they were setting up jails and dungeons all over tehran. but long jump was not thwarted through the efforts of these, any of these agencies, not schwarzkopf, not the british mi-6, not the nkvd. and this takes us to a small circle of young friends live anything tehran, mostly ex-pats, mostly people in their 20s. and there was, there were some, a couple lebanese, and there were some iranians, there was an ran january- iranian-french guy and a polish refugee girl who actually was the smartest one of the whole bunch, but that's a whole other story. how the polish refugees got to iran is another story. but anyway, this existed before the war. passing through iran before the war and coming into contact with these people was an more than, young american named peter ferguson. well, ferguson was kind of a cowboy. he fell for this, this polish girl. her name was ida. so ferguson and ida, it was one of those boy-girl things that, you know, lots of the usual tension. yet he wanted it to go somewhere he didn't, and they broke up, and he got mad and went

-- the mullahs in tehran.e ayatollah want the leaders and the families of these in camp liberty eliminated and their friends in baghdad are doing their bidding. the men, women and children at camp liberty have suffered numerous attacks, resulting in hundreds of casualties. nor is camp liberty, which was supposed to be a taxpayer home before the refugees were settled outside of iraq having met the most basic humanitarian needs. they lack clean water, they lack decent food, medical supplies and decent living facilities in every single day they go to bed at night worried if it's their last day on earth. the obama administration pledged to protect these refugees who put their lives and their children's lives on the line for freedom, yet it's done absolutely nothing to keep america's word. why unvetted syrian refugees and not a handful of refugees from iran that are fully vetted? to curry favor with the same regime that killed american soldiers during operation iraqi freedom, and operation new dawn? i hope not. pre

. >>> 36 years after their capture, the americans taken hostage in tehran in 1979 are set to receive millions of dollars in compensation. it's news that brought tears to the eyes of the former hostages. abc's tom llamas has the details. >> more than 30 years after the hostages were paraded before the the 53 americans seized by an angry mob that stormed the u.s. embassy in tehran in 1979. >> spend at least another night imprisons in the american embassy. >> they became pawns. their ordeal dragging on more than a year. carolina as a security guard at the embassy. >> being held hostage was 444 days of a bads nightmare where each day we woke up and thought we were dead. >> reporter: finally on the day ronald reagan was sworn -- >> day one of freedom for 52 americans. >> reporter: in all the years since, the former hostages fought for compensation. now it's finally come buried in a budget bill president obama signed last friday. they will each receive up to $4.4 million. that's $10,000 for every one of the 444 days they spent in captivity. he calls it justice. >> tom llamas, abc news, new

embassy in tehran has been invaded and occupied by iranian students.side have been taken prisoner. >> i'll be honest with you. i was scared. who knows what a mob could do? >> the american hostages were blindfolded, handcuffed and marched out on the u.s. embassy's front steps by the revolutionary students. in return for their american hostages' freedom, they're demanding the united states give up the deposed shah of iran from his hospital bed in new york to stand trial before a people's court. >> amidst the iranian revolution, american's ally the shah of iran is toppled. both the shah and the united states seem to be aloof to the revolutionary fervor. >> the new iranian islamic republic would be inspired by the stern religious principles of islam, nothing else. >> ayatollah khomeini became the enemy of the united states the moment he replaced the shah. he gave a series of sermons that condemned the loss of iranian sovereignty. >> when ayatollah khomeini saw large groups supporting in front of the embassy, he made the decision, i'm not going to stand aga

embassy in tehran in 1979. >> will spend at least another night imprisoned in the embassy. >> reporter: they became international pawns. their ordeal dragging on for more than a year, rodney sickman was one of them, a 22-year-old marine serving as a security guard at the embassy. >> being held hostage was 444 days of a bad nightmare where each day we woke up, we thought we were dead. >> reporter: finally on the day ronald reagan was sworn in -- >> they won freedom for 52 americans. >> reporter: in all the years since the former hostages fought for compensation and now it's finally come. buried in a budget bill president obama signed last friday, they will each receive up to $4.4 million. the 444 days they spent in cap difficulty. sickmann calls it justice. tom llamas, abc news, new york. >>> some personals in the news this christmas morning. bristol palin gave birth to sailor grace. she hasn't publicly identified sailor grace's father but dakota meyer posted best christmas present ever. >>> troubling news about pop star janet jackson. she posted on instagram that she is postponing her

embassy in tehran are finally to receive compensation. report on refugees rebuilding in europe, one note at a time. >>> and celebrating the birth of christ. the u.n. has helped to facilitate a deal which could see thousands of syrian rebels and their families leaving the yarmouk camp. yarmouk is divide between el news rah front and pro and ant antigovernment most of them palestinian refugees trapped in the camp south of damascus. buses have already started to arrive to transport rebels and their families out of the area. many are expected to head to raqqa, six hours away. gabriel elizondo has more. >> confirming the united nations is involved in this deal in syria but backing away from reports that it is a u.n. brokered deal. telling al jazeera the u.n. is an observer but not part of it. that's all we're hearing from the u.n. this deal, details of which are very vague, potentially could involve i.s.i.l. fighters given safe passage out of the yarmouk refugee camp and into the i.s.i.l. stronghold of raqqa. this would be important because th

has ordered an expansion of its government missile promise against reported new sanctions against tehran. >>> a drive by shoulding in yemen city of aden. in nearby taiz one of the last working hospitals say it came under attack on wednesday while we have more on the challenges facing medical staff working in a war zone. >> at the closing of the year no let up in the fighting in yemen. houthi rebels fired at hospital killing a child. hospitals are on the front line in the battle between the rebels and the internationally recognized government of abd rabbuh mansur hadi. medical staff are struggling to cope. at the hospital in taiz they plead for more oxygen supplies. without them medical care will suffocate. we are protesting today because we're no longer able to say they're patients. they arrive injured but we cannot help them. there is no oxygen or surgery equipment. >> people with family and friends being treated in the hospital are having to bring in their own oxygen bottles. >> i have to get it from outside the hospital because none are available here. >> united nations says more than

tehran and six world powers adopted a deal in october to limit iran's nuclear activities. the u.s. has called on iran to implement the accord with trust from the international community. iran stressed that ending the investigation will help the agreement to be implemented swiftly. the resolution asks all the parties involved in the pact to honor their respective commitments. >> this issue has a long and complex history, and a legacy of mistrust between iran and the international community. it must be overcome. >> now that the investigation is coming to a close, some diplomatic sources say economic sanctions on tehran could be lifted as early as next month. >>> saudi arabia has announced an alliance of 34 muslim countries to combat terrorism. defense minister said they would coordinate efforts against what he described as a disease. >> translator: we'll take action against any terrorist group that appears before us. >> turkey, egypt, nigeria and pakistan are among the members. the alliance does not include iran, iraq or syria. the state-run saudi press agency published a statement s

embassy in tehran.ent led to washington breaking off ties with tehran. 37 of the 53 hostages are still alive. security has been stepped up in china's capitol after the u.s. and other governments warned of possible threats against their citizens. beijing issued a jelyellow alern entertainment areas with police carrying out patrols and the telegram announced the first flight in 1903 and the start of world war i and with the advent of this new technology the telegram became obsolete in countries and rob mcbride reports from shanghai on a notable exception. >> reporter: she is about to do something very few of her generation will ever do, send a telegram to her parents. one of china's last remaining telegraph counters is in this telecom office in shanghai. the city was one of the first linked to the telegraph system and will likely be among the last to hold on to it. >> translator: it's nostalgic for my parents and from a time people used to write letters so this will be like a souvenir for them to keep. >>

americans held hosge in tehran back in 1979, the surprising plan to send them millions of dollars in compensation. >>> celebrating christmas. tension and hope at jesus crisis' birthplace and the pope's sermon hitting home this morning. >> and later tracking santa. the government operation going back 60 years, following old saint nick making deliveries. how the popular program started with a mistake. it is friday, christmas day, december 25th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >>> good morning, everyone. merry christmas. i'm marci gonzalez in for reena ninan. >> and merry christmas. i'm kendis gibson just looking to sue where santa is. he's heading for wichita, kansas at this hour right now. hehe's been very, very busy. >> very busy. kids get to sleep. >> hopefully they're asleep by now. >> you never know. staying up, listening for those reindeer. >> of course. you know, we're going to start in the heartland of this country where it's a heartbreaking christmas day with the severe weather that's tearing through the south ruining this holiday for millions of people. at least 1

baghdad's is a wholly owned subsidiary of tehran. and the ayatollahs don't want the sunnis to succeed. number 8, tell putin to keep his military assets, both ground and air out of our way, that way nobody will get hurt. number nine, show the sunnis that we're serious by standing up and condemning tehran's icbm test. look, part of the propaganda that baghdadi is using with isis is to tell the sunnis he is the defense of sunni islam from the shiites. if this president stood up and condemned tehran for the very first time since he's been in office, that would have been a positive effect on recruiting. number ten, we have to gain the cooperation of the technology giants in silicon valley to make sure we can break into this black web. lastly, good news for you. >> okay. >> today we announce a freedom alliance. we raised $10 million -- distributed $10 million in college scholarships to americans who have lost a parent serving in the armed forces. as of today more than $10 million, over a thousand remarkable american heroes have their young

embassy in tehran in 1979. >> spend at least another night imprisons in the american embassy. >> they became gshl pawns. their ordeal dragging on more than a year. rodney wasne of them, a 22-year-old marine south carolinaing as a security guard at the embassy. >> being held hostage was 444 days of a bads nightmare where each day we woke up and thought we were dead. >> reporter: finally on the day ronald reagan was sworn? >> day one of treem for 52 americans. >> reporter: in all the years since, the former hostages fought for compensation. now it's finally come buried in a budget bill president obama signed last friday. they will each receive up to $4.4 million. that's $10,000 for every one of the 444 days they spent in captivity. he calls it justice. >> tom llamas, abc news, new york. >>> the pope sounding a somber mass, noting the simplicity of jesus christ's birth. pope francis condemned what he called society's intoxication with consumerism, pleasure, abundance and wealth. he says an jesus calls on christians to act in a way that is simple, balanced, consistent, is essential. >>> t

"new york times" reports iran surrenders nearly all of ship left yesterday with the fuel, leaving tehran without enough to build a nuclear weapon ilt a part of a deal with the west in exchange for lifting sanctions. and rolling stone reports heavy metal legend ian lenny kilmister ha died. he was with motorhead for 40 years. he died yesterday in los angeles following a brief battle with cancer. he was 70-years-old. >>> and usa today reports, president obama is once again america's most admired man t. commander-in-chief claims the top spot in the latest gallup survey for the eighth time a. surprising pair tied for second place, pope francis and donald trump. hillary clinton is the most admired woman now for the 14th year in a row. appears to be a hot seller for christmas. jill wagner is here with that and more. >> reporter: yes, crude soil down 3% as iran prepares to export a million barrels day. benchmark crude closed at $38, almost an 11 year low. crude futures have fallen nearly 70% after opec designed to cut prices. the first day of trading following the christmas break left them in th

that was what tehran had demanded.ay it would have gone through the parliament. >> one thing is clear, it was only iraq's army that could have stopped isis. instead, iraqi soldiers threw down their weapons and ran. [ phone ringing ] >> hello? >> next on "blindsided." what drives these people? what makes them tick? you'll go inside the mind of a radical. meet a man who was prepared to die for a fantasy. the idea of an islamic caliphate. want bladder leak underwear that moves like you do? try always discreet underwear and wiggle, giggle, swerve and curve. with soft dual leak guard barriers and a discreet fit that hugs your curves. so bladder leaks can feel like no big deal. get your free pair and valuable coupons at always discreet.com >>> the 1980s and '90s in afghanistan and pakistan were crucial years for jihad. bin laden was there, zawahiri was there. it's where al qaeda and thus islamic terrorism as we moe it today, was born. foreign fighters were constantly flowing in even faster to iraq and syria. an estimated 20,

that was what tehran had demanded.arliament. >> one thing is clear, it was only iraq's army that could have stopped isis. instead, iraqi soldiers threw down their weapons and ran. [ phone ringing ] >> hello? >> next on "blindsided." what drives these people? what makes them tick? you'll go inside the mind of a radical. meet a man who was prepared to die for a fantasy. the idea of an islamic caliphate. the pursuit of healthier. it begins from the second we're born. because, healthier doesn't happen all by itself. it needs to be earned every day. using wellness to keep away illness. and believing a single life can be made better by millions of others. as a health services and innovation company optum powers modern healthcare by connecting every part of it. so while the world keeps searching for healthier we're here to make healthier happen. it's a really big deal. and with fever, aches, and chills, mom knows it needs a big solution: an antiviral. don't kid around with the flu, call your doctor within the first 48 hours o

you think tehran will take this slap on the wrist? >> china will still be open up to it. >> i would say tehran needs oil prices to be higher. everyone, including saudi arabia, needs oil prices to be higher. creating a situation where they bring oil back to the market is one of the catalyst oil needs. you're at a place where you had the perfect storm. oil could have traded worse than it has. back to oil equities, note brent rallied significantly over pti today. that's a case where refiners do well. if you think this is a trade that continues, refiners could continue to do well. i think the trade is the best of breed, integrated names, like exxon, like chevron, like conocophillips and totel. >> i think we'll see a disastrous first half of the year as you see these companies, the smaller ones that have liquidity issues go bankrupt it. think you'll have an opportunity to buy much cheaper and maybe the first half or first nine months of the year. avoid them at all costs. stay short the debt and long the equity when things break. >> schlumb

that was what tehran had demanded. gone through the parliament. >> one thing is clear, it was only iraq's army that could have stopped isis. instead, iraqi soldiers threw down their weapons and ran. [ phone ringing ] >> hello? >> next on "blindsided." what drives these people? what makes them tick? you'll go inside the mind of a radical. meet a man who was prepared to die for a fantasy. the idea of an islamic caliphate. ♪ [ male announcer ] pain not sitting too well? burning to feel better? itching for relief? preparation h offers the most maximum strength solutions for all hemorrhoid symptoms. from the brand doctors recommend most. preparation h. don't stand for hemorrhoids. from the brand doctors recommend most. what makesheart healthysalad the becalifornia walnuts.r? the best simple veggie dish ever? heart healthy california walnuts. the best simple dinner ever? heart healthy california walnuts. great tasting, heart healthy california walnuts. so simple. get the recipes at walnuts.org. >>> the 1980s and '90s in afgh

it's so amazing that the project didn't start from tehran. everything is modernize said in train, starting from tehran and supported. this is a fantastic project. it's very amazing. >> it is amazing. that it started and spread. >> what is the situation of homelessness like across iran? >> like any society, in my point of view, i find homelessness and poverty part of the human society. in iran, there's a class of homeless people who are struggling with poverty and there is this society >>> i think a lot of americans might be surprised when they see images of iranians helping other fellow citizens and human being in this way. it's hard to put in words. do you get the sense that this is getting a lot of attention from around the world. do you have a lot of requests like ours to talk about this? >> well what is really important to have it is the context of iranian culture. we have a very, very long and deep culture of helping each other. both in the ancient iranian traditional history, and in our islamic site. there are, like these campaigns, and

that was what tehran had demanded.as no way it would have gone through the parliament. >> one thing is clear, it was only iraq's army that could have stopped isis. instead the iraqi soldiers threw down their weapons and ran. [ phone ringing ] >> hello -- >> next on "blindsided." what drives these people, what makes them tick. you'll go inside the mind of a radical. meet a man who was prepared to die for a fantasy. the idea of an islamic caliphate. came out today thousands of people to run the race for retirement. so we asked them... are you completely prepared for retirement? okay, mostly prepared? could you save 1% more of your income? it doesn't sound like much, but saving an additional 1% now, could make a big difference over time. i'm going to be even better about saving. you can do it, it helps in the long run. prudential bring your challenges it takesi'm on the move.. to all day long...ss. and sometimes, i just don't eat the way i should. so i drink boost to get the nutrition that i'm missing. boost complete nutr

that was what tehran had demanded.s no way it would have gone through the parliament. >> one thing is clear, it was only iraq's army that could have stopped isis. instead, iraqi soldiers threw down their weapons and ran. [ phone ringing ] >> hello? >> next on "blindsided." what drives these people? what makes them tick? you'll go inside the mind of a radical. meet a man who was prepared to die for a fantasy. the idea of an islamic caliphate. discover card. hooh, you're real?? you know i'm real! at discover, we're always here to talk. good, 'cause i don't have time for machines. some companies just don't appreciate the power of conversation! you know, i like you! i like you too! at discover, we treat you like you'd treat you. get the it card and talk to a real person. and we'll have to use like double! maybe more!! i'm going back to the store? yes you are. dish issues? get cascade platinum. one pac cleans tough food better than 6 pacs of the bargain brand combined. cascade. innovative sonicare technology with up to 27%

embassy in tehran.washington broke ties with tehran. 37 of the original hostages are still alive. >> cities in the u.s. are launching an initiative to help people sleeping rough move off the streets for good. the resolution is to offer permanent housing backed up by that advice on how to get a job. >> a campsite for the homeless in the heart of america's capital. shortly before washington authorities tore it down, call it unsafe and a health hazard, as well as against the law. some who lived out in the open didn't want to leave. >> well, it allows you shelter, temporary shelter. it allows you safety. >> washington is one of a few u.s. cities where local laws require housing for all the homeless who are in need. for her, this is now home after years of living in emergency shelters and short term housing. >> the cabinets were already here. i fixed the kitchen and stuff up. >> she and her 8-year-old daughter share the apartment, the rent subsidized by the city and charities. she is required to pay at least

by the carter administration had gone on to take more than 50 hostages in the american embassy in tehran hostage is that he hold for 444 days. investor kirkpatrick's political caught the attention of the aspiring republicans presidential candidate. ronald reagan the tireless champion of freedom of human rights have been grappling with the issue of how to advance the american cause against the soviets when many of our potential partners were paragons of democratic -- reagan understood the dictatorship and double standards which is established liberal democracy was not the only valuable ally for america. they are rather than dust and not to be prioritized celebrated anchors are protected but if we refuse to work with countries that do not need -- meet our democratic standards were not making a rabbit in a diversion to democracy but it still helpful to advancing a larger goal of protecting our national security then we risk fundamentally undermining those goals and so too our national security. ronald reagan absorbed those without ever losing his passionate belief in freedom. he knew the re

a russian ship left yesterday with the fuel, leaving tehran without enough to build a nuclear weapon. iran is disassembleing centsry new jerseys and a blue tone yamplutonium reactor. >>> lemmy kilmister died, he was a member of the band in the early '70s before fronting motorhead for 40 years. he died yesterday in los angeles following a brief battle with cancer. lemmy was 70-years-old. >>> usa today reports president obama is once again america's most admired man. the top spot in the latest gallup survey for the eighth time a. surprising pair tied for 2nd place, pope francis and donald trump. hillary clinton is now the most admired woman for the 14th year in a row. the fitness tracker fitbit appears to be a hot seller for christmas. oil prices dipped. jill wagner is here in new york with that and more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, u.s. crude oil is down 13% as iran prepares to export 3 million gallons a day adding to the glut of oil. crude futures have fallen nearly 70% after opec defined to cut production to lift prices. the first day of trading left wall street in the r

right now, the pennsylvania tehran u turnpike is okay. watch out for construction. in the next 10 to 15 minutes or so, we will let you know about that. valley forge is at its 22 minute trip. when i come back, we check out the vine street expressway. >> thanks, jessica. record warm heat is expected. but it will get cold event wally. del-dot showed off a new snowplow tracker app. it will be monitored. they say it's their latest effort to give residents access to more information. >> because they are fe finicky about information. we are tracking it, we use a lot more technology moving forward. >> this mobile app is a free download. >> donald trump's comments have pushed muslims into a negative national spotlight. the next report at 5:00. what local leaders plan to do today? muslims and extremists are fought mistaken. also next, an ivy league name change. hear why the university of pennsylvania has a new, brand new title for some full time professors. >> new jersey has killed 360 bears in the last 30 days. officials recently expanded areas where hunting is allowed. the

[laughter] , a church jews are allowed for construction in to run -- in tehran? nine. but i can go to israel today to experience my own spiritual journey just like muslims or jews know where else are they respected and appreciated in protected like they are in israel. [applause] and this is why jerusalem cannot be it divided city it must we unified. and why the next president when his name is mike huckabee will do something presidents have hinted about an act of provocation is when terrorist groups continue to fire rockets into civilian territory. united states needs to make the statement who takes sides to move the embassy to jerusalem once enthralled to say we know our peace partner in the middle east is israel. [cheers and applause] my many trips there have led me to this conclusion. if i didn't believe the bible before i would believe it from the of visits and has seen the dried bones come to life and i have seen the desert bloom. places in 73 were rocky and barren and nothing are lush with vegetation. lush with life in neighborhoods and families and a nation that

. >> this is an unique holiday season for the american embassy staff who were held hostage in tehran, iran, 36 years ago. do you remember these images? last week president obama signed a bill that will give each of the hostages up to $4.4 million. 53 american citizens were captured back in the protest in 1979 and spend 444 days in captivity. silver americans were subject to physical and psychological torture. the payments from the u.s. treasury will begin next year. >>> and presidential politics, a major policy fight has erupted between president obama and the democratic candidates who hope to follow him in the white house. the department of homeland security is now preparing to carry out a series of raids to deport hundreds of migrant families. this will be the first large-scale effort to remove people who fled violence in central america last year and came into the. [ illegally. all of the democratic candidates are criticizing president obama for the decision. hillary clinton says, quote: >> persony sanders said, quote: >> in the republican nomination race text center ted cruise is

embassy in tehran, incident led to washington breaking off ties with tehran and 37 of the 53 hostages alive. some of the biggest cities in the united states say it's no longer acceptable to have people sleeping on the streets. washington d.c. is one of the cities that has decided it needs to offer permanent housing backed up by health services and help with jobs. tom ackerman reports. >> reporter: a campsite for the homeless in the heart of america's capitol, shortly before washington authorities tore it down, calling it unsafe and a health hazard as well as against the law. but some who lived out in the open didn't want to leave. >> well the tent allows you shelter, temporary shelter and allows you safety. >> reporter: washington is one of a few u.s. cities where local laws require housing for all the homeless who are in need. for douglas this is now home after years of living in emergency shelters and short-term housing. >> i've done everything. the cabinets were already here but i fixed the kitchen and stuff up. >> reporter: she and her eight-year-old daughter share the apartment.

embassy in tehran are finally to receive compensation. report on

tehran agreed to scale back its programme so it would not have fuel to produce a nuclear weapon. the agreement is to take effect in a matter of weeks. >> president obama boned texas gore greg abbott after severe whether battered the state, to show support. 11 died in dallas. states in the mid west and the south are in full recovery mode. >> reporter: flooding rain, ice and snow. a massive storm creating dangerous conditions for tens of millions of americans. the latest in a string of powerful weather event, from flooding to tornados. 47 people died in 7 states. >> some of these houses are barely recognisable. it's a pile of match sticks. >> a survey from the air. residents from the ground try to take up the piece, salvaging what they can from piles of rubble. these homes recently completed, now reduced to scrap. >> that's it, it's a torn aidio. >> reporter: this will a string of tornados blasted through a swathe of texas, with winds of up to 180 miles per hour. 11 were killed. here is the storm that brought the tornados seen from space. and brought snow from new mexico. >> in the

passengers getting on board in the northwest city can ride 300 kilometers before getting off in tehranhithis serves two of china's geopolitical strategies. it will revive the traditional trade routes along the silk road and create a direct connection by land to the resource rich region. china is already an investor in iran and its main trading partner. one sanctions are lifted, the country will likely make a comeback as a world oil power. with a direct rail connection, china could soon import even more. there are connections already, but track with -- widths differ which is costly and takes time. brent: the force may be just awakening, but the merchandise battle is long underway. the star wars product line is one of lego's most successful. luke skywalker and company are coming to you to in a wave of games and gadgets. reporter: the star wars marketing giant is certainly awake, and irresistible force for fans. >> the force is strong in my family. reporter: more money can be made with merchandising than at the box office. the walt disney company has the right articles for every target gr