we kick off a new week on the heels of our second mother's day of the pandemic. this one much better for millions than last year, as the white house pushes americans towards 70% vaccinations america's infrastructure in danger the cyber attack on one of our nation's most important gas pipeline, and price rises at the pump as a result might just be the start of the dangerous situation. a deadly and horrific attack on dozens of school girls in afghanistan. is this a sign of things to come for women there after the u.s. military pulls out

scandal at the racetrack the kentucky derby winner called into question after a failed drug test. now the horse's controversial trainer vows to fight this latest drug scandal. >> we didn't even know that one of the gorillas had just had a baby a couple of months ago. she kept looking around the corner of the cave and she's looking at canyon. and so i was holding him up to the glass. yeah, look, it's my baby how cool would it be if she came to see him and -- >> and when mamas bond, a human and a gorilla. somehow nature knows more on this unique mother's day story ahead. let's get started. "early today" starts right now >> as we say good morning, everybody. hope you had a great mother's day. i'm kendis gibson. >> and i'm frances rivera. there have been a lot of holiday weekends during the pandemic, but this one was extra special for the first time family and friends were able to gather for graduations and mother's day celebrations after more than 150 million americans got at least one dose of a covid vaccine.

for more on the signs of progress, we're joined by blayne alexander. good morning >> reporter: frances, good morning to you for so many people mother's day is indeed a special holiday. but after months and months of loved ones being celebrated, this year was especially major that's why we saw so many reunions but now health officials are warning as vaccination numbers and the pace is starting to slow down, that in order to make scenes like those the norm, it's important that people roll up their sleeves. these interest mother's day moments we have been desperately awaiting >> are you kidding me? >> reporter: after months and miles of distance. >> happy mother's day! >> reporter: finally, this >> it's so good to hug you >> i know. >> reporter: america's first major holiday with the vaccine >> i would say we are turning the corner we now have as of this morning 58% of adult americans with at

least one shot over 110 million americans fully vaccinated >> reporter: we have seen the signs almost everywhere. across the country, more and more states are loosening restrictions in los angeles, a one-time epicenter, crowds shopping for mother's day flowers but experts say it all hinges on vaccines this weekend, connecticut's governor announced 70% of adults in the state have received at least one shot, among the first to reach the major milestone it's a rate president biden is pushing to see nationwide by the fourth of july but with the pace of vaccinations down, nearly 40% since last month and some states actually requesting less vaccine doses as demand decreases, health officials are working to convince americans the best way to fully reopen and stay there is to roll up their sleeves. >> because the larger proportion of the population that's vaccinated, the less likelihood that in a season like the coming fall or winter, you're going to see a significant surge.

there is no doubt about that >> reporter: it's why some are taking to the streets, from grocery stores to laundromats, and going door to door, urging friends, neighbors, even complete strangers to get the shot >> we have trusted messengers here today that live and reside in this community, coming together to make sure they share their story and how they felt it was important for them to get vaccinated. >> reporter: and now a growing number of parents are anxiously awaiting options for their children this week, the fda is expected to approve the vaccine for 12 for 15-year-olds, a likely game changer for schools across the country. and dr. fauci says as more people continue to get vaccinated, you will see the cdc updating its guidance almost in realtime on what people can do indoors. but again, he stresses that it all comes down to vaccination numbers going up to keep the covid cases down >> all right, thank you. security experts believe russian hackers are behind the cyber attack on the nation's

largest fuel pipeline. two source familiar with the matter tell nbc news the russian criminal group known as darkside may be responsible for the ransomeware attack on colonial pipeline and is the group behind the demands for payment? the biden administration says the response is an all-hands-on-deck effort colonial pipeline says its four main lines are still out of service, but smaller parts of the system are working again gas prices are already rising in the wake of the strike authorities in colorado are investigating a shooting at a birthday party that left seven people dead, including the suspected gunman police say the boyfriend of a female victim arrived and started shooting before taking his own life our dan schenamen has the latest >> reporter: police received the call about a shooting at a mobile home park >> officers arrived onscene and have located multiple deceased parties. >> reporter: in all, six people were found dead. suspected gunman was among them. >> preliminary information indicates at this point in time

we believe the individual, the suspect responsible for the shootings is also on scene and also deceased. >> reporter: a seventh person, who was injured, later died at a hospital investigators believe a birthday party was going on when the gunman opened fire the suspected gunman is believed to be the boyfriend of one victim children inside the mobile home were not hurt. dan sheneman, nbc news a major cheating scandal in professional horse racing community after one of its biggest events the horse that won this year's kentucky derby, medina spirit, has failed a drug test, and its hall of fame trainer has been suspended. now that trainer, bob baffert is calling the incident a complete injustice. >> reporter: a shock announcement rocking the world of horse racing. >> bob baffert does it again medina spirit has won the kentucky derby. >> reporter: kentucky derby winner medina spirit bob

baffert's legacy in jeopardy. >> medina spirit has never been treated with beata methasone churchill downs has immediately suspended baffert from the racetrack, and if the tests are confirmed second place would be declared the winner. >> basically, it's biggest star. been baffert is the face of horse racing. >> reporter: but the seven-time derby winner has been riled by doping scandals in the past, though consistently denying any wrongdoing >> this is his 30th time a horse in his care has tested positive for something. he's had five within the last year now >> what can you say about these other allegations in the past with substances found in the horses you've trained?

>> i've had this issue before, last year. unfortunately, the science isn't there. at that level it has no effect on the horse at all. >> reporter: despite the controversy, baffert's quest for the triple crown continues >> yes, i'm going run two horses. >> reporter: but the preakness stakes says medina spirit's eligibility is under review. one thing, those placed bets are not winning or losing any money. those results are final. even if the second test comes back positive, he would appeal those results. so we don't expect this to end any time soon. for now we can only wait for the the results of split sample. kendis >> cheating and horse racing there nothing sacred thank you. a country plagued by grief and violence families in afghanistan in mourning after explosions killed more than 50 people and injured more than 100. the series of bombs exploding outside a school near kabul. many of those victims teenaged girls. joining us live from rome is

claudio. do we know who is responsible? >> good morning, frances the president ofgain showing thr unwillingness to resolve the crisis by escalating what he said is an illegitimate war. but on social media, the taliban denied any responsibility in the attack on the contrary, they condemned the attack and blamed instead the islamic state which has in the past carried out attacks in that shiite majority neighborhood but even though we don't know who is responsible for this attack yet, this is only the latest in a series of bombing which has rocked this country. in the last few weeks, which is raising even more fear that if the u.s. really pulls out and troops by september 11th as president biden has pledged, the country may slip into civil war. if that happens, as this latest

attack on school girls has shown, it will be children, even more girls under the taliban before the war, they didn't even have the right to an education, who will pay the ultimate price, frances. >> certainly tragic. if it becomes a common occurrence thank you for the update now to something many say is longoverdue. the maryland governor larry hogan has issued an official first of its kind pardon by a governor of a u.s. state hogan posthumously pardoned 34 victims of racial lynching in the state dating back between 1854 and 1933. hogan signed the order in a ceremony outside a jailhouse where a 15-year-old black boy was dragged and hanged from a tree by a mob of white men in 1885 hogan said the victims were denied legal due process, calling this an attempt to right horrific wrong and perhaps bring a measure of peace to the memories of these individuals and to their descendants and loved ones

georgia governor brian kemp is slated to sign a law today repealing the citizens arrest saying the state will no longer support sinister acts of vigilanteism lawmakers approved the bill with near unanimous support in march which is a few days shy of ahmaud arbery's 27th birthday arbery was chased and brown down testifying before the house committee focusing on the threat assessment and counter measure operation. they'll also look at the ongoing security efforts a the capitol a california man is facing moneylaundering, bank fraud and wire charges after authorities say he fraudulently o taked $5 million in covid relief loans for the paycheck relief program. mustafa kadiri surrendered

himself on friday. he obtained the money after claiming to own four businesses, none of which are currently operation. according to a federal indictment, he used the funds on vacations, personal expense, and to buy three luxury sports car, including a ferrari, bentley, and a lamborghini. >> living the high life. let's get a check on your monday weather forecast with nbc meteorologist janessa webb janessa, good morning. >> hi, good morning. good morning, everyone happy monday even though the weather and cool conditions, they are persisting across the deep south we did have some severe weather about an hour ago. but now flash flood watches, they expand across the deep south. the severe weather threat, it will continue to decrease for the southeast. but then it starts to transition more into texas this afternoon the southern half. now the primary threat will be this large hail throughout your afternoon/evening with some damaging week long, even

florida, tampa today in the lower 90s. we have some freeze alerts and i'm watching some snow in the rockies. we'll talk about that coming up. >> all right at least it's the rockies. doing way too much talk about this snow. thank you, janessa rory mcilroy started the final round of the pga wells fargo championship with something to prove he hadn't won on the tour since 2019 and he began the day a couple of shots behind keith mitchell for the lead mcilroy shot a 68, working his way out of danger and winning the tournament that's his first in 18 months. >> okay, from the links to the track and darlington belonged to martin truex jr. truex swept the first two stages of the race and won the goodyear 400 in south carolina. it is by the way his third win

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her trip to hawaii after a year's delay and she is paying a hefty price for flights. >> i investigated, and we waited a little for the flights to come down they did not go down >> reporter: and rental cars. >> the rental car situation was a bit shocking. >> reporter: some rental cars in hawaii are averaging over $700 a day with coastlines booked, some people are turning inland and looking for more rural retreats. >> we will be booked for most of the summer. >> reporter: jackie stratton is a new airbnb host in maine, looking to cash in, turning her chicken barn into an apartment with a sauna >> there is no wifi. there is barely electricity. it's a very introspective place that i think people feel very comfortable. >> reporter: most bookings for jackie's chicken barn happen a week or two before the guests arrive so your rural vacatione getting space. a place with soul and spunk. >> reporter: so what are some of the tips if you haven't booked

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and now every conversation with people you haven't seen since quarantine started. >> quarantine was good, though >> no, great >> but recently have i been going to dinner again. did i just say i've been going to dinner again?

should i give him more details or should i die. >> i went to one dinner outdoors and one dinner indoors do i have brain damage i think i might have permanent brain damage >> how is your wife? >> really good we've been working from home we've been really productive and we get to see each other more. >> we're getting divorced. >> elon musk revealed he has asperger's syndrome which is on the autism spectrum. in honor of mother's day, he showed up with his mom too >> his mom is great. the billionaire caused the cryptocurrency dutch coin to plunge nearly 30% after he jokingly called it a hustle on weekend update >> good stuff on there a lot of people were surprised how he did because he is controversial. >> we're saying he didn't disappoint but the bar was fairly low for him. >> right >> it's mixed out there. i've heard elon bust coming based on this performance. a little bit mixed but he is not an actor

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in today's top story, new details emerging about an internal review of the death of breonna taylor the courier journal which obtained the documents is reporting an investigator found that the louisville police should not have fired a single shot at taylor's home. the sergeant wrote that officers had an obligation to only use deadly force against the person who presented a threat, and they could not safely do that because of the layout of the apartment according to the newspaper, this preliminary finding was overruled by police leadership after last week's ruling to delay the public release of body cam footage in andrew brown

jr.'s shooting, the judge has now filed an order to release more of the video to his family. it is expected to be viewed by tuesday. brown was fatally shot by sheriff's deputies in elizabeth city, north carolina last month during an attempt to serve an arrest warrant only his immediate family and one lawyer will be permitted to see it about 19 minutes of the nearly two hours of combined video collected by authorities now to a unique connection between two moms this scene took place at boston's franc lynn park zoo, where a gorilla recently became a mother, took a special interest in another baby our affiliate spoke to the mom who was part of this special bond. >> we didn't even know that one of the gorillas had just had a baby a couple of months ago. she kept looking around the corner of the cave and she is looking at canyon and so i was holding him up to the glass. look, it's my baby

how cool would it be if she came to see him and i had said that several times. but i wasn't really expecting it it was so sweet. for well over fife minutes, she just sat there watching him, and just staring at him, just so lovingly >> take a picture. >> it was just in awe, trying to pet his face through the glass and trying to hold his hand. just the most beautiful. you could see the emotions in her eye. >> she wants to hold his hand. her face was so in love. she was showing her baby my baby it was just beautiful. i was trying not to cry. it was a whole crowd around us going aww! when i walked into the zoo that day, i never could have imagined that we would have had that experience it was so beautiful. and we walked out like just over the moon and we had so many people stop us and tell us that was the most beautiful thing we've ever watched. and it was so touching

it really was. you could feel the emotions were like just in the air >> that has to be the sweetest things our thanks to wcsh for that report on tha bod. >> so much for mama bear it's m

national security risk russian hackers suspected in the cyber attack that shut down one of america's most important gas pipelines. prices at the pump already on the rise how will america respond there were so many victims health officials say there were more than 50 school girls that were killed. and the reason they were targeted is simply because they were girls trying to go to school >> nbc's richard engel is on the ground where over 50 people were killed, most of them young girls at an afghan school that was