Just how effective is it . The discouraging headline just out. Good evening. And its great to have you with us here on a wednesday night. And for millions of americans, it was a stunning headline to wake up to. Matt lauer, the longtime host of the today show has been fired. His cohost, Savannah Guthrie, her voice trembling. She learned just before the show. Lauer is accused of inappropriate sexual behavior and late today, new allegations now surfacing. Offcamera, guthrie and hoda kotb seen hugging. The closeknit team clearly shaken. And tonight, as these new allegations now surface, nbc news out with a new statement. Did they know anything before the complaint this week . Abcs linsey davis, leading us off. Reporter Savannah Guthries voice trembling at the the today show. Good morning. Breaking news overnight. Matt lauer has been terminated from nbc news. Reporter and then, her first moment on camera without matt lauer by her side. And good morning, everybody. Welcome to today. And hoda is here with me this morning, because this is a sad morning here at today and at nbc news. Just moments ago, nbc news chairman andy lack sent the following note to our organization. Reporter in the email, lack writes, dear colleagues, on monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by matt lauer. It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our companys standards. As a result, weve decided to terminate his employment. While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over 20 years hes been at nbc news, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident. We just learned this moments ago, just this morning. As im sure you can imagine, we are devastated. And we are still processing all of this. And i will tell you right now, we do not know more than what i just shared with you. Im sure we will be learning more details in the hours and days to come. And we promise we will share that with you. And hoda, i mean you know, for the moment, all we can say is that we are heartbroken. Im heartbroken for matt. He is my dear, dear friend and my partner. And he is beloved by many, many people here. And im heartbroken for the brave colleague who came forward to tell her story and any other women who have their own stories to tell. And we are grappling with a dilemma that so many people have faced these past few weeks. How do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly . Reporter Savannah Guthrie and her colleague hoda kotb photographed when the cameras werent rolling. We were both woken up with the news kind of predawn and were trying to process it and trying to make sense of it. Reporter late today, variety came out with a report following a twomonth investigation into lauers behavior, including interviews with three women who identified themselves as victims of Sexual Harassment by lauer. According to variety, lauer allegedly once gave a colleague a sex toy as a present and included an explicit note. Another female employee reportedly claims he summoned her to his office and then dropped his pants. According to several accounts in the report, lauer was allegedly known for making lewd comments verbally and over text messages, and they say he had a button under his desk that allowed him to lock his door from the inside without getting up. Several women told variety their complaints to management about lauer fell on deaf ears. As for the accuser who went to nbc news monday with her attorney and good morning, welcome to today and to sochi, russia. Reporter nbc news says the alleged inappropriate sexual behavior started at the 2014 olympics in sochi and continued for months after the games. The accusers attorney saying in a statement, my client and i met with representatives from nbcs Human Resources and legal departments at 6 00 p. M. On monday for an interview that lasted several hours. Our impression at this point is that nbc acted quickly, as all companies should, when confronted with credible allegations of Sexual Misconduct in the workplace. I am in awe of the courage my client showed to be the first to raise a complaint and to do so without making any demands other than that the company do the right thing. As the news broke, President Trump was quit to tweet. Wow, matt lauer was just fired from nbc for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace. But when will the top executives at nbc and comcast be fired for putting out so much fake news. It was the president himself who, as a candidate, received accusations from more than a dozen women and said in a 2005 access Hollywood Video you know im automatically attracted to beautiful i just start kissing them. Its like a magnet. Just kiss. I dont even wait. And when youre a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Whatever you want. Grab them by the [ bleep ]. Reporter to bill oreilly, who was fired following accusations of Sexual Harassment, it was lauer who pressed oreilly on the bravery of the women. Think about those five women and what they did. They came forward and filed complaints against the biggest star at the network they worked at. Think of how intimidating that must have been, how nerveracking that must have been. Doesnt that tell you how strongly they felt about the way they were treated by you . Well, its not just me. Those lawsuits involved many other people, not just me. Reporter and prior to his termination, matt lauer was actually scheduled to be part of tonights Christmas TreeLighting Ceremony here in rockefeller center. The New York Times is now reporting that nbc news received two new complaints today about matt lauer, including from a former employee who says that in 2001, lauer summoned her to his office to have sex with her. David . And linsey, tonight nbc news out with a new statement . Reporter yes, they just released a statement not too long ago, david, saying, we can say unequivocally that prior to monday night, current nbc news management was never made aware of any complaints about matt lauers conduct. David . Linsey davis leading us off tonight. Linsey, thank you. We turn next here to the arrest in tampa. A suspected serial killer in custody tonight. A basketball player who edge grated from st. Johns. A tip from a coworker at mcdonalds alerting police, and tonight, we now know how it all played out. Weve also learned he bought the gun just days before that murder spree began. Abcs Victor Oquendo from tampa. Reporter tonight, police in florida say they have the man who terrorized a tampa neighborhood for weeks. I assure you, this is the man who did this. Reporter their break coming yesterday, when a former mcdonalds worker, Howell Donaldson iii, came into the restaurant. He told my boss to hold the gun, to hold his bookbag for him. But he said, dont go in the bookbag. And so, she went in the bookbag and she found the gun. And after finding the gun, she just called police. Reporter police saying that tip cracked the case. I cannot thank them enough for standing up and doing the right thing. Reporter within minutes, donaldson was brought in for questioning. Police saying theyve matched his gun and cell phone data to the crimes. The gun is what we needed. Reporter but tonight, police dont know why donaldson, who graduated in january from new yorks st. Johns university, where he was a walkon basketball player, would allegedly kill four people at random over five weeks. All walking alone in the dark of night within blocks of each other. Investigators say donaldson is the same man spotted on multiple cameras near the scene where the first victim, benjamin mitchell, was gunned down. His gun bought legally days before. This community has lived for weeks in fear of a serial killer. Thank god we got this guy. We got this guy. Reporter donaldson now facing four counts of first degree murder. If he is found to be guilty, he should die. Its that simple. And Victor Oquendo with us live tonight. What has the suspect told police, if anything . Reporter well, david, the chief of police says that donaldson has been cooperative. Hes acknowledged that the gun is his, but hes not admitted to the murders. Right now, a motive is still a mystery. Hes set to appear in court first thing tomorrow morning. David . Victor oquendo, our thanks to you again tonight. Next, this evening, to President Trump, igniting a firestorm, even as he tries to gain support for his tax plan. A vote is coming very soon. Traveling to st. Louis today. But overshadowing his push, a series of tweets today, inflammatory videos, one proven false, and the white house saying whether the videos are real or not, it doesnt matter. Abcs chief White House Correspondent jonathan karl. Reporter the president today avoided questions about the extremist videos he retweeted, videos that have provoked an international backlash. Mr. President , why have you been retweeting antimuslim videos . Reporter the three videos were originally posted by a tiny, antiislam ultra nationalist party called britain first. A group known for hatefilled incitement. They purport to show muslims engaged in violent acts. In a blunt statement, the office of british Prime Minister theresa may, perhaps americas closest ally, condemned the president for his tweets, saying the group, britain first, seeks to divide communities through their use of hateful narratives, which peddle lies and stoke tensions. It is wrong for the president to have done this. But White House Press secretary Sarah Sanders defended the tweets. Its important to talk about National Security and National Security threats. Reporter the white house insists this is about strong borders. One of the videos claims to show a muslim migrant in the netherlands beating a dutch boy. But tonight, the embassy of the netherlands says thats not true. They say the attacker was actually dutch, tweeting, facts do matter. Still, the white house says it doesnt matter if videos the president tweets are accurate. Look, again, whether its a real video, the threat is real and that is what the president is talking about. Reporter tonight, kkk leader david duke tweeted, thank god for trump. Thats why we love him. This all overshadows the big push for tax cuts today. The president in missouri insisting the republican plan will actually hurt the rich. This is going to cost me a fortune, this thing, believe me. Reporter in fact, most independent analysts project the wealthy will benefit most. While most americans will actually see their taxes rise in ten years. All right, jon karl with us in new york tonight. Great to have you. I know Senate Republicans want to vote on this, and they might vote as soon as tomorrow, but heres the bottom line tonight. Does the president have the votes he needs . Reporter well, the margin is really tight. But it looks like he does have the votes to pass it in the senate. David, its not over there, though, because the house passed a significantly different tax cut. Those differences have to be worked out. But if it does pass in the senate, he will be closer than ever to his first big legislative win. Jon karl, great to see you in person. Next tonight, to capitol hill. And to alleged Sexual Misconduct in congress. Pressure is growing at this hour for congressman john conyers to step down, after more women have now come forward with allegations about him. Tonight, others defending the congressman, including his wife. The democratic leader, nancy pelosi, who took heat, is now changing her tone. Abcs mary bruce, back on the hill. Reporter congressman john conyers spotted boarding a plane to go back home. While on capitol hill today, his wound paraown party is pressuring him to leave for good. I think he should step down. Reporter no doubt . Theres no question in my mind that he should. Reporter multiple women have now accused conyers of misconduct or harassment. One of them, his former deputy chief of staff. It was at a town hall meeting. He bent down to give me a message in my left ear and he put his hand up my dress. Reporter another accuser says conyers would walk around the office in his underwear. But one former top aide defends him. Most of us have walked in on him accidentally without knocking and have seen him in his underwear. Big deal. Thats where his closet is. He changes his clothes there. Reporter conyers denies the accusations, but admits to secretly paying one former staffer a 27,000 settlement. Tonight, in detroit, the congressmans wife distraught. And you all just want to kill this man, who has dedicated 53 years of his life to community service. Reporter and the congressman defiant. His lawyer says he will not resign. So, lets go live to mary bruce, shes up on the hill tonight. And mary, House Democratic leader nancy pelosi was criticized for her response on sunday to the conyers allegations, calling him, quote, an icon in our country. But tonight, her message has changed somewhat. Reporter david, democratic aides tell us, leader pelosi is trying to force the congressman out. A short while ago, she tweeted, no matter your contribution to our country, you do not get a pass to harass or discriminate. David . Mary bruce on the hill tonight. Ma mary, thank you. Next tonight here, north koreas provocative new Missile Launch just before we came on the air here last night. They are now calling it a new type of rocket, nuclear ready, they say, and able to reach anywhere in the mainland united states. New still images just released tonight show the nighttime launch and leader kim jongun and military officials there cheering. It is the latest in a series of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile tests. The launch just days after President Trump put north korea back on the state sponsor of terrorism list. The president tonight saying he is planning new sanctions and that, quote, we will take care of it. We have new images tonight of a 17yearold from florida who police say ran off with her soccer coach. This image tonight reportedly of the two of them in south carolina. There are other reports they were seen in north carolina, too. And Abcs Steve Osunsami is there tonight. Reporter authorities searching for this florida teenager who ran off with a High School Soccer coach are releasing tonight these surveillance images of the two on the run. Seen here sunday standing in line at a gas station in south carolina, and later that day, inside a pawnshop in north carolina. The parents of 17yearold Caitlyn Frisina are begging her to come back home. We miss you, pumpkin, and we love you, and we want to hear from you. Reporter frisina is a minor under florida law, who left her cell phone behind and climbed out of her bedroom window saturday to be with rian rodriguez. Hes a 27yearold grown man who her parents say has no business being with their daughter. The 17yearold played soccer. Her father coached the girls team, rodriguez coached the boys. Hes a family friend, weve known him for several years through soccer and the school and everything. Reporter earlier this year, a tennessee teacher disappeared with a 15yearold student, leading police on a crosscountry search. South of atlanta, police say this 14yearold went missing on the same day at frisina, running away with a young man. Police tonight believe frisina and the soccer coach may be headed to canada. David . Steve, thank you. There is still much more ahead on world news tonight this wednesday. This years flu shot. And the new headline tonight. How effective is it . The discouraging news coming up. Theres also news tonight on the missing toddler, vanishing from her bed. The stunning moment in court. The convicted criminal suddenly drinking poison right there and then shouting a message to the judge. And if youre traveling this christmas, thousands of pilots we have just learned may be on vacation over christmas because of a computer glitch at one Major Airline. How many flights will be effected . Well be right back. Effected . Well be right back. The market. Redict but through good times and bad. At t. Rowe price. Weve helped our investors stay confident for over 75 years. Call us or your advisor. T. Rowe price. Invest with confidence. I had this chest cold, but my medicine kept wearing off. coughah i missed you then i discovered mucinex. One pill lasts 12 hours,and im good. Why take 4hour medicine . One mucinex lasts 12 hours. Lets end this. Replace the full value yoof your totaled new car. t the guy says, you picked the wrong insurance plan. No, i picked the wrong insurance company. With new car replacement™, well replace the full value of your car plus depreciation. Liberty mutual insurance. Patrick woke up with a sore back. But hes got work to do. So he took aleve this morning. If hed taken tylenol, hed be stopping for more pills right now. Only aleve has the strength to stop tough pain for up to 12 hours with just one pill. Tylenol cant do that. Aleve. All day strong. All day long. Next tonight here, to that moment in court making global headlines tonight. A convicted war criminal suddenly drinking poison and then shouting a message to the judge. Heres abcs ian pannell. Reporter standing silent, this hague judge telling sloboban praljak his 20year sentence for war crimes during the bosnian war would be upheld. Mr. Praljak, you may be seated. Reporter his response shocking. Stop, please. Reporter the 72yearold lifting a small brown bottle to his lips, swallowing poison for all the world to see before saying calmly to the courtroom, i have taken poison. We suspend. Please, the curtains. Reporter attempts to save praljak failed. He was convicted for his role in a campaign to drive muslims out of bosnia and create an ethnically pure croat state during the bosnian war in the 90s. 100,000 died and more than 2 million displaced during the threeyear war. So, another remarkable day in a court thats already seen its fair share of dramas, as war criminals are sentenced for their part in that conflict. As you would expect, questions now being asked about how he was able to smuggle poison into court. Abc news learning tonight that security procedures are being tightened up. David . All right, ian, thank you. When we come back tonight, the news coming in about the flu shot this year, and its effectiveness. Also, that Major Airline facing a possible Pilot Shortage christmas week because of a glitch. And there is news coming in tonight on the missing toddler, as well, who police say vanished from her bed. Well be right back. [radio alarm] julie is living with metastatic Breast Cancer, which is Breast Cancer that has spread to other parts of her body. Shes also taking prescription ibrance with an aromatase inhibitor, which is for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive her2 metastatic Breast Cancer as the first hormonal based therapy. Ibrance plus letrozole was significantly more effective at delaying disease progression versus letrozole. And ibrance plus letrozole shrunk tumors in over half of these patients. Patients taking ibrance can develop low white blood cell counts, which may cause serious infections that can lead to death. 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Her mothers boyfriend now says the girl woke up at midnight and he told her to go back to bed. They say she was missing the next morning. Police say a possible sighting at a walmart turned out to be false. A dive team finding nothing in a nearby pond. The fbi receiving at least 140 tips so far. Tonight, American Airlines says it is facing a possible Pilot Shortage over the holidays. The airline blaming a computer glitch for allowing too many pilots to take vacation during the busy christmas week. The pilots Union Warning up to 15,000 flights are in danger of being canceled. The airline now says it is offering to pay pilots overtime for reporting to work. Stay tuned on this one. And the new flu warning tonight. Officials at the National Institutes of health predicting a potentially harsh flu season in the u. S. Health experts concerned this seasons vaccine may only be 10 effective. Doctors insisting it is still better to get your flu shot than not, but boy, that is not reassuring. The article published in the new england journal of medicine. When we come back, we hope this makes you smile. Take a look at this. Police pulling over this family. They said the Christmas Tree just might have been too big this year. And where to order yours made in america. Well be right back. How much money do you think youll need in retirement . Then we found out how many years that money would last them. How long do you think well keep oooooohhh you stopped youre gonna leave me back here at year 9 . How did this happen . It turned out, a lot of people fell short, of even the average length of retirement. We have to think about not when we expect to live to, but when we could live to. Lets plan for income that lasts all our years in retirement. Prudential. Bring your challenges. cough its just a cough. If you could see your cough, youd see just how far it can spread. Robitussin soothes in seconds and delivers fast, powerful cough relief for hours. giggling robitussin dm max. 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Whatever your plans for buying a car, carmax is the place to sell your car. Okay, lets do this, tina, tchicktchick. Here we go, tchicktchick. I believe in ya tina. Cmon now. Ah, we can just hang out here. Finally finally tonight here, our made in America Christmas is back. And we start with the Christmas Tree, of course, and for one family, just getting it home almost spoiled christmas. This family pulled over in sudbury, massachusetts. They were a little overzealous with their Christmas Tree this year. It sure was big. But police were concerned they couldnt see where they were going. Pulled over for, quote, impeded operation. But the officer helped them find a better way to secure the tree. Off with just a warning. Christmas wasnt ruined. All over new york city tonight, the trees are back out. And we remember what they told us. Hi, merry christmas. We asked even about the trees. Are they made in america . North carolina, pennsylvania. Reporter how much does one of these go for . How much you want to give me . Reporter how much you want to sell it to me for . Reporter every year, we try. And across this country, Christmas Tree farmers checking in with us. Not only selling trees hi, david, im jonathan. And im stein. Reporter coowners of the john stein tree company in mckinleyville, california, deep in the heart of redwood country. It turns out, they send you the kit to grow the tree yourself. You can grow your own living Christmas Tree with this awesome Christmas Tree grow kit. Reporter two new hires since we first met them last year. Six different types of Christmas Trees, 8. 99 apiece. Wont be ready for christmas, though, but they say, two to three years, theyre tall enough to put up. All with three words in mind. Made in america by the john Stein Company i love it. Grow your own tree. And the dog clearly excited, too, for christmas. Tweet me your made in America Christmas ideas. Im david muir. Good night. Night. Oakland is taking some homeless from tents to tuff sheds, but whats the next step . And controversy over Christmas Trees. Whos behind these san jose decorations that people say dont fit with the holiday spirit. A couple that lost their home in the north bay fires came here to berkeley and lost something else, their cat. Im john than bloom with the search for this fluffy feline and how you can help. This is something we are trying, its better than nothing. Its better than nothing, its something. These will hopefully replace those evergrowing tent cities. Good evening. Oakland mayor libby schaaf says this is just one part of a larger solution in the citys ongoing effort to deal with a growing number of Homeless People living on the streets. A tuff shed camp is in place. Laura anthony is live now from city hall. Laura . Reporter hi, dan. This is meant to be a temporary solution. By recent estimates, about 400 people live in encampments here in oakland. By next week, the hope is that 40 of them will have four walls and a roof over their heads. They are tuff sheds, 20 of them, 10 by 12 feet each, meant to put at least a dent in oaklands exploding homeless problem. One exhibited by sprawling tent cities like this one just a few yards away. We have a longterm plan, a midterm plan and this is the right now plan. This is immediate relief. Reporter joe devries is in charge of the homeless outlook plan. We were looking at what would be positive both for the unsheltered and for the surrounding community to reduce the problems of the garbage, the blocked roadways, the rats that come with the garbage that