taste of freedom for dominique strauss-kahn as new questions emerge about his accuser's story. feeling the heat this holiday weekend. part of the country sizzle as the battle rages to contain a monster wildfire. blown away. the terrifies moment caught on tape and tonight, the remarkable outcome. and the princess bride on her big day in monaco following in the footsteps of the her big day in monaco following in the footsteps of the legendary grace kelly. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. we've learned more today about why the legal case against the

former head of the international monetary fund may be falling apart. strauss-kahn was released yesterday after prosecutors raised serious questions about the hotel maid who accused him of sexually assaulting her in a new york city hotel suite. ron allen is in lower manhattan tonight. >> reporter: strauss-kahn still faces charges of sexual assault, but it's almost as if the accuser the facing trial now as more new negative allegations arise about her, her past and her story. many legal expert rs now saying it will be very difficult for prosecutors to convict the former imf chief of any kind of crime. no longer under house arrest, dominique strauss-kahn an his wife left the luxury townhouse with no word on their

destination after leaving court with a $6 million bail and bond back in his pocket, he dined at this exclusive manhattan restaurant, reportedly running up a $700 tab. while today, new details about what led prosecutors to question the accuser's story. a 32-year-old housekeeper at this hotel. sources close to the investigation revealed she telephoned an alleged drug dealer after the incident to talk about how to profit. now, "the new york times" reports that person was her boyfriend. in an arizona jail. and she says words to the effect of, don't worry, this guy has a lot of money. i know what i'm doing. a conversation prosecutors just translated days ago from her native dialect. >> if these allegations are true, it seems this case is so compromised, the only thing the d.a's evidence should do is dismiss the indictment. >> it is a fact that the victim here made some mistakes.

but that doesn't mean she's not a rape victim. >> reporter: however, observers say the very public admissions that she has been untruthful about a wide variety of topics, makes her a difficult victim. >> people say unconsciously and consciously in their head whether or not they believe the person and they take into consideration people's reputations, their backgrounds. >> reporter: a letter prosecutors sent to the court also reveals the woman now says she did not report the incident to a supervisor immediately, but instead, proceeded to clean a nearby room and then strauss-kahn's room as well. they say she admits filing false tax returns and misrepresenting her income. and then this. prosecutors say the woman told them an moesh story about being a victim of gang rape and later admitted that never occurred. legal expert says it is still

possible for rape victims with dubious past to find justice, but in this case, they say the defendant is unlikely to accept a plea deal or admit guilt. certainly seems to have the resources, the money and determination to fight hard to clear his name. >> thank you. in the southwest, this is no holiday weekend for firefighters in new mexico, who are battling the largest wildfire in that state's history. officials say the town of los alamos and its nuclear weapons lab are safe. we get the latest from charles hadlock. >> reporter: as firefighters try to keep the flames at bay, the run away fire continues to consume trees and brush in the rugged mountains above the town. the fire is now blackened more than 113,000 acres, but it's moving away from town and the nearby nuclear laboratory.

good news according to fire chief, doug tucker, but not good enough. >> we're kind of between a rock and a hard place. we're trying to repopulate, but don't want to put people in danger. >> reporter: los alamos looks like a ghost town. most have evacuated and officials want to keep them away for now. the los alamos nuclear lab will remain closed until workers can return home. the lab director says the emergency has subsided. >> we've now assessed the risk of the laboratory to be lower and so we're able to take the status down based on that assessment. >> reporter: new mexico is a hot, dry tinderbox where dozens of fires have burned nearly a million acres. the government says fourth of july fireworks are out of the question. >> do not use your fireworks in your neighborhood. can you imagine a home catching fire because of a bottle rocket? >> reporter: if residents can

return home soon to a fire-free town, that would be celebration enough. charles hadlock, nbc news. and there's plenty of brutal heat beyond the fire zone this weekend. samantha moore is tracking today's dangerous temperatures. it is hot out there, sa mab tma. >> it sure is and millions of people are going to be affected this weekend. heat is the number one weather related killer. high pressure is the reason it is building in strong all across the west here. temperatures running up around the teens in the desert. it's going to cool down a bit on the fourth. this ridge extended all the way to earn sea board where temperatures on sunday will be in the triple digits in dallas, oklahoma city, texarkana, now,

the heat is back and it will continue to hang on as we head into our fourth of july. remember the kids. and our older neighbors. they're really affected by the heat. and high pressure is the reason for the heat. we have jet stream running across the top of that ridge. it's going to steer a cold front in over the course of this weekend. it's going to bring in the threat for severe weather, so we have to remember, too, most lightening fatalities happen as people are seeking shelter. >> thank you. in georgia today, a big protest against a new law aimed at cracking down on illegal immigrants. officials estimated that between 8,000 and 14,000 people gathered in downtown atlanta to voice their opposition to that law. it makes it a felony to use false information on documents when applying for a job. in minnesota, this was day two of a government shutdown and for many people looking for an escape the weekend, the reality

was inescapable. everything from a state zoo to parks, campgrounds, rest stops, all closed. it came afterthe democratic governor, mark dayton, and republicans leaders fails to reach a agreement on reducing a $5 million budget deficit. in washington, the threat of a much larger federal shutdown and what the white house describes as a potential catastrophe looms tonight. the issue, raising this country's debt ceiling and if the two sides can't agree, the government will run out of money one month from now. mike viqueira is at the white house. >> reporter: the stakes could not be higher and tonight, there is no sign of an agreement on cutting this nation's debt and deficit. this morning, the president lashed out at republicans for their refusal to raise taxes or end tax breaks for wealthier individuals and today, republicans responding, hitting the president on his record on the economy saying any deal to

avert that default cannot raise taxes of any kind on anyone. and there is one glimmer of hope tonight, an indication of how series the situation is becoming. the senate foregoing their recess. they're going to be back here working most of the week as the government default looms just one month from today. >> mike viqueira at the white house tonight. on another front, a strong response from the administration on libya after moammar gadhafi threatened to attack civilians in europe unless nato ends air strikes. hillary clinton said instead of threats, gadhafi should put the well being of his people first and give up power. to canada now where the duke and duchess of cambridge are in quebec tonight. the latest stop on an 11-day tour of north america that will bring them to this country next week. peter alexander is in montreal

tonight. good evening, peter. >> reporter: get this. before it's all said and done today, william and kate will have spent barely six hours here in montreal before they head up the st. lawrence river to their next stop. you might say today that the u.k.'s future king an queen officially put down roots here in canada. even in a glamorous gray dress and heels, kate wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty as the newlyweds planted a tree in ottawa, a symbol of their love. joining the royals, more than a dozen couples celebrating 50 and 60 years together, all married on april 29th, the same day as william and kate. and in an exchange reminiscent of princess diana, the couple comforted a cancer patient. william and kate attended another ceremony, visiting with veterans and their families, but

in many ways, this weekend's stop in quebec with its small separatists may prove the ultimate test of the couple's charm. two years ago, they greeted prince charles with violent protests. so far this trip, no problems. >> the monarchy was able to reconnect in canada because of william and kate. the interest in this beautiful young girl almost like the jackie o. of this generation and the diana factor. >> reporter: that was clear outside this children's hospital. why do you want to be here? >> it's so exciting and i love kate middleton because of her fashion. >> we grew up with the monarchy. they mean a lot to us. >> reporter: this visit, has been carefully choreographed to ease kate into her new royal duties. >> on one occasion, they were lent a log cabin by the prime

minister of canada and prince william road his new wife across the stunning lake. >> reporter: they finally arrived at the hospital, meeting nsds with young patients and out front, giving the devoted admirer's an unforgettable royal memory. and now, the count down is officially on until william and kate arrive in california. scheduled to happen next friday. three days, a visit with the governor, as well as a black tie gala and hollywood of course and kate, we will see you there when we have a charity polo match. >> see you out there. when we come back, the jury prepares to get the case in the closely watched murder trial of casey anthony. also ahead, being watched. how and why the government is following unsuspecting drivers. is it an invasion of privacy? and later, royal wedding. the son of the late princess grace marries in monaco.

a prescription to cvs because they have care 1on1. it's where the pharmacist stops and talks to me about safety and saving money with generic prescriptions. laura, let's talk about possible side effects. it's all about me. love that. get care 1on1 and talk savings, safety, and side effects when you transfer or fill a new, ongoing prescription. i'm laura, and this is my cvs. it's all mine. out for drinks, eats. i have very well fitting dentures. i like to eat a lot of fruits. love them all. the seal i get with the super poligrip free keeps the seeds from getting up underneath. even well-fitting dentures let in food particles. super poligrip is zinc free. with just a few dabs,

it's clinically proven to seal out more food particles so you're more comfortable and confident while you eat. a lot of things going on in my life and the last thing i want to be thinking about is my dentures. [ charlie ] try zinc free super poligrip. is best absorbed in small continuous amounts. only one calcium supplement does that in one daily dose. new citracal slow release... continuously releases calcium plus d for the efficient absorption my body needs. citracal. that's how it is with alzheimer's disease. she needs help from me. and her medication. the exelon patch -- it releases medication continuously for twenty-four hours. she uses one exelon patch daily for the treatment of mild to moderate alzheimer's symptoms. [ female announcer ] it cannot change the course of the disease. hospitalization and rarely death have been reported in patients who wore more than one patch at a time. the most common side effects of exelon patch are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. the likelihood and severity of these side effects may increase as the dose increases.

patients may experience loss of appetite or weight. patients who weigh less than 110 pounds may experience more side effects. people at risk for stomach ulcers who take certain other medicines should talk to their doctor because serious stomach problems such as bleeding may worsen. people with certain heart conditions may experience slow heart rate. [ woman ] whenever i needed her, she was there for me. now i'm here for her. [ female announcer ] ask the doctor about your loved one trying the exelon patch. visit exelonpatch.com to learn more. one of the most closely followed murder cases in years goes into its final phase tomorrow. closing arguments in the case of casey anthony. kerry sanders reports from orlando. >> reporter: for 33 days in an orlando courtroom, casey anthony has cried, remained stoic, at moment, even smiled and laughed

as 61 witnesses for the prosecution an 49 for the defense detailed what they believe happened to caylee. prosecutors believe she murdered her daughter so she could live the life of a party girl and didn't reveal caylee was missing for more than a month. >> asking you to return a verdict that reflects the truth cht. >> reporter: but the defense says caylee's death was a horrible accident. >> she never was missing. caylee anthony died when she drowned in her family's swimming pool. >> reporter: during the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that when remains were found, duct tape covered her nose and mouth. >> there is no child that should have duct tape on its mouth when it dies. there is no reason to put duct tape on the face after. >> reporter: the case put

casey's mother and father in an awkward position. at one point, cindy appear today provide a cover story for her daughter only to have the state friday produce work records showing that just could not be true. friday, the defense offered a glimpse of its closing argument. >> there has yet to be any evidence in this case as to how this child died. where she died, which is a state's burden, not ours. when she died. same burren. and who may have been with her or not. >> reporter: but the judge says he'll leave it up to the jury. >> i don't think this is going to be an immediate verdict because there's still some puzzling features about the case. maybe the biggest puzzle of all is casey anthony. she doesn't look like a killer, but lies like a criminal and to figure out this case, the jury

may still be trying to figure out who is casey anthony. >> reporter: closing arguments are scheduled for tomorrow after which the jury will begin deliberations. when we come back, from one man, the remarkable outcome after a potentially devastating explosion. [ male announcer ] a moment that starts off ordinary can become romantic just like that. a spark might come from -- a touch, a glance -- it can come along anywhere, anytime. and when it does, men with erectile dysfunction can be more confident in their ability to be ready with cialis for daily use. cialis for daily use is a clinically proven low-dose tablet you take every day, so you can be ready anytime the moment's right even if it's not every day. tell your doctor about your medical condition and all medications and ask if you're healthy enough for sexual activity. don't take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. [ man ] do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach,

delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than 4 hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, stop taking cialis and call your doctor right away. [ male announcer ] ask your doctor if cialis for daily use is right for you. for a 30-tablet free trial offer, go to cialis.com.

for a 30-tablet free trial offer, i just transferred a prescription to cvs because they have care 1on1. it's where the pharmacist stops and talks to me about safety and saving money with generic prescriptions. laura, let's talk about possible side effects. it's all about me. love that. get care 1on1 and talk savings, safety, and side effects when you transfer or fill a new, ongoing prescription. i'm laura, and this is my cvs. it's all mine. there was quite a scene in thailand this week, a member of the bomb squad was inspecting a suspicious car and then tried to open the door and then -- a bomb in the car exploded, blowing the officer almost 30 feet away. here it is again from another

camera angle. amazing amazingly, the officer was able to get up within moments and walk away with only minor injuries. saved by his protective clothing. no one claimed responsibility for the bombing. back in this country, the supreme court agreed this week to take up a controversial issue involving privacy. it's a challenge to grow police practice of secretly installing gps tracking devices in the cars of unsuspects drivers. pete williams has more. >> reporter: this california college student remembers where it was found, hidden under his car. at first, he didn't know what it was. two parts, maybe an antenna, stuck to his car with magnets found by a mechanic. when a friend blogged about the discovery, it became an internet discussion. two days later, he was stopped

by an fbi agent. >> he goes, did you find anything under your car. i said, did you put anything there, he said yes. >> reporter: so he gave it back, but is suing the government. his lawyer calls it a private invasion of privacy. >> it's really important because it ensures there are no civil right abuses and they're not just searching individuals with little suspicious or none at all. >> reporter: the fbi won't say why it was tracking him, but current ablgts say using a tracking device does not amount to a search because a car is driven on a public street because there's no expectation of privacy. >> i believe this gps tracker device is no more intrusive than a physical survey va lens. >> reporter: some judges say when the devices are used for a long time, they reveal so much detail it amounts to an invasion

of privacy, an illegal search. now, the justices have agreed to decide whether secretly installing and using a device amounts to the same thing as putting agents in a car and tailing someone the old fashioned way. >> today, an upset in the women's finals. the 21-year-old won her first grand slam title beating the veteran in straight sets and a reminder, you can watch the men's final tomorrow morning right here on nbc and when we come back, here comes the bride. walking in the footsteps of none other than grace kelly. at bayer, we're re-inventing aspirin for pain relief.

with new extra-strength bayer advanced aspirin. it has microparticles, enters the bloodstream faster and rushes relief to the site of pain. it's clinically proven to relieve pain twice as fast. new bayer advanced aspirin.

he was one of the world's most eligible bachelors for a while, but no longer. tonight, prince albert of monaco is a married man. his bride, a south african olympic swimmer at one time. it was a multi-million dollar affair in true rivera style, but was there something missing? michelle kosinski is there. >> reporter: it could be described as supremely beautiful. in the heart of the palace, 3,500 guests, heads of europe, fashion kings, supermodels, even james bond, roger moore. and charlene wittstock wowed them all, walking slowly in her

sleek armain gown that took 2,500 hours to make. she was simply, simply radiant beside her groom, prince albert. with one word. it was complete. but a strange thing for the world to wonder on a royal wedding day, is this joyful for them? is it real happiness, real love? for the couple that seems to barely look at each other or touch in public then after press reports after an argument last week, charlene made a run for the airport -- it was like a sigh of relief to see this happen in similar fashion. the first time in 30 years, they have a reigning princess.

there remains a love affair here with one american, princess grace, died tragically in 1982. in this magical square mile, she charmed them. but her three children have all had turbulent lives. prince albert is known for his lively bachelor hood. inevitably, charlene reminds monaco of grace and they compare her. she told a magazine last year she only had two friends here. no, charlene did not run away and is her serene highness. monaco has its princess, albert has his bride. the fairy tale is now theirs alone to make come true. michelle kosinski, nbc news, monaco. >> and that is "nbc nightly

news" for this saturday. for everyone here at nbc news, thanks for watching. have a great holiday weekend. thanks for watching. have a great holiday weekend. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com