pretty impressive, but you know, did he get the pokemon that he wanted? >> he did. he did. >> we're going to be rich! >> that's his treat for today. thanks so much for joining us. have a great weekend as we leave you with a live look outdoors. good morning for the defense. good morning for the defense. lawyers for former president trump begin their arguments today, after democrats close their case with disturbing, new video, and chilling accounts from inside the mob, tying the president directly to the siege. >> president trump requested that we be in d.c. on the 6th. so this was our way of going and stopping the steal. >> democrats argue if left unpunished, it'll happen again. >> if you don't find this a high crime and misdemeanor today, you

have set a new terrible standard for presidential misconduct in the united states of america. >> so how will the defense respond? we're live with the very latest from capitol hill. mile-long pileup icy roads leading to a dramatic scene on a texas interstate. and millions of americans waking up to a deep freeze this morning heading into the holiday weekend. al's got everything we need to know about the storm and the brutal cold. push and pull. covid cases dropping across the country, but demand for vaccines surging. supplies beginning to dwindle. >> we need more damn vaccines. >> just ahead, the white house announcing a new deal for 200 million more doses. >> we put hundreds of new vaccinators in the field and are lining up thousands more >> later today, the cdc's much-anticipated new guidelines about getting kids back in school

yale murder mystery. a manhunt under way in the killing of a beloved ivy league grad student police searching for another student in the case, saying he is armed, dangerous, and on the run. we have the latest on the investigation. royal victory. meghan markle wins her lawsuit against the british tabloids that published that personal letter she wrote to her estranged father, but the battle may not be over yet. those stories, plus, reporting for duty female marine recruits making history at camp pendleton this morning, set to begin training there with men for the very first time and we're with them live today, friday, february 12th, 2021. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza hi, everybody. good morning

welcome to "today. it's great to have you with us it's friday morning. d time off. >> hope she's sleeping in. there is a lot happening on this friday morning, including, as you mentioned, savannah, the pioneering marine recruits out in san diego 60 women training with the men at that military base for the first time in its 100-year history. the 60 women bursting through another glass ceiling. let's get to our top story, the house impeachment managers wrapping up their case against former president trump yesterday and focusing on the damage done at the u.s. capitol on january 6th, stressing the harm they say could come if the president is not held accountable for those actions. we have complete coverage of all of it and what is going to happen now let's get started with chief white house correspondent kristen welker, as trump lawyers prepare to offer his defense today. kristen, good morning. >> savannah, good morning to you. after a week of dramatic developments in the impeachment trial, today, former president trump's lawyers are expected to argue the trial itself is

unconstitutional they will also try to make the case that democrats are hypocritical, after some of them made inflammatory comments themselves it all caps another day of high-stakes action on capitol hill >> reporter: in their final day of arguments, house democrats warning senators that failing to convict former president trump will have dire and lasting consequences >> if you don't find this a high crime and misdemeanor today, you have set a new, terrible standard for presidential misconduct in the united states of america >> reporter: on thursday, newly released court documents showed that militia group, the oath keepers, was plotting violent action to stop joe biden's inauguration, including bringin. one member of the group saying in a text message, if trump asks me to come, i will driving home the argument by house democrats that mr. trump set the stage for the insurrection by citing the

rioters' own words on camera. >> president trump requested that we be in d.c. on the 6th. so this was our way of going and stopping the steal >> dude, dude, let's tell trump what's up. >> would be very upset. >> just say we love him. we love you, bro he'll be happy what do you mean we're fighting for trump >> reporter: democrats also tried to debunk an argument from the former president's defense team, that mr. trump was speaking figuratively when he said this minutes before the insurrection began >> if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore. >> that wasn't metaphorical. it wasn't rhetorical he'd already made it perfectly clear that when he said fight, he meant it. >> reporter: pointing to the former president's inflammatory rhetoric from campaign rallies -- >> knock the crap out of them, would you? seriously. okay

knock the hell -- i promise you, i will pay for the legal fees. >> reporter: -- to his comments after the 2017 white supremacist rally in charlottesville. >> you had very bad people in that group, but you also had people that were very fine people, on both sides. >> reporter: impeachment managers also argued the former president has not expressed any remorse, playing these comments from six days after the insurrection >> my speech and my words and my final paragraph, my final sentence, and everybody to the tee thought it was totally appropriate. >> he knew that people died, and his message to all of us was that his conduct was totally appropriate. >> reporter: nbc news captured video of mr. trump golfing in florida during the proceedings, as his republican allies blasted the entire impeachment process. >> it is totally unconstitutional, and it is incredibly selfish on the part of the democrats, who are pursuing their own personal political vendettas here. >> reporter: on thursday, president biden weighing in on

the trial for the first time, when pressed by nbc news about those newly released videos of the capitol riot did you see the video yesterday during the impeachment trial, and what was your reaction, mr. president? >> i, like other americans, watched the news i think the senate has a very important job to complete, and i think my guess is, some minds may have been changed. but i don't know >> reporter: now, president biden still would not say whether his predecessor should be convicted after i pressed him there in the oval office his press secretary said mr. biden found the videos harrowing and deeply disturbing. we have not heard from former president trump. we did capture that video of him on his golf course yesterday, really the first time that we have seen him this week, as these impeachment proceedings have gotten under way. as for his attorneys, they will have a chance to make their case, but they're not expected to take up all 16 hours that are allotted to them, which means

this entire trial could be wrapped up, we stress the word "could," by the end of the weekend. savannah >> thank you, kristen. joining us with more on the impact of the democrats' case and what to expect from th defense, washington correspondent hallie jackson good morning let's talk about this strategy from yesterday obviously, earlier in the week, it was really about the raw emotion, seeing that video, hearing those heart-wrenching calls from police who were just surrounded by the mob. but the legal case has to do with tying the president directly to this incitement and to the actions at the capitol. how did democrats do on that front? >> reporter: well, if you ask the republican senators, the audience, right, in the chamber that these house managers are going after, a lot of them don't seem that convinced. they're pointing to one of the things you mentioned, savannah they don't feel, some of them, that the democrats met that bar for showing incitement, basically, and were able to connect the dots from what donald trump said and did before january 6th to his supporters,

the rioters, who ended up sieging the capitol on the 6th that day there's also an argument you're hearing from these republicans that they don't feel, now that the democrats have closed this part of their case, that they were able to make that constitutionality argument that was, obviously, part of the trial earlier in the week, but you're hearing several republicans say, listen, i didn't think this trial was unconstitutional monday. i still don't think it is unconstitutional as we head into friday how can they vote to convict it is not just what they're saying, it is also the demeanor in the chamber, savannah senator rick scott was filling out a map of asia and europe during the arguments a dozen republicans weren't in the chamber at all during part of the democrats' presentation you had senators graham, cruz, and lee meeting privately with the defense team that'd never happen in a criminal trial as we've been saying, this is not a court of law, so these things are happening. >> let's talk about what happens next the defense strategy, what they're planning to argue. >> a couple of big buckets or

themes you can look for today. number one, this constitutionality piece. argue that the trial is not constitutional, there is not due process. they'll argue the connecting the dots piece, that what trump did does not hit incitement. and they'll talk about free speech and what is the hypocrisy, in their words, of democrats. watch for maybe a video, images, trying to link democratic lawmakers to words like "fight "or "fight like hell," some of the things the democrats have been referencing the house managers have been pointing to the sum total of donald trump and the harm of the insurrection it'll be quick today, savannah the top defense attorney for the former president says maybe three to four hours. that's really condensed. one person i spoke to close to the team i spoke with said they were c the next step, the q&a from the senators, would start as early as this evening. >> hallie, thank you programmin bring you live coverage of the impeachment trial starting today at noon eastern.

now to the latest on the coronavirus and something that has been a huge source of frustration during this pandemic. when will kids be able to return to school? the cdc is expected to roll out its guidelines later today, as the biden administration is working to address problems with the country's vaccine program. nbc's tom costello is in washington with the latest on all of it. tom, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. so, listen, even as we're seeing more shots in arms, there's a good chance you know somebody, maybe even in your own family, who has been struggling to get signed up to get a vaccine. now, the president says there's now going to be enough to vaccinate 300 million americans by the end of july. the supply issue, that's just one of many problems. >> reporter: pick any state, you'll hear the same complaint, people who are supposed to be able to get a vaccine appointment can't. during a visit to the nih on thursday, president biden said his administration has focused on fixing a rocky vaccine

rollout left by the previous administration, helping to establish more mass vaccination sites and enlisting military personnel and health care veterans to put shots in arms. >> we're now allowing retired doctors and nurses to come back and administer shots. put hundreds of new vaccinators in the field and are lining up thousands more. >> reporter: mr. biden now says the deals to add an extra 200 million doses, 100 million each from moderna and pfizer, the deals have been finalized. both companies say they'll deliver a previously promised order of 100 million doses by the end of may, a month earlier than expected. still, at the moment, the most critical concern nationwide remains the limited supply. >> we need more damn vaccines. >> reporter: maryland's republican governor says he will bring it up at a white house meeting today. it comes after he joined the governor of virginia and d.c.'s mayor in calling for the federal government to directly supply

vaccines to the thousands of essential federal workers who live in the capital region. >> they're out of vaccines. out of vaccines. we need more. >> reporter: on the west coast, a mass vaccination site at dodger stadium has closed for several days after los angeles ran out of its moderna vaccine. >> our vaccine supply is uneven. it's unpredictable and, too often, inequitable. >> reporter: meanwhile, later this afternoon, the cdc will release its much-anticipated guidelines for reopening america's schools. two sources familiar with the plan tell nbc news the cdc is unlikely to make vaccines a prerequisite, as the administration urges schools to align their openings with local vaccine availability. >> tom, thursday, we spent some time talking to the ceo of riteaid, because the vaccine is set to be much more widely available in pharmacies across the country. what's that rollout expected to look like? >> reporter: yeah, so it starts today. 6,500 stores across the country. it is riteaid, walgreens, cvs,

publix, kroger, a whole bunch of them. but listen. they're only putting out a million doses to begin with for the local pharmacies. they have to go by the local state rules on who can get vaccinated now but that will grow. we will go from 6,500 local pharmacies to about 40,000 pharmacies eventually, trying to get this into your local neighborhood, to make it much more accessible. >> tom costello in washington, thank you. we turn now to the wicked winter storm making its way across the country. millions waking up to frigid temperatures and icy roads this morning. conditions that caused a deadly mile-long pileup on a texas interstate. we're going to get to al's forecast in a second. let's go to nbc's morgan chesky, who is in ft. worth for us. good morning. >> savannah, good morning. to see those videos from social media is tough enough but to hear the stories from survivors paints an even more grim picture.

countless cars on an icy interstate about to be caught in a deadly chain reaction. >> reporter: it's the accident turned catastrophe in just seconds. a semi-truck crushing car after car, captured by a driver on the texas interstate. only the collisions kept coming. the icy roads creating an early morning nightmare. a pileup of more than 130 vehicles, sending 65 people to the hospital and leaving 6 others dead. >> we had multiple vehicles sitting on top of each other, in precarious positions. >> reporter: ft. worth's fire chief says authorities responding to the scene tried frantically to close the roadways. >> the conditions were icy. it was dark, cold, trying to get the road shut down and slow people down that were unaware of the condition changing ahead. >> reporter: one of the motorists, blake dival, trapped inside his car for hours before somehow walking away unhurt. >> skid for about 100 feet or so. then hit the wall.

semis came through and plowed through a lot of people. >> reporter: similar conditions in austin, causing a 26-car pileup there. it is not just texas feeling the deep freeze. across the south, quick-moving ice storms are making for dangerous conditions all over. a pair of teenage brothers in oklahoma badly injured but recovering after icy road conditions caused their truck to slide right into a moving train. >> they knew that it was icy. they said, we did everything we were taught to do, dad. >> reporter: in kentucky, officials urging everyone to stay off the roads. >> my driveway is solid ice. >> reporter: ice storms turning driveways into skating rinks and knocking out power for tens of thousands of customers. as another blast of record cold moves in. this morning, a large portion of i-35 west remains shut down, as authors clear that scene and continue to gather evidence.

in the meantime, this area frigid. lows forecast for single digits. savannah? >> morgan, thank you. that brings us to al who has the latest on severe winter storms, plural. >> yeah, unfortunately. we have a really active storm track. let's show you what we've got. literally, coast to coast, we have winter weather advisories and warnings, and, in fact, we're watching right now this area of icy conditions coming through the carolinas and virginia. heavier rain down to the south. here's what we're looking at through friday, through today. heavy rain, 1 to 3 inches from panama city to the outer banks of the carolinas. icing today, we're looking at from danville, roanoke to philly, just south of new york, 1/10th to a quarter inch of ice, which could cause problems.stor system. this one will come into the pacific northwest, then the rockies for tomorrow, bringing feet of snow. sunday, it plunges way down to the south. look at this area of snow, and

some of it heavy. these folks aren't used to this kind of snow. monday, it comes out of the gulf, bringing moisture with it. snow stretching from louisiana all the way up into ohio. tuesday, it moves into the northeast with a wintry mix from virginia all the way to maine. here's what we're looking at. look at this swath of snow. coast to coast, literally, 41 out of the contiguous 48 states will see snow. here's where we're really concerned. from amarillo, lubbock, oklahoma city, springfield, these folks aren't used to heavy snow. then we have another big batch of heavy snow tuesday on up into the northeast and new england. it is going to be active. guess what? there is, unfortunately, another system behind that, as well. no rest for the weary. we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds. spiculus! a fight to the jif. (laughter) (crowd noises)

(laughter) oh, attilius, you no longer need a knife to jif! to the jif! ♪ ♪ ♪ good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we're seeing the rain moving out right now. we are going to see mostly sunny day, as we get temperatures that will reach near 60 degrees. that's a 57 in oakland and 56 today in san francisco. the forecast expect some more rain as we go into tomorrow, some spotty, light morning showers but clearing out for valentine's day, showers back on monday, and early next week, al, thank you. coming up, yale murder why police are searching for an m.i.t. grad student in the death of a yale student. new details on the case straight

ahead. also ahead, breaking barriers in the military women this morning joining a grueling formerly all male marine boot camp in california, and we're going to take you there live on day one. first, this is "today" on nbc.

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you are or may become pregnant while taking rinvoq. take on ra. talk to your rheumatologist about rinvoq relief. rinvoq. make it your mission. if you can't afford your medicine, abbvie may be able to help. a very good morning to you. it is 7:26. i'm laura garcia. here's today's top stories, including bay area schools awaiting guidance on the reopening of classrooms. >> reporter: i'm sharon katsuda in fremont. the cdc is expected to release new guidelines on how to safely reopen schools, even without the vaccine, some private schools and smaller districts last year managed to work with the teachers to maintain safety cohorts and allow some grade levels to reopen for in-person teachers and staff before they head back to school with

in-person learning. the cdc guidelines may shed more light on that. >> good morning everyone. i'm scott mcgrew. the impeachment trial enters its third day today. this time we'll hear from trump's defense attorneys expected to take much less time and present much less evidence than the prosecution. it begins at 9:00 a.m. we want to check the folks with meteorologist kari hall, we had a good douse of rain yesterday. a little clearing today? >> yes, we're already starting to see that happening right now. even though the clouds still linger, we'll get some peeks of sunshine today, temperatures reaching into the upper 50s for many of our microclimates, including san jose and the warmest time of the day will be at about 3:00 this afternoon, as we go through the forecast, another quick shotf o some showers moving in early tomorrow morning. the rest of the weekend is looking pretty dry. even though the clouds will linger, we won't see that rain returning until monday as our temperatures reach into the upper 50s, morning starts in the

low 40s and we could also see more rain by the end of next week. laura? >> well, we certainly need it. thanks so much. u thank you for joining us swle. another local news update for you in about half an hour.

that's appropriate 7:30, friday morning, february 12th, 2021 a triple holiday weekend is upon us, folks. here's a look at lunar new year celebrations from around the world, from hong kong to tokyo, indonesia to malaysia. those celebrations taking place as valentine's day and presidents' day happening this long weekend, as well. it's a party weekend. >> i know. we get to redout, actually, for a few reasons. >> yeah. headlines at 7:30. former president donald trump was more seriously ill with

covid-19 than previously acknowledged, according to the "new york times. the report claims that mrtrump had extremely low blood oxygen levels at times during the illness back in october, and he had a lung problem associated with pneumonia. the report is based on information from four people familiar with his condition then it says that his prognosis became so worrisome, officials believed he would need to be put on a ventilator before he was taken to walter reed medical center a person close to the former president denies he was severely ill. the international olympic committee says it is as committed as ever to staging the games, following the resignation president of the tokyo organizing committee following sexist comments that caused outrage at home and abroad the olympic games scheduled to open in tokyo on july 23rd now to some dramatic video of a texas mom taking down a suspected peeping tom.

police dash camera captured the moment phyllis pena tackled the 19-year-old suspect as he was running from police. she said she caught the ma peeking into her 15-year-old daughter's bedroom she held him down until police caught up. >> the cop fist bumped me, like, hey, i heard texans are looking for a new linebacker. >> the suspect was booked into jail facing charges of possession of a controlled substance and evading arrest. >> way to go, mom. turning to a manhunt under way involving graduate students from two elite universities. this morning, police are looking for a person of interest from m.i.t., as they investigate the murder of a yale student over the weekend. nbc's gabe gutierrez has the latest on the investigation for us gabe, good morning. >> craig, good morning this all started when the yale grad student was shot and killed over the weekend now, a newly named person of interest has been spotted across the country, and police are finished

>> reporter: this morning, yale university is reeling, as authorities try to solve a puzzling mystery officials have now named a person of interest in th shooting death of grad student kevin jiang. >> he is not a suspect at this time he is a person of interest. >> reporter: according to new haven, connecticut, police, officers in nearby north haven came across 29-year-old m.i.t. grad qinxuan pan sometime after jiang's death. >> it was the fruits of that investigation that put him on our radar. >> reporter: now, two warrants have been issued for pan's arrest related to a stolen vehicle. >> mr. pan should be considered armed and dangerous. >> reporter: officers say jiang, 26-year-old studying at yale, was shot and killed outside his car, and damage to jiang's vehicle is one factor they're examining. >> there was an accident proceeded the encounter. >> reporter: on thursday, new haven police were scouring the area near this hotel where pan was last seen for clues. the hotel's manager said pan checked in saturday night with an i.d. and credit card but never checked out.

the room appeared untouched. u.s. marshals have joined the case and are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest >> we're hoping to be able to bring the person responsible for this incident, for the homicide, this senseless crime, to justice. >> reporter: jiang had ties to chicago and is being remembered as a selfless man of faith who would help others in need. >> kevin served in the u.s. army, national guard he distributed food and cooked for a homeless shelter. >> reporter: the veteran was newly engaged. his fiance is an m.i.t. graduate the school issuing a statement overnight, writing, in part, we extend our heartfelt condolences to her, the yale community, and all those impacted in this unfathomably painful time. >> i'm so proud. >> there are so many that were loved and touched by kevin's life it's so inspiring.

>> reporter: police say that pan was just spotted in georgia, just outside of atlanta, on thursday morning then his family says he was wearing a backpack and acting strangely. again, police are not labeling him a suspect, just a person of interest this is a bizarre case that is still unfolding, craig. >> keep us posted on the investigation, gabe. gabe gutierrez for us. thanks. coming up next on "today," a group of trailblazing women marching into history. >> a groundbreaking first for the marines. training male and female recruits together. starting today, we are there live on day one, right after this n day one, right after n day one, right after th.is this is kansas. and this is country crock. we start with farm-grown ingredients, slow-churned right here in the middle of the country. ♪♪ which is fitting, because we've been at the middle of tables for generations. ♪♪ that is, until someone at the end needs a little more on their biscuits.

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ask your doctor about dovato—i did. we're back taking an in-depth look this morning at a group of women making history at san diego's camp pendleton. >> female marine recruits begin training there today for the first time in the military base's nearly 100 year history meagan fitzgerald has the story this morning hi, meagan

good morning >> savannah and craig, good morning to you yes, dozens of women recruits will be joining their male counterparts in a 13-week bootcamp, which is just the beginning of their journey to officially becoming marines. >> reporter: this morning -- >> get out, hurry up. >> reporter: -- history in the making. >> very exciting, for sure >> reporter: for the first time, women recruits will join the men here at the marine corps training depo in san diego it is the first integrated company of marines to go through this training west of the mississippi. >> i've always told myself, if guys can do it, girls can absolutely do it, as well. i guess this is the moment for us to prove that >> reporter: the significance of this moment not lost on anyone >> i mean, they're doing the same thing we are. we're all going through it together. >> reporter: these female recruits joining the more than 300 men, as they begin their grueling marine boot camp training it is a rite of passage, saying good-bye to their old lives. but for the nearly 60 women, it

>> we don't really care who shows up, but we're going to train them to our standards. we're excited to do it. >> reporter: the weight of this moment palpable. >> i'm just glad that it is happening now, and things are changing. >> reporter: a dream come true for some, and for others, a chance they never thought they'd have. >> i feel like it is very empowering and, like, a sign of change and time. i think it is an opportunity i never thought i'd ever have. >> reporter: it is all part of the plan to fully integrate training in the corps by 2028. >> we fight alongside our fellow female marines in the marine corps and fmf, so why don't we start training that way now? >> reporter: until now, women could only attend boot camp at south carolina's parris island in 2017, we met private first class tikva mole soldier, foll >> reporter: women breaking barriers, proving nothing is out

of reach next week, i will be joining these men and women on the training course for their first official week of boot camp it is a front row seat to history that you won't want to miss, right here on "today." >> meagan, are you going to boot camp >> that was my question. >> i knew that was coming. you know, i think i'm a tough girl, but i don't know if i'm that tough >> you could do it meagan fitzgerald could do it. >> cool story. we'll look for that next week, meagan thank you. >> years ago when i was in local news in south carolina, i followed recruits at parris island let me tell you, no easy feat. >> it's hot there. >> oh, yeah, exactly that was part of it. >> not a dry heat either. >> part of the training. >> pendleton is in beautiful san diego, so they get sea breeze sometimes. speaking of weather, mr. roker. >> he has the latest on this winter storm. >> we've been talking about the icing. to give you an idea, up to a quarter inch of ice doesn't sound like a lot, but causes

slick roads, hazardous travel. icy glaze on the trees, you ge 1/2 inch, you have tree limbs breaking, scattered power outages, dangerous road conditions half an inch to an inch, extensive tree damage, impassable roads, an multi-day, widespread power outages. we'll be watching that carefully. also, the bitter cold. 34 million people under winter weather advisories, wind chill advisories, i should say expanding cold, it'll feel like 15 below today in rapid city 18 below in minneapolis. look at this houston is going to feel like 36 now, we look at tomorrow, these are departures from normal from air temperature. 34 degrees below normal for kansas city. 28 degrees below normal, 17 for denver memphis, 23 degrees cooler than usual. as we get into early next week, wind chills, it'll feel like 22 below in minneapolis. minus 5 in tulsa 2 in dallas. detroit, temperatures will feel

good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we're going to have nothing like that here in the bay area. in fact, the rain that we had yesterday now clearing out. we're waking up to some sunshine, and temperatures today headed for the upper 50s. we will see another quick shot of some showers by early tomorrow morning. the rest of the weekend is dry and then our next round of rain after that comes in on monday, starting in the morning, with some clearing and warming temperatures for the middle of next week. weather. guys >> al, thank you coming up next, the handwritten and highly personal letter meghan markle wrote to her estranged father well, the letter is now at the center of her legal victory against the british tabloid. >> we'll have a live report from london rig messages british tabloid. ♪ limu emu & doug ♪ hey limu! [ squawks ] how great is it that we get to tell everybody how liberty mutual customizes your car insurance so you only pay for what you need? i mean it... oh, sorry... [ laughter ] woops!

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welcome back say hello to carson daly we know carson daly. well, there is a big legal win for meghan markle to tell you about. happened in a uk court a judge ruled a british tabloid violated her rights to privacy and copyright. >> if fight started after "the mail" published letters she wrote to her father before marrying harry in 2018 kelly cobiella has more. good morning. >> good morning to you this is a deeply personal fight for the duchess of sussex. today she can score a big, big win. she's also, along with prince harry, probably very, very relieved, along with the royal family >> reporter: the duchess of sussex glowing with prince harry on instagram earlier this week, has even more reason to smile

this morning after her wedding in 2018. when the "mail" in print and online went live with a letter she wrote to her estranged father the judge ruled the duchess had a reasonable expectation that the contents of the letter would remain private saying a trial would not change his opinion meghan says she's grateful for the judge's decision, calling the tabloid's tactics illegal and dehumanizing the duchess sued the tabloid at the end of her and prince harry's epic and final tour as working royals in 2019, claiming breach of privacy and copyright infringement for publishing the letter the court case put an uncomfortable spotlight on the royal family, exposing private text messages betwn harry and thomas markle, as well as documents showing meghan felt unprotected by the royal family while pregnant with her son, famous friends, and former royal aides won't have to take the

stand. >> i think the duchess of sussex has enough to be able to say to the world at large, i'm vindicated >> reporter: the tabloid's parent company in a statement said, in part, it's very surprised and disappointed in the ruling it's another media victory for the couple prince harry, just days ago, settling a case against the same company for stories claiming he'd turned his back on the military now, wife meghan celebrating her win as one for all of us, saying, we all deserve justice and truth, and we all deserve better the tabloid's parent company is still deciding whether or not to appeal also still to be decided, any potential damages. meghan said in the past that she would donate any damages to an anti-bullying charity. guys, back to you. >> kelly cobiella for us in london thank you. what's coming up on "pop start" >> finally, the winner of today's romcom bracket showdown. we'll get your friday night play

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good morning, it is 7:56. i'm laura garcia. here is what's happening now. >> reporter: i'm thom jensen in fairfield. ten airmen will be transferring into space force today here at travis air force base, part of a big move of about 3,600 personnel from the air force and the space force and a total fighting force of 16,000 guardians in the new space force. i'm cierra johnson in sa francisco with lunar week and a huge week upon us, many elderly in the asian-american community are on high alert after weeks of braze an tacks, some of which in broad daylight against them and now community leaders like will lex is leading a patrol effort handing out whistles in oakland

and san francisco. san francisco police said they're also stepping up patrol in chinatown and some of the hot spots. community members at this point really hoping the violence stops. it is the beginning of a lovely friday morning. kari has a look at our forecast for today. >> yes, i love this shot that we have looking over walnut creek right now, with the clouds still hovering over mt. diablo right now as the sun rises. we'll see the sky clearing out today, and some nice weather for this afternoon, heading up to close to 60 degrees, but then tomorrow, some quick-moving early morning showers will greet us as we wake up and head out on our saturday morning but the rest of the day is looking dry, and sunday is also dry, even though we'll just see some peeks of sunshine. by monday, we'll have some more scattered showers moving in to start out the new work week, and then we clear out for some slightly warmer temperatures by next tuesday, and wednesday. laura? >> all right, sounds good. we'll plan for it. and thank

you for joining us as well. another local news update in half an hour. have a great friday morning.

it's 8:00 on "today. coming up, on defense. former president trump's lawyers get ready to take center stage at his second impeachment trial, after house democrats wrap up their closing arguments. >> the attack was done for donald trump, at his instruction, and to fulfill his wishes. >> this morning, what you can expect to see in the high stakes showdown we're live with the latest. plus, gone too soon. >> good morning from new york. where we are the fog is really rolling in right now. >> we'll honor a member of our extended nbc family. katherine creag, who passed away

this week. >> she was a light and had a special spirit and energy about her. >> ahead, we'll talk to one of her colleagues ahead about kat's bright smile and lasting legacy. love is in the air, as we get ready for this holiday weekend. we'll help you save big with exclusive deals you'll only find here we'll share the love with a group of health care heros, and a special surprise in store you won't want to miss today, friday, february 12th, 2021 ♪ you're the one i love ♪ >> happy valentine's day from us in san antonio, texas. >> thank you so much. >> hi, "today" show. happy valentine's day. >> the love of our lives ♪ come on baby ♪ >> sending love. >> to health care heros like our dad. we love you. thank you for all you do

>> good morning, everybody welcome back to "today." we like having you with us like this song by beyonce on a friday morning hoda has the day off, getting a jump on the weekend. we are going to continue our celebration of black history month with a new story from our series "changemakers." we are going to take you to colonial williamsburg, where black history is literally being unearthed right now. archaeologists are excavating one of this country's oldest black churches it's a really fascinating history. it's never been shared before. i didn't know about this story until a couple months ago. it goes back to 1776. >> it's black history month, but to be finding that history as we speak. look forward to that next week. let's get to your headlines at 8:00. the defense takes over today at the second impeachment trial of former president donald trump. house democrats wrapping up their opening arguments yesterday, trying to connect

trump's words to the violence that followed. we'll get the latest from "weekend today" co-host, white house chief correspondent kristen welker good morning. >> good morning to you we have new developments at this hour just moments ago, president biden speaking from the white house, commented on the impeachment trial of his predecessor. quote, i am anxious to see what my republican friends do quote, will they stand up? it all comes as both sides gear up for another high-stakes day on capitol hill as former president trump's lawyers are expected to make their case today. >> reporter: in their final day of arguments, house democrats warning senators that failing to convict former president trump will have dire and lasting consequences >> if you don't find this a high crime and misdemeanor today, you have set a new, terrible standard for presidential misconduct >> reporter: on thursday, newly

released court documents showed that the group, the oath keepers, was plotting violent action to stop joe biden's inauguration, including bringing heavy weapons across the potomac river into washington. one member of the group saying in a text message, if trump asks me to come, i will driving home the argument by house democrats that mr. trump set the stage for the insurrection by citing the rioters' own words on camera >> president trump requested we be in d.c. on the 6th. this was our way of stopping this steal >> reporter: democrats tried to debunk an argument from the former president's defense team, that mr. trump was speaking figuratively when he said this minutes before the insurrection began. >> if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore. >> that wasn't metaphorical. it wasn't rhetorical he'd already made it perfectly clear that when he said fight, he meant it. >> reporter: pointg to the former president's inflammatory rhetoric from campaign rallies -- >> knock the crap out of them, would you?

seriously. okay just knock the hell -- i promise you, i will pay for the legal fees. >> january 6th was not some unexpected, radical break from his normal, law-abiding and peaceful disposition this was his state of mind this was his essential m.o >> reporter: impeachment managers also argued the former president has not expressed any remorse, playing these comments from six days after the insurrection >> my speech and my words and my final paragraph, my final sentence, and everybody to the tee thought it was totally appropriate. >> reporter: nbc news captured video of mr. trump golfing in florida during the proceedings, as his republican allies blasted the entire impeachment process. >> it is totally unconstitutional, and it is incredibly selfish on the part of the democrats, who are pursuing their own personal political vendettas here. >> reporter: on thursday, president biden weighing in on the trial for the first time, when pressed by nbc news about those newly released videos of

the capitol riot did you see the video yesterday during the impeachment trial, and what was your reaction, mr. president? >> i, like other americans, watched the news i think the senate has a very important job to complete, and i think my guess is, some minds may have been changed. but i don't know >> reporter: also new this morning, some stunning comments from nikki haley who, of course, served as the u.n. ambassador under former president trump in an interview with "politico," she said of her former boss, quote, we need to acknowledge he let us down. he went down a path he shouldn't have, and we shouldn't have followed him we shouldn't have listened to him, and we can't let that ever happen again when asked if he will ever run for office again, haley predicted that mr. trump won't be in the picture because he has, in her words, quote, fallen so far now, we did reach out to officials who are close to former president trump and, so far, no response savannah

>> kristen welker with the latest from capitol hill a programming note, nbc news will bring you live coverage of the impeachment trial starting today at noon eastern. meanwhile, the biden administration says it has reached deals to add another 200 million doses to this country's covid vaccine supply there are still widespread complaints about vaccine shortages. canceled appointments or trouble just signing up for one. the national institutes of health on thursday, the president vowed to set up more mass vaccination centers and recruit retired health care workers to give shots. later today, the cdc will be releasing its guidelines for reopening schools. the world has lost one of its most honored and prolific jazz musicians legendary jazz pianist chick corea. ♪ that's from a vintage "today" show performance corea won an astonishing 23 grammy awards, working with the

jazz greats. miles davis and herbie hancock before launching his own g and perform, because the world needs more artists, and it is also a lot of fun. >> amen to that. ms. guthrie, a little boost? >> it is a good day. i get to do the boost. this morning, it's true, we grown-ups take for granted some of the simple but complicated things babies have to learn from scratch. like sitting down in a chair take a look. you can almost hear this little one thinking trying to remember, now, how did i do this the last time? she's lining up the target working on her balance okay, yes, working on the balance. then she's going to, yup, scoot the little booty back. after using her foot -- yes, she nails it she pushes herself back, plops down in the seat she's got this as one person commented online, that's kind of how i parallel park.

>> she committed to it it took a little while, but she did it. >> careful little baby i love that. >> some good play by play. >> thank you. coming up on a friday morning, how a young american model found herself undercover as a spy during world war ii kerry sanders shares the incredible, top secret story of the unlikely nazi fighter. first, this morning, we are going to take a moment and honor a very special member of our extended nbc family. katherine creag died unexpectantly this week, and we have folks who want the world to know how loved she was we'll help them do that, right after this g anything get in my way. not the doubts, distractions, or voice in my head. and certainly not arthritis. voltaren provides powerful arthritis pain relief to help me keep moving. and it can help you too.

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that really hits home here at "today" this morning here in new york, katherine creag was one of the faces that you would always see on tv before the "today" show started. >> yeah. she was a reporter for our local affiliate. she died unexpectedly this week. she was just 47. all of us around here are truly heartbroken. kat was part of our extended family here at nbc and a beloved fixture on our local station, wnbc she was also a mom of three and known for her deep kindness, her abundant energy. nbc's anne thompson joins us with more on kat's story, as we take a moment to honor her >> good morning, savannah. this is just a terrible loss early morning tv reporters are the swiss army knives of journalism they can do anything because they have to cover everything. and within of the best here in new york city wa katherine creag, who won a slew

of awards, but most of all she won the admiration of viewers and her colleagues >> katherine creag, news 4, new york >> reporter: for ten years, katherine creag was the new york area's wake-up call. >> good morning from new york. where we are the fog is really rolling in right now. >> reporter: kat, as everyone called her, was as much a part of viewers' morning routine as the cup of coffee. >> this is the best i can do for an easter bonnet. >> reporter: her workday started at 3:00 a.m. to cover weather. >> great day to be skiing or on the boardwalk. >> reporter: tragedy. >> it is so heart breaking learning these new details >> reporter: or just plain fun >> i wish we had music. >> reporter: famously handin the mic to the u.s. women's soccer team. >> what do you want to say to your fans? >> reporter: to get the story of their ticker tape parade. >> it is a dream come true. >> reporter: occasionally, she reported here on "today." >> wnbc's katherine creag has more from clark, new jersey. good morning, katherine.

>> natalie, good morning. >> reporter: showed up with wnbc darlene rodriguez for concerts on the plaza. >> kat was a light, and she had this very special spirit and energy about her she just came into your space, upftedu were jusimmeately ecause, no matter what, she was always in a good mood >> reporter: born in manila, she was married to bill gafner for 14 years and had three children, jack, jemma, and josie a fellow reporter was a close friend. >> kat taught me how to have more fun, how to enjoy loof. i don't know how to convey how loved this woman was and how loving she was to so many people. >> reporter: a beloved personality on screen and off, whose talent, vigor, and joy

will be dearly missed. one colleague told me, you couls warmth and love. she was good hearted and eternally positive, which is pretty amazing when you consider she got up every day at 1:00 a.m. savannah >> anne, thank you kat's colleague and friend, wnbc's darlene rodriguez is here today. darlene, good morning. >> we want to wrap our arms around you and everyone at wnbc because this is such a loss. kat was such a light >> she really was. and thank you all because we at wnbc are so happy to be able to share her with the world as tracey said, she was so loved and so special i think for us, she was just an extraordinary reporter, as you all know and viewers know. she was an extraordinary human being. and as a mom on this shift, i admired her. i was in awe of her. she had three kids, and she was all the things that a great mom

could be she's putting together halloween candy and giving them to the classmates, then coming to work and leaving them on our desks, as well. it was all those thoughtful things there was somebody we worked with who said, she knew my birthday was the end of december like hers, and she knew what it was like, to kind of have your birthday missed. and she knew my favorite candy and, every year, left a big bag of it on my desk, on my birthday and, i mean, there are so many stories we could tell about her, and you all know her, but what a special human. we're so lucky to have known her. >> darlene, every time i saw her, whether it was in the cafeteria on the seventh floor, where we used to work together, she always had this big smile on her face this morning, we're especially thinking about the three kids you mentioned and her husband, bill young children what was she like off camera what was she like when she wasn't at 30 rock? >> she was like what you see that smile was huge. she loved to hang out. she was able -- we didn't think she was human sometimes because she was able to go to a party on

a tuesday night and still show up for work and do an amazing job on camera and tell the stories with that human touch and that compassion. but she was a great friend to everyone, and she really made everyone feel like you were special to her. >> what kind of a mom? i mean, she seemed like -- when i'd talked to her, she was always talking about those kids. >> jack, jemma, and josie. beautiful kids that she has with her husband, bill. she was that mom that, i think, we all love where, you know, she's at class, doing all the things that the stay-at-home moms do because she was just that super mom who was present and involved in every aspect of their lives. she never was sweating the small stuff. i think as a mom and a working mom, we could appreciate that. she just was always happy. >> the way we are, us, often the first faces people see when they wake up, kat was the first face we all saw when we woke up is there any information, for

people watching this, as to what happened >> you know, we still don't know i think there are a lot of things that need to be determined, and the family, they'll decide what it is they want to discuss. but it was just something that sort of shocked all of us and took us all by the worst possible kind of surprise. we are just all, and i think you guys are, as well, wrapping our arms around her husband and kids, and showing them all the love that we can. >> great mom, sounds like a great friend and, man, she was a dog-gone good reporter. >> she was everywhere, too a water main break in brooklyn, a fire in queens, all in the middle of the night. >> absolutely. >> in these hours, she never seemed to drag she always had that -- every picture, she has the bright smile on her face. >> she could tell the story. >> every day. >> when you have new york senators and mayors tweeting about you as a reporter, and they liked you, that says a lot about you. >> respected her. >> god bless her family. >> thank you. >> sending all our love, darlene, to the family, to you,

and everyone. >> thank you. >> yes. mr. roker, how about the latest on that nasty winter storm that's headed this way >> a lot of cold, as well, as we take a look at the map show you, we're expecting more than 300 cold records possible through tuesday. of course, that storm system is making its way into the pacific northwest, the rockies we've got storm watches up bitter cold in the northern plains dry and cold in the northeast. that'll be changing though a lot of heavy rain in the southeast. icing will develop from the mississippi, louisiana, all the way to the mid-atlantic over the next 24 hours. . good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. our weather is clearing out for today, and we are looking at slowly warming temperatures for this afternoon, we'll make it up to the upper 50s, a few spots up to 60 degrees. tomorrow, we'll have more clouds and some early morning showers. now, the rain will be very hit or miss, not all of us will see

it. and it looks like it clears out by the afternoon. on sunday, it's cloudy, nice valentine's day, reaching 60 with showers to start out the new week. >> that is your latest weather. guys? >> al, thank you. guys >> al, thank you. well, it's that lovely time of the morning, we call it "pop start. >> we'll switch gears and get into "pop start. thank you for the reminder to wear red. i was watching you guys earlier. >> lunar new year. >> and valentine's day got the red tie going. first up, we have pink the singer has been teasing fans with some new music recently, even posting a video of her daughter, willow, singing on tiktok this week now, it all seems to make sense. pink releasing a brand-new song called "cover me in sunshine," and it is a duet featuring her and willow this morning, here's a look at -- an exclusive look, by the way, at the music video. ♪ i've been missing yesterday what if there's a better place cover me in sunshineworld's been

spin shower me with good times ♪ ♪ tell me that the world spinning since the beginning and everything will be all right ♪ ♪ cover me in sunshin shower me with good times ♪ >> sounds good looks great. >> that won't be stuck in my head all day. next up, something less wholesome but i'll give you bit of a setup the wendy's twitter account is known for being very funny and quick-witted with responses online for the totally real holiday national roast day, wendy's decided to roast anybody who replied to their tweet there were good ones we compiled them here. replying to velveeta, wendy's wrote, how are you a verified account when you're not even verified cheese? >> oh. >> wow >> here's another one replying to the twilight movies, with a blue check mark. wendy's wrote, name an actor who isn't trying to live down being in --

>> whoa, that'll leave a mark. >> some accounts actually tried to fight back, but wendy's roasted oreo's the cookie company by tweeting new flavor idea, don't to which oreo responded, we get it flavor isn't for everyone. >> oh, snap. >> wendy's wouldn't take that and responded, and some of these flavors aren't for anyone. >> man >> al, you're not going to like this little warning meteorologist david walter wrote by national roast da do you mean the delicious roast beef sandwiches from arby's? >> uh-oh. >> wendy's wrote back, by meteorologists, do you mean the talking suit who reads the work done by forecasting computers? >> whoo! >> ouch. >> true, true. >> that's a sick burn. >> how about that? they're really funny. >> i didn't know wendy's is like that. >> yeah, their promotional manager is on it. >> they've gotten into burger wars with their competitors. >> wendy is sassy. >> she is. >> i like that. next up, the moment we've all been waiting for we have a winner in our romcom bracket showdown started with 16 movies vying for

the title of favorite romantic comedy it came down to two. two titans "pretty woman" and "you've got mail." for all who thought, me, too, that "pretty woman" was going to win, well -- >> big mistake big, huge. >> yeah, it was a huge mistake that's because "you've got mail" is crowned the winner. >> wow. >> romcom bracket showdown it was close, 54% of the vote. by the way, none of us had "you've got mail" in our bracket. they're all busted. >> man. >> isn't that crazy? >> wendy's said, never bet against tom hanks. >> and meg ryan. >> maybe the movie came out in '98. electronic mail was new, right aol came out in '97. maybe it tapped into something that was happening i don't know great movie. >> you have to be of a certain age. >> dave chappelle is in the movie. greg kinnear >> that's right. >> really good cast. >> awesome. >> congrats. keenen thompson, as the longest running cast member on

"snl," he is used to being part of an ensemble he's with willie on his sit-down this sunday, and he talked about the pressures of having his own network sitcom >> there is a director's chair, you're sitting in right now says keenen thompson. what does that feel like >> it is overwhelming. career milestone good stuff it is a blessing honestly, it's a lot seeing my name, like, just blasted. it's not like we're doing the show called "under the moonlight" or anything like that it is called "keanen" and they're using my birth name. it's pretty intense. >> good for him. one of our favorites here. deserves the opportunity i'm sure, as they all are on sunday, willie has a great sit-down with him. check it out "sunday today." >> i sat next to him on a plane last year and had the best conversation he loves his family so much. family man >> yeah. >> just the nicest guy. >> talented. >> earned this opportunity. >> all right thank you, carson. straight ahead this morning, some of the hottest items on sale for presidents' day,

including popular kitchen appliances, like an instant pot and one of the electric air fryers good morning to you, it's 8:26, i'm kris sanchez. indoor church services are cancelled, again, in santa clara county, after a bay area judge granted a temporary injunction. a recent supreme court ruling opened the doors for indoor religious services nationally, but in a district court santa clara county argued that the high court ruling should not apply because its ban on indoor gatherings is all encompassing. new this morning, perhaps a light at the end of the tunnel for san francisco's long dark light rail service, the chronicle reports that transit leaders are looking at restarting service on the n judah and "t" lines sometime in

may. other lines likely won't resume for some time. meteorologist kari hall is watching the forecast, pretty critical this weekend, valentine's day and the lunar new year today. >> absolutely and we've got a little bit of rain headed our way, but not a lot. we're clearing out for the rest of today. it's going to be cool, but also gradually warming up, reaching into the upper 50s and we will see some peeks of sunshine. expect the clouds to linger, especially for tomorrow when our next round of rain comes in during the morning, clearing out for the afternoon. and off and on clouds throughout the first part of next week. kris? >> thank you, kari, more local news coming up for you in just a half hour.

by harnessing california's abundant wind and solar energy, we have the power to take on climate change. use less from 4 to 9 pm to keep california golden.

♪ i do my hair toss check my nails ♪ there's your theme song, perfect for a friday morning. >> it is. >> welcome to the weekend. it is 8:30 kicking off a long holiday weekend, doing what we can to clear up some of the confusion surrounding coronavirus vaccines together with our parent company, nbc universal, we've developed this really cool, new tool to be your one-stop shop

for answers. take out your phone. aim that camera at the qr code right under al roker's bottom there, right on your screen. >> don't think they need that image. >> i wanted to give some guidance there it'll take you to plan your vaccine.com. that has all the information that you need. one easy to navigate place used it yesterday. fantastic tool. >> might take you to where al buys his underwear, too. >> this has taken a turn. >> it has. >> no, you won't get al's underwear. >> oh, come on >> you'll get -- >> people may still be eating breakfast. >> planyourvaccine.com go there. we got a lot to get to, including a world war ii spy story being told in detail for the first time how a young american model spied on the nazis, keeping her secret even as she married into european nobility. >> wow. also, we'll hook you up with online bargains, including kitchen appliances and cookware that will take your home cooking

game to the next level if we're talking air fryers, which i think we are, daly household, loving it. >> we were discussing the air fryer. talk about bringing things up to the next level, we have big stars ahead in the third hour sacha baron cohen, eddie redmayne, talking about their roles in "the trial of the chicago 7. next week on "today," we're getting excited for a fun interview. hoda is sitting down with dwayne "the rock" johnson to chat about his new tv show. >> his new comedy is called "young rock," and it is based on some of the crazy stories from dwayne's real life following the journey that he took from ordinary kid to pro wrestling superstar. it is debuting here on nbc next tuesday. really looking forward to hoda's conversation with the rock. >> that'll be a good one >> another hit. >> definitely. >> i like that. >> smell a hit and snow. >> we have a lot coming in it is valentine's day weekend. let's show you what we've got. tomorrow, snow and ice in the mid-atlantic states. the northeast, heavy rain. down through the south on

saturday, another pacific storm is coming in, bringing snow. valentine's day, sweet idaho, 34 lovely, pennsylvania, 36 loveland, ohio, 36 flowersville florida, 59 valentine, texas, 44 romeo, colorado, 20. bouquet junction, 64 degrees and partly cloudy. that's what's going on around good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. look for a lot of sunshine for today, and temperatures reaching into the upper 50s, we will have some scattered showers, especially early tomorrow but the afternoon will start to clear out. we're going to see at times some lingering clouds on valentine's day but no rain. our next round of rain gets here on monday as we're waking up and heading out the door for work. but it clears out on tuesday, and wednesday as temperatures warm up.

>> and that's your latest weather. savannah. >> thank you, al. coming up next, how an american model infiltrated the nazis in world war ii. intriguing spy story coming light after being classified for

we are back now. it is 8:36 a story about world war ii and a very unlikely spy whose tale is being told for the very first time. >> nbc's kerry sanders is with us with that story kerry, good morning. >> good morning. i'm at the holocaust memorial on miami beach, and it's unclear how many more lives would have been lost were it not for american spies who were deployed around the world to infiltrate the nazis. one is an incredible story of an american woman who was, until now, with a secret story it's being told in a new book, "the princess spy. i recently sat down with the

author, larry lofler. >> reporter: in the early 1940s, aline griffith was a model in new york. >> she was living in a small town, pearl river, new york. nothing unusual about her, other than she was very attractive she becomes a spy. >> reporter: her unbelievable story now being told for the first time in the new book "the princess spy." >> aline's brother had joined the war, and she was bent on doing something for her country. she wanted to be something where she could help the war effort. >> reporter: patriotism. >> patriotism. >> reporter: world war ii, the nazis invading europe. the office of strategic services, predecessor to the cia, sent griffith to spain to go undercover. >> did her former model life give her an edge >> it probably did she was sophisticated. i mean, she was tall, elegant, about 5'9", beautiful. these high-level parties, she'd blend in no one would guess she was a spy.

>> reporter: the deeply researched book uncovered never before known details about griffith's secret life as a spy. one of the most compelling moments, where i held my breath, is she had been shot in the head, then it dawned on her, marta had been killed in her bed. who was the real target? what happened there? >> marta was a french resistance person. >> reporter: what happened to marta? >> it is a cliffhanger, but it's an alfred hitchcock scene. >> reporter: griffith's love life would eventually become a fairytale. she married one of the wealthiest men in spain, the count of romanones. >> did her husband know she was a spy? >> he knew but didn't know she told him, but he didn't believe her. in fact, when she said, we're about to get married, i need to tell you something i have something i have to get off my chest, i was a spy for the americans during the war she thought he might freak out

he started laughing, oh, come on, aline. oh boy, you're telling a big one. he didn't believe her at all she's like, okay >> reporter: best cover you could ask for. >> i told him. i'm off the hook >> reporter: aline griffith led a life of glamour but, quietly, she infiltratenad operations, facing danger as an american y. until now, it was classified top secret aline seems to get a lot of respect from you why? >> she's very courageous it takes a special person to do this job because being a spy, you have to mingle your personal life with a lie. you have to become someone else, 24/7 >> reporter: "the princess spy," like all spies, had a code name. her code name was butch, certainly confusing. it may have been if the nazis got ahold of the code name, they wouldn't have thought it was this beautiful woman or it may have been that she was

expert with the use of pistols, machine guns, knife fighting, hand to hand combat, all the things we know spies learn to do, but we would never believe such an unassuming woman would actually have to use in her incredible career. she's no longer with us, guys, but, clearly, a woman with a story that we should all applaud for her heroics. >> yeah. >> that's fascinating. >> good movie. >> would be a good movie >> that book been optioned, kerry? >> i'm sure it has i'm sure it has. >> reporter: it's being discussed. >> thank you, sir. >> carson daly productions, line one. >> that's why you're asking. >> who can play her in the movie? ahead, exclusive presidents' day sales that you can find, get this, only on "today." if you've been waiting for the right time to snag anything from an instant pot to a new mattress, you don't want to miss these bargains first, this is "today" on nbc. >> gal >> gal >> good ca

♪ we always have a big party, it's a big thing for us. everyone gets together... to just have fun. the happy chaos... for me, i just enjoy it all... ♪ ♪ ♪ [ sfx: ding ding ding ] [ phone buzzing ] [ sfx: bing bing bing ] [ sfx: bing bloop ding ding bloop bing ] the day can wait... enter the golden state, with real california dairy.

"today" best sellers is created by " "today best sellers" is created by "today" and promoted by amazon. >> we're back with "today best sellers. are you looking for a deal this presidents' day? of course you are. >> that's right. shop "today" editorial director adriana brock is here with a few of the weekend's big bargains. get this, some exclusive discounts you can only get here on "today." >> you see it once again, the qr code right there under mr. roker. bottom of your screen. grab the camera on your smartphone there, scan it now for instant access to these deals. always good to see you. >> hey, good morning, guys great to see you. >> so what are some of the hot ticket items on sale this holiday weekend? >> craig, i am so glad you asked because this is the weekend to score the biggest discounts on items like mattresses, kitchen appliances, and, my favorite, some fashion items so we have you covered with exclusive discounts of up to 40% off.

you guys have to scan the qr code on the screen or go to today.com to take advantage of those savings. so let me jump right in with my first item we have here. we have a mattress the deal price is $381.87, 25% off. a mattress in a box. you don't have to leave the house to shop for one, it comes straight to your door. we love it because it is a three-layer design and it's 10-inch memory foam mattress giving you full body support it comes wrapped in this unique fabric that regulates your body temperature, so you're not going to get too hot or too cold overnight. this is a great one to get your hands on this weekend. >> let's go to the kitchen gadgets, the instant pot, which is sweeping the nation tell us about what you have for deals. >> savannah, if you still don't have an instant pot, now is the time to get one. we have this deal, 40% off, which brings the price to $89.99 for one of the newer, ultra models this is a rare deal, bringing

the price under $100 it is amazing. this one has a high-tech microprocessor, dial for precise cooking. one of my favorite features is you can bake a cake in it. >> wow >> wow >> fancy adriana, i was raving about the new addition to the daly kitchen, an air fryer. we love it you have one there >> carson, you and your family are ahead of the trend because air fryers are all the rage this year we have got a deal, it's $67.49, 25% off for a dash air fryer they're so hot right now dash is a brand that is top rated on amazon. really popular it is so easy to make food for the whole family throw in some veggies, throw in steak, chicken, whatever you name it, put it in, and in a few minutes, you have a delicious meal. >> you have an item that helps you clean up when you've been cooking. >> al, i know you're going to appreciate this one. everyone needs a non-stick pan in the kitchen, right?

we found one at 25% off. $37.49 from blue diamond non-stick. it is 11-inch, coated in a give you the fast, even heating. according to the brand, this one is five times harder and lasts ten times longer than your average pan. what i really love is that, because you don't scrub or soak it, you can throw it in the dishwasher, and good to go. >> al told us it'll be so cold we need cozy winter styles what'd you find? >> yes, savannah, we're always looking for some cozy, comfortable styles we found that with the amazon essentials basics line we have this beautiful duster cardigan, which is so versatile. it feels luxurious, more expensive than it is it is on sale right now for $22.72, 20% off. what we love about it, you can incorporate it into your wardrobe now wear it with leggings at home or pair it with jeans if you feel like dressing it up. it is easy and versatile

we also have a puffer jacket, which i don't know about you, savannah, but they're so hard to find a cute one that isn't too bulky but it is still going to keep you warm. we found one, also 20% off this one is $43.96 right now it is really great because it is fleece lined it is lightweight. of course, water and snow resistant, which you're going to need this weekend. >> yeah. >> i think the hood is cute, too. adriana, thank you. >> thank you so much by the way, we want to remind folks that amazon has an affiliate relationship with "today." whenever you buy an amazon product through our website, amazon pays "today" a small commission on that sale. >> all right to shop the exclusive presidents' day sales, scan the qr code at the bottom of al's bottom, or head to -- what what that's what he said. i'm copying it. >> helps folks understand. >> today.com/shop. coming up next, valentine's on the front lines we'll show our love to health care heros, and we have a little surprise in store, too first, this is "today" onbc. >> i know whn at

♪ ♪

we have the power to harness california's abundant solar and wind energy, but it's not available all day long. use less energy from 4 to 9 pm for a cleaner california.

welcome back as we get in the celebration spirit and celebrate some health care heros, "today" loves health care heros we're sharing the love with a special group of people in our virtual plaza this morning. >> there they are. we rounded up doctors and nurses from all over the country who have been working tirelessly through this pandemic. and we want to say a big thanks to each and every one of you this morning >> that's right. first up, let's bring in the bedwair family the kids, brooklyn and chase hey, guys. >> guys, good morning. >> good morning. >> you are a respiratory therapist. cornell, what keeps you motivated during the long what keeps you gust, you know, o make an impact in patients' lives, making sure wellness is taken care of.

another thing that motivates m is my family, my son and my daughter, my wife. they keep me going through the long shifts.f your dad and you know, they keep me trucking. >> i bet you guys are very proud of your dad and husband. >> yes. >> we love you, cornell. thank you for what you do. >> thank you >> that's really sweet. >> it is. >> you guys are lovely so cute, all dressed up in your red. you look great we are just not done yet we have a little bit more to do. we want to take a moment and highlight a pair of doctors who are proving, through tough times, that love is patient. >> muhil and i, we can do anything together. >> reporter: it was love at first solar eclipse for doctors john franco bareto and muhil three and a half years ago, he was a med student and she was a first-year resident at the school's hospital. they joined students and hospital staff for a viewing of the great american eclipse while everyone else has eyes on

the sun, he had eyes on someone else. >> i saw her there and she looked pretty approachable i wanted to pick her brain and talk to her. i first started to talk about the event. >> reporter: he was moonstruck he worked up the courage to ask her out, and they never looked back both now working in separate massachusetts hospitals but together battling this pandemic. >> sometimes there are days where you can lose a lot of patients despite what you try, sometimes you just can't save the person but she understands that she is my rock she's the person i can turn to who can make me feel better. >> the couple collectively working around the clock to save lives. she works the night shift. he works the day shift putting their own plans on hold. >> my original plan was to propose to muhil last year i wanted to go to india with her. unfortunately, when the covid pandemic that away. >> a special trip her family was more than ready for. >> they've been pushing muhil, when is he going to marry you?

>> we thought, there's no better time than the present. >> oh, i love watching the reactions. franco, i think we waited long enough take it away >> muhil, i've been trying to find the best moment to do this, and this is the most perfect time i love you with all of my heart. i want to spend the rest of my life with you. and we met during the solar eclipse, and i think it is the best time now, during the lunar new year, to propose muhil, will you marry me >> yeah! >> yay, let's go >> yay >> come on >> all right. >> yes. >> she said yes. >> whoo. >> and the crowd goes wild. >> muhil, what are you thinking right now? what is going through your head? >> smooth. >> i, like, franco said, like that he has plans and stuff, but i never thought he would be doing it on the tv >> what do you think of the ring

can we see it? are you going to put it on >> will you help me? >> oh, wow >> beautiful. >> there you go. ♪ blinded by the light ♪ >> franco, as you do that -- >> put a ring on it. >> -- we understand you actually had a zoom with muhil's dad to ask for her hand that conversation is nerve-racking enough what was it like over zoom >> i was petrified normally, with indian culture, you'll do this face-to-face. i was afraid it was her whole family on the zoom conference. they paused for some time when i asked, and they had to think about it, but then they started laughing they were like, of course you can marry her! so then i calmed down bu i was petrified. saw your family in india, but they wanted to give a message and be part of today let's take a look. >> muhil and franco, we love

you. >> congratulations franco, i am happy, happy. >> congrats, both of you we love you. love you, love you >> aw, come on. >> congratulations again how do you feel, muhil >> i can't believe all this, and i'm so shocked that he even reached out to my family this is really surprising to me, and this is the best proposal. >> hold on this great proposal isn't done yet. we want to mention, the team at zola, a wedding planning and registry site, they heard about the incredible work you both do, and they have a little surprise for you. to celebrate your engagement, zola is giving you a $500 credit to purchase anything from save the dates to invites or registry gifts. congratulations for that we also want to -- >> excellent. >> our parent company comcast. >> thank you so much

>> you're so welcome. >> thank you very much >> comcast is an investor in zola, fyi. isn't that cool? >> great way to end the week muhil, you have a lot to process, and i'm sure you want to keep staring at that ring so let us just say it one last time, congratulations. >> congratulations. >> and thank you thank you, both, for all you've been doing to keep us safe >> and all of you on our family plaza. >> to all our health care heros, we love you. hope you feel that love today. we have more love coming up on "hoda and jenna. as they try to set a new guinness world record for wedding vow renewals at one time it'll be good. see you after your l good morning to you, 8:56, i'm kris sanchez, today hopefully some answers for parents of students who are learning at home. one year after the pandemic started, the cdc rolling out new guidance for returning for the classroom safely which comes amid speculation california leaders could announce something

as early as today on school reopenings. the governor has proposed an early action package, previous school reopening plan was essentially dead on arrival with state lawmakers. happening now, keeping our eye on washington and sacramento. as soon as there's any announcement we will post that online. look to our twitter feed for updates as well. donald trump's defense team presents its case today in the senate impeachment trial. attorneys will have up to 16 hours to present their case. it's believed they're going to wrap a lot earlier than that, and possible that a vote to convict or acquit could come this weekend. the hearing should resume anytime now. nbc news will have a special live report. also from our home page you can link to that live feed. talk about out of this world, america launching the new u.s. space force, a handful of airmen at travis air force base becoming the first team members, you can read all about it at nbcbayarea.com. weather certified most accurate by weatherrate.

♪ ♪ we have the power to harness california's abundant solar and wind energy, but it's not available all day long. use less energy from 4 to 9 pm for a cleaner california. rolling out vaccines, the final steps being taken as the biggest mass vaccination site in the east bay prepares to open. plus we introduce to a local teacher making a difference in the classroom.

this is an nbc news special report. the second impeachment trial of donald j. trump. here is lester hotel. >> day 4 of the impeachment trial of donald trump today. lawyers for donald trump will make their case to the senate. their opportunity to rebut the case laid out against the former president over the past several days that he incited insurrection against the u.s. government. the violent and d