>> we prirkt your time. tonight, a special edition of "world news tonight." you can see the thousands gathered here right behind me, pope francis, here in america. his historic visit to the white house. meeting with the president. the enormous crowds lining the streets. the pope lifting a little girl along the route. she hands him a letter. stopping to bless babies. then, entering the basilica. as we heard from so many americans, what is it about this pope? also tonight, the other major headline today. the ceo of the largest automaker in the world resigning, after rigging cars to pass tests. what now for the value of your car? donald trump, firing back tonight. his new message to fox news. why is he so upset? and carly fiorina tonight on her empathy for hillary clinton. terror on the highway. the 911 calls, suspected snipers taking aim at drivers. >> i think my window just got

shot. and yogi berra. we remember an american original. good evening on this historic night from washington. pope francis greeted by tens of thousands of americans here in our nation's capital. stopping the popemobile, lifting children to bless them. speaking english on the south lawn of the white house, calling america a nation of immigrants, founded on religious freedom. quoting martin luther king jr. issuing a call to action on climate change. then uttering those three words -- >> god bless america. >> the images of this day. president obama, the first lady with the pope, waving from that balcony. later, walking the path along the rose garden. taking to the streets in the popemobile, that jeep wrangler. and just a short time ago, making history here. the pope and the saint,

canonized right here in the u.s. we do have team coverage of every moment, every step tonight. abc's chief foreign correspondent terry moran traveling with the pope, leading us off. >> reporter: on a glorious sun-dappled morning at the white house, thousands gathered across the broad lawn. the president's cabinet, the honor guard marching in. the troops bearing the colors. it was the grandest of american pageantry. ♪ then, the trumpets blared and the motorcade arrived. the pope's little fiat bringing all that grandeur a bit back down to earth. every arm aloft, taking pictures. the two men stood together for the national anthems, a striking 21st century image. this first pope from the americas and first african-american president who praised francis as a force for change in the world and an ally, especially on the environment. >> holy father, you remind us that we have a sacred obligation to protect our planet.

god's magnificent gift to us. >> reporter: and then, francis spoke. >> good morning. >> reporter: in english, carefully, but with utter calm clarity. >> as the son of an immigrant family, i'm happy to be a guest in this country, which was largely built by such families. >> reporter: defying critics on the right, he called for action on climate change. >> climate change is a problem we can no longer be left to our future generations. >> reporter: this man's humility in power somehow enhances his impact on people. >> we love you, pope francis! >> reporter: they walked to the

oval office for their private meeting. >> i noticed all of you are much better behaved than usual. >> reporter: and then, the pope was off, into the popemobile and onto the streets of washington. >> and terry moran with us now. and terry, you were telling me that the pope delivered his bishops a message, saying be humble. >> reporter: and humility will come easier to some bishops than others. he also, on a serious note, said, we will not repeat the crime of sex abuse. very stern on that. >> there's another late-breaking headline involving members of the supreme court tonight. the justices who will not be attending this historic joint meeting of congress? >> reporter: that's right. some will, some won't. among those who won't, conservative catholics, justice scalia, justice alito and justice thomas. they don't say why, but it's pretty amazing. >> yeah, and they are catholic, all three of them. >> reporter: absolutely. >> terry moran. we are envious of your travels with the pope. terry, thank you. the overwhelming response has been really something to witness here in washington. 11,000 on the south lawn this morning. by some estimates, 25,000 right

here behind us at the basilica this afternoon. crowds stretching all the way to the horizon there. we talked to so many of them, asking, what is it about this pope? the crowds began forming early this morning. pope francis on his way to the white house. cheers erupting the moment the crowd spots him. bypassing his little compact car, walking right up to them. blessing them, as they cheer, "papa!" one girl, in tears, as she reaches out to the pope. he touches her face, too. the president of a local jesuit school getting a moment to talk with the pope. the pope asking him to pray for him, in english, practicing before his trip. >> pray for me. >> i will. >> don't forget -- >> i won't. >> i need them. >> i promise, i promise. every day. >> reporter: shortly after 11:00, the popemobile, that white jeep wrangler, open on both sides. driving down constitution avenue. signs reading "we love the

pope," "god bless you, pope francis." the people's pope giving a thumbs up and blessing the crowd. at one point, the popemobile stops. a member of the security detail walks over to the crowd and picks up a baby boy, carrying him to pope francis. a kiss on the head. then, this little girl in her red dress, 5-year-old sophia cruz from los angeles, somehow making her way through the barricade. police moving her away. they stop her a second time. but pope francis gestures for her. the guards carry her up. a kiss. and she hands him a letter. in the letter she writes, "my heart is sad because of discrimination. my friends and i love each other no matter the color of our skin." later, greeted at the cathedral of st. matthew the apostle. walking down the aisle for a prayer service with his bishops. then, a moment of humor. >> our holy father has asked me to say that he's just very sorry he can't greet every single bishop personally. but --

>> reporter: this afternoon, we were with the thousands, awaiting the pope at the basilica. what is it? >> i don't know, just when he smiles, you just feel like he's touching your heart. >> reporter: just the smile? >> yeah. >> reporter: if you had to choose one word to describe this pope, what would it be? >> humble. >> reporter: humble? >> humble. modest. >> reporter: these college students told us, they will never forget this. the pope hung out with you in college. who can say that? just to give you an idea of the sheer scope of the crowd here gathered to hear pope francis, you can see, they are all along the fences here. and come on inside. because this is actually where they have seats for the mass. and you can see, there is not an empty seat here at the basilica. in fact, much of this day, the pope speaking in english. and we remember our time with him inside the vatican, surprising us with english, too. so when i asked the pope, are you ready to come to america, the fact that he didn't even pause and said yes meant that he knew it was time. >> yes. he has been preparing for this, david. i mean, this is not -- this is no coincidence.

>> reporter: even practicing his english. >> yes. >> reporter: and just before he arrived here, as we were talking to liam's parents, liam chimed in. >> i'm excited. >> reporter: you're excited, too? liam wanted to make sure he was heard, too. as we said, a day of firsts. pope francis making history right behind us here. you can see much of that crowd, many of the people i was talking to earlier, still gathered down there behind us. the pope celebrating mass here at the basilica of the national shrine of the immaculate conception. and for the first time, canonizing a saint on american soil. an 18th century spanish missionary who came to america, an historic moment, but not without some controversy. still tens of thousands here to witness the moment, including our own cecilia vega, who is not far from us right here tonight. hey, cecilia. >> reporter: hey, david. good evening to you. you're right, that mass just wrapping up and i can tell you, the crowd here is just ecstatic. the day ending here just as it began, with the crowd chanting, "long live the pope." he entered as only pope francis can. in that popemobile, to the

resounding cheers of the faithful. his first mass in the united states and he did it by making history. the first saint ever named on american soil. junipero serra, the spanish priest who established california's missions. what does that mean to you? >> it's exciting. >> i think it's something pretty special. >> reporter: today, descendants of the native americans he converted right there at the altar. special to some, controversial to others. serra's role in history marking a dark chapter of colonization and forced conversion of native americans. tonight, thousands of this -- #serraisnosaint. >> the more you get to know who the saint was, he had a lot of compassion towards everyone. >> reporter: by saintly standards, serra reached sainthood relatively quickly. just 231 years after his death. this crowd here is massive. 20,000 people all packed into this area. and yes, while they are here to witness a piece of history, there is also something else that they're pretty excited about. >> i'll be honest, i'm here to see the pope.

>> reporter: the image of junipero serra looming large. but tonight, another image looms even larger. and of course, that other first tomorrow, that historic speech to congress. david, as you know, we will see even more crowds then. >> cecilia vega with us live here in washington, as well. cecilia, thank you. and we will have full coverage of the pope's trip to america, every step of the journey, tonight on "nightline," first thing in the morning on "good morning america," and i'll be back in new york with the pope tomorrow night. but we move on this evening to the other major headlines of this day, starting with volkswagen. the ceo resigning in the wake of that stunning admission. volkswagen confessing, they rigged their cars to cheat on emission tests. a half a million cars in the u.s., is 11 million around the world. customers with so many popular models now outraged. and tonight, some taking action, filing lawsuits against the largest automaker in the world. and what is their car worth now? abc's david kerley back on the story tonight. >> reporter: the vw emission scandal called a "grave crisis"

by the resigning ceo. saying he is stunned by "misconduct on such a scale." so are owners of the 11 million cars. >> complete deception. >> reporter: ari levin bought into the volkswagen pitch for a diesel car -- >> oh, that used to be dirty. this is 2015. >> no, no. >> reporter: with performance and clean emissions, which vw touted in commercials. but vw inserted software to shut off the emission controls, except during an emission check, allowing cars to pollute up to 40% more than allowed. making some owners feel guilty and angry. levin is part of one of many class action lawsuits. >> i try to avoid driving it now as much as i can. i'm not quite sure what i'm going to do with it. i'm not sure who will buy it. >> the best advice for consumers is to sit tight and wait to hear from volkswagen. >> reporter: owners haven't heard, and apparently, neither have dealers we visited across the country. one thing experts do tell us is that the value of the

volkswagens involved has gone down in the week since this emissions cheat was revealed. david? >> david kerley in washington. david, thank you. we turn now to the race for 2016 tonight, and to a feud reignited this evening. republican front-runner donald trump in a new fight with fox news, saying he'll boycott them because of what he calls unfair treatment. and now, a new war of words with the network, after one of their moderators was at the center of the last storm, megyn kelly. abc's tom llamas tonight with what fox news is now saying. >> reporter: tonight, donald trump says he is breaking up with fox news and won't appear on the cable network for the foreseeable feature. >> the polls came out the other day. they were outstanding. fox didn't put them up. i didn't feel i was being treated fairly. >> reporter: but in a statement, fox news says they dumped trump. cancelling his appearance on "the o'reilly factor," implying that's why he's angry, and that his complaints are getting tedious. relations between the network and the candidate chilly since megyn kelly asked this question in the first debate. >> you've called women you don't

like fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals. >> reporter: more than six weeks later, trump is still trashing kelly. in a tweet last night, calling her a "lightweight." today, trump speaking to a half empty room in south carolina, turning his fire on another woman. surging candidate carly fiorina. >> she's fighting to raise money. and her business career was a disaster. and nobody wants to say it. they say, you can't say that, because it's sexist. >> reporter: fiorina giving it right back. >> leadership is not about how big your office is, how big your title is, how big your airplane or your helicopter or your ego is. leadership is about service. >> reporter: david, carly fiorina did have kind words for hillary clinton today, telling "people" magazine she has empathy for her, and would never personally attack her. as for donald trump, his campaign says they have another rally in south carolina tonight. they're expecting 2,100 people. david?

>> tom llamas covering every step of this campaign for us. tom, thank you. meanwhile tonight, authorities in phoenix now releasing dramatic new 911 calls, drivers terrorized by snipers along the highway. at least 11 incidents being investigated. most along an eight-mile stretch of roadway. windshields shattered. that cross still dangling from the rearview mirror in that image. tonight, that suspect now charged, but insisting they've got the wrong guy. abc's kayna whitworth with the 911 calls tonight. >> i think my window just got shot. >> reporter: tonight, these new 911 calls revealing the terrifying moments drivers in phoenix realized they had been hit. >> okay. are you injured? >> i don't feel anything, because i just got so scared, because i heard a big bang and the window shattered. >> reporter: some even giving eerie descriptions of a roadside gunman. >> i saw a hand, you know, go to the top, it looked like it was screwing two things together. and i was like, "is that a rifle?" >> he had over 15 magazines fully loaded all around his body. he had a .9 millimeter on his

hip. >> reporter: police say 21-year-old leslie allen merritt jr. used a .9 millimeter firearm in four of the 11 incidents. tonight, he's charged with 16 felonies, though insists he's innocent. >> my gun has been in the pawn shop for the last two months. >> reporter: but the pawn shop owner saying he was in the shop more recently, though pawned the gun before the fourth shooting authorities had linked to merritt. tonight, authorities are reportedly saying the shooting in question initially happened earlier than they thought, and david, they are also investigating seven other incidents. there is still much more ahead on "world news tonight" this wednesday. major developments after that controversial move on a high school football field. that school now talking, and for those high school football players, who are accused of blindsiding the referee. was it the assistant coach behind the play? so many people weighing in on the order to take down the ref. also news tonight for millions of american workers. the damage you're apparently doing while sitting in your chair at your desk at work and the one tiny thing you can do to change it. and we remember tonight an american original.

baseball great yogi berra. we'll be right back. i'm angela, and i quit smoking with chantix. for ten long years i was ready to quit. but i couldn't do it on my own. i needed help and chantix was there. and i did it. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. some had seizures while taking chantix. if you have any of these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of mental health problems, which could get worse or of seizures. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if have these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. tell your doctor if you have heart or blood vessel problems, or develop new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. decrease alcohol use while taking chantix. use caution when driving or operating machinery. most common side effect is nausea. i never thought i would be a non-smoker and i'm so proud.

ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. it's the brand more doctorsose recommend for minor arthritis pain. plus, just two aleve can last all day. you'd need 6 tylenol arthritis to do that. aleve. all day strong. it's our song... ♪ yeah, there you go... wait! oh, no! there are thousands of ways into the complex health care system. and unitedhealthcare has ways to make the system simpler. like virtual doctor visits. what happened here? i came in too hot.

next tonight, new developments in the blindsiding football scandal in texas. two suspended high school players facing possible expulsion now for hitting a ref during a game. the players' attorney now saying, an assistant coach admitted telling them, quote, make the referee pay. here's abc's clayton sandell. >> reporter: the two texas high school players suspended after launching this brutal takedown of a referee found out that tonight in january, they'll be allowed to return to their school. >> i'm ready to accept any punishment. >> reporter: victor rojas and michael moreno claimed they tackled that referee on orders from assistant coach mack breed, and now their own principal says that's exactly what happened. in a statement first obtained by espn, principal robert harris writes, "coach breed told me that he directed the students to make the referee pay for his racial comments and calls." now, those players tell us, they feel betrayed by a school district they say waited nearly

three weeks to back them up. >> it was really shocking to know that this whole time they've known the truth. >> reporter: coach breed has not responded to numerous attempts to get his side of the story. as for that referee, robert watts, his attorney denies he ever used racial slurs. >> they are flat-out lies. and the people who know him know that. >> reporter: for their part, rojas and moreno say they accept full responsibility. >> it was a mistake that i made. and -- i'm sorry. i regret it. >> i just want to apologize to mr. watts. >> reporter: clayton sandell, abc news, denver. >> clayton, thank you. when we come back here tonight, we remember one of a kind, a true american great. also, a major headline for millions who sit at a desk all day. what it's doing to your body, and a major tip for you tonight. and a major sneak peek this evening at the new "star wars." don't go away.

new citracal pearls. dedelicious berries and cream. soft, chewable, calcium plus vitamin d. only from citracal. if an electric toothbrush was going to clean better than a manual. he said sure... but don't get just any one. get one inspired by dentists. with a round brush head. go pro with oral-b. oral-b's rounded brush head cups your teeth to break up plaque, and rotates to sweep it away.

and oral-b delivers a clinically proven superior clean vs. sonicare diamond clean. my mouth feels super clean. oral-b. know you're getting a superior clean. i'm never going back to a manual brush. padvil pm gives you the healingu at nsleep you need, it. helping you fall asleep and stay asleep so your body can heal as you rest. advil pm. for a healing night's sleep.

suffering from ringing in their ears, there's no such thing as quiet time. but you can quiet the ringing with lipo-flavonoid, the number-one doctor-recommended brand. relieve the ringing with lipo-flavonoid. why pause a spontaneous moment to take a pill? or stop to find a bathroom? cialis for daily use, is approved to treat both erectile dysfunction and the urinary symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently, day or night. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or any symptoms of an allergic reaction, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a free 30-tablet trial.

to the index of other news tonight. we remember an american original. baseball great yogi berra, the hall of famer played 18 seasons with the new york yankees, just as famous off the field for his yogi-isms, like, "if you come to a fork in the road, take it," and "it ain't over til it's over." yogi berra was 90 years old. there's a new study tonight about fidgeting, finding it may actually help counteract the negative effects of sitting behind a desk every date. researchers theorize it helps build your metabolism. something as simple as fidgeting helps. and the wild ride going viral tonight. facebook now releasing this 360-degree video, simulating a scene from the new "star wars" movie, "the force awakens," due out come december. when we come back from washington, after all, he is the first pope to take a selfie, but wait until you see the images we have for you right after the break.

if youthen you'll know howouth, uncomfortable it can be. but did you know that the lack of saliva can also lead to tooth decay and bad breath? well, there is biotene, specially formulated with moisturizers and lubricants. biotene can provide soothing relief and it helps keep your mouth healthy too. biotene, for people who suffer from a dry mouth. you pay your auto insurance every month on the dot. you're like the poster child for paying on time. and then one day you tap the bumper of a station wagon. no big deal... until your insurance company jacks up your rates. you freak out. what good is having insurance if you get punished for using it? hey insurance companies, news flash. nobody's perfect. for drivers with accident forgiveness, liberty mutual won't raise your rates due to your first accident. see car insurance in a whole new light. liberty mutual insurance.

every time you take advil you're taking the medicine doctors recommend most for joint pain. more than the medicine in aleve or tylenol. the medicine in advil is the number one doctor recommendation for joint pain. relief doesn't get any better than this. advil

finally tonight, he is finally tonight, he is called the people's pope, so, imagine being along the route today and finding out he's willing to take a selfie. during our visit inside the vatican a couple of weeks back, we learned pope francis has never used a computer or even owned a cell phone, but he is certainly on twitter. tweets approved by him. 22 million followers. in fact, he is the most retweeted leader in the world. more than president obama, who tweeted himself today -- to the pope. "welcome to the white house, @pontifex! your messages of love, hope, and peace have inspired us all." pope francis, the first to take a selfie. and so many american families along the route today know that, documenting his every move. these two young girls snapping a

selfie today with pope francis. there was the photo with an 11-year-old boy. he will never forget it. even inside st. matthews, bishops there for a prayer service capturing the moment, too. amid all the flashes in the oval office, this image. the pope and the first family's dogs, bo and sunny. and likely photos tomorrow when he boards his flight for new york city. an american airlines crew chosen to take him to new york. that plane tonight dubbed "shepherd one." we thank catholic university of america for letting us broadcast here tonight. and take a look. pope francis leaving the basilica here just moments ago. ending his day, heading for >>. a historic day in washington, d.c. pope francis can silent protests held at the

site of junipero serra final resting place. and new controversy over drinking on the job at the san francisco fire department. federal help for those affected by the devastating valley fire. what fema will give the most needy. >> today, we remember the joy of the gospel in these lands. father junipero serra. >> a historic ceremony in washington, d.c. pope francis called junipero serra a defender of native americans. good evening, i'm dan ashley. >> i'm cheryl jennings. >> reporter: and i'm ama daetz live in washington, d.c. covering the pope ease historic visit to the united states.

25,000 people attended the historic canonization today of the hispanic priest that established nine of the 22 missions in california. it was the first canonization on u.s. soil, seen as controversial by some who say the mission enslaved native americans and spread diseases that killed much of the native population. others say it acknowledges hispanic peoples' contribution to the church. the cure rater of mission dolores was part of the ceremony and got to meet the pope. . >> i thank the holy father and asked him to continue to support native americans throughout the world but especially in california. >> reporter: he urged the crowd to spread christ's message world wide. a daily city man who traveled here to see the canonization says he's inspired. >> it was my