this is cnn news room live from los angeles. ahead this hour,, perp walked ad charged. america's favorite dad now out on bail after his arrest for sexual assault. it's war, donald trump holds his last campaign rally of the year much like his first with bluster and boast, and promises of a whole lot more to come. and one of the worst environmental disasters ever that almost no one is talking about. but we will this hour with activist erin brockovich. hello and welcome to our viewers in the united states and all around the world. great to have you with us. i'm john vause.

"newsroom l.a." starts now. bill cosby is charged with sexual assault. over the years, at least 50 women have come forward saying they were sexually assaulted by cosby, accusations he has always denied. but now this case has made it to court and only just. a day later, and it would have been inadmissible because of the statute of limitations. bill cosby surrounded by media, looking frail in a gray sweater, carrying a cain, arm and arm with his attorneys. he stumbled on his way into a pennsylvania courthouse. >> mr. cosby, anything to say? >> inside, standing room only. cosby was guided to the defense table. after hi arraignment, the 78-year-old had his bug shot taken. bail set at $1 million.

on an evening in early 2004. cosby is charged with assaulting andrea constand. she skred cosby, 37 years her senior to be a mentor over the months after they met, he invited her to several public events and private dinners. >> mr. cosby made two sexual advances at her that were rejected. on the evening in question, with mr. cosby urged her to take bills that he provided to her and to drink wine. >> according to the criminal complaint, the pills and wine left constand dizzy, nauseous, frozen and paralyzed. despite her impaired physical and mental condition, the victim was aware that cosby was fondling her breasts, put his hands into her pants and penetrated her. waking up lours later with her clothes disshelved and bra

undone, constand said cosby handed her a muffin, walked her to the door and said "all right." constand went to the police about a year later and again according to the criminal complaint, cosby admitted to investigators much of what constand had described except saying the victim never told him to stop, never pushed him away, never told him her vision was blurred and never said she felt paralyzed. cosby gave the unusual answer never asleep or awake. no charges were filed back then. the district attorney citing the lack of evidence due to the year-long delay. but constand quickly filed a civil suit, which resulted in a confidential settlement agreement with cosby. constand,le the first of some 50 weem to come forward.

cosby has repeatedly denied the allegations against him, issues a strong statement in his defense. make no mistake. we intent to mount a vigorous defense against this unjustified charge, and we expect that mr. cosby will be exonerated by a court of law. joini ining us now is attor gloria allred. she's representing 29 of the women accusing cosby of sexual assault. will the other allegations be admitted into this case. is that legally possible under state law here? >> it appears the prosecutor has indicated if there are other alleged victims of mr. cosby that they should contact law enforcement in montgomery county. and that says to me that they're interested in other potential witnesses who might allege similar prior bad acts.

now, of course, the decision is going to have to be made by the da as to whether he's going to call those individuals as witnesses. and then it's going to be up to the judge to decide if their testimony is relevant and if it's admissible. my guess, just a guess is the defense will not want any other witnesses called who might allege prior similar acts. >> does the time frame here make it much harder? all of this allegedly happening >> well, the statute of limitations in pennsylvania is 12 years, which means that a criminal case on these charges could be brought anytime within that 12-year period. and so that's what happened. now, of course, it may be the defense attorneys are going to say oh, it's too old, why did she wait so long, sing that song. but the fact is that the da can proceed. >> a lot of people have a lot of things about this case. a defense attorney tom messeret

is saying that the victim wants money. >> many will pay none to end the ordeal and spare their family having to go through all this. michael jackson freely admitted he paid almost $20 million to spare his family an o.j. simpson-type situation. he went to trial and he was exonerated of every allegation, ten felonies and four misdemeanors. he was completely cleared. i would like to know who were her clients four years ago. did they go to parties where drugs were handed out? did they bring drugs to those parties? why did they approach mr. cosby. what did they want to get out of the relationship? this is 40 years later and suddenly they're all coming out making these accusations. something seems wrong to me. >> is that the kind of stuff which defense attorneys are likely to come up with in this kind of case?

>> absolutely. and, you know, it's kind of a scan dard old script line. i could have predicted that pretty easily by defense attorneys as one of their theme songs for the defense. but the reality is that in the united states, victims have a right to both file a civil lawsuit seeking damages. that's their lawsuit where they are the plaintiff. and/or also go to law enforcement which andrea did, and seek stof the case criminally prosecuted. that would not be their case .. it would be the case of the people of the state of pennsylvania or whatever state it's going to happen in, versus the defendant bill cosby. so they have a right to go in both directions. and i don't think that a victim who seeks compensation for herself in a civil case where she can be empowered, whether it's her case, she still has to prove it, i don't think she should be criticized for seeking compensation. she's only going to get it if

she can prove liability. in fact, that he did it. and then can prove her damages. >> very quickly, is this tactic essentially to turn cosby into the victim? >> yes, i think it is. and it's to try to make mr. cosby the victim and, you know, he's old, oh, he's having trouble walking. oh, whatever else they're going to say. why did people wait so long? we're going to look at every skeleton in everybody -- all the alleged victims closet. why do you think the victims haven't come forward in many cases for many years? because they are afraid of the power, the wealth and fame of a celebrity. mr. cosby has hired a law firm with 700 attorneys. to fight our civil lawsuit. and i don't know whether any of them will be working on the criminal case as well. but yes, they'll go after each alleged victim who might be a witness and they'll go after them in a strong way. many of the alleged victims have do told me they understood the

rigors that might come. they're ready for it. they're going to tell the truth and they're going to take the witness stand if they are called to testify. >> gloria, thanks for being with us. >> thank you. >> now one alleged victim said she could not believe cosby is finally facing criminal charges. >> i unfortunately accepted a capuchino from him. it was drugged. i woke up six hours later, dumped in the back of my car in the alley. today is still just a good day. regardless of if he's found guilty or not guilty, we're hoping that we get our day in court. >> joy camarata is representing seven women who came forward. what's been your reaction to your clients of these harges? >> i can't tell you specifically what their reaction is because i

don't want to violate any attorney/client privilege. but as members of the public who have an interest in the justice being brought, they were, the public that is, were pleased with today's developments. this is a significant step towards pold d holding mr. cosby accountable. and for justice being done for victims, alleged victims of mr. cosby's sexual assaults. >> what did you make of cosby's physical appearance today? i mean, this may sound minor, but he was wearing the dr. huxtable sweater. he had a cain. do you think this is stage managed in some way? >> you know, it may be. that's the cynical side of life. but the man is 78 years old. for year he's been complaining about, he has bad eyesight, and, you know, this is what it is.

what it points to is that frankly this is a tragedy. it's a tragedy for the cosby family, it's a tragedy for each of the women that have had to allegedly endure his sexual assaults and his advances. and it's a tragedy for each of their families. but here we are, and in our system of justice, both the criminal and the civil side, we have an opportunity to have our day in court. and for the truth to be tried. >> one of the reasons why these charges were brought against mr. cosby as the election of a new district attorney in montgomery county. he even campaigned on the issues. this is one of his ads. >> for district attorney in montgomery county, ken steele, 98% conviction rate. and tough sentence for sexual

predators. or bruce castor who refused to charge bill cosby. he said we don't prosecute people for making a mistake or doing something foolish. >> could this get him a change of venue at the very least? >> i don't think so. if you look at steele's opponent, he says supposedly cosby made a mistake. that's not what it's about. it's about cosby's own admissions that he made in a sworn deposition that he gave in the constand civil litigation. it's about the evidence that the prosecutor has obtained from andrea constand and her mother. and when you look at the totality of the evidence, the prosecutor, mr. steele is determined that in keeping with his 98% conviction rate, that this is a case that he can and intends to win. from having a 98% conviction

rate, this is a prosecutor that clearly has identified cases, and only brings cases in which he can win. and so if you're on the side of being charged by this prosecutor, that's going to be some cause for concern. >> joe, thanks for being with us. and again, you know, appreciate your insights and spending some time with us. thank you. >> well, i appreciate your wanting to have me on and your discussions on this very important topic. thank you. >> bill cosby has been a star in the u.s. for decades. the comedian and actor. he's best known for the loveable dr. huxtable. he was also awarded the presidential medal of freedom in 2002. >> from television to film, from standup comedy to best selling books, bill cosby's good natured

humor has always appealed to our common humanity, helping to bring people together through laughter. the united states proudly honors this truly outstanding american. >> an entertainment journalist on access live. thank you for being with us. an outstanding american. the first question, how big is this trial going to get. have we seen a celebrity trial like this in modern times? >> i don't think we have. and it has the possibility of being enormous. because we transposed bill cosby the man with dr. huxtable his character. he was america's father. he was what all black people in america were to aspire to be. professional, married, kids going to college. >> responsible, loving. >> the show was wholesome.

everything he exuded, a role model, how you should act, education. gave his money to educational institutions. that was what we were supposed to do. >> so you're saying dr. huxtable is on trial. dr. huxtable with bill cosby.d - and bill cosby the man seems to be deplorable. we believed in him so much that we forgot that he was acting. his standup was clean. he didn't curse. he told stories about how he grew up. we loved bill cosby. fat albert. he did children's cartoons. jell-o pudding pops. he was the guy in sweaters that was loveable and now we're finding he was actually a monster. >> we find out he's a monster in the age of social media, 24-hour news, twitter, facebook, news is going to spread quickly. the other thing in all of this is when you sort of put in context there, we're looking at this guy who was held up as a pillar of society. now he's in the dock. is has there been a fall from grace like this that you can

remember from american sort of american entertainment. >> it's hard. we never thought of any entertainer really as our father. when rock hudson came out and said he was gay and he died of aids, it was before all the media puz. roman polansky and the rape trial, he wasn't america's dad. woody allen, it was a weird little comic. we didn't think of him as one of us. bill cosby was everywhere, in everything, telling you how to live, what to do and how to be. we've never seen anything like this. there's been entertainers caught in scandals. we're talking about 50 some-odd women claiming the same story with the same aspects. i was drugged, this happened. we're talking about not only a fall from grace, but the scrubbing of all of the good things that he's done. universities taking his name and trying to distance themselves from him like it's blood money. i don't think we've ever seen anything like it. it's honestly pretty scary because social media has kept us alive and fans the flames.

he does the perp walk into the courthouse, it's on twitter, instagram, the memes are constantly running. >> cosby denies all the allegations. there's a trial which is likely to go ahead in all of this. he has yet to plead. ultimately at the end of the day, if cosby is found not guilty does that change anything here? >> unfortunately it doesn't. because legal strategy that you're seeing, and ms. auburn talked about it, they're walking him into the courtroom like he's a frail old man. if he beats the trial, he's still the frail old man. what job does he get in the media? >> but does he save his reputation? >> there's too much smoke. i said this before, if all of the women are lying except one, that still makes him a rapist. you can't exclude that. so it hurts because we wanted to love him so much and we did love him so much and he built a platform on, this is the right way to be. and to see this now, you -- i

mean york uh ear disheartened. there are black families dwsh i grew up in one where we watched him every thursday on nbc, we ate our dinner and watched the cosby show. we were supposed to go to college like his kids did in a different world. that's what you were supposed to do as an african-american family. and now we're finding out that it was all, not just smoke and mirrors, but this guy is not what he purported himself to be. it's going to be ugly. >> we ate our dinner and watched the cosby show, too. but init was think it was a lit different for us in australia growing up. another big story we've been follow, the mother of the affluenza team is on her way back to the u.s. if she's convicted she could serve up to ten years in prison. her son ethan couch has sentenced only to probation for killing four people while driving under the influence. the defense blamed affluenza saying the teen was so spiel

spoiled to know any better. he's facing deportation from mexico. that process could take a few months. donald trump is calling the race for the white house war. and he's naming his top enemy. more on that coming up. also just outside of l.a., a gas leak is displacing thousands of people. we talk to erin brockovich, the renowned environmental activist about what might be one of the biggest environmental disasters in u.s. history. do you know the secret to a happy home in these modern times?

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>> welcome back. donald trump is describing his u.s. presidential bid as a war. he's making it clear that jeb bush and the clintons are high on his list of political enemies. >> low energy can be applied to hillary. i just don't like to use the same thing twice on one of my enemies, right? because i consider them enemies. we view this as war. don't we view this as war? it's war. it's war. >> well, cnn's senior political analyst joins me with more now on donald trump's war. he's declared war and i guess he

mines it. the one thing which i find interesting about what trump is saying, he's saying i only responded to hillary. he said i didn't fire the first shot here's. so from hillary clinton's point of view, was it silly? was it a misjudgment to respond to put trump on the same level as she is? to elevate him up to her level? should she maybe have had someone lore op the campaign trail deal with it and move on? >> there are so many revealing things after the exchange. i think the first point is the use of phrase war. because i do think that a core appeal of trump -- and if you look at the voters he is appealing to, it is the most disaffected elements of the republican party, primarily, but not exclusively blue collar whites to feel both economically marginalized and culturally eclipsed and really do feel as if they are at war. i think a key to his success is that they view him as willing to do and say almost anything. >> which he is. and that's what he does time and time again. he says things that the most

disaffected elements want to hear him say. i look at the clinton comments and really look in that vain in a continuation about undocumented immigrants. it's simply giving voice of the unconstrainted id. >> should hillary clinton of responded to that. >> i think democrats overall to a person would relish to run against donald trump. it's making him tougher to reach out beyond that if he became the nominee. in that sense, elevating him isn't necessarily the worst thing in the world from a democratic perspective. >> what i noticed is it's morphing into hillary clinton's husband cheated to she didn't

know about it to she turned a blind eye. i knew there were whispers of that, but nobody talked about that. >> it is a kind of line of ament. trump gives validation to it. >> i think very limited. i think in the end it's hard for a male candidate with three marriages and his own history of infidelities to be able to make the case that the wife is the guilty party. and also, he kind of litigated all this 20 years ago in this country. when donald trump among others said it was kind of hypocrite call. he criticized the house republicans for reaching them. what we learned about in the bill clinton episode the first time, which i covered intently in washington is that most americans recognized that everybody has something in their life they want to read on the front page of "the washington post."

33% favorable rating among women. >> if you look among women who are not republicans, 12% . >> quickly, who wins ooh aye? >> wow. i think ted cruz wins iowa. i think hillary clinton wins the nomination. i don't think you can predict the nominee. we assume it's cruz or someone from the centris st lane. that may or may not ever get filled. >> thanks for coming in. >> still to come here, methane gas is spewing from a storage facility, forcing thousands from their homes and dramatically increasing the state's green house gas emissions. and we'll talk to erin brockovich, the prominent activist who says the gas leak is a major environmental disaster. ok, we're here.

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the mother of the so-called affluenza teen is on her way to the u.s. she's charged with apprehension of a juvenile. the chicago preliminary is getting a major overhaul in the wake of a number of deadly and controversial shootings. the city's mayor announced the police balanced budget getting 700 new tasers as well as training. right now, only 20% of the officers have access to nonlethal weapons. >> 21 passengers to china hit turbulence. they were forced to land in calgary because of the injuries. an emergency spokesperson said none of the injuries are life threatening. >> one of the biggest environmental disasters ever in u.s. history is happening right now. and chances are you probably have no idea what it is. about 25 miles northwest from where i am, an enormous amount of methane gas has been spewing from a natural gas storage facility for months.

in terms of greenhouse gas, the environmental defense fund says it's the same impact as the emissions of 7 million cars or eight coal burning power plants. it's also having a devastating impact on the people who live nearby. >> the cats family, a blended modern day brady bunch with five children and dogs lives in a temporary home. >> it's disgusting what's going on. i'm heart broken. we had to leigh our beautiful home. >> they're 33 miles from the house they kay elevatored in porter ranch, a los angeles suburb reeling from a massive methane gas leak. >> the smell can cause you to be nauseated and cause headaches, nosebleeds, which i have had, stomach problems. >> infrared video taken by environmental activists shows a noxious plume rising from the storage facility, owned by southern california gas. the utility says the underground leak first detected in october

may not be stopped until late march. . >> we're drilling a relief well. that's going to go way down about 8,500 feet. it's going to intersect with the leaking well and pump liquids and muds down there to stop the flow of gas. and then cement to permanently abandon the well. >> while socal gas drills pays for residents of the 2,200 porter ranch homes to stay attempt rare housing. >> people realize it's serious stuff. >> the gas company adds 6,000 people are seeking financial aid due to the leak. many of them apply for help at a community center it established. some government agencies are now taking extreme precautions. the faa invoked a no-flooi zone to 2,000 feet and a half mile around the leak site in response to fears that gas fumes could be ignited by aircraft from above.

the l.a. unified school district closed two schools below the leak and is transferring almost 1,900 students. they will start class on a new campus after the winter break. and they say 2-year-old ava suffered the most. they say in the leak resulted in upper respiratory symptoms that left ava in intensive care for four days. she had no prior health problems and experienced some form of seizure. >> even though we're so upset and saddened and stressed, we're trying to hold it together for them. it's hard. we're a big family. >> just one family moved out by a gas leak disaster that might be unseen and is still months away from being undone. >> joining eme now is erin brockovich.

thank you for coming in. you described this as the worst environmental disaster since back in 2010. why is no one coming up about this. o. >> i think there could be a couple of reasons. and one, maybe the media is. co-ing around now is because this has continued. this is just an ongoing assault that people saw happened around october 23 and they thought it would go away and it was still there. they thought it would go away and it's still there. it's not going away. we're very visual as a society. you can't really see it. that's when the videotapes come up and you can see this real time, i think it becomes startling for people. >> they're saying it could still take months to fix it. and they're using similar

techniques. why is this taking so long? >> well, it's very deep for one. and i find one thing that's very concerning. it was built in the '50s, early '60s. originally, there was a safety valve put on place. in event there was a situation, you wouldn't have that catastrophic situation. and the gas company removed that in 1979. it was never replaced. and so this was smag something that really begs us to take a look at what our oversight is, what the standard of care is and what enforcement we have in place. for facilities like this and we've built communities on top. this is the second larnlest natural gas reserve in america, by the way. >> you're representing a lot of the residents there who are obviously dealing with a lot of issues, a lot of problems right now. this is a statement from the company regarding some of the lawsuits. they said we are working hard to stop the leak and address their concerns. we're providing relocation services from residents who wish

to remove themselves from the leak's odor and established a claims process for those who feel they have suffered harm and injury. beyond that, we are not going to comment on the legal action and we'll respond to the lawsuit through the judicial process. your response? >> i don't know really what else they could say. we certainly don't feel they've been transpoint. they're not making it easy to deal with the situation. there's a lot more people that need to be removed. it's just an ongoing process. we're talking 150 million pounds of methane has already been released. and they're projecting that it could stop. in three or four months. we hope it doesn't go longer, but i don't know that i could have expected anything else from them at that point, other than they are going to stand down. it's a real issue. we're getting reports of animals dying. it's an assault. i've been out there.

when i first got there, i had to think okay, maybe this is in my mind. you just don't want to do that. i started feeling really woozy. it was the stranger sensation you kind of weave around. /looked at one of my co-workers who said do you feel funny? >> how long were you there for those affects to take place? >> i was directly in the community, very, very close to where the leak is at. and i would say within 30 minutes i started to field woozy. as the night progressed, the symptoms progressed. >> this issue, caliifornians are very proud that they lead this country in dealing with climate change, causing greenhouse gas emissions. you think many people would be surprised this leak alone is increase, this state's green house gas.

>> it's 150 million pounds and it's going to get worse. that makes this one of the biggest environmental disasters that we're going to see since the bp spill. it's on land. it's a huge crisis for our air pollution, what the state has done. and in many instances it's set us back. >> thank you for coming in. >> thank you for having me. >> still to come here, historic flooding in the united states has caused deaths and catastrophic damage. details on what's happening. and when it might stop. all: milk! milk! milk! milk! milk!

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>> major historic river flooding through early next week. more than 12 million people are under flood warnings in 19 states. let's go to the cnn weather center with more on this. what's the latest? >> we want to take a look where we currently have the flood threatening. we still have a dozen states right now that have flood watches or warnings out because of the am of rain. the good news is, most of these areas are done seeing rain. we don't have any more rain to make the situation worse and that's good news. a lot of the rain is finally starting to dry back out. a total of 356 of them. this is around the st. louis

area, give or take. current level is about 43.98 feet. the record flood stage by the way was about four feet lower than where we are now. the problem is the detaied effect. it doesn't even make it down to some of these towns for a few more days. as you mentioned, even though it's done raining, the impacts are still going to be delayed over the next double play of days. likely going to see a few areas get bad flooding in the coming days. >> it's got get worse before it gets better. thanks, allison. security will be hiding in the capital in washington, d.c. and here in los angeles, there will be more cameras and security at the rose bowl parade. authorities say they don't have specific or credible threat, but they want tor prepared. in belgium, authorities suspecting of plotting an attack

in brussels. in turkey, police arrested two people they say planned bombings in ancora. police say the suspects had a vest with explosives and materials to make bombs. netflix is winning a lot of viewers with documentaries series about a wisconsin murder case. up next, we'll look at why it's become an obsession for so many.

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>> a netflix documentary called "making a murderer" has become an obsession for many viewers. more on the documentary that's capturing so much attention. >> what do you want to say today? >> "making a murderer" it's the latest binge watching obsession on netflix. the ten-part dom tear follows the case of stephen avery, a wisconsin man who spent 18 years in prison for rape before dna evidence helped win his release in 2003. just two years later, after filing a multimillion dollar lawsuit over his wrongful conviction, avery and his nephew were arrested.

both were convicted, this time for the murder of a young woman teresa hallback. o. >> his blood was found inside her vehicle. >> he maintains he's innocent. and they say authorities planted evidence to frame him for murder. since it premiered december 18, "making a murderer" has attracted a huge following including many celebrities who are heaping praise on the seefrz. actor ricky gervais tweeting never mind an emmy or an oscar, "making a murderer" deserves a nobel prize. the greatest documentary i've ever seen. not everyone is a fan. a former district attorney was a special prosecutor in the avery case. he tells cnn affiliate wluk the documentary was biased in favor of the defense. >> the jury was provided a much different picture than what this series provides. >> filmmakers spent ten years following the case and defend their work. >> we believe that the series is

representative of what we witnessed. the key pieces of the state's evidence are included in the series. >> avery remains in prison, serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. while fans dissect the series and the case online, even circulating a petition urging a presidential pardon. jonathan mann, cnn. >> i'm joined by a criminal attorney, host of "deadly sins" on investigation discovery. what does this series and others like it, the serial bod cast, what does this say about this incredible shrinking gap we have between reality and entertainment. >> it's so interesting. i think this -- when i say this, courtroom action is the ultimate in reality television. that the stories that you encounter every day in the criminal justice system are

amazing. i think these, the serial case and now this case, just really demonstrate how powerful those stories are. >> is it a positive or a negative? is it a good thing or a bad thing? >> ultimately i think it's a good thing. >> what happens in the justice system it's a really good thing. i've long been a fan of cameras in the courtroom. we especially saw it in the zimmerman trial where some people, many people were outp j outraged by the verdict. regardless of what you thought about the outcome, there's you understood. >> the da says a lot of evidence has been left out of this -- the whole thing runs about ten hours. he told a local reporter that, quote, anytime you edit 18 moents of information and only include the statements or pieces that support your particular conclusion, that conclusion should be reached. does he have a point?

>> well, in a way he does. certainly clever edit canning shach the way a story appears. but i think the better point in all of this is the more smart people you have doing the kind of parsing of the evidence we've seen done in this case in the other cases we've talked about, you end up surfacing things that frankly should have been brought up before. so i think the more smart people you have on the task, the better at getting to something powerful. >> the implications to this series, especially this one is that the police department here was either completely negligent or totally malicious. so i guess many people know, you've had a lot of experience with the legal system in this country. is this an anomaly? or is this systemic? >> i think it depends on who you ask and what their experiences are. look, let's face it. in every profession, there are great examples and then there are some warnings of what not to do. and certainly that's been true in law enforcement. i think just the fact that -- the question itself reminds me

of that parable about the five blindmen all feeling different sections of the elephant. they're all having their own experience, all are right, and yet they're radically different. so yet i think this really depends on who are we going to for their opinion? certainly, my goodness. it's been a hot topic here. >> it's not just cases like this. whether it's the shooting of tamir rice, whether it's having in philadelphia, whether it's black lives matter, there is a problem of trust. >> right. but i think it all comes down to having integrity in the justice system and faith that it's working. so ultimately, to me, the cure is transparency. and the more people that are looking at what happens, that are doing the kinds of deep dives that we're seeing on these shows, i think the better it is for the system as a whole. >> very quickly, do you think avery, the main character in this documentary, do you think he'll ever get out? >> fi'm a betting man, i think highly unlikely. but not to say that it isn't a great discussion to have.

>> okay, darren, good to see you. thanks for coming in. >> you're watching cnn news room live from los angeles. i'm john vause. rosemary church after a short break at the cnn center. (singing alougetting to know you. getting to know all about you... getting to like you. getting to hope you like me...

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now faces his first criminal charges. major cities around the world are on high alert this new year's eve over years of possible terror plots. and rivers are overwhelming bridges and roads in missouri, and officials say the historic flooding is far from over. hello and welcome to our viewers all around the world. i'm rosemary church. this is "cnn newsroom." the rumors and accusations

have been around for decades, but bill cosby has always denied that he sexually assaulted any women. now for the first time he's facing criminal charges in a case dating back to 2004. >> reporter: disgraced comedian, bill cosby stumbled walking with a cane and limp as he arrived at his arrangement. he was released on $1 million bail for the alleged 2004 sexual assault of a woman 37 years younger than the comedian. after denials and claims that wall, he is now facing criminal charges for the first time. andrea constand accused cosby of drugging then assaulting her. when she visited the kmecomediat his pennsylvania home.

>> mr. cosby made two sexual advanced at her that were rejected. on the evening in question, mr. cosby urged her to take pills that he provided to her and to drink wine. the effect of this rendered her unable to move or respond to his advances. >> reporter: though she came forward in 2005, the defense attorney at the time did not file charges. that same year, constand sued cosby. the comedian then settled for an undisclosed amount. legal documents in the case were unsealed for the first time this past july and the deposition made public. in it, cosby admits given women quaaludes but never without their permission. >> cosby replies, yes. >> reporter: that deposition and over evidence unsealed in the

civil case paved the way for a new district attorney to investigate allegations. she says cosby told her the pills were herbable. >> what we know is that pills were provided. we then go to the reaction of the victim. frozen, paralyzed, unable to move. a person in that state cannot give consent. >> reporter: constand was the first woman to come forward to accuse cosby. since then some 50 women have alleged similar sexual assault over four decades, most involving the use of drugs. cosby has repeatedly denied any wrong doing and even filed a countersuit against seven women earlier this month. cosby says their accusations hurt his reputation and derailed his plans for a new comedy show.

prosecutors are up against the expiration against the statute of limitations for sexual assault cases in pennsylvania which will close early next year. cosby could get up to 10 years in prison if sconvicted. cnn, new york. and cosby's lead attorney issued a statement saying the charge by the montgomery county district attorney office came as no surprise filed 12 years after the alleged incident and coming on the heels of a hotly contested election for this county's da during this which case was made a focal point. we intend to mount a visions you defense against this unjustified charge and we expect that mr. cosby will be exonerated by a court of law. gloria allred represents women.

she says seeing him face criminal charges is the best christmas president they've received. >> many of them are very, very happy that andrea constand is going to get her day in court in the criminal justice system. for most of them, they will be denied that opportunity to have their day in court because it's too late because of the statute of limitations, and they cannot have their matter prosecuted even if a da felt that there was evidence to prove the case, and it's too late for most of them to also file a civil lawsuit because of that arbitrary timetable. my clients have indicated, many of them, to me, that they are willing to testify if, as, and when their testimony is sought. if that testimony is considered to be relevant or admissible in the criminal case. >> joining me now is criminal

defense attorney page pay to talk more about this. thank you for coming in and speaking with us in. now, we know at this point bill cosby is on 1 million bail. he is free at this point. and his defense attorneys have said they'll mount a vigorous defense on his behalf. given what we know some 50 or so women all sharing pretty much the same story of being drugged and then being raped, how difficult will it be for the defense if those women's stories are allowed in? that's the critical question. >> i think it is the critical question, and i think it will be incredibly difficult for him to defend himself against the charges if the judge allows the jury to hear about all these other women who are making a similar type accusation against him. so the main challenge for the defense is let's keep out those other accusations. and it's possible. under pennsylvania law, they don't automatically come in.

the prosecutor will have to show that those accusations are so similar to this accusation that they help prove intent or some other element of the crime. >> right. so that is going to be the key point here. and we don't know what's going to happen. >> we do not know. >> can we assume if they've gone this far that they do intend to admit the stories in. >> i'm certain the prosecutors wants to admit them. what will probably happen is the defense will file a motion and challenge the admission of the other accusations. the judge will hold a hearing prior to trial and will make the determination of whether or not they come in? >> what about the issue of consent? it's very different when you're looking at the possibility -- you know, the alleged drugging of andrea constand. if she's been drugged, then she can't put out the same sort of resistance. what happens when you're talking about consent in that situation? >> in most sexual assault cases,

consent is usually the ultimate issue, especially in a case like this where mr. cosby when he was originally investigated for this and in the depositions, he admitted to the sexual contact. he admitted to giving her pills. the only issue is whether she went along with it. and in proving a lack of consent, the state will have to show that she was intoxicated, she was out of her mind and drugged, she was put in a position where she could not either verbally or physically resist his advances. if they can prove that, then they can prove a lack of consent. >> quickly, if you had to choose as to whether you would be the defense or the prosecutor in this situation, which do you think would be the easier part? >> it would be the defense, unless those other accusations come in. if the other accusations come in, it's going to be very difficult to defend this case. >> thank you for joining us. >> absolutely. authorities around the world are on high alert over new year's

eve terror concerns. new york will send 6,000 police officers to times square for the big celebration there. security will also be tightened in washington d.c. and in l.a. more cameras and security will be posted up at the rose bowl parade. arrests in other parts of the world, mainly europe, have also prompted officials to take action. nick robertson joins us from brussels in belgium. so, nick, in fact, authorities there in brussels have cancelled new year's eve festivities. why did they make that decision? a different response to events planned across the united states, for instance. >> reporter: sure. what the prime minister here, both the prime minister talked to national television last night to explain why they're making this decision. the prime minister said, look, the terrorists right now are than they've been in the past. the threat at the moment is

changing hour by hour. there's an uncertainty about the level of threat. europe faces a new threat in its history. the mayor said we can't guarantee the safety and security of big gathers of them. that said, you can see this beautiful square in the middle of brussels, tonight we can expect this street to be crowded with people. it's the fireworks that have been cancelled. the cleanup is ready for the tourists and belgians alike to come and enjoy seeing the new year end here. that's underway right now. but what we are seeing here in belgium at the moment is typical of the concern right across europe. in belgium, security is tight. traditional new year's celebration of fireworks kansed. police arrested two men plotted an attack. if not directed by isis, at the

very least, inspired by them. >> we cannot exclude it. we will be obliged to wait the investigation. >> reporter: in rome, security is tighter than ever. police in london issued their own warnings of caution around new year's eve parties. >> we've put together a strong proportionate policing plan to ensure safety and security of people and to reassure those coming to watch the fireworks on thursday night. >> reporter: germany, the same. new year's eve celebrations, amidst unprecedented security. >> more security guards, stricter entry investigations. >> reporter: europe is on heightened alert. the isis instigated paris attack less than two months ago has isis threats of a follow on

taken seriously. >> it's the first time since then that we're confronted with movement who has impact all around the world. you saw terrorist attacks everywhere in the world. in australia, in the u.s., canada, europe, of course, africa, northern africa, asian countries, russia. so i think it's -- >> reporter: this is the place where the two men recently arrested in belgium were planning to attack, the grand plus, where thousands of revelers gather to see the new year end just like time's square in new york. restaurants here quieter than past new year's. bookings are down. same in paris, too. people now familiar with the threat. >> what should i do? there is nothing to do. there is police and military everywhere. i think we're safe here. but anything can happen

anywhere, london, paris, anywhere. somebody can get a bomb and explode someone. >> reporter: here and across europe, 2016 dawns in the chill of a shadow cast by the paris terror attacks. and in turkey as well, terror arrests just yesterday. again, giving an indication of how high this isis threat is. authorities in turkey saying that the two people arrested in ankara, they believe connected to isis. they were arrested with explosives. they believe one of the devices was a suicide vest ready for use. there was a backpack pull of explosives, and authorities in turkey believe there were two locations in the capital, ankara that those two suspected isis members were going to target. and one of them appears to have been a suicide bomber. and this targeting new year's eve. >> yeah. indeed. there's a lot of concern, a lot of tension.

thank you so much to nick robertson joining us live from brussels in belgium. >> the man accused of buying gun for the san bernardino attackers is now facing terrorism charges. enrique marquez met farook in 2004 when they became neighbors. the two planned attacks they never carried out. a federal grand ju-- he is charg into a false marriage with farook's kunz. the attack left 14 people dead. authorities called it the deadliest attack on u.s. soil since september 11th, 2001. the mother of the so-called affluenza teen is on her way back to the u.s. she will be charged with hindering the apprehension of a

juvenile. if she's convicted, she could serve up to ten years in prison. her son, ethan couch, was sentenced only to probation for killing four people while driving under the influence. the defense blamed it on what they called affluenza, saying that the teen was too spoiled to know any better. ethan couch is currently fighting deportation from mexico, and the process could take months. flooding hits the united states causing death and destruction including this, a house floats away and gets crushed by a bridge. we have updates about this dangerous weather straight ahead. plus several deadly and controversial police shootings in chicago are spurring changes. how the city is responding. we'll take a look at that when we come back.

welcome back, everyone. more than 12 million people in the u.s. are under flood warnings right now. missouri is one of the hardest-hit states with historic flooding expected. on wednesday, a house floated

away and crashed into a bridge. no word on any injuries there, but so far 14 people have been killed in this state. and 19 states in all are impacted by this flooding. martin savidge has been covering this story for us and has more now from missouri. >> reporter: in some of the worst flooding in state history, parts of the st. louis region are under water. the shopping area half submerged except for a sandwich shop still visible. hundreds of roads and bridges are closed including more than 20 miles of i-44. this lone vehicle was trapped by the water, a boat crew rescuing the stranded woman inside. rescue crews also coming to the aid of this man stuck on top of a pickup truck. the flood waters spilling out of its door after the it was pulled to safety. emergency crews also had to save this man, and his dog.

in missouri, and illinois, the mississippi, missouri, and mar mac rivers are all experiencing major flooding. in illinois this woman watching as flood waters flow around and then into her home. >> oh, my god. >> reporter: this cabin caught floating away on the mare mack river, and where it hasn't yet flooded residents are evacuating from nearby levies while engineers work to ensure they hold. >> the kids are gone, the pets are gone. trying to get the rest of the stuff that's important to us out. >> reporter: in some places rivers and streams have already crested. but not the mighty mississippi that isn't expected to peak until later tonight or thursday. the flood warnings and watches extend nearly all the way down

to the gulf of mexico. martin savidge, cnn, pacific missouri. >> the dangerous and deadly weather in the u.s. is being blamed on el nino which is causing havoc globally. in britain, an 18th century bridge collapsed wednesday into a racing river. look at that. a powerful storm left thousands in scotland without power as residents there dealt with severe flooding. meanwhile fierce winds blew the roofs off buildings in bolivia wednesday. one family says they were inside when their roof came out. flood waters submerged several buildings in paraguay leaving victims without clean water and medicines. and flooding in central peru forced people to leave their homes. let's turn to our meteorologist who has been looking at how all these events are connected, and

it is just fascinating but disturbing as well when you look at the amount of rain in some parts of the world and how it's all linked. >> that's right. well, it's important to note, too, that each el niño event is not the same. you have to take a look at the differences in each one of them. probably the most recent big el niño event was back in 1997. here's a look at the sea surface temperature maps there compared to recently. and you can see the temperatures were much more extreme, much warmer. however, compared to the current event, it's a much more widespread event now, so it's affecting a lot more things out there. here if we take a look, what we know is the observed change in heavy precipitation put out by the ippc. notice the eastern part of the united states is more proned to having heavy precipitation events during el niño years, and again, a lot of it has to do with climate change. let's take a look at what we've

experienced recently. we'll go to the floor for that and talk about what we've seen recently. here we've put up the earth. we will kind of show you what we've got going on in terms of recent events. here is a look at what we have right now. you can see the typical patterns we have, flood and severe threats seem to be prone toward the south eastern united states. we also get a lot of floods in south america. both of these have happened in the months of december, and also flooding events in the united kingdom, very typical of the patterns we would normally see in el niño years. this is the last couple of weeks. you can see some of the pat the terns coming off the united states and really kicking up with this huge system that produced so much of the rain over parts of the united kingdom. and also produced what we call a bomb which is a huge drop in pressure, typically 24 millibars in 24 hours. this dropped over 50 millibars over iceland. very impressive.

but also notice the temperatures. this is very key. we have this warm swath of air coming back around into the north pole. the north pole was actually above freezing for today which is absolutely incredible when you think about the temperatures that are there. so here let's take a look at one more thing. let's take this out real quick. this is a look at the north pole. they were at 33 degrees today. incredible. compared to chicago which was 29 degrees. denver topd out at 26, and warsaw topped out at about 32 degrees. again, it's incredible, but it's all due to the same pattern. it brought a lot of the moisture to the united kingdom and the united states. it has impacts globally, even as far north as the north pole. >> you just have to wonder what lies ahead in 2016 weather wise. allison, many thanks to you. appreciate it. the chicago police department is getting an

overhaul in the wake of several deadly and controversial shootings. the latest was over the weekend. police killed a teenager and his 55-year-old neighbor after being called to the young man's home. the interim police commissioner says the department will emphasize deescalation de techniques and more officers will have tasers. the city's mayor says this is a big step forward. >> there's a difference between whether someone can use a gun and when they should use a gun. and we as a city must train for that difference. we'll improve communications between officers and individuals to make the encounters less confrontational and more conversational. and we'll double the number of tasers to 1400 while also providing officers the training to use them properly. ultimately, what we are doing is injecting some humanity into the work of our police department and the police officers. that is what these new policies

will help us do. >> right now only about 20% of chicago's police officers have access to tasers. bill cosby now facing criminal charges for sexual assault. just ahead, we will hear from more than a dozen women who say it happened to them as well. plus security is stepped up in some big u.s. cities for new year's eve. what about smaller towns? we'll hear from a security analyst.

our viewers here in the united

states and all around the world. i'm rosemary church. it is time to update you on the main stories we have been following this hour. attorneys for bill cosby say they will mount a vigorous defense. the comedian was arranged in pennsylvania on wednesday. andrea constand says he drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2004. cosby is free on $1 million bail. epic flooding in missouri has killed at least 14 people. the state will have major and historic river flooding. more than 12 million people are under flood warnings in several states. the more of the so-called affluenza teen is on her way to the united states after leaving mexico. she will be charged with hindering the apprehension of a juvenile. ethan couch was sentenced to probation for killing four people while driving under the

influence. he's fighting deportation from mexico. the security is boosted in high profile locations across the united states over terror concerns on new year's eve. new york police will deploy 6,000 officers to times square for the big celebration. security is also heightened in los angeles and washington d.c. senior u.s. officials say they caught wind of a threat but that it's uncorroborated. earlier i spoke with our security analyst. >> none of those events is going to be perfectly safe. you just have too many people congregating in too many different areas. but we should have anticipated after paris and certainly after san bernardino here in the united states that first that the 31st celebrations would have been targeted or at least there might have been noise or chatter about them, so this increased police presence and initiatives are nothing.

>> so certainly good for the big cities, but what about the cities and towns outside the high risk area? how vulnerable are they given there's less security at the events and so many more thousands, police are being sent to new york, for instance? >> that's right. that's the challenge when you try to fortify certain soft targets, then other targets become softer because you're taking away from the police or other aspects of keeping places secure and moving them toward a big event like the 31st. for someone who's been in security for some time, it's the satellite events that make me a little bit more nervous, the cities that we haven't heard of, the san bernardinos and other cities that are big places but may not have the global feel of a new york or los angeles. >> all right. talking to julia. next hour we'll have more of

that interview. more on the sexual assault case against bill cosby. the 78-year-old comedian is charged with a second degree felony. the charges stem from allegations made by a former employee of temple university in philadelphia who says cosby drugged and fondled here at his home in 2004. while dozens of women have claimed abuse, these are the first criminal charges filed against cosby. >> when you look at the case, there is a number of aspects that are undisputed. there's not a question in terms of pills being provided to her. there's not a question as to the occurrence of what went on of the digital penetration, and we've gotten that from statements, from depositions. >> and many of cosby's accusers say he drugged them before

assaulting them. a number of them told cnn about their experiences, and we should warn you this report contains graphic descriptions of what they say cosby did to them. >> he was america's dad. everybody loved him. i loved him. i wanted him to be my dad. >> he asked me back a few times. he asked me to visit him on the set. i was not the only girl that he was doing this with. >> he wanted know come down for an audition for the show. >> the star of the show called me at my apartment and asked me to audition for him, himself. >> i'm going to offer you a part on the cosby show. >> he had been mentoring me and grooming me. >> i saw bill as a father figure. >> what a cool thing that he wants to help young talent. >> this is a dream come true. >> he said, well, come up to my bungalow after i'm finished shooting and we'll work on it. >> before we go out to dinner, would you like a cocktail.

>> he asked me to have a drink to relax myself. >> i had one glass of wine. >> he made me a drink. >> he had the drink read for me. >> e said i have something for that, and he gave me a pill. it was red wine. it was a pill. >> he opened up a briefcase that was on his front seat, and it was filled with different assorted pills. >> this men's shaving kit opened up with lots of pills. >> why don't you take a couple of these to help you relax? >> i took one sip and i felt something very strange going on in my head. >> i began to feel very, very j very drugged. >> he drugged me and my roommate. >> i knew i had been drugged. it was very powerful. it came on very quickly. >> and very shortly after that, i just -- i passed out. >> there was a glass of wine and then i don't remember. >> the last thing i remember, i had blacked out. and cosby mounting me.

>> she passed out, and i pulled him off of her. >> the room started to spin. my speech was slurred. >> and before i knew it, it was with my head over the toilet throwing up. i was in a white t shirt, in my panties, and he was looming over me in a white robe. >> he made me kneel down. i'm not going to repeat what happened next. >> and when i came to, i was laying in his bed. >> the next thing i remember was i was sort of awake in a bed with no clothes, and there was mr. cosby on the bottom of the bed. >> i woke up or came to very groggy with him removing my underwear. >> i do remember waking up in his bedroom, and he's naked. he was forcing himself in my mouth. >> the next thing i know, it was 4:00 in the morning. i woke up in a bed, naked,

bruised. >> there was a lot of pain in -- downstairs. there was semen all over me, and my pa jama bot ms were off. >> i woke up confused and knew my body had been touched without my permission. >> i knew i was raped. >> i was embarrassed and at that point, fight or flight. i packed up and got out of there. >> he was bill cosby. who would believe me? >> but who's going to believe me? bill cosby, the all-american dad, the all-american husband, mr. jell-o that everybody loves. >> bill, you are jell-o pudding pops and my childhood. he barked back, don't say that. they all say that. >> i was looked at directly in the eye by bill cosby and said i had better never, ever see your face or hear your name again. and i listened.

and cosby is suing eight of his accusers for defamation, including super model, beverly johnson. he says their false allegations have ruined his reputation. let's take a short break. when we come back, north korea pays its respects to a top aid in a state funeral, but there are questions about the circumstances of his death. we'll have a live report. sure, tv has evolved over the years.

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laid to rest in a state funeral. state media reported he died in a car accident, but some experts are questioning that. we are joined now from the south korean capital, seoul. how rare is it to see a state funeral like this in north korea, and what do we know about how it all played out? >> reporter: we've only been aware of a hand full of others that have happened in north korea since kim jong-un came to hour. these pictures being released gives us a fairly rare glimpse of a pomp and circumstance that attended this funeral, and what you see in these pictures are kim jung un, the leader bowing. at one point he's leading over the coffin, taking a close look at the man described at his closest comrade. there's also have release that went out from the state news

agency as if the pictures did not speak enough for themselves. the state news agency takes great pains to describe the funeral, and they particularly hit on the bitter grief and sorrow that kim jong-un is experiencing. they say that he placed his hands on the cold body of his comrade. they also heap more praise on the aide. he was also called a loyal warrior of kim jong-un's predecessors. he was killed in a car crash the north koreans say, but they haven't given more details, and that's caused skeptics to question the circumstances of his death. they point to the fact that there are really a number of other high level officials who seem to have also died in car

crashes, including his predecessor. >> a lot of speculation. what are the experts able to learn from just looking at some of the pictures and reading through that description as well as the planning committee list? does it tell them more than what we see just at a quick glance? >> reporter: well, it doesn't tell them more about the circumstances surrounding his death. it just tells them that the message from north korea is to say publicly, at least, that this is somebody who was loyal to the regime. this is somebody who is being respected and given these last very high rights. but people who watch north korea closely know there are other sort of clues revealed by the state funerals, and that mainly comes from the planning committee list. people will take a look at that list, what high level officials are named on that list, because over the last few years, since

kim jong-un time to power, you've had south korean government officials saying that at least 70 high level officials have been executed since he came to power. this list could reveal who is still in the favor of the regime, who is still holding onto those titles and in the inner circle and maybe more telling, whose name is missing. >> and is this sort of an overarching, trying to prove with the description, with the photographs, that -- an effort to dispel the rurumors, if you like? >> reporter: it certainly would look that way. the descriptions from the news agency are elaborate in terms of expressing the grief. that would seem to try to quiet any skeptics who might be raising red flags in the case of his death.

this is somebody who was a very public figure. he was in charge of north korea's policy toward south korea, so he is being given last traditional rights, and the last word is that this was somebody who was loyal and respected. >> all right. joining us live from seoul in south korea. in new york, the crystal ball in times square has been tested and it's ready to go. we will take you behind the new year's eve tradition and tell you how it all started. we're back in a moment.

welcome back, everyone. new york's ball drop has become a widely recognized symbol for bringing in the new year. on wednesday organizers tested the crystal ball in time's square. it's now ready to say good-bye to 2015. >> reporter: midnight here in times square is incredible. we have 1 million people here that are going to count down the final seconds as the ball drops. and they'll be joined by over 1 billion people around the world as we count down the final ten

seconds. there's no other moment like it. >> our richard quest gives us an inside look at the tradition in a will be turning 108 years old. >> reporter: a few floors below the times square ball, it's an unassuming room, but there is where the power resides. and this is the mechanism that starts the whole thing off. some great and good dignitary puts their hands on the ball and it all begins. new york's new year's eve ball drop has been a celebrated tradition since 1907. the ball has been through many it rations, and it's still considered the universal symbol of the new year across the

world. >> it looks great. >> jess strous is preparing for the biggest party of the world. >> the times square ball. >> reporter: he has the towering task of entertaining the masses on new year's eve, and that includes producing this sphere. this is it. in terms of new york traditions in the holiday season, they really don't come much bigger than this particular one. tell me about it. >> it all began as a hmerri tim tradition. they combine that with a new technology, the electric lightbulb to drop in times square that's attracted hundreds of thousands of people from the beginning. >> reporter: tell me about the ball. >> it's 12 feet in diameter. it weighs over 6 tons. it has over a ton of waterford

crystal triangles. >> reporter: has it ever not worked. >> my first year the ball was three seconds late. >> reporter: now? >> now we're tied to gps. we've been on time every year since. >> reporter: if the person pushing the button doesn't push it or is late pushing it, does this thing start anyway? does it automatically -- this thing is going to start one minute -- >> we learned our lesson. it's tied right in. 60 seconds it starts going. we have nearly 1 million people here joined by over 1 billion people who are watching this ball and counting down together. there's nothing else like it when you have that many people counting down the final seconds of the new year. it's truly magical. >> very educational thanks to richard quest. president obama is neither a comedian for a car fanatic, but

he tried his hand at both drawing a guest appearance on "comedians in cars getting coffee". watch as they zip around in a 1963 corvette while cracking a few jokes. >> we're just going to go around for a quick coffee. >> that's not possible. >> i do this little show, comedians in cars getting coffee. >> you're going nowhere with the president. back it up. >> yes, sir. >> let's do this. >> yeah, baby. watch out, people. >> i like the hand hanging over the wheel. >> i mean, if you're driving, you have to do it that way. you can't be doing the 12 and 2:00 thing. that's not cool. come on, man. >> i'll bet if you talk to the guys, they'll let us out. just say i'm the president. i'm getting coffee. >> daryl, can you open this up? >> i'm sorry, i can't allow

that. >> that's unbelievable. golly. i knew that wouldn't work. >> you didn't sell it. i love it. i'm rosemary church. remember to stay in touch on twitter any time at rose marycnn, and i'll be back with more news from around the world. it's hard to find time to keep up on my shows.

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across europe, turkey, and the united states step up security ahead of new year's celebrations. criminal defender, after decades of accusations, bill cosby is charged with sexual assault, and his attorneys promise a vigorous defense. and we'll less than 24 hours from the ball drop in new york's times square. >> welcome to our viewers. thanks for being with us. our second hour of "cnn newsroom" begins right now. and we start with worldwide

concerns over possible terror attacks amid new year's eve celebrations. authorities say they have thwarted a few plots, made arrests, and boosted security. in belgium, new year's events are cancelled in brussels. this comes after police arrested two people they say were plotting an attack in the capital. turkish police arrested two people plotting to bomb the capital, ankara. the pair had explosive vests and bomb making materials. and in the u.s., people in times square will see a heavy police presence during new year's celebrations. nick robertson joins us live from brussels. the authorities have belgium took this, and they wouldn't have taken this lightly, this decision to cancel some of the main events, the fireworks, and

this would be presumably, i don't know if it's the first time they've responded like this. but what's been the reaction there across belgium to this fairly extreme measure? >> reporter: you know, i think there's a sense of disappointment. there are a lot of tourists that come here, and it's a traditional thing to come out new year's eve and enjoy the fireworks. the prime minister and the mayor took to national television to explain why the prime minister said terrorists are more professional, and the security situation is more unknown. it changes hour by hour. he went onto put it in starker terms. he says europe faces a new stage in its history, more needs to be done by the european nations to tackle the threat of isis. the mayor here who has the responsibility for making this decision about the fireworks on advice of counterterrorism

professionals here said his main priority is to make sure people are safe and secure. with so many people coming out, he didn't feel he could make that decision. this square here, with its christmas tree, the beautiful buildings around here. this will be a face of celebration tonight. there will be a lot of people coming here. we've seen the police and security presence here high, but what we're witnessing here in belgium at the moment is typical of what is being experienced across european capitals in other cities. in belgium, security is tight. traditional celebrationings of fireworks in the capital cancelled. police arrested two men plotting an attack if not directed by isis, then at the very least, inspired by them. >> we cannot exclude it. we will be obliged to wait the

evolution of the investigation, but we cannot exclude it. >> in rome, security is tighter than ever. police in london issued their own warnings of caution around new year's eve parties. >> we've put together a strong policing plan to ensure safety and security of people and to reassure those coming to watch the spect cal of the fireworks on thursday night. >> reporter: germany, the same. new year's eve celebrations amidst unprecedented security. >> translator: after recent events we have adapted more security guards, stricter entry inspections, more fences, already adapted, yes. >> reporter: europe is on heightened alert. and no surprise, the isis instigated paris attack less than two months ago has isis threats of a follow on taken seriously. >> it's the first time since then that we're confronted with

movement who has impact all around the world. you saw terrorist attacks everywhere in the world. in australia, in the u.s., canada, europe, of course, northern africa, arabic countries, asian countries, russia. so i think it's -- >> reporter: this is the place where the two men recently arrested in belgium were planning to attack, the grand plus where thousands of revelers gather to see the new year end just like times square in new york. restaurants here, quieter than past new years. bookings are down. same in paris, too. people now familiar with the threat. >> what should i do? there is nothing to do. there is police and military everywhere. i think we are safe here, but everything can happen anywhere in london, paris, everywhere. somebody can get a bomb and then explode somewhere.

so -- >> reporter: here and across europe, 2016 dawns in the chill of a shadow cast by the paris terror attacks. and that shadow is something that the prime minister really is talking about here when he says that europe is in a new stage of its history. i think it will be witnessed in europe tonight, particularly in capitals. you will find there will be people who will be staying at home that would have authorize been planning to go out. not just because fireworks were cancelled, but because they feel a little more uneasy about exposing themselves to a threat that they now see because of what we've seen in 2015. they now see it as more real than that might have imagined it before. >> given it was right on their doorstep, it's unable. nick joining us from brussels. many thanks to you. let's turn to another big story we're following.

at least 50 women have told similar stories that bill cosby, one of the most admired entertainers in the world sexually assaulted them. the comedian has always denied the allegations, but now for the first time, cosby is facing felony charges. we have the details. >> reporter: bill cosby surrounded by media, looking frail in a gray sweater, carrying a cane, arm in arm with his attorneys. he stumbled on his way in to a pennsylvania courthouse. inside, standing room only. cosby was guided to the defense table. after his arrangement, the 78-year-old had his mug shot taken. bail, set at $1 million. >> these charges stem from a sexual assault that took place on an evening in early 2004 at mr. cosby's home. >> reporter: he's charged with assaulting andrea constand. she considered cosby, 37 years

her senior, to be a mentor over the months after he they met, he invited her to public i vents and private dinners. >> he made two sexual advances that were rejected. on the evening in question, mr. cosby urged her to take pills that he provided to her. and to drink wine. >> reporter: according to the criminal complaint, the pills and wine left constand dizy, nauseous, frozen, and paralyzed. despite her impaired physical and mental condition, the victim was aware that cosby was fondling her breasts, and penetrated her. waking up hours later with her clothes dishevelled, constand says cosby dressed in a robe, handed her a muffin, walked her to the door and said, all right. constand went to the police about a year later and again, according to the criminal

complaint, cosby admitted to investigators much of what constand had described, except saying the victim never told him to stop, never pushed him away, never told him her vision was blurred and never said she felt paralyzed. when directly asked if he ever had sexual intercourse with the victim, cosby gave the unusual answer, never asleep or awake. no charges were filed back then. the district attorney citing the lack of evidence due to the yearlong delay, but constand quickly filed a civil suit which resulted in a confidential settlement agreement with cosby. constand the first of some 50 women to have come forward, cosby own his attorneys repeatedly denied the allegations against him, today issuing a strong statement in his defense. make no mistake, we intend to mount a vigorous defense against this unjustified charge and we expect that mr. cosby will be

exonerated by a court of law. cnn, elkins park, pennsylvania. and heidi thomas claims cosby drugged and assaulted her in 1984. she said she's thrilled cosby is finally facing criminal charges and hopes he goes to prison. >> he has managed to pull off a crime that was unable to be proven because he understood what a date rape drug -- that wasn't a term back when all of us were dealing with this. he's created a crime where the victim can't even tell you what happened because we can't remember. so that's going to be very hard. i think -- i'm hoping that there will be somebody out there among the hundreds and hundreds of people that it took to keep this covered up over 50 years' worth of his doing these crimes, it's

going to take somebody who was either cleaning up the messes or driving women who were completely incompetent. we can't walk. we can't -- i mean, people knew. there have been people all along who helped him with these crimes and covered them up for him. >> heidi thomas there. an attorney, gloria allred represents 29 people who claim they were assaulted by cosby. she says seeing him face criminal charges is the best christmas present they've received. >> i am a very, very happy that andrea constand is going to get her day in court. for thoes of them, they are going to be denied that opportunity to have their day in court because the it's too late because of the statute of limitations, and they cannot have their matter prosecuted even if a da felt there was

evidence to prove the case. and it's too late for most of them to file a civil lawsuit because of this arbitrary time period set by law called the statute of limitations. my clients have indicated to me that they're willing to testified if, as, and when their testimony is sought. if that testimony is considered to be relevant or admissible in the criminal case. >> joining me now is criminal defense attorney, paige pate to talk more about this. thank you so much for coming in and speaking with us. now, we know at this point bill cosby is on $1 million bail. so he is free at this point. and his defense attorneys have said they will mount a vigorous defense on his behalf. given what we know, some 50 or 10 wom so women pretty much sharing the same story about being drugged

and raped, how difficult will it be for the defense if those women's stories are allowed in? that's the critical question, isn't it? >> i think it is the critical question, and i think it will be incredibly difficult for him to defend himself against the charges if the judge allows the jury to hear about all the other women making similar accusations against him. the main challenge for the defense is let's keep out the other accusations, and it's possible. under pennsylvania law, they don't automatically come in. the prosecutor will have to show that those accusations are so similar to this accusation that they help prove intent or some other element of the crime. >> right. so that is going to be the key point here. and we don't know what's going to happen. >> we do not know. >> can we assume if they've gone this far, that presumably they do intend to admit the other stories? >> i'm certain the prosecutor wants to admit them. what will probably happen is the defense will file a motion and challenge the admission of those other accusations.

the judge will hold a hearing prior to trial and will make the determination of whether or not they come in. >> what about the issue of consent? because it's very different when you're looking at the possibility -- or the alleged drugging of andrea constand. if he's been drugged, then she can't put out the same sort of resistance. what happens when you're talking about consent in that situation? >> in most sexual assault cases, consent is usually the ultimate issue. especially in a case like this where mr. cosby back at the time he was initially investigated for this accusation and in these depositions, he will be admitted to the sexual contact. he admitted to giving her pills. the only issue is whether she went along with it. in proving a lock of con sent, the state love to show she was out of her mind or drugged or put in a position where she could not either verbally or physically resist his advances. if they can prove that, then

they can prove a lack of consent. >> quickly, if you had to choose as to whether you would be the defense or the prosecutor in this situation, which do you think would be the easier path. >> it would be the defense unless the other accusations come in. if the other accusations come in, it will be difficult to defend this case. >> thank you for joining us. another big story, the mother of the so-called affluenza teen is on her way to los angeles after allegedly helping her son flee to mexico. she will be charged with hindering the apprehension of a juvenile. if she's convicted, she could serve up to ten years in prison. her son, ethan couch, was sentenced only to probation for killing four people while driving under the influence. the defense blamed affluenza saying the teen was too spoiled to know any better. ethan couch who is currently

fighting deportation from mexico, and the process could take months. history flooding in the united states causes deaths and catastrophic damage. the details and what's happening and when it might stop, coming up next. and chicago's police department is getting a major overhaul amid criticism that officers shoot first and ask questions later. the details coming up next.

in the u.s. midwest, there is a frantic fight against history flooding. at least 14 people in missouri have been killed and a number of homes have been destroyed like this one which floated away and crashed into a bridge. in some parts of the state, levies are threatening to fail while some neighborhoods in and around st. louis are submerged. and rescuers are staying busy. crews were able to save a man and his dog from their flooded home. cnn's martin savidge is in the load zone with more. >> reporter: this is one community inundated with water or facing the threat of water. and if you take a look in the background, you can see how pitch black it is.

there is no electricity, no lighting back there. that is the flood zone. and, again, this is a disaster that -- they're running out of adjectives. history is the word they use over and over as they try to compare it to the great flood of 1993. some say 1982. some go back to 1919. many residents in this town say they've never seen water levels like this, not in their lifetime, growing up. and it has triggered catastrophic events. the water rescues are ongoing in many parts of this state. you have three major rivers that are all facing the potential for records. and breaking the records not by maybe an inch or two. in some cases by feet. and then, of course, there's going to be the cost and the cleanup. the governor surveying from the air, and it is just staggering to see all of this water. >> martin savidge there, and the

same time in the united kingdom, thousands are still without power in the midst of flooding from the storm being called frank. in scotland, 12 people were rescued from a bus wednesday after it became stranded in the water. meanwhile, labor leaders expressed frustration that the latest water pumps haven't been deployed. the environmental agency said they sent one out last month. pope francis asked for solidarity for those in paraguay, and the u.s. alison has been looking at how all these events are connected, and el niño is right at the center of it, isn't it? >> it is. it's certainly a pattern we're keeping a close eye on. this year is expected to be a very strong el niño year. the most recent for comparisons

are 1997. here's a look at sea surface temperatures from 1997. you can see the temperatures were warmer back then, but this year's event is certainly much more widespread. one thing we also kind of keep an eye on is how it impacts with climate change, the comparison between the two. typically when we have -- now that we're noticing the global temperatures are warming, we normally get much more in terms of heavy precipitation events in the eastern half of the united states, and that's exactly where we've seen the most recent flooding event take place. in terms of a global scale, let's take a different look at it. we have a couple of different patterns we typically look at when we're talking about el niño and when we're talking about climate change. notice the big event in the south eastern united states. we had the flooding. we also had the big tornado events we've seen recently. in south america, the pattern typically shifts from west to east, and it often brings a lot of storms that could bring potentially huge flooding events

like we've seen in the last couple of weeks. also the similar pattern across north america comes across the atlantic and can cause huge flooding events for parts of united kingdom. you can see e the event behind me. we've noticed the pattern comes off of north america and goes up toward the united kingdom. that's what recently happened. the difference is the storm was able to really intensify, and what we noticed recently is it's taking a warmer temperatures with it. see the influx of the greens and blues? it's going all the way up toward the north pole, and area this time of year we don't normally see that warmth be able to go up through. it's from the same system that brought such heavy rain to parts of the united kingdom. but one thing it also did is brought very warm temperatures to the north pole. take a look. 33 degrees was the high temperature in fahrenheit at the north pole. that means cities like chicago, denver and warsaw poland were

colder than the north pole because of the same system. they brought severe weather to the united states and then the epic flooding they experienced in the united kingdom. again, the question will be how many more of these types of events continue? we'll have to keep a close eye on that. >> it is the big question. allison, many thanks to you. the chicago police is getting an overhaul in the wake of deadly shootings. the mayor made the announcement on wednesday. critics have slammed the department saying it has a shoot first, ask questions later mentality. starting in june the number of tasers, nonlethal weapons available to officers will double to 1400. officers will also be trained in mitigation techniques and change how they approach an incident. the department will emphasize deescalation deck neetechniques force as a last resort. >> there's a difference between

whether someone can use a gun and when they should use a gun. and we as a city must train for that difference. obviously we as a city have a lot of work to do. and changing the policing culture will not and cannot be done just overnight. these policies are not the end of the challenge. they are the beginning of a solution that chicago has faced for decades. >> right now only about 20% of chicago's police officers have access to tasers. let's take a short break. the still to come, a top north korean official is remembered at a state funeral. experts are questioning the version of his death. plus what a few major cities are doing to keep people safe. and love him or hate him, he can move merchandise. why russians are shelling out their rubles for a piece of putin. our viewers.

let's get you caught up on the main stories we've been following. with less than three hours to go before the first country starts celebrating the new year, terror concerns are leading to increased security for celebrations around the world. the festivities are cancelled in belgium, brussels after an alleg alleged plot was foiled. security is also heightened in austria and bangladesh.

bill cosby is free on $1 million bail. and his attorneys say they'll mount a vigorous defense against felony charges of aggravated indecent assault. andrea constand says he sexually assaulted her in 200 4. cosby has denied similar claims from at least 50 other women. an air canada flight had to be diverted. 21 passengers were pohospitaliz. a spokesman said none of the injuries is light threatening. authorities in new york, los angeles, and washington are sending out extra officers ahead of new year's eve celebrations. u.s. senior security officials say they got word of a possible terror threat. they say it's uncorroborated but authorities want to be prepared. our u.s. justice correspondent spoke earlier with jim sciutto

from new york. >> officials are taking no chances. here in times square we have already 24 hours away from when over 1 million people are going to be gathering. the focus is going to be the ball drop, and we're going to make sure that people want to make sure that everybody here comes here and celebrates safely. they're going to have 6,000 new york city officers here on hand. the fbi has boosted the number of officers in its command centers both here in washington and in los angeles. there's a lot of concern in los angeles about the rose bowl parade and the football game there that draws a lot of people from around the country. the threat that the president got briefed on before he left for his vacation was not very specific. it generally described a threat to the three cities. the it was uncorroborated. it is because of the year we've had with the number of isis arrests around the country that they can't take any chances.

>> joining me now is our cnn national security analyst. thank you for being with us. so u.s. officials warn of a possible terrorist threats. and security is being ramped up ahead of major new year's eve celebrations in those cities and elsewhere. given that, how safe will it likely be celebrating and seeing in the new year in the united states? >> these are going to be safe events given that they are massive celebrations. none of those events is going to be perfectly safe. you just have too many people congregating in too many different areas. we should have anticipated after paris and certainly after san bernardino here in the united states that the -- that the 31st celebrations would have been targeted or there would be noise or chatter about them, so this

increased police initiatives are nothing -- >> certainly good for the big cities but what about the cities and towns outside the high risk areas? how vulnerable are they given there will be less security at those events and so many more thousands police being sent to new york, for instance? >> that's exactly right. this is the challenge. when you try to fortify certain soft targets, then other targets become softer because you're taking away from the police or other aspects of keeping places secure and moving them toward big events like the 31st. for someone who's been in security for a long time, it's the satellite events that make me a little more nervous. the san bernardinos, and other cities that are big places but may not have the global feel of a new york or a los angeles. >> and what can people do, then, to try to make sure that they're

smart and stay safe while they are out celebrating? you don't want people to be paralyzed by fear and missing out, but we do have to be smart about it. >> we do, and this is the most important aspect of this new phase of terrorism that's making people so nervous. it's simply there are a lot of things that we can do to help public safety officials. particular, we often hear the see something safe something. it's not a motto. it's a way for people to think about being aware of their surroundings and to notify public officials if they do have concerns. a lot of these terrorist attacks are often stopped as we've seen in the past by individuals who have sort of taken notice. but i do agree with you that we have to accept that we're never going to be able to get the risk down to zero and it never really has been down to zero, and so people ought to sort of, you know, educate themselves, prepare themselves but also enjoy themselves, otherwise, you

know, it's not only december 3rd 1st -- otherwise we'll be paralyzed for life. >> good points, and just quickly and finally, authorities in bruzles, belgium, they have cancelled all new year's festivities due to the heightened terror alert. there have been arrests linked to terror alerts. is that smart? >> it's hard to second guess a city to decides to cancel the events, but in the absence of anything particular, brussels has to understand that these sort of closures do have an impact on how people feel about their own sense of security and also tends to elevate what the threat is. right now brussels' tolerance level for risk seems to be low. they shut down the city for some times.

brussels is going to have to figure out a way in which it can get back to normal, otherwise, it in some ways amplifies the threat they're under. >> and the terrorists win in those instances. always a pleasure to talk with do you. thank you so much. >> thank you and happy new year. north koreans are honoring a top official as he's laid to rest in a state funeral. state media reported kim i don't think g-- yang-gon died. but experts are raising questions about the circumstances of his death. his predecessor died the same way. we're joined from south korea on more. let's talk about this state funeral and how much we can learn from the pictures, the official description, and the list of those in attendance, and whether any of this helps dispel all the speculation about how this top official died.

>>. >> reporter: rosemary, it probably won't dispel any speculation for those who are skeptical. those are somewhat rare pictures of a state funeral. those aren't common occurrences, but they coincide with the message that state news put out about the death of kim yang-gon. you see the leader in these photos. in one picture he's bowing toward the casket. in another picture, he's leaning over his comrade, his face grief stricken as state news agency points out several times. but you see they have the pomp and circumstance attending this funeral as would befit a state funeral. however, this doesn't quiet some of the skeptics. there have been people asking a lot of e questions about how exactly kim yang-gon died. they're saying it's a car

accident, but he's certainly not the highly placed north korean official to die in such a way. his predecessor died the same way. people who watch north korea closely are pointing to the fact that earlier this year we heard south korean officials say that have evidence that at least 70 high government officials in north korea have died by execution since kim jong-un took power. these are claims that cnn cannot independently confirm, but interesting to see the pictures coming out of this funeral. interesting to see the message from state news that this is somebody who was respected by the regime, somebody who had been royal to kim jong-un, and he see him jong-un appearing grief stricken over the loss of his close comrade. >> all right. reporting live from seoul in south korea. the top u.s. commander in

afghanistan reportedly says he wants to keep as many american troops there as possible. and we will tell you why he's not ruling out asking for more troops. and later, a football super star marks a milestone with barcelona. the treatments discovered at st. jude help save kids with cancer in like where?verywhere. like here and here. in those spots. donate now at st. jude dot org or shop wherever you see the st. jude logo.

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declaring victory over isis in the iraqi city of ramadi, air strike si air force planes struck isis targets north of the capit capital, baghdads. it comes as they were warned it's too soon to return. months of fighting have left the city devastated. they say there's extensive damage to public buildings and homes. let's turn to afghanistan where the top u.s. commander says he wants to keep as many american troops there as he can. now, this comes as u.s. and

afghan forces are facing a surge of violence and attacks from the ta taliban. john campbell tells the usa today newspaper that he may even seek to deploy more troops to afghanistan if needed. right now, the u.s. has 9800 troops in afghanistan. by 2017, president obama plans to get ifthe number down to 550. joining me now is mark hurtling. thank you for being with us. i want to ask you how bad must the situation be in afghanistan when the top u.s. commander publicly called for as many troops as possible to stay and even says he may ask for additional troops in effect, going against president obama's goal of drawing down significantly by the time he leaves office? >> general campbell is a very good commander, and he is constantly doing analysis of the situation, and i think what he's

actually said, and i think it's a great way to put it is he has a physics problem. the number of thaeattacks have up by the taliban. the training of the afghan security forces has been deck ra meanted. they have not had to chance to take a break and they've been fighting throughout the country trying to tamp down the increase in attacks, and yet he still has this requirement to draw down from about 9800 soldiers where he is now to about 5500 in -- at the end of 2016, 2017. he can't do all the missions and still draw down. he's saying i have a physics problem. i'm going to take it back to the president and say i need to keep troops longer, and he said he may ask for more troops. >> does that, then, mean that the obama administration strategy has been wrong. >> i don't think you can say

that. for soldiers on the battle field, you have to continually analyze the situation and adjust the mission requirements based on the facts on the ground. many of us have said in the past you don't do strategy by numbers. you do strategy by what the enemy is doing and what you're capable of doing, and i think just putting a figure on the size of the force is a planning factor, but when plans go awry, you have to readjust your planning and take another look at what you're doing. >> we have repeatedly seen u.s.-trained forces in afghanistan overwhelmed by small numbers of insurgents. what does that say about the afghan government forces? >> yeah. well, a couple of things. first of all, the afghan security forces have been fighting hard, especially during the second half of this year, 2015. they have seen a significant increase in attack from the

taliban. the taliban seem to be a little bit more disciplined. they have been honing their skills, and more of them have been coming out of pakistan because pakistan is increasing their counterterrorism efforts. so you're seeing an increase in attacks. the number of afghan security forces killed this year is about 7,000. wounded in action, about 12,000. that's a 25% increase from last year. so they are taking it hard based on these increased number of attacks. because of that, they're not getting rotation or the ability to train further in their mission. so all of that contributes to the fact that you would immediately think, hey, the afghan security forces are not that good, but truthfully it's a combination of challenges with leadership to be sure, an increase in attacks, and the inability of the government helps the forces throughout the country. there are certainly some areas and provinces in afghanistan

that are not seeing an increase in security forces because of all these other problems. >> all right. general, always a pleasure to speak with you. >> thank you, rosemary. >> we do have this report just in to cnn. the bp oil company says it is trying to determine if a drifting barge poses a threat to one of its oil installations in the north sea. a company spokesman says production at the valhall field will be shut down and a partial evacuation has been ordered. the barge broke an anchor during a storm and if it continues moving toward the oil field, the company could evacuate all its personnel. about 235 people work in that oil field. we'll keep a close eye on that story and bring you the details as they come into us. let's turn to new york and the crystal ball in times square is ready to welcome the new year. we'll tell you about the origins

of this tradition now more than a century old.

football super star is celebrating a milestone.

the four-time world player of the world has notched up his 500th appearance for barcelona. he joined the team in 2004. messi scored his 425th goal for the club. also the most goals in a calendar year at 180. new york's ball drop is a widely recognized symbol for bringing in the new year. the tradition originated from lowering a ball at known. that was done so navigators could adjust to local time. on wednesday, organizers tested the crystal ball in times square. it's now ready to say good-bye to 2015. >> reporter: we have million people who are going to count down the final seconds of the year and they'll be joined by

over 180 million americans and over one million people around the world as we count down the final seconds. there's no other moment like it where the world truly comes together as one. >> the ball drop has been a celebrated tradition in new york since 1907. with the new year just hours away, many russians have decided they want to spend the entire year with their president. january, february, june, july, november, december, you get the picture? the calendar, matthew chance has that. ♪ >> translator: for fans of vladimir putin, there's no shortage of stuff with the russian president's image all over it. these putin t shirts have been around for a while, but they're still popular new year's gifts. this is the most popular one t shirt? >> nice. >> reporter: no. okay.

how well do these t shirts sell? >> translator: they sell really well. many tourists buy them. but our compatriots buy them as well. they love putin. >> reporter: despite a deep economic crisis and international isolation over the wars in ukraine and syria, putin's ratings are doing well too. so what about spending the entire year with president putin? that's what this 2016 putin calendar is promising. with every month revealing a carefully chosen image of the russian leader. this one has him in siberia with a horse in the forest. here he's smelling a flower, and this third one over here he's working out in the gym. but photographs aren't all you get with this calendar. you get putin's words of wisdom, too. some are hard lined like this one for the month of october.

no one will succeed in gaining military interiority over russia, putin says. others hint at a softer side. dogs and i have very warm feelings for one another, says the russian leader for november. one group of putin supporters has put together an entire book of putin's best known remarks and one liners, publishing a limited edition set to go on sale next year. the book is called words changing the world. and it's publishers say it makes the perfect holiday gift for patriotic russians. >> matthew chance for that report. thanks for your company. i'm rosemary church. you can get my on twitter. from all of us at "cnn newsroom," we hope you have a safe and happy new year. and i'll see you next year in 2016. take care.

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bill cosby not going down without a fight. his lawyers promising a vigorous defense. what are his alleged victims are saying this morning. we have the latest. the historic flooding only getting worse in missouri. roads and homes washed away by the power of rushing waters with nowhere to go but up. we will tell you where the danger is next. and security in force as the word is ushering in 2016. police working in major cities to keep celebrations safe, but the terror threat is forcing one