today. that is what's happening "today in the bay." we'll be back with you at 7:25 with more live local news. don't forget to join us on nbc bay area news at 11:00 as we leave you with another foggy shot. good morning. the nightmare before christmas. millions of holiday travelers bracing for long delays with the massive storm beginning the march up the east coast. should you leave now or wait it out? al has the answers. backlash. president trump under fire after declaring victory over isis and ordering all u.s. troops out of syria. >> we've beaten them and beaten them badly. >> the pentagon blind sided. top republicans slamming the move. >> to say they're defeated is an overstatement and is fake news. why vladimir putin is applauding it this morning.

breaking overnight. airport chaos. drone sighting force officials to shut down one of the world's busiest airports. all flights grounded. thousands of passengers now stranded. the impact being felt across the globe. those stories plus courtroom showdown. a key day for harvey weinstein. the fate of his criminal fate hanging in the balance. mystery in the sky. a strange light streaks across northern california sparking a big guessing game on social media. so, what was it? and crunch time. want your packages to arrive before christmas? today is the deadline. we have everything you need to know about shopping and shipping as the clock ticks down. today, thursday, december 20th, 2018. from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb live from studio

1a in rockefeller plaza. welcome to today on this thursday morning. thank you for joining us. today is the deadline unless you want to pay a lot of extra money to send your packages. a lot of people will do that. >> yes. the shipping. this is it. this is the heart of the holidays. we're talking about weather. you may want to ship yourself wherever you're going because the airports could be a problem. >> we do have it all covered for you. the roads the airports. we're going to start with al and the latest on the nasty weather on the east coast. >> good morning. thank you for getting your first weather from us. 71 million people affected from flash flood watches from florida to new england. the heavy rain is starting. 2 inches falling per hour in parts of florida right now. and here we go. the low pressure gets itself together. starts pushing northeast. the rain spreads north into the mid atlantic. there's a risk for severe weather in florida. could be isolated tornadoes late

tonight into tomorrow. travel delays with gusty winds. the backside of the system we start to see snow. the heavy rain ends by saturday. not before the impact is done. 17 million people at risk for severe weather in florida. tornadoes, damaging winds and heavy downpours. we're looking for heavy rain from florida. isolated amounts of five inches along the carolina coast, 4 inches or more. even into the northeast in new england, we could see 4 inches. minor to moderate coastal flooding. this is the most number of floods we've had in a year, 2018 we've had 33 floods. we're not done yet. look at the new england coast all the way down into ocean city. 35 to 40 to 60 miles per hour wind gusts. those wind advisory and high wind watches go through early saturday morning. so, a real mess, guys, but again done by saturday. back to you. that's the good news. al, thank you. for more on what you'll face as you brave transportation, we have gabe gutierrez in atlanta. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. we're here along i-85 in atlanta.

we're already starting to see some rain coming down. you can see from the dash cam here traffic moving along at a pretty good clip on i-85. that congestion is expected to pick up through the morning. and really get worse throughout the day. let's look at traffic cameras through florida. the orlando area, already getting slammed with heavy rain. broward county florida also seeing congestion. this is expected to be the busiest holiday travel season on record. aaa predicting that means more than 112 million people, 4% more than last year. the vast majority will hit the road. drivers getting an early gift. gas prices way down. the national average 2.36 a gallon. more than two dozen states have at least one station with less than $2 a gallon. today big impacts expected at airports. live pictures up from atlanta and miami. already starting to see some lines but no major delays or problems just yet. other airports to watch today

charlotte, raleigh, orlando, and then tomorrow in d.c. and new york. now, today is expected to be the busiest travel day of the season. but travel will be tough on friday. tomorrow as well. the better days to travel as usual will be christmas eve and christmas day. now, back here in atlanta you can see again we're already starting to get that rain. it's expected to get worse throughout the day. and we're expecting more congestion. as al mentioned the national weather service expects about 71 million people will be at risk for flooding over the next few days. savannah. >> all right. it's going to be tough out there. stay safe. thank you. another big story this morning. the backlash facing president trump over his decision to withdraw all u.s. troops from syria. this morning some of his key allies here and abroad are pushing back. nbc's white house correspondent peter alexander has the latest on the story. hey, peter, good morning. >> reporter: hoda, good morning to you. outrage and frustration, that is the reaction among the president

and his allies blasting the president's decision to withdraw all american troops from syria. lindsey graham calling it disastrous to our national security. a move seemingly made by the president alone who this morning is defending his decision on twitter writing, getting out of syria was no surprise. this morning president trump declaring victory over isis in syria releasing this white house produced video on twitter. >> we've beaten them and beaten them badly. we've taken back the land and now it's time for our troops to come back home. >> reporter: paying tribute to the american troops who died in syria. >> we won and that's the way we want it and that's the way they want it. >> reporter: his abrupt announcement about isis facing fierce and immediate pushback from republican allies. >> i have yet to find one person in the national security team in the administration that thinks this decision was a good decision. to say they're defeated is an overstatement and is fake news. it is not true. >> reporter: some comparing the

president's move to his predecessor's 2011 pullout from iraq. >> honestly, this makes what obama did in iraq, it's replicating that, but in many ways, it's even worse. >> reporter: president trump's sudden decision blind siding lawmakers as well as senior officials at the pentagon and state department. the pentagon saying it's started the process of returning troops home. an estimated 2,000 said to be there at times. adding the campaign against isis is not over but transitioning to the next phase with no additional details. the president's move appearing to ignore the recent advice of top national security officials. >> it would be reckless to say the caliphate is defeated. >> with regard to stabilization, we have a long way to go. >> reporter: the four of here american led assault in syria on isis is producing results. they say the group has lost 99% of the territory with more than 60,000 fighters killed. a senior administration official

arguing the u.s. mission was to defeat isis, not to end the syrian civil war. this morning, russian president vladimir putin weighing in. calling any u.s. military presence in syria already ill legitimate and seeming to troll president trump saying the u.s. has said many times it is leaving afghanistan but it's still there. compounding concerns among the president's critics, a number of close u.s. allies in the war against isis have reportedly said they were not consulted and were not given any prior warning before president trump's announcement that many warned it will only embolden russia and iran. >> peter, we've been talking about a possible government shutdown this weekend. the senate passed a stopgap funding bill. >> reporter: they've extended if it's passed by the house and president, the effort until february. the house still needs to vote on this short-term spending bill that has no new money for the wall. the president has been

completely silent on whether he would sign it. white house aides tell me they'd like to review the bill before they make a judgment. but the pressure is bidding on the president. some of his closest allies in the house calling him to veto it arguing he'll have less leverage next year, once democrats take over the house. and, by the way, conservative media outlets are also accusing the president of a retreat on his promise to build that wall. hoda and savannah. >> all right. peter alexander, thank you. breaking overnight, a chaotic scene at one of the world's busiest airports in london brought to a halt because of, get this, drone sightings. and now thousands of passengers are facing long delays right before the holidays. nbc's kelly cobiella has the story this morning. hi, kelly, what's up? >> reporter: hi, good morning, savannah. yes, this is a real problem at gatwick. it's been going on for 15 hours.

the airport completely shut down, and all because of a drone. it was spotted several times overnight and into the morning, once the sun was up. >> reporter: this morning, planes are grounded. passengers stranded. one of europe's busiest airports, london gatwick, closed for hours. airport staff first spotted a drone flying close to the runway at 9:00 local time last night. >> since then the drone has appeared and disappeared and appeared and disappeared through 2:00 in the morning. at 3:00 in the morning we reopened the airport feeling it had gone, and it came back again at 3:45. >> reporter: more than 6,000 passengers have been diverted. families waiting for loved ones arriving for the holiday are frustrated. >> there was a drone. the plane couldn't land. it's been diverted to amsterdam. that's all we know. we don't -- we can't confirm it. there's nobody to ask. >> reporter: drones are banned from flying within just over half a mile from the airport

perimeter. yet, drone near misses have tripled in britain from 29 in 2015 to 92 last year. in april, 2017 planes were briefly grounded at gatwick after a drone sighting near the runway. a year earlier in 2016 a pilot said a drone collided with a plane. as it came in for a landing at london's heathrow. it landed safely. studies show that even a small drown can do catastrophic damage to a plane, like this. dozens of police officers are searching for the rogue drone operator, while passengers try to salvage their holiday travel. and this morning, gatwick airport police say they do believe this is a deliberate act to disrupt operations at the airport. they say they do not believe it's terror-related. >> ridiculous. kelly, thank you. we turn to craig with another big story. >> good morning. a lot of folks paying attention

to this one. harvey weinstein appearing in court here in new york city. a judge is expected to rule on the fate of the criminal case against him. nbc's stephanie gosk is at that courthouse. steph, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, craig. we just gotta ruling. if the judge sided with the defense the case would have been over. instead, he's thrown out a motion to dismiss all of the charges. the fact that this case could have been over today meant there was a lot of attention it drew, including from the group times up and the actress marisa tomei. as many as 100 women have accused him of sexual misconduct, including some of the most famous women in hollywood. angelina jolie, gwyneth paltrow. >> i have been silenced for 20 years. >> reporter: their stories

ignited the #metoo movement. but the charges stem from incidents with two women. one who says he raped her in 2013. another who says he forced a sexual act on her in 2006. the 66-year-old pleaded not guilty. and his defense team has been heeding that card for month, arguing that public pressure led prosecutors to charge their client, instead of evidence. >> harvey weinstein was one of the most vilified people i've ever been representing in a criminal case, and we started on a very unlevel playing field. >> reporter: earlier this fall, the district attorney's office dropped one of the most serious charges when it was revealed that an nypd investigator did not disclose an interview that contradicted one of the alleged victim's stories.

including e-mails they say establish a consensual relationship between weinstein and one of his accusers. the defendant has a misguided and antiquated view of how a rape victim should act after being assaulted does not change the reality, the prosecution says. weinstein has vehemently denied all allegations of nonconsensual consent. his accusers are watching the case closely saying the judge set another hearing date for march 7th. back out here, outside the courthouse be the head attorney for the defense spoke to the media saying this was a real disappointment. saying the case wasn't about the me too movement. it was about his client who he has said has been railroaded by public opinion. and that his due process has been compromised. he said he's still confident in

the defense for his client and the case going forward. we also had people out here from times up speaking about how they're supporting all of the accusers. gloria allred is here as well, she's the lawyer for one of the alleged victims. >> stephanie, thanks. we do have a lot more to get to, if you want your packages to arrive for christmas, this is the day to get them in the mail before putting a huge dent in your wallet. kerry, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, more than of the 170,000 packages you see coming by here are gifts. this morning, a warning to all procrastinators today, if you want to get your presents on time for christmas, today is the last day for two-day shipping. it's here, holiday shipping d-day. the final hours to get those

gifts bought and in the mail. in time to make it underneath the christmas tree without costing a bundle. >> to be there by the 22nd. >> reporter: ron hall, of dallas, texas, says he always waits until the last minute. why? >> because i'm a procrastinator. >> reporter: he's not alone, the retail federation said 60% of shoppers waited until the last few days. no one feels the ticktock like 18 to 24-year-old males. experts say they're the pickiest shoppers. >> trying to find something. >> reporter: an hour's long hunt with these guys, and in the end, only one present. a show of fingers, how many are left to buy for the holidays, one, two, three. don't panic, if you get to the post office today, you can take advantage of first class or priority mail.

and at u.p.s. and fedex, it's the last date for two-day shipping. waiting beyond today, not a lot of great options. even if you can still send something with the big three shippers, every day you delay gets cost llcostlier. retailers are ready for you. the sunday before christmas is even bigger than black friday. >> bigger. >> reporter: bigger. 61% of americans plan to send gifts, yet to do it, guys. so, if you haven't done it, craig, then you probably should start thinking about doing it. i gave craig a hard time, ribbing him about being a procrastinator. i've gotten your gifts. it's on its way to you. >> thank you, kerry. >> reporter: there it goes. the belt is starting up. there it goes. >> kerry sanders making us all feel young again.

>> thank you, kerry. okay, let's show you what we got on right now. the weather that's happening in the eastern half of the country, however, we got another big storm in the pacific northwest. mild temperatures continue from the planes all the way down to the southwest. again, flood risks in the mid-atlantic states and some snow into the northern mississippi river valley. we'll get your forecast in the next 30 seconds.

sm. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. dense the fog problem as we head out the door. we've seen visibility down to zero in parts of the peninsula and a quarter of a mile in san francisco, san jose and the tri-valley as well. you need to slow down on your drive to work this morning. we're going to see it all clearing out in the next couple of hours. and then some partly cloudy skies. highs reaching into the upper 50s. as we go through the forecast, we'll see a chance of showers moving into the north bay later this evening while the rest of the bay area stays dry. there's a warmup coming besides the rain. we'll tell you about that. >> thank you, al. >> thank you. coming up, sexual harassment claims against a former co-star. why the boys club is still in full force at cbs, the victim says. and ancestry gifts. what you need to know before you give or get one. first, this is "today" on nbc.

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this week at target, save on hundreds of ♪ minute gifts save on electronics. save on appliances. save on beauty. stores open til 10 pm, christmas eve. only at target. after months of asking for an exemption from president trump s travel ba i'm kris sanchez. after months of asking for an exemption from president trump's travel ban, a young mother from yemen has finally been allowed into the united states. this was the scene when she arrived at sfo last night. she's here to see her dying son at children's hospital in oakland. he is suffering from a rare brain disorder and reportedly only has days to live. her husband is a u.s. citizen from stockton and has been working to get his wife a visa since last year. with the help of three members of congress, the state department finally granted her a waiver on tuesday. we'll check in with kari for a look at the forecast. >> the fog has been the main

issue this morning. visibility is clear. as we take a live look at 880 in fremont. we're seeing big travel delays in san francisco. you can barely see the planes under the dense layer of fog. san jose starting to clear up downtown. fog advisory continues until 8:00 and we'll watch rain approach from the north. mostly moving into the north bay at 7:00 this evening into ukiah and santa rosa. starting in the south and most of the bay area will not see this rain. we'll see partly cloudy skies today as well as tomorrow, which is the first day of winter. let's get an update on the commute from mike. >> low clouds and fog in san jose right here. visibility for the drive is all right for 101 north of 680. v you see it highlighted all over silicon as fog is drifting through the south bay as the volume builds to the northbound direction. typical commute patterns. we have 680 southbound crash

around mission. that slows you down coming out of the foggy sunol. san ramone as well. walnut creek build of volume. we have more local news coming up in just a half hour.

♪ go tell it on the mountain over the hills and everywhere ♪ ♪ go tell it on the mountain ♪ that jesus christ is born ♪ he is born ♪ that jesus christ is born ♪ jesus is born ♪ sing we all noel >> how good do they sound? they're going to tell it on the

plaza. it's 7:30. christmas is a few days away. we're filling the day with wonderful holiday music. we're going to hear from this choir throughout the morning. >> we don't just bring a little choir. we bring all those kids. it's going to be great. we'll watch more of them later. first a check of the headlines. the house is expected to take up a short-term spending bill that would prevent a partial government shutdown this weekend. it does not contain money for the border wall. the senate passed the measure overnight. it keeps the government funded until february. some are warning the president he'll suffer major political damage if he signs a bill that does not include money to build the wall. north korea says it will never give up the nuclear weapons unless the u.s. removes its own nuclear threat first. this statement is at a time when negotiations to prevent a nuclear crisis are deadlocked. north korea is insisting no

progress can be made until u.s. economic sanctions are lifted. after their meeting in june, president trump and kim jong-un agreed to work to complete denuclearization of the korean peninsula. in northern california some pictures look like an unusual glowing cloud. in others it appeared to be a ball of intense brightness. some people thought maybe this is space junk or rocket launch. but the only liftoff schedule for the area had been scrubbed. experts at the national weather service are saying this object of fascination probably was just a meteorite. >> or it could have santa doing rehearsals. >> would have been. now to the latest black eye for cbs. eliza dushku speaking out for the first time accusing her former co-star on the show "bull" of repeated sexual harassment. morgan ratford has more on the story. >> good morning. you remember just last week we

learned eliza dushku settled with the network for $9.5 million, but the details are just coming out as part of the moonves investigation. now the actress is telling her part of the story and fighting back against comments in that times report that she says amounted to more deflection, denial and spin. >> i'm depending on you, mr. bull. >> eliza dushku only appeared in three episodes of "bull". but the experience left lasting scars, she says, because of her treatment by the show's star, michael weatherly. >> he deserves a world class lit gator. >> eliza dushku is known for her work on former roles says her role was supposed to expand and she should have been a co-lead on the drama. that didn't happen, she says because she objected to what she describes as repeated sexual harassment and workplace bullying by weatherly. >> we've got a problem. >> what's that? >> they don't want to serve.

>> eliza dushku says weatherly along time cast member on ncis, would have gotten away with it except that some of his behavior was caught on video. according to eliza dushku weatherly was caught on camera offering to take her to his rape van filled with all sorts of lubricants and once after i flubbed a line he shouted in my face, i will take you over my knee and spank you like a little girl, the actress writes. weatherly did not return nbc's request for comment. but he did send a statement to the new york times last week that included an apology to eliza dushku that read in part, during the course of taping our show, i made some jokes mocking some lines in the script. adding when eliza dushku told me she wasn't comfortable with my language and attempt at humor, i was mortified to have offended her and immediately apologized. eliza dushku taking issue with the comments saying i do not want to hear that i have a humor deficit or can't take a joke. i did not overreact.

i took a job and because i did not want to be harassed, i was fired. adding weatherly never apologized. cbs also declined to comment, but did confirm the settlement to eliza dushku telling "the times" the allegations in the claims are an example that while we remain committed to a culture define bid a safe, inclusive workplace, our work is far from done. >> it can't be good for business. >> reporter: weatherly remains the star of the show which is now in the third season. eliza dushku says that weatherly used to brag about his friendship with les moonves adding he used his relationship with the former cbs boss as a threat. >> interesting to hear from her about that. morgan, thank you. it's time for another check of the weather. we'll turn to al. >> good morning. we're looking at coast to coast warmth. the jetstream way up to the north and so it's unseasonably warm from southern california up into the pacific northwest today. chicago, you're flirting with

the mid 40s. boston will be 48. tomorrow we may actually see record setting temperatures in the northeast. new york city into the low 60s. boston as well. indianapolis 39. phoenix almost 75 degrees. 9 degrees above average. and this weekend the warmth continues from southern california into the northern plains and even into the we're seeing some fog around the bay area. right now visibility down to about a half a mile in san francisco and santa rosa. san carlo, zero. we'll have the dense fog drifting through as we go through the next couple of hours and then clearing. we'll be watching out for a chance of rain moving into the north bay later on tonight and moving into parts of central sonoma and napa county as well as lake and mendocino counties and falling apart before it makes it into the rest of the bay area. latest on the storm coming up. >> thank you so much.

still ahead, the year in review. the historic events and people that we were all talking about in 2018. >> plus on its 30th anniversary, why the beloved movie "working girl" is resonating with a whole new generation. >> then obama clause. the former president's sweet surprise for a group of kids unable to be at home for the holidays. but first, home dna test 101. what you need to know before you give or get one of the holiday's most popular gifts coming up right after this. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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we're back with in depth. look who's come home. >> yes. >> we missed you, carson. >> i'm surprised my security pass still works. thank you. glad to be back. thank you. this morning on in depth, a christmas gift that's becoming very popular. ancestry kits. >> how do you use these dna tests to make sure you get the best possible experience? joe fryer has answers. joe, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the leading dna kits on the market all work pretty much the same. which one might be right for you and your family depends on what you're hoping to discover and no matter who you are, your dna is almost guaranteed to reveal some surprises. merry christmas. now, spit into this tube. it might not be the most romantic protect, but it's among the most popular providing valuable information about where you come from and who you are. >> dna tests are an incredible

gift. you can give someone such a personalized experience about who they are. >> 23 and me and the competitors say they're seeing a huge spike in sale this is time of year. how reliable are the kits? experts say the science is solid when it comes to finding matches with relatives, but less when it comes to tracing yourself back to another country. >> my grandmother is crying because she believes she's ire ris irish, and i told her she's scandinavian. you should never take it that seriously. >> lots of surprises can be pretty fun and pretty exciting. and some of them are unexpected. like mine was. >> reporter: katherine founded the facebook group dna friends to support people like herself who found out from dna kits their father or mother isn't their biological parent. >> i would change the warnings to say don't take this test

thinking there's a possibility that you're going to have unexpected findings. take this test with the expectation you're going to have unexpected findings. >> reporter: those surprises can be emotionally devastating. in some cases a profound loss of identity. but she believes these provide crucial health information and she says they make great christmas gifts as long as everyone understands what they might uncover. >> once you get past the shock and the sadness and learning to adapt to your new reality, it's like you see the world clearer now. because you have a stronger confidence that you do know who you are now. >> reporter: both companies to make the kits hope there's better understanding about identity and racial heritage. >> i think it's a powerful tool for these discussions and at the end of the day, any two people were all over 99% genetically e

identic identical. the federal trade commission warned hacks happen, but the retail companies say do not share customer's data with law enforcement or researchers without consent. users have to go through several steps if they wish to share their dna records with law enforcement. >> all right. >> who would want to do it? >> you've done it. >> yeah. found out where i was from sen g senegal. it's like having maury povic show in a box. >> i wouldn't do it. >> i'm curious. >> you have one, don't you? >> yes. my mom gave it to me last year. i keep forgetting to do it. >> then as you don't want to do it. >> i never have time. >> to spit in a tube? >> i'm very busy. i just forget. i don't know. would you do it? i'm dying to do it. >> be careful. i did one for a story.

>> what was most surprising? >> we should go to commercial. >> wow. >> really? >> i mean, you start to hear from second, third, fourth cousins coming out of the wood work. >> oh. all right. >> don't get me in trouble with my family. don't do that. >> there's something there. >> he's sweating. >> the thrills of the winter olympics. the magic of the royal wedding as we get ready to bid fair well to 2018, we'll look at the to 2018, we'll look at the stories that impacted and heybut i'm kinda want "ehhhhhhhhhhhh", about buying one. you're "ehhhhhhhhhhhh?" well, it's more like a "mnaaaaahhhhhaa-ooofff." hmmmmmm. not "hmmmmmm," it's like a, "mneeeeehhhhh?" are you sure it's not "phfoooooof?" yeah, it's like a cross between "phfoooooof" and "agagagagaguh." ohhhhhh... well, i've got good news, carmax will buy your car even if you don't buy one from them. ahhh-haaaaaa. mmmmm-hmmm. hoohooo. hoo-hoho. haaaa. hey hey! weeeooo-weeeoooo. okay, okay, okay, okay. where ya goin'? no no, yeah. i thought we were making noises.

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♪ good thursday morning. right now as we approach 7:56 we're dealing with patchy dense fog on one of the busiest travel days of the year. here's a live look at sfo with average delays of over two hours and several consolations so call ahead. visibility in san carlo down to a quarter of a mile. a tenth of a mile in san jose. in the tri-valley also some patchy dense fog. we'll have to deal with that for the next couple of hours. after that we'll see partly cloudy sky and some rain moving in from the north later this evening. mostly in the north bay and then it falls apart before it moves into the rest of the bay area before the overnight hours. tomorrow we're dry, seeing a mix of sun and clouds. also dry conditions on saturday. sunday another storm system will be moving in. this one looks like it could make it across the bay area with some showers moving in sunday night into monday. i'll have more on that. let's get an update on the

commute now from mike. >> look at that. slowing through oakland and low clouds. northbound 880 jamming up around high street. the rest of the bay, the patterns look standard now. we've seen a lot more traffic build over the last 20 minutes. this could be a problem. southbound 880 and moury we have your two right lanes blocked by a crash involving a motorcycle. i'm concerned about this crash and monitoring it closely. slow on thorson where it's jamming up. fog in the south bay will cause more slowing because we're not used to seeing this much fog. 87 tough. back to you. >> be safe out there. a san francisco police officer is facing criminal charges of his own after investigators say he robbed a sunset district bank last month. you can link to more in our twitter feed, including the same officer's link to a notorious department scandal. travelers at london's gatwick airport are experiencing major delays this morning because the airport is still shut down after police noticed several drones flying in nearby air space.

it was first closed last night. we don't know when it's going to reopen today. once it does, we'll post it to our twitter feet. have to pay (n at the airport this holiday season. you may owe the airlines a second (surprising ( fee! there )s big money on the line. watch us put the airlines to the test! today in the bay. tomorrow

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up the nightmare before christmas. that massive storm already affecting the east coast bringing heavy rain and flooding and making for a messy christmas commute. how bad will it be? al has the forecast. >> plus the year that was. good morning and welcome to "today." >> a look at all of the politics, pop culture, and people. >> he can't hurt you anymore. >> no. from the olympics opening ceremony to the royal wedding. we go inside the events that shaped 2018. and rocking around the

christmas tree. >> savannah, al and carson team up to share holiday cheer by plucking a family from the plaza for a big surprise. >> oh, my gosh. >> i didn't bring any cheese. >> today, thursday, december 20th, 2018. mother/son trip from california. >> celebrating our one-year anniversary. >> i'm "today's" number one fan. >> from tennessee. >> brought my mom to the plaz haza for her 50th. >> celebrating my birthday. >> and our anniversary. >> jamie got some news. >> i'm having a baby. >> i love that. >> congratulations to you. welcome back to "today." we're so happy you're with us on this thursday morning. huge, huge holiday crowd outside. we've got the crowd.

we've got the chorus from philly. let's start with the news. the president facing pushback from both sides of the aisle over his surprise announcement that he's pulling all american troops out of syria because of his claim that isis has been defeated there. the news caught a lot of lawmakers, the pentagon, the state department all of them off guard. republican senator lindsey graham says it is, quote, fake news to claim isis is defeated. this morning the president is tweeted does the u.s. want to be the policeman of the middle east getting nothing but spending precious lives and trillions of dollars protecting others who in most cases don't appreciate what you're doing. vladimir putin says a woman held in the united states as a spy did not carry out any covert missions. during his annual year-end conference he said butina pled guilty to avoid a long prison sentence. as part of a deal she said she

acted under the direction of a russian official to infiltrate conservative u.s. political groups including the national rival association. she now faces up to five years in prison. it is go-time for holiday travelers who need to outrun the weather. al has been keeping his eye on it. he's on top of it. >> we have breaking news right now. we have a tornado watch in effect for a good portion of florida until 4 p.m. this afternoon. and we're going to watch this system pushing in, bringing in heavy rain already. strong storms coming in. rainfall rates up to 2 inches per hour. travel delays today. airports atlanta, charlotte, miami, fort lauderdale. even possible delays back to st. louis, detroit. also into chicago. on the roads today, i-75, atlanta to miami, atlanta to raleigh on i-85 and i-95 from miami up to washington d.c. tomorrow we'll look at more of the same. heavy rain and delays from

charlotte, d.c. to boston on the roads i- 77. on i-95 from raleigh all the way up to good morning. i'm kari hall. dealing with some dense fog, this is a look at our downtown san jose camera. you can barely see christmas in the park right now. and we'll have the fog through about 10:00 and then it gradually clears. by later this evening, we'll start to see rain moving in to the north bay. spotty showers moving toward fairfield and the rest of the bay area staying dry. friday looking good for the first day of winter with highs in the upper 50s. time for the morning boost. >> it is. former president barack obama put smiles on a lot of faces with a surprise holiday visit to children's national hospital in washington d.c. ♪ we wish you a merry christmas

and a happy new year ♪ >> the former commander in chief wore a santa hat and handed out presents and hugs and get well wishes to everybody. he praised the hospital staff for helping families for these difficult times. >> to have nurses and staff and doctors and people who are caring for them and looking after them and listening to them and just there for them and holding their hand, that's the most important thing there is. >> one more turn. >> the former president spent more than an hour and a half at the hospital giving spirits a boost and is surprised faces when he walked in the door are like what? >> exactly. wow. >> cool. just ahead this morning, we're looking back at the biggest stories of 2018 and how we covered them right here on "today" right after this. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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>> here's a look at the moments that shaped your world as reported right here on "today." >> good morning. welcome to "today." >> let's get right to our top story. >> the nation mourns yet another senseless tragedy. >> it's hard to even imagine that this has happened again. 17 people were killed in parkland making this one of the deadliest mass shootings in american history. >> thousands of people turning out for a vigil to remember the victims. >> we don't want thoughts and prayers. we want action. >> scott peterson was the armed sheriff's deputy on duty that day. were you a coward? >> never. >> that's what they called you. >> i never thought for a moment of being scared. >> an estimated 1 million

students took part in the national school walkout against gun violence. >> up to a half million protesters for the march for our lives. >> fight for your lives before it's someone else's job. >> mass shooting at a maryland newspaper. >> i thought i was going to die. >> he shot up the gazette -- >> horrific shooting at the tree of life synagogue in pittsburgh. 11 innocent lives slain. >> this is your home, your house of worship. >> it's my home and it's been desecrated. >> unfortunately, it's happened again. >> the gunman opening fire at a country dance bar in california. at least 12 people killed including a sheriff sergeant. >> he died a hero because he went in to save lives. >> terror by mail. >> package bombs. >> an explosive device. >> a total of 15 being anl ieal.

the terror targets all outspoken people against president trump. the boys soccer team and their coach found alive. >> they're trying to figure out how to get them out of the flooded cave. >> a race against time in t thaila thailand. >> all 12 boys pulled out alive. >> a remarkable end. a tragic coat accident in branson, missouri. >> among the victims nine members of the same indiana family. >> a shocking grand jury investigation out of pennsylvania. hundreds of priests molested more than 1,000 children. >> there was a systematic coverup. the pope apologizing, confronting the sins of the church. >> the latest chapter in the u.s. gymnastics sex abuse scandal. >> sentencing larry nassar to

prison. >> young women lining up tonight. >> harvey weinstein surrendered this morning. >> facing a number of charges. >> in all, near will 100 women have come forward. >> les moonves stepping down after more women came forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct. >> bill cosby waking up behind bars this morning. >> rosanne barr tweeting a racist comment. >> the comments prompted abc to cancel the reboot of her show. >> facebook. security lapses and facebook's role in the spread of fake news. >> it was my mistake. i'm sorry. >> outrage over the massive job cuts announced by general motors. >> i'm kind of hurting right now. >> a dangerous situation in hawaii. a volcano erupted again. a wall of lava consuming everything in its path. >> it's unclear when the 2000 people evacuated will be able to return home. florence's fury.

>> the eye wall is on shore. >> this area is being pummelled. >> it's 700 miles wide. it's big. >> flooding, damage and power outages piling up. >> it's crazy right now. >> devastation and destruction. hurricane michael. >> there has never been a category 4 storm to make land fall in the panhandle. >> we're starting to see the raw power of michael. >> another wildfire. >> california's crisis grows halve vajing this area. >> the town of paradise is now hell on earth. >> the death toll grows higher. >> the most destructive wildfire in california history. >> we all wanted to come here just to say thank you. >> thank you for coming. thank you for having us. we need this hope. >> let's now talk fortnite. >> when i'm done with my chores, i should be able to play

fortnite. >> the drawing tonight is a world record. >> just one ticket matched all the numbers. why didn't we buy our tickets in south carolina? >> what were we thinking? the long drought is over. >> it was an epic back and forth. >> the eagles flew. >> the capitals are champions for the first time. >> congratulations to the world series champions, boston red sox. >> breaking overnight, that major twist in the russia investigation. >> investigators are zeroing in on the president's inner circle. >> steve bannon. >> other current and former members of the president's inner circle will be questioned. >> mueller is zeroing in on the question of collusion between the trump campaign and russia. >> no collusion. >> president trump suggesting he won't sit down with robert mueller. >> one, two punch. the president's men guilty. >> theresident turned down the direct opportunity to call out putin.

>> i hold both countries respone. >> in an abupt change of tone, president trump now holding vladimir putin accountable for russian meddling. >> we begin with the immigration crisis. >> the border battle intensifying. >> they're not coming in illegally. >> the world has been following the journey of the caravan of asylum seekers. they've reached the border. >> president trump signs a new order sending troops to the mexican border. the president defending the use of tear gas on migrants? >> a clear message to the caravan. turn around. go back home. >> the border erupting over the trump administration's zero tolerance policy separating children from their parents. >> migrants were kept behind fences. >> the crisis along the border here is only growing. >> president trump ending his own policy of separating families at the border. >> we're going to keep families together, but the border is going to be just as tough. >> president trump announcing

judge brett kavanaugh as his nominee to the court. >> a combative start. >> the uncertain future of brett kavanaugh. the woman who accused him of sexual assault is going public. >> christine bla zi ford said she was sexually assaulted by him more than a decade ago. >> this is a morning that will be recorded in the history books. >> two lives laid bare with the country watching. >> do you believe brett kavanaugh assaulted you? >> 100%. >> this is a circus. the porn star versus the president. >> stormy daniels sues donald trump. did she have a sexual relationship with the president? >> yes. >> the white house denying president trump had an affair with stormy daniels. michael cohen. >> sentenced to three years in prison. >> telling the judge he helped cover up the president's, quote, dirty deeds. >> president trump and kim jong-un come together for unprecedented talks between the u.s. and north korea. >> an image that seemed all but

impossible to even imagine. >> this is complete denuclearization of north korea. >> i think he has convinced kim jong-un he's better off giving up his nuclear weapons than keeping them. >> kim said the world will see a major change. >> the president fired attorney general jeff sessions? . >> the departure of john kelly. >> hope hicks. >> ryan zinke. >> hr mcmaster. >> andrew mccabe. >> nikki haley. >> yet another cabinet shakeup. >> maybe people don't want to work for trump and believe me, everybody wants to work in the white house. the race to election day, it is on. >> vote republican. >> if you're a democrat, you'd better be voting. >> it is election day. you can feel the buzz in the air. >> democrats have recaptured control of the house first time in eight years. >> it's about restoring the constitution's checks and balances. >> in the senate republicans pump up their power. >> it was a contest for who we

are. >> americans ar waking up to a new reality. >> the mid terms shatter records and make history. more women elected to office than ever before. >> ready to perform. >> i have some -- >> welcome michelle obama. >> what would you say now about your motto? do you think it still stands? >> hope wins out. >> do you feel like you owe her an apology? >> i do not. i never talked to her. >> did james comey of all people not stand up to the president? >> have you known he is a liar, as you say? >> absolutely. >> why do you work for him? >> savannah, slow down. >> i said wait, you don't know. she was like know what? i was like you're going home. and screams. >> how do you even begin to say thank you? how? >> thank you is not big enough.

i think i have to walk it out. >> i had a moment where i thought i was going to die. i had never experienced something like that. >> he's been walked into a police station, facing criminal charges. how does that feel? >> just seeing him brings up a lot of bad feelings. oh, boy. that's crazy. i'm sorry. >> it's overwhelming. >> yeah. >> what does this conviction mean to you? >> people are believing us finally? >> do you think in your heart justice was served yesterday? >> this is bigger than larry nassar. >> he can't hurt you anymore. >> no. he cannot. >> as a victim of sexual abuse, i am furious at people who don't believe it. >> this cannot be easy. it can't be easy to talk about. >> there's not >> there is not a day that goes by that i don't pray for the opportunity to go back to the day. >> hi, dada! >> and make it different. >> there are hundreds of thousands of children that are ready to be your child. you're a forever parent the minute you accept the love of that child.

>> i don't even know how to say thank you, but thank you. >> don't you get tired sometimes about always being strong? do you ever get tired? >> all the time. >> yes. >> all the time. >> you have to forgive others for you to be forgiven. ♪ was lost but now i'm found, was blind but now i see ♪ ♪ >> welcome to pyeongchang. >> jamie anderson is golden once again! >> so, you're the only person who's ever won gold -- >> ever. >> -- in this event. >> yes! >> whoa! >> i was literally screaming. >> chloe kim reigns supreme in south korea. >> he just walked in. >> oh! >> gold looks so good on you! >> it's your color. >> did it for the u.s.

>> yes. >> gold for mikaela shifrin. >> gold and silver look pretty good on you. >> baby, it's cold outside. >> this is number six. >> yes! >> oh! >> whoo! >> i heard you guys. i heard the entire crowd. >> he made himself proud, but he made all of us proud, too. >> i feel honored to share my story with so many people. >> the shibutanis bringing it here at the olympics. >> must be something so special to watch. >> words can't describe it. >> come on, missy! >> one last time in the olympic downhill. >> proud to have competed for my country. >> never bet against lindsay. >> yes. >> cross country gold medal for the u.s.! >> amazing. amazing. >> united states wins gold! >> you know what's better than a gold medal? 23 gold medals. ♪ >> focus this morning on a london hospital. >> literally, they just told me in my ear, it's a boy! >> no way. >> baby is, i'm not making it

up! >> as i'm reading this story. >> yes. >> louis arthur charles. >> we have a lot of people up with us this morning. >> it's a wedding the world eagerly awaits. >> wow. >> prince charles, who walked the bride down the aisle. >> i, meghan, take you harry -- >> changes lives. >> i must admit to being a little bit nervous at the very beginning. >> harry and meghan gave the people what they wanted. >> yes. >> and the lovely kiss on the steps of the chapel. >> and there they go! >> come on out! >> meghan! >> you got them. >> meghan! >> i think i got little waves. >> meghan markle and prince harry announce that they are expecting their first child next spring. ♪ >> i come before you and assume the presidency in a moment rich with promise. >> we're going to miss you.

the best father a son or daughter could have. >> i love you, precious, with all my heart. and to know that you love me means my life. >> dearest ganny, when you lost you, we lost one of the greats. you taught us humility and grace. one of your final e-mails to me was simple and true. you wrote, "i am watching you. i love you. ganny." >> john mccain returning to washington for the last time. >> he had a romantic view of our nation to his last breath. >> you don't go alone. christ goes with you. he loves you. >> let's talk about food and eat food. let's be honest. delicious. ♪ make all our dreams come true ♪ [ laughter ]

♪ and at last i am free ♪ i don't hurt anymore ♪ >> champagne wishes and caviar dreams. ♪ >> there is nothing like the thrill when you discover something no one knew before. ♪ ♪ r-e-s-p-e-c-t, find out what it means to me ♪ ♪ you make me feel like a natural woman ♪ ♪

>> wow. >> do you kind of feel like -- >> there it goes. >> -- crying a little? i sort of have -- first of all, you don't realize all that stuff happened in that year, but especially ending on all the people we lost. >> i know. it's incredible to think so much has happened. and you know, i always feel -- i'm somewhat conflicted because there's so much sad news, and you think, oh, my gosh, all that happened, but i always feel so grateful to work here and so proud of our crew. >> yes. >> you guys covered a lot of heavy stuff. >> we did. >> it's jarring when that piece opens up you're quickly reminded of how many shootings you had to cover. >> right. >> how many times you've said, it's happened again. >> thoughts and prayers. >> and then you juxtapose that with the olympic games, where there's nothing but elation and joy. i mean, yeah, it's been quite the year, you guys. >> heck of a year. >> can you imagine, that was a 16-minute piece. >> wow. >> somebody took a whole year of these shows and news and put it

together, and that takes a village. so we really want to take a moment and thank our editors, david emanuel, tony rivera, i )m ... adowsy, patrick saso, a police officer .. tied to a notorious department scandal .. is now facing criminal good morning. 8:26. a police officer involved in a scandal is facing criminal charges. he is linked to a racist text scandal in a case that came to white in 2015. authorities say last month he went into a bank an demanded money from a teller. he got $9,000. plus the fbi cracked the case in part because they say police noticed him wearing the same clothing that they observed in their own surveillance. he is already on leave because of the texting scandal and now he will be in court tomorrow to answer the new charges. let's get a look at your morning commute. a bit foggy out there still.

>> we'll show you what is going on. is this a live camera showing o up. fog may be a fact around the bay. pretty typical for the tri-valley, but unusually heavy toward the south bay. southbound 880 is tough toward mallory where a crash had it completely blocked up until the last few minutes. and there is that fog that is registering all the way south bay along the way up in toward san mateo. be careful. and we'll have more local news coming up in 30 minutes.

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♪ we wish you a merry christmas ♪ ♪ we wish you a merry christmas ♪ ♪ we wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year ♪ ♪ we wish you a merry christmas ♪ ♪ we wish you a merry christmas ♪ ♪ we wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year ♪ >> good morning. it's 8:30 now. it's thursday morning. it's the 20th of december, 2018. what a beautiful treat we are having. a great crowd and a great performance this morning from

the philadelphia boys' choir and corral. they came in from philly. we're happy to have their talents. we have more music ahead. first, check out who is collecting donations. it's john cena. i don't know if we'll be able to pull him away from his duties. john. >> john, come over. >> look at that, like a pit crew. >> john won't stop. >> john? >> can't stop, won't stop. >> okay. okay. all right. look, there's a few more. all right. all right. okay. all right. i'm going over here. >> john is in the new "bumblebee "movie. >> i made it. >> i made it. it's chaos over there. everybody giving toys away. >> how are you playing a bad guy in this movie? >> i don't know. i don't know how i did it. watch the movie. i start out maybe bad. as the movie goes, i don't know. we'll see. >> on monday night at "the

voice" finale bumblebee was there in the seats. what was it like to work with bumblebee? >> he would change on a moment's notice. he would be a car and then a ro bat. >> we don't have to call an uber? >> it's great. he could take us everywhere. >> you're doing something with make a wish today? >> we are. i'm lucky enough. myself, hailee steinfeld, we've been out to spend time lighting up the empire state building with 20 make a wish families. they get the experience of being in new york for the holidays. it's awesome. and then we get to light the empire state buildings and they're going to see bumblebee. >> john cena has granted more wishes for make a wish than any other person. >> i think it's a great charity and it provides awesome experiences like we're going to have today. i'm happy to do it. >> would you help us out with your crowd moment? >> yes. >> where's max?

max. max. max. >> it's your birthday. >> you know john cena. right? >> yes, sir. >> you're 12? >> yes, sir. >> 12? you look like you're 21. happy birthday. this is not only a robot, but it's also a car. that's bumblebee from me to you. happy birthday. >> guess what. john cena has another gift for you, for everybody here. >> yes. >> fandango has given everyone here tickets to see "bumblebee". everybody is going to enjoy the movies. >> that's right. >> john cena, santa claus. you're going to bumblebee. you're going to bumblebee. >> again, "bumblebee" hits theaters tomorrow and john will be back co-hosting. >> "bumblebee" is going to be out tonight, and i'm going to see you at 10:00. we're going to keep this train rolling. >> i love it. guys, but first we're celebrating the 30th anniversary of a beloved movie.

this might be my all time favorite. "working girl". >> plus a little holiday magic. wait until you see one of our epic surprises for a family who came to new york just to check out the sites and sounds of the season. we hope it turned out cooler and more special for them. >> last minute gifts that also help a good cause. but first, before all of that, mr. roker, a check of the forecast. >> today's weather is brought to you by kay jewelers. for all the moments. for love. let's look at your holiday weekend forecast starting off with saturday. gusty winds in the northeast. new storm system in the pacific northwest. milder through the plains. sunday sunshine along the east. a northwest storm firing in. a weak clipper across the mississippi river valley. christmas eve, lots of sunshine. eastern two-thirds of the country, mountain snow out west. the white christmas in the rockies and the california mountains.

sunshine around the rest of the country and then you have it. that's your weekend forecast. that's what's going good morning. i'm kari hall. this is a look at sfo. i just saw a plane going across there. but look at the dense fog and the flight contindelays that co. call ahead if you are flying out today. the advisory has been extended until 10:00. after that, we will see partly cloudy skies, highs in the upper 50s and some rain moving in to the north bay later on tonight. but most of the bay area will not see that once it reaches south of the golden gate bridge. and that is your latest weather. hoda. >> al, thank you. 30 years ago today "working girl" hit theaters. at the time nobody expected it would become an anthem for women everywhere. >> it became a culture touch stone of the 80s exploring how the workplace was changing and the movie' message of

empowerment resonates maybe now more than ever. >> i have a head for business and a body for sin. >> those were the famous words that summed up tess mcgill. he was the champion of "the working girl". a fiercely determined assistant who uses her ambition, smarts and charm to climb the corporate ladder. >> you read w? >> i read a lot of things. you never know where the big ideas could come from. you know? >> the film's cast was stacked with big names like harrison ford, and joan kusak. >> but the leading actress herself, melanie griffith was barely a name at the time. >> the studio was trying to make something. they wanted a name. she was not a name. she was so committed to playing this part that she saidly go through this entire script with you. i don't care. i want to play this part. let's start at the beginning.

everyone in the room knew when she got into the part of tess mcgill that that was tess mcgill. >> do not ever speak to me again like you do not know what happened. got me? >> one of the biggest films of 19 8 8 won best original song for let the river run. ♪ let the river run >> the film captured the fashion at the time like those shoulder pads, flashy jewelry and big hair. and we can't forget about the reeboks and tube socks. >> it's such an 80s visual. these women hustling to and from the office wearing sneakers which were not fashionable at the time to go with skirts and office attire. >> but working girl was more than a hit romantic comedy. the film highlighted sexual harassment, the glass ceiling and women fighting for respect in the workplace. >> i'm not going to spend the rest of my life working my [ bleep ] off and getting nowhere

just because i followed rules that i had nothing to do with setting up. okay? >> in a past interview for "today," griffith herself summed it up best. >> you don't have to pretend to be somebody else. you don't have to take on being somebody else. just be true to yourself and be honest about what you really want to do in life. >> "working girl" was ahead of its time. 30 years later the #metoo movement is taking on some of the same issues. >> it's impossible not to watch this movie today and think about how far we've come and the heckening hollywood is going through right now. it goes to show you while some things have changed, not everything has changed. >> tess mcgill served as the voice for many working women and became an example of what the future could be. >> she got to be a full person, sexy and smart and sophisticated. and that is something that i think a lot of women at the time didn't feel that they were allowed to be, especially in the workplace. and i think that's what was so

exciting at the time, but it's why it stood up so well. >> we're wearing our reeboks for our favorite movie. >> the guys are like what is this movie? >> i was -- >> i love the song by carly simon. >> it looks great. >> you have no idea about the movie? >> i've heard of it. >> they asked my favorite scene. i was like every scene is my favorite scene. it's the best. >> i like the look. >> yes. i actually tried to wear this look in the 90s. it was even less cool. >> what were you doing in the 90s? >> i was an intern on capitol hill. i would wear my panty hose and put my sneakers and tube socks. >> did you that hair? >> i tried. it was incredible. by the way, they say they might turn working girl into a broadway -- supposedly cyndi lauper is working on it. >> bet your bony you know what we'll be there. right? >> yes. >> you guys have no effort.

we put more of the original interviews on our website. just ahead, you never know what will happen when you visit us. our day full of surprises for just an unsuspecting family who happened to wander up on 30-rock. first, this is "today" on nbc.

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every season millions of people flock right here to 30-rock for a glimpse of the tree and maybe to spin on the ice skating rink. >> we thought it would be fun to surprise a few fans with a personalized tour "today show" style. >> the crowds have gathered outside 30-rock and one unsuspecting georgia family is about to have a very merry morning. the hall family. yes, that's their name.

they have flown in to celebrate anna bell's 12th birthday and to see new york at christmas. >> look at me. >> they think we've stopped them after the show for a quick interview. >> it's very breathtaking, and i just can't believe we're in new york. >> meanwhile -- >> they're right there. >> the last thing they'd expect is the ultimate christmas photo bomb. >> get together for that. ♪ deck the halls with boughs of holly ♪ . >> happy birthday. that's for you. >> nice to meet you. >> did you guys just come to see the sflee. >> no. we came to see you guys. >> you did? well, here we are. >> do you have time for a little tour? >> a quick tour? >> yeah. >> all right in the let's go. >> that's the famous rockefeller center rink right there. do you like to ice skate? >> sometimes, but i'm not very good at it. >> neither am i. >> another new york city

christmas tradition, the salvation army bill ringers. ♪ jingle bells jingle bells jingle all the way ♪ >> okay. now, this is another quintessential part of new york. dodging traffic and jaywalking. >> this is a pretty awesome birthday. >> oh, my gosh. oh, my gosh. >> i didn't bring any cheese. >> look out. >> there's the nutcracker. >> those are -- they are actually from the ballet. >> are they really? >> yes. this is the new york city ballet. >> yikes. >> how about that? >> i know. wow. >> your own private ballet. >> come little mice and nutcracker. don't step on anybody's tail. >> left, left, left, right left. >> this is radio city music hall. >> this is where the rockets are. right? >> yes. >> over there, it's so cool. they have giant ornaments. >> they look so real. >> who's cold?

who would like some hot chocolate delivered by the world famous rockets? >> keep you guys warm. >> thank you. >> and we have another surprise for you guys. tickets to see us at the radio christmas city spectacular. >> oh, my gosh. >> now we're talking. >> there can't be anymore surprises. >> i think there might be one more. one more. it's really not the holidays until santa shows up. here he is from macy's. here comes santa and his elves. >> i want to give this to you. and mackenzie, this is for you. >> oh. >> give santa a hug. wonderful. have a wonderful holiday here in new york. >> we love you, santa.

>> merry christmas, santa. >> they cut out when we were trying to give him our list. santa, we've been very good. >> i'll text you. >> how awesome for that family? you never know what's going to happen if you roll up to 30-rock? >> they were adorable. >> that was awesome. >> they were shocked. we'll head outside for a festive performance by the philadelphia boy's choir and ♪ whoa! the mercedes-benz winter event is back and you won't want to stop for anything else.

[ barks ] ho! lease the c 300 sport sedan for $399 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. it's a blowout! we're makin' room for more! up to 60% off on clothes. blow out! plus, shoes are buy one, get one for $1. blow out! shop awesome deals before they're gone at kmart's biiiiiiig semi-annual blowout event! blowout? get out! at kmart's biiiiiiig semi-annual blowout event! hey, batter, batter, [ crowd cheers ] like everyone, i lead a busy life. but i know the importance of having time to do what you love. at comcast we know our customers' time is valuable. that's why we have 2-hour appointment windows,

including nights and weekends. so you can do more of what you love. my name is tito, and i'm a tech ops manager at comcast. we're working to make things simple, easy and awesome. the citi concert series is proudly presented by citi. >> we have been loving the beautiful sounds of the philadelphia boy's choir and choral. for more than 50 years they've been performing all over the world. we are thrilled to have you guys

on the plaza led by jeffrey smith who happens to be a choir alum. and joining us here is leonardo garcia. thank you for being here. grammy nominations, emmys, traveling the world. how much practice does it take to get to that level? >> they reverse twice a week throughout the year. when they're young, we start them at around 7 years old. they're on a training program a year or two before they're in the performing choir. >> how does it feel to be singing in these wonderful spots? >> it feels great. >> what's your favorite song to sing? >> i'm not really sure. i like all of them. >> what are you going to sick for us right now? >> this is a new arrangement of silent night. it's the 200th anniversary of the christmas carol. we thought it would be appropriate to sing it today.

♪ silent night ♪ holy night ♪ all is calm all is bright ♪ round yon virgin mother and child ♪ ♪ holy infant so tender and mild ♪ ♪ sleep in heavenly peace

♪ sleep in heavenly peace ♪ silent night ♪ holy night ♪ son of god ♪ love's pure light ♪ radiant beams from thy holy face ♪

♪ with the dawn of redeeming grace ♪ ♪ jesus lord at thy birth ♪ christ the savior is born >> wow. wow. wow. wow. you guys, that was amazing. >> that was beautiful. >> can we just ask your name? >> cameron bouden. >> cameron, that was awesome.

you all are amazing. wow. gorgeous. >> i feel like i've never heard the song before until now. it was really beautiful. thank you so much to the philadelphia boys choir and choral. you made our holidays. >> you were awesome. >> we're back in a moment. >> we're back in a moment. 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.

you hurry to work, so you can take it slow. - [cell phone beeps] - stop! let's stop looking at pedestrians as a nuisance, and carless objects, and start looking out for each other again. it's a busy world out there. we're all in it together. go safely, california. look at that sweet baby. >> that's it for us on a thursday morning. what a beautiful morning. >> it's been a great day. >> that baby is incredible. wow. >> merry christmas. >> thank you. >> merry christmas. have a safe trip. we love you. >> see you next year. >> next year? >> john i )m - -...

a yemeni mother )s wish to see her dying son is finally granted. after months of asking for an exemption from president trump )s travel ban, she finally received it tuesday. she flew into s-f-o last night to see her son at ucsf benioff it tuesday and she flu ew into o

last night. her son is suffering from a rare brain disorder and only has days to live. happening now, our reporter is at the hospital and reaching out to the staff. he'll have an update at 11:00. and we're also monitoring a meeting happening this morning with the golden gate bridge transportation district, they are debating whether to increase the bridge toll. drivers may paypo up to $10 to cross the bridge starting next july. if there is an update, we'll post it on you aour twitter fee. and scientists say that the mysterious light last night was a meteor. the wind picked it up causing to shape.he zigzag more local news in an hour. this little home of mine,

♪ i'm gonna let it shine. ♪ it's energy saving time, ♪ i'm gonna reduce mine. ♪ californians all align ♪ to let our great state shine. ♪ let it shine, ♪ the power's ours to let it shine! ♪ at the airport this holiday season. you may owe the airlines a second (surprising ( fee! there )s big money on the line. watch us put the airlines to the test! today in the bay. tomorrow

live from studio 6 a, this is "today." >> good morning, everyone. welcome. >> it all happened so fast. >> you made it. i'm jenna. here with al. carson is back from l.a. we missed you. and keir simmons is with us. how is everybody feeling? >> i feel great, but i just had club soda last night at the anchor holiday -- >> we had a holiday party. only people like us and 80-year-olds like to go at 4:30 for drinks. >> how many of youoo