Good evening, everyone, im jeff glor. Syrian rebels tonight are ramping up their adult assault on damascus and a legalo the countrys largest city. The u. N. Peace envoy met with u. N. And Russian Diplomats trying to broker a ceasefire. At the same time there is growing concern tonight over al qaedas influence in the rebel ranks. David martin is at the pentagon. Reporter video said to show the aftermath of a syrian air strike provides graphic evidence of a lifeanddeath battle which high level diplomats say is bad and getting worse. Despite its air power the assad regime appears increasingly on the defensive against rebel forces which according to israels ambassador to the u. S. Include a growing number of radical islamist. The jihadi presence is big and getting bigger. And the longer the conflict goes on there, the bigger it will get. The jihadies are an offshoot of al qaeda in iraq which ones fought a no holds bar battle against american troops. According to Jeffrey White a former analyst for the Defense Intelligence agency, they are now turning the tide against the assad regime. They are very good. They give the rebels a combat edge. They are quite willing to dichlt they fight on all key fronts. Theyre involved in many of the key actions. These are not people we want to win. But the rebels making inroads on damascus itself, monitoring of syrian bases like this where chemical weapons are stored has detected evidence the assad regime may be preparing to use them in a last ditch attempt to save itself, an act the Obama Administration has warned could trigger military intervention. Worstcase scenarios are threatening to become reality. Its to the going to be a clean outcome. In the best of circumstances. Now it will be chaotic and messy. The u. S. Is helping to organize the oppositions military command and later this week is expected to officially recognize its political leadership. What impact that has on the outcome of the civil war remains to be seen. David martin, thank you. In egypt the concession offered late yesterday by president Mohammed Morsi has failed to satisfy hits opponents. And tonight the regime appears to be preparing for the long haul. Allen pizzey is in cairo. In a scene of chaotic as the countrys politics, egypts main Opposition Group its tonight rejected the constitution drawn up by the government, along with a referendum on it scheduled for next week en. In doing so they also said no to a form of compromise offered by president Mohammed Morsi who late last night rescinded a decree giving him unlited powers. Morsi immediately issued a new decree that does of the same thing with the figure leave of a totally new constitution within six months. If the referendum rejects the present draft. The opposition is convicted morsis Muslim Brotherhood wants to redraw the face of egypt. But the final goal isnt that clear according to khalid fahmy. They have an agenda of controlling all the institutions of the state. For what purpose, is significant to know. It is not necessarily to turn it into an islamic country. Reporter whatever the case the president ial palace is being turn mood a fortress under siege. Barricades to keep protestors back have been reinforced which may be a good thing. The opposition called for nationwide protests on tuesday. Morsi today ordered the military to maintain security and protect state institutions and poers with of arrest. Just to add to the pain and anger the government announced price hikes over a broad range of goods and services from water and electricity to cooking gas and cigarettes. Egypt is in for a noisy week. Allen pizzey, cbs news, cairo. Jeff back in washington president obama and House Speaker john boehner did meet at the white house this afternoon. For more talks on the fiscal cliff. Details were not released but both sides say lines of communication remain open. On face the nation Erskine Bowles cochair of the Bipartisan Deficit Commission told Bob Schieffer hes a bit more optimistic than he was a week ago. We were going through the cab ukee theatre, one side making an offer, the other rejecting it and that is pretty natural in any deal. But you know, theyve started to tango now and you know any time you got two guys in there tangoing you got a chance to get it done. Meanwhile urging both sides to get this done Jeffrey Immelt chairman of General Electric spoke to charlie rose. I would say the Business Community almost universitily speaks with one voice that this needs to get done and get done now. And moving it to next year is just failure. Jeff you can see the full Jeffrey Immelt interview first thing tomorrow on cbs this morning. Big business is to the alone in wanting to avoid the fiscal cliff. Tonight Randall Pinkston with 9 worries of small business. Reporter retired army officer rod hudson runs a 13 man business that operates at the centre of national security. We make sampling kit its for weapons of mass destruction. Reporter quickslirl analytics allow them to test for an tlex anthrax, chemical and nuclear materials. Every air force base recently bought a sampling kit. All the special forces guys, coast guard strike teams. Reporter but now with the postelection budget fight in washington over the fiscal cliff, hudsons business faces a battle on three fronts. All of which are up in the air. Defense cuts, tax hikes, employee healthcare costs. Uncertainty kills businesses, because you cant plan. You cant program, you cant forecast. With defense spending on the chopping block, even with Congress Avoids the fiscal cliff, hudson predicts that 15 slowdown in orders next year. It could be june before we start seeing orders. And if thats true, i will end up laying off people. Hudson is also concerned about taxes. Because its profits are treated as income, that puts them over 250,000 a year. The level where president obama wants taxes to go up. Im supposedly a risk guy. I dont think so. I think we ought to pay our share. But that could have a Significant Impact to the point that i may have to lay off one or two more people. The Financial Impact of the Affordable Health care act is also a question mark as the plan slowly phases in. I believe in families and support and the employeesment but again its a big unknown. We have looked at whether it might just be beneficial to cancel insurance and pay the penalties. Like any military man, hudson is running every scenario to stay in business. Its really sad, isnt it . And weve got to fight our own system to survive. An attitude shared by many small entrepreneurs as they wait and watch. Randall pinkston, cbs news, new york. Jeff back overseas south africas former president Nelson Mandela remains in the hospital tonight. And as Mark Phillips reports 9 entire country is holding its breath. When the much respected man seens a the saviour of his country is rushed to the hospital, its a question of hold the front page. Nelson mandela was brought to this Military Hospital in the capitol pretoria for what is being described as a routine visit, tests, nothing to be alarmed about, the South African government says. But theres no such thing as routine for a 94yearold man known to be in frail health. And people are worried. We are praying that he gets well soon and back strong again soon. And that that the tests come out positive. Reporter normally mandela spends his time at his home village about 500 miles away. This was him at his 94th Birthday Celebration last july when he seemed physically well if mentally dete time. But now hes in the hospital again, and a Security Court has been set up. South africas current president jacob zuna says he looks well and is getting good care. But the reverence for mandela is such that details of his condition are rarely discussed in public. And there have been several recent health scarce. A chest infection, abdominal pain, a prostate problem. Each time Nelson Mandela is hospitalized there is cause for concern. Yet each time so far hes managed to beat the odds. So in the same kind of resill yeferns he has all his life. And here and around the world people will be hoping he does it again. Mark philips cbs news, pretoria. Venezuela president hugo chavez is returning to cuba for treatment for a third time for Cancer Treatment. Chavez supporters turned out in dismay after the announcement which included word that chavez for the first time has named a successor in case he cant return. Later, a homecoming for items pilfered from one of the worlds most famous hotels. As a kidnapped american doctor is rescued in afghanistan today, we take a deeper look at how u. S. And Afghan Special forces are trying to work together. And a treatment that offers new hope for children with leukemia. Those stories when the cbs evening news continues. Bayer aspirin was the first thing the emts gave me. Now, im on a bayer aspirin regimen. [ male announcer ] be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. [ woman ] learn from my story. I took my son fishing every year. We had a great spot, not easy to find, but worth it. But with co making it hard to breathe, i thought those days might be over. So my doctor prescribed symbicort. It helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes. Symbicort doesnt replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. With symbicort, today im breathing better. And that means. Fish on symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It should not be taken more than twice a day. Symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. 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One a day womens 50 is a complete multivitamin designed for Womens Health concerns as we age. It has 7 antioxidants to support cell health. One a day 50 . Ask. Will plane carrying popular Mexican American singer jenny rivera has crashed in mexico. The 43yearold americanborn singer was on board a leer jet that left monterey in northern mexico after a show last night. The wreckage was found today in a remote area. Rivera sold 15 million albums during her career and was nominated for four latin grammys. Dallas cowboys Football Player josh brent was released on 500,000 bond today. He is charged with intoxication manslaughter after a deadly crash yesterday. Police say brent was drunk when he ran off the road. His passenger teammate jerry brown died. Brent did plead guilty to driving under the influence three years ago. An experimental Cancer Treatment that works in adults is showing equal promise tonight in children. The treatment pioneered by university of pennsylvania researchers uses a patients own immune cells to kill the cancer. In an ongoing test of 10 adults and two children with advanced leukemia nine of the patients are responding positively including both children. Elaine quijano has more. Reporter two years ago Emily Whitehead was just five when her mother carry felt something was wrong. I noticed one evening when i was giving her a bath that she had a lot of black and blue mark its all over her body. Emily had all, acute lympho blass particular lieu keep ya, curable in 85 of children who undergo chemotherapy. But for emily, chemo didnt work. She thinks her dog lucy knew it first when her cancer came back. She wouldnt play with me, she would just sit. Do you think she knew you were sick. Yeah. Emily was too sick for more chemo so her family turned to an experimental therapy at the Childrens Hospital of philadelphia. Dr. Steven grupp is leading the study. This is a whole new way of treating cancer. And the idea is that were redirecting the cells of the immune system against the cancer. Scientists use the patientee own immune cells called tcell, white blood cells that help fight infection. They remove the tcells genetically engineer them to attack leukemia cells, and inject them back into the patient. The engineered tcell in gray attacks the cancer cells tinted green. The cells actually grow within the patient, and can attack a large amount of cancer cell its. Emily received an infusion of her engineered tcells last april. She suffered life threatening complications. They took us out in the hall and said there is no room to get sicker. She is as sick as you can get, you know. They said you should call your family in, theres a pretty good chance she wont be here in the morning. Doctor its managed the toxic effect and ten days later she showed dramatic improvement. We cant find any leukemia in her body usinging the most sensitive tests we have. Emily has been cancerfree for eight months. If it doesnt come back for two years, her doctors can declare her cured. Elaine quijano, cbs news, pennsylvania. Jeff Prince William cancelled a scheduled appearance today to stay home with his wife katherine, while attending a charity ball last night he commented on her pregnancy which sent her to the hospital. He said i dont know why they call it morning sickness, they should call it all day and all night sickness. In the state of washington samesex weddings took place for the first time today. The courthouse in seattle welcomed couples to take their vows just after midnight after voter as proved a law allowing their marriages last month. Snow is finally getting to parts of the midwest. The first major storm of the season moved into areas of minnesota and wisconsin today. It is expected to dump as much as 10 inches of snow. Iowa just got a trace this weekend. 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Look one selectasize sheet of bounty is 50 more absorbent than a full size sheet of the leading ordinary brand. Use less. With the small but powerful picker upper, bounty selectasize. Jeff an american doctor who had been kidnapped by the taliban in afghanistan was rescued. Dr. Dill i joseph if Colorado Springs was taken wednesday outside cab you will. One u. S. Service worker was killed in the operation. And it comes as the u. S. Shift morse responsibility for the countrys security to the afghan militariment recently cbs news producers erin lieal and nick turner spent times with what both sides hope becomes a model for the future. My name is Sergeant MajorRichard Burdette and im the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Afghan NationalArmy Special Operations advisory group. The end goal is to have an afghan face, as it were, on everything. Because its their country. They need to be leading the attack. They need to be fighting the insurgents. My name is Fayez Mohammed wafa, the special operations of the afghan command. We have almost 12,000 soldiers on the ground. Theyre fighting. Do you remember we were talking about 9 Computer Class and english class. Sergeant major wafa is my afghan partner. I think of him as a rock star. He can speak irdu, pashtu, uzbek, dari, english. He is very comfortable in front of his men. Im very lucky that i get to work with him. In look at the whole picture. The challenge for us, for me and for my commander is always to choose the right soldiers and train them. He is dealing with a new army, the structures in that army are not institutionalized like they are in our army, a strong leader like feweasy wafa is awesome. They are awe so they are trying to learn something better, they are growing their job and 2350i9ing for the freedom of afghan stand. The commanders are volunteers. They go through rigorous training so they have a higher calibre of soldier who wants to be there. So i think they have fewer problems than in the rest of the afghan army. I want to do Something Special for my people. We never hide anything for our population. We respect them, we respect their culture, family, children, teachers farnlders. I am very confident in Sergeant Major wafa. I have grown to trust him very much. Which follow him anywhere. And i think he would follow me. He is, in fact, a brother in recall a its. Thank you, brother. See you tomorrow. Jeff still ahead, many happy returns of items lifted by guests from the waldorfastoria hotel. Not easy. But with copd making it hard to breathe, i thought those days might be over. So my doctor prescribed symbicort. It helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes. Symbicort doesnt replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. With symbicort, today im breathing better. And that means. Fish on symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It should not be taken more than twice a day. Symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. Tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high Blood Pressure before taking it. With copd, i thought id miss our family tradition. Now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. And that makes a difference in my breathing. Today, were ready for whatever swims our way. Ask your doctor about symbicort. I got my first prescription free. Call or click to learn more. [ male announcer ] if you cant afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. Up high ok. Dont you have any usefull apps on that thing . Who do you think i am, quicken loans . At quicken loans, our amazingly useful mortgage calculator app allows you to quickly calculate your mortgage payment based on todays incredibly low interest rates. Right from your iphone or android smartphone. One more way quicken loans is engineered to amaze. 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Common side effects include skin redness or irritation where applied, increased red blood cell count, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, and increase in psa. See your doctor, and for a 30day free trial, go to axiron. Com. Many people leave hotels with more than we are supposed to. From towels to tea cups. One of the most familiar sus offering a unique Amnesty Program. Bring it back, be forgiven, be part of history. Heres tony guida. Welcome to the waldorf. Thank you so much. Very few guests of new yorks waldorfastoria merit a greeting from one of the hotels top executives. But matt and betsies are not just any guests they come bearing gifts. Its my pleasure to return this to you. Thank you. A single cup ceramic teapot with silver trim, an heirloom in the mullener family for 75 years, pilfered from the waldorf. Ive never been able to use it because it always had that taint about it. The taint of of to the being entirely legitimate. The mulleners teapot joins a hoard of waldorf contraband back home safely after years in the cuss tote of light fingered guests. Thats from 1947, a couple here on their honeymoon. An Amnesty Program says the waldorfs matt sgloldby, the lot el reclaiming some history and collecting marketing tales for facebook and twitter. This gives us a chance to shape the waldorf in the minds of the next generation to show them what luxury really is. These knives, this is from paula herald, the broadway producer. Reporter just a couple of butter nifls but to paula heralds grandmother a symbol she had been somewhere grand. Who know, you know, she only went to the waldorf twice, she might have taken all the silver wear. A banquet soup tureen. She said she and her husband were paupers when they acquired it. One wonders how they sming eled it out. A fork from a couple on honeymoon 65 years ago. I like the idea that they are trying to get their history in order. And its fun to contribute to that. The waldorfs product gal bounty will reside in display cases around the hotel. Matt and put see mullener say they plan to visit that purloined teapot often. Tony guida, cbs news, new york. That is the cbs evening news tonight. Later on cbs 60 minutes. Im jeff glor, cbs news in new york. Scott pelley will be here tomorrow. Good night. Captioning sponsored by cbs