. it is friday november 20th. coming up on "early today," a terror situation half a world away. with scores of hostages being held right now. we've got a live report coming up. a brewing controversy over donald trump's suggestion that he implement a mandatory database to track muslims in america. and a closer to home, the fbi speaking out on the latest isis videos. >> we are not aware of any credible threat here of a paris-type attack. >> plus convicted spy jonathan pollard is teset to be released from prison today. >> box off tracks from star wars a month before it opens. and much more.

"early today" starts now. good morning i'm alex witt. we start with the the breaking news out of --. the u.s. embassy telling americaning to shelter in place after gunmen tacked a radisson hotel in the capital city. there were 170 hostage, although some have been freed. the hotel's owner is saying there are two gunmen. and there are other reports it could be at least ten gunmen. ap reporting at least three are dead. automatic weapons fire could be heard outside of that hotel. and in malaysia president obama has been briefed by national security advisors and has asked to be kept update t. and nbc producer on the phone with the latest. >> reporter: we're hearing at least three people were killed as gunmen stormed the hotel. they are taken 170 guests and

workers hostage: there seems to be -- the u.s. embassy has described it as an ongoing active shooter operation. and there seems to be movement by mallian security forces to try and end the situation. it is a very fluid situation. maly. >> henry, we know there was another tack back in august in a different city but again at the popular hotel. 12 were killed in that one, including five mall knees soldiers. how much do you think this attack has to do with the timing of president francois hollande yesterday and his statements. >> it's difficult to say.

but if you put two and two together it does seem like a possibility. the french military drove back, sort of, islamic terrorists between 2012 and last year. and so they have claimed responsibility for the death of five people last march for an attack on a restaurant that was popular with foreigners. so it is likely but at this stage nobody has claimed responsibility for the hostage scenario. and so we await to see, sort of, what will happen and who will claim it as things go on. >> a very fluid situation. thank you for the live update in london. >> in the meantime the political back and forth over syrian refugees has escalated every day. and reached new heights yesterday. starting with donald trump. >> there should be a lot of systems. we should have a lot of systems.

and today you can do it. right now we need a border. we need strength. we have to have a wall and with cannot let what's happening to this country -- >> [ inaudible ]. >> oh i would implement that. >> what do you think of the effect of that how would that work is this. >> it would stop people coming in illegally. >> how do you actually get them registered. >> it would be good management. what you have to do is good management procedures. and we can do that. >> do you go to -- >> you sign them up at different places but it is all about management. our country has no management. >> and he wasn't the only one. we're going to show you a lot more in a moment but so far it's mostly just been rhetoric until now. the house of representatives turned tough talk into action approving a bill to halt refugees from coming into the u.s. >> the fear about syrian

refugees got ugly on the campaign trail. >> you know if there is a rabid dog running around in your neighborhood you are probably not going to assume something good about that dog. and you are probably going to put your children out of way. we have to have in place screening mechanisms that allow us to determine who the mad dogs are quite frankly. >> donald trump telling yahoo he wouldn't rule out. >> and now the syrians are coming. >> they are going to be pouring in. we don't know who they are. could be isis. >> two syrian families presented themselves to u.s. customs at laredo texas asking for aseweas. in and the president accused republican lawmakers of playing politics. >> the idea they pose a more

significant threat than all the tourists who pour into the united states every single day just doesn't jive with reality. >> hours later 47 democrats voted against the president, joining republicans to virtually stop refugees from syria and iraq from coming to the u.s. by requiring the homeland security secretary, the fbi director and the head oaf national intelligence to personally certify that each entrant is not a threat. impossible task. >> o hillary clinton. >> turning away orphan, applying a religious test, discriminating against muslims. slamming the door on every syrian refugee. that is just not who we are. >> and that was andrea mitchell reporting. with everything that's happened in europe this past week there is a simple question many are asking at home, are we safe? pete williams reports. >> reporter: in new york city police put on a show of force

largely intended to be reassuring as u.s. officials brushed off an isis video that includes a segment juxtaposing guns and explosives with recycled still photos of time square. >> we are not aware of any credible threat here of a paris type attack. and we have seen no connection at all between the paris attackers and the united states. >> the fbi's biggest worry, dozens of potential home grown extremists who have shown some response to isis propaganda. who might the fbi worries try to carry out copy cat attacks like what happened in paris. >> we're watching people of concern using our lawful tools. and we will keep watching and work to disrupt if we see something. >> he sees no sign of isis members coming to the u.s. in the past days or weeks. american officials say there are reasons why the u.s. is generally safer. among them the u.s. does does not have the porous borders of

europe. far fewers americans have gone to syria to join isis and return. compared to what comey said is a number of people in the teens from the u.s. who have gone over and come back. people he muslims in the u.s. generally feel more welcome here, better assimilated than in europe. their cooperation has been in important in alerting u.s. police to potentially suspicious behavior. >> and that was pete williams. well more breaking news if you can believe it. former spy jonathan pollard was released from federal prison earlier today. heft arrested for spying for israel and sentenced to life in prison. and now he's expected to settle

in new york will he'll speídç te next five years on probation. and a genetically modified salmon. engineered to o grow twice as fast while eating 10% less food. the fda won't require them to label the salmon as different from other salmon. and your friday forecast, it's been wet coming into the work. >> this weekend looks calm. next week we have a storm coming down interest alaska to give problems. but right now the snow storm is brewing in the central of the nation. the snow is spreading out into the plains. and there is a good shield of it now from nebraska all the way o

omaha. and iowa this is the first significant snow many of these areas have seen. our chart goes 5-8 the blue. the pink is up to a foot. enough to be plowing, shoveling. kids on their sleds and playing it. chicago about two 2-4 inches. today's forecast rain is exiting the northeast. the whole southern half of the country looks good. very warm. beautiful in l.a. and san diego. more of an off shore breeze. enjoy that while it lasts. 80s. perfect fall weather from redding all the a way to

sacramento. 72 and sunny. that is how california should be, right? >> that is how they roll, all the time. >> not lately. >> thank you so much. straight ahead, one week later the latest on the investigation into the deadly paris attacks. plus the force is strong with star wars. and you won't believe how much money it's already made. coming back on my long-term control medicine, i talked to my doctor and found a missing piece in my asthma treatment. once-daily breo prevents asthma symptoms. breo is for adults with asthma not well controlled on a long-term asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. breo won't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. breo opens up airways to help improve breathing for a full 24 hours. breo contains a type of medicine that increases the risk of death from asthma problems and may increase the risk of hospitalization in children and adolescents. breo is not for people whose asthma is well controlled on a long-term asthma control medicine,

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meanwhile belgium is conducting for raids in connection with the paris attacks and is it hunt for salah abdeslam. what's the latest on the overnight raids? >> reporter: well the federal prosecution office just released a statement. they said two out of the nine people that were taken into custody yesterday during the nine raids that took place around brussels. they also said the two people arrested in saturday's raids in the neighborhood of moleem beck, you remember that's where salah abdeslam and also the leader abaaoud were born and raised. -- this is all in connection with the hunt of salah abdeslam t last known survivor among the

terrorists and the attack. he's believed to have traveled from france to belgium. police stated he may be in belgium. issued a warning to the population. he may be in belgium. he's armed and dangerous and not to approach him. and report to the police if anyone sees him. in the meantime there is a heightened state of alert. we can actually see the soldiers standing guard in all the corners. they weren't here yesterday. there was supposed to be a demonstration right here behind me and that is has been canceled as well. let's get down to business now with landenon dowdy. >> markets closing slightly lower thursday. the cost of obamacare are taking a toll on bottom lines and may

no longer offer insurance plans through health exchanges and it that also said it is losing money on health exchanges. >> and star wars is already set to smash box office records. possibly topping jurassic world's debut. no movie has ever made a hundred million dollars in opening weekend during december. >> and testing tools to keep your former significant other out of your news feed. the status changes when you change your relationship status back to single. >> one of the most thrilling nba games of the season. and a daring rescue caught an camera. ♪ ♪ it's the final countdown!

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and jacksonville, thursday night football from the swimming pool to the fourth quarter. tennessee up by four. rashad green return this is punt 63 yards. and bortles hits thomas for what would be the game winner. the final score 19-13. the washington nationals, bryce harper at 22 has become the youngest unanimous mvp in baseball history. he hit .330, 99 rbis and a slugging percentage of .649. the toronto third baseman batted .297 and a major league best 122 runs scored. and check out this river rescue. a racing kayaker.

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a new wizarding world of harry potter is opening at universal studios hollywood next we're. and opening in theaters this week, the long awaited conclusion to the hungers games. mockingjay part 2. i've seen them all. can't wait to see this one as well. and mobster legend. and the night before christmas is a comedy featuring seth rogen. i want to see that too. a >> so easy to forget how he started. for a whole generation of people that are younger than us they don't even know how he started. fresh prince. >> talented guy. i'm alex witt and this is "early today." ng... and wishing you could stay in bed all day. when your cold is this bad...

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leading the news. couplie ins who have sex juaneok are happiest. contentment does not increase with more frequency. and it continues with all age groups. american airlines lost the luggage which contained $250,000 worth of prosthetic leg and dance parts. >> not like it fits anyone else. >> she received many tweets of support while the search is under way. and one of the last air instructors died wednesday.

crenshaw trained hundreds in the 1940s and also helped establish an aviation program in little rock, arkansas. he was 96. and a study show machines menti -- shows more mexicans have left the u.s. than have migrated here. more than 100,000 more mexicans returned to mexico than came in. the overwhelming reason was to reunite with family. and google video ads showing interspecies friendship is most shared forever. friends fur ever. a minute long app for android features clips of unlikely friends playing and resting. and it's been shared 6.4 million times on facebook, twitter and blogs. >> it is great. >> what can you say? it's been viewed more than 20.5 million times on youtube. what is it? we're all so compelled by this.

it is not supposed to be that way and it is just so darn cute. >> i have a theory we like to see things we've never seen before. and i don't think any of vus seen many of these pictures before. >> never --. anyway, six to eight years ago today. -- 1947. britain's former queen married prince phillip at westminster abbey. and here is completed the most perfect of all royal pictures. >> and happy birthday to bo derek. joe walsh. and joe biden. i'm alex witt.

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give it a pop. situation at a hotel in mali. as many as 170 people, at one point, held captive by 10 gunmen. more information is coming into our newsroom right now--- on efforts to save the victims trapped inside. laura/vo and here at home-- an hours-long standoff in oakla efforts to save the victims trapped inside. here at home an hour's long standoff in oakland finally over. police corner a man inside a motel 6 on the run for a lengthy rap sheet of crimes. helping thousands of people struggling to escape war. how capitol hill lawmakers plan on stratling that fine line. "today in the bay" starts right now. it is a friday. good morning, thank you for joining us. i'm sam brock. >> i'm