josh harris, a furry primate feared extinct shows up in sri lanka. a furry primate feared extinct captions paid for by nbc-universal television hello and good morning. welcome to our viewers across the nation, including the

pacific time zone. i'm lynn berry. today we begin with well watch. all eyes remain on the gulf as bp's containment cap on that blown out well sprung a small leak, but officials have decided to keep the lid on -- for now. nbc's kristen dahlgren joins us live now from venice, louisiana. kristen, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, lynn. yeah, bubbles have been the focus for the past few days. officials say that tiny bubbles of oil and gas did begin seeping out of the well sometime on sunday, but admiral thad allen, the incident commander saying he doesn't think it's consequential. meantime the seepage we talked about yesterday two miles from the well site, they also say that is not related to this well. for now, as you mentioned, they are going to keep the cap on, keep it closed and continue to monitor, the testing process. there is some thought, perhaps, they will be able to keep the

cap on until this well is finally killed. bp yesterday talking about a new method to do that. they called it a static call, kind of like the top kill pumping med and cement. they think they may have more success because the cap is on, the pressure is low. it's still in the infancy, but admiralalen still insists relief wells are the answer to the problem. >> thank you. well, meanwhile, the judge who threw out the obama administration's deepwater drilling ban has refused to step aside over an alleged conflict of interest. several environmental groups have asked u.s. district judge martin feldman to withdraw due to a number of investments he's made in oil and gas companies, but feldman has refused, saying, quote, the motion for disqualification is without merit. bp's oil disaster is high up on the list of topics to be discussed by president obama in england's recently elected prime minister david cameron at the white house today.

amid-american backlash against the british oil giant, the two are also expected to address whether bp had influence in the release of the lockerbie bomber from a scottish prison. before leaving for the u.s., cameron called the decision, quote, utterly wrong. u.s. lawmakers want to know whether there's a link between the freeing of the bomber, a libyan, and a bp oil deal with libya. senate democrats are expected to push through a long delayed bill, extending unemployment benefits for 2.5 million americans today. the legislation had been stalled in the senate for weeks with democrats short a crucial 60th vote. but all that changes today with the swearing in of carte goodwin as west virginia's new democratic senator. his addition puts democrats in position to overcome a republican filibuster and bring the bill to a final vote. at the white house yesterday president obama blasted republicans for opposing the extension.

>> the same people who didn't have any problem spending hundreds of billions of dollars on tax breaks for the wealthiest americans are now saying we shouldn't offer relief to middle-class americans. >> and house minority leader john boehner shot back saying republicans are just as concerned about adding to the federal deficit and that president obama, quote, continues to offer only disingenuous attacks, not answers. and now here's a look at some other stories making news early today in america. a pilot in arizona is recovering from minor injuries after his plane clipped an suv during an emergency landing. officials say the pilot was on a test flight after doing repairs on his plane when it started having mechanical problems. the driver of the suv was not hurt. in florida, american airlines is assuring passengers they were never in any danger when damage to one of their plane's wings got progressively worse during a recent flight.

a passenger onboard snapped pictures of material peeling back from the wings. he says he alerted a flight attendant but the flight still took off. airline officials insist the tearing is a rare occurrence that does not affect the safety of the flight. it took about eight alabama deputies to corral an alligator discovered in one resident's backyard. officials say the 7-foot-long animal must have traveled quite a distance since the nearest body of water is three miles away. and zookeepers in minnesota are celebrating a cute new addition. after 12 months of pregnancy, allie the dolphin gave birth to a healthy female calf. vets say mother and daughter are doing well so far, spending a lot of time bonding and swimming alongside each other. where else would they want to be. and now look at your national and regional weather. let's check in with nbc meteorologist bill karins with the weather channel forecast. bill, good morning.

>> good morning. thunderstorms, heat waves. thankfully nothing active in the tropic. we're dealing with a nationwide heat wave. everywhere in red in the 90s, east coast, mid-atlantic, the middle of the country, back through the desert southwest especially steamy. the area in pink above 110, widespread. you notice the exception right on the coast there. you're always going to be cooler near the ocean, san francisco and all the way down to san diego and l.a. once you went a little bit inland, a little warmer. added sacramento on this map. they were 99 degrees. it was 30 degrees cooler right near the water than it was in interior california. the valley was very, very steamy. yesterday even medford up there around 91. we have some monsoonal showers and thunderstorms in arizona. also some clouds lingering up here in the northwest. that's why it's going to be slightly cooler there. just dry, warm weather continues through the region. here is your forecast for your tuesday. very steamy from vegas to phoenix. high humidity levels, too.

also 92 intray shower or thunderstorm especially by the rim into the flagstaff and around the grand canyon. showers and thunderstorms not in california, oregon or washington. plenty of sunshine as we go throughout the day. that's a look at tuesday. wednesday will be eerily similar. >> big stumbles, housing hurts, and tasting the world's oldest bubbly. your early morning business headlines are straight ahead. plus, can you imagine what a scene it's going to be like in los angeles? that's when lindsay lohan shows up to serve her time. hockey's top three agents sign a deal with the devils, dwyane wade apologizes, and the marlins turn to an unlikely hero. you're watching "early today." ra

good morning. welcome back to "early today." i'm lynn berry, and here are some of your top headlines this morning. secretary of state hillary clinton is in afghanistan along with delegations from over 70 countries for a conference on the future of the war-torn country. at the meeting afghan president hamid karzai reiterated his plan to have his country's forces take charge by 2014. in response to a "washington post" report critical of u.s. intelligence agencies, a top spy chief said, quote, the reporting does not reflect the intelligence community we know. the article concluded america's intelligence network is bloated and inefficient. former senator george mcgovern has just shortened his bucket list. for his 88th birthday, mcgovern went skydiving. he said his jump was dedicated to raising awareness of starving people around the world.

and a rare primate feared extinct for more than 60 years has been spotted in sri lanka. researchers were able to photograph the horton plains slender loris, a wide-eyed animal threaten by deforestation and now here's an early look at how wall street will kick off the day. the dow opens at 10,154 after gaining 56 points yesterday. the s&p added 6. the nasdaq went up 19. taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo the nikkei lost 107 points, but in hong kong the hang seng went up 173. hopeful investors gave markets a modest boost yesterday, but after the bell earnings from big blue could set a dismal tone for today. ibm beat profit forecasts with solid software sales last quarter, but thanks to slumping service contracts and a weak euro, the tech giant's revenue came up short. ibm fell 4% after hours.

however, business is booming at halliburton after reporting an 83% profit surge, the oil company predicted high demand for land-based drilling will offset the current deepwater ban. more fuel for the energy sector. china has efficiently surpassed the u.s. as the world's biggest energy user, a strong sign of continued growth for global energy demand. investors shook off crumbling confidence from the nation's homebuilders yesterday, but today could be a different story. fresh data on housing starts are expected to hit a new low. boeing boosted optimism on the street yesterday, landing more than $6 billion worth of sales for its wide-bodied planes. today yahoo! and goldman sachs are on deck to report earnings. keep an eye on chairs of amazon, the online retailer says sales of kindle e books now outpaced hard cover sales.

no mention of specific models with steering problems. and, finally, divers in the baltic sea found an unexpected treasure hidden in an 18th century shipwreck. some 30 bottles of what could be the oldest drinkable champagne in the world. the bottom-of-the-sea bubbly is expected to go for about $65,000 a pop. a $100 million hockey deal, dwyane wade says sorry, and the cardinals go homer-happy. plus, texas ranger dustin nippert takes one for the team against the tigers. your early morning sports headlines are straight ahead. hot weather and thunderstorms dominate your tuesday forecast but not on the west coast. your regional forecast is coming up. you're watching "early today."

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good morning. if you're just waking up, this is "early today." in sports, dwyane wade of the miami heat has issued an apology after stirring up some controversy by using an unfortunate phrase. here's nbc's fred roggin with an early look at all your sports headlines. good tuesday morning to you. expectations for the miami heat have never been higher after signing lebron james, chris bosh, and dwyane wade, but what if the trio gets off to a slow start?

here's wade's response from this weekend. >> of course, there's going to be times where we might lose one or two games in a row -- i mean two games, three games in a row. you never know. and it's going to seem like the world has crashed down. you know, you're all going to make it seem like the world trade just went down again, but it's not going to do nothing -- it's not going to be nothing but a couple of basketball games lost, and we'll have to get back on track. >> not the wisest choice of words. wade apologized yesterday for his reference to the world trade center. now, how long is too long for a pro contract? what do you say? 17 years? new jersey devils think 17 is just right. the re-signed ilya kovalchuk to a 17-year $102 million deal. kovalchuk turned down similar offers from the l.a. kings and new york islanders. baseball, rangers and tigers. scary moment in the sixth. dustin nippert took a line drive off his head. the ball hit him so hard, it bounced all the way into left field. remarkably he was okay, just a bit dazed. he left the game under his own power. now, this one needed extras. top 14. nelson cruz blasted a two-run shot. rangers won it, 8-6. tigers didn't only lose the

game. they lost brandon inge for six weeks with a broken hand. there's no team hotter than the cards. they spotted the phils three and came swinging back. albert pujols put st. louis on top with a two-run homer in the fifth. a couple of hitters later, allen craig ripped his first career homer. skip schumaker followed with a solo shot of his own. the cards beat the phils 8-4. they've won six straight. finally, it's marlins beat the rockies in dramatic fashion. down one in the ninth. pinch hitter donnie murphy hit one high, hit one deep, and hit one gone. a walkoff homer by an unlikely hero. murphy's first homer in over two years. there's only one way to celebrate a walk-off. the shaving cream pie in the face. that's your early look at sports on "early today." i'm fred roggin. >> yeah, it is. well, the day of reckoning for lindsay lohan. your early morning entertainment headlines are straight ahead. plus, hey, he's a busy guy, so if the president can't make it to broadway, broadway can make it to the white house. you're watching "early today."

good tuesday morning to you. welcome back. i'm meteorologist bill karins. things look relatively calm. if you're traveling anywhere in the west, you really don't need your umbrella today. we're going to see warm conditions, too. very hot in the desert area. even very warm in the valleys. temperatures easily into the 90s. a little cooler spot here in the pacific northwest. as we look at wednesday forecast for tomorrow, more of the same. not much of a change at all.

still keep it cool on the coastline of california but interior areas should be really nice. very much like summer. if you're watching us in san diego california, enjoy music, artists, acrobats. experience animal kingdom in the dark when you take a nighttime zoo visit at the san diego zoo. that's your pacific event of the day. that's a big zoo. i've been there. >> thanks. and now here's an early look at this morning's headlines in entertainment. today is the day hollywood wild child lindsay lohan begins a 90-day jail sentence for violating probation. and not surprisingly, there have been some last-minute developments. here's nbc's mark barger. >> i'm not taking this as a joke. it's my life. >> reporter: but when lindsay lohan goes back to court later this morning for the start of a 90-day jail term for probation violation, it's unclear who will be with her. attorney robert shapiro, who came onboard lohan's case late last week, reportedly quit monday afternoon during a

meeting with lindsay lohan and judge marsha revel. shapiro declined commenting on the situation to nbc news monday evening, but he indicated earlier he would only represent lohan if the actress agreed to comply with probation regulations and serve her sentence. >> there's no special treatment at all. >> reporter: lohan slated for the same detention center where nonviolent offenders like paris hilton have served abbreviated sentences because of overcrowding. >> if she were lindsay smith and not lindsay lohan, she'd do about two hours. >> reporter: the actress has spent the past several days at the pickford treatment center that shapiro founded five years ago following the drug overdose death of his son brent. but monday afternoon and into the evening, associates of lohan were seen removing suitcases and other luggage from the facility. the actress offered one twitter comment about her impending incarceration monday evening, saying, quote, the only bookings that i'm familiar with are disney films. never thought that i'd be booking into jail. eeks.

lohan will likely face that reality later today. mark barger, nbc news. >> bill, there's a part of me that is just glad it will be over soon. >> not over. are you ready? how many days will she spend out of the 90? >> my prediction? probably 10 days. >> i was going to go 45. >> we'll tell you on this show. this comes from the nation's capit capital. the great white way descended on the white house. president obama and first lady michelle celebrated broadway with some of the theater world's biggest stars. among those belting out show tunes were idina menzel and the legendary elaine stritch. the concert was the sixth installment in the white house music series, which is meant to showcase different musical genres. i'm lynn berry, and this is "early today," just your first stop of the day, today on your nbc station.

one art competition in austria took things to the next level by displaying masterpieces in a unique way. human canvases strutted and flew down the runway in flamboyant designs. over 200 artists from around the world combined fire, dance, and ornate costumes to make for a dramatic performance. the competition is the largest of its kind in the world. brazil is turning the tables on how to spend your golden years. a group of grandparents are trying their hands at deejaying during a three-month course. a granny who stole a show at the french disco inspired the idea, and now deejay classes show the

elderly how to mix their way to a new outlook by teaching them there is no age limit to learn. some unlikely competitors squared off in japan. the big brown rhino beetles were the favorites at an insect wrestling tournament. the oversized critters locked horns in a struggle to push the other off a stump while others were set in a tug-of-war showdown. the sport has become a way for kids to show off what has actually become a very popular pet in japan. yes, that's right, bill, a popular pet. you didn't hear me incorrectly. >> the rhino beetle. >> yeah, who knew. >> i wonder if they're edible. >> let's not try and find that one out, bill. people are eating their breakfast. >> that's a good reality show. time now for a look at some of the stories we'll follow throughout the day here on nbc. democrats could get a crucial vote on a stalled jobless bill with the swearing in of west

virginia's new senator carte goodwin. he replaces the late robert byrd. also in washington, the senate judiciary committee is expected to approve the nomination of elena kagan to the supreme court, sending it to the full senate for a final vote. and today's the anniversary of man's first walk on the moon. in 1969 neil armstrong stepped on the lunar surface and delivered the famous line, "that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." all day long you can stay on top of the very latest developments in those stories and others as they break on msnbc. and tonight be sure to watch brian williams with "nbc nightly news." and, finally, here's a look at what's coming up later this morning on the "today" show. who's to blame for the bad economy? newt gingrich weighs in on unemployment, decision 2012, and much more. plus, the very latest from beverly hills as lindsay lohan begins her three-month sentence. and now keep it on this channel for continuing local news, weather, sports, and more. i'm lynn berry. thanks for watching "early today," just your first stop of the day, today on your nbc

station. have a good one.