following in the footsteps of a killer. the murdaugh double murder trial takes an ominous turn as the jury gears up for a field trip to the scene of the crime. the fbi director says the covid pandemic most likely came from a chinese lab leak, igniting a war of words between the two super powers after the crash that killed kobe bryant and his darts and se daughter an

seven others, his wife accepts a settlement we had a good time but, you know, the extended stay is ready to end. >> inside the efforts to get them back home with their parents. >> re . affordable child care. strap in "early today" starts right now >> good morning, welcome fo to ma to march. today jurors in the murdaugh trial will visit the property where maggie and paul were killed the defense says it will help jurors understand the layout of the crime scene and see the small space inside the feed room where paul was killed.

closing arguments are expected later this week. if convicted, alex murdaugh could face life in prison. fbi director chris wray is speaking for the first time about the recent revelations about the origins of the covid pandemic and has strong words for how the chinese government is dealing with the investigation. for more we go to brie jackson in washington. brie, good morning what candiddid the fbi director to say >> reporter: the questions over the origins of covid have been reignited following the classified report from the department of energy they became the second member of the intelligence community to conclude with low confidence that the covid-19 virus likely originated from a lab leak in wuhan, china the fbi was the first agency to reach that assessment, but with moderate confidence back in 2021 following that report from the energy department, the chinese ministry of foreign affairs issued a response saying relevant sides should, quote,

stop hyping up the lab leak theory and stop smearing china now fbi director chris wray is speaking out about this theory for the first time in an interview with fox news. >> as you note, brett, the fbi has for quite some time now assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident in wuhan. i should add that our work related to this continues. i will just make the observation that the chinese government seems to me has been doing its best to try to thwart and obfuscate the work here, the work that we're doing, the work that our u.s. government and close foreign partners are doing. >> reporter: the war of words between the two super powers has only continued since the report was issued u.s. ambassador to china, nick has burns said china must be more honest about the origins of

covid. beijing issued its own response saying that the u.s. was politicizing the issue the communist party of china is also warning twitter ceo elon musk against pushing the lab leak theory. and they said he could be, quote, break beinging the pot of china, a similar phrase to "biting the hand that feeds you" breaking overnight, at least 36 people are dead and dozens more injured after a passenger train collided with a freight train in northern greece about 350 people were aboard the passenger train. chapman bell joins us live what more can you tell us about that crash >> reporter: good morning, frances. these two trains, one a passenger train traveling from athens, the other a freight train, colliding head on, on the

same track now this was near the city of larissa in central northern greece, but exactly how this happened is still under investigation and is unclear the region's governor saying that they were traveling at high speed on the same track before colliding into one another now we know several of the cars derailed many also being engulfed in flames one passenger on board the train saying it was like an earthquake now rescue workers have been working through the night and into this morning to try to find survivors amidst the twisted metal and smoke from this crash in the surrounding areas at least 30 ambulances are on the scene, and they will continue looking for survivors as the investigation is already under way. frances? >> something else to see that video. a head-on crash. chapman, thank you the senate environment and public works committee has asked

the ceo of norfolk southern railway to testify under oath about the train derailment in east palestine, ohio chuck schumer says the company owes the american people some answers to some very important questions. a hearing could come as early as next week. a freight train partially derailed in florida, about 50 miles south of tampa six cars overturned, including one containing propane another propane car had a set of wheels come off the rail but remained standing. there were no leaks and no injuries the vice president of seminole gulf railway says the company will clear and repair the tracks this coming week vanessa bryant has reached a nearly $30 million settlement with los angeles county over photos taken of the scene of the deadly 2020 helicopter crash that claimed the lives of her husband kobe bryant and their daughter gianna. seven other people were killed the settlement brings an end to the litigation with the county over photos first responders took of the site

they were later shown or shared with others. the financial future of tens of millions of americans hangs in the balance this morning as the supreme court considers whether the biden administration has the authority to erase student loan debt. here's alice barr. >> this is what democracy looks like >> reporter: passionate protests outside the supreme court as justice hear arguments over whether the biden administration can move forward with plans to forgive up to $20,000 in student loan debt for lower income borrowers. >> for us, this is the fight for our lives. and this is a fight for our future >> reporter: the administration says more than 40 million americans are eligible for relief 26 million have already applied. but six republican-led states filed suit to block the program, arguing that federal agencies cannot put in place sweeping new policies with a significant economic impact without congress

signing off. justices in the court's conservative majority zeroing in on that point. >> we take very seriously the idea of separation of powers >> reporter: also questioning whether the policy is fair to other americans. >> for example, people who've paid their loans >> reporter: the biden administration arguing the plan falls under a 2003 law that allows for student loan relief when there's a national emergency. the administration and advocates say the covid pandemic applies >> everything else about covid that small businesses got, big businesses got, the states didn't sue why are they suing about individuals who really need it >> reporter: liberal-leaning justices questioning whether the challengers have legal standing to sue >> the people who are suing have to show they've been injured and the six states really have not been injured here. >> reporter: analysts say that is the administration's best hope for preserving the policy

in washington, alice barr, nbc news winter weather wallops much of the country this week and the threat isn't over. another cross-country storm s system just hit california with more snow as many residents are still digging out. a state of emergency was ordered in the mountains just outside of l.a. and residents buried under as much as seven feet of snow are trapped in san bernardino county and rationing food and running short on supplies. >> among those snowed in were students from orange county taking a trip for a science camp anoushah rasta has the details >> excited >> yeah. >> reporter: after spending an extra three cold days in the mountains. >> we had a good time! but, you know, the extended stay is ready to end. >> reporter: hundreds of orange county students finally made their way back home with the california highway patrol escort >> i just wish we would have

gotten in and out before the storm. >> reporter: students from at least two orange county school districts with supposed to return home from a trip on friday but they got snowed in, in running springs and in crest line, after last week's record-breaking storm. >> it was a science camp, but this was a life lesson for them. how to deal with adapt to change, and how to deal with things that come up unexpectedly and that was, that's the life lesson they get out of this. >> reporter: dangerous road conditions made it impossible to bus the students back late last week >> this is definitely the worst it's been, the worst i've ever seen as far as the storm goes >> reporter: the chp together with cal trans made sure the bus driver also a safe place to pull over and removed those chains to make their way to the bottom of the mountain in the city of highland wheremany worried parents waited to peck uick up r

kids >> amazing, i hadn't seen him in, oh, seems like forever really grad he's back. i miss him >> reporter: the students telling nbc 4 it was an unforgettable trip >> it was pretty fun, even though we were stuck there t was pretty fun >> reporter: but they're grad to be going home. >> watched a lot of movies >> yeah? >> watched a lot of movies >> our thanks to anoushah for that report and that is a mountain adventure let's get the latest with the storm system and where it's headed with angie lassman. >> another busy week for us weather wise we officially in meteorological spring, but we're going to pick up on snow in the rockies as the system continues the trek to the east we'll have the potential for strong to severe storms in the plains and a bull's eye again tomorrow could be a dangerous afternoon not just today but even into tomorrow this is where we're looking for the potential impacts later today. little rock, memphis, tupelo,

you're all involved this that, we could see hail, damaging winds and tomorrow we'll have the potential for record highs area temperatures in new orleans ending at 82 degrees, 88 for san antonio. and we've got to talk about, of course, the snow that's ahead for some in the midwest. the rain and warmer than normal temperatures no surprise there. >> the ups and downs angie, thanks. >> coming up in 60 seconds, the end of the road for chicago mayor lori lightfoot us, plwhy three more "rust" crew members are suing alec baldwin. with new febreze air mist.

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leading the news, chicago mayor lori lightfoot has lost her bid for reelection according to projections by the associated press, the democrat failed to garner enough votes in the nine-person race to qualify for an april 4 runoff election she's first chicago mayor in 40 years to lose reelection she made history as the city's first black woman and openly-gay person to serve in that position crime was a central focus of the election paul valas, a former ceo of chicago schools will face off against brandon johnson, endorsed by the teachers union alec baldwin is being sued by three crew members who worked on the set of "rest" they allege that they were left with anxiety and ptsd. the producers are also being sued hutchens was killed when a gun

went off they say the deafening sound of the shot also left them with blast injuries baldwin and the firm's armorer, hannah gutierrez reed have been charged with involuntary manslaughter both deny wrongdoing the faa is investigating another close call on an airport runway this happened at boston's logan airport when a jetblue flight was preparing to land and the pilot of a learjet took off without clearance. the jetblue plane had to take evasive action to avoid the jet. representatives for learjet could not be reached for comment. jetblue says their crews are trained to react to situations like this and they will help with the investigation okay the moon may soon be getting its own time zone. the european space agency wants a method for lunar time keeping to be created.

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peter pan? >> were you expecting someone else >> what do you say, boys you ready for an adventure >> disney plus just released the trailer for the live action film "peter pan and wendy". the film stars alexander maloney in his film debut as peter man and yara shahidi making history at first black woman to play the role of tinkerbell

it smells like good barbecue actor david grohl spent 24 hours volunteering at a shelter. he lent a helping hand at the grill for the center during last winter's storm last week's storm, excuse me the smoked brings sket and more. a cross country skier has just accomplished something no other american has done in the history of the sport here's kristin dahlgren to explain. >> reporter: there was a time when it seemed like this -- >> and that might do it! >> reporter: was unthinkable >> it wasn't very long ago, the wax alone, the budget to put on the skis was bigger than our

entire operational budget. it was a david and goliath story. >> reporter: meet david, better known as jessie diggins, from minnesota, taking the top spot at this week's world championships. >> it's been years and years and years in the making. so it's been very emotional. >> reporter: diggins wears that emotion like the gold sparkles that adorn her face on race days, along with the sheer exhaustion after a grueling 10-kilometer race. >> i want to know that i left it all out there and i couldn't possibly have tried any harder >> reporter: diggins first burst onto the world stage in pyeongchang in 2018 with this team gold medal finish >> jessie diggins! delivering a landmark moment >> reporter: for her it's always been about more than bringing home medals. >> it's so possible, if you work hard, surround yourself with a team and really push your

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serious side effects. in a survey, 92% of current users said they wish they'd talked to their doctor and started botox® sooner. so, ask your doctor if botox® is right for you. learn how abbvie could help you save on botox®. right now at 4:30, the rain is gone but freezing temperatures are lingering. here is a live look at san jose. meteorologist kari hall is breaking down a freeze warning, and mike inouye is monitoring our commute. plus -- >> the types of attacks you're going to see, they're going to continue to increase in situations where it causes panic. >> rising tensions following the discovery of china's surveillance balloon. now scott mcgrew speaks with a cybersecurity expert about how the government is monitoring new potential threats. this is "today in the bay," streaming live on roku, amazon fire, and online. >>