"nightly news" begins right now. >> announcer: from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >> good evening. to a lot of people, the republican race for president may be feeling more and more like a reality show tonight starring a man who before he became a candidate, proved he could draw an audience. and so donald trump will likely have a lot of eyeballs watching tonight. either the republican debate that he has now vowed to boycott or his own event that could steal the spotlight. leading up to all this, a public dual with fox news, public pleas that he reconsider, even prime time discussions of milkshakes, all just four days until the vote in iowa. peter alexander explains. >> reporter: tonight should be the republicans final showdown before the wow caucuses. the front-runner staging his own prime time event to raise money for veterans. going head to head on tv with the fox news debate just three miles away. even drawing a pair of his underdog opponents. mike huckabee and rick santorum. >> by walking away from this debate -- >> i'm not

you know, the other big news in our new nbc news/"wall street rubio has ticked up. rubio is now in a strong third-place position. what does that mean? ted cruz is hammering rubio with a new attack ad. tonight, lester, rubio v. cruz, this actually could be the showdown worth watching and the one that could extend if trump falters. >> a lot of things in play. chuck, thanks. a program note. last night we talked to bernie sanders. tomorrow night we'll have my conversation with hillary clinton on the trail in iowa. a final sprint before the voting begins. >>> a warning now from the world health organization that the zika virus is, quote, spreading explosively. in this year alone, three to four million in north and south america could be infected with the virus linked to birth defects. the cdc says the number of people returning to the u.s. with zika is growing. nbc's tom costello has more. >> reporter: dr. whitney prince is one of a few americans who has experienced the zika virus as a patient. it was on her honeymoon in bora bora that she contracted zika through a once

"nightly news" begins right now. >> announcer: from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >>> good evening. to a lot of people, the republican race for president may be feeling more and more like a reality show tonight, starring a man that before he became a candidate, proved he could draw an audience. so donald trump will likely have a lot of eyeballs watching tonight. either the republican vowed to boycott or his own event that could steal the spotlight. leading up to this, a public duel with fox reconsider. even primetime discussions of all just four days until the vote in iowa. explains. >> reporter: tonight republican's final showdown before the iowa caucuses, instead, donald stealing the spotlight. the front-runner staging his own primetime event to raise money for veterans. going head-to-head on the fox news debate three miles away. even drawing his underdog opponents, like huckabee and santorum. >> you're not giving them -- >> i'm not walking away. >> reporter: trump is defiantly positioning himself as the deal maker in chief. >

our nbc news investigation into the new > and recess time. we'll go to a school where the kids are getting a lot more "nightly news" begins now. >> announcer: this is nbc "nightly news" with kate snow. report tonight from h carolina. from the gilyard center where they're putting the final touches on the big stage behind in politics. the final democratic debate before the voting starts in iowa he just two weeks from our new nbc news "wall street journal" poll sets the stage. hillary clinton with a wide. 59% of democratic primary voters pick hillary clinton, bernie sanders at 34%, and martin t just 2%. but in hypothetical head-to-head match-ups with donald trump bernie sanders does better than hillith polls in iowa and new hampshire tightening over the past week there's a lot at stake here tonight. all while donald trump and tnue to battle it out on the trail. we have all of it covered. let's start out tonight with kristen welker is hrleston. kristen. >> reporter: kate evening. you can feel the anticipation building. officials with the clinton

from all of us at nbc news, thank you for

our new nbc news "wall street journal" poll sets the stage. hillary clinton with a comfortable lead nation wide. 59% of democratic primary voters pick hillary clinton, bernie sanders at 34%, and martin o'malley trailing at just 2%. but in hypothetical head-to-head match-ups with donald trump bernie sanders does better than hillary clinton. and with polls in iowa and new hampshire tightening over the past week there's a lot at stake all while donald trump and ted cruz continue to battle it out on the trail. we have all of it covered. let's start out tonight with more on what to expect here. kristen welker is here with us in charleston. kristen. >> reporter: kate, good evening. you can feel the anticipation building. officials with the clinton and sanders campaign telling me their candidates have been prepping a little bit today and relaxing because with 15 days until iowa there is no room for error. it's fight night in south carolina. >> we have differences. >> i see that we have the momentum. >> reporter: with the democrats in a virtual dead h

medics tell nbc news 40 have starved to death since december. by phone, i spoke to a person from a syrian-american family trapped in madaya. >> your five children are starving? >> we have nothing to eat. >> how do you feel with that? looking at these children every day? >> i can't tell you the feeling that my kids, my little kid, he is just three years old and he's saying, i'm hungry. i need food. i want to eat. like, all day long. >> reporter: hard to imagine, she sent me this picture of her son. but so many children are like that now. i've been surviving on this child says. around 40,000 people live in madaya. penned in by forces loyal to the syrian regime. the supplies delivered today expected to last a month are like rations for a prison. madaya wasn't the only destination for aid convoys today. deliveries arrived in two other syrian towns suffering a similar cut off by anti-government rebels. >> food is being used this is a siege. >> reporter: siege warfare is a cruel tactic. but this is syria. an especially cruel war. richard engel, nbc ne

"nightly news" begins right now. >> announcer: from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >> good evening. time is short, and the to-do list is long for the men and women running for president. in just six days, we will be counting actual votes in iowa. but in this final stretch, it's all about the polls and tonight they appear to confirm a dramatic reversal of fortunate among the two republican front-runners. donald trump now ahead in a state that once seemed to be ted cruz's to lose. and more worrisome for the cruz camp is trump is lining up what could be key endorsements. there's high drama in the democratic contest too. we've got both races covered. with katy tur. >> lester, never a dull moment in this race. donald trump now saying he will not be participating in thursday's fox news debate because he doesn't think megan kelly is fair. also touting two big including one from jerry falwell jr. the clock is ticking in iowa. six days left and donald trump is pulling ahead. today leading in five here. the race now a cage match between th

"nightly news" begins now. >>> from nbc world headquarters in new york, this is nbc "nightly news." reporting tonight, erica hill. >>> good evening. in iowa tonight, it's a full court press. with the caucuses 48 hours away, candidates aren't wasting a moment, especially among the undecided. crisscrossing the state to make their final pitches, trying to meet as many voters as possible. in a poll tonight, hillary clinton is leading bernie sanders, 45 to 42% in iowa. a virtual dead heat for the democrats. donald trump may be leading among republicans, 28%. ted cruz, 23. and marco rubio, 15%. nbc news has full coverage. we begin in cedar rapids with kristen welker. >> reporter: secretary clinton will look for votes here. she's bringing in her top surrogates, her husband and daughter chelsea. just a few miles away and in the exact same city, bernie sanders is making his final pitch in this race that is tight. hillary clinton and bernie sanders neck and neck, pulling out all the stops in the final hours before iowa voters weigh in. clinton facing new questions over her private e-mails. th

richard engel, nbc news, istanbul. >>> still ahead here tonight, what to do. new guidelines just out for breast cancer screening, different from other advice you've likely heard. what you should be asking your doctor. >>> also, they are packing their trunks and headed for retirement. where ringling brothers is wrapping and even though their dentures look clean, in reality they're not. if a denture were to be put under a microscope, we can see all the bacteria that still exists on the denture, that's why dentists recommend cleaning with polident everyday. polident's unique micro clean formula works in just 3 minutes, killing 99.99% of odor causing bacteria. for a cleaner, fresher, brighter denture every day. [ music ] defiance is in our bones. citracal pearls. delicious berries and cream. soft, chewable, calcium plus vitamin d. everyone's lookin' red carpet ready. my man, lemme guess who you're wearing... toenail fungus!? whaaat?!? fight it! with jublia. jublia is a prescription medicine... ...used to treat toenail fungus. use jublia as instructed by your docto

olivia sterns, nbc news, new york. >> we've overcome our technical glitch and have the story of the recapture of mexican drug king pennel chapo today. here is nbc's mark potter. >> these are the first pictures of mexican king pin quackine el chapo guzman since his escape six months ago in handcuffs and a dirty t-shirt after captured in a dawn raid. officials say he was arrest by max can marines in a town of los mochas after a tip he was hiding there. after a shootout in which five suspects were killed and a was captured with no injuries. his arrest drew high praise from the american dea and others who said he was highly protected on the run. >> chapo was -- had tremendous protection there from the population in signa lowa, from corrupt government officials. >> reporter: news was announced by the mexican president neato on his twitter account, saying in spanish, we have him. he said the recapture confirmed the strength of the mexican government. chapo escaped from a maximum-security prison last july through a sophisticated tum with a motorcycle on a track used first to use dirt. >> guzman hims

miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. >>> good for them. that is going to do it for us on this friday night. i'm lester holt reporting from charleston, south carolina. for all of us from nbc news, thank you for watching and good meredith vieira show. president obama makes a appearance on a popular reality show. and find out why russian president vladimar putin is sounding off on donald trump. and sarah michelle geller is here. and then this deserving mom gets a big surprise. >> it makes me proud to say i am her daughter. >> and revealing the big holiday sessions, all starting now on meredith. makes you feel real good. [applause] we have a great show today. and you are starring at my chest. they are big baubles. and our guest is sarah michelle gellar is here. she will tell us about shandra rhymes is a huge bucky fan. that is nice. and they are going to reveal how they made it last. and first we'll talk about what's hot now. and i like that. and she's all glitter ary. >> until new years i am in sequins and in rhinestones. to barbara walters t

gabe gutierrez, nbc news, durham, north carolina. >> it's true. you can't look away. for us on a thursday night. i'm lester holt. for all of us here at nbc news, thank you for watching and good >>> it's friday, january 8th, and coming up on "early today," breaking news. an officer ambushed shot multiple times while in his police cruiser. >>> president obama makes his strongest case yet for increased gun reform. >>> while donald trump faces some hostiles in bernie sanders backyard. >>> plus, a dangerous moment for a driver facing rushing flash flooding. >>> a really bad day. >> one airline passenger. >>> the bridge that's claimed more trucks than officials can "early today" starts right now. >>> and good morning everyone. thanks for being with us. we start with that breaking news overnight. a philadelphia police officer ambushed and shot at least three times inside his cruiser. police commissioner says jesse hartnett is lucky to be alive after a suspect tried to quote execute the officer. he was driving through a philly intersection, the suspect fi

richard engel, nbc news, istanbul. >>> still ahead here tonight, what to do. new guidelines just out for breast cancer screening, different from other advice you've likely heard. what you should be >>> also, they are packing their trunks and headed for retirement. where ringling >>> the decision about when to start getting annual mammogram is one of the most controversial questions in women's health care. it is a issue we've covered extensively here on "nightly news." and tonight we have updated news that decision even more difficult. anne thompson reports on the new guidelines. >> reporter: the ever-shifting guidelines for starting mammograms leaves some women feel like they are playing a game of chess. age 40 and once a year said the american congress of onstet ises and gynocologists. 45 is american cancer. and 50 is from the u.s. preventative services task force. the government advisory panel said screening for women in their 40s could be affective but it is an individual decision. >> in 40s, we find the benefit is smaller. and that there are harms. >> the

chris jansing, nbc news, new york. >>> that is "nightly news" on this friday, news years day. i'm kate snow. for all of us at nbc news, thanks so much for watching and happy new year. right now at six: fee deflated. the vandals who left countless south bay families >>> right now at 6:00, feeling deflated. the vandals who left countless south bay families stranded this new year's day. >> more than a dozen people in morgan hill rang in the new year with a hiss. the sound of their tires losing air after someone slashed them. it happened off east dunne avenue. >> reporter: you can see this tire has been slashed. a few week over here the tire on this minuteivan has also been slashed and these tires were targeted in the first few minutes of the new year. hugo found himself ringing in the new year with a hiss after someone slashed it with a knife. he says it happened sometime after midnight. >> i come out and i find out a flat tire. >> reporter: do we found car after car in the parking lot of murphy ranch town homes in morgan hill with slashed tires. police say at least 14 tires were

the news continues with "nbc nightly news." >>> tonight, unstoppable. ted cruz's dire warning about donald trump as the front-runner surges and nabs major endorsements just six days until iowa. >>> cliffhanger. evacuations under way with an entire community on edge tumbling into the sea. a state of emergency as el nino unleashes its wrath on the california coast. >>> where's the response? nbc news has learned amid the toxic water crisis in flint, no pipes are being replaced. we ask the governor why not. >>> warning signs for pregnant women and mothers of newborns. a big announcement from doctors about diagnosing depression. >>> and remembering abe vigoda. sadly this time it's for real. from "the godfather" to "barney miller," the legendary actor is gone. "nightly news" begins right now. >> announcer: from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >>> good evening. time is short, and the to-do list is long for the men and women running for president. in just six days we will be counting actual votes in iowa, bu

. >> our new nbc news wall street journal 55% prefer experience and only 40% want change. potentially giving clinton a big advantage. but in it iowa and new hampshire, sanders' young enthusiastic crowds may want to beat the establishment. and if he wins big in the first two states, south carolina could follow suit. despite the clinton african-american women, a key voting block. surprising south carolina democrats with his ground operation. of my staffers. >> reporter: the state's democratic organizer said he needs to press campaign with women. >> on the kitchen table at the beauty salons in south carolina, that ain't the number one thing. it is about the jobs and education and the quality of health care that their kids are getting. >> reporter: clinton is still far ahead in national polls but democrats down here say that if the dominos start falling in the first state, the entire shape of the campaign could change very quickly and it could all start with iowa exactly two weeks from tonight. >> and rhea, thanks. >>> and on the republican side, whatever gentlemens agreement