inspiring hundreds to forge their own path. from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. good evening. it was a risky call and a daring military rescue mission, but sadly it ended in failure for a young american journalist held hostage by al qaeda gunmen in yemen. killed as u.s. military commandos closed in on the terrorist hideout in an overnight raid. believing time was running out for 33-year-old luke somers, it was president obama who gave the green light for the rescue attempt. it was the second attempt to rescue somers in less than two weeks. tonight, we've learned more details of last night's mission and the difficult choices that white house and military planners faced. we're covering several angles of this story. we begin with our pentagon correspondent jim miklaszewski. jim, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, lester. this was in fact the second time the u.s. military launched a mission to try to rescue american hostage luke somers. the first time his al qaeda captors simply moved him. today, they killed him. in afghanistan today, defense secretary chuck hagel declared luke somers was murdered during a dangerous and complicated rescue mission. >> like always in these efforts there is -- there's risk. >> my name is luke somers. >> reporter: the 33-year-old somers was a photo journalist kidnapped by al qaeda in yemen in 2013, ten days after the first rescue mission failed he was pleading for his life. >> i'm certain that my life is in danger. so as i sit here now, i ask if anything can be done, please let it be done. >> reporter: in that same video his al qaeda captors threaten to execute somers by the end of today. somers' family responded. his brother jordan pleading for his release while insisting luke had no part in the rescue attempt. >> he is not responsible for any actions the u.s. government has taken. please understand that we had no prior knowledge of the rescue attempt for luke, and we mean no harm to anyone. >> reporter: but u.s. officials feared somers' time was running out. at the white house, president obama received frequent updates. and in a statement today said additional intelligence indicated somers's life was in imminent danger. based on this assessment and as soon as there was reliable intelligence and an operational plan, i authorized a rescue attempt yesterday. in the dark of night dozens of navy s.e.a.l.s. landed two miles from their target in central yemen with u.s. fighter bombers and armed drones circling in the skies above. the american commandos soon reached an isolated cluster of buildings. u.s. military officials say as the s.e.a.l.s. closed in on the building where somers was held, the gun battle broke out. in an intense fire fight the s.e.a.l.s. killed six to nine al qaeda captors. somers and a south african hostage pierre korkie were gravely wounded. they were air lifted out of the area to a u.s. navy ship offshore but both died of their wounds. as of tonight luke somers' immediate family has issued no official public statements except to ask that they be allowed to mourn his death in peace, lester. >> jim miklaszewski starting us off. thanks. >> behind the scenes in washington it was a series of high-level meetings that eventually led to the launch of this risky mission. for more let's bring in nbc's kristen welker at the white house. kristen. >> reporter: lester, good evening. a u.s. official describes the rescue mission as a multi-agency whole of government effort. it started thursday night when video of luke somers was released. officials determined the threat was credible and somers would be killed today. officials say they had credible intelligence about somers' whereabouts based in part on their initial attempt to rescue them last month. that set off a series of meetings at the pentagon, state department and white house. and on friday the president's national security team recommended unanimously that mr. obama approve the mission. they also contacted the president of yemen who agreed to coordinate with the u.s. military. now, as we know ultimately the mission did fail. when asked if the white house had second thoughts, one official said the president still feels it was the right decision to try to rescue somers because the intelligence about his location was reliable. as one official said to me "how could we not in good conscience go in?" that official adds the entire government is in mourning tonight. lester. >> kristen, thanks. this latest hostage mission has put renewed focus on the threat posed by the terror group al qaeda. for more on that let's bring in nbc's keir simmons who is in abu dhabi for us tonight. keir, isis has been stealing headlines as of late. is al qaeda simply trying to raise its profile here? >> reporter: lester, good evening. in reality they never went away. what is happening is underscoring the challenge for washington in dealing with islamic extremism around the world. al qaeda in the arabian peninsula have been focused on targeting aircraft. it, for example, was behind the so-called underwear bomber in 2009. but now al qaeda appears to be in competition with isis in a kind of a terrorism arms race. it's not so say there haven't been successes against al qaeda. pakistanis say they killed the senior al qaeda leader said to be behind a plot to attack a new york subway. an al qaeda core in pakistan has been severely depleted. but in washington it must feel like every time they are tackling one fire, there are other fires starting. lester. >> keir simmons tonight, thank you. tonight, a major typhoon is rolling through the philippines. it's slowly churning across the island nation bringing it with devastating storms for area that bears devastating scars from last year's storm. nbc's jim maceda has our report tonight from the central philippines. >> reporter: the name means to smash. and as ruby made landfall today, the storm did just that. lashing at houses, trees and slashing power cables across the central philippines. many of these provinces still hurting from last year's devastation when supertyphoon haiyan left thousands missing. i worry the waves will get bigger like what happened last year in tacloban. but lessons have been learned. this time over a million people left their coastal homes, what some are calling a record in peacetime. and sought higher ground on their own. or fled to schools and hospitals for shelter before ruby struck. survivors now know where to go and what to do. while philippine soldiers unseen on the shattered streets last year now keep a lid on chaos and looting. and relief agencies having prepositioned food for a month are ready for this monstrous storm. >> as much as possible we leave no stone unturned. >> reporter: as it churns towards manila, ruby downgrade today a category 3 typhoon can still do damage. >> typhoon hagupit continues to track across the central philippines. as it does the wind will decrease, it will weaken as it does but the rain threat will continue to be a big problem. we could see five to eight inches of rain in manila that could cause street flooding. >> reporter: officials fear hundreds could perish. and tonight wind and rains are kicking up the start of what forecasters warn could be a 15-foot storm surge rising from the sea just beyond here. jim maceda, nbc news, the philippines. back in this country now police in michigan have charged a man with four counts of attempted murder after a stabbing attack onboard an amtrak train last night. police responded to a call that a passenger was acting suspiciously. when they arrived the knife attack was already taking place. three passengers and a conductor were injured. the victims are all in stable condition. no word yet on the suspect's motive. across the country this weekend americans are taking to the streets over what has become a pressing national issue, the use of lethal force by police. while new york has been at the center of a debate this week, protests have been going on from coast-to-coast over a series of controversial cases. nbc's ron allen has our story tonight. >> hands up! >> don't shoot! >> reporter: phoenix the latest flashpoint of protests after 34-year-old rumain brisbon was shot and killed by police. police say a white officer, not identified struggled with brisbon thought the unarmed black man had a gun. his mother asked that her face not be shown. >> i'm telling you, this is not about race. this is about a young man gone too soon. >> reporter: but also the case of bernard bailey in south carolina. a black man arguing about a traffic ticket then police chief allegedly shot and killed him in 2011. a grand jury indicted combs wednesday. >> they found probable cause and justice will be served. >> reporter: combs faces a murder charge. cases along with michael brown, eric garner, tamir rice and john crawford all examples have the nation wrestling with very emotional questions. an issue that legal experts say is complicated by the fact that police are not required to report deadly force incidents and suspects by race to a national database. >> one of the opportunities coming out of this moment is to perfect the data. more or less to get a full statistical picture of how often this happens, how many officers are involved, what are the circumstances. >> are they resisting this? >> oh, certainly. >> reporter: perception fuels the passion on the streets. so you're going to stay out here and try to block the streets? >> i'm going to do what i have to do to make sure this place is equal for everyone. >> reporter: police and supporters push back. on twitter, none of these race debates related to the grown and garner cases have uncovered the real truth, that resisting arrest is never a good idea. officers say the problem is crime, poverty, no respect for authority. >> this isn't a failure of law enforcement. this is a political failure. it's an economic failure. >> reporter: a national discussion rages with protesters trying to disrupt christmas celebrations in cities like boston and philadelphia, a season of discontent. ron allen, nbc news, new york. >> chuck todd will have much more on this topic tomorrow on "meet the press". president obama visited walter reed military hospital today after complaining of a persistent sore throat. his physician recommended he go in for tests including a ct scan after complaining of the symptom for weeks. in a statement the white house said it was determined that the president was suffering from acid reflux and would be treated accordingly. when "nbc nightly news" continues on this saturday, big companies are changing the way they target women consumers. but will that make an impact in more ways than one? and later, the book and movie that has hundreds forging their own journey. we're back with a look at how some of the biggest brands in this country are changing the way they appeal to female consumers. their advertising campaigns are getting a makeover celebrating women of all sizes and shapes. and as nbc's anne thompson reports, it's been positive for women and companies. >> reporter: advertising is embracing a new kind of woman, strong, courageous -- >> you have the wrong body for ballet. and at 13, you are too old to be considered. >> reporter: real. madison avenue calls it fem-vertising. >> is the idea that advertising can empower women while also selling products. >> reporter: a dramatic shift from the attitude dramatized in "mad men". >> what do women want? >> who cares. >> reporter: samantha scay does. she's an executive at the she knows media agency. in its recent survey, the agency found a majority of women like the ad and want companies to promote positive messages to women and girls. >> the preponderance of women asking for f oh, m-vertising are doing so -- >> reporter: can advertising solve the problem of low self-esteem, particularly among tween girls? >> we can at least not contribute. we can at least do less harm and put out some more positive messaging. >> reporter: the trail blazer is dubbed. ten years into its real beauty campaign celebrating women in all shapes and sizes. but does it work? >> it absolutely has over a ten-year period. the brand has experienced unbelievable growth. >> reporter: now using social media, brands seek a stronger relationship. barbara lippert writes about advertising for mediapost.com. >> it is all about an emotional connection with the brand. >> reporter: take the like a girl campaign by always. >> show me what it looks like to run like a girl. >> reporter: the three-minute video with more than 53 million views turns the stereotype into a powerful ideal. >> show me what it looks like to run like a girl. >> reporter: without ever mentioning the product. >> because i am a girl. and that's not something that i should be ashamed of. >> i would run like myself. >> it's not trying to guilt you into buying a product, it's announcing that the product sort of gets you. >> reporter: a female who wants to be comfortable in her own skin. anne thompson, nbc news, new york. up next here tonight, the end of the road for one u.s. highway unlike any other. there was a scene at a south african golf tournament that was anything but par for the course. golfer luke donald about to line up for a shot on the 13th hole when, yes, a baboon stormed down the fairway. donald let the baboon play through. he didn't hurt his game. he leads the tournament heading into the final day. the tens of thousands of drivers who use one southern arizona highway will tell you it's unlike any other in the country. but now changes are in store for that stretch of road. and that has locals fighting for what might be described as good measure. nbc's hallie jackson explains. >> reporter: as road trips go, the drive from tucson to nogales seems ordinary, cacti, traffic, big rigs. but a few minutes in you'll see something you won't find anywhere else in america. there it is. metric signs in use. the entire highway measured and marked only in meters. for the next hundred kilometers, don't look for mile markers, just a calculator. what's the conversion from kilometers to miles? >> you know, i just know it's a little shorter. >> 1.6. >> reporter: you are the first people who nailed it. >> on the map this section is metric. why? >> reporter: when i-19 was first built some 40 years ago, the u.s. was experimenting with the metric system. this highway the test case. kilometers never caught on across the country. but they never went away on i-19. problem is the 400 highway signs here have taken a beating from the desert sun and sand. it's only a matter of time before new ones will have to go up. and the state may replace metric with miles. >> we see drivers a lot of times confused by kilometers because folks aren't used to it. drivers look for clarity. >> reporter: but off exit 34 patty todd's one of the many folks fighting any change. in her town, kilometers mean character. >> it's quirky. it's unique. and it's really fun. 90% of the business owners came back and said we want to keep it as it is. >> reporter: that includes jim green, 22,000 meters up the interstate. >> that's appeared in every one of my ads, exit 56 off i-19 in green valley. that's where we are. that's our home. >> reporter: new mile posts would mean a new exit number, new ads, a whole new identity. the d.o.t. gets it, so the updated signs may include standard and metric side-by-side. it'd be a compromise to preserve a piece of highway history on an interstate that's miles from ordinary. hallie jackson, nbc news, tucson. there was a christmas celebration today in the place it all began, palestinians and pilgrims gathered to light a christmas tree in bethlehem. the town is believed to be the birthplace of jesus christ. the lighting was held outside the church of the nativity and followed by a fireworks display over manger square. when we come back, the book turned blockbuster that has hundreds hitting the trail. finally tonight, a movie that's blazing a trail in more ways than one. based on a best selling memoir "wild" tells the story of one woman's journey to find herself while hiking the pacific crest trail. the film is getting major oscar buzz for actress reese witherspoon but also inspiring hundreds to go the distance in the western wilderness. here's nbc's kristen dahlgren. >> reporter: on the pacific crest trail, jessica reynolds is looking for more than a beautiful view. her hiking inspired by "wild," the best selling book turned reese witherspoon movie. >> a new life for her on this trail and i was kind of at that same point in my life. >> reporter: call it the wild effect, women tracing the footsteps of author cheryl strayed. along the 2,600-mile route from the mexican border all the way to canada. a journey strayed began weighed down by a 40-pound pack and the pain of divorce, heroin addiction and losing her mother. >> the essential story in "wild" is about journey. it's about how it is that we bear the unbearable. >> reporter: for las vegas blackjack dealer, linda blainey, >> after reading what she went through, i knew that anybody could do the trail. >> reporter: hiking the trail brought the answers she was looking for. >> i found out that i'm the one person that makes myself happy. >> reporter: at pitstops along the trail they are already seeing the "wild" effect. >> last year we probably had 700 hikers here. >> reporter: a number that could double now that the movie's out. we're about 400 miles from the beginning of the trail here, mexico's back that way, canada another 2,200 miles in this direction over what can be diverse and potentially dangerous terrain. there are long stretches without water, steep mountains, wildlife. >> we are really stressing that people be prepared in order to cut down on the possibility of a rescue. >> reporter: but joey miller, who runs a hiking club, says it's the challenges along the way that make these moments so exhilarating. >> i think she's giving people the courage to put it on the list, to check it off the bucket list finally. there's something to be said for living. >> reporter: for jessica reynolds it comes down to the words her mom wrote inside her well-worn copy of "wild". >> may you find your own journey. >> reporter: a story and a trail now inspiring hundreds to find their own path. kristen dahlgren, nbc news, along the pacific crest trail in california. that's "nbc nightly news" for this saturday. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. i'll see you tomorrow morning on "today" and right back here tomorrow evening. good night. right now at 6:00, bracing for another night of protests over several issues at this hour. people are gathering in the east bay and across the country. >> happening now, the streets are quiet, but that is about to change. in berkley, several hundred people are expected to take part in a protest and march. crowds have taken over the streets in the east bay. vandalism and violence following these other protests. what are police expecting tonight? more of the same? >> reporter: berkley police are hoping for a peaceful night. they are monitoring the situation, but we just checked in with the demonstrators. only 20, 25 minutes talking about things like police accountability and then they took off right down telegraph avenue talking about justice. we heard eric garner, mike brown. they were sparked by the grand jury's decisions not to indict the officers involved. this march tonight is intended

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