happy friday. this morning, we'll get a pretty good indication of how the economy is doing with the latest job report. businesses come out of the physical cav cliff masked with millions of tax breaks but you and i are still going to pay more. president obama enjoys shaved ice. joe biden puts his foot in his mouth yet again. and the shark are circling. "early today" starts right now. snps this is "early today" january 4th, 2013. good morning, i'm mara schiavocampo. the december jobs report will be released today isn't spite of the challenges of the fiscal

cliff and hurricane sandy, economists are predicting $150,000 new jobs. nbc's tracie potts is in washington with more on this. >> reporter: mara, good morning. we don't know for a few hours but economists are encouraged that at things will remain steady this month. that's because of the fact that december is always a little bit off because it includes all of the holiday hiring and not all of those jobs are permit. adt does a private report and says 200,000 workers in november, that's up in december. the four-week average is steady, though. again, there were aberrations there as a result of the holidays. economists say, despite the holiday possibly throwing a wrench into this and superstorm sandy. remember, that had an impact on the november report as well because of a split week there, not all of the jobs that were

lost were reported in november. so we could see some revisions as well in this december report. but there are a couple of other signs that could be encouraging. auto sales up 9%. and retailers say their sales were up 4.5% which were actually better numbers than economist has predicted. we'll wait to see what comes out in a few hours. the fiscal cliff deal is making it a happy new year for many businesses including rum makers and hollywood studios and the critics are calling it quote special handouts. totaling more than $63 billion next year. these include taxes on rum imported into the u.s. a tax credit for buying electric-powered motorcycles. a so-called nascar tax break allowing motor racing tracks to appreciate assets faster than other businesses. and a break for film and tv productions shooting in the u.s. supporters say these subsidies

help businesses to create jobs. john boehner is starting his second term as speaker of the house. boehner was re-elected thursday with 212 votes. though he had overwhelming support, ten lawmakers voted for someone other than. and some sustained altogether. and reminded voters to stay focused on public service and not personal glory. >> if you've come here to see your name in the lights or pass off political victory for some accomplishment. you've come to the wrong place. the door's right behind you. >> boehner says he plans to focus on the federal deficit during this term. one of the first items of business for speaker boehner an aid package for hurricane sandy victims. later the house will vote on a $9.7 billion bill to replenish the national flood program to provide relief for homeowners flooded out by the storm. fema says it will run out of

money next week if congress doesn't give it additional buying authority. boehner faced bipartisan criticism this week for failing to bring the measure to the floor. secretary of state hillary clinton is reportedly recovering well after being released from a hospital this week. while clinton is recouper rating at home, she's also working. a spokesman said she called into a meeting of the advisory board. secretary clinton spent three days in the hospital being treated for a blood clot being a follow-up for a concussion she suffered last month. mrs. clinton plans to return to work next week. well, president obama is continuing his holiday vacation in hawaii. the president treated his daughters to some bowling and an iconic hawaiian island treat. shaved ice. the president has been said to have emerged with a blue and red icy in hand. vice president joe biden was

participating in a mock swearing in of new senators when this awkward moment happened with democrat heidi highcamp of north dakota. >> are you sure -- you say that to somebody in north dakota, they think it's a frisk. >> i'm at a loss. i don't know where to go to that. spread your legs. always looking on the bright side. >> he greeted like a hundred different people, he was doing the walmart greeter thing for hours upon hours. so we got to give him a little bit of hero. >> and he looks like a hero this week as the fiscal cliffing. good morning, everyone, we'll show you what we're going to deal with. it's quiet back there. let me show you what we just finished up with.

kind of our year-end. as far as billion-dollar weather disasters went, we had 11 of them this past year in 2012. and we had 14 the year before. of course, the worst ones were the drought of 2012 pretty much all of the midwest and, of course, hurricane sandy. and then as far as tornadoes went we actually had a down year, the fewest going back to 1899. the last tornado death in this country, 194 days ago. the record is 197. and it doesn't look like we're going to have any tornadoes in the next three days and so it's unprecedented thert. interstate 20, smo between midland and abilene. west texas a little bit of snow and then just a few snow showers in upstate new york. we may get clipped in canada. overall, it's a pretty quiet

day. a cold morning but the afternoon is going to be nice from the midwest all the way to the east coast. that's a look at your national weather now here's a look at weather outside your window. >> we are going to see a good deal of sunshine on the eastern seaboard. it's looking better today in boston, up to 38. yesterday, you didn't even get up to 30. the midwest also starting to warm up. >> as i said, yesterday, we hit the peak of this cold snap and we're just slowly warming up next week. >> you mentioned that snow in el paso, we actually have video. it's pretty rare, to show the viewers. >> they average one or two snow events. enjoy it. >> i can imagine if you get it rarely that that's probably a lot of fun. here in new york, we're like grr. an international child porn investigation nabbed 200 adults. a rare martian meteorite wows scientists. and bristol palin gift from an

alleged stalker. >> and finally enough to pay up. details coming up. you're watching "early today."

welcome back. here are some stories making news this morning. rape and murder charges have been filed against five men accused of attacking a 23-year-old medical student in delhi, india last month. the brutal rape sparked protests by women and other who called for stronger punishments of rapists. the state department is advising bill richardson not to travel to korea to talk about a nationalized citizen. immigrations and customs enforcement officials announce they had arrested 240 people in an international investigation of child pornography. 123 child victims ranging in age from 17 to less than a year old were identified. 110 of them located in the

united states and other countries. the parents of james foley are speaking out. foley's parents in new hampshire appealed to his captures for information about him and they called for his release. and scientists say a rock found in sahara desert is actually part of a meteorite. it earned the nickname black beauty. scientists say our milky way galaxy contained at least 115 planets. they're close to subpoenas smaller and cooler than our own. so there may actually be as many as 200 billion planets. and a little time travel in times square as the famous new year's ball was relit and sent up the pole where it will stay for the next descent to welcome

in 2014. on to wall street, the dow lost 21 points to close at 13,391. the s&p down 3. and nasdaq lost 11. overseas, the nikkei soared 202 points but the nasdaq dropped 87. one thing sure to heat up this cold january day, go daddy is said to announce their go gaed girl. supermodel raphael la bar relly will be announced this is air spokes model. and criminal conduct in the settlement over the deep water horizon oil disaster. bp who paid a $4.4 billion settlement back in december. and former vice president al gore personally will pocket

about $100 billion from the sale of this personal tv channel to al jazeera. he will serve on the board but will not be paid. if you have a smartphone, listen up, that glass that covers your device is about to get a whole lot stronger. the glass covering is already a 975 android and apple devices. and if you'd like to own a little piece of barack obama history, the museum is open. shot glass and $15 tube socks and $7500 cold and silver medallions of course made in america. straight ahead on "early today" an update on that school board member who hit a student with her car. plus, an unusual gathering of sharks causes these u.s. beaches to be cleared. details next. you're watching "early today."

welcome back. here's a look at some other stories making news early today in america. we begin with an update on the georgia school board official accused of intentionally hitting a teen with her car over a parking spot. in the wake of her arrest the woman has resigned from the school board. next, to pittsburgh where a massive water main break flooded roads and cascades of water spilled on to passing cars. the 12-inch line rupture also

led to the evacuation of a college dorm forcing students to wait out in single digits weather. downtown minneapolis, the rupture turned roads into rivers before are crews were able to put a clamp on the massive leak. a school of sharks forced florida to shut down jensen beach. marine scientists say the sightings are unusual since the sharks' natural food supply has not been spotted in the area. and finally, a virginia bagel shop has come up with a dish they feel best described the fiscal crisis in washington, d.c. it's called the congressional sandwich made with mainyonnaise mustard cheese and a lot of baloney. in sports, oregon's de'anthony thomas ran it back. they crushed number 5 kansas

state 35-17. tonight, it's the cotton bowl game in arlington texas as number 9 texas a&m plays oklahoma. >> in new york, an acrobatic backwards jam. the knicks got a 100-83 win over san antonio. in baseball, former yankees player nick swisher signed with cleveland. a deal worth $56 million. and the dallas cowboys practice squad was legally sober when killed in an accident. and here they go again. green bay fans turned out to help the packers get ready for saturday's playoff game against the vikings but shoveling the snow out of the seats at lambeau field. and they get paid ten bucks an hour. >> "early today" sports is brought to you by touch of gray.

get rid of some gray never all. just ahead, middle earth coming to a theme park near you. a disturbing story surrounding sarah palin's daughter bristol. >> and getting ready to tie the knot with a pretty powerful woman. you're watching "early today." >

today" on this friday. heading into our first weekend of the new year. it looks pretty quiet. we do have the rain and snow out there in west texas today. maybe a few showers in florida.

overall, a cold morning. it's going to be a nice afternoon really from the rockies to the east. as we go into saturday a few showers possible in minneapolis. still lingering rain right around the gulf in new orleans, and florida. looking to warm up. by sunday, a lot of areas heading up into the 40s. a little shot of cold air in minneapolis, but even in dallas, texas up to the mid60s. the top-selling song for 2012 was not "gangnam style." ♪ now you're just somebody that i should know ♪ >> "somebody that i used to know" sold 68 million digital copies last year. i bought one of them. >> it would take me three months. after seven years of courtship george lucas is officially engaged to melanie hopkins. congratulations to them.

russian president vladimir putin granted the french actor deputier french citizenship. bristol palin has been granted a restraining order against a 38-year-old man who sent her an engagement ring in the mail. >> and no one was complaining about the ring in the mail. universal studios and warner brothers have reportedly been in talks with the tolkien estate to build a theme park. hopefully, the hobbits will be tall enough to get on a ride. do you think we missed the latest kimye news? that's the latest. kim is still married to kris humphri humphries. and speaking of baby kimye, this

is what he or she would look like. >> not a bad morph. >> the morphs i've seen are goofy looking ones. >> they're good looking kids. >> well, they're good looking people. this next one come to us from kxax in dallas, texas where a sister and brother teamed up to take on a life-threatening health scare. the siblings have displayed a unique bond even as adults. taylor was the matching donor paving the way for a sibling rescue and a great memory to take into the new year. i'm mara schiavocampo this is "early today," this, your first stop of the day today on your nbc station. [ female announcer ] back to school means back to busy mornings.

that's why i got them pillsbury toaster strudel. warm flaky pastry with delicious sweet filling my kids will love. plus i get two boxtops for their school. toaster strudel. the one kids want to eat. mom, pop it. ♪ two inches apart, becky. two inches. t-minus nine minutes. [ ding ] [ female announcer ] pillsbury cinnamon rolls. let the making begin. ♪

it is 4:28. you're looking live over the nation's capitol. we wish there were clouds this morning to keep the temperature up a little bit. not the case. a frigid start to the morning. your forecast just ahead. first, good morning. i'm aaron gilchrist. i'm eun yang. well tomorrow to this friday, january 4, 2013. a man arrested for a dui in alexandria will be a an appearance in court. he was pulled over after running a red light. he failed several sobriety tests and was found to have a blood alcohol level of .11. crepea, who is mormon has

apologized for what he calls a mistake. he's due in court at 9:00 this morning. funeral services are set for a prince william police officer killed in a crash. fellow officers honored chris young with a line of motorcycles outside a woodbridge chap 'em. young was a motorcycle officer killed in an accident on monday while responding to a call in bristow, virginia. a private ceremony is set to begin at 10:00 this morning. doctors are doing what they can to save a howard county teenager involved in a crash outside his school. police say 18-year-old jeffrey sinclair had four other teens in the car him when he tried leaving the parking lot at the high school. his honda civic pulled out into the path of a mack track. the four other passengers are now out of the hospital. classmates are praying for sinclair who is in critical condition. >> there's kids from howard, reservoirs, people who don't go here but they're praying for us. >> right after the crash, neighbors say the truri