dualing terrorist attacks. 12 dead in germany, where police say a driver intentionally ran a truck into tourists a locals. then a brazen assassination. an ambassador shot in the back. vladmir putin is vowing to find out who ordered the killing. new nbc polling on where america stanldz on the electoral college's vote for politic trump. americans are skipping over 650 million vacation days each year. . at a notre dame

of a very different sort. "early today" starts right now. thanks for being with me this morning. a day of terror reigned across the middle east after a lone gunman assassinates a man. a man armed with a shotgun fires a weapon in midair him we begin with the tragedy in berlin that left at least 12 people dead and 50 injured after a man ran a truck into a crowded christmas market. this morning, police are calling this an interpretational attack as they work around the clock to piece together what they could have missed. for more, we go to foreign correspondent lindsay cavanaugh with regard to this investigation. >> reporter: frances, german police are not calling this a deliberate attack. they're now saying they're

act of terror. they are interrogating a man that they believe may have been the driver. there are unconfirmed reports that he may have been an asylum seeker. they were quoted as saying the police knew the suspect from minor offensesen he was staying at an accommodations center in berlin, german police raiding that center. this investigation still continues. they have a lot of details they have to piece together. it does call to mind the attack in nice. at this point this is nearly an investigation for suspected terror. no confirmation quite yet. >> that's just the beginning of. that we want to ask you, we know the state department before this attack put out a warning to americans abroad. what more are they saying? >> that's right. the state department put out a warning last month, in fact, not just for germany but for any american tourist saying that ch

based on credible intelligence and credible evidence could be of target. they warned tourists to stay away from those. but look, it's a difficult situation it's a difficult time we live in. attacks are differently to pre vent one of the reasons why truck attacks are so terrifying because of how hard it is to prevent these from taking pleas. people should use their wits about them. again, it's really difficult to predict this from happening. >> more so during holidays. with so many people out and about. lussi, thank you. this morning, investigators search for answers in the disturbing political assassination that rocked turkey yesterday and it wcall caught o camera. they rished the man and the gunman standing behind the ambassador, moments before he shot him in the back. well, the moment was cuptured on tape. we have to give you a warning

here. this video is graphic. >> back up! >> with the ambassador down the killer shouted in air bib then in turkish. he was killed by foreign security. richard engel joins us with the latest from istanbul. good morning. >> reporter: well, good morning, moscow has dispatched a team to investigate this incident. that team is already on its way here. there is a small service taking place at the airport in this country as the body of the ambassador is expected to leave and be repatriated to moscow. this is being described by russia as a terrorist attack. vladimir putin has already spoken out. he says the bandits responsible will be punished. what we know about the attacker is that he was an off duty police officer, that he was a part of the riot pe

young man 22-years-old. he used his police credential, dressed in the youthful of a private security officer, when to the this photography exhibit, was apparently not noticed. he was thought to be a part of the security detail that was supposed to be there. then he pulled out his miss toshlgs gunned down the ambassador and then gave a statement saying that this was revenge for russia's involvem in the war in syria. the u.s. embassy is closed in istanbul due to high tend security concerns. >> just chilling with that video there. richard, thank you. this morning, a u.s. drone snapped by the chinese navy has been returned. the chinese military says after friendly negotiation the drone was handed over near where it had bee

the pentagon says it was conducting oceanic research before being taken and it was not surveying chinese military as may have been suspected.n but beijing says the incident was hyped up in washington when they were simply checking if the device posed a threat. donald trump tweeted to encourage china to keep it. he took a phone call with the leader and china recognizes as its own. this morning, donald trump weeks up as the official 45th president of the occupation after getting enough electoral votes finalizing the 2016 race. that as more than half of registered voters say the electoral college should be aban donned. a majority of americans, 54% say they are pessimistic and worrying about how trump will do his president you they are uncertain or whethering. a combined 45

optimistic and confident. that's more than 20 points before president obama around this same time in his transition and 14 points lower than george wind chill bush during his transition as well. a majority claimed to be more optimistic when it comes to change and jobs. 44% say they are negative. >> that didn't stop trump from cruising to an electoral college victory. and among the electoral college members voting yesterday, president bill clinton who tearily captured a ballot for his wife, who said it's his proudest vote. michelle obama is talking about her time at the white house, sitting down with oprah win 46, she call a caustic and painful election outcome and battered about chatter was running for office a

difficulty of living at 1600 pennsylvania avenue. >> would you ever run for office i have to ask you? >> no no. look. that's one thing i don't do. i don't make stuff up. i'm not coy. i haven't proven that, i'm pret direct. it also speaks to the fact that people don't understand how hard this is. and it's not something that you cavalierly just sort of ask a family to do again. let me just tell america, this is hard, it's a hard job. i said it on the campaign trail. it requires a lot of sacrifice. it is a weighty thing. it's not something that you even look to one family to take on at that level. >> the often somber interview is expected to be michelle obama's final up with as first lady. we know traveling for the holiday season is stressful, the delays, the

landing. that's what happened to these unhappy passengers flying from los angeles to detroit. spirit airlines says baggage crews were unable to load much of the luggage on the plane. frustrated passengers weren't told about the issue until they arrived, got their baggage claim waiting for it to find nothing. just ahead the reward is raised as officials turn up the heat for the manhunt for the road rage suspect who shot and killed this three-year-old passenger. furs the rest of the country in chicago used a huge fire to warm commuter rail trucks to keep trains running and the mid-section of the nation endured temperatures of 20-to-30 degrees below normal. here's the thing, there is relief in sight. bill karins. >> slow relief. we go from the freezer to like the fridge rater. it's chilly across

we're not seeing intive numbers. we are in the 20s or 30s for wind chill value. new england is really cold. the only storm on the map is the one coming through the pacific northwest. is it a quit shot of snow this morning? then the storm system will weaken. this front pushing inland. we will be watching heaviest rain early today. >> that storm will weaken as we go throughout the afternoon and evening. everyone will look at a big deal of sunshine, now, here's a closer look at your day ahead. so for today, we have a chance of going above freezing in minneapolis for the irt first time in two weeks. it's not going to melt much in chicago. a high of 27. there is cold air still around in northern new england. can you imagine that, frances? the first time minneapolis has a chance to go above freezing today. >> we have never been so happy chaired to the fridge rater,

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just outside detroit, michigan. he is accused of stabbing a 49-year-old man five times. they say he was upset because he thought the passenger disrespected his video when he tapped on the windowch he was arrested and charged with assault. the victim was treated at hospital and released. startling numbers in the gazette mail. drug dealers powered 780 million painkillers the shipments amount to 433 pain pills for every man, woman and child in west virginia. during that period, hydroco don't and oxycodone and deaths increased 67% in the state. sales records were obtained from the dea by the gazette mail. drug wholesalers had previously thought to keep those numbers secret. and from nbc news, reward grows to

gunman that killed a three-year-old. it involves this toddler. he was shot and killed in little rock, arkansas, driven in a car by his grandmother. she was at the stop sign, thing is was annoyed she took so long to cross him he got out of the vehicle to fire at her and shot and killed the boy instead. police say they're looking for an older model black impala and the driver. the shocking am of workers who miss out on pay days off this year. that's next.

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. fast foergd today the man charged with setting off bombs in new york in september will appear in a new jersey courtroom. he is scheduled to be arraigned on charges he attempted to murder police officers during his capture. that north carolina law limiting bathrooms for transgender people could be revelde this week. in a surprise move, pat mccory called the legislature to reconvene tomorrow to reconsider the law. a federal court in new york will seal the search warrant that will allow the fbi to search through a trophy of e-mails found on a computer belonging to former congressman anthony weiner, the es stranged husband

next month they have investors keeping a close watch on the auto industry. good morning, what are we looking to in 2017? >> reporter: good morning markets are tracking high, there are some concerns around the auto mark. general motors will idle five assembly plants in the state as it try is to run down inventories, they best point to a slowdown after three record years of sales. the company is focused on sedans as more passengers have been buying some of those bigger vehicles in utilities and light trucks. i want to talk about conference, before you groom and switch off. i'm r i'm not shauk talking about work and family calls. you got facebook messenger allowing six people to all chat at the same. knack, you can invite up to 50 people. strangely enough, not the loudest person in the room will be seen at that

if you feel tired and overwork, have you checked how much leave have you this year? a new report finds people are hoarding. we are not talking one or two days t. average is 19 days and mostly millennials. many are concerned about the cost of travel, coming back to work, having a large amount of work, also losing their jobs. you can see that coming up at the end of the year. >> take that time off, unbelievable. coming up on "early today," amy schumer's heart warming surprise for her family. and how the cowboy celebration is going above an beyond.

beyond. >> of course, the big story is about the u.s. drone that china captured from the south china sea. donald trump sent a tweet where he meant to call the incidents unprecedented. but he misspelled it and take a look, unpresidented. ironically is unpresidented is what half the country wishes would happen to trump. >> i make so many mistakes when i tweet and everything else, i'm not going to criticize anyone. >> unlike instagram and facebook, you can't go back and fix it. xed yen amy schumer posted a screen shot surprising her dad

they lost it to bankrupt shortly before her dad was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. she shot that video of a young girl playing in a cornfield, how amazing after all these years. >> i want to see the video when they boy it, i think we all wish we could do something like that. talk about a good deed, dallas cowboys running back ezekiel elliot on nbc's football night in america. scores a touchdown. right in the ket him. well, the turned into a 61% spike in online donation, thanks to the cowboys. the majority were in $21 increment, reflecting his jersey from the salvation aerial, happy campers. >> great to see. >> he wasn't fined for it either by the nfl. >> this is "early today." more "doing chores for mom" per roll

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right now on "news 4 today," a deadly truck crash, a possible terror attack, driving into a busy market. president trump now reacting to a string of attacks overseas and his plans to fight back. and your storm team 4 forecast and slight warm-up on the way before the holidays. plus a rough night for the redskins but washington could still nab a playoff spot. we'll break down what's to happen and what's to come. >> "news 4 today" starts now. good morning, everybody. i'm aaron gilct.

>> if venus lines up with mars -- >> yes, exactly, there a chance. can we focus on the positive. >> you're saying there's a chance. >> it would have been easier if we won last night, a whole lot easier. >> let's keep our hopes up. meanwhile chuck bell here to tell us about 28 degrees. >> all the planets lining up, i thought you were going with winter solstice. >> the forecast. >> a cold, dry start first thing this morning and not much of a breeze. you don't need to worry too much about a windchill, at least not for this morning. plenty of sunshine coming our way for later on today. rain chances remain very, very low but couldn't completely rule out maybe a sprinkle or two. mostly clear, falling temperatures. we're back in the upper teens and low 20s across most of the area. not a big

we'll start to see that warm-up tomorrow and later on in the week. on your way out first thing this morning, bundle up. it is certainly a cold one. keep heaters on high this morning. good morning, melissa. >> is it weird i've had my seat heater on since july. >> a little weird. >> i'm always freezing. taking a look at the beltway, everything looks good. no roadwork, a good thing for everybody headed out. as we zoom in, we do have a bit of construction. same thing we were dealing with yesterday. 295 northbound before the work zone, blocking right lane. 66 and 95 overall quite good. a reminder, safe track surge wrapping up, tomorrow single tracking through east falls and west falls church through december. an act of terrorism, that's what german police are calling that mass killing in berlin. a truck drove into a crowded market, christmas

you're looking at some video from that scene right now. the trailer of that truck that was taken away a few minutes ago. before this the u.s. justice depp put out a warning about mass gatherings, especially abroad. >> a lot to learn about the attack. angie goff for details. angie. >> reporter: a lot of moving parts, still an unfolding situation. this is what is new. we know a suspect has been arrested at this point. as we take a look at the video shortly after this attack. german media reporting that suspect is being interrogated and is a pakistani citizen. this news, you mentioned, they believe the truck was intentionally directed into the crowd and was probably terrorism. twelve people died. dozens more were hurt. among the dead was a man inside the truck. the owner of the truck believed that it might have been hija

quote, what appears to have been a terrorist attack. a story that is developing right now news 4 will continue to bring you updates as they happen. back to you, aaron. angie, thank you. russia planning to retaliate for a deadly attack on its ambassador in turkey. he was speaking at an art gallery when he was shot in the back by a turkish police officer. witnesses say the shooter that stood over his body and condemned russia's military role supporting the syrian government. the shooter was killed by other officers. despite this, russia's foreign minister still plans to meet with his turkish and iranian counter-parts in moscow today. >> 4:30. meanwhile d.c. police have this to say about your safety here in the nation's capital. in part, they are monitoring and viewing events and activities across the u.s. as well as the world for their potential impact here in washington, d.c.. before you leave the house this morning, be sure to download nbc washington app for updates on breakin