celebrate the true meaning of independence day. larry jacobs has more. ♪ >> reporter: fireworks filled the skies over communities across the country. the culmination of a scorching holiday for much of the nation. >> this is the day when we celebrate the very essence of america. and the spirit that has defined us as a people and as a nation for more than two centuries. >> reporter: the president and first lady welcomed members of the military and their families to the white house for a barbecue, concert, and to view fireworks from the south lawn. ♪ >> reporter: for some u.s. soldiers working the front lines in iraq, this was a special fourth of july. a citizenship ceremony for foreign-born soldiers presided over by vice president joe biden. here at home, a day of parades like this one in historic philadelphia. a fife and drum corps at the national archives. and wa would july fourth be without baseball? or the annual hot dog eating contest at nathan's in coney island. the winner, joey chestnut, 54 dogs and buns in 10 minutes. along the gulf coast, a more subdued holiday weekend. the beach crowds were absent. an uninvited guest, the biggest oil spill in u.s. history, spoiled the party. but for most of the country, the when holiday spirit endured. larry jacobs, abc news. cooling centers will be open in many parts of new york city today as forecasters predict a dangerous heat wave in the northeast. >> it could be the worst heat wave in 20 years. meteorologist david dingus has the latest from accuweather. >> good morning, jeremy and vinita. it was a sizzling fourth of july for many in the fourth east. in fact, central park reached up to 96 yesterday. boston 95. portland up to 90 degrees. this heat is set to continue not only today but for the rest of the week. high pressure in control across the eastern seaboard. that is allowing for the clear skies to continue across the new york state thruway, also the i-95 corridor. that july sunshine pretty bright. temperatures will be once again into the 90s throughout this afternoon. 93 in syracuse. central park 98. even boston hitting 90. now the humidity is on the rise. so it's going to feel more sticky than it has felt the past couple of days. the humidity is nowhere near what it's going to be on tuesday as the do you have points will be climbing even into the upper 60s. you combine high temperatures into the upper 90s and it's likely to feel as hot as 105, even 106. that is going to bring some heat advisories out to cities like philadelphia and even new york city as we go throughout this midweek. back to you, jeremy and vinita. >> ouch. now for the rest of your monday forecast. showers and thunderstorms in florida and the gulf coast. the midwest and plain states from texas up through minnesota will get heavy rain. there will also be showers in the rockies north of denver. >> upper 90s in baltimore. boston hits 90 as well. omaha expects below-normal temperatures at 81. the northern rockies will also be relatively cool. there are some places you can escape the heat. there is one sure-fire way to beat the heat in the summer, and that of course is to go swimming. a russian dog owner decided to share his passion for scuba diving with his dog. >> oh, good god. professional diver sergei gorvonof made a diving suit for his dachshund. this does not look right. the pooch seemed interested in the equipment and tolerated the wet suit. >> going underwater was another matter. the dog whimpered while submerged so it's unlikely there will be more dogs for this death-defying -- how do you say that, dachshund? >> dachshund. i don't like this at all. it looks like the wiener dog doesn't either. >> i have a feeling a cat in this scuba suit would be a very different story. we'll be right back with more "world news now." hó we know you're wondering where those are. last that was night's fireworks display along chicago's lakefront. on the fourth of july typically americans spend the day at fireworks celebrations, parades and barbecues. >> but for a veteran wounded in afghanistan, he and his fiance spent the day doing something a little more memorable. here's dan harris. >> are you excited? >> yeah. >> i'm excited for you. >> reporter: this is mallory williamson. today is her wedding day. >> waited for this day for a long time. i'm really proud of you, honey. >> thank you. >> reporter: it is a day that almost did not come. on april 3rd her fiance, casey mitchell, was serving in afghanistan when his vehicle hit an ied. >> i couldn't see anything. there was so much smoke. and i just -- i realized i couldn't feel my legs. just lucky enough to be alive. >> reporter: they worked on his scattered legs at walter reed army medical hospital. they saved one but he may still lose the other. in the hospital, he met the first lady. but even more exciting, he saw his baby daughter, whom he'd last seen at her birth. >> i just remember walking in with our daughter. it was like the best moment ever. just to see him. and mainly just let him see skyrie for the first time since she was born. >> reporter: during the months of rehab, casey and mallory decided to get married. when it came time to pick the date the choice was obvious. the fourth of july. >> i'm a very patriotic person. i knew that i was going to get to be home around that time. i told her, why would that not be a great date to get married on approximate it's our favorite holiday. >> both of us love it. >> reporter: days ago casey and mallory left walter reed for their home near fresno, california. where they begin a new life together, one they do not take for granted. >> after this, you know, seeing that, you know, i could be gone. it's the love of my life is what it is. not everybody finds that. >> at the end of the day, that's all that matters is that we're together and that we're going to get through everything. >> reporter: dan harris, abc news. >> such a great story. mallory went on to joke and say, at least this way i know he'll never forget our anniversary because it's the fourth of july. >> he better not, he'll be in trouble then. he gets a 30-day leave, then he has to go back to walter reed to continue the recovery. we're taking you into the deepest part of the jungle. >> we're getting a rare look at some unusual monkeys, red-headed monkeys, and the people who want to know more about them. you're watching "world news to know more about them. you're watching "world news now." thank you dear, very much. thank you. ♪ you make me feel so young. ♪ you make me feel so young. time for some real monkey business. deep in the heart of africa lives a mysterious monkey called the red capped main ga vee. >> this species could soon be endangered. we took a look at the lengths and heights scientists are going to do save them. >> reporter: high atop this untouched rain forest, a red-capped mangavy and a curious pry mat on the. >> they're here, they're here, the monkeys are here. >> reporter: down below, a four-ton killer. fast as an olympic sprinter who can trample humans in a heartbeat. >> i hope i don't get charged by elephants. i'd really rather not. >> reporter: this dangerous setting is the jungle of the central african nation of ga bon, where a saving research project has been driven to higher ground. >> lovely. to be at their level. and you get to see them all coming through this upper canopy. >> reporter: to this ram shackle tree house that will serve as home base for julie anderson. >> i'm just really encouraged that they're not fearful at all to me. >> reporter: its living quarters, 20 feet off the ground. its observation deck, five stories high. safely out of reach of the angry four-ton elephants roaming the forest floor below. for six weeks they'll study its every skittish move. the monkeys have reason to fear humans. hunters and loggers have nearly wiped them out. >> to see the adults descend from trees, just coming to the ground. >> reporter: little is known about this species, so julie researches their every habit, starting with how they eat. >> this is what they're after. and it's just coming into perfect ripeness, hence the color. so these guys know this and this is why they come this evening. >> reporter: the ripest fluterus in the top of the trees but eating here makes the monkeys easy prey for eagles. so they have a plan. they stuff their cheeks full of the fruit to be carried away and eaten later. >> i do not know what to expect. but i'm hoping it's going to be an eventful one. >> reporter: for a face-to-face look at how they live, julie goes to live with them. >> that is a long way down. >> reporter: she hopes by being up here in the jungle canopy home of the monkeys, they'll view her as a friend, not a foe. >> they are literally two trees away from me. i'm kind of understanding the significance and the feel of some of these behaviors. >> reporter: but much is still to be learned about their sleeping habits. so, on another night, julie and her team venture out hoping to document their after-dark behavior. since they can't use light, this heat-sensing thermal imaging camera will have to do. >> like a sort of 1960s lsd experiment, isn't it. >> reporter: they spot plenty of wildlife. that right there is a bat. >> wow! >> reporter: but no red-capped mangaby yet. >> the monkeys aren't sleeping. they must be further into the sleeping zone. >> reporter: so julie makes what could be a fatal decision. stumbling into the forest at night when those elephants are most likely to attack. she blindly trods along until she spots something glowing up there in the trees. >> oh my goodness. one, two -- >> reporter: it is one of the few times the mangaby has been captured on camera asleep in the wild. and this video reveals a surprise. the monkeys sleep alone, or in pairs. not as a group. >> it's weird that these monkeys are so far apart from eve other. which makes me think that they feel really secure in this area. so they're really spaced out and they're really relaxed in their sleeping zone. >> reporter: how they sleep, how they eat, where they travel, mysteries that are slowly revealing themselves. >> he looks bloody angry there. >> reporter: the thermal camera is also helping to answer questions about that persistent forest threat, the elephant. >> this thing looks as if it wants to jump into the boat. >> reporter: thankfully, that doesn't happen. they are able to get even closer, capturing video that could transform how scientists study these animals. for instance, with those light-colored splotches on their skin, researchers could actually identify individual elephants and track them over time. that is, if the elephants survive long enough. these forests are now the world's biggest source of illegal ivory. thousands of forest elephants are being killed here every year. dying off slowly is still a concern for the mangaby as well. some researchers fear they could be extinct within the next decade because of hunters and loggers who every year destroy an area of forest the size of 25,000 sock are fields. >> wow! what a view! >> reporter: and with this project complete julie hopes more researchers will take up residence here. the canopy perch that puts them eye to eye with the monkey. the crude but crucial research pace in the fight to save a species. >> pretty impressive work. some of those trees, 200 feet tall, 20 stories high, as big as skyscrapers. back to the elephant, these spiky things, essentially these hunt respect put them on the forest floor, the elephant steps on them, gets stuck in their foot, it gets infected, the elephant dies, they come back and take away the ivory tusks. you can see more on nat geo's "life in the canopy." it is a monday, and it's time for "insomniac theater." this week i saw the new "the last airbender." what did you see? >> i was one of the many people who went to see the third chapter in the "twilight" saga "eclipse." i am not in the target. have no frame of reference here at all. i'll give you the cliff notes version here. >> i'm glad we sent you. >> much going on in this installment of the "twilight" saga. a group of blood-thirsty vampires is wreaking havoc on seattle and they eventually set their sights on bella's blood. bella has lots of problems of her own already. edward the vampire wants to marry her, she wants to give up her virginity, jacob the wolf just wants her, there's so much sexual tension you could cut it with a knife. >> edward? >> if you ever touch her again -- >> don't do this. >> she's not sure what shouldn'ts. don't. >> let me give you a clue. wait for her to say the words. >> fine. and she will. >> jacob, just go, okay? >> hey, hey, hey, hey. easy, guys, easy. let's take it down a notch. >> bottom line, here's what i came away with. jacob is a stalker. bella's a tease. edward's creepy with the way he stares all the time. i don't buy did cota fan as a bad guy. >> but how was that? >> my wife went yes to that part. 3 kernels. >> for all that hate talk you gave it 3? >> i guess. >> i saw "the last airbender." and i have to steal ebert's words on this one, an agonizing experience. so the plot is all over the place. let me give you the basic thing. it takes place in the future where there are four nations. air, earth, water, and fire. to keep the four nations in harmony there has to be an avatar, which is a person who can influence or bend all four elements. that person has disappeared. so the fire nation decides they're going to try and take over until the avatar, who mind you only mastered air of the four elements, suddenly appears. ♪ >> so, the dialogue is bad. the animation is bad. and i hate to say this because it's all kids but ebert agreed with me, the casting is really bad. >> really? >> i think his heyday, m. night shamlan, might be over. even though it's 3d and you love a good 3d it's not worth seeing this in theater. >> not since "i've seen dead rob, what's up? how's it going? how's it going? guys, this is my cousin rob from michigan. whazzup! he's a teenager. totally. hey, what's up? rob: all right. whoa. hey, you wanna slow down? no. really? huh. hey! do you know what a beautiful animal is? a horse. a horse. yeah. beautiful mane. unbelievable muscle tone. when it runs, it looks like poetry in motion. it's the most beautiful thing on earth. and sometimes when you feed a horse, its lips will tickle your hand. just, just tickle it just a little bit. it makes me giggle sometimes. i don't know. i guess what i'm trying to say is, if you don't slow down, i'm going to bite into your head like an apple. and thanks, guys, for listening to my horse stories. i could talk about ponies all day long. of the ford motor company. in an average week in the u.s., thousands of babies are born prematurely and develop lifelong health problems or disabilities. that is why thousands of families and business leaders will once again join together to support the march of dimes in our nation's oldest walk fundraiser, the march for babies. i am proud to be one of the national co-chairs for the 2010 march for babies. together with the u.a.w., we are committed to raising awareness and funding from volunteers like you. your funds support research and community programs to ensure that someday, all babies will be born healthier and lead happier lives. volunteers enabled the march of dimes to conquer polio. we are confident that, with your help, we can walk together toward a healthier future for our nation's babies and have fun. please join us. register today at marchforbabies.org. taking over. general david petraeus gives marching orders to troops in afghanistan, while lawmakers question war strategy. then, holiday restraint. communities cutting fireworks over the fourth of july. >> i hope the economy gets back the way -- to where it could be more supportive. >> how money talks on independence day. and, summer sizzle. looking back at one of the worst heat waves in the u.s., as the northeast prepares for unbearable conditions. it's monday, july 5th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." [ you know how we're always talking about phoenix and the desert southwest, 111 degrees or whatever. here in this part of the country this week we'll be pushing triple digits. much of the country is going to be under sweltering heat this week. >> this is the part where phoenix gets to say, don't complain, northeast, we live like this. >> welcome to our world. >> good morning and thanks for being with us on this monday. i'm vinita nair. >> i'm jeremy hubbard. as the nation celebrates this long holiday weekend, u.s. and nato troops in afghanistan are now reporting to a new leader. >> david petraeus has taken over as the commanding general of the longest war in u.s. history. here's david kerley. >> reporter: general david petraeus, known for leading the iraq surge, has assumed command of u.s. and nato forces in afghanistan. a simple ceremony was held outside of military head xwaurs in kabul where he takes over the nine-year war against the taliban and other terrorist groups. president obama chose petraeus after firing general stanley mcchrystal who made negative comments about the administration in a magazine article last month. petraeus reaffirmed america's stated mission, to defeat the taliban and stabilize a nation now seen as the main focus of the war on terrorism. >> we are committed to a sustained effort to help the people of this country over the long term. neither you nor the insurgents nor our partners in the region should doubt that. >> reporter: and as he took command, members of congress continued questioning the president's pledge to begin withdrawing american combat forces from afghanistan in july of next year. >> america has a vital national security interest on the line here in afghanistan. we've got to win it. and therefore you don't put that on a time line. >> reporter: meanwhile, comments by republican party chairman michael steele about afghanistan have republicans fuming. steele said afghanistan is president obama's war of choice and is not winnable. >> those statements are wildly inaccurate. and there's no excuse for them. i think that mr. steele is going to have to assess as to whether he can still lead the republican party. >> reporter: david kerley, abc news. in iraq, a scare for the security team protecting vice president biden. five mortars were fired into the protected area of baghdad. that's the area formerly known as the green zone. while the vice president was there, it does not appear he was in any danger, and there were no reports of any casualties there. the vice president is in iraq to meet with government leaders and american troops. he attended a citizenship ceremony for nearly 200 troops held at one of saddam hussein's former hunting lodges. troops, that is. biden stressed all of iraq's competing factions need to feel included in the new government regardless of leadership. the president and the first lady and members of the military, as well as their families, were at the white house for an independence day celebration. the obamas hosted their guests on the south lawn of the white house. they treated them to a barbecue, a concert, and some fireworks. the president thanked the men and women in uniform for their service. independence day was observed in a big way near the u.s. capitol and included a patriotic concert broadcast on tbs. the featured country star reba mcintyre and the national symphony orchestra. later thousands gathered along the national mall for a fireworks spectacular. many communities across the country have had to go without traditional fireworks displays and elaborate celebrations. as stephanie sy reports private money helped pay the bill for july fourth expenses. >> reporter: axed from the town budget, the annual fireworks show in conwhich a hawken, pennsylvania, almost didn't happen this year. >> i hope the economy gets back to where it could be more supportive. i think the community will always rise to the occasion. >> reporter: for the second year in a row, $20,000 in donations from citizens and local businesses have kept a quarter century tradition from being snuffed out. >> fireworks! >> it's one of the biggest nights so i figured let's get together and see how we can keep this thing going. >> nice job. >> perfect. >> it's bringing us all together and people sitting around here tonight can say, i contributed to this tonight, i'm a part of this. that's what makes a good community. >> reporter: with budgets strained, cities big and small across the country have had to improvise to keep the fireworks from physicianling. in cedar grove, new jersey, the mayor and his son are footing the $7,000 bill themselves. a local pastor raised money to keep the bombs bursting in bowling green, kentucky. and corporate sponsors have stepped up to save shows from dallas to seattle. bp promised to fund the event in durango, colorado. long before the oil spill tarnished the company's name. clayton, north carolina, couldn't come up with the cash for pyrotechnics so focused instead on economical and perhaps more meaningful independence day traditions. >> you can't put a price on the american spirit. >> these raise your right hand and repeat after me -- >> reporter: whether swearing in new citizens, or staring up at the sky, the fourth of july survives. stephanie sy, abc news, new york. at least one person was killed and dozens were injured at a fourth of july parade in iowa after some horses in the parade got scared. one horse somehow dislodged the bridle of another horse and they took off down the parade route with a wagon still attached. they hit some spectators and one of the victims, a 60-year-old woman, died. several others are in critical condition. testimony resumes this week in rod blagojevich's corruption trial in chicago, after shocking revelations from fbi wiretaps were made public in the former governor's case. on those recordings, prosecutors say blagojevich dropped plenty of names, including oprah winfrey's. chris bury reports. >> reporter: in his trial, a profane rod blagojevich is heard for the first time on wiretaps scheming with his aides, prosecutors say, to sell barack obama's senate seat. >> i've got this thing. and it's [ bleep ] golden. and i'm just not giving it up for [ bleep ] nothing. >> reporter: how to mine that gold. at first he wants the white house to give him a top job. in return for naming obama confidant valerie jarret. >> u.n. ambassador. >> reporter: he also suggests obama asks wealthy supporters to fund a nonprofit group that he would be paid to run. >> can't they get like warren buffett and some of those guys to put $10 million, $15 million in there right away? >> reporter: when he hears the obama team offers only appreciation, blagojevich goes ballistic. >> give this mother [ bleep ] his senator [ bleep ] for nothing? [ bleep ] him. >> reporter: his own feelings on obama veer from rage to jealousy. >> you've got this historic [ bleep ] demigod, he's a demigod, at least for now, follow me? >> reporter: blagojevich floats all kinds of names for obama's vacant seat. even oprah winfrey. >> she's so up there, so high, nobody can assail this pick. this would be huge. >> reporter: he still has an ace in the hole, appointing himself. >> i can use parachute -- use it and [ bleep ] parachute me there. >> reporter: his lawyers argue the tape shows nothing but blagojevich blowing smoke, that no money or jobs were ever exchanged. prosecutors insist they portray an active conspiracy to seek bribes, foiled only because blagojevich was arrested. chris bury, abc news, chicago. surf's up, way up in southern california this holiday weekend. there is a high surf advisory there at least through tomorrow. although inexperienced swimmers were told to stay out of the water, beaches have been packed. an incoming pacific storm system kicked up the surf so forecasters issued the advisory. >> so beautiful there in newport, isn't it? i'd like to be there now cooling off. >> wouldn't you rather be here with me? >> sure. here's a look at your weather. sunny, humid and very hot in the northeast. not quite record-breaking. thunderstorms in the southeast, along the gulf coast. mild conditions in the rockies and the west. >> omaha gets up to 81. that's below normal. many locations in the northeast will flirt with the 100 degree mark but not quite reach it. and seattle's high is just 70 today. some of the spectators at an upstate new york graduation can be forgiven if they thought they were being double. >> 12 sets of twins yesterday received their diplomas from baker high school in baldwinsville near syracuse. that appears to be a record. the guinness book only has certified ten sets of twins at one graduation. >> the school just needs to register the event. no doubt the principal will follow through because that principal is also a twin. >> how about that. we'll be right back. n honking. a short time ago, this woman suffered from around his house. these people chose freedom over restrictions. independence over limitations. they chose mobility. they chosehe scooter store. and this is the team of mobility experts who made it all happen. ii great news, you've been approved for payment. dr. cruz, i'm calling on behalf ofmarie stanford. and they can make it happen for you. hi, i'm doug harrison, if you're living with limited mobility, call the scooter store today. i promise, no other company will work harder to make you mobile or do more to ensure your total satisfaction. i expected they'd help me file some paperwork with medicare and my insurance. i never expected them to be so nice or work so hard to get me a power chair at no cost to me. if we qualify you and medicare denies your claim for a w scooter or power chair, i'll give it to you absolutely free. that's the scooter store guarantee. 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warning it could be the worst heat wave in deck days. it could rival one that swept across america in 1980. when the abc news vault coverage from july 21st, 1980. >>ed. -ing brother heat wave continued across large sections of nation today but there were not as many areas where the mercury broke 100 degrees. the heat did reach as far north as new york city where the temperature hit 102. health officials and ambulance calls were up 40%. as far as new york is concerned no deaths have been blamed on the heat. in missouri, however, the death toll has been the highest in the nation. in kansas city the temperature has been over 100 degrees for the past 17 days. today there was some relief but not much. >> reporter: even though the record heat wave technically broke in missouri today, the heat continues. sort ofs may call today's high of around 90 degrees a "cooling trend." but for the poor and the elderly, those most affected by the high temperatures, it was still mighty hot. >> i just get pieces of paper, use a tablet or something, just fan me and the kids one after another, one after another. >> reporter: at the heat wave command post in kansas city the number of deaths attributed to heat continue to climb. they now total 115. more than any other city in the country. the national guard has been called in to deliver fans, bought mostly with federal money. in the past week, almost 4,000 have been distributed. unfortunately, getting fans is only part of the solution for the poor and the elderly. now they must face the problem of how to pay higher electric bills. >> i'll pay it. i'll pay it between me and the lady that lives here. i'm going to pay the electricity. >> reporter: this morning governor tisdale requested more federal assistance. >> the federal government ought to give missouri, which is the leading state in the country in deaths and suffering from the heat, the money for these elderly poor to pay for their cooling bills. >> reporter: missouri's so-called cooling trend may only be temporary. by the end of this week temperatures are once again expected to reach the 100 degree level. abc news, kansas city. >> it hit 101 degrees in dallas day. the 29th consecutive day it's been over 100 in that city. incidentally, for the first time in those 29 days there was a brief thundershower. but it wasn't enough to really cool things off or to break the drought. president carter went to dallas today to survey the damage from the heat wave, the last stop on a one-day political trip. the report on the president's day. >> reporter: the temperature was pushing 100 as president carter drove through the smoul town of henderson, kentucky. he chose to sit on the metal roof of his limousine, just as he has on many similar occasions, waving to the crowd. mr. carter was going to a $500 a plate luncheon. the proceeds to go to the democratic party, national and state. his host praised the president as a man who had undertaken such difficult tasks as balancing the subject. a subject no one else mentioned, no doubt because of today's news of expected high budget deficits. for the first time since eight american servicemen died in the iranian rescue mission. >> we are a party that believes in peace. and i thank god that during this term of mine, we've not had a single young american lose his life in combat and i pray god that when i go out of office in the white house we'll keep that record intact. >> reporter: the take here was pretty good. $200,000 despite the heat. the day was to get much better. more money, less heat. next stop, dallas, texas, where thunderstorms had lowered the temperature. nonetheless, mr. carter visited a nearby farm to personally inspect the effects of the prolonged heat. then he went to the first of two fund-raisers where he defended draft registration. >> we do not anticipate departing from a full volunteer military force. we are registering today just in case we are challenged in the future. but that's the best way to make sure that we will be strong. >> reporter: as mr. carter spoke about draft registration, one demonstrator opposed to it had to be removed. the president spoke on and later was scheduled to attend another fund-raiser for 125 people at $5,000 a couple. sam donaldson, abc news, dallas. >> a demonstrator hot under the collar, and a whole lot of people suffering from the heat back in 1980. again, that's going to happen this week in the northeast and other places to too. in new york city where the brunt of it will sort of happen this week, 1953 is seen as sort of the hottest of them all. 90 degree temperatures for 12 consecutive days. >> it's so important to remember also your plants are affected and your animals are affected, everything's affected, so make sure you're giving everything the water it needs. >> stay inside. coming up your "skinny" and it's a good one. >> yeah, it is. >> guy with his shirt off. >> the hot soccer player. >> believerin the power of we. we can tackle the tough challenges we face and build community through service and volunteering. it's time for you to raise your hand, go to serve.gov and get involved in something you believe in. are you with me? you are good to go. so, have you made your decision yet? yeah, i think so. the wishes of thousands of children are waiting to come true. you can make it happen. find out how today at wish.org. say this but i do believe this is the world's hottest man, and he has now had a baby. >> i had not. >> it ain't you. it is cristiano -- like i needed to tell anyone at home that -- cristiano ronaldo. take a look at him right there. i think we have one of him with his shirt off and you'll understand why i'm calling him that. he's the proud father of a baby boy and he announced all of this -- there he is, the new spokesperson for armani underwear. >> that ain't nothing. >> that's what you see in the mirror every day? >> that's right. >> sorry. he's the proud father of a baby boy. the way he announced this is actually kind of interesting. he did it all on twitter on saturday. people thought it was a fake. so that his agent had to actually come out and say, no, this is real. and he apparently is going to have exclusive guardianship. he said as agreed with the baby's mother, who prefers to have her identity kept confidential, my son will be under my exclusive guardianship. >> i think i read somewhere he does 3,000 sit-ups a day. >> i would imagine, to look like that, you have to. he's dated a lot of different women as well and he is just stunning. congratulations to him. i love you. >> all right. >> keep the picture up for jeremy's story. >> get rid of it, let's lose it. have you ever had one of those situations where you really, really have to go to the bathroom? >> yes. >> well -- >> up here before. >> perhaps that's what happened to dave chappelle. that might be the excuse for him forcing an emergency landing on this private jet. he was aboard this plane that was headed from jersey to ohio where he lives where it had to make an emergency landing after the pilot deemed dave chappelle a safety risk. supposedly chappelle kept going into the cockpit, kept unbuckling his belt, grabbing the arm of the pilot. the pilot set the plane down in pittsburgh because what he thought was a safety risk. afterwards chappelle's spokesperson said that he really had to use the bathroom after eating something bad, but the toilet on board didn't suit his needs. so i don't know what that means. >> wow. >> maybe he has specific toilet needs. >> i guess on a private jet you do have that kind of access to the pilot, you can grab the arm. >> i guess. i'm not sure. >> the details missing in that one. i'll tell you what she really, really wants. victoria beckham is who i'm talking about, bad joke. what she wants to do is to design range rovers and it appears she's gotten it. she's the new creative design consultant. take a listen. >> i'm incredibly excited to be collaborating with range rover. this is a dream come true for me. i just can't wait. >> i shouldn't have said consultant, she is actually the creative design cut benefit. they say she'll be collaborating on future special edition range rover design projects starting with the special edition range rover. keep in mind she already designs a ton of stuff from dresses to jeans to eyeglasses. >> would you buy a range rover because it was designed by a spice -- >> no, no interest. >> i don't think i would either. when it comes to healthy living, i don't normally take my advice from an admitted drug user and hard partyer. but "rolling stone" wants you to because their new gig for ozzy osbourne is health columnist. he's going to write a health column essentially for "rolling stone" magazine. you can send in your own health questions and ozzy will answer it. >> at least if it's written you can understand it. ouch! ow! oops! it's neo to go!® ready. aim. protect. neosporin® gives you infection-protection, and pain relief. neo to go!® plus pain relief. every cut. every time. everywhere. to finish what you started today. for the aches and sleeplessness in between, there's new motrin pm. no other medicine, not even advil pm, is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. new motrin pm. here are some stories to watch today on abc news. beaches should be crowded in the northeast again as forecasters warn people from washington, d.c. up to boston about intense heat. many cities will open cooling centers as a precaution. the search for flood victims resumes today in romania. about one-third of the country got day lunled after torrential downpours. some evacuees may return to their homes after being forced out over the weekend. as queen elizabeth and prince philip wrap up their trip to canada and travel to the u.s. tomorrow, they will stop at new york's ground zero. for the many americans waking up this morning in the summer heat, anything cold can be a treat. >> and many americans are now traveling to italy to learn the sweet cold art of gelato. nick watt has more from gelato university. >> when you squeeze -- >> reporter: if you build it, they will come. from california, maine, south korea, sudan. this is gelato university. >> you need perfect scooping. >> then you open -- >> reporter: gelato is like ice cream but with less fat and they say more flavor. chocolate, kiwi fruit, tier ra may sue. it's the ultimate frozen dessert. >> sweet and you forget all the bad things. this is the reason why people like to make gelato. to make happy people. >> reporter: initially there's a gelateria on practically every street corner. >> the practice portions of the ingredients must be very correct. >> 80% -- >> reporter: despite the math and the $70,000 you'll need for equipment to open a gelateria, enrollment is way up. they say a lot of their students here are in their 40s and looking for a new direction in their lives. i don't know, in a couple of years when my tv career goes belly-up, i can see myself becoming a gelato master. >> make it pretty then stick it in the batch freezer -- >> reporter: elizabeth mccleery from sacramento, california, gave up 20 years in advertising to chase her gelato dream. >> i wanted a change. and i'm hoping to do something that is going to benefit me in the future rather than working for somebody else. >> reporter: richard rosenberg from los angeles wants to quit his recession-hit sign-making business. >> how old are you? >> 74. >> 74, and you're going for a career change? >> why not? >> reporter: proving, never too late to graduate college a gelato major. >> not a bad degree to have. i will say for gelato, it seems you could have crazier flavors. basil and chili pepper gelato. . we can tackle the tough challenges we face and build community through service and volunteering. it's time for you to raise your hand, go to serve.gov and get involved in something you believe in. are you with me? [vibrates] g morning, sunshine. wakey, wakey. text me back. [chattering] [vibrates] hey. did you tell your parents about us? let's skip first period together. did you get all my texts? is practice over yet? where you at? are you with your friends? that's laaaa-mee. capital "x," lower-case "o," capital "x," lower-case "o," i love you. jk. i hate you. jk. are you ignoring me? we're in a huge fight right now. is it something i did? i can see your lights on. i'm coming over. this isn't a joke. what did you dream about? [overlapping] is it me? i'm lonely. holla back. holla back. let's try something new. nude pics. send me some. text me. cash crunch. bp's environmental disaster leads to a financial mess. the oil spill takes a toll on bp's bottom line. then, chairman criticism. key republicans take aim at the man leading the gop. how his comments about afghanistan got him in political trouble. and, standing out online. >> we are kind of like the next generation white pages. >> making sure web searches of you only show your positive side. it's monday, july 5th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> a lot of people in this day and age have certainly googled themselves, and if you google yourself sometimes you find something you don't want popping up. this is a very clever website because it in a way helps you control what gets out there. you'll want to stick around and see this story. if you're applying for jobs, you want to make sure people don't see bad things like the story about you and your hair and stuff. >> there's all kinds of bad stuff about me out there. don't look it up, don't go google it. >> they're doing it right now. it is no holiday for those skimming spilled oil along the louisiana coast. an enormous ship called "a whale" is being tested in the gulf. it can remove spilled oil at a rapid rate but it cannot go to work because of rough waters. >> surf from hurricane alex slowed cleanup all around the gulf and it appears bp is facing a major financial crisis, as matt gutman reports. >> reporter: as the oil gushes, bp is hemorrhaging cash. $1 billion a month on the cleanup alone. abc news learned that the embattled company has demanded its two minority partners in this botched well pitch in and pay $400 million for the month of may alone. june hasn't yet been tallied. and having lost half of its stock value since the spill, the company is reportedly scanning for potential investors willing to buy up to 10% of the company. all that as this well shoots 1 million gallons of oil into the gulf a day. and to clean it up, the world's largest skimmer continues to plow the gulf for oil. on its second day of trials, despite rough seas. bp and the coast guard will decide in the coming days whether to lease this coloss sus 50% longer than the "titanic." in fact "a whale" was the only skimmer in the gulf as 12-foot seas stalled recovery again. waiting for the coast guard's permission to get to work. >> can't get hold of the coast guard. >> reporter: which never arrived. a few minutes later, they peeled out, the cleanup crew heading back to port. we motored out to the spot where they were supposed to clean. a week of storms have painted these reeds with black sludge. what local cleanup officials just told us is that oil is also deep inside that marsh. and it's also on the beaches, where communities are sapped of hundreds of millions of tourist dollars this summer. >> we're struggling now. and it's a matter of survival, to be honest with you. >> reporter: and across the gulf coast, celebrations were muted. pleas for help were not. >> a way of life, of hard-working, caring people being whisked away, and we could use your prayers. >> reporter: as the "a" well should be done with its trials about mid-week. even its owners said those high seas have windered its ability to take in oil. but if bp does lease that ship it should spring into action almost immediately. matt gutman, abc news, buras, louisiana. the government is now closing more areas in the gulf to fishing. the fishing ban now covers more than 81,000 square miles. fishing is off-limits to approximately one-third of the gulf of mexico's federal waters, making the fishing business even tougher in the region. that is an area roughly the size of minnesota. the gulf coast did celebrate independence day with bp helping pick up the tab. bp footed half the bill for the fireworks display in venice, louisiana. the oil company also paid for fireworks in durango, colorado. city officials were ready to cancel the $15,000 show but bp offered to pay. at least one person was killed and dozens injured at a fourth of july parade in iowa after a group of runaway horses trampled spectators. the victim who died is a 60-year-old woman. several others are still in critical condition. it was an unforgettable scene for eyewitnesses. >> well, they actually got down here to the hotel to the front of the parade. apparently a couple of horses got loose up there about four or five blocks and come running down through here. just mowing people over. little kids were getting mowed over. they probably ran at about 40 miles an hour. >> among those injured some young children. they were in the street to pick up candy that was thrown to them. cooling centers will be opening around new york city today as forecasters predict a dangerous heat wave. while many new yorkers found relief at beaches on sunday, temperatures could soar this week with little relief until next weekend. some cities could post record highs. that heat wave could impact a broad section of the east, from new england down to the carolinas. >> meteorologist ava dinges has the latest from accuweather. >> good morning, jeremy and vinita. it was a hot fourth of july weekend and this is only the tip of the heat wave set to move into the northeast as high pressure dominates the weather pattern for the next several days. that is going to allow for bright july sunshine to build on in and therefore temperatures will be pretty toasty toward the afternoon hours. 98 in central park. even into jfk airport. it could be near 100 by the afternoon. boston is set to be near 90 this afternoon. portland will be into the low 80s. and the humidity is on the rise as well. and this becomes a problem as it's going to feel even hotter outdoors. you put the dew points into the upper 50s, it's likely to feel as if it's near 100 in cities like philadelphia, even new york city by the afternoon it's going to get even worse on tuesday, unfortunately as the dew points will be climbing into the upper 60s. that's likely to make things feel as hot as 105, even 106 degrees. philadelphia itself already has excessive heat warnings out for tuesday. and many other cities could be included in that threat as we head through this midweek. now back to you. now the rest of your monday forecast. florida and the gulf coast can expect showers and thunderstorms. heavy downpours and a chance of flooding in the midwest, the great plains, and showers in the northern rockies. >> 90 in new orleans and miami. baltimore and sacramento will flirt with 100. it will be 80s across the upper midwest. general david petraeus is now leading u.s. and nato troops in afghanistan. petraeus accepted the command before several hundred u.s. coalition and afghan officials who gathered on outside nato headquarters in kabul. the general promised bold action. >> we must demonstrate to the people and to the taliban that afghan and isap forces are here to safeguard the afghan people. and that we are in this to win. that is our clear objective. >> june was the deadliest month of the war in more than nine years of fighting. more than 100 troops were killed, 60 of them americans. there are new questions this morning about whether michael steele can keep his job as chairman of the republican national committee. john mccain is now the most influential gop senator to criticize steele over comments he made about the war in afghanistan. david kerley reports. >> reporter: at home this holiday, michael steele is frantically working the phones to save his job. >> hello. >> hi, mr. steele. >> hey, not doing spruce, sorry. >> no comment at all? >> no, thanks. >> reporter: but his own party members are talking. >> this made me angry, upset. >> those statements are wildly inaccurate. >> it's not acceptable. careless comment. >> reporter: it's what steele said at a connecticut fund-raiser about the war in afghanistan. comments posted on youtube which sound more like a left-leaning democrat. >> this is a war of obama's choosing. this is not -- this is not something the united states had actively prosecuted or wanted. >> reporter: he said the war is unwinnable. >> for chairman of the party to articulate that peja stojakovic, to advance that point of view, is indefensible. >> reporter: it is not steele's first misstep. he's even dubbed himself the gift that keeps on giving. he was quoted as saying abortion is a woman's individual choice. while the party proclaims a pro-life position. his organization expensed entertainment of young republicans at a topless bar. then there was that insult to republican icon rush limbaugh. >> rush limbaugh, his whole thing is entertainment. yes, it's incendiary. yes, it's ugly. >> reporter: some republicans have had enough. >> mr. steele is going to have to assess as to whether he can still lead the republican party. >> reporter: and all those phone calls may not be working. >> he didn't persuade me, actually, that it wouldn't be better for the republican party and for the country if he stepped down as republican chairman. >> reporter: republicans are so angry because they see this as a distraction. they've been feeling the wind at their back going into november's election where they hope to exploit differences within the democratic party. but here we are talking about the leader of the republican party. david kerley, abc news, washington. now from politics to processed meats. one of the traditions for the fourth of july, the hot dog eating contest at coney island in new york. >> such a natural tran sister, isn't it? american competitor joey chestnut won his fourth competition in a row. he downed 54 franks in 10 minutes. that is nine more than anyone else. not even close to his world record intake last year. he says it was because of the heat. >> look right there, that's the previous champion, kobayashi. he did not compete because of contract dispute. he tried to crash the party afterward and you can see he was taken away by police. was it real? was it a publicity stunt? who knows what's going on in the world of competitive eating. >> it's always so fascinating when they're dipping this stuff in water and shoving it in their mouth. it's water, right? or is it oil? >> it's water. add up to about 20,000 calories. >> wow. >> that's essentially ten days' worth of food. >> i always wonder if you have a five-second window and then you can throw up. hit the bell, five seconds, now you can do it. >> i don't want to know. we'll be right back. 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. that was last night's fireworks display from boston, complete with a concert from the boston pops. all over the nation people celebrated the 234th independence day in patriotic fashion. >> no city celebrates it like washington, d.c. here's coverage from wjla in our nation's capital. >> a dazzling display over the national mall tonight. ♪ dawn's early light >> high security and sizzling temperatures to celebrate america's independence. >> let us resolve as citizens to carry on the improbable experiment that began more than 200 years ago. not simply declaring our principles but living them here at home. >> and president obama welcomes military families to the white house. >> live and in hd, this is abc 7 news at 11:00. on your side. >> huge crowds braved the sizzling temperatures to watch that patriotic celebration on the national mall. now hundreds of thousands of people are starting that journey home. jay korff live at the national mall with details. i can hear them hoenging their horns. >> reporter: indeed they are pouring out of nation's capital after a pretty extraordinary evening. the real key to this day, to enjoy this day and this night, was having a lot of water and some shade. if you didn't it would be rough. and what turned out to be a spectacular evening. the colors of our nation sparkled above the national mall sunday night in honor of america's 234th birthday. >> it's great to be an american, basically. just looking at it, it reminds me of what freedom is about. >> reporter: prior to the fireworks show -- ♪ from the lakes of minnesota to the hills of tennessee ♪ >> reporter: pbs aired a star-studded concert on the west lawn of the u.s. capitol. ♪ darling stand by me >> on july 4th, 1776, the first american patriots declared our independence in a bold and visionary document that forever changed our destiny and defined us as a nation. >> reporter: the mall's expanse packed with a massive crowd of patriots, provided an inspirational backdrop for this celebration. >> this land offers us everything. everybody can celebrate it. >> very, very patriotic men, long before me, fought for this day. >> reporter: but just getting through this 90 plus degree day would require the kind of tenacity championed by our founding fathers. >> well, i've been drinking a lot. >> reporter: dozens had to be treated for heat-related illnesses. >> there's guys down there with hoses. >> reporter: nothing, eastern a hose-wielding child, could dampen this day and this night. >> fourth of july. >> reporter: and this is also the night when the emergency evacuation plan is tested out to see how quickly by retime something traffic lights folks can get out of the district of columbia. results of that test are expected early this week. we are live in the shadow of the washington monument, jay korff, abc 7 news. >> metro trains are operating at near rush hour level service tonight to help people get home from the fireworks. the smithsonian metro stations reopened after the fireworks designated entry only to accommodate the crowds. by 10:00 p.m., more than 470,000 people had taken metro trips this july fourth. president barack obama welcomed members of the military and their families to the white house tonight. the families enjoyed barbecue, musical entertainment, and a view of the fireworks from the south lawn. the president thanked the men ask women of the military who put themselves in harm's way to defend the united states. he urged all americans to live by the principles that founded the nation. >> this is the day when we celebrate the very essence of america. and the spirit that has defined us as a people and as a nation for more than two centuries. >> reporter: there were about 1,200 guests at the white house tonight. they dined on traditional cookout favorites. burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, corn on the cob. today also marked the 12th birthday of the first daughter, mar malia obama. >> i was in washington, d.c. visiting my niece and the traffic and congestion was so bad at 2:30, i missed my train. i had left plenty of time but -- >> so many people going to check it out. >> it was nice to see, i didn't mind missing it for that reason. of course it was a spectacular fireworks show from what i heard. >> i didn't get to see the big new york show. i was on the way into work, it was on the opposite side of town, all i saw was one lone little dud going off over queens. >> that was more depressing that you just see that. many employers google job candidates before they're hired. >> have you ever looked at how you might appear to others after a web search? one company found an opportunity and i'll look into that next. thank you dear, very much. thank you. ♪ you make me feel so young. let's turn over this log. yeah! both: whoa! i like the brown wiggly ones. mmm. i like the green crunchy ones myself. whoa. go to discovertheforest.org. today, toyota started recalling lexus luxury sedans overseas due to engine defect. the automaker told the japanese government it's recalling 91,000 cars, mostly lexus models, to repair a flaw in valve springs. the defect causes cars to stall. toyota says the recall could soon include 270,000 cars worldwide. as many as 138,000 of those lexuses are here in the u.s. toyota received 220 complaints about the problem. well, with unemployment numbers still high, jobseekers face stiff competition, especially online where many managers are turning to find new employees. >> how can you make sure you are putting your best virtual foot forward online? i found one man that thinks he might have the answer. >> reporter: for james alexander, having a simple and straightforward name can actually make things complicated. as ceo of a tech startup he's trying to start apart from the millions of other james alexanders online. >> literally possible to find me and my 450 results in the 10 million results that come up. >> reporter: as internet users share more and more information about themselves, on both social and professional networking sites, managing online reputations has become a full-time job. >> it's not just about text-based results, it's about photo and video and realtime results on twitter. >> reporter: michael hussy started peek you, a search engine that takes the search one step further. it delivers results from public records, social network files, even pdf documents you forgot existed. >> we are kind of like the next generation white pages. there's always going to be a need to identify where people exist on the web. >> reporter: how do you begin to manage all that online content? especially when you can't always control what's out there. for james alexander, it meant taking an offensive approach. his startup, vizability, lets users create a search button or link that can be placed anywhere on your online profile or even within an e-mail signature. when seven clicks on your "search me" button they're taken directly to a google search page that has results found only about you. >> you really miss that critical opportunity to validate your background and validate your credentials. >> reporter: users can customize their results, removing less than savory ones and highlighting the favorable ones. the service even texts or e-mails you when your search results are viewed. a bit extreme, perhaps. but then again, one reputation in the real world has multiple versions in the online world. >> it is pretty cool to think that you can control the good ones. move them ahead on the list and get rid of the bad ones. yet be updated when someone looks at your profile. >> absolutely. are there some bad ones out there about you? >> no. >> i'll have to google after we're done here. >> i don't think so. >> i know there's -- >> there's plenty about me, i choose not to look. >> something about juicy legs, that's all i remember. >> thanks, jeremy, now that moves to the top of the list. coming up, an unusual competition heads downhill. >> and a fitting tribute to a man who loved the fourth of july. rom around his house. these people chose freedom over restrictions. independence over limitations. they chose mobility. they chosehe scooter store. and this is the team of mobility experts who made it all happen. ii great news, you've been approved for payment. dr. cruz, i'm calling on behalf ofmarie stanford. and they can make it happen for you. hi, i'm doug harrison, if you're living with limited mobility, call the scooter store today. i promise, no other company will work harder to make you mobile or do more to ensure your total satisfaction. i expected they'd help me file some paperwork with medicare and my insurance. i never expected them to be so nice or work so hard to get me a power chair at no cost to me. if we qualify you and medicare denies your claim for a w scooter or power chair, i'll give it to you absolutely free. that's the scooter store guarantee. we'll wo with your insurance company, even help with financing. if there's a way, we'll find it. when they delivered mom's power chair, i expected they'd show her how to use it once or twice. that man stayed for hours! whatever it takes, as long as it takes. that's our guarantee. why do we go to < uch great lengths? because making you mobile is our mission. we'llwork wit your doctor. we'll work with medicare and lçur private insurance. we'll even service your scooter anywhere in the country. call the sco÷"er store today. awake again? "world news now" delivers your "morning papers." >> i know that you're not a huge "simpsons" fan. >> no. >> you might get this reference then because everyone out there will get fit you watch "the simpsons." you know how there was springfield and shelbyville and they always had that death match, which was better? there are two places in western germany, two villages, that have a similar swigs going on. they argue over who plows the straightest lines, who makes the biggest sausages. now they have upped the ante. whose wheelie bins are fastest. >> what's a wheelie bin? >> you're about to see. it's actually something the council provides, a waste receptacle. >> like a recycle bin. >> they jump on the backs and see who can go downhill the fastest. apparently there are allegations of cheating. >> of course. >> they say one side has taken skateboard wheels to the wheelie bins. the race will be screened nationwide on a cable and satellite channel. >> there's not enough going on in western germany, i think. >> it's kind of sweet to think they're doing this as opposed to bad things. >> there are worse things to, do that's for sure. >> yeah. >> talk about going out with a bang. tom moore died in may and he was a big fireworks fan. so last night, while an entire village of people looked on, his ashes went up and went off along with the july fourth fireworks display. this all happened down in florida. they expected a couple hundred people online. he was cremated, the ashes were part of the display once again. 1,500 booms and an explosion of color all done by this one fireworks company, santori and sons. they call it aerial burial. they say it's a lot cheaper than a traditional funeral and a whole lot more fun. when we lived in colorado, the famous writer hunter thompson died. and his ashes were exploded like that too. and i went and watched it happen. it was pretty fascinating. >> i have to say at least you're going to go the way you wanted to go. some people want their ashes sprinkled in the wind. so i get it. it's not that weird. >> i'm going to have my ashes put in the air duct vents here so you will all breathe me in for decades to come. >> we can't wait. >> yeah. >> this is an interesting story. so this guys sees an advertisement for someone selling a rifle and he responds to the advertisement, puts in an application. in the application writes, i'm going to use this weapon to kill aliens. so they get kind of scared. at first they're like, is this illegal aliens he's talking about? >> nice, yeah. >> turns out he's talking about real aliens. his theory was that every 36,000 years aliens who live under the sun come to the earth to kill humans. and he needed to be prepared with his rifle. >> does he have a -- >> to stop the alien invasion. >> does he have a mouthful of marbles there? >> don't be mean. he might be nuts but -- >> he's a bit of an alien in his he might be nuts but -- >> he's a bit of an alien in his own right. but one thing that we should never take for granted are the brave men and women of our volunteered armed forces who daily risk their lives for our freedom. some of these brave warriors have suffered catastrophic injuries. many are missing limbs or have been badly burned. some will suffer the effects of traumatic brain injury for the rest of their lives. the wounded warrior project was created to help and support these injured heroes. regardless of your position on the war, they deserve our help. please consider the many ways that you can get involved. the wounded warrior project's motto is, "the greatest casualty is being forgotten." let's continue to help make this generation the most well-received group of injured veterans in our nation's history. we owe it to them. to learn more, call... or visit woundedwarriorproject.org. you are good to go. so, have you made your decision yet? yeah, i think so. the wishes of thousands of children are waiting to come true. you can make it happen. find out how today at wish.org. critical command. general david petraeus outlines his war strategy in afghanistan. his warning to troops. then, celebrating america in washington. >> this is the day when we celebrate the very essence of america. >> across the country and worldwide. and, holiday movies. from the third chapter of "twilight." to "the last airbender." in this week's "insomniac theater." it's monday, july 5th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> two highly anticipated movies. and it's interesting because both, and i think it's surprising when you hear "the last airbender," both are sort of kids movies. >> kind of, yeah. >> veered toward that teen audience. >> i'm definitely not in the demo for "twilight: eclipse." >> you stood out a little bit? >> the oldest guy in there i think. i'll tell you what i thought about it coming up. stick around for that in "insomniac theater." happy monday to you and happy post-july fourth. i'm jeremy hubbard. >> i'm vinita nair. a new commander is now leading coalition troops in afghanistan. >> general david petraeus takes over at a critical time in the war. support is declining. of course there is the president's timetable to withdraw troops. martha raddatz reports from kabul. >> reporter: we got a glimpse behind the scenes. general petraeus practicing for his ceremony. the passing of the colors. a microphone test. >> can you hear me now? >> reporter: rehearsal hardly seemed necessary for petraeus. he has been through similar ceremonies so many times. 2008 at central command. and the most significant, iraq 2007. a move that helped lead to a dramatic improvement in security. and the official ceremony in afghanistan. >> general david petraeus now assumes command -- >> reporter: where petraeus clearly has the same hopes for improvement. >> as each of you knows well we are engaged in a tough fight. after years of war we have arrived at a critical moment. >> reporter: but petraeus left no doubt he intended to prevail. >> we must demonstrate to the people and to the taliban that afghan and isap forces are here to safeguard the afghan people. and that we are in this to win. that is our clear objective. >> reporter: the general also heaped praise on his predecessor stanley mcchrystal for his energy and leadership. several senior aides of mcchrystal's were in the audience, their futures uncertain. while there was a lot of talk of a new beginning, nothing has really changed with the war itself. and the challenges remain immense. june was the deadliest month of the war in more than nine years of fighting. more than 100 troops were killed, 60 of them american. and just as he did in iraq, petraeus will be presiding over a surge of forces. by september, all 30,000 additional troops will be in place, hoping to make measurable progress by december which thus far has been hard to see on any large scale. martha raddatz, abc news, afghanistan. >> general petraeus avoided making any reference to the troop withdrawal deadline. president obama wants to begin pulling troops out of afghanistan in july 2011. that's one year from now. and that has led to criticism from top republicans. >> if you tell the enemy that you're leaving on a date certain, unequivocally, then that enemy will wait until you leave. >> general petraeus needs this monkey off his back. it's not fair to him and our troops and our civilian counterparts to be operating in afghanistan with the belief that come july 2011, we're going to begin to withdraw no matter what. that can't be the way we leave this. >> democrats of course are backing the president. but afghanistan's ambassador to washington said the administration's decision to withdraw troops next july could make the war effort more difficult. now today's 77 of the gulf oil spill. as a precaution the government is closing more areas in the gulf to fishing. the closed area now presents more than 81,000 square miles. fishing is off-limits to approximately one-third of the gulf of mexico's federal waters. that is an area roughly the size of minnesota. after saying for weeks that its finances could handle the oil spill cleanup and the damage claims, bp may be facing a cash crunch. with its stock value halved since the spill bp reportedly is looking for investors to buy up 10% of the oil company. this is especially discouraging to gulf coast communities already losing millions this summer in tourist dollars. >> we're struggling now. and it's a matter of survival, to be honest with you. >> a way of life, of hard-working, caring people being whisked away. and we could use your prayers. >> and over the weekend, cleanup was still delayed by rough waters from hurricane alex. offshore skimming vessels did go to work in louisiana waters but not off alabama, mississippi or florida. at least one person was killed and dozens injured at a fourth of july parade in iowa after a group of runaway horses trampled spectators. it happened after one of the horses at the bellevue parade managed to dislodge the bridle of another horse. the two horses galloped down the street with the wagon still attached and ended up running into spectators. the victim who died is a 60-year-old woman. several others are in critical condition. there was also mayhem in an oregon town after an 11-year-old boy was run over by an independence day float. that boy was passing out candy and when the float stopped he tried to replenish his candy supply but the float kept moving, trapping the little boy's leg. he was later airlifted to a hospital. elsewhere in the country, july fourth fireworks, contests and patriotic events marked the holiday. for a lucky few it even meant a trip to the white house to celebrate the true meaning of independence day. larry jacobs has more. ♪ >> reporter: fireworks filled the skies over communities across the country. the culmination of a scorching holiday for much of the nation. >> this is the day when we celebrate the very essence of america. and the spirit that has defined us as a people and as a nation for more than two centuries. >> reporter: the president and first lady welcomed members of the military and their families to the white house for a barbecue, concert, and to view fireworks from the south lawn. ♪ >> reporter: for some u.s. soldiers working the front lines in iraq, this was a special fourth of july. a citizenship ceremony for foreign-born soldiers presided over by vice president joe biden. here at home, a day of parades like this one in historic philadelphia. a fife and drum corps at the national archives. and what would july fourth be without baseball? or the annual hot dog eating contest at nathan's in coney island. the winner, joey chestnut, 54 dogs and buns in 10 minutes. along the gulf coast, a more subdued holiday weekend. the beach crowds were absent. an uninvited guest, the biggest oil spill in u.s. history, spoiled the party. but for most of the country, the holiday spirit endured. larry jacobs, abc news. cooling centers will be open in many parts of new york city today as forecasters predict a dangerous heat wave in the northeast. >> it could be the worst heat wave in 20 years. meteorologist ava dinges has the latest from accuweather. good morning, eva. >> good morning, jeremy and vinita. it was a sizzling fourth of july for many in the fourth east. in fact, central park reached up to 96 yesterday. boston 95. portland up to 90 degrees. this heat is set to continue not only today but for the rest of the week. high pressure in control across the eastern seaboard. that is allowing for the clear skies to continue across the new york state thruway, also the i-95 corridor. that july sunshine pretty bright. temperatures will be once again into the 90s throughout this afternoon. 93 in syracuse. central park 98. even boston hitting 90. now the humidity is on the rise. so it's going to feel more sticky than it has felt the past couple of days. the humidity is nowhere near what it's going to be on tuesday as the dew points will be climbing even into the upper 60s. you combine high temperatures into the upper 90s and it's likely to feel as hot as 105, even 106. that is going to bring some heat advisories out to cities like philadelphia and even new york city as we go throughout this midweek. back to you, jeremy and vinita. >> ouch. >> yeah, ouch is a good word. now for the rest of your monday forecast. showers and thunderstorms in florida and the gulf coast. the midwest and plain states from texas up through minnesota will get heavy rain. there will also be showers in the rockies north of denver. >> upper 90s in baltimore. while boston hits 90 as well. omaha expects below-normal temperatures at 81. the northern rockies will also be relatively cool. there are some places you can escape the heat. there is one sure-fire way to beat the heat in the summer, and that of course is to go swimming. a russian dog owner decided to share his passion for scuba diving with his dog. >> oh, good god. professional diver sergei gorvonof made a diving suit for his dachshund. this does not look right. the pooch seemed interested in the equipment and tolerated the wet suit. >> going underwater was another matter. the dog whimpered while submerged so it's unlikely there will be more dives for this death-defying -- how do you say that, dachshund? >> dachshund. i don't like this at all. it looks like the wiener dog doesn't either. >> i have a feeling a cat in this scuba suit would be a very different story. we'll be right back with more "world news now." hó ♪ we know you're wondering where those are. that was last night's fireworks display along chicago's lakefront. on the fourth of july typically americans spend the day at fireworks celebrations, parades and barbecues. >> but for a veteran wounded in afghanistan, he and his fiance spent the day doing something a little more memorable. here's dan harris. >> are you excited? >> yeah. >> i'm excited for you. >> reporter: this is mallory williamson. today is her wedding day. >> waited for this day for a long time. i'm really proud of you, honey. >> thank you. >> reporter: it is a day that almost did not come. on april 3rd her fiance, casey mitchell, was serving in afghanistan when his vehicle hit an ied. >> i couldn't see anything. there was so much smoke. and i just -- i realized i couldn't feel my legs. just lucky enough to be alive. >> reporter: they worked on his shattered left legs at wall doctor reed army medical hospital. they saved one but he may still lose the other. in the hospital, he met the first lady. but even more exciting, he saw his baby daughter, whom he'd last seen at her birth. >> i just remember walking in with our daughter. it was like the best moment ever. just to see him. and mainly just let him see skyrie for the first time since she was born. >> reporter: during the months of rehab, casey and mallory decided to get married. when it came time to pick the date the choice was obvious. the fourth of july. >> i'm a very patriotic person. i knew that i was going to get to be home around that time. i told her, why would that not be a great date to get married on? >> it's our favorite holiday. >> favorite holiday, both of us love it. >> reporter: days ago casey and mallory left walter reed for their home near fresno, california. where they begin a new life together, one they do not take for granted. >> after this, you know, seeing that, you know, i could be gone. it's the love of my life is what it is. not everybody finds that. >> at the end of the day, that's all that matters is that we're together and that we're going to get through everything. >> reporter: dan harris, abc news. >> such a great story. mallory went on to joke and say, at least this way i know he'll never forget our anniversary because it's the fourth of july. >> he better not, he'll be in trouble then. i guess he has about a 30-day leave, then he has to go back to walter reed to continue the recovery. >> such a beautiful couple. we're taking you into the deepest part of the jungle. >> we're getting a rare look at some unusual monkeys, red-headed monkeys, and the people who want to know more about them. you're watching "world news now." rob, what's up? how's it going? how's it going? guys, this is my cousin rob from michigan. whazzup! he's a teenager. totally. hey, what's up? rob: all right. whoa. hey, you wanna slow down? no. really? huh. hey! do you know what a beautiful animal is? a horse. a horse. yeah. beautiful mane. unbelievable muscle tone. when it runs, it looks like poetry in motion. it's the most beautiful thing on earth. and sometimes when you feed a horse, its lips will tickle your hand. just, just tickle it just a little bit. it makes me giggle sometimes. i don't know. i guess what i'm trying to say is, if you don't slow down, i'm going to bite into your head like an apple. and thanks, guys, for listening to my horse stories. i could talk about ponies all day long. time for some real monkey business. deep in the heart of africa lives a mysterious monkey called the red-capped mangabey. >> thanks to growing threats from people, this species could soon be endangered. we took a look at the lengths and heights scientists are going to to save them. >> reporter: high atop this untouched rain forest, a red-capped mangabey and a curious pry may primatologist. >> they're here, they're here, the monkeys are here. >> reporter: down below, a four-ton killer. fast as an olympic sprinter who can trample humans in a heartbeat. >> i hope i don't get charged by elephants. i'd really rather not. >> reporter: this dangerous setting is the jungle of the central african nation of gabon, where a daring research project has been driven to higher ground. >> lovely. to be at their level. and you get to see them all coming through this upper canopy. >> reporter: to this ramshackle tree house that will serve as home base for julie anderson. >> i'm just really encouraged that they're not fearful at all to me. >> reporter: its living quarters, 20 feet off the ground. its observation deck, five stories high. safely out of reach of the angry four-ton elephants roaming the forest floor below. for six weeks they'll study its every skittish move. the monkeys have reason to fear humans. hunters and loggers have nearly wiped them out. >> to see the adults descend from trees, just coming to the ground. >> reporter: little is known about this species, so julie researches their every habit, starting with how they eat. >> this is what they're after. and it's just coming into perfect ripeness, hence the color. so these guys know this and this is why they come this evening. >> reporter: the ripest fruit is in the top of the trees but eating here makes the monkeys easy prey for eagles. so they have a plan. they stuff their cheeks full of the fruit to be carried away and eaten later. >> i do not know what to expect. but i'm hoping it's going to be an eventful one. >> reporter: for a face-to-face look at how they live, julie goes to live with them. >> that is a long way down. >> reporter: she hopes by being up here in the jungle canopy home of the monkeys, they'll view her as a friend, not a foe. >> they are literally two trees away from me. i'm kind of understanding the significance and the feel of some of these behaviors. >> reporter: but much is still to be learned about their sleeping habits. so, on another night, julie and her team venture out hoping to document their after-dark behavior. since they can't use light, this heat-sensing thermal imaging camera will have to do. >> like a sort of 1960s lsd experiment, isn't it. >> reporter: they spot plenty of wildlife. that right there is a bat. >> wow! >> reporter: but no red-capped mangabey yet. >> the monkeys aren't sleeping. they must be further into the sleeping zone. >> reporter: so julie makes what could be a fatal decision. stumbling into the forest at night when those elephants are most likely to attack. she blindly trods along until she spots something glowing up there in the trees. >> oh my goodness. one, two -- >> reporter: it is one of the few times the mangabey has been captured on camera asleep in the wild. and this video reveals a surprise. the monkeys sleep alone, or in pairs. not as a group. >> it's weird that these monkeys are so far apart from each other. which makes me think that they feel really secure in this area. they're certainly not expecting us. so they're really spaced out and they're really relaxed in their sleeping zone. >> reporter: how they sleep, how they eat, where they travel, mysteries that are slowly revealing themselves. >> he looks bloody angry there. >> reporter: the thermal camera is also helping to answer questions about that persistent forest threat, the elephant. >> this thing looks as if it wants to jump into the boat. >> reporter: thankfully, that doesn't happen. they are able to get even closer, capturing video that could transform how scientists study these animals. for instance, with those light-colored splotches on their skin, researchers could actually identify individual elephants and track them over time. that is, if the elephants survive long enough. these forests are now the world's biggest source of illegal ivory. thousands of forest elephants are being killed here every year. dying off slowly is still a concern for the mangabey as well. some researchers fear they could be extinct within the next decade because of hunters and loggers who every year destroy an area of forest the size of 25,000 soccer fields. >> wow! what a view! >> reporter: and with this project complete julie hopes more researchers will take up residence here. the canopy perch that puts them eye to eye with the monkeys. the crude but crucial research base in the fight to save a species. >> pretty impressive work. some of those trees, 200 feet tall, 20 stories high, as big as skyscrapers. back to the elephant, these spiky things you saw in one of the shots there. essentially these hunters put them out on the forest floor. elephant steps on them, gets stuck in their foot, it gets infected. basically over the course of days or weeks the elephant dies. they come back and take away their ivory tusks. there's still a big market for that. you can see more on nat geo's "life in the canopy." it is a monday, and it's time for "insomniac theater." this week i saw the new m. night "the last airbender." what did you see? >> i was one of the many people who went to see the third chapter in the "twilight" saga "eclipse." i am not in the target audience. never read the books or seen the movies. have no frame of reference here at all. i'll give you the cliff notes version here. >> i'm glad we sent you. >> much going on in this installment of the "twilight" saga. a group of blood-thirsty vampires is wreaking havoc on seattle and they eventually set their sights on bella's blood. bella has lots of problems of her own already. edward the vampire wants to marry her, she wants to give up her virginity, jacob the wolf just wants her, there's so much sexual tension you could cut it with a knife. >> edward? >> if you ever touch her again -- >> don't do this. >> she's not sure what she wants. >> don't do this. >> let me give you a clue. wait for her to say the words. >> fine. and she will. >> jacob, just go, okay? >> hey, hey, hey, hey. easy, guys, easy. let's take it down a notch. >> bottom line, here's what i came away with. jacob is a stalker. bella's a tease. edward's creepy with the way he stares all the time. i don't buy dakota fanning as a bad guy. and basically the movie is a two-hour excuse for taylor lautner to walk around without a shirt on. >> but how was that? >> my wife went yes to that part. 3 kernels. >> for all that hate talk you gave it 3? >> i guess. >> i saw "the last airbender." and i have to steal ebert's words on this one, an agonizing experience. and that is sort of how i found it. so the plot is all over the place. let me give you the basic thing. it takes place in the future where there are four nations. air, earth, water, and fire. to keep the four nations in harmony there has to be an avatar, which is a person who can influence or bend all four elements. that person has disappeared. so the fire nation decides they're going to try and take over until the avatar, who mind you only mastered air of the four elements, suddenly appears. ♪ >> so, the dialogue is bad. the animation is bad. and i hate to say this because it's all kids but ebert agreed with me, the casting is really bad. >> really? >> i think his heyday, m. night shyamalan, might be over. i'm going to give it 2 1/2 kernels. even though it's 3d and you love a good 3d it's not worth seeing this in the theater. >> not since "i see dead people" has he had a lot you are good to go. so, have you made your decision yet? yeah, i think so. the wishes of thousands of children are waiting to come true. you can make it happen. find out how today at wish.org. yah! [horse whinny] [wood breaks] crack! help meeeee! somebody help her! c'mon deputy, let's go! hold on! yah! take my hand! what are you guys doing out here? dad was just helping me take care of katie. you know... runaway stage. well, dinner will be ready in a few minutes. imagine what a little time can do for your family. taking over. general david petraeus gives marching orders to troops in afghanistan, while lawmakers question war strategy. then, holiday restraint. communities cutting fireworks over the fourth of july. >> i hope the economy gets back the way -- to where it could be more supportive. >> how money talks on independence day. and, summer sizzle. looking back at one of the worst heat waves in the u.s., as the northeast prepares for unbearable conditions. it's monday, july 5th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." you know how we're always talking about phoenix and the desert southwest, 111 degrees or whatever. here in this part of the country this week we'll be pushing triple digits. much of the country is going to be under sweltering heat this week. >> this is the part where phoenix gets to say, don't complain, northeast, we live like this. >> welcome to our world. >> good morning and thanks for being with us on this monday. i'm vinita nair. >> i'm jeremy hubbard. as the nation celebrates this long holiday weekend, u.s. and nato troops in afghanistan are now reporting to a new leader. >> david petraeus has taken over as the commanding general of the longest war in u.s. history. here's david kerley. >> reporter: general david petraeus, known for leading the iraq surge, has assumed command of u.s. and nato forces in afghanistan. a simple ceremony was held outside of military headquarters in kabul where he takes over the nine-year war against the taliban and other terrorist groups. president obama chose petraeus after firing general stanley mcchrystal who made negative comments about the administration in a magazine article last month. petraeus reaffirmed america's stated mission, to defeat the taliban and stabilize a nation now seen as the main focus of the war on terrorism. >> we are committed to a sustained effort to help the people of this country over the long term. neither you nor the insurgents nor our partners in the region should doubt that. >> reporter: and as he took command, members of congress continued questioning the president's pledge to begin withdrawing american combat forces from afghanistan in july of next year. >> america has a vital national security interest on the line here in afghanistan. we've got to win it. and therefore you don't put that on a time line. >> reporter: meanwhile, comments by republican party chairman michael steele about afghanistan have republicans fuming. steele said afghanistan is president obama's war of choice and is not winnable. >> those statements are wildly inaccurate. and there's no excuse for them. i think that mr. steele is going to have to assess as to whether he can still lead the republican party. >> reporter: david kerley, abc news. in iraq, a scare for the security team protecting vice president biden. five mortars were fired into the protected area of baghdad. that's the area formerly known as the green zone. while the vice president was there, it does not appear he was in any danger, and there were no reports of any casualties there. the vice president is in iraq to meet with government leaders and american troops. he attended a citizenship ceremony for nearly 200 troops held at one of saddam hussein's former hunting lodges. troops, that is. biden stressed all of iraq's competing factions need to feel included in the new government regardless of leadership. the president and the first lady and members of the military, as well as their families, were at the white house for an independence day celebration. the obamas hosted their guests on the south lawn of the white house. they treated them to a barbecue, a concert, and some fireworks. the president thanked the men and women in uniform for their service. independence day was observed in a big way near the u.s. capitol and included a patriotic concert broadcast on pbs. the featured country star reba mcintyre and the national symphony orchestra. later thousands gathered along the national mall for a fireworks spectacular. many communities across the country have had to go without traditional fireworks displays or elaborate celebrations. as stephanie sy reports private money helped pay the bill for july fourth expenses. >> reporter: axed from the town budget, the annual fireworks show in conshohocken, pennsylvania, almost didn't happen this year. >> i hope the economy gets back to where it could be more supportive. i think the community will always rise to the occasion. >> reporter: for the second year in a row, $20,000 in donations from citizens and local businesses have kept a quarter century tradition from being snuffed out. >> fireworks! >> it's one of the biggest nights so i figured let's get together and see how we can keep this thing going. >> nice job. >> perfect. >> it's bringing us all together and people sitting around here tonight can say, i contributed to this tonight, i'm a part of this. that's what makes a good community. >> reporter: with budgets strained, cities big and small across the country have had to improvise to keep the fireworks from fizzling. in cedar grove, new jersey, the mayor and his son are footing the $7,000 bill themselves. a local pastor raised money to keep the bombs bursting in bowling green, kentucky. and corporate sponsors have stepped up to save shows from dallas to seattle. bp promised to fund the event in durango, colorado. long before the oil spill tarnished the company's name. clayton, north carolina, couldn't come up with the cash for pyrotechnics so focused instead on economical and perhaps more meaningful independence day traditions. >> you can't put a price on the american spirit. >> please raise your right hand and repeat after me- >> reporter: whether swearing in new citizens, or staring up at the sky, the fourth of july survives. stephanie sy, abc news, new york. at least one person was killed and dozens were injured at a fourth of july parade in iowa after some horses in the parade got scared. one horse somehow dislodged the bridle of another horse and they took off down the parade route with a wagon still attached. they hit some spectators and one of the victims, a 60-year-old woman, died. several others are in critical condition. testimony resumes this week in rod blagojevich's corruption trial in chicago, after shocking revelations from fbi wiretaps were made public in the former governor's case. on those recordings, prosecutors say blagojevich dropped plenty of names, including oprah winfrey's. chris bury reports. >> reporter: in his trial, a profane rod blagojevich is heard for the first time on wiretaps scheming with his aides, prosecutors say, to sell barack obama's senate seat. >> i've got this thing. and it's [ bleep ] golden. and i'm just not giving it up for [ bleep ] nothing. >> reporter: how to mine that gold. at first he wants the white house to give him a top job. in return for naming obama confidant valerie jarret. >> u.n. ambassador. i'd take that. >> reporter: he also suggests obama asks wealthy supporters to fund a nonprofit group that he would be paid to run. >> can't they get like warren buffett and some of those guys to put $10 million, $15 million in there right away? >> reporter: when he hears the obama team offers only appreciation, blagojevich goes ballistic. >> give this mother [ bleep ] his senator [ bleep ] for nothing? [ bleep ] him. >> reporter: his own feelings on obama veer from rage to jealousy. >> you've got this historic [ bleep ] demigod, he's a demigod, at least for now, follow me? >> reporter: blagojevich floats all kinds of names for obama's vacant seat. even oprah winfrey. >> she's so up there, so high, nobody can assail this pick. this would be huge. >> reporter: he still has an ace in the hole, appointing himself. >> i can always parachute -- use it to [ bleep ] parachute me there. >> reporter: his lawyers argue the tape shows nothing but blagojevich blowing smoke, that no money or jobs were ever exchanged. prosecutors insist they portray an active conspiracy to seek bribes, foiled only because blagojevich was arrested. chris bury, abc news, chicago. surf's up, way up in southern california this holiday weekend. there is a high surf advisory there at least through tomorrow. although inexperienced swimmers were told to stay out of the water, beaches have been packed. an incoming pacific storm system kicked up the surf so forecasters issued the advisory. >> so beautiful there in newport, isn't it? i'd like to be there now cooling off. >> wouldn't you rather be here with me? >> sure. here's a look at your weather. sunny, humid and very hot in the northeast. not quite record-breaking. heavy rain in the country's midsection from texas up through minnesota. thunderstorms in the southeast, along the gulf coast. mild conditions in the rockies and the west. >> omaha gets up to 81. that's below normal. many locations in the northeast will flirt with the 100 degree mark but not quite reach it. and seattle's high is just 70 today. cool out there. some of the spectators at an upstate new york high school graduation can be forgiven if they thought they were seeing double. >> 12 sets of twins yesterday received their diplomas from baker high school in baldwinsville near syracuse. that appears to be a record. the guinness book only has certified ten sets of twins at one graduation. >> the school just needs to register the event. no doubt the principal will follow through because that principal is also a twin. >> how about that. we'll be right back. n honking. a short time ago, this woman suffered from around his house. these people chose freedom over restrictions. independence over limitations. they chose mobility. they chosehe scooter store. and this is the team of mobility experts who made it all happen. ii great news, you've been approved for payment. dr. cruz, i'm calling on behalf ofmarie stanford. and they can make it happen for you. hi, i'm doug harrison, if you're living with limited mobility, call the scooter store today. i promise, no other company will work harder to make you mobile or do more to ensure your total satisfaction. i expected they'd help me file some paperwork with medicare and my insurance. i never expected them to be so nice or work so hard to get me a power chair at no cost to me. if we qualify you and medicare denies your claim for a w 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cooling centers today to keep people out of danger. >> i saw some moobs in there. this week's severe heat and humidity is something to take very seriously. >> forecasters are warning it could be the worst heat wave in decades. it could rival one that swept across america in 1980. from the "abc news vault" coverage from july 21st, 1980. >> a record-breaking heat wave continued across large sections of the nation today. but there were not as many areas where the mercury broke 100 degrees. the heat did reach as far north as new york city where the temperature hit 102. health officials and ambulance calls were up 40%. as far as new york is concerned no deaths have been blamed on the heat. in missouri, however, the death toll has been the highest in the nation. in kansas city the temperature has been over 100 degrees for the past 17 days. today there was some relief but not much. >> reporter: even though the record heat wave technically broke in missouri today, the heat continues. meteorologists may call today's high of around 90 degrees a "cooling trend." but for the poor and the elderly, those most affected by the high temperatures, it was still mighty hot. >> i just get pieces of paper, use a tablet or something, just fan me and the kids one after another, one after another. >> reporter: at the heat wave command post in kansas city the number of deaths attributed to heat continue to climb. they now total 115. more than any other city in the country. the national guard has been called in to deliver fans, bought mostly with federal money. in the past week, almost 4,000 have been distributed. unfortunately, getting fans is only part of the solution for the poor and the elderly. now they must face the problem of how to pay higher electric bills. >> i'll pay it. i'll pay it between me and the lady that lives here. i'm going to pay the electricity. >> reporter: this morning missouri governor joseph tisdale requested more federal assistance. >> the federal government ought to give missouri, which is the leading state in the country in deaths and suffering from the heat, the money for these elderly poor to pay for their cooling bills. >> reporter: missouri's so-called cooling trend may only be temporary. by the end of this week temperatures are once again expected to reach the 100 degree level. abc news, kansas city. >> it hit 101 degrees in dallas day. the 29th consecutive day it's been over 100 in that city. incidentally, for the first time in those 29 days there was a brief thundershower. but it wasn't enough to really cool things off or to break the drought. president carter went to dallas today to survey the damage from the heat wave, the last stop on a one-day political trip. sam donaldson has the report from the president's day. >> reporter: the temperature was pushing 100 as president carter drove through the small town of henderson, kentucky. even so, he chose to sit on the metal roof of his limousine, just as he has on many similar occasions, waving to the crowd. mr. carter was going to a $500 a plate luncheon. under a tent on a nearby farm. the proceeds to go to the democratic party, national and state. his host praised the president as a man who had undertaken such difficult tasks as balancing the budget. a subject no one else mentioned, no doubt because of today's news of expected high budget deficits. the president instead returned to an old campaign theme of his for the first time since eight american servicemen died in the iranian rescue mission. >> we are a party that believes in peace. and i thank god that during this term of mine, we've not had a single young american lose his life in combat and i pray god that when i go out of office in the white house we'll keep that record intact. >> reporter: the take here was pretty good. $200,000 despite the heat. the day was to get much better. more money, less heat. next stop, dallas, texas, where thunderstorms had lowered the temperature. nonetheless, mr. carter visited a nearby farm to personally inspect the effects of the prolonged heat. then he went to the first of two fund-raisers where he defended draft registration. >> we do not anticipate departing from a full volunteer military force. we are registering today just in case we are challenged in the future. but that's the best way to make sure that we will be strong. >> reporter: as mr. carter spoke about draft registration, one demonstrator opposed to it had to be removed. the president spoke on and later was scheduled to attend another fund-raiser for 125 people at $5,000 a couple. sam donaldson, abc news, dallas. >> a demonstrator hot under the collar, and a whole lot of people suffering from the heat back in 1980. again, that's going to happen this week in the northeast and other places too. in new york city where the brunt of it will sort of happen this week, 1953 is seen as sort of the hottest of them all. 90 degree temperatures for 12 consecutive days. >> it's so important to remember also your plants are affected and your animals are affected, everything's affected, so make sure you're giving everything the water it needs. >> stay inside. coming up your "skinny" and it's a good one. >> yeah, it is. >> guy with his shirt off. >> the hot soccer player. >> daddy. >> you ruined it. >> i rarely say this but i do believe this is the world's hottest man, and he has now had a baby. >> i had not. >> it ain't you. it is cristiano -- like i needed to tell anyone at home that -- cristiano ronaldo. take a look at him right there. i think we have one of him with his shirt off and you'll understand why i'm calling him that. he's the proud father of a baby boy and he announced all of this -- there he is, the new spokesperson for armani underwear. he was also recently on the cover of a magazine showing off those abs as well -- >> that ain't nothing. >> that's what you see in the mirror every day? >> that's right. >> sorry. he's the proud father of a baby boy. the way he announced this is actually kind of interesting. he did it all on twitter on saturday. people thought it was a fake. so that his agent had to actually come out and say, no, this is real. and he apparently is going to have exclusive guardianship. he said as agreed with the baby's mother, who prefers to have her identity kept confidential, my son will be under my exclusive guardianship. >> i think i read somewhere he does 3,000 sit-ups a day. >> i would imagine, to look like that, you have to. he's dated a lot of different women as well and he is just stunning. congratulations to him. i love you. >> all right. >> keep the picture up for jeremy's story. i'm just kidding. >> get rid of it, let's lose it. have you ever had one of those situations where you really, really have to go to the bathroom? >> yes. >> well -- >> up here before. >> perhaps that's what happened to dave chappelle. that might be the excuse for him forcing an emergency landing on this private jet. he was aboard this plane that was headed from jersey to ohio where he lives where it had to make an emergency landing after the pilot deemed dave chappelle a safety risk. supposedly chappelle kept going into the cockpit, kept unbuckling his belt, grabbing the arm of the pilot. the pilot set the plane down in pittsburgh because what he thought was a safety risk. afterwards chappelle's spokesperson said that he really had to use the bathroom after eating something bad, but the toilet on board didn't suit his needs. so i don't know what that means. >> wow. >> maybe he has specific toilet needs. >> i guess on a private jet you do have that kind of access to the pilot, you can grab the arm. >> i guess. i'm not sure. >> the details missing in that one. i'll tell you what she really, really wants. victoria beckham is who i'm talking about, bad joke. what she wants to do is to design range rovers and it appears she's gotten it. she's the new creative design consultant. take a listen. >> i'm incredibly excited to be collaborating with range rover. this is a dream come true for me. i just can't wait. >> i shouldn't have said consultant, she is actually the creative design executive. they say she'll be collaborating on future special edition range rover design projects starting with the special edition range rover. keep in mind she already designs a ton of stuff from dresses to jeans to eyeglasses. >> would you buy a range rover because it was designed by a posh- >> no, no interest. anyone? >> i don't think i would either. >> cricket. >> when it comes to healthy living, i don't normally take my advice from an admitted drug user and hard partier. but "rolling stone" wants you to because their new gig for ozzy osbourne is health columnist. he's going to write a health column essentially for "rolling stone" magazine. you can send in your own health questions and ozzy will answer it. >> at least if it's written you can understand it. ouch! ow! oops! it's neo to go!® ready. aim. protect. neosporin® gives you infection-protection, and pain relief. neo to go!® plus pain relief. every cut. every time. everywhere. to finish what you started today. for the aches and sleeplessness in between, there's new motrin pm. no other medicine, not even advil pm, is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. new motrin pm. here are some stories to watch today on abc news. beaches should be crowded in the northeast again as forecasters warn people from washington, d.c. up to boston about intense heat. many cities will open cooling centers as a precaution. the search for flood victims resumes today in romania. about one-third of the country got deluged after torrential downpours. some evacuees may return to their homes after being forced out over the weekend. as queen elizabeth and prince philip wrap up their trip to canada and travel to the u.s. tomorrow, they will stop at new york's ground zero. for the many americans waking up this morning in the summer heat, anything cold can be a treat. >> and many americans are now traveling to italy to learn the sweet cold art of gelato. nick watt has more from gelato university. >> when you squeeze -- >> reporter: if you build it, they will come. from california, maine, south korea, sudan. this is gelato university. >> you need to perfect scooping. >> then you open -- >> reporter: gelato is like ice cream but with less fat and they say more flavor. chocolate, kiwi fruit, tiramisu. pistachio. gelato masters claim it's the ultimate frozen dessert. >> sweet and you forget all the bad things. this is the reason why people like to make gelato. to make happy people. >> reporter: in italy there's a gelateria on practically every street corner. this is easy. why do people need to be taught to make this? >> the proportions of the ingredients must be very correct. >> 80% is the dextrose, the sugar. >> reporter: despite the math and the $70,000 you'll need for equipment to open a gelateria, enrollment is way up. they say a lot of their students here are in their 40s and looking for a new direction in their lives. i don't know, in a couple of years when my tv career goes belly-up, i can see myself becoming a gelato master. >> make it pretty then stick it in the batch freezer -- >> reporter: elizabeth mccleery from sacramento, california, gave up 20 years in advertising to chase her gelato dream. >> i wanted a change. and i'm hoping to do something that is going to benefit me in the future rather than working for somebody else. >> reporter: richard rosenberg from los angeles wants to quit his recession-hit sign-making business. >> can i ask how old you are? >> 74. >> 74, and you're going for a career change? >> why not? >> reporter: proving, never too late to graduate college a gelato major. nick watt, abc news, milan. >> not a bad degree to have. i will say for gelato, it seems you could have crazier flavors. basil and chili pepper gelato.