everyone is talking about the high spirited american cardinals shaking up the selection. and our team is on the ground, starting with abc's josh elliott. josh? >> reporter: and so begins, diane, tomorrow a world focus will be trained on that chimney atop the sistine chapel, ready to offer all of its smokey history. it's a ritual ratified over centuries. the votes are burned. black smoke means no consensus. white smoke means we've chosen a new pope. and yet so many ways the direction that the church now charts for itself, will be as important as the man chosen to lead it. today we got just a glimpse of what those 115 voting cardinals would see entering the halls of the sistine chapel. koursy of vatican tv. the history of those halls overshadowed by the votes that will take place within them tomorrow. yesterday, the cardinals led masses at the local churches around rome.

for one, it would be his final mass before becoming pope. might that pope be cardinal timothy dolan of new york? in the days leading to conclave, he has become a darling of the italian press. or might that pope be cardinal o'malley of boston, whose humble capuchin robes and leadership in the wake of the nationwide sexual abuse scandals have endeared him to his fellow electors? while neither claims to want the job -- >> that's just way too out of the realm of probability. >> i have bought a round-trip ticket. so -- >> reporter: their candidacies are a sign of a race that has no clear front-runner. >> cardinal o'malley and cardinal dolan are already quite popular here in italy. there's already a sort of fan clubs around the two of them. >> reporter: still the 28 italian cardinals represent by far, the biggest voting bloc by nationality. true to form, they're thought to be pushing for an italian pope. but as the multitude of languages that we hear today, suggest on the eve of the

conclave, vatican city is not italy. the world's catholics are arriving to see the election of a new pope. for the first time, they may see that pope hail from latin or north america. could that many cardinal scherer of brazil. or cardinal ouellet of canada? two candidates who work in the vatican. >> looking for someone who has executive skills, someone who can talk about jesus with an mba. >> reporter: this is a historic election with the church at a crossroads, particularly in the united states. in fact, in a new abc news washington post poll, an overwhelming number of catholics disapprove of the church's handling of the sex abuse scandals. in addition to criticism shared worldwide of a corrupt vatican banking system. >> what is it that the church needs? where does the church need to go? >> reporter: one thing is certain. the race is wide open, with all eyes on that chimney as rome awaits tomorrow. of course no one can really predict who the pope will be,

but whether it be a conservative, a reformer, an italian, a north american, latin american, african, one thing that all fangss can agree upon, according to the experts, is that age and stamina will be crucial factors come this election. so look for a pontiff in his 60s, young and spry enough to handle the grueling demands that this next pope will face. >> thanks so much, josh. there's something we want to show you. when those cardinals gather to choose an heir to st. peter, they'll be standing above a sacred place, 40 feet beneath floor the dome behind me, there's a crypt inside a wall marked with the symbol of st. peter. the bones of a man in his 60s when he died, and the pope declared them to be the bones of st. peter, who was also crucified. and the dome above reaches toward the gates of heaven, where he is believed to be waiting with the keys. as the cardinals gather beneath. these princes on earth.

let's bring in cecilia vega with what they are going to do as the ancient process unfolds. ♪ >> reporter: one day before the doors to the sistine chapel are locked -- an oath of secrecy for the only people allowed in during the conclave. 90 people in all, doctors, nurses, waiters, swift guards, paving the way for 115 cardinals to select the next pope. ♪ >> reporter: is this daunting for some people? >> i think it frightens them. some have told me it's a scary moment because they don't want to make a mistake. >> reporter: the voting may begin right away -- up to four times a day -- until two-thirds of the cardinals agree on a name. they write their choices on paper ballots. one at a time, they walk to the altar, and under the watchful eye of michelangelo's "last judgment," cast their votes. three cardinals do the counting.

then those ballots are burned. never to be seen again. even in this modern world, it is a centuries old ritual that delivers the results. black smoke means no decision, white -- there is a new pope. >> this is the black smoke right here. >> yep. and this is the white. >> reporter: how do they do it? and italian special effects crew gave us a demonstration. seems easy. >> okay. we'll see. >> reporter: so, i should stand back? >> yeah, it's really hot. >> reporter: turns out, creating smoke in the vatican is like creating smoke for movies. so no pope? >> no. >> reporter: not today? >> maybe tomorrow. >> reporter: maybe tomorrow. the conclave used to burn wet straw to make black smoke. today, it uses a mix of chemicals. but sometimes, even in the vatican, the plan fails. in 2005, the smoke wasn't black or white. it was both. in 1958, there was gray smoke. in 1978, it blew right back

inside the sistine chapel and made the cardinals sick. today, our smoke was bright white. all we were missing was a new pope. i can hear the crowds in st. peter's square cheering already. >> and so i have with me tonight, a sample ballot like the one that the cardinals will use tomorrow to vote. we know that many of them try to disguise the name of the pope that they're choosing when they write on it, so that no one knows who they're voting for. sit a secret. they fold it once and then again and then it gets burned so that no one sees this vote. skast that ballot, no one can see the name on that line. secrecy of utmost importance. >> it's all in secret. something very moving about a piece of paper in this very moernd and high-tech world. >> so small. >> thank you, cecilia. one of the men in the sistine chapel voting will be cardinal napier from south africa. today i asked the cardinal about

the true possibility of an american pope, and also what it's really like inside that room. >> we always talk about the fact that it's beneath michael angelo. is there one part of that painting that you always focus on when you're sitting there? >> indeed. i was sitting on the right on friday as you look up to that painting where the devils are pulling people down into hell. that's what i keep in my mind. if i'm voting for the wrong person that's what the devil is preparing for me as well. >> so here we are the night before you move into the dormitory. is there something that you do the night before when you're packing your things to take there? >> i have to remember what not to leave behind. it's one of main ones. >> we've seen the rooms. they're modest rooms. >> some of them are quite nice. >> when you go in, they break a seal to make sure no one's tampered with it. the windows are also sealed? >> the shutters on the windows

are sealed, so that no interference from outside or no signaling from inside to the outside can be done. >> this is just a mischievous question. which is more likely, an american pope or an african pope? >> i don't think either. at the moment, i don't think either. >> the moment that you have that piece of paper and you fold it, is that the weightiest moment, the moment when you actually submit the name? >> this is the most solemn moment for me. i call on the lord jesus to be my judge to witness that i am voting for the one that i consider to be worthy. so that for me is the most solemn moment. >> our thanks to cardinal napier and a reminder that our team will be right here covering it all live tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. eastern time. please join us as the conclave begins. now we turn to another big stories around the world. starting with an attack in afghanistan. an afghan officer firing on american troops, killing two and injuring nearly a dozen more

after a gunfight. it happened just after the american defense secretary paid a visit to the war-torn nation. martha raddatz has the details. >> reporter: the attacks have been unrelenting -- a suicide bomb in kabul this weekend, an attack at a military base on friday. and today, the deadly machine gun assault by an afghan police officer claiming the lives of those two americans. the attack happened just outside this village in wardak province where we once patrolled with u.s. soldiers. last year, 35 americans were killed in 46 attacks by afghan forces. but today u.s. forces shot and killed two afghan civilians who drove too close to a u.s. convoy. a u.s. major was caught berating one of his soldiers after the shooting. all of these incidents are taking a toll.

>> it definitely does start to affect the trust of both sides working together. it's a simple as that. >> reporter: the violence cast a very big shadow on the first visit of the new secretary of defense, chuck hagel, as did the stunning comments from afghan president hamid karzai. karzai claimed that the u.s. and the taliban were, in effect, working together to destabilize his country, an accusation that outraged many in the u.s. and shows that transitioning out of afghanistan is no easy task. martha raddatz, abc news, washington. and now we have a program note. tomorrow george stephanopoulos will sit down with president obama at the white house and we'll bring you the details tomorrow night right here on "world news," and also the next morning on "gma." some consumer news back at home tonight, the ban on the sale of those giant, sugary sodas, the subject of so much late night comedy, that ban has been put on hold. it was a big public health

effort by the mayor of new york to help with obesity. it was supposed to start tomorrow, but today a judge says, not so fast. abc's gio benitez tells us why. >> reporter: today, on the eve of the nation's first ban on large sugary drinks, new yorkers were bracing for change. >> one of the last ones. enjoy it, because it's the last day. >> reporter: and businesses were ready. dunkin donuts wouldn't given you -- would have given you the syrup separately, and you would have had to pour it in yourself. now a stunning reversal. a state judge striking down that ban on sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces. one of the more controversial policies in the battle against obesity. i'm gonna take a little swig out of a comically oversized movie theater beverage, it's so hot. >> reporter: mayor bloomberg made the ban a health crew said. in one 16 ounce glass of soda, you'll find the equivalent of 27 cubes of sugar. in 51 ounces, 86 cubes.

but the judge found the law would be unfair because it would apply to restaurants but not convenience stores, and would exclude other beverages that have significantly higher concentrations of sugar, like many lattes. >> i have to defend my children and you and everybody else and do what's right to save lives. obesity kills. >> reporter: mayor bloomberg will appeal. gio benitez, abc news, new york. still ahead here on "world news," we'll tell you how something already in your medicine cabinet could help ward off one of the deadly forms of cancer. ♪ see life in the best light. outdoors, or in. automatically filter amount of light. the way it's meant to be seen. maybe even a little better. experience life well lit, adaptive lenses. vision center today transitions xtractive lenses enhance your vision. save money. live better.

before copd... i took my son fishing every year.

we had a great spot, not easy to find, but worth it. but with copd making it hard to breathe, i thought those days might be over. so my doctor prescribed symbicort. it helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better. and that means...fish on! symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. with copd, i thought i'd miss our family tradition. now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. and that makes a difference in my breathing. today, we're ready for whatever swims our way. ask your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescription free. call or click to learn more. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. that your mouth is under attack,

from food particles and bacteria. try fixodent. it helps create a food seal defense for a clean mouth and kills bacteria for fresh breath. ♪ fixodent, and forget it. ♪ as soon as you feelon it, try miralax. it works differently than other laxatives. it draws water into your colon to unblock your system naturally. don't wait to feel great. miralax. and today there was a big medical headline about aspirin. scientists say regular doses of aspirin may lower the risk of the deadliest type of skin cancer, melanoma in some women. abc's chief medical editor, dr. richard besser, breaks it down for us. >> reporter: cheap, common aspirin. is it more of a wonder drug than we ever expected? do any of you take aspirin to prevent heart disease? >> yes. >> reporter: what would you say if i told you it might help

prevent skin cancer too? >> oh, that's better, right? >> reporter: yeah! the new stanford university study, the largest of its kind, looked at 60,000 older caucasian women. they're the most likely to get melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. those who took aspirin at least twice a week had a 20% lower risk of developing melanoma. women who took an aspirin for five years or more? the risk was down 30%. researchers believe aspirin may kill cancer cells and even stop new ones from forming. other studies have shown aspirin reducing the risk of stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, and this study suggests that maybe it will work for melanoma, too. >> reporter: 20% of us, and nearly half of all seniors, take aspirin regularly for heart disease and aches and pains. but it's not without risks. you don't need a prescription to buy aspirin, but that doesn't mean it's not a real drug. it can cause all kinds of side effects -- stomach ulcers and bleeding -- so don't take aspirin unless your doctor recommends it. but if this research pans out, help against cancer may end up costing just a few bucks a

bottle. dr. richard besser, abc news, new york. and coming up here, a chain of strangers reaching into the ocean to save a little boy. see what happens next in our instant index. instant index. ♪ the middle of this special moment and i need to run off to the bathroom. ♪ i'm fed up with always having to put my bladder's needs ahead of my daughter. ♪ so today, i'm finally talking to my doctor about overactive bladder symptoms. [ female announcer ] know that gotta go feeling? ask your doctor about prescription toviaz. one toviaz pill a day significantly reduces sudden urges and accidents, for 24 hours. if you have certain stomach problems or glaucoma, or can not empty your bladder, you should not take toviaz. get emergency medical help right away if your face, lips, throat or tongue swells. toviaz can cause blurred vision,

dizziness, drowsiness and decreased sweating. do not drive, operate machinery or do unsafe tasks until you know how toviaz affects you. the most common side effects are dry mouth and constipation. talk to your doctor about toviaz. tens of thousands of dollars in hidden fees on their 401(k)s?! go to e-trade and roll over your old 401(k)s to a new e-trade retirement account. none of them charge annual fees and all of them offer low cost investments. e-trade. less for us. more for you. i work for 47 different companies. well, technically i work for one. that company, the united states postal service® works for thousands of home businesses. because at usps.com® you can pay, print and have your packages picked up for free. i can even drop off free boxes. i wear a lot of hats. well, technically i wear one. the u.s. postal service®, no business too small.

are proven to be effective pain relievers. tylenol works by blocking pain signals to your brain. bayer back & body's dual action formula includes aspirin, which blocks pain at the site. try the power of bayer back & body. try the power some people will do anything to help eliminate litter box odor. ♪ discover tidy cats pure nature. clumping litter with natural cedar, pine, and corn. like other precious things that start off white, it yellows over time. when it comes to your smile, if you're not whitening, you're yellowing. crest whitestrips whiten as well as $500 professional treatments. guaranteed. crest 3d white whitestrips. and at the top of our instant index tonight, strangers and their generosity. we start with a young boy, 12 years old, swept out to sea.

lucky for him, a squadron of good samaritans was on shore. you can watch. it happened in new zealand. one by one, they sprint into the water, link arms, and create a human chain. the surf too strong, but they redouble their efforts. the rescue goes on for eight full minutes until they ultimately pull him from the water and we're told tonight he's recovering and very, very grateful. and take a look at this, it's a kind of science, medical science for your health. a mummy is getting a cat scan. researchers used a high powered machine to look for century's old clues about heart disease. it turns out the 4,000-year-old mummy had it too. the test showed a third of them had clogged arteries. and the ones who had it were older than the rest. scientists say that was before the rise of cigarettes, fast food. it could be a sign that humans

are hard-wired for heart disease, and it could be a more natural part of aging than we ever thought. and coming up here, do you believe in miracles? we'll tell you how the vatican decides exactly what is a miracle and what is not. we'll take you inside. helps provide many with day and night relief of heartburn symptoms caused by acid reflux disease. there is risk of bone fracture, and low magnesium levels. side effects may include headache, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. call your doctor right away if you have persistent diarrhea. other serious stomach conditions may exist. don't take nexium if you take clopidogrel. ask your doctor if nexium is right for you. find out how you may be able to get nexium for just $18 a month at purplepill.com

i worked a patrol unit for 17 years in the city of baltimore. when i first started experiencing the pain, it's hard to describe because you have a numbness but yet you have the pain like thousands of needles sticking in your foot. it was progressively getting worse, and at that point, i knew i had to do something. when i went back to my health care professional, that's when she suggested the lyrica. once i started taking the lyrica, the pain started subsiding. [ male announcer ] it's known that diabetes damages nerves.

lyrica is fda approved to treat diabetic nerve pain. lyrica is not for everyone. it may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior. or swelling, trouble breathing, rash, hives, blisters, changes in eye sight including blurry vision, muscle pain with fever, tired feeling, or skin sores from diabetes. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs, and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. those who've had a drug or alcohol problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today. it's specific treatment for diabetic nerve pain. to hear more of terry's story, visit lyrica.com. it's specific treatment for diabetic nerve pain. go ahead you risk takers... you time misplacers... you magnets to mud... you shovers of covers, and lucky shirt lovers... pile it on.

after all, kenmore is in the lives of over 100 million americans. that's why our newest large capacity front load has over 35% more speed to clean clothes, faster. we put more in, so you get more out. kenmore. tomorrow, when the cardinals walk toward the secret conclave, they'll do so praying for the saints who left behind miracles. but exactly what kind of miracles? abc's david wright tells us. >> reporter: from the miracle of creation, to the parting of the red sea, to the last judgment, the sistine chapel is a room full of miracles. and here at the vatican, the term "miracle" is not taken lightly.

right across from st. peter's is the congregation for the causes of saints. behind these huge doors, investigators spend years poring over reports of miracles, trying to determine if they are truly miraculous. >> it has to be lasting, instantaneous, perfect and scientifically inexplicable. >> reporter: in catholic theology, miracles are the proof of sainthood. acts of divine intervention. friendly help from above. >> the idea is the miracle shows that you're definitely in -- definitively in heaven. and it's a sign of god's favor. >> reporter: 78 of the 265 popes are saints. 16 more are halfway there. including blessed pope john paul. the vatican has confirmed one miracle attributed to him -- curing a french nun afflicted with parkinson's disease. now if the church can verify a second miracle, he'll be sainted. tomorrow as they solemnly march into the sistine chapel -- ♪

naming the saints one by one and asking for prayers. not necessarily asking for miracles, but as they make this momentous decision, looking for friendly help from above. david wright, abc news, rome. and we thank you for watching tonight. we're always working for you at abcnews.com. "nightline" will be here later at its new time, 12:35 eastern. and we'll see you tomorrow for at a neighborhood car accident results in murder charges. tonight a crash that killed a woman and her two son autos we're live in the search for ace missing woman last seen going outside fr a jog. >> a sink hole damaged neighborhood under repair tonight. you're going to hear from one homeowner with a problem who

claims he's getting a raw deal. >> and the new minimum wage in effect in san jose. you may have voted for it. now, you're being asked to help pay for it as well. >> this was the horrific scene in daily city saturday night. three people skilled in a terrible collision. tonight police are calling it a case of murder. i'm cheryl jennings. >> i'm dan ashley. just a horrifying crash. tonight the driver of the car that caused it is facing homicide charges. it happened in daily city on east dgs more avenue just west of 280. police say a 28-year-old has been booked into the county jail in redwood city. abc 7 news vic lee is live at the scene tonight. vic? >> dan this, is indeed a tragedy. this accident wiped out a family. we're told the patriarch of

the family died just last year and now, his wife, and their two sons. they're coming down. you can tell. look? that is not 25. they're speeding. >> neighbors who live along eastmore avenue watch a parade of speeding cars. they're convinced speed was partially to blame. tatiana dropped by the tribute to the three victims of the collision. she knew the family. tatiana grew up with the 14-year-old. >> really good at soccer and really smart. had honor classes and tried his best. he wanted to go to college. >> the accident happened after 8:00 saturday night here on the 100 block of eastmore avenue. police aren't giving out much

information just that two cars were involved. one that carry themd was apparently broadsided by another vehicle. he, his older brother and her mother died at the scene. amato's girlfriend was injured and taken to the hospital. the car police say struck their vehicle was driven by dennis macedo of sunnyvale. he was not injured. investigators say macedo hit another car this, honda just before plowing into the osario's vehicle. the driver of that car wasn't hurt. daily city police arrested and charged macedo with homicide. >> each sure there was negligent. speed, maybe alcohol. >> the osarios were from nicaragua. amato graduated five years ago. the principal knew