done little to ease protests around the world. those angry about the death of michael brown blocked traffic in washington, d.c. and then there was this. five players of the st. louis rams put their hands over their heads in a don't shoot pose right before their game against the oakland raiders. nearly a week after the grand jury decided not to indict officer wilson. ron allen is in ferguson tonight and starts our coverage. ron, good evening. >> reporter: good evening n. a letter, officer wilson resigned after saying that staying on the police force was putting his fellow officers at risk but many say after what happened it would be impossible for him to continue working and perhaps even livg anywhere near hill. >> darren wilson, 28 and recently married to another ferguson police officer expecting their first child is no longer with the police force. he has been getting death threats according to his attorneys and he made his decision to offered to minutes after hearing from the police chief that others could be in danger. the chief would not go into details about the threats. >> were there threats to the department and him as well. >> oh, yes. >> you take them seriously? >> yes. >> who made the threat. >> just their capabilities to carry it out. i don't want to go into the analysis. >> and are they still out there? >> oh, yes. >> in a letter wilson said it is my hope that my resignation will allow the community to heal. today the marekoed that sentiment. >> the city of ferguson will not be making a settlement pension to darren wilson. >> at a service at church this morning, there was not a talk about him staying on the police force. >> it was not about him staying on the job, it was about michael brown's justice. >> and tonight three st. louis rams held their hands up like michael brown did. >> and today protesters blocked traffic, with the annual holiday light parade postponed, a thanksgiving dinner and toy giveaway for hundreds of families trying to get into the holiday spirit. >> where is ferguson right now? >> we are still at a point where we're hoping to feel like the worst is over. >> you are still not certain what will happen tomorrow? >> that is what is really kind of holding us back from moving forward that point, is that tension out on the street. >> reporter: overnight it has been calm and peaceful here and through the day as well. overnight there is still a curfew in effect in the heart of the city that was hit hardest by the violence, the commercial center of ferguson and there is a strong police presence there to enforce it and keep the possess. carl. >> ron allen in ferguson tonight, ron, thanks so much. on this football sunday, there is new fallout from the ray rice ruling. questions are swirling about his possible return to the field. while others are demanding answers from the nfl commission earp. for more here is kristin welker. >> reporter: as the ravens took on the chargers today it was baltimore's former running back ray rice just reinstated into the nfl that was the big topic of conversation off the field. >> everybody deserves a second ce in life. >> let him comeck. >> some team will pick up up, for the playoff stretch. >> today espn is reporting that multiple teams have indicated interest in rice, including the saints and the colts. >> there are teams for a need for a running back and they might be taking a chance. and america loves people who can make up for a past wrong. >> reporter: the judge said the league was wrong to punish him twice. roger goodell suspended ray rice for two games and then after the video came out, goel suspended -- goodell suspended him. janay rice in an exclusive interview with matt lauer. >> so when the commissioner of the nfl roger goodell said ray was ambiguous, is the commissioner lying? >> i can't say he's telling the truth. you know, i know for a fact that he told -- that ray told the honest truth, that he's been telling from february. >> and you think the league and the commissioner covered their butts? >> i think they did what they had to do for themselves. >> reporter: the nfl declined to comment on janay's account but wrote to club owners, no part of the arbitrators decision questions the commissioners honesty or integ rit nor his good faith consideration when he ordered the suspension. >> the public does not have the greatest impression of roger goodell right now and rightfully so. but he makes the owners money and that is what they care about. >> reporter: rice declined to comment about the reports that several teams have expressed interest in him. he has filed a grievance against the ravens to try to recoup his remaining salary. more than $3 million. >> kristin welker in washington tonight. thanks. and you can watch matt lauer's interview starting tomorrow on "today." an update to a story last night, police in columbus, ohio has found the body of a football player. koftsa cara george had sent a text to his mother and he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. the biggest shopping weekend of the year and while some consumers say they are in a better position, the sales numbers might think otherwise. americans are taking a different approach to their shopping. here is nbc's kristin dahlgren. >> reporter: this year black friday had all of the frenzy and the fighting we've come to expect. but fewer americans were out shopping this weekend in stores and online. according to the national retail federation, over all shopper traffic was down from thanksgiving through today. 134 million shoppers, less than the 141 million last year. experts say that might actually be a good sign for consumers. >> i think the consumer feels they have more choice of when they want to shop and when the deals are available to them. >> reporter: despite some stores opening as early as 6:00 a.m., turkey day turnout was black compared to last year. black friday drew twice as many shoppers as the day before, 87 million on stores and online. shoppers are also shelling out less. $381 over the holiday weekend compared to $407 last year. total spending for the weekend expected to be almost $7 billion less. millennials are one of the key demographics retail analysts say are spending this year. they see black friday as a social event. >> we're buying a coat. >> and another pair of jeans. and two beanies and a sweater. >> reporter: and soiscial medias abuzz with cyber monday deals. 52% are expected to shop on cyber monday and amazon is offering new discounts every ten minutes. >> the game plan is to buy everything we saw here today online and shop on cyber monday. >> but take heart. >> consumers can procrastinate as long as they want until december 25 and the deals will be there for a deal. >> and the shopping marathon is just getting started. kristin dahlgren, station. and now triple-a estimations that 41 million americans hit the road this weekend and many making their way home tonight. and some have been traveling by air and are frustrated today. and for more we are joined by kerry sanders at the nation's busiest airport. >> carl, it has been a long travel day for america and it is still well underway. there have been a lot of delays, including slow-downs here in atlanta. you can take a look at the lines and you can see that they are moving slowly. but also take a look up at the skies and this map shows every flight over north america. you can see how busy it is up there. while 200 flights were canceled today. 3000 were delayed. the biggest problem -- weather. in denver, freezing fog socked in the airport and in san francisco strong winds delayed some flights almost three hours. in chicago, many others were delayed. >> to ease things up at the airports, the u.s. military has opened up its normally restricted air space, opening that space, the faa said, it like opening up highways to give people a chance to get home on this very busy weekend. carl. >> we can all relate. kerry sanders in atlanta tonight. thanks. in turkey today, pope francis joined with the leader of the world's orthodox christians to demand an end to the wave of terror and violence by the militaries. it capped off the pope francis's visit to a country very on edge. here is richard engel. >> after three days in turkey the pope left for rome. there were no security incidents or major protests in a country that is 98% muslim. so the visit can only be considered a success. the pope left sounding more convinced than ever that isis must be stopped, stressing it to reporters on his plane. >> i won't soften the phrase he said. they are forcing christians to flee from the middle east. on his last day in istanbul, the pontiff met with the leader of the world's 250 million orthodox christians. for over a thousand years, relations between the two churches have been tense, at times descending into war but now they both face isis which is giving christians in iraq and syria, a stark choice, convert to islam or be killed. pope francis and bartholomew said they cannot offered to themselves to a middle east without christians. some neighboring countries are scarred by a inhumane and brutal war, the pope said, calling it a sin against god. pope francis met with a small group of refugees, including some of the 1.6 million syrians here, now safe from the war zone where overnight the u.s. launched 17 airstrikes against isis around the syrian town of kobani. the pope has been outspoken about making the church more welcome to a wide array of catholic catholics, in turkey he was far more political. >> he called for a united front against terrorist, saying isis must be stopped before christians are expelled from the very region where their faith was born. richard engel, istanbul. when we return, we face a disease and those trying to stop it and later, shelter dogs in need take a closer look at your fidelity green line and you'll see just how much it has to offer, especially if you're thinking of moving an old 401(k) 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aids... aids is going to lose. ♪ not so long ago, polio was all be eradicated but in pakistan the disease is on the rise, with 226 new cases there alone and trying to stop it is as deadly as the virus itself. this week health workers were killed by assassins by dispensing polio vaccines. more from ann curry. >> on the streets of pakistan, a brave young woman named houma goes door-to-door determined to vaccinate children against polio. nearly 80% of the worldwide total has been found in pakistan this year and it is spreading across borders. so contagious and the victims so young, this boy is 7 months d. his father tells us he would sacrifice his life if only his son could walk some day. but when houma offers the vaccine, she is often met with suspicion. we don't want you here, said this man as he waves her off. the astonishing truth is that many parents here refuse to allow their children to be vaccinated. >> we have to vaccinate. i warn other mothers to information. >> some pakistanis fear the vaccine, these drops, is part of a western plot to sterilize muslims. another reason that cia has admitted it used a fake vaccine in 2011 to collect blood samples in the search for osama bin laden. that is why this father stricken with polio himself chose not to vaccinate his fourth son. >> translator: i gave three of my kids polio drops he said. he fourth one, i didn't. because by then polio workers were involved in espionage. the cia used the program to ge us. and now his 3-year-old has the disease, though he has yet to show symptoms. with polio workers seen as spies, they are targets for assassination. nearly 60 polio workers and security personnel protecting them have been killed in the last two years. including the sister-in-law and niece of this woman. here in karachi she covers herself. >> you say the deaths made you more determined? >> their sacrifice made my mission more meaningful. for those bravery, the workers make $2.50 a day. they are mostly women. houma herself has vaccinated thousands of children. >> if i'm not doing it, who will do it. >> and when do you stop? >> i will stop when it is eradicated. >> you will stop when it is eradicated. >> yes. >> nbc news, ann curry, pakistan. and when we come back, the by the end of the day, my dogs were barking. they used to get really tired. 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shelters are packed with animals and millions are put down every year. and for dogs who look like this, it is nearly impossible to find a home. >> very tired and unloved and rejected. >> reporter: but as the mobile groomers show us, under the clumpy, matted fur, these dogs can be stars too. >> here is charlie before. here he is now. his video has nearly 9 million views. >> charlie is an online celebrity now, yes. >> reporter: an online video company called pet collective collaborated with the groomers to give charlie and maggie a new look. >> she becomes more relaxed as all of the layers of gunk are coming off of her. >> they get this little strut going. er you -- you change their life. >> reporter: within days the dogs found a home. >> that is a good girl. >> reporter: maggie found michelle baldwin. >> i saw the video for the first time yesterday and i actually cried. i would not have recognized her had i not known that was maggie. >> reporter: maggie is blind. were it not for the extreme makeover months ago, she almost certainly would not be around today. a second chance and internet star dom as simple as a hair cut and a bablg. jacob rascon "nbc nightly news." and that is it for "nbc nightly news." brian williams will be back tomorrow night. stay tuned for nbc football night in america. for all of us here at nbc in kansas city, missouri, as the final month of the nfl regular season begins, tonight it's afc west rivals at arrowhead. the chiefs host the broncos. after leading the chiefs to the playoffs, alex smith has this team in postseason contention again. but like last year, it's wes welker and the broncos who are atop the division standing led by a future hall of famer at