blocks from your studio. >> looking forward to being there for "gma." our will ganss was there as the incongratulations happened. >> reporter: we are here in new york city where preparations are under way for the 93rd annual macy's thanksgiving day parade. the balloons are getting bigger and so is the excitement and we're bringing you guys behind the scenes. if astronaut snoopy is any indication this year's parade is going to be out of this world. >> we have three new giant character balloons including the most largest most ginormous green ham with green eggs. leadinpadeiln. now, snoopy has been a balloon in the parade seven other times, seven different designs.

this is his eighth design to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the apollo 11 mission. >> logistically what does it take to fill the balloons up to keep them on the ground? >> about 160 inflation team members, 36 tarps, 16 giant balloons, 23 medium and small size balloons, four helium trucks, 2,000 balloon handlers will show up and help us hold the lines. 12 marching bands, nearly a thousand clowns, 46 floats. it's pretty incredible. >> reporter: what is your favorite thing you've seen today since watching the balloons get blown up? >> i think it might be the dinosaurs and poppy. >> maybe one of the people from "duck tales." >> love it. if you could add any balloon to the parade what isn't here yet is there a character? >> dogman. >> who? >> dogman. who is dogman? >> how about you?

>> pennywise. >> yes. >> >> >> pennywise is it. >> love it. making news in america this morning, the thanksgiving weather nightmare for millions of americans on the move. from a snow emergency to stranded drivers to record winds threatening to ground the macy's parade balloons, what you can expect this morning. also happening right now, mandatory evacuations, a four-mile radius ordered to flee as another explosion rips through this chemical plant in texas. debris flying into the air. nearby homes damaged. 60,000 people affected. the big concern overnight. the dash for deals under way at this hour, the biggest bargains on this thanksgiving day, and we ask the question, is it even worth going to the store? the online deals and what retailers are doing today to get

you off the couch. the new warning about flu season. the symptoms now sidelining even the toughest pro football players. plus, the mystery surrounding this image posted by president trump. and the young man who mistakenly received a text from a stranger inviting him to thanksgiving dinner and the unique bond they've now formed. good thursday morning. happy thanksgiving. i'm janai norman. >> and i'm will reeve in for kenneth moton. it's been a rough start to the holiday thanks to that weather all around the country. looking at the radar right now, 140 million americans dealing with snow, rain, heavy winds, thousands without power nationwide. >> tough way to start the holiday. weather alerts stretch from california all the way to new jersey and because of those heavy winds, the decision on whether to fly the macy's parade

balloons today remains up in the air. those balloons can soar up to 55 feet high but could be lowered or grounded. abc's megan tevrizian has more on all of this. megan, good thanksgiving morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, janai and will. 55 million americans are expected to travel this thanksgiving holiday and these two storms could create extra headaches for those travelers through the weekend. two major storms hitting coast to coast on one of the busiest travel times of the year. the first blowing through the midwest dumping six inches of snow in wisconsin. minneapolis declaring a snow emergency. meanwhile, another storm is pounding the west coast with rain. in northern california, part of interstate 5 shut down stranding travelers for 5, 6, even 12 hours. >> packed the usual. it's like from l.a. all the way to get there.

>> reporter: the wind wreaking across the country causing power outages to at least 305,000 customers across 8 states putting the iconic macy's thanksgiving day parade balloons at risk of being grounded. >> keep the city of new york in your thoughts and prayers so the wind will stay calm. >> reporter: the giant balloons already inflated but officials still uncertain if winds will be too dangerous saying they'll make a game day decision later today. at full height the balloons can reach 55 feet. they can be lowered to ten feet if the winds are too strong. >> i can tell peak gusts in an hour, the sustained speed. >> reporter: information that can be transmitted in realtime to the nypd from a network of wind meters along the route and the balloons cannot fly if winds exceed 23 miles per hour or if gusts are stronger than 34 miles per hour. more than 3 million people are expected at the parade later today.

will. >> megan, thank you. we'll take a closer look at the weather forecast in less than five minutes. in the meantime, following breaking news overnight, angry reaction from china after president trump showed his support for pro-democracy protesters in hong kong and he's now signed a pair of bills that would authorize sanctions against chinese officials responsible for human rights abused in hong kong. in response, china has now summoned the u.s. ambassador in beijing. the chinese government says the u.s. will bear the consequences for interfering in its internal affairs. new details about the internal investigation into the origins of the russia investigation. sources tell "the new york times" that the justice department's inspector general has found no evidence that the fbi tried to spy on the trump campaign in 2016, which contradicts what the president has claimed, but the inspector general did criticize fbi leaders for errors that were made while obtaining a secret wiretap for the russia probe. now to the massive explosions rocking a chemical

plant in southeast texas felt ten miles away. the fire still burning overnight, 60,000 people nearby have been told to evacuate. overnight, residents within a four-mile radius of this burning chemical plant facing a mandatory evacuation order and curfew. the plant about 90 miles east of houston in port neches produces chemical and petroleum-based products. three tanks burst into flames. and now crews are fighting to keep the fire from spreading to other tanks. the first emergency call came in early wednesday. surveillance footage from this nearby cafe shows the power of the initial explosion blowing out windows and blowing open doors. homes in the area also damaged. >> i run to the bedroom to get my daughter and say we have to get out of here because i don't know if something else is going to blow up. >> reporter: 13 hours after the first explosion a second blast sending burning debris flying into the air. a huge plume of black smoke seen

for miles. officials rushing to begin air quality checks. >> all the monitoring to date shows that our air quality is within the guidelines. there exists no danger to the public as a result of the plume thus far. >> reporter: authorities now warning people to stay away from debris scattered by the explosions as they try to determine what caused this disaster. >> we certainly don't want people touching it with their bare hands, et cetera, because it could be contaminated. >> three workers at the plant were injured, but they're already out of the hospital. officials are not giving any time line as to when the evacuations in the area will be lifted. a fugitive marine wanted for murder has been arrested weeks after deserting his post at camp lejeune. 22-year-old michael brown was taken into custody after returning to the crime scene in southern virginia. he's accused of shooting his mother's boyfriend. at this point a motive remains unclear. turning overseas this morning, anti-government protesters have burned down the iranian consulate in southern

iraq. iran is demanding the iraqi government act forcefully to respond. consulate staffers were safely evacuated but one protester was killed when police opened fire. former president jimmy carter is out of the hospital and home in time for the holiday. the 95-year-old released yesterday after surgery to stop bleeding around his brain caused by a series of falls. his recovery will continue at his home in plains, georgia. turning back now to the weather, let's take a closer look at your thanksgiving forecast. good morning and happy thanksgiving. this low pressure system exiting out of the northeast. there will be some snow to start the day across new england. lkg up to 50 miles perrful winds hour, unfortunately, impacting that macy's thanksgiving day parade. yet another storm making its way in across california, bringing heavy rainfall, especially along

the coast of southern california, one to two inches expected. you get into the mountains around arizona, flagstaff, one to two feet of snow expected with that, and even out ahead of it, we've got a surge of some moisture bringing some rain and even some icy spots as you make your way northward into the central plains. i'm accuweather meteorologist adam del rosso. coming up, a new warning about counterfeit cash that looks just like the real thing. we'll see if you can spot the difference. and also ahead, a major drug trafficking bust allegedly involving workers at u.p.s. plus, the shocking moment a child falls out of a moving van onto the street.

hbut mike bloomberg became thele clasguy whoho mdid good. after building a business that created thousands of jobs he took charge of a city still reeling from 9/11 a three-term mayor who helped bring it back from the ashes bringing jobs and thousands of affordable housing units with it. after witnessing the terrible toll of gun violence... he helped create a movement to protect families across america. and stood up to the coal lobby and this administration to protect this planet from climate change. and now, he's taking on... him. to rebuild a country and restore faith in the dream that defines us. where the wealthy will pay more in taxes and the middle class get their fair share. everyone without health insurance can get it and everyone who likes theirs keep it.

and where jobs won't just help you get by, but get ahead. and on all those things mike blomberg intends to make good. jobs creator. leader. problem solver. mike bloomberg for president. i'm mike bloomberg and i approve this message.

we're back with new details on this helicopter rescue that went horribly wrong. the 74-year-old woman who was spinning out of control in that basket is now suing the city of phoenix for $2 million claiming the rescue caused her physical and emotional injuries. she was hiking in june when she fell. she allegedly told rescuers she did not want to be air-lifted. >> i remember that video, very scary. the secret service is warning of a wave of counterfeit cash making the rounds. the bills are used as props in hollywood movies, and even though they look like the real thing, if you look closer, they actually say for motion picture use only. you got to pay attention. many people didn't notice those words and are getting scammed. a virginia man was just sentenced to three years in prison for using the fake cash to buy electronics. a i always assumed they used rih ube or lyft are being warned about a growing scam.

the better business bureau says more customers are complaining about drivers wrongly charging them cleanup fees claiming the rider got sick in their car after a night of drinking. the charge can be as high as $100. many customers don't notice the charge until days later, so they're warning riders to take a picture of the seats in your car to protect yourself. four u.p.s. employees under arrest charged with running a massive drug shipment operation which went undetected for more than a decade. investigators say u.p.s. drivers and two supervisors worked with drug traffickers to ship the drugs out of tucson, arizona, and ship money back in. the workers allegedly used their insider knowledge to hide drugs and money in regular packages. >> while you're here talking to me, there may be a package being delivered to your house today and if you manage to find it and bring it into the house, that drug trafficker doesn't interdict it, get it themselves

before you get it, then at least 50,0 unterfeit vape iz. a sheriff's deputy in t is being called a hero after an incredible save. he was making a traffic stop when a van came down the street, a child tumbled out of -- you can see there -- out of a moving van onto the road. the deputy raced over, picked up the little girl, got her out of the way of oncoming traffic. her mom received a citation because none of the children in the van were buckled up. the little girl is okay. >> goodness. coming up, a new warning about the flu season and how bad it may get. but first the black friday frenzy is already under way this morning. the best bargains right now. what's different this year and where you need to go for the steal of the season. ♪ ozempic®! ♪ (announcer) people with type 2 diabetes are excited about the potential of once-weekly ozempic®. in a study with ozempic®, a majority of adults lowered their blood sugar and reached an a1c

of less than 7 and maintained it. oh! under 7? (announcer) and you may lose weight. hd 8. (announcer) a two-year study showed that ozempic® does not like heart attack, stroke, or death. oh! no increased risk? (announcer) ozempic® should not be the first medicine for treating diabetes, or for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. don't reuse needles. do not take ozempic® if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to ozempic®. stop taking ozempic® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, itching, rash, or trouble breathing. serious side effects may happen, including pancreatitis. tell your doctor if you have diabetic retinopathy or vision changes. taking ozempic® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase the risk for low blood sugar. common side effects are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,

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thanks to the staff in the building behind me. the city didn't lose two people today. we're back in the game. we're not going anywhere. [ applause ] >> it's a special holiday for a new york city emt. he spent six weeks in the hospital after a stroke but will get to spend thanksgiving at home. >> oh, it's such a feel good story. that's because doctors used a new procedure to remove a blockage in an artery and it worked. a first responder who helped him also had a medical emergency. but both are now recovered. both are home for the holiday. we turn now to the rush to save money this thanksgiving weekend. the dash for deals, it's already started. >> ah, the shopping season between thanksgiving and christmas is shorter this year and that means the sales are more aggressive than ever. this morning, the black friday frenzy is kicking off early with a whopping 165 million people expected to hit the stores or shop online between today and

monday. thanksgiving day sales are expected to jump 20% compared to last year and overnight retailers launching these deals online. at walmart this phillips 65-inch 4k smart tv has been marked down more than 40%. at best buy this microsoft surface pro 7 is marked down 360 bucks and amazon is offering $125 off the samsung gear sport smartwatch. the big debate now, whether to even get off the couch this weekend. >> it's really not worth the hassle to go all the way to a store. >> reporter: analysts say these are the average discounts you can expect online. nearly 9% off toys, 14% off computers and 17% off tvs. but there's a caveat. >> when it comes to tvs, you're not going to be getting the newest and latest model for sale on black friday. >> reporter: still several major retailers are going to new lengths to get you off the couch and into the store.

macy's says diamond stud earrings that normally cost $750 will be available for $179 but only in stores. and after closing its stores in 2018, the revamped and much smaller toys "r" us is back opening locations in new jersey and texas hoping character appearances will lure shoppers through the doors. >> being able to reimagine the business was kind of a dream come true. >> reporter: for additional savings, take advantage of apps like honey and rakuten, which is offering up to 15% cash back at hundreds of retailers tomorrow. okay, so even though several major retailers are opening later today, one survey claims that one in five people are expected to shop online today from the thanksgiving table. now to a terrifying case of road rage on a highway in texas. police say a driver in a white

suv was going after a couple in their car with their toddler in the backseat, apparently because they weren't driving fast enough. the suv then slams into a motorcycle. they were on the phone with 911 as he crashed into that motorcycle. a really severe scene. >> i have a baby. >> we have a baby. >> and he just hit us. >> he just hit my car. >> he just hit my car. >> it escalated very quickly and it got scary. when something like that happens if you've never been in the situation, you panic. >> the couple stopped to help the man on the motorcycle. the driver of the suv was arrested. his child was also in that suv. e ars take on the lions at ews . 12:30 eastern, then it's the bills versus dallas at 4:30 and tonight the saints take on atlanta.

stbeof thethe new england ck coach bill belichick says players need to do whatever they can to stay healthy. meanwhile, doctors say everyone six months and older should get a flu shot. the college basketball player whose final shot helped defeat number one duke is seeing a big payoff. nathan bain's layup made stephen f. austin the first non-acc school to beat the blue devils at home since 2000. it also put bain's story in the spotlight. he's from the bahamas and lost nearly everything in hurricane dorian. the school set up a gofundme account. since the game donations have jumped from $2,000 to more than 107,000. >> wow. good for him. up next in "the pulse," the picture of president trump going viral. also ahead, the grandmother who texted a thanksgiving invitation to the wrong number who ended up with a lifelong friend. thousands of women with metastatic breast cancer,

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♪ time to check "the pulse" on this thanksgiving morning. and we begin with another mysterious presidential tweet. >> this one shows the president with his head on the ripped body of sylvester stallone's rocky balboa. president trump was reportedly on the golf course when this picture was posted. >> the white house hasn't answered questions about what the photo might mean, but stallone is reportedly a big trump fan. are we sure that's not just the president with his shirt off. >> it could be. anyway, next a story about a thanksgiving dinner date that began with a text message to the wrong number. >> and four years later the grandmother who sent that text and the man she mistakenly believed was her grandson, they're still celebrating the holiday together. that's wanda dench and jamal hinton of arizona.

they will get together again today. >> yeah, he was a high school senior when they met and since then they go on dinner dates and get together for barbecue. >> love that story. a baby boom is giving the staff at a cincinnati hospital 21 reasons to be thankful. >> that's because 21 maternity nurses were pregnant at the same time. they posted a group photo over the summer. a parade of babies followed. >> your patients are like, what's going on because everybody that's walked in here is pregnant. >> it's amazing that many miracles in such a short amount of time. >> it's a blessing and then, you know, the business boss side of your brain is like, oh, how are we going to staff? >> reporter: five babies are still on the way. did someone get me a water bottle from cincinnati? >> pretty good. and finally the most popular thanksgiving side dishes. >> google is out with a list of side dishes people are searching for the most.

in illinois it's stuffing. washington, nevada, green bean casserole. butternut squash in massachusetts. >> in texas it's fruit salad. and it tastes like grilling chicken in your backyard. they definitely got it right. hey i'm colin. i like chick-fil-a's mac & cheese because it reminds me of my nana's mac & cheese. but this is a little bit better because it has the perfect amount of smoothness and creaminess. but i still love you, nana. i am totally blind. and non-24 can throw my days and nights out of sync, keeping me from the things i love to do. talk to your doctor, and call 844-214-2424. thanks to move free ultra i keep up with this little one. see the world with this guy. and hit the town with these girls. in a clinical study, 4 out of 5 users felt better joint comfort.

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get powerful relief with pepto bismol liquicaps. checking more top stories, china is firing back after president trump signed two bills supporting pro-democracy protesters in hong kong. beijing calls the move arrogant warning the u.s. will face consequences. ahead of next week's summit the white house says it's cutting back on how much money the u.s. contributes to nato's operating budget. the reduction will be about 6%. more contributions from allies will make up the difference. a massive fire burned through the night at a chemical plant 90 miles east of houston. it started with two explosions wednesday. a mandatory evacuation was ordered but thorde ordered within a four-mile radius. heavy snow and rain across almost the entire western half of the country and then strong winds in the northeast which could ground the balloons at

today's macy's parade in new york city. speaking of those balloon, they're all set to fly, fingers crossed, conditions will allow, they were inflated as huge crowds looked on just a few blocks from your studio. >> looking forward to being there for "gma." our will ganss was there as the incongratulations happened. >> reporter: we are here in new york city where preparations are under way for the 93rd annual macy's thanksgiving day parade. the balloons are getting bigger and so is the excitement and we're bringing you guys behind the scenes. if astronaut snoopy is any indication this year's parade is going to be out of this world. >> we have three new giant character balloons including the most largest most ginormous green ham with green eggs. on the other end of the street leading the parade will be our brand-new snoopy balloon. now, snoopy has been a balloon in the parade seven other times, seven different designs.

this is his eighth design to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the apollo 11 mission. >> logistically what does it take to fill the balloons up to keep them on the ground? >> about 160 inflation team members, 36 tarps, 16 giant balloons, 23 medium and small size balloons, four helium trucks, 2,000 balloon handlers will show up and help us hold the lines. 12 marching bands, nearly a thousand clowns, 46 floats. it's pretty incredible. >> reporter: what is your favorite thing you've seen today since watching the balloons get blown up? >> i think it might be the dinosaurs and poppy. >> maybe one of the people from "duck tales." >> love it. if you could add any balloon to the parade what isn't here yet is there a character? >> dogman. >> who? >> dogman. who is dogman? >> how about you?

>> pennywise. >> yes. >> yes. >> announcer: chicago ushers in the holiday season with fireworks, bands, floats, and balloons... ♪ plus, musical performances and more than 1 million magical lights. it's all coming your way right now. [fireworks popping] i'm alan krashesky. - o, and wel - and i'm cheryl burton. happy holidays, everybody. we are joined by janet davies and rob elgas. - and joining us, more than a million people here in chicago on michigan avenue, and welcome to everyone watching around the country. - and tonight's show will feature celebrities, marching bands, lighted floats, disney friends, fireworks, and of course, santa. - of course, santa. and now to perform with our parade cast, please welcome ryan cabrera. [upbeat music] ["on the way down"]