good morning. surprising shift. the president this morning with a sudden friendier tone toward china. that was then. >> we can't continue to allow china to rape our country. >> this is now. >> i don't blame china. yo twist. this is now. will the diplomatic sweet talker get china's cooperation on everything from trade to north korea? breaking overnight, new video from one of the heroes from the texas church shooting telling his story to the police moments after the rampage. >> so you say you may have shot him? >> as vice president mike pence

and kevin spacey cut as another mother speaks out to nbc news. >> it's more than a sex addiction. he's a predator. >> will her son's claims lead to criminal charges? all that, plus, the arctic blast that is going to bring cold to millions. and smashing start. the nation's first self-driving shuttle bus is unveiled and crashes almost immediately. why officials are saying don't blame the bus. today is thursday, november 9th, 2017. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning, everybody. >> how about th

the truck driver gets out and has no one to argue with. >> i know. >> we'll talk more about that later. >> self-crashing cars. the latest on that. let's get to our top story, though. a kind letter, gentler president trump in beijing. a stark change from during the campaign when dealing with china. peter alexander is traveling with the president. hi, peter. good morning to you. >> reporter: matt and savannah, good morning to you. president trump wrapping up his second and final day in china trying to fortify his relationship with president xi, bridging the gap on key issues like trade. he repeatedly attacked china but here in beijing it was the no blame game from the president. outside beijing's great hall, the people with a tribute to president trump. china's president xi treated his guest to a dazzling dis

including the stars and stripes. a review of the troops. and dozens of chinese children wildly cheering the american commander in chief. first lady melania trump looking on. >> nothing you can see is so beautiful. >> reporter: the president's kind lett kindler gentler tone that propelled president trump to the white house. >> we can't continue to allow china to rape our country. and that's what they're doing. >> i don't blame china. after all, who can blame a country for being able to take advantage of another country for the benefit of its citizens? i give chi g

predecessors for what he called a one-sided trade relationship. >> it's too bad that past administrations allowed it to get so far out of kilter. but we'll make it fair and it will be tremendous for both of us. >> reporter: president trump lavishing praise on his hosts. >> you're a very special man. >> reporter: even congratulating president xi for his consolidation of power in the ruling communist party. the two leaders exiting without taking questions. late today, the chinese capping off this presidential visit with an elaborate state dinner that even featured a video of president trump's grandchild singing in mandarin chinese.

pushing president trump to act faster to denuand he meets with economic council conference. matt and savannah, back to you. >> meanwhile, the president's party is playing the blame game. kristen welker has more on that part of the story. good morning. >> reporter: hi, matt. good morning to you. democrats are jubilant after their big win and republicans are trying to answer their own question, is it better to embrace trumpism or run away from it. candidates distanced mr. trump at their own peril. gearing up for a fight that got a lot fiercer, president trump's former adviser steve bannon delivered this tough message in

overnight. >> you can't fake the trump agenda. you have to go all in. and this agenda is a winning agenda. >> reporter: and in an interview on fox news, bannon rejected the notion that the democrats' win this week was a rebuke of president trump and instead pointed the finger at ed gillespie. >> he really didn't try to embrace president trump or the trump program until very late. >> reporter: and bannon tried to downplay the losses in virginia and new jersey, arguing they're traditionally blue states. >> virginia because of northern virginia is really not a purple state anymore. it's a blue state. >> reporter: still, many republicans are openly worried the big democratic wins on tuesday could mean they're on their way out in 2018. >> i think it's important for republicans to self-reflect and start from the top all the way down. >> reporter: at least half a dozen moderate

for re-election. still, republican leaders are standing firm. >> we've already made that choice. we're with trump. >> reporter: and while democrats are celebrating -- >> virginia has told us to end the divisiveness. >> reporter: they acknowledge the steep odds in taking back congress. the vulnerable senate seats are conservative and rural states where trump still reigns supreme. former vice president biden -- >> did any one of you ever think that you would see folks coming out from under rocks and out of the fields with torches and carrying swastikas and it's tiredness, undermining the soc

pressure on the gop to pass tax reform. today the senate is set to unveil its version of a tax plan that will have stark differences from the house version all highlighting a tough road ahead for republicans. >> kristen welker, thank you very much. more to get to this morning, including new video taken moments after the texas church shooting that shows police converging on the gunman's vehicle and the heroes who chased him down. nbc's gabe gutierrez has more on that. good morning. >> reporter: matt, good morning. the vice president calling this the worst shooting in a place of worship in american history. authorities have reviewed video from inside the church and it shows the gunman methodically shooting people in the head and now that new video that reveals the moment right after the chase ended. police are shown interviewing stephen

kelley killed 26 people in sutherland springs, texas. >> so you think you may have shot him? >> i can't think of any other reason why he took that sign out. i know i took well-placed shots and i think they were well-placed shots. >> barefoot and visibly shaken, he recounts the ordeal to authorities. >> i was home when i heard the shots and i didn't know what was going on but, god, i had to get in my faith. it was at a high-rate of speed and then he started slowing down this way. this man was on the corner. >> okay. >> and i chased him and he was on the corner. >> right. >> with his truck and i don't even know, you man, and thank you so much. >> reporter: the video was shot by johnnie langendorff who helped chase the gunman after the massacre. >> i jumped in the truck with him and

>> kelley was hit in the leg and torso before the gunman fled the church. kelley fired off rounds through his window. the video released as mike pence was visiting the area offering his condolences. >> no attack, no act of violence will ever break our spirit or diminish the faith of the american people. >> reporter: the vice president also meeting with the family of peggy wardenwho used her body to shield her grandson. he survived. she did not. >> she had no doubt what she needed to do and it didn't matter what the consequence was. >> reporter: her grabbndson zachary was shot six times. he's rerufrg covering in the ho. matt and savannah? >> gabe, thank you very much. we move to concerns about airport security as we head into the busy holiday travel season. the

undercover agents were able to yet again smuggle test weapons and explosives through airport checkpoints. tom costello is at reagan international. we've heard this story before. >> reporter: yes, savannah. good morning. we've been reporting for years how homeland security inspection teams try to smuggle through these weapons and often they are successful and it has happened again. just two weeks until the thanksgiving travel rush and this morning the tsa is on the defensive after undercover inspectors were able to smuggle components through checkpoints at multiple airports. the good news, they did a better job than in 2015 when they failed to detect 95% of the inspectors' weapons but the failure rate is unacceptably high. >> we found that briefing disturbing. >> reporter: n

providing congress with a classified briefing on wednesday. >> our aviation sector remains the crowned jewel of terrorist targets. >> reporter: two years ago, an explosive brought down a russian jetliner killing 24. last year, a bomb ripped a hole in the side of this somali jetliner forcing an emergency landing. >> you can kill a large number of people in a relatively short time and that's what they are aiming to do. >> reporter: in a statement, the tsa says we take the inspector general's findings very seriously and we're implementing the checkpoints. >> i think it's important that we train our caudrey to be doing their jobs under pressure. >> reporter: for all passengers flying into the u.s. from overseas airports, there is

security here at home. the tsa insists security is not limited to the checkpoints. in fact, they've got the precheck going on and the terror watch list, police and k-9 teams and vipir teams, these tactical units that patrol stations but the trump administration has proposed cutting the number of vipir teams by 20%. >> toms could te costello, than much. this video shows the moment that roy halladay crashed his plane. he was flying extremely low and then accelerating. >> i can tell you that it looked like a high-energy impact but all the pieces were there. most everything was attached bu

>> the ntsb has hopes that the flight's data recorders provide clues to how the 40-year-old baseball legend died. also this morning, there are new developments in that violent attack on kentucky senator rand paul. he is revealing more about his injury as his alleged attacker and neighbor heads to court today. nbc's blake mccoy is in bowling green with the very latest. hi, blake, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. neither of these men have been seen publicly since last friday but i'm told the neighbor, rene boucher, will appear in court to enter a plea on that attack on the united states senator that we're now learning resulted in six broken ribs. >> we're in the midst of another spending frenzy. >> reporter: kentucky senator rand paul is recovering from an assault in his own front yard while this morning his neighbor, rene boucher, will make his first court appearance for arraignment, charged with

fourth-degree misdemeanor assault. boucher, a retired anesthesiologist, is accused of attacking paul while mowing his lawn. boucher's lawyer says it's trivial. >> it's a personal agreement between these two gentlemen. >> reporter: neighbors say there's long been frustration over senator paul's unkempt yard. paul and boucher have lived next to each other for 17 years. >> there must be something else. you just don't think something that small could cause something this big. >> reporter: senator paul tweeting wednesday, "i appreciate all of the support from everyone. a medical update, final report indicates six broken ribs and new x rays show a build-up of fluid around the lungs. injuries more severe than initially thought which could lead to more serious charges. >> given the seriousness of the senator's injuries, it's vy

to a felony. and in kentucky, this kind of felony assault carries with it a minimum of five years and a maximum of ten years incarceration. >> reporter: a decision on whether or not to upgrade the charges will come later once the investigation is complete. state police say they're waiting on the senator's medical records. but even that misdemeanor assault charge could carry up to a year in prison if convicted. matt and savannah? >> blake, thank you very much for the update. >> i thought someone said it was going to get down to the teens and 20s this weekend but that's crazy. >> that's me. >> i knew it was somebody. >> that somebody was me. big high pressure of canada and it's going to drop temperatures. look at this today,ç only 21 i bismarck. duluth, minnesota, average of 16 degrees. des moines is going to be 36 degrees today. by friday, new york city, 19 degrees below average at 37. cincinnati and

average. look at these record lows in the northeast and new england. a record in boston, new york city, atlanta, atlantic city, washington, d.c., and pittsburgh and bingham, new york. temperatures start to moderate into this weekend and early next week. we head to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds. good morning, everybody. i'm meteorologist chuck bell. cloudy skies everye

drizzle to get your thursday morning started. temperatures are in the cold side. future weather shows the continuation of these pockets of light rain and drizzle lasting throughout the day. mid-40s now. up to 50 degrees or so for a high today. blustery and turning much colder tomorrow. near record lows coming up on saturday morning. >> and that is your latest weather. guys? >> thank you, al. coming up, the unprecedented plan to erase kevin spacey from his new movie. and a mother coming forward on her teen's behalf with disturbing allegations against the oscar winner. would you share nude photos of yourself with facebook? the controversial request from the social network. first, on a thursday morning, this is "today" on nbc.

what if we could keep more amof what we earn?d. trillions of dollars going back to taxpayers. who could possibly be against that? well, the national debt is $20 trillion. as we keep adding to it, guess who pays the bill? him. and her. and her. congress, we should grow the economy. not the debt. ♪

our service dog in training who is about to meet a veteran he'll be paired with. it will happen live for the very first time. >> this is a very, very lucky person. hoda is here. >> we can't miss the highlights from the "cma" awards and one superstar who said he had to lip sync. what is that? the google pixel 2. what can it do? a lot. can it tell me when to leave? yes, now. and the fastest way there? yep. can it take a selfie just by saying take a selfie? yep. take a selfie. what happens if i snap this? it gives you info. what happens if i snap her? she likes it. do i still have to sit here for ages? no, it charges in fifteen minutes. will it ever do this? never. what happens if i squeeze it? try it. google pixel 2: "hi, i'm your google assistant." "how can i help?" hello. so...it's a phone?

well it's a phone by google. ♪ "preseeeeeents!!" (crowd cheering) presents for them, kohl's cash for you! (announcer) kohl's. give joy. get joy. [ various sound effects ] it only takes 15 minutes, to bring holiday cheer. get the party started with delicious chex party mix. ( ♪ ) more people shop online for the holidays than ever before. (clapping) and the united states postal service delivers more of those purchases to homes than anyone else in the country. ( ♪ )

cause we know, even the smallest things are sometimes the biggest. even the smallest things i can't believe it comes in... how great this tastes! vegaaaan. and organiiiic. enjoy i can't believe it's not butter! in it's vegan! and it's organic! thanks for giving lien the strength to outrun her brother. thanks for giving victor the energy to be the rowdiest fan. and joseph, the ability to see monsters. when you choose walgreens, you choose to make a difference... like how every vitamin and flu shot you get at walgreens helps give life-changing vitamins and vaccines... to children in need around the world and here at home. so, really... happy thanks for giving! walgreens. at the corner of happy and healthy. moderator: hi, guys. so this is the all-new chevy equinox. it's gorgeous. it offers heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a panoramic sunroof, built-in 4g lte wifi,

surround vision, safety alert seat... wow. and teen driver technology. all of that, is in this one car? yeah, and to get all of these features, you would have to buy all five of those crossovers. (gasp) man: whoa! moderator: oh, and the lexus nx. that's insane. moderator: yep, all six of these, and you still wouldn't get everything that's in this equinox. man 2: chevy's raising the bar. woman: six cars in one. man 3: yeah, i like that.

every day, on every street, in every town, across america. small businesses show their love to you. with some friendly advice, a genuine smile and a warm welcome they make your town... well, your town. that's why american express is proud to be the founding partner of small business saturday. a day where you get to return that love,

so, on november 25th get up, get out, and shop small. 7:26 is your time now on this thursday, november 9th, 2017. good morning to you, i'm eun yang. >> and i'm aaron gilchrist. police are looking for a man who shot two people on georgia avenue. one of the victims died. police blocked off the area where georgia crosses kennedy street. this is the second shooting in that area this week. today a brand-new memorial is breaking ground in d.c. the world war i memorial will be built on cushing street. let's check your commute with melissa mollet and your first 4 traffic.

[000:26:58;00] >> they are looking good. 95 northbound had a five-mile backup. again, looking better than it was. this is the problem you were just talking about between jefferson and longfellow and 9th near kennedy. southbound lanes opened on georgia finally after the shooting from overnight. and a crash blocking the left side. >> thank you, melissa. we'll check the forecast next.

stay with us. good morning, everybody. pockets of cloud and light rain. not a pretty way to get the day started. not much will change during the course of the afternoon. temperatures in the low to mid-40s. we'll get into the upper 40s to near 50 with light rain and sprinkles likely off and on throughout much of the day.

tomorrow the sun is gak with a colder tomorrow. tomorrow's high only around 40 degrees. we'll be down way below freezing saturday morning. >> chuck, thank you. another update in 25 minutes. >> for now, back to the "today"

show after this short break. we're back now. 7:30 on a thursday morning. it's the 9 we're back now at 7:30 on november 9th, 2017. it's going to feel like the last day of december. it's going to get cold in the northeast and other places, too. >> yes. let's get a check of the headlines. we start with the surprising shift of president trump overnight. >> kindler and gentler, noting the great chemistry between the two superpowers and calling on the nation and its leaders to help put more pressure on north korea. >> the entire civilized world must unite to confront the north korean menace.

gop blame game. repubns the election losses as steve bannon lashes out at members of his own party who refuse to embrace trump. >> you can't fake the trump agenda. you have to go all in and this agenda is a winning agenda. >> sidelined. three basketball players are released on bail but unable to leave their hotel as the team prepares to play its next game without them. and bus hit. las vegas introduces the nation's first self-driving shuttle bus only to have it crash less than an hour later. officials are blaming the other driver, today, thursday, november 9th, 2017. >> taking a page out of your play book. we have disturbing accusations being leveled against oscar winner kevin spacey. a massachusetts mother claiming

her teenage son was kate snow sat down with her for a candid and emotional conversation. kate, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. heather used to be a tv anchor in boston but she's speaking out now as a mom. her son in is a sophomore in college taking exams and so she told his story with his permission. sony confirming they will reshoot kevin spacey's scenes in his upcoming movie. yet another blow for space see on his quick fall from the top of hollywood daily. >> shame on you for what you did to my son. >> reporter: a mother's emotional message to spacey accusing the actor of publicly assaulting her son and then sitting down with a candid interview. >> it's more than a sex addiction.

he's a p son was a busboy in nantucket at. >> my son was completely starstruck. >> reporter: he told spacey he was 21 but he was 18. >> my son was underage and kevin spacey was buying him drinks. a lot of drinks. >> reporter: with her teenage daughter sitting next to her, she recounted what happened. >> there were a few red flags that, in hindsight, he can see probably should have raised his suspicion and set off alarms but it wasn't until kevin spacey put his hand inside his pants that he really knew he was in trouble.

>> reporter: you say he didn't consent to absolutely, there was no consent. it made him incredibly uncomfortable. he did try to shift his body because that's the only thing he knew might help. but kevin spacey continued to put his hands back in his pants. >> reporter: it didn't just happen once? >> no. and he was frozen. he just -- he was panicked. >> reporter: unruh says spacey insisted that he go with him to a private party but a woman in the restaurant intervened. >> i'm forever grateful to her. we would be having a whole other conversation if she hadn't stepped in. >> reporter: she says the stranger told herç son to run. he ran a mile to his grandmother's and woke his sister kyla telling her everything.

your phone rings? >> >> reporter: what time? middle of the night? >> and he says to me, mom, kevin spacey tried to rape me. that's the hardest phone call i've ever taken. >> reporter: unruh's son is more than ten who have accused spacey of sexual harassment, misconduct or assault. it's a tough question, but did you want to report it? >> i did. >> reporter: but your son wasn't ready to do that? >> he wasn't ready. he was definitely very embarrassed about it. >> reporter: spacey's attorneys have not responded to nbc's repeated request for comment. last week, a spokesperson said, kevin spacey is taking time for evaluation and treatment. >> reporter: what does your family want to see happen? >> we want kevin spacey to be stopped, especially my son.

he doesn't want another young man to be j >> reporter: police in nantucket would not comment or confirm the situation involving kevin spacey. nbc has learned that london police are investigating an allegation against spacey when he served as a director at a theater for 11 year gls ts. >> the woman who intervened on behalf of this boy, does heather know who that is? >> no. she said, please come forward. she's a mystery woman who just stepped in and in heather unruh's words said, are you okay and told him to run. >> kate, thank you. >> thanks, kate. we will shift gears now to the weather map with al. what's going on? >> as cold as it's going to be,

the national and all 50 states are above average and when it comes to precipitation, we're drier than average. 37 states have averages above normals and if you look at this, it's the second wettest year on record. michigan had its second wettest year on record. north dakota had the top ten driest year. we're looking at a snowy day in the pacific northwest. cool and wet in the southeast. that's what's going on around your country. here's what is happening in your neck of the woods. good morning. a few sprinkles out there but it's chilly. 46 degrees right now in the district. clouds are going to hang around. sprinkles all day. mid-to high 40s. as we go through the day today, we will see the off and on sprinkle chance. into saturday morning, we have a freeze watch for almost

everybody tomorrow. cold and windy. 20s by saturday morning. >> and check out our friends at the weather channel on cable. guys? >> al, thanks so much. a lot more ahead, including this. why is facebook asking people to share their explicit photos? and then, "hamilton" fans are flipping out over this. and charlie is going to meet the veteran that he's matched with.

>> first, these messages. allow you to take advantage of growth opportunities. with a level of protection in down markets. so you can head into retirement with confidence. brighthouse financial established by metlife. introducing new dunkin' donuts cold brew coffee packs. it's delicious craft coffee, as easy as 1-2-3. ♪ and it's now available where you buy groceries. ♪ oatscalled beta-glucan.fiber

this fiber really doesn't like cholesterol. makes quaker oats a delicious part of a heart-healthy diet. high five, fiber! mom, dad, i got this.. thank you. buy 2 hasbro games, get a 3rd game free. toys"r"us. today we play. why do you want to it's my personal style. you're five. exactly. the lg sidekick washer. for small loads that can't wait.

are your pants dirty? what is this? when we love someone, we want to do right by them. but some things we can't control like snoring. (snoring) introducing theravent anti-snore strips. clinically shown to reduce snoring. theravent. the answer is right under your nose. ♪ ♪ hi ted, glad you could join us! ♪ ♪ give it a try. mmm. give that to me. ♪ ♪ (laughing) ted? ♪ ♪

yep, and my teeth are yellow. i mean i knew they weren't ted? l, all hope is lost! oh thanks! clearly my whitening toothpaste is not cutting it. time for whitestrips. crest glamorous white whitestrips are the only ada-accepted whitening strips proven to be safe and effective. they work below the enamel surface to whiten 25x better than a leading whitening toothpaste. hey, nice smile! thanks! i crushed the tissue test! yeah you did! crest. healthy, beautiful smiles for life. we're back. 7:42. we are back at 7:42. here's a question. how much do you trust facebook? >> they are making a very

unusual request of some of its se explain this. hey, joe. >> facebook is teaming up with the australian government for a pilot program, one that could eventually expand here to the u.s. the idea, to prevent potentially embarrassing naked images from being shared on the social media platform perhaps by an angry ex. first, you'd have to show a nude photo of yourself with facebook, something people may not want to do. it's a provocative question, would you send a naked photo of yourself to make sure it never shows up publicly on the network? >> i would never trust that. >> i don't know if it could really protect anyone. >> if you don't want someone to see it, then don't take the photo, period. >> reporter: facebook is testing such a program in australia. here's how it works. people who are concerned that

their intimate photo may be showed, themselves and then fill out an online form with australia's e-safety office which notifies facebook. the social media giant says they review the photos and pictures that violate the policies are given a digital fingerprint. if another user tries to upload those same images on facebook or instagram, technology would recognize the fingerprint and the photo won't be posted. >> this is a real threat for a number of people. my firm has helped hundreds of people. we've removed thousands of videos from and nude photos from the internet. >> reporter: facebook's program could make a big difference for somebody living in fear. >> it's very common for an ex to threaten to release a nude photo.

>> reporter: users are told to delete the photos from messenger still concerned. >> in the world of cyber, delete almost never really means delete. it's out there. there are people who make very good living recovering what people believe was deleted. >> reporter: 4% of americans have been victims of noncon sengs image sharing. 2014 celebrities, including jennifer lawrence, had their private photos stolen and posted online and facebook shut down a secret page where thousands and current marines shared nude pictures of female colleagues. facebook says it's having conversations to expand the pilot program in the west, uk and canada, and it's unclear when that might happen. bottom line, this is not for everyone but could be helpful for some. >> i'm not a very trusting person.

that would >> joe, thank you. let's go over to carson. >> guys, coming up next in the orange room, why the pope wants

you to put your phone down. we'll explain right after this. because the ones you need to be strong for... ♪ are the ones who actually give you strength... ♪ embrace the cosmic balance. ♪ alex and ani what's your symbol right now? that was just a'ight for me. yo, checi mean,t dawg. you got the walk. you got the stance.. but i wasn't really feeling it. you know what, i'm not buying this. you gotta come a little harder dawg. you gotta figure it out. eh, i don't know. shaky on the walk, carriage was off. randy jackson judging a dog show. i don't know dawg. surprising. what's not surprising? how much money lisa saved by switching to geico. wow! performance of the night. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. ♪ this is google home mini. it's got the google assistant in it, so it's super helpful.

watch this: "good morning, claire." "it's 72 and sunny." "don't forget to wear some sunscreen." oh, that's nice. it'll also read you the news, look up traffic, and tell you: "your first meeting is at 9am." and you know how sometimes you're in bed and you can't get out of it until you hear that one song that... "okay, playing your get-out-of-bed playlist." ♪ yeah, it can do that too. it's google home mini and the rest of the google home family. ♪ get ready for the holidays and get kohls cash for you get a dinnerware set and get $10 kohls cash get a cookware set and get $30 kohls cash or a shark vacuum and youll get $80 kohls cash earn kohls cash on everything spend it on anything give joy, get joy at kohls to moto me he's, well, dad.n pro golfer. so when his joint pain from psoriatic arthritis got really bad, it scared me. and what could that pain mean? joint pain could mean joint damage. enbrel helps relieve joint pain, and helps stop further damage

enbrel may lower your ability to fight infections. tuberculosis, lymphoma other cancers, nervous system and blood disorders and allergic reactions have occurred. tell your doctor if you've been someplace where fungal infections are common. or if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure or if you have persistent fever, bruising, bleeding or paleness. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. since enbrel, dad's back to being dad. visit enbrel.com... and use the joint damage simulator to see how your joint damage could be progressing. ask about enbrel. enbrel.

fda approved for over 14 years. 7:49 on a thursday rn 7:49 on a thursday morning. we're back. we take our cell phones just about everywhere, right? >> everywhere. >> one person is not happy about that. >> on wednesday, pope francis took issue with the use of phones during mass and said in part, "it makes me very sad when i celebrate mass and i see so many cell phones held up, not only by the faithful but also by some priests. please, the mass is not a show." you can see this as the pope arrives. he went on to request no cell phones be used during mass. here is jenny shane saying, "he's right. cell phones should not be used." and milena said, "just wait until the end of mass."

it's a good idea to disconnect during a many of us do that? 65% of you say, no, you do not use your phone during a service. 35% saying yes. i'm sure it's tough because when people see the pope, as you can imagine, they want to capture that moment but it will be interesting to see how his comments affect the crowd during next week's address. >> carson, we had this dilemma. we had the great honor of meeting the pope last year and we talked about whether we were going to take a picture as he approached. >> and what did we do? >> we decided not to. that was a professional photographer. >> yes. >> but we also decided as he approached us coming down the center aisle we would not. >> it's the pope so i understand why they are taking pictures. but at a normal church service, try not to take it out. last night's cma awards has

people meet his veteran live for the very first time. that's after your local news. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ i got this...n there? that's the new man, huh? yup. getting kinda' close to my ride. wow... now, that's how you make a first impression. they're going to love you... that's ford, america's best-selling brand. hurry in today for 0% financing for 72 months across the full line of ford cars, trucks and suvs! and just announced...get 0% apr for 72 months plus $1000 cash back! take advantage of these exclusive holiday offers during the ford year end sales event. ♪ a dog's big life, is measured in wags. and when you feed your dog nature's recipe, you fuel the wag with our premium recipes

like chicken, sweet potato and pumpkin. recipe. fuel the wag. allow you to take advantage of growth opportunities. with a level of protection in down markets. so you can head into retirement with confidence. brighthouse financial established by metlife. wowe run marathons... ...companies... ...solve problems. how? we eat. every. single. day. we eat, and we own it.

♪ 7:56 is your time right now on this thursday, november 9th, 2017. good morning to you. i'm eun yang. melissa mollet has your traffic. what's going on? >> southbound 95, an overturned tractor trailer. just a shoulder is getting by. southbound had earlier delays. beltway, no major problems here right now. we'll take a look elsewhere coming up. >> melissa, thank you. we'll take a quick break and check your forecast.

stay with us. well it's a perfect nespresso hold on a second.orge. mmm. ♪ [mel torme sings "comin' home baby"] hey there. want a lift?

♪ ♪ have a nice ride. ♪ how far would you go for coffee that's a cup above? i brought you nespresso. nespresso. what else? safety isn't a list of boxes to check. it's taking the best technologies out there and adapting them to work for you. the ultrasound that can see inside patients, can also detect early signs of corrosion at our refineries. high-tech military cameras that see through walls, can inspect our pipelines to prevent leaks. remote-controlled aircraft, can help us identify potential problems and stop them in their tracks. at bp, safety is never being satisfied. and always working to be better. what if there was only one emoji? now what if there was only one mattress? one is not a choice. choose your mattress with tulo.

everything you want in a bed, in a box. good morning. temperatures are in the 40s. 47 in the district, 42 in dulles. 46, quaintico. 53 for a high. tomorrow, we're cold and windy, feeling like the 30s. highs in the low 40s and by saturday morning, widespread freeze, temperatures in the 20s. >> thank you, sheena.

another local news update in 25 minutes. it's 8:00 on it's 8:00 on "today". >> coming up, playing nice. >> i don't blame china. >> president trump taking a different tone with china after months of tough talk on the campaign trail. why is he now praising the leader? >> you're a very special man. >> we're live in beijing. charlie's big day. a year of intense training. our puppy with a purpose will finally meet the veteran he was born to help. and star-studded morning. michel michel michel michelle pfeifer stops by the

studi today is thursday, november 9th, 2017. ♪ we have a huge crowd here because guess who is represented on the plaza. we have kaley celebrating her 16th birthday. >> on "today." >> marty is celebrating a big birthday today. >> we have people all over the globe. >> romania. >> iowa! >> we are well represented. good morning, everybody. welcome back to "today." it's about to get real, real cold out there. >> we'll head out there in half an hour. by the way, we have something special for you on "today."

mr.ok away. next week, we're going to visit the hardest hit areas to celebrate the folks who selflessly stepped up to help their neighbors. of course, we'll have a ton of surprises in store. so be sure to join us as we lend a hand today all next week all across the zone. >> and it feels like you have more meaning this year. >> a different side of president trump as he turns his earlier criticism of the beijing government into praise now. peter alexander is traveling with the president. good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning to you. from here in beijing, president trump is wrapping up his second and final day of this china trip.

you know that tough talking donald trump that we saw throughout the course of the campaign. president trump accused china, in his words, of raping the u.s. here he has a kinder and gentler tone. he said he gives china great credit. president trump showers praise on his host president xi jinping calling him a great person, a special man, saying that the people of china really are proud of him. the president, well, he also did enjoy a dazzling display, a grand tribute to the stars and stripes review of the troops and chinese children waving american flags celebrating the arrival of the american president. president trump will head off tomorrow for vietnam for an economic conference which is expected to focus, among other things, from north korea, which is supposed to be a short visit with russia's president,

vladimir putin. >> there is an $85 billion media deal that could shake up how americans watch television. the justice department now saying at&t may have to sell turner broadcasting which channels cnn as a potential requirement for gaining government approval or at&t could be forced to sell off directv. this has raised suspicions of political retaliations as president trump said it has too much power in the hands of few. legendary basketball coach rick bettino may have been more involved in the college corruption case than previously thought. they indicate an unnamed coach, who was thought to be bettino,

knew about an alleged scheme to funnel money from adidas to would commit to playing under louisville and sign a deal with adidas when they got to the nba. bettino has denied any knowledge and was fired by louisville. good time for hoda's morning boost. >> a pennsylvania bride was the perfect example of grace when she got married and welcomed her new stepchild into her life. she didn't always get along with her husband's ex-wife but in the middle of the ceremony she turn around to thank casey for welcoming her into the family and then knelt and made a vow to her new 4-year-old stepson. >> i love you more than you will ever know. i promise to stand by you, listen to you and love you every day. i promise to love daddy with all my heart. >> and here's the kicker.

it wasn't the bride who posted that video but the ex-wife casey people can put differences aside and put together a family. come on, come on. >> i love it. >> put your differences aside for the benefit of that little boy. >> absolutely. >> lots more to get to this morning, including a big win and controversy for garth brooks at the "cma". and charlie is about to meet his veteran. first, what's coming up on "megyn kelly" today. >> so a woman decides to flip off the presidential motorcade in a moment of spontaneous protest and gets fired, fired for doing it. this was on her personal side. i'll ask her, is this still america? >> megyn, thank you. all of that after jason segel tries his hand at something new.

first, after these messages. with some friendly advice, a genuine smile and a warm welcome they make your town... well, your town. that's why american express is proud to be the founding partner of small business saturday. a day where you get to return that love, because shopping small makes a big difference. so, on november 25th get up, get out, and shop small. ( ♪ ) more people shop online for the holidays than ever before. (clapping) and the united states postal service delivers more of those purchases to homes than anyone else in the country. ( ♪ ) because we know, even the smallest things are sometimes the biggest. even the smallest things ♪

real energy harnessed from the earth. nature valley. give joy, geat kohlsght now with an extra 15% off give joy with a sequined sweater the perfect ankle boots or a cuddl duds throw. and when you give joy, you get joy with kohls cash presents for them, kohls cash for you give joy, get joy at kohls

♪ thanks for giving lien the strength to outrun her brother. thanks for giving victor the energy to be the rowdiest fan. and joseph, the ability to see monsters. when you choose walgreens, you choose to make a difference... like how every vitamin and flu shot you get at walgreens helps give life-changing vitamins and vaccines... to children in need around the world and here at home. so, really... happy thanks for giving! walgreens. at the corner of happy and healthy. what is that?the google pixel 2. what can it do? a lot. can it tell me when to leave? yes, now. and the fastest way there? yep. can it take a selfie just by saying take a selfie? yep. take a selfie. what happens if i snap this? it gives you info. what happens if i snap her? she likes it. do i still have to sit here for ages? no, it charges in fifteen minutes. will it ever do this? never. what happens if i squeeze it? try it. google pixel 2: "hi, i'm your google assistant." "how can i help?" hello. so...it's a phone?

well it's a phone by google. ♪ we're b we're back at 8:10. music is trending. >> uh-huh. >> we have opened up our mailbox, all of us, to find that exclusive invitation, yes, the one for jury duty. one potential juror got attention on wednesday which is trending just about everywhere and his name is former president barack obama. even former presidents have to serve their civic duty. he arrived in chicago to plenty of fanfare and cameras and he was not chosen for the jury. he's not the only big name we've ever seen called to jury duty. george h.w. bush, taylor swift, madonna. so jury duty, does anyone else look forward to it or wish they could serve? >> yes.

i did it. didn't get picked. >> why do you think they didn't pick you? >> quite the scandal. >> by the way, when it goes back to president obama for a second, if he got on a jury, almost by default, does it get elected chairperson. >> the foreman. i think that's why they don't pick him because it's a jury of one. who would be the best juror for a criminal defendant? >> first of all, who is more likely to be a criminal defendant here? >> wow! >> absolutely. >> i want al. >> al is one of the most fair people i know. >> yes.

>> i would want someone who would let me >> carson, what is going on? >> a big night at the "cma awards." carrie underwood always does a nice job and hosted and the song of the year went to taylor swift. she didn't sing the song, she wrote it, "better man." taylor couldn't be there. i think she's here in new york for "snl" but she tweeted a picture of her watching the show and entertainer of the year went to garth brooks. his sixth time for taking that award. >> this year's song is -- >> taylor swift! ♪

>> actually, that was all over social media. his performance had a lip syncing issue. he had done 12 shows and his voice wasn't there and wanted to represent. >> let's move on to lynn-manuel miranda of "hamilton." he's going to bring it to puerto rico. >> wow. >> made a commitment to not only bring the show to puerto rico but returning in the role in the aftermath of maria we decided to expedite the announcement of the project. puerto rico will recover and back in business stronger than ever. miranda is the creator and original star of the musical. it's a three-week running. "san juan" kicks off january 2019.

finally, celine "my heart will go on" is getting a surprise remix. she's going techno. ♪ my heart will go on and on ♪ >> wow! >> that's the remix. she is really feeling the music right there. she's dancing, busting a move. >> do you have a clip? >> i do. and it's a good one. this is house majority whip steve scalise. he's been riding a scooter to get around recovering after being shot at baseball practice back in june but it's not kept him from having a little fun. he challenged texas congressman and fellow scooter sam johnson to get around the capitol. let's see how that played out.

♪ >> got it? >> got it. >> thank you. >> this is a viral video. >> this is like that seinfeld episode. >> yes. 87-year-old representative johnson ended up winning that race. they shared the video online and it's been going thousands strong. >> so cute. al, what's going on? >> well, let's see what we have going on for today. a ace testimony coming in with rain and mountain snow through the central great lakes and pushing on through we have low pri pressure moving off the coast coming in from the northeast and

then a look at the snowfall amounts. the u.p. of michigan could see snow and more heavy rain and mountain snow late into friday and saturday. anywhere from one to three inches in the pacific northwest. that's what's going on around the country. here's what is happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning, everybody. a lot of clouds and mist and drizzle and sprinkles and light rain across the area. not a pretty day to get you started. taking it easier on the roads. wet and slippery. temperatures in the mid-40s. these pockets of light rain and mist and drizzle will continue on through much of the day. and then it dries out considerably overnight tonight. by tomorrow, back to sunshine. br blustery and cold and record-low temperatures by early saturday morning. >> check us out on sirius xm 108.

we have a very special edition of "today's" so special that this west point band is here. take it away. ♪ ♪ >> nice job! so you're saying, well, wait a minute, why are they here? you may remember the westpoint band was here on the very first day we met our puppy with a

purpose charlie. >> let's have a drum roll, >> oh! >> well, guess what, more than 14 months later, that adorable puppy has grown into a remarkable service dog in training. thanks to his america's vet dog trainer olivia pop. now she worked with him diligently every day on a wide range of skills. now the time has come and charlie is about to give one military veteran the ultimate gift just in time for veterans day. but before they meet, let's get to know who charlie will serve. for stacy, there was never a question whether she would enlist in the military, only a question of how she would serve her country. >> the military was a family tradition. all the way back to the revolutionary war on my father's side. when i enlisted, i knew i wanted to do something in the arts and photography was it. >> reporter: she traveled to more than 40 countries documenting service members and

their every day l. able to capture the stories of the american men and women in service doing extraordinary things. >> reporter: after four years, she rose through the ranks to become combat photographer. the coveted opportunity that took her to iraq where she covered the army's infantry operations. it was everything she had worked for yet nothing she expected. >> there's nothing that can ever fully prepare for what you see. my contribution was really to make sure that people understood that there are human beings in the uniforms, that they are not invincible, that they love each other. >> reporter: in 2004, tragedy struck. her convoy was hit by a roadside bomb and nbc news cameras were there.

miraculously, she and her fellow service members surviv convoy was hit again, this time her injuries would prove too much to bear. >> and that is pretty much what sealed my fate in terms of the end of my career. >> reporter: today she still deals with the effects of those attacks. she has a traumatic brain injury and suffers from migraines and seizures. >> every day i don't know if i'm going to have a seizure. >> reporter: though it took time, she wanted to get behind the lens and in 2008, the veterans portrait project was born, an effort to photograph and share the stories of military veterans from all walks of life. >> it gave me the strength i needed to kind of pull up my bootstraps and to press on and push through the pain. >> reporter: pain that she'll now have a little more help

coping with, thanks to >> i don't stop and i believe that charlie is going to be just the right teammate to give me a motivation to keep going. >> reporter: stacy is now here along with charlie's trainer olivia pop. thank you for your service and we're so thrilled to have you here. >> thank you. >> reporter: this will be your first service dog. you've been waiting about two years. how are you feeling? >> i am overwhelmed and absolutely excited to meet charlie. >> you know charlie a little bit because you've been watching the show. you saw when he had his first day. >> i was sitting there with a cup of coffee and i saw charlie run out and i looked at my husband and i thought, who is this? and in the back of my mind eye i'm thinking no chance charlie would be mine and then i got the call. so overwhelmed and very excited. >> can we take a look at your shirt? you are definitely already in love with charlie. what will it mean meeting him, do you think?

>> i meeting a new family member because that's what he's going to be for us, not only my teammate but part of the family. >> do you live near any celebrities? >> i'm among several right now. >> olivia, how are you feeling? >> when people hear this is my job, they say i could never give up that dog because they focus on the loss but this is just the beginning. >> yeah. >> and this is what we've worked collectively so hard for and i'm thrilled. >> stacy, are you ready? why don't you tell her where to stand, olivia. and let's just say, here comes charlie. charlie? >> charlie, come.

charlie. >> oh. [ applause ] >> stacy, what's he look like in person? >> i have no words. >> what -- can we talk a little bit about what you need from charlie, what the tasks are that charlie can help you with? >> well, charlie's going to join me on the road as i continue my journey with the veterans portrait project and this whole time i've been reluctant to ask for help and i've been relying on a lot of my friends around me and charlie just means a lot more independence and it's going to be really important. >> we know this little dog is good for the soul. he's good for your heart. we're so happy he's going to be with you. really happy. and thank you, olivia. >> charlie's not leaving today?

>> no, not today. he'll be hereor longer. >> stacy, thank you for your service and you two are going to make a wonderful pair. you really are. all right. >> olivia -- >> we're going to stay a little longer. >> by the way, another thanks to the westpoint band as well. >> i love it. coming up, we're going to be seeing stars just like charlie but celebrities. michelle pfeiffer is standing by and jason segal is here. first, your local news and

weather. good morning. it's 8:26 on this thursday, november 9th. i'm aaron gilchrist. let's get a check on your first 4 traffic with melissa mollet. >> breaking news on 95 southbound at 234. take a look at this. right now, it's shut down here because of this overturned tractor-trailer on its side. again, the southbound lanes are shut down. they are pushing people off the roadway. we had folks getting by on the shoulder but right now that's not the case and there is volume everywhere this morning. aaron? >> melissa, thank you. a check on the forecast right after a quick break.

stay with us. not a pretty day to be outside today. clouds and light rain and drizzle and fog outside. temperatures in the mid-40s. not much of a change coming your way. up to maybe near 50 to 52 or 53 degrees with clouds around. tomorrow, the sunshine is back

but a gusty northwest wind. highs tomorrow only in the 40 with windchills down into theç teens and 20s. especially by saturday morning. bundle up. >> thank you. you can get the latest news and

weather any time. open the nbc washington app. ♪ we're back now at 8:30 on a thursday morning. chilly morning here in the northeast. getting even colder for the weekend but a nice group of people on the plaza, including stacy and her new buddy charlie. they've just been matched as part of the america's vet program. we still all have tissues and we're trying to take care of our tears. but we're so happy. by the way, start planning your trip to the plaza for next friday. that's the 17th of november because tim mcgraw and faith hill will be here for a special live concert. we have a lot of great

people on the plaza. we've got a young man who 70th birthday. he came from this awesome crew and these perfect signs. jimmy, how does 70 feel? >> good. good. >> feels really good? >> feels old. >> why is it important to you guys to celebrate him today? >> he's the eldest in the family and he's just a rock for us. >> jimmy, happy birthday. enjoy your day. you have a beautiful family. happy birthday. >> happy birthday, sir. coming up, michelle pfeiffer starring in the most anticipated movie this fall. we'll talk with miss michelle and about the one co-star she was very nervous to meet. also, jason segal is in the building. he's got a creative project. and miss megyn kelly is here. something good coming up? >> yes.

you know the woman who flipped th coming out live to talk about it and then a national tv reporter suffers a brain aneurysm. she's in the business of telling people how to deal with emergencies and she talks about the warning signs and how you can be aware. >> megyn, thank you very much. mr. roker? >> looking ahead toward the weekend, friday, tomorrow, strong winds, northern new england. a frigid blast around the great lakes. look for rain in the pacific northwest. saturday, record lows in the northeast and new england. warm and sunny in the southwest and snow left over in the pacific northwest. sunday, sunday, milder along the eastern seaboard. it's going to stay wet in the pacific northwest and some showers down through the central and western gulf. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. good thursday morning. it is cloudy and we have sprinkles out there and it's chilly. 47 degrees right now in washington. the rest of the area is in the

mid- to 46 in clinton. here's a look at the radar. clouds are around, sprinkles near winchester and heading towards leesburg. cold air on the way. saturday night into sunday morning, freeze watch for almost the whole area. temperatures in the 20s and expect highs in the 40s. all right. guess what, your thursday just got a whole lot better. why? because it's thursday night football night in america. the seattle seahawks face off with the arizona cardinals at the university of phoenix stadium. it's inside, it's clear, it's warm, it's 83. it's thursday night football slam on nbc! the way it's meant to be! we are here with one of the most recognizable stars in hollywood. oscar nominee and golden globe

winner michelle pfeiffer, part of the all-star on the orient express" and michelle plays a glamorous widow with plenty of secrets. >> if i linger any longer, i'll have to charge rent. >> i'll say. >> have another drink. >> are you insulting? >> disappointed. some men have a good look. all they had to do was keep their mouth shut and they can take home any prize they want. >> a good line. michelle pfeiffer, good morning. good to see you. >> thank you. >> this is such a famous book and famous film. were you a fan of it, intimidated by taking it on? >> well, i was a little intimidated and i hadn't really seen any of the earlier

adaptations and i'm not that familiar with agatha christy but i loved the script and thought the character was challenging and not like anything i had ever done and it was such a fantastic cast and kenneth was directing it so i was excited. >> it kind of checks all of the boxes. >> yes. >> and also the director, as you mentioned, said that when he got the cast together that first time, all of you famous and impressive actors, it was like the first day of school and you were nervous. >> i was really nervous and i was intimidated the first few days. it was such a massive amount of talent and all people who i have admired over the years. >> it's funny, because i think i read when you met judy dench, you got teary. she was here the other day and i was flipping out over her. it's an honor. >> yeah.

>> and she must have that reaction -- everyb reaction. >> it's sickening, right? >> she's probably like, ladies, calm down. >> and she is kind of like that. >> she's cool. >> she's so cool. >> tell me about the role, what attracted you about it? >> well, she's very extroverted, which i'm not, and like a world traveler and really courageous and a little bit annoying at times and i don't know, it was just what i found very challenging and i also think it had to do with just being a part of this extraordinary cast. >> a lot of people are calling this your comeback year, that 2017 suddenly you're everywhere and i know you feel like it's a little bit of an accident of timing. everything is coming out at the same time. >> a little bit, yeah. >> but you did take time to raise your kids. >> uh-huh.

>> and kind of step away and that sms and wonderful. >> you know, i wish i could really take credit for making this big sort of sacrifice, but it sort of just evolved. you know, i guess my priorities maybe shifted and, you know, we moved out of los angeles and it just became -- the older the kids got, it became more and more difficult to actually say questi yes. when does it shoot, how long will i be away and at sam point i became unhirable and that was really the real reason i hadn't worked and then time went and kind of flu by aew by and one o children said, mom, are you ever going to go back to work and kind of hurt my feelings. what do you mean, isn't it great i'm home?

well, you know, maybe it's time. so -- and then when they s applying for colleges i thought, okay, it is time. >> does it feel good? is it like putting on an old pair of jeans? >> it feels really good because i don't feel that guilt anymore, you know, like working moms feel. >> yes. >> i'm sure you can relate. >> no matter what profession you're in, there's that tug. it doesn't even matter if you're not even a working mom, if you're doing something with your friends, you sort of feel this guilt. >> so true. >> that you should always be with them. so i'm relieved of that and so in some ways it's more fun. >> well, it's fun to have you back on our screen. so happy to see you. michelle, thank you very much. the movie is called "murder on the orient express." it hits theaters tomorrow. matt? we're heading to another world with this guy right here, jason segal. he's going to explain his brand-new book. first, this is "today" on nbc.

- >> all right. we're back now. three years ago we sat down with a first-time author you may have heard from and four books later, jason segel is a bona fide best-seller. his newest for young readers is called "other world" set in the world of virtual reality. how are you doing? >> i'm doing great. >> give us information on guys like you and something jumped out and i think you've co-authored five books? >> yes, with kirsten miller. she's amazing. >> you said up until your late life you were not even a good reader. >> a few years ago i was here with you and did a movie called

"the end of the tour" and i had to read all of the works that's when i became really interested in reading. >> and it kind of ignited this passion in you? >> it did. i realized we're sort of given entertainment as a sedative. they say binge watch this show and you never feel good after you've watched ten hours of tv. >> you just go right to bed and lay there like a blob. >> i really nailed it tonight. i watched ten hours of tv. but every time i wrote a book and sat it down, i know it sounds stupid but i felt smarter and i decided i wanted to help do that with kids. >> this is set in the world of virtual reality. were you a gamer at all? >> i was when i was younger. >> what was your go-to? >> mist. it was one of the first open-world games and that's what i translated to the other world. >> the story here, "other world" is that these people get stuck

in the game and i think it's fascinating because the think there is a fear that the lines get blurred between virtual reality and good-old fashion reality. >> somebody at a giant corporation which provides our needs, a company like amazon, what if a company like that came up with a virtual world, just a little bit better than the one you're living in, why would you ever leave? >> you write this in the book and i love that. "that's how other world tracks you. it introduces you to sensations you'd never be able to feel in real life or because you lack the guts to do it for real and when you find out what's missing, it's almost impossible to let it go again". >> yeah. well, i use that literally. virtual reality is right around the corner. but i also use virtually reality as a metaphor for where we are now.

thu never been more applicable. you have this phenomena of fake news and twitter accounts that belong potentially to russian bots and this instagram life that we live where we say, look how happy i am, here's a picture of beautiful breakfast. that's not representative of our actual life and you have a lot of people comparing their insides to other people's outsides. why don't i feel like breakfast dad? >> exactly. people who may think gaming is not for me, this is also sci-fi, it's a love story. >> yeah. >> so it kind of touches a lot of different areas. >> there was a movie when i was young called the last star fighter that i was obsessed with that a guy finds out that the video game that he loves has l aliens. and there's a little bit of goonies. there's magic over this way. i've always liked that.

but really i want to get at the right in front of you. it's this. you know, it's not into your phone. i think it's so easy to think -- you type something smart, i've done my good job for the day and you put your phone down. but it's a void. this is reality. >> we have to live in the present. >> yeah. >> jason, always nice to have you here. >> likewise. >> really appreciate it. i want to tell people that "other world" is available now and find more about it at today.com/shop. up next, planning a getaway, what you should consider that has been hit hard by mother

nature but are ready for you. first, this is "today" on nbc. welcome back to "today." welcome back to "today."

mother nature has wreaked havoc on the country. missy bell, good morning. i think there's a part inside all of us that even if you want to go on a vacation or a destination and enjoy yourself, you think, ouch, i don't know if it's a good idea to go through a place that went through a difficult time and to be enjoying life there. what's your answer to that? >> you know, if you're afraid to go to these destinations because you're worried that you may use their resources, water or generator power, tourism is the life blood for these areas, that people's livelihoods depend on it and tourism is a path to recovery. >> if you look at places and say, i could never go to those places, it's either underwater or on fire, all of those things, how do you know if the place is ready for tourists? >> make sure that the infrastructure is back in place. you want open airports, open ports, open roads and make sure the hospital is operational as well. >> we're going to go through some spots. we think of the caribbean and

what is going on there and affected. there were two hurricanes that blew through. which are okay? >> 25% of the caribbean were impacted. keep in mind how large that area is. out of the 700 islands, only seven were impacted. u.s. virgin islands, st. martin, they will take longer to recover. you have turks and caicos and puerto rico which sustained a great deal of damage but san juan itself is the epitome of recovery and for the traveler that wants to give back, that's a great opportunity for where you can help rebuild and then you have islands that didn't have any damage at all, jamaica, bahamas, dominican republic. >> you don't want to get lumped in there and say i can't go there because they need your tourism holiday.

>> there's less inventory, always >> let's go to the florida keys. i remember how devastated key west looked. >> all of florida has rebounded nicely. with the keys, the airports are opened, key west, key largo, the attractions are opened and it's the lower keys that really sustained the most damage so you may want to avoid that but right now there's some great seasonal rates to be had. whether when they hit their high season on december 26th remains to be seen. >> book soon? >> exactly. >> texas, houston, those areas got hit hard, too. >> houston is open for business, as is galveston but of the 700 hotels in the houston area, 98% weren't impacted at all. it's a great time to go to houston and come mid-december when they have availability and the rates go down, it's a perfect time to go visit. >> a lot of people were watching

the news and we've had so many of california were just burning and you wonder, napa valley. >> it was but actually napa and sonoma themselves were not that impacted. all of the wineries are opened now except for one. all of the hotels are open. it's a great time to go to napa because there's unprecedented availability and some of the world's best restaurants there. also, they are coming in to what's called cab better na season so you're going to see rates come down. 10 to 40% less than they normally are. many of the hotels are offering second, third, fourth nights free and airports are down 20% year over year. it's a perfect time to go and enjoy napa. >> when katrina hit new orleans, people didn't go back for years. they needed you. >> they do. >> thank you. more information, including how to start planning your next trip, at today.com/travel.

we'll be back in a mnt >> thank yobp uses flir cameras - a new thermal imagining technology - to inspect difficult-to-reach pipelines, so we can detect leaks before humans can see them. because safety is never being satisfied. and always working to be better. before we start, i just want to say if anyone still doesn't have fios, please stay out of the way so your lag doesn't get us all killed, ben talking about you, ben. i know, zoe. what's so good about fios anyway? uh. what's so great about a 100% fiber-optic network that makes your gaming system actually work awesomely? hey. did you take out the trash? haha, garbage boy! dad, i already took out ben. it's not funny. gaming is best on a 100% fiber-optic network. so get fios.

now, just $79.99 per month with a 2-year price guarantee. bp uses flir cameras - a new thermal imagining technology - to inspect difficult-to-reach pipelines, so we can detect leaks before humans can see them. because safety is never being satisfied.

and always working to be better. 8:53 8:53 on a thursday, we're back with jacob, the 11-year-old star of the new movie "wonder." >> he attends mainstream schools for the very first time. what a story. jacob, good morning. >> good morning. >> you're a young man but i know you have a lot of opportunities, a lot of different scripts coming your way. >> yeah. >> why did you like this one? >> the main reason i liked this one was because of the message. i thought that was just really important and, also, i usually don't work with kids and i think it would be fun to work with kids. make friends, stuff like that. so i made so much friends as well. >> good. so what do you hope, honey, kids will learn if they watch this film? >> i hope that kids will learn

to choose kind, mainly, but that means to do whatever you can to make someone else's day better but also to be true to yourself and be proud of yourself. >> jacob, if kids can't see the movie in the theater, they can see it in their classrooms? >> i -- >> that might be the case. >> that might be the case, maybe. >> that's all right. >> sometimes he makes things up. >> just say yes. >> okay, yes. >> how do you define kindness in what do you do for that? >> i'll just include everybody and be respectful and smile. >> oh, man. >> jacob, i have an 11-year-old son who is now grounded for the whole weekend for doing nothing. what do you have next? what's your next project?

>> well, i actually have two movies coming "predator" and "death and life of jonathan". >> this young man has a lot going on. we're going to come back and talk with hoda and kathie lee later on. >> thank you, jacob. first, we've got "megyn kelly today." 8:56 is your time on this thursday, november 9th, 2017. i'm eun yang. we'll check in with melissa mollet. what's going on, melissa?

>> breaking news as we zoom in on this problem, 95 south, and an overturned tractor-trailer. it's a large mess. police activity blocking the right lane causing slowdowns and in the northwest, those closures there on georgia between jefferson and longfellow. eun? >> thank you. we'll check the forecast next.

stay with us. good morning. temperatures are in the 40s. it's chilly outside. we have sprinkles passing by the area. don't be surprised if you see this for the afternoon. freeze watch into saturday morning. we expect temperatures in the 20s starting for the weekend. tomorrow, before we get that cold, we're going to be cold and windy during the day. tomorrow will be one of the colder days. the weekend, though, is going to be dry. eun? >> thank you, sheena. get the news and weather at any time on the nbc washington app.