new reaction this morning from a presidential directive put forth to him by kim kardashian as mr. trump commutes the sentence of a grandmother who was serving life. >> you know, a lot of people were offended and angry that i used an epithet to describe the president's dautder and advisor last week. it is a word i have used on the show many times hoping to reclaim it. this time i used it as an insult. i crossed the line, i regret it and i do apologize for that. >> samantha bee offers a public apology for insulting ivanka trump. that's not all. >> immigration will be front and

center even as a mayor dances around the controversy. >> nbc speaks exclusively to a woman who cues woman who accuses harvey weinstein for rape. >> a huge day in game three of the nba finals. "early today" starts right now. >> good to be with you. i'm frances rivera. >> and i'm phillip mena. we begin with breaking news overnight on the intensifying van hollen kay volcanic disaster. a 5.6 earthquake striking the island already jolted by 5,000 tremors in the last month. that triggered ash flumz as high as 10,000 feet into the air. ongoing lava flows from the volcano has wiped out hundreds of homes and the bay. the once picturesque vacation land now a field of black completely inundated with molten rock. the volcanic eruptions and tremors could continue for months. >> the powerful tornado whipped

across albany county, wyoming laremy leaving a path of destruction. just before 6:00 p.m. shy even issued a warning for residents to take cover. within the hour social media was exploding with images of the massive funnel cloud forming in the atmosphere. now tornadoes swirled around for about 30 minutes. damaging structures, electrical poles, power lines and fencing. so far no reports of anyone injured. >> previously convicted drug offender alice marie johnson is waking up outside the walls of an alabama jail this morning after president trump commuted the 63-year-old great grandmother's life sentence. in this emotional reunion, family members embraced johnson who had been in prison for more than 20 years with no end in sight for drug crimes. johnson expressed her immense gratitude for her new-found freedom. >> i'm just so thankful. i feel like my life is starting over again. this is a miracle day. this has been one of the greatest days of my life.

>> this comes just days after a reality star-powered plea for leniency to president trump from kim kardashian. nbc's peter alexander tells us more. >> reporter: keeping up with the commutations, 63-year-old alice johnson now a free woman, released from a alabama prison. an emotional reunion with her family. president trump ending the great grandmother's life sentence. >> thank god. >> reporter: just days after an oval office appeal from reality star kim kardashian. johnson's daughter overjoyed. >> to just be able to have a cup of coffee with my mom or go out to dinner, simple things people take for granted, we have our mom back. >> reporter: after serving 21 years for heading up a drug ring with ties to the cali cartel, she accepted responsibility for her past behavior. describing her as a model inmate. kardashian on twitter cheering, best news ever. touting johnson's imminent release as inspirational. >> you know, i think in life everyone makes mistakes and she really deserves a second chance.

>> reporter: mr. trump's use of his pardon power fitting a pattern most rewarding political allies. >> i stand by my pardon of sheriff joe. >> reporter: or pleasing celebrity friends. >> it's my honor to do it. it's about time. >> reporter: and more may be coming. former trump campaign advisor george papadopoulos's wife now begging the president to pardon her husband. >> so, i trust and hope and ask to president trump to pardon him. i hope he will. >> reporter: a white house official says the president is considering dozens of additional pardons. recently floating martha stewart and disgraced illinois governor rod blagojevich. house speaker paul ryan saying there is one person the president should never pardon, himself. >> i think obviously the answer is he shouldn't and no one is above the law. >> reporter: one other note from the white house, melania trump who hadn't been seen on camera in 26 days was seen wednesday, but not heard. accompanying her husband to fema headquarters. the president said his wife had a little rough patch, but is now doing great. earlier on twitter mr. trump complained the conspiracy

theories about her absence were, in his words, unfair and vicious. phillip? >> all right, peter alexander. peter, thank you. >> samantha bee opens her show with an apology. the full frontal host said she crossed the line when she used the c word against ivanka trump. >> many women have heard that word at the worst moments of their lives. a lot of them don't want that word reclaimed. they want it gone. and i don't blame them. i don't want to inflict more pain on them. i want this show to be challenging and i want it to be honest, but i never intended it to hurt anyone except ted cruz. >> bee went on to say as a comedian she's not a symbol of civility and actions are more important than words. the host sparked a lot of controversy for that ivanka trump joke losing sponsors auto trade and state farm. some claimed a double standard, likening bee's remarks to roseanne's racist tweet that led to abc cancelling her show. >> house republicans are

expected to meet later this morning to focus on immigration legislation. hard liners are still at odds with more moderate lawmakers. this after a small delegation met with party leadership wednesday, but failed to reach a deal. the major sticking point here is what to do about dreamers. moderates are looking for a path to citizenship for immigrants brought to the u.s. as children, but more conservative factions of the party have rejected that notion. >> meanwhile the trump administration's crackdown, the number of immigrants entering illegally rose last month. border patrol agents arrested 2000 more people in may than april totaling over 40,000 people. it is the third straight month that arrests have risen. >> and philadelphia mayor jim kenny is celebrating this morning after a federal judge ruled a trump administration cannot cut off funding to its city over sanctuary state immigration policies. mary kenny broke out in a dance tweeted by his chief of staff. he called the decision a total

and complete victory. >> president trump is gearing up for a trip to canada where he will attend the g7 summit in quebec. and he's reportedly not happy about it. the washington post reports the president is complaining about having to travel to canada just days ahead of a planned meeting with north korea's kim jong-un in singapore. the report coming as tensions rise between the u.s. and canada over trade and tariffs. likely to be front and center at the two-day summit. let's go to nbc's tracie potts with a look ahead. >> reporter: according to the washington post he doesn't want to attend the summit because he thinks it will distract from his preparation for the north korean summit with kim jong-un in singapore and also according to the post, he fears it may not be a good use of his time because he is dramatically opposed on many of the key issues with his counterparts and does not want to be lectured by them. one of those key issues that's expected to take center stage at this summit, trade and the new

tariffs that the president has now imposed on long-time u.s. allies. mexico, canada, and european nations. canada has already responded with its own tariffs on the united states. the e.u. is expected to do the same. here is what the president's top economic advisor is saying about how this may all play out at the g7. >> i regard this as much like a family quarrel. i'm always the optimist. i believe it can be worked out. >> reporter: mexico has already responded with its own tariffs as well, but they are not part of the g7 happening starting tomorrow in canada. frances? >> all right, tracie, thank you. >> one san diego padres fan is now gaining some fans of her own after this viral moment. gina dimarco was sitting behind plate at petco park in the upper deck when a foul pop landed right in her beer. what are the odds of that? people around her cheered, but

what she did next really got the crowd fired up. she chugged the entire beer with the ball still in it. video of this chugging has been seen by more than 2 million people on top of that she has been getting marriage proposals like crazy. >> if there is anything to win the respect and admiration of men everywhere, it is her chugging that beer and everybody can do the same. >> everything, catching the ball, keeping the beer, chugging the beer. >> power to her. >> real winner. >> it is a good chance the broom may be coming out of the closet in ohio in game three of the warriors and cavs. they couldn't maintain momentum because of this guy right there, kevin durant scoring a career playoff high. 43 points. he led the warriors to a 110-102 on the road. looking for a sweep this friday in cleveland at 9:00 p.m. >> i'm not ready for the nba season to be over. >> a lot of people aren't either

especially if it comes to a sweep and you're a cavs fan. >> lebron may not come back. i'll bring bill karins into this, too. we talk about this all the time. it does mean summertime. >> you may have till friday. unfortunately. hopefully not. we'll see what happens as far as the storms considered. we'll skip today because not a lot going on. let's talk about rain chances friday into saturday. this frontal boundary where it settles is going to depend on who has the best chances for rain as we come into the upcoming weekend. by saturday morning we wake up with a lot of clouds, hit and miss showers with storms around washington, d.c., possibly new jersey. then by saturday at least this computer model shifts a little further south. virginia possibly ohio with actually dry weather in new york. it's going to be a close call so stay tuned to that forecast over the ending

with those storms, but they'll still be making their way through the state as they go throughout the morning hours. the heat continues to be a huge story, too, throughout the middle of the country. >> all right, bill. we'll talk to you a little bit later. fast forwarding today, president trump will welcome japanese prime minister shinzo abe to the white house. the two leaders are expected to discuss north korea's nuclear missile programs ahead of the u.s./north korea summit on june 12. >> oprah winfrey will keynote the women's e-3 summit at the national museum of african-american history and culture. looking at her impact on the american culture, the exhibit opens on friday. >> and epa administrator scott pruitt reportedly loves eating at an exclusive u.s. navy run restaurant. he goes so much the white house has asked him to go somewhere else because of limited space. f. for a quick and convenient clean, try swiffer wetjet. there's no heavy bucket, or mop to wring out, because the absorb and lock technology traps dirt and liquid inside the pad.

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prepare for your demise, do your worst, doctor. i will. but first, a little presentation. hijacking earth's geothermal energy supply. phase 1. choosing the right drill bit. as long as evil villains reveal their plans, you can count on geico saving folks money. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. ...perfectly seasoning our ohillshire farm smoked sausage. so by simply adding the right ingredients... ...you can end each day crafting a perfectly delicious dinner. to each of you and to the muslims around the world, ramadan mubarak, in gathering

together this evening, we honor a sacred tradition of one of the world's great religions. >> president donald trump hosting an iftar dinner at the white house. it is the meal that breaks the fast for muslims during the month of ramadan. it is his first iftar celebration after breaking the tradition last year. >> the husband of kate spade is opening up after her death of apparent suicide at the age of 55. in a statement to "the new york times," andy spade said there was no indication or warning she would do this. but reveals his wife suffered from depression and anxiety for years. with suicide rates soaring among african-american women between the ages of 45 and 64, nbc's rehe rehema ellis tells us some of the warning signs. >> reporter: kate spade's husband andy confirming to "the new york times" that his wife suffered from anxiety and depression. she was actively seeking help and working closely with her doctors to treat her disease. it was a complete shock and it

clearly wasn't her. there were personal demons she was battling. adding that, my main concern is bea and protecting her privacy as she deals with the unimaginable grief of losing her mother. his wife kate spade's sudden death once again igniting a national conversation about suicide. >> if you have a loved one who is very depressed but reluctant to get help, what's a person to do? >> the first thing we need to do is let them know that we care about them, we love them, and they don't need to go through this alone. >> reporter: four years ago after the death of robin williams, suicides across the country increased by 10%. doctors say there are warning signs. >> look out for any change in behavior patterns, withdrawing, sadness, irritability, anger and losing their temper more quickly. those would all be indicators that possibly the person's mental health is deteriorating. >> reporter: middle aged women between the ages of 45 to 64 are particularly at risk of death by

suicide. >> i think the image of women needing to be perfect, it's pretty much an impossible goal that society has put out there. the reality is life is messy and challenging for all of us. >> reporter: her brother-in-law david spade paying tribute to his late sister-in-law on twitter. i love this picture of her. it's a rough world out there, people. try to hang on. and her niece actress rachel branahan asking people to remember her exceedingly kind aunt who touched a generation of women, reminding them to always leave a little bit of sparkle wherever they go. doctors say it's important to pay attention to loved ones who show signs of stress around such things as relationships, substance abuse, jobs, money or health crisis. and experts say the first step to helping is to listen without judging. frances? >> certainly good reminder. rehema, thank you. if you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, the national suicide

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ooh, he's coming. >> it all happened in the blink of an eye after getting a call about a gator roaming around orlando. officers got to the scene to remove it. the mouth was hog tied and they tried putting the animal away but the gator wasn't having it. it head butted one of the trappers knocking him out cold. lucky he was out a few seconds. the team was able to calm the animal down long enough to lift him onto the truck. >> now to our nbc exclusive interview with a new accuser who said harvey weinstein sexually assaulted her. she is parts of the new class action lawsuit filed against the disgraced movie mogul. now melissa thompson is speaking out and says she has video evidence to help support her allegations. she spoke with our stephanie gosk. >> reporter: did he force himself on you? >> he did. he did. >> reporter: did he rape you? >> he did. >> reporter: melissa thompson was 27 years old when she went to harvey weinstein's new york office to pitch a marketing idea. >> he quickly shewed people out

of the room and said don't interrupt, don't interrupt. and he locked the door. >> reporter: thompson has video of the 2011 meeting and gave the screen grab to nbc news. later that day at weinstein's hotel room, she says he raped her. >> i can barely talk about it now. it was so traumatic. >> reporter: weinstein has repeatedly denied all allegations of sexual assault, insisting any sex was consensual. thompson is part of a class action lawsuit filed on friday. in the suit she also accuses weinstein's current lawyer benjamin and alex of using deceptive tactics to entire her to turnover evidence which she did. he vehemently denies any misconduct. alex spiro tells nbc news, the allegations are false and make no sense. i left brafman's firm long before weinstein became his client and i never met thompson and didn't represent her.

they did talk over the phone and sent e-mails. weinstein has already pleaded not guilty to three sexual assault charges. but the d.a. says the ongoing investigation could lead to new charges. >> the notion of being involved is very scary, but i finally reached a point where i said to myself, enough is enough. >> reporter: like so many others, her fight has only just begun. stephanie gosk, nbc news, new york. when you want more than just clean there's finished. new finish quantum's breakthrough three chamber technology combines to scrub, degrease, and shine your dishes. switch to all new finish quantum. because it's not clean until it's finished. non-drowsy children's claritin allergy relief. the #1 pediatrician recommended non-drowsy brand. because to a kid a grassy hill is irresistible.

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an executive is out of a job after calling lgbtq pride a sin. the chief knowledge officer tweeted in support of a cross fit gym in indianapolis that canceled a workout celebrating pride month. berger who often acted as cross fit spokesperson praised the gym for sfatanding by its convictio. intolerance of the lgbtq ideology in a deleted tweet, cross fit condemned the remark and fired berger. the indianapolis gym closed its doors after a backlash from members and also staff. >> for centuries in scotland it was illegal for gay or buy sexual men to act on same-sex attractions.

now a new law will automatically pardon thousands of men convicted for homosexuality. they will be able to remove convictions from their record completely. the bbc said the law relates to same-sex between men because women were never criminalized in scotland. >> a peelgts a deliveizza deliv facing deportation. he was delivering to an army base in new york. he couldn't provident indication. he was detained and turned over to i.c.e.. the fort hamilton base operates under federal law. the wife and young children all live in new york. >> did you ever have a secret handshake with your 6-year-old

kids? she and her teacher have been working out the entire school year. it started out with a fist pump. it takes a minute to complete. the duo added a move every friday and resulted in an epic handshake when her sister posted it online. the 12-year-old's mother said it's no surprise. she has a great memory and it takes one to remember all that. >> and a great exercise. they need to teach those moves to everyone in the class and start the morning. >> also smart. by the time they're done, the bell rings and time to go. i see you, maya. >> they encounter something difficult aren't on their morning commute. this driver was captured driving backwards. he continues to reverse for more than a mile down several other roads. driver seems to keep pace with the other cards going backwards. even paying attention to the traffic signals. it eventually comes to a stop at a grocery store parking lot. authorities said no one was hurt. they speculate the vehicle may have had transmission problems.

at first when you're watching you think you're watching video in reverse. that is the real deal. >> that's dangerous but i have to say it's impressive. >> it is. >> i'm phillip mena. >> i'm frances rivera. your news contues right here.in maybe you could save energy by weaving your own shoes... out of flax. or simply adjust your thermostat. do your thing, with energy upgrade california.

ad lib live picture-- golden gate bridge good thursday morning to you. the weekend almost here. but right now taking a live look at the golden gate bridge. can't see much of right now. hey, on your way. thanks for starting your morning with us, i'm marcus washington. >> let's get to kari with the forecast. >> looks good. cooler in parts of the bay area especially for the coast. enjoying the cool down before the heat up. enjoy clouds rolling by. partly cloudy skies with clearing by noon. start out in the upper 50s and reach into the upper 50s and low 70s with breezy winds. we will have a warmer day tomorrow. i'll have more o