buried a red rose for england. you know, he's come back from the dead. >> reporter: survivor story. a backpacker missing for nearly two weeks is found alive and well. closing in, seven suspects charge said in the murder of a florida couple, known for adopting children with special needs. and the latest pitch. president obama lets it fly at the all-star game. >> this is as much fun as i've had in quite sometime. >> this is the cbs morning news for wednesday, july 15th, 2009. captioning funded by cbs good morning, thanks for joining us. it was a point judge sonia sotomayor made repeatedly. she didn't let her personal bias

influence her conclusions. her confirmation hearing resumes this morning with more questions. susan roberts is in washington with details. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. so farp judge sotomayor is receiving high marks. both democrats and republicans are saying she is reasoned and measures in her responses and she seems to have a good understanding of the law. it'll be another long day in the witness chair for supreme court nominee sonia sotomayor. >> you do believe that your background will affect the results in cases? and that's troubling to me. >> my record shows that at no point or time have i ever permitted my personal views or sympathies to influence an outcome of a case. >> reporter: she battled through eight hours of intense grilling tuesday, backing away from a highly controversial comment she made during a speech to hispanic law students. in it, she said, a wise latina woman would reach a better conclusion than a white male. on other crucial issues,

sotomayor issued she had an open mind on gun rights and roe visit wade. despite the tough questioning, sotomayor still appears headed toward confirmation. senate democrats hold a strong majority and some republicans are wary to stand in her way. >> unless there are some major catastrophic mistakes on the part of judge sotomayor, it's hard to see how anything would stop her. >> reporter: even republican senator lindsey graham said sotomayor could possibly get his vote. first, he wants to make sure she won't bring a liberal agenda to the bench. >> that's what we're trying to figure out. who are we getting here as a nation? >> reporter: it may be several more days before senators get the full picture. but a confirm anticipation vote should come by the end of this month. sotomayor also broke with the president on the importance of empathy in judging. she said, it's the job of the judge to apply the law and that it's not the heart that compels

conclusion in cases. it's actually the law. michelle? >> susan roberts in washington. thank you. on the cbs money watch, asian stocks made big gains this morning. claire lake is here in new york with more. good morning. >> good morning to you. asian stocks turned in a second day of gains. strong earnings from u.s. companies gave modern investors hope that the world economy is on the mend. the hang seng jumped more than 2%. the kospi surged 2.5%. the tech giant said business is picking up fast and it sees a strong second half of the year. the dow jones starts the day up 27 points. the tech heavy nasdaq begins higher by six. economic news will be in focus today. higher costs for oil and gasoline probably set consumer prices higher in june by the largest amount since oil prices

peaked near $150 a barrel last summer. but economists aren't worried about inflation. they say price of most other goods and services are still flat. many continue to fall because demand is still on the weak side. aside from the cpi, we get reports on manufacturing, inventories and industrial production this morning. in the afternoon, the minutes from the last federal serve policy meeting are due. bernard madoff moved into his latest and most likely final home yesterday. cameras caught him arriving at the medium security prison in north carolina, where he's set to serve 150 years behind bars. madoff, who is 71, will share a cell and toilet. his prison duties will include painting and groundskeeping work. michelle? >> claire, thank you. the website, tmz, reports that the los angeles police department is treating michael jackson's death as a homicides. they're focusing on his doctor, conrad murray.

tmz quotes what it says are multiple law enforcement sources. they say evidence points to anesthesia as the likely cause of his death. vials were found in his home after his death. approximate. seven suspects are charged in the death of a florida couple. police say the suspects were in and out of burt and melanie billings' home within ten minutes. police are searching for one more suspect. >> reporter: with the dead couple's daughter at his side, the escambia county sheriff promised justice for the billings family. >> i asked you if there was anything i could do for up. your response back to me was, sheriff, find the people who did this. it is my honor today to tell you, ashley, and your family, bwe have found them and they are in custody. >> reporter: police have seven people in custody, including a 16-year-old boy, all charged in the murders of the billings

couple. police say the group knew each other through jobs and day labor and two had worked at the billings hoeps home. police believe the ring leader was this man, leonard patrick goodness jr. his passion, teaching krarate t young children. >> he was not a bully guy that looked for trouble. >> reporter: gonzalez jr. once served in the national guard. police say it was that experience that helped pull off the attack. surveillance cameras covered two teams pulling off the attack. police say several of the nine children in the house saw their parents' killers. one went next door for help. >> the children are with family members. i've stated many times they are in a safe, loving and secure

environment. >> reporter: the motives behind the attack, a simple robbery. thefts committed by men whose crimes extend beyond pensacola, the state of florida, even the country. >> when you get the ties of these individuals, having nothing to do with this murder, you will then see at that time why this case has gone in so many different directions. >> reporter: police would not say where the paths lead, but they say lead to justice. >> tornadoes strike west-central minnesota. plus, a happy father down under. >> to the people of australia, for what they've done. his son is found alive after nearly two weeks lost backpacking in australia. first, katie couric has a preview of tonight's evening news. >> we'll show you how a struggling electrician is having an impact on an ice sculpture

business whose sales have gone cold. it's a ripple effect of the recession, tonight only on the cbs evening news. much to learn. i just shut down. but liberty walked me through it all like when i test at night or after i eat makes a big difference. a good diet and testing your blood sugar regularly can help you manage-even reduce-the risk of complications. that's why liberty offers a wide selection of most brand-name meters. and, all the help you need to understand your meter. if you're over 65, have diabetes and are on medicare, call now and we'll send you a free meter. it offers alternate site testing, so you can test on your arm. no more pricking your fingers. so it's less painful. it makes a big difference. and to make it even less painful, the cost of your diabetes testing supplies may be covered by medicare. join over a million others who have chosen liberty medical. call now and get your free meter. plus, for a limited time, get a free cookbook when you join. call the number on your screen.

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♪ always infinity. have a happy period. at least two tornadoes struck rural areas in west-central minnesota late yesterday, leaving a trail of destruction. one tornado was said to be about a quarter-mile wide. the twisters downed trees and power lines and destroyed two turkey barns 120 miles northwest of minneapolis. no injuries were reported. federal investigators say it could take months to determine why the hull of a southwest airlines plane ripped open in flight on monday. the 15-year-old boeing 737-300 made a safe emergency landing with a hole in its fuselage. officials say when the plane was inspected in january eight cracks were found and repaired. to a survivor story. it happened in australia's rugged outback. a british teenager hiked into the bush and didn't come out. he was given up for dead, even

by his own family. eddie meyer of australia's network 10 picks up the story. >> reporter: it's an image that defees belief, jamie neil walking into the hospital having defied every expectation. >> i'm so grateful to the people of australia for what they've done to find my boy. >> reporter: his rescue certainly surprised his father, richard, at the airport, waiting for a flight home to london when police called to say they were sending a helicopter to collect him. >> i had my closure ceremony out there in the park. i'd carved his name with a candle and buried a red rose for england. and, you know, he's come back from the dead. >> reporter: the 19-year-old went for a hike alone in rugged bushland 12 days ago. he left from a youth hostel. despite an extensive search, the

local police commander didn't given. >> it's a fantastic effort to survive several days, let alone 12 in that environment. >> reporter: an experienced hiker, jamie survived incredible conditions, only suffering from dehydration. >> i'm going to kick his ass. the millions of hours we've spent on this rescue effort. >> he's looking gaunt and scratched. i'm covering him and saying, jamie, i'm so pleased to see you. he's in a bit of a days and doesn't know what happened to him. it's definitely my jamie. >> reporter: jamy and his family while relieved haven't decided what to do next. jamie wanted to continue his travels in southeast asia. but his dad had other ideas,

indicating his wayward teenager should head back to england as soon as possible to reassure his worried mother. >> straight ahead, your wednesday morning weather. in sports, the longest unbeaten streak in baseball all-star game history continues. what does a townhouse flipsides cracker taste like? it tastes like a pretzel and a cracker at the same time. - wow! - well, you can taste the pretzel side. - it's really buttery. - it's different than anything else i've ever tasted. townhouse flipsides. part pretzel. part cracker. all good. as we get older, our bodies become... less able to absorb calcium. he recommended citracal. it's a different kind of calcium. calcium citrate. with vitamin d... for unsurpassed absorption, to nourish your bones.

here's a look at the weather. new york, sunny, 83. miami, 92.

chicago, thunderstorms, 81. denver, 93. los angeles, sunny and 78. time for a check on the national forecast. the latest satellite picture shows that skies are clear from the rockies to the west coast. there is a long line of clouds extending from the northern great lakes to the hills of western texas. most of the east is clear. and it's another chilly morning throughout the northeast. later today, most of the east will enjoy a beautiful summer day. thunderstorms will be found from the great lakes to the lower mississippi valley. the northern plains will be breeze and cool. it will be sunny and hot across much of the west. in sports, it was lucky seven for the american league at the all-star game in st. louis. tampa bay's carl crawford earned most valuable player horns by robbing brad hawpe of a home run in the eighth. curtis grander son scored on a sacrifice fly to put the

american league ahead. rivera got three quick outs, a new record. and the american league won for the seventh time in a row, 4-3. the all-star game's first pitch was thrown out by president obama. the left-hander delivered without a pounce to albert pujols. then mr. obama went to the booth and explained why he wore a chicago white sox jacket. >> everybody knows i'm a white sox fan. my wife thinks i look cute in this jacket. between those two things, why not? >> great reason. it was the fifth time a president has thrown out the first pitch of an all-star game. whether we return, unveiling a major health care bill. later, a towering celebration on bastille day.

on the cbs morning news, here's a look at today's weather. thunderstorms will be found from

the great lakes to the lower mississippi valley. it'll remain very hot from the southern plains to the california valleys. and it'll be beautiful across the northeast. here's another look at this morning's top stories. judge sonia sotomayor's confirmation hearings resume this morning. yesterday, facing tough questioning, she repeatedly said that her personal bias does not influence her rulings. and florida police say they are close to arresting an eighth suspect in the murder of a florida couple known for adopting special needs children. police say robbery was the main motive in the murders. it appears there's a new message from al qaeda's second in command. the audio message in english was released this morning an islamic website, warning that u.s. interference in pakistan's affairs poses grave dangers to pakistan's future and claims corrupt pakistani politicians are being paid off by the u.s. today, president obama holds

a rose garden news conference to push health care reform, his top domestic agenda. his goal is to have congress approve legislation by next month. health care in this country is expected to cost more than $2.5 trillion this year, nearly 18% of the national economy. yesterday, house democrats unveiled their plan. chip reid reports. >> reporter: in michigan, the president said the time is now for health care reform. >> we have no choice but to change the health care system because right now it's broken for too many americans. >> reporter: in washington, house democrats responded with a 1,000-page bill to overhaul the system. >> this legislation is landmark legislation. and this is a defining moment for our country. >> reporter: major provisions include federal subsidies for low income americans to help them buy health insurance, penalties for large companies that refuse to provide insurance, penalties for individuals who refuse to buy it, and the government health insurance plan to compete with private ones. republicans condemned the bill.

house leader john boehner called it malpractice. >> this will force millions of americans out of their private health insurance into a private plan. >> reporter: the bill seeks to insure coverage much 97% of americans. experts say it will cost at least $1 trillion over ten years. how to pay for it? cost savings including long-term cuts in medicare and a new tax on families earning morning $350,000 a year. 40 conservative democrats, enough to kill it, say they'll oppose it unless the cost is brought down dramatically. >> i wouldn't say the health care bill is in jeopardy at that point, but it's a long way from passing the house. >> reporter: the president wants the house and senate to pass their health care reform bills before going home for august recess. it's unclear at this point if he'll get his wish. chip reid, cbs news, the white house. >> and france marked the 220th

anniversary of bastille day in spectacular fashion. it began as always with a military parade yesterday through the heart of paris. but the climax -- look at that -- it came with an enormous fireworks display. this marks the storming of a paris prison in 1789 that touched off the french revolution. i'm michelle gielan and this is the cbs morning news. (music plays)

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. did you notice it's a little bit more humid, such will be the flavor of the day. let's take a look outside. great predawn shot. leave it up for a second. i don't think we've ever seen that many stars in that predawn shot. either that or i'm looking at a filthy tv screen. today we're going for a high temperature in the upper 80s. in the news this morning: the scare in the air. the hole that opened up. the latest on the investigation into exactly what happened. from the classroom to the

courtroom. the fight to keep towson catholic intensifies. stepping up to the plate. president obama throws out of of the first pitch.

hello, again. wednesday morning. little cooler out there. little more humid. another delightful day start. >> just a