the airlines and the tsa do allow guns on planes, but they must be in checked luggage. they must be unloaded. they must be in a hard shell locked case. otherwise, guns don't fly, brian. >> tom costello at the airport for us tonight. tom, thanks. >>> late word from the supreme court in washington. they've agreed to hear a case brought by three oklahoma death row inmates. this concerns the drug combination that is used in lethal injections. and it comes after a botched execution in oklahoma just last year. the inmates here are arguing the sedative being used by the state does not produce a deep enough sleep, therefore, inflicting unnecessary pain. and that would violate the constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment. >>> when we learned last night of the death of the king of saudi arabia, the "new york times" said he represented the muslim establishment. he was a hugely powerful figure, and tonight our chief foreign correspondent richard engel reports on how his influence can be felt right now across this country. >> reporter: one of the richest, most powerful men

if you're flying, the tsa is doing more random searches now of carry-on bags mostly. and here in new york police are on alert after a posted threat against police and civilians in the u.s. our report on all of it tonight from nbc's stephanie gosk. >> north ready to deploy. >> reporter: the nypd's counterterrorism response is constantly adapting especially after attacks like those in paris. how quickly did you re-deploy? >> within an hour. >> reporter: today one of the hercules units, new york city's elite heavily armed special forces to guard at a jewish museum in manhattan. james waters is the chief of counterterrorism. >> there's no credible threat to new york city right now, however we remain the number one terrorist target and we're well prepared. >> reporter: on saturday an isis supporter renewed a threat made in the fall calling for attacks on police officers, soldiers and civilians in the u.s., france, canada and australia. the nypd issued a bulletin instructing police to be on alert while on patrol. while stopped, at least one officer must stand outside the ve