The toughest sentences yet in the College Cheating scandal early today starts right now good wednesday orrin morning im phillip mena thanks for waking up with us. In todays top stories, a man in arkansas is in custody im Frances Rivera this morning accused of move over influenza because u. S. Attempting to blow up an suv and Health Officials are warning americans to get ready for the himself at the pentagon. Coronavirus outbreak to hit prosecutors say an officer spotted Matthew Richardson in america. The cdc says it is just a the parking lot trying to light matter of time the warning comes as krass of fabric dangling from the the virus continue to spread vehicles gas tank beyond mainland china. The 19yearold tried to run but so far more than 2,000 cases was later arrested at Arlington National cemetery. During a Court Appearance have been identified in other richardson called the charges a countries from south korea to lie. David ayers is a north italy. Heres nbcs tom costello with carolina hero. The zamboni driver and back quup what you need to know. The warning from the cdc, the goalie was honored by the Carolina Hurricanes after he was coronavirus is spreading so quickly around the globe it may only be a matter of time before called upon to hit the ice for it begins rolling across the saturdays game after two goalies were injured and helping the team to a 63 u. S. With the potential to victory. Become a when you have influx of ayers was declared an honorary individuals who are infected citizen of North Carolina by from multiple countries, then governor roy cooper and cranked the danger of that outbreak in the siren before the start of this country increases the game against the dallas substantially. Reporter so far health stars. Way more than 15 minutes playing experts say the risk in the u. S. On the ice in that game. One of my favorite sports is low only 57 known cases. Stories ive ever heard i think. But the centers for Disease Control is now advising incredible p employers and schools to think millions of christians about planning for widespread around the world are observing ash wednesday. It marks the start of lent, a disruptions like limiting travel and large meetings, allowing season of fasting and prayer leading up to easter this year out of a precaution workers to telework, and closing schools or allowing internet for the coronavirus some churches are sprinkling ashes on school work. We want people to be ready in the heads of churchgoers instead of smudging it on their terms of if we do see Community Spread what would that mean to foreheads. You . The concern, with a 2 in rio carnival festivities last mortality rate at the epicenter in china, the coronavirus is far for a week deadlier than the seasonal flu despite the cdcs warnings President Trump in india its considered to be one of the biggest festivals in the world downplayed the risk. Cute meets cutting edge science at the xwumts zoo. You may ask about the a jebtic breakthrough is giving the world new hope to save one of its most vulnerable species coronavirus, which is very well nbcs Gadi Schwartz has the under control in our country reporter the white house is story. Reporter at the columbus zoo asking congress for 2. 5 billion a scientific marvel with spots actually more like two little in emergency funding to deal with the crisis. Marvels to be exact. But on capitol hill bipartisan the worlds first in vitro criticism that the administration is not doing cheetah cub. And then moments later the enough second, a twin its huge for cheetahs. The approach right now seems to be take two aspyn and call us probably one of the biggest in the morning breakthroughs weve had. Id like to see us investing reporter their birth natural more than we have been and and caught on camera but their probably more than were even planning at this stage conception straight out of the reporter meanwhile the trump future in an effort to save the Economic Team insists the species. Today there are only around economic fallout should be minimal. We have contained this i 7,000 cheetahs left in the wild where only 5 of cubs survive. Wont say air tight but pretty close to air tight poaching and a loss of hunting reporter despite message the grounds have led to so few dock market went into another cheetahs that too many are closely related. Nose dive. So now scientists are making new 879 points downn just and very modern trees outside of the serengeti. Two days the cubs biological mother kabi a lot of focus on how quickly a sxwichlt their father slash vaccine could be developed chosen for their blood line. The n. I. H. Says human trials for a vaccine could start within two the it happened in a dish. Months but a widely available vaccine probably wont come for another 12 to 18 months and the all under the watchful eye of virus is not going anywhere. Science happy to give these frances, back to you precious cubs a hand hope that changes tom, thank you Gadi Schwartz. Theyre too adorable. Outside of asia europe is on high alert for the deadly weve got to keep their species coronavirus. In italy there are now over 300 going. It makes me wonder how many cases of the chinaborne other specietoave you with us ts illness, which has claimed the lives of a dozen people. And now italian authorities are morning. Im Frances Rivera im phillip mena. Hope your wednesdays off to a scrambling to keep the virus from spreading to other countries in europe. Heres nbcs molly hunter. Great start. Reporter the cases keep abt to get even better bouec ticking up in italy. It means that italian authorities are testing a lot more people. The data set is getting bigger but let me show you. This is the duomo, milans most famous cathedral, closed to tourists today that is one of the many measures that italian authorities are taking to try to keep people from gathering together. You see lots of people are still outside milling together about an hour from milan that is the red zone there are 50,000 people that have been essentially fenced in. For 14 days they can move in the red zone but they cannot get out. The measures taken by the Italian Government or regional governments is have been strong and most likely should contain this virus as good as possible reporter the real concern is europes porous border from milan you can take a train to frankfurt, paris, in a day but whose responsibility is it to check people getting on or off the train . A lot of coordination. Italian authorities with their european counterparts to figure out how to both contain the outbreak in italy and stop the spread across europe molly hunter, nbc news, milan. Good wednesday morning. February 26th. A live look in San Francisco seven Democratic Candidates took the debate stage one last this morning. Time before the South CarolinaGetting Started with this hump day. Half way through the workweek. Primary. They got their chance to weigh in on the deadly coronavirus thanks for joining us this morning. Im marcus washington. Outbreak and im laura garcia. Many of them criticized the all right. Wednesday morning, what is in president s response to the store. Looks good again today. Situation. The president fired the another warm one. Pandemic specialist in this in fact were talking being near country two years ago. Record high temperatures for today. So theres nobody here to figure here is a live look outside in out what the hell we should be walnut creek with a clear start. Doing. We increased the budget of no issues with fog this morning the cdc. And temperatures feeling quite het. Ncreased the nih budget. Mild, in the mid40s right there and then warming up by 11 00 at whawoult d i do 66 degrees. Our south bay high temperatures i would better coordinate throughout my presidency to be in the upper 70s again today. Ready for the next pan demmic well get a look at our and to prepare for this one. Microclimates and talk about a President Trump responded on cooler weekend coming up. Twitter by saying the cdc is and mike i doing a great job of handling the coronavirus. He says that even if the virus disappeared tomorrow democrats would say he did an incompetent job. President trump also tweeted, so far, by the way, we have not had one death. Lets keep it that way. When it comes to attacks at the debate most were targeted at frontrunner Bernie Sanders. For more were joined by nbcs ali vitale good morning reporter frances, on this debate stage in charleston it was clear that every single one of the candidates up there was feeling the pressure having their last appeal to voters before not just the South Carolina primary but the big super tuesday contest. Bernie sanders came in as the frontrunner he was on the receiving end of a lot of attacks but so was former new york city mayor michael bloomberg. He sort of p t blow and took a little spotlight away from Bernie Sanders because a lost other peoples eyes on th bloomberthis debate was a little chaotic at times but it was also illuminating for what some of the candidates on stage were finally willing to say about their opponents. Specifically talking about Elizabeth Warren listen to what she said. Bernie and i agree on a lot of things, but i think i would make a better president than bernie and the reason for that is getting a Progressive Agenda enacted is going to be really hard and its going to take someone who digs into the details to make it happen. Bernie and i both want to see universal health care but bernies plan doesnt explain how to get there, doesnt show how to get enough allies into it and doesnt show enough about how were going to pay for it. I dug this, did the work, and then bernies team trashed me for it reporter i think the word really frances to desc elizabeth wates Bernie Sanders is efficiency the two of them are sort of a onetwo punch when it comes to progressive policies thats an argument Elizabeth Warren also mounted tonight, that progressive policies are popular. Shes just making the case for herself now in this home stretch before super tuesday that shes going to be the best bet for progressives and democrats to actually enact those policies. Big days ahead. That was ali vitale reporting. One day after Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of two felony sex crimes the newly convicted rapist was hospitalized in bellevues prison ward. He was supposed to be headed for rikers but authorities took a detour after he suffered chest pains. Nbcs Stephanie Gosk spoke to one of his accusers. Reporter after the startling guilty verdict Harvey Weinstein is in a new york City Hospital as a precaution. According to his lawyer. And he looked like he was in good shape obviously for any human being yesterday was a tremendously jarring and shocking event reporter his attorney said he was suffering chest pains after being convicted of raping jessica mann and sexually assaulting mimi haley. The crime against haley carrying the most serious penalty of up to 25 years in prison. The expectations of more than 100 women who have accused wine steeb ofng haley id yourself, i dont know if i can go through with this . Absolutely. I knew what the truth was. It became just important to me to follow through. And just show up for it. And speak the truth. Reporter she wants this verdict to send a message. Do you hope that women will speak up further absolutely, yes and i really hope this verdict is one more step toward that reporter a hope shared by some of the movie moguls other accusers the public has seen that men, even a man as powerful as mr. Weinstein, will be held accountable for their abuse of women. Reporter after his sentencing in new york weinstein will be extradited to l. A. To face more sex al salt charges. Harvey, you messed with the wrong women. We will see yo angeles, where hopefully your conviction will leave you in jail for life. Reporter back in new york from his hospital bed Harvey Weinstein insists hes innocent. This was just a stop for weinstein on his way to Rikers Island were told by a spokesperson that hes hired a Prison Consultant to help him get ready for what could be a lengthy time behind bars. Phillip . Stephanie, thank you. Now to a meeting of two of the worlds most inspiring young minds. Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg met Nobel Peace Prize winner malala yousafzai. Greta is in the uk to join a School Strike on friday and she paid a visit to oxford university, where malala is studying greta called malala her role model and malala said, shes the only friend id skip school for. Parts of africa are battling the worst locust swarms theyve seen in decades. The pests have now spread to the congo marking the first time those insects have been seen in that country since 1944. U. N. Agencies are warning of a majom ose flying pests. Apocalyptic what that looks like there with the locusts everywhere lets get a check you have no our weather with nbc me meteorologist bill karins. What do you do if youre farmers and those show up youre done a lot of snow overnight in the areas of midwest during the day today. Areas like detroit are going to be shoveling snow and likely a school day or early dismissal. The blue in the nap is the snow. From saginaw down to chicago a little bit in peoria and even in st. Louis. Maybe an inch in st. Louis heavier snow detroit two to three inches, cleveland two to four buffalo four to six over the next few days and Northern New England will get significant snow as we go tonight into early tomorrow morning theres the warm showery, drizzly, a little bit of foggy weather through new york city, maybe down to d. C. Well continue to see the airport effects of this storm too. Well give you that forecast for travel coming up could be some headaches for people in todays quick hits prince harry is back in the uk. After relocating with wife Meghan Markle and son archie to cannedate duke of sussex is back in town to speak at a summit today for the travel initiative he helped start. Disneys ceo is handing over the keys to the magic kingdom. 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What it takes to protect. pirate girl ahoy gotcha girl nooooooooooooo man nooooo vo quick, the quicker pickersses quicker, and is two times more absorbent. Bounty, the quicker picker upper. Is raised with no allantibiotics ever. Chicken, [ music winding down ] theyre a great decision for snacktime. Allowing the band to practice at your house. Not a great decision. Keep it real. Keep it tyson anytizers. Want to freshen your home without using heavy, overwhelming scents . Try febreze one; it eliminates odors with no heavy perfumes, so you can feel good about using it in your home. For a light, naturalsmelling freshness, try febreze one. A terror attack killed six people and injured over a twin towers. E at the a ceremony will be held this afternoon to commemorate the victims. Leading the news, tesla is coming under fire on capitol hill for its autopilot feature the ntsb blasted the electric automaker for a deadly crash while the car was in pilot mode. Safety Officials Say the driver was playing video games on his phone before the accident and had both hands off the Steering Wheel when it slammed into a concrete divider in california the ntsb says there was no alert and the emergency braking system didnt activate. Tesla says that before engauging autopilot drivers must agree to keep their hands on the wheel at all times and if they dont an alarm will sound an ntsb official called the autosteer system completely inadequate another person has been sentenced for their role in the infamous College Admissions scandal. Snack food heiress Michelle Janavs, whose family invented hot pockets, was sentenced to five months for trying to buy her daughters way into the university of Southern California heres nbcs Steve Patterson reporter after ducking into federal Court One Last time hot pockets heiress Michelle Janavs finally learned her fate the judge sentencing her to five months in prison after she admitted to paying 300,000 to cheat College Admissions for three of her daughters prosecutors named her one of the most culpable parents charged. She understands the harm that her choices caused hot po