yesterday. low clouds and no problems for the bay. that's what's happening in "today in the bay." gearing up . good morning, breaking news. massive manhunt. a desperate search under way for the deadly shooting at a popular christmas market in france. police narrowing in on a man they say is linked to ashroomic extremism. we are live with the latest. gold gamble. the psident out on a limb to get billions for his border wall. >> if we don't get what we want, i will share down the go. i am proud. i tell you what -- >> we disagree. >> reporter: the leaders inside the oval office, with cameras rolling. what the president would say overnight what would happen if he were impeached. deepening mysteries, new

clues of that montana mom that vanished thanksgiving day. police releasing the lasting images before she vanished. her father growing out, questions about the daughter's fiancee. why did he wait ten days to report her missing? all that, plus ready for more? another powerful winter storm. the third in three weeks to sweep across the nation. al tells us what to expect this time. host problem, who will replace kevin hart at the oscars. by this morning, reports are no one at all. >> when it's our 11th anniversary, i will be leaving the "today" show. >> she joins us to talk about her decision and her next chapter, wednesday, december 12, 2018. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with safa guthrie and hoda kotb live from studio isa in rockefeller plaza.

>> good morning, everybody, welcome to "today." thank you for joining us on this wednesday morning. we're thinking about kathie lee and what life will be without her. >> yesterday was a historic decision and her decision to start anew. we will miss her around here, though. >> we are. let's get to our top story. the hunt is on for a suspected gunman in that deadly attack on a crowded christmas market in france. the suspect is on a terrorist watch list and on the loose this morning. richard engel joins us with the very latest. richard, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. french prosecutors say the shooter was shouting al al akbar here in downtown strasbourg as he opened fire during the christmas market that christmas market today has been cancelled and france has raised its terror alert nationwide to its highest level n. strass bourlg, a balcony with a terrifying view.

witnesses say a gunman opened fire on shoppers and pedestrians near the city's famed christmas market. a market which has been targeted by islamic extremists before. visitors scrambled for cover. some helping the wounded as they waited for help to arrive. >> i was taking a walk at the christmas market. i heard some shots, six or seven shots, then i saw two people on the ground and many, many people, of course, are streaming and i started to run. >> reporter: the gunman, police say armed with a pistol killed at least two, wounded 12, nine of them seriously. police engaged the suspect in a shootout and believe they wounded him. he escaped reportedly by taxi and remained on the run. french police believe they've identified the 29-year-old shooter and tell nbc news, he was on an active watch list of

potential extremists. overnight, police tightened the borders. parts of strasbourg remain in lockdown as a s.w.a.t. team combs the area for the shooter. the paris prosecutor just identified partially by name the suspect as and we have been told by police this is what happened yesterday. this suspect had been known as a criminal. police raided his home in connection with a burg. larry. -- burglary. that set him off, police started to look for him. and, unfortunately, the last time they saw him was during that shootout here at that christmas market in strasbourg last night. >> things must be so tense. is there concern there is more attacks or this is a lone wolf?

>> reporter: there is a concern. the same way that first raid in connection with the robbery apparently set off the attacker to go on a shooting spree the concern is now does he have other associates? was he a part of a cell? are they now activated? so france is taking steps not just to find the shooter who was here last night, who was still at large, but any associates he may have had who may see no other choice but to go ahead with an attack. >> richard engel, thank you so much. here at home the divide between president trump and democratic congressional leaders was on full display during a face-to-face meeting in the oval office. in a new interview, the president is dismissing the possibility of his impeopachimp. kristen keller with has details. >> reporter: good morning to you. we are getting our first glimpse of what it will look like after president trump allowed cameras with his face-off with democrats, he once called chuck

and nancy, the defendant is defending himself overnight weighing in on a ran him of prospects including the prospect of impeachment. president trump telling roil reuters, he is competent he won't be impeached. it's hard to impeach someone who hasn't done anything wrong and who's created the best economy in the history of our economy. i'm not concerned. no i think the people will revolt if that happened. he talks about the silence of two women of alleged affairs he denied right before the election were campaign contributions. as for those who worked for him and had contacts with russia. trump told reuters that's quote peanut stuff. the interview capping a remarkable day at the white house, in which cameras captured an extraordinary clash between president trump and five democrats. he demanded $5 billion to pay

for his border wall, a project he once vowed mexico will pay for. >> the wall will be the iciest of all, what do you think, cluck? maybe not? >> it's called funding the government, mr. president. >> i have the white house. the white house is done. the house could give me the vote if i wanted it. i can't, nancy i need ten votes from chuck. >> the fact is you do not have the votes in the house. >> nancy, i do. we need border security. nancy, nancy, we need border security. >> you just said it because you can't get your way. >> nancy is in a situation where it's not easy for her to talk right now. and i understand that. >> please don't characterize the strength that i have brought to this meeting as the leader of the house democrats who just one a big victory. >> election versus consequences, mr. president. >> i am proud to shut down the government for border security, chuck. i will take the mant him of shutting down. i'm going to shut it down for border security. >> we believe you shouldn't shut it down. >> reporter: and there could be another milestone in the russia

investigation today. president trump's former attorney michael cohen will be sentenced later this morning for his role in those payments we mentioned to women, who allege affairs with mr. trump, which he denies and lying to congress about a proposed tower project in russia that extended into the 2016 campaign. cohen has pleaded guilty to both of those charges and several others related to bank and tax fraud. it is a stunning turn of events for cohen, who once vowed he'd take a bullet for mr. trump. >> kristen, thank you. craig is here with a "today" exclusive. >> good morning to you, good morning to you as well. we sat down with nikki haley the outgoing u.n. ambassador to the united nations, it was her first interview since she announced she will leave her post at the end of the month. we talked about that decision and what her future holds. i talked ability the trump administration's response so far to the murder of washington post columnist jamal khashoggi.

>> i think we need to have a serious hard talk with the saudis to let them know we won't condone this. we won't give you a pass and don't do this again. and then i think that the administrations have to talk about where we go from here. what i can tell you that's so important is that the saudis have been our partner in defeating and dealing with iran and that has been hugely important. >> the president as you know has still entertained the possibility that perhaps the crown prince wasn't aware, despite his intelligence agencies saying otherwise. some have suggested that it is because reportedly the president's son-in-law jared kushner the senior adviser still maintains a fairly close relationship with the crown prince. >> in reference to jared, those rumors fly all the time. we have relationships with lots of countries and our goal is to make those reasons better. but when these things happen, we have to step back and never back away from our principles.

>> reporter: in her time at the u.n., haley has had to deal with a host of global hot spots. her proudest achievement, tightening sanctions on north korea and trying to slow their nuclear ambitions. >> to be able to pass the strongest sanctions in a generation that brought the world together and brought north korea to the table was, was really important. >> reporter: president kim has not indicated when he will dismantle his nuclear capabilities. is the victory leg premature? >> craig, ask what it was like when north korea was testing every other weekend. it was a dangerous situation. the idea that we now have them in a place they've stopped testing. the idea we have them at the table even though they're going slower, don't ever underestimate how dangerous that could have been. >> reporter: let's talk russia. friend or faux?

>> it depends on the day. >> reporter: you have been more critical arguably than any other voice, any administration of russia. >> i'm critical when it's warranted. >> reporter: what is your chief concern with regard to issue? >> the united states wants a relationship with russia. as long as they keep doing the actions that they're doing, they're making it impossible. you can't go poison someone in another country and like they did with the support groskrupal no one will notice. >> you have done a fantastic job. thank you very much. >> reporter: when you made your announcement you were stepping away, why now? it appeared the special counsel is growing closer to the president. did you say -- >> not at all. i did not have any time to pay attention to the mueller investigation. >> reporter: not at all in. >> i have tuned it out.

the one thing i said publicly and i strongly believe is i think the investigation if it's going forward should go forward. but they need to hurry up for the need of the country and let us know what they know. >> reporter: the president says it's a witch hunt. >> we'll find out. >> reporter: while the world may see a president speak off the cuff, haley says at times it's by design. >> reporter: sit true that you used the president's unpredictable rhetoric to our advantage diplomatically? >> if i needed to pick up the phone and say this is what i'm going to do are you good with that? we kind of partnered in that. he would ratchet up the rhetoric. i'd go back to the ambassadors and say, you know, he's pretty upset. i can't promise you what he's going to do or not. i can tell you, if we do these sanctions, it will keep him from going too far. >> reporter: so you were playing good cop, bad cop. >> i was trying to get the job

done. i got the done by being truthful and letting him be unpredictable and not showing our cards. >> reporter: what's the secret to working with this president? >> being honest with myself and being honest with him. >> reporter: what do you mean being honest with yourself. >> to be able to tell when i think we're going in the right direction or the wrong direction and him being willing to listen to that and discuss it. it's been hugely helpful. >> reporter: you will be unemployed here in a few weeks. so we decided that we would help you sharpen your interviewing skills. where would nikki haley see herself in the short term a few years from now, say six years from now? where do you see yourself? it would be 2024 the presidential election year, just so we're clear. >> thanks i have no idea. i think a lot of people have talked about what i may be doing in the future. but i can promise you, michaelened i have never talked

about running for president. what that would look like, anything like that. because our lives have been such a fun surprise the only decision i made right now is i'm look forward to sleeping in. >> she says she wants to do binge watching as well. we talked about her spokesperson now. i asked her whether she agreed with senator rubio's sentiments over the weekend, senator rubio saying he had concerns whether mismal5 mismiss mallard will be ready day one. she says she's spoken with her. she deserves the benefit of the doubt. we will have much more with the exclusive conversation with ambassador haley on the third hour of "today." >> thank you. lots more to get to, including larry nassar's accusers speaking out that the u.s. olympic committee failed to protect them.

morgan. good morning. >> good morning, the 233-page independent report was commissioned by the usoc. it says some top officials knew for more than a year that larry nassar was accused of sexually assaulting young girls and did nothing to stop it. >> this report makes it so clear that little girls were not worth anything to usoc and usag. >> reporter: this morning responding to a scathing report. larry nassar's accusers feel betrayed all over again, after an independent investigation, detailed a failure to act by two top u.s. olympic committee officials. >> it's clear that the top officials, both usag and usoc, they placed money, medals and the reputations of the organization above the safety of athletes. >> reporter: the report, commissionled by the usoy in february found then chief of sport performance alan ashley and ceo scott blackman knew for

14 months that nasser was accused of molesting dozens of young girls. but instead of protecting athletes, they decided to keep the matter to themselves. hours after the report was released, ashley was fired. blackman resigned in february after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. neither could be reached for comment. investigators say both men were first told about the abuse allegations by former usa gymnastics ceo steve penney telling an fbi agent his goal was to keep the allegations quiet to avoid sending shockwaiv shockwaves through the community according to report. penny was later indicted for tampering with everyday, which he denies, some of nasser's accusers were pressured by penny to stay silent. >> he told me don't say anything to anybody. >> he said, please be quiet.

>> reporter: in response, the usga gymnastics board of directors say they are making success that all levels are offered in a safe, positive and encouraging environment. and will take additional measures as need based on the findings. an attorney for 180 nasser accusers calling some revelations in the report stunning. >> the u.s. olympic committee and its culture is infected with a virus and a cancer and it needs to be rooted out. >> the attorney for some of the accusers is now calling on congress and law enforcement to take additional action. meanwhile, rachel hollander the first one to name nasser, she was named sports illustrated woman of the year. that was presented by dr. christine blasey ford. >> morgan, thank you. meantime, al is tracking what is expected to be the third

powerful storm. breaking news just in. 4:14 this morning. magnitude 4.4 earthquake in decatur, tennessee, all the way down to atlanta. now to that big storm out of the pacific northwest, it develops in the texas panhandle. it dives to the south. into the colorado mountains today. it continues on to tomorrow bringing heavy rain. strong winds developing in the southern plains. as we make our way into friday, heavy showers and thunderstorms from atlanta into new york. airport delays causing big problems for the weekend. saturday, secondary system develops. if this gets stronger, we could be looking at more heavy rain, look for the big gusts of winds, gusts over 60 miles forehour. we have the risk of severe weather, along the southeast and atlantic coasts. isolated four-inch totals,

especially in the panhandle of florida. rain and meling snows adds to a flood threat into the carolinas with river flooding there as well. we will get to your forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds. the beautiful thing about care, is knowing that it's always there... ...and that is always will be. walgreens. trusted since 1901 right now save 25% on your purchase at walgreens good wednesday morning. it's still a cloudy and drizzly day in the bay area. as we see the skies clearing, this afternoon it's going to be another nice one. reaching into the upper 50s and low 60s. many of the warmer spots

reaching 62 degrees. more dry weather tomorrow. by friday, a storm system moving in will bring in a fairly quick-moving line of showers moving from north to south. by saturday, we're taking a break from rain and another system moving in to bring us some showers late on sunday. >> and that's your latest weather. guys? >> thank you, al. coming up, new surveillance video adding to the mystery surrounding the disappearance of a colorado mother. we're going to have the latest and hear from her father for the first time. and could the oscars go without a host in the wake of the kevin hart scandal? natalie has big news from hollywood overght. hollywood overght. finirs

the beautiful thing about care, is knowing that it's always there... ...and that it always will be. ♪ walgreens. trusted since 1901 just ahead this morning, nib superstar steph curry's surprising take on moon landings. why he thinks they never happened. and kathie lee joins us early to talk about her big decision and her future. but first, your local new

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san francisco police right now a very good morning to you. 7:26. i'm laura garcia. san francisco police right now investigating a hit and run that is still closing off streets in lower knob hill. happened about 3:30 this morning. police say a woman was crossing the street at bush and leavenworth when she was hit by a dark-colored vehicle. first responders rushed her to the hospital. her injuries are considered life-threatening. at this point there's no specific description of the type of vehicle involved, just that it was dark colored, or how long surrounding streets will remain closed. anyone who may have noticed anything should contact police. we'll check the forecast now. >> it's not as foggy as it was yesterday at that time. we can see the low clouds over

the tri-valley as we look live at dublin. heading down to san jose, we've got some clear visibility as of now. then we're going to see our skies clear throughout the day. high temperatures heading into the upper 50s and low 60s. up to 59 in napa, as well as santa rosa and in palo alto. over the next few days, we continue on with seasonal weather. by friday, rain returns to the bay area. although it will kind of fizzle out as it makes its way from north to south. then another round of rain in the forecast for sunday afternoon. i'll be tracking that. let's get an update on the commute now from mike. we just saw the fog clear from the index, but you may find mist there. 85 at the 87 split there's a crash. that's where the slowing starts for those freeways. another crash north of there, 101 at north expressway causes more slowing, slowing down in for santa clara. the rest of the bay, a pleasant drive. looking to the upper east shore freeway, an earlier crash, about an hour. we're looking at oakland here,

as well, past the coliseum. things bogged down around high street into downtown. back to you. >> thank you very much. i'll be back with another local news update in a half hour.

7:30 on this wednesday morning, december 12th, 2018. christmas is less than two weeks away. you can never get tired of this shot. the gardens decorated for the season in our backyard at rockefeller center with our gorgeous tree in the background. >> 13 days. hard to believe it's that close. a wide-ranging interview overnight, president trump insists he is not worried about being impeached. he told reuters, quote, it's hard to impeach somebody who hasn't done anything wrong. and he added the people would revolt if that happened. democratic leaders clashed with the president on tuesday.

he said he will shut down the government this month if he does not get money for his border wall. >> the wall, that will be the easiest of all. what do you think, chuck? >> it's called funding the government, mr. president. >> the fact is you do not have the votes in the house. >> later in a private meeting, house minority leader nancy pelosi told fellow democrats that president trump's manhood got in the way of their meeting. rescuers have intensified their search for three people lost inside an abandoned west virginia coal mine. the man and two women haven't been seen since saturday. a fourth member of the group was able to make it out safely. teams are moving cautiously because of the dangerously low oxygen levels in the mine. crews are now pumping in fresh air and pumping out standing water. hockey fans are talking about a bizarre play at an nhl game in st. louis last night. look at this. a florida panthers player shot the puck into the corner looking for a big bounce. okay. here we go. and he gets the bounce, but it's off the referee.

see? now, he scored. but it's not a goal, okay? it doesn't count. the ref, by the way, had the wind knocked out of him. then, he recovered and got a standing ovation for his sacrifice. >> never seen that. also this morning, new developments of a disappearance of the young mom missing in colorado. police have released what may be the last known images of her before she vanished on thanksgiving day with her baby. joe fryer has the latest. hey, joe. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. police say they have received a number of tips and phone calls. now, they have released new video of kelsey berreth, and for the first time we're hearing from her father, daryl. police hope this new surveillance video will lead to more tips. it shows kelsey berreth carrying her 1-year-old daughter into a safeway store near her home on thanksgiving, the last known day she was seen in public.

her fiance said he saw kelsey later that afternoon, when he picked up their daughter. the engaged couple lives in separate homes near each other and plan to marry, kelsey's father tells nbc news. he said patrick took care of the baby during the day while kelsey worked as a flight instructor at doss aviation. and then, kelsey would sleep over at patrick's house or take her home. her mother said kelsey would never abandon her daughter. >> this is out of character. kelsey loves her god. she loves her family and friends and loves her job. >> reporter: kelsey's father says as of tuesday afternoon his wife had not yet been able to see their grand daughter who is in patrick's care. >> kelsey, we just want you home. call us if you can. and we won't quit looking. >> reporter: police say three days after thanksgiving, on november 25th, kelsey's cell phone pinged 700 miles away in idaho. that same day, a text was sent to her employer saying she wouldn't be in for the rest of

the week. it wasn't until december 2nd, ten days after she was last seen, that kelsey was reported missing to police by her mother. >> why didn't patrick report her missing? >> that's a question you'll have to ask patrick. >> reporter: police say patrick is cooperating. nbc news has not been able to reach him for comment. >> is patrick a suspect in this case? >> at this point, he is the father of kelsey's daughter. we're going to leave it at that. this is a missing persons case. >> joe, we have heard from her parents, from police. we still have not heard from her fiance. is there any indication, do you think, that he'll speak out? >> at this point it's unclear if he'll speak publicly. he didn't appear at monday's news conference. police say there are no suspects at all. they consider this a missing persons case. their number one priority is finding kelsey who has been missing for nearly three weeks. back to you.

>> now to al for another check of the weather. what's happening here? >> we haven't had a lot of snow. we thought we would play a game, who is snowier. who is snowier? albuquerque or boston? >> albuquerque. >> let's find out -- it is actually albuquerque. that's right. >> really? >> 0.3 inches of snow there. boston, 3 1/2 inches. who is snowier? anchorage or raleigh? >> raleigh. >> raleigh had a big storm. >> you would be correct. 8.9 inches. but 8.7 inches above average. final one, here we go. who is snowier? green bay or new york? >> green bay. we hardly had any snow. >> it's close. but green bay. >> we had six inches of snow? >> that one big storm we had. the sneak attack storm. there you have it. thanks for playing our game. you don't get anything. mountain snows in the pacific northwest. wind watches through texas and the central plains. a milder afternoon in the southeast. that's what's going on around the country.

good morning. patches of fog this morning and low clouds. after all that clears out, we'll have a really nice day and seasonal temperatures with highs reaching into the upper 50s. a few of our inland spots will reach the low 60s today. we'll see more of the same tomorrow with much more sunshine. by friday, clouds move, in and a chance of showers as we move from north to south. we could see a chance of showers also again on sunday. but that one looks to bring in some heavier rains that may linger into early monday. >> and that's the latest. >> she couldn't remember the snow because she was nowhere near it. >> i remember. i missed that day. >> you were in margaritaville. >> i told you to get out early. >> i did. >> thank you, al. just ahead, the offer that nasa just made to nba superstar steph curry, after he questioned if the moon landings really ever happened. also, what does music star gwen stefani want from blake shelton?

we'll find out as she gives us a special holiday tour of her home. and the new picture of prince harry and meghan markle that is freaking people out. will no one replace kevin hart as the oscar host? natalie has the latest. the late-night meeting with the academy board of directors, after this. rt as the eggo thick and fluffy waffles

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>> i got a call from the academy and that call said, kevin, apologize for your tweets of old, or we're going to have to move on and find another host. >> reporter: critics condemned past tweets and comedy routines as homophobic. >> guys, i'm almost 40 years old. if you don't believe that people change, grow, evolve, as they get older, i don't know what to tell you. >> reporter: hart's abrupt exit, now leaving the golden opportunity right open for someone else. >> the academy was blind sided by kevin's decision. one organizer told me, all bets are off. they're considering everything and anything. >> reporter: while late-night hosts may seem like an obvious choice, tonight, there's growing speculation there may be no host at all. one scenario, with the demanding show just months away, a group of celebrities to facilitate one of hollywood's biggest nights, similar to what they did at the emmy awards.

>> they're leaning towards no host. frankly, who wants the job at this point? it's saddled with expectation and you have to talk about kevin no matter what. >> reporter: jimmy kimmel had almost ten months to prepare for last year's show. >> some would consider the announcement of a host this year, came late in the game. it's very revealing of what the planning was. and maybe how troubled they were finding a host to begin with. >> reporter: seth macfarlane told "entertainment weekly," when you're doing something that much in the spotlight, with that much focus on it, that much intensity, you're going to have opinions from a lot of people. it's not an easy job. i'm not surprised they have a tough time finding takers. >> the oscar goes to. >> reporter: oscar is moving on to plan "b" for hollywood's a-list. >> there's one former host offering herself up this morning. what can you tell us about her? >> that's right. whoopi goldberg has hosted the

oscars four times before. she, too, has had her fair share of controversies. and in hollywood, becoming oscar host is viewed by many to be a thankless job. as you may remember, jimmy kimmel said he was paid $15,000 for hosting the gig twice after months of hard work. now, given all of the added controversy, it seems to be the perception, there's more to be lost than to be gained. >> guys. >> fewer and fewer people watching anyways. >> that's true. >> thank you. just ahead, steph curry's comments, calling the moon landings into question, that landings into question, that give joy, get joy...l on the nba

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we are back. as dylan joins us. the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing is coming up next year. >> big anniversary. now, one of the biggest names in all of sports, steph curry is questioning whether the moon landing ever happened. his comment on a podcast is getting a lot of attention this morning. and nasa is also weighing in. here's miguel almaguer. >> reporter: known for launching deep threes -- >> for three. >> reporter: -- steph curry often shoots for the moon. but it's the actual lunar landing the superstar says he doesn't think is real. on a wide ranging podcast, hosted by other nba players, curry floated the question often posted by conspiracy theorists. >> have we gone to the moon?

>> reporter: after curry probed that the moon landing was staged, one of the players suggested it may have been filmed by stanley cukubrick, arguing that it was out of this world. and nasa fired back, saying 12 astronauts have walked the moon. inviting curry to visit mission control and see the moon rocks for himself. a former astronaut says curry's views matter. >> the fact that he's questioning whether or not we went to the moon, affects the ideas and the concepts that kids form. >> reporter: retired astronaut scott kelly also weighed in, tweeting, steph, so much respect for you. but regarding the moon landing thing, let's talk. direct message me. curry's response to stories circulating about his comments, only this emoji. the two-time mvp's conspiracy

theory, comes after kyrie irving told the world he believed the earth was flat, before finally walking back the claim. >> all of the science teachers, everybody coming up to me, saying you know i have tocurric. i'm sorry. >> reporter: in march, the warriors travel to houston to play the rockets. and nasa says the space agency would be over the moon to host curry. for "today," miguel almaguer. >> we like steph curry. i think he was joke. >> he's joking. >> clear up the record for us. >> emoji with sunglasses can't tell us. >> or he thought that the movie "capricorn one" was a documentary. >> don't get that reference. just ahead, natalie portman channeling her inner pop star for her new movie. she'll be here to talk about that. and kathie lee is up early. we'll talk to her

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good wednesday morning. right now it's 7:56. tvs a cloudy start for the south bay. we've even had mist and drizzle. here's christmas in the park. it looks good as you get ready to make plans to get your wednesday started. a lot of upper 50s and low 60s as skies clear later today. by tomorrow, rather on friday, i'll be tracking some rain that

will be moving in during the afternoon. and then it kind of weakens as it moves from north to south. so most of our highest rain chances will be across the north bay and also in san francisco. sunday, another rainmaker will be moving in starting in the north bay, as well. during sunday morning. most of the bay area won't see rain until sunday evening. heavier, it may hold together as it moves north is on south. the seven-day forecast shows temperatures in the upper 50s and low 60s. we'll have more updates on the weekend rain. let's get an update on the commute now from mike. we're looking over here, and most of the bay looks like what you would expect -- slow across san mateo into dunbarton bridges. northbound and southbound 101, around lawrence expressway, reports of a crash still affecting the southbound side as far as the lanes that are blocked. the northbound side, that's closed to san jose. the approach to oakland, all direction look slow toward the bay bridge toll plaza where the metering lights are on but the bay bridge toll plaza looking lighter and brighter. back to you.

>> thank you very much. happening now, san francisco police investigating a hit-and-run accident that shut down city streets in the area around lower knob hill. emergency responders rushed a woman to the hospital. they're saying she suffered life-threatening injuries. we'll have updates. we're monitoring what may be a make-or-break moment for british prime minister theresa may. members will hold a no confidence vote that may remove her as prime minister. we'll have that after 10:00 a.m. our time locally. more news coming up in a half hour. emergency.

we )ll take you inside the new response center in the east bay... to keep our waterways safe! plus: a north bay man hits a snag while trying to get a refund. our consumer team helps him patch things up. join us tomorrow from 4:30 to 7. good mo

it's 8:00 on today. coming up -- manhunt under way. a search is on in france. police say the man is linked to islamic extremism. we are live with the latest. plus, kathie lee's next chapter. >> when it's our 11th anniversary i'll be leaving the "today" show. >> we'll talk to our friend and colleague about what's next after her big announcement. and "today" goes pop. oscar winner natalie portman is stopping by studio 1a to talk about her new role as a music

superstar. and we'll look at a stefani christmas, as natalie helps gwen deck the halls. >> are we ready? >> are we doing it? >> are we ready to break through? >> i have not done this since i was a kid. >> hey. >> i got a new tradition. >> today, wednesday, december 12th, 2018. >> from georgia southern university. >> go, eagles. >> road trip with mom from hudsonville, michigan. >> happy birthday, tatum. i love you. ♪ >> we're the prince family from maryland. >> good morning to our 1-year-old calleb. we love you. >> waxahachie, texas, witching you happy holidays! ♪ >> what a crowd. what a tree. what a day. what a season. good morning, everybody. welcome back to "today" on a wednesday morning. it's nice to have you along with us this morning.

>> i love it when they wear the santa hats to the plaza. >> it's 13 days before christmas. >> 13 degrees out. they're also functional. >> yeah. >> they look good and they're functional. a lot to get to this morning. let's get to your news at 8:00 and this massive manhunt for the gunman behind a deadly attack, that happened in a crowded christmas market in strasburg, france. police say the suspect is on a terrorist batch list. nbc chief foreign correspondent richard engel is there and finding out about what exactly happened. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. that search is all across france for a man that police have partially identified as sharif sie. he is a suspected islamic extremist. he was on a terror watch list here. he had 27 convictions for violence and burglary. things started to unfold yesterday morning when police raided his home here in strasbourg. that was in connection with a suspected burglary. they found hand grenades there. but they did not find sharif.

they started searching for him and they later saw him when he showed up and opened fire here in the center of strasbourg at that christmas market, firing toward police. police responded, injured him. and to escape, he hijacked a taxi cab, forced the taxi driver to take him out of this area. and police, just a short while ago, issued a nationwide alert, telling people to be on the lookout for a blue ford, suspecting he may have been trying to leave the area or leave the country. france has reenforced border controls. >> really tense times there. richard, thank you. president trump said he would be proud to shut down the government, unless congress provides money to build his controversial border wall with mexico. he made that comment at a combative oval office meeting with congressional leaders. nbc correspondent kristen welker has details on this. kristen, good morning. >> reporter: hoda, good morning to you. president trump was defiant in a new interview overnight, weighing in on the prospects of

impeachment, telling reuters, quote, i'm not concerned. no. i think the people would revolt if that happened. it comes after the president clashed with top democrats, as you say, over his border wall tuesday. mr. trump wants $5 billion to fund his wall, threatening a partial government shutdown if he doesn't get his way. >> i am proud to shut down the government for border security. i will take the mantle of border security. >> we believe you shouldn't shut it down. >> reporter: and tweeting, another bad terror attack in france. we're going to strengthen our borders even more. chuck and nancy must give us the votes to get additional border security. meanwhile, in an interview with craig, nikki haley weighed in on the ongoing russia investigation. >> they need to hurry up for the good of the country. they need to let us know what they know. >> the president says it's a witch hunt. >> we'll find out. >> reporter: and haley

side-stepped a question about whether she will run for president in 2024. back to you. >> thanks. we will have more of craig's exclusive interview with ambassador haley on the third hour of "today." millions of americans in the path of a powerful storm moving coast to coast. it could be packing quite the punch. mr. roker has more of what we can expect. what's the word, al? >> we're seeing it in the pacific northwest. the system will transfer its energy today, into the texas panhandle. snow from idaho to the colorado mountains. for tomorrow, we're looking at heavy winds and strong rains, making their way through the gulf coast, into the gulf coast and moving into the southeast. by friday, mid-atlantic states, as well. airport delays from atlanta, wilmington, washington, up into new york. by the time we get into saturday heaviest rain moves offshore. could see a secondary system develop that would reinforce that heavy rain and keep the unsettled weather in the southeast. thursday, impact, strong winds, anywhere from 30 to 60 miles per

hour wind gusts and then thursday to friday, a risk of severe weather from louisiana into florida, along the gulf and heavy rain through sunday. rain, flooding, melting snows in the carolinas may cause those rivers to flood. isolated amounts of 4 inches. 2 to 3 inches, with airport delays through the weekends as we head towards the holidays. inches, with airport delays through the weekends as we head towards the holidays. a vote is scheduled today in britain on whether to oust prime minister theresa may. she's facing a revolt from within her own party. lawmakers will decide if may will keep leading them as he struggles to take britain out of the european union. the vote is by secret ballot. may is fighting for her version of brexit, even as the country is divided over the issue. you know what time it is. >> "boost" o'clock. >> kylie lee just teamed up with

her husband to meet some real-life superheros. take a look. so, the couple's part of an indy pop group called east of eli. they joined singing for superheros to spread hope for kids battles cancer at johns hopkins hospital. the song, "no giving up." celebrities make cameos. but the superhero is ashley hackman. she is battling leukemia and she is a warrior. watch the video on youtube. each click raises money for cancer research. all for a great cause. >> thank you. coming up, two big stars in studio 1a. natalie portman on her thought-provoking new movie and the inspiration behind her role. and kathie lee on her decision and big plans for the future. future. >> hey, girl. missed out on this. don't worry, the biggest deal is happening right now at t-mobile. when you buy one of the latest sumsung phones you get a free 50" samsung 4k tv.

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i'm thrilled about all the projects that are coming up, but it's also hard because the reason i stayed longer than a year is because i love everybody here so much. >> the minute you stepped into my life with both feet everything changed. >> i just want to leave it there. it's going to be that kind of day. nobody else needs it, i see. >> how do you feel? >> i feel so relieved. i've known it was coming for a long, long time. you want to get your story out before somebody else tries to tell your story in an inaccurate way. i always tried to be an authentic person. i've been honest all along. so when you're misrepresented it bothers you because you say, i want everybody to know my truth. and hoda has known it for a long, long time. all of these other projects have been bubbling up in me and so exciting and the movies and

music and just so many wonderful things. and i need the time for them to do them properly. and i went to our bosses here, actually, almost two years ago and said i'm going to do one more year with hoda, i'm going to retire with ten, nice round number, ten years and so that was the arrangement until we had some turmoil here in our midst and noah said kathie, can you just stay a little longer? and i said i don't want to leave, i just have to do my other stuff. so i said if you can work it out for me that i can still do my projects and i'll stay, and i was thrilled with that decision. but now there's like six other projects and you can't do that. >> the studio can't contain you anymore. >> it's interesting talking about what's ahead, but we have to sit for a minute with what was. those 11 years. and i always felt like sitting next to you was like a master

class in this broadcasting business because nobody, nobody, nobody does it like you do it. nobody ever has and nobody ever will and you are all by yourself. and i think like everything is contagious, your fearlessness is contagious. i remember it was valentine's day and we had just kind of met and i said i hate valentine's day and you said why. i said i met my ex-husbanded on valentine's day and my divorce papers came on valentine's day and you were like that's so sad and i get on the set and there's balloons on the set and i said happy valentine's day and kathie said, not for you. but that's you. fearless and everything. there's signs outside for you. and you have been in everyone's lives for so many years.

but i don't think we can underestimate what an impact you have had. people grew up watching you. >> i know. a long time. >> they have been watching you through every stage of your life. your marriage, your children, losing frank, full circle life. >> but you know it dawned on me the other day, and i thought it was so fun. at a certain age when you start getting all of your cards in the mail that remind you what you're already painfully aware of, how old you are and then you reach a certain point and you get these rebates and reductions on anything you want to buy because you have lived long enough and i just thought how cool is it that senior citizens are going to be using their coupons to go in to see movies that this senior citizens has put on. that's fun, right? >> it's cool. >> because life is not over until the lord takes you home. you have a pulse, you have a purpose. you still have a purpose. do you know who taught me that was paul newman. do we have time for this little

story? >> we have plenty. >> paul newman, i was privileged to have become a friend of his. he was the first interview that i did when i was at another network at a different show and i was in awe of him. who wasn't. years, years later we were at at a fund-raiser together and everybody is around him and i thought i don't want to be one more hanger onner around paul. i went into another room and ten minutes later i feel this on the back of my head, my back. see, she has my back. always had my back. and i turn around and there's paul newman and he gets down on one knee and takes both of my hands in his and kisses them and looks up at me with those eyes and i said okay, now i can die. and he was getting up and he was struggling to get up, and i said how are you, paul? he said kathie, i have a pulse. he was in his 80s. we didn't know how much longer

he would be with us in this world. and i remember going home, it was a cold, bitter, february sunday night. frank didn't want to go. smart frank because football was on television that night and i get home and i'm telling frank about how moved i was by that experience. he said it was just because paul newman kissed your hands. no, he was still using his celebrity to put good into the world. we were at a fund-raiser for the westport county playhouse. i learned from him and aubrdrey hepburns of how a person can be blessed to have a career that the world notices and the world pays you to do, and you love to do it but at the same time you understand that it's not about you, it's for a purpose. and nobody raised more money than paul newman did. so i just emulated people like that. i just thought that's the kind of person i want to be. >> well, we have been learning from you the same kinds of lessons, courage, fearlessness

and it's never over. we cannot wait to see what you do, but first we want to spend four months singing your praises. >> the whole thing. >> you guys mean the world to me. >> we love you. >> this woman knows. this woman knows that whoever gets the privilege of sitting next to you is going to have the time of their life and a friend for life. i love you. >> do you want to stick around for pop start? >> no. love you guys. >> kathie lee. >> she's always honest. >> thanks, kath. >> all right, dylan. >> how do you feel now? >> please come back. okay. let's start with the duke and duchess of sussex. they're back in the headlines but for a different reason that you may think. yesterday berlin unveiled their new live wax figures.

actors wearing masks are on display impersonating the royal couple. >> that's weird. >> they acted out christmas scenarios resulting in some interesting photos. if you find the pair odd, you're not the only ones. reactions to the figures have begun to flood in. one woman saying i find this incredibly creepy on so many levels. >> another said these are going to haunt me in my sleep. and the most blunt comment, these prince harry and meghan markle wax figures are what you see right before you die. >> yikes. >> this is really weird. >> it's weird. >> it's just too much. >> and the sweaters. >> very bizarre. >> up next, selena, the late music legend known for her hits becoming the first female artist to win a grammy and the best selling in latin music history with over 65 million albums sold, she's getting a netflix series called selena the series.

it will detail how she became a star before her untimely death. this isn't the first time the singers life story will be told. in 1997, a film about selena's life was released starring jennifer lopez in the title role. no word on who might be cast as selena or when it might be released and steve carrell sat down with ellen to talk about his two upcoming movies. turns otolaryngology he lives close to her studio and rides his bike in the area and most recently he was hit by a car. listen to him retell the experience. >> i was riding and it was pretty fast road and i made a turn and i didn't see the car behind me and they hit me from behind. so i went up over the handlebars and it's a weird experience because everything just slows down and i just -- i thought, well i'm going to tuck and roll and i rolled and i got up and i was fine. and the woman who was driving

the car jumped out. she was distraught, obviously. and i went over to her and my bike was sort of stuck under the front of her car. she's saying oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, it's steve carell and she was so excited that she hit me. >> i wonder if she got an autograph after that. ellen gifted him with a special safety vest and helmet to ensure that he can be seen when out riding properly. >> thanks. let's get a check of the weather. >> quick show you what we have going on. milder afternoon in the southeast and mountain snow as this front comes in and low pressure dives down. wind watches for parts of texas on into good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall, we're seeing skies clearing across the bay area and we're in for a very nice day after a cool start. we're going to see the high in palo alto and in san jose reach 59 degrees, we'll see a high of

59 in it napa and 60 in santa rosa and in morgan hill, expect a high of 61 degrees, we'll have more weather like this tomorrow. by friday i'll track some rain set to move in mostly during the afternoon hours, especially for the north bay and another round on sunday. your latest weather. savannah? >> al, thank you. we're joined by the busy natalie portman. the oscar winner is gracing this month's cover of "vanity fair." she's a leading voice in the #timesup movement. >> and natalie is in "vox deluxe." she plays celeste, a diva. >> it's no secret that i'm on meds for my injury and i never should have been behind the wheel of a car that night. >> i didn't mean to upset you by that. >> i used to be treated like i was a hero. then, they start talking about me like i'm trailer trash. but that's what the show is about. it's about rebirth.

>> okay. natalie, your accent is a ten-plus. how much work did it take to perfect that? >> it was really fun. you know, it's something that i think a lot of people do when they become part of the public eye is going back to, i'm really street. and exaggerate their roots. it was fun to do. >> you cannot take your eyes off of you in this role, which i think is like the un-"jackie." it's the last movie role i saw you in. and this is the exact opposite. >> it was fun to let loose. and she can be a monster sometimes. and then, she has moments of being, like, little flashes of being genuine. >> and if people think this is a fluff movie about a pop star, they've got this whole thing wrong. this has really got some heavy tones to it. tell everybody what they can expect. >> well, there is some violence in it. the pop star borne out of this

violent act, and is a reaction to it. and it's a reflection of the culture that we're living in right now, where everything is mixed together. where the pop culture news is mixed in with the acts -- the violent acts. and the director of the movie likes to call it the pageantry of evil. even evil is a spectacle now. >> you sing and dance. >> hi. >> we knew you could rap because we've seen "snl." what was that like? she wrote them. >> she just wrote the most incredible music. i got to record it with one of her producers, which was fun. and do the dancing, which my husband choreographed. >> is that extra pressure?

>> honey, i'm doing my best. >> he's very encouraging and kind and knows my strengths and weaknesses. he can figure it out easily. >> is the singing part of something you love to do? were you happy it was in the script? >> it was fun to do. it's not something i had thought of as a strength of mine before. but you see what magic the music producers do now. they can really -- they're the artist in the studio. >> we can sing, once they put a little bit here. >> there's a lot of help they can get. >> natalie, thank you so much. >> thank you so much. >> "vox lux" is in theaters nationwide on friday. we're back with martha stewart and her favorite holiday cookies. and somebody isi )m ...

san francisco police right now well good morning forror, it's 8:26, i'm marcus washington. san francisco police are investigating a hit-and-run that is still closing off streets in lower knot hill. police say a woman was crossing bush street at leavenworth in nob hill. her injuries are life-threatening, no specific description of the type of vehicle involved or how long surrounding streets will remain closed. anyone with information on accident is asked to contact san francisco police. we want to turn to mike inouye with a look at traffic around the bay area.

>> the 101 expressway looks like it's cleared. recovery is slow. 280 at meridian, on the shoulder, over at winchester and stevens creek boulevard, by santana row, it's where santana and westfield valley fair mall are. westbound this direction, seeder street boulevard is closed at winchester. a very serious accident. santa clara police have notified possibly four hours to avoid that right by the best buy on the corner and the border between santana row and westfield valley fair. the rest of the roads, freeways are looking good, slow into oakland. back to you. we'll have another local update in 30 minutes.

♪ hey, everybody. back, now, at 8:30 on this wednesday morning. it is the 12th day of december. and there's a little holiday treat for our plaza fans. natalie portman is out collecting toys. she's nice enough to hang out with us. we will say thank you. catch her movie, "vox lux" in

theaters on friday. i have our "crowd moment." when you turn your age on the date, it's called your golden birthday. >> i learned that a few years ago. >> where is trace? trace, today is your golden birthday. you're turning 12. isn't it golden, golden. you're turning 12 on 12/12. >> yes. >> that's pretty good. >> thank you. >> as a present, there's somebody here. you like us, but there's somebody you really love. >> dylan. >> how about a birthday greeting. >> nobody ever picks me. hi. happy birthday. >> thank you. >> where are you from? >> vero beach, florida. >> nice. you're a little chilly right now. it's not much. here's a hot pack. >> wow. that's really special. she doesn't give that to everybody. >> no. i like to hang on to them. >> happy birthday, trace. nice to see you. wow. >> that was a happy birthday. >> so generous, too.

coming up, the one and only martha stewart. martha says a cookie swap is a great way to get friends together during the holiday season. we're going to bring that to the test. she's going to bring some cookies with us and she'll share her recipes. also ahead, the dos and don'ts of holiday tipping. how much extra do you give the babysitter? do you give one to your kids' teachers? elizabeth mayhew has a gratuity guide for those questions. and natalie heads to the home of gwen stefani. and see how she spends the holidays with her kids and blake shelton. >> our boyfriend, blake shelton. and we're going to take a trip this hour to a busy place, a place called santa claus, indiana. >> it's the only place in the world, actually, the post office is named santa claus. that's the postmark you get. we have to get to the weather first, al. >> all right. >> "today's weather" is brought

to you by kay jewelers, for all of the moments. for love, forever. >> you know, i love somebody with a simple message. i like your message. what's your name? >> briana. >> it's his poster. >> oh. you're the guy. >> he loves some al. >> what's your name? >> m.j. >> thank you. let's see your eyes. there you go. very good. all right. let's show you your weather, what we're looking at for today. a milder afternoon. thank you, guys. happy holidays. a milder afternoon in the southeast. wind watches through the central and southern plains. mountain snows in the rockies. tomorrow, storms in the gulf and rain in the river valley. sunshine in the western third of the country with some showers along the pacific northwest coast. good morning i'm meteorologist kari hall, skies are clear, we're going to have a nice day, heading into the upper 50s and low 60s later this

afternoon. we'll see weather on repeat tomorrow. but then by friday, a storm system will be approaching and what will bring us a chance of rain. mostly during the afternoon hours, starting from the north bay and working south. and by saturday, partly cloudy skies, another storm system moving in on sunday. will bring in some heavier rain that may linger into monday as well. >> and that's your latest weather. mr. melvin? >> mr. roker, thank you, sir. most of us love getting into the holiday spirit. and the stars, they're no different. >> they're just like us. natalie caught up with someone that has a lot to celebrate this year, three-time grammy winner, gwen stefani. good morning, nat. >> reporter: gwen was nice enough to invite me into her home in los angeles, where there was no lack of holiday cheer or holiday music. >> reporter: gwen stefani is ready for christmas. >> just in right now, "santa

baby," my version is on 103.5, as my tree is being delivered. okay? >> reporter: for the pop megastar, creating sounds of the season is a dream come true. >> i love christmastime as a song writer. you have this epiphany moment, when you go, "wwho wrote "santa claus is coming to town"? >> and the classics. >> even putting out the record i put out last year, i love the record more this year. it has that feeling i hoped it would have, which is that memories, captured in music. ♪ you make it feel like christmas ♪ >> reporter: the "you make it feel like christmas" deluxe album, features five new songs, including two originals. gwen's video with her country music boyfriend, blake shelton, might have been the hardest to

pull off. >> blake hates doing videos. and it's one of my favorite things to do. >> reporter: how much bribery was involved in getting him to do that. >> he was kind and sweet. it was so much pressure. we were trying to come up with ideas. and i was like, i don't know if that's going to be enough. it needs to be fun. but we finally got to it. >> reporter: what does blake want for christmas? >> we're out of ideas. we've been so blessed and so spoiled. a funny story happened. i had been shopping on black friday for clothes. >> reporter: you shop on black friday for clothes? >> yes. >> reporter: you're lining up at 2:00 a.m. for the deals? >> well, online. yeah. there was a jacket i wanted. it's a little expensive. he, like, tried to buy it for me for christmas. but i bought it anyways. and it came and he was mad about it. >> reporter: he told me he wants a fishing pole. >> well, yeah. i did try to shop for fishing poles last night. and i was so bored.

i was like -- >> reporter: while the public pressure for holiday engagement is mounting -- >> blake told me that you all are engaged now. >> no, we're not. >> reporter: gwen says, that's not the case at home. >> there's zero pressure. i think that everybody, you know, when there's trauma the way we had trauma, back in the day, going through hard times, to get to a place where you find somebody that's your best friend that you know you can depend on and trust, just go through life, i think we're just trying to be in the moment as much as we can. >> reporter: he is your forever, do you feel that? >> i hope so. yeah. i hope so. >> reporter: the mother of three says she works hard to create a home centered around family, like the one she had growing up. i love this. look at these orannaments. >> this is the pop tree. and we have the kids' one in the other room. >> reporter: what was life like

at the stefani household. >> i feel guilty to say i had an idealistic childhood. but i did. >> reporter: gwen showed me one of her favorite traditions. >> i haven't done this since i was a kid. >> hey. >> reporter: i have a new tradition. that's so fun. >> reporter: these days, her kids jumping through wrapping paper on christmas morning, moments of togetherness she cherishes and a love she is grateful for this holiday season. >> i never thought i would get this moment. and it's really special. >> reporter: she's so in love. and, guys, after christmas, gwen will head to las vegas where she has her residency at planet hollywood. blake, family and friends are coming to celebrate the new year, along with her many, many fans. hoda, new years? >> oh, my god. >> would i be a third wheel? you have something to do. >> oh, yeah.

>> the rose parade. you can drive down. it's on the west coast. >> good to see you, nat. just ahead, who gets one? how much? we have top tips when it comes to holiday tipping. first, this is "today" on nbc. man's world?

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welcome back. the holidays are a time for gratitude and giving thanks. and sometimes the best way to do that, when it comes to the people that help you out, is to give a nice tip. but knowing whether you should give and what to give can be tricky. "today" contributing editor, elizabeth mayhew, is here with advice. >> hello. >> maybe some think that money is impersonal. maybe i should give a gift. >> there's different people and we're going to go through that. but there's people that rely on these tips as part of their income. know that. first and foremost, this is about saying thank you. include a personal note.

if you can think of one special thing they did that you noticed, include that in the note. >> we're going to start with kids and pets. let's start with the babysitter. >> if you have a full-time babysitter who is there, you give a week's pay pretty much. and you can give a gift, as well. a week's pay is customary. if you have a babysitter that baby sits once in a while for you, consider what the average time is, say it's three hours, and give that amount as a tip. >> a teacher or coach. sometimes you're not sure if you should give the teacher cash or something. >> you should not give teachers cash. it's considered a bribe. you don't have kids in school yet. most schools have a policy. if you want to give money, you get together as a team or a class, and you buy a gift card. a personal note, like a handdone picture is good for a teacher.

>> what if your child goes to a day care? >> it's $25 to $75 per person who is there. but that's a policy that could be set by the facility. make sure you check with the policy first. >> and the dog walker. >> it depends on how many times they come. it's similar to the babysitter. it's the week's pay. for dog walkers, because you're paying them in cash, you can be clever. take a few dollars and stick it in mittens that will make their time outside more comfortable. >> let's talk about the home. somebody comes to your door and they're delivering a package. should you tip every time? >> so many of us get so many packages, that we know our u.p.s. and fedex guy. united states postal service, you absolutely cannot give them money. if you know your mailman or mailwoman, you can give them a gift card that's equivalent of

$20, max. dunkin' donuts or starbucks. nothing money-related. >> if you live in a city, you have a doorman. >> you have a range from a super to a porter. it's $100. if you're doing things with the super, you can tip him along the way. >> how about the housekeeper? >> a house keeper is a week's pay if they come every day. or whatever that day rate, give them that full amount. >> someone helps you cutting your lawn or getting rid of the snow. >> that is a week's pay. this is the thing you're going to give that to the corporation and ask for it to be divvied up among the workers. there's probably five or six people that actually come and take care of your snowplow or your lawn. >> if you have elderly parents that's in a home and someone's taking care of them, that's a big job. >> if you have a private nurse

at home or a private health care worker, you're going to do the same thing, a week's pay. if you're in a nursing home, you don't give money. you bring a fruit basket or candy or something that can be shared among the staff. >> i'm going to rapid fire through some of the last ones. these are people that help us feel and look better. a manicurist, a hair stylist. how much should you tip them? >> that's the amount of one visit. when you go to the hair stylist, that will be deivied up. take that amount and dei divvy g the person who dries your hair and prorate it. >> someone who helps you in the gym. >> you wouldn't give money to the class instructor, you can give them a gift. just don't bring candy. think healthy. if you're working one-on-one with somebody, it's usually a one-day rate. >> thank you so much. we appreciate it.

just ahead, a special holiday cookie swap with martha stewart. she's going to share some of her favorite festive recipes. first, this is "today" on nbc. rush to work, grab a drink, hurry home. - [cell phone beeps] - stop! don't be on your phone. let someone else take the wheel. make a little eye contact. make a plan. it's a busy world out there. we're all in it together. go safely, california.

rush to work, grab a drink, hurry home. - [cell phone beeps] - stop!

don't be on your phone. let someone else take the wheel. make a little eye contact. make a plan. it's a busy world out there. we're all in it together. go safely, california. we're back with "today food." this morning, we have a real treat. martha stewart's favorites for your cookie swap. >> getting friends together and showing off your baking skills, perhaps. "martha stewart living" filled with ways to make your cookie exchange extra special. >> and cookie swaps are so much fun. >> what is a cookie swap? >> you invite your friends to bake cookies and bring them to a party. and then, you swap, basically. it's an exchange. some people make certain kinds of cookies. i make fancy cookies like this, just to show up my friends. >> yes. i can see that.

>> it raises the bar. >> who is going to have a cookie swap with martha stewart? >> everybody in my office. we do it. it's fun. and you see a big variety of christmas cookies. >> if you're going to get into it, should you go elaborate? >> first of all, make a cookie that is good, tastes good and with good ingredients. if you have nuts in the cookies, make sure everybody knows there's nuts in the cookies because of the allergies that exist. make sure they're packaged well and you bring containers that are fun. >> you martha'd it up. >> we marthaed it up. you can use tins or whatever. and make sure that the cookies just are delectable. >> show us how to do it. >> this is one cookie i especially like. it's a sugar cutout cookie. it is decorated with a little

piping of chocolate that's melted. i can give you -- it seizes up right away. >> it comes out like that and just decorate it with red and white candies. >> should we taste it? >> no. it's too hard already. you can put it in the microwave for a minute. >> give that a taste. i'll let you like that one. >> okay. >> this is a dipped cookie. >> these are almost too pretty to eat. >> no, no, no. never. an easy way to frost is to dip. i came up with this when i had 300 cookies to make. and then, you can decorate with rosemary. >> what is it? >> sugar. >> that's what's coating it.

>> and you put on holly berries. and green sparkles. look how pretty. it doesn't take that long to make this wreath cookie. taste that one. >> the rosemary is awesome in this. >> it is just a hint, too. >> these are called chi snowballs. do you drink chi? >> i have been known to. >> this has cinnamon, ginger, ca cardamom and cloves. >> this is different. >> that's in the dough. >> then, when the cookies come out of the oven, you roll them in convectioners sugar. and powdered sugar.

you just dump this in powders sugar while they're slightly warm. let them sit there and they get better day after day. >> that is really good. >> they're packed up in these gorgeous -- you can put them in boxes in a say happy holidays, ho, ho, ho. >> not so difficult at the end of the day. >> and people find it fun to have a cookie swap because you get to taste the other cookies. >> do you have a favorite cookie? >> i love the wreath cookie. >> it's so pretty. >> thank you so much. we appreciate it. >> happy holidays to you. >> for the recipes and more on throwing one of those cookie swaps, you can check out our website, today.com/food. back in a moment. but first, this is "today" on nbc. sfx: tinny headphone music

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just decorating cookies with martha stewart. >> are you getting into it. >> i am getting into it. >> just ahead, on our third hour today, we have eva longoria and a trip to santa claus, indiana, which is a place. >> i know. >> on the fourth hour, tips and tricks to make the best oi )m

breaking news. nbc bay area skyranger - flying good morning, 8:56, i'm marcus washington. the breaking news showing you right now, nbc bay area sky ranger flying over the bad accident in santa clara. this is at stevens creek in winchester boulevard near santana row. the westbound direction of stevens creek. there's close to what police say was a head-on crash. three cars involved as you see right there.

we don't have details yet on the number of people injured. but police expect the westbound direction to remain closed for at least four hours. and san francisco police are investigating the hit-and-run accident in lower nob hill that happened around 3:30 a.m. police say a woman was crossing bush streeted a leavenworth when a dark-colored vehicle struck her. the woman's injuries are said to be life-threatening. we're speaking with police trying to get information on the type of vehicle police are looking for. we're monitoring what may be a make-or-break moment for british prime minister theresa may. members of her party are set to hold a confidence vote that may remove her from prime minister. that vote is set to take place this morning at 10:00. of course we'll have the latest on midday. right now we'll have more news in an hour. emergency.

we )ll take you inside the new response center in the east bay... to keep our waterways safe! plus: a north bay man hits a snag while trying to get a refund. our consumer team helps him patch things up. join us tomorrow from 4:30 to 7. our consumer team helps them patch things up. >> join us tomorrow morning, 4:30 to 7:00. 3

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lease the gla 250 for $359 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. live, from studio 6a, this is "today." >> good morning. i'm here with some of my favorite people this morning. i'm sheinelle. dylan, craig, al and salvannah this morning. i don't know if you heard about it yesterday. after more than a decade, kathye lee has announced, she is ready for her next challenge. we're going to take a listen and then talk. >> i have been here almost 11 years. something happened along the way. and fell in love with a