of terror. blamed on militants based in pakistan. these latest bombs have been describe as relatively crude and possibly the work of local militants. whoever's behind them, they've shown that india's largest city is still vulnerable. caroline hawley, bbc news. the president and congressional negotiators return to the debt negotiations table today after yesterday's meeting ended in confrontation. those in the meeting said that president obama announced enough is enough, we have to be willing to compromise, before walking out of the room. the moody's rating service is threatening to downgrade the nation's credit rating because of this crisis. >> both sides really locking horns. new light is being shed on the problem of american kids and obesity. and two harvard doctors are weighing in. >> what they're saying about overweight children has just about everybody taking sides on this. abc's lana zach explans the controversy. >> reporter: thanks, peggy and daniel. it's really a radical idea and it's intended to get people talking about childhood obesity. in "the journal of the american medical association," two highly respected experts in the field are weighing in with this provocative question. should extremely obese children be pull friday their parents' home in order to save them? in the last0 years, childhood obesity in america that is more than tripled. 2 million of these children are at risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and premature death. so could life-threatening obesity be considered child abuse? that's why these doctors are saying in some cases, like y yng children already weighing hundreds of pounds and consuming 1,1,0 extra calories a day, in those cases should we start talking about protective custody? but what would that even look like? the authors don't explore all the logistics. but we know that the foster care system has its own issues. and there's no reason to believe that a child in foster care is going to get the healthy diet that he or she needs. abc news heard from dozens of medical experts. the vast majority felt the idea was preposterous. deciding instead to dispense advice on controlling childhood obesity. one step you can take right now, cut out the soda. no child should be drinking those empty calories on a regular basis. and i have to tell you, this subject has really ignited a passion in people. all over our message boards, america has taken sides and is weighing in. many people angry at the very idea that a family can be ripped apart over food. still others urging personal responsibility and patterns to take more action. so what do you think? peggy, daniel? >> hm. well, i would say more education is needed for parents. because sometimes they don't know what foods they're giving them have certain calorie levels, whether it's healthy for them. sometimes the parents don't know. >> there's also an economic factor here too. sometimes food that's not so great for you is very, very cheap. >> sure. >> and the doctor behind this study really got the attention that he wanted here, which is to get everybody talking about this and get the spotlight on the issue. >> absolutely. all right, right now we are spotlighting your forecast. let's take a look at what's going to happen here on this thursday. heavy rain from tallahassee to columbia, south carolina. thunderstorms in houston, new orleans, and little rock. stormy from colorado to minnesota. and heavy rain around des moines and kansas city. downpours in the rockies. >> 83 in boise. 91 in colorado springs. 70s from fargo to the twin cities. and a comfortable 80 in chicago. 90s in new orleans, miami, and atlanta. 83 here in new york. i think the humidity's going to cut back just a little bit. >> yes, it's been humid here for sure. let's talk about this bittersweet story. this is a story of survival from southern california. >> yes, a duckling, barely 2 weeks old, got stuck in a storm drain near a busy freeway near san diego. an emergency animal rescuer was finally able to free the baby duck. that's the good news. >> here's the bad news. the mother duck who had been pacing around the drain with her other ducklings finally got spooked and flew away, leaving her babies behind. all the ducklings are in good shape. they were released in a lake. but still no likes to s s the mom take off like that. how do ducks and ducklings end up on the freeway? >> why did the duck and his ducklings cross the freeway this. >> or the goslings with the goose. >> at least the little guys are okay. >> yeah. >> we'll be right back with more "world news now." you go next if you had a 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 monene" 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. now to the bizarre tale of a kidnapping in a town outside atlanta, georgia. it's not a person who was kidnapped but a dog. more of a dognapping. >> now you've got everybody's attention. the dog's owner says her prized pooch was stolen and is being held for random now. police are digging for clues and wsb reports. >> right now i feel like my child is missing. and i don't know where they are. >> reporter: lakisha hollow man told us her 5-year-old boston terrier leb ra is part of herer family. >> he's like a brother to my kids. >> reporter: she told us her husband let libra out on here on this cul-de-sac early saturday morning. when he came back to check on the dog it was gone. >> for him to be anywhere past this vicinity is ludicrous. it's unheard of. he will come back to the e door. >> reporter: later that morning, hollow man says a stranger called -- >> saying, i have your dog but i don't have gas money to bring him back, i live by the airport. >> reporter: hollow man told me she could hear someone in the background telling the woman to demama more money. >> somebody informed her this is a dog that cost some money. this is not a mutt, this is a pure breed boston terrier. >> reporter: when hollow man demanded to meet the woman, negotiations ended. >> we're going to have to start getting tough on these idiots that think that they can steal somebody's dog to extort money out of them. >> we take all theft cases seriously. >> reporter: police tell me they've subpoenaed phone records to track down the anonymous caller. hollow man hopes they catch her. >> i would hope you bring back my dog safely and as soon as possible. >> reporter: roswell police told me if and when they find the dog and the woman who stole it, she will be facing theft and possibly extortion charges. >> good-looking dog. i feel confident that this thief did not think this through very carefully. >> seems like there might have been something poorly planned, perhaps. but actually i've heard of this where people say in the grocery store, if you bring your dog did with you which you should never do, you've got your number, address, they call and say the same thing, i've got your dog, i want the cash. most people think of their dogs as family members and they'll pony up. >> some of them can be very valuable, sentimentally and financially. coming up, one guy who really appreciates sunday funnies. >> indeed, he's taken the idea of a comic book to the next level. >> yeah. >> and you'll see what we mean. that's coming up next. >> one heck of a book. om nratocy got thesedll got to fwatoget omsi for many of us the sunday funnies were the highlight of any weekend. well, a new -- >> if you can lift it. >> -- coffee table book has details about the history of those comics. this is like the anti-comic. it weighs like 60 pounds. this book was written by artist brian walker. and our high tree barry mitchell sat down with him to talk about this book. >> dick tracy. probably not the first detective in the comics but certainly the most famous. started 1931 chester gull, kind of a response to the mob violence in chicago. >> comic strips have been part of our lives for over 100 years. and brian walker, cartoonist and historian, has compiled "the come comics." what dune was the first significant newspaper comic strip? >> that would be the yellow kid who first appeared in 1895. they used it to sell newspapers in the beginning. and it worked. and the rest is history. >> was there a golden age of comic strips? >> in my opinion, i think the '20s might have been the golden age. when there was a lot of interesting things going on in terms of story-telling in the comics. barney google, little orphan anmy, moon mullins. moon mullins was my grandfather's favorite strip. my grandfather used to read to this my father when he was a little boy. he would laugh so hard tears would come out of his eyes. that's what made my father want to be a cartoonist. >> your dad is mort walker. >> he's still drawing beetle bailey. i'm part of the creative team that produces both of those scripts. i write the gags but draw them, sort of story board sketches. >> what was it like growing up in a household with a cartoonist for a dad? >> i took it for granted. i thought this was normal. that fathers worked at home. john colin murphy who drew prince valiant was my godfather. dick brown who drew hagar the horrible performed my wedding ceremony. >> do comics get a bad rap? >> definitely. i don't think cartoons, comic strips, are the same as fine art. but i think that that's what books like mine are about. helping people learn to appreciate comics is something more than sort of a passing fancy. these are some of the mostt beautifully illustrated story adventure strips ever done, i think. rick kirby. alex raymond in the early years of the strip experimented with a lot of different techniques and alternating back and forth between very sort of delicate pen lines and very bold kind of brush strokes. >> one of the most important strips of the last, say, 20 years? >> there are three strips that came up in the 1980s. it was calvin and hobs by bill waterson, which in my mind is probably one of the best strips ever. there's another panel called the far side which some of you might remember by gary larsen. just consistently hilarious on a daily basis. the third cartoon is bloom county. which started as a doons bury imitation. >> is there an up and comer we should keep an eye out for? the cartoonist that all the other cartoonists are talking about is richard thompson who does a wonderful strip called cul-de-sac about a little girl who goes to a preschool. >> i read somewhere that people under age 40 no longer read a newspaper regularlyre what happens to comic strips? >> well, i think there's no question that newspapers are in a very challenging period right now financially. and they've lost a lot of their business to the internet. so the fate of newspaper comics is certainly tied to the fate of newspapers. and whether that's going to end up on an ipad or on a phone or, you know, in goggles that you wear around or something like that, who knows. but i think that there will always be comics, that -- because it's a form of expression, of beginning words and pictures together. and there are now very successful web comics. there's a lot of career paths. >> comic strips can survive without newspapers? >> i think so. yeah, definitely. ♪ barney google with googly eyes ♪ >> this is a trip down memory lane. almost an encyclopedia of comics. if you notice with this one there are actually no words. >> just them dancing. >> the images themselves can be so powerful. >> that's how wonderfully creative the drawing is, that you really can imagine it. that was a great comic strip. >> an unsung hero of the art world. coming up, who's reading for -- check that out. >> i think that's us. when i got my medicare card, i realized i needed an aarp... medicare supplement nsurance card, too. medicare is one of the great things about turning 65, but it doesn't cover everything. in fact, it only pays up to " 80% of your part b expenses. if you're already on or eligible for medicare, call now to find out how an aarp... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company, not paid by medicare part b. that can save you from paying .up to thousands of dollars... out of your own pocket. these are the only medicare supplement insurance plans... exclusively endorsed by aarp. when you call now, you'll get this free information kit... with all you need to enroll. put their trust in aarp p medicare supplement insuranc. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. the prices are competetive. i can keep my own doctor. and i don't need a referral o see a specialist. call now to get a free information kit. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. and the advantages don't end there. choose from a range of medicare r supplement plans... that are all competitively priced. we have a plan for almost everyone, so you can find one that fits r your needs and budget. with all medicare supplement plans, there are virtually p no claim forms to fill out. plus you can keep that accepts medicare. p your own doctor and hospital and best of all, these plans are... when they told me these plans were endorsed by aarp... i had only one thing to say... sign me up. and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan. you'll get this free information kit... as with all medicare supplement plans, you can keep your own doctor and hospital that accepts # medicare, call this toll-free number now. that's me until i see smoke. so pantene said, "breakage and split ends? 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"world news now" delivers your "morning papers." >> hot off the presses. we are starting our "morning papers" this morning with a pretty incredible story. a cheerleader who's tried out faux times and has not made the squad. here is perhaps part of the reason why. she's saying she's really excited for games, she's gow all the pep you might need. however, she was born without arms or legs. now her parents are saying that the school board has not been making compensations for her disabilities and they would like to see this be rectified. >> they've been talking to the aclu of nebraska. you know, and she says that she's got all the spirit and enthusiasm and vocal chords necessary to be a cheerleader. >> right. some people are saying, listen, you wouldn't maybe try out if you had a physical disability that would prevent you from performing the tasks. there's saying shears other ways she can contribute and she's definitely got the school spirit. >> let's move on to this story out of the uk, "the herral sun." evidently 10% of british pets have their own social network profile. >> does your dog have a facebook page? >> please write on our wnnfans page if you do. they're calling it petworking. martin zuckerberg's pet dog beast has more than 41 we can thousand fans. >> i don't doubt it. would you get a facebook page for your beagle? >> i feel his updates would be things like, i pooped. i ate. i'm running around. >> what if he wants to date, meet a shih tzu or something, how is he ever going to know? >> that's true. >> we need to take a moment to bid a fond farewell to torrance armstrong who is going to work with anderson cooper. torance has been our prompter. >> we would be useless without him. >> he sees what we're supposed to say and how we never manage to say that. torrance, you've done a wonderful job. to you as well. rob's coming back next week. >> that's right. >> i've had the best time. >> aww, pegster! >> you're going to be back-filling in from time to time. >> that's right. >> tomorrow will be your last day. i'm off tomorrow on a vacation day so today is our last day together. >> the end of the show. not totally the end, we'll be in touch. >> i'm half canadian, you're canadian, that's the way it works in canada. >> exactly. we've had a fantastic time. >> we've had a great time. i got you something, i almost forgot. >> oh my gosh. >> how soon can we open this? >> we can open it right now. allison said we could. >> really? >> yeah, if you want to pop that thing opop i would not object. >> gosh, do we have any glasses in a paper cup is fine with me. straw. a long straw. >> after staying u up all night long for how many days? >> this is like day number 34, i think. >> that's some time. (sound of computer alert tone) hey girl. heard you and your boyfriend split. hey, saw you changed your status to single. go to him... beg him to take you back. (sound of door slamming) i'm here for you. us girls have to stick together. when you post online it's like opening your front door to... well, everyone. if you need help call 1-800-448-3000 (tdd#1-800-448-1433) this morning on "world news now," presidential pushback. barack obama says the debt debate may "bring down my presidency." >> he abruptly walked out of a white house meeting. and the most tense day of negotiations yet. it's thursday, july 14th. >> from abc news,s,his is "world news now." >> good morning. i'm peggy bunker. >> i'm can yell sea berg in for rob nelson. during last night's debt discussions the president told republicans, compromise or else. of course, he's under great pressure now that the federal credit rating is on the line. should our rating be downgraded it could impact just about everyone's savings and the economy as a whole. he said something along the lines of, didn't try to call my bluff. >> yeah, how about that. also getting very upset. usually you sort of see president obama keep his cool. but under this situation here, not keeping his cool. i think it was the short-term ceiling lift that really sort of upset him. he's saying that's not going to work werngs need to resolve this now, not push it off to a later date. which does seem to make some sense. also ahead, a state budget problem could soon impact beer drinkers. now we got everyone's attention. the licenses to sell certain brands of beer in minnesota are expiring. and because state offices are closed, because of the government shut-down, you may have to find something else to chug. >> it's all somebody else's problem until they take away your beer. >> until they take away your beer. >> or your favorite beer brand. >> i saw the miller high life there, that could be in jeopardy. >> some folks definitely worried about that. later this half hour, your chance to see your face and favorite message in space. >> your face in space. >> see why geeks like me are down right psyched about a special cell phone that's about to launch aboard a special balloon. >> see, when you own your geekdom ititakes it cool. >> exactly. when you can prove your geekekm by showing to it your friends. >> i would like to see my face in space. i might do this. i might get on board with this whole thing. >> not quite the international space station but still technically in space. it did get pretty testy between the president and republicans. sources tell abc news tempers began rising after a top republican suggested the two sides were too far apart to come to a deal and then proposed a short-term fix to raise the debt ceiling just until next year. >> that's when the president warned, don't call my bluff, and brought the meeting to a close. and there's a new warning about the nation's financial health. abc's john hendren has the latest now. good morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, daniel and peggy. those debt talks continue by the day. but now there is a new and urgent incentive to come to a deal. the nation has been put on warning. moody's credit rating service warned that if the united states fails to make substantial progress on raising the nation's credit limit by mid-july it would downgrade the country's debt. even if the debt ceiling is raised it would downgrade the nation's credit unless the deal puts future borrowing and spending on a more sustainable at after an impasse in debt negotiations seemed to grow worse. >> if these debt negotiations have convinced of us anything, it's that we can't leave it to politicians in washington to make the difficult decisions they need to get our fiscal house in order. >> reporter: an ironic statement from a politician in washington. fed chairman ben bernanke warned that failing to raise the debt ceiling before the government runs out of money on august 2nd would be disastrous. >> a huge financial calamity which in turn would affect everybody. >> reporter: financial analysts are already advising americans to protect their investments. >> not a better time than now to make sure that you are not overexposed to any one particular area that might get hit. >> reporter: still, in washington, some deny a debt crisis even exists. i know i'm raising the debt ceiling right now. >> reporter: michele bachmann and others back a new bill that would prioritize spending in case a deal is not reached. then paying principal and interest on the debt. they don't say what would not get paid. daniel and peggy? >> this is so interesting to bring it to layperson terms. it would be like not paying your credit card bill on time and your credit rating suffers because you're not keeping up with your debts. august 2nd is the big date that's looming. perhaps a temporary fix is not going to do the job to delay the payment. >> the president a amant he is not going to extend that august 2nd date. we'll have to see who gives here because there's got to be a compromise. world leaders are condemning a deadly terror attack in mumbai that killed at least 17 people and injured dozens more. three coordinated bombs tore through the city's busy financial district during the evening rush. so far there's been no claim of responsibility. indian officials blame the attack on terrorists with links to pakistan. the british phone-hacking scandal has spread to the u.s. capitol hill lawmakers demand an investigation into whether reporters from rupert murdock's papers tried to get phone numbers of 9/11 victims. as lama hasan reports, the scandal forced murdock to back off of his expansion plans. >> reporter: in a stunning reversal of fortune, rupert murdock has withdrawn his $12 billion bid to fully own skyb. >> what has happened to this company is disgraceful. it's got to be addressed at every level. they should stop thinking about mergers where they've got to sort out the mess they created. >> reporter: this comes as the media mogul faces a firestorm over the phone hacking and bribery practices involving police officers that allegedly took place at one of his tabloid papers in the uk, "news of the world." as more and more explosive revelations became clear, forcing murdock to shut down what was once an institution and thee biggest sunday tabloid. >> and there is a firestorm, if you like, that is engulfing rts of the media, parts of the police, and indeed our political system's ability to respond. >> reporter: an immediate criminal investigation has been launched. so far, eight people have been arrested, including prime minister david cameron's former communications director andy colson, a former editor of "news of the world." but so far, no one has been charged. there's also an independent public inquiry the government has ordered into the phone-hacking scandal. and will have the power to summon and question newspaper proprietors. so have we seen the full extent of the damage? or is there more to come? there are already rumors rupert murdock is thinking about selling all his uk newspapers. the fallout is far from over. lama hasan, abc news, london. >> and this continues to unravel. obviously lots more going on here. in fact, parliamentary committee is demanding rupert murdock, his son james, and rebecca brooks, once headed "news of the world," they expect them to testify next tuesday and they may respond later today to those charges. >> if you can imagine if this extended here to the u.s. lots of people here in new york read "the post," which is murdock owned as well. this is a big disappointment to him to have this deal fall through with skyky television, course. definitely affecting his business. washington state authorities are outraged over a legal loophole that is allowing an admitted child molest tore watch child porn while he's in jail. wiwi done gilbert is acting as his other than attorney in the case. that means he's entitled to review the evidence. that evidence includes more than 100 videos seized from his own home showing gilbert's acts of abuse. victims are being victimized all over again. now to a phone bill scam that's bilking millions of americans every month. they're unknowingly dishing out money for bogus fees tacked onto their bills. some of the biggest phone companies are not only letting it happen but getting a cut themselves. here's abc's linsey davis. >> reporter: as larry vito's phone bill grew, who did his suspicions. little did he know he was also paying $14.95 for something called voice mail monthly fee. and another $8.23 for something called my billing service monthly fee. both charges were fraudulent. >> how could this happen? how could somebody start charging my account us i guess similar to charging my credit card, without my knowledge? >> reporter: in a hearing on capitol hill, we learned larry is one of as many as 20 million consumers who fall victim each year to a fraud called cramming. false charges tacked on to your bone bill costing consumers $2 billion each year. fraudsters fool your phone company into thinking that you used a special phone service. whether it's an 800 number or, say, a deluxe voice mail. and that you owe a small fee. your phone c cpany adds the charge to your bill. so here's what you should do. look at your bill for $15 charges or less. a red flag might be something like other providers, miscellaneous charges. next, call your phone company. ask for an explanation for the charges. if it's not something you signed up for, demand the charges be dropped. then tell them you want to opt out of all third-party services. the good news? put an end to these fraudulent charges is just a phone call away. linsey davis, abc news, new york. beer drinkers in minnesota could soon be without their favorite suds because of the state government shut-down. the license to sell beer held by brewing giant miller corp has expired. the employees who process those were laid off in the shut-down. 39 brand of brew will disappear soon from the liquor store. >> they're going to have to remove that product. without that brand l lel registration, they can't operate in the state. >> it's a big portion, obviously. you know. people are barbecuing. they want to have their beer. it's not good. >> that's right, it's not. miller corp says it does hope to resolve the issue through discussion. if not, the company will have to take legal action. you know what goes down nicely on a hot day. perhaps a beer. here's your thursday forecast. severe storms with a chance of tornados from denver to western minnesota. showers and thunderstorms around the twin cities, des moines and kansas city. some much-needed rain from florida up to south carolina. and again in the desert southwest. >> we're looking at 100 degrees in phoenix, albuquerque at 90, seattle coming in at 67. 80s from omaha to detroit. and still hot in the south, 101 in dallas. 96 in atlanta. 83 degrees in new york. and 77 in boston. did you see the end of this game today? >> i only saw the end of it and it was so exciting. >> you tuned in the a the right time. >> very exciting game. >> a couple of dramatic goals at the end there. what else could we say about the u.s. women's soccer team other than they did it again. they're in the world cup final for the first time since the dream team of mia hamm, brandi chastain and company back in 1999. >> once again it was abby wambach who is heading off to the corner to kick a break with the 1-1 tie with france. then alex morgan sealed the win with an insurance goal, you could call it. now they're up against japan. >> final score 3-1 as peggy mentioned, the finals against japan taking place on sunday. >> and the u.s. women's team has never lost to japan. >> exactly. we wish them luck. we'll be right back. [ female announcer ] love the look of freshly colored hair? now you don't have to wait 6 weeks to get it. introducing natural instincts with our first color refresher. get healthy looking, ammonia-free color, then let the n n refresher boost your healthy look 2 weeks in. it helps restore color pigments, so you can get a freshly colored look once again. natural instincts. it's all good. now get all the healthy looking color of natural instincts in our new vibrant shades. for 18 years jaycee dugard was held in a backyard prison by a sex offender. in 18 years authorities failed to investigate that yard. >> the heartbreaking question is why police didn't search there. it's been asked over and over again. abc's chris cuomo went searching for that answer. >> do you think anybody can see me? >> no. >> reporter: this is video of philip and nancy garrido at work, secretly taping children. >> there's two girls going to come out of that sliding door. >> on what side of me? >> reporter: during 11 years of feferal supervision, authorities remained oblivious to garrido's preying on young women. and of course the incredible fact that jaycee dugard and her two daughters were in garrido's backyard. according to documents obtained by "the sacramento bee" just nine days after garrido abducted jaycee a parole officer met with the felon. i inspected residence, nothing out of the ordinary. according to a confidential federal report, mental health experts also missed what should have been obvious. after a 1997 evaluation, his psychiatrist stated his prognosis is excellent. i do not suspect he will ever be at risk for violence. >> okay, in this room here? >> reporter: and poor supervision extended to state parole officers as well who visited garrido's home 60 times without finding jaycee and her daughters. >> he's an arrogant little guy, isn't he? >> reporter: we tracked down one of the officials responsible for cutting garrido's federal probation short. >> we just want to ask you a question. >> reporter: there was little interest in coming clean. one example may crystallize all the mistakes. garrido often explained away reports of sightings of the children by saying they were his brother's children. but one phone call, hello, brotherf crazy philip garrido, do you have kids? no? thank you very much, have a good day. hang up the phone, go, arrest philip garrido, find oututhere the kids are. >> right. it was very easy to dispel this story that he was telling. we called his brother and spoke to his brother and the brother didn't have any children. >> i'm doing everything i'm supposed to do. >> reporter: children's advocates say the failures of the garrido case are a wake-up call for officials to do a much better job keeping track of dangerous predators living among us. >> they need to be watched. they need to be supervised. we need to know who they are, where they are, what they're doing. >> reporter: this is good news. this is a letter from the chairman of the house judiciary committee, lamarr smith, republican out of texas. he said that he's going to ferret us through the bureaucracy, he's going to take the question that we asked at abc news, he's going to get them to the right people at the probation tent, and he's also demanding to know what policies are in place to make sure there is never another garrido. chris cuomo, abc news, new york. >> something else too that is interesting when you look at that backyard, apparently there's sort of a backyard and then a secret area backyard which is why many people say he eluded the police so many times. 60 visits as youust heard. >> totally hidden. jaycee dugard has started the jayc foundation. >> thank goodness those two women did juststthat. coming up, the uproar over a major road construction project. >> why a bride, groom, and millions of others are scrambling for the biggest detour of its kind coming up this weekend. you're watching "world news now." i found out about the fedel studenaid ogram through my english teacher. my goal is to finish college and get my degree in journalism. myame is jared,and this is my s. ♪ hey baby i think i want to marry you ♪ >> you don't havee to live in ls angeles to know about the fabled 405 freeway. it is one of the world's busiest highways. although it's not usually moving. >> no, that was an unusual sight with the cars moving. a big construction project there could interfere with a couple's wedding this weekend. the bridegroom and others who rely on the 405 are scrambling. here's abc's abbie boudreau. >> reporter: only in l.a. would a road closure have people talking about the endd of the world. >> car-mageddo in the meantime. the 5 will be closed between the 10 and the 101. >> reporter: they're calling it car-mageddon, asphalt apocalypse. >> stay the hell away from the 405. >> reporter: this is the most congested highway for drivers in the country. onon typical weekend, 500,000 cars pack this road. but this weekend, for 53 straight hours, a 10-mile stretch of it will be closed. >> it's one of f e most special moments in our lives. >> reporter: dahlia franco and moshe schmul didn't know about car-mageddon when they began planning their wedding a year ago. under normal circumstances the trip to their bel air ceremony would take only 20 minutes. but this weekend, a detour through crowded local streets, they're leaving three hours ahead of time to make sure they'll get there. >> i found out how much of the 405 was going to be closed. and then we started freaking out. >> reporter: just to make sure people don't try to drive, police ask stars with giant twitter accounts to help get the word out. owneric estrada came out of retirement. >> so plan ahead. avoid the area. or just stay home. >> reporter: but dahlia and moshe e n't stay home. >> all i can do is cross my fingers and hope that everything's going to be okay. >> reporter: hoping for the best, just like everyone else in los angeles. abbie boudreau, abc news, marina del ray, california. >> they could always fly. >> they could fly. there was that cover from jet blue. they offered a $4 fare from long beach to burbank for four bucks. >> plus fees and parking, of course. these greasy dishes. we're facing some toug opposition today. i'm gonna need my biggest player. a change in the lineup? that little squirt? 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[ sponge ] so it's not a chore. hó ♪ up up and away ♪ up up and away my beautiful balloon ♪ >> wasn't that done by you? >> what are you trying to say, daniel? that song is from your ipod, right? finally, the number of text messages sent every day is out of this world. and now so isis one of f e plac where you can actually send a text message. >> that's right. a giant electronicsmaker and a small aerospace company are teaming up to put your face or our faces in space. >> your face in space! >> del shorenack explains. >> reporter: samsung wants to send their new galaxy smartphone to the edge of space and they want you to send it a text. a simple greet organize a me message of hope. then watch those messages and your face flash on the screen while the cell phone floats high above the earth. this video is from a test flight. space balloon will be launched over northern nevada by a small aerospace company from the sacramento area. >> we're told that it could be millions of people watching. if you count everybody on the internet. >> reporter: the volunteer engineers at jp aerospace had to figure out how to receive all of those messages on a remote lakebed in nevada. beam the messages up a smartphone at the edge of space. and broadcast t t video live over the internet. >> everything has to work just right. >> reporter: two years ago, jp aerospace floated a chair at the edge of space for a tv commercialal the video became an internet sensation. >> edge of space has become our playground. if you want to go 31 and play, and do something, they've been calling us. >> reporter: space balloon will launch on three consecutive days. each flight lasting only a couple of hours. but the smartphone will have to survive 60 degrees below zero. >> because if the phone dies, it dies in front of millions of people live. >> reporter: the balloon will burst at 100,000 feet and parachute back to earth. but a lotot of people can say ty sent a message to the edge of space. you can find out how at space-balloon.net. >> that was detail shorenak of sacramento's kxtv reporting. >> you're saying the balloon bursts because of the pressure once it gets high enough? >> exactly. clearly this is a gimmicking sales thing from samsung to get people to notice the new galaxy tab smartphone. >> you said it. >> and this sponsored by --t? >> i'd just like to personally up there. >> you'd probably do it. go up there in a balloon. my decision to graduateearly car . i needed a way to takecare of my going to college, i knew that i could fther my my guidance coselor told me about the federal student aid program, and i don't ha to continue to look for a wayto go to school. my name is jennifer,and this is. this morning on "world news now," shocking murder. an 8-year-old boy who got lost on his w w home from day camp is the victim of an unspeakable crime. >> his dismembered body discovered in a new york neighborhood that's one of the safest in the city. it's thursday, july 14th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning. i'm peggy bunker. >> i'm daniel sieberg in for rob nelson. the scenario is nightmarish especially for any parent out there. investigators say a boy asked a man for directions after losing his way and that man has confessed to theheilling. boat the victim and the suspect are part of a very tight-knit orthodox jewish community which came together along with others as well. people of all different faiths coming together for the burial that happened last night. >> here in new york where this happened, everybody's been watching ever since he was missing. because we have the surveillance video of him walking along the street and you feel very hopeful that he'll be found. so it was really heart-breaking to hear the end of the story. awful. also ahead, a judge has puninied a 12-year-old seattle girl accused of cyber bullying. she apologized to her victim in court after a case that might open many parents' eyes. >> you would have to hope so. >> you would think they would after hearing the details of this. with so many kids these days, they're on facebook, twitter, there's many different ways of cyber bullying. it's not sort of like the guy on the playground at recess anymore. >> no, it follows you wherever you go. very tough for some kids to handle. later this half hour, it's our favorite story of the day. with another victory and a winning attitude, the team usa women's soccer team is headed for the finals. more dramatic heroics at the end. not at the last second like before and they won this one in a little more convincing fashioio although some would say france had a decent shot at winning this game. usa came away with it. >> it started with brazil, when they beat brazil. which they didn't think was going to happen. now they're doing so well. next up, japan. can't wait to see how that goes. we do begin with that horrific murder of an innocent little boy right here in new york. just hours after his dismembered remains were found the 8-year-old was buried last night in accordance with orthodox jewish tradition. >> police are questioning the suspect who crossed paths with the boy after he got lost. here's wabc's jeff begays. >> reporter: as investigators pressed the suspect for answers, a law enforcement source characterizes levi aron's demeanor through it all as cold and showing a lack of emotion. despite being arrested and now charged with the gruesome murder of 8-year-old leibby kletzky. right now, investigators are building their case against him. dressed head to toe in hazardous material suits. among the items removed from the home, a section of a refrigerator, perhaps one of the most important pieces of evidence. police say aron led them to what was inside. >> when detectives asked where the boy was, aron nodded toward the kitchen where detectives observed blood on the freezer handle of the refrigerator. ininde the refrigerator was a cutting board with three carving knives with blood on them. some of the remains were in the freezer. >> reporter: police also found body parts in a suitcase that was pulled from a dumpster. it is a nightmare ending to a 36-hour search for the missing little boy. >> if anyone saw a boy -- >> reporter: the search began monday in this jewish orthodox community. leibby was caught on camer setting out to meet his mother. he'd set out alone after day camp. police say he got lost and asked levi aron for help. investigators say he ended up in aron's car and eventually in his home. police say the suspect has confessed to the brutal crime. but that hasn't stopped their investigation. they're looking into whether he could be tied to other missing persons cases. jeff begays, abc news, new york. >> terrible story. a north texas mom is in trouble after leading police on a high-speed chase with her two kids in the car. investigators say that the car hit speeds of more than 100 miles an hour. the pursuit sped through three counties before her car was disabled. they say that the mother took the children from their legal guardian without permission. the little girls, age 3 and 5, were not hurt. to washington now where the debt talks have turned tense to say the least. president obama, frustrated with the lack of progress, said there would be no short-term extensions. according to those in the meeting, he said, "this may bring my presidency down but i will not yield on this." the president then walked out. now moody's is threatening to downgrade the u.s. financial rating. as jim avila reports it could impact your savings. >> reporter: paul rollins and jan moran, retired in asheville, north carolina, living off their 401(k) fund. and now concerned that it could take a second massive hit in four years. >> if we got hit the same way we did before, we would lose our house and we would be looking for a rental apartment in very short order. >> reporter: like most families paul and jan's 401(k) and i.r.a. accounts are their biggest investment after their home. 60 million americans have a 401(k) type plan. $4.7 trillion worth, or about $74,000 per account. and with the threat from moody's to review america's credit rating, when should paul and jan and other small middle-class investors start to worry? abc news asked a dozen prominent financial analysts and all said, watch your portfolio carefully. but it's too early to make any move. >> not a better time than now to make sure that you are not overexposed to any one particular area that might get hit. >> reporter: but if there's no agreement as the august 2nd crunch time approaches, what triggers should you look for as a warning? the pros are watching the ten-year treasury yield. the price of government debt. you can find it on any financial website. >> if that starts edging up and going sharply higher in the next couple of weeks, that's a signal that perhaps the confidence that this budget crisis can be averted isn't really that strong. and then you have to worry. >> reporter: and if a deal is not reached, how do you protect your 401(k)? most of the experts advise not to make any sudden changes, but if you must, move away from stocks and towards cash funds within your 401(k). >> pulling everything out and figuratively putting it in the mattress would certainly be a protection. there's plenty of people that have been buying precious metals, particularly gold. >> reporter: moody's threat to review america's credit rating is a warning. there is time to fix it. jim avila, abc news, new york. >> it's pretty incredible as this continues to progress that we're still having trouble finding common ground. a lot of people are watching very closely who is siding on cutting taxes or perhaps cutting some of the deficit issues. >> you don't like to think that both parties are playing a game of high-stakes chicken with the economy. but that's kind of what it feels like. >> seems to be the case, doesn't it. police in india say they are investigating every hostile group to find out who is behind last night's terrorist massacre in mumbai. three coordinated explosions ripped through the city's financial district during rush hour. eyewitnesses describe seeing people covered in blood, frantically seeking shelter. at least 17 people are dead and dozens more are injured. a mother's been arrested at the nashville airport for refusing to allow her daughter to go through a full-body scan. police say the woman was verbally abusive and was charged with disorderly conduct. on capitol hill lawmakers were demanding answers from the tsa about airport security lapses. t.j. winick is following those developments. good morning, t.j. >> reporter: good morning, peggy and daniel. the tsa is of course defending itself, insisting the term security breach is widely defined. but there is no denying an apparent security gap in america's readiness against a possible terror attack. those responsible for keeping the skies safe for air travel are on the hot seat after a government report t vealed 25,000 s surititbreaches in american airports in the ten years since 9/11. it seems for every breach, like the stun gun recently found on a jet blue flight from boston to newark, there's a video of a child or the elderly being subjected to intrusive screening. >> the challenges that we have as a nation is how do we become more secure yet less invasive? as a nation is how do we become more secure yet less invasive? >> reporter: testifying before a house subcommittee the director of aviation at charlotte's airport sounded like he wanted to give the tsa the boot. >> congress should continue its support of allowing airports to opt out of using tsa and ensure that the bureaucracy does not throw up arbitrary roadblocks to discourage us from pursuing this alternative. >> reporter: then there's the question of the $1 billion homeland security is spending on a program that has yet to catch a terrorist in seven years. the spot program trains security officers to look for microexpressions of travelers that may be planning a terrorist attack. >> observing behavior is one of the basic tools that can be used at the airport. but obviously it is only one single tool in a much wider and more complex strategy. >> reporter: in a statement to abc news, the tsa said that the 25,000 security breaches represent just a tiny fraction of 1% of the billions of airline passengers screened since 9/11. peggy and daniel? >> and everybody's got to go through airport security. >> everyone, no exceptions. >> including the former secretary of defense, donald rumsfeld. >> take a look at this. tmz captured these photos of him getting the pat down here. you'll see he was at chicago's o'hare airport yesterday. tmz caught these photos as rumsfeld was cooperative. they say he even smiled at some of the agents there. >> they work hard, those tsa guys and women. sometimes a smile goes a long way. a lot of folks traveling might be wondering about the weather. here is a look at your national forecast. hail and high winds from the colorado rockies to western minnesota. showers and thunderstorms from minneapolis to kansas city. a wet day from the gulf coast to the carolinas with the heaviest downpours in the southeast. monsoon rains in the four corners region. >> i stop smiling when they take my lotion or my water bottle. >> they're not all perfect, let's be honest. >> then it's no fun and games. a wet 67 in seattle. 78 in sacramento. 88 in n lt lake city. 80s from kansas city to indianapolis. and miami climbs up to 90. baltimore at 85. as a mom of twins, which you are, you have a keen understanding of what constitutes double trouble. >> i do, that's for sure. >> male and female variety. the true epitome of double trouble has to be this. this two-headed albino garter snake. >> how about that. >> the only one of its kind in the world. >> isn't this incredible? i don't know why i can look at this, it's not creeping me out that much. this is on display at the zoo in the ukraine. it's a chore for zookeepers because the two heads think, react, and eat separately. not just an albino snake but a two-headed albino snake. >> the two heads sometimes compete with each other for food so handlers have to put a barrier between the heads at feeding time. that's a little strange. >> this is a little odd. now i am starting to getet bit creeped out. i'm sure we've got more video here. take a look at this one e re time. we'll be right back with more "world news now." 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[ baby giggles ] [ male announcer ] we use our mouths in so many ways to open up to the world. after all, life opens up when you do. crest and oral-b. tell us your story at lifeopensupproject.com. totouote a line from a popular movie "the social network," the internet is not written in pencil, it's written in ink. a seattle teen is learning that the hard way. >> exactly. she's accused of cyber bullying a classmate. now she's facing the consequences. komo's john flick has more. >> she now knows that she got in trouble and now she'll learn from her mistake. >> reporter: 12-year-old leslie cody, a victim of cyber bullying, reacts to the court hearing where she listened to an apology from the girl charged with hacking her facebook account. >> i feel really bad because i know how it feels to be bullied. and it's not a good feeling. and she didn't deserve to be treated like that at all. >> reporter: the 12-year-old, a classmate of leslie's, admitted to hacking her account. she's accused of defacing photos, posting sexually explicit messages, and sending e-mails to boys inviting them over to leslie's home for sex. >> if i could go back i would change everything and i wouldn't -- i wouldn't even go on to her facebook or even thought about it. >> reporter: the judge ordered her to six months' supervised probation, 20 hours of community service, and she can only get on the computer if an adult is present. leslie appreciated the girl's apology. >> yeah, it meant a lot to me. if you get bullied, tell someone u really trust. >> reporter: her mom is glad there are consequences for bullying and h hes what happened here sends a message. >> honestly, you need to tell somebody. it needs to stop somewhere. >> reporter: another girl, an 11-year-old, was also involved in hacking leslie's facebook account. she's also been ordered to do community service. >> at least she seemed somewhat remorseful about the acts that she did online. >> it's good to see the remorse. although we were just talking. used to be somebody could harass you on the playground or something, it was a very temporary window of time. now with the internet they can get on facebook after school, it doesn't really end. >> if you are a victim of cyber bullying, a lot experts would say, don't bully back, talk to somebody about it. >> good idea. coming up, one of the highest-profile hollywood couples makes a big decision about their future. >> supposedly. >> who could it be? supposedly, that's right. >> also some of your favorite characters from the tv show "glee" are leaving the show. get "the skinny" on that coming up next. it's time now for "the skinny." have you ever heard of these two actors, brad pitt and angelina jolie? ever seen them in a movov before? >> i understand. i think i remember him from "thelma and louise." vaguely. >> evidently they've been together for six years, and according to "us weekly," it's their cover story, they're saying brangelina will be getting married. >> well, if it's in "us weekly." >> then it has to be true. just like being on the internet. so this could happen in france. they're saying it would not be a huge, lavish, royal-type wedding. it would be more intimate. if it's happening. >> and they're saying it's because the kids want it. right? >> right, for the kids. >> although angelina, i've seen here in interviews saying basically these tabloids go through the cycle where they're getting married, then they're getting divorced, then they're adopting another baby, then they're expecting a baby, then they're getting married, then they're getting divorced, it's just a cycle. >> right. >> so we'll see if it happens. if it did you'll have had the scoop, daniel. something like that. i'm sure the paparazzi are preparing already. >> for those who are not, m mt of them are watching "glee." a lot of fans of the show "glee," of course. the co-creator ryan murphy says some of the "glee" stars will be graduating from their said high school at the end of the next season, they will not be back. >> i have not seen a single episode of "glee" so you're on your own. >> i have not. i'm also trying to get into the show. lots of people around here really love it. lea michele, cory monteith and chris colfer say they will not be back for the first season of this musical hit show. season o this musical hit shoou season o this musical hit shor season of this musical hit shot season of this musical hit shoh season of this musical hit show. in this exclusive interview they had with "the hollywood reporter" they say their characters are going to graduate. that's what happens. you go to high school, you do your thing, you sing some songs and the you're out. >> tv staying true to life, so strange. i'm a geek, not a gleek. let's be honest. all right. >> clear that up. >> anothererollywood couple getting together evidently. ryan reynolds and charlize theron. are a hot item. this again according to "us magazine." we know ryan reynolds recently divorced from scarlett johansson. charlize theron had a boyfriend or marriage to stewart townsend. i'm not sure -- >> never got married. they were together forever but never got married. >> we'll see how long they last. >> yes. well, he's dated -- >> he's a serial dater. >> he definitely has had a lot of attractive ladies. >> yes. >> all right. remember we talked about this story yesterday where mila kunis is going to go to this marine -- with the marine date to the court ball. that's right. justin timberlake has been invited to do the very same thing with another marine. in fact, we have the invitation right now. let's take a listen. >> so justin, you want to call up my girl mila? i'm going to call you out and ask you to come to the marine corps ball with me on november 12th in washington, d.c. if you can't go all i have to say is cry me a river. >> sounds like she's being kind of harsh but i think she's referring to the j.t. song. we'll have to wait until november 12th, this is when the ball takeseslace in d.c. we've not heard word yet from j.t.'s reps if he's going to accept that invitation or not. >> how many other marines are going to try -- more power to them. >> i think they should go. j.t., go on the date. here some are stories to watch today on abc news. the president meets again this afternoon with congressional leaders to find ways to solve the nation's debt crisis. the president walked out of last night's meeting in anger. former first lady betty ford will be buried today. the private service will be at the gerald ford museum in michigan. and a new report just releas shows the number of homes repossessed by banks fell 30% during the first six months of this year. and here we go. stretching out the favorite story arm. >> stretch my legs too. >> oh, boy. you're going to stand up. >> sorry, guys in the control room. >> we're talking about everybody taking a stretch because this is our favorite story of the day. we're talking about america's darlings, the u.s. women's soccer team. it's now one win away from the world cup title. >> to get there they first had to go through france. >> oui. >> espn's bob holtzman has the highlights. >> reporter: for the second straight match abby wambach had things right where she wanted them. the game on the line and the ball in the air. >> it's almost as if time stops. it's almost as if you're just trying to read the trajectory of the ball, you're trying to lose your defender. there's s is a lot of things going on at once. it's just about heart and courage, going up and getting it. >> she's based in the air and she gets everyththg. i've never seen anybody go after a ball and get them the way that she does. >> reporter: wambach's head has now helped the americans beat brazil in the quarterfinals and france in the semis. but it's her heart and passion that just might carry this team totohe world cup. >> i think she's become more of a leader here but she's always had that in her. she's always had that will and drive to win and to be successful. and i think, you know, it shows. >> i think that she is coming up massive on the biggest stage. and that's huge for her confidence. it's also huge for our confidence and our team going forward. >> reporter: after the match, wambach didn't have ice on her achilles tendon for the first time in a while. instead it was goalkeeper hope solo wear an ice pack. solo told me she aggravated her hamstring in the match against brazil and it started giving her problems while warming up for this game. the final isn't until sunday and solo said she expects it will feel better by then. in munchen, germany, bob holtzman, espn. >> maybe hope solo will drop by this show at some point. >> wouldn't that be cool. i'd like that. >> yeah. >> they've never lost to japan. >> true. >> it would be great to see. this is going to take place in frankfurt. i call it frankfurter, you call it frankenfurter. >> noon on espn, also owned by the walt disney company in addition to abc news. >> if they do win this would be the first time -- that's my brandi chastaiaipose. remember she did this, then she got the endorsement from the sports bra company. >> she said it was all just in the moment. >> how could she not be so excited? i love the face on abby whenever she gets one of those balls. >> what are you going to do if they win on sunday? 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