of the cold and clorox wipes don't. lysol. what it takes to protect. happy new year from around the globe. revelers are out with the old and in with the new as 2019 started off with a bang. even a few rain drops couldn't dampen the excitement in times square >> five, four, three, two, one. ♪ >> while half a world away, north korea's kim jong-un delivers a pointed new year's day message to president donald trump. and with the government shutdown showdown, no sciences of a solution. the president and democrats are

jockeying for political advantage. plus it's the mother-daughter act you've got to see. the story had our producers in tears. "early today" starts right now. welcome to 2019 if you're just getting up or never went to bed. i'm frances rivera. >> and i'm marlie hall. >> happy new year to you. just a few hours ago, we watched the ball drop here in soggy and foggy new york city. that's where about 2 million people gathered to ring in 2019. >> dubai illuminated the sky with a light show on the tallest building in the world. and rio's copacabana beach party welcomed 2 million spectators. and on the west coast, the seattle space needle glowed at midnight. fireworks burst over the las vegas strip and san francisco's bay lit us from fireworks from a boat. dan scheneman has more from around the world. >> reporter: in new york, revelers refused to let the rain dampen a good time.

a crowd in the hundreds of thousands jammed into times square to say good-bye to 2018 and welcome the new year. but before 2019 was celebrated in new york, it arrived in new zealand and australia. across the globe, fireworks filled the sky from pyongyang to paris. while at the vatican, pope francis welcomed the new year in prayer. 2018 is now history, and 2019 has just started. happy new year. dan scheneman, nbc news. >> all right, dan, thank you. and it's a new year, but it's the same old drama in d.c. the shutdown showdown is still raging on capitol hill, but democrats are planning to vote on legislation to reopen the government tomorrow. however, it looks like that proposal could hit a wall with president trump. he doubled down on his demands

of border wall funding during a phone interview with fox news. >> we have to have border security, and a wall is part of border security. you know, i hear so much about the wall is old-fashioned. no. the wall is not old-fashioned. the wall is 100% fool proof. >> in that interview, the president did say he is eager to make a deal. nbc's garrett haake has the latest. garrett, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, frances. the two sides didn't get any closer on monday to ending this now 11-day-old government shutdown. but with congress coming back into session later this week and democrats taking control of the house, we're learning the democrats do have a plan to reopen the government. and now they also have a top tier presidential candidate getting into the race. with the federal government still partially shut down, the parties still divided over funding for the president's border wall, still not talking. >> the house will be in order. >> reporter: the house and senate in for just minutes with most lawmakers still out p town.

>> the senate stands adjourned until january 2nd, 2019. >> reporter: the president telling fox news -- >> i'm here. i'm ready to go. it's very important. a lot of people are looking to get their paycheck so i'm ready to go anytime they want. no, we are not giving up. we have to have border security, and the wall is a big part of border security, the biggest part. >> reporter: but what does the president actually want? mr. trump has shifted from a concrete wall that mexico would pay for to discussing steel slats or fencing. on sunday, chief of staff john kelly called the wall not actually a wall, and senator lindsey graham said it was a metaphor. >> happy new year. >> reporter: back on capitol hill, incoming speaker nancy pelosi and house democrats plan to vote thursday to fully fund all of the closed government departments through next year except the department of homeland security. dhs will be funded until february with $1.3 billion for border security, none of it for a wall. daring senate republicans and the president to keep the government closed. >> this dark path doesn't have to be our future.

we can make our democracy work for all of us. >> reporter: opposition to the wall could become a theme among democrats challenging the president on the campaign trail. massachusetts senator elizabeth warren becoming the most prominent democrat yet to say she's planning to take on mr. trump in 2020. >> we want a government that works not just for the rich and the powerful. we want a government that works for everyone. >> reporter: on fox news, the president welcoming warren to the race in typical trump style. >> do you really think she believes she can win? >> well, that i don't know. you'd have to ask her psychiatrist. >> reporter: last night the country's largest union for federal employees announced it's suing the government on behalf of essential employees who have been required to work during the shutdown without pay. many of them in dangerous jobs including along the border or as prison guards. they say it's unsafe and unfair. just one more wrinkle in this ongoing shutdown. frances. >> many wrinkles there are. garrett, thank you. a u.s. citizen is in russian custody this morning accused of

spying. top kremlin officials say he was caught during an espionage operation, but didn't elaborate. spying charges carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years in russia. the u.s. state department confirmed that it's aware of the arrest and is pushing for access to the detained american. officials have not yet released his name. the arrest comes amid heightened tensions between the u.s. and russia over the ukrainian crisis and allegations of election meddling. north korean leader kim jong-un issuing a warning to the united states in his new year address. kim saying that if the u.s. doesn't keep its promises, then north korea will seek a new path. although it's not clear what exactly that new path would be. the pair vowed to work together towards denuclearization, but since then, progress has stalled. now kim says he'd welcome a meeting with trump again at any time, and it looks like that may happen. just weeks ago, trump said a second summit with kim will

likely take place this or next month. now turning to a tragic lion attack that took one intern's life. the deadly moment happening during a routine cleaning after the lioness caped its enclosure. the sanctuary remains closed as investigators search for answers. this as peta released a statement speaking out against the conservation center, calling it a roadside zoo. here with more is nbc's catie beck. >> reporter: instead of celebration, a new year will begin in grief for family and friends of 22-year-old alexandra black. >> she loved everybody that she met and loved all the animals she came across. >> reporter: the north carolina sanctuary where she was killed by a lion remains closed to the public. investigators trying to understand how the animal was able to get out and kill black, an intern who had started just ten days ago. >> the person that was attacked, how bad are they hurt? >> they're incapacitated. >> they're incapacitated? >> reporter: the lion, seen in

this online video, was shot and killed by deputies. now animal rights group peta urging the unaccredited center's closure, calling it a roadside zoo. the conservator center passed two recent inspections by the usda and has no reported safety complaints. black's former co-worker at an indiana wildlife park says she died for a cause she loved. >> the world has lost a person who really was able to speak one-on-one and understand their connection with animals. >> reporter: black's family remembering her as a beautiful young woman who died following her passion. catie beck, nbc news. a desperate manhunt is under way this new year in texas. a 7-year-old girl was shot and killed while riding in a car with her mother on an early morning coffee run. her mother was hit in the arm and is still in the hospital. sheriff's deputies released this surveillance image of the mysterious red pickup truck. they're looking for the gunman, possibly a white man with a

beard, in his 40s. a winter blast is wreaking havoc on kansas farms. temperatures have dipped below freezing, and that's threatening cattle and crops in the central part of the state. it's another reminder that mother nature did not go easy on us in 2018. all over the world, hurricanes, wildfires, floods and tornadoes. all told, they've cost us too many lives and billions in recovery efforts. nbc's kerry sanders looks back. >> reporter: 2018, a year of seemingly back-to-back-to-back global natural disasters. just named fourth costliest year ever. in economic loss, $155 billion. from the record setting wildfires in california, more than 22,000 homes destroyed. 100 people killed. to hawaii's volcano, a billion dollars in damage. to the strongest hurricane in 26 years. i'm kerry sanders. hurricane michael,

155-mile-per-hour winds making landfall at mexico beach. >> the eye has come ashore just to the east of us. >> reporter: mexico beach is still a scene of catastrophic devastation. scientists warn as global temperatures continue to rise, we could see more extreme weather just like they experienced here. >> this is perhaps the biggest existential threat facing human population. >> reporter: butch alley and mexico beach undeterred. >> do you wonder about rebuilding here with what mother nature could do again? >> no. we made the decision a long time ago that this is going to be home. >> reporter: harder to measure than a disaster's cost, the human misery that lingers for years. kerry sanders, nbc news, mexico beach, florida. >> safe to say the hope for 2019 is that it won't be as devastating as we saw this past year. let's see how we're starting the year. kind of quiet out there. here's bill karins. >> good morning. happy new year. we haven't talked a lot about

this winter of big blizzards or anything like that. the last two hurricane seasons, we can definitely use a break about six to seven months from now. we saw the heavy rain in areas of the northeast. we're getting rid of that storm. the next storm is down here, now beginning in areas of new mexico. it's not going to be a huge storm. it's mostly going to be a snowmaker in new mexico and eventually a big rainmaker throughout all of the southeast with the heaviest rain being in areas of louisiana and mississippi. it's like what we dealt with in 2018, just onens. minneapolis around 9 degrees. denver around 20. salt lake city, 23. so the cold air is with us in the plains and it will arrive on the east coast starting tomorrow. >> bill, thank you. deputies near tampa, florida, have recovered half a

million dollars worth of stolen tequila. the 966 cases of patron -- that's the good stuff -- were found sunday night in a semi trailer that had previously gone missing from a truck stop. authorities caught the thieves as they were transferring the loot to their own truck. the men were arrested and charged with theft and burglary. half a million dollars worth of tequila, that's a lot. >> time to celebrate now. get na salt and lime ready. still ahead, the miracle discovery that's got people talking. plus lester holt with the story of the day, a mom and daughter relationship that can endure almost anything. i bet you think bigger is better. actually, it's bulkier. always discreet doesn't need all that bulk to protect. because it's made differently. the super absorbent core quickly turns liquid to gel, for drier protection that's a lot less bulky. looks like good things really do come in small packages. always discreet. for bladder leaks.

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are confusing quilted northern for robes. they're both cushiony, comforting, and add elegance to your home. but quilted northern is not a robe. it's just really nice toilet paper. i had this chest cold, but my medicine kept wearing off. (coughs) ah! i had thi missed you! but my medicine kept wearing off. then i discovered mucinex. one pill lasts 12 hours, and i'm good. mucinex releases fast and lasts 12 hours, not 4. let's d enisth. if you're still thinking of a new year's resolution, here's a little instration. >> the first mother and daughter physically challenged team to finish an iron man, and only the second female team ever. nbc's lester holt introduces us to the inspiring duo. >> reporter: this has always been beth and liza james' special mother/daughte rtime.

>> when she was an infant, i would take her out in a jogging chair. >> reporter: but when liza was 6, the family was in a horrific car accident, leaving her unable to speak and walk. >> i'm beyond thankful that she is with me, and i'm determined to give her the most beautiful life. >> reporter: so she began taking liza out for runs just like before. liza loved it. they started doing 5ks, 10ks, then triathlons and marathons. beth felt together they could do anything, even an iron man. the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile run is a formidable challenge for any athlete. but 53-year-old beth also has to pull liza and her adaptive equipment. for months, beth tirelessly trained for this, race day. >> we're so ready today. >> reporter: the swim starts

before 7:00 a.m. two hours later, they're out of the water. >> love you guys. >> reporter: and on to the next leg, their biggest challenge. nine hours to finish the steep bike course. beth pushes up hill after hill, barely finishing in time. and there's still a full marathon to go. >> here's your number. >> reporter: exhausted, they log 5 miles, then 10. as night falls, beth husband's joins for the final push. then as midnight approaches, the crowd roars. they've done it. >> i want to do it again. >> reporter: and it would be worth it just to see liza's face at the finish line again. >> i have seen many, many forms of a mom's love, but never something like that. >> so inspiring, right? >> and more. and more. and they're going to continue to inspire because beth and liza have already signed up for another iron man in colorado.

we'll cheer them on as early as now. just ahead, a miracle discovery. the magic find when one woman got an insta pot for christmas, but that's not all. you're watching "early today." makeup now optional. new aveeno® maxglow™ infusion drops

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his wife rosalind, and 43 family members at their sunday service this weekend. mr. carter took a moment to speak to the congregation, praising the church and its mission, ending the year off in that way. still strong and out there. >> yeah, 43 members of his family. wow. well, christmas is in the rearview mirror but we've got another gift for you. the unbelievable story of two strangers who by a stroke of luck found each other and something precious this holiday season. nbc's kristen welker has more on the christmas miracle in washington state. >> reporter: on christmas day, joanne johnson overjoyed, picking up a precious gift from a total stranger, the wedding ring she lost shopping in october. >> i was convinced after the first couple days that i would never see it again. >> that stranger, shiloa avery had posted on facebook she had found a ring in her brand-new insta pot that morning. the emotional moment caught on

cell phone. >> you are such an honest person. thank you. >> reporter: for johnson, this christmas was already a miracle. four years ago she was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. >> instead of only having 6 to 18 months to live, i'm now four years living with cancer. and now to find my ring, it was like, okay, frosting on the cake. >> reporter: johnson, who once didn't think she would live to see this christmas, now has one more reason to celebrate the magic of the season. >> merry christmas to you too. oh, golly. gee whiz. >> the oh, the joy on her face. >> kristen welker, thanks for that report. still ahead, whiplash on wall street. how markets fared in the last day of trading for the year and the impact on your 401(k). when diagnosed with cancer, alexander went to

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wall street ended a roller coaster year on a high note. markets finished in the green on the last day of trading for 2018. the dow up triple digits. despite the rally, stocks posted their worst year since the financial crisis fueled by fears of a global slowdown and trade concerns with china. the dow fell 5.6%, snapping a three-year winning streak. the nasdaq fell for the first time in six years. the new year comes with a whole slew of new laws across the country, ranging from pay equality to who gets the family dog in a divorce. one state is paying people to come and live there. nbc's pete williams has more.

>> reporter: vermont will begin paying people to move there, up to $10,000 over two years for people employed by out of state companies who are willing to work in vermont remotely from a home office or a cooperative workspace. >> we have a demographic problem in this state. we need more people. >> reporter: connecticut and hawaii make it illegal for employers to ask job applicants about their pay history. that brings to ten the number of states with similar bans, intended to stop the cycle of pay discrimination against women and minorities. >> i think there's an element of this about us competing, and we don't want to be known as the state where women can be low balled. >> reporter: in new york city, it's illegal to sell anything in foam containers made from polystyrene, something the city says cannot be recycled. that means a ban on clam shell containers, trays, and cups. >> plastic works just as good, and the paper cups, same difference. >> reporter: foam packing peanuts are also banned in the city. washington state cracks down on

people who misrepresent c companion or emotional support pets as trained service animals. >> i've had my dog attacked twice in walmart and once in lowes by non-service dogs who were aaggressive. >> reporter: in california as of january 1st, pets are now legally considered part of the family in divorces, not just property. judges can assign sole or joint custody based on the best interest of the pet. internet shoppers in six more states, georgia, iowa, louisiana, nebraska, utah, and west virginia will have to pay sales taxes on what they buy from out of state retailers. and in colorado, revelers wanting to toast 2019 can do it with all kinds of beer available in grocery stores starting january 1st, not just low alcohol brews, a vestige of prohibition out with the old year. pete williams, nbc news, washington. >> some changes in the work for this year. thanks for watching "early

today." i'm marlie hall. >> i'm frances rivera. have a great first day of 2019. hope to see you in the new year hope to see you in the new year on twitter and ♪ (gasps) ♪ (coughs) ♪ (coughs) (sneezes) for real cold and flu protection. you can't protect them from an imaginary cold. but with lysol, you can help protect them from the real one. lysol disinfectant spray kills the #1 cause of the cold and clorox wipes don't. lysol. what it takes to protect.

windy and cold! it's tuesday, january 1, 2019. taking a live look outside overlooking fremont. some windy, clear, cold temperatures out there. whether you're just getting home or just getting up, it's 2019. thank you very much for joining u us. >> windy and cold. you made that prediction last year and it came through. >> yeah. way last year. i hope people bundled up. i know a lot of people went outside. it was windy, cold. here are your current temperatures. 37 degrees in morgan hill.