good morning. here are some of the top headlines oh on this monday on "world news now." our focus is overseas. the deadliest palestinian in jerusalem in months. it's left four israeli soldiers dead. police call it an act of terrorism influenced by the truck's attacks in nice and berlin. we're live in jerusalem straight ahead. north korea says it's now prepared to launch an int intercontinental ballistic missile at any time. that follows the new year's day announcement that the nation was in the final stages of testing one. the suspect in the fort lauderdale shootings faces charges today. the proceedings come as we see

new video of the moment the first shots were fired. and turning to sports clemson versus alabama in the championship game. they played last year with alabama winning 45-40. tonight's game is on espn tonight starting at 8 p.m. eastern. those are the stop stories on this monday, january 9th. from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning. we're going to start this half hour overseas and the deadly attack against soldiers in jerusalem. a palestinian drove a truck into soldiers killing four and injuring nearly 20 others. the three female soldiers and one male were all in their 20s. abc's molly hunter has more. >> reporter: the surveillance video showing that white truck barrelling into the group of soldiers crushing bodies. young cadets on a sunday outing. >> i hear any soldiers shouting and screaming. i'm just seeing a truck that's

went on the sidewalk. said side road and hitting the soldiers. >> reporter: you can see the tire tracks. this is where the truck hopped the curb, and ran from the crowd, reversed hit the gas and plowed through more people. the four cadets killed in their 20s. 17 more hospitalized. the attacker, a palestinian, shot dead. his truck riddled with return fire from soldiers. these similar to truck terror attacks in july and the christmas market in berlin. benjamin netanyahu visiting the scene suggesting the attacker was inspired by isis although no claim of responsibility has been made. >> reporter: unlike the premeditated attacks in berlin and nice appears to be spontaneous making it impossible to prevent.

>> interesting it was spontaneous. molly is here live and there's a satellite delay, but i want one question before you get away. you mentioned it was spontaneous. what evidence do they have it was inspired by isis? >> reporter: not a lot, kendis. prime minister benjamin netanyahu said yesterday the attacker was reportedly inspired by the islamic state, but police have given no material. have not given us any social media or any links suggesting that connection. the family has spoken out saying there's no proof, but this is exactly the message that the prime minister netanyahu wants to give to the world alongside germany an france following the attacks we mentioned he wants to say we're in this together. we're all fighting the same enemy. i would say that police here stress that vehicular attacks predate isis. >> abc's molly hunter live for us in jerusalem this morning. thank you.

turning to politics, democrats are calling on republicans to slow down the confirmation administration for the incoming administration. >> confirmation hearings for the cabinet nominees are scheduled for this week, and four of them haven't even completed ethics reviews that may identify some possible conflicts of interest. republicans say the democrats are upset because they lost the election. as president obama prepares to transition back to life as a private citizen, he's explained why he believes in term limits. he said the job is grueling and sustaining energy and focus gets tougher the longer you do it. >> the bubble is the bubble, and i think we've done a pretty good job staying in touch with the american people, but at a certain point you can't help but lose some feel for what's on the ground, because you're not on the ground.

>> you didn't think donald trump could win. >> case in point. so that tells me that there's a utility in the democracy refreshing its on an ongoing basis. >> the president said by almost every measure the country is better off than when he started the job. he will deliver his fair well address from chicago tomorrow where his political career began. 300 american marines will be s heading to southern afghanistan. they will assist afghans. they have been struggling to drive out taliban. much of the country's opium trade is funding that insurgency. in this country and to the west they're bracing for snow j wind, and ice. the trucky river is at flood stage and cresting overnight and flooding is likely in that area. portland, oregon prompted the

first use of salt in decades there. in northern california highways were blocked by flooding, fallen trees and mud slides. four people were killed by the storm system since last thursday. the extreme weather is going to continue in the west and other parts of the country. >> paul williams has the forecast now. good morning. we're looking for significant rain to really push throughout a good chunk of california between 8 to 16 inches in some areas including redding. keep in mind to the northwest looking for widespread snow showers covering great falls toward the great lakes region. and then we're looking for a low pressure system to bring warm air underneath, cold air on top. it will spread snow to the great lakes region and accumulations near a half a foot near the great lakes and near helena. >> i'll take that. thanks, paul. social media is providing us a look at some of the deadly flooding in thailand.

this is what it looked like at a market in the southern part of the nation. at least 19 people have been killed and more than 1 million affected by the flooding over the past week. an american is a focus of the ambush of a u.s. diplomat in mexico. he is under guard. the man believed to be the gunman is set to be extradited to the u.s. >> reporter: after a multiagency man hunt, mexican authorities are questioning this man caught on camera in a. a region known for drug trafficking and violence. video shows the unidentified shooter stalking his victim. >> the three key potential scenarios are one, the shooter had a personal beef, or it could have been gang related or it could be related to some sort of a terrorist attack.

>> reporter: the alleged attacker following him outside. police say the same man positioned himself at the exit. as ashkaft drives up the suspect pulls up and fires. >> this is not something a trained assassin would do. >> reporter: he's hit in the shoulder. bystanders rushing to his aid. john kerry thanking mexico for the swift and decisive arrest of the suspect in this heinous attack. >> reporter: the victim is recovering at a local hospital. he has protection. authorities still saying they don't have a motive. glor glor . there's been an arrest in the volkswagen emissions scandal. they arrested someone in scandal. oliver schmidt. lawsuits say he played a key

role in the deception. meanwhile chrysler says it will invest $1 billion and make three new models in the u.s. all told they say the moves will mean 2,000 more jobs in michigan and ohio. let's give props this morning to the group who was the stars of the internet over the weekend. congratulations to the swim team from georgia tech. >> yes. big kudos they deserve. they were in virginia for a meet. the snow forced the cancellation. they didn't want to waste their skills. they went outside and did some snow swimming. i wonder how many cocktails came before it? >> i hope they had a few. the video was a hit. the u.s. olympic team tweeted calling it a gold medal worthy performance and sports center commented on their commitment.

proving there's never a bad time to train. >> it's brilliant on so many levels. >> they did their whole medley. >> they were committed, executed flawlessly. this was one of the best internet videos. >> the guy's backstroke wasn't really on point. >> come on. perfection. i'd like to see you do it better in the snow in a speedoh. >> nobody has time for that. we want to thank everybody who sent good wishes to us for our 25th anniversary. if you didn't catch the show, check out our facebook page to check out the best moments from the bash including lisa mcgree back in the news room with a rather one dimensional aaron brown. >> there's no substitute for the real thing. >> no, there isn't. it was nice he made a cardboard

appearance. and we do expect by next friday the hangover from that morning to subside. coming up, another star studded and alcohol fuelled evening in hollywo hollywood. >> not here. >> oscar fever is ramping up after last night's golden globe's awards. what turned heads on the red carpet. >> and sea world san diego closes what turned into a controversial history. why they say they won't release the orcas that remain in capivity out into the wild. you're watching "world news now." >> "world news now" weather brought to you by ne nerdwallet.com. toilet germs don't just stay in the toilet.

disinfect with lysol bathroom trigger... ... and lysol power foamer. they kill 99.9% of germs. to clean and disinfect your bathroom... ...lysol that. the spare, no, i don't want to put anybody out. nonsense! we lend it to everybody. some people we hardly know.

ialmost everything. you know, ke 1 i n 10 houses could get hit by

an expensive septic disaster. but for only $7 a month, rid-x helps break down waste. avoid a septic disaster with rid-x. and my cold medicines' ugh, iwearing off.chtime i'm dragging. yeah, that stuff only lasts a few hours. or, take mucinex. one pill fights congestion for 12 hours. no thank you very much, she's gonna stick with the short-term stuff. 12 hours? guess i won't be seeing you for a while. is that a bisque? i just lost my appetite. why take medicines that only last 4 hours, when just one mucinex lasts 12 hours? start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. > that really was fast, and now that car a $3,000 frerrarif.

>> $300,000. >> literally a wreck. the driver entered a 30 miles per hour curve doing 90. other than the car and the guardrail, no one was injured, but it pains us to watch. >> yes. well, turning now to the growing battle against a deadly narcotic that's increasingly infiltrating every corner of the country. >> we're talking about feint nil. >> it's more potent than the purest forms -- >> texas, covered head to toe using oxygen tanks to breathe, you would think the officers are about to come in contact with a deadly disease, but this is an alleged illegal drugland. >> us being here next door is regular stuff like that and we could have been exposed. >> reporter: inside officers are looking for something so toxic that law enforcement can't

afford to take any chances. all of this because they're about to come in contact with a synthetic opioid often mixed with heroin with up to 40 times more powerful and leaving a deadly trail across the country. this heroin overdose is more than eighty in three days around the tristate. users are taking it in bootleg pill form mixed with god knows what. in 2015 the number of opioid deaths surged. far outpacing deaths by gun related homicides. ground zero for the ep didemiep new hampshire. >> i lived through the crack and meth mien. we never had deaths associated it like now. >> reporter: the synthetic

opioid is cheaper and easier to produce. they are trying to target the sellers. 5:00 a.m. and they teamed up with local police to take down a suspected dealer. the suspect is apprehended. next, agents search his house. >> the search is still underway, but they've already found what they believe is some product. >> this is located inside the residents. we have a finger of suspected fentinal and maybe heroin. this is broken up, you can tell. >> reporter: the arrests are one weapon in the war on drugs across the country. >> how much heroin did you use? >> reporter: some police started releasing videos of addicted parents with their children in their car. some are also compassionate approaches. fire houses are places of refuge for users coming in off the

street. there's a safe station with no risk of arrest. >> police are working hard to take the drugs off the street. they're hitting it hard this way. we're trying to get people in recovery and hitting it hard this way. you have to hit this problem from so many different angles. >> reporter: all hands on deck for a state under siege, the victims many. manchester, new hampshire. it's a growing problem within this country. coming up, the final splash at sea world, san diego. >> as the park drops the curtain on the final killer whale performance, why they're still refusing to

some breaking news this morning from paris in the robbery of kim kardashian a new months ago. several people were arrested in connection with with the armed robbery. jewelry was stolen from her apartment. more on this breaking story throughout the day this morning. sea world san diego has closed an increasingly controversial chapter in its history of killer whale shows. >> after years of outcry yesterday was the final splash. the park's last orca performance. >> reporter: the end of an era at sea world san diego. >> a bittersweet moment.

>> reporter: the aquarium stopping the long running killer whale show. the final performance sunday comes just two days after the largest killer whale in captivity died at sea world orlando. he was featured in a 2013 documentary "black fish" the film questioning the treatment of whales alleging the practices may have made them more aggressive. the whale was september mostly isolated after killing a trainer in 2010. the final performance will make way for what they call an orca encounter touted as an educational experience for visitors. the park has 11 orcas in captivities. park officials say they wouldn't survive in their natural habitat. they plan on ending the breeding programs. abc news, california. coming up, how a love affair with los angeles took center

stage at the golden globes award. >> and it wasn't just about la la land. we'll tell you the big moments.

ugh, it's only lunchtime and my cold medicines' wearing off. i'm dragging. yeah, that stuff only lasts a few hours. or, take mucinex. one pill fights congestion for 12 hours. no thank you very much, she's gonna stick with the short-term stuff. 12 hours? guess i won't be seeing you for a while. is that a bisque? i just lost my appetite. why take medicines that only last 4 hours, when just one mucinex lasts 12 hours? start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. crsugar is everywherets sugar shield and crest complete has a sugar shield to protect teeth from sugar found in everyday foods. crest complete. shield your teeth from sugar. so sugar may visit, but it's not sticking around.

the worst thing about toilet they don't stay in the toilet. disinfect your bathroom with lysol bathroom trigger... ...lysol power foamer... ...and lysol toilet bowl cleaner. they kill 99.9% of germs including e. coli. to clean and disinfect in and out of the toilet... ...lysol that. you think it smells fine but your passengers smell this... eliminate odors you've gone noseblind to for up to 30 days with the febreze car vent clip

break out the febreze, and [inhale/exhale mnemonic] breathe happy. insomniacs. you know who's probably up but not watching our show, the stars in hollywood. they're part -- partying. >> reporter: from the opening dance sequence spoof. to the biggest awards of the night. >> ryan gosling. "la la land." >> reporter: it was clear and the golden globe goes to emma stone. >> reporter: this was "la la land's" night. >> "la la land." ♪ >> reporter: the musical love story took home a record 7

awards including best picture comedy musical and the top acting honors. while gosling's acceptance speech made the internet spoon over his love for eva mendez. if she hadn't taken all that on so i could have this experience, it should surely be someone else up here other than me today, so sweet heart, thank you. >> reporter: it was one of his nominee's reaction who lost it that won the internet. an intense kiss as gosling took the stage. plenty of surprises on the movie drama side. isabelle taking top honors. and manchester by the sea casey affleck for boast actor. moonlight won for best actress. and meryl streep's speech as she

picked up a lifetime achievement award. >> reporter: hollywood is filled with foreigners and outsiders. if you kick them out, you'll have nothing to watch but football which is not the arts. >> reporter: winning best actress and best tv drama honors. and "atlanta" a big winner on the comedy own musical side. and tracee ellis ross winning for best actress. as for fashion, the plunging v line was the co-star of the night for leading ladies and the men brought their beards. half the male presenters sporting the look. >> it was called the beard parade of 2017. >> i love the beard. i was happy to see "atlanta" do so well. >> another popular show was "stranger things" many of the stars won by taking a lot of selfies with many of the stars throughout the evening.

>> important message for women and men ages 50 to 85. please write down this toll-free number now. right now, in areas like yours, people are receiving this free information kit for guaranteed acceptance life insurance with a rate lock through the colonial penn program. if you're on a fixed income or concerned about rising prices, learn about affordable whole life insurance with a lifetime rate lock that guarantees your rate can never increase for any reason. if you did not receive your information, or if you misplaced it, call this number now and we'll rush it to you. your acceptance is guaranteed, with no health questions. please stand by to learn more. >> i'm alex trebek and the announcement you just heard is for a popular and affordable life insurance plan with a rate lock guarantee. that means your rate is locked in for life and can never increase. did you get your free information kit in the mail? if not, please call

this toll-free number now. in the last month alone, thousands have called about this plan with the rate lock guarantee through the colonial penn program, and here's why. this plan is affordable, with coverage options for just $9.95 a month. that's less than 35 cents a day. your rate is locked in and can never go up, and your acceptance is guaranteed. you cannot be turned down because of your health. see how much coverage you can get for just $9.95 a month. call now for your free information kit. don't wait, call today. ♪

this morning on "world news now," preparing for battle on capitol hill. president-elect trump's cabinet picks set to face entrutny as confirmation hearings begin and hear what he said about his confidence and what they seem to have in common. new evidence of the horrifying ordeal at the fort lauderdale airport. it shows the gunman pulling the gun from his waist and firing at random. what we're learning about the investigation this morning. then meryl streep using her lifetime achievement award to call out the president-elect. what she had to say about powerful people using their position to bully others and how trump is responding. ♪

>> and no pants no problem. the worldwide movement to travel on the train without your trousers. in this weather are you looking like a fool without your pants on? it is monday, january 9th. from abc news, this is "world news now." >> you wonder why they wouldn't schedule that day in june. >> exactly. who scheduled it in january? it is a worldwide epidemic we'll get to the bottom of. >> why people are dropping their pants. good morning, everybody. happy monday informal we'll start this half hour with a political battle heating up over donald trump's cabinet nominees. the confirmation hearings get underway this week. >> democrats are urging the gop to slow down raising concerns about several nominees who have yet to complete saturday ethics reviews. the republican lawmakers are accusing democrats of playing politics.

here's david wright. >> reporter: senate republicans put donald trump's cabinet picks on such a fast track, some of them haven't been fully vetted. the confirmation hearings set to begin tuesday with homeland security and attorney general. on wednesday five more. this weekend a top government ethics official said the pace is putting undue pressure on investigators. eight years ago mitch mcconnell demanded obama's cabinet members were vetted before their hearings. now he's accusing the democrats of sour grapes. >> all of these procedural complaints are related to their frustration at having not only lost the white house but the senate. i understand that but we need to grow up and get past it. >> reporter: this weekend donald trump chose dan coats for national intelligence. a popular former protege of dan

quail would replace james clapper, a retired air force general who briefed him on intelligence that russian hackers sought to influence the november election. even after that briefing, trump didn't seem to buy that. in a tweet this weekend he blamed the victim, gross negligence by the democratic national committee allowed the hacking to take place. no mention of putin at all. president obama told george stephanopoulos trump is about to learn there's a difference between campaigning and being the president. >> you're in charge of the largest organization on earth. you can't manage it the way you would manage a family business. >> reporter: trump's team is confident they had the votes needed to get the candidates confirmed, and they say they want an administration that's ready for trump from day one. david wright, abc news at trump tower. president obama is expected

to talk about the gains he's made over the last eight years as he delivers his fair well speech in chicago tomorrow. on "this week" the president said he believes obama care will survive even if it's modified and relabeled. he talked about the differences and similarities with the president-elect. >> i've enjoyed the confers we've had. he's somebody who is not lacking in confidence. >> some say that about you too. >> it's probably a prerequisite for the job, or at least you have to have enough craziness to think you can do the job. i think that he has not spent a lot of time sweating the details of all the policies. >> without specifically naming donald trump, the president said he was concerned about the

republicans who had more confidence in vladimir putin than fellow americans. now to the severe weather hammering both sides of the country. ten western states are experiencing torrential rain, flash flooding and wind gusts. there are concerns about mud slides and erosion. there is snow in the mountains and freezing rain in portland, oregon and surrounding areas. parts of northern california and nevada are seeing the worst flooding in years with rivers reaching flood stage within the next 24 hours. meanwhile at at least four deaths are being blamed on a winter storm in the east from mississippi to maine. the snow and ice causing hundreds of accidents, especially in north carolina where one of those fatalities occurred. schools and government offices are closed because of the icy roads. throughout the east thousands of flights were cancelled or delay third down weekend. the region is now facing bitter cold today. israel's prime minister is blaming isis for a palestinian attack that killed four

soldiers. a man rammed his truck into a group of soldiers. you see it caught on tape. they were getting off a bus in jerusalem's old city. the driver was shot and killed by police. prime minister netanyahu says the man was a supporter of isis. the driver's sister denies that but israel tells an israeli newspaper her brother's death was a beautiful martyr dom. >> iran announces three days of mourning after their president. the 82-year-old died oh of a heart attack. he served between 1989 and 1997. he set up the stage for the nuclear program following the eight year war with iraq. his funeral is set for wednesday. the former army national guardsman charged in the deadly shootings at the fort lauderdale airport appears in court today. the judge will explain the charges. we're learning more about the five people who were killed.

most went to south florida to relax. new video showing how the call was shattered in seconds and with that here's brian ross. >> reporter: the attack came without warning. as seen on this airport surveillance video obtained by tmz. 26-year-old pulls out his pistol and opens fire. passengers run for cover. police say he emptied his 9 millimeter handgun and reloaded once killing five people and injuring six more. the question is why a man who told the fbi he was hearing voices about isis thought the government had put a chip in his head, was able to keep his gun even after being hospitalized for a mental examination. > > >> the gun was taken away but given back after he was cleared. >> reporter: do you think he should have had that gun?

>> no. >> reporter: there are also questions why fbi agents in alaska didn't put him on a no supply list after he showed up there claiming he was hearing voices. >> i want to be clear. during our initial investigation we found no ties to terrorism. >> reporter: but after being arrested friday, he claimed to fbi agents he had been in contact with isis online. and now after recovering his computer from an alaska pawnshop, fbi agents are investigating if he created a jihadiist identity for himself several years under another name. the suspect's brother told abc news the fbi should have done more sooner. >> translator: the mistake was there, said brian santiago. they knew it for two or three months. >> reporter: authorities say the attack was not long in the planning. he only brought his one way ticket last tuesday. three days before he opened

fire. a member of the family said they thought he was going to fort lauderdale to visit a stepbrother. brian ross, abc news, new york. switching gears and talking about gas prices up $0.17 in the past month and are about 40 cents a gallon higher than a year ago. it's a reflection of rising crude oil prices. the trade group has called for a cut in production. several major oil producing countries have said they won't go along with it. and the vehicles, the ones you're looking at, might not need gas for a little while. this was in philadelphia where that sink hole opened up after a water main ruptured. the car and suv parked in the wrong place, wrong time. more than a dozen homes are without water service while the water main is being repaired there. tough break. it's unclear if the cold temperatures were to blame for the rupture, but the temperatures made these people a little bit uncomfortable. >> we're talking about those

involved in sunday's no pants subway ride. it is an annual event that takes place here in new york and just about every other major city with the subway system. >> it's organized by the improve everywhere comedy collective. it's grown every year since it started in 2002. >> i'm never riding is subway on this day. >> i've never seen it. exactly. although, we've probably seen it and just thought it was a normal day in new york. >> exactly. nothing unusual taking place. >> but we should push to move it to january. >> to june. warm weather sfwlch. >> that's right, and then we'll join it. the oscar race is on. we'll tell you who cleaned up at the golden globes and the powerful message from meryl streep getting reaction from donald trump. and the latest war on

scientologist. what other former members of this church are saying. >> a in case you missed our anniversary show on friday, check out our highlights at wnnfans.com, and our twitter page. you're watching "world news now." i will never wash my hair again. i will never never wash my hair again now, i fuel it new pantene doesn't just wash your hair, it fuels it. with the first pro-v nutrient blend, making every... ...strand stronger don't just wash your hair fuel it fuel your hair. because strong is beautiful.

. toilet germs don't just stay in the toilet.

disinfect with lysol bathroom trigger... ... and lysol power foamer. they kill 99.9% of germs. to clean and disinfect your bathroom... ...lysol that. it helps put some distance.. between you and temptation. clinically proven to help reduce hunger between meals. from metamucil, the #1 doctor recommended brand. and my cold medicines' ugh, iwearing off.chtime i'm dragging. yeah, that stuff only lasts a few hours. or, take mucinex. one pill fights congestion for 12 hours. no thank you very much, she's gonna stick with the short-term stuff. 12 hours? guess i won't be seeing you for a while.

is that a bisque? i just lost my appetite. why take medicines that only last 4 hours, when just one mucinex lasts 12 hours? start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. the instinct to humiliate when it's modelled by someone in the public platform, by someone

powerful, it filtered into everybody's life because it gives permission for everyone to do the same thing. the words meryl streep taking on president-elect during her acceptance speech at last night's golden globes. >> it was one of the many captivating moments leading up to the oscars. >> reporter: the best in tv and movies kicking off award seasons with the biggest party of the year. even as jimmy fallon had to deal with a teleprompter blackout. "la la land" won big including best screen play, director, original score, and ryan gosling, best actor. >> i'm having one of the best experiences i've had on a film. >> reporter: and emma stone, best actress. getting her first golden globe,

trayly ell tracee ellis ross. and "atlanta showing it's around to show getting a nod for its star, donald glover as best actor. >> wow. >> reporter: and then the night's biggest awards in film. best motion picture drama. >> "moonlight". >> reporter: and wrapping up the night with another win for best motion picture musical or comedy. >> "la la land." >> reporter: the sweep of seven golden globes breaks a record for the most won by a movie ever. we have to wait and see if it continues through the rest of award season as all eyes are on the oscars. sunday, february 26th right here on abc. i'm excited. i just got a ton more movies to add to my must watch list. didn't we all. >> gives you a sense of what to keep an eye on.

new york times reached donald trump. he said he wasn't surprised but he wasn't surprised but what he heard. he described streep as a, quote, hillary lover". i'm guessing it's not the last we'll hear. >> we expected a tweet storm, and at any moment we could expect it. i'm sure it will include the words overrated actress. we'll see what the president-elect has to say about meryl streep. it was a fun show. we'll have coverage throughout the morning. coming up in the next half hour, the battle for the super bowl. we'll have the latest breakdowns among contenders in both the nfc and afc playoffs. it's called the most lopsided ever. it was called that by mara. >> i wasn't born yet. first, what we're hearing from members of the church of scientology who have broken away from the church. you're watching "world news now."

where things come from? how they get here? what they're packed in? it's a lot of stuff. and these things add up. that's why we recycle. [vo:]it's nice to know that raymour and flanigan is proud to be a leading recycler- 17 million pounds of recyclable materials every year. turned from trash into treasure. so in the future, we will all have a more beautiful world. ♪

as they prepare to air the final episode of a docuseries on scientologist, the battle between the church and leah remini appears to be escalating. >> and now we're hearing stories of other members who have broken away from the church. >> reporter: leah remini rocketed to fame as the star of the cbs sitcom, the king of queens, harvests tales of people who like her have left the church of scientology. >> i went through hell. >> let's just stop. let's stop for a minute. >> reporter: how would you describe the show? >> i would describe the show as a documentary on the abuses of the church of scientology.

>> reporter: some other exscientologists abc news met, including one person within her family. her stepfather is part of a small group of church defectors who still believe in scientology but reject the current leadership. >> reporter: you had a problem with the way the church was being run? >> yeah, it was too expensive. it costs an ungodly amount of money, and i didn't think it should have cost that money. >> my stepfather practices outside of the organization which is considered what they call a squirrel group. >> reporter: if you use the technology outside of the church, you're a squirrel? >> yeah. and so i am a squirrel. >> reporter: squirrel is scientologist term because he cede they're nuts, stealing and perverting the church's original technology. we found a so-called squirrel group deep in the woods of southern georgia.

>> it basically measures a resistance to a pulse of less than a volt of electricity that runs through the body. >> reporter: the church has been upset about what i'm doing. that's true. >> nobody has ever really bugged me, but i think it's because i'm in the middle nowhere. >> reporter: leah remini never practices the religion, but she says it's for them that she keeps going. >> i'm not going away. that's for sure. >> our thanks to dan harris, and dan spoke to the church about leah's new show and they pointed out she's paid for her role as the executive producer. >> and they dismissed her in harsh terms as you would imagine as a failing actress who is spreading lies for what they say was money and attention. there are many actors still a part of scientology. christy allie, and she has refuted the claims but hasn't

said much about this series. coming up, why one little girl got a personal letter from a supreme court justice. your brain, and your joints really love them too? introducing megared advanced 4in1... just one softgel delivers the omega-3 power of two regular fish oil pills... so give your body mega support with megared advanced 4in1. ialmost everything. you know, ke 1 i n 10 houses could get hit by an expensive septic disaster. but for only $7 a month, rid-x helps break down waste. avoid a septic disaster with rid-x.

disinfect with lysol bathroom toilet gtrigger... just stay in the toilet. ... and lysol power foamer. they kill 99.9% of germs. to clean and disinfect your bathroom... ...lysol that. my hygienist told me to try... ...a mouthwash. so i tried crest. it does so much more than give me fresh breath. crest pro-health mouthwash provides all... ...of these benefits to help you get better dental check-ups. go pro with crest pro-health mouthwash.

checkup? nailed it.

we'll start with a little throwback thursday, you might say. remember this costume? it went viral this past halloween. this 8-year-old named michelle who dressed up as ruth vader ginsburg. for convincing, and the photo went viral. to the point that even got to her office, and you see what she's looking at? this is the young lady. she's reading a letter that actually came from the salespeople court justice. handwritten letter here. some of the things that were written by the justice saying that michelle looks just like her, and urges her to continue to thrive on reading and learning. there was also a printed

quotation there within it saying reading is the key that opens doors to many good things in life. >> i love how she's reading the letter with her mouth open. what a thrill for her. >> and a thrill for the supreme court justice to connect with the other generation. >> and a real letter. speaking of kids and cute costumes, we have another one. this is four-year-old marshal dressed up as one of the guards at windsor castle. his mom took them there for his birthday to see the changing of the guard, and he got an unexpected surprise. one of the guards came back out so they could take a picture together. the picture going viral. you have the little mini guard with the real guards. a picture he'll cherish his whole life. the guards are supposed to be so stoic. >> look at him. >> you put a four-year-old in front of anybody, it meltings

them. >> you can have your pants on the ground, those guards aren't phased but a cute four-year-old. my hope will go on by lean dion tugs at the heart. it brings the feels. and there's so many wonderful versions of this, and this is one of those that just brings the -- ♪ ♪ >> the feels. >> this is making me a little bit nauseous. >> this is from a youtuber who uploaded it. it's done with recorders from the nose, and it really just says instant classic. >> i'm not going to hate on ben. he worked really hard on that, clearly. just for you, ben, it's something you've mastered. lastly, a light saber night. i don't know what this is about, but it sounds like fun in st. louis. it has been

this morning on "world news now," deadly storms wreaking havoc from coast to coast. western states getting soaked by a slow moving system dumping inches of rain and feet of snow as dangerous conditions and freezing temperatures make road travel nearly impossible. we'll have the forecast ahead. an american is under arrest in mexico for shooting a u.s. diplomat. the ambush caught on camera in broad daylight. the white house now condemning the attack. we'll have the latest on what we're learning. and new this half hour, gearing up for two big games. wild card weekend in the nfl was a cold one. as the road to the super bowl narrows. plus tonight's national championship game with clemson and alabama fans telling us who they think will win the big one. and we'll check out some of the funniest moments at the golden globes plus the mistake

that spawned a million memes overnight. that's all on this monday, january 9th. from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning, everyone. >> i'm kendis gibson. our top story this half hour is the major storm that's right now battering the west side of this country. look at the radar. look at that. you can see the storm moving in from the pacific and affecting parts of ten states. it brings strong winds, torrential rain and flash flooding and more is expected. >> rising flood waters nearly swept away a man living in his car north of san francisco. he tried to outrun them but he didn't get far before he had to be rescued. parts of nevada are bracing for flooding with the trucky river at flooding stage and cresting overnight. we have more on the problems in the west. >> reporter: extreme weather

carving a deadly bath over the west coast. heavy rain swamping california. stranding drivers. firefighters having to use their bare hands to get this suv upright. this taxi sliding off the road. the driver pulled from the car and later died. yosemite national park, a mandatory evacuation as the sierra river rises. >> it gives me a little anxiety. >> residents bracing more major flash flooding and mud slides. slides blocking the highway to santa cruz. the rain has been relentless. and the winds to 61 miles per hour in san francisco. trees toppling into rooftops in a nearby county and in san ramon one woman killed by a tree on a golf course. >> i thought you would hear it or see something. >> reporter: it happens in an instant like this tree falling on the road we were traveling on. everyone pitching in to clear it out.

the same storm spreading ice over oregon. turning i-5 into a skating rink. roads there littered with jackknifed semis. >> our thanks to rob in northern california. the east this morning is in the grip of a bitter cold spell after a major winter storm dumped snow and ice. in the south there were several accidents resulting in fatalities. >> in north carolina schools and many offices are closed again today. icy roads may also be to blame for three deaths on new york's long island. a stolen car spun off a highway exit and overturned in a pond, killing the occupants of that vehicle. there was some good news in the winter storm. two hikers missing more than a day in the north carolina mountains were rescued. they had no food or water and built a fire in the waist deep snow. >> we will not last through tonight. there's no way.

>> the rescuers couldn't get a location fix on their cell phone. the men were found on helicopter equipped with a heat detecter and air lifted to safety. >> thank goodness for that. >> the west is in for more extreme weather. let's get to the details from paul williams. good morning. major, major flooding happening along the west coast. if you take a look here as far as the dark green is concerned we're looking between 8 to 16 inches of rain. and 4 to 8 through portions of california. that's just one side of the concern on the west coast. as we look at what's expected to the north, a major winter storm will break out. the low pressure system bringing disruptive snow throughout and going to the great lakes region. thanks to paul keeping a busy monday morning. overseas to north korea saying it's ready to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile at any time.

the claim was made on north korea state run tv. it follows a new year's day announcement from the north was in the final stages oh of repriring to test fire an icbm. on an interview on tv, the defense secretary ash carter vowed to shoot down any missile that flies toward the u.s. or its allies. in a few hours the fort lauderdale shooting suspect makes his first appearance before a judge. we're seeing now video of the horrifying incident. airport surveillance video allegedly shows the man pulling out a gun and firing. police say the former army national guardsman emptied his semi automatic weapon and reloaded. five people were killed and six wounded. authorities say he told the fbi that he'd been hearing voices about isis. understandably there are questions this morning about why he was not on a no fly list. turning to overseas, at least four israeli soldiers are dead after the worst palestinian

attack in jerusalem in months. another soldier is in critical condition. and almost 20 others have lesser injuries. a truck plowed into a group of soldiers as they got off a bus for some sightseeing. the palestinian driver was shot dead and his neighborhood has been cut off. furtherer punitive measures are likely. israel's prime minister says the attacker was a supporter of isis. a surveillance video shows a man being questioned in the shooting of a diplomat. there's a man being questioned in the ambush of christopher ashcraft. the person fired at the counselor officer friday in a region known for drug trafficking. so far motive for the shooting is not clear. the three key potential scenarios are one, this shooter had a personal beef, or it could have been gang related or this could be related to some sort of a terrorist act. >> the name of the man in that video has not been released.

he's being extradited. ashcraft is under guard as he recovers from a shoulder wound. >> confirmation hearings begin for donald trump's cabinet picks but republicans are being accused of rushing the process. democrats are saying they're being forced to consider people who haven't completed their ethics reviews, including several billionaires who macy have conflicts of interests. mitch mcconnell once insisted president obama's picks be fully vetted before the hearings. now he's dismissing the same demands from democrats. >> all these procedural compliance are related to their frustration at having not only lost the white house but the senate. i understand that. but we need to sort of grow up here and get past that. >> the senate is still awaiting ethics forums for homeland security, education and hud. the hearings are set for tomorrow through thursday. this was a big day in history.

it was ten years ago today that apple announced the iphone. back then steve jobs, apple ceo, demonstrated the device and said it combined the ipod with the internet and a mobile phone. jobs called it a revolutionary product. no understatement or overstatement. competitors scoffed because it didn't have a keyboard. well, the original came with a maximum 16 gigs of memory. now the iphone 7 can be loaded with 256 gigs. people called it the jesus phone. it will save our lives. we can do everything. i remember people calling it that. >> the jesus phone. who knew? some people knew it would revolutionize thing. it took six months before that announcement for the release. that never happens anymore. >> lots of people waiting for the salvation, but i really miss my blackberry. >> what?

>> coming up, gearing up for tonight's big game. >> the national championship rematch. as you know, it's between the tigers who are ready to war and the tide who are ready to roll. we'll look at which team as the edge and which fans have the most spirit. as you know alabama has had some controversy in the coaching ranks. >> so i hear. >> and we're still celebrating after the 25th anniversary blowout. it was an insomniac reunion of epic proportions and we want to know your favorite part. i'm not sure if we're still celebrating or getting over the hangover. check out the facebook page at wnnfans.com for the highlights. "world news now" weather brought to you by musinex. brought to you by musinex. yeah, that stuff only lasts a few hours. or, take mucinex. one pill fights congestion

for 12 hours. no thank you very much, she's gonna stick with the short-term stuff. 12 hours? guess i won't be seeing you for a while. is that a bisque? i just lost my appetite. why take medicines that only last 4 hours, when just one mucinex lasts 12 hours? start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. from surfaces for up to 48 hours. you can pick up the flu it's like having a sick family member in your home. but lysol kills 99.9% of germs including 8 cold and flu viruses. to help protect your home lysol that. tmom didn't want another dog. she said it's too much work. lulu's hair just floats. uhh help me!

(doorbell) mom, check this out. wow. swiffer sweeper, and dusters. this is what i'm talking about. look at that. sticks to this better than it sticks to lulu. that's your hair lulu! mom, can we have another dog? (laughing) trap and lock up to 4x more dirt, dust and hair than the store brand stop cleaning. start swiffering. ialmost everything. you know, ke 1 i n 10 houses could get hit by an expensive septic disaster. but for only $7 a month, rid-x helps break down waste. avoid a septic disaster with rid-x. ...better than a manual, and my hygienist says it does. but... ...they're not all the same. turns out, they're really... ...different. who knew? i had no idea. so, she said look for...

...one that's shaped like a dental tool with a round... ...brush head. go pro with oral-b. oral-b's rounded brush head surrounds each tooth to... ...gently remove more plaque and... ...oral-b crossaction is clinically proven to... ...remove more plaque than sonicare diamondclean. my mouth feels so clean. i'll only use an oral-b! the #1 brand used by dentists worldwide. oral-b. brush like a pro. disinfect with lysol bathroom toilet gtrigger... just stay in the toilet. ... and lysol power foamer. they kill 99.9% of germs. to clean and disinfect your bathroom... ...lysol that.

>> so relax, jack, relax. after a slow start aaron rodgers three two touchdown passes late in the second quarter. the last was a hail mary caught in the end zone. >> aaron rodgers threw two more touchdowns in the second half. that was too much for the giants to handle. the packers winning this one 38-13. >> the giants have plenty of time to go on a boat ride now with their shirts off. >> and dig one of their players? >> odell and the receivers went on a boat ride early on in the week. the packers travel to dallas to face the cowboys next sunday and on saturday the sea hawks will take on the falcons in atlanta.

both should be pretty good games. as for the afc houston taking care of the raiders on saturday and the steelers didn't much -- didn't have much to warm up against miami in frigid pittsburgh. antonio brown found here for a touchdown on the first drive. they hooked up again in the first -- in do we have to go through all the steelers highlights? they won. >> that looked like it hurt. >> that final score there -- >> the afc playoff picture next saturday night the texans taking on the patriots and the steelers travel to kansas city to take on the chiefs. tonight is your night. because it's nearly time for clemson to take on alabama. clemson players say they're ready to take the next step and beat the tide. >> the tigers lost last year in the championship game.

if it'll it'll wins tonight it would be the first college team to finish a season 15-0 if they win. the fans in tampa are excited? >> go tigers. >> go tigers. >> alabama. >> all the way. >> it's going to be the tide. >> the best team. >> clemson. >> roll tide, roll. >> alabama. >> gators are going there, right? >> the pirates? all right. they were there for the bucs game. right now stub hub the cheaper pair of seats are going for more than $4300. >> you want me to try to whistle? >> that's your whistle? >> that's the best i got. >> if you're not going to the game, you can see clemson take on alabama tonight on our sister network, espn. coverage starts at 8 p.m.

eastern. if you missed it last night's funniest moments at the golden globes. >> and the fashion. yes, we can't wait. >> i can tell how excited you are. >> "the skinny" is next. "world news now" continues after this from our abc stations. by peggy lee playing ] [ goat bleat ] [ crow caws, music continues ] this is gonna be awesome!

when it comes to buying a house... trulia knows the house is only half of it. and with 34 map overlays like playgrounds, demographics, schools, and more... you can find the right house and the right neighborhood for you. trulia. the house is only half of it.

of course we're going to start "the skinny" with the golden globes. it was an interesting show last night. >> the laughs were pretty much slammed into high gear at the get go with jimmy fallon's star studded opening number with the opening of "la la land". >> it was right after the opening act that the show suffered its first technical glitch. >> thank you so much, everybody. this is -- welcome to the golden globes. already the teleprompter is down. this is a great way to start the show. i can do impressions. what do we do here? i can think of something. cut to justin timberlake, please. just wink at me or something. yeah. yeah. this is great. we have another monitor coming. i'll make up this monologue.

>> wow. >> what a performer. can they not wing it? hasn't the prompter gone down on you during a show? >> many times. >> we can't just stop and say bring in another one. i think he didn't want mariah carey to feel left out. >> that was interesting. it kind of showed jimmy fallon there. the award for best animated film, steve carell and kristen wiig reminisce. about their favorite animated movies they ever saw. >> do you remember your first animated film? >> i do. it was kind of a big deal. i was six and my dad took me to see fantasia. as we were leaving, there standing in the lobby was my mom, and that was the moment she told my dad that she wanted a divorce.

>> only steve carell could deliver a line like that and it be hilarious. >> by the way, there were winners. leading the globe film awards was lap la -- "la la land" winning all the seven categories it was nominated for including best actor, ryan gosling. >> i have to see it. >> and emma stone. >> coming up, golden globes fashion. >> "world news now" fashion analyst and producer matt has given his full attention, sadly, to fashion. >> this is the good stuff. >> first up, meryl streep. my interpretation, she looked okay. matt's interpretation, she dazzled in what can be best described as a stain glass dress in a front to back floral design. >> i can't tell if he was sarcastic when he said it was dazzling. >> next up, mandy moore.

matt called this a barely there gown that in the past some would have called a nightgown. >> i love it. >> i love it. >> so this black cocktail dress i said was classy and pretty. >> matt says she complete third down out of this world look with pearls in her hair like stars in the sky. >> i like it. >> and let's check out pharrell doing his best michael jackson impersonation with a white jacket and a bedazzle thing going on. his partner on the red carpet, she's distracting me from his look. >> exactly. i can't really see that. donald glover -- he scooped up two golden globes, matt declared him the winner in this gucci suit. >> no, it's like a bad prom thing. >> i like it. >> all right. >> i like it. >> what's coming up? i'm so distracted by the brown suit. what's coming up next?

>> technology. we'll be right back. next? >> technology. we'll be right back. brain, and your joints really love them too? introducing megared advanced 4in1... just one softgel delivers the omega-3 power of two regular fish oil pills... so give your body mega support with megared advanced 4in1. ialmost everything. you know, ke 1 i n 10 houses could get hit by an expensive septic disaster. but for only $7 a month, rid-x helps break down waste.

avoid a septic disaster with rid-x. from surfaces for up to 48 hours. you can pick up the flu it's like having a sick family member in your home. but lysol kills 99.9% of germs including 8 cold and flu viruses. to help protect your home lysol that.

and my cold medicines' ugh, iwearing off.chtime i'm dragging. yeah, that stuff only lasts a few hours. or, take mucinex. one pill fights congestion for 12 hours. no thank you very much, she's gonna stick with the short-term stuff. 12 hours? guess i won't be seeing you for a while. is that a bisque? i just lost my appetite. why take medicines that only last 4 hours, when just one mucinex lasts 12 hours? start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. ...have you tried the tissue test? question, are my teeth yellow? ugh, yellow... what do you use? crest whitestrips crest 3d whitestrips whiten... 25 times better than a leading whitening toothpaste

i passed the tissue test. oh yeah. crest whitestrips are the way to whiten ♪ >> that was my -- that's all i learned from breaking. >> that's what you got out of it. >> robots were largely science fiction in 1983. >> the future is now, and as the 2017 consumer electronics show wraps up its 50th anniversary this weekend, rebecca jarvis tells us about it. >> reporter: the future of technology. robots, drones and many of your favorite brands together in las vegas unveiling the latest, greatest innovations. >> a -- the goal is to protect everyone from hacking. >> this is the sleep number.

it gels your body and warms your feet. >> michael phelps taking us into wearable technology. >> see what your body is telling us. stats are so important. >> reporter: developed with tom brady the new athlete recovery system meant to mirror his own recovery. and sleech ritual. >> the infrared when it's against your skin reduces inflammation. >> reporter: and new footwear styles helping you track your fitness and progress. >> a customized solution for you that only used to be available for elite athletes. >> reporter: microsoft taking us for a test drive in a car of the future. complete with a personal assistant who talks to you and knows your routine. >> i booked a table for two persons at 8:00 p.m. >> reporter: and the ability to switch into self-driving mode. >> the car is driving itself. >> reporter: yes. from riding along in cars to

driving. the biggest drone company in the world, dji letting me try my hand at the wheel. >> now i'm done. where is the hoverboard? i've been waiting for that since i was five. >> that's supposed to be the future, and that's supposed to be now. >> reporter: the wearable technology for athletes is cool. >> if tom brady is cool with it, good. we are bringing the latest from that convention to our show. >> i have that technology here. it's like a pen. >> don't miss our updates on facebook at wnnfans.com coming up. 't miss our updates on facebook at "world news nownnfa up. e 50 to 85:

what's your reason for getting life insurance? i'm in my 60s and i work part-time with no benefits. i needed a plan that was easy to get. all i had to do was make a phone call. at age 70, i'm on a fixed income. i found a whole life insurance plan that's affordable, with a lifetime rate lock, so my monthly payment will never increase. all this by making a phone call. i don't like taking risks now that i'm almost 80. i made a phone call and found a plan that has written guarantees. in the last month alone, thousands have called about this plan with the rate lock guarantee through the colonial penn program, and here's why. this plan is affordable, with coverage options for just $9.95 a month. that's less than 35 cents a day. your rate is locked in and can never go up and your acceptance is guaranteed. you cannot be turned down because of your health. this is lifelong coverage that can never be cancelled

as long as you pay your premiums, guaranteed. see how much coverage you can get for just $9.95 a month. you'll also get a free gift with great information if you're retired or will be soon, so don't miss out. call for information, then decide. call if you're in your 60s for a plan that's easy to get. if you're in your 70s, call for a plan that's affordable. and if you're almost 80, like me, call for a plan that guarantees your acceptance. don't wait, call today. (soft music) ♪ ♪ (colonial penn jingle)

making news in america this morning, barrage of storms unleashing a dangerous amount of rain on the west coast. rivers are cresting right now. streets and vineyards flooded. evacuations under way. it's not over yet. moment of the attack. chilling video showing the ft. lauderdale airport gunman. people running for cover as he opens fire. the latest on the investigation as we learn more about the victims. breaking news this morning, suspects in the kim kardashian robbery taken into custody. police in paris releasing details overnight. and meryl streep calling out donald trump at the golden globes overnight, the president-elect reresponds. and we d