the world watches and waits

tonight as a rescue operation in chile reaches its final stages. good evening. i'm doreen gentzler. >> and i'm jim vance. in chile right now, they are bringing up the first of those miners that have been trapped in a copper and gold mine down there, one of 33. they've been trapped for more than two months. that wheel turning is pulling a cable, and at the bottom of that cable is a capsule, and in that capsule is the first of the miners to be brought to the surface. that wheel turning has to be one of the most hopeful sights that the families and the friends of those miners have seen in more than 60 days now. chile's president has been watching as well. >> we understand that the capsule that they have lowered into that mine shaft half a mile underground, they've been testing it throught the day, brging it up and down. the very first rescuer went down

there. you can see the live picture. that's from -- no, that's tape right there, all right, sorry. but there you can see, that's the capsule that is going to bring the miners up one by one. they've been testing it up and down throughout the day and the evening, and the firs rescue went down there a little while ago. we understand it took about 17 minutes for that person to get down into the mine with those trapped miners, and what we understand is happening now is that the very first mine to coming up is somewhere in that shaft that they've drilled down into the area where the miners were trapped, and that first person is on the way up at this moment. >> all the families have been waiting topside for their retives to come up. e president of the mining operation is also there, along with his wife.

as we understand it or from what we understood earlier, that rescuer will come up, and there is a line of special forces from the chilean army that is going to be shielding them from what i understand at one time might have been 1,000 journalists from all over the world who are very interested in covering this fascinating story. you can see what now might be the bottom of the cable and the top end of that capsule as it is about to come out of that shaft. those guys have had to be on a special diet for the last several days, if not several weeks,ecause the capsule, i believe, is about shoulder width. and they have not had a whole heck of a lot of opportunity to get fat down in that mine, anyhow, but they did want them to be a certain weight and a

certain girth so they didn't get trapped in that mine coming up. special forces are supposed to shield the first of those miners that come up. there is a tube of some kind that might be present there through which they will go, not in secrecy but away from the glare of all of the cameras that certainly wilbe there to record this absolutely marvelous rescue. they want to give these guys time to adjust, and as you might imagine, there is a great deal of adjustment that must be done. it's hard to imagine what it must be ke to be a half mile underground -- >> for 68 days. >> -- for two months. >> that's right. and there is a lot of concern that they haven't been exposed to sunlht of any kind during that time, and they're coming up in the nighttime hours here, at least the first miners who will be rescued will be coming up in the nighttime hours here, but

there is concern about what will happen to the ligh and sun exposure once they come up. they are going to be -- i guess a sense that we're only going to get a very brief glimpse of them before they are whisked away to have medical treatment and to be checked out. they do have all kinds of medical personnel on the scene to just establish their medical, their health situation right away. >> it should probably be now, perhaps, less than 10 minutes before that thing came up. we noticed earlier that it took 17 minutes to go down. that is, of course, with gravity helping that capsule on its way down. we don't know how much longer it will take f the capsule to come back up, but they have now been -- if they started at 105, we're looking at 15, 16 minutes already elapsed as that

capsule makes its wa up through that tube. they brought in all kinds of special equipment from all over the world to dig that shaft down to that holding area where the miners were able to find refuge when there was a disaster in that mine, as we noted about two months ago. >> it is amazing. these gus, when they come out, will be the longest surviving trapped miners ever known. we think it's going to happen very soon, but in the meantime, not only are we watching and the world is watchin but a lot of people are gathered watching this coverage on live television. there's a viewing party under way at the chilean embassy here, and john shiffin is there with more on that. >> gathered here, we have nearly a couple hundred people.

they have been gathered here for more than four hours. it has been mostly a party celebration for most of the night, but within the last half an hour or so, it has been a very tense moment ever sce they first lowered that rescue capsule into the ground. many people have been silent, they're on the edge of their seats. you can see people are covering their mths. we are expecting this first rescueapsule with the first miner to be rescued to submerge to the ground any moment now and come to the earth. the chilean embassy have been waited for more than two months for these mine to be rescued. i got a chance topeak with the chilean ambassador, he said this is a very big moment for his counted. he said as soon as they are rescued, hope will be restored and chile will have a new country. >> that's john chiffin repting from the u.s. embassy. i can imagine the howl that will

go up there when they come up through the ground. >> the earliest estimates were this reue wouldn't be until sometime before christmas, perhaps even after christmas. here we are now in the middle of october, or just about the middle of october, and this rescue is about to be carried out. we heard a few minutes ago that it would be about 10 minutes or so before that capsule reaches the surface. we assume now somewhere in the neighborhood of five to seven minutes before it comes up. that was a picture that you saw there a minute ago of the president of the mine who is very anxious, as isverybody else, for these guys to come on up. their families have been waiting at the mine site for all of these two months, waiting anxiously for every bit of information they could possibly get about the situation with their loved ones who have been

down below. one of the things that is absolutely marvelous about all of is has been the spirit and the attitude of the guys who have been trapped wn there. we have noticed in pictures all during their entrapment that they have just been absolutely marvelous marvelously, or seem to be marvelously well adjusted to everything that was happening to them. they were so ver fortunate to find that refuge area when that cave-in left those guys trapped 2300 feet underground 60-some days ago. and there have been no signs that these men have suffered any kind of the trauma that you might think that most of us would assume that we would have to suffer our way through. >> it's been about 13 minutes now since that capsule started lifting up. i think we can tell you that we

are seeing, there on the side waiting for these guys to come up, the wife and two sons of the first miner who is coming up in this rescue capsule. also on the scene there, the president of chile and the first lady, and everybody is very anxious to see this resue get under way. you know, when the first miner comes up, which could happen at any moment now, he will be only the first of 33 miners who need to be rescued. they are expecting the whole process, if it goes according to the time that they think it will take to get this capsule up and down this ma times, they think it will probably take about 48 hours to complete the rescue of all 33 of those trapped miners.

>> one of the things that would be fascinating to know is how were these men chosen to come up first? here we go. here is the first of the miners who was almost one half mile through the ground. imagine, imagine the joy. >> whatit must be like to be inside that -- it looks like a cage, almost, that capsule. this is the scene at the chilean embassy here in washington. as they celebrate this first miner being brought up. >> that ild, we assume, is his son. >> he has two sons, i think, there on the scene. >> what it must be like to look out through that capsule and see

you're above ground whenou probably didn't think you were going to make it. >> they are taking their time. well, and for good reason. it's been two months. no need to hurry anything now. he's out. and there he is. the first of the miners rescued, and there is his family. >> lore enzio wallace is the fit miner to come out. we will decihear in the days ah who it was decided to come out first and how they decided the last to come out. >> it is very difficult to imagine what they must be

feeling. >> 32 other families waiting for their moments. >> there was report earlier in the day that the guy w was the shift supervisor among the 33 down there has been credited by some of the other miners with being very, very successful and adept ateeping order down there, at rationing out the food,oing all the things necessary to keep everything in order down there, and he has decided that he, like the captain of the ship, would be the last one to come up. that was the chilean ambassador you saw there. they're popping what looks like champagne, and that wouldeem to be appropriate for this particular occasn at this time. he is out. 32 ois comrades have yet to come >> waiting to see that capsule go back down. >> anxious for that capsule to come back down.

sethe dark glasses he has on. those were prescribed by medical officials in chile because they haven't seen much in the way of natural ligh of any kind. >> but you got to imagine he's kochling out to some pretty glaring bright lights on that scene there. that has to be his wife and little boy there. >> i'm not sure what they're saying, but it sounds pretty good. >> it looks like they have him on a gurney or a stretcher now, and they're going to take him for medical check. quite a moment. let's go check out the scene now at the chlean embassy where a big crow is watchg all this happening live. john, it must have been quite a moment there. >> it certainly was an

unbelievable moment. this is the moment they have been waiting for for more than two months. look at the crowd. you can hear the music that's playing. that the national anthem. they just erupted as soon as that capsule emerged from the ground, and the corks of champagne just went flying through the air. he said tonight is bigger tn chile winning the world cup. this is the moment we've all been waiting for. the energy, the spirit is just alive with so many people here tonight. the participants have been waiting for hours for them to describe. what was it like when the capsule emerged from the ground? >> it was so emotional. we are not the same. we are not the same.

we are so proud of our country anthe people in the kcountry. >> what was it look to watch for two mons your led one trapped underground? >> it was so hard, but now we're so happy. >> as you can see, many have been waiting for therescue. >> thanks, john. the you have it, folks, the first of those 33 miners who have been trapped for more than two months underground, half a mile down a mine in chile after a cave-in do there. they have been rescued. they're going to send the capsule down and do it again 32 more times.

>> quite a proud evening for the rescue team. they've been working around the clock with doing all kinds of invent acti inventive, creative ways to reach these miners, and as you mentioned, they initially thought it mightot happen until christmas, if then. and so this is a whole lot sooner than everybody was hping for. so great news, and this is a rescue that will likely continue for anothe couple of days because of the time involved in getting that capsule up and down that very narrow mine shaft. >> we have some other important news here in washington tonight. we have learned thatd.c. schools chancellor michelle rh, in fact, will be stepping down tomorrow. >> michelle rhee has become a public figure for her role in superman, but tonight her role is over. jackie? >> reporter: doree news4 has

learned that at 10:30 tomorrow morning, d.c. mayor venti will ho a press conference announcing the chancellor's signation effective the end of october. >> michelle rhee's departure was anticipated since the mayor was defeated. she campaigned for him, and wondered if mayor venti had what it takes. he learned of her impending departure this evening. >> the best thing of all of this is she's making the decision sooner rather than later. i think that kills all the speculation where we can move forward with trying to get the business of d.c. public schools and improving the outcome of our students. we can move forward with that now that we know whether she's

staying or she's going. i think it's a good thing that we now know. >> reporter: now, i spoke to news4's tom sherod a short time ago. he told us that this was, quote, a mutual decision between vincent gray and michelle rhee, that she agrees he needs to have his own team in place. now, he also told us that at tomorrow's press conference, mr. fenty, mr. gray, and chancellor rhee will be joined by deputy's school chancellor carl hender n nderson. at that time, mr. fenty is expected to name mr. henderson as school chancellor. now, henderson was -- worked at the non-profit michelle rhee founded before she was named d.c. schools chancellor in 2007 and that three-year tenure does make her one of the people who has served the longest in that position. back to you.

>> jackie bensen reporting tonit. thank you, jackie. we're going to take a break now. as you look at pictures, they're getting ready to send the capsule back dow that mine in chile. another rescuer going down to bring up what we assume to be the second of the 33 miners who have been trapped there for two months now. we'll be back ght after this. i'm bob ehrlich. i'm not the kind of guy who likes hang on the sidelines. today maryland'in trouble. we're worse off than we were four years ago: dangerous debt, higher taxes, not enough jobs. we need real leadership to turn this state around. fix the budget -- honestly. grow small bunesses -- really. excellent schools -- everywhere. protect the bay finally. it's why i'm running -- to make the state we love not just good, but great. now let's get down to work. ♪

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more beautiful weather today, and that is a clear-looking sun. the moon is sparkling. normally when you see a moon like that, like u did earlier, that means clear skies and things are changing. cool conditions out there. that's going to be tomorrow after big changes today.

one very warm day as the high temperature reached 83 degrees across the area. but say goodbye to the 80s and say hello to much cooler temperatures. high pressure just to our north and some areas of low pressure. that area of low pressure down to the west. that's the one that's going t come in on thursday. give us some shower activity if not some rain, maybe some heavy rain as well. this is therea of high pressure that's starting to make its way into the region, and as it does, that will bring us much cooler air into the night. you'll really notice a difference when you wake up in the day tomorrow morning. then tomorrow afternoon, still sunshine. stila nice day for your wednesday, but we are going to see temperatures about 15 degrees cooler than they were today. then we'll watch this area of low pressure tracking to the south, and any time you see an ea of low pressure that far south, you know it's going to have gulf moisture as well as atlantic moisture. it's going to move up the coast. i think thursday will be a rather nasty day. will be cool, it will be

rainy, and by the end of the day on thursday, rather windy as well. not a good day on thursday. th good news is this area of low pressure will move out fairly quickly and be out of here for the most part on friday. it will give us wind but the rain will be gone. tomorrow morning, mostly clear, 42 to 52 degrees. you will most likely need the jackets tomorrow morning, and as you make your way tomorrow, sunny skies, much cooler. temperatures in the middle to upper 60s with the wind out of the north at about 5 to 10 miles an hour. as we move through the next four days, thursday a high of only 63. many areas will stay in the 50s all day on thursday. winds will pick u to about 20 to maybe 30 miles an hour during the day on thursday, and some areas could see a lot of rainfall. staying cool and rather windy through the day friday and saturday as well. >> all right thank you, doug.

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the stunning result ofakinga . a federal judge today issued an injunction banning the military from enforcing the don't as don't tell policy. that order applies to military worldwide. the injunction goes into effect immeately. it also suspends any pending discharges under that policy. attorneys with the department of justice wi have 60 days to appeal the decion or the ruling will stand. pentagon lawyers say they are studying the ruling. the pentagon had been given a december 1st deadline to come u with a plan to appeal the don't ask, don't tell. some parents at hardy middle

school in the district are upset when their children took a health survey with some adult questions about sex. the survey asked students as young as 11 about their ability toname fluids that transmit hiv. it also asked them if they knew how to put on a condom. metro teen a is the non-profit group that issued the survey. they said it contained critical information for the students. >> this is a survey to make sure kids get the information they need, they have the skills if they need them, and they can protect themselves in the city that has the highest hiv and aids rate in the nation. >> they're offering more time let parents opt their children out of the estionnaire, but they're calling it an appropriate survey

i'm bob ehrlich.

i'm not the kind of guy who likes to hang on the sidelines. tay maryland's in trouble. we're worse off than we re four years ago: dangerous debt, higher taxes, not enough jobs. we need real leadership to turn this stataround. fix the bget -- honestly. grow small businesses -- really. excellent schools -- everywhere. protect the bay -- finally. it's why i'munning --

to make the state we love not just good, but great. now let's get down to work. a firefighter who was apparently photographed naked in the d.c. fire house kitchen has been placed on administrative leave without pay. the picture came from a party in the club last summer. the investigation is ongoing, but they don't believe there was alcohol at that fire station. they also said the only person under investigation is the man in the picture. filming for the movie "transformer 3" continued tonight in the district.

it was exexplosive. a tower cam caught several large