the latest action for pro by pro-palestinian protesters. now in a statement, the school says that those protesters mostly non-students and a group not associated with demonstrators who recently ended their protest in sproul plaza so far, the school not commenting on the response it may take. the today show is just moments away, but you can get more local news as we continue today in the bay on roku and other platforms. live at 8:00. the race director of the bay to breakers is joining us live to break down everything to expect this weekend. all right. that's what's happening here hi, there. happy thursday. it's official, president biden and donald trump will debate. >> the two set to shake up the presidential race. good morning, it's may 16th, this is "today." head-to-head, president biden and donald trump finally agreeing to meet on the debate stage, after a months-long back and forth. the first just weeks away.

the strict rules behind the showdowns and what both men are hoping to gain and the potential pitfalls they face. we're live with the very latest. storm alert. tens of millions set to face more severe weather today. parts of the south bracing for heavy rain and dangerous flooding, while the northeast faces its own soaking. al's full forecast is straight ahead. ambush attack. slovakia's prime minister fighting for his life after an attempted assassination caught on camera. just ahead, his condition and what we're learning about the suspect now in custody. crash chaos. another bridge accident leading to major problems this morning. a barge slamming into a vital causeway in texas, triggering an oil spill and creating havoc for commuters that could last for weeks. we're live on the scene. those stories, plus, commencement controversy. chief's kicker harrison butker

under fire for his message to women during a graduation speech. >> some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but i would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world. >> inside the growing uproar he sparked. and on a roll! boston eliminates cleveland to advance in the nba playoffs. >> tatum finds the laces and he buries it! while dallas defeats oklahoma city, pushing the thunder to the brink. doncic ahead. jones way up high for the jam. as football fans rejoice with the release of the long-awaiting 2024 nfl schedule. we'll break down the season's most anticipated matchups, today, thursday, may 16th, 2024. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, from

studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning. welcome to "today." we're so happy to have you with us on this thursday morning. >> yeah, good morning, everybody. our top story, big announcement in the 2024 presidential race. president biden and former president trump agree to two general election debates. the first will be in june, the other in september. >> yeah, the surprise deal marks a major shift in the campaign calendar. both camps are still trying to work out details, including the debate formats as well as who the moderators will be. >> but the candidates themselves are already taking on aggressive tones. president biden taking a swipe at his rival's legal problems, mr. trump calling biden the worst debater he's ever faced. we've got it all covered, starting with nbc's chief white house correspondent, peter alexander, who's right here with us. hey, peter, good morning. >> savannah, good morning. this happened fast, and really out of the blue, within hours of president biden introducing this idea, both men had signed on, two debates, you noted. the first, just six weeks from now. a calculated risk for each of them in what is certain to be a bitter battle.

their first televised confrontation in more than three years. >> the whole idea -- >> let him -- >> reporter: in an already unprecedented campaign, another unpredictable turn this morning. president biden and former president trump agreeing to two one-on-one debates, ending months of uncertainty about whether they'd face off at all. president biden on wednesday delivering this surprise offer to debate twice. >> donald trump lost two debates to me in 2020. and since then, he hasn't shown up for a debate. now he's acting like he wants to debate me again. well, make my day, pal. >> reporter: the president even taunting mr. trump, who's been stuck in court four days a week. >> so let's pick the date, donald. i hear you're free on wednesday. >> reporter: mr. trump who refused to take part in a single republican primary debate quickly signing on. and pushing for more. >> i think there should be more than two. and i think they should be in large venues. it's just more exciting. >> reporter: the first matchup with no studio audience set to take place june 27th, the earliest in modern history. that's just a few weeks before

the republican convention, and likely shortly after mr. trump's hush money trial has wrapped up. the second debate slated for september 10th before early voting begins. the biden campaign has requested a number of parameters, including that the candidates' microphones be cut off when it's not their time to speak. all of it comes after months of public pressure for the former president, even bringing out an empty lectern on the trail. >> that's for joe biden. i'm trying to get him to debate. >> reporter: their agreement bypasses the commission on presidential debates that's organized every matchup for more than three decades. >> folks, do you have any idea what this clown is doing? >> reporter: most americans hope the rematch isn't a replay of their first debate in 2020 that turned ugly. >> radical left -- >> will you shut up, man. >> reporter: meanwhile, senator mitt romney, a fierce trump critic, says that president biden should have pressured federal prosecutors not to indict the former president, and for the good of the country, should have pardoned him. >> had i been president biden, when the justice department

brought an indictments, i would have immediately pardoned him. because it makes me, president biden, the big guy and the person i pardoned the little guy. >> lots to unpack here, peter. is with us now. laura jarrett, because we have to talk about the trial, which resumes today. but the debate. both sides seem to be really anxious for the other guy to be there, because they want them to -- you know, the trump people think they're going to get an advantage when everyone sees president biden, and the biden people thinks that they'll have an advantage when everyone sees president trump. >> you're right. and in my conversations, both sides are framing this as an opportunity. as you note, mr. trump's folks view this as this is the perfect opportunity to crystallize this race to show american an opportunity for them to try to expose joe biden's vulnerabilities, his age and stamina. for the biden folks, they say it's an important opportunity for them to crystallize this race right now, in effect, to show americans, this is the choice. these are the two men, one of whom will be the next president of the united states.

in their eyes this is binary here. but to be very clear, they are tossing tradition aside. they are getting rid of those traditional political enormous norms by not going through the traditional debate commission that has done this thing date back in 1988. and another key factor not to miss is the fact that neither of them wanted rfk jr., robert f kennedy jr. to be on that stage right now. under these circumstances, it appears that that would be the case. but for those people who support rfk jr. or who don't like either of these men, it may backfire. they may say, hey, i'm going to stick it to both of them and vote for rfk jr. instead. >> okay. so let's turn to laura. we have the trial resuming today. michael cohen on the stand. and the cross-examination, we got a flavor of it on tuesday, but it's going to kick into high gear today. >> we would expect it will go all day today. they'll dig into all of his admitted lies, his lies to congress under oath i expect will take up a lot of the day. but at some point, we have to get back to the alleged crime. i think at some point, they have to zero in on what michael cohen said on the stand a couple of days ago about the actual charges. the falsification of business records. it's a dry charge, compared to

some of the scandal in this case, but they have to dig at that, or else the jury will be left with the impression that the former president ordered all of this, even though there's no evidence that he actually went in the computer system and typed, "legal retainer," and that was all fraudulent. so they'll have to flesh all this out. >> both sides need to keep their eye on the ball of what actual charges are. the case is starting to wind down. the prosecution says michael cohen is their last witness in their case in chief. what are we expecting from the defense, if anything? >> they may not put on a defense at all. they may say, you know, it signals more to say, we're not going to call any witnesses and go straight to closing arguments. >> all right. we shall see. laura, peter, thank you very much. all right, guys, another big story we're watching, the return of severe weather. millions in the midwest and south are once again bracing for powerful storms and dangerous flooding. heavy rain also falling across new england. al is tracking all of it for us. hey, al, good morning. >> good morning, guys. we are really more concerned about flooding than we are severe weather, but we will have some of that as well.

take a look, 17 million people under flood watches, stretching from central texas all the way into alabama, we're watching that. we're also looking at these storms that will continue to roll. we're looking at a high risk for flash flooding, enhanced risk of severe weather, as well, from abilene to lufkin down to houston for a few tornadoes possible, wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour. tomorrow, these storms race across the gulf coast. more training storms again across texas, on into the gulf. in fact, tomorrow, 8 million people at risk for severe weather from lake charles, new orleans, on into pensacola, up into columbus, and the flooding, again. we saw that river flooding a couple of weeks ago. well, we have a lot of river flood warnings from texas, right on into louisiana. why? so far, some parts of texas have picked up 800% of their average from texas to florida over the last two weeks. you put on top of that this saturated soil. there's nowhere for this rain to go. and so we have a high risk of

flooding for central texas into south central louisiana, also into birmingham, alabama, pensacola. some places picking up to 8 inches of rain with 3-inch rainfall totals per hour, guys. flash flooding will be a big, big problem going into the next 24 hours. guys? >> al, thank you. turning now to the war in gaza. overnight, the u.s. military finished installing a temporary floating pier that will be used to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid. and in a new interview with g t ahead with military operations in the city of rafah despite opposition from the white hous cnbc, israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu is vowing to press ahead with military operations in the city of rafah despite opposition from the white house. let's bring in nbc's chief foreign correspondent inerer juice rem again for us, richard engel. richard, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. i'm actually in sderot in southern israel at the moment. and in that interview, prime minister netanyahu was emphatic. he said repeatedly that he

understands president biden's opposition to a major military push into rafah, but that israel is going to do it anyway. that it has no other choice, that the operation in part has already going to continue over the next several weeks. pulled from the rubble of buildings flattened by israeli strikes, palestinian survivors are caked in so much dust, they look like statues. israel is once again fighting across the gaza strip, battling a regrouping hamas insurgency. >> what we're doing is what we have to do to win this war. >> reporter: in an interview with cnbc, prime minister benjamin netanyahu outlined his vision for ending the war. a long-term plan with israel destroying hamas and maintaining total control of security in gaza indefinitely. >> the palestinians should have all the powers to govern themselves, but none of the powers to threaten us. >> reporter: netanyahu also

suggesting some unnamed arab countries could help manage day-to-day affairs in gaza, while israel continues to carry out military operations. so far, no arab government has said it wants that role. >> reporter: in a widening rift, israel's defense minister suggesting on israeli tv, netanyahu's plan implies an endless war and occupation that israel can't sustain, saying the price would be bloodshed and many victims without purpose, as well as a heavy economic cost. secretary of state blinken appeared to agree. >> we've been very clear that when it comes to the future of gaza, we do not support and will not support an israeli reof occupation. >> reporter: but disagreements have not stopped u.s. support. with new arm shipments approved and a massive dock built by the

u.s. military to deliver food and other humanitarian aid has now been anchored off gaza. with that pier now anchored, aid deliveries are expected to make shore into gaza over the next several days. >> richard, thank you very much. also this morning, the prime minister of slovakia is fighting for his life after an attempted assassination. that frightening moment he was ambushed and the chaos unfolded. it was all caught on camera. nbc's megan fitzgerald has that story for us. hey, megan, good morning. >> reporter: hoda, good morning. this has been an all hands on deck effort to save slovakia's prime minister. robert fico has went underwent five hours of surgery in two operating rooms. and this morning, a glimmer of hope -- signs he's improving. [ gunfire ] >> reporter: this morning, a suspect charged in an assassination attempt in broad daylight on slovakia's prime minister. video showing three gunshots ringing out, striking robert

fico in the stomach. his security rushing to help him get away and a possible glimpse of the shooter. authorities said an arrest was premeditated. the deputy prime minister reassuring the public outside the hospital. saying the doctors have managed to stabilize his condition, but the situation is really serious. president biden calling the incident a horrific act of violence. slovakia's interior minister saying it was politically motivated. fico's politics are divisive and he's a support of russia and its war against ukraine. and protests have erupted across the nation after fico's plan to put the state broadcaster under government control. the assassination attempt, the latest to send shock waves across the world, after several high-profile incidents in recent years. in 2022, japan's former prime minister, shinzo abe, was shot in the street, later dying. a year later, a gun jammed as a man targeted argentina's then president.

and just last month, ukraine claimed it foiled a russian plot to assassinate president zelenskyy. but now in slovakia, an emergency cabinet meeting is under way to address a nation in crisis. the interior minister says the suspect acted alone has previously taken part in anti-government protests. state broadcasters are reporting that the suspect is a senior citizen. the president of slovakia is calling this attack an assassination on democracy. hoda? >> all right, megan fitzgerald for us in london. megan, thank you. quarter after. say good morning to craig. >> savannah, hod >> savannah, hoda, good morning. good morning to you as well. we're learning more this morning about yet another alarming bridge accident. this time, in texas. a barge slammed into the causeway that connects galveston to pelican island, causing a partial collapse. also causing an oil spill and a traffic nightmare. it shut off the only road to the island. nbc's priscilla thompson has

made her way there. priscilla, first of all, what's the very latest this morning? >> reporter: yeah, craig, very tense moments here yesterday when that barge crashed into the bridge behind me, after breaking loose from its tow, prompting that partial bridge collapse and also the oil spill. we know that this barge carries up to 30,000 gallons of oil. it's unclear how much of that may have spilled into the water, but martin petroleum says that that leak has been stopped. we are also learning that there were two operators, officials say, who were on board this barge when this crash happened, including one of them who ng thl standstill here on pelican island with th actually fell into the water and was rescued immediately. but thankfully, officials say that there were no injuries, but it did bring things to a virtual standstill here on pelican island, with the road being entirely shut down, the only road connecting the island to galveston. as you can see, the road closed sign is still up behind me, and

there remains a police presence here. but overnight, they did reopen this road to begin to allow people to get out, and we're told that there is a long line of residents eager to get out after being trapped here all day yesterday. craig? >> i'm sure. priscilla, all of this, of course, coming after that bridge collapse in baltimore a few weeks ago, and just yesterday, federal officials sounded the alarm in the wake of that on capitol hill. they talked about these kinds of incidents. what did those federal officials say? >> reporter: yeah. so they were on capitol hill to speak about the safety issues that were raised by the baltimore bridge collapse and other incidents. and we heard from those officials, really emphasizing the need shore up this infrastructure, to prevent another incident like that from occurring. we also heard of the coast guard, vowing to do a nationwide examination of these bridges to check for any vulnerabilities and to identify any others that could potentially be at risk. craig? >> priscilla thompson for us there in texas. priscilla, thank you. let's go now to the nba

playoffs. the boston celtics headed back to the eastern conference finals for the third year in a row. >> trying to force you to take a contested mid-range shot. >> tatum finds the laces and he buries it! >> that's jason tatum, he led the way, with 25 points as the celtics go on to win that one, 113-98. next up, boston will take on the winner of the knicks/pacers. >> in the western conference the dallas mavericks are just one win away to advancing to the next round after beating oklahoma city last night, 104-92. they lead that series, 3 games to 2 with game six on saturday. >> okay, mavs/nuggets, ks. >> that'll be good. that e'll be a nice matchup. >> i kno celtics/knicks. >> is that what you're calling? >> yeah. >> that would be a good matchup. >> meanwhile, anthony somewhere is like, let me bet against that. >> that's what anthony does. let's check in with mr. roker and get a check of the forecast. hey, al. >> good morning, guys. good morning to you again. we're looking at sunny, warm weather western third of the country, strong storms, flooding possible down through texas.

we're also looking at real summer-like weather down through the florida peninsula with hot and humid conditions. plenty of sunshine as you get into the southeast, but a damp day here in the northeast and parts of new england. we'll get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds.

weather. guys? >> all right. al, thank you. still ahead, growing outrage this morning over a controversial graduation speech from the kansas city chiefs' kicker. and kaylee hartung following the fallout this morning. >> hey, guys. this speech was directed at the 485 graduates of a small kansas catholic college, but harrison butker's remarks have stunned many far beyond that audience. coming up, we'll tell you how responding. >> all right, kaylee. also ahead, serious concerns the league and fans are responding. >> all right, kaylee. also ahead, serious concerns over the sunscreen that's sold in this country. the question, why is it apparently more effective and safer to use in other parts of the world? we'll take a closer look as you stock up for summer. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

all right. you know the music. coming up, are you ready for some football? >> absolutely! >> the nfl released the fall schedule for the games for the 2024 season overnight. we'll break it down. most anticipated matchups. our friend mike tirico along after your local news. airport . open up a world of possibilities with capital one. what's in your wallet? ♪♪ sure, feels good when you get it right. and with the number one powered toothbrush brand recommended by dental professionals. philips sonicare makes it easy for you to always get brushing right. (♪♪) (♪♪) (♪♪) (♪♪)

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breztri won't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. it is not for asthma. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. don't take breztri more than prescribed. breztri may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, mouth or tongue swelling, problems urinating, vision changes, or eye pain occur. can't afford your medication? astrazeneca may be able to help. ask your doctor about breztri. 726. right now i'm laura garcia. here's today's top stories, including sudden controversy among leadership at a bay area university. i'm ginger conejero saab at sonoma state university, where university president mike lee has been placed on leave because of insubordination. the

president sent a letter to the school community detailing several points of agreement with students protesting the israel-hamas war. csu chancellor mildred garcia says lee's statements were sent without appropriate approvals. the details of his leave have yet to be revealed. this all happens just days before the school's commencement ceremonies on saturday. switching gears, let's get a look at the forecast with meteorologist kari hall. we're starting out with clouds across much of the bay area, but it will be clearing out our inland temperatures up to about 80 degrees today and upper 70s tomorrow. there will be a gradual cool down as we go toward the end of the weekend into early next week, but not a significant change here. it's going to be cloudy in the morning, sunny in the afternoons, but i do think the clouds will hang on a lot longer for san francisco and along the coastline. with our temperatures in the mid 60s and looking at our weekend forecast only up to about 63 for those highs on saturday and sunday, and that continues into the start of next week. our mornings will be right at about 50 degrees and also

looking great into at least next wednesday. laura thank you and don't forget to watch our today in the bay live streaming newscast. it's at 8 a.m. today. we'll cover the action state lawmakers may soon take to put the brakes on speeders. you can watch on roku, amazon fire tv, xumo, and streaming platforms including nbcbayarea.com and of course, from our app. another local news update for you in about half an hour. hope to see you then. also join us for our midday news.hat's at 11 a.m. t

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>> get in there, hoda! this is like mystery science theater with hoda watching romcoms. >> so you probably remember that scene, the iconic kiss. everybody loves this movie. men, women, everybody. ryan gosling, rachel mcadams, "the notebook," the movie was 20 years ago it was out. well, guess what, now it's a hit on broadway. coming up in a bit, the tony-nominated cast will treat us to a few live performances and maybe they'll get in there. >> maybe they will. >> maybe they will. meanwhile, we are going to start this half hour with that commencement speech that everyone is talking about. >> everybody is talking about it. it was delivered over the weekend by harris butker. he's the kicker for the super bowl champions of the kansas city chief. what he said about women, families, and the lgbtq+ community stoking a lot of reaction. >> nbc's kaylee hartung joins us with more on this speech. kaylee, good morning. >> hey, good morning, guys. so harrison butker has never shied away from his faith and

during his speech, he said now is not the time for, quote, the church of nice. but many say this all went too far. >> i think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. >> reporter: a controversial commencement speech at benedectine college over the weekend, harrison butker railing against everyone from president biden to pride month to ivf and speaking directly to the women in the audience. >> some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but i would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about the marriage and the children you will bring into this world. >> reporter: invoking his own family. >> i can tell you that my beautiful wife, isabel, would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. that all of my success is made possible because of a girl i met in band class back in middle

school, would convert to the faith, become my wife and embrace one of the most important titles of all, homemaker. >> reporter: butker also criticizing gay rights when telling the students to take pride in their school. >> not the deadly sin sort of pride that has an entire month dedicated to it. >> reporter: and had a message for the men. >> be unapologetic in your masculinity. fighting against the cultural emasulation of men. >> reporter: the nfl responding saying butt kerr gave a speech in his personal capacity and are not the views of the league while outrage builds online. >> not only did he disrespect career women, but he disrespected his wife and stay at home moms everywhere. >> some pointing out that his own mother is a physicist in the department of oncology. also invoking a taylor swift lyric while criticizing priests. >> because as my teammate's girlfriend says, familiarity breeds contempt. >> reporter: swifties wasting no time responding. i dare harrison butker to tell

taylor swift that she has no value unless she is a wife, mother, and homemaker. while at the school, the speech got a standing ovation and some on the internet showed their support -- >> please, don't pretend that the women that harrison described don't exist, because we're right here. >> reporter: some students left hurt by the experience. >> there was a standing ovation from everyone in the room, except from me, my roommate, and about 10 to 15 other women. it was definitely horrible. and it definitely made graduation feel a little less special. >> harrison butker hasn't responded to the firestorm ignited by his speech and benedictine college has no comment. guys? >> what about the kansas city chiefs? >> yeah, so far they are not responding to this controversy. but guys, the court of public opinion is in session, and an online petition calling for butt

kerr's dismiskal from the team has nearly 90,000 signatures and counting. look, in 2019, butker signed a five-year contract. it's set to expire next year in 2025, so we'll be following this story to see if his actions off field impact his career on it. guys? >> all right. kaylee, thank you. >> i would encourage folks to check out the maria shriver rebuttal posted online. >> by the way, i think that may be the best takedown i think if you're looking for that. coming up, deal or no deal? what you need to know about the just announced bargains and buntles that fast food are streaming giants are rolling out for the summer. >> first, vicky nguyen is here with an eye-opening new look at sunscreen and if you're really getting the best protection. hey, vic. >> hey, good morning, craig, hoda, and savannah. as we head into summer, a new report is raising questions about the effectiveness of american sunscreens now on the market. what you need to know and how to find the best sun protection for your family. that's right here on "today." but once the new wore off... they changed. in the beginning, i got gifts, like a phone. and the next thing you know, it's like i'm invisible.

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and there's still so much to see. if you are on eylea or a similar type of treatment, ask your retina specialist about eylea hd today, for the potential for fewer injections. we're back, 7:39 with in depth today. summer is almost here. americans eager for a season of fun in the sun. >> of course that means we're going to all need plenty of sunscreen. but this morning, there are new questions about your options and the level of protection you're really getting. >> nbc's senior consumer investigative correspondent vicky nguyen joins us with more on this. >> hey, guys.you. a report by the environmental working group is raising new questions about whether americans have you are my own sunshine. hello to you. a report by the environmental working group is raising new questions about whether americans have access to the best sun protection on the market. it's all because of a law that dates back to the 1930s. why some key sunscreen

ingredients simply are not available here in the u.s. summer vacation just around the corner and each year, more than 250 million americans head to the water, slathering on sunscreen. >> ten minutes in the sun can cause irreparable sun damage. >> reporter: skin cancer is the most common cancer in america, killing two people every hour, and sunscreen is one of the best tools to protect us. but researchers from the environmental working group say what's on our store shelves may not be the most effective sun protection. >> currently, the u.s. sunscreen market is really based on decades-old ingredients, with decades-old regulations, and decades-old science. >> reporter: only two fda approved ingredients offer strong protection against uva rays, zinc ox side and avobenzone. but other countries have ingredients that are safer and more available than those in the u.s. what is about these other sunscreens that make them safer

and more effective? >> they have not been linked to as many health harms and they're more effective. so higher performance at reducing the harmful uv rays that hit your skin. >> reporter: many of the ingredients used in sunscreens overseas for decades have not been approved by the fda because of a 1938 law that requires sunscreens to be tested on animals and classified as over-the-counter drugs rather than cosmetics. it's an issue causing a stir online. >> sunscreen formulas in the eu are way better than what we have in the u.s. >> reporter: in a statement to nbc news, the fda said in part, they must balance the public health benefits of access to a broader range of sunscreen active ingredients against the use. in the meantime, dermatologists say look for sunscreens with spf 30 or higher and broad spectrum mexico against uva and uvb importance of ensuring that the sunscreens that americans use are safe for regular lifelong use. in the meantime, dermatologists say look for sunscreens with spf 30 or higher and broad spectrum

in the united states should stop using the products available. >> so these products she mentioned in europe, asia, and >> yeah, that was the first question i asked. yes, you can buy them. best to go directly to the manufacturer because you don't want to risk a third party and getting counterfeit products. but it's going to be, dependent on which companies will actually ship here, because technically those products aren't approved in the u.s. but on today.com, we have a whole list of the safest sunscreens available to americans that was put together by the environmental working group. >> if we know that there's better technology and better ingredients out there, i don't understand why we aren't using them? >> same, i know! my mind is blown as well. we've got to get on the fda. that's what some of these advocacy groups are trying to do. and really these ingredients have been approved for over 20 years. >> so this is a bureaucracy issue? >> it seems like some red tape. >> stay on it, vick. >> that's annoying. all right, well, what about the sun in our forecast?

>> we've got more pollen to talk about. unfortunately. spring is starting sooner, where we start to see the first leaves, as much as two weeks or more earlier, and because we're getting freezes later which kills off the pollen-producing plants, guess what? we are seeing more and more pollen since 1970 plants releasing that pollen earlier and keeping it later. and ragweed is on the rise from boston down to norfolk, but as you get into the 20s, 30s, 40s, we'll see ragweed now a big problem, all the way into the midwest and the great lakes, as well. pollen is getting worse and our weather in the northeast getting worse over the next several days. we'll be looking at more wet weather, hot and humid down through the gulf, storms and flooding down through texas. we'll be watching that very closely for river flooding.

>> and that's your latest weather. guys? >> guess what? our guy, tirico will be with us. mike's with us live to break down the just-released schedule for the 2024 nfl games. get your highlighter out and circle them on your calendar. we also have a fun morning "boost" right after this. (mom) the moment i loved our subaru outback most... was the moment they walked away from it.

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(psst! psst!) ahhh! with flonase, allergies don't have to be scary. spraying flonase daily gives you long lasting non-drowsy relief. flonase all good. also, try our allergy headache and nighttime pills. welcome back. we've got sheinelle with us. >> is that craig humming? good morning. >> yeah. >> love the theme song. >> you should release that as a single on spotify. >> no. >> craig hums the nfl song. any way, it is one of the most anticipated events of the year for football fans, the schedule. >> so we're talking about the 2024 schedule release, the matchups for all 272 games revealed last night. >> should we bring in mike tirico. >> yes! >> he the's the man at the center of it. nbc's sunday night football night. we don't want to brag, but nbc is doing real well. we have the kansas city chiefs taking on the ravens.

the packers and the eagles and the lions and the rams. that's a great kind of initial kickoff there. >> that's a weekend. >> that's crazy. >> all in one weekend. >> go ahead and brag! get in there, hoda. let's go! too easy. we knew the first two games, when we were together earlier this weekend, when the schedule came out, we found out that the rams and lions in detroit on sunday night football. we saw that game last year in the playoffs. matthew stafford longtime with detroit, returned to detroit, great atmosphere. then we saw the lions beat tampa the next week at home. we had the last few games for detroit downtown and another one coming up here to start the season.t started. >> also, week one playoff game. cowboys versus browns, that will be a good two teams with big playoff dreams. great way to get it started. >> okay. also week one game, cowboys versus browns. that will be a good game. but also a debut of a certain someone in the broadcast booth. >> down the dial on fox, it will be tom brady's debut. and everyone who are football fans, people in our industry,

are excited to hear what tom is going to sound like in the booth. i talked to tom at the super bowl and i can tell you that he's been preparing and working for this. i think all of us will have a lot of fun hearing tom criticize other quarterbacks when he's the best of all time with all the super bowls. >> so, mike, listen. we're going to see the cowboys a lot on sunday night. we're going to see the chiefs a lot on sunday night as well. i am happy that you at least get to start the season in your hometown there, in detroit. >> yes. >> and it's may. don't want you making any bold predictions about the super bowl, but based on what we know right now, who does mike tirico like going into the season, especially in terms of story lines? >> oh, i'll take kansas city and san francisco, repeat of last year's super bowl, because it's the easiest answer, and nobody remembers what you say. but we'll see the chiefs four times, the cowboys three times. san francisco a couple of times. detroit, a couple of times. here's a team i'm kind of looking for. the green bay packers. if you want a surprise team, the packers came on late last season. we had them beating kansas city

at lambeau field. they won a playoff game in dallas against dallas. almost won in san francisco. i would not be surprised to see them have a great season, and we'll see them on thanksgiving night up at lambeau taking on the miami dolphins in addition to that game in brazil. keep an eye on the pack if you want to get started on something in may, because there's no chance anybody will remember this come september. >> we have the video, though. >> we already have it in the vault. >> thank you, mike. >> thanks, guys. >> we have a great roster of games. >> mike there in a hotel room, because mr. tirico is in baltimore and he is in baltimore because it's nbc sports' coverage of the preakness stakes. still ahead,at saturday here on nbc and streaming on peacock. still ahead, grab your golf clubs and hockey jersey. on "popstart" today, we have big news on the return of "happy gilmore." mus, another beloved movie now a hit broadway musical. the cast of "the notebook" getting ready to perform for us live. get in there!

but first, your local news and weather. ♪ start talking to a specialized urologist. because it could be peyronie's disease, or pd. it's a medical condition where there is a curve in the erection, caused by a formation of scar tissue. and an estimated 1 in 10 men may have it. but pd can be treated even without surgery. say goodbye to searching online. find a specialized urologist who can diagnose pd and build a treatment plan with you. visit makeapdplan.com today.

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have that tasty kick of flavor... ...so they're perfect for any get-together ...if there are any left when your guests arrive. tyson any'tizers® chicken. more kicks of flavor. more smiling snackers. more to love. tyson. choosing a treatment for your chronic migraine - 15 or more headache days a month, each lasting 4 hours or more - can be overwhelming. so, ask your doctor about botox®. botox® prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine before they even start. it's the #1 prescribed branded chronic migraine treatment. so far, more than 5 million botox® treatments have been given to over eight hundred and fifty thousand chronic migraine patients. effects of botox® may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms. alert your doctor right away, as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness can be signs of a life-threatening condition. side effects may include allergic reactions, neck and injection site pain, fatigue, and headache. don't receive botox® if there's a skin infection. tell your doctor your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions and medications, including botulinum toxins, as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. in a survey, 92% of current users said

they wish they'd talked to their doctor and started botox® sooner. so, ask your doctor if botox® is right for you. learn how abbvie could help you save on botox®. if you love to travel, capital one has a rewards credit card that's perfect for you. with venture x, earn unlimited double miles on everything you buy and get access to over 1300 airport lounges. open up a world of possibilities with capital one. what's in your wallet? 756 right now i'm laura garcia and i'm marcus washington. happening now, here's what we're working on for our 8:00 streaming newscast. so governor gavin newsom is in italy. that's where he was this morning as he addressed global leaders during a climate summit organized by the vatican. the governor touted california's effort to combat

climate change. he also touched on our state's decades long history advocating for the environment. he also called out fossil fuel companies for fighting against efforts to combat warming. he is expected to remain in italy through tomorrow. let's get a look at that forecast for this thursday with meteorologist cory hall. we're starting out mostly cloudy, but it will be clearing out in the inland valleys. we'll have a beautiful warm, sunny afternoon up to about 80 degrees. and some of the warmest spots will be in san jose as well as concord, but much of the rest of the bay area in the 70, and we'll see some slight cooling for the weekend into early next week, and a sunny and dry weather continues. our mornings right now at about 50 degrees, and we'll see that in san francisco as well. but the clouds linger a lot longer and that will keep those temperatures down. so we're only going to see a high of about 64 today and tomorrow as well as low 60s for the weekend. laura marcus all right. again make sure to join us for our today in the bay live streaming newscast, starting in just minutes at 8:00. we're going to speak with the bay to breakers race

director about what to expect ahead of this weekend's fun filled event. watch on roku, amazon fire tv, xumo, and streaming platforms like nbcbayarea.com

♪ it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, facing off. biden and trump agree to go head to head in two debates. the first one, just weeks away.

we're live with the very latest. and bundle up! from fast food to streaming services, the new deals big-name brands are offering to customers. so will they really save you money? we're breaking it all down. then, staying strong. peter alexander is here with his sister, rebecca to share her remarkable story. >> how do you live in that constant state of uncertainty? >> it's a fragile place to live. it's a humble place to live. there's tremendous vulnerability. >> the amazing work she's doing to raise awareness for a rare genetic disorder. all of that plus, a wicked good trailer. >> you're green! >> i am. >> luke combs does the twist -- ♪ oklahoma ♪ ♪ just a whistle on a long, black train ♪ and a homecoming for "happy gilmore." >> that's your home. are you too good for your home.

>> it's all coming up in "popstart," on may 16th, 2024. >> best friends for 20 years! >> and we made it to the "today" show. >> on a mother/daughter trip. >> from carolina. >> sending love to our daughters in. >> north carolina. >> hello, kentucky! >> hi to my mom! >> in canton, ohio. ♪ >> celebrating my 35th birthday. >> from seattle, washington. >> we're on our honeymoon -- >> from hondo, texas! >> love it! >> happy honeymoon! happy everything. and extra points, y'all. we know the ponchos are out, the rain's falling, but they've come, so we're going to go out and say hi. >> do you like the blue ponchos? >> i kind of do like the new thing. i like that. good morning, everybody. should we get to our news at 8:00? >> yes. >> let's do it. the stage is set. president biden and donald trum but the candidates are already coming out swinging. nbc's chief white house

correspondent peter alexander is here with de correspondent peter alexander is here with details. hey, peter, good morning. >> hoda, good morning to you. agreeing to set off in two televised debates this summer, but the candidates are already coming out swinging. nbc's chief white house correspondent peter alexander is here with details. hey, peter, good morning. >> hoda, good morning to you. the earliest in modern history. no live audience. the second will take place in early september. so all of this ends months of uncertainty about whether they'd face off at all. former president trump, who remember, refused to take part in any of the republican primary debates, has been pressuring biden to debate him. the announcement, though, capped a dizzies day of deal making after president biden posted a surprise offer to do two face-offs and mr. trump quickly agreed. >> donald trump lost two debates to me in 2020. since then, he hasn't shown up for a debate. now he's acting like he wants to debate me again. well, make my day, pal. >> i think there should be more than two and i think they should be in large venues. it's just more exciting. >> both sides are trying to frame this as an opportunity, really. for trump allies, it's a chance

to try to expose what they view as president biden's vulnerabilities, his age, his physical stamina. for biden's team, this is a chance to change the dynamics of this race and to crystallize for voters that this election is not a referendum, but a choice, that they say it's going to be one of these two guys. america has to decide. and another major factor, both of them shared a desire to be on the stage without robert f. kennedy jr. hoda, back to you. >> peter, thank you! u.s. capitol police are trying to figure out who brought a bag of cocaine into their building. the small bag was found tonight on the floor of a hallway inside capitol police headquarters. officials say the area is a staging spot for furniture and supplies and it is heavily trafficked by various contractors and employees. police say they're going to test that residue further and conduct dna testing of the bag itself. as americans continue to struggle with increasing prices deals and bundles to entice

on a wide variety of products across the board, some big-name brands are stepping in with deals and bundles to entice value-hungry customers. this week alone, mcdonald's telling cnbc they are going to be offering a $5 value meal, but are these deals really actually deals? here to break it all down is nbc senior business correspondent christine romans. christine, let's start with this mcdonald's deal. $5, four items. is there a catch? >> look, these ceos have heard you, america. you feel nickel and dimed and if you don't get a deal, you'll walk away. and they know that. this is a $5 deal at mcdonald's, only for a month. it starts june 25th. coca-cola is having to kick it in here, because some of these franchisees might lose money on a $5 deal. but a four-piece mcnugget, franchise and a drink. just for a minute, look at that. $5 value meal at mcdonald's. we haven't seen anything like that in years. it shows you how powerful the american consumer is. they were demanding some relief. >> there's a lot of interesting bundling going on in there. >> and in the streamers, we're actually just fatigued by all the costs we're paying for all the streamers. you're hearing from these

different companies that are putting them together, we don't know the pricing yet, but warner brothers, discovery, and disney will have one, comcast will have one, peacock, netflix, and appletv. and hopefully if you look at them all together, it will be a little less than buying them all separately. >> do you think customers will bite? >> we'll see, chili's has a $10.99 value meal. really the restaurants are trying to show you that they can deliver you value. i think the thing to be careful about here, don't buy things you wouldn't otherwise buy. that's what starts to be the trick here. but i want to say, americans, you have spoken. people are sick and tired three years into inflation, so these companies have to give deals. disney, by the way, quietly started offering its menu plans, dining plans again, because they knew at the parks, that people were still paying -- people still want to go out and eat. still want to go to the parks, but they felt like they were being nickel and dimed, so even disney is offering some new value. >> good. >> thank you, christine. >> you're welcome. speaking of fast food, here's something to chew on.

is a taco considered a sandwich? >> no. >> well, that's the debate that's heating up inside an indiana courtroom. it all started when a restaurant called the famous taco mexican grill it wanted to move into a strip mall in ft. wayne. the only problem is there were neighborhood rules in that place that only allowed businesses with subway-style sandwiches to move in. the measure was designed to keep some of those national burger chains out. well, a judge rules that tacos and burritos are really mexican-style sandwiches. >> oh. >> so the shop will be allowed to open. >> that's a clever legal argument, i buy it, though? >> i buy it. >> i just love tacos. i'm like a taco expert more than legal things. now to a frightening moment for a family in washington state. they had a close encounter with a cougar when it ran into the backyard and you see it right there, caught on camera. the cougar was apparently going fast and going after the house cat. so the family, caught by surprise, sending one girl running into the house. eventually, the cougar gave up and ran away.

the family said they didn't even really process what happened, it was so fast, until later, and they looked back and had the video. >> looks like the house cat was okay. feels like a good time for a boost. >> all right. here we go. now being a toddler can be absolutely exhausting. you know the activities, being pushed around in a stroller, eating chocolate ice cream. enough to knock a kid out. sometimes you wake up just long enough to get that one more lick. but whatever you do, do not take the cone away, because you know. what's going to happen. there you go. come back, problem solved. the world is all right again. rest easy, little girl. >> that is so funny, she fell asleep eating it, but when you tried to take it away, she's like, alert! >> of course! folks, loaded with some new details on some highly anticipated

coming up, sheinelle is working on a packed "popstart," loaded with some new details on some highly-anticipated films and some movie sequels. but first, peter alexander will be back. he has his lovely sister rebecca sharing a deeply personal story and a major milestone. how they're trying to help people with a rare genetic disorder. that's coming up right after this. be fatal, dehydration, urinary tract, or genital yeast infections, and low blood sugar. a rare, life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop taking farxiga and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this infection, an allergic reaction, or ketoacidosis. ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ homequote explorer lets you easily compare coverage options so you don't end up overpaying. an allergic reaction, or ketoacidosis. good, because we've spent a lot on this kitchen. oh, yeah, really high end stuff. sorry, that's our ghost. he's more annoying than anything. oh, a decal that says "kitchen." good, i forgot where i was for a second. mmm...rainbow sprinkles, jammy filling and frosting?! friends, pop-tarts, pastrymates!

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oooooohhh... automatic sashimi! earn cash back that automatically adjusts to how you spend with the citi custom cash® card. [mind blown explosion noise] we are back. 8:12 with a deeply personal story of strength and perseverance. >> peter alexander is here along with his hero, his sister, rebecca. she is a force. she's charted her own path and helped others while living with a rare genetic disorder that causes deafness and blindness. >> i am so proud to be here and to talk about her, so allow me so sort of gush for a minute, if you will. she is the most courageous, energetic, impressive, joyful person i know, and she is all of those things, despite facing challenges that almost none of us can possibly imagine. from the moment my sister, rebecca, wakes up, there is not a minute to waste. of course, no one knows what

their future is going to look like, but for rebecca, it's more uncertain. how do you live in that constant state of uncertainty? >> it's a fragile place to live, it's a humble place to live. there's tremendous vulnerability. >> reporter: rebecca has a rare disease called usher syndrome. d load the leading genetic cause of deaf blindness. that means she's losing her vision and hearing. >> when you're cochlear implants are off, you hear what? >> nothing. >> silence. >> silence. >> reporter: and this is all she can see, just 10 degrees of vision. like looking through a straw and it's shrinking. >> what do you see right now? >> i see my hands out here, in this outer-most periphery, and i can't see them, i can't see them, i can't see them, i can't see them, i see them. >> reporter: still, rebecca is not defined by her the disability. instead of trying to overcome adversity and fear, she's learned to embrace it.the grief and it's only in allowing m >> i allow myself to feel all of

the loss and all of the grief, and it's only in allowing myself to feel the full range of my emotions that i'm able to feel all of the joy and happiness and sense of meaning that comes with being alive is. >> hi, everyone! >> reporter: rebecca's ambitious and playful, a burst of energy with an enormous heart. she's a psychotherapist, published author, motivation al speaker, and a world traveler, climbing kill mounjaro, running with the olympic torch, doing the pacific coast aids ride and swimming from alcatraz. an extreme athlete that works out six times a week. >> i can't control the fact that i'm going deaf and blind, but i can control how i take care of my body. >> reporter: rebecca's become a disability rights advocate, first narrating a pbs documentary on helen keller. >> she was such a trailblazer. >> reporter: and more recently introducing viewers to what's called protactile. a language created by the deaf blind community based solely on touch. >> today i will be learning a whole new language. all the people i will be interviewing are deaf/blind.

>> reporter: it's a novel language, but incredibly sophisticated. so if i'm signing, i want you to be able to feel what my hands are doing. >> reporter: rebecca's still learning. >> she put her hand to my face, to let me know, a smile. >> smile. >> so went like that. smile. >> yeah. i love that. i love you. >> reporter: her latest accomplishment, the culmination of a two-year effort to draw attention to the disorder, working with the usher syndrome society, a larger than life campaign, featuring rebecca called "every second counts." >> i have usher syndrome, a rare condition that's causing me to lose all of my vision and hearing. >> any second. here we go. >> there we go! >> reporter: recently premiering on some of new york city's giant screens, a times square takeover. >> what do you think? there? >> i think when you grow up and

you don't have role models, to be able to become a >> oh, my god, this is amazing! >> how do you describe that experience of seeing it up there? >> i think when you grow up and you don't have role models, to be able to become a role model for people that you needed, it almost feels like you're healing your inner child. >> that is unbelievable. i am so proud of you. >> i can't believe we did it! >> that's so awesome! >> i can't believe we did it. >> it's okay. congratulations! i love you. that's so amazing. >> oh, geez! rebecca and peter, you both are amazing. rebecca, it's just incredible, your attitude, the way you take on these huge challenges while facing all of these challenges. i think it's so beautiful what you said. you're just so committed to joy. >> mm-hmm. >> what does that come from within you? >> i think when you live with a condition that makes you so keenly aware of how precious time is and how fortunate we are to have the things that we have, you can't help but feel the entire range of emotions that you have. and it's actually in this -- my own process of coming to terms with having a condition that's

causing me to go deaf and blind that i realize, if i allow myself to feel all of the heaviness, the grief and the loss of it, that's the only way i'm going to be able to fully experience all of the joy as well. >> you can tell that this is part of you, but not all of you. watching how you work out, and watching the parts that you -- as you pointed out, you can control, how important are those parts of your life? >> well, we live in a world and a time and a place that's so binary, either black or white, good or bad, right or wrong, you're either able or disabled, and we tend to think in such black and white terms, and my life is very gray. and part of being if the gray means you have to kind of pioneer your own path. and there's something very freeing about that. and so, i think being able focus on all of the things that i can do, instead of being influenced in thinking about all of the things that i can't do, i'm capable of doing so much. beliefs. and so i try to challenge my own

limiting beliefs on a the only thing that stands in our way is our own limiting beliefs. and so i try to challenge my own limiting beliefs on a daily basis. >> peter, your love for your sister is like the first thing you learn about peter alexander when you get to know him, how he feels about becky. what has it been like for you as a brother to watch her flourish, but also to see the pain that she talks about? it's really important, this isn't like, wrap it in a shiny box and make it okay. she's not saying that. >> i'm a guy on tv for the living, but she is the star of our family. rebecca just blows you away every time you're with her, and the chance to talk to her and have these conversations is so meaningful. for me, there's no better moments for me than watching her with my daughters, they're 10 and 8, by zoom she'll teach them sign. they'll grab her coke lee yar implants. and to think about those girls who i care more about than anything in my life, to have this person as their idol, as the person they look up to, along with my wife, is something i couldn't be more proud of. >> i feel like you have such a message for everybody out there, no matter what they're going

through, quite frankly. i'm looking at you and i think, my gosh, if she can do that, whatever burden someone is carrying, they must feel capable of doing that. do you realize the people you've touched? have you seen it? >> it's such a humbling experience to live with this, because i think that we're on tv today and people are hearing this, and then they turn their tv off and they feel good, but i want people to do more than just feel good about like, oh, that's an inspirational story. we have the power to do things. not just to use our voices, but to actually take action. and to really be kind to each other. and in a time and place right now, we're all struggling with something. all of us. in some way, in different ways. and if anything, having usher syndrome has just -- it's introduced me to how much kindness there is in the world and how important it is to be kind, because you don't know what people are walking around with. you just don't. >> i'm so struck by that, rebecca, from looking at you or

speaking to you what you are because at the surface, it's like, people would have no idea, rebecca, from looking at you or speaking to you what you are facing every single day and taking on. and that's just a lesson for all of us. you just never know the path. that someone is walking. >> and you look at the girl's biceps, she would come up behind me and be like, it sucks to get up by your little sister, huh, peter? >> thank you guys, so much >> rebecca and peter, thank you so much. >> beautiful. >> we want to mention, we have a lot more on rebecca's story and usher syndrome, the ever second count campaign is on our website today.com. as rebecca says, you can do something! so let's do something together! >> thank you. >> thank you. mr. roker? >> wow. she is the epitome of protactile. you are touching us all. it's so wonderful. oh, my gosh. so good to see you guys. let's see what we've got for today. hot and humid the down through florida, very, very summerlike. stormts and flooding down through texas. watching that all weekend. sunny and warm out west.

heading out the door, don't forget, sirius xm channel 108, "today" show confidential, a great hour of dead air, but best time of the morning right now! >> you're a mess! >> by the way, hoda just ran out for a kids' recital. >> beyond worth it, for sure. let's talk about wicked first off today. yesterday, our sister company universal pictures dropped an epic new trailer for the big screen adaptation of broadway's biggest hit and it gives a snea rendition of "popular."

>> miss elphaba. >> you can room peek at ariana grande's rendition of "popular." do you want to hear a little of it? >> yes. >> miss elphaba. >> you can room with miss glinda. ♪ popular, i know about popular ♪ >> oh, i saved you some space, by the way. fair? i do not. i was promised a private suite, but thanks for asking. >> please, everyone take your seats. in today's honors, a real sorcerer who possesses true magic has become all too rare. >> how simply remarkable. >> that was you that made all of that happen? how did you do it? >> i don't know! i've never known. >> that's going to be a hit. >> so good. >> it looks incredible. i have chills. >> we're all going. >> and it's in two parts, right? >> "wicked" hits theaters november 27th. next up, "happy gillmore," it's on. this sports movie legend is officially making a comeback. >> oh! >> you son of a [ bleep ]! why didn't you just go home! that's your home! are you too good for your home?!

answer me! >> bring it home, mr. sandler. yesterday, it was confirmed, a "happy gillmore" sequel is in the works. adam sandler set to return to that iconic character. earlier this year, actor christopher mcdonald who played shooter mcgavin had fans buzzing after revealing he had seen a script for this highly anticipated follow-up, nearly 30 years in the making now. the original scored a hole in one at the box office, raking in $40 million bucks. >> wow. >> a classic. >> we'll see what happens. next up, "twisters," the star-studded artist lineup for the upcoming movie soundtrack has dropped. shania twain. jelly rol, lainey wilson, benison boone, just for the omb new track along with the stormy music video. the song is called "ain't no love in oklahoma." let's listen. ♪ ain't no love in oklahoma ♪

♪ just a whistle of a long black train ♪ ♪ you'll know when it's coming for ya ♪ ♪ riding in on the wind and rain ♪ >> oh, they're about to be playing that. >> weather and hit music. >> what a combo! >> what a combo! "twisters," also from our sister company, universal pictures, hits theaters in july. speaking of twisters, finally, it's star glenn powell. yesterday, the hollywood a-lister returned to his home state and was inducted into the texas film hall of fame at the premiere of his netflix comedy "hit man." going home meant a little extra time with mom and dad who were there to lovingly support him on the set of the red carpet with hilarious humbling signs. the signs read, "stop trying to make glenn powell happen," "it's never going to happen." >> i think it happened. it happened. that's cute. coming up next, the best of broadway. the cast of "the notebook" musical treating to us a powerful performance you do not want to miss. get out those tissues! but first, your local news and

weather.

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♪ we're back! it's 8:30!

and we're back! we're back! it's 8:30! some say thursday, we say fri-yay eve. so many smiling faces on the plaza. how you guys doing? we good? all right. >> we're standing here in this rain. thank you, guys. >> yes! yes. >> i'll hold it. >> guys, coming up, we've got an exclusive new look at an uber feature. it's a tool used at easing the time and financial toll that can come with taking care of a loved one. vicky's back. we have two-fer from vicky today. >> and we're interrupting your breakfast with an important message about what's on your plate. turns out, what you're eating now really can impact how you're going to sleep tonight. dr. raj will explain it all. all right. plus we're loving our best of broadway week. and this morning, we are being amazed by the cast of "the notebook." you do not want to miss their performance coming up. >> guys, look who's here! >> the home edit team is back! >> hi, guys. >> they always bring great ideas

and this morning, they're going to help us get ready and get organized for summer fun. so good to see you both. welcome back! >> we can't wait! >> oh, my gosh! we've got projects for you. it brings me joy to see your faces. so glad to have the home edit girls here. let's check the weather. >> we start off tomorrow, sunshine in the northeast, but wet weather, great lakes down to the gulf, with some severe storms, warm weather out west. as we move into saturday, sunshine returns to the northeast. you're going to need a lot of sunscreen, the western two-thirds of the country, a wet preakness, heavy rain through the southeast. sunday, sunday! we're looking at more umbrellas again, as you make your way into the southeast. we're looking at some great swim weather down along the gulf. sunny and dry out west, with some snow showers and wet weather in the weste oh good. thursday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall today, we're going to start to see those temperatures spreading out

from the foggy coast to a sunny and warm inland area. we're going to see some of our temperatures at noon already in the low 70s in the tri-valley, with some low 80s up around clear lake and it's going to be hotter in spots like ukiah and clear lake. while much of the rest of the bay area is in the mid to upper 70s and low 80s. and we are also that's your latest weather. oh, nailed it! what's your name? >> gayle. >> you were here seven years ago? >> yes, and you made comment on them, too. >> the great thing about those nails, you never need to worry about having chips for your dip. you go right in. >> thank you, al! >> yummy! by the way, we have a lot of high school graduates from western kentucky. >> all right! >> happy graduation! happy graduation! when we come back, something new in the world of ride share. something that's supposed to help make things a little easier

for millions of americans who are caregivers for family members. vicky nguyen tried it out with her own dad and she'll join us with an exclusive report. but first, this is "today" on nbc. did my legs shrink? i can move them. i mean, i knew alaska airlines' premium class had extra legroom but this... this feels different. okay. crazy idea. on the count of 3... i'm going to try and cross my... ohhhhhhhhhhh boyy that's nice. woooooo! ( ♪♪ )

we are back today at 8:35 with a "today" exclusive on this new feature from ride sharing giant, uber. >> it is designed with a lot of american families in mind and nbc's vicky nguyen is back with a first look. >> hi, good morning, guys. this is a game changer. one in four american adults identifies as a caregiver, according to the cdc, and you may be one of them. it could be taking care of a senior parent, a spouse, or a child with special needs. it is not an easy job, especially when you're not in the same place or you're juggling work outside the home, new way to get help, and to too.

well, now, uber is launching a new way to get help, and to pay for it with health care benefits. this morning, we're getting a first look at uber caregiver. >> for the more than 50 million adult americans who are caregivers, life can be stressful. >> i've just like tried so hard to just do it myself. >> i'm trying to stay happy and be positive. >> i try so hard to be patient and loving with her always. >> care giving is also costly. an aarp study found that family caregivers spend $7,200 per year in out-of-pocket costs. starting this summer, a new tool called uber caregiver could give you a well-earned break. with this new feature, you'll be able to arrange and pay for a loved one's eligible rides to doctor's appointments and purchase their eligible medical supplies, including over-the-counter medicine, all using their health care benefits. >> we think this will be a game changer for millions of americans. >> jeremy hints leads engineering for uber health, and his team built this feature with his grandparents in mind, after his grandfather suffered a

stroke and his grandmother needed care for her early onset dementia, jeremy's mother jumped in to be their primary caregiver. >> i was on the phone with my mom, and we were talking about some of the things she needed help with, caring for my grandparents. she needed to get them places and get stuff delivered to them like meals. so we thought this could have a big impact like my mom. >> reporter: jeremy's mom and grandparents in dallas were the first to test an early version of the tech. >> it's been nice to see them live out this part of their lives in a way that hopefully gives them something to look forward to each day. >> so, how will you be able to set up an uber caregiver account? >> it's pretty easy to set up. i have my dad here and we'll show you how to do it. dad, you ready? >> first, my dad adds his health benefits card as a payment option in the uber app. >> see here, it says health care benefits? so right there, that's when you're going to add your health care benefit card.

can you add me as a caregiver here? okay, dad, good job. now you've added me as a caregiver, and i can now book rides for you, i can get realtime updates when you're in your ride. >> reporter: uber says its caregiver offering will support customers 65 and older with medicare advantage, medicaid recipients of any age, and even customers with commercial insurance from their employer, as long as they're eligible. >> so starting this summer, uber says the first feature that will be available on caregiver is the rides functionality. i'll show you how that works. i would launch the uber app and i would select "where to." now, instead of "me," i'm going to switch it to my dad. you see here, it says it is my dad will be the rider and it will be billed to his health benefits. within minutes, i get a notification on my phone showing that the driver has arrived and i can even message the driver in app if i need to. >> continue for half a mile. >> and i can follow along as my dad is on his ride, to make sure he gets to his destination safely. >> eventually, uber caregiver will include not just rides, but eventually grocery and over-the-counter delivery as

well. >> reporter: as for my dad, the ride went smoothly and i was notified once he got to his destination. >> that's a great idea. just a great idea. >> and my dad did have a good time. contrary to what his expression might have said, he was fully happy and involved. >> i didn't realize it would be covered -- i guess, it is certain folks that qualify? >> absolutely. you don't want to book a ride willy-nilly. you want to make sure your insurer covers it, and that's all going to happen -- and we're talking about major insurers. guardian has gone public saying they are going to be one of the providers and they cover at least 10 million people. but on background, we have spoken to many major insurers that are going to get onboard. it's just a matter of timing. uber will start rolling out this caregiver function this summer, working with the rides first, to cover that, but eventually, we're talking about covering things like delivering groceries for people who are on a medically specific diet, some medicare advantage plans, and special needs plan already pay for healthy food and produce. we put a lot more on today.com, so you can get information about

uber health and uber caregiver, and figure out who the partners are, and if your plan is covered. >> that's amazing. you can't assume. don't start logging rides, thinking that -- you've got to find if you have the right medicare, medicaid, whatever it is. >> what a game changer. there are folks who can't get to the grocery store or eating processed stuff from a deli down the street. >> and we all know health care costs will go down the more that people have access to doctors and healthy food. uber has the infrastructure in place, just a matter of connecting all the dots. >> good story. and good on uber! >> thank you. up next, how you can eat -- how eating can be the secret to how you sleep. dr. raj will share the connection that could transform your health. it's time to get away and cache in, at cache creek casino resort,

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welcome back. this morning on your health, we're talking about gut health. growing evidence suggests it might be directly linked to how you're sleeping at night. we want to dr. raj, an associate professor of medicine at nyu

langone health and the author of the book "gut renovation." still love the title, dr. raj. >> thank you, savannah. >> can we do the basics here first. we hear more and more about the gut and microbiome. i honestly -- what is that? what are we talking about here? >> yeah. so when we talk about the gut and gut health, we're really talking about what's going on in your intestines and your digestic tract. and talking about that community of bacteria and other organisms that live there and exert influence throughout your entire body and can affect every aspect of your health, including sleep. >> let's talk about this connection between the health of your gut and the health of your sleep. >> yes, so it's a two-way conversation. and i think anyone who has acid reflux knows that you know, you can definitely have disruption of sleep due to conditions such as that. if you're eating too late at night, you might be waking up with bad heartburn. that's a very clear example. but what's not so obvious, what's more subtle is what's r you have an imbalance of the good and bad bacteria in your

gut, that can actually cause going on with that bacteria. and now research shows that if you have an imbalance of the good and bad bacteria in your gut, that can actually cause poor-quality sleep and a shorter duration of sleep. they've found that certain species of bacteria are associated with insomnia and other species, the good ones, are associated with better sleep. >> you said, it's a two-way street. so how you sleep also affects your gut. >> 100%. we know that when we're sleep deprived, we're not getting good sleep, we tend to crave unhealthy foods that are bad for our gut. i know after a long shift in the in the hospital or you guys who work in tv, what you're craving the next morning is usually not a salad. >> i may have had doritos for dinner last night. yeah. >> there you go. there you go. we crave unhealthy foods that are bad for our gut. we have also shown in studies that the balance of bacteria changes when you have someone who's sleep deprived for several weeks or a night shift workers, for example. so you know, it's definitely both aspects need to be taken care of to have really optimal sleep and optimal gut health. >> let's do some takeaways here. what are some changes we can make to our diet. you mentioned the processed foods. >> yeah, so, first of all, again, if you have acid reflux, you don't want to eat late at night, you want to be upright

for at least two or three hours. but then in terms of keeping that gut in balance, you want to avoid the ultra-processed foods. they have additives. very toxive to your gut bacteria. avoid sugar, limit alcohol, which is also toxic, and really, i think the most important is to make sure you have a fiber-rich diet. we know fiber is a great prebiotic. it serves as fuel for your good bacteria. you want foods that have actually probiotics in the fermented foods themselves. >> let's talk about some of the fiber-rich foods. >> berries are great. raspberries are great example. pears, apples, and make sure you have plenty of legumes in your diet, lentils are important, broccoli, whole grains and oats. >> how much of this per day? >> actually it's more than you think. about 95% of americans are not getting the recommended amount, which is 25 to 30 grams per day. it's about eight or nine apples. it's a lot. servings. you want to make sure your plate with every meal is predominantly

full of fiber-rich food it's many servings. you want to make sure your plate with every meal is predominantly full of fiber-rich foods. >> what about probiotics. >> so probiotics means good, healthy bacteria within the food. so yo gurt is the one that everyone knows with live and active cultures. and things like miso and sauerkraut and tempe. you want to get at least one serving of probiotic rich foods in your diet everyday. >> and how soon might you notice some positive changes? >> yeah. you should notice positive changes in your sleep routine within a couple weeks. your gut is a very dynamic system. it can change in a positive way quite quickly. >> okay. and then quickly, remind us on the bedtime routine. >> we have to make sure you are limiting your food intake right before bed. you want to make sure that the lighting is conducive to sleep. put the devices away, at least an hour before bed. studies have shown taking a warm shower one or two hours before bed helps regulate your body temperature, making it more conducive to good sleep. noise is a big one. i use a noise machine every night.

these are things that will go a long way, taking care of the sleep routine, which positively affects your gut. >> dr. raj, good education on the gut. her book is called "gut renovation." coming up next, our best of broadway. shining a cast on the tony-nominated cast of "the notebook" this morning. the beloved story they are telling in a whole new way. but first, this is "today" on

"today" is proudly presented to you by citi. >> we've had so much fun with this this week. a best of broadway week is rolling on and this morning we have the cast of one of the most treasured love stories of our time, "the notebook." >> "the notebook." >> it's based off the best-selling nicholas sparks book based off the 2004 movie. that we all love and are still crying over. of so many, featuring tears and

capturing hearts and the tears of so many, featuring tears and lyrics from ingrid michaelson. it has earned three tony nominations. and ingrid is here with us along tony nominees marian plunket and dorian hairwig. good morning to all of you. this feels so full circle, because you announced you would do this project right here on the "today" show. >> i think right here. >> now your baby is here! >> my baby is here. >> and your baby has three tony nominations! how does that feel? >> yes, she does! amazing. >> marion and dorian are the heart of this show. the rest of the cast is just -- it's unbelievable to write music and to not sing it and to see other people metabolize that and to see the audiences and just how they're being so moved every night. it's just -- i keep saying it's the dream i never knew i could dream. it's -- it's endlessly wonderful. >> heard they actually supply tissues at the theater, which is a smart idea. >> we do, we do. >> congratulations to both of you on the tony nominations. the cast, by the way, it's quit,

diverse. the story is, of course, universal. it's a story of love. why do you think this story in particular has resonated with so many for so long? >> do you want to take it? >> well, i want to say one thing, too, a lot of tears, but it's also very, very funny. it's a very, very funny play, the laughter. the tears come because of life, you know? it's not sort of -- they're earned. but it's very funny. >> and i think that is why people love the piece so much, is because there is sadness, there's joy, there's a love story that spans a lifetime. there's so many entry points that people can really identify in the story. and it's just told so beautifully by our actors and i medley of two songs.

>> okay, great! >> i'm not going to do it. >> she's the stage mom. it's just -- yeah, it's pretty amazing. >> it's just gorgeous. what are you going to perform now? >> we're going to do a little medley of two songs. >> okay, great! >> i'm not going to do it. >> she's the stage mom. come on with me. >> take it away. ♪ >> our story starts with two young people. two very attractive young people, with glowing skin they did not appreciate, and bodies they'd spend the rest of their lives trying to get back. but they didn't know these things yet. we never do. ♪ dance with me ♪ ♪ in the rain or the in the sunshine ♪ ♪ dance with me ♪ ♪ i'll be yours if you'll be all mine ♪ ♪ you may not believe it, but i know it to be true ♪ ♪ that i'm happy ever after ♪ ♪ happy ever after when i get to dance with you ♪ >> who is that boy with the tiny guitar? >> noah calhoun. >> who is that girl in the blue dress? >> allison nelson.

good luck! ♪ when the world is not looking, can i steal a kiss or two ♪ ♪ make me happy ever after ♪ ♪ just ask me to dance with you ♪ >> that was great! >> hi, i'm noah. >> i'm ally. somebody shrunk your guitar. >> oh, man! happens every time i wash it! you really just say whatever you're thinking, don't you? >> sometimes, yes. what? ♪ i've got a secret to tell ♪ ♪ i'm falling in love with you ♪ >> shh! you don't even know me. ♪ i think you know that i know you well ♪ >> i bet you do. ♪ and you're falling for me too ♪too ♪ . >> oh, okay. ♪ and i know nothing else

>> oh, okay. ♪ and i know nothing else matters, because one day i'll carry you away ♪ >> i can walk, but thanks! day,e ♪ the whole world might think we're crazy, but one day i'll carry you to our home ♪ ♪ yeah, one day, you'll be my home ♪ >> so you know the future? >> i know ours, yeah! ♪ i'm not this kind of a girl ♪ >> what kind of a girl is that? ♪ the kind of girl that dances with strange boys ♪ >> i'm not strange, i'm noah. ♪ but there's something about your hands, and the music in your voice ♪ ♪ i know nothing else matters, because one day you'll carry me home ♪ ♪ one day i'll carry you home ♪

♪ the whole world might think i'm crazy, but one day you'll carry me to our home ♪ ♪ and one day, i know you'll be my home ♪ ♪ i'll carry you to our home ♪ ♪ a great big home ♪ ♪ yeah, one day, you'll be my home ♪ >> yes! >> oh, we did get the kiss! hoda would love that! >> he got in there! >> thank you so much! beautiful cast of "the notebook." we've got ingrid, the proud creator, musical, inspiration here. thank you so much, congratulations. >> it was wonderful. >> wonderful. >> and you can catch it at the gerald theater right here in new york. "the notebook" the musical. >> the cast will be back with more in the third and fourth hours. but first, your local news.

good morning. 856 i'm marcus washington with the president of sonoma state university. he is on leave. this is after sharing a campus wide message in response to pro-palestinian protesters. president mike lee issuing that message after the school reached an agreement with demonstrators. among other things, he agreed to a new advisory council involving protesters, which cal state trustees never approved. he also promised to look into school investments and halts study abroad programs with israel. now, in a statement, csu's chancellor says in part, the heart and mission of the csu is to create an inclusive and welcoming place for everyone we serve, not to marginalize one community over another. happening now our ginger

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switch to comcast business and get started for $49.99 a month. plus, ask how to get up to an $800 prepaid card. call today! this morning on the third hour of "today," feeling burned? experts raising concerns about the sunscreens we use. are we getting enough