good morning. in the hot seat. the prosecution's key witness in the john edwards trial back on the stand today to face tough new questions from the defense. this after being hammered about his motive for testifying against his former boss. we're live at the white house -- or at the courthouse. inch "today" exclusive. the husband of that missing ft. bragg soldier speaks out in a live interview. what does he think happened to his wife, and what does he know about the man she was with on the night she disappeared? and ready for more rosie? she created a firestorm by saying lindsay lohan needs a lot of help and is not in a place to work. lindsay firing back. >> how someone you don't know at all can say something to intrusive and so annoying.

>> now rosie's turn to talk about that and will join our "today's professionals" thursday, april 26th, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to "today" on this thursday morning. i'm ann curry sitting apparently next to johnny carson. >> is it loud in here or is it just me? yeah. >> actually, i like it. >> this is what would happen if johnny carson were a guest star on "mad men." that's the only thing i've got today. anyway, i'm matt lauer. this john edwards trial so far seems to be less about actual charges, more about his relationship with his former aide, andrew young. >> that's right. and young has been on the stand all week painting edwards as the mastermind in the alleged misuse of campaign funds to hide an affair. well, on wednesday young was

cross-examined by the defense for the first time, and inconsistencies in his story were pointed out. we'll get more from the court straight ahead. also, we're talk about a controversy in indiana. a woman is suing a school and catholic church after saying she used to in vitro fertilization. we'll tell you what the church is saying now about her claims. and also, it's hard to believe, but it's been almost a year now since the royal wedding of prince william and kate middleton. and later this morning, we'll actually take a look at kate's growing influence on fashion and on women and how her style has changed over the first year she's had as a royal. let's head over to the news desk. natalie's standing by with all the headlines. >> federal officials are urging vigilance in a new bulletin ahead of the one-year anniversary of osama bin laden's death. released late wednesday night, the bulletin does not cite a specific credible threat but says authorities are concerned

that lone wolf terrorists might try to take advantage of the may 1st anniversary for an attack. the secret service prostitution scandal is now under the microscope on capitol hill. nbc's correspondent kelly o'donnell has the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the homeland security secretary says although disciplinary action has already taken place, they are still investigating, looking at records, talking to former agents to see if what happened in cartagena fits a pattern or was just one big mistake. one question would not go away. >> is this the first time something like this has happened, or have you had reports of similar incidents in the past? >> there had been an argument between one of the agents and i guess a prostitute, for lack of a better word, about money, we probably would have never known about this. >> reporter: 12 vet service employees and another dozen military service members had been under investigation in the cartagena, colombia, prostitution scandal.

>> we are going to get to the bottom of this. to my knowledge, there have been no similar-type incidents reported to the office of professional responsibility. >> reporter: like a page from a spy novel, senators raised questions about the risks to national security. >> had the prostitutes had connections with colombian criminal networks or foreign intelligence services. >> reporter: and raised the more everyday risk that comes with using social media. >> one of the secret service agents has reportedly posted photos on facebook depicting himself on duty. >> to the extent there was such a posting, unprofessional and unacceptable. >> reporter: and key members of congress are upset at the pentagon saying they're being kept in the dark, not getting answers about the investigation involving those 12 uniformed service members. they want to know more. natalie? >> kelly o'donnell on capitol hill, thank you, kelly. president obama is full steam ahead on the campaign trail. he headlines his first

re-election rally back to back next week in ohio and virginia. his first nonfund-raising events of the race. meantime with newt gingrich planning to suspend his campaign and one-time rival rick perry is now endorsing romney for president. an extradition hearing is set for joran van der sloot on may 8th, the prime suspect in the 2005 disappearance of natalee holloway. u.s. prosecutors want to try the 24-year-old dutchman for extortion after he allegedly promised the missing teen's family information on her whereabouts in exchange for cash. van der sloot is currently serving a 28-year prison sentence in peru after confessing to a murder there back in 2010. let's head to wall street. cnbc's mandy drury is at the new york stock exchange. >> reporter: we've got the federal reserve behind us, and chairman bernanke kept the door open to the possibility of more stimulus if, indeed, the economy needs it. and that should be one thing that should help to keep a floor on the stocks going forward.

elsewhere, we're watching to see whether apple shares can keep on gaining after a massive surge yesterday, and that helped the nasdaq have its biggest gain in a year. and we've also got a flood of corporate earnings coming out today. so far this earnings season, natalie, corporate america has on the whole delivered better than expected results. back to you. >> mandy drury at the new york stock exchange, thank you. and this guy definitely isn't up for a boyfriend of the year award. the prankster decided to put his day-off work to good use, scaring the life out of his girlfriend and her roommates. that's him dressing up like a burglar. check out what happened next. whether or not she decides to keep him around, she may want to take that tee back that she gave him. 7:06. back over to matt, ann and al. can you believe that? >> that's a good way to get maced. >> he's pretty lucky that nothing else happened.

>> if he gave her a ring, i'm sure she should just take it. anyway, we'll find out what the end of that story is. thanks, natalie. mr. roker is here with a check of the weather. >> there's going to be a meeting in the conference room with roger sterling later. >> we'll have fun with this all morning long. >> it's a terrific jacket. i like it. >> do you have a car to sell? >> wow! >> i've heard them all. all right. >> let's see what's going on. it is a nice jacket. we'll show you what we've got for you for today. two areas of severe weather possible from chattanooga up to lexington, possibility of some damaging wind and hail. out to the west from amarillo to garden city, you can see already we're getting showers and thunderstorms firing up. parts of tennessee under severe thunderstorm watches as well. out west, we've got another system stretching from seattle all the way down to san diego. more rain anywhere from one to two inches in some areas up into the pacific northwest. a little lighter as you move into southern california.

good morning. it will be a cool day today. the average high temperature is in the upper 60's. off and on rain showers and maybe a thunderstorm. and that's your latest weather. matt? al, thank you very much. the prosecution's star witness of the john edwards trial will be back on the stand again today after he was grilled by the defense for the first time on wednesday. nbc's lisa myers is at the federal courthouse in greensboro, north carolina. lisa, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, matt. andrew young is likely to face even tougher questions today including allegations that he pocketed much of the money supposed to be used to hide edwards' mistress.

so far this trial has been less about campaign finance law than about the sordid details of john edwards' deception. edwards' former aide and chief accuser, andrew young, arrived at the courthouse ready for a grilling. abbe lowell, edwards' defense lawyer, pummeled young with a long list of apparent inconsistencies and misstatements, some from young's tell-all book. for example, in the book, young claimed edwards didn't call his mistress, rielle hunter, the day their daughter was born. a precious living, breathing human being, his daughter, had come into the world, and he wasn't inclined to even call the woman who had listen birth to her. lowell said he called ms. hunter in the delivery room, didn't he? young replied, "i would have no way of knowing about that." lowell cited three different accounts from young of how hunter was put on the campaign payroll. young had testified a staffer called him telling him to do it but previously said it was edwards.

>> one night he called me late from a bar to have her put on payroll. >> you line up all these little inconsistencies, these inconsistent statements, and you put that in front of a jury. and what you're saying is that andrew young can't be trusted. that every time he opens his mouth, a lie comes out. >> reporter: lowell asked young about an e-mail in which he said of edwards, "i want to personally -- on his head." lowell said, "you really hate him, don't you?" youngs reply, "i have mixed feelings." young's painted a highly unflattering portrait of edwards recounting his numerous lies to wife, elizabeth, and clachling when he learned hunter was pregnant, he called her a "crazy slut." >> they're trying to show edwards is not a good guy and he was going to manipulate and deceive every step of the way. >> reporter: he recounted his last conversation with edwards in 2008. he said edwards had told him elizabeth had taken his cell phone and keys and his life was a living hell. young testified, "i told him that i had evidence of

everything that had happened and that if he wasn't going to live up to his promise to come clean, i was going to do so myself." he said edwards replied, "you can't hurt me, andrew. you can't hurt me." >> reporter: how much young has been able to hurt edwards will be determined by the jury. and whether it believes young's claim that edwards knew about money used to hide his mistress and which the government contends managed illegal campaign contributions. >> lisa myers in greensboro for us this morning. lisa, thank you very much. savannah guthrie is "today's" legal correspondent. hampton dellinger is an analyst following the trial. good morning to you both. >> morning. >> andrew young has been advertised as the prosecution's star witness. that's why they put him up there right out of the box. how much damage has been done to his credibility? >> well, i think a lot. you know, abbe lowell, john edwards' defense attorney, was able to present andrew young as someone who either hadn't

written or hadn't read his own book. and i think even before cross-examination, if andrew young was the star witness for the government, he wasn't that shining. time and again, he has helped edwards' case. he made it clear that the money for the cover-up wasn't sought to have anything in return for it, that john edwards was consistent, that this arrangement was proper and that the donors were told everything was legal. >> and savannah, let me bring you in here. we've got a lot of details that are coming out now that sound like they're right out of a political thriller. there's a meeting on a back-country road in a car. it's a heated exchange. there, of course, is the infidelity here. have we even gotten to the crime part yet? >> well, it's all part and parcel of it. sometimes you have salacious facts but they're not relevant to the legal issue. here they're all directly relevant. we'll hear from rielle hunter and andrew young. this really boils down to this epic credibility contest between two people who have lost their credibility. john edwards and andrew young. >> and the defense is going to have to embrace that.

they're going to have to say, look, we are defending a guy we know you don't think this is a good guy, but that's not what this is about. >> they've done so. in opening statements and a defense lawyer has acknowledged edwards committed many sins but no crimes. prosecutors have to do the same thing. they said of andrew young, you will not like him, jurors. it's going to be a difficult task to ferret out who's telling the truth. >> hampton, there's an even bigger question here. there's going to be a question asked as to whether the laws being used to prosecute john edwards are being applied in the correct manner. how's the defense going to tackle that? >> well, the defense would love to bring to the witness stand two former federal election commissioners who are prepared to testify that what john edwards did, even if you assume all the allegations are true, wasn't even a civil violation much less a criminal one. so if those commissioners testify, they may be the star witnesses.

>> why isn't it a certainty they'll testify? >> it's very controversial. you're talking about two witnesses coming in and offering a conclusion to the legal issues in the case, the ultimate issue in the case that the jury is supposed to decide. i've talked to veteran prosecutors who prosecute these kinds of cases. even they think this stretches the outer limits of how the campaign finance laws will be applied. so this is a tough case for the prosecutors to make. >> savannah guthrie and hampton, thanks to both of you. appreciate it. it's now 14 after the hour. here's ann. >> matt, thank you. the parents of a 6-year-old girl in arizona missing for nearly a week have talked publicly for the first time since their daughter disappeared. nbc's miguel almaguer is in tu done again this morning on the sorry. miguel, good morning. >> reporter: ann, good morning. the parents say they last saw their daughter sleeping here at the family home friday morning. they've been working with investigators ever since she vanished. and on wednesday, for the first time, they decided it was time to speak publicly. >> we are here today to plea for

a safe return of our baby girl, isabel. >> reporter: becky and sergio celis spoke briefly, reading from a prepared statement. >> just please, please, to the person or persons who have isabel, tell us your demands. tell us what you want. we will do anything for her. >> reporter: the search for their 6-year-old daughter is now in day six. after following 300 leads with no major breaks, police urged the parents to go public. >> we don't want the focus to be taken off isabel by us being in front of the cameras. >> reporter: her parents reported her missing saturday morning. her father told police he last saw her in bed friday night. when detectives arrived here at the family home, they say her bedroom window was open, the screen pushed aside. the case has not been ruled a kidnapping, instead a suspicious disappearance. >> we are cooperating to the

fullest extent with the investigation. we are increasing the reward. >> reporter: police have made no suspects and say isa's parents are working with investigators. the family home is surrounded by a five-foot wall. neighbors say dogs are often in the yard or inside the home. >> so your bedroom window is right here? >> right here. hers is right there. >> reporter: alicia lives next door, her bedroom 20 feet away from isa's. at 6:30 a.m. saturday, an hour and a half before the 6-year-old was reported missing, she told police she heard male voices outside her window. >> i didn't think it was that strange. >> reporter: she believes she was abducted by someone the little girl knew. >> there was no struggle that i could hear, you know. i didn't hear her. i didn't hear screaming. i think that it's someone that she knew. someone that she trusted. >> we're not making any assumptions based upon that. there's a huge amount of information out there. >> reporter: police have called the family home a crime scene.

wednesday officers again went door to door. teams scoured miles of washes and ravines. hours of local surveillance tapes have been reviewed, but investigators say they have no significant leads. >> we're looking for you, isa. >> reporter: now isa's parents are stepping forward, sending out not just a plea but a message to their little girl. >> we love you. we miss you so much. and we will never give up. we will never give up looking for you. >> reporter: the reward for isa's return has been raised to $30,000. and although this home was once deemed a crime scene, her parents have been allowed to return. ann? >> it's a really heartbreaking story. miguel, thank you so much for your reporting on this. it is now 7:17. once again, here's matt. >> thank you. on a much lighter note, a rare sighting has a lot of people talking. a killer whale they're calling iceberg, the only known all-white orca in the world. nbc's mike taibbi's at the aquarium of the pacific in long beach, california.

mike, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, matt. well, there's no white whale exhibit, just this big blue whale. say the two words white whale, and who wouldn't immediately think the words moby dick. scientists have a totally different mission than did old captain ahab. they didn't get a lot of film, and they were 50 yards away, but then as an old whaleman might have said, he breaches. a killer whale, or orca, the only all-white orca known at present to exist. the bull male and a pod of a dozen relatives cruising the northwest pacific on the russian coast. >> it's just west of the aleutian islands. >> reporter: eric hoyt of the project spoke to us via skype from scotland and said the six-foot dorsal fin of the white whale they dubbed iceberg suggests a mature giant of the species. >> he's about 16 or 17 years old, and he's probably about 24 or 25 feet long. >> reporter: and weighing how much, do you think?

>> could easily be five or six tons. >> reporter: a big one but not herman melville's fictional moby dick, the monster sperm whale with its snow white wrinkled forehead and dormed lower jaw. in the 1956 film version of the classic from obsession -- >> i seek the white whale! >> reporter: -- to madness and his own doom. >> damn this whale! >> reporter: there's no obsession with iceberg, just incredible excitement. >> it's a symbol of, you know, what's, you know, wild and beautiful and extraordinary about nature. >> reporter: and so rare. other whale species appear in white, almost all belugas, many in captivity and even white whales like this one frolicking off australia's barrier reef. >> listen. >> reporter: but photos suggest iceberg could be the same white orca now grown older that was seen in 2008 and as far back as

2000, all in the remote northern pacific. >> even melville would have trouble in these waters. >> reporter: so the scotland-based researchers will look for him again to track his movements and listen to his family conversations. and to give iceberg and his relatives the best chance to stay alive, unlike ahab's plans for his white whale. >> we're not out to kill him. it's the sort of opposite of moby dick. >> reporter: if they find iceberg, they won't try to stick him with one of those tracking devices. they'll try to learn about him and his habitat by taking photos and video and by watching, no doubt, in wonder. matt? >> it's very cool. thank you very much. just ahead, rosie o'donnell on her headline-making comments about lindsay lohan on "t "tuesday's professionals" as she gets set to join us for another live discussion. first, this is "today" on nbc.

just ahead, a "today"

exclusive. the catholic teacher now suing the catholic church who says she was fired for having ivf treatments after your local news. and then at 3:15 with my guilt. [ female announcer ] special k cracker chips. 27 crispy chips. 110 delicious calories. mmm. good meeting. same time tomorrow? [ female announcer ] find them in the cracker aisle. i see a bag and think... i could have a chip. yeah right. that's why they're called chipsss. [ female announcer ] special k cracker chips. 27 crispy chips. 110 delicious calories. [ female announcer ] find them in the cracker aisle. ♪ start out softer and more vulnerable? new aquafresh kids fresh and fruity toothpaste gently cleans their teeth with natural calcium and fights cavities with fluoride. try new aquafresh kids fresh and fruity toothpaste. cuban try new aquafresh kids ca jun raw seafood pizza parlor french fondue tex-mex fro-yo tapas puck

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and got this one free. wow! [ tires screech ] buy one 6" sub? [ tires screech ] ...and get another one free? before 9am. all april long. [ male announcer ] subway, eat fresh. the teacher that comes to mind for me is my high school math teacher, dr. gilmore. i mean he could teach. he was there for us, even if we needed him in college. you could call him, you had his phone number. he was just focused on making sure

we were gonna be successful. he would never give up on any of us. >> keep in mind, preakness is about three weeks away now. not that wet, but the track is wet when you place your wager. i am stan stovall. more than a year after a body was found in the susquehanna river, police make an arrest in the death of phylicia barnes. michael johnson, the ex- boyfriend of her older sister, was taken into custody after

midnight he was reportedly the last person to see phylicia before she went missing in december 2010. here is sarah caldwell. >> dealing with delays, as we normally do at this hour. also an accident at frederick road and buttercup court. be extra careful at that intersection. look at to under 95. southbound in the red. dealing with a defective traffic light at coldspring and the j.f.x. this is where your delays begin all the way down through the construction zone. under the traffic slow on the north side around harford and on the west side. here is what looks like in the southbound direction. j.f.x. looking at a jam packed ride towards the construction zone. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> we have a little bit of light

rain to contend with, but most of it is to the south. 50 in-town, 50 in parkton. take a light jacket and an umbrella. heavy thunderstorms to the central part of virginia. the rain will pick up in intensity as we go through the morning. off and on showers, maybe a thunderstorm. seven-day forecast, it will dry out tomorrow but turn cool

think she needs a lot of help. they needs a lot of time away. >> is it a good idea to cast her in this movie? >> no, because she's had a lot of trouble doing every single movie including "snl." >> that was rosie o'donnell here earlier this week talking about lindsay lohan. her comments got a lot of attention both online and from lindsay herself. we'll get rosie's reaction as she prepares to rejoin star and donny this morning. 7:30 on a thursday morning, april 26th, 2012. inside studio 1a, i'm matt lauer alongside ann curry. >> hey you. also, a big controversy in indiana, matt, because a catholic schoolteacher there says that she was fired for trying to have a baby with the help of in vitro fertilization, so now she's suing. we'll talk to her. and also coming up a little

later, kate middleton's impact on fashion and young women all around the world. she's had one year almost as a royal, and she's made a splash, as we all know. we'll get to that. let's begin this half hour with the search for clues in the nearly two-week-old disappearance in the disappearance of a ft. bragg soldier, kelli bordeaux. first, the latest in the case. >> we want her back. >> reporter: as the mystery into the disappearance of kelli bordeaux deepens each day, her family is growing more worried. >> she wouldn't disappear from her family like this. she wouldn't just leave us. >> reporter: police say the 23-year-old was last seen at this bar singing karaoke in the early morning hours of april 14th, reportedly drinking with nicholas holbert, a registered sex offender who told a local abc station he simply offered her a ride home. >> i had nothing to do with it. i picked her up and took her home that night, that's it. >> reporter: he's being held in jail on unrelated charges.

a military official tells nbc news bordeaux used her cell phone after leaving the bar but gave no indication she was in trouble. police say they have no suspects, but they're very concerned for bordeaux's safety. officials have searched woods and a nearby pond but turned up nothing. >> my wife went missing last weekend. >> reporter: her husband, mike, has been out with family members posting flyers and aiding in the search. kelli and mike have been married two years. he was in florida visiting family when his wife vanished. with bordeaux missing now for almost two weeks, her family is adamant she would not abandon them or the army job she loved so much. >> i understand there's people that go awol, but you don't go awol from your family. >> kelli's husband, mike, is with us along with her brother, matt henson. good morning to both of you. i know it's a very difficult time for your family, so i appreciate you joining me. >> thank you for having us. >> thank you for having us. >> mike, it's not good news to hear from the police that they

have no real leads in this case, no major evidence. are they telling you any more than they're telling the press? >> no. i mean, i'm still -- same information i have. everything else is, you know, no newly leads or anything like that. >> mike, as you well know, anytime there is a missing person case, the police must spend a certain amount of time concentrating on the people closest to the person who's missing. in this case, that would be you because you are her husband. what kind of direct conversations have you had with the police? what kind of blunt and direct questions have they asked you about any possible involvement in her disappearance? >> well, they asked exactly where i was and when i got the phone call saying she was missing. you know, i was in florida visiting my parents at this time. and i got the phone call she was

missing around on monday. and i didn't think it was right because she always goes to work. i mean, she's a very responsible person. she would not just call in and say she's not coming into work or anything like that. she would definitely go to work. so i didn't -- i didn't like the whole situation. >> let me just -- >> something was fishy. >> let me just ask a blunt question. there had been some early information that you and kelli were estranged at the time she disappeared. was there marital trouble between the two of you at that time? >> no, no, not at all. we were very happy. we weren't getting a divorce, nothing like that. i was just visiting my parents for that. i was not -- no. nothing was wrong with our marriage. >> according to police, the last person she was seen with was this gentleman, nicholas holbert, who is a registered sex offender, 25 years old. do you know if kelli knew nicholas holbert before that night?

>> i -- i don't know. i mean, i wasn't here, but me and her, we never went there. like we never went to that bar. i never went to that bar. i don't even know this guy. but, i mean, to tell you the truth, i don't trust anything he says. i don't believe a word he says. >> so when he says he dropped her off at home that night, and there are text messages apparently sent from kelli's cell phone where she says, "i am home," you don't buy any of that. you're suspicious about those texts as well? >> yes, very, because if she was dropped off in front of that complex, she would definitely have made it home. i know my wife. she would have made it home. there's no way. >> i'm sorry, mike. matt, volunteers can sign up today to join in the search for your sister, and a lot of people are apparently interested in doing that. are you surprised by the outpouring of support you've received from this community? >> i'm very happy that everyone like the fayetteville police,

the detectives, the military, all the volunteers, you know, even neighbors, i'm so happy that these people are trying to help find my wife. i want her to come home safe and sound. >> and matt, what do you want us to know about your sister? >> just that, you know, we expect to find her and, you know, that's really all there is. we're going to find her, you know, safe and sound. i don't have any doubt in my mind. >> matt henson and mike bordeaux, again, guys, i know it's not an easy time for you, and i thank you for your time. >> thank you. >> thank you very much. let's get a check of the weather now from al. >> "today's weather" is brought to you by caltrate, helps women keep moving because women move the world. >> reporter: good morning, all. as we show you what we've got going on today, a little bit on the dry side through the southeast and southern texas,

extreme to exceptional drought. a little bit less here in the east since we got all that rain. but there's still a good portion of the country looking a little on the dry side. afternoon temperatures, we're going to be looking at records again. yesterday, 185 records were set or tied. six all-time april highs. 40s and 50s throughout parts of the plains states on into the great lakes, new england. as far as our southwest, we're looking at, again, temperatures in the 90s, the 100s, risk of strong storms texas on into parts of nebraska. we've also got strong storms in the southeastern and mid-atlant >> good morning. it looks like we will deal with some rain today. scattered light rain showers this morning and they could pick up in intensity this afternoon.

and that's your latest weather. don't forget, get that weather anytime you need it. go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. matt? >> thanks so much. up next, the catholic schoolteacher who says she was fired for using in vitro fertilization to try to get pregnant. we'll talk to her. and rosie o'donnell talks about the reaction to her comments about lindsay lohan. but first, these messages. [ sneezes ] ♪ [ male announcer ] it's happening right now at your local walgreens. pharmacists are going above and beyond... armed with expertise and advice... ♪ ...with one goal in mind... to better serve you... ♪ ...so nothing will get between you and the care you deserve. find your pharmacist at walgreens.com.

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controversial case in indiana. a teacher at a catholic school claims she was fired for using fertility treatments to try to get pregnant. we'll talk to her exclusive in just a moment. first, nbc's katy tur has her story. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, arn. she says she just wanted to have a baby but that she was fired from her catholic school teaching job for getting infertility treatments. and now she's suing both the school and the diocese. 32-year-old emily hurks was medically diagnosed with infertility after the birth of her first child. but wanting more children, she and her husband turned to in vitro fertilization. at the time, she was a teacher here in fort wayne. she says she told the school she was going to get ivf. for a year, she tried to get pregnant but didn't. when she asked for more time off to undergo a second round of ivf

treatments, she was told her contract wouldn't be renewed. she says she met with the parish pastor, asking him to reconsider. but according to her recently filed lawsuit, he told her no, that she was a "grave, immoral sinner." several months later, she appealed to the bishop kevin rhodes. but according to her lawsuit, the bishop also refused, saying in vitro fertilization is an intrinsic evil which means that no circumstances can justify it. maryann case is a university of chicago law professor. she says a suit like this is far from cut and dry. >> no parts here that are just ordinary legal business. there are people with very strong stakes, personal, ideologic ideological, religious. >> reporter: emily claims she's a victim of discrimination. the school refused to comment, but in a statement to the diocese of fort wayne, south

bend, denies there was discrimination. rather, that it has clear policies requiring that teachers in its schools must, as a condition of employment, have a knowledge of and respect for the catholic faith and abide by the tenets of the catholic church. the diocese says that it supports infertility treatments for its employees but not in vitro fertilization which violates the church's right-to-life stance. adding, "the diocese views the core issue raised in this lawsuit as a challenge to the diocese's right, as a religious employer, to make religious-based decisions consistent with its religious standards on an impartial basis." in her lawsuit, she says that no embryos were destroyed during the ivf. now, she not only wants her job back, but she's also asking for compensation for what she's calling mental anguish and emotional distress. ann? >> katy tur this morning, thank you. emily and brian are now joining us exclusively along with their

attorney, cath lynn katherine d. ivf treatments are tough enough, but you've been at it for all this time, seven years, this has got to be emotional for you. >> it's been a very emotional time for both of us and actually my whole family. we struggled trying to wrap our minds around what's happened here. just because i was such a devoted teacher, and i loved my job so much. and just trying to expand our family to have this happen was just -- it was awful. >> did you have any inkling that getting an in vitro fertilization treatment would cost you -- could cost you your job? >> no, i didn't because for the past -- or for two years, my supervisor had known about it and said she was praying for us. so there was no warning. there was nothing. so in my heart, i had support and i was being honest about it. >> the diocese says that it supports fertility treatments but not those that go against

church doctrine. and that includes ivf because it says, quote, that these frequently involve the deliberate destruction and freezing of embryos. can you see -- can you respect why the church has taken that position? >> i think that's a question that is more for the legal analysis, ann, and we're not arguing with the church about what its doctrines are. the claim is based on the fact that employers need to respect anti-discrimination laws. >> but, however, i want to ask you about this, kathleen, because the church is denying any discrimination in this case. and since the lawsuit is a challenge of the church's right, quote, as a religious employer to make religious-based decisions consistent with its religious standards on an impartial basis. and as you know earlier this year, the supreme court ruled that anti-discrimination laws allow ministerial exception for religious workers. so is not emily a religious worker? >> the ministerial exception has

not been completely defined by the united states supreme court yet. and this case will help set the standards for other employees and other employers. but we don't believe that emily fits within the ministerial exception, and her facts are distinguishable from that case. the teacher in that other case was a lutheran minister. she had a title of a minister. she taught religion courses. and she had to go through religious training and education as a condition of her employment. none of those facts are present in emily's case. >> did you ever think, emily, that maybe you should not speak up and say to your employer in this case, guided by a diocese, that you were going -- undergoing ivf treatments? >> the unusual part about this is from day one from my interview, my employer asked me when i was going to start a family and how many kids i was going to have. and after i got pregnant with my first son, she asked me when i was going to have another child.

so she made it a very personal issue from the get-go. >> when you say "she made it," you're saying that you weren't volunteering this, but that she asked you for this information? >> she asked me. >> brian, to watch your family go through this, i can see the sadness in your eyes. how much has your family been hurt by this? >> we've been extremely hurt by this. she was dedicated to the school. she loved the students there, loved what she did there, and unfortunately, you know, it was all rip add way from her. >> well, to be continued. we're going to see what happens in this case. thank you for joining us. >> thank you, ann. >> and i know that you have not been able to have a successful ivf. are you still trying? >> we don't want to talk about her medical situation on air. >> i think people listening might be interested, but at any rate, thank you for joining us, all three of you. >> thank you so much. and coming up next on a much different noted, rosie o'donnell on her headline-making comments about lindsay lohan as she's getting ready to join "today's professionals" once again. take a look at this right after this. ♪

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[ female announcer ] irresistibly touchable skin hour after hour. ♪ it all starts with new 48-hour nivea extended moisture nivea. touch and be touched. now bring the world a touch closer. join our million moments of touch movement and be entered in nivea's daily date night sweepstakes. want to say a quick hello to rosie o'donnell who's back to help us out on the professionals again. rosie, nice to see you. >> good to see you, too. >> so what happened? >> who knew? did you have any idea? >> let's recap what you said about lindsay lohan on "the professionals" on tuesday. >> after asked about it, yes. >> i feel very sorry for her. i think she needs a lot of help. she needs a lot of time away. >> is it a good idea to cast her in this movie? >> no because she's had a lot of trouble doing every single movie

including "snl," she was out and not at rehearsal. i think she's not in a place to work. >> this created a firestorm online. are you surprised by the reaction? >> i was, actually. i didn't think anything of it. i went out to lunch, came home and somebody said to me on the street, so what are you going to say? like what? what are you going to say? about what? about lindsay. that was this morning. no, didn't you see what happened? i didn't know. >> so lindsay commented on her comments. here's what she had to say. >> all righty. >> something you don't know at all can say something so intrusive and so knowing. you know what? she should base her opinions had she meets someone. >> yeah. >> you know, one on one. >> yeah. i did meet her when she was young and doing "the parent trap." she did my show, beautiful, talented little kid, compared to haley mills, and we've all seen what's happened in the last decade, and it's tragic. >> i don't want to make it seem like everything you've said about her is harsh. on your blog he said she's worth

saving, she's the only one who can do it before it's too late. i hope she finds her value off camera. then when she returns on camera, she'll wow us once more. >> listen, i'm 50 years old. and watching whitney houston's funeral, i remember thinking why didn't more people say what they knew? we all knew when she would not show up to do this show, not show up to do my show. we watched bobby brown. it was like watching sid and nancy. they were in the throes of addiction. ought a but all anyone cared about were ratings. this mother, this daughter, was worth saving and pulling out of the industry. only someone can be in control of their own sobriety, but to look at lindsay, you can't help but feel sorry for her. i think she's quite talented. >> that's what we'll say about it today. we'll see what happens. >> there's going to be a whole another controversy. barbara eden, i'm coming after you. >> after your local news.

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>> good morning. i am at mindy basara. here is sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> delays on the j.f.x. are falling into place quickly. accidents to talk about. southbound 795, 1 approaching the beltway and causing a bit of a delay prior to that. pulaski highway, i-95, watch for an accident. crash at 32nd street and hillen road, another one at belair road and ridge road. southbound 205 and 648, accident mapping out. very heavy delays approaching 100 down to 197.

at live view of traffic. update for you on the camera at white marsh. southbound traffic is tied up from white marsh to the 895 split. looks like we're doing ok at northern parkway on the j.f.x. to get to cold spring, the backup begins towards the construction zone. tony, over to you. >> so far we have missed the heavy rain around baltimore. but for the morning commute. couple of sprinkles i doubt it 49 in jarrettsville. temperatures are not going to move a whole lot today. bic thunderstorms going north of richmond right now. more upstream. further we go into the day, the better the chance for rain. probably not raining in your house right now. maybe at thunderstorm later this afternoon. seven-day forecast going into the weekend, clearing up tomorrow. it will be chilly on saturday

and sunday. high temperatures in the 50's on both days. there's a chance for rain on saturday.

8:00 now on a thursday morning, the 26th of april, 2012. saying a big hello to our enthusiastic crowd this morning. we're so happy they decided to join us here in rockefeller plaza. meantime, along with matt lauer and al roker. coming up, the big question. >> that's right, we're talking about rosie o'donnell joining "today's professionals" filling in for dr. nancy. we've got some interesting topics. there's a new online dating service for travelers. we're going to explain this. some people think it sounds like a thinly-veiled disguise for perhaps, dare i say, an escort service for wealthy travelers. rosie may have an opinion on that. and also, how about this plan to

have cars that drive themselves? >> wow! >> would you feel comfortable with that? the professionals will weigh in. >> that sounds like a bad idea. anyway, we'll find out. also coming up this morning, we're going to be talking about prince william and kate middleton. you know, they celebrate their first anniversary this coming weekend. and she has been a fashion sensation ever since they got married, even before. so we're going to take a look this morning at how she has influenced what women wear. and then coming up, hands up, how many people interrupted by teltelemarketers? well, officials say the complaints are skyrocketing in spite of the do-not-call list. tomorrow on "today," our jeff rossen tracks down one company that some consumers say is behind all of the calls. >> that is a real problem. >> yeah. interestingly enough, we've got a nice tweet handle that's really trending on twitter. it's matt's plaid jacket.

>> its got its own handle now? >> it said my last owner won chrysler sales of the year award five times. the gig on the "today" show is even more impressive. >> they'll be lining up to buy this jacket later today, lining up. let's go inside, natalie's at the news desk with a check of the headlines. >> good morning to you, matt, ann and al. we begin with a terror alert just days before next week's anniversary of the killing of osama bin laden. federal officials do not cite any specific or credible threat in their advisory issued last night, but they urge vigilance because of concern that lone wolf terrorists might try to take advantage of the may 1st anniversary of bin laden's death for an attack. the prosecution's star witness faces tough questions today at the john edwards corruption trial. on wednesday, edwards' defense team began attacking the credibility of former aide andrew young who testified that he hid edwards' mistress during the 2008 presidential campaign. edwards is charged with using illegal campaign contributions to cover up the affair.

the senate has approved a bill that would provide $11 billion for the struggling u.s. postal service. it also delays controversial decisions on closing thousands of post offices and ending saturday delivery. the issue now goes to the house which has yet to consider a separate version of the bill. one donated kidney traveled among three people in just two weeks. it's the first known case of a kidney donation being successfully recycled. the kidney was originally donated to a chicago-area man by his sister, but that transplant didn't take. so two weeks later, it was removed and retransplanted into another patient. the original recipient is back on dialysis but hopes he'll eventually get another transplant. meanwhi meanwhile, the man who now has the donated kidney is doing well. we can only imagine the queasy stomachs aboard this passenger jet as it came in for a landing wednesday while high winds were pounding northern spain. the plane actually gets caught up in a strong gust, but the

pilot made last-second adjustments to bring the aircraft down safely. it's a good thing. now for a look at what is trending today, our quick roundup of what has you talking online, this video posted by actor kiefer sutherland is hot on twitter but kiefer is not the star. take a look. ♪ well, sutherland tweeted, "even the dog can sing better than me." i guess we have to say stick to your day job, jack bauer. the recently crowned miss dominican republic is a top search on yahoo!. she'll have to give up her crown and miss the pageant after pageant organizers say she was really a mrs. she was apparently married in 2009, but her lawyer says she never lived with her husband, and the couple has begun annulment proceedings. and a smashed african statue has become the oops heard 'round the internet. a manhattan collector says it

was knocked over by an art magazine photographer during a photo shoot. her lawsuit claims the piece, now in pieces, was worth about $300,000. that is one expensive photo shoot. 8:05 now. let's go back out to al with a check of your weather. whoopsy. >> you break it, you buy it. and look who's here, the founder of our country. >> good morning to you. >> why are you here, sir? >> i am here in support of new york city landmarks. >> and how do people vote to save history? >> how do they vote? they go to partnersinpreservation.com. >> very nice. >> for the next 25 days. >> terrific. vote on your favorite. >> indeed. >> i understand you spoke at a high school graduation of our director, joe michaels. >> yes, indeed. >> thank you. let's check your weather and see what's going on. today's pick city, miami, florida. nbc miami.com, nbc 6, sunny,

warm, 82 degrees. can you see we've got some strong storms making their way through the mid-atlantic states. also wet weather, much of california into the pacific northwest. we also have some risk of some strong storms northern texas into parts of nebraska. some afternoon showers in the central and northern plains. beautiful sunshine in the mid and upper mississippi river valley. good morning. it will be a cool day today. the average high temperature is in the upper 60's. off and on rain showers and maybe a thunderstorm. and that's your latest weather. >> all right. coming up next, she's back. rosie o'donnell's once again

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they'll rise and you'll shine. pop-tarts, made for fun. ♪ i be taking care of business ♪ every day it's 8:09. back with "today's professionals," star jones, donny deutsch are ready to mix it up with rosie o'donnell filling in for dr. nancy. welcome back. >> thank you. >> let's start right off the bat. this one caught my eye. there's a new website out there

called missedtravel.com. we match generous travelers who hate to travel alone with attractive travelers who would like the opportunity to travel the world for free. so if you're rich and you want to have an attractive person to join you on your next trip, they hook you up. good idea or is it a bit creepy? >> kind of creepy. >> why? >> a little bit. i don't know. >> rich, old, ugly dudes -- >> no, it doesn't say old, ugly dudes. it says wealthy. >> handsome. and the women are looking for travel and whatever comes with that. it's kind of a veiled escort service. >> so you think that. you're reading between the lines right off the bat. >> that's what it seems. >> donny? >> we've touched on this before. what is the difference between that and a, let's say, a middle-class or upper -- middle-class woman who decides she's going to marry a man for his money because that's her need set? who are we so sit and judge, a young woman who doesn't have

access to travel who now can travel, a man who wants companionship, who are we to sit and judge? >> shouldn't there be an expectation -- >> how many women watching at home right now have made a decision, or men, vice versa, because of their security in life, they're going to be with someone for financial reasons? >> are there expectations -- >> yes. >> -- on the part of these generous travelers that they're going to get more from this? >> the woman makes a decision that she wants to go to africa. and in doing so, she might be intimate with a man. who are we to sit in judgment? who are we to sit in judgment of that? >> don't you have something in your moral core -- >> why is that immoral? >> no, donny, i'm asking you a question. i'm asking you a question. in your moral core, don't you get the ick factor when you think to yourself that a woman must use her sexuality in order to go to africa? >> it's no different if a young man uses his sexuality. >> aren't we missing the point

here? isn't the website advertised for anyone who wants to travel? why does it have to be attractive? >> because there's an expectation of something more. >> we reached out to the ceo of miss travel and asked a blunt question, is this an escort service for travelers, in other words, a sexual road trip? while there's controversy surrounding misstravel.com, please be aware that escorts and escort services are not welcomed on misstravel.com. >> they're not welcome because they've got their own going. they don't want the competition. >> moving on, star is concerned that reality tv has gone an awful lot to damage the image of women because we tend to see women on these shows hitting, slapping, cursing just to get ratings. how do you feel about that? star, why don't you start with this? >> what bothers me the most, it seems as if the mediocre are being rewarded rather than us rewarding the best. and when i see other women treating women in such a negative fashion, young girls have no role models.

especially in the african-american community. when you see a woman of color treat another grown woman of color with disrespect and you think that that's appropriate, that's where we've lost it. >> it's not just women of color. >> that's exactly what my point is. >> it's italian women on "mob wives." >> don't get in trouble with italians. >> i'm just saying it's not just african-americans. please, don't tweet me if you're italian and you're angry, i love cannoli. >> it's it equal opportunity? what about men? >> women encourage the catfighting a little bit more. >> why is it about women of color? >> hold on for a second. >> when you're viewing choices of seeing positive role models are limited and the ones that you see the most are these people acting in a negative fashion, then you start to think that that's the way i can act. >> okay. >> you can't get a real job -- >> by the way, is anything going to change?

>> there's another perspective here. first of all, i'm tired -- i think young people, young women and young men can distinguish, it's entertainment, number one. number two, i could say this is the evolution that women have finally come to the same place as men. we've been watching men smack each other around. so in a strange way, there's a feminism. third thing, you two were on a show, is it still on the air? what's it called? >> "the view." >> what used to get ratings when you guys would fight with each other? >> we never actually got a chance to be together. >> okay, whatever, but that show was built on fighting. this is our culture, cable news, people fight. >> let's move on. this is a story that people inside the world of sports and outside the world of sports are talking about. ron artest who now calls himself meta world peace was suspended seven games after he threw an elbow at james harden and left him with a concussion. does the penalty fit the crime? >> he got seven games. this is a guy just for everybody who once rushed into the stands

and got in a fight with a fan. he should have been done for the rest of the season. >> that goes back to the topic we just finished. a person slaps you in the face on reality, and that's okay? this person gets suspended. >> he gets a concussion. >> this is ridiculous. it's violence. >> james harden wanted to press charges, he might be able to do that. first of all, let me mention, seven-game suspension, six of those will probably come in the playoffs which is a big deal for the los angeles lakers. is that a fair punishment? >> a concussion is a big deal. it's an assault. >> yeah, i think it should be seven or even more. i don't know, should you be allowed to play? it's not the first time. >> does past history weigh on this? >> of course it does. >> by the way, it's not enough. if you have children, a signal should be sent -- why should he play again this season? why? i think david stern is getting soft in his old age. >> let's move on. finally, google cars. google is working on technology software where you get in a car, you punch in a destination, and

that car -- you've heard of the cars that park themselves -- this car will drive you to that destination. it's a driverless car. raise your hands if you'd be comfortable getting into a car that is driverless. >> not me. >> not at all. first of all, the liability issue is low. i'm not sure if you can get over that. i'm not sure what insurance would ever insure the possibility -- >> there are discussions with insurance companies. >> that's the real issue, whether or not you're going to give up liability. >> 20 years ago, did you think there would be a car that would park itself? no. did you think we could carry a phone and text each other? so who knows what they'll be able to come up with, but it is a frightening thing. >> when you mention liability, the difference of the car that parks itself, if it's involved in a ding on the car behind it, that's not a big deal. what happens the first time a driverless car hits a pedestrian? >> right. >> or gets involved in an accident where someone dies. donny? >> to me, obviously, with technology, we're always going too far. i don't think we'll see this in our lifetime. >> they say in a decade. >> more borntd importantly, i w

apologize to all italian-americans for rosie. what was it exactly that you said? >> i said donny deutsch is a moron. >> you didn't say that. >> are your parents alive? are they alive? >> yes. >> i would like donny deutsch's parents not to tweet me about being offended. >> thank you very much, guys. >> we would like to announce our engagement. >> more next hour. up next, the dazzling duchess, kate middleton's influence on style and women in her first year as a member of the royal family. we'll talk about that right after this. ♪ ♪ ♪ wow... ♪ [ female announcer ] sometimes, all you need is the smooth, creamy taste of werther's original caramel to remind you that you're someone very special.

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advil pm®. the difference is a better night's sleep. back now at 8:20, and sundays marks the first anniversary of the duke and duchess of cambridge, a year that's seen kate middleton become an international fashion icon and a role model for young women. here's nbc's michelle kosinski. >> reporter: from the moment katherine trepidatiously stepped onto the stage as prince will m

william's bride-to-be glowing in sapphire, she turned women's heads with every fashions she puts out there. the dresses, nose pumps all copied almost instantly. she's credited with single-handedly or leggedly bringing back pantyhose and taught us all exactly what is a fascinator. >> i think what kate's done is created a new kind of elegance for the younger generation to aspire to. and she's actually creating a really classic but contemporary look. >> reporter: and a year in, kate is taking more risks now. off the shoulder, very slim. the chore, understatedly sexy look. this is a little retro. this long lace gown, fashion forward. >> i think when kate turned up in that beautiful beaded dress

in hollywood, i think that was the first time that she really outshone everyone in that room from nicole kidman to jennifer lopez. >> reporter: the confidence seems to have visibly grown. even when not everyone digs a cowboy hat in america, a maple leaf in canada or those tangerine which, by the way, were a retail hit, some have felt at times kate dresses a bit older or safer than she should. there has been little criticism, not a single wardrobe malfunction or faux pas. not bad for a princess under all that scrutiny who styles her look herself. for "today," michelle kosinski, nbc news, london. >> a "today" fashion contributor and senior fashion editor at "marie claire." kate middleton dazzled yet again last night on the red carpet. >> she look eed gorgeous.

it's a dress not available to the general public yet. she had it embellished at the neckline. she's custom making things now which is interesting for her. >> it seems as though her fashion has evolved since we first saw her in that blue isa dress when she was announcing she was engaged to prince william back in 2010. >> she has had quite the fashion evolution over the last year. this dress sparked a little blue dress trend. gone was the little black dress, now into the little blue dress. i think the reason, it was so relatable. every woman could see herself in this dress. and it sparked so many knockoffs, if you like. it was affordable as well. you could get this dress for, like, 30 bucks. >> and there were a lot of knockoffs even of her wedding gown which, of course, was crafted by the very talented sarah burton. i'm wondering, not everyone loved this dress. and yet did it help make her a style icon in >> absolutely. it was tipped in elegance. it was that beauty of the traditional lace combined with the modern structure. there wasn't a dry eye in the

house had she walked down the aisle in this. >> from tradition to bold in that diane von firstenburg dress. >> green was a new shade, this kelly green we've seen her wearing subsequently. it was almost a smart, bold move. the president of the cfda, the council of the fashion design of america. she does this a lot. she's smart in her dressing choices. >> so there's a double method. >> she's a thoughtful dresser. >> about accessories, how is she doing? >> she's a buyer of jigsaw, believe it or not, but she was always very kind of safe with her choices. but now she's going a little bit more, she's wearing these amazing bags. she's stepping up the inches on the heels. we've seen her in a lot of jimmy choo shoes and prada as well. >> is in alexander mcqueen? >> this is jimmy choo with alexander mcqueen after

obviously her amazing wedding dress. this is where she stood out in hollywood. she just put everybody to shame. she just stood her own ground and looked exceptional. >> you talk about her being -- her looking relatable. when we saw her wearing those tangerine jeans playing field hockey, that was certainly a moment for that. >> such a big spring trend, the tangerine jean. colored denim sales increased in hours of her wearing these. >> i mean, there's something about her that feels like she -- you want to be her girlfriend, that she'd be a great trend. is that to some degree why especially young women really want to copy what she wears? >> absolutely. she's so accessible and has that girl-next-door appeal. even though she is a princess. she wears the clothes, the clothes don't wear her and she's so relatable. >> we could go on and on but the music is playing this thank you so much. just ahead, why now is a good time to get a trip to europe.

>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. here is sarah caldwell. >> definitely seeing some improvement. we have an accident to watch for at i-95. checking on one at belair road. we are dealing with an accident in the city at hillen road. if you want to travel at druid park right and reisterstown road, crash propping up. northbound 295, reported

accident. you can see delays in the area at 100. quick look at 95 after it starting to improve the white marsh. we will switch over to the j.f.x. at no.. coldspring, you back up towards the constructions and. tony, or rather, john, over to you. >> grey morning this morning. more rain to the west. we are going to get clipped today. tough to get out of the 50's. barometers low, humidity is high. south when it to the south of us. some of you may be stuck in the 50's to that it some of you could hear a rumble of thunder. 10 to 15 miles per hour. friday, rain back for the

weekend. >> we will have another update at 8:56.

nothing is like the olympics. >> it's the most competitive team work in sports. >> each person sacrifices for the team. >> everyone's clicking. >> it's just bigger than the moment. that's when gold medals are made. it's 8:30 now on a thursday morning. it's the 26th day of april, 2012. and we've got another big crowd out on the plaza this morning. and i think we might want to say we hope these people have indoor plans a little later on. rain is on the way. actually, it kind of feels like it's in the air real soon here. >> i'd hate to be on the water now rowing. >> so would i. anyway, out on the plaza, i'm matt lauer along with ann curry.

al roker and natalie morales. and coming up, great ideas if you've ever dreamed of seeing europe. >> that's right. for example, the turmoil over there, the economic turmoil over there, is creating some great deals, which is the upside of all of that. >> right. >> so we're going to basically tell people how they can take advantage of that which, of course, will help with the economy in europe. that's coming up. okay. and then some important advice for young adults who may be struggling right now to find work, build a future. this morning the author of a new book with a great title, how do you like this, "how to be richer, smarter and better looking than your parents." love that title. the author will be here to answer your questions. and we've got a little more to chew over with star, donny and, of course, rosie, "today's professionals," including the mom who faced criticism for the way she publicly shamed her daughter on facebook. before that, can we please say good morning to jenna fisher, "the office" star.

she stars in it and she produces it called "the giant mechanical man." >> that's right. >> i love that title. >> it's a romantic fable kind of film. i think the title shows that, reflects that. >> and you produced this as well. >> i did, with other people. i'm one of three producers on the movie. and that was an exciting experience. to be with something from the ground up and see all the inner workings of how a movie gets made. >> you want to tell us a little bit about it? take a look at that shot. that really makes you curious. >> it's about one of those silver-painted street performers and the woman who falls in love with him. it's a sweet love story. and it's actually how i met my husband. a real-life love story behind the scene. >> wow! >> he's not. >> you wind him up, tell him which way to go? >> you have a 7-month-old son. >> i think they're watching me from the room right now. >> you want to say hi?

>> hi, weston. >> by the way, you made headlines recently when you talked about the fact that you and a lot of the other cast members on "the office" would like to come back for another season. >> we would. >> do we have any news on that? >> no, i was hoping if i could that a contract would magically appear in my mailbox. i hope it will all work out. >> we do, too. we need it. >> we need more "the office." >> more pam, more pam. >> again, we want to mention "the giant mechanical man" has premiered at the tribeca film festival, so congratulations. what's this about you being a coffee mug hoarder? >> i know. okay, i steal coffee mugs from all the shows that i do. and i was -- when you -- no! >> here's the mug. that's the new one, too. that's a nice one. not everybody has that one. >> since they told me you were going to be on the plaza, the first thing i said was, oh, no, i can't steal the mug. now i have it. thank you. perfect. thank you. >> you're welcome. >> thank you. i love it.

>> gifts. it's so great. jenna, thank you very much. mr. roker, how about a check of the weather. >> let's look at your weekend starting with tomorrow. we're looking at windy conditions in the northeast. heavy rain through the plains. slight risk of storms midsection. sunny, hot from southern texas which will continue into saturday. mild in the pacific northwest. rain in the mid-atlantic states right on and wet snow into the central plains. we also look for sunday, we're looking at some showers in the morning. we've got rain making its way through the plains states. sunny and hot through the southwest. and i hate to admit it, but it is my 40th high school reunion, xavier high school. it's a jesuit military school. this is a guy who actually made good. major general john thulin. >> i have some al roker stories. >> uh-oh. no, no, no. no, no, no. >> this guy was a great artist. he used to draw the best caricatures of all the teachers. a lot of trouble. >> i was one of the nerds. i was in the a/v squad.

john wasn't. we're proud of your service in afghanistan. thank you so much. >> thank you, al. thank you very much. >> that's what's going on around oi >> good morning. it looks like we will deal with some rain today. scattered light rain showers this morning and they could pick up in intensity this afternoon. and that's your latest weather. now let's head on down to our major willard scott. >> it's always fun to come to florida and drink the orange juice, see the beautiful people and here we are. happy birthday from florida! the sunshine state. and this is for sarah raymond

from gwynn oak, maryland, 107 years old today. she loves to spend time with her family, of course, and sweet to everybody. you can't beat that. jack feliz of palm springs, california, 101 years old today, a world war ii veteran. and he is a man who's traveled all over the world with his wife. that is nice. people love to travel. especially when they're retired and can. edna phelps. riverhead, new york. 102 years old. and she keeps her mind sharp as a tack by reading. reading anything she can get her hands on. shoe box labels, you name it, she reads it, and we've got it. and this is kenneth and lois butcher. they've been married 75 years. springfield, missouri. they love fried chicken, and they love each other very much. how about that? i think he loves her even more than fried chicken. daisy mckoy, the bronx, new

york. 100 years old today. secret to longevity is hard work and spirituality. good combination. all the time. sweet little ruth leiber from winter park, florida, where amtrak goes through. 110 years old today. and is a former beautician. and she enjoys visiting with her friends and family. and that's all from florida right now. but we'll have more later. >> all right. willard, thank you so much. coming up, why now might be the best time to go to europe. we're going to tell you what the best deals are coming up. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

"today's travel" is brought to you by expedia. find all of the travel tools you need to book your perfect trip. expedia.

>> we're back now at 8:39. this morning on "today's travel," the best deals in europe. the countries are in economic turmoil there, so this could be the best time to get the best bang for your buck. kate maxwell is editor in chief of jetsetter.com. we need to get over our guilt here. they say i don't want to take advantage of a bad situation in europe, but what you're really doing is bringing an influx of money. >> absolutely. these countries badly need an economic boost, and you're helping out. >> so is this the right time or will the deals get better? >> i don't think so. we're in shoulder season at the moment. prices go from up june. now is a great time to go. >> your best tips are, you've got a strong dollar right now. there are deals everywhere and shorter lines. >> shorter lines at major tourist attractions because europeans are staying home. >> let's talk about the cons of this right now. frequent strikes in terms of transportation. >> there are some transportation strikes. be prepared for that. >> when you go there, if you're one of these people who likes to shop locally, you'll see higher

prices for staple items. >> you might see higher prices, yes. flight prices have gone up because of high oil prices. so, you know, if you've got air miles, this is a good time to spend them. >> you might find some of the attractions closed down. >> not necessarily closed but cut a bit. call ahead or check websites. >> let's check some of your favorite deals. let's start in athens, greece, at the center of this economic turmoil. and you like the fresh hotel in athens. why? >> well, it's $150 or less a night at the moment. it's what i call a style feel, a hit hotel for are you kidding me price? and athens is a really good place at the moment. a friend just got back from there. she said it was really quiet. the people were friendly and giving her free drinks, free desserts. athens is a fantastic historical city. >> climate right now, good time to go? >> absolutely perfect. >> let's move on to lisbon,

portugal, which is not as popular as athens. why do you like lisbon right now? >> athens is the oldest city in europe and lisbon is the second oldest. you get a better deal than somewhere like barcelona or london because the cost of living is lower. the hotel is a modern five-star that starts at $105 a night. >> $105? >> incredible. >> you don't have to make your own bed and things like that for that? >> i don't think so. >> that's not bad. let's go to the island of min minorca which people are not all that familiar with. >> it's a favorite of mine. it's on an island, but it really hasn't changed that much in the last 200 years. it's got some of the best beaches in the world. they're absolutely beautiful. comparable with the caribbean. 268 square miles. really cute island. and there's a lovely hotel crawled tresant. it starts at $184 a night.

you must check out the terrace. incredible views of the town. >> so if we go and ask for the kate maxwell deal, we get an even better deal. paris, france. how's may, june, july in paris? >> it's beautiful but it's expensive. and it's not showing any signs of getting cheaper soon. so i would recommend going to provence which is a beautiful beautiful. the french go in july and august but if you go in may, you'll get a better deal. we found a fantastic bike tour. you're burning off those calories. >> how strenuous is the biking? is it for someone who's only a serious cyclist? >> not really. you can upgrade to an electric bike for those hills if you like. you'll see medieval villages, roman ruins, vineyards, wine, it's a really, really great tour. it's $183 per person, per day including everything including

accommodation on a riverboat. >> all right. so again, get over the guilt. get out to europe and bring them much-needed tourism dollars. >> absolutely, yeah. >> kate maxwell, always good to see you. >> good to see you. it's 43 after the hour. up next, teaching young adults how to become richer and smarter than their parents. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪ i wish i was a rich girl back now at 8:46." and earlier this week we told you about this alarming new finding that more than half of recent college graduates are either unemployed or underemployed. well, now a new book is identifying the hurdles that young people are likely to face when they start their careers, and it offers tips that could save them a lot of money. it's called "how to be richer, smarter and better looking than your parents." zac bissonette is the author.

not to mention the better looking than our parents part, but you want to change the way young people look at money. >> right. >> how? >> so when i was growing up, my parents had constant financial stress in their life. and i think in a lot of ways it really hurt the level of happiness that they should have had and deserved. what i want to do is write a book that every parent could give to their kids and say here's a book that's going to help awe void making mistakes that i made so you can have a better life than i had which i think is what every parent wants for their kid. a big part of that is recognizing what things money can and can't do for you. it's fascinating. having $2,000 in an emergency fund reduces stress and anxiety in people's lives dramatically. on the other hand, driving a luxury car or having an expensive watch, that does nothing to boost your happiness. it's looking at the research and making smart decisions with money that are going to make your life better. >> that's your broad brush. let's get to specifics. for example, right now a lot of people are thinking about their

tax refunds that are about to come due hopefully soon. and even though experts say that we should probably decrease how much the government takes out of our checks, you know, increase maybe the number of dependents or whatever, rather than give the government basically an interest-free loan, you actually have a very interesting take on that. >> here's the deal. the average tax refund is about $3,000. which if you had that in your check instead, it would be about $113 every two weeks. and what everyone says is you should take that money and save it. but realistically what's going to happen, if you get that money, you know, in your paycheck instead of having it withheld is it's going to magically turn into, you know, a couple cartons of newport lights and a subscription to "us weekly." if you wait until the end of the year and get it back as a refund, you're more likely to make an intelligence decision on what to do with it such as making extra payments on your student loan or start a roth i.r.a. >> you're saying we can't trust ourselves with that money. and also part and parcel to that, you say pay attention to what you call your reference group.

now, what is that? >> there's this real interesting study out of boston university that found that we're social creatures, right? the financial lives of the people around us influence the way that we behave. so if your reference group, that is the people whose financial lives you compare yours to, if those are people who are higher on the socioeconomic scale than you, you're more likely to have more debt and more likely to have less in savings. a lot of time especially now young people, unfortunately, the reference can be reality tv stars. and if your social reference group is those people, you're going to have a lot of trouble making intelligent decisions about money. >> or to overbuy. >> exactly. so the key is to hajj out with people who have maybe less money. or if you're going to watch tv, at least watch it consciously. >> let's get a question directly from a young person who is worried about money. let's hear from a student from the university of oklahoma where she is a student. good morning. >> good morning, zac and ann. high from oklahoma. >> good morning. what's your question? >> i graduate in two weeks, no

pressure or anything, and i have a question about budgeting. for students who don't have a lot of experience working on our own finances, is there a specific budgeting formula we should follow? >> okay. what about that? >> here's the deal. if you're a recent single college grad and you have this type "a" personality and making an itemized spreadsheet with a line item of tictacs, something people can stick to more easily is this. automatically have money diverted into your 401(k) and roth i.r.a. and so your student loan payments are paid automatical automatically. and then you have a budget-free balanced budget. so you don't have to track every expense but you make sure you're taking care of the important things first and then spend the rest on whatever you want and you won't have credit card debt. >> zac, thank you for very smart advice. we still haven't found out how

to be better looking than our parents but we have to read the book, "how to be richer, smarter and better looking than your parents." next, len berman takes us spanning the world. first, this is "today" on nbc.

we are back at 8:52 with our good friend for the moment, len berman, who takes us on a wild

ride through the wonderfully wacky world of sports. mr. berman, welcome back. >> if it doesn't work, out of here. >> last appearance. >> april featured the start of the baseball season and the masters. what were truly the top sports story of the month? let's go "spanning the world." ♪ >> unbelievable! ♪ >> okay. on your mark, get set. bikes and perfect. time for the first pitch. talk about throwing heat. you know, have they run out of ideas yet for the first pitch? >> i don't know. >> speaking of heat, matt hagen in his funny car. and would you believe? nobody got hurt. actually true. walked away and raced an hour later. play ball. the iowa senior high school basketball game. this is unique. they go into the shotgun formation. it's always effective when you

want to throw a long pass. >> works well. >> why go through all that trouble? just find a globetrotter who can dunk standing still. much easier. >> crazy. >> our questionable moves of the month. in brazil, the save is made by the ball boy in the orange shirt who sneaks onto the field. hey, come on. oh, we need a ruling. is delonte west handing out a wet willie to gordon hayward, or is this technically a dry willie? we need to know these things. our faces of the month. in vancouver, it's never too early to teach hockey etiquette to a young fan. and they say looks can kill. i think they really can. our fans of the month. no texting while sitting. the guy at courtside is texting away. come on, buddy, pay attention. and at the english rugby game, putting on a wig and a dress and running on the field, that's a bad idea. our tough guys of the month. soccer players. there's an earthquake in chile.

who cares? just play through it. and in madrid, jorge has a tooth loosened. so what does he do? just performs self-dentistry. you save on the co-pay that way. our animals of the month. it's golf. a caddie's job is to rake the trap and to rake the alligators out of the way on the pro tour. when he gets too close to your player's ball. nicely done. in israel, a basketball game, a cat on the court. and he finally scampers away. why? because a dog was chasing him. that's why. and here's our genius of the month in washington. it's time for my eye drops. i know. >> len berman! len berman! >> standing ovation!

come on! >> everybody! >> well done. >> "today's professionals" after your local news. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. more than a year after her body was found floating in the susquehanna river, baltimore police make an arrest in the murder of phylicia barnes. police say michael johnson, the ex-boyfriend of her older

sister, was taken into custody after midnight. back i

>> kind of a dismal morning this morning. showers in the forecast. maybe a rumble of thunder. high temperatures struggling to make it into the 60s.