call the number on your screen. [ ...] the preceding program was a paid presentation for the nuwave oven pro, brought to you by the makers of the nuwave

from aiding an investigation into the disappearance of his wife. the 72-year-old's trial is likely to attract worldwide headlines.

has made a brief courtroom appearance before a military judge. he was clean-shaven and in his dress blues. this is the first good look that we've had of bergdahl since he was handed over in a controversial prisoner swap with the taliban. he'd been held captive for five years after walking away from his unit. he did not enter a plea and makes another court appearance next month. one other embarrassing incident for the secret service. a member of the presidential protective division had his gun, badge, radio, and handcuffs stolen from his personal car. the car was parked not far from secret service headquarters in washington. the agency has struggled lately to overcome issues with agent behavior and security breaches at the white house. a hacker to the stars has been busted in new york for trying to sell movie scripts, personal information, and sexually explicit videos of celebrities. the 23-year-old bahamas-based hacker was arrested after trying to sell to undercover agents. things like scripts.

the streets of new york, but in this case u.s. immigration agents stepped in after getting a tip from an unnamed radio host. security's being stepped up in pasadena, california ahead of the rose bowl as well as the rose parade. visitors can expect more security from surveillance in the sky to even officers on the ground. pasadena police are even gearing up with these new utility terrain vehicles. cops are also warning spectators to stay vigilant and don't even think of bringing a drone. >> this year drones are a very popular item. i understand that they're one of the most popular items for christmas. but given the faa fly regulations, the parade and the rose bowl game will be a no-drone zone. >> so keep your new christmas presents at home. spectators are also being asked to leave their umbrellas and selfie sticks at home as well. no selfie sticks at the rose bowl parade. >> it's okay, folks. you'll survive without that stick. >> it will be like the rose bowl

>> exactly. well, ernie smith of iowa is just two years high of 100 on monday he celebrated his birthday with a flight piloting a plane. >> smith is believed to be the oldest active pilot in the u.s. he's been flying for nearly 75 years. he takes to the skies a few flying. every two years he must pass an aviation medical exam. smith says that he plans to celebrate his 100th birthday the same way he did monday, with a flight. and next year united airlines going to sign him up. >> he says people ask him all the time what attracts him about flying, and he said that one just needs to look at the sunrise over the horizon to have your answer. that's a good deal, right? >> would you let him pilot your plane? >> no. coming up -- >> no doubts about it. >> how to avoid hurt feelings if you open a gift you that just don't like. >> also ahead, danger falling from the sky.

scene as a drone narrowly misses a championship athlete. >> ernie, i've got to say you can pilot the plane anytime. and also the political battle over vulgarities, campaign claims and sexism. trump and clinton going head to head. >> tell us what you think on facebook. wnnfans.com. and twitter @abcwnn. you're watching "world news now."

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it's not often we show a lot of alpine skiing on "world news now." but this run is special because wow. austria's marcel hersher on a slalom run yesterday was nearly struck by that drone that fell out of the sky. it was actually carrying a tv the race broadcast when it crashed on the snow. hersher wasn't affected by it, but afterward called the incident horrible. >> wow. can you imagine? just a couple seconds' difference there. hmm. well, the nfl is denying a report that it's backed out of funding a study about brain injuries. espn had quoted sources reporting the league is withholding millions of dollars of funding for research being done at boston university. according to the report the nfl had raised concerns about the objectivity of a professor who would be leading the research. but a new statement says the nfl is willing to pay $16 million for the study.

for its handling of concussions. well, now to the race for president. donald trump says the word that he used to describe hillary clinton's primary defeat in 2008 is not offensive. trump says what he meant by using the word was that clinton was beaten badly. >> at the campaign yesterday in iowa clinton said, "we shouldn't let anybody bully his way to the presidency." it's your voice, your vote. abc's bati kinani has more. >> reporter: on the trail in iowa hillary clinton says donald trump's language is helping terrorists recruit. >> it is playing into the hands of the violent jihadists. >> reporter: the democratic front-runner refusing to respond directly to trump's latest attack involving a sexually derogatory term to describe how she was beaten by barack obama in 2008. >> she bought [ bleep ]. she lost. >> reporter: trump's fury sparked by an unsupported claim clinton made in her last debate.

>> donald trump is on video and isis is using him on the video to recruit! >> reporter: a new quinnipiac university poll shows trump may need to take aim at someone else. ted cruz is catching up. now just four points behind trump nationally. the texas senator still careful not to criticize his gop rival when asked about trump's disparaging slam on clinton. >> i don't need to be another political pundit. i'm going to let donald trump speak for himself. i'm going to speak for myself. >> reporter: but carly fiorina has a warning for trump. in a radio interview saying she also has been called derogatory names. >> we cannot have candidates who insult women beat hillary clinton. >> reporter: that new poll also found 50% of americans said they'd be embarrassed if trump were president and that figure is even higher among women. reena, kendis? >> well, you know, the campaigns are kind of on pause mode because the holidays are coming up. so this is kind of one of the last things that are lingering

and it's interesting, though, she points out that poll saying that 50% of americans would be president. but a majority of republicans still would not be embarrassed if he became president. so those numbers are a little skewed i guess there. >> there are a lot of republicans who also feel like he doesn't necessarily represent the conservative movement. there was an interesting poll looking at the breakdown of economics and how it impacts people who support trump. it found that those who were highly educated, maybe had a college degree, tended to support other republicans like ted cruz or jeb bush or marco rubio but people without a degree were more likely to support trump. >> that said, on another note, about 30% of americans in that same poll said they'd be embarrassed if hillary clinton became president. >> there you go. well, coming up, in our next half hour, body image and health. while some models may have the ideal figures for fashion, their measurements may prove to be extremely unhealthy.

models and the growing calls for similar regulations. but first a new kind of space race taking tourism to new heights. the connection between reusable rockets and stellar airfares. you're watching "world news

ah, for all of you rocket men and women we have some hopeful news today. the private company spacex is celebrating the launch and

unmanned falcon 9 rocket. >> it really was cool. so what does this milestone mean for the future of space travel? abc's david kerley explains. >> reporter: this is spacex's return to flight after its last rocket blew up. [ cheers and applause ] >> main engine cutoff. >> reporter: but this mission was to prove more than delivering 11 small satellites to space. this was about returning the main rocket, the first stage, to earth and land it to be reused. >> the first stage is returning to land. >> reporter: finally, spacex workers at the california headquarters and at cape canaveral could see it returning. [ cheers and applause ] >> the falcon has landed. >> reporter: spacex ceo and tesla electric car magnate elon musk called the reusable rocket one of the keys to going to mars. he got an up-close look shortly after the falcon 9 first stage landed. but musk is not alone. there is a new space race, a

way. call it the battle of the billionaires. a month ago this blue origin rocket stage landed after a test launch, a victory for that company's founder, amazon ceo jeff bezos. at the time musk needles bezos, tweeting congratulations but adding there is a "difference between space and orbit." the back and forth continued with bezos offering congrats to musk but then adding "welcome to the club." so the battle continues. but for the first time rockets are reusable, making reaching space even more affordable. david kerley, abc news, washington. >> just absolutely amazing what they were able to accomplish. >> it's a big deal. >> yeah. >> but not as big of a deal as you and i. >> oh. that would be -- >> what we achieved. >> that would not be a good thing. >> on an overnight spacex mission. >> would you be the captain and i would be tenille? >> oh. there you go. i like how you think, kendis gibson. >> i would be scared to see you

>> i would too. especially with sleep deprivation. the study we did yesterday about people who work the overnights and drive. coming up, what women are paying and why they're paying more than men are. plus, bad christmas gifts. "the mix" is next. [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. that's three times longer than the leading cough liquid. all night... or all day. we are in the age of ageless. age neutral. age defiant. age agnostic. olay is a purveyor of ageless. only the best 1% of ingredients make it into our products. for transformed skin without expensive brands or procedures. it's the ultimate

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and now it's time for "the mix." we spent practically a month purchasing items for the holiday season, right? only to figure out that women have been paying more than men. >> this again. >> yeah. this again? this is news to me. the new york city department of consumer affairs. look at this. the pink scooter you see on the right, $49.99. the red scooter for boys, $24.99. >> well, pink paint is more expensive, as was pointed out. >> oh. come on. take a look at photo number two. disposable razors. the male razors on the left are $4.99. the pink female $6.99. >> why?

take a look at this one. you see the shirts? very comparable. same shirts. pink one-pocket button-up levi's shirts. the men's version 48. the women's version 78. >> that's insane. we're talking about the same sort of material right now. >> yeah. >> just the fact it's marketed differently. one's for a woman, one's for a man. and it's thatch more expensive. >> that's so wrong, isn't it? >> hopefully they're doing something about it. that is absolutely wrong they do that. >> you need a blue light special. >> yes. for women. okay. so you know you get that gift from that one person or your aunt that you really, really don't like? >> yeah. >> so how exactly do you react to it? well, a bunch of guys came up with different suggestions on how to react to a bad christmas gift. take a look. >> loving it. loving it.

>> refuse to say thank you. >> thanks. >> you guys. oh, my god. this is exactly what i needed. >> uh-oh. >> you try to get emotional. you just really, really cry and just pretend as if you like it. you try to cover your face with it. and different reactions to bad presents. >> okay. we have a guide on how to react. >> this is not what i wanted at all. >> or be honest. >> i think honesty always works. a "star wars" fan changes his name to darth vader. would you ever do this? >> if i cared enough. >> he's really passionate about the movie. cared about it a lot. but he's really a tough guy. he said that darth vader has an aura of leadership and toughness. this guy is also raising funds for a bone marrow transplant. so you've got to head over to his page and donate. it's eric welch. >> i'm sure eric's son's name is luke. speaking of "star wars," on that theme, five-second project clip here.

using candy canes for the cane wars here. kind of cool. even chewy's in on it.

this morning on "world news now" -- campaign clash. no holiday truce in the trump versus clinton showdown over lying. the political heat and who's ahead in the polls. army sergeant bowe bergdahl seen for the first time since he was released by the taliban. he's telling his story as his legal battle begins. and new this half hour, lighting up the skies in the american southwest. >> it looked like a shooting star or meteor. the pictures coming in. and new details about what was really falling from the sky. and later, what we've just learned about steve harvey after miss universe pageant.

on this wednesday december 23rd. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." hi, everyone. good morning on this wednesday. i'm reena ninan. >> and i'm kendis gibson. you really are going to want to stick around for the big news we just learned about steve harvey. it will have some of the conspiracy theorists thinking. >> i'm not surprised, i have to say, by the steve harvey news. >> by this news? huh. all right. i'm surprised by it. >> we'll have more in the next half hour. >> the timing is kind of interesting. we'll get to that later on today. but we want to get started with the race for president. donald trump trying to explain a controversial comment that he made about hillary clinton. >> yeah, trump says that when he used a specific term to describe clinton's democratic primary loss in 2008 he meant that clinton was "beaten badly." clinton's campaign isn't buying the explanation. it's your voice your vote. abc's jonathan karl reports. >> reporter: donald trump's insults were crude and personal. attacking hillary clinton using a vulgar description of the male

>> she was going to beat obama. i don't know who'd be worse. i don't know. how does it get worse? but she was going to beat. she was favored to win. and she got [ bleep ]. she lost. i mean, she lost. >> reporter: he didn't stop there. trump also mocked clinton for being late to her podium. >> sorry. >> reporter: after a bathroom break during the abc democratic debate on saturday. clinton's campaign blasted trump's "degrading language" and "disgusting sexist slurs." and in iowa hillary clinton hugged this girl, who asked her about bullying. >> that was really brave. her own experience. who's had a lot of terrible things said about me, and that's why it's important to stand up to bullies wherever they are and why we shouldn't let anybody bully his way into the presidency. because that is not who we are as americans.

sexism have dogged trumped throughout his campaign. >> you've called women you don't like fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals. your twitter account -- >> only rosie o'donnell. [ applause ] >> no, it wasn't. for the record, it was well beyond rosie o'donnell. >> yes, i'm sure it was. >> reporter: unhappy with megyn kelly's line of questioning, he later took aim at her. >> you could see there was blood blood coming out of her wherever. >> reporter: a few weeks later he was back at it, criticizing carly fiorina, the only female republican candidate, in "rolling stone." saying "look at that face. would anyone vote for that?" >> i think women all over this country heard very clearly what mr. trump said. [ applause ] >> reporter: and through it all trump says he "cherishes women." >> i said i do cherish women. i love women. >> reporter: and on tuesday hillary clinton doubled down on her allegation that trump has become a recruiting tool for isis. she pointed out that his words have been broadcast on arabic television and that they play

jihadists who want to portray the united states as anti-muslim. but her campaign has still not given any evidence to the allegation that isis has shown trump's words to potential recruits. jonathan karl, abc news, the white house. >> okay. one more note on all of this. there's a new poll that shows the embarrassment index of voters. if the two front-runners were elected -- so get this. 50% of those polled say they would feel embarrassed if donald trump was elected to the white house. and 35% of all voters would feel the same way if hillary clinton won the election. as for ted cruz the campaign is getting a boost from a new poll. he's just four points behind trump among the republicans. his biggest showing yet in a national poll, with rubio, carson, christie, and bush trailing. six republicans will be on the stage at the next debate, late next month, hosted by fox. well, the woman charged for sunday's deadly hit-and-run

strip makes her first court appearance in just a few hours. lakeisha holloway is facing charges of murder, child abuse, and leaving the scene of an accident. prosecutors say they expect additional charges to be added as well. holloway's defense attorney says he expects holloway to plead not guilty. several people injured in the crash remain hospitalized. panicked shoppers ran for cover after gunfire erupted inside a mall on new york's long island. police say an armed man tried to rob a high-end watch store when a struggle ensued. his gun went off, striking a 67-year-old employee. the suspect quickly taken into custody with the help from an off-duty new york city police officer who happened to be shopping nearby. the mall employee is expected to be okay. we move on now to army sergeant bowe bergdahl, who was held by the taliban for five years and has begun the legal process that could end with him in prison. he made his first appearance before a military judge in connection with desertion and other charges.

>> reporter: this was our first bergdahl since he got back on clean-shaven in his army dress blues for his first appearance at his court-martial in north carolina. quite the contrast from the last time we saw him, gaunt and disoriented when his taliban captors traded him for five high value detainees from guantanamo. the taliban had captured bergdahl in 2009, one day after he walked off his post in eastern afghanistan. bergdahl is now charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. even though he has not yet entered a plea, he is opening up on the "serial" podcast. >> from "this american life" and wbez chicago it's "serial." >> reporter: he talks about how they broke him down in solitary confinement. >> i couldn't see my hands. i couldn't do anything. the only thing i could do was like touch my face. and even that wasn't like, you know, registering right. >> reporter: and as he tried to save his life, what he told the taliban about why he had gone

>> i told them i basically was fed up with the commanders. >> reporter: if convicted, bergdahl could spend the rest of his life in prison. david wright, abc news, new york. weather hitting much of the country just two days before christmas. fog is blamed on this chain reaction ten-vehicle pileup on interstate 49 that's just south of texarkana. that killed three people. at least seven other people were among the tangle of vehicles, a some of that glue spilled onto the pavement. and in the west it was powerful winds that caused this scene on highway 14 in california's mojave desert. tractor-trailers were knocked over by wind gusts, some exceeding more than 80 miles per hour. >> some wild weather all over >> yeah. >> and storm watches and coast on this busy travel day. winter storms in the rockies,

river valley to the east coast. record warmth in the northeast. 68 in d.c. wow. and severe weather in the gulf region. downpours and gusty winds in the pacific northwest. >> 70s in dallas and atlanta. 60s in washington, new york, chicago, and l.a. 40s and 50s in seattle, boston, detroit 30s denver and minneapolis. an interesting twist to the latest illness outbreak linked to the chipotle restaurants. for the second time people became sick after eating at a restaurant just off a college campus. this time the university of oklahoma officials with the health department have confirmed the three new cases in norman are e. coli. students at boston college were sickened by norovirus. officials anticipate additional e. coli cases will be reported in the state of oklahoma. well, starbucks expects to set a record on christmas eve. it expects to sell more gift cards than ever as last-minute gift ideas, easily beating last year's 2.5 million cards that

more than $25 billion in cards have been sold since they debuted 15 years ago. that's a good idea. everyone could use a little caffeine fix, right? >> and it's a very last-minute gift that you can do. >> so if you're getting starbucks, there was little thought put into your gift if you ended up getting one this year. >> used to be the 7-eleven gift card i would give. now starbucks. >> you'd buy lots of unlimited slurpees? >> exactly. and big gulp. they add up. this is really shaping up to be one of those seriously weird christmas in the northeast. of course you have the record high temperatures expected. and now a robotic -- >> oh, stop. >> reindeer. >> no, come on. apparently this is the work of boston dynamic, which makes robots. and these spotbots are the latest version from the google subsidiary. santa there only needs three of them to pull the sleigh, not eight. and you don't have to clean up after them either. >> good point. so maybe you should leave a battery charger with santa's milk and cookies this year. but you do note there is a human. mrs. claus right there. >> yeah. >> hanging out.

coming up in "the skinny" -- [ jingle bells ] nice job on the audio cue. and underpaid actors in hollywood? the list is out. doctors criticizing the fashion what they're saying about runway models and their weight. and later, taking your dogs to yoga class. the southern california trend experience. you're watching "world news now." brought to you by united healthcare. brought to you by united healthcare. get your ducks in a row. to learn about medicare, you see, medicare doesn't only about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. so if 65 is around the corner, think about an aarp medicare supplement insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement insurance plans, they help cover some of what medicare doesn't pay. and could save you in

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[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. that's three times longer than the leading cough liquid. all night... or all day. this was this was the bright light spotted in the skies over the southwest last night. the fireball could be seen in las vegas. parts of southern california and

nope, not santa on a practice run. u.s. strategic command says it was likely that space junk from a russian rocket was passing through. >> all right. so it wasn't end of days. just a rocket -- space junk. and speaking of stars, some stars on the runway are coming under fire for being too thin. france of course you know is cracking down on that. benching excessively thin models. >> spain, italy, and israel have similar laws. and now public health advocates are calling for action here in the u.s. >> reporter: they are the epitome of glamour. the models that define style and beauty. but now the fashion industry is under fire from critics who say that most models are dangerously thin. >> the modeling industry definitely encourages women, often explicitly so, to maintain extremely thin frames. >> reporter: in a strong new editorial from the american journal of public health,

professionals say the industry body standard is hazardous and encouraging problems like eating disorders and body dysmorphia. they write, "runway models are by definition and professional necessity starving to death." they're urging the u.s. to regulate and set a standard bmi a working model must meet. just last week france passed such a law, requiring models to have a doctor's note proving that they are healthy. 70% of adolescents report that they define the ideal body image as being what they see in fashion magazines. >> reporter: record says the average model who makes it big on the international stage has a bmi of 14, two points below the world health organization's definition of starvation. she wants the u.s. occupational safety and health administration to require all models to have a bmi of 18 and above.

naturally skinny. time of the day for cardiac arrest. >> people don't realize just how being so thin can really affect like cardiac arrest, that's serious stuff we're talking about. >> it is. are cracking down on it. >> it will be good to see some action here. >> yes. well, coming up, urgent. breaking, breaking news regarding steve harvey and the miss universe pageant. brian working on it right now. >> plus the most overpaid and underpaid actors in hollywood. "the skinny" up next.

skinny so skinny this is huge news. it is breaking. it is urgent. it is developing overnight. right now this morning according to a report, steve harvey will likely be back to host the miss universe competition. [ applause ] >> everybody wins. >> yes. you are miss universe. you are miss universe. you are miss universe. >> according to "entertainment tonight" harvey signed a multiyear contract to host the pageant just days before the live event where harvey mistakenly announced the wrong winner. earlier in the day one of the shoes producer

rome show, "i definitely want him back and i would hate to see him not come back." >> and another report from "e.t." cites a source claiming harvey only went to the beginning of rehearsals, missing the last hour. >> can't skip out. >> if only he can host the oscars and finally leo dicaprio could win an oscar. >> oh. >> wouldn't it be nice for a minute? >> so a lot of people aren't really surprised this happened. >> i'm thinking there's a conspiracy. i'm joining that whole crew of folks who think like -- >> you think it was intentional? >> it's kind of weird. the timing was a little awkward. they have new owners. it's on fox. you know, it just -- timing's a little odd. >> one conspiracy theory. >> yes. >> and next, hollywood's most overpaid actor of the year. according to "forbes," that >> yes. remember him? well, they've calculated for every one dollar depp was paid he has only returned $1.20. his film "mortdecai," you know that one, was a huge flop. "black mass" did better but fell outside the period "forbes" analyzed. >> and when it comes to value, "forbes" found that chris evans offers the most bang for the

the "captain america" star returned on average of $181 for every $1 he was paid. that's a lot. >> it's got to be the abs. >> well, next a tough question. nicki minaj or drake? >> in what -- for? i'll go with nicki. >> okay. an artist looking for a boost in listens. if nicki minaj is who you want according to a study by fivethirtyeight, songs by artists that featured nicki, they were streamed on spotify 172 perfect more times than the artist's other songs. >> 172% more times than any other artist. and for drake appearances he boosted listens 126% on tracks featuring his vocals. so even though drake may be the

herself on a track that she guest appears on you could be the king but watch the queen conquer. >> ooh, yeah. >> that's some smack talk. the cult film "dazed and confused" appears to be getting a sequel of sorts. the movie based on an epic last day of high school in 1976 helped launch lots of big names including matthew mcconaughey and ben affleck. >> and with the success of "boyhood" last year writer-director richard linklater seems to be returning to his roots. his new movie is called "everybody wants some." and the trailer was just released. >> it's based in the '80s and follows a group of college baseball players. and like "dazed" freshmen get hazed and the characters also get deep. >> what am i thinking about? >> baseball. >> having a tail. >> cereal. >> same as sharks. >> sharks have tails. >> good point. >> wish i had a tail. >> yeah. >> that would be awesome. >> that really is deep. far out, man. the movie, by the way, is set

>> will you go see it? saw the first one. >> neither did i. where ben affleck got his start. circle, don't they, kendis. >> they do in the end. coming up, doga. or doga. >> "world news now."

with k-y love. it's a pleasure gel that 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. (coughing) coughing disrupts

that's why there's delsym. delsym's advanced time release formula helps silence coughs for a full 12 hours. all night... or all day. ah, yes, barking "jingle bells" can only mean one thing. we've got some doggies for you. they've got to be healthy and >> and who better to show us this but abc's nick watt? he explores the wonderful world of dog yoga. >> reporter: yes, i am doing yoga with a dog. doga. i'm no yogi and i'm no dogi lover.

and they even become weights in some of the poses that we're going to do. >> reporter: she ain't kidding. >> it's been very powerful for both me and peanut butter. she has allergies and a little anxiety. and everything that breathes can use a little healing. >> they're going to feel the energy. when we're calm and relaxed, they are. >> reporter: some purists say it's denigrating an ancient art. others that maybe the dogs don't like it. but this is now a thing, a growing thing. and nash does seem rather yoga chill. but if you're a little more outdoorsy/traditional -- >> exhale up, inhale down. >> reporter: there's also feet and paws fitness, a daybreak nice workout gear. >> motivate those dogs. be excited. who's excited to be here? >> reporter: tracy is a dog trainer. and steady. low to the ground. >> dogs do nothing. >> you definitely work up a sweat, but more importantly you get to spend time with your dog.

obedience as well. sit. sit. sit. yeah. thing. pretty impressive, huh? convert i predict this might catch on. dog. and you're going to just take your right hand up and over. >> reporter: nick watt, abc news, los angeles. >> so does a dog do downward >> yeah. i guess so. >> pose. you're into yoga and dogs, >> i prefer pilates. club i always take my beagle. >> biffy. >> biffy. is that a beagle or is that -- what kind of dog is that? >> i don't know. >> dachshund. >> is it a dachshund? >> i always take my dachshund and my cocktail fork. to the country club. >> and your tea. >> and my tea. >> don't miss our updates.

>> more news coming up on abc. >> announcer: this is abc's "world news now," informing

good morning. i'm kendis gibson. >> and i'm reena ninan. and here are some of the top headlines we're following this morning on "world news now." holiday travel warning. on one of the busiest travel days of the year. 40 million americans are in the storm zone, facing flash floods, high winds, feet of snow, and even the threat of tornadoes. details straight ahead. army sergeant bowe bergdahl held by the taliban for five years after vanishing from his post has made his first appearance before a military judge. he did not enter a plea on desertion as well as other charges. his next courtroom appearance is in january. donald trump says he meant hillary clinton was beaten badly when he used a vulgar description of male anatomy to

2008. without naming trump at an event in iowa clinton said no one should be allowed to bully his way to the presidency. people from the california coast to nevada and arizona saw this mysterious bright light in the sky last night. was it a christmas miracle? experts say no, it was likely a piece of space junk from a russian rocket. those are some of our top stories on this wednesday. it's december 23rd. >> announcer: from abc news this is "world news now." good day, everybody. we're going to start this half hour with the record-breaking weather. colliding with a record-breaking travel holiday. >> more than 40 million americans are in the storm zone. the holiday travelers faced hundreds of flight cancellations and thousands of delays. our coverage begins with abc's clayton sandell. >> reporter: for some drivers

gas prices are down this season, but the number of drivers and headaches are up. near mojave, california winds gusting 80 miles an hour plus taking down more than a dozen big rigs. in arkansas a ten-vehicle chain reaction crash killed three people. police blamed the pileup partly on heavy fog. in the west they're dealing with snow measured in feet. parts of utah getting 24 inches in 24 hours. abc's neal karlinsky is in washington state. >> here in the mountains east of seattle they've gotten 12 feet of snow just this month. it's created all kinds of problems for holiday travelers as they've had to intermittently shut down these roads for accidents and avalanche control. >> reporter: in san francisco -- >> it was awful. it was awful. >> reporter: bad weather canceled dozens of flights. and in the next few days travelers will be jamming into airports like this one here in dallas, and just one weather hiccup can send shock waves through the system just in time for christmas. clayton sandell, abc news, at the dallas-ft. worth airport. >> clayton, why are you going backwards on that escalator? i'm concerned about safety.

>> i was a little worried about him going backwards. >> airport hubs across the country could see delays in the hours ahead. >> and this is why. take a look. especially in the southeast, where a storm is bringing downpours and gusty winds to a wide area. our coverage continues right now with accuweather's paul williams. good morning, paul. >> thanks, kendis, reena. the ohio valley region. the mid-atlantic down toward the northeast still remaining very mild. not christmas-like but more spring-like. but christmas will actually arrive on time. and the western part of the country throughout the dakotas, minnesota, over toward wyoming, colorado, and into idaho. but for the deep south, texas, and the east, snow's just not happening. nowhere soon and no time soon. and we're looking for rain to return with a vengeance of sorts for the east and the northeast. low pressure system will form

northeast it will bring with it another wave of rain until friday. kendis, reena? >> paul, thank you so much. the families of some of the sandy hook school shooting victims will each get $94,000. a settlement of their lawsuit against the estate of the shooter's mother has been finalized. they'll split $1.5 million from her homeowner's insurance. the families argued adam lanza's mother should have better secured the guns that he used to kill 20 children and six staffers. wide-ranging gun rights is tightening one of its gun laws. as of february 1st virginia will handgun permits from 25 other states. the decision was made by the state attorney general, a democrat. he says the concealed carry laws in those 25 states are too lax to meet virginia's standards. los angeles this summer for a trial on murder charges. of killing a writer to keep her

disappearance of his wife. his attorneys say he didn't kill the writer and doesn't know who did. but he will be extradited to l.a. after his trial on federal weapons charges is wrapped up in louisiana. well, panicked shoppers ran for cover when gunfire erupted at a high-end mall on new york's long island. police say a suspect tried to watch a luxury watch store when a struggle broke out. his gun went off, striking an employee. but when people heard that shot, they worried that it might be a terror attack. >> it was like pure pandemonium. everybody was running. to tell you the truth, once i see everybody running i started running. >> the suspect quickly taken into custody with the help of an off-duty new york city police officer who happened to be shopping nearby. to las vegas now and a defense attorney for the woman charged with sunday's deadly hit and run along the strip says his client will plead not guilty. she begins facing justice this morning when she makes an initial court appearance.

from vegas. >> reporter: more charges filed police say intentionally drove onto a las vegas sidewalk celebrating her ten-year anniversary and injuring dozens of others. >> why did she turn into people and run over a lady and drag that lady for many, many feet while her husband was running after her, banging on the window of the car, begging for her to stop? >> reporter: in addition to the charge of murder with a deadly weapon, lakeisha holloway now charged with child abuse and neglect and leaving the scene of an accident. holloway was convicted of driving without a license in oregon in 2011, but just one year later she was awarded for turning her life around by a program helping at-risk youth there. >> i beat the odds and was the first in my immediate family and circle to graduate high school. >> reporter: in the police affidavit holloway told authorities she was stressed, she was trying to rest inside

by security. she ended up on the strip, a if holloway is convicted of murder, she could face life in prison, and the district attorney tells me he's confident more charges will come, including attempted murder. kayna whitworth, abc news, las vegas. well, police in pasadena, california are stepping up security ahead of the rose bowl and rose parade. spectators can expect to see more security from surveillance in the sky to officers on the ground. cops are also warning spectators to stay vigilant, and they don't even think -- don't even think about bringing a drone. leave your umbrellas and selfie sticks at home as well. okay. in bay county, florida sheriff's deputies aren't handing out tickets. they're handing out $100 bills. it's all thanks to a secret santa who donated $2,000 hoping deputies could spread a little holiday cheer. so they're stopping safe drivers, in particular those who they think could really use the cash. not sure how they determine that. >> exactly. to tears.

we love it when the force gives back. >> yes. bay county around the panama city area. >> got to take a drive down there. well, it was bells, dribbles, and no-look shots at new york's stock exchange. yep. there they are. the harlem globetrotters. handles franklin, moose weekes, and ceo kurt schneider rang the opening bell. why are you laughing at me? >> you pronouncing those names. it's like you need barbara billingsley to help out from "airplane." nice job on the hoops there. for the barnstorming basketball team as they celebrate their 90th year. the day after christmas with some 300 games in more than 200 cities. >> did i not get the handles >> moose weekes. i like that name. >> loved it. his hair is pretty interesting too. >> good hair. coming up, the biggest heroes and heroines of the past 12 months.

>> also ahead a special report on care packages then and now. the organization that started feeding the hungry after world war ii has a brand new mission today. and later a coyote dashing through a busy airport like nobody's business. just one part of our special segment, "this happened." that's after today's forecast map, that can only be described in meteorological terms as a hot mess. >> announcer: "world news now" weather, brought to you by mucinex. seriously? where do you think you're going? to work, with you. it's taco tuesday. you're not coming. i took mucinex to help get rid of my mucusy congestion. like 4 hours. forget the tacos! one pill lasts 12 hours. i'm good all day. wait! your loss. i was going to wear a sombrero. only mucinex has a bi-layer tablet that starts fast, and keeps working. not 4, not 6, but 12 full hours. start the relief.

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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. dramatic images as a man is pulled from the rubble 60 hours mudslide. this is in china. rescue workers say the man was able to give his name before being rushed to the hospital, where he underwent surgery. following the landslide that was so powerful it collapsed buildings. >> incredible images. this time of year a care package can mean many different things to many people but you might not know that the tradition started 70 years ago

>> who knew? and now the original care package has been reinvented to help syrian refugees so they can make it through their winters. globe tv correspondent mike cerre has the story. >> i was one of the very first care package recipients. and having just grown up and not having had any food, we were just emaciated. i mean, really thin. >> reporter: renata senter remembers the first care packages of powdered eggs, corned beef and fruit preserves she received as a young german refugee at the end of world war ii as if they were manna from heaven. >> when i came home to my mother and showed her, i said the americans did this. it left such an imprint. how the americans can do this to the enemy. you know, i just said, wow. >> reporter: for a $10 donation to care back in december 1945 americans could buy and ship boxes of surplus army rations to post-war europe that could feed ten people during one of the

the 20th century. >> the care package to me is an icon of american generosity. it sort of encapsulates the impulse to do something directly for one person to help another person. >> reporter: flash forward to the greatest refugee crisis in europe and the middle east since world war ii. more than 4 million displaced people and counting. the majority of them without any source of income living on their own outside of traditional refugee camps. and it's winter. >> this could be described as a new care package. it's an electronic voucher. >> reporter: the food vouchers work like any other debit card but have a monthly limit per family and can only be used to buy food, hygiene, and household essentials. new credit is added monthly with funding from the u.n. and international aid organizations. it's faster, better, and cheaper for delivering essential food and clothing than shipping,

packages. >> new arrival from syria. >> reporter: care's relief workers in turkey, many of them syrian refugees themselves, make sure the voucher cards get to the neediest. like this extended family of 13, just across the turkish border from syria. care is also giving families a one-time winterization voucher card to buy heaters and coats and blankets to get them through this winter. >> by getting the voucher rather than giving a set kit of in-kind donations, it enables the family to choose what's right for them and to meet their own needs better. >> reporter: these food vouchers started off with a value of $30 shortfall in international funding forced the u.n. to refugees their vouchers are being cut off. today in turkey this voucher is worth about $18 per month per that means 60 cents a day for >> the world spends more on bubble gum than we do on our

we have a historic moment in time, and in another generation we want to look back and we want to be able to say we were as generous at this moment in time as we were, for instance, after world war ii. >> reporter: like the original, these new care packages still depend on public donations. on the turkey-syria border mike cerre reporting for abc news. >> i like the fact that it doesn't feel like a handout, that they're able to pick what they want to make a difference in their lives and families. >> we should point out it really is a big need there because you have about 2 million registered syrian refugees living in turkey alone. 4.3 -- >> and that's only the documented ones. >> exactly. >> they expect significantly more than that undocumented. so we should mention that care usa has set up a designated fund for its syrian refugee program. my.care.com. dot org. excuse me. dot org. coming up, the year in heroes. >> the people we admire most in 2015. you're watching "world news now." ews

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just for one day it is always great to look back at people and events that shaped our world. >> we've had lots of ups and downs, and some of the most inspiring people have risen above unthinkable tragedy. here's abc's robin roberts with this retrospective. >> reporter: this year there were no shortages of heroes or shall we say sheroes. >> the u.s. wins the 2015 >> reporter: from the soccer field to center stage. women inspired us all. the u.s. women's national soccer team showed us all that teamwork and determination can lead to greatness. >> u.s. women's soccer team kicked some a. this was the year of the woman. >> i think that was a nice example of what society can be as a whole if we started

other and stopped being divisive and keeping each other apart. >> viola davis, "how to get away with murder." >> reporter: with her win, viola davis was the first african-american woman to take home the emmy in the drama category. for her lead role in "how to get away with murder." >> we won because i did my job. >> when you're a kid sitting there watching tv, whether you're black or brown or of any color, and you see someone who looks just like you, then you believe all things are possible. >> the only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. >> viola davis is proof that talent really does win out in the end. >> reporter: off the stage and field there were so many heroes among us. the families of the charleston church shooting victims taught us heroism comes from the heart

speaking directly to the killer in court, they showed incredible strength in the wake of tremendous grief. >> we have no room for hate. so we have to forgive. >> i will never talk to her ever again. but i forgive you. we shall >> they taught us a lesson, didn't they? on how to live on and not let the killer claim even more lives, the lives of the living. >> reporter: in a year with so much darkness a beautiful lesson from all of these heroes on how to view the world. >> that was one of my favorite moments, the u.s. women's soccer team winning. but it was -- robin's right. it was a year of a lot of heartbreak but a lot of people who rose above it all. powerful moments. >> and you forget how powerful the moment was with those folks and just days after the shooting in charleston to forgive.

they achieved change. the flag coming down. >> that's a very good point. coming up, animals in airports and giant horns in >> all of these things also happened in 2015. you're watching "world news now." [coughing] [coughing] [coughing] coughing disrupts everyone's life. 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. that's three times longer than the leading cough liquid. all night... or all day. approaching medicare eligibility? you may think you can put off checking out your medicare options until you're sixty-five, but now is a good time to get the ball rolling. keep in mind, medicare only covers about

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it's time again for those special stories where we can >> starting with a coyote at the baggage claim. this is -- take a look at myrtle beach international airport. it's in south carolina. the coyote, you see there? spotted in a terminal. the animal eventually ran across the ticket check area and toward the tsa checkpoint, which is where the coyote was subdued by animal control. who knew animal control is part of tsa. >> but just proof once again that nothing gets past the tsa. because that's where he stopped. >> buck stops at tsa. >> yes.

next up, the apparent war on christmas continues with a teacher from maine forced to remove her hello kitty pink miniature christmas tree from the classroom. teaching at the school for 30 years and says she's always decorated her classroom without issue. she argues that the decorations do not include symbols. the principal is the one who told her to take it down. miss gordon noted that there used to be full-size trees in classrooms and the front office when she first started teaching. >> that is true. you know, we've gone down on the christmas tree in schools. and we've also gone down clearly on hello kitty. what is this world coming to? >> i know. seriously. >> what is happening in the world? >> there needs to be more love for hello kitty. >> and how about some music to get us back into the spirit? check out this. it's a musician. we don't know his name. but we do know that he's a player of the alp horn. did you know this existed? the alp horn? ricola

when he got out of his car, he was pleasantly surprised by the acoustics of the parking garage. so what do you do when you like the acoustics in a parking garage? you bust the out the old alpine horn for an impromptu jam. >> all of them were thrilled. all five of his audience there. >> that's what you call thrilled? >> look at them. can we move now, move our car? for an encore an instrument better suited for the plains than the alps. the trombone. take a look. darth farmer. dirk klingenberg of kansas playing the imperial march until the cows hopefully come home. and it worked. >> no. they come toward him? >> maybe he had better luck turning away from the dark side than playing the main "star wars" theme. but look at that. they're all coming that way. >> and yes, folks, all of this actually did happen. and that does it for this half hour. and all of the news did happen too. >> that's pretty cool.