this morning on "early today," devastating blow. powerful typhoons battered east asia unleashing some of the region's worst flooding in 50 years. grim search. investigators recover more bodies and debri from this weekend's deadly mid-air collision over the hudson. and clever canine. a new study sheds some light on just how smart your dog really a new study sheds some light on just how smart your dog really is. captions paid for by nbc-universal television hello and good morning,

everyone. i'm dan kloeffler. and today we begin with a staggering storm. parts of asia are just swamped in rain this morning just hours after a powerful typhoon ripped across that region. there are widespread reports of both damage and death. hundreds of people are missing in taiwan, which saw its worst flood anything 50 years. local media there say hundreds of home were simply buried in a landslide as swollen rivers devoured entire communities. in mainland china, many people were forced to evacuate the coast. it's a similar story in japan as well where a different typhoon caused 12 people to be killed in raging floodwaters. at least 10 people are missing there. there is another dark situation unfold anything india today as police and volunteers seven for the bodies on a scene of a devastating landslide. at least 43 people were killed when heavy rains triggered this

slide in remote villages. searchers are having a tough time finding the remaining victims because of poor conditions there. closer to home this morning, divers are returning to the murky waters of hudson river to resume the search for victims and the wreckage of saturday's mid-air collision between a small plane and a sight-seeing helicopter. all nine people involved were killed. and this morning the national transportation safety board begins the effort to find out why. nbc's michelle franzen has the very latest. >> reporter: one day after the horrific midair collision, crews lifted the wreckage of the sight-seeing helicopter. they loaded it onto a barge so investigators can search for evidence. >> the helicopter sustained significant damage. they're going to be conducting further examination of the wreckage. >> reporter: just north ntsb say

they located the fuselage of the plane. >> they'll work on recovery of the airplane. >> reporter: but the main focus for divers is the recovery of all the victims. so far seven of the nine who died have been found. liberty tours say the pilot of the helicopter was jeremy clark, a new zealand native living in new jersey. it had just taken off for a 12-minute big apple tour of the manhattan. his brother daniel altman and his 15-year-old son douglas were on board. they were from pennsylvania. >> his father saw it. he knew exactly what it was. it's tragic. >> reporter: this home video shows the crash aftermath. you can see the ripples where the helicopter went down, along with floating debris and divers searching for any survivors. the pilots were both flying

below 1,100 feet and are not required to have radio contact in this busy airspace. >> very busy corridor. i've been in the airspace. you've got to really watch. >> reporter: this latest accident has renewed a debay whether n regulations are needed in order to avoid another tragedy. now here's a look at some other stories making news "early today" in america. . in los angeles, surveillance video captured a rough encounter between a drunk man and a metropolitan transportation authority guard. the guard was convicted of battery after he attacked this man, who was near comatose from intoxicati intoxication. they decided to transfer security operations to the los angeles county sheriff's department. in california, a dormitory of a prison burned and 55 inmates were taken to the hospital after a violent riot there. a fight between two rival gangs

quickly got out of hand. no employees were injured, but there is extensive damage to the prison itself. firefighters in north carolina had another emergency to deal with when their fire truck sort of rolled away and into a house. the truck knocked the house off its foundation while a man was asleep on a couch inside. he said he felt like a human pinball but other than that he was all right. the driver had left the truck unattended. a modern day pony express brought a very special surprise to florida. the daughter of a marine couldn't afford to travel to california for his funeral. so the burial flag couldn't be shipped. a group of veterans vowed to drive it across country, passing it off in each state. more than 1,000 hands helped carry that flag across the country before it was finally delivered to a very tearful but thankful daughter. and now for a look at the national and the regional

weather, here's nbc meteorologist bill karins with the weather channel forecast. bill, good monday morning to you. >> good monday to you, dan. hope everybody had an enjoyable weekend. it was hot and it was sweaty yesterday in washington, d.c. we hit 96 degrees. and that was almost as warm as our friends in texas who continue to sweat out there near 100. the other highs around the area were very warm. detroit saw its warmest day of the summer at 94. all the southeast was in the low to mid-90s. look at the temperatures this morning. the morning low was only 80 in washington, d.c. that's how you know it's going to be incredibly hot this afterno afternoon. the ridge of high pressure is over charlotte, north carolina. the rim around it will see showers and stor. maybe central and northern new england. you'll get stormy weather to keep you cooler. but our friends in d.c. to charlotte to norfolk, someone is going to hit 100 today.

new york city should easily have its hottest day of the summer with 95 degrees. that's a look at your national forecast. now here's a look at the weather outside your window. well, i mentioned on the periphery of that high pressure some areas are going to see storms. that includes sarasota, florida. in the great lakes, cooler around destrtroit, chicago, columbus. you'll have to carry an umbrella. watch out for thunderstorms. i hope you're ready, dan. it's a one-day heat wave in new york. 95 is going to be a shock. we've been 80 all summer. >> so one day and that's it. this is a one-day thing. just get it done and over with. thank you, bill. japanese stocks spark, gas surprise, and a week on wall street. your early morning business headlines are straight ahead. plus, when your target audience is young guys who don't

pay attention to critics. the yankees do something to the red sox they haven't done in 24 years. and tiger woods changes a tou' t i inmeme."ay hhchg "earlyy

good morning and welcome back to "ely today," everyone. i'm dan kloeffler. and here are some of your top headlines this morning. president obama and miss mexican counterparts are on a summit on a wide range of issues. he met with mexican president calderon to discuss swine flu, violence involving mexican drug trafficking gangs. a wave of predawn violence killed 40 people. a pair of bombs exploded in bgd including one near a group of construction workers. 17 people were killed in those

blasts. venezuelan president chavez claims colombia may have been trying to provoke the military with a recent incursion into the country. a move he calls a threat. and a new study found that dogs are as intelligent as the average 2-year-old child. researchers say dogs can understand up to 250 words and gestures, count up to five, perform simple math calculations. among the smartest breeds, retrievers and border colleys. terriers are at the bottom of the list. now here's an early look how wall street will kick off the day today. the dow opens 9,370 after climbing 113 points on friday. the s&p was up 13. the nasdaq added as well 27 points. taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, the nikkei jumped 112 points,

while in hong kong the hang seng soared 554 points. it will be a quiet start to the week on wall street. investors really waiting on data coming in the following days that could give them some hope of a recovery. after better than expected japanese and u.s. data last week, the nikkei average hit its highest mark on monday. after feeling that surge, shares of mitsubishi surged 20% in value after reports it would be acquired in a deal worth $2.1 billion. according to the lumberg survey, the price of a gallon of self-serve gasoline jumped 16 cents to $2.64 a gallon, more than a dollar less than the same time last year. remember how painful that was? in an effort to boost confidence in u.s. credit worthiness, timothy geithner asked for increase to the national debt limit which currently stands at 12.1 trillion.

new debt through 2010 is expected to top $3.5 trillion. all eyes on the federal reserve this week as they meet to discuss the nation's economy. the central bank expected to keep a target range for its bank lending rate between 0 and .25%. investors will be holding their breath as they wait for july sales data due to friday. it accounts for two-thirds of the nation's economy. earnings reports for major retailers will further drive home consumer sentiment. heavy hitters walmart, nord tropical, abercrombie and fitch will all report this week. and finally, you know, if you thought one of the corner hot dog stands may be a stress-free alternative to your job, consider the sky high rent for a pretty hot location. one new york city hot dog vendor has been evicted from his spot after he failed to pay half his rent, $643,000. next time you're in new york and

you pay $5 for a hot dog, that's what it's going toward. yankees, darn the sox and tiger at t bridgestone. . plus, it's not every day you see a player ejection like this. your early morning sports headlines are straight ahead. your monday weather headlines. we have tropical storm fell leash that headed for hawaii and eye mini heat wave for the earn seaboard. your regional forecast is coming up. you're watching "early today."

> good morning to you. i'm joe krebs. >> i'm barbara harrison. straight ahead on "news 4 today," new details following the deadly metro crash on the red line. what investigators have discovered about equipment that may have played a role in the accident. >> plus, the swine flu is expected to be a concern this fall. how one local university is doing its part to help find a vaccine. >> and the tough economic times aren't getting any easier. some helpful tips for

good morning. if you're just waking up, this is "early today." in sports, the new york yankees power pass their arch rivals last night, completing a humiliating four-game sweep of the boston red sox. here's bill seward with an early look at all your sports headlines. >> very good morning to you. 1985, that was the last time yankees swept a four-game series from the red sox. in the eighth, down a run. johnny damon goes deep. solo homer tied the two. mark teixeira. how is that for changing these in the blink of an eye? four games from boston for the first time in 24 years. golf, bridgestone invitational.

tigers comes to beat patrick harrington. turns in one of the best shots of the year. 180 yards out, 8 iron, tight. stops a few inches from the cup. after seeing that, harrington felt the pressure. triple bogey. tiger left the 16 with a three-shot lead. final hole, tiger birdies for his seventh win at firestone and his 70th career victory. good way to head into this week's pga championship. phillies hosting the marlins. seventh inning. out field and ejects shake victorino. shane comes a running trying to get a piece of the ump. he apparently voiced his disgust over the strikes and balls during the course of the day. marlins win it, 12-3. hope you're ready for some

football. terrell owens first preseason game in buffalo. a.j., the fake punt. the fake reverse. and he takes off and goes 40 yards for the touchdown. incredible play, reminding us that punters are athletic. titans win the preseason opener 21-18. that's your early look at sports on early the. i'm bill seward. thank you, bill. winners and losers at the box office this weekend. early morning entertainment headlines are straight ahead. plus, of course it's the first thing that comes to mind when raising money for charity. pulling a plane. you're watching "early today."

welcome back. as you're joining us this monday morning. light rain through southern michigan, maybe a heavy downpour or two spreading into detroit suburbs. it will be into the city shortly. carry the umbrella as you head out the door. in the east, a hot day. raleigh could easily be near 100. same for norfolk. d.c., the heat index between 100 and 105. a heat waing for philadelphia today. if you're watching wsav tv in savannah, georgia, enter the world of wolves and learn about their behavior and the structure of their packs at the oatland

island wildlife center. >> a wolfman jack impression? >> not this morning. it's too early for that. >> we appreciate you sparing us, bill. the whole while snobby critics a movie made for kids strategy certainly paid off at the g.i. joe rise of cobra. it opened number one. it earned another $44 million worldwide for a $100 million weekend. "julie and julia" opened right on expectations with women over 35 powering it to a solid number two finish. no such luck for "a perfect getaway." it landed with a thud in seventh, not even cracking 6 million. last weekend's top movie, "funny people" tumbled with just 7.9 million.

taiwanese pop star jay chou has been cast as cato opposite seth rogan in green more net. >> they do good. all these action things critics hate. >> it's good stimulation there. knbc nbc 4 in los angeles, where in nearby long beach, some big-hearted individuals moved some very big objects all for charity. teams of 25 competed to see who could pull an airbus down the tarmac the fastest. each team needed to raise $1,000 to enter. it went to special olympics. i'm dan kloeffler. this is "early today," just your first stop of the day today on your nbc station. 4:54.

we have 80 degrees at this hour in the morning. think about that if you will. look at that moisture in the air right now as we look at a beautiful picture of the washington, d.c., skyline. good morning. welcome to "news 4 today." i'm joe krebs. >> and good moing. i'm bfarbara harrison. welcome back, joe krebs. >> thank you very much. >> we want to start you off with a look at weather and traffic. here's tom kierein. >> good morning. great to have you back, joe. welcome back. today, well, prepare yourself for some son heagtovin mg song w ,ctigfain rht now 80 feels c rl an uwimf opngnr,ra danoinho s n precipitation. ndural areas ow and-7ndur a rres al ouethsnt cie.gi all these counties ianorn re deun ann orange under an excessive heat advisory

noon to 10:00 p.m., includes the metro area, southern maryland, the eastern shore. we're off to a clear start. iwe've got that big moon in th sn now. by s mid-afternoon, highs will hacre tache upper 90s and it wi feel like 100 to 105 when you add in the humidity. wor tbe mroayts ofthomen om twenorroth maybeor some afternoon thunderstorms but still hot but a break from the heat by wednesday and thursday, maybe some showers and thunderstorms. that's the way it looks. >> okay, tom, thanks. >> let's go to jerry edwards and say good morning to you. jerry, how are you? >> i'm spritzing already this moing. >> aren't we all? >> stay away from me. >> joe, welcome back. tom, barbara, good morning. od morning, everyone. so far, nothing to sweat out on the roads along the approach to the wilson bridge doing okay. southeast corridor's quiet so far. had some overnight roa work, typical, on 270. that should be wrapped up. no early concerns as we get going for a monday. barbara and joe, back to you. >> all right, jerry. thank you very much. >> thank you. >> here is a look at four big stories that are happening

today. trials of the experimental h1n1 swine flu vaccines begins at the university of maryland. 67 healthy adult volunteers are taking part in the test. they will their blood drawn and receive the vaccine. three weeks later they will receive another injection. the university of maryland is the lead center for the nationwide trials. >> today, president obama will meet with north american leaders in mexico as the health care reform debate rages at home. town hall meetings in several states have turned into loud clashes of opposing views. just as legislators return home for their august break. critics of the democratic plan are rallying support against the proposal, but the plan's proponents say the anger is fueled by misinformation. >> crews resume their search today for two remaining bodies following a deadly midair crash over the hudson river. yesterday, crews pulled up most of the wreckage from the helicopter, which had, of course, significant damage.

investigators have located the plane and are still working to pull its parts out of the river. >> a hearing for michael jackson's estate continues later today in los angeles. on august 3rd, a judge extended the tenure of lawyer john branca and producer john mclean as the estate's administrators until october 2nd. jackson mother, katherine jackson, is also seeking to gain some kind of control over her late son's estate. >> well, times are certainly difficult for many during this worse financial crisis in recent memory, but if there's anything we have realized during the recession it is to work with what you have and to have a backup plan ready. >> as christine nelson reports, the becoming more relevant things now more than ever. ♪ >> reporter: teresa is a performer, a vocal coach and a mother. to make more money while exploring her creative side, she's become a face painter, too. >> it's really a creative outlet for me. i enjoy it. the kids enjoy it.

puts a smile on everybody's face. >> reporter: she has a post-recession plan for h life, and that includes plotting ways to build her businesses. >> i'm not going to get stuck. i refuse to do that. i'm going to look to the future. >> reporter: she's on the right track, according to executive coach susan steinbrecker. >> you have a huge advantage right now. don't wait until the end. now is the time to be looking at that so you're perfectly positioned for when we come out at the other end of this, and we will. >> reporter: she says start by writing your goals down. she says networking is essential now. on the job, do your best work to avoid layoffs now and secure your position later. if you lost a promotion or had your salary cut during this recession, now is the time to start thinking about how to deal with that once your company is in recovery. steinbrecker says valuable employees should start planning to get some of their old salary back or ask about new opportunities for advancement. >> this person's an