california and other states are unfounded. unless mr. trump has evidence. if he does, bring it forward. >> reporter: donald trump's transition team, today providing 45 pages of documents they say backs up voter fraud claims. citations debunked after analysis by the nbc news political unit and other independent fact checkers. >> it's really unprecedented in american history to have a candidate who won the election, denouncing the election after the fact is unfair. >> reporter: president-elect slashing out not just at the system but at a recount initiated by the green party, happening in wisconsin and new tonight now, pennsylvania also. this recount, has almost no chance of actually changing the election results. a point the president-elect's team has been making. lester? >> all right, hallie jackson, thank you very much. back here in havana at the plaza of the revolution, there's no end in sight to this line of people going inside

the line goes as far as you can see. they go inside past photos, and sign a pledge of loyalty to the ideals of fidel castro. this is not the passing of an era, as this is still a communist country in the hands of castro's brother raul, but it comes at a critical time in the relationship between the u.s. and cuba. the massive line snaked into the square. tens of thousands stood in the hot sun, clutching flags and photos, waiting hours to pay their respect controversial, former leader, fidel castro. >> it's important for people to be here and everybody is here. precisely because of what he said. >> you see soldiers crying, old ladies crying, men crying. >> reporter: at the top of each hour, the booms of 21-cannon salutes echo through havana during this official nine-day period of mourning. out of power for a decade now, in death as in life, his name

freedom fighter. castro, the ruthless tyrant. the world that even some here still debate his legacy. >> love it or hate it, he was an incredible man. you can agree or not with him, but he was incredible. he did many, many things for cuba. >> reporter: castro rose to power in 1959, leading a guerrilla force that toppled cuba's u.s.-backed dictator. at first he championed democracy. >> i did not do not agree with communist. >> reporter: but before long, established a communist state. over the decades, castro boosted health care and literacy for the poor, but it came with a price. denying cubans basic human rights, his critics charged, forcing more than a million people to flee the island. in miami, news of castro's death sparked celebrations. >> i just wish my dad would have been here to see this, to hear it himself. he died like three

but i'm sure he knows. >> reporter: president obama recently has worked to thaw tensions between the two countries, loosening trade restrictions, re-opening the u.s. embassy in havana. another major milestone, the first commercial flight in decades departed the u.s. for havana today. but just as that plane took off, president-elect donald trump tweeted that he may reverse the plan to open cuba. the relationship between these two countries, as complicated and to punctuate that, the white house said today that neither president obama or vice president biden plan to attend castro's funeral. back in the u.s., jury selection began in the trial of a church massacre that shocked the nation. dillon roof is accused of killing nine african american worshippers at a church in charleston, south carolina last year. today the judge ruled

attorney. >> reporter: wearing his striped jumpsuit in court today, dylann roof began representing himself. the judge granted the request to serve as his own lawyer, but warned it was strategically unwise. ruth mostly listened as the judge questioned potential jurors. one juror said the death penalty is always justice for murder. roof faces 33 federal hate crime charges for the massacre of nine worshippers at a black in june of 2015. the survivors say they forgive roof and some even say they don't believe in the death penalty, even in this case. now they may have to testify in court. >> one of dylann roof's goals may be to put the victims of the crime right in front of him, make them as uncomfortable as possible. >> reporter: it could take weeks for a jury is selected and opening statements scheduled. kerry sanders, nbc news. turning overseas where the battle for

turning point. syrian troops have now seized large swaths of that city, forcing thousands to flee, including a brave 7-year-old girl we met last month who captured the world's attention by sharing her struggle to survive on social media. we get the latest from nbc's richard engel. >> reporter: the syrian regime today bombed neighborhoods in aleppo into submission. for months, 7-year-old bana ala bed and her mother have been resistance from rebel-held eastern aleppo. when we filmed at her home last month, bana said, we have the right to live. we're not terrorists. now she's on the run. one of her last tweets said, tonight, we have no house, it's bombed. she later wrote, i got minor injury. i didn't sleep since yesterday. i am hungry. i want to live. i don't want to die. bana's home was near a northern park in

rebels have lost a third of their territory in aleppo since saturday. we managed to speak to bana's mother tonight who said here daughter is okay, but the situation in aleppo is desperate. >> aleppo is bleeding. really it's bleeding. aleppo, it's suffering very much. >> reporter: today, syrian state tv showed civilians celebrating as they left rebel areas and changed sides. syria wants to show liberated. activists say they and the city are being decimated. the syrian regime has long maintained if it can retake all of aleppo, syria's second city, it will break the back of the resistance. tonight, it looks like that may happen. lester? >> all right, richard engel, thank you. still ahead, caught on camera. thieves stealing packages right off doorsteps as millions of americans shop for cyber monday deals.

we're back now after a long holiday weekend that saw millions of americans shop till they dropped. people are spending much more money online than they are in stores, even before today. cyber monday and with the rise in online spending comes fears over package thieves stealing those deliveries. nbc's jo ling kent has that story and how to

monday, zooming towards a new record. americans now on pace to spend a whopping $3.4 billion online today. up 9% from last year. mobile is the driving force. more than half of online shoppers use tablets or smartphones. but as a record number of orders from amazon and other online retailers fly out the door, there is growing concern this year that those packages make it safely into your hands. porch prowlers caught on camera, pilfering daylight. >> we are tired of stuff happening on our street. >> reporter: one woman posing as a mother with a baby in a stroller, swiping a package. that baby, really a dog. >> they're going onto people's property, seeing that people are away, they're at work, two-family incomes, people are working longer, darkness this time of year. and they take packages. >> reporter: 23 million people have

them. experts say to redirect them to a secure location, an amazon locker or fedex ofss. use smart gadgets for your home. a video door bell has a camera that keeps an eye on your doorstep at all times. a smart garage door opener which you can control from anywhere, to allow a delivery person to make a drop-off inside. and an alarm if someone takes a package off a motion-detec with more deliveries ever this year than before, smart technology ensuring those precious gifts make it into the right hands. up next, the shocking moments when

delta airlines today took the unusual step of banning a passenger for life after he was caught on video unleashing an obscenity-laced rant, berating and insulting fellow passengers who voted for hillary clinton. the flight to pittsburgh was still at the gate in atlanta when it happened. the video quickly went viral on social media.

should have removed that passenger rather than letting him fly. today the ceo of the airline apologize said and offered refunds to customers who were on board that flight. and a shocking scene aboard a united airlines flight today from new orleans to houston. after landing a passenger allegedly pulled the emergency exit and jumped out, as the plane taxied to the terminal. we get more from our miguel almaguer. >> a lady just opened the door and jumped out of the plane. >> reporter: a stunned ss recorded the incidents just after it unfolded. united airlines flight 1892 arriving early from new orleans, sitting near the terminal with an emergency exit wide open, after a woman reportedly opened the door and bolted. jumping onto the tarmac, running away from the plane. the jarring exit recorded on surveillance camera. as passengers took pictures of law enforcement later boarding the plane with the woman in

unruly exit. in april, a united airlines flight attendant pulled the emergency chute and slid off a plane, also in houston. six years ago, a jetblue flight attendant did the same thing. a security camera, catching the man in the act. back in houston, no word today on the passenger's motive during this moat unusual exit. miguel almaguer, nbc news. up next here tonight, the nfl star

every monday we like to end our broadcast with fits the bill. it's about an nfl star earning millions on the grid iron. at the height of his career, he decides to leave it all behind for a wildly different life on the farm. nbc's kevin tibbles tells us how he's giving back in our newest inspiring america report. >> reporter: a new day peaks over the carolina fields. as the gentle giant stirs. >> never stop giving. never stop loving. never stop growing.

football player big. 6'3", 320. and, yes, seven years as a pro center with the nfl's ravens and rams. >> when i turned 27 years old, that was the same age that my older brother was when he was killed serving our country in afghanistan. and it really caused me to take an examination of my life. walked away from a $37 million contract and hung up his cleats. >> i wear size 16 shoe. and he wore a size 14 shoe. and to tell you the truth, i still couldn't fill his shoes. >> reporter: deeply religious and devoted to his family, he too wanted to serve. but instead of the military, jason brown bought a farm. >> how did you learn how to farm? >> you know, when i tell people that i learned to farm from watching videos on youtube. i get a lot of laughs and a get a lot of

it first fruits farm. >> jason grows food to give it away. >> reporter: where the first harvest is all donated to feed the hungry. >> we have a list of names and we share. because sharing is caring. >> reporter: this year, more than 250,000 pounds of sweet potatoes. [ laughter ] >> reporter: and lining up in the dirt alongside the volunteers on harvest day, the former football player who used to snap the ball in front of millions from the line of scrimmage. >> this is the most wonderful thing that you could possibly any type of notoriety other than for people to say, you know what, that's just some kid from the country that can play a little bit of football, but look what he's doing with his life right now. if he can do it, i can do it. >> reporter: for this mountain of a man, helping those less fortunate reaps the best bounty of all. kevin tibbles, nbc news, lewisburg, north carolina.

break news...a plane carrying brazilian soccer team crashes overnight. a tennessee wild fire, threatening wind swept flames and choke near dollywood. >> was it terror behind the rampage and the hero cop that saved lives neighborhood, president trump will choose one of the most outspoken critics to lead human health and services. a passenger went on an ob isn'ty laid rant on passengers who supported hillary clinton. >> fandango "early today" starts right now.

ayman moheldin. >> i'm frances rivera. a chartered plane carrying 81 twooem people including a brazilian soccer team has crashed in clochlia. it crashed 10:00 eastern time due to an electrical failure. so far the airport is confirming six people were pulled from the wreckage. airport authorities say rescuers could only access the crash site conditions. overnight, thousands in tennessee are under mandatory evacuation orders. multiple wildfires are in the blue ridge mountains, they captured these images. fire reached the edges of the country music legend star dolly parton theme park dollywood. a spokesperson says it has not been damaged so far. all of the fires remain in the

the original wildfire which grew rapidly on monday appears to be human cause. fortunately, some rolling in from the east should help those firefighters. this morning, we are getting new details on the hor risk attack at ohio state university that left 11 people injured after the suspect, an 18-year-old freshman attacked his fellow students, ramming his car into pedestrians and getting tout attack them with a butcher's if was a guy who crashed his car and getting out with a knife chasing down people. >> he was ultimately shot and killed by an officer, this morning, that officer is being hailed a hero as the somali refugee attacked zeroing on two key questions. was it terrorism and was it home grown?

officials tell pete williams they are a long way from knowing what motivated the attack. we are learning shortly after he took tout attack, he wrote on what appears to be his facebook page he reached a boiling point making reference to a quote lone wolf attack, writing this -- america! stop interfering with other countries, especially muslim community, we are not weak, remember. that two hours before t cryptic page, he says, never forget, forgive and forget. love. we are now 52 days away from donald trump becoming the nation's 45th president and construction is in full force on trump's inauguration platform. right there in front of his future home. this morning the trump transition team wakes up on the verge of some major cabinet

>> the pending cabinet news comes on the same day as a high profile dinner between donald trump and mitt romney is set to take place. kelly anne conway goes to twitter. meanwhile, politicep unlikely to take on a formal role inside the administration. >> that as we get news that georgia congressman and chairman tom byrum price has been picked for trump's human hhs secretary. an interesting choice given that surprise a former orthopedic by trade and staunchly against obamacare. >> that as another marquee

with trump, himself. here's what the gem had to say following that meeting. how'd the meeting go, sir? >> the meeting went very well. i was with him about an hour. he basically walked us around the world, showed us a great grasp of the challenges out there and some of the opportunities as well. >> the embattled general is thought to be up for secretary of state. but the multi-tasking president-elect also went on yet another twitter tirade this one aimed at cnn'sf not finding everyday in trump's baseless phrase of voter fraud. at one point given giving a 60-year-old a prominent place on his twiths feed. trump tweeted cnn is so embarrassed by their total 100% support of hillary clinton, and yet her loss in a landslide, they don't know what to do t. boardf of elections certified trumped that apparent winner,

and pennsylvania, following wisconsin's announcement, it would begin its recount as early as thursday. stein pushed back again critics with msnbc thomas roberts. >> what i had said, whenever i was asked, would i call for a recount if there were doubts about the credibility and the results. i always said yes. this is not about helping one candidate or hurting another candidate. this is not about advancings my own career. my campaign is not financial to wi video, delta airlines has taken the unusual state of investigate a passenger for life after he was caught on an obscenity laden rant on passengers who voted for hillary clinton. >> trump, baby! that's right. this man knows what's up. we got some hillary folks here. come on, baby, trump! >> now the flight to pittsburgh

was at the get a, delta said they should have removed him. they offered refund to commerce on board that flight. a united airlines 747 bound for tokyo landed safely back if san francisco after one of its four engines failed after takeoff. one passenger reported a loud bang and flames coming from the engine. the plane landed without incident. a passenger on board a united flight pued emergency exit door and jumped out of the plane as it was taxiing in houston. the woman jumped to the ground and ran to the terminal before she was taken into custody. the improvement. just as high as the force awakens. yesterday was the first day of the ticket pre sales ahead of the premier. fandango's ticket site went up