new signs this morning on what could be happening in ukraine as tensions at the united nations boil over and signs of russia's next move may be on the horizon. a key meeting is planned for today that gives us a clue as to who the front-runner might be in the supreme court nomination incredible scenes of mud slides from heavy rains in ecuador. mullple deaths reported as shocking images show the power of these land slides it's a whole new experience for joe rogan as the covid controversy escalates the

guidelines and stock price and are you hooked on wordle hundreds of thousands are and now "the new york times" capitalizes on it. "early today" starts right now good morning i'm philip mena >> welcome to february i'm frances rivera president biden's search for a supreme court nominee kicks into high gear today. he's set to meet with vice president harris and leaders of the judiciary committee at the white house this afternoon to consult with them about replacing justice breyer nbc's brie jackson in d.c. with the latest good morning we'll know who he picks in just weeks. >> reporter: good morning, frances. that's right president biden says he'll announce his pick at the end of this month he does plan to nomthat the first black female to the supreme court. there are 13 potential candidates under consideration, more than the three judges who got the initial attention. according to the white house mr. biden is seeking advice about the vacancy from senate

judiciary chairman dick durbin and ranking member chuck grassly at today's meeting he worked extensively with both lawmakers during his time up the senate the meeting comes on the heels with top leaders about the process. >> i am confident that the president will select an outstanding individual to s breyer's seat, and we intend to move quickly on our constitutional duty to act on his nominee when announced >> the american people handed president biden a dead even senate, 50-50. i suggest that president biden bury this in mind as he considers whom to nominate to our highest court. >> reporter: while democrats hold only a slim majority in the senate chairman durbin says he's spoken to several republican senators open to the idea of considering a biden nominee for the court. so frances, there's a chance we could see some bipartisanship in

this critical decision >> imagine that in this day and age. all right, brie, thank you an urgent effort continues to keep tensions from boiling over at russia's border with ukraine. this morning secretary of state antony blinken will have a call with his counterpart in russia they're expected to discuss recent proposals to try and de-escalate the military build up there nbc's chatman bell joining us now from london. good morning both the u.s. and u.k. seem to be upping the pressure on russia >> good morning, philip. yeah, british prime minister boris johnson traveling to kyiv today to meet with president zelensky in a show of support to ukraine. he was supposed to speak topute on the phone yesterday that delayed due to political woes talk of travel bans and asset freezes against russian elites close to putin if russia invades ukraine. meanwhile it's russia accusing the u.s. of stoking hysteria at

a security council meeting at the u.n. yesterday take a listen. >> the discussions about a threat of water is provocative in and of itself you are almost calling for this. you want -- >> its actions on the border of ukraine are not responsible. the threats of aggression on the border of ukraine, yes, on its border is provocative. >> reporter: now, there are signs of invasion on both sides of the border. volunteers in ukraine receiving training in combat while a senior u.s. defense official says russia has been transporting blood supplies to troops at the border, signs they are preparing themselves for possible casualties as hopes for a diplomatic solution still on the horizon. philip and frances >> all right we hope for a peaceful resolution as well chapman, thank you breaking this morning at least 11 people were killed and

32 others injured after a major flooding caused a landslide in ecuador. the country's national emergency management service says 200 people have been affected and nine are missing the area seeing its highest level of rainfall recorded since 2003 that's according to a press release from the metropolitan district of conskinto. joe rogan is facing the music this morning he finally addressed the growing protests against spotify, the streaming service that hosts his podcast. the joe rogan experience has been accused of spreading covid misinformation our jake ward breaks down the fallout. >> reporter: spotify announcing it will now add a content advisory to all podcasts discussing the coronavirus coming in themiddle of mountin criticism of the streaming giant provided a platform for misinformation many recognizable names like icon jodi mitchell and bruce

springstein's guitarists pulled their music for spotify. either keep his music or joe rogan's podcast. that podcast which has a massive following has long sparked controversy for spreading misinformation and following his episode interviewing dr. robert malone, a virologist who has faced criticism for spreading misinformation around the covid vaccine, hundreds of doctors and researchers in the medical community called for spotify to implement a policy around its content. >> for people to be going on a podcast of that size, vaccine skeptics, giving airtime to people saying the vaccines are dangerous when in reality they are saving lives in a pandemic is problematic >> reporter: rogan also posted a video defending himself but vowing to make changes >> i think if there's anything that i've done that i could do better is have more experts with differing opinions right after i have the controversial ones. i would most certainly be open

to doing that. >> reporter: and while spotify is expected to rollout this new content advisory guideline in the coming days how advertisers respond could be a game changer. >> there's no question it could have a significant impact on the bottom line. until the smoke clears spotify has just posted their new platform rules which a good first step for them. but if i'm a brand or advertiser the question i'm asking is what does this mean other than a list of rules i want to be sure if i'm putting hundreds of thousands or tens of thousands or even more dollars in media behind advertising on this podcast that joe rogan or anyone who is a voice on spotify will be taken to task for pushing misinformation otherwise i could be seen as supporting it. >> our thanks to jake ward for that report. the party-gate scandal growing bigger for boris johnson. in the u.k. there are growing calls for the british prime

minister to resign our report at the parties held at 10 downing street during covid restrictions called it a serious failure to uphold the standards expected of government johnson apologized and refuses to quit. a georgia federal judge has rejected a plea deal for two of the three men convicted of killing ahmaud arbery. greg and travis mcmichael have already been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. the plea deal reached prosecutors would not have reduced those sentences but would have averted a new federal hate crimes trial and allowed some father and son pair to serve some sentence in federal instead of state prison. cleanup is under way after a bridge collapsed in a ruswreen injuring ten people. a port authority bus was left dangling with a human chain was

formed to rescue passengers ins the vehicle. the bus has since been lifted from the wreckage with a crane although some areas remain closed while the area near the incident is cleared. all right, let's get a check of your weather on this first day of february with nbc meteorologist janessa webb good morning, janessa. >> hi, good morning. we do have another winter storm we are watching and we do have these advisories and winter storm watches. they're now starting to expand across south texas so this stretches all the way into sections of the northeast and continue to make its way across that section of the country as we go into your thursday and friday. today and tomorrow really focusing on the central u.s. it starts off as rain early this morning from oklahoma city to chicago. it's on the light side, but then things really start to blow up with this storm system you'll see snow, rain and ice accumulation that will be significant for dallas to the

cincinnati area. we'll watch this strong cold front make its way across the northeast thursday and friday. but look at some ice totals. we're talking about a half ae t ohio valley to sections of the northeast. snow totals, how much will we see? we'll take a look at that forecast coming up >> still counting. all right, thank you, janessa. today marks the lunar new year and we've officially entered the year of the tiger. despite covid restrictions celebrations are carrying on in china. olympic athletes from all over the world are getting to experience the spring festival in beijing this is a major holiday for many asian countries and the celebrations continue for up to 15 days. just ahead the fur is no

longer flying at fashion giant dolce and gubona plus a teenager rejecteds a $5 million offer from elon musk. details next and improve symptoms at 16 weeks. serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections 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. and tonight's winning numbers are 18, 18 55, 39, 71, and 43 we won! yes! noooo... noooo... noooo... quick, the quicker picker upper! bounty picks up messes quicker and each sheet is 2x more absorbent, so you can use less.

i'll hold onto that. bounty, the quicker picker upper. in honor of black history month one town in north carolina is hosting free family movie nights every friday the wilmington parks and recreation department will show a different film at the mlk center coming up this friday black panther and also in the line-up radio, and ruby bridges. is fur falling out of fashion? dolce & gabbana and the latest high end name to ditch animal pelts. the company announced its discontinuing the use of fur in products this year after pressure from animal rights activists. instead d & g will pivot to eco fur, anmal-free alturn i will say for a lot of fashion a while back a lot of companies

did make material you really can't tell the difference. >> i have to say faux all the time so now we're seeing more of these bigger labels come out with that. all right, tesla's spacex ceo elon musk might have his match in a college freshman. 19-year-old max sweeney said he rejected a $5 billion offer to remove a twitter account he created to track musk's jet asking instead for $50,000 or an internship the tech giant counter negotiated by how much, yearo. just blocking him on twitter musk has not responded to request for a comment and the teen continues to run the account along with others. big congratulations this morning for a superstar and fashion mogul rianna and rapper asap rocky expecting their first

baby together. they're both 33 years old and have largely kept their relationship private until now worker shortages are increasing food prices has dominos pizza thinking outside the box. the popular pizza chain is offering to pay customers to pick up their own pizzas dominos says it will offer customers a $3 credit if they choose online order carry out over delivery. the credit is redeemable for another online carry out order placed the following week. the promotion is running through now may 22nd looking to put the sweet vas day you can skip the box of chocolates and head over to krispe creme they want you to help sprinkle a little love this year. they've got four new heart shaped doughnuts and here's the icing on the cake. they come in the limited edition box here complete with valentine's cards. a quick break and will the market bounce back from its worst month since march 2020

>> five tts, sleerix guesses and seven figures, who paid big bucks to acquire the hit game wordle including nasal congestion, so you can breathe better. claritin-d. breathe better. can you save water running a less-than-full dishwasher? you bet! we do it every night, like clockwork. cascade platinum in a certified dishwasher uses less than 4 gallons of water per cycle, while a running sink uses that every 2 minutes. so do it with cascade. 'cause even small loads save water. ready to shine from the inside out? try nature's bounty hair, skin and nails gummies. the number one brand to support beautiful hair, glowing skin, and healthy nails. try jelly bean vitamins with two times the biotin. sweet pillows of softness! this is soft! try jelly bean vitamins 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. lisa here, has had many jobs. and all that experience has led her to a job that feels like home. with home instead, you too can become a caregiver to older adults. apply today. lactaid is 100% real milk, just without the lactose. so you can enjoy it even if you're sensitive to dairy. so anyone who says lactaid isn't real milk is also saying mabel here isn't a real cow. and she really hates that. from the very first touch. pampers, the #1 pediatrician recommended brand. mabel here isn't a real cow. helps keep baby's skin drier and healthier. so every touch will protect like the first. pampers kim is now demonstrating her congestion. save it slimeball. i've upgraded to mucinex. we still have 12 hours to australia. mucinex lasts 12 hours, so i'm good. now move! kim, no! mucinex lasts 3x longer for 12 hours.

we're following some major court cases. a judge has ruled after gubing gooding, jr. will stand trial after allegedly groebing three women. gooding has charges a lawyer for bill cosby has asked the supreme court not to revive his criminal sex assault case the actor was freed in june when an appeals court overturned his conviction he served three years in prison. the sex crime inquiry into former new york governor andrew cuomo has been dropped the district attorney conclude there was inefficient evidence he consistently denied having touched anyone inappropriately you may have seen it all over social media by now the hit word game wordle has a new owner

but first wall street is coming off its worst streak since march 2020 steve, good morning. >> yeah, we'll come to wordle in a few moments time which is something i have to admit i do do these markets were extraordinary in january as well the s&p down 5.3%. it could have been a lot worse as far as this month is concerned and happy february everybody as well, we're starting pretty flat according to the futures looking at the dow and s&p futures they're trading on the flat line as we speak. we've got loads of big names reporting meta an thursday and the nonfarm payload report at the tail end of the week we've got a blockbuster week for earnings and corporate as well the producers and i were asking do you wordle, and apparently it's a verb now as well. i do and i've already done the word of the day. so i won't tell any of the viewers what it is exactly

the fact of matter is "the new york times" decided this is a thing for the future as well they bought it for an undisclosed price but they have said in the low seven figures as well it did have a few hundred thousand followers now millions of us are doing wordle i'm not going to tell you what today's word is yet. >> i've wasted two guesses i've got a few left for the day. i play as well, too. it's an addictive game >> i got it in three >> steve, thank you. firefighters save a puppy having a rough day that's next. >>anre> d membering our golden girl america pays tribute to the legend herself, betty white. align contains a quality probiotic to naturally help soothe digestive upsets 24/7. try align, the pros in digestive health. and join the align healthy gut team up and learn what millions of align users already know. how great a healthy gut can feel. sign up at alignprobiotics.com

also try align dualbiotics gummies to help support digestive health. 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. 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. for your most brilliant smile, crest has you covered. osteo bi-flex. [girls laugh] -nice smile, brad. -nice! thanks? crest 3d white. 100% stain removal. crest. the #1 toothpaste brand in america. one role of a lifetime...one sore throat. but she had enough. she took new mucinex instasoothe sore throat lozenges.

show your sore throat who's boss. new mucinex instasoothe. works in seconds, lasts for hours. 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. allergies with nasal congestion overwhelming you? breathe more freely with powerful claritin-d. get fast relief of your worst allergy symptoms including nasal congestion, so you can breathe better. claritin-d. breathe better. 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. dry eye symptoms driving you crazy? inflammation might be to blame. time for ache and burn! over the counter eye drops typically work by lubricating your eyes and may provide temporary relief.

those'll probably pass by me! xiidra works differently, targeting inflammation that can cause dry eye disease. xiidra? no! it can provide lasting relief. xiidra is the only fda-approved non-steroid eye drop specifically for the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. one drop in each eye, twice a day. don't use if you're allergic to xiidra. common side effects, include eye irritation, discomfort or blurred vision when applied to the eye, and unusual taste sensation. don't touch container tip to your eye or any surface. after using xiidra, wait fifteen minutes before reinserting contacts. talk to an eye doctor about xiidra. i prefer you didn't. xiidra. not today, dry eye. ♪ we don't talk about bruno, no

no ♪ a magical leap to the top of the billboard hot 100 for "we don't talk about bruno." the chart topper from disney's encanto became the second spot from a disney animated film to claim the spot the first since 1993 a colorado puppy is saved after a dicy situation they came to the rescue after watching that golden retriever fell through an icy pod. the owner took off running over the ice to chase after geese although a little chilly he seemed to be in good spirits when reunited tail wagging with his family hello again, janessa >> yeah, exactly right ice is going to be a huge issue stretching down to sections of the deep south all the way into the areas of the northeast rain on top of that. we're talking about 3 to 4 inches across nashville into the memphis area guys an

next the goat breaks his silence. is he going to retire? we'll be right back. 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. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections 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. does scrubbing grease and food feel like a workout? scrub less with dawn platinum. its superior formula breaks down feel like a workout? 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.

in today's quick hits the glove that antonio brown threw into the stands during his met life stadium melt down has hit the auction block. bidding is under way for the receiver's glove through february 12th. tom brady addressed retirement rumors on monday saying he hasn't made his mind up yet on walking away from football he said when the time is right they'll decide one way or the other. >> it'll be cool if he came back fresh off punching his ticket to the super bowl the bengals head

coach zack taylor hand out game balls to fans at bars around cincinnati taylor has been delivering these football to bars during the team's post-season run celebrations continue for a life very well-lived betty white made us all laugh but she was also an inspiring trailblazer. >> reporter: ask those who knew her best they'll tell you the betty white we saw on camera was just like the one off. >> there's no way i can say thank you enough, guys >> reporter: like in this behind the scenes moment from "hot in cleveland. >> we love you >> reporter: or this blooper >> once you go blackberry -- >> reporter: and no one could keep a straight face such treasures are sprinkled throughout the nbc special celebrating betty white's american gold girl it features untold stories from

her co-stars in cher. white is also remembered as a tv pioneer. >> she was producing her own talk show in the '50s. i mean that was just unheard of. >> reporter: wheshs asked to take arthur duncan, a black tap dancer off her variety show in 1954 white said no. >> and for her to do that in 1954 on a variety show paved the way for so many people after him. >> arthur, that was just tremendous >> reporter: a golden girl who blazed a brilliant trail joe friar, nbc news. the celebrating betty white special is available to stream on peacock today i love all the things we're learning about her extraordinary life she's a golden girl, funny, the sweetest, but all the back stories is just amazing. >> every generation loves her. my grandmother loved her i remember as a kid watching

golden girls, my mom and i've rewatched it and so funny. all the way to the 7-year-old we've got at home quoting away and enjoying all those betty white. >> long after she's gone we will be thanks for watching "early today. coming up on

at the data and make the most prudent decision. >> right now at 4:30, a covid vaccine for babies. pfizer is ready to offer the shot to children as young as 6 months old. the approval is still sign your kids up. >> plus, requiring proof. east bay city now asking all customers to show vaccine cards when entering restaurants and businesses starting today. this is "today in the bay." a very good tuesday morning to you, and thanks so much for starting your day with us. i'm laura garcia. >> and i'm marcus washington. we're broadcasting on