breaking overnight americans kidnapped in haiti a group of missionaries, including children, taken hostage while helping build an orphanage. inside the negotiations to free them get vaccinated or else that's the message police departments acss the country are sending to officers today. dr. anthony fauci's message amid pushback from some law enforcement. back home and on the mend. former president bill clinton checks out of the hospital after an almost week-long battle with an infection the cameras are still

rolling. hollywood strikes a deal averting a strike that could have brought production to a halt the steelers and seahawks put on a show for sunday night football highlights from the overtime thriller, capping off a wild day in the nfl it's monday, october 18th. "early today" starts right now >> hope you had a good weekend good morning i'm philip mena. >> and i'm frances rivera. we begin with breaking news. americans held hostage in haiti. the missionaries had just left an orphanage when they were abducted the group includes 16 u.s. citizens and one canadian. five of them children. nbc's sam brock kicks off our coverage >> reporter: frances, good morning. it is anxious hours for the loved ones of 17 people who are still abducted in one of the most dangerous countries in the world. an unprecedented kidnapping of americans in haiti the turmoil and violence rocking haiti has been directed at american citizens.

after 17 people on a missionary visit were kidnapped while visiting an orphanage. the ohio based christian aid ministry posting the group of 16 u.s. citizens and one canadian includes five men, seven women, and the rest children. join us in praying the terror, nothing new. this taxi driver saying the effects of kidnapping, people do not go into the streets. we can't find people to transport. armed gangs are believed to control half of the city of port-au-prince with kidnappings and killings on the rise the kidnappings were carried out by the same group that abducted five french priests and two nuns earlier. do you believe the number of kidnappings this year is in the thousands? >> yes, i do >> reporter: she describes the country's everyday horrors >> they have been kidnapping everyone on the side of the

streets to children going to school they've been walking into churches, to kidnap pastors and parishioners on sundays in broad daylight >> reporter: the conditions in haiti, worsened by a dead ly earthquake this professor is an expert on latin american relations >> there's no police or military so who do you go to, to say i've just been kidnapped? >> reporter: american citizens trying to lift up the suffering, desperately in need of help them efls is. as for whether the americans were targeted, these are usually targets of opportunity the missionaries went into one of the most dangerous parts of port-au-prince, and were preyed upon frances, back to you >> sam, thank you. now to the state department's response to the kidnappings. monica alba joins us from the white house.

>> reporter: negotiations are ongoing. a senior state department official says they're engaging with haitian authorities at the senior most levels but they're hesitant to comment beyond that given privacy considerations and the delicate nature of these talks. a spokesperson adding that the welfare and safety of u.s. citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities for the state department while lawmakers like adam kinsinger, a member of the house foreign affairs committee, pledged the u.s. government will do everything possible to get the american missionaries back safely phillip, frances >> monica, thank you the case that sparked massive protests against racial injustice is back in the spotlight. jury selection in the trial of ahead -- ahmed arbery will begin today. video shows the unarmed man being chased, trapped and murdered by three men.

travis mccmichael eastern says h short arbery in self-defense they deny wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty this morning, 600 potential jurors are due in court. it will be whittled down to 12 and four alternates. >> today is the day most health care workers must be vaccinated in washington. employees can apply for a medical or religious exemption, but there is no testing option meanwhile, sunday was the covid-19 vaccine mandate deadline for thousands of massachusetts employees. a union that represents state police says about 85% to 90% of members have complied. but at least 150 officers have resigned or planned to do so dr. anthony fauci spoke with chris wallace of fox news about police officers who are pushing back against vaccine mandates.

>> think about the implications of not getting vaccinated when you're in a position where you have a responsible job and you want to protect yourself, because you need it at your job, whether you're a police officer or a pilot or any other of those kinds of occupations >> dr. anthony fauci did have some good news about the holidays, say thing's no reason the fully vaccinated can't enjoy the holidays in a family way former president bill clinton has been released from the hospital following treatment for a urinary tract infection that spread to his blood in infe infection. >> when older individuals develop those infections, they can very quickly become life threatening. >> doctors at uc irvine health says his fever and white blood cell focount has normalized he had been in california to

attend a clinton foundation event last thursday, but got sick last tuesday. the former president has had multiple operations at new york presbyterian hospital. he's since become a vegan and made changes to his lifestyle to support his health to football now. neither the seahawks or the steelers could afford a loss on sunday night"sunday night foot." with that toss to harris, seattle playing without russell wilson for the first time in a while, would respond with two big touchdowns in the third quarter and trade field goals in the fourth seattle forced overtime as time expired. and in overtime pittsburgh's defense stepped up and got them a game winner. the steelers get back to .500 with the 23-20 win over the sau seahawks and in cleveland, the cardinals got out to a 24-point lead against the browns early and never looked back.

kyler murray threw four touchdowns, and the cards remain perfect. arizona over the browns 37-14. and there was no party for los angeles as the ravens' run game outrushed the chargers by 161 yards. baltimore started the game on a 17-0 run, and shut out los angeles in the second half the ravens win 34-6. the streak snapped across the pond trevor lawrence led the jaguars down the field getting the game winning field goal they beat the dolphins 23-20 trayvon digs tied a league record picking off a quarterback in his six straight game it was a wild one between the cowboys and patriots dak prescott found c.d. lamb in overtime dallas with a win 35-29. and the cowboys were among the top performers in week six

prescott connected with lamb for two of his three scores. the phoenix mercury needed to turn up the heat to avoid elimination. but the chicago sky had ore plans. van der sloot put the game out of reach the sky take the game and the series 80-74 and candas parker's first year playing her hometown, she deliver the franchise's first wnba championship. and copper was named the finals mvp, averaging 19 points per game in the playoffs >> let's see how we're starting the week off weather wise and get a check on the weather with janessa webb good morning, janessa. >> hi, good morning. i stepped outside late last night and said wow, the chill is here and it's going to be sticking around for the east coast. you can really feel it it feels like fall right now, 49 degrees. for philadelphia, new york city, 50 and we're only going to be jumping up 10 to 15 degrees this

afternoon. so this is our first freezes of the year for asheville to jackson, the tennessee valley, even for falling so there is this great divide. the central u.s. very warmquiete northeast to the great lakes a few lake-effect showers for cleveland. do have another winter storm happening for the west coast we'll talk about that coming up. a nail biter on the diamond in game two of the nlcs. the dodgers led after a first inning home run, but the braves tie it up in the 8th inning. and in the bottom of the 9th,

eddie rosario comes out swinging that is a walkoff to give atlanta the 5-4 victory. the braves take a 2-0 series lead of ver the dodgers. ti> russia reaches a new froner for filmmaking. "early today" is back in a minute rapid wrinkle repair® smooths the look of fine lines in 1-week, deep wrinkles in 4. so you can kiss wrinkles goodbye! neutrogena®

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his lawyer revealed the 78-year-old tested positive, saying he looked awful thursday and is having difficulty breathing and difficulty speaking he said his client was vaccinated but didn't know if he had a covid-19 booster the diagnosis comes days after he was sentenced to life in prison for murdering a friend 20 years ago. investigators found a new lead in the search for the cause of the leak that dumped an estimated 25,000 gallons of crude oil into the ocean off the southern california coast. the coast guard believes a cargo ship's anchor struck a pipeline, pulling it across the sea floor in january of this year. it is still undetermined if the impact caused the leak earlier this month or another issue led to it. prince william awarded a nearly $7 million in this year's earth shot prize it's like the oscars but for green projects, awarding money to innovators.

this year's winner included the city of milan for their food waste hubs and the republic of costa rica for creating a plan that restored and doubled the size of the rainforests. >> reporter: nasa launched an explorer to study the fossils of the universe they are thought to be like time capsules from the formation of the planets. nasa included a plaque with lyrics "lucy in the city." a russian film crew has returned to earth after shooting the first-ever movie in space. a russian actress and director spent 12 days filming scenes for their drama called "challenge. it portrays a station that rushes to the space station to save a crew member that needs an operation.

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fear is a tool when that light hits the sky, it's not just a call it's a warning >> that's our first look at the new batman movie hitting theaters next year robin pattinson is taking over the role it flies into theaters march of next year. this morning, we're starting a week-long series on reports from china called behind the wall you may remember china's strict one child policy from years ago. now they have a new problem. they need families to have more children but parents are resisting. we have this report from

beijing. >> reporter: with boxing lessons, then painting, and ping-pong, too, it's a juggling act for lily to keep her two kids busy. she had a second daughter when china relaxed its one child policy five years ago. now the government is urging parents to have three kids to counter an aging policy. >> it's a good policy, but i'm 40 years old already i don't have the energy. >> reporter: would you have a third? >> no, no way, no way. two is enough. >> reporter: china added just 12 million babies last year the lowest since 1979, when the one child policy took effect repressive rules and a desire for sons erasing millions of girls from the population. now with the workforce shrinking, they're trying to boost the birthrate. >> the chinese state has already put forth a lot of policies. >> is the state expecting a baby boom >> the baby boom is not

happening. >> reporter: the challenge, most couples continue want two or three children because of high living costs and competitive pressure like a new parenting culture here for being obsessive >> the parts, they don't have a choice they have to do it everybody is doing it. >> reporter: it's given way to a multibillion dollar shadow school industry here, where tutoring in math, english and sports begins as early as preschool and can cost a family half their income. >> we force everybody to go through the same system. you have, again, wasted talent and unnecessary competition. in the end, you've got greatly anxious parents and irrational behaviors. >> reporter: fearing deeper inequality, when the communist party wants to see larger families, the government is

cracking down forcing the entire private education industry to go nonprofit. public schools ordered to do more activities, to ease pressure on china's kids so parents will have more of them >> fascinating look. up next, we have the forecast for the week ahead >> and still ahead, the homecoming queen with e art thhe of gold. inside the ultimate act of kindness more immune support. with the only vitamin c that lasts 24 hours. more restful sleep. with the first-ever triple action sleep supplement. we put more of our brains into helping your heart. we give you more wellness solutions backed by rigorous science than we ever have before. nature's bounty gives you more, so you can live bountifully. instantly clear everyday congestion nature's bounty gives you more, with vicks sinex saline. for fast drug free relief vicks sinex.

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welcome back an entire school rallying around their homecoming queen when she needed it the most nbc's kate snow has the story of friendship kate, this morning >> reporter: this is a story about a friend lifting up another friend when she needed it the most, and how one single act can inspire a whole community. >> congratulations to all these young ladies >> reporter: this was the gesture that will forever define a friendship the touching moment last month when nilea covington removed her crown and placed it on her best friend, britney walters, just when she needed it the most.

did you lock eyes with britney >> i was trying not to tear up as much. and i walked towards her, and i looked at her, in her eyes, and then i said i loved her and i handed her my flowers and i hugged her >> and she handed me her crown it made me heart feel so much happier. >> reporter: a show of solidarity for britney, whose mom died after a battle with cancer just hours before the big game for moments, a.j. had been insisting her daughter needed to be at that game, no matter what. why was your mom so determined that you have a great home coming >> she decided no matter what i had to go, just because she's proud and wanted me to do it >> reporter: a.j. was a beloved secretary at the high school in brooklyn, mississippi. >> she was wonderful she was sweet, kind of like my mom. >> reporter: so when ms. a.j. got sick, the community rallied

around the family. tyra posted on facebook asking the community to help her buy britney a dress. >> it was an outpouring of love and support. people were like, i'll contribute to her dress, her hair >> it's ms. britney ann walters. >> reporter: that support, giving the grieving teen the confidence and courage to honor her mother's wish. side by side with a friend she considers family how would you describe your bond >> like we're just sisters >> britney, i just can't even imagine, you know, such a huge loss to lose your mom. and on the same day to have a friend do something so significant. what did it mean to you? >> i just felt so lifted up by everyone there and then in another way also kind of reminded me of my mom, because my mom was the type of person if she was in my shoes

she would have done the same thing. >> they are amazing women. both plan an attending nursing school >> kate, thank you i can't imagine losing your mom in high school >> literally that same day wow, the support that they all have

which don't want anyone to ever forget about ahmad, because his death made a lot of changes around the world >> the murder sparked protests around the world last year today, the trial begins for the three men accused of murdering the 25-year-old black man in broad daylight as he jogged down the street breaking news out of hatee where an armed men has kidnapped a group of american missionaries we're live with how the state department is working to set them free. get your shot or get