your life will depend on it. >> elizabeth vargas with us from elizabeth, thank you. >>> when we come back here, much rampage. theory sill against, right here >>> also tonight, the other news. the history-making decision about the role of women in the american military. what we learned today. >>> and the new headline tonight about the secret service, under fire for how they guard the president. we'll be right back.cy has a number. but not every insurance company understands the life behind it. for those who've served we offer our best service in return. usaa. we know what it means to serve. get an insurance quote and see why 92% of our members plan to stay for life. hey i'm here on the red carpet where our next arrival is... whoa! toenail fungus!? fight it! with jublia. jublia is a prescription medicine used to treat toenail fungus. use jublia as instructed by your doctor. are you getting this?! most common side effects include ingrown toenail, application site redness, itching, swelling, burning or stinging, blisters, and pain. oh, epic moves, big j! fight it! getting ready for your

. >> i'm elizabeth vargas. david is on assignment. tonight, a rescue mission like you've never seen before. i'm just back from iraq. the threat of isis just miles away. 3.5 million people fleeing the conflict, most of them muslim. tonight, the rescue of 149 christians, on a mission that was nearly impossible. >> this is where we need to go i think. >> reporter: as joseph and michele assad work their way across the globe, their minds are focused on their destination. >> all right, we got to catch city of erbil, where the ancient citadel and bustling central market sit amid a forest of half-built high-rises. the streets, for the most part, are peaceful. but a savage war is just on the horizon. the city is unmistakably muslim. but drive into the district of ainkawa, and as you pass a statue of the virgin mary, you enter an area christians have been calling home for 1,000 years. we enter the grounds of a modest church called mar elia, to meet father douglas bazi. hello, father douglas? >> hi. >> reporter: hi, i'm elizabeth. for years he h

i'm elizabeth vargas. >> and i'm david muir. a story tonight that's perfect for the holidays as so many families plan to come together. allen thomas didn't have his complete family until "20/20" stepped in. >> and we brought in a professional people finder whose job is to find missing loved and with her team, a lifelong search went into high gear. >> it's nice to meet you. >> so you're the young lady i want to talk to. >> i'm the girl, hopefully for the job. >> reporter: we flew pam slaton cross-country to mossyrock, washington, to join forces with former sergeant allen thomas. the retired veteran fought for his country. now, pam vows to fight for him. >> if i don't get the answers i want, i'll work my way to the top. but i can assure you that if anyone's going to try hard it's going to be me. so that much i can guarantee you, okay? >> that's all i can ask. it's fair enough, i reckon. come on in. >> reporter: allen's daughter charlene is helping her father on his four-decade quest to find the children she grew up knowing only as

i'm elizabeth vargas. for david and all of us here at "20/20," have a great night and a great weekend.grocery store parking lot will spend his life in prison. the victim's father and nicholas luerkens himself spoke at today's sentencing. coralville police warn people to keep an eye out for suspicious activities after several burglaries in the city. and winter is coming. skiers and snowboarder s can soon head down the slopes tri states. you're watching kcrg-tv9. now, from your 24 hour news source, the man who fatally stabbed his

here's "20/20" coanchor elizabeth vargas. >> what are you doing here? >> reporter: in "joy" jennifer reunites with her "silver cooper and robert de niro playing the woman who invented the miracle mop. >> all races and all classes can meet and make whatever opportunities they can. >> a lot of people have talked about the fact that so many of you who have worked so many times together now have a special chemistr david, what sit? what sit that bradley and jennifer have? >> when we met her she was 20 years old. she had not had "unhunger games" yet. she asked robert de niro what it was like to be recognized on the street. >> i asked cooper. about tabloids. the tabloids say you're dating j. lo, is that true? >> well? >> i do remember that. >> then david called "action!" >> reporter: it's loosely based on the rags to riches story of joy man naun go, who became a mega inventor, business mogul, >> i don't go through a single day of my life without using this product. >> reporter: edgar ramirez plays joy's ex-husband who lives in her basement. julia madsen plays

>> we're both rooting for her. >> reporter: for "nightline," i'm elizabeth vargas in new york city. >> "joy" hits theaters christmas day. >>> and next, what's behind the by storm? this holiday, ford america's best-selling brand is giving you more. the ford holiday sales event... with 0% financing for 60 months on 2015 f-150 and focus and 2016 fusion and escape. plus 1,000 dollars holiday bonus cash on 2015 focus and 2016 fusion and escape. it's the best gift ever. now during the ford holiday sales event get 0% financing for 60 months plus 1,000 dollars holiday bonus cash on select vehicles. >>> finally tonight, what's up with the weather? it's a question heard round the country these days. rain and snow out west, it's beginning to feel a lot like spring on the east coast. abc's geo benitez explains. >> reporter: if you were dreaming of an idyllic white christmas -- i'm dreaming of a white christmas . >> reporter: you may be out of luck. over the weekend in new york, high temperatures were right around average. for the month of may. holiday shoppers picked out christmas trees in shorts

elizabeth vargas, abc news, iraq. >> and we'll have much more of the gripping report, escaping isis, tonight on a special edition of "20/20." >>> and wall street in a free fall tonight. the dow closing down 360 points. >>> and still much more ahead on "world news tonight." the reward now offered for the most wanted teenager in america. skipping probation for a drunk did his mother help? >>> and lebron james diving into the stands. the woman taken out on a stretcher. >>> and the filmmaker, getting some help from the master. who is our person of the week? have some degree of erectile dysfunction. well, viagra helps guys with ed get and keep an erection. ask your doctor if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take viagra if you take nitrates for chest pain or adempas for pulmonary hypertension. your blood pressure could drop to an unsafe level. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. stop taking viagra and call your doctor right away if you experience a sudden decrease or loss in vision or hearing. ask your doctor abou

elizabeth vargas was there in iraq. >>>> reporte 149 christians running from is in iraq, leaving the refugee camp they've called home f more than a they're christian refugees living peacefully until their homes were seized. tens of thousands fled in chaos in one night. and now, it's finally time for them to start a new life in europe. largely thanks to this american couple that came to iraq toelp these refugees. >> it's heart wrenching to watch them say good-bye to each other. >> reporter: lining up to take a bus to the airport, while t families left behind watch tearfully. as the lights dim, they take off. 149 grateful souls, leaving behind the familiar and the fear for a new life ahead. elizabeth vargas, abc news, iraq. >> and we'll have much more of isis, tonight on a special edition of "20/20." >>> and wall street in a free fall tonight. the dow closing down 360 points. >>> and still much more ahead on "world news tonight." the reward now offeredor the most wanted teenager in americ skipping probation for a drunk drivin crash that killed four. did his mother help? >>> and lebron

elizabeth vargas, abc news, new york. >> i had no idea. >> some really great advice. >> yeah. >> allight. we'll be right back. >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our abc stat ♪ skinny, so skinny >> okay. so topping our headlines for the "skinny" this morning, the super headliner at the upcoming super bowl halftime show. >> it's one of the biggest annual spectacles in american culture so why not have a british band? we're talking about coldplay. the timing couldn't be better. >> yeah, their new album "head full of dreams" is out today. front man chris martin is pumped up releasing videos of their first meetings and rehearsals they're already doing this. it's going to be wonderful he says and he hopes that we see you there, he says. sure, just save us a few tickets. we'll be there. thanks, man. >>> so next up, closing out an era at "playboy" in a big way. >> she's appeared on the magazine's cover more times than any other celebrity. it's only natural pamela anderson will be the last person to pose nude for the gentleman's gazine. the new issue will mark anderson's

elizabeth vargas, abc news, new york. >> i had no idea. >> some really great advice. >> yeah. >> allht. we'll be right back. >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our abc stations. >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our abc (tiffany) ask yourself what your children or cigarettes. for as long as i can remember, my mother smoked. she died from lung cancer when i was 16. i could not take the chance of continuing smoking and not being here for my daughter. i know how much i needed my mom still, and i didn't realize it until i had lost her. you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit-now. ♪ skinny, so skinny ♪ skinny, so skinny >> okay. so topping our headlines for "the skinny" this morning, the super headliner at the upcoming super bowl halftime show. >> it's one of the biggest spectacles in american culture so why not have a british band. we're talking about coldplay. the timing couldn't be better. >> yeah, their new album "head full of dreams" is out today. front man chris martin is pumped up releasing videos of their first meetings and rehears

elizabeth vargas tonight on what authorities say you should do to survive.

i'm elizabeth vargas. us here at "20/20" and abc news, we hope you continue to enjoy this wonderful holiday weekend with your family. good night. fans pack the linc to cheer on the birds fighting to keep postseason hopes alive and deadly tornadoes touchdown near postseason hopes alive and deadly tornadoes touchdown near dallas next. >> after a warm christmas day the mild conditions return tomorrow and once monday roolz

i'm elizabeth vargas. for david and the rest of us here at "20/20" and abc news, we hope you ctinue to enjoy this wonderful holiday weekend with your family. action news was first on the stratosphere. action news was first on the scene...and reporter david schuman joins us now live with what you need to know. david police say there was likely some kind of burglary in this alleyway where the two suspects held up the victim. he was shot twice -- once in the ankle and once in the head. he made his away across the street to this 7-11 where he asked the clerk to call the police. after the man was shot, police say he managed to take the gun from the suspects. metro now has that weapon to work with as evidence. officers told us the victim was up and talking when he was taken to the hospital. the shot to the head was more of a grazing kind of flesh wound. police say the man is in his 20s and is expected to live. at last check..police were in the hospital where they hope

i'm elizabeth vargas. for david and the rest of us here at "20/20" and abc news, we hope you continue to enjoy this

i'm elizabeth vargas. for david and the rest of us hope you continue to enjoy this wonderful holiday weekend with your family. good night.tonight. winter storm watch in effect monday. blustery and cloudy tonight. winter storm watch in effect monday. blustery and cloudy tonight. winter storm watch in effect monday. blustery and cloudy