making news in america this morning -- the new year arrives safely across the u.s. celebrations from coast to coast are carried out with tight security. for authorities 2016 is off to a successful start. towering inferno, the spectacular scenes from dubai as a luxury hotel is engulfed in flames. investigators now on the scene. quite an arrival on the west coast. some absolutely amazing facts about the largest cargo ship to ever arrive here in the u.s. it cleared the golden gate bridge with just 20 feet to spare. and starting the new year the e ght way. by being nice to others. a family, a police officer and the reason they came together in the first place. good morning. i'm phillip mena. >> and i'm lauren lyster.

was a tense but uneventful new year around the world. despite terror warnings, people turned out, not letting threats ruin their celebration. >> take a look at these live pictures of new york's times square. just hours ago, the crossroads of the world was packed with a million revellers and 6,000 police officers. >> 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. >> all: happy new year! >> happy new year! >> from a jam-packed times square in new york, all of the way to 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 heel. lighting up the famous sydney harbor. celebrations from hong kong to

sky. one show in particular left the world watching in a different kind of awe. in dubai, even with a hotel fire raging nearby, the world's tallest building, the burj khalifa, 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. and somber scenes in brussels where festivities were also canceled. amid security fears over a similar-style attacks. those fears nearly realized here at home. in rochester, new york, federal officials arrested a man believed to planning a terrorist attack. leading to the cancellation of the city's fireworks display. and that alleged isis

planned a new year's eve attack on a restaurant and bar in new york's third largest city. he told an informant he had no problem with killing people. new year's eve celebrations were scaled back in several european cities because of worries about terror. in germany, police evacuated two munich train stations just hours before midnight, this, after getting tips from another country. it was believed five to seven suicide bombers were planning an attack. nothing happened and the two stations have reopened. as we mentioned, that fire in a dubai skyscraper dn't stop the city's celebration. a terrifying ordeal for those inside the hotel when it went up in flames. abc's alex marquardt has the details. 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 %-pshow, starting nearby at the rld's tallest building. >> it kind of caused chaos here, some people ran, some people were screaming, noknowing what was going on. >> reporter: hundreds of people were evacuated from the hotel, and remamaably, 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

angeles jail. on a $1 million bond. she was returned from the u.s. from mexico yesterday. her attorney said she did not violate any texas laws when she left the state with her son. couch faces charges of hindering the apprehension of a felon, her son. she's not only spending the holiday in jail she could be in custody for days. >> put yourself in tonya's shoes, what would you do as a parent who has a son who's the most hated people in america. >> ethan couch waiting in a mexico jail. the floodwaters are starting to recede in missouri and southern illinois, but you wouldn't know it but looking at the devastation. at least 22 people have drowned. most of them were motorists. hundreds of roads are closed, including part of an interstate, homes and businesses are under water with thousands of people displaced and all that water is heading south. coming up -- a rough year

wait until you hear how much america's most famous investor lost in 2015. plus, america getting back into the oil export business, the first shipment in decades on its way. and the alabama crimson tide rolling into college football national title game. highlights from both playoff semifinals coming up. from both playoff semifinals coming up next. jane didn't like restrictions. not in life. and not when it came to watching her calories. why settle on taste? jane thought. that's why jane loves light & fit greek nonfat yogurt. bursting with rich creamy awesomeness and 12 grams of protein. all for 80 calories. no settling here. what else does jane love? that you could win a fitbit flex from light & fit. learn more on specially marked packs. light & fit. feel free to enjoy. ugh! heartburn!

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it's easy to love your laxative when that lax loves your body back. only miralax hydrates, eases and softens to unblock naturally, so you have peace of mind from start to finish. love your laxative. miralax. that's the largest cargo ship ever to visit the u.s., the benjamin franklin was launched from china last month and arrived in oakland, california, yesterday. it's a quarter mile long, longer than four football fields or even the empire state building laid on its side.

coasas and for the first time in 40 years, the u.s. is back in the oil exporting business, a tanker left the port of corpus christi, it's hauling light crude from an oil field in south texas and heading to italy. the ban on oil exports was lifted last month. stocks have staggered to the end of a disappointing 2015. yesterday's final trading day of the year saw the dow drop nearly 179 points. the nasdaq was off 58. the s&p 500 slipped more than 19 points. for all of 2015, the dow dropped more than 2%, its worst year since 2008. the nasdaq was the only major average gaining ground, nearly 6 .. the s&p was off slightly 2015 was also a bad year for

billion. shares of his company berkshire hathaway slid 11%. but he's still the world's third richest man, his personal fortune is estimated at $63 billion. > and you may be feeling a little bit richer this morning after a year of low gas prices. 2015 ended with the national average price at exactly $2. aaa estimates each licensed driver saved an average e almost $600 over the past year and the outlook is good for 2016. because there's so much crude oil on the market. and a milestone, the world's largest mcdonald's has served its last big mac. located on international drive in orlando, the iconic structure was built to look like a giants box of fries. >> no worries for the millions who eat at that restaurant, it's being replaced with an even bigger mcdonald's being built right next door. the new place is set to open in february with plenty of room, 19,000 square feet. when we come back -- a new

charges facing bill cosby. and hold those tigers, oklahoma couldn't. which is why clemson will pay for college football's top prize. sports is coming up next. next. coughing...sniffling... and wishing you could stay in bed all day. when your cold is this bad... ...you need new theraflu expressmax. theraflu expressssx combines... maximum strength medicines available without a prescription... ...to fight your worst cold and flu symptoms... ...so you can feel better fast and get back to the job at hand. new theraflu expressmax.

working on my feet all day gave me pain here. in my knees. but now, i step on this machine and get my number which matches my dr. scholl's custom fit orthotic inserts. now i get immediate relief from my foot pain. my knee pain. find a machine at drscholls.com laundry can wreak havoc on our clothes, ruining them forever. sweaters stretch into muumuus. and pilled cardigans become pets. but it's not you, it's the laundry. protect your clothes from stretching, fading, and fuzz. ...with downy fabric conditioner... it not only softens and freshens, it helps protect clothes from the damage of the wash. so your favorite clothes stay your favorite clothes. downy fabric conditioner. wash in the wow. i'm billy, and i quit smoking with chantix. i had a lot of doubts going in. i was a smoker. hands down, it was... that's who i was. after one week of chantix, i knew i could quit. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proron to help people quit smoking.

some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. some had seizures while taking chantix. if you have any of these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of mental health problems, whichcould get worse or of seizures. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you have these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. tell your doctor if you haveheart or blood vessel problems, or develop new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. decrease alcohol use while taking chantix. use caution when driving or operating machinery. most common side effect is nausea. life as a non-smoker is a whole lotta fun. ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. in seattle, revelers marked

with a fireworks extravaganza at the city iconic space needle. >> it dazzled the eyes and lit up the night sky, hundreds of thousands gathered to watch the display. driving from seattle to just about anywhere in the west should be easy this morning. but drivers should watch out for wet roads along the gulf and southeast coast. roads could be slippery along the great lakes and upstate new york. next up this morning -- a new twist in the case against bill cosby, he's facing his first criminal charges of sexuxu assault after allegations made by dozens of women. >> now, there's a new legal battle, it involves cosby's wife. abc's mara schiavocampo has the story. >> reporter: the criminal case against billllosby 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

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 the hot seat. 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 hahabeen denied. now, 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 of that charge. mara schiavocampo, abc news, new york. next week, president obama

action against gun violence. it could expand d ckground checks for anyone buying guns. the white house may also impose tighter rules for reporting guns that get lost or stolen on the way to a buyer. but any move made by the president is likely to be opposed by gun rights advocates. the state department said portions of 2075 e-mails released yesterday from hillary clinton's time as secretary of state. have been newly classified. clinton said she didn't received or send information thatas classified at the time. the state department also said it fell short of the number of e-mails it was ordered to release by a federal judge. so more e-mails will be released next week. 2016 begins with a tobacco crackdown in hawaii, where the legal smoking age is now 21, it's the first state if the nation to take such action. the new law starting today

$2,000. now some sports. there are five college football bowl g ges today, highlighted by ohio state versus notre dame in the fiesta bowl. as for college football playoff, highlights now from espn. happy new year, everybody. i'm chris hassell, new year's eve, college football playoff. let's go from four down to two. who is going to play for the college football national championship a week from m mday? nick saban going to be a part of it. he took his former assistant mark dantonio to the woodshed. cyrus jones, big interception to end the first quarter. jones, waiting back at his own 43, all kinds of room and watch the moves from number 5, right

in cotton bowl history. so number two is in and so is number one. deshaun watson and the clemson tigers struggled for the first quarter of this game, watson certainly struggled with the armrm early, not the legs. 145 rushing yards. most by a quarterback in orange bowl history. and then he got the arm going a little bit, too. clemson runs away in the second half and dabo swinney is going to face nick saban in the national championship game. a week from monday. on espn. "sportscenter" is live this morning, 7:00 a.m. eastern time. i'm chris hassel. happy new year. have a great one. all right, thanks chris. to entertainment now, the end of an era in heavy metal music. motley crue performed the last time last night. at the staples center in los angeles.

influence on groups including poison and guns and roses. it's releasing a full length film of that performance. ngngngng up next in "the pulse" -- the beautiful floats have to roll in pasasana, an early look at some of them. and the family that nearly missed their flight until a delta pilot took an extraordinary step. their story straight ahead. without it the virus spreads from cell to cell. only abreva penetrates deep and starts to work immediately to block the virus and protect healthy cells. you could heal your cold sore, fast, as fast as two and a half days when used at the first sign. learn how abreva starts to work immediately at abreva.com don't tough it out, knock it out, fast.

working on my feet all day gave me pain here. in my lower back but now, i step on this machine and get my number which matches my dr. scholl's custom fit orthotic inserts. now i get immediate relief from my foot pain. my lower back pain. find a macacne at drscholls.com i'm billy, and i quit smoking with chantix. i decided to take chantix to shut everybody else up about me quitting smoking. i was going to give it a try, but i didn't think it was going to really happen. after one week of chantix, i knew i could quit. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. chantix definitely helped reduce my urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. some had ee any of these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of mental health problems, whichcould get worse or of seizures. don't take chantix if you've had

if you have these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away asasome can be life-threatening. tell your doctor if you hahaheart or blood vessel problems, or develop new or worse symptoms. get medical help rigig away if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. decrease alcohol use while taking chantix. use caution when driving or operating machinery. most common side effect is nausea. being a non-smoker feels great. ask youruroctor if chantix is right for you. we start the first "pulse" of 2016 with some parades. because everyone loves a parade. first up, today's tournament of roses parade in pasadena, california. >> dozens of floats all decked out and ready to roll along the five-mile parade route. today's the 127th annual parade. the theme is find your adventure.

grand marshal. volunteers spent about 80,000 hours putting those floats together and as always, they look amazing. and a different sort of parade has already passed in key west, florida. >> this was the annual weiner wonderland parade. the canine costumes ram the gamut from the sea creatures to star wars characters. next up, a classy move from the delta pilot. who was about to take off from minneapolis/st. paul airport. >> he made the nearly unprecedented decision to make a u-turn on the tarmac and return to the gate. abc's clayton sandell tells us why he did it. >> 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.

them. >> the tower wasn't going to have them pull back in and my sisters and mom were sitting there in tears and i'm screaming through the glass. >> reporter: that's when the captain saw them and he radioed in and found out the family was upset because missing the flight meant missing their dad's funeral. >> it would've been sad not saying good-bye. >> reporter: the 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 does something so kind. we need more people like them in this world. >> reporter: an uncommon act of common decency. and finally, another simple example of people just being nice to each other. it happened during a trip to a restaurant in baton rouge, louisiana.

were out to eat and that's when a police officer came over to where they were sitting. >> he introduced himself and, you know, he told me how well behaved my kids were. >> i just observed how they were well mannered. and that was unusual. >> he offered to pay for our meal. i said, no, man, you can't do that. there were eight of us. it was a real good feeling. nobody's ever done like that for me and my family before. >> taylor said he went to the media with the story because he wanted to sure that corporal freeman was recognized for his kindness. and as a thank you they bought him a dozen doughnuts. and we have more coming up after this. please, stay with us. coming up

please, stay with us. you checking our top stories --

york's times square and many other cities. but a few scaled back or canceled their events fearing terrorism. celebrations went on as planned in dubai despite a huge fire engulfing one of the city's biggest hotels. investigators now trying to figure out what sparked this fire. they have ruled out terrorism the floodwaters in missouri and illinois are starting to recede. but the disaster is far from over. roads and homes are under water and transportation through the region is a mess. looking at today's weather, lake-effect snow from wisconsin to upstate new york. otherwise, dry and cool across the midwest. rain along the gulf. mild and dry along the west. and finally on this new year's day, a reminder that every year has 525,600 minutes. >> they go by so fast. let's take one last look back at how some of those minutes went

>> a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. centered in nepal. >> the death toll now surging. >> a horrifying realization. >> that young co-pilot had every intention to destroy that plane. >> tangible proof that it crashed into the indian ocean. >> mexico's most notorious drug dealer is now also its most wanted man. >> an attack on a packed train foiled by quick-thinking american passengers. >> 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. >> paris under attack. >> the terrorists hit six different locations. >> the deadliest terror attack on our homeland since 9/11. >> somehow this has become routine. >> gunfire ripping through this louisiana movie theater. >> tragedy in charleston.

>> dylan roof has been caught. >> we have no room for hate so we have to forgive. >> thousands gathered in selma to remember that day in 1965. >> still searching for answers after the death of 25-year-old freddie gray. >> the police officer fires eight times at walter scott -- >> he was my son. >> the pope touching down. >> the land of the free -- >> same-sex marriage now the law of the land, but that does not mean everyone is on board. >> the united states has reached a historic understanding with iran. >> the interview heard round the world. >> the force has awakened. >> for a highly anticipated film. >> it's just magical. >> and that is what's making news in america this morning. >> other than your glasses. stay with us for "good morning america." have a great weekend. happy new year! with us for "good morning america." have a great weekend.

making news in america this morning -- the new year arrives safely across the u.s. celebrations from coast to coast are carried out with tight security. for authorities 2016 is off to a successful start. towering inferno, the spectacular scenes from dubai as a luxury hotel is engulfed in flames. investigators now on the scene. quite an arrival on the west coast. some absolutely amazing facts about the largest cargo ship to ever arrive here in the u.s. it cleared the golden gate bridge with just 20 feet to spare. and starting the new year the right way. by being nice to others. a family, a police officer and the reason they came together in the first place. good morning. i'm phillip mena. >> and i'm lauren lyster.

was a tense but uneventful new year around the world. despite terror warnings, people turned out, not letting threats ruin their celebration. >> take a look at these live pictures of new york's times square. just hours ago, the crossroads of the world was packed with a million revellers and 6,000 police officers. >> 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. >> all: happy new year! >> happy new year! >> from a jam-packed times square in new york, all of the way to 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 heel. lighting up the famous sydney harbor.

sky. one show in particular left the world watching in a different kind of awe. in dubai, even with a hotel fire raging nearby, the world's tallest building, the burj khalifa, 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. and somber scenes in brussels where festivities were also canceled. amid security fears over a similar-style attacks. those fears nearly realized here at home. in rochester, new york, federal officials arrested a man believed to planning a terrorist attack. leading to the cancellation of the city's fireworks display. and that alleged isis

on a restaurant and bar in new york's third largest city. he told an informant he had no problem with killing people. new year's eve celebrations were scaled back in several european cities because of worries about terror. in germany, police evacuated two munich train stations just hours before midnight, this, after getting tips from another country. it was believed five to seven suicide bombers were planning an attack. nothing happened and the two stations have reopened. as we mentioned, that fire in a dubai skyscraper didn't stop the city's celebration. a terrifying ordeal for those inside the hotel when it went up in flames. 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 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 %-pshow, 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

angeles jail. on a $1 million bond. she was returned from the u.s. from mexico yesterday. her attorney said she did not violate any texas laws when she left the state with her son. couch faces charges of hindering the apprehension of a felon, her son. she's not only spending the holiday in jail she could be in custody for days. >> put yourself in tonya's shoes, what would you do as a parent who has a son who's the most hated people in america. >> ethan couch waiting in a mexico jail. the floodwaters are starting to recede in missouri and southern illinois, but you wouldn't know it but looking at the devastation. at least 22 people have drowned. most of them were motorists. hundreds of roads are closed, including part of an interstate, homes and businesses are under water with thousands of people displaced and all that water is heading south. coming up -- a rough year for stocks.

america's most famous investor lost in 2015. plus, america getting back into the oil export business, the first shipment in decades on its way. and the alabama crimson tide rolling into college football national title game. highlights from both playoff

semifinals coming up next.it will make regular deliveries

coast. and for the first time in 40 years, the u.s. is back in the oil exporting business, a tanker left the port of corpus christi, it's hauling light crude from an oil field in south texas and heading to italy. the ban on oil exports was lifted last month. stocks have staggered to the end of a disappointing 2015. yesterday's final trading day of the year saw the dow drop nearly 179 points. the nasdaq was off 58. the s&p 500 slipped more than 19 points. for all of 2015, the dow dropped more than 2%, its worst year since 2008. the nasdaq was the only major average gaining ground, nearly 6 .. the s&p was off slightly 2015 was also a bad year for

billion. shares of his company berkshire hathaway slid 11%. but he's still the world's third fortune is estimated at $63 billion. little bit richer this morning after a year of low gas prices. 2015 ended with the national average price at exactly $2. aaa estimates each licensed driver saved an average of almost $600 over the past year and the outlook is good for 2016. because there's so much crude oil on the market. largest mcdonald's has served its last big mac. located on international drive in orlando, the iconic structure was built to look like a giants box of fries. >> no worries for the millions who eat at that restaurant, it's being replaced with an even bigger mcdonald's being built right next door. the new place is set to open in february with plenty of room, 19,000 square feet.

charges facing bill cosby. and hold those tigers, oklahoma couldn't. which is why clemson will pay for college football's top prize. sports is coming up next.

and wishing you could stay in bed all day. a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you have these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. tell your doctor if you haveheart or blood vessel problems, or develop new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. decrease alcohol use while taking chantix. use caution when driving or operating machinery. most common side effect is nausea. life as a non-smoker is a whole lotta fun. ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. in seattle, revelers marked

with a fireworks extravaganza at the city iconic space needle. >> it dazzled the eyes and lit up the night sky, hundreds of thousands gathered to watch the display. driving from seattle to just about anywhere in the west should be easy this morning. but drivers should watch out for wet roads along the gulf and southeast coast. roads could be slippery along the great lakes and upstate new york. next up this morning -- a new twist in the case against bill cosby, he's facing his first criminal charges of sexual assault after allegations made by dozens of women. >> now, there's a new legal battle, it involves 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

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 the hot seat. 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. now, 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 of that charge. mara schiavocampo, abc news, new york. next week, president obama

action against gun violence. it could expand background checks for anyone buying guns. the white house may also impose tighter rules for reporting guns that get lost or stolen on the way to a buyer. but any move made by the president is likely to be opposed by gun rights advocates. the state department said portions of 2075 e-mails released yesterday from hillary clinton's time as secretary of state. have been newly classified. clinton said she didn't received or send information that was classified at the time. the state department also said it fell short of the number of e-mails it was ordered to release by a federal judge. so more e-mails will be released next week. 2016 begins with a tobacco crackdown in hawaii, where the legal smoking age is now 21, it's the first state if the nation to take such action. the new law starting today also includes electronic cigarettes.

$2,000. now some sports. there are five college football bowl games today, highlighted by ohio state versus notre dame in the fiesta bowl. as for college football espn. happy new year, everybody. i'm chris hassell, new year's eve, college football playoff. let's go from four down to two. who is going to play for the college football national championship a week from monday? nick saban going to be a part of it. he took his former assistant mark dantonio to the woodshed. cyrus jones, big interception to end the first quarter. jones, waiting back at his own 43, all kinds of room and watch the moves from number 5, right there.

in cotton bowl history. so number two is in and so is number one. deshaun watson and the clemson tigers struggled for the first quarter of this game, watson certainly struggled with the arm early, not the legs. 145 rushing yards. most by a quarterback in orange bowl history. and then he got the arm going a little bit, too. clemson runs away in the second half and dabo swinney is going to face nick saban in the national championship game. a week from monday. on espn. "sportscenter" is live this morning, 7:00 a.m. eastern time. i'm chris hassel. happy new year. have a great one. all right, thanks chris. to entertainment now, the end of an era in heavy metal music. motley crue performed the last time last night. at the staples center in los angeles.

influence on groups including poison and guns and roses. it's releasing a full length film of that performance. up next in "the pulse" -- the beautiful floats have to roll in pasadena, an early look

missed their flight until a we start the first "pulse" of 2016 with some parades. because everyone loves a parade. first up, today's tournament of roses parade in pasadena, california. >> dozens of floats all decked out and ready to roll along the five-mile parade route. today's the 127th annual parade. the theme is find your adventure.

grand marshal. volunteers spent about 80,000 hours putting those floats together and as always, they look amazing. and a different sort of parade has already passed in key west, florida. >> this was the annual weiner wonderland parade. the canine costumes ram the gamut from the sea creatures to star w ws characters. next up, a classy move from the delta pilot. who was about to take off from minneapolis/st. paul airport. >> he made the nearly unprecedented decision to make a u-turn on the tarmac and return to the gate. abc's clayton sandell tells us why he did it. >> 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.

them. >> the tower wasn't going to have them pull back in and my sisters and mom were sitting there in tears and i'm screaming through the glass. >> reporter: that's when the captain saw them and he radioed in and found out the family was upset because missing the flight meant missing their dad's funeral. >> it would've been sad not sayiyi good-bye. >> reporter: the 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 does something so kind. we need more people like them in this world. >> reporter: an uncommon act of common decency. and finally, another simple example of people just being nice to each other. it happened during a trip to a restaurant in baton rouge,

>> steve taylor and his family were out to eat and that's when a police officer came over to where they were sitting. >> he introduced himself and, you know, he told me how well behaved my kids were. >> i just observed how they were well mannered. and that was unusual. >> he offered to pay for our meal. i said, no, man, you can't do that. there were eight of us. it was a real good feeling. nobody's ever done like that for me and my family before. >> taylor said he went to the media with the story because he wanted to sure that corporal freeman was recognized for his kindness. and as a thank you they bought him a dozen doughnuts. and we have more coming up after this. please, stay with us. coming up after this. please, stay with us. this is claira. to prove to you that aleve is the better choice for her she's agreed to give it up.

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york's times square and many other cities. but a few scaled back or canceled their events fearing terrorism. celebrations went on as planned in dubai despite a huge fire engulfing one of the city's biggest hotels. investigators s w trying to figure out what sparked this fire. they have ruled out terrorism the floodwaters in missouri and illinois are starting to recede. but the disaster is far from over. roads and homes are under water and transportation through the region is a mess. looking at today's weather, lake-effect snow from wisconsin to upstate new york. otherwise, dry and cool across the midwest. rain along the gulf. mild and dry along the west. and finally on this new year's day, a reminder that every year has 525,600 minutes. >> they go by so fast. let's take one last look back at how some of those minutes went

>> a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. centered in nepal. >> the death toll now surging. >> a horrifying realization. >> that young co-pilot had every intention to destroy that plane. >> tangible proof that it crashed into the indian ocean. >> mexico's most notorious drug dealer is now also its most wantededan. >> an attack on a packed train foiled by ququk-thinking american passengers. >> 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. >> paris under attack. >> the terrorists hit six different locations. >> the deadliest terror attack on our homeland since 9/11. >> somehow this has become routine. >> gunfire ripping through this louisiana movie theater. >> tragedy in charleston.

>> dylan roof has been caught. >> we have no room for hate so we have to forgive. >> thousands gathered in selma to remember that day in 1965. >> still s srching for answers after the death of 25-year-old freddie gray. >> the police officer fires eight times at walter scott -- >> he was my son. >> the pope touching down. >> the land of the free -- >> same-sex marriage now the law of the land, but that does not mean everyone is on board. >> the united states has reached a historic understanding with iran. >> the interview heard round the world. >> the force has awakened. >> for a highly anticipated film. >> it's just magical. >> and that is what's making news in america this morning. . >> other than your glasses. stay with us for "good morning america." have a great weekend.

making news in america this morning -- the new year arrives safely across the u.s. celebrations from coast to coast are carried out with tight security. for authorities 2016 is off to a successful start. towering inferno, the spectacular scenes from dubai as a luxury hotel is engulfed in flames. investigators now on the scene. quite an arrival on the west coast. somebsolutely amazing facts about the largest cargo ship to ever arrive here in the u.s. it cleared the golden gate bridge with just 20 feet to spare. and starting the new year the right way. by being nice to others. a family, a police officer and the reason they came together in the first place. good morning. i'm phillip mena. >> and i'm lauren lyster.

was a tense but uneventful new year around the world. despite terror warnings, people turned out, not letting threats ruin their celebration. >> take a look at these live pictures of new york's times square. just hours ago, the crossroads of the world was packed with a million revellers and 6,000 police officers. >> 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. >> all: happy new year! >> happy new year! >> from a jam-packed times square in new york, all of the way to 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 heel. lighting up the famous sydney harbor.

sky. one show in particular left the world watching in a different kind of awe. in dubai, even with a hotel fire raging nearby, the world's tallest building, the burj khalifa, 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. and somber scenes in brussels where festivities were also canceled. amid security fears over a similar-style attacks. those fears nearly realized here at home. in rochester, new york, federal officials arrested a man believed to planning a terrorist attack. leading to the cancellation of the city's fireworks display. and that alleged isis

on a restaurant and bar in new york's third largest city. he told an informant he had no problem with killing people. new year's eve celebrations were scaled back in several european cities because of worries about terror. in germany, police evacuated two munich train stations just hours before midnight, this, after getting tips from another country. it was believed five to seven suicide bombers were planning an attack. nothing happened and the two stations have reopened. as we mentioned, that fire in a dubai skyscraper didn't stop the city's celebration. a terrifying ordeal for those inside the hotel when it went up in flames. 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 gettttg 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 %-pshow, starting nearby at the world's tallest buildingng. >> 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

angeles jail. on a $1 million bond. she was returned from the u.s. from mexico yesterday. her attorney said she did not violate any texas laws when she left the state with her son. couch faces charges of hindering the apprehension of a felon, her son. she's not only spending the holiday in jail she could be in custody for days. >> put yourself in tonya's shoes, what would you do as a parent who has a son who's the most hated people in america. mexico jail. the floodwaters are starting to recede in missouri and southern illinois, but you wouldn't know it but looking at the devastation. at least 22 people have drowned. most of them were motorists. hundreds of roads are closed, including part of an interstate, homes and businesses are under water with thousands of people displaced and all that water is heading uth. coming up -- a aough year

wait until you hear how much america's most famous investor lost in 2015. plus, america getting back into the oil export business, the first shipment in decades on its way. and the alabama crimson tide rolling into college football national title game. highlights from both playoff

semifinals coming up next. that's the largest cargo ship ever to visit the u.s., the benjamin franklin was launched from china last month and arrived in oakland, california, yesterday. it's a quarter mile long, longer than four football fields or even the empire state building laid on its side. it will make regular deliveries

coast. and for the first time in 40 years, the u.s. is back in the oil exporting business, a tanker left the port of corpus christi, it's hauling light crude from an oil field in south texas and heading to italy. the ban on oil exports was lifted last month. stocks have staggered to the end of a disappointing 2015. yesterday's final trading day of the year saw the dow drop nearly 179 points. the nasdaq was off 58. the s&p 500 slipped more than 19 points. for all of 2015, the dow dropped more than 2%, its worst year since 2008. the nasdaq was the only major average gaining ground, nearly 6 .. the s&p was off slightly 2015 was also a bad d ar for

billion. shares of his company berkshire hathaway slid 11%. but he's still the world's third richest man, his personal fortune is estimated at $63 billion. and you may be feeling a little bit richer this morning after a year of low gas prices. 2015 ended with the national average price at exactly $2. aaa estimates each licensed driver saved an average of almost $600 over the past year and the outlook is good for 2016. because there's so much crude oil on the market. and a milestone, the world's largest mcdonald's has served its last big mac. located on international drive in orlando, the iconic structure was built to look like a giants box of fries. >> no worries for the millions who eat at that restaurant, it's being replaced with an even bigger mcdonald's being built right next door. the new place is set to open in february with plenty of room, 19,000 square feet. when we come back -- a new

charges facing bill cosby. and hold those tigers, oklahoma couldn't. which is why clemson will pay for college football's top prize.

next.get worse or of seizures. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you have these, stop chantix and calalyour doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. tell your doctor if you haveheart or blood vessel problems, or develop new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. decrease alcohol use while taking chantix. use caution when driving or operating machinery. most common side effect is nausea. life as a non-smoker is a whole lotta fun. ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. in seattle, revelers marked

with a fireworks extravaganza at the city iconic space needle. >> it dazzled the eyes and lit up the night sky, hundreds of thousands gathered to watch the display. driving from seattle to just about anywhere in the west should be easysyhis morning. but drivers should watch out for wet roads along the gulf and southeast coast. roads could be slippery along the great lakes and upstate new york. next up this morning -- a new twist in the case against bill cosby, he's facing his first criminal charges of sexual assault after allegations made by dozens of women. >> now, there's a new legal battle, it involves 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. aftetethe 78-year-old comedian appeared in court, facing a felony charge of aggravated indecent assault. >> reopening this case was our duty. >> reporter: prosecutors saying g cosby sexually assaulted andrea constand in 2004, after giving her pills and alcohol at his suburban philadelphia home. now, cosby's attorney making the

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 the hot seat. 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. now, 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 of that charge. mara schiavocampo, abc news, new york. next week, president obama

action against gun violence. it could expand background checks for anyone buying guns. the white house may also impose tighter rules for reporting guns that get lost or stolen on the way to a buyer. but any move made by the president is likely to be opposed by gun rights advocates. the state department said portions of 2075 e-mails released yesterday from hillary clinton's time as secretary of state. have been newly classified. clinton said she didn't received or send information that was classified at the time. the state department also said it fell short of the number of e-mails it was ordered to release by a federal judge. so more e-mails will be released next week. 2016 begins with a tobacco crackdown in hawaii, where the legal smoking age is now 21, it's the first state if the nation to take such action. the new law starting today also includes electronic cigarettes.

$2,000. now some sports. there are five college football bowl games today, highlighted by ohio state versus notre dame in the fiesta bowl. as for college football playoff, highlights now from espn. happy new year, everybody. i'm chris hassell, new year's eve, college football playoff. let's go from four down to two. who is going to play for the college football national championship a week from monday? nick saban going to be a part of it. he took his former assistant mark dantonio to the woodshed. cyrus jones, big interceptiti to end the first quarter. jones, waiting back at his own 43, all kinds of room and watch the moves from number 5, right there.

in cotton bowl history. so number two is in and so is number one. deshaun watson and the clemson tigers struggled for the first quarter of this game, watson certainly struggled with the arm early, not the legs. 145 rushing yards. most by a quarterback in orange bowl history. and then he got the arm going a little bit, too. clemson runs away in the second half and dabo swinney is going to face nick saban in the national championship game. a week from monday. on espn. "sportscenter" is live this morning, 7:00 a.m. eastern time. i'm chris hassel. have a great one. all right, thanks chris. to entertainment now, the end of an era in heavy metal music. motley crue performed the last time last night. at the staples center in los angeles.

influence on groups including poison and guns and roses. it's releasing a full length film of at performance. up next in "the pulse" -- the beautiful floats have to roll in pasadena, an early look at some of them.

missed their flight until a today's the 127th annual parade. the theme is find your adventure.

grand marshal. volunteers spent about 80,000 hours putting those floats together and as always, they look amazing. and a different sort of parade has already passed in key west, florida. >> this was the annual weiner wonderland parade. the canine costumes ram the gamut from the sea creatures to star wars characters. next up, a classy move from the delta pilot. who was about to take off from minneapolis/st. paul airport. >> he made the nearly unprecedented decision to make a u-turn on the tarmac and return to the gate. abc's clayton sandell tells us why he did it. >> 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.

them. >> the tower wasn't going to have them pull back in and my sisters and mom were sitting there in tears and i'm screaming through the glass. >> reporter: that's when the captain saw them and he raraoed in and found out the family was upset because missing ththflight meant missing their dad's funeral. >> it would've been sad not saying good-bye. >> reporter: the 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 does something so kind. we need more people like them in this world. >> reporter: an uncommon act of common decency. and finally, another simple example of people just being nice to each other. it happened during a trip to a

>> steve taylor and his family were out to eat and that's when a police officer came over to where they were sitting. >> he introduced himself and, you know, he told me how well behaved my kids were. >> i just observed how they were well mannered. and that was unusual. >> he offered to pay for our meal. i said, no, man, you can't do that. there were eight of us. it was a real good feeling. nobody's ever done like that for me and my family before. >> taylor said he went to the media with the story because he wanted to sure that corporal freeman was recognized for his kindness. and as a thank you they bought him a dozen doughnuts. and we have more coming up after this. please, stay with us. coming up

please, stay with us. you checking our top stories --

york's times square and many other cities. but a few scaled back or canceled their events fearing terrorism. celebrations went on as planned in dubai despite a huge fire engulfing one of the city's biggest hotels. investigators now trying to figure out what sparked this fire. they have ruled out terrorism the floodwaters in missouri and illinois are starting to recede. but the disaster is far from over. roads and homes are under water and transportation through the region is a mess. looking at today's weather, lake-effect snow from wisconsin to upstate new york. otherwise, dry and cool across the midwest. rain along the gulf. mild and dry along the west. and finally on this new year's day, a reminder that every year has 525,600 minutes. >> they go by so fast. let's take one last look back at how some of those minutes went

>> a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. centered in nepal. >> the death toll now surging. >> a horrifying realization. >> that young co-pilot had every intention to destroy that plane. >> tangible proof that it crashed into the indian ocean. >> mexico's most notorious drug dealer is now also its most wanted man. >> an attack on a packed train foiled by quick-thinking american passengers. >> 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. >> paris under attack. >> the terrorists hit six different locations. >> the deadliest terror attack on our homeland since 9/11. >> somehow this has become routine. >> gunfire ripping through this louisiana movie theater. >> tragedy in charleston.

>> dylan roof has been caught. >> we have no room for hate so we have to forgive. >> thousands gathered in selma to remember that day in 1965. >> still searching for answers after the death of 25-year-old freddie gray. >> the police officer fires eight times at walter scott -- >> he was my son. >> the pope touching down. >> the land of the free -- >> same-sex marriage now the law of the land, but that does not mean everyone is on board. >> the united states has reached a historic understanding with iran. >> the interview heard round the world. >> the force has awakened. >> for a highly anticipated film. >> it's just magical. >> and that is what's making news in with us for "good morning america." have a great weekend.

making news in america this morning -- the new year arrives safely across the u.s. celebrations from coast to coast are carried out with tight security. for authorities 2016 is off to a successful start. towering inferno, the spectacular scenes from dubai as a luxury hotel is engulfed in flames. investigators now on the scene. quite an arrival on the west coast. some absolutely amazing facts about the largest cargo ship to ever arrive here in the u.s. it cleared the golden gate bridge with just 20 feet to spare. and starting the new year the right way. by being nice to others. a family, a police officer and the reason they came together in the first place. good morning. i'm phillip mena. >> and i'm lauren lyster.

was a tense but uneventful new year around the world. despite terror warnings, people turned out, not letting threats ruin their celebration. >> take a look at these live pictures of new york's times square. just hours ago, the crossroads of the world was packed with a million revellers and 6,000 police officers. >> 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. >> all: happy new year! >> happy new year! >> from a jam-packed times square in new york, all of the way to 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 heel. lighting up the famous sydney harbor. celebrations from hong kong to

sky. one show in particular left the world watching in a different kind of awe. in dubai, even with a hotel fire raging nearby, the world's tallest building, the burj khalifa, 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. and somber scenes in brussels where festivities were also canceled. amid security fears over a similar-style attacks. those fears nearly realized here at home. in rochester, new york, federal officials arrested a man believed to planning a terrorist attack. leading to the cancellation of the city's fireworks display. and that alleged isis

planned a new year's eve attack on a restaurant and bar in new york's third largest city. he told an informant he had no problem with killing people. new year's eve celebrations were scaled back in several european cities because of worries about terror. in germany, police evacuated two munich train stations just hours before midnight, this, after getting tips from another country. it was believed five to seven suicide bombers were planning an attack. nothing happened and the two stations have reopened. as we mentioned, that fire in a dubai skyscraper didn't stop the city's celebration. a terrifying ordeal for those inside the hotel when it went up in flames. abc's alex marquardt has the details. one of dubai's most famous luxury hotels consumed by flames. >> yes, i can see a lot of 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 %-pshow, 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

angeles jail. on a $1 million bond. she was returned from the u.s. from mexico yesterday. her attorney said she did not violate any texas laws when she left the state with her son. couch faces charges of hindering the apprehension of a felon, her son. she's not only spending the holiday in jail she could be in custody for days. >> put yourself in tonya's shoes, what would you do as a parent who has a son who's the most hated people in america. >> ethan couch waiting in a mexico jail. the floodwaters are starting to recede in missouri and southern illinois, but you wouldn't know it but looking at the devastation. at least 22 people have drowned. most of them were motorists. hundreds of roads are closed, including part of an interstate, homes and businesses are under water with thousands of people displaced and all that water is heading south. coming up -- a rough year

wait until you hear how much america's most famous investor lost in 2015. plus, america getting back into the oil export business, the first shipment in decades on its way. and the alabama crimson tide rolling into college football national title game. highlights from both playoff semifinals coming up. from both playoff semifinals coming up next. jane didn't like restrictions. not in life. and not when it came to watching her calories. why settle on taste? jane thought. that's why jane loves light & fit greek nonfat yogurt. bursting with rich creamy awesomeness and 12 grams of protein. all for 80 calories. no settling here. what else does jane love? that you could win a fitbit flex from light & fit. learn more on specially marked packs. light & fit. feel free to enjoy. ugh! heartburn!

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it's easy to love your laxative when that lax loves your body back. only miralax hydrates, eases and softens to unblock naturally, so you have peace of mind from start to finish. love your laxative. miralax. that's the largest cargo ship ever to visit t t u.s., the benjamin franklin was launched from china last month and arrived in oakland, california, yesterday. it's a quarter mile long, longer than four football fields or even the empire state building laid on its side.

coast. and for the first time in 40 years, the u.s. is back in the oil exporting business, a tanker left the port of corpus christi, it's hauling light crude from an oil field in south texas and heading to italy. the ban on oil exports was lifted last month. stocks have staggered to the end of a disappointing 2015. yesterday's final trading day of the year saw the dow drop nearly 179 points. the nasdaq was off 58. the s&p 500 slipped more than 19 points. for all of 2015, the dow dropped more than 2%, its worst year since 2008. the nasdaq was the only major average gaining ground, nearly 6 .. the s&p was off slightly 2015 was also a bad year for

billion. shares of his company berkshire hathaway slid 11%. but he's still the world's third richest man, his personal fortune is estimated at $63 billion. and you may be feeling a little bit richer this morning after a year of low gas prices. 2015 ended with the national average price at exactly $2. aaa estimates each licensed driver saved an average of almost $600 over the past year and the outlook is good for 2016. because there's so much crude oil on the market. and a milestone, the world's largest mcdonald's has served its last big mac. located on international drive in orlando, the iconic structure was built to look like a giants box of fries. >> no worries for the millions who eat at that restaurant, it's being replaced with an even bigger mcdonald's being built right next door. the new place is set to open in february with plenty of room, 19,000 square feet. when we come back -- a new

charges facing bill cosby. and hold those tigers, oklahoma couldn't. which is why clemson will pay for college football's top prize. sports is coming up next. next. coughing...sniffling... and wishing you could stay in bed all day. when your cold is this bad... ...you need new theraflu expressmax. theraflu expressmax combines... maximum strength medicines available without a prescription... ...to fight your worst cold and flu symptoms... ...so you can feel better fast and get back to the job at hand. new theraflu expressmax.

working on my feet all day gave me pain here. in my knees. but now, i step on this machine and get my number which matches my dr. scholl's custom fit orthotic inserts. now i get immediate relief from my foot pain. my knee pain. find a machine at drscholls.com laundry can wreak havoc on our clothes, ruining them forever. sweaters stretch into muumuus. and pilled cardigans become pets. but it's not you, it's the laundry. protect your clothes from stretching, fading, and fuzz. ...with downy fabric conditioner... it not only softens and freshens, it helps protect clothes from the damage of the wash. so your favorite clothes stay your favorite clothes. downy fabric conditioner. wash in the wow. i'm billy, and i quit smoking with chantix. i had a lot of doubts going in. i was a smoker. hands down, it was... that's who i was. after one week of chantix, i knew i could quit. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking.

some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. some had seizures while taking chantix. if you have any of these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of mental health problems, whichcould get worse or of seizures. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you have these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. tell your doctor if you haveheart or blood vessel problems, or develop new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. decrease alcohol use while taking chantix. use caution when driving or operating machinery. most common side effect is nausea. life as a non-smoker is a whole lotta fun. ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. in seattle, revelers marked

with a fireworks extravaganza at the city iconic space needle. >> it dazzled the eyes and lit up the night sky, hundreds of thousands gathered to watch the display. driving from seattle to just about anywhere in the west should be easy this morning. but drivers should watch out for wet roads along the gulf and southeast coast. roads could be slippery along the great lakes and upstate new york. next up this morning -- a new twist in the case against bill cosby, he's facing his first criminal charges of sexual assault after allegations made by dozens of women. >> now, there's a new legal battle, it involves 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

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 the hot seat. 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. now, 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 of that charge. mara schiavocampo, abc news, new york. next week, president obama

action against gun violence. it could expand background checks for anyone buying guns. the white house may also impose tighter rules for reporting guns that get lost or stolen on the way to a buyer. but any move made by the president is likely to be opposed by gun rights advocates. the state department said portions of 2075 e-mails released yesterday from hillary clinton's time as secretary of state. have been newly classified. clinton said she didn't received or send information that was classified at the time. the state department also said it fell short of the number of e-mails it was ordered to release by a federal judge. so more e-mails will be released next week. 2016 begins with a tobacco crackdown in hawaii, where the legal smoking age is now 21, it's the first state if the nation to take such action. the new law starting today also includes electronic cigarettes.

$2,000. now some sports. there are five college football bowl games today, highlighted by ohio state versus notre dame in the fiesta bowl. as for college football playoff, highlights now from espn. happy new year, everybody. i'm chris hassell, new year's eve, college football playoff. let's go from four down to two. who is going to play for the college football national championship a week from monday? nick saban going to be a part of it. he took his former assistant mark dantonio to the woodshed. cyrus jones, big interception to end the first quarter. jones, waiting back at his own 43, all kinds of room and watch the moves from number 5, right there.

in cotton bowl history. so number two is in and so is number one. deshaun watson and the clemson tigers struggled for the first quarter of this game, watson certainly struggled with the arm early, not the legs. 145 rushing yards. most by a quarterback in orange bowl history. and then he got the arm going a little bit, too. clemson runs away in the second half and dabo swinney is going to face nick saban in the national championship game. a week from monday. on espn. "sportscenter" is live this morning, 7:00 a.m. eastern time. i'm chris hassel. happy new year. have a great one. all right, thanks chris. to entertainment now, the end of an era in heavy metal music. motley crue performed the last time last night. at the staples center in los angeles.

influence on groups including poison and guns and roses. it's releasing a full length film of that performance. up next in "the pulse" -- the beautiful floats have to roll in pasadena, an early look at some of them. and the family that nearly missed their flight until a delta pilot took an extraordinary step. their story straight ahead. without it the virus spreads from cell to cell. only abreva penetrates deep and starts to work immediately to block the virus and protect healthy cells. you could heal your cold sore, fast, as fast as two and a half days when used at the first sign. learn how abreva starts to work immediately at abreva.com don't tough it out, knock it out, fast. with abreva.

hd 8. working on my feet all day gave me pain here. in my lower back but now, i step on this machine and get my number which matches my dr. scholl's custom fit orthotic inserts. now i get immediate relief from my foot pain. my lower back pain. find a machine at drscholls.com i'm billy, and i quit smoking with chantix. i decided to take chantix to shut everybody else up about me quitting smoking. i was going to give it a try, but i didn't think it was going to really happen. after one week of chantix, i knew i could quit. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. chantix definitely helped reduce my urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. some had ee any of these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of mental health problems, whichcould get worse or of seizures. don't take chantix if you've had

if you have these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. tell your doctor if you haveheart or blood vessel problems, or develop new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. decrease alcohol use while taking chantix. use caution when driving or operating machinery. most common side effect is nausea. being a non-smoker feels great. ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. we start the first "pulse" of 2016 with some parades. because everyone loves a parade. first up, today's tournament of roses parade in pasadena, california. >> dozens of floats all decked out and ready to roll along the five-mile parade route. today's the 127th annual parade. the theme is find your adventure.

grand marshal. volunteers spent about 80,000 hours putting those floats together and as always, they look amazing. and a different sort of parade has already passed in key west, florida. >> this was the annual weiner wonderland parade. the canine costumes ram the gamut from the sea creatures to star wars characters. next up, a classy move from the delta pilot. who was about to take off from minneapolis/st. paul airport. >> he made the nearly unprecedented decision to make a u-turn on the tarmac and return to the gate. abc's clayton sandell tells us why he did it. >> 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.

them. >> the tower wasn't going to have them pull back in and my sisters and mom were sitting there in tears and i'm screaming through the glass. >> reporter: that's when the captain saw them and he radioed in and found out the family was upset because missing the flight meant missing their dad's funeral. >> it would've been sad not saying good-bye. >> reporter: the 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 does something so kind. we need more people like them in this world. >> reporter: an uncommon act of common decency. and finally, another simple example of people just being nice to each other. it happened during a trip to a restaurant in baton rouge,

>> steve taylor and his family were out to eat and that's when a police officer came over to where they were sitting. >> he introduced himself and, you know, he told me how well behaved my kids were. >> i just observed how they were well mannered. and that was unusual. >> he offered to pay for our meal. i said, no, man, you can't do that. there were eight of us. it was a real good feeling. nobody's ever done like that for me and my family before. >> taylor said he went to the media with the story because he wanted to sure that corporal freeman was recognized for his kindness. and as a thank you they bought him a dozen doughnuts. and we have more coming up after this. please, stay with us. coming up after this. please, stay with us. this is claira. to prove to you that aleve is the better choice for her she's agreed to give it up. that's today? we'll be with her all day to see how it goes.

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york's times square and many other cities. but a few scaled back or canceled their events fearing terrorism. celebrations went on as planned in dubai despite a huge fire engulfing one of the city's biggest hotels. investigators now trying to figure out what sparked this fire. they have ruled out terrorism the floodwaters in missouri and illinois are starting to recede. but the disaster is far from over. roads and homes are under water and transportation through the region is a mess. looking at today's weather, lake-effect snow from wisconsin to upstate new york. otherwise, dry and cool across the midwest. rain along the gulf. mild and dry along the west. and finally on this new year's day, a reminder that every year has 525,600 minutes. >> they go by so fast. let's take one last look back at how some of those minutes went

>> a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. centered in nepal. >> the death toll now surging. >> a horrifying realization. >> that young co-pilot had every intention to destroy that plane. >> tangible proof that it crashed into the indian ocean. >> mexico's most notorious drug dealer is now also its most wanted man. >> an attack on a packed train foiled by quick-thinking american passengers. >> 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. >> paris under attack. >> the terrorists hit six different locations. >> the deadliest terror attack on our homeland since 9/11. >> somehow this has become routine. >> gunfire ripping through this louisiana movie theater. >> tragedy in charleston.

>> dylan roof has been caught. >> we have no room for hate so we have to forgive. >> thousands gathered in selma to remember that day in 1965. >> still searching for answers after the death of 25-year-old freddie gray. >> the police officer fires eight times at walter scott -- >> he was my son. >> the pope touching down. >> the land of the free -- >> same-sex marriage now the law of the land, but that does not mean everyone is on board. >> the united states has reached iran. >> the interview heard round the world. >> the force has awakened. >> for a highly anticipated film. >> it's just magical. >> and that is what's making happy new year!

happy new year!