>> pelley: tonight remembering a giant. >> a time for the healing of the wounds has come. >> pelley: late today we learned of the death of nelson mandela, the man who lead south africa from apartheid to a multiracial democracy. >> he no longer belongs to us. he belongs to the ages. >> pelley: from johannesburg. an american is gunned down in benghazi, libya. was it terrorism, bob orr is covering. snow, ice and bitter cold stretch across half the nation. manual bojorquez on what it is hitting and where it is going. and the special bond between two presidents. we'll talk to bill clinton about his friend nelson mandela. >> we could have had the politics of resentment. he chose the politics of inclusion. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening. he changed the world. you can't say that about many people. but you can say that about nelson mandela. the man who lead south africa's peaceful transition out of apartheid and became the country's first black president. he died today at the age of 95. mandela had been battling a lung inf

pelley: wow.iful view. it's about 30 stories, and because d.c. outlawed skyscrapers back in 1910, you can see forever. for the record, the washington monument, still being refurbished, is nearly twice as tall. so there's the national mall. they're taking the scaffolding down off the washington monument. >> ayers: yes. you can see the potomac river and anacostia rivers coming together. >> pelley: steven, what did it mean to have this dome completed very near the end of the civil war? >> ayers: to me, it's a measure of our endurance, of our will to succeed, and our will to get it done, and our will to stay together as a country. >> pelley: it took enormous will. in congress, the first vote on the dome passed 71 to 70. a critic called it "a great mistake." and then came the civil war-- not the war you're expecting. this was the war between the greats. the brilliant architect vs. the genius in charge of construction, army captain montgomery meigs. >> bill allen: he was incredibly honest, very efficien

"cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening. the thought of it is frightening: the pilot of a jetliner with more than 300 people on board doubted that he had the ability to land the plane. that's what we learned today about the asiana 777 that crashed last summer at the san francisco airport. the pilot said he was worried about landing without the aid of the airport's instrument landing system which had been turned off because of construction. the national transportation safety board held a hearing today about the crash which killed three people and has raised questions about whether pilots have become too reliant on automated systems. transportation correspondent jeff pegues has the final moments of flight 214. >> reporter: this airport camera video released today by the n.t.s.b. shows a clear view of asiana airlines flight 214 as it strikes a sea wall short of the runway, catches fire and is spun around nearly 360 degrees. a trainee captain was flying the 777 during its final approach to san francisco international. a more sen

>> pelley: tonight, celebrating mandela. south africans pay tribute to the father of their country as the government announces plans for his services. a delegation of u.s. presidents will attend. reports from deborah patta, mark phillips, and michelle miller. anthony mason on the best jobs report since the great recession. but what kind of jobs is the economy creating? an ice storm causes havoc in the middle of the country. manuel bojorquez is there. and allen pizzey on the years that made the man. >> for 18 of the 27 years he spent in prison, nelson mandela walked down this corridor everyday and at the end of that walk there was no freedom, there was this. >> reporter: with bob simon on the moment he was free. >> after 27 years, his head was high and his fist was clenched. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening. the south african government announced today that the state funeral for former president nelson mandela will be a week from sunday-- the culmination of

captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening. this is our western edition. there is trouble tonight ablq$ the international space station. late today nasa said it will take a series of space walks to fix it. as we reported last week, half of the cooling system shut down when a valve malfunctioned. there is a crew of six on board. the two americans will make the first space walk on saturday. nasa tells us the astronauts are safe. jeff glor is with us with more about the problem and what it will take to repair it. jeff? >> reporter: the stakes are high scott. there's only two cooling loops on the space station, one is down. if that one can't be fixed and there's only one left, there is no backup. this is what it looked like that last time the cooling unit had to be fixed on the international space station. in 2010, astronaut doug wheelock anchored to the end of a robot arm, successfully pulled the pump out. it's the replacement unit that has failed again. the two americans-- reich mastracchio and michael hopkins- - are the ones wh

. >> pelley: tonight, spying on americans loses in court. in a first, a judge rules that anti-terror surveillance violates privacy. john miller has an unprecedented look inside the agency responsible. a study released this evening advises americans to stop taking vi >> pelley: tonight, spying on americans loses in court. in a first, a judge rules that anti-terror surveillance violates privacy. john miller has an unprecedented look inside the agency responsible. tiial soap really works. jeff pegues reports. liz palmer has a rare interview with iran's foreign minister. >> reporter: would you like to see in your lifetime a u.s. embassy reopening in tehran? >> pelley: and for the first time, a baseball player's brain shows evidence of injury from concussions. michelle miller on head injuries and america's past time. >> pelley: this is our western edition. a federal judge in washington ruled today that the government's collection of phone records of billions of americans is likely unconstitutional. it is the first time a fed really court has rule

. >> pelley: good evening. the government is out of the car business. late today we learned that the treasury sold off the last of its general motors shares at a loss to taxpayers of more than $10 billion. it was four years ago at the height of the great recession that president obama decided to bail out the bankrupt automaker, ordering general motors to overall its corporations and saving hundreds of thousands of jobs. now g.m. is not only making cars, but profits. here's senior business correspondent anthony mason. >> reporter: the auto industry was headed for a disastrous crash in 2009 when the government made the controversial decision to take over general motors. >> one of the first decisions that i made as president was to save the u.s. auto industry from collapse. >> reporter: taxpayers would invest $49.5 billion to keep g.m. afloat. with the sale of the last of its g.m. stock today the government's made back $39 billion-- a more than $10 billion loss, saving chrysler cost another $1.2 billion. but steve

>> pelley: tonight, much too fast. late today we learned the speed the new york commuter train was going before it jumped the tracks. jeff pegues, don dahler, and michelle miller are on the story. >> reporter: how scary were those few seconds? >> scariest moments of my life. >> pelley: today the health care web site was supposed to be fixed. wyatt andrews on how it's working. amazon experiments with delivery by drone. mark strassmann on the coming wave of pilotless planes. and jim axelrod introduces us to math genius john urschel who sure knows how to divide a defensive line. >> i feel like it's what i'm here to do. >> reporter: which one, the football or the math? >> both. capt captioning sponsored by cbs is is the "cbs evening news" this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening, well, the curve was sharp and the train was going way too fast. late today, federal investigators say that the commuter train was bolting down the track at 82 miles an hour as it approaches the 30 miles an hour zon

comments@captioncolorado.com >> pelley: tonight, gu >> pelley: tonight, gunfire in a high school. a gunman attacks in a colorado town near columbine on the eve of the anniversary of newtown. >> we heard two more shots and we ran to a sprinkler room and just kind of hid in there. >> pelley: barry petersen is at the scene. for seven years, the u.s. disavowed american robert levinson who disappeared in iran. john miller reports on levinson, the i.a., and how a mission went wrong. a kansas man is arrested on charges he planned to bomb an american airport. bob orr is on the story. and steve hartman goes "on the road" with secret santas proving once and for all -- >> santa is real. (laughs) he's very real. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening. this is a special western edition. what we saw today is not what school is supposed to be. more than 2000 students at a arapaho high in centennial colorado were marched out into the cold, hands on their heads, and led to a snow covered track where police officers searched them for we

captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening. a federal judge in washington ruled today that the government's collection of phone records of millions of americans is likely unconstitutional. it is the first time that a federal court has ruled against the once secret surveillance program which was exposed by national security agency leaker edward snowden. in a blistering attack, judge richard leon said he has little doubt that the author of our constitution, james madison, ?o9sb be aghast at what judge leon said amounts to an unreasonable search. the judge granted a preliminary injunction to stop the government from collecting the records of the two men who brought the challenge, but then he put that order on hold in the face of a likely appeal. senior correspondent john miller is former deputy director of national intelligence and, john, what is the n.s.a.'s argument for collecting this information? >> well, scott, this is all about collecting the massive database of phone numbers dialed by americans. now, the n.s.a. is legally

captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening breaking news tonight from london. part of a theater has collapsed as hundreds of people were watching a play. the police say dozens have been hurt and some of those injuries are serious. charlie d'agata is on the scene. charlie? >> reporter: scott, the very latest from the london ambulance services tonight, more than 80 people have been wounded, a handful of those seriously wounded. they've been take on the the hospital. several people were trapped inside when the ceiling collapsed. we understand from authorities that they have since been rescued. part of the ceiling collapsed in the middle of a performance of blockbuster play packed with over 700 theater goers. >> a loud bang, i don't think it was an explosion and the ceiling came down. a lot of dust, chandelier, wood and all that sort of stuff. >> reporter: many said they thought the loud noises were part of the play. >> we originally thought it was sound effects of the theater and then -- of the play, yeah. then we looked up and t

captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening. it was a remarkable moment in history today-- the first black president of south africa eulogized by the first black president of the united states. president obama spoke in soweto. the love was written all over the faces of the tens of thousands who attended. mr. obama urged young people in south africa and around the world to remember mandela and make his work their own. here's bill whitaker. >> reporter: hours before the memorial service, people started pouring into the huge soccer stadium. not even pouring rain could dampen their spirit. outside, a parade of dignitaries and celebrities were streaming in. more than 90 world leaders came to show their respect for nelson mandela. princes, prime ministers, three former and one current u.s. president. when president obama appeared... >> president barack obama. (cheers and applause) >> reporter: ...the crowd erupted. then, he stood to eulogize mandela. his speech was personal. >> over 30 years ago, while still a student, i learned of n

captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening, the south african government announced plans today for a week of memorial services for nelson mandela, culminating with his funeral a week from sunday. president obama will lead a u.s. delegation, expected to include a number of former presidents, though it is not known which of the services he will attend. mourners continued to gather today at mandela's home in johannesburg where he died last night and at his former home in soweto. perhaps no one image summed up his legacy better than this. >> blacks and whites signed by side honoring the father of a multiracial south africa, a man who became a worldwide symbol for racial equality. >> debra patta is there. dance today. from the sprawling township of soweto to the plush upmarket suburb of hall on the, it was precisely the kind of sendoff nelson mandela would have loved. since his death was announced, south africans from all over the country have been making a pilgrimage to mandela's home in johannesburg. they came bearing flowers, gi

captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening. this is our western edition. today, a very optimistic president obama predicted that 2014 could be a breakthrough year for the economy. but he conceded he'll have to deal with some unfinished business from 2013, too. including the surveillance programs exposed by edward snowden. on monday, a federal judge said the collection of phone records of millions of americans is probably unconstitutional. then on wednesday, a panel appointed by the president said the program needs to be reigned in. today the president signaled that he's ready to do that. but is he ready to cut the fugitive snowden any slack? snowden, granted asylum by russia, is charged with stealing and spreading classified information. major garrett asked the president about all this at the news conference today. major? >> reporter: scott, the idea of the obama administration granting amnesty or negotiating a plea agreement with edward snowden was first raised by rick leggett, he's the head of the government task force on th

. >> pelley: tonight, in a downpour hearts soar. more than 90 world leaders and an audience of millions pay tribute to mandela. >> it took a man like madiba to free not just the prisoner but the jailer as well. >> pelley: from the presidents to the people. bill whitaker and mark phillips on a day of history. she started at general motors at the age of 18. today, mary barra was promoted to c.e.o. anthony mason reports. police make big gains in a city plagued by murder. dean reynolds on how they did it. and a family of six has been rescued after being stranded two days in subzero weather. john blackstone has the breaking news. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. good evening. it was a remarkable moment in history today, the first black president of south africa eulogized by the first black president of the united states. president obama spoke in soweto. the love was written all over the faces for the tens of thousands who attended. mr. obama urged young people in south africa and around the wo

captioning sponsored by cbs captioning this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening. late today, federal investigators said there was nothing wrong with the brakes on that metro north commuter train that derailed in new york city sunday morning killing four passengers and injuring dozens of others. they said that the brakes had been tested before and during the train's run. yet to be answered is why the train was going nearly three times the speed limit. it's coming down to the actions of the engineer and jeff pegues, our transportation correspondent has the latest. jeff? >> reporter: scott, in addition to that information about the brakes, the n.t.s.b. revealed late today that there was no sign that any of the crew members-- including the engineer-- had used alcohol. this is n.t.s.b. board member earle wainer earlier today. >> reporter: increasingly, the focus of the investigation appears to be human error. sources say that william rockefeller, jr., the engineer, told first responders on sunday that before the train went off the tracks he began to "daze, thi

>> pelley: tonight, calm in a crisis. just released 911 tapes give us new insight into the sandy hook elementary shootings. they reveal ordinary people and their disciplined action to protect children. more than 40 million americans face severe winter weather. we'll look at where it's hitting and where it's going. a cbs news investigation exposes lethalrend in recreational drugs. holly williams on a threat most of just never heard of. >> it's too risky. it's literally playing russian roulette. >> pelley: and the light's fantastic. ben tracy shows us the aurora borealis as we've never seen it before. >> it's so powerful it's beyond your imagination. imagination. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening. we learned something new today about one of the most heinous crimes in american history-- the fatal shooting of 20 first graders and six adults at sandy hook elementary school. newtown, connecticut, released audio recordings of some of the 911 calls and what struc

>> pelley: tonight, disaster in a theater. this evening, part of a london theater has collapsed during a play. there are at least 80 casualties, charlie d'agata has the breaking news. high tech thieves steal the debit and credit card information of tens of millions of target customers. chip reid on how it happened and what the store is telling the victims. frozen in place. early icdisrupts traffic on the great lakes. dean reynolds on the unusual weather. and the legacy of lockerbie. >> she was a beautiful 16-year- old teenager. >> reporter: wyatt andrews on the message one daughter left as we near the 25th anniversary of the attack that shocked the world. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening. this is our western edition. there is breaking news to want from london. part of a theater has collapsed as hundreds of people were watching a play. the police say dozens have been hurt, some of the injuries are serious. charlie d'agata is on the scene for us. charlie? >> re

>> pelley: tonight, a vote of confidence for the economy. the federal reserve announced it will roll back some emergency support and gave guidance on interest rates. anthony mason on why that sent markets to new highs. surveillance of americans has gone too far. that's the conclusion of a report released tonight by a presidential commission. major garrett has the breaking news. a change in guidance on blood pressure may mean that fewer people need drugs. elaine quijano reports. and chip reid goes for a ride on the snowball express. speeding joy to families of the fallen. >> nothing brings me more joy than to see him happy. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. reporting tonight from washington. >> pelley: good evening. welcome to our western edition. today after years of extraordinary measures to keep the economy from plunging into a depression, the federal reserve said it will now ease up on its stimulus program. the job market has improved that much. in the announcement made here in washington, the f

>> pelley: tonight, a man for a rebel, a prisoner, a president.elson mandela is dead at 95. >> take your guns, your knives and throw them into the sea! >> pelley: a revolutionary who fought for liberty, an icon who embraced peace. >> we are one country. we are one people. >> we will not likely see the likes of nelson mandela again. he gave me a sense of what human beings can do when they're guided by their hopes and not by their fears. >> he did something remarkable. he built a genuine multiracial democracy in south africa. >> pelley: he was an inspiration to all who cherish freedom. >> i cherish the ideal of a new south africa. >> the legacy of mandela is of forgiveness and reconciliation. >> today, we can proudly say we are all south africans. >> he is revered around the world. he is almost like a saint. >> pelley: for south africa, he was "madiba," the father of a nation. >> africa! amandla! ( cheers ) ( national anthem plays ) captioning sponsored by cbs >> pelley: good evening. sunday in south africa will be a national day of prayer in honor

captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good eveningis is our western

captions by: caption colorado comments@captioncolorado.com >> pelley: tonight, gu >> pelley: tonight, gunfire in a high school. a gunman attacks in a colorado town near columbine on the eve of the anniversary of newtown. >> we heard two more shots and we ran to a sprinkler room and just kind of hid in there. >> pelley: barry petersen is at the scene. for seven years, the u.s. disavowed american robert levinson who disappeared in iran. john miller reports on levinson, the i.a., and how a mission went wrong. a kansas man is arrested on charges he planned to bomb an american airport. bob orr is on the story. and steve hartman goes "on the road" with secret santas proving once and for all -- >> santa is real. (laughs) he's very real. captioning sponsored by cbs

. >> oh, my god, l captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> brown: good evening. scott is off tonight. i'm james brown. this is our western edition. when something breaks on the international space station, there is no repairman to call so today, two astronauts suited up for the second time this week to complete the job of fixing a critical cooling system. a pump broke earlier this month, and today's mission was to swap out the old one with the new one. bill whitaker has the story. >> reporter: traveling almost 18,000 miles per hour, 260 miles above the earth, astronauts mike hopkins and rick masstrachio stepped outside the international space station to make the urgent repairs to the cooling system. >> mike hopkins taking a special sleigh ride on this christmas eve, holding the pump module. >> reporter: teetering on the end of the space station's arm, they installed the refrigerator- sized pump. it took more than seven hours. it was difficult and dazzling. bill harwood is cbs news space consultant. >> working in these big cumbersome space suits is

scott pelley is in new york. scott. >> reporter: late today, we received word of the death of nelson mandela. tonight, we will remember the extraordinary life of the man who led south africa from apartheid to multiracial democracy. we'll have a live report from johannesburg coming up on the "cbs evening news." ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, tonight: recently tasked to help oak combat its cri >>> i'm ken bastida in the kpix 5 newsroom. coming up new at 6:00 tonight, recently tasked to help oakland combat its crime epidemic. now the so-called super cop is returning to his law enforcement role in new york. tonight, we ask exactly what has william bratton done for the city of oakland? >> also -- >> it is you the people of oakland the people of the bay area who have given me and my delegation hope to continue the struggle. >> nelson mandela's bay area visit. former kpix 5 news anchor barbara rodgers joins us onset to talk about the day she met the south africa president. that and much, much more coming up at 6:00. allen, liz? >>

for cbs news, i'm scott pelley. good night.ptioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, [ female announcer ] for those who love sweets your season is here. let's just call it the baking time of year. you need special ingredients. you need the staples for homemade. you need safeway sugar for just a buck eighty-eight. and that magic thing that makes everyone want another only two ninety-nine and when hands get messy, quite surely they'll say, yum! wow! yay! what a sweeter holiday. safeway. ingredients for life.

scott pelley is in new york. scott. >> reporter: hi, allen and liz. to be with you in the bay area. late today, we received the results of alcohol and brake system tests from that rail disaster in new york. in california, we're going to show you a warning system that might have prevented that train crash. we'll have those stories tonight on the "cbs evening news" at 5:30 right after kpix 5 news. ,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, new proof it's becoming more able to buy a ho >>> i'm ken bastida in the kpix 5 newsroom. coming up at 6:00 tonight, new proof that it's becoming more unaffordable to buy a home anywhere in the bay area. how the ripple effect of san francisco's red-hot real estate market is causing home prices in other cities to skyrocket. >> you ever get frustrated over how long it takes to get off a plane after it lands? how new solar technology at a bay area airport makes your admit a whole lot easier. we'll have those stories and why it's so cold outside coming up tonight at 6:00. allen, liz and paul? >> yeah. it's a question we have been asking. and

the "cbs evening news with scott pelley" is coming up next. and remember, the latest news and weather are always on our website, kpix.com. captions by: caption colorado comments@captioncolorado.com >> pelley: tonight: the moment of the crash. new video shows an airliner careening into the runway at san francisco international. we learned today about a critical mistake made by the pilots. jeff pegues has the story. in a major change announced today, the f.d.a. will outlaw most antibiotics in beef, pork, and poultry. dr. jon lapook on the effect on american health. how did a man save his family stranded in subzero weather? john blackstone has details. >> he kept them alive and he kept them warm and my hat's off to him. >> pelley: and candidates for person of the year included edward snowden, dictator bashar al-assad, and pope francis. dean reynolds on "time" magazine's choice.

scott pelley is in new york with us tonight. scott? >> reporter: hi, allen and liz.reat to be with you in the bay area. well, late today, we learned the remarkable speed that the new york commuter train was going before it jumped the tracks this weekend killing four passengers and injure 60. we have three reports on that story tonight plus today, the healthcare website was supposed to be fixed. is it? we'll have that and more on the "cbs evening news" at 5:30, right after kpix 5 news. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, new at 6:00 tonight: considered a frontrunner to replace oakland mayor jean and tonight, she >>> i'm ken bastida in the kpix 5 newsroom. here's what we have coming up for you at 6:00 tonight. considered a front runner to replace oakland mayor jean quan, tonight she is officially in the race. what this city councilwoman is saying and not saying about her plans to better the city. how a bay area music program that's been silenced for years is revived thanks to a surprise discovery in a closet. we'll have those stories and much more tonight at 6:00. and why wasn't i at t

the "cbs evening news with scott pelley" is next.emember, the latest news and weather are always on our website, kpix.com. we'll see you back here in 30 minutes. captions by: caption colorado comments@captioncolorado.com >> pelley: tonight, disaster in a theater. this evening, part of a london theater has collapsed during a play. there are at least 80 casualties, charlie d'agata has the breaking news. high tech thieves steal the debit and credit card information of tens of millions of target customers. chip reid on how it happened and what the store is telling the victims. frozen in place. early icdisrupts traffic on the great lakes. dean reynolds on the unusual weather. and the legacy of lockerbie. >> she was a beautiful 16-year- old teenager. >> reporter: wyatt andrews on the message one daughter left as we near the 25th anniversary of the attack that shocked the world. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley.

>> pelley: the imposter and the president.ow did a man give on the hallucinations end up next to mr. obama? debora patta reports. and the crime was unimaginable. the last thing terry roberts expected was the forgiveness she was granted. >> is there anything in this life we shouldn't forgive? captio

. >> pelley: tonight remembering a giant. >> a time for the healing of the wounds has come. >> pelley: late today we learned of the death of nelson mandela, the man who lead south africa from apartheid to a multiracial democracy. >> he no longer belongs to us. he belongs to the ages. >> pelley: from johannesburg. an american is gunned down in benghazi, libya. was it terrorism, bob orr is covering. snow, ice and bitter cold stretch across half the nation. manual bojorquez on what it is hitting and where it is going. and the special bond

. >> pelley: tonight, breaking news on the derailment. we now have the results of brake and alcohol tests. jeff pegues reports. bill whitaker on a system that might have saved lives. a judge o.k.s detroit's epic bankruptcy. dean reynolds reports pensions are in jeopardy. >> i feel angry. >> pelley: clarissa ward discovers a scorched-earth war where reporters are banned. >> reporter: you can see the scale of the destruction from those shells. >> pelley: and the chinese order teachers to ease up on the home work. seth doane on how

. >> pelley: tonight, spying on americans loses in court. in a first, a judge rules that anti-terror surveillance violates privacy. john miller has an unprecedented look inside the agency responsible. a study released this evening advises americans to stop taking vi >> pelley: tonight, spying on americans loses in court. in a first, a judge rules that anti-terror surveillance violates privacy. john miller has an unprecedented look inside the agency responsible. tiial soap really works. jeff pegues reports. liz palmer has a rare interview with iran's foreign minister. >> reporter: would you like to see in your lifetime a u.s. embassy reopening in tehran? >> pelley: and for the first time, a baseball player's brain shows evidence of injury from concussions. michelle miller on head injuries and america's past time.

it's literally playing russian roulette. >> pelley: and the light's fantastic. ben tracy shows us the aurora borealis as we've never seen it before. >> it's so powerful it's beyond your imagination. imagination. captioning sponsored by cbs

in this edition, scott pelley reports on hard times in a small midwestern town, and later, bob simon's story on a yonkers, new york, bakery that became a role model for social activism and small business success. we begin with the plight of wilmington, ohio. when president spoke of "the winter of our hardship" in his inaugural address of 2009, no one understood it better than the people in wilmington. they were in the grip of a brutal series of layoffs at dhl, the air shipping company, at a time when claims for unemployment benefits in the u.s. were the highest in nearly 30 years. in december 2008, just before all the speeches and parties of inauguration day, scott pelley headed to ohio to find out what questions the families in wilmington were asking. >> are we going to lose our home? you know, are we going to be able to pay our property taxes? what are we're gonna do for insurance? what are we're gonna do for food? you know, and these are questions that you'd never think that you'd ask yourself, you know. and now they're discussions in the home. >> bear hug, big. >> [grunting] i love

. >> pelley: and that's the "cbs evening news" for tonight. for all of us at cbs news all around the world, i'm scott pelley i'll see you sunday on "60 minutes." good night. captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org >>> gmg wins the high stakes casino jackpot. >> plus inside the mind of a computer hacker, the most important moments of your world in 90 seconds. >> mgm has the nod to build a colossal complex including a casino with 3,600 slot machines, an 18 story hotel, a large concert theater and a luxury restaurant and retail development. of at the national harbor site beside the outer loop of the beltway after crossing the woodrow wilson bridge. >> more consumer conveniences means less security. with more things to hack into companies will have to step up security and consumers will have to become more security savvy because that's exactly what the hackers are doing. >> it's like a cat and mouse game. the more you clamp down, the more clever the hackers get. >> the duck dynasty family is standing by

>> scariest moments of my life. >> pelley: today the health care web site was supposed to be fixed.t andrews on how it's working. amazon experiments with delivery by drone. mark strassmann on the coming wave of pie letless planes. and jim axelrod introduces us to math genius john urschel who sure knows how to divide a defensive line. >> i feel like it's what i'm here to do. >> reporter: which one, the football or the math? >> both.

d >> pelley: tonight, in a downpour, hearts soar. more than 90 world leaders and an audience of millions pay tribute to mandela. >> it took a man like madiba to free not just the prisoner but the jailer as well. >> pelley: from the presidents to the people. bill whitaker and mark phillips on a day of history. she started at general motors at the age of 18. today, mary barra was promoted to c.e.o. anthony mason reports. police make big gains in a city plagued by murder. dean reynolds on how they did it. and a family of six has been rescued after being stranded two days in subzero weather. john blackstone has the breaking news.

it's literally playing russian roulette. >> pelley: and the light's fantastic.ben tracy shows us the aurora borealis as we've never seen it

until then, i'm scott pelley, cbs news, in new york. i'm brian hackney, in for f. >>> good afternoon, everyone. >> you just saw the president address the american people for the final time in 2013, and one of the things he spoke about was problems with the rollout of the federal health care plan. >> in california more than 15,000 americans are enrolling every day. >> the administration gave millions of americans who were supposed to lose their health insurance another break. people who had policies can sell, but have been unable to get new health coverage will be able to get a hardship exemption and a special plan for people under 30. they'll be able to get bare bones catastrophic coverage, and there's a hotline to call if you have your plan cancelled. >> there's your head line, but now the forecast for the weekend. >> we've got changes if you like sunny, dry weather. we're going to see more of that outside. high pressure really taking over now. a little warmer for today. now looking dry all the way through christmas. a big dome of high

>> pelley: tonight, a man for a rebel, a prisoner, a president.son mandela is dead at 95. >> take your guns, your knives and throw them into the sea! >> pelley: a revolutionary who fought for liberty, an icon who embraced peace.

. >> in the meantime thank you for watching the "cbs evening news with scott pelley" is next. >> andber, the latest news and weather are always on our website, kpix.com. merry christmas. >> yeah, merry christmas. captions by: caption colorado comments@captioncolorado.com >> axelrod: tonight: christmas in the dark. hundreds of thousands have no power after a vicious ice storm that snapped utility lines. terrell brown reports. record numbers of americans are signing up for health care-- but wyatt andrews says many still don't know if they have insurance. >> will i be denied coverage? will i be denied access? >> axelrod: mark strassmann on the high tech surgery that lets doctors give hands on assistance from miles away. >> merry christmas! >> axelrod: and elaine quijano with the christmas surprise delivered to more than a thousand kids. >> this is part of my journey. this is what i'm supposed to do. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> axelrod: good evening and merry christmas. scott's off

the cbs evening news with scott pelley is next. >>> i'm ken bastida. new at 6:00, a lot of marketers, one group spending more than anyone else. we will take a look at that and a whole lot more coming up at 6:00. >> we'll be with you. cbs evening news at 6:00. >> thanks for watching. ying the plane? investigators worry pilots are too reliant on automation. we'll talk to safety consultant sully sullenberger. the president heads to south africa and we have the story of an amazing act of kindness by one of nelson mandela's prison guards. reports from mark phillips and bill whitaker. and dr. jon lapook on a new weapon against cancer. >> they talk about cancer being a battle, that you're fighting cancer and that's exactly what it feels like. feels like. captioning sponsored by cbs captioning sponsored by cbs this this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley.

captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> axelrod: good evening and merry christmas. scott's off tonight. i'm jim axelrod and this is our western edition. on this night of warmth and good cheer, it's a challenging christmas with no power at all for hundreds of thousands of people in the u.s. and canada. the lingering effects of an icy storm have left more than 200,000 without electricity just in michigan and parts of new england alone. this is the christmas chris fink and her husband dick will always remember for being all bundled up in their winter coats inside their house in kalamazoo. but it's little conor hergert without power in flint, michigan, who may best sum up the mood of many without saying a single word. as terrell brown reports, forecasts calling for more snow are not going to make it any easier to get the power turned back on. >> reporter: crews are scrambling to help restore hardest hit areas. this team traveled nearly 500 miles to help restore power. workers like erik collins have been clearing branches and reconnecting lines nonst

the "cbs evening news with scott pelley" is next. >> remember, the latest news and weather are alwaysour website, kpix.com. captions by: caption colorado comments@captioncolorado.com >> glor: round two goes to the >> glor: round two goes to the government. a federal judge says the n.s.a.'s phone surveillance program is legal. chip reid on a fight that seems destined for the supreme court. more than a million americans are losing long-term unemployment benefits tonight. major garrett is at the white house. a setback at the bottom of the earth. the first ice breaker can't reach a stranded ship. bill whitaker has more. and steve hartman "on the road." no adoptive family was willing to take him, until a social worker found the perfect place. >> she knows my worst side. and she still cares about me and still loves me. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> glor: good evening, everyone. everyone, scott's off tonight. i'm jeff glor and this is our

the "cbs evening news with scott pelley" is in washington, d.c.ht. >> remember, the latest news and weather are always on our website, kpix.com. captions by: caption colorado comments@captioncolorado.com >> pelley: tonight, a vote of confidence for the economy. the federal reserve announced it will roll back some emergency support and gave guidance on interest rates. anthony mason on why that sent markets to new highs. surveillance of americans has gone too far. that's the conclusion of a report released tonight by a presidential commission. major garrett has the breaking news. a change in guidance on blood pressure may mean that fewer people need drugs. elaine quijano reports. and chip reid goes for a ride on the snowball express. speeding joy to families of the fallen. >> nothing brings me more joy than to see him happy. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs eng