News with scott pelley. Pelley good captioning sponsored by cbs there is some hope tonight that the latest war between israel and the palestinians in gaza can be brought to an end. Egypt today is proposing a 12 hour ceasefire as a first step, followed by talks between the two sides in cairo. The palestinians continued to fire unguided rockets into israel today. And the israelis kept up their aerial assault on gaza. In the past week approximately 180 palestinians have been kille, most of them civilians. No israelies have died. Their Missile Defense system is intercepting many of the palestinian rockets. Holly williams is in gaza city. The Israeli Military says its been targeting terrorists and their rocket launchers. But when we visited alshifa hospital today, we found wounded civilians, one of them still in diapers. Twoyearold hamdan and fouryearold hamada are brothers. They were injured early this morning when an air strike hit their neighbors house. Dow want a ceasefire . We want a ceasefire, their mother saddiqa told us am i want israelis and us to both live in peace. But they have to leave us alone. Reporter rockets fired by Palestinian Militants have caused damage and injuries, but no deaths. Thanks mainly to israels iron dome antiMissile Defense system which intercepts them. Moshir el masri is a spokesman for hamas, the militant group that controls the a strip. Israel says it cant avoid killing civilians because you put your rocket launchers in civilian areas, in residential areas. Are you using people as human shields . No, thats a lie, he told us. Israel is using it to justify crimes against civilians. Pelley Holly Williams is if gaza tonight and because of transmission problems shes joining us on the phone. Holly, what has the reaction been to this proposed ceasefire . Well, scott, the militants told us tonight theyre studying it. And the israelies will hold a Cabinet Meeting tomorrow morning to discuss it. But one sign it may succeed is that its very quiet here tonight. Just 48 hours ago there were air strikes hitting, rockets being launched every few minutes. But now both sides seem to be holding back. People here in gaza are sick of the violence and the militants know that. And the israelis dont seem to have an appetite for a long conflict either because although theyve threatened a ground invasion, they havent yet acted on that threat. Pelley Holly Williams, thank you, holly. This evening were hearing for the first time about allegations that some employees of the department of Veterans Affairs altered records to make it appear that vets were receiving disability checks faster than they actually were. This comes after investigators found that some va employees had cooked the books on wait times for medical visits. A key witness will testify tonight to congress that you are going to hear from her first in this story from Wyatt Andrews. I thought that we were supposed to come help veterans. Reporter Kristen Ruell is a whistleblower that handles compensation claims at the Va Regional Office in philadelphia. In testimony to congress ruell says va employees have been instructed to falsely change the date of when Veterans First apply for disability benefits. The idea, she says, is to make the wait times look shorter. She says thousands of vets who may have waited years for a disability decision are reported in the system to have waited weeks. It didnt matter, in our office how old the claim wasment they didnt want any claims older than a certain date so they would put a memo on the claims so the claims would do we have any idea how many veterans this applies to . I can say for sure there are thousands that were done in my office. Reporter ruell says that changing the date hurts the veterans who waited the longest because the oldest claims are supposed to be handled first. Some of the veterans have died waiting for their claim to be processed. And if it has a newer date of claim its not a priority. Reporter the vas office of Inspector General has confirmed her charge of date changing, saying the practice makes the average number of days that claims have been pending appear better than it would be. Va headquarters has begun an investigation to learn if disability wait times are falsely reported nationwide. In a statement the va promises veterans that all claims impacted by this will be identified and corrective action will be taken. The charge of fake wait times for disability sounds close to the now proven charge of fake wait times for health care. She says its for the same reason, looking good to line up bonuses. Scott, her testimony comes as the va is claiming Great Success reducing the disability backlog. Pelley Wyatt Andrews in our washington newsroom, thank you. We learned late today about more disturbing discoveries in the way that lethal germs are handled by some national labs. A new investigation says that common kitchen food storage bags were used to transfer hazardous microbes an a high security refrigerator was found with the key sitting in the lock. Dr. Jon lapook broke news on this story all week last week and is now back with the latest, jon . Scott, just three days ago the cdc issued a report on its investigation into the recent incident where anthrax was mishandled, possibly exposing lab workers to the dangerous organism. Now a separate report by the United States department of agriculture has new details about procedures at what is supposed to be a highly secure biosafety cdc lab. Among the problems cited in the usda report, potentially dangerous materials were transferred using ziploc bags that did not meet standards for holding dangerous pathogens. Anthrax was stored in unlocked refrigerators in an unrestricted hallway. At the time of the usda inspection containers of anthrax were missing and had to be tracked down. Disinfectant used to decontaminate vials and bags was expired. Asked about todays disclosure the cdc said the report identified some procedures which weve already eluded to as being unacceptable and were moving swiftly to correct. The findings were released as a Congressional Committee prepares for a hearing this wednesday on this incident and others involving small pox and bird flu that have shown lapses in how dangerous pathogens are handled at the cdc and other government labs. Pelley jon, the report today said that ziploc bags were used to carry dangerous materials, were the words that were used. What are we talking about here . We dont exactly know what that means. Its so typical of the murky details that have come out in the last few days. The cdc told me just a few minutes ago that it was not aware about the details that were released in the report today. So presumably the dangerous materials meant anthrax, but again with all the changing information, were going to just have to wait and see. Pelley jon, thanks very much. Citigroup was fined 7 billion today for its role in the financial meltdown of 2008. The banks sold securities made up of risky subprime mortgages. In an email at the time obtained by the Justice Department one citigroup trader said he would not be surprised if half of these loans went down. The fine includes a four and a half billion dollar civil penalty and two and a half billion to help consumers with who lost their homes due to foreclosure. Six years after the meltdown vincente arenas tells us just how many homeowners are still struggling. Reporter there are 9 million americans who still owe more on their mortgages than what their homes are worth. Foreclosures in the miami area cut the value of Raquel Salazars home by 60 . Its been a long and tedious nightmare. A nightmare . Oh, yes, a nightmare. To feel that you dont foe if are you going to be kicked out of your home from one day to the next. You just, are you in limbo. Reporter her 4600 dollar a month mortgage became unaffordable when her Insurance Business slowed down and income dropped. Lenders wouldnt refinance the mortgage because her homes value kept falling. Reporter you were hine four years in payments. Four years. Reporter owed more than 100,000 in debt. You were about to lose your home. Yes. And trying to work with these banks all this time. Reporter in february salazar finally enrolled in a federal program to help homeowners such as her. The government estimates at least 82,000 people in florida remain eligible. What was it like to know that you were going to get a modified loan . Oh my god, i started crying and just crying of exhilaration. I felt like i had an angel in the sky. Reporter 4. 5 Million People have received mortgage help in the two federal programs known as hamp and harp. But another million are still eligible. So the programs have been extended. Counselors tell us homeowners are confused by the program. All those rules, all that paperwork. And scott, it is going to take Raquel Salazar 40 years to pay off her loan. Pelley 9 million mortgage holders underwater, used to be 13 million. A little bit of progress, vincente, thanks very much. More Severe Weather is in the forecast tonight from nashville to new york city. This follows a stormy weekend in ohio, mobile homes were tossed around at a campground. A tornado hit upstate new york. Soaking rains left some neighborhoods underwater and a lightning bolt struck just a few feet from where a couple was sitting on a park bench. Eric fisher is the chief meteorologist at our cbs boston station wbz. Eric this is quite a weather system. S what a coming next . Scott, a lot of folks are just talking about how chilly it is here in the heart of summer. Already making its presence felt along the upper midwest. Great weather except for the fact it is the middle of july. As far south as tennessee and arkansas and down to oklahoma and by wednesday what will average temperatures coming all the way down into the deep south and for much of the east coast. Look at the high temperatures tomorrow, as warm as it gets, 60s in minute map minneapolis, only the 50s in marquette, 50s in detroit as well. Well below average temps, when they run up the heat and humidity you have Severe Weather, flash flooding, more tomorrow, 95 corridor from new england down through new york, balts more into eastern North Carolina and elevated flash flooding risk, isolated tornadoes and damaging winds. We will see more of the same on wednesday. On the tale end of tail end thfer colder air we look towards the four conners and the monsoon season busy, today, tomorrow, into wednesday, well see more areas of flash flooding, isolated severe storms here. Go through wednesday and dryer for late week. Scott overall this pattern starts to run out of gas as we head toward friday. In fact, it may flip all together as we head into next week. Eric fisher of wbz, thanks very much. The army said today that former pow Bowe Bergdahl has returned to duty at a base in san antonia, texas. He has been given a desk job with two soldiers assigned to help him adjust. At some point investigators will question Sergeant Bergdahl about his disappea disappear disappearance in 2009 when he left his post in afghanistan and was captured by the taliban. He was released in may in exchange for five taliban could manners held at guantanamo. Today marks three months since the Islamic MilitantGroup Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 girls from their school in northern nigeria. A crime that has generated worldwide condemnation. Deborah patta has the latest on whats being done to free the girls. The girls were last seen in this video hidden deep in the forest of nigeria. Now a veteran Hostage Negotiator hired by the Nigerian Government tells us the girls may have been split into at least three groups and taken out of the country. We cant tell you the negotiators name, because he is still meeting with boko haram militants am but he told us imagine the worst and it has happened. He believes many of the girls have been raped and some may be pregnant. Families of the missing school girls have been waiting for three long months for any news of this also. Soon after the kidnapping the girls were the focus of a Global Social media campaign, but the attention has faltered as the trail has gone cold. This weekend a new video was released by boko haram mocking the bring back our girls campaign. The groups leader vowed to continue its terror attack. According to several sources involved in the negotiations, a deal releasing the girls in exchange for jailed boko haram fighters has been close three times but each time the deal fell apart at the last minute, with both sides blaming the others. A swap seems unlikely the negotiator told us because there are fears it could encourage boko haram to kidnap more girls in the future. Instead the Nigerian Government is trying to cut off boko harams finances in order to halt the the terror campaign. Pelley deborah patta, thanks, deborah. How do you refloat a ship thats two and a half times heavier than the titanic . Well show you. And beachgoers come under attack from above. When the cbs evening news continues. Crestor lowered bad cholesterol in its a fact. Highrisk patients more than lipitor. Bad cholesterol. Youre going down yeah lowering cholesterol is a big deal, especially if you have high cholesterol plus any of these risk factors, because you could be at increased risk for plaque buildup in your arteries over time. So, when diet and exercise arent enough to lower cholesterol, adding crestor can help. Im down with crestor crestor is not right for everyone, like people with Liver Disease or women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. Tell your doctor about other medicines youre taking. Call your doctor right away if you have muscle pain or weakness, feel unusually tired; have loss of appetite, upper belly pain, dark urine or yellowing of skin or eyes. These could be signs of rare but serious side effects. Are you down with crestor . Ask your doctor if crestor could help you. If you cant afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. Wouldnt it be great if hiring plumbers, carpenters shopping online is as easy as it gets. And even piano tuners were just as simple . Thanks to angies list, now it is. Weve made hiring anyone from a handyman to a dog walker as simple as a few clicks. Buy their services directly at angieslist. Com no more calling around. No more hassles. Start shopping from a list of toprated providers today. Angies list is revolutionizing local service again. Visit angieslist. Com today. Cmon, you want heartburn . When your favorite food starts a fight, fight back fast, with tums. Heartburn relief that neutralizes acid on contact. And goes to work in seconds. Tum, tum tum tum. Tums pelley two and a half years after it struck a reeve off the italian island of giglio the Costa Concordia was refloated today and it wasnt easy. The luxury liner weighs more than 114,000 tons. Heres mark phillips. Almost imperseptably, visible only when speeded up the rusk rusting hulk of the Costa Concordia began to stir. And this ship on which 32 people died seemed to come back to life. Afloat again and towed just offshore. Yet the director of this massive operation nick showne told me these things never go exactly as planned. The way were going to do it, and how it was meant to be done is not what happened today. It isnt . How is it different . Well,. Reporter the ship was refloated with the use of 30 steel flotation chambers attached along their broken hull. When air was pumped in they agoed like a childs water wing. Its taken a billion and a half dollars to get the cost ar concordia this far. The final bill will top 2 2 billion. And the italians say its all the fault of the ships captain fran chess Francesco Schettino who is still on trial for manslaughter and abandoning the ship when he crashed into the shoreline. The costa Costa Concordia is afloat again two and a half years later and with a lot of help that brown line near the surface was underwater just a day ago. Now though comes the hard part, towing this wreck 200 miles across the open ocean toward genoa. Once there she will be broken up for scrap and nick showne having refloated a ship will try to refloat his life. Time to go home. Drive the kids to school, walk the dogs, mow the lawn. And not think about getting big ships off the bottom of the sea. Not for a while, no. Reporter this chapter of the Costa Concordia tragedy is finally coming to an end. Mark phillips, cbs news, giglio, italy. Pelley why is this young man smiling. Well show you in a moment. Looks like were about to board. Mmhmm. Im just comparing Car Insurance rates at progressive. Com. Is that where they show the other guys rates, too . Mmhmm. Cool. Yeah. Hi. Final boarding call for flight 294. [ bells ring on sign ] [ vehicle beeping ] whos ready for the garlic festival . This guy bringing our competitors rates to you now, thats progressive. Take them on the way you always have. Live healthy and take one a day mens 50 . A complete multivitamin with 7 antioxidants to support cell health. Age . Who cares. Pelley Nadine Gordimer was a White South African who wrote about the injustices endured by blacks under apartheid. Gordimer was an early supporter of Nelson Mandela the prisoner who would later become president. Three of her novels were banned in south africa but she had a worldwide following and won the nobel prize in literature in 1991. Nadine gordimer died yesterday in johannesburg. She was 90. Beachgoers came under attack in central russia over the weekend when hailstones shot from the sky. Swimmers ran from the river and took cover as best they could. Children screamed as the hail pounded them but no one was seriously hurt. The air temperature dropped 30 degrees in just a few minutes. Now celebrity sightings in only what, yes, thats warren buffett, not that surprising, only what is his hometown. But look whos with him. Paul mccartney, the beatle and the businessman had dinner last night. And this is tom white, a news celebrity after friends snapped the photo and posted it online. We like toms tshirt it says find your anchor. Amy van dykeen rouen was a role model as an olim pin olympian. She becomes one again as she faces a new challenge. Her story is next. Cut [bell rings] this. Is jane. Her long day on set starts with shoulder pain. And a choice take 6 tylenol in a day which is 2 aleve for. All day relief. Hmm. [bell ring] roll sound action theyre about 10 times softer and may have surface pores where bacteria can multiply. Polident kills 99. 99 of odor causing bacteria and helps dissolve stains so dentures are cleaner, fresher, and brighter. [ male announcer ] polident. Soyou wouldnt have itr, she any other way. Our toes. But your erectile dysfunction it could be a question of blood flow. Cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be Ready Anytime the moments right. You can be more confident in your ability to be ready. And the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. Do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. Do not drink alcohol in excess. Side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. To avoid longterm injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more than four hours. If you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or any allergic reactions like rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. Ask your doctor about experiencing cialis for daily use and a free 30tablet trial. [ male announcer ] thats why theres ocuvite to help replenish key eye nutrients. Ocuvite has a unique formula not found in your multivitamin to help protect your eye health. Ocuvite. Help protect your eye health. Pelley finally tonight its been just over five weeks since former olympic swimmer amy van dykeen rouen suffered a severe spinal injury in an atv accident it changed her life forever. But not her attitude. About how to live it. Barry petersen has her story. Just the main course or the whole meal. On her first trip to a Grocery Store to learn how to shop in a wheelchair, it is clear there is only one word to describe amy van dykeen rouen, irrepressable. Its another moment of progress. Yes. You feel good about this . Yeah, especially because i can reach the top stuff without having to ask anybody. And another word discipline. Come on, legs. The kind it took a kid with asthma to train and win six olympic swimming gold medals, the kind it takes to create a new life with husband tom after an atv accident a month ago left her a paraplegic, a new life she calls scary but fun. You use the word fun which doesnt really come to mind. Why fun for you. It has to be fun this is my new life. I have no other choice. This is what has happened to me. Im a paraplegic. Hi fun before in my life. This new life has to be fun as well. So fun, fun it is. Where is the nerve system that gets severed. Its right in here. Spinal cord specialist mark joe hansen is amys doctor. There may be improvement in the months ahead, but he also had a medical reality check. She cant necessarily affect thatust by her own sheer will. Like i said, if she could, her spinal cord would be healed by now. She would have walked out already. I think she would. If it were that simple. Reporter her goal now is that her new life helps others. Already paraplegics have sent messages saying she is an inspiration to their own healing. She hopes to walk one day, some day. S and be fabulous. But you know what, i can still wear high heels in this chair, they just wont hurt my feet. And youll still be fabulous. I will still be fabulous, absolutely. And fabulous she is. I did it yay barry petersen, cbs news, denver. Pelley and thats the cbs evening news for tonight. For all of us at cbs news all around the world, good night. And good evening, im cbs3 meteorologist kathy orr, were tracking storms on storm scan3, line of storms developing along the i95 corridor, through the city of philadelphia, southeast, through wilmington, and heading toward baltimore and washington. These storms are a history of damaging winds, and thousands of lightning strikes, within the last half hour, weve seen over a thousand lightning strikes. 1,636 to be exact, we continue to add on those strikes. These storms are moving toward the eastnortheast at about 30 miles an hour. At that speed, were talking about drenching downpours in the state of delaware, and christianna by 7 07. And pennsville, by 7 24, in smyrna, by 7 30, and woolwich, by