making news in america this morning, debate day. the stage is set on the vegas strip. the republican candidates preparing to face off for the last time this year as donald trump hits a new high in the polls. we're live in washington. and donald trump's doctor making news of his own issuing a letter about the billionaire's health. why it's getting a lot of scrutiny. disgruntled guest. a man accused of purposely slamming his truck into a hotel. the dramatic crash caught on camera. "star wars: the force awakens," the lucky few with a chance to see the movie. >> it's amazing. it's wonderful. >> smiling faces leaving the world premiere overnight. the first reactions are in. well, good tuesday morning. i'm reena ninan. >> and i'm richard bacon.

morning toward the final republican presidential showdown of the year. at the venetian hotel in las vegas ahead of tonight's debate. >> so much material. it's the first debate since the terror attacks in paris and california and since donald trump announced a plan to ban muslims, it's "your voice, your vote" and abc's stephanie ramos joins us with more. good morning, stephanie. >> reporter: good morning. there is a new high and new challenge for donald trump as he continues to soar in the polls. the stage is set for the last debate of 2015. nine candidates will stand on stage for the most critical event heading into the iowa caucuses. >> i think we're doing great in iowa and i expect to win iowa. >> reporter: at a rally in las vegas last night trump took aim at some of his main sticking points like mexico and the wall he intends to build. >> and i know how to build it and i know how to get them to pay for it. very simple. folk s folks you're killing us.

the wall will cost $9 billion. >> reporter: this talk has trump supporters hanging on. brand-new numbers showing trump hilting 41% with republicans. the highest support he's had yet in ray national poll. nearly three times as much as his closest rifle. this debate may be a two-man ted cruz. tie. on the debate stage trump will be flanked by cruz and ben carson. carson calling coverage of him and his campaign dishonest. >> in this case they can't find any scandals, therefore, let's see if we can make this guy look crazy. >> reporter: the six remaining will be marco rubio, former florida governor jeb bush, businesswoman carly fiorina, ohio governor john kasich, rand paul and new jersey governor chris christie. >> i love you too, man. >> reporter: while trump predicts he'll be the punching bag at this debate he also says --

>> here's what's also good donald trump's health. after vowing to release his full medical report trump instead offered up just a short note from ace doctor saying trump's physical strength and stamina are extraordinary. richard, reena, back to you. >> stephanie, you did mention that report by his doctor. what else was revealed about his health, anything else. >> reporter: yeah, well, the doctor declared that if elected mr. trump will be the healthiest individual ever eelected to the presidency. serious statement there. >> yeah, okay. thank you -- it sounds a little north korea. that's all. stephanie ramos live in washington, thank you very much, indeed. well, experts say terrorism will be the focus of tonight's debate especially with alarming new details from the investigation to the san bernardino attack. abc news was first to report that homeland security will increase scrutiny of social media sites in the visa application process after it was revealed that tashfeen malik

jihad before coming to the u.s. officials were prevented from seeing those because of a secret policy to save the administration embarrassment. the primary concern was that it would be viewed negatively if it was disclosed publicly and there were concerns that it would be embarrassing. >> also part of the investigation, that search of a nearby lake turned up no new evidence according to law enforcement officials. >> as for fighting terror overseas president obama says the u.s. is making progress against isis. the president spoke after a meeting with high-level advisers at the pentagon. he named a number of top terror leaders who have been killed in recent months and said that that momentum continues. >> we're also taking out isil leaders, commanders and killers one by one and our next message to them is simple, you are next. >> and saudi arabia, a key ally has just announced 34 nations have agreed to form a new islamic military alliance to fight terrorism.

will be headquartered in the saudi capital. prosecutors in maryland say that a man received thousands of dollars from isis in order to carry out a terror attack on american soil. mohamed yousef elshinawy was arrested last friday for attempting to provide material support to a terror organization. he denies the charges. bowe bergdahl will be court-martialed for walking away from his unit in afghanistan and faces charges of desertion and endangering his unit for which he could be sentenced to life in prison. it overturns a preliminary review that recommended he not be charged. bergdahl spent five years as a taliban captive after leaving his unit. bill cosby is fighting back against seven of the more 50 women who accused him of sexual misconduct filed a defamation countersuit against him claiming he had personal harm because of their groundless accusations.

next, thank you, america, for the very warm welcome. more than a thousand daily high records have been broken since the beginning of december. even in buffalo, they're taking lakeside walks instead of shoveling snow across the northeast and midwest, runners are out in shorts. meanwhile, to the west, some daily snowfall records have been -- have fallen. utah got its largest snow accumulation in two years on monday. 6.6 inches fell at the salt lake city airport breaking a record set in 1922. lake-effect snow is adding to the trouble. salt lake city is in for more snow today, the radar shows the cascades and parts of the rockies connects snow showers too. as for temperatures, it is 15 degrees warmer in new york right now than it is in los angeles. >> we'll take it.

my catchphrase. do you like it. christmas shipping deadline happening today. >> and plus an american plumber's truck ending up in the hands of isil. this morning he's talking about what that truck got there. the first reaction to a film few have seen, "star wars: the force awakens," the premiere in hollywood with all the star ss. man: all, all, all in together now we can make it better now c'mon, can we do it? chorus: yeah, you know that we can! we'll rope it up 'cause we know how to jump we'll roll it out 'cause we know how to skate we'll cut it down 'cause we know what to eat we'll swap it out we eat healthy stuff can we do it? yeah, you know that we can! can we do it? announcer: just moving a little and eating better every day can help make you and your child healthier. search "we can" to find doable tips and activities

this tear gas in the parliament chamber was set off by members of parliament in

kosovo or sarajevo. don't have health insurance yet, today is the deadline for obamacare coverage beganing january 1st the federal government wants 10 million enrolled in the new year, 900,000 more than this year but participants can expect to pay up to 7.5% more for coverage as health karcare costs go up. by late february hundreds of thousands of drones will need to be registered with the faa. if you register in the first month it's free after that $5. be warned if you get a drone for christmas, which you might, if your friends are very generous, how quite exciting. you have to register it right away. drivers for ubers and lyft have won a labor victory in seattle. in a first of its kind, the first kind -- first type of move like this in this country the seattle city counsel voted unanimously to allow drivers for

into legal unions. legal experts say it could violate federal labor laws. at issue whether the drivers are independent contractors or employees. well, christmas shoppers are facing a deadline today at the post office. the postal service says today is the last day to mail those packages so they'll be there by christmas eve for no extra charge. december 19th deadline for first class, 21st last day for priority services. packages could still be mailed as late as 23rd but you have to pay up. priority express. when we come back important information for pregnant women. what they could be taking possibly raising the risk of having a child with autism. and close call. a man unhappy with his row tell stay slamming his truck into the lobby. you know that "wow, i'm starving" feeling? well subway has you covered. now get 50% more meat on any 6-inch sub for just 50 more,

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give extra. get extra. those people out there on the ice in minnesota wanted to be fishing, but that stopped when cracks in the ice grew wider and chunks of ice broke free. it took rescuers about three hours to bring dozens of fishermen to safety. they've been told to stay off the ice until it gets colder. for a look at morning road conditions snow and ice, hazards from the central rockies across to northern michigan. in northern new england pockets of rain in the northwest. east texas and north florida too.

delays possible in minnesota, salt lake city. wonder what happens to your old car or truck when you trade or sell it in, many are shipped overseas. >> that proved a nightmare for a texas business. ever since this photo of a truck used by isis mark-1 plumbing has been getting threats and abuse and business is way off. they're suing the auto dealer saying it didn't do enough to help him. >> they had just tried to work with me and tried to tell what happened with the truck i probably wouldn't have done this but it has affected my business. >> wants $1 million in damages. police say a disgruntled customer drove his truck through the lobby of this comfort inn in oklahoma. surveillance video you see shows two people jumping out of the way just seconds before the truck crashed through the front doors and then the front desk, the driver was apparent liang bring over not getting a cash refund. he faces several serious charges.

scene in "terminator." a hospital was the scene of an accident itself. two people hospitalized when there was a crash in the emergency room. the elder i driver was not among them pulling into a parking space but somehow accelerated as you can see there into the building. a health alert for expectant moms taking antidepressants. researchers finding women who take them in their third and second trimesters are 87% more likely to have a child diagnosed with autism. spectrum disorder but warn it may be dangerous for pregnant women to go off their meds without first checking with their doctors. pete rose received a harsh response for his plea to be reinstated from baseball. he was banned for gambling since 1989. his petition to end it was rejected because of his continued legal gambling on

the reasons given for maintaining the ban new evidence about rose's betting on games during his career. well, time for highlights involving those still playing their chosen sports. >> yeah, we get those from our good friends, we like these guys. >> our bestest. >> from -- >> espn. >> he's stan, i'm neil. he has a football highlight. i have a basketball highlight. >> monday night football to be exact, dolphins and giants. jarvis lann day played with him at ls.u. beckham called it complete. he wants that challenge. they do challenge it and find out it is indeed a touchdown, 7 catches, 166 yards pair of touchdowns six 100-yard games and the giants pull into first place tie with washington and

all right, here we go, the clippers in detroit. we're down to 4 seconds left. clippers are down three, stan van gundy elects no the to foul, j.j. redick elects to tie the game. the bench, yeah. griffin, jamal crawford, i heard it was said crawford is on the block. clippers up three. look at the chances that the pistons had at the end. to tie it. then there was that chance that had no chance. the clippers hang on and win it, 10 105-103. griffin, 35 points. >> he was really good in that game. >> thank you. >> oh, i meant blake griffin. back to you. >> we like the read. >> thanks, guys. up next in "the pulse," the word premiere everybody is talking about. "star wars: the force awakens" overnight reaction from the fans who saw it first. plus, sexy and working out

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time now to check "the pulse" starting with hollywood's biggest world premiere maybe ever. >> it is one of the most anticipated prequels, actually it's a sequel, sequels ever. "star wars: the force awakens" is finally arrived and even the glitterati couldn't resist geeking out. >> this is actor joseph gordon-levitt dressed up as jedi master yoda or at least his attempt to kind of look like yoda. >> a legion of stormtroopers and droids and two generations of the brain trust from john boyega to harrison ford and then there were the fans. >> incredible. it was so satisfying. >> it's incredible. >> so great.

>> no, it's amazing. everybody is going to love it. >> although everyone said it after "the phantom menace." it opens later this week on more than 4,000 screens from coast to coast. the big question who among last night's attendees would spoil one of hollywood's most tightly guarded secrets? maybe nobody. maybe nobody. i have faith. >> we're getting sop hint, aren't we. "grey's anatomy" it is technically a breach of the embargo. holy crab that "star wars: the force awakens" is so good in the best old-school way, shonda wriems tweeted and rob lowe said he cried like a baby and whooped like a teenager. >> elizabeth banks said the movie totally delivers. no spoilers, i repeat, no spoilers. again, no spoilers, just wow. >> okay. and we should also say that no spoiled --

this footage of people leaving "the phantom menace" and they all said it was the best "star wars" ever and not the fans is universally think not. >> how about a little weather? >> do it. >> warming up in the eastern half of the country but in chicago it's a hot, hot, hot, take a look at the hotness. you may remember taohman bradley. he works in the windy city. he pulled over this guy without a shirt. ethan, training and made it work for him. >> you're also like in shorts. like it's mid-december. how is that possible. >> i love running in the rain and i'm also single. so. >> we're asking the ladies. >> way to go, ethan. that went viral even before he got home. >> the camera was there. he didn't know it was there before taking that. ethan says he's received more than 900 friend requests so that

>> i bet somebody has set up a date. >> i mean, you know, whether you're going to find your date through that particular method of being friended. >> whatever works. >> he knew what he was doing. finally a stunt that's clearly not for the faint-hearted. have a look at this guy. professional extreme skier named samly carlson up the largest ski jump in the western hemisphere. >> it has a nearly 370-foot vertical drop and carson wasn't satisfiedy edied going forward so did it backwards as well. >> it stretched over 500 feet in the video part of a new ski film. is it raining? i hadn't noticed. i'll take my top off. >> oh, there's a camera. >> good opportunity. >> we will be back with more news after this. when used at the first sign.

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stage is set for tonight's republican presidential debate in las vegas. terrorism expected to be the number one topic. it's the last debate for donald trump and his rivals before voting in iowa on february the 1st. australia's marking the one-year anniversary of the siege on the lint cafe by a troubled man. two hostages died when police stormed the cafe. ash carter has arrived at a u.s. air base in turkey getting a reading from commanders on the status of the battle against isis. >> okay, today's weather, rain moving out of the eastern states but not the warmth. snowstorms moving into the upper midwest and a few showers in the pacific northwest. well, as we mentioned the stars out in full force last night in hollywood. >> well, three theaters, a half a mile of hollywood manufactured closed off for the red carpet and two generations of stars for one of hollywood's biggest premieres in recent memory.

and more and there was a lot of surprises. >> definitely seen all the original characters like as they've grown. i thought han solo was like at the phenomenal in the movie. there was a plot that blew my mind. >> ex-ceedexceeded. i thought it was really well done. >> blown away about it. >> a lot of things people said, oh, these senate committees. s this is what "star wars" is but that's what i grew up with so seeing a new "star wars" movie that didn't have all that bogged down nonaction stuff and pure action flick was magical. >> incredible job to bring back the older characters and weaving them into the story. it's really well written. it's very, very -- i thought it would be great. it was great. >> i think there are a lot of things people have never seen before and i think the fans will get what they wanted. >> is this guy in the movie? >> no, this guy is not in the movie. i wish. >> okay. >> was the biggest surprise?

>> we should note "star wars" is produced by our companyparent company disney and alarms going off on "world nusews now." >> a lot of comments. interesting. so we've got a big plot twist. one guy made a good point. i watched them recently and too much dialogue so it's not like that. the big plot twist -- i said it before, reena, i think luke skywalker has gone bad. >> damn straight. >> not the dark side. >> that's what's making news in