anne thompson anne thompson nbc news new york. a vigorous upper level low pressure system will drop across the plains a vigorous upper level low pressure system will drop across the plains into kansas and missouri this afternoon. after some morning drizzle, the center of low pressure will close off and intensify as it crosses iowa after 2 pm. a strong mid- level jet in the upper layers of the atmosphere will allow strong to severe thunderstorms to develop early on in southeast nebraska, northeast kansas, and southwest iowa dear future,life is good. no, great. i'm like, a man. only better. but even though i know everything, i still feel like you could surprise me. but life is sweet now. hey, what could go wrong? it's you and me all the way, future. let's get going. it took alexis 4 years to earn her college degree.but it will take her 25 years to pay off her student loans. join the fight to make college affordable. join the fight for alexis. ad lib main weather a vigorous upper level low pressure system will drop across the plains

nbc's anne thompson with late details. >> inside the concert hall, carnage. it was turned into a shooting gallery by terrorists. at least 100 people killed. along with gunfire, paris police say the attackers tossed explosives at the hostages. on stage, an american band, eagles of death metal. tonight, members of the band tell nbc news the band is safe. before midnight, paris police stormed the concert hall, automatic gunfire and sirens fill the nearby streets. they killed at least two attackers. tonight, the president hollande went to the scene and said france will bring the fight to terrorism and will be without pity. anne thompson, nbc news. >> we want to hear from seth forges, a free-lance reporter. we spoke to him a short time ago and he described what he saw. >> reporter: i am in an apartment, it is a bustling nightclub area, bars and restaurants and people around. i see a gathering of people, my first thought was bit of police activity, no big deal. when i saw police officers holding guns, hunched behind vans, a scene out of a movie. a couple of police

anne thompson, nbc news, new york. >>> when we come back, who can get it done faster, the race behind the scenes to get you the book you want to read when you want it. down. =jessica/2shot= we investigate bike thefts at bart, the new hot spots, and efforts to stop them. =raj/vo= plus: the debutant accused of driving drunk and hitting two kids -faces a judge for the first time. =next close= the news is next. >>> finally tonight, when you want something to read in this day and age, you want it now. so to survive, many libraries use a vast behind the scenes operation, that most of us never see, as stephanie gosk tells us, there's a battle between the coast of who can do it fastest? >> reporter: a heavy weight bout between two great cities, new york and seattle, testing skills and strength. the fastest library book sorters in america will be crowned. >> 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. go. hit it. >> the contest is one hour, the team that sorts the most wins every day these warehouses store as many as 200 books a minute. by million dollar machines, fast hands. the books go to branches around the city. >> k

anne thompson, nbc news, uganda. >>> and fascinating news from egypt tonight.he southern city of luxor, scientific testing going on recently in the tomb of king tooten common, researchers think there is a chance there are hidden walls in the tomb and theorize one might contain the remains of queen nefertiti. >>> with tons on the move this weekend, dangerous weather especially in texas and oklahoma. meteorologist mike seidel reports on icy roads and flash floods. >> reporter: across the plains, pounding rain, heavy snow and thick ice. >> it's all ice. >> reporter: in oklahoma roads frozen over, causing dozens of accidents. drivers stranded in the cold. high temperatures today 10 to 30 degrees below average. downed trees and icy power lines left nearly 80,000 customers without electricity today. >> when we walked out this morning, there were trees down everywhere. nobody had power. >> reporter: in kansas slick roads caused cars to careen off highways. at least four people dead. after whiteout conditions in parts of nebraska on thanksgiving, crews in omaha poured

anne thompson, nbc news, new york. >>> when we come back, so much for the customer is always right. some businesses looking for payback for negative reviews. >>> we're back with a consumer alert. a growing issue of buyer beware. before you make a purchase and post a negative review online, turns out some businesses are targeting customers for the harsh words and using the fine print to make them pay. and as gabe guiterrez reports, congress is now trying to stop it. >> reporter: jen palmer never thought an online purchase would change her life. >> we were scared. we were stressed. we had no idea what was actually going to happen. >> reporter: her husband ordered gifts from a website called kleargear.com. she said she never got them so she posted a harsh review, saying these people are horrible to deal with. but then the retailer retaliated, slapping the couple with a $3,500 fine and sending the bill to a collection agency, dinging their credit. today palmer took her fight to capitol hill. >> we never dreamed it would come this far. we really didn't. >> they are called non-disparageme

anne thompson, nbc news nairobi. >> and now the daredevil goat.tiger's meal. instead he chased the tiger out of the sleeping spot it's been four nights and the goat is living in the tiger's shack while tiger is living on the roof. the pair follow each other around during the day. four nights. i wonder what happens when the tiger gets hungry? >> well hopefully he doesn't get lo. and hopefully the goat will keep him away. and now it is time to wish happy birthday to steve erkle himself. and keep it right here for more news weather and sports. i'm dara brown, thanks for watching "early today." hope you have a good one. let the shopping begin... or continue for that matter... thanksgiving thur s >>> let the shopping beginning or continue for that matter. thanksgiving thursday shopping flows right into black friday. >>> here's an idea. don't shop at all. today is the day a national retailer gave employees a paid day off and is encouraging everybody to get outside. >>> shop as it goes up in flames. "today in the bay" starts right now. >>> and a very goo

nbc's anne thompson has the details. >> reporter: americans are obsessed with losing weight. >> avoid hunger tantrums. >> reporter: spending $60 billion a year from diets to gym. there is new help. gastric balloon. one unveiled this week that doesn't require surgery or sedation. it's called elipse. the balloon is in a large capsule with a thin tube attached that the patient swallows. once in the stomach, the doctor fills the balloon with saline, creating a sense of fullness so patients eat less. after four months it dissolves and passes out of the body. >> we are at the dawn of a new age with obesity treatment. >> reporter: 34 patients in europe lost an average of 22 pounds. the manufacturer is applying for fda approval. already okayed by the government, two other balloons placed and taken out with an endoscope tube requiring sedation. it's helping vanessa lawson. >> i was hungry. >> reporter: she said diets only worked temporarily and surgery have no appeal. with the balloon, she's lost 32 pounds. >> i'm eating less and less and i'm satisfied, i'm happy. >> reporter: vanessa is makin

anne thompson, nbc news, new york. >>> when we come back, who can get it done faster, the race behind the scenes to get you the book you want to read when you our parents worked hard so that we could enjoy life's simple pleasures. now it's our turn. i'm doing the same for my family. retirement and life insurance solutions from pacific life can help you protect what you love and grow your future with confidence. pacific life. helping generations of families achieve long-term financial security for over 145 years. you get a cold. you can't breathe through your nose. suddenly, you're a mouthbreather. well, just put on a breathe right strip which instantly opens your nose up to 38% more than cold medicine alone. shut your mouth and say goodnight mouthbreathers. breathe right want bladder leak underwear that moves like you do? try always discreet underwear and move, groove, wiggle, giggle, swerve, curve. lift, shift, ride, glide, hit your stride. only always discreet underwear has soft dual leak guard barriers to help stop leaks where they happen most and a discreet fit that hugs your curv

as nbc's anne thompson reports, campbell's is just the latest food company to get the message. >> warms you, makes you glad -- >> reporter: it's an american staple. campbell's soup, immortalized by andy warhol and parents for a generation. >> it's healthy kids pasta with chicken is getting a modern makeover, cutting more than ten ingredients. gone are the additives you cannot pronounced. added are dehydrated chicken broth, on yans and water. the public has lost its appetite for anything artificial. >> they need to think about all the ingredients they're putting in their food. >> reporter: the nation's top food and beverage companies sold 6.4 trillion fewer calories, by changing portion sizes and lower calorie options. the next step, general mills cereals are going all natural. taco bell pizza hut and craft's iconic macaroni and cheese are doing the same. tyson chicken will no longer use human antibiotics. and 150 additives will be shown the door at panera bread. it's being called a seismic shift. >> people are realizing they want the food they eat to be healthy, they want that food. i t

anne thompson, nbc news, washington. >>> the heart-stopping video of the day comes from brazil where a security camera was rolling as a man slowly walked across train tracks never realizing the train was approaching at that very moment. astonishingly, the train misses him by a hair, but he never looks up the whole time. apparently unaware he was nearly run over. because of that video, the rest of the world is aware. >>> when we come back, how the worst day of this retired soldier's life led to the highest military honor. our parents worked hard so that we could enjoy life's simple pleasures. now it's our turn. i'm doing the same for my family. retirement and life insurance solutions from pacific life can help you protect what you love and grow your future with confidence. pacific life. helping generations of families achieve long-term financial security for over 145 years. new #1 selling frequent heartburn brand in america. i hope you like it spicy! get complete protection the new leader in level protection. i brought in some protein to get us moving. i'm new ensure active high prote

anne thompson, nbc news, nairobi. >>> when we come back, thanksgiving wouldn't it. all the hard work that goes into bringing a it takes a lot of work... to run this business. i'm on the move all day long... and sometimes, i just don't eat the way i should. so i drink boost to get the nutrition that i'm missing. boost complete nutritional drink has 26 essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium and vitamin d to support strong bones and 10 grams of protein to help maintain muscle. all with a great taste. i don't plan on slowing down any time soon. stay strong. stay active with boost. now try new boost compact and 100 calories. [ male announcer ] pain not sitting too well? burning to feel better? itching for relief? preparation h offers the most maximum strength solutions for all hemorrhoid symptoms. from the brand doctors recommend most. preparation h. don't stand for hemorrhoids. the cold truth is, (coughing) you can't work from home when you're sick. you need real relief. alka-seltzer plus day cold & fluhas three cold symptom fighters to relieve your tough sy

as nbc's anne thompson reports, they want the company to pay millions of dollars in damages. >>>>eporter: for generations, women have relied on the pill to avoid pregnancy, but a new lawsuit says eight brands ofirth control pills failed, putting 113 women in danger of unintended pregnancies because the pills were defectively and dangerously designed, manufactured, packaged, sold and distributed. the defendants, endo pharmaceuticals of quality and qualitest based in pennsylvania. they were packaged upside down so the placebo were taken at the start of the 28-day cycle rather than at the end. that left the women without adequate couldn't recommendation. qualitest voluntary recalled the pills in 2011. the recall involved an extremely sma number of pill packs and was able to confirm only onee defective blister pack was sold. one legal expert says if the women win, the cost of pregnancy and child birth will be reimbursed. recovering the cost of raising a child will be much harder. would say having a child is worth it. we all think having a child is worth it in the long run, even t

anne thompson, nbc news, new york. >>> when we come back, so much for the customer is always right.e businesses looking for payback for negative reviews. or paybac for negative reviews. here at fidelity, we give you the most free research reports, customizable charts, powerful screening tools, and guaranteed 1-second trades. and at the center of it all is a surprisingly low price -- just $7.95. in fact, fidelity gives you lower trade commissions than schwab, td ameritrade, and e-trade. i'm monica santiago of fidelity investments, and low fees and commissions are another reason serious investors are choosing fidelity. call or click to open your fidelity account today. just prepping for my boss' party in a couple weeks. whatcha doin? what are those? crest whitestrips. they whiten way better than paste. crest 3d white whitestrips whiten 25 times better than a leading whitening toothpaste. someone's making quite an impression. this holiday season, select crest whitestrips are buy one, get one free. but i've managed.e crohn's disease is tough, except that managing my symptoms was all i w

anne thompson is traveling with the pope. >> reporter: nairobi welcomed pope francis. his first mass on the strip celebrated in english. 300,000 braving the rain and mud. some inspired by the pope's most famous words. who am i to judge? >> is that message important to you? >> very important to me because it's opening up the doors for many people. >> reporter: to africa, francis brings a message of reconciliation and peace, trying to build the bridge between christians and muslims. sorely needed after university students were executed, mostly christians, this past april. >> kenya is still on edge after recent attacks. pope francis never use god's name as justification for hay hatred or violence. >> reporter: pope francis warning it would be catastrophic if there was not an agreement for climate change next week in paris. a pope working to create all god's creatures, especially the people. anne thompson, nbc news, nairobi. >>> when we come back, thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without it. all the hard work that goes into bringing a it takes a lot of work... to run this

anne thompson spoke with a drug company ceo that a problem for so many people means your money or your life. >> reporter: they are the talk of the industry. two new drugs that could lower bad cholesterol. intended for those with inherented high cholesterol or heart disease. like 25-year-old steven doyle. he works out daily and takes statins that are not doing enough. >> new drugs on the horizon. >> his doctor at the hospital said steven needs the new drugs but he is worried about the cost as he waits for approval from his insurance. >> it is tough when it comes to medical stuff costing so much because you can't say no to medication. >> reporter: each drug costs more than $14,000 a year. but one watchdog group said the price should be from 2200 to $7,700. >> we weren't profitable until late 2013. >> reporter: so we went so see this doctor, ceo of regeneron that makes the drug that could help steven. he said the drug has lost money, 25 of its 27 years. assembly line from drug low in cholesterol and you formula how to do this. this is a lot of blind alleys and long nights of trying differ

here's anne thompson. >> reporter: inside the vatican concert hall, what one police official says the carnage, the intimate club with room for 1,000 patrons turned into a shooting gallery by terrorists, at least 100 people killed. along with gun fire, police say there were explosives. the six man group from palm these sort desert, california was in the middle of a european tour. the band's face book page are saying they're currently trying to the determine the whereabouts of the band and crewing. police stormed the concert hall to free the hostages, automatic gun fire. french tv reports four attackers are dead and three blew themselves up with -- france will bring to the fight against terrorism and will be without pity. now as the attacks happened, tonight u-2 was rehearting for tomorrow's night's concert on hbo. the rehearsal was stopped and the entire band and crew were taken back to the their hotel where they went to a private entrance and held under ground until that location was secure. they are canceling saturday night's concert. >>> we want to go now to a man concert hall. he e

. >> commissioner adams i want to thank both of you and start off with mary ann thompson what you've done in the oewd mayor's office of economic workforce development especially in the investment in the neighborhood program their out there pound on the carrier and work with the businesses i sue last year with the kickoff for the shop and dine 49 i was given a stieshg who am i going to debiting give those out to you am on the third brunch they're talking about to the corridors castro street and fillmore the group will be available should be commend lynn small business saturday made a tremendous difference especially in my neighborhood which is castro the day after thanksgiving i remember kathleen it was dead and now it is like that saturday is like it is happening now so you really, really engaged not only my neighborhood but i see is it in other neighborhoods throughout the city i think that small business saturday a tremor success especially in san francisco and getting people to spend the money in the neighborhoods instead of going downtown so, now they're coming into the neighborh

an thompson is anne thompson is following pope francis on his trip. >> you'd never know this was the most dangerous part of the pope's africa trip. look at his face this morning. but he is visiting a country, the central african republic, that has been the center of a bloody conflict that's killed more than 6,000 people since 2013. >> reporter: the capital city is a mix of force and trappings to protect pope francis who comes for peace. francis is the first pope to visit an active war zone. this nation is suffering from more than two years of bloody battle between muslim rebels and christians. displacing a quarter of its people, many of them children. >> the pope's visit is a great opportunity, not only to bring the attention on the car situation, but to bring the attention on the children. >> reporter: today, francis visited a refugee camp. tomorrow, he'll meet with muslims at a mosque in one of the city's most dangerous neighborhoods. on the plane to africa, francis own safety, saying he was more worried about the mosquitos. in kenya and uganda, security has been very visible. ther