toyota under fire. congress to investigate the auto giant's unprecedented recall. terror trials. the government reconsiders its decision to try 9/11 suspects in new york city. and literary legend. j.d. sallinger, the mysterious author of one of the best selling books of all-time passes away. this is the "cbs morning news" away. this is the "cbs morning news" for friday, january 29th, 2010. captioning funded by cbs good morning and thanks for joining us. i'm michelle gielan. the situation is serious. that's what japan's trade minister has to say about the massive recall by toyota. some 8 million vehicles in all. today congress will announce it's launching an investigation and toyota has begun ships parts to repair faulty gas pelds, but it's up clear when consumers will be able to get their cars fixed. jeff glor reports. report the problem seems to get bigger every day. as millions of toyota owners wonder if the vehicles they're driving are safe. >> i would really hate to be on the highway and then just be going at a top rate speed and not be able to control the vehicle. >> reporter: the latest recall involves five models, 2008 through 2010 highlanders, and corollas, venzas, matrixes and the pontiac vibe made in 2009 or 2010. toyota said they're closing in on solutions to a gas pedal problem that now affects more than 2.4 million vehicles. spread beyond the united states to china and europe. but they still have no details on exactly when drivers will see repairs or how. at issue in part is a problem with the accelerator which in rare cases gets stuck. possibly because of a condensation buildup that makes it unable to spring back properly. one consumer group says that has led to more than 2,000 sdintsd since 1999, including at least 275 crashes and 18 deaths. toyota has pointed to the maker of the acceleratoaccelerator, c says it has ramped up production of redesigned pelgtds. but that still leaves current drivers in limbo. what to do with their vehicles. >> my wife freaked out this morning and said it was unsafe to drive the car and so we can't drive the car. >> reporter: for toyota, a still developing business embarrassment. >> i think in the short term it will be very damaging for toyota and the toy owe it take fans and loyalists. >> reporter: and for millions of drivers, a continuing life and death concern. jeff glor, cbs news, new york. the white house is reconsidering its decision to hold 9/11 terror trials in new york city in the wake of growing opposition from political leaders. the obama administration wanted admitted 9/11 master immediate khalid shaikh mohammed and four accomplices to be tried in lower manhattan. michael bloomberg originally supported the plan but then changed his mind. >> it would be great if the federal government could find a site that didn't cost a billion dollars, which using downtown will, and it will also impact traffic and commerce and people's lifestyles downtown. and it would be great if we didn't do it. >> bloomberg called the justice department yesterday to voice his opposition. new york congressman peter king has introduced a bill that would block funding for the trials. president obama visits the opposition today, meeting house republicans at their gathering in baltimore. the president will also propose a $33 billion tax credit designed to boost small business. tara mergener is in had washington with details. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. well, a similar plan was shot down by congress just last month, but today the president will try to win points with the gop. president obama will roll out his new plan today aimed at getting small businesses to start hiring again. >> the true engines of job creation here in america are america's businesses. >> reporter: a day after reconnecting with americans in florida, he'll tour a small business in baltimore and offer more details about the proposal. it's estimated that $33 billion program would help 1 million businesses. it would include a $5,000 tax credit for every new employee hired this year. the amount will be capped at $500,000 per firm to make sure small companies get the benefits. businesses that increase wages or hours for their existing employees would be reimbursed for the have a social security payroll taxes they would pay. the president wants to pay for the plan with the savings from the $700 billion wall street bailout, but that will be up to congress. the president will have a chance to sell his proposal to the gop later today. >> i want the republicans off the sidelines. i want them working with us to solve problems. >> reporter: he'll address house republicans during their retreat in baltimore, but it may be a tough crowd. >> we're going to look for common ground, but we're not going to roll over on our principles, we're not going to vote for things that we believe will hurt our country. >> reporter: president obama will need republican support more than ever this year if he wants to pass his ambitious agenda. both sides agree true cooperation is key. the real battle now is achieving it. and some republicans are already skeptical saying employers won't hire anyway until there is more demand for their products. michelle, back to you. >> tara mergener in washington. thank you. more sleet and freezing rain is expected in the southern plains today. oklahoma is catching the brunt of a powerful storm that's knocked out you power to tens of thousands. major highways were closed in oklahoma, texas and new mexico. officials say it could take days before electricity is completely restored. former prime minister tony blair testifies this morning before the british inquiry into the iraq war. blair's expected to defend his decision to join the invasion of iraq back in 2003. at issue is whether blair committed british troops to the war before getting the approval of the parliament. and there are allegations that blair was so intent on getting rid of saddam hussein that his administration exaggerated intelligence reports. meantime, the war in afghanistan rages on. security forces battle taliban fighters in the southern part of the country this morning. the taliban forces at least seven men with suicide vests and machine guns attacked u.n. and government buildings. two weeks ago, the taliban launched a similar attack in the afghan capital. on the cbs "moneywatch," stocks in asia took a nose dive this morning and emily smith is here in new york with that and more. emily, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. that's right, asian markets dropped sharply today. the nikkei lost more than 2%, the hang seng slipped about 1%. that follows yesterday's tough day on wall street where the dow sank 155 points, the nasdaq gave back 42. the government is expected it to mouns today the economy grew about 4.5% in the last three months of 2009. that would be a major jump. some analysts think it could be as high as 6%, a rate growth not seen since 2003. still, others fear it's just temporarily and the economy could slip back into recession. america's top banker is staying on the job. the senate confirmed ben bernanke to serve a second term as chair man of the federal reserve. the vote was 70-30, the closest ever for a fed chairman. bernanke had become a lightning rod for krit assign over wall street bailouts. ford has stopped production of some vehicles made in china. they're worried because those packer tos use gas pedals made by the same company behind toyota's massive recall. a sposs man says they're still determining if if they have a problem. this week ford announced either first yearly profit since 2005. and imagine having a job with unlimited paid vacation time. well, a company in seattle washington has done just that. social is the trata, which does online networking if people in businesses, announced it's doing away with restrictions for every kind of leave, including funeral, jury, maternity, and vacation. the company's president says everyone in the office is a gasolineup, so why not treat them like one. michelle, i'm looking, seattle washington might not be a bad lays to live. >> absolutely right. emily smith here in new york. emily, thanks. just ahead on the "morning news," a driver safety. very interesting. do cell phone bans really work? plus, a set back for the defense in the trial of a man accused of killing an abortion doctor. first katie couric has a preview of tonight's "cbs evening news". president obama wants to give over a billion more dollars more to shake up our nation's struggling school systems, so why don't some teachers' unions agree? tonight only on the "cbs evening news." introducing fast crystal packs. a new way from alka-seltzer plus to... get cold and flu relief in a taste-free, fizz-free powder. alka-seltzer plus. what shape are your kids in? campbell's kid soups add a unique natural sea salt for a healthy level of sodium and no artificial flavors. they're a healthy lunch choice you can both feel great about. ♪ so many, many reasons ♪ it's so m'm! m'm! good! ♪ concern about distracted driving is on the rise, so many cities and states are making it i will rely to send text messages or talk on cell phones behind the wheel. but a new study suggests the laws may do no good. an insurance industry think tank studied collision claims in locations around the country that ban cell phone use by drivers. it found no evidence the laws keep motorists safer. >> these are the only studies we know of how well the laws are working and we see no effect. if you're thinking that even acting these laws is going to give you a big reduction in crashes, it's not coming. >> reporter: the study also found no difference in the number of crashes involving handheld versus hands free cell phones about. a man on trial in wichita, kansas for the shooting death of an abortion doctor admits did he it. skoet roader's defense lawyers call it voluntary manslaughter, but this a surprise ruling, the judge told jurors they may only consider a charge of first-degree murder. dean reynolds has more. >> reporter: at his trial, 51-year-old scott roader calmly admitted what he's never denied. >> on may 31th, 2009, did you go to the reformation lutheran church and shoot and kill george tiller? >> yes. >> reporter: nor did roader dispute any of the evidence in the slaying of the late term abortion provider. he said he once thought of chopping off tiller's hands with a sword or ramming his car, but everily chose to shoot him in the forehead. >> i did what i thought was needed to be done to protect the children, i shot him. >> reporter: road, who stopped for a pizza after the shooting told the court he views abortion as murder. >> it is not man's job to take life, it is our heavenly father's. >> reporter: he tried repeatedly to testify about abortion and various procedures. >> where they go in and tear the baby limb from limb. >> reporter: he called the shooting his admission yet he has pleaded not guilty of murder. instead, they had hoped to consider reducing the charge to voluntary manslaughter, but after listening to testimony all day and once the defense had rested its case, district judge warren wilbert rejected that argument and told the jury not to consider the lesser charge. they he then called for closing ats friday. if convicted of first-degree murder, roeder could get life in prison. dean reynolds, cbs news, chicago. straight ahead, your friday morning weather. and in sports, a great scott moment for andy murray in the australian open. there was a time i wouldn't step out of the house without my makeup. now, it's no problem. 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( sneezing ) ( moaning ) get over your cold faster. now try new throat-soothing liqui-loz and great-tasting zavors. but that's why i have a gps, guiding me. so i know i'll end up exactly where i want to be. turbotax does the same thing for my taxes. its unique gps feature shows me a step-by-step path through my return, and automatically double-checks along the way so i get every deduction i deserve. which helps me know it's done right and find just what i'm looking for-- my maximum refund, guaranteed. announcer: try turbotax now. here's a look at today's weather. a mix of sleet and freezing rain will glaze the southern plains and ten see valley. heavy rain soaks much of the deep south. and it will be very cold from the midwest to the northeast. hers another look at this morning's top stories. it's expected congress will announce an investigation into the toyota recall today. toyota has begun shipping repair parts for the defective gas pedals, about you it's unclear when they will be available. and winter storm warnings remain in effect for oklahoma and much of the texas panhandle this morning. a fierce storm has knocked out power to tense of thousands and closed major highways. it's the little red book that captured the imagination of countless young people. the "catcher in the rye." a story of rebellion, adventure, and and i will yep nation that rings through nearly 60 years after it was first published. its author, j.d. salinger, who lived his life in the shadows, died wednesday at the age of 91. jeff greenfield reports. >> reporter: from its very opening, the book's plain spoken, sometimes profane words hit mid century america like a bottle 6 lightning. if you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to no is he where i was worn and what my lousy childhood was like. j.d. salinger's the catcher in the rye oig, was a literary sensation from its first appearance in 1951. its central figure 16-year-old holden caulfield, is one of the most recognizable figures in 20th century american fiction. in his feelings of isolation and awkwardness, holden caulfield was an early version of the post-war disaffected young. james dean in rebel without a cause, dustin hoffman, a decade later in the graduate. >> mrs. robinson, you're trying to a dues me. >> reporter: the character was embraced by millions from artists and writers to the deeply troubled mark david chatman, who said he killed john lennon in 190 to promote the book. the rough language in holden's brooding thoughts also matt catcher in the rye oig also controversial. at one point in the 1980s, it was the most accept soared and second most assigned book in american public high schools. after catcher, salinger published a series of short snoers the new yorker, but nothing since 1965. he lived the last half century in cornish, new hampshire, shunning all interviews, plagued by intrusive fans as neighbor jerry recounts. >> he opened the drapes and said there are people out there looking in and sometimes stealing t-shirts and underwear offly closes line. >> reporter: for years rumors flourish wood books he wrote but never published, so it just may be that which is w. his death, salinger's unique voice will once again be heard. jeff greenfield, cbs news, new york. a hidden gem goes public today for the first time in 50 years, a rare 31 carat blue diamond goes on display at the smithsonian institute. it dates back to the 17th century and has been passed down through several european royal families. in 2008, the diamond was sold at auction for more than $24 million. it will be exhibited in the same hall as another famous blue stone, the hope diamond, which is described as a distant cousin. this morning on "the early show," we'll have singer taylor swift as we preview the grammy awards. i'm michelle gielan and this is the "cbs morning news." i'm maki ng changes to suort my metabolism. i'm more active, i eat right, and i switched to new one a day women's active metabolism. a complete women's multivitamin plus more for metabolism support. and that's a change i feel good about. new from one a day. rob, what's up? how's it going? how's it going? guys, this is my cousin rob from michigan. whazzup! he's a teenager. totally. hey, what's up? rob: all right. whoa. hey, you wanna slow down? no. really? huh. hey! do you know what a beautiful animal is? a horse. a horse. yeah. beautiful mane. unbelievable muscle tone. when it runs, it looks like poetry in motion. it's the most beautiful thing on earth. and sometimes when you feed a horse, its lips will tickle your hand. just, just tickle it just a little bit. it makes me giggle sometimes. i don't know. i guess what i'm trying to say is, if you don't slow down, i'm going to bite into your head like an apple. and thanks, guys, for listening to my horse stories. i could talk about ponies all day long. v.a. is reaching out to veterans who are thinking about suicide. reach back now. don't wait. call 1-800-273-talk and press "1." thousands of veterans have had the courage to call. how about you? good morning. i'm andrea roane. a joyful return home for the fairfax search and rescue team. family and friends met their loved ones as they got off the buses. they say while they saw many difficult scenes, they'd go back in a heart beat. family and friends grieve for a dc teenager. they held a vigil in honor of calvin woodland, junior at the scene where he was gunned down.