News & Sports

Last September, 11 students from Independence, Missouri, headed off to Mindstream Academy, a boarding program in South Carolina, on a mission to lose weight. The trip, paid for by their school district, enabled the students to shed weight they had been struggling with for years. NBC's Kerry Sanders reports. (TODAY)

Following a traffic ticket dispute, a Michigan woman was charged with contempt and jailed for 11 days after cursing in a district court clerk's office. WOOD's Ken Kolker reports. (NBC News)

Inspired by her best friend, whose father was deployed to Afghanistan a year ago, Savannah Maddison Ogden, 11, is making a difference in the lives of soldiers by organizing kids to form a massive letter-writing campaign that has sent thousands of letters to soldiers overseas. NBC's Kerry Sanders reports. (TODAY)

As authorities continue to look for  Emily Bracamontes, 11, who is suffering from leukemia and was removed from Phoenix Children's Hospital by her mother last Wednesday, her parents are saying they have no plans to bring her back and that she is "well." NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports. (TODAY)

From cars and pirates to dolls and electronics, TODAY contributor Stephanie Oppenheim shares the toys that will thrill your kids this holiday season. (TODAY)

An explosion ripped through a bus in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, wounding at least 11 people. NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports. (TODAY)

ProFootballTalk: Former NFL referee Jim Daopoulos reviews Week 11's most controversial calls, including a TD reception wrongly awarded to Danario Alexander and an automatic review taken away from the Falcons. (NBC Sports)

ProFootballTalk: Several teams will have to use backup QBs this weekend due to injured starters. Guys like Bears QB Jason Campbell will have to step up. (NBC Sports)

Fantasy Fix: Can RB Ryan Mathews and WR Danario Alexander pick up the offensive slack in San Diego? Who's the guy to own in the Saints' backfield: Chris Ivory or Mark Ingram? (NBC Sports)