Transcript for World View: American detained in Moscow accused of being a spy

Happy 2019 everyone and welcome to ABC's world view a snapshot of our coverage from across the glow. I'm Brett milky at ABC news headquarters in New York. This week we begin in Moscow were 48 year old American a former marine. He's in custody accused of being a spy he Staley says he's innocent that he was there to attend a wedding. Well now the State Department is involved here's ABC's Martha Raddatz with more. I'm Martha Raddatz in Washington for ABC news wife Paul Whelan is being held in a prison. Known for its harsh conditions. Once run by the KGB. This is where his lawyer is now visited him and the US ambassador visited Paul Wheeler is well he told the family that we'll it was in good condition. But when and if he gets out of there any time soon is still a big question. And there is also an ominous sign a Russian news agency is reporting that Wheeling was found with the classified. List. Of Russian operatives just before his arrest in his hotel room. At the agency is also alleging he was trying to recruit Russians and had been a spy for ten years. But this could well be a sat out Wheeling as the security head of a US company he traveled to Russia numerous times so may have been an easy mark. There are fears this could be retaliation for the rest here in the US submarine did Tina who pleaded guilty to trying. And infiltrate conservative political circles. We limit is charged with espionage but he would be highly unlikely intelligence operative he was kicked out of the Marine Corps ten years ago for attempted larceny. Dereliction of duty not the kind of person our intelligence agencies what I'm Martha Raddatz in Washington for ABC news for. Now to Indonesia and that deadly tsunami that struck without warning just days before Christmas big waves followed an eruption on a nearby volcanic island. Devastating communities killing at least 430. People eruption of volcano known as an act Crockett or child packet Tola. Is believed to have caused the tsunami ABC set senior foreign correspondent in panel one of the hardest hit areas of Indonesia. Here's some of what he saw. Hi this is ABC news life. I'm impanel into Rita beach Indonesia one of the areas devastated by this huge tsunami that swept through hit what we know for local residents is that there were three distinct wipes the third one being the largest. The government Sorgi said that the wave was only three feet high you have to look at the scale of the destruction here to note that couldn't have been the case. An actual parts local residents have confirmed to us that they say the wave with something like fifteen feet high. And you have to look at the damage of hits and that's probably the case. Because look at it this entire back cool is literally being punched out by the sheer power of those ways searching through that optic. It is a solid brick wall leases a solid structure. But it approaches around it and made from wood and straw and they've just been washed away there's nothing that. There are huge palm trees and being flung through this house presuming from down on the base as if that would toys mean the good the trunk is something like that these huge trees on the like twenty feet long. And yet they're just being flung through the building. And everywhere you look the destruction is the same mean look at this building of a hit badly badly standing. The big beautiful night rooms you can see this as a home that was looked after everything pictures still hanging on mobile. The other residents and now go home. We look over here through. These palm trees you can see more destruction over that and all around two you can see local residents who are going through these. Remains tried to search for belongings treasured items. Tragically the governments now confirmed more than 400 people were killed by the tsunami over a 150 is still missing so that death poll is likely to go up. Within a 15100 people have been injured not put huge pressure on local medical services. That other doctors ambulance is how to blood into this area to help the local services cope with that hundreds of people of course have been displaced. Another that was advising those people do not come back into this area because it's still highly dangerous it was a warning don't come within one kilometer of this area. And that's because you could hear it but the volcano that triggered this continues to rumble and erupt in the background. As many as 99 eruption today and this has been own going since June of this year. The government advice is do not come back here the danger still exist and any point there could be another landslide. Another tsunami sweeping through this area. Or ABC news life and impanel into Rita beach Indonesia. Let's move east of Indonesia now to a group a volcanic islands in the central Pacific Ocean. We're talking about the Marshall Islands at a Pacific paradise that may soon be lost. Experts say climate change could make these islands on and habitable but. It's young residents are refusing to let their nation's swallowed by the sea without a fight here's ABC's glory Riviera. In these vast. Ocean waters and worsen violence in Seoul isolated him from the risk. Beautiful place from high above the island and make sure it's hard to see everything battle going. It fight for survival between man and nature. Do you believe life or death for us the Marshall Islands of front line. Kinds. After hours of flying over dark blue Pacific waters through the clouds and in the years. I'm around. Like vision but tiny nation of islands and axles located halfway between Hawaii and Australia. We're pleased traveled here to the Marshall Islands to see a nation on the brink of extinction. The most extreme predictions say that as soon as 2030. Sea level rise could make this place uninhabitable right. I mean road in managed wrote it is 82 lane highway cleanup may get yeah. It's really narrow here and from this road just a matter of seat. There's water. The capital city of majerle is only 300 feet wide in most places this thin strip of land is home to over 27000. People. This is your front yard yes. Charlie exactly it's just that's from the waters acts only sixteen years old. Getting away as they. She's grown up with the theory. Obviously they never really know when you can get a search no one gave could be dislike this side me. When DN. This her big day my could be like pouring marine and bent waters of pi day says Charlotte this cease to be away we have. The line Kenya is where are we doing dishes is beautiful in the sunsets rape and he has. You're literally looking right at the sunset and doing dishes and as we get my view you don't get it you're not even looking at when they're just looking and wow. Starlet is part of what's called the last generation. Over half of the country's population is under the age of 24 and ten banking. I'm Tammy grant. Go get my PC game credit coming instead landing. Chad pain. And despair it's. Earlier this fall United Nations report sounded the alarm about the dire consequences. A global warming steep that if the Earth's temperature rises just half a degree more. There will be longer periods of drought. Severe heat waves more sea level rise in the nation of the Marshall Islands has been little loud is voices on the world stage. We must take every opportunity. We can't lose they deal will one point five degree limit. Needed for us there might well. The government was instrumental in drafting the Paris agreement a landmark measure to curb carbon emissions and combat climate change. Worldwide but Perez came to being. It is really our last hope. To tell organized the entire little community to say okay enough is enough. It is this water that is destroying this coastline once many homes student here now. Most producing nothing but rubble but the remnants of lives once lived. I people who thought they would be safe. They are working to protect themselves against the wrath of mother nature by building concrete sea walls unit be right there at the old sea wall that was built around parts of the island but it's. Crumbling now. So where they hand the people of the refinery have built new wall. To help protect them the question is how much can it really do. The minister of the environment David Paul takes us out on the water to show is the scope of this herculean task at hand. When you look at if they want that are ardea how much confidence that if you. We are near the smaller islands on the outer edge of Magellan and the good news if this sea level continues to rise these will be among the first place. We dock on the island and the NASDAQ. It. David when you have all the way down that way and all the way down that way it's just beat. This used to be all play land. And then all the way. The would be to ignite spending related that he wouldn't. And land. This pristine islands boiled land may one day in lost forever. In partially explore the saying is if you take away their lane they're steered them to. Volunteers and by families or hundreds of years it's are really. Feeling of well for us mark please Jack need in dollars and American expect it was spent decades advocating for the rights of the Marshall leaves. He says this is not the first time their land and their wellbeing has come in a threat. With the that you listed out your news conference I mean there's no other way to describe it. During the Cold War the United States use a bikini act well as a strategic military position. And a testing ground for nuclear weapon Steve and the unbelievable explosion. The one weapon that did most of the damage to our fiscal problems shot. And that was a thousand times greater than that weapons that would. At a thousand times. Nuclear fallout from that bombed so why ash rained down on the outer axles for years the residents there had suffered from birth defects and high rates of cancer. They had to be evacuated from their homes that would be a long time a holding area of the test could be called shaping up or any kind of like to resume. Today more than fifty years later their Lin still contaminated by radiation. Describe for me to sacrifice the people here need. For the US. Well they've sacrificed both land and help. As a small reparation for their severing the Marshall these are allowed to live and work in the United States without a visa. Over a third of the population has already left seeking opportunity on the mainland. Soon the more than 70000 left behind may have no other choice. Just last year president trump would deliver another crushing blow to the violence with this announcement. The United States will withdraw. From the pack. Paris. Climate accord. United whose government let us now is like the life and death forest really is a death sentence right through so to speak. And it's the United States that carries one of the largest carbon footprints. But some of the smallest nations that are most affected by their giant neighbors to the north do people hear it dated day are they aware of the threat from climate change for arises is really that is to be lead. Reality we I've seen. Our shoreline being eroded. We are experiencing longer drought more frequent it is quite challenging to try to open it. And as the season continues to rise it's beginning to threats fast water. And soon we'll all play. It's who's next. You know. I don't really didn't see what we see these we Mabel forest. Your next singer it is not just for the mock trial rooms fair to say is for the over the world is forest of humanity. Despite the bleak outlook the Marshall e.s are not ready to give up just yet. I wanna be the last I believe I'm going to be the guy you know floating out. Kayak you know turning lights out there. Mills gone. Any is three generations of family here to protect how much hope you have that Asia's sell here will be able to stay. And live and raise a family here on my file. Truthfully can fill. You know you hear a lot of people talk when all we're gonna have all these new emission control things in by 2050. And I'm like I don't even know if we have to 2030. When it becomes and other people's backyard not just stars on my hope is that maybe they'll actually start trying to do things. It's clear that this is a battle the Marshall lease cannot lean alone if you could make one plea. About what it's like to live here global warming what would it be come help. We need help you. Health in the future generations trying you know land in two months. And who. Place. And other South Korea to the capital Seoul where new pop up market is really turning heads we're talking about the Pyongyang supermarket this is just South Korea. It's a satirical North Korean supermarket just opened recently. And it carries everything from North Korean baked goods made by actual North Korean defectors. Items like eight. Unification. Nuclear bomb they shall mask ABC Seoul bureau chief Judy Cho paid the market a visit here's he has with more. I'm jittery Joseph for ABC news live here is sold and this is a very young hip neighborhood if the call this talent. And just wanted to show you this pop up store full of north create theme to goods. Just for the record these products are from north creek is UN sanctions that any imports from North Korea. This. Theme North Korean theme they've cut. Canned peaches. With north Cree worker and it and it. This is one of the favorites in this story mrs. Korean traditional pop court. Parietti is that victorious North Korea's nuclear wet tents let's test and it uses the popcorn. And guess what flee its. Nuclear flavor. Equipment. I case it'd and it's really. I can't out. I want to introduce you this home and Hank she made in the east North Korea goodies her family she defected from North Korea about twelve years ago. And here is sold with her. Pre defector friends she made these based on their older recipe from North Korea her finally. Used to make these Northcutt goodies back in line. I said thank you. And also wanted to show you this. But that's on my way here is caused. Unification. With stray seeing a nuclear bomb packed it's a facial mask. Fat tire humor. And the ends that. Compare it to be older generation in South Korea these younger generation they're much more open minded when it comes to the north. They think of north as a distant neighbor but someone mysterious. But a country that they do want to get too. No in the future. I'm Julie Cho here in Seoul freight. Scenes and now we're gonna take a minute show you some of the biggest and brightest New Year's Eve celebrations from around the globe in the Big Apple and a body over to see me. Millions of revelers around the world gathered to bid farewell to 2018. And the welcome 2019. Here's today Norman with a look at all the festivities. It's when he nineteen. Not even born and raised from dampen festivities. More than a million party yours packed them in New York's Times Square for the country's biggest New Year's Eve celebration. We'll talk we'll happily welcome fresh start with Betty bond buyers and of course fireworks. New Zealand and Australia were among the first nations get up from here. Sydney exploding into an impressive. Pyrotechnic display at midnight this bike rental downpours that snarled travel during the day in North Korean citizens of different. Pending market he came back. Advancing. And a record breaking display left onlookers in office in Dubai. And intense fireworks light show it would meeting this guy to become the largest pyrotechnic display ever. People marched through the streets in Turkey cracking wits in the traditional celebration. And a light show inherit as crowds around the heart they feel as police faced off against yellow jackets protesters. The back here at home some American city celebrated in unique ways Wisconsin dropping a big role of cheese at midnight while North Carolina opted for a pickle she's a Norman ABC news New York. And what about that world famous Sydney celebration this on the peace well indeed the tiny mistake. It's a big mistake look at this. He forgot to update they hear helpful it got its doing doing. The gap left one point five billion people in attendance just baffled the Sydney Morning Herald reported that fireworks display costs. With a seven billion Australian dollars that's like five million US dollars. And now a look at some videos from around the globe that caught our attention this week we begin with a whale of a close call in New Zealand take a look at this this leave border had his own free will lead moment when an orca cited a quick visit. While he was and joined the waters. Eight mainly in those bank incredible encounter was recorded by a drone. For top U photography. Now this don't want it really is just straight up for two days cuteness you guys here's looking for an opportunity to show you adorable animals doing adorable things. Don't get mad take a look at these kitco Wallace kangaroos and wallabies coding for the cameras as they enjoyed their Christmas treats at the scene by a wild life park. In New South Wales was gonna let that wouldn't read for a second. Beulah. And finally to Finland for what I literally manages to walk on water OK not really like us it looks like he can't write. Mika said Lin and his brother recorded this video. After some warm weather followed by rain looked a little water on top small frozen lake. Their home from this camera angle it really looks like open water. Because brother shot the video from the balcony and said it would you're somewhat self compared that sprint to Jesus walking on water just announced he and his brother. Both work at churches he's organist his brother's a pastor. Well that just about ratchet up for this week's edition of worldview we leave you now with some memorable images from around I'm Brett milky in New York.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.