in a multibillion-dollar tv takeover bid. >> while he refuses to come clean on his and the chancellor's meetings with rupert murdoch, the shadow of sleaze will hang over this government. >> reporter: for all his feistiness, murdoch does acknowledge his london papers broke the law, and as much as he clearly doesn't like answering questions, he conceded the public inquiry into media ethics that is under way is necessary. jeffrey kofman, abc news, london. we've had some dangerous problems with birds at airports here in new york lately. now there was a problem with birdie. there she is. as a worker at laguardia tries to coax her off the runway. birdie had gotten loose before her flight to memphis. she ran around for about ten minutes. her owner eventually got her under control, and they put her back on the plane. a couple of departing flights were delayed. birdie did not want to get on that plane. >> at least like other birdies, the dog didn't end up in the right engine. could be worse, fido.

>> no birdie strike. >> exactly. here's a look at your weather on this thursday morning. rainy out west from montana down to arizona. showers around seattle, san francisco and l.a. also some severe storms from kansas to amarillo. record heat in south texas. showers from little rock to raleigh and from d.c. up to bean town. >> 67 in new york. near 80 in atlanta. 88 in dallas. omaha, 73. indianapolis, 66. detroit, 61. 77 in colorado springs. and 67 in sacramento. we've done plenty of animal stories here on "world news now." much to your chagrin, i know, rob. >> so many. >> but probably none quite like this. it features some special models. >> check them out here. yes, those are ducks trained to stroll the runway at the big agriculture show. it's an annual event in sydney, australia. five ducks worked it out there showing off 90 different outfits. that's a busy runway. look at them. >> that's great. and when the fashion show was over, they just had to have a duck race, of course. i don't know how you run in those dresses.

but the trainer has been putting on the show for over 20 years. >> they are really dolled up. i'm impressed by that. that's yeah -- >> do you think it drives them crazy? do you think they are going, ooh get this off me or, oh, i look great. i look fine. >> we can read animals brains. >> like these weirdoes putting stuff on me again. >> let me get back to my pond, please. we'll be right back with more "world news" after this. ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by cancer treatment centers of america.

hd 3 follow the wings.

[ female announcer ] to get a professional cleansing system you could spend as much as $200. olay says challenge that with an instrument that cleanses as effectively as what's sold by skin professionals for a whole lot less. olay pro x advanced cleansing system. welcome back, everybody. we turn now to some disturbing

audio that was recorded in a classroom in new jersey. the father who was worried about his autistic son's treatment sent the boy to school wearing a wire. >> but what the boy brought home was shocking. a tape full of abusive comments from teachers. here's abc's dan harris. >> reporter: when stewart chaffetz heard his 10-year-old autistic son akian was becoming violent while in class at this school in cherry hill, new jersey, he says he couldn't believe it. >> i didn't understand it because he is such a gentle person. and it was only happening in school. >> reporter: he says he couldn't get answers from the school. so he put this recording device in his son's pocket and let it roll in class for six hours. and here is what he heard. >> who are you talking to? nobody? >> reporter: the teachers berating akian for talking to himself. >> knock it off. >> reporter: and when he cries -- >> go ahead and scream. because guess what? you're going to get nothing until your mouth is shut.

>> reporter: and then after more crying, this comment -- >> when i heard what they had done to him, my life just shattered. >> reporter: this is just the latest case. in alabama, a mom after getting a tip from a classmate attached a recorder to the wheelchair of her 10-year-old with cerebral palsy. she heard him being scolded for drooling. >> i do not want to touch your drool. do you understand that? >> reporter: but the question, even in defense of a child who cannot speak for himself, is this an ethical tactic? in a majority of states, it's perfectly legal. but while there's no defense for the way akian was treated, how many of us would want to be secretly recorded on one of our bad days? >> i'm so glad that this guy was able to finally protect his child. but at the same time, i would worry about living in a world where we're all subject to being taped and having that spread. >> reporter: dan harris, abc news, new york. >> wow. >> rob, we know you're wearing a wire right now, so -- >> everything. i'm taking everybody down.

but you think about it. abc reached out to the national association of special education teachers. he doesn't necessarily agree that parents should wire their kids but does say maybe there's some credence into having cameras in the classroom. we have cameras in malls, in casinos. cameras in classrooms where actual important -- >> i think especially in cases where children have some disability and really aren't capable of describing what their day is like. i think that makes it a little different. >> it's a hot debate. but a worthy one. for all the parents. coming up next -- looking fine without makeup and without surgery. >> nice. the search for the most beautiful face ends in an unusual location. that's next. >> announcer: abc's "world news now" will continue after this from our abc statinenenenenenene

♪ there's a lot of pretty girls in this city ♪ ♪ there's a lot of pretty girls in this town ♪ welcome back, everybody. it was quite a star search in

london to find someone with real natural beauty, with little makeup and no plastic surgery. >> and you'll never guess who won. a young woman who works slinging fish and chips. abc's nick watt reports on what could be the perfect face. >> reporter: angelina, scarlett, naomi and liz, stand aside. this, they say, is perfect beauty. florence colgate, an 18-year-old high school student who works part time in a fish and chips shop. she just beat 8,000 other lovelies in a bare-faced bout to find britain's most beautiful face. >> my family and friends told me to enter because i don't really wear a lot of makeup. >> reporter: she doesn't need to. why? because her face is almost perfectly symmetrical. >> i think everyone considers beauty in a different way. don't they? like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. >> reporter: not true. the ancient greeks first devised a formula that goes like this. eyes to mouth should be

one-third of the face. on florence, 32.8%. and between the eyes, less than half total width. >> it's amazing how someone can look at your scientific measurements and decide whether you're beautiful or not. >> reporter: still, lady kind and a fair few men spend billions of dollars and ounces of pain. cindy jackson has had more plastic surgery than anyone on the planet in search of that symmetry which florence was born with. genetics. her mom's also a bit of a looker. can florence share any beauty tips? >> lots of vegetables and fruit. fruit is really good for your skin. and also water, like drinking lots of water. >> reporter: i don't think she understands her bardot-esque superpowers yet. she's too young and she attends an all-girls school which might make a difference. >> obviously, my family have always said that you're beautiful, but that's probably just because they're biased slightly. >> reporter: there's no arrogance or conceit and that in itself is also a beautiful quality. nick watt, abc news, london. >> lovely young lady.

no doubt. actresses liz hurley and jessica alba also ranked among beauties. >> and shania twain as well for celebrities with those perfect faces. >> that's right. 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.

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flexpen® is there when i need it, just like my pit crew. ask your doctor about novolog® flexpen. covered by 90% of insurance plans, including medicare. find your co-pay at myflexpen.com. >> announcer: "world news now" delivers your "morning papers." >> and it is that time of the morning. time for the "morning papers." our first story from the "huffington post." technically not a paper, but -- >> we still like it. >> do you know what a hipster is? i'm not entirely clear myself, but i think i can visualize it. >> they are groovy. trendy. >> too cool for school. huffington post did a list of the top hipster cities in america. and a lot of people were surprised that san francisco did not come in number one. >> that would have been my safe bet. >> it was number three, right? number one was seattle. number two was portland. number three was san francisco. personally, i was more surprised that brooklyn didn't make it into that top ten list.

apparently, new york was all the way down at number 12? >> really? >> yeah, because that's because they couldn't consider brooklyn. anyone that's been to williamsburg knows what a hipster is. >> that is hipster central. did my beloved new orleans make the list there? >> new orleans is number four. above new york. >> that is kind of crazy, too. but new orleans is a funky little -- >> it's hip. it's happening. >> hipster cities. all right. all the cool kids are hanging out. this next story, i love. this story came to us out of "the daily mail" here. this is about the number one fights that couples have in the bedroom here. so we've all been there. have some spats. interesting little list here. the number one thing is hogging the covers. that is the number one thing that people worry about on top of snoring, being too hot, not being in the mood, allowing children to sleep in the bed, venturing on the wrong side of the bed. being too cold, being touched by your partner's cold feet. the time in which you go to bed and leaving a light on to read. that's what bothers couples. >> i'm the culprit with the cold feet.

i'm the one who is always like, warm up my feet, please. >> ice blocks down there. on a much happier, lighter, friendly note. today is a very special day. >> it is indeed. we have a lovely young lady to introduce to you. her name is maeve. she's 7 years old. maeve, can you come out here? >> hello, darling. >> hello, maeve. >> and this is her daddy. you may remember fireman bob. one of our editors. >> today is bring your daughter to work day. so fireman bob has brought maeve. do you know what you want to be when you grow up yet? >> a dentist. >> a dentist. >> that's wonderful. why did you decide to become a dentist? >> you like to inflict pain on others? >> no. >> why did you want to become a dentist? >> well, because i -- for some reason i want to look in people's teeth. >> that's a good reason. >> that's an important part of the job. that's it. >> do you think what your dad does is pretty neat? yeah. gets to work in tv. is this the first time you've come to the studio with him? >> uh-huh. >> do you like it so far? >> yes. >> do you ever think you want to be on tv?

>> yes. >> all right, so -- >> there you are. wave. s>s>@@q

this morning on "world news now" -- tearful plea. the parents of isabel celis break down pleading for help. >> the emotional scene as the mother and father of a girl who disappeared last weekend talked to reporters for the first time. it is thursday, april 26th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good thursday morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> i'm tanya rivero in for paula faris. we will update the search for isabel celis in a moment and bring you another developing story as protesters fill the streets of phoenix expressing anger over arizona's immigration law now in the hands of the supreme court. >> talk about a heavy docket, man. the supreme court has this

hot-button issue in front of it and then two months from now we'll be in the middle of the health care debate again when they rule on that. have a very busy supreme court with the backdrop of an election year. high stakes. >> we'll be hearing a lot from the supreme court. in the days ahead, for sure. also this half hour, putting scientific research to work. psychologists say talking to yourself is healthy and helpful, right, rob? right. we'll test this theory in a supermarket of all places. >> are you sure about that? but the problem is other people may not think it's so healthy. and we can't wait to show you two basketball plays burning up the internet. one play comes from a european game. another from an american backyard. whoa! >> look at that. that is incredible. >> did we just give it away there? >> a little bit. don't turn the channel. stay with us, folks. before we get to all the fun stuff though, news this morning. new details this morning in the search for little isabel celis. experts from the fbi will now

start poring over interviews that have already been conducted by local police looking for any clues that could have been missed. >> and the parents have taken their case public. speaking for the first time about their daughter's disappearance. abc's diana alvear is joining us with more. good morning, diana. >> reporter: rob and tanya, good morning. isabel's parents issued a heartbreaking plea begging for her return. >> to the person or persons who have isabel, tell us your demands. tell us what you want. we will do anything for her. >> reporter: five days after isabel celis disappeared, desperation has set in. the 6-year-old went to sleep friday night and has not been seen since. her family immediately called police and set out to find her. >> obviously, i'm disappointed that we haven't found her at this point, but that doesn't mean that we're giving up hope. >> reporter: police have scaled back their massive search. they're focused now on what nearby surveillance cameras may have captured, and witnesses. they are circulating a questionnaire to neighbors asking if they, too, have

surveillance cameras, whether they heard dogs barking. who isabel was usually with and what she was usually doing. while police have not ruled out the girl's parents as suspects, they directly addressed the matter on wednesday. >> we are cooperating to the fullest extent with the investigation. >> we are here today to plea for a safe return of our baby girl isabel. >> reporter: the pain of isabel's absence too much to bear. >> we love you, and we miss you so much. we will never give up looking for you. >> reporter: police are searching water and drainage systems in her family's neighborhood. they've also searched a nearby landfill. rob, tanya? >> diana, thank you. >> heartbreaking story. we were talking a second ago, if you are a parent, this kind of story hits you in the gut. >> it really does. every time you hear one of these missing children's stories, it's incredible. some interesting statistics. there are 58,000 children a year that are taken, abducted from nonfamily members.

in other words, not custody-related cases. of those 58,000, only 5% are taken from the home or the yard. so it's very rare for a child abductor to actually go into the home or into the yard because it's high stakes. it's very dangerous. >> wow. interesting stat. this is a really rare case. we had another high-profile case like this a few months ago, but overall, they are rare. >> they are very rare. we have to keep those in mind. >> prayers for those parents, though. moving on -- unfortunately, another missing child story. new developments in another missing child case. police in london say madeleine mccann, the british toddler who vanished in portugal five years ago, could still be alive. mccann disappeared during a family vacation just shy of her 4th birthday. british police released this age progression image showing what she might look like at 9 years old. they say there are new leads and they are asking portugal to reopen the case. >> analysts say those age pictures are strikingly accurate sometimes. they really are dead on. so keep an eye out, please. back here at home, lawmakers demanded answers from the head

of homeland security over that secret service prostitution scandal. janet napolitano told a senate hearing that incident in colombia involving as many as 20 women appeared to be an isolated incident. >> it really was, i think, a huge disappointment to the men and women of the secret service to begin with, who uphold very high standards and who feel their own reputations are now besmirched by the actions of a few. >> a leading senator is blasting the pentagon's response to this scandal. john mccain says officials were, quote, woefully unprepared to answer even basic questions about the military's involvement. arguments at the supreme court over arizona's tough immigration law have plenty of folks hopping mad. several people were arrested in phoenix as hundreds of people opposed to the law marched through downtown. there were also demonstrations in washington as the politically

charged case was heard. abc's diana perez has more. >> reporter: a state law in arizona cracking down on illegal immigration could have widespread effects around the country if it's upheld by the supreme court. the 2010 law requires police officers to check the immigration status of anyone they suspect in this country illegally. arizona's republican governor jan brewer signed the law two years ago. but the justice department sued, claiming the law was an abuse of power. lower courts blocked the most controversial parts of the law, but after arguments, the nine justices seemed to be leaning towards upholding it. with chief justice john roberts saying, quote, it seems to me that the federal government just doesn't want to know who's here illegally and who's not. >> i feel very confident. as i walked out of there that we will get a favorable ruling in late june. >> reporter: the obama administration and others opposed to the law say it will only encourage racial profiling of legal immigrants. hundreds of protesters also demonstrated outside of the high court.

>> we need comprehensive immigration reform in this country. and not laws that treat the thousands and millions of latinos as suspects. >> reporter: brewer insists arizona's law mirrors federal immigration laws. and that opposition from the white house is purely political. the supreme court will vote on arizona's 2010 law in june. five other states, including south carolina and utah, have already passed similar laws which are now pending the court's decision. diana perez, abc news, new york. >> and terry moran, who covers the supreme court for abc, had an interesting point in his report last night. that the whole racial profiling issue did not come up in the hearings yesterday. meaning the supreme court is going to make that decision without that issue really being taken into any serious consideration. and especially ironic since justice sotomayor is the first hispanic justice on the supreme court. >> a lot of people will be watching the supreme court on this one for sure. such a hot-button issue. >> it is, it is.

lawmakers in the senate have postponed making any major decisions about the future of the postal service. the senate voted to give the struggling agency $11 billion, but delayed decisions on closing some post offices and ending saturday delivery. the house has yet to consider what to do about the postal service's problems. an entangled gray whale that vanished off southern california last week has pulled yet another disappearing act. the 40-foot whale being called june was spotted again tuesday farther up the coast near monterey. but she went missing before rescuers could remove the rest of the fishing line wrapped around her head and fin. experts say june could die if she's not found soon. >> these are big, powerful animals that can probably carry around gear for a long period of time. we know that it does wear on help over time, and it really is a danger to the whale itself. >> rescuers are worried that the fishing line could impede feeding, sever a fin or even cause a deadly infection.

>> rooting for him. here's a look at your thursday forecast. showers from l.a. up to seattle. some thunderstorms in the rockies. severe weather around nebraska, kansas, and north texas. scattered showers in the northeast. and from little rock to raleigh. >> 80s from dallas to miami. 67 here in new york. 64 in boston. kansas city, 80. omaha, 73. and chicago, 58. a wet 55 in seattle. 76 in salt lake city. and 82 in phoenix. all right, this is the footage we teased at the top of the show. this is good stuff here. the nba's regular season wraps up tonight. the playoffs are about to start. so to celebrate that, how about some crazy basketball shots that did not happen in the nba. >> no, no, this stuff is for real. we start in the european nation of estonia. a close game. just watch. when the ball is about to go out of bounds, number 22 throws up a prayer from about half court while falling out of bounds. and it's good. >> that's amazing. look at that. from behind his back. sign that guy up for the north carolina tar heels. we could use the help next season. >> who knew estonia was such a

hot bed of basketball? >> no kidding. check out baltimore, the hot grounds, too. this is a backyard court in the state of maryland. that's right. that kid just did a front flip, hit that shot from what looks to be about 40 feet away. look. here's the flip. boom. up in the air. >> sign that kid up. >> off the backboard and down. >> where are the scouts? there's no trickery there. that's all one camera shot. what you see is exactly what you get. wow. >> look at that, man. hope some nba scouts are watching these guys. i taught them everything they know. nothing but net. we'll be right back. more "world news now" after this. ♪ you're unbelievable ♪ you're so unbelievable >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by the scooter store.

♪ i get knocked down but i get up again ♪ ♪ you're never gonna keep me down ♪ ♪ i get knocked down but i get up again ♪

welcome back, everybody. well, here is a story that really did pull at our heartstrings this morning. the wife of a former tampa bay buccaneer stricken with breast cancer made a video plea for the fda to release an experimental cancer drug. >> after the incredibly emotional video went viral, it grabbed the attention of the drug company. linda hurtado, from tampa's wfts, has more. >> reporter: darlene gant is writing letters to her 11-year-old son for him to open on all those milestone days that she will miss. >> pertuzumab will not be released by the fda until june. in the meantime, no one is eligible for it, including me. >> reporter: she's also making a last-ditch effort to prolong her life for fighting for the right to use a new experimental drug. called pertuzumab. it's been shown in clinical trials to have promise in

fighting the type of breast cancer that's killing darlene. >> so me and all the other mothers getting ready for our death and leaving our babies. >> reporter: tired of feeling hopeless, she posted this raw plea to the fda on youtube. >> when you are dying and have wasted away and you feel like you've lost everything, the last thing you want is for anybody to see you. so it was hard. it was very hard. >> reporter: her friends rallied to pass the link on through social media, and they got in touch with me. >> the next thing we knew, you were helping in various ways and doing what you could do. we were doing what we could do here. and then the next thing i knew, i have a home office and the girl working for me came in and said -- i was sitting right here. she said, the fda is on the phone. >> reporter: darlene said the fda agreed to help. and last friday, genentech agreed to provide the drug to her. jay wolfson says that is unusual. for many reasons. >> for one thing, the drug company is affording the use of the drug basically free. and the fda is very careful

about approving any use of an experimental drug outside of a clinical trial. >> reporter: with metastatic breast cancer all over, including in her liver, darlene says she is just trying to put a face on what she and so many others in need of investigational drugs go through. >> if i don't get on this drug this week, if my abdomen swells, there's no going backwards. i won't be able to get treatment. so, like, every day is, like, eternity to me. >> oh. >> what a moving story. >> patients must have an immediate need, a life-threatening disease or condition to get the kind of access to unapproved trial drugs. certainly she met that criteria. >> we should also mention that linda hurtado, the reporter, is going through her own fight with breast cancer. she appears to be winning. she looks great. so we're all rooting for you, linda, as well. >> good story on a couple of levels there. wow. absolutely. for her kids if nothing else. >> that's right. and coming up, how a popular sitcom really mimics everyday life. >> the changing faces of the average american family.

the fiction and the facts coming up next. >> announcer: abc's "world news now" will continue after this from

♪ we are family ♪ get up everybody and sing another wonderful musical selection. >> have you ever been to a wedding where they don't play that one? that and "celebrate good times." kool and the gang.

gotta love it. all of it. >> that's true. an interesting new study showing the modern family in america is changing at record speed. >> 1 in 10 marriages is interracial. on top of that, the number of single households is up by about 16%. abc's sharyn alfonsi gives us more on the changing face of the american family. >> reporter: america's modern family looks an awful lot like the tv show. the census bureau revealing the number of interracial couples has grown, up 28% over the last decade. and like jay and gloria, the most frequent combination is hispanic and non-hispanic couples. >> quick, quick, give it a doggie treat. >> reporter: and the number of same-sex couples like cam and mitchell -- >> you don't think i can throw a ball? no, no, no. >> reporter: -- have jumped, too, up 80% in the last decade. and 20% of all grandparents now have a grandchild of a different ethnicity. >> i want to tell you how really touched i was.

you want me to be lily's guardian. >> reporter: surprisingly, the family that might be the most unusual is the dunphys, two parents, three kids under one roof. but it turns out a quarter of all homes are now just one person living alone. still, as we looked to facebook, it was clear. >> 30 years ago it would have been a different reaction in society. >> reporter: the face of the american couple, the face of the nation is changing. sharyn alfonsi, abc news, new york. >> to me, that seems like a good thing. >> yeah. we're a nation of all stripes and kinds. you know? >> if we can combine that, it's wonderful. it's interesting. in cities like atlanta and washington. 44% of the homes have just one person at the head of the family. >> almost half. isn't that crazy? things change, folks. you gotta move along with it, too. see, and there's our own -- >> dysfunctional family. >> everyone is there. you got me, paula is up in. jason. big willis. our favorite uncle. >> i got extensions.

>> and some long hair tanya. we got jack in there. oh, yes. >> who is the kid? like who was the parent in that arrangement? >> i'm clearly the kid. yeah. stay with us. stay with us. follow the wings.

you're watching "world news now." >> sleep is overrated. ♪ "fifty shades of grey." mommy porn does well. >> it is a phenomenon, that trilogy. have you ever found yourself staring at someone as they talk to themselves, thinking who is this crazy, delusional person?

>> well, this next story might just change your mind. a new study says, a chat with yourself is good for your memory. kenny lopez from our new orleans station puts it to the test. >> oh, eggs. that will be great. eggs and butter. since we're here. >> reporter: jennifer weber talks to herself when she shops. >> we have to find soap, soap, soap. >> reporter: jennifer langhoff keeps her mouth shut when she's grocery shopping. >> i mean, it's a little crazy, i think. >> reporter: crazy or not, research in the quarterly journal of experimental psychology say that talking to yourself is good for the brain. when you are looking for a grocery item, talking to yourself could help you find it faster. >> when i don't talk out loud, i forget what i need. i'm not focusing on it. >> are you embarrassed to? >> a little bit. >> reporter: we showed pictures of coke, butter, cereal, corn and eggs to both women. then we set self-chatting jennifer and silent jennifer loose through the store to find the items using only their memory. >> butter. yes, unsalted butter. and our eggs. [ crickets chirping ]

>> reporter: after putting both jennifers to the test, the jennifer who talked to herself found the grocery items about a minute quicker than the jennifer who kept her lips sealed. this just goes to show there may be something to talking to yourself. >> talking to yourself still makes you look like a screwball. >> i tell you what the problem is. you don't want to answer yourself in a different voice. >> reporter: this jennifer doesn't care what others think because talking out loud helps her get the job done. >> i get it. i can see how it keeps you focused. you are repeating what you need. you are zeroing in. >> it helps to focus. you know, i think -- i do. i'm guilty of it. if something is heavy on my mind. i talk it out. even if no one is listening. >> we should try that now. where's the script? i can't find it. what's next? >> that's right. this is our facebook question. >> you're focused on the show. here's the facebook question of the day. when you talk to yourself, what do you talk about? >> we'd like to know. let us know any self-contained conversations you had at wnnfans.com. >> that was a really good half

hour, rob. that was really good. a really solid show toowowowowoñ

this morning on "world news now" -- explosive testimony. john edwards' defense team pounds the key witness. >> after a former campaign aide's tough day on the stand, edwards left the court, believe it or not, smiling. it's thursday, april 26th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, everyone. i'm tanya rivero. happy to be here sitting next to rob nelson once again. >> once again, rotating anchor week continues. >> that's right. >> this is your last day with us at least for a little while. >> that's right. >> and then an old blast from the past anchor coming back friday and -- oh, don't reveal it. >> sunni. oh, it's a secret!

>> and -- but a blast from the past anchor coming back friday and all of next week. so stay tuned, but thank you as always. >> very exciting. it's always fun. keeping it interesting here on "world news now." >> for us and for you all. good morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. what a bombshell day at the john edwards conspiracy trial involving edwards' once trusted aide andrew young. and some difficult questions about the affair that, of course, ended edwards' presidential campaign. >> that's right. also this morning, an abc news exclusive showing years of construction at the world trade center site here in new york. amazing time-lapse photography. and we're days away from the project's major milestone. this is so exciting. for folks outside of new york, it's exciting for the whole country, but for us especially here in new york it's thrilling to see this building go up. >> it brings the skyline back, and it just symbolizes a rebirth of an area. you know what i mean? and the city. i think it's just incredible. wait until you check that video out. also later this half hour -- she is known for her musical talent and now her dazzling looks. beyonce is getting some new recognition. we'll tell you what it is coming

up in just a few minutes in "the skinny." >> she really is amazing. >> they could just roll this video for the next 30 minutes. >> why don't we just make the whole newscast about beyonce. >> why don't we. i have no problem. how you doing? >> i'm sure we wouldn't lose a single viewer. but first -- defense lawyers for john edwards got their turn to question the star witness in the case. >> at one point, andrew young was even asked if he'd fallen in love with edwards. abc's bob woodruff reports from north carolina. >> reporter: john edwards emerged from the courtroom thinking the day had gone his way. it was finally his side's turn. the defense team pounced on andrew young, attacking the credibility of the former aide and friend to the presidential hopeful. on cross-examination, the defense said young used his knowledge of the affair to get leverage against edwards and to make a lot of money. the defense team cited inconsistencies in what he told the fbi, a grand jury, the media, what he wrote in his book and told this court, poking holes in a story that edwards

was the orchestrator of an elaborate, expensive scheme to hide his affair from the american public. is it true in each and every one of those cases you've lied, asked the defense lawyer? no, young replied. edwards' attorney also produced an e-mail young sent to a friend calling john edwards an expletive. he then asked young, you really hate him, don't you? i have mixed feelings, young responded. earlier in the day it was young doing the damage. describing how the cover-up, which had him posing as rielle hunter's lover, fell apart. he told the jury about the day the "national enquirer" caught edwards visiting rielle hunter at a california hotel and having to break the news to one of edwards' wealthy benefactors. he got angry, young testified. he started cussing mr. edwards out. what the [ expletive ] was he thinking? he's ruined everything we've worked for. less than a month later, edwards told young he planned on doing a television interview with abc news. i didn't think it was a good idea, young said he told

edwards. if you're going to do it, tell the whole truth or don't do anything at all. but this is how edwards answered my question. >> a report has been published that the baby of ms. hunter is your baby. true? >> not true. not true. >> reporter: that made young angry. he said he threatened to go public with details of the affair. edwards, he said, replied, you can't hurt me, andrew. john edwards is more isolated now than he certainly was before. he does have his two youngest kids, emma claire who is 13, his son jack who is 11, going to private school not far in durham. and he's also commuting every single day for this trial from his very large house in chapel hill, the same place where he lived with his wife elizabeth just before she died. i'm bob woodruff, abc news, in greensboro, north carolina. >> ooh. >> ooh, such a chilling clip of that interview that bob woodruff did with edwards. he didn't flinch when he lied. >> he's a lawyer. they're good. they have to know how to sell

that case. this is such a tawdry tale. whose side do you believe? did andrew young spend the money to get his big house? what did edwards know and when? and the key question is, when did elizabeth edwards know about the affair and the mistress? because if she knew early on, that kind of hurts the prosecution's case, because then they can say, look, you were clearly using this money to protect your presidential ambitions, not to keep elizabeth in the dark. so it gets very interesting. >> any time a lot of money gets involved it gets interesting. shifting gears now. seven people, including four current and former tsa agents now face federal charges after major crackdown in los angeles. in a 22-count indictment, the suspects are all accused of allowing large amounts of cocaine and other drugs to pass through security at los angeles international airport. the prosecutors say bribes were paid and received and that narcotics passed through the airport at least five times. the parents of that missing 6-year-old girl in arizona have made an emotional plea for her return. isabel celis' mom and dad fought

back tears as they spoke publicly for the first time about their daughter's disappearance. >> please, please to the person or persons who have isabel, tell us your demands. tell us what you want. we will do anything for her. >> tucson police have said they consider the case a suspicious disappearance and possible abduction. they've scaled back the search for the girl and instead are focusing on investigating the clues they already have. and five years after her disappearance in portugal made headlines around the world, british police say little madeleine mccann may still be alive. portuguese investigators closed that case back in 2008, but the british now say they have hundreds of leads. abc's jeffrey kofman has more now from london. >> reporter: if madeleine mccann really is alive, this is what police think she might look like today. british investigators have launched a massive review of the missing girl's case after

portugal failed to solve it. madeleine was days from her 4th birthday when she vanished during a family vacation in portugal in 2007. >> please, if you have madeleine, let her come home to her mommy, daddy, brother and sister. >> reporter: her parents, jerry and kate mccann, quickly became suspects, but were later exonerated. portuguese police admit their investigation was seriously flawed. now a team of 35 british police investigators is reviewing more than 40,000 pieces of information to try to solve the case that has gone cold. >> we are here in terms of seeking to bring closure to this case. >> solving it? >> solving it, yes, of course. >> reporter: british police called on portugal to reopen the case, saying they have close to 200 leads that could find the missing girl alive. but in portugal, there is much less support for reopening the investigation. the mccanns' own portuguese lawyer says it is hard to find people who sympathize with the

couple. >> everyone believes that i am defending a father and a mother that have killed a daughter and got rid of the corpse. >> reporter: british police say their review shows there are moments in the disappearance when madeleine could have been snatched, which is why they are looking at the possibility she is still alive. the portuguese couldn't solve this case. now it's up to the fabled investigators of scotland yard to see if they can. jeffrey kofman, abc news, london. a new york woman has pleaded guilty to faking cancer to con donors into paying for her dream wedding. 25-year-old jessica vega had a fake doctor's note and even shaved her head because of the scheme. as word spread about her, vega received rings, a wedding dress, flowers, even a honeymoon in aruba. but once her husband found out, he blew the whistle and got a divorce. vega is awaiting sentencing and will have to pay back more than 13,000 bucks in restitution.

serves her right. >> that's one of those "what were you thinking" stories. >> there may be some mental issues. >> yeah. >> to say the least. >> unhappy ending to that wedding there. all right. here's your thursday forecast. scattered showers from raleigh to boston. wet weather around nashville, memphis, and little rock. hail and gusty winds from amarillo, texas, up to nebraska, kansas, and colorado. thunderstorms from phoenix up to the canadian border. showers along the pacific coast. >> 67 in sacramento. 57 in portland. 82 in albuquerque. mostly 50s from fargo to chicago. 61 in detroit. 60s from boston to baltimore. 83 in new orleans. you know, i had a sense that today was going to be special. >> something in the air. >> something in the air. and you know what? i knew it had to do with food. you know how we love food on this shift. >> you know we are pigs on this show. >> so true. this is the reason why. today is national pretzel day. >> amen. another excuse to snack. another great american holiday we're going to mark on this

show. rip into that thing. get you some grub. well, get this. did you know pretzels are believed to be the world's oldest snack? they date back to some monks in france in the year 610 a.d. >> talk about a classic. pretzels have lots of religious symbolism. some say their traditional shape check that out -- represents a child's arms folded in prayer. isn't that cute? >> i never knew that. >> others believe it represents the holy trinity. so talk about religious meaning here. >> who knew a pretzel was so deep? back in the 1600s, pretzels symbolized, actually, get this, the bond of marriage. and that's where the phrase tying the knot came from. here i thought they were just good with beer. >> that's what we served at my wedding. pretzels and beer. we went with the symbolism all the way. >> keep it simple. keep it simple, baby. that's right. we'll be back with more "world news now" right after this. >> these are good. ♪ twist ♪ yeah, baby twist ♪ round and round and round and round ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by "that's my jam" cd set.

>> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by "that's my jam" cd set. follow the wings.

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now we turn to amazing time-lapse video of one world trade center and its journey from rubble to record-breaking. there's a live shot of the tower right here in new york city in lower manhattan. back from the ashes. >> it is inspiring. >> it is for the country and the city. >> it is expected to surpass the empire state building in height this monday. the time-lapse video is an abc news exclusive. ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

>> how cool was that? >> i love that, man. i think that's a statement for the country. it's a sign of hope for the country. and kind of a certain gesture to the terrorists who took down the original. like, you know what? still here. still building. still soaring. i love it all. >> it's all costing a pretty penny. the costs have now soared to $14.8 billion. so it's not coming -- >> you can see why, too. and it will be 104 floors when it's completed. the construction started about six years ago. and it will surpass the empire state building when it's all said and done in the next few days. >> very exciting. all right. >> congrats, new york city. absolutely. coming up next, what gladys knight gained and lost during "dancing with the stars." >> that's right. and a new honor for new mom, beyonce. that's next in "the skinny." >> announcer: abc's "world news now" will continue after this from our abc stations.nenenenene

♪ skinny ♪ skinny so skinny welcome back, everybody. time for "the skinny." we love "people" magazine. every year they do their most

beautiful woman in the world. >> fun issue. >> yes, indeed. and this year they've picked who i think is an absolutely perfect choice for the one and only beyonce has nabbed the honor this year. the 16-time grammy award-winning artist is this year's world's most beautiful woman. of course, she's now 30 years old. she's a new mom, on top of that. gave birth to blue ivy back on january 7th. married to jay-z now for about four years. she's 30. he's 42. and she joins some extremely good company on this. halle berry. jennifer aniston. angelina jolie. jennifer lopez have all at one time nabbed the big honor. coming in second, most beautiful woman for 2012, sofia vergara from "modern family." >> she's gorgeous as well. >> and charlize theron as well. >> not a bad list. >> you know, beyonce and i dated for several years. i'm so glad her career has just taken off since the breakup. she rebounded really, really well. >> it helped her get over the heartbreak, rob. now that she's a mom. she's fully healed. >> looking good, beyonce.

looking good. >> yes, we love you. all right, moving on now. "30 rock" is going to be live tonight. this is only the second time in its history that it's done a live show. but it's very exciting. actually the theme of this show will be about live versus filmed. and the fun thing about live tv as we know here working in tv is that anything can happen. lines can be flubbed. but the last time they did it live, it, you know, went off without too much of a hitch. it was apparently pretty good. and they're going to play it old school. they'll do live for the west coast, as well. so they're going to do a fresh show for the west coast. >> i like when shows go live. you can sometimes see when they are trying to hold in their laughter, which, to me, makes it fun. it humanizes the show. and the cast. and "30 rock" is great. >> it's going to be at the same studio where they do "saturday night live." >> nice. >> maybe that will rub off. >> familiar turf for tina fey. apparently next season is going to be the last. we'll see. good luck to them tonight. keep a straight face on as we always do here on the overnight news. also, a year ago, i had a chance to interview gladys knight.

which was very, very cool. she's very, very -- this graceful, fun, real genuine fun person. we sat down for a little chat. so obviously, i was excited when she got on "dancing with the stars." i was rooting for her. she got tossed off this week. she did walk away with a big personal accomplishment after several weeks on the show. she now says she has lost 60 pounds because of her time on the show. >> my goodness. >> we have a great before and after shot of her. look at the difference. >> wow! wow! >> just a few weeks on the show. she said she lost 60 pounds and she says i'm going to keep my partner, tristan. he can come over and work me out, she says. >> that sounds like an invitation for more than a dance. >> at 67 years old, gladys is looking good. 60 pounds. what a difference dancing can make. >> that seems to happen to a lot of people on "dancing with the stars." they slim down. kirstie alley, remember? >> they shed those pounds, yep, yep. >> so much fun. "sex and the city." remember the famous carrie bradshaw brownstone? it just sold for nearly $10 million. $9.8 million to be exact. it is a 4,100-square-foot

property on perry street. check it out. look at that pre-war detail. the moldings. oh. >> oh, yes, something every new yorker can afford. >> yeah, i know. new yorker can afford.

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wake up. >> hey, insomniacs, you're watching "world news now." >> sleep is overrated. ♪ you're my best friend ♪ ooh you make me live you awake? >> i'm up. i'm up. i'm up now. >> we're up. over the past decade, we've seen emotional homecomings of soldiers reuniting with family. >> but now there's a new phenomenon gaining popularity online. reunions of soldiers and man's best friend. abc's david wright has some of these very happy homecomings. >> reporter: it starts with a routine game of fetch with a favorite toy. >> ranger!

>> reporter: when ranger comes back, joy unleashed. his best friend's finally home from afghanistan. >> where you been, buddy? >> i guess if anybody ever doubted that dogs feel love, you only have to look there. >> they bring tears to my eyes when i see them. i feel the joy for both the humans and the dogs. >> reporter: the idea of the faithful dog welcoming master home from war has been around since homer's great hero returned from the trojan war. but youtube is full of contemporary american examples. surprised in the airport by a golden retriever. >> i missed you. >> reporter: or in the backyard by a great dane bigger than he is. >> i think he remembers you. >> and we know that the emotional lives of dogs are extremely complex. i mean, they experience joy and grief and sadness. dogs remember their close friends a decade. >> oh, puppy dog!

>> i mean, i had a friend who had to leave his dog seven years ago. and when they reunited, it was as if seven seconds had passed. >> i guess the counterargument is that sometimes my dog gives me that reaction after i've just gone down the street to the store. >> yeah, well, the dog is happy to see you whenever. so that's actually a feather in your cap. >> i'm not complaining. neither are they. not one bit. david wright, abc news, los angeles. >> isn't that sweet? it really does give you a window into a dog's personality. >> it does. i've always said i'm not a pet person. but when you see that kind of loyalty and unconditional love. we know you feel the same way. >> look. me and my pups. >> look at the little rat dogs. that you have right there. >> you don't like my rat dogs? >> no, ms. hilton, i do not. >> you should see the greeting i get from those little buggers when i come in the door.

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