ben tracy in our los angeles newsroom. ben, thanks very much. middle east peace talks are rarely productive, but tonight, the obama administration's effort is in deep trouble. secretary of state john kerry has been working to keep the israelis and palestinians talking, but today he abruptly canceled a meeting with the palestinians. margaret brennan is traveling with the secretary, now in brussels. margaret, are these talks dead? >> reporter: well, scott, secretary kerry said it's premature to give up on this peace process, despite today's setback, but with these talks on the verge of failure, u.s. diplomats are searching for a mix of incentives and concessions to get each side to negotiate. under consideration-- the release of israeli spy jonathan pollard from a north carolina prison. he has served 29 years of a life sentence for selling classified u.s. naval intelligence to an israeli agent. today, kerry denied there has been any deal to release pollard. has the u.s. offered the release of jonathan pollard? eg there is no agreement at this poin

ben tracy has a few words about the new s.a.t. why kids won't need to know the meaning of propinquity or lachrymose on the redesigned test. and anthony mason on turning forgery into an art form. >> this is being treated as a work of fine art. >> reporter: but it's a fake. >> it is, yes, but it's a very important fake. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening. this is our western edition. president obama said tonight russia has no excuse for massing troops on the border of ukraine, and no excuse for lending covert support to militias causing what he calls chaos there. ukraine is trying desperately tonight to put down an uprising in the eastern parent of the country. just weeks another russia snatched ukraine's crimea peninsula. this afternoon, the president spoke to chief white house correspondent major garrett at a community college in pennsylvania, where mr. obama had just announced grants for job training programs. major. job training programs. major. >> reporter: scot

ben tracy is following the investigation. >> what are you reporting? >> i was in a car accident. i was in a travel bus, and we crashed into a fedex truck. >> reporter: the 911 calls described the horrific scene-- a fedex truck and a bus full of high school students on fire. >> the bus is on fire. >> i understand that. are you away from it or are you still on it? >> yeah, we're getting away from the bus, actually. >> reporter: of the ten people who died in the crash, five of them were students. today, the california highway patrol conducted tests on the same stretch of freeway with a fedex bus and a tour bus. captain todd morrison explained why. >> so that we can hopefully identify as closely as we can the pre-impact speeds of both of these vehicls. we're hoping to learn how it happened, so that we can identify what to do to prevent it from happening again. >> reporter: investigators did recover black-box-like devices from both vehicles, which would have recorded speed, acceleration, and braking, but they were heavily damaged in the fire. both state and federal investigators plan

ben tracy, cbs news, los angeles. >> and of course the announcement was a topic on last night's talkluding the one still hosted by colbert. >> this man has influenced every host who came after him and even a few who came before him. he's that good. and i have to tell you, i do not envy whoever they try to put in that chair. >> the exciting news today is i no longer need a cable subscription for the privilege of watching stephen colbert. >> i am your host, jimmy fallon. but i have a big announcement, starting in 2015 i will be the new host of the "colbert report" comedy central. a lot of people are talking about how there's going to be a new late night war. and i want to say there's not going to be any war. it'll be a dance -off. >> i wanted to see that. >>> and the 2014 induction for the rock and roll hall of fame was held last night in brooklyn. ♪ at the barclays center nirvana was joined on stage by joan jett replacing the late kurt cobain. the original four members of kiss were honored, and peter gabriel and hal and oates. and the e street band went in too. they performed with the

ben tracy, cbs news, los angeles. >>> the obama administration says there's no decision to free convicted spy jonathan pollard to revise the mid east peace process. secretary of state john terry tamped down speculation tuesday. pollard has served 29 years for selling classified documents to the israelis. successive israeli governments have sought his relief. kerry is scrambling to keep negotiations alive between the palestinians and israelis. >>> coming up on the "cbs morning news," the sole winner of the massive power ball jackpot finally steps forward. orbiting the moon in 1971. [ male announcer ] once it's earned, usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation. because it offers a superior level of protection. and because usaa's commitment to serve current and former military members and their families is without equal. begin your legacy. get an auto insurance quote. usaa. we know what it means to serve. ♪ [ male announcer ] don't wait for awesome... totino's pizza rolls gets you there in just 60 seconds. ♪ totino's pizza rolls gets you there in just 60 seconds.

and ben tracy on cbs' choice to succeed david letterman. >> dave, it's actually me. >> oh! captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. > pelley: good evening. this is our western edition. it got worse today for general motors and the owners of more than 2.5 million recalled calls. there is something wrong with them, and it's potentially dangerous. once again, it involves the ignition system. fixing this new problem will cost g.m. $1.3 billion. the car maker said today it is suspending two engineers with pay in connection with the decade-long delay in the initial recall. jeff glor has been following the story from the start and has the latest. >> reporter: g.m. said today, in g.mtion to problems with ignitions, which can turn off while the car is being driven, keys in the recalled vehicles can be pulled out while the engine is running. all of the cars had already been becalled to replace the ignition switch. today's recall means a separate part, the ignition lock cylinder, will also be replaced. some customers will get new keys. g.m. says it

>> reporter: for "cbs this morning," ben tracy, los angeles. >>> we like stephen colbert.ector of "vanity fair," is closely watching the new look of late night. welcome. >> thank you. >> so what do you think of this choice? >> i think it's a choice that makes a lot of sense for cbs. the first feeling i had was it's disappointing to see another straight, white guy in the third of three chairs for late night on broadcast tv, but if it's going to be anybody, stephen colbert really seems like he's earned it. he's kind of a national heir to letterman in the sense that he is both a comic's comic and a likeable guy who is very popular. he's a great interviewer and a really hard worker. david letterman is a guy who works all day long. he does not let his producers write things for him. colbert is such a hard worker and such a brilliant comic. even during the writers strike, he and two other people wrote his entire show and he memorized the whole thing because under union rules he wasn't allowed to use the teleprompt er. i think the fact letterman had a big part in this selection p

for "cbs this morning," ben tracy, los angeles. >>> listen, i really like their music.music and what a nice way to honor his mother, too, and do something about her suffering for decades. >> one of the ways you can use celebrity for good. he's right, would we have been there if he wasn't ryan lou with which is? use your celebrity for good. >>> some nfl cheerleaders are rooting for something else this morning, a raise. three teams are now accused of paying them almost nothing and treating them badly. legalrikki klieman is in our toyota greenroom. >>> on this day in 1964 the man who had a way with words like no other. do you know who it was? the answer is next on "cbs this morning." do you know who it is? the answer is next on "cbs this morning." ♪ working for a living >> announcer: cbs morning rounds sponsored by purina. your pet, our passion. your pet, our passion. (vo) oh. my. tongue. finally. (announcer) all-new friskies saucesations. a taste experience like no other. in cheesy, creamy, homestyle, or garden sauce. friskies. feed the senses. [ female announcer ] we eas

ben tracy, cbs news, los angeles. >>> turning to weather now and a flood threat for parts of the south this morning, a severe storm stretching from mississippi to north carolina to the southern tip of florida will bring heavy rain. happened next on "cbs morning news." right. real milk. but it won't cause me discomfort. exactly, because it's milk without the lactose. and it tastes? it's real milk! come on, would i lie about this? [ female announcer ] lactaid. 100% real milk. no discomfort. come on, would i lie about this? so i use lactaid® members are cottage cheese. ry. it's 100% real dairy without the lactose. so i can make these creamy dishes my family enjoys without discomfort. discover more delicious lactose free recipes at lactaid.com i like it - i just... you can't change color like we do. valspar has the love your color guarantee if i don't love it, i get another color free. i'm thinking more this. yowza! valspar signature, look for it only at lowe's frequent heartburn? the choice is yours. chalky. not chalky. temporary. 24 hour. lots of tablets. one pill. you decide. prevacid.

ben tracy takes us into the belly of a 767. >>> plus going dry to have a drink? how powdered liquor could be the next power cocktail. >>> but we begin this morning with a look at today's "eye opener," your world in 90 seconds. >> we will never recognize russia's illegal occupation of crimea and neither will the world. >> a white house show of support for ukraine. >> vice president biden is in ki echt v for critical meetings with the interim government. >> russia has accused kiev of breaking last week's agreement. >> so far it seems that the pro-russian separatists are showing no seen of deescalating the occupation. >> one of the crew members revealed they couldn't reach the life boats because the ship was listing. the number of confirmed dead has risen over 100. >> facing charges in pennsylvania. police say they led a drug ring at several high schools and colleges. >> this was not a game. these people were in business, they were in business to make money. >> the american dream, meb keflezighi wins at boston. >> one year after the bombings, 36,000 runners raced ac

major garrett and ben tracy on whether he met the goal. a daring rescue attempt after a sailor is swept away. another terrible discovery at the site of the catastrophic mud slide. omar villafranca is there. and feast your eyes-- dean reynolds on a wondrous spectacle in the heart of america. >> it's just poetic.

ben tracy takes a look. >> reporter: the s.a.t.ecessary evil by many college-bound students, true or false. the college board, which administers the test, apparently believes it's true. it posted on its website that no longer will students use flash cards to memorize obscure words. only to forget them the minute they put their test pencils down. students and parents were querulous, so the new s.a.t. opz takes more relevant words such as "intense," and makes students know their meaning in a sentence. >> there are some questions where it feels like it may be a little straightforward. i wouldn't necessarily use the term "easier," and there are other sample questions that are, quite frankly, challenging. >> reporter: there are others that focus on math that matters such as ratios and fractions. the essay is now optional and the test returns to a 1600-point scale. when president david coleman announced changes were coming, he acknowledged standardized tests are failing students. >> it's time to admit that the s.a.t. and a.c.t. have beco

and ben tracy on cbs' choice to succeed david letterman. >> dave, it's actually me. >> oh!sponsored by cbs

here's ben tracy. >> reporter: the earthquake that hit just after 9:00 friday night caused moderate damaget rattled plenty of nerves. ♪ ( screaming ) the 5.1 quake was not on the well-known san andreas fault where the so-called big one is expected to occur. rather it was on the potentially even more dangerous puente hills thrust fault system. it was discovered in 1999 and stretches from northern orange county under downtown los angeles and up to hollywood. >> when we put the earthquake right under the city it becomes more damaging. >> reporter: lucy jones is a seismologist with the u.s. geological survey. the agency simulation of a major quake on the puente hills fault shows it rocking the most densely populated areas of los angeles, home to more than 4 million people, and causing $250 billion in damage. what does a major quake on this fault look like? >> 3,000 to 18,000 dead depending upon the time of day. by comparison, a san andreas was only 1,800 dead. >> reporter: after friday's earthquake jones was briefing reporters when one of nearly 200 aftershocks hit the city. ( alarm sounds ) >

for "cbs this morning," ben tracy, los angeles. >> the quakes were felt all the way down to the mexican border. >>> it's 4:56 right now. they're supposed to be some of the smarties vehicles on the road. but -- smartest vehicles on the road. but tesla drivers beware. the technology that may be making you a target of hackers. >> a lot of clean-up to do in the bay area after lightning struck. we'll show you the worst of the damage coming up. >>> i expect armageddon in the destruction. >> a powerful storm sweeps through the bay area leaving destruction in its wake. we're expecting round two today with more torrential rain and possible thunderstorms. >>> but they can't get online. we are going to help them get over the finish line. >> people trying to sign up for health insurance through covered california will have even more time to complete the process. the deadline was supposed to be at midnight. but those trying to register online couldn't get onto the website. >>> there's nothing that she can truly say that's going to make up for any of this. >> the ceo of general motors testifies befor

ben tracy has a few words about the new s.a.t.won't need to know the meaning of propinquity or lachrymose on the redesigned test. and anthony mason on turning forgery into an art form. >> this is being treated as a work of fine art. >> reporter: but it's a fake. >> it is, yes, but it's a very important fake.

>>. ♪ cbs >> thank you. >> reporter: i'm ben tracy for cbs news in los angeles.othes on. >> yes. >> the world's sexiest daredevil tomorrow on "cbs this morning." , bulldog: bulldog: [yawn] i just had a dream i was at mattress discounters with tempur-pedic and the largest selection of memory foam mattresses under one roof! icomfort, by serta... optimum, by posturepedic... ahh! comforpedic, by beautyrest... ooh! 48 months interest-free financing, free delivery, and queen-size memory foam mattress sets as low as $697! that's more mattresses than you can shake a bone at. ♪ mattress discounters >>> that does it for us. be sure to tune in to the "cbs evening news" tonight. we'll see you tomorrow on "cbs this morning." let's face it, most people don't know how to choose a new dentist. that's where we come in. we've helped over 8 million people find the right dentist, and we can do the same for you. call 1-800-dentist today. ♪ a standstill for hours last night because of a big pothe on the upper deck of the bay bridge. two >>> it's 8:55. time for news headlines. traffic

as ben tracy shows us new revelations about how he got to the u.s.is power at the plate yasiel puig has electied the los angeles dodgers. ever since he joined the team last june rumors have been swirling as fast as he rounds the bases. >> there's something mysterious lurking there. >> reporter: jesse katz is the author of a chilling story in los angeles magazine details puig's escape from cuba. the magazine claims the journey was funded by a miami man named raul pacheco. who in june of 2012 offered cuban smugglers $250,000 to take puig from cuba to mexico with the help of a mexican drug cartel. but then pacheco allegedly did not immediately pay up. what happens when they get to mexico? >> once they get to mexico that's where the craziness begins. in a dumpy motel off the coast of cancun. and they want their money. and they hold him captive there for 20-some-odd days as the price for his head is being negotiated. >> reporter: puig's miami backer sent in a rescue team that brought him to mexico city. >> literally within a couple days, he's auditioning

i promise, we'll always be there for the big moments. >> two, three. >> for "cbs this morning," ben tracyt part the reviews are good. wow! what an end of an era. it's only been ten minutes and i miss my mother already. you saw them crying and when you interviewed them the cast was pleased. >> they are so talented. what a great show. they're all very dear friends and they were truly mobile about the show ending and they're all great actors going on to great things and it lit up the twittersphere and i'm curious to see what the ratings were. >> what were you thinking last night with your bowl of popcorn. >> did you tell the truth pill coming out? >>> i want a side of awesome, too, but norah, we've got charlie rose. >> he's my side of awesome. >> david agus is in studio 57. i'm in a great mood today, how about you, viewers? we'll ask him about the controversial e-cigarettes that help smokers quit and see if there is a secondhand vapor effect and there's david agus with favorite daughter sydney. david agus next on "cbs this morning." ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >>> this morning's eye opener at 8:00 is sponsored

ben tracy takes us into the belly of a 767. >>> plus going dry to have a drink?d liquor could be the next power cocktail. >>> but we begin this morning with a look at today's "eye opener," your world in 90 seconds. >> we will never recognize russia's illegal occupation of crimea and neither will the

ben tracy looks at the other big chains that could be coming to late night. >> the network has been great words last week david letterman, the soon-to-be former host of the late show sparked a battle between folks who say -- ♪ i love l.a. ♪ >> -- and those who say they can't stop spreading the news about the city. it all started when jimmy fallon decided to move nbc's tonight show from southern california, its home of 42 years, to new york where cbs's late show has been based since 1993. almost immediately los angeles mayor eric garcetti started lobbying for the late show to head west. >> we've loved having the tonight show up until recently and los angeles can produce the best shows at the best cost and we want to make sure people can see that. >> on tuesday mayor de blasio through a counterpunch speaking with les moonvez. >> i emphasize the late show will be a good fit nr new york. ing. >> i said i'm retiring and there was a pause and he said who is this? >> reporter: but for new york and los angeles, the late show's future home is no laughing matter. >> for a city to land a show like t

for "cbs this morning," ben tracy, las vegas. >> well they always say do not talk about politics at dinner -- >> no. >> no. >> i'm mo rocca and it's the 50th anniversary of the office cube cal and this is the first time anyone's ever smiled talking about the cube cal. can it marcia. >>> 50 years ago something unfortunate happened depending on your point of view. the cube cal was introduced to the american office. mo rocca is here to celebrate the highs and the lows of every cube cal dweller's office space. mo, good morning. according to statistics 60% of americans work in a three-walled cube cal like this one. shockingly, 93% of them report hating it. so we thought we'd toast and roast the office space everyone loves to hate, the cube cal. >> human beings were not meant to sit in lilt cube calls staring at computer screens all day. >> despite being universally despised by fictional and real-life office workers everywhere, 50 years later the dreaded cube cal is still with us. >> a group of cube calls collectively is called the cube farm. >> cubed the secret history of the workplace. what's

. >> reporter: for "cbs this morning," ben tracy, los angeles. >>> ike spoke for the first time aboutartners at cnet last night. he admits that the boycott could hurt firefox but he also believes he's a good fit at mozilla and has no the intention of stepping down. >>> another heated debate this one over high frequency trading on the cnbc show "power lunch kwfts. >> do you think the markets are rigged? >> you said it in the book that's when i knew -- it's disgusting that you're trying to parse your words now? okay, you can't say that. >> you are quote thad way in the book but is that -- >> let's walk through. >> do you believe it or not because you said it? let me -- >> it's a yes or no question do. you believe it or not? >> i believe the markets are rigged. >> okay. i also believe you're part of the rigging. if you want to do this let's do this. >> i really do. >> william o'brien. katsuyama is the hero of a book by author michael lewis that claims wall street trading is rigged. you saw him, of course on "60 minutes." well, brian and lewis went at it. >> talking to an ex-employee is n

for "cbs this morning," ben tracy, irwindale, california. >> we've been on top of this story since the you're right, a lot of sriracha fans here, but the owner of this plant, mr. tran, he's the best. >> we want the story to continue just so we can hear from him. and i want that shirt, "i want some sriracha on my sriracha." i don't know who is right but we do like mr. tran. >> he fled vietnam, he started this company on the streets of los angeles and now he's got a multi-million dollar company. we hope it all gets worked out. >> it's interesting most of the complaints have only come from five houses. that's having. >> he wants the guy to check his nose and don't be so stupid. we'll be watching it. all right. "60 minutes" goes inside a top secret facility that controls our nuclear weapons. leslie stahl goes inside. that's next this morning. ♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] it's the yoplait greek taste-off. two greek blueberry yogurts, one winner. i love this one. yoplait! it's so much better than chobani. i really have to say yoplait. a winner, winner! [ female announcer ] let your tastebuds dec

but ryan lewis has a personal story you probably don't know and he shared it with ben tracy. ♪ ♪ i'mpocket ♪ >> reporter: you may know ryan lewis as the fur coat-wearing delorian driving half of the rap duo known as macklemore & ryan lewis. ♪ we'll fight till it's over ♪ ♪ so we put our hands up like the ceiling can't hold us ♪ >> reporter: their debut independent album "the heist" reached number one and earned them four grammys. despite that there is something lewis has not talked much about until now. when you got famous did you assume at some point you'd have to talk more publicly about this? >> i mean i have an aids ribbon tattooed on my arm. if you're going to do that you've got to be willing to share. >> reporter: he's talking about his mother julie lewis. she is hiv positive. she lived with the disease for 30 years. >> i had been married a couple years, and we were expecting our first child. she was born. it was a difficult delivery. and i lost a lot of blood. and so i ended up needing a blood transfusion. >> reporter: it was 1984. donated blood was not routinely checked for h