from his humble beginnings in kansas, to a stalwart of the senate, world war ii hero, the greatest generation personified. we remember the life and legacy of bob dole. the strict rules that went into effect overnight. a beijing boycott. a source telling nbc news, the biden administration is not sending a delegation to the winter olympics. what it means for athletes the nfl playoff picture

snapping into shape. all the highlights and the outlook for the postseason it's monday, december 6. "early today" starts right now good morning, i'm philip mena. >> glad you're with us i'm frances rivera tributes continue to pour in for a giant in american politics bob dole has died at the age of 98 his family points out that he served his country for 79 years, as a world war ii hero, a politician, and advocate for veterans no funeral arrangements have been announced, but ceremonies are expected in kansas and washington, d.c. overnight, the kansas city chiefs honored his memory at their game for more on dole's life and legacy, here's nbc's dan sheniman >> reporter: senator bob dole spent his life trying to make a difference he was born robert joseph dole in 1923. they were a modest, hardworking

family he was quite competitive as a teenager in 1942, dole joined the army. during world war ii, he was critically injured it would take him years to get back on his feet but he never fully recovered. after the war and law school, in 1960, he was elected to congress and the senate in 1968, where he served until 1996. dole had his eyes on the white house, and ran as the vice presidential candidate with gerald ford in 1976, the ticket lost also in the '70s, he met and married elizabeth, his second wife who made her own run for the white house. dole was named gop candidate for president in 1996, but lost to bill clinton in 1997, he was awarded the presidential medal of freedom, the highest civilian award he already had two purple hearts and a bronze star. in his retirement, bob dole was instrumental in getting the world war ii memorial built in

washington, and before the pandemic, he often spent weekends there greeting his fellow veterans. now to the latest covid-19 headlines. the omicron covid variant is spreading through the u.s. according to the cdc, more than 20 people in at least 17 states have been infected with the heavily mutated variant. but officials say none of the cases are severe according to the head of the cdc, the vast majority of the u.s. cases are still caused by the delta variant. currently america is tracking about 90,000 infections a day. over the weekend, the u.s. reached a new pandemic milestone. saturday, the nation surpassed 49 million covid-19 cases and 790,000 deaths this as new travel restrictions kicked in overnight to curb the spread of omicron. all international travel evers coming to the u.s., including american citizens l have to show a negative covid test within 24

hours of departure and the biden administration is sending 9 million vaccine doses to the african continent, bringing the total donations to africa to 100 million vaccines it's part of his pledge to send more than 200 million vaccines abroad in 100 days now to the new details in the school shooting in michigan. the parents of the 15-year-old accused of killing four classmates are now facing manslaughter charges nbc's megan fitzgerald has the latest for us. >> reporter: the suspected high school shooter and his parents under close surveillance >> all three of them, the son and both parents, they are segregated, each individually in isolation. we have advanced watch on them >> reporter: james and jennifer crumbley, joining their son in jail after being charged with four counts each of involuntary manslaughter >> how do you plead to count

one? >> not guilty. >> how do you plead to count four >> not guilty. >> reporter: the couple was arrested inside the art studio saturday morning, where police say they were hiding out secora, a person of interest, speaking to nbc news >> he didn't know they were fugitives at that point. the minute he found out, he went to the detroit police department and wanted to give them information. >> reporter: now the school releasing new details on what happened in the hours leading up to the shooting. a teacher discovering the suspect's disturbing drawing >> a drawing of a person who appears to have been shot twice and bleeding below that is a laughing emoji >> reporter: the school said it was immediately reported to the school counselor, but that the suspect told them the drawing was part of a video game he was designing. his parents arrived for an emergency meeting and told to put the teen in counseling the parents refused to take their son home after counselors determined he

wasn't a threat, they sent him back to class. hours later, the suspect allegedly opening fire in a packed hallway, killing four students >> is it possible that school officials could face charges >> it's possible, yes. >> reporter: the impact of the latest tragedy on full display saturday night >> please rise for a moment of sil silence. >> reporter: the university of michigan football team honoring the victims at the big ten championship paying special tribute to oxford high school running back tate mere >> dedicated the game to him and what he did. >> our thanks to megan for that report cnn anchor chris cuomo is denying a new sexual misconduct allegation after being fired from the network over the weekend. the cuomo primetime host was first suspended on tuesday after an investigation by the new york attorney general concluded he helped his brother, andrew cuomo, defend himself against sexual misconduct allegations.

on wednesday, a lawyer representing an unnamed client alerted the network to chris cuomo's alleged sexual misconduct cnn released a statement on cuomo's suspension and termination, saying in part, additional information has come to light despite the termination, we will investigate as appropriate a representative for chris quemo says the allegations are not true the biden administration is expected to announce a diplomatic boycott of the winter olympic games. the announcement could come as early as this week a diplomatic boycott would meanwhile american athletes could still compete at the games, no u.s. government officials would attend a full boycott was not expected. the news comes after joe biden said the u.s. was considering a diplomatic biden at the games last month to the nfl now the broncos and chiefs continuing their rivalry under the lights of sunday night football

patrick mahomes kicked it off on kansas city's first drive, rushing it in on the right side, just inside the pilon for the score. the chiefs were able to keep denver out of the end zone for the first 55 minutes of the game kc's defense picking off teddy bridgewater twice, and the chiefs win it 22-9 that win gives the chiefs a slight edge in the afc west, where first and last place are separatedly two games. and from the two-game lead to win number one in detroit. >> there's hawkenson inside. >> here we go. and a touchdown! >> that gave the lions their first win in 364 days. detroit walks off with a w over the vikings, 29-27 kyler murray returned after missing a month due to injury.

murray ran for two touchdowns and threw for a couple more, as arizona is perfect on the road the cardinals fly high over the bears 33-22. the ravens scored with under 30 seconds left in pittsburgh, but baltimore's two-point conversion attempt failed and the steelers win 20-19 in atlanta, tom brady took to the skies to soar over the falcons. brady threw four touchdown passes, including two to gronk as the buccaneers win 30-17. brady's massive game put him among the week 13's top performers and jonathan taylor continues his to the treestreak hawaii is saying aloha to winter weather a blizzard warning is in effect for the big island according to the national weather service, the area is seeing wind gusts of 100 miles per hour, and up to a foot of

snow yes. the warning will remain in effect until later today now to meteorologist janessa webb who is tracking severe weather from texas to tennessee. good morning >> hi, good morning. do want to mention hawaii, another eight inches of snow expected this morning into the afternoon hours, we'll continue to watch that winter weather across that area but also severe weather as you said is making its way across texas to tennessee right now we do have a tornado watch in effect for another few hours this is quickly making its way into the northeast you can see a lot of rain starting to make its way into the ohio valley. but expected to hit d.c. to new york city as we go into this afternoon. we still have winter weather alerts from the great shine acre

area cold front definitely slicing through. lots going on this week. tracking another winter storm. we'll talk about that coming up, guys >> thank you and then there were four the college football playoff matchups are set and cincinnati is making history with their inclusion the bearcats capped off an undefeated season with their aac championship victory over houston and became the first team from outside the power five conferences to make the college football playoffs. they're going to have a tough test against number one alabama, who beat georgia in the s.e.c. title game the bulldogs will get michigan in the other semifinal game on new year's eve up next, a warning for drivers. before you get behind the wheel of your honda, the recall you need to know about miraculous money or holy heist? oundofber finds hundreds of

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> we have a consumer alert to tell you about honda is recalling nearly 725,000 suvs and pickup trucks in the u.s., because the hoods can open while driving vehicles involved in this recall include certain 2019 passports, 2016 through 2019 pilots, and 2017 through 2020 ridgeline pickups. honda will notify owners by nail starting january 17. the milwaukee dancing grannies made their first appearance since the waukesha christmas parade tragedy they walked arm in arm on saturday, wearing matching blue sweat ship sweatshirts. the group has been a fixture in wisconsin's parades for 40 years. a stash of cash was found in the walls of joel olsteen's texas mega church. a plumber said that there was a

loose toilet and when he removed it, about 500 envelopes fell out and there were cash and checks inside. houston police say the money is connected to a theft from the church that happened in 2014 $600,000 disappeared from the church's safe that year. it is not clear how much money was just found in the wall this investigation is ongoing. still to come, inside the race to rescue the rainforest. nbc news investigates why electric cars could be doing more harm than good. plus letting the christmas si tit ring. indehe house that's lifting spirits this holiday season. what the- henry? thanks. if it's “out decorating the neighbors” season, it's walgreens season. ♪ ♪ what a pain in the- alice?

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be sure to follow us on facebook, twitter and instagram. we are kicking off a new series this week on the effort to rescue the rainforest we begin with the rise of nickel mining that's putting one of the

world's most beautiful places in peril. jake ward investigates in partnership with the rainforest investigations network >> reporter: it's been called one of the most beautiful places on earth polowan. a stunning tropical island in the philippines. a diver's paradise an ecological wonder but 300 miles south of its pristine beaches, a giant swath of the rainforest was destroyed decades ago, making way for one of the world's largest nickel mines, rio tuba. and now the majority owner has plans to expand into more of the rainforest, adding the equivalent of 4,700 football fields to the mine you have filed paperwork to do so, is that right? >> yes, yes. i think we still have about four years to go with the current area >> reporter: global demand for nickel is surging. expecting to grow ten times over the next decade experts say.

>> diversification of where nickel is mined is underway. there's a significant amount of momentum in asia >> reporter: that's because nickel is increasingly used in the stuff that powers our lives. things like tab lets, the phones we use every day but the biggest demand for nickel right now, it's the batteries in electric vehicles >> ev sales are going to be surging over the rest of this decade >> reporter: it's top priority for joe biden. >> we're going to set a new face for electric vehicles. >> reporter: leading the way, tesla. now the top seller of evs, and desperate for the resources to make their clean energy cars go. nbc news last tracked nickel mined all the way to tesla in california elon musk saying last year -- >> any mining companies out there, please mine more nickel tesla will give you a giant

contract for a long period of time if you mine nickel efficiently and in an environmentally sensitive way. >> reporter: but when it comes to the rainforest, every tree counts in the battle against climate change once destroyed, restoration is difficult. is there a way to restore the mining site back to what it was like before hand >> there's some challenges with that engineering is figuring out a way to get the land back to its natural state, and that is incredibly difficult >> reporter: indigenous groups living here say they are wary of the proposed expansion this rice farmer speaking with our reporting partner in the philippines, carol elogan. she's worried it will cause land slides during the rainy season and contaminate the water. the company denies causing any contamination and is handling the problem with great sensitivity to the rainforest and local people is it your feeling that we have to trade off some bits of our

planet in order to have the life we want to build here? >> yes but i think human development, there has been tradeoffs over the years. >> reporter: a stark reminder that even clean energy comes with an environmental cost jake ward, nbc news, san francisco. >> eye coping report >> been there. pictures don't do it justice up next, janessa looks at some possible snow in the forecast comi u dkingp,ecng the dales. the winter wonderland spreading christmas cheer. texted the next day? same guy. is that even legal? and get this - he remembered my name. of course. hey, blink twice if you're in danger. whoa, guys. at state farm, we actually get to know you. it's called service.

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febreze. now to a storiable finding the light, even in dark times. a man's over the top christmas displays bring him much-needed comfort, and so much joy to others >> reporter: a winter wonderland brought to life. ♪ ♪ by more than 100,000 dazzling lights >> santa is here already >> reporter: and a little christmas magic. >> yeah! >> reporter: all in one home in a small new jersey town. >> come on, ready?

>> reporter: the man behind the magic, johnny rose, nicknamed johnny claus, who has been doing this now for nearly 25 years >> why do you do this? >> when i was younger, my mother started me with it she taught me how to do the trees, the bushes, the house other people like the lights and i like to give them what they see, and we have a great time. >> you actually got a bigger yard some years ago, right >> yeah. i bought the lot next door to make it bigger >> reporter: but for johnny and his family, the most special place here can't be seen easily from the street. it's where two angels sit on display. one for his daughter who passed away at cancer at the age of 13, and the other for his grand daughter who died a few years ago. both losses happening right around christmas >> a lot of downfalls, yeah. it was always around christmas so the only thing you could do

is look forward to it and focus on one thing like we focus on the angels >> reporter: the display, shining bright to the heavens. a message from rose to those he's lost. >> as long as they're happy up there. that's key >> reporter: and he's spreading so much happiness -- >> cheese. >> reporter: and wonder. >> reindeer over there >> reporter: thousands travel from across the country to see the display each year. a holiday tradition. >> it's wonderful for everybody. >> we come every year. so it's nice so sorry. >> reporter: did you go in the back yet and a true beacon of hope each december >> it's more than just lights they're seeing, isn't it >> it's the spirit there's never a negative spirit here >> our thanks to jose for that it's an amazing dismay when you find out the motivation behind it, my goodness >> you see all the lights and how beautiful they are, but the

stories, especially his, makes it extra special and hopefully make it shine extra blight through the holiday season thanks for waking up with "early today. i'm frances rivera s >> and i'm philip mena michael bubl

remembering senator bob dole a towering figure in american politics a world war ii hero, and a fierce warrior for veterans and americans with disabilities. a look back at life spent in service of his nation. omicron on theise, as the new covid variant spreads across the u.s. strict new rules go into effect for sper national travel evers woere they on the run? new details about the parents of the school shooter in michigan breaking overnight, where the biden administration is planning t