slug it out, it's trump on the way to the nomination. bill gates sides with the fbi, saying apple should unlock the phone of one of the san bernardino shooters. >> this is a specific case where the government is asking for access to information. >> will apple relent under mounting pressure, or will it be up to a judge to decide? fighting for life. the mother of the 14-year-old girl shot by an uber driver in michigan is speaking out. >> it was a miracle. >> this morning, how that young girl proved she was alive even as the hopes of doctors were fading. erin andrews gets her day in court after a stalker records her behind closed doors. when the hotel negligent for letting it today?

today, tuesday, february 23rd, 2016. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "toadday" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning. welcome to "today." tuesday morning. i'm savannah guthrie. we have willie in for matt again this morning. the battle between apple and the government got more interesting. >> one of the founding fathers of silicon valley, bill gates, came out on the side of the government against apple. >> we've seen titans line up on different times.sides. our top story is politics. today's nevada gop caucus and, of course, next week's super tuesday contest are looming large for both parties. let's start with nbc national correspondent peter alexander. good morning. >> good morning to you from here on the vegas strip. donald trump is in the driver's

rivals have barely touched him. today will pit trump against the son of the city, marco rubio, who spent his childhood here and has more family here than in miami. cruz is looking to sneak in second. >> reporter: it's starting to sound like its vegas act. trump, the inevitable. >> we have a big lead and don't want to blow it. we have to go all the way. >> reporter: venting his anger against a protester. >> we're not allowed to punch back anymore. i love the old days. you know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? they'd be carried out on a stretcher, folks. i'd like to punch him in the face. >> reporter: trump is polling ahead of his rivals in 10 of the next 14 states. >> if we nominate someone that half the republican party hates, we're going to be fighting against each other all the way to november. we'll never win that way. >> reporter: with jeb bush out,

the establishment's large,. ted cruz is cleaning up the mess within his campaign, with his top aide showing cruz blow off the bible. >> we will conduct the campaign with the highest standards. >> rubio outraged. >> for them to take a video and transcribe words on it that's not what i said, it's disturbing. every day, something comes out of the cruz campaign that's not true. >> reporter: later, trump teed off on cruz. >> this guy is sick. >> reporter: despite speculation that a rubio-kasich ticket could prove formidable, kayaides say, no way. kasich described how he first won public office 40 years ago.

who -- and many women who left their kitchens to go out and go door to door, and to put yard signs up for me, all the way back when, you know, things were different. >> reporter: the clinton campaign pouncing. it's 2016. a woman's place is wherever she wants it to be. kasich later apologized for what he called an inartful comment. >> this morning, we're getting a snapshot at where things stand. a roll shows trump holding on to the lead nationally, 36%. ted cruz in second. marco rubio creeping up in the last week. what's noticeable in the numbers, rubio gained this last week with two key republican groups heavily represented in nevada. white evangelicals and voters who identify as conservative. savannah and willie? on the democratic side, bernie sanders says he has no plans to leave the race, even with hillary clinton taking the

clinton52 to sanders 51. a survey of super delegates finds 449 backs clinton and only 19 supports sanders. sanders told supporters monday he sees a path to victory. >> short three letter answer is y-e-s. we are in the campaign till the end. we have gone much faster, much further than any or many people would have believed possible. >> they've got the resources to stay in. next up for democrats, the south carolina primary on saturday, where clinton holds a big lead in the polls. let's bring in chuck todd, "moderate" moderator of "meet the press." we want to run through the scenarios that establishment republicans are running through right now. how you would stop trump, who is in a commanding position. there are a couple scenarios

the first one, you mentioned, has cruz losing to trump in texas. explain. >> well, savannah, the cleanest way to stop trump is to hurry up and get this to a one on one between marco rubio and trump. what's the fastest way for that to happen? on super tuesday, for ted cruz to lose his home state of texas. it's a neck and neck race. this gives donald trump potential advantage because he can beat his rivals in their home states. if you're marco rubio, the fastest way to get to a one on one, cruz loses texas and, suddenly, everybody coaoasces and a possibility of a one on one is there. >> we hear it almost every four years. brokered convention. this is going to the convention and hadn't happened for more than 60 years. could this be the year, and what does that look like? >> it's possible. on super tuesday, of the 12 don contests, essentially, everybody

rubio wins tennessee and florida. cruz wins texas. donald trump wins his fair share. it's three or four didn't candidates who win regional states or their home states and nobody has a delegate lead. by the way, we will know this on march 16th. we'll know the day after the second super tuesday in march if there is only a 100 delegate lead for trump, we're going to a brokered convention. >> there's one other scenario, and that's a late entrant to the race. >> this would be if trump is blowing through march and then the panic really sets in, and then it's all about simplpl denying him a majority of delegates, doing whatever it takes. there is still a filing deadline to make in the california primary. maybe a mitt romney. this is a scenario someone outlined to me a couple days ago. mitt romney would file late, you may get favorite sons and daughters to file late, simply to try to beat trump, deny him delegates and create another way for a brokered convention.

most farfetched. >> romney said he won't get in but maybe it'll change. before we let you know, let's look at the democrats and do math. we laid out the challenges bernie sanders has. 20% of the delegates up for grabs on super tuesday. hilarylary clinton has a good sized lead in a lot of the states. >> she does. the only way this starts to be -- to get tough for her again is if, number one, bernie sanders comes within single digits on saturday in south carolina. and then from there, he's got to beat her in a big state. texas, tennessee, virginia, georgia. those are four of the biggest states on super tuesday. can he beat her in one of the four? if he does, i think maybe he has a chance to sort of reset this race. right now, it doesn't look possible. >> chuck todd, thank you so much. >> chuck, thanks a lot. there is a new wrinkle in the fight between apple and the fbi over a cell phone used by one of the san bernardino shooters. bill gates is weighing in and you might be surprised by what he's saying.

good morning. >> good morning, willie. surprising because up until now, the other tech giants, includeing facebook's mark zuckerberg, the founder of twitter and founder of google supporters apple. bill gates says apple should do what the fbi is asking. >> i think the people want the government to act on their behalf if the safeguards are there. >> reporter: bill gates, the founder of microsoft, says technology companies should be forced to cooperate with law enforcement in terror investigations. he disagrees with apple's ceo tim cook, that forcing apple to help open the iphone will set a dangerous precedent. >> historically, the government has gone to phone companies and banks and lots of companies to gather information. >> reporter: washington lawyer ted olson, representing apple, says the government never demanded this much.

important to the citizens of this country and to the people that buy apple products. are we going to allow terrorists to take that right away from us? without fighting back and asking the court to look into these issues? >> reporter: writing in the "new york times," new york's police commissioner also goes after apple. he asks, how is not solving a murder or not finding the message that might stop the next terrorist attack protecting anyone? a new poll shows 51% say apple should help the fbi unlock the phone. 38% side with apple. for gates, he says he welcomes the controversy. >> people feel like the government not being blind and being able to try and stop bad things before they happen, it's a good debate to be having. >> apple customers who support the company stand against the fbi plan demonstrations today in more than 30 cities. they'll carry banners that say, don't break our iphones. >> fascinating debate.

former nsa and cia chief taking up for apple. pete, thanks so much. >> complicated questions. we turn to the tragic shooting spree? kalamazoo, michigan. a vigil was held for the victims last night. we're hearing from the family of a teenager clinging to life this hour, as police try to figure out a motive in the attacks that appear to be random. ron mott has the latest on this. good morning to you. >> good morning, savannah. 14-year-old girl is one of two survivors of the shootings. she's being treated behind me at bronson methodist hospital, as the community is struggling what drives someone to target unsuspecting people like her. >> she is alive, and she is fighting for her life. >> reporter: late monday, tears and hope from the parents of abigail, the youngest victim in the kalamazoo shooting spree. >> abigail is strong, and she is a vibrant, beautiful young lady and didn't deserve this.

a crackerbarrel parking lot, along with four women who are killed. while doctors prepared for organ donation, she squeezed her mother's hand. >> it was a miracle on its own. >> reporter: doctors say the other survivor has a bullet lodged in her kidney but is expected to recover. nbc news learned the girlfriend of tyler smith, killed alongside with his father in a car dealership, survivored by hiding under a blanket in a car. the suspect, uber driver, jason dalton, admitted involvement in the rampage that killed six people. >> he made a statement. >> from his responses, there's little remorse. >> reporter: no answer to the questions why. >> i prefer to remain silent. >> reporter: authorities allege dalton was picking up uber passengers between shootings. no red flags. prior to that day, his record looked good.

the job one month, undergone a background check by the company and had a high rating before his arrest. hundreds came together at a vigil monday night to pray for the survivors and remember the victims. >> the 45-year-old suspect is due back in court in a few weeks on march 10th. back to you. >> ron mott, thank you. by the way, coming up in the next half hour, we'll focus on how companies like uber screen potential employees. questions a lot of people have in the wake of this. bill cosby's wife has answered questions under oath in a civil suit tied to her husband's alleged sexual assault of seven women. lawyers say she answered questions for two and a half hours at a massachusetts hotel. the seven women accuse her husband of defaming them by denying their allegations of sexual assault. the plaintiff's lawyer spoke after monday's definitionaf deposition. he said he beliefs the juries

>> at the end of the day, a jury is going to determine who has more credibility. is it the seven women that we represent, or is it bill cosby? >> camille cosby will answer questions at a second deposition next month. bill cosby has repeatedly denied all claims of sexual misconduct. there is a threat of severe weather in the south today and al is watching that. >> right. not just today but into the overnight hours which can be potentially very dangerous. we're watching the storms already firing up from houston to galveston, corpus christi, pushing to the east. we have a tornado threat from new orleans to houston, 21 million people at risk, large hail, tornadoes likely. overnight, tonight into tomorrow morning, we've got a severe risk, a strong risk, from mobile to crestview. tallahassee involved, as well. wind gusts of 60 miles per hour. this will push to the east early today, the storms in texas.

we move to this evening. the storms move to mississippi. damaging winds and really significant, long-tracked tornadoes overnight. wednesday, it tracks into georgia, the carolinas. we're looking for a tornado threat in the eastern carolinas, as well. over the next couple days, anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of rain. guys, the real threat here, especially overnight, we can't stress this enough, the danger of the tornadoes, especially long-track ones. there's a winter side to the storm, as well. >> we'll check back in a second, al. news from overseas. the syrian government saying it accepted a halt to combat operations in line with the u.s.-russian plan for a partial truce. syria would coordinate with russia to decide which groups and areas would be included in the cease-fire. isis is not included in the deal. john kerry will appear before the senate foreign relations committee over enforcement of the truce. the ongoing battle over the

to fill the seat of the vacancy left by the death of antonin scalia. biden was a senator 24 years ago. june of 198992, biden said the senate should not consider a nominee during an election year. he was speaking hypothetically. the senate wasn't considering a nominee at the time. biden responded. as my record shows, i presided over the consideration of justice kennedy, reagan nominee, who was confirmed in a presidential election year. we have dramatic video out of australia. a construction crane was on fire in melbourne. that led to this. the arm of the crane crashing to the ground. in the accident. the fire may have started in the motor of the crane. huge waves are causing big problems in hawaii. a historic swell hit the north shore of oahu with waves jumping

transportation officials were forced to close the highway. locals said the surf was the biggest they've seen in a decade. a few daring surfers jumped in for a ride. al is back with more on the weather. >> quick look at the national forecast. we'll show you we are expecting the strong storms down through the south. beautiful weather along the west coast. we have snow out of the rockies. it'll make its way east later on. we'll get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds.cloudy with showersand patchy fog. near

temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s. wednesday...sho wers. thunderstorms likely...mainly in the afternoon. some thunderstorms may be severe in the afternoon. breezy and not as cool with highs in the mid 60s. thursday...mostl y sunny and breezy. highs in the mid 50s. friday...sunny. highs in the upper 40s. saturday...sunny. highs around 50. sunday...sunny. highs in the upper 50s. monday...partly sunny. highs in the lower 60s. snowy side of the storm will come up in ten minutes. opening statements begin today and sports reporter erin andrews lawsuit. was the hotel where she was videotaped by a stalker negligent? the vetting process in companies like uber in wake of the deadly rampage in kalamazoo, michigan.

first, this is "today" on nbc. just ahead, kesha's dispute with the production she's accused of abuse. what he's saying about the allegations and the fellow stars rallying behind her. the duke and duchess' staff are threatening to strike. we'll explain after your local news. there is no way allergies are getting in my way. 14 days into my allergy season... ...and i am still claritin clear. because when i got itchy watery eyes... ...i started taking claritin every day. when your allergy symptoms start, doctors recommend taking one claritin every day of your allergy season for continuous relief. 23 days relief from sneezing... ...and runny nose. claritin is powerful, lasts 24 hours... ...and it's non-drowsy. get the number one doctor recommended... ...non-drowsy allergy brand. live claritin clear. every day. only kraft natural cheese has a touch of philadelphia cream cheese, so whatever you make,

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right now, a murder suspect---in custody, following an overnight standoff in northwest charlotte. police say "tyquan powell" barricaded himself inside a home on pointer ridge drive near seedling lane. the swat team was called out just before four this morning to help c-m-p-d officers. they were able to get inside the house and take the suspect into custody with no trouble. "powell" is wanted for murder in halifax county. today will be cloudy with showersand patchy fog. near steady temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s. wednesday...sho wers. thunderstorms likely...mainly in the

may be severe in the afternoon. breezy and not as cool with highs in the mid 60s. thursday...mostl y sunny and breezy. highs in the mid 50s. friday...sunn highs in thupper 40s.tua.unny. ghs around 50. nday.sunny. ghs in eper 50s.ny...partly nny. highs in e lower 60s. ming uon- c chartte,the important decision c-m-s board members have to make today, that will effect your child's education. we're back here

7:30 now. it's tuesday morning, 23rd of february, 2016. it's like we're at a rave here. it's studio 1a. we have a nice crowd outside. we'll get out there in a couple moments. >> this is the lamest rave. i love you guys but as raves go, this is not a great rave. back inside studio 1a, here's a look at the headlines. republican presidential candidates are vying for votes

donald trump holds another commanding lead in the polls as he looks to make it three wins in a row. at a packed rally last night, even trump seemed surprised by his performance so far. >> who knew this was going to happen? i figured maybe we'd be in the middle of the pack and edge it out at the end, like a racehorse. we win in the end. but we have a big lead and we don't want to blow it. you know, frankly, we've got to go all the way. >> no republican has ever won new hampshire and south carolina and lost the nomination. a judge denied bail to the uber driver accused of going on a deadly shooting rampage in kalamazoo, michigan. jason dalton is charged with killing six people and attempting to kill two others. so far, no motive has been determined. and the white house has just announced that later this morning, president obama will make a statement on the detention facility at guantanamo bay, cuba, a facility he's vowed

also this morning, sports reporter erin andrews and her $75 million lawsuit against a peeper tom who recorded her naked and the hotel she blames for allowing it to happen. the trial against underway. >> it was a public personality's most private moments. this morning, sports reporter erin andrews is going after not only her stalker but the hotel that put him in the room right next to her. >> reporter: sports caster erin andrews walks into a national courtroom this morning, eight years after a man secretly recorded her naked in her hotel room, then posted it online. looking for a payback, she's asking for $75 million from the stalker. and the hotel where it happened. in 2008, a man, michael barrett,

followed andrews from city to city. at this marriott hotel in nashville, according to court documents, barrett requested his room be placed next to andrews and he was granted the request. the complaint saying barrett removed and altered the peephole of andrews' door and recorded her getting dressed without her knowledge. andrews' emotions were raw still at the trial, agonizing over an embarrassing video that had been viewed more than 300 million times. >> i won't get this down in 30 years. my kids, my future husband, will have to deal with this. >> reporter: barrett pleaded guilty to stalking and shooting the nude videos and served 30 months in prison. he's free now. in a civil suit, andrews is suing barrett and marriott. the management company at the time. claiming the video caused and continued to cause her great emotional distress and

andrews telling oprah. >> i kept screaming, i'm done. my career is over. i'm done. >> reporter: but she wasn't. she's appeared as a host and contestant on "dancing with the stars." her career as a sports reporter thrived. >> if i run and hide, it's showing the stalker victims you should be ashamed of yourself. i did nothing wrong. i should be allowed to live my life, but this isn't over. >> the jury of seven women and five men will hear opening statements this morning in a trial expected to last about two weeks. andrews' stalker will testify, but not in person. he will be on video. back to you. >> thank you. now to more on the deadly shootings in michigan that killed six people and wounded two more. the uber driver now charged in the case picked up passengers during his killing spree. there were no apparent red flags and uber did run a background check on him. but some are wondering if more could have been gone to prevent

like uber veterinary employee their employees. tom costello has been looking into it. >> uber doesn't plan to change any policies following the tragedy in michigan. in large part, because the suspect had no criminal background. in this digital age of apps and ride sharing and home sharing, how do you know if you're totally safe? >> reporter: it takes just a click and these days, you can borrow a total stranger's bedroom for a weekend get away, or summon a stranger to take you, even your kids, home. all you have to go on is the other person's customer rating. every uber driver is rated. >> you can rate them on your app. they can rate you. it's like, it's reliable. i trust them. >> reporter: uber says driver jason dalton had a close to perfect rating. 4.73 stars and he passed the uber background check. no criminal record. >> in a situation like this

back completely clean and the motor vehicle checks are completely clean, we can't always prescreen and predict all behavior. >> reporter: to become an uber driver, an applicants must provide name, address, social security number and insurance company. uber vets them through local and international databases. uber has been accused of not doing enough elsewhere. prosecutors in l.a. and san francisco last year said the background checks missed criminal records of 25 drivers. including one who spent 26 years in prison for second degree murder. and uber doesn't run fingerprint checks of potential drivers like taxi companies do. >> because uber does not use fingerprints, it can't be sure the information on the background check belongs to the applicant. >> reporter: one challenge, services like uber are growing too fast to thoroughly check everyone. >> you're not sitting next to the person who is going to hire

and convincing them to hire you. >> reporter: uber drivers themselves have been targeted. passengers. some violence caught on camera. from ride sharing to home sharing, it's a brave new world. for millions of americans, there is no substitute for safety. >> so in this new economy of sharing, the question is whether simple arithmetic would suggest bad actors will get through, as they do in every business. in education, schools, in industry. as one uber rider said to me, i believe in what ronald reagan used to preach. trust but verify. back to you. >> tom costello, thanks so much. uber saying this guy had no criminal record. we couldn't have caught him in the first place. >> 4.75 rating, so he was good to that point. >> tragic situation. let's talk about the weather. >> we're talking about the winter side of the storm. now, we have winter weather

champagne, illinois, up to michigan. 11 million people under these watches. we're watching this storm system push up through the ohio valley. rain will change to wet snow in ohio and indiana. we expect it to continue east into the appalachians tomorrow. it'll end as snow for interior parts of the northeast. snowfall is basically going to be really confined to northern michigan, where we could see over a foot up near saginaw. chicago, you'll see about 4 to 6 inches of snow before it's all over. cloudy with patchy fog. near temperatures in upper 40s to low wednesday...sho wers. thunderstorms likely...mainly in the thunderstorms may be severe in the afternoon. breezy and not as cool with highs in the mid 60s. thursday...mostl y sunny and breezy. highs in the mid 50s. friday...sunny. upper 40s. saturday...sunny. highs around 50. highs in the upper 50s. sunny. highs in the lower 60s.

>> that's your latest weather. >> al, thank you very much. coming up on trending, surprise stowaway. what a gorilla is doing aboard the international space station. >> what? >> got to be a good story there. first, why members of the kensington palace staff are threatening to go on strike and what it can what if there was another way to look at relapsing multiple sclerosis? this is tecfidera. tecfidera is not an injection. it's a pill for relapsing ms that has the power to cut relapses in half. imagine what you could do with fewer relapses. tecfidera may cause serious side effects, such as allergic reactions, pml, which is a rare brain infection that usually leads to death or severe disability, and decreases in your white blood cells.

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what must the queen be thinking? >> reporter: at the royal palaces, they are worried abilityabout money. not the income the royals receive, but a proposed pay cut for some staff. already, some are complaining that william is a little, well, underemployed, putting in few shifts as a helicopter pilot and taking a month off at christmas. kate was working hard just last week. >> how long does it take to change over? >> reporter: editing an online newspaper for charity. no, stop the press, it's some royal staff threatening a strike. they're among those who work at william and kate's home, kensington palace. royal employees fear they'll lose $5,000 a year. the salaries cut by a charity that manages the palaces. former staff say when you work with the royals, you don't do it for the money. >> you've worked for the royals. why does someone work for the royals?

privilege, the idea that i'm working next to a royal. >> reporter: it can't help that kensington palace just had an upgrade, costing $23 million. >> those staff that are closest to william and kate, the guys that buttered their toast and poured their tea are not involved. but the royals are famously frugal. the queen is said to walk around buckingham palace switching off the lights to save electric. true story. >> she turns the thermostat down. true story. >> a lot of places -- >> don't stand with the refrigerator door open. >> keir, thank you so much. just ahead, what is that? the massive fish the size of a car. >> what? >> it has the internet buzzing. and the change coming to starbucks not sitting well with some customers. first, these messages. binge eating disorder, or b.e.d.,... ...isn't just overeating. it's a real medical condition. and while the exact cause is unknown...

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what's upset a lot of starbucks customers today. carson is in the orange room with that story. >> wish me luck. starbucks announced on monday what they called exciting new changes to the rewards program. many on social media were not so thrilled. here's the deal. right now, you get a star every time you make a purchase. basically, no matter what you order, you're earning points toward a free drink. come april, the focus shifts. you're going to get points based on how much you spend instead. if you are like me and get a simple coffee every day, it'll take $40 more to reach the free beverage each time. if you spend more, you'll get there faster. starbucks said this was the number one request heard from customers. tim wrote, thanks starbucks for punishing those of us that like regular black coffee. steven wrote, now i have to spend three times as much to gain any rewards.

starbucks are encouraging people to hold out for what's to come. they tweeted, we'll be introducing new ways to earn stars so the majority of members will earn stars just as fast, if not fast as before. it remains to be seen if this will have impact on customer loyalty. we'll find out in april. >> you lost me at, try to follow this. >> all the time at starbucks and not getting the rewards, i've been missing out. >> if this is our biggest problem, we're doing great as a country. thanks, carson. coming up, natalie's devil wears prada moment as cosmopolitan's newest intern.

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rollar and larry sprinkle... today will be cloudy with showersand patchy fog. near steady temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s. wednesday...sho wers. thunderstorms likely...mainly in the afternoon. some thunderstorms may be severe in the afternoon. breezy and not as cool with highs in the mid 60s. thursday...mostl y sunny and breezy. highs in e mid 50s.iday...sunnyg in theper 40stday...sunny.g around 50. nd.sunny. ghsn theper 50nday...partly nny. highs in the lower 6.dependencblvd accident at rdisck uo77 atvolaarrowwood road at 77 today, the c-m-s school board will vote on the student reassignment plan. members will decide on a set of goals... like reducing poverty and increasing diversity in schools. we'll have a crew at that meeting.

vote in our 11 o'clock newscast. coming up at 8:26: what the mayor is doing this morning to kick off the "c-i-double-a" tournament. but first on the today show, the surprising sisterhood of celebrities-- speaking out on behalf of "kesha". have a great day.

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, the angelina effect. a new study reveals more women than ever are opting to undergo preventative mastectomies. is it the right decision? then the pop star versus the producer. the man behind kesha's biggest hits breaks his silence after she accuses him of rape. the high court battle that has some of the biggest names

up for the job. >> "cosmopolitan," here i come. >> natalie finds out if she has what it takes to be an intern at "cosmopolitan" magazine. >> first off, tea, little bit of milk, no sugar. >> today, tuesday, february 23rd, 2016. this is how we do wanna know what it is, make the boys want more >> we're from san diego and we love "today." >> hey, mom and dad are in new york city. >> hi, we love you. >> good morning! >> happy anniversary to my wife back in virginia. i love you. >> it's 8:00 on "today."

2016. i know i say this every day, but it's true, we have the best crowd. everyone is so excited and happen poihappy to be here. it's chilly on our plaza, but good day for a selfie. >> al and i were doing a little joke. >> matt is a little under the weather. he'll be back soon, we hope, but we have willie filling in. coming up, celebrity style for the rest of us. we'll show you how to tackle some of the season's hottest trends that you think you can't pull off. >> willie, you could pull that off. >> you think so? >> absolutely. first, let's head inside with natalie for a check of the top stories. donald trump boasting a big lead but playing rough heading into nevada's kaucaucuses. trump said he'd like to punch a protester in the face.

for tweeted an inaccurate video that falsely accused rubio of brushing off the brieblible. with jeb bush out of the race, rubio is hoping to get establishment republicans, backed by a new endorsement by bob dole. apple's refusaleing to hack the iphone of one of the san bernardino terrorist attack shooters. there were protests organized by tech freedom groups. over half of americans back the fbi's effort to force apple to help investigateorsinvestigators. microsoft founder bill gates has come out in support of the fbi, saying this is a specific case and not a general rekwex byquest by the agency. a new report finds more women are opting for preventive mastectomies than ever before. dr. natalie azar, nbc medical

make sense of the study. >> good morning. >> women between the years 2005 to 2013 are getting, by more than 1/3, more mastectomies than ever before. at the same time, the rate of cancer remained unchanged. >> yeah. >> what does this tell you? >> i mean, i definitely think the immediate interpretation is women are being more aggressive about their care and they're being more proactive. but according to experts, the biggest risk for a woman in terms of recurring cancer or cancer in general breast cancer has to do with their genetic predisposition, as well as family history. according to studies that have been done, what seems to be driving this more aggressive approach is more fear and anxiety. maybe some misperceptions about what their actual risk is. because the studies would suggest for many early stage cancers, a more conservative approach has the same outcome asthmaas as mastectomy.

according to the same period, the women getting double mastectomies tripled. are they taking off more than they need to? >> if you're in thefamily history isn't strong, you outcome would probably be similar if you do a more conservative approach. researchers are slightly alarmed at the trend. >> this study isn't taking into account the angelina effect because these were the years 2005 to 2013. >> right. >> she had her procedure in 2013. >> which is a perceptive point. i think if this trend continues, we might see a higher number in the next five to ten years, if the effect actually comes into play. >> dr. azar, thanks so much. charlie sheen's revelation here on "today" that he was hiv positive may have had a life-saving impact. more people googled hiv and related terms after sheen's appearance than ever before. researchers at san diego state

searches for hiv information jumped by 2.75 million. after years of waning interesting, news reports mentioning hiv increased by 250% on the day of sheen's exclusive interview with matt here in november. a fish getting revenge on a young hockey fan? it is the university of new hampshire tradition. you toss a fish on to the ice after the home team's first goal. when the tradition called, this guy flopped. he couldn't heave the heavy, slippery fish over the glass. took him three tries. disgusting. his embarrassing performance, now a viral sensation. floppy fish. not sure what to make of that. >> wow. >> how'd the fish get there? >> it's a tradition. >> they bring it into the arena. if you don't get it over twice, quit and put it back in the bag. >> bring it to dinner.

now to a heated case pitting kesha against a producer. >> she's fighting to get out of our recording contrast. this morning the man at the center of the dispute is speaking out for the first time. here's joe fryer. don't stop, make it rock, blow my speakers up tonight >> reporter: the high profile between a pop star and hit producer is turning into a trial by twitter. kesha getting a flurry of support from fellow singers and celebrities after her defeat on friday. a judge denied the singer's bid to be released from a recording contract with dr. luke, the producer she's currently suing, alleging sexual assault. her allies used the hashtag, free kesha. ariana grande, my heart is with kesha rose. taylor swift is donating

>> kesha is going to have a difficult road ahead of her to win in the court of law. however, she seems to be winning, big time, in the court of public opinion. >> reporter: in 2014, kesha sued dr. luke, the man who discovered her, claiming he sexually, physically, verbally and emotionally abused her. she alleges dr. luke continuous continuously forced himself on her while she was intoxicated and drugged. monday, dr. luke also took to twitter, echoing denials he's filed in court. saying i never raped kesha and never had sex with her. we've been friends and she's like my little sister. kesha and her council are accused of ruining his career for financial gain. dr. luke is suing kesha, claiming she made up the allegation so she could get out

him ask sonyew and sony music. kesha's attorneys argue her career is at a stand still because she won't work with dr. luke as the contract requires. his attorneys say kesha is free to record and release music without working with dr. luke as a producer if she doesn't want to. he claim to say she didn't free is a myth. both sides are digging in, fighting in and out of the courtroom. for "today," joe fryer, nbc news, los angeles. >> let's bring in our legal analyst, lisa. we haven't gone through trial. this is the beginning of the case. she's saying he abused me, i don't want to work with him. therefore, i want out of the recording contract. sony is saying, you don't have to work with him, but you do have to be bound by the contract. >> importantly, this is a preliminary injunction hearing, which is an early hearing in the case. it's not trial yet. her lawyer had to meet a high legal bar.

the claims weren't specific enough and he didn't bring forth evidence in support of her allegations. >> this is just the first step and she lost the first legal battle. it doesn't prevent her from going forward with the case. >> right. >> what happens to the claims that she makes of all kinds of abuse by dr. luke? what happens in the court process with those? does she have to prove them? >> eventually, there will be a trial and her attorney can bring worth witnesses and evidence, and any corroboration that they have. at this point, the judge said, look, there is no irreparable injury pausebecause you don't have to work with dr. luke anymore. she's claiming maybe sony wouldn't promote her in the future. the judge said that's not enough at these stages. >> dr. luke, the producer, says she gave a statement, kesha, under oath at a previous deposition, saying it didn't happen. is that a problem? >> she was an adult when we made the statement. the sexual assault survivors tend to say it didn't happen before they come forward with claims. it's tough for her to overcome.

she apparently never went to law enforcement and reported it? >> that's less of a problem. most repe erksrape victims don't go to law enforcement. >> you see the celebrities and they're saying, free kesha and sympathetic to her and her claims, but she is free to record as long as she stays with sony. if these allegations were proven, if she ultimately prevailed at trial, would that be enough to get her out of the contract with sony? >> i think it's a winning point for sony, that she does not have to work with dr. luke anymore. they point out that pursuant to the contract, they've lived up to their end. they spent millions of promoting her music. they want to promote her music. sony and kesha want to make music. >> the court of public opinion is in full swing. >> girl power supporting her. >> thank you so much. coming up next, how do you handle it when you're at a restaurant and your order is

the sneaky way one ceo puts job candidates to the test. >> interesting one. plus, pigs in space. how about gorillas? we'll explain this sight on the international space station. the not so fabulous side of the fashion world. natalie takes on an internship at with my moderate to severe ulcerative colitis, the possibility of a flare was almost always on my mind. thinking about what to avoid, where to go... and how to deal with my uc. to me, that was normal. until i talked to my doctor. she told me that humira helps people like me get uc under control and keep it under control when certain medications haven't worked well enough. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened; as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where

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8:14, otherwise known as trending time. we've all been on job interviews and know the question, where do you see yourself in five years? what's your biggest weakness? >> right. >> the ceo of charles schwab takes a different approach. he takes the person to breakfast. it's not scones and green tea. beforehand, he tells the restaurant to mess up the job applicant's order, to get something wrong to see how they react. do they get upset, frustrated, are they understanding, solution-oriented? he told the "new york times," we'll all make mistakes. the question is, how will we recover and will we be respectful to others when they make them? it's a way to look inside someone's heart rather than just their heads. >> great idea. >> i like it. >> it's interesting. on the other hand, if you were

>> one has to do with the other. >> if you were on a job interview. apparently, it goes on to say that some bosses think if you're not assertive and don't say, i ordered the salmon, not the chicken, it says something negative. i think if i were on a job interview and they brought the wrong order, i wouldn't say one thing. i'd just eat it and concentrate on the interview. >> usually, you're too nervous >> not me. >> i wonder if anybody has shown up and gotten so mad and flipped the table order when the order was wrong. that's my guy right there. >> you're hired! all right, the words mola mola mola. it's this massive fish captured on video off the coast of portugal. it translates to ocean sunfish. it is the largest bony fish in the world. the species can weigh up to 5,000 pounds. the size of a small suv. this video is up to more than 4 million views.

>> mola mola doesn't translate to terrifying fish? >> no. >> giant forehead. >> look at the shape of that thing. >> translates to a special at red lobster. >> wow. >> rare mola mola. >> sorry. now to another strange creature, at least in space. what is king kong doing aboard the international space station? of course, it's not king kong, it's astronaut kelly having fun, chasing around a fellow crew member. where did he get the gorilla suit? >> acme. >> no, a care package sent by his twin brother, mark kelly. scott kelly wraps up his year-long experiment in space next week. >> that's what happens when you spend that much time in space. >> great excuse to play benny hill music.

might be time to come home. >> it's their entertainment. now to the pop star who just outdid the king of pop. a fictional president gets a real honor. >> rihanna is first up this morning. where's the tequila? >> oh! >> i'll try and make it through. rihanna has a huge milestone here. she has a new song called "work" featuring drake.topped the billboard singled chart, giving her her 14th hit. she has one more than michael jackson. they'd been tied at 13. with the new honor, rihanna is only behind the beetslesbeetles. celine dion getting back to her residency where she'll honor her husband, who died after battled cancer. the show will kick off at 10:30 eastern time.

her website. finally, a big honor for one of the nation's most respected and feared leaders. you respect president frank underwood, right? >> of course. >> the military vet from south carolina who is not above mau niplation -- murder? kevin spacey played him. it's part of a publicity stunt for the series which debuts march 4th. pretty good. that's your pop start today. tequila less. >> you keep a little flat today. >> thanks a lot. al, how is the weather looking? >> we have winter weather here in this area. first, again, want to reiterate the threat of severe weather down south. for today, this afternoon, we've got a risk, strong risk, from new orleans to hat.

overnight tornadoes. we're watching wet snow in the northeast. it'll start around noon. as it makes its way to the north, snow in boston, rain along the coast. winter weather advisories from parts of pennsylvania all the way up to vermont. heavy thunderstorms on wednesday in the afternoon. we look for some places picking up 2 to 3 inches of rain in the northeastemperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s. wednesday...sho wers. thunderstorms likely...mainly in the afternoon. some thunderstorms may be severe in the afternoon. breezy and not as cool with highs in the mid 60s. thursday...mostl y sunny and breezy. highs in e mid 50s.iday...sn highs in thep s.turday...n.highs around 50ny...sunny. highs in thper 50s.nday.partlynny. highs in the lower 60dependence >> that's your latest weather. willie?

day two of our up for the job "today" series, where we put our skills to the test by being interns. >> al tackled the san diego zoo on monday. natalie, it's your turn. >> i've always loved fashion and had the opportunity to work at "cosmopolitan "cosmopolitan," the best selling young women's magazine in the country. sounds like a dream, doesn't it? i filled in for the executive assistant to the editor in chief. what a day it was. "cosmopolitan," here i come. oh, my gosh. i feel like i'm in my dream right now. i'm living my dream. i like that one. i like that one. i like that one. little bit like "devil wears prada." hello. >> how are you? >> natalie morales. i'm your assistant for the day. >> good. my boots have got dog hairs on them. can you find a lint roller?

i'll be in with a lint roller. >> thank you. >> where is the lint roller? >> first off, tea, little bit of milk, no sugar. lipstick, i can't remember the color. i need endless supplies of it. the fruit bowl behind you, the banana looks like it's going to give off poisonous gases. get rid of it. these shoes, i want to meet the designer. try to get them in this afternoon. >> okay. >> that should do for now. >> is that all? >> it is for you, but i'll have more things in a couple of minutes. >> okay. tea, tea, tea. she likes earl gray. there is none. there's english breakfast. this is her cup but it doesn't fit. okay. >> natalie, natalie, when city for a cup of tea, i need it immediately. otherwise, had i been in a desert, my inner organs would have shrivelled to the size of a

dehydrated. >> i'll get it first next time. fancy, look at that. can i take a message for her? >> what is the chef's special in the cafe? >> grilled chicken. >> i need more tickets for "hamilton." >> she'd like to see, if possible, if you have four tickets available for friday's show. >> this friday? >> i need some jewels. >> she would like to see if she can borrow jewelry from sydney garber. friday, four tickets. >> lipstick, i need to reapply. >> needle in a hay stack. >> i think i found a lipstick. >> long earrings, feathered. >> natalie, try this on. >> cuffs. >> sensational color. >> too matchy? >> no. >> could you get that out? >> where do i begin?

>> think we got "hamilton" for friday. amazing. i'm so good at my job. >> the perks of the job. look at that. these are amazing. oh, my gosh. >> what are you doing? >> i just wanted to make sure -- these are the jewels. i wanted to model them for you. >> you did, did you? i would take them off now and put them somewhere. then will you disinfect the earring, natalie? >> sure. >> i just got in trouble. >> let's go down to a shoot later on. i want some help. >> little lower. bring it down a little bit. natalie? >> sure. >> it was super fun, ladies, thank you, but i have to get back to the office. bye. >> bye. >> you called? >> i just wanted to let you know my actual executive assistant is

you are relieved of your duties. i thought you did a good job. i thought you did a good job. i wasn't expecting a lot and, actually, you exceeded my expectations. if you need a reference, you can give me a call. >> yours now. >> thanks. >> i'm out! >> so glad to be back at my real job. obviously, a lot of that was -- >> did you get a ticket for "hamilton"? >> no. but thank you to joanna and her staff. they were sweet to let me tag along and pretend to be their assistant assistant. if you want to be an intern there, you have to be in college to receive credit for it. she is tough but is a great boss. >> she didn't notice you never got her the tea. >> don't tell the secret. >> too late but you're out. >> her assistant said, i switch it on her all the time. no idea. sorry! >> you threw her under the bus. >> that's her last day today. thank you very much. seriously, how'd you get "hamilton"? >> know a guy at the front

>> very resourceful. >> had to do something for my job, right? >> working hard. tomorrow on "up for the job," it's carson's turn. he went to the airport. >> had a great time. the men and women at delta work hard. you get on a plane and assume it'll get you to the destination safe and you never think of the men and women and what they do in between to get the planebaggage and everything. >> you know they're working hard.

>> debra mes today will be cloudy with showersand patchy fog. near steady temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s. wednesday...sho wers. thunderstorms likely...mainly in the afternoon. some thunderstorms may be severe in the afternoon. breezy and not as cool with highs in the mid 60s. uday...mostl sunny and breezy. highs in the mid 50s. friday...sunny. highs in theupp 40s.turday...sunny. ghsround 50. sunday...sunny. highs in the upper 50nday...partly sunny. highs in the lower 60s.monroe roaat ford avei85 at wt harr blvd - arrowood road at i77 - misty out there the "c-i-double- a" tournament

charlotte. 150-thousand basketball fans are expected to flock to the queen city for games, concerts and other events. c-m-p-d says officers will be working overtime to keep everyone safe. right now, mayor jennifer roberts is getting ready to speak to business owners about the economic impact the "c-i-double- a" has on the city. coming up on n- b-c charlotte, the long list of charges a local man faces when he appears in court this morning, accused of gun smuggling. but first, the "today" show has the story

here we go 8:30 now. it's tuesday morning, 23rd of february, 2016. starting to see the clouds roll in in the northeast. we'll get some rain over the next few days. some storms in the south that al has been telling us about. good day, nonetheless. >> look at the biggest loser. >> he was just crowned the biggest loser, live on the finale last night. he's here and we'll talk to

>> also, we're catching up with debra messing. a lot to talk to her about, from her hit show to dirty dancing. what's going on there? >> you'll find out. "the martian" was a hit at the box office but before that, it was a book. we have your guide to the year's hottest reads before they hit the big screen. also, tailor made celebrity styles you can pull off yourself. don't forget to pack your bags, bring a friend and be on the plaza friday morning for a chance to win a spontaneous trip to los angeles over the long leap day weekend. make a creative poster to show us how you'd spend your extra 24 hours. the trip includes three nights at the line hotel, a bike tour on the beach, dinner and much more, courtesy of discover los angeles. you have to be over 18. don't forget, come to the plaza an friday and rsvp at today.com/plaza. now let's say hello to

36-year-old who lost a160 pounds and crowned the biggest loser. roberto, good morning and congratulations. >> thank you. >> what a whirlwind. you were just crowned last night. were you shocked? >> you know what? i've been busting my butt since september 9th. the first day filming. was i surprised? yes and no. i was working to it and i was a finalist. >> your brother. >> you lost almost half your weight, 160 pounds or so, down to 188. >> yes. >> how do you feel physically? >> amazeing. my body felt beat up because i was working hard. at home you wake up, go cycling and during lunch, i would run three miles. after school, i would go and do a crazy workout. you know, workout constantly

i took off maybe four days from the time i begun. >> how did it change your life? >> it was amazing. my little boy jacob tells my wife he misses the fat daddy because i would play with him more. but that'll change. i won't work out four times and he will get more of my time. >> congratulations to your brother, as well. it's awesome. >> backstage, i was like, yes, yes! hugging strangers. i didn't care who it was. it was amazing. >> you look great. congratulations, roberto. >> thank you. now let's get a check of the weather. >> way to go, roberto. let's show you what we have going on for today. severe weather down through the gulf. watching that for tornadoes possible and strong storms. icy mix here if the northeast. look for sunny out west. 58 in seattle. tomorrow, we're expecting that sunshine to continue in the southwest. 82 in l.a. 79 in phoenix.

if you are flying or driving, it is going to be a real nightmare. windy and snowy. could be almost blizzard like conditions in the u.p. of michigan and parts of the upper great lakes. icy mix in northern new england and risk of strong storms along the mid-atlantic coast tomorrow and down to the southeast. western third of country looking good. that's what's going cloudy with showersand patchy fog. near steady temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s. wednesday...sho wers. thunderstorms likely...mainly in the afternoon. some thunderstorms may be severe in the afternoon. breezy and not as cool with highs in the d 60s.ursday...mostl sunny and eezy. highs in the mid 50s. friday...sunny. ghs in the per 40s.satday...sunny. ghs aroun5nday...sunny. g in theupper 50s. nday...partly nny. ghs e lower 60s. >> that's your latest weather. savannah?

emmy winner debra messing is a new york city detective in the "mysteries of laura." when her sister looks to be in trouble, she pledges all she can do to help. take a look. >> if you want to avoid going to jail for murder or being murdered yourself, let me help. i will protect you. pinky swear. >> debra messing, good morning. >> good morning. >> are we going to have a cliff cliff-hanger? we're almost to the end of the season. >> tomorrow is the first half of the two-part finale and it'll be major. don't miss it. >> your sister is in a little trouble. >> you'd think from that clip that we were close, from the pinky swear, but not so much. >> is she like the dark side? >> she's the dark side.

>> i know she has her red hair just like you. >> she does. >> you look like sisters. >> it was actually my 11-year-old son roman's idea. >> really? >> they were like, we want to bring in a sister. >> he was like, debbie ryan would be great. >> he's like a casting agent now. >> we watched "jesse" for years. >> the show is doing well. i was thinking, if you could invent a show, wouldn't you have made this up? it's funny, quirk i cany, mystery, you have romantic tension with the ex-husband. it has a little something for everybody. >> it does. it has everything, for me. it really does keep me on my toes, and it keeps me creatively interested. you know, i love really difficult murder mysteries, to figure those out. i love that we keep the audience really questioning up until the last minute.

have been created, they're accessible, quirky and people you can care about. we have a lot of fun. >> you mentioned your little boy, he's 11. is it a good mom job, being on a regular show like that? are you able to spend the time you want to spend with him and all that? >> well, doing an hour-long drama is pretty brutal. >> yeah. >> but the great thing is, he's literally grown up on the set. thanks to "will and grace." it's his second home. after school, he'll come over and hang out. he knows everyone's name and says "action" and "cut." >> and casts your sister, apparently. >> very well, also. >> you put a cute picture up on social media of his backpack, which is enormous. >> come on. >> look at that thing. i mean, it's insanity. you said it was like a microwave oven, from the '70s. >> what does a 6th grader need that requires that much?

the time you're 12. >> you're going to have a back back like your mama. >> i have to ask about dirty dancing. there is an abc remake and you'll be baby's mom. are you flipping out? >> totally flipping out. it's been retooled. the character is really interesting. you know, singing, dancing, it's -- "dirty dancing," come on. choreographer from "hamilton." >> really? >> yeah! i mean, come on. >> did you love "dirty dancing"? >> i loved it. it was the thing that kept me on my path to being an actress. it was the first time i remember sitting in a movie theater and seeing a character and saying, i could see myself playing that character. like, she's quirky and not traditionally beautiful. >> no one puts her in a corner. >> no one puts her in a corner. >> debra messing, thank you so much. you'll be back later with kathie

"mysteries of laura," season finale tomorrow night, 8:00/7:00 central on nbc. the remarkable life story of the 106-year-old woman who danced her way through the white house and stole hearts.

nbc. we're back at 8:41. looking back, moving forward. our series in honor of black history month. >> monday on trending we introduced you to the 106-year-old who fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting the white house. hoda has more of her story. >> you're welcome. this is a good one. you can't help but smile when you see the video of virginia mclaurin, dancing with the president and the first lady. the meeting was part of a black history month reception following a letter and even a phone call to the white house. for virginia, it was a moment of joy after living through some of

nation's history. >> hi! >> how are you? >> i'm fine! >> reporter: a meeting for the ages. >> you want to say hi to michelle? >> reporter: at 106 years old, virginia mclaurin becoming america's sweetheart when the meeting prompted her to start a dance party in the white house. >> what's the secret to dancing at 106? >> reporter: stunned by her newfound fame. >> i didn't think i'd ever be this famous. i said, why didn't they do it when i was young? >> reporter: an accomplishment she once considered unthinkable. >> i thought i would never live to get in the white house. i am so happy. >> i just started dancing. i said, i'm here to represent black history month. >> look at him! right there. >> a black wife.

>> yes! >> reporter: virginia's visit to 1600 pennsylvania avenue marked a milestone along a difficult journey that began in a segregated south carolina. born in 1909 as the daughter of a sharecropper, she married at age 14 and had two children. three y yrs later, she became widowed and moved to washington, d.c. where she worked as a nanny. she lives there today and volunteers as a foster grandparent to elementary school children. with no signs of slowing down, she not only serves as an inspiration to the students, but to all of us. including the first family. >> i want to be like you when i grow up. >> reporter: from only knowing a world of black and white, to one now allowing us to celebrate all colors. >> i didn't think it'd ever happen, but it sure did happen. and i got a chance to see it. >> are you so happy right now?

a career change at 55 a seamstress. in 1994 she started volunteering at schools because she loves the education aspect. she did this write-in campaign since 2014, trying to get into the white house. she said, don't worry, i'll come to you if it makes it more convenient, and she got to. >> now she's the star. sheup upstaged everyone. >> i love her. >> she's seen a couple world wars, civil rights, and now an african-american president. thanks. great story. nine books to read before they hit the big screen this

first, this is "today" on nbc. we are back at 8:46. hollywood hit the jackpot in 2015 with book to big screen adaptations like mockingjay part 2, insurgent and the martian.

literary movies heading to theer theaters. if you want to read before you see them, we have your guide. welcome to the "today" show lounge. i've never seen these chairs before. >> we should have some scotch. >> we should. there's an idea. let's go through some of these. 19 books you put out. people need to read before they hit the theaters. we'll start with kids. first one, "the bfg." >> it tells the story of sophie as she's taken to the land of giants by a big, friendly giant. it's directed by steven spiel burg -- steven spielberg and has been in the works forever. >> how about "the jungle book"? >> everyone is in this movie. you have bill murray. so many people are involved in the story. it was all cji, except for the actor, and it'll be this visual masterpiece. >> we have this one with alice, "through the looking glass."

>> no. you had "lal isalice in wonderland." johnny depp is returning as the mad hatter and this time, alice is helping the red queen. it's a twist. >> let's move to young adults. this is a huge business for hollywood. "hung er gam you have the "hunger games," "twilight "twilight." so this is "the fifth wave." >> it's this story of basically one woman from ohio trying to make her way and find her brother. >> how about "allegiance"? >> so exciting. this is the third -- basically taking the third book, like with the "hunger games" and "harry potter," and dividing it in half. this is the first half of the end of the series. >> i get excited when i hear tim burton is directing something. >> so this was on the top of the

it's a creepy, awesome book. that's what teens love. they want a little goth. they want to look at the dark side. there's not a lot out on this movie yet. they're keeping it under lock and key. i'm excited to see what they do with the story. >> nobody better to do that than tim burton. >> absolutely. >> highly anticipated ones for adults. "girl on the train." >> it's this year's "gone girl." i'm just going to say it. incredible thriller. you have emily blunt in the starring role. she's taking this train every day and looks at this couple who seems perfect but they're not and she gets involved. >> can't go wrong with dan brown, "inferno." and my man tom hanks. going on a wonderful adventure. trying to find his way and figuring out, always trying to solve the puzzle. >> last but not least, for the whole family, j.k. rowling, "fantastic beasts and where to find them." >> this is the one everyone is excited about. returning to the wizarding world. it's here in new york city.

it's j.k. rowling's first screenwriting credit. this is a textbook. this is one of the books that harry potter would read at hog hogwartz. her screenplay is one you'll have to go to theaters to see. >> love your passion. we have a lot of reading to do, my friend. >> keep reading, willie. >> siaee ya. fashion looks from hollywood, how to pull them off

first, this is "today" on from sky high to head to toe denim, there are a lot of fashion trends to try. mastering it is not always easy. we have today.com style editor emily here to show us how it's done. >> good morning. >> you see things celebrities are doing and go, can i pull it off? that's what this is about today. >> exactly. i think it's 90% confidence. 10% know-how. just wear the trend or have it wear you. >> okay. >> you are wearing the first friend, a beauty trend, blue makeup. you have a little blue mascara going. >> can you see it there? >> we see it on some of the stars. >> kerry washington. but not as scary as the '70s powder blue. it's a metallic blue. mascara, maybe an eye liner, just a touch of blue. >> if you have blue eyes, do

>> just so your color really pops. it doesn't compete again it's color of your eyes. >> would you do it with your nails and match or is that too much? >> fun colors for the nails is always a good choice. >> another trend, wide leg pants. we've seen it on a lot of celebrities. it's really cute. especially people who are petite, they often think, i don't know if i can do this. >> that's the question. even nicole richie pulls it off. the vertical lines make it look long and lean. >> this is our model corrin. >> she's rocking the look. it's about the fit. high wasted pant, hug the smallest part of the body and skim all the way to the floor. >> heels are a must. >> they are. maybe after the boot. >> exactly. >> any height ladies should wear heels with it, to keep the leg long and sleek. >> if you are petite, do you want to do the fitted top as opposed to something like a

she's wearing a body suit. you don't worry about the top coming out. it's completely going to stay exactly where it is. it is nice with the back of your body suit, it has a wide hole to add a fun element. >> pretty. thank you so much. the next trend. let's show celebrities because we've seen this look a lot. it can be very, very chic. >> sure. olivia wilde is wearing a big '70s bows. she can wear this to work at a law firm and go out afterwards and look trendy. little to the side. it's pinned a little off kilter. wearing like a trendy mini skirt keeps it modern and sleek. >> how do you make sure it's not too, i guess, like too pris sisy, i guess? >> it's about keeping the shape, hugging the waist, long mini skirt and heels. keeping the hair down so it doesn't feel too pilgrim and

>> no age limit on wearing bows. you can even do a bow in your hair. >> it's a trend, wearing a little ribbon, maybe a loose, low ponytail. not a "grease" ponytail. >> thank you so much, aerial.riel. denim on denim. you have to get this one right. here, we see, is that kate hudson? >> gwen stefani. it's a great airport look. >> we have janelle modeling it. >> it's about two different washes. don't watch the two of them. also, treat denim as a neutral. add a pop of color with your lips or earrings or a fun pattern. she's wearing the leopard flats. it's like wearing black but better. >> basically, you don't want to have the denims watch completely. have two colors or textures. >> also, don't stick with jeans and a button down shirt. a skirt.

out for one more look. ladies, terrific. you, too, emily. more fashion tips, including how to pull off a hat, head to our pinterest page. casey affleck is coming up.

weather. in just a few minutes, a local man, accused of trying to smuggle guns and ammunition to "west africa" will go before a judge. 33-year-old "richmond attah" faces nine criminal charges of illegal firearms dealing...smuggli ng...and lying to a firearms dealer. prosecutors say u.s. customs officers caught "attah" after he packed more than two dozen pistols inside a washing machine and a dryer-- and tried to have the appliances shipped from "ghana". today will be cloudy with patchy fog. near temperatures in upper 40s to low wednesday...sho thunderstorms the thunderstorms may be severe in breezy

friday...sunny. p 50s.nd...partly sunny. highs in e lower 6.ill ahead onn-b-c arlotte:re mumps. lt of unties whee viral ftion keeps popping up. but first on the today show, affleck" talks new heist drama

ha this morning on "today's take," oscar winner adrian brody is here talking about his new thriller "backtrack." casey affleck on playing the good cop in "triple 9." plus, the gadgets that will get you looking gorgeous. all that and more coming up now. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today's take" with al roker, natalie morales, willie

studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. welcome to "today." it's tuesday morning, february 23rd, 2016. i'm willie along with natalie and al. tamron on assignment. my morning jam takes you back to middle school, "the symphony" by marley marl and the juice crew. fantastic. >> i remember that. >> great bass line. >> terrific. story. interesting. a new twist, the fight between the fbi and apple over unlocking an iphone used by one of the attackers in the san bernardino mass shooting. microsoft founder bill gates weighed in, siding with, surprisingly some people, the fbi fbi. saying tech companies should be forced to cooperate with law enforcement in terror investigations. >> i do think people want the government to act on their behalf if they feel like the safeguards are there. historically, the government has

banks and lots of companies to gather information. people feel like the government not being blind and being able to try and stop bad things before they happen, it's a good debate to be having. >> interesting because so many of the other silicon valley executives immediately side with apple and tim cook. including facebook and twitter and google, as well, actually came in on the side of apple. he's an outlier and one of the founding the fathers of silicon valley taking this position. >> he says there is a risk even among silicon valley, as they're having the debate we are having. >> slightly more than half side with the fbi as opposed to apple. >> on the flip side of it, general michael haden, the head of the nsa and cia says apple has the right idea. you can't predict where people are going to come down on this. >> it's fascinating. i think bill gates said, it is a

we have the freedom, and it's protected by our constitution. >> like the freedom to look like an idiot when you're texting and walking. >> i'll refrain from using the word idiot because i've been known to do this. >> into a sculpture? >> not into a sculpture but this happens on rock center on a daily basis. not only me but i've seen people walk into pillars. this is this giant sculpture in england, called the kiss. the problem is, it's in the walking path. that's not going to present a problem, is it? well, it sure did. this is 20 feet high. they say within hours of installation installation, they had eight people walk right into it. >> how do you miss that? >> it is giant. but it is right in the walking path. >> over the path. not in the path. >> in their defense, the people who walked into it. >> no. this hits close to home for you.

>> don't move it. enough of youthis. >> put a camera on it. >> epic fails. fantastic. >> apparently, they had to remove it. they put it to the side. >> oh, come on! >> the artist said that texters apparently were not looking, of course, while walking. there you go. the huge sculpture is part of their every day routine, like in that walking path. >> i can't believe they caved to texters. >> come on, guys! word gets around. >> stand your ground. i love this next one. if you've got more than one kid, you have them together, something is going to happen. check out this little girl who had some fun with her baby sister. with a permanent marker. >> oh, boy. uh-oh.

>> i did what? [ laughter ]. >> i love it. >> going to leave her scarred later in life, the little sister. >> she doesn't say anything. looks at her mom like, what's your problem? >> even her face. >> that's the best part. >> when the little one turns around. front and back. >> binky in her mouth. >> with her little butt. i love it. >> zebra. >> come on, zebra. >> i love zebra. >> and the lady gaga, covering the one eye. >> is that a sharpie, a permanent marker? >> that's my question. >> permanent marker. >> it's not going to go off easily. >> the cheek, the face. >> oh, my gosh. >> clearly mom isn't that upset. coming in with the camera and asks the question. >> i can't wait ten years from

>> all-timer. >> it's great. it'll be one of those where dad and mom embarrass the younger sister by whipping that out to a date. look what the girls did back then. >> coming out at the rehearsal dinner. >> sibling rivalry there later in life. >> so funny. you had a late night. a citizens brigade? >> the upright citizens brigade, the improv group here in the city and now across the country, it's started by amy poehler, and they do night late, like a late night show, in front of a live audience. this amazing group of young actors and writers at ucb write the material, they produce the show. they did all the hard work. they're so funny and talented. they're the future. they'll be the next "snl" write writers writers. it's like a talk show.

kick. nicolle wallace was my guest, talking about the campaign. listen to this. >> oh, no. >> 24 hour mcdonald's in south korea will try serving beer to attract customers because if there's one thing i've thought while sitting at mcdonald's at 2:00 in the morning, it's, boy, i wish everyone here was more drunk. >> i wrote some monologue jokes and they wrote some. willie. places someday. >> ucb is awesome. if you get a chance to see a show here, l.a., wherever, check them out. so much talent in that place. >> well played. we're asking, we got this shoutout going. moms, send us their wildest first concert looks. dads cannot apply. >> why? >> i don't know. it's what they said. >> not fair. >> i don't think it is either but that's what this is. for a chance to be flown to new york and win a head to toe makeover, courtesy of jcpenney.

concert look when she was 14 and went to spandal ballet. share your throwback pictures. we'll pick a winner at the end of the month. go to our facebook page, facebook.com/"today's take" and tell us why we should tell you rock your style. speaking of going to our facebook.com/"today's take" page, today is day 20 of our 25 days of give aways. what do we have, britney? >> a cook ware set. >> worth $500. we want to break 300,000 today. what are we at? 296,000. come on, people. facebook.com/"today's take"." check it out. all right. also, check this out. what's going on here. somebody hit my button. there you go. now, we've got heavy thunderstorms pushing through galveston, houston, moving to louisiana.

threat stretching from new orleans to hattesburg. the concern is tonight to tomorrow morning, the risk of long-track tornadoes. a significant threat overnight. this is really dangerous. we'll be watching this very, very closely. system would be pushing up and through. behind it, snow from chicago, st. louis into detroit. we are expecting to see the rain change to wet snow there. heavier showers and thunderstorms. the rain into snow for interior parts of the northeast. some places picking up upwards of a foot of snow before it's all over. that's what's going ontoday will be cloudy with showersand patchy fog. near steady temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s. wednesday...sho wers. thunderstorms likely...mainly in the afternoon. some thunderstorms may be severe in the afternoon. breezy and not as cool with highs in the mid 60s. thursday...mostl y sunny and breezy. highs in the mid 50s. friday...sunny. highs in the upp s.saturday...sunny. highs around 50. sunday...sunny. highs in the upper 50s. monday...partly

>> facebook.com/"today's take." getting awfully close. guess what, guys? guess who is at our "today's take" table. this guy. youngest person ever to win an academy award. now, starring in a new psychological thriller, adrian brody, ladies and gentlemen. >> yes! >> we have an actor. joining us after this. pet moments are beautiful, unless you have allergies. then your eyes may see it differently. only flonase is approved to relieve both itchy, watery eyes and congestion. no other nasal allergy spray can say that. when we breathe in allergens our bodies react by over producing six key inflammatory substances that cause our symptoms. most allergy pills only control one substance. flonase controls six. and six is greater than one. complete allergy relief or incomplete. let your eyes decide.

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at olive garden. if your family outing is magical for all the wrong reasons. you may be muddling through allergies. try zyrtec for powerful allergy relief. and zyrtec is different than claritin . because it starts working faster on the first day you take it. try zyrtec . muddle no more . 13 years ago, adrian brody shot to super stardom after winning the academy award for best actor in "the pianist." >> now, adrian sees dead people in his new thriller "backtrack," about a psychologist haunted by

take a look. [ screaming ]. >> okay, i'm out. you can let go now, willie. >> sorry. >> i was like, it's coming. something is going to happen. >> here's the thing, you know it's coming. >> i know, but it still happens. >> adrian brody, what was this like, shooting this thing? >> it was -- it's lots of fun. i mean, interesting thing about shooting anything scary is it's much less scary when you're making it.

super natural. i love -- it's the beauty of film. you can really get to a place that can actually be frightening and exciting. and it's safe. >> tell us about your character. you play a therapist, is that right? >> yeah, i play a psychologist who is going through a traumatic time, where his -- he recently lost his daughter, and he's mourning. he realizes that all of his patients are deceased. >> oh. that's frightening. >> that's hard to bill. >> exactly, it is. >> al gets to the heart of the matter. >> never going to see any money with that. >> very true. that was the least of his concerns, by the way. >> wasn't thinking about accounts payable in those moments. so you're restoring -- or you

barn, basically, in upstate new york. >> mm-hmm. >> you've made a documentary about it, which is a story to itself. any creepiness there, in something that old? >> it's interesting. i actually, when i first moved into the house, it was an enormous process, to rebuild this place. the first few nights of living there, which was after a seven-year journey, so it was only a i managed to live in the main house, and i was in bed, trying to go to bed, and i heard what sounded like snoring. it was coming from the second floor. i crept downstairs. literally, the house was snoring. i was scared. it was my own little -- >> and you still want to live

>> i have no choice. i spent seven years working on the place. i'm living here. >> how do you get a breathe right strip for a whole house? >> open all the windows. >> wow, crazy. >> yeah. >> it went away. i still don't know what it was. it was the first night. i thought it was some strange thing with the pipes but it wasn't. >> somebody just let you know. >> i woke him up and he stayed awake, i guess. >> you're a braver man than me. thank you so much. "backtrack" is available on directv until it hits theaters this friday. the good guy in the new action film "triple 9." we'll catch up with casey

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we are never having another kid. i'm pregnant. i am never letting go. for all the nevers in life, state farm is there. casey affleck starred in a string of hit films from block busters like the "oceans" trilogy to "gone, baby, gone." and the assassination of jesse james by robert ford, which earned him an oscar nomination. >> now, he stars in the new high-strung, "triple 9," where he plays a clean, new detective surrounded by a group of dirty cops. here's a look. >> this ain't a game, chris. the rules around here are different. this ain't buckhead, all right? you better learn fast. >> man, let me tell you something, you have a problem with me, put it on the table but don't question me like you know

you let an [ bleep ] in front of the neighborhood, you have explaining to do. >> casey affleck, good morning. >> morning. >> you've got a hell of a cast, between anthony mackie, aaron paul -- >> what was the other name? >> you raced through that one. >> it's how we do it. >> i was counting on you carrying me through. >> norman. >> what was it like on the set with all that acting power? >> i was the pain in the ass. they're all so good. you know, this movie, i didn't always see them. they weren't always on the set when i was there. woody's first day, he is a nut, he showed up and he got an easy scene. driving down the street, park his car, get out and walk up the

that's fairly simple. woody takes the first take, races down the street and hits a tree, jumps out of the car, head is bleeding and runs up the path to me. i figured everyone would descend and stop and lay woody down for a minute. woody kept to the scene. it here. >> oh million, my gosh. >> did it make it into the final cut? >> yeah, it did. unexpected, right? >> who is your guy in this landscape of characters? who is your character? where does he fit in? >> i play sort of the only -- i'm the good guy. a bunch of bad guys. house how's that? >> that's good. >> you play a lot of different and intense roles. what drew you to this, besides an incredible cast? >> well, you know, i've played a lot of bad guys, and i wanted to

he was -- he has a simple, moral wrong. that seemed appealing to me. i wanted to play a police officer. i liked the script. the director is really talented, sweet guy. >> you got a lot in the works. your latest film at sun dance, "manchester by the sea," has a lot of buzz. tell us about that. >> that is written and directed by kenny and it was one of strict. everything he writes is exceptionally well written. i don't know what else to say. it was a small movie, and it ended upturn turning out great. took it to sundance. i've been in a lot of small movies that didn't turn out great. this one turned out better than i could have imagined. >> a lot of good talk about that. you worked with your brother ben quite a bit. you've said he's your sounding

role. have yoto ask you about that. >> he is. >> have to ask you about "batman." are you as excited as his fans are? >> haven't -- >> they're excited. >> i am very excited. this is the movie everybody wants to see. "batman versus superman." >> versus "deadpool," yeah. >> exactly. >> i'm excited. i want to see it, yeah. >> he sounds excited. >> thrilled. >> let me try that again. i'm so excited to see this movie. >> much better. >> barely contains himself. >> drive a car into a olay regenerist renews from within... plumping surface cells for a dramatic transformation without the need for fillers. your concert tee might show your age...your skin never will.

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thompson. today we could hear from governor pat mccrory in response to a controversial decision here in charlotte. last night city council approved the non- discrimination ordinance. the measure prevents businesses from discriminating against lgbt customers. one of the main provisions allows transgender people to use the bathroom of their choice. mccrory said if the ordinance passed, the state would intervene. the north carolina general assembly could still strike down the ordinance or send it to voters. the ordinance goes into effect on april first. the health department says more people are displaying symptoms of mumps. there are now nine probable cases and three confirmed cases of mumps in mecklenburg... cabarrus.... and iredell counties. two of those confirmed cases are employees at lowe's corporate headquarters in mooresville. health officials are working to identify anyone who may have had contact with them. its a rainy start to the day... how long will the showers last... larry has the first warn forecast. today will be cloudy with showersand

temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s. wednesday...sho wers. thunderstorms likely...inly ine afternn. someunderstorms ye severie afternoon.eezyd not as cool thighs in the mid 60s.ursday...mostl y sny and eez highs in e mid 50s. iday...sunny. ghin theper 40s. turday...sunny. ghs arod 50.nday...sunny. ghs in eper 50s.nday...partly nny. highs in e lower 60s.coming up..

taking a look at the headlines. new developments today in the fight against the zika virus. the country's first hospital-based rapid test for the zika virus is now available. the announcement comes via collaboration between two texas hospitals. it'll provide results within several hours. before developed, physicians faced the possibility of long delays of testing in local and state public health laboratories and the centers for disease control. the food and drug administration will begin

the weed killer round-up. the agency plans to check soy baen s beans, corn, milk and eggs. it's the most widely used weed killer on farms. scientists have debated whether it has links to health problems. round-up's maker is confident the testing will reaffirm the safety of what it calls the vital tool used by farmers and homeowners. encouraging news for people struggling with their weight. a new study found obese people can significantly improve their health by losing just 5% of their body weight. a small weight loss not only reduced total body fat but cut the risk of type two diabetes and cardiovascular disease in obese adults. while losing more weight helps cell function and muscle tissue, there were no further benefits for liver tissue. every dog has its day, and

retriever. it's in its 25th year as the top u.s. dog breed. other breeds have a lot to bark about. german retrieverand retrievers are in the top five list. the happiest city on earth is naples, florida, according to the latest rankings. the report measures how residents feel about their physical health, social ties, financial security and communities. salinas, california, was runner up. let's get a check of the weather from al. >> if you're in the southeast, you're not happy about where you're living because we have a lot of wind and rain. severe weather possible, especially along the gulf. icy mix in the northeast. snow back through the rockies. sunshine out west. 81 in l.a. today. into tomorrow, we are going to be watching more wet weather and a risk of strong storms along the southeastern mid-atlantic coast. icy mix in the north with rain

the eastern third of the country is going to be a mess for driving and air travel tomorrow. 66 in dallas. or houston. look for a high of 82 and sunny in l.a. that's what's going on around thtoday will be cloudy with showersand patchy fog. near steady temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s. wednesday...sho wers. thunderstorms likely...mainly in the afternoon. some thunderstorms may be severe in the afternoon. breezy and not as cool with highs in the mid 60s. thursday...mostl y sunny and breezy. highs in the mid 50s. friday...sunny. highs in the upp s.saturday...sunny. highs around 50. sunday...sunny. highs in the upper 50s. monday...partly sunny. highs in the lower 60s. >> that is your latest weather. natalie? >> thank you, al. now to the brains behind the beauty. high-tech apps and gadgets to get you glowing and gorgeous. we have katie here with her favorites. good morning. >> this is a segment you'll

>> i'm obsessed with this already. we have britney here modeling something for us, which is life-changing for those of us who have fought for our lives to find the perfect foundation match. there is an app and a makeup company that are now doing that for you. >> 94% of women actually don't have the matching correct foundation. >> yeah. >> now you can actually use the app. you scan your face with the app. >> what's the app called? >> matchco. basically, in a few camera shots, you can calibrate to get your perfect skin tone. then sent to you is this bottle with your name on it. and the foundation that matches you perfectly. it's unreal. $49. >> it seems like it's a little expensive, but actually, a lot of foundations are more than that. >> absolutely. $60, $65. this gets to you in 48 hours. >> britney is wearing it on one side of your face. you have great skin to begin

i can't tell. which side has -- >> it's seamless. you can barely tell. >> and the bottle has her name. amaze amazing. >> and the date so you know when you purchased it. what i love, i'm going through the app's screen shots. it has a satin finish and doesn't have the cakey feel. awesome foundation. >> it'll be my new favorite thing. let's move on over here. this is a pure vaporizer? >> yes, this is going to refresh the air and moisture rise it. what's cool is you can go into whole foods or drugstore and purchase any natural essential oil. there's also an l.e.d. button. if you circle through l.e.d.s to change the mood. it permeates it, whether it's lemon, lime, petri oil, sweet orange. i have cinnamon in there now. giving the air a fresh feel and makes you feel good. >> freshen up an area, if you

>> cool for a nursery, yoga studio, anything you want. >> what's this? >> in the summer when you have your medication, snacks, and this is a beauty segment so makeup, all the stuff is hot and melts. now you put this in the freezer and it'll keep things cold for four to seven hours. you can have this on you all day. whether it's your lotions, makeup, whether it is the medication, not a problem. put it in the cool it caddy. they make it for guys and girls. >> good technology. what is going on here? cleaning the brushes, right? >> high tech. this cleans your brushes in 15 minutes. it goes through a soap cycle, two rinse cycles. i've never seen anything like this before and it's thorough. typically, you clean the brushes fast. all of us have so many. this goes through a process and it's amazing. >> i guess it's important to clean your makeup brushes regularly, right?

>> reason for having this. i almost bought this at the airport the other day. i said this when i walked up, i almost bought this. the lay n go cosmetic bag. >> my sister got me this for christmas and it was my go-to travel bag. the best part -- >> everything is laid out. >> everything is laid out. >> you can see everything. >> zip it up. it has a draw spring. the cool part, you go to the hotels and lay this on the counter. don't fuss with anything. i'm always in a rush. i take it and go on your way. they have a wired version, so there are compartments for your technologies. >> fantastic. >> starting at $25. >> what do we have here? nail polish colors. >> this is a free app called superduper. it's all about finding inexpensive, high-end nail polish. it can cost up to $15 for nail polish. it's horrible. you can choose your favorite color and from there, it'll tell you which shade has the

you can go to the drugstore and buy the $9 knockoff version which is awesome. >> looks the same. this is a phone case that lights up for the perfect selfie. >> it has three different light options. made by beyonce's stylist. we're going to do a selfie here. >> come in here. >> you can see the difference. >> look at the lighting. >> let's cut off willie. >> hey! you had me at beyonce's stylist. >> $80. it's also protective, too. >> cool stuff. katie, thank you so much. coming up, handbags to hope. how one woman turned her loss into a gain for fam we invited women to a spa to test a new body wash. hi. welcome. dish soap? you may not feel it but some body washes can contain cleansers found in dish soap. oh. on my skin? that's really scary. dove body wash is different. oh yeah. it has only the gentlest cleansers.

it's so soft. just made me feel good. this is different. this is caring. this is dove. not yet. not yet! pull the peach! mmmm, yoplait. (baseball on tv in background) with heart failure, danger is always on the rise. symptoms worsen because your heart isn't pumping well. (water filling room) about 50 percent of people die (dog whimpering) within 5 years of getting diagnosed. but there's something you can do. talk to your doctor about heart failure treatment options. because the more you know, the more likely you are... (dog whimpering) to keep it pumping. (rebecca) i've struggled with depression. i thought i needed cigarettes to cope.

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are you loving your numbers? there's only one invokana . ask your doctor about it by name. general mills is removing artificial flavors and colors from our cereals. so you can love cereal. again! this morning on hope to it, how a new jersey widow is coping with a devastating loss by helping other families. she's making a huge impact on the lives of those in need, one handbag at a time. >> we have this new line. >> reporter: for marissa, running her own boutique is a labor of love. >> thank you. >> thank you so much. >> reporter: handbags, her passion. >> they are the essential accessory. you can pick out a handbag, add color, add style, and make

>> reporter: unlike most small business owners, where each sale represents a profit, at her store, lucy's gift, each transaction helps a non-profit. >> it makes my business so unique. >> reporter: marissa donates 100% of her proceeds to various charities, all in honor of someone she lost. >> i always wanted to be an entrepreneur. i do not think i would have done this without my horrific tragedy. i lost my beloved husband almost five years ago to a very sudden and violent death. >> reporter: he was killed while on a business trip, leaving behind marissa and their daughter lucy. the circumstances of his death, still under investigation. >> my husband was so benevolent. always thinking of everyone else. i really want to ensure that his legacy is carried on.

before the maurice dhartcharity was born. >> i believe through faith, love, support, encouragement of so many, i was able to take this little idea, selling handbags, and just continuing to evolve. >> reporter: profit for each handbag funds charities, ranging from p.g. chambers school helping children with special needs, to safe, an organization supporting women and children affected by domestic violence. >> when you're in a hole and you really are deep at the bottom, it takes a long time to climb out of that. i now see that i can continue to grow. if other people can make fortunes, maybe i can make one and give every penny of it away. >> we need more companies that's willing to give back. give back to the less and unfortunate. anybody who knows my boss will say that she has the biggest

all she really wants is for this to affect the charities. if we can accomplish that one handbag at a time, why not? >> reporter: for marissa, giving back heals her heart. >> i've already achieved the most important goal. my husband is smiling on me. making him proud is just everything to my daughter and i. he is always with me. >> what a great sentiment. coming up, should you pay off your debt or save for retirement? how to put your tax refund to good use with our pal, increase speed, full throttle! (over intercom) ann, are you coming in? negative! stay on target. what are you guys doing? artoo, thrusters! they're closing in! i'll guard the base. for every family that lives star wars, this is the place where star wars lives. where a galaxy far, far away... ...is closer than ever before.

now at walt disney world resort. (from x-wing) hyperspace! it's not a quick fix. it's my decision to make beauty last. roc retinol started visibly reducing my fine lines and wrinkles in one week. and the longer i use it the better it works. retinol correxion from roc. methods, not miracles. we wonerere. and here. and here. here. and here. uh, here. also in here. back there. behind here. even next to these guys, here. in the nation's largest, independent study, rootmetrics just named verizon number one network for the fifth time in a row, here. so when the other guys claim they're the best, remember: there's only one, number one. and now we'll pay up to $650 to switch to the best network. this one right here. jane likes to mix things up. that's why she loves new light & fit greek non-fat yogurt mousse. so fluffy and airy it's her

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what? oh wow. i mean with all this technology. that's a game changer. if you have allergy congestion ...to get relief, anything is fair game. introducing rhinocort allergy spray from the makers of zyrtec . powerful relief from nasal allergy symptoms, all day and all night. try new rhinocort allergy spray. muddle no more here in vineland, home of progresso, we love all kinds of chicken soups... but just one kind of chicken. white breast meat chicken every time. so if you're not going to make your own chicken soup tonight, do what we do...make it progresso. i want a great shape. who doesn't? so i bike. i get all of my greens. and i try not to faint. this... i can do easily. benefiber healthy shape. just a couple of spoonfuls every day means fewer cravings. plus, it's all natural, clear, taste-free and dissolves completely. it's clinically proven to keep me fuller longer and helps keep me healthy inside and out. benefiber healthy shape.

find benefiber healthy shape in the fiber aisle. that's yours. i'm sorry. >> want to read it together? >> no. >> the avenue tax refund is $3,000 this year. if you're expecting one, you probably have plans for the windfall. >> first -- >> listen to "today" financial editor, she has great advice for us. in a game of this or that? good morning. >> that's right, this or that, tax refund edition. i'm going to ask you questions and you pick this or that, by putting the $100 bills into the proper piggy bank. should you use your tax refund to, this or that, pay down debt, this, or put it in your retirement account? willie is going with the debt. al is going with the retirement account. we want to pay down debt.

on the debt is probably higher -- oh, my goodness. throwing away the money. >> i was celebrating my win. >> the interest on the debt is probably higher than the return you'd get in the retirement. if you're getting matching dollars in the retirement account, that's the way to go. always for the matching. >> that's what i was thinking. >> question two, getting a refund this year, like you do every year, is this, good, or that, not so good. >> how could getting a refund be bad? >> al is the winner. it's not so good. it means you're giving uncle sam an interest free loan on your money. what you should do, go to human resources or adjust your withholding. if you're not putting 100% of the max in your retirement account, bump up that contribution at the same time. >> okay. >> win all around. question three, if you're looking to add value to your home, should you use your refund

door, or that, get a new garage door? both of you going with the front door. yes. a new front door will cost you about $1,200. you get 100% of the money back if you sell. paint it red. that's my opinion. >> all right. >> should you, many people who work exclusively at home are afraid of taking the home office deduction because it's an audit flag. should you take it or should you skip it? >> feels like a trick question. >> willie is going with that, skip it. al said take it. al is correct. take it. >> trick question. >> if you truly have a home office. it has to be -- pay attention, class. >> it seems obvious. i didn't think it'd be the answer. >> if you ever a home office and you don't take the deduction, you're leaving money on the table. but it has to be a dedicated home office space. interestingly, the irs is only auditing about 1% of filers, except for people who make over

they're auditing 7% of those. >> okay. >> this or that? if you're going to use your refund to replace an old appliance appliance, should bit a ten-year-old washer, or a ten-year-old refrigerator? willie is going washer. al is going refrigerator. there you go. the answer is this. washers made before the year 2003 have really been improved upon. you'll save yourself about $180 a year by energy star.com. who is our winner? >> we get one more. >> all right. this or that? according to a new survey from hello wallet.com, what are most people spending more of their refunds on this year? is it travel or clothing? >> the opposite to keep it interest. >> it is travel. people are spending 67% more. people are spending more on travel this year. goes with spending money on

makes you happier and who is the winner? al is the winner. >> i'm getting a bag of money, baby! >> wow! >> whew. >> thanks for playing our game. >> thank you. congratulations, al roker. >> thank you.

this is "today" on nbc. i like zebra. >> what? >> a zebra. >> oh! >> when your big sister has a permanent marker and a little too much time. >> oh! >> so precious. >> i can't handle it. >> the best video of the day. >> that wins. >> zebra. >> we have debra messing. thank you for asking. >> hello, debra messing. >> hello.

called "come to the garden." i got the audio. >> yes, you did. >> and we'll cook something wonderful. >> what are we making? >> roasted chicken. >> the best roasted chicken of your i'm brooke katz, today the c-m-s school board will vote on the student reassignment plan. members will decide on a set of goals... like reducing poverty and increasing diversity in schools. it could have a

magnet programs. we'll have a crew at that meeting and share the results of that o'clock newscast. today people in lancaster are voting for a new mayor. a special election is being held today-- three months after mayor, joe there are six the ballot - city's acting mayorohn howard. polls are open until seven tonight. if you're headed outside... you may need an umbrella... its a rainy morning.... larry has the forecast. today will be cloudy with showers and patchy fog. near steady temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s. wednesday...sho wers. thunderstorms likely...mainly in the afternoon. some thunderstorms may be severe in the afternoon. eezyd not as cool th hig in the d 6.ursday...mostlsny and eezy. ghs e mid 50s. iy...sunny. g in theper 40s.saturd...sunny. ghs around 50. nday...n. ghs in theper 50s.nday...ptly sunny. g e lower 60s.lice in gastonia arearchingor e person responsible for two armed robberies over the weekend. police say this man walked into the express

threatened the clerks with a knife... and took cash from the register. if you have any information about this crime-- call police at 704-842- 5127. a man is behind bars this morning, accused of stealing several purses from a popular south charlotte store. "jason saye" is accused of taking 5 purses from the nordstrom store inside the southpark mall. in all, the suspect made off with about 15-hundred dollars worth of merchandise. coming up -- the murder suspect-- now behind bars-- standoff northwest plus its c-i- we're back with minutes. the time is 10:27.

from nbc news, this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> hello, everybody. it is booze day, tuesday. it is february 23rd, also spanky tuesday.

>> in our kitchen is the always fun debra messing. debra is not just hanging around the kitchen doing nothing, she's live tweeting our chat. what is your handle? >> @debramessing. >> it is very creative. >> i don't know. >> naughty. >> it is like that. that's what you got going. >> then we're going to be kitchen too. >> absolutely. >> what are we cooking? >> sage roasted chicken, five ingredients, though. >> t t best roasted chicken of >> of all time. >> so he says. >> that's what joel says. >> all right. >> all righty, we're going to meet elvis' newest artist of the month, we had one last week. his musical in middle school turned him into a youtube star and he's getting everyone's