>> jimmy: that's correct. and then i saw you once, we were on the street, i was doing the revlon run/walk for raising good morning. reversal of fortune. dominique strauss-kahn is free from house arrest, as the hotel maid accusing him of rape now admits to lying. will the shocking charges against one of the most powerful men in the world be dropped? pending. the case against casey anthony heading to the jury. closing arguments in the explosive murder trial begin this weekend. we'll have a live report from the courthouse. plus an interview with the attorney for casey's mom, cindy. and terminated. maria shriver makes it official, filing for divorce from arnold schwarzenegger, almost two months after he confessed to fathering another woman's child. we have new details on her

petition to end their 25-year marriage "today," saturday, july petition to end their 25-year marriage "today," saturday, july 2nd, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television wnd and welcome to "today" on this saturday morning, i'm amy robach. >> and i'm carl quintanilla in for lester this weekend. a lot of people hitting the road. you and i are at work. >> and nice to have you here, by the way. >> if you are one of those people hitting the road this holiday weekend, we do have good news to report for you, how is this for sticker shock? gas prices are going down. the drop in cost could help your vacation plans, of course. but the weather may not. much of the country is now in the grips of a brutal heat wave. we'll have a look at the forecast coming up. >> then the case against casey anthony. the most talked about and watched trial in years now coming to an end. the prosecution and defense are expected to deliver closing arguments this weekend.

we're going to go to orlando for the latest on what to expect. then there's been some speculation that cindy anthony may not have told the truth in a bid to save her daughter. we will see what her lawyer has to say when we speak with him, live. >> plus, a texas father's fight for the return of hess daughter. it's an international custody battle between the american man, and a british woman. she is his ex-fiancee. their child was born in the u.s., but now is living with her in england. we'll talk to the girl's father in just a moment in the "today" exclusive. and royal celebration. prince william and princess catherine party it up for canada day. it's the couple's first trip to north america. part of a visit that will take them to los angeles in the coming days. we'll have a live report from up north in just a moment. all right. but we begin this morning with the startling new developments in the rape case against dominique strauss-kahn. the former head of the international monetary fund, who was considered a french presidential front-runner, is now free on bail after his accuser changed parts of her

story. nbc's ron allen is in lower manhattan where strauss-kahn has been under house arrest. ron, good morning. >> good morning, amy. it is an absolutely stunning turn of events. there's no longer any armed guards here. no 24-hour security. and no sign of strauss-kahn this morning. he was last seen at an upper east side restaurant having what was described as a $700 meal, perhaps celebrating his victory in court yesterday. and then he was seen heading out to the hamptons, the summer beach community where you'll find many of new york's rich and famous this time of year. strauss-kahn still faces felony sexual suit charges. but with new revolutions about the accuser, the case does seem to be falling apart. with his wife by his side, and a smile on his face, dominique strauss-kahn left court, free of a $6 million bond. he returned to his luxury townhouse, but he's no longer required to stay there under house arrest. which cost him some $200 per month. a dramatic contrast to the may

perp walk that led to his resignation as head of the imf and seemed to ruin his chance of becoming president of france. but his attorneys claim vindication. >> in this country that people, especially the media, until they are all in. >> there will be no rush to judgment. >> in court, prosecutors have admitted starting with the claim she was gang raped and fleeing a brutal government when she applied for asylum in the u.s. in 2004. in a letter, prosecutors wrote she stated that she fabricated the statement. and in may, after the alleged attack at this luxury hotel, the woman had said she ran to the hallway, and reported the crime to a supervisor. but prosecutors say she later admitted, she proceeded to clean a nearby room, and then returned to suite 2806, strauss-kahn's room, and began to clean, before

she reported the incident to a supervisor. >> after the indictment against the defendant was filed, we continued, as an office, to investigate the case rigorously, as we do, and are obligated to do. that investigation raised concerns about the complaining witnesses' credible. >> sources close to the investigation say the woman called a suspected drug dealer after the incident to discuss how to profit from it. her attorney pleaded her case before a crush of international media. >> it is a fact that the victim here made some mistakes but that doesn't mean she's not a rape victim. >> he claims she was bruised, her stockings torn, and that there's forensic evidence of a sexual attack. that's exactly what the woman's attorney fears now is that the case will not go forward, that the prosecutors will choose to dismiss the charges. he says that she now plans to come forward to plead her case

publicly as a plea for justice. one redirection that strauss-kahn faces is that he cannot leave this country. prosecutors still have his passport. the case continues july 18th. while strauss-kahn's attorneys try to have the case dismissed against him by then, if not immediately. amy? >> all right, ron allen, thanks so much. does this mean the charges against strauss-kahn could be groped altogether? well, criminal defense attorney paul cowan joins us this morning. what are your thoughts? >> my thoughts are, it's almost a certainty that these charges will ultimately be dropped. the case is on july 18th for another appearance before the judge. i think there's a high probability that they may dismiss on that date. but certainly shortly thereafter. this case has been utterly strayed. it's in samples. while theoretically you could continue with the prosecution, what is the likely hood that a jury of 12 people will find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt given the problems with the complaining witness' story? very, very minimal chance of conviction. >> speaking to that the

prosecutors say this hotel maid lied to a grand jury about the events surrounding the alleged incident. you heard the defense there pleading with the media and the public saying, hey, you know what, it doesn't mean a rape didn't occur. but this is pretty much a worst case scenario for the defense team. >> it's an absolute worst case scenario. i've never seen a case for the attorney for the victim in the case is attacking not only the person who she says raped her, but the district attorney. she's saying basically that she was abused by the district attorney's office in manhattan. that they didn't treat her fairly. and so she's gone to war with the very agency that's supposed to be protecting her. and i think the lies that were revealed yesterday, while some prosecutors might say, well, we could deal with this, we could still handle the case, she lied about the existence of a prior rape. there's a telephone call to a boyfriend -- >> that is recorded, by the way? >> absolutely recorded. because he's in custody and she doesn't know they're recording telephone conversations. in which she says, you know,

he's a rich guy, i'm going to get money out of this. >> i know what i'm doing. >> so she's implying that she's bringing the case against strauss-kahn for money. they also find at least five bank accounts in different states where luge deposits of money, maybe $100,000, have gone into those accounts. probably drug money being launlderred. maybe the boyfriend's lonny. i guess we'll see as that develops. and then she lied on her tax returns and several other issues, as well. >> prosecutors don't believe she would hold up well under cross-examination. what about the dna evidence that the prosecution was relying so heavily on early on in this investigation? >> well, you know, that's a great question. because the dna evidence is still there. and as bad as things look for her, for the complaining witness, strauss-kahn doesn't return to france as some kind f of, you know, an angel. there's clear forensic evidence to indicate that he had sex with her in that hotel room. and as a result of the forensics examinations that were done. so the only issue is whether it

was forcible sex or consensual sex. i think in the end you'll probably, or a jury would probably conclude that it was not criminal, but that's not to say it was right. >> all right. paul cowan, thanks so much. we appreciate it. >> nice to be with you, amy. >> and now here's carl. >> amy, thanks. this is a big weekend in the trial of casey anthony. both sides have rested. the jurors should have the case tomorrow. nbc's kerry sanders is live in orlando to tell us what happened in the courtroom on friday, and kerry, it seemed like yet another bombshell. >> a big bombshell. remember here, casey anthony is accused of the first degree, premeditated murder of her daughter, 2-year-old caylee. and prosecutors say that she used duct tape and chloroform. and a big piece of evidence that they presented during this trial was searches on the home computer in the anthony home for chloroform. those searches were made three months before little caylee died. well, during this trial, cindy anthony, casey's mother, got on

the stand and she said, you know what? i made those searches. i wasn't at work that day, i remember the day, i was looking for some information about the plants in the backyard, and whether they might be making my dogs sick, and that was me. well, the prosecution, using this time leading up to their rebuttal case, pulled the records from cindy anthony's employer. they got those records off the computer, they had a compliance officer come in from atlanta and lo and behold it showed not only did she turn in time sheets for that day, but her computer records on the main frame showed she was at work, logged in. so she could not have been at home using that, and really, that chloroform evidence is powerful as it was, it was the reasonable doubt if cindy might have been on the computer. now it appears that the jury no longer has to consider that as reasonable doubt, because the computer records seem to be pretty substantial. carl? >> obviously, kerry, we've still

got to get through closing arguments. even at this stage, is there any indication from the jurors as to how they might be leaning? >> you know, i have sat and looked at the jurors, and they are very much poker faced. i've seen them with their note pads taking copious notes on some rather obscure things that i didn't think were important. at other times i've seen them perhaps a little bit bored, wandering eyes around the courtroom. but mostly, i've seen them poker faced and not showing any sort of sense of surprise. even when some of the most horrific photographs were shown, provided by the medical examiner's office, of little caylee's remains, they were very nonplussed. they did not display anything, and so it's a tough one to read. but the closing statements, the closing arguments will be tomorrow, and then the jury will be charged, and they can begin their deliberation, and there's no real timetable when they come back, they come back, carl. >> kerry sanders, thank you for that. once again, here's amy. >> carl, thanks.

and now to the fourth of july holiday weekend. for millions of americans it's a time to hit the road. it's also the time to save some money. nbc's aididi roy reports. getting away means staying at a hotel with a deal only 30 miles away. >> taking a little vacation somewhere not very far away. doesn't take long to get here. >> we're actually traveling pretty cheap. >> reporter: this family in atlanta is traveling by air, but no hotel. >> we're getting picked up from the airport, instead of having to rent a car, and we're staying at a family's house. >> reporter: paring down for marcella means staying home. >> i cannot afford anymore to go anywhere. are you kidding me? to go anywhere -- >> reporter: gas prices have dipped 45 cents recently. but they're still 80 cents higher than they were this time last year. that, with rising hotel and car rental rates, has road travel down. >> you're going to have some

people who will economize by traveling shorter distances. shortening the duration of their trips. >> reporter: people aren't the only ones cutting back. cities like chicago and austin have canceled fireworks displays because money is tight. weather conditions, drought and wildfires have snuffed out fireworks in arizona, texas and new mexico. >> some of these high heat and very dry conditions that we find ourselves in, that could be an incredibly dangerous things to do. >> the mercury is rising. temperatures across much of the country will be five to ten degrees above average. >> it's going to be a very tough weekend to be outside. i'm sure a lot of people are going to want to be near water. >> for those looking for sizzle on the grill, the average cost of a cookout this year is over $61. up more than $6 from last year. america's most popular destinations like the beach this year in southern california are sure to be crowded this holiday weekend. whether americans will open their pocketbooks while on vacation remains to be seen.

for "today," adidi roy, nbc news, los angeles. and while it is beautiful here in the northeast, many parts of the country are in the middle of a brutal heat wave. bill karins is outside on the plaza with today's extreme weather. good morning, bill. >> good morning. it is the type of weather that makes firefighters nerve otherwise all across the southern half of the country. we're in the grips of this historic drought and this heat is unrelenting. high pressure continues over the southern half of the country. that's the area in red. the jet stream which gives you relief is now all the way up in canada. so there's really no hope any cool weather is coming any time soon. we could see our 12th 100 degree day of the year in oklahoma city. phoenix today 116. even by their standards, that's extremely hot. and some of that heat is now spreading into mississippi and louisiana. so you get the picture here. it's great if you're buy the beach, if you're by the pool. don't be playing with the fireworks and drought areas. going to be a dangerous monday in the deep south. >> all right, bill, thanks so much. >> chris jansing is at the news desk with some more of today's headlines. good morning to you. >> good morning to you, carl and

amy. good morning, everyone. we begin with president obama renewing calls to limit tax breaks to the wealthy. in his weekly address, the president said nothing is off limits in the budget debate, including tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires. but republicans are calling for deep spending cuts, without any tax hikes. and with the deadline looming to raise the government's debt ceiling the senate has canceled its fourth of july break to deal with the crisis. minnesota state government is shut down for a second day and no new budget talks are scheduled this holiday weekend. lawmakers headed home to their districts where they're sure to get an earful. the shut down means state parks and pools, as well as rest stops are closed this fourth of july weekend. the governor and lawmakers are deadlocked over how to close a $5 billion budget deficit. some good news on wall street. the dow closed friday up nearly 170 points after an unexpected rebound in manufacturing. that ends the best week in two years. the dow adding more than 600 points for the week. and now to libya, where

moammar gad if i is threatening to attack europe. the defiant libyan leader says if nato does not stop his bombing he'll target european homes, offices and families. g gadhafi delivered the warning at a huge rally of government supporters in tripoli. it comes just days after the international criminal court issued warrants for his arrest. despite gas prices coming down it looks like many americans are opting for a staycation this holiday weekend. aaa predicts fewer travelers will hit the road. the average price for regular unleaded $3.54, nearly 80 cents higher than a year ago. and finally lady gaga never disappoints in the fashion department. the pop star stepping out of her private jet in taiwan friday in a black and white dress with matching black and white hair. and of course, her signature high heels. i don't know which is higher, her heels or her hair. she's in taiwan for a fashion competition, as well as some fan

events. that's the news. now back to amy, carl, and bill. >> marge simpson, lady gaga-style. >> that's not nice. >> that's what it looked like. chris, thank you. >> unbelievable. bill is back inside, whose stylist -- you should get her stylist, i think. you could make that work. >> well, good morning, everyone. look at that. it doesn't look like marge simpson. >> yes, it does. >> that's not purple hair. well, let's talk about who's going to have some bad weather. i don't think anyone is going to have their weekend washed out. we could see a few thunderstorms late in the day that could send everyone running inside. that's going to be along a cold front from st. louis, chicago, detroit, cleveland, indianapolis. that's where we could see the most wet weather. it's that going to be an all-day event. down in the southeast and florida, we could see some storms, too. west coast, you're gorgeous. new england, you're also gorgeous, enjoy it while you can.

>> that's a look at your weekend forecast. carl? >> all right, bill, thanks. for tennis fans, it doesn't get much better than this weekend, both the men's and women's finals takes center stage at wimbledon. mary carillo has a front row seat and she joins us this morning with more. mary, good morning. what a tournament it has been already. i wanted to get your take on the women's side, because it seems like, with the exception of maria sharapova, all of the really favorites were eliminated early on. what explains that? did they get too comfortable too soon? >> carl, it's one of these things where, nine of the last eleven years here at wimbledon,

a williams sister has won. five for venus williams, four for serena williams. but in the last year, especially from serena, she won this so easily last year. she's barely played since then. they've had juries, they've had illness. when they got here frankly they were both full of rust and they couldn't kick it loose in time. normally they could work their way into a tournament but they both placed quality players in the fourth round and they both got knocked out. it's not that big a surprise. clearly they have tremendous grass court games. they just weren't warmed up enough to make a go of it. now maria sharapova is the odds-on favorite. she plays a lefty czech. you might be reminded of martina navratilova a little bit. even though she doesn't volley the way her idol does. she's a very good player. >> it's going to be exciting to watch. of course seven years since sharapova was in the finals. you mentioned kvitova's newness to this level of the game. who has the more -- who has more nerves on which side is that

going to be the harder hill to climb? >> see, that's a great question, carl. that's what we don't know. because sharapova has been struggling with her serve for the last couple of years, which is why it's been 3 1/2 years since she's won a major. she's been double faulting an awful lot. 13 in the semifinal match alone. petra kvitova plays big, bold tennis. she's got a lefty serve, a big forehand. she moves forward well. bought she's never been here, on a stage this big. when maria sharapova played here for the first time in the final at 17, she showed no fear at all. she took out serena williams, who was going for her third straight wimbledon? can kvitova come up with that? that's a very big ask for a kid who has not played on this kind of stage. but who knows. she's got a lot of game. of all the young players coming up, this is the one with the most potential. this is the one that's gotten many of us more excited than any of the kids. >> then we've got the men's side. djokovic winning in the semis

for the first time in seven years someone other than federer or nadal is going to be number one. against nadal. are we looking at a seismic shift in tennis? is this the new rivalry? >> it is. it is a trivalry, of course. i'm not going to throw roger federer out of the canoe yet. he's won 16 majors. he played well and lost to a talented frenchman, tsonga. you've got to give it to djokovic. in the last seven months he's lost only one match. only one. grass is not his favorite surface. rafa nadal known as a tremendous clay court player because he's won six french court opens. but he's already won wimbledon a couple of times. that is going to be a blockbuster final. those two guys are such tremendous athletes. they have such mutual respect for each other. they're both very, very quick. they've both shown plenty of nerves. if i'd have to give the edge to somebody, i'd give it to the spaniard, rafa nadal, because he's done it before. but djokovic had a huge win

yesterday to get to the final. he's number one in the world for the first time ever. he won't be satisfied. he'll be happy on monday morning when he wakes up and is the number one guy in the world but he would love to win his first wimbledon. >> you talk about surfaces and people say the spaniard, it's all about clay. another win on grass for nadal could do a lot to dissuade people of that impression. >> that's exactly right. you know, he gets compared to bjorn borg a lot because like bjorn he's won six french opens. bjorn borg won five straight wimbledon titles. rafa's not up to that yet up. but he's won on every single surface. he's won the australian, the u.s. open, here and the french. he's very much on his way to becoming perhaps the greatest ever. at the same time we've already core natured roger federer that way. so nadal and djokovic tomorrow morning is going to be unbelievable. >> we can't wait to watch. mary carillo. thank you for that. have a great time. of course you can watch the ladies finals live from wimbledon beginning this morning at 9:00 a.m. right here on nbc. and still to come from england, with love.

on tour with william and kate. but first this is "today" on nbc.

and still to come on "today," did his exfee unaee kidnap his daughter? the "today" exclusive just ahead. >> plus maria shriver makes it official. filing for divorce from arnold schwarzenegger.

>> go we are back on this saturday morning, july 2nd, 2011. another gorgeous day here in the northeast. perfect to celebrate the fourth of july holiday. and as you can see, our holiday crowd out in force this morning. our thanks to them for spending part of their morning with us. back inside studio 1a, i'm carl quintanilla in for lester holt, along with amy robach. coming up this morning, the final word from the casey anthony murder trial. >> some have called it the murder trial of the decade. it lasted 33 days. and on sunday, tomorrow, the jury will begin hearing closing arguments before their deliberations begin. what to expect? we're going to head live to orlando to find out. >> also some breaking news out

of the trial yesterday. as the defense tried to prove that cindy anthony may have lied on the witness stand, trying to save her daughter. did she? we will find out when we talk live to cindy's attorney in just a few minutes. >> and then to an emotionally charged international custody battle out of texas. that's where a man says his british fiancee kidnapped their child. he accuses the woman of taking their daughter to england, and she never returned. he is now on a desperate mission to get his child back. we will talk to him in just a moment in an exclusive interview. >> pretty amazing story, too. then there's another royal wedding to talk about this weekend. prince albert of monaco tied the knot friday to a former olympic swimmer from south africa. it was a lavish ceremony at the palace in monte carlo. we're going to go live to monaco for all the pomp and circumstance. i think it lasted over the course of a couple of days. >> why not? if you can, you have the finances to do it, extend the party. >> before we begin in california, where maria shriver on friday filed for divorce from

arnold schwarzenegger. citing irreconcilable differences, shriver's move comes just weeks after he admitted to fathering a child out of wedlock. nbc's lee cowan has the latest. >> reporter: after arnold schwarzenegger acknowledged not only having an affair, but having a child with a member of his household staff, perhaps divorce didn't come as a surprise. but maria shriver's filing still made headlines, and sad ones at that. citing irreconcilable differences, the divorce petition seeks the obvious, spousal support and attorney fees. but most notably she's requesting joint custody of the couple's two teenage sons. an indication, some say, this is not meant to be nasty. >> they're going to try to make at least the child custody and visitation of this divorce amicable. >> reporter: the couple's children were the centerpiece of the only public comments schwarzenegger has made since the two announced their separation back in may. >> we both love each other very much. we are very fortunate we have

four extraordinary children, and we're taking one day at a time. >> reporter: the court documents show no hint of prenup, which means california's former first lady could be entitled to at least half of schwarzenegger's assets. and that could be substantial. several of schwarzenegger's biggest hits, including the sequels "terminator ii" were made during the marriage. and the former california governor still retains the intellectual property rights from much of his on-camera work. all the way back to his body building days. >> yard la will clearly be seeing hundreds of millions of dollars in this situation. >> reporter: neither side has any comment on the divorce. schwarzenegger is largely stayed out of the spot light, while shriver has been seen on hikes and walks, even in greece for the special olympics. determined to move on, but privately. as much as both sides had hinted at reconciliation, it seems now that's no longer an option. for "today," lee cowan, nbc

news, los angeles. >> time for a check of the weather. bill karins is outside. >> good morning, carl, and great weather out here. let's say hi to lynna. she's from atlanta. or hotlanta. what's your favorite thing about the fourth of july? >> the fireworks. >> how about fireworks and we give you a little bit of ice cream and stuff, too? that would be good. let's give you your forecast for atlanta and other areas. unfortunately in atlanta it's going to be very hot on the fourth. a lot of thunderstorms in the deep south. the worst of the thunderstorms will be there through the mid-atlantic. also isolated storms up in the northeast. i'm not too concerned about the macy's fireworks. mostly clear and warm on nbc. temperatures no problem. winds good, to blow some of the smoke away and make it nice and clear where the fireworks are floating. we're going to keep the thunderstorms out of the forecast. it's a fabulous weekend.

that's a look at your holiday forecast. amy, carl? >> thanks very much, bill. coming up a father's fight. an exclusive interview with a man who says his ex-fiancee kidnapped their daughter. >> plus meet the new princess of monaco. we will take you live to monte carlo for the $70 million wedding. but first these messages.

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planned, alessia was born. by then, hermer had lost his job in a down economy. the couple decided to spend several months at her home in england. after a brief trip to the states, they encountered a british emigration officer on their return to the uk. simone and alessia were admitted, but because he had no job, no income, hermer was turned away. >> he accepted my passport, stamped it, said you're going home on the next flight. my mouth dropped open. >> reporter: the couple stayed in touch by phone calls and e-mails. after a rendezvous with simone and alessia in germany, simone broke the news to hermer in an e-ma e-mail. >> basically said alessia and i are fine, the relationship is over. >> reporter: hermer filed child abduction charges but under the rules of the hague convention a court had to first decide where the child's home was at the time of separation. hermer said he provided a british court with a mountain of evidence to prove the couple intended to live in texas.

he also says simone's computer contained messages, indicating the relationship was a scam. simone's attorney. >> mr. hermer is a fantasy. that is all fantasy. there's absolutely no evidence that my client engineered any of this. >> reporter: a british judge ruled the couple intended to live in england. and refused the father's request for alessia's return. this case, according to the experts, highlights the kind of legal nightmares that can happen when child custody cases involve international romance gone sour. >> the parents might end up really demonizing each other and spending tens of thousands of dollars fighting in court. you really should think about that before you get in to an international relationship. >> reporter: for now, bart hermer keeps alessia's room ready. hoping one day to have her back in texas. charles hadlock, nbc news, plano, texas. >> and joining us exclusively is

bart hermer and his mother kathy hermer. thank you both for being with us. in fact, we heard charles talk about that pacifier. you actually brought it with you today, your daughter's pacifier. when is the last time you actually saw her and held her? >> the last time i saw her was october, for my 50th birthday. last october. >> and nothing since then? >> no. we've tried and tried. but -- >> the ruling came down late last year, and since that ruling, have you had any contact with your ex-fiancee simone where you've been able to work anything out? >> no. after the courts made us see alessia, they gave a court order, and so mom and i were able to see her. but after we lost the court we came back in april and planned to stay for three weeks, hoping that we'd be able to see her. and we called and called and called. we were smart enough to c.c. the state department, u.s. embassy, the british equivalent thereof to try to see her.

she never responded to our phone calls or text messages. >> have you asked the british courts for visitation rights? you would be entitled to them, correct? >> not necessarily. i mean, you have to go through a court system, but we were told not to go through the court system, because, you know, her habitual residence is still america. so the minute we try to reach out to the british courts, we would be acquiescing, basically submitting our jurisdiction to them, instead of keeping it in texas. >> reporter: we saw your ex-fiancee's attorney in the piece there, but she also issued a statement to us about the situation, she says, whatever sympathy one can have for a parent who, because of the breakdown of their relationship, does not see his or her child, the facts in this case make it clear that mr. hermer has largely been the author of his own misfortune. basically, she's saying you could see your daughter if you wanted to. >> well, we've never been able to see her. we've tried numerous times. we've copied -- the evidence

shows we've copied all the agencies, and she's never responded to let us see. >> kathy, i know you went with your son. you traveled with your son to england, to be in court with him for some of these proceedings. talk about the relationship your son has with your granddaughter. >> it's amazing. she's so tiny and so young, she was like 2 years old at the time. you would think that she wouldn't remember her dad from two or three months at a time. but after i don't know, maybe 20, 30 minutes it's like a little light goes on in her head and she's daddy, daddy. she rides on his shoulders. she loves to kiss him. and she'll pull his head and kiss him. i just think that's phenomenal that there's that much of a bond still between the two of them. >> i know it's incredibly emotional. it's heartbreaking any time a child is separated from a parent. and from a grandparent. bart, what's your next step in this legal process? what are your options at this

point? >> i'm blessed not to have, you know, the best attorney in the southwest. i mean she's the number one. charlotte bradshaw is my attorney and she's taken my case to the next level and i'm sure she'll -- >> i know you have some officials who you want to thank, too, who have been on your side fighting for you. >> definitely, sorry, i'm going to have to switch -- i tried to be really quick. i just want to thank senator shapiro, senator nelson, who submitted evidence directly to the british high court to prove there was no breakdown in our relationship. this was a fraudulent conception and premeditated abduction. i've got to thank the state department, uk central authorities who drafted article of authority letters to prove when the british court would not let me submit my evidence, jewish family services, bureau of diplomatic affairs, and definitely the global missing children's fund, who stood by me with emotional support and finally i want to thank god for giving me alessia and the

strength to keep fighting for her. i love you, honey, and i promise dad will never stop fighting until you're home. >> it has been incredibly dive cult. thank you both for being with us. we're back after these messages. [ female announcer ] new from nivea. express hydration. the fast absorbing body lotion for moisture that lasts all day with breakthrough 24 hour hydraiq technology. ♪ absorbs in seconds. ♪ lasts for hours. ♪ new express hydration with hydraiq. part of the essentials range. nivea. a hundred years of skincare for life. nivea. ♪ that comes fromove a little green leaf ♪ ♪ zero-calorie, guilt-free no artificiality ♪

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room in silence. barely a glance at each other. with the world's eyes uncomfortably watching for tension. do they look happy? in love? it was an intense, curious civil ceremony, very brief, and then, he said yes. >> oui. >> a relief no doubt for all present. and the emotion flowed. princess grace's children, princess stephanie and caroline, even prince albert seemed to tear up a bit. they signed the register, and no turning back now. they were married. on the balcony a careful rile wave, a small kiss, and the sweet sign of spontaneous affection from charlene. now a princess. and all through this tiny magical riviera square mile of billionaires, hedge funders, and fashionistas a sigh of

happiness. it happened. >> oh, today i get the impression everything is open and clear. >> reporter: so many rumors and reports have clouded the last few weeks. talk of the big argument. after which sources say charlene made a run for the airport. some reports say another woman is claiming to have a child out of wedlock with albert. he has two. but the palace denies it. and charlene obviously is staying. >> she said yes. >> yes. maybe, maybe. not sure. >> reporter: one more day, right? >> oh, i like -- and i like all of them. and i am happy. >> thank you very much to all our friends from around the world. >> reporter: it was a day for their royal subjects to remember. the couple invited every citizen. more than 7,000, to an outdoor party, a very euro concert,

synthesizers blazing. and a brilliant light and fireworks display. the couple even looked like they were having a little fun at times. and today will be theirs. with monaco hoping the new serene highness, princess charlene, will remain serene here. always. >> viva monaco. >> reporter: so today they'll get to do the walk down the aisle. the bride will wear armani. 500 guests. an american soprano will perform. crown heads, superstars, supermodels and dinner will be by three michelin star chef alain due cass. what would be complete without a white tie ball? after that it will be over, they'll be married and we will need some other excuse to hang around. >> i have a feeling you will find one, michelle. that is an amazing spectacle. >> we're all over it.

kind of reminds me of your wedding. >> very much so. it was about a seven-week $70 million affair. what was the oui? now she gets to walk down the aisle? >> we can't get over the resemblance to charlize theron. >> and they're both from south africa. both beautiful. >> and then there's the blue dress which we were wondering about that. >> she's going to walk down the aisle in white, today or tomorrow. just continues. >> i've got to get my multiple weddings straight. beautiful. just ahead from monte carlo to montreal. >> the latest on another royal trouble.

still to come, free on bail. will the rape case against dominique strauss-kahn be dismissed? >> plus the casey anthony murder trial. did casey's mother lie her dau ghter?sttorote her dauter? the stronger the rapids, the more we loved it.

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welcome back to "today," july 2nd, 2011. we're getting an early start to the fourth of july celebration. a great crowd outside on the plaza on this holiday weekend. outside on the plaza, i'm amy robach along with carl quintanilla who is filling in while lester is taking a break. >> they said it was going to be humid, but it really isn't so far. >> coming up next, we're going to be talking about the case against casey anthony. >> what began back in may is finally coming to an end. closing arguments expected this weekend, after this explosive day in court on friday.

prosecutors trying to prove that cindy anthony lied on the stand. we're going to talk with her attorney coming up in a few minutes. >> also coming up, all over america we're talking about prince william and princess catherine's big trip to the united states. today the royal couple is in san today, where they took part in a grand party friday. the prince had some lovely words to say about his beaming bride. we're going to have the very latest on their historic visit. in just a moment they're coming to hollywood. >> going to be nice to have them in this country for the first time. you going to be doing any barbecuing this weekend? >> no. i'm going to be making reservations. >> well, a lot of people are going to be getting the grill out. we're going to talk about making your holiday weekend safe over the next few days. obviously grilling is a great way to enjoy the fourth. you've got to make sure that the fireworks are in the sky, and not on your grill. we'll have some essential safety tips coming up. >> all right. >> but first let's get some of the morning headlines from chris jansing over at the news desk. good morning again, chris. >> good morning, again, to you,

carl and amy. good morning, everyone. we begin with that stunning reversal of fortune for former imf chief dominique strauss-kahn. he's now free from house arrest, and possibly looking at the end of his legal troubles. nbc's ron allen is live in lower manhattan with more. good morning, ron. >> good morning, chris. strauss-kahn still faces felony sexual assault charges but the prosecutors now have some serious doubts about the credibility of the accuser. as they continue to investigate this case they say she has changed her account of what happened that night. they're also troubled by some things that they found out about her past, for example how she lied to get in to this country, when she was emigrating here from her bottom line, her attor says she was the victim of a sexual assault. strauss-kahn's attorneys say there's been a rush to judgment in this case. >> ron allen, thanks so much. >> now to new mexico where the state's largest forest fire in history keeps growing. fires have already charred more

than 100,000 acres and firefighters are bracing for even more hot, dry conditions this weekend. but in spite of earlier concerns the fires are not expected to spread to the nation's premiere nuclear weapons lab in los alamos. >> despite gas prices coming down it looks like many americans are staying closer to home this holiday weekend. aaa predicts fewer travelers will hit the road. the average price for regular unleaded, $3.54. nearry 80 cents higher than a year ago. maria shriver and arnold schwarzenegger are heading to the divorce court. shriver filed papers on friday to terminate the couple's 25-year marriage. schwarzenegger recently admitted to fathering a child with a member of his household staff. finally, in columbus, ohio, they celebrated the fourth of july a little early. the city put on a huge fireworks extravaganza friday night. yes, they know the holiday is still two days away but the city traditionally holds its annual independence day celebration on

the friday closest to the holiday. and that is the news, now back to amy, outside at the plaza. and never a bad day for fireworks. >> no. it's always fun. chris, thanks so much. let's get another check of your forecast from nbc meteorologist bill karins who is out on the plaza with me. bill, good morning again. >> good morning. who needs facebook when you're going to put a poster on the "today" show? this is devon and nick. who is the artist? >> i am. >> you did all this? you want to describe this for me? come here, you've got the knicks, the basketball player. >> absolutely. >> soccer and you did this here. >> we love our usa and our troops. >> and then down here the "today" show, the fireworks, and you're ayla cross player? very busy mom, right? a nice time for you guys. smile for the camera. let's take a look at the forecast this weekend. we're continuing to watch a chance of some severe storms. we're not talking tornadoes. just a little bit of wind damage out there through chicago, detroit, buffalo, pittsburgh, indianapolis. not everyone is going to get hit. typical summertime

thunderstorms. deep south continues in the heat. gorgeous in new england and just about everyone on the west coast is beautiful. just a little hot from vegas to phoenix, where today, 116 degrees. that your weekend forecast. carl? bill, thanks. now to the trial of casey anthony. after six weeks of often riveting and explosive testimony, both sides are preparing to give their closing arguments to the jury. nbc's kerry sanders is live in orlando with more.

kerry, good morning to you. >> good morning, carl. today the lawyers will spend their day preparing their closing arguments. then tomorrow, on sunday, prosecutors will tell the jurors why they believe the evidence they've heard over 33 days is proof that casey anthony planned and murdered little 2-year-old caylee. and then the defense will argue that what they've heard is not proof of anything at all. on friday, casey anthony became visibly upset. as witness, after witness, in all, seven, chipped away that casey's defense. >> any references to coloro fill? >> no, time. we do not. >> reporter: including what may have been one of the most compelling contradictions in the state's case. 24 days ago, prosecution witnesses told jurors they'd examined the anthony family computer's hard drive. >> this appears to be a result

of a search for chloroform. >> and found 84 searches for the word chloroform. important because the prosecution believes casey used that chemical in combination with duct tape to murder her daughter. >> that caylee marie anthony died as a result of poisoning by chloroform. >> reporter: but then casey's own mother took the stand to say the day those searches were made, three months before caylee died, she was home and on the computer. >> and i started looking up chloroform -- i mean colorophill. >> reporter: but friday prosecutors offered cindy anthony's time sheets and her personal computer logon from her employer's main frame that showed she wasn't at home. she was at work. >> was there ever a time that you were -- that she would be allowed to be at home for comp time and yet the records would

reflect that she was actually at work and logged in? >> no. >> would that be illegal to do? >> yes. >> reporter: now after 61 witnesses for the state, and 49 for the defense, one last attempt by cheney mason to the judge, arguing the state has proven nothing. >> there has yet to be any evidence in this case as to how this child died, which is the state's burden, not ours. where she died. which is the state's burden, not ours. when she died. same burden. and who may have been in attendance with her or not. those questions have not been answered since july the 15th of 2008. >> the judge said that he'll let the jury decide if that is true. closing arguments, again, on sunday, and then the jury deliberations begin. carl? >> thank you very much, kerry sanders in orlando, florida.

as kerry said, the jury sat for six weeks listening to all that testimony, taking some notes, and then the bombshell on friday, the prosecution did produce its evidence to try and discredit cindy anthony's assertion that she, and not casey, searched for this information on chloroform on her computer at home. is cindy trying to cover up for her daughter? joining us this morning from orlando is the attorney for cindy anthony, mark lipman. good morning to you. >> good morning to you. thank you for having me. >> some of this evidence might be compelling to some. how do you explain the disparity between her testimony, and the testimony of her employer? >> my client is adamant that she did those searches for chlorofill and chloroform. the dates in question, the 3/17 and the 3/21 dates, those were suggested by the prosecution. and she said if that's what you say it is, then it must be. but certainly my client never said those specific dates. she just knows she did those searches sometime in early 2008.

she believes it was march. >> so you're saying, in fact, just might be a misunderstanding or confusion about the actual date? no matter what the date was, she's standing by her testimony that, in fact, she was at home, and doing those searches on the computer? >> absolutely. she knows she did those searches. she stands by what she said. it's a very material thing with very big sanctions, she's aware of those sanctions, around certainly she did not lie. she didn't lie throughout this testimony. she presented everything. she bared her soul in this case, and it was a very difficult time for her. and she maintains her statement. >> obviously people wonder if, in fact, she was trying to step in and take a bullet, so to speak, for her daughter. have you discussed the implications of perjury with your client? >> i can't discuss what my client and i discussed, because that's attorney/client privilege. but my client is aware that this

is a second degree felony, with a maximum penalty of 15 years. >> obviously i think a lot of people can put themselves in a situation where, as she says, she was looking for something called chlorofill, that sort of prompted remember in her words to search for chloroform. when you're on the internet, you're on the web, i can see maybe you get a little curious about a side topic. but to search for chloroform 84 times, does that seem strange to you? >> she never did that. let me clarify. she searched for chlorofill and as a by-product she searched for chloroform. she didn't search how to make chloroform. she didn't search how to make household helpens, self-defense, and certainly didn't research neck breaking. but all she did was search with coloro fill with a by-product of chloroform. she maintains that's it. >> what's been her reaction to the prosecution's evidence? >> she knows, she maintains that

the prosecution can say what they want, present what they want, she knows that she did this search and she will not change that testimony at all. >> and i wonder, i know you speak for cindy and not for the defense, but if you were running casey anthony's defense i wonder if you think you would have put her on the stand by now. >> no. i probably never would have put her on the stand. and it's easy for me to be a monday night quarterback talking about the game before. but there's a lot of different things i'm sure a lot of defense attorneys would have done in this case. >> mark lipman, appreciate your time. >> thank you very much. >> and coming up, weighing the evidence. is there enough proof to convict casey anthony of murder? we'll take a closer look at both sides of the case right after these messages. every day you live with the pain of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis could be another day you're living with joint damage. help stop the damage before it stops you

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make today the day you talk to your rheumatologist. and ask how you can defend against and help stop further joint damage with humira. we're back with more on the case against casey anthony. now that testimony has been completed, did prosecutors prove their case? joining me is beth karas, a correspondent for "in session" on trutv and a former prosecutor. jo-ellan dimitrius, a trial and jury expert who has consulted in over 600 jury trials including the o.j. simpson case, and paul cowan a criminal defense attorney. good morning to all of you. beth, let me start with you, you were actually in the courtroom during that big rebuttal case when it was proven that cindy was at work and not at home when those chloroform searches were

formed. what was the jury's reaction? >> jurors were very focused. paid close attention. some of them taking notes. this is pretty consistent throughout the trial. the way they've -- they don't really betray any other emotions. but they were certainly paying attention. >> beth, did this contradiction put premeditation back on the table? >> well, one can argue that it certainly did, and this was a mother who was doing her best to protect her daughter from getting the ultimate penalty. because, if it's not a first degree murder conviction, she does not face the potential death penalty. but, cindy anthony has given a lot of very helpful testimony to the prosecution. and if jurors find that she lied about any part of her testimony, they're free to not only reject what she allegedly lied about, but all of her testimony. and there is stuff she gave that the prosecution wants to use, like those 911 calls, which are pretty irrefutable. >> paul, let me bring you in as a defense attorney. what's your take on this back

and forth about cindy anthony's testimony? >> well, this certainly was a blow to the defense. this contradiction on the floor owe form issue. but, you know, in the end, this case is a troublesome case for the prosecution. i mean, people -- everybody i think in their own minds think casey anthony had something to do with it. maybe she did it. but how did the murder take place? was it intentional or accidental? and then there's the whole creep factor of the casey anthony family. the father involved with the mother involved? will the jury compromise because of weaknesses in the case? i think that's what you have to look at here, when you look at the entire picture. >> and jo-ellan as paul just points out the state's case is circumstantial, heavily based on forensic evidence. this jury is made up of everyday average citizens. they're not overly educated. how, typically, do they handle this type of evidence when trying to come up with a verdict? >> well, traditionally, what i know from research across the country is that people with less than a college education tend to

be much more skeptical of scientific types of evidence. and when you're looking at some relatively new types of scientific evidence, like the smell factor, if i can call it that, that's something that you haven't heard a great deal about and as such i think these people may be a lot more skeptical. what traditionally happens is you've got experts on both sides, and if the jurors are confused about it, what they do is they go back and they rely on their own personal experiences. and i think that that is a very good track for these jurors at this point in the case. >> and jo-ellan let me follow up with that because through this trial we've seen casey anthony show a lot of emotion. what impact does that have on jurors? >> what's fascinating about that is not only the times that she shows emotion, but also the times that she doesn't show emotion. for instance, the witness who actually found caylee's body, when he was testifying about

putting his meter reader stick into the eye socket of caylee, apparently from what i understand, casey was not reacting at all. as a parent, i would be horrified hearing somebody talking about my daughter that way. so i think that this jury is, you know, they've been living with this. they're not only noticing when she does react emotionally, but also when she doesn't react. >> interesting. and, beth, this jury we should mention has been sequestered for six weeks now. you say you don't see them showing a lot of ee mogs or a lot of reaction. but you also get a sense that maybe they're growing weary? >> well, that's possible. they're working six days a week. but they want to work. early in the case they wanted to work on that monday, memorial day holiday. i don't know their reaction when they learned that today was going to be a dark day for them. but they are eager to get home. i'm sure the judge is telling the truth when he says the jury wants to be rejoined with their families. but he shouldn't rush them, either. casey anthony's life is at stake here and they need to take

whatever time they need to make this decision. >> paul, it's interesting you mentioned the creep factor of the anthony family. and that was part of the defense strategy, to bring her father into question, her brother into question, do you think the defense did the best job it could given what they had to work with? >> well, i think that they did a reasonable job given what they had to work with. the one criticism i would have is they gave an opening statement in which they promised they would prove this swimming pool accident. they didn't offer any evidence about that. and that's going to hurt them, because the jury's going to hold them to that standard. why didn't they prove what they said they would prove. but, this is what they put on the table. in the end, the case against casey anthony is very thin. she acted inappropriately as a mother. she partied after her daughter died. so there's something wrong with her. but, is she linked to the murder? is george anthony linked to the murder? there are a lot of open questions. a lot of reasons for a jury to compromise. i don't see an acquittal in the case, but i do see the possibility of a compromise verdict, giving her the ability

to get life in prison as opposed to the death penalty. >> i want to get a prediction from everyone. jo-ellan, what do you think is going to happen? >> i think it's going to be a hung jury. i think the defense has done a wonderful job and if there's somebody there who believes in reasonable doubt i think there's been enough reasonable doubt cast that if that person's got some strong conviction this could be a hung jury. >> beth, your prediction? >> well, i agree with paul that jurors probably will find her complicit, they just don't know what to call it. and they will get two lesser charges to first degree murder, second degree murder and manslaughter. they have aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter. these charges carry up to life. so i think that we'll probably see a conviction of some something. they'll call it something. they're not going to let her go free. >> all right, beth karas, jo-ellan demetrius and paul callen. thank you all very appreciate it. ♪

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we're back on this saturday morning, july 2nd, 2011, the july fourth holiday weekend is in full swing and we've got a great group of people that decided to spend part of their weekend with us out on the plaza. want to say thanks to them. also outside on the plaza, i'm amy robach along with carl quintanilla. coming up we're going to talk to you about the royal visit. >> it's amazing. they're finally making the first trip to north america. prince william and princess catherine in canada this morning. it's kate's first time ever. i did not know this, on this side of the atlantic. >> wow. >> and of course, their journey ends with a big gala in

hollywood. we're going to have a live report on their romp through canada in just a moment. >> also, this is a really interesting factoid i didn't know. did you know that americans spend $100 million on charcoal. >> charcoal? >> during the july fourth weekend. yes, it's true. and as we begin to fire up our grills, we have some important tips from food to help you get through it all. fireworks can be very dangerous. >> are you one of those who just like go through two canisters of starter fluid? >> yeah. >> this is going to burn. i'm going to find a way to make this burn. >> also, let's see we're going to talk about some patio furniture, as well. fourth of july, eating outdoors. we're going to talk about how to make your patio, your yard, or your deck a little more festive for the holiday. >> a lot to get to. but first let's get a final check of the weather with bill karins. good morning again, bill. >> good morning, very important fireworks forecast, of course. little friends here. where are you from? >> little rock. >> you ever see the fireworks there?

>> no. >> are you going to see the fireworks in new york? >> no. >> you stick with me. i'll send you home later. let's talk about the fireworks forecast for new york and many other areas around the country. it's going to be hot and sunny. no problems with the weather in much of the deep south. thunderstorms through the tennessee valley, especially tennessee and kentucky. alsoed mid-atlantic. as far as the fourth of july goes. same thing, same areas a chance of some storms stalled out front. as far as macy's fireworks go, there's a slight chance of the storm. i think it will be over with by the time the fireworks start. it's going to be warm, pretty nice out there, and enjoyable conditions for anyone viewing on tv or live.

>> where's your hometown? >> florida. >> florida. florida got a lot of fireworks, right? i was in orlando, beautiful time there, too. no problems with the fireworks there. >> all right, bill, thank you. now to the royal road trip for prince william and princess catherine. two months after the wedding of the decade, i can't believe it's already been two months, the royal couple are in canada right now. and they are part of a grand visit to north america. nbc's peter alexander is live in montreal with the very latest on all of that. peter, good morning to you. >> amy, good morning to you. standing on the banks of the saint lawrence river in montreal. we have the fourth of july, here in canada they have canada day.

so when the queen came here a year ago, she had about 70,000 people show up. the real royal rock stars in the family, perhaps william and kate, more than 300,000 showed up to see them yesterday. and it's clear that the canadians have a crush on catherine. >> on ka today's national holiday the two glamorous out-of-town guests dazzled their hosts. and with thousands of admirers gathered outside a night time celebration friday for a glimpse of william and kate. there was never the doubt the royals would get a warm welcome but at friday's official canada day event it was downright hot. the temperatures soaring into the 90s. still the fashion friendly princess was once again as comfortable as could be in patriotic red and white. that dress, the same one she wore in her official engagement photo. the brooch, loaned to her by william's grandmother the queen, who wore it on her first trip to canada in 1951. and topping it off, a cherry-red

hat, shaped like a miple leaf, canada's national symbol. >> i'm excited to be able to share this with catherine. she told me she feels exactly the same way. >> the newlyweds appeared genuinely touched when william explained why this trip meant so much to his new bride. >> she heard about canada, not from her parents, but from her grandfather. a wonderful man who passed away last year. but who held this country dear to his heart. >> reporter: her grandfather trained young pilots in alberta during world war ii. the beaming couple also paid respects at a citizenship ceremony. but the focus never strayed far from kate. despite the festivities, it was also a somber day. friday would have been princess diana's 50th birthday. this week's "newsweek" tried to capture what it imagined being between the people's princess and her daughter-in-law might have looked like. princess di celebrated her own

22nd birthday in canada back in 1983. now her son and his wife are making their own unique canadian memories in what may be a dress rehearsal for the rest of their public lives. and they have another full day on tap here. it begins in ottawa, where they are this morning with the planting of the tree. then they'll visit with some war veterans and their families. before they come here to montreal, they're not even here for an entire day. they will visit with some young chefs this evening, some young children at a world renowned children's hospital this afternoon, and amy, they finished the night sailing right up this river, the saint lawrence, a sunset cruise aboard a military warship. they end the night in quick city. >> wow, sounds like fun. peter alexander, thanks so much. we appreciate it. coming up next, safety first. what you need to know first before you fire up your grill this fourth of july weekend. ♪ i've found a new love a zero-calorie true love ♪

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dad, how come the nelsons' lights are on? ♪ it doesn't get better than this ♪ this morning on "today" on today's whip, barbecue safety from the gas grill to the food on your plate, there are things you can do now to keep it as safe and smooth holiday weekend. >> that's right. we've gathered a group of experts to help us prepare for the fourth of july. first up grill safety. bob is from consumer reports here with some tips on grilling safely this weekend. good morning. >> good to see you. >> everybody wants to see a big flame but in order to do that you've got to get some safety tips under your belt. what do you look for in a gas grill? >> absolutely. start with the actual tank. you want to be sure it's safe, it's not dented, it's not rested. if it's weak and explodes this is like a jeent grenade. that's the last thing you want.

check the tank. no dents, no corrosion, be sure it's safe. we've got salty water which is great -- because all you do -- actually a lot of fun with this. you take it and you spray it on the connectors, you spray it on the hose and you turn the gas on and be sure you don't see any bubbles. you don't want any leaks at the connection. any cracks in the hose. the gas is flammable. >> how about cleaning? >> the big deal -- one other thing you've got to check for safety the fire box. that's where all the fire is over here. you want to be sure it's not defo deformed, cracked, anything like that. we have two grills at consumer reports lab that actually caught fire and melted. so you've got to check that there's no defamation. if you see it that grill's toast. >> back up, for those who don't have gas, you've got to use charcoal. what's a reasonable amount of starter fluid? >> very, very little. follow the directions. do you really want to eat petroleum? use it sparingly when that fire is going, never add to it. again, highly flammable. the flame can actually follow

the stream, and, well -- >> blow up in your hand. >> the rest is not nice. >> placement of the grill is key, as well. >> you want to be at least ten feet away from any buildings, any trees. you don't want anything overhead, branches, eves, nothing. >> we don't have that problem here. >> it's great. >> let's go over to chris. >> now we want to talk about food safety. and jack bishop of cooks illustrated and america's test kitchens is here with us. happy fourth. >> happy fourth. >> still a little bit of sauce on this meat. let's start with defrosting. >> never on the counter unless you want to grow bacteria. it happens in the fridge, on a tray so any juices get collected in the tray. >> but it takes awhile. >> you've got to plan on at least five hours for every pound of meat. >> how do you get the food around the kitchen without making things contaminated. you say don't rinse the meat off. >> no, because you're spreading

bacteria all over the steak and it can splash off onto other foods. do it on a cutting board. open up the package, pat it dry to get the excess moisture off. put it on a platter and line this one with foil so if you want to reuse the platter you can rip off the foil put the cooked food on a clean platter. >> marinate. fantastic but there are also some food safety issues here. >> people like to baste with the marinade. and if you're going to do that separate some of the marinade. i'm going to put this in with the food and reserve that for basting. if i use this leftover marinade after it's been sitting with the meat, it's got bacteria i'm basically basting the food with bacteria. >> and we've all done that. >> that's a no-go. >> now you're outside and you've got hot food, cold food. how do you make sure they stay safe? >> the rule for cold foods is no more than two hours. and no more than one hour if it's 90 degrees or if it's sunny. basically this weekend in most parts of the country, one hour is going to be your limit. if you want to extend the time,

i've got ice so i put the salad in a bowl of ice. some of the grilled food, once it comes off the grill, it's got to be eaten within an hour. if it gets too cool bacteria starts to grow in it. >> let's start with the grill. because a lot of us are opening things halfway through to see if they're done. how do we know if it's safe to eat? >> the only way to know is with an instant read thermometer. use tongs, take it out, note the temperature of the chicken, 165, you know it's safe. >> jack bishop, thanks so much. amy? >> all right, chris, thank you so much. first aid for a safe barbecue from sunburns to bug bites you know the game. they all happen over the fourth of july weekend. we have some easy tips from amy, health editor for "woman's day." >> good morning. >> let's start with sunburn or maybe even a burn from a grill. >> put cool water on it right away. that helps stop the inflammation. take a pain reliever like advil, motrin. then you also want to cover it

up with a bandage and basically antibiotic ointment on it to make sure it doesn't get infected. and aloe can also help after that initial stage, can help heal the skin faster. make sure it's not -- >> i know for a sunburn but aloe for a real burn, too. >> yes, aloe. >> and you mentioned the antiseptic if a cut is involved. >> if a cut is involved you want to wash it out and cover it. it's a myth that a cut needs air. you need to cover it up so dirt doesn't get inside of it. >> bug bites. oh, my gosh this is the bane of my existence. i've already had like 100 this summer. i guess even spring. what are the best ways to avoid the bug bite in the first place. >> the best way is to wear repellent. if you don't want to spray it on your skin, spray it on your clothes. if you want to go a little bit more natural, make sure that it's 15%. and then also you can use oil of lemon eucalyptus but make sure the product contains 40% oil of

lehman eucalyptus. >> and i've gone through a few of these already. >> hydro cortisone can help slow the itching. you want to make sure it doesn't get infected. >> and dehydration is a concern when you're in the sun. especially if people are drinking alcohol. >> right. make sure you drink a lot of water all the time. don't wait until you're thirsty to drink and avoid heat exhaustion if you feel like you're getting dizzy or faint, drink a sports drink, or eat some pretzels which also replace electrolytes and drink some water. don't wait until you're thirsty to drink. >> thanks so much. great tips for keeping it a safe holiday weekend. i have fallen in love with making bird houses.

caw caw! [ director ]what is that? that's a horrible cr. here are some things that i'll make as little portals. honestly, i'd love to do this for the rest of my life so i've got to take care of my heart. for me, cheerios is a good place to start. [ male announcer ] got something you'll love to keep doing? take care of your heart. you can start with cheerios. the natural whole grain oats can help lower cholesterol. brrrbb... makes you feel ageless. [ male announcer ] it's time.

love your heart so you can do what you love. cheerios. [ bob ] squak. malibu chicken, flame broiled steak, or half dozen jumbo shrimp, plus endless salad bar... starting at just $9.99! at sizzler. doing more this summer today is brought to you by the home depot. more saving, more doing, that's the power of the home depot. well the weather is heating

up, it's becoming that time, outdoors, backyard season. but before you start the barbecue, you're going to want to make sure you have the best patio furniture and equipment. dave white joins us this morning from the home depot with some tips on that. dave, good morning to you. >> good morning. how are you? >> i'm great. >> you've got -- it looks like a living room out here. >> that's the key. this is all about outdoor living. now you probably heard that phrase before. it's a real growing trend, especially as people spend more time at home. so the key to this is creating living spaces outside of your house that mirror what's inside the house. >> right. tell me about the furniture, first. >> so this is actually all from martha stewart collection. martha stewart has 15-plus collections for home depot. you can find them online or in the store. and this one is kind of a compilation. a lot of things you can buy individually and set it up like you want. obviously you need a nice, comfortable chase lounge you've got to have a place to read. >> i might do the rest of the interview sitting here.

i'll stop asking questions and you do your thing. >> this is cool because it's a glider for a couple folks and it gently rocks. >> you've got to worry about cleaning it much? >> no, this is all made for outdoors. cleaning is really simple. you can use a damp cloth to clean off mildew. >> rain? >> any of that stuff. the side tables, even lamps now, these are actually outdoor lamps. so they're made to be outside in the weather. so you don't have to worry about them. >> you say you could use the outdoor lamps if you wanted to put them inside. >> exactly. >> how about pricing? >> it ranges all over the board. you can get into this very reasonably or you can really go all out and spend the money. one thing i really like about the collections now is martha stewart even has rugs. these are outdoor rugs. i have one inside, actually, on my sun porch. but these are great. you can hose them off if they get dirty. you can vacuum them, whenever. but it adds a lot to the living space outside. >> i hear you got this amazing grill. >> right. >> which does things no grill has ever done in the history of

grilling. >> the cool thing is what you want to worry about when you're doing outdoor living, you don't want to have everything crammed -- >> i want to grill. >> you don't want to cram everything to the. the key is to create separate areas. one would obviously be around the grill or just like in your kitchen. people gather. this is a cool grill, you can actually cook pizza on it. it's got separate inserts for vegetables, grilling vegetables. you can fry eggs. you can do pan taik cakes. it really is a lot -- >> cost? >> around $299. >> and then fire pits, which i think is a fudge new thing. >> a great new thing. another way to create a separate gripping. around a fire pit you can pick from all kinds. . prizewise you can get a really inexpensively, it definitely has a little bit of a look to it. >> and it creates a nice little area to sit around after you've had your dinner. >> roast marshmallows. you guys ready? that will happen during the

break. dave white thank you very much. got to get to your workout routine, too. r e e'nd wacre btek afesreth >> and we' breaftek r these messages. le announcer ] calling all updaters. hold-outs. savers. it's trade-up time. 'cause the prices we've been waiting for on those features we've been looking for... are here. which means we can finally kick out the old and pick out the new. we've got 'til july 6th. let's snag some serious savings. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. get this maytag refrigerator for 698 bucks. that's two hundred dollars off. try finding that price somewhere else. i've never tasted anything so delicious. richard, why are you wearing grandpa's jacket? i'm not richard. i'm grandpa smucker. male announcer: tim and richard smucker always looked up to their father and grandfather knowing that one day they too would make the world's best jam. grandpa says it like, i've never tasted anything so delicious! i've never tasted anything so delicious!

tim: [ laughing ] you got it! male announcer: for five generations, with a name like smucker's, it has to be good. male announcer: for five generations, you gotta try honey bunches of oats with almonds! it's got real, sliced california almonds with a third less sugar per serving than honey nut cheerios. wow! delicious! try honey bunches of oats with almonds!

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bill karins. of course tomorrow, closing arguments in the casey anthony trial. we'll have the latest on that. >> also we're going to have more on the royals during their north american tour. we will see you tomorrow, and have a great day. have a great weekend, everybody. [ coach ] in albuquerque, citi pre-approved my mortgage.

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