from bad to worse. now dozens of homes destroyed as hawaii's kilauea volcano continues to spew lava leaving evacuated residents on edge. >> new roadblocks for trump's choice to take over the cia. >> the southwest flight collides with a pickup truck on the tarmac just after landing. >> senator john mccain opens up in what might be his farewell address and a long good-bye. >> prom night for a group of special needs students thanks to a group of generous police officers. "early today" starts right now. >> good monday morning. i'm phillip mena. >> good to be with you. i'm frances rivera. we begin with a disaster unfolding on hawaii's big island. as many as 10 volcanic fissurs

have opened up some as high as 30 feet in the air. in the puna district smoldering everything in its path including 26 homes. nearly 2000 residents in the lay lanny estates subdivision and gardens have been forced out of their homes. >> the massive magma flows have triggered more than 1,000 earthquakes since last week. officials say the seismic activity could continue for months. then there is another threat that is unseen to the eyes, but no less dangerous. lethal concentrations of toxic sulfur gas are in the air. nbc's steve patterson is right there on the ground for us. steve, good morning. what's the latest? >> reporter: frances, officials they have allowed those in the lay lanny collect their items, personal effects and medication. they are warning everyone within the risk zone be careful and be ready to flee at a moment's notice. there is no sign of this

volcanic activity from slowing down. the earth opened again. kilauea's relentless eruption continuing. officials are warning nearly 2000 residents to get out, concerned about toxic gas, molten rocks and the potential for wildfires. felicia frazier harms lives in the path of the lava flow. >> boom, your whole life comes to a screeching halt. >> reporter: she knows the trauma kilauea's fury as anyone. losing her childhood home when it was destroyed by lava flows in 1990. >> just the thought of like losing everything we worked so hard for, and my kids' childhood home, our community all having to go through it again. >> reporter: the world's most active volcano exploded on thursday. >> oh, my god. >> reporter: snaking rivers of lava through big island's east coast. accompanied by hundreds of

earthquakes including a massive magnitude 6.9. >> oh, my god, guys. >> reporter: tourism officials concerned about the cancellations noting it's business as usual for those outside of the risk zone. even sunday services continue nearby. prayers from paradise that the eruptions end soon. officials and scientists say one of the things they are most worried about is sulfuric dioxide polluting the air above. it is the reason why the national guard is so focused on keeping people out of the areas. frances? >> so dicey for them. steve, thank you. the growing fight over the next leader of the central intelligence agency, director nominee gina haspel is set to face lawmakers in her confirmation hearing wednesday just days after broaching the idea of withdrawing her own nomination. if confirmed haspel will be the first woman to head the cia. sources tell nbc news the president and haspel spoke this weekend and that mr. trump is not looking to replace her.

but democrats are gearing up for a fight. nbc's kelly o'donnell has more from washington. >> reporter: after decades of dangerous work in her life as a spy, the peril gina has pel faces now is washington politics. >> republicans and democrats should come together and confirm gina haspel as the director of the cia. >> reporter: but finding enough votes has turned into a difficult mission. so much so, officials tell me haspel was prepared to step aside, concerned a bruising confirmation battle would do damage to the agency, her reputation, and the men and women she leads as acting director. urgently hoping to save the nomination, friday white house officials went to cia headquarters to reassure haspel the president wants her to stay. officials say haspel is committed to becoming cia director. former director michael hayden. >> with a president who does not always attach his decisions to the real world, to data, to

evidence, gina haspel is the one woman i want in that room. >> reporter: political opposition to haspel centers on her time after 9/11 running a secret cia prison in thailand where a terror suspect was water boarded. and later she passed on the order to destroy videotapes of enhanced interrogation sessions that a senate report labelled torture. 9 >> it's very concerning because those of us that worked on the torture report know some things that are classified, and this is an important part of this woman's career. >> reporter: much of haspel's career history is classified, and that also includes achievements the white house would like to highlight. former cia colleagues praise haspel's skills and 33 years of service. >> i can talk to you about how she did her job as a senior cia official, with the utmost intellectual honesty and

integrity. >> reporter: withheld from the white house, has pel is preparing for the grilling she's expected to face later this week on capitol hill. officials tell me they've done practice sessions three or four of those now including one sunday where they go over questions and answers. now, after the failed nomination of ronny jackson to be secretary of veterans affairs, the pressure is even higher. white house officials say haspel is highly qualified and her nomination, they say, will not be derailed. frances? >> all right, kelly, we appreciate it. >> the cia nomination fight isn't the only one the president is waging this morning as his legal team looks to clean up last week's miss steps surrounding the stormy daniels case. with trump's personal attorney rudy giuliani hitting the airwaves once again this weekend as he looks to correct his previous comments on the case. but he's leaving more questions than answers in his wake. nbc's jennifer johnson has that story for us. >> reporter: more confusion over when president trump knew about attorney michael cohen's payment

to adult film actress stormy daniels, the president's new personal attorney saying it was after the election, but not clear when. >> it could have been recently, it could have been a while back. those are the facts we're still working on and that may be in a little dispute >> reporter: on april 5 the president denied knowing about the payment. >> did you know about the $130,000 payment to stormy daniels? >> no. >> reporter: the white house tried to clear that up. >> the president told me just yesterday that when he said no on air force one last month, he's talking about when the payment occurred, that he was not aware of the payment to miss daniels when the payment occurred. >> reporter: but daniels' attorney calls this a cover up. >> they can't keep their story straight, they can't keep their lies straight. they keep providing further explanations upon explanation because they don't want to tell the american people the truth. >> reporter: the payment was made to quiet the adult film actress days before the election, but giuliani denies any campaign finance laws were broken. he also left open the

possibility of president trump pleading the 5th if subpoenaed by special counsel robert mueller and the russia election investigation. >> if the president of the united states, we can assert the same privilege as other presidents have. >> reporter: the president just said friday he wants to speak with mueller. jennifer johnson, nbc news, washington. >> thousands of people took to the streets of russia to voice discontent with their government just as leader vladimir putin will be inaugurated today for a fourth the presidential term. it extends his rule for another six years into 2024. police detained some protesters and threw others in buses as crowds chanted anti-putin slogans such as putin is a thief. the country's interior ministry says about half of the 1200 arrests happened in moscow, but they are monitoring the group o.v.d. with the number closer to 1600 across 20 cities. opposition leader and activist a lexi novalni who was barred in the presidential election was

dragged away by police within minutes of arriving at the rally. putin has been in power as either president or prime minister since 2000. >> investigators in florida say a man is dead after a vape pen exploded inside of his home. firefighters determined that 38-year-old talmadge suffered burns to over 45% of his body. it was set off when the e-cigarette explosion occurred. he was likely killed in that blast, or knocked unconscious and trapped by the fire. e-sig explosion deaths are uncommon in the u.s. but fire marshals warn these devices can be as dangerous as detonated firecrackers. >> unexpected final few moments in the southwest flight from florida to baltimore when a pickup truck crashed right into the plane. southwest says the plane was pulling into the gate at baltimore/washington international airport when the truck came in contact with the aircraft. no injuries were reported and all 172 passenger s were dee

planed air stairs. >> thanks to the boynton beach police department in florida, it was an unforgettable night for special needs students. the officers served as their dates. the teens from john i. leonard high school were cheesing ear to ear as they got their corsages and boutonnieres. >> it is amazing to see these young kids that don't have the opportunity to do this be here today. they are awesome kids and now they're mingling with all the other kids. >> great gesture there you see the officers getting down, dancing with them. created a great memory for all of them. >> this prom season, graduation season, a lot of things going on. of course the weather is always important so that it cooperates. morning, bill. >> good morning. looks like one of the best weeks of spring. this is going to be a fabulous week. not much in the way of certifica severe weather. this will kickoff storms in the northern plains, nothing severe,

but tuesday we'll get wet weather. rapid city, minneapolis, a line of showers through. that's it. not a lot of bad weather on the map. dallas is feeling like summer at 94. chicago is perfect. st. louis is perfect. new york, baltimore, d.c., you' re big cities down i-95. the southeast looks great, too, temperatures in the mid to upper 80s. we'll take a look at what the rest of the week has in store. all that warmth is on the move. >> all right. don't want to jinx it. thank you so much, bill. for all you royals fans out there, the duke and duchess are very please today share these photos of their daughter charlotte and newborn son louie. this was placed on the kensington palace twitter page. the photo was taken by duchess kate middleton on princess charlotte's third birthday. the photo of louie was taken

three days after he was born. >> i always love baby pictures like that. sweet thing. avengers infinity war did something no other movies have. this weekend we can tell you about, you'll hear about it next. [thoughtful sigh] still nervous about buying a house? a little. thought i could de-stress with some zen gardening. at least we don't have to worry about homeowners insurance. just call geico. geico helps with homeowners insurance? good to know. been doing it for years. that's really good to know. i should clean this up. i'll get the dustpan. behind the golf clubs. get to know geico. and see how easy homeowners and renters insurance can be. well, here's to first dates! you look amazing. and you look amazingly comfortable. when your v-neck looks more like a u-neck... that's when you know, it's half-washed.

add downy to keep your collars from stretching. unlike detergent alone, downy conditions to smooth and strengthen fibers. so, next time don't half-wash it. downy and it's done. jimmy dean delights frittatas. a delicious, savory egg breakfast, without all the bread and carbs. made with real ingredients. an excellent source of protein to help power through your morning. jimmy dean delights frittatas. and back pain made it hard to sleep and get up on time. then i found aleve pm. the only one to combine a safe sleep aid... ...plus the 12 hour pain relieving strength of aleve. i'm back. aleve pm for a better am. dinner date...meeting his parents dinner date. why did i want a crest 3d white smile? so i used crest. crest 3d white removes... ...95% of surface stains in just 3 days... ...for a whiter smile... that will win them over. crest. healthy, beautiful smiles for life.

♪ dixie® ultra's flexproof™ technology makes it twice as strong as the leading store brand. that's strength you can count on. avengers infinity war dominated the box office for the second weekend in a row. the superhero block buster estimated $112 million domestically and over $1.2 billion worldwide making it the first film to hit the billion dollar mark after only 11 days in theaters and it hasn't even opened in china. r0ubdi r0u rounding out the top three over board and quiet place with 7 million. >> over the weekend dallas was the epicenter over the royaling debate of gun control. the national rifle association wrapped up its 147th annual convention, conflicting beliefs collided as protesters called for stricter gun laws following

mass shootings. 80,000 gun advocates showed up for the meeting maintaining guns are not the problem. nbc's katie beck gives us the latest on where both sides stand. >> these are our liberties. these are our rights. >> reporter: at the annual nra convention in dallas, 15 acres of guns and gear, and voices for gun rights. >> the right to bear arms is part of our constitutional laws and we have to know how to exercise those. >> reporter: others calling for stricter laws. >> it is time for us to elect lawmakers free from the influence of the nra. >> reporter: survivors of gun violence partially rained the gun lobby. >> we can't let this happen to the next generation of americans. >> reporter: with three of the ten deadliest mass shootings in american history happening in the past eight months, the nra is holding firm that guns are not the problem. >> the national rifle association is the only organization in america that gets blamed for problems our

members don't commit. >> reporter: the group says more guns are a solution by arming trained teachers to carry in the classroom. one vendor says his newly released two-bullet iphone gun will be the ideal conceal for them. >> if you're hiding in a closet with a bunch of kids and somebody is coming for you i'd rather have two shots than no shots. >> reporter: two sides passionate about the gun issue, but still very far apart on a resolution. katie beck, nbc news, dallas. that's why pantene, the world's #1 conditioner brand, has conditioners for every hair type. from air-light foam for fine hair, to nourishing 3 minute miracle for thick and curly. and the moisture-infusing gold series collection. giving more women great hair days - every day. pantene. world's number one... conditioner brand. you'll make my morning, buty the price ruin my day.ou?

complicated relationship with milk? pour on the lactaid, 100% real milk, just without that annoying lactose. mmm, that's good. (vo) more "dper rollres for mom" bounty is more absorbent, so the roll can last 50% longer than the leading ordinary brand. so you get more "life" per roll. bounty the quicker picker upper nourishing oils meet fast absorbing lotions. refined with indulging scents. for beautifully nourished skin. new nivea oil infused lotion.

ailing senator john mccain does not want president trump to attend his funeral. a source close to the arizona republican tells nbc news he would like vice-president pence to come instead. mccain has been receiving a stream of visitors at his arizona home as he battles brain cancer and the side effects of his aggressive treatment. in a book he opens up about some regrets, including picking former alaska governor sarah palin to be his running mate during the 2008 presidential campaign. nbc's andrea mitchell has more. >> reporter: fighting for his life, senator john mccain is opening up. delivering what could be a farewell address in his new book, the restless wave. >> i don't know how much longer i'll be here. maybe i'll have another five years. maybe with the advances of oncology, they'll find new

treatments for my cancer that will extend my life. maybe i'll be gone before you hear this. >> reporter: contemplating his life in politics, mccain pulls no punches, taking on presidents both past and present. saying he's not sure what to make of president trump's convictions. writing that the way the president speaks about refugees is appalling. battling brain cancer, mccain also laments the current political climate. >> before i leave i'd like to see our politics begin to return to the purposes and practices that distinguish our history from the history of other nations. i'd like to see us recover our sense that we are more alike than different. >> reporter: long viewed as a political maverick, senator mccain has spent his career reaching across the aisle, unwilling to be constrained by his own party. preferring to do things his way. senator mccain is home in arizona, recovering from surgery and the side effects of his treatment. he has no illusions about his condition, but insists there is still more work to do. >> i have some things i'd like to take care of first, some work

that needs finishing, and some people i need to see. and i want to talk to my fellow americans a little more if i may. >> still ahead, a cringe worthy injury not for the faint of heart. we'll bring you those details next. that. it was tough getting out there that. on stage. i wanted to be clear. i wanted it to last. so i kept on fighting. i found something that worked. and keeps on working. now? they see me. see me. see if cosentyx could make a difference for you- cosentyx is proven to help people with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis... ...find clear skin that can last. don't use if you're allergic to cosentyx. before starting cosentyx, you should be checked for tuberculosis. an increased risk of infections and lowered ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms. or if you have received a vaccine or plan to. if you have inflammatory bowel disease, tell your doctor if symptoms develop or worsen. serious allergic reactions may occur.

never give up. see me. see me. clear skin can last. don't hold back... ...ask your dermatologist if cosentyx can help you find clear skin that lasts. ♪ dixie® ultra's flexproof™ technology makes it twice as strong as the leading store brand. that's strength you can count on. the smoother the skin, the more comfortable you are in it. and now there's a new way to smooth. introducing new venus platinum. a premium metal handle boosts control... to reveal up to 100% smooth skin. venus hitting the mid-morning wall? with up to 24 grams of hearty protein jimmy dean bowls help you avoid it. shine on.

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. your hair is so soft! did you use head and shoulders two in one? i did mom. wanna try it? yes. it intensely moisturizes your hair and scalp and keeps you flake free. manolo? look at my soft hair. i should be in the shot now too. try head and shoulders two in one. cardinals will be without their star catcher for four weeks after this gruesome injury. he foul tipped 102 mile per hour

fast ball right there, between the legs of molina. he immediately fell over in pain and eventually had to leave the game. he also required emergency surgery. molina's older brother benjie said his brother is home recovering. my goodness. >> that is painful to see. let's get a check now on our weather and bill karins is here. hi, bill. >> hi. sum irwarmth will be on the move as we go throughout the week. the warmth has been impressive. desert southwest 10 to 20 degrees above normal. today we'll continue above in phoenix. denver and omaha, beautiful weather there. we continue with very warm weather tuesday salt lake city, albuquerque. little rock will be 90 to 91 wednesday through friday. charlotte up to 90 by friday. so, a little taste of summer for a lot of people. >> we're all glad to hear it. thanks a lot, bill. just ahead saturday night live pulls out all the stops including stormy daniels herself. what's the deal with this nhl player licking people? can you actually love wearing powerful sunscreen? yes!

neutrogena® ultra sheer. no other sunscreen works better or feels so good. clinically proven helioplex® provides unbeatable uva/uvb protection to help prevent early skin aging and skin cancer all with a clean light feel. for unbeatable protection. it's the one. the best for your skin. ultra sheer®. neutrogena®. see what's possible. in the water, in the water, you ready for this? she doesn't like it... you've gotta get in there. okay. careful not to get it in her eyes. i know, i know what a bath is... smile honey. this thing is like... first kid. here we go. second kid. you coming in mommy? ahh not a chance! by their second kid, every parent is an expert and more likely to choose luvs than first time parents. luvs with nightlock plus absorbs wetness faster than huggies snug and dry for outstanding overnight protection at a fraction of the cost. live, learn and get luvs.

mr. trump, i don't know what to do. you keep changing your story on the stormy daniels payment. >> look, let's get rudy giuliani on the phone. he'll fix this. he has the sharp est legal mind since my cousin vinny. >> is everyone on? >> call up stormy daniels and fix this once and for all. >> stormy, this is michael cohen. are you alone? >> yes. >> and what are you wearing? >> i know you don't believe in climate change, but a storm's a coming, baby. >> oh, yes. snl brings in an all-star cast to take the hammer to the trump white house with stormy daniels herself joining alongside her there, a whole crew from

amoroso, the president's personal doctor. the one thing that stood out, kate mckinnon roasting another confidant. this time rudy giuliani. she already took on jeff sessions. this makes it the third time a woman played a male follow following melissa mccarthy's sean spicer spoof. this is full on. >> i didn't think it would be possible for her to play. look at that. rudy giuliani. you would never think she'd be able to play him. she's so talented. she's able to play everybody. really just a funny episode and all-star catch. >> worth a watch definitely. >> over the weekend it was a muddy track in louisville and the favorite justify outran the field and won the 144th kentucky derby. justified took the lead through the rain that poured all day long on the 150,000 fans there. making it the wettest kentucky derby on record. but it was one woman who ended the day soaked in cash. she raked in $1.2 million on an

$18 bet. she guessed the winner of that event plus the four races that led up to it just a stunning day for them. that's everybody's wish when you go out there, throw some money on the horses. >> literally making it rain. literally and figuratively. here's something you don't see every day. brad marshawn has a weird habit of licking faces. in the match up against the tampa bay lightning, he decided to give a taste. they warned the bruins forward about keeping his tongue to himself. he couldn't resist. after a fight broke out between him and tampa's owe ryan callahan, he found himself a lit bit too close. so -- >> yeah, you lick, you get punched. one guy in wisconsin is eating his way into the record books. 64 years old, he ate his 30,000th big mac. two sandwiches ade since the '70s. 6000 pounds of beef, 162 gallons of special sauce.

60,000 sesame seed buns, 60 million calories in all. he says his cholesterol, though, is just fine and his goal is to get to0,000 burgers. 4

>> the world's most active volcano is going from bad to worse in hawaii where dozens of homes have been destroy'd. >> under fire, drawing skroocru in the post 9/11 program. >> gas prices on the rise, up seven cents in the last few weeks. >> and going ga ga over london's new prince. we start with