we begin with breaking news on this wednesday morning. >> more deadly tornadoes overnight. arkansas is the latest hit, just hours after twisters tore across oklahoma and that powerful system is on the move. new trouble for john edwards. the government takes a big step toward indicting him for covering up his extramarital affair. a surprise outcome to some, a jock becomes dancing's mvp. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "america this morning" with rob nelson and peggy bunker. good morning. thanks for being with us today. we want to get right to the breaking news. a new line of deadly tornadoes zeroing in on several states from the plains to as far east as virginia. >> it looks like the tiny town of denning, arkansas, may be bearing the brunt of it. we're hearing a massive twister was on the ground for 20 miles

in the area east of fort smith. at least one person was killed. and there are reports of extensive damage. arkansas tor among more than 30 that touched down overnight. john hendren has more on those. >> reporter: the new spate of twisters swept in ravaging the landscape outside oklahoma city. >> this was a large tornado. >> reporter: some homes were turned to rubble, killing several residents, as others right next door stood nearly untouched. >> we had a house here, three-car garage, silo, another house, my wife's new car is in the tree. >> reporter: the oklahoma governor is warning residents to stay out of harm's way. violent thunderstorms pounded rural kansas and texas, evacuating the upper deck of a rangers game. in joplin, missouri, another somber day. as residents continued to pull sur sfriefrts rubble. at least 122 people were killed there in the deadliest twister

in the u.s. in nearly 60 years. >> seeing this right now, i'm in shock. it doesn't even look the same. >> reporter: the search continues for some 1,500 still missing. stephen campbell is looking for his wife, tammy. she was lying next to him when the tornado hit. >> i heard her scream and after she screamed that's when the whole thing collapsed on us. that's the end of it. >> reporter: the family looks for a 12-year-old boy. his parents are in the hospital. >> last seen in a bathtub. we've not been able to locate the bathtub, so we're out here trying to see if we can find out information on where he might be at or find him in the debris. >> reporter: rescue workers are looking for survivors before turning the rescue mission into a recovery mission. john hendren, abc news. our matt gutman spent the day with the discovery channel storm chasers zeroing in on the

tornadoes barreling down country roads at 80 miles an hour in a vehicle called the dominator. >> really coming together. >> reporter: this spring has been particularly good for the storm chasing business. their office is the 700,000 square miles that make up tornado alley. why would anybody in their right mind drive into the center of a tornado? >> who said we're in our right mind? mother nature's last great mystery. still so much unknowns about tornadoes. we don't know how they're formed, we don't know why some supercells put down tornadoes and others don't. >> reporter: our driver stopped because we found ourselves directly beneath a cloud formation beginning to swirl into a tornado. >> right there is the funnel. it's going to hit the ground. >> see the funnel forming right now. >> reporter: you feel the wind kick up. with more storms predicted in the coming days these chasers will continue to be in hot pursuit. i'm matt gutman in canton, oklahoma. >> a busy night for storm chasers and emergency

responders, a tornado destroyed a town in arkansas. our team in the region is working on this latest deadly strike, and of course we'll have the very latest later today on "good morning america." there is a major development in the case against former presidential candidate john edwards. abc news has learned the justice department green-lighted the prosecution of edwards for violations of campaign laws while seeking to cover up an extramarital affair with rielle hunter. source say edwards is aware an indictment could come within days. shocking outcome in the election to replace chris lee of new york who resigned from congress after shirtless photos he sent to a woman surfaced online. a democrat won the race in the strongly conservative district. the republican who was widely expected to win lost the lead after she backed out -- backed a gop plan to cut billions from medicare. an event that some in britain watch nearly as closely as they did the royal wedding, the obamas in london.

>> the first couple awoke at buckingham palace this morning beginning another full day of diplomacy and ceremony after last night's state dinner. here's jake tapper. >> reporter: in white tie and tails, president obama toasted his hostess at buckingham palace. >> her majesty the queen. the vitality of the special relationship between our peoples -- >> reporter: though the orchestra seemed to start a tad early. the china date as far back as 1787 when the two countries were not getting along so swimmingly. but that was then. >> we are here to celebrate the tried, tested and yes, special, relationship between our two countries. >> reporter: it was a welcome fit from a queen. face time with prince charles and the duchess of cornwall, and fresh from their honeymoon, prince william and catherine. at westminster abbe yy, the

president signed the guest book. and jet-lagged? he wrote the day may 24, 2008. the work begins -- the speech to parliament about how the allies hope to team up to meet the challenges of a changing world. the teamwork not so hot, the president and prime minister attempted a game of ping pong with local students but there were signs of hope. >> oh! >> reporter: and hopefully not their last. jake tapper, abc news, london. >> a little ping pong among world leaders. >> not easy to play ping pong with those cameras watching. a look at your weather, violent storms threatening a big area from indianapolis to shreveport with tornadoes, large hail and flash flooding. also stormy from houston to nashville, chicago, cleveland and pittsburgh. meanwhile, some snow in the cascades and the lake tahoe area. rain from seattle to san francisco. >> and looking at 65 degrees in sacramento. 71 in salt lake and 94 in phoenix. 65 in the twin cities, 71 in

detroit and 72 in kansas city. upper 80s from dallas to miami. 91 in atlanta and 82 degrees here in new york. coming up the skyrocketing cost of coffee, rising faster than gasoline. >> not good news on this shift. then, will u.s. taxpayers be left with the bill for dominique strauss-kahn's six-figure severance? capping her 25-year run. what we know about the finale show as oprah says good-bye. ic

the federal government is getting back more of its bailout money. the giant insurer, aig, yesterday sold its first new stock offering since the government stepped in to prevent its collapse two and a half years ago. the treasury department made a small profit on the sale but still owns more than three-fourths of the company. asian markets are lower because of sagging exports from japan and europe's debt crisis. tokyo's nikkei average lost half a percent today, the hang seng also down and in london, the ftse opened slightly higher. and on wall street, dow off a fraction yesterday, as was the nasdaq index. new reports say former imf chief dominique strauss-kahn could receive a $250,000 severance paid partly by taxpayer. facing several sexual assault charges here in new york city

and members of congress looking for ways to block strauss-kahn from receiving that money. and big day at ground zero. magazine publisher conde nast set to sign a lease for the main building called one world trade center.r lease valued at the 25-year lease valued at $2 billion. the company plans to move 5,000 workers into the building. this is tough news on these overnight hours. you'll be paying more for the morning cup of coffee. ground coffee is 40% higher than last year, even gasoline has not gone up that much. brewed coffee prices will be going up as well and more coffee price hikes announced yesterday. whatever will we do around here? probably fork it over. >> we will. when we come back, what oprah fans can expect on today's last show. yet again, more air traffic controllers busted for sleeping on the job. and we return to our breaking story this morning, more deadly tornadoes overnight, one of them a mile wide.

woman: till all the books are read... man: and all the pens are put down... woman: and everything there is to learn is learned. man: till the heroes retire and the monsters return to their dens... woman: and all the plots are wrapped up. man: till that day... boy: by hook or by crook... girl: by book or by nook... woman: i will read. i didn't understand it. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia -- thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and less pain means, i can feel better and do more of what matters.

[ female announcer ] lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision, or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. i found answers about fibromyalgia. then i found lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today. aveeno daily moisturizing lotion. with active naturals oats, it's proven to moisturize for 24 hours. for healthy beautiful skin... and a better day. choose america's #1 daily lotion, only from aveeno. choose america's #1 daily lotion, hey! hey! hey! that's ou snack machine. you should try something new. activia parfait crunch! crunchy granola you mix right in to creamy and delicious " activia yogurt. mmm! crunchy! and creamy!

watch your toes! new activia parfait crunch. workers north of new orleans are trying to repair a gaping hole in a rail bridge. the 26-foot stretch of bridge was hit by debris washing in from the swollen mississippi river.fic was halted after traffic was halted after an amtrak train ran over the tracks and alerted officials. now for a look at morning road conditions. flooding on i-40 from nashville to little rock and i-70 from kansas to indianapolis and pittsburgh. wet on i-94 from minneapolis and chicago and detroit, also i-10 in the houston rain drenc rain drenches, i-5 from seattle to san francisco. and if you're flying today, airports delays are possible in detroit, chicago, memphis, houston and san francisco. and recapping our top story, another night of ominous storm sirens with more than 30 twisters reported. >> at least nine people are dead after a line of severe storms hit kansas, oklahoma and arkansas.

the worst damage appears to be in the rural town of denning, arkansas, where a twister remained on the ground for about 20 miles. the entire town of 300 was destroyed in severe weather is moving east, threatening the rescue efforts and recovery efforts in joplin, where that death toll stands at 122. in joplin, survivors holding out hope that their loved ones will be found alive. and the stories, as you can imagine, just heartbreaking. a grandma looking for her 16-month-old grandson whose parents are in the hospital after a twister hit their house. sadly, one of the victims did not die from the force of the winds, the 54-year-old woman had a fatal heart attack after being told her father had been killed in the storm. this morning, we're hearing two new incidents of sleeping air traffic controllers, both in incidents occurred in january. one was in l.a., and that controller is suspended, the other in dallas/ft. worth, where

the controller only received a reprimand. in all seven instances of sleeping on the job have been disclosed this year. ash from the volcano in iceland is canceling more flights. airports in four german cities were shut down this morning, including berlin. ash forced about 500 european flight cancelations, and less ash is now spewing into the atmosphere today. get out the tissues. here we go. >> mourning oprah. >> the queen of talk has officially stepped down from her throne. >> oprah winfrey was driven home from her studio for the final time with her best friend gayle in tow. she taped her final episode yesterday. we get the details from leah hope from our chicago station. >> reporter: the last show was emotional. >> an homage to her career and the things we gave her and the things she gave us. it was beautiful. i cried the whole time. >> reporter: 400 people watched the finale of "the oprah winfrey show" live in harpo studios. >> part of history. this is awesome.

we listen to oprah talk to us through our tvs every day and now to be with her in person as she embarks on this amazing journey. i wouldn't be anywhere else. >> reporter: it's hard to believe they could top the last few shows. two star-studded shows full of surprises, taped at the united center last week. those in attendance today said it was a reflective ms. winfrey who took the stage by herself for the final show. >> a raw performance, amazing good-bye to everybody. >> whole hour was perfection, when she walked off the stage and through the doors for the last time and then through all her 400 producers, that was a tear-jerker. >> tyler perry was in the audience, as was maria shriver, seen leaving after the show. also in the audience, those who have witnessed the success of ms. winfrey since before harpo. >> every person she's touched, every life she's changed, every person she's educated, oprah's a wonderful person and you're

going to love this last show. >> reporter: long-time partner steadman graham escorted her fourth grade teacher out of the studio. >> i'm so proud of her. she's really a teacher of the world because she reaches so many people over tv. >> it was a very spiritual show and that show in itself, you should just play that over and over because the messages were so powerful. >> isn't that true? i think her former teacher put it best, she was also a teacher, a teacher of the world. >> quite a moment today. >> most of today's show features oprah alone on the stage surrounded by adoring fans and some of the people who remember her when. >> audience members described it as an expression of love and gratitude and some likened it to a church service. we're told when it was over, oprah simply walked off the stage. >> and into the history books. >> many tears, i'm sure. sport news this morning. first hoops and then hockey taking a turn. here is espnnews.

>> cole wright here. chicago bulls have to do heavy lifting if they want to even up the season with the heat. derrick rose, to anthony, you're on my poster and couldn't hang if you were one. bulls up two at the half. fourth quarter now, heat down six, lebron james making moves, making moves. miami, they were within four. eight seconds to go, bulls with a chance to do it, d-rose, no dice, headed to free hoops, known as overtime. lebron, strong to the cup. that would pull miami within four. and then just over one minute to go, rose loses the ball. wade says i'm ripping and rolling. freshly baked finger rolls coming to you! miami wins 101-93. hockey time. joe thornton ready go after a big hit in game four. canucks and sharks, second overtime, tied at two. off the glass, deflects, gets it right past the goalie. how did that happen?

that's what we're here for. we'll show you. nobody knows where it was except bieksa. fires on net after off the board. off his back, and looking in the complete wrong direction as you can see. wishes he could have that one back. according to tradition, doesn't touch the campbell trophy, celebrates with his teammates. canucks advance to the stanley cup finals. that will do it for us. don't forget for the latest on sports, check out the highlights express. i'm cole wright. coming up next, the newest champion of "dancing with the stars." today's stories and the dramatic courtroom appearance by kidnapping victim elizabeth smart. which cities are in the cross-hairs of severe weather oday? smart. which cities are in the cross-hairs of severe weather today?

to talk about our blueberry juice drinks. they're made with my sweet, ripe blueberries, so they're good for you -- taste real good, too! let's whip up a sample. or just try this. [ chuckles ] as long as there's un, you and your family ca go have fun. because banana boat blocks up to 96% of harmful uva and uvb rays. so you can go, go, go, confident you're protected from sunburn and long-term skin damage. banana boat. wered. a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult.

prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. and celebrex is not a narcotic. when it comes to relieving your arthritis pain, you and your doctor need to balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen, and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, including celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. do not take celebrex if you've had an asthma attack, hives,

or other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history and find an arthritis treatment for you. visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. for a body in motion. the stories we're watching this wednesday -- a big section of the country is bracing for another severe weather outbreak. ly the rock, memphis, louisville, st. louis and indianapolis among the cities facing the greatest risk of tornadoes. also the large hail and winds topping 80 miles an hour. after last night's state dinner, president obama has a full schedule in london. he'll address parliament this afternoon. and later, he and the first lady host a dinner for the queen. accused tucson shooter jared loughner undergoes a hearing to dernl whether he's mentally c e competent to stand trial, he's

accus -- elizabeth smart comes face to face with the man who kidnapped and raped her. she's speak at the sentencing hearing for brian david mitchell. the third day of deliberations of today, mark kerrigan charged with death of his father at the family home last year. jury considered the case more than 12 hours. two astronauts from "endeavour" on a spacewalk outside the international space station right now. taking place exactly 50 years after president kennedy called for the u.s. to send a man to the moon. >>. >> and coming up later on "good morning america," our exclusive interview with oprah winfrey. the talk show icon gave one exit interview and we have it. that is coming up this morning on "gma." zblin >> interesting on her final day. local news next. >> for others, the mirror ball

trophy's latest recipient. with being fed on. we demand k9 advantix ii. it not only kills fleas and ticks, it repels most ticks before they can attach and snack on us. frontline plus kills but doesn't repel. any tick that isn't repelled or killed may attach and make a meal of us. so let's put our paws down in protest. no fetching, no friendship till we all get k9 advantix ii. join us at poochprotest.com. [ male announcer ] ask your veterinarian about k9 advantix ii. [ male announcer ] ask your veterinarian the count on chevy event is here. your ticket to a cruze eco. 42 mpg and over 500 highway miles a tank. one of our 9 models over 30 mpg highway. fuel up, rock on. very well qualified lessees can get a low mileage lease on a chevy cruze eco for around $159 a month. or qualified buyers can get no monthly payments for 3 months. fuel economy based on epa estimates. deferred payments offer ends may 31st.

hey! hey! hey! that's ou snack machine. you should try something new. activia parfait crunch! crunchy granola you mix right in to creamy and delicious " activia yogurt. mmm! crunchy! and creamy! watch your toes! new activia parfait crunch. [ female announcer ] lenscrafters has the styles you love at the lenscrafters style event! save up to 50% on eyeglasses and sunglasses made with your prescription. hurry in! lenscrafters. hurry in! some constipation medications can take control of you. break free. with miralax. it's clinically proven to relieve constipation and soften stool with no harsh side effects. just gentle predictable relief. miralax.

next on abc7 news, the new word of warning for anyone hiking in the north bay. plus, he says he wasn't even there. the new claims of innocence from the suspect arrested in the beating of giants' fan bryan stow. the evidence his attorney now says will prove police arrested the wrong man. and meteorologist mike nicco tracking rain coming our way. >> almost ready to move in the north bay. we have talk about how it moves through the best of the bay area and -- rest of bay area and how much you'll well, hines ward will have to find a little more on his trophy shelf. former super bowl mvp has been award the even more coveted mirror ball trophy. >> the exclusive crowd to have

that trophy. after a strong challenge from kirstie alley and chelsea kane, diana alvear has the backstage drama. >> reporter: wow, what a night. not only full of great dancing, full of surprises. and an upset by an underdog. >> the winners and new champions of "dancing with the stars" are -- hines and kym! >> reporter: a road to the trophy, this season filled with spills, thrills and chills. and then there were three. disney star chelsea kane and partner mark ballas sizzled during their last samba. and their freestyle dance earned a perfect score. >> perfect score. >> reporter: tied atonight leaderboard nfl pro hines ward and partner kym johnson who football-themed freestyle earned rave reviews. after a roller coaster season, a

catsuited kirstie alley and maksim chmerkovskiy had fans on their feet with a high-energy cartwheeled filled dance. performances with black-eyed peas, sara evans and go-goes and hines ward crowned the winner. so, what now? well, winner hines ward will be embarking on a whirlwind media tour, making a lot of appearancen and showing off that hard-earned trophy but everybody competing should be considered a winner, considering more than 22 million viewers tuned in last night to watch them battle it out. rob, peggy? >> that is great turnout. now he doesn't care so much about the super bowl. packers -- >> celebration in pittsburgh to celebrate his big win. there you go. very happy for hines ward. >> lots of fans. >> newest champion. >> see them this morning on "gma." that is whatt is making news.