7:25 with a local update. >> we'll have much more news for you as well as your weather on this beautiful wednesday. make it a great one. good morning. ready for the fight. the white house doctor nominated to lead the department of veterans affairs, refusing to withdraw, even as embarrassing allegations mount about his conduct at work. >> he hands out prescriptions like candy. in fact, in the white house, they call him the candyman. >> this morning the president's surprising advice to his embattled nominee. french toast. president trump honors the president of france at a lavish state dinner, the first of his administration. >> may our friendship grow even deeper. may our kinship grow even stronger. >> but beyond the nice words, real divisions, including over the nuclear deal with iran. it's insane. it's ridiculous. it should have never been made.

breaking overnight, a massive manhunt and wild chase ends with the arrest of a suspect in the shooting of two police officers and a worker at a dallas area home depot. >> we got our man. all that, plus celebrating his freedom. rap star meek mill released from prison overnight after spending five months behind bars in a case that's generated controversy coast-to-coast. "today" exclusive -- the device amazon is set to release, designed just for kids. and oh, what night. we take you inside one of the most exclusive dinner parties, the star-studded "time" 100 gala. today, wednesday, april 25th, 2018. >> from nbc news, this is "today," with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hi, everybody. good morning. thank you for being with us. it's wednesday morning.

well, we were up past our bedtime last night. >> we have extra concealer on this morning because we had a late night at the "time" 100. it was a beautiful night, the incredible people that were honored. >> take that down. there were really interesting people there. willie sat with a lot of them. we'll get to that in a moment. we'll start with the growing turmoil at the white house and on the hill, over the president's pick to lead the department of veteran affairs. dr. ronny jackson is facing serious allegations about his workplace behavior and calls to withdrawal his nomination. we have it covered. hallie jackson has the latest. good morning to you. >> reporter: hi, savannah, good morning. the white house is ready for a fight, coming out swinging this morning, framing the accusations against ronny jackson as him getting railroaded, they say, by a bitter excolleague. here on capitol hill, there's real concern. not just about the overall vetting process at the white house but about these allegations against jackson.

the doctor is in, for now at least. with the white house defiant and defending ronny jackson's nomination to lead the v.a., pointing to praise president obama and pushing back on accusations against jackson. >> i think if these accusations are found to be false, yeah, there could be a confirmation hearing. i think if these accusations are found to be true, it puts him in a world of hurt. >> reporter: that's the top democrat on the veterans affair committee, saying that 20 people have accused the white house physician of creating a toxic work environment, drinking on the job and improperly prescribing medication. >> he hands out prescriptions like candy. in fact, in the white house, they call him the candyman. >> reporter: jackson denies drinking on duty. and his record as physician has been impeccable. officials point out a critical report on jackson, describing the destructive rapport with his predecessor. one seen your administration source says jackson wants a

public hearing to clear the air, rather than step aside under suspicion as jackson, himself, alluded to with garrett haake. >> it's been postponed. but i'm looking forward to answering the questions. >> reporter: the white house ready for a fight, just after the white house seemed to set the stage for a graceful exit. >> i said what do you need it for? he's an admiral, he's a great leader and they question him about every little thing. i wouldn't do it. i wouldn't do it. what does he need it for? >> reporter: still, the president says he would back jackson, a physician in the bush, obama and trump administrations, who made this assessment earlier this year. >> i told the president if he had a healthier diet over the last 20 years, he might live to be 200 years old. i don't know. he has incredible genes i assume. >> reporter: jackson's nomination not in such good shape, with lawmakers wondering why he wasn't vetted better sooner. >> hallie, where does it go from here?

you have a hearing. is the white house circling the wagons? a lot of people are wondering what the president's words meant there? >> reporter: i'm told by administration officials that the president meant what he said. this is up to ronny jackson. that jackson wants to have a hearing. he wants to get this information out there. as i'm told, he wants to clear his name, in a sense. but the bottom line on timing, we're in a holding pattern. congress goes on recess next week. mid-may when they get back, you may see action if the hearing is postponed and rescheduled to that point. but right now, you have the fight from the white house. as always, though, things could change. that is where we stand at the moment. >> hallie jackson, leading us off. thank you. the president put that controversy behind him for a night as he hosted his inaugural state dinner, honoring french president emmanuel macron and highlighting the relationship between the u.s. and france. kristen welker has more on this.

good morning to you. >> reporter: hoda, good morning. president trump is waking up this morning after two days of diplomacy, strengthening ties with french president emmanuel macron. their budding bromance was on display even as differences remain with largest rift around the iran nuclear deal. a night of toasts and tradition. at his first state dinner, president trump showcasing his bond with fraech president emmanuel macron. >> may our friendship grow deeper. may our kinship grow stronger. and may our sacred liberty never die. >> reporter: the two leaders paying tribute to each other and the centuries' old alliance between the two nations. the state dining room decked out for the intimate affair. 130 guests marking the occasion. from apple ceo, tim cook. and fox news founder, rupert murdoch. two olympians and his own daughter, ivanka trump. the dinner capping two days of meetings, difficult discussions about the policies that divide them. front and center, the future of

the iran nuclear deal. >> it's insane and should have never been made. >> reporter: macron, pressing mr. trump to stay in the agreement. but the president isn't giving in yet, issuing this stern warning to iran. >> they're going to have big problems, bigger than they ever had before. arguing the deal is crucial for security in the middle east, acknowledges a new agreement may be needed. >> translator: we wish to work on a new deal with iran. >> reporter: the two leaders more closely aligned on north korea, agreeing kim jong-un needs to denuclearize. >> it means they get rid of their nukes, simple. >> reporter: president trump raising eyebrows with this rare praise for the north korean dictator. >> he has been really open. i think he's been very honorable from everything we're seeing. >> reporter: still, the state visit had plenty of lighter moments. the first lady's french hat

stealing the show at tuesday's arrival ceremony. and the two presidents showing off their personal chemistry, with handshakes, hand holding, hugs and a kiss on the cheek and this unforgettable moment in the oval office. >> we have a special relationship. in fact, i'll get that little piece of dandruff. just a little piece. we have to make him perfect. he is perfect. >> reporter: not something you see in the oval office every day. now, for all of those fashion enthusiasts, first lady melania trump wore chanel, and mrs. macron wore louis vuitton. two french designers. there you see them again. the focus on foreign policy isn't over yet. mr. trump prepares to welcome germany's chancellor at the end of the week. hoda and savannah. >> kristen welker at the white house. thanks. breaking overnight, a high-speed chase ended with the capture of a dangerous suspect, accused of shooting three people, including two police officers. it happened at a dallas area

home depot. catie beck joins us with the details. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. we have learned that all three shooting victims have made it out of surgery. they're not releasing details on their conditions at this time. in the meantime, the dallas community, obviously anxious for updates, after the gunman led police on a high-speed chase. >> looks like they're coming to a dead end. >> they're taking him into custody. >> reporter: overnight, an intense manhunt for a triple shooting suspect. dramatic video showing the chase between dallas officers and 29-year-old armando juarez, driving this pickup truck. minutes later, dozens of flashing lights swarming the vehicle, bringing an end to this hours-long search. >> we got our man. juarez is accused of opening fire at a home depot in dallas, leaving two police officers critically wounded and injuring one employee. >> all three officers are out of surgery.

that's the two police officers from dallas and our loss prevention officer from home depot. >> reporter: the shooting began tuesday afternoon. >> get to the back of home depot. we have two officers down. >> reporter: an off-duty officer at the home depot requested backup officers for an arrest. >> we started hearing people there's a shooting, we started hearing shots. >> reporter: no customers were injured in the shooting. the violence, bringing back painful memories of the deadly sniper attack on dallas police officers in 2016, killing five officers and injuring nine others. >> once again, it sobers us to realize what officers walk into, day in and day out and how quickly they can become victims. >> reporter: juarez was taken into custody around 10:00 last night. he now faces multiple counts of aggravated assault against a police officer.

in the meantime, many fellow officers, family and friends of the victims have been stopping by at the president offering their prayers for recovery. savannah and hoda? >> catie, thank you very much. now, to new developments in a case that's drawn worldwide attention. rapper meek mill released from prison overnight as he fights a controversial conviction that land him behind bars for the last five months. kristen dahlgren has the latest. kristen, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. meek mill had the support of many high-profile athletes and hollywood stars who felt he was behind bars unjustly. this morning, he's a free man, after pennsylvania's supreme court ordered him released on bail while he appeals. it's a case leading to growing calls for reform in the criminal justice system. >> tles. -- there he is. rapper meek mill is a free man this morning. this photo obtained just moments after his release from prison. seen on a helicopter with

michael ruben, the co-owner of the philadelphia 76ers, one of the many people that pushed for his release. they flew to the sixers playoff game, where mill rang the ceremonial bell before the game and was given a hero's welcome by fans and players. later, sitting courtside with another supporter, kevin hart. the rapper's stiff sentence for probation violations garnered national attention and calls for criminal justice reform. the 30-year-old who has had a meteoric rise from a tough philadelphia neighborhood, spoke to lester by phone while he was in prison. >> walking through the neighborhood, there's bullet holes in the windows. bullet holes in cars when you walk to school. ♪ see my dreams en fold ♪ ♪ nightmares come true >> reporter: mill's troubles began in 2007, when he was 19, convicted on gun possession and charges. he served seven months. but he's never gotten off probation. and even though he wasn't convicted of another crime, he

was sent back to prison. >> always a thought in the back of my mind, that ten years of probation would bring me back to prison. >> reporter: and he was right. he got arrested again, twice. last year, he was caught popping a wheelie on a motorcycle and was involved in a separate altercation. both charges were dismissed. but a judge found him in technical violation of his probation. and in november, he was sentenced to two to four years in prison. the sentence sparking outrage. mill's release comes just one week after philadelphia prosecutors say they want the convictions tossed in light of recent developments, including accusations that his arresting officer lied under oath at trial a decade ago. rap mogul jay z writing on facebook overnight, he was incarcerated unjustly and caught in a trap of a broken system. now, we can celebrate his release. mill, thankful to be free.

>> today was a good day. >> reporter: he is grateful and he plans to use his case to shine a light on others suffering from similar circumstances. we'll have more of this on "nightly news" tonight. kristen, thank you. also this morning, troubling new information is emerging about the suspect in the van rampage in toronto, as the city pauses to honor the victims. ron mott is in toronto for us again today. ron, good morning. >> reporter: hey, savannah. good morning to you. authorities have not officially identified the people who died here. they tell us it may take a few more days. in the meantime, the suspect's motive remains a mystery, as nbc news has learned investigators are digging into his social media history. a growing memorial to the victims reflects the sadness gripping canada's largest city. ♪ amazing grace >> reporter: members of the community gathering overnight to honor the lives lost, sending a message to the world. >> love for all, hatred for none. you see people from all different backgrounds and religions and faiths, they come

here and give their respect and praying for the victims and their families. >> reporter: outside a toronto courtroom, a different kind of emotion. the father of van-ramming suspect, alek minassian, swarmed by reporters in search of a motive. the 25-year-old now charged with ten counts of first-degree murder and 13 counts of attempted murder. the arresting officer being praised for his restraint. no shots fired with the suspect making threatening moves. minassian joined the military last summer but quit 16 days into basic training. neighbors describe him as odd and quiet. >> he was a bit odd. he would be walking and doing this or whatever. you would say hello, he wouldn't say nothing. >> reporter: authorities are investigating his social media profile and whether he was inspired by a 2014 california spree killing where elliot roger claimed he was a virgin saying

he was a man harboring anger over romantic frustrations. >> nothing but loneliness and misery. >> reporter: officials say most of those killed and injured in toronto were women. among the reported dead, foreign nationals from south korea and jordan. anne-marie d'amico worked for an investment firm. >> she's very, very warm, very happy person. she did a lot of volunteering. very caring person. always smiling around the office. it hurts to think that we won't see that anymore. >> reporter: the suspect did not enter a plea at yesterday's court hearing. investigators say they may add a 14th attempted murder charge. he's due back in court on may 10th. savannah, hoda? >> ron mott, thank you very much. it's time for our first check of the weather. we look for mr. roker. hey, al. >> thanks for joining us for your weather. look at the rain in north carolina. this is due to a slow-moving

system coming up the coast. this is in charlotte and concord and you can see just a deluge. as we look at the radar right now, you'll see that rain has moved up from the carolinas and now making its way into the northeast. bands coming on in, bringing in heavy rain. a slow commute this morning for our friends in the northeast, a soggy day. we have a flood risk for new hampshire and maine. it's a slow mover. it will still be raining in new england for tomorrow, but drying out as you move to the south. rainfall amounts, not too bad. down east maine, we could see 3 inches or more. otherwise, an inch or inch and a half as you move toward new york city and oswego. location of one of the great universities in new york in the world. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your -- nope, nope, nope. scratch that. her's what's happening in your neck of the woods --

we've got the freedom to dine out and to dig in! the freedom to work it, win it, shake it, and sauté it. and with over 200 foods that are zero points®, we're free to lose weight like never before. join for free and get the weight watchers triple play. hurry, offer ends may 7th! good wednesday morning, i'm mete meteorologist tarry hall. a live look outside san jose, we will be clearing out as the morning goes along and high temperature to 72 degrees, 73 in san jose and we will have some upper 50s along the coast, north bay 68 degrees and 64 today in oakland and it's going to be nice not only today but the next several days as we continue to cool off. >> note to self, no gin and sodas at the "time" 100 anymore.

>> we saw you. >> i know, roker at night. night roker is a whole other thing. al, thank you so much. coming up, new twists in a bizarre case as a "smallville" actress faces accusations of recruiting for an alleged sex cult. and the man whose wife was killed in the southwest tragedy breaks his silence. what he wants you to know about her. first, this is "today" on nbc. her. first, this is "today" on nbc. her. at stanford health care, her. first, this is "today" on nbc. we can now simulate the exact anatomy of a patient's brain before surgery. if we can do that, imagine what we can do for seizures. and if we can fix damaged heart valves without open heart surgery, imagine what we can do for an irregular heartbeat, even high blood pressure.

if we can use analyze each patient's breast cancer to personalize their treatment, imagine what we can do for the conditions that affect us all. imagine what we can do for you.

straight ahead, amazon is setting its sights on your kids in an exclusive announcement from the tech giant. plus, the red carpet, behind the scenes, we'll take you inside the star-studded "time" 100 ga lay after your local news. matte finish really goes with everything. i pulled some stuff for the dining room. jimmy, uh-uh that's not yours. that will really make the paint pop. ooooh i love it... wooowooo come out with your hands up. ooooh. oh.

that's my breast pump. (laugh) the most premium finishes, so you have the most choices. another way we make good things, for life. if you spit blood you may have gum problems,s and could be on the journey to much worse. try parodontax toothpaste. it's clinically proven to remove plaque, the main cause of bleeding gums. for healthy gums and strong teeth. leave bleeding gums behind with parodontax toothpaste. ♪ you are the best thing ♪ you're the best thing, baby ♪ you are the best thing ♪ you're the best thing, ooh ♪ ever happened to me delivcrisp leaves of lettuce,s. freshly-made dressing. clean food that looks this good, eaten at your desk. panera. food as it should be. now delivered. kohls lowest prices of the season no coupons needed kids tees - $6 stacking chairs - $24.99

and bath towels - only $2.99 plus get kohls cash and yes 2 you members earn double points its the lowest prices of the season at kohls a hilton getaway means you get more because... you get another day in paradise. get a sunset on a sunday. get more stories to share. get more from your summer getaway with exclusive hilton offers. book yours, only at hilton.com you have the power to heal. because your purchase of vaseline intensive care lotion, supports the vaseline healing project. join us to help millions in crisis... heal their skin. we're almost there. she's coming! stall. my video call's lagging. mom? surprise! surprise! hold up. hold up. we got a laggy video call here. you need verizon, the best network for streaming. here. trade ya. okay, people, that's a reset. you want us to surprise her again? yeah, but like in a fun way. like this. all my favorite friends are here. there's tony and diane. like something like that.

(avo) get $300 off the samsung galaxy s9+ with no trade-in required. because unlimited is only as good as the network it's on. are you one sneeze away from being voted out of the carpool? try zyrtec®. it's starts working hard at hour one. and works twice as hard when you take it again the next day. stick with zyrtec® and muddle no more®. here at persil, the top notch team of stain experts has performed over 10,000 stain evaluations to prove persil delivers a premium clean. we've made a new stain with wasabi and goji berries. make that 10,001. persil pro clean. make that 10,001. to help protect our home?here of course. what about here? yup. nice! yeah okay... here? mhhm. who puts tinfoil in the microwave? here? here? here? feels a little awkward. a little.

here? here too. so, cold. mhhm. go with the one that's here to help life go right. state farm. mait's a series ofar is nosmart choices. like using glucerna to replace one meal or snack a day. glucerna products have up to 15 grams of protein to help manage hunger and carbsteady, unique blends of slow release carbs to help minimize blood sugar spikes. every meal every craving. it's the choices you make when managing blood sugar that are the real victories. glucerna. everyday progress. i'm the only bed that actually senses your movements and automatically adjusts to keep you both

effortlessly comfortable... does your bed do that? i'm the new sleep number 360 smart bed. let's meet at a sleep number store. a-t-f investigators are due to arrive any time now very good morning to you, it is 7:26. i'm laura garcia. atf investigators due to arrive in concord where a massive fire yesterday destroyed a five story apartment building under construction. this morning debris is still smoldering. look at the scaffolding that fell. some people who live nearby still cannot return to their homes. there's concern that more scaffolding may collapse as cameras caught that yesterday. investigators don't have an idea about a cause. they are also trying to determine if there's any link to other reept bay area arsons targeting buildings under construction. a check on forecast right now, kari hall. >> takwe start out with clouds it all clears out. it will be a touch cooler with

san francisco reaching up to 59 degrees, 64 in oakland, napa, 73 degrees and antioch, 76. we'll see a high in san jose up to 73 degrees. our cooling trend continues over the next few days with a mix of sun and clouds and san francisco keeps those highs in the 50s and mostly cloudy skies on saturday. we will have a slight chance of rain on saturday, mainly in the north bay but it looks like for the most part our forecast stays dry and a stronger onshore flow keeps our temperatures in the 60s over the next several days. let's head over to mike. >> we're looking at the slower south bay drives but nothing dramatic. a crash reported just about 237 from the pattern it looks like it might be just after the -- may be a condition for folks traveling through milpitas. across the dumbarton bridge, slow to the peninsula side, no major problems just slowing down the east shore freeway and back

up at the bay bridge toll plaza coming out of concord into walnut creek. i'll be back with another update in a half hour.

hey, everybody. 7:30 on a wednesday morning. it's april 25th, 2018. republican lawmakers holding their first practice this morning. it's the annual charity baseball game. you may remember, this is the same field where a gunman opened fire nearly a year ago, wounding four people including the house majority whip. >> good to see them playing ball again. some of the other headlines this morning and we'll start with the lavish state dinner. >> toasts and tradition. >> may our friendship grow even deeper. may our kinship grow even stronger. and may our test. test. test test test. test. test. test test test. test. test. test test test. test. test. test test test. test. test. test test test.

day of diplomacy between the two leaders. closing arguments. >> the charges are the same as the first trial, three counts of aggravated indecent assault. >> jurors are now set to start deliberating in the bill cosby trial. newly released surveillance video shows the moment the so-called fugitive granny was arrested. up in smoke, the fda cracks down on popular juul vaping devices. and more than just a bill. ♪ i'm just a bill yes, i'm only a bill ♪ ♪ and i'm sitting here on capitol hill ♪ >> tributes pour in overnight for "schoolhouse rock" writer

bob injujureau. leading a legacy of classroom classics that helped grade schoolers pass their tests. today, wednesday, april 25th, 2018. full disclosure, savannah and i were singing. >> "conjunction function" is going on my spotify playlist right now. he opened up so much to people about washington and how things work. >> it was an easy way to learn. >> i know. he will be missed. we're going to move to an actress best known for her role in the tv series smallville, taking center stage in a real-life drama. prosecutors saying she was one of the leaders in a sex trafficking ring. morgan radford has details. >> reporter: good morning. allison mack is out on bail after facing a judge in brooklyn. prosecutors say she recruited women into a sex trafficking sorority, designed as a women's empowerment group. now, mack's lawyers are working

on a plea deal. >> most men are from mars, clark. >> reporter: this morning, allison mack is making headlines but not for a new role. >> were you involved in a sex cult? >> reporter: her lawyer is working with federal prosecutors to cut a deal in a sex trafficking case. according to court documents, mack lured unsuspecting women into a secret sisterhood, connected to a self-improvement organization, known as nxvum. but prosecutors say it was a sex trafficking group. and mack's job was to find victims for keith leery. she was released on $5 million bond after pleading not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and conspiracy to commit forced labor. the judge ordering her to stay at her parents' home at california and to wear a electronic monitoring device. >> i felt i was at university for my soul. >> reporter: mack appears

alongside reignry speaking of enlightenment. prosecutors say he had them branded with his initials. he and others in the group convinced the women to turn over potentially damaging information and sexually explicit photos in order to keep them as slaves. prosecutors say mack was the top recru recruiter. she reportedly reached out to other well-known stars. tweeting i participate in a unique women's movement i would like to tell you about. and to kelly clarkson. tweeting, i'm a fan of yours, as well. i'd love to chat sometimes. nbc news reached out to watson and clarkson, but didn't hear back. katherine oxenburg said her daughter india is in the group. she told megyn kelly that she is

desperate to get her daughter and out. >> it locks you down like a cult persona. and then it makes you submissive and suggestible. the end result is you have women agreeing to do things like to hurt themselves. >> reporter: her attorney tells nbc news, she would like to share her story in the near future and is deeply saddened by the untrue allegations that have been made about her in the media. keith raineri and his lawyers have not responded to comment. he says on his website, there is no merit to the allegations that we're abusing, coercing or harming individuals. these allegations are most disturbing to me, as nonviolence is one of my most important values. mack's lawyers are hoping to avoid a trial. earlier this month, his lawyers denied he had committed any crime. if convicted, he and mack could face up to life in prison. >> such a disturbing story. >> complicated one. lit's a busy wednesday

morning. al is where he should be, checking out the weather. >> thanks so much. it's been a slow start to spring. we're looking at spring leaves, the first appearance. so far, really not much foliage in the northern tier. one to three weeks late from denver to new york and the southwest, and the gulf coast. one to two weeks early for the mid-atlantic states. and temperatures above average in the plains. out west, well above average. and that trend continues today. look at these temperatures. it will be mild out west but cool in the eastern two-thirds of the country. we expect to see 92 in vegas. that's 11 degrees above average. midland, texas, 62. that's 23 degrees cooler than it should be. cleveland, 54. for tomorrow, the warmth continues out west. near 100 in phoenix. but atlanta, 66, 10 degrees below average. and the weekend, well, it starts to grow, that weekend warmth. denver by sunday, 77. roswell, new mexico, 85.

even baltimore is getting up in the mid to upper 60s by the beginning of next week. we are making aur way back to spring after a summer like start to the week around the bay area. today in san francisco, along the coast upper 50s and 58 today in santa rosa after the morning clouds we'll get some sunshine and highs reaching the mitd-70s for the inland valley, up to 74 in livermore, 73 in san jose. and oakland today we're looking at the high of 64 degrees and some mostly sunny skies and more of that in the forecast and we'll continue to cool off over the next several days. >> and that is your latest weather. >> al, thanks so much. still ahead, willie goes one-on-one with some of the biggest stars at the "time" 100 gala. and all three of us will talk about the fun we had, too. and famed outfits from princess diana opening up to the public tomorrow. we have a sneak peek today. and an exclusive

announcement from amazon. what they designed for your kids. and the husband of the passenger in that southwest engine explosion. engine explosion. he's hon ♪ engine explosion. he's hon what is it? the next big thing in food was once a little paper box. now we can easily take out food from a restaurant. let's stay in and binge-watch the snow. genius. now, the next big thing is the capital one savor card. good choice babe. oh, wait, hold on. earn 3% cash back on dining, 2% on groceries, and 1% on all other purchases. what's in your wallet? you won't find relief here. congestion and pressure? go to the pharmacy counter for powerful claritin-d. while the leading allergy spray relieves 6 symptoms... claritin-d relieves 8, including sinus congestion and pressure. claritin-d relieves more. (crunching) ♪ dude, your crunching's scaring the fish. dude, they're just jealous. kellogg's raisin bran crunch...

...with crunchy clusters and the taste of... ...apples and strawberries. i got one! i guess we're having cereal for dinner. deliciously heart-healthy kellogg's raisin bran crunch. ♪ why don't you just meet me ♪ in the middle ♪ i'm losing my mind ♪ just a little ♪ so why don't you just meet me ♪ ♪ in the middle ♪ the laughing cow cheese is the perfect snack, no matter how you snack. ♪ it's spreadable... ♪ ...dippable... ♪ ...dunkable... ♪ ...whatever-you-wantable. so however you snack, snack like you. ♪ the laughing cow.

your body was made for better things than rheumatiod arthritis. before you and your rheumatologist move to another treatment, ask if xeljanz xr is right for you. xeljanz xr is a once-daily pill for adults with moderate to severe ra for whom methotrexate did not work well. it can reduce pain, swelling and further joint damage,

even without methotrexate. xeljanz xr can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections, lymphoma and other cancers have happened. don't start xeljanz xr if you have an infection. tears in the stomach or intestines, low blood cell counts and higher liver tests and cholesterol levels have happened. your doctor should perform blood tests before you start and while taking xeljanz xr, and monitor certain liver tests. tell your doctor if you were in a region where fungal infections are common and if you have had tb, hepatitis b or c, or are prone to infections. xeljanz xr can reduce the symptoms of ra, even without methotrexate. ask your rheumatologist about xeljanz xr.

this mor welcome back, everybody. this morning we are hearing from the family of the passenger who was killed in last week's tragic midair explosion aboard a southwest airlines plane. >> joe fryer sits down with her husband. he joins us from new mexico. joe, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. here in albuquerque, jennifer riordan was well-loved. and well-known. she was a bank executive, a community leader and mother of two. now, her husband is speaking out, hoping to keep her legacy alive. michael riordan admits he has never been the public speaker in the family. >> this is not my comfort zone. >> that was jennifer's job. >> she was so expressive and so genuine to her core, it wasn't hard to read her. but he's speaking out now, so that everyone knows about his wife.

how she constantly sent friends inspirational text messages and punctuated conversations by saying i love you. how often did she say i love you? >> luckily, every conversation. our last conversation, she called to say i'm going to the airport. we said love you, safe travels. luckily she says it so much that that was our last statement to each other. >> reporter: jennifer was on a business trip last week, flying on a southwest airlines plane when the engine exploded in midair. she was partially sucked out the window that was broken by the blast, the only fatality on the flight. just 43, jennifer leaves behind two children, 10-year-old josh and 12-year-old avery. >> their hugs to me are what my rock is. without that, i don't know what i would do. when i heard that devastating news, you just don't understand how you're going to live the next hour. then, you look at your kids and you know, i have a lifetime in front of me that will keep me

going. >> reporter: southwest is now inspecting its 737 engines, looking for metal fatigue, forcing the cancellation of some flights while the faa is forcing mandatory inspections. bloomberg reports, before the tragedy, the manufacturer was getting ready to recommend expanded safety checks that would have included the engine that failed. how do you deal with angry moments? >> i've not been angry yet. i'm sure it's coming. >> reporter: michael riordan says he's not ready to talk about the accident or the investigation or express criticism about what happened. >> i'm not going there. i'm just keeping my love for her in my heart and i'm staying strong for my children and i'm soaking in their looks to me. she's going to be with us forever and everything we do as a family is going to be based on jennifer riordan. >> reporter: some passengers on the plane did work to pull jennifer back in. michael says that he is grateful to them and plans to reach out to them at some point, along with the hero pilot who landed the plane.

savannah and hoda? >> unmanageable to think about what he's going through and the kids. he's so strong, keeping her memory alive and front and center. >> he has the right attitude. >> thank you, joe. coming up next, a "today" exclusive. amazon is creating something new to win over your kids. we'll have the big announcement coming up after this. ( ♪ ) (sustained horn honk) advisor: (on phone) jane, this is jim from onstar, i've contacted help and they're on their way. woman: okay. advisor: don't worry i'm going to stay with you until help arrives. woman: thank you. that deer, it just... just came out of nowhere. ride a train in the sky...d say hi to a giraffe. and visit far away galaxies.

when you stay at a disney resort hotel, all your wishes come true. from being in the middle of the magic, to extra time in the park. and now, you can save up to 25% on rooms at select walt disney world resort hotels. imagine the magic of staying here. what if you had fewer headaches and... migraines a month? botox® prevents headaches and migraines before they even star. botox® is for adults with chronic migraine, 15 or more headache days a month,... each lasting 4 hours or more. botox® injections take about 15 minutes in your doctor's office and are covered by most insurance. 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. with the botox® savings program, most people with commercial insurance pay nothing out of pocket. talk to your doctor and visit botoxchronicmigraine.com to enroll. talk to your doctor and visit ♪ you are the best thing ♪ you're the best thing, baby ♪ you are the best thing ♪ you're the best thing, ooh ♪ ever happened to me choose from more than 200 different denim washes! all jeans on sale up to 50% off. adults from fifteen dollars, kids from ten dollars. hurry in to old navy! brushing only reaches 25% of your mouth. listerine® cleans virtually 100%. helping to prevent gum disease and bad breath. never settle for 25%.

always go for 100. bring out the bold™ it's just my eczema again,. but it's fine. yeah, it's fine. you okay? eczema. it's fine. hey! hi! aren't you hot? eczema again? it's fine. i saw something the other day. myeczemaexposed.com. your eczema could be something called atopic dermatitis, which can be caused by inflammation under your skin. maybe you should ask your doctor? go to myeczemaexposed.com to learn more.

well, as if your kids depart have enough devices, get ready for one more. >> nbc's business correspondent jo ling kent has a business announcement from amazon. >> a lot of kids will like it about 39 million americans have a smart speaker in their homes with purchases for devices like amazon's echo outpacing the sale of smartphones in the u.s. amazon is taking its popular device a step further. releasing a new version aim at america's children. we got a look at the new device and heard from parents who are concerned. this morning amazon is aiming one of its most popular products at the tiniest of consumers. >> alexa, please play some music.

>> getting kids hits from i heart radio. >> rolling out a new echo for kids. >> i think that parents will appreciate some of the controls that are in place. bedtime limits, being able to turn on explicit filtering for music. >> alexa won't get in trouble with mom and dad, like this moment that went viral. >> you want to hear a station for porn detective. >> alexa, stop. >> the average child spends more than two hours in front of a screen every day it should be an hour max for kids two to five years old. amazon's pitch? by using voice technology. >> alexa -- >> children would spend fewer hours glued to a screen. >> we've heard from parents and families that there are concerns around the use of technology and screen time. >> while some have criticized smart speakers for teaching their kids to demand things, now this echo is promoting please and thank you. >> alexa, please tell me what 5

plus 7 is? >> 5 plus 7 equals 12. by the way, thanks for asking so nicely. >> should america's kids have internet-connected speakers of their own. >> privacy is an issue. >> children are exposed to so many different things now a days. >> as we've reported how tech companies target kids online has become a major concern. the facebook kids app and youtube have been criticized by child advocacy groups and amazon says the new echo for kids does not collect personal data from children and doesn't share identifiable information with third parties. >> i like please and thank you. >> i think kids are already talking to the regular alexa you have at home. >> might as well have one geared towards them. >> thank you, jo. coming up, your first look at new additions, the wildly popular exhibit honori princess diana's iconic style. and email changes to g mail.

♪ if the stars don't shine ♪ grab your jacket. ♪ if the moon won't rise ♪ ♪ if i never see the setting sun, oh yeah ♪ ♪ you won't hear me cry ♪ ♪ as i testify ♪ please believe me boy you know i wouldn't lie ♪ ♪ as long as there is... ♪ you and me ♪ ♪ oh-h-h ♪ as lpoallergies?reather. stuffy nose? can't sleep? take that. a breathe right nasal strip instantly opens your nose up to 38% more than allergy medicine alone. shut your mouth and say goodnight, mouthbreathers. breathe right. your parents have been ittalking about you for years.. they're all about me saving for a house, or starting a college fund for my son. actually, i want to know what you're thinking. knowing that the most important goals are yours, is how edward jones makes sense of investing. (crunching) ♪ dude, your crunching's scaring the fish. dude, they're just jealous.

kellogg's raisin bran crunch... ...with crunchy clusters and the taste of... ...apples and strawberries. i got one! i guess we're having cereal for dinner. deliciously heart-healthy kellogg's raisin bran crunch. ♪ why don't you ♪ just meet me ♪ in the middle ♪ i'm losing ♪ my mind ♪ just a little ♪ so why don't you just ♪ meet me in the middle your cat can't face the misery of biting fleas alone. advantage ii monthly topical kills fleas through contact so they don't have to bite your cat to die. advantage ii. fight the misery of biting fleas. could light up the room? new aveeno® positively radiant sheer daily moisturizer. lightweight hydration for positively radiant skin that lasts. aveeno®. naturally beautiful results®

amazingly delicious breyers ice cream for 330 calories a pint?. now possible. new breyers delights. indulge without all the guilt. if you have moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, little things can be a big deal. that's why there's otezla. otezla is not an injection or a cream. it's a pill that treats psoriasis differently. with otezla, 75% clearer skin is achievable after just 4 months, ... with reduced redness, thickness, and scaliness of plaques. and the otezla prescribing information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring. don't use if you're allergic to otezla. otezla may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. tell your doctor if these occur. otezla is associated with an increased risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts, or if these feelings develop. some people taking otezla reported weight loss. your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. other side effects include upper respiratory tract infection and headache.

tell your doctor about all the medicines you take and if you're pregnant or planning to be. ♪ otezla. show more of you. and the golden retriever er are very different. they eat, digest, and process energy differently. at royal canin, we developed over 200 precise formulas to transform every cat and dog into a magnificent animal. royal canin

good wednesday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we wake up and see those clouds. here's a live look at at&t park, early afternoon game, first pitch it's going to be 51 degrees and beautiful sunshine throughout the day and inland areas making it in the mid-70s today. livermore expect a high of 74. 73 in san jose. also 73 in napa, oakland up to 64 with cooler air on the way especially with a mix of sun and clouds and slight chance of rain in the north bay on saturday that will bring in clouds for the rest of the bay area. we go from 75 today to 65 degrees on saturday. and it gradually warms up for early next week with a lot of sunshine in the forecast. for the most part it will be dry for the next seven days. let's head over to mike. >> look at that sunshine, continuing to distract you from

the slow down which is recovering. this is the san rafael there was a disabled vehicle. looks like it just cleared from the lanes but slow through novato to that scene. pretty typical drive but we have the south bay recovering from early crashes on 85 and also looking over towards the live shot -- milpitas is clear and live shot we're trying to get to it at 580 a slowdown on the right side and new crash. back to you. 7:57. happening now, the hard part is beginning for investigators trying to piece together how a five-story concord apartment development went up in flames. hundreds who live nearby still can't go back into their homes. and concerns remain about collapsing scaffolding. as of this morning, virgin america officially history. alaska airlines eliminating any left airport branding. one final flight last night landed at sfo. next up for warriors taking

on the pelicans after they took apart san toen last night. had l new help to make sure north bay fire victims - have a place to live. and - dud delivery. a good lesson - before you order flowers for that special someone. maybe you )ll avoid a fight! )today in the bay ) - 4:30 to .

it's 8:00 on it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, french connection. inside president trump's first state dinner from the food to the fashion and the foreign affairs. we're live with the latest. and star-studded night, our exclusive access inside the "time" 100 gala. willie going one-on-one with the actors, activists and athletes who meads the cut. >> i'm not worthy. while the world waits for the royal baby's name, lines are forming for a special exhibit looking at diana's influence. we get a look at the wardrobe that influenced the world. today, april 25th, 2018. ♪

>> we're from pittsburgh, p.a. and we love today. >> we're excited to meet al roker. >> hi to all of friends in mississippi. >> we made it on the "today" show. >> i'm tricia from minnesota and i want to give a shoutout to my mom. i love you. >> family spring break in new york city. hi to all our family. >> what a great crowd, standing in the rain looking so cute. good morning, everybody. so nice to have everybody back, especially you, hoda, back from italy and your international travels. >> it's nice to be back, sitting next to you. look at us together again. >> world travelers. busy morning, lots to get to. we'll start with the news at 8:00. president trump hosting his first state dinner at the white house last night. in the background, high-stake policies disputes and a serious setback for one of the

president's cabinet nominees. kristen welker has the latest on all of it. kristen, good morning. >> reporter: hi, savannah, good morning to you. it has been two-straight days of high-wire diplomacy at the white house, with president trump aiming to strengthen his bond with french president macron, with deep differences on critical policies, even as the president is dealing with a growing controversy swirling around for his pick for veterans affairs. a night of pomp and policy at the white house. the president and first lady welcoming their french counterparts, emmanuel and brigitte macron, to the first state dinner of the trump administration. the lavish affair, a who's who of more than 100 politicians and special guests. a night dripping in elegance, paying homage to the french. from the first lady's chanel haute couture gown, to the menu, like butter milk biscuit crumbles, lamb and ice cream. the room raising a glass, as

president trump proposed a toast. >> may our friendship grow even deeper. may our kinship grow even stronger. and may our sacred liberty never die. >> reporter: and with those words, it was bon appetit. the dinner capping off a day of diplomacy. >> we have to make him perfect. he is perfect. >> reporter: their bromance on full display, as they responded to the issues that divide them, like the iran nuclear deal. president macron wants the u.s. to stay in the deal but mr. trump signals he wants out and warning iran. >> they restart their nuclear program, they will have bigger problems than they have ever had before. >> reporter: president trump responding to allegations against ronny jackson, the white house doctor and his nominee for secretary of veterans affairs. the top democrat on the veterans affair committee confirming 20 people have come forward to accuse jackson of creating a toxic work environment, drinking on the job and improperly prescribing medication. >> this doctor has a problem

because he hands out prescriptions like candy. in the white house, they call him the candyman. >> reporter: jackson on capitol hill to do damage control. >> are you saying those are categorically untrue? >> i'm looking forward to the hearing so i can sit down and explain everything to everyone and answer all the questions. >> reporter: president trump appearing to give jackson an out. >> i said to dr. jackson, what do you need it for? i don't want to put a man through, who's not a political person, it's too ugly and too disgusting. >> reporter: jackson has denied the allegations of drinking on the job. a white house official calls his record impeccable, with sources indicating jackson has no plans of dropping out. as for president macron, he will deliver a joint address to congress before heading home later today. savannah? >> kristen, thank you. a suspect is under arrest for the shooting of two dallas police officers and a home depot employee. all three victims had surgery overnight. the dallas police chief would not discuss their conditions.

the officers and a store loss prevention worker were removing a man from a home depot when he opened fire and escaped. he was arrested several hours later after a high-speed chase. police say he already had an outstanding warrant for felony theft. a new video shows the recently resigned port authority commissioner ranting at two police officers on a new jersey roadway. karen turner arrived at the scene shortly after officers had pulled over a car in which her daughter was a passenger. take a look. >> i take full responsibility for them. and what is the reason they were pulled over? >> the driver has all of the information, he'll tell you. >> no. no, no, no. i need to know. >> no, you don't need to know. you're not involved here. >> i'm picking them up. >> you may take them now. >> you may not tell me when to take my child. you may shut [ bleep ] up and not tell me when i may take my kids. >> that heated exchange lasted about eight minutes. it turns out the car was pulled over for having illegally tinted

windows and obscured license plate. the commissioner resigned earlier this week after the port authority said it was investigating allegations that she violated the board's code of ethics. that's it for the news. time now for "the morning boost." here we go. police officers and truck drivers teamed up in an unusual way tuesday to save a man's life. the despondent man was threatening to jump from an overpass in michigan. state police alerted 13 semi truck drivers and had them line up side-by-side under the bridge. they hoped the wall of trucks might discourage the man from jumping. negotiators spent several hours talking to the man and convinced him to come down unharmed. that is teamwork. >> that's so touching to think they took time to help someone they didn't know and say we're going to stand here. >> that was beautiful. a lot more to get to this morning, including willie taking us inside the "time" 100 gala. the stars and the music, we had fun, too.

>> we sure did. and a beehive of activity at kensington palace, to the new special visitors to the sneak peek at the sold-out princess diana exhibit, coming up after this. to help protect my car? state farm will be here. okay, what about here? yup. nice! my screen didn't crack. thank goodness. what about... obviously. here? i don't think so. that makes sense. what about here? here too. awesome. that wasn't my fault. go with the one that's here to help life go right. state farm. handcrafted layers of clean food you can give your kids. tomatoes. even the picky ones. panera. food as it should be. now delivered.

kohls lowest prices of the season no coupons needed mens polos - $8.99 flip flops - $7.99 and kitchen electrics just $4.99 after rebate plus get kohls cash and yes 2 you members earn double points its the lowest prices of the season at kohls a hilton getaway means you get more because... you get another day in paradise. get a sunset on a sunday. get more stories to share. get more from your summer getaway with exclusive hilton offers. book yours, only at hilton.com ♪ ♪ only tylenol® rapid release gels

have laser drilled holes. they release medicine fast, for fast pain relief. tylenol® ♪yeah ♪and i just wanna tell you right now that i♪ ♪i believe, i really do believe that♪ ♪something's got a hold on me, yeah♪ ♪oh, it must be love ♪oh, something's got a hold on me right now, child♪ ♪oh, it must be love ♪let me tell you now, oh it must be love♪ [ director ] k9 advantix ii kills fleas, ticks and mosquitoes through contact. no biting required. [ director ] cut! i'm not feeling the no biting required line. bah. [ growls ] somebody get this guy a muzzle. k9 advantix ii from bayer. wise choice. ancestrydna can reveal where in tand with 5x more detail, it can lead you on an unexpected journey...

...that brings you closer to home. for just a few days, it's only $59 to discover your heritage. so instead of telling stories of where you went... ...you can tell the story of where you come from. get ancestrydna for just $59. the lowest price of the year. we are back with your inside look inside a very special event we were lucky enough to be a part of last night. it's called the "time" 100 gala. >> it was really fun. and willie was there talking to everybody. >> hello you influential ladies. it's tradition for the "today" show to set up camp at the event, pick three questions and pitch them to the honorees and guests. we got to talk to nicole kidman, trevor noah, john krasinski and a pair of familiar faces. the list that recalls moments of

triumph, laughter and activism. they are the newcomers, titans, leaders and family. they are "time's" 100 most influential people of 2018. what is the time in your life when you feel least influential? >> now. when i meet all of the people, the scientists and the people that are what i consider really changing the world. i go, wow, i'm not really doing much. that's my i'm not worthy. >> what's a moment in your life when you feel least influential. >> when i'm in the traffic. i think there's no influence, especially new york traffic. >> nothing you can do. >> i don't care how important you are, you are in the traffic. that's the one time i wish i could say the phrase, do you know who i am? >> i wish i had more influence on my children's sleeping. they don't sleep at all. it's terrible. i never have a good night's

sleep, ever. >> when do you feel the least influential in your life? >> my eating. i don't feel influential at all. i eat terrible things. i eat chick-fil-a and mcdonald's and terrible things. >> what grounds you? what brings you back to earth? what's the humbling thing in your life? >> my children. i have a 6-year-old and a 2-year-old. >> that will humble you quick. >> real quick. they care nothing about what i do. they just want to throw frisbee and climb on me like a jungle gym and watch pepa pig. >> what's the humbling force in your life? >> my mother, who goes huh? i didn't hear about that. and my children. i showed them the cover of "time" to my oldest daughter. and she's like, hmm, walked off. >> what brings you back to earth? >> my family. >> the humbling thing? family. >> obviously. our goal and our agreement was, as long as i stay humble and grounded, i get to do this.

if i'm not, i stop. >> i've been lucky to be brought up by the greatest people in the world. >> they don't let you get up here? >> no. they'll just be in the bushes like, just blow dart me in the neck if i get too big. >> what's the last thing you bought online? >> what was the last thing you bought online. >> i'm asking the questions here, ripon. >> okay. all right. the last thing that i bought was on amazon. i'm thinking it was some crystal like healing stone or something. >> oh. >> it's been a wild ride. i can use any hocus-pocus to get me through the next few steps. eps. >> the last thing you bought on-line, hoda? >> okay. the last -- on-line. let me think. okay. you know what, hold on. >> let's do it. >> wait, what. >> i can't. >> don't even. tried to give her a purse. she doesn't want it. >> what's the bag? >> my purse. >> i can't wait for "us weekly" to say and the clutch by zip

lock. >> i bought two books, "the longevity diet" and "everything happens for a reason". >> i bought a mask for like breathing in dusty places. >> doing construction work? >> no. i felt like wearing the mask. i feel like walking with it on my face. whenever i walk with it i like the look other people have when they feel i know something they don't. i just wear it. >> pandemic is coming. >> people look at me should i be doing that. you should. totally should. >> so much fun. thanks to everybody who stopped by at the end of the red carpet. your purse was the highlight. >> you are welcome for that clutch. >> a ziploc bag. >> that's all you need, willie geist. >> it's easier and less complicated. >> i said, i go i have an extra purse i brought. you can borrow it too. no i'll lose it i can't. >> she took leftovers home too. >> right. >> she did just get off a plane. like tsa-approved zip lock, four ounces or under.

>> it was perfect. >> you did a great job. >> thanks, guys. >> all right. to another group of influences talking about the royal family royal watchers have a number of reasons for excitement. nbc's kelly cobiella is at kensington palace where an exhibit dedicated to princess diana is about to reopen to the public. hey, kelly. >> hoda, there is so much going on here. of course we haven't heard an announcement yet on the baby's name, but this kensington palace is a busy place these days. of course the newborn prince, the wedding being planned, oh, yeah, and princess diana's memory really is at the center of it all. ♪ the little prince was welcomed with bells and gun salutes. the royal fans want to know when will they see him again and will kate bring him to the royal wedding? >> i don't think we will see him at the wedding. she's going to be looking after that baby in between the service and evening due, so she is really going to have her hands full. >> reporter: settling into life as a family of five they are

spending down time at kensington palace receiving well wishers her sister pippa reportedly pregnant and princess eugenieny dropped by. busy times at the palace. this morning, we got a sneak peek at the sellout update on the diana fashion exhibit with poignant reminders of the princess donated by william and harry. there's the soft pink outfit she wore setting off on her honeymoon, this regal evening gown with bustle from the '80s, her nod to the scottish highland games, and the purple versace look she sported in chicago. >> we see her change from that sort of early 1980s, new romantic look, into a woman who had a very strong sense of confidence. >> the star of the exhibit, sim. armani chinos and flat jacket. >> she goes from being a clothes horse to a work horse. the words she used. >> reporter: that iconic outfit

worn on her walk through mongolia that prompted prince harry to sup the same charity days after her death. not just making powerful personal statements but creating best sellers for british fashion designers inspiring kate who wore red like dine na on the hospital steps and megan, both informal and informal wear. and royal toddler fashion, selling out everywhere. princess charlotte's vintage style floral spocked depress little alice a designer friend of kate's and her navy rose cardigan with a single mother of pearl button flying off the shelves. prince george and his school uniform, a trend setter from day one and now his little brother facing the world in a knitted cap and wrapped in a traditional royal nottingham lace knitted shah. while they're once more adjusting to lack of sleep harry and megan are out on official duty. this morning laying a wreath at a war memorial.

♪ these collectors mugs going on sale as wedding preps steam ahead. >> i have a feeling they're going to go on and do great things. i wanted the mug to capture the spirit of what's going on. >> reporter: and prince william was at that same event with prince harry and megan. he was caught on camera, guys, talking about his newborn son. he said that he was sleeping reasonably well and behaving himself, but no hints about the name, unfortunately. we also have new wedding details this morning. the royal couple has picked their music. they're going to have a gospel choir at the wedding and also a 19-year-old prodigy cellist who says, guys, that megan called him herself to ask if he would play at the wedding. can you imagine? >> i can -- by the way, just another reason to not miss the wedding. >> it's going to be like -- traditions but also very modern which is cool.

>> thanks, kelly. >> to mr. roker. >> let's see what's going on. it's raining out here in the northeast and we'll check out the rest of the country. showers around oklahoma making their way into the central plains as this pushes through, temperature wise, we've got more heat in the southwest. 90s in the southwest and southern california, 70s up the west coast and 90s and 80s through the gulf and cooler weather along the northern tier states into the northeast. heavy rain into new england later today. look for plenty of sunshine around the gulf. record highs developing in the pacific northwest good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. the clouds are starting to clear around the bay area and it will be a cooler day, especially near the coast. san francisco, 59 degrees will be the high. and 68 degrees in santa rosa. oakland, 64 and 74 in concord. livermore, also 74 degrees. and san jose, 73. over the next few days, our

temperatures continue on the cool side for this time of year. mostly cloudy skies in san francisco, especially on saturday as rain moves just to our north. if you use gmail there's some things you need to know. dylan is in the orange room with that information. tell us, dylan. >> lots of information. this morning google is rolling out one of its biggest gmail updates in years, with a focus on increasing the security of your inbox. one of the biggest talkers is the new confidential mode. this allows users to set an expiration date, letting you decide when an e-mail disappears from another's inbox. >> why wasn't this around in college? >> you can also -- >> there's some you want to pull back there? >> yes. yes. so many. sorry. >> you can also password protect individual messages. meaning the recipient would need a text message code to read it. there's a feature that keeps people from forwarding, printing, copying or downloading your e-mail.

>> what if you screen grab it? >> you can screen grab it. >> that is a very good point. >> we'll get to that in a second. social media users are weighing in on the changes. stan says very good and useful functionality. but andy is skeptical saying nothing is private on the internet. when will we learn? andy's concern was shared by many people on the internet who said most of the added security features can be overcome, simply, al, by screen grabbing the message. so, it's not fool-proof. but it's one more step forward in this era of trying to -- >> i think savannah's right. >> this is an incredible innovation. if you could write an e-mail and claw it back in 30 seconds. >> >> then, on outlook i get the message, this person has pulled back the e-mail. did you get that before? >> oh, the recall thing. yes. >> it's like, i read the e-mail. >> just start sending letters in disappearing ink. >> game-changer. let's move on to "pop start."

first up is a "west wing" reboot on the horizon? seer i revivals are a hot trend right now. rumors have been swirling about the possibility of bringing back "the west wing." in august, bob greenblatt got fans excited after he said he had discussions with aaron sorkin about bringing back the beloved series. now, sorkin is speaking out about the conversation and weighing in on whether a reboot is likely. on a "west wing" podcast, he said the show is a legacy. the last thing i want to do is harm that. if i come up with an idea that doesn't feel like "a very brady christmas" if i come up with an idea that works, yeah. it's not a yes but a maybe. >> president, president, president. >> i love "a very brady christmas." >> i do, too. nothing wrong with that. up next, kourtney kardashian. the reality tv star was in the spotlight for a different reason yesterday. she was in washington, d.c. to lobby members of congress.

the star spoke out in an effort to reform and regulate laws on cosmetics. she teamed up with her sister on a new makeup line, with kylie jenner. becoming a mother inspired her to educate herself on the types of ingredients found in products. finally, a game of guess who? can anyone guess who this is? >> the riddler. >> no. >> >> al, come on. >> i can't see it. >> no idea. who is that? >> since all of you guessed damien lewis, you're right. the star is dressed as late mayor rob ford. he's playing the mayor for an upcoming movie called "run this town." when the news was announced, critics didn't think lewis was the right man for the job. looks pretty similar to me. what do you think? >> that's spot-on. >> i was going to say that looks like the toronto mayor. wow.

>> "run this town" does not have a release date. >> all right. >> you got a click? >> yes. i know you faced federer on the court. i think you've got new competition. watch this. >> wow. >> my word. >> come on. >> she's just 4 years old. she's got it down, the fancy footwork, the game face, the grunting. looks like this little one will make quite the competitor. >> her strokes are beautiful. >> and the grunting. >> and the come on is awesome. >> that's what serena says. >> she didn't miss one. >> love it. straight ahead, should you approach dating like dieting? joanna coles is here. she's going to share her rules for finding love in the digital age. and we're gathering around the family table with the smollett siblings. look how cute they are, after your local news. the

smallette siblings. look how fcute they are, after your local news. i )m ...

we )re just getting word of a possible major break .. in the case of a notorious california killer. that case dates back decas. good morning, it's 8:26, i'm marcus washington. and we're just getting word in a major break in a case of a notorious killer. with the names of east area rapist, the golden state killer and talking multiple rapes and at least a dozen murders in north and southern california, most happened over a decade in time starting in the 1970s. sacramento authorities are set to make a major announcement today. the sacramento bee is reporting that the arrest has been made. and marcus, towards 8:past

the coliseum, folks can stop in to salute the warriors, wish them luck in the next round. and highway 13, just past the split, where it bogs down columnly all the way through d piedmont and then clears up. the rest of the bay is pretty smooth. south bay does have the push. and we check in with the palo alto camera. you do see the stop of the screen slowing and better towards mountain view. back to you. >> thanks, mike. we'll have another local update in half an hour. and of course, always on. you could generate your own energy,

at home. or to save energy, unplug unused appliances. do your thing, with energy upgrade california.

♪ we're all together. it's 8:30 on a rainy wednesday morning in the northeast. it happens to be april 25th, 2018. thank you to our wonderful crowd for hanging in there. >> i know. thank you for being with us. coming up, the world of dating. it has always been tricky to navigate. dating apps add new layers of difficulty. joanna coles is here. she has love rules and will tell us about them coming up. the family that cooks together stays together. the smollett siblings. they are here to share their love of food and delicious recipes. >> cannot handle their cuteness.

if our pup, sunny, seems happier today, there's a reason. it's international guide dog day. he is growing by leaps and bounds. i leave for two days and he's grown. >> he's so big but still a puppy. it's super cute. melanoma monday, skin cancer awareness month is coming up. we're going to attempt to break the world record on our plaza for most people applying sunscreen simultaneously. >> what's the record? >> it says it right there. 1,822 people. >> we need one more. >> that's a lot of people. >> we need 1,823 of you to join us on the plaza, monday, may 7th. we're going to have free giveaways. sign up at today.com. >> for somebody that is at high guys. you have a big show coming up. >> we're all moms at this table. do you ever feel stressed out?

>> yes. >> do you feel exhausted? >> check. >> do you feel guilty like you're not doing it right and every other mother is? you may be suffering from mommy burnout. and there's a list that goes on. do you not have any interest in action. i won't ask that. but there's a lot of things that moms feel and they think it's just them. i'm a bad mom. i'm not doing it right. i'm failing. and it's mommy burnout, which can be addressed. we'll tell you the number one thing to do to address it. we'll have an expert come on and a mom who took this to the extreme and suffered for it. and secondly, a woman who was locked in her own body. they thought she was in a permanent vegetative state. she could hear everything and see everything and she couldn't speak and now she can. she's going to tell us about it. >> wow. >> that's a good one. al is outside, braving the conditions with our wonderful crowd outside. how long is this rain going to stick around? >> thanks so much. let's show you what's happening as far as your weather for

today. heavy rain in the northeast and new england. air quality alerts around the southwest. record highs in the pacific northwest. rain in the central plains. tomorrow, next storm in the southeast, it's hot and dry in the southwest. and the warmth continues in the pacific northwest. plenty of sunshine in the great lakes. lingering showers through good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. san francisco heading up to 59 degrees today, with mostly cloudy skies. we'll see a mix of sun and clouds over the next few days. unseasonable temperatures. more clouds on sunday with a high of 59. for inland area the cool trend continues today, 75. tomorrow, 70. and some mid-60s for the weekend. we'll be watching out for a chance of rain on the north bay on saturday. other than that the forecast is pretty dry and we will gradually warm up for the middle of next week.

>> "today's" dna day on the plaza the created with ancestry. ancestry connects to you people and places around the globe. >> happy dna day, honoring the completion of the human genome project. big science that unlocks secrets about who we are. we had historians from ancestry all morning long, working with crowd members to trace their roots. where's elizabeth? >> right here. >> you just learned that your great grandpa owned a paper mill? >> yes. >> that's pretty cool. what was that like? >> it was fascinating the find out all this information, particularly to see the census records and to know how far back in the family the paper manufacturing goes. >> that's really cool. what's your name? >> james. >> james, you found out about relatives from mississippi. >> yes, sir. >> what did you find out? what was surprising? >> they worked for the railroad

and were living in the bayou for a long time. >> dna has helped build family trees and uncover ethnicity and connect with relatives. imagine finding a long, lost brother. that's what happened to karen graham and vincent. guys, good morning. >> good morning. >> what was that likesudden? >> that was an amazing experience. reconnecting with my brother after 20 years. it was an incredible experience. >> what did you find out you had in common? >> we both went to the same university. we have the same major and same minor, as well. >> what's your majors? >> political science. >> what has reconnecting meant to each of you? >> it meant the world for me. after 20 years of just every now and again, wondering where my brother was. when i got that message, i was in shock, disbelief. all the burden just fell off my

chest. i was ready to rekindle that relationship with him. >> you traced your ancestry back, right? >> yes, sir. >> how did you feel when you stepped on the ground for the first time? >> it kind of felt like a hole had been filled, being able to realize that was where my ancestry came from. growing up adopted, i didn't know anything about my heritage at all. and all of a sudden, learning everything at once was an amazing experience for me. >> that's terrific. what a great story. enjoy the new relationship. that's terrific. i got to work with the folks from ancestry. first, i want to give you some context. in 1999, before there were the dna tests and digitized computer records were widely available, i started out on the first step of what's been a long journey of self-discovery. the goal was to better understand who i was and my place in history. piecing together the puzzle of my ancestry has taken over two

decades and across three continents. >> this would have been my great, great grandfather, robert roker, and david, my great grandfather. >> reporter: first, i visited the bahamas in 1999. now, this is one of the slave quarters here. and imagine life for the thousands of slaves who worked the land. my ancestors picking cotton by day, mining salt by night. odd seeing your name in a document that's 177 years old. i visited the roker school and roker's point, all named for someone in my family, or so i thought. my family, the name roker, as best as you can tell in the archi archives, where did it come from? >> thomas roker was a planter who came from philadelphia. >> reporter: not a relative at all. but the slave owner who purchased my ancestors. we're here in liverpool, england. in 2008 i studied how crops, cash and slaves were ferried.

and another exhibit in zuma set me on my final course. >> you must go back home. you must now make the voyage, america, the bahamas, liverpool, west africa. then, you can rest. but your spirit is wandering. >> reporter: wow. ten years and a dna test later allows ancestry historian nika smith to trace my roots. >> you are truly a man of the world. >> reporter: i'm all over the place. i'm all over the map. >> most is isolated to west africa. here's the big question -- what do you want to do with this? where do you want to go? >> reporter: i want to go to west africa and probably, maybe, go as far west as i can and go to senegal. >> all right. >> reporter: senegal, here we go. i am all packed. i am leaving tomorrow night to go to senegal. i'm so excited. i think we want to help somebody

else find and fill out their family tree. i'm looking for tariq tela. come on over. let's move this out a little bit. come on over. >> all right. >> you've been researching your family tree, too, right? >> i have. >> i think we have it on our monitor here. let's take a look. we'll show you, now, what have you found out that's been surprising? >> so far, what i found out, both from my mother and father's side because i'm a child of immigrants, my parents came from jamaica, is finding distant relatives that had similar migration patterns as my grandparents but no one knew each other. so, i had a great grandmother who had a cousin and they both left jamaica around the same time. they ended up in harlem at the same time. >> wow. >> and they never knew each other. >> around the line of your fifth to eighth cousin, there's a

blank. we're going to fill that in for you. you and i are related, cousin. fifth to eighth cousins. that's right. don't ask me for money. congratulations. thank you for your service. two tours in the middle east. >> yes. two tours in iraq. and that was with the marine corps. and i've been working ever since. >> nice to meet a fellow family me member. >> thank you. >> there we go. i'll report back when i get back. >> awesome. >> thanks so much. and for more on ancestry dna and an exclusive offer, go to today.com/dnaday. savannah? >> al, thank you so much. coming up, we're going to talk love with joanna coles, the former editor in chief at "cosmo," "marie claire" and she knows what she's talking about. >> i want to help people to find love. >> she's going to give us tough love. love. first, this is "today" on nbc. ancestrydna can reveal where in the world you're from.

and with 5x more detail, it can lead you on an unexpected journey... ...that brings you closer to home. for just a few days, it's only $59 to discover your heritage. so instead of telling stories of where you went... ...you can tell the story of where you come from. get ancestrydna for just $59. the lowest price of the year.

we're back with more of "together today." if you're looking for a love connection, listen up. for a lot of folks these days, the search, of course, begins online. the number of people using dating apps has skyrocketed. dating in the modern world can be tricky and we need a sherpa. joanna coles, former editor in chief for "cosmopolitan" and "marie claire" has a new book called "love rules." >> good morning. >> this might be the best review you've got. do you know this? sarah jessica parker says, she's not sure if carrie bradshaw would have made it through the world of dating. but if she had this book, she would have figured it out in one season. >> i'm glad we had more seasons of "sex and the city." that's a nice review. dating apps have skyrocketed.

they are a fantastic way to meet people. i'm not antedating app. but if you go on a dating app and think you're going to find the one and fast forward the process of getting to know someone, you're going to be superdisappointed. >> you say swipe smartly. what do you mean by that? >> first of all, it means, when you make a swipe, do not spend weeks, which people do now, in flirty text exchanges, with strangers. >> that's the whole fun. not that i know. >> why would you know about that? >> i don't know that. >> what are you talking about? by all means, have some but get on the phone and don't invest your time meeting someone until you've talked to them on the phone because i cannot tell you. i talked to hundreds of men and women for this book who said they would indulge in endless flirty text exchanges, a month later meet the person in real life and be so disappointed that this person is not who they thought it was. >> and you have a faux text relationship. cut to it and find out if

there's something there. >> and what happens when we communicate with a stranger online is, you bring the curated self online and the gaps. and the two real selves. and the gaps in the conversation, you fill with positive attributes, which might not actually be true. you have to be careful. >> it's very thoughtful. you have a great analogy throughout the book. you compare dating to dieting. you say there's junk food and junk love. >> right. and there's snacks. and sometimes snacks is what you need. snacks can lead you to feeli ii hungrier later in the day. i think of it as a diet book for love because food and love have so much in common, right? we have huge appetites for both. and a little bit of junk food is fine. but over the long haul, you want a mixed, nutritious diet to give you energy. and you don't want to spend all your emotional calories, as i call them, on people who aren't worth it.

>> yeah. what does that mean. i said you were going to give us some tough love. what does that mean in the practical? is that someone, junk love, i like this person because they're good-looking? or you're not looking for the right things? >> i think it means being honest with yourself with what you want and matching that against what the other person wants. sometimes there's no alignment. hopefully there is. and there's lots of pages to fill out in the book. it's a bit of a workbook for people, too, so you can be your own dater analytics expert, track your own behavior, understand your trigger points when you go for people that aren't suitable or when you, you know, call an ex because you have nothing to do on a saturday night and then you end up the next morning full of dater's remorse. >> right. you kind of have to do an inventory of yourself. in the 30 seconds i have, you say there's no such thing as a casual hookup. we'll hear about hookup culture and the dating apps, what do you mean by that? >> i really mean that if you want to have the french fries,

have the french fries. i think of hookups like french fries. but don't think you can exist entirely on a diet of french fries. at some point, you're going to, you know, get scurvy. >> joanna, thank you so much. you always have a way of putting things. the book is called "love rules." you can find more at today.com/shop. coming up next, down home cooking your family is going to love. the smollett siblings are here to share their favorite recipes. first, this is "today" on nbc. to move california forward, we need to help more californians get ahead. that's why antonio villaraigosa brought both parties together to balance the state budget with record investments in public schools... and new career training programs. as mayor of la, he brought police and residents together

to get illegal guns off the streets and keep kids out of gangs, and on the right path. that's antonio villaraigosa. a governor for all of california.

we're back with "today food." and get ready to meet the smolletts. growing up with six siblings in a multicultural household, acting was the activity that launched the siblings into the spotlight. the big break happened in the '90s when they were on the

sitcom "on our own." jesse smollett stars in the hit drama, "empire." and journey smollett-bell was recently a lead in the netflix drama "underground." from stardom to stew, this is a family that honors family gathering around the dinner table. the early years of crisscrossing the country, engrained a love of homemade food, now reflected in the newest project, "the family table: recipes and moments from a nomadic life." you are welcome. and four of the smolletts are with us now. welcome. first of all, you all are awesome. why the "js"? is that something your folks thought would be a cool thing. >> our mom and dad are janet and joel. they wanted to keep that going. >> what's cool about this is your mom and dad physically built tables where you -- >> mommy did. mommy is here. let's make it clear. >> mommy built tables. we got a shot right here. get that shot.

your mom -- >> she would build the tables. >> she would go to home depot, get the wood. >> why? >> we were broke. >> okay. >> that's true. we were broke but she has taste. she wanted to have the table she wanted. she had to build it. >> you were kind of nomadic. you moved over and over. that made you closer? >> we moved 13 times back and wor forth, coast-to-coast. we love being in the car together, like road trips. >> we're going to cook. each have their own specialties. you like the grilling, don't you, jake? >> we have a rack of pork babybacks. and my dry rub is cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, granulated garlic, minced onion and chili flakes. >> a little heat. >> exactly. >> you whip that up and slather it on there. >> al, you like the heat.

>> how long do you put this on the grill? >> i do incorrect heat on the grill for about an hour and a half, two hours. and they come out really -- >> so fancy. >> i'm smiling but i like it. you cook that up. guys, how are the ribs? >> amazing. the whole thing is amazing. >> i'm shameless, too. >> we're just shoveling it in here. >> jazz, we know baking if your thing. >> i know. >> you're about to book up something delicious for us. >> this is an au gratin. i sauteed crab with fresh garlic. you put the remainder of the minced garlic with black pepper and salt. and you sprinkle that. >> and you add the crab. >> and you add the green onions. you add some crab. >> that's canned. >> and you add some cheese. >> what do we think of the crab item? get after it. >> it's decadent.

>> it's decadent. love that word. >> it's luxurious. >> we're moving down to journey. journey is about to pronounce something. what is it called? >> the blavamatto. jake made this up. >> what? >> that's avocado and tomato. >> we're going to make the dressing with avocado oil, dijon mustard and lime juice. shake it up. >> shake it. shake it. >> we're going to pour it on here. it's a flavorible salad. >> very light and delicious. >> it's spectacular. right. and spicy. >> come here to my favorite, jesse. >> and this is a margarita. the recipe is available in the book, "the family table" available everywhere that books are sold. >> you're so much fun. your mom did so good with all of you. thank you for sharing. thank you for sharing.

jake, journey, jesse and jazz. you can find more of the recipes, today.com/food. and for more on their book, "the family table" check out today.com/shop. you'll love this book. we're pack inback in a moment. first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪ ♪ get high speed internet from at&t. $30 per month. no extra monthly fees. more for your thing. that's our thing.

visit att.com/internet. you guys, the food's awesome. that's going to do it for usi ) a possible major break .. in the case of a notorious cal good morning. 8:56 for you right now, marcus washington. a upon major case in the case of a notorious california killer. sacramento authorities are supposed to make a major announcement in the golden state killer. this dates back decades. he's been multiple rapes

including the bay area and northern and southern california. most happening a decade in time starting in the mid-'70s. the sacramento bee reports the arrest has been made in the sacramento area. happening today, we're following the updates on the midday newscast. and the hardest part is just beginning for investigators trying to piece together how a five-story concord apartment complex went up in flames. there are concerns about collapsing scaffolding. the next stop for the warriors, new orleans, take on the pelicans after they took apart san antonio to win the first round series last night. we'll have more news coming up in an hour. i'm marcus washington. had littl

new help to make sure north bay fire victims - have a place to live. and - dud delivery. a good lesson - before you order flowers for that special someone. maybe you )ll avoid a fight! )today in the bay ) - 4:30 to .

[ applause ] good morning, everyone. welcome to the show. i'm megyn kelly. did everyone have a good evening last night? i did, too. i confess i'm dragging a little this morning. i went out on a school night, which you can't do in this job. every year, "time" magazine chooses and honors its 100 most influential list of people. in the crowd are scientists and activists and artists and other famous faces you might recognize, like from the "today" show. we took our cameras backstage to ask the stars a few things about their lives. here's a little bit of that. watch. ♪