developing overnight, confirmation of an undisclosed second meeting between president trump and vladimir putin. what was said, who was there and why was it withheld? expanding guest list, officials identify an eighth person in attendance on the controversial russia meeting at trump tower. and the buck stops where? >> we're not going to own it. i can tell you the republicans are not going to own it. >> what the -- the effort to repeal obamacare, what the president is urging that could

affect millions. new information about what happened before that woman's death in minneapolis. >> researcher linking lack of sleep and alzheimer's. and a viral video so grizzly you can barely look away. "early today" starts right now. good to be with you this morning. developing overnight, the white house now confirms president trump held a second meeting with vladimir putin. it happened when both men attended a denner at a g-20 summit in germany. the discussion lasted an hour and followed this highly publicized two-hour meeting between both men. here's the controversy. the second face to face that took place during this dinner went undies closed until reported. trump, putin and putin's interpreter were the only people present with no one there representing the united states. it's a breach in tradition when typically an american translator would be on hand. and it all happened as several

investigations dig in a possible election collusion between trump associates and russia. here's the president of the group who broke the news. >> there's been so much talk about what was and was not discussed in the meeting you just spoke about. did they talk about sanctions or the hacks, did he push them, did he not. union -- ukraine, all of that. none of that really matters if they then had an hour one-on-one with only the russian translator. we have no idea what was in that conversation. >> the president is pushing back tweeting the fake news is becoming more and more dishonest. even a dinner arranged for top 20 leaders in germany is made to look sinister. fake news story of dinner with putin is sick. all spouses were invited by the chancellor of germany.

press news. revelations come as we learn of an eighth person in the room of the 2016 meeting with the russia lawyer. that person is the soviet born businessman. he was the subject of a money laundering investigation. robert mueller, who was leading the investigation into possible election collusion is now investigating that 2016 trump tower meeting as well. lawyers want to now interview the russian and he will cooperate. and the president faces even more disastrous headlines after the long-held republican prom us to repeal and replace obamacare suffered what appeared to be a fatal blow with interparty disputes killing the chance of an all-out repeal.

the president points the finger elsewhere. kasie hunt has more. >> after seven years of making promises, the republican effort to repeal and replace obamacare is dead. >> when we finally get a chance to repeal and replace, they don't take advantage of it so that's disappointing. >> this has been a challenging experience for all of us. it's pretty obvious we don't have 50 members who can degree on a replacement. >> mitch mcconnell's new plan to vote to repeal without a replacement is already in trouble. three women republicans announced before lunchtime they were opposed with just 52 republicans in the senate, it's on track to fail. >> you are not on board with mitch mcconnell's new plan here? >> i do not support the new plan. i think it has many of the same flaws as the old plan. >> reporter: obamacare's individual insurance market has struggled with premiums up 20% just in the last year. >> let obamacare fail. it will be a lot easier. i think we're probably in that position where we'll just let obamacare fail. >> reporter: what would that mean for the 12 million americans who buy their insurance on the individual markets? the turmoil in congress has

insurers afraid trump administration will cut off subsidies to prop up the market potentially devastating the exchanges and driving up prices. now the pressure is on. a coalition of 11 governors, five democrats, five republicans and an idea manned congress start working across the aisle to stabilize the markets as millions of americans across the country wait to find out what this means for them. >> that was kasie hunt reporting. later this afternoon, senate republicans are expected to head to the white house for a lunch with the president as they plan their next steps on health care. an update on the fatal police shooting of an australian bride to be. minneapolis officers interviewed the partner, saying he was startled by a loud sound near the patrol car shortly before the officer opened fire on the woman. the shooting is generating

international outrage. >> reporter: half a world away in australia, a father pleads for answers. >> justine was a beacon for all of us. we only ask that the light of justice shine down on the circumstances of her death. >> reporter: his daughter was killed after calling 911 saturday night to report an assault in the alley near her minneapolis home. >> shots fired. ems code 3 washburn and 53rd street. >> reporter: multiple police sources tell our affiliate that officer noor was seated in the passenger side of the cruiser and fired his weapon over his partner out the driver's side door at damon. the partner appeared stunned. >> there are big questions left that we still have and hope to have answered soon. why did officer noor draw and fire his gun? what happened from the time the officers arrived on the scene to when she was pronounced dead? why don't we have footage from body cameras? why were they not activated?

>> david used to sit on the police review board. >> most times you can at least imagine what the police department might say to excuse it. here, i can't even imagine what they would say. >> reporter: so many questions and no one providing answers. >> that was blake mccoy reporting. the opioid epidemic has taken another horrific turn. a 10-year-old boy is dead after an apparent fentanyl overdose. keri sanders has more. >> reporter: a facebook memorial post to the 10-year-old, the medical examiner now waiting for toxicology tests to confirm he died after inadvertent contact with a powerful opioid. >> i believe this may be the youngest victim of this scourge in our community.

what a nightmare. >> reporter: investigators tracking his final hours of life believe he had been with friends at a city pool. somewhere between the day camp here and the two block walk to his house, he came into contact with something unintentionally, a drug that may have killed him. but he didn't die immediately. neighbors say hours later, they saw paramedics frantically trying to save his life. >> they were pumping him, trying to revive him back. >> reporter: the opioid epidemic showing death rates up 72%. while deaths from the less potent drug, heroin, increased 20%. >> the most dangerous opioid we're finding out there, the amount roughly the same size of a grain of rice could be potentially deadly. >> reporter: drug paraphernalia litters the streets near his home. a speck of fentanyl so powerful

it could kill you. in houston officers no longer test in the field to prevent exposure. the boy's death now a warning to other parents stop curious kids from poking at what they see lying on the ground. keri sanders, nbc news, miami. a jewel thief is under arrest yet again. 8 of-year-old -- 86-year-old payne was arrested in georgia monday after security guard accused her of putting $86 of items in her purse. she says she simply forgot to pay because of medication she had taken. it all happened while wearing an ankle bracelet as part of probation for shoplifting a $2,000 necklace last year. the judge in that case ordered her to stay away from all shopping malls. over 1,000 firefighters are battling a massive blaze threatening 1500 structures. california's governor declared a

state of emergency for the area, which is under mandatory evacuation. bill karins is watching a heat wave that's scorching the midwest. it's going to ease up for the weekend? >> maybe the end of the weekend. this heat wave continues to expand. we have 34 million people under heat advisories. today the worst of it looks to be st. louis. around 100 in the shade. it gets worse as we go day by day. look at omaha. finally, it makes it all the way to the east co it hasn't backed off much in areas like death valley and palm

springs either. guiness has recognized al blackmon for the longest career as an airline mechanic. the 92-year-old new yorker started working for american airlines when he was just 16 years old. now 75 years later, he still work there is. the airline dedicated a 727 to him, complete with al's signature on the plane. that's a mechanic you can trust. >> no kidding. and he looks great. >> a young 90. and all-girl robotics team that almost wasn't allowed to compete finally has their chance to shine. goin' up the country. love mom and dad' i'm takin' a nap. dude, you just woke up! ♪ ♪ i'm goin' up the country, baby don't you wanna go? ♪

♪ i'm goin' up the country, baby don't you wanna go? ♪ geico motorcycle, great rates for great rides. what's the best way to get two servings of veggies? v8 or a powdered drink? ready, go. ahhhhhhhh! shake! shake! shake! shake! shake! done! you gotta shake it! i shake it! glad i had a v8. the original way to fuel your day. percent of recurrent could be prevented with the right steps. and take it from me, every step counts. a bayer aspirin regimen is one of those steps in helping prevent another stroke. be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. listerine® total care strengthens teeth, after brushing,

helps prevent cavities and restores tooth enamel. it's an easy way to give listerine® total care to the total family. listerine® total care. one bottle, six benefits. power to your mouth™. introducing the easiest way to get gillette blades noo text "blades" to gillette on demand text to reorder blades with gillette on demand... ...and get $3 off your first order well, looky here who caught a foul ball at the mets game tuesday night. it was chris christie reaching across the aisle to snag it. the long time mets fan received

high fives and handshakes along with some boos. he gave the ball to a kid behind him. it took 180 days but president trump announced his intention to nominate an ambassador to russia. the former utah governor jon huntsman, it is one of the most consequential of the white house given the current political climate. the announcement was overshadowed with a small yet significant error. the communications misspelled the name adding an h to his first name. he previously served as ambassador to china under president obama. it was competition time for a team of afghan girls twice denied entry into the united states. the six teen-agers went up against 157 teams in the first-ever international robotics competition. they were finally granted visas after the news story made the

way to the president himself and the competition first daughter ivanka trump offered her encouragement. >> so inspired by what you have built here, what you're doing and how you're advancing the role in this case of women and girls. >> while the girls didn't place in the top ranks, they did take home a medal for courageous achievement. just ahead, news in the fight against alzheimer's. plus the date fast approaching that experts say is the best for getting big deals. you're watching "early today." summer took a hit this morning when frankie popped the alligator floaty. plus, the snacks and drinks are gone, people. and one of us used up all the sunscreen! i wonder who... . we're gonna need some reinforcements...quick. copy that. walgreens makes it easy when summer needs a little help. your summer base camp is just around the corner so you can get in, out and back to those summer shenanigans. walgreens. at the corner of happy & healthy®. now with card, buy one, get one 50 percent off sunscreen. you...smells fine, but yourin your passengers smell this

bell dinging new febreze car with odorclear technology cleans away odors... ...for up to 30 days smells nice... breathe happy, with new febreze. hitting the mid-morning wall? with up to 24 grams of hearty protein jimmy dean bowls help you avoid it. shine on. the beswith neutrogena® beach? beach defense® sunscreen. helioplex™ powered, uva uvb strong. beach strength protection for the whole family. for the best day in the sun. neutrogena®. (vo) more "dper rollres for mom" bounty is more absorbent, so the roll can last 50% longer than the leading ordinary brand. so you get more "life" per roll. bounty the quicker picker upper

not all fish oil supplements provide the same omega-3 power. introducing megared advanced triple absorption... it supports your heart, joints, brain, and eyes. and is absorbed by your body three times better. so one megared has more omega-3 power than three standard fish oil pills. new megared advanced triple absorption.

in today's quick hits a grim discovery in the swiss alps. the frozen bodies of a couple who went missing in 1942 have been found on a melting glazier. testing confirmed their identities. a restaurant in virginia has been closed down due to suspected outbreak of norovirus. they suffered a string of outbreaks in 2015. >> and stan lee has been immortalized at the chinese theater. the 94-year-old sank his hands and feet in cement outside the theater. if you still haven't booked your vacation getaway this summer, you may want to hold off. experts say there's a certain week when airline ticket prices suddenly drop and in some cases by hundreds of dollars.

tom costello has details. >> reporter: high season for summer travel and the nation's airports and roads are till filled to capacity. the end of august brings magic dates when airfares suddenly drop. >> demand for travel is lower. you have kids going back to school, business travel tends to slow down slightly. >> august 21st is when tickets get cheaper. round trip denver to orlando will cost you $255 on august 18th, but $157 just four days later. that's $100 savings. lax to atlanta, $330 on august 14th, $278 on the 21st. bigger savings on international flights. washington to london, nearly $1,500 on august 14th, $875 on august 21st. families hitting the road are already enjoying some of the cheapest gas prices in 12 years, on average saving $22 a tank

compared to three years ago. >> gas prices are low. 35 states you can find gas prices under $2 a gallon. $1.99 or less. >> under two bucks? >> $1.99 or less. >> reporter: gas could go lower with cheaper winter gas at the pump. whether on the road or in the air, some of the biggest savings of the year could be just a month or two away, but only if if you can get away. tom costello, nbc news, bethesda, maryland. >> time to start packing your bags or start feeling sick. why even money can't motivate people to work out. plus a driver can barely believe his eyes when he spotted this unusual passenger on the highway. you're watching "early today." sleep with this cold.

i'll take a sick day tomorrow. on our daughter's birthday? moms don't take sick days & moms take nyquil severe. the nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, fever, best sleep with a cold &medicine. 's not a quick fix. it's my decision to make beauty last. roc® retinol started visibly reducing my fine lines and wrinkles in one week. and the longer i use it, the better it works. retinol correxion® from roc methods, not miracles.™ how dixie ultra plates?roved with two pounds of steak. in each hand. dixie ultra. stress tested so you can stress less at dinner. so find a venus smooth that contours to curves, the smoother the skin, the more comfortable you are in it. flexes for comfort,

and has a disposable made for you. skin smoothing venus razors. people would stare. psoriasis does that. it was tough getting out there on stage. i wanted to be clear. i wanted it to last. so i kept on fighting. i found something that worked. and keeps on working. now? they see me. see me. see if cosentyx could make a difference for you- cosentyx is proven to help people with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis... ...find clear skin that can last. don't use if you're allergic to cosentyx. before starting cosentyx, you should be checked for tuberculosis. an increased risk of infections and lowered ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms. or if you have received a vaccine or plan to. if you have inflammatory bowel disease, tell your doctor if symptoms develop or worsen. serious allergic reactions may occur. never give up. see me. see me. clear skin can last. don't hold back... ...ask your dermatologist

if cosentyx can help you find clear skin that lasts. ♪ a lot of you saw that. "game of thrones" included that cameo by ed sheeran smashed the ratings record. 16.1 million viewers tuned in. that's a 50% increase from last year's season six debut. most people watched the show live, but the episode scored the highest number of viewers across the streaming services, is how a lot of us conduct life. >> i woke up at 1:00 this morning to finish watching the episode. >> you're crazy. >> peace and quiet, no kids. >> a new study finds you can't even pay people to go to the gym. researchers offered 863 new gym

members financial incentives if they visited the gym nine times in the first six weeks of their membership. they were surprised to find that cash had zero effect on the habits and motivation. people don't like changing their schedules for $60, for example, waking up earlier to accommodate a fitness routine. >> or staying up later. >> some wake up extra early to work out before they go to work. >> a stunned russian driver can barely believe his eyes when he spotted this. look at this giant brown bear riding shotgun in that motorcycle side car. the man filmed the unbelievable sight. >> there's a lot wrong with this. >> that's a huge bear, 250 pounds approximately, calmly riding through the streets of the town. he even raises his paw like he's

yogi. >> this is "early today." text "blades" to gillette on demand text to reorder blades with gillette on demand... ...and get $3 off your first order only tylenol® rapid release gels have laser drilled holes. they release medicine fast, for fast pain relief. tylenol® what's the best way to get two servings of veggies? v8 or a powdered drink? ready, go. ahhhhhhhh! shake! shake! shake! shake! shake! done! you gotta shake it! i shake it! glad i had a v8. the original way to fuel your day.

now there's going to be a lot of people complaining about the heat across the country, severe storms later on today in the northern plains. but there is some perfect weather, seattle, portland, even l.a. today, 84. some. best weather in coastal sections of the west. there are severe storms today. doesn't be surprised to hear about an isolated tornado and wind damage late tonight areas through minnesota and northern iowa. >> and if there is, we'll be reporting about it here tomorrow. now to important news in the fight against alzheimer's disease.

new research presented at a meeting of the top experts says people with sleep problems may have increased risk of dementia. dr. john torez has the details. >> sleep problems plagued more than one-third of adults on a regular basis and new evidence that consequences can be dire. three studies presented by researchers slowed sleep breathing disorders like snoring or sleep apnea are strongly linked to build up of the brain biomarkers for alzheimer's disease. researchers found these brain changes can appear before people experience signs of dementia. >> sleep is so important. when it is disrupted, it increases brain damage that could then really accelerate alzheimer's. >> daryl, who already has mild cognitive impairment, knows getting quality shut eye is key to a clear head. >> i'm more sharp. my memory is better when i get a good night's sleep. >> but it hasn't been easy. especially since he has breathing problems and insomnia. he took action getting a cpap

machine helping his breathe better, setting a regular bedtime, avoiding caffeine and keeping active with his wife, mary. all concrete steps researchers say could delay further decline. >> sleep should people be getting? >> about seven hours is the imagine being number. it's not just about the number of hours. it's about the quality. it's about making sure if you have sleep obstructed breathing or sleep apnea you get that treated. >> sleeping pills are not the answer. that's because they are meant to be used short-term and they won't correct the other underlying conditions that need to be treated. bill, all of us here, the entire team and you at home if you're awake because you can't sleep, we hear these things >> there's people who have trouble sleeping and people doing it for work reasons. >> either way, it's bad for you. listen to your voice.

>> those cpap machines, i

breaking news right now at 4:30. condos up in flames in the east bay. the rush to get everyone out safely. we're live with a closer look at the aftermath. thanks for joining us on this wednesday. i'm kris sanchez in for laura garcia-cannon. >> and i'm sam brock. we have a lot of news to get to specifically out of the east bay. first, let's get a check of your first weather with kari hall. things are looking better. it is looking better. we are starting out with low clouds start iing to roll into e coast. we'll see more of the fog and drizzle in san francisco and inland areas will stay nice and clear. you can see that layer roll over the golden gate bridge now and a clear view of the city. as we go in