this morning on "world news now," making history. >> the people's pope and his is busy first full day in the united states from the commander in chief to the children at his feet. pope francis inspiring the faithful in the nation's capital. we're live in d.c. with a look at another historic day ahead. new details surrounding those two high school football players lined siding a referee. their coach now admitting that he said to pur the attack and how the buys will be punished. >> tracking your kids. the latest way parents can can keep an eye on their children without violating their trust. new apps for where with families can stay safe together even when they're not. and imagine you're sitting at a light when you see this, a plane making an emergency planneding right down main street bringing new meaning to flying through the intersection.

it's thursday, september 24th. from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning. great to have you back, kendis. watching all the coverage, it's not often you can quote from the good book at the start of the show. it reminded me of that verse give me your tired, your pure, your huddled masses. i realized that's not the new testament. that's the statue of liberty. why did i think of that at that moment? >> it's not revelations. >> i was ghouling it and realized i was thinking of come to me all who are weary and il give you rest which is actually the new testament. >> you were quoting the statue of liberty. >> i'm all of those today, the tired, weary and poor. i was at the white house. it's rare you get to see a pope and a president in the same environment. i got an invite from the president's office. it was great to be there. fascinating hear it the pope speak english which is a rare

thing he does. he will be speaking english again today in front of congress. of course, that's where we'll get started today on this thursday. the pope is on the move and will make history along the way. >> his first full day in the nation's capital was full of incredible images. a small girl was lifted over a barrier. security tried to move her away. when the pope signaled for her, a guard picked up 5-year-old sophie cruz and brought her to the popemobile. >> the daughter of two undocumented immigrants. the pope offered his blessings. sophie gave him a t-shirt and a letter about the need for immigration reform right here in the u.s. >> and as for this morning, francis makes a historic first ever speech by a pope to a joint meeting of congress. later, he'll visit catholic charities of washington and meet with about 200 homeless people. and then it's off to new york. francis will participate in the an evening prayer ceremony at st. patrick's cathedral. >> obviously another busy day

ahead for pope francis. that's precisely how yesterday could be described, as well. >> with more details we're joined by abc's karen republican traverse from the basilica where francis participated in a mass. good morning, karen. >> good morning, reena and kendis. it's quiet here now at the basilica at catholic university. yesterday this place was jumped and jam packed. 25,000 people came here to hear pope francis celebrate mass. no surprise, it was for the most part a somber affair except at the end when pope francis turned to walk away from the altar, the crowd started shouting viva el papa which, of course means long live the pope. everywhere pope francis went, large adoring crowds greeted minimum. the day began at the white house. 11,000 people packing the south lawn. it was pomp and circumstance but the president and the pope not

shying away from a little policy talk. >> holy father, you remind us that we have a sacred obligation to protect our planet. god's magnificent gift to us. climate change is a problem. we can no longer be left to our future generation. >> reporter: and the history made. 25,000 people waiting outside in a blazing hot sun for pope francis' arrival. the mass included the canonization of june pair row sarah, is the catholic priest who established california's missions and the first catholic saint ever named on american soil. to some it's controversial because of his role in the colonization and forced conversion of native americans. during his homily, pope francis used him as an example of how to live a meaningful life.

>> translator: father serra had a motto which inspired his life and work. he's saying he lived his life by see em pri alante. keep moving forward. >> today, pope francis will address congress, another historic first. and yesterday, house speaker john boehner said that pope francis transcends politics. he urged lawmakers to open their hearts to the example that pope francis is setting and learn from it reena and kendis, we'll see if that happens. >> karen, we know one thing we love about this pope, he does his own thing. he made an unscheduled stop last night? >> reporter: yes, the vatican confirming pope francis stopped to meet with representatives from the little sisters of the poor, which, of course have been in the headlines recently because they've taken on the obama administration for that contraception pan date part of the affordable care act. locked in a very fierce legal

bat with the administration. right now they have a short-term stay on that but they've come to represent the religious fight against that part of the affordable care act. the vatican spokesperson saying that pope francis wanted to go and show his support, but wasn't going to weigh in specifically about contraception or abortion but just letting that visit stand for itself. >> and you mentioned, karen, that speaker boehner said he transcends politics. yesterday's speech sounded quite political. what can we expect from his big speech today on capitol hill? >> yeah, he transcends politics but certainly doesn't avoid politics. yesterday when he made thosera, at the white house, brief statement, a handful of pages and he really got right into it. applauding president obama on climate change and talking in in general about that will progressive agenda that we've heard from pope francis before. that's what we're expecting again today. we think he'll talk about immigration reform, income inequality, all tough issues

that this country is dealing with right now. especially on the presidential election season. but the pope is going to get into that with lawmakers and it doesn't sound like he's going to shy away from any of those controversial positions. >> we're hoping he'll spray holy water on capitol hill and bring them together. >> i don't know if it could help. >> that's true. karen travers live in washington. thank you so much. and more from the papal visit later in this half hour. and throughout the morning here on abc news. well, the pope's stop is cuba is said to have helped peace talks to end the longest-running armed conflict in latin america. the president of columbia and leftist guerrilla commanders are announcing an important break through there. the two sides have agreed to set up justice courts to try those who committed crimes over the past 50 years of conflict. more than 200,000 colombians died as a result of that conflict. more help for the thousands of refugees seeking asylum.

leaders have agreed to give $1 billion to the u.n. and the world food program. those agencies have been providing food and shelter for refugees in camps. the leaders also called for talks to end the conflict in syria where most of the refugees have come from. breaking overnight, a quiet neighborhood in columbia, maryland, rocked by a massive explosion. one townhouse completely collapsed. and the fire spread to three other homes, leaving hem totally destroyed or badly damaged. the blast briefly trapped several residents and sent glass and debris flying 50 feet across the parking lot. two were injured including an inspecter looking into a complaint about a natural gas odor. we are learning more about the fear motorist were feeling as a sniper took shots at them along the highway in phoenix. police are investigating at least 11 different incidents and now released the dramatic 911 calls from the victims.

here's kayna whitworth. >> reporter: tonight, these new 911 calls revealing the terrifying moments drivers in phoenix realized they had been hit. >> okay. are you injured? >> i don't feel anything, because i just got so scared, because i heard a big bang and the window shattered. >> reporter: some even giving eerie descriptions of a roadside gunman. >> i saw a hand go up to the top. it looked like it was screwing two things together, and i was like, "is that a rifle?" >> he had over 15 magazines fully loaded all around his body. he had a .9 millimeter on his hip. >> reporter: police say 21-year-old leslie allen merritt jr. used a .9 millimeter firearm in four of the 11 incidents. tonight, he's charged with 16 felonies, though insists he's innocent. >> my gun has been in the pawn shop for the last two months. >> reporter: but the pawn shop owner saying he was in the shop more recently, though pawned the gun before the fourth shooting authorities had linked to merritt. authors are saying they're aware of a discrepancy in the time line but feel they have a strong case against merritt junior.

>> everyone everybody president obama to major leergz have been tweeting in remembrance after yoeg by berra, the legend was honored last night before the yanks took on the blue jays in toronto. the yanks will wear his number 8 on their uniforms for the rest of the season to honor him. there was a special tribute overnight in light last night. the entire state building in yankee pin stripes. he was 90 years old. as pope francis greets the faithful, we are used to seeing him with babies. he's not the only one. >> an image of a college professor with a toddler in his arms went viable. the little boy was brought to class by his mother when she couldn't find daycare. she was worried what the professors would say. he picked up the child and kept on lecturing. the mom was so moved, she broke down crying. >> aw, that's very cute. >> very touching. we've been there before where you've will to bring your child in places where you hope people

will be kind to you. i would have broken down too. >> i'll be more compassionate the next time on an airplane. >> or the next time i bring my son because he didn't have child care overnight. >> coming up later in the mix, very good news for finl jitters. >> first a scene that might make drivers do more than fidget. a plane coming in for a landing on a busy street. nobody was hurt but they did run a red light. new details on the high school football players who attacked a ref during a game. how exactly their coach to do it and the punishment they now face. also, you can check out our behind the scenes pics on instagram abcwnn. you're watching "world news now." laundry can wreak havoc onr clothes, ruining them forever. sweaters stretch into muumuus. and pilled cardigans become pets. but it's not you, it's the laundry. protect your clothes from stretching, fading, and fuzz.

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a live shot you see there from the u.s. capitol in washington where pope francis will be this morning. he'll be delivering a first ever papal speech before a joint meeting of congress. >> estimates are about 25,000 people attended the pope's mass yesterday outside a basilica in washington, d.c. earlier francis attended a prayer service with american bishops. the archbishop of washington told the crowd that francis would have liked to greet everyone personally but he didn't have enough time. the pope pointing to his watch there into even if you don't have time to deal with heavy traffic generated by the pope's visit, getting around during rush hour is always difficult

but how about if a plane lands on a busy street? trouble. that's what forced an emergency landing in southern california. it caught motorists dashcam. amazingly, it landed safely and didn't hit anyone or anything. >> thankfully it wasn't on the 405 freeway. volkswagen dealers and owners are furious over the mess left by the smog test cheating scandal. the company's ceo resigning taking full responsibility. more heads are likely to roll. angry customers are stuck with cars they don't want anymore and dealers are stuck with inventory they can't sell. vw's board is set to meet tomorrow to consider their next step. >> knew to the two texas football players seen tackling a ref during the game. >> the players assigned to 75 days of aurlt alternative school as punishment. they can't take art in any extracurricular activities. a coach admitsed he urged the boys to attack the official. here's abc's clayton sandell.

>> reporter: the two texas high school players who launched this brutal takedown of a referee found out in january, they'll be allowed to return to their school. >> i'm ready to accept any punishment coming towards me. >> reporter: victor rojas and michael moreno claimed they tackled that referee on orders from assistant coach mack breed, and now their own principal says that's exactly what happened. in a statement first obtained by espn, principal robert harris writes, "coach breed told me that he directed the students to make the referee pay for his racial comments and calls." now, those players tell us, they feel betrayed by a school district they say waited nearly three weeks to back them up. >> it was really shocking to know that this whole time they've known the truth. >> reporter: coach breed has not responded to numerous attempts to get his side of the story. as for that referee, robert watts, his attorney has denied he ever used racial slurs. >> they are flat-out lies. and the people who know him know that. >> reporter: for their part, rojas and moreno say they accept full responsibility.

>> it was a mistake that i made. and -- i'm sorry. i regret it. >> i just want to apologize to mr. watts. >> reporter: clayton sandell, abc news, denver. quite a scandal there in texas. coming up in our next half hour, trump versus fox news. donald trump says he's boycotting the cable cham at least for now because they have been unfair to him. but that's not the way fox sees it. but first, apps that help you make sure your children get hope safely no matter where they are. you're watching "world news now." "world new

we all love downloading the hottest new apps. here are a few parents might want to download. >> they help you stay in touch with your children when travel ong their own. abc's becky worley profiles one

of them. >> reporter: late night, your college pressure man walking across campus. it seems like yesterday you were holding her hand to walk her across the street. so what if she could reach out to a parent one thousands of miles away to safely get her from the barbara to the dorm. >> i feel super comfortable using it and knowing that somebody is watching me as i'm walking home. >> using a brand-new app called companion, vickie novak, a freshman at the university of colorado can ask her mom in california to virtually monitor her. >> victoria has requested that you be her companion, keep an eye on her as she's on the move. >> they've got your back. >> reporter: it uses gps to show mimi where she is. if something goes wrong, an alert shows up. >> this phone will be notified when he my headphones are pulled out, if i fall, if i start running, anything out of the ordinary. >> reporter: then mom can call to see if she's okay or worst

case cas call 911 and provide her daughter's exact location. it's one of a slew of new personal safety apps like circle of 6 and life line response. while a teen could call a parent and talk with them on the phone. >> turns out a lot of teenagers don't want to talk. they prefer texting and doing their thing. >> reporter: what do you say to people who think this is an extension of helicopter parenting? >> it's not because your child calls you. it's not me sitting there stalking her. >> reporter: when the notification comes in that vick kay has arrived at her dorm, how does that make mom feel? >> the knowledge she's reaching out to me and that she wants to show me where she is priceless. >> reporter: becky worley, abc news, new york. >> what a great app. i think it's fantastic because it gives you peace of mind. i always thought you get through the phase of kids being toddlers but older moms told me when they start driving you're still up all night. i want to make sure they're at

the library and not at a party. >> they'll find their ways. more coming up. we've been changing things up with k-y love.

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and now it's time for "the mix." i'm looking over at the news room over there, and i can actually see jack doing it, he's fidgiting. he's fidgiting. he doesn't even realize. sorry to call you out, bud. apparently there's a new study by the american journal of preventive medicine that says they found that finger jetting actually helps offset negative health affects. >> is that cold sweats. >> i don't know. but researchers in britain conducted a study for 12 years and used more than 12,000 participants. they weren't jack because they were all women and they found out that women who sat still had a higher mortality rate than the ones who fidgeted and moved around a lot. they do say, jack, what are you doing here? >> that's not fidgeting. >> buns of steel. >> by the way, jack makes a good

point. fidgeting is not a replacementoff physical training or exercise which looks like that's what he is doing right now. >> interesting. or carpal tunnel syndrome. so, the greatest way traps to honor the pope is to have his likeness in food. we have this fantastic idea for the segment. we were going to get a pretzel from this philly pretzel factory in lang horn, pennsylvania. it's a beautiful pretzel. >> a beautiful pretzel. >> that's a beautiful pretzel. it came to the newsroom on the fifth floor. it was going to be here to honor papa. and do you know what they did upstairs? >> don't tell me. >> they ate the pretzel. they ate the pretzel. >> they ate the pretzel. they ate the pope pretzel. >> all we have left is salt. they ate the pretzel. we don't have that to show right now. >> they do love our news desk. our overnight news desk, nothing gets past them. the best in the business. i think some of them might have

been fasting for yom kippur. the pope might have to give us a little. >> so they're hungry and thirsty right now. but there's also a pizza that here in new york city that -- >> oh. >> the likeness of the pope. the pope says he plans to try new york pizza while here. >> that's dangerous. he comes from rome. >> he knows good pizza. >> but new york pizza is also very good. a high school kicker, you got to see this one, kicks a ball off the ref's head i'm told. oh, snap. >> did you see that? did you see that? >> yes. >> trying for a line drive off the referee's head. makes the field goal. and it was not intentional, by the way. it was apparently an accident. it took places in texas, midland lee high school. >> and he makes it in. >> makes it in. >> that is awesome. he would never qualify for the jets because he actually scored. >> come on. >> he's successful. >> give the jets a break.

this morning on "world news now," the main event. after a day full of emotional surprises, pope francis takes his message to capitol hill. will his speech to congress have enough tough words for both sides of the aisle? a live report from washington just ahead. breaking overnight, a house in maryland explodes, sending debris everywhere. the fire spreading to other homes. the neighborhood looking like a bomb went off with residents in the chaos. and new this half hour, donald trump on the offensive. >> his anger boiling over into a boycott of fox news and how he's blaming hillary clinton for his latest problems on the campaign trail. and a question, what is the world's most iconic song? one scientist says he's got evidence to back it up. here we are now, entertain us in "the skinny" on this thursday, september 24th. ♪ entertain us