making news on this wednesday, august 4th. a new, serious threat to the nation's power plants. computer hackers are trying to seize control. and so far, so good, at the bottom of the gulf. this morning, bp says it has reached a significant milestone. and a warning about the dietary supplements so many of us are taking. which ones do you need to be careful of? and good morning, everybody. thanks for being with us on this wednesday. we begin today with what's being called with serious threat to the nation's power plants. >> it comes from computer hackers who are trying to break into vital networks and systems. the government is taking the threat so seriously, it is

organizing special teams to respond to emergencies at plants across the country. >> and the conspiracy is apparently much wider than that, as our michael barr reports. >> reporter: it's not just a nationwide threat. it's a worldwide threat to power plants. federal investigators discovered hackers are trying to break into computer systems and gain control. the department of homeland security discovered for the first time, a malicious computer code that was created to seize inner workings of not only power plants, but industrial plants. they call it the struxnet worm. >> most of the activity that we've seen over the past several months has involved intrusions, into enterprise or corporate networks. that's the front office area of a control plant. or power plant. >> reporter: investigators discovered the computer code is capable of opening and closing doors and gates to allow access for potential intruders. >> that is very targeted. very sophisticated. that's why it's unique.

it's the first piece of malicious code of this complexity that we've ever identified. >> reporter: the struxnet worm is considered serious, because it can be unleashed on a wide variety of industries. >> it can be used to build equipment and vehicles. it has a wide variety of purposes. >> reporter: but the biggest concern may be aging power plants. >> if you can shut a power plant down, you can infect an entire inner connected infrastructure. in other words, the water will stop flowing. you know, the banks won't operate. you can't pump gas. >> reporter: 13 teams of government cyber experts are investigating this unusual and complex computer threat. michael barr, abc news, new york. activists on both sides of the same-sex marriage issue are gearing up for a landmark ruling expected later today. a federal judge in san francisco will issue his decision this afternoon on the legality of same-sex marriage in california.

the case involves a lawsuit brought by two same-sex couples. they were looking to overturn california's voter-approved proposition 8, which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. most analysts believe the judge will overturn that ban. bp project managers say "operation static kill" in the gulf of mexico is going well. it could be finished as early as tonight. static kill involves pumping tons of mud and cement into the blownout well, eventually sealing it off for good. but government point man, admiral thad allen, cautions, though, that the work is far from over. >> there still is residual oil out there. it's harder to see. it's still out at sea. we have tar balls and mats that are showing up. they're mulling around near mississippi and alabama. we have to be in a position to respond to that. and our intentions is to size our force by how much oil is out there and how much we have to recover. >> according to today's "new york times," the government will announce today that about 75% of

the oil spilled into the gulf, has evaporated, been dispersed or has been eliminated. and what's left, that it's unlikely to pose much additional risk. the central massachusetts town of manchester is reeling, by one that turned into a workplace massacre. diana alvear has more on what sparked the rampage. thornson had been working at the family-owned beer distributor for two years. he recently had been accused of stealing. by the time he finished, eight people were dead. one victim is still in the hospital in critical condition. when police arrived at the

scene, thornton turned the handgun on himself. >> we do know that victims were found in different parts of the building. >> reporter: thornton had five guns registered to him. >> he was a very, very nice, down-to-earth guy. >> reporter: according to a girlfriend of his mother, he had reached his breaking point. >> the called his mother this morning. saying he shot five people. saying he loved his mother. >> reporter: for family members and fellow employees, it was a wrenching day, as they waited for news, comforting each other. asking how could someone do this? as for claims thornton was racially harassed, union officials say the record does not show a single complaint having been filed. diana alvear, abc news, manchester, connecticut. the families of the six teenagers who drowned in shreveport, louisiana, are now revealing details about that terrible night. the teens were siblings and cousins. all of them were wading in the red river during a family

picnic. after one of them slipped into deeper water, the others tried to help. no one knew how to swim. worse than that, none of the adults with them, could swim, either. >> i thought thes plays pl i kept saying, stop playing. stop playing. after that, they would holler for help. my nephew went under about four times. but they managed to get him. and i didn't see my daughter at all. and i could see my two sons saying, help me, please. it's hard when you can't save your kids. it's hard. you can't save your kids. just drowning and you can't save them. >> maude warner lost her daughter and two sons. the incident underscores a terrible fact. the drowning rate for african-american children is more than three-times that of white children. missouri voters have overwhelmingly rejected a key provision of the health care overhaul. by a margin of 3-1, they have approved the health care freedom

act, also known as proposition "c." the measure states that no one can be held to have health insurance or be fined if they don't. tropical storm colin has fallen apart in the atlantic for now. but the miami area still got a taste of some pretty necessity weather. now, for the country's weather from around the nation. severe storms with hail, and flash flooding. pop-up showers across parts of new england, new york and pennsylvania. downpours and flooding from new mexico to wyoming. meanwhile, record highs from the midwest to the south. >> 104 in dallas. 96 in atlanta. and 94 in minneapolis. the northeast hovers around the 90-degre 96 96 in boise. 92 in albuquerque. and 109 in phoenix. and when we come back this morning, spirit airlines considers another new fee.

that's in business news. and it's straight ahead. and bristol palin and levi johnston are back in the news. and their engagement may be off. didn't last too long. stay with us. ♪ [ instrumental: upbeat ] hey, max. [ announcer ] your dog's one of a kind. and now, you have the power... [ giggling ] to help significantly extend his healthy years. a groundbreaking 14-year study by purina... proves that puppy chow, then dog chow nutrition, fed properly over a lifetime, can help extend his lovable antics... up to 1.8 healthy years. [ barks ] long live your buddy. oh, max! long live your dog. purina puppy chow and purina dog chow. but viva puts 35% more towel between you and the mess. 35% more? are you ready to take that 1-step? yes, i'm ready. beautiful. [ cheers and applause ] [ sandy ] try viva® and quit the quilt.

but my doctor told me that most calcium supplements... aren't absorbed properly unless taken with food. he recommended citracal. it's different -- it's calcium citrate, soit can be absorbed ith or without food. citracal. with so many it's hard to see the difference. but this is the way his dentist chooses. fact is, more dentists use an oral-b toothbrush than any other brush. trust the brush more dentists use. oral-b. new aveeno positively radiant tinted moisturizers, with scientifically proven soy complex and natural minerals give you sheer coverage instantly, then go on, to even skin tone in four weeks. new aveeno tinted moisturizers. moh-ohm. -do you have your lunch? -yes. and you know where your classroom is? uh huh. mom, i can walk from here. what about your... mom, i got it. ♪

[ female announcer ] they're never too big for a little something sweet. kellogg's rice krispies treats. overseas stoechl stock markets are mostly lower this morning. tokyo's nikkei average tumbled 2% today. hong kong's hang seng is higher. in london, the ftse opened lower. and on wall street, the dow fell

38 points yesterday. meanwhile, the nasdaq was down almost 12 points. auto sales picked up last month after they hit the brakes in june. it was the best month for the industry since last august, when cash for clunkers rebates boosted sales. general motors and chrysler posted slight increases in june. while ford sales were flat. intel has agreed to settle the antitrust lawsuit filed against it by the ftc. details of that settlement will be announced later this morning. the computer chip giant is accused of using its influence from blocking customers from buying rivals' products. any new rules announced today could potentially make them cheaper. and research in motion is hoping its newest blackberry helps close the gap with rival smartphones. the torch was unveiled tuesday. it's the first blackberry to feature a touch-screen and a slideout keyboard. it runs on software that gives many of the same features as competing phones.

it will be available exclusive by through at&t beginning next tuesday. if you brew your coffee at home, you could soon be paying more. the company that puts folgers, dunkin' donuts and millstone brands on shelves could be hiking prices by 9%. it blames poor har viss, prooifing up the cost of coffee beans. just when you thought the airlines couldn't come up with any new fees, spirit airlines say they are considering another one. the carrier that just started charging for carry-on bags, says it may charge customers to talk to a human at the airport. the company's ceo says it needs to improve its airport kiosks before it happens. >> i didn't see that one coming. >> not at all. when we come back, a decision on the proposed muslim center so close to ground zero. >> if you thought the fight was over, you need to think again.

and now, for a look at morning road conditions. flooding on i-80 from detroit to albuquerque. and on i-75 from pittsburgh to indianapolis. wet on each end on i-95 and on i-10 along the gulf coast. flash flooding on i-15, 25 and 40 in the rockies. >> if you are flying today, expect airport delays in denver, chicago, detroit, new york, philadelphia, washington and new orleans. and now, to the latest warning about dietary supplements. americans shelled out $27 billion on them last year. but "consumer reports" has just singled out 12 ingredients said to be linked to a string of health problems, from cancer to

kidney damage. here, now, is lisa stark. reporter: dietary supplements are a booming business. 150 million americans take them, but now a warning from "consumer reports" about ingredients that may hurt, not help. >> with the dozen supplements that we've identified, we think it's all risk and no benefit. >> reporter: what the magazine calls the dirty dozen are marketed for everything from weight loss to coughs to anxiety and depression and a host of other ailments. but "consumer reports" says each can have serious side effects. >> liver damage, liver failure, kidney damage, heart attacks. >> reporter: the fda has previously issued consumer alerts on a number of these supplements, including colloidal silver, said to boost the immune system. but it can turn skin permanently blue. that happened to paul karason. >> i kind of hoped it would fade off. >> reporter: it's easy to find these 12 products on the internet or in the stores.

but here's something you should know. supplements do not need to prove they are safe and effective before they are sold. and congress has made it tough for the fda to pull them once they're on the market. the industry points out these supplements are not widely used. these are fringe products, in your view? >> in my mind, they are an insubstantial amount of the dietary supplement marketplace. >> reporter: there is widespread agreement on one point. before you take any supplement, talk to your doctor. lisa stark, abc news, washington. a plan to build a mosque near ground zero in new york city has cleared a major hurdle. a city commission denied landmark status for the 152-year-old blding involved. that means developers can now tear it down and begin converting it to an islamic community center and mosque. opponents to the plan says it disrespects the memory of those killed at the hands of islamic terrorists. hip-hop superstar wyclef jean tells "time" magazine he will run to be the next

president of haiti. he says the country's devastating earthquake convinced him to do it now. he was born in haiti and came to the u.s. when he was 9 years old. he is expected to make the announcement this week. president to 'bama has slapped a freeze on bonuses and pay boosts for all political appointees. the freeze will affect about 3,000 on the payroll. and will save nearly $2 million a year. it's already taken effect. and mr. obama says it's a way to make sure the government is spending taxpayer money wisely. here's one, now, that's gotten plenty of hits on youtube in recent days. >> look at this. on sunday, one of them launched a shot from the top of birmingham, alabama's, famous monument. you can imagine what happened. from 134 feet up, nothing but net. it's the longest trick shot they've ever tried. who knows where the next one will come from? as for last night's baseball highlights, here is don bell over at espn news.

>> good morning. the a-rod watch continues in new york. the yankees taking on the blue jays. we go straight to the bronx. we pick it up in the bottom of the seventh inning. alex rodriguez looking for career jack number 600. and that is not going to be it. lazy fly ball to center field. a-rod, 0 for 3 with a k on the ninth. jose batista, a solo for him. batista leads the major with 31 jacks. sean rodriguez hoping to have a little more luck than alex rodriguez. twins and rays from st. pete's. rodriguez, to center field. seventh of the year. rays up 3-1. bottom seven. b.j. upton. come in long, send it long. top of the ninth we go. twins down, 6-1. delmon young, slow roller to short. that's your ball game.

rays win, 6-4. they take sole possession of first place in the a.l. east. to the national league. matt latos and the first-place dodgers -- padres, taking on the dodgers. dodgers down 2-0. and check out the dive by chris. that's off of russell martin's bat. dodgers lead 2-1. ted lilly, making his dodgers' debut. top of the seventh inning. strikes out hunley swinging. lilly only gives up one run. that's all for your update. wac to you in the studio. america's most infamous on again/off again teen parents, well, they're off again. >> bristol palin tells "teen" magazine, the engagement is off. h this is when levi johnston may have fathered another baby.

he wasoing to a hunting show.thh

now, a look ahead to the stories we will be watching on this wednesday. breaking news out of iran this morning, where there are reports that president mahmoud ahmadinejad's convoy came under attack.

al arabiya television says the iranian president survived. and the attacker who threw a bomb at the convoy has been detained. the government is working to counter what is described as a serious threat against power plants here and around the world. a hacker has created a code to shut down plants. and a judge in san francisco will issue a long-awaited ruling today on the legality of same-sex marriages in california. analysts believe the judge will overturn the voter-approved proposition 8, which, of course, bans same-sex marriages. according to bp, "operation static kill" is working well. project managers say mud and summit to be pumped in the blownout well are holding down the oil for now. also, pakistan is facing life-threatening food shortages, after devastating floods. the floodwaters have surged to the agriculture heartlands of the punjab, destroying crops. opening statements begin in the conspiracy trial stemm

and finally this morning, he's not a celebrity or a criminal or even a politician. but he's making news over and over again.

>> a british man is trying to champion the cause of the common man. he is making his point by making sure viewers across england have a little something extra to feast their eyes on. nick watt explains. >> fragile economy. >> swept away. >> heavy metal. >> reporter: it's called in the trade, a live shot. the anchor asks a searching question. >> what has happened here? >> reporter: the reporter pontificates, eating up air time on the 24/7 news networks. but for british viewers, there's an extra die mention. a sort of where's waldo? see the guy in the beige sweater? there he is again, just a wee smaller. and again. hang on. front and center. where is he? there he is. oh. here he comes. and he's brought his shopping. the british press has now turned on him. he is now the news raider.

>> i'm known as the balding fat man. that's what they call me in the press. >> reporter: i have learned, through a bitter experience, when you film on the streets ofr someone to come up behind you and mock you. feel your face. flick your ear. do something stupid. we'll keep on rolling the camera. i'll keep on talking nonsense. and we'll see how long it takes. so, as you see, it hasn't taken us very long in london for someone to come behind and ruin the shot. the difference with colin arrow is he doesn't talk. he doesn't do anything. and he's actually trying to make a point. thanks, mate. >> that's the point that he's trying to make. we tend to only interview very attractive people on she visite. he says, there should be more guys that look lik