tom costello is taking us behind the scenes of the u.s. latest military branch. we're leaving you with a look at blue origin. >> it's just taking off right now. heading into space. we'll have more about that coming up online. good morning, breaking overnight, battered. >> you see that spin right there? you see it right there? all that spin? >> oh, yeah, there it goes. >> a new outbreak of destructive tornados as severe storms rip through the south for a third straight day. torrential rain soaking new orleans' famed french quarter. the threat now marching east, millions on alert from florida

to new york. al's got everything you need to know. in the dark, new u.s. intelligence suggesting vladimir putin is being misled by his military advisers, too scared to tell him the truth about russia's losses in ukraine. its forces suffering new defeats at the hands of ukrainian troops overnight. nbc's richard engel is live on the front lines. time to tap? the white house set to release a million barrels of oil a day to help control the skyrocketing costs of gas. prices already dropping over the news, but will they fall fast enough to ease the burden on american drivers? back on stage. >> how was your weekend? >> chris rock performs for the first time since the oscars and addresses that will smith slap. >> i'm still kind of processing what happened. >> what the comedian is now saying about that moment that stunned the world as the academy reveals will smith was asked to leave the ceremony but refused. we're live with the very latest. all that, plus hollywood stunner. well wishes pouring in for bruce willis after his family reveals he's been diagnosed with a

medical condition that will force him to step away from acting as friends and co-stars rally around the beloved action star. and breaking overnight, picket punch, the u.s. men's team clinches their first spot in the world cup in nearly a decade. fans celebrating from coast to coast, today thursday, march 31st, 2022. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza: good morning, good morning, it's a thursday morning. we're so happy you're joining us, we're always talking about the women's soccer team and now the men. >> happy to congratulate them haven't been in the world cup in about a decade and now they're headed straight there.

>> congratulations. we do have a lot of overnight headlines to get to including chris rock breaking his silence on stage in boston. it's his first public appearance since the oscars. we're going to hear what he had to say including how he responded to some outbursts in the crowd. miguel almaguer was actually at one of those shows. then are gas prices about to get a little lower? the biden administration weighing a plan this morning to release millions of barrels from the country's strategic oil reserve, how soon that might happen and the relief it could bring coming up. yeah, but we do start with that extreme weather, 23 reports of tornados across five states in the south in just the last 24 hours, and more severe weather is on tap today. al's going to have our full forecast, but we'll start with nbc's blayne alexander who joins us from tallulah, louisiana. hey, blayne, good morning. >> well, hoda, good morning to you. normally this building would have been filled with students atathe storms hit. instead officials decided to cancel class ahead of the storms, and it's a good thing they did.

take a look at this. this is where the roof used to be. this is where the roof ended up, completely shattered down on the ground. now officials here in louisiana and areas across the south are working to clean up this morning as millions more remain in the storm's path. this morning in the weather warned south, another round of severe storms. overnight, torrential rains soaked new orleans' famous bourbon street, prompting flash flood warnings and sending tourists scramble for cover, while powerful winds left crews rushing to clear the roadways. a similar scene many mississippi after a super cell thunderstorm hit hattiesburg overnight, and in neighboring alabama, the national weather service there warned of a large and extremely dangerous tornado as heavy rains flooded streets from city to city. across the south, more than 100,000 people left without power, now the storm continues its charge to the east with nearly 57 million americans still under the risk of severe

weather from florida to new york. the impact has been felt throughout the week. earlier wednesday in jackson, mississippi, tornado sirens sounding off as funnel clouds formed in the sky. >> that's a funnel. >> just miles away uprooted trees crashing into homes. >> the tree fell in my house, missed my washroom, my house is flooded. >> reporter: in some areas wind speeds reached 80 miles per hour. in tallulah, louisiana, this local high school caught the brunt of the storm leaving classrooms crushed. while in arkansas a confirmed ef-3 tornado near springdale left a path of destruction tearing down cell towers, ripping rooftops. >> i had no idea. i couldn't even get out of my front door. >> reporter: officials there say at least seven people were injured, two critically. one local elementary school

releasing these photos of a damaged building. classes are expected to resume today. and in that report, you heard the repeated reports of tornados. today officials now have the task of exactly taking stock of what exactly happened overnight. we know the national weather service is going to be surveying across louisiana, alabama, mississippi, sifting through the damage to determine exactly what happened when these storms blew threw. hoda. >> blayne alexander for us there, thank you. let's turn to al now, he's got more on those overnight tornados and the ongoing threat of more severe weather. >> it now moves to the east coast. right now we're looking at tornado watches stretching florida on into georgia. we've got a tornado warning now just to the east of panama city

as this very potent line of thunderstorms makes its way east. 57 million people up and down the coast at risk for severe weather. we're watching two areas, first off from now until this evening, florida into south carolina, tornados possible. the highest risk will be the panhandle on into georgia, damaging thunderstorms and wind gusts, and then late this afternoon into tonight, north carolina to new york, brief thunderstorms, tornados, hail up to 1 inch with this system, and winds are going to be a big factor. 37 million people from the great lakes down into florida looking at wind gusts anywhere from 25 to 50 miles per hour as this system pushes through causing big problems. rainfall amounts here in the northeast, there could be areas that see up to 1 inch per hour, so there could be some localized flash flooding, but the big jackpot numbers are down into the southeast, panhandle of florida are from port st. joe all the way down to tampa and orlando. we're talking about anywhere from 3 to 5 inches of rain as this front stalls out. we'll have more a little bit later. guys. >> all right, al, thanks, we'll get to your forecast again in just a bit. now to the fighting raging on in ukraine overnight. the war now entering its sixth week amid new signs that ukraine's resistance is exacting a toll on russian forces we have two reports, we're going to start with nbc's richard

engel who's on the ground in ukraine. hey, richard, good morning >> reporter: it is a toll that russian president vladimir putin may not know about or may not want to know about u.s. and now british intelligence officials both say that russian generals are too afraid to tell their commander in chief the reality of what's happening here as overnight ukraine's president zelenskyy says that russia is planning a new offensive out here in the east but that ukrainian forces are ready for it on the outskirts of kharkiv, we followed ukrainian troops to see what u.s. and british intelligence say russian generals are too afraid to show their president. that the russian military is losing ground and taking heavy losses >> this was a russian camp, and you can see they had all of

their weapons here, dug out positions, and they were bombed. there's still some bodies in this area, and they left a lot of their equipment behind after what appears to have been a devastating attack on their position there's nothing left it seems these russian troops never knew what hit them their uniforms were scattered everywhere along with weapons and ammunition ukrainian soldiers helped themselves knocking out this position allowed ukrainian forces to advance and take back the nearby village of mala rohan where the family was enjoying their new freedom on the first day after russian soldiers were kicked out. the bombings were horrible, the air strikes were the worst says nadia. they took us to see where they'd been hiding. no electricity or lights >> i have a flashlight on my phone, let's see if we can --

>> reporter: they lived down in this tiny cellar for 27 days next to potatoes and pickles >> do you think the worst is over >> i hope our soldiers tame this beast. the russian president is deranged his granddaughter alicia spent her time drawing on the walls, images of happier times. it was my therapy to keep calm, she says wise words from a girl who just turned 8 now she's drawing with her chalk outside. down the road, 88-year-old prascovia was sitting by herself, disoriented and frightened i'm so afraid, my whole body is shaking, she says. at night i cover myself in a blanket and i shake. mostly she wanted comfort. she lived through world war ii and says she doesn't have the strength to go through it all again. she was overwhelmed by all that she's been through she's also extremely lonely. she is all alone in that house she hasn't been in touch with her son or grandson for a long time she misses them dearly, and like many ukrainians, she's in a state of shock, but now she does seem to be doing somewhat better, and i can tell you she

is receiving some humanitarian aid including food hoda >> richard, the thing she needed the most was that hug you gave her in that moment wow. >> yeah, she received something from you, richard. just part of your work there and thank you. >> thank you, richard. meanwhile, new u.s. intelligence suggests vladimir putin is being fed misinformation about the war from his inner circle, too afraid to tell him the truth this as president biden prepares to take new action to rein in those skyrocketing energy prices driven even higher, of course, by this invasion nbc's chief white house correspondent peter alexander joins us with the details. peter good morning. >> reporter: on average, americans right now are paying $4.22 per gallon for gas, $1.35 more than it was just a year ago, which is why president

biden's expected to roll out a new effort today to combat those rising prices, and as russia's military losses mount on the ground in ukraine, u.s. officials are now sharing declassified intelligence, first reported by nbc news, about how vladimir putin's own advisers are shielding him from how badly the invasion is actually going this morning president biden looking to limit the impact of the war in ukraine on americans, a source familiar with the matter telling nbc news the white house is considering releasing a million barrels of oil a day from the strategic petroleum reserve for up to six months hoping to ease the spike in gas prices now hitting americans. an announcement could come as early as today and on the intelligence front, the question this morning is vladimir putin being kept in the dark by his own advisers u.s. officials say so, one telling nbc news putin's senior advisers are too afraid to tell him the truth. >> we believe that putin is being misinformed by his advisers about how badly the russian military is performing.

>> reporter: with the white house saying the intelligence underscores what it calls russia's strategic blunder the u.s. also believes putin is being misled about how the russian economy is being crippled by sanctions. the secretary of state offering this assessment. >> one of the achilles heels of autocracies is that you don't have people in those systems who speak truth to power or who have the ability to speak truth to power. >> reporter: with estimates that as many as 15,000 russian troops have been killed and reports of low morale among those still in ukraine, u.s. officials say they have information that putin felt misled by the russian military adding there is now persistent tension between putin and senior russian military officials stemming from putin's mistrust in their leadership. the pentagon warning it could lead to a potential escalation by russia. >> when he actually begins to realize how badly his military is doing in ukraine, you don't know what kind of reaction that's going to cause in him. >> reporter: also on tuesday, president biden spending more than an hour on the phone with

president zelenskyy receiving an update on ukraine's peace talks with russia and announcing the u.s.'s plan to provide ukraine with $500 million in direct aid. as for that new intelligence by sharing its findings, the u.s. hopes it may undermine russia's strategy it is the latest salvo in an information war between washington and moscow. and about the war on the ground, during their call yesterday president biden and zelenskyy also discussed the u.s. and its allies' continued efforts to defend its country savannah. >> all right, peter alexander at the white house for us, peter, thank you. 7:14 overnight we heard from chris since the oscars >> good morning to you as well

all eyes were on chris rock as he returned to the stage, a pair of sold-out shows in boston. meanwhile, back in hollywood, the academy has started disciplinary proceedings against will smith and is now revealing that the actor was asked to leave sunday's ceremony and he refused. nbc national correspondent miguel almaguer is in boston, he was at chris rock's show last night. miguel, good morning. >> reporter: craig, good morning, we were able to attend the first of several series of sold out shows inside that theater behind me now. security inside was tight. we were not allowed to use our cell phone, and security even told us we couldn't take notes inside the building, but what happened inside was memorable. chris rock only briefly addressed that slap given by

will smith at the oscars on sunday, but the crowd hung on every word he said, and they also loved every minute of it. coming out to a double standing ovation, chris rock broke his silence, addressing the elephant in the room right off the bat. >> how was your weekend? [ laughter ] >> hey, chris, you ready for tonight? >> reporter: in an audio recording released by variety, rock said he wasn't yet ready to wade into controversy. >> i'm not -- i had like a whole show i wrote before this weekend. [ laughter ] and i'm still trying to process things, what happened. >> reporter: cheered on loudly by adoring fans, the warm welcome signaled a triumphant return, rock emotional saying his eyes were misty, though he was briefly interrupted by someone in the crowd, most of the audience thrilled to see rock bouncing back. >> i just wanted to see how a comedian would handle his first set after an incident like that.

>> reporter: now in the aftermath of the ugly incident, a new bomb shell, the academy says will smith was asked to leave sunday's awards show but refused. oscar co-host wanda sykes telling ellen she still feels traumatized by what happened and the academy allowing smith to stay. >> you assault somebody, you get escorted out the building and that's it, you know, but for them to let him continue, i thought it was gross >> ellen also a former host agreed >> you don't let someone do something like that and get away with it and be rewarded. >> reporter: as rock was taking the stage in boston, more hollywood drama was unfolding in los angeles where the academy's board of governors initiated disciplinary procedures against will smith for inappropriate physical conduct, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the academy. >> will smith just smacked the [ bleep ] out of me. >> reporter: the board also apologizing to chris rock in adding thank you for your resilience in that moment, but this morning rock is still not sharing details but promising he

will >> it will be serious and it will be funny. >> it's hard to get over chris rock's composure just to put a fine point on it you were inside the theater last night. you saw it and you knew what it felt like, give us a little bit more of that >> reporter: well, hoda, i can tell you that that muffled audio really didn't capture kind of the scene inside chris rock was showered with so much love from that sold out crowd of about a thousand people i can also tell you as i was leaving the show, you know, we were talking to folks and one woman told me, you know, that she kind of wish chris rock talked a little bit more about that will smith incident but another person said it seemed really classy of him to stay elevated above what happened, regardless of what happened inside, chris rock was certainly loved inside that room, hoda. >> yeah, i'm sure. all right, miguel almaguer, miguel, thank you. >> certainly entitled to take his time and process it and think about what he wants to say, if anything. >> i think you're right, when he responds it will be serious and it will be funny. >> yeah. >> that's what he said al, let's keep an eye on this storm. >> all right, guys, well, we are watching all along the eastern seaboard from the florida panhandle all the way to the northeast.

behind this system it's going to be much cooler it's dry and windy, then we've got a little light snow through the intermountain regions but sunshine along the west coast. that's what's going on we're going to get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds. like these two. he's realizing he's in love. and that his dating app just went up. must be fate. and phil. he forgot a gift, so he's sending the happy couple some money. digital tools so impressive, you just can't stop banking. what would you like the power to do? good thursday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we'll see sunshine later today. the warmer air continues into the weekend. saturday reaching 78 degrees. it's a little cooler sunday and

we see a nice start to next week. after that the temperatures will be heating up. san francisco will see temperatures in the mid 60s for the next few days. m. and that is your and that is your latest weather. guys >> all right, al, thank you. still ahead that stunning news out of hollywood this morning, bruce willis struggling with a neurological disorder. he's stepping away from acting this morning, what we are learning about this condition and the outpouring of love and support for the star and then just ahead, tom costello with exclusive access inside america's space force command center, a firsthand look at the very real threats being tracked there and how the next generation of u.s. service members is being trained to serve in the military's final are you looking to renovate seryour kitchen or bathroom?l frontier, but firsthis is t

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their worries about its impact but first, your local news ♪ blinded by the light ♪ >> oh, yeah, 7:30, instagram lighting up overnight, images of don't use if you're allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems such as eye pain or vision changes, including blurred vision, joint aches and pain or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. ask your doctor about dupixent. ♪ ♪ wow, we're crunching tons of polygons here! what's going on? where's regina? hi, i'm ladonna. i invest in invesco qqq, a fund that gives me access to the nasdaq-100 innovations, like real time cgi. okay... yeah... oh. don't worry i got it! become an agent of innovation with invesco qqq

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no one knows who those people are. -it can be painful. -hand me your coats. there's an extra seat right here. no, no, no, no, no. we don't need a coat wrangler. progressive can't save you from becoming your parents, but we can save you money when you bundle home, auto, and more with us. no one who made the movie is here. good morning. it is 7:26. i'm marcus washington. here's today's top stories, including a key deadline for bay area renters. >> today is a critical deadline for people behind in their rent. the eviction moratorium is likely to be extended through june 30th. only for people who apply for relief by today. people who make 80% or less of the median income qualify. that's almost $118,000 for a family of four. the assistance can cover some or all rent and help with

utilities. landlords can apply to cover what their tenants cannot pay. >> reporter: president biden is expected to announce the country will tap into the petroleum receivers at a rate of 1 million barrels of oil a day in an attempt to bring down the price of gasoline at the pump. the price of oil did drop sharply overnight on this news. it's unclear how this will affect the price of gasoline. >> right now we want to take a look at the forecast. kari hall is monitoring that. >> we're starting out with clouds around the bay area. it will be sunny and our temperatures warm to 71 degrees. the warm trend continues through saturday. sunday we'll have a weak system passing by. monday looking mild and warmer than normal.

san francisco will continue to see highs in the 60s. we'll have another local news update coming up in 30 minutes. i'll see you back here then.

♪ blinded by the light ♪ >> oh, ♪ blinded by the light ♪ >> oh, yeah, 7:30, instagram lighting up overnight, images of the northern lights. these were not taken at the poles, no, these pictures were taken in the midwest. >> what? >> the aurora borealis, visible in parts of the u.s. last night. >> people travel so far to see that i can't remember it was right in our backyard. >> do you remember who sang that

song blinded by the light? >> i was waiting on you. >> i want to say foreigner >> mann's earth band, i could have lived to a thousand and never come up with that. it was a great song. let's get to your headlines, 7:30 on a thursday morning president biden got his second covid booster shot yesterday at the white house. this follows that new cdc recommendation that people age 50 and older receive a second booster dose of the vaccine. the president says he's urging congress to provide billions of dollars more in covid funding. the cdc is ending its tiered warning system for covid-19 on cruise ships, removing the system does not mean there is no risk, but it is part of the biden administration's push to move past the emergency phase of this pandemic. some breaking news overnight, one person is dead, two others had to be rescued after a navy plane crashed off the coast of virginia. navy officials say an e-2d hawkeye like this one was doing a routine exercise before it went down. two crew members had to be rescued by the coast guard

they have been treated for nonlife-threatening injuries at this point no word on what might have caused that crash. the u.s. men's soccer team headed back to the world cup, the first time since 2014. team usa clinched a berth for this year's tournament last night despite losing 2-0 to costa rica on the final night of qualifying the team only had to avoid losing by six goals or more. it's complicated, to clinch a spot on soccer's biggest stage the world cup gets underway -- you got to wait for it -- november 21st, it's in qatar the tournament was pushed back five months to avoid the steamy desert heat. >> hot there, real hot. we'll turn now to that stunning news out of hollywood this morning, bruce willis stepping away from acting after a career spanning more than 40 years. >> the star's family making that announcement revealing bruce willis has been diagnosed with a medical condition that affects his cognitive abilities. nbc morning news now anchor joe fryer has more hey, joe, good morning. >> good morning, bruce willis has been a household name since the 1980s, and one of the

industry's most bankable stars at the box office, but now his family confirms that willis was diagnosed recently with aphasia which affects all aspects of language from speech to reading and writing. known for his tough talking on screen persona that iconic catch phrase, bruce willis is now stepping away from the spotlight, his family writes that he has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities. as a result of this and with much consideration, bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him adding, as bruce always says, live it up, and together we plan to do just that. willis got his break in the '80s on the small screen. >> just remember, you're just like that for america, and i for one salute you >> starring alongside cybill shepherd in the prime time hit "moonlighting" earning an emmy and golden globe, the time he

fame in an interview here on "today." >> i never really got into this business seeking fame and fortune. if anything, it makes me want to keep my private life more private. >> reporter: willis later cemented his action star status as detective john mcclane in "die hard," a role he'd reprise four more times. >> welcome to the party, pal >> reporter: the beloved actor has found success in a wide range of films from "pulp fiction" to "sixth sense" and "armageddon". >> if we don't get this job done, everybody's gone. >> reporter: willis has five daughters two with current wife emma henning and three with ex, demi moore the former "it" couple has remained close even after their divorce with moore even surprising willis at his comedy center roast a few years ago. >> i just look at our marriage like "the sixth sense" you were dead the whole time.

and no matter what, you will always be family you've been a great friend a great father, and easily one of the my top three husbands. >> earlier this month, moore shared a photo with willis as he celebrated his 67th birthday writing, thankful for our blended family >> you know, while hollywood is mourning the loss of this actor on screen, that he has the support system behind the scenes to really tackle this challenging time together as a family >> according to "the l.a. times," some people who worked with willis on recent films have noted the actor has shown signs of cognitive decline on set and have expressed concern with his well being "the l.a. times" quoted several sources saying willis struggled to remember his dialogue and was even fed lines through an ear piece at one point back to you. >> all right, joe, thank you very much. joining us now is a professor of neurology at hofstra university. good morning to you. we know you haven't treated bruce willis, but just generally

because a lot of folks are saying aphasia, i'm not sure they've heard that what is aphasia? >> aphasia is when you have trouble communicating with another person, you know, whether you're doing it through sign language, through writing, or through speaking, you're not able to communicate your thoughts or be in some cases, be able to understand what someone else is telling you. >> is it really obvious? because we all kind of can't remember things. is it something that you listen to somebody and say, wow, there's something really wrong here >> sometimes it's subtle sometimes you think is this person deaf? can they not hear you? and sometimes it's much more apparent where you're clear that the person's really having trouble speaking or they really aren't understanding what you're telling them >> there's a few different ways that this could come on. you could have a stroke, a head trauma, it could be dementia, but can it kind of come on slowly and then progress and get worse over time? >> yes, in some cases, depending on the cause, it can start

slowly and progress and sometimes it can happen abruptly sometimes you're talking to someone on the phone and is you had -- suddenly you can't speak because you've had a stroke, and that's a case where you have to go to the emergency room right away. where we can't remember words. it happens to us on air unfortunately here and there, one yesterday, actually, but is that something to worry about? oh, my gosh, could this be coming on? when do i need to see a doctor like you >> right, so trouble finding words and trouble finding names is common for all of us, and especially women as we go throug it's interfering with our function that's when you need tse >> we know you haven't treated bruce willis, can there be improvement or things you can do when you have this >> yes, you can do speech therapy, language therapy, those kinds of things can help depending on the cause

so sometimes if you have a stroke, you can make a complete recovery from a condition like aphasia. >> all right, dr. devi, it's good to get this information from you, thank you very much. >> thanks for having me. coming up, an inside look at space force, tom costello takes us behind the scenes of america's newest military branch and why its leaders are so concerned about what russia and china are doing right now high above the earth coming up right after this

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some people taking otezla reported weight loss. your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. upper respiratory tract infection and headache may occur. tell your doctor about your medicines, and if you're pregnant or planning to be. otezla. show more of you. we are back, 7:24. amid the ongoing tensions between the u.s. and china, nbc was news was given exclusive access to america's space force command center. >> commanders there say a constant game of intimidation is already underway in space. >> nbc's tom costello spent two days with everyone from the generals down to enlisted personnel. tom, a lot of folks may think of space force, you know, conjures up images of that steve carell show on netflix, but this is not a laughing matter. >> no joking matter when vladimir putin has threatened using nuclear weapons, and just as russian and u.s. submarines shadow each other in oceans,

something similar is already playing out between our satellites in space. u.s. commanders say it's constant harassment and intimidation, and that is where america's 2-year-old space force comes in >> 270 detonator, chinese dragon >> those two are engaging. >> reporter: in a dark simulator room at the air force academy. america's next generation of fighter pilots is in the cockpit. >> ambush one. >> reporter: but these future officers have a choice to make they can stick with a career as airmen or apply to become a guardian with the brand new space force. >> so we talk about how the world is impacted by the space environment. >> reporter: where the focus shifts from fighter jets to satellites like it or not, the reality is the battlefield is changing from planet earth to space. this is a view of the asian pacific theater and the threat matrix in space is very different.

it's congested it's contested, and it's competitive. our cameras were the first ever allowed inside the classified space force satellite command center where space force guardians monitor every military satellite in orbit, including the vital links two units in the field to air force one and the nuclear chain of command while next door, the gps command center watches over 37 satellites that provide free gps coverage to the world. how accurate is the u.s. system? >> within a foot and a half guaranteed. >> a foot and a half >> yes, sir. >> reporter: outside under heavy guard, one of several mobile satellite command units never before photographed, ready roll across the country should headquarters face imminent threat the u.s. military says russia and china are already regularly harassing ja mean and pro mean, u.s. commercial satellites that

are critical to the u.s. economy. satellites come inll aiz ses from a school bus to a dishwasher to a cooler to the size of a loaf of bread providing everything from internet access to university experiments, gps and military communications both russia and china have already targeted and blown up their own satellites creating massive orbiting debris fields >> i think they're trying to send a message that they could target somebody else's as well, and now we have to deal with the aftermath of those tests >> reporter: space force was created to avoid an actual shooting war in space or on the moon general sean bratton. >> how do you determine what is a hostile act in space >> we're working through that now. we don't have that history like we do in the other domains to build upon, so as we're encountering these threatening activities for the first time, it's forcing us to really define these terms.

>> reporter: a new threat environment for new guardians and academy cadets who are already designing and launching their own satellites after graduating senior courtney kirk patrick will head to m.i.t. for her masters, then space force. >> they're creating a new culture. everything's going to be fast moving the digital force as they call it, that was really attractive to me. >> reporter: as for the future -- as the united states builds out a lunar presence of our own, do we need boots on the moon to protect those assets >> i think that remains to be seen. >> listen to what he said. it remains to be seen whether we need boots on the moon someday space force is small right now, only 14,000 military personnel, and the culture is much more like silicon valley, think apple, not army, where you've got officers with masters and ph.d.s working alongside people right out of high school who are very tech savvy. so a much more collaborative environment really at every level, and that really struck me. >> what struck me about your story there, russia and china, some of what they're already doing, they're harassing, they're jamming, they're probing. any concerns that they have weapons perhaps embedded in any of these satellites?

>> the pentagon believes russia already does have what they call a nesting satellite, in which there are weapons inside the satellite. they've already used that to target and blow up one of their own satellites and china has a satellite with a claw arm that can reach out and disable other countries' satellites and the fear is of course that those weapons could get much more sophisticated and eventually able to target the u.s. homeland. that is their concern. that's why space force exists. >> a question whether we have anything like that, but i guess that's classified probably. >> they would not answer. >> good to see you in person. let us get over to al who counts on the satellites to give us excellent weather forecasts. >> those russian and chinese, leave our weather satellites alone, we're coming for you. anyway, let's show you what we've got going on finally seeing a warmup here in the east look at this, ahead of that cold front, rochester you're going to be 68 degrees, asheville at 73, philly 71, but chicago you're 14 degrees cooler than average at

39 st. louis 41 degrees front pushes in one more day tomorrow in the northeast where temperatures are warmer than average, but look at this, buffalo you're down 10 degrees below, 46 in beckley, that's 12 degrees cooler than average and temperatures then kind of get nice and average, seasonal as we get on into early next week. and looking into next week, warmer along the east coast, colder than average in the central part of the country, and warmer than average as you move good morning. more days to enjoy the nice weather. our temperatures reach into the low 70s with a mix of sun and clouds. upper 70s in the forecast through saturday. slightly cooler sunday. then the middle of next week the heat ramps up. in the near term, san francisco looks good for the weekend. just a little windy sunday.

forgot to tell us about the twinkie. it's a ghost buster -- >> okay. >> we all -- >> the 14 people who got it are -- >> you enjoyed it. >> yes, of course. thanks, al. still ahead, a powerful story from our jacob soboroff ukraine's refugee children and an inspiring drive to deliver them a piece of home and a nanny to a couple of rambunctious kids. that feels like home. with home instead, you too can become a caregiver to older adults, with a career that makes a difference. ♪♪ apply today. ♪♪ ♪ ♪

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this sign caught our eye, th this sign caught our eye last time i was here barbara walters hosted, we'd like to say happy 87th birthday. we're happy to have you back. >> absolutely fabulous. >> happy birthday. >> took a picture. >> i did actually, it was an etching. >> etch a sketch >> carson is here, good morning. >> good morning, guys, "pop start" including an arrival date finally for that "game of

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rexulti can cause serious side effects. elderly dementia patients have increased risk of death or stroke. antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts and worsen depression in those under 25. call your doctor about fever, stiff muscles, and confusion, which could be life-threatening, or uncontrollable muscle movements, which may be permanent. increased cholesterol; weight gain; high blood sugar; decreased white blood cells; unusual urges; dizziness on standing; seizures; trouble swallowing may occur. when depression sets you back, keep moving forward. make an appointment to talk to your doctor about adding rexulti to your antidepressant. at hampton by hilton, contactless arrival means she can skip the front desk, go straight to her room, unlock her door, and head right to bed. book our family of brands at hilton.com. al season long. unlock her door, and head right to bed. psst! psst! flonase all good.

good morning to you. it is 7:56. i'm marcus washington. here's what's happening now. >> good morning. today is the end of the financial quarter. wall street will wrap up trading with the first quarterly loss in two years. key economic data jobless claims up slightly. inflation data showing prices continue to rise. the really important numbers are tomorrow with the monthly jobs report. we'll bring them to you tomorrow morning on "today in the bay." now time to get a look at that forecast. meteorologist kari hall is keeping track. >> we're starting out with some clouds, but it will quickly

clear out. our temperatures headed for 65 in oakland. comfortable. a little warmer to santa rosa and gilroy. mie forecast for the next couple days. there's a lot of sunshine in this of next week our temperatures will start to ramp up. we're enjoying some nice seasonable temperatures. sunday will be wind where in san francisco. our highs reach into the low 60s. marcus? we'll have another local news update in 30 minutes. meet you back here then.

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it's 8:00 on "toda it's 8:00 on "today," coming up, on the move. severe weather in the south causing flash floods and downed power lines. the trail of destruction leading more than 100,000 people in the dark those storms now heading east. al is tracking it all. then pushing back, ukrainian forces gaining ground as u.s. intelligence suggests vladimir putin is being misled by his military advisers. we're live with the three things you need to know.

and the unique way a publisher is helping during the war. >> it says here the war touched everyone >> sending crucial supplies including books to support children living through the conflict >> plus, standing up, chris rock returning to the stage overnight for the first time since the oscars, what he had to say as more fellow comedians come to his defense. >> i was like how gross is this? this is just the wrong message. >> the dangerous precedent performers are afraid that moment set and bridging the gap, new details on the upcoming "bridgerton" prequel, what we know about who's in the cast, the key characters in the series, and all the steamy new details, today, thursday, march 31st, 2022 ♪ hello, libertyville, illinois. >> from michigan. >> hello to our grandparents. >> here for kari's 50th. >> "today" show fans here on spring break. >> we love you, savannah and

hoda >> from michigan. >> today is jordan's birthday. >> hi to my sister molly. >> watching in chicago >> celebrating my 13th birthday. >> welcome to teenagehood, we appreciate you all joining us. it's a great thursday morning, warming up a little outside, nice to see people out there without their hats on. >> real springy. let's get right to our news at 8:00, we are talking about violent storms that did tear through the south, damaging homes, flooding streets and knocking out power and that weather threat is not over yet we're going to get to al in just a moment first, nbc's blayne alexander is in louisiana, she's got the very latest, hey, blayne, good morning. >> reporter: hoda, good morning to you you can certainly see what

happened when the storm blew through here in tallulah, louisiana. you come over here, you see what was left, this gaping hole tossing the classrooms inside. fortunately there were no students inside the building at the time, but we're seeing pictures like this dotting towns throughout the south as they remain in the storm's path, and it really kind of underscores the biggest concern about these storms, and that's those ferocious winds. we're talking about a number of reports of tornados, at least one confirmed tornado, an ef-3 touching the ground in arkansas, but also, the straight-line winds that have come through and knocked down towers and ripped roofs and toppled trees into roadways today the national weather service is going to be fanning out across at least five states to survey the damage as the storm continues to move to the east hoda. >> all right, blayne alexander for us there in tallulah, thank you so much. >> mr. roker, that system, is it on the move now? >> absolutely is as you can see, we still have tornado watches up a we've got right now, the risk of 57 million people from new york all the way down to tallahassee. the tornado threat, especially

from south carolina down to florida, wind gusts 60 miles per hour, and we're looking at anywhere from 1 to 2 inches of rain per hour in the northeast, but really, the heaviest rain going to be down from northern -- southern -- i should say southern georgia all the way into central florida, that moisture will increase the rain will continue, and so there's probably going to be some flash flooding down through this region. guys. >> all right, al, thank you. we'll turn now to three things to watch in ukraine today. u.s. intelligence suggests that vladimir putin's closest aides and generals are afraid to tell him the truth about russia's poor military performance in ukraine. in the meantime, ukraine says its forces overran a russian position overnight, and took a town near kharkiv, the country's second largest city. and president biden is considering releasing up to a million barrels a day from our nation's strategic oil reserve to ease the spike in gas prices, which have been made worse by the war. the u.n. now says 2.5 million children have left ukraine, and they are in urgent need of education, safety, and support.

thankfully, there's a grass roots effort to do just that by sending books from ukraine to the countries where people have fled nbc's jacob soboroff has more from lviv, hey, jacob, good morning. >> reporter: hey, hoda, good morning to you the owner of this bookstore here in lviv is asking people from all around the world to give ukrainian refugees and their children a piece of hope by sending books from these shelves to shelters. russian missiles striking lviv saturday. >> down below our vantage point here, that's a fuel depot. >> reporter: a city shaken, but this week life continued including for mariana, back at work as editor in chief of one of ukraine's largest publishers. >> so these are the books you publish? >> yes. >> reporter: back at work, but not back to normal. >> what's it been like for you to have to close some of your stores around the country?

>> i'm not happy that they closed but i know that it can be dangerous for our employees. >> reporter: now mariana and her colleagues have started collecting humanitarian aid. this van filled with essentials bound for kharkiv. but it's literature she feels can help heal the most, which is why she and her publishing house old lion launched a fund-raising effort. >> and people are donating >> yes. >> what they receive pays to send books to refugees in surrounding countries like these kids in poland, nearly 500 so far. >> if there's one book that you'd like the children of ukraine to have the most as they're abroad as refugees, which one is it? >> yes, i know this book in my cabinet. here's a book. >> it's called how war changed rondo, originally published after russia invaded ukraine in 2014 as russia attacks again, relevant as ever.

>> this is what the news looks like now. >> yes, absolutely. everyone. >> reporter: the book's story about kids living in a fictional place of war called rondo. now real life for ukrainian children together we read the book's final passage, one she wishes can spread hope. >> the whole town sang until every black flower had disappeared and the darkness had dissolved completely victory. >> yes >> and that's what you hope for ukraine? >> yes >> reporter: mariana and old lion haven't just made the hard copies of the book available for people who have fled this country, they have put 30 e-books up for free, they've been downloaded 40,000 times i think since the beginning of this war if you at home want to get involved in this effort, donate so that these books can be donated to ukrainian refugees you can head to our website.

>> i was just going to ask how people could help. that's the perfect way jacob soboroff for us in lviv. thank you. meanwhile, back here, the nation's oldest major league ballpark is planning to become the first to become carbon neutral. boston's 110-year-old fenway park has already installed solar waste. now fans will be encouraged to take public transportation to and from games to reduce air pollution. the team is also going to use a portion of ticket revenue to buy carbon offset credits, but the red sox say that the moves will not affect ticket prices okay, let's get our morning boost. >> a woman in jersey woman wanted to surprise her mom by telling her she was pregnant so she gave her mom a little present, and it had a note attached. >> read it it says you've been promoted from dog grandma to human grandma. do you not understand? >> you're kidding me

oh, my gosh. >> the mom couldn't quite understand, but don't you love a mom, a mom's like that's great saw that ultrasound and then there it went. >> all the emotions came out. >> that is so cute just ahead, chris rock's overnight return to the stage. >> we're going to have more on his first performance since that oscars slap. and some other serious takes from other comedians from that potential fallout from that moment right after this only pay for what you need. ♪liberty, liberty, liberty, liberty♪ your mission: stand up to moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. and take. it. on... ...with rinvoq. rinvoq a once-daily pill can dramatically improve symptoms... rinvoq helps tame pain, stiffness, swelling. and for some...rinvoq can even significantly reduce ra fatigue. that's rinvoq relief. with ra, your overactive immune system attacks your joints.

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his defense. good morning. >> good morning, rock headlined two comedy shows in boston last night receiving standing ovations from the sold-out crowd. as for that oscars moment, he addressed the controversy and promised he'll have even more to say in the future. >> hey, chris, you ready for tonight, chris >> reporter: overnight chris rock returning to the stage. >> oh, wow >> reporter: for the first time since will smith slapped him at the oscars rock keeping his sense of humor. >> how was your weekend? >> reporter: in audio obtained by variety, rock briefly talked with the sold-out crowd last night. >> i'm still trying to process things, what happened. >> reporter: saying he wasn't really ready to talk about the incident >> so at some point i'll talk about that [ bleep ], and it will be funny. >> reporter: rock's show was briefly interrupted by someone in the crowd, but overall, the crowd rallied around rock

starting with a long standing ovation which rock said made him misty eyed, and rock's fellow comedians are rallying around him, too rock's standup set coming just hours after the motion picture academy announced they've started disciplinary proceedings against smith. on the ellen degeneres show oscar co-host wanda sykes questioning why smith wasn't removed from the ceremony. >> and for them to let him stay in that room and enjoy the rest of the show and accept his award, i was like how gross is this this is just the wrong message >> reporter: the academy says smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused comedians david spade and dana carvey speaking out on a podcast saying watching the incident was triggering for them, reminding them of childhood bullying and condemned how rock was seemingly left alone to handle the situation. >> it must have been tough for chris to sit in the back and realize literally nothing happened, no one walked up, no security, no stop the show,

no -- it was just like on with the show >> reporter: amy schumer who also co-hosted the show weighing in too, writing in part in a since deleted instagram post, she is still triggered and traumatized. i love my friend chris rock and believe he handled it like a pro. the whole thing was so disturbing others now worried the incident could impact future performances >> sets a terrible precedent for comedy clubs like are people going to decide that they're going to go on stage and smack the comedian now. >> in boston fans at rock's show last night praising how he dealt with the incredibly difficult situation. >> so ridiculously wrong i was proud the way he handled it. >> reporter: rock has four more shows in boston this week, so the world will be watching according to multiple reports during his second show, rock said he had not talked to anyone about what happened at the oscars, presumably referring to

will smith as for smith, he apologized to rock in a social media post and the academy thanked rock for his, quote, resilience in that moment. >> yeah, i think it's good that we're spotlighting chris rock's resilience because i think all the focus has been on will smith. >> taken some time for people to process it, like you said. more to come. >> he didn't even have that time. >> given the fact that he's been -- you know, he talked about being bullied, and yet he had the right response in that moment, and i think everybody is so impressed by what he's done and how he's handled it. >> how he's handled it. >> i think he's trying to also figure out his take on this, which way am i going to go on this it's unearthing a lot of emotional stuff. he was bullied in adulthood. at snl when he worked at snl, he was sucker punched this is opening a lot of emotions for him on the other side of the spectrum, you want to take the high road. >> you don't have to respond immediately. he's well within his right, take his time, figure it out process it and deal with it on his

terms. >> this is not going away, everything day there's something new. >> yep >> all right should we get a check of the weather? >> sure. yeah, let's do it. >> please. >> let's show you what we've got going on for today, severe storms along the eastern seaboard, much cooler along the fire risk continues through texas. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we are seeing clouds across much of the bay area right now. that clears out for a beautiful day and temperatures feeling comfortable, reaching into the low 70s. torment it will be slightly warm we are more sunshine and also more warm weather in saturday's forecast. it will be slightly cooler on sunday with some breezy winds, valley temperatures in the low 70s, and it starts to heat up by the middle of next week. san francisco will stay in the 60s through at least the weekend. i i time time now for a little palate

cleanser. >> that is our "pop start. bridgerton, the show has broken netflix streaming records. netflix has announced plans to expand the bridgerton universe on wednesday the streaming service revealing a prequel show is in the works. it's set to focus on the life of young queen charlotte and her marriage to king george. newcomer india amarteifio will take on the role fans will recognize a few familiar faces all three actresses currently playing queen charlotte, lady danbury and lady bridgerton are set to reprise their characters. executive producer and writer shonda rhimes is teasing fans on social media writing prepare for the queen's return no word on when the series is set to premier. speaking of prequels, next up is "game of thrones." cue the music, we've got details about the highly anticipated prequel series "house of dragons," the first episode is set to premier august 21st so you're going to have to wait about four months. in the meantime, you can check out the sneak peek of the cast, the upcoming series is set 200

years before "game of thrones," and will is there around the civil war with the house of targarian. this marks the first spinoff series of "game of thrones" since the hit series wrapped in 2019. katy perry is diving into old hollywood for her next project. she's going to lend her voice to narrate a new podcast about the life and career of elizabeth taylor the ten-part series called "elizabeth the first" is going to explore the deal for cleopatra, her perfume em fire and her decision to go public about her battles with alcoholism and drug abuse. she will also produce the series that is set to feature some of the stories from people closest to the hollywood icon. there is no release date yet for that one that's interesting. and next up, eric church, the country superstar under fire after canceling an upcoming concert in san antonio

the backlash comes after ticketholders for this saturday's show received an email informing them that eric church is canceling so that he can watch the unc/duke final four basketball game. >> what? >> fans sharing church's message online that reads in part, this is the most selfish thing i've ever asked the choir to do, give up your saturday night plans with us so i can have this moment with fans and sports communities. thanks for letting me go here and be a part of the tar heels fans sharing their frustration online calling the move not cool and embarrassing church has not announced any plans to reschedule. >> i don't know how many tickets he's going to be selling in sa a antonio if he does

>> it's a big game though. >> it is a big game. >> big crowd >> he could have his phone on stage and keep an eye on it. >> you could have the game on on a monitor. that's interesting. >> and finally, we're calling our viewers to help us out with this last one. we're going to launch our first ever "pop start" poll. it's a poll here, everybody. don't get too excited. >> a bracket. >> bracket excitement, a poll. we mentioned a little earlier this weekend that bridgerton, they broke all the records on netflix, fans watching 193 million hours of the show in the first three days we just want to know what's the popular opinion here, when a new show does come out, do you -- is it better to binge the entire show all at once or do you more or less like to take your time to sort of savor it, maybe watch it a little more episodically. >> i take my time. >> depends on the kind of show. >> i would like to vote for c, which is like maybe watch one or two, but not binge watch the whole thing, but don't just watch one. >> i think binge is like two to six episodes all in one sitting and then maybe one or one or two would be more episodic. >> i think three is a binge. >> one or two, depends on the -- >> that's what i like.

>> if a series is suspenseful, sometimes i find myself at the end of one episode. >> snowfall, i watch it so fast that i go through it, i'm bummed because it's gone. >> exactly >> this is a good poll >> i like it >> go to today.com and let us know how you feel. we're going to reveal those riveting results tomorrow. >> bracket the results. friends and best selling authors isaac and jasmine are here with the new books you're going to want to dive into this spring they got you covered. plus, a fix for your aching feet we will reveal winners from the women's health sneaker awards. that seems relevant, but first your local news and weather. ♪

good morning. it is 8:26. i'm marcus washington. a san francisco japanese pastry shop that's been around for 115 years is closing its doors. we recently profiled benkyodo as part of our asian american heritage month. this is japan town's oldest remaining business and was one of the very first places in the bay area to produce the most popular item. ever since word got out it's been closing, there have been long lines around the clock, a farewell planned for 1:30 this afternoon.

time to get a look at that forecast. meteorologist kari hall has a look at that. it should be nice standing in that line today. >> yeah. we are going to have some beautiful weather, a lot of sunshine. the sky will gradually clear for your inland areas. it does continue to warm up for saturday into slightly cooler for sunday into monday. next week is when we'll start to shift our focus to the warmer weather headed our way. we have some mid-80s in next wednesday's forecast. san francisco will be in the 60s. it will be windy on sunday with highs in the low 60s, and next week we'll see more sunshine and highs trending into the 70s. marcus? >> thanks, kari. another local news update in 30 minutes. see you then.

large out-of-state corporations have set their sights on california.

they've written a ballot proposal to allow online sports betting. they tell us it will fund programs for the homeless, but read the fine print. 90% of the profits go to out-of-state corporations, leaving almost nothing for the homeless. no real jobs are created here. but the promise between our state and our sovereign tribes would be broken forever. these out-of-state corporations don't care about california. but we do. stand with us.

i'm on vacation ♪ ♪ i love my occupation ♪ >> it feels good, it's 8:30 thursday morning y'all, tomorrow is april fools' day. do not get tricked >> can't wait. >> don't get got tomorrow. >> if you're wondering where savannah is, she's inside. she's got her fuzzy slippers on, and there's a reason she had an unfortunate little accident last night. >> i think i broke -- i don't know. >> she broke her toe. >> maybe i stubbed it so hard, it might be broke you want to see it

>> she can't move around. >> yeah, it's super -- it just hurts to walk, like i can sit and stand. but anyway >> by the way, you guys, savannah hurt her toe. >> awwww. >> see, you got a lot of love. a lot of love out here coming up, guys -- >> we should have carried her out here like the queen of the morning. >> like cleopatra. >> strong. >> coming up, guys, two best sellers in their own right who love to share their love of reading. isaac and jasmine, they're going to tell us about the best books for the spring you're going to want to add them to your reading list. that's coming up, and then if you're in the market perhaps for a new pair of sneakers, if you're not, savannah, you're in luck women's health rounded up the best pairs for working out, for walking around, and we're going to reveal some of those winners in just a few minutes. what could be better than a perfect bowl of cacio e pepe what'd that translate to, pepper and pasta? it's like a grown-up mac and cheese

it's delicious we're going to find out the secrets to the best possible version of this classic comfort food. on the third hour of "today," we are going to catch up with actress jane seymour jane's going to be in studio to fill us in on her new mystery series, and what else she's working on al. and guys, tomorrow, we've got a "today" exclusive. i am going to take you inside the country's very first mobile prostate cancer screening unit we're going to get a look at how doctors at mount sinai hospital are making it their mission to change the way men -- especially men of color -- gain access to screenings. >> all right >> we're really excited about that. >> we're looking forward to that, al al, it's warm out. >> i've got to show you -- no, no, i got to show you a terrific sign that this nice lady made because it's a weather saying.

what's your name >> terry >> and who's with you? >> this is my daughter anna. >> and the sign is march -- >> in like a lion, out like a lamb. >> very nice, very nice. i like that. it's just very crafty, very nice >> thank you. >> let's show you what you've got going on for the weekend ahead. snow showers around the great lakes, on friday you're down in florida, the west looking best going to be spectacular. then on saturday we are looking at milder weather in the mid plains, sunshine out west, showers down in florida. the warmth continues in texas with plenty of sunshine in the mid-atlantic all the way over. we have a 13th birthday here. what's your name? >> elena. >> and? >> sara. >> you're 14. over here, we have another 13th birthday. >> addison. >> happy birthday. wait, wait. you celebrated your 50th birthday here. you're back for your 71st. what's your name? >> mary. >> you look fantastic. >> thank you. >> wow. i'm exhausted. there's another birthday over here! >> go, go, go! >> excuse me.

sorry. another birthday here. look at that. what's your name? >> jordan. >> you got those? >> we got them already. there's a birthday over here. one more. last one. it's your sweet 16 but it was delayed two years because of covid. what's your anaheim? >> yes. i'm christine. >> that's it. i'm exhausted. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. our temperatures today will reach into the low 70s. we're starting out with clouds now but it will clear out and shape up to be a beautiful day. we have more nice and warm weather in the forecast into the start of the weekend. on sunday it's going to be a little windy but slightly cooler and our temperatures warm up after that, especially for the middle of next week. for san francisco, really nice weekend ahead with temperatures reaching into the 60s. we'll see it also warming up on wednesday. >> and that is your --

>> that was impressive. >> you were on fire, by the way. >> yes, you were. coming up, we're going it to help you read more today with a new look at great books that have come with spring's arrival. but first this is "today" on nbc!

we are back, 8:36 with r we are back, 8:36 with read more today, spring is here it's arrived along with some great new book releases. >> march is a huge month for publishers this morning two of our favorites are walking us through the titles you got to grab we've got best selling author and speaker isaac fitzgerald and "new york times" best selling author jasmine guillory. >> it's like the tag team that we dream about. >> and it's also like the lightning round of books. >> we got to get to it i don't know how you guys do this let's start with fiction, i

don't know how you do this pure color. >> this book is incredible it literally changed what i thought was possible in a novel. at its core it's about a woman who lives in the first draft of the universe and she loses her father there's a lot in there, and it's very beautiful and about grief but it's also about art and philosophy, and it's so well written, sheila heti's language shines through this is unlike anything you've ever read before, love it. >> i like the idea that bravo meets "dateline" in any book >> this is a juicy mystery i love a mystery novel this one is about a woman trying to figure out what happened with her estranged sister she died by suicide but she's sure it wasn't suicide she's trying to figure it out. there's lots of twists and turns. one thing i love about this book is that the characters are so good that i kept wanting to know more about them as i read. it's one of those books that when i finished it i wanted everybody i knew to read it. >> can i also say it matches your dress well done. exactly. back to the book

nonfiction, here's a title, what is it called >> "the naked don't fear the water. just like pure color was so surreal, this is incredibly real we're talking about afghan refugees what makes this book so, so powerful is that the journalist who wrote it, he goes on the actual journey with a man named omar to try and get into europe from afghanistan their friendship is real the people in this book are real the stories are real and it is incredible. >> how long ago did it take place? >> it's pretty recent. it starts in 2016, but as you're

pointing to it's a very powerful and very current narrative. >> jasmine, you got a cool choice for yours i like a cookbook. >> it's a great cookbook i love to cook and i love to read cookbooks, partly for the recipes but also for the stories. i think food and cooking tells you so much about a person korean american is this brand new cookbook it just came out this week it is so fun to read the stories in it are amazing. it's about, you know, he writes the stories of going home to atlanta during the pandemic and spending a year cooking with his mother, learning family recipes and then developing some of his own recipes, teaching some of them to his mom, and then like the way you read about the way they cook together is beautiful.

the recipes are great. i've cooked from it already. it's so much fun. >> not too hard? >> wow, cool great. this is where we take the gloves off, hoda. this is author's choice. the only rules are there are no rules. >> that's why i'm recommending the second book in the trilogy this is from marlon james dark star trilogy you can read it out of order you could literally start with this book, it's called "moon witch spider king. we went from the real to the very real, this is fantasy, baby this is an incredible story about what it is to be a woman in the universe that marlon has created. she starts as a nameless orphan and grows to become the moon

witch. this is a master class in world building there's floating cities. this book is so, so fun, so, so good you're going to love it. >> my heart is pounding. >> it's like an action thriller. >> there's a lot of action >> what you got? >> this is very opposite it's about a boy band, "kiss and tell." it is so much fun. it's a young adult novel about the star of a boy band, and but it's also about so much. like it's about him learning to deal with his like newfound fame, his band sort of just kind of hit the big time, learning to deal with relationships, love, betrayal, and i think also it's like just about learning how to be a person in the world, how to treat other people, which is something we're all kind of still figuring out i just love this book. it made me smile so much and really think >> well, we do have time for the best part of it, which is what you guys are working on. jasmine, you have a new book tell us about it. >> i do. my next book is called "by the book." it comes out in just over a month. it is a reimagining of beauty and the beast. >> oh, cool. >> and it's -- i can't wait for everyone to read it. it's a lot of fun. >> isaac, there's a lot of buzz about your book. a lot of buzz. tell us about it. >> it's a memoir >> it's a memoir called "dirt bag massachusetts" about the childhood that i've learned later in life was very unique and how i reacted to that childhood in my 20s. it's about family coming apart a

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we are back with "today" style. this morning we are focusing on fashion for your feet. >> women's health took the coolest kicks out for a test drive, came up with a list of the best. >> and here to walk us through, get it, some winners and editor in chief liz plosser is here once again, our trusty qr code is up on our screen. >> hi, liz. >> great to be here. >> this first one, lululemon. >> yes sports bras, yes, i never thought they did running shoes. >> this is a huge deal they just launched their first ever sneaker on march 22 it was designed by an all female team these are women's only it's called the blissfeel. i'm also wearing them today. since i got my pair, it's all i've been running in i think everything they touch is gold. >> they're lightweight, they're good for everybody, right? >> is it a running shoe, a cross-training show?

>> our fitness director tried them, and she liked hopping on and off the treadmill and doing some weights. >> what are these? >> these are the highly circuit 2. the awesome thing about these shoes, they are so versatile they have these customizable folds that you can pop in and out. everything from weightlifting to running, you can customize it. >> can you play tennis >> you could actually. i'm a tennis player. >> i do like tennis. do you like tennis >> i like it, yeah >> these also, i have to say these were designed -- getting to know you. >> with a woman's center of gravity in mind. we're all about featuring on

brands that focus on innovation, this year particularly for women. >> these are my favorite shoes i love an asics. >> there are more than a thousand five-star reviews on amazon we are calling them one of the best shoes in the ply and power category. >> what is that? >> plyometrics, lots of jumping, hopping, cardio. >> love cardio >> these were actually recommended by a podiatrist to absorb the impact and vibration and our editors found that they helped prevent shin splints. >> wow >> i love these cute colors that are going on >> lot of different colors you're wearing the cute colors right now. >> these are for what, hiking? >> i'm calling them carp shoes these are the chaco ramble puff linear i think they're so adorable. just like cute, they have fleece inside they keep your feet nice and toasty. >> what are they for, though >> so they're for -- you would throw them in your backpack if you're going on a hike or camping trip around the campfire, making s'mores. i would walk my dog willa in them every morning. >> they look warm, they're actually good for the season. >> they're perfect for this time of the year, absolutely. >> reeboks, what do they got >> these are an old classic. these are awesome for walking. i would be using them, especially now that i'm coming back to the office reebok original leather. i love them in the bright white, i think that's really just fresh and polished and spring like, but they come in all different color ways, and they're super

comfortable. >> don't they like remind you of the shoes you wished you could have please, i want reeboks so bad. >> what are these? >> so we are finishing up with this really cool shoe from ollie gray maternity og. these are designed for women who are pregnant and postpartum. what happens is if you've been there, your feet tend to swell two sizes throughout the day there's a really stretchy knit material that allows your foot to expand and contract they have this cool toggle tie, a pad on the back so you can get them on quick if you're holding a toddler or all the other things when you're a new mom i have to say these are really for everybody. my feet get kind of sore when i'm traveling, so i would wear these for a plane ride, for a long road trip really great shoe. >> i went from a 9 to a 9 1/2 after my babies. >> i'm a 10 just because. >> just because. >> we like it. liz, thank you

this is so fun, if you want to snag any of these sneakers, scan te qr code, head over

we are ba we are back. it is 8:51 it's "today" food, and this morning we're making an italian dish so good you'll be shouting mama mia, and our guide is chef evan funke, he is the owner of mother wolf, it's a new rome inspired restaurant. it's located in the heart of hollywood. everybody is talking about this restaurant evan has traveled all over italy and has perfected his cacio e pepe, which is so deceptively simple, chef, but you got to do it right. >> it is it's all in the technique. >> by the way, you were hobnobbing in hollywood this weekend, you did the "vanity fair" dinner menu. >> i certainly did. >> the food was chef kiss. was that nerve racking you know all these celebrities are eating your food

>> i would say most of them have already eaten at one of my restaurants. >> oh, well, well, excuse me i had not. and also, they don't care about fitting in their dress, so they're chowing down you're saying any of us can make this how do we do it? >> yes, absolutely very simple ingredients, this is a dish born in the pastoral lands of rome, umbria and tuscany. so typically we start with pecorino romano, black pepper, either olive oil or butter. >> all right >> some of the dogmatic people are rolling over in their graves. >> why >> because it has to be butter they think >> well, traditionally it's just black pepper, pecorino and pasta, but what happens in reality in restaurants is something else >> are we starting over here >> we are. we are >> i'm on the wrong side, i'm like hobbling around so this water is salted like a soup never like the ocean because

we're going to use this water to help emulsify. >> i thought you always salted like the ocean, but when you say like a soup, that just means not so much. >> just so that it tastes good in this pan on medium heat -- >> and this is fresh pasta, this is not dried pasta. >> it is we're going to add about a tablespoon of black pepper this is ground fine and coarse the fine is for the heat, the coarse is for the aromatic we're going to add about a tablespoon of that we want to toast this so that it becomes aromatic, to bring the natural oils. >> can you guys smell it >> oh, yeah. >> you don't have any oil in the pan yet. >> what we're going to do is take some olive oil, and we're going to infuse the black pepper oil. >> why did you add the oil after. >> so that the surface oils of the black pepper infuse with the olive oil. and we don't want to fry it because it's just going to get

too hot. >> how's it tasting peanut gallery? >> all right, so -- >> only one stick of butter, okay. >> so far. >> 22 grams exactly for this amount of pasta. >> okay. we just want to infuse this a little bit what we're going to do is -- >> it already smells so good. >> we don't want to allow the butter to brown because then it's going to taste a little too nutty. what we want to do is add about four ounces of water >> here's why our pasta water to be not the ocean. >> we're going to crank this. >> that was medium heat, now we want to crank it. >> start this to a boil. >> what kind of pasta is this? >> this is ton relly ton relly is a square pasta spaghetti. i think this pasta was made in brooklyn. >> oh. cool >> nice. >> my pasta didn't make it on the airplane. >> why not tsa got you? >> no, no. fresh pasta -- >> i see what's happening. we're making that sauce. >> we're going to reduce this, tastes delicious, okay, because of the delicious pasta water this takes about three minutes >> mm-hmm, because it's fresh. >> exactly >> and then straight into the pan. >> ooh, okay

now, this is the key we need the centrifugal force of beating it -- >> science >> al, i'm becoming al roker >> to help extract the starch into the sauce >> okay. so sen tariff gal force. it starts in the war and now we've got starts in the pasta. >> and you've really got to beat it >> just get in there okay when did the cheese get in here? >> oh. very soon. >> okay. but right now it tastes delicious because we have that delicious butter in there, beautiful olive oil. you can see now it's already starting to get starchy. >> okay. i've got about a minute. we've got it bring it across the finish line. i'm going to have a sip of wine. >> i love that for you >> thanks, you see me, don't you? >> okay. so now we've got the cheese in there. >> you didn't put a ton in there. i would have thought it was like cheesy, cheese, cheese.com. >> finish it with the cheese >> okay. doesn't that look delicious? >> incredible. >> okay. so we'll do a little one of

these. >> that's how you -- say more about this pasta, y'all, do you think you could do this at home? >> no. >> i totally can. >> i feel like the pasta water is a big part of it. >> what if you want to use package pasta? >> you totally could just follow the instructions on the back of the package. >> do you always serve this as a main or ever pair it with a protein? >> never with a protein. cacio e pepe stands by itself i like a lot of black pepper for its thermal quality. >> the cheese stands alone. so far, 223,000 applications twice that number of people are

eligible. that program provides money for unpaid rent for renters and landlords impacted by the pandemic. some 76,000 amly cants have been denied because they earn more than the maximum allowed amount. kris sanchez walks us through what you need to know. link on our home page. we're awaiting word from the white house on a plan to release more oil reserves as gas prices skyrocket. president biden is now expected to deliver some remarks at about 10:30 our time this morning.

this morning on the third hour of "today," tornado outbreak. devastating storms sweeping through the south. we are live on the ground and tracking today's threat. plus, back on stage. >> how was your weekend? >> chris rock's first comedy show since the oscars slap. what he told the crowd about that infamous incident. then, stunning diagnosis, bruce willis's family revealing the actor stepping away from hollywood. we'll take a closer look at wlis to give up his career. stars sharing new roles,