: ambulances stood waiting at the dillingham airport ready to care for survivors brought in this c-130 rescue plane from the flight that crashed with former alaska senator ted stevens and eight others on board. it took rescuers 12 hours to reach the victims at the crash site because of heavy fog and wind. >> the weather has now settled on to the crash site and has prohibited any rescue effort. >> reporter: this is video of the plane in a previous flight which carried the nine passengers. a single engine de havilland dhc-3t designed to land on water. at about 2:00 p.m. monday afternoon local time, the flight took off from lake nerka and was heading 38 miles away but crashed into a mountainside 30 miles short of its destination. among the four survivors, stevens' friend sean o'keefe, a former nasa administrator known for his leadership during the space shuttle "columbia" explosion in 2003. o'keefe's teenage son also survived. the group was on its way to a lodge where stevens often spent summers fishing. >> he built alaska and he stood for alaska and he fought for alaska. >> reporter: stevens se

you never think you're going to do it. >> reporter: at a town where jews and muslims live in harmony but it's not in the middle east, it's in the middle of new jersey. captioning sponsored by cbs from cbs news world headquarters in new york, this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> hill: good evening, katie is on assignment. wall street investors unloaded stock today, fearing the economy could be heading back into recession or, even worse, the "d "word, deflation. the dow plunged 265 points, that's nearly 2.%. the blue chip index has given back all of its gain for the year. rebecca jarvis is our business and economics correspondent. rebecca? >> reporter: good evening, erica. today wall street had a delayed reaction to yesterday's report from the refer stating the recovery is weakening. >> the economy stalled as it looks is stalling even further. >> reporter: veteran trader art cashin says three things spook it had stock market today. the morning started with a weak report on america's trade deficit with other countries. it grew unexpectedly, 18.8% in june, the highest lev

dive into. >> it's our news director dan rosenheim's birthday. >> see you at 6:00. thanks for watching! >> couric: tonight, a federal judge clears the way f sex marriages in california to resume next wednesday unless an appeals court intervenes. i'm katie couric. also tonight, turning the corner and a profit. g.m.'s dramatic return from bankruptcy, posting its second straight quarterly profit. a suspect in a series of stabbings that left five people dead is nabbed in atlanta trying to aboard a plane for israel. it turns out the jetblue flight attendant wasn't very popular on the plane. captioning sponsored by cbs from cbs news world headquarters in new york, this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> couric: good evening, everyone. will the most populist state in the nation allow gays and lesbians to marry legally? an answer came today but it wasn't the one supporters were hoping for. the federal judge who struck down california's ban on same- sex marriages today gave the green light for them to resume, but not until next wednesday, and that gives a federal appeals c

you at 6:00. >> hill: tonight, with millions of lives threatened by catastrophic flooding in pakistan, america races to help one of its most important allies. i'm erica hill. also tonight: crossing the line. >> listen to a black comic and all you here is ( bleep ) ( bleep ) ( bleep ). >> hill: a radio comic sparks a new national debate over the "n" word. police using more eyes in the sky to catch criminals. but what about our right to privacy? plus, forget the salt and pepper... >> reporter: would you ever try this? >> hill: america's melting pot getting spicier. captioning sponsored by cbs from cbs news world headquarters in new york, this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> hill: good evening, katie is on assignment. there's almost no way to overstate the disaster unfolding in pakistan where monsoon rains have triggered the worst flooding in the country's history. every part of the nation is affected. the indus river has swelled now to 15 miles wide at some points. that's 25 times wider than normal. hundreds of thousands of homes have been destroyed along with a

until the 9/11 attacks by islamic terrorists. at first, the obama white house said the mosque was a local issue. if it was, it's not anymore, not since the president decided to wade into the controversy last friday night. now it's all tied up in election year politics. our chief white house correspondent chip reid is traveling with the president in wisconsin tonight. chip, this is not what the president wants to be talking about heading into those midterm elections. >> reporter: absolutely, katie. the president's remarks ignited a firestorm over the weekend and here in wisconsin today he tried to change the subject. after touring a clean energy battery factory outside milwaukee, the president wanted to talk about jobs. >> we expect our commitment to clean energy to lead to more than 800,000 jobs by 2012. >> reporter: but many republicans want to keep the focus on the controversy stirred up by the president over the weekend with these remarks. >> i believe that muslims have the right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country. >> reporter: that includes, he said, the

>> 5'9". >> 6'1" right now. >> could you go for it, jules. >> that's all right. >> see you at 6:00. >> smith: tonight, what's good for general motors is good for the country. the auto giant makes a big move to pay off its debt for the bailout. i'm harry smith. also tonight, the president says the economy is getting better. but most americans say no way, and many blame him. the blagojevich jury, how close it really came to convicting him on trying to sell a u.s. senate seat. and are this year's freshmen ready for college? what their a.c.t. scores say. captioning sponsored by cbs from cbs news world headquarters in new york, this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> smith: good evening, katie is on assignment in afghanistan, we will be hearing from her later in the broadcast. but we're beginning tonight with the number-one concern of americans this is election year, the economy. time was there was no greater symbol of u.s. economic strength than general motors, but last year g.m. fell into bankruptcy. then taxpayers bailed it out with a check for $50 billion. today, g.m. t

dangerous job in the world. >> is everybody all right! >> couric: tonight at this critical juncture, afghanistan: the road ahead. captioning sponsored by cbs from cbs news world headquarters in new york, this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> couric: good evening, everyone, from kabul. as the war in iraq is winding down, the war here in afghanistan is heating up. with the surge ordered by president obama, there are now nearly 100,000 u.s. soldiers and marines here and 40,000 coalition troops. the military reported another death today, bringing the u.s. toll for august to at least 16. as casualties mount, the american public is growing more skeptical. 43% now say the war was a mistake. so why then are u.s. forces here? how long will they stay? and what is the definition of "success?" we've come in search of answers. and we'll begin with the new u.s. commander. we went along with him and headed to the eastern part of afghanistan. the day began early in the capital city. before general david petraeus got an assessment of the war from his top commanders in the field, we go

earlier attempt at a top kill but engineers have a better chance of success this time because the well is capped and they don't have to try to overcome the force of gushing oil. three-and-a-half months after b.p.'s well blew out and began spewing oil into the gulf of mexico, engineers are on the verge of sealing it for good. >> i think everybody would like to have this thing ended as soon as possible. we don't know the condition of the well until we start to put mud in it. >> reporter: after final tests tonight, heavy mud will be pumped from a surface ship down a drill pipe through the blow- out preventer and into the well. if the static kill works as planned, the mud will push the oil back into the underground reservoir, allowing engineers to then pump cement into the well, sealing it from the top. later this month, more mud and cement may be pumped in from a relief well almost 18,000 feet below the surface. permanently killing the well. >> we in the coast guard would love to see the kill work and the gulf coast return to normal. >> reporter: also today researchers reported the d

negotiations with the taliban. >> we have to have at least an open mind about this. >> couric: i'm katie couric in kabul. the prospect of bringing the taliban to the bargaining table is raising serious fears the rights of girls and women could be sacrificed in the process. and the enemy is tattooed on his arm. the molecular structure for explosives. >> nitroglycerin, petin. >> couric: it's his job to find i.e.d.s before they find an american soldier. tonight, special coverage of afghanistan. the road ahead. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> couric: good evening, everyone, from kabul. we begin tonight with a number: 3,240, the number of days the war here has gone on. and with each day, the casualties mount. today nato reported the death of three coalition soldiers, including an american. and in helmand province, at least seven afghan road construction workers were shot to death by taliban insurgents. president obama has beefed up troop strength here to nearly 100,000 to try to defeat the taliban, but many foreign policy experts believe the on

you at 6:00. miner miracl >> couric: tonight, miner miracles. celebrations in chile after 33 miners trapped in a cave-in for 17 days are found alive. but it could take months to get them out. i'm katie couric. also tonight, the disaster in pakistan. heartbreaking scenes as overwhelmed rescue workers are forced to decide who gets saved and who doesn't. and the hammer comes down on credit card companies. but you may be the one who pays. captioning sponsored by cbs from cbs news world headquarters in new york, this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> couric: good evening, everyone. time was not on their side, but fate apparently was. on august 5, a gold and copper mine collapsed in chile, trapping 33 miners and 17 excruciating days, their families waited for word, hoping and praying and crews dug through the rock to get to the miners. suddenly came word, every one of them is alive. it's being called the miracle in the mine. but as seth doane reports, their ordeal is far from over. >> reporter: these pictures from a camera lowered deep inside the mine reveal at first just ro

reported today used homes were selling last month at the slowest pace in 15 years. sales plunged a record 27%. and how's this for a glut? there are nearly four million unsold homes out there. that's a twelve and a half month supply, the most in three decades. the reasons including the slow economy and expiration of the tax credit for first time home buyers. but some say what's also needed is an overhaul of the home mortgage system. anthony mason is our senior business correspondent and has that story. anthony? >> reporter: the steep falloff in housing a sales highlights the degree to which the government has been propping up the housing market and the two biggest pillars of that support system-- fannie mae and freddie mac-- are facing a crisis. in florida this month, fannie mae auctioned off nearly 100 foreclosed properties. in chicago, freddie mac was offering help to homeowners in distress. the two troubled mortgage giants seized by the government nearly two years ago now own or guarantee nearly 31 million home loans-- more than half of all american mortgages, and they're bleeding billi

empire state building, infested with bedbugs. see you at 6:00. if that of things to come? i'm jeff glor. also tonight, the battle for control of congress. a possible upset in the making as an alaskan senator trails a challenger backed by sarah palin and the tea party. the nationwide outbreak of bedbugs. is there anything we can do to stop it? and she says she's been through hell. elin nordegren on her divorce from tiger woods and tonight he's talking, too. captioning sponsored by cbs from cbs news world headquarters in new york, this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> glor: good evening, katie's off tonight. with u.s. combat troops now out of iraq, insurgents are severely testing that country's security forces. today, the largest series of coordinated attacks in more than three years in iraq, 13 in all, just about every big iraqi city was hit. suicide bombers targeted police, roadside bombs killed civilians. at least 36 are dead tonight, more than 200 wounded. at the same time, the white house said the president will mark the official change in mission in iraq with an

tree at a time. from cbs news world headquarters in new york, this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> good evening. katie it off tonight. we begin with an attitude check on the american public. just 68 days before the critical midterm elections. a cbs news poll is just out, and it finds fewer than half, just 48%, approve of the job president obama is doing. that is, though, a four-point improvement over last month. on the top issue this election year, there has been a sharp increase in the number of americans who think the economy is getting worse. that number, 34%, up eight points from last month. that is, though, awe four-point improvement over last month. on the top issue this election year, there has been a sharp increase in the number of americans who think the economy is getting worse. that number, 34%, up eight point from last month. and with controlle control of congress at stake, we begin tonight with our congressional correspondent, nancy cordes. >> reporter: pessimism about the economy is deepening. more than eight in 10 americans now say it's bad. >> it's

not forecast another recession, but he did acknowledge the economy is slowing. at an economic conference in jackson hole, wyoming, the fed chairman said the recovery is on fragile footing. the economy, he said, remains vulnerable to unexpected developments. >> with growth so weak and confidence so fragile, we are very vulnerable to anything else that could go wrong. if anything does, we will be back in recession. >> reporter: bernanke's promise of fed support rallied the markets. the dow gained more than 160 points to close back above 10,000, but many ordinary investors have already sold their stocks. >> we've essentially reduced our equity exposure down to almost nothing. >> reporter: san francisco financial advisor ray meadows has been moving his clients into bonds. already this year, investors have pulled more than $33 billion out of mutual funds that invest in u.s. stocks. the housing market isn't restoring any confidence. existing home sales plunged 27% last month with houses selling at the slowest pace in 15 years, economist mark zandi says the risk we could slip into an

per hour. >> couric: tonight, massacre at work. a truck driver about to lose his job goes on a deadly rampage in a connecticut warehouse. i'm katie couric. also tonight, plugging that leak once and for all. on day 106, b.p. starts pumping mud into the ruptured well in what could be the beginning of the end of this crisis. stimulus projects that created no jobs and may have even lost some. we'll follow the money. and some dream about it, this family did it-- traded their ordinary lives for an incredible adventure at sea. captioning sponsored by cbs from cbs news world headquarters in new york, this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> couric: good evening, each. it's the last thing you expect to happen when you go to work, but every year in this country, more than 500 people are murdered on the job and it happened again today. a man who was being let go from his job at a warehouse opened fire on his coworkers, it happened in manchester, connecticut. ben tracy is there. >> reporter: it was a horrific beginning to the work day at hartford distributors. during morning sh

strength has the entire east coast on edge so they are track. that see you at 6:00. >> smith: tonight big earl, a massive hurricane is picking up power s across the caribbean. is it on its way to the u.s.? i'm harry smith. and breaking news: two airline passengers detained overseas. was it a dry run for a terror attack? also tonight, the storm over plans for an islamic center near ground zero. the developer talks to "60 minutes" scott pelley. >> reporter: do you intend to go ahead with the project after all of this? >> 100%. >> smith: and steve hartman uses a globe and an atlas to prove everybody in the world has a story. captioning sponsored by cbs from cbs news world headquarters in new york, this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> smith: good evening. katie is off tonight. earl has turned into one very powerful hurricane, a category 4 with winds of 135 miles an hour and still picking up strength. at last report, the storm was about 100 miles northeast of puerto rico and moving toward the west-northwest after raking the islands of the northeast caribbean with s

will keep them. i think she got a pedicure for that interview. >> we are back at 6:00. >> couric: tonight a federal judge rules california's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. i'm katie couric. also tonight, he's been waiting 107 days to say this. >> the long battle to stop the leak and contain the oil is finally close to coming to an end. >> couric: a cbs news exclusive. inside the violent world of white supremacist gangs. and self-made stars. youtube, the new place for discovering new talent. ♪ i've been away for a while now... ♪ captioning sponsored by cbs from cbs news world headquarters in new york, this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> couric: good evening, everyone. it is a hotly debated issue in this country, almost certainly headed to the supreme court. do gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry? in california today, a federal judge said they do, striking down the state's ban on same-sex marriage, a ban that had been approved by voters two years ago. priya david begins our coverage of this landmark case. >> reporter: two years

the bacon [ inaudible ] >> i think we should have that at our state fair. >> couric: tonight, the pentagon prepares for a new battle, this one with congress as the defense secretary announces major cuts in spending and jobs. i'm katie couric. also tonight, the massacre in afghanistan. remembering aid workers who cared more about the health of afghans than their own safety. the mystery of alzheimer's. can a new test help predict whether you're likely to get the disease? and tonight's special? a little comfort food. >> how can you keep feeding these kids? >> i cannot stop. captioning sponsored by cbs from cbs news world headquarters in new york, this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> couric: good evening, everyone. the u.s. military is launching a new attack on a familiar enemy-- fat in the budget. the secretary of defense announced plans to cut $100 billion out of it over the next five years. the budget is now about $750 billion a year. one target is a major command in virginia that employs nearly 6,000 people and government officials in the state-- democrats and repu