♪ if you're watching right now, chances are you're in the midst of a major winter storm. 110 million americans will be impacted by today's weather. we're tracking the latest. >> the winter storms will no doubt impact vaccine distribuons that are grossly behind now we're coming off the worst month of the coronavirus so far. today president biden will meet with ten g.o.p. senators to hammer out a new stimulus plan plus donald trump with a new legal team for the impeachment.

>> snl back with a vengeance, we got the highlights welcome to february. "early today" starts now. >> good morning i'm frances rivera. >> i'm phillip mena. a winter storm causing dangerous road conditions, impacting 11 states, 100 million people. and cans elcelling more than 250 flights and 50 inches of snow around areas of lake michigan. the storm is expected to pack a punch in the northeast, blizzard-like conditions are possible philadelphia preparing for up to a foot of snow janessa webb is braving the elements for us this morning, she's in new york's time square, janessa, how's it looking to you there. >> good morning, about a month

ago we were in the same situation but this is kind of a different feel, almost the pre-game for the big show that doesn't happen until about 7:00 a.m. this morning. we already seen a good dose of snow, about five inches for new jersey we have our maintenance workers out here that have already plowed these streets in time square over three times already. sot governor -- so the governor has issued new york city to stay off roads starting at 6:00 a.m that should go into effect right now because we've already seen these roads pretty much covered. compared to a month ago we were talking about that wet, heavy snow this is a completely different feel, that light, fluffy snow, so it's going to accumulate very quickly. we now have winter weather advisories in effect for 70 million, that has deteriorated, the reason for that, across the mid-west that storm system has pushed out of the area

a big concern, a blizzard warning potential going into effect for this afternoon for new york city, boston and also philadelphia our forecast has not changed but we could see up to 14 to 17 inches of the snow in the metro area so we're going to continue to watch this system, but, you know, frances and phillip this is just the beginning. we have a long 36 hours. >> a foot of snow possible today. thank you so much janessa. coronavirus takes center stage in washington this week, sense of urgency growing as the death toll crosses 442,000 in the united states and more than 26 34i8 onio 126 millio 26 million have been infected. biden will welcome 10 g.o.p. senators led by maine's susan

collins will unveil their proposal expected to be smaller than $1.9 trillion proposal from the democrats. now with more. >> reporter: a pristine first snow fall drapes the biden white house but behind this post card an urgent travel to deliver covid relief ten republican senators sent this letter to the president, acting they say, in the spirit of bipartisan and unity. making a counter proposal that keeps the biden plan vaccine and health care fundsing but would narrow financial health to americans most hurt by loss jobs and income. >> we're very targeted to the needs of the american people, treating our tax dollars as if they're ours not just money to spend. >> reporter: the white house says its rescue package must be sweeping scope. >> what do we need to get this

economy back on track. >> reporter: the president's $1.9 trillion plan includes $1400 checks but republicans argue that formula sends aid to more affluent families. >> you could have a family with three kids making $300,000 a year getting a check. >> reporter: white house officials are reviewing the republicans offer. >> we need to act with speed but we'll continue to have conversations as we go forward. >> reporter: but senate democrats say time for a bipartisan deal is running out. >> if we can't move forward with them we'll have to do it often our own. >> reporter: that urgency driven by the looming trump impeachment trial with a week left to go, the former president parted ways with his lead defense attorney and other lawyers. and the office of the former president has now lead the tru defense, david shown criminal defense attorney and caster former acting attorney general in pennsylvania.

aids say shown had been working behind the scenes already and both attorneys arc argue because mr. trump is out of office an impeachment trial is defenseless. now to the coronavirus in america, the haves and have notes. wealthy americans giving major donors a jump to the front of the line now more with inequality in america. >> reporter: in a country where health outcomes often coinside with race and resources, wealthy flower floridians seem to be joining better access to vaccines, nearly 1.7 million doses but just under 5% to those identifying as african-american. >> it's an age-old process where race and income determine your access to resources, that's no different with covid. >> in opalaka, florida, a recent report examining county data

found about 2% of the city that's more than half-black has been vaccinated. the mayor points out those numbers don't include a 500 dose event last week but vaccination rate pail in comparison to fisher island overwhelmingly white and older where more than 50% of residents have received the shot fisher island directly behind me is only accessible by private ferry and boat it's limited to residents, visitors and club members. it's the wealthiest zip code in the united states. >> now with similar disconnect appears to be infecting much of miami-dade. >> i have never seen so many mercedes and bmw's on our campus, the demographics are very different than inside jackson. >> his vaccinated.

>> he was the only black person there. >> reporter: nationwide the problem is also pronounced cities like philadelphia and chicago with a black population double or triple the percent receiving covid vaccine. as wealthy donors could be getting special treatment. in seattle a hospital forced to apologize after offering 100 benefactors access to the vaccine. in west palm beach, florida, a high-end nursing home doled out doses to board members and donors saying they did nothing wrong. florida leaders say the focus should shift to vaccinated people in high-risk jobs any one left behind exposed all of us to pain. >> if one gets it can quickly spread to everyone. >> sam brock nbc news miami. moscow on lockdown after

thousands of protesters swarmed russian sweeps in support of the jailed opposition leader lee nailon jailed opposition leader alexey navalny. now joining us from paris, matt bradley, this movement sweeping the country shows no signs of letting up >> reporter: yeah, this has been going on for two weeks now this was actually yesterday's protest saw 5,000 people arrested in many cities across russia, including alexey navalny's partner and wife now this was a major, major protest, 5,000 people arrested is the most people detained in russia in any given time since putin started in power this is really a formidable challenge against the hegemony of a man who has run russia for basically about two deck alds. so this -- decades so this is an important

development and showing alexey navalny is the main opponent to vladimir putin going forward we'll probably see these protests continue, especially considering the amount of police action we saw in response. this is probably only going to incite the protesters more, they're demanding that alexey navalny be free. remember he was believed to be poisoned in russia european authorities say the russian authorities poisoned him for dissenting against vladimir putin. went to germany to recover and just got back to russia where he was detained by authorities land face charged. this is a major international incident and will definitely draw attention in western capitals. >> hopefully those protests don't get too violent. back to the extreme weather we're facing today hundreds of flights cancelled or delayed. mass transit, many cities have closed their mass transit. now bring in our nbc

meteorologist, janessa webb, live in time square, new york. janessa, hello, again. >> hi, you two i mean, temperatures are starting to drop you can really start to feel the difference and we were talking about howard people shoul and we were talking about how people should be off the roadway in new york city around 6:00 a.m. you can start to see right now things are still busy. people are out and about even though we've seen a bunch of plows and they have plowed here in time square three times, accumulating up to three inches and parts of new jersey up to five to six inches this is the just the start this noreaster has not developed, it will heighten 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. hour and right now our forecast totals are looking at three to four inches s snowfall rates per hour that's going to lead a

accumulation eight to 17 inches in some spots. i want to mention boston, instead of a 36-hour event today and tomorrow, it lingers you can see up to 12 inches in that area. people need to know how to get in contact with their power companies. we're looking at losing power all across the northeast winds will pick up 50 to 60 miles an hour. that starts this afternoon into your evening so some big-time issues with this storm system and also the coastal flooding that i haven't mentioned, potential for coastal areas to see at least one to two inches of upper

midwest, with highs back in the 50's frances and phillip i'm regretting my decision with this little coat. big winter coat, bring it out. >> this is the pre-game, not even the real deal, that's still to come. >> hours away. >> exactly. we're honoring change makers this month as we celebrate black history. on this day in 1978 harriet tubman was the first black woman honored on a stamp, the abolitionist helping tofree slaves as par the of the underground rail road in the stamp black history series the put pulitzer prize winner play write august wilson will be honored as well with a stamp. 18 years later a look at the

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leading the news, a showdown in the nation's third largest school district after chicago's public system failed to reach a deal with the teacher's union. school opening still in the air after negotiation hit a wall at the center, mayor lori lightfoot threatening action >> those who do not report to work and i hate to even go there, but we're going to have to take action let's avoid that >> an estimated 62,000 students and 10,000 teachers were set to begin classes today. chicago public schools said teachers would be locked out of their teaching platforms of they fail to show up, a move the teacher's union said would lead to a strike. >> coming up, snl reminds us nothing works in america. ananmbd aer a flert texas for -- the chucky

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first episode of the new year. they're right though, right, tom brady in the super bowl, maybe lebron james the only two to trust these days >> when it's on snl you know they're speaking truth. >> was a great episode too. amber alerts are meant to find missing children shouldn't include characters, one texas amber alert was issued for chucky in a horror film series the agency apologized, calling the alert a result of a test gone wrong on the server and hopefully they can get the kinks worked out as much as they can seems like a joke. it's serious business they're dealing with. >> those dolls are still creepy. >> 100%. >> much more to come, including a fitting tribute for the

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57-year-old was found and on sunday pronounced dead. >> for more on the nor'easter let's check in with janessa webb in new york time square regretting that little jacket, the snow is falling. >> my mom's going to be upset that i made this decision. but we have people that are out and about. you can see, i mean, new york city people we are troopers, getting it done. you know, i'm happy to see this now because things are going to quickly change, even though we have about three inches on the ground, up to six inches in some parts of new jersey already, things will likely turn into blizzard conditions going into this afternoon, so finally preparations is really key here. we have our plows out and about, and man, this afternoon, over a foot of snow in some areas. >> be prepared for that. janessa thank you so much. go somewhere warm. thanks. up next, battle lines awn

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columbia launches from the kennedy space center 16 days ago. thousands were there this morning to watch its triumphant return, instead, tears over an empty launch pad and flag at half staff. >> national strategy eddie 1 . >> national tragedy when the space craft killed all crew members on board a piece of foam installation broke up during launch and damaged the shuttle's left wing which led to the disaster.

the military in myanmar has seized control of that cou has d declaredcivilian government, aung san suu kyi and other officials have been taken into custody the army claimed fraud in the election but no proof. th . the hedge fund capital with 53% loss ended up on the wrong side of the track after taking the biggest short position on gamestop a frenzy catapulted that stock ended with a gain of 400%. is they started with 12.5 billion in assets and ended with 8 billion, including a bail out from critical adele. citadel.

capitol police officer will lie in honor in the capitol rotunda tomorrow brian sicknick was engaging protesters in the january 6th insurrection, when he returned to his division office he collapsed and later died in the hospital sicknick wil laid to rest in arlington national cemetery. over the weekend comcast sportsnet hundreds . over the weekend a snow ball fight, cadets versus the civilians, a tradition, where they face off in a snow ball war whenever enough snow falls on university grounds. they were taking full advantage, costumes, shields and everything to make it fun >> with the way it looked outside i think a lot of people will be engaging in snow ball fights today and for the rest of the week perhaps. >>w men.

hopefully everyone will stay safe in it thanks for starting your week with "early today" i'm frances rivera. >> i'm phillip mena, have a great monday and please be safe coming up on "early today", the new secretary of

it's monday, february 1st, the nor'easter is bearing down on tens millions right now, dumping feet of snow ande pandec with record hospitalization and death as coronavirus takes on new strains and many distribution centers cancelled until later in the week. thousands of supporters are demonstrating in russia for release of