devastation in the midwest as deadly tornados rip through oklahoma leaving a trail of destruction. we'll tell you what's ahead on this memorial day. trump diplomacy, the president meeting at this hour with japan's prime minister. on the agenda, iran, north korea and trade. a rare shark attack at one of hawaii's most beautiful beaches. we've got the latest. pope francis's explosive remarks saying abortion, even for a sick fetus is like hiring a hit man. nike is making a major policy change after growing criticism of how it treats pregnant athletes sponsored by the company. the one thing that almost everyone aspiring to the highest office in the land can agree on. and we remember america's

bravest on this memorial day monday "early today" starts rite now. good morning, i'm marlie hall >> i'm frances rivera. breaking news out of japan on this memorial day. after a fun-filled sunday of golf and sumo wrestling, president trump got back to serious business holding talks with shinzo abe. the two leaders briefing reporters on trade negotiations and much more during a joint press conference nbc' president president trump made some notable comments about north korea's recent missile test. >> he sure did, francis. president trump basically brushing off acting dismissive toward the recent tests by north it didn't matter that's a direct contradiction to shin dough abe who said he believed the recent missile tests by north korea do violate

united nations security council resolutions and not just prime minister abe, the president is undercut canning his own national security advisor who said the same thing. president trump said he believed kim jong-un was trying to get his attention with those missile tests. and on the topic of north korea, the president said he believes that perhaps denuclearzation would be possible, he did say he was in no rush to get to a deal with kim he apparently has no regrets about the tweet he sent seeming to side with kim jong-un in an attack against a potential 2020 rival, joe biden here is what the president said about that. >> kim jong-un made a statement that joe biden is a low iq individual, he probably is based on his record, i think i agree with him on that but i can tell you joe biden was a disaster, his administration with president obama they were basically a disaster >> reporter: notable from the president there, of course, he was pressed repeatedly about his

criticism of joe biden, particularly on the world stage and with the or an agreement with dictator kim jong-un. it wasn't just north korea, though trade came up, as well we went into the trip not expecting any kind of a trade deal to come out between the u.s. and japan and we're getting ready to come out of the trip with no trade deal no surprises there president trump and prime minister abe saying they agreed to keep talking. they'll accelerate the pace of the conversations but president trump made clear he's not looking for a deal with abe until after japan's parliamentary acs of action he, for sure back to you. >> thank you deadly storms slammed through parts of central united states killi six-3 tornado tore through el reno ripping homes to shreds.

more than a hundred miles away, a second twister spawned in tulsa hitting speeds over o80 miles per hour our reporter has the details >> reporter: we're right outside the motel where the tornado first touched down in el reno, oklahoma the storm hitting late saturday night, and people say they didn't even see it coming. the powerful storm rolls through oklahoma after dark, just before 10:30 in el reno. >> all of a sudden we saw a big green flash in the air, and then, you know, we started hearing all the noise, the tornado, the sirens. >> reporter: a twister touched down, 75 yards at its widest, the ef 3 blew across more than two miles with winds 165 miles an hour. >> units confirm we've got one on the ground.

>> reporter: at sunup, the extend of the damage was stark this motel took a direct hit this is what it looked like before and after shane clark's mobile home destroyed. >> when i heard the glass and everything start exploding, i thought we were dead >> reporter: all day long, search and rescue teams sifted through mangled debris looking for anyone that might be buried under the rubble el reno is battered but also familiar with natural disasters like this. six years ago a powerful tornado ripped up this community taking eight lives. mayor matt white, a fourth generation el renoite is vowing to rebuild once again. >> we got to go to work, and that's just kind of how we are here. >> reporter: the latest in a string of reported tornados pummelling america's midsection, 231 in the last ten days, and people in this region aren't out of danger yet. the arkansas river is set to reach historic flood levels over the coming days, thousands already evacuated this week, but as the day goes, emergency crews and residents in el reno remain focused on helping each other cope in the midst of yet another tragedy heret ju breaks our hea they've lost everything, and

they have absolutely lost everything. >> reporter: the mayor telling us that all who had been missing are accounted for. power crews are already on scene. meanwhile, local residents mobilized to clear debris so that more help can get in. frances, and marlie. now to an incredible story of survival after a hiker went missing for nearly three weeks the 35-year-old had fallen 20 feet off a cliff during a hike in the maui forest. she suffered a fractured leg but was spotted clinging to life nbc's molly hunter has her remarkable story. >> reporter: good news this morning, she's out of the hospital, and we're getting new details about her extraordinary survival this was the moment amanda eller will never forget after being lost for 17 days in the maui forest >> i have the most gratitude and respect and appreciation

i can't even put it into words for the people that have helped me. >> one of her rescuers former special ops army ranger javier describes the moment they first spotted amanda deep in the forest. >> i'm looking for any sign of movement. >> with ten minutes left of fuel they looked down and suddenly noticed something. >> we all look at the same time and do a double take, coming out of the wood work like a mirage. >> everyone started kicking their feet and banging on the chopper and making the chopper vibrate. everybody was saying we found her! >> reporter: the 35-year-old yoga instructor suffered a fractured leg, severe sunburn and a skin infection doctors credit her training as a therapist for staying alive. staying hydrated with river water and eating fresh fruit eller describing her harrowing two weeks alone some nights sleeping in the mud or in the den of a only able to crawl after being injured after falling 20 feet off a cliff. >> i felt in my heart that my daughter was alive i am human and i had those

moments of despair. >> reporter: amanda's father calls her rescue remarkable. >> her physical strength, her conditioning, her mental strength as much as anything if anybody could survive that, it was her. >> it just warms my heart just seeing the power of prayer and the power of love when everybody combines their efforts is incredible >> reporter: and tomorrow night on the island there will be a huge celebration to celebrate the community here that rallied together to bring her home frances, marlie. thank you. a 65-year-old man died over the weekend after being attacked by a shark the man was vacationing in maui and reportedly went for a swim the attack happened as he swam in the ocean about 60 yards offshore witnesses watched in horror as first responders worked to save the man. >> he looked unconscious when they transferred him to the other gurney, and we could see that they were trying to do cpr on him

toddler dangling from a fifth floor window the child's fall was broken thanks to the man's quick thinking here's nbc's steve patterson with the incredible story. >> it's a split second of gut wrenching realization. in this security video, you can see a quick thinking 28-year-old resident rushing to put himself beneath a 2-year-old child dangling from the window of a fifth floor apartment above, suddenly the toddler tumbles, barrelling right through his arms knocking him out cold, but the child's fall broken. the moment i saw it he was already falling said the samaritan. when i woke up, police and rescuers were all here. >> those rescuers astonished doctors say the toddler suffered no serious injuries, the man minor scratches and bruises. a last second leap into action shielding a child from what could have been a fatal fall

steve patterson, nbc news. a colorado highway is closed until further notice after two giant boulders sliced across the road leaving an eight-foot gash. officials estimate the massive stones weigh nearly 11 million pounds combined. one of the boulders made it all the way across, but the other was embedded and had to be blasted into smaller pieces so crews could begin the long task extra special rubble away. renditi rendition of "the national anthem" before the united states soccer team took on mexico that was 96-year-old world war ii veteran pete defray playing the star spangled banner on his harmonica. it happened sunday in new

jersey let's bring in janessa tracking storms for us. >> yeah. a severe weather threat is enhanced once again here we still have across the plains a squall line that continues to form here. it's starting to lose force a little bit but the cloud coverage and the downpours are still in place now we do have 26 million under that severe weather risk for the upper plains so it shifts to the north and tomorrow, man, the ingredients will be ripe for potential outbreaks. once again 37 million across the plains into the midwest under that severe weather risk k t highs back in the 80s by tomorrow a rough weekend here

severe weather continues next 24 to 36 hours. we'll be watching it. >> thank you very much just ahead incredible comments involving a hit man and abortion from pope francis. a major policy change for nike after gwirong criticism after it treats the pregnant athletes they sponsor. with soft surfaces that trap odors and release them back into the room. so, try febreze fabric refresher. febreze finds odors trapped in fabrics and cleans them away as it dries. use febreze every time you tidy up to keep your whole house smelling fresh air clean. fabric refresher even works for clothes you want to wear another day. make febreze part of your clean routine for whole home freshness. ♪

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ok, well, if it isn't real then, i guess those things over there can't actually be cows. bad dog. pope francis condemns abortion the pontiff compared it to hiring a hit man saying the procedure was never acceptable, even in instances where the unborn child is gravely sick or like ly to die francis made the comments at an antiabortion conference at the vatican. the pontiff's comments come as a wave of antiabortion laws sweep the united states. nike is making a major policy change after growing criticism of how it treats

pregnant athletes sponsored by the company. nbc's kathy clark has the story. >> olympian alysia montano won the 1,800 meters in 2014 while eight months pregnant. >> they called me the pregnant runner. >> but off the track this celebrated runner says she struggled to keep her paycheck sharing her story publicly with the "new york times." >> i was sponsored by nike when i told them i wanted to have a baby during my career, they told me simple, we'll just pause your contract and stop paying you. >> montano is one of many female athletes speaking out over what they say are nike's unfair pregnancy penalties. six-time gold medalist allison felix says nike wanted to pay her 70% less after having a baby. >> i have to be able to be with a company who, you know, who takes a stand on this issue. >> reporter: a running ad for nike praises women on this very same topic >> for winning 23 grand slams, having a baby, and then coming back for more.

>> reporter: now after criticism, the company is championing change. >> nike tells us in a statement it will wave performance reductions for 12 months for athlete who is decide to have a baby and that it knows it can do more to support women. >> all right, kathy park, thank you. still to come, criticism that those who control mount everest have issues have too 'sutngivmits, some even claim it pti les at risk don't give it up ♪ ♪ i want it all

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can you make me a prince there's a lot of gray area in "make me a prince. >> i love will smith in this disney's live action remake of aladdin brought in $86.1 million domestically during its first three days. it's expected to generate more than 100 million throughout the long holiday weekend strong international ticket sales boosted "aladdin" it to more than $207 million globally. in second place this weekend is john wick chapter three with $24.3 million. and avengers end game rounds out the top three pulling in another $16.88 million now to mount everest where yet another climber has died scaling the world's highest peak the latest casualty a british man who was among a record number of climbers on the mountain this spring

nbc's steve patterson reports how the biggest peril on the mountain may be all the people >> reporter: it's the traffic jam atop the world, an image now emblematic of a deadly new normal droves of climbers waiting for their chance to summit mount everest. so far at least ten have died climbing the world's tallest mountain since the start of the season this month. the latest 44-year-old u.k. citizen robin fisher collapsed and died on the way down after summiting. fisher was an accomplished mountaineer well-versed in difficult climbs his family said in a statement we are deeply saddened by his loss as he still had so many more adventures and dreams to fulfill. at 29,000 feet long lines can mean mountaineers are trapped too long in an area often called the death zone this season there are a record number of people pushing to summit, most nowhere near as experienced. >> it's really an economic equation

you know. >> the nepalese government is now under fire for issuing 280 required to have a guide or sherpa >> the number of people climbing increased the opportunity for guides to come in that sometimes are not certified, and they're not qualified to be leading. ere rai adist. e for saer >>vestemnsn irresistible goal for so many adventurers, but now the rush to reach the summit is more dangerous than ever, steve patterson, nbc news. pital. don't take entresto if pregnant; it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren, or if you've had angioedema with an ace or arb. the most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure, kidney problems, or high blood potassium. ask your doctor about entresto. ♪ the beat goes on that was great! ♪lean on me, when you're not strong.♪ ♪and i'll be your friend.♪

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actors matt damon and christian bale were right there to wave the green flag and get the 103rd indianapolis 500 running simon pagenaud's bright yellow car is the race to watch the 35-year-old was able to avoid multicar wrecks to close 2/10 of a second victory it is the seventh closest finish in the indy 500 history. so glad to have the indy 500 here on nbc. what can we expect for the week ahead >> you can see the green we see stormy conditions and heavy rain make the way to the pacific northwest and winter weather advisories in place across the cascades. could see 2 to 4 inches this afternoon. still good skiing weather. >> wow when we come back, all the president's poocs. 'linode u thehe canines. to scent, helen's motto is, "the more the better." so, when she tried new gain scent blast detergent, she loved it.

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we are back with the race for the white house. when president trump was elected as an outsider candidate he broke with one tradition, having a pet by his side. presidents have brought canine companions and executive felines. now many of the 2020 contenders are hoping to bring the custom back instead of analyzing the horse race, we thought we'd take a look at the puppy primary. >> i'm john hickenlooper this is my faithful dog sky and i'm running for president. >> this is bailey's first campaign he is 8 months old, and i hope this goes well. >> bailey has been just as busy as elizabeth warren on the campaign trail the senator and supporters waiting in a long line to get a picture. truman and buddy are no

strangers to politics, rescue dogs taken in by pete buttigieg and his husband. the mayor describes buddy as a one eyed puddle with a weight he's making progress be t thankfully it was discovered in a closet the former vice president used to give stuffed versions of his dog champ. champ recently got a new friend major who the biden family adopted from the delaware humane society. president obama famously fulfilled a promise to his daughter by bringing beau and later sunny to the white house. >> if you want a friend in washington, get a dog. >> obama's approval rating did get a bump around the time beau joined the first family. a george washington university study concluded that dogs can help presidents in times of war or scandal the next dog to help unleash that power could be eric

bear and buckeye, brothers who were adopted togethe m kirsten gillibrand's labradoodle maple. >> we could see this pack grow at a campaign stop, cory booker did say he'd like to get a dog if he's elected. >> so cute great job on that piece. >> thank you in washington on this memorial day weekend, the annual rolling thunder gathering of bikers, many of them veterans honoring p.o.w.'s and missing service members. because of rising costs and logistical issues it looks like this is going to be the last rolling thunder ride in the nation's capital after more than 30 years president trump tweeted sunday that the event will take place again next year. thanks for watching, i'm frances rivera. >> and i'm marlie hall coming up on the third hour of

"today," how one special military mom turned her personal tragedy into purpose the news continues right here.

/s severe weather warnings on this memorial day as tornadoes rip through the central u.s. we've got the latest, including janessa's holiday forecast >> late breaking details from half a world away as president trump is meeting with japan's prime minister, with developments on iran, north korea, and more. >> i found a person bit by an alligator. >> this morning a florida woman is recovering from a large gash after she was attacked by an alligator. >> it was a race for the ages, why t one of the most exciting indy fa