(man) go! go! go! go! tripping! trip! you touch the puck today? no. unh-unh, not today. but, uh, but i'm going to. (chuckles) stupid visor. (chuckles)

dayquil liquid gels and go. hey buddy, let's get these but these liquid gels are new. mucinex fast max. it's the same difference. these are multi-symptom. well so are these. this one is max strength and fights mucus. that one doesn't. uh...think fast! you dropped something. oh...i'll put it back on the shelf... new from mucinex fast max. the only cold and flu liquid gel

that's max-strength and fights mucus. start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. this was an emotional reunion when formerly conjoined twins returned to the hospital where they were separated. the surgical team at ucla children's hospital spent 23 hours separating these little girls joined at the head. those girls are now 14. and they have faced additional medical challenges but they are doing well. >> nice story. we have a het alert this morning about expectant mothers taking antidepressants. researchers are finding women taking antidepressants in the final six months of their pregnancy are 87% more likely to have a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. however, they also warn it may be dangerous for pregnant women to go off their meds without first checking with hair

doctors. >> that's a hardy lem ma to be in. now to a warning for everyone who uses a smartphone. there's a thing called text neck. apparently it's ruining our posture. >> some researchers say it could be affecting our mental health, as well. as dr. jennifer ashton explains. >> reporter: we live in a tech driven world but is technology drive us to damage our bodies, even our minds? physical therapist steve is. >> kenny:ing the term i hunch, the posture we get whether he bending over a smartphone. what happens when the weight of your head is bent at a 60 degree angle over your gadget? according to august, the stress on a person's neck increases to 60 pounds. that can cause pain. >> back and neck problems have proliferated in the last deny years. the big driver is the use of laptops, tablets and smartphones. >> reporter: that's the physical part. now researchers are trying to find out if there's a link between that i hunch and mental

health. amey cutty author of "presence" examining this issue in a "new york times" article citing small studies that suggest that slouchy posture may be linked to depression and low self esteem. while none of the studies have shown conclusive evidence that it affects your psychology, many professionals say sitting up straight is always a good idea. >> good posture affects everything from your confidence level, from your assertiveness level. feeling good about yourself. >> reporter: dr. jennifer ashton, abc news, new york. >> that is true. that is true about posture. i think about it a lot when i'm doing this program. i've had tweets from people saying up straight. >> i never had a tweet like that. >> if you overlook at the screen, this is overexposure to bly violet light, some opticians think that can lead to macular degeneration. time to throw away your phone. >> the old rotary phones are

corded. i'm the parent of a victim of sex trafficking. people need to know that even good kids from good neighborhoods are still vulnerable to this tricked environment

where they're being taken off the street and put into bondage. it really is the best time of year for entertaining and your holiday guests are in for a treat. america's chief entertainment officer and cookbook author tim laird is here this morning. his drinks always have an extra

kick and his foods always festive. >> good morning. i'm excited. we have some fun tips for easy holiday entertaining. > we love it. >> i want to start out with my mistletoe martini. great cocktail. light, refleshing in a shaker with ice. start with an ounce of inlandyia tangerine vodka. to that three ounces of cranberry juice. that goes in. then a good squeeze of lime. the citrus really needs to be in there. give that a good squeeze. now we're going to shake this up. i've prepared my martini glasses ahead of time by rimming with lime and dipping it in a plate of sugar. you have the sugar rimmed glass. decorating your glass for the holidays, too. >> they look beautiful, frosted. >> it's fun. then i strain this out into our prepared glass. and finally, the last thing i'm going to do with this one is top it off with a little bit of corbell champagne which gives it a nice little sparkling note.

you can use a lime garnish or you can use a rosemary spear with cranberries. that goes in, boom. >> that's creative. >> for an cholesterol-free version, i have a little bit of tangerine instead of the fin landyia tangerine. cranberry juice, squeeze of lime and sparkling water. cheers, happy holidays. how did we do? all right? >> amazing. that's really good. >> wow, that is great. this one's kicked up. >> a little envious you got the kicked up one. >> you have to go back to work. i get to play. >> fair enough, that makes sense. >> here's a great idea. this is a fun appetizer especially around the holiday times because it makes a lot. fairly inexpensive. in my bowl, eight ounces of softened cream cheese. >> okay. >> to that i'm going to add about a pound and a half of fresh crab or even i like to use this imitation crab. it's very inexpensive and still tastes great. give that a little stir.

to that, i'm going to add a couple dashes of worcestershire sauce. that goes in. >> that's all you snead. >> seasoned salt. >> that's it. >> just a little pinch of that. mix that up really well and i'll show you the finished version. >> beautiful. >> i mix that, put it into a dome and pour over the top cocktail sauce topped with capers. there it is. holiday crab and crackers. serve it with a little butter crackers. people love that. and finally, here's a dessert item. this is a great idea because during holidays there's always leftover pie. so i'm going to make a wild berry milkshake out of leftover pie. this is a wild berry pie. a quarter of that. to that, this is half and half. about 4 to 6 ounces. that goes in all the way. then a couple cubes of ice. just that easy. three ingredients. like i said, we have cherry pie, berry pie, pumpkin pie, whatever you have left over. >> wow, it really blended

everything. >> it liquefies. ready to go. i pour them in the moose mugs. if you want to give it a little taste. this is absolutely delicious. >> mm. >> wow. >> it almost tastes healthy like oatmeal but that's the crust. >> it really works with any pie you have. cherry, pumpkin, berry, whatever you have. >> delicious. that might be better than the drink. you're always good at breaking it down. >> start way ahead of time with a checklist of what you can do in advance such as you can shop for nonperishables. create your menu weeks in advance. check it off as you're going down. you're not doing everything last minute and your party will go smoothly. >> santa is not the only one making a list and checking it twice. tim laird suggests doing it. >> absolutely. >> we love having you on. you have the best ideas. check out our facebook page for tim's fantastic recipes wnnfans.com. we want to wish everyone happy

happy holidays. you're watching "world news now." friends coming over? yeah, so? it stinks in here. you've got to wash this whole room are you kidding? wash it? let's wash it with febreze. for all the things you can't wash, use... ...febreze fabric refresher whoa hey mrs. webber inhales hey, it smells nice in here and try pluggable febreze... ...to continuously eliminate odors for... ...up to 45 days of freshness pluggable febreze and fabric refresher... ...[inhale + exhale mnemonic]... ... , two more ways to breathe happy mike? janet? cough if you can hear me. don't even think about it. i took mucinex dm for my phlegmy cough. yeah...but what about mike? he has that dry scratchy thing going on. guess what? it works on his cough too. cough! guess what? it works on his cough too. what? stop! don't pull me! spoiler alert! she doesn't make it! only mucinex dm relieves both wet and dry coughs for 12 hours with two medicines in one pill. start the relief.

ditch the misery. let's end this. we've been changing things up witoh yeah.ve. it's a pleasure gel that magnifies both our sensations. it gives us chills in places we've never gotten chills before. yeah, it makes us feel like... dare to feel more with new k-y love. spending the day with my niece. that make me smile. i don't use super poligrip for hold, because my dentures fit well. before those little pieces would get in between my dentures and my gum and it was uncomfortable. even well fitting dentures let in food particles. just a few dabs of super poligrip free is clinically proven to seal out more food particles so you're more comfortable and confident while you eat. so it's not about keeping my dentures in, it's about keeping the food particles out.

try super poligrip free.

♪ our graphics team did a great job. awesome, bravo. the force has awakens at least tinseltown for now. >> last night's world premiere of "star wars: the force awakens" featured storm raiders invading a half mile long red carpet. >> the glitterati were the regular fans camped out for days. we haven't seen lines like this since phantom menace opened. here's how brian rooney covered it for "world news now" 16 years. >> they do their physics homework dreaming of things they could never calculate. they peck away at portable computers wondering about

technology they want imagine. and they read magazines about characters they've never encountered. these "star wars" fans have camped on hollywood boulevard since april 7th to buy the first tickets to the next installment. and the movie doesn't open till may 19th. "star wars" is a life obsession. >> watching each movie about 0 times maybe. >> being the first to see the next "star wars" movie would be something to tell the grand children. they pass the time staying in touch by telephone with friends and family. >> you wonder about your son waiting in line to see "star wars"? you wonder about your son about a lot of things. like the hand prints at the chinese theater, they've become another curiosity on hollywood boulevard. they're also a curiosity on the internet. dial in and see what they're doing like being interviewed about being first in line. is there any possibility that this movie won't be worth the

wait? >> this is the movie that steven spielberg described as an instant classic. i don't think there's going to be any possibility it's going to suck. >> by now they've got too much invested in it not to like the movie. brian rooney, abc news, hollywood. >> i'm afraid his prediction did not hold true. whether he said it's a thing to tell their grandkids about, i imagine when they tell their grandkids, they will have said tell me you didn't queue up for the phantom menace. >> get in line. >> seriously. >> some of the hollywood celebs have waited. shonda rhimes tweeting holy crap, the force awakens so good in the best old school way. >> is that technically a breach of the embargo? >> no, no. shonda wouldn't do that. >> that's it for their half. >> remember to follow us on facebook, wnnfans.com.

this morning on "world news now," tonight's political showdown. >> the republicans take the debate stage tonight in las vegas for the final time this year as a new national poll shows donald trump's biggest lead yet. plus, is trump fit enough to serve? his doctor weighs in. social media investigation. the disturbing messages posted by a california terrorist. responsible for that deadly rampage in san bernardino. why was she allowed into the country? >> terror truck. how did a texas plumber's pickup truck wind up in the hands of militants in syria? the trade. the new lawsuits and a search for an plains. and world premiere. all the anticipation, all the buzz after the biggest stars in hollywood got to see the "star wars" movie before everyone else. we're there live on this

tuesday, december 15th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> doing that music. >> don't chew your pen. >> does david muir do that? >> "world news now" tonight? never. >> robin roberts, george stephanopoulos, never see them. >> hello. the "star wars" number going to be part of the show because the fans and the celebrities are watching it right now. there's been this huge embargo. it ends fairly soon. we're going to monitor who has broken the embargo. >> what did you call it? in our meeting you had a name. >> it's our feature. a semi regular feature just for tonight called who has broken the embargo. someone is bound to do it. it's "star wars." >> oh, you know who might not be? maybe the republicans because they've got a big night tonight. >> they have. >> not just "star wars." there's a showdown also in las vegas. not just l.a.

>> no, but i think this competes with "star wars" for the title of the best show in town. tonight's debate, if not best show in the world -- with a fascinating new poll showing trump at 41%, his high left level of support and widest lead of any poll so far. the caucus state of iowa, rumph is now in a virtual dead heat with senator ted cruz. >> your voice, your vote. ansah celia vega is in las vegas ahead of tonight's republican debate. >> reporter: after vowing to release his full medical report, republican donald trump instead offered up just this short note from his doctor, saying trump's physical strength and stamina are extraordinary." and in true trump fashion, the doctor declaring that, "if elected, mr. trump, i can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency." and now, the stage is set for a donald trump/ted cruz vegas showdown.

trump's front-runner standing now facing a very real threat from the texas senator, who at a private fundraiser recently questioned the reality star's judgment. trump now on the attack. >> the way he's dealt with the senate, where he goes in there like a, you know, frankly like a little bit of a maniac. you can't walk into the senate and scream and call people liars and not be able to cajole and get along with people. >> reporter: cruz's response? tweeting that famous scene in "flashdance" -- ♪ she's a maniac ♪ maniac >> reporter: but not hitting trump back. cruz has spent months cozying up to the billionaire. >> look, it's not complicated. number one, i like donald. but number two, everywhere donald goes, he brings a hundred television cameras with him. >> reporter: cruz hoping to eventually inherit trump's supporters. but the idea of trump and cruz leading the pack has some

republicans worried and donald trump will be center stage because of his front-runner status. because of those polls, ted cruz will be right there next to him. they are friends, men vying for the same republican primary voters this entire campaign. but for this debate, the gloves may very well come off. cecilia vega, abc news, las vegas. >> you do have that sense of, oh, sorry. >> we want to remind everyone to stay with abc news for the coverage tonight and tomorrow morning. our deputy political director will be here with analysis. you were saying? >> i can't wait. and i think you get the sense people are slightly board of ted cruz being nice to donald trump. >> they want to see them in action. >> i had a good phrase earlier on the television where someone with said if it whittles down to just ted cruz and donald trump, they'll be like two scorpions in a box. >> two scorpions in a box. >> more of that tomorrow and more later tonight, as well. the stars were out in force and still are in los angeles. for one of the biggest premieres

in recent memory. >> of course we're talking about the world premiere of "star wars: the force awakens." it was so big it spanned three different theaters and right in the middle of it all is abc's lauren lyster. lucky gal live in hollywood. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. richard and reena. this movie has inspired lightsabers. it's even inspired toasters. according to fans i've talked to as the premier wraps up it inspired them, too. i'm talking about "star wars" and the percent awakens comes 38 years after that first movie debuted. storm troopers, c 3 po and r d 2 close behind and tight security for a who's who have "a" list stars. join boyega starring in the lead role as fin. >> the best part is meeting with the fans. >> plus harrison ford, george lucas and a thumbs up from steven spielberg all hitting the rid carpet for a highly anticipated film people know

little about till now. >> it was everything i expected and more. and there was a lot of surprises. >> there was a really big plot twist that blew my mind a little bit. i was not expecting that at all. >> i thought it was really, really well done. yeah. >> i'm blown away. it was so good. >> "the force awakens" will open later this week on 4,000 screens across country. back in 1977, at the start of the franchise, "star wars" opened in less than 50 theaters. no red carpet premiere. the director george lucas was so sure it would flop, he was getting away from it all, vacationing in hawaii. >> we're home. >> reporter: back then, harrison ford says when he first played the role of hans solo, he could not have imagined the success "star wars" would have now. >> i'm really excited to get had movie out there for the audience and see how had he feel about it. >> reporter: and i'll tell you, the anticipation and the secrecy copied through tonight. we had fans that had been

camping out that found out they were going to be able to see the premiere and they got to. also we were told that guests didn't even though which theater they would see the movie in until they arrived here tonight. reena, richard? >> different time zones. we're in new york, you're in l.a. the celebrities, fans are they out, have they seen the movie and have they left now? >> they have seen the movie. you saw reactions from people we spoke to here in my piece. they're partying. there's an after party going on behind me on this red carpet on this portion of hollywood boulevard that's been shutdown for this huge event. >> if they're partying, lauren, any indication about the movie's plot? have we learned anything new about it without spoiling it. >> don't spoil it. >> we can't spoil it. >> you know, i actually tried to get some people to spoil it for me. i just wanted to know what happened. these fans are so diehard, they wouldn't tell me. as you heard one person said

there's a huge twist they weren't expecting. one of the things that people were excited for was the return of the old characters from the original trilogy. and fans told us they really loved how that came out, that the combination of the newcomers with the old characters was done really well. in addition, people loved the practical effects. things like the droids, as opposed to the computer generated effects in the last trilogy. j.j. abrams tried to get back to the practical effects. people loved it. >> that's a start. we're going to monitor social media to see if people are break the embargo tonight because they're not meant to. someone is bound to spill, right? >> you know. >> you guys are on a mission for that. >> we are. i want to know if the ewoks are back in or not. i hope they didn't get left out of the movie. >> she doesn't note. >> i heard they're out, if i remember correctly. but don't quote me on that. >> lauren, we will speak to you. >> abc's lauren lyster. >> remember my prediction. she said one of the fans said there is a massive twist. my prediction is luke skywalker

has gone bad. >> i don't want to shake on that. >> we'll find out on twitter later. >> i don't want him to go bad. how about a turn to more serious news. bill cosby fighting back against some of the women who accused him of sexual misconduct. he's filed a defamation counter suit against 7 of more than 50 women. he says their claimses are driven by hopes of financial gain. their lawyers disagree. >> this is a page from the defense attorney's handbook. my seven clients intend to vigorously proceed with their case. each one them are confident that their good name and reputation will be restored at the end of the day. >> cosby's legal action comes the same day boston university announced it's taking away his honorary degree, one of more than a dozen institutions to do so in the past year. >> a maryland man charged with receiving thousands of dollars from isis in order to carry out a terror attack on american sil.

mohammed elshinawy was arrested. the fbi first became suspicious of him when he starred getting money orders from egypt. he denies the charges. >> homeland security new focus follows the shooting rampage in san bernardino when tashfeen malik came to the united states for the first time and had already sent extensive messages about jihad. officials were prevented from seeing those because of a secret policy to save the administration embarrassment. >> the primary concern was that it would be viewed negatively if it was disclosed publicly. and there were concerns that it would be embarrassing >> also part of the investigation that search of the lake nearby turned up no evidence according to law enforcement officials. the fbi has not commented. today is the enrollment deadline for millions of americans signing up for health care insurance under obamacare. the federal government wants 10 million people enrolled in the

new year, 900,000 more than this year. enrollees can expect to pay 7 1/2% more more coverage as health care costs go up. >> you had a panicked moment earlier. wasn't sure if you paid your premium. >> i haven't done so. i'm uninsured. don't injure me. >> try not to the. top investment houses are dialing down their iphone forecasts. they expect sales to go down next year for the first time ever. why? higher prices in overseas markets and more users already have smart phones. it is a huge part of apple's revenues and profits. >> does have to plateau at some point, doesn't it? here's something no one should try on their own. an extreme skier named sammy carlson flying off the largest ski jump in the western hemisphere. >> located on michigan's upper peninsula. sammy wasn't satisfied going forward so for good measure he did it backwardses, as well. >> look at that.

look at the camera tracking him. sensational. he's an stretched over 500 feet. the video is part of a new film. it's called a ski jump filmed called the "the sammy c. project." >> coming up "the mix," the shirtless bachelor interviewed while jogging in the rain and his unusual wave looking for love. >> also ahead, more coverage of "star wars," as well. we'll look at the patient fans waiting earlier for the theater doors to open. what has been keeping this ep motivated. >> but first those viral pictures a texas plumber's truck now in the hands of syrian terrorists. that plumber demanding answers. you're watching "world news now." so how ya doing? enough pressure in here for ya? ugh. my sinuses are killing me. yeah...just wait 'til we hit ten thousand feet. i'm gonna take mucinex sinus-max. too late, we're about to take off. these dissolve fast. they're new liquid gels. and you're coming with me... wait, what?! you realize i have gold status? do i still get the miles?

new mucinex sinus-max liquid gels. dissolves fast to unleash max strength medicine. start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. >> i'm alex trebek. if you're age 50 to 85, this is an important message. so please, write down the number on your screen. the lock i want to talk to you about isn't the one on your door. it's a rate lock for your life insurance that guarantees your rate can never go up at any time, for any reason. but be careful. many policies you see do not have one, but you can get a lifetime rate lock through the colonial penn program. call this number to learn more. this plan was designed with a rate lock for people on a fixed income who want affordable life insurance that's simple to get. coverage options for just $9.95 a month, less than 35 cents a day. act now and your rate will be locked in for life.

it will never increase. your coverage can never be cancelled as long as you pay your premiums, and your acceptance is guaranteed, with no health questions. you cannot be turned down because of your health. call for your information kit and gift. both are free, with no obligation. don't wait, call this number now. ♪ looking for 24/7 digestive support? try align for a non-stop, sweet-treat-goodness

hold-onto-your-tiara, kind-of-day. live 24/7 with 24/7 digestive support. try align, the undisputed #1 ge recommended probiotic. we've been changing things up witoh yeah.ve. it's a pleasure gel that magnifies both our sensations. it gives us chills in places we've never gotten chills before. yeah, it makes us feel like... dare to feel more with new k-y love. protect your clothes fromout in tstretching, fading, and fuzz.. ...with downy fabric conditioner... it helps protect clothes from the damage of the wash. so your favorite clothes stay your favorite clothes. downy fabric conditioner. wash in the wow.

so police say a disgrubtalled customer drove his truck through the lobby of this comfort inn in oklahoma. bam, unbelievable. two people jumping out of the way just seconds before the truck crashed through the front doors and then the front desk, the driver was apparently angry over not getting a cash refund. >> amazing. > now he faces several serious charges. >> amazing footage. there's a scene like that in the first terminator. ever wonder what happens to your old truck or car when he sell it or trade it in? many are shipped overseas. >> i get it. that proved a nightmare for some texas businesses. indicate lynn mcculley has the story.

>> reporter: amidst all the gunfire, blood shed and overall chaos in syria right now this truck from a texas city plumber ended up in the center of it. this picture shows the former mark one plumbing truck carrying heavy artillery, a terrorist group tweeted out the picture and ever since then the chaos in syria hit home for this family-owned business. >> his secretary was recently called an isis soos [ expletive ] so just not flattering things. but also some were scary. some were people i'm going to come kick your [ expletive ]. you don't want to be an american get out of here and i'll help you go. >> attorney craig elan lanified a lawsuit on behalf mark one plumbing against autonation. it was supposed to remove the company decal before selling it and obviously that didn't happen. >> the son started to take the decals off and was told don't do that. you might scratch the paint.

we will do it. >> autonation resold the truck at an auctioning in dallas and someone from turkey bought the truck and had it shipped out of the country from the port of houston. i talked with a spokesman for autonation over the phone. their company is investigating how this happened. >> we immediately sent the vehicle to auction and the understanding was that the markings would come off vehicle. i'm not sure where the breakdown was between autonation and the auction. >> eland says mark one plumb is has lost business because of the ordeal and the employees are still afraid to come two. they hope this lawsuit will help them recover financially and prevent something like this from happening again. >> thank you very much, indicate lynn reporting from our station in houston. >> steve colbert did a good joke where he said a machine gun being fired off the back of a pickup fruk in the desert could still be texas. >> coming up in our next half hour, hearing loud and clear. it's the top tech gifts for christmas. how can you find the best deals

on phones, headphones? you're watching "world news now." >> announcer: "world ne

>> i find your lack of faith disturbing. >> lord fader using the dark side of the force disturbed by others' lack of faith. he may be happy to find out true believers are braving the elements to see the new "star wars" film. >> abc's nick watt has more. >> get ready. >> for what. >> >> happy "star wars"ing. > nine days these fans have been in line. caroline and andrew are from australia, getting married in the line on thursday. >> who is officiating? >> we have a good friend that

happens to be a celebrant. ob shawn. the force wakens will open on over 4,000 screens this week. back in '77, "star wars" opened on just 32. this one included. an instant hit darth vader was soon leaving his footprints it here outside the chinese theater. >> gorge lucas watched the first one from here. this is the place to be. >> reporter: in 1999 for the phantom menace, the line at the chinese tradition was born. >> ihended up meeting my husband in line. >> this is the result? >> this is result. >> nate's been in line over a week already. that "star wars" comes up on the screen, it's a little kid inside he says is this really happening? >> if there's a center of the universe glorious nerd dom it's right here. >> reporter: nick watt, abc news, los angeles. >> and stay with us tonight as we find out later if anyone has

broken the embargo. >> nicely done. ♪

♪you are my whole life! ♪your two blue eyes are shining!♪ dolce and gabbana. light blue we've been changing things up witoh yeah.ve. it's a pleasure gel that magnifies both our sensations. it gives us chills in places we've never gotten chills before. yeah, it makes us feel like... dare to feel more with new k-y love. because now i've got pantene i knshampoo and conditioner hair, but i'm never gonna stop. the pro-v formula locks moisture inside my hair and the damage from 100 blow-dries is gone.

pantene. strong is beautiful. welcome back. it's time for "the mix" where we look at viral stories. we're going to start by talking about "star wars" again. yesterday, we talked about how there have been complaints. this had gone viral of a starbucks polar bear cookie that looked like it had its neck. >> supposed to be a red scarf. >> it looked like it was slit and people complained about it anyway turns out what we meant was the snowman, not the polar bear friends at starbucks were watching. > they weighed in and said guess what, it's been discontinued. there's a reason we couldn't find the polar bears for the show yesterday. it was kiss discontinued in 2010. the snowman is in. by the way, they also have these gingerbread ugly sweater cookies. that's what they call them which do have red sweater smooze we're making amends with our friends

at starbucks. these cookies look mm delicious. >> have one. dig in, please. >> >> come on, why not. >> help yourself. >> i think it's undignified to do it and 0 the telly but i'll do it. >> these are delicious. >> they're good. >> much better than peet's. >> we want to tell you about another story out in chicago i believe. of a shirtless runner. it's so hot in chicago, a station out there found in the rain a man wearing nothing except maybe a little something underneath there. and so they wanted to know why he was doing it. turns out he ends up using this as a way to explain he's single. do you know what? they got quite a few hits on this. 25,000 likes. 3 million views. by the way, the guy reporting, you see him right there? he used to anchor "world news now" with me last summer. that's haety mon bradley. there's a selfie we took right on the show. now he's out there in the

elements. >> okay. >> helping the single men of the world find love. >> in the news meeting when we talked about this particular feature, i thought they meant you co-anchored with a guy who ran without a shirt in chicago which i thought might had provide a challenge to your happy family existence. >> to you and next man sitting in the claire. >> yeah, 3 million hits. he remains single. and we have -- this is the ncaa basketball team, their particular type of celebration. they always show off their celebrations. this going viral. they've won six games and lost three. bang, in it goes. then they are -- it's orchestrated. and it's. >> they're doing well. 6-3. they're 6-3. >> this is a pony in the uk in a onesie. >> there you go. lo

this morning on "world news now," challenging trump. the republicans ready to take the debate stage tonight as donald trump sees his biggest lead yet. the latest showdown just hours away. >> amazing poll. how did the woman responsible for killing 14 people in san bernardino get into the country after her disturbing social media posts? the terror investigation takes a new turn. and new this morning, the "star wars" world premiere. >> first reaction to the film is in after last night's big event. and why "the force awakens" is so important to moviemakers. we are live in l.a. >> and later, saluting serena williams and her accomplishments as a tennis champ. the big athletic honor in "the skinny" on this tuesday, december 15th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now."

hello there, good morning. it is tuesday. i'm richard bacon. >> i'm reena ninan. "star wars" "star wars" on the brain, huh. >> we are checking social media throughout the night to see if anybody has broken the embargo. you've not seen anything yet. >> a lot of people saying if you tweet out a spoiler we're going to smash your hoverboard to pieces. l.a. >> that's if it hasn't already caught fire. >> let's begin with the republicans who want to be president. tonight, they will be facing off one final time before the holidays. >> the podiums with the nine candidates will be in use at the venetian hotel. that's in las vegas. front-runner donald trump will be center stage and, of course, flanked by his closest rivals ted cruz and ben carson. it's your voice, your vote. abc looks at the predebate polls. >> reporter: donald trump aiming at a new target, two national polls released show trump's front-runner status in the race

for president is now threatened by texas senator ted cruz. and as usual, trump isn't holding back. >> you look at the way he's dealt with the senate where he goes in there like a frankly like a little bit of a maniac. you're never going to get things done that way. >> reporter: cruz taking to social media not to respond with an attack but by posting a link to the movie "flash dance" and tweeting "in honor of my friend donald trump and good hearted maniacs everywhere." ♪ she's a maniac, maniac the source of the new feud, new poll numbers including this quinnipiac poll showing trump leading in iowa with 28%, cruz in a close second at 27%. in third place, marco rubio at 14%. with cruz on the rise, others are also taking aim. >> the only budget he's ever voted for in his time in the senate is a budget that cut defense spending. >> anybody in any religion. >> reporter: also surging on a much smaller scale new jersey governor chris christie. the governor has been bumped up

to the main stage. and will now appear with the other leading candidates during tuesday night's republican presidential debate. and yet, another poll the nbc/"wall street journal" poll suggests if the general election were held today, hillary clinton would beat donald trump by ten points. that same poll shows hillary clinton would be in a neck and necktie with cruz, rubio, and ben carson. reena, richard? >> carla, thank you so much. donald trump has released -- >> is that a fire alarm? >> i think it's a fire alarm. >> it's going off. >> oh, boy. >> i've worked in a few studios in my time. normally they're kind of soundproofed and protected from the fire alarm and all you get is a light. >> you know what i thought that was? i think that somebody may have broken the embargo on "star wars" and someone has alerted the whole company. >> i had that alarm installed. i should have remembered. right. >> we want to tell you about donald trump. he's released a one-page statement from his doctors which says that trump is in excellent health.

his physician reports that trump has lost 15 pounds over the last few months and he takes a daily aspirin, a low dose of statten. his doctor goes on to say if he wins next november, trump would be the healthiest individual ever elected president. wow. >> he might not be that healthy that much longer. an alarm is definitely going off. something is happening in the building. >> disney has alerted all of its entities that "star wars" premiere has premiered in l.a. i think that's what that is. >> find out what's going on. let's stay with this story. we turn to abc news early morning for post debate coverage. look for analysis from our -- this is tomorrow. from our deputy political director on "world news now." tomorrow. that's analysis. we'll have that. the terror attack in san bernardino, the terror attack in san bernardino could be a topic during the debate tonight. marco rubio in particular is being critical of the administration's response. that search of a lake for

evidence in the attack has apparently turned up nothing. divers were believed to be looking for a hard drive discarded by the couple who carried out the attack. >> spurred bid that terror attack, homeland security says it will step up scrutiny of social media sites when considering visa applications. elizabeth hur has that part of the story. >> reporter: anyone wondering what is being done to defeat isis, president obama had this answer. >> we're also taking out isil leaders, commanders and killers one by one. our next message to them is simple, you are next. >> reporter: that message after his visit to the pentagon with top security officials talking strategy in tackling terrorism. >> we are hitting isil harder than ever. last month in november, we dropped more bombs on isil targets than any other month since this campaign starred. >> the reassurance comes as new questions are raised about missed cues and warnings in the san bernardino attacks. abc news has learned that tashfeen malik had extensive

social media postings supporting jihad but still got a fiance visa to come to the u.s. turns out a secret u.s. policy prevented immigration officials from searching social media as part of the screening process. >> the primary concern was that it would be viewed negatively if it was disclosed publicly and there were concerns that it would be embarrassing. >> reporter: just last year, immigration officials did ask for new policies allowing them to look at applicants' social media public posts but were opposed by the homeland security department's office of civil rights and civil liberties. the homeland security department says the current screening process is being revised. according to insiders even the new pilot programs are not a widespread policy. >> elizabeth, thank you for that important report. by the way, it's a false alarm. in case you the dear viewers who we love very much were worried about us, it's a false alarm in this building. it's a false alarm. no one has broken the "star wars" embargo.

>> here's another interesting story. there are now doubts about what brought down that russian jetliner in egypt in october. the u.s., britain and russia all said they found evidence of a bomb aboard the plane. an affiliate of isis you might remember claimed responsibility but egyptian investigators now say they have found no evidence of terrorism. egypt's tourism industry has suffered since the incident. members of kosovo's parliament were tear gassed during a session by opposition members. it's the sixth time in the past two months. the protesters oppose any deals with neighboring serbia and montenegro. kosovo was once part of serbia and the european union is trying to get them to resolve their differences. >> bowe bergdahl will be court-martialed for walking away from his army unit in afghanistan. he will be charged with desertion. he could get life in prison if convicted. a preliminary hearing officer had recommended he not be charged. bergdahl spent five years as a

taliban captive after leaving his unit. >> pete rose has been banned from baseball for gambling since 1989 and major league baseball says that is not going to change. rose had applied for reinstatement to major league baseball's commissioner but that application has been rejected because of rose's continued legal gambling and new evidence about rose's betting on games when he played for the cincinnati reds. hollywood boulevard was locked down tighter than the death star last night for tinseltown's biggest premiere in recent memory. it was amazing sight. check them out, those storm troopers on the red carpet stretched for half a mile and the most elite of "a" list celebrities last night at the premiere of "star wars" was shown to vip crowds in three separate athletes including the chinese theater where the original "star wars" played 38 years ago. >> i'm really excited to get this movie out there for the audience and see how they feel about it. >> of course, "the force awakens" will open later this week.

on more than 4,000 screens from coast to coast. we want to give au update here at abc news, our alarms have been going off here. we thought it was a fire alarm. we thought actually it was in fact somebody -- >> breaking the embargo. we've been monitoring because they've all seen the film. >> we should say it's a false alarm, for the fire alarm and for the embargo for "star wars". >> thank you. we're safe. >> the post premiere excitement is very much alive this morning in hollywood. >> lauren lyster is there. good morning to you. why is this movie so anticipated and have you gotten any details about the film? >> reporter: i know you guys are dying for spoiler alerts. no fan will give them to me. a few reasons why it is highly anticipated. one the time, it has been years since the last "star wars" film about a decade since the release of the last one. in addition the return of characters from the original trilogy. fans were excited about this, hans solo, luke skywalker, princess leia who is a general in this film. then the money. some analysts predictions

believe this will be the highest grossing film ever. now, to break the record of a film held now, this film would have to do $2.79 billion. we'll top that. that was the record set by "avatar." highest grossing "star wars" film so far has been 199's "phantom menace" which brought in just over a billion dollars. this has a way to go. >> i saw footage the other day of fans leaving the phantom menace. we know the fans didn't like the film. asking fans on the night, we need to wait. >> look at lauren. she asked them to give spoilers. everybody left her. there's nobody behind her. >> yeah. >> hard-core. >> yeah. >> lauren, thank you so much. >> that's true. >> we'll speak to you again later. but they're just joyous and thrilling occasions, aren't they? things like this. >> exciting. > we're both going to see the film later this week. we will break the embargo. >> coming up in "the skinny," the hollywood "a" lister who

dressed as yoda for the "star wars" premiere. >> also ahead, bill cosby fighting back taking legal action against his accusers. what attorneys on both sides of the scandal are saying. and later the best gifts for music lovers on your list from ear buds to headphones. we're getting expert advice for shoppers. you're watching "world news now." now." 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. oh, right then i'll swing by in 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. ditch the misery. let's end this. (politely) wait, wait, wait! you cayou have to rinse it first. that's baked-on alfredo. baked-on? it's never gonna work. dish issues? trust your dishwasher with cascade platinum.

it powers... through... your toughest stuck-on food. better than finish. cascade. >> important message for residents age 50 to 85. write down this number now. right now, people are receiving this free information kit for guaranteed acceptance life insurance with a rate lock through the colonial penn program. if you are on a fixed income, learn about affordable whole life insurance that guarantees your rate can never increase for any reason. if you did not receive your information, call this number now. your acceptance is guaranteed, with no health questions. stand by to learn more. >> i'm alex trebek, here to tell you about a popular life insurance plan with a rate lock that locks in your rate for life so it can never increase. did you get your free information kit? if not, please call this number now. this affordable plan through the colonial penn program has coverage options for just $9.95 a month.

your rate is locked in and can never go up. and your acceptance is guaranteed, with no health questions. see how much coverage you can get for just $9.95 a month. call now for your free information kit. ♪ friends coming over? yeah, so? it stinks in here. you've got to wash this whole room are you kidding? wash it?

let's wash it with febreze. for all the things you can't wash, use... ...febreze fabric refresher whoa hey mrs. webber inhales hey, it smells nice in here and try pluggable febreze... ...to continuously eliminate odors for... ...up to 45 days of freshness pluggable febreze and fabric refresher... ...[inhale + exhale mnemonic]... ... , two more ways to breathe happy nearly all, hundreds of thousands of drones flying in this country will need to be registered like other aircraft. the faa is offering free registration for 30 days starting next monday. >> after that, it's $5 each. the owners of drones already in the air have till late february to register. but if you get one for christmas, you have to register right away.

>> bill cosby striking back against some of the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct. >> the comedian has filed a defamation against seven of the more than 50 women who have come forward. abc's linsey davis has this update. >> reporter: bill cosby turning the tables, saying he's the victim and filing a lawsuit against some of his accusers. >> we are taking steps in order to right a wrong. and the burden of proof is supposed to be on the people who are making the accusation, that the media hasn't required these accusers to have to do. >> reporter: the lawsuit, filed in federal court in massachusetts, is countersuing the seven of the more than 50 women who have come forward accusing cosby of sexual assault, drugging or rape. these seven have all sued him for defamation, after he accused them of lying about the allegations. cosby's attorney accuses these particular victims of malicious, opportunistic, false and defamatory accusations of sexual misconduct against him for their own financial gain. joe cammarata represents all seven women.

>> my seven clients intend to vigorously proceed with their case. each one of them are confident that their good name and reputation will be restored at the end of the day. >> reporter: cosby's legal action to salvage what he can of his legacy comes the same day boston university announced it's taking away his honorary degree. one of more than a dozen institutions to do so in the past year. the 78-year-old has long denied all the allegations. according to his attorney, cosby is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, to the maximum extent of the law. linsey davis, abc news, new york. coming up, the actor who stole the show at the "star wars" red carpet. >> he's not even in the new movie. "the skinny" is next. >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our

c

♪ skinny, so skinny >> well, folks, in case you missed it, the hollywood premiere of "star wars: the force awakens" was last night. the stars certainly out. but one star who wasn't in the film had everyone doing a double take on the red carpet. >> this is joseph gordon-levitt dressed as yoda. there he is. people like it. it's been around on social media a lot because people like it. it looks kind of cute. there he is with storm troopers in l.a. i think joseph gordon-levitt has forgotten the narrative of "star wars" because in the last one,

return of the jedi not the last one to be made, but in the last one sequentially in the narrative, yoda dies. >> why did you tell me that? i haven't seen that one yet. >> that film came out 30 years ago. you've had time. >> maybe i'll netflix it this weekend. >> you've had time all your life. i'm just saying yoda died. it's disrespectful to his family. this came out today. this is really interesting. you're going to like this. this is about the celebrities who when you put them on the front of the magazines sell the most magazines. >> ad week released the sales figures for popular magazines that feature famous faces. we're learning which covers sold the best stories of the year. we're going to start with "people" magazine here. >> so the august 3rd issue featuring blake shelton and miranda lambert "shocking split" was big for them. it sold 800,000 copies off the newstands. this even topped ben affleck and

jennifer garner's divorce. >> there's the worst. >> apparently pope francis only sold 450,000 off newstands. come on, the pope? we capitn't say he -- >> people took to the streets to see him. i don't think he's too concerned with people buying him on "people" magazine. this cover did the best for "vanity fair" this year. caitlyn jenner sold 400,000. no nomp -- normally they average about 160,000 "vanity fair," it jumped to 400,000 it won a huge award for best magazine cover of the year. it was sensational. >> and this kind of hurts me to say because i love this gal. sarah jessica parker apparently sales not doing well bringing below average numbers for this cosmo cover and also for harper's bazaar. i think she's a fantastic person. >> jennifer aniston doing well. a interesting detail. kim kardashian doesn't do that well. caitlyn does well. kim kardashian not is heing well this year. >> the pope not doing well?

>> i guess if you are a devout catholic. >> he's still a rock star if you're not catholic. next up, we want to talk about tennis superstar serena williams earning another honor. "sports illustrated" sports person of the year. >> another magazine cover claiming the rightful throne in that photo because of the astonishing year that she's had. i interviewed her father, richard, at length once. >> really. >> and you know for serena and venus, before they were born, he wrote down on a piece of paper that he would make both of them the tennis champions of the world. >> wow. >> if you think about that, that's -- he didn't know they were going to be good at tennis. his family doesn't play tennis. isn't that the most intriguing thing? >> that is kind of fascinating. we do have sad news for the current longest-running production in las vegas "jubilee" ending their 34-year run. that's with the women with the

tatas hanging out. >> >> find another show to go and see. >> coming up, music to the ears. >> be right back. ears. >> be right back.

♪ 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 eighty percent of part b medical costs. the rest is up to you. that's where aarp medicare supplement insurance plans insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company come in. like all standardized medicare supplement insurance plans, they could help pay some of what medicare doesn't, saving you in out-of-pocket medical costs. you've learned that taking informed steps along the way really makes a difference later. that's what it means to go long™. call now and request this free [decision guide]. it's full of information on medicare and the range of

aarp medicare supplement plans to choose from based on your needs and budget. all plans like these let you choose any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients, and there are no network restrictions. unitedhealthcare insurance company has over thirty years experience and the commitment to roll along with you, keeping you on course. so call now and discover how an aarp medicare supplement plan could go long™ for you. these are the only medicare supplement insurance plans endorsed by aarp, an organization serving the needs of people 50 and over for generations. plus, nine out of ten plan members surveyed say they would recommend their plan to a friend. remember, medicare doesn't cover everything. the rest is up to you. call now, request your free [decision guide] and start gathering the information you need to help you keep rolling with confidence. go long™.

♪ ♪ whoa, listen to the music ♪ whoa, listen to the music >> like that? >> it's that tune. >> you like that? >> i love it. now for many of us who do listen to music all of the time, headphones are an essential part of the listening experience. >> and how you're listening just as important as what you're listening to. for the best deals on this hot holiday tech gift, here's abc's becky worley. >> reporter: headphones, predicted to be the most popular tech gift given this season. so to find the best we turned to brian tom, tech editor at c-net. teens and 20 somethings, what do they want? >> the priority is design and then bass. a lot of younger kids love that booming deep sound and the style of it. this is the beats solo two. this is a wireless headset. you've got the flashy colors and this clean design we have here. that's going to be really popular.

you can go big and large and just you don't care what anyone else thinks. these are the monster 24 ks. gold, bling-bling. all gold everything. is there a budget model you can get? >> these are the audio technica. m 50 xs. my favorite best budget overall. great headphones. >> i see on ear and over ear. what's difference? which is better? >> a lot of times it comes down to how it feels. some people don't like cupping your ear off. you typically get better sound that way. on ear rests on your ear little pillows. >> if you're buying headphones for someone who commutes or a road warrior, it's all about noise canceling. >> the bose comfort 25s are noise canceling headsets. it hears the outside noise around you, it sends reverse frequency in here and deadens that sound and kind of creates a chamber inside like your own isolated room. >> reporter: finally let's talk cheaper ear buds. can you get a good pair on a budget?

>> there are some around the 150, $200 price point. that's a lot. that $40 to $50 sweet spot, you'll get everything that you need. becky, thank you for that. reena, tonight is the "star wars" premiere. >> we're going to go to it, right? >> yeah, but the l.a. one is tonight. the last time a star wars film cape out nearly ten years ago in london, i hosted that premiere. there were two cinemas next to each other, one full of celebrities and one for fans. as a surprise to the fabs just before the film started i walked george lucas. >> wow. >> and the reaction, it reminded me i was in grant park when obama was voted for president. i know this is crazy, but that emotional reaction. >> you're comparing obama to the "star wars." >> that's what it means to the fans. >> okay. got some jedi action. mind tricks or was that "star trek"? >> announcer: this is abc's "world news now." informing insomniacs for two decades. informing insomniacs for two decades. hi, anne.

how are you doing? hi, evelyn. i know it's been a difficult time since your mom passed away. yeah. i miss her a lot, but i'm okay. wow. that was fast. this is the check i've been waiting for. mom had a guaranteed acceptance life insurance policy through the colonial penn program, and this will really help with the cost of her final expenses. they have been so helpful and supportive during this time. maybeshould give them a call. i really could use some more life insurance. is it affordable? it costs less than 35 cents a day-- that's pretty affordable, huh? less than 35 cents a day? that's less than the cost of a postage stamp. so, you said it was guaranteed acceptance? yes. it's permanent coverage with guaranteed acceptance for people ages 50 to 85. there's no medical exam or health questions. you can't be turned down because of your health. it fit right into mom's budget and gave her added peace of mind. you should give them a call i definitely could use more coverage.

i think i will give them a call. man: are you between the ages of 50 and 85? or know someone who is? do you think that quality insurance at an affordable rate is out of your reach? for less than 35 cents a day, you can get guaranteed acceptance life insurance through the colonial penn program. you cannot be turned down because of your health. there are no health questions or medical exam. your rate will never go up and your benefit will never go down due to age-- guaranteed! these days, the average cost of a funeral is over $7300, and social security pays a death benefit of just $255. don't leave a burden for yoloved ones. since 1994, over 6 million people have called about this quality insurance. there's no risk or obligation. call about the colonial penn program now. you'll be glad you did.

making news in america this morning, debate day. the stage is set on the vegas strip. the republican candidates preparing to face off for the last time this year as donald trump hits a new high in the polls. we're live in washington. and donald trump's doctor making news of his own issuing a letter about the billionaire's health. why it's getting a lot of scrutiny. disgruntled guest. a man accused of purposely slamming his truck into a hotel. the dramatic crash caught on camera. "star wars: the force awakens," the lucky few with a chance to see the movie. >> it's amazing. it's wonderful. >> smiling faces leaving the world premiere overnight. the first reactions are in.