>> reporter: this is one of dozens of police raids across the city to find the fugitive. he was known to authorities. the german magazine says he was caught on a telephone wiretap offering to commit a suicide attack. authorities found the statement too, quote, convaluded to arrest him. they watched him until seventh, and amri had a long criminal record. he served four years in prison. the christmas market defiantly reopens. two americans were among those recooperating from the attack. richard ramirez who moved to germany from texas was critically injured, his partner killed. russell injured, telling the austin statesman, he could see the dead around him. abc news, new york. >

international story we've been following this week. the president of mexico vowing to rebuild the fireworks market where a chain reaction explosion left 30 people dead. the president said he'll reopen the market next year. in the meantime, families are packing the local churches as funeral masses continue for victims. a terrifying attack stunned a small california community. a man dressed in yellow rain gear walked into a gas station and sprayed flammable liquid around the store and on the clerk. the clerk, david wicks, was badly burned and unable to speak, but he was able to nod yes when asked if it was intentional. he then died a short time later. police are searching for the suspect, and it's unclear why wicks was targeted. >> wow. police searching for a map who passed out candy kaens and robbed a bank wearing a santa claus mask in tennessee. he's handing out candy canes to people in the bank.

merry christmas and hand the teller a note demanding money. no word yet on how much cash he got away with. bizarre. >> right? >> bizarre incidents, wow. so a resident of columbus, ohio reached a milestone celebrating with a party at the zoo. that's because -- >> yeah. >> yeah. >> it's home. >> she lives there. she's a gorilla. >> colo is 60 years old. she was the first gorilla born in a zoo, and she's now lived some two decades longer than the usual life span for a gorilla. the zoo says that's a try butte to good medical care and solid nutrition like this birthday cake made from tomatoes and apple. >> yuck. >> do you think colo wants that cake? or prefers sugar? >> like, i waited 60 years for tomatoes and apples? >> come on, show her love. >> stop at magnolia

get me something good. happy birthday. >> yes. coming up. >> the shocking scene of a truck drivers backwards on a busy interstate. other motorists desperate to get out of the way. >> and working it out. with the rockettes. yes, will ganz tries to get in line with the legendary crew, but does he have the right stuff? wait until you see him wear their outfits. does he do that? >> yeah, i hope. one can wish. "world news now" weather brought to you by delsum. le cou, take delsym, the #1 12-hour cough medicine. it helps control the impulse to cough for 12 hours. which means, you're controlling your cough on your morning commute. and later when you're joking with beth... even when most cough medicines stop, delsym is still working. ♪

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that cough doesn't sound so good. well i think you sound great. move over. easy booger man. take mucinex dm. it'll take care of your cough. fine! i'll text you in 4 hours when your cough returns. one pill lasts 12 hours, so... looks like i'm good all night! ah! david, please, listen. still not coughing. not fair you guys! waffles are my favorite! ah! some cough medicines only last 4 hours. but just one mucinex lasts 12 hours. start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. this is a weird sight for drivers in new mexico. a pickup truck driving reverse on a highway in heavy, heavy traffic, creating a big headache for other commuters, and it's unclear why he was g

it was always a bad idea. >> bad idea. i do want to know if it's legal. >> if it's illegal? >> illegal to drive backwards on the highway? if you're driving in the right direction. okay. >> that -- >> we'll ponder that. >> it's illegal, don't do it. in the meantime, lawmakers in north carolina, they are pointing fingers after that special session to repeal a controversial bathroom bill ended in no action. >> critics say the law limited lgbt rights including which bathroom a transgendered person could use. janae norman explains the controversy that's still brewing. >> reporter: a $42,000 special legislative session down the drain. >> i cannot believe this. >> reporter: the controversial bathroom bill remains on the books. >> it is not normal to waste four days to accomplish nothing. >> reporter: north carolina's democratic lawmakers are frustrated and angry, accusing republicans of a ba

a bill to repeal hb2, but including a cooling off period, preventing passing antidiscrimination laws for six months. if one part of the bill was voted down, the whole thing failed, and it did. republicans are saying democrats killed the repeal because it did well as a campaign tactic. >> i don't know if you think the public is stupid or we're stupid or who is stupid, but it just does not make sense. >> reporter: the bill requires using public ret rooms according to the gender on their birth certificate, not what they identify with. that sparked outrage. paypal pulled hundreds of jobs from the state, musicians cancel concerts there, and the nba moved the all-star game to louisiana. the deal was a chance for redemption, but instead? >> it doubles down on discrimination. >> reporter: this only adds to the political disarray in north carolina. following the contentious race for governor there, the republican-dominated legislature met in special session

incoming governor, roy cooper, of power. janai norman, abc news, washington. behind the scenes at radio city. >> will ganz gets dancing pointers from the rockettes themselvesment don't miss it. that's next on "world news now." "world n

so some 2 million americans or people will get to see what's called the christmas speck tack due lar inned radio city this year. >> it is spectacular. >> it is. >> will got a chance of a lifetime getting up close and personal and a few dancing pointers from the rockettes themselves. ♪ >> reporter: the tree at rockefeller center. those iconic christmas movie moments. ♪ the holiday season is upon us here in midtown, manhattan, a tradition as famous as the christmas tree itself, the radio city rockettes at the christmas spectacular. i've been working on the high kicks, but something tells me i might need a pointer or two. somewhere in between four shows a day and 300 kicks per show, two members of the iconic precision dance team took a little time to

secrets. they met me backstage in the most holly, jolly, sparkly room this side of the north pole. >> this is one of our rooms where we would get dressed in between numbers. some of the changes are 90 seconds. we have eight costume changes. we wouldn't be able to do it without our amazing costume crew. the backstage crew here during the show is just as important as what the audience sees on stage. >> reporter: forget the elves, the costume crew is the hardest working team this time of the year. >> every one of the 80 rockettes on stage have custom made outfits. >> add iing up to 350 loads of laundry a week, 16 hours a week, and 20 hours on the weekends, but thank goodness someone is doing the laundry. this is a workout. how heavy is this? >> not sure how many pounds it is, but it is our santa suit. it is cardio

there is the fat insert to have a jolly feel. we have the santa wigs, beard, gloves, boots. >> i have to imagine it gets a little toasty under there. >> it's a little warm on stage. >> absolutely. but if anyone can beat the heat, it's the rockettes. they are in pique physical shape despite holiday treats. >> it's important to eat well, stretch, warm up, cool down in between shows, so that we take care of our bodies, and we have a wonderful athletic training department because it is a very athletic dance. it looks very easy from the audience -- >> no, it doesn't. what are you talking about? >> reporter: they do a magical job making the dances look easy, but this wooden soldier has been in the show since

but no dance is more famous than that signature kick line. so after some preshow warmups and approved stretching, i skip the letter to santa thing and asked the rockettes to make my christmas wish come true. joining a kick line. >> oh. i feel good about that. >> so, yes, a very merry christmas for this long time rockette fan, but don't worry, the girls told me their christmas season is still merry and bright despite working so hard this time of year. ♪ from radio city music hall in midtown, manhattan, will ganz, abc news. >> let's do the

>> i have my uggs on. >> i have my spanx on. it's okay. let's do it. >> there you go. easy booger man. take mucinex dm. it'll take care of your cough. fine! i'll text you in 4 hours when your cough returns. one pill lasts 12 hours, so... looks like i'm good all night! ah! david, please, listen. still not coughing. not fair you guys! waffles are my favorite! ah! some cough medicines only last 4 hours. but just one mucinex lasts 12 hours. start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this.

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to unleash max strength medicine. let's end this. ♪ i didn't get the memo on the uggs. >> normally, they are behind the desk, and i have real shoes, but the snow is here and it's the holidays, it's cozy. >> because it is the holidays, we have an insomniac theaters that's a holiday edition. first movie to hit theaters to escape relatives this weekend is -- >> denzel washington directs and stars in this play, centered on a black garbage collector named troye maxxman. he dreamed of golf, but was deemed too old when the major leagues began admitting black athletes. they won tonys for the performances in the 201

of the play. >> i looked at here, there, saw roads, and i latched on to her. i latched on to her, and i told you the truth, i latched on to her and said, baby, e don't want to marry, i just want to be your man. rose told me, tell them what you told them. >> if he was the mankind to move out of the way so mankind could find me. >> overall, the critics are behind fences, but one writes, by themselves, the actors make the movie worth seeing, though in the end, it feels too much like a school assignment, and another says, washington and davis' performances invite a us into a place that's painful and hard to shake. as good as screen acting gets. >> two names we'll hear on oscar nomination morning. next, brian cranston plays a straight laced overprotective dad visiting his daughter to find out she's dating a bill

franco. has no filter, wildly inappropriate match for his daughter. >> you know what? no, just jumping in. i'm just going to do this. it's going to be great. >> i just got it done this morning. >> yeah. >> is that our christmas card. >> gosh, it says happy holidays and everything. >> i gave the guy a christmas card, i didn't happy holidays was on there. good thing i like christmas. >> the critics are not into it, getting 35%, and richard putting it like this, not funny, not funny, not follow-upny, not funny. another writes, the movie has classic comic set pieces to make you forgive the film's occasional trips over the top. >> that is the news for this half hour. >> going to go see "why him" aren't you? >> can i try on one of your u o uggs? like tom brady

this morning, the president-elect's call for nuclear weapons. >> what would be a major reversal in u.s. policy, donald trump tweeting our nuclear capabilities should be expanded. meanwhile, putin is saying the same thing, so could the nuclear arms race of the cold war era be renewed? video from the attack of ber run surfaces as the hunt intensifies across europe. now word of a christmas day terrorist plot in australia foiled. the arrest of a black woman who called the police after her child was allegedly attacked in the street, but when police showed up, she was the one arrested. see why the racially charged incident has so many outraged. deck the halls with the random handmade