>> tonight thousands of refugees are trying to escape the government crackdown in syria. we're watching the growing desperation on the border with turkey. bill whitaker is on the frontlines of arizona wildfire is that threatening to spread into new mexico. facing growing calls to resign congressman anthony weiner is asking for a leave of absence in order to seek treatment. nancy has the latest on that. and every one of these students is college bound. cynthia bowers tells us how they beat the odds. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with russ mitchell.

> mitchell: good evening, the white house tonight is accused of syrian government of creating a humanitarian crisis after yet another bloody, tense day of fighting. troops loyal to bashar assad are cracking down on antigovernment demonstrators and others try to escape to turkey. we have the latest. a warning now: some of the pictures burr to see are graphic >> reporter: video gradually surfacing online shows the defiance of antigovernment demonstrators is escalating along with the government's resolve to crush them. yesterday in a suburb of damascus protesters were baiting syrian security forces. at first the troops seemed to hold back but not for long. the gunmen get into position, some of them neiling and -- kneeling and open fire. [gun fire] up in syria's north there are fewer pictures of violent crackdown this weekend, but there's other evidence.

a tide of refugees streaming into turkey. he told us just yesterday he was at a protest 20 miles away on the syrian side of the border and jisr al-shughour and almost right away the soldiers and police opened up. most of us shocked and trying to help the wounded. he tried to document the carnage on his cell phone. said they were shooting from the ground and the air. he also told us that when some soldier and police refused to fire on the crowd of protesters, they, in turn, were shot. that's exactly the kind of split inside the security services that residents described in the same town at a protest a week ago. and there's more evidence of splits in the syrian army. deserting soldiers arriving in turkey after witnessing atrocities. mohammed said he and his friends escaped after she watched an officer unprovoked shoot a civilian in the head. these accounts are impossible to

verify, but if they are true, they could the first real sign of syrian civility. >> as many as 6,000 opponents of moammar qaddafi marched through rebelv: held benghazi today. there was increased fighting in other cities. we have the latest. >> heavy shelling by forces loyal to moammar qaddafi halted an attempt by rebels to push forward out of besieged city. the rebels suffered their worst casualties to date. the first fighting since march broke out on the key town on the road to tunisia. the road is qaddafi's supply line and that could cut the libyan capital off to the outside world. the port is useless thanks to the nato blockade which is

causing shortages of vital supplies including refined fuel. lines at gas stations stretch for miles. whatever the situation on the battle front, however, the libyan regime never misses a propaganda opportunity. this show was to mark the anniversary of eviction of the u.s. military from what used to be wheelous air base. first used in 1943 it served as a is it a teagueic air command base and nato training center until 1970, the year after qaddafi took power. the thought was simple qaddafi forced them out and now they are trying to come back and steal libya's oil and he's not going to let that happen. that may some unrealistic considering what is going on outside his capital but he seems to hear only his song. he rebuffed an offer from turkey to guarantee his safety when he givesghehehfh the u.s. embassy.

he was gunned down tuesday fleeing a checkpoint in somalia. a bombing in persona war killed several people and injured 100 more. it was in a car bomb detonated from across the street. bombers killed across afghanistan today and the snu said may was the deadliest month for afghan civilians since 2007. 368 people in all were killed, 82% from by the taliban and other insurgents 12% by the international alliance and after dwan forces. back in this country, the u.s. forest service says crews have the arizona wildfire contained by only 5%, it's down from 6% yesterday. also 22,000 more acres are

burned in the past 24 hours bringing the total to 434,000 acres. the fire appears to be moving to mexico. bill whitaker is in northeastern arizona with the latest. >> reporter: the winds are picking up today and so is anxiety that gusts will scatter embers and spread this wildfire, already arizona's second largest on record. >> you don't know what is going to happen. you fear for your life. you feel -- fear for your family. >> they are a portrait in steadfastness. they owned and built the ranch for 70 years as a working and tourist ranch. but last week when the winds shifted. >> the forest service said the fire is all around you. you have 15 minutes to get out of here. >> 15 minutes? >> yes, they said you need to get out quick. >> he is a ranch hand. >> the sky was ominous and dark and red, strange hues i had never seen before. >> reporter: they had no time to move sérqr) horses so her son released them.ñi

had to let them go? >> let them fend for themselves. >> reporter: their focus, guesting the guests and grandchildren out. >> i was in this will truck with five grandchildren with me. there was fire all around me. >> reporter: they took pictures as they left behind. >> the fire began to spin like a tornado, went up and crashed down five miles. >> reporter: down the road at brother billy's ranch, it was coming so big and so fast. there's no way to stop something like that. >> reporter: billy lost five of eight guest cabins. >> the ones that are burnt, they are a pile of tin and brick. there's nothing left of them. >> reporter: today the family was escorted back in to see what happened to their ranch. esther was fearful but hopeful. >> i don't want to think about that part. our family is safe. that's the most important. we don't give up easy. we've been through droughts and floods and hard times and poor

years. we don't give up easy so -- >> reporter: russ, the family tells us that they will update us on the condition of the ranch once they come back outside the danger zone. they already know their horses and most structures are safe. they also know this wildfire and therefore the danger are not ible." he said he needed time off from congress to map out a course of treatment. >> reporter: when congressman weiner came clean about his lewd tweets and e-mails, he was asked if he intended to get help. >> i sr-pbd ruled out perhaps seeing someone. >> reporter: today he went further saying he was departing to seek professional treatment

and requesting a leave of absence from the house of representatives to make himself well. he informed democratic leaders of his plans this morning and they responded by asking them to resign one after the other. minority leader says i urge him to seek the help without being a member of congress. up until now only a few rank and file democrats called him on to resign while others did their we sent tony out today to the

new york city borrow of queens to take t(>> on austin street it hills, queens, his constituents stand by their man. >> as long as he does his work for his steutencecy that is the -- constituency that is the only thing anyone should care about. he should not resign and this will pass. >> reporter: that mirrors the

polls in which a sizable majority said he should not quit political expert moss has a front row seat. >> my mother is a constituent. she believes he should keep his seat because he has done good things. >> reporter: with a strong record of bringing home the bacon for this district across seven terms in office it's no surprise voters like congressman weiner but they don't like what he did. >> i think anthony weiner is a fool for having jeopardized what might have been a brilliant career. >> would i vote for him again? probably not. >> reporter: while a majority believe he should not resign, nearly 70% say either they would not vote for him again or were unsure. fewer than one in three pledged support. >> i'm deeply sorry. >> reporter: weiner apologized but remains determined to hang on to his seat. anthony weiner has no choice but to stay in this job as long as

he can and i would bet he will listen to no one but himself. >> reporter: there's one person that could tell him to shut down his longtime political godfather charles schumer who has remained silent since the scandal broke. >> >> mitchell: at one inner city high school every graduate is going to college and they are over 50 and unable to find new jobs. what is behind the big jump in unemployment among older works. that and more when the sao *ebz" cbs "cbs evening news" continues:

>> it's one best picture but the incredible story behind the making of "the king's speech" is on the making of 60 minutes sunday. >> mitchell: the international monetary fund said today it's come under cyber attack in recent months. the imf would not elaborate but

quoting unnamed officials "the new york times" said the attack was large and sophisticated. president obama called for patience today in the case of continuing bad economic us in. job seekers aged 50-54 are up against an unemployment rate that has doubled since the recession began. we have more on the aging baby boomers competing against the younger generation for jobs. >> the bills continue to pile up in her mailbox but it's getting more difficult for her to pay them. the 51-year-old mother two of has not been able to find a permanent job in four years. >> i never got a phonecall from anyone from any of the positions that i applied for. >> reporter: she says she's constantly passed over for younger candidates despite her 18 years in experience in the health care industry. >> when i go in for the interview everyone is 20 something or early 30s.

those are the people they hire. >> reporter: nowhere is the competition greater than at job fairs like this one in los angeles where you find silver haired job seekers up against applicants half their age. 54 kwraoerbd reporter said his work history is -- 54-year-old robert said his work history is a deterrent. another 54 and unemployed says her work experience should be the only thing that matters. >> i'm not going to lie about my age and i'm not going to doctor up my resume to make myself look younger. >> even though it's against federal law for employers to refuse to hire someone 40 or older based solely on age, the number of age bias complaints has risen sharply. in the last three years 70,000 age discrimination complaints were filed with (1e equal employment commission. that's up from the÷úñr number of complaints filed in the three years prior to the recession.

since being laid off michelle has had to take her older son out of college and the financial stress has led to a divorce. her home of 18 years is in foreclosure. >> pretty much we're living month to month. we don't know when we actually have to leave. pretty difficult. >> reporter: the future remains grim for older americans looking for work. the average amount of time it takes them to find a new job is more than a year. cbs news, los angeles. >> mitchell: in a city where most african-american males don't make it through high school every member of this graduating class is going to college. that story is next. yeahhhhhhh.

african-american high school graduation rates chicago's urban prep is say shining standout boasting a rate of almost 70% and that's only the beginning of its success story as we hear from cynthiako bowers. >> reporter: in chicago's toughñi englewood neighborhood these students are starting to believe. this is urban prep, the only all-african-american male charter school in the city. what makes this high school stand out is the fact that each of its 104 seniors is headed to college. said rick abul-hakeem is going to grinnel college in iowa. when you got your acceptance

letters, how was that? >> it was very exciting. >> reporter: urban prep's 100% college acceptance rate began last year with the school's first senior class. >> it's an ongoing issue and concern. >> reporter: the founder said high achievement is important and failure is not an option. >> it can't be less than 100% because we have to aggressively and actively change the lives of the young men we're serving. >> reporter: each year 150 freshmen are selected through a blind lottery. they spend an extra three and a half hours a day in the classroom. >> they say we can send anyone to college. >> reporter: and they did it with you. in chicago only four of ten black males graduate high school. nationally the number is fewer

than 50%. that is nearly two million young black men without a diploma and very limited opportunities. are there any questions? >> what we're doing here, it's changing changing their entire futures and generations to come. >> i just look around sometimes like we're all going to college. >> reporter: for senior matthew williams it's a change he hopes will alter how society looks at young black men. >> the stereotypes you hear on the streets about drugs, negative things, those aren't going be a reality. >> reporter: for these graduating seniors, a much brighter future. cynthia bowers, cbs news, chicago. >> mitchell: two and a half years after his ill-fated flight captain sully sullenberger sees his plane arrive in north carolina. that story is next.

evening, a journey that began on a freezing day in new york two januaries ago ended in the warmth of north carolina today. as kelly cobiella tells us the here degree on was on the way for arrival. >> it looks in good shape until you look underneath in the back where we first struck the water.

>> reporter: captain sullenberger has only seen the wreckage of the flight that made him a hero once before in the salvage yard two years ago. >> i was able to get up there and touch the dents. it's one thing to read about it but it's quite another to see up close and personal. i think for a lot of people it will be an emotional experience. >> reporter: for the people who stood on its wings, the plane was a hero, too, staying afloat just long enough for every last passenger to be rescued. many like laura zigg are seeing it for the -- like laura zych are seeing it for the first time that day. >> granted it was two and hey-years later but it's here. >> this is the wing. this is at the back. >> reporter: the rest of airbus 320 will be put together like a giant puzzle. crews collected everything down to the newspapers on the seats.

>> i think my boarding pass is on it. i'm hoping that as they go through the artifacts it might be something i get back. >> the airplane is going to be preserved as opposed to restored. that means any damage that occurred in water will be there. you can't tell the story without the airplane. >> reporter: a story that resonates nearly two and half years later. >> i think that's one of the things people see. when they see this is the potential for good in all of us. >> reporter: the potential for heros and hope. kelly cobiella cbs news, charlotte, north carolina. >> mitchell: and that is the "cbs evening news". thanks for joining us this saturday evening. iech russ mitchell cbs news in new york. see you back here tomorrow. good night.g# captioning sponsored by cbs

captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org flames from getting started. fo fire season readiness. how the bay area is trying to be ready. and former bart officer lois -- funding in the cross hairs. why fair-goers say they should be offlimits. cbs 5 eyewitness news is next. we spend a lot of time together. well mainly in traffic. i'm serious. we've been together, what, a super long time. true. and at first it was all business, you know, i'd take him here, i'd take him there. everywhere. and over the years, we've really bonded. sure. why else would you always buy me chevron with techron? 'cause we need gas.