stuck in orbit because their landing craft won't undock. woman executed. a woman convicted in a double murder is put to death in virginia, the first woman executed in the u.s. in five years. and flood evacuations. torrential rains trigger flood emergencies and flood evacuations in wisconsin and minnesota. this is the "cbs morning news" for friday, september 24th, this is the "cbs morning news" for friday, september 24th, 2010. captioning funded by cbs good morning, everyone. good to see you. a u.s. astronaut and two russian cosmonauts will try again today to return to earth, in orbit more than six months aboard the international space station. ground controllers have to figure out what went wrong yesterday. clamps failed to open. our space consultant was at the kennedy space center as this drama unfolded. >> reporter: this was a very

unusual problem, unprecedented glitch the normally reliable docking mechanism on the space station, a russian mek nechls with hooks and latches designed to release on xhangd to let the craft free to come back to earth. they tried to do that and were unable to get the system to respond. the hooks and latches simply didn't open. they spent about three hours trying to trouble shoot the problem. an astronaut inside the space station looked at the mechanism from the station side and found a very small gear with some apparently damaged teeth floating out of that mechanism that may or may not be related to this problem. but, at the end of the day, russian flight controllers decided they simply didn't have enough time to make another team and called off the reentry and landing for at least 24 hours. what that means is that departing space station comma commander skvortsov and the flight engineer and tracy

diceon will spend another day in space -- before they can get back to earth. the crew was never in danger in all of this but it raises a point everyone should keep in mind. the space station has two soyuz capsules on board at all times to give all six crew members to get off if there is an emergency. obviously a problem that would hang up a souyez so it can't depart is a potential threat if the station encounters a very serious problem forcing an immediate evacuation. now to the execution of teresa lewis, the first woman put to death in this country in five years. lieu kiss died by injection shortly after 9:00 at a virginia prison last night. almost eight years since the murders of her husband and son. lewis was convicted of arranging the killings to cash in on a quarter million dollar life insurance policy. a witness from our station in richmond says when lewis entered

the execution chamber, she asked if her husband's daughter kathy was there. >> i want kthy to know i love you and i'm very sorry. >> protesters learned later the execution was carried out. president obama will take talks on preventing new violence in sudan and host a luncheon from leaders from southeast asia following his address to the u.n. general assembly yesterday that focused on the mid east peace process. >> reporter: the president is calling on world leaders to step up and lend a hand to the middle east peace process. >> peace must be made by is rallies and palestinians, but each of us has responsibility to do our part as well. >> reporter: he said negotiations can produce results if the international community sets aside decades of division and ses michl. >> -- an independent, sovereign state of palestine living in

peace with israel. >> reporter: the hall welcomed those words with applause. though israel's seats empty because of a jewish holiday. during his second speech there, the president was able to highlight progress on other weighty global issues. working with other nations, the president said the u.s. is waging a more effective war against terrorism and securing nuclear weapons telling iran it must obey international law. >> the reyian government must demonstrate a clear and credible commitment and confirm to the world the peaceful intent of its nuclear program. >> reporter: the iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad pushed back saying no nation should have nuclear weapons. >> translator: i would like here to propose that the year 2011 be proclaimed the year of nuclear disarmament. >> reporter: u.s. delegates left the hall, as did many others after ahmadinejad suggested the 9/11 terror attacks were the work of the u.s. government.

manuel gal lays go, cbs news, the united nations. the vote extending tax cuts that expire at the end of the year has been put on hold. senate democratic leaders have decided to wait until after the november election ls. the majority leader blames republicans for refusing to accept the democrats' plan. keeping all the bush tax cuts including those for the richest americans is a key part of the republicans' new campaign manifest to. they call it their pleng to america. nancy cordes has more. >> reporter: republicans unveiled their pledge at a hardware store in northern virginia. >> we're here today to put forth a new governing agenda. >> reporter: among the top priorities repealing the obama health care law, rolling back government spending to 2008 levels and extending the bush tax cuts. >> this is a counter with americans. >> reporter: it's a clear o mauj to the contract with america which republicans released in 1994, the last time they took over congress.

in a nod to the tea party, a growing force on the right, the pledge is littered with references to the constitution and promises to reduce the federal debt. grateful tea party members even presented the minority leader with a teapot. but democrats slammed the pledge calling it recycled rhetoric from the bush years. >> the american people deserve to hear a real plan for moving america forward, not an election year gimmick filled with hyperbly and tired old failed ideas. >> reporter: even if republicans take control of the house, enacting any part of this agenda will be difficult because democrats will still control the white house and most likely the senate. nancy cordes, cbs news, capitol hill. governors in wisconsin and minnesota issued emergency declarations for parts of their states because of flooding. up to 1500 people were told to evacuate downtown arcadia, wisconsin. floodwaters there are three feet high. a day of heavy downpours caused rivers to overflow.

some homes were also evacuated in minnesota as floodwaters rose. some roads have been washed out. doctors warn parents not to panic about the recall of the popular baby formula similac. the maker is also saying it sun likely children have consumed any formula containing insect parts. but, with five million cans of similac being recalled. ? families say they did buy and tara mergener is in washington with more on that. tara, good morning to you. >> good morning, terrell. similac is a top selling infant formula but last week bugs were found near a production line. the company says it is being bombarded with calls from concerned parents. the latest recall of similac baby formula has parents across the country worried sick. >> it made my nauseous, seriously nauseous. >> reporter: three days ago angela mitchell was making a bottle for her four and a half-month-old son seth when she said se spotted something black

floating at the top. >> -- like an insect piece. >> reporter: she discovered the formula she used over two weeks was one of the five million recently recalled. the maker, abbott laboratories, voluntarily yanked the product wednesday, after beetles were found in some cans and at a michigan plant. the company says it's highly unlikely any of the products already sold are contaminated. still, parents have bombarded its website and hotline demanding answers. federal officials insist the tainted formula poses no serious health risk. still, babies who drink it could develop digest tiff discomfort. >> they really shouldn't worry that much but since it is a voluntary recall they should stop giving those products that have been recalled to their children. >> reporter: but for angela, it's too late. she worries her son's recent symptoms are actually a sign of contamination. >> over the last couple of weeks, just really gassy and really, you know, crying and frustrated. i thought it was maybe because

we switched to soy. honestly, i couldn't tell you what it is from. >> reporter: abbott says the products should be returned for a full refund. again, the powdered formula, that is in question. parents are told to use the liquid formula, which is not part of the recall. terrell, back to you. >> tara mergerner in washington, thanks for that good advice. appreciate it. the fda is imposing tough new restrictions on the once popular drug avandia linked to an increased risk of heart attack. the fda says doctors must document patients have tried other diabetes medications before giving them avandia and must warn patients of the risks. just ahead on the "morning news" we'll check the markets overseas plus freed hiker sarah shourd talks for the first time about her time in prison in iraq. this is the "cbs morning news." [ male announcer ] the new subway flatbread breakfast sandwiches! like the new double bacon & cheese omelet sandwich! they're all new. toasty, tasty, and made to your order.

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for a more powerful clean, try new wisk. sarah shourd wants to meet with the iran president, held in iran more than 13 months she says she wants to see mahmoud ahmadinejad while he's still in york and talk about freedom for the other u.s. hikers. she says her days in prison were spent in cramped quarters and she was also interrogated while blindfolded but will always remember when her boyfriend shane bauer pro polesed marriage. a mixed day for stocks in asia. ashley morrison is here in new york with more on that. good morning to you. >> good morning to you, terrell. markets back in business after taking a day off for the holiday. the nikkei shed nearly one percent while the hang sang saw a late-detail rally. wall street, looking at latest figures on newly constructed homes today. the yesterday the dow dropped 77 points and the nas deck fell 7. sales of existing homes rebounded last month. sales of previously owned homes rose over 7.5% in august according to the national association of realtors.

that's compared to a dismal showing in july, when home sales plunged nearly 30%. congress passed a measure to help small business owners. the $40 billion bill will ease credit and help small business owners expand and hire new workers. it is part of the jobs agenda president obama promoted last year. warren buffett disagrees with an economic panel that says the recession is over. buffet, one of the country's most successful investors says the nation will pull out of its economic slump but not for a while. an economic panel said technically, the recession ended more than a year ago. and good news if you plan to buy a flat-screen tv. prices for flat-screens are dropping just in time for holiday shoppers. a large oversupply of tvs is the reason. the market research firm display search reports prices could drop by 12% in the last three months of the year. so, if you can just hold off

until december, terrell, i think you can get the biggest flat-screen you could possibly want. >> i was about to say, go get your tv. that es what that story means. ashley, thank you so much. appreciate it. a quick break. straight ahead on your friday morning your weather forecast and in sports a new hitting record in major league baseball. ♪ i love my grandma. i love you grandma. grandma just makes me happy. ♪ to know, know, know you grandma is the bestest. the total package. grandpa's cooooooooool. way cool. ♪ grandpa spoils me rotten.

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in new york, sunny and 86 today. miami, thunderstorms, 85. 86 were showers in chicago. sunny, 83 in denver. los angeles, sunny and 85. time for a check of the national forecast. the latest satellite picture shows a massive area of clouds covering the great lakes region and heading down into the southern plains. the northeast is under a few light clouds and the northwest has more rain clouds moving in from the pacific ocean. later on today, heavy rains are moving out of the northern plains going eastward but their next stop in the great lakes. the southeast could get an isolated late-day thunderstorm. the northwest, scattered showers and it will remain hot and humid in the south and cool and dry up in the north. in sports this morning, another batting record for ichiro suzuki. seattle's ichiro the first major league player to get 200 hits in ten straight seasons. if you remember pete rose also had ten but they weren't consecutive. and toronto's dave bautista hit

his major league leading 50th home run. blue jays roll in this 1-0 over seattle. tampa bay came up with seven runs against the yankees in the sixth and beat new york 10-3. the victory moves the rays to only a half game behind the yanks in the american league east. in the national league san francisco's juan uribe hit two home runs in the same inning, including a grand slam against the cubs. the giants win 13-0 to win, puts them in first place in the western division standings. in college football, number 19 miami crushed pittsburgh. the hurricanes cory harris putting up two touchdown passes against the panthers. miami defeated pitt 31-3. when we come back on a friday morning, another look at this morning's top stories and education crisis. a powerful new documentary takes on the public school system. while i was building my friendships... my family... while i was building my life... my high cholesterol was contributing

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here's a look at today's weather a. large storm system brought record breaking rain to the plains setting its sights on the great lakes today. and summer heat back in the northeast. several records could be broken. another look at the top stories on a friday morning. three space station crew memberss stuck in orbit. they can't return to earth until ground controllers figure out how to free a soyuz capsule from docking clamps. and 41-year-old teresa lewis put to death in virginia, eight years after arranging the murders of her husband and son, the first woman executed in this country in five years. a new movie opens today called "waiting for superman" while you may think it is some type of fantasy, it is really a documentary that takes a hard look at public schools in this country. michelle miller reports. >> reporter: right from the start the new documentary "waiting for superman" has a

point of view and doesn't hold back. >> you wake up every morning and you know that kids are getting a really crappy education right now. >> so, you think most of the kids are getting a crappy education right now. >> oh, i don't think they are. i know they are. >> reporter: a harsh and unflattering look at the state of public education in america. it follows these five kids, desperate to go to better schools, but with limited openings, their futures depend on luck. >> for these kids, their only chance at getting into a great school depends on whether their number is picked in a lottery. >> reporter: it could be the most talked about documentary since "an inconvenient truth" perhaps because they share the same director. the oscar winner, davis guggenhime, featuring jeffrey canada who shows great schools even in poor neighborhoods. this week the department of education announced grants to replicate his success in 20 more

cities. >> i thought it was a little slanted because i think that there are a lot of great public schools. >> does anyone in your group think the status quo is working? >> no, not at all. >> reporter: they also agree on what's at stake. >> you know, i want to be a teach teacher. >> reporter: a child's future. >> i want to be a nurse. >> i want to be a doctor. >> reporter: michelle miller cbs news new york. taye tee perry tapes for zest m "sesame street" has been kicked to the curb. yesterday producers announced they would not air it after receiving complaints of parents. overnight she tweeted looks like my play date with elmo has been cut short. i'm a little hot here. i'm terrell brown. this is the "cbs morning news." words alone aren't enough. my job is to listen to the needs and frustrations of the shrimpers and fishermen, hotel or restaurant workers

who lost their jobs to the spill. i'm iris cross. bp has taken full responsibility for the clean up in the gulf and that includes keeping you informed. our job is to listen and find ways to help. that means working with communities. restoring the jobs, tourist beaches, and businesses impacted by the spill. we've paid over $400 million in claims and set up a $20 billion independently-run claims fund to cover lost income until people impacted can get back to work. and our efforts aren't coming at tax-payer expense. i know people are wondering-- now that the well is capped, is bp gonna meet its commitments? i was born in new orleans. my family still lives here. i'm gonna be here until we make this right.

i'm ahmed mady and i'm a homebuilder. my father brought me up to give back to society... felicia jackson promised her late sister that she would take care of her children. but she needed help.

i used my american express open card to get half a million points to buy building materials to help build the jackson family a new home. well, i know if my dad was still around, he would have told me, with no doubt... he would have told me it's a no brainer and i knew that from the start. it was an honor. booming is moving forward by giving back. good morning. i'm andrea roane. president obama finishes up his business in the united nations today. he told world leaders that iran must prove to the world the nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. mahmoud ahmadinejad cause an uproar during his speech. the u.s. delegation and several other countries walked out after he suggested the american government was behind the 9/11 attacks. the first woman to be executed in the u.s. in five years has been put to death in virginia. teresa lewis was executed by

lethal incorrection. she was convicted of masterminding the murders of her husband an stepson to collect their insurance. we made it to friday. howard bernstein is here with our forecast. no matter what you say it will be good. >> today will be record heat. records 94 at national. 92 dulles. maybe 95, 97 at spots. on sunday we may need a wrap in the morning. a big difference over the weekend. a touch of fog out there. the moisture is in the air. very thick. andrews air force base a quarter mile visibility. and frederick three-quarters. even else is hazy out there. temperatures in the 60s to mid- 70s. 74 at reagan national. 85 lure luray. tappahannock

could be 99. welcome to fall. >> the screen is on fire. it is friday and feeling good already. a couple of tieups to tell you about traffic wise. connecticut is where we have an accident going on right now aniso capitol street we are hearing the bridge is closed for construction. that should be clearing in the next half hour or so. moving outside, 66 eastbound no problems here. and 270 is fine from 109 to the spur. get this. a thief caught on tape begging to be captured. the story began at a wal-mart in ohio. alexis christoforous reports on the ending. >> reporter: here's the view from the windshield as police race to the scene in ohio. they are heading to rescue a robbery suspect who got himself in to a tight spot. >> these he's in the trash

truck. he said it compacted him once and it is getting ready to again. >> reporter: officers were called about a break in. they think the man was running from the scene when he chose the wrong place to hide. right after his dumpster dive a trash compaqer went to work. he called a friend and that friend called police. >> he was in a lot of pain. he had been compacted several times. he was begging for us to empty the truck. >> they untangled him from the pile. the crushing experience left him in critical condition. alexis christoforous, cbs news, new york. >> the suspect is accused of trying to steal about $1,000 worth of merchandise from the wal-mart. truly crime doesn't pay. this is 9 news now. good morning. welcome to 9 news now. today is friday, september

28th. i'm -- 24th. i'm andrea roane. we begin with howard's forecast for the weekend. >> it will be the 66th time this year we hit t 0 degrees. -- 90 degrees. we did it 60 some times. we may as well get it. we see a line of showers and storms west of chicago through st. louis. that's the cold front and that will bring the heat and big changes over the weekend. this morning a little bit of fog at andrews. otherwise hazy, mild, muggy. 70 in winchester. hagerstown 69. the mountains in the 60s this morning. cambridge 72 t. 69 fredericksburg and