we see in this fire is exactly what we see in any fire across new mexico. >> reporter: environmental officials are taking no chances. they are deploying dozens of air monitors all over this state. and the feds have flown in a plane that takes instant radiation samples. some are worried not just about the barrels o of nuclear waste stored at the lab -- >> two, one. >> reporter: but what's in the canyons that surround the sprawling complex. so-called legacycy contaminatio. from nuclear tests dating back to the 1940s. >> the trees have grown up during that time frame. and the soils could alsoo be contaminated. if theheget heated and that stuff goes airborne then we are concerned about that. >> reporter: the canyons were dumping grounds for radioactive material decades ago but are now open to the public and considered safe. still, a nuclear scientist armed with a geiger counter made this youtube video in one of those canyons. >> there is no shortage of metal, no shortage of radioactivity. >> reporter: much of this area burned back in 2000, and no higher levels of radiation were detected then. everyone here is hoping the same holds true this time. ryan owens, abc news, los alamos, new mexico. violent protests lasted long into the night in the capital of greece after the government approved a new round of budget cuts and tax hikes. the deal will free up enough international money to keep the government going until september. public sector salaries and pensions have been cut in the past year and unemployment is above 16%. a new study out this morning finds a chemical that was withdrawn from the u.s. market seven years ago is still very much present in the workplace. researchers tested 31 offices in boston for the presence of pbde and found it in every single one of those offices. now, the chemical was used in computers, furniture, also carp carpeting. it has since been linked to thyroid and hormone changes. brace yourselves. >> this is our breaking news story. >> fasten your seat belt. there are new clues this morning about what's causing the growing epidemicof obesity in this country. >> turns out it all has to do with how much you eat. if i'd only known. here's john berman. >> reporter: you ever wonder why disco died? why we no longer dance like john travolta in "saturday night fever"? maybe because we can't fit in the outfits. the new study out of north carolina finds we're eating 570 more calories every day, every day, than we did back in 1977. the year "saturday night fever" came out. so what changed? first of all, portions. >> we are used to seeing more on our plates. there are, we eat it. when it's in front of us, we consume it. >> reporter: we don't just consume it once but all the time. we're a society of snackers. >> we have food everywhere. they're at gas stations, movie theaters, we've got it at the coffee shops. >> reporter: so what does 570 calories look like? think a quarter pounder with cheese. this bag of chips. a couple of bottles of soda. americans are adding that to their guts and elsewhere every day. which all makes for some very wad math. 570 a day is nearly 4,000 calories a week. which is how much, exactly? >> that's the equivalent of one pound. that's for one week. >> reporter: remember, there are 52 weeks in a year. no wonder the rate of obesity in america has doubled since the '70s. no wonder no one wears outfits like this. ♪ more than a woman >> reporter: we'd probably spill food on them anyway. john berman, abc news, new york. >> how about that. you eat too much, it packs on the pounds. >> that is so bizarre. >> who knew? >> i'm actually on the see food diet. that's excellent, i highly recommend it. >> old one. a frightening experience -- just trying to keep it together here -- for an american tourist australia. he was shore anknorkeling on th barrier reef when the dive company accidentally left him behind. >> this is why i stay on the shore. the michigan man said he was a moment of panic, then he swam to another boat and was rescued. the staff member who failed to do a head count has been fired. g'day, mate, see you later. >> don't let the barracuda get you. put another tourist on the barbie. here's a look at your weather. as tropical storm arlene hits mexico, south texas gets up to 3 inches of rain. thunderstorms from the gulf coast into south carolina. windy with hail and heavy rain from the dakotas to the northern rockies. showers from seattle to portland. that sounds unusual. extreme heat from oklahoma to minnesota. >> and if you were wondering, yes, we are listening to a song from "grease." 80 in boston. 92 in atlanta. triple-digit highs in dallas and phoenix. 98 in colorado springs. 78 in salt lake. >> can you sing "o canada" if we were to do that now, speaking of singing? ♪ o canada >> it would be a pleasant 5 in ottawa, canada, where prince william and his bride will arrive later today. it will be the first official trip for the new duke and duchess of cambridge. >> the royal company have a week's worth of events to attend in canada, which is part of the british common welt, of course. >> technically. >> and next friday they will travel to california for a three-day stay. we can't wait to have them hit the states. kate's first time. >> they're coming here. they're going to be a guest on this show. >> that's right, we're going to book them on the overnight. they can't't wait. >> they put their best foot forward and socked it to the competition. >> an english country pub w w the setting of a 16th annual toe wrestling world championship. i can barely look at this. >> for some people this is like a fetish. >> this is just gross. competitors faced off on a specialty designed toe-dium. a man called the preda-toe upset the six-time champion. >> on the women's side bragging rights went to a contestant who calls her twinkle toes. >> do you have to wash your feet beforehand? is that one of the rules? >> i hope so. the only toes i like -- >> should we try a little foot wrestling? >hat's okay. >> we'll do it during the break. i've got to get my shoes off. hó amanda knox, the american exchange student who's serving a sentence for murder in italy, has won a crucial court victory. >> the dn after the evidence used to convict her in the death of her roommate has been ruled unreliable and possibly contaminated. this took place in an independent review of the evidence that could help overturn knox's conviction and may lead to her freedom. that will not happen before september. another high-profile case here in the u.s., casey anthony's attorneys could rest their case in her murder trial today. >> that's right. once again, yesterday anthony's father was questioned. abc's t.j. winick joins us now with all the details. >> reporter: good morning, peggy and daniel. jury in the casey anthony trial could get the case sometime next week. it was an emotional day for casey anthony's father george. forced to recount that day in december 2008 when his granddaughter caylee's remains were finally found. >> up to that moment, had you held out the hope that caylee would be found alive? >> absolutely. every day from july 15th until the day we were told -- it was >> reporter: the former police officer gave some of the most damning testimony yet against casey. on trial and facing the death penalty for the murder of her 2-year-old daughter. >> casey was the last one that i saw with caylee. one and one adds up to two, sir, in my mind. no matter how you're trying to spin it. >> reporter: george anthony became emotional again when questioned about his suicide attempt in january 2009. >> i needed at that time to go and be with caylee. >> and you expressed that in the note? >> yes, i did. because i believe i failed her. >> reporter: and why he had bought a handgun after little caylee went missing. >> i wanted to get answers from people that i believed were involved with my grand daughter missing. >> reporter: throughout his testimony, casey anthony simply shook her head. we should soon learn if she will take the stand in her own defense. >> saw her nodding in court. clearly recognizing, clearly understanding, that this is -- you know, this is the big moment. >> reporter: once the defense rests, the state will call rebuttal witnesses. that could take one or two days. the attorneys will then make their closing arguments. coming up after the break, do magazines go too far with photo shopping? >> some health professionals are saying yes. and it can actually be hazardous to your health. more "world news now" in one minute. next here this morning something all of us have dealt with from time to time, that picture that you wish you had never taken that maybe you don't look to good in. >> maybe it was unflattering, maybe you look fat. that's where photo shopping comes in. >> now the nation's doctors are saying that's not a great idea. >> reporter: it's a guilty little pleasure. unmasking the truth behind those photo shopped pictures in glossy magazines. but could these unrealistic images actually be bad for our health? the highly respected american medical association says we're doing just that. hurting children by allowing these images to surround us. >> photo shopping, especially as it's related to children, adolescents, gives them anunrealistic expectation of what they might expect to look like as they grow up. >> reporter: the ama is launching a call to action, telling advertisers to cut down on photo shopping images in ads and magazines marketed to teens. because of the number of studies linking eating disorders and other health problems to these highly manipulated images. and really, how can we compete? when even picture-perfect kate middleton wasn't perfect enough for this magazine. look at how they sucked in her already tiny royal waist. >> i do feel that it promotes an unrealistic expectation of what women like myself, young women, should look like. >> reporter: dove's campaign for real beauty won over consumers by showing all that goes into gorgeous. but in an age off digital manipulation, where editors doctor images with the precision of surgeons, is it possible to rein it in? "lucky" magazine thinks so. their cover features christina hendricks in all her unphoto shopped, curvacious glory. >> advertisers and magazines alike want to establish a trust with their readers. by photo shopping something within an inch of its life action you're doing a disservice to the person you're trying to target or get to read your magazine. >> reporter: bottom line, while we may think that there's little damage in a virtual nip and tuck, doctors say that for real kids, this kind of damage can be irreversible. peggy, daniel? >> i really have to agree with that. i remember growing and up looking at a "seventeen" magagane or something that teenagers look at and feeling a lot of pressure because i did not think that i looked like the women in the magazines. turns out they didn't look like the women in the magazines either. >> technology has advanced so far it's seamless and you almost can't tell when they're using photo shop organize something like that. >> i think young girls are much more susceptible to this than the guys growing up. smk to pay attention to. when we come back, nerd alert. hoveround power chair? the statue of liberty? the grand canyon? it's all possible ith a hoveround., tom: hi i'm tom kruse, inventor rand founder of hoveround., when we say you're free to see the world, we mean it. call today and get a free overound information kit, that includes a video and full color brochure. dennis celorie: "it's by far the best chair i've ever owned." terri: "last year, 9 out of 10 people got their hoveround for "little or no money." jim plunkitt: "no cost. absolutely no cost to me." breaking news...when you call today, we'll include a free hoveround collapsible grabber with the purchase of your power chair. it reaches, it grabs, it's collapsible and it's portable. it goes wherever you go. get it free while supplies last. call the number on your screen to get your free video, brochure and your free hoveround collapsible grabber. call the number on your screen. they're itchy, dry and uncomfortable. i can't wait to take 'em out, throw 'em away and never see them again. 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"world news now" delivers your "morning papers." >> time now for your "morning papers." we start with a -- really actually a very heartwarming story. >> this is bringing out your inner romantic. >> and the inner geek to go with it. this is about a competition put together by nokia. they held a competition where people had to -- aspiring filmmakers had to use their nobody kia cell -- nokia cell phone to shoot this entire film. this j.w. griffiths -- this director put it together. it's actually pretty cool. you're seeing two different perspectives of two different people as they come together in the end and meet up with each other. >> it's a love story. >> it is a love story. it's called "split screen, why a love story." >> see? i like, that romance. it's all about that. in the love story was the woman because that's our next story. we're talking about these lubitens. >> you're wearing a pair right now. >> they're definitely not eight inches tall. take a look at these shoes. this is just radocklus as we say. lubitan is the guy who put the red on the bottom of shoe soles. >> oui, oui. >> which took off in fashion. they are being auctioned off with a number of other fashion items for the english national ballet. is anybody supposed to wear these? it's going to have to be a ballerina. >> stand there and pose in them. >> those shoes feel like those poodle dogs. don't they? >> let's move on. we've been talking about these 150 turtles that ended up on a runway at jfk airport. >> turtles on the tarmac. >> evidently they're very techie. these turtles know how to use twitter. what turtle doesn't use twit over a regular basis? in this case they're tweetininin response to aebs's katie couric who asked, hey jfk turtles, what are your plans for july fourth? the turtles said, we're having a barbecue at the beach outside runway four, bring the family. they also talked at one point how it takes forever to get their shell on and off at security so they went straight to the runway. >> i too was wonderinghat the turtles were doing for the fourth. now we a a know. if you want to logon and see what the turtles are up to you can tweet the jfk turtles. this last story is about this comic book. >> it's actually a comic book that celebrates s.e.a.l. team 6 after the raid on osama bin laden. >> based on a book but very super-secret s.e.a.l.s. >> more comic book news. >> we're going to tweet now really slowly like t this morning on "world news now,"" radioactive smoke? firefighters battle the blaze outside the nation's top nuclear lab. >> as flames spread, so does now the fear of smoke tainted with nuclear material. it is thursday, june 30th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning. i'm daniel sieberg. rob nelson is on assignment. >> i'm peggy bunker. wildfires in new mexico continue to burn overnight creepingngloser to the nuclear lab that was the birth place of the atom bomb. how close is it now to the area that holds 20,000 barrels of nuclear waste? the latest is coming from los alamos. we've got the details there. everybody is watching thi situation to see what will happen next. >> very unsettling for folks there. in his first formal press conference in months, president obama took questions on everything from afghanistan to the economy. but why did he compare congress to his two young daughters? sasha and malia? we'll show you why. and needless to say the republicans, not so happy about his insinuation. has a little something to do with vacation time. >> there you go. also coming up, the fourth of july holiday weekend is coming up. we have everything that you need to know to add some fireworks to your barbecue. take a look at this yummy dessert. >> i feel like i volunteered to do this assignment. and yet you ended up doing it. how did that happen? >> see those firecracker shrimp? we've got the recipe there. enoch tails that you can make red, white and blue. >> that looks amazing. >> doesn't that look good? delish. the first fire crews are working around the clock to keep that raging wildfire from reaching los alamos nuclear lab. >> fire is alrlrdy burning in the surrounding areas that were used for nuclear testing dating back to the 1940s. diana alvear joins us with more. >> reporter: of course the big fear here right now is what's going to happen to the radioactive waste at los alamos national laboratory? ofofcials are saying there's nothing to be concerned about. but they are not taking any chances. the battle lines are being redrawn in new mexico. >> the fire is moving up towards santa clara canyon. >> reporter: fire crews are taking a multi-front approach to containing the massive has conchess fire. flames are two miles from the los alamos national laboratory and nuclear weapons facility. the smoke is visible from space. and what's in that smoke has prompted an all-out investigation. the environmental protection agency is using air monitors and special aircraft to test for radiation. so far, they've detected nothing out of the ordinary. >> our facilities, our nuclear materials, are all safe. they're accounted for. and they're protected. >> reporter: this is the area that's of most concern. it's called storage area "g." where as many as 30,000 drums containing plutonium-contaminated waste are stored above-ground. and right now the fire is s out three miles away. >> the bulk of the drums here truly are things like notes that are contaminated, gloves, materials that you don't necessarily think of as being -- there are no ingots of plutonium there. >> reporter: the drums are kept there until they're shipped to a secure facility. los alamos officials are downplaying any fire threat to this material. >> the worst scenario we have now is property damage that comes from the fire. i do not believe that there is any specific danger to the public from our activities at los alamos. >> reporter: the laboratory remains closed and the town is under a mandatory evacuation order. as crews cut down the brush and set controlled burns, hoping to choke off the fire for good. and the governor said all results from those air quality tests will be posted on their state's website. and, so far so good, nothing out ordinary has been detected. peggy, daniel? now to a major victory for the health care reform law. a federal appeals court ruled that the government can require americans to buy health insurance. >> how about that. the suit was brought by a conservative group that argued that the mandate was unconstitutional. but the law faces several more legal challenges. it will likely end up before the supreme court. did you watch a little bit of the president today? >> i missed it. i didn't see that. way to put me on the spot, daniel. >> probably when you were sleeping. >> yes, thank you. >> top democrats in the senate say they'll consider working through next week's july fourth vacation on the looming budget crisis. >> during this news conference, which apparently i missed, it happened yesterday, the president called for an agreement that cuts spending and also raises revenues. mr. obama challenged lawmakers to follow the example set by his daughters. >> malia and sasha generally finish their homework a day ahead of time. they don't wait until the night before. they're not pulling all-nighters. they're 13 and 10. you know, congress can do the same thing. if you know you've got to do something, just do it. >> speaking of pulling all-nighters. the leading republican in the house, john boehner, shot back that the president was ignoring reality. >> wait till those two are into their teenage years more, they'll be pulling all-nighters at some. >> then you're into college and studying and up all night. overseas where protesters in greece have fought with police late into the night. >> they are angry over drastic new budget cults just approved by the government. alex marquardt reports now from the streets of athens. >> reporter: it was a close one but it passed. with just 155 votes out of 300, the greek parliament passed a deeply unpopular $40 billion austerity package that will mean deep spending cults and higher taxes for greeks. outside the parliament building, demonstrators made it clear how they felt. widespread clashes for the second day in a row amid a two-day general strike. riot police were taunted, pelted with rocks, orange smoke grenades, and monthly low to have cocktails. they responded with waves of tear gas and stun grenadeds. most of these prpresters clashing with police are anarchists. it's a good illustration of how deeply unpop already this government and their proposals are. it's not just austerity measures that have infuriated this crowd but a proposed $70 billion worth of sales of state assets. airports, railways, and gold mines. these measures are necessary for greece to keep getting billions in international bailout money, crucial to avoid defaulting on its debts and dragging down the european and global economies. >> you have to take into consideration a very sad reality. the greek government is not governing greeks anymore. greece has been governed by the european union. >> reporter: this vote is just the first step on a long and uncertain road to recovery for greece. one that will take years and see more violent days like this one. alex marquardt, abc news, athens. okay, let's shift gears. you finished up your myspace profile by the way? >> i have a facebook profile, does that not count? >> we love wnnfans. go to our site. let's talk about myspace. pop star justin timberlake is now part-owner of the fading social network. he's teamed up with an online advertising company that hopes to bring it back to life. good luck. >> the priri tag on this one, $35 million. that's a fraction of the $580 million that news corporation paid for myspace six years ago, just before it was eclipsed completely by facebook. >> rupert murdock just wants to get this off the books. >> facebook seems to be everywhere. >> exactly. tropical storm arlene is gaining strength as it barrels toward mexico. it's making landfall this morning along the northeastern coast. >> now arlene is expected to pound mexico with heavy rains that could kaz flash floods, mud slides. it's not hitting the u.s. directly but brownsville and other cities on the southern tip of texas will see drenching rain. >> seems like a good time to transition into weather. here is your thursday forecast. severe storms with gusty winds and hail from the dakotas and the northern rockies. rain stretches down to northern new mexico. showers in the pacific northwest. popup thunderstorms along the gulf coast. it all seeps in keeping with tradition. heat advisories and warnings from oklahoma to minnesota. >> do i hear what i think i hear? "tell me more" from the movie "grease"? this is turning into a great day. 90s from minneapolis to kansas city. 101 in dallas. 82 here in new york. 92 in atlanta. phoenix heats up to 106. albuquerque 97. boise 78. >> you got really excited about that. >> i probably know that song word for word. i know. want you to sing that. weather i >> i will. now to a contest where just about everyone was expected to crack under pressure. brace yourselves, there will be re of these. >> people from around the world scrambled to a rural english village for the annual world egg-throwing championships. they competed in six categories including egg russian roulette. contestants don't know if the egg they're smashing into their headings boiled or raw. that is the real difficult one. >> you just don't know. >> you don't know what's going to happen. >> here's the thing, all yolks aside, they're trying to be recognized as a real sport, make it into the olympipi. come on. >> are you serious? >> this and the luge. >> middle school where you drop the egg from the top of the roof. >> or carry out a spoon or something like that. there's lots of possibilities here. >> lots of fun with eggs to be had. >> gold medal in agency-cararrying. >> we'll be right ba with more "world news now." to wimbledon now where roger federer was cruising, winning the first two sets of his quarterfinal yesterday, then the wheels came right off and joel alfred saga of france came storming bag. sending federer home. the last american was ousted yesterday. mardy fish fell to rafael nadal. the men's semis are tomorrow, the women's semis a a today. >> nadal is killing it lately. talk about the big tennis stars at wimbledon, they would not have it so good if it wasn't for a certain feathered friend. >> have no fear, rufus is here. simon jack of the bbc tells us more. >> reporter: meet the real hawksy. rafael and maria can get on with their job. while all england club staff prepare the hallowed ground of center cocot, look sky wards and you'll see one employee doing a little airborne maintenance. he works for long-time bird enthusiast wayne davis to clear the pigeons who aren't afraid of a few club officials. but they are scared of rufus. an american harris hawk. and it's twinning that primeval fear with a passion for birds that has turned that into a full-time commercial business which works all year round. how was that? another employee was hanging out as wayne explainedhow the whole thing started. >> my wife donna was watching tennis and they were literally swiping pigeons off the baseline. they're always looking for opportunities. flew one of the falcons for them, cleared the place. they thought, this is great, and they've been there ever since. >> reporter: as you follow the action today, don't worry, rufus has already dealt with the uninvited guests. >> very cool. >> yeah. when we come back we get all fired up for barbecue season and with america's chief entertaining officer. >> tim layered has some recipes that will add fireworks to your fourth of july party. you're watching "world news now." the fourth of july is just days away. that means it's time to light up the grill. if you'd like your guests lining up for seconds you're going to want to listen to tim laird, america's chief entertaining officer and author of "that's entertaining!" we're going to see what he has to say. >> i'm so excited. fourth of july is one of the most fun times. i really love it. fireworks and everything else. fire up the grill like we've talked about. and here's a great refreshing cocktail you can start your party with. it's called a summer sparkler. very easy to make. in a white wine glass i add a little california champagne goes in, the sparkler p pt of our cocktail. then to that a little bit of cranberry juice. i want to put that in there, get a little cranberry flavor. then this is where it really turns into a great cocktail. sham board black raspberry liqueur, black raspberry flavoring. boom, that goes in. just a little bit. >> for people who haven't had sham boring before, what flavor is that? >> it's like a black raspberry liqueur. cognac-based, comes from france. a little sweet, a little blackberry taste to it. very festive, you can do red, white and blue sparklers too. also a little bit of just the korbel itself. red, white and blue sparklers. great way to start off your party. it's red, white and blue day here. we have red, white and blue burgers. these are easy to make. the red is the tomato. the white and blue is bleu u cheese. and bleu cheese and steak and hamburger go so well together. you put that on the grill. you can make your patties ahead of time. i like to mix a little in the ground sirloin, a little bostoner sure, powdered onion, garlic powder, parsley, dried mustard, whatever you want to throw in there, gives it an extra kick, make the patties ahead of time. i make the pat tizz of bleu cheese ahead of time. >> these are so cute. normally you see s simp but it's on a stick or something boring. >> this is a rosemary skewer. firecracker shrimp. staying with the theme and they're firecracker because they have a little heat to them. >> they're spicy. >> they are spicy. i marinaded the cooked shrimp in a little bit of hot sauce. when you finish it off a little rosemary secukewer that goes in. a little bit of sir raurch which a at the end goes in. that's w w they're firecracker shrimp and appropriate for a party. >> that is so good. >> also if you want to cool that off, since that's a lot of heat going off, i have a great cocktail for that as well. real easy to make. this is my tennessee lemonade. just a little bit of fresh lemonade, then a little jack daniels tennessee honey. this is brand new, this is delicious. so put a little bit of that. that gives it a nice little moneyny maple flavor to it. a secret, also you can serve an alcohol-free version which i've made for you. just put a little maple syrup into your lemonade or iced tea. >> not everybody is going to be up for the jack daniels. if you are this sounds like a good one. >> absolutely. it really is delicious. let's cheers to fourth of july. >> cheers, happy fourth, love, that very festive. mm, even the alcohol-free one, delicious. >> that is refreshing, light. fan tas pick. >> so good. it's going to go very well with the spicy salsa. >> spicy salsa, red, white and blue chips with spicy salsa. and you have to have dessert. >> this is so festive. this looks so terrific. >> this is. it's red, white and blue trifle. real easy to make. >> what are these, trifles? >> trifle, there's three levels. blueberries on the bottom, whipped cream in the center, raspberries and straw berberrain top. >> this is the real deal, really good fresh whipped cream, not that cool whip. >> no, no. if you want the good, real, authentic whipped cream. >> you can tell how thick that is and beautiful, it's the real thing. >> i love that. some of the things you have is really what makes it look festive. you've got great napkins, fun little things. where do you get stuff like that? >> any of the party stores have them, outlets, online they have all the fourth of july. i found a lot of this all in different stores and a lot of different places. so it's a lot of fun. fourth of july, if you think about it, getting family, friends together. these are all easy recipes to do and that's what we like to talk about. >> last but not least, as chief entertaining officer which you are, what would you say makes for a really great party? >> great cocktails, great fun, great food, enjoy the party as much as everybody else. also, if you want tips we're going to be in delta's "sky" magazine every month. >> and of course you've got the book to refer to. make sure everybody checks with tip tim laird. great to see you again. >> happy fourth of july! >> check us out at wnnfans.com. or grab a copy of "sky" magazine for more tips there. you're watching "world news now." all right, finally this half hour, something near and dear to my heart. we're talking about ins. as many of you know i'm mother to a set of twins. >> double the pleasure. >> double the pleasure, double the fun, all the time unless they're not sleeping through the night. it's a whole other stor story. >> being a boy and a girl action yoyos aren't identical. if they were do you think they could read each other's minds? juju chang sought the answer. >> reporter: perhaps it's just babble. >> ba-ba-ba! >> ba-ba-ba! >> reporter: maybe it's evidence of a telepathic bond between twins. identical twins bob and mike bryan are ranked number one in the world in doubles tennis. as toddlers, they too created a special language. >> we had our own kind of martian language. >> why did they call it a martian language? >> it was -- nothing made sense. >> i'm going to join the tour any day now. >> reporter: we went to investigate the insinuation by their opponents that they literally read each other's minds on the court. look at the way they dance while in action. instinctively in tandem. almost as a single organism with a joint brain. people talk about how you don't talk on the court. >> no, we don't need to. >> we do better when we donon talk. >> reporter: is it esp? or dna? twin researcher nancy segal argues it's not telepathy but identical genes and a lifetime of s sred experiences. like an old married couple. she calls it tacit coordination. >> it's not a matter of sending messages, it's a matter of thinking a process through. >> reporter: identical brains process thoughts identically. but some twin synergy seem to defy scientific explanations. caylee and allen. caylee was on a trampoline and got a painful black eye. allie was totally uninjured but her eye started showing signs of bruising in the exact same place. did you get hit by anything? >> no. >> does it hurt? >> no. >> reporter: did one system pathically transfer her injury? or was it just coincidence? it's a question scientists are investigating. juju chang, abc news, new york. >> that is so interesting. >> some people think we were separated at birth. >> they do? really? >> we finish each other's sentences. we talk all the time and i say blackberry -- sometimes i say nerd alert, you say nerd lert. that's the news for this half hour. remember to follow us on hour. remember to follow us on facebook at wnnfans.com. ♪ [male announcer] for america's wounded warriors, sometimes coming home can be a bate in itself. [crowd cheers] a way y to support our wounded waiors and tir families. visit uso.org to learn how you can make a difference in their lives. what? it's good to be back. the uso. until every one comes home. this morning on "world news now," cancer breakthrough. the amazing step forward in the fight against america's leading killer. >> what millions of people need to know what testing for lung cancer that could help save their life. it is thursday, june 30th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, i'm daniel sieberg. rob nelson is on assignment. >> i'm peggy bunker. there are more than 94 million former and current smokers out there who are at high risk for getting lung disease. but a new report shows that a simple ct scan could help drastically change their odds of survival. the amazing results of this study coming up in just a moment. really impressive, some of the news earlier said really the ct scans can help pick it up but perhaps that's not the case. >> right, and previously we were talking about maybe doing -- folks are looking at chest x-rays as opposed to a c.a.t. scan and what wowod show up on either of those. you can see a lot more in this case with a c.a.t. scan. then the huge break in the amanda knox case. dna experts say the evidence collected fromomhe crime scene was unreliable and possibly tainted. could this crucial legal victory lead to her release? of course, her parents in seattle have been at the trial and they've been in italy following this since the beginning. >> they've never given up. >> never given up hope. of course, we still have to wonder what really did happen. there's such mysteries. >> if it does turn out after all the proceedingngare over that she's not guilty this will be one of those incredible cases of injustices. also a dna testing of a different kind. why a florida homeowners association is asking for dna samples, not from humans but from their dog. i think you know where we're going with this one. it means bust out the poop scoop because if you don't you're going to be in trouble. >> dr. pooper scooper to the rescue. i mean, this story -- i think some people can relate to this, for other reasons -- even if it's not done to the extent that it's from that neighborhood. >> youou have two dogs, we have dog, we walk our dogs every day. especially in manhattan, it's a big issue. >> you have to clean up. it's the law. first, results of a major new study indicate that millions of lives might be saved with a simple ct scan. >> now screening guidelines for current and former smokers may soon change to include those scans. jim avila has details now on the latest research. >> reporter: a simple ct scan of a smoker's chest offered today at university hospital in cleveland for a mere $99 can reduce the lung cancer deathth rate by a stunning 20%. an offer to find early and perhaps cure the most fatal of cancers. long-time smoker leslie could not resist. >> it would reveal anything that might be brewing that would otherwise be undetectable. >> reporter: for the first time, leading hospitals across the country tell abc news they are widely advocating ct screenings. because they can see a tumor much earlier than chest x-rays. >> the s se of a grain of rice is what you're looking for. >> you'd never see that on a chest x-ray? >> never see that on a chest x-ray. >> reporter: dr. claudia hensky is one of the early promoters of early detection through ct screenings. her work is now confirmed by this new study, that unequivocally, in non-medical jargon, reports a ct scan reduces mortality from lung cancer, a disease that currently only 15% of those diagnosed survive. >> in the past, if i was told i had lung cancer it was a death sentence. does this change that? >> we've found that in 80% of the cases, you could be cured. this will make a big difference for many people in the world. >> life-saving? >> life-saving. >> reporter: the ct scan is recommended for anyone who has been smoking more than 20 years. even if they quit as long as 15 years ago. angela tarro fit that category, was treated at yale university hospital, a lethal nodule found. >> i am alive today because i had a c.a.t. scan rather than an x-ray. >> reporter: ground-breaking research that doctors believe will make a huge difference in reducing the number of lung cancer deaths right away. jim avila, abc news, new york. and in other cancer news, an fda panel voted unanimously againsnsthe use of avastin for breast cancer. it's the world's best-selling cancer drug. >> this is going to be tough for a lot of folks. the panel said it does not extend the life of breast cancer patients, in fact, it causes dangerous side effects. if the fda commissioner agrees with this, many insurers will stop paying for this drug which costs about $100,000. this next story, a bit of a mystery. investigators are trying to figure out how a passenger managed to evade airport security and fly from new york to l.a. with an expired boarding pass and fake i.d. if yoyocan believe it. >> yeah, this is mind-boggling. >> the man is now in fbi custody awaiting a hearing tomorrow. >> agents say a search of the man's bag revealed more than ten boarding passes with different names. somewhat alarming. the tsa so far hasasefused to comment. basically they ask for a fingerprint or your birth certificate before they let you on the plane. >> or a blood sample these days. you've got to think there's more to this story. and we'll have more on it on "gma." top republicans are accusing the president of ignoring reality by demanding tax increases as part of a budget deal. >> during a news conference yesterday mr. obama urged lawmakers to get the deal done before the looming august 2nd deadline. >> if the united states government, for the first time, cannot pay its bills, if it defaults, then the consequences for the u.s. economy will be significant. and unpredictable. all the headwinds that we're already experiencing in terms of the recovery will get worse. >> looks like lawmakers on capitol hill must have heard the president. they're considering canceling next week's july fourth vacation to stick around and work on tht budget. consumers may face higher fees now that the federal reserve says banks can only charge retailers 21 cents each time you swipe a debit card. banks currently have no limit and they charge an average of 44 cents per swipe. bankers warn they may make up the difference with new fees such as an annual charge for using a debit card. more fees, yay! >> who doesn't want more fees. us. a federal judge has ruled that tucson shooter jared loughner can be forced to take antipsychotic drugs. his lawyers argued that it violatededis rights but the judge agreed with the prosecutors. the report that loughner has attacked prison staff and is a danger to others. he has been jailed in missouri since a judge found him mentally unfit to stand trial. and now to the ever-evolving casesef amanda knox, the american exchange student who is appealing her conviction on charges she murdered her roommate in italy. >> new twists here. independent experts have reviewed the dna evidence used to convict her and they say the evidence is slim. abc's diana alvear has the story. >> reporter: it is the dna evidence that convicted amanda knox. and now the dna evidence that could set her free. court-appointed forensics experts reviewed what was collected from the scene of the murder of her roommate, british student meredith kercher. their findings? that the trace amounts of dna may have been contaminated and that they fell below international testing standards. it punctures a key argument that helped sway jurors, that b bh knox's dna and that of her roommate were found on the knife used to kill kercher. >> the report said exactly kind what was our experts said all along, that correct procedures were not followed, that they can't rule out contamination. we can't really celebrate until amanda walks out of that prison. but this is just one big step in that direction. >> reporter: in 2009, knox was an exchange student from seattle studying in italy when she was arrested. knox and her then-boyfriend, rafael sollecito, were convicted in a trial that captured the nation. she was sentenced to 26 years. throughout it all, she has maintained her innocence. her family is hoping her appeal has a different outcome than her trial. >> i am definitely more hopeful that, you know, when this is all over, that here in september, she will be coming home with us. absolutely. >> reporter: diana alvear, abc news. federal agents have made their first big bust of a dangerous new designer drug. it's called bath salts. dea agents arrested the chief supplier in seattle and now nine dealers in new york have also been arrested. >> sounds like something comforting you'd use in the tub but bath salts is made from a chemical to make bath salts and imported from china, it mimics the effects of cocaine or ecstasy. just this year it's been linked to the deaths of at least four people. taking a look at your thursday forecast. we have some rain bands from tropical storm arlene that will drench south texas from brownsville to mccallan and scattered thunderstorms from houston to the carolinas. there's the music again. so excited. >> just for you. >> severe storms from fargo to cheyenne. up to 20 degrees hotter than normal from oklahoma to the upper midwest. >> 90s in the twin cities, fargo and omaha. go, peggy. mostly 80s from boston to baltimore. a chilly 64 in seattle. 78 in salt lake city. phoenix hits 106. go "greased lightning." is that the right movie? >> "summer nights." danny and sandy on the beach. as you hit the beach this summer you might want to think about what is in the water. >> a new report finds beach closures due to pollution were at their second highest level in two decades and was mostly due to bacterial contamination. researchers found much of the increase in beach advisories and closures were caused by the bp oil spill from last year. >> there are still great beaches out there. take a look at what they are. dewey beach, rehoboth beach, they top the list. there's also park point lafayette community club beach in minnesota. and new hampshire's hampton beach. the hamptons. >> would you have thought delaware and minnesota and new hampshire? >> i knew rehoboth was really nice. that's on my bucket list. i want to get there too. they may be tiny, weak and slow but they managed to stop jumbo jets in their tracks. we love this story. >> we've seen turtles on beaches before. this time a group of turtles, sweet time crossing a busy ir runway at, oh, i don't know -- jfk airport yesterday. >> they were trying to catch a plane. >> they were really late, about two weeks late for a flight, but a pilot spotted them before it was too late for them. >> jet blue 102, we've got a couple of turtles storming the access road here off our right. >> do we really use the word storming about a turtle? >> car 97, was the turtle -- was the turtle removed? >> sir, turtle removed and cheer 4 left. >> the turtles were trying to make their way to a sandy spot to lay eggs, an annual event that's been happening all week. >> there were so many turtles on the tarmac that one of the runways had to be closed leading to delays there. jet blue released a statement saying, next time they hope for faster animals. that's very witty for jet blue. >> we've got to crawl out of here. >> yes, we do. >> we'll be right back with more "world news now." >> hurry it up, daniel, geez. hó well, with the fourth of july comes fireworks, of course. plenty of things going boom in the night. who doesn't love that. >> can be quite a show. the next story is about explosions of a more sinister kind. it's a dangerous new prank using dry ice. as abc's abbie boudreau reports, it's already getting teens in trouble. >> reporter:r:hese soda bottles don't look dangerous. but watch what happens when you put dry ice and liquid in them. they become improvised explosive devices. watch it again in slow motion. and look at the damage. it's a dangerous stunt that's gone viral online. apparently attracting teenage boys who love blowing things up. >> whoa! >> reporter: b bndon rinehart doesn't see the humor. >> something flew into my window which was open. >> reporter: rinehart says a passing car of teenage boys threw a plastic water bottle into his car. not realizing at first it had dry ice in it. >> just as i looked down it exploded intnto my face. >> reporter: police arrested four young men. two were charged with misdemeanors. including this former high school football star from orange county, california. >> we booked them for possession of an explosive device with the intent to terrify or cause injury. >> dry ice is nothing but solidified carbon dioxide. at about minus 110 degrees fahrenheit. it could very easily blow off a finger, damage an eye, shatter glass. we're talking about a genuine explosion n at could literally kill you. >> reporter: this youtube video shows a close call. this boy can't get out of the way fast enough. and it explodes while he's holding it. at one of the world's largest ice manufacturing companies, arctic glacier, they're well aware that dry ice, pressurized in a container, can be deadly. >> when you contain it, let's say a coke bottle or something like that, and you add a fluid to it, you accelerate that pressure significantly. and you just -- it will just slowly keep building and building and building until boom, it's just going to explode. >> a bomb, essentially? >> oh, yeah. >> reporter: and though some consider it an innocent prank, police call it a crime that abbie boudreau, abc news, los . angeles. >> obviously serious stuff. don't mess around with them. when we come back, did the host of "to catch a predator" get caught on tape doing something bad himself? >> how about this, we're getting this story this morning. also, is j. lo saying no to a.i.? find out, that's all coming up next in "the skinny." you're watching "world news now." [voice of alicia keys] over 1000 babies are born every day with hiv. and half will die fore their second birthday. but the plain truth is this can all be prevented. we can reach the goal of no child born with hiv by 2015. go to one dot org. tother we can stop the spread of hiv frorom mother to child. we're not asking for your money.. we're asking for your voice. go to one dot org and join us today. we're having too much fun tonight. >> i know. daniel's listening to "spamalot" clips on the break. >> monty python lovers, you're with me. >> time now for "the skinny." we've talked so much about charlie sheen, all the negatives, yada yada. turns out one of his exes, denise richards is moving on. she's not good, happy news. she's going to be -- she is a mom again. >> that's right. this time she's adopting. >> she's adopted -- adopted a baby girl. she's 40 years old, denise richards. she looks good, doesn't she? 40's not old anymore. >> absolutely. >> she's adopted a baby girl and she already has two girls already. but this new baby, her name is eloise joanie richards. you might remember when charlie sheen had that crazy thing at the plaza hotel. >> oh, right. she was there with them, right? >> she and the girls were staying in the eloise room, a really fancy room, and the girls named the new baby. so that's probably what that's all about. >> interesting. let's move on now to chris hansen. you might know him from "to catch a predator." they set up these sting opopations to try to catch accused child molesters or guys trying to get together with teenage girls or boys. in any case, he apparently has been caught in a different kind of sting operation himself. >> oh, dear. >> this is all allegedly and apparently. but evidently the "national enquirer" was following him around and discovered that he was cheating on his wife with this younger woman. >> we should say, "the national enquirer," not necessarily the beacon of journalism. >> they've been right before. >> they broke the riellll hunter/john edwards story. >> agreed. we'll have to see what happensns here. he could be in a little trouble with his wife, if nobody else. >> that's tough. it's apparently another journalist as well. >> yes, that he was with. >> as you mentioned, a younger woman. >> exactly. >> okay, also we're talking now about "american idol," when we all know you have a bizarre, weird, bizarre crush on steven tyler. he's coming back. so is ranan jackson, dawg. the big question mark, j. lo. will j. lo be returning to thehe judging table at "american idol"? so far, as we said, those other two fellows there, they're signed on. i'm sure seacrest will be back. >> oh, absolutely. >> because he doesn't have enough jobs. >> or money. >> yeah, whatever. is she holding out for more money? she debuted her big single -- >> do they not want her back? >> i don't know. >> maybe they don't want her back. we'll have to wait and see. >> i can't imagine that. she's actually been very good. she's very positive and encouraging. i like that. >> she's kind of like paula abdul that way. a little spoiler here. the competition show for "american idol," if you don't know who won, look away. javier colon. >> stop. >> he ended up being the winner. shocked. >> can you believe that? his song also went number two on youtube. >> thahas right. >> how about that, number two. so he's got some serious talent. the maroon 5 guy, adam -- >> i'm sure we'll see it. it's coming back in the winter this year. coming back after the break, we're talking about doggie dna testing. testing. i realized i needed an aarp... medicare supplement nsuranceceard, too. medicare is one of the great things about turning 65, but it doesn't cover everything. in fact, it only pays up to " 80% of your part b expenses. if you're already on or eligible for medicare, call now to find out how an aarp... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company, not paid by medicare part b. that can save you from paying .up to thousands of dollars... out of your own pocket. these are the only medicare supplement insurance plans... exclusively endorsed by aarp. when you call now, you'll get this free information kit... with all you need to enroll. put their trust in aarp p medicare supplement insuranc. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. the prices are competitive. i can keep my own doctor. and i don't need a refererl o see a specialist. call now to get a free information kit. plus you'll get this free guide totonderstanding medicare. and the advantagag don't end there. choose from a range of medicare r supplement plans... that are all competitively priced. we have a plan for almost everyone, so you can find one that fits r your needs and budget. with all medicare supplement plans, there are virtually p no claim forms to fill out. plus you can keep that accepts medicare. p your own doctor and hospital and best of all, these plans are... when they told me these plans were endorsed by aarp... i had only one thing to say... sign me up. and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan. you'll get this free information kit... as with all medicare supplement plans, you can keep your own doctor and hospital that accepts # medicare, call this toll-free number now. here are some stories to watch today on abc news. casey anthony's lawyer is expected to wrap up her defense. the question is will the woman accused of murdering her daughter testify? it's defense secretary robert gates' last day at the pentagon. president obama will deliver remarks at his farewell ceremony before he retires. and prince william and kate middleton leave on their first official trip as a married couple. the duke and duchess will make a few stops in canada before heading to california. >> oh, dear, what will she wear? that's the big story. >> big question. finally this half hour, get the stamp ready because this is our favorite story of the day. >> the stealth stamp. >> right there. it is coming. right there. >> there it is. yeah, it's pretty simple, really. think dogs and what they leave behind. and a condo complex in florida that's simply had enough. erin guy of wpbv -- wpbf -- what does that say? where are my glasses? reports from west palm b bch. >> reporter: you've done it before. and you probably have to dodge it on your daily walk or run. and let's face it, it's probably the only thing worse than stepping in gum. it's stepping in, well, you know. that problem may soon be eliminated at this condo complex. and those we talked to say they agree. no one wants to step in dog feces. but for people like karla owens, it's the fee to eliminate the problem that's actually the problem. >> i think it's discrimination. i'm paying for people who won't do their job. >> reporter: come august 1st residents will have to pay $200 for every animal they have living in the complex. the fee will cover the cost of this kit to dna swab their animal. for karla, the extra fee is just too much. >> i don't have the $200 so i'll have to get rid of my dog. i don't have a choice. >> reporter: a sad story for those who pick up what needs to be picked up. >> it's just not fair because some people are not doing what they're supposed to be doing. >> reporter: one resident said she's sick of watching where she steps. she says too many people aren't using these bags and aren't paying attention to these signs and itit becoming unsanitary. >> people aren't taking care of their dogs or giving them their shots. there's a lot of risk for sickness. my dogs are like my kids. >> reporter: the association agrees with britney. this is what the inside of the hallways look like at the complex. association president matthew brickman knows all too well about the problems. >> i can walk out of my home and there's a pile of feces on the carpet or there's urine on the carpet. >> reporter: after two years the condo complex came up with this dna test kit. once the dog is on file, and if they find a mess -- >> collect them, send them off, we know which dog it was, and then only that one owner gets fined and gets held responsible and accountable for being an irresponsible pet owner. >> who let the "world news now" dog on the table? ♪ welcome home! you' served your country. d now that you've completed your service... you've g lots of opportunities for your future. but healthth comes first. sign up for healthcare at your nearest va. or are you thinking about a job or school? ththe g.i. bill can help pay for college and va's j assistance can preparare you for a caree. want tbuy a house? see if you qualify for a zero-down va home loan. 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