Teacher, accused of kidnapping his student and taking her across the country, speaks out. What she said to her brother after his arrest. I asked him why . Why would he do this . Why shes standing by him, despite the horrible things she claims he did. And airline agony. American suspends a Flight Attendant over this altercation with a mom and other passengers. She almost hurt a baby. This, just two weeks after uniteds infamous passenger dragging incident. My god, what are you doing . This morning, that mans lawyer is here for an exclusive, live interview, today, monday, april 24th, 2017. From nbc news, this is today, with matt lauer and savannah guthrie. Live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to today on a monday. A monday of what promises to be a very eventful week. A lot of countdowns. You talked about a countdown to a potential government shut jdo. The 100day mark for the Trump Administration. And north korea. Let us set the stage for you. Today, President Trump welcomes in the u. N. Security council the white house for an unprecedented meeting. High on the list of priorities, north korea, syria and u. S. Cuts to u. N. Funding. Well talk about that more with the u. S. Ambassador to the United Nations, nikki haley, in a moment. Budget battles will dominate. The white house releases its tax reform plan on wednesday, while Congress Faces a friday deadline to pass a new spending package, if it wants to avoid a Government Shutdown. Heres another thing to watch out for on friday. President trumps address to the nras annual leadership forum. We have complete coverage, starting with Kristen Welker this morning. Reporter good morning to you. President trump has been downplaying the significance of the first 100day mark. Telling the Associated Press its not meaningful. Countering that, a flurry of activity, aimed at raking up more wins. Health care and vowing to introduce a tax plan. But looming over it, that potential Government Shutdown set for friday. With Donald Trumps presidency approaching the 100day mark, the president and his aides are sounding a triumphant note. He is fulfilling his promises and doing it at breakneck speed. Reporter but the new nbc news wall street journal poll, tells a different story. With 45 of americans, hes off to a poor start. His job Approval Rating now stands at 40 , the lowest of any president in the history of the poll. Still, an nbc neabc news washi post poll, says he is holding firm with his base. On twitter, the president calling the polls, very good, considering much of the media is fake and almost always negative. All this as washington faces a looming deadline. If congress cant pass a budget deal by friday, the government will shut down. The governments going to stay open . I believe it will. Reporter one of the sticking points, republicans are looking to include funding for the president s border wall in the spending bill, a signature Trump Campaign promise. Who is going to pay for that ball . Mexico. Reporter the president suggesting u. S. Taxpayers may need to make a downpayment, tweeting sunday, eventually, but at a later date, so we can get started early, mexico will be paying in some form for a badly needed wall. Democrats taking a hard line against the wall. The wall is immoral, expensive, unwise. Reporter some republicans warning to letting the issue shut down the government. The last thing we can afford is to send a message to the world that the United States government is only partially functioning. Reporter this comes as the white house is attempting to resuscitate the failed attempt at health care reform. Were hopeful this week. But its not something that has to happen to define our success. Reporter and today, former president barack obama, who has been vacationing, is coming off the sidelines, hosting a discussion about Community Organizing in chicago. Obamas first public appearance, just days before the commander in chief marks a milestone. Mr. Obama met with atrisk young men in chicago. In terms of his message, aides say dont expect the president to criticize President Trump. But he will advocate for his policies. As for mr. Trump, expect this week to be a runup to saturdays 100day mark. Today, he is going to hold that undecemb unprecedented white house meeting with the u. N. Security council. Kristen welker where theyre tidying up this morning. The world is reacting to a critical election in france. Two outsiders have won the preliminary round of voting. Richard engel is in paris for us. Hi, richard. Good morning. Reporter good morning, savannah. French voters rejected the establishment. There were 11 candidates. Theyve been whittled down to two. And the ruling parties that have governed in france from the left and the right for decades were thrown out. Amid high security, millions came out to vote across france. Turnout was 78 , in whats considered the most important election in decades. And it was a nailbiter. Too close to call until the results came in. Emmanuel macron is now the frontrunner to be the next french president. This is his first campaign. Supporters are hoping the 39yearold banker from the centerleft can bring a new life and energy to france. We will win it, he promised. Long live france. He faces his polar opposite, marine le pen, from the far right. Trailing by a few percent, le pen is antiimmigration, wants out of the e. U. , to drop the euro, and taking a page out of the strategy book from President Trump. Its time for the french people to be free of the arrogant elite, she said, promising to close borders and stop terrorism. The two candidates will face each other in a runoff in two weeks. Analysts say macron has the clearest path to victory and that following trump may have actually worked against le pen. Trump was a counterexample for france. People have been looking at the whats happening in the u. S. , with very critical eyes. Reporter now, with two weeks to go, france is at a cross roads. There has been a trend in Global Politics towards nationalism. First with brexit, and then President Trumps election. France can be where that trend comes to an end. Richard engel, in paris, thank you. Theres new tension this morning between the u. S. And north korea. The regime is now threatening to sink a u. S. Aircraft carrier. And over the weekend, it detained an american citizen, as he was preparing to leave that country. Nbcs kelly cobiella, is in seoul, south korea, with the latest on this. Kelly, good morning. Reporter a lot of talking overnight, matt. The leaders of both japan and china speaking to President Donald Trump by phone. The choinese leader urging restraint on all sides, as the uss carl vinson comes closer to the peninsula. College student otto warmbier, and now, a professor. The north Korean University where he worked said his name is tony kim. And he was detained at Pyongyang Airport saturday, leaving the country after several weeks of service teaching. And his detention is not connected to his work at the university. Kim is in his 50s. Was doing aide work and was with his wife at the airport when the North Koreans took him away. Another bargaining chip, says former ambassador, bill richardson, who has helped free prisoners before and is working on warmbiers case. Weve been able to deal with the father and the grandfather and the old regime. But under kim jongun, he detains americans, hes detained three now. But we dont know what he wants in return. He doesnt communicate on that level. Reporter instead, more threats. The regime sunday warning its combatready to sink a u. S. Afr aircraft carrier. And threatening australia with a Nuclear Strike, as Vice President mike pence wrapped up a twoday trip there. All options are on the table. Reporter this morning as the uss carl vinson heads towards the korean peninsula, south korea is talking to washington about holding joint drills. The region onedge, unsure of what north koreas Supreme Leader will do next. Theres a lot of speculation and concern that north korea could carry out either its sixth nuclear test or a missile test some time this week. China has warned north korea not to do either. Meantime, we have that big meeting at the white house today. All 15 members of the United NationsSecurity Council set to visit. Matt . Savannah . All right, kelly. Thank you very much. Nikki haley, the u. S. Ambassador to the United Nations, joining us now. Ambassador haley, good morning to you. Good morning, matt. I want to talk about the american being detained in north korea in a second. But when you take that ziincide and you combine it with a threat to sink a u. S. Aircraft carrier and a threat to conduct a Nuclear Strike against australia. When you and your counterparts meet this morning, what can you come up with to rein in north korea that hasnt been tried in the past and havent failed in the past . Kim jongun is starting to flex his muscles because he feels the pressure. Last week the Security Council unanimously contempted what north korea is doing with their testing. China has been helping putting pressure on him. And hes trying to show strength to his country. Weve been talking about containing north korea for decades now and whats not working. What new can you come up with . Working with china for the first time, theyve really been our partner in holding him at bay. Its a new day when you have china and the United States working together on a statement to condemn north korea. They put pressure on him. He feels it. Thats why hes responding this way. An i think it is a different day. What we said from the beginning and i will continue to say, the United States is not looking for a fight. Dont give us a reason to have one. Its interesting that you say that the you think hes responding to the pressure by flexing muscle, by conducting more nuclear tests. I dont have to tell you, you have an unstabled ed adversary there. Does the tough talk and the rhetoric, if china doesnt help us here, we may do it ourselves. We may consider a preemptive strike. Do you worry about the point of no return with words . No. Thats not the case. And keep in mind, hes trying to get the confidence of his own te people. When he does these things, hes not doing them to all of us, as much as hes trying to prove to his own people he can handle this. Hes very much starting to feel the pressure. Youre starting to see him get paranoid. And i think youll see pressure coming from all parts of the community. And we have to keep the pressure up. I whi that savannah is getting at, when you have someone as unstable as kim jongun, do you worry that words might force him into a catastrophic mistake . No. And i think if you look at whats happening now, if theres a catastrophic mistake its going to be because hes continuing to instigate an issue. Were going to continue to be stable. Were going to continue to have the International Community stable. Its the reason that none of us are even trying to pick a fight with him. But well have to wait and see. What i can tell you is the International Community is very united. Ambassador haley, every leader says all options are on the table. They always say that. Is a preemptive strike against north korea being considered . Is the administration actively planning for that . Were not going to do anything unless he gives us reason to do something. So, our goal thats what reason . What would that reason be . Do you have that threshold in your mind . If you see him attack a military base. If you see an intercontinental ballistic missile, obviously, were going to do that. Right now, were saying dont test. Dont use nuclear missiles. Dont do anymore actions. And i think hes understanding that. And china is helping put that pressure on. If he tests another intercontinental ballistic missile, if he were to test another nuclear device, you say, obviously, were going to do that, do you mean military retaliation . I think then the president steps in and decides whats going to happen. Let me ask you real quickly before i leave you. Do you have any information on this american being detained . His whereabouts or why hes being detained . Its hard to get information out of north korea, obviously. Were doing everything we can. This makes three detainees that they have right now. And again, this is him trying to pick a fight with us. And what were going to have to do is work very hard to find out information and see what we need to do to get the three out safely. Ambassador nikki haley. Ambassador, always nice to see you. Thanks so much. Breaking overnight, u. S. Defense secretary, jim mattis, making an unannounced visit to afghanistan. The Trump Administration is weighing sending more u. S. Troops to that country. His visit comes three days after a Taliban Attack on a Northern Afghanistan Army base. It killed at least 100 people there. Kabul is the final stop on secretary mattis sixnation tour. It was intended to bolster relationships with allies and partners. Theres disturbing information coming to light in the alleged kidnapping of a tennessee teenager by her former teacher. Gabe gutierrez is in colombia, tennessee. Good morning to you. Reporter good morning. Elizabeth thomas hometown is grateful this nationwide manhunt is over and she is safe. Now, were getting our First Insight into why her former teacher says the pair spent more than a month on the run. This morning, Elizabeth Thomas is being welcome home to columbia, tennessee, with signs and banners. While the sister of her accused kidnapper, tad cummins, tells us, she talked to her brother three times this weekend. Daphne quinn wants everybody to know hes not a monster. Hes done this horrible thing that he has to pay for. But hes still my brother. And i love him. Reporter cummins is scheduled to be arraigned in sacramento on federal kidnapping charges. His sister says he doesnt believe he kidnapped elizabeth. I asked him why . Why would he do this . And the answer he gave me was, she wanted to run away. And she wanted to leave. And he didnt want her to go alone. And he went with her to know she was safe. Reporter the 15yearold and her former teacher were found is 2,000 miles away in a cabin in northern california, with no electricity or running water. During their 39 days on the run, the bare was caught on Surveillance Video at an oklahoma walmart. And police say they stayed at cheap motels with one bed. She was traumatized by the whole incident, including the takedown. But she seemed to be in good health. Reporter daphne quinn says she does not defend or condone what her brother did. I think he would like to get his family back. It hasnt hit him yet that thats not going to happen. Hes going to have to learn a new normal. Hes got a very long, tedious road ahead of him in a place hes never been. And hes going to have to deal with it. Reporter Elizabeth Thomas family lawyer says the 15yearold is now in a safe location. And that shes being evaluated and treated by Mental Health experts. Matt and savannah . Gabe, thank you very much. Lets turn to mr. Roker. Tell us something good about the weather. Weve had a lot of rain down in the southeast. Thats helped knock out the wildfires in florida. The bad news, is we have rain coming up the east coast. And its going to be a big, big soaker. Rainfall amounts are going to cause flash flooding. 15 Million People under some sort of Flood Warning or Flash Flood Watch through the southeast. Doublebarrel low slowly moving up the coast. Its going to dump tons and tons of moisture. We have a flood risk, air delays and road problems, a big problem for boston, atlantic city. But the big numbers are down in the southeast. Isolated areas, North CarolinaSouth Carolina border could see upwards of ten inches of rain before this sul over on tuesday. This salad . At panera, a good salad is so much more than a bowl of something green. More than an obligation to be good. More than just something you have on the side. More than just one flavor, or texture, or color. A good clean salad is so much more than green. And with panera catering, more for your event. Panera. Food as it should be. Good morning. Im meteorologist bill henley. Clouds are moving in, and showers will become more likely later today. Grab the rain gear. Youll need it, especially later this afternoon for philadelphia. Well warm to 60 degrees in spite of the clouds. The suburbs, mostly cloudy, a chance of some of the scattered showers during the day. Steadier rainfall late this afternoon. New jersey, 59 degrees. Weve seen rain showers this morning. The wind blowing at the shore, middle 50s. Into the 60s for the Lehigh Valley with lateday showers and rain due in for delaware. Have a great day. And that is your latest weather. Guys . Al, thank you very much. Just ahead, the stunning video of a young girl falling out of a moving van. Were going to haveoing to have on her condition and hear from the man who rushed in to help her. And another disturbing incident on a plane caught on camera. Flight attendant seen ripping a