it's thursday, july 9th. coming up on "early today," breaking news early in a stunning reversal, south carolina's house, approves the removal of the battle flag from confederate grounds. and the interview everyone is talking about. donald unplugged. >> if i get the nomination i'll win the latino vote. the country of mexico is taking our jobs killing us at the border taking advantage of the fact that we have stupid negotiators, we have very stupid people. hillary clinton, the worst secretary of state in the history of the united states. >> and that's from the candidate leading a pole in north carolina. and a petition moving towards the white house to remove bill cosby's medal of freedom "early today" starts right now. tom sellick gets caught in the

middle of california's war on water. "early today" starts right now. good morning, i'm dara brown. the south carolina house has overwhelmingly approved a measure to take down confederate flag from the state capitol. lawmakers spent more than 13 hours debating the issue. staet representative jenny horn delivered an emotional speech warning her fellow lawmakers that the world is watching. >> i cannot believe that we do not have the heart in this body to do something meaningful such as take a symbol of hate off these grounds on friday. >> and just after 1:00 this morning, the final vote, 94-20. the bill must be ratified and then sent to governor nikki haley, who has already called for the flag's removal. shortly after the vote,

governor haley posted a message saying, it's a new day in south carolina, a day we can all be proud of and a day that truly brings us together. as we continue to heal as one people and one state. elsewhere, the debate over the confederate flag continues. commissioners in one central florida county have putter that confederate flag back up at the county's government complex. it had been taken down after the shooting in charleston that killed nine black men and women. wall street is hoping to get back to business this morning, wednesday began with a computer problem, forcing a complete grounding of all nunted airlines flights, and that led to massive delays and cancellations. and a truly bizarre technical glitch halted tradings on the new york stock exchange trading went down for four hours, which contributed to a 261-point slide. nbc's tracie potts is live in washington. what a day yesterday. are these issues worries government about security? >> well people are starting to

get concerned here on capitol hill about whether we have enough of it. the government insists these incidents, the planes the investments and "the wall street journal," their website also went down were not related. that hackers weren't behind it but it does raise questions about how much we're relying on computers. >> shut down, no activity on the new york stock exchange for four hours as experts work out a trading glitch. trading resumes this morning after a 261-point slide. "the wall street journal's" website went down and 800 united flights were delayed due to a technical error. the government insists they were not related. >> there's no indication that malicious actors are involved in these technology issues. the malfunctions at united and the stock exchange were not the result of any nefarious actor. >> but major computer glitches do highlight how vulnerable we are.

five years from now, experts say 25 billion devices will be connected to the web. >> think about this any time you go to the store, you do five different things which require computer interaction. >> experts say hackers are watching. >> these are the types of things that adversaryies are looking to do and have the capable of doing. >> lawmakers say the government should provide security standards for wall street and other private companies. >> you can look at that on both sides, they're having discussions here on capitol hill about encryption and whether or not too much of it could be problems for investigators. >> tracie potts live in washington let's hope it's a better day at the opening bell. >> more pressure on big colby, we've confirmed that colby was dropped by his talent agency seven months ago. according to one source it was a mutual parting of ways. we've learned one of colby's accusers is asking a federal

judge to unseal and make public an entire 2005 deposition in which colby said he obtained pills in the attempt to have sex with women. a petition has been started to revoke cobble's presidential medal of freedom. begin to him in 2002. colby has denied allegations of sexual assault and no criminal charges have been filed. who is getting the last laugh in the ongoing donald trump saga. on the one hand, republican national committee chair raince priebus urged the 2016 contender to tone it down on his remarks on immigrants. jose reyes is nixing plans to open a restaurant in trump's new international hotel.

and this morning, the such simpsons are poking fun in a new promo. >> i'm right behind him. >> not supposed to stare at it directly but i can't help it. if i touch it will it heal my baldness? >> and in case you're wondering, homer's journey into that hair lasts another minute. but when it comes down to it can you make fun of him all you want things aren't exactly falling apart politically for him. his money still looks good to other presidential nominees. senator lindsay graham says he's keeping the 2014 campaign funds that trump gave him and even t clinton foundation lists an undated donation on its website. and a new public policy polling survey finds trump at the top of the pack among gop contenders in north carolina. what everyone is talking about this morning is the nbc interview conducted by our own

katie terr. >> we are taking mexico's problems. mexico is beating us on trade, and they're beating us at the border. but mexico doesn't want to take these people. what do they do? they send them to our stupid politicians and we have sanctuary cities and all of this nonsense. i've been saying this for a long time and it's a disgrace frankly, inf i didn't bring it up you wouldn't be talking about immigration right now? >> when is the last time you've been to the border? >> three or four times over the years and i have many people who live around the area. i'm going to arizona this weekend where they want to talk to me. arizona is some of the -- they tell me i'm one of the most popular persons in arizona because of my stance. >> when is the last time you were there? >> probably three years ago? >> if you haven't been there in three years, how do you know that it is such a problem? >> because i knew it was bad then it's worse now. it was terrible then and it's

worse now. we don't even have a border. people are flowing through like water. there's no border and we're taking them and putting them in our jails and hospitals and we're paying them money through different sources. it's a disgrace. >> do you think -- >> by the way, i have great relationship with the mexican people. i have many people working for me. you can look at job in washington i have many legal immigrants working, many of them come from mexico they love me i love them. and i'll tell you something, if i get the nomination i'll win the latino vote i will win it because i'm going to create jobs. >> you're for the second amendment, do you have a gun? >> i'm licensed to have a gun. yes, i do. >> do you own one? >> yes, i do. >> do you use it? gun range? >> it's really none of your business. i have a license to have a gun. >> gun control? >> what are you talking about? >> stronger background checks. >> yes i have a gun and yes i have a permit to have a gun. >> stronger background checks?

what about that? >> the problem is once you get into that you start getting into a situation the slippery slope where all of a sudden you're going to violate the second amendment. >> do you have a plan for isis? >> you kill them at the head. you take the oil. that's where they're getting their money. if you bomb the hell out of it. you bomb the hell out of it. you have to stop their wealth. i'm talking about oil. >> what do you think of hillary clinton as a president if she wins the nomination? >> i think hillary would be a terrible president. she was the worst secretary of state in the history of our nation. why would she be a good president? jeb bush will never take us to the promised land he doesn't have it hillary will never take us to the promise land. hillary will be a disaster as a president. we need somebody that can make great deals with china, with japan, with mexico. we need somebody that really understands and cherishes the military. i actually think i'll be the jobs president, but i think i'll be actually even better in terms

of the military. i will create military where nobody is going to mess around with the united states. >> you can watch katie terr's full interview with donald trump on nbc.com. jason pierre paul had his right index finger amputated after a fireworks mishap. he's been in a south florida hospital since saturday night. reports say his other fingers are damaged. espn reports giants officials flew to miami to visit him at the hospital but were turned away. according to an espn source jpp is still expected to play this season. although he's technically not under contract with the giants. jpp was holding out for a long-term agreement and hadn't signed his one-year $14.8 million tender. in italy, amateur video captured a powerful tornado tearing through the outskirts of venice wednesday. it destroyed homes and buildings.

reports say one person was killed and dozens more were injured. meteorologists dominica davis is here with your thursday forecast. >> we're talking tropical storm. this is our first one in the pacific and it is ella 650 miles of hilo hawaii it did form yesterday, moving northwest at 12 miles per hour. and is packing winds now of 40 miles per hour. now this is not expected to get much stronger good news. but the track of this is going to take it just north, well off north to hawaii. so we're looking at very little impact as it passes there. on friday as a tropical storm and then we'll see it quickly weaken. here's a look at today's forecast. the heat out to the west is going to break. today is the last day. 88 for the high

desert there with temperatures in the triple digits. and that's a look at your thursday forecast. well a judge rules on the nfl's redskins controversial name. plus magnum p.i. busted by a private investigator. the tom sellick water controversy is up next.

new video this morning, shows the explosion used to recover the body of a woman who died during the collapse of a washington state ice cave. crews had dislodge unstable ice to make it safe enough to go inside the cave. five hikers were injured during the collapse. . chicago's midway airport, a southwest airlines flight aborted at takeoff last night because of a mechanical issue. the "chicago tribune" says the engine caught fire that's not been confirmed by nbc news 143 passengers had to get off the plane and wait to board a new

aircraft. magnum p.i. star has allegedly been caught by a real-life private eye. he's accused of taking truckloads of water and having them brought to his estate. nbc has details. >> actor tom sellick may in hot water. according to a lawsuit, a truck routinely hauled water from this hydrant on to the actor's ranch. >>ky explain! the "magnum p.i." star isn't talking. has not responded to our request for comments. in court documents, the water district alleges a water truck repeatedly taps water from a hydrant for 18 months. during one week alone, the truck observed making seven trips into out of and four trips out of the hidden valley area where the sellick property is located. and selleck is being sued for $21,000 the cost of the investigation. the water district is asking sellick to cease and desist to

stop taking water. the sheriff tells us he faces no criminal charges. >> it's really about doing the right thing and preserving our water supply for our users. >> reporter: with water reserves dwindling across the state and the public doing its part. water use slashed by 29% in may. so-called drought shaming, neighbors reporting neighbors for water waste. >> you really need to do that in the middle of a drought? >> reporter: has become a trend as water companies threaten fines. >> that was nbc's miguel almaguer reporting. and just ahead, inside the park home runs are rare but we've got two to show you. and another day, another nasty crash on the tour de france. sports sup next.

this morning on "today," how one online education company is making the case to shrinking the work week to just 32 hours. now time for the latest in sports i'll send it over to my friend betty nguyen. good morning. >> we start in kansas city as royals versus rays top of the fourth. logan forsyth hits this one deep field and gordon runs into the wall and injures his left groin. he would leave the game. and forsythe takes advantage and completes an inhouse the park home run. and first time since 1997 that

there were two inside the park home runs in one game. the royals win. 9-7. tour de france ahead, a second big crash this week. with less than 16 miles left in stage five three readers bumped into the crash barrier, thanks to slippery brakes and wed wet tires. it caused a domino effect involving more than 20 cyclists. and a judge agreed the washington redskins trademark was droog torreye derogatory and therefore ineligible for trademark protection. and it doesn't prevent the team from using the name. and c.j. wilson the second player to lose fingers. due to fireworks this month. wilson was holding a roman candle type device when it exploded in his hand and wilson lost his middle and index fingers. he remains in the hospital in good condition. rory mcilroy becomes the first

defending champion in 61 years to miss the british open in years. the world's number one player ruptured a ligament in his left ankle playing soccer with friends, we wish him a speedy recovery. just ahead, arianna grande needs to learn some doughnut shop etiquette. and a disturbing incident caught on camera. a u.p.s. driver caught on camera kicking a dog.

now, to entertainment news. police are investigating surveillance footage from a doughnut shop in california. the video appears to show pop star ariana grande licking and spiting on donuts and later in the video heard saying, i hate america. in the statement, grande said her words were taken out of context. >> ac/dc drummer phil rudd pleaded guilty to charges of threatening to kill and drug possession. and julianna rancic will continue on fashion police and live from the red carpet. this is "early today."

leading the news from the nbc bay area california latinos now outnumber whites in a long-predicted shift. according to the census bureau figures, they had -- and california joins new mexico as the second state. and in "newsweek," putin's party unveils a russian "straight pride" flag. features a silhouette of a man, woman and children. officials say, it's are a bid to counteract the rainbow flag widely used as a symbol of gay pride and lgbt rights. according to publish ed remarks, the flag is a warning, quote against what they call gay fever. now to other stories.

pope francis arrived in bolivia yesterday, the second leg of his three-country tour of south america. at a state event, the pope was given gifts, including a crucifix carved into a wooden hammer and sickle. today he'll lead a mass in santa cruz. we report that the pope enjoyed a tea made from coka leaves on the way over. and check out this video of a u.p.s. driver kicking a dog during a delivery. the dog's owner showed up soon after and the driver pushes him, too. u.p.s. later contacted the dog's owner to apologize. the driver has been disciplined by the company. and a little diva who stole hearts after dancing to aretha franklin's "respect" is back at it. ♪ ♪ this time 6-year-old joanna

colon is dancing to "think." the new dance follows their previous recital video, this one went viral with her over-the-top moves and got over 17 million views on youtube. you have to love that kids having fun and dancing to aretha. >> ellen always finds the cutest kids. >> who not going to dance to aretha right? >> now time for a look ahead. comic-con international opens to the public in san diego. the biggest exhibit of its kind for coppic book lovers. 130,000 people attend the annual event. happy birthday to rocker courtney love who turns 51 today. academy award winning actor tom hanks is 59 and south carolina's senator lindsay graham turns 60. we'll see you back here

tomorrow.

breaking news: a violent home invasion overnight - and a standoff and shelter in plac breaking news a violent home invasion overnight. it happened near san leandro. new details coming in. and a memorial approximate for the pleasanton woman killed on pier 14 in san francisco, while the nation focuses on trying the alleged gunman her family and friends remember the woman they lost. drivers beware the count down is on for the closure of doils drive, the changes you need to know. for . =laura/2-shot= and i'm laura it's 4:30. i'm sam brock. >> and i'm laura garcia-cannon. lots to get to on this thursday morning. let's check the forecast with meteorologist kari hall. good morning. >> good morning sam and laura. we start out with low clouds and some mist and drizzle a