the bay." in ten seconds, the exclusive interview with nancy pelosi on the "today" show. >> don't forget to join us back here at 11:00. have a great morning. good morning. no deal. president trump and democrats dig in with talks to reopen the government going nowhere. neither side willing to budge over funding for a border wall as the shutdown approaches two weeks. >> how many times can we say no, nothing for the wall. >> this morning savannah's exclusive interview with incoming house speaker nancy pelosi, including the surprising things she's saying about whether prosecutors can indict president trump while he's in office. breaking overnight, historic touchdown. for the first time ever, a spacecraft lands successfully on

the far side of the moon. inside the daring mission ushering in a new era of space exploration. search for a killer. a massive man hunt expands in texas for the gunman who opened fire on a family, killing a 7-year-old girl. >> we was going to get coffee. coffee. and my baby lost her life. >> was the shooting racially motivated? those stories, plus on the rise. flu cases spiking across the country. what you can do to keep your family safe. salute to the captain. ♪ keep us together ♪ >> the overnight tributes pouring in for one half of the hit-making duo captain and tennille. and bird brains. sandra bullock's hit thriller sparking a social media challenge. >> ow! >> and a surprising safety warning from netflix. today, thursday, january 3rd, 2019.

from nbc news this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. and welcome to "today." thank you for joining us on this thursday morning. savannah just back from d.c. that interview. >> that's right. sat down with nancy pelosi who later today will become speaker of the house today, and day one of the divided government. >> we'll have more on your interview, but first the big issue at hand is the government shutdown. the president's stand off with congress as a new session convenes today. kristen welker has the latest on this. kristen, good morning. >> hoda, good morning to you. today does mark a new era in washington with democrats as you're discussing, poised to officially take control of the house in just hours. divided government is now a reality and it comes as the government shutdown is entering day 13 with no deal in sight. >> reporter: as the shutdown

showdown deepens this morning, president trump tweeting overnight, i remain ready and willing to work with democrats, to pass a bill that secures our borders. supports, the agents and officers on the ground and keeps america safe. let's get it done. that despite his meeting with congressional leaders in the situation room wednesday that apparently went nowhere. the president asked when it will all end. >> it could be a long time. or it could be quickly. >> reporter: the president digging in on his demand for $5 billion for a border wall, which he once promised mexico would pay for. >> the 5.6 billion is such a small number. literally, it's one month in afghanistan. and we're talking about national security. this isn't just a border. >> reporter: both sides acknowledging they're deadlocked. >> we would hope that they would reconsider. >> reporter: with the democrats set to take control of the house today, they're likely to pass legislation reopening the government that doesn't include

any new funds for the border wall, but that's expected toed me a dead end in the republican senate. >> we're asking the president to open up government. we are giving him a republican path to do that. why would he not do it? >> reporter: now, the partial shutdown drags on, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal workers without pay. the ripple effects extending to the national parks, piling up with garbage, even human waste, turning them into health hazards. in washington disappointed tourists unable to visit their favorite museums. >> very upsetting that i drove all the way from miami, trying to get here to educate the kids. >> reporter: the national zoo also closed to the public, with its iconic panda cam going dark. >> kristen, lots of folks noticed this poster on the table at the cabinet meeting. >> what was that all about? >> they sure did, savannah. we are talking about this. this "game of thrones" inspired

poster that re-emerged yesterday during the president's cabinet meeting. it was prominently resting on a table in front of the president the entire time. now, you may remember, mr. trump first tweeted this image back in november to announce his administration would reimpose sanctions against iran. iran did come up briefly yesterday at that meeting and mr. trump said the sanctions are working. the white house hasn't responded to requests for comment about why the poster was there. for the most part the focus remains on the shutdown and the stalemate with the government. savannah and hoda. >> kristen welker, thank you. and now to the lawmaker at the center of these negotiations, democrat nancy pelosi. she's expected to reclaim the gavel as speaker of the house today when the 116th congress convenes. i sat down with her yesterday for an exclusive interview on a range of topics from the mueller investigation to what it's like to be the most powerful woman in politics, but we started with that fight over the shutdown. >> this is the trump shutdown through and through.

that's why he has proudly taken it -- in his view proudly, taken ownership of it. there's no escaping that for him. that doesn't mean we take any joy in the fact that there is a trump shutdown. we want government to open. >> are you willing to come up and give him some of this money for the wall? >> no. >> apparently that's the sticking point. >> no. we're talking about border security. there is no amount of persuasion he can do to say to us we want you to do something that is not effective, that costs billions of dollars, that sends the wrong message about who we are as a country. >> if you don't compromise, then why isn't the shutdown partially your responsibility as well? >> it has nothing to do with us. it's the president saying i will hold six agencies of government hostage to my campaign promise that i was going to build a wall, and that mexico was going to pay for it. that is so ridiculous.

>> he says well, now i've redone this deal. new trade deal with mexico, so ultimately mexico is going to pay for it. do you buy that? >> no. the president either doesn't know what he's talking about or doesn't want to know what he's talking about. there's no way that money from a trade agreement makes a profit that goes to pay for a wall. >> the president took a swipe, i think, as recently as today saying that you went on vacation to hawaii during the shutdown. now, you had said before the shutdown that he was being cavalier and maybe the shutdown will give him more time to golf, but in the end it was you that took a holiday. >> i observed the christmas holiday for a few days and i cut in time half the time i would have had with my family. >> is that a cheap shot? >> it's not important. it's totally unimportant, but the fact is we all stood ready and told our members we'll have 24 hours' notice for all of us

to be where we need to be. and the president may not know this, but hawaii is part of the united states of america. maybe he doesn't realize that. i don't know where the president observed the religious holiday of christmas. do you? >> many democrats are talking about impeachment. you said it would be sad and divisive for the country to pursue impeachment. are you willing to rule it out? >> we have to wait and see what happens with the mueller report. we shouldn't be impeaching for a political reason, and we shouldn't avoid impeachment for a political reason. we'll just have to see how it comes. >> do you believe the special counsel should honor and observe the department of justice guidance that states a sitting president cannot be indicted? >> i do not think that is conclusive. no, i do not. >> so you think it's possible that special counsel mueller could legally indict a sitting president? >> let's just see what mueller does. let's spend our time on getting results for the american people. >> as you well know, there is long-standing department of

justice guidance that states a sitting president should not be indicted. but it is not the law. >> it's not the law. everything indicates that a president can be indicted after he is no longer president of the united states. >> what about a sitting president? >> well, the sitting president when he's no longer president of the united states. >> a president who is in office, could robert mueller come back and say i am seeking an indictment? >> i think that's an open discussion in terms of the law. >> talk about your dynamics with president trump. what's it like to negotiate with him? >> when you're negotiating with someone, you have to know you stipulate to some fact. it's hard to do that with the president. he resists science, evidence, data, truth. it's hard to pin the president down on the facts. i think and hope that we can work together in a positive way now that the president is more acclimated to the fact that he's dealing with a democratic majority in the congress of the united states. >> but it's not bad, nancy.

it's called transparency. >> i know. it's not transparency when we're not stipulating to a set of facts. >> after that infamous oval office meeting before the holidays, you reportedly came back, spoke to members of your caucus, other democrats and said the wall, it seems like it might be a manhood thing. it might be about his manhood. that's a statement that's capable of interpretation. care to explain what you meant? >> well, i wish my members had not repeated that outside the room. >> do you think he deals with you differently because you're a woman? >> i have no idea. we'll see. now how he'll deal with the speaker of the house. that doesn't matter whether you're a woman or not. but i hope he recognizes that a new day has dawned in america. >> you said in august you thought he might be afraid of you and afraid of the women coming to congress. >> i don't know if he knows how to deal with women in power, and women with strength, but we'll see. let's hope for the best in that regard.

because, again, it is a new day for many people in congress, and in washington, d.c. and in the country. >> you yourself are quite the lightning rod. you actually have approval ratings that are lower than president trump's. >> well, he's not so good. the republicans have spent over $100 million -- 137,000 ads had my name in it in the last election. they're against me because i'm effective. i'm effective as a legislator. i'm excellent at that. i'm effective politically as a fundraiser, the best, and they have to take me down. and that's what they have tried to do. but they don't -- they just light my fire. >> a fire that sets alaunch her return to the highest rungs of politics. you probably are the most powerful woman in government. >> in the united states, yes. >> yes. >> that's true. >> do you think about that and think about what that means? do you think about that as a personal accomplishment? >> no. i think of it as a responsibility. i don't think of it as an

accomplishment. i think of it as a responsibility and how we go forward, and what that means in terms of the lives of america's working families and that more -- this isn't breaking a glass ceiling. this is breaking a marble ceiling in the capitol of the united states. >> and right after that she went over to the white house and had that meeting with other congressional leaders and the president. but no breakthroughs on the shutdown. >> we'll hear what the president has to say about nancy pelosi later today. >> yeah. perhaps he's watching. >> all right, thanks, savannah. meantime, speculation is heating up over who could challenge president trump in the 2020 presidential race. some big names on both sides of the aisle are being bandied about. hallie jackson has that story. >> reporter: hi, hoda, good morning to you. one of the names is elizabeth warren. and in a new interview, she's now talking what about she wants to see from the rest of the democratic field.

on the gop side, mitt romney's scathing op-ed is reigniting speculation about what republican may take on the president come 2020. after assailing the president's character in print, mitt romney's hammering that home in person. >> it was very much my hope that he would rise to the occasion, the mantle of the office, and while that was my hope, i don't think he's followed through on that front the way he's followed through on some of his other promises. >> reporter: president trump surprises, he says, by the senator-elect's criticism. >> i just hope he's going to be a team player. if he is a team player, that will be great. i will say this, if he fought really hard against president obama like he does against me, he would have won the election. >> reporter: romney says if he likes the president's policies, he'll still vote for them, but he doesn't know how he'll vote come 2020. >> i haven't decided who i'm going to endorse in 2020. i'm going to wait and see what the alternatives are. >> reporter: that's sparking

speculation about who the alternatives could be. romney has ruled out another run, but other republicans rumored to be considering campaigns of their again against president trump include ohio governor john kasich and jeff flake. >> i do hope that somebody runs to remind republicans what it means to be conservative and to remind the country what it means to be decent as well. >> reporter: on the democratic side -- >> this is going to be the fish or cut bait year for the democrats. >> reporter: elizabeth warren will head to iowa after announcing she's formed an exploratory committee. in a new interview with msnbc's rachel maddow, talking about taking down donald trump. >> he takes this government and he's pretty open about it and says this government works for the rich. >> reporter: warren is among the first to emerge in a democratic field that's expected to be enormous. it includes former hud secretary, julian castro, set to make his announcement next week. maybe senator amy klobuchar who says she's getting close to a

decision. and there's former vice president joe biden who has been creating what "the new york times" calls effectively a campaign in waiting with a network of academic centers staffed by his closest strategists and advisers. 2019 barely here, but 2020 already on the horizon. as for vermont senator bernie sanders, somebody else mentioned as a possible 2020 contender, he said overnight he was not aware of sexual harassment complaints related to his 2016 campaign after "the new york times" reported that some women staffers felt they'd been treated poorly by other staffers hoda. >> all right, hallie jackson on capitol hill. hallie, thank you. also this morning, a massive manhunt is intensifying now for a gunman who shot into a car in the houston area and killed a 7-year-old girl. there are disturbing theories. gabe gutierrez has the latest on this. good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning.

the reward from local activists here to help track down the gunman has gist been raised to $75,000. the sheriff here says that investigators have not ruled out the possibility that this could be a hate crime. this morning jasmine barnes' family is pleading for help to find her killer. >> my baby was an angel in disguise. the person who may have killed or murdered my daughter, i just ask that you be man enough to come forward and face the consequences for your actions. >> reporter: 7-year-old jasmine, her three sisters and their mom were on a coffee run early sunday morning when investigators say a man pulled up next to them and opened fire. jasmine died after being shot in the head. >> he took away an innocent child and that did not deserve this. she did not deserve this at all. >> reporter: her mother was shot in the arm. >> we was going to get coffee. coffee. and my baby lost her life. >> reporter: this morning she's out of the hospital, but

planning her daughter's funeral. sheriff's deputies here are also looking for this red pickup truck captured on video. authorities have not nailed down a motive. >> at this point does the shooting appear to be completely random? >> it does definitely seem to be random. however, we're not tone-deaf to some of the concerns that there could be, you know, a hate motive to this, or a race motive to it as well. so, we're not going to rule anything out. >> reporter: investigators are now looking for a white man with a beard in his 40s. as a family is now mourning the loss of a young girl whose t-shirt in this home video they say described her life. live, laugh, love. investigators here hope to have a sketch of the gunman based on the accounts of the survivors in the car as early as today. hoda and savannah. >> all right. gabe, thank you. al is here now with a first check of the forecast. hey, al. >> good morning, guys. thank you for getting your first weather from us. we've got 6 million people under

winter storm warnings. texas to oklahoma. 21 million people under flood watches as we make our way through the gulf coast. here we go. low pressure up and out of the gulf. that's going to bring snow for oklahoma and texas. some areas could pick up two to six inches of snow. heavy rain, louisiana, on into the southeast friday. by late friday into saturday, this becomes a nor'easter. but luckily, warm enough that it's just rain. gusty winds near the coast. heavier rain as well. we're looking for travel from dallas, new orleans, houston, along the roads we're looking at dallas also i-40. tomorrow expect atlanta, charlotte, nashville airport delays. the roads, i-40, i-95 and saturday it's up here into the northeast. the new york airports, the northeast airports all affected. i-95, i-90 and i-81 will have some problems as well. we'll get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds. at walgreens,

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with a big warmup. we'll tell you about that. breaking overnight, the first images from the very first landing on the far side of the moon. and the new social media challenge that's tied to sandra bullock's hit "bird box." it's forced netflix to issue a rare safety warning. issue a ra warning. we'll tell you a

just ahead. a first look at new dna technology to get your stolen items back. plus we'll celebrate the plus we'll celebrate the life, legacy

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aww, you did the laundry! but you didn't fold it. oh, that wasn't in the note. should have sent a text. for a powerful clean in one step, it's got to be tide. we )re keeping a close eye on wall street this morning - as a good morning. 7:26. i'm marcus washington. we're keeping a close eye on wall street this morning as a warning from apple has sent stocks into a steep slide about an hour into trading and the dow is down 524 points. more of that -- more than 2% of that. investigators are looking for a hit-and-run driver who struck and then dragged a 14-year-old in oakland. now, this is cell phone video. police say it shows that driver getting out of his car. police say that he dragged that teen some four blocks. it happened a little after noon yesterday near the fruitvale b.a.r.t. station. that boy is now in critical condition. we want to get a look at

your morning weather there. vianey? >> it's chilly, san francisco, clear skies. this is what it looks like right now. we don't have any clouds in sight, but that means it's pretty cold out there. santa rosa waking up to 30 degrees. napa down to 29. oakland 36 as you head out the door. san francisco, 40 degrees. we're expecting another dry, clear day into the afternoon. here's a look at how your temperature trend is doing. for the most part we'll warm up into the 40s by 10:00 a.m. and only topping into the upper 50s by the afternoon. enjoy the sunshine. rain is on the way for the weekend. look at all the green around the bay. a smooth flow of traffic and no backup, no metering lights at the bay bridge. getting past the san mateo bridge, you'll slow toward whipple and union shopping center. the crash cleared within the last five minutes. we talked about the approach to the bay bridge. you see red on the sensors but the live camera shows you the

toll plaza itself is clear. a good drive getting into san francisco. no problems there. no delays for the north bay. there's the east bay heading south towards the south bay. fremont picks up the volume. back to you.

7:30. thursday morning. the third of january, 2019. that's not an image you see every day. these are just in from the far side of the moon. a rover landing there overnight for the first time ever. tom costello will have more in a moment. pink floyd was wrong. it's the far side of the moon. >> president trump and top con cessional leaders plan to try again tomorrow after the meeting at the white house yesterday with no progress toward ending the partial government shutdown. the president digging in on his demand for money for a border

wall saying the shutdown will last as long as it takes to get the funding. democrats take control of the house today. they're likely to pass legislation that would reopen the government but does not include any funds for the wall, but it is expected to meet a dead end in the republican-controlled senate. >> we're getting our first closeup look at the miracle baby pulled from the rubble of that collapsed building in russia after a gas explosion on tuesday. this is video from the icu at a moscow hospital. he was flown there for treatment. rescued from a pile of concrete and steel after spending 35 hours in freezing temperatures. officials are saying he's expected to make a full recovery. video shows the moments a pa para glider was september away by a dust devil. it happened in australia.

eventually he does regain control of the glider. a lot of gliders on the ground scrambling to secure their launch mats. amazingly nobody was hurt in the incident. back to the history first in space exploration. it's coming from china which announced it has landed a rover on the far side of the moon. tom costello covers space for us. >> reporter: it's a big deal for scientists and for china which is planning a manned mission to the moon in the coming years. you're right. some people call it the dark side of the moon. that's a pink floyd album. that's not science. this is the side of the moon we on earth don't see and humans have never landed there before. >> for the first time, a landing on the far side of the moon. this extraordinary picture sent from a chinese rover opening up a new chapter in moon exploration. the probe named after the

chinese moon goddess carried instruments to analyze the unexplored region. the crater where the chinese landed is the oldest and deepest on the moon. the discovery may offer insights into how the moon came to be. some scientists suspect the area around the crater may be rich in minerals. it's also carries potato and plant seeds as well as silk worm eggs for the biological experiments. seen as a big milestone as space exploration and propaganda value. only china, russia and the u.s. have managed soft landings on the moon. this is the first to touch down on the side that always faces away from earth. and while china is flexing its space muscles, the u.s. has also set a space record. nasa this morning releasing the first photo of the most

disassistant object humans have ever explored. a mysterious body on the frozen fringes of our solar system 4 billion miles away. there was a fly by on new year's day, a milestone cheered by the nasa team on earth. >> tom, you're talking about the space race. how significant is this for china? >> reporter: well, it means they've arrived. the chinese launched more rockets than any other country last year. they have another lunar probe mission set for this year. they're building their third space station. they're planning to put humans on the moon within ten years or so. they'd like to put a colony on the moon and they're dedicating big money to science and space exploration. they're not open and transparent like nasa. >> thank you, tom. al is back. another look at the forecast. >> that's right. warming things up even though it's january, it's going to feel a little more like march as we see this expanding area of

warmth continuing for today. for example, minneapolis, 36. that's 12 degrees above average. dallas, although a little on the chillier side, 36, they may see snow. louisville, 44. as we move to tomorrow, expanding warmth. chicago 44. philly will be flirting with 50 degrees and charleston 73. as we head into the weekend, you can see into next week washington d.c. will be in the 50s. atlanta in the 60s. new orleans in the 60s. even springfield looking at more warmth with a high of 60 on it may be warm in the east coast, but here it's pretty cold. san francisco, we have these beautiful, clear skies. a live look right now and the temperatures are definitely chilly. we're talking 30s. in fact, right now in san jose, it's about 36 degrees. we've got beautiful sunshine, though, expected to remain in the forecast. at least through friday. and then our microclimate highs for today will be topping out

into those 50s. 58 degrees for oakland. 59 for san jose. into the interior valleys topping out in the upper 50s. and that's your latest weather. >> all right. just ahead flu season is in full swing with new states reporting widespread activity. how can you keep your family safe? plus property dna. the new technology that can help you get your valuables back if thieves steal them. then the 9-1-1 call from a woman trapped and running out of time in a sinking car inside her dramatic rescue. first the viral "bird box". why it has netflix so i'm ray and i quit smoking with chantix. smoking. it dictates your day. i didn't like something having control over me. i wanted to stop. the thing is i didn't know how. chantix, along with support, helps you quit smoking. chantix reduced my urge to smoke

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internet by storm and a warning about the challenge. miguel almaguer has more on this whole thing. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. when netflix released "bird box", it hoped it had another hit on its hand. there's tons of intrigue and a star studded cast, but what netflix didn't anticipate was a phenomenon and a viral moment to boot. >> if you look, you will die. do you understand? >> a block buster and social media craze you have to see to believe. this morning sparking a new warning from netflix. the internet's latest fad spawning from a movie that's taken movie fans by storm. in "bird box" a mother tries to survive in a world overrun by horrifying creatures who when seen drive people mad. sandra and her kids, boy and

girl, wear blindfolds as they try to navigate to safety. that story line has inspired the bird box challenge. people blindfolding themselves performing everyday activities for fun. sometimes with funny, cringe worthy, even painful results. and while it spreads, netflix is now urging everyone wearing their own blindfolds to stay safe. the media giant taking to twitter writing in part, please do not hurt yourselves with this bird box challenge. we don't know how this started and we appreciate the love, but boy and girl have just one wish for 2019, and it is that you not end up in the hospital due to memes. it's the latest dangerous social media challenge to go viral. last year officials issued warnings about the kiki challenge where people jumped out of moving vehicles to dance while playing a song by rapper drake. and there was the tide pod challenge where teens filmed

themselves biting into detergent pacts. memes of bird box have exploded online ever since the film hit netflix on december 21st. hoda sat down with san da bullock to talk about the filament. >> it's a metaphor for what's going on socially in the world and mother hood, and i think we're getting to that place where we're not looking at people anymore. >> a week after the release, more than 45 million accounts had already streamed the film. it was taking the internet by storm. there have been no reports of serious injuries due to the bird box challenge, netflix is keeping a close eye on a social media craze few could see coming. after smashing a netflix record, the company hasn't released new numbers since last week. many say the timing of bird box was perfect. the question now, will we see a sequel. back to you. >> i cannot believe what people

are doing. >> most of our crew does that. >> you said you were too scared to watch it. >> i couldn't watch it. i interviewed her and i said this looks terrifying. she said it is. >> is it horror or thriller? >> thriller scary. it's like if you open your eyes and see the horrible scary thing, you're forced to kill yourself. any who. >> not for me. i'm too scared, but apparently for everyone else. just ahead the dramatic rescue of a woman trapped in a sinking carry. kerry sanders is live from where this happened. the overnight tributes for the captain of captain and the captain of captain and tennille heyo, lena, it's chad! did you hear, my app just got massive funding. oh wow really? tell me more... ok! i call it the "cat-culato" it's a calculator, but for your cat. meow. i just got the idea when my cat stepped on my calculator. oh, thank goodness! hi, lena! is now a good time to go through your tax return line-by-line together? yeah! line-by-line sounds awesome and...please, take your time.

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pour on the lactaid, 100% real milk, just without that annoying lactose. mmm, that's good. we are back with tributes to music star daryl dragon. he's better known as "the captain". >> he left behind a rich musical legacy. >> reporter: good morning. the captain who was 76 passed away with tennille by his side. together they were one of the most popular duos in history. forever a part a sound track of the 70s. ♪ love will keep us together >> for nearly 40 years fans couldn't get enough of them together. the duo known simply as the

captain and tennille. ♪ do that to me one more time >> creating some of the biggest hits of the 70s like "do that to me one more time" and "musk rat love" and "love will keep us together". it won them a grammy for record of the year. they met years earlier when daryl dragon play keyboard for the beach boys. he got the nickname for the hat he wore on stage. he and tennille began performing together. in a statement tony tennille saying he was a birilliant musician. i was at my most creative in my life when i was with him. they were married in 1975 and continued to perform together for the next three decades.

>> the captain and tennille. >> they hosted a popular music sketch series on abc that helped make them a household name. >> don't worry, i'm the captain. >> even joining us on the plaza on "today." but behind the scenes, the couple was growing further apart, divorcing in 2014. tennille opening up about their relationship with savannah in 2016. >> he just couldn't be affectionate. he couldn't give me a hug or sit down and watch tv with our arms around each other. he couldn't do it. >> why did you stay so long if it was so unsatisfying for you? >> because i kept trying and trying and thinking i could bring this man who has so much to give into the light. >> the couple who never had children remained close friends. in fact, tennille was at the captain's side wednesday when he passed away. >> dragon suffered from a neurological condition similar to parkinson's which caused his hands to tremor and kept him

from playing keyboards for the past decade. >> wow. >> incredible musician. he was a classically trained pianist. he was parents were musicians. and the beach boys wrote on twitter yesterday, made mention of what an incredible musician he was. >> dare you not to sing along as hoda says. >> he really put them on the map. >> all right. still ahead, the new flu warning you need to hear with cases on the rise coast to coast. >> and jill and her steals and deals. filled with bargains on the gadgets we need to stay fit in gadgets we need to stay fit in 2019 well, here's to first dates! you look amazing. and you look amazingly comfortable. when your v-neck looks more like a u-neck... that's when you know, it's half-washed. add downy to keep your collars from stretching.

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good morning. it is 7:55. we're off to a beautiful start. how is that for clear skies? as you know because it's so clear, it's really cold. let's take a look at your current temperature trend in through san jose. we're expecting to keep the 30s around. yes, we're still a little cold out there. 41 degrees by 9:00 a.m. by lunch hour we'll climb into the 50s. we're only expecting to top out in the upper 50s. here's a look at your daytime highs for today. we'll remain dry. temperature topping out at about 57 degrees for santa rosa. 58 for oakland. 57 in through livermore. upper 50s as well for portions of the peninsula. today will be clear and dry, but we do have big changes ahead this weekend and we're tracking rain. enjoy today and tomorrow before those big rain chances move in along with windy and stormy conditions expected for the weekend. mike? >> vianey, i know you were

talking about clear meaning the skies but i'm looking at the road. no metering lights. green sensors all around the bay. you have slower spots we're tracking. palo alto i saw slowing but it may be southbound. you see it approaching university. the sun is coming into folks' eyes. bring your sunglasses as you might need them heading down the peninsula. southbound in milpitas you also get the sun. back to you. happening now, stockings fell at the opening bell on part of a warning from apple and now the slide is getting deeper. the dow down for the first time today, went down more than 600 points. the dow loses -- losses there are now approaching 3%. in about one hour house democrats take control. new representatives will be sworn in about 9:00 our time. bay area nancy pelosi is expected to resume the role as house speaker. i'll have more local news coming up for you in 30 minutes. we're always on at nbcbayarea.com.

air sweeping into the bay area. vianey is tracking our weekend forecast as you make plans. plus: an east bay homeowner is fed up with his fridge. our consumer team helps him deal with the manufacturer )s frosty reception. tomorrow from 4:30 to 7.

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, digging in as the shutdown showdown drags on. the president not backing down during a meeting with party leaders. >> we are talking about national security. this isn't just a border. >> this morning, how democrats are responding as they take back the house today. plus, more of savannah's exclusive interview with incoming house speaker nancy pelosi. >> if robert mueller says i am seeking an indictment? >> i think that is an open discussion. plus, on the rise. the flu season in full swing with 11 states reporting widespread activity. the cdc warning it's only going to get worse. so what can you do to keep your family safer?

we will have the answers just ahead. and six minutes with amy. savannah sits down with comedian and mom to be amy schumer for a rapid fire q&a. >> every time we are together you get me in trouble. >> you get me in trouble. no, i really think it's you. >> today thursday, january 3rd, 2019. ♪ >> the only thing we love more than our husbands is "the today show"! >> from bakersfield, california, celebrating my 30th birthday. >> i'm turning the big 5-0 today. woo! >> from kentucky for my birthday, go cats! >> from san francisco. happy 95th birthday, grandpa. >> we are celebrating our 25th anniversary. woo! >> i think i see some hokie sweatshirts. welcome back. we appreciate you being here.

i was going to say usually these post-holiday crowds aren't this big. this is a doozy. >> it is. you know, the rockefeller christmas tree is still there. i feel better about not taking down my tree. a new day in washington. democrats retaking control of the house. nancy pelosi returning to her powerful role as speaker. in our exclusive interview, i asked pelosi about the mueller investigation and whether she believes the special counsel could indict the president while he is in office. do you believe the special counsel should honor and observe the department of justice guidance that states a sitting president cannot be indicted? >> i do not think that that is a conclusive thing, no. >> so you think it's possible that special counsel mueller could legally indict a sitting president? let's just see what mueller does. let's spend our time on getting results for the american people. >> as you well know, there is long standing department of justice guidance that states a

sitting president should not be indicted, but it is not the law. >> it is not the law. everything indicates that a president can be indicted after he is no longer president of the united states. >> what about a sitting president? >> well, sitting president when he is no longer president of the united states. >> a president who is in office, could robert mueller come back and say i am seeking an indictment? >> i think that is an open discussion. i think that is an open discussion in terms of the law. >> as for the topic of impeachment, pelosi said she will have to wait and see what happens with robert mueller's report, but she said any decision to impeach or not to impeach should not be based on a political basis. the house is pressing ahead today with a new effort to end the government shutdown now dragging on for almost two weeks. some of the most visible effects can be seen at our national parks. morgan chesky is in yosemite national park in california. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. before anyone can cross this main gate here at yosemite, the sign makes it clear. no visitor services due to the government shutdown. a warning that for many is

leading to what they call a free for all. they are considered the country's most treasured crown jewels from washington too hawaii. national parks draw millions of visitors each year, but now it's up to volunteers to provide the most basic of services. >> it's all out of toilet paper. >> they got to fix this stuff. they got to fix that. >> reporter: the national parks service keep parks accessible as possible, but the limited staff can't keep up with the heavy demands. at yosemite campgrounds are closing due to septic tanks bursting. jeff conway and his daughter finding the famous views come at the cost. >> it's just really sad to, like, see a place so beautiful that has all of this trash. >> reporter: the shutdown aftermath highlighted on social media. this tweet showing unemptied trash cans, garbage overflowing within sight of the white house.

tourists at the national zoo and smithsonian finding some of the capital's most popular attractions closed. >> it's upsetting that we came and we are not able to get in due to the government shutdown. >> reporter: despite the shutdown, some states are fighting to keep the doors open at popular attractions. in hawaii, $14,000 a day interest the state's tourism agency is funding pearl harbor through this week. those who can't pay are forced to put up more of these signs until the shutdown is over. >> let's just get it done. push through whatever you've got to do so we can have our parks, we can have our life -- we pay for this stuff, but we have to do our part to keep it mice. >> reporter: overnight the national parks service shut down sequoia and kings canyon national park citing unsafe road conditions and no staff to maintain them. hoda. >> all right. morgan, thank you. now to a dramatic rescue in florida. a young woman trapped inside her car with the water rising around her. officials have now released her

incredible 911 call. nbc's kerry sanders is in tampa with the story and the audio you'll want to hear. kerry, good morning. >> reporter: well, good morning. you can see the skid marks behind me. they lead down near this watery ditch. i came down with my waders because it's somewhat deceptive if you don't actually stand here to realize how deep it is. i have this umbrella here. if i push it down even behind me, it's even deeper as you can see, and the mud is really mucky. so amanda antonio is in her car. somebody swerves in front of her. she has to swerve. she rolls five times, winds up here upside down, and her car is sinking in the mud. she is desperate, doesn't know what to do, and she realizes she has her iwatch on and she can ping her cell phone, which she lost in the tumble. she gets the cell phone, dials 911, and the call is gripping. a terrifying accident.

>> 911, what's your emergency? >> my car is flipped and i can't see anything. there is water getting in the car. >> reporter: setting off a dramatic rescue. >> is someone coming? >> yes, ma'am. >> reporter: water pouring into her vehicle. >> it's about to be past my chest. >> reporter: and time running out. >> my phone's dying. my phone is on 5%. >> reporter: 20-year-old amanda antonio trapped, her car upside down in a watery ditch alongside interstate 4 in tampa. >> i thought i wasn't going to make it out because i couldn't open the door. there was no windows. >> have you tried kicking the window or something? >> i can't kick the window! >> reporter: 911 dispatcher shyann allen trying to keep the frightened young woman calm as rescue teams search for the car along the highway in the dark. >> is someone here yet? >> they are getting close, ma'am, okay? >> just please hurry. i'm scared. >> reporter: with the water rising and time running out. >> how deep is the water getting? >> at my neck. >> reporter: amanda had a moment

of clarity. >> okay. let me see if i can look on my google maps. my gaps says i am by the amphitheater. please, please, please help me. >> reporter: it worked. 16 minutes after the 911 call began. >> hello! >> reporter: rescuers found her car. >> i can hear you! can you hear me? hello! >> reporter: and pulled amanda to safety. >> just thankful i didn't break anything, that i'm still here, and for all the police officers and the dispatch lady who helped me. >> reporter: amanda met the 911 operator who kept her calm throughout all of this. let's take a look at those smiles again one more time. and later this morning, amanda will be joining the deputies who scoured the area, found her, got down here, and got her seriously in the nick of time because the car was sinking in this mud, which is why that water was rising. guys. >> she is incredible to keep her

cool and figure out to ping the phone and then the google maps. >> and that dispatcher keeping her calm. that was amazing. >> yeah, bravo. thank you, kerry. well, i guess i have a morning boost kind of after that story. who knows? this is an update on a 9-year-old girl who wrote a letter to nba star steph curry because his curry 5 sneakers were only sold in the boys section. curry sent riley a handwritten note and said the website would be fixed. he promised to send her one of the first pairs of his curry 6 shoos when they came out. guess what? they arrived just in time for christmas. >> to riley from steph curry! it's the curry 6! oh, my gosh! it's so cool! >> so cool, wow. to sweeten the deal he sent riley a second pair. >> that is an impressive "meet the press" move. >> it's from steph curry! amazing. still to come, this morning with cases on the rise across the country, we zero in on how

to protect yourself. thieves stole your stuff. now the new technology to get it back. it's a gel you just stick on your valuables like this. it's dna for your property. we will show you how to get it next. taltz even gives you a chance at completely clear skin. don't use if you're allergic to taltz. before starting, you should be checked for tuberculosis. taltz may increase risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection, symptoms, or received a vaccine or plan to. inflammatory bowel disease can happen with taltz, including worsening of symptoms. serious allergic reactions can occur. for all the things that move you. ask your doctor about taltz.

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going to get worse. if you're one of the unlucky one who has caught the flu this season, you're not alone. >> i was in bed the day after christmas and the day after that. it was no fun. >> according to the cdc, 11 states are reporting widespread flu activity. and they say more than 1,000 flu related hospitalizations have been reported nationwide since october with the highest percentage of among children under 4. some of those cases have been deadly. 11 pediatric flu deaths have been reported this season. >> it's classic this year. high fevers, muscle aches, headaches. fatigue. >> so far this year's numbers are not as high as last year's which was one of the deadliest flu seasons in decades. medical experts stress the importance of getting the flu shot to help fight against the virus. joining us now with everything you need to know about the flu is nbc news medical contributor

dr. natalie. some people are watching and saying i still haven't gotten my flu shots. should you race to the doctor and get it? >> you need to get it. flu season is between october and may. we usually peak between december and march. by that logic, we're kind of still in the beginning of getting into the peak of flu season. it takes two weeks to get your anti-bodies to be protected. it's not too late to get the flu shot. >> every year we talk about whether this particular shot is effective. how are we doing? >> too soon to tell. we won't know until closer to the end of flu season when the data is analyzed. one thing i can say is that right now the predominant strain is h 1n 1. the flu vaccine either covers three or four strains. the one circulating now is covered by the vaccine. >> if you've had the flu shot or

there's other things you can do to make sure you can do? >> hand washing. especially for adults but especially with little children at home, please tell them not to put their hands on their mouth. that's how the virus gets in. we try. right? if you're coughing or sneezing, do it in your elbow, not your hands. if you're sick from the flu, you have to stay home. your co-workers will thank you for it. >> yes. doctor, thank you. let's get a check of the weather. >> wet weather making its way out of the gulf coast. it's pushing through. we also have snow from northern texas to central oklahoma and six million people under winter weather advisories. 21 million people under advisories. dallas, new orleans, the roads, i-20, i-10. tomorrow travel delays from nashville into raleigh. on saturday mostly here in the northeast due to that rain for new york, washington, boston, i-95 from portland to richmond.

i-9, albany that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> it is so clear outside. look at this gorgeous shot of san francisco. another fantastic start. you're going to notice it's very cold. santa rosa, 30. napa, 32. okaklan oakland, 38. san jose in the 30s. our temperature friend into the afternoon will once again climb into some 50s and you will notice an increase in cloud cover as well into the afternoon. temperatures will only top out into those upper 50s this evening. as you head out the door, check us out on sirius xm channel 108. >> dax shepard sat down with ellen. she asked him to answer an

audience member questions. one of them was his wife. let's see what she asked. >> what would you recommend getting someone very special, like a spouse for their birthday? >> i would say please, please, please give that person love and support for 11 years and give them two beautiful baby girls. and you're good. >> you're crying too. >> you sit down, young lady. >> that was sweet. later ellen brought out a birthday cake for dax as well as a birthday scare. >> of course. ♪ happy birthday to you ♪ happy birthday dear dax >> he got his fist up there. he's ready to go. well, not so much. you can watch a full episode of the show.

check your local listing and tune into ellen later today. >> kim and kanye expecting their fourth child. they have north, saint, and chicago who was born just 11 months ago. people magazine reporting that kim and kanye are expecting a new edition to their family. source say it's a boy. it's not the pair's first time using a surrogate. their youngest child was born via a surrogate as well. they're not commenting at this time. that is an ongoing story here. finally with the new year comes new episodes of savannah's digital series, six minute marathon with savannah. this one you don't want to miss with amy schumer. >> if you were sent to jail, who would you call to bail you out? >> when i was sent to jail, i called my lawyer. >> was that the only time you've been to jail?

>> no. i won't be the one replacing kathie lee. let's just say that. >> this is like more stuff -- i'm going to get sued or -- >> when i saw that we had the option to get to hang with you today, i thought this is a bad idea. i don't know why i'm doing this. >> i feel like every time we're together, you get me in trouble. >> i feel like most of this is on the editing room floor. >> what am i talking about? we cut it out. not even online. it can't even -- >> six minutes. >> can't even go on the internet. >> it's like that? >> yeah. oh, yeah. amy, she brings out the worst and the best. >> so bad. >> go to today.com to watch whatever is left of that episode. >> we're going to turn to rossen reports. something new to help you fight back against these. >> jeff rossen gives us the first look this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. every year millions of us are particularized or robbed. as a child my own house was hit

by thieves. full violation. we stole lots of valuables we never got back. police usually have no idea who it belongs to. how could they? but what if there was a way to tag your stuff with a tiny dot that could tell police if found, return to this person at this phone number? pretty cool. we all have dna. this is dna for your property. property dna. and the crooks have no idea it's there. >> you're watching brazen thieves in action breaking into cars, stealing bicycles, ransacking homes. this woman is snatching a wedding ring from the customer sitting next to her at a nail salon. this crook actually does a celebratory dance after making off with the loot from an office. according to the fbi, there were 5.5 million thefts in 2017

adding up to $5.6 billion in stolen property. >> but now this new technology that can get your stolen stuff back is called protect dna. you go online and sign up. they assign you a personal pin number. and they send this in the mail. inside the envelope is this. it's called an anti-theft dna kit. it has adhesive gel in it with microscopic dots. it's basically your dna. your pin number is on the front. you put the gel on anything you don't want stolen from a tv in your house to electronics laying around and your laptop and ipad or even jewelry. you can stick the gel on literally anything. >> i get to work applying the gel. inside that gel, hundreds of dots smaller than a grain of sand with special equipment you can see my personal pin number right there. that number tells police it's my

property. but does it really work? police in florida use it. today confident they can find our stuff on this table and track it back to us. they have no idea what's been marked and who it belongs to. >> i'm here with sergeant ian downing. we have a table full of stolen goods. just to reconfirm, you have no idea which ones we marked with the property dna and which ones we didn't. >> that's correct. the first thing i'm going to do is check the property for identifiable numbers and use this uv light to see if there's any protect dna on the property. >> the dna markings show up clear as day. he uses a special camera to find a pin number. >> there's the dna. easy to see. i'm going to type in the number. what comes up is name, jeff rossen, e-mail address, phone

number. >> that's my phone number. >> this is your ipad. >> you would call me up and say we found your stuff? >> you got it. >> it's not just my stuff here. this jewelry belongs to my producer, lindsey. remember, he has no idea who it belongs to. he finds the pin number, types it into the computer and calls her. >> is this lindsey? >> lindsey gets her stuff back too. >> he was able to identify all 17 items we marked with the dna. the rest of it, the unmarked stuff, would almost never be returned. >> and here's the best part. it's basically free. that's right. the insurance industry has teamed up with protect dna to cover the costs. all you pay is about $5 to get the kit shipped to you. each kit comes with enough gel to mark about 100 personal items. and by the way, if you have more than that, more than 100 valuable items, i want to be your friend. to sign up there's an easy link on our website

today.com/rossenreports. coming up, more of our resolution revolution. a special steals and deals on fitness gadgets and gear. plus tasty recipes that will help you drop sugar from your diet and pounds as well. first, your local news and weather. i )m ...

we )re keeping a close eye on good morning. 8:26. i'm marcus washington. keeping a close eye on wall street this morning after a warning from apple sent stocks into a steep slide about two hours into trading. the dow is down more than 546 points there. actually, been off close to 3%. and investigators are looking for a hit and run driver who struck and dragged a 14 greer greer -year-old boy in oakland. the cell phone video shows the driver getting out of his car after dragging the teen some four blocks. happened a little after noon yesterday. that boy is now in critical condition. now, mike inouye has a look at

the morning commute. >> light volume right now. the bay bridge toll plaza has not seen metering lights all morning. a lot of slowing coming up through oakland. right past the coliseum. either a sweeper truck or a little break going on. but no be proproblems. another crash west of west 80 around albany. that has cleared. that was the only shore p slowing for the east shore freeways. the volume of traffic has built up over the last half hour around midsection of the bay. shows a little bit of tacks right now today. but the rest of the bay clear. >> more local news in 30 minutes.

good morning, everybody. it's 8:30. it's thursday morning. it's the third of january, 2018. we have a great crowd out here. post holiday crowd. these people are still ready to have some fun. >> okay. this is a crowd, baby sthch. >> i want to make a new friend. where is emily from alabama? hi, emily. good morning. are you emily? where are you from? >> alabama, birmingham. >> are you in kindergarten? >> i'm going to be in next year. i'm in preschool kindergarten.

>> wow. you are very impressive. have you ever been to new york before? >> no. >> what do you think of all this? >> it's amazing. >> i am so happy you're here. can i have a hug, do you think? thank you, emily. let's take a picture. just one of the most adorable people you're going to meet out here today. >> the cutest. >> i love you, savannah. >> i'll be with emily for the rest of the day. >> come on. >> looks like vail has a new pal. >> we love you, emily. >> cuter than puppies and rainbows and unicorns. >> they're going to have their private moment together. coming up, jill martin standing by with a special

revolution resolution. the best bargains on the gadgets and gear you'll need to keep your goals on track. >> if you want to eat better in 2019 but still enjoy a sweet treat on occasion, our pal dave is our own sweet treat. he's here with four recipes that will satisfy your cravings with no added sugar. >> if you're looking ahead to your summer vacation, put your credit card to work. the points guys is here for tips to putting rewards to get use. and our take it off series is back. two couples who can help you get healthy, including a high school couple who lived on fast food but you have to look at them now. >> by the way, hoda has somebody here. where was that picture? i saw it. right here. there you go. hoda, you got a pal here. she wore the same hat. look how big she is now. >> hi, sweetie. it's good to see you.

love you, honey. >> carson, nobody for us. >> there's always tomorrow. >> show you what we got going on. the weekend outlook. unseasonably warm through the plains. a flood risk in the southeast. a storm in the pacific northwest. on saturday a soggy northeast. mild in the south. things thawing out in the plains. sunday, sunday winter mountain snows move into the rockies in the inner mountain region. along the west coast as well. the sunshine returns up and that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> sun right now in san jose. a live look outside. it's still in the 30s. 34 right now as you head out the door. your temperature trend is warming up eventually into those 50s. by about 12:00, 55 degrees. popping out in those upper 50s not just for san jose but for the bay area as well.

we will be dry but we are tracking an incoming system and that is expected to bring some rain as we head into the weekend but day time highs for today. that's your latest weather. >> thank you so much. we're keeping our resolution rev nugs going with a special edition of steals and deals. if you're setting your fitness goals in 2019 you'll need our gear and gadgets to help you. that's where jill martin comes in. jill, a lot of people are going to be wanting this stuff. >> sometimes you just need the tools to get going. this really there's everything here to really start your year right and get you into shape. >> you got to look the part. >> and it really does start with that. if you feel good when you put something on, you'll want to work out. this is active wear. 48 to 60 the retail. this is a few of the items. go to today.com. they have that moisture wicking material. great technology in it. different colors. everything you need to feel

great and athleisure wear. the deal is 514 -- 14 $.50 to $19.50. >> this is the smart tech fitness band. retail is $99.95. it operates by blue tooth. put an app on your phone. works with any phone. this isn't just for walking. this counts calories. it monitors the walking and jogging. it has call alert. it will tell you when you have a phone call. this is really like a make your life easier tracker. >> i like the calorie counting aspect. most of them don't have that. >> and it helps you set goals for your daily activity. it will let you know how you're doing. retail $99.95. the deal $18. this is something if you don't believe in for $18, try it out. see if it works. >> i don't know how you do these deals. give us equipment. >> this is really awesome. it comes with a dvd.

this i have to tell you, any kind of workout you want to do, whatever your workout, there's something here you can use it for. the body solid core workout bungds. the retail is $199. for me there's endless exercises. you get the dumbbells, the speed rope, the pushup bar -- everything here. you know, you're a workout person. everything here, it's the basics. >> yes. you could use every single thing here. and if you want it in your apartment, you can get it done quickly. >> the retail $199. the deal is $75. 62% off. this is an awesome deal. >> this is not your ordinary scale, is it? >> the retail is $79.95 to 89 5 89.95. it measures body weight, body fat percentage and body water percentage. that's important because sometimes when you work out and

get on a scale, you gain muscle. that causes you not to lose weight and you're frustrated. allows you to see where you are. >> sometimes you think it's just water weight and you want to know if it is. >> and you're gaining muscle. this allows you to do that. the retail is 79.95 to $89.95. the deal $28. >> do you have treadmills on your steals and deals? >> it's time to kick off your shoes. >> this is the nordic track treadmill. the retail $1999. it is the 8.5 s treadmill. 12% incline. up to 12 miles per hour. it comes with a one-year i-fit membership. you can walk and run around the world. what it does is if you see there, it will give you different scenes from different parts of the country that you might love. and then it will allow you to run through it. i saw, actually, al this morning on his machine doing that. this is something you could really do at home, and really feel like you're getting away in

the morning. >> okay. wait. what's the deal on this one? >> it's $1999. the deal is $999. it's 50% off. >> all right. we'll run through the products one more time. you can find all these deals and more at today.com/stealsanddeals. >> in our dresses. >> normal. we are going to walk through a zero sugar diet next. this is not a bed.

it's a revolution in sleep. the new sleep number 360 smart bed is on sale now during our lowest prices of the season. it senses your movement, and automatically adjusts to keep you both comfortable. it can even warm your feet to help you fall asleep faster. so you wake up ready to make your resolutions, reality. sleep number is ranked #1 in customer satisfaction with mattresses by j.d. power. it's the final days of the lowest prices of the season. the queen sleep number 360 c4 smart bed is only $1299. ends sunday. sleep number. proven, quality sleep.

we're back with more we're back with more of our resolution revolution. getting he will is one of the top resolutions people make. it's perfect timing that dave zinczenko is out with a new book to help you get started.

it is called "the zero sugar cookbook." good morning. >> happy new year. >> zero sugar is going to scare a lot of people. we're going to get into some delicious things you can eat in a minute but there was recently a study about artificial sweeteners and a lot of people wonder is it okay or not okay to have them if you're trying to lose weight. >> the jury is out on that. the study concluded that it might be better to have diet soda with artificial sweeteners rather than sugary soda but more long-term studies are needed. the good news today, no artificial sweeteners. >> talk about, why would you want to do a sugar-free diet? it sounds hard, especially for those of us with a sweet tooth. >> again, we're talking about eliminating added sugars and i think the single best resolution you can make is to cut out added sugars wherever you can. the benefits, first of all, you're going to start to lose a lot of belly fat. some of our panelists lost up to

16 pounds in 14 days. you're then going to boost your metabolism which in turn is going to help you eliminate bloating. you're going to help slash your diabetes risk. 100 million americans are either diabetic or prediabetic. and then overall, you're just going to dramatically improve your weight and your overall health. >> let's talk about labels because we have newish nutrition labels. what should we be looking for? >> there are three big changes. first of all, your serving size is bigger and bolder. your calorie count is bigger and bolder, and most significantly, you have added sugars being called out on the label. it's not just going to say total sugar and you have to figure out what manufacturers have added because manufacturers are really sneaky. they put it in pasta sauce, cold cuts, bread, everything. we're getting four times more sugar, added sugar, in our diet than we should be getting. >> look out for added sugars. that's what we're trying to avoid. let's step over because i said i

had a sweet tooth. i want to do this with you. >> you'll be satisfied here. >> tell me about this. >> these are chocolate covered almond clusters. what's great about this is you can make this in minutes. it's about 200 calories as are everything here. all of these desserts are very simple and delicious. you're putting some almonds and dark chocolate. make sure it's 70%. you can put it on a pan or microwave. >> what's the green stuff? >> shredded coconut for a little bit of a caffeine boost. >> that's nice. >> bring them out and these clusters are fantastic. >> great. tell me about this. oak me >> this is a ginger oatmeal cookie. it takes ten minutes to if you love chocolate, you can add dark chocolate, again, 70% and sliced almonds.

>> 70% or higher. >> ice cream. >> no sugar frozen cherry berry cream. this is great. what you're doing is taking full fat coconut milk like what we have here and you're letting it set like overnight, and then literally you're scooping it out. there's dates, berries, you can add a bunch of -- >> it looks great. >> you said this is full fat. is it okay if you're doing the no added sugar, is it okay to have more fats? >> there's no added sugars. it's healthy fat. that's fine. you need fat. >> yeah. all right. and finally what's here? >> this is the muesli stuffed baked apples. you get oat, fruit, and the nuts. and you're going to add this to your raw apple. >> cut that out. okay. >> there you go.

you're going to bake it at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. check it. it might need another 5 or 10 minutes after that depending on the size of the apple. then you're going to garnish it with cinnamon. >> after it's out of the oven. >> it's a great crowd pleaser. >> it looks fancy too. >> thank you so much. happy new year. check out the new book. >> zero sugar cook book. >> that's right. go to today.com/food. go over to today.com/shop if you want to find out more about the cook book. coming up the points guy reveals getting most out of your credit cards, how to maximize your rewards on everything from flights to hotels and a lot more. first this is "today" on nbc. gh hotels and a lot mo. first threis

we're back helping you start the new year off right by making the most of your reward points. you can save big if you organize

and plan ahead. we have the founder of the website the pointsguy.com. thanks for being here. you said january is a good time to get started. >> there's never a bad time. points are like money. people think it's just a free light here or there. with points you can buy anything. everyone should have their points game in line in 2019. >> what are the some best ways to earn points? >> credit cards. there's so many offers whether you want to travel or get cash back. you get bonuses for signing up for credit cards. you can even get a free trip from europe from a single signup bonus from a credit card. they offer category bonuses. if you spend money on gas or dining or groceries, there are a lot of different cards out there. it can be dizzying at first. you want to earn more than one point for every dollar you spend.

>> there's an article that says banks might want to cut back on the rewards. >> there used to be huge bonuses. the banks are shifting. they're still lucrative. instead of a huge sign yum bonus, they'll give you a decent one and then bonuses for spending. >> can you still count on credit cards for points? >> absolutely. it's a no-brainer. and benefits are valuable. a lot of credit cards will give you if your flight is delayed, the airlines don't give you a free hotel, but a lot of credit cards do. same thing, missed baggage. you can never count on the airlines but your credit card company is the one you should go to. >> you have points. how do you spend them? >> spending them, airline miles are best used on travel. >> how far out? >> it depends. it used to be 11 months. now adays the airlines would rather sell seats. even within a month or week of departure, even last minute. if there's a death in the family, airfares are sky high last minute, it can be the best

time to use your points. they'll open up reward seats last minute. >> are there blackout dates? >> no, they just charge more points. another tip is ask for partner airline award availability. a lot of airlines have these global partners. the award availability doesn't show online. don't assume going to an airline website that you're going to see every option available even though it's 2019. picking up the phone, calling, but here's the tip. be super nice. it can be hard with airline agents. they can be kind of surly. always treat them with kindness. >> you say don't book the travel online. >>. >> you can always check online and if you see a good deal, go with it. if you see where you're going, there's nothing available, pick up the phone and call and be nice. ask the agent can you check on the airline's partners to see if there's availability? >> you can use the airline points to help you with the hotel because the airline might have a hotel partner. >> you can use airline miles for

hotels. you don't get the most value. credit card points can be used for hotels. each program has ups and downs. that's what we cover. teaching people to use the right points in the right programs. >> i have friends that use credit cards in hotels. they talk about upgrades they got. how do you get an upgrade in a hotel? >> certain credit cards if you book through them, they'll give you upgrades. but there's that age old trick of being really nice or even in vegas slipping them a 20 or 100. you'd be surprised. the front desk agents have tons of power. even if you don't want to give them point, e-mail them in advance. e-mail the general manager and say i'm excited to stay at your hotel. owe don't even have to ask for the upgrade, but if you're really nice, i can't stress how far that can go. >> some consumers say they're gaming the system on the credit cards but the idea of being nice and working it can take you a lot further. >> a long way. >> instead of being i demand a suite. >> these are my rights and my

points. >> be nice. that will take you further. >> good stuff. brian, thank you. have a great new year. i got to work on my points. we'll be back in a moment. first, this is "today" on nbc.

we know what that means. it means al is celebrating birthday. >> going to spin us a smucker's jar and bring you really nice folks. first up we've got a happy 100th birthday to mr. elmer blair. he's an active guy from florida. rides the bike almost every day. miss mary moore of maryland celebrating 100 years. she has seven grand kids, 11 great grand kids and she's lost count of how many great great grand kids she's got. happy 100th birthday to frncys i'ver in. she won a first place ribbon for

her quilting at the fair. glenn roberts is an avid bowler from michigan. married to the love of his life for more than 50 years. christine karl son, a baker of 102 years. rumor has it she makes the most delicious cookies you'll ever taste. send us some. and mary vashi of georgia. she's a bin go champ celebrating 100 years. her family and friends say she's always the life of the party. somebody you'd like us to honor? head to today.com/celebrate. >> all right. coming up next, the third hour of today. billy porter and also some inspiring weight loss stories. we are on this. we got to get motivated. >> carson joined me yesterday on the fourth hour. you were i )m - -...

a surprise from prosecutors in florida. this morning they dropped all good morning. 8:56. surprise for prosecutors in florida. they dropped all charges against former 49ers rubin foster. he was expected to be arraigned today on domestic violence charges stemming from an incident in november that involved the same woman who made similar accusations against foster here in the bay area. the niners cut foster after learning about the latest

incident. he's now signed with washington. on wall street, a warning from apple sends stocks into a steep slide right now from the opening bell. in the past 30 minutes or so, the dow has bounced back somewhat from those losses of more than 600 points. the dow is down 381 points. apple shares are off more than 8%. happening knew, our scout mcgrew is keeping a close eye on markets. looking deeper into the warning from apple that's making investors nervous. and in about five minutes or so, the swearing in ceremony is set to begin for new house representatives. today marks a big shift. democrats retake control of the house. pelosi expected to reclaim her house speaker role. if you'd like to watch today's ceremony, you can go to our homepage for a live link. more news in an hour. >> nbc bay area, we investigate.

vianey is tracking our weekend forecast as you make plans. plus: an east bay homeowner is fed up with his fridge. our consumer team helps him deal with the manufacturer )s frosty reception. tomorrow from 4:30 to 7.

xxxxx live from studio 6 a, this is "today." this morning, everyone. thank you for waking up with us this morning. jill martin is with us this morning. good morning. here we are. happy n year. when do you stop saying that? >> i was just thinking that. >> i feel like when you run out of seeing everybody for the first time. i saw jill for the first time since the new year. you, i didn't. >> you should put that out. that's a nice rule. >> we're three days into 2019. surprise, surprise there's already a viral trend