Is nbc nightly news with brian williams. Good evening. Im cameron hall in for brian on this Christmas Eve. We break from the cdc. A technician may have been exposed to ebola and other staff who may have had contact with that lab are being identified. Its the latest in a series of embarrassing errors for the cdc. The agencys director tonight saying hes troubled by this incident. An investigation is now underway. We get late details tonight from nbcs Gabe Gutierrez in atlanta. Reporter tonight, an internal investigation is underway at the centers for Disease Control to find out how one of their workers and possibly more could have been exposed to the deadly ebola virus. The exposure took place monday when scientists researching the virus mistakenly sent a sample from a highlevel security lab to a lower level lab at the cdc. The technician has no symptoms and is being monitored for 21 days. You have to get ebola into your body to be infected, so its likely that the risk to the technician was very low. Reporter this year the cdc has been under fire. In june more than 80 workers were potentially exposed to anthrax by mistake. The head of that Bioterrorism Lab later resigned. Then u. S. Hospitals said the agencys recommended protocols for dealing with the ebola virus were unclear. In congressional hearings cdc director tom friedman admitted the agency made mistakes. Tonight in response he says i am troubled by this incident and i have directed that there be a full review of every aspect of the incident and that the cdc take all necessary measures. Dr. Friedens come under criticism for the way hes handled the ebola crisis. Some critics said he came across as too confident that ebola wouldnt spread in the United States and then it did. Reporter the worst Ebola Outbreak on record has devastated west africa, killing more than 7,500 people. But the cdc says the risk from this latest mistake is low, and there is no public threat. Cdc officials here say that other workers who entered that lab have been contacted, but so far its unlikely anyone else was exposed. Gabe, thank you. One of the most hard to get items to buy today was not a hot new toy, it was a movie ticket to sonys film the interview, the one that launched an international incident. While hundreds of theaters say they will show it, its also now Available Online. We get the latest tonight from our justice correspondent pete william whos in our washington newsroom. Pete, good evening. Reporter good evening. This is a first newly released hollywood movie showing up in theaters and online at the same time. But Sony Entertainment says its the best way to demonstrate that a cyber attack did not end up silencing the studio. First it was impossible to find, now its almost impossible to miss. Hello north korea reporter comedy about journalists on a cia mission to kill the leader of north korea. You want us to assassinate the leader of north korea . Yes. What . Reporter today it became Available Online through google play, youtube, Microsoft Xbox and a dedicated website. Lit up on twitter, watching the interview a day early and from the comfort of my home. Thanks, north korea. Sony says it began talking with online providers a week ago, two days before president obama criticized the studio. Yes, i think they made a mistake. Reporter the big Movie Theater chains are taking a pass on the film, but hundreds of independents are stepping up in nearly every state. This one in new mexico is owned by game of thrones then the next guy may not push the envelope. He may not make a movie thats going to be controversial or break taboos or anger people. Reporter ticket sales have been brisk. Some theaters are sold out. We as americans dont givein to terrorist demand. Im so excited to see it. Reporter theaters say theyre mindful of the vague attack threats earlier this month before sony pulled the film. Well have extra security, perhaps few extra rules entering the theater what youre allowed to carry in. A few other small details. Reporter early reviews of the film are not kind, but with all the attention that may not matter. This is not the kind of movie that depends on critical reviews to be successful. And now i think theres a whole class of people out there who are going to go see this movie on principle who wouldnt have seen it otherwise. Reporter Computer Security experts say the real north korea has suffered seven internet outages in the past two days, but they say its internet presence is so small, virtually any hacker could do it. Pete williams in washington tonight, pete, thank you. We continue to keep a close eye on the weather tonight. A rough go for a lot of lastminute travelers. Well have a check on that in a moment, but first to the outbreak of tornadoes that swept across the south. Four people were killed in mississippi, many more injured and homes and businesses leveled in an instant, nbcs jacob rascon is live for us tonight. Reporter good evening. The National WeatherService Tonight says the tornado that tore through columbia might have been as strong as an ef3 cutting a path three and a half miles long and leaving behind scenes like this. This is easily the worst day of martha halls 84year life. Not even her cane survived. She was about to deliver christmas pies when her suv took a direct hit. Everything hit. Looked like it was trying to take it up off the ground and everything rumbled and shake. I bowed down, i remember that, my head like this. I was just saying take care of us. Take care of us. And he did. Reporter all six homes and three businesses on marthas block are no more. I was standing right over here. Reporter across the street Jeff Pennington and seven coworkers had just finished eating dinner at their Christmas Party when they spotted the tornado. There was just no time to do anything really. Just hit the floor. Everything seemed like it was about to blow and it literally did. The roof came off. The ceiling came off. Reporter more than 100 homes and businesses now damaged or destroyed. The collapsing structured killed four adults, injuring many others and declaring states of emergency in two counties. Our hearts go out to the families of these particularly at this time of year. Reporter its not new for mississippi, but its new for martha. I dont have no plans at all. Nothing. I dont know whats going to happen. Reporter despite losing everything just before christmas found a reason to give thanks. Thank you, god, you spared our lives. Cause aint no way we could have made it without him to protect. Reporter and marthas one of dozens of people treated and released in the aftermath of the tornado. The mayor of this small city tells me people from outside communities started coming here to help before dawn, many of them planning on sticking around helping people like martha feel like its christmas after all. Tameran. All right, jacob rascon on the ground in columbia, missouri. Slow going for a lot of lastminute travelers. Nbcs ron mott is at new Yorks Laguardia airport, ron, good evening. Reporter good evening to you. Good things didnt necessarily come to those who waited until today to travel. Fortunately aaa says a vast majority of americans drove to their destination. But folks trying to get out bf ait was a day of disruptions. Look at the scene today earlier at laguardia. Despite the heavy fog, you see low visibility and persistent rain. Flight disruptions were pretty mellow, five dozen or so. But elsewhere across the country, especially out west, long lines. Very long lines. L. A. X. Crowding was the issue there. Look at this flight aware misery map. Youve seen this map before. Theres a lot of green there, which is good. But theres also a lot of red, which means problems. Weve seen big problems at chicagos ohare, dallasft. Worth and san francisco. In all the weather contributing to some 2,500 flight delays, more than 300 cancellations. But a little good news for the procrastinators trying to get out of laguardia, as you see its pretty wide open. So they can slow their roll just a little bit. Ron, thank you. So the question a lot of people are asking tonight, what will the weather look like on christmas . Our friend meteorologist janice huff is in the Weather Center with the forecast. Janice, hows it looking . Its looking better for christmas day, but right now seeing severe thunderstorms move through portions of ohio. Earlier today thunderstorms reported south of jacksonville, but no damage reported there from those, no touchdowns. This Severe Weather now stretches if cleveland to akron towards parkersburg. And thats moving towards western pennsylvania and eventually new york city may hear rumbles of thunder. There will be snow falling on the backside over parts of southern michigan. As you go through time here in our futurecast, youll notice things start to clear out on Christmas Morning across parts of the northeast. Some areas have snow on the ground still in some of the northern sections of new england, so youll have a white christmas. This is whats on the ground right now stretching back through the Upper Peninsula of michigan, the Northern Plains and the usual places over the peaks of the rockies and sierra nevada. One location you dont think about snow at all is hawaii, but there are blizzard warnings in effect for the highest peaks of the big island, up to eight inches of snow and possibly wind gusts up to 60 miles an hour above 11,500 feet. But at the beaches, sunshine and warm janice, thank you so much. New calls for calm in ferguson, missouri after a white Police Officer shot and killed a black teenager after the Police Officer says the teen pointed the gun at the officer at an incident at a gas station. John yang is in berkeley, missouri tonight. Good evening. Reporter good evening, tameran. The shooting at this gas station and Convenience Store brought up memories of many people of the shooting of Michael Brown just five miles from here in ferguson, missouri. But tonight officials here in berkeley are quick to say that the two cases are very different. Today, officials were quick to release security video of the incident showing different angles. A berkeley, missouri Police Officer investigating a shoplifting report encounters two men. Less than a minute later one of them, identified as 18yearold antonio martin, raises his arm pointing a gun, officials say, at the officer who quickly backs up. The officer produced his Service Weapon and fired what we think at this point is three shots. Reporter one struck martin killing him. Police say they recovered a loaded. 9 millimeter at the scene and martin has a criminal record. As word of the shooting spread, a crowd gathered. A firecracker was thrown. There were four arrests. He gone. He gone. Reporter martins girlfriend and his mother were there. Try it get him back in school and stuff. Reporter today, berkeley mayor conceded emphatically this is not ferguson. Here in berkeley if you review the video, youll see that the aggressor was not the police. It was the victim. Reporter other officials agree the two cases are very different, but acknowledge there may be anger and skepticism. And im angry too, but i have to tell the truth. In this situation there is a young man who illegally possessed a gun. Reporter marcus nevels works at a restaurant across the street and doesnt expect large fergusonlike protests. It will be done and over with. Reporter tonight, there are two investigations, one by the st. Louis county police department, one by the local Berkeley Police department. And berkeley mayor hoskins is pledging an open and transparent investigation. John yang in berkeley, missouri. The family of slain nypd officer wenjian liu sitting in a patrol car along with officer rafael ramos. And we heard today from the Airline Jetblue offering to fly officer lius family members in from overseas for his funeral. The airline is also offering to fly two Police Officers from each department across the country who wish to attend the funerals. Former president george h. W. Bush remains hospitalized tonight in houston a day after he was brought there in an ambulance after experiencing shortness of breath. Nbcs charles hatlock is at houston Methodist Hospital with the latest. Charles, good evening. Reporter good evening, tameran. Doctors at Methodist Hospital decided to keep the president overnight after he arrived with shortness of breath. Mr. Bush is facing yet another christmas in hospital. He spent the hospital in the intensive care unit with bronchitis and a cough that kept him in the hospital for two months. He eventually recovered. And although parkinsons disease makes it now difficult for him to walk, the former president has stayed active, even sky diving for his 90th birthday last summer. Tonight though mr. Bush is watching his christmas unfold once again from a hospital room. Tameran. Charles, thank you so much. Still ahead tonight, christmas in the holy land. Celebrations in bethlehem, Midnight Mass at the vatican, tonights message from the pope. Also, what goes up must come down, right . Tell that to bao bao the giant panda. High drama tonight at the national zoo. You know i tried one of those bargain paper towels but i had to use so many sheets per spill the roll just disappeared. 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Nbcs jim maceda has our report. Reporter at the vatican a solemn Midnight Mass. Pope francis ushering in the holiday that marks the birth of christ for more than 2 billion worshippers worldwide. Many in conflict zones. U. S. Troops in afghanistan singing by candlelight. And pilgrims to christs birthplace, bethlehem in the west bank. Merry christmas. Reporter american david bogeri came from iowa. To proclaim the name of jesus, not to talk politics. Reporter but there are tensions here even at christmas. Palestinians in santa costumes protested Israeli Occupation and scuffled with police. Elsewhere santas were making friends and spreading joy. It brought a little bit of christmas to thailand. Reporter in baghdad, bringing presents to christian children who fled isis with their families. In france seen recent attacks by suspected militants police tightened security, so has the vatican. At christmastime theres perhaps no more symbolic target for islamist militants than here at st. Peters square, so security is on a heightened state of alert given that pope francis himself has been specifically threatened by isis. But the pope gave no sign of that tonight. His Christmas Eve message was one of hope, joy and peace. Jim maceda, nbc news, the vatican. Were back in a moment with drivers shocked to see loads of cash in the middle of the road and a big mystery tonight. Is a really big deal. U with aches, fever and chills theres no such thing as a little flu. So why treat it like its a little cold . Theres something that works differently than overthecounter remedies. Attack the flu virus at its source with prescription tamiflu. And call your doctor right away. Tamiflu is fda approved to treat the flu in people 2 weeks and older whose flu symptoms started within the last two days. Before taking tamiflu tell your doctor if youre pregnant, nursing, have Serious Health conditions, or take other medicines. 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Hes off delivering presents to good boys and girls around the world right now, but before santa took off on his journey, he took part in an annual tradition water skiing on the potomac in washington. And from the looks of it the big guy is pretty good at it. There is high drama tonight at the national zoo in washington. The giant panda cub bao bao spent tuesday night and all day today up a tree refusing to come down after apparently touching a hot wire used to keep her in the panda house. Zoo keepers say her reaction is perfectly normal and predictable. While she learns the boundaries of her habitat. And this video caught our eye from the south China Morning post. A traffic jam in hong kong after drivers made a mad dash for millions of dollars spilled into the road. It happened when a truck transporting about 4. 5 million suddenly began spilling crates of cash. Local reports say while half of the money was recovered, about 2 million is still missing tonight. And authorities are asking people to return it. Good luck with that one. Well see what happens. When we come back, wheres santa right now . And when will he get to you . We are on his trail. People with type 2 diabetes come from all walks of life. If you have high blood sugar, ask your doctor about farxiga. Its a different kind of medicine that works by removing some sugar from your body. Along with diet and exercise, farxiga helps lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. With one pill a day, farxiga helps lower your a1c. And, although its not a weightloss or bloodpressure drug, farxiga may help you lose weight and may even lower Blood Pressure when used with certain diabetes medicines. Do not take if allergic to farxiga or its ingredients. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction include rash, swelling or difficulty breathing or swallowing. If you have any of these symptoms, stop taking farxiga and seek medical help right away. 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It can be dark up there for the reindeer pulling santa and his sleigh, but they can find streets like this one all lit up, even from far away. They land on our rooftops without making a peep. I always try to hear him but i always somehow fall asleep. Reporter so how are kids supposed to know just where to find santa . He could be in australia, he could be in atlanta. Well, lucky for us the folks at norad are here. Today is one of the most important days out of the year. Reporter they have 1,200 volunteers to track santas flight as he takes rudolph and the gang around the world all night. It all happens at headquarters in Colorado Springs where they get hundreds of phone calls asking all kinds of things, like how can santa hit every town in a world thats so vast . I think he has super fast reindeers that go very fast. Reporter thats a really good guess. And hes actually right. The experts here say. Santa travels faster than starlight. Reporter blame a phone number and old ad that wasnt quite right. Instead of calling santa, kids got the government instead. So the good folks at norad figured why not track big red. Right now santas making his way to our nation. All thats left now is the anticipation. Its almost that time to get to bed. And no peeking, after all santa doesnt come if were not sleeping. Reporter hell get the cookies and milk because st. Nicks on his way. Merry christmas to all from nbc news and l. A. Ho ho ho, merry christmas. Thats our broadcast for this wednesday night. Thank you for being Jake Gyllenhaals hot new hookup. Meg ryan getting engaged . Breaking Christmas Eve couples news. Now on extra. Jake gyllenhaal linked to the star of the affair. Kendall jenner hooking up with chris brown . John mellencamp proposing to meg ryan . Who just bought her man this new car . Jennifer aniston on the pressure to look perfect. In hollywood, it is a big thing about women and makeup. And jen stripped down from the oscar buzz to her climb to the top of the hollywood ladder. I didnt sell a damn timeshare. Kevin costner on his racially charged new movie opening in the wake of ferguson. The temperature of america right now, how do you think theyre going to take to a film like this . We have to have this discussion. Then jon bon jovi unwrapping his rock star diaries full of never before seen photos. There are some shots that are going to have to wait until im dead. Plus, vacation like a star. Extras holiday steals. Now on extra from universyu Universal Studios hollywood, the entertainment capital of l. A. [ cheers and applause ] hey, everyone. Welcome to extra. Im