this morning on "world news now." spreading the wealth. >> republicans are celebrating the passage of the tax reform bill overnight, and companies are promising to share some of their new tax savings. thousands of workers are getting bonuses. plus to the white house, a top senator warns the president not to fire robert mueller. something that one congresswoman said would happen tomorrow. and we have an update after a police officers what forced to hold on for dear life, quite literally. he was left clinging to the side of a car as a suspect sped off. we have good news about his condition. there's a special place for

you. rudolph's rage room. if you're not feeling so holly jolly, you can step right up and beat the crap out of a christmas tree. oh, sweet baby jesus, cover your eyes. >> it's the most wonderful time of the year. ♪ it's the most wonderful time -- ♪ >> something like that. on this thursday, december 21st. from abc news. this is "world news now." >> i can't. >> no, it only is supposed to happen in the confines of that room. >> only in the room? it's been staring at me for so long. i'm sick of that damn tree. >> i bet that's what a lot of people's actual christmas looks like. >> it's just like, ah! well, good morning. merry christmas. >> we're all going to be okay. >> insanity later. we're going to start with

washington, d.c. and the victory lap that is taking place. president trump and republican lawmakers celebrating a major win on taxes. >> the tax reform bill is heading to the president's desk. the president says this also marks a win for the middle class, but critics aren't convinced. cecelia vega has more. >> reporter: at the white house, a beaming president trump greeting a sea of republicans with a double fist pump. >> it's always a lot of fun when you win. >> reporter: and lawmakers heaped on the praise one after the next after the next. >> something this profound could not have been done without exquisite presidential leadership. >> you listened to voices no one else was listening to. >> you're one heck of a leader, and we're all benefitting from it. t . >> reporter: the president calls it a miracle designed to help middle class families, but corporate america gets a much bigger tax break.

again. you haven't heard that, have you? >> reporter: and earlier in a cabinet meeting, the president flaunted those tax benefits for big business. >> our plan also lowers the tax on american business from 35% all the way down to 21%. that's probably the biggest factor in this plan. >> reporter: that cut for corporate america is permanent. but income tax cuts for individuals expire in eight years. and lower income americans making $75,000 or less will actually see their taxes go up over the next decade. during that same time, the ultra rich will see their taxes go down. the bill also repeals the obamacare mandate that every american buy health insurance. which means 13 million more americans could be uninsured over the next decade. and if some don't buy health insurance, premiums sky rocket for others. still the president touted the end of obamacare even though much of it remains in

down play it before the vote. >> obamacare lass behas been re in this bill. i tell people be quiet with the fake news media. i don't want them talking too much about it. >> reporter: the big question now, how much will this new tax plan add to the deficit. speaker paul ryan says no one knows the answer to that because it's in the future. non-partisan congressional budget analysts have a prediction. they say it will add nearly $1.5 trillion, trillion with a t, to the deficit over the next decade. cecelia vega, the white house. and several companies wasted no time responding. announcing plans to pass on savings to workers. >> at&t will give each of his domestic employees a $1,000 bonus. >> wells fargo is raising its minimum wage to $15 an hour. >> comcast is giving more than 1,000

critics say it's a pr stunt and that most will go to shareholders and executives. and an is that right is sending a warning to the white house about growing criticism of robert mueller. mark warner said mueller's critics should lay off. >> reporter: the top democrat on the senate intelligence committee with a warning to republicans and president trump. >> any attempt by this president to remove special counsel mueller from his position or shut down the investigation would be a gross abuse of power. >> reporter: mark warner on the floor of the senate concerned about recent new the reports and what democrats call a republican attempt to undermine special counsel robert mueller's investigation. >> just this weekend, one major news organization suggested that special counsel mueller could be involved in a coup against the president. >> reporter: that headline on fox news

counselor made this. >> they were pro hillary. >> reporter: responding to the comments that a fbi agent and attorney once on mueller's team were trading anti-trump text messages. trump asked over the weekend whether he's planning to fire mueller. >> no, i'm not. no. >> reporter: but senator warner isn't convinced after the firing of fbi director james comey. >> firing mr. mule iror aeller the other top brass involved in in this investigation would not only call into question this administration's commitment to the truth but also to the most basic concept, rule of law. >> reporter: president trump says he's not ready to talk pardons after michael flynn pled guilty to lying to the fbi, senator warner also warned the president against pardons in the russia investigation. diane and kendis? we want to move on to breaking fl breaking news coming in from australia. a suv

pedestrians on a busy sidewalk. it happened at a rail station. the suv was speeding and did not brake before hitting those people. up to 19 people may have been injured, including at least one child. we'll keep on top of this. and the highway shut down by the deadly amtrak derailment is open again. two lanes of interstate 5 south of dupont, washington reopened. meanwhile, washington's governor says amtrak will pay the cost associated with the recovery, including medical expenses. they want to ensure positive train control technology is in place by the end of next year. now to the desperate search for a 6 month old baby girl. an amber alert was issued. her mother was found stabbed to death in their apartment near houston on tuesday. investigators say a woman may have abducted the baby and is now posing as her

police also are i sag tsaying t suspect is likely familiar with the family and the neighborhood. fbi teams are also assisting with the search. this is insane. a 5-year-old boy has been shot for the second time in just over a year. he accidentally shot himself on tuesday. in 2016, a stray bullet broke his jaw as he walked with his mom. she says that the shooting made him think he needed a gun for protection. his father will be in court today to face multiple charges related to this week's shooting, including child endangerment. and a florida police officer is back home after being dragged half a mile by a car. john cusack of pembroke pines received a big round of applause from his fellow officers as he left the hospital. he had surgery for injuries to his arms and legs but says he's doing okay. he was checking on an unconscious couple in a car when the driver wakes up and hits the gas. the driver now

charges, including attempted murder. just when we thought that razor thin virginia race to decide a seat in the assembly was settled? no, no, no. >> yesterday we told you shelly simonds won. >> she celebrated for a good 24 hours. then a three-judge panel has awarded yancy a previously uncounted vote. so now the race is a tie. a final order still has to be issued by virginia's recount court. >> un-believable! and this also can dictate the control of the house of delegates. >> yes. so it has massive, massive ramifications. >> if symonds gets in, it would be a 50/50 split. they are in a dead

unbelievable. >> change it from being republican controlled for the first time in decades. >> yeah. >> oy. coming up, an inside look at putin's russia. and the biker gang not just made friends with but changing the regime. they're being called hench men. and olympic star makayla marrone saying u.s. gymnastics paid her to stay quiet about the abuse she suffered under the team doctor. you're watching "world news now."

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an oxygen tank is being blamed for a deadly explosion outside cincinnati. a 70-year-old woman died in the blast in the small town of fayetteville. the cause of that fire is still under investigation. also in ohio, a young man is fighting for his life after being injured from a stand bag thrown from an overpass. he was in the passenger seat of a car when a sandbag hit shattering the windshield and hitting him. four teenagers ages 13 and 14 are facing felony charges. they were throwing items from the

other cars as well. next to makayla marrone suing usa gymnastics, accusing them of trying to silence her. repeated sex abuse allegations by that doctor. >> they tried to buy her off with a secret settlement. linsey davis has the details. >> reporter: makayla marrone says usa gymnastics kept her quiet about the abuse she suffered by larry nassar. she agreed to the settlement in late 2016 filing a lawsuit against usa olympics and michigan state university where he worked for decades. >> i insist as a condition of paying her money for therapy and the suffering that she's endured that she has to keep larry nassar's secret and u.s. gymnastics secret and can

criticize them or she'd be sued fo for $100,000 or more is repugnant. >> reporter: she broke her silence in october, saying he abused her for years, starting when she was just 13. nasser now in prison after pleading guilty to child pornography and sexual misconduct. he's sued by more than 40 women. >> in 2015, when usa gymnastics admits that they became aware that he had molested girls, they didn't call child protective services. he was allowed to stay in the treatment room and treated dozens and dozens of little girls over the next year. >> reporter: usa gymnastics is responding to marrone's lawsuit saying it was her lawyer at the time that approached them about mediation about the abuse. as for the

involvement in the settlement. michigan state university says it was unaware until the first reports surfaced in 2016. >> marrone's attorney says the only reason she made that deal is because she was suicidal. and they are now arguing that those agreements are illegal in california and they never should have existed to begin with. >> you heard them talking about michigan state university. it was reported they knowingly allowed him to be there and treat patients despite these allegations and knowing he was under investigation in 2014 and 2015. >> the layer of blame in this case seems to go pretty deep. coming up in the next half hour. tonya harding in a new emotional interview. the infamous story is back in the spotlight thanks to a new movie. hear how she says she is still paying four that attack on

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♪ look at that, the kremlin there at night. as you know, over the last year we've learned a lot about vladimir putin and his interference in elections abroad. but now he has his own campaign to worry about as he runs for his fourth term as president there. >> he's got the support of a controversial group known at night wolves. >> reporter: this is the face that vladimir putin projects to the world. openly praising the american president. we see some serious achievements, he says. but to the russian people, putin, this country's longest-serving leader since stalin is embracing a very different image as he prepares to run for a new term in march. we're at a rally mou

novembe controversial allies, a violent biker game called the night wolves. [ speaking in russian ] >> reporter: the leader of this gang with several thousand members, the man known as "the surgeon." a former dental surgeon. how did this motorcycle club develop such a strong relationship with the leader of this country? putin is special he tells us. he's much smarter than other government bureaucrats. so his funding of this group is not part of a propaganda effort? [ speaking in russian ] the night wolves have become a wildly popular cultural phenomenon in russia. putin noticed that, and now they're funded by his regime. they even have a

wing which putin allegedly used when he invaded ukraine. as you now, the u.s. government has sanctioned you and your group, accusing you of committing criminal acts in ukraine. is there any truth to that? [ speaking in russian ] we went to their training camp. they claim they're just training for self-defense. the u.s. state department isn't buying it. they say the night wolves are putin's shadow army. the u.s. government has named you in the sanctions, saying that you helped the night wolves carry out criminal activities in ukraine. [ speaking in russian ] his response? i have to laugh. dan harris, abc news, russia. >> all right. >> so glad that dan got that assignment. i would have been scared. interesting facts that came out of that. putin is the longest-serving russian leader since josef stalin. quite fascinating

enjoying an 85% approval rating, and i'm sure that is 100% accurate. >> and i'm sure that the kgb or secret service know the 15% who say they do not support putin. >> yes, yes, yes. >> they're well aware. the mix is next. s old jar. it's never much, just what's left after i break a dollar. and i never thought i could get quality life insurance with my spare change. neither did i. until i saw a commercial for the colonial penn program. imagine people our age getting life insurance at such an affordable rate. it's true. if you're 50 to 85, you can get guaranteed acceptance life insurance through the colonial penn program for less than 35 cents a day, just $9.95 a month. there's no medical exam and no health questions. you know, the average cost of a funeral is over $8,300. now that's a big burden to leave your loved ones.

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all right, time for the mix. and we're going to start things off in rome where the official christmas tree is getting a lot of attention. not for its twinkling lights or ornament, but because it kind of looks like it's dying or maybe actually dead. so the tree's nickname is now "the toilet brush." >> i can see it. >> you can imagine why. and there's even a twitter account which translates mangy. the tree cost $57,000. and they

is not a climate thing, because the tree at the vatican right nearby looks pretty nice and healthy and full. so what's up, rome? >> that's like in a central, focal part of rome. >> yeah. >> and there you have this -- >> charlie brown. >> charlie brown. an investigation is under way. >> i bet there should be. okay. well a little far from there in london now, there's the opposite of being in the christmas spirit. these people are my kinfolks. they are my kindred spirits. in london, they have created the rage room. >> oh. >> if you despise christmas. if you hate all that there is about christmas. if all i want for christmas comes on the radio and you want to pull both of your hair follicles out, this is a place for you. >> oh. >> you can go into this room, pay, and just beat the living crap out of a christmas tree, all of the, the ornaments. >> may

>> get the rage out. >> maybe that's what happened to the roman christmas tree, or maybe that's what they should do with it. people can carry out their rage directly on the tree. >> that looks like fun, right? >> i kind of want to try it, just not at a relative's house. we're not endorsing that at all. over to a new genius way of figuring out your "star wars" name. follow me here. the way you can come up with your own name if were you a "star wars" character is to think of your favorite pasta dish and separate it into two words, my name would be ca carb onara. i think it works. mine would be ala vodka. >> would mine be ris otto? >> i think it's the sauce you put on it. not

>> mari nara. >> las

this morning on "world news now," the holiday travel alert, as many of us begin traveling for the holidays, we're watching several winter storms that could affect your plans. one system could dump two feet of snow. we'll bring you the latest forecast. president trump is praising his fellow republicans for passing that sweeping tax reform bill, calling it a major christmas gift and he's also saying that obamacare is essentially dead. but is that true? and the surprising revelation from apple. >> it is admitting what millions of consumers have long believed, that it slows down older phones,