mahmoud abbas joined christian faithful in bethlehem for midnight mass. it has been at the center of violence but as molly hunter reports, the celebrations have returned. >> reporter: mixed feeling between the celebration and the sad feeling. >> reporter: that sad feeling shared widely this year. after months of violence in the occupied palestinian territories and israel left 19 israelis and more than 130 palestinians dead, israel says more than half of those palestinians were attackers. in manger square, the birthplace of jesus, the crowd's smaller. tourism suffering. people say they've never seen it like this. >> but at the same time, there

resilience. people insist to celebrate christmas to send a message of hope that we, the christians and muslims, the palestinians are here. we were here. and we'll stay here forever. >> resilience and happiness says natalie. >> are you going to celebrate more this year because of the tension, because of the violence? >> because the only way you fight war is by happiness and by peace. peace by happiness, by music. >> merry christmas. >> molly hunter, abc news, bethlehem. back here in the state environmentalists are delivering a bit of a buzz kill over america's christmas lights. while light displays are a small fraction of the electricity we consume annually, a new study finds that the lights we turn on burn up more energy than some nations in a year. >> wow. >> el salvador, cambodia and tanzania are some of the countries that use less power than the u.s. over the days. your big christmas tree is bad news to the environment. >> yeah. well, there is something else burning in denver on christmas

a non-profit group gave free marijuana joints to the homeless and anyone else who wanted one. the group cannabis can says it wants to use pot for good and to bring people together. >> that's kind of them. that group says it's high time, high time, that the homeless had access to restrooms and showers. so it's raising money. an it's illegal to smoke marijuana in public in colorado but giving it as a gift is okay. the group wishes everyone "a happy cannimas." >> exactly. that's -- so they are a bunch of hungry homeless people right about now in denver. >> munchies with candy canes. >> medical use. they have arthritis, too. >> is that it? >> uh-huh. coming up "in the mix" if your gift wrapping technique is less than artful, we'll make you feel a little better. >> who is behind the bombshell plan to crack down and deport immigrants?

out. later the government's popular santa tracking program following st. nick's big night of deliveries after six decades. we're revealing how it actually all started. >> remember to find us on facebook wnnfans.com and twitter @abcwnn. you're watching "world news now." twitter @abcwnn. you're watching "world news now."@abcwnn.

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the homeowner says the burglar was just feet away from his bedroom but never tried to enter. >> wow. >> but with $100,000 worth of items nearby, i would have -- i mean, i can understand why he didn't enter the bedroom. he was busy. >> i guess so. the obama administration has launched a new salvo in the debate over illegal immigration. the department of homeland security is set to deport thousands of central american immigrants living here illegally since last year. abc's pierre thomas has the latest. >> reporter: they came over the southern border by the thousands. children and families, in some cases, fleeing violence and persecution in central america. many bussed beyond the border. inside the u.s. >> turn around and go back. >> reporter: some facing angry crowds, while the government determined their fate. now, with illegal border crossing spiking again, hundreds of those families are being targeted for deportation in a series of sweeps that could begin as early as next month, if approved by the white house. >> i think what they're trying to do here is send a message to

come. and in order to do that, i think they believe that images of families being offloaded on planes in central america, that it's going to deter people from coming. >> reporter: the families targeted for deportation had their requests for asylum rejected by immigration judges. but the removal is sparking controversy, because the obama administration has typically focused on deporting criminals, not families. >> very tough day, frankly, for this news to break, on christmas eve. >> reporter: some administration critics said the plan is symbolic window dressing that will do nothing to stem the tide of illegal immigration. in many cases these families will have to be tracked down. our sources say immigration and customs enforcement agents are confident they can be located. it's too difficult for families to hide. we'll have to see what happens. opposition to this plan is fierce. pierre thomas, abc news, washington. might be a little bit too late advice. medical researchers have advice for parents about what not to give your children for

before you buy flashy electronic device, consider a book or a simpler toy. researchers at the northern arizona university have found that playing with toys and books that don't require a power source promoted more meaningful interactions between children and parents. they say playtime with electronic toys fostered less meaningful interactions. >> and the kids will be thrilled. >> i'm sure they'll be thrilled. >> for grown-ups who can't resist those electronic devices we have got an after christmas deal for you. best buy is selling the apple iphone 6s for just $1. >> a buck? >> yeah. a steep discount from the usual $200 but it applies only to the 16 gig version and it's only for verizon and sprint customers. the deal only good through sunday in stores or online. but a whole lot of fine print, as well. so, yeah, we've got to investigate this a little further. >> sounds good. all right. coming up in our next half hour, donald trump turns up the heat.

scandals, as well. and what he called hillary clinton in his latest tweet. >> first for those of us who have been nice this year, santa has taken flight. the team at norad is tracking his every move. but do you know why the government launched this mission in the first place. >> you're watching "world news now." >> he's in mexico. >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our

continues after this f nice and cozy. so a nice and cozy. so as we fire up, you know, the yule log, santa claus has been flying around the globe for hours. he's just finishing up his deliveries here in america. look at him go. >> busy, busy man. worldwide, children have been following his travels thanks to norad's santa tracker which this year turned 60 years old. ears abc's clayton sandell. >> reporter: santa claus is under the watchful eyes of norad. >> so, on the screen, you'll see the last place that we've seen santa claus, which, in this case, was russia. and then it also tracks the number of gifts delivered, which is just over 2 billion. >> reporter: usually on alert for things like missile attacks, norad takes this very seriously. how important is this mission? >> oh, this is a no fail mission. >> reporter: a mission that goes back to the cold war, as the

sears newspaper ad gave kids a number to call santa. but that number was off by one, so, instead of reaching the man in red, kids were calling colonel harry shoup on his red phone. >> that red phone was top secret. >> reporter: the colonel ordered his men to play along. >> he was military through and through, but he loved kids. and he loved christmas. >> reporter: and a tradition was born. norad has been playing along now for 60 years. >> santa loves cookies and milk. >> reporter: 1,500 volunteers taking 135,000 calls from excited kids in 235 countries. >> he's headed for ban galore, india right now. >> reporter: you might just reach terry, taking calls today for the first time ever. >> have you got cookies for him? >> reporter: colonel shoup was her dad. so, your first call, what does it feel like? >> oh, it's great. better than i even thought. it's wonderful. >> reporter: she says that went

a simple mistake he helped turn into 60 years of magic. clayton sandell, abc news, colorado springs. that is so cool. always a tradition in my family, put out the cookies and the mit can and check to see where santa is. >> still to this day. >> we're checking to see where kendis is. because he might be breaking into your home. >> i think i'm stuck. >> yeah. >> just trapped up there. >> i have to anchor by myself the rest of the show because he's stuck. >> we'll be back. does it make you feel warmer? >> it really does. loving this, so festive. >> can we turn the air up? all right. the rest of the show because

>> we'll be back. [coughing] [coughing] [coughing] [coughing] [coughing] coughing disrupts everyone's life. that's why so many people are turning to delsym for longer lasting cough relief. delsym has an advanced time release formula that helps silence coughs for a full 12 hours.

than the leading cough liquid. all night... or all day. we've been changing things up with k-y love. oh yeah. it's a pleasure gel that magnifies both our sensations. it gives us chills in places we've never gotten chills before. yeah, it makes us feel like... dare to feel more with new k-y love. does it make you feel warmer? >> it really does. loving this, so festive. >> can we turn the air up? all right. >> time now for "the mix" and a lot of people are probably pulling an all nighter right now trying to get the last minute gifts wrapped. take it easy on yourself. as bad as your gifts may look,

terrible as these we're about to show you. this person forgot to buy christmas wrapping. >> what is that? >> happy birthday paper. under the christmas tree. >> happy birthday baby jesus. >> that must be the birthday. that might be your gift. that's why you're making excuses. this person wraps a chair. >> i think i know what it is. >> i think the real gift is an iphone on the chair. so a little clever. this next one someone decided trash bags are the best way to wrap gifts. >> this woman -- want to quickly show you this woman in kentucky wanted to include her dogs on the holiday tradition. and look at that. they were there. >> at the kids table. >> at the doggy table. this is the time we polka. >> hey, holiday shopping got you down?

westside sounds. politics and foreign wars, all the weather all the scores that's the world news polka business news from tokyo, stuff you saw on koppel's show that's the world news polka it's late at night you're wide awake and you're not wearing pants so grab your "world news now" mug and everybody dance hey have some fun be a pal every anchor guy and gal do the world news polka who cares what the network thinks or the sponsors too

cops here's all you have to do when they yell it's half past 3:00 tell them hey, it's news to me, that's the world news polka. stuck here on the overnight but that's okay because when he comes down the chimney we say hi to santa claus hope he brings just one gift get us off this midnight shift that's the world news polka

do the world news polka this morning on "world news now," the christmas disaster in the south. after deadly tornadoes take a heartbreaking toll, the holiday clean-up and the snowstorm that could delay travelers. >> shopping center gunfire. the second shooting incident this week scaring holiday shoppers at busy american malls. how police responded this time. and new this half hour, an unforgettable way to raise a

>> seven chickens left at a department of revenue office, what happened to the birds and what police have to say. and later on in "the skinny," disappointment for janet jackson fans. her concert tour called off and the personal reason lined it. it is friday, it is christmas day, december 25th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, and very merry christmas to you. i'm marci gonzales in for reena ninan. >> and merry christmas. nice to be spending the holiday with you and you, as well. thank you for joining us here. we want to get to our top story because it is tragic. deadly tornadoes in the south and mist that killed at least 14 people. >> among the hardest hit areas northwestern mississippi where seven people have died. dozens more have been injured some seriously. abc's phillip mena has the story. >> reporter: severe weather still on the move.

and flooded roads south of atlanta. this after a devastating christmas week tornado outbreak. >> oh! i think that's a tornado brewing up! >> reporter: over 24 tornadoes reported. >> i looked up, the roof was blowing off the house. >> reporter: watch as these two >> reporter: watch as these two tornadoes merge into one massive twister. swirling winds lifting this tractor trailer and sending it careening onto its side. in holly springs, mississippi -- >> monster tornado. >> reporter: the national weather service says this tornado was at least an ef-3 and may have tracked over 100 miles across two states. >> it was like a war zone.

rushing to help the injured, including retired nurse sherry keel. she was on her way home from last-minute christmas shopping. >> there's a lady face down in the ditch. she kept asking about her child. >> reporter: that child, just 7 years old, didn't survive. >> i can't imagine -- i just can't imagine what that mom is going to feel when she's told that her child didn't make it. >> reporter: gwendolyn jones had no storm shelter. she and her family took celter in the safest place they could find. >> and we laid here on the floor and holding hands and praying all the while. >> reporter: the room her daughter and granddaughter live in, now destroyed. the community here coming together. donations pouring into this shelter, hoping to salvage some kind of christmas. this motor home was parked 100 yards away. and the only thing that stopped it was a two-story building, now obliterated. and the trailer attached to that rv, they found it a quarter mile away. phillip mena, abc news, holly springs, mississippi. a snowstorm hitting the great plains making travel dangerous. the omaha area got about half a foot of snow. the combination made driving a nightmare with a lot of accidents.

dangerous across an even wider area. good morning, cam. >> happy christmas morning, kendis and marci. if you're looking for a white christmas, head out west. an area of low pressure forming on the lee side of the rockies. we could pick up about a foot of snow there. and then that system will shift off to the north and east bringing widespread snow across the northern plains. we could see major travel delays in this area due to poor visibility and drifting snow and then the system will move off to the north and east into minnesota bringing upwards of 6 inches of snow into minneapolis. the big storm system developing over the weekend. we could see blizzard like conditions across new mexico into the texas panhandle and heavy rain into east texas as well as severe weather in the lower mississippi. heading back home from the holidays could be treacherous. back to you. >> thanks, cam. other news, there were black lives matter protests on christmas eve including in chstmas eve including in chicago.vestigatorpolice radio calls from theago police dio calls from t was shot and killed. the traffic the traffic shows only five

for a taser and when officer jason van dyke opened fire. >> fired by the police. gunfire by the police. >> you guys okay? >> everything's fine. >> to protest that shooting, about 100 protesters marched along chicago's busiest shopping district but the this protest appeared to have less impact on merchants than a bigger one on black friday. and an off-duty police officer shot and killed a teenager at a north carolina mall following a dispute between two groups. last minute shoppers scrambled as the gunfire erupted. here's abc's ron claiborne. >> reporter: it happened again. this time, a shooting in a north carolina shopping mall, packed with last-minute christmas shoppers. gunfire sending many in the crowd fleeing in panic. inside, this man finding safety, huddling behind a clothing rack. >> we were just walking and people just started running, yelling, screaming.

do is get safe. >> reporter: images from the northlake mall in charlotte captured the chaos and confusion. >> he started shooting. >> reporter: authorities say the shooting occurred after two groups of people inside the mall got into an argument. an off-duty police officer intervened and fatally shot one person who they say was armed. >> this is not a random act of violence. this is something that happened between two parties who were beefing back and forth. >> reporter: this incident comes just two days after a shooting at one of the country's biggest malls on new york's long island. there, too, scenes of panic when a would-be robber allegedly fired a gun in a struggle with a store security guard. in north carolina tonight, the at least four people gone to the hospital and yet another community on edge. ron claiborne, abc news, new york. the federal government is making plans for mass deportations that could start as early as next month. the targets would be thousands

come here fleeing gang violence in honduras and el salvador. their request for asylum in the u.s. were denied but they haven't left. >> i think what they're trying to do is send a message saying don't come and in order to do that, i think they believe if there are images of families being off loaded in planes in central america, that it's going to deter people from coming. > the plan has to be approved by the white house and opposition is fierce from both left and right and even within homeland security itself. 36 years after their capture, the americans taken hostage in 1979 are set to receive millions of dollars in compensation. that's after a provision in the spending deal signed last week. each of the 53 hostages and their estates are set to receive up to $4.4 million. spouses and children eligible for a $600,000 payment, the hostages spent 444 days in captivity. we got a somber message from the pope during his christmas eve mass.

called society's intoxication with consumerism, pleasure, abundance and wealth. while noting the simplicity of jesus' birth he said jesus calls on christians to act in a way that is simple, balanced, consistent and capable of seeing and doing what is essential. in japan, the christmas tradition is to line up for kentucky fried chicken. >> what's wrong with that? >> yeah, it's a little different. eating the colonel's chicken is so popular kfc starts taking reservations in october. the wait time can be as long as six hours if you don't have a reservation. about 3.6 million people will feast on kfc today? >> japan? >> in japan. >> i don't blame them. good for them. i wonder if they prefer extra crispy or the original. >> or the original. >> i was always an original person back when i ate the bird. it was good stuff. >> love it.

>> this is something of a christmas tradition, as well. water skiing on the potomac near the nation's capital. >> this is the 30th year saint nick has made the splash. he was joined this year by mrs. clause, elves, reindeer, frosty the snowman. surprised he didn't melt in this weather and even the grinch was there. we didn't spot any members of congress out there, but who knows. >> so there was a grinch you mentioned. so i'm sorry, kidding. kids, if santa doesn't bring you what you wan this had morning, now you know what he was doing instead. the temperatures in d.c., yeah, upper 70s yesterday. >> can't resist. >> i didn't get a lot of sleep in new york because there was an ice cream truck outside my apartment. ice cream truck on christmas eve. >> first time ever that has been the cause of a sleepless night in new york city. love it. >> coming up in "the skinny," christmas treasure coming to the palin family and california's governor sends a gift to hollywood "a" listers. >> also ahead a fowl protest at the revenue department. why did a taxpayer dump seven

oo and no immediate holiday truce between donald trump and hillary clinton. the war of words on social media takes a new tone. you're watching "world news now." media takes a new tone. you're watching "world news now." so how ya doing? enough pressure in here for ya? ugh. my sinuses are killing me. yeah...just wait 'til we hit ten thousand feet. i'm gonna take mucinex sinus-max. too late, we're about to take off. these dissolve fast. they're new liquid gels. and you're coming with me... wait, what?! you realize i have gold status? do i still get the miles? new mucinex sinus-max liquid gels. dissolves fast to unleash max strength medicine. start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. silent night holy night

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we've got trouble in tummy town. peptocopter! when cold cuts give your belly thunder, pink relief is the first responder, so you can be a business boy wonder! fix stomach trouble fast with pepto. okay, so let's call this a fowl scene. you'll see why in a second. this is at the state revenue office in eugene, oregon. those guys showed up, seven chickens left by an angry 66-year-old taxpayer. the motive? well, it's unclear. animal control was called in to remove the flock. >> it's not often that we take

certainly not under this circumstance. >> not often or ever. >> you think? >> the chicken dropper is now banned from returning to the building. >> the chicken dropper? i guess what else do you call him? >> yeah, i mean, yeah. >> so we don't know the why. >> the delivery man. >> we don't know the why he did it. i guess he got his point across somewhat because we're talking about it. >> absolutely. if he took those to japan on christmas day, man. >> kfc, done. >> turning now to the race for the white house and the rhetoric is apparently not letting up for christmas. >> not in the christmas spirit at all. with the latest polls showing hillary clinton and donald trump running in a dead heat, donald trump's campaign is turning up the heat and it's not just hillary clinton herself who he is targeting. here's abc's jim avila. >> reporter: no christmas eve quiet on donald trump's twitter feed. retweeting this -- "why is hillary even allowed to run? she's a criminal."

spokeswoman even summoning the ghost of her husband's scandals. >> hillary clinton has some nerve to talk about the war on women and the bigotry towards women when she has a serious problem in her husband. >> reporter: trump's campaign upping the rhetoric after he described clinton's loss to president obama by using offcolor slang of the male anatomy. >> she was favored to win and she got [ bleep ]. she lost, i mean, she lost. >> reporter: trump insists his use of the term was neither vulgar nor misogynistic. >> to me, that's really a reference to getting beaten and really pretty decisively. and when i said it, nobody in the audience thought anything about it. they clapped, they didn't view that as being a horrible thing. >> reporter: but clinton's campaign calls trump's language degrading and disgusting. >> i really deplore the tone of

it's not the first time he's demonstrated a penchant for sexism. >> reporter: and that brought this veiled threat from trump, "hillary, when you complain about a penchant for sexism, who are you referring to? i have great respect for women. be careful." hours later, his spokeswoman dropping this bomb. >> i can think of quite a few women that have been bullied by hillary clinton to hide her husband's misogynist sexist secrets. >> reporter: no comment from the clinton campaign, but tonight, trump and his family go to church near his palm beach home, so, perhaps there will be a momentary truce. jim avila, abc news. >> coming up, california's governor has a big christmas present for a hollywood "a" lister. >> and disappointing news for janet jackson fans. why the singer is stepping off the concert stage. "the skinny" is next. >> announcer: "world news now"

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>> the actor has been given quite a present from california governor jerry brown, an official pardon for a drug conviction that sent him to prison nearly 20 years ago. in 1996, police found cocaine, heroin and a pistol in his car when they stopped him for speeding and three years later he violated his parole. >> he was busy during those days. a proclamation from brown's office says since then, he has lived an honest and upright life exhibited good moral character and conducted himself as a law abiding citizen. the iron man's conviction will remain on his record but so now will the pardon, and he will have his voting rights restored. next. >> jerry brown gets another voter right there. >> exactly. coming up next, troubling news from rock star janet jackson. >> she posted this on instagram. she's postponing her unbreakable world tour till the spring because she must have surgery soon. jackson did not reveal what kind

undergoing but asked only that fans pray for her, for her family and for their entire company during this difficult time. >> jackson told fans to hang on to those tickets that they would be honored in a special way when her new concert schedule is announced. >> i was looking forward to it. she was going to be in new york in february. >> did you get tickets? >> no, but was going to try to get some. >> last second stubhub. >> yeah, exactly. next to an early christmas present for the palin family. >> bristol palin who launched an abstinence campaign after giving birth as an unwed teenage mother seven years ago has given birth to a second child, a girl named sailor grace. palin instagrammed this photo saying our family couldn't be more complete. >> okay, so here's the issue. palin hasn't publicly identified the father of sailor grace but announced she was pregnant shortly after her engagement to marine war hero dakota meyer was broken off this spring, last

meyer also posted "best christmas present ever." >> about the baby, not the broken engagement. okay. to be clear. >> so yeah, so maybe he's the baby daddy? maybe there's an episode of "maury" coming up soon? >> tune in. finally the spirit of christmas comes alive in the locker room. >> this is really cool. something you just don't see very often or frankly ever. carolina panthers running back fozzy whittaker dressed up as rudolph the red nosed reindeer singing the temptations version of silent -- let's have him sing it. sleep in heaven, heavenly peace merry christmas to all of you, all of you we mean it merry christmas to all of

>> merry christmas, everybody. >> the temptations. >> do you know that? it's probably i'm showing my age here. that's a really classic and great christmas song there. >> i appreciated your attempt singing it. i'd like for you to continue that please. >> a lot of people do not appreciate it. that's what happens if you're 14-0, you can sing anything you want. >> in a reindeer costume, shirtless like that guy.

>> coming up, box office. >> you know how hard it is to find red shoes? >> i think you're festive enough. the best costume change ever. >> festive is one word to call it. >> yeah. all right, well it is now time for "insomniac theater" if you can even listen to what we're saying with this distraction here. >> i'm trying to not get it close to the fire. >> definitely flammable. >> checking out two films

>> this week, we're going to start with quintin tarantino's latest adventure "the hateful eight," stars kirk russell and samuel l. jackson. they're trying to find shelter in a blizzard but end up getting involved in a plot of betrayal and deception. >> one of them fellows is not what he says he is. >> what is he? >> in cahoots with this one, that's what he is. one of them, maybe even two of them is here to see she goes free. >> "hateful eight" is getting a solid 75% rating on rotten tomatoes and the critics seem to love it. mike scott writes it's get 100% tarantino pleasure entertainment and andy crump calls it a towering work as profound as it is profane. >> next up, an appropriate title for christmas "joy," starring jennifer lawrence, robert de niro, bradley cooper and david

it tells the story of a family across four generations and the woman at the center of it all who rises to become the founder animatetory arc of a powerful family businessdy nasty. but along that road to success is betrayal, treasury and more than a few surprises. >> hi. >> what are you doing here? >> i'm returning him to you. i don't want him anymore. >> what? >> he's damaged. he has no place else to go. he's been living in my house for two years. >> dad, i'm so sorry. but you know, tony's living in the basement. >> your ex-husband shouldn't be living in your basement. that's not the proper way to be divorced. >> okay. >> critics are saying that is no way to make a movie giving it a 58% on rotten tomatoes. i'm disappointed. pete hammond writes jennifer lawrence proves a mop can be just as empowering as a bow and arrow. wow.

>> joshua sarns writes the film does little to live up to its title or aspirations. that is such a bummer. what a great cast. >> j. law is getting a lot of buzz for that film and a lot of oscar buzz for it. >> maybe the critics are wrong. >> i'm going to put this near the fire and see if it will just catch fire. >> festive little elf. >> might be a little bit too much. >> nice and toasty.

>> this is fantastic. this morning on "world news now," the christmas disaster in the south after deadly tornadoes take a heartbreaking toll, the holiday clean-up and the snowstorm that could delay travelers. shopping center gunfire. the second shooting incident this week scaring holiday shoppers at busy american malls. how police responded this time. and new this half hour, an unforgettable way to raise a

>> seven chickens left at a department of revenue office, what happened to the birds and what police have to say. >> and later on in "the skinny," disan bint 0ment for janet jackson fans. her concert tour called off and the personal reason behind it. it is friday, it is christmas day, december 25th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, and very merry christmas to you. i'm marci gonzales in for reena ninan. >> marci is, merry christmas. nice to be spending the holiday with you and you, as well. thank you for joining us here. we want to get to our top story because it is tragic. deadly tornadoes in the south and midwest that have killed at least 14 people. >> among the hardest hit areas northwestern mississippi where seven people have died. dozens more have been injured some seriously. abc's phillip mena has the story. >> reporter: severe weather on the move. with blinding rain in alabama

this after a devastating christmas week tornado outbreak. >> oh! i think that's a tornado brewing up! >> reporter: over 24 tornadoes reported. >> i looked up, the roof was blowing off the house. >> reporter: watch as these two tornadoes merge into one massive twister. swirling winds lifting this tractor trailer and sending it careening onto its side. in holly springs, mississippi -- >> monster tornado. >> reporter: the national weather service says this tornado was at least an ef-3 and may have tracked over 100 miles across two states. >> it was like a war zone. >> reporter: first responders rushing to help the injured, including retired nurse sherry keel. she was on her way home from last-minute christmas shopping. >> there's a lady face down in the ditch. she kept asking about her child. >> reporter: that child, just 7 years old, didn't survive. >> i can't imagine -- i just can't imagine what that mom is going to feel when she's told that her child didn't make it. >> reporter: gwendolyn jones had

she and her family took cover in the safest place they could find. >> and we laid here on the floor and holding hands and praying all the while. >> reporter: the room her daughter and granddaughter live in, now destroyed. the community here now coming together. donations pouring into this shelter, hoping to salvage some kind of christmas. this motor home was parked 100 yards away. and the only thing that stopped it was a two-story building, now obliterated. and the trailer attached to that rv, they found it a quarter mile away. phillip mena, abc news, holly springs, mississippi. a snowstorm hitting the great plains making travel dangerous. the omaha area got about half a foot of snow. the combination made driving a nightmare with a lot of accidents. meteorologist cam tran tells us snowstorms could make travel dangerous across an even wider area. good morning, cam. >> happy christmas morning, kendis and marci. if you're looking for a white christmas, head out west.

on the lee side of the rockies. that will bring in widespread snow across utah and western colorado. we could pick up about a foot of snow there. and then that system will shift off to the north and east bringing widespread snow across the northern plains. we could see major travel delays in this area due to poor visibility and drifting snow and then the system will move off to the north and east into minnesota bringing upwards of 6 inches of snow into minneapolis. the big storm system developing over the weekend. we could see blizzard like conditions across new mexico into the texas panhandle and heavy rain into east texas as well as severe weather in the lower mississippi. heading back home from the holidays could be treacherous. back to you. >> thanks, cam. other news, there were black lives matter protests across the u.s. on christmas eve including in chicago. investigators released recordings of chicago police radio calls from the night teenager laquan mcdonald was shot and killed. the radio traffic shows only

request for a taser and when officer jason van dyke opened fire. >> fired by the police. gunfire by the police. >> you guys okay? >> everything's fine. >> to protest that shooting, about 100 protesters marched along chicago's busiest shopping district, but this protest appeared to have less impact on merchants than a bigger one on black friday. and an off-duty police officer shot and killed a teenager at a north carolina mall following a dispute between two groups. last minute shoppers scrambled as the gunfire erupted. here's abc's ron claiborne. >> reporter: it happened again. this time, a shooting in a north carolina shopping mall, packed with last-minute christmas shoppers. gunfire sending many in the crowd fleeing in panic. inside, this man finding safety, huddling behind a clothing rack. >> we were just walking and people just started running, yelling, screaming. so, i just -- my first thing to do is get safe. >> reporter: images from the

confusion. >> he started shooting. >> reporter: authorities say the shooting occurred after two groups of people inside the mall got into an argument. an off-duty police officer intervened and fatally shot one person who they say was armed. >> this is not a random act of violence. this is something that happened between two parties who were beefing back and forth. >> reporter: this incident comes just two days after a shooting at one of the country's biggest malls on new york's long island. there, too, scenes of panic whenobber allegedly fired a gun in a struggle with a store security guard. in north carolina, at least four people gone to the hospital and yet another community on edge. ron claiborne, abc news, new york. the federal government is making plans for mass deportations that could start as early as next month. the targets would be thousands of central americans who have come here fleeing gang violence

their requests for asylum in the u.s. were denied, but they haven't left. >> i think what they're trying to do is send a message to central america saying don't come and in order to do that, i think they believe if there are images of families being off loaded on planes in central america, that it's going to deter people from coming. > the plan has to be approved by the white house and opposition is fierce from both left and right and even within homeland security itself. 36 years after their capture, the americans taken hostage in 1979 are set to receive millions of dollars in compensation. that's after a provision in the spending deal signed last week. each of the 53 hostages and their estates are set to receive up to $4.4 million. spouses and children eligible for a $600,000 payment, the hostages spent 444 days in captivity. we got a somber message from the pope during his christmas eve mass.

called society's intoxication with consumerism, pleasure, abundance and wealth. while noting the simplicity of jesus' birth he said jesus calls on christians to act in a way that is simple, balanced, consistent and capable of seeing and doing what is essential. in japan, the christmas tradition is to line up for kentucky fried chicken. >> what's wrong with that? >> yeah, it's a little different. eating the colonel's chicken is so popular kfc starts taking reservations in october. the wait time can be as long as six hours if you don't have a reservation. about 3.6 million people will feast on kfc today. >> in japan? >>? japan. >> i don't blame them. good for them. i wonder if they prefer extra crispy or the original. >> or the original. >> i was always an original person back when i ate the bird. it was good stuff. >> love it. >> good yard bird there at kfc. >> this is something of a christmas tradition, as well. water skiing on the potomac near

>> this is the 30th year saint nick has made the splash. he was joined this year by mrs. clause, elves, reindeer, frosty the snowman. surprised he didn't melt in this weather and even the grinch was there. we didn't spot any members of congress out there, but who knows. cheering them on at least. >> so there was a grinch you mentioned. so i'm sorry, kidding. kids, if santa doesn't bring you what you wanted this morning, now you know what he was doing instead. the temperatures in d.c., yeah, upper 70s yesterday. >> can't resist. >> i didn't get a lot of sleep in new york because there was an ice cream truck outside my apartment. ice cream truck on christmas eve. >> first time ever that has been the cause of a sleepless night in new york city. love it. >> on christmas eve, amazing. love it. >> coming up in "the skinny," christmas treasure coming to the palin family and california's governor sends a gift to hollywood "a" listers. >> also ahead a fowl protest at

why did a taxpayer dump seven chickens and take off? into and. >> and no immediate holiday truce between donald trump and hillary clinton. the war of words on social media takes a new tone. you're watching "world news now." you're watching "world news now." i took mucinex dm for my phlegmy cough. yeah...but what about mike? he has that dry scratchy thing going on. guess what? it works on his cough too. cough! guess what? it works on his cough too. what? stop! don't pull me! spoiler alert! she doesn't make it! only mucinex dm relieves bothwet and dry coughs for 12 hours with two medicines in one pill. start the relief. ditch the misery.

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that helps silence coughs for a full 12 hours. that's three times longer than the leading cough liquid. all night... or all day. okay, so let's call this a fowl scene. you'll see why in a second. this is at the state revenue office in eugene, oregon. those guys showed up, seven chickens left by an angry 66-year-old taxpayer. the motive? well, it's unclear. animal control was called in to

in seven chickens at once and certainly not under this circumstance. >> not often or ever. >> you think? >> the chicken dropper is now banned from returning to the building. >> the chicken dropper? i guess what else do you call him? >> yeah, i mean, yeah. >> so we don't know why. >> the delivery man. >> we don't note why he did it. i guess he got his point across somewhat because we're talking about it. >> absolutely. if he took those to japan on christmas day, man. >> kfc, done. >> turning now to the race for the white house and the rhetoric is apparently not letting up for christmas. >> not in the christmas spirit at all. with the latest polls showing hillary clinton and donald trump running in a dead heat, donald trump's campaign is turning up the heat and it's not just hillary clinton herself who he is targeting. here's abc's jim avila. >> reporter: no christmas eve quiet on donald trump's twitter feed. retweeting this -- "why is hillary even allowed to run?

his campaign spokeswoman even summoning the ghost of her husband's scandals. >> hillary clinton has some nerve to talk about the war on women and the bigotry towards women when she has a serious problem in her husband. >> reporter: trump's campaign upping the rhetoric after he described clinton's loss to president obama by using offcolor slang of the male anatomy. >> she was favored to win and she got [ bleep ]. she lost, i mean, she lost. >> reporter: trump insists his use of the term was neither vulgar nor misogynistic. >> to me, that's really a reference to getting beaten and really pretty decisively. and when i said it, nobody in the audience thought anything about it. they clapped, they didn't view that as being a horrible thing. >> reporter: but clinton's campaign calls trump's language degrading and disgusting. >> i really deplore the tone of his campaign and the

it's not the first time he's demonstrated a penchant for sexism. >> reporter: and that brought this veiled threat from trump, "hillary, when you complain about a penchant for sexism, who are you referring to? i have great respect for women. be careful." hours later, his spokeswoman dropping this bomb. >> i can think of quite a few women that have been bullied by hillary clinton to hide her husband's misogynist sexist secrets. >> reporter: no comment from the clinton campaign, but tonight, trump and his family go to church near his palm beach home, so, perhaps there will be a momentary truce. jim avila, abc news. >> coming up, california's governor has a big christmas present for a hollywood "a" lister. >> and disappointing news for janet jackson fans. why the singer is stepping off the concert stage. "the skinny" is next.

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quite a present from california governor jerry brown, an official pardon for a drug conviction that sent him to prison nearly 20 years ago. in 1996, police found cocaine, heroin and a pistol in his car when they stopped him for speeding and three years later he violated his parole. >> he was busy during those days. a proclamation from brown's office says since then, he has lived an honest and upright life, exhibited good moral character and conducted himself as a law abiding citizen. the iron man's conviction will remain on his record but so now will the pardon, and he will have his voting rights restored. next. >> jerry brown gets another voter right there. >> exactly. coming up next, troubling news from rock star janet jackson. >> she posted this on instagram. she's postponing her unbreakable world tour at least until the spring because she must have

jackson did not reveal what kind of surgery she would be undergoing but asked only that family and for her entire company during this difficult time. >> jackson told fans to hang on to those tickets that they would be honored in a special way when her new concert schedule is announced. >> i was looking forward to it. she was going to be in new york in february. >> did you get tickets? >> no, but was going to try to get some. >> last second stubhub. >> yeah, exactly. next to an early christmas present for the palin family. >> bristol palin who launched an abstinence campaign after giving birth as an unwed teenage mother seven years ago has given birth to her second child, a girl named sailor grace. palin instagrammed this photo saying our family couldn't be more complete. >> okay, so here's the issue. palin hasn't publicly identified the father of sailor grace but announced she was pregnant shortly after her engagement to marine war hero dakota meyer was broken off this spring, last spring. meyer also posted "best

>> about the baby, not the broken engagement. okay. to be clear. >> so yeah, so maybe he's the baby daddy? maybe there's an episode of "maury" coming up soon? >> oh, yes. tune in. finally the spirit of christmas comes alive in the locker room. >> this is really cool. something you just don't see very often or frankly ever. carolina panthers running back fozzy whittaker dressed up as rudolph the red nosed reindeer singing the temptations version of silent -- let's have him sing it. >> oh, wow. sleep in heaven, heavenly peace merry christmas to all of you, all of you we mean it merry christmas to all of

>> merry christmas, everybody. >> the temptations. >> do you know that? it's probably i'm showing my age here. that's a really classic and great christmas song there. >> i appreciated your attempt singing it. i'd like for you to continue that please. >> a lot of people do not appreciate it. that's what happens if you're 14-0, you can sing anything you want. >> in a reindeer costume, shirtless like that guy. i liked it. >> coming up, box office.

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we've been changing things up with k-y love. oh yeah. it's a pleasure gel that magnifies both our sensations. it gives us chills in places we've never gotten chills before. yeah, it makes us feel like... dare to feel more with new k-y love. >> you know how hard it is to find red shoes? >> i think you're festive enough. the best costume change ever. >> festive is one word to call it. >> yeah. all right, well it is now time for "insomniac theater" if you can even listen to what we're saying with this distraction here. >> i'm trying to not get it close to the fire.

>> checking out two films opening at the box office this weekend. >> this week, we're going to start with quintin tarantino's latest adventure "the hateful eight," set in post civil war wyoming. it stars kurt russell and samuel l. jackson. they're trying to find shelter in a blizzard but end up getting involved in a plot of betrayal and deception. >> one of them fellows is not what he says he is. >> what is he? >> in cahoots with this one, that's what he is. one of them, maybe even two of them is here to see she goes free. >> "hateful eight" is getting a solid 75% rating on rotten tomatoes and the critics seem to love it. mike scott writes it's 100% tarantino pleasure entertainment and andy crump calls it a towering work as profound as it is profane. >> next up an offering from another hollywood heavyweight with an appropriate title for christmas, "joy," it stars jennifer lawrence, robert de

o. russell. it tells the story of a family across four generations and the woman at the center of it all who rises to become the founder and matriarch of a powerful family business dynasty. but along that road to success is betrail of, treachery, and more than a few surprises. >> hi. >> what are you doing here? >> i'm returning him to you. i don't want him anymore. >> what? >> he's damaged. he has no place else to go. he's been living in my house for two years. >> dad, i'm so sorry. but you know, tony's living in the basement. >> your ex-husband shouldn't be living in your basement. that's not the proper way to be divorced. >> okay. >> critics are saying that is no way to make a movie giving it a 58% on rotten tomatoes. i'm disappointed. pete hammond writes jennifer lawrence proves a mop can be just as empowering as a bow and arrow. wow. >> why so angry. >> joshua starnes writes the

its title or aspirations. that is such a bummer. what a great cast. >> j. law is getting a lot of buzz for that film and a lot of oscar buzz for it. >> maybe the critics are wrong. >> i'm going to put this near the fire and see if it will just catch fire. >> i think you should dance. you look like a festive little

>> might be a little bit too this morning on "world news now," extreme weather and holiday heart this morning, extreme weather and holiday heartache. >> tornadoes tear through the south, and the snowstorm that could slow down christmas travelers. accu-weather has it covered. payback time. americans held hostage in tehran back in 1979. the surprising plan to send them millions of dollars in compensation. celebrating christmas.

christ's birthplace, and the pope's holiday sermon hitting home this christmas morning. and later, tracking santa. the government operation going back 60 years following will old st. nick making his deliveries. how the popular program started with a mistake. it is friday, christmas day, december 25th. >> from abc neabc news, this is "world news> good morning, everyone. merry christmas. i'm marci gonzalez in for reena ninan. >> and merry christmas. i'm kendis gibson just looking to see where santa is. he's heading for wichita, kansas, at this hour right now. he's been very, very busy. >> very busy. yeah, if you live in that area, kids get to sleep. >> hopefully they're asleep by now. >> you never know. staying up, listening for those reindeer. >> of course.

in the heartland of this country where it's a heartbreaking christmas day with the severe weather that's tearing through the south ruining this holiday for millions of people. at least 14 people are dead as tornadoes tore through seven states. >> they included one of the longest tracked twisters ever observed in december. more now from abc's elizabeth hur. >> back it up. >> back it up. >> reporter: the tornadoes so powerful, homes were demolished. tractor-trailers flipped and debris tossed for miles. >> just rumbling thunder and then with the lightning striking then you see it, that's when it was really, really intense. >> reporter: from tennessee to mississippi -- >> we heard this great big whoo like a train and then it was calm. >> reporter: at least two dozen reported tornados touched down cutting a path of destruction and leaving many homeless. >> it's devastating. kind of crushes you here at christmas.

i don't even have the words to explain it. >> reporter: the damages are so widespread, a state of emergency has been declared in tennessee and mississippi. state officials vowing to help everyone now beginning the process of recovering and rebuilding. >> this was a well organized effort and we will recover. >> reporter: and after reeking havoc in the south, that same -- wreaking havoc in the south, that same storm system headed east triggering dangerous flash flooding in parts of georgia and alabama. kendis and marci? >> thank you, elizabeth. and the severe weather extended all the way up to the great lakes bringing michigan its first tornado ever in the month of december. it touched down about 20 miles west of detroit with 90-mile-an-hour winds. there was some property damage but no reported injuries. there were also several tornadoes in northern california east of sacramento. some roofs damaged, trees and fences torn down, but there were no reports of injuries, as well here. one traffic accident blamed on

the driver was distracted looking at the storm. if you are looking for a white christmas, try omaha. the city buried by 6 to 8 inches of snow yesterdada snow plows got a late start making nearly everyone else late wherever they were heading and there were a whole bunch of fender benders and traffic on the whiz slowed to a crawl but at least they got their picture perfect holiday. not so much here in new york where not only is there no snow but yesterday's high temperature set a record, 672 degrees. still can't believe it. it was like that all over the northeast. holiday travel could be a nightmare in other parts of the country. here's accuweather meteorologist cam tran. good morning. >> happy christmas morning, kendis and marci. balmy in the east. if you're looking for a white christmas, head out west. pressure forming on the lee side of the rockies brings widespread into utah and western colorado and then that system will shift

bringing snow into the northern plains. we could see poor visibility as well as drifting snow making travel a bit dangerous. the system will move into minneapolis by saturday morning. but the big storm system we're talking about will be over the weekend. a major storm developing across the south that will bring blizzard like conditions into new mexico and the texas panhandle. we could see up to 10 inches of snow in el paso. heavy rain in east texas and severe weather possible in the lower mississippi heading back home for the holidays could be a bit dangerous. back to you, kendis and marci. >> thanks to cam there. chaos at a north carolina mall after gunfire erupted between two groups of teenagers. police in charlotte say an off-duty officer killed one of the gunmen. panicked shoppers scrambling for cover as ten shots rang out.e officer was placed on leave nding the outcome of the vestigation. > an arizona man accused of helping attack a prophet muhammad cartoon contest in texas is facing new charges. prosecutors say malik abdul kareem also planned to fight with isis and accused of trying to blow up the site of the super

a mall. kareem was already charged with providing the guns used in the texas attack. 36 years after their capture, the americans taken hostage in tehran in 1979 are set to receive millions of dollars in compensation. it's news that brought tears to the eyes of the former hostages. abc's tom llamas has the details. >> more than 30 years after the hostages were paraded before the world, a measure of justice. the 53 americans seized by an angry mob that stormed the u.s. embassy in tehran in 1979. >> spend at least another night imprisons in the american embassy. >> they became pawns. their ordeal dragging on more than a year.

carolina as a security guard at the embassy. >> being held hostage was 444 days of a bads nightmare where each day we woke up and thought we were dead. >> reporter: finally on the day ronald reagan was sworn -- >> day one of freedom for 52 americans. >> reporter: in all the years since, the former hostages fought for compensation. now it's finally come buried in a budget bill president obama signed last friday. they will each receive up to $4.4 million. that's $10,000 for every one of the 444 days they spent in captivity. he calls it justice. >> tom llamas, abc news, new york. the pope sounding a somber note during his christmas eve mass, noting the simplicity of jesus christ's birth. pope francis condemned what he called society's intoxication with consumerism, pleasure, abundance and wealth. he says an jesus calls on christians to act in a way that is simple, balanced,ent, capable of seeing and doing what is essential. the upsurge of violence in the holy land brought more tension to christmas

mahmoud abbas joined christian faithful in bethlehem for midnight mass. it has been at the center of violence but as molly hunter reports, the celebrations have returned. >> reporter: mixed feeling between the celebration and the sad feeling. >> reporter: that sad feeling shared widely this year. after months of violence in the occupied palestinian territories and israel left 19 israelis and more than 130 palestinians dead, israel says more than half of those palestinians were attackers. in manger square, the birthplace of jesus, the crowd's smaller. tourism suffering. people say they've never seen it like this. >> but at the same time, there

resilience. people insist to celebrate christmas to send a message of hope that we, the christians and muslims, the palestinians are here. we were here. and we'll stay here forever. >> resilience and happiness says natalie. >> are you going to celebrate more this year because of the tension, because of the violence? >> because the only way you fight war is by happiness and by peace. peace by happiness, by music. >> merry christmas. >> molly hunter, abc news, bethlehem. back here in the state environmentalists are delivering a bit of a buzz kill over america's christmas lights. while light displays are a small fraction of the electricity we consume annually, a new study finds that the lights we turn on burn up more energy than some nations in a year. >> wow. >> el salvador, cambodia and tanzania are some of the countries that use less power than the u.s. over the days. your big christmas tree is bad news to the environment. >> yeah. well, there is something else burning in denver on christmas

a non-profit group gave free marijuana joints to the homeless and anyone else who wanted one. the group cannabis can says it wants to use pot for good and to bring people together. >> that's kind of them. that group says it's high time, high time, that the homeless had access to restrooms and showers. so it's raising money. an it's illegal to smoke marijuana in public in colorado but giving it as a gift is okay. the group wishes everyone "a happy cannimas." >> exactly. that's -- so they are a bunch of hungry homeless people right about now in denver. >> munchies with candy canes. >> medical use. they have arthritis, too. >> is that it? >> uh-huh. coming up "in the mix" if your gift wrapping technique is less than artful, we'll make you feel a little better. >> who is behind the bombshell plan to crack down and deport immigrants?

out. later the government's popular santa tracking program following st. nick's big night of deliveries after six decades. we're revealing how it actually all started. >> remember to find us on facebook wnnfans.com and twitter @abcwnn. you're watching "world news now." twitter @abcwnn. you're watching "world news now."@abcwnn.

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the homeowner says the burglar was just feet away from his bedroom but never tried to enter. >> wow. >> but with $100,000 worth of items nearby, i would have -- i mean, i can understand why he didn't enter the bedroom. he was busy. >> i guess so. the obama administration has launched a new salvo in the debate over illegal immigration. the department of homeland security is set to deport thousands of central american immigrants living here illegally since last year. abc's pierre thomas has the latest. >> reporter: they came over the southern border by the thousands. children and families, in some cases, fleeing violence and persecution in central america. many bussed beyond the border. inside the u.s. >> turn around and go back. >> reporter: some facing angry crowds, while the government determined their fate. now, with illegal border crossing spiking again, hundreds of those families are being targeted for deportation in a series of sweeps that could begin as early as next month, if approved by the white house. >> i think what they're trying to do here is send a message to

come.