thousands remain without power, and the deep freeze continues. president biden's list of potential supreme court nominees is growing by the day. this morning we'll break it down for you. overnight, podcast king joe rogan speaks out about the growing controversy and outcry for musicians over his comments on covid and treatments. super bowl lvi is set. the bengals put down the chiefs and return to the big game for the first time since 1989, while the los angeles ram won the battle of california and have

home field advantage >> and we are just four days to the start of the winter olympics and covid protocols looming large over the beijing games "early today" starts right now good morning on this monday. i'm cori coffin. >> glad you're with us i'm frances rivera we begin with the fallout from a brutal weekend blizzard. the extreme weather is being blamed for at least four deaths in new york. at least a foot of snow fell from maryland to maine and it was the seventh largest snowstorm ever recorded in boston nbc's chris pollone is there >> reporter: boston, massachusetts apparently no worse for the wear after a record-setting day of snow nearly two feet falling in 24 hours. >> we have not only survived a historic storm, but really seen the incredible team work and collaboration to have the roads mostly clear at this point already. >> reporter: after several hours of blizzard, whiteout conditions

caused even the heartiest new englanders to give pause at. >> this is a lot of snow for one time. >> reporter: the classic nor'easter dropped snow from the carolinas to canada, followed by bitter cold. tens of thousands of still without power in massachusetts, mostly on cape cod and the south shore. cleanup could take days. >> it's pretty bad it's not too heavy, but it's a lot. >> reporter: the region's airports full after most flights got wiped out saturday >> i would not travel in this type of weather, but due to a family member, i got out in it just to risk it. but if it wasn't for that, i would have still been in alabama. >> reporter: the wild weather stretching all the way to florida, where unusual cold temperatures caused a unique phenomenon captured by this 7-year-old with a bright future in tv news. >> do fall out of trees when it's cold outside? yes, they do.

>> reporter: back in boston, schools will be open monday after a long cold day of digging out. chris pollone, nbc news, boston. the u.s. is ramping up pressure on russia this week amid the standoff at ukraine's border a bipartisan group of senators are finalizing tough new sanctioning against russia that could leave the country reeling for years to come. >> i wout say this to e you will destroy presidents to treau and russia as normal you will long for the good old days of the cold war because every president in the future and every congress in the future will pound you if you dismantle this democracy so be careful what you wish for, my friend. >> as of this morning russia has amassed about 120,000 troops along the ukrainian border our erin mclaughlin is in kyiv with the latest. >> reporter: top u.s. defense officials are issuing dire warnings, saying that russia has

amassed enough troops and weapons on the ukrainian border for a full range of military options, though they say they do note believe the kremlin has made a final decision. this as the united states has been sending weapons and supplies directly to ukraine president biden announcing that the u.s. will deploy troops as well in the near future, though the troops will not be sent directly to ukraine, but rather to bolster nato allies some 8500 u.s. troops have been placed on a heightened state of alert. this as there is a real tense situation unfolding between the united states and ukraine with the ukrainian president calling out the west for some of these dire warnings, saying they're alarmist, and creating panic and fear unnecessarily and in some case, disputing u.s. intelligence, saying for example there is a report citing three anonymous u.s. officials that blood supplies have been sent to the border in ukraine, further

bolstering this idea that russia could launch an imminent attack. ukrainian officials countering that intelligence saying flatly that it is incorrect and wrong, and an example of disinformation and just shows just what a tense situation it is here right now >> erin mclaughlin, nbc news, kyiv, ukraine. north korea confirms that it has conducted its largest missile test in years. the intermediate range ballistic missile flew for 30 minutes and reached an altitude of 1200 miles before it fell in the ocean. north korea released these photos of the launch the u.s. has condemned the test, which is north korea's sixth so far this year. some senators are at odds over president biden's pledge to nominate a black woman to the supreme court. republican senator roger wicker compared the president's promise to affirmative action. white house confirming that south carolina u.s. district judge michelle childs is a potential nominee, and this as

republican senator lindsey graham is voicing his support for childs, appearing to push back against wicker's remarks. josh lederman is at the white house with more. >> reporter: the supreme court guessing game in high gear who will president biden pick to fulfill his historic pledge? >> it's long overdue in my mind. >> reporter: and will any republicans back her one lavishing praise on one of the president's candidates. >> i can't think of a better person for president biden to consider for the supreme court than michelle childs. >> reporter: she is a federal judge in south carolina. already nominated for the d.c. appeals court. but mr. biden is casting a wide net. a source telling nbc news his list of candidates has grown to more than a dozen. democrats looking to move quickly, but not so quickly that republicans can say it was rushed >> it's going to be fair it's going to be deliberate. >> reporter: but a new abc news ipsos poll finds three in four americans want the president to consider all option, not just black women.

some republicans now questioning mr. biden's race and gender litmus test. >> it adds to the further perception that the court is a political institution. >> reporter: collins and graham among three republicans who voted previously for another candidate on mr. biden's list, judge ketanji brown jackson, confirmed last year to the d.c. circuit. those republicans now the focus of democrats' hopes that the vote to confirm the court's first black woman will be bipartisan >> i don't see michelle childs as an act of affirmative action. i do see putting a black woman on the court making the court more like america. >> reporter: white house officials say president biden doesn't have a short list. he plans to review all of these candidates' credentials and resumes before consulting with senators of both parties about his top picks. >> josh lederman, thank you. kyle rittenhouse's semiautomatic rifle used to fatally shoot two men and wound another during a protest in kenosha back in 2020 will be

destroyed. according to an agreement approved by a judge, the prosecutor said the rifle will be turned over to the kenosha police department and destroyed, along with the rifle's magazine and scope some time in april rittenhouse will also get to keep a portion of the nearly $1 million of the $2 million raised for his bail the judge ordered the money be split between the law firm that represented him and a foundation that solicited donations for his defense and actor ricky schroeder, who helped bail him out. covid-19 cases have surpassed 4 million since the beginning of the pandemic. meanwhile, two long island nurses have been arrested for forging fake covid vaccine cards and entering fwheem the state's dat database julie debuono and her employee melissa raro each been charged with one count of forgery in second degree.

dibi $900,000 in cash was found during a search of her home and they found a ledger documenting more than 1.5 million in profits from the scam. her husband who is a nypd officer is also being investigated for his possible involvement. tragedy in manhunt this week former miss usa cheslie kryst has died after falling from a high-rise building she was only 30 years old. new york police say it was an apparent suicide kryst won the title in 2019. she was also a licensed attorney who worked pro bono to reduce sentences for low level drug offenders. more recently she worked for the entertainment show extra if you or someone near to you is struggling with suicidal thoughts, we urge you to contact the national suicide prevention lif lifeline

authorities in florida say they arrested and charged 70 people in a drug swing operation called swipe left for meth over a six-month period undercover detectives created profiles on grindr, scruff and taney. 259 felony and 72 charges. the super bowl is set after a conference sunday for the ages . >> they're down and one. stanford, end zone, got it touchdown, rams. >> the rams erased a ten-point deficit and took the leat jimmys picked 20-17 and will become the second team to play a super bowl in their home stadium. matthew stafford's super bowl appearance was a long time coming

>> i feel blessed to be able to play in this league for as long as i have. but i sure am happy for this opportunity for not only myself, but really so many guys in that locker room that deserve this too. >> the defending afc champion chiefs had an 18-point lead in the first half be, the upstart bengals had tied the game up by the start of the fourth quarter. heading into overtime, the chiefs had the ball first. only for patrick mahomes the throw a costly interception on the third play of ot back came the bengals. the opportunity to end the game. >> 31 yards, mcpherson, and cincinnati is heading to the super bowl >> and the bengals take it, 27-24, preventing the chiefs from going to a third straight super bowl and bengals fans partied like it's 1989. the team looks to bring the lombardi trophy to cincinnati for the first time ever in their first super bowl appearance in

33 years it will be a showdown in sofi stadium for super bowl lvi matthew stafford of the rams battle joe borough of the bengals right here on nbc. all right. let's get a check of your monday weather after a wild weekend blizzard hit millions in the northeast. nbc meteorologist janessa webb joining us now this morning. i'm sure a busy morning for you, janessa. >> yeah, thankfully, things are really quieting down that storm system has exited the east coast but now we're watching the potential going into this midweek. another big-time storm that's going to develop across the central plains right now it's just out of the west coast, impacting the cascades, into the rockies talk about at least 15 inches for the higher elevations before this storm system continues to track south and east so right now we do have winter weather advisories across the

h this afternoon cloudy skies for the upper midwest. minneapolis 32 we'll take a look at your week ahead coming up, ladies? >> we'll check in you in a bit thank you. music icon cher is paying tribute to the late actress and comedian betty white ♪ thank you for being a friend, travel down the road back again ♪ >> she performed that new version of "thank you for being a friend." tonight's special celebrating betty white, america's golden girl airs at 10:00 p.m. eastern only on nbc. there are so many must-watch items coming up on nbc this month. >> with betty white and cher, that's the number one. straight ahead, we'll remember a fan favorite from the

hit show wkrp in cincinnati. and lateas lt night, podcast king joe rogan responded to the backlash and controversy that's next. and removes up to 99% of tough grease and food residue faster. so you can scrub less. dawn platinum is also a go-to grease cleaner for your sink, your kitchen and to pre-treat grease on laundry. dawn's even gentle enough to clean wildlife. tackle grease wherever it shows up. dawn platinum. scrub less. save more. with dawn. i'm 53, but in my mind i'm still 35. that's why i take osteo bi-flex to keep my moving the way i was made to. it nourishes and strengthens my joints for the long term. osteo bi-flex. find our coupon in sunday's paper. truth is... i've never really known how to care for my hardwood floors. osteo bi-flex. then i found swiffer wetjet wood. these soft microfiber-like pads absorb dirt and grime deep inside. and it prevents streaks and haze better than my old mop.

wetjet wood. also try sweeper wood cloths. leading the news, beloved comedian howard hesseman has died he was best known for his rock dj dr. johnny fever in the sitcom "wkrp in cincinnati." he passed away following surgery saturday afternoon his manager said the actor will be sorely missed and always treasured. howard hesseman was 81 joe rogan is speaking out after being accused of spreading covid misinformation on his popular podcast on spotify controversial statements have led artists such as neil young and joanie mitchell to remove their music from the streaming service in protest in an gramm video, rogan floated the idea of balancing out his content in the future. >> i think if there is anything that i've done that i could do better is have more experts with

differing machines right after have i the controversial ones. i would most certainly be open to doing that. >> rogan went on to endorse spotify's decision to add a content advisory to his podcast that discusses covid also he lamented neil young's decision to pull his catalog from spotify saying he is a fan. kyle hitchin won a seat on a spacex launch in a raffle, but gisted the ticket to his college roommate after learning he exceeded the weight limit. he wanted to make sure the out of the world trip went to another space lover. >> can't do it >> here is the ultimate gift mother nature tried to rain on one couple's parade this weekend's winter storm became the ultimate wedding crasher, next. and people love it. of course, they love the savings

they're gonna get with geico, but... it goes beyond that. you. deserve. to save. ha — heard that before. you. deserve. to save. i know. i need you to hear me. you deserve to save. i deserve to save! i mean he has a way of making you feel...seen. bundle car and motorcycle insurance and save at geico.com. sweet pillows of softness! this is soft! bundle car and motorcycle insurance and save holy charmin! excuse me! roll it back everybody! charmin ultra soft is so cushiony soft, you'll want more! but it's so absorbent, you can use less. enjoy the go with charmin. psoriatic arthritis, made my joints stiff,... ...swollen, painful. emerge tremfyant®. tremfya® is approved to help reduce joint symptoms in adults with active psoriatic arthritis. some patients even felt less fatigued. serious allergic reactions may occur.on and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms

or if you had a vaccine or plan to. emerge tremfyant® with tremfya®... ask you doctor about tremfya® today. for your most brilliant smile, crest has you covered. [girls laugh] -nice smile, brad. -nice! thanks? crest 3d white. 100% stain removal. crest. the #1 toothpaste brand in america. cranky-pated: a bad mood related to a sluggish gut. miralax is different. it works naturally with the water in your body to unblock your gut. free your gut, and your mood will follow. got lingering odors? grab febreze small spaces. press firmly to activate... and small spaces continuously eliminates and prevents odors... ...to freshen up any small room... ...for up to 45 days. febreze. ♪la la la♪

a comeback for the ages down under. rafael nadal was on the brink of defeat, but outlasted daniil medvedev in five sets to win the australian open. his 21st grand slam title, a men's record a couple in rhode island didn't let this weekend's snow blizzard stop them from saying i do instead, they weathered the storm and with driving snow all around them, they kept their date to be married reporter taylor rocca from our affiliate wjar has the story >> i now pronounce you husband and wife. >> reporter: january 29th. it's a day that's been circled on the calendar for over a year for adam and sally >> we've been planning it for 14 months we have a few cutting boards with this date on it, a marriage license with it on it. >> reporter: when news of a

potentially historic blizzard hitting the northeast put their special date in jeopardy, the couple said snow problem >> we thought it was going to be really hard, and then it all came together. like the providence public library worked with us so well all our vendors somehow were available the next day, and i think it was just meant to be. >> reporter: surrounded by frozen friends and family -- >> i now present to you mr. and mrs. arujo >> we're so psyched. it feels amazing to have all these people we love around us here to share this day with us and celebrate and have a snowball fight hopefully once i get some gloves on these fingers. >> and our thanks to taylor rocca for that report. will we see any relief from thisinwehe wter atr? janessa looks ahead at the week next why kia is recalling nearly half a million cars. i'm living .

(vo) imbruvica is a prescription medicine for adults with cll or chronic lymphocytic leukemia. imbruvica is not chemotherapy- it's the #1 prescribed oral therapy for cll, proven to help people live longer. imbruvica can cause serious side effects, which may lead to death. bleeding problems are common and may increase with blood thinners. serious infections with symptoms like fevers, chills, weakness or confusion and severe decrease in blood counts can happen. heart rhythm problems and heart failure may occur especially in people with increased risk of heart disease, infection, or past heart rhythm problems. new or worsening high blood pressure, new cancers, and tumor lysis that can result in kidney failure, irregular heartbeat, and seizure can occur. diarrhea commonly occurs. drink plenty of fluids. tell your doctor if you experience signs of bleeding, infection, heart problems, persistent diarrhea or any other side effects. (man 2 vo) i am living longer with imbruvica. (vo) ask your doctor if it's right for you. learn how we could help you save on imbruvica. itchy? (vo) ask your doctor if it's right for you. scratchy? family not getting clean?

get charmin ultra strong. it just cleans better, so your family can use less. hello clean bottom! enjoy the go with charmin. where does your almondmilk come from? almond breeze starts here with our almond trees in our blue diamond orchard in california. my parents' job is to look after them. and it's my job to test the product. the best almonds make the best almondmilk. blue diamond almond breeze. ♪ ♪ just two pills for all day pain relief. aleve it, and see what's possible. and also try alevex topical pain relief. does your plug-in fade too fast? try febreze fade defy plug. it has built-in technology to digitally control how much scent is released to smell first day fresh for 50 days. la la la la la. want more from your vitamin brand? get more with nature's bounty. from the first-ever

triple action sleep supplement... ...to the only 24-hour vitamin c... ...to heart-healthy support every day. get more with nature's bounty. yo you ready? dude i'm in class. you got nothin'! ohhh! ♪♪ ♪♪ feeling sluggish or weighed down? it could be a sign that your digestive system isn't working at it's best taking metamucil everyday can help. metamucil psyllium fiber, gels to trap and remove the waste that weighs you down. it also helps lower cholesterol and slows sugar absorption to promote healthy blood sugar levels. so you can feel lighter and more energetic metamucil. support your daily digestive health. and try metamucil fiber thins. a great tasting and easy way to start your day.

one prilosec otc in the morning blocks heartburn all day and all night. prilosec otc prevents excess acid production that can cause heartburn. so don't fight heartburn, block it with prilosec otc. from the very first touch, pampers, the #1 pediatrician recommended brand, helps keep baby's skin drier and healthier. so every touch will protect like the first. pampers are you one of the millions of americans who experience occasional bloating, gas, or abdominal discomfort? taking align can help. align contains a quality probiotic to naturally help soothe digestive upsets 24/7. try align, the pros in digestive health. what makes febreze air effects different? while cheaper aerosols rely on artificial propellants... febreze uses a 100% natural propellant. check it out! pressure created by what's in your air makes the bottle spray. which means freshness everyone will love.

febreze. a consumer alert to warn you about. kia is recalling more than 410,000 of its vehicles to fix a problem that can stop the air bags from inflating in a crash the company says it has 13 customer complaints and 947 warranty claims. the recall affects several models, including the 2017 kia forte coupe, the 2017 through 2018 kia forte and the kia sedona, kia soul and ev. notification letters are going to be sent out in late march owners can khakiia's customer service or go to a local dealer

for inspection the countdown is on for the winter olympics. with just four days to go, american athletes have already started arriving in beijing. nbc's janis mackey frayer takes us inside the olympic bubble. >> reporter: team usa touching down in beijing to this, biohazard suits, testing, and tight restrictions into what officials call a closed loop >> everything is harder, but the system is very, very robust. the system is very effective. >> reporter: for thousands of athletes and officials, china's zero covid policy means being confined >> this is where we'll be staying. >> reporter: curler chris plies offering a glimpse of what it's like >> got a nice little view out the window. >> reporter: a surreal world of daily health checks, barricaded hotels, and venues accessible only to people inside the bubble here on the outside, this is what most people will see of the olympics, the fences, the gates,

the barriers of the closed loop that will prevent any crossover. at some points, the two sides separated by about 20 feet what do you do with nbc? >> audio >> reporter: beyond the bubble, beijing is in full emergency mode with neighborhoods locked down, travel bans, and even restrictions on buying cough medicine for china's leaders, the olympics were supposed to showcase success in managing the virus. now covid cases are on the rise inside the closed loop too, where testing positive means isolation or hospitalization >> can't afford to get we haven't got replacements. >> reporter: athletes for the most part seem to be taking it in stride. >> not only do we not have cardboard beds here, i'm in zero g mode now it's phenomenal. . >> i'm so excited to finally be here. >> reporter: preparing for a winter olympics like no other.

janis mackey frayer, nbc news, beijing. >> and hundreds of pirates innovated tampa, florida over the weekend beginning the annual gasparilla pirate festival inspired by jose gaspar, who suppedly terrorized the guoslf

under pressure, donald got there, in the air, intercepted by the rams. and they may ride to the super bowl on that >> the underdogs come out on top for super bowl lvi the roller coaster conference championships that set the stage for a rams and bengals showdown. a winter whiteout. millions across the northeast are digging out from a deadly blizzard that also left thousands in the dark. new hope that omicron nay be out of steam covid cases plummeting across th