Headquarters in new york this is nbc nightly news with brian williams. Good evening. The city of boston worked so hard to overcome the scars of the marathon bombing, the worst act of domestic terrorism since 9 11. The accused marathon bomber the surviving brother of the two original suspects is about to go on trial with the Death Penalty hanging in the balance and with security as tight as anyone there can remember as it got underway today. Its where we begin tonight with our justice correspondent Pete Williams in boston. Pete good evening. Reporter brian, its been nearly two years since the devastating attack on the boston marathon. And the trial now getting underway will be a long one. But some people here say they just want it to be over. With extra security including coast guard gunners patrolling Boston HarborDzhokhar Tsarnaev killing three, injuring 260 and devastating an entire community. One of those seriously hurt was Rebecca Demartino of texas just last week took her first steps after amputation and a prosthetic. I am standing reporter but she says she will not be following the trial. Its not my judgment to make. And it also doesnt change anything thats happened to me. Reporter the city pulled together after the bombing, a spirit called boston strong. Last years marathon the first since the bombing drew 1 Million People twice the usual crowd. I think its the best day this city has. Reporter former boston globe columnist Mike Barnacle whos now on msnbc, is here when the bombs went off. He says people have moved on and want to put the whole thing behind them. They want it to be over and done with. They know who did it. They know what happened. They know the impact it had. They know the effect it had. They know about the victims. They want it done. Reporter today, the first of 3,000 potential jurors summoned by the judge came to the courthouse filling out questionnaires to start an unusually long selection process, because the government will seek the Death Penalty if tsarnaev is convicted, the jury must be specially qualified. Meaning a jury that is not fundamentally opposed to the Death Penalty or is not so in favor of the Death Penalty that they would go outside the bounds of the law and impose it when the law doesnt require it. Reporter theres no sign of any plea deal so the trial is on. Jury selection itself may take three weeks. And the entire trial may last four months or more brian. Pete williams starting us off from boston on this monday night. Pete thanks. Now to where the weather is making news. And as we said, while it is winter temperatures across much of the country are about to drop far below normal and bracingly so. Already there have been temperature swings up to 40 degrees in less than a day. Winter watches and warnings are up with snow on the way. Nbcs Kevin Tibbles has our report tonight from chicago. Reporter winter has swept in packing biting arctic windchills temperatures 25 degrees below normal in places. No matter what anybody say, you dont get used to it. Reporter treacherous driving conditions and bonechilling commutes. Theres icicles frozen off their faces. Its brutally cold out here. Reporter so cold construction stopped on the new vikings stadium in minneapolis. The lowest of the low in the lower 48 the tiny grand marae, minnesota airport. Chicago firefighters forced to call in steamers to thaw out frozen hydrants. Near aspen, colorado a group of elk had to be rescued after falling through the ice. Just 60 miles separates scotts bluff, nebraska from guernsey wyoming. And on the west coast heavy rains and mudslides in washington leaving some 200 people stranded and forcing some schools to close. Schools in frostbitten milwaukee did open. Kids trudging back after the holiday. And parents take note a dangerous double whammys in store. Were going to be dealing with two shots of arctic chill this week. The second one will head all the way to the gulf coast and east coast. Reporter by midweek even in the south temps will be ten to 20 degrees below average. Emergency shelters are ready in st. Louis to bring the homeless in from the cold. Thinking of escaping . Youll even find snow today at higher altitudes in hawaii. And already tonight, brian, several interstates in iowa have been closed due to dangerous blowing snow conditions. Here in chicago they are at the ready with a battalion of 280 snowplows and salt trucks. Drivers are being asked to stay off the roads. Brian. Kevin tibbles in cold chicago for us tonight. Kevin, thanks. Sadly all this cold weather goes handinhand with flu season which has hit early and already hit hard. Already as of last week 36 states were reporting widespread flu activity. This week its up to 43 states. And this season the flu is already responsible for dozens of deaths in this country, many of them children. We get our report on the that from our chief medical editor dr. Nancy snyderman. Reporter today, americans get back to work and school facing a particularly aggressive flu season in part because this years vaccine is less than effective, raising some important questions. For instance how long is someone contagious . Well a person can begin spled e spreading the flu to others even before they have symptoms and then remain infectious for up to five days after getting sick. Thats why its so important to be vigilant about washing your hands and to stay home if you are sick. How long will my symptoms last . The fever, muscle aches and sore throat can last five to seven days but that nagging cough can persist for four to six weeks. Antibiotics should only be used if your doctor is worried that the flu has progressed to pneumonia. Can i get the flu again . Well its unlikely that you would get this flu again because your body will have antibodies to the current virus this season. And even though this vaccine wont protect you completely it can minimize symptoms if you do get the flu. Antiviral medications like tamiflu work best if theyre taken within 48 hours of getting sick. Call your doctor immediately, and please if you think you have the flu, avoid going to the emergency room where you can spread it a little too quickly to too many vulnerable, brian. Already getting serious out there. Nancy snyderman, as always thanks. You bet. Joining us now this huge outpouring of support for a little girl at the center of an incredible story of survival. Somehow she walked away from a Small Plane Crash that killed her immediate family. Somehow while injured and traumatized this little girl managed to walk through the dark woods to the nearest light to find help. And now she may be the best chance of understanding the cause of it. Our report tonight from nbcs Gabe Gutierrez in kentucky. Reporter the journey to safety was dark and treacherous. And 7yearold sailor gutzler made it alone. I get very emotional. Reporter Larry Wilkins still can hardly believe she survived the crash that killed her mother sister father and cousin. My god, i say if she had not seen that light and walked that direction, they might have never found the little girl. Reporter on friday the family was flying home to illinois from a vacation in florida when Officials Say they reported engine trouble. The plane clipped those trees and came down hard. This is the exact spot where it crash landed. It was upside down. So the drivers side would have been on this side. The doors would have been on this side. Where she was able to escape. Reporter lion county executive wade white was among the first people at the scene. The twin engine planes wing had been burning here. And sailor tried to light a branch in the dark woods. Sit and think how scared she must have been. Reporter in nashville, illinois, where the gutzler family has owned a Furniture Store for generations, travis wolf is grieving. The whole family was so full of life. Reporter now their funerals are scheduled for later this week. And today at sailors Elementary School fellow students wrote notes and placed them on her empty desk. A rare plane crash survivor the second grader may soon speak with investigators to help find out what went wrong. Gabe gutierrez, nbc news kentucky. And from overseas there are new questions tonight about whether airasia flight 8501 should have been allowed to take off in the first place before that final voyage. As the search continues, the indonesian government has suspended the operator of the airport and several control tower officials over questions about whether or not the plane had the proper permits to fly that air route that day. Bad weather during monsoon season continues to hinder efforts to find the bulk of the wreckage including those black boxes. For the millions of us who flew over the holiday break, even if you had a miserable Airline Experience imagine this. Imagine spending 28 hours trapped on an airplane. It happened to the passengers onboard a flight from abu dhabi to San Francisco this weekend. We get our report tonight from nbcs tom costello. Reporter commercials promise almost a luxurious customer experience. But it wasnt anything close to that for the passengers onboard flight 183. Moments after boarding their plane for a 16hour flight to San Francisco, thick fog closed the abu dhabi airport. For the next 12 hours they sat, waiting. Every half an hour to 45 minutes we were told that same announcement that we would be leaving soon. Reporter it dragged on hour after hour. We hadnt eaten in a while. You know no one anticipated being on a flight this long. Parents were really concerned about running out of things like diapers and baby food. Reporter with hours ticking by some passengers took to twitter. 183 on runway for nine hours. Terrible service and crew wont serve food. We hit a point where the entire cabin crew was switched out, but not a single passenger was allowed to get off the plane. Reporter if it had happened in the u. S. The airline would have been required to return to the gate after three to four hours. But no such laws in abu dhabi. In a statement the airline says its reviewing policies on the length of time aircraft can remain on the ground with passengers aboard. 28 hours later the plane finally landed in San Francisco. Frustrated passenger navin varma tweeted, imagine your First International flight without water on board, one proper meal and 16hour flight five bags lost or delayed. Pathetic. Tonight they apologize to guests for any inconvenience the airports closure might have caused. Tom costello nbc news washington. Two promising Young American athletes have lost their lives in an avalanche at an austrian resort. 20yearold ronnie berlack. Top prospects for the u. S. Ski team. They were part of a group of six who ventured off into some fresh powder. The other four in the group managed to escape alive. Rough day here in new york on wall street as the falling price of oil now below 50 a barrel sent Energy Stocks tumbling as a result. The dow finished down 331, nasdaq s p down as well. Still ahead for us on this monday evening, the controversy surrounding a potential oscar contender and the question did a big new movie rewrite American History . Tonight, well hear from someone who was there during a landmark moment in u. S. History. Also the wish that took off on the web. Why so many families are now sharing pictures of their best friends. I make a lot of purchases for my business. And i get a lot in return with ink plus from chase. 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Liberty mutual insurance. As we sit here earlier, theres a drama brewing tonight around a big new movie, a potential oscar contender. And it happens to be the first major hollywood picture centered around the reverend dr. Martin luther king jr. There are already questions specifically about how the film depicts a certain former president. We get our report tonight from nbcs andrea mitchell. Reporter bloody sunday the confrontation that shocked a nation in march of 1965. Only 2 of africanamericans could register to vote thanks to local laws as shown in the new movie selma. How many judges in alabama . Sixthseven. Name them. Hundreds and thousands of negro citizens in alabama but particularly here in the area have the right to vote. Reporter john lewis took such a baed e beating that day he almost died. I think it would educate people that was too young to know what was going on. Reporter critics say this first hollywood film about Martin Luther king jr. While getting raved for its raw portrayal of the civil rights leaders unfairly depicts president Lyndon Johnson as a reluctant civil rights warrior. We need your help. Dr. King this things just going to have to wait. It cannot wait. Reporter lbj had already directed his attorney general to draft a law. It showed them to be at odds with one another. In fact the opposite was true. They were very much supportive of each other. Reporter working together on human rights. We take the position that every person born in this country and when they reach a certain age that he have a right to vote. Reporter also disputed the film suggestion that lbj ordered fbi director j. Edgar hoover to spy on king exposing his infidelities. Do you think its unfair to Lyndon Johnson . I dont think its unfair. Its drama. I love the film. The film is so real. It is powerful. It made me cry. The film does not purport to be a documentary. Its actually quite largely accurate, but not every single thing in it is accurate. Reporter in the end the film acknowledges lbjs dramatic Voting Rights speech only eight days after bloody sunday. We shall overcome. Reporter as Martin Luther king praises johnson in shared triumph. Andrea mitchell nbc news washington. And we are back in a moment after a break with a disaster at sea. Why investigators now say it was done deliberately and for good reason. Shes still the one for you. And cialis for daily use helps you be Ready Anytime the moment is right. Cialis is also the only daily ed tablet approved to treat symptoms of bph like needing to go frequently. Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. Do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain as it may cause an unsafe drop in Blood Pressure. Do not drink alcohol in excess. Side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. 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The sports world along with all those of us viewers around the country still reacting remembered as a great broadcasters with the cadence and sensibility of a great musician. In the business of game highlights he was a gamechanger. Stewart scott battled cancer bravely and publicly for years. He was 49 years old. And bess myerson has died. The first and only jewish miss america back in 1945 just after the end of the war. She went onto serve as new York City Consumer Affairs commissioner later as a tv personality for years. Her personal life was tumultuous including a scandal. Bess mieyerson was dramatic pictures of a cargo ship carrying 1400 cars onboard. Most of them new landrovers bound forred the middle east. The ship started to list violently and the captain chose to rather than lose all tanks of fuel. All 25 crew members were safely rescued. And two storied california names in the news tonight. First, if youre old enough to remember the l. A. Rams you may live to see them again. The st. Louis team owner is building a stadium outside l. A. Since theyve been without a Football Team for 20 years, theres talk of moving the rams back or for that matter any other franchise. Its ultimately up to the nfl. Then theres jerry brown, today at age 76 he was sworn into a record fourth term. He first came into office when jerry ford was president his first time around. No one has led the most populous state in the union longer than jerry brown, whos finally been able to turn around californias troubled finances. When we come back tonight, how you and your best friend can help keep a young mans spirits up at a time of great need. Alkaseltzer plus presents the cold truth. I have a cold, with terrible chest congestion. Better take something. Ill catch up later. Awww. Truth is, theraflu severe cold doesnt treat chest congestion. Really . New alkaseltzer plus day powder rushes relief to your worst cold symptoms plus chest congestion. Oh, what a relief it is. 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But its been harder lately for anthony lyons. The 16yearold diagnosed with leukemia this summer receives intensive chemotherapy every week but these visits are his real medicine. What makes you feel better when youre here . The dogs. The only thing. Dogs are always happy. The dog always being happy makes me happy. Reporter so to keep him happy a family friend invited a few people to share a few photos on facebook. It got to be 300. Then out of nowhere its almost a million. And we cannot believe it. And were so excited. We are always looking at it trying to keep up. Reporter almost every second a new picture and caption pops up. 100 kisses from amber in pittsburgh. And abbi in vegas. From britain to boston alaska to afghanistan, people all over the world are sending puppy love. And it just felt good to have an opportunity to help somebody in a bad situation to feel better even if only for a moment. Reporter there are big dogs and little ones police dogs and therapy dogs. My dog, maybe yours, right side up upside down in the sun and in the snow. Some arent even dogs at all. Not a single one that doesnt make me smile. Thats so amazing that they can love someone just like that right away. And people dont always give that feeling to each other. And they should. And this has shown people giving that to other people. Reporter its something we learn from our best friend there for us no matter what with a smile and support thats unconditional. Hallie jackson nbc news phoenix. That is our broadcast on a monday night as we start off a new week. Thank you for being here with us. Happy new year to all. And my thanks to tamron and kate and lester for being here while i took a break. Im brian williams. We of course hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. Good night. Extra real housewife Teresa Giudice behind bars. How she spent her final hours before checking into federal prison . Now on extra. Extra extra teresa joe and their four girls going to church. The giudice familys last moments together where she secretly surrendered at 3 00 a. M. Her new life going from a mansion to a tiny cell with a metal bunk bed. How close is it to tvs orange is the new black . New video. Halles man snaps. Shoving and airport worker in a paparazzi crush. Could he face battery charges . Breaking couples news as cameron diaz getting married tonight . Jennifer aniston opening up about her divorce from brad. You guys still talk . Plus brad and every alist star in palm springs. Why pitt broke out singing. Oh yellow yellow plus the new bachelor already facing a baby scandal . Did not see that coming. This is extra at Universal Studios hollywood, the entertainment capital of l. A. Extra