region. breaking overnight, the father of american folk music has passed away. we remember pete seeger. >> your "new day" starts right now. good morning. welcome to "new day." it's tuesday, january 28th, 6:00 in the east. i'm chris cuomo coming to you live from capitol hill. we're here at the belly of the beast because tonight the president's going to deliver his state of the union address. >> and i'm indicate bold juan in new york. the nsa spying on you through mobile apps. >> breaking news because overnight cnn learned that president obama isn't going to

ask to raise the minimum wage. he's going to do it himself by executive order. that's right. an increase in the minimum wage to 1$10.10. what else does the president have in store for his sixth state of the union address. get ready to hear the words income inequality a lot. what will the president chart and what could be his last year to get anything meaningful done. let's go live at the white house with a preview. we've heard him talk jobs. we've heard him talk income inequality. what do we expect? >> reporter: kpst really going to be tough for him. in this announcement out just this morning really speaks to that. increasing the minimum wage for

not everyone, but just employees of new federal contracts. really speaks to the fact that he is hamstrung by a republican congress and it will be really tough for him to push his agenda this year. president obama pushing forward in his bid to close the gap between rich and poor. he's not waiting for them to raise the minimum wage. the executive action will force any company signing a new contract with the feds to pay $10.10 an hour. janitors and construction workers all seeing a boost in pay according to the white house. it was just one vow from last year's state of the union. >> raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour. >> reporter: that didn't get transaction. represent that passionate call for a vote on new gun laws.

>> the families of new town deserve a vote. >> reporter: and the push for immigration -- >> now is the time to do it. >> reporter: now obama wants action. he's ready to tell congress to get on board or step aside. >> i'm also going to act on my own if congress is deadlocked. >> reporter: executive action. all part of obama's plan to buy pass congress. >> he's an american citizen sent and it stands to reason that he might be frustrated with congress since most american citizens are. >> reporter: now, chris, we understand that the speech was largely written yesterday pretty much complete, allowing president obama some time to just go over it with a fine-toothed comb. but, of course, this isn't the

end. he will continue to sell his message in a road trip the coming days. really trying to drive home his message. >> all right. a tall task to be sure, but very important. joining us now for more now is a senior congressional reporter. let's talk about this. he couldn't get $9 done. remember? this time he's saying it i'm raising it and i'm going to do it myself. >> the impact is to put pressure on congress to raise it for all private sector employees. >> important qualification, this is federal contracts, it's limited. >> he's going to say look, this is what i can do. now, congress you need to match what the government is doing. the real idea here is to put pressure on republicans and congress. the minimum wage issue is going to be one of the biggest issues

democrats want to run on this election year. they want to run on these pop list economic issues, things that will resonate with the middle class and they believe the minimum wage issue does just that. you can expect to hear that a lot this year. >> is the minimum wage about the war on poverty, fixing poverty. how do you do poverty without the minimum wage? >> republicans offer a variety of ideas to bring folks into the middle class, tax incentives and tax breaks for people in those lower income tax brackets. they're not talking about raising the minimum wage. they're trying to set the stage for a different argument. appears have been barbed for years and years for koddleing the top two percent. they need to show the public that they have ideas too that can bring folks into the middle

class and attract that critical block of voters. that's what this is all about, setting the stage for november. >> it's not just teenagers anymore right. they're bringing home their main check with that pay. so it's very important for a lot of people. wasn't always that way. if you're obama and you do this yourself, how are you encoura encouragiencourag encouraging me to work with you? i feel like you just slapped me in the face. you're proving you can't cooperate with me. >> if i'm the white house, i'm thinking, republicans aren't going to work with me anyway. there are really only a couple of things on the hill that they need to get done with republicans. there's a farm bill that could pass by the end of next week. immigration that's still out there. and of course raising the national debt sealing. that's a huge, huge issue next month. rest of things probably will fall by the way side.

>> you are a big shot at politico. what gets more run? the president doing this by checktive order or hilary clinton saying she hasn't driven a car since gas was a buck and a quarter. what does that mean? >> great to have you here. >> absolutely. >> all right. so you see how the dialogue is going to develop here. this is a development from the president. does it help, does it hurt? stay tuned. of course here on cnn we're going to have the most complete coverage starting here on "new day" and our coverage is going to go all day. at 7:00 p.m. eastern tonight we're going to have the prime time coverage. >> all right. we'll be with you. turn to the other big story we're watching. you pick the word for it, cold that just won't quit. half the nation now coping with an arctic blast driving the snow in subszero temperatures in the

midwest and single digits in the northeast. sending a shiver through states that don't typically get these brutal temperatures. schools are shutting down from minneapolis to cleveland. we have the extreme cold covered like no one else can. let's begin in minneapolis where 40 below zero windchills recorded overnight. good morning to you with those temperatures, tedd. >> reporter: it is freezing. we're at 16 below right now. windchill's much worse. millions waking up this morning to dangerous subzero temperatures in the double digits. >> it is really cold and getting colder. >> reporter: this new blast of frigid arctic air bringing the coldest temps this winter. more than 2,000 flights canceled

on tuesday. schools and government offices are closed again as bitter cold air plunges windchills to 40 below in some states. >> it feels like winter has been forever. >> reporter: chicago preparing for a historic deep freeze. it could have the windy city in the lowest stretch of cold since 1983 forcing schools across the state closed for a second someday. >> it reduces the stress on the rails to operate slow remember. >> reporter: the brutal cold near record breaking territory. uae sai is experienced -- iowa is experienced its nint coldest winter. and propane shortage across the midwest. wisconsin, the latest to declare

a energy emergency has thousands fear not being able to heat their homes. blinding whiteout conditions in the northern plains. it blew cars right off the road. in central minnesota, the how longing wind caused massive snow drifts. the national weather service says much of the country will be shivering with tvrps up to 30 below. we're supposed to get a break later on today. 52 days until spring. that seems like an awful long time. >> i love it, though. we can mark our calendars. thanks so much. stay warm, my friend. as tedd was laying out there, it could be the worst winter storm

the south has seen in decades. winter storm warnings in effect from texas to virginia. a 1,300 mile stretch of the country. state of emergency already declared in louisiana. let's turn to chad myers who is live in new orleans for us this morning. unusual temperatures down there right now. >> reporter: it's 30. oh, my goodness. we have breaking news at 30 degrees. yesterday, it was 60. a week ago for me, i was in plymouth, massachusetts, and it felt 30 below. these are the trolly tracks. and the trogly should be running us down, but they're not running at all. people can't even find a ride to the airport. they may not need one. 2,500 planes are already canceled for today. school districts are shut down all the way from houston to georgia. because it's going to be 30, but it's going to rain. it isn't so much that it's cold.

i have thin gloves on. but it's going to rain this afternoon, and things are going to shut down all across the deep south. i was just talking to a couple down here. they have a flight. they can't get a cab. there's nobody running. finally, this is the very first bus that i have seen driving all morning long. finally, we're getting transportation here. if you're in the deep south, stay home, hunker down. you know those lonely baskets of fruit that sit on the hotel desk, those fruit baskets are gone. people are taking the fruit up to their rooms because they don't know how much food they may get in the coming days. >> the snow is something we always talk about. by it's the threat of if that rain becomes ice that's going to be a big problem down there, especially in a place not suited for those types of temperatures and conditions.

stay relatively warm. we'll talk to you soon. so how much damage can people expect? let's get over to indra petersons for a look at that. >> once you get past the icing threat, you talk about the threat of snow. in places like the deep south, where they are definitely not used to this. new orleans could see about a quarter inch of icing. we still have the threat of icing tomorrow, especially around wilmington where you are really start to concern with down eed power lines. you start talking about the threat of snow. yes, snow up into the gulf. even as much as 6 inches especially in through the carolinas. these are not areas that are used to clearing the snow. and notice the temperatures and how this pans out. you can see where it's already

cold. right along the gulf, temperatures are above freezing. you start to get the wintery mix right in between. still in through the carolinas tomorrow. for everyone else, dangerously cold temperatures. by the afternoon, this is as warm as it gets. chicago, the best it will be for you is 12 below. >> that's when i say to my parents, stay home. >> she said the best and 12 below in the same phrase. >> she's confused. she's conflicted. she needs some coffee. >> i'll do the headlines. we'll get back to you. here are your headlines. this morning, a u.s. ship is headed to europe to help destroy syria's chemical weapons. it will make the two-week trip to italy where the materials are being delivered. they will be transferred to the ship and destroyed at sea.

congress secretly approved funding through september. well the sochi games just ten days away now. today, the olympic torch will make its way through the capitol of the chech knee january republican. the national hockey league will re-evaluate whether to send players if something significant happens. new developments in a story we've been following very closely here on "new day." a second grand jury has indicted a north carolina police officer for voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of a former college football player. randall kerrick shot and killed jonathan ferrell in september. ferrell was reportedly seeking help following a car accident. >> new details emerging in the bridgegate scandal.

state lawmakers have merged separate investigations into lane closures that snarled traffic on the new jersey side of the george washington bridge. they will look into whether christie aides forced the closures. >> legendary foal k singer pete seeger has died at the age of 94. he was an american original. really his was a story career that spanned more than seven decades. here's a look back at his incredible life. a gentleman with a gentle voice and a burning passion for a world of causes. pete seeger spent his life raising the political temperature, often taking heat for his believes. ♪ this land was made for you and

me ♪ >> he dropped out of harvard to pursue his dreams of becoming a musician. >> i come from a family of teachers. i was looking for a job on the newspaper and not getting one. there was an ad, i can get $5 for you if you come sing a song for my glass. in 1939, you got to work all day or two days to make $5. then i did end up working on -- and i never did end up working on the newspaper. >> he helped bring folk music to the mainstream and landed on the record charts with the weavers. his songs including "where have

all the flowers gone" would later be covered by dolly par ton and aretha franklin. he is perhaps best known for his activism, environmental causes and protesting the war in vietnam. ♪ if i had a harm >> after releasing a hundred records, he may not be best remember for what he sang, but for what he sang. it may seem so old fashioned, but that voice and that man and his life and his career were such a part of american history really. you know, like the music book that made up our childhood. >> he is a source of inspiration for many of the artists that we all listen to today. we were talking about it this morning. it's always sad the passing of someone that people know so well

and can connect with, but what a good long life. all right. we're going to take a break. coming up next on "new day," shocking new revelations about nsa spying. how far does the agency really reach? here's a hint for you. if you play angry birds, chances are the government may know about it. >> all right. we're down here in washington d.c. we're going to talk about the state of the union. hilary clinton made an announcement that she's not any good at driving. in fact, white until you hear what the former secretary of state says about when she actually last drove a car. you won't believe it and you may not even believe why she would admit it. we'll tell you when we come back.

"stubborn love" by the lumineers did you i did. email? so what did you think of the house? did you see the school ratings? oh, you're right. hey babe, i got to go. bye daddy! have a good day at school, ok? ...but what about when my parents visit? ok. i just love this one... and it's next to a park. i love it. i love it too. here's our new house... daddy! you're not just looking for a house. you're looking for a place for your life to happen.

welcome back to "new day." if you play angry birds, the nsa could be spying on you. that's according to new classified documents released from former nsa contractor edward snowden that say american and british spy agencies are getting information from smart phone users. some of the biggest mobile apps could leave you open to spying eyes. we are at the pentagon with more on these new details. >> good morning, kate, of course, when i get up in the

morning, the first thing i do is log on to the cnn app. but then the question is, what happens next. angry birds, one of the most popular game applications, has been downloaded more than 1 billion times. but the next time you open it up, could the nsa be tracking you. according to the why the new york times" the nsa is trying to collect user data from apps. so-called leaky apps that spew everything from user identification codes to where they have been that day. >> if you want to track what people are doing on the internet, you have to move to apps. that's what's driving nsa to track apps. >> in response to the time's story, the nsa issued a statement saying that any

implication that the foreign intelligence collection is focused on the smart phone or social media communications is not true. >> we are not interested in the communications of people who are not valid foreign intelligence targets. >> in one document, which could not be verified by cnn, the effort is described as a golden nugget. information that could be connected includes location of users, networks to which they connect, buddy lists and downloaded documents. >> this would need really tight controls to make sure they weren't taking advantage of it. >> and now there will be a new head of the nsa. the current director, general keith alexander, long scheduled to retire. we now understand that vice admiral michael rogers will be nominated to succeed him.

so he will take over in the coming weeks as soon as he's confirmed, if he's confirmed by the senate. and he will be left to try and sort out all of president obama's changes and the big mess at nsa. >> thanks so much, barbara. >> so much for angry birds on my phone now rnlts let's talk about the big game. nothing is off limits when it's super bowl weekend, including the topic of nfl players using marijuana for medicinal purposes. >> right. ironically guys the only two states to legalize marijuana for recreational use are the two teams in the super bowl. colorado, and seattle. pete carol of the seahawks, he was asked yesterday if he thinks players should be able to use the drug for medicinal purposes. >> we have to continue to

explore and compete to find ways that are going to make our game a better game and take care of our players the best way possible. the fact that it's in the world of medicine is obviously something the commissioner realizes. making the expression we need to follow the information and the research, absolutely i'm in support of. >> he says he will always consider what's best for the players, but the medical experts are not saying marijuana is not what's best to treat injury. espn conducted an anonymous poll, and 85% of them said they would play in the super bowl with a concussion. that sure says a lot about how important this game is to the players. all of the players in this year's super bowl received a nice gift from dr. dre this week. richard sherman who endorses the

headphones surprised the seahawks teammates. the estimated value is $25,000. pretext pensive gift. >> i would not be talking around with those things on my head. >> they think it's well worth it, dr. dre does, considering the exposure they're going to get this week. >> i feel like beats does not need the help. >> they sure don't. >> we're not getting them for each other. >> i'd love a pair. >> the kaepernick commercial, so good, right? >> andy doesn't know because andy doesn't listen to music. >> he's a top 40 guy. we're going to take a break. >> good to have you here with us. it will be 24 hours before some 600 sick passengers and crew members can get off their royal caribbean cruise ship. we're going to hear from some of the passengers.

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welcome back to "new day." let's bring you up to date. a rare and dangerous winter storm set to slam the south. schools are shut down from texas to the florida panhandle.

the midwest is facing temperatures below zero. well over 2,000 night -- flights have already been canceled today. they're calling these snow rollers. isn't that crazy? never seen anything like it. new details this morning in the investigation of that deadly weekend shooting. the mother of the man that is accused on f killing two people before taking his own life doesn't think her son knew his victims. police are still trying to determine the motive. the store where the shooting took place remains close. investigation underway into a deadly helicopter crash in colorado. they are looking into the accident that killed all three people aboard. local police say the three-person crew was on a routine flight inspecting power lines. witnesses say that helicopter went down after it snagged one

of the lines. today, jury selection continues in the trial of former new orleans mayor. he's facing charges that he profited personally from the city's recovery. he could get 20 years in prison or more if he's convicted. >> want to show you shocking video. the moment a woman in australia pulls a dangerous thing. jumps off a train platform. the train passes and the woman is motionless between the rails. she simply gets up and heads back to the platform. this, we're told actually happened about two years ago, but the video was just released. foolish. >> i was in shock there. head back to chris in wa washington. >> holy cow, i thought i was in the place where foolish things

happen. we learned president obama plans to raise the minimum wage himself to $10.10 for mu federal contract workers. now he can do that much by executive order, but he's going to need congress to raise pay for all workers. with an approval rating in the low 40s, he will have to use the state of the union to take what may be his last best chance to get things done. joining us now is cnn political common take tore along with cnn paul begala. i am calling the sotu not the state of the union but saving obama's term usefulness. that is a subject that i can't, as the human being in me, cannot allow one other topic to go, i have to talk about what hillary said. she says that she hasn't driven

a car since 1996. but when you're gearing up to run for president and you're saying you haven't driven a car since gas was a buck and a quarter, how does it not affect relatebility. >> they really, really frown on that. >> my brother is the governor of new york. he's driving motorcycles. >> help me with this. >> not only has she not driven a car, she hasn't taken a car to pump gas, what it costs to get the tires rotated. so when you're running for president, you sort of have to have an understanding of what people go through on a day to day basis. it is a challenge. do i think it's one she can overcome? yes. >> i thought the big pick up from the speech would be that her biggest regret was benghazi and losing the lives there.

this is rattling around in my head for some reason. >> what is she supposed to do? lie? she has secret service protection. she told the truth. she will have a burden, though, to show that he's in touch with real folks in their real live sfwls you know what i find interesting? the level of executeny that -- scrutiny. people are -- i won't offer a prescription yet, but are people actually starting to tune this presidency out. >> let's talk about this now. >> i did that on purpose. >> the president jumps up and says i'm going to drop the hammer here. i'm send ago message that you guys have to get on board with me and do this. paul, you tell me why this will

invent vice congress. >> what he's doing is very popular. more than 50% of republicans want to do this. so he's on the right side of the polling on this. i think that political leverage, link con said to mclegal lan, if you're not going to use your army, may i borrow it. i'll use mine. >> how is the message received? it's kind of strong armed them here on the eve of the state of the union. >> i think the long term politics are united states troublesome. this actually does it. i think this is a very confrontational move in trying to go around the congress. i also think that it's also an admission that he can't really get things done. he can't bring people together on capitol hill. that sends a troubling message i think to the president -- i

think that sends a troubling message to the president's alli allies. >> what doesn't it send a troubling message to congress because the polls reflect that people believe it is obstruction from them that is responsible for more of the gridlock than the president himself in. >> well, so many members of congress have been -- they believe that they've been sent the message that what they have to do is oppose the president's agenda on things like spending and growth of government. >> but they oppose him on everything. >> they don't. i think there are areas like trade, for example there are areas where the republicans are similarly aligned with the mesh public on things like spending and deficits that the president actually hasn't reached out and built the bipartisan co-liegss that he needs. >> they're opposing even their own ideas when he embarrasses

them. it's -- and john mccain co-sponsored it. his path and trade bill was written by john mcking. they're even obstructing them. >> did you know that newt wrote obamacare? >> you're going to make me relitigate the whole health care thing right here in the liemted time -- limited time we have. he applied a one size fits all standard. if he had developed a plan that states were incentivized, he might have had republican support. >> in 2011, he said income inequality is the big issue. 2012, he said, you know, we have to get the minimum wage raise. you can send the right message, but you have to find a way to get things done. i believe this is his last best chance to get things done.

do you believe this is a turning point tonight? >> yes. yes. he's got to. there's a lot of credit similar of the republican obstruction and there should be. but now he's showing that he can act on his own. so there's robust power that he has to get things done, which the most important thing, even more important than bringing republicans together. >> i'm not a -- i'm a real list on this. i think the president has a very narrow window here to get things done. that's one of the big problems he has right now, come june or july, a lot of these folks on capitol hill are going to start worrying about themselves. >> huge move for the president? >> there we go. >> on this new tour, send the message. i still can't fete that out of -- get that out of my head. back to you. >> i bet begala is the same way.

he's the kind that wouldn't drive. >> i valeted paul here this morning. >> and both these guys are much more physically impressive in person also. 6'3" about 240 pounds. >> he shouldn't be messing with you and he didn't listen. now you can take him out. talk to you guys in a little bit. >> coming up next on "new day," a cruise ship filled with about 600 sick passengers and crew members is slowly making its way back to port. but what about the thousands of healthy folks who are stuck on board with them? we're going to hear how they're all coping. >> and will the big game be a big bust for businesses in the big apple? we'll talk about why this super bowl may be the cheapest to attend in years. we'll be back in a moment. [ male announcer ] legalzoom has helped start over 1 million businesses.

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welcome back to "new day." that cruise ship with some 600 sick people on board is making its way slowly back to a port in new jersey. they're still scrambling to find out what's behind the vision and miss tear just stomach bug. what about the healthy folks who are trapped with all of the sick folks for at least 24 hours more. that is tough. >> right, it is tough. but the center for disease control decided to contain this illness they're going to keep people on a boat. they didn't dock in florida. instead, they are headed to new jersey where finally people will be allowed to go home.

the explorer of the seas voyage has been cut short. one in five of its more than 3,000 passengers have fallen sick. >> under the best of circumstances, these kinds of outbreaks are bound to happen. cruise ships are a concentration of passengers that are in a confined space where they have a lot of constant interaction. and that close interaction promotes the transmission of this virus which is transmitted very, very readily from person to person. >> sick passengers have been asked to stay con find to their rooms, encouraged to call for comp elementary room service. >> we are no longer allowed to touch anything. they serve us everything. they hand us our plates, our cups, our folks our food.

you're not allowed to touch a thing. >> the virus can contaminate a surface for days traveling to the mouth and causing infection. when the ship arrives home, royal caribbean says staff will make certain any remaining traces of the illness are eliminated. for their caribbean cruise gone wrong, the company says passengers will get a 50% refund and a 50% credit towards their next cruise ship booking. now, it's interesting because cruise ships have hand sanitizing stations all over the place. but this particular virus, alcohol-based hand sanitizers don't do it. >> you can be sure those folks cannot get off of that boat fast enough. that is tough. >> i imagine. >> thank you. great to see you. >> kind of like you can't get off the boat that is the "new

day" set with somebody that has a cold. >> yes. coming up next on "new day," new york businesses were counting on big profits leading up to the super bowl. but with ticket prices dropping, is the super bowl really a super bust in? in? n? ? as a business owner, i'm constantly putting out fires. so i deserve a small business credit card with amazing rewards. with the spark cash card from capital one, i get 2% cash back on every purchase, every day.

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welcome back. the super bowl countdown is on. it's estimated to give a jolt to the new york area, but that may actually not happen.

hotel bookings are not meeting expectations. so will the super bowl be a super bust? let's bring in pamela brown. >> everyone should be looking for tickets now for good reason. it seems like uncertainty over how mother nature will perform on game day is keeping fans on the sidelines, even though they are making efforts to prepare for extreme weather. in fact, this year's super bowl could be the cheapest in more than ten years. could the super bowl turn out to be an economic super bust? ticket prices for the big game are taking a nose dive, shaping up to be the cheapest since 2002. the average price paid for a super bowl ticket on the inflated secondary resale market

plummeted 14%. that's cheaper than most of the super bowl tickets in years past. >> many of them seem to say that they're waiting to prices to fall even a little bit more. can i get a ticket for $1,000 in the upper deck. can i get for $1500 in the his neen level. >> the secondary market is -- you're going to see things going up and down as has happened in every super bowl. >> that big of a plunge on game week is unusual. right now, online ticket broker, ticket ig says there are 16,635 seats remaining. >> they're beading their time -- bide ing their time. >> why the drop in demand? weather for one. many fans choosing to watch at

home. and the fact that most fans of the teams are all the way across the country doesn't help. >> so you're looking at two teams that don't have quite the same national reach as some of the other teams. on top of that, you're outside in february in the northeast. >> some new york city hotels tell cnn they're also falling short of the super bowl rush with more vacancies than you'd expect for a premier event. >> it's a buyer's market going into the week of the super bowl. >> how much of the super bowl actually helps the local economy ask up for debate. studies have shown it's far less because people spend their money on nfl sponsored or corporate event. so far, it appears more seahawks fans have bought super bowl tickets than denver by 10%. >> i will say that has no bearing on the outcome. >> that's not true. >> chris, back to you.

all right. coming up on "new day," in just hours, the president will deliver his sixth state of the union address. this could be his last best chance to get something done while president. what is he going to tell us tonight? what is he not going to tell us? we're going to preview it from the nation's capitol. in the face of danger, and under the most demanding circumstances. experience builds character. experience builds confidence. and experience... has built this. introducing the 2014 glk. the engineering and the experience of mercedes-benz. see your authorized dealer for exceptional offers through mercedes-benz financial services.

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it is really cold and getting colder. >> deep freeze in the deep south. one of the worst winter storms in decades hitting the region right now. dangerous ice and snow coming down, closing schools and businesses. and in the midwest and

northeast. new lows. >> breaking news this morning. the prent says he'll raise the minimum wage himself with executive order. hear what else had e says in his big speech tonight. discovery of bib la call proportio proportions. does this change everything we believe. the man who helped crack the code joins us live. >> your "new day" starts right now. good morning. welcome back to "new day." it's tuesday, january 28th, 7:00 in the east. i'm coming to you live from capitol hill, the belly of the beast. this is where president obama will deliver his state of the union address tonight. we will have a preview for you of what's going on happen tonight, but let's head to kate in new york for a look at the

cold that is crushing us here, there, and everywhere. >> so many are enduring it. the epic unstoppable cold. half of the u.s. dealing with the latest arctic blast leaving the midwest are snow and subzero temperatures. now it's also pushing south. winter storm watches stretching from the gulf coast to the virginias. covering it all, of course, let's begin with ted row lands in minneapolis, 40 below zero conditions overnight. i am so sorry, tedd. >> reporter: good morning, kate. it is freezing. we're about 15 below zero right now. it has been an absolutely brutal winter. millions waking up this morning to dangerous subzero temperatures in the double digits. >> it is really cold and getting

colder. >> this new blast of frigid arctic air bringing the coldest temps this winter and wreaking havoc yet again for air travelers. schools and government offices are closed again as bitter cold air plunges windchills to 40 below in some states. >> it feels like winter has been forever. >> reporter: chicago preparing for a historic deep freeze, subzero temperatures could have the windy city in the lowest stretch of cold since 1983 forcing schools across the state to close and trains to slow down. >> it's kind of a precaution. >> reporter: the brutal cold near record breaking territory. iowa is experiencing the ninth coldest winter in over a hundred

years. cold creating a significant propane shortage across the midwest. >> continue to have an exceptionally cold winter. >> reporter: wisconsin, the latest to declare an manager -- energy emergency. adding to the misery, blinding whiteout conditions in the northern plains. wind gusts reaching up to 60 miles per hour blew cars right off the road. in central minnesota, the how longing wind caused massive snow drifts higher than this suv. the national weather service says much of the country will be shivering with temperatures up to 39d degrees -- 30 degrees below normal. 51 days until spring. >> i am marking my calendar right now. i know you are as well. so probably the biggest concern in parts of the deep south, freezing rain and ice. a state of emergency already declared in louisiana.

some school districts closing through thursday in preparation of this. chad myers picks up the coverage from new orleans this morning. >> reporter: good morning. it sounds a little silly to say the school districts are closed. it's 32 degrees. but they are closed because they don't want children on buses on icy streets. this is going to get dangerous from houston to louisiana all the way to georgia. the cold air is getting here. it's still 40 right now, but it will be 30 later on today and then it will rain. houston, fort myers all the way back to the east coast, that's where the rain will be. it's going to be raining and 30 or 31. that's the icy vent. 2,600 flights already canceled. school closed because they don't want kids to be on buses. i'm standing on the trolly tracks here. this should be where the

streetcar comes. they are canceled because they're afraid the power's going to go out and the streetcars will be stuck right where they are. they're trying to run buses. but this case will be a skating rink in just a few hours. please stay inside if you can. don't try to travel. the airports are a mess. >> so many folks hunkering down where you are. so tens of millions of people in the deep south dealing with the kind of bitter cold they rarely see. it's so rare it's being called a once in a generation storm. what's it looking like right now? >> chad was talking about all the ice and snow. but take a look, it's not just new orleans. the entire area of the gulf states here talking about the threat of ice and then eventually some snow. that threat spreads even further. we start seeing it coming in towards the carolinas there. half an inch of ice can be seen

and as much as 5 inches of snow into the south. it's not even the only story. the dangerous temperatures are still out there. this is the warmest it's expected to get today. best today in chicago is 12 below. single digits even into the northeast. what is expected this weekend? little thing called the super bowl. you may have heard of it. for now looking at a storm system making its way in on saturday. it is expected to clear out. this is very far in advance. look like cloudy conditions and temperatures barely above the freezing mark. let's hope it stays that way. >> warms up a tad would be a good idea. >> or a lot more. >> let's get back to chris in washington where for once we're not talking about the weather there. >> absolutely. it is cold here, though, i will tell you that much.

how much of a chill will surround the president when he gives his big speech tonight. the state of the union could be the president's last best chance to do anything meaningful. they're entering into the election cycle. overnight cnn learned the president plans to announce a big move. he's going to raise the minimum wage himself to $10.10. now comes the small print, the raise will be raised in stages and only for new contract federal workers. the president will need congress to raise it for all workers. the widening gap between the haves and have nots. that's the issue. it's expected to be a central theme. let's bring in senior white house correspondent. we have heard the message from the president before, but this time is his last time to get it done. >> yeah, this is really pivotal today. it shows you sort of what he's

facing as he's talking about going around congress. this is increasing the minimum wage for federal contract employees. and -- and only those new contracts. so it shows you the odds that he americans and a divided congress to want. president obama pushing forward in his bid to close the gap between rich and poor. he'll tell lawmakers tonight he's not waiting on them to raise the minimum wage. he's executive action will force any company signing a new contract with the feds to pay workers at least $10.10 an hour. almost $3 more than the current federal minimum wage. janitors and construction workers all seeing a boost in pay according to the white house. it was just one vow from last year's state of the union. >> raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour. >> that didn't get transaction in the republican controlled house of representativesment

remember that fashion national fall for a vote on new gun laws? it failed and the push for an immigration overhaul. >> now's the time to do it. >> now obama wants action. and with the clock ticking on his second term, he's ready to tell congress to get on board or step aside. >> i'm also going to act on my own if congress is deadlocked. >> executive actions rallying businesses, colleges and local leaders to the cause. all part of obama's plan to bypass congress. >> he's an american citizen sent. and it stands to reason that he might be frustrated with congress since most american citizens are. >> so what is not in the speech? that is also important as well. not a whole lot of foreign policy despite the fact that there is a civil war raging in

syria. we do expect president obama to address the situation in iran with a message for congress to not put new sanctions in place while this tentative nuclear deal takes hold. really, test going to be focusing on domestic policy and the economy tonight. >> and of course the real story will be the outcome of this speech. let's get reaction here from iowa, steve king. thanks for coming on "new day." >> thanks for having me. >> you are a little bit the face of the resistance going into tonight. when you hear that the president says, i couldn't get $9 done with your help. i'm going to go to $10, i'm going to do it myself and i hope that will incentivize you to come along with me, does this provide incentive to you? >> it provide incentive to step up and defend the contusion. he knows better and he gave a speech to the high school here

in washington d.c. here a couple years ago that made it clear to him he knows better. his job is to keep his oath of office and take care that the laws be faithfully executed. it's congress's job to pass the laws. he knows that and we need to take our oath seriously. >> so are you saying that his using an executive order is an abuse of power? >> i think it's a constitutional violation. we have a minimum wage. congress has set it. for the president to simply declare i'm going to change this law that has passed is unconstitution unconstitutional. he's outside the bounds of his article two limitations. he knows it takes a couple years to get this thing to work. this threat that the president's going to run the government with an ink pen executive order. >> bill clinton signed a lot

more. if you want to stay with your line of reasoning, how invested are you in this? if he really is abusing his powers, it's really an impeachable offense. >> i've stayed away from that word although it does come to me in the streets of america. it goes through the immigration piece, no child left behind, welfare to work. obamacare itself is probably the clearest one. when the president extended the employer mandate for a year, it's clearly unconstitutional. and so we need to lay that all out. i think we need to bring a resolution to the ploor. >> so to be very clear, you believe that the best way for you to do your job right now is

to basically resist president obama every way you can. >> when somebody asked me the other day, what do you agree with the president on, i just turned that out and say, what does he agree with me on. i don't think he's very bipartisan. he's the most leftest president we've ever seen. now he's waving his pen at us. and saying you shall perform. congress said we're going to pass legislation to conform to your unconstitutional activity, he said if it gets to my desk, i will veto it. he doesn't -- >> on the minimum wage, though, you know a lot of members of your party are in favor of the minimum wage. there is something troubling about the fact that the minimum wage keeps someone below the poverty line. >> i've been there. >> there's something about it almost visceral when our set minimum wage keeps someone below

the line of poverty, you have a problem. agree? >> it's a low perjury -- >> it's a growing number. >> but it's entry level. it teaches a work ethic. >> that's the assumption that it's all young kids. it's only 20% teenagers these days. you know a lot of families are getting by on minimum wage income. >> wherever you raise the minimum wage, you necessarily cost jobs. some employers will decide, i can't afford that any longer. you can't drive into a gas station any longer that will wash your windshield, check your oil and fill your tank. it's the government interfering between the relationship between the employee and the employee. >> you think there should be no minimum wage? >> i think we should have left it alone and let the economy grow the way it can. >> some people haven't gotten a

raise in 20 years. how can you believe that you're going to support the american dreams when families are getting stifled that way? >> i've been an employee, i've been an employer. you want to bid for the best employees you can get and you want to sustain them for a long period of time because you're invested in their skill levels. if you don't have that incentive for people to move up, they look out and think, i need to make more money. i'm going to have to either market those skills to some other employer or go back and get an education. this congress can decide what that number should be, then you can also by the same logic legislate a living wage. if you can legislate that, you can also legislate prosperity. someplace up that scale, people drop off. there are a hundred million americans today of working age

who are simply not in the workfor workforce. raising the minimum wraj goes backwards on us. >> at least of your party and the american people believe that dealing the minimum wage are important to them. you do know that, right in. >> the president will give a speech that's designed to divide republicans against each other and unify democrats against republicans. that he be do. he sent us that signal from hawaii when he was on christmas vacation, chastised congress for leaving down to see -- town to see our families. all of that, those are the three items that i can think of that unify democrats and divide republicans. it is clear political strategy that the president has chosen these items to drive for the 2014 legislative agenda. >> at the end of the day it's got to be about compromise.

you're all there in it together. you fwot to find a way to make it work. >> what i'd say to the president, show us what you're willing to do. come across the aisle chl the president is going to have to draw a fine line here. he's going to spend a lot of time being critical of republicans and at the same time he needs republican cooperation because the house is the blocking agent for the president's agenda. >> that's certainly been the case. hopefully you can find a way forward because merps need it. representative king, appreciate you taking the opportunity as always. >> it's a very important moment for you and we're going to cover the state of the union like nobody else. our special coverage of the state of the union address will start tonight at 7:00 p.m. eastern. >> all right. thanks so much, chris. let's take a look at your headlines. the nsa and british counter part are reportedly using angry birds

and other so-called leaky apps to gather information. it was leaked by edward snowden. all so on the surveillance front, tech companies are now able to disclose how many snooping requests they receive from the federal government. >> hilary clinton says the deadly attack on the u.s. mission in benghazi is the single biggest regret she has from her stint has secretary of state. calling the death of four americans a terrible tragedy. clinton is write ago memoir. it is due out this summer. the certainly continues for criminals caught on tape driving a stolen car into a georgia gun store and making off with firearms. the thieves left some guns in the car and the authorities are looking for fingerprints and

dna. it is believed they may be headed for market in the states. pete seeger, the legendary folk singer and activist who used his music for change has died. ♪ where have all the flowers gone ♪ >> songs like where have all the flowers gone, this land is your land, were certainly anthems for generations of americans. he was blacklisted in the 1950s but never stopped singing right until the end. pete seeger was 94 years old. >> and prepare to have your breath taken away. take a look at these daz link images of northern lights. the sky filled with brilliant green and bands of red, really a light show from mother nature. lasted barely an hour.

ended just before midnight on saturday. real treat if you're ever able to catch those in person. it's hard to photograph too. >> that's wonderful. going to take a break. but coming up next on "new day," an emotional sitdown. virginia state senator creigh deeds, he talks about the heart wrenching moment his son attacked him and then took his own life. the interview that you have to hear coming up. we asked people a question, how much money do you think you'll need when you retire? then we gave each person a ribbon to show how many years that amount might last. i was trying to, like, pull it a little further. [ woman ] got me to 70 years old. i'm going to have to rethink this thing.

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>> welcome back to "new day." it's still difficult, understandably so, for krooeg deeds to come to grips with the

fact that his son is gone. the young man took his own life two months ago after attacking his father with a knife. incredibly, creigh deeds survives. he says the system failed gus, his son. we sat down with deeds reliving the moments. >> i turned my back and i took it twice in the back. >> he stabbed you twice in the back? >> yeahment yeah. >> did you know instantly what was happening? >> no, i had no idea. i could see he had something in his hand that was coming at me, but i had no idea. i couldn't tell -- you know, i thought it was a screwdriver. i had no idea what it was. i said, what's going on. and that's -- you know, i said, gus i love you so much, don't make this any worse than it is. he just kept stabbing. i think he either knew that i was disabled enough that i

couldn't interfere with what ever else he wanted to do. he decided at some point, maybe after i said i loved him, that i didn't need to die after all. or he thought from the amount of blood that he'd already done some damage. the first blow to my back was pretty close to a spot where he could have drawn a lot of blood. and the second one punctured a lung. i like to think at some point in that attack, the old gus came back. i believe that. >> because he certainly wasn't himself. >> no he wasn't himself. >> it's not your son. >> no. whatever took my son, the bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, whatever mental illness there was, took my son. he wasn't on medication, he

wasn't keeping appointments. i'd done everything i could the day before. it's not like, you know, he's my son so i can automatically enroll him in a hospital somewhere. he's an adult. everything i'd done the day before, we -- we tried -- we'd been rejecte. my son was allowed to suffer. and -- >> and he was suffering for a long time. >> he was suffering for a long, long time. at least he's at peace now, but it's a price to pay. >> so, you know, i think -- i always feel like if somebody has cancer, somebody who's suffering from, you know, leukemia -- >> that's it. >> people need help. >> there's real disparity in this country between mental illness and what we consider as physical illness.

physical illness, we treat. mental illness, we sweep it under the rug. >> there's still such a stigma about it. >> they don't talk about it. they're embarrassed about it. people that are mentally ill, they don't want to be considered mentally mill people. have it in their family oftentimes, want to pretend it will go away. a lot of people in my own situation would say, gus will grow out of it, gus will be all right, because he had so much ability. he needed medication. >> it's also in society, it seems like, seen as -- as like a defect as opposed to something that has taken your son. i mean it's not -- people don't view cancer as that person is guilty or done something wrong or they're weak, where as mental

illness, there's still that belief. >> there is. that's too bad. >> one of the things that i think that's so horrible about suicide is that, at least for me, i often get stuck thinking that how, in my case, my brother ended his life as opposed to how he ended his life. i'm wondering if you -- do you think about that? >> you know, i do. and you know, people have been so kind to me. they reach out. and, you know, they don't understand sometimes that i got to be left alone, focus on the good things. you know, but these pictures and the facebook page set up for gus, there's so many good pictures, there's on so many good memories. i'm determined that gus not be remembered just for his illness or what ended his life. that's nothing. he was such a good boy, a good

man. he had a good heart. he loved people. gus -- i ran for state office twice and neither time i won, but gus was kind of a constant on both those campaigning. he nicknamed all the kids that worked for me. he'd entertain them. he's just so full of love. and i'm determined that he not be remembered by the end of his life. >> so painful so watch. >> anguish in his voice. >> it makes you wonder why speak out. over and over again, he does not want his son remembered for how he died and he's now fighting to fix a system that failed his son and his family. >> there are a lot of families that are suffering under the same issue. it's so hard to separate the illness from the child or the perpendicular you love -- person you love. we're so proud of him for taking

that moment to talk to anderson. >> send it back to chris in washington. chris? >> all right. coming up here on "new day," the president is dropping the hammer on the minimum wage passing an increase himself. what other surprises are in store in we'll tell you. people don't have to think about where their electricity comes from. they flip the switch-- and the light comes on. it's our job to make sure that it does. using natural gas this power plant can produce enough energy for about 600,000 homes. generating electricity that's cleaner and reliable, with fewer emissions-- it matters. ♪

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welcome back to "new day." where we're counting down to the state of the union. president obama is expected to focus on income inequality. not the first time he's done that, emphasizing the

fwroeing -- growing gap between rich and poor. we hear news, this morning's executive order, that he is going to raise the minimum wage himself at least for some federal contractors. let's bring in john king. you know him. john, great to be with you face to face. unusual for us. >> welcome to town. >> what do you think? this move will push, will provide incentive for republicans to come along. does it do that? >> it's both in the sense that the president has two challenges tonight. he's mindful of what happened in 2013. if you go back and read last year's speech, the priorities of the president, he got zero. didn't get the jobs program on the infrastructure bank he wanted. didn't get immigration reform. the terrain is even more difficult this year. he has a half dozen or so senate

democrats on the ballot who don't want to vote for much of what the president wants. that is a poke in the eye in the sense you'll hear him wait a minute, they should be respected. that's the president's way of saying, i understand i'm not going to get much of this passed so i'm going to do what i can with executive. i'll believe it when i see it. can they actually get a bill to the president's desk. it's a big challenge for the president. he's at a relatively low point in the polls. can he rise above that at a time when even some democrats say the obama presencecy is over -- presidency is over. >> i didn't even get to immigration with steve king because of his resistance to the notion that president obama, the president of the united states, should be using executive orders. he was saying it's a constitutional abuse of power.

i don't think there's much basis for saying it's a violation. there's this outward contempt of the man. >> there is contempt. and again, that shows number one, the mood that greets the president. it also shows you while speaker boehner has done a better job, he has problems too. that's why i brought up the immigration issue. what happens to steve king, members of the tea party? most republicans don't want to do anything except criticize obamacare and get to the election because they think this is such a good year for them. speaker boehner does want to do some things. one of the president's greet opportunities is if the republican condition tensions blow up again. >> it's an interesting climate because his numbers are kind of low but not as low as congress. you have the american people

saying they want action on things like the minimum wage. does he have to hope that the people feel that he's on their side and that there's momentum that helps him get back in the game? >> you just saw some of this in new york city, were there are democrats that believe that populism is the right way to go. rich versus poor, two americas, income inequality. can you sell that outside of new york? she's a democrat seeking reelection, mark pry i don't remember arkansas, we could go on and on and on. >> the politics of dividing the pie is easier than the real problem of making more pie, isn't it? >> it is. but the pie is automatically divided in an election year. you look at a country where we have maybe 40 to 50 and that number will be smaller by election day. what does it say that 30 or 40

of them will be competitive come election day. there are a dozen senate races so the dms are on defense -- democrats are on defense. he has a majority house republicans who say no to almost everything the president says, but he also has a handful of democrats who want to restrict obamacare. so it's a huge complication for the president. >> it will be interesting. as we saw people got home when they got taken to task by real voters, it's easy to make it e sound like it's all taxes because it's easy for them to stake out. it's all about who can make more pie, who can make more jobs. we heard a lot about it from the president the last time he talked about income. we'll have to see what's on the table. it will also be interesting to hear what comes in the response.

>> and the republicans sending out for the lead response. there are several republican responses. but a mother of three for the lead response, that's part of the immaj makeover. to dole with things like holes in the economy, however, not just his fault. if you go through last year, because of the low approval ratings for himself, people don't like the banks, just not a lot of faith in government right now. he says he wants to use the leverage of government to do this, even the people who agree with him don't think it will happen. >> back to you. >> all right. thanks so much. very much more coming up with a preview of the state of the union address. right now, though, a discovery of biblical proportions. it very well may be the blue print for noah's arx.

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welcome back to "new day." when you think of noah's ark you probably imagine a large wooden boat carrying two of each animal on earth. recently though, a clay tablet revealed stunning new details include ago blue print for building a large round boat. it is all the subject of a new book, "the ark before noah." joining us now is the translator of that tablet. what is pleasure to have you here to talk about this translation you discovered. >> well, i'm very in addition to

be here. i brought with me a replica of this tablet. it's not the real thing, but this is a life size exact replica. it was brought to me in 1985 or something. i'd never seen it before. i knew it was part of the babylonian flood story. but then the man took it away from the museum and i didn't see it again for quite a long time. i was able to decipher the whole thing. >> you studied this ancient text. one of the earliest forms of writing for years and year. >> that's right. >> how long did it take you to translate this text? >> when i finally got it in my hands, i could read most of it within a few days. the fact is that the surface is damage. some of the signs are very difficult. i had to go back to it and go back to it. every time i had a bright idea,

a little bit would come out. >> now, one of the most startling discoveries is that the plan for the ark showed that it was to be round? this is such a departure from the classic stories we've grown up with. >> anyone who's read their bible knows that noah's ark was kind of an oblong shaped craft. it is a boat with a high front and a high stern with a little house in the middle. everybody knows both of those immanuals. and i don't think anybody ever had the idea that the ark in its original form, so to speak, had been a round vessel. when you start to think about it, it makes a lot of sense. it's a traditional kind of boat you often find on rivers round

the world. and the ancient babylonians had them. what was this boat like, it must have been a coricle but an absolute gigantic one. you know it's a round vessel from above, but it's shaped like this. it will float always. it will never sink. that's all that the ark had to do was to bob around safely like a life boat with all the animals inside until the waters went away again. >> right. as you said, it was a life boat. now what's interesting, even though you translated this text, you say that you're 107% sure that this ark never existed.

why is that? >> the measurements are very clear. it was about half the size of an english football field. the point is that this -- this is myth tholg we're talking about. it's not a blue print for reality. it's a mythological story where one of the poets went to the effort of creating a story about a gigantic boat. ancient iraq, there certainly were very destructive floods. there was a tu nam my which went across the whole landscape. and i think that for the survivors, the memory of this greet thing which -- great thing that really happened never disappeared from their minds. it's that in the background which then led, i think to the mythological story. >> obviously, we know the

turmoil that's going on and has been going on for some time in iraq. i imagine your concern that is discovery such as this are going to be more rare and harder to get access to. >> that's true. in the british museum where i work we have about 130,000 pieces of clay with writing on them. the ex-ka conversations -- excavations found a huge quantity. we have lots and lots of tablets still to be read. >> you've got your work cut out for you. >> you're right. you have to live for 500 years yourself in order to do the job properly. >> i could talk to you about this all day. i'm sure the biblical community will have things to say about this themselves. some new discoveries being made.

>> i would love to get the doctor's take on our next story after the break. coming up next on "new day," was pharrell williams taking a fashion tip from smoky the bear? it's a hit online now, even getting its own twitter account. you ponder, we'll discuss. in 1953. d ia afghanistan, in 2009. orbiting the moon in 1971. [ male announcer ] once it's earned, usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation. because it offers a superior level of protection. and because usaa's commitment to serve current and former military members and their families is without equal. begin your legacy. get an auto insurance quote. usaa. we know what it means to serve.

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even if you don't want to folks. >> i'm sorry. >> welcome back to "new day."

if you watched the grammys you saw the hat. the ferrell williams may have won four award for music. that's nothing. the hat stole the show. it's taken on a life and twitter account of its own. here is jenny. >> you would think ferrell williams had two heads by the fuss everyone made over his hat pointing out the similarity to smokey the bear. the cohost of the talk paby tryg to imitate it. when is the last time you saw a hat get enthusiastic applause? close second in the winner department was arby's for the hat joke heard around the world. hey, can we have our hat back? >> he responded saying, y'all

trying to start a roast beef. >> he thought the roast beef joke was well done. >> it's good appreciate it. >> he gave a shout out to the hats worn and bragged i'm definitely more responsible by madonna's grill biting come tear for a hat. >> the buzz speculated on what might be hiding under his hat. a dancing baby, justin bieber's lamborghini. one critic tweeted the hat looked like a big toe. well at least this is a design per big toe. >> it's vivianne westwood. a buffalo hat. >> featured in the video, buffalo gals, considered classic hip hop. the hat dosey doed up the run

way in the '82-83 fall collection. bored with your old hat, you too can own the exact hat he wore to the grammys for a mere $157. they call it the mountain hat on west world end's website known as the jelly mold hat. even daft punk's helmets couldn't compete with his hat that inspooired harris to tweet only williams can prevent forest hats. >> cnn new york. >> they can hate all they want. he looked good. >> he can wear whatever he wants winning that big of an award. >> i was trying to think of another example. >> that's a weird big toe. coming up next on "new day." he spent a decade behind bars

for a murder he didn't commit. find out why he's now fighting for knox as a jury decides her fate once again. plus president barack obama 's defining moment. in just hours, steps from here, the president will deliver his most important state of the union, one of the most important speeches me may have ever given. stakes are so high, this could be the last best chance to get something done. he's already going rogue. we'll tell you about it.

oh, hi there bill. hey! are you in town for another meeting? yup, i brought my a-team. make the most of the weekend before it's gone. this is my family. this is joe. hi joe! hi there! be a weekender and book your stay at hampton. feel the hamptonality. it feels like winter has been forever. >> happening now, the worst winter storm in decades pounding

the south at this hour. states of emergency declared. ice and snow set to cripple communities as the deep freeze misery reaches new lows. breaking this morning, the president announced the plan to raise the minimum wage for many and doing it going around congress. we're live in washington and press the white house for answers this hour. reaching out, he was wrongly in prison more than a decade. she spent years in an italian prison. now the two are talking. how are ryan ferguson and amanda knox helping each other cope? he joining us live. >> your "new day" continues right now. this is "new day" with chris cuomo, kate bolduan and michaela pereira. >> the sun is up. good morning. welcome to "new day." tuesday january 28, 8:00 in the east. i'm chris cuomo on capitol hill. the belly of the best.

this is where president barack obama is putting the final touches on tonight's state of the union address. why does it mat senator well, he's made news by dropping the haerm on the minimum wage. doing so without the help of congress. he's doing it by executive order. will it stand? what will it mean? other surprises? we'll tell you in a moment. let's get to kate in new york with the top story. >> the top story is the cold. the arctic blast hitting half of the county. take a look at map. sub zero cold midwest and northeast. snoe and ice are headed where you at least expect it would, the deep south. almost 2800 flights have been cancelled today. schools are shutting down across the country spanning from milwaukee to new orleans. we have got the cold covered for you starting with ted roll land live in frigid minneapolis. the sun is going to start coming up but not the temperatures. >> reporter: no. 15 degrees below 0 now. kate, it's absolutely miserable.

it's not just minneapolis. a lot of folks are waking up to frigid temperatures this morning. millions wake up this morning to dangerous sub zero temperatures in the double digits. >> it is really cold and getting colder. >> this new blast of frigid artist air bringing cold temperatures and wreaking havoc for air travelers. from midwest to southeast, schools and government offices are closed as bitter cold air plunges wind chills to 40 below in some states. >> it feels like winter has been forever. we're just -- i don't know if we're in the middle yet. >> chicago preparing for a historic deep freeze, sub zero temperatures that struggle to rise above 0 for another day could have the windy city in the lowest stretch of cold since 1983 forcing schools across the state closed for a second day and commuter trains to slow down.

>> it reduces the stress on the rails to operate a little slower. it's a precaution. >> the brutal cold near record breaking territory sai state officials since october. iowa is experiencing the ninth coldest winter in over a hundred years. the cold creates a significant propane shortage across the midwest. >> we continue to have an exceptionally cold winter. >> wisconsin the latest to declare energy emergency as thousands fear not being able to heat their homes. adding to my ri, blinding whiteout conditions in the northern plains, wind gusts reaching up to 60 miles per hour blew cars off the road. in central minnesota, the howling wind caused massive snow drifts higher than this suv. the national weather service says much of the country will be shivering temperatures 30 degrees below normal through wednesday. >> reporter: kate, nearly two months left of winter.

it has been incredibly cold this morning. it has got to be one of the worst days out here. it is bad. >> unfortunately, ted, you're getting use to cold. that means a lot. ted row lands, thank you so much. for the deep south, this could be the worst winter storm in decades they're saying. there's a state of emergency in louisiana where snow and ice are expected expected expected to reek havoc. good morning chad. >> reporter: good morning kate. it started to rain, and that's bad news. we're going from 38 degrees down to 30 later today. we have schools closed from texas to georgia. cancellations on airports now ranging almost up to 2800 flights. mainly hartsville, jackson but all around the country. 100 million under a watch, wa warning or advisory in 34 states.

it's a skating rink here. this is where the trolly cars would be going if running. they are not. they're sure the power going to go out. if the power goes out, the trolly car stops. it is stranded. if you do not have to go out today please do not. they're not having kids go to school. not because it's so cold or because of snow, but because they're afraid of ice on the roadways or standing on the walkways or walking around. in less than an hour, this place is going to turn to a sheet of ice. we'll be here all day. please be careful. the eastern part of the county in a bad way. >> circumstances are going to change quickly where you are chad. thank you for this. >> everyone is wondering how low will temperatures get and how long will they last? let's go to indra keeping a look at the forecast for all of us. >> 140 million americans across

34 states are dealing with this arctic chill. so many of you that even in the deep south as we saw chad talking about this, look at the threat of icing. quarter of an inch in new orleans and almost near half an inch towards wilmington. this is the beginning phase. first icing and then you have the snow as colder air filters in. good amounts when you talk southern states. towards raleigh seeing 30 terribly six inches. new orleans getting that much. they haven't had that in 100 years. it's not a little bit. look across the gulf. cold air is, snow down to the south. of course you see the wintery mix spreading into the southern states overnight around the carolinas. then huff tyou have the change temperatures. take a look at today. 20 degrees cooler than yesterday. chicago will get to 12 below at the highest peak of the day where the temperatures are the warmest. that's the wind chill. that's what it feels like. that's all i care about in

chicago. >> a lot of soup for meals. >> it would last. i want to leave. >> thanks indra. we'll continue to track this big story the weather and also to washington where chris is handling the other big story. >> it's cold here and a cold wind blowing through the capital. the president warned congress he would do it. he moved to increase the minimum wage himself this is a banner issue he's going to highlight tonight in the state of the union address. this could be his last chance to get things done as president of the united states. stakes couldn't be higher. valley joining us from the white house to preview what we should be hearing, how effective it is. she's a senior advisor to president barack obama . >> good morning chris. before we talk act the state of the union, i want to say

president barack obama has directed federal agencies to do what they can working with state and local officials to brace for this cold patch coming in hitting our country so hard. >> good too here. certain certainly need the federal operations. we have the state of emergency but federal aid always needed when unexpected weather comes. good to hear. appreciate that this morning. let's get to business at hand. i'll play the provocative here. the message sent by the president, a very aggressive one. you don't want to do minimum wage, you are not going to do hit. i'm going to do it myself. >> he's going to take action and continue to work with congress wherever he can. he supports the hark and miller bill pending before congress to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 and provide cost of living increases when appropriate. at the same time he doesn't want

to sit waiting when there are too many people who are contractors for the federal government who are raising their children in poverty. the current minimum wage is $7.25. that's $14,500 a year. you can't raise a family on that money. that's his control sign of the executive order. he says i'm going to use the pen to sign executive orders, going to convene people around the country who want to partner with us to create jobs and grow our economy. i intend to take action. that is what the speech will lay forth for the american people. he's looking forward to giving it. it's going to have concrete specific steps he thinks will create opportunities for americans who want to work hard and succeed. that's what he thinks his job as president is to do. it is not intended to be provocative. it's intended to be about a year of action. >> it is provocative. we both know that. while i understand you about the

economic realities, polls show people may be with the president when it comes to rising the standard of living. the game, valerie, the game is not the way you play the game if you want cooperation. now you're provoking the other side to be resistant. >> chris, let me say clearly. this is though the a game. if you're a single mom working hard and trying to raise your children and have them have a better life than you. this is not pay game to people who write letters to the president every night saying they want to get a little bit of break and little bit of support. they want a job. they need the skills, education, need the opportunity. if you are sewing uniforms for our troops or helping clean federal buildings, then you should not be raising your children in poverty. this isn't a game. he's very serious. he's serious because he's committed to supporting those americans who are working with grit and determination and resilient and what they are looking for is a little help. the challenge will be to

congress to pass legislation, a call to employers to raise their wages and we're seeing examples of companies around the country who recognize it's actually good for the economy. it makes their employees more productive to pay higher wages. the president will be visiting costco tomorrow in maryland. they pay employees good wage. there's examples around the country. he's going to highlight what works and call on everyone to work together. it's a positive optimistic message. >> i understand you about the message. the game is not the economic realities. i couldn't agree more with that. the minimum wage now just 20%. teenagers 46% of family income, many coming from minimum wage. it's an important issue. the question is how do you get it done? we heard about it in 2012 and 2013. when i say game, i'm talking about the game you and i understand well, played here in

washington d.c. how your get to the point of compromise. the president has been unsuccessful. how does he become successful getting the other side to work with him? >> first of all he's not giving up. he's made it clear he's looking for ideas from the other side. he's always willing to compromise. he needs to hear their solutions. on this specific issue of minimum wage, there's a bill pending he supports that would be bipartisan. let's see if we can get mitt done. in the meantime, let's support those that want to do hard work. we have examples across the country of states raising the minimum wage. when maryland raised the minimum wage for their contractors they found they had more people bidding which made it more competitive. we have to highlight what's working. sometimes if we show what's working to congress maybe they'll see what the american people want. that's what is getting supported around the country. we can move them to action. this is not an either or. it's both and.

he'll reach out to members on both sides of the aisle to see if we can get bold pieces of legislation done. immigration is now an important piece. the house is working on it. we're encouraged by signses. we have trade agreements to unleash great potential for american companies to export, grow and create jobs at home. he has a legislative agenda. he's not going to rest at that. >> he's got to get it done on the other side who you know is greatly mitigated support. you could argue it's immigration. i'm going to put hit to the side. when you talk about urgency, the debt ceiling is there. mcconnell said we're not going to deal with a default and shutdown. is the president willing to reach out a hand and say let's work together, more than has happened in the past? >> the president has always been willing to work together.

on this specific issue, he thinks the united states should stand behind his full faith and credit and pay its bills and we shouldn't be -- you shouldn't hijack that principle the economy depends on. that has been the pattern. he's very clear. let's pay our bills, let's not turn this to crisis. it's heartening to hear leader mcconnell as well as speaker boehner say they don't want another crisis. we saw what happened at the end of last year when we had the crisis. there are many issues we can work on together and find opportunities for compromise such as immigration reform, trade bills. let's keep moving forward with the positive momentum. over the last 46 months, chris, we have created 8 million jobs in this country. there are companies that have moved jobs overseas that are now bringing those back to america because they believe in america. we have such reason to be

optimistic. the grit and determination of american people and businesses gives the president optimism every morning. let's do the people's business. that's what the president is looking forward to outlining to the american people tonight, how he intends to get that job done. >> valerie jarrett, thank you very much. appreciate the perspective. we'll all be watching tonight. big moment. thanks for joining us. >> my pleasure, chris. >> please stay tuned to cnn. we're going to give you the most complete coverage and analysis of the president's state of the union address. we'll do it throughout the day on "new day." tonight at 7:00 eastern, the special coverage begins. back to new york. >> chris, thanks for that. let's give you headlines this hour. new developments over the dispute of dozens of prisoners. the nato labels dangerous insurgents. afghan government issues release orders for the main prison in

afghanistan. the u.s. says there's enough evidence to prosecute men. the afghan president says the prison is a taliban making factory and should be shut down. if you're playing angry birds on your smart phone, the nsa could be watching. that's the latest revelation by the contractor who leaked documents. it shows the monitored app that streams personal data according to the new york times. the obama administration says it will let tech companies release more information about government requests of data. incredible story of survive. fell 3500 feet and survived. mckenzie is in theicu battered and a live following a sk diving accident. broken pelvis, broken backs in her back and bones but apparently is making progress. her family says the parachute didn't deploy while the sky diving company says it did open

completely. she was allowed to go solo on her first jump with her father's consent. pete seager is remembered as a folk champion icon. he died in a new york hospital at the age of 94 last night. his story was a career that spanned seven decades. he's a look back at pete seeger's life. >> a gentle man with a gentle voice. a burning passion for a world of causes. pete seeger spent his life raising the political temperature often taking heat for his believes. ♪ this land was made for you and me ♪ . >> he was born in 1919. he dropped out of harvard to pursue his dreams of becoming a musician. >> some of you may know his name

of woody guthrie. >> he helped bring folk music to the main stream in the 1940s. he hit the road with woody guthrie and landed on the charts with the weavers. ♪ >> his songs include classics like "where have the flowers gone?" and "if i had a hammer" later covered by dolly parton and franklin. after releasing 100 reports and influencing the music world, he may not be remembered for what he sang but why he sang. ♪ >> pioneer of contemporary

american folk music. so much to credit him with. >> a good, long life. let's take a break. coming up next on "new day," critical dw critical developments of the shooting death of a former star. now a second grand jury has handed down its decision. details on that ahead.

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big developments in the shooting death of former college football star pharrell. >> the police officer was indicted monday on voluntary manslaughter charges. a different grand jury had previously decided not to indict. last fall, he shot the unarmed 24-year-old who was reportedly looking for help after a car crash. cnn is joining us live with more details. this is something we're following closely. >> the family of jonathan pharrell says this is the first step towards justice. the question remains, has there been violation here. they say there's not probable cause to believe the police officer committed voluntary manslaughter. prosecutors go to another grand jury who say, oh yes there is. >> charlotte police officer indicted monday by a second grand jury charged with voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of former florida a and m football player jonathan

pharrell. >> it was he came to this house. after climbing out of the wrecked car, investigators believe he banged on the door for help. the woman inside called police fearing for her safety. >> he's in the front yard yelling. oh my god. please. >> three officers responded. when ferrell approached them unarmed one officer tried to subdue him with a taser without success. then the officer fired 12 shots hitting him 10 times killing him instantly. the officer told investigators the suspect assaulted him by unknown means. he had apparent minor injuries but refused treatment. charlotte police called the shooting excessive.

less than 20 hours later he was charged with felony voluntary manslaughter. the first grand jury declined to indict him on the charges last week. but the number of jurors present was in question. >> what we don't know is how many precisely of the 18 showed up to actually hear the case. the prosecutor says there weren't enough. the defense says that's ridiculous. >> on monday the judge ruled the state attorney general could refile the case. prosecutors presented the same charge to a different grand jury that returned an indictment. the defense disagrees saying, quote, the true outrage of this community should be at the attorney general's complete disregard of the original findings of our first grand jury. >> the defense is saying these citizens did what they were supposed to do by rejecting the prosecutor's case. that argument will be heard throughout this case.

>> now this case will hinge on the state of mind of the police officer. did he believe that he had to kill jonathan ferrell because he thought his life was in danger? would a reasonable person, reasonable police officer have thought the same thing? the jury will look at everything. they will look at 12 shots, the succession, how fast did they come together? they'll look at the fact the officer was responding to a burglary call. the woman was hysterical saying the man is trying to break into my house. we learned from the family that watched the video camera, the dash cam that taser lights may have gone into the chest of jonathan ferrell. he approached the police officer saying in essence, hold off. maybe that was misinterpreted and the shots came out. >> sounds regardless like a long legal battle for ferrell's family. >> a civil suit has been filed. >> thanks for that jean. >> let's go to chris in

washington now. president barack obama pushing the hike in the minimum wage going at it alone. will it hurt his chances of getting congress to work together? we have details on late breaking developments coming up. [ male announcer ] this is the age of knowing what you're made of. why let erectile dysfunction get in your way? talk to your doctor about viagra. ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take viagra if you take nitrates for chest pain; it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. side effects include headache, flushing, upset stomach, and abnormal vision. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. stop taking viagra and call your doctor right away if you experience a sudden decrease or loss in vision or hearing. this is the age of taking action. viagra. talk to your doctor.

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and welcome back to "new day." here are the five things you need to know for your new day. sub zero temperature, snow, ice hitting the midwest and east even the deep south. schools are closed in several major cities. thousands of flights have been cancelled. when president barack obama delivers the state of the union

address he'll announce he's going around congress to raise the minimum wage himself. he's challenging lawmakers to do the same for all workers. the sochi games ten days away. today the olympic torch will make its way through the capital of the republic. the u.s. could rethink sending hockey players to sochi if, quote, something significant happens. a bipartisan committee is developed to investigate the chris christie scandal. christie's aids are accused of closing access lanes to punish a democratic mayor. a deep commission ferry crashed into a scrapyard on purpose. wow. it was broken down for scraps and recycling. quite a site. we update those five things to know. visit cnn.com for the latest. chris, back to you. >> that video makes me wonder if it's a metaphor for what's

happening in d.c. that ship crashing into the others hoping for progress forward. as michaela mentioned, president barack obama will use executive work tore raise minimum wage. he's going at this on his own. it comes ahead of what could be another state of the union address he's expected to announce more ways he's going to work around congress if necessary. so, with an approval rating in the 40s, midterm elections looming, this could be the president's last best chance to set the tone for his second term. let's bring in mr. newt grin gram and jones. the executive order has come down. he's going to do it himself. you make the case why this is encouraging for compromise. >> first of all you've got a bunch of federal workers who are doing a great job not making enough money. if president should do something about it.

big picture, he has a choice. he can hand legacy over to a congress that is disfunctional and not able to get anything done this year or use every power he has to make america better. he's going the right thing. why should he sit here and let a disfunctional congress hold back progress for american, give his country over to that when he can headache america better and stronger? he's doing the right thing. >> long term fix? >> last night the point was made as a democrat some how the president ought to be part of leading the congress not fighting the congress. i think the president's timing makes no sense at all. you come up here tonight, have a chance to lead the legislative branch. you might want to reluctantly do certain things. to deliberately announce things the morning of the event is to put your thumb in their eye and say, what are you going to do? i think it poisons relations. >> first of all republicans

loved ronald reagan. we can't talk about george w. bush. we can talk reagan forever. in his first term, 200 executive orders. obama about 100. reagan used orders way more than obama has. >> it's about what and when too. >> you can definitely quibble with timing. when he doesn't lead, they say he's weak. when he does, they say he's a dictator. >> i was there. reagan was able to muscle things through with o'neal. reagan was a very good governor. he understood to get big things done you have to have the legislative branch go along with you. this president has almost announced the last three years he's not going to have legislative leadership. that's a huge long term mistake. >> part of the thing is you talk about reagan and clinton. bill clinton had you.

you were able to get things done. boehner, who is he supposed to negotiate with? you have a republican party that today will have three different responses. rand paul, republican party, tea party. he has no negotiating partner. he needs to move forward. >> you have a john boehner that's recently delivered on a trillion bill in terms of paying the bills. i think he's going to deliver on immigration reform this spring. there's something to build on if the president wants to be a builder rather than an instructor. i think with the lesson they look out last year, they need to be an alternative governing party not opposition party. a lot of people in the last two weeks say they're determined to move forward. they're introducing huge bills to help poor children with education. you'll see a lot of that stuff.

there's an opening for the president if he would like to meet with people and talk to people instead of insult them. >> fair criticism he's now using the fist but also has to open the hand. >> he has to do both. it shouldn't be either or. the president has tools to use. he's not a prime minister. a prime minister governs through the legislator. he is the president. he ran in every precinct and every part of the country. when he leads, people follow. he's been leading on immigration. people are following. he's going to lead on minimum wage. they're going to follow. he led on immigration. they're going to follow. you can't attack the president for opposite things everyday. either he's a weak leader that doesn't do anything or a dictator. pick one. >> now you know where the people are on it. you know where your party is on it. >> minimum wage will pass some

point this spring. >> at $10? >> the key is not passing minimum wage. the key is having jobs. if you don't have a job, the minimum wage doesn't help you because you're not getting any wage. what you're going to see is a real effort among republicans to say look at the lessons of north dakota where they have way above the minimum wage because they have a labor shortage. look at how to rev up the economy. that's the big debate. the two big debates this spring is obamacare not working and the economy not working. the polling numbers this morning for president on both those is not good. >> not great for the other side. >> nobody is doing well polls wise. >> right now because of the dysfunction in congress, the president cannot get republican ideas through. the president put forward infrastructure, stuff bipartisan for 100 years. the republicans wouldn't pass for this president. he has to do what he can to get america working. if you want an argument about creating jobs. the president's focus on the

middle class collapsing because we have the widening gap, the republicans and democrats have good answers for that. he's got to frame the conversation on things that matter. >> the president came in the fifth year of his presidency to explain heconomic policies. we have the worst number since the great depression. >> okay guys. let's hold this. listen, i love it. i love the belly of the beast. let's see what gets laid out tonight and all 15 responses are. we'll regroup tomorrow. good to see you. >> always a pleasure. >> van jones has on superman cuff links which is intimidating. newt has an s on his chest. that's the balance of power. >> what cuff links are you wearing? >> i have no cuff links. i have no power. >> we're going to take a break

on "new day." you may call them unlikely friends. ryan ferguson recently released from years of prison after being wrongly convicted. he's talking to amanda knox and coming to her defense as she waits for an italian jury to determine her fate. ryan will be with us live. hey guys! sorry we're late.

did you run into traffic? no, just had to stop by the house to grab a few things. you stopped by the house? uh-huh. yea. alright, whenever you get your stuff, run upstairs, get cleaned up for dinner. you leave the house in good shape? yea. yea, of course.

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welcome back to "new day." for ten year, 29-year-old ryan ferguson sat prison wrongly convicted of murder. that nightmare ended a few months ago when his conviction

was overturned. he has a mission to advocate for others he believes is falsely accused of crimes. he's been fight for amanda knox. she's expecting a verdict in the retrial of a murder of meredith. joining us to discuss us is ryan ferguson himself. great to see you in person. >> thank you so much. good morning. you've been out since november. before we talk about the cases you're advocating, a lot of people want to know how you describe the transition back. >> it's been incredible. i have so many amazing people in my life. my family, my girlfriend. a lot of supporters have been there from the middle of when i got arrested. it's been very amazing. it's been uplifting knowing these people were there to help me and help us get a long life. it's good. we're moving forward and continuing to do everything we can to spread awareness. >> what would you say is the

most -- the thing that's most surprised you since finally being back in society after ten years behind bars? >> definitely the thing that surprised me the most is how amazing people are. in prison you're around a lot of less than amazing people. >> that's a kind way of oputtin it. >> out here there's negative people, but you surround yourself with positive people and people you know are good in your live. i'm amazed by the people around me. i'm so fortunate. it shocks me everyday knowing there's so many good people out there. >> it hasn't lost the luster of freedom yet? >> not at all. supporters that have been there. facebook, my family. i'm so grateful then and now for what they continue to do. big shout out to them. >> you've been busy. you're working on a book and have been advocating for those you feel is wrongly convicted of

crimes. amanda knox is one of the people? >> she is. >> how did that friendship start? >> i've known about her quite some time. when i got out, she was on free ryan ferguson. >> she posted welcome home, welcome back ryan. >> she wrote a letter. we kind of had this connection in the sense that we've been through this justice system although hers is there and mine is here. it's relatively the same. there's not a lot of people in the world that have dealt with wrongful conviction. it's cool. she wanted to reach out and say if you need to talk to anybody, need help, i'm here for you. if not i understand. that's how we began communicating. >> things aren't over for her. now is an important week for her facing retrial. the jury could be handing down the verdict, her fate again even though she's not gone back to italy. you've spoken with her. how is she? where is her head on this? >> she's positive.

seems to be doing very well. i'm impressed with her. it's so daunting at this time. within 48 hours she should know her fate. you can't start living life until they clear you and until you're free essentially. i'm amazed how she's doing. she's working hard on school and continuing life the best she can. she believes the courts are going to do the right thing based on facts. i agree. >> why doing winning here for her matters? you understand this more than anything. it's unlikely she'll be extradited to italy no matter the verdict. why does it matter so much for her to win? >> it's huge because of public percepti perception. it would affect her job, her social life. it affects everything. she cannot begin to live life until this is behind her. you're a prisoner even though you're free. that's one of the things people forget. they're like she's out and able to do whatever she likes.

that's not freedom. you're held back and held down. your opportunities are limited. you can't decide what i'm going to do next year because you don't know how this is going to affect you. >> this is not the only case you're advocating. one is mark woodworth another person of convicted of murdering a neighbor who spent 17 years behind bars. you're also taking on other cases. why are you taking these on? >> i knew about woodworth as well. when we were investigating our case and looking into it, we came across this case. a lot of the same things that happened with the prosecutor missed withholding evidence. it's about what happened to him. we could see exactly how it played out. it's just sad how this guy has been dragged through the justice system for 20 years. we believe we have to support him. we know it's a wrong. the evidence is there. facts are there. i went to a hearing on friday.

the judge seems pretty amazing. seems like he's fair and balanced. he seems as if he wants to do the right thing. that seems that's the first time that's happened for him. i'm happy about that. they threw out the ballistic evidence which was suspect. >> you're really into cases. you study these before you advocate for them. it's interesting as i'm listening to you. i was looking at the interview when you had just gotten out. you didn't know what was next for ryan ferguson. you were ready to breathe fresh air. now i'm listening and you may have figured out what's next for you. is this your future advocating? >> i would love for hit to be. i'm putting a lot of money out of my own pocket. now is the thyme people are dealing with things. i have to be there to support them. i would like it to be next year, but it's not. i'm going to take the opportunity to help them out when it's available. i wish i could help more people

now. a lot of people have sent cases to us. we just don't know enough about those cases yet. when we have the time and resources to investigate them, we're going to try and help other people. we want to be 110% sure about who we're supporting. >> i know you probably didn't think you would have a second chance. it's going to be really fun to watch you living this second chance now that you're back and free. we'll see what happens. the book coming out? >> on being able to watch us on facebook/freeryanferguson. handle on twitter it's life after 10. >> it's my life and getting back in society and dealing with the fun things that come with life. >> and you're quickly learning what we learned out here. nobody is going to promote you unless you promote yourself. >> exactly. >> thanks for coming ryan. >> thanks so much. >> tremendous young man. thanks kate and thanks ryan.

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. welcome back to "new day." a cruise ship with 600 sick people on board is slowly making its way back home. here's the question, what about the healthy passengers and the crew that are trap add board with the sick people? senior medical correspondent has

more. >> michaela it was supposed to be a ten day cruise to the caribbean, break from winter weather. they may have gotten the break, but many got something else too. the sea explore of the voyager has been cut short. now one in five of more than 3,000 passengers have fallen sick. a wave of illness with symptoms similar to the highly contagious nora virus. >> under the best of circumstances, these outbreaks are bound to happen. >> cruise ships are a concentration of passengers that are in a confined space where they have a lot of constant interaction. that close interaction promotes the transmission of this virus which is transmitted very readily from person to person. >> to help prevent transmission, sick passengers are asked to stay confined to their rooms. encouraged to call for

complimentary room service to stay fed and hydrated. from the dining room, one tells us there's no more self-service buffets. >> we are no longer allowed to touch anything. they serve us everything. they hand us cup, forks, food. you're not allowed to touch a thing. >> washing hands is critical. the virus can contaminate a service days, landing on hands and traveling to the mouth and causing infection. when the ship arrives home wednesday, royal caribbean says staff will make certain remaining traces of the illness are eliminated. for their caribbean cruise gone wrong, the company says passengers will get a 50% refund and 50% credit towards their next cruise ship booking. >> that was interesting. they're sanitizing stations all over cruise ships. here's the thing. alcohol based sanitizers don't do a great job of killing norah virus. you need to wash your hands.

back to you guys. >> definitely do. good reminder for all of us. >> thank you so much. coming up, the deep south about to be paralyzed by the deep freeze. how bad are things going to get? we'll tell you.

i thought chris was going to start. i'm waiting for you. >> i was. i was being polite. it's great being down here because everything is magnified now. this is a big moment. i'm not for political hype ordinarily. the president has to figure out how to balance using the fist to

get things done and how to reach out a hand to this congress which so far is set up to propose him. it's a big test tonight, important to watch. >> big test tonight. we're following th ining that c. we're following the arctic temperatures hitting half of the country. it is cold, folks. for that and more, let's turn to carol costello. >> have a great day. thanks so much "newsroom" starts now. good morning. i'm carol costello. thank you for joining us. we begin in washington. tonight president barack obama will unveil his plan to fight what he says is a fundamental threat to the american dream income and enequality. the president's push comes at a