>> don't forget to join us for our midday newscast coming up at 11:00 today. hey, it's going to get better and it's friday. we'll see you back here on monday. >> have a great weekend. good morning. breaking news. president biden heading to poland this morning for a first-hand look at the growing refugee crisis along the ukraine border. after emergency meetings with world leaders and a warning to vladimir putin. >> nato has never, never been more united than it is today. putin is getting exactly the opposite of what he intended. >> but the russian leader presses on. troops now targeting civilians and supplies, and the worries chemical or biological weapons could be next. we're live with complete coverage.

>> tale of the texts. a stunning revelation from the nation's capital. the wife of supreme court justice clarence thomas reportedly urged the white house to overturn the 2020 election. telling then trump chief of staff mark meadows in a series of text messages to keep fighting the results. the questions, the fallout, and its potential impact on the a teenager slips from a popular ride in orlando, falling to his death overnight. just ahead, how it could have happened, and the very latest on the search for answers. taking a bite. record inflation now taking aim at your lunch just as millions of workers return to offices from coast to coast. this morning, the latest layer of pain for your wallets and what you can do to save. those stories, plus red carpet ready. the countdown is on to sunday's oscars, returning in full after last year's pared down celebration. we'll take you inside the final

preps for hollywood's big night. and upset specials. >> williams. >> huge shot that is. >> number one seeds fall. arkansas stunning gonzaga. houston taking down arizona. >> the houston cougars are moving on to the elite eight. >> and duke extends coach k.'s farewell tour with a historic win. and it's cinderella's moment now. the small but mighty st. peter's peacocks set to take the court, today, march 25th, 2022. >> announcer: from nbc news, guthrie and hoda kotb. rockefeller plaza. welcome to "today," it's 7:00 a.m. on the west coast. we're glad to have you with us on a friday morning. and march madness is alive and well. >> some people are happy this morning. some people not.

it was a thrilling night of nail biters. >> sorry about your wild cats. >> highlights are coming up. we will set the sweet for tonight's sweet 16 and that includes everyone's favorite the saint peter's peacocks tonight. >> let's get to the news overseas. the president has travelled to poland this morning after wrapping up emergency talks in brussels to address russia's invasion of ukraine. >> the first stop, a city 50 miles from ukraine on a briefing on the humanitarian service in the war. >> and the president's trip is unfolding amid the ongoing chaos inside ukraine. new russian air strikes overnight. we've got it all covered. we'll start with kristen welker in warsaw where the president will be later today. kristen, good morning. a lot on the president's plate this morning. >> savannah and hoda, good morning to both of you. president biden is heading here to poland this morning, where he's expected to put a focus on

the growing refugee crisis. before he left brussels, he announced the u.s. will provide europe with more natural help decrease its dependency on russia. high-stakes summit all aimed at getting vladimir putin to back down. this morning, president biden arriving in poland aiming to deliver a critical show of support to key nato allies. as russia's war in ukraine rages on. poland is now the epicenter of the humanitarian crisis sparked by russia's invasion, taking in more than 2 million refugees from ukraine in the last month. concluding a day of emergency meetings with nato and other allies. the president announced the u.s. will commit more than a billion dollars in humanitarian aid and take in ukrainian refugees. >> we'll welcome 100,000 ukrainians to the united states with a focus on reuniting families. >> after warning vladimir putin may use chemical and biological

weapons in ukraine, the president vowed the u.s. will take action if putin launches a chemical attack. >> the nature of the response would depend on the nature -- >> the president did not say whether that would trigger a military response from nato. >> it would trigger a response in kind, whether or not you're asking whether nato would cross, we would make that decision at the time. >> mr. biden and nato also unveiled new sanctions on russian lawmakers. as the president said, he'll push for russia to be kicked out of the g20. representing the world's largest economies. >> my answer is yes, that depends on the g20. >> still, the president pushed back when asked about u.s. sanctions against russia and whether they failed to deter putin from going to war, something the biden administration initially said was the goal. the president's message now -- >> sanctions never deter. you keep talking about that. the maintenance of sanctions,

the increasing the pain, that's what will stop him. >> and when asked if he was too quick to take military action off the table, and whether that emboldened putin -- >> no and no. >> we talked about the president going to poland today. obviously, this is where he will see that refugee crisis first-hand. >> that's absolutely right, savannah. the stakes could not be higher. the president's agenda will center on the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding here in poland that we have all been witnessing. he's going to kick that off by attending an event providing support for the increasing number of refugees here. he's also expected to meet with american troops sent here to bolster troops along the border and on his final day, he will hold critical talks with poland's president, capping off an important trip the president hopes will force putin to take pause and scale back his aggressions.

>> let's get to the situation inside war-torn ukraine where russia is stepping up attacks on even more civilian targets. richard engel is in kyiv for us once again. hi, richard. good morning. >> good morning, hoda. many developments overnight. let's start with the city of mariupol. the southern city is surrounded by russian forces. it has been bombed relentlessly. nearly two weeks ago, russia bombed a theater in mariupol that was sheltering hundreds of civilians. this morning, local ukrainian officials claimed that that strike killed several hundred ukrainians in the theater, around 300. we can't confirm that figure, but it would be the single worst atrocity since this war began, as russia is continuing its bombing campaign nationwide. overnight, russia continued its bombing campaign, striking a fuel depot outside kyiv. trying to cut supplies to the capital.

and topple the government with a long war of attrition. in kharkiv to the east, russia bombed more apartment buildings. in the city, relatives held a funeral for boris, a 96-year-old ukrainian jew. he survived nazi concentration camps only to be killed by a russian bomb that hit his home. his son said his memory would not be forgotten, even though many of the family's papers and photographs were destroyed. across kharkiv, the war is starting to drag on. many have been living down in the subway stations for a month now. but it's russia's justification for the war that bothers natalia. she says she has friends in russia who believe the russian propaganda, that russia is fighting to topple ukraine's supposedly fascist and neo-nazi government. i have been sheltering with my child in the metro for month, and they do not believe me. they say it's your fault, you're to blame, you, you, you, she says.

in nonstop reports, russian state tv describe russian troops as liberators in ukraine, insisting they never target civilians. these are the first images from inside the theater in mariupol russia attacked nine days ago where hundreds of ukrainian civilians were sheltering. covered in dust, they seemed dazed. many are women, children, and the elderly. a narrator on the video says the missile hit the center of the theater and people are evacuating the site. mariupol's city officials citing witnesses claimed 300 people were killed in the attack. nbc news cannot verify that claim. the theater is in the center of mariupol. and it had been clearly marked with signs in russia saying "children" to indicate children were inside. russia denied it carried out the attack. ukraine is holding back the russian assault for now. but it faces an army eight times its size. president zelenskyy called on european leaders to stand with

ukraine and on people around the world to take to the streets in solidarity with his nation. here in kyiv this morning, the air raid sirens have been going off once again, as russia's intensifying its attacks on this city's northern suburbs. >> richard engle for us in kyiv, thank you. >> we turn now to a dramatic development coming out of the january 6th investigation. reported text messages involving the wife of supreme court justice clarence thomas, a conservative activist, urging the white house after the 2020 election to fight to overturn the results. nbc's garrett haake is on capitol hill with more on this good morning >> good morning. these text messages are amon thousands handed over by meadows to the january 6th committee late last year, according to a person familiar with the matter. and according to "the washington post," they show the wife of a sitting supreme court justice leaning on the then president's

top aide to do everything he could to help overturn the election results in text messages obtained by the january 6th committee and reviewed by "the washington post," ginni thomas, the wife of supreme court justice clarence thomas repeatedly urges then trump chief of staff mark meadows to keep fighting the results of the 2020 election in one text, one week after election day, she reportedly writes, quote, help this great president stand firm, mark the great majority know that they are attempting the greatest heist of our history in other texts, she pushes debunked conspiracy theories about the election in one, referencing a nonexistent, quote, sting operation in 12 battleground states involving watermarked ballots. during that period, a theory about watermarked ballots also circulated among the fringe group qanon. during the two months covered by the text messages, mr. trump engaged in multiple legal challenges to the election results and frequently threatened to take them all the way to the nation's top court.

>> we want the law to be used in a proper manner so we'll be going to the u.s. supreme court. >> none of the text messages mentions the court or clarence thomas directly, the post reports. but critics argue the texts present a troubling conflict of interest for justice thomas who was the lone dissent in an 8-1 january supreme court ruling forcing mr. trump to turn over documents to the january 6th committee. >> should clarence thomas recuse him something from anything having to do with the 2020 election now >> absolutely. it's clear that his wife was involved in efforts to try to overturn the election. there's a good possibility that he and his wife spoke about those efforts. >> in an interview with the washington free beacon earlier this month, ginni thomas she and her husband stay in separate lanes, adding, quote, clarence doesn't discuss his work with me and i don't involve him in my work she acknowledged in the same interview she attended trump's january 6th rally but said she left before he spoke

she also denied a report she was involved in planning the rally that ended with the violent attack on the nation's capitol >> you mentioned calls for justice thomas to recuse himself from any cases that have to do with this that come before the supreme court. what do the high court's rules actually say about a circumstance like this one >> supreme court justices are supposed to recuse themselves in cases of conflict of interest, but it's essentially the honor system there's no one to enforce those rules. justice thomas has recused himself in some cases before, but never in anything involving his wife's interests savannah, all of this comes as justice thomas has been recovering from an infection that sent him to the hospital last friday. >> thank you very much. it is 7:13 craig joins the table with a big story we're covering >> good morning to you we've got some sad news out of orlando, florida, overnight, a fatal accident on a popular ride in a theme park. nbc's ann thompson is following

this this is a parent's worst nightmare. >> it's absolutely tragic. the orlando freefall at icon park opened in december 2021, and it takes up to 30 guests high into the air before plummeting 400 feet towards the ground that ride thursday night ending tragically for one teenager. and a warning this morning, these images we're about to show you are disturbing >> 430 feet. coming down 75 miles per hour. >> a thrill seeking ride at a florida amusement park ending in tragedy after a 14-year-old boy suffered a deadly fall thursday at icon park in orlando. a video appears to show the ride with passengers discussing seat belts with the crew. >> the little seat belt. >> the seat belt >> and again, after the ride begins >> check your seat belt.

seat belt. >> as the ride plummets toward the ground, the teenager can be seen falling the orange county sheriff's department later confirming that a 14-year-old boy was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries after the accident, crew members gathering. a ride spokesperson saying the teenager was in a safety harness. >> that's what we know at this time again, we operate the ride with all the safety precautions in mind >> according to its website, orlando freefall stands at 430 feet, making it the world's tallest free-standing drop tower. the ride can accommodate 30 riders when loaded to capacity this accident comes after another fatal fall at the park in 2020, a 21-year-old construction worker died after falling more than 50 feet while conducting a safety check on a different ride this morning, questions about how last night's deadly accident could have happened.

>> words can't say how we feel our hearts go out to the family of this young man. and that's all we can say at this time. >> and that was last night the ride operator's spokesperson talking to cameras this morning, we reached out to the park and we have not heard back, but we know the sheriff's department is continuing its investigation. >> awful >> horrible. >> thank you also overnight, north korea confirmed its latest weapons test was a new intercontinental ballistic missile. north korea state-run television then released this video of kim jong-un walking out of a hangar with a long-range missile behind him. then later he's seen overseeing the launch all of this put to music the north korean leader says the test was designed to demonstrate the might of its nuclear force and deter any military u.s. move it was the first icbm test by north korea since 2017 >> now to some tense moments in

colorado where the home of the denver broncos caught fire yesterday. smoke could be seen pouring out of empower field for miles away. fire officials said the blaze started in a suite it spread to stadium seats nearby about eight suites, nearly 200 seats damaged or destroyed by fire and smoke officials say crews doing metal work in the lounge area may have accidentally started that fire all right, it is time for the weekend forecast >> come on, mr. roker. >> tell us something good. >> if you like - >> oh. >> well, look, we've got this tunnel system pushing through, upper level low. it's bringing a little light snow back behind it. we are looking around the great lakes anywhere from 1 to 2 inches, but out of the great lakes, you could see upwards of six inches of snow we're springing into the weekend, that's good the bad part, we're falling back with temperatures. unfortunately arctic air diving south behind this storm system

that is moving into canada look at these temperatures for saturday, windchills 5 in marquette, 15 in milwaukee, 5 in minneapolis, pierre, 14. 28 degrees in kansas city. and as we move into sunday morning, look at these lows and windchills knoxville, 27. 12 windchill in detroit. 38 in memphis. unfortunately, chicago, sunday morning, 25. that's a typical low for february 25th. atlanta, your sunday morning low, 39. that's really more like february 15th let's move a little further east, as we take a look at monday morning lows and windchills, boston will feel like 18, 4 in burlington 7 in altoona, pennsylvania pittsburgh, monday morning's low, 21. that's more typical for late january. new york, 27 that's about january 24th's low. so temperatures a little on the chilly side. but things will be getting better eventually we'll get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds pl

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and that's your latest weather. >> coming up, march madness in full effect. the sweet 16 well under way. the top seeds taken down overnight, as st. peter's gets ready to try to squeeze into cinderella's slipper one more time >> and then workers heading back to the office and noticing an unwelcome change when it comes to their lunch that sandwich, that salad is costing you more the latest impact of inflation and what you can do to save. hi, i'm mike holmes and i'm here firivan from agm renovationsc. america's number one kitchen and bathroom renovators i'm super excited to introduce agm's 3d creator. it allows you to create your new kitchen or bathroom online,

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special athletes come together to compete. it's an opportunity for all of us to be part of helping these athletes raise up to their very best levels. so please, join us wednesday march 30th and make a difference. good morning. it's 7:26. i'm marcus washington. here's today's top stories, mur >> reporter: police in the central valley believe a man wanted for the murder of an 8-year-old girl could be here in the bay area. crime stoppers now offering a $3,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of dhante jackson, wanted in connection with the murder of his girlfriend's daughter, sophia mason. mason, who was 8 years old was found dead at a home in merced earlier this month. sophia's mother, samantha, johnson, has been charged with her murder and is in jail.

>> reporter: i'm kris sanchez, scott peterson will sit through a second day of an evidentiary hearing, at issue is whether he got a fair trial. there was a woman on the jury who allegedly lied in order to be seated on the jury. rochelle nice was that juror and a police clerk from east palo alto testified that in 2001 nice was a victim of domestic violence while she was pregnant, something she failed to disclose. >> let's look at the forecast. rob mayeda has a look at the echls. >> 40s with clouds. drizzle or mist at times. we'll see clearing starting to take place right around midday. temperatures today in the low 70s in san jose, low 70s for san francisco, mid-60s in oakland. similar expected for saturday. then sunday, more clouds and rain chances returning as we wrap up the weekend. you'll see cooling temperatures, some wind as we head into sunday evening as well. then monday, scattered showers as we transition to clearing skies, heading towards tuesday

and wednesday. back to you. >> thank you. and we'll have lot local news update coming up in 30 minutes. we're always on at nbcbayarea.com.

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♪ i'm still standing ♪ >> we're back. 7:30 look at that rocking crowd come on. they're celebrating friday they're actually celebrating elton john's birthday. he's celebrating his 75th birthday today there are a lot of other people celebrating out there. >> that will get you dancing let's get to your headlines. 7:30 friday morning. we're going to start with a growing controversy here in new york city. the mayor lifted the vaccine mandate. for the new york city-based pro

athletes and performers. that means kyrie irving will soon be allowed to play again in home games, but the mandate remains in place for the vast majority of other workers in the city adams said that decision was in the best interest of new york's economic recovery from the pandemic >> new orleans is the birthplace of jazz music, but believe it or not, there was actually a century old rule in place that banned public schools from teaching jazz. in 1922, new orleans parish school board abolished jazz music and jazz dancing in public schools. the rule has been largely overlooked for years, but the school board recognized the importance of officially removing it from the system. thursday night, it voted to reverse the policy exactly 100 years to the day after it was adopted. if you have been to the store recently and noticed some of the shelves were more empty than usual, you're not alone general mills says it's struggling to keep up with

demand on pillsbury and totino's products, pizza dough, pizza rolls. that's due to a supply shortage of certain ingredients general mills says it's also facing bottlenecking issues at distribution centers >> a lots of folks bleary-eyed because of the thrills and surprises that make march madness so special >> the sweet 16 got under way. wasn't so sweet for some of us a pair of major upsets two number one seeds knocked out and an historic victory for coach k to extend that farewell tour >> sam brock joins us now from miami. it was another heart-pounding night of hoops, sam. >> hoda, savannah, craig, good morning. yes, indeed, it was. i was going to say, i'm not sure if you heard, but the tournament's biggest cinderella story so far, some team from jersey city, the st. peter's peacocks are playing, as are the tenth seeded miami hurricanes. as for the marquis matchup last night, duke and texas tech, this

was a nail biter the blue devils showing it's not how you start but how you finish in what would have been coach k.'s last game - >> good night. >> his team refusing to let a final run at another title get away >> sealing it. >> oh, wow big time >> muscling up against a physical texas tech team and breaking into the elite eight with mike krzyzewski notching his 100th tournament win and still in the running for a sixth national championship. >> that's what -- that's what is so good as a coach, when it's nothing coaching it's just that grit and that determination. >> before that back and forth barn burner, the arkansas razorbacks vanquishing a giant, knocking out number one overall seed gonzaga, but they have a secret weapon, coach eric musselman. >> we believed when be in else did. >> who buddied up with nba star steph curry before the game and

deployed a deft strategy for weeks, wearing t-shirts and hats from the city where his team was competing to get the local crowd on their side. and it worked, with the razorbacks fan favorites >> we beat gonzaga, let's go >> speaking of fan favorites >> brooks, the jumper, no good you can feel the madness st. peter's pulls off the upset. >> st. peter's shocking upset against kentucky, enduring the peacocks to a nation that loves a good underdog story, but don't tell them that as they get ready to play purdue darryl banks a star junior gs rf schools with an alliance that he is now playing >> you guys are like rock stars now. what's the best part >> it's honestly amazing being able to put the city on the map is amazing and really rallying new jersey behind us is just wonderful to do to be a part of history like this >> in a tournament that continues delivering unexpected

outcomes, one seed arizona was walloped by houston, meaning only one top seed is still standing, the kansas jayhawks. e now, st. peter's is a 15 seed. no 15 seed in the number of the ncaa tournament has ever made the elite eight, let alone the final four any additional win for st. peter's would be historic. as for the 20 million people who filled out brackets, 1.53% of them picked st. peter's to get to the sweet 16. that is why they play the game >> and all of them are in jersey city >> they should buy a lottery ticket too >> thank you, sam. >> wouldn't it be great if coach k. and the dukies could get -- >> went all the way. could you imagine? >> it wo >> what a finish >> even people who don't root for duke >> might like that just ahead, an added hassle during the great return to office rush, an expensive lunch. >> prices on many of your favorite orders are soaring.

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7:39 now, with "in depth today. for a lot of people heading back to the office for the first time in two years, picking up lunch is part of the daily routine >> if it feels like that salad or sandwich got more expensive while you were away, it did. >> jo ling kent joins us with a bit of an explanation. good morning >> lunchflation has become an expensive reality for people going back to the office the prices of salads, sandwiches, wraps, even tacos going up nationwide by a lot it's adding up to a serious double whammy on your wallet as you're spending more and more for gas to get back to the office with millions heading back into the office again, workers are forking over more for lunch. popular lunch spots like sweet

greens saying they're raising their prices in what's being called lunchflation. when you see prices going up for lunch, what runs through your head >> who is spending like $15 for a salad they can make at home? >> the price you pay at restaurants overall is up nearly 7% in the last year alone. the biggest jump since 1981. according to the tech company square, the price of a wrap is up 18% since last year a sandwich rising 14%. salads soaring 11% and burgers spiking 8% nationwide, even taco prices have risen 12% these hikes are due to labor shortages and the skyrocketing cost of ingredients. >> it's kind of hard because i'm on a budget. i don't have a ton of money to spend on stuff >> for consumers who think bringing lunch will solve this problem, you're in for a surprise groceries cost 8.6% more than a year ago, including record

breaking prices for lunch meat shoppers sounding off on social media, saying maybe i just wasn't used to buying a lot of groceries, but this was $100 >> are you making any other adjustments in your life so you can still grab a taco and go out for lunch? >> yeah, generally just buying less i started eating a lot more toast, which sounds sad. all my friends make fun of me because i'll eat toast for lunch or dinner. >> some employers are trying to soften the blow by subsidizing lunches while some restaurants are offering special lunch deals. to save where you can, experts say it's still cheaper to bring your own lunch and opt for generic brands avoid expensive add-ons. use savings apps and coupon sites and track your spending to find other places to save. so your desk lunch doesn't eat too much into your budget. adding to the sticker shock, wages are lagging behind this rapid inflation, making that lunch you're buying at work even more expensive but the good news is you could see prices come down in the next 6 to 1mo2 hsnt the federal reserve, of course, planning to continue raising

those interest rates as it tries to get this high inflation under control, guys. >> all right, jo ling kent for us, thank you. >> let's get a check of weatherflation >> well, we are inflating the temperatures out west. that's where it's going to be warm head west, young person. we're talking numerous records from las vegas, reno, los angeles, palm springs, phoenix, all flirting with records. and we're looking at more of that for tomorrow from denver, 77 degrees albuquerque, same temperature. phoenix getting up to 96 sacramento, 78 degrees temperatures will start to come down early next week as you can see by tuesday, las vegas is 75. 60 in denver los angeles, you'll be down to 69 degrees but here's the latest from the national weather service the climate prediction center, for the spring outlook, they have updated it. warmer than average through the southwest. up all the way up into the great lakes, out to the east, even down into florida. colder than average as we get

out into the pacific northwest drier than average out west. they need the rain it is bone dry out there wetter than average around the great lakes and upper ohio river to clear, we should see low 60s near san francisco, low 70s in san jose. for the wen, big changes. first, high clouds and a dry day saturday. over my shoulder you see as we head into sunday evening, rain chances making a comeback. you see it in the seven-day forecast. dry start to the weekend, then some wind and rain. sunday night, showers to follow on monday, and then skies clear and we dry out toward the middle part of next week. and that's your latest weather. >> thank you coming up, we're going to preview hollywood's biggest night of the year. the oscars returning full force. a glamorous awards show on tap >> miguel almaguer is getting red carpet ready looking good, miguel >> who are you wearing

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carson joins us with a look ahead to sunday night's big event. >> the countdown is on to the 94th academy awards. for some, it's going to be an a-list reunion two years in the making nbc national correspondent be looking dapper on the red carpet miguel almaguer is there already. hi, miguel good morning >> hey, guys good morning after moving locations to union station and going partially virtual last year amid the pandemic, on sunday, the show is going to return to its rightful home right here at the dolby theatre in hollywood while there's still some covid protocols in place to keep everyone safe, the stars are trading in zooms and sweatpants for hugs and gowns to celebrate their own in a big way the biggest awards show of the year is back and looking more

like years past. taking center stage at the oscars, host amy schumer, regina hall, and wanda sykes, the ceremony hasn't had an official host since 2018. beyonce, billie eilish, and phinnaeus, reba mcentire, and sebastian yatra will perform some of the best original song nominees lady gaga, venus and serena williams are among these who will hand out statues. also presenting, rachel zegler, the star of steven spielberg's west side story, after revealing just days ago she wasn't invited to the oscars at all the snub causing swift public backlash this year's nominees a mix of big screen blockbusters and stand-out streamers. >> what little lady made these >> the power of the dog is going into sunday's awards with best picture buzz but coda is also a fan favorite. all eyes are on will smith for best actor, twice nominated before in the same category.

smith's turn as tennis legends venus and serena williams' father in king richard could finally bring him oscar gold in the best actress category, three-time nominee jessica chastain as tammy faye bakker could also take home a win one to also watch, our friend lin-manuel miranda if he wins, for "encanto the 37-year-old will make history as the youngest egot winner to keep the 2500 guests attending safe, the l.a. times says the audience will be required to show proof of vaccination and at least two negative pcr tests the theater itself will only be at 75% capacity. and attendees in some areas will be spaced out and required to wear masks now, the awards show is already dealing with a little drama of its own. in an effort to shorten the broadcast, the academy will present awards for eight categories earlier in the day. some big stars like jessica

chastain say they may skip the red carpet to support their colleagues many see the move as a slight to those who work behind the scenes back to you. >> okay, miguel. >> interesting >> looking forward to the three hosts. >> i think it will be fun to watch. >> by the way, gabe carter will be here. he's going to break down the contenders he'll share his predictions which are 90% correct. >> it will be interesting if there's any controversy. >> coming up on popstart, sir elton john's 75th birthday first, we check your local news and weather. loo ore li essage sad to talk about insurance? i said, "i want you to talk about insurance." well, most people know that bundling home and auto -saves you money. -keep saying your words. but did you know that new customers who bundle and save with progressive can save an average of $800? shh. sleeping baby. i love you, too.

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good morning. 7:56. i'm marcus washington. here's a look at what's happening now. >> caller: good morning, i'm cierra johnson in santa rosa at the russian river brewing company where probably more than 100 folks are waiting for the release of pliny the younger. a special release happens once a year. for the next 14 days folks will have a chance to purchase the beer. the doors open around 10:30. it's a little chilly, but that has not stopped folks from waiting for their place in line. >> let's get a look at the forecast for you on this friday. rob mayeda. >> we're seeing chilly temperatures and misty skies closer to san francisco. 49 degrees. should see temperatures around midafternoon approaching the low 60s. we'll hold on to 60 degree

temperatures across the bay, low 70s around san jose, and eventually clear out to some hazy sunshine inland with patchy, low clouds lingering near the coast. for your weekend plans, similar day for tomorrow. get ready for changes on sunday. we've got winds picking up, rain likely to increase heading into sunday night. by monday we'll see a few more scattered showers and clearing skies heading toward tuesday and wednesday, as temperatures start to rebound. much-needed rain arriving midway through the weekend and a few showers before skies clear approaching midweek. >> thank you. we'll have another local news update coming up in 30 minutes. i'll meet you back here then.

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it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, growing crisis. president biden heads to poland today after committing more than a billion dollars in humanitarian aid and pledging to take in 100,000 ukrainian refugees. we'll bring you the latest details. plus, an in depth look at some of the war's most vulnerable refugees. >> i had to leave my two daughters at home, but my main goal was my son. >> sick children fleeing to the u.s. now finding care at st. jude's children's hospital. >> then, deals and discounts. >> some of us are feeling the

pinch right now. i think a lot of people are looking for deals. >> how the holiday supply crisis is helping consumers save money this spring. we'll tell you where to shop the best bargains. plus, birthday candle in the wind. we're celebrating music superstar sir elton john on his 75th birthday, with a look back at his storied career and what's next for the rocket man. and the oscar goes to glitz and glamour returning to hollywood's biggest night. we have your guide on what to watch for and predictions for this year's major winners. today, march 25th, 2022. from san jose, california. >> louisville, kentucky. >> atlanta. >> charlottesville, virginia. >> chicago, illinois. >> shout out to my students at gulf stream elementary. >> in miami, florida.

>> today we're celebrating our first anniversary. >> turning 10. >> and grandma's 80th birthday. >> hi, savannah and hoda. >> hi to our grandparents who have been watching the "today" show every day for 53 years. love you, grandma and grandpa. >> we are so glad you're here. friday morning, it is spring break or whatever celebration. >> you wait for one moment where you're on tv. you can wave to your kids, your family. this is that moment. >> another big birthday to celebrate. >> we do. you know what, it's our friend gene shalit's birthday. with the show for 40 years, he turned 96 today. we wanted to take a moment to send gene all of our love. the best birthday wishes. he's been here for a long, long time. >> part of the family. happy birthday.

>> let us begin this half hour with your news at 8:00. we'll start with three things to watch in ukraine today. the president traveled to poland to show support for a key u.s. ally. he's meeting with refugees there and american service members just 50 miles from ukraine's border. russia continued to strike civilian targets overnight, cutting off supply lines to kyiv and other major cities. and officials in mariupol now say 300 people died in last week's bombing of a theater that had been being used as a shelter. >> president biden said that 100,000 ukrainian refugees will be allowed in the u.s., but one special group of ukrainian children is already here. nbc's kerry sanders is at st. jude children's research hospital in memphis, tennessee, with their story. hey, kerry. good morning. >> good morning, hoda. as if a war breaking out in your country weren't bad enough, the children, the four we're talking about here, were already in a battle against cancer. then, the invasion, which cut them off from their

chemotherapy, life-saving chemotherapy. they're now, thanks to the state department, which expedited some visas, they're now here at st. jude children's research hospital getting the care they so desperately need. one mother clings to her 18-month-old daughter melania. another exhausted from war, shields her 8-year-old son. both children are refugees from the war in ukraine. but long before the first shots were fired, these kids were already in a battle for their lives. fighting advanced cancers. natalia tears up as she says -- >> the decision was truly heartbreaking because it split my family. i had to leave my two daughters at home. but my main goal was my son. >> natalia and roxalana were strangers. now the two moms bonded together by their ukrainian heritage and

their children's extreme health struggles. >> your daughter is too young to understand what's going on, but did you sense she was scared? >> translator: yes, you're right. she is very little indeed, however it does affect her greatly because she feels our worries and our emotions as parents. >> that anxiety created by constant bombs and bullets takes a toll on children weakened by cancer, say doctors who are now treating the children here at st. jude hospital in memphis. >> we have seen the horrors of war. at the same time, we have seen what we're capable of doing. that's what i take with me. >> hallelujah for you and everybody. >> thank you. >> took a lot of courage, beginning with the parent saying we have to get out of here. >> yes, yes, yes. >> natalia and roxalana say they're numbed but also amazed and so thankful to learn st.

jude is free. this hospital started by marlo thomas' family member danny, operates on the generosity of donations. >> it's so gratifying and so emotional to meet those mothers and know that we have a place for them to come to. which is what this has always been. st. jude's has always been a beacon of hope for parents. >> hope that has been in short supply for these refugees until now. st. jude is the first hospital in the united states to provide medical care to refugees coming out of ukraine, and they're in good hands here. more than 80% of the children who come here with pediatric cancers leave. >> wow. that is something we needed to hear in that moment. kerry sanders for us there in tennessee. kerry, thanks. >> meanwhile, history being made today in los angeles, where that city's first female and openly gay fire chief will be sworn in. kristin crowley is a 22-year veteran of the department. she served as a firefighter and paramedic before rising to

deputy chief. she plans to foster a culture that's free of hazing, harassment, and discrimination in the 136-year-old department. sheinelle profiled her a few weeks ago. she came back and said this woman is remarkable. >> congrats to her. >> let us get a boost on friday morning. >> this is awesome. so jewels is a high school basketball player in michigan. she also happens to be blind. so when it's time for a foul shot, get this, the whole gymnasium goes silent so she can hear one sound that tells her where the basket is. take a look. >> wow. >> can you believe that? >> wow. >> jewels has scored in every single game this season. she plays on her school's unified team that includes athletes with disabilities and those without. don't you love the entire crowd

is with her? >> that's why we love sports. >> the crowd is on the team. >> exactly. coming up next, we talk a lot about the nation's shipping crisis. we talk about lunchflation, inflation, everything flation. shoppers rejoice. vicky nguyen is here and has good news for bargain hunters. so exciting. >> silver lining. where you should be shopping right now to take advantage of major de major deals. first, these messages. it's time to make your move to help reduce your risk of fracture with prolia®. only prolia® is proven to help strengthen and protect bones from fracture with 1 shot every 6 months. do not take prolia® if you have low blood calcium, are pregnant, are allergic to it, or take xgeva®. serious allergic reactions like low blood pressure, trouble breathing, throat tightness, face, lip or tongue swelling, rash, itching or hives have happened. tell your doctor about dental problems, as severe jaw bone problems may happen or new or unusual pain in your hip, groin,

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8:11, with today's consumer. we are back. 8:11, with today's consumer. and after the pain created forreme by the headline making supply chain issues, finally, this morning, good news and some relief as well >> you're going to love this, shoppers right now could actually be a bargain lover's paradise >> bargains, you said? i haven't heard that in a while. nbc's senior consumer correspondent vicky nguyen is here >> for people who love that treasure hunt when you go to discount stores, good news finally. you're going to be seeing big bargains thanks to a flood of new inventory. finally coming off the delayed cargo ships. with rising gas prices and inflation almost everything, the timing couldn't be better. this shopping season, bargain hunters are heading to the store with a spring in their step. discount retailers like burlington, ross, and the tj maxx family of brands are gearing up to unload tons of excess inventory on the shelves and racks.

tjx, and owns tj maxx, marshalls and home goods says we offer a great selection of branded merchandise at excellent values all year long, but experts tell us bigger discounts are on the way, just when buyers need them most >> some of us are feeling the pinch from higher oil prices, food inflation, so i think a lot of people are looking for deals. >> when supply chain delays reached their peak in the winter holidays, huge amounts of seasonal clothing and other items were left stuck on the dock your everyday mall based retailer might not want that inventory anymore, giving off price chains the opportunity to scoop it up at really low prices >> you don't want to put winter goods on the floor in late march. so what will happen is the off price retailers will go and buy those at a discount. >> what does all this mean for you the shopper? experts say you can expect to see a lot more selection and brands you don't typically find at discount stores, especially when it comes to shoes and clothes. specifically be on the lookout

for higher end apparel brands along with a wide variety of home decor, crafting, and beauty items. categories off price chains expanded during the pandemic we don't know how steep the discounts will be, but we do know stores are expecting new merchandise daily, meaning items could move quickly so if you see a deal, take advantage of it. another shopping strategy, check often at a variety of stores so you can see what all is available and find the best deals on the brands you want shoppers should know these deals won't last forever those pandemic related shipping delays are starting to ease up what was once more than 100 container ships waiting outside west coast ports is now down to the low 40s. a fractured retail supply chain now linking back up. >> as long as we don't see any other further disruption, we should be back to a more normal pace of goods by the summer. >> and again, you will see the best deals on out of season items. keep in mind, inventory will vary from store to store based

on regional trends or your local weather, but across the board, shoppers can definitely expect high quality clothes and shoes at a lower price point, which is great news finally >> i was at costco yesterday and i saw an employee dumping sweatshirts in the center. how does this affect a regular store in the mall? >> regular stores in the mall don't want all of this off season stuff they're in a bit of a pinch when it comes to inventory. you're not likely to see major discounts at the stores selling the items full price know if you want best deals, you need to shop around and discount stores are the first place to start. >> go make friends with the clerk who tells you when the shipments are coming in. it saves the day at tj maxx and you get first dibs >> all right >> never heard that. >> oh, yeah. >> mr. roker, how about a check of the weather >> pro tip from ms. guthrie. we want to give you a heads-up looking into next week we have more storms for these

hard hit areas next week numerous severe storms possible stretching from wichita all the way down to central texas on tuesday. wednesday, that moves to the east, paducah, memphis, tuscaloosa, jackson, all the way down to new orleans. all those hazards, high winds, hail, and tornadoes all possible early next week. for today, damp start to the day in the east. beautiful weather down through the gulf. fire danger making its way through the plains because of the dry conditions, breezy conditions, snow showers around the great lakes, and today into tomorrow, record highs throughout much of the west. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. around the bay, out towards the east, walnut creek breaking out the sunshine, 48 degrees, one location that should be seeing highs climbing into the 70s later today. san jose, low 70s, 62 san francisco, 66 in oakland. get ready for big changes midway through the weekend. tomorrow should be a dry day,

maybe not quite as warm. look what happens sunday. we have the clouds coming back in, rain increasing, especially sunday evening and sunday night with more showers into monday, then drier and warmer midway through next week. that's your latest weather best time of the morning >> elton john, baby. >> that's right, elton john on this day in 1947, a music superstar was born we're celebrating the icon's 75th birthday, but we're not just looking back at his career. we're looking at the present because he's never been busier, and joe fryer is here with more. good morning, joe. >> yeah, he's actually on tour right now. in fact, he's going to spend his birthday weekend in des moines, in omaha, celebrating three quarters of a century of life and more than half a century of music stardom. ♪ i'm still standing. elton john might be turning 75 today, but to quote the legend himself, he's feeling like a little kid >> good music makes you look younger.

i think i look better now than i did six years ago. >> today, the icon is still standing and still touring spending this birthday on the road, that well traveled yellow brick road which he slowly sang good-bye elton's farewell tour finally resumed in january in new orleans after the pandemic put everything on hold >> i have never had this amount of time off in my life as far as playing music. at least since i was 17 years of age. i have a fact for you. you have been holding on to these tickets for 745 days >> in february, he played his final tour show at madison square garden. my favorite venue in the world, he wrote on instagram. somewhere i have played over 70 times. ♪ hold me closer ♪ >> his set, of course, features many classics but also current hits

>> cold heart, his duet with dua lipa, hit seven on the u.s. charts and when she played msg this month and he appeared on the monitors, the crowd went wild calling him the g.o.a.t. that song, one of many collaborations with younger musicians on elton's latest album, lockdown sessions the subject of his interview last october with carson >> why do you still care so much about new music and young artists? >> because new music is where the future is. so i try to give it as big a boost as i can, and i love it. >> he even did a holiday song with ed sheeran simply titled "merry christmas." >> it's just the latest chapter in a career spanning more than 50 years with 30-plus albums and five grammys the journey already immortalized in the biopic "rocket man.

elton hopes to spend more time with his husband david and sons zachary and elijah when the tour finally concludes in the summer of 2023. which point he'll have alreadyrn celebrated his 76th birthday what is out there that excites you, as you get into your late 70s? >> everything excites me just the life i've had, the career i've had, the family i've got. every day is a bonus probably the luckiest man in the world, and i really, really appreciate it. >> the big oscar viewing party for the elton john aids foundation is still happening this weekend, even though elton will be performing in nebraska he planned the tour around the original date for the oscars which was supposed to be in february but elton will appear at the party by satellite and his rep tells us his husband and kids will be in l.a. for the event. the show will go on. >> it was unbelievable >> amazing how busy he still is.

touring but doing so much work thanks for that. >> speaking of music legends, we'll continue with paul simon, the recording academy set to honor him with a ceremony of his very own homeward bound, to celebrate the musician's nearly six decades of music as both a solo artist and part of simon and garfunkel. expected to make a special appearance at the tribute. a great lineup, too. brandi carlile, dave matthews, brad paisley among others to name a few, and that event is scheduled for april 6th. >> next up, ed sheeran on thursday, they teamed up for new music to be released, and they're crossing some genres with their two-track bilingual ep and here is a taste of one of the new songs called "forever my love." ♪♪ ♪ ♪

>> real good >> like paul simon getting that iconic where you could see ed sheeran one day getting that >> next up, gwen stefani, it's been almost nine months since the wedding we still can't talk about between gwen and blake shelton. last night, gwen stopped by jimmy kimmel live and answered why they picked a washed up mtv veejay to officiate. >> i had the idea of carson because he's the one person we both know so well and we have known through the years. for me, he's very, i mean, he was going to be a priest at one point. he's catholic, so we have that together >> i will say, i know, because i know the story and i think -- because i was an altar boy. >> okay. >> every kid who was an alter boy thought of maybe being a priest, pretty much. he just couldn't get any girls interested >> so fun to watch i have known jimmy since i was 12, and gwen is like family.

>> didn't you meet on a church trip >> jimmy was on a high school senior class trip in maui with father rob and some friends. and it was just a crazy -- yeah. >> carson, when are you going to write your memoir? you have to write it >> father bill, excuse me. we have a crazy history. that was fun thank you both >> finally, lily collins sat down with willie geist for this weekend's edition of sunday today. the actress opening up on what it was like to grow up with a famous father, phil collins. >> did you pick up on your father being the performer he was, that life at all of what it could become >> i mean, i think i remember being a kid at disney land with my dad and having someone come up and ask him for a photo it was that kind of recognition no matter where he went that he had touched the lives of somebody in a very profound way. >> you can catch that full conversation this weekend on sunday today >> please write a memoir, carson really

>> carson daly story >> i need to save nuggets. >> wait. >> so abby and elmo are here >> hi. >> good morning. >> good to see you guys. >> we're going to talk to elmo and abby >> and also karger is here we want to give him air time dave karger is here. he's going to talk about his oscar picks. he's always right. >> that looks so real. >> sesame street has - >> there he is >> that worked out really well >> local news and weather. >> like a well oiled machine we'll nail it live, don't worry. >> we'll do it live!

good morning. 8:26. i'm marcus washington. new developments this morning in the investigation of disgraced former north bay town mayor dominic foppoli who resigned last year as windsor mayor. about a dozen women have acaused him of sexual assault and misconduct. now sonoma county authorities have handed over the investigation to the state attorney general's office. prosecutors will decide whether or not to seek charges. the sonoma county district attorney recused her office due to ties to this case. time for the forecast for you on this friday. rob mayeda is in.

>> and we're looking at kind of a tour of our low crowd microclimates around the bay area, clouds and misty skies. faw breaks in san jose and mostly sunshine. inland areas today clouding into the 70s including walnut creek costa rica and san jose. cooler 60s around san francisco and oakland. tomorrow looks similar though we'll see increasing clouds leading to a chance of some rain in the forecast. expect that rain to pick up sunday night on into monday, scattered showers to begin next week, then those skies clear. should see temperatures rebounding in the 70s midway through next week. another local news update in half an hour.

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entre-pin-eurs? yeah, my bowling team. i like it. there's money in puns. do business like a gigillionaire at&t business fiber, now with speeds up to 5-gigs. limited availability. . hey, >> welcome in. it is 8:30 in the morning. it is the 25th day of march, 2022 can we just say much respect to our crowd. this is a massive, amazing crowd. there are people -- there are these girls here for their 50th. they were here for their 30th. >> i love it >> there's a ton of great folks here >> we have a splash of sunshine here with these headbands. we need these headbands.

>> so cute >> love. >> we were playing aretha because we should always be playing aretha also, coming up, blayne alexander caught up with the legendary queen of soul' granddaughter who was really eager to share some specia memories of their time together and the legacy that continues to inspire her. >> man, looking forward to that. also coming up, some "today" best sellers for all your spring getaways multifunctional products that make travel a little easier. also add to your fun once you arrive >> we're a little excited for the oscars we brought in the best dave karger knows all about the movie making business inside and out and he's here to share predictions for sunday's long awaited awards show. >> we're going to introduce you to a single mom who turned homemade cakes into a thriving business and there's something extra sweet about the story, how she is paying it forward >> that is cool. >> next week on "today," you guys, because remember, jimmy fallon, how we were on the show,

he's returning the favor good man he's going to be right with us in the studio. hi, jimmy. can't wait >> al, this is your crowd, your people >> spring beaut these are your people. snow showers around the great lakes. spring beauty from the plains down to the gulf record heat out west warm sunshine stretching through the gulf coast, a little cooler as you get into the northern plains, very mild out west with a few showers in northern california. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. right now we're waiting for the low clouds to break up for most of the bay area. by the afternoon, hazy sunshine inland, 70s near san jose southward towards the tri-valley and north bay, staying in the 60s closer to san francisco and oakland. tomorrow one more day of 70s inland, then much needed rain chan sunday, probably a few sprinkles during the day with wind into sunday

night, monday, and a drying trend approaching the middle part of next week. it's time for a friday edition of going around the horn here we go there it is. baby. it's craig melvin. coming around the horn, baby there you go you made it. that is your friday going around the horn hoda >> you know what, carson is right. you have to sponsor that that's a brilliant little bit. >> all right, wherever they go, our friends from sesame street bring smiles, they bring the fun. this morning, we're so lucky because they're paying us a visit. >> elmo and abby are joining us. the vice president of entertainment for sesame place hi, elmo >> we missed you guys with the pandemic what have you been up to >> i'm excited because we're

about to go to an amusement park >> we're having a major play date >> here in new york or far, far away >> it's in san diego >> san diego >> what? >> sesame place's brand-new family - >> why san diego >> we chose san diego because it's always sunny there. it's about a 2 1/2 hour ride away from los angeles and a good time >> do you love california? >> i'm excited because it's a water park and i got a new bathing suit and everything. and we get to play and there's dancing too. it's such a hoopla >> you took your kids this year. >> this is one of my favorite things we went to sesame place on the east coast it's a blast you have dance parties elmo, your dance parties at sesame place are amazing >> i can't wait to do more dancing. we should do it together

>> show us some moves. >> abby too. so nick, when is this going to open >> it opens today in san diego we're excited about that we have an all new show that was specifically written for this park, our award-winning sesame place party parade there's so much fun for the whole family >> what's your favorite thing about the whole park >> elmo really likes meeting all the new people >> abby, how about for you >> well, this is kind of silly but i heard they have really good crunchy big pickles there >> you guys, we spent part of our time trying to find oscar, but we ended up tracking him down he's kind of hard to find at the park sometimes >> he's grouchy. >> how come? >> he's very difficult but we love him anyway >> we love him anyway. we're so excited you guys are opening this today in san diego. the kids are going to love it. it's a blast you can really spend all day there. >> a little bit of everything there. quickly, how is everything on sesame street now that we're

beyond the pandemic a little bit? everything good? >> everything is great >> we're going to have a play date with big bird and grover today. >> yeah. >> tell them we said hello >> it's nice i think we're even closer than we were before a stronger community than ever >> you're so sweet >> special place >> you too, elmo we love you. >> come back and see us again, guys congratulations on the new park. awesome. >> plan a vacation to the west coast. >> a lot of fun. we have lot more ahead, including a special conversation with aretha franklin's granddaughter. >> her granddaughter wow. >> her memories of the queen of soul >> and give us some dance moves going into break, elmo reak mo.

8:38 we are back with more of our special generations today series >> it's a celebration of powerful women through inspiring

conversations with their granddaughters this morning, nbc's blayne alexander is introducing us to a 16-year-old keeping her grandmother's soul alive through music. hey, blayne, good morning. >> it was such a joy to catch up with grace franklin, and especially to do so in detroit where so much of this history began. we learned a lot of things about the queen of soul that you probably don't know, and we also learned the genes are very strong in that family. she is the undisputed queen of soul but to 16-year-old grace franklin, what did you call her? >> i called her grandma. >> you called her grandma? >> yeah. >> for grace, born and raised in detroit, weekly visits with grandma were a staple growing up >> just watching tv sometimes. a lot of times we would watch "family feud." >> would she play along? >> yes >> you may not be surprised to learn the queen of soul was also

the queen of soul food what was your favorite dish? >> probably her macaroni her macaroni was so good >> did she try to teach you, show you >> a little bit, but i wasn't very good. >> cooking skills aside, grace got a lot from her grandma her sense of style, love of family, but perhaps most notably -- a soul for singing. her favorite stage is right here at new bethel baptist church in aretha franklin famously got her >> she was about your age when notice of her. where she was? lot of the same people that were

now. of your grandmother's overall? >> "don't play that song" is definitely one of my favorites that we used to sing together. it's so amazing. >> when you listen to her music, how does she inspire you >> the way that she can change any song to make it her own. >> just by watching her. grace recently took those classics you're not ♪ >> not enough to get her to the but a chance to take yet another >> when you get up and when you sing here, where your you feel her presence with you i always think of how she used and just her words of always remember that god is with happens, you know that you're great. most dear came off the stage

believe in civil rights movement. she was very involved, matter came up again in 2014 fiercely i don't feel like a lot of people got to see that side of people around her and her love was just very strong >> guys, it was just so much fun to meet her, to learn those "family feud"? words to "ain't no way." family university, and grace is they're set to hit carnegie hall >> you have to tell grace she

on to "the voice" and i have a feeling she has more than enough we would love to have her. >> thanks. helping you gear up for your spring and summer vacations. let's go. first, this is "today" on nbc. when it comes to cybersecurity, the biggest threats don't always strike the biggest targets. so help safeguard your small business with comcast business securityedge™. it's advanced security that continuously scans for threats and helps protect every connected device. on the largest, fastest, reliable network with speeds up to 10 gigs to the most small businesses. so you can be ready for what's next. get started with internet and voice for $64.99 a month. and ask how to add securityedge™. or, ask how to get up to an $800 prepaid card.

welcome back. this morning on "today" best sellers we're going to help you get ready for your vacation, your spring break. adriana brock joins us with all of her style and beauty essentials you're going to need them before hitting the road you can scan the qr below if you want to shop with us >> good morning. >> maybe if you're going somewhere warm, you need a new suit you don't want to break the bank >> if you don't want to break the bank, you want a great suit, we found this on amazon. it's under $35 for women, and it's so flattering it's universally flattering which is something you can't really say

>> you had this last year and i actually bought this suit. >> it's got the mesh tummy control panel, the really cute stylish v-neck, and so you're going to get style, function, and comfort. you get full coverage. >> what about for the guys >> we have these really fun prints, also under $35, and they're mesh lined, made with a lightweight fabric so it's go to dry quick. you don't have to worry about getting in the car with wet shorts >> this dress kind of does it all. tell us about this >> when i pack for a vacation, i pack a do it all dress it can take you from the beach to a nice dinner you could wear it in the airport when you're traveling. whatever it is this is it we found it online it comes in a bunch of different sizes. we love that you just slip it on you don't need to dry clean it or anything fancy. it's lightweight perfect for warmer weather >> it's linen. are you going to be ironing your whole vacation >> you may have to iron just a little bit, but you can pack it up and you're good to go, and it has pockets. >> if you roll your stuff, it doesn't get as wrinkly a good flat.

these are so pretty. >> i'm so excited for sandal season these are really great because they're really trendy right now, the slide. and these come in a bunch of different colors >> they look comfy >> they're comfortable they have cushion. i really like these. they're kind of neutral. you can wear them with everything >> i think hoda should get the orange ones. >> really cute and under $30 >> love it now, what is this? we're getting into the beauty realm. >> we're getting into beauty we all know about self-tanning lotion, but these are self-tanning drops these are really cool. >> for your face or your body? >> for your face you put a few drops, you mix it in with your moisturizer and put it on and it gives you a gradual natural looking tan. >> like a little bit every day i'm always scared about the face >> you don't want to go overboard. and it's made with hyaluronic acid, which dermatologists love. you're getting some skin care benefits >> a few drops, a little bit

every day. >> then on vacation, you're already bronzed and don't need makeup >> put your sunscreen on and you're good to go. i love the color >> it's very popular on social media right now, and it's perfect for vacation and travel because you can't bring your whole medicine cabinet so you want to look for a multitasking beauty product this is it, an eye cream that comes in a balm stick form you can bring it on the plane. it has caffeine so it's going to perk up and brighten your skin it also has some rose hip oil to help soothe any dryness. >> okay. >> and it has a cooling effect when you put it on, you get a cool sensation, which is great for after a day out in the sun >> what's the difference between blue and pink here >> one is more brightening than the other. the blue one is the original >> okay, blue says brightening and pink it says cooling and highlighting >> exactly, more of a highlight. >> brightens it up okay, good finally, packing always tricky. >> yes, this is my favorite lazy

toiletry bag pack. it is literally like a little satchel. and what's so great about it is it sits upright. you literally pack it with everything you need. it can fit full sized bottles of stuff. >> really? >> yeah it also has these mesh organizers inside. >> you can have tall things. >> it's great for everybody in the family only $8. when you get to your destination, you put it down, fold it down at the top, and you can see everything you have. >> i like that does it come with this pouch, too? >> a pouch for little things it's really great. >> where are we going? >> i don't know. >> bahamas? >> maybe >> she's going to be back in the third hour with more you can also text today to 34318. or go to today.com a reminder, this segment solely features products sold on amazon coming up next, we're going to talk all things oscars with dave karger and his crystal ball

first, this large out-of-state corporations have set their sights on california. they've written a ballot proposal to allow online sports betting. they tell us it will fund programs for the homeless, but read the fine print. 90% of the profits go to out-of-state corporations,

leaving almost nothing for the homeless. no real jobs are created here. but the promise between our state and our sovereign tribes would be broken forever. these out-of-state corporations don't care about california. but we do. stand with us.

we're back 8:52, with a look ahead at hollywood's biggest night of the year we're talking about sunday's 94th academy awards. >> here to give us his predictions is film expert dave karger this is your busy season, as they say >> i love it >> finally after a couple years. one of the big criticisms about the oscars in general, some of the films are films that a lot of people haven't seen how do we look this year >> let me tell you, for the first time ever, you can watch all of the best picture nominees right now in your house. that has never happened ever before the oscars, all of the movies nominated for the oscars are available. there's big blockbusters like dune, but then there's intimate family dramas like coda. >> they also have a fan favorite category >> a new poll on twitter >> that's cool >> jury is out for me on how that's going to work out i think it's a lot of johnny

depp fans. >> let's get to the big pictures we have a lot of nominees. you think coda is going to take it >> you do? come on. bring it home. >> hoda loves coda >> i love it, too. this crazy story where the movie that's nominated for best picture but has the fewest nominations, could very well win. >> how could it beat these other films? >> even though coda came out in august, a lot of people didn't discover it until more recently in the industry and in the world. it feels like the fresher, newer choice it's the movie that the voters love power of the dog, which could also win, i feel like is a movie they admire. >> and you feel like power of the dog may win for directing. >> definitely is going to win for directing. jane campion will be the third woman to win >> going out on a limb usually directing and best picture go hand in hand. is that the case this year >> maybe, but i think coda is

going to win best picture, and the director is not nominated. more and more lately, there' been this split of two different movies that win. >> spielberg, the sixth consecutive decade, is that what i read >> i was saying to savannah, that's never going to happen again, for a director to get nominated six decades in a row >> let's talk best actress who might it be? >> this is a toss-up >> chastain. >> i do think it's jessica chastain what you're seeing is this trend where actors who go through tremendous transformations win an oscar and their hair and makeup team wins too same with gary oldman, when he played winston churchill in darkest hour i think jessica chastain is going to win >> what about lead actor will smith versus denzel is another rematch. >> from 20 years ago when i was here on nomination day. it was freezing outside on the plaza, we had a fire pit i said, this is a rematch of 20

years ago. 20 years ago, denzel beat will not this time. it's will smith. >> you think it's a slam dunk. >> giving great speeches delivered a fantastic performance. he's done the right amount -- >> i have never seen you so sure about everything >> my blue devils won. i'm sorry. >> are you, though >> supporting actress? >> these are locks, guys ariana deboz for west side story, and when she wins - >> what are you doing? >> you're not giving yourself any wiggle room. >> i'm calling vegas >> we'll talk on monday. >> what about her again? >> when she wins, she and rita moreno will have won oscars for playing the same actor same thing for joaquin phoenix so this is oscar history, the third time that's ever happened. >> there's one scene in that

movie where you know he's going to win it. that's the one he holds her vocal chords, and when you see it, you'll know i'm not giving it away >> the best scene of any movie this year. >> do you think there will be any backlash to the eight categories pulled off. somebody may win an oscar and turn it upside down. will we see something like that? >> i think there's going to be a kind of silent classy protest by some of the winners of those eight categories the problem is that, again, it's not giving them the full time. >> we'll keep the oscar buzz going on in the third hour, i'm marcus washington. convicted killer scott peterson returns to court as he fights for a new trial. a judge holding an evidentiary

hearing today. yesterday, in east palo alto police clerk testified about a 2001 police report that identified her as a vick of after crime which peterson's team says she never disclosed on her questionnaire. peterson's team wants a filmmaker to testify, that filmmaker citing 1st amendment rights in not taking the stand. kris sanchez will have a report midday. head to our home page for more details. and now most admired alum! get up there. this is so embarrassing. there's no way it's me. you know her.... you love her.... ruh roh. what are you doing here? it's anna gomez! who? our first gigillionaire! with at&t fiber, anna's got the fastest internet

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♪ this morning on the 3rd hour of "today. hard to swallow. expect sticker shock if you're returning to the office. why our lunch bills are going to take bigger bites out of our wallets. then the winner is our preview steve kornacki breaking down the odds on favorites and sharing some hollywood history and then the icing on the cake a single mom who turned her little cake into big business. how she's doing now doing sweet to pay it forward. today, friday, march 25th, 2022.