And staging a comeback. The late Michael Jackson singing, dancing, and moon walking at the Billboard Music awards, an appearance that some call cool, others call creepy. Today, monday, may 19th, 2014. From nbc news, this is today, with matt lauer and savannah guthrie, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. Good morning, everyone. Nice to have you along on a monday morning. Weve got willie in for matt. All right, show of hands. Who thought it was cool, who thought it was creepy. I thought cool. I thought it was cool. A little helping of creepy. A pinch of very emotional. Whether you thought it was cool or creepy, you at least have to marvel at that technology. The technology is just incredible. It brought him to life for four or five minutes on that stage. And marvel at his timelessness. His music and his moves still so relevant today. We have a top story to get to, this new concern over the mers virus after a third infection is discovered here in the u. S. Nbcs tom costello has got the story from washington this morning. Tom, good morning. Hi, savannah, good morning. Investigators are looking closely at anyone who may have come in contact with the two men who became ill after traveling to saudi arabia, and now a third man, who has shown he has the antibodies for the virus after meeting one of the infected men. Health investigators believe it was several business handshakes over two days that spread the mers virus from one person to another here in the u. S. An illinois man became infected after shaking hands with a Health Care Worker from indiana, who had just returned from saudi arabia. The indiana man was later hospitalized with the first known case of the virus in the u. S. But the illinois mans illness is not severe. We know this person has antibodies for mers, which means he was infected, does not mean hes infectious. Thats the fine line. Thats the difference. The man reported mild coldlike symptoms, but hes no longer sick. Hes been asked to isolate himself from others for now. Still, the mers virus is especially concerning to Health Experts who watched it spread from saudi arabia through the middle east, and on to include 18 countries. Worldwide, 572 confirmed cases, 173 people have died. 30 of the known cases. Now its turned up in the u. S. Right now we know that it could be transmitted inefficiently from person to person, because Health Care Workers in the hospital and people in close contact with patients have been infected. At a dozen airports nationwide, Health Notices now warn fliers to be aware of other passengers who might be sick. The most common symptoms that show up after 14 days, a fever, a cough, severe respiratory illness that can include shortness of breath. U. S. Experts are urging caution, but not overreaction. Its not something that one should be overly concerned about, but you have to stay tuned because you have to follow it because it might be a moving target. And tom, its interesting that some of these patients apparently have no symptoms, but theyre carrying the antibodies, which raises the question of whether there may be people who are Walking Around with these antibodies not even knowing it. Yeah, its a very real possibility. About 20 of the patients are asymptomatic or symptoms are so mild, or they didnt realize they had the virus, so the number of cases may start to rise. Experts do not believe the virus is highly contagious. Most of those who have been ill have been in the middle east, family members and Health Care Workers as well. Tom costello with the latest from washington. Thank you. Natalie is here with some breaking news. A first, natalie, from the u. S. Department of justice. Thats right and good morning guys. An unprecedented slap on the wrist from the Justice Department this morning. The u. S. Is accusing some Chinese Government officials of cyber spying on american companies. Nbc news justice correspondent Pete Williams is in washington this morning with the details. Pete, good morning. Good morning. A u. S. Official says the Justice Department has filed criminal charges against specific Chinese Government officials, accusing them of stealing american trade secrets through Cyber Espionage. This is the first time that the u. S. Has brought Cyber Espionage charges against a state actor. Details of the charges are to be announced later today by the attorney general eric holder, but an official familiar with the case says the charges will accuse Chinese Government employees of using military and intelligence facilities to commit Cyber Espionage against u. S. Companies. The Obama Administration has long considered china the most aggressive nation in getting industrial secrets through spying. In a 2011 report, the National Counterintelligence executive called the chinese the worlds most active and persistent perpetrators of economic espionage. The names of the targeted Companies Involved with these new charges could not immediately be determined, but they were said to be in the energy and manufacturing sectors. Natalie . All right, Pete Williams in washington. Thanks so much, pete. We go now to Northern Nigeria where a suicide bomb blast in the city of kano has killed four people. The area has been targeted by boko haram militants in the past, the Group Responsible for the kidnappings of more than 200 girls last month. It is a case, of course, that shocked the world and one that nbcs Stephanie Gosk has been following for us. Stephanie is in cameroon with the very latest. Stephanie, good morning. Reporter good morning, natalie. We are in cameroons far north, about 20 miles from the nigerian border. They are looking for the schoolgirls here, too, and dealing with the fallout from a deadly insurgency. Truck after truck, over 370 refugees showed up in this camp in cameroon in a single day. Since the schoolgirls were kidnapped, the violence in nigeria is getting worse. Just over a week ago, boko haram gunman attacked sentikis village. The 14yearold tells us she escaped out her bedroom window but was split from her family as she ran for her life. An aid worker spotted her when she arrived. She was alone . Yes, absolutely. Ali understood because he ran from boko haram, too. They killed one of your brothers . Yes. Reporter cameroon is only a relatively safe haven. Boko haram crosses the border easily here. They regroup, rearm and sometimes attack. The government has increased the number of troops. These special forces have been getting intense training for a couple of years now, and they say that there are a half a dozen u. S. Military personnel in a nearby city that have been training them in things like urban warfare and close quarter combat. All skills they will need to fight an enemy both violent and elusive. The theory that the girls were taken over the border, we were up on the border here in cameroon, and i can tell you there are places where you literally can cross, no border guards, no passport needed. Natalie . Stephanie gosk in cameroon, thank you, stephanie. Another megamerger is in the works that could change the future of television. At t has agreed to buy directv for 48. 5 billion. The move would give at t a bigger Subscriber Base and it would give it a fighting chance against comcast and time warner cable, which agreed to join forces in february. The at t deal is subject to government review. And finally, an underwater faceoff between a diver and a great white shark in florida. Take a look at this incredible video. Jimmy roseman was diving in the water 90 feet deep off the Atlantic Coast when that great white started moving in on him. Roseman said the great white looks like its far away in the video, but actually was about six to seven feet away from him. The gopro camera on the divers helmet capturing the tense encounter. As the shark continues to circle right back toward him, roseman finally poked the shark with a spear gun. The great white did eventually swim off, and unharmed. So objects in the water may be closer than they appear. And that thing was frighteningly large. Dont play music while youre under water. It attracts. The jaws theme in particular. Not a good choice. It goes on for like two and a half minutes. Well catch the weather in a moment, but first the controversy surrounding the firing of New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson. It is heating up. She gives the addressment address at the wake forest commencement this weekend. The papers publisher released a scathing statement over the weekend explaining why she was ousted and denying it was motivated by sexism. Its the first time shes speaking publicly since she was fired last week. Nbcs rehema ellis is in winstonsalem, North Carolina with us this morning. Reporter this is the first time well hear from Jill Abramson after her public dispute with the times. You can be sure the graduates were at wake forest werent the only ones paying attention to her speech. Very early last thursday, my sister called me. I know dad would be as proud of you today as the day you became executive editor of the New York Times. It meant more to our father to see us deal with the setback and try to bounce back than to watch how we handled our successes. Show what you are made of, he would say. Reporter at the first female executive editor of the New York Times, Jill Abramson was a media star. But she was abruptly fired last week after less than three years in the position. Soon afterwards, her daughter posted this picture on instagram of her 60yearold mom looking ready to fight with the pushy. Stories allege abramson was let go because she raised concerns about whether she was paid as much as her male predecessors. Responding to a growing controversy, publisher Arthur Sulzberger released a statement over the weekend, detailing the reasons for abramsons firing and disputing any notion it was over her pay package. Sulzberger said, abramsons management of the newsroom was simply not working out. I heard repeatedly from her newsroom colleagues, women and men, about a series of issues, including arbitrary decisionmaking, a failure to consult and bring colleagues with her, inadequate communication and the public mistreatment of colleagues. Her firing sparked a heated debate about whether women are held to a different standard than men. This story is far from over. Whatever the truth is, Jill Abramsons firing has reignited a conversation all across the country about the role of Women Leadership in the workplace. Willie. Rehema ellis, thank you so much. Kate brightman is the former editor of new yorker magazine. Its good to have you here. Is this a story about gender or about her management . I think it is both. We are not judged on how we do with sales, but how we deal with people. Women are held to a different standard. Guys are being no nonsense. Women are brought. We are held to a different standard. You use the term brusque. The words used to describe jill are pushy and mercurial. Some women feel those are words that describe qualities that if they were found in men wouldnt have those pejorative terms applied to them. Its the absolute truth. If you think about some of the editors, executive editors of you have to be aware of dissension. That can bite you in the butt. Why has this story taken a life of its own . It is a larger story. What is it about this case . I think women know on a viceral level, we know this goes on. It is an underground thing. It is hard to put your finger on it. Some suggest she was underpaid. The teams fought back saying she made 10 more than her predecessor. I know you worked for the times, but what was it like for you moving up the chain to go in and ask for a raise . I brought my accountant in with me. I got so much more. Women have to learn. You have to ask. You have to ask at the front end. She tried to ask at the back end. That is like returning the pants after you wore them. What lessons, kate, do you hope people take out of the story . I think the first thing to know it happens. Lets not pretend it doesnt. We are judged differently in many situations. You have to listen and pay attention. You have to have allies and be sure people working for you have your back and you know if they are uncomfortable. Kate white, we appreciate your perspective. You have been from. Savannah. A Graduation Ceremony in connecticut had to be put on hold temporarily sunday while police dealt with several bomb threats, and you will never guess where investigators say those threats were coming from. Audrey washington from wvit, our nbc station in connecticut, is outside quinnipiac university. Audrey, good morning. Reporter yes, good morning to you. That college Graduation Ceremony was postponed on sunday after the university received multiple bomb threats. Now this morning, a woman is in Police Custody after confessing to making those calls, and just why she did it may surprise you. Its a Graduation Ceremony quinnipiac students and their families wont soon forget. We were all pretty much lined up ready to go and we started hearing that there was going to be some sort of delay. Reporter just 20 minutes before students lined up to receive their degrees, local police say someone called in a bomb threat. The threats were made against the university. One building was specifically referenced. Reporter according to police, a woman called claiming there was a bomb in the library. 15 minutes later, a second call, saying, several bombs are on campus. You havent cleared out graduation. Thats not a good idea. Over 425 students and their guests were relocated as a precaution. The world we live in, i guess today, and fortunately we have good people that keep us safe. Reporter officials were able to trace the phone number back to 22yearold danielle shea, a former quinnipiac student. Police found her at the ceremony dressed in a cap and gown. Shea confessed to the calls, telling police she lied to her family about attending the school this year. She hoped the threats would force the school to cancel the ceremony so she wouldnt have to explain why she didnt get a diploma. For those who did, the ceremony went on without a hitch. Overall, the school handled it really well and they got us up there and got the graduation going, so we were all happy once we finally started the ceremony. Reporter and according to police, shea is charged with threatening in the first degree and falsely reporting an incident. Shes currently being held on 20,000 bond and is set to appear in court later on this month. And i guess the moral of the story here is kids, stay in school. Thats the very latest. Im audrey washington reporting here from quinnipiac university. Ill send it back over to you, willie and savannah. That is just a wild story. Im glad everybody got their diploma at the end of the day. Audrey washington up in connecticut for us. Thanks, audrey. Now we move to a controversy in horse racing. Its threatening California Chromes historic quest for the triple crown. As you know, the colt won the preakness on saturday, two weeks after winning the kentucky derby. But now his trainer is raising the possibility that the horse may not run in the triple crowns final leg. Nbcs craig melvin is here to explain that. Craig, good morning. Savannah, good morning to you. Heres whats causing this controversy. Its called a flare strip. Theyre like breathe right strips for horses. California chrome has won the last six races wearing one of these things. But thoroughbred horse racing officials in new york where the belmont is held do not allow them. California chrome has won the preakness California Chrome, the crowd favorite saturday, thundered to victory at preakness stakes, snagging the second jewel in horseracings coveted triple crown. No thoroughbred has won the kentucky derby, preakness, and Belmont Stakes since affirmed in 1978. Affirmed coming to the wire but while chrome went to sleep a champion, he woke up to controversy. Turns out the breathing strip the horse wore in the last six races hes won is forbidden by the new york state gaming commission. Now his trainer art sherman says all bets may be off. I dont know why they would ban you from wearing one, he said. He might not run if they say you cant run with a nasal strip. The makers of the strips say they dont help much anyway. All the strips do is put a little force to hold that open and reduces the resistance. They get the same amount of air with less work. Chromes Team Formally asked for permission to wear the strips. Officials are reportedly considering a rule change. The controversy threatens to ruin what many hoped would be a happy ending to a rags to riches story. Steve coburn and his partner spent 8,000 on the mare that produced chrome. Chump change in the world of horseracing. When i saw this colt, when i saw this baby when he was a day old, i told my wife, i said carolyn, this horse is going to do something big. The issue of nasal strips came up again back in 2012. Ill have another also won the first two legs of the triple crown, but before new york officials could decide on whether that horse would be allowed to wear one of these, the horse was pulled because of an injury. A decision on chromes future is expected as early as tomorrow, savannah. All right, craig melvin, thank you very much. And we turn to al whoa. Youre not getting off that easy. First of all, common sense will prevail. Let t