breaking overnight. the death toll rising after devastating floodwaters swept across the south. emergency crews rescuing hundreds from the rising water across kentucky, georgia, and tennessee. our team is tracking this system. the irs bracing for doge. an employee affiliated with the

department of government efficiency seeking access to a system hosting sensitive taxpayer data. growing momentum to end russia's war in ukraine. we're live with the high-stake talks set to begin in the middle east this week. a measles outbreak tears across a community in texas, with cases doubling in just a matter of days. how officials are fighting to stop the dangerous disease from spreading more. and a healthcare for shakira. the pop star postponing a show after she was rushed to the hospital. her message to fans this morning. and "saturday night live" celebrates 50 years of laughs on a sunday. the big surprises from the star-studded special, as we kick off this monday, february 17th. live from new york, it's "early today." good morning. and thanks for joining us, 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 also striking tennessee. a catastrophic situation unfolding in the state's northwest. entire neighborhoods this morning all the way to virginia arunder water. and 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 school, r.e. thompson, the roof

blew off of it. >> hundreds of thousands remain in the dark this morning from alabama all the way to new york state. let's bring in nbc meteorologist tevin wooten who has the latest on the flooding conditions across the south. not only messy but devastating for so many. >> yeah, jessica, absolutely. this is really the worst-case scenario for a lot of folks. this was a wintry storm that brought snow for some, but we saw strong thunderstorms for others and flooding as well. the storm has departed, but we're watching that water level rise and snow is melting rapidly, too. we've got eight river gauges at major flood stage. the storm is departing. there's the calm we'll see across the mid section. but across the northeast as the storm has departed, gusty winds are setting up behind it, especially across new york state and massachusetts too. some 66 million americans impacted this morning with gusty winds between 50 and 60 miles

per hour. we've got to watch out for ice and snow which pushed through yesterday. more power outages likely today. and another winter storm is on the way. >> one-two punch. thank you. turning now to capitol hill where there are concerns about cuts at the irs. nbc news has learned that an employee affiliated with elon musk's department of government efficiency or doge is expected to seek access to a system that holds sensitive taxpayer information. alice barr joins me, what else do we know about this request? >> reporter: an administration official tells nbc news, this is an irs employee who is helping with the mission of elon musk's doge team to cut fraud and waste. they say this employee has the appropriate clearances but have not yet accessed the system. this comes as concerns are growing that cuts at the irs could impact tax season. but the new treasury secretary says certain irs employees

cannot take the government's buyout offer until may. we're seeing a spike in unemployment claims here in washington, d.c. since president trump took office. nearly 7,000 jobless claims were filed in the first six weeks of this year. that's about 55% more than the previous six weeks. two sources at the cdc tell nbc news that hundreds of employees at that agency were terminated. and about two dozen of those workers helped with outbreak response efforts. 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 by their supervisors. president trump spent sunday at the daytona 500, even doing a lap in his armored car. the president told nascar fans the country is on track. >> our country's doing well again. and we have spirit all over the

world. there's spirit again. we brought it back, and it's been less than four weeks. so you'll see what we do in a little period of time. it's going to only get better. >> reporter: and this new trump administration is about to make its first appeal to the supreme court. the justice department plans to ask the court to keep a fired government watchdog off the job during an ongoing legal battle. a lower court reinstated the head of the whistle-blower agency after he sued the trump administration. jessica? >> all right, alice, thank you. new yorkers gathered yesterday, calling for mayor eric adams to be removed from office. protesters want the governor to step in after the mayor agreed to help with immigration enforcement, and the justice department dropped corruption charges against him. a doj official resigned and warned that the white house could have some leverage over the mayor. adams spoke at a church service saying he's not t going anywher. >> no matter what they are

saying, we're going to continue to fight for you. >> adams has denied that any deals were made with the trump administration. president trump's border czar called the allegations ridiculous. well, now to the trump administration preparing peace talks between kiev and moscow. secretary of state marco rubio is in saudi arabia to try to initiate negotiations to take place in the kingdom. but ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy says he hasn't been invited to the table yet. for the latest on this, let's go to molly hunter. molly, good morning. there were a lot of moving parts and a lot of developments over the weekend. >> reporter: a lot of moving parts. and i think we'll see a very busy day today, jessica. marco rubio has just arrived in saudi arabia in the last hour. you see him getting off the plane right there. no word on meeting timing yet, though. national security advisor mike waltz and envoy steve witkoff

are expected to join rubio. any deal would include permanently ending the war and changes to u.s. aid to ukraine. but ukraine says, as you mentioned, jessica, they have not been invited to these discussions. our kristen welker asked volodymyr zelenskyy over the weekend. take a 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. >> ukraine doesn't feel like they have a seat at the table. european allies, jessica, feel like they have been excluded from the first round of talks. at least yesterday on cbs the secretary of state seemed to soften the administration's language just a tad, sayg ukraine and europe will be involved in any talks. now two u.s. officials tell nbc news that the intention is for the u.s. to host a bilateral

meeting with russia, then a bilateral meeting with ukraine and finally talk together. what is clear is that the u.s. is setting the pace, setting the tone, and there are big questions about what conditions may have been agreed between president trump and president putin before these negotiations even get going. jessica? >> and when, if and when, zelenskyy gets the invite remains to be seen. thank you. in wyoming, a major cross country interstate is shut down after a deadly and difficult crash deep inside a tunnel. at least three people were killed in the 26-vehicle pileup on friday. and the number could still rise as investigators are slowly making their way through the obstructed tunnel. it could take days for the tunnel to fully open again. authorities say there is no risk, though, that the tunnel could collapse. turning now to the biggest night in nascar. william byron closed out the night a winner, racing from ninth place in the start of the overtime lap to his second straight daytona 500 victory.

byron took the flag at the 67th annual race, managing to avoid wrecks that took out a lot of his contenders, including a crash on the final lap that helped lead to his win. heavy rain did red flag the race. not once but twice. leading to more than four hours of delay. you're going to want to keep that heavy winter jacket close to you this week. tevin wooten is tracking not only the storm we told you about earlier but now the bitter cold temperatures. >> heavy coats necessary today and really all week long. that storm that did depart enough of the country bringing rain and snow, gusty winds remain in its wake. 50 to almost 60 miles per hour for some of the strongest gusts. that's going to create lake-effect snow through lake erie and lake ontario. up to two feet of snow is possible. look at this, from omaha to the twin cities and the mid missouri

river valley, temperatures are 5 to 15 degrees below normal. in memphis, it's about 15 y morning. weather 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 around it's milder across charlotte, highs today are in the mid to upr 40s. that's the forecast across the country. jessica? the nba's all-star weekend wrapped last night, featuring four squads facing off in a tournament-style format at chase center in san francisco. >> heres it. >> it's over, ladies and gentlemen! >> shaq's ogs took the big win. and steph curry earned 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 about an hour and a half before it was set to start because of foot and ankle issues breaking his streak of 20 consecutive all-star appearances. lebron plans to resume rehab later today. coming up on "early today," "saturday night live" celebrates 50 years with a parade of stars. and we're back in just a minute with the health scare for shakira. why the pop star was rushed to the hospital. 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. want a next level clean? swish with the whoa of listerine.

it kills 99.9% of bad breath germs for 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. shakira canceled her concert in lima, peru after being hospitalized for an abdominal issue. she said in a post to her social media accounts that she was sad she couldn't perform, and she hopes to make up the show as soon as possible. officials racing to contain a fast-growing measles outbreak in texas. the number of cases doubling in just a matter of days.

erica edwards has the story. >> reporter: there is growing concern about measles spreading fast in this west texas community. so far, mostly hitting unvaccinated kids in religious mennonite communities. this mother and her eight children, some of whom were coughing and had a fever got tested this week at a mobile site in the outbreak's epicenter, gaines county. >> we have a high number of unvaccinated. they just don't believe in it. >> reporter: confirmed cases of measles, one of the most contagious viruses on the planet, more than doubling her in a single week, from 24 to 49. 13 kids hospitalized so far. but many people aren't getting tested. health officials on the ground believe the true number of cases is 200 to 300.

>> are people here in lubbock already being exposed to measles? >> yes. those who don't vaccinate aren't necessarily isolated to their area. >> reporter: it comes as robert f. kennedy jr. takes over the health and human services. the growing outbreak is worrisome to families in lubbock like ben hamm and karina perez whose 18 month old is vaccinated but has a weak immune system. >> in her first year she got rsv and was in the icu. and last winter she got a common cold, and we were in the icu again. a simple cold can land her in the icu. it was a simple cold that did land her in the icu the last time. >> reporter: a family on edge in a region at the center of this fast-moving measles outbreak. erica edwards, gaines county, texas. still to come, eddie, maya,

mike, kristin, amy and more were live from new york a few hours ago. we are recapping the biggest moments from snl's 50th anniversary situation after this. out of the darkness, ♪ 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 yoga. 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 lten 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, darius, 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. >> 50 years of guests, sketches and breaking character all built up to this. last night's snl 50, the anniversary show, lived up to all the hype. the epic tribute brought together a half century's worth of legenry performers to pay

tribute to the iconic variety series. and i think it was kristen wiig who said it's like being at a family reunion with family that you actually like. >> your chosen family, of course. >> it was very cool to watch. >> and 50 years after hosting snl's second-ever episode, paul simon kicked off last night's show alongside sabrina carpenter. a musical highlight came from adam sandler with a tribute to the show that made him famous and some of the beloved faces they've lost over the years. ♪ 45 years of lorne ♪ ♪ 6 years of our boy, farley ♪ ♪ of our buddy norm ♪ >> beautiful voice there. >> mm-hm. >> none other than sir paul mccartney capped off the night with a show-stopping rendition

from "abbey road." >> so many expectations. i think think nailed it. up next, how crypto romance scammers are sweet talking victims out of their money. and captain era sos e p of the box office with an impressive debut. go through. but we could... with heart disease, you never know. so we made changes. 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. we are back with what's making headlines this morning. crypto fraud hit record levels last year due to romance scams known as pig butchering. according to blockchain research firm chain analysisis, crypto scams brought over $9 billion in crypto currency in 2024. the fda has upgraded a recall to the most serious level. the pearl milling company recall was originally announced last month due to an undeclared milk allergen found in its two-pound boxes of mix. the boxes have a best-buy date of september 2025.

and it was a marvelous debut. captain america made 88.5 million domestically and brought in $192 million globally. paddington in peru came in at number two with $13 million. ♪♪ 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 with a very good boy taking new orleans and the internet by storm. the city banding together to track down an escaped pup named skrim. hallie jackson has the story. >> reporter: this little guy might as well be called mischief. but his actual name is skrim.

a tiny pup finally safe with zeus' rescue founder, michelle saramy. he was on the lamb twice in the last year. >> we all are running to something, running from something. >> reporter: his recent escape, busting out a second-story screen window and slipping out the gate. michelle putting out a call for help online. that's when skrim went viral. people online tracking skrim's location on a map. reporting sightings on doorbell and wildlife cams. skrim even surviving this winter's bigouisiana snowstorm. when you started seeing skrim going viral and all the attention skrim was getting online in this search, what went through your mind? >> i actually didn't believe it was true at first. one of the videos had over a million views, and i'm, like,

are you kidding me? all these people are sending me texts day and night, just supporting me in my efforts and say, wow, what can i do to help you? >> he's right there. hi, baby. >> reporter: the videos showing skrim's shenanigans across the city. >> they would set up these grids where they would sit out on street corners in their cars waiting for him to pass by so they could text me and let me know where he was. people wanted to see him safe. >> reporter: from signs to statue us. the pup's time on the run bringing this city together. >> oh, my god, oh, my god, it skrim. >> reporter: but they couldn't catch him until last week when michelle got a text reading "caught skrim." >> and to be here talking to you and holding him in my arms is just amazing. everything. >> reporter: i can tell it's emotional for you. >> it is very emotional. >> i love you! >> reporter: a reminder of the power of community and strength

for a city that has seen so much. what does skrim mean to new orleans? >> i think, you know, he is new orleans. he went up against so many big things, but somehow pulled through and survived. i mean, that's new orleans. we know how to get through something and do it well. and so does he. >> thanks to hallie for sharing skrim's story with us. and thanks to you for starting your week with "early today." i'm jessica layton. have a great monday. i'll see you back here tomorrow morning.

deadly floods s 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