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 somer'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 grave ly 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' immediately 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 keir simmons in abu dhabi. 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 wentd 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 at mosque 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 an area that bears devastating scars from last year's storm season. 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 typhoon haiyan left thousands missing. i worry the waves will get bigger like what happened last year in tacloban. some calling a record in peace tame and sought higher ground on their own, or flood 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: it will be downgrade today a category 3 typhoon, can still do damage. >> typhoon still 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: latest flashpoint 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 isn't about a young man -- >> 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: holmes faces a murder charge. cases along with michael brown, eric garner, tamir rice and john crawford all 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 -- >> 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. th 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. ♪ people with type 2 diabetes come from all walks of life. if you have high blood sugar, ask your doctor about farxiga. it's 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 it's not a weight-loss or blood-pressure 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. do not take farxiga if you have severe kidney problems, are on dialysis or have bladder cancer. tell your doctor right away if you have blood or red color in your urine or pain while you urinate. farxiga can cause serious side effects, including dehydration, genital yeast infections in women and men, low blood sugar, kidney problems, and increased bad cholesterol. common side effects include urinary tract infections, changes in urination, and runny nose. ♪ do the walk of life ♪ yeah,you do the walk of life ♪ need to lower your blood sugar? 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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. >> reporter: 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 mile sns. >> 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 dessert 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 nativity and followed by a fireworks display over manger square. when we come back, the book turned blockbuster that has hundreds hitting the trail. she's still the one for you. and cialis for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment is right. cialis is also the only daily ed tablet approved to treat symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long term injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or any allergic reactions like rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking 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distance in the wilderness. here's nbc's kristen dahlgren. >> reporter: on the pacific crest trail jessica rejds is looking for a personal 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, womens tracing the footsteps of author cheryl strayed. she 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 los angeles vegas blackjack dealer, linda -- >> 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 pit stops 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. ú1p8úx the blitz is back. we have pennsylvania and south jersey teams closing in. a story of personal strength. how safe are your helmets. every football parent needs to see this report. hey, everybody. welcome to the seasonal finale of the high school blitz. i'm john clark. >> i'm jillian. we have powerful stories to share with you. as always, so the great football games. let's begin with the south jersey group one final. a driving rain for salem. keeping it on the ground and a great game play. especially when you have a talent like deshawn and he's going outrun everyone for a