president-elect trump has picked his potential cabinet, but can they survive the confirmation battle? we're live in d.c. with a new

phase in the white house transition. after three decades behind bars for the murder of their parents, we are just hours away from a hearing that could be the first step towards freedom for the menendez brothers. what to expect from the court appearance. a headache for the holidays. strong storms could throw a wrench in your thanksgiving travel plans, michelle grossman is tracking the trouble for us. grab baby back ribs without breaking the bank. how the chain restaurants are taking a seat in the fast food war. and the eagles soar past the rams. from the cowboys comeback to a chief's nail-biter, the highlights from around the league. and move over, barbenheimer, here comes glicked. how it stacked up to last year's box office phenomenon. it's monday, november 25th. "early today" starts right now.

good morning. glad you're with me. i'm frances rivera. the second inauguration of donald trump is coming in 56 days. and the president-elect is quickly building his cabinet. he has now picked candidates to lead all 15 federal departments. they now move on to the senate confirmation process. nbc's brie jackson joins us now from d.c. good morning, brie. it's clear that there will be some tough confirmation battles coming up. >> reporter: good morning, frances. that's right. several of these picks are under intense scrutiny, including tulsi gabbard, who has been chosen for director of national intelligence. she is facing questions about whether she spread russian propaganda. she is expected to be the next cabinet pick to meet with senators after the thanksgiving holiday. she already has the support of missouri's eric schmitt. >> i think it's really interesting that anybody who has a different political view now is being cast as a russian

asset. i think it's insulting. it's a slur quite frankly. there's no evidence that she's an asset of another country. she served this country honorably. >> reporter: some democrats are calling for fbi background checks for all of the nominees, including california's adam schiff, who was just elected to the senate. >> that vetting process, having the fbi review potential nominees is not only to protect the public interest, it's to protect the president-elect's interest to make sure he's not embarrassed by nominating someone like matt gaetz. i think it shows a flaw in the process that he even got nominated. >> reporter: meanwhile, matt gaetz has gone from the capitol to cameo. after dropping out of consideration for attorney general, gaetz announced he does not plan to return to congress. he has now started selling personalized videos for his fans on cameo. as of last night, the former congressman was charging $550 per video.

frances? >> some thanksgiving greetings there from matt gaetz. okay, brie, thank you. authorities in the united arab emirates say they have arrested three people for the murder of a rabbi. he was a local representative for the hasidic organization. the israeli government in a statement called the murder a quote, criminal anti-semitic terrorist event. hezbollah fired more than 250 rockets into israel yesterday. the barrage wounded seven people rescue services say. it was apparent retaliation for an earlier israeli strike in beirut that killed at least 29. israeli attacks have killed more than 3,500 people in lebanon, while hezbollah attacks have killed nearly 50 israeli civilians. stunning video this morning of what appears to be an airplane disaster overseas. the engine of a russian-made passenger plane burst into flames after landing at an airport on turkey's southern

coast. nearly a hundred passengers and crew were forced to run as first responders rushed in. everyone on board survived. the plane had arrived from sochi. the menendez brothers will appear in court for the first time in nearly 30 years. the highly-anticipated hearing could be eric and lyle's first step towards freedom. >> reporter: for the first time in decades, a potential glimpse of the menendez brothers, scheduled to appear in court virtually, to address the court, as they fight for their freedom after being convicted of murdering their parents. their lawyer arguing that new evidence boosts claims their father sexually abused them for years. >> am i going to recall the sentence? am i going to also reduce the murder to a manslaughter and let them out with time served?

>> reporter: just 16 seats will be available to the public with anticipation so high the court is holding a lottery to fill them. the menendez brothers were given life sentences without parole for the 1989 murders of their parents, jose and kitty, in their beverly hills mansion. prosecutors argue they were after their parents' money. they deny this claim. fueled by a series of books, shows and documentaries, there's been a surge of public fascination with the case. >> you're either on one side or the other. there's like, no in between. >> reporter: and high-profile calls for the brothers' release. >> social media campaigns and documentaries can affect what an elected d.a. thinks about a case and might lead to freedom. >> reporter: in october, the now outgoing district attorney george gascon recommended eric and lyle be resentenced and immediately eligible for parole. his successor set to be sworn

in, in early december, is set to review the case but says the brothers will be given no special treatment. a new look that could change the fate of the menendez brothers. the former kentucky sheriff accused of murdering a judge will be in court today. prosecutors say he shot and killed kevin mullins in his chambers back in september. the shooting was caught on surveillance camera. steins has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering a public official. authorities have not released a motive. investigators now say a chemical reaction sparked a massive toxic lab fire in georgia in late september. the preliminary report by the u.s. chemical safety board found that cleaning chemicals broke down in the plant's warehouse, releasing toxic fumes and ultimately starting a fire. around 17,000 people in the immediate area had to be evacuated because of the smoke. more than 90,000 people in the atlanta area had to shelter in place. a spokesperson for the owner,

biolab says the company will continue to cooperate with the investigation. it is officially thanksgiving week, which means holiday travel is in full swing. aaa estimates nearly 80 million people will travel this thanksgiving. nearly 6 million will fly. the tsa is planning on-screening 18 million passengers during the weekend. customers should be aware of long waits. >> so i guess it's one of the things for the holidays. make sure you check the weather. i had no clue it was going to take 12 hours to get to atlanta. >> hi, michelle, good morning. >> we're watching two systems that are going to bring inclement weather across the country today and over the next day. we're looking at storms

developing and targeting the rockies, accumulating show in the cascades and into the sierra nevada mountains and lower-elevation rain. we've been so unsettled in the west. that's going to continue today. difficult travel, especially in the mountains, because it's going to be gusty in terms of the winds as well. we're going to see the storm intensifying, and then look what happens. we're looking at rain, snow, wintry mix. the green is the rain. where you see the pink is your icy spots. sleet, also freezing rain. and then blue will be the snow. so we'll see troubles in the ohio valley down to the mississippi valley, the tennessee valley as well. thanksgiving day is going to be tough, too, from new england all the way down to portions of the carolinas, into the tennessee valley. lots of rain that will be falling. in addition could see higher elevation snow in parts of the interior northeast into new england. notice these colors here along the coast. that will be heavy day in the

carolinas down to the southeast. we're looking at lots of sunshine from charleston to orlando. two lucky turkeys, peach and blossom, are in washington, d.c. before their big white house pardon today. president biden will officially pardon them. that's a tradition that started in 1947. the 17-week old turkeys were raised in minnesota and are currently staying in the willard hotel. they will return to a farm to live as official ambassadors for the national turkey federation. coming up, a philly free-for-all, while the birds rocked the rams in a sunday night showdown. but first, we're back in a minute with how chain restaurants are heating up the fast food wars. ♪ like a relentless weed, moderate to severe ulcerative colitis symptoms can keep coming back.

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we are back with the latest in the fast food price wars. sit-down restaurants, some chains are all but daring you to skip the drive through and grab a booth instead. dana griffin got the details from the ceo of chili's. >> reporter: inside this kitchen near dallas, texas, they're waging an all-out food fight for your dining dollars. >> i'll have the crispy chicken sandwich, no pickles. >> that burger patty right there is more than twice the size of a big mac. >> reporter: that's kevin hoffman, ceo of the company that owns chili's, these are the items that are giving mcdonald's a run for the money. $10.99 for a burger, fries and a soda, plus an appetizer. >> i like my occasional big mac. i don't eat it as often. >> we're meeting customers where they already are. they're frustrated with higher prices. >> reporter: so chili's is

joining the value member wars. >> we saw an opening, and we said let's just get after it. >> reporter: that opening, the skyrocketing prices that made the cheaper dining options not so cheap. >> it's been very hard to justify eating at a fast food place. >> reporter: the price of a whopper at burger king up 73% over the past decade. at mcdonald's, the price of a quarter pounder with cheese meal up 122% >> if you don't stay sharp on the things that got you to winning, that's going to create a door for someone like chili's to fill that space. >> reporter: both fast food giants had rare quarterly increases. but at chili's, they reported growth of 14%, even while t.g.i.fridays filed for bankruptcy. part of chili's success? menu items going viral with gen zers who post about some of their most indulgent appetizers. >> you don't need therapy. you just got to come to chili's

baby. >> reporter: now other chains are trying to see how low their prices can go. >> that's what we call a really big meal deal. >> reporter: applebee's launched a $9.99 value meal. but there's a cautionary tale to these price wars. red lobster filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in part due to its unlimited trip deal. that deal is now gone, why? >> because i know how to do math. >> reporter: how do you sustain these prices? >> it's literal business 101. we need to have a more competitive offering than what's out there. >> reporter: that may be why more people are joining the fast food exodus. dana griffin, nbc news. now to another deadly food outbreak. officials say an infan has died and ten adults have been sickened due to a four-state listeria outbreak connected to

ready-to-eat meat products tied to yu shang inc. >> we should be concerned. we should always be vigilant. but certainly, don't panic. >> the cdc says freezers and refrigerators that contained the product should be carefully cleaned. still to come, you want to see saquon barkley run 70 yards? you want to see it again? ♪♪ lean on me when times are bad ♪♪ ♪♪ when the day comes and you are down ♪♪ ♪♪ in a river of trouble and about to drown ♪♪ ♪♪ just hold on, i'm comin' ♪♪ ♪♪ hold on, i'm comin' ♪♪ [background chatter and laughter] inez, let me ask you,

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at their own 30, quon barkley as the running back, barkley lets loose. saquon will take it the distance, touchdown! >> it is a run so nice he did it twice. the eagles' star running back saquon barkley made history against the rams on sunday night football. he set a personal and franchise record with 255 rushing yards.

that's the most in a nfl game since 2009. he book ended his performance with those two massive touchdown runs that went for 70 and 72 yards respectively. fellow birds, a.j. brown and kenneth gainwell found the line as the eagles win their seventh straight. 37-20. i can just imagine what your household was like. >> the boys were watching. i went to sleep. i saw the recap this morning, and they were still on the couch this morning in eagles gear. the chiefs eked out a win against the lowly panthers, thanks to late-game heroics by patrick mahomes. so over in the nfc north, it took overtime to decide a grudge

match. minnesota escaped with the victory. sam darnold marched his team into field goal range for the winning kick. nothing can compare no the cowboys versus the commanders, where the mood for washington flipped from elation to agony in just mere seconds. >> daniels, throws down the sideline to perry mclauren, mclauren is loose! lightning strikes twice in washington! low snap. it is no good! >> oh, the epic touchdown from jayden daniels was rendered moot after the kicker missed the extra point. i say it's the hardest on the kickers. the cowboys lucky to score their first win in over a month. 34-26. that hurt. >> wow. what a way to get that win for the cowboys. when we come back, a new report shedding light on how

expensive the cost of childcare has become, and good news for travelers fueling up for the thanksgiving holiday. when you see what it's really like when our skin touches wool... you see why we need downy free and gentle with no perfumes or dyes. it not only makes your clothes softer, it is gentle on your skin. it breathes life into your laundry.

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brand power, helping you buy better. here's what's making headlines this morning. hyundai and kia are recalling more than 208,000 electric vehicles over an issue that can cause a life of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. the recall involves more than 145,000 hyundai and genesis cars and 63,000 kia vehicles. sugar foods is recalling its tortilla chip salad toppers over contamination with a wheat allergen. the santa fe style strips have a best-buy date of june 20, 2025. there is new data from the department of labor that found that in 2022, families spent between $6,000 to more than $15,000 on full-day childcare costs per child. the upper range is more than

last year's median annual rent. and, good news for those hitting the road for thanksgiving. gas prices are continuing to fall. according to aaa, the national average is now $3.06 a gallon, that turns out to 21 cents cheaper than the same time last year. so plan those trips and fill'er up. with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis my skin was no longer mine. my active psoriatic arthritis joint symptoms held me back. don't let symptoms define you... emerge as you, with clearer skin. with tremfya®, most people saw 100% clear skin... ...that stayed clear, even at 5 years. tremfya® is proven to significantly reduce joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. serious allergic reactions and increased risk of infections may occur. before treatment, your doctor should check you for infections and tb. tell your doctor if you have an infection,

flu-like symptoms or if you need a vaccine. emerge as you with clear skin. ask your doctor about tremfya®. ♪♪ (♪♪) refresh your senses with a wave of tropical lime flavor. mountain dew baja blast in stores now. they are the two hollywood movies that are betting to jump start the holiday blockbuster

season. wicked and gladiator two. they are hoping to reignite the barbenheimer magic. so did wicked deliver? here's george solis. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: wicked and gladiator two, making magic at the box office. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: the double feature dubbed "glicked", dominated screens this weekend. >> i came as glinda the good gladiator to celebrate both movies. >> if there are no further questions, i'm gonna go. >> reporter: now the highest-opening broadway film. universal pictures wracking in $114 million. the sequel, gladiator two, 25 years in the making, conquering 55 million. >> i put you in the ring.

you fight or you die. >> reporter: the doubleheader not enough to recreate last year's barbenheimer which hit $311 million in its opening weekend. >> i think right now there's so much learning for all the major film studios who are trying to get audiences off their couches. these two films, there are signs that folks want to come out and have experiences. they want to get decked out in pink and green. >> reporter: generating plenty on social media. >> two tickets, please? >> for what movie? >> reporter: a dazzling duo. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: hollywood hopes to defy expectations. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: george solis, nbc news. >> and already planning seeing wicked again. wow, incredible. this morning, we remember game show legend chuck woolery. he was the original host of "wheel of fortune" back in the '70s before moving on to some of the post popular game shows in

the decades after, including scrabble, the dating game of course, course. he died at the age of 83 saturday. here's a look "today." >> how to get the best sleep this holiday season. and matt rogers is live in studio 1a on the third hour of "today". thanks for being with us, for a lot of you, a short workweek with thanksgiving just a couple days away. hope you enjoy it. i'm frances rivera. have areat mon gda

the menendez brothers could take their first step toward freedom today. in a preview of the hearing just hours