deadly floods ripping through the south. at least nine killed in hard-hit kentucky alone, with more than a thousand rescues from the riding floodwaters. our team is tracking this system this morning. secretary of state marco rubio on his way to saudi arabia 20 kick off russia-ukraine peace

talks. president trump saying that ukraine will have a seat at the talk, but volodymyr zelenskyy says he hasn't been invited to the table yet. the purge of federal workers continues with new worries that the irs could be next. just as tax season gets into full swing. plus, our new reporting overnight on a doge-affiliated employee who could soon access sensitive taxpayer information. a warning for those looking for love online. a ride in crypto scammers who have defrauded victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. what you need to know. and, live from new york, it's the snl's 50th anniversary special. the guests, cast appearances, musical performances celebrating five decades of the iconic comedy institution t is president's day. and "early today" starts right now. good morning, and thanks for being here.

i'm jessica layton. this morning from the south to the northeast, americans are feeling the wrath of a monster storm system. at least ten people have died, with nine of the deaths in kentucky alone, where severe flooding wreaked havoc. the rising waters leading to more than a thousand rescues. on sunday, president donald trump approved governor bashir's disaster declaration. the devastation striking tennessee, a catastrophic situation there unfolding in the state's northwest, after flood waters overwhelmed a levee, pouring into a community, forcing residents to rush to higher ground. entire neighborhoods all the way to virginia are under water today. and the region facing yet another threat with at least five tornados across mississippi and alabama, where cleanup is under way in the northwest part of the state after wind gusts tore through buildings and power lines. >> roofs are blown off. most of our buildings downtown,

we lost one of our middle schools, r.e. thompson, the roof blew off of it. >> hundreds of thousands remain in the dark this morning frorom alabama to new york. let's bring in our meteorologist who has the latest on the weather conditions. teven, good morning. what a mess they are dealing with. >> absolutely devastating stuff. this was a winter storm, but it did have a severe side. even today we have flood warnings through much of kentucky where there are 117 minor river floods. the good news is the storm system has worked its way offshore. the damage has been done. we still see that water level rise as the water starts to melt in several locations from this winter storm. gusty winds behind it for everyone, from the appalachians to the northeast. 67 million americans impacted,

between 50 to 60 miles per hour across the tri state and new england. cold weather is settling in for much of the country. 42 million americans impacted which bitter cold weather. and it's just the beginning of a very cold week. now to the trump administration preparing peace talks between kiev and moscow. secretary of state marco rubio is on his way to saudi arabia to initiate negotiations to take place in the kingdom. but ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy says he hasn't been invited to that table yet. for the latest, let's go to molly hunter. so many developments over the weekend. >> reporter: that's right. so many developments, and a flurry of diplomatic activity at the end of last week and over the weekend. according to two sources familiar w with the negotiation as you mentioned, u.s. secretary of state marco rubio and michael waltz and steve witkoff are

heading to saudi arabia for meetings with russia. they laid out four priorities, a permanent end to the war, a diplomatic end to the war, integration and changes to aid for ukraine. what's not clear is when ukraine and allies will be invited to the table. ukrainian president zelenskyy was asked about the negotiations. take a quick listen. >> can you accept any peace deal that is cut without ukraine? >> no. >> do you feel like you have a seat at the table right now? >> i not only count on it, i'm sure that we have to be there. >> and the secretary of state seemed to soften the language saying of course ukraine and europe will be involved in any negotiations. nbc news is told ukraine was absolutely not invited to the talks in saudi arabia but says the intention is for the u.s. to host a bilateral meeting with

russia and then bilateral meeting with ukraine and then it talks together. what is not clear is when that might happen. and the u.s. is certainly setting the pace and setting the tone of these early discussions, jessica? >> all right, molly, thanks so much. as tax season begins, there are new concerns this morning about the irs. now vernight, nbc news learned that an irs employee working with the department of government efficiency is expected to seek access to the system that contains sensitive taxpayer information. an administration official says this employee does have the appropriate security clearces, and a white house spokesperson says it takes direct access to the system to identify ways to fix it. but, this development comes as questions grow about how cuts at the irs could impact the tax filing process. here's aaron gilchrist. air force one buzzing daytona

speedway before trump took the beast around the speedway. >> it's been less than four weeks. you'll see what we do in a little period of time. it's going to only get better. >> reporter: his raceway message coming on the heels of his promise to save the taxpayers money. there are fears of tax return chaos and delays if thousands of irs employees are fired. >> i feel bad for all of us hard-working people may not get our taxes filed in time. >> reporter: new treasury secretary telling bloomberg news irs employees can't take the president's buyout offer during tax season. >> they're not eligible for that until may 15th. so i don't imagine anything's going to go on at the irs until then or beyond. >> reporter: president trump last week responding to a question about closing the irs. >> no. i don't expect it.

but, but i think, i think that the internal revenue service will be looked at like everybody else. >> reporter: nbc news has obtained a termination letter sent to dozens of probationary workers at the transportation department, saying they were fired for poor performance, despite most being rated exceptional. they join a growing list of fired employees like kate royce. so when you got that e-mail, what went through your mind? >> i think my first emotion was grief, quickly followed by anger. i'm worried about paying rent in march. i'm worried about getting the healthcare that i need. >> our thanks to aaron for that report. new yorkers gathered sunday calling for mayor eric adams to be removed from office. protesters appeared. a doj official resigned and

warned that the white house could have leverage other adams. adams says he's not going anywhere. he has denied that any deals have been made with the white house. to wyoming now where a cross country interstate is shut down after a deadly crash deep inside a tunnel there. at least three people were killed in a 26-vehicle pileup on friday. and the number could rise as investigators slowly make their way through the obstructed tunnel. it could take days for the tunnel to fully open again. authorities say there is no risk that the tunnel will collapse. turning now to the biggest night in nascar. william byron closed out the night a winner, racing from ninth place to his second straight daytona 500 victory. he took the flag at the 67th annual race managing to avoid wrecks that took out lots of his contenders, including a crash on

the final lap that helped lead to his win. heavy rain led to more than four hours of delays. we told you about the storm at the top of the broadcast. you also want to keep the winter coat close this week. tevin wooten is tracking it. >> this is just the beginning today. we'll have temperatures 40 degrees colder than normal for this time of year across much of the lower 48. this winter storm that brought this to the northeast yesterday, gusty winds are behind it. it's a cold week from omaha to the twin cities and even through places like little rock, arkansas where temperatures are 10 degrees below average, putting us down intoy morning. r in three, two, one. good morning. the top weather concern of the morning. patchy areas of dense fog and a little bit of drizzle possible early in the

day. dry start overall to the week before rain chances return aroundld air across places like north georgia and atlanta where 50s will feel like the 40s. and that's a check of the nation's forecast. the nba's all-star weekend wrapped up late last night, featuring four squads facing off in a tournament-style playoff. shaq's team took the win with steph curry earning mvp honors at his home arena. lebron james didn't end up playing. the l.a. lakers star announced he would miss the mini tournament 90 minutes before it was set to start because of foot and ankle issues. this breaks his streak of 20 consecutive all-star appearances. lebron says he plans to start rehab again today. coming up on "early today," celebrating 50 years of "saturday night live."

the surprises from the star-studded event. and dot lln'fa head over heels into a hustle. how crypto is fueling a rise in romance scams. and aloe vera line is changing the game. up to five days of moisture and no wash days in between? let's see about that. day two, headed to work, but i feel like i'm about to drop a hit single. all the cuties are at the run club. good thing these curls are curling. can you believe this is day five? i think i could go even longer. up to five days of lasting moisture. endless possibilities. imagine what you could do in five days. want a next level clean? swish with the whoa of listerine. it kills 99.9% of bad breath germs for five times more cleaning power than brushing and flossing alone. get a next level clean... ahhhhh with listerine. feel the whoa! ♪♪ you can't predict sick days, [child sneeze] but with kleenex, you can be prepared for them. ♪♪ for whatever happens next,

grab kleenex. we're back now with the heartbreak behind online dating. as more americans log on to apps and websites to look for love, thousands have fallen victim to romance scams. ken dilanian looks at the staggering amount it can cost you. >> reporter: americans are falling for online dating scams and losing tons of money in the process. a new report from better markets uncovers how scammers are using unregulated crypto currency to commit massive fraud. the perpetrators experts say, often southeast asian crime syndicates. it's known as pig butchering. >> it's akin to fattening up a pig before slaughtering it.

>> reporter: a typical operation goes like this. scammers reach out to their mark online. posing as a made-up single and initiate a virtual romance. first stealing the victim's heart, then their bank account. manipulating them into fake investment opportunities using crypto currency. the victim sends a big sum of money through a fake platform. and in a blink of an eye those funds are gone, untraceable and irreplaceable. that's exactly what happened to barry may, a divorced insurance adjustor in mississippi. >> if i invested with her or invested in a, in the crypto, and she could come to me, and we could get married. >> reporter: his whirlwind online romance with someone he thought was named anna ended up costing him $500,000, his entire life savings. >> i got about $10,000 left in my account to my name. and i've got a daughter at home

that's autistic. >> is this financial situation affecting the care you're able to give? >> yeah, because i can't afford medicine. >> reporter: fortunately for may, a phone call from an fbi agent stopped him from taking out a loan to send even more money, putting himself deeper in debt. it's estimated there are over 40,000 victims in 2023. the losses are staggering. >> we're estimating $4 billion was transferred through these scams in 2023. it's likely that the actual amount is far greater, because most people don't report that they've been victims of these scams. >> reporter: and it's the prevalence of crypto currency that's making these scams much easier. >> criminals prefer crypto, really for three reasons. one, it allows them to quickly transfer money offshore without having to engage with the traditional financial system. two, it allows them anonymity. three, crypto transitions tend to be very difficult to trace.

>> reporter: scammers using new tools to take advantage of those looking for love in all the wrong places. ken dilanian, nbc news. still to come. a half century's worth of cast vi.bers and hosts and john lotz the recap of the big moments from sunday's snl special. ♪ thunder ♪ energy. ♪ thunder ♪ (barista) milk man! (vo) beans ground. milk frothed. shots poured. espresso shaken & shaken & shaken & shaken & shaken. 10 times. no more. no less. this is the story of coffee. and company. the starbucks you love is ready. hello again. aah, it's a good day to cough. oh, no! bye, bye cough. later chest congestion. hello 12 hours of relief. 12 hours?! hmmm, ok. not coughing at yo.

antiquing not coughing? not coughing at the movies?! hashtag still not coughing?! aaah. oww! mucinex dm gives you 12 hours of relief from chest congestion and any type of cough, day or night. it's not cough season. it's always comeback season. if i were him, i'd bundle my home and auto and pick up the real victory, savings. are you talking about bowling? no, bundling jan. bundling. bundle and save with the personal price plan. like a good neighbor, state farm is there. always dry scoop before you run. listen to me, the hot dog diet got me shredded. it's time we listen to science. one a day is formulated with key nutrients to support whole body health. one a day. science that matters. mopping is hard work, but then i tried the swiffer powermop. it has a built-in solution that breaks down dirt on contact. plus, it's 360-degree swivel head cleans up along baseboards and even behind the toilet.

bye, bye bucket. with the swiffer powermop. some people have minor joint pain plus certain stomach problems. they may not be able to take just anything for pain. that's why doctors recommend tylenol. it won't irritate your stomach the way aleve, advil or motrin can. for trusted relief, trust tylenol.

and welcome to the 50th anniversary of "saturday night live." i'm steve martin, "saturday night live's" newest diversity hire. > what is "saturday night live." >> come on, i just gave you the answer. >> no, i'm asking, what is "saturday night live." >> i hope you realize how lucky you are to work here, chad. it's a pretty magical place. >> okay. >> oh, come on, chad. 50 years of guests, sketches and

breaking character all led to this. last night's snl 50, the anniversary special living up to the hype. the epic tribute brought together a half century's worth of legendary performers to pay tribute to the iconic variety series. and there is one of my favorites. >> debbie downer. >> one of my favorites of all time. we grew up with this show. at least i did. i've been watching it forever. so the amount of star power in this building last night incredible. >> and 50 years after hosting snl's second-ever episode, paul simon kicked off sunday's show alongside sabrina carpenter and miley cyrus and lil' wayne. but the highlight came from adam sandler. ♪ 45 years of lorne ♪ ♪ 6 years of our boy farley ♪

5 of our buddy norm ♪ >> none other than sir paul mccartney capped off the night with a show-stopping rendition of the final three songs of the beatles' abbey road. >> and that song, that was, those were the tears. that's when that happened. when we come back, why shakira's sunday show in peru was postponed. and captain america stuck the landing after soaring into theaters. green juice. diet, exercise... ...statins helped. but our ldl-c (bad cholesterol) - it was stuck! - stuck! just couldn't lower it enough. and high ldl-c meant a real risk of another attack. so i said, “let's ask our doctor about repatha.” what can i say? listen to your heart. repatha plus a statin dramatically lowers ldl-c by 63%, and drops the risk of having a heart attack by 27%.

do not take repatha if you're allergic to it. serious allergic reactions can occur. get medical help right away if you have trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat or arms. common side effects include runny nose, sore throat, common cold symptoms, flu or flu-like symptoms, back pain, high blood sugar, and redness, pain or bruising at the injection site. we won't let another heart attack set us back. and neither should you. listen to your heart. lower your ldl-c and your risk with repatha. talk to your doctor. ♪♪ -what? you're joking. -[laughing] this is a joke. you want jokes? wait, new car? you need, (singing) like a good neighbor, state farm is there. your state farm agent can help you choose the coverage you need. glad i could help. like a good neighbor, state farm is there. there are many ways to dress your mcdonald's hot, crispy fries. but which is best...? is it with ketchup? sweet 'n sour? dare i say au naturale...? ♪ even when us women's national team forward mallory swanson isn't on the field...

...she always makes the perfect play. thanks to the bank of america customized cash rewards visa card, she'll earn 3% cash back on her purchase after choosing the online shopping category. ♪♪ (mom) let me see my new grand-dog! th(mia) say “hi grandma”!ory. (mom) you're feeding him, blue buffalo, right? (jack) nah, we got purina one. it's all the same stuff. (mom) not really. blue life protection formula's got deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, oatmeal, barley... (mia) well purina one has chicken, rice flour, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, chicken by-product meal... (jack) [laughing] looks like we're switching to blue! (vo) switch to blue. and feed your dog like family. always dry scoop before you run. listen to me, the hot dog diet got me shredded. it's time we listen to science. one a day is formulated with key nutrients to support whole body health. one a day. science that matters. [fighting scene]

—ugh! here we go again —wait there's a red hulk now? excuse me... what do i do about this? —we use tide oxi boost. —it's a life saver. the most powerful clean in any universe. lookin good. thank you. see captain america: brave new world. zyrtec allergy relief works fast and lasts a full 24 hours so dave can be the... deliverer of dance. ok, dave! let's be more than our allergies. zeize the day with zyrtec. here's what's making headlines this morning. shakira canceled her concert in lima, peru after being hospitalized due to an abdominal issue. she hopes to make up the show as soon as possible. paramount global and youtube have reached an agreement to keep nickelodeon on their streaming platform. captain america earned $88

million, the biggest opening of the year so far. paddington took second place. and two bottles of kentucky bourbon signed by pope francis ary.ed thousan odoarin dsf lls dsf lls chit ♪♪ okay, y'all. i heard mielle's kalahari melon and aloe vera line is changing the game. up to five days of moisture and no wash days in between? let's see about that. day two, headed to work, but i feel like i'm about to drop a hit single. all the cuties are at the run club. good thing these curls are curling. can you believe this is day five? i think i could go even longer. up to five days of lasting moisture. endless possibilities. imagine what you could do in five days. aveeno introduces new daily moisturizing cream. it's clinically proven to moisturize dry skin for 48 hours. and instantly strengthen skin's barrier. for softer, smoother skin. aveeno. the power of oat for sensitive skin.

♪♪ you can't predict sick days, [child sneeze] but with kleenex, you can be prepared for them. ♪♪ for whatever happens next, grab kleenex. we're back now with the high-tech solution taking off to find lost dogs. owners are turning to drones to find their missing pups. maggie vespa shows us how it all works. >> reporter: after a days-long, agonizing search, a drone's cutting-edge thermal and video

cameras. >> come on. come on, come on. >> oh, my god! we got him, we got him! >> reporter: capturing the heart-stopping moments charlie, the missing burmese mountain dog is found. a happy ending. david novak and kate bell monte won't soon forget. it had been nearly a week since the chicago couple's pup had run away. >> we thought maybe someone stole him. like, he's injured. >> it was, like, terrifying. >> reporter: finally, someone on social media floated an idea. hiring professional search teams. including mike smith of smithic air who uses special heat-sensing drones. >> oh, my gosh. there's a deer right there. >> reporter: with their nearly 20-time video zoom to find

animals hidden even in densely-wooded areas. is this just, to you, like undeniable proof of the love that humans have for their pets? >> they meet me when they're at their worst moment, really. they've lost a family member. >> reporter: smith has his drone overhead right now. first, can you see our drew in the field on the thermal imagery. the heat sources have so clear. then he switches to video. you can see how easy we are to spot. finding lost pets now the bulk of smith's business. >> there are some days that i'm going out after my day job and searching two totally separate searches for dogs. >> reporter: nationwide, it's a growing trend, with desperate owners coast-to-coast paying drone operators hundreds of dollars to find their furry friends. >> jack! look, it's daddy! >> reporter: from oklahoma. >> oh, jack! jack, it's mama. >> reporter: to colorado.

>> good job. >> reporter: to massachusetts. >> oh, i missed you. >> reporter: this burgeoning industry time and time again churning out happy homecomings like charlie's. >> i'm going to hug mike and give him a big kiss. >> reporter: crystal lake, illinois. >> technology with a happy ending. have a great monday. we'll see you tomorrow.

breaking overnight. the death toll rising as floods sweep across the south. weekend storms killing multiple people across kentucky and georgia, while a levee break in tennessee forced hundreds to evacuate for higher ground. our team is tracking where those devastating storms are heading next.