4 today," taking a stand. on the streets of new york, emotions run high on both sides of the mosque controversy. high priced heist. police search for a van gogh original snatched from a museum in cairo. and up in smoke. two south african landmarks are reduced to rubble within two south african landmarks are reduced to rubble within seconds. captions paid for by nbc-universal television hello, good morning. welcome to our viewers across the nation, including the pacific time zone.

i'm veronica de la cruz. today we begin with a high stakes debate. demonstrators took to the streets of new york near the former world trade center sunday to fight for or against a proposed mosque fueling a nationwide debate over religious freedom. brian mooar has the story. >> we got to stand strong. >> reporter: new york's ground zero suddenly ground zero for a national debate over religious tolerance. >> no mosque, not here, not now, no ever. >> reporter: hundreds gathered to protest a planned mosque and islamic center just two blocks from the world trade center site. supporters staged a protest of their own. >> we say no to racist fear. muslims are welcome here. >> reporter: president obama's support took the fight to a new level. >> you have the president of the united states weighing in on this issue actually on each side of the issue within 24 hours, which has helped stimulate a great national debate. >> reporter: a new "time" magazine poll shows 24% of

americans mistakenly believe the president is a muslim. in new york, protesters say this fight is about sensitivity, not religious tolerance. families of 9/11 victims see this mosque as a terrorist shrine. >> it's a provocation that will energize our enemies in the muslim world. >> reporter: supporters say it will be a symbol to the muslim world, but a symbol of american religious freedom. brian mooar, nbc news, washington. the nation of chile celebrated sunday after discovering 33 men trapped deep in a copper and gold mine for 17 days are now alive and have taken refuge in an emergency shelter. holding a note sent to the surface by the miner, chile's president welcomed the news saying, quote, today all the country is crying from happiness. still rescuers say it could take another four months to actually dig the men out. until then, authorities will pass the miners food, water, oxygen and communication

equipment through a narrow drilling hole. iranian president ahmadinejad unveiled his country's first domestically built unmanned bomber yesterday according to state tv, the aircraft can reportedly carry up to four crew missiles and has a change of 620 miles. not far enough to reach israel. in a television interview, he offered his friendship to america, but quickly adding he doesn't fear an attack by the u.s. because it couldn't even defeat a small army in iraq. a disgruntled former policeman is holding 16 people hostage on a bus in the philippines demanding his job be reinstated. authorities say the man who is armed with an automatic rifle released nine people earlier in the day and asked for food for his remaining hostages. negotiators say he is cooperating with police and any use of force would be a, quote, last resort. now here's a look at other stories making news early today in america. in georgia, heavy rains are being blamed for a large

sinkhole that nearly swallowed part of a local restaurant. authorities say an 8-foot wide storm drain collapsed and within hours water had begun washing away a large section of the ground. the sinkhole is one of several that have formed in the area damaging several businesses. in texas, police are searching for a knife wielding suspect seen on this newly released security video knocking a woman to the ground and robbing her. fortunately, the 28-year-old victim used her purse to block several stabbing attempts before letting go. the suspect got away in a stolen vehicle. in the florida keys, homemade boats made of everything imaginable, wood, pvc, beer coolers, even duct tape, competed in the anything floats regatta over the weekend, but not everything floated. only one came out on top in the half mile race. it was a kiddy pool with an empty gas tank. and in utah, 30 extreme

jumpers from around the world competed in, check this out, polo palooza. they competed in several categories and were judged on originality, creativity, altitude and then how well they could still the landing. i would say that's a perfect ten. for a look at your weather, here is bill karins. >> i don't see how they practice. you have to learn as you go. how do you learn how to do a backflip on a pogo stick. >> you practice carefully and cross your fingers every time. >> with a good health plan. some of the warmth returning to the west. it's actually going to be hot in california over the next two or three days. this is a change in the weather pattern where the east is cool and west heating up a temporary change but a different weather pattern than we've been in. talk about hot, 105 in dallas,

hotter in dallas than phoenix. currently warm in phoenix. much of california on the hot side today. cooler air in the northern rockies from idaho and areas of western montana very cool, too, even heading into areas of eastern washington and oregon state. so as far as the forecast today, lots of sunshine, no problems at all. a little storm system that hit salt lake city this weekend has pushed into montana a huge area of high pressure called a big ridge has built in. all summer long, low coastal clouds with on-shore flow, not the weather pattern. this is different. high pressure, offshore flow. that means warm air makes it to the coast. some of the best beach days we've seen all summer are going to happen in the next three days in southern and central california. today, l.a., 93, very warm. the warmest day of the summer so far in san francisco. could be as hot as 85.

some temperatures on the cool side, oregon, not as cloudy but sunny, chilly. crescent city, california, 63. >> monday is warm. tuesday is going to be hot. we'll give you those details for the west coast coming up. >> you said some of the best beach days will happen in california in the next three days so i've got to head west. >> hurry up. by thursday or friday, that's not the case. >> thanks, bill. what they are buying on wall street, early morning business headlines straight ahead. plus it was definitely the surprise film of the weekend but did "vampires suck" earn enough to take the top spot at the boix? sweet lou bids adieu and the yankees drop a dime in the bronx. you're watching "early today."

back to "early today." i'm veronica de la cruz. here are some of your top headlines this morning. according to the obama administration, next week the president is planning a major speech on iraq soon after he returns from his martha vineyard vacation. the address comes after the last u.s. combat brigade left iraq last week. investigators have found that two iowa farms at the root of a nationwide egg recall of a half a billion eggs used the same suppliers of chickens and feed. however, the cause of the salmonella outbreak that has made 1300 people sick is still unknown. several lawsuits have already been filed. a famous van gogh painting is missing from a museum in egypt in the wake of a stunning security breach. officials say none of the alarms and only a few of its surveillance cameras were working when van gogh's famous work, known as both poppy flowers and vase with flowers

was stolen. two iconic landmarks in cape town, south africa didn't take long to come tumbling down. the cooling towers, known as the old ladies of avalon, were reduced to 20,000 tons of rubble in just eight seconds. finally, you say nevada and i say nevada. in an outgoing congressman harry mortonson has his way, both will be correct. he's working on legislation in the state with tolerance to the suspicious pronunciation which residents have long considered incorrect. now here's an early look at how wall street will kick off the day. the dow opens at 10,213 after losing 57 points on friday. the s&p dipped three points, you but the nasdaq was up a fraction. taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, the nikkei fell 62 points while in hong kong, the hang seng dropped 92. to say wall street heads

into the weekend in a defensive posture is putting it mildly. summer is normally slow with light volume, but with investors becoming convinced the economy has hit a new slowdown, trade this week, what there is of it, could be volatile. earnings are over, so traders focus will be squarely on data. key reports this week include housing number, durable goods orders and the preliminary reading of gross domestic product. the government's estimate of gdp is expected to show a 1.4 increase in the second quarter, down from a 2.4% rise stem add month ago. with more investors with safe haven, data shows institutional investors staying with stocks buying telecommunications, utilities, food, beverage and tobacco. speaking of safe haven, run on u.s. treasury bonds on fleeing stocks has a possible bubble ahead. some worry treasury prices have risen too high and investors could dump bonds as quickly as they bought them.

on the slightest. could big deals provide a spark? campbell's soup is considering making a $2.3 billion bid for the biscuits-making operations for englanded united biscuits. sab miller, the second largest brewer is considering buying beer operation of foster's for almost $11 billion. and finally, are you on top of the latest texting abbreviations? at&t's updated list includes wrud, meaning, what are you doing? omw, on my way. idk for i don't know. and my personal favorite, 143 which means i love you based on the letters in each word. 143, very sweet. lou piniella, a says so long, a one-man band for the rockies and red hot robinson. plus the dog days of summer, butt indians certainly weren't dogging it against the tigers. your early morning sports headlines are straight ahead.

on this monday, we have unsettled weather on the east coast, but the heat still the biggeth weather story around in ase middle regionalf forecisth. yout 'rregional forisont as coming up. you're watching "early today." t

good morning. if you're just waking up, this is "early today." in sports, one of baseball's

most colorful characters put on a uniform for the last time yesterday as sweet lou piniella hung up his spikes for good. here's bill seward with an early look at all your sports headlines. >> reporter: long time manager lou piniella announced last month that he'd retire at the end of the season. he changed his mind and called it quits yesterday so he could spend more time with his 90-year-old ailing mother. piniella, a filled out his final lineup card against the braves. unfortunately for him, not a winner. atlanta hit four home runs. rookie jason hayward, a two run bomb. and the braves win 16-5. sweet lou always be remembered for his fiery attitude on the field, showed a different type of emotion after the game. >> cried a little bit after the game. emotional, i'm sorry. i'm not trying to be. this will be the last time i put on a uniform.

it's been very special to me. >> reporter: to arizona where the rockies dexter fowler single handedly beat the diamondbacks. fourth inning, making the diving grab to rob adam laroche. then in the eighth, he gets it done with his bat. rbi single up the middle. that's the difference. fowler and the rockies win 1-0. for the third straight game, the royals and white sox needed extra innings. jason kendall ended this with a single into the gap. royals 3-2 in 10. to the bronx, yankees and mariner, sacks full and that one's not coming back. grand slam. bronx bombers sink the mariners 10-0. finally a great play from the indians jason nix. a popup into foul territory. making the catch and up and over into the camera well. landed on his head but held on for the out. unfortunately it wasn't enough. tigers win 8-1. that's your early look at sports

on "early today." i'm bill seward. >> announcer: early today sports is brought to you by touch of gray. get rid of some gray, never all. well, how badly did jennifer aniston bomb at the box office over the weekend? your early morning entertainment headlines are straight ahead. plus liftoff, but liftoff of what? we'll show you next. you're watching "early today."

welcome back this monday morning. sunny, warm conditions, even hot in a few cases. l.a. 94, vegas 104, phoenix 108. the heat is really building in the west. it's going to extend northward, even on the coast, 85. one of the warmest days you've seen all summer, really all year. as we head towards your tuesday forecast, we're going to be equally as warm, maybe even hot in a few cases. 111 in phoenix. we're going to be 98 in lal. there's heat. a lot of people aren't going to be ready for this. we haven't really seen it this year. if you're watching us on ktv news 21, bend, oregon. experience the spirit of the west at the high desert museum where you can walk through time. experience the sights and sounds of those who lived and worked in this part of the west. that's your pacific event of the day, veronica. >> 85 for san francisco. is that a record?

it's normally 60 degrees. >> i don't think it's going to be a record. it's been so cold this summer but people are going to have to dig for their shorts. >> it's always cold in san francisco in the summer. >> not tomorrow. now an early look at this morning's headlines in entertainment. at the box office, the experts showed why they're the experts with virtually all their predictions right on the money. "the expendables" took the top spot for a second straight weekend and a win is a win despite the paltry championship total of just $16 million. the debut of "vampires suck," a spoof of the popular "twilight" film series took second place with just over $12 million. julia roberts, "eat, pray, love" took third. also with $12 million. the comedy, "lottery ticket" featuring bow wow opened fourth with just over $11 million. the debut of the horror remake "piranha 3d" gobbled up sixth with $10 million. and nancy mcfee returns disappointed opening in the seventh spot with just over $8

million and finishing way down in eighth place but taking in a bit more than expected with just over $8 million, the debut of jennifer aniston's "the switch." did you see pr pray, love" this weekend? >> i haven't. if i do anything, i would read the book. >> got it. it's good. i can recommend that. this comes from knsd in san diego where space exploration is alive and well. a teacher rigged a box with smart phones and gps to give a close-up view of space. spectacular images of the entire san diego area including the mexican border. thanks to an off-target landing, a local search and rescue team even used the opportunity for practice helping to bring the box back to the teacher and the students. i'm veronica de la kraz cruz. this is "early today," just your first stop of the day today on your nbc saying.

smoke is filling the skies in malaysia this month. the country celebrates its hungry ghost festival. they show respect for their deceased relatives by offering them food and drink and burning paper money for them. this year a record breaking 36 foot he have effigy went up in flames to appease any wandering ghost. and in berlin, a modern day version of the rick shaw. they were divided in to three disciplines, the sprint, the obstacle and a long distance course.

talk about home cooking. competitors came from all over the world. the overall champ came from the host city. among the favorite accessories of man's best friend, high on the list would probably be the frisbee. that was the focus in hungary as game faces were put on for the disk dogging championship. look at them go. organizers claim it's one of the fastest growing sports in the world. throughout the competitive rounds, animals and trainers are judged for their rapport and the dog is judged for its gymnastic prowess. what do you think about that? >> what happened to just going to the park, throwing the frisbee? the dog runs, gets it, brings it back. now they have to jump off your back and you catch them in the air. >> do you that with your dog, don't you? >> no, my dog's 90 pounds. i'm not catching that. time now for an early look at some of the stories we'll follow throughout the day here on nbc. the fifth anniversary of katrina approaching, a state plaque will be unveiled in new orleans that includes details of the

catastrophic flooding that followed the breach of the city's levees. a crew of deep sea scientists will set sail on a mission to map out the wreckage of the titanic. underwater robots take measurements to create a virtual map of the famed sunken ship. and the 2010 miss universe pageant will be seen live tonight from las vegas. you can find it right here on this nbc station. 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. what you need to know about this massive egg recall that keeps expanding. also professional snowboarder kevin pearce talks about his long road to recovery after suffering a severe brain injury. now keep it on this channel for continuing local news, weather, sports and more. i'm veronica de la cruz. thanks for watching "early today," just your first stop of the day today on your nbc station. the day today on your nbc station. have a terrific monday. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com