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 putin opposition leader alexey navalny and. girl scouts are forced to think outside the cookie box this season. it's the first of the month grab your box and come on, "early today" starts right now s rivera. >> and i'm phillip mena. one and three americans are in the path of a major winter storm hitting the northeast, it already burpied the mid-west, more than 250 flights cancelled in chicago where over a foot of snow fell. snow emergencies declared in wisconsin. drivers with i tough time in virginia with mix of heavy snow and freezing rain. those slick conditions were no problem for the giant panda as the national zoo in washington, d.c. absolute blast, on the hill, playing in the snow. right now all eyes on the northeast, blizzard-like

conditions are possible, new york city could see historic amounts of snow and now a live update from nbc meteorologist janessa webb, out there braving the storm for us in time square. janessa, good mo, good morning d good morning everyone. things have kind of calmed down in time square just after midnight portion from new york city to philadelphia we saw heavy bands with snow fall rates of one to two inches per hour do you remember the storm that happened last month, it was a wet, heavy snow. this is completely different this say light, fluffy snow and that's going to allow it to accumulate pretty quickly and frances and phillip this is just the pregame. what you're seeing in time square right now three to four inches of accumulation new jersey up to six inches we've already seen this is just the start right now the forecast is calling for blizzard-like conditions going into the noon

hour until 7:00 p.m. that means we could see wind gusts up to 35 miles an hour for a prolong period of time with heavy snow fall rates across the area we'll be watching that pretty closely. i do want to take a look what's going on right now you see from the satellite composite radar, this storm system has not transitioned to a nor'easter just yet, it will become that around 7:00 a.m. please look at the wind gusts, we're talking 50 to 60 miles an hour potential, that's going to cause widespread power outages across the area. also watch coastal flooding and an icing that could be takesing a effect across northern new england and northeast. so our forecast, i know you've been hearing the totals changing, but this has really solidified in the last 24 hours. right now the metro area of new york city could see historic

snow where we could potentially see 14 to 17 inches. so i want to show you time square, the streets right now. weo some of the ck out here, th going to look completely different. right now you can see the snow is still kind of pretty low but 12 to 17 inches of snow, that's massive accumulation, it's going to be shutting down the city even for boston up to 6 to 12 inches this scene is really nice right now but a completely different story in the next few hours gi guys. >> still hours away from the real start of this very serious storm thank you very much. battle over coronavirus is frontline and center on capitol hill as the death toll crosses

442,000 in the u.s. and more than 26 million have been infected since the start of the pandemic today president biden will invite 10 members to talk about this republican prop posproposat do we know >> : we noah the 1 . >> reporter: we know 10 checks would drop to $1,000 and only apply to needy families some in the biden plan would get these check who's don't need them they want to also significantly reduce money for schools arguing teacher's unions are keeping teacher from going back to school and schools have already gotten more than they normally would. and in terms of vaccinations, that amount stays the same republicans arguing that we need to get the shots in the arm to deal with new variants of the virus.

the white house says the president is open to listening to new ideas as they sit down together today >> the president has said repeatedly he's open to ideas wherever they may come that we could improve upon the approach to actually tackling this crisis what he is uncompromising about is the need to move with speed on a comprehensive approach here. >> reporter: mean sometime former president trump is turning over his legal team just one week before his impeachment trial is set to begin. couple lawyers stepped off the team over the weekend and they've now been replaced. we also know one republican, the first republican who decided to vote against former president trump on impeachment is tarting starting a new political action committee for the republican party called country first this pact will be for republicans who are not in line

with the former president. back to you. >> we are seeing those dynamics change and shift thank you, tracy. the nor'easter is forcing cities to cancel covid-19 vaccine appointments, and the new strains in the u.s. may lead to another surge. nbc is in los angeles with more. meghan, good morning. >> reporter: phillip, good morning. cases of covid and hospitalizations are dropping, going in the right direction, but now health experts are warning of a dangerous surge, the worse the united states has seen before and it could be just weeks away. >> health experts say dangerous covid variants could push the country to a powerful new surge in a matter of weeks >> we're going to see something like we've not seen yet in this country. >> more infections and hospitalization and potential;ly more deaths because of highly-transmissible strain in now 33 straights, the south

african and brazilian and deadly uk strain dominating potentially by march. >> we could reduce the serious illnesses and deaths. >> reporter: getting one dose is the biggest challenge. all 50 states reporting shortages. >> everything is effected by the supply problem. >> reporter: those supply issues now compounded by severe weather, cancelling or delaying vaccine appointment as cross the northeast. >> last thing we want to do is urge our seniors to come tout in the middle of a storm like this. >> reporter: saturday the largest site at dodger stadium forced to close for an hour when anti-vaccine protesters blocked the entrance adam was there with his 81-year-old mother they weren't deterred. as much of the nation still waits for their turn to get the

shots, long lines and confusion are fuelling anxiety and frustration. >> you can't get any shot nowhere else they don't answer the phone. it's very stressful to do that. >> reporter: that was the case for many of these veterans in houston. but the va stepped up allowing vets 75 and older to step in line >> i was okay. just don't look at the needle. >> reporter: the cdc's mask mandate which requires masks on all forms of public transformation goes into effect tonight. phillip? >> all right, meghan thank you. a showdown in the nation's third largest school district after chicago's public school system failed to reach a deal in the teacher's union. school opening still up in the air and mayor lori lightfoot is 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 if they fail to show up, a move the teacher's union said would lead to a strike. two skiers -- let's take a turn and go back to time square where nbc meteorologist janessa webb is braving the storm, nothing compared to later. >> exactly you got we have this young man and many people braving the elements can you tell us how you feel about the potential of 17 inches of snow and cold weather. >> 17 inches, it's wild.

have to get a lot of salt. yeah coming to work was crazy on the highway. it's blocked out, can you barely see. >> exactly so a lot of people braving the elements we're hoping everyone is careful. we're going to continue to watch this system make its way across the northeast. that's a if you need some sunshine it's the upper midwest, highs in the 50's >> i'm amazed with all the people out and about we're going to be stuck in a rut inside by this afternoon. >> janessa, thank you so much for the update.

americans stay at home due to the pandemic, the sales of high-end liquor like whiskey has spiked with the highest sales figure in 40 years. the figure jumping reddit group wall street bets talking about turning the focus wke theeend. exxon and chevron talking about a merger, two companies worth combined $250 billion. stay alive and out of the hospital. don't take entresto if pregnant; it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren, or if yous side effects are angioedema, dney problems, don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren, or high blood potassium. ask your doctor about entresto. or high blood potassium. ever notice how stiff clothes can feel rough on your skin? for softer clothes that are gentle on your skin,

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rights movement. u.s. capitol police officer who died during the pro-trump riot will li the capitol in the and collapsed and later died in the hospital sicknick will be buried at arlington national cemetery in a statement the family thanked the millions who offered their support after the tragedy. tens of thousands protesters swarmed the streets of russia demanding putin-critic alexey navalny be released, these are some of the scenes, in some instances crowds fighting back, chanting things like putin resign how is the kremlin handling this can't imagine about this unfolding there. >> reporter: well, i mean, you can see on tv the police are

responding with brute force. we've seen this type of response throughout the world but this is really the most significant challenge to vladimir putin's power in really the 20 years he's took power and he's held various offices in those 20 years but more or less he's really run russia with as is the day of protest in russia in recent history such a challenge for vladimir putin. an they're showing that they are rattled by alexey navalny and showed that when they tried to poison him with novachuk couple months ago and it was only upon alexey navalny's return to germany when he was arrested and sparking the protest across the country, demanding that alexey

navalny this prominent dis dent be allowed to get out of prison. alexey navalny has become, really a champion of a lot of the ant anti-putin feeling in russia. but problem for alexey navalny is putin still remains relatively popular no matter what kind of images you see on tv the level of violence and mass number of people, it's important to remember putin's power in russia is relatively unchallenged. >> prevailing despite the unprecedented support from his opposition thank you so much for the update. coming up "saturday night live" stakes on the gamestop stock battle. >> and most excellent. wayne and garth are getting the band back together for the super bowl into one delicious cereal? it took a lot of bran-storming. get it?

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and of course it's been a big week for my favorite store the staten island mall gamestop, because a group of guys on reddit figured out a way to get rich while bank rupting bunch of hedge funds. if you don't understand how it works it's a lot like, 2013 magic themed heist movie "now you see me". >> still trying to figure out what western on there. snl is back. audience got tickets to down fall of machine gun kelly, he fell off the stage with pete

davidson that was absolutely an excellent. trying to get him on his shoulders and lost his shoulders and went down. >> way to celebrate the first episode of the season. all right, now to a reunion we're not worthy of. >> and we're back. 2020, man, that was i great year >> not. >> not >> yeah, it really sucked. >> it sucked donkey. >> good one. we just wanted to say we'll see you soon for the -- game which for legal reasons cannot be named. >> the revival, teaser for uber eats ad that will air during the super bowl not missing a beat i love that the new generation will know who wayne and garth is now back to janessa for update on this nor'easter. >> the pandemic is forcing the girl scouts to get creative during cookie season and having more of them is possible with verzenio,

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help prevent them before they start with downy wrinkleguard. today is the first day of black history month, we look back at a dark part of american history, racial segregation, today marks 61 years since the historic greensboro forced sit in, four north carolina freshman chose to sit at the white-only lunch county and refused to leave when denied service and stayed in the the diner closed and their bold move sparked more than 400 demonstrations across the country.

it's that time of the year again. girl scout cookie time despite the pandemic, the girl scouts say the show must go on as they rely on cookie sales to fund their adventures, this year they're going online now from dallas, fort worth with the story. >> they ask me what's my favorite one, and i said this one. >> that's my favorite too. nobody likes nthose. >> reporter: it's that time of the year seven-year-olds make their pitch, this year they have a choice, door to door sales. >> we'll have a to wear a mask. >> reporter: or online girl scouts have the girls making a push for contact free delivery through grub hub. >> they're learning had you to course correct and be resilient and persistent in a way they

never have before. that's the gift of covid this year we're all learning the skills including our girls >> it's a little different to sell couple hundred boxf cookies at work now that's gone. >> reporter: it's not just a fundraiser, girl scouts learn entrepreneur skills and this year determination too. >> there's still ways to get things done even if we're in this global pandemic. >> yes i love the new one. >> what's the new one. give me your sales pitch for the new one. >> my mom has a little bite out of it. it's shaped like this and it has some an icing on the bottom. >> i'll take a box or ten >> thanks walker for that report here's another thing, just buy them and gift them to frontline

workers or neighbors, this is the time of giving and thinking of others. >> it's good idea, kids know three or four now than any more than any other generation, they're well-quipped. >> get some thin mints. >> there you go.

♪ kicking off your february with a snow emergency. this may be the biggest nor'easter of the year with blinding snow and high winds ahead. transportation halted along with vaccine distribution, folle u.sf the population has been vaccinated for covid but in israel, 50% of everyone over the age 16 has had the shot so how did they do it so quickly? today, president biden will meet out the white house with

ten gop senators to try to