abdullah. all of them accusing the government, the state machinery of conspiring to add a legally to the vote count of president karzai. -- to add illegally to the vote count of president karzai. perhaps 5.5 million votes have been counted. this would be up disappointing turnout. -- this would be a disappointing turnout. no one is quite sure how many votes are in afghanistan. clearly fewer voted in this election and the last one. both for international governments who sent their troops here, that will be a disappointment. >> will as the vote count in rolls on, so does the violence. another blast reported in the southern city of kandahar. that a day after the deadliest bombing of the year in the city. casualties are being reported. no firm figures of four. local officials of the bbc of injured people being taken to hospital. the taliban stronghold has seen a number of attacks this year. still to come for you on "bbc world news." nothing is better than at a bit of berlusconi bashing. a new biogra

we will not vote for abdullah abdullah. he speaks the language of the tajiks. >> reporter: tders are also involved in difficulty negotiations here true to -- because for the pashtuns the question doesn't seem to be for whom to vote for, but whether or not they will cast their vote at all. >> for more on thursday's presidential election in afghanistan, we're joined by alex thier, the director of the future of afghanistan project at the united states institute of peace, based in washington, d.c. welcome back. >> pleasure to be here. >> there were fresh reports today about efforts by the taliban to intimidate afghans into not voting. can afghanistan hold a broadbased election that will be viewed as legitimate under these conditions. >> well it's very difficult. court position in afghanistan particularly in the south is fraught. there is combat going on right now between afghan and international forces between the taliban. the taliban are making threats directly to people if they vote. and so people simply getting out to the po

abdullah abdullah has accused president karzai of stealing goods. more evidence of a parent corruption -- apparent corruption. add to this at the bloodiest weekend cents at the war began eight years ago. >> for eight years, they fought in -- fought and died in afghanistan. they fought for stability and democracy. this election was to be a shining moments, millions turned out to cast their votes. now there are concerns the election may be seriously flawed. >> comment karzai -- haunted karzai -- hamid karzai. >> karzai has at 40%, his nearest challenger 38%. with many votes yet to be tallied, this is likely to change. >> they had to steal the process, to steal the votes. why the incumbent -- that outcome, we will not allow. >> we were given a secret recordings by the abdullah abdullah campaign. the man on the left appears to be taking the box for president karzai. if this is authentic, then it will be a serious breach of election law. it is not the only allegation of fraud. this is what remains of hundreds of votes for another candidate. they should h

this is the former foreign minister, abdullah abdullah, who will benefit from this low voter turnout in the south. >> but what does this low voter turnout predict as far as the future in this country in how we are going to get out of this war? >> right. well, i think as you were mentioning, you know there is aq, with our long engagement, the u.s., our allies. and i think this election's important because i don't think -- some people are saying maybe the window is not so large for getting this on track. so i think this election is a very important point for that. >> well, you mentioned iraq, and i want to turn to that now, because we had that horrible spate of bombings that took place in baghdad, where you had hundreds of people who were killed and wounded. and again i don't want to keep beating this into the ground, but another place where we have lost a lot of american lives and spent a great deal of american money. and it seems to be coming unglued. >> sure. they're connected, i think. i mean, the reason that we are so far behind in what the u.s. and the international partners hope

we will not vote for abdullah abdullah. he speaks the language of the tajiks. >> reporter: the tribal elders are also involved in different negotiations here trying to convince the taliban that disrupting elections would not be in the interest of the people, the pashtuns in particular. because for the pashtuns, the question doesn't seem to be for whom to vote for, but whether or not they will cast their vote at all. al jazeera, kandahar. >>> joining us to help us with more insight on thursday's presidential election in afghanistan, we are joined again by alex thi er, the director of the future of afghanistan project at the united states institute of peace and that's based in washington, d.c. welcome back. >> pleasure to be here. >> there were fresh reports today about efforts by the taliban to intimidate afghans into not voting. can afghanistan hold a broad based elections that will be viewed as legitimate under these conditions? >> well, it's very difficult. the security situation in afghanistan, particularly in the south,

. >>> now we have abdullah abdullah. he was the one-time foreign minister of afghanistan with strong ties to the u.s. he was a key figure in the northern alliance, the opposition group that helped the united states stop the taliban in the days after 9/11. welcome, sir. >> thank you. >> let me ask you, do you see president obama's approach to afghanistan as one that is better than president bush's? how are you reading the new administration in washington? >> i think the previous administration in the united states was sort of in a blind date with mr. karzai and continued to the end. then they realized the partner is not sincere and cannot deliver to its own people. i think the new administration is a new beginning and a new approach to many issues, including afghanistan, and afghanistan gave us hope as a result of the elections that there will be another opportunity for working together in order to make afghanistan stablized as well as to test the needs of the afghan people, and the concern in the hopes of the united stat

is is the former foreign minister, abdullah abdullah, who willbenefit from thisow voter turnout the south. >> but what do this lowoter turnout predict so far as the future in this country in howwe are gng to get out of this war? >> right. we, i think as you were mentiong, you know there some fatigue in places, like iraq,ith our long engagent, the u.s., our allies. and thinkthiselection's important becausi don't think some people areaying mae t windo is to theso large fo getting is on track. so i think this eleion is a very importa point for that. >> well, you mentioneiraq, and i want to turn t that now, because we had thatorrible ate place in ghdad where youad hundreds of people who we killed a wounded. d again i don't want to keep beating this into e ground, but another place where we have lost a loof american lves and spent a great deal of american money. and it seems to be coming unglued. >> sure. they're connected, i ink. i mean, the rson that were so far behind in whatthe u.s. and thenternational partners hope to achieve afghanistan is becse the u.s. turned its fos to iraq. i thk tha

this morning there were reports that both of the candidates, abdullah abdullah and karzai were claiming it was over. that they had each won. i asked abdullah abdullah knocking on his door was this the case did he consider himself the new president. he said, no, that's not what it is. and we spoke in english. he said i think i was misquoted. i am leading and i believe that i will win. and when we contacted karzai's office he said the same thing. that indications are that he believes he won, but they are both still abiding by the process and there are such concerns here that both of the candidates could delegitimize this process, that the chief u.s. envoy richard holbrooke visited both abdullah and karzai to calm down with their statements and let the process continue. >> both the incumbent and the candidate waiting for the results. richard engel in kulks, wanth. >>> the afghan elet fin affoghib fight afr isantan will be an am t sopnic o sy'uns da ee"mseth press" we'll talk to the chaiane otht f ejofsief staff, mike mullen and karl eikenberry and plus we will have a deba on health care wi

you have candidates like abdullah abdullah÷ and, the two challengers to karzai, especially abdullah,he seems to have a rally every day and sometimes two, he's got a color scheme, he was in the north of the country, it's his territory, very large city, and by some counts 20,000 people came out to greet him along the row as he came in. ashraf gani is a candidate we all recognize, he has a sophisticated website. he has advisors, he has american advisors actually james carville is one of his advisors. president karzai is acting more like an incumbent, he's not giving one hand in a rally, but he's carrying himself like a president. then there's posters everywhere, and there are about 36 candidates altogether, minor candidates, many of them quite interesting. and people are quite sincere about running, at least certainly the top three candidates. >> brown: as we reported, president karzai said today he was feeling confident about victory and was prepared to offer government jobs to the two main opponents you just mentioned. what's the sense on the ground there about whether he's right to b

president kari and abdullah abdullah in the afghanlection. and the u.s. gernment is projecting $9 trillion as the natial deficit er the next 10 years. there seems to be nlet upin the caaign by iranian authorities against academi accused of provokingnrest following the june's disputed election. the opposition of foreign govements and the united nations says thatthese art show trls. >> they are becoming a familiar themes. ian iranian court house,he opposionigures, academics, and urnalists are in to prison uniforms. theyre accused of stirring up the post-election demonstrations. also conspiring with foreign powers. iranian news agencies report that one of them has rented. they include foreign ministers govement sokesman, academics and an economi - promint and vocal crit of the iraan governme. the gornment has said that arnd 4000 peop were arrested duri the unrest that followed the disputed presintial eleion in june. summer prostors picked up on the stets. hers were key supporters -- some we proteste picked up on the streets. others were key supporters found

abdullah abdullah voted this morning.eporter ivan watson says it's crucial for the elections to be fair. >> it's important to see whether or not these elections will be credible, and if the taliban succeeds in convincing afghans and scaring them from voting, particularly in the sparsely populated areas in the east where the taliban is strongest, it will undermine the credibility of the afghan government and really strike a blow to this eight-year effort to really try to develop a stable afghanistan. >> that was a rocket attack in afghanistan's hellman province today achlt reporter says there were nearly 20 rocket attacks. one landed near a line of voters and a child was reportedly killed. another attack was reported at a voting site in kabul. six u.s. troops have died in afghanistan this week. five of those were killed in combat. >>> in about ten minutes, correspondent richard lui explains how the election results could affect the u.s. mission in afghanistan. >>> new this morning, a poignant letter from senator ted kenned

abdullah. all of them accusing the government of conspiring to add a legally to the vote count of president karzai. -- add il legally to the vote count of -- illegally to the vote count of president karzai. there is a bit of a disappointing turnout. perhaps 5%. no one is quite sure how many votes there are in afghanistan. clearly, less people voted then in the last presidential election. the afghan authorities and the international government has said that troops here, there is quite a disappointment. >> that was it chris morris there in kabul. the crucial the controversial issue of jewish settlements in the west bank. netanyahu has been having meetings in london. israel seems ready to limit construction. but the comprehensive freeze the americans and palestinians what seems unlikely. netanyahu what no restrictions on what they do in jerusalem. iran like supreme leader says he is not certain that the post- election on rest was not knowingly part of a campaign against them in the west. officials

>> reporter: no one is expecting -- abdullah abdullah thinks he is going to win.pinion polls coming out before the election suggested that he didn't have enough to win outright but that he -- could have enough to push this into a runoff election that would likely take place in the fall. he's not the only one who is making the allegations of fraud and it is also other candidates who -- who didn't think they did as well or don't believe that they don't trust the -- several observation groups said that they think overall it was successful but there were many irregularities and that they are -- fairly skeptical of the impartiality of the election commission which was appointed by the government. >> all right. we will see what happens with that. thank you very much, richard engel. >>> tomorrow a long-awaited cia report detailing the bush administration's so-called enhanced interrogation techniques used after 9/11 is set to be released. "newsweek" first broke details of the report, including this. a mock execution was staged in a room to a detainee during which a gunsho

willnot vote for abdullah abdullah. he speaks the language of the taji. >> reporter: tders are also involved in dfficulty >> reporter: tders are also involved in dfficulty negotiatns here true t becae for the patuns the question doesn't seem to for whom to vote for, but whether o not they will cast tir vote at all. for more on thursday's presidential election afghanistan, wre joined by al thier, the director of the future of afghanisn project at the ited states institute of peace, based in washgton, d.c. welce back. >> please to be here. >> the were fresh reports today about efforts by the taliban to intimate afghans intoot voting. can ghanistan hold a broadbased ection that will be viewed as legitimate under these coitions. >> wellt's very difficult. court positionn afghanistan rticularly in the south fraut. there is comt going on right now between ahan and ternational forces between t taliban. the taliban are maki threa directly to pele if they vote. and so peopl simply getting out to the pos is challenge. some 1,200

abdullah. the fear now is this positive energy will turn into something more violent if the results are seen as legitimate. for his part, a spokesman for karzai's campaign says it had its own concerns, but it's not airing its grievances publicly. >> they're making irresponsible comments and this is disrespe disrespectful to the process and disrespectful to the mechanism which is in place, which is the institution and this is disrespectful to the voice of the people. >> reporter: here at a store in the capital, afghans are worried. if fraud was involved in the election, he says, i don't think the situation in afghanistan will improve. it will probably get worse than it even is now because everyone is looking out for their own needs, not the country's. dr. abdullah says that he will do what the people ask him to do. if the silence breaks down, what will you do? >> i try to prevent that. i try to prevent that. but i l i can promise is that i will be with the people. >> reporter: potentially ominou

. >>> now we have abdullah abdullah. some analysts say he has the best shot of unseating hamid karzai. he was the one-time foreign minister of afghanistan with strong ties to the u.s. he was a key figure in the northern alliance, the opposition group that helped the united states topple the taliban in the days after 9/11. welcome, sir. >> thank you. >> let me ask you, do you see president obama's approach to afghanistan as one that is better than president bush's? how are you reading the new administration in washington? >> i think the previous administration in the united states was sort of in a blind date with mr. karzai and continued until the end. and toward the end they realized the partner is not sincere and cannot deliver to its own people. at that time, it was too late. i think in the united states, it's a new beginning and a new approach toward many issues, including afghanistan, and afghanistan gave us hope as a result of the elections, that there will be another opportunity for working together in order to mak

abdullah. withess than a fifth of the vote counted, kaai now leads abdullah 45% to 35%. if karzai winsore than 50% of the vote, he wouldvoid a two-man ruff. abdullah has aused karzai and his pporters of widespread vote rigging. >>> in other news on afghanista richard holbrook, the erican special envoy for the regionhas accused citizens from many of t oil-rich persian gulf countes of aiding the taliba in an interviewith cnn, holbrook claimed that su money is gater than the taliban's profits from opium. "it seems to be more from indivials carrying money in their suitcases,holbrook said. "sometim they are taking advantage of the pilgrime," to holyities in saudi arabia. "setimes from charities," he said.Ñyc&zqi > as americans mourn the los of senator edward kennedtoday, remembrances and condolees are also pouring in om around the world. in ireland, the land of kennedy's cestry, prime minister brian cow said, "in good days and bad, tedennedy worked valiant for the cause of pce on this island." israe

abdullah. a free and fair election, no doubt would help that cause. but security concerns remain front and center. in our "lead focus" tonight with the help our broadcast and print partners from around the world, once again we're going to have in-depth coverage of this important story. we'll offer you viid accounts from throughout that country beginning from the south of afghanistan here in the border with pakistan in kandahar province. zeina khodr of al jazeera english reports. >> we're leaving kandahar cities, driving on the highway leading to helmand. one of the roads the taliban threat tone shut down are if the elections. the whole province is not safe. but further you drive from the city center, the fewer signs of government control are found. women are expected to wear a burqa because the taliban are active in this area. we are close to the panjwayi district. and one of the many leaflets the taliban have put up warning people against voting in the election. and then distributes them in ma

abdullah is on a barn storming tour. in three weeks, the former foreign minister has visited more than 100 tiny hamlets making big promises. to build roads, hospitals, and schools. why are you going on this grassroots campaign? >> i think my message is to the grassroots. and this is, this is the people who will decide about their own future. >> reporter: abdullah claims president hamid karzai who rarely leaves his presidential palace is out of touch with the 43% of afghans living in poverty. the majority of afghans live in villages like this one, remote in a mountain valley with no roads in or out they receive no services from the central government and many people here feel they have been ignored by president karzai. instea president karzai's strategy has been to court power brokers, tribal leaders and men some here call warlords. and in a televised debate this week, karzai even reached out to the taliban. we must hold a national assembly for peace with all afghans including the taliban, he said. five years agohen he wo

abdullah. but accusations of electoral fraud still dominate the count. >> i don't trust what they will been b doing. i don't know what will be their announcement tomorrow. >> reporter: abdullah has directly accused karzai of fraud. this video, which could not be independently verified, is alleged to show karzai supporters stuffing ballot boxes. the karzai camp has leveled similar accusations in return. so far, the election complaints commission has received over 40 serious allegations of vote rigging, although early results put karzai% ahead of abdullah, karzai actually needs 50% to win outright. all indications show a runoff election will be needed to determine a winner, one that's not expected until october. a runoff election that will provide yet another test for afghans trying to sustain a democracy. mandy clark, cbs news, kabul. >> couric: and coming up next, it's a most magnificent creature the lion that's becoming king of the ocean, eating everything in sight. well, this is new... i'm wo

abdullah showed reporters ballots premarked for karzai. >> all being stamped. some are not stamped but the same. the same mark out, the same thing. and up to the end. >> reporter: videos allegedly showing karzai supporters systematically checking off ballots and stuffing boxes. today six other presidential candidates claims there was massive fraud last week. >> this is something completely outrageous and no time in history in afghanistan so much corruption. >> reporter: international election observers showed nbc news pictures of children voting with their own voter identity cards. the election's dispute is the latest of a growing number of problems. violence is on the rise. the taliban has strong holds in a but half the country. and even analysts here are starting to say the u.s. is getting deeper in what could be an unwinnable war. and that war erupted in kandahar this evening where at least five car bombs went off at once killing at least 41 people and wounding over 60 in a neighborhood that houses many international aid workers and contractors. just hours e

and any claim of victory at this point by either abdullah abdullah or karzai? believe they are winning and have accumulated enough votes to have won, but they're not've declaring victory. and this is -- it sounds like you're splitting hairs here, but there's a big difference. i spoke with abdullah abdullah yesterday and i asked him do did you win? do you believe you've won? >> yes. he's not declare himself president. he's skpeging the process, he says the ballots are still being counted. he things there could be a run offand if a run offtakes place it would most likely be in october. >> thanks as always. we'll talk to you again. tomorrow david gregly on "meet the press" will meet with two men, admiral mike mullen and karl eikenberry. it's this sunday on "meet the press. " you must be looking for motorcycle insurance. you're good. thanks. so is our bike insurance. all the coverage you need at a great price. hold on, cowboy. cool. i'm not done -- for less than a dollar a month, you also get 24/7 roadside assistance. ght on. yeah, vroom-vroom! sounds like you ran

but his chief rival, abdullah abdullah, has also claimed victory. millions of afghans cast their ballots yesterday, despite threat prs the taliban. but half of eligible voters might have stayed home. the low turnout could hurt karzai's chances for election. the first results aren't expected until tomorrow at the earliest. >> new today, the world health organization is urging nations to speed up preparations for the swine flu because there will likely be an explosion of cases very soon. that has health officials here in the u.s. working hard to come up with a plan of attack. especially in places like college campuses where many people will be living in close quarters. derrick ward joins us live with more on what the students need to know as they head back to school. >> well, joe, last year much of the safety concern on college campuses focused on violence. the virginia tech shootings were still fresh on the minds of students, parents and faculty. those concerns he not gone away but they share attention with new worries about a pandemic. as students h

if there were successful in going after either karzai or abdullah abdullah, abdullah abdullah with early holding back up into the air. finally, we may have a disputed outcome. the odds certainly favor, it the first round is full of fraud, allegations for fraud in the second round. there is a fifth possibility which should offer us some measure of hope. which is, if there is this a good round, it provides almost immediately credibility and legitimacy to the process. more democracy is better than less the marcy. having a second round in which there is a real run of between two individuals, we will send a message to afghans and voting counts, just as it does in any electoral process. this will be as significant boost for the pri ability -- of the credibility of whoever wins in the second run. it will provide the basis for nato's opportunity for its last chance. both of the speakers said this. this really is a last chance. we have had three chances to get it right in afghanistan. we have blown the previous two in the 1990's and after 2001. you only get three chances in baseball, and in afgha

i they were successful in going after karzai or abdullah abdullah thewill throw the ole thing back up the air. finally we may have a disputed outcome. the odds certainly favor if the first@@@@ @ hbrbrb á you only get three chances in baseball and in afghanistan i don't think you can expect a fourth chanceither. final point i would make very briefly, is that the outcome of these elections and how they're managed and whether they are credible or legitimate matters a lot inside afghanistan. it matters enormously pakistan. if these elections are seen in pakistan as having been a fraud, lacking credibility, and producing an illitimate afghan government, the conclusion pakistanis and particularly pakistanis in the army will decide is, the base for the american and nato operations in afghanistan is gone and that will reinforce through deeply held belief that we're going to cut and run in afghanistan sometime in the next two or three years and all they need to do is wait us out and then their taliban friends will be able to take over least half of the country. thanyou to a four of you for exc

abdullah. with almost half of the vote counted in the presidential election, karzai has almost 46%, about 33% for abdullah. but the results continue to be clouded by reports of fraud, which have gone up substantially in recent days. there are also increasing reports of violence against people who tried to vote. this man claimed that the taliban cut off his nose and ears. his doctor spoke about it. >> translator: this is the victim of the political game which is going on here. he is one of many who have made it here to the hospital. there are many others whose fingers were cut off, ears were cut off before elections, and this particular patient is the victim of this election. >> as two more americans were killed in southern afghanistan today, the top coalition commander there delivered a long-awaited assessment of the war effort to u.s.'s nato military leaders. although the report has not been released publicly, general stanley mcchrystal says the afghanistan situation is serious but that succes

as they cast ballots today the leading presidential candidate, abdullah abdul a a president hamid karzai, called on afghans to defy the threat. >> come out and vote. so that through their vote afghanistan can be a most secure

here many back karzai's main rival, foreign minister abdullah, abdullah. high turnout improves chances of forcing karzai into a run-off election this fall. as ballots were being counted tonight it seems violence and intimidation didn't stop the vote but may have inadvertently guaranteed another election. both karzai and abdullah called today's election "imperfect but nonetheless successful." initial results could come as early as saturday. ann. >>> richard engel in afghanistan. thank you so much. >>> senator edward kennedy has been battling cancer for more than a year now. but there was news today that made it clear that he has not stopped looking ahead. kennedy has been senator since 1962, and now he wants few do something about how his successor will be chosen. the story tonight from nbc's kelly o'donnell in our washington bureau. hey, kelly. >> reporter: good evening, ann. it's 15 months into his battle with brain cancer and senator edward kennedy made a significant political move. he sent the message that it is okay to begin a public conversation about

which is wel ahead of abdullah abdullah who is ming in second.butarzai has to win 51of the vote in order for there noto be a runoff. and there's no po that's ever shoed him that pular in thisountry at thisoint in time. hes actually quite unpopular. his greatest strength is that he's known. he's the president, he's there, he's pulng the lers of power,e's been on tv a lot, he's been, not public television, state television, quite a difference. and a complnt there, that it's been measur, something ke 70% ofhe coverage in this election season. so there's a goodchance he will win outright, but the's also quite agood chance tha there will be a runoff. >> brow: all right, renee montagne, tnk you fo talking to us. >> thanks for ving me. >> lehrer: in other news tod, a y taliban commander's bases inakistan came under fire from helicoer gunships. governmenforces targeted two locations in the nthwest, near the ahan border. they said aleast 12 insurgents were killed. the bases areun by a possible sucssor to the pakistani taliban's chief. he was reported kied

instead karzai accuses abdullah's people of fraud. both claim to be in the lead. >>> north and south koreans came together today to remember south korean's former president. ten of thousands of mourners filled the lawn of south korea's parliament in seoul for kim's funeral. kim was a devout catholic but his funal today include christian and buddhist rites as a reflection of south korea's different faiths. kim died tuesday. coming up tonight americans receiving social security checks will not be getting a cost of living increase. we'll tell you why. plus, some lawmakers are calling for an airline passengers bill of rights. wee going to tell you a little bit more a >>> americans expecting to see more money in their social security checks are going to be disappointed. the millions of americans receiving their checks will not be getting that annual cost of living increase next year. this has not happened since the automatic adjustments went into effect back in 1975. they are linked to inflation. inflation is negative so no adjustment. tru

. >> the afghan foreign minister and presidential candidate abdullah abdullah. they also support a new justice system targeting narcotics. afghanistan produces 90% of the world's opium and heroin. president karzai has pardoned five drug traffickers related to a powerful family. >> becoming a counter narcotics policeman is one of the most dangerous jobs in afghanistan. here at the police academy, officials are trying to combat the drug mafia which produces 90% of the world's opium and heroin. profits are used to buy off police, judges, and other officials. these counter narcotics police are just one aspect of an entirely separate counter narcotics the judicial system that has been built up here and afghanistan. police, special forces, courts and prisons. all of this in a bid to get major drug traffickers off the streets and into detention. this is just a practice raid. in real life, it would be hearing the sound of gunfire. the five drug traffickers who have been pardoned were wearing police uniforms and were using a police car to ship hundreds of kilograms of he

abdullah.? thanks, you know we don't deliver anything like this. this crispy flatbread. mmmm. mmmmm! so delicious! are you like havin' a party or somethin'? ( slam ) hello? introducing the taste that's never been delivered. digiorno crispy flatbread pizza. for deliciously italian-inspired toppings on crispy flatbread crust, it's not delivery, it's digiorno. >>> earlier this week we did a story about eurovision, the astonishing competition that each spring pits europeans against each other that makes "american idol" look like a local karaoke night. that doesn't mean americans aren't mesmerized by it anyway. we covered this many times. that has led to a minor obsession of some members of "the rachel maddow" staff. i'm talking to you, vanessa, that europeans and other foreigners are really, really into that we americans just aren't. it's not just jerry lewis, speedos and national health care and unfiltered cigarettes and flunsy in more than one language. it's not just eurovision, wine at lunch and

abdullah abdullah, his no. 1 competitor, is expected to do well in the northern region. if courtney robinson reporting. >> the investigation into eight arson cases in damascus intensify. two pictures of a gas can found that one of the fire scenes. tuesday's early morning fire has burned trash cans and mailboxes. the smoke was really think so when rd was shut down. damages at more than $100,000. no arrests so far. looking at the medical records released of the virginia tech shooter cho. he was involuntarily committed for threatening suicide. he met with the three counselors. he claimed it had been a joke after a girl told them to stop contacting our. the reports say he was depressed and had trouble connecting with people, but no threats of violence. a year-and-a-half before he killed 32 people and then himself. a small electrical explosion cleared out the health and human services building in southwest this morning. a transformer on the top floor blew out. there was no fire. no one was hurt, but the air- conditioning system is broken. authorities and in -- evacuating 300

the leading opposition candidate, abdullah abdullah, is accusing incumbent president hamid karzai of trying to steal the election. he said karzai supporters illegally stuffed several hundred thousand votes into ballot boxes. >> a new book about bernie madoff comes out today. the book is called "madoff's other secret." it was written by a woman who says she had an affair with thef imprisoned con man. he was sentenced to 150 years in prison. >> well, if you're somebody who uses your laptop, your ipod and your cell phone all at the same time, stop it. researchers say mults the kearse may be running their brains. >> new science is proving an old theory, that you can really only do one thing at a time and do it well. tracie potts has more. >> i'm the master of multitasking. >> reporter: texting, tweeting, i.m.ing, cell phones, facebook, ipod. >> on if internet, reading a book, to watching television, eating, driving, everything. >> reporter: all at once? >> all at once. >> reporter: scientists say don't fool yourselves. >> all ofs know if you really want to do a good job you have to focus

abdullah. >> the war is getting worse. there's tremendous amount of corruption. the poppies are still being grown. can president karzai stop what he was unable to stop before? we don't know. >> reporter: and before we do know, afghanistan will have to name its next president. preliminary results are expected by the end of the week. international donors are helping to pay for afghanistan's $223 million election undertaking, but right now the u.s. envoy in afghanistan says that it is top in the midst of the war to stage an actual election but that he is confident democracy will prevail. michelle? >> susan roberts in washington. susan, thanks. >>> it's reported this morning the cia hired a secret and possibly illegal squad of private contractors to help find and assassinate al qaeda leaders. "the new york times" reports that five years ago the cia hired operators from blackwater usa, the private security contractor, for the still classified program. one source says it was unsuccessful and that the contracts were cancelled. >>

his main challenger, abdullah abdullah applauded those who voted. since election workers now have to count millions of paper ballots, initial results aren't expected until saturday. joel brown, cbs news, the white house. >> by afghan law, the winner of the presidential elections has to win more than 50% of the vote in order to avoid a runoff. >>> still ahead, on 9 news now, a pet segment and a new show goes to the dogs. we will have that story just ahead. >>> pour yourself a big glass of lemonade and find yourself a spot in the shade today. i have got your forecast coming up next. i'll let you know when those thunderstorms will rumble through. you are watching 9 news now and we'll be right back. just as we promise 100% fresh produce... and rancher's reserve beef, guaranteed tender 100% of the time. at safeway, we now promise something new. something big. a commitment... to thousands of new everyday low prices. so you can get what you want. when you want it. at the price you need. today... and tomorrow. that's our promise. that's ingredients for life

his closest challenger, abdullah, abdullah has 35 at this point. >>> coming up -- michael vick preparing to play in his first game. protestors in philadelphia. >> cash for clunkers is over. cash for appliances next. will it be nearly as successful. >> caught cheat, a husband displays a modern day scarlet letter on a busy street corner. bob has our weather. >>> how about sports? let's talk about that. former team mates. waiting to play against him on friday. butler talks nba championship as wizards get ready to head to china. and hernandez, a curre nat and >>> two transgender people stabbed in the district. one fatally. does not appear to be a hate crime. this occurred in the 200 block of q street. both taken to the hospital. one died the other expected to live. again both were transgendered. police have not released the victim's identity. >> public school teacher in virginia is still in jail. on sex, drug and pornography charges tonight. scott howe his name. teaches reading and math at cedar lee middle school. he is 33 years old and is facing child sex charges involving a 15-year-old boy

his chief rival, former prime minister abdullah abdullah has 35%. if neither candidate gets 50% of the vote, a run-off will be held. >>> meanwhile, the u.s. military says two more americans were killed in afghanistan. they died yesterday following separate explosions. 43 americans have been killed in afghanistan this month. >>> a just released cia memo from 2004 details the harsh guidelines that were in effect for interrogating high value terror suspects after 9/11. detainees were told they were under the complete control of their captors. they were stripped and kept awake for up to 180 hours, which is about 7 1/2 days. and if they didn't give up information, they were slapped, and their hands repeatedly slammed into walls. president obama has ordered new interrogation guidelines. >>> south carolina governor mark sanford seays, as much as he'd like to, it would be wrong to resign. yesterday sanford rejected calls from his lute governor to step down. sanford admit an affair with an argentine woman, and there are questions how he paid for his travel.

abdullah abdullah insists he has one. >> it is early. no doubt about it. the initial results are in my favor. in most provinces. yes, these are preliminary results. but these are indications. >> it is not seem that there is any doubt at all that there has been plenty of election fraud. we have come to the compound of another presidential candidates. he is not a likely winner, but he has a name that is famous throughout the country. he got his name when he fought the russians. he was the first commander to be given a standard missile by the cia. after that, he joins the taliban, but then he left to support the present government. >> he says the fact that the election passed off without widespread violence is a a big blow to his former ally, the taliban. he is sorry there should have been so much fraud. >> still, it is unlikely to change the outcome. privately, the british and americans are pleased with the way things have turned out. they know, of course, that there was all kinds of fraud involved, but they felt they had to allow president karzai to run thi

he faces three dozen challengers, the biggest, abdullah abdullah, a doctor who once served as the country's foreign minister. though karzai is favored to win, if he doesn't get 50% of the vote there will be a runoff in october. drew 11 son, cbs news, new york. >> and the election does have a close connection to maryland. current president hamid karzai has family who live here in baltimore. >>> in one month's times our colleagues at cbs have lost two legends. first walter cronkite, and now mike hewett. coworkers decide him as a man with passion for innovative story telling. don hewitt was 86 years old. >>> if you want to be an olympic swimmer there are now three u.s. centers to choose from, and one of them is baltimore's aquatic hub. the north baltimore aquatic club has an olympic track record. seven winners have trained here, michael phelps the greatest among them. even so it's an honor to be named one of only three professional and post-grad training centers in the u.s. by the olympic committee. what this means for the north baltimore aquatic teams located here at meadowbrook is money and