troops? taking shots. the huge h1n1 swine flu vaccine program starts this week. why are some doctors telling patients not to get vaccinate? deepak chopra, healer, teacher, one man multinational corporation. all he says with no stress. what's his secret? our new series. and, slim pickings. a true halloween scare. the shortage at the pumpkin a true halloween scare. the shortage at the pumpkin patch. captions paid for by abc, inc. good evening. it was a massive attack that could not have come at a more sensitive time. just as president obama is deciding whether to send more troops to afghanistan, or to scale back there, hundreds of militants stormed two u.s. bases near the pakistani border. the fighting lasted for hours. eight americans were killed, making it the deadliest day in

afghanistan in more than a year. nick schifrin is in afghanistan tonight. >> reporter: eastern afghanistan has some of the least hospitable terrain on the planet. it is dangerous and difficult for the u.s., but it is the insurgents' backyard. early saturday morning, hundreds of fighters left a mosque and a nearby village just a few miles from the pakistani border. they attacked two different u.s. bases in a bold and coordinated assault with massive firepower, including assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. outnumbered and in danger of being over-run, u.s. troops called for backup, more troops and helicopters and fighter jets. they repelled the assault, but the fighting lasted the entire day. abc's karen russo landed in nuristan with medics who rescued injured soldiers. >> when we entered this landing zone, you sort of have to corkscrew down so it was a quick and tight decent. when we landed, soldiers on the ground there quickly brought

down there the people that needed to be medivaced out. we were completely open to any sort of attack. you could see the smoke rising up. the smell was really intense. one of the soldiers described it as the smell of death. >> reporter: many u.s. troops in eastern afghanistan have been fighting in remote terrain, away from population centers and on bases that are difficult to defend. the new u.s. policy calls for some of those bases to be closed, and the troops moved to more populated areas. >> we must fus our resources and prioritize those areas where the population is most threatened. we don't have enough forces to do everything everywhere at once. >> reporter: the base that was attacked on saturday morning was supposed to close in just the next few days. and dan, today, the u.s. is worried that the insurgents are planning another attack in the same area. >> nick schifrin reporting from afghanistan tonight, thank you. abc's senior foreign affairs

correspondent martha raddatz is with us from washington. mart martha, picking up on the end of the report there, it sounds like we're in a vulnerable time in afghanistan, given that we're pulling away from the remote bases. how exposed do your sources at the pentagon feel we are right now? >> reporter: well, they're very exposed, and they have been for a long time, and some in the pentagon have argued that the u.s. really has no business being there, because they become bullet magnets. and it's one of the reasons they're pulling back. you hear soldiers complain, we're not doing any good, we can't even clear here. and, basically, you have the fire fights day after day. and it's one of the reasons general mcchrystal wants to move them back from that area. you can have more people coming over from pakistan, more fighters coming over from pakistan to afghanistan. >> but right now, as we do this pullout, are we not especially vulnerable? >> reporter: it is always very difficult to retreat in a way,

dan. but i have talked to officials today, and they said these particular outposts, they had all the people there that they originally had, and all the equipment, so they hadn't started pulling back, but it is dangerous when you start to do that and probably more troops there to help them out. >> after this massive attack, what kind of impact will we see with the debate whether to send more troops or change the strategy and pull some people out? >> reporter: well, i think what happens now, dan, is that it really focuses america's attention, even more than it has been, on what is actually happening on the ground there. we've been talking a lot about this in washington. everybody is studying this. but when you see something like that happen, you know how urgent the problem is. >> martha raddatz, thank you. one more note from the region. the head of the united nations nuclear agency was in iran today, and announced that inspectors will visit the new

iran site. staff members at that u.n. agency tentatively have concluded that iran has the technical know-how to make an atomic bomb. in indonesia, the magnitude of the destruction from wednesday's huge earthquake is becoming increasingly and devastatingly clear, asless kussers reach remote villages. at least 110 people were killed, hundreds more are missing tonight, and clarissa ward is there. >> reporter: even as hope for finding survivors faded away today, the focus on recovery efforts in devastated rural areas intensified. but reaching them is a challenge. roads have literally crumbled away. we've been driving for four h r hours and now we're climbing for another two miles. we are met with scenes of ruin,

uprooted trees, houses crumbled like soda cans. it's not long before we see the first body bags, two boys, ages 10 and 12 swept away by the falling earth. when the quake hit, it caused massive landslides like this one. some of them taking houses, even entire villages with them. authorities now say there could be hundreds of people buried deep under the mud. local rescuers dig into the dirt where a family of 12 used to live. onlookers cover their faces to keep out the stench of decaying bodies. the entire family was killed. and pulling their bodies from beneath slabs of concrete packed deep into the earth is a long and arduous task. "i feel very sad knowing that my family died in such a horrifying way," this relative said. "i just can't imagine what they felt when it happened. where they in pain?" at least four villages in the disaster area have been virtually flattened. in this town, a landslide hit a crowd of some 200 wedding guests, burying them alive. as helicopters circle over trying to bring in more aid,

makeshift aid tents are popping up, offering basic medical attention and shelter to the injured and the homeless. as efforts here shift from rescue to recovery. clarissa ward, abc news, padang, alai. a tie foob has killed at least 17 people in the philippines, and the death toll is expected to rise soon. the storm will linger for several days just off the coast, lashing the northern philippines with heavy rain, making flooding and sandslides, quote, inevilable. in california, as many as 6,000 people have been ordered to evacuate because of a rapidly spreading wildfire. 75 miles east of los angeles, more than 3500 acres have already burned there. abc's brian rooney is on the story. >> reporter: with fire burning in the hims, just outside this mountainesort -- >> mandatory evacuate. sheriff's department, man. >> reporter: authorities went door to do. >> i don't know if you are going to choose to stay or leave -- >> of course we're going to

leave. >> all right, thank you. >> reporter: it started saturday and burned fiercely up a long valley of horse farms as flames moved into the mountains. three homes were lost, as well as farm vehicles left in the path. >> fire hit hard, it hit fast and very explosive. >> reporter: by morning, it was 3500 acres and still being pushed by winds up to 40 miles per hour. with only one road through wrightwood, and several thousands residents, officials decided to empty the town. >> if it gets on that ridge, we're -- we're toast. >> reporter: at the moment, we have a lot of smoke, and not much flame. this is one of the busier areas of the fire, where they have been hitting it from the air. there's a helicopter over my head right now. sort of a wintry wind blowing. it's about 55 degrees. one of those rare fires where it's burning, but you have to wear a jacket. >> brian rooney in california, thank you. six of the nine supreme court justices attended the

so-called red mass today, that's the traditional church service that celebrating the new you disht session. new member sonia sotomayor was there. on the docket for the new term, which starts tomorrow, what could be a historic ruling on gun rights. here's david kerley. >> reporter: a 16-year-old honor student was beaten to death a week ago, seen in this video. this is the same neighborhood where otis mcdobld lives, where his home has been broken into, where his life has been threatened by local thugs. >> my goodness, the young kids are really going to kill me. they really want to kill me. >> reporter: he wants a handgun in his home for security. and he's asking the supreme court to overturn chicago's ban on handguns. >> i know what my rights are, and i have inherited right to own a gun in my own home. >> reporter: there is reason to believe the supreme court may agree. last year, in a landmark case,

the justices declared a gun ban here in washington, d.c. unconstitutional, a violation of an individual's right to bear arms. but d.c. is a federal enclave, so, now gun advates are trying to spread that to all cities and states. >> when they decided it was an individual right in the last case -- you can't say it's an individual rate for citizens in washington, d.c., but not in maine. >> reporter: gun control advocates expect to lose. but even if outright bans are eliminated, that doesn't mean gun ownership will be unregulated. >> the court made it very clear that the second amendment right is not unlimited, and there can be restrictions on who gets guns, what kind of guns they get, how they're carried and store. >> reporter: challenges to those restrictions will be the next battle, and the high court appears poised to give more ammunition to those who want to make gun ownership easier. david kerley, abc news, the

supreme court. and coming up here on "world news" this sunday, the government rushes out the biggest flu vaccine program in history. so, why do so many people say they won't take it? the multimillion dollar spiritual teacher who says he lives a life of zero stress and you can, too. it's our new series, "happiness, inc." and scary news from the pumpkin patch. could there be a jack o lantern shortage this year? (announcer) funny thing about sinus pressure you can blow your nose but nothing comes out! advil cold & sus knows that the real problem isn't always mucus. it's often swellin caus by inflammation in your nasal passages. the right medicine for the real problem is advil cold & sinus with a strong decongestant that reduces swelling to relieve sinus pressure plus the power of advil for the pain. advil cold & sinus. the right medicine for the real problem. ask for the red box at the pharmacy counter.

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and i'm doing more of what i want to do. so we're clear, it doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. my doctor said 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. my copd often meant i had to wait to do what i wanted to do. now i take symbicort and it significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. symbicort has made a significant difference in my breathing... now more of my want to's are can do's. ask your doctor about symbicort today. i got my first prescription free. call or go online to learn more. (announcer) if you cannot afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help.

to today is the official start of the flu season, and starting vaccinations could be handed seeing widespread flew activity. fiercest prevention battle ever. but not everyone is convinced. here's john mckenzie. >> reporter: after months of planning and testing, the first patches of h1n1 swine flu >> well this is clearly the most ever mounted in the united states or anywhere in the world. the number of doses of vaccine, the quickness with which the vaccine has been produced. massive distribution effort. shipments this week include of injectable vaccine. another 40 to 50 million doses should be ready the following

week with supplies shipped every week after that. a total of 250 million doses in all. in oregon, like in many states, a command center will direct its vaccine shipments. the vaccine priority list includes pregnant women, health care workers, young people six months to 24 years of age, and people with chronic health conditions. >> i do want people to feel some sense of your jen sill about getting vaccinated. i think it's important. it's not something they should put off for six months. >> reporter: but that's exactly what many americans are now considering. a recent survey finds that about six in ten adults are not certain they'll get vaccinated, and about four in ten parents are not certain they'll get their children vaccinated. >> no, i don't think i will. i'm not terribly concerned about getting it. >> reporter: even some doctors are adving patients to postpone vaccination. works or last. exactly the way the annual

we're very secure about how it was produced and how it was tested. this is a safe vaccine, and it's going to be very effective. >> reporter: now, on the eve of distribution, the most challenging part of this whole effort may be convincing enough americans to actually get vaccinated. york. and coming up, behind the deepak chopra. leads a stress-free life. it's our new series "happiness inc." last year, dad came down with a really bad flu.

really bad. then we learned that a flu st can reduce the risk of getting the flu by up to 70%. we got our flu shots at cvs pharmacy. best thing we ever did. yes, indeed. [ laughs ] come in to get a flu shot today and get a $100 coupon book just for stopping by. go to cvs.com to find a flu shot location near you. a day on the days that you have arthritis pain, you could end up taking times the number... of pills compared to aleve. choose aleve and you could start taking fewer pills. just 2 aleve have the strength... to relieve arthritis pain all day. it's not always easy living with copd, but i try not to let it hold me back... whether i'm at the batting cages... down by the lake or... fishing at the shore. i'm breathing better... with spiriva. announcer: spiriva is the only once-daily

inhaled maintenance treatment for both forms of copd, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. i take it every day. it keeps my airways open... to help me breathe better all day long. and it's not a steroid. announcer: spiriva does not replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms. st taking spiriva and call your doctor if your breathing suddenly worsens, your throat or tongue swells, you get hives, or have vision changes or eye pain. tell your doctor if you have glaucoma, problems passing urine or an enlarged prostate, as these may worsen with spiriva. also discuss the medicines you take, even eye drops. side effects may include dry mouth, constipation and trouble passing urine. my doctor said i could be doing more to breathe better and now i am. announcer: ask your doctor about lifestyle changes and once-daily spiriva.

toni tonight we're starting a new series called "happiness inc" where we go behind the scenes of spiritual leaders who are feeding an appetite for meaning that seems to be growing. last year, americans spent $11 billion on self-improvement books, cds and the like, up more than 13% since 2005. so, we spent a week trling one of the industry's superstars, >> the purr purpose of life is the expansion of happiness.

people. >> reporter: in between tweets, everything from spirituality >> reporter: and has a pair of celebrities at $22 million a year. in the week we followed chopra, book. >> your body, your mind and environment. >> reporter: and he does all of i just can't -- spontaneity.

>> reporter: that sounds great. i just can't quite figure out how to get from this side of the table to yours. understanding how your mind sabotages you. the way chopra tames his mind is meditation. >> you're comfortable. close your eyes. >> reporter: he says you need to picture your mind as a rushing river of thoughts, from your daily errands to your dreams to your fears and resentments. and chopra says meditation makes >> as you meditate more and happy. he smoked and drank and worked >> i suddenly one day got up, and it was dramatic. i said, i've been there, done that, it's over. >> reporter: he became a pioneer

in the field of mind-body medicine, writing books and bodies. it made him a huge hit with celebrities like michael jackson a little far-out about the power miraculous recoveries from things like aids and cancer. >> a miracle is something you don't have an explanation for. when you have an explanation for it, you call it science. many of today's miracles will be thought-provoking. you sent me an e-mail the other day, i was hing a really bad day. you sent me an e-mail, and you said, remember that in finty is around you all the time.

what does that mean? wherever you are, you are the center of the universe. binality, literally, that it takes the wonder out of our existence. >> and you can see much more of pumpkin patch. what is behind a jack o lantern shortage this halloween? abcnews.com. coming up next, a pumpkin patch. what is behind a jack o lantern here to tell a story. semi retired and i'm my parents all smoked. my grandparents smoked. i've been a long-time smoker. you know, discouragement is a big thing in quitting smoking. i'm a guy who had given up quitting. what caused me to be interested was,

chantix is not a nicotine product and that intrigued me. the doctor said while you're taking it you can continue to smoke during the first week. (announcer) chantix is proven to reduce the urge to smoke. in studies, 44% of chantix users were quit during weeks 9 to 12 of treatment, compared to 18% on sur pill. today i see myself as a jolly old man, (laughing) who doesn't have to smoke. ...who doesn't have to sneak out to take a couple puffs of a cigarette anymore. (announcer) herb quit smoking with chantix and support. talk to your doctor about chantix and a support plan that's right for you. some people have had changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice agitation, hostility, depression or changes in behavior, thinking or mood that are not typical for you,

or if you develop suicidal thoughts or actions, stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. talk to your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which can get worse while taking chantix. some people can have allergic or serious skin reactions to chantix, some of which can be fe threatening. if you notice swelling of face, mouth, throat or a rash stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away. tell your doctor which medicines you are taking as they may work differently when you quit smoking. chantix dosing may be different if you have kidney problems. the most common side effect is nausea. patients also reported trouble sleeping and vivid, unusual or strange dreams. until you know how chantix may affect you, use caution when driving or operating machinery. chantix should not be taken with other quit smoking products. the urges weren like they used to be, and that help me quit. (announcer) talk to your doctor to find out if prescription chantix is right for you.

pi picking out a pumpkin for halloween is one of the rights of autumn in some parts of the country this year, the scariest

part of halloween could be taking your child to a pumpkin patch that is empty. if you want to get a sense of how important pumpkins are to halloween, just consult 4-year-old emilia. are you going to make a funny face? >> no, a scary face. >> reporter: what is truly scary right now is that all throughout the northeast, pumpkin growers like roger and kevin pell are coming up short. after a cold, wet spring, the pells are having their worst season in the 40 years they've owned this farm in connecticut. >> this field we had a total crop failure. >> reporter: it's starting to feel like a scene out of "it's the a great pumpkin, charlie brown." >> oh, great pumpkin where are you? >> reporter: elainedy peer rojas pumpkins in her store in new

jersey now but she's worried she'll run out come crunch time. so the night mare scenario is that some 5 year old comes in on october 29th. >> we'll have to find them -- we'll have to find them even if we have to go as far as ohio, we will. >> reporter: and that's the good pumpkins in other parts of the so while it may cost more, stores in the northeast should be able to import enough for halloween. can you imagine a halloween without pumpkins? >> then you have a bad day. >> reporter: you have a bad day. >> yeah. >> that's going to do it for "world news" on this sunday. i'm dan harris. thanks for watching, and have a i'm dan harris. thanks for watching, and have a great night.

what kind of person writes a thesis calling working women "detrimental to the family..." then lies about his opponent to cover up his own record? the post said bob mcdonnell took office and began passing his social agenda... and the post confirmed that he voted to deny access to birth control. they said mcdonnell even opposed equal pay for women. no matter what his ads say, bob mcdonnell can't cover up his record. i'm creigh deeds, candidate for governor, and my campaign sponsored this ad. >> more u.s. troops were killed in afgh