a bet, lines flight made the nearly unprecedented decision to make a u-turn on the tarmac. isn't that unbelievable? he returned to the gate. but just wait until you hear why he did it. here's abc's clayton sandell. >> reporter: one of the most important flights of their lives, and the short family was about to miss it. >> i was just crying. >> reporter: they were traveling recently from phoenix to minneapolis.

to memphis ran out. the plane pushed back without them. >> the tower wasn't going to have them pull back in and my sisters and my mom were sitting there in tears and i'm sitting there screaming through the glass. >> reporter: that's when the captain saw the family. he radioed in and found out they were upset, because, for them, missing the flight meant missing their father's funeral. >> it would've been sad not saying good-bye. >> reporter: that captain, adam cohen, then made an extraordinarily rare decision to come back. "it was something we needed to do," he says. "this is something we'll take with us, knowing we made a difference." the family says cohen's gesture made all the difference. they arrived in memphis in time to say good-bye. >> it's very rare, someone stops and does something so kind and we need more people like them in this world. >> reporter: an uncommon act of common decency. clayton sandell, abc news, denver. they would not have made it. that was the last flight of the day.

>> kudos to delta for that. >> next, out with the old and in with the new. >> but before we say good-bye to 2015, we're going to take a look back at some of the year's biggest events to make the headlines. what do you think was the biggest story of the year? you're watching "world news now."

continues after this from our >> this is our favorite. because as millions of americans -- oh, look. everyone's in on it. as millions of americans do what we just did, ring in 2016, we here at "world news now" would like to take a few moments to ring out 2015. >> what a year it has been for news. we've seen everything from natural disasters to terror attacks and from racial unrest to one of the most divisive

memory. >> a 7.magnitude earthquake centered in nepal. >> this team has brought this young man out of this building. and he is alive. >> epitome of chaos hit mt. everest. >> the airbus a-320 crashed in the french alps. >> that young co-pilot had every intention to destroy that plane. >> tangible proof that mh-370 crashed into the indian ocean. >> prince george is now a big brother. growing outrage after a beloved lion was killed by an american dentist. >> mexico's most notorious drug dealer is now also its most wanted man. >> kayla mueller held by isis now confirmed dead. >> kayla touched the heart of the world. >> an attack on a train foiled by quick thinking american passengers. >> the plane with more than 200 people on board went down in egypt. >> at least a dozen people were killed today during a staff meeting at the "charlie hebdo" offices. >> the greatest refugee crisis since the second world war.

>> anger, frustration. >> and chaos. >> paris under attack. >> the terrorists hit six separate locations. at least 129 killed. >> if i live in fear, they won. >> the suspects are now cornered. >> abdel amin abboud is dead. the deadliest terror attack on our homeland since 9/11. >> several down in the conference room. >> farook and tashfeen malik had made their plans to attack well in advance. >> there's been a mass shooting in a community college in southern oregon. >> somehow, this has become routine. >> gunfire ripping through this louisiana movie theater. >> a gunman opened fire. >> police exchanging gunfire with a man inside this colorado springs planned parenthood. >> horrific tragedy in charleston. >> these people were in church. >> dylann roof has been caught. >> we have no room for hate. we have to forgive. >> a historic moment set in motion by the killings. thousands gathered in selma to remember that day in 1965.

day in my life. >> reporter: an ugly scene in baltimore. still searching for answers after the death of 25-year-old freddie gray. >> sandra bland's death in a texas jail is sparking outrage. >> police officer michael slager fires eight times at walter scott. >> he was my son. >> be on the lookout for two escapees from clinton county correctional facility. >> many comparing it to the plot of shawshank redemption. >> the massive manhunt finally over. >> an amtrak train derailed in philadelphia. >> going more than 100 miles per hour. >> verdict is in. the death penalty for dzhokhar tsarnaev. >> he wanted to go to hell and he's going to get there early. >> i sentence the defendant to life ip prisonment. >> james holmes received 12 consecutive life sentences. >> more than 25,000 firefighters battling 65 wildfires. >> this is a disaster. >> this pristine shoreline now an oily mess. >> he it's the biggest break through yet. >> liquid water has been found on mars. >> the pope touching down.

>> i would have gone anywhere to >> pray for me. >> i will. >> a handshake five decades in the making. > former house speaker dennis hastert. >> guilty to a felony banking charge. >> i have been racking my brain about what more could have been done. 2012 attacks on a u.s. diplomatic post. >> another big victory for president obama's health care law. >> same-sex marriage now the law that does not mean everyone is >> by whose authority? >> god's authority. >> the united states has reached a historic understanding with iran. >> what a stunning historic mistake. >> the u.s. is sending special operations forces to syria. >> this isn't a pipeline. it's a lifeline. >> the keystone xl pipeline would not serve the national interests. >> it was the interview heard round the world. >> for all intents and purposes, i am a woman. >> the longest-running late

stage one last time. >> jon stewart signing off for the last time. >> the force has awakened. >> for a highly anticipated film. >> it was just magical. >> all right. as we said good-bye to 2015 and hello to 2016, you know where the tradition comes from to celebrate with friends and family? it's because that's supposed to be a harbinger of luck. so if you see enemies that's bad luck. i don't know what the -- >> i'm glad i got to be with good people. >> i know. amazing viewers, great fans of this show. very happy about that. that bodes well for the year. fake confetti definitely bodes well. >> we got off to a good start and so did you. coming up the year's most overused phrases and words. >> and the year's monumental

polka are next. the leading cough liquid only provides relief for four hours, but did you know there's a product that lasts for twelve hours? try delsym twelve hour cough liquid. its advanced formula works by immediately releasing powerful medicine that acts fast while its extended release medicine lasts for 12 hours. in fact, delsym lasts three times longer than the leading cough liquid. for all day or all night relief, try delsym -the #1 doctor recommended 12 hour cough liquid. this has been medifacts for delsym . i pinky promised my little girl a fabulous garden party for her birthday. so i mowed the lawn, put up all the decorations. i thought i got everything.

you know, 1 in 10 houses could get hit by a septic disaster, and a bill of up to $13,000. but for only $7 a month, rid-x is scientifically proven to break down waste, helping you avoid a septic disaster. rid-x. the #1 brand used by septic professionals in their own tanks. lysol disinfectant spray kills 99.9% of bacteria on more than just the trashcan. it's the "pungent gym bag stink" neutralizer. and the "prevent mold and mildew on the shower curtain

it's also the "odor causing bacteria" fighter. and even the "athlete's foot fungus" killer. discover more ways you can use lysol disinfectant spray to help keep your home healthier. [cough, cough] mike? janet? cough if you can hear me. don't even think about it. i took mucinex dm for my phlegmy cough. yeah...but what about mike? he has that dry scratchy thing going on. guess what? it works on his cough too. cough! guess what? it works on his cough too. what? stop! don't pull me! spoiler alert! she doesn't make it! only mucinex dm relieves bothwet and dry coughs for 12 hours with two medicines in one pill. start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. it is time for "the mix,"

words in our language. people trying to get rid of them at the university, lake superior state university, they have released this list. so. >> bit of an annual tradition. >> actually, so is the first one. >> did you plan that or did that just happen? >> so is the first one. join the conversation is another overused and now banished word according to them, and break the internet. those three. the thing is, these are very valuable contributions to modern vocabulary. how would we do away with any of them? what would kim kardashian do without breaking the internet? >> there you go. i could not even get through telling you that without saying so. >> quickly before we go, some million people were in times square to ring in the new year. one thing you may not think about, all of the trash. how much trash do you think they have to clean up? what would you guess, phillip? you know this. you know the answer. >> it's a whole bunch.

in one square mile, 50 to 52 tons of trash. all the confetti, all the food, all those revellers literally leaving behind tons of trash. >> good work. now it's polka time. >> broadway's lyric theater with cast members of "on the town." politics and foreign wars all the weather all the scores that's the world news polka take it siri >> if you're an insomniac and a good night's sleep you lack, the world news polka it's late at night you're wide awake and you're not wearing pants so grab your "world news now" mug and everybody dance hey have some fun be a pal every anchor guy and gal, do the world news polka.

beneath the trees because with global warming it's a cool million degrees five whole days every week we're here with our tongues in cheek that's the world news polka i hear they watch us in the swamp and think that we're all right well, it sure beats croaking in the middle of the night yeah. five whole days every week we're here with our tongues in cheek and the world news polka one more time. do the world news polka

everybody. this morning on "world news now," celebrations and terror

>> from a suspected terrorist arrested in upstate new york to a threat on a big city in to unprecedented security in times square. the mixed feelings as the world welcomes 2016. up in flames. the fire in a high rise hotel, fire and smoke from the building. the injuries, evacuations and investigation. holiday misery. the mississippi river at record levels. the deadly and rare wintertime flooding. the property damage and the relief in the forecast. and later, airline hero. the pilot who didn't have to turn the entire plane around because he saw upset passengers in the terminal who missed his flight but did he make a u-turn and he really saved the day. it's friday, january 1st. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning on this new year's day, i'm lauren lyster. >> i'm phillip mena. happy new year.

hanging out here at work. >> we did. we have the party favors to prove it. we should ring in the new year with 2016. >> did not stop the celebrations and it won't stop the celebrations, us being here at >> let's keep it going. i'm sure there are plenty of people that had a wonderful new year still wanting to enjoy fun and some news. >> exactly. if you just came home from partying, happy new year. down in times square we could hear the fireworks going off when it hit midnight. and thankfully -- >> could you really? >> absolutely. up in the office there. >> i was watching the tv, watching the countdown. >> thankfully everything went off without a hitch. we begin with the new year's celebrations worldwide. the tensions and the unprecedented security. >> more than a million revellers watched the ball drop in times square right there. many waited hours unable to leave because of the security. not even to go to the bathroom. there were also 6,000 police officers including members of a special counter-terrorism unit. >> and there were no public celebrations in rochester, new

the state's third biggest city. the fireworks were canceled after an alleged isis sympathize sympathizer was arrested. investigators say he planned a new year's eve attack on a restaurant and bar armed with knives and a machete. police say he hoped the assault would convince isis to join the group overseas. >> it was also a subdued new year's eve in munich, germany, where police were warned of a serious imminent attack. they've been tipped off to five to seven suicide bombers with munich's main train station and another the primary targets. despite the warnings, thousands of people did ring in the new year with fireworks in munich's downtown. >> november's attacks did not keep parisians from celebrating the holiday in public, but there, too the public fireworks display was canceled replaced by a performance at the arc de triomphe just before midnight. police surrounded the major landmarks in paris to watch out for trouble after november's terror attacks that left 130 people dead. new year's eve celebrations

despite a fire that engulfed one of the city's top hotels. it was a frightening scene as flames shot out of the skyscraper. abc's alex marquardt as the details. >> reporter: a towering inferno. one of dubai's most famous luxury hotels consumed by flames. >> yes, i can see a lot of debris coming down from the building and it's getting bigger and bigger. >> reporter: the fire started on the 20th floor of this 63-story hotel, and was visible from all around. the roar of the fire heard in video shot by eyewitnesses. it was just under three hours before dubai was to hold its famous new year's fireworks show, starting nearby at the world's tallest building. >> it kind of caused chaos here, some people ran, some people were screaming, not knowing what was going on. >> reporter: hundreds of people were evacuated from the hotel, and remarkably, fewer than 20 were injured, according to officials. undeterred, they announced the

ahead, and shortly after the clock struck midnight, fireworks burst in the air. a surreal scene with the hotel still burning in the background. there has been no mention of terror, arson or any other official cause, as investigators now dig into what ignited the massive blaze. alex marquardt, abc news, london. affluenza mom tonya couch is spending the new year in a los angeles jail on a million dollars bond. couch was returned to the u.s. from mexico yesterday. her attorney says couch did not violate any texas laws when she she left the state with her son. she faces charges of hindering the apprehension of a felon and could be in jail for several days. >> put yourself in tonya's shoes. what would do if you're a parent who has a son who is the most hated boy in america? >> ethan couch remains in a mexican jail while he waits for a hearing on whether he will be forced to return to the u.s., a legal process that could go on for weeks or even months.

its tributaries are at or near record levels in much of missouri and illinois even as the flooding in the st. louis area does begin to recede. most of the fatalities have been motorists, and hundreds of highways and roads are still closed. abc's indra peterson reports from the flood zone. >> reporter: floodwaters paralyzing parts of the midwest, as rivers crest and records fall, residents race to sandbag homes, hoping they'll be spared. >> we just need a lot of help. >> reporter: pets stranded where water's already rushed in, being rescued, too. this was the scene on interstate 55 before officials were finally forced to close it. traffic backed up for miles. these photos showing how quickly the flood waters rose in valley park. we rode along with the u.s. geological survey. they're using doppler radar to monitor the rising mississippi. >> all the rivers that feed this area, the illinois river, the upper mississippi and the missouri, are all coming to where their flood crests are right here today. and so, that's what's made this

>> reporter: this time of year, this stretch of the mississippi river should be five feet deep. now it's 42 feet. to put it all in perspective, there's about ten times the amount of water flowing here right underneath the eves bridge than you typically see flowing over niagara falls. this video from fenton, missouri, shows how powerful that can be. watch this house smash into a bridge. at least 22 deaths in missouri and illinois now being blamed on the flooding. at least four still missing, including two teenage boys in taylorville, illinois. indra petersons, abc news, sunset hills, missouri. in today's forecast, chilly again in the flood zone. lows could be in the single digits in some areas of the midwest. snow from wisconsin to upstate new york. heavy rain from new orleans to jacksonville. it is going to be cooler though in the mid-atlantic. >> and 19 in salt lake city. 20s in minneapolis and detroit. 30s in denver and kansas city. 40s and 50s in dallas, atlanta and new york.

now it's time for college are you a football fan? >> i'll hand it over to you in a minute. let's hope today's five bowl games are better or at least more competitive than the two playoff games we had yesterday. >> they were a bit of a blowout, but we start with the nation's number one team, clemson. the tigers trailed oklahoma by a point at halftime before taking the lead with that short touchdown run. deshaun watson then struck with a 35-yard touchdown pass and another td in the fourth quarter put the sooners away for good. clemson moves onto the national title game with a resounding 37-17 win. then it was alabama and michigan state's turn and let's sum it up by saying the crimson tide absolutely dominated the spartans last night. we'd love to show you a michigan state touchdown or even a field goal or safety or something but there weren't any. alabama quarterback jake coker threw two touch downs.

for two more. mercifully it did come to an end, alabama with the 3-0 victory and now take on clemson for the national title monday january 11th. in pasadena, people are focusing on a tradition i'm more a fan of -- that is the parade and then the big game. spectators began lining up on the five-mile parade route nearly 24 hours before the parade. they seem unfazed by the cool temperatures and potential security issues. >> the security this year is unprecedented with the fbi and homeland security assisting. some 44 floats are part of the spectacle. it took volunteers about 80,000 hours to put those floats together. the theme of this year's parade is "find your adventure." >> of course those floats are so cool because they're made out of flowers and plants. what i found unbelievable, i even had to double-check with one of our producers, is that by one estimate, the floats each cost 100,000 to $150,000.

that one parade, phillip. >> well, that's why people like it so much because it's so well thought out. you know what? that is one of the best things to do on new year's. that's a hangover cure right there, to sit there and watch the rose bowl, watch the parade and watch the rose bowl games. there's college football all day long. what else are you going to do? sit on your couch? that's how you welcome in the new year. coming up "the mix," university researchers banning overused phrases or words for the new year. which ones would you ban? >> i'm going to think about it. also ahead, the airline pilot who spotted emotional passengers in the terminal who had missed his flight. his unprecedented decision to make a u-turn. >> later, the sights and sounds of 2015. from scandals to celebrities, to fear and disbelief. >> and what do you remember from 2015? join the conversation on our facebook page, wnnfans.com and on twitter we're @abcwnf. so go ahead, break the internet.

now." the leading cough liquid only provides relief for four hours, but did you know there's a product that lasts for twelve hours?

its advanced formula works by immediately releasing powerful medicine that acts fast while its extended release medicine lasts for 12 hours. in fact, delsym lasts three times longer than the leading cough liquid. for all day or all night relief, try delsym -the #1 doctor recommended 12 hour cough liquid. this has been medifacts for delsym . i pinky promised my little girl a fabulous garden party for her birthday. so i mowed the lawn, put up all the decorations. i thought i got everything. almost everything! you know, 1 in 10 houses could get hit by a septic disaster, and a bill of up to $13,000. but for only $7 a month, rid-x is scientifically proven to break down waste, helping you avoid a septic disaster. rid-x. the #1 brand used by septic

>> all right. take a look at that. you are looking at the largest cargo ship ever to visit the united states. it's called the benjamin franklin. it was launched from a chinese shipyard last month. and it arrived at the port of oakland, california, yesterday. this thing is a quarter mile long, longer than four football fields or even the empire state building laid on its side. it's going to make regular deliveries from china to the u.s. west coast. >> wow. >> if you can believe it. >> just made the clearance there. another rare sight yesterday involving a giant vehicle played out at the minneapolis st. paul international airport. >> the pilot of a delta airlines flight made the nearly unprecedented decision to make a u-turn on the tarmac. isn't that unbelievable? he returned to the gate. but just wait until you hear why he did it. here's abc's clayton sandell. >> reporter: one of the most important flights of their lives, and the short family was about to miss it. >> i was just crying. >> reporter: they were traveling

but their flight was late, and time to catch their connection to memphis ran out. the plane pushed back without them. >> the tower wasn't going to have them pull back in and my sisters and my mom were sitting there in tears and i'm sitting there screaming through the glass. >> reporter: that's when the captain saw the family. he radioed in and found out they were upset, because, for them, missing the flight meant missing their father's funeral. >> it would've been sad not saying good-bye. >> reporter: that captain, adam cohen, then made an extraordinarily rare decision to come back. "it was something we needed to do," he says. "this is something we'll take with us, knowing we made a difference." the family says cohen's gesture made all the difference. they arrived in memphis in time to say good-bye. >> it's very rare someone stops and does something so kind and we need more people like them in this world. >> reporter: an uncommon act of common decency. clayton sandell, abc news, denver. they would not have made it. that was the last flight of the day.

>> kudos to delta for that. >> next, out with the old and in with the new. >> but before we say good-bye to 2015, we're going to take a look back at some of the year's biggest events to make the headlines. what do you think was the biggest story of the year? you're watching "world news now."

continue >> this is our favorite. because as millions of americans -- oh, look. everyone's in on it. as millions of americans do what we just did, ring in 2016, we here at "world news now" would like to take a few moments to ring out 2015. >> what a year it has been for news. we've seen everything from natural disasters to terror attacks and from racial unrest to one of the most divisive

>> a 7.8 magnitude earthquake centered in nepal. >> this team has brought this young man out of this building. and he is alive. >> epitome of chaos hit mt. everest. >> the airbus a-320 crashed in the french alps. >> that young co-pilot had every intention to destroy that plane. crashed into the indian ocean. >> prince george is now a big brother. beloved lion was killed by an american dentist. >> mexico's most notorious drug dealer is now also its most wanted man. >> kayla mueller held by isis now confirmed dead. >> kayla has touched the heart of the world. >> an attack on a packed train foiled by quick thinking american passengers. >> he said let's go. >> the plane with more than 200 people on board went down in egypt. >> at least a dozen people were killed today during a staff meeting at the "charlie hebdo"

>> the greatest refugee crisis since the second world war. >> the people are coming quicker than we can load them. >> anger, frustration. >> and chaos. >> paris under attack. >> the terrorists hit six separate locations. at least 129 killed. >> if i live in fear, they won. >> the suspects are now cornered. >> abdel amin abboud is dead. the deadliest terror attack on our homeland since 9/11. >> several down in the conference room. >> farook and tashfeen malik had made their plans to attack well in advance. >> there's been a mass shooting in a community college in southern oregon. >> somehow, this has become routine. >> gunfire ripping through this louisiana movie theater. >> a gunman opened fire. >> police exchanging gunfire with a man inside this colorado springs planned parenthood. >> horrific tragedy in charleston. >> these people were in church. >> 21-year-old dylann roof has been caught. >> we have no room for hate. we have to forgive. >> a historic moment set in

remember that day in 1965. >> it's become a very important day in my life. >> reporter: an ugly scene in baltimore. still searching for answers after the death of 25-year-old freddie gray. >> sandra bland's death in a texas jail is sparking outrage. >> police officer michael slager fires eight times at walter scott. >> he was my son. >> be on the lookout for two escapees from clinton county correctional facility. >> many comparing it to the plot of shawshank redemption. >> the massive manhunt finally over. >> an amtrak train derailed in philadelphia. >> going more than 100 miles per hour. >> the death penalty for dzhokhar tsarnaev. >> he wanted to go to hell and he's going to get there early. >> i sentence the defendant to the life imprisonment. >> james holmes received 12 consecutive life sentences. >> the record broken. boston buried under snow. >> more than 25,000 firefighters battling 65 wildfires. >> this is a disaster. >> this pristine shoreline now an oily mess. >> it's the biggest of break through yet. >> liquid water has been found on mars. >> the pope touching down.

>> i would have gone anywhere to see the pope. >> pray for me. >> i will. >> a handshake five decades in the making. > former house speaker dennis hastert. >> guilty to a felony banking charge. >> i have been racking my brain about what more could have been done. >> an 11-hour hearing about the 2012 attacks on a u.s. diplomatic post. >> another big victory for president obama's health care law. >> our love. >> same-sex marriage now the law of the land. that does not mean everyone is on board. >> by whose authority? >> god's authority. >> the united states has reached a historic understanding with iran. >> what a stunning historic mistake. >> the u.s. is sending special operations forces to syria. >> this isn't a pipeline. it's a lifeline. >> the keystone xl pipeline would not be the national interests. >> it was the interview heard round the world. >> for all intents and purposes, i am a woman. >> the longest-running late night show host ever taking the

>> jon stewart signing off for the last time. >> the force has awaked. >> for a highly anticipated film. >> it was just magical. >> all right. as we say good-bye to 2015 and hello to 2016, you know where the tradition comes from to celebrate with friends and family? it's because that's supposed to be a harbinger of luck. so if you see enemies or that kind of thing, that's bad luck. i don't know what the -- >> i'm glad i got to be with good people. >> amazing viewers, great fans of this show. very happy about that. that bodes well for the year. well. >> we got off to a good start and so did you. coming up the year's most overused phrases and words. trash pile "the mix" and the polka are next.

polka are next. the leading cough liquid only provides relief for four hours, but did you know there's a product that lasts for twelve hours? try delsym twelve hour cough liquid. its advanced formula works by immediately releasing powerful medicine that acts fast while its extended release medicine lasts for 12 hours. in fact, delsym lasts three times longer than the leading cough liquid. for all day or all night relief, try delsym -the #1 doctor recommended 12 hour cough liquid.

it is time for "the mix," and there are some overused words in our language. at the university -- lake superior state university, they have released this list. so -- >> bit of an annual tradition. >> actually, so is the first one. >> did you plan that? >> i didn't. so is the first one. join the conversation is another overused and now banished word according to them, and break the internet. those three. >> the thing is, these are very valuable contributions to modern vocabulary. i think. how would we do away with any of them? what would kim kardashian do without breaking the internet? >> there you go. i could not get through telling you that without saying so. >> i know. >> we had an entire piece with all those words. >> quickly before we go, some million people were in times square to ring in the new year. one thing you may not think about, all of the trash. how much trash do you think they have to clean up? what would you guess, phillip? you know the answer. >> it's a whole bunch. >> it's a whole bunch.

tons of trash. >> whoa. >> all the confetti, all the food, all those revellers literally leaving behind tons of trash. >> good work. now it's polka time. >> broadway's lyric theater with cast members of "on the town." politics and foreign wars all the weather all the scores that's the world news polka >> take it siri. >> if you're an insomniac and a good night's sleep you lack, the world news polka it's late at night you're wide awake and you're not wearing pants so grab your "world news now" mug and everybody dance hey have some fun be a pal every anchor guy and gal, do the world

with spf 1000 you can lounge beneath the trees because with global warming it's a cool million degrees five whole days every week we're here with our tongues in cheek that's the world news polka i hear they watch us in the swamp and think that we're all right well, it sure beats croaking in the middle of the night yeah. five whole days every week we're here with our tongues in cheek and the world news polka one more time. do the world news polka

everybody.seasonably chilly weather is here to begin 2016. temperatures will be in the teens at midnight with wind chills in the single digits. we'll start new year's day with lows around 10, then climb to the lower 20s under a mostly sunny sky. the weekend is looking just fine with a partly to mostly sunny sky and highs in the upper 20s. uneventful weather rolls on until the second half of next week when a slight chance of a wintry mix returns to the area. until then, enjoy a "good morning america." have a great weekend. happy new year! making news in america this morning -- the new year arrives

celebrations from coast to coast