tonight closing arguments in the kyle rittenhouse homicide trial just hours away. the judge saying he is inclined to allow jurors to consider lesser charges in addition to intentional homicide. the city on edge for a verdict and possible unrest. as rittenhouse's mother talks with us about his dramatic testimony. >> when he broke down, i broke down. controversial comeback aaron rodgers back on the field today amid a barrage of criticism over covid and the vaccine. another nfl quarterback forced to sit out due to covid protocols. while in the nba they are now advising fully vaccinated players to

get a booster. a new lockdown for the unvaccinated only. one european country taking unprecedented measures. the new rules for those who refuse the shot. a deadly car explosion in the uk. the arrest tonight by counterterrorism police. royal health concern. why the palace says queen elizabeth canceled her first public appearance since the hospital stay weeks ago. the prime minister now speaking out. the christmas labor crunch. why santa might not be visiting your local mall this season. >> we've never seen the demand or the shortage of santas like we are this year. and heart and soul, the gift of music changing lives. >> this is nbc "nightly news" with kate snow. >> good evening. the governor of wisconsin has put national guard troops on stand by in case there are protests after a jury reaches a decision in the trial of 18-year-old kyle rittenhouse. the televised case becoming a cultural

flashpoint. rittenhouse testified in tears that he was defending himself when he killed two people last summer during unrest in kenosha. prosecutors argue it was intentional homicide and rittenhouse was the aggressor. closing arguments are slated to begin tomorrow and the prosecution has asked the judge to allow the jury to consider lesser charges as well. tonight rittenhouse's mother is speaking out to our gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: tonight with lawyers preparing closing arguments in the kyle rittenhouse trial, we sat down with his mother wendy rittenhouse. when you saw your son on the witness stand what went through your head? >> fear. overwhelmed. i was a nervous wreck. my stomach was in knots. kyle did a good job. when he broke down, i broke down. >> reporter: knowing what he knows now, knowing it was that chaotic situation, do

you think he -- do you think he would have gone down there? >> probably not. >> reporter: the now 18-year-old faces six charges related to the night he shot three people with an ar-15 style rifle killing two during protests following a police shooting of a black man last summer in kenosha, wisconsin. the most serious charge is intentional homicide. if convicted rittenhouse could face life in prison. the judge has indicated he'll allow the jury to consider at least some lesser charges. >> the fact the prosecution in this case is asking for lesser included offenses may signal that they're not feeling that confident about their first-degree or top level homicide charges. worried about the potential for violence, the governor has authorized about 500 national guard troops should local authorities ask for their help. the case has attracted intense scrutiny, dividing americans who see rittenhouse either as a vigilante looking for trouble or a patriot protecting kenosha from rioters. rittenhouse's mother says her son is being treated for ptsd.

what do you say to people who look at this case and think, this teenager had no business bringing a military style weapon to this chaotic scene. >> a lot of people shouldn't have been there. you know? and he brung that gun for protection. and to this day, if he didn't have that gun, my son would have been dead. >> reporter: are you anticipating looking forward to, dreading the verdict? how would you describe what your feelings are going into this? >> i'm scared. >> reporter: tomorrow 12 jurors will be randomly selected from the 18 that have heard the case so far. it is possible dlib -- deliberations could begin tomorrow night. >> thank you. the nfl's mvp aaron rodgers is back in the game tonight for green bay after his covid diagnosis and accusations he misled his team and the public about getting the vaccine. now another famous

player has been sidelined. whether or not he has the virus remains a mystery. here is sam brock. >> reporter: tonight after a whirlwind of controversy, number 12 is back out on the frozen tundra at lambeau field. arnsd once again embraced by green bay packers fans. >> checking the phone all week. >> reporter: but the three-time mvp is receiving an icy reception around the country after misrepresenting his vaccination status before testing positive for covid then saying this after being outed >> i believe strongly in bodily autonomy and the ability to make choices for your body. not to have to acquiesce to some woe culture. >> reporter: with 94% of the entire league vaccinated and more than 750,000 americans killed by covid-19, rodgers woe comment not sitting well with many in the nfl. >> saying he is not an antivaxxer but then stating a lot of

antivaccine arguments. i know there were certainly eyebrows raised around the league. >> reporter: rodgers returned to the gridiron coming as another qb with a massive footprint the pittsburgh steelers ben roethlisberger is on the sidelines in covid protocol though big ben says he has been vaccinated >> i know i am. >> reporter: the nfl not the only league looking to protect as many members as possible. the nba just sent a memo to players and coaches urging them to get a booster shot. as for rodgers, the nfl hit him with a 14,650 dollars fine for violating protocols, slightly less than wide receiver ceedee lamb received for repeated uniform violations >> i don't understand the information of your jersey being tucked in versus putting the safety of your teammates ahead of your own selfish needs. >> i think as long as the team mates are happy with him everything is all right. we're moving forward. >> reporter: a significant number of quarterbacks are opting not to get the shot.

some of the top players in the league. these guys are supposed to be the center pieces of the team setting an example for everybody else. kate? >> sam brock, thank you. overseas tonight austria is taking extreme measures to contain covid by ordering lockdowns but only for those who are not vaccinated. it is part of a bold effort to slow the spread of cases once again surging throughout europe. kathy park has the story. >> reporter: tonight millions of unvaccinated austrians on lockdown for at least the next ten days. an order from the government as the country tries to slow the spread of the coronavirus. it will be very consistently controlled. anyone 12 and older who hasn't been vaccinated are being told to stay home. only allowed to leave for food, work, and exercise. violators could face a fine up to 1,450 euros roughly more than $1,600 u.s. prompting a flurry of last-minute vaccinations this weekend. if everybody gets

vaccinated i also do. 65% of austria's population is fully vaccinated. one of the lower rates in western europe. the entire region back at the epicenter of the pandemic according to the world health organization. neighboring germany now reporting record daily infections. more than 50,000. with cases reaching peak pandemic levels in the netherlands, officials launched a partial lockdown saturday. sparking tense clashes among protesters and police. what would you say is contributing to this surge in europe? >> there's a lot of migrants coming from eastern europe to western europe and central europe. many of them are not vaccinated. >> reporter: the surge also worrying health experts in the u.s. >> i think europe is a bellwether of what is to come. super spreading events always happen after thanksgiving and christmas holidays. so, please. take as many mitigations as you can and please get your third shot. >> reporter: so everyone can enjoy the

holiday even if the virus isn't taking a break. kathy park, nbc news. president biden is gearing up for a victory lap tomorrow as he signs his long awaited infrastructure bill into law. it comes at a challenging time for the administration as we hit the highest inflation rates in years. monica alba reports. >> reporter: president biden's massive infrastructure plan will finally become law monday. the legacy defining legislation kicking off upgrades to the nation's roads, bridges, rails, and airports. >> we can still come together to get something big done for the american people. >> reporter: marking the moment with a large signing ceremony flanked by democrats and republicans on the south lawn. >> the motion is adopted. >> reporter: all gop lawmakers who backed the $1.2 trillion bill were invited. but it is unclear how many will attend. a celebration for part of the president's economic agenda. while the rest is in jeopardy with soaring inflation a top concern for the biden administration.

>> everything from a gallon of gas to a loaf of bread costs more, and it is worrisome. >> there is no doubt inflation is high right now. it is affecting americans' pocketbooks, affecting their outlook. that is a problem we have to deal with. >> the pandemic has been calling the shots for the economy and for inflation. >> reporter: white house officials are confident the president's larger social and climate package can pass the house this week. but the senate is another story. as west virginia's joe manchin has repeatedly expressed concerns about new spending amid high consumer prices. the nation's economic disconnect reflected in a sinking approval rating for the president. according to the latest "the washington post"/abs poll hitting a new low with only 41% supporting the job he is doing. >> monica is with me now. president biden will be speaking tomorrow with his chinese counterpart as well. what do we know about that? >> reporter: the two leaders will meet virtually to confront tensions over trade, taiwan, cyber threats, climate, and human

rights. but the white house is already downplaying deliverables saying no major breakthroughs are expected. kate? >> all right. monica, thank you. still to come, the deadly car explosion in the uk. counterterrorism police now investigating. and what the palace is saying about a lot of people think dealing with copd is a walk in the park. if i have something to help me breathe better, everything will be fun and nice. but i still have bad days... flare-ups, (cough cough) which can permanently damage my lungs. my lungs need protection against flare-ups. so it's time to get real. because in the real world... our lungs deserve the real protection of breztri. breztri gives you better breathing... symptom improvement, and flare-up protection.

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[upbeat pop music throughout] it's going to be a long bus [upbeat pop music throughout] three men have been arrested after a deadly car explosion

outside a women's hospital in england. you can see a taxi in flames there. police say it drove up just before the blast and happened in liverpool about four hours northwest of london. one person was killed, another injured. the incident is now part of a british counterterrorism investigation. staying in the uk there are new concerns tonight about the health of queen elizabeth after she canceled yet another public appearance one of several high profile event she has missed since she was hospitalized last month. matt bradley has more from london. >> reporter: today the world's longest reigning monarch missing again. queen elizabeth skipped today's annual remembrance day ceremony, honoring britain's war dead. a statement from buckingham palace this morning said the queen is suffering a back sprain, was disappointed, and declined to attend with great regret. the palace careful to say the sprain is new and unrelated to a string of sick days that have raised

concerns about the 95-year-old queen's health over the last month. she spent a night in the hospital after staying home from an important trip to northern ireland. on october 26th buckingham palace announced the queen would not attend the cop 26 climate change conference in glasgow, scotland. >> people always fear the worst. she is 95 years old. in this instance it seems to be a back related issue more than anything more sinister. >> she still released a video message urnling world leaders to take action on the environment. >> none of us live forever. we are doing this not for ourselves but for our children and our children's children. >> reporter: at the beginning of the month while on rest from royal duties the queen was seen driving herself around her windsor castle estate. today is important to the queen. she is head of state and head of the british armed forces. >> she honors those who have given their lives in some ways just as she has done. >> reporter: the commitment to service the queen has promised to fulfill until the day she dies. despite all this we just heard from the british prime minister

boris johnson today. he said that he actually had an audience with the queen last week and wanted to reassure the nation that she is doing very well. kate? >> that is good to hear. matt bradley in london, thank you. tonight we're kicking off a week-long series here on nbc news about the challenges and costs of caring for loved ones. it begins with young adults who have suddenly had to become their parents' primary care givers. tonight a candid look at their lives, the highs, lows, and even their advice. stephanie ruhle has their story. >> look at the pumpkins. >> oh, yeah. >> reporter: casey smith was a 27-year-old graduate student when her mother anna had a stroke. >> i was definitely not prepared for it at all. >> reporter: she put off her dreams of moving to europe and teaching english. instead, staying home in rochester, new york. >> taking care of my mom became the most important thing for me. one, two -- >> reporter: her mom needs 24-hour care. after casey installed a wheelchair ramp and walk-in shower her mom moved in with her.

it hasn't always been easy especially for casey's career and personal life. >> there are many times i felt very lonely, you know, and sometimes it was hard to relate to my friend. >> reporter: but she is not alone. across the country, 1 in 5 americans are care givers and there is increasing awareness. many are like casey in their 20s and 30s >> i am katy hulky, 29 years old >> i am angie club and i am a care giver to my mom who has dementia. >> reporter: becoming a care giver at a young age can have long term effects. >> it takes finances, it takes time, it takes energy. >> reporter: and can impact their personal and professional lives >> i can't help but think it set me back in some ways especially in my career. >> reporter: compared to care givers who are older they're less likely to have paid sick days and family leave and the ability to work from home. yet despite the challenges -- >> being a care giver has brought me purpose. >> reporter: many young care givers say the experience has given them direction.

bianca padilla started caring for her grandmother when she was 22 years old. what did that do to you? >> i became an entrepreneur. there was this huge desire to help the community of care givers because i was of course one of them. >> reporter: she started carewell a website that sells health care products and provides resources and information. what is your advice for new care givers? >> the first thing i would say is you don't have to do it alone. that means asking for help from other family members, doctors, and nurses. other advice? safe proof your home. install bed rails and shower bars. preparing as much as possible for the unexpected. >> why is it hard? >> because you take care of me, who is an adult. >> reporter: stephanie ruhle, nbc news. >> such an important story. coming up the latest attack on an airline employee, a passenger charged with assault. passenger charged with assault. pl santaus you get more with aarp medicare advantage plans from unitedhealthcare. like $0 copays on tier 1 and tier 2 prescription drugs.

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we're back with news of yet another violent attack on an airplane. it happened aboard a southwest airlines plane on the runway in dallas yesterday. police say a female passenger punched a southwest employee in the head. the employee was taken to the hospital and the passenger was arrested. now a pivot. parents if you have little ones in the room you may want to turn down the volume for this next story. it is a bit of a holiday spoiler alert about santa. turns out it might be hard for santa to show up in every mall this year. it is part of a massive nationwide labor shortage leaving malls and stores scrambling for st. nicks just when everyone needs the christmas cheer. >> happy holidays! >> reporter: it is a

holiday rite of passage, the annual visit to st. nick. this year santa claus may not be coming to town. >> it makes me very sad, because we have seen santa every year. >> reporter: the u.s. labor shortage now felt as far as santa's workshop with thousands of unfilled gigs ahead of the holiday season. mitch allen runs the national group hire santa, which pairs christmas characters with venues around the world. >> we've never seen a santa shortage like this. >> reporter: he says requests are up more than 120% compared to prepandemic levels. >> people are wanting to get back to traditions. last year they weren't able to get together with families. this year they want to. they want to include santa. >> what is it that you want for christmas? >> legos. >> reporter: several organizations reporting a 15% drop in staffing. why so few santas? many have retired during the pandemic. others are at higher risk of covid and sitting this season out. mitch allen estimates sadly several hundred have likely died from the virus. >> i do make a lot of my visits here.

>> reporter: los angeles's area santa says he is being extra cautious. >> it is a human safety issue. i think that everybody needs to follow suit. santa is no different. >> reporter: for those who do get time with father christmas, the majority won't be able to share their wish list on his knee due to social distancing requirements. a shift from tradition, yes, but santa says also an opportunity to practice patience. >> if you really want to see santa, he is always in your heart. >> reporter: if santa isn't available people are encouraged to host mrs. claus or elves but now the demand is so extreme organizations are seeing a shortage of santa's helpers as well. kate? >> all right. emilie, thank you. he is always in your heart. when we come back the generous gifts giving these young hi, my name is cherrie. i'm 76 and i live on the oregon coast. my husband, sam, we've been married 53 years. we love to walk on the beach. i have two daughters and then two granddaughters. i noticed that memories were not there

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there is good news tonight about the gift of music and how one young man's legacy is transforming lives. ♪♪ >> in this st. louis storefront, these kids are getting a gift they never thought possible. >> the three black keys. you find it? that is what piano lessons are, a gateway to self-discovery. >> discovery through music. thanks to a nonprofit called pianos for people, the mission to build community, self-esteem, and empower those of any age with limited resources by providing free pianos and lessons. so far the group has donated more than 320 gently used pianos.

they applied online and got hers in september. >> it is amazing. >> it calms me. >> something the kids say was worth the wait. >> we wanted it for a long time. >> we are really excited. >> reporter: that joy part of the plan for founders tom and jean townsend who started the organization in 2012 to honor their late son alex, a musician who died in a car accident. you wanted to find a way to keep going and to give him a legacy. pianos for people was a major focus, because of tom and alex's belief and my belief in the healing, transformative power of music. >> reporter: with tom now also gone, jean continues their inspiring work. what do you love about what happens there? >> when they come in those doors, they know that they are nurtured

and loved. >> reporter: even cared for during covid by teachers like kaya baker. >> we just took a deep breath and deep dived in. >> reporter: the group held virtual recitals and zoom lessons. classes now back in person. providing the keys to breaking down economic barriers. >> what is important for everybody to understand is that people care about them. it is so much more than just music. >> reporter: i just love it. that program has been going so strong, pianos for people also has a second hub now in ferguson, missouri, and even do free summer piano camps. look it up. that is "nightly news" on this sunday. for all of us at nbc

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