i'm demarco. captioning funded by cbs it's tuesday, august 21st. this is the "cbs morning news." chilling, new claims from the husband accused in the colorado family murders. he says his wife killed their kids before he killed her. and russian hackers are reportedly targeting republicans. how internet users are falling fray to their tactics. plus, new video shows another view of the deadly bridge collapse in italy. the latest on the investigation into what caused it to fall.

good morning from the studio 57 newsroom at cbs news headquarters right here in new york. good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. the colorado father charged with murdering his pregnant wife and two young daughters is due in court this morning. christopher watts admitted he killed his wife in a fit of rage after he says she strangled their children. laura podesta's here in new york with the details on the story. laura, good morning. >> good morning, anne-marie. yes, this admission may have been an attempt by watts to make it look like a lesser crime, but it didn't work. he's charged with three counts of first-degree murder, and if convicted, could face the death penalty. christopher watts says he went into a rage and killed his wife after she strangled their two daughters, but colorado prosecutors filed formal charges against watts, accusing the 33-year-old of killing his entire family. >> three counts of murder in the first degree after deliberation.

one count naming shanann watts, one count naming bella, one count naming celeste. >> reporter: watts is also charged with three counts of tampering with a body and one count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy. >> mommy has a baby in her belly! >> again! >> reporter: shanann was pregnant with a boy they were going to name nico. according to the arrest affidavit released yesterday, watts was involved in an affair with a co-worker, and last monday, he told his wife he wanted a separation. shortly after that conversation, watts said he checked a baby monitor and saw one of his daughters sprawled out and blue and witnessed his wife strangling the other child. that's when he says he strangled shanann. >> please bring her back. >> reporter: the next day, chris pleaded for their safe return and was asked by media if they got into an argument. >> it wasn't like an argument. we had an emotional conversation, but i'll leave it at that. >> reporter: watts later told

police he loaded all three bodies in his truck and took them to an oil field where he worked. prosecutors say it's too early to determine whether they'll pursue the death penalty. court documents said the girls' bodies were submerged in crude oil for four days before police found the remains on thursday. their mother's body was found nearby in a shallow grave. anne-marie? >> laura podesta here in new york. thank you so much, laura. president trump says he could run robert mueller's russia investigation himself, if he wanted, but for now, he's choosing to stay out. in an interview with reuters, the president said "i'm totally allowed to be involved." the president also said that he is concerned if he testifies under oath for the mueller investigation the statements will be compared to others, and any discrepancies could be used to bring perjury charges against him. as he has before, president trump repeatedly called mueller's investigation a disgrace and argued that mueller and his team are biased. as the mueller probe focuses

on russian interference in the 2016 election, a new report claims russian hackers are targeting republican groups. "the new york times" says the hackers are targeting u.s. conservative think tanks that split with the president and want continued sanctions against russia. the "times" cites a new microsoft report that says it detected and disabled websites linked to the russian government. they were created to trick people into thinking that they were clicking on links managed by two republican groups, but in reality, they were redirected to websites designed to steal passwords and other credentials. well, the trump administration is expected to announce a plan today to roll back rules on coal-fired power plants in an effort to revive the coal industry. the coal-friendly affordable clean energy rule gives states broad authority on how to restrict carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. the plan is also expected to let states relax pollution rules for power plants that need upgrades.

this is a big retreat from obama-era efforts to fight climate change. president trump already vowed to pull the u.s. out of the paris climate agreement. and just to bring you up to speed, the jury in paul manafort's financial fraud trial begins its fourth day of deliberations this morning. prosecutors allege president trump's former campaign chairman hid tens of millions of dollars in foreign income and lied on loan applications. he faces 18 counts of bank and tax fraud. in a letter to catholics, pope francis addressed the church's sexual abuse scandal. the pope said no effort must be spared to root out priestly sex abuse and cover-ups. but as jan crawford reports, he didn't offer any specifics. >> reporter: the letter was unprecedented and blunt -- "we showed no care for the little ones," the pope wrote, "we abandoned them." nearly a week after the release of a sweeping pennsylvania grand jury investigation, the pope condemned the atrocities suffered by at least 1,000 minors at the hands of more than

300 clergy members over 70 years. but the pope stopped short of offering concrete steps to remove abusive priests or sanction those who took part in cover-ups. cardinal donald wuerl, archbishop of washington, d.c., was accused in the report of shielding predator priests. as bishop of pittsburgh for 18 years, he oversaw 32 of the 99 accused. cardinal wuerl spoke with cbs news' nikki battiste the night before the report's release. >> during my tenure, we acted very responsibly. we responded very appropriately with many times removal from ministry, totally and completely. >> reporter: pushing up a meeting originally scheduled for next week, wuerl met privately with priests in the archdiocese advisory group. he also canceled his attendance at a catholic conference next week in dublin, where the pope is expected to appear. over the years, the u.s.

catholic church has paid over $3 billion in response toabuse allegations. some are calling on all catholics to stop donating at least until cardinal wuerl steps down. about 17 million american catholic households donate an average of $10 each week, totaling about $9 billion every year. francis samber is a member of the survivor group s.n.a.p. >> as a parishioner, it is your right to ask, where's my donation going? you have that right to ask that, and you should. >> reporter: now, cardinal wuerl did not celebrate sunday mass here, and a spokesman told cbs news he wasn't going to the speech in dublin because he was worried it would be a distraction. his office also told cbs he has no plans to resign or step down. jan crawford, cbs news, washington. this morning, nashville police are questioning two men in connection to a string of deadly shootings and armed robberies. one man was arrested at a home yesterday. the other turned himself in.

police say they may be connected to two murders outside of a bar last week and another deadly shooting earlier this month. there have been a number of similar attacks across nashville in the last two weeks. los angeles detectives are investigating allegations of sexual assault against italian actress asia argento. she is a prominent member of the me too movement and accused disgraced media mogul harvey weinstein of sexually assaulting her. last year, jimmy bennett alleges argento had sex with him when he was 17 in california. the age of consent is 18. "the new york times" reports that argento settled the case for $387,000. coming up on the "morning news," police used a stun gun on a man holding a baby. why officers say they had no choice. and demonstrators protesting a confederate statue in north carolina take it down themselves. ng news." arthritis.

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heavy rain and thunderstorms are causing flash flooding in southern wisconsin this morning. rescue divers are looking for a missing man who was trapped in a car. two other people in that car made it to safety. officials say many of the roads in the area are impassable due to downed trees and high water. drivers are being told to stay off the roads, and there have been dozens of reports of stranded cars. protesters push a confederate statue to the ground, and police use a stun gun on a man holding a 2-month-old baby. those are some of the headlines on the "morning newsstand." the raleigh "news & observer" report protesters toppled the confederate statue at the university of north carolina chapel hill. once the statue was on the ground last night, demonstrators kicked it and cheered. one person was arrested when a fight broke out after someone threw a smoke bomb.

the statue was erected in 1913 and has been the focus of protests and vandalism for decades. students, faculty, and alumni say it's a racist image and want to remove it, while others argue it's a tribute to fallen ancestors. south carolina's "post and courier" reports an alligator killed a woman walking her dog on hilton head island. police say 45-year-old cassandra cline was walking her border collie near a golf course lagoon yesterday when an 8-foot-long alligator lunged for her dog. cline tried to protect it, and the alligator attacked, pulling her under the water. the dog wasn't hurt and the alligator was captured and later killed. "the detroit news" reports police are investigating after an officer used a stun gun on a man holding a baby. >> and they tased him with a baby in his hands! oh, my god! >> friday's incident was recorded by a witness. police say they were called to a backyard barbecue by the child's mother, who said she was assaulted by a man and his

girlfriend. officers say the man was drunk and uncooperative. when they tried to arrest him, they say he grabbed his 2-month-old son and would not release him. police say they were worried about the child and used the stun gun. the baby was not hurt. and britain's "guardian" says newly released security video shows the moment the deadly bridge collapsed in italy. the video shows several cars driving under the bridge seconds before part of the structure fell during a powerful storm. another angle shows a cloud of dust and debris as the bridge collapses. moments later, a man escapes from the rubble. 43 people were killed. prosecutors are investigating faulty maintenance and possible design flaws as possible causes for this collapse. well, still ahead, the rock band the eagles soars to new heights. how the group took on the king of pop. ♪ to look at me now,

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time ♪ the legendary music group the eagles is soaring high this morning. their "greatest hits" album passed michael jackson's "thriller" to become the best-selling album in history. the recording association of america says their greatest hits 1971-1975 is certified 38 times platinum, meaning it sold 38 million copies. the album was released in 1976. the eagles' 1977 album "hotel california" moved up to become the third best-selling album of all time. great songs, great album. on "cbs money watch" now, president trump calls out the federal reserve, and a massive volkswagen recall over car fire concerns. wendy gillette is at the new york stock exchange with that and more. good morning, wendy. >> good morning, anne-marie. president trump took a swipe at the federal reserve and its new chairman, jerome powell. the president said he's "not

thrilled" with recent interest rate hikes. in an interview with reuters, he also said the central bank should do more to help him boost the economy. the fed raised interest rates twice this year and is expected to do so again next month. the president's rarely criticized the fed. its independence is seen as vital to economic stability. the president picked powell to replace janet yellen last year. on wall street, consumer-focused companies finished broadly higher. some of the nation's largest retailers posted the biggest gains. macy's led the way, gaining over 6%. kohl's rose over 3% and home depot climbed 1.2%. overall, the dow jones industrial average gained 89 points. the s&p 500 finished six points higher. tech companies lagged behind the broader market, holding back the tech-heavy nasdaq composite. it ended up gaining four points. volkswagen is reportedly recalling 700,000 cars due to a roof lighting defect. the recall affects the tiguan and touran models, according to a german trade magazine.

humidity can cause a short circuit in the roof's light strip, which could potentially set the car on fire. the affected cars were sold worldwide. health insurer anthem is partnering with walmart to expand access to over-the-counter medicine for seniors. starting next year, their medicare advantage customers buy the drugs for reduced rates at walmart stores and website. health-related items such as first aid supplies and support braces will be included. that will help a lot of people, anne-marie. >> it really will. walmart has been fighting to compete with amazon and other pharmaceutical delivery platforms, so they're doing what they can. >> that's right. >> wendy gillette at the new york stock exchange. thank you so much, wendy. so, still to come, madonna pays tribute to aretha franklin, and immigrant children take the stage to protest president trump's family separation policy. we'll have the latest from the "mtv video music awards." ♪ mtv video music awards. ♪

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racial profiling. plus: how bart is looking to crack down on fare cheats... a problem that costs the agency millions of dollars each year. and: a destructive northern california wildfire grows.. forcing more homeowners to flee for safety. join us for kpix 5 news this morning... beginning at 4:30. good morning. it'sthis is not a bed.1st. good morning. it's tuesday, august 21st. it's a revolution in sleep. the new sleep number 360 smart bed is on sale now, from $899, during sleep number's 'biggest sale of the year'. it senses your movement, and automatically adjusts to keep you both comfortable. it even helps with this. so you wake up ready to put your pedal to the metal. and now, all beds are on sale. save 50% on the new sleep number 360 limited edition smart bed. plus, 24-month financing and free home delivery. ends saturday. sleep number. proven, quality sleep.

here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. ♪ that is jennifer lopez performing at last night's "mtv video music awards" at the new york radio city music hall. now, lopez took home the michael jackson video vanguard award for lifetime achievement. camila cabello won artist of the year and video of the year for her song "havana." madonna paid tribute to the legendary aretha franklin, who died just last week. and more than two dozen immigrant children joined logic on stage to protest how the trump administration separated parents and children at the border. the children's parents joined them on stage as well.

the u.s. army is doing an about face and reinstating immigrant recruits who were booted after enlisting with a promised pathway to citizenship. court records show in the last few days the army has reinstated 32 reservists and revoked discharge orders of another six enlistees who had sued. the "associated press" revealed in july that dozens of immigrant enlistees were being discharged or had their contracts canceled. the army says 149 other cases are under review. and if you hang ten in california, you are taking part in the state's official sport, surfing. governor jerry brown signed a bill yesterday declaring surfing an iconic california sport. it acknowledges surfing originated with the polynesian people and was brought to california from hawaii. the bill says california embraced surfing and made important contributions to the sport. coming up on "cbs this morning," a new report highlights how sexism and where a woman is born can affect how

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our top stories this morning. a colorado father admits that he killed his pregnant wife but says that he acted in a fit of rage after she strangled their two young daughters. chris watts is being held without bail. he is charged with all three murders. police say watts was having an affair and told his wife he wanted to separate. and president trump says that he's worried that if he testifies for the mueller investigation, his statements could be used to file perjury charges against him. the president fears investigators would compare his statements to others, such as former fbi director james comey. the president also told reuters that he could control the russia investigation, but for the moment, he's staying out of it. firefighters from across the

country are risking their lives to fight the deadly wildfires in the west. john blackstone shows us how many of them are going well beyond the call of duty. >> reporter: in california, firefighters working long hours in dangerous conditions have often done more than put out the flames. they not only saved jeff grant's home, one firefighter took time to save his garden from the carr fire. >> this note was in the front door, saying "i have watered your flowers and garden a couple of days, hope they make it, firefighter ray b." >> i realized that this garden was still intact and was still salvageable. >> reporter: that firefighter is ray barber. >> so, that morning i watered it and then again the next day. >> he didn't have to do that, but he took it into his heart to help us out. >> reporter: even as they work to the point of exhaustion, social media posts show firefighters' small acts of kindness. food and water for stranded house pets and farm animals. engine company 1489 left a note

saying they fed the fish. after he evacuated, cameras on frank grasso's home in riverside county showed flames melting the fence and heading toward the house. then, a firefighter showed up. >> all of a sudden, i get a notification, someone's at my front door from my video doorbell. >> your house is safe! >> i really appreciate that. thank you so much. >> okay. are you guys doing okay wherever you're at? >> yeah. we're over here at my aunt's house in irvine. we're okay. >> i told him, you know, thank you, we love you, we love you guys, man. >> we love you guys, man. stay safe. >> it's what we all do, you know. i mean, all of the firefighters, that's what we do. we take pride in what we do. and i think that we all think the same. >> reporter: only occasionally do residents get a chance to meet the firefighters who did so much for them, but among the ashes, signs of appreciation always go up for a job well done. john blackstone, cbs news, shasta, california. >> that's simply amazing.

well, coming up on "cbs this morning," twitter co-founder ed williams tells us how and why he regularly takes a break from technology. plus, new research highlights how sexism and a woman's birthplace affects just how much money she makes and her job title. and a dna test leads one father to a daughter that he never knew he had! we were there for the emotional family reunion. >> hi! >> that's the "cbs morning news" for this tuesday. thanks for watching. i'm anne-marie green. have a great day. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

let's start with a live look outside, downtown san josi and the south bay. it is tuesday, jaclyn's favorite day, august 21st. good morning, i'm kenny choi.

thank you for joining us. >> i'm michelle griego. speaking of jaclyn, we'll say good morning to her and emily too. >> is this really your favorite day? >> it is. >> i don't get it. >> we're still trying to figure it out. >> it's because i'm more productive. i'm not productive on fridays. i'm in denial. >> i'm just going with friday. as far as the weather is concerned, we are a day closer to cooler temperatures. this will be our coolest day of the week, right now san francisco 56 degrees and concord 60 degrees, 53 san josi. temperatures will climb but not get too warm today. we'll have more on the high temperatures coming up in a few minutes. emily? thank you. we are tracking slowdowns on northbound 880, caltrans closing two lanes