this, as the big debate showdown is just two days away. extreme weather. tornadoes tear through texas. the neighborhood destroyed. this train knocked right off the tracks. plus, will these record high temperatures ruin dreams of a white christmas? radical road. the jihadi couple and the terror postings. did the feds overlook clues on social media? plus, the inside story of the deadly shootout with police from one of the cops chasing them down. and, present danger? you've seen the terrifying scenes like this. now amazon, taking down certain hoverboards over fears of fire. tonight, the concern that has some parents saying, "no way!" this is abc "world news tonight." good evening. thanks for joining us on this sunday. i'm tom llamas. we begin with a major shift in the race for the white house. a republican challenger coming on strong.

is now the man to beat in iowa. cruz ten points up in a new des moines register bloomberg poll, rising 20 points, a record-breaking surge. the iowa caucus is now just 50 days away. off in a high-stakes debate on tuesday, and trump already trying to take down cruz. we start with abc's tonight. >> reporter: tonight, senator ted cruz is cruising, passing donald trump in iowa. it's a meteoric rise for the texas senator, a 21-point gain since october in one poll. so far cruz and trump have been friendly rivals, but trump is now taking aim. >> when you look at the way he's dealt with the senate, where he goes in there like a -- you know, frankly, like a little bit of a maniac. he'll never get anything done. that's the problem with ted. >> reporter: cruz responding, tweeting this clip from the movie "flashdance." and saying, in honor of my good friend donald trump and good-hearted maniacs everywhere. this after cruz questioned trump's ability to be

>> i would say i have far better judgment than ted, and i think i have a really great temperament. >> reporter: and trump has a new message for any gop party leader conspiring against him. >> i'm sorry i did this to you, but you've got to get used to it. it's one of those little problems in life. >> reporter: trump maintains strong support in iowa even as he denounces the polling. >> the "des moines register" is the worst. [ cheering ] they are the worst. >> reporter: but as cruz rises, ben carson is falling. >> poll numbers go up and down. i wasn't -- i wasn't excited when they were up. i'm not excited when they were down. you know, this is a very fluid contest. >> reporter: and it looks like they may have a new candidate to contend with. >> i've made a big decision, i'm entering the race for president of the united states of america. >> reporter: "saturday night live" bringing back will ferrell as president george w. bush. >> the field of republicans out there is so messed up, i figure

me, doesn't it? >> reporter: cruz is rising just as republicans get to ready to face off in their fifth debate on tuesday. where trump will be center stage. but for the first time, cruz will be standing right next to him. tom? >> we're looking forward to it. all right, mary. thank you so much. and the democrats will debate this week as well. join david muir and martha raddatz for the democratic debate, saturday , december 19th, 8:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. central, right here on abc. and new questions about the terrorist attack in san bernardino and whether it might have been stopped. did the government ignore signals about tashfeen malik and also tonight, inside the chase and the shootout with the police officer right behind the killers' black suv. we'll hear from him. here's kayna whitworth. >> reporter: tonight, investigators testing what they dredged out of this lake after three days of searching.

found any traces of that missing hard drive belonging to syed farook and tashfeen malik. a digital footprint that could prove critical for investigators amid new questions about the screening that allowed malik into the country in the first place. >> had they checked out tashfeen malik a little more, maybe she wouldn't have gotten a visa. maybe those people in san bernardino would be alive. >> reporter: malik vetted by homeland security, the state department, and had a criminal background check. but investigators don't always scrub social media. malik's facebook post critical of moderate muslims. now the "new york times" reports media in support of violent jihad and "wanted to be a part >> i'm asking to immediately initiate a program that would check the social media sites of those admitted on visas to see if they are using words like jihad, explosives, mass shootings. it's outrageous that this isn't already done. >> reporter: tonight, one of the

couple down is speaking out. sergeant andy capp. and the back window of their suv shatters. it. >> reporter: the black suv pulls over. farook gets out and starts firing. capps gets out to return fire. >> i saw him shooting at a deputy that i knew was across the street so that's when i opened fire on him. >> reporter: the terrorists were killed in that shootout. the first time in his 23 years on the force that he ever fired his weapon while on duty. >> kayna, thank you. next, to the extreme weather tonight. more than 100 million people feeling it this weekend, coast to coast, the worst of it through texas. take a look. one of three confirmed tornadoes destroying this neighborhood. high winds knocking this train off its tracks. heavy rains triggering flash flooding, too. abc's kendis gibson in east texas tonight. >> reporter: tonight, a view from the air of devastation across the state of texas. >> wow.

>> reporter: in willis, a tornado destroying roofs, uprooting trees, toppling vehicles. >> tornado just hit. >> reporter: tiny lindale, described as a disaster area by a tornado damaging up to 50 homes. unnecessary people out and have only the people that need access >> reporter: the twister coming within feet of luke griffin's home. where did it go? >> it just started back that way towards the high school and you can see up there on that lane where it just came right through here. it was just a white wall of stuff flying everywhere. >> reporter: jennifer skender, out christmas shopping when the tornado ripped apart her home of 11 years. a neighbor texting her these photos of her house. >> i'm just thankful we weren't home. i think the lord sent us away and he spared us. >> reporter: two dozen severe storms, some parts receiving up to half a foot of rain to some

powerful enough to throw 64 large cargo train cars from the trestle and onto a roadway below. tonight, as people here continue the massive clean-up effort, authorities and residents are astounded by the fact that not a single injury has been reported tom? >> kendis, thank you. and indra peterson, the severe weather is on the move tonight, right? >> we're still talking about the exact same system from wisconsin to louisiana. look at the heavy rain still making its way through and it will affect the midwest as we go through tomorrow morning, but especially for the west. you're talking about 45 45-mile-per-hour winds from san francisco to los angeles, someone has a foot of snow. great ski season in the pacific northwest. >> and here in new york city, a completely different story. this was central park, people were having picnics and running in t-shirts and shorts. it doesn't look like anything

it feels like spring. how long will this last? >> it feels good, but we both know that. temperatures, 15, to 25 degrees above normal breaking records. but it's not going to last. but we'll be talking about them going down by next weekend. so look for seasonal winter-like temperatures. but here's the catch. only for about two days. by the time we get to the holidays, the temperatures right back up. >> indra, thank you. we want to show you an image out of the pacific northwest. an enormous black cloud hovering over portland oregon. a truck carrying fuel slid off the road and slammed into a tanker train, catching on fire. they were trying to keep the chemicals from leaking into the nearby river, but the driver of the truck did not survive. and from los angeles tonight, a controversial police shooting caught on camera. in a new case, a man on a busy street reportedly firing into the air, ignoring the sheriff's deputies' calls to stop.

him, then firing again when he was down. linsey davis with more of the video, and what police are saying tonight. >> reporter: the video shows los angeles county sheriff's deputies fatally shooting a man walking away from them. they fire repeatedly even after he falls to the ground, attempting to crawl away. the sheriff's department says the man, 28-year-old nicholas robertson, had a gun pointed at them and refused the officers' repeated demands to drop it. they say they recovered a loaded .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun at the scene. more than a dozen people gathered to protest saturday evening. relatives who saw the video saying the shooting seems officers of using excessive force. >> they shot him in his shoulder, and he was crawling to this gas station. >> reporter: police released this video on sunday, which clearly shows robertson, walking down the street with a gun in his left hand. when he was shot, he was in front of a crowded gas station. >> there are two people, two women and three children, in a

five feet of him at the time. >> if he goes in and takes hostages or shoots somebody, we're going to be having a different topic, why didn't the police officers do something before he went in? >> reporter: they say robertson had fired six or seven shots in a nearby residential area. for now, investigators say they're not making any judgments until all the facts are in. lindsey davis, abc news, new york. in the bay area, new developments in the search for more than 350 newborns that may have been exposed to tuberculosis. what we're learning about the nurse and the risk to the baby, their mothers, and sundays of other adults. here's abc's aditi roy. >> reporter: tonight, a major medical scare in san jose, california. officials at the santa clara valley medical center are racing to contact over 1,000 people may have been exposed to tuberculosis after a maternity ward nurse tested positive for the deadly disease.

newborns, 368 mothers and 308 workers who may have had contact with the nurse between mid-august to mid-november. the hospital posting this letter to its website, "while the risk of infection is low, the consequences of a tuberculosis infection in infants can be severe." hospital officials recommend that the babies protectively take an antibiotic for the next six months to nine months even if they test negative. >> the judgment is, it's safer to treat than not to treat. >> reporter: hospital officials say the nurse's annual t.b. test was negative but she was diagnosed with t.b. in november during treatment for an unrelated illness. since she showed no symptoms, they say the risk of exposure is extremely low. nearly 10,000 people in the u.s.

here in california, health officials say t.b. rates are twice as high as the nation's receives so many global travelers. >> aditi, thank you. consumers, including one scam you probably haven't heard of. and the one that's cheating americans out of the most money every year. here's abc's gloria riviera. >> reporter: from threatening phone calls -- >> within the next hour they handcuff you and put you behind bars. act now. serious and time sensitive. >> reporter: scam artists are bilking americans out of millions. tonight, a major consumer advocate revealing the five biggest scams of the year. the better business bureau giving abc news a first look at what its new scam tracker measuring complaints in all 50 states reveals. >> you can see real time what is happening with the scam and get a profile of the scammers. >> reporter: number five on the list, fake government grants

number four, fake tech support. andrea hahn was browsing online when a voice came through her laptop saying it was infected. she called the number on the screen and -- >> they took control of the computer. >> reporter: number three, those fake sweepstakes asking for a small fee to collect a prize. number two, aggressive debt collectors impersonating authorities. number one on the list, the irs scam. still surging this holiday season, 2,000 reports a day, victims losing altogether $1 million a month. >> he said i'll be going to jail and agents would be coming to handcuff me and take me away. >> reporter: kevin lemon is one of them. he lost $500. to protect yourself, remember the basics. be wary of unsolicited communication, don't engage, and never send money by wire or debit card. >> it felt very bad, very bad. >> reporter: gloria riviera, abc

we thank gloria for that report. still ahead, it's one of the hottest gifts. so, why is amazon taking down certain kinds of hoverboards? we've seen some catch fire. tonight, the new concern with their batteries. and later, spectacular holiday homes lighting up the night. but could some decorations be blinding pilots? the new concern in the skies, coming up. abc "world news tonight" brought to you by cialis. take a pill? or stop to find a bathroom? cialis for daily use is approved to treat both erectile dysfunction and the urinary symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently, day or night. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more than four hours.

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>> it's on fire! >> reporter: the federal consumer product safety commission says it is now testing ten hoverboard blazes in nine states. now, megaretailer amazon has stopped selling at least one brand firefighters say was being charged when it ignited this new york home. that manufacturer, swagway, says it meets all safety requirements. telling abc news, we're glad this is taking place. especially in light of recent concerns with the fires with the poor quality batteries. concern over lithium-ion batteries is also prompt ing american, delta, united and jetblue in banning hoverboards on planes. and experts say not to charge them overnight. brian fong says buyers should avoid lower-quality boards.

shana haines bought one for her 10-year-old taughta hannah, but now has second thoughts. you sent it back, why? >> i didn't want to take the risk. >> reporter: even hannah says off her list. >> i don't really want it anymore. >> reporter: really? you're kidding! >> reporter: clayton sandell, abc news, denver. thank clayton for that report. coming up, thieves caught in action. ransacking a star athlete's house and stealing something she worked so hard to earn including something she feels is very precious. and why this top dog is sporting this prestigious medal. up next.void, where to go... and how to deal with my uc. to me, that was normal. until i talked to my doctor. she told me that humira helps people like me get uc under control and keep it under control when certain medications haven't worked well enough. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis.

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back now with our "index." starting tonight with the burglary that stripped a world-class paralympian skier of so many precious memories. surveillance cameras show the thieves ransacking the los angeles home of stephani victor, leaving little behind. but all she really wants back, irreplaceable videos on a hard drive of the first steps she took after losing both legs in an accident in 1995. victor is working on a documentary and says she can't continue without those videos. now to something you've never seen before. let's head to saudi arabia. they were able to vote for the first time ever were allowed to vote there. many of them took ub tore their election sites. now to some holiday homes, lit up so brightly, they could be dangerous to pilots flying overhead.

popular laser lighting kits like starshower. the lights so powerful, they've been spotted by pilots thousands of feet above the ground. consumers being urged to be sure the laser projectors are pointed at the homes, and not towards the sky. we want to show you an image going viral tonight. this military dog named rocky and the purple heart capturing the hearts of so many americans. rocky and his handler, army specialist andrew brown, were injured by an explosion in afghanistan. after several surgeries they are doing welcome we thank them for their service. when we come back, a surprising burst of holiday these kids thought they were just getting a jolly picture with santa. but then the best christmas present ever suddenly appears. there? stay with us. and surprise! those seats sometimes cost a ridiculous number of miles, making it really hard to book the flight you want. luckily, there's a better way... with the capital one venture card.

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finally tonight, home for the holidays. some s having a little fun surprising their loved ones. the sneaky dads creating some priceless moments. here's abc's john donvan. >> reporter: look at that kid's smile. and santa claus, and who's that guy in the back? here's a hint. it's the time of the year for the happy prank when dads long deployed in the service pop out of costume ss during gym class. like this 6-year-old in houston. or hide behind santa, like trent baskerville did. nine months, he was in afghanistan. >> there are no words for it. i'm just very anxious to see them. >> reporter: but now this -- >> daddy! [ applause ] >> reporter: 6-year-old jordan took a moment to thank the man in red. and this brings us to the photo.

here's what actually happened. rob stella, he's in the back row, had been gone a year in the navy and it took a while for the kids to spot him on this day, but here's what you get. and a reminder that happiness on the kids' face, and i'm home for good can also look like this. john donvan, abc news, washington. >> maybe the best christmas ever. we thank john donvan for that gift. "gma" in the morning and david muir right back here tomorrow night. i'm tom llamas in new york. have a great evening. good night.here's a live look at the windy las vegas strip. a wind advisory is in affect tonight for the valley. good evening... and thanks for joining us.... for action news live at 6.. i'm elizabeth gadley. meteorologist karla huelga's here as well. karla, this is just the start

ad-lib we'll start to feel the impacts of our next storm system late tonight in the form of gusty winds, chances for rain, high elevation snow and colder temperatures. expect gusts to 35mph tonight, then bumping up to 40mph in the overnight hours. a wind advisory is in effect through tomorrow morning at 4am. the best chances for rain will also be late- night and overnight. high temperatures tomorrow will only reach the upper 40's and low 50s around the valley. the race for the white house