the menendez brothers could take their first step toward freedom today. in a preview of the hearing just hours away, asking the judge to

consider new evidence in the grisly murders of their parents over 30 years ago. the cabinet of president-elect trump takes shape, setting the stage for a confirmation showdown. we're live with the new questions for the candidates with just over 50 days until the inauguration. heading home for the holidays through rain, sleet and snow. meteorologist michelle grossman is tracking the holiday headache. plus the trouble in store for flyers. cracking the case of the egg shortage. why the grocery store staple is in short supply across the country. and it's run, eagles run, for their seventh straight win in a sunday packed with upsets and thrillers and total chaos. we have the highlights as we kick off this holiday week. it's monday, november 25th. "early today" starts right now. good morning. good to be with you. i'm frances rivera. today the menendez brothers will appear in court for the first time in nearly 30 years.

the highly-anticipated first hearing could be eric and lyle's first step toward freedom. their attorney planning on showing new evidence that potentially boosts claims their father sexually abused the brothers. from our los angeles station, robert kovacic has more. >> reporter: could these convicted murderers ever imagine finding freedom? when i asked lyle menendez that question seven years ago from inside prison, this is how he responded. >> i think it would be a little torturous to dwell on that. >> reporter: if they hope to leave jail after 35 years, the legal paths to pursue begin in court. high-profile defense attorney, mark geragos prepping the brothers for what's ahead. >> i speak with them quite often, actually. the attitude is, it's been a rollercoaster of emotion. let's just keep an even keel and not try to get too high in our expectations or too low. >> reporter: one hearing will focus on new evidence. uncovered after jose and kitty

menendez were murdered in their beverly hills home. >> this was just sort of an explosion of emotion at that time. time. >> reporter: the evidence includes this letter from eric to a cousin, said to be written nine months before the murders. it is the first physical evidence that alludes to sexual abuse eric claims he suffered at the hands of his father. in 2017, lyle said he fears for the demons that still haunt his brother. >> child rape is a crime against memory and sleep. is it too much? you know, am i just going to hear that my brother committed suicide? >> reporter: another hearing will focus on the brothers' life in prison. >> i believe that they have paid their debt to society. >> reporter: outgoing d.a., george gascon, wants them resentenced. he was impressed with all they've accomplished these last 35 years, especially when you consider the brothers were there for life.

seven years ago, we asked lyle menendez if he could even hope for life after prison. >> for me, hope is just keeping one's spirit strong, believing that, you know, your life is not failed life just because it's gone through so much tragedy, but my brother and i just try to stay healthy, keep our spirits up, and we'll see what happens. >> our thanks to robert kovacic for that report. the second inauguration of donald trump is coming in 56 days, and the president-elect is quickly building his cabinet. he has picked candidates to lead all 15 departments. they now move to the senate confirmation process. brie jackson joins us from d.c. there will be tough confirmation battles coming up. >> reporter: that's right, good morning, frances. several of these picks are under intense scrutiny, including tulsi gabbard who has been chosen for director of national intelligence.

she is facing questioning over whether she spread russian propaganda. she already has the support of missouri's eric schmitt. >> i think it's really interesting that anybody that has a different political view now is being cast as a russian asset. i think it's insulting. it's a slur, quite frankly. you know, there's no evidence that she's an asset of another country. she served this country honorably. >> reporter: and 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 fib review potential nominees is not only to protect the public interest. it's to protect the president-elect's interest to make sure that 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: and 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. and, as of last night, the former congressman was charging $550 per video. frances? >> maybe reality tv is next. we'll see, brie. thank you. authorities in united arab emirates say they have arrested three people in the murder of a rabbi. he was a local representative for a hasidic organization. the israeli government in a statement called the murder a quote, criminal, anti-semitic terrorist event. meanwhile, hezbollah fired around 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 50 israeli civilians. sean "diddy" combs' legal battle is back in court this morning as the judge mulls whether to grant him bail. he had his third bail hearing last week where the judge asked both sides to turn in letters by noon today explaining whether the music mogul is following rules at the detention center in brooklyn. he is accused of making three-way calls and using other inmates' phone access codes. but his team says those are common and accepted practices. the judge is expected to make a decision this week. combs has pleaded not guilty in the case. millions are expected to travel for the thanksgiving holiday. but weather may dampen the plans as snow and rain are expected to

hit most of the u.s. for more, let's go to our reporter. >> reporter: some areas hit ith nearly a foot of snow, as the state's wine country drenched after getting months of rain in a matter of days. >> this was record-setting rainfall totals for three days here in sonoma county. >> reporter: this system moving east as major travel hubs like boston, new york city and d.c. brace for major challenges for the holiday travel rush. >> i didn't even know that there was inclement weather happening. i should have checked. >> reporter: aaa projects nearly 80 million americans will be traveling more than 50 miles from home for thanksgiving. 5.8 million by air with the tsa expecting the busiest days at airports to be tuesday, wednesday and next sunday. >> i think you're always a little concerned about your travel times. >> reporter: another speed bump for travelers this week, an air

traffic controller shortage, with the faa saying passengers traveling through new york city could see air traffic slowed for safety. >> we will use traffic flow management initiatives to deal with any strapping shortages on that particular day in this airspace. and we expect to have some of those shortages. >> reporter: solutions for a holiday season that's just getting started. >> and our thanks to priya for that report. let's check in with michelle grossman with a closer look at your holiday travel forecast. >> great to see you. it's going to be a tough one for some of us. we're looking at today and tomorrow with the storm developing in the rockies. we're going to see heavy snow in the sierra nevada mountains and lower-elevation rain. once again, still unsettled in the west with this storm system. and we could see accumulating snow in those mountain tops. then by wednesday, the storm intensifies. it kind of expands, too, as it moves into the central plains. we're going to see a mixture of rain, snow and wintry mix with strong winds. this is going to be a tough

travel day. this is a big day on wednesday, the day before. the green is the rain, the pink is the freezing precipitation and blue is the snow. then, as we near thanksgiving day, look at all the rain, even some snow in parts of new england. then here in parts of the northeast. so we're going to see precipitation from new england to the carolinas into the tennessee valley. and we're going to watch this very closely. it's going to impact the airports, interstate 70, 95, car, 73 with lots of sunshine in charleston. 77 in orlando. 76 in tampa. all right. that's your monday forecast. >> all right, thanks so much, michelle.

turning now to sunday night football where saquon barkley had a run so nice he had to do it twice. he made history against the rams, setting a personal and franchise record with 255 rushing yards. he book ends his performance with the two massive 70-yard touchdown runs. philly convincingly takes down l.a. for their seventh straight win, 37-20. earlier in the day, nothing could compare to the final minutes of the cowboys versus the commanders, where the move for washington flipped from elation to agony in mere seconds. >> daniels throws down the sideline for mclauren, mclauren is loose! lightning strikes twice in washington! low snap. it is no good! >> that epic touchdown from jayden daniels to terion mclauren was rendered moot after the kicker missed the extra point that would have tied up the contest.

the cowboys get lucky to score their first win in over a month. 34-26. "early today" is back in a minute with the egg shortage leaving some grocery stores scrambling. and remembering the game show legend, chuck woolery, the first host to take the world for a spin with "wheel of fortune." start to break away from uc with tremfya... with rapid relief at 4 weeks. tremfya blocks a key source of inflammation. at one year, many people experienced remission... and some saw 100% visible healing of their intestinal lining. 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. healing is possible with tremfya. ask your doctor about tremfya today. ♪

(♪♪) refresh your senses with a wave of tropical lime flavor. mountain dew baja blast in stores now. >> this morning, we remember game show legend chuck woolery. he was the original host of "wheel of fortune" in the '70s before moving on to some of the popular game shows of the decades after, including scrabble, the dating game and of course the widely-popular love connection. he was inducted into the game show hall of fame in 2007. he died saturday at the age of 83. now to a consumer alert. you may be noticing something missing in your grocery store. a nationwide egg shortage is leaving shelves empty where stacks of cartons should be. marissa parra explains why it's happening. >> reporter: in parts of the

country, empty egg shelves spotted in denver, miami, and new york. and in some cases, signs asking customers to limit the number of eggs they buy. the problem? bird flu. >> bird flu is by far the biggest factor impacting egg prices right now. in the last couple months alone, we've seen about 10 million birds affected by the virus. >> how does that translate to consumers visiting a grocery store? >> we still have a very strong supply of eggs in the supply chain. but we may see isolated pockets where supply is not readily available. >> reporter: most recently, shortages in utah and oregon. egg production down over 2% from last year. >> it can result in isolated shortages in certain areas. i think that's what we're seeing across the country right now. >> reporter: although you might

see empty shelves at your store, you might have noticed something else. egg prices, while not the highest they've been in recent years, the average price of a dozen eggs this fall, a buck 30 more expensive than last year. could we see egg prices rise any more? >> avian influenza is in a constant state of change. we ride the waves. the ebb and flow of this virus. >> reporter: the ebb and flow means prices may stay worse through the new year before he they eventually get better. marissa parra, nbc news. still to come, plenty of green at movie theaters. we're not just talking about elphaba. find out who came out on top right after this. ♪♪ lean on me when times are bad ♪♪ ♪♪ when the day comes and you are down ♪♪

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♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> this weekend, moviegoers were thinking more about the land of oz than the roman empire. wicked defied gravity at the weekend box office. the musical adaptation took in $114 million, the third biggest debut of 2024 and the best-ever opening for a broadway adaptation. while it couldn't compare no elphaba and glinda, fans gave a thumbs up to the other weekend feature. the two combined couldn't reach the heights of last year's barbenheimer phenomenon. that combined for $311 million in its july opening. i know you and i are both, like, oh, my gosh, wicked was so good. >> it's so good. the sets, the singing, the costumes. >> the cinematography.

all of it. >> it was so good, the opening scene. we're not going to give anything away, although i kind of want to give it away. on sunday, a glen powell look-alike contest was held in austin, texas. the twister star who is currently in london made a video appearance at the competition. powell will reveal that in addition to the regular prize, the winner would also earn a cameo in the actor's next film for the parents or a family member of in choice. powell's parents make appearances in all of his films, and physician assistant max brun stein was chosen as the winner. how cool is that. i love all the look-alikes. >> you either get to see your celebrity as timothee chalamet did, or you get great perks like that. start your imdb page now. when we come back, why

chiefs' qb patrick mahomes is facing a fine for a violent gesture. and two lucky turkeys are enjoying the vip treatment in d.c. before the white house pardon. 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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online and in the digestive care aisle of your local retailer. brand power, helping you buy better. here's what's making headlines this morning. kansas city chiefs' quarterback patrick mahomes was fined for making a, quote, violent gesture. images show him mimicking a shooting motion. the nfl called it unsportsmanlike conduct. wwe monday night raw is making its debut in january of 2025. it will have live shows on the platform. it is a four-peat for max verstappen. the 27-year-old is the sixth f 1

driver to ever win four titles. the defending champion south carolina gamecocks fell to the fifth ranking ucla bruins sunday, 77-62. it snapped the program record 43-game win streak for the gamecocks. the last defeat came in the final four in april of 2023 when they were knocked out by caitlin clark and the iowa hawkeyes. two turkeys from minnesota, peach and blossom, are being pampered before their white house pardon by the president. is 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. we are back with a weekly meet up blowing up online. hallie jackson tells us how a tradition between four long-time

friends in wisconsin is winning people over around the world. >> oh, hey, goodnight! >> reporter: if it's friday night in brookfield, wisconsin, you'll find these four guys at bullwinkles' bar for what they call their weekly board meeting. >> cheers. >> reporter: yes, it's beers and banter, but, for these long-time friends, it's also, these days, about their newfound faith. >> packers versus bears' quarterbacks. >> reporter: they have become kind of famous for their printed list of talking points that riley types up each week to keep the conversation organized. >> getting new tires on the highlander. >> reporter: what has been your favorite menu item? >> soup. just soup. my favorite agenda items are fishing. >> what's your trivia question?

probably not as interesting as my own. >> reporter: started before the pandemic, the lists became online sensations when riley's daughter, kensey, posted about them on social media. so kensey, what got your attention about these board meetings that your dad did? >> yeah, i, so, he like, invited me. and then we got there, and he pulls out a stack of, like, print the, with a paper clip, agenda. and i was like, this is so funny. also, like, so wholesome. >> reporter: people loved it. people still love it. >> reporter: and who wouldn't, with topics ranging from cigar prices to favorite cuts of steak to the extraordinary like billy's new baby. and drinks-giving of course, and naptime for age 60-plus workers. the lists getting hundreds of thousands of likes, people writing this is the most dad thing ever, the cutest, and they need to start a podcast. why do you think it's resonated? >> it's a very authentic connection. >> reporter: that connection,

that bond, something these guys don't take for granted. what has it meant for you, riley, that there are a whole lot of strangers who love to see you and see this. >> i think it's good. i'm not the most sensitive guy in the world. i will admit this. but this actually warms my heart. >> and i can see a lot of thanksgiving tables this holiday, right? thanks to hallie jackson for that. coming up on "today", a behind-the-scenes look at the holiday hallmark movie. and what happens to a plane when the last passenger steps off at night. thanks for starting your week wi

the holiday travel rush is already under way, but as the record number of americans