it's friday, july 31st. bombshell confirmation on malaysia flight 370 and that as even more potential evidence washes ashore. neebz and obtaining a shocking government report about how many times chinese spies are striking inside the u.s. and new evacuations as western wild fires explode. danglong protesters delay an oil ship departure. "early today" starts now. a major clue in aviation's top mystery. "657bb" attached to what's looking more and more like a tangible piece of malaysia air flight 370.

they have confirmed that the plane fragments could only have come from a boeing triple 7. new this morning, a beach cleaner on reunion island has found an empty plastic bottle of indonesian made detergent washed up near wherethe beach this morning. >> reporter: the eyes of the aviation world are focused on this debris, which they're not convinced is the flap of an aircraft wing, and which craft is not sure. but it proves it's from a boeing triple 7 and only one of those is missing -- malaysia 370. they are examining the damage and the encrusted shells on the piece. it was dragged from the waves by beach clean up team.

>> it's the first real evidence that there is a possibility that a part of the aircraft may have been found. >> reporter: investigators are also looking at what this man found. the remains of a suitcase nearby on the beach at the same time. origin unknown. for the families of the 239 on board who have endured 16 months of agony, the debris find brings more pain. and sarah's partner was the only american on board. >> my life has been basically stuck on march 8th and i can't do that forever. >> reporter: families across the world have waited for any clue for so long. >> the most difficult part is not knowing everything. >> reporter: ever since the debris was found on this beach, they've been searching day and night for more. on fishing boats, on a coast guard ship and in the air. at first light, a helicopter will resume its search here. and ocean experts believe more aircraft debris will be found. this piece will be tested in france soon.

significant evidence that might unlock one of the great aviation mysteries. >> now to an nbc news exclusive that reveals more than anything we've ever seen just how vulnerable we are to cyber espionage. and china alone is responsible for hacks to almost in the least 700 public and private targets in the united states in the last five years. and nbc news justice correspondent, pete williams has more. >> reporter: the u.s. scrambles to learn the massive theft of federal government personnel records to be stolen by china. they have received a government report that shows the pervasive reach of chinese cyber spying worldwide. this is a red dot for every successful computer intrusion by china over the past five years.

nearly 700 with computer attacks in every state but north dakota. the northeast corridor is a massive blob of red. intrusions are clustered around california's silicon valley the aero space regions of the pacific northwest and southern california's defense industrial base. and formulas for profitable drugs and the workings of civilian and military air traffic control systems. the fbi says the chinese also target power and telecommunications system and even some individual u.s. citizens. >> there's no corporate structure out there, no matter how small, that's immune from this threat. >> reporter: the fbi is now investigating hundreds of cases of suspected chinese espionage, 53% more than just a year ago, with estimates that it cost the american economy $300 billion a year.

if there's any good news is that while the u.s. apparently has means to know when they do it. a former university of cincinnati police officer is out of jail this morning after pleading not guilty to murder charges and posting bond. he went before a judge on wednesday after his own body camera showed him fatally shooting unarmed driver dubose. two other officers have been placed on leave in connection with the case. >> reporter: wearing a very different uniform, former university of cincinnati police officer entered court with his hands shackled. charged with one count of murder and one count of voluntary manslaughter? >> reporter: pleading guilty of -- not guilty in the shooting death of samuel dubose pulled

over for a missing license plate. the courtroom erupted. after he doesn't produce his license, he asks dubose to take off his seatbelt and the officer appears to reach for the door. >> stop. >> reporter: seconds later, he shoots him in the head and then tensing is on the ground from another body camera. tensing's attorney says it was self-defense. >> he thought he was going to die. >> reporter: the prosecutor's office said it's investigating other officers. two officers one of whom supports tensing's claim that he was dragged, were placed on leave. i sat down with dubose's family. >> he cold blooded shot him for no reason at all. i saw it. i saw it with my eyes. >> reporter: they remember sam

as a peaceful man. >> he loved all of his kids and they loved him. they loved him so much. tensing is due in court again next month. and right now, dozens of new wildfires are burning in california forcing hundreds from their homes and thousands of firefighters on are on the front lines. >> reporter: triple digit temperatures, dehydrated land, perfect conditions for wild fires in california. >> it's coming down the ridge, just flames really, really high and burning really really fast. >> reporter: almost 7,000 firefighters are working tirelessly. the biggest fire is the so-called rocky fire north of san francisco. that blaze has already scorched 13 square miles.

and they've forced some residents to leave their homes. >> fire came through and burnt everything around us. we saved the house, but my parents' house is gone. >> reporter: the california department of fire and forestry said it means it doesn't take much to start a fire and they burn quickly. >> these fires are going to burn at a fast pace. >> reporter: authorities say mose of the fires have been caused by people and they say one less spark means one less wild fire. more extreme heat in parts of the country today. how's it looking out there? >> the numbers yesterday were off the charts. seattle was 94 yesterday. that was your tenth 90 degree day of the summer. that breaks your record. you have double the 90 degree days in seattle than you do in

chicago so far. portland, 103. really incredible stuff here in the pacific northwest as we went throughout your thursday. then it looks like it starts to cool off a little bit as we go throughout the weekend, not a lot. it hasn't been very numdhumid in this area of the country, so that's helped things too. area from eugene up to portland. chance of a shower in the

mountains. the lightning is dangerous though because that can start fires too. that's the catch. >> just ahead, a big announcement on where the 2022 olympics will be held. more on the dentist who killed a beloved line. ied. he's beached here, gazing out on an unforgiving landscape. for while the people who come in here use quilted northern, a toilet paper that works so well they completely forget their experience... daddy gator sees all and forgets nothing. "i've got to motor out of here," he thinks. "this is no place to raise a child." quilted northern. designed to be forgotten.

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petition demanding justice for cecil. and they have asked them to stop issuing hunting permits to hunt for endangered animals. the coast guard is searching through the night, the boys' 19-foot boat capsized a week ago off the coast of florida. >> green peace activists dangled from a bridge to block its path. police say a number of people were detained. >> beijing. >> just this past hour beijing is hosting the 2022 winter olympics. beijing becomes the first city

to host the winter and summer games. they plan to use several venues from the 2008 olympics. >> good morning. markets are poised to end the week and the month in positive territory despite a mixed session on thursday. nasdaq logging its third straight gain. investors are on watch today for labor cost data along with manufacturing reporteds. facebook builds its first large scale drone to help deliver internet access to remote parts of the world. it has a wingspan of a boeing 777 and will use lasers to beam data to the ground. google glass is back. this time it's all business.

the google sold that device to the public for 1500 dollar a pop but halted sales in january when it became fairly controversial in some parts of the country when restaurants said people couldn't come in wearing them. >> just ahead two hole in ones in a single day. there may have been an even more impressive shot. and the summerer's best promotion at night at the ballpark. sports is coming up next. ll. if it isn't the belle of the ball. gentlemen. you look well. what's new, flo? well, a name your price tool went missing last week. name your what, now? it gives you coverage options based on your budget. i just hope whoever stole it knows that it only works at progressive.com. so, you can't use it to just buy stuff? no. i'm sorry, gustav. we have to go back to the pet store. [ gustav squawks ] he's gonna meet us there. the name your price tool. still only at progressive.com.

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♪ ♪ this morning on "today," one of the biggest stars in country music, jason aldean, performed live on the plaza. houston and l.a., the entire game until the bottom of the 9th, two outs and then this. >> high drive right field. can he do it? jason castro. he won the game! >> yes it's out of there, the astros win and sweep the series. and in golf, there were two holes in one, including this beautiful shot from ricky fowler and this next one has to be the greatest one of the day. check it out.

>> had the lay up. >> a bull's-eye right in the cup for daniel summerhays. and to football now, the patriots had their first training camp practice yesterday and there he is, tom brady out with the team. meanwhile in the skies above, a plane with a banner from an independent new york jets fan site. cheaters, look up. ouch. and defensive lineman, sheldon richardson was charged yesterday with resisting arrest and multiple traffic violations. a police report says his car was going 143 miles per hour and he sped away from a cop. he's already been suspended the first four games for drug use. well, college football is just weeks away. and u.s.a. today released its top 10. ohio state buckeyes got all but two first place votes. and tcu and alabama round out the top three.

and no not highlights. iowa defensive lineman showed off his rare hobby. >> we have a egg here for you to demonstrate for us. very impressive. >> impressive indeed. he says he started doing it when he was a little kid and his bet him he couldn't do it. and a horrifying scene for a minor league promotional game. back hair appreciation night. yes, baltimore's aa affiliate waxed volunteers right there. that looks painful. and just ahead, tom cruise is back to save the world. big news that will have hard core game of thrones fans excited. entertainment headlines are up next. these feet... ...served my country... ...carried the weight of a family... ...and walked a daughter down the aisle.

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are back. weekend, well, jimmy fallon had a round up of airport fails. check it out. >> i heard a guy outside the airport bathroom say you hold mine while i go and i'll hold yours when you go. he was referring to suitcases. my husband said you're welcome after a stranger said thank you for all you do. they were talking to the soldier behind him. after a two-hour delay, our plane had to return to the gate to get a missing passenger, everyone booed as he boarded. >> you fly a on the. have you ever had booed? >> no i have not been booed. >> have you ever booed someone else? >> yes, to myself at least. we hope it's just your first stop of the day on nbc. ♪ ♪i leave a story untold... ♪

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news.com, ohio father charged after child rotting body found in crib. a cable installer found the body in medina, ohio. he admitted putting trash in the child's bedroom to disguise the smell. he has been charged with abuse of a corpse. and additional charges expected to follow. bond was set thursday at $1,000,000. and also from nbc news.com, now is the time to get kids on a school sleep schedule. according to the national sleep foundation, children should gradually adjust to waking up early and that could mean moving the wake up time earlier by 5 or 10 minutes. and that works the same for bedtime as well. and this video shows an illinois man trying to run over

a group of teenagers on sidewalk. the teens managed to escape without injury. and the man was arrested for aggravated assault and reckless driving. george bush tweeted this photo of himself in a neck brace after being hospitalized from a fall earlier this month he said who knew jumping out of planes was safer than getting out of bed. thanks for offering your kind get well messages. he broke a bone in his neck but expected to make a full recovery. and a zoo keeper has become a surrogate to the baby sloth. edward eerts mother could no longer produce milk for him. the zoo keeper retrofitted a sloth and say that edward is getting stronger every day. and one groom in norway traded in a limo for swim trunks. and his wedding took place on an island light house.

it started to rain but the out door wedding went on as planned. well, now a time for a look ahead. >> you could say he jumped into that wedding head first. >> dylann roof is expected to be arraigned in a charleston court room this morning. and nine people were killed in the june 17th shooting ram page. and happy birthday "modern family" star and j.k. rowling is 50. and wesley snipes turned 53 thanks for watching "early today." have a great friday and a great weekend, everyone.

transbay "trouble" for weekend travelers. we'll show you the ways around the mess. =kris/vo= and a grass-fire quicklygn trouble for weekend travellers. we'll show you the ways around the maps. >> and a fire quickly ignites in an inferno wiping out eight homes in a dozen communities. how the families are doing this morning. >> heat is going down but the humidity going up. what to expect this weekend coming up in the micro climate forecast. >> from nbc bay area this is today in the bay. >> and a good friday morning, it's 4:30. >> today we have lots to get to this morning. fist, let's check your forecast with meteorologist. >> good morning. as you step out the door you notice oh wow, it's nearly