♪ i got to think twice before i give my heart away and i know all the games you play ♪ ♪ because i play them too >> this morning remembering a superstar. looking back at the amazing career of pop icon george michael dead at 53. it was a white christmas for millions of americans and this morning ng up to an ugly commute. and an update on the health of actress carrie fisher. and usa today names their top actors, singers, and entertainers of the year. and the matchmaker uber driver making love connections one ride at a time. "early today" starts right now. >> good morning, everyone.

i'm dara brown. this is a picture at the home of pop legend george michael where fans have been gathering to mourn the singer. he passed away yesterday at the age of 53. his manager says he died of heart failure. police say it was not classified as suspicious. george michael enjoyed immense popularity early in this career, delivering big hits with wham. such as wake me up before you go go. ♪ wake me up before you go go >> as a solo artist, he developed into a more serious singer and songwriter and was lauded for his tremendous vocal range like in this duet he sang with elton john. ♪ sun going down on me >> he sold well over 100 million albums globally, and earned numerous grammy and american music awards. heartache is pouring out on

social media. ellen degeneres calling him a brilliant talent, and miley cyrus thanking him for his activism. his old band mate tweeted heartbroken over the loss of my beloved george. loved. >> and elton john posted an emotional message to instagram saying i am in deep shock. i have lost a beloved friend. the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist. my heart goes out to his family, friends, and all of his fans. george michael dead at the age of 53. well, millions of americans faced an ugly end to the holiday weekend with blizzards and freezing rain slamming parts of the country. it not only closed roads but put one family in harm's way, leading to a harrowing survival story near the grand canyon. >> a winter weather punch pounding parts of the country with storm systems making a mess on the roads.

in eastern north dakota, blowing snow blanketing the region, coating the roads in a glaze of dangerous iesz, causing dozens of spin-outs and accidents as holiday travelers braved bad conditions. in utah, whole neighborhoods buried. winter warnings in some areas calling for up to 36 inches of snow. turning the hillsides into a skier's paradise. heather lives in suburban salt lake. she doesn't mind doing a little digging out on a suddenly white christmas. >> it's seriously a christmas miracle. we went to bed, it was green, and we woke up to this. >> in flagstaff, arizona, car wrecks all over the roads, forcing a number of closures with the heaviest snow on the way. at the grand canyon, pennsylvania mother karen klein rescued after wandering 26 miles in the snow to find help when the family car got stuck. >> she ended up in deep snow, as much as three feet snow, and she

was very played out and frostbitten, fingers and feet, when she was located early this morning. >> further west, christmas morning mudslides. four families in southern california evacuated when water starting coming through the walls, destroying this home. meanwhile, at the airport, flyers happy with holiday rates and less traffic, hoping to get 30,000 feet above any problems below. >> i'm not worried about the storms because i'm going to guess we'll just go around them. >> parts of the country forced to deal with winter's wrarth, where the winter outside is frightful. >> today, russia has declared a national day of mourning for the 92 victims all who have been killed on a plane crash on christmas day. the military jet was en route to syria. the russian government is saying pilot aerror or technical fault is likely the cause of sunday's crash and there's no evidence of a terror attack. lucy cavnauf has the details.

>> the news sinking in at first light. a christmas day tragedy. the russians scrambling helicopters, ships, and drones to scour the black sea, but there were no survivors. instead, recovering bodies and debris. pieces of a puzzle which may help explain why the russian military plane crashed, killing all 92 people onboard. departing from sochi, the plane was bound for russia's base in syria, but minutes after taking off, it disappeared from radar, plunging into the sea in near perfect weather. some of russia's best performers lost their lives, 64 members of the world famous ensemble, the official choir of the russian armed forces were supposed to entertain troops in syria for a new year's celebration. instead, there are funerals to plan. this young couple were reportedly due to marry soon. nine russian journalists also among the victims.

our whole family came here to mourn, says this woman. may god grant peace on their souls. a disaster that's left russia and the world stunned. lu lucy ckafanov nbc news, london. >> benj nn netanyahu is lashing out against the obama administration, accusing the president of a, quote, shameful ambush over west backe settlements. with 25 days left in the obama residency, netanyahu is looking past the obama administration. saying he's looking forward to working with his friend trump. kelly o'donnell reports. >> at a cabinet meeting, prime minister benjamin netanyahu made a startling allegation, that the u.s. secretly led the u.n. security council to admonish israel for its settlements in the west bank. >> as i told john kerry on thursday, friends don't take friends to the security council. >> friday, the u.s. declined to

block the resolution with its veto, and chose not to vote. netanyahu said we have no doubt that the obama administration initiated it, stood behind it, coordinated on the wording, and demanded that it be passed. netanyahu vented his frustration to ambassadors from security council nations, calling them in on christmas day, and sent a very loud signal looking past the obama presidency. >> the prime minister netanyahu is looking forward to working with president-elect trump in our quest for peace, and in order to further strengthen the relationship between israel and the united states. >> israel warned the obama white house it would seek help from trump, who lobbied egypt to kill the resolution and tweeted his support for israel, claiming the big loss will make it harder to negotiate peace. trump's pre-oath of office involvement is quite unusual. >> you really haven't seen a situation like this where a president-elect is speaking out on all sorts of issues in a way that is almost drowning out the

person who is still president. >> the uproar over the administration's abstaining vote in the u.n. has reached such a high level the top republican senator lindsey graham is now threatening to pull all funding for the united nations unless the security council repealed the resolution it just passed condemening the west bank settlements. >> president obama took part in a tradition, his last as president. they visited u.s. service members and their families at marine corps base in hawaii thanking them for their sacrifice. >> we want all of you know to that it has been the privilege of my life to serve as your commander in chief. i know michelle feels the same way when it comes to being able to stand alongside our military families. and our veterans. and although this will be my last time addressing you as

president, i want you to know that as a citizen, my gratitude will remain, and our commitment to standing by you every step of the way, that won't stop. >> meanwhile, christmas was celebrated in different ways across the country and throughout the world. brian mohr takes a look. >> pilgrims and tourists from around the world welcomed christmas in bethlehem, the biblical birth place of jesus. at the vatican, pope francis offered a prayer of peace. high above on the international space station, a similar viewpoint from the crew of expedition 50. >> seeing the planet as a whole, and it actually re-enforces, i think, that the fact that we should live as one people and strive for peace. >> on the ground in iraq, american troops did their best to enjoy a peaceful holiday away from home. >> kind of a struggle.

you know, but i have a good support back home. and it isn't too bad. we have a pretty good family here. >> but some took time out to share the holiday spirit with those less fortunate. at places like this shelter in indiana, and this rescue mission in charlotte. >> this makes us really feel what christmas is all about. >> 500 homeless people from the dallas area were given a gift they'll not soon forget. not just a meal but a room at the omni hotel, which teamed up with the local soup kitchen. >> wow, this is the greatest experience of my life. i never in a million years would have thought that i would be experiencing something like this. i have never felt so good in my whole life. i'm just so grateful. >> spreading holiday cheer on this christmas 2016. brian mohr, nbc news. >> just ahead, the royals celebrate christmas, but with

one member noticeably absence. >> first, a powerful earthquake struck chile, no reports of deaths. >> a powerful typhoon hit the philippines leaving tens of thousands of villagers and travelers displaced. >> here at home, bonnie schneider has a look at the winter weather pounding parts of the country. >> well, we're certainly looking at a blizzard, but it's winding down. looking at plenty of snow across the northern plains and strong wind. that's really made for poor visibility. luckily, these advisories will be over by noon. more rain ahead for the pacific northwest, as well as gusty winds this afternoon. they're really going to ramp up in washington and seattle and portland as well. so watch out for some nasty weather there. that's a look at the bige rain

watch out for windy weather up there as well. getting more wet and cold across a good portion of the country. dara. >> bonnie, thanks. just ahead, the uber driver turned matchmaker. see how he's bringing couples together one ride at a time. you're watching "early today." h start by taking care of families for 70 years. earn the trust of 32 nfl teams. be there for america's toughest and help, when help is needed america's #1 isn't a status earned overnight. it's earned in every wash, and re-earned every day. tide, america's #1 detergent a silicon valley server farm. the vault to man's greatest wonders... selfies, cat videos and winking emojis. speaking of tech wonders,

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people to focus on small acts of kindness this holiday season. actress carrie fisher is in stable condition after a heart attack she suffered friday on a flight from london to los angeles. that's according to her mother, actress debbie reynolds. she said, carrie, best known for her role in the star wars film was, quote, in stable condition. if there is a change, we will share it for all her fans and friends, i thank you for your prayers and good wishes. just ahead, a wi-fi warning as you head to the airport, the beach, or the mall. see how thieves are trying to snoop through your most private information. we'll show you how to protect yourself up next. dog. mom didn't want another dog. she said it's too much work. lulu's hair just floats. uhh help me! (doorbell) mom, check this out. wow. swiffer sweeper, and dusters. this is what i'm talking about. look at that. sticks to this better than it sticks to lulu. that's your hair lulu! mom, can we have another dog?

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welcome back. now to a warning about wi-fi. while so many families are traveling, vacationing, and shopping, high-tech thieves are looking for your information in public places. jo ling kent explains. >> as the mall, the beach, and the airport, free wi-fi spots and charging ports are everywhere, but they're popular places for hackers. we were shown how hackers do it. he set up an unauthorized insecure wi-fi network at the airport and called it airport wi-fi. within minutes, 15 traflers around us logged on, not

realizing it was an unofficial, insecure connection. >> we have a malicious hot spot. you punch in what you think is a safe user name and password. >> it seems innocent, now i have been hacked. >> just like that, your data is hacked, and those charging stations are also prime targets. when you plug your phone into a usb port, a prompt comes up asking if you trust the connection. many say yes, but beware. >> unbeknownst to you, this is connected to a system where cyber criminal is looking at your device. >> i realized someone was trying to enter my computer. >> jerome was hacked at the airport. his first worry, his financial data. >>ia doeptd know what the bank' response is going to be. >> how can you protect yourself? experts say don't charge in a usb port. use a plug. be wary of pop-up prompts, be skeptical of generic network

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♪ hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah ♪ >> "usa today" just announced kate mckinnon as its entertainer of the year. she won a primetime emmy and the critics choice award for her outstanding work on "snl." and make a big splash on the big screen starring in ghost busters and office christmas party. and dwayne the rock johnson has two big films coming out in 2017, baywatch, and the fate of the furious. >> sterling brown is usa today's tv person of the we're. he's nominated for a sag award for this is us, and his portrayer of christopher darden in the people versus o.j. simpson. and all hail queen bey. they named her musician of the year. congrats to all. well, it was a very merry

christmas for a 3-year-old michael brown. this little boy's story continues to captivate the nation. michael brown celebrated christmas with his new forever family, opening a bunch of presents and basking in the love. it was this photograph tweeted out by his sister last week that introduced the world to brown and his family. after 832 days in foster care, he was adopted by his foster family. his reaction to the news created a viral sensation online with more than 100,000 people falling in love with him. he's absolutely adorable. >> pure excitement. i love that reaction. >> incredible. what a great time, christmas, especially to be finding your forever family. >> absolutely. >> i love that story. could watch it again and again. up next, finding mr. right in an uber. the new way some folks are giving their dates a jump start. you're watching "early today." per roll

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i'm meteorologist bonnie schneider. we're tracking warmer temperatures the day after christmas. that's right, unseasonably mild, and many record highs occurred on christmas. expect more today with warm weather along the gulf coast. it will stay cool, though, across much of the rockies where we still have snow on the ground, and the blizzard i mentioned earlier will dissipate, leaving us with snow shower into northern minnesota and colder temperatures as well. dara, we're feeling the effects of winter, soon enough, as we wrap up the end of this year. >> thank you so much. >> now, to a story about speed dating for the 21st century. it's about a guy who's putting a new spin on an old tv favorite, except he swapped the studio for the back-seat of his car. kevin tibbles wint along for the ride. >> let's go downtown.

>> on the streets of san francisco, cupid's in the driver's seat. >> yes, it's ride share the love. the dating game that takes place in the back-seat of an uber car. >> you feel me? >> and your host is 28-year-old stand-up comedian and chauffeur stroy moy. i have a good time doing it. i just love it. >> he got the idea one night with three riders, all strangers in his car, who decided to grab a bite to eat together. boom, instant date. >> you ready for this? >> now, contestants sit in the middle, blindfolded, and ask questions to prospective mates on either side. >> what is your best pick-up line to get a girl? >> joey was set up by a friend. >> of all the dating apps, i didn't think uber was going to be the one that landed me a

lady. >> he chose adrienne. >> is it working out? >> yeah, we have been on four dates so far. >> do you put romantic music on when they're in the back? >> uh-huh. >> then the mobile matchmaker works his magic. >> who do you want to go on a date with? >> i'm trying to bring the old school love back of meeting in person. now people want to meet online. it's an overall fun experience. >> dating on four wheels for those whose love life may be running on empty. kevin tibbles, nbc news, san francisco. >> what a great idea. and it's a win/win because then the uber driver can drive them around everywhere they need to go. >> and to their wedding eventually. >> exactly. what a great story. fun, uplifting. well, i'm dara brown along with da bonnie schneider. have a great monday. we'll see you back here tomorrow. another cold morning in the bay

area -- the day after christmas bringing chilly temperatures and frost. we're tracking how high the temps will get. pete/live another cold morning in the bay area, chilly temperatures and frost. we are tracking how high temperatures can get. folks could pay a big price if they park illegally at b.a.r.t. a fallen star. george michael passes away on christmas day. we look back at his life and career. "today in the bay. starts right now. good morning and thank you for joining us on this day after christmas. >> hanukkah ongoing, as a matter of fact. >> yes. i'm the o