a new escalation in the middle east. israel pledging to respond after iran launched its own attack.

israel calls it a declaration of war. we're live in d.c. and abroad with the latest updates. donald trump now the first former president to face criminal charges in court today. thousands of potential jurors, a slew of high profile witnesses. what to expect today and beyond as the trial unfolds in the middle of the election. it's called burglary tourism. how these professional thieves are entering the country legally and the new calls to step up and stop them. a game-changing season. all eyes will be on the wnba draft in brooklyn tonight. where will caitlin clark kick off her professional career? it's marathon monday. thousands will lace up their shoes for the iconic boston race today. we take a look at the preparations and how they're commemorating a four-legged cheerleader. it's tax day, april 15th. "early today" starts right now. good morning. glad you're with me. i'm frances rivera.

all eyes are on israel this morning as iran carried out its first ever direct military assault on the country after years of hostility. iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles towards the country in a response to israel's deadly air strike on the iranian embassy in damascus, syria, two weeks ago. israel says it destroyed 99% of the incoming fire before it entered its airspace. nbc's claudio lavanga joins us now from rome for the latest on how israel is responding so far. good morning, claudio. what can question we expect next? >> good morning, frances. well, now that the alert is over, israel appears to have gone back to its normal life. children are returning to school and a ban on public gatherings which was introduced as a precaution ahead of iran's attack has been lifted. now the only question that remains of course will israel retaliate. according to an israeli official we spoke to, nbc news it's not a

matter of if, but when and how, even though a counterattack doesn't appear to be backed by either the u.s. or the united nations. now following an emergency meeting of the security council there, the united nations secretary general antonio guterres said it is vital to avoid any action that could lead to military action on multiple fronts in the middle east, even though the israeli representative to the united nations during that same meeting said that it is israel's right, legal right to defend itself and to retaliate. and he used some colorful language to emphasize that message. he said israel is not a frog in boiling water, but it is a nation of liars. frances? >> okay, claudio lavanga for us, claudio, thank you. overnight, showed a video of himself praising the u.s. troops who helped protect israel from iran. the president spoke with members of fighter squadrons who helped defend against the aerial

attack. he called them the best in the world and said their incredible skills potentially saved many lives. for more on the u.s. response, we're joined by nbc's brie jackson in d.c. hi, brie. good morning. there are concerns that the u.s. could be drawn into this conflict. >> good morning, frances. so the biden administration has been trying to downplay that possibility. president biden is urging restraint. he met virtually with g7 leaders. the members all condemned iran's actions and demanded that iran and their proxies stop this attacks. president biden spoke saturday to prime minister netanyahu. according to senior administration officials, president biden said u.s. support for israel is iron-clad, but that the u.s. will not participate in any counteroffensive by israel. the white house insists it does not want to see an escalation of this war. >> the hope is that we can de-escalate tensions. that's really what the president has been trying to do. he didn't want to see a major war in the middle east. he is not looking for a conflict

with iran. the president doesn't believe to have another war in the middle east where you've got thousands and thousands of american troops involved on the ground. >> last night, president biden spoke with the leaders of the house and the senate, and administration source says the president stressed the importance of passing foreign aid for israel and ukraine, calling on the house speaker to hold a vote as early as this week. now the senate already passed a bipartisan deal that stalled in the house. on sunday, house speaker mike johnson said he does want to try again this week, but he said the house is still work out the details of their own package. frances? >> brie, thank you. breaking overnight, oklahoma authorities recovered two bodies in the search for a pair of missing moms from kansas. the bodies have not yet been identified. veronica butler and jilian kelley vanished 16 days ago while going to pick up their children. their car was found abandoned near the kansas-oklahoma border.

on saturday authorities arrested four people in connection to their disappearance charged on first-degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy. >> we're still looking for these women. well cannot confirm that they are dead. however, based on the evidence, we did believe that it is necessary and appropriate to charge all four suspects with first-degree murder. >> authorities are expected to get an update on the case later this morning. let's turn now to the trials of donald trump. today the former president's first criminal trial is set to begin. jury selection will begin soon for his hush money trial. here is nbc's vaughn hillyard. >> reporter: at this lower manhattan courthouse, an unprecedented case just hours away. the first ever criminal trial of a former president of the united states. >> wow. when i walk into that courtroom, i know i will have the love of 200 million americans behind me. >> reporter: donald trump this weekend rallying supporters

before the start of jury selection in his criminal trial monday over the alleged hush money scheme to cover up payments to adult film actress stormy daniels just before the 2016 election. >> i go into court over nothing. it's not a crime. >> reporter: trump has said he did nothing wrong. same with his supporters. >> if they do find him guilty -- >> who? trump? i won't believe that. >> reporter: nbc news has learned some 6,000 new yorkers have been summoned as potential jurors. >> this is a case that's going to burn through a lot of potential jurors during jury selection, and it's probably because a lot of jurors are going to have very strong views one way or the other about the defendant. >> reporter: prospective jurors will be asked more than 60 questions, including what news sources they read and watch and whether they've attended a trump rally or follow him on social media. per the judge's instructions, the questions do not include whom potential jurors have or intend to vote for. witnesses expected to be called include trump's former aide, hope hicks, stormy daniels herself, and trump's onetime

personal lawyer michael cohen, who has already served time for his role in the alleged scheme. >> it's always somebody else's fault when it comes to donald trump. >> reporter: trump indicating he, too, will take the stand. >> all i can do is tell the truth, and the truth is that there's no case. >> and our thanks to vaughn for that report. a pair of mass shootings left communities reeling over the weekend. in dallas a shooting at a party on sunday killed a 21-year-old woman and injured eight others. investigators have not yet made any arrests in the case. and a tragic end to a family gathering in chicago. a mass shooting on saturday night killing an 8-year-old girl and injuring ten other people, including several more children. investigators believe it was a targeted act of gang violence. police are still searching for the gunman. the estate executor for o.j. simpson says the notorious football star will be cremated in the coming days. and he says requests to study simpson's brain for possible cte

are, quote, a hard no. cte is a degenerative brain disease often studied in football players. it's associated with repeat head injuries and linked to behavioral and cognitive issues. the executor says there has been at least one request to study simpson's brain since he died of cancer last week. millions of americans will wake up to potentially dangerous storms. let's check in with nbc meteorologist michelle grossman, who is tracking the severe weather this morning. hi, michelle. >> hi, frances. great to see you. we are tracking severe weather today, also tomorrow and into wednesday. so another week and another threat for severe storms over the next few days. today we're looking at 14 million americans under the risk of severe storms from texas all the way to portions of the dakotas. we could see some really large hail, 2 inches or larger. winds gusting up to 60 miles per hour, bringing down tree, power lines created power outages. a few tornadoes are possible as well, especially where you see the orange shading. so parts of kansas and also nebraska. tomorrow that number grows to 24

million americans from texas all the way to portions of the great lakes. again, the orange, des moines you could see really strong storms tomorrow. large hail, a few tornadoes possible and winds gusting up to 60 miles per hour. tomorrow we'll see -- wednesday we'll see the number shrink to six million, but still the slight risk for severe storms in parts of the midwest, the tennessee valley and the ohio valley. this is why. a storm system moving across the middle of the country. we're looking at really cold air on the back side. that's going bring wind and snow and some and looking at summer-like weather too. feels like may in philadelphia. d.c., you're going to hit a high of 83. 86 in richmond. all right. that's your monday forecast. >> okay. i appreciate it. thank you so much, michelle. see you in a bit.

the south carolina gamecocks women's basketball team was all smiles as the city of columbia honored them with a parade to celebrate their national championship win. it comes a week after coach dawn staley defeated iowa to win the ncaa women's basketball tournament. the gamecocks are the tenth undefeated national champion. caitlin clark gets ready to tip off the wnba draft. but first, the international crime ring booking trips to the u.s. to ransack homes. how police are cckg wnn raindo o burglary tourism. ight? only when i see flakes. then i switch back to my regular shampoo. you should use it every wash, otherwise the flakes will come back. tiny troy: he's right, you know. is that tiny troy? the ingredients in head and shoulders keep the microbes that cause flakes at bay. microbes, really? they're always on your scalp... little rascals... but good news, there's no itchiness, dryness or flakes down here! i love tiny troy. and his tiny gorgeous hair. he's the best. - make every wash count! - little help please.

( ♪♪ ) feel the power of osteo bi-flex®. taken every day, it's clinically shown to improve joint comfort in 7 days, with significant improvement over time. ( ♪♪ ) i'm adding downy unstopables to my wash. now i'll be smelling fresh all day long. [sniff] still fresh. ♪♪ get 6x longer-lasting freshness, plus odor protection. try for under $5! we're back now with new calls for a crackdown on what's being described as burglary tourism, professional thieves traveling to the u.s. to rob upscale houses. here is dana griffin. >> you know, you kind of feel like it is your sanctuary. >> reporter: on valentine's day 2022, dr. nancy silverberg's safe space perched on this hillside in orange county was targeted by thieves. >> climbed up over there and

fell through. there was a big hole in the patio cover. >> reporter: stealing more than $100,000 in jewelry and family heirlooms. >> do you feel violated? >> oh, yes. >> reporter: investigators say she was likely the victim of so-called burglary tourists, gang members in an organized south american crime ring, and it's happening all across the country. thieves caught on camera breaking into this home in scottsdale, arizona, and this pair who hit a home in miami. law enforcement officials say thefts like these have been an ongoing problem for the past five years, but there's been a recent uptick. >> this is organized crime hands down. >> reporter: and these thieves are not sneaking across the southern border to get in. instead, they're flying into the u.s., entering legally on tourist visas under a program known as the electronic system for travel authorization, or esta. >> for $21 online, 43 countries participate. you can come here for 90 days at a time. >> reporter: orange county district attorney todd spitzer says these professional thieves use camouflage while watching

your home and may be armed with the latest technology. >> wi-fi jammers. so if you have a wi-fi system, then they block that. if the police are being dispatched because there's a silent alarm from the alarm company, they have the ability to block these police transmissions. >> that's like military-level technology. >> it's totally military. >> reporter: spitzer says many of the suspects come from just one country. >> people we've arrested here in orange county have criminal records coming from the country of chile. >> reporter: congresswoman young kim says that's because a key part of the agreement is being ignored, allowing these gang members to enter the united states. >> under the agreement, chilean government has to vet every single passenger that gets on the plane, but they're not doing it. >> reporter: chilean officials say while the total number of cases are relatively small, quote, we recognize the severity of the problem. and homeland security says they are working with the chilean government to detect, deter, and prevent travel to the united states by known criminal actors.

nancy silverberg has added extra security to her home, and she hopes lawmakers will solve the burglary tourists problem. >> this seems like such an easy back-door way that i think could be addressed. >> reporter: dana griffin, nbc news. the armorer for the film set of "rust" will be sentenced this morning. hannah gutierrez-reed was convicted last month for involuntary manslaughter for her role in the shooting of cinematographer halyna hutchins. prosecutors are seeking the maximum of 18 months in prison, saying she has shown no remorse. they also revealed jail phone calls ahead of the sentencing where gutierrez-reed called the jurors idiots and other expletives. lawyers for gutierrez-reed are seeking a congressional discharge, which would allow her to go free on probation. still to come, scottie scheffler sees green at augusta. and on the eve of going pro, a college sports phenom reecflts

on her legacy. well preview caitlin clark's exit interview, right after this. so his doctor prescribed austedo xr— a once-daily td treatment for adults. ♪as you go with austedo♪ austedo xr significantly reduced dan's td movements. some people saw a response as early as 2 weeks. with austedo xr, dan can stay on his mental health meds- (dan) cool hair! (vo) austedo xr can cause depression, suicidal thoughts, or actions in patients with huntington's disease. pay close attention to and call your doctor if you become depressed, have sudden changes in mood, or have suicidal thoughts. don't take if you have liver problems, are taking reserpine, tetrabenazine, or valbenazine. austedo xr may cause irregular or fast heartbeat, or abnormal movements. seek help for fever, stiff muscles, problems thinking, or sweating. common side effects include inflammation of the nose and throat, insomnia and sleepiness. ♪as you go with austedo♪ ask your doctor for austedo xr. ♪austedo xr♪

new herbal essences sulfate free. packed with pure aloe and camellia flower oil your hair will love. and none of the things it won't. hair that feels deeply nourished, soft and lightweight. new herbal essences. so i didn't think i needed swiffer, until, i saw how easily it picked up my hair every time i dried it! only takes a minute. look at that! the heavy duty cloths are extra thick, for amazing trap & lock. even for his hair. wow. and for dust, i love my heavy duty duster. the fluffy fibers trap dust on contact, up high and all around without having to lift a thing. i'm so hooked. you'll love swiffer. or your money back! [♪♪] how you feel can be affected by the bacteria in your gut. i'm so hooked. try new align probiotic bloating relief plus food digestion. it contains a probiotic to help relieve occasional bloating, plus vitamin b12 to aid digestion. try align probiotic.

>> i'm ready for paris. >> i'm ready to see you in paris. >> his stardom confirmed. >> the world's number one golfer cemented his status and made things look easy at augusta. scottie scheffler took home his second green jacket on sunday after finishing with a dominant 11 under at the 88th masters. scheffler came in four strokes ahead of ludvig aberg in the swede's masters debut. he has multiple green jackets as well as the fourth youngest to be crowned masters champion more than once. turning now to the nba where the play-off picture was finalized on a frantic sunday. the league-leading celtics held control of the east for some time, the oklahoma city thunder solidified its dominance of the west. okc officially claimed the top

seed with their win over the fifth seeded mavericks. at msg, the knicks clinched control of the second seed in the east with the overtime win over the bulls. the win pushed the bucks down to the third seed. the bulls aren't out of it yet as they'll join the hawks, heat and 76ers in the east and the play-in tournament to determine the final postseason spots. the play-in tournament begins in the west tuesday as the pelicans play the makers and the kings face the warriors. and just a week after her historic college career ended, caitlin clark is gearing up for one of the biggest nights of her life. ahead of tonight's wnba draft, clark sat down with nbc's stephanie gosk to talk about the impact she's made on the next generation of players. >> the people idolize were professional soccer players or or professional soccer players. that's what i wanted to be growing up. understanding how big of an impact that can have on a young girl's life is super important. i always try to make as much

time as i can for them, or to hear them scream your name or have your jersey on, that never gets old. >> you can catch the full interview with clark on the "today" show right here on nbc. when we come back, a new vaccine is showing promise against the most common sti in the u.s. and stay tuned for some tax day deals to sweeten the start of your week. it ain't my dad's razor, dad. ay watch it! it's from gillettelabs. this green bar releases trapped hairs from my face... gamechanga! ...while the flexdisc contours to it. so the five blades can get virtually every hair in one stroke.

for the ultimate gillette shaving experience. the best a man can get is gillettelabs. try killing bugs the worry-free way. not the other way. zevo traps use light to attract and trap flying insects with no odor and no mess. they work continuously, so you don't have to. zevo. people-friendly. bug-deadly. hi. i use febreze fade defy plug. and i use this. febreze has a microchip to control scent release so it smells first-day fresh for 50 days. 50 days!? and its refill reminder light means i'll never miss a day of freshness. ♪ that grimy film on your teeth? dr. g? (♪♪) it's actually the buildup of plaque bacteria which can cause cavities. most toothpastes quit working in minutes. but crest pro-health's antibacterial fluoride protects all day. it stops cavities before they start... crest. [♪♪] it stops cavities before they start... there's a way to cut your dishwashing time by 50%. try dawn powerwash dish spray. it removes 99% of grease and grime in half the time.

it cleans so well, you can replace multiple cleaning products. try dawn powerwash. head & shoulders bare clinically proven dandruff protection with just 9 essential ingredients no sulfates, no silicones, no dyes. dandruff protection, minimal ingredients. job done. ♪ ("good feeling" by flo rida feat. atr) ♪ this is a hot flash. (♪♪) this is a hot flash. (♪♪) but this is a not flash. (♪♪) for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms due to menopause... veozah is the first and only prescription treatment that directly blocks a source of hot flashes and night sweats. with 100% hormone—free veozah... you can have fewer hot flashes and more not flashes. veozah reduces the number and severity of hot flashes day and night. for some women, it can start working in as early as one week. don't use veozah if you have cirrhosis, severe kidney problems, kidney failure, or take cyp1a2 inhibitors.

increased liver blood test values may occur. your doctor will check them before and during treatment. most common side effects include stomach pain, diarrhea, difficulty sleeping, and back pain. (♪♪) ask your doctor about hormone—free veozah... and enjoy more not flashes. we're back with what you need to know "early today." according to a new study, vision issues may be able to predict dementia 12 years before diagnosis. participants who demonstrated lower visual sensitivity went on to develop the disease. an early stage clinical trial showed promising results for a chlamydia vaccine. there is currently no shot to protect against the sexually transmitted infection, which is the most common sti in the u.s. "the tonight show's" jimmy fallon is teaming up with olympics prime-time host mike tirico to host the paris olympics closing ceremony this

summer. terry gannon will be joined by tara lipinski and johnny weir as commentators. tax day deals. krispy kreme is offering a dozen original glazed donuts for the price of a state sales tax. potbelly's are giving away a free sandwich if you by one with the code bogo. we'll be right back right after this. sulfate free is now packed with plant-based ingredients your hair will love. like pure aloe. and camellia flower oil. and none of the things it won't. hair feels deeply nourished, soft and lightweight. plant power you can feel. new herbal essences sulfate free. nature's bounty hair growth. clinically shown to help grow thicker, fuller hair

with just one capsule a day of advanced hair complex. conquer hair thinning... ...and fall in love with your hair all over again. only from nature's bounty. a mystery! jessie loves playing detective. but the real mystery was her irritated skin. so, we switched to tide pods free & gentle. it cleans better, and doesn't leave behind irritating residues. and it's gentle on her skin. tide free & gentle is epa safer choice certified. it's got to be tide. is patriots day in new england, which means it's also marathon monday. nearly 30,000 people are expected to run the 128th annual boston marathon this morning representing 129 countries and

all 50 states. and this year runners and spectators alike are also remembering the much beloved unofficial mascot of the boston marathon. here is hallie jackson with the story. when we come back, there's when dorrey and rich powers adopted their golden retriever, spencer, in 2009, they knew he was something special. >> what was it about spencer that first drew you to him? >> he was just so sweet and unassuming. and once i picked him up, i just did not want to let him go. >> reporter: an angel, they called him. but for thousands more, he was also a hero. two years after the marathon bombing in 2015, spencer began spending every year, rain or shine, roadside, cheering on runners with a flag, boston strong. reminding the athletes that they were too. >> spencer was like the marathon mascot for so many people beyond just your family. >> mm-hmm. >> he faced a lot of challenges. he had some severe health issues, and he miraculously bounced back, and he just took

his spot every year. and he was such a symbol of hope and inspiration that people could latch on to. >> reporter: and latch on they did. people stopping for snuggles and selfies. spencer so beloved he became the marathon's official dog. so when he died last year, it broke hearts in boston and beyond. sympathy cards pouring in. his obituary in "the new york times." >> spencer! [ applause ] >> reporter: and now a statue funded by donations right along the marathon route near where spencer always stood. >> i can't thank you enough. this boy meant the world to us, and he meant the world to a lot of people. >> here you go, beautiful boy. >> a new guard will greet boston marathon runners. meet jimmy and jade.

does he live on in these new pup by pis that you have? >> i think so, yes, definitely. they're so sweet, and they have a mission, and they're going to do it. >> reporter: like spencer, they're training to become therapy dogs, part of spencer's legacy in a way. honoring a hometown hero this community cannot forget. >> he was a symbol of hope and resilience and an inspiration for so many that we want this to go on for generations. he was just a symbol you can do way more than you think you can. and, you know, you can do it. >> nothing like the inspiration those furry faces give when those athletes are running. we all wish them the best today. and good luck. our thanks to hallie for that report, and thanks to you for watching "early today." m ans vey.at mon dai'

growing calls to pull back from the brink. world leaders urging restraint after iran's unprecedented attack on israel. we have team coverage on the