more news on the way re news on y president biden meets with israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu in new york city the potentially historic peace deal and why where this handshake took place caused its own uproar a manhunt in indiana after a murder suspect was able to walk free the mig mbig mistake that put te

community at risk. amazon's prime program taking a hit from the federal government the new details outlining how the ftc says the tech giant tricked people into signing up the greatest of all time making history once again. simone biles has booked her ticket to the world gymnastics p championships for the sixth time what this means for her path to paris. a retired firefighter lives up to his nickname, now taking in orphaned possums. it's thursday, september 21st. "early today" starts right now >> good morning, i'm jessica layton >> i'm frances rivera. president biden wrapped up his time at the u.n. general assembly wednesday meeting with the leaders of israel and brazil, but even after returning to washington, he faces critical foreign policy decisions as the president of ukraine heads to the nation's capitol today calling for continued support.

alice barr has more. >> reporter: president biden tackling global challenges on multiple fronts at the united nations general assembly in new york sitting down with israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu, reaffirming the historic alliance, despite concerns over a proposal to curb the israeli supreme court's powers that critics say threatens democracy. >> democrating vc valc valu that the center >> reporter: also meeting with the leader of brazil, just as ukraine's president, volodymyr zelenskyy, made an urgent plea to save democracy in his nation. [ speaking in a non-english language ] >> translator: ukrainian soldiers now are doing at the expense of their blood what the u.n. security council should do by its voting. >> reporter: president zelenskyy scolding the u.n. security council for not doing more to

punish russia as funding for ukraine starts to falter he is heading to washington to make his appeal directly to lawmakers, to grant president biden's request for billions more in aid. house republicans questioning the president's priorities >> i've watched the president do a supplemental, this concern about ukraine and disasters, but he avoids the border >> reporter: that tension central to the standoff over government funding, as gop members dig in over conservative policy provisions and steep spending cuts. the threat of a government shutdown growing more real by the day. in washington, alice barr, nbc news and now to a nbc news exclusive. white house officials tell nbc that presidential aides have asked the u.s. ambassador to japan, rahm emmanuel to stop making posts on social media that are critical of china over the past two weeks, emmanuel has made posts on x, that's formerly twitter, that

taunt president xi jinping over the apparent disappearance of two cabinet officials. one u.s. official says emmanuel's posts are not consistent with the message that is coming from the white house, where leaders have been trying to mend the strained u.s.-china relationship a spokesperson for emmanuel called this report, quote, absolutely not true. police in indiana are frantically searching for a fugitive murder suspect. he didn't make a daring escape instead this man was able to walk out the front door. officials say he was let go by mistake and now they're asking the public to help track him down emilie ikeda reports >> reporter: the search is ramping up for a murder suspect whom authorities mistakenly let walk free from a detention center two days afcter he was arrested >> this was an error, this should not have happened >> reporter: now they're making a plea for help in finding kevin mason. they waited six days to alert

the community of his accidental release, a tactical move, they say, as they tailed his girlfriend >> we thought it was to our advantage to follow her until we find where they have him >> reporter: last week he was arrested in indiana on three warrants out of minnesota related to homicide, a parole violation and firearms possession the marian county sheriff's office thought she was correcting duplicate bookings and lifted two holds in the file residents in the area now left on edge. >> it upsets me, but it puts the community in danger, and i can only hope that he's found soon >> i think they have a responsibility to keep us safe >> reporter: the search comes on the heels of a massive manhunt at that blanketed philadelphia suburbs. convicted killer, danilo

cavalcante crab walked out of jail the sheriff's office now announced its termination of two clerks authorities believe mason is still in indianapolis, and acknowledged he's had practice evading law enforcement having been on the run up million last week since a deadly shooting back in 2021 back to you. >> emily, thank you. nlts the trial of two men charged in the death of the elijah mcclain has begun he was 23 years old when he was allegedly placed in a chokehold by police and injected wd injec hee with ketamine. he died in the hospital three days later defense attorneys for jason rosenblatt and randy radeema say their clients followed protocol. rosenblat was fired in 2020,

radeema was placed on leave without pay. the search for a suspect ended in a fiery crash he was named as a person of interest in the deaths of a couple and their son he was pursued to oklahoma the car crashed and caught fire and officers thought they heard two gunshots huey was found dead inside along with a woman who was critically injured. the homicide investigation is still under way, but they have found evidence of a possible motive as world leaders met in new york, thousands of protesters were outside for climate change. this summer, greece saw devastating disasters. kooer keir simmons has more. >> reporter: after a summer of

devastating storms, ferocious wildfires, greece is facing a war with climate change. >> it's a war we fight with an enemy sometimes we can't avoid sometimes we can contain >> reporter: greece and governments around the world facing an unprecedented challenge, we left athens traveling to a different greece. we met georgia a wedding photo saved. my daughter and grandson almost drowned, she says. everywhere cars are abandoned. houses are ruined. this is his house. is there anything left in >> nothing only the walls >> reporter: they are angry. not at the change in climate, but that officials didn't protect them they could have given you a

warning? >> yes >> reporter: this local boss with clean water you blame the government more than climate change. >> of course climate change is global >> reporter: hundreds of miles away, ground zero for europe's biggest wildfire this environmentalist blames the world economies, failures in management and intense heat. we haven't prepared for climate change this >> for sure we are not prepared. >> reporter: the country's leading climate scientist says the impact on greece is a warning to the world civil protection programs, he says are j u.s. not adequate for this new global reality of extreme weather. >> it's difficult. it is, but without having noah's ark. >> reporter: what noah's ark for you in greece?

>> noah's ark would be a preparation for such big disasters. prevention to prepare properly. >> our thanks to keir for that report now to the weather here in the u.s. the middle of the country is in for some storms, and here on the east coast the weather might hold off until the weekend nbc meteorologist angie lassman is tracking how soon that rain could come >> we do have a couple showers and thunderstorms that could potentially be strong across the middle of the country and of course we have a couple days where we're going to deal with that rain thanks to a low that likely will develop today off the southeast coast. in the meantime, here's your satellite and radar, a few of these showers and thunderstorms working through illinois and memphis, a little unsettled there. but here's the pots i spots i w you watch for. tornado threat is going to be mainly isolated but a heads up on that, centered around north platte, dallas to oklahoma city

will have a chance for those stronger storms tonight and on top of that heavy rain at times. one to two inches possible across those same areas. now to the low pressure that we're going to watch likely vil today, it will form and bring rain to the carolinas, the northeast through the next couple days. heavy rain from basically, again, all the coastal carolinas, and pushing up into places from boston to new york, atlanta city will have to deal with this on saturday. the rain is not the only issue we'll also see strong winds accompanied by this system as wr 90s from san antonio to san angelo phoenix heads to 96 this afternoon. that's a look at the forecast, ladies, back over to you >> thanks so much.

still ahead, were you tricked into amazon prime? >> the ftc thinks the tech giant did just that, and why they're trying to ship amazon to court ye trying to ship amazon to court ♪ ♪ yeah, ♪ ♪ so let's get it ♪ ♪ i'm feeling good vibes ♪ listen, your deodorant just has to work. i use secret aluminum free. just swipe and it lasts all day. secret helps eliminate odor, instead of just masking it. and hours later, i still smell fresh. secret works! ohhh yesss. ♪♪ sometimes jonah wrestles with falling asleep... ...so he takes zzzquil. the world's #1 sleep aid brand for a better night sleep. so now, he wakes up feeling like himself. the reigning family room middle-weight champion. better days start with zzzquil nights. mr. clean magic eraser powers through tough messes. so it makes it look like i spent hours cleaning, and you know i didn't. it makes my running shoe look like new!

it's amazing. it's so good. it makes it look like i have magical powers. magic eraser and sheets make cleaning look easy. we're back with new details on the federal trade commission's lawsuit against amazon it involves claims that the company duped millions into paying for prime service and made it hard to unsubscribe. here's miguel almaguer >> reporter: the new, unredacted details from the ftc's amended complaint against amazon provide new insight into the alleged scheme to enroll customers unwittingly into the prime program, taking the rare step of naming three executives as defendants, they singled out the three saying they slowed, avoided and even undid user experience changes they knew would reduce non-consensual

signups because it would also hurt amazon's profits. lindsey explained that once customers become prime members, they will see what a great program it and remain members, so amazon is okay with the situation. >> it's always significant when you know that people at the company in senior positions were aware of some of these issues. >> reporter: the ftc complaint claims amazon made it purposely complicated for its 200 million-plus prime members to cancel the monthly subscription which offers free shipping and other perks. according to the ftc some amazon employees urged the company to makechanges, saying unknown recurring charges for families could mean money for groceries and gas. while nbc news was unable to reach the three executives, in a stark rebuke, amazon fired back, saying this part, the ftc's decision to add three amazon leaders to its civil case against the company is

unwarranted. we've always made it clear and simple for customers to sign up for and cancel prime one of the nation's biggest companies accused of delivering more than just packages to their consumers. miguel almaguer, nbc news. a new report shows that small business owners are feeling more optimistic. 66% of owners said their small business is in good health that's nearly a 10% increase from last quarter. and 71% said they expect next year's revenue to increase, that's the highest number ever since the chamber of commerce started releasing this index in 2017 most say their own business is doing well, only a third felt good about the overall economy 52% said inflation is their top challenge. >> still to come on "early today," the last spot in the wnba semi-finals up for grabs. we will break down game three showdown in minnesota. simone biles returns to europe for competition to

europe for competition air wick's limited edition fragrances are infused with natural essential oils for authentic seasonal scents that fill your home with warmth and cheer. sweet pillows of softness! that fill your home this is soft! holy charmin! oh! excuse me! roll it back, everybody!! charmin ultra soft is so cushiony soft, you'll want more! but it's so absorbent, you can use less. enjoy the go with charmin. try killing bugs the worry-free way. not the other way. zevo traps use light to attract and trap flying insects with no odor and no mess. they work continuously, so you don't have to. zevo. people-friendly. bug-deadly. you know that feeling of having to rewash dishes that didn't get clean? i don't. cascade platinum plus... with double the dawn grease fighting power and double the scrubbing power. for a no rewash clean... and a cabinet ready shine. upgrade to cascade platinum plus. dare to dish differently. [ "am:pm" by notd begins. ]

upgrade to cascade platinum plus. when you can save on good & gather groceries in all the fall flavors. when quality ingredients bring more to the table. and when you're serving up taste they love at low prices. [ "am:pm" by notd ends. ] that's totally target. to give your teeth a dentist clean feeling. start with a round brush head. add power. and you've got oral-b. round cleans better by surrounding each tooth to remove 100% more plaque. for a superior clean. oral-b. brush like a pro. my frequent heartburn had me taking antacid after antacid all day long but with prilosec otc just one pill a day blocks heartburn for a full 24 hours. for one and done heartburn relief, prilosec otc. one pill a day, 24 hours, zero heartburn. febreze! hate it when a car freshener hits you with an overwhelming blast of perfume? febreze car vent clips work differently. febreze gives you consistent freshness that starts just right and stays just right... ...for 40 days. upgrade to febreze car.

that's going to be a fun group. >> oh, man >> goodness! >> are you kidding me in. >> back with the break down and the biggest stories had sports starting with a winner take all game in the wnba the lynx put up a fight but the sun eclipsed them. connecticut advances with a win, 90-75. and then there were four the wnba semi-finals tip off on sunday the sun heading down to new york to play the liberty, followed bit aces versus the lynx >> could be an uphill climb for the sun against liberty. let's head over to houston. the astros beat the orioles, the best team in the american league in a big win right before the

playoffs that win gives the astros the slimmest of leads right now atop of a.l. west with less than ten games to go they're ahead of the mariners and rangers by just half a game. they can still get a wildcard berth, but we'll have to see how that plays out from the field to the mat. usa gymnastics announced simone biles is on the team to compete in belgium next month. it is the sixth world championship selection for biles, the most ever for an american woman now worlds are held every year except when the olympics are held and biles told the "today" show that she is aiming for paris in 2024 so, as she goes on that road, getting all these wince along the way when it comes to these championships. >> i'm rooting for her i hope we'll see her in paris. will the famous spire at notre dame be ready in >> what you need to know about the restoration when we come back the restoration when we come

back a car commercial. this is an autotrader commercial and this is one of the millions of new and used cars that you can find on autotrader. you can find cars like the ones on your favorite show. oh, no! or the car in this show. get out the water! i bet i can even find the cars in my feed. sure can! you can even find the car in that movie on autotrader. (to ufo) hey, find your own car! febreze! hate it when a car freshener hits you with an overwhelming blast of perfume? febreze car vent clips work differently. febreze gives you consistent freshness that starts just right and stays just right... ...for 40 days. upgrade to febreze car. i brought in ensure max protein with 30 grams of protein. those who tried me felt more energy in just two weeks! uuuhhhh... here, i'll take that! woohoo! ensure max protein, 30 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar. enter the $10,000 powered by protein max challenge. ♪ ♪ "look at this skin, baby. she is glowing. she is 1 of 1."

with new olay hyaluronic body wash 95% of women had visibly-better skin. "my skin is so much more moisturized." see the difference with olay. [ "am:pm" by notd begins. ] when you can save so mu on good & gathered." groceries in all the fall flavors. when quality ingredients bring more to the table. and when you're serving up taste they love at low prices. [ "am:pm" by notd ends. ] that's totally target. lately, my skin seems dry and sensitive. my dermatologist recommended all free clear for my laundry. it's free of dyes and perfumes, for a clean that's gentle on skin. if it touches my skin, i clean it with all free clear the number one brand recommended by dermatologists. for your most brilliant smile, crest has you covered. ♪♪ (laughing) nice smile, brad. nice! thanks? crest 3d white. 100% more stain removal. crest. have fun, sis! ♪♪

can't stop adding stuff to your cart? get the bank of america customized cash rewards card, choose the online shopping category and earn 3% cash back. feeling ughh from a backed up gut? miralax works naturally with the water in your body to help you go... ...free your gut. and your mood will follow. for 8 grams of fiber, try new mirafiber gummies. did you know most dish soaps don't remove all the grease, even with scrubbing? whaaat? i just cleaned those. try dawn platinum. it removes 99% of grease and food residue. that's why dawn is trusted to save wildlife affected by oil. dawn platinum cleans to the squeak. air wick. air wick's limited edition fragrances are infused with natural essential oils for authentic seasonal scents that fill your home with warmth and cheer.

the president mans long-term recovery in east palestinian here's what you need to know "early today." president biden issued an executive order over the east palestine train derailment >> mgm resort's computers are back up and running after a cyber attack a federal investigation into the attack is ongoing. the new head of efforts to rebuild notre dame says he hopes the scaffolding around the new spire will be done before they start the next year's paris olympics it isn't due to reopen to the public until december 2024 and a bullet train in japan played host to a pro wrestling match. they watched them in the aisles

as the train spided at 108 mile per hour a firefighter jumps back into action for an adorable rescue dorable rescue we used to struggle with greasy messes. now, we just freak, wipe, and we're done! with mr. clean clean freak, conquering messes is that easy. clean freak's mist is three times more powerful, and it works on contact. clean freak, just freak, wipe, done. honey... honey... nyquil severe honey. powerful cold and flu relief with a dreamy honey taste. nyquil honey, the nighttime, sniffing, sneezing, couging, aching, fever, honey-licious, best sleep with a cold, medicine. [♪♪] fever, honey-licious, best sleep with a cold, did you know, sweat from stress is actually smellier than other kinds of sweat? that's why i use secret clinical antiperspirant. it provides 3x stress sweat protection. danielle? [♪♪] secret works.

[♪♪] ♪ i gotta good feeling about this, yeah ♪ ♪ i'm with it ♪ ♪ i gotta good feeling about this ♪ ♪ yeah, ♪ ♪ so let's get it ♪ ♪ i'm feeling good vibes ♪ a retired massachusetts firefighter known for his love of animals took it upon himself to rescue a mother possum on the side of the road, only to realize the animal wasn't alone. sam reid from our boston affiliate tells us how the man sprang no action for six baby possums. >> reporter: not a tay goes buy in douglas, massachusetts, that

retired firefighter isn't on alert. the 61-year-old retired from north providence a few years ago. but since the age of 5 his love for animals has always been adamant. >> i had two nicknames, st. francis and dr. doolittle. i pulled more animals from fires than i did people. >> reporter: about a week and a half ago while driving to the dentist, john saw what he assumed was regular road kill. >> you see it, you really pay no attention. and this particular case, i had no choice. >> reporter: lying in the middle of the road was a mess a mama possum had been hit it was clear she hasn't been playing dead but she was the pouch area was moving. >> started moving tissue around and innards and reaching in for the, to get them out >> reporter: it's recommended to

use gloves for something like this using his bare hands he opened her up, saving six babies. >> i saw lives in peril and didn't think twice about t. >> reporter: he brought them back to his house and kept them warm and put out a post on social media >> it's amazing how many rehabbers were talking with each other trying to figure out who was going to take these hill guys >> reporter: for seven years in sudbury, ashley has been a state wildfire rehabilitator >> primarily a small mammal rehabilitator. >> reporter: she says when it comes to her work, possums are no exception, but unfortunately one of the expectations. >> it happens all the time people do not slow down for these animals. >> reporter: forgely, tunately, were saved >> one got her tail lass rated

>> reporter: plans consist of a few more months of care thanks to a man who did >> the world needs more people like john. >> reporter: john says while this type of life saving was a first for him it surely won't be his last >> life is precious. we only get one. so you need to appreciate life and their life is no less important than mine. >> what a spirit he has. >> love that human compassion helping the

accident and we are live at the scene with new details. plus, more unhealthy air on tap. a smoky sky blankets the bay area.

th