fleeing a war zone. thousands of palestinians are said to be given the chance to leave gaza. and new aid promised for those

staying. we'll have the full report of the latest developments in the israel-hamas war. a job for jordan? the latest candidate for speak other telephone house could take the gavel this week, as long as he doesn't run into the problems of his predecessors. we've live from washington with the latest. there is no prescription for bankruptcy. rite aid files for chapter 11 amidst major financial troubles. how the former drug store giant got this point. he's just pete. breaking down the highlights from pete davidson's "snl" return, as well as the possible power couple who crashed his homecoming. and harnessing the halloween spirit. find out why a california mom is going all out with her spooky season decoration, even if her son isn't able to see them. it's monday, october 16th. "early today" starts right now. thanks for starting your week with us. i'm frances rivera. >> and i'm phillip mena. congress will begin another week with no speaker of the house in sight. so far house republicans have been unable to unite around a

replacement for kevin mccarthy, who was ousted from the job nearly two weeks ago. but that could change very soon. >> nbc's brie jackson joins us now from d.c. brie, good morning. what can we expect this week in the race to find the house speaker? >> good morning, frances, phillip. so we could see a vote for house speaker as soon as tuesday. the house democratic whip sent out a notice saying that republicans are planning to hold the election tomorrow at noon. now that does not mean that the gop nominee jim jordan has rallied enough support to win the job. jordan can only have four republican defects when it comes to a full house vote. and when he was nominated friday, more than 50 members of his party said they would not support him. on sunday's "meet the press," house minority leader -- excuse me, house minority leader hakeem jeffries said informal talks have been under way to try to find a bipartisan solution.

jeffries said democrats had not yet identified any specific republican that the party could get behind, but did explain what democrats might ask for in a potential deal. >> we want to ensure that votes are taken on bills that have substantial democratic support and substantial republican support. so that the extremists aren't able to dictate the agenda. >> so the pressure is on for the house to select a speaker. congress is needed to sign off on assistance to israel and ukraine. and federal funding expires in mid-november. so there is also the risk of a government shutdown on the horizon. lawmakers will return to capitol hill today, and both the republicans and democrats are expected to hold meetings tonight. back to you. >> brie, thank you. this morning, the world waits with baited breath as israel could launch an invasion of gaza at any moment.

one thing that could be postponing the promised military action, the ongoing evacuation of civilians. just an hour and a half ago, egypt was set to open its rafah border crossing to let southern citizens out of gaza. that includes hundreds of americans. let's go now to claudio lavanga who is following these developments for us. claudio, good morning. do we know how the evacuations are going? >> good morning, phillip. well, i'll start with thatopeni rafah crossing. that hasn't happened yet, at least information we received. to let nationals out and humanitarian aid in with a promise, also this was reported on israeli media that israel will observe a ceasefire for five hours to allow them to do that. well, there is none of that for now. we received a statement from the gaza media office saying they are not aware or haven't been given any information by the egyptian authorities of any opening of the rafah crossing

and blaming that information what they call enemy media. we got a statement from the minister in israel there is no such ceasefire. all of that is a bit of a mirage. what we know is happening is police, military, 600,000 palestinians so far have moved from the north to the south. about half of the 1.1 million palestinians have been instructed by israel to leave the north of gaza. well, now that journey, of course, is neither easy or safe. palestinian authorities are saying israeli air strikes have targeted the vehicles of convoys of vehicles of people evacuating from the north to the south. and one of the two roads that israel have deemed safe, the idf has not commented on that, saying they're just following international law, and they are taking every precaution not to harm civilians. but civilians are being harmed and they're being killed on a daily basis while the death toll from the israeli side since the

attack have now stabilized at about 1400, the death toll among palestinians continues to rise. 6,270 is the last we got. the fear is it may spiral out of control if israel carries on with a plan of ground invasion in what kay they call a coordinated attack by air, sea, and land. phillip? >> that is the biggest fear. all right, claudio lavanga for us, claudio, thank you. as the fighting escalates in the middle east, israelis living in america have a desire to help any way they can. some are heading over there to offer their support, while others are heeding the call to action. nbc's marissa parra has more. ♪ >> reporter: outside an israeli airline ticket counter in miami international airport, pockets of emotion on full display before a 12-hour flight to israel. everyone here packing a different story. >> half of my relatives and friends went to the festival.

i'm going to their funeral. >> reporter: the hugs here last a little longer. most don't know when they'll get another. >> i'm numb, like a lot of people right now. >> reporter: that's zack, the far of an id f reservists, one of thousands being recalled to duty. some boarding planes before the call even comes. >> he found out about the war at sev 7:00 and was on the plane by 11:00. >> reporter: her home has been empty for over a week. she drove her son to the airport with a one-way ticket to israel. >> i gave him a little box with a bug inside and it says love bug. this is something that he gave me. so i took my little love bug, and i gave to it david. and when he hugged me goodbye, he said mom, i promise i'm going bring the love bug back. >> reporter: at the airport, people preparing themselves and more. suitcases being packed and shipped from around the state. >> everything from certified tourniquets that units have requested specifically to things

like magazine pouchs, and i think the trucks are here, so we have to run. >> reporter: supplies being rushed on to the plane just before departure. what does it say on these suitcases right here? >> what does that mean? >> the jewish nation is not scared. >> reporter: this is a flight of promises hand-delivered. >> this is not a time to be frightened. it's a time to be strong. >> reporter: marissa parra, nbc news, miami. police are investigating the stabbing death of a 6-year-old outside of chicago as a possible hate crime. michigan authorities say landlord joseph czuba in plainfield township killed the boy and seriously wounded his mother because they were muslim palestinian americans and in supposed protest against the hamas attack on israel. our chicago station says the child succumbed to a staggering 26 stab wounds at the hands of the 71-year-old man. his mother is expected to survive the attack. czuba has been charged with hate crimes and first-degree murder.

just days after a powerful tremor killed thousands, afghanistan has been struck again by a deadly earthquake. that's according to the associated press. the aid group save the children says four people have died, but that number is expected to rise. it is the fourth quake in afghanistan in just over a week. measuring at 6.3 magnitude. the disaster hit western herat province. earlier quakes flattened entire villages and killed more than 2,000 people, according to taliban authorities. new this morning, drug store chain rite aid has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. the company has faced slowing sales coupled with a growing pile of debt. rite aid was also involved in several major lawsuits that claim thecompany contributed to america's opioid epidemic. in a statement, rite aid said part of its restructuring would include evaluating and possibly reducing its retail footprint. the company looks to closing underperforming store locations. millions of americans waking up to a frosty morning from

nebraska to texas today. michelle grossman is tracking the cold on the way. good morning, michelle. >> good morning. it's cold this morning. you need the coats. you need the gloves and hats in some spots. we're looking at temperatures below freezing. we're going to be really cool from the rockies east, even 10 to 15 degrees below normal. but starting off with frost advisories in the light pink. that includes dodge city. looking at temperatures really chilly this morning. and the autumn chill is going the stay in place. 28 degrees right now in north platte. it's 31 in garden city. that's below freezing. above freezing in kansas city. but still cool, 43 degrees in oklahoma city. you're chilly at 45. now as we go throughout the afternoon, it's going to be cool. we have high pressure in place in some spots. low pressure too northern and parts of canada. that's bringing down the cool air. it's breezy too. so washington, d.c. in the low 60s today. that is 7 degrees below what is typical for this time of year. birmingham 11 degrees below normal knoxville 16 degrees below

normal for this time of year. so chilly tomorrow. we're looking at temperatures mainly in the 50s and 60 starting off with some patchy areas of dense fog an increase in fog during the day. temperatures in the 70s for a oklahoma, texas. into louisiana and arkansas. little rock, 67. all right, guys. that's your monday forecast. >> all right, michelle, thank you. spacex celebrates a major milestone at two launch pads in florida. >> two, one, ignition. engines full power and liftoff of starlink. go starlink, go faulk. >> the second liftoff of the day. a few hours earlier, falcon heavy launched on its six-year journey. this is the first time multiple

launches on the same day. coming up, can a nation really take the wheel? self-driving technology faces a real world test, after the break. not coughing? hashtag still not coughing?! mucinex dm gives you 12 hours of relief from chest congestion and any type of cough, day or night. mucinex dm. it's comeback season. my skin has been so much smoother so much more hydrated. it's olay! with olay hyaluronic body wash 95% of women had visibly-better skin. and my skin is so much more moisturized. see the difference with olay. do you struggle with occasional nerve aches in your hands or feet? try nervive nerve relief from the world's number one nerve care company. nervive contains ala to relieve nerve aches, and b-complex vitamins to fortify healthy nerves. try nervive. and, try nervive pain relieving roll-on. hey guys, check it out: it's mrs. stevens. they say she can make things appear out of thin air. hey! you guys want to come in?

my mom made dinner. make your table legendary, with country crock. self-driving cars may be the way of the future, but right now it's still in the test track. a team at virginia tech is taking their self-driving truck on the highway to see how it stacks up. adam tuss from our nbc washington gets in the passenger seat. >> reporter: lights, cameras, and drive. okay. that's our indication that the automation has been engaged and coming to life. so we no longer have hands on the steering wheel. the vehicle is driving itself at this point. >> reporter: this truck from the virginia tech transportation institute cruising the 395 express lanes and showing off its capabilities, like dodging debris in the roadway and moving over for a crashed and stopped vehicle on the side of the road. >> this is a simulated car crash. so we have a wrecker in front of

us. >> reporter: the self-driving car even got pulled over by a state trooper and recognized that it was being pulled over. mike mollenhauer. >> what do you do when you encounter a situation? >> reporter: not everything went perfectly. after the police stop, the truck didn't recognize when it could go forward. there were also challenges getting through a mock work zone with lots of traffic cones to navigate. >> how do you make those people who have to deal like that, that's public safety, fire, ems and law enforcement, how do you make them comfortable around the vehicles? >> reporter: we got a chance to explore the truck up close. clearly this vehicle has a lot of sensing capability, a lot of sensing technology. and it's all being put into the car. take a look at this screen. you see how it's drawing a box around me right now? it's basically trying to identify what is drivable space. and that box is telling it, yeah, don't drive. and the express lanes operator transurban says they're benefitting from the tests, gathering data that provides more predictable along the lanes

for autonomous cars. >> so they're able the plan for efficiently and deal with the unexpected. >> reporter: still, many questions to solve with self-driving technology like cost, maintenance, even insurance. but we can say virginia tech's driverless technology has come a long way from this unforgettable moment on our roads back in 2017. brother, who are you? what are you doing? i'm with the news, dude. >> ah, yes, who can forget the guy in the car seat costume. as driverless vehicles roll on, researchers are learn mortgage information to accelerate the driverless process. >> and our thanks to adam tuss for that report. still to come, the eras tour shattering records on the big screen. >> we break down the weekend in entertainment, including movie theaters across the country, entering the swiftie era.

( ♪ ♪ ) scared of a little blood? dr. garcia? whoa! crest reality checkup. bleeding gums are serious, jamie. i must be brushing too hard... no, it's actually a sign of bacterial infection. one that can spread to other parts of the body. check this out... unlike other toothpastes, crest gum detoxify's antibacterial fluoride works below the gumline to help heal gums and stop bleeding. crest saves the day, huh? no reason to fear. the #1 toothpaste brand in america. crest. [sneeze] dude you coming? because the only thing dripping should be your style. plop plop fizz fizz with alka-seltzer plus cold & flu relief. also try for fizzy fast cough relief. you know those mornings when it takes just a plus little bit extraf. to get you out of bed? this might be it.

wake up to the goodness of jimmy dean. viruses and bacteria float all around us. unlike air fresheners, only new lysol air sanitizer kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria in the air. because scent can't sanitize. lysol can. ♪ vicks vapostick provides soothing, non-medicated vicks vapors. [exhales] easy to apply for the whole family. vicks vapostick and try vaposhower for steamy vicks vapors. hey guys, check it out: it's mrs. stevens. they say she can make things appear out of thin air. hey! you guys want to come in? my mom made dinner. make your table legendary, with country crock.

people come up to me and

you're going to do a show with all the albums in it? and i was like yeah. it's going to be called the eras tour. see you there. >> we're here to break down the latest in entertainmentnews. and taylor swift had theaters to herself this weekend with her big reputation scaring off all new releases, the film verdicts of the eras tour opened to a huge $96 million. this already makes it the highest music grossing film of all time. the exorcist, believer and paw patrol the mighty movie rounded out placing at two and three. absolute high of my whole weekend. i didn't know what to watch. my daughter and her friends on their feet the entire time with every lyric and every word singing along, or the big screen. >> so is everybody dressed up? what was the vibe in there? >> like a concert. there were kids passing out friendship bracelets. we have all the mere. they were selling for the popcorn tubs. can't wit the go up.

>> taylor's weekend of dominance continued on the premier of "snl." she made a surprise appearance to introduce ice spice along with a quick cameo from her rumored boyfriend and chiefs tight end travis kelce in an nfl themed sketch. meanwhile, pete davidson made his long-awaited return to studio 8-h as host. davidson spoofed his own personal and relationship drama with a parody of i'm just ken. he appropriately called this i'm just pete. it was cool to see pete davidson back at "snl." but of course any time taylor swift is around, that's what gets all the attention, a and the two showing up yet again today. >> so many taylor swift reference, and this nfl skit was hysterical. you got to watch it. also, death of somebody beloved when it comes to the comedy world. remembering sitcom legend suzanne somers. she aprose to stardom as krissy snow on "three's company." she was fired in 1981 after

demanding to be paid as much as male tv stars of that era. sommers had been fighting a form of aggressive breast cancer over 23 years. she would have turned 77 today. the ditzy blond. she made a name for herself as a fitness expert. >> such an iconic character, "three's company." plus, when we come back, the mysterious case of a million dollar speeding ticket. and human history isbo aut to get a makeover at this major new york museum. what you need to know, after the break. but this is a not flash. ♪ i got a good feeling ♪ there's big news for women going through menopause. veozah - a prescription treatment for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms - the medical name for hot flashes and night sweats. with hormone-free veozah, you can have fewer hot flashes, and more not flashes. veozah is proven to reduce the number and severity

of hot flashes, day and night. for some women, it can start working in as early as one week. don't use veozah if you have cirrhosis, severe kidney problems, kidney failure, or take cyp1a2 inhibitors. increased liver blood test values may occur. your doctor will check them before and during treatment. most common side effects include stomach pain, diarrhea, difficulty sleeping, back pain, and hot flashes. ♪ i got a good feeling ♪ ask your doctor about hormone-free veozah and enjoy more not flashes. ugh, this guy again... pops! ay son! ya got a little somethin' on yuh face. needed a quick shave. quick shave? respect the process! it ain't my dad's razor, dad, it's from gillettelabs. gillette...labs? gillette's ultimate shaving experience. this green bar releases trapped hairs from my face. gamechanga! while the flexdisc contours to it. lookin' smooth. feelin' even smoother. how 'bout hookin' me up with some gillettelabs? check your texts. you're the best. nah, you're the best. the best a man can get keeps getting bettuh. the next generation of shaving is gillettelabs.

hey guys, check it out: it's mrs. stevens. they say she can make things appear out of thin air. hey! you guys want to come in? my mom made dinner. make your table legendary, with country crock. (♪♪) honey... honey... dayquil severe honey. powerful cold and flu symptom relief with a honey-licious taste. because life doesn't stop for a cold. dayquil honey, the daytime, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever, honey-licious, power through your day, medicine.

theo's nose was cause for alarm, so dad brought puffs plus lotion to save it from harm. puffs has 50% more lotion and brings soothing relief. don't get burned by winter nose. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed. america's #1 lotion tissue. air wick. air wick's limited edition fragrances are infused with natural essential oils for authentic seasonal scents that fill your home with warmth and cheer. history gates an update in new york and a country singer gets a corny tribute. here is what you need to know "early today." the natural museum of history in new york is removing all human remains from display. they recognize many of the remains belong to people who have never given their consent to be studied or displayed.

a $15,000 disputed tax bill is headed to the supreme court calling into question whether foreign investments can be taxed. a georgia man was issued a $1.4 million speeding ticket. he got what's known as a super speeder ticket for going 90 in a 55 mile-per-hour zone. the city of savannah says this was just a place holder amount before his court date. and country superstar reba mcintyre is being honored using corn in north carolina. this corn maze was just unveiled east of charlotte. we'll be right back. hey! you guys want to come in? my mom made dinner. make your table legendary, with country crock. ma, ma, ma— ( clears throat ) for fast sore throat relief, try vicks vapocool drops. with two times more menthol per drop, and powerful vicks vapors to vaporize sore throat pain. vicks vapocool drops. vaporize sore throat pain. ♪ on your period, sudden gushes happen.

say goodbye gush fears! thanks to always ultra thins... with rapiddry technology... that absorbs two times faster. hellooo clean and comfortable. always. fear no gush. ah mornings! cough? congestion? i'm feeling better. all in one and done with new mucinex kickstart. headache? better now. new mucinex kickstart gives all-in-one and done relief with a morning jolt of instant cooling sensation. it's comeback season. over in california, an elaborate halloween display is turning heads. one san jose mother does it all for her son. while his health issues have prevented him from seeing the decoration, she hopes he can

still feel the spirit of the holiday he loves. marianne favro from our bay area affiliate has her story. >> reporter: shelly jimenez says her son chris has always loved halloween, but when his declining health prevented him from getting out to see neighbors' decorations, she decided to build an amazing display right in their front yard. no bones about it, this is a labor of love. from the animatronics to the giant rat, shelly jimenez spent weeks brewing up this swamp-themed halloween display in front of her vernon avenue home in willow glenment she does it all for her 28-year-old son chris. he was born premature, later suffered brain damage, has severe lung disease, and in 2020 lost his sight. but despite his health struggles, chris has always loved halloween. >> he would get such a kick out of when someone would scream because they were frightened by one of the props. and he would be sitting on

tonight couch just laughing his head off. >> reporter: shelly started her spooktacular displays in 2019 to bring the fun directly to her son. since then, more than 600 people visit the changing display every year, with some traveling from as far away as san diego. >> i think of it like a chris's legacy, how it all, you know, started. but it just snowballed into something bigger that i never, ever would have imagined. >> reporter: shelly admits with her son's declining health and providing round the clock care for him, she almost didn't put up a display this year. >> i knew that so many people enjoy it, that i really could not let my community down. >> reporter: chris's twin sister says the spooky display is a welcome diversion. >> it reminds me of times when

he, like, was really, really happy. >> reporter: this haunt is scaring up hope. >> i do hope there is a little part in him that knows that -- that i've kept the tradition up, one that he loved so much. >> she sure has. our thanks to marianne favro for sharing that story. the things people do for their children. it's beautiful. that is a mother's love right there. after sunday night's nail bite foreinterest buffalo bills, there were three employees in the crowd who had been experiencing the highs and lows for the fast 50 years. tune in this morning

assault. american citizens and other foreigners evacuate the gaza strip as israel seek