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tv   CBS Morning News  CBS  November 18, 2010 4:00am-4:30am EST

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to do to help yourself. my name is delia. i'm going to study business. i'm going to be my own boss. we made history! >> we have a winner. lisa murkowski becomes the first write-in candidate to win a senate race in more than half a century. gm stock sales. general motors returns from bankruptcy and bail-out. the stock sale was up to $23 billion. and terror trial charged with nearly 300 counts of terrorism, a guantanamo detainee is defected of one. this is the "cbs morning news" for thursday, november 18th, this is the "cbs morning news" for thursday, november 18th, 2010. captioning funded by cbs against all odds alaska senator lisa murkowski a
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write-in winner the first since 1954. she celebrated with supporters last night in anchorage. she had to defeat both the democratic nominee and tea pa y party's joel joe miller. >> ted's motto was to hell with politics, let's just do what's right for alaska, and that's what we did. that's what we did. >> miller still has not conceded defeat but with nearly all ballots counted alaska election officials confirm murkowski's victory. to general motors rising today from the ashes of bankruptcy and government bail-out happening on wall street where investors are expected to snap up hundreds of millions of shares of gm stock yielding big profits for u.s. taxpayers. whit johnson has more now from washington. good morning, whit. >> betty, good morning. for the first time since 2004, gm is on track for a full-year
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profit. and wall street's renewed confidence could help the automaker turn that critical corner. general motors is expected to bring inasmuch as $23 billion today in what could end up being the biggest initial public stock offering in history. at the opening bell, it'll cost $33 to own a share of gm stock, which just a year and a half ago went for 75 cents. >> gm is doing exceptionally well. the entire sector is doing exceptionally well. >> reporter: the money will help pay back taxpayers. after slashing half of its brands and trimming its workforce it emerged leaner and meaner. >> even prior to the ipo, there was clear evidence of the company's cost reducks over the last number of years have led the company to be profitable. >> reporter: gm's stock sale will cut the government's stake in the company by roughly half. president obama calls ate major
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milestone, not only for gm but the u.s. auto industry as a whole. in all, the government spend a total of $82 billion rescuing american automakers. industry leaders believe the investments will pay off, as buyers return to dealerships. >> we have tremendous pent orders up demand. the average age of vehicles in the united states is over ten years now because people have been delaying this decision for all the obvious reasons. >> reporter: as for gm, the company has gone from losing billions to making more than four billion so far this year. but, for taxpayers to break even, gm stock will have to do well over the next several years. even if today's public offering goes as expected, the government would still own about 33% of gm and gm would still owe taxpayers about $26 billion. betty? >> all right, whit johnson joining us live from washington, thank you. >> to the first civilian trial of a terror suspect held at guantanamo bay prison in cuba. the verdict was a disappointment
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to federal prosecutors. he was charged in taking part in the al qaeda bombings of two u.s. embassies in east africa in 1998. after seven days of deliberations, the jury found him guilty on one count but not guilty on more than 280 others. his lawyer praised the findings. >> this verdict is a reaffirmation that this nation's judicial system is the greatest ever devised. it is truly a system of laws and not men. >> in a statement, the department of justice said it respects the verdict and pleased ghailani now faces at least 20 years in prison. president obama is pressing on with his effort to win senate ratification of a new articles control treaty with russia. he wants senate to vote on the treaty during the current lame duck session but a top republican senator, jon kyl of arizona already delayed he wants to push the ratification debate into next year. to the airport body
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screening flap which provoke ad heated debate yesterday in the u.s. senate as bob orr reports, the head of the tsa was in the hot seat. >> reporter: facing growing anger over probing patdowns and so-called naked sxras. the trapgs security chief apeemd for coops. >> look, forth is for your safety, security, work with us. >> reporter: in testifying, he took a hard line saying planes face an ongoing threat from it hidden explosives so travelers who refuse both won't be aloud to fly. >> do i understand the sensitivities of people, yes. if you are asking am i going to change the policies, no. >> reporter: critics call for a thanksgiving holiday slowdown urging travelers to refuse the scan and overwhelm t tsa checkpoints with patdown requests. privacy advocates demanding the tas back off found some support on capitol hill. >> i wouldn't want my wife to be touched in the way these folks are being touched. >> there's got to be a way,
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however for a privacy concern to be addressed. >> reporter: and pistole, who went through the procedure himself, called the patdowns invasive. but the failed christmas day attack but the underwear bomber proves terrorists are actively working to smuggle bombs aboard airplanes. >> i recognize the invasiveness of it. i also recognize that the threats are real, the stakes are high and we must prevail. >> reporter: privacy advocates patdown as thing explicit x-rays violate their rights but security officials say flying is a privilege not a right and protecting aviation is a national security obligation. bob orr, cbs news, washington. the issue of gays in the military goes back on the front burner. senate majority leader harry reid says he plans to call a vote on don't ask, don't tell after the thanksgiving break. president obama has pledged to repeal the policy. the u.s. air force is issuing a warning to troops using facebook and other social
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networking websites. the concern is over a feature that can identify a person's identification making it possible to let the enemy know where forces are in war zones. the air noers is asking troops to be careful when using those sites. new york congressman charlie rangel expected to find out his punishment today. the house ethics committee holds a hearing to decide the appropriate penalty for rangel. a house ethics panel found him guilty of financial misconduct tuesday. rangel could get censered, reprimanded or fined. on the "cbs moneywatch" stocks in asia did a big turnaround this morning. ashley morrison is here in new york with the latest on that. good morning, ashley. >> good horning to you, betty. asian markets broke a losing streak, japan's nikkei added more than 2% hitting a five-months hil and hong kong's hang seng also was higher nearly 2%. though gains could fuel wall street today. yesterday, the dow fell 15 points and the nasdaq added 6. up to half the rolls royce
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engi enginesed why on a-380s need to be replaced. one of the trent 900 engines on a qantas jet blew apart during a flight november 4th. this morning the qantas dheef executive said rolls royce says up to 40 of the engines on 20 planes need to be taken out of service. the planes are flown by qantas, singapore airlines and lufthansa. the labor department says the consumer price index rose two-tenths of a% last month. gasoline prices accounted for most of that increase but the cost of autos, clothing and hotels fell. applications for home mortgages dropped last week. the mortgage bankers association says overall applications fell 14.4% and applications to refinance fell 16.5%. the decline in mortgage a indications follows a jump in mortgage rates due to stronger economic data. and toyota plans to sell a plug-in hybrid car next year. available in the u.s., japan and
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europe, the gasoline/electric hybrid will cost approximately $36,000. betty. >> very interesting stuff. thank you, ashley. just ahead on the morning news, white-out conditions snarl traffic in washington state, plus unsafe to drink. the fda cracks down on caffeinated alcoholic beverages. first, though, katie couric has a preview of tonight's "cbs evening news." >> trillions of dollars in debt, how close is the u.s. to reaching its quota limit? we'll put debt in focus tonight only on the "cbs evening news". it was a mystery to me. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and with less pain, i can do more of what matters to me.
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energy drinks that combine large amounts of caffeine and alcohol are about to be changed. the food and drug administration told four companies the caffeine is an unsafe food additive and should be removed from their products. jim axelrod reports. >> reporter: these videos of college students sucking down the caffeinated/alcoholic beverage four loko may soon become collectors' items. now that the fda has enacted a virtual ban warning four manufacturers of alcoholic energy drinks they're unsafe. >> we have determined that these products are not in compliance with the law, that the addition of the caffeine does not meet our legal standards for safety. >> reporter: the federal government is following the lead of five states that have already banned the drinks. washington, michigan, oklahoma, utah, and new york. a 23.5-ounce can of four loko is the equivalent of four bores, a red bull, and a shot of express
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so, all for less than three dollars. the caffeine masks the alcohol created what the fda calls wide-awake drunks. >> what happens is that the caffeine makes you more awake. the caffeine gives you more pep. caffeine reverses some of the sedative effects of alcohol and, therefore, makes it much easier to have four times as much you would have without the caffeine. >> ramapo college in new jersey, central washington university and university of rhode island banned the drink from their campuses after dozens of students got sick. the manufacturers now have 15 days to change the formula. four loko promises to drop caffeine. >> i think people will still drink it but probably will be a lot of complaints and it will probably be way less popular. >> reporter: that could spell the end of four loko and other similar drinks for good. jim axelrod, cbs news, new york. a new government sur ray out this morning says one in five american adults suffered mental
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illness last year. the substance abuse and mental health services ever services administration found 45 million experienced some form of it in 2009 but fewer than four in ten were treated for their mental health condition. another study compares health care in the u.s. to ten other countries and the news is not good. the survey by the nonprofit commonwealth fund shows that americans pay far more per capita on health care than in other rich countries but americans are less satisfied with their health care. and 20% of americans had trouble paying medical bills compared to only 2% in britain. straight ahead, your thursday morning weather. and in sports, first-time winners of baseball's manager of the year award. what am i thankful for? being the star of this feast. who else is so, fruity, sweet and colorful. who's this turkey? edible arrangements bouquets beautiful like flowers, but unforgettably delicious. visit, call, or go to ediblearrangements.com.
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here's a look at the weather in some cities around the country. new york, partly cloudy, 57. 85 partly cloudy in miami. 43, partly cloudy in chicago, denver seeing a sunny 60 degrees and l.a., a sunny 72. time now for a check of the national forecast. the latest satellite picture shows clouds moving out of the northeast. in the northwest, they are gathering and producing rain and snow showers. and much of the south is clear tonight, from california to georgia. now, later today, rain on the northwest coast and several inches of snow in the mountains will be coming from a storm system entering the northern
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plains. the northeast will see lighter winds and a few lake-effect showers. and the southwest is looking at temperatures in the 60s to 80s along with plenty of sunshine. in sports, baseball's managers of the year were first-time winners. ron garden higher of minnesota was the choice in the american league finishing second five times. he led the twins to their sixth central division title. in the national league, bud black of san diego got the award. his team had the fourth best record in franchise history. in the nba new orleans made up for monday's loss to dallas. david west of the hornets scored 17 points against the mavericks and stole the ball with two seconds left to preserve this 99-97 new orleans win. in miami, chris bosh scored a season-high 35 points against phoenix and sat out the fourth quarter. lebron james added 20 as the heat overwell med the suns 123-96. kobe bryant of the lakers
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also didn't play in the fourth but scored 43 points against detroit. los angeles beat the pistons 103-90. when we return, another look at this morning's top stories and electric cars steer into the spotlight at the los angeles auto show. nighttime nasal congestion meant, i couldn't breathe right. i couldn't sleep right. next day it took forever to get going. night after night, i sat up. sprayed up. took a shower... or took a pill. then i tried drug-free breathe right advanced. and instantly, i breathed better! i slept better. it felt...better. thank you, breathe right! [ male announcer ] breathe better, sleep better, feel better. now try new breathe right advanced for free... at breatheright.com. [ woman ] it's my right to breathe right. isn't it your right, too? [ woman ] it's my right to breathe right. funny how nature just knows how to make things that are good for you. new v8 v-fusion + tea. one combined serving of vegetables and fruit with the goodness of green tea and powerful antioxidants.
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here's a look at today deese weather. the southern half of the country looking at plenty of sunshine. dwindling storms entering the southeast. the northwest will get rain by the coast and wintry mix in higher elevations and interior sectio sections. here's another look at this morning's top stories. alaska senator lisa murkowski is celebrating an historic re-election victory. she is the first to win a term in the senate as a write-in candidate in more than half a century. and general motors is
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expected to make more than $20 billion today with its first stock offering since declaring bankruptcy and getting a government bale o out. the cars of the future were unveiled this week at the auto show in l.a. and green technology is the dominant theme with dozens of alternative-fuel vehicles making a debut. sandra hughes reports from the showroom floor. >> reporter: gm executive joel iw nadz ick arrived chevy's new electric volt driving the entire way from detroit headquarters inch the car is electric. what we have is an on-board generator that uses a gasoline engine to generate electricity that runs the electric motors. >> reporter: the volt goes into production this month. california, new york, and texas buyers can buy the volt in december. it will cost about $33,000 with the federal tax credit. the los angeles auto show is really a peek into the future and the future looks green. more than 50 alternative fuels
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vehicles are on display. of them, more than a dozen are electric. but muscle cars are still cool, too. and luxury hasn't left town. this year, fiat which purchased chrysler is back in the american market for the first time in 27 years. and everywhere, slick, sleek, and exotic. and at gm, upbeat. >> we've turned the corner. this car really represents and is very symbolic of us turning a corner in terms of technology, in terms of the auto industry, not just general motors but i think the domestic industry, as well. >> reporter: sandra hughes, cbs news, los angeles. north of los angeles, a car had a surprise stowaway a. passer-by noticed a giant snake under the car. the nine-foot red-tail boa contradictor wrapped itself around the engine to keep warm. it took 40 minutes to drag it out. animal control believes it is someone's pet. good thing it didn't wrap itself around its owner to keep warm.
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this morning on "the early show" actor daniel radcliffe stops by. i'm betty nguyen. this is the "cbs morning news." ah, it's stinging a little bit more than usual! yeah, you'll get used to it. the longer you keep your high mileage car, the more it pays you back. get castrol gtx high mileage. it helps engines last longer by fighting the main causes of engine failure. i think a dime went up my nose. yeah, it happens. don't change your car. change your oil to castrol gtx high mileage. its more than just oil. it's liquid engineering. twizzlers. the twist you can't resist. how about a coastal soup
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good morning, everyone.
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>> weather wise, we cleared out nicely. it is chilly. you need a jacket. pumpkin colored or not. it is chilly in spots. let's look at the day planner for thursday, friday eve. 49 degrees 9:00. partly sunny, then mostly cloudy. variable clouds this afternoon, highs in upper 50s. noon time temperature, 56. driving home, 55 degrees. winds won't be that strong, unlike yesterday. a few clouds across the mountains and in pennsylvania. more clouds in ohio and kentucky. that moisture, i don't think it will make it. makes it to the mountains, not here. 46 in washington. lots of 30s to the west, southwest. annapolis on the bay, 47. cambridge, 10 degrees colder at 37. high temperatures today make it into the 50s, might even flirt in spots with 60 degrees. it is 4:26. angie goff has time saver traffic. >> no issues to report. green light to start your
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thursday morning in maryland on the inner loop at university, construction taking away a few right lanes. stay to the left to get by. 270 going northbound, watch for road work at 189. southbound lanes are doing all right. virginia inner loop and outer loop, more construction between the toll road and route 50. all should be clearing by 5:00 hour. coming up at 4:30, one more construction spot to cross the map. thank you. here are some stories we are following today. >> a big one. general motors going public again. it comes a year and a half after bankruptcy and then the government bailout. today, the automaker is having initial public offering. stocks should sell about $33 a share. it is expected to be one of the biggest ipos in history. the first gun tan mow day
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detainee was acquitted and many charges. a federal grand jury convicted him on a single count of conspiracy to destroy u.s. property, he faces 20 years to life in prison. a senate committee held hearings into enhanced screening procedures that are now standard practice at the airports. >> full body scanning machines that show the outline of a person's body have come under the scrutiny of privacy advocates across the country. bob orr was at the hearing. >> reporter: facing pat downs and naked x-rays, transportation security chief today appealed for cooperation. >> look, this is for your safety, security. ork with us. this is a partnership. >> reporter: testifying before senate commerce committee, he said planes face on-going threat from hidden explosives. those refusing pat downs or
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screening won't be able to fly. critics call for thanksgiving holiday slow down, urging travelers to refuse the scans. overwhelm tsa check points with pat down requests. privacy advocates that demand they back off found some support on capitol hill. >> i wouldn't want my wife touched in the folks these people are being touched. >> there has to be a way for privacy concern to be addressed. >> reporter: pat downs requires officers to carefully frisk the most private regions. pistol who went through that procedure called the pat down invasive. but the failed attack by the underwear bomber proves terrorists are actively working to smug he will bombs aboard airplanes. >> i recognize the invasiveness of it. i also recognize the threat is real, stakes are high, and we must prevail. >> reporter: they argue pat downs annex ples it x-rays violate their rights, but