i'll be meeting with kim jong-un to pursue a future of peace and security for the world, for the whole world. >> singapore june 12th. the historic meeting on the heels of the return of three american detainees held in north korea. the confrontation between iran and israel threatening to expand as opposing rockets are fired and the u.s. prepares to open a new embassy in jerusalem. to a soggy weekend ahead for many as people in montana are looking for relief from some major flooding. and is this just freaky or what? we'll show you just how far robots have come. and happy mother's day to all the moms and grandmothers

out there on this feel-good friday. "early today" starts right now. good friday morning. i'm frances rivera. >> and i'm phillip mena. the date has been set for historic summit between president trump and north korean leader kim jong-un. the president tweeting the meeting will take place on june 12th in singapore. the announcement came just hours after three americans previously detained by north korea finally arrived back home. and at a rally in indiana last night, president trump again praised kim for their release. >> kim jong-un did a great service to himself, to his country by doing this. but those hostages came out with respect. we didn't pay for them. we're going to set the table. we're going to make a great deal for the world, for north korea, for south korea, for japan, for china. >> nbc's janice mackey frere

joining us from singapore with moore. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, phillip. the talks here are expected to last one day, and of course will focus on north korea's weapons programs. the venue here has not yet been announced, but singapore has a track record for hosting big events that require very tight and high-level security. this is neutral ground for both sides. singapore is a strong u.s. ally. as well it has diplomatic relations with north korea. north korea keeps an embassy here, so they are feasibly able to handle the coordination for kim's visit. and this is a first. the first time a sitting u.s. president will be meeting with a north korean leader. and pretty remarkable considering where these two men have been at over the past year, trading insults, trading threats, escalating tension across the region, now at the point where president trump is saying kim jong-un is a, quote, excellent guy for releasing the three american detainees from north korean labor camps where

they were effectively being held as pawns ahead of such an event like this. so it's why there are many observers and analysts who are nervous about the collective inexperience of these two men, especially when faced with an issue that has challenged world leaders for decades. the stakes now of course are higher given the advances in north korea's capabilities, and to this point, kim jong-un has been vague in exactly what he's pledging to do. but nonetheless, the date is set. june 12th in singapore when these two men will come together for this historic meeting. phillip? >> just one month from tomorrow, janice. thank you. iran and israel appear to be edging closer to an all-out war. israel's military says iranian forces fired about 20 projectiles at its army in occupied golan heights. it's prompted to retaliate with extensive strikes of its own, targeting tehran's forces across syria in one of the most serious confrontations yet between the enemies. a human rights monitoring group says at least 23 people were

killed in the israeli strikes. most of them being syrian soldiers and allied militia men. iranian media describes the attacks as unprecedented. the reported rocket fire comes just after president trump announced that the united states would withdraw from the iran nuclear deal and days before the u.s. officially moves its embassy to jerusalem. nbc's chief foreign correspondent richard engel tells us more. >> reporter: israeli rockets and bombs rain down on syria. syrian state tv broadcast images of the assault. israel's target, iranian infrastructure and military advisers in syria there to prop up president bashar al assad. israel says the assault was a counterattack after iran fired some 20 rockets at israeli military sites in the golan heights, causing no injuries. the confrontation between iran and israel now threatening to expand. israel's defense minister warned iran any aggression will be met

with overwhelming force. if we get rain, they will get a flood, he said. and adding fuel to the fire, a political challenge from the united states. the sign came down from the u.s. consulate in jerusalem. it will officially become the american embassy on monday. palestinians who clashed with israeli security forces say the symbolic u.s. embassy move kills any hope of israeli-palestinian peace. the trump administration says it reflects reality and is a sign of president trump's close ties to israel. but will it also push the increasingly tense middle east over the edge? richard engel, nbc news. more than seven months after the ambush in niger. the pentagon has released its most detailed account yet of the surprise attack that claimed the lives of four american soldiers. while the report cites a series of failures, ultimately it does not assign any blame. we get more from hans nichols

with reaction from the widow of one of those fallen soldiers. >> reporter: the pentagon admitting individual, organizational, and institutional failures caused the death of four american soejz in niger last october. an unclassified report faulted a lack of training and bad command oversight at every level. but in the end, isis simply surprised a 12-man green beret team and over 30 nigerien partners. >> the direct cause is that the enemy achieved tactical surprise there and our forces were outnumbered three to one. >> who's to blame? >> i have responsibilities as a combatant commander. the service has responsibilities. >> reporter: the pentagon laid out the heroics of the outnumbered soldiers including la david johnson. he unloaded mounted machine gun on his vehicle and then picked up a sniper rifle. he was separated and tried to sprint to safety but was gunned down. >> he made his last stand where he fought to the end under a dense thorny tree. >> for the widow of staff

sergeant brian black, there is no blame. >> they all did what they were supposed. i was praying from the minute it happened was that if brian was gone, please let this person and this person and this person come home. >> reporter: the pentagon has issued new rules for mission approval in africa but says u.s. troops will stay on the concontinent to help local forces defeat islamic defeatists. an ivy league university is under fire after a white student called police on a black schoolmate sleeping in a common area of a dorm. video of this encounter went viral, forcing yale to respond. the situation just the latest in a series of similar incidents making headlines and evoking outrage across the country. nbc's ron allen has the story. >> we got a police call for you. >> reporter: racial bias or an honest mistake? >> i have every right to call the police. you cannot sleep in that room. >> reporter: lola, a black yale graduate student, confronting a white student who called police. she says she was working on a paper and just fell asleep. >> i was sleeping in the common

room and she comes in and turns the lights on. and she's like, why are you sleeping here? you're not supposed to be sleeping here. >> reporter: police demanded she bring them to her dorm room and show them her i.d. >> i deserve to be here. i pay tuition like anybody else. i'm not going to justify my existence here. i'm not even going to -- it's not even a conversation. >> reporter: the video now viral. over 1 million views on her facebook page. in a statement, yale said incidents like that of last night remind us of the continued work needed to make yale a truly inclusive place. yet another encounter sparking outrage on social media. people calling police suspicious of people who don't look like them and weren't doing anything wrong. like the arrest of two black men at a philadelphia starbucks. three black women, including bob marley's granddaughter, suspected of robbery as they left a california airbnb. nordstrom rack apologizing after accusing three black teens of shoplifting while they were shopping for prom. in colorado, two native-american

brothers touring a college stopped by police. >> do you have anything in your pockets? >> reporter: a parent on the tour told police the two made her nervous. like at yale, things ended peacefully, but all these encounters raising troubling questions about assumptions and bias. ron allen, nbc news. two men are under arrest in oklahoma after a close call collision. police dash cam video shows one man escaping the vehicle just moments before the train plows right into it. here it is coming right there. no one was hurt. officers say one of the men had called 911 to report their car was stuck on the tracks, saying he could hear a train in thedy tans. when officers arrived on scene, they notice the something was off. both men admitted to drinking before getting in the car. they were arrested for public intoxication. one was arrested for possession of marijuana. flood warnings are expanding near missoula, montana. up to 1,300 homes could be threatened with more than 800

homes now under an evacuation warning. floodwaters have overtaken about half the land at a bison ranch. the national weather service expects the river to keep rising into the weekend and remain at flood levels for a week. >> flood levels, weekend, and rain. noting? y not something you want to hear. storm system today, northern rockies, raining hard with thunderstorms in nebraska, heading into minnesota and wisconsin. minneapolis and chicago only in the upper 40s to low 50s. by the time we get to start, we track that rain during the morning hours through new england. then another round of thunderstorms from the ohio valley to near pennsylvania. then finally for mother's day, hot conditions in the southeast. rainy florida. still some rain in thehio o

a battle between summer like heat and early spring temperatures in the northern half of the country. so not everyone's going to have a rainy mother's day. just a few of us. >> if you do, you can just breakfast and bed. cuddle with the kids. stay there all day. >> that works. we may have gotten a preview of the robot apocalypse. boston dynamics unveiled this video showcasing the robot atlas new skill. look how awesome that is. running. the robots are now serving as baristas, building cars and computers. now it looks like one step away from challenging all of us to a race. how life like is that? >> there's no head there. i don't even know what they're up to. it scares me just a little bit. just ahead, a fire storm over controversial comments about senator mccain. plus a streaming service takes a stand. hey pops!

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about senator john mccain during a closed door meeting. three sources tell nbc news that white house aide kelly sadler dismissed mccain's opposition to cia director nominee gina haspel by saying, quote, he's dying anyway. well, the comment first reported by the hill has not been denied by the trump administration. the white house instead issued a statement that read, we respect senator mccain's service to our nation and he and his family are in our prayers during this difficult time. and this morning we are learning supporters of mccain on capitol hill are livid about the remarks. mccain's wife, cindy, is incensed, firing back at the white house staffer tweeting this, may i remind you my husband has a family, seven children and five grandchildren. spotify is joining in on the mute r. kelly campaign. the streaming service is removing the singer's music from its play list. the songs will still be available but spotify will no longer actively promote them on its play lists.

this as he faces accusations of sexual assault and coercion from multiple women over the last two decades. the company explaining in a statement, we want our editorial decisions to reflect our values. spotify is also cutting ties with rapper xxx after he was accused of beating up his pregnant girlfriend. r. kelly is denying any wrongdoing. his agent tells nbc news it is acting based on unproven allegations. a new survey finds that 68% of flight attendants have experienced sexual harassment on the job. 18% said the behavior was physical and more than a third reported verbal sexual harassment by passengers. this according to the world's largest flight attendants union with 50,000 members. just 7% of the cases were reported. the association of flight attendants in part blames airlines for marketing flight attendants as sexual objects. it's now calling for airlines to improve reporting procedures and

training. some bad news for brooklyn 99 fans. it is getting the boot. after five seasons on fox. the news is not going over too well. after learning of the fate of the cop comedy, fans were shocked and many of them took to twitter to express their sadness. this person used a meme to convey her feelings. and another person lashed out and said, you monsters nerve deserved brooklyn 99. and "hamilton" creator lin-manuel miranda pushed to bring the show back. still ahead, the fcc takes aim at robocallers with a massive fine. but will the latest action really keep callers from flooding your phone? you're watching "early today." a. starts with one person... you. this red nose day...

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the fcc has leveled its largest fine ever. $120 million against a guy who has been called a robocall kingpin. it's a label he denies but the feds are fighting back. and with the number of robocalls surging, chances are you or someone you know has been flooded with those calls. the question is will it change anything? nbc's gabe gutierrez has the details. >> reporter: the national nuisance is getting worse. 30 billion robocalls last year alone. >> you have been selected to receive 2,600 travel dollars torts your next trip. >> reporter: the fcc fought

back, slapping this miami man with its largest fine ever, $120 million. the agency says companies abramovich controlled were behind almost 100 million robocalls over three months. >> abramovich was engaged in the single largest malicious, illegal spoofed robocall campaign that the fcc has ever investigated. >> reporter: abramovich has denied engaging in fraudulent activities. >> i'm not the kingpin of robocalling that is alleged. >> reporter: in new jersey, tony novak is frustrated with multiple robocalls a day, many appearing to come from his own area code. >> i like to talk with customers, stranges, clients, but it actually made me hesitant to even want to pick up the phone. >> reporter: experts say most robocalls are legal, such as legitimate debt collection or political calls, but they estimate as many as 40% are scams. pindrop is a security firm specializing in fraud prevention. >> the most important thing to know about any phone call that you're receiving now adays is

that the caller i.d. simply cannot be trusted. >> reporter: more and more phone apps are now available to stop robocalls. but analysts say the reason scammers keep using them is that they work. gabe gutierrez, nbc news, atlanta. just ahead, happy mother's day. we will fill you in on some of the best deals to treat mom this weekend. got simparica now. simpari-what? simparica is what kills tick and fleas, like us. kills? kills! studies show at the end of the month, it kills more ticks in less time than frontline plus and nexgard. guess we should mosey on. see ya never, roxy! use simparica with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. the most common side effects are vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. say goodbye to ticks and fleas... with monthly simparica chewables. i neverunderwear that's this, but actually pretty.leak always discreet boutique. hidden inside is a super absorbent core that quickly turns liquid to gel. so i feel protected...

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today a deserving honoree is judge sophia vielo. she is the first hmong american judge to be sworn in minnesota. inspired and fearless, she emerges as a real champion for her community and is a mom for future generations of minorities. >> it's not that the person who wears the robe is important. it's that the robe itself is symbolic. our judicial system reflects the people who live here. >> for more information on sofia and more up and coming stars, check out nbcnews.com/a to z. let's take you into some of that rainy forecast on mother's day. this is 10:00 a.m., a little bit of rain around cleveland. by the afternoon hours some hit and miss showers from the ohio valley into new york and new jersey. more coming up on "early today." .

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. it's going to be a busy weekend ahead, especially for those celebrating mother's day. our friend willie geist has the perfect guest to celebrate all the moms out there. let's head to willie for a preview. morning, willie. >> good morning, guys. this week on a special mother's day edition of sunday today, my guest is mother of two and generally hilarious human being melissa mccarthy. we talk about her humble beginnings as an illinois farm girl and how she hustled her way to becoming one of the most successful actors in hollywood. our sunday sit-down with melissa mccarthy plus all the latest news and politics this weekend on sunday today. you can catch us live in the morning or set your dvr and watch us anytime. back to you frances and phillip. and we'll see you on sunday

morning. >> thanks. it is time for some mother's day deals, and "early today" has some top offers to help you plan for sunday. mom is going to love mom's free fro-yo at a tcby near you. and moms eat free all day at hooters with this offer if you can get her to go there on sunday. >> for wings, right? >> whether you want to treat grandma, ma'am, or yourself, you can cash on special deals and discount at jcpenney's and get $4 momosas at hool i lans if your make your reservations now. ibotta is offering moms cash back on mimosa purchases at all restaurant and bars. just some of the deals that will have mom feeling good. >> feeling a little too good. usually moms are able to do it all, occasionally they may need a little help as we all know. an anxious mama duck got a helping hand from an arizona

firefighter who rescued her baby ducklings who had fallen into the storm drain. while the worried mama duck watched and paced back and forth, it took a few minutes but the entire family was reunited and able to carry on with their day. more than 70% of moms with young children are still working. that is according to the bureau of labor statistics. now wallet hub has released their list of the best states in the u.s. for working mothers. all 50 states and washington, d.c. were scored based on three key dimensions including child care costs, professional opportunities, and work/life balance. so vermont was the big winner coming in at number one, followed by minnesota at number two, massachusetts at number three. then washington, d.c. coming in at number four, followed by connecticut. in case you're wondering, new york, number ten. i don't know how you feel about that. >> about right. >> it's about right?

before we go, we'd like to wish you a happy's mother day as well as the moms of the "early toda y"aff. cholula hot sauce is teaming up with jack in the box for the cholula buttery jack. a little hot sauce there... woah. what's happening? jack i'm trying to film this commercial! oh my gosh, sorry. with delicious cholula hot sauce and crispy jalapenos on a signature bun. the new cholula buttery jack. part of the buttery jack family. made with delicious cholula hot sauce,ack. crispy jalapenos and pepper jack cheese on a signature bun.

yep, this is my third one today. the new cholula buttery jack. part of the buttery jack family. only at jack in the box. i )m marcus washington. and i )m laura garcia. we want get to some breaking good morning, thank you for joining us, i'm marcus washington. >> i'm laura garcia. breaking traffic news, it's starting to clear but there was a big problem near the tunnel. >> high speed chase went on. we have the video over our cell phone, pete might have shot this, but we have a number of resources -- pete did get that to us early this morning. there was police activity shutting down the connector to highway 13. we'll give you a shot of the flashing lights. this is the aftermath and police activity. let me show you where this was on the maps. i use past tense because as i understand everything is clear at the connector. a little residual slowing, folks making the drive heading down