everybody this morning on "world news tensions. >> from a suspected terrorist arrested in upstate new york to a threat on a big city in germany. to unprecedented security in times square. the mixed feelings as the world welcomes 2016. up in flames. the fire in a high rise hotel, fear and smoke spread through the 66-story building. the injuries, evacuations and investigation. holiday misery.

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. >> happy new year to you. >> we spent this new year's 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 work. >> 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.

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 york, the state's third biggest city. the fireworks were canceled after an alleged isis 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

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 went on as scheduled in dubai 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.

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 new year's celebration would go 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

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. the mississippi river and 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 petersons reports from the flood zone. >> reporter: floodwaters paralyzing parts of the midwest, as rivers crest and records

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 flood so large. >> 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 eads 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

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. downright balmy. now it's time for college football. are you a football fan? >> big-time. >> 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

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 on to 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 touchdowns. heisman winner derek henry ran for two more. mercifully it did come to an end, alabama very impressive with the 38-0 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

>> 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. they are six-figure floats for that one day. 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?

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. you're watching "world news

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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 professionals in their own tanks. 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

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 recently from phoenix to minneapolis. 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.

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. >> incredible. >> 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." >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our

abc stations. >> 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 presidential races in recent memory. >> a 7.8 magnitude earthquake centered in nepal. >> the death toll now surging. >> 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. >> a horrifying realization -- >> that young co-pilot had every intention to destroy that plane. >> tangible proof that mh-370 crashed into the indian ocean.

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 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" offices. >> 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

>> 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 motion by the killings. thousands gathered in selma to 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

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 break through yet. >> liquid water has been found on mars. >> the pope touching down. >> the land of the free. >> 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

>> 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 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 say good-bye to 2015 and hello to 2016, you know where the tradition comes from to celebrate with friends and family?

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. 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 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. this has been medifacts for delsym . it is time for "the mix," and there are some overused 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? >> i didn't. so is the first one.

overused and now banished word according to them, and break the internet. >> the thing is, these are very vocabulary. how would we do away with any of what would kim kardashian do >> 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. in one square mile, 50 to 52 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

>> 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. 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

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 >> have a great weekend

everybody. this morning on "world news now, tense celebrations, from unprecedented security in new york to terror threats in europe. the new year welcomed in with an uneasy feeling. > frightening fire. flames and smoke shooting out of a 66-story hotel on new year's eve. the injuries, evacuations and the decision to continue holiday fireworks not far away. new this half hour, the 2016 election year is officially here.

past year in politics, we look ahead at the campaigns, the power plays and who is fighting to win this year's elections. >> and later, looking fit and glamorous in the new year. you can look like a real star if you know the right diet and workout routine. some expert advice on this friday, january 1st. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning and happy new year, everyone. i'm phillip mena. >> i'm lauren lyster. i'm really enjoying celebrating the new year here with all these great party favors. >> yes, and with all of you at home. >> we should wear one. >> let's see how long we can get away before they tell us to take things off. >> you guys should tweet us your new year's get-ups. we have ours. we certainly do. with that we should get right to our top story and probably this is a little too light for it. a tense but so far uneventful new year's around the world.

did turn out not letting threats ruin their celebrations. >> that's right. just hours ago at times square in new york was packed with a million revelers and 6,000 police officers. the live pictures here much different scene than last night. >> three, two, one. happy new year! >> it's finally 2016. and people around the world are ringing in the new year with those three familiar words. >> happy new year. >> happy new year. >> from a jam packed times square in new york all the way to the moscow river in moscow. crowds cheered as colorful fireworks displays painted the night sky. new zealand was the first to ring in the new year with australia nipping at its heels, lighting up the famous sydney harbor. celebrations from hong kong to tokyo illuminating the night sky.

kind of awe. in dubai, even with a hotel fire raging nearby, the world's tallest building, the burj khalifa, fitted with 400,000 l.e.d. lights and 1.6 tons of fireworks carried on their display as scheduled. all across the globe, millions crowded historic landmarks just to get a glimpse of the fireworks. cities around the world are in a heightened state of alert. paris canceling some events still recuperating from the horror of november's terrorist and somber scenes in brussels where festivities were also canceled amid security fears over a similar style attack. those fears nearly realized here at home. in rochester, new york, federal officials arrested a man believ terrorist attack leading to the cancellation of the city's fireworks display. sympathizer planned a new year's eve attack on a restaurant and

largest city. the man allegedly hoped the assault in rochester would convince isis to let him join the terror group overseas. he told an informant he had no problem with killing people. in germany, police evacuated two munich train stations hours before midnight after receiving tips from another country of a credible threat. it was believed five to seven suicide bombers were planning an attack. thankfully nothing happened and the two stations are now open again. now to that fire in dubai. it did not impact the city's new year's eve celebrations. what's billed as the world's largest fireworks display went on as usual. it looks fabulous there. at the hotel where the fire broke out, witnesses were describing a horrifying scene with no emergency precautions in place. >> no sprinklers, there's no fire alarm. and the path to go out, the escape route was trapped. >> hundreds of people were evacuated and remarkably, fewer than 20 were injured.

link to terrorism. affluenza mom tonya couch is spending the new year in a los angeles jail on a million dollars bond. her attorney says couch has not broken any texas laws and she looks forward to her day in court, but in mexico, ethan couch remains in custody. here's abc's matt gutman. >> reporter: after racing south of the border, the couches now in legal limbo. tonya couch being held in isolation in the l.a. county jail charged with hindering the apprehension of her 18-year-old son ethan. the so-called afluenza mom's bail set at $1 million. escorted by u.s. marshals ignoring reporters' questions. her attorney saying she's innocent and -- >> what she did was not anything to help herself. she did this, it appears, to protect her son. >> reporter: if convicted she faces unto ten years in prison for helping her son who continues to fight his deportation from mexico to the u.s. to face charges of parole

>> where is he going to go? we're going to get him at one point or another. >> reporter: we watched as he was taken from this detention center late wednesday. turns out he was taken to another detention center in mexico city. his third city since his arrest monday in the resort town of puerta vallarta. that the couches checked into this resort saying investigators opting for this lower end apartment and a lower profile on christmas eve. tonya even buying from this local butcher. tonya couch is likely to be extradited from this jail to texas sometime next week. her son ethan could be stuck in that mexico city facility for weeks sharing a room with four or five other people. matt gutman, abc news, los angeles. there's much more about the ethan couch case tonight on a special edition of abc news 20/20" end of the road at 10:00 eastern. in chicago, protesters returned to mayor rahm emanuel's home demanding his resignation. students from northern illinois

quintonioio legrier, their classmate fatally shot by a police officer on saturday. city officials finally relsed thousands of e-mails related to the shooting of laquan mcdonald. they revealed a coordinated response from the mayor's office and others to the shootings. president obama is expected to take executive action next week against gun violence. one measure could expand background checks on gun sales. the white house may also impose tighter rules for reporting guns that get lost or stolen on their way to a buyer. gun rights advocates are promising to challenge any action the president takes. the state department says that portions of 275 e-mails released yesterday from hillary clinton's time as secretary of state have been newly classified. clinton has said she didn't send or receive information that was classified at the time from her personal e-mail account. the state department says it fell short of the number of e-mails it was ordered to release by a federal judge. floodwaters are making it difficult to get around the

although interstate 55 reopened near st. louis, other highways are closed because of flooding. >> and many homes are under water. abc's elizabeth hur is in the middle of the flood zone. good morning, elizabeth. >> reporter: phillip and lauren, good morning to you. the meramec river behind me has crested and finally receding, but so many businesses in this area are still under water. rivers reaching record levels in missouri. valley park early thursday about four feet bob the previous record. the mississippi river now on track to crest at the famous arch in downtown st. louis some 21 feet above flood stage. all the rivers that feed this area, the illinois river, the upper mississippi and the missouri are all coming with their flood crests right here today. so that's what's made this flood so large. >> reporter: the overflowing rivers already flooded hundreds of homes and hundreds of

authorities are still warning residents to stay away from the water. the swollen merrimack now being blamed for breaching another wastewater treatment plant in st. louis county pouring raw sewage into the river. so far, nine levees have been toppled, nearly a dozen more threatened. and missouri not the only flooded state. from illinois to north carolina -- >> it was raining hard and coming up fast. >> reporter: this rare winter flooding is also wreaking havoc. >> it's really mind boggling. to see it coming by with the strength it has and to imagine what it can do to our surroundings is powerful. >> reporter: right now in some communities there is a boil water advisory in effect. here in st. louis county, authorities say the water is safe to drink for now but they are monitoring the situation around the clock. phillip and lauren? >> elizabeth, thank you. in the flood zone, chilly temperatures again. some parts of the midwest could

downpours from theulf coast to jacksonville. snow in the upper great lakes from wisconsin to upstate new york, mild and dry in the west. >> 60s in los angeles and phoenix. 40s in seattle, dallas and boston. 30s in denver and great falls, and 20s in chicago and detroit. hawaii is ringing in 2016 with a tobacco crackdown. they're raising the legal smoking age to 21. it is the first state in the nation to take such action. the new law also includes electronic cigarettes. stores violating the law could be fined as much as $2,000. minors caught smoking may be fined as much as $50. investors are hoping for a better year in 2016. stocks closed lower yesterday capping the worst year for the market since 2008. the dow jones also closed with a loss. the nasdaq did a bit better gaining for the year. several factors contributed to the decline including worries

2015 was also a bad year for warren buffett. the oracle of omaha lost $11.3 billion. shares of his company berkshire hathaway slid 11% but don't feel too bad. he's still the world's third richest man with a personal fortune estimated at $63 billion. and you may be feeling a little richer this morning after a year of low gasoline prices. 2015 ended with the national average priced at exactly $2. aaa estimates each licensed driver saved an average of almost 600 bucks over the past year. and the outlook for 2016 is good. low low gas prices. all right. the new year was welcomed to key west, florida not by flashing ball drops or tremendous amounts of confetti. >> it was a parade of dachshunds. look at them there. they're so cute. they wore costumes. it was part of the island city's celebration to ring in the new

the ener wonderland, so to speak, featured more than 160 dachshunds and their human owners presumably. >> the canine costumes, they ran the gamut from sea creatures to a unicorn and, of course, "star wars" characters. there was no cost to participate in the key west dachshund walk, but donations of dog and cat food were requested for the community pet food pantry. >> oh, my gosh, there's the unicorn. very cute. >> coming up, welcoming the new year by looking back at unforgettable year in politics. >> also ahead, getting as fit as a glamorous celebrity in 2016. the workout and diet plan getting attention in hollywood. >> but first, why bill cosby's wife could be put in a legal hot seat in his sex abuse scandal.

now." now." good morning on this new year's day. i'm phillip mena. >> i'm lauren lyster. here are some of the top headlines we're following on "world news now." it's now 2016 practically everywhere in the world. the new year welcomed in new york, times square and many other cities. a few scaled back or canceled events all together fearing terrorism. >> and those celebrations went on as planned in dubai despite the huge fire engulfing one of the city's biggest hotels. investigators now trying to figure out what sparked the skyscraper foul. they have ruled out terrorism. the floodwaters in missouri and illinois are beginning to recede. roads and homes are underwater and transportation through the region is a mess having an impact on the rest of the country. also in the headlines this morning, a new twist in the case against bill cosby. the comedian is facing his first criminal charges of sexual assault after allegations made by more than 50 women. >> now there's a new legal battle involving cosby's wife.

abc's mara schiavocampo has the story. >> reporter: the criminal case against bill cosby playing out in the court of public opinion. after the 78-year-old comedian appeared in court, facing a felony charge of aggravated indecent assault. >> reopening this case was our duty. >> reporter: prosecutors saying cosby sexually assaulted andrea constand in 2004, after giving her pills and alcohol at his suburban philadelphia home. now, cosby's attorney making the media rounds, vowing to fight what she calls an unjustified charge. >> i have faith in the justice system. >> reporter: and some of cosby's other accusers, also reacting to the criminal charge. >> i just started to cry. i think they were tears of relief, tears of joy and tears of validation. >> reporter: more than 50 women have come forward, claiming cosby sexually assaulted, drugged or raped them, which he has consistently denied. his wife of 50 years, camille, always standing by his side. now, she may be the next one in

though she launched a legal battle to prevent being forced to speak about her husband in a related civil case next week, abc news has learned that request has been denied. as for that criminal charge, cosby, who is reportedly worth approximately $400 million, is free on $1 million bail. he faces ten years in prison if convicted. mara schiavocampo, abc news, new york. and last night, bill cosby did tweet, and it was this simple five-word message. he said friends and fans, thank you. >> difficult year ahead for mr. cosby. coming up, bidding farewell to one of the most contentious years in politics. >> among the bombshells, 2015 saw one of the widest fields of presidential candidates in recent memory. you're watching "world news now."no >> announcer: "world news now"

abc stations.abc sttt2w`t3n@24" bt@qc., tt2w`t3n@24" "a@qs"h tt2w`t3n@24" bm@qx)d tt4w`t3n@24"" dztq k6$ tt4w`t3n@24"" entq ;2d tt4w`t3n@24"" gzt& "5< tt4w`t3n@24"" hnt& 2;p tt4w`t3n@24"" iztq xr( tt4w`t3n@24"" jntq j"h tt4w`t3n@24"" lzt& ro4 new york, new york i want to wake up >> reflecting on 2015, it certainly was one of the most active years in politics it seems. >> absolutely. from one of the widest fields of presidential candidates slinging some of the most decisive rhetoric to a sitting pope stepping into the fray. this will be one year for the books.

>> getting in the groove here. >> reporter: it's been an unconventional year in politics. surprises. surges. and one bombshell see you later. it's crowded out there on the republican presidential trail. so many candidates, they're doubling up on debates. the main stage and what some called the kids' table. but the gop race has been dominated by one man. >> i am officially running for president of the united states. >> reporter: donald trump launched his campaign with his signature bravado and immediately shook things up. >> our leaders are stupid. >> reporter: many thought the trump balloon would burst but he's not only held on to his commanding lead, he's increased it despite many controversial statements about mexican immigrants. >> they're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime. >> reporter: and muslims. >> for a total and complete shutdown of muslims entering the

brought harsh criticism from democrats and republicans. his supporters say finally a candidate who tells it like it is. ben carson had a brief jump in the polls before fading. now ted cruz is riding a strong surge into the new year. on the democratic side, hillary clinton holds wide leads nationally. but some voters are feeling the burn. vermont senator bernie sanders giving the former secretary of state a run for her money. some polls showing him ahead in the key early state of new hampshire. the controversy over clinton's private e-mail server dogged her on the trail for some time. earlier this fall she tried to put it to bed. >> that was a mistake. i'm sorry about that. i take responsibility. >> reporter: that issue sparked perhaps the only real fireworks in the democratic debates. >> the american people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn e-mails. >> thank you.

capitol hill this year came in september when pope francis delivered a historic address to congress. that visit was orchestrated by house speaker john boehner who just one day later dropped a bombshell on washington announcing he was resigning. >> i woke up and i said my prayers as i always do, and i decided, you know, today's the day i'm going to do this. >> reporter: that launched a mad scramble among house republicans. conservatives threw their weight around rejecting candidates to replace boehner. when the bust settled, it was paul ryan who emerged as his party's best option to lead a very fractured republican majority. and while it feels like the presidential campaign has been going on forever, there's still several weeks to go before voters finally get to have their say. karen travers, abc news, washington. and, of course, it's only going to get hotter with the iowa caucuses in february, new hampshire coming up. so big year ahead, of course.

if you thought you saw the last of donald trump, huh-uh, 2016 will be him versus it seems like the rest of the field not only the republicans, he's been taking on hillary lately. but the one thing i'm looking forward to is more "snl" skits, the best part of the election year in my opinion. >> yeah, great, great point. >> coming up, buckling down on those new year's resolutions. >> and the most popular new year's resolution is to lose weight.

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>> that's a good video. >> finally this half hour, that new year's resolution to get fit and lose weight. >> yes, you know that one. every year, there's never a shortage of a slew really of new diet fads. this morning we're checking out how some of the biggest stars manage to stay in shape. here is abc's aditi roy. >> reporter: looking to get toned like taraji? like khloe and carrie, bend like jen? now you can as the stars dish on everything from their diet secrets to fitness routines in the latest issue of "us weekly." >> every year, of course, after the holidays getting into the new year, everyone is ready to get their diets and exercise routine into high gear. all of these stars each of them have fun little tips that anyone can pick up at home. >> reporter: for actress gabrielle union, balance is the name of the game. >> balance yourself. if you want the doughnut, have the doughnut.

cake. i needed it, so i ate it. >> top tips? >> eliminate all sugary drinks. are lean meat, sleep and regulating your schedule. i try to get to bed early. >> reporter: no cookies for this cookie. "empire" actress taraji p. henson dropped two sizes in a year thanks to daily two-hour workouts focusing on jogging, squats and her core. the actress revealing i tell myself just show up and your body will change. >> reporter: white hot j.lo loves her greens. i eat asparagus, brussell sprouts, kale, everything you can think of, says the superstar. >> she told us she feels better now than she did when she was in her 20s. >> reporter: aditi roy, abc news, san francisco. >> i like what gabrielle union said, it's all about balance. you got to have that burger if you want that burger. don't deprive yourself. >> so many people saying no more drinking after tonight. no more burgers after tonight.

>> and you want to pump some iron like that, phillip. >> see how swoll i am? because i did so much. that's why. >> okay. all right. >> we'll see you. >> announcer: this is abc's "world news now," informing

insomniacs for two decades. this morning on "world news now," celebrations and terror tensions. >> from a suspected terrorist arrested in upstate new york to a threat on a big city in germany. to unprecedented security in times square. the mixed feelings as the world welcomes 2016. >> up in flames. the fire in a high rise hotel. fear and smoke spreading through the 66-story building. the injuries, evacuations and investigation.

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 he did 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. >> happy new year to you. >> absolutely. we spent this new year's hanging out here at work. >> we have the party favors to prove it. we should ring in the new year with 2016. >> that's right. did not stop the celebrations and it won't stop the celebrations us being here at work. >> let's keep it going. i'm sure there are plenty of people that had a wonderful new year still wanting to enjoy a little fun and some news. >> exactly. so if you just came home from partying, happy new year everyone.

hear the fireworks going off when it hit midnight. >> you have good ears. could you really? >> absolutely, up in the office there. >> i was watching the tv. watching the countdown. >> thankfully everything went off without a hitch. that is where we begin with those 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 york, the state's third biggest city. the fireworks there were canceled after an alleged isis sympathizer was arrested. investigators say he planned a new year's eve attack on a restaurant and bar armed with knives and machete. he hoped the assault would help convince isis to let him join the terror group overseas. >> it was also subdued in munich, germany. police warned of a serious attack.

to seven suicide bombers. with munich's main train an 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 five-minute video performance at the arc de triomphe just before midnight. police surrounded landmarks in paris to watch out for trouble after november's terror attacks left 130 people dead. >> new year's eve celebrations went on as scheduled in dubai 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 has 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

>> 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 new year's celebration would go 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

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 loss when 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 you do if you're a parent who has the 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. the mississippi river and 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 petersons reports from the flood zone. >> floodwaters paralyzing parts of the midwest. as rivers crest and records

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 are 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 right here today. and so, that's what's made this flood so large. >> 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 eads 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.

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. downright balmy. all right. now it's time for some college football. are you a football fan? >> big-time 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. >> yeah, they were a bit of blowouts. we start with the nation's number one team. clemson, the tigers trailed oklahoma by a point at halftime

short touchdown run. keyshawn watson struck with a 35-yard touchdown pass and another td in the fourth quarter putting the sooners away for good. clemson moves on to the national title game with a resounding 37-17 win. and then it was alabama and michigan state's turn. 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 a safety or something, but there weren't any. alabama quarterback jake kocher threw two touchdowns. heisman trophy winner derek henry ran for two more. mercifully it came to an end. alabama impressive in a 38-0 victory and now take on clemson for the national title on monday, january 11th. >> and in pasadena, people are focusing on a tradition i'm more a fan of. and that is the parade and then the big games. spectators began lining up on the five-mile parade route nearly 24 hours before the parade. they seemed unfazed by the cool temperatures and unfazed by

>> 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. they are six-figure floats for that one day, 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 is to sit there, watch the parade and watch the rose bow games all new year's day. there's college football all day long. what else are you going to do? sit on your couch? that's how you welcome the new year. coming up "the mix," university

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 celebrities to fear and disbelief. >> and what will you remember from 2015? join the conversation on our facebook page. wnnfans.com and on twitter, we're @abcwnn. so go ahead, break the internet. you're watching "world news now."internet. you're watching "world news now." you may think you can put off checking out your medicare options until you're sixty-five, but now is a good time to get the ball rolling. keep in mind, medicare only covers about eighty percent of part b medical costs. the rest is up to you.

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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 recently from phoenix to minneapolis. 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

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. that was the last flight of the day. >> incredible. >> 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 headlines. what do you think was the biggest story of the year? you're watching "world news now." >> announcer: "world news now"