am david trone and i approve this message. good morning. devastation and destruction.rr huicane michael, one of the strongest storm ever to hit the u.s., lay waste to the florida panhandle. >> utter destruction. >> 155-mile-per-hour winds destroying homes. heavy rains and a massive storm surge flooding entire neighborhoods. power knocked out to hundreds of thousands. this morning at leastwo fatalities with rescue crews still trying to reach stranded survivors. >> we will be sending help from air, land, and sea. >> theow massive storm pushing inland, heading up the east coast and bringing with it the threat of even more dangerous weather. today is thursday, october 11th, 2018.

>> announcer: from nbc news this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> welcome to "today." thank you for joining us on a thursday morning. f course are covering that big storm. it is a big day here inside studio 1a and outside. check out our crowd outside. it is international day of the girl. we have a lot of girls outside to celebrat >> we are going to do something really special in the 8:00 hour. we are throwing out the script and holding a special live event featuring women there andt forr fidy michelle obama will be here. o oh, and a great concert. >> we have kelly clarkson, mean trainor, jennifer hudson outside performing. a couple of other special guests. >> let's get to the storm. michael'sath of destruction and what is to come. the storm is being blamed for at

least two deaths, a man in florida and a girl in georgia were killed when treesrashed through measure it's the strongest october h record to make landfall in the u.s. and the third most powerful ever to u strike the.s. mainland. >> we have complete coverage reas and wehard hit will talk to the man leading the government's response to the 'sorm. first, l start with what michael is doing right now. kristin da kristen dahlgren is in hilton head, south carolina. >> reporter: good morning. not time for anyone to let their guard down. you can see the winds arely sti re gusty here, tropical storm-force winds. that means we could sti see some trees down. we could see some more power elines down and m people losing power today. we also have the threat of tornados. all night long my phone wasff going with tornado warnings.

we could still see those as we go through the morning. then we have got the rain. it's dry where i am now, butme laces in the carolinas could see 8 inches of rain. this isn area that hurricane florence came through not so long ago so the ground is saturated. there is nowhere for the water to go. that's where we couldee the dangerous flash flooding. michael still a let going through today. >> kristin, thank you. >> and to florida where this morning the full extent of the damage is just being revealed as the sun is coming up. quickly developed so in size and strength, it caught a lot of people by surprise. nbc's gabe gutierrez ishere with the aftermath. gabe, good eprning. >> rter: savannah, good morning. nhere are massive trees toppled throughout the reg making it nearly impossible to get around. here in florida a man died when a tree fell on his home and emergency management officials say in georgia an 11-year-old child died. this was a fast-moving storm that showed little mercy.

this morning hurricane michael's devastation is on display after the ferocious categ syrm slammed into the florida panhandle th most powerful hurricane on record here. >> we'll go through another one. i'd leavet the n time. >> reporter: michael packed maximum sustained winds of 155 miles per ho. mexico beach took a direct hit homes there underwater. many in pieces. streets turning into raging rivers. d in historic apalachicola a seven foot storm surge. we are seeing the raw power of michael. we have seen thesi winds intenfy significantly mu significantly. parts of this town are compattely underwer. panama city beach the howling winds ripped this momehome apar. lester hol and his crew forced to barricade themselves in a

hotel room. >> we want to be on the air but we have to take care of eachot r. so we are going to do that. know that we're safe. but we are goingo have to sign off. >> reporter: a middle school gym barelynd sg. this drone video shows what it looks like on the inside. michael blowing out bank windo andmpaling this car with debris. for this region, an unprecedented storm. how would you describe this? >> catastrophic. some of the roads underwater now, we don't know what kind of damage we will have when the water recedes. >> reporter: righthow w all of these trees and plooirns down, hundreds of thousands of people are without power. it could be days and in some cases weeks before that power is restored. >> thank you. gabe showed us the devastation in panama city. that's whereerry sanders rode out the storm. how is it looking there?d >> reporter: gorning. it's really ugly. itis is called the legendary

marina. ill go down as part of a legend of hurricane michael. you can see how widespreadhe damage is here, and even beyond as we go to the other camera. at damage just goes on and it's like that from block to block, and getting around is extremely difficult. there are crews that are going to try to come inir at light to start restoring power. because the roads in many places are impassable with debris a power lines down, it's going to be slower going than you might expect, and that's important according to local officials to thate who eva who are thinking, well, can i come back? especially for thoseest of the eyewall, who did not get that storm surge. further to e east like in mexico beach other devastation. but in the greater populated areas like panama city and panama city beach, there may be return.that they can really they are going to have to hold off. the authorities right now say in cess of 500,000 people are without power. they have to boilheir water if

they are still here. bottom line is this cleanup here, which you are looki at this devastation behind me, it's going to cost billions. guys. >> all right. kerry sanders. thanks. >> fema administrator brock long is coordinating the federal government's response to this storm. good morning to you the first question, how bad was this? >> extremely bad for the florida panhandle and southwest georgia. you know, we are all anxiously awaiting daylight to assess, fully assess all damages. right now we're focused, hyper focused on search a rescue and obtaining access to the hardest hit areas. >> we heard a lot about people wh chose to stay behind in some small towns, some towns 50% of the town stayed behind. howgo do yobout finding those people? >> you know, prior to the event we staged national search and rescue assets from all over the country in and near the area. last night we were able to mobilize a couple of thoseineams

some of the hardest hit areas. we areeeply concerned about mexico beach, in that area, and the areas between apalachicola andch panama city b so we were able to get some teams in last night. because of nightfl, it's limited as to what we can do. and right now what we are trying to do is assess the bridges. we are trying a to drop people in, but we are also trying to bring people in by vehicles, assess the bridges and obtain access to some of the hardest hi areas. we will methodically go through and comb the debris workingrith state and local partners and try to move as quickly as we ca >> did thi storm kind of creep up on you? i mean, it was a fast in some ways it felt like florence we had days to prepare. but this seemed to come on fast strong. >> well, you know, that's the ature of giving in the gulf coast. you have to anticipate rapidly intensifying storms. this not a new phenomena. it'spe been hng since they

began collecting weather data, 1851. hurricane camille in 1969, it went from being named to a category 5 in 72 hours killing hundreds of people. so this was very similar. the first indications we got were saturday. >> when you look at the debris and you look at the aftermath and you hear that p twople died, i was personally surprised that that number isn't higher. what are you seeing? g well, i mean, we still have a long way to there is a lot of debris we haven't sifted through. hopelly, one deas a death too many, unfortunately. but the system is noti done. mean, it's passing through georgia and north carolina through the remainder of today. so we need people in south carolina and north carolina to remain vigilant and be carul. this is a strong tropical storm pushing through. >> all right. critical hours still. fema administratorck bro long, thanks for spending a few minutes with us. timengo b in al roker. good morning. >> good morning, guys. thank you for getting your first

weather from us. this fast moving system is 30 miles west of augusta, still a tropical storm. 50-mile-per-hour winds. it's really booking northeast at 21 miles per hour. 63 million people are under flood watches right now, and we have somelood warnings from georgia all the way up into new england today as this system mas its bay to t-- way to the north. timeline for today, flooding rains from carolinao virginia. 2:00 still a tropical storm near raleigh and fayetteville. contstues up to the makes its way out by thursday evening, tonight, and then is still a tropical system but becomes a low pressure system moving off the coast. heavy rain for coastal new england. here are the impacts. strong winds, highest gusts in the-atlantic coast. some gusts getting close to orhurricane. downed trees, power lines, and from nantucket to ocean city we are looking at tropical-force winds. we have flooding rains. rainfall rates 2 inches or more

per hour, rapid rises in rivers and streams, and anywhere from 4 to 8 inches of rain isolated hi9 inches plus in system. we are seeing these storms continually intent,fying. in f the fact is we are seeing more rapid intensification more often in the last several years. guys. >> all right. al, thank you so much. craig is here. story breaking overnight. yeah. good morning to you. two astronauts from the u.s. and russia made an emergency landing this morning after a booster rocket carrying them to to the space station failed after launch. nbc's tom costello covers spa a anation for us. what more do we know? >> this was a veryerious emergency. make no doubt about it. one of those booster rockets failed on lift-off on theho si journey to the space station. that caused the system to immediely jetson the space capsule carrying the astronauts. one of them russian. one of them an american.

ni hague on his first mission ever into space. they went into a rapid dissent with excessive g-forces and the parachute allowing them to getting to earth safely. they landed in kazakhstan. russian forces responded and got to them very quickly. in a nasa tweet, they tweeted the search and rescue teams have re thed soyuz rocket landing site and they are in good condition and out of the capsule. search and rescue teams a with the crew now. in., this just coming russian officials say that they are not suspending allmaned space launches as they investigate this incident. this was a very close call. it could have ended in tragedy. it's keep in mind thi the only way americans are able to get to the space station on board a russian spacecraft until the american commercial enterprises get up and running

and are able to take americans to the space station. that may come as soon as next year. spacex is among those that would be doing that. a close call this morning. thankfully, the russian andan amerre alive. the russian alexie o vecchi, a veteran of space travel. >> thank you. there are fast moving developments this morning as well in the mysterious disappearance of a saudi caurnalist. th has quickly become a diplomatic crisis forhi the house. good morning. >> good morning. nbc news has exclusive reporting this morning showing what jamal khashoggi's text messages might reveal. president trumpsw demanding s this morning. iahe washington post" reported saudi ar crown prince mohammad bin salman ordered ac operationto saudi arabia from the u.s. and detain him. nbc news had not had access to the intelligence intercep, but they raise more disturbing

questions. >> it's a very sad situation. it's a very bad situation. and we want to get to the bottom of it. mp reporter: president tru stopping short of blaming saudi arab for the disappearance of jamal khashoggi. a journalist and critic of the saudi regime but telling reporters he spoke out tthe country's leaders. >> i don't want to say that. hope he is not. i hope he's not. >> reporter: as the mystery deepens te president says has been in contact with khashoggi's fiance, inviting her to the white house. turkish authorities insisting khashoggi was killed insidhe saudi consulate in istanbul. this footage showing him entering the building but never leaving. three people familiar with the investigation tell nbc news tuish authorities told the u.s. they have audio listening devices inside the consulate giving them some insight into things happening there. adding to the mystery, these screen shots of text messages obtain by nbc news sent to

khashoggi by a friendngn the u.s. u whatsapp. they are time stamped indicating he checked his cell phone befe tering the consulate but did not see messages sent to him minutes ler. the saudis have defined any wrong in disappearance maintaining there is no video of his exit because the cameras weren'tng recor in washington outrage on capitol hill. the republican chairman of the senate relations committee sending a lette to the president invoking an international act calling on the u.s. to impose sanctions on in response to the suspected murder of khashoggi. >> i look at it as certainly the shot across the bough at saudi arabia. new images shown on turkish television reportedly showing a 15 man saudi hit team arriving in istanbul on two private planes and later leaving their hotels the same day khashoggi

vanished. as turkish investigators continue to hunt for this black suv parked outside the consulate building that day. meanwhile, nbc news learned turkish consulate employees were unexpectedly told t toe the day of khashoggi's off and a high level meeting was taking place there. here is the thing, guys. for the white house, this isot potentially political and personal. jared kushner, president trump's son-in-law, has been increasingly close to the saudi leader. there is a major development in the case of that horrific limousine crash in upstate new york this morning. the wh m the man who run the company was rested wednesday, charged with n criminallect homicide. he pled not guilty. that crash killed 20 people last saturday. he said he knew the limo had beeecordeordered off the road f

safety violations. time to turn bac to al roker at 7:16 for the rest of the forecast. >>anood morning. we are looking at frost warnings in the central plains. morning snow in northern minnesota. also winter-like conditions in parts of the rockies. of course, all eyes on the eastern seaboard. problems for air travel as well and that could affect you across the country. that's what's going on around first, we are going to get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds.

tracking areas of rain in montgomery county where heavy rain is falling on the top of theay. a slow go there right now. have the umbrella handy because this isn't it.nu we will con to see rain at times throughout the day today. some heavy rain, too, in parts of prince george's c bnty betweetimore and washington right now. it is a mess with all of the rain out the. 75 degrees with a high temperature today around 80. >> and that's your latest weather, guys. >> thank you, al. coming up, a closer look at hurricane michael's path of destruction and what it will take to rebuild along the florida panhandle. plus, former first lady michelle obama will be here for our exclusive television event celebrating internatial day of the girl. she got into town last night. we are looking forward to talking with mrs.as obama. she very special announcement in store. first, this is "today" on nbc.

just ahead, our star-studded celebration of gir power on this international day of the girl. >> you do not want to miss a moment of it, including our concert from music superstars hudson,arkson, jennifer meghan trainor. all of the ladies are in the housd an mrs. michelle obama first live interview since leaving the white house after your local news and weather. insurance that won't replace the full value of your new car? you'd be better off throwing your money right into the harbor. i'm gonna regret that.

with liberty mutual new car replacement we'll replace the full value of your car. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty ♪ dogs don't hold they give their all... ...so we can give ours. dogs give more, because they are more. let's treat them that way. new vaseline clinical care... . ♪ it's amazing what healed skin can do. the healing power of vaseline. ♪ ♪ ♪

(christine) i didn't think i but i still got oral cancer. and it came back twice my tip is: if you smoke, you're a smoker. just like i was. (announcer) you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit-now. if these packs have the same number of bladder leak pads, i bet you think bigger is better. actually, it's bulkier. always discreet quickly turns liquid to gel, for drier protection that's a lot less bulky. always discreet. blended with purpose, from whole blends. for dry, damaged hair.h with lusney, known to replenish and royal jelly and propolis, known to nourish and repair. as a whole blend, it helps heal damage to the ends. blended makes us better. whole blends. seven days in the future, but i'to be exact.uture. and the car you put on hold at carmax.com is still being held for you, free of charge.

in answer to all your other questions: yes, no... and that's still illegal. ♪ carmax music sting carla is living with metastatic breast cancer, which is breast cancer that has spread to other parts of her body. she's also taking prescription ibrance with an aromatase inhibitor, which is for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive her2- metastatic breast cancer as the first hormonal based therapy. ibrance plus letrozole was significantly more effective at delaying disease progression versus letrozole. patients taking ibrance can develop low white blood cell counts, which may cause serious infections that can lead to death. before taking ibrance, tell your doctor if you have fever, chills, or other signs of infection, liver or kidney problems, are pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to become pregnant. common side effects include low red blood cell and low platelet counts, infections, tiredness,

nausea, sore mouth, abnormalities in liver blood tests, diarrhea, hair thinning or loss, vomiting, rash, and loss of appetite. carla calls it her new normal because a lot has changed, but a lot hasn't. ask your doctor about ibrance. the #1 prescribed fda-approved oral combination treatment for hr+/her2- mbc. dates and cashews. just 2 real ingredients. the delicious cashew cookie larabar. larabar food made from food. larabar they work togetherf doing portant stuff. e hitch? like you, your cells get hungry. feed them... with centrum micronutrients. restoring your awesome, daily. centrum. feed your cells.

this is a news4 today news break. >> 7:26 is your time on this thursday, october 11, 18 good morning. in the news this morning, developing now a new york man is in jail allegedly planning to bomb the national mall. the fbi raided paul rosenfeld's home yesterday in new york. they say he wanted to kill himself on the mall with a 200 pound bomb around election day because he was upset about the fate of the country. erok for more on this story in the national weaervice nbc washington app. a man fell down an escalator in a wheelchair at the columbia heights metro station in northwest d.c. investigators are unsure why hen't use the elevator, which was fully working. a check onour morning

commute with melissa molett and your first4 traffic. what areou seeing? >> inner loop before the american legion bridge on the right yside, you are o getting by two lanes to the left. it was an overturned vehicle, they are getting that out of the way hopefully shortly.he capitohts outer loop at marlboro road crash there. the green showing you where it is raining across the area. 270 south is slow. a person apparently outside a car. >> thank you. we will take a break now and check your forecast next.

and we are in heorm team4 we alert road. a flash flood batch for counties east of 95. this starts atis 2:00 afternoon and goes to 6:00 a.m. friday. if you are in the flash floodtc two to four inches of rain is possible this afternoon into the evening hours. outside of the watch an inch.

already heavy rain in parts of montgomery, prince george's, howard, andrthercounties. we will have dry time. but cloudy skies and mild out there. . . in thei'm tim kaine.ked to keep all virginians safe. i helped lead efforts to grow our navy to 355 ships and increased troop pay. but corey stewart said this about that budget bill... stewart: it's just an absolute nightmare and a disaster. i wish the president had vetoed it. that would hurt virginia and threaten our security.

i approve this message because keeping america safe has to be a top priority. 7:30 now. thursday morning. the the 11th of october, 2018. look at that. just some of the destruction along the gulf coast. hurricane michael roared ashore, an incredibly powerful hurricane that will go down in the record books. >>eds of thousands are without power this morning. the storm now marching east bringing high winds and floodinh rains te carolinas. we have it all covered this morning. start with nbc's kristen dahlgren on hilton head. kristin, what's the scenee? th >> reporter: hey there, craig. yeah, georgia and the carolinas are bearing the brunt o storm this morning. you can see these high gusty winds that could still meanerome more pines down, some more trees and tree limbs. take a look behind me and you

can see the surf really kicking up as well. here we are expecting about a foot of storm surge. but to the north, the outer banks could see two to four feet it of storm surge. we still hav the threat of tornados today and then the flooding from the rain. it's dry here, but some places n.uld see another eight inches of r keep in mind these are places that just saw hurricane florence. rae ground is sad. there is no place for that water to go. that's when we could see theou dang flash flooding. so michael going to continue to cause problems as we gthrough the day today and into tomorrow morning, craig. >> kristen dahlgren. thank you. as we mentioned, this was the strongest hurricane ever to hit the u.s. in october. the damage along the florida panhandle is pretty much everywhere you look. nbc's gabe gutierrez is there. he has been there all night. gabe, >> reporter: savannah, good morning. there are massive trees toppled throughout the region, power lines are down, making it nearlo ible to get around. at least two deaths are now blamed on this storm. one man was killed here in florida when a tree fell o his

home. another, this time a child, 11 years old accding to emergency management officials, was killed up in georgia. this storm roared ashore yesterday with maximum sustained winds of 155 miles per hour in panama city beach. the damage was extensive. roofs blown off of homes. in mexico beach, that took adi ct hit. that is where we are seeing images of some of the most extensive damage. roofs were blown off homes there as well. entire homes blown off the foundations due to the massive storm surge. here in apalachicola we had a storm surge of about seven feet, flooding part of the historic downtown. hundreds of thousands of people are without power, and in some case c itld be weeks before it's restored. this morning authorities are just beginning t assess the damage. back to you. >> all right. gabe, th'sk you. >> lheck in now with nbc's kerry sanders. he,s in panama ci florida. kerry, good morning again. t> reporter: good morning.

this is w 155-mile-per-hour winds look like. you can see the marina behind p. it'ssible that some tornados may have spun out and added to the damage here. as we cut to ouram seconda you can see the sun is now and with to come up, that first daylight that means air operations from the coast guard and other relief services will be able to gond airborne begin getting into some of the hard to access w areasre the damage has hit. when you're looking at just this sp her with the boats, you are talking about millions upon millions of dolla in damage. when hurricane andrew hit, which was a category 5, that was in '92, w a $15.5 billion damage. so this is definitely going to get into the billions of dollars. about nine miles from here is tyndall air force base. we are hoping at first light to get a better i of the damage there. we understand some of the hangars did get damaged.

the air force got the planes before the hurricane arrived. those aircraft are safe, and evacuated most o personnel. power lines are down as well roads being obscured by so much debris. so it's going to be hard for days for people to get around here.ea but the first that are coming in are from the power crews. there are more tha 5,000 power men from duke thar comit are con to start petting theer back, in excess of 500,000eople withou power. guys, this is going to be a very long cleanup. when you look at this right here, i got to say just looking at it, it looks like it exploded. just a storm came through and it blew it out. >> wow. allke right. rry sanders. thank you. >> harddo get your head aro that destruction there. al roker, where is this headed now? what can we expect? >> this time yesterday we told you this would be about a five. it was the equivalent of ae f to ten mile wide ef-3 tornado.

it was. well, we are watching this now push to the north and east. as it does it'soing to hook up with this cold front and tap into thate. moist so michael moves into the carolinas into this afternoon. tropical rain along thern eas seaboard. some of it very heavy. here in the northeast england flood watches going, michael moves offshore and continues on. we are talking about isolated amounts of nine inches orwe mor. weather stretching from boston all the way down into the carolinas where the rain will be the heaviest. here's what's happening in your neck of the> woods. nd you can see on the map the most rain in our area is goingll east of 95 where a flash flood is going to go into effect later today. right now i am tracking widelow scattered s out there. but some mist and drizzle as well as you start your thursday. 's muggy out there, too. another warm day. some heavy rain is falling in parts montgomery and prince george's county. here is a look that flood watch. this goes to:00 a.m. tomorrow

morning. so scattered showers today and then some heavy rain for the afternoon d evening. >> guys, consider this. we even had two consecutive years of two and falling major hurricanes in this country since 2004-2005. >> wow. that puts it in perspective. thank you. coming up next, we are going to kick off our celebration of international dayrlf the gi we have some of the most influential and inspiring women on the planet right here. >> tre are two of them here. they are here with hundreds of girls from around the world. former first lady michel some incredible singers. so much more. first, these messages. with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe eczema, or atopic dermatitis, you never know how your skin will look. and it can feel like no matter what you do, you're itching all the time. but even though you see and feel your eczema on the surface of your skin,

an overly sensitive immune system deep within your skin might actually be causing your eczema. so help heal your skin from within. with dupixent. dupixent is not a steroid, and it continuously treats your eczema even when you can't see it. at 16 weeks, more than 1 in 3 patients saw clear or almost clear skin, and patients saw significant reduction in itch. do not use if you are allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you have new or worsening eye problems, including eye pain or changes in vision. if you have asthma, and are taking asthma medicines do not change or stop your asthma medicine without talking to your doctor. help heal your skin from within. ask your eczema specialist about dupixent.

are so thick... so fluffy... so delicious... (whisper) karen, karen you've got to try this ...they're just too good not to share l'eggo your eggo

when your blanket's freshness fades before the binge-watching begins... that's when you know, it's half-washed. next time, add downy fabric conditioner for freshness that lasts through next week's finale. downy and it's done. start with 100% cleancheese? ingredients. like vermont white cheddar. then... add bacon, bbq chicken, or baja blend. catering and delivery now available. panera. food as it should be. dates, peanuts, chocolate chips and sea salt. just 4 real ingredients. the delicious peanut butter chocolate chip larabar. larabar od made from food.

and your eyes have theal. power to speak volumes. with voluminous original mascara from l'oreal. now in deep burgundy. the original brush separates every lash. builds 5x the volume. america's number 1 mascara. voluminous original. from l'oreal paris. daily hair damagen stop before it happens .. ith these roses. one is treated with dove. both are exposed to damaging heat. it the roseut dove is dry and brittle. dove deeply nourishes and stops 90% of daily hair damage before it happens. don't forget that the past can speak to the future. ♪ ♪ i'm going to be your substitute teacher. don't assume the substitute teacher has nothing to offer... same goes for a neighborhood. don't forget that friendships last longer than any broadway run. mr. president. (laughing) don't settle for your first draft. or your 10th draft. ♪ ♪ you get to create the room where it happens. ♪ ♪ just don't think you have to do it alone. ♪ ♪ the powerful backing of american express. don't live life without it.

right now right now t moren 98 million adolescent girls around the school are not in school. >> that's lot of dreams being cut short. >> every single one of us has the per to support these girls. >> because when you let girls go to school, when you givem t that opportunity. >> amazing things start to happen. >> poverty goes down. economies grow. >> families get stronger and babies are bnealthier. >> and the world, by all accounts, gets better. >> i hope you'll join me because the future of our world. >> is only as bright a girls. >> help "the today show" support global girls education and head over to today.com to learn more. >> and we are back on this

international daweof the girl. re going to be talking to the former first lady michelle obama about her powerful campaign. >> we are just getting started this morning. of course, mrs. obama paved her own path when she was at the white house and her work inspiring others is far from over. fs the first african-american former first ladyhe united states, michelle obama was a barrier breaker from day one and spent her days as former first lady promoting her passions with programs that k gots moving and broughtes healthier luncho school as well as raising awareness of the need for girls education around the world. >> being your former first lady has been the greatest honor of my life and i hope i made you proud. >> while she was a champion for the american people, she was ill first and foremost mom in chief. the obamas choosing to break withresidential tradition and stay behd in washington after leaving office so their youngest daughter sas could finish high school. this year she opened up about life mostly outal of the polit spotlight. >> now i have a door and a

doorbell and people actually trip out when i come to my door and i open it. >> but the former former first la, who embraced more than just politics inside the white house, is still having viral moments outside of it from officiating a wedding in chicago toin excha a cough drop with friend and former presidentbu george w recently at senator john mccain's funeral. the obamas taking on the title of producers, signing a deal with netflix. now the woman who inspired voters with this message in 2016. >> when they go low, we go high. >> is looking to do it aga in 2018. >> believe me, i am frustrated, i am sick of all the chaos and the nastiness of o politics. >> launching a voting initiative with help from famous friends, including tom hanks and lin-manuel miranda. that's just the beginning of the former former first lady's next

chapter. shortly after the polls close next month, she will hit theo road promote her book >> it is candid, honest >> the book tour getting rock star treatment, selling out stadiums across the country. >> wow. pretty cool. >> well, she has been busy. >> yeah. but she made time for us this morning. look who is in >>ay!studio. >> former first lady michelle obama. we are excited tsit down with her. she has paying announcement. and we have tons of girls on the pl ca, a greatoncert ahead. this is a special morning. thanks for being with us. first these messages. attractions, and experiences in destinations around the world! like new orleans! from cooking classes, to airboat tours, tripadvisor makes it easy to find and book amazing things to do. and you can cancel most bookings up to 24 hours

in advance for a full refund. so your whole trip... will be smooth sailing! read reviews check hotel prices book things to do tripadvisor man: are unpredictable crohn's symptoms following you everywhere? it's time to take back control with stelara®. for adults with moderately to severely active crohn's disease, stelara® works differently. studies showed relief and remission with dosing every 8 weeks. woma n:lity of your immune system to fight infections and may increase your risk of infections and cancer. some serious infections require hospitalization. before treatment, get tested for tuberculosis. before or during treatment, always tell your doctor if you think you have an infection or have flu-like symptoms or sores, have had cancer, or develop any new skin growths, or if anyone in your house needs or recently had a vaccine. alert your doctor of new or worsening problems, including headaches, seizures, confusion and vision problems. these may be signs of a rare, potentially fatal brain condition. some serious allergic reactions can occur. do not take stelara® if you are allergic to any of its ingredients.

man: are you fed up with crohn's symptoms following you? talk to your doctor today, and learn how janssen can help you explore cost support options. remission can start with stelara®. cost support options. i get it all the time. "have you lost weight?" of course i have- ever since i started renting from national. because national lets me lose the wa at the counter... ...and choose any car in the aisle. and i don't wait when i return, thanks to drop & go. at national, i can lose the wait...and keep it off. and ilooking good, patrick.urn, thanks to drop & go. i know. (vo) go national. go like a pro. ♪

♪ ♪ (sharon) suction out your (shane) don't use spray paint. cpr is not mouth to mouth. it's mouth to stoma. (shawn) be very careful shaving. (announcer) you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit-now. olay regenerist wipes out the competition; hydrating better than $100, $200 even $400 creams. with our b3 complex, beautiful skin doesn't have to cost a fortune. olay.

(nicki palmer) being a verizon engineer is about dng things right. so when we roll out the nation's first 5g ultra wideband network, it'll be because we were the first to install the fiber-optics and small cells, and upgrade the towers that will change the way we learn, work and live. and i'll always be proud that we're not just building america's first 5g network. we're doing it right

this special hour of "today" is responseersponsored by long silver's. skip your trip to the same old, same old. >> we are back with our international day of the girl celebration. >> al roker outside on the plaza, packed with hdreds of rls from all over the world and special guests as well. mr. roker. >> that's ght, guys. we've got carly, of course, a supermodel, a role model for girls in tech, and trisha, who is onef the obama foundation scholars at columbia university. [ applause ] >> that's right. give it up for them. rly, why was it important for you to be here for the international day of the girl. >> there is incredible energy here, firstf all. girls are our future. today is about celebrating the incredible work that women and girls are doing around the world to change their communities liks . she started she speaks, an plganization that reached over

100,000 young pin india. and, you know, i love any excuse to come celebrate that kind ofi rtant cause. >> what is your message for young women and girls around the world, not justn india? >> now, i have engaged with the most amazing young girls across the world, in india. i have seen them lea the wav of change. so to anyone watching, you have a role to play for the gender equality. if you want to know what your role is, invest in young girls quality education and sit back and watch them lead. [ applause ] >> and in fact, education is one the key stones? >> yes, absolutely. and i work with teaching girls how to code. i thie all approach it from different angles. you can empower a young woman, you change her life, her community, her futureamily. it alltarts with education. >> that's right. it's the first step. guys, thank youor so much

everything you are doing and thank u for being part of this important day. it's really, really special. >> we are honored. >> stick around. a packed morning ahead in honor of international day of the girl featuring michelle obama.ady that's right. an incredible concert from three favorite superstars. we've got meghan trainor. we've got c kellyrkson and we've got jennifer hudson all ahead. first, your local news and weather. what would it look like... ...if we listened more? could the right voice, the right set of words, bring us all just a little closer, get us to open up, even push us further? it could. if we took the time to listen. the most inspiring minds. the most compelling stories. download audible. and listen for a change. take us downtown, waze. download audible.

waze integration- seamlessly connecting the world inside with the world outside. making life a little easier. ♪ the new well-connected 2019 lincoln mkc. ♪

that's why capital one iss feel the building something completely different. capital one cafés. welcoming places with people here to help you, not sell you. with savings and checking accounts with no fees or minimums. that are easy to open from right here or anywhere in 5 minutes. no smoke. no mirrors. this is banking reimagined. what's in your wallet? ♪ ♪ 1850 coffee. inspired by the year the folger coffee company began. with a bold yet smooth taste. 1850 coffee. begin boldly. we're gonna replace candy with some healthy halloween treats today. these are called veggie fruit chews mine tasted like poopoo! mine tastes like broccoli, yuck! i want candy! for instance, january 21st is national hugging day. but anyone can give a hug

even this guy -- he gives great hugs. but you, you do way more than give hugs. you care for your kids, your parents, and even the guy across the street who waves a lot. and a-a-r-p is here to help. connecting you with the tools you need to navigate the realities of caregiving. think of it as one big hug. take on today and every day with a-a-r-p.

this is a news4 today news break. >> 7:56 is your time onhis thursday, october 11th, 2018. good morning. i'm eun yang. right now we want to check on your morning commute with melissa molett and your first4 affic. how is it looking, melissa? >> the inner loop before theio american l bridge, that overturned vehicle has cleared. take a look at the delays because of that. inner loop you are slow from 95

all the way up into maryland here this morning. very, very slow and the rain not helping things. college park southbound 95 before the beltway a new crash northbound and southbound b.w. parkway before 98 slow. >> we will take a break and check your forecast next. stay with us.

as your home becomes more connected, you need fios, the 100% fiber-optic network. because you'll get phenomenal capacity for your tech and the most awarded network for internet service satisfaction for the past 10 years. now, get $200 toward a range of google and nest smart home devices, plus the fastest internet available, tv with up to 200 channels, phone, and a 2-year price guarantee all for just $79.99 per month with a 2-year agreement. and if you order online by october 31st, you'll get a $100 visa prepaid card. go to getfios.com.

i'm trackingca someered light showers and patchy drizzle on storm tea radar. cloudy skies. have the umbrella handy today. a look at the bigger pture. this is tropical storm michael moving up into our area along with the cold front. they are going to come together and move out to seaun a the norfolk area. we could see heavy rain marylanly in souther it's actually likely during the evening hours. todayin rain at times

with heavier rain later but mild and muggy. highs around 80. >> thanks. "the today show" is next. stay with us.

it is 8:00 on "today." coming up, part of my passion and mission to makee s that haery girl on the planet has the same opportunity t i have had. >> former first lady michelle obama wife, mother, activist joining us in her first live television interview since leaving t white house to celebrate international day of vee girl. a special focused on bringing attention, action, and enthusiasm to improving girls' lives around the world. for the next hour we go global. from jenna bush hager in east africa meeting women inspiring change for future generations. >> is your job done? >> not yet.

until every girl is touched, i am not leaving. >> to the powerful voices of kelly clarkson, jennifer hudson, and meghan trainor perfooning here livhe plaza. along with special appearances by car kloss, rita and zendaya. and mrs. obama has an nnouncement she will be making here. today thursday, october 11, 2018. ♪ >> ethiopia. >> vietnam. >> colombia. >> mexico. international day of the girl! woo! >> hereic fhelle obama. >> it's international day of the girl on "today"! woo! >> and welcome back to "today"o

a special thursday morning. our plaza i packed. we have more than 600 girls from allver the country, all over the world here to help us celebrate international day of the girl. >> we have a star-studded hour in store for you. first, without further adieu, our special guests help us welcome former first lady michelle obama. she is here with a special announcement about an issue near and tear to her. we welcome her.ear to her. elcome her.dear to her. we welcome her. mrs. obama, good morning! >> good morni. nice to s you. how are you? >> great to see you. >> my goodness. wow! >> look at this. oh, my goodness. welcome, welcome. >> i would like to say we did not all plan to wear white. it just happened. >> it feels le a white day.

>> yes. >> by the way, can i just say,f beint lady must have been super, super cool. what is the coolest thing about being a former first lady? >> now, it's the small things. it's opening up my door and walking out and enjoying the weather and sitting on my patio. it's the small things. it's going to my girls' gamesan just really being a mom. so, you know, i the nothing new that's going on. it's just that we're out in the real world. we have a house. >> i was just thinking about you and there formerdent in your own house, like is he driving you crazy? are you like, take out the trash? >> one of the keys to a successful marriage is separate bathrooms. so when he enters my bathroom sometimes i am like, why are you in here?

and he is like, i live here. can i enjoy my bathroom, too? he has been good. we are both busy. we are working on books. at keeps us busy. and we have got kids in college. one kid in college. one on the way. so we have a senior in high school. so it's all the drama that goes with -- well, you guys don't know this yet. >>yeah. >> but, you know, senior yr is quite intense because it's testing, it's applications, grades. >> speaking of your adorable girls, i was watching an old interview you did with oprah when you were leaving the white house and you said the eight years in the white house are either going to ma or bre my girls. >> yeah. >> so what is the verdictn how worked? >> they are doing well. i'm so proud of them. mean, they are some of the reasons why this iss means so much to me because i think about what it meansor them to have their voice and to come out of those eight years confident and

poised. as jenna knows, it is tough growing up in the public eye. and they spent the their life in the nation/international spotlight with all the krcriticisms and adjustments. now we are in the era of social media where every little thing is blown out of proportion. they are down to earth. ey are humble. they are normal. and it has been a huge relief. i said this before. it took me several months in the white house before i could tak a deep breath because i knew that this transition wasn't going to take them out. and i talk about it in my book, mbering the first day they went to school, and it was before barack took office. we were living in a hotel out of suitcases. they were starting a new school. they were in their armored vehicles w mh with guns going off to a new school, and i just tthought, w on earth are we doing to them? and i just prayed and hoped and,

you know, thanked god they're good. 's because of the love of so many people in their lives and the support. so they are on the other end, and i am so proud of them. they are doing thank you for asking. >> you know, and these areough times politically that we are living in. you were famous at thecr deic convention for saying, when they go low, we go high. and just this week the former g attorneral eric holder who worked for your husband said the democrats should hav a new motto. when they go low, we should kick them. hillary clintonaid, how can we be civil when our opponents are trying to take away everything we stand for? and i thought, what would you say now about your motto? do you think it still stands? >> absolutely. fear is not a proper motivator. hope wins out. and if you think about how you want your kids to be raised, how you want them to think about life and their opportunities, do

you want them afraid of their neighbors? do you want them angry? do you want them vengeful? if we think of the values we want to promote to our children, savannah, you're a mother right now, and you haveut to think a what are the things you're telling your girls. which motto do you want them to live by? and i have toha think about as a mother, as someone who is a role model toir young. we want them to grow up with promise and hope, and we can't model something different if we want them to be better that. >> there was a tiny moment at john mccain's funeralhere former president bush handed you a cough drop. it may have been a some people. when you watch that moment, we realized how important that tiny moment was, right? >> i didn't realize at the tnye thatdy noticed what we were doing. we were sitting together. president bush and i, we are forever seat mates because of

protocol. that's how we sit at all the official functions. he is m partner in crime at every major thing where all the formers gather. we are together all the time. i love him tth d he is a wonderful man. he is a funny man. and s it was aple gesture. he was getting a cough drop from laura. i looked overnd i said, hand me a cough drop. he is like, oh, okay. and i will add that they were old cough drops. that's the fny thing because they were in the little white house box, the altoids. i am like, how long have you had these? he said a long w timve got a lot of these. >> it was one of those moments where people felt lire is a little bipartisan moment, simple as a cough drop. >> that's whyt matters so much. that's what people are hungry for. they are hungry for what we kno- th you know, party doesn't separate us. color, gender, those kind of things don't separate us. it's the messages that we send. and if we are t adults and the

leaders in the room and we are not showing that level of decency, we cannot expect our children to do the same. so that's what i tnk about en i think about the gestures and the symbols and what our words mean and the impact that it has. i think about the next generation every single time. >> we have a lot to say on that topic, the next generation. we are going to pause our conversati here. when we come back, mrs. obama's big announcement about what she is doing to help girls around the world. >> plus, jenna takes our celebration global, introducing us to the remarkable women she met on a trip to africa. >> and this crowd isn't here for nothing. we have an epicce con. something we have never done. back-to-back performances kelly clarkson, jennifer hudson, r. meghan traino we are celebrating international day of the girl.

60% of women wear the wrong size pad and can experience leaks. you don't have to. with always my fit, try the ne size up and get up to 20% better coverage day or night. because better coverage means better protection. alwa (christine) i didn't think i but i still t oral cancer. and it came back twice. my tip is: if you smoke, you're a smoker.

just like i was. (announcer) you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit-now. wow, that's an pretty great, huh?low. if you're a banana. i find it very...appealing. new kellogg's raisin bran with bananas. two scoops meet real banana slices. i've done a great job of raisin ya. ♪ ♪ ♪ welcome bac to our celebration of the international

ay of the girl and the reason that the former first lady michelle obama is joining us. >> a big announcement. she is announcing a brand new initiative focused on girls education. quality education can lift a girl and her community out of poverty. unfortunately, nearly 100 million girls are missing out on school entirely, and a lifetime of opportunities. >> and that's why we are here rght here andht now. mrs. obama is officially launching e global girls liance. take a look. ♪ ♪ freedom freedom freedom ♪ yeah freedom ♪ freedom freedom freedom ♪ yeah freedom ♪ freedom freedom freedom >> now you have us excited.

your alliance is going to suppor t moren 1,500 grassroons organizat why this issue? >> well, the stats show when you educate a girl, you educate a mi , a community, a country. it makes no sense that the strength of our families that a girls and wom not getting educated, that they are not in school. so iel absol makes sense for us. if we care about climate chae, if weare about poverty, if we care about maternal childal , then we have to care about education. as you said, right now there are 98 million adolesct girls who aren't in school. let's stop and think about that. ters withut our dau all of their promise, with all that they have in them, even now at this young age that there is something them burning in t that is dying to get out. well, that is true for millions of girlsd aro the country, and they are battling thrgh

misperceptions, violence, stigma to get their way into a classroom. and many of them don't have access to a classroom. we want to play a role in building an aiance of young people that are out there doing the work on the want to give them an opportunity to network with one another because working on these issues out in the world can be lonely. so you imagine that you are a leader. jenn has talked to somf the leaders on the ground. they need to have links to resources and training and technical support. the alliance is going tode pro that for them, a way for them to come together on a regular basis. >> we mentioned this work has alrey been done, started. she traveled t east africa to connect with a remarkable woman who is creating change in her community. she is joining with mrs. obama's local girls alliance. she is an adoptive mother o nine children. as you are about to see, she is

an inspiration to thousands more. >> reporter: 14-year-old nelly is about to do something many girls her age have given up on. every morning she leaves the tiny shack she shares with her mother and sisters and walks two miles to school. nelly is unusual because in uganda only two out of ten girls make it past the seven grade. nearly half are married by the time they are 18. >> they tell you -- you hear that you're stupid. >> reporteat she was told too. >> you never saw a woman drive? >> never. >> reporter: growing up in the slums, evener own parents told her not to bother with school. >> boys a always giv the priority. they are taught to be confident and girls are taught to be submissive, taught to be quiet. >> reporter: not to use their voice? >> not to use their voice. >>eporter: any money the family could scrape together went to her brothers' education

first. >> when i got the shoes when i was 13, it was the best thing of my life. i realized for my own famil this wrong. something needs tochange. >> reporter: so monica turned that curse into a crusade. become the first in her family to graduate from college. instead of leaving the slums, she came back. you went to university in london? >> yes. >> reporter: you could have stayed there? >> yes. this is not who i am because if morend more educated girls left, then who is doing it? >> reporter: she created girl of uganda, a program that teaches algirls to demand more. at thist markeey are not just picking up trash, they are picking up important leadership skills. each is teamed up with an older sister. >> somkne you can tal to.

someone who says they bieve in you. >> reporter: she shows mes howt workat missouri design where women teach each other to s creating beautiful dresses and handbags. remember nelly? her dream is to be a fashion designer. so a seamstress shows her how to make her own dress. >> what do you think? >> amazing. >> exposing a girl like nelly, tomorrow she will be a fashion designer. she will be a big deal in new york, a big deal in uganda. >> reporter: can i wear your clothes when you comeo new york? >> yes. >> reporter: but before that cag happen al once afraid to raise her hand in class will have to overcome her fears at a neighborhood fashion show. she is going to walk on the catwalk? >> yes, and show the power that there is in girls. ♪ >> reporter: a beautiful transformation that proves when given thechance, every girl can be a star.

even nenly'sr is moved to tears. >> why were you crying? happy.m so they are tears of joy. >> reporter: does it make you proud? >> yes. >> reporter: is your job don >> not yet. until every girl is touched, i'm not leaving. when i see these girls smiling, happy, being confident, being able to rai their heads, to speak out, i see the world that wted for myself. now i see it's possible for them. >> all right. and we are delighted to have my hero, monica, this morning.ere we loved spending time with you at your organization. you helped thousands of kids stay in school and dream big, including, of course, nelly and you're ourero. is it amazing to be a part of this. >> it's exciting for us globally to say we need toor pize on girls education. the time is now. we need to work as aollective

to raise arms. this is that time wn it's already around the girls alliance, it's time for girls. girls now! girls arehe future! >> girls are the future. y'all can learn more about her story at today.com. savannah and hoda. thank you. >> michelle, you met her yesterday. your eyes are selling up. is phenomenal. she is one ofan millions. that's what this alliance is intended to do. to find energyea andrship like that and lift it up and support it and fund it. one of the best parts of the alliance is the fund that will allow people -- we are teaming up with gofundme, and people right now, if hear about these programs, you can learn about them online, but you can help support themea in time. that's what people like monica need. they need resources onou the . >> i was struck by monica's voice. it's so clear and it isou so

and i was thinking about women's voices in thein times we ar right now. in some ways they have never been stronger orea r. we have had this #metoo movement. so much has happened in one year. i wonder what your thoughts are it. are you surprised at how much has changed? >> i'm surprised at how much chhas changed but how much has not changed. that's where the fire is coming from. enough is enough.ld the w is a sadly dangerous place for women and girls, and we see that again and again. and i think young women are tired of it. they are tired of being undervalued, tired of being disregarded. they of their voices not being invested inir anded a. and it's not just around the world. that's happening right here in this country. and if we are going to change that, we have to give them the tools and the skills through education to be able to lift those voices up. >> there are some who believe that the #metoo movement went to a point and some say there is a

backlash that's happening, that now men are saying, wait a minute, you know, what about us? just your thoughts on>> that? hat's what happens with change, you know? change is not a direct smooth path. there is going to beumps and resistance. i mean,as thereeen a status quo in terms of the way women have beentreated, what their expectations have been in society, and that is changing. ere is going to be a little upheaval, a little discomfort. but i think it's to the women out there to say, sorry. sorry tha feel uncomfortable, but i'm now paving the wayt y for the next generation. mothers - [ applause ] >> we have to think about the path we want to pave for our girls. e don't start setting the tone now, they are going to walk into a world where they are still dealing with those issues in the workplace and at home and in schools. and i don't want that for your gir girls. and they're young.

your girls are likely to b the beneficiaries of this work, this voice, these opportunities. >> you talked about getting out the vote. that's another of your initiatives. you were really candid recently saying, you know, it's kind of depressing out there, politics. you could have easily checked out and go lived a nice life. why did youecide to engage? and when you say that politics isht depressing r now, what do you mean by that? >> i chose to engage because there is noihoice. alk to some of the girls yesterday about did they -- they asked me a question about how do you stay resilient in the face ofe difficulty. thing i wanted to remind them, that i have to remind w mysen i'm down, that change is hard and it takes time. and we are planting seeds every day. and the alternative is to do nothing, to say nothing, to sit back and watch things go unchanged. but with every statement that we make, with every act, with every dollar we spend on thisissue,

we are moving the needle. and that's what we have to do. weave to movet slowly but surely. and i certainly am going to play my i made a commitment to girls around the world when i was in the white house that i n wou had walk away from this issue when i left, and this is my fulfillment of that promise to the obama foundation. >> before i let you go, we have a few seconds left, you have been asked one billion times, uld you ever run forlected? >> absolutely t. >> have you ever been asked why not? >> yes. and i said it te and time again. you know, this is the one thing you learn. as a woman you understand where your voice works best, where you want to operate. in. space you want to be i have never wanted to be a politician. it's onef those things that nothing has changed in me to make me wanto run for elected office. i want to serve. i want to do work. i want to be out there.

but there is so many ways to make an impact. politics is just not my thing. a's as simple that. and that's what i want these girls -- find your passion. don't let somebody tell youan wt they you to do. determine whatto your message and how you want to use your t voice. ans is how i want to work in the world. i wantti to work on po issues with girls around the world. >> it'sreat to have this conversation. thank you for coming, mrs. obama. we have a great concert coming up. we should alsoention if you want to find out more about the global girls alliance, just go to today.com. all the information is ther >> we are just getting started on the plaza. we have a lot of music comin up. before that, we will go to al with a check of the weather. >> a couple of special guests to get to. first, heavy rain dueel to mic on the mid-atlantic coast into the northeast later. a freeze and frost wning. a little shower activity here right now. sunshine along the west coast. that's what's going on around

the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. temperatures right now in the 70s. i am traing some scattered light showers showing up on storm team4he radar. ise, cloudy skies. we will continue to have rain and showers at times with some heavy rain moving in, especially during the late afternoon evening hours. mainly east of i-95 where two to four inche is possible. elsewhere around an inch. as we look to tomorrow we will have breezy conditions throughout the day, temperatures in the 60s with plentyf sunshine. >> oh, the ponchos are going onf meantime, wnd rita pinto and ellie kyle, who traveled from can'tnia to be here today. youave been a part of this international day of the girl for a while. how inspiring is this? >> this is really inspiring. come rain, come shine, we are going to be out here rooting for these girls. everyone keeps asking me, how do you inspire the girls? i am like it's really the other way around. you come here, you see these --

my friend from the girls club right there. >> ellie,hank youo much for being here. >> thank you. >> stick around. a big concert coming up.ar kelly on, jennifer hudson, meghan trainor. this is a news4 today news break. >> good morning everybody. 8:26 on this thursday, october 11th. i'm aaron gilchrist. a look at the roads with melissa molett and your first4 traffic. >> good morning. traffic alert because of all of the slowdowns this morning. inner loop of the beltway miles of delays as you are headehb nond here up towards the american legion bridge. we had an earlier ash. it is cleared. we still have the slowdowns. southbound b.w. parkway left lane blocked by a crash. woodbridge after prince william parkway a left lane blocked there. >> we will have a check of your forecast when we come back.

em currently ourratures in the low-to-mid 70s. i just showed you radar, but here is a larger look at what we're tracking. this is tropical storm michael. this is a cold front. all of theo are going be moving through later today with heavy rain, especially east of 95. that's where we see a flash

flood watch in effect that begins at 2:00. >> thank you. and you can get thet news and weather anytime. open the .

and we are back. it's 8:30. we arera cting international day of the girl along with our guests, former first lady michelle obama. we are joined now by three very talented women and some pretty talented little girls. our daughters are along with us this morning. w andelcome! >> welcome, welcome! >> this is quite moment for our little girls. i don't think they realize what's happening. >> why aree here? >> exactly. we have been talking about the day of the girl. we will have a great concert of all tee o you wonderful ladies. kelly, when you think about your little girl, whenhink about the future and you will look out there, what do you picture for river re? >> you know what? she kind of came into the world super bold and confident.

yeah, so i'm just kind of at rythis pointg to tame it. >> direct it. >> so i -- >> and jennifer, you have such strong words for women. you are a powerful figure. what does it mean to you to know that you are an example for a lot of women? >> you know, it's a blessing to be able to come from powerful women. i want to continue that amazing example for the youthe. to c that's important to me. >> and megan, i got to tell you, your music is so empowering. your audience is filled with >> thank you. >> you kind of have a responsibility, don't you, when you get out there in the world? >> i guess sea y i am just going myself. if it helps all the girls out there, i love you so much. i love the fans and i lov writing songs for everyone to >>inspire them. rs. obama, i was just saying in our conversation the last half hour, when you said that about how we feel about girls and knowing how much potential are in them, it drives home the point about the work

you want to oldo. >> aely. any good alliance needs allies. i want to thank these women on stage because this i the way that we want people to step up and help. issue, ife about this you care about your daughters, your sisters, we want you to be a part ofhat alliance. and i'm grateful to all three of you for being amazing role models for my girls. and for all these young women out there. so proud of you guys. >he good filingeelings are goin to keep on going. first, a check of the weather? >> we should. >> all right. >> oh, we've got actressnd activist zendaya and sarah mercado, a texas native and a goldrd girl scout. ladies, good to see you. >> we are so excit b tohere. >> definitely. >> i got the tell you, the cer that went up from this crowd -- [ applause ] >> you're from a family ofat eds. is that where your passion for

activism and education comes >> absolutely. having parents that are teachers it kind of instilled something in me andeally helped me value what education can bring to especially women, you know. i don't know. it's always empowered me. i love watching my, being that classroom.ew up in a it's a really special experience. >> and sarah, you know, you're amongst all these girl leaders. what's it like being one of them? >> it's so inspiring seeing all the girls here today and all the organizations that they represent. i'm really grateful for this opportunity. >> when you see young women, your peers out here, what's your message to them? >> keep doing what you are doing. you are doing great work. even if it's little those little impacts add up and can make a big impact overall. >> how big a foundation is he h hadcation movement?n for this >> it's huge. shout out to education.

that's w right?re here for, look at these beautiful, brilliant -- i mean, that's what we're here for. look at them. >> as the father of two girls,s this really inspiring. >> really, really important. i'm excited to be ere. >> we ar excited that you guys are here, as well. let's check the weekend outlook. of course, the sun returns on the east coast now that michael is gone on friday. the chill continues in the plains. sunshine out west. saturday some showers in the northeast. some cd weather and snown the rockies. heavy rain through texas.y sunday, sun sunshine in the northeast in new england. rockies snow out west and plenty of sunshine on the west coast i with rai the lower mid-mississippi river valleys. that's what's going onth around country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. a flash flood watch goes into effect at 2:00 this nties eastfor the c of 95 here in solid green. that's going to run to 6:00 a.m. friday. the heaviest rain will fall area ride this afternoon and evening. if youren the watch expect two to four inches of rain possible. outside ofat the around an inch. but everyone needs the umbrella

today. and the jacket tomorrow. look at your ten-day forecast. temperatures tomorrow in the 60s with the breezy wind. 50 to 60 with morning showers. >> thank you so much for being here. all righty. let's go back to hoda, get this party started! >> you got it, al. who is ready to get it started? >> mrs. obama is. >> i am! >> first up in our all-star concert lineup to mark international day ofirl performing "no excuses ". take it away. ♪ ♪ looking at the s always coming at me ♪ ♪ why you why you acting hard ♪ when you just a baby

♪ boy i keep it real with you ♪ but you trying to play me ♪ have you lost your mind ♪ open up your eyes ♪ let's go ♪ you must have confused me ♪ on confused me with ♪ you must have confused me confused me with ♪ ♪ there ain't no excuses ♪ your mama raised you better than that ♪ ♪ what you sipping on that got you talking crazy ♪ ♪ looking at me sideways always coming at me ♪ ♪ why you acting like you never met a lady ♪on ♪ i disrespect you ♪ don't you disrespect me ♪ have yout l your mind ♪ open up your eyes ♪ come on ♪ you must have confused me confused me with ♪ ♪ you must have confused me confused me with ♪ ♪ there ain't no excus

ex♪ses ♪our mama raised you than that ♪ ♪ come on ♪ your mama raised you better ♪ have you lostou mind ♪ open u your eyes ♪ you must have confud me confused me with ♪ you must have confused me nfused me with ♪ ♪ there ain't no excuses excuses babe ♪ ♪ your mama raised you better than that ♪ you must have confused me confused me with ♪ ♪ your mama raised you better than bette than that ♪ ♪ your mama raised your bette

than that ♪ [ applause ] >> yes! meghan trainor, you are amazing. up next, another powerhouse performer jennifer hudson. first, this is "today"n nbc. >>

this is amazing. i hope everybody is enjoying this spe calcert. our girls are. some have danced so much, they had to take their sweater off. jennifer, we are so excited to hear about you. talk abo t the energy ofs crowd this morning. >> it's amazing. this is what girl power is all about! look at all the energy. >> i know. and you have a great audience. kelly clarkson, michelle obama, so many celebrities. great girls. we are going to let you take it >>re performing for the away. first time on tv i'll fight from

the rgb documentary soundtrack. ladies and gentlemen, j-hud! ♪ when your faith is low and you've got no strength left ♪ ♪ oh will take up the struggle ♪ ♪ oh i know it's right ♪ so i'll fight

♪ fight that war for you ♪ i'll fight ♪ stand and defend you ♪ take your side ♪ that's what i'm t here do ♪ i'll be there to be stron ♪ i'll keep on keep on the fight ♪ ♪ when it's dangerous t ♪akes another piece of you ♪ everybody takes all they can get from you ♪ ♪ till you're left with almost nothing left of you ♪ ♪ when each night is like a win ♪ you can ♪ and the pain is like a weight you're car'ling ♪ ♪l be the one to help carry it ♪ ♪ oh i wl take your troubles ♪ oh i know it's a fight

♪ so i'll fight ♪ fight that war for y ♪ i'll fight ♪stand and defend you ♪ take your side ♪ that's what i'm here to do ♪ i'll there to be strong ♪ oh i'll keep on keep on the fight ♪ ♪ i'll help you back when your backs to the wall ♪ ♪ i'll catch the tears when your tears fall ♪ ♪ i will give it all i won't give up the fight ♪ ♪ so i'll fight ♪ fight that war for you ♪ i'll fight ♪ stand anden d you ♪ take your side ♪ that's what i'm here to do

♪ i'll be there to be strong ♪ oh'l keep on keep on the fight ♪ fight ♪ ♪ fight thatar for you ♪ stand and defend you ♪ that's what ie her to do ♪ i'll be there to be strong ♪ oh i'll keep on ♪ keep on the fight ♪ i'll fight >> that wasic ep jennifer hudson. stick around. river rose's mother kelly clarkson is going to perform. first, this is "today" on nbc.

i'm jennifer wexton, and i approve this message. seen barbara mstock's fake ad? jennifer wexton backed a deal leading to massive tolls on 66. nonsense. jennifer wexton foht the tolls on 66. and let's call this plan what it is, the way that it's been rolled out. it's highway robbery. there's also healthcare robbery. barbara comstock voted to sabotage the healthcare market, hiking premiums up to 64%.rb a trumpstock -- everything that's wrong in washington.

the citioncert series on "today" is proudly presented to you by citi. >> oh, we are not done yet. we are going to wrap up our special international day of the girl concert with an anthem for all the ladies out there. it is by t one, the only, river rose's mother, kelly clarkson. we've got river here and kelly up there. w special to perform for your little girl. she is going to dance for you. she wants to sing with you. >> you can come up here and e. >> okay. well, all right. we have a lot of backup singers and dancers here. >> yes, we do. they want to sing. girls are also about friendship. i think there is a hdaugughters in trouble because we are on different sides of the continent. >> she wany a pdate. >> tell us about the -- a whole lot of woman from her latest album meaning of life.

♪ you ain't know ♪ women do it bigger ♪ what say it ain't so ♪ in the south it don't get realer babot ♪ ♪ p full of grits ♪ i'm hotter than your mama's supper boy ♪ ♪ better get with it th ♪tter watch your m ♪ i might burn you boy ♪ you going downtown gonna work ♪ ♪ good love i derve ♪ i ain't no girl ♪ i am a boss with orders a ♪ i'm needing is a baby love me ♪ ♪ i got what youant ♪ i'm aiming to please ♪ i got what it takes ♪ sure got the means ♪ ♪ i got what you want sugar honey iced tea ♪ ♪ all eyes on m ♪ oh, oh baby

♪ a whole lot that woman ♪ i'm a whole lotta woman ♪ i'm a wle lotta woman ♪ i'm a strong chick with class andonfidence ♪ ♪ one time for the green ♪ if you mean it ♪ i ain't no girl ♪ i am a boss with orders ♪ab all i'm needing is a b love me ♪ ♪ i got what you want ♪ i'm aiming to please ♪ i got what it takes ♪ i sureot the means ♪ i got what you want ♪ugar, honey, iced tea ♪ all eyes on me, oh, oh, baby ♪ yeah, hey, i'm a whole lotta woman,♪ ♪ h i'm ahole lotta woman

♪ ain't no competition ♪ it's just you can't keep up with me ♪ d ♪ i can a thing about my wicked ways with gravitr ♪ ♪ higan the leaves ♪ they fall from trees like d-o-double-gs ♪ ♪ i reside in tennessee ♪ i'm a whole lotta woman ♪ strong bad chick with class and confidence ♪ ♪ oh, yeah yeah ♪ ♪ oh, yeah, yeah ♪ i'm a strong chick with class and confidence hey ♪ >> give it up for kelly clarkson! >> coming right back, the girls

have the microphone. say good job, mommy. >> god job mama. >> first, this is "tod" on nbc. ♪ when was the last time you felt... free. it's time to uncover that feeling again. with the compassion and strength of a name... most accepted by top doctors and specialists. and the power of a card... that opens doors in all fifty states. giving you the freedom to love to dream to dance like no one is watching. carefirst blue cross blue shield. live fearless.

it hasn't always been easy, has it? ♪ there have been days when you doubted yourself. ♪ and days when you were ready to quit. ♪ but you didn't. ♪ because you had the courage to venture into something powerful. education. if i leave you with just three words of advice: never...stop...growing. [cheering] stronger is blasting without risking her bones. it's training her good cells... to fight the bad guys. stronger is less pain... new hope... more fight. it's doing everything in your power... and everything in ours. stronger, is changing even faster than they do.

because we don't just want your kids to grow up. we want them to grow up stronger. what an amazing way to celebrate international day of the girl. we hope everybody is feeling as inspired as we are. >> we want to tnk the former first lady michelle obama for joining us, and we want to thank all of our guests. we had some awesome singers. what did y guys -- how would you describe the concert, megan? >> the coolest concert i have seen in ag lme. >> that is absolutely right. it's been pretty incredible. >> and mrs. obama, w know you are known for your dance moves. you were dancing o >> these strong voices on the stage just get you moving. and these young ladie >> i know. >> they really showed me up today. >> next generation. the global girls alliance.

thank you for being here. >> and it's all for the work you're doing. >> the time is now. let's g started. [ cheers and applause st >> one of thngest voices. kelly? >> we want to hear your strong voice. what has this day meant to you? >> i think this day means, especiallyaving my daughter here, i grew up like in a city that was very small with different ideals from what a girl should grow up to be. i am glad i grew out of that bubble and raising a girl in that environment. >> we love y'all. >> a wonderful time to be a young lady. mrs. obama, thank you again for launching the globas alliance here today. you can find out more at today.com. "megyn kelly today" is next. have a wonderful day. thank you. ♪ the world is on fire ♪ s

this i a news4 today news break. >> 8:56 is the time on this thursday, october 11, 2018. a check on your morning cmute with melissa molett. how is it looking, melissa? >> still quite slow inner loop to the american legion bridge. inner loop near b.w. parkway aa on the greenbelt as well. southbound g on 270ng 30 miles

per hour. pretty slow there. and woodbridge northbound 95 after prince william parkway left lane blocked by a nkcrash. >> tyou. we will take a break now. we will check your forecast next.

some scattered light showers mainly in parts of northern virginia, back to around the winchester area. we wl have some slayehowers out there until the early afternoon hours and then rain becomes morepr widd. it's mild and muggy already. 77 in washington and take a look. this is tropical storm michael. it's moving upn our direction and will be brought out to sea by a cold hafront. >> you. get the latest news and weather anytime in the nbc washington app. have a great day.

good morning, everyone. wac to the show. i'mll megyn millions of people across the southeast are just beginning what is going to be a very long cleanup proceft this historic storm. we're going to discuss it but we have a lotuso di actually. a lot of things to discuss with nbc's keir simmons, oamy holmes and also the host of american ninja warrior. what mess michael was. a lot of people feel like this storm creep up on us. cat 4 on the florida panhandle. we'll begin with