and there's no good evidence that that radiation causes cancer. >> so what can you do to limit your exposure? first, limit the number of minutes you and your children talk on the cell phone. second, use a hands-free device. and third, text instead of talking. subpoena men keep their cell phones in their pockets. these government mannequin tests don't look at how radiation affects other parts of the body. >> wow. >> thanks, karen. that is pretty scary if you think about how often you use your cell phone. she has a good point about having the cell phone on other parts of your body. you put it in your pocket. >> most of us do. >> who knows what we're actually getting. >> maybe talking to did you with it an inch away, use the speakerphone or the headset. again, no direct link just yet if this really does cause cancer or not. enough to be alarmed or at least curious. now on to a bizarre story in suburban detroit. a man is in trouble after police say he used his 9-year-old daughter as his designated driver. surveillance video appears to show the little girl getting behind the wheel while her dad pumps gas. earlier the father was heard telling the store clerk his daughter was driving because he was too drunk. witnesses saw the unusual pair and called police. now to some weather headlines this morning. first, to central america where a week of rain has now led to some pretty serious floods. at least 85 people have died so far. all that water is now causing landslides as well as bridge collapses. several areas are reporting rain totals above the amount dumped by a hurricane in 1998. that storm killed 11,000 people. get this, more rain is forecast until at least tomorrow. and the lubbock, texas, is recovering from a dust storm so intense it's being compared to those seen in the dust bowl days seen in the 1930s. a wall of dirt and debris rolled in fumed by winds topping 60 miles an hour. it toppled trees, even stopped traffic. it took about 30 minutes for the storm to blow through lubbock and another hour for that dust to settle. amazing video. >> that video is stunning. can you imagine the mess? here's a look at your forecast. hail and gusty winds from new orleans to jackson, mississippi and nashville. thunderstorms around cincinnati, detroit and chicago. heavy rain from charleston, south carolina, all the way down to tampa and miami. >> upper 70s in atlanta. upper 60s in new york and boston. cooler than normal in the upper midwest. fargo and the twin cities are in the upper 40s. 60s in the pacific northwest and northern rockies. a man in western wisconsin says it was totally worth it because he finally got his bear. >> and his bear was a 7'2" monster that he took down after a long hunt. he took all this video of the bear over the last two months. he says the bear was actually taunting him but during that time he never had chance to get a shot at him. >> that all changed on sunday and he did not miss. the bear weighed nearly 650 pounds. it's going to end up either stuffed or mounted, or as a rug. >> hardly the bear was taunting him. the bear was just being a bear. >> i think it got in his head. >> all right, dude, calm down. better than that than doing the horrible stories where the bear mauls the person to death or anything like that. >> i would not be comfortable with that mounted on my floor, on the rug. >> it wouldn't go in the corner? >> sounds a little morbid to me. >> creeps me out. we'll be back with more "world news now" right after this. you go next if you had a hehed hoveround power chair? the statue of liberty? the grand canyon? it's all possible ith a hoveround., tom: hi i'm tom kruse, inventor rand founder of hoveround., when we say you're free to see the world, we mean it. call today and get a free overound information kit, that includes a video and full color brochure. dennis celorie: "it's by far the best chair i've ever owned." terri: "last year, 9 out of 10 people got their hoveround for "little or no money." jim plunkitt: "no cost. absolutely no cost to me." breaking news...when you call today, we'll include a free hoveround collapsible grabber with the purchase of your power chair. it reaches, it grabs, it's collapsible and it's portable. it goes wherever you go. get it free while supplies last. call the number on your screen to get your free video, brochure and your free hoveround collapsible grabber. call the number on your screen. we asked them to be part of an experiment to prove febreze air effects eliminates tough cooking odors. 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abc technology contributor daniel sigh berg teched it out. >> reporter: for james dyson finding ways to improve everyday products has become somewhat of an obsession. >> well, i want to develop better technology and develop new technology to make things work better. i wan to improve the performance, improve how something works, make it lighter, make it more effective, make it better use of electricity. those are the four things that motivate me. >> reporter: of course, dyson has become most known for its high-tech vacuums. so why go after home appliances instead of anything else this. >> well, i've been designing high speed for the military, oil industries, so on. i was interested in doing things for real people, things that we use every day. i noticed that the manufacturers who were making them didn't look as though they loved what they were making. if you look at ski users, surfboards, wind surfers and all those sort of things, you can see that the people who make those use them and love them. it's really part of their life. they want them to work really well. but when i looked at vacuum cleaners and hand dryers and fans, people were just making them, they weren't bothering about what they were like, it seemed to me. so i thought it was worth doing things that we use every day. >> reporter: he says that how something works is a direct connection to how it looks. >> i think that certainly the second half of the 20th century is all about using design as style. to help sell something. i think what i've been trying to promote, and i think it's happening, that is design is really part of engineering. how something looks, how it ends up looking, the form it takes, what it's like to use, could be designed in right from the beginning. you don't ask someone to come along at the end and make your product look good, that's not the way to do it. how the product looks, how it feels, it's all part of the engineering and selection of technology. ultimately the product should reflect the engineering and technology it's using in order to make it work well. it's not something that you just slap on like lipstick at the end to make it look good. >> reporter: aside from pursuing new ways to redesign old productions, dyson also says he wants to focus on fostering the next generation of enventers. >> my foundation has been working in britain and a number of other countries for a while, working in schools, developing a design and technology program in schools. we just started it in chicago with 30 schools in chicago. so we're very excited about that. and if that's successful we'll be able to spread it throughout the united states. we're also sponsoring students and post-graduate students at university to stay on in engineering and science. i think we'll have to do that because government's not going to help people through their university and education careers. we've got to do it. >> it's so cool to hear an inventor talk, what makes them tick, how they approach the world. the redesigned fan looks so cool. i love that look, combining function and style, it's kind of nice. >> it's great he's fostering other inventors. he's got a great mind, why not share the wealth. >> he shared it but you, a picture of yunji at home doing her thing. >> that's me vacuuming with glee, right. >> we'll have your "morning papers" coming up right after the break. "world news now" delivers your "morning papers." >> welcome back, ebb. time for your "papers." >> that's right, i'll kick it off this morning with a sticky situation in chicago. a woman is accused of assaulting her husband with cupcakes. now, apparently these two had a pretty heated argument, she got very verbal with him, then she started throwing cupcakes at him. she got arrested. she has now been released from jail. $10,000 pond and she's ordered to wear one of those electronic bracelets. >> really, for throwing cupcakes? throwing baked goods in america. how many did she throw? >> it doesn't throw but she has been charged with domestic battery. bakers out there, keep your cupcakes to ourselves. >> well, yeah. ladies, y'all can be so mean sometimes. this interesting story out of the "chicago sun-times." of course in school, long days, you're studying, you've got to go to the bathroom every now and then. apparently administrators are trying to crack down at this school called evergreen clark high school in chicago. they think kids are using it too much to skip classes or whatever. limit skupt are students to three washroom visits during class per semester without penalty. >> that is not enough. >> if you go beyond that you have to stay after school to make up the class time that you missed while you were answering the call of mother nature. >> that seems crazy. >> isn't that crazy? skipping class, that sounds kind of crazy. this schoolworks on a block schedule where you have four classes that last 83 minutes. parents are not happy about this. that's a long time to study while you're trying to not think about your urge to tinkle. >> we've been reporting on this occupy wall street movement. a lot of these protesters have been getting arrested. apparently there's an app for that. there's a new app, the i'm getting arrested app. it will send a text or sms message to everyone in your phone, give them the sos message, let them know you're getting arrested. my question is, do you load that on your phone? do you know that you're going to get arrested? >> you should have low expectations for how your life's going to go. i feel an arrest coming on tonight. if you know you're the kind of person that may need that app, you should be good. you know it's going to be a rough life if you have the i'm about to get arrested app on the phone. oh, man. well, sellsmy street. some tough news. this story from the "washington post." the sesame street youtube channel was apparently hacked and was replaced with some x-rated porn over the weekend. some pretty graphic stuff. only lasted about 20 minutes before youtube took it down. but if you want a safer time, go to sesamestreet.org. >> who would do that? >> that's so disgusting. tickle me, this morning on "world news now," basement prisoners. new details emerge in the case of four mentally challenged adults who were locked up in a philadelphia basement. >> why federal agents fear there may be more victims like this as their investigation goes nationwide. it is tuesday, october 18th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. back with my old partner in crime from our new orleans days. >> so happy to be here. i'm yunji de nies. on to a very disturbing story. investigators say the suspected captors were chaining up their victims in a philadelphia apartment building's basement so they could collect social security money. agents want to know if one of the suspects met a victim on an internet dating site. >> what a bizarre, bizarre story. also this morning, another bizarre story. an investigation in ohio involving four amish men accused of cutting the hair and beards off other amish people. find out why police and the justice system are getting involved in this when the amish so rarely ask for help. later this half hour, the widespread protests against wall street and businesses. why they're getting so much more support and money from rich and famous celebrities. >> interesting story. a lot of dynamics playing out in those wall street protests around the globe. the desperate search for more possible victims of that philadelphia captive ring. investigators say they have found social security documents for dozens of people inside that house. >> the fbi along with police in florida and texas have joined police in their investigation. >> reporter: the fbi has now joined an investigation of potential crimes that philadelphia police are calling pure evil. mentally disabled victims locked away, held prisoner, while thieves stole their money in an identity theft scam that may stretch across the country. >> it's unconscionable and there's no other way to describe it. >> reporter: the nightmare was revealed when a landlord responded to complaints about people sneaking into the basement of this philadelphia apartment. the landlord found a chained door. pushing it partially open and shining his flashlight into the darkness, he discovered four people, including one man chained to a boiler. police say the suspects had been stealing the social security disability checks of their prisoners. at least one of the victims may have been held for years. >> to know that something like that is going on, within five feet away from you, is just -- it's shocking. >> reporter: the alleged ring leader, linda ann weston, was convicted of locking a man in a closet and starving him to death in 1981. and there are fears there could be more victims. police have discovered documents with the names of 50 people from three more states. philadelphia police have begun calling police in other jurisdictions for help. the victims are all recuperating well, including herbert knowles, who even found the strength to smile after his ordeal. but it's a race against time. police are hustling. they need to know if there are more victims. they want to make sure no one else is locked away somewhere in the dark. pierre thomas, abc news, washington. >> that is just shocking. >> frightening. it really is a horrible story. late-breaking news on this as well. apparently there's a young teenage girl missing in florida since july 4th. police say she's been found in philadelphia. 15-year-old ben nita rodriguez. so this is an unraveling story. >> they found 50 social security numbers in that house, so there could be quite a few more victims. shifting gears now, a case from ohio's amish community is testing the very foundation of that group's beliefs. five men have been arrested, all accused of cutting the hair of several amish people, both men and women, and that is a big deal among the amish. they believe the bible instructs women to have long hair. and for men not to shave after getting married. >> that's true, when you cut a beard from an amish person and cut their hair, that is very humiliating to them. >> now the amish usually keep their legal disputes to themselves but this time church bishops decided to seek police help because they did not think the attacks would be stopped any other way. we now know that race car driver dan wheldon died of blunt head trauma following that terrible crash in las vegas. >> but there are still many unanswered questions exactly about what led to that deadly accident. abc's diana alvear is following the investigation, has the latest. morning, diana. >> reporter: rob and yunji, good morning. not only was this crash devastating, it has everyone asking the same question. could it have been avoided? and even wheldon's fellow drivers say they had concerns about the track. they were five of the hardest laps they'd ever driven. five laps in honor of their falln trend and colleague, dan wheldon. >> huge crash! >> oh, no. >> oh, multiple cars involved! >> reporter: in just a few horrifying seconds a chain reaction with devastating consequences. at las vegas' indy 300. the british champion's car climbed onto another vehicle and went airborne. officials say wheldon died from trauma to the head. the 33-year-old was racing to win a $5 million purse that he planned to split with a spectator. >> there's pressure all the time, especially when you want to win as bad as i do. >> reporter: a two-time winner of the indy 500, he was no rookie. so racing experts can only speculate what went so terribly wrong. one theory? too many drivers on the track with too little experience. >> open wheel cars can't touch on each other or rub on each other. when two tires touch, what started with a lazy spin turned into the most horrific accident i have seen in 40 years of racing. >> this is not a suitable track. and we've seen it today. you can't get away from anybody, there's no way to differentiate yourself. >> reporter: speedway executives said their facility was inspected by indy car officials before the race. >> they gave the okay that the track was suitable for racing. >> reporter: however, for wheldon's family there are no answers. just unimaginable loss. >> we touch eed so many and the world is a better place because of dan. >> reporter: wheldon had posted a blog in which he talked about tough practices and the concern he wouldn't get the speed he needed to win. >> wow. there are questions about the suitability of that track, you can imagine you'll see either policy changes or lawsuits coming from this down the road. >> absolutely. 34 drivers were in that race that day. you know, we also read this morning, good news for the other two drivers who were hurt in that crash, they have now been released from the hospital. >> of course, lots of prayers for the family of the killed driver. there is a disturbing new turn in the search for that missing baby in kansas city. lisa erwin's mother now admits that she was drunk the night her child disappeared. deborah bradley says she may have blacked out after drinking more than five glasses of boxed wine. she also admits she last saw lisa four hours earlier than what she originally told police. a maryland businessman will remain in custody in aruba in connection with the disappearance of his traveling companion after his latest repeal for release was denied. lawyers for gary giordano claimed there was not enough evidence to hold him. giordano was a suspect in the presumed death of robyn gardner, who disappeared back in august. an apparent bochd suicide attempt in the boston area led to caring rescues in an apartment fire. when a man deliberately cut a gas line and ignited it with a lighter. more than a dozen people were injured. one firefighter and a neighbor stood below windows and caught young children who were dropped to safety. >> i knew she wasn't going to be able to hold them forever. at that point when i got underneath i said, go ahead and drop them. >> i said, drop them, here, i can hold them. >> flames destroyed or damaged more than 40 apartments. the man who tried to commit suicide was among the injured. the american nuclear engineer rescued from the south pole is now getting medical tests today at a new zealand hospital. renee nicole due sair believed she suffered a stroke seven weeks ago. she waited for a rescue flight but was told the weather was too dangerous. she slept the entire plane ride to new zealand yesterday. she'll soon fly to john hopkins hospital in baltimore for more testing and ongoing treatment. >> good news there, glad to hear that she is finally getting some attention there. here are your tuesday forecast numbers. heavy rain and thunderstorms and flooding from miami to tampa around savannah and charlton, south carolina. showers and thunderstorms around detroit, chicago and cincinnati. hail and gusty winds from nashville and new orleans. >> new orleans, say it with flavor. 66 in dallas. 86 in miami. 69 in new york. 67 in bean town. 40s in fargo and minneapolis. phoenix gets up to 94. and sacramento 81. >> we had to put this story in here because we know how much rob nelson loves these animal stories. here's a four hlegged friend who's having something of a hard time in south florida. >> he is joey the river otter. the only reason we can tell him apart from the others is joey does not go all the way under water because little joey can't swim. >> this is a shocker. keepers say otters must be taught to swim by their mothers and they believe joey was orphaned before he was taught. >> but he is getting a little bit better and they are hoping that one day little joey will just go for it. >> i don't understand this. i would think this would be second nature. >> you would think this would come instinctively for the otter but apparently not. we all need that motherly touch. >> so sad, we're rooting for you. >> more "world news now" coming up right after the break. . i'm just a piece of dirt stuck here in a rut. ever since that ol' broom dumped me here... oh, oh. oooh! will love ever come my way? oh my! ♪ i believe in miracles [ male announcer ] swiffer attracts dirt. swiffer sweeper's new, thicker cloths get deep into ridges picking up more dirt, dust and 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[ male announcer ] swiffer cleans better or your money back. ♪ call me, call me any, any time ♪ >> a lot of us can relate to, if your eyes jump out of your socket when you open your cell phone bill you are not alone. i'm right there with you. according to the fcc, 30 million americans suffer sticker sock when they see their bill. >> oh, yeah. the cell phone industry thankfully is promising finally to do something about this. with more, here's abc's lisa stark. >> reporter: when alex cullison opened his family cell phone bill he could not believe his eyes. $400, more than four times what he expected. did you have any warning that you were going to exceed your limit? >> none whatsoever. >> reporter: alex's son had sent and received 2,000 text messages. the plan's limit? 250. that's nothing compared to what happened to helen schwartz. >> it was so outrageous that i didn't even know where to start. >> reporter: her bill, more than $5,000. and no warning. her family plan had no internet package but her son checked e-mail and downloaded ring tones. wireless companies push value as a key selling point of their plans. >> families can call any u.s. mobile phone for free. >> reporter: but if you go over plan limits that's where they get you. a dime or more for receiving or sending a text message. 45 cents a minute to make a call. $10 for browsing the web. >> it's analogous to credit card companies that try to trick you and trap you into paying more than you thought you were going to. >> reporter: one in six phone users that is experienced bill shock. cell phone companies promised to start warning consumers before they hit their limits. >> our companies are biting the bullet. and we're going to get this done. >> at no charge to consumers? either hidden or otherwise? >> no. >> reporter: while some companies now send all these alerts, others will have a full year and a half to put their programs in place. of course, you can always choose plans with no limits. but those cost more. and even there, watch the fine print. lisa stark, abc news, washington. >> you know, the best part approximate that was when she was asking that ceo and he says, we're biting the bullet. >> i know those executives are starving. >> they've got over a year to implement the plan. >> could be up to two years. the alertsn the form of a text message when you go over. i was in mexico and i couldn't believe the roaming charges. thank you for doing something. you've got to be doing something. coming up, the occupy wall street movement is getting some more support. >> as they demonstrate against big business, they are getting some big-name support as well. that story and more when we come right back. welcome back, everybody. the occupy wall street movement epterse its second month today. in that time the protesters have gained thousands of supporters, including some a-list celebrities. >> this is sort of an interesting thing that's going on here. for more on what stars are supporting the protests and, why we're joined by world news media and music consultant bruno del grana granado. >> who are we talking about here? what kind of a-listers are on this list? >> we run the gamut from yoko ono to russell simmons, kanye west, susan sarandon, michael moore, and even somebody like tom morrell low from rage against the machine. artists, television stars, and movie stars as well. >> well-known, left-leaning celebrities joining the protests out there. what strikes me about this, all the folks you just mentioned obviously are wealthy people, millionaires. they seem to represent the 1% that the protesters are out there clamoring against. how are the celebrities fitting into the message? there's a shift in the cultural landscape. hollywood's always been very adept at adjusting their sails when winds of change are blowing. they realize america's tired, america's fed up. it's not hippies, punks and kids in dread locks protesting. it's housewives, it's jou construction workers. i think they really want to be a part of what's going on because this is a real pass movement. we're entering its second month now, it's spreading globally. they want to be a part of it. >> we are talking about people who are incredibly wealthy. do you think these artists and celebrities risk anything by showing support for these protesters? >> i think they do because the movement doesn't have a leader yet and there's no cohesive message. some sort of message gets distorted. there's no clear picture yet. and they're also risking by going down there, either as coming across as condescending or a little bit too fake. because a lot of these people have major deals. they're massive movie stars, they're hugely successful touring artists and they do make a ton of money. >> in that business image is everything so that is definitely on the line. for many, many years and many different reasons we've seen celebrities getting involved in movements like this. there's quite a history of this, right, bruno? >> absolutely. during the '60s anti-war movement it was artists, musicians who basically were the tip of the spear in helping end the conflict in vietnam. we didn't see much in the '70s. but in the last ten years, either because of fear or ÷prespect, artists did not real rally against the war in iraq or afghanistan. so i think they really want to take the mantle now and really just and place where they have to be. >> last question. do you expect this to continue, and do you think more celebrities are going to join this bandwagon? >> i think we're seeing the celebrities are just becoming so enthused with it, they're bringing public consciousness into it. i think it's going to get much bigger, yunji. >> in terms of the celebrities being out there, are they facing any backlash or criticism because they think it's a little bit of grandstanding, a little bit of pr, because wherever there's big crowds, stars tend to follow? >> there's certainly a lot of pr, and they're getting a lot of heat about that. because a lot of blogs and we can sites have been disclosing their financial worth and how much these artists are really worth and saying, listen, kanye west went down there, he was wearing gold grilles and a $20,000 watch, how empathetic is that with the crowd? they're risking a lot of the backlash, especially from the right-wing blogs. >> not the best -- >> it's time for a wardrobe change there. thanks so much, "world news now" media and music consultant bruno del granado, thanks for joining 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 competitive. 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. covergirl trublend has skin twin technology. other makeup can sit on your skin, so it looks like...makeup. but trublend has skin twin technology to actually merge with yur skin. how easy breezy beautiful is tha? trublend...from covergirl. love our music department, they nailed another one, perfect song. a little hollywood news. finally the latest in the chapter of ashton cuffer and "emi moore's latest cheating scand scandal. >> ashton was spotted last weekend in hollywood without his lovely bride. so what does all this mean? here's abc's andrea canning. >> reporter: take a look at ashton kutcher's left hand. that is his wedding ring. but missing on his arm, his wife. demi moore was a no-show this weekend at president clinton's foundation concert in hollywood where kutcher spoke. >> my dna foundation -- >> reporter: his solo appearance saturday further fueling those rumors that the couple is headed for divorce. >> that was a real kind of shocking thing because they usually always attend those charity events together. >> reporter: the couple was spotted camping together the other week, seen in these photos shot by "star" magazine. but then this picture circulated on friday, showing a moving van supposedly in front of the couple's home. their reps tell tmz it's a made-up story, that the van wasn't even on their street. but they would not comment to abc news. the latest round of speculation comes on the heels of kutcher's alleged one-night stand with 22-year-old sarah leal who spilled her side of the story to "us weekly." >> he told a group of us that he was separated. and shortly after that we all got in the hot tub and he -- we were all naked. one thing led to another and i ended up staying the night. >> so much speculation about demi and ashton and what's going to happen next in their relationship. sometimes we're hearing that they're not staying together, sometimes we're hearing that they are. >> reporter: so for now, the once very public couple has gone private. continuing to keep everyone guessing. andrea canning, abc news, new york. >> aw. >> i hope they find happiness together. i think they're a beautiful couple. >> they are. >> and she is ageing in reserve reverse. >> she looks better now than she did 20 years ago in "st. elmo's fire." it's hollywood. people in hollywood, they're hard dogs to keep on the porch. >> there you go. >> there, yeah, see? >> she wants to have any company on the red carpet, we're obviously ready to take over. >> i don't want you to find out this way on national tv, i'm very sorry but that but i had to go for it after i saw "striptease." remember to follow us on facebook at wnnfans.com. this morning on "world news now" -- heading home. the american nuclear scientist who may have suffered a stroke working at the south pole is finally rescued. >> doctors in new zealand are treating her right now. this is just one stop on her road to recovery. it is tuesday, october 18th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning, i'm rob nelson. >> i'm yunji de nies. we're getting more information from doctors about renee douceur and her condition. she's lost some vision and she is being diagnosed and treated in new zealand. she already knows which american hospital will treat her when she gets home. >> very lucky woman. what an incredible rescue, wow. another big headline on this tuesday morning is the prisoner exchange involving two bitter enemies in the mideast. we'll get a live update from jerusalem and explain why the deal is so significant in israeli/palestinian relations. later this half hour, you won't want to miss this. the miniature horse with maximum talent. his name is amos and he is trained to become famous. like that little rhyme there? >> well done. >> see why this is our very favorite story of the day. first, before all that the relieved american researcher now evacuated from the frozen tundra of the south pole. >> after arriving in new zealand, the 58-year-old said her brain is still intact after more medical tests in new zealand. she's ready to check into an american hospital. >> abc's scott goldberg has the story. good morning, scott. >> reporter: good morning, rob, yunji. renee nicole douceur is still far away from home as she awaits test results in new zealand. but that is a move in the right direction after she found herself trapped at the bottom of the world. back on unfrozen ground, american nuclear engineer, renee nicole douceur, arrived in christchurch, new zealand. finally liberated from the lab in the south pole where she had been working for a year and where she believes she had a stroke. >> the flight over i slept all the way. they put me on a cart. gave me a pill. put me right out. and i was fine. >> reporter: douceur took what was essentially the first flight out of town. the first cargo plane of the season. up until now, extreme winter conditions made air travel too dangerous. she wasn't happy when her company, raytheon polar services, declared her condition was not an emergency. >> a person had a stroke, needs mri testing, is that just an inconvenience? i don't think so. >> reporter: the incident happened seven weeks ago. she said her field of vision suddenly was cut in half. >> that was with both eyes. it's come back now, but, i have difficulty reading, talking, i tend to jumble words sometimes, i make up new words. >> reporter: in new zealand where she will undergo preliminary testing it was clear her sense of smell at least was working very well. >> oh, it smells great. fantastic. ah, i hope i can go to the botanical gardens. >> if the preliminary tests go well, the 58-year-old from new hampshire says she will fly back to the states for further testing and treatment at johns hopkins hospital in baltimore. rob, yunji? >> she was in good spirits, that's great to see. >> positive attitude. >> had a few memory problems can't remember short lists of things. they're going to check and see if a tumor caused some of her medical problems. seemed to be in good spirits. enjoying that fresh air. >> she is obviously angry at her employer, seems not like a good relationship. i don't know if she'll continue working there. >> yeah, yeah. smart bet. all right, well now to the middle east and high stakes prisoner exchange involving israel and the palestinians. >> it is one of the most dramatic developments in the long history between these two bitter enemies. abc's alex marquardt is live in jerusalem. good morning, alex. >> reporter: good morning, rob, yunji. we have just confirmed with hamas and the prisoner has been handed over to the egyptians signaling the prisoner exchange is under way. almost 500 palestinian prisoners to be exchanged today have been positioned to be handed over through egypt. shalit will be turned over to the israelly military who will identify him and give him a health checkup. he will be thrown to central israel where he will meet prime minister benjamin netanyahu, be reunited with hit family before going home this afternoon to their house in northern israel. this has been almost five years in the making. he was captured june 2006 by hamas militants. a long-awaited return not just for the family but all of israel, followed this story closely and considers him like a national son. now this deal its not without controversy. of those being released today, almost 300 are severing one or more life sentences for attacks on i some relatives of those killed have spoken out against the deal saying exchanging more than 1,000 prisoners for one man is too many. but there is expected to be much celebrating on both sides today as loved ones return home. >> just an amazing story, alex, to think june 2006 to now. tell us more about what this release means for israel? >> well, you have to understand here in israel, his face is on posters, billboards, bumper stickers. it's almost iconic. this is a country where everyone serves in the military, it's mandatory three-year military service for men, a little bit shorter for women. families across israel live in constant fear that what happened to shalit could happen to their own kids. that's why around 80% of israelis support this deal of more than 1,000 for one, which to the rest of us can appear a little bit lopsided. >> all right, thanks to abc's alex marquardt reporting for us live this morning from jerusalem. thanks, alex. a memorial is growing at the indianapolis speedway to mourn two time winner dan wheldon killed sunday during a race. fans are leaving flowers, stuffed animals, and letters to wheldon, who was killed in a 15-car pileup at the las vegas speedway. defending nascar champ jimmie johnson is urging indy car to stop racing on oval-shaped tracks because of the danger and speed involved. a rare step is being taken in ohio's amish community following a bizarre home invasion. five men are now accused of cutting the hair of several men and women, and that's an offensive act to the amish who believe the bible instructs men and women to grow their hair and beards. it's also rare for community members there to seek outside help from authorities. police say that is the only way the attacks could have been stopped. on to financial news. more americans appear to be falling behind on credit card bills. five out of the top six credit card companies say late payments rose in september. the last time so many major companies reported delinquencies this serious was back in february 2009. analysts are concerned about consumers defaulting with the unemployment rate above 9%. president obama resumes his bus tour today in greensboro, north carolina, pushing his big jobs plan. during a campaign-style stop yesterday, the president said that if republicans will not pass the $447 billion jobs bill they should break it up and talk one vote, one idea at a time. today is the second day of his tour. >> the president's handling of the economy is likely to be a big topic tonight as the republicanre candidates get ready to debate in las vegas. heading into the debate, the latest poll finds mitt romney and herman cain in a virtual tie for first place. cain's 9-9-9 tax plan gained attention during the last debate. gop candidate michele bachmann is struggling in the polls. and donald trump isn't being much help. trump told supporters bachmann is terrific, smart and he does not plan to endorse her and will not offer to beep her vice president anytime soon. >> the donald loves being the kingmaker. everybody comes through new york to see the donald this season. very interesting. >> maybe it's because i live in atlanta but herman cain has really come up into this race as a very surprising and steady candidate. everywhere i go, just at the hairdresser's last week, he was the talk of the town. >> was he really? interesting back story on him too. again, such a weird season with the gop. we'll see how long it lasts. i think longevity is hard to come by so far away with the field of contenders. >> he says he's not a flash in the pan, he's that dark rum raisin. >> we'll see if the counter for the political season as well, iowa officially having their caucus on january 3rd. here we go, it is time again, 'tis the season. >> we'll be watching. stormy in the southeast drenching rain. parts of georgia, south carolina. thunderstorms around chicago, detroit, and cincinnati. severe storms from tennessee to the gulf coast. >> 82 in new orleans. 79 in atlanta. 71 in baltimore. 50s from indianapolis to omaha. 47 in the twin cities. 64 in seattle. 60 in salt lake city. phoenix still hot at 94. the college basketball season is getting closer by the day. some guys are already seem to be in mid-season warm. >> josh thompson of wagner college in staten island, new york, is one of them. check him out from the team's opening practice. that's his mom there in the lane. and josh, yep, get ready for it, boom, soars right over his mama for the big dunk. >> yikes. this video has gone viral hitting the web last friday. look at him go. thompson and his teammates open the season november 12th against prince son. look out below. >> if he hit her, he would have been grounded. would have knocked mama over. good luck to the team. good luck to my north carolina tar heels. you have a college team you root for in basketball? >> i like them all. >> you should run for office. how diplomatic of you. we'll be back with more after this. the basketball number one 1 ♪ ♪ basketball is my favorite sport ♪ [ male announcer ] sheets or bar, how do you get your bounce? i'm a sheets girl, but i don't just put'em in the dryer to freshen up my clothes. i put'em in my shoes, i put'em in my car, i put'em in my vases. girl, i been put'n'em for as long as i can remember. [ male announcer ] how do you get your bounce? [ woman ] sheets, i put'em! ♪ well i was ♪ i was born in a small town and i live in a small town ♪ >> can't see rob tapping his feet under the desk. >> the boss. got to love the boss man. a little bruce springsteen to get you up early. >> the song gets into the story of a small town of missouri that has seen its share of hard times. the root of the problem of course the economy. >> to help bring the town back from the brinks, teens banded together to breathe life back into their hometown. abc's chris cuomo reports. >> reporter: bonnie seymour grew up in lincoln, missouri. what was it like? to realize that what you once saw as thriving was gone? >> disappointing. very saddened. >> reporter: there are less than 700 living here now. 100 years ago the place was booming. today, layton is suffering the fate of many rural communities. squeezed by bigger towns with box stores. then about a decade ago the local grocery store closed and many people stopped going into town at all. ♪ put here at the layton school, the kids and teachers decided their town would not become another statistic. bonnie and mary jane manley, teachers, teamed up with their students to convince the school to do something educational and amazing. to turn the town's old bank building into a new grocery store. so was born the bulldog express, named after the school mascot. high schoolers do everything it takes to run the small business. taking care of the store, the inventory, and the cash. the economic lessons come quickly. what do you think the store has taught you? what does it take to make jobs? >> you can't find a money tree and expect a business to come out of it. you have to actually look into it and plan it. >> reporter: the bulldog express stocks essentials folks need especially seniors who otherwise have to drive to the next town to get supplies. >> if you are a senior citizen and you are not able to drive, it's pretty much walking distance from anywhere in town. >> reporter: three years on the store is about break-even. and there's a deli in the works, along with other plans to bring downtown alive. you quickly see the bulldog express is about more than food. what do you think people can learn from what's going on here in leighton? >> how we have brought our community together. how we brought pride into our town. >> reporter: the kids and their teachers started the bulldog express but the community is keeping it going in ways that go far beyond shopping. the message is simple. when people come together, so much can be achieved. and that is a lesson we need now more than ever. chris cuomo, abc news, new york. >> let me correct myself before the angry face bookers get on me. the song that we played at beginning was not bruce springsteen, it's john cougar mellencamp as our producer scolded me as soon as we ran our package. good song. sorry, john. i know you watch. >> wonderful for the kids to be putting that together and helping their community. i love that story. >> it is a good story. inspired a similar story in kansas. hopefully some of that can catch on. a lot of lessons there, so it's good. coming up next, a well-known entertainment reporter reveals a very serious health challenge. >> that's right. who impressed the judges on doctors? stay with us for "the skinny." favorite part of the night, time for "the skinny." >> yes. >> now do you watch "dancing with the stars"? >> every now and again. hard to escape it in this building. >> if you love the '80s and doctors, last night was your night. top scores and low scores. j.r. martinez and karina smirnoff, got 28. not bad. high scores. he's looking good. i definitely think he's the front runner in this race. >> oh, yeah. >> surprisingly low score, ricki lake, who usually is on top, she she got just 24. >> look at that, nice. >> got 24 points. there you see chaz bono, low scorer again. 21 points. then we have got carson kressley, 19 points. i think he should get docked points for that outfit. >> yeah, what is going on, carson. good lord. richard simmons has nothing on him. >> we will see who gets eliminated tonight. i just love this show, i can't help it. >> you do. you do. it was good. you remember back in the day, i guess back in the '90s. limp biskit, the band. rock/rap band. apparently his star has fallen a little bit i think in recent years. but could be on the rise again. apparently fred has signed a deal to star in a half-hour comedy on cbs. he's going to star in it and help produce it. the name of it is really interesting. the name of it is d-bag, except it's the full part of the "d." i can't imagine cbs running with that. but anyway, that's going to be -- he's going to be starring as a rock legend, trying to balance his career and his family life. now could become the next big sitcom star. apparently the band, at least their album, "gold cobra," in june went to number one on some of the charts. still doing his thing. try his hand. who knew they would put a show named "d-bag" on the air. apparently show business is not dull. >> maybe that's just the working title. we've got some serious news in "the skinny." giuliana rancic, you may know her from e! entertainment news. she has breast cancer. she discovered this going through ivf treatments. her and her husband been trying to have a baby documenting that struggle on their reality tv show. now made t$e shocking announcement. but says she still wants this baby because in a way the baby saved her life. had she not been in close contact with doctors going through the process she may not have caught the cancer so early. so she apparently is going to go through some treatment and then resume the ivf. >> reminder too, i think we think cancer is something that older people get. she is only 37 years old. this is something that strikes people that aim, and even worst-case scenario, even younger. that is hard to hear. hopefully get all the treatment she needs. have a healthy baby. sad, unexpected news from her. >> we wish her a speedy recovery. >> not necessarily a shocker here a little bit, but susan sarandon is not one to bite her tongue especially when it comes to politics and such. now taking on the catholic church. apparently interview, hamptons international film festival, she kind of called pope benedict a nazi. that did not go over well, the pope whose name is john ratzinger did grow up in nazi germany. she angered a lot of people, catholic league, anti-defamation league, they're calling her ignorant, dumb and upset with her comments. susan knows how to stir the pot. now taking on the big dude. >> yikes. 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 competitive. 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. t 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. ♪ a horse is a horse of course ♪ a horse is a horse of course of course and no one can talk to a horse of course that is of course unless the horse is the famous mr. ed ♪ >> our music department is on point tonight. [ they are the best in the business, nailed it. >> finally today our favorite story of the day. the famous mr. ed might have been able to talk, but that horse was nothing, has nothing on amos the wonder horse. >> amos, this horse can play basketball, paint and is learning to play the xylophone. w pbs' aaron guy reports now from south florida. >> good boy. good, amos, drop it. where did it go? >> reporter: your eyes are not playing tricks on you. this is really a miniature horse dunking a basketball. just when you thought that was pretty cool -- ♪ here he is learning to play the xylophone. >> good boy. it does go there. put it in the middle. good. good. >> reporter: here working a puzzle. >> they say that if a horse can pick something up with its mouth you can train it to do just about anything. >> reporter: amos is a 10-year-old horse that just found a new home in boca raton. shelly spends hours with amos showering him with love and teaching him all the tricks. the latest feat playing basketball. >> so we tried for two or three days and at the end of the third training session which was about 15 minutes long we had this little green ball and he finally reached down and picked it up. >> reporter: hannah loves her new pet. and let's face it, it's a pretty crazy story to tell all her friends at school. >> they think it is cool that my horse plays basketball. >> reporter: the reason behind all these tricks is to put a smile on someone else's face. amos helps kids celebrate birthdays and events and is part of personal ponies of florida, a nonprofit organization where amos visits special needs children. veterans and people in nursing homes. and shows off his skills. >> he'll go out and volunteer with them from time to time. and we've also had kids with special needs come and visit him in the barn too. >> reporter: but shelley says this little horse lives a great life. not only making everyone else happy, but he loves it all too. >> if we left him here, he would keep playing. he likes to play. . give me a kiss. give me a kiss. yes, i know, you're a good boy. >> i wish we could have a dvd commentary while the stories are running because you would hear mr. nelson hating on this horse. >> i'm just saying it would be more impressive if the net was regulation. that's all i'm saying. >> i think we look pretty good. >> i look good in that kind of shirt. oh, man. more from abc coming up next.