a diplomatic dash through the middle east. secretary antony blinken mounts a major push for a humanitarian pause to the fighting in gaza.

>> this is a process. israel has raised important questions about how humanitarian pauses would work. we've got to answer those questions. we're working on exactly that. in fact, we agreed that our teams would get together, and they're doing just that, including today to work through the specifics, the practicalities of these pauses. >> blinken surprise stops to try and tamp down on tensions in the region. former president trump set to take the stand. what to expect from his testimony in the fraud trial that threatens his business empire. the abortion battle in a key battleground state, and how the vote to enshrine abortion in ohio's constitution could set the stage for what's to come in 2024. would it be a hollywood ending for the actors union? the movie industry braces for a decision after the studios make their, quote, last, best, and final offer. and the bengals coming up big against the bills in the sunday night spotlight. we have the highlights, plus all

the action from across the league. it's monday, november 6th. "early today" starts right now. good morning. i'm frances rivera. >> and i'm phillip mena. just over four weeks ago, hamas stunned the world with its murderous rampage across southern israel, and the people of gaza have been paying a cruel price ever since. the u.n. says roughly two-thirds of palestinians there are now internally displaced. according to local health officials, an israeli air strike on a refugee camp in the central gaza strip killed dozens on sunday as the palestinian death toll inches close to 10,000, an unprecedented casualty count. for latest development. s in the middle east, our hala gorani has the breakdown from tel aviv, starting with the efforts for diplomacy. >> reporter: another big diplomatic push this sunday for the secretary of state antony blinken. he made two surprise visits, one to ramallah and the occupied west bank where he met with the

palestinian authority president mahmoud abbas, and the second one to the iraqi capital of baghdad. he brought with him the u.s. message that the country supports the idea of a humanitarian pause in order to get more aid into the gaza strip and to allow for more oxygen for the negotiations leading potentially to the release of more hostages. now this has been rejected flatly several times by the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu, and also not an idea supported by arab leaders in the region. they support a complete cessation of hostilities. they have qualified the israeli military response in gaza as being disproportionate and disproportionately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure. militarily inside of gaza, the idf has managed to seal off the very northern tip of the gaza strip from the southern parts of the territory and has continued to encircle gaza as well.

there have been some israeli strikes once again reported on the jabalya refugee camp as well as another refugee camp el maghazi. there have been video showing destruction there. next ankara, he will no doubt be bringing his diplomatic message to the leaders of that country as well, trying to prevent this crisis and this war from spreading to other parts of the region. back to you. >> all right, hala, thank you. it is set to be a historic day in the trials of donald trump. the former president and current front-runner for the republican presidential nomination is expected to take the stand today in a manhattan courtroom. he is testifying to defend himself in a civil fraud trial as the fate of his business

empire hangs in the balance. mr. trump is accused of inflating his assets on financial statements by millions of dollars to get better loan terms. the former president has argued that the legal system is being weaponized against him in this case and others. >> i got indicted four times within a period of about 90 seconds. if i fly my plane over a blue state, i have to go to a grand jury the next day and then they indict me. you know, they weaponized this stuff. >> an ally of donald trump tells nbc news that the former president's mood is defiant going into today's hearing and says mr. trump wants the moment to push back against a false narrative. let's turn to the democratic front-runner for 2024, president joe biden will travel to his home state of delaware today. he will be meeting with amtrak workers and promoting a $66 billion investment in amtrak, which was part of the infrastructure package passed in 2021.

the president likely hoping this win for the rail system will help boost his support on the campaign trail. a new poll from "the new york times" and siena college shows the president trailing behind t former president trump in swing states, all states the biden campaign won in 2020. ohio voters head to the polls tomorrow to decide whether to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution. it is the latest bellwether on the issue which could play a key role in next year's presidential election. the amendment is the only one on ballots this ear. here is stephanie gosk. >> however, abortion may be contributed -- >> reporter: 92-year-old jo lawrence has always been in favor of abortion rights. >> i think it's up to the individual, not the government to decide what to do about a pregnancy. >> reporter: she's also a life-long republican who served in the ohio legislature. >> it's not partisan issue.

it really isn't. and republicans are making it a part -- trying to make it a partisan issue. >> reporter: other republican women from the reliably red columbus suburbs also feel that way. in august, they voted against a republican effort to make changing the state constitution harder. many viewed that special election as an attempt to undermine the vote tuesday when ohio will decide whether to guarantee access to abortion in the state constitution. >> i thought it was kind of sneaky that it was being last minute on a special election. >> reporter: lisa knapp, a registered republican believes in low taxes and small government. she also says women's bodies are their own business. >> so that's a big republican ideal is government stays out of business. but in this particular issue, they are getting in your business. >> reporter: do you think that the abortion issue has been good politically for the republican party? >> oh, it's been horrible. >> reporter: it is far from certain how abortion vote in ohio will go.

but either way, some republicans believe the party is focused on the wrong issue. >> i feel like they're missing a lot of the big ones, a lot of the struggles that people have in day-to-day life. i mean, inflation is really bad. food prices. >> reporter: erica, a mom of four young boys is opposed to abortion, but voted against the republican measure last summer which she felt was an overreach. she is frustrated with her party. >> i don't care about the party lines. i care about truth and honesty and following my principles. >> reporter: do you feel like the republican party is sort of at odds with itself? >> definitely, definitely. >> reporter: lisa has similar concerns about the future of the party heading into the 2024 presidential election. do you think abortion is an issue that will direct who you choose in the primaries? >> oh, yeah, absolutely. if someone was like hey, i want to impose a six-week ban, i would never vote for that person. i think the abortion issue is just a lot bigger than most people have realized it is, you know. for republicans.

>> reporter: on tuesday, the state goes to the polls. the message it sends will be felt nationwide. stephanie gosk, nbc news, delaware county, ohio. ford has hit a speed bump as it rebounds from the uaw strike. the automaker is planning to temporarily lay off more than 1500 workers at a louisville, kentucky plant. the united autoworkers union confirmed the laughs, saying the 40-day strike caused supply chain issues that backed up production at the assembly plant. the layoffs are only expected to last few weeks. it might be the last hope at ending the ongoing actors strike for the foreseeable future. sag-aftra told members saturday it had received a last best and final offer from hollywood studios on a new contract. the guild representing actors has been on strike since july. source familiar with the studio's office tell "the new york times" it includes the highest wage increases in decades as well as protections

on the use of artificial intelligence. that's a major sticking point during negotiations. the negotiating committee said they were reviewing the offer, but did not reveal when they would respond. nearly two weeks after hurricane otis pummelled acapulco as a deadly category 5 storm, many residents are still struggling to find basic necessities such as food and water. chef andres is cooking thousands of meets each day to feed the community. the nonprofit is providing ready to eat food kits and dry goods as well as helping to support local tortilla shops. it is a soggy start to the country this morning. the pacific northwest facing waves of rain and the potential for snow in the mountains. let's turn to michelle grossman, who is tracking weather wet on monday. >> great to see you. it was a wet weekend in the pacific northwest. we're seeing waves of moisture moving in. also chance for higher elevation snow. a mixture in some spots. really windy too.

as we move throughout time here, we're going see the waves moving onshore. that's the case on this monday. it's a wet day as we start out on this monday. and we're looking at wind advisories too. that is in the blue color. that includes las vegas. we could see winds gusting up to 60 miles per hour in some spots. that's going add to the rain and the snow falling in some spots. through the northern plains, the great lakes, the upper midwest, into parts of the ohio valley, we could also see snow in portions of minnesota that would be minor, but still could see some tricky travel there it's going to be breezy as well. so we have rain. that's a big weather story today. also looking at some really warm air. we're look at record highs likely in many spots. temperatures in the 90s in some spots. in little rock 16 degrees above what is typical this time of year. really warm in chicago too. that warmth is going to stay in placoking at temperatures in th

90s in phoenix and tuesday. and into the upper 80s in lubbock. 80s also in dallas. and that's your monday forecast. >> all right, michelle, thank you. a groundbreaking treatment is up for fda approval. is up for fda approval. >> how two new therapies could pain hits fast. so get relief fast. only tylenol rapid release gels have laser drilled holes. they release medicine fast for fast pain relief. and now, get max strength topical pain relief precisely where you need it. with new tylenol precise. king c. gillette is an award winning lineup men's health best beard trimmer for beginners among men's journal's best beard shampoos and washes and gq's best beard conditioners for soft no-itch, facial hair. your beard is our trade these are your tools king c. gillette lately, my skin seems dry and sensitive. my dermatologist recommended all free clear for my laundry. it's free of dyes and perfumes,

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the fda is considering the approval of a treatment that could cut down the severity of sickle cell symptoms. the new therapy uses gene editing technology. aron lewellen from our affiliate station in birmingham, alabama tells us how it works. >> this therapy is transformative. they will feel so much better. but it is not yet curative. >> reporter: the fda is considering two treatments, first exta cell. we all have hemoglobin in our bodies but it doesn't always work. >> this cuts the dna where that switch is located which turns the fetal hemoglobin gene or baby gene back on. that person can produce both the healthy baby hemoglobin and the sickle cell hemoglobin which reduces the severe painful events that they have. >> reporter: the second is lobocell. currently conducting trials on that one at uab.

it alters the patient's stem cells, fixing the genetic products that cause sickle cell. >> it is truly transformative. it is really amazing. their hemoglobin just about comes to normal and the pain crises goes away. it's incredibly valuable. >> reporter: the treatment is a great option for patients, but there are some drawback. >> it's not just a pill that you take. it's a long process. in total takes almost a year for that whole procedure to take place. at the end of that year, people feel fantastic, and it's really an amazing therapy. but it certainly isn't easy, and unfortunately, it is also very expensive. >> reporter: the doctor reminds patients they aren't cures, but doctors believe they do reduce crisis symptoms. >> and our thanks to aron lewellen for that report. still to come, the big race in the big apple. we break down e threcord-setting finishes at new york city's marathon, right after this.

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backfield, first and goal. bury borough, enzyme, touchdown. >> joe cool and the bengals at home setting the tone early on sunday night football. cincinnati continue to shake off the early season doubters. joe burrow threw for 348 yards and 2 touchdowns in their 24-18 win over the bills. cincinnati has now won four games in a row. this is a team that started one in four. maybe they're not going to make the play-offs. but tied for the division lead. >> what we did not see on the field was damar hamlin coming back to cincinnati for the first time since that cardiac arrest on this. i'm sure mixed feelings for him and his teammates being there. sunday's nfl action got off to an early start in germany. the dolphins offense stalled against the chiefs who put the game away early with a fumble recovery and score by the

defense. later in the day, texans rookie qbcb stroud after the performance of his young career engineering a thrilling game-winning drive against the tampa bay buccaneers. despite a fast and furious march down the field led by dak prescott, the cowboys fell just a couple of yards short of knocking off their division rival eagles in philadelphia. and while joshua dobbs didn't start the game for the minnesota vikings, he certainly ended. the qb that they traded for just this week entered the game late in the first quarter and took control in a comeback win over the atlanta falcons. so where we stand right now, the eagles are the ones that are 8-1 with looking the best so far in the nfl. >> the gym of inches. it was so close. dallas had so many chances to win. the last game you referred to, josh dobbs, what an impressive feat. this guy does not know the name of many players on his team. shows up, won a game. yesterday was a perfect, perfect fall day for 50,000

runners to take over the five boroughs for the new york city marathon. and the first to cross the finish line in central park was tamirat tola of ethiopia. he set a new course record on sunday, finishing the men's race in 2 hours and 4 minutes and 58 seconds, topping the previous best time set in 2011. meanwhile, hellen obiri of kenya won the women's race finishing in 2 thundershowers, 27. incredible how they're able to run back quickly that long. coming up on "early today," parents, check your freezers, there is a major recall for a kid favorite food. and a new study 80 dives into which emotion will help you accomplish your goals. in fear of an embarrassing bladder accident. you're not alone, and you don't have to live like this. i don't! i found real relief with axonics therapy, a proven non-drug solution, and i got my life back. go to findrealrelief.com to get started.

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for more information, visit tyson's website. according to new research, anger may be a better motivator than other emotions. the study's author and professor at texas a&m university said that they found anger led to better outcomes in situations that were challenging and involved obstacles to goals. if a deal isn't reached by thursday, some 35,000 las vegas hotel workers say they're willing to work off the job. the culinary workers union is in talk with caesar's, wynn and gm resorts. we'll be right back. taken every day, it's clinically shown to improve joint comfort in 7 days, with significant improvement over time. ( ♪♪ ) (♪♪) 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. the right age for neutrogena® retinol?

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bottle. but it was the nearly 65-year-old prescription still locked inside that caught their attention. rosanna smith from our montgomery affiliate has the story. >> i know it's a hobby, but a hobby of patience too. >> reporter: brian loves to metal detect. along the way he has found items that take us back in history. >> i found a token here in montgomery that rosa would have used in the 50s. i found silver war belt buckles. >> reporter: this was the site of his most recent search in hope hall, what he and his son discovered turned out to be yet another treasure. this green bottle dates back to 1958 and lists dr. richard h. harris jr. as the pharmacist who filled it. >> when i did a search on google, i was amazed what i discovered. >> reporter: he was a captain with the tuskegee airmen before becoming a pharmacist. he operated montgomery's oldest black drug store and in the '60s he opened his home to the

freedom riders. it's now a historic site. >> it's amazing his contribution to civil rights and how strong and courageous this man was. >> reporter: traylor immediately tracked down harris' family on social media so he could return what he found become to them. >> to be able to unearth something like this and to give it to where it belongs is, you know, it makes it all worth it. >> i was extremely grateful and excited. >> reporter: harris' daughter believes this bottle will allow her family to continue to share their story with tourists. the family opens the harris house for tours. >> so if we even have one, that's going to be a tremendous addition. we can share it now with a brand-new audience of people. >> reporter: and for the harris family, it's like having part of their father back. traylor says it motives him to keep searching. >> and when you find something like, this it fuels you to want to go and find more. >> i can see that.

our thanks to rosanna smith for that report. what an unexpected thing to happen, and it created this cool little renewed h ed interest in history there. >> so cool. now a chicago man who caught gnaw record at the annual florida keys fishery stone crab eating contest. scott millicent took first place against 39 other contenders with a 30-second penalty for each claw meat left behind. contestants had to crack and eat 25 crab claws as fast as possible. and while scott said this was his first time taking a crack at the contest, his final time was an impressive 10:17 at beating the previous record by just six seconds. >>

today trump takes the stand. the former president expected to testify with the fate of his business empire