has there ever been a year like this? >> there horero. >> no, numbers are up across the board. >> reporter: figuring out what's causing all of these spikes in officer deaths will take time, but sheriff countryman has no doubt that one of the main suspects is covid-19. >> when we increase fighting crime, when we arrest people, we can't ask them, "have you been vaccinated?" >> reporter: this is preliminary data. and so in the final tally, the number of covid-related officer deaths in 2021 could very likely go up. this as some of the largest police unions across the country fight vaccine mandates. norah. >> o'donnell: jeff pegues, thanks. well, across the northeast, this

well, tonight, we are getting our first look at pictures of north korea's latest ballistic missile launch, and it comes after a mysterious ground stop by the f.a.a. almost immediately after the launch. >> reporter: the latest north korean missile test, conducted under the watchful eye of kim jong-un, was never a threat to the united states. but right after it was launched, the f.a.a. grounded airline flights at major airports in the west, from seattle to san diego, and from las vegas to honolulu. >> hold the gate. they have a ground stop for all aircraft. right now, they said don't let anybody move. epr:ull operations resumed in less than 15 minutes, and airlines reported no major delays. but there were some confused pilots and air traffic controllers. >> i have been given no information at this time. reporter: the north korean launch was immediately detected by satellites, and within minutes, the north american air defense command inside cheyenne mountain, in colorado, had determined it was not a threat to the u.s.. the missile traveled 400 miles in what north korea claimed was a test of a hypersonic missile.

>> so this is just a pretty simple ballistic missile. and it's got a little warhead with fins that can make a little maneuver. >> reporter: jeffrey lewis is with the middlebury institute. >> it doesn't have anything like the range that would be necessary to reach the united states. frankly, it couldn't even reach japan. >> reporter: north korean missile tests are always cause for concern, but until now, they have not been cause for grounding airliners. military officials say there was no need for the grounding. the f.a.a. says it is reviewing its procedures. norah. >> o'donnell: david martin at the pentagon. in the greatest democracy in the world, there's currently a fight about how we should vote, setting up a possible showdown in the senate, where democratic leaders are giving a deadline-- pass voting legislation by martin luther king jr. day next week, or rules in washington could change. here's cbs' ed o'keefe. >> reporter: speaking from the cradle of the civil rights movement, president biden today

said the need to pass new voting rights legislation is urgent. >> i've been having these quiet conversations with members of congress for the last two months. i'm tired of being quiet! >> reporter: and he endorsed undoing u.s. senate's filibuster rule, requiring at least 60 votes to even debate certain legislation. >> to protect our democracy, i support changing the senate rules, whichever way they need to be changed, to prevent a minority of senators from blocking action on voting rights. >> reporter: in the past year, 19 mostly republican-controlled states, have passed legislation that places restrictions on voting. democrats want to mandate early voting and voting by mail in all 50 states, and even make election day a national holiday. and a bill named for the late georgia congressman john lewis would restore elements of the voting rights act. republicans nationwide are fiercely opposed. >> make no mistake, georgia is ground zero for the biden-harris assault on election integrity. >> reporter: shifting his focus to voting rights presents risks to the president, who needs

support from arizona's kyrsten sinema and west virginia's joe manchin, but they're resisting changes in the filibuster rule. >> we need new rule changes but getting rid of the filibuster but getting rid of the filibuster doesn't make it work better. >> reporter: it frustrates civil rights leaders like cliff albright who decided to skip the speech today saying mr. biden isn't fighting hard enough. >> you can't run on the presidency because you have four decades in the senate and then you can't whip two votes. that's just not acceptable, right. >> reporter: the president insisted it can be done. adding pressure on democrats, some relatives of the late dr. martin luther king jr. say his federal holiday shouldn't be celebrated on monday unless congress passes voting rights legislation. the senate majority leader said today he could hold votes on those bills as soon as tomorrow. norah. >> o'donnell: ed o'keefe, thanks. >> the cbs over night news will be right back.

up at 2:00am again? tonight, try pure zzzs all night.

unlike other sleep aids, our extended release melatonin helps you sleep longer. and longer. zzzquil pure zzzs all night. yu for really goostuf fall asleep. stay asleep. yw zzzquiultra hes yotuf it's non habit forming and powered by the makers of nyquil. new zzzquil ultra. when you really really need to sleep.

with many school districts across the country playing covid whack-a-mole, between remote learning and in-person classes, some schools are taking classes outside. cbs' mark strassmann reports. >> reporter: with wind chill, ha when're a d fr wal t in this 9,000-acre preserve, this new kindergarten program embraces the benefits of outdoor

learning. good morning!ng! >> reporter: and discovered a pandemic safe space. >> at the peak of an outbreak that we had, we had 28 active cases among students and staff. >> reporter: and how about in this program, how many kids? >> zero. >> reporter: none. coincidence? >> probably not. >> reporter: across covid america, 5400 schools report omicron surge has disrupted in- class learning, but not in portland, maine. >> we are still deeply inside a pandemic, and the response, in that phase one of getting teachers and students outside for health and safety. >> reporter: 17 schools in portland built outdoor learning spaces, plenty of winter gear and wifi. 6,700 students k through 12 spend part of their day outdoors. that's also true in lafarge, where kindergarten only looks like recess all day. >> nobody is bored, not ever, not ever.

and they're so joyful and dthy outside.f epr: learn. e n, dodgeheee matrassmn, cbss,a farge, wisconsin. >> you want to go to some place new? just follow me. learn something new. i think this is so fun. facing expensive vitamin c creams with dull results? olay brightens it up with new olay vitamin c.

gives you two times brighter skin. hydrates better than the 100, 200, even $400 cream. see, my skin looks more even, and way brighter. dullness? so done. turn up your results with new olay vitamin c my skin can face anything. shop the full vitamin c collection at olay.com ordinary tissues burn when theo blows. so puffs plus lotion rescued his nose. with up to 50% more lotion, puffs bring soothing relief. so take care of that heart with lipton. because sippin' on unsweetened lipton can help support a healthy heart. lipton. stop chuggin'. start sippin'. do you struggle with occasional nerve aches in your hands or feet? try nervivenerve relief

from the world's #1 selling nerve care company. nervive contains alpha lipoic acid to relieve occasional nerve aches, weakness and discomfort. try nervivenerve relief. >> o'donnell: you need your textbooks and a pair of longjohns. all right, still ahead on tonight's "cbs evening news," two banks announce big changes in their overdraft fees. what it could mean for your finances. and how about them dogs? ;;;;b block >> van cleave: did you know that every year, bank customers pay more than $15 billion in fees? well tonight, two u.s. banks are drastically reducing their overdraft charges. bank of america is slashing the $35 penalty when people overspend to $10. capital one is now offering free overdraft protection. okay, tonight, the georgia bulldogs are celebrating their first college football championship in 41 years. they defeated the defending champion alabama crimson tide 33 to 18 with a comeback rally that included a 40-yard touchdown pass thrown by former walk-on quarterback stetson bennett iv.

congrats to them. all right, coming up next, teaching kids about life one chess move at a time. (dr. david jeremiah) there may have never been another time in history ean i belie there are ten phn th it is today. we are witnessing today that were recorded centuries ago in bible prophecy. (male announcer) join dr. david jeremiah in his new series, "where do we go from here?" on the next episode of "turning point." right here on this station.

>> o'donnell: we want to revisit a story that captured your hearts about life lessons and the game of chess. an update tonight from cbs' jamie yuccas. >> that's the best way to play. >> reporter: can you master life by playing a game? >> very good. >> reporter: damen fletcher thinks so. he created "train of thought," a program that brings chess to kids from some of l.a.'s toughest neighborhoods. >> there are just so many children that stand to gain so much from the game of chess. >> reporter: fletcher says chess saved his life as a teen, so he now uses it to teach life lessons to players like 12-year- old andre. >> i really wanted to do this interview, because i wanted thousands of people to see the or aimpact that chess has had o. aired in september, donations poured in, enough to provide

every student a set to take home and allow fletcher to expand his reach to hundreds of thousands of students across the states and overseas. >> they're all incredible. >> reporter: including training chess coaches virtually in switzerland and uganda. >> that's been a dream of mine to be able to have an impact globally. >> reporter: what lessons do you want people to take away from you and your story? >> you've got to find a way to achieve your goal, despite all the obstacles that your opponent is going to throw in the way. i'm a knight. knights in chess do not let obstacles stand in their way, no matter what. he's going to find a way. >> reporter: and if he can't find a way, he'll make one. jamie yuccas, cbs news, los angeles. >> o'donnell: checkmate. we'll be right back. follow us online any time. reporting from the nation's capitol. i am norah o'donell.

former senate majority harry reid will lie in state. he died in december at 82. and for the first time since 2018, the oscars will have a host but we don't know who the

emcee will be for hollywood's latest night. for more news, download our app on your cell phone or connected tv. cbs news, new york. >> o'donnell: tonight, we're going to begin with some good news. a miracle landing as a medevac helicopter carrying a two-month- old baby crashes in a neighborhood, and all on board survive. the incredible pictures tonight of the wreckage, how the pilot avoided power lines, buildings, and a busy interstate, and crash

we got numerous calls on this. it's being called miraculous. four people surviving a terrifying helicopter crash in philadelphia. medical transport heading from maryland to children's hospital of philly with a two-month-old baby girl along with two medical workers and the pilot. the chopper was hovering low

avoiding electrical lines and this church before crashing in o the ground. >> the best way to describe it is miracle. he was able to land it safely and took the best interests at the community at hands to make sure there were no injuries and property damage. he did an excellent job. >> reporter: not a single by stander was injured. the helicopter suffers non life-threatening. about 30 firefighters responded to the crash accepting much worse. wait ge for getting this helicopter down the way he did. >> reporter: it was a rush of help binoy by standers here. the ride share driver pulled over and got out to help and

handed the two-month-old. the child was driven to the children's hospital which was their original destination. >> fascinating details. errol barnette on the scene, thank you.

>> reporter: as the omicron variant wreaks havoc on our nation's health system, tension on how to handle the surge is spreading, too. >> you are making a catastrophic epidemic for your political gain so the only-- >> you have politically attacked your colleagues. >> reporter: during a senate hearing, dr. anthony fauci accused senator rand paul of raising political donations with personal attacks. >> ...that kindles the crazies out there. and i have life-- threats upon my life, harassment of my family and my children with obscene phone calls, because people are lying about me. >> reporter: tonight, covid hospitalizations are rising in 43 states. medical centers are treating more than 116,000 in-patients a day, a 40% jump from just last week. and as covid cases have quadrupled in about a month, the c.d.c. is considering a change in its mask recommendations, backing n-95 and kn-95 masks, which offer the best protection. according to the c.d.c., a person wearing a cloth mask standing within six feet of an unmasked individua with covid, can become infected within 20 minutes, while it would take two and a half hours for a person wearing an n-95 mask. >> a typical cloth mask might be 50% effective, and that was okay before. it doesn't seem to be enough with omicron. n-95s offer much greater protection.

they're able to block 95% of particles. >> reporter: still, there are signs that the surge of omicron infections may have crested in the northeast. >> cases are slowing down. the rate of increase is slowing down, but they're still high. >> reporter: with testing among the first line of defense, at- home testing kits remain in short supply and testing lines o doctors warn: stay away from overcrowded hospitals. >> there's really no need to come to the emergency room just to be tested. you're going to take up resources and space that are needed for people who are more sick. >> reporter: starting saturday, americans can get reimbursed for eight over-the-counter tests a month through their private insurance. and a new real-world study shows the abbott binex now test as the most effective one. norah. >> o'donnell: all right, elise preston, thank you. today, the national law enforcement officers' memorial fund said that 2021 was the deadliest year on record for america's police. cbs' jeff pegues reports why. >> reporter: bobby williams and

sherman peebles, muskogee county, georgia, sheriff's deputies died of covid-19 last september. >> we have 18 active cases right now. >> reporter: muskogee county sheriff gregory countryman says the virus continues to spread rs in a county where barely over 40% of people have been vaccinated. >> not only are we fighting with the criminals. we're also fighting with the virus that's throughout. >> reporter: last year, direct exposure to the virus in the line of duty was the leading cause of death for police. according to the newly-released law enforcement officers' fatality report, 301 officers died from covid-19 in 2021. that's a 65% increase over the year before. these seven states have had more than seven officer deaths due to covid. but that's not the only reason 2021 was the deadliest year on record for officers. last year, 61 officers were killed in the line of duty by firearms, a 36% increase over

2020, and 58 officers were killed in traffic-related accidents, 38% more than the year before. how would you describe those numbers? >> the numbers, quite frankly, are staggering. >> reporter: former connecticut state trooper troy anderson says the total number of officer deaths in the line of duty should get everyone's attention. has there ever been a year like this? >> there has never been a year like this. >> reporter: no. >> no, numbere up ross the ard. >> reporter: figuring out what's causing all of these spikes in officer deaths will take time, but sheriff countryman has no doubt that one of the main suspects is covid-19. >> when we increase fighting crime, when we arrest people, we can't ask them, "have you been vaccinated?" >> reporter: this is preliminary data. and so in the final tally, the number of covid-related officer deaths in 2021 could very likely go up.

this as some of the largest police unions across the country fight vaccine mandates. norah. >> o'donnell: jeff pegues, better skin from your body wash? try olay body wash with skincare super ingredient collagen! olay body wash hydrates to improve skin 3x better, from dry and dull to firm and radiant. with olay body, i feel fearless in my skin. with depression, you just feel...blah. not okay. all...the...symptoms. need to deal with this. so your doctor tells you about trintellix, a prescription medicine for adults with depression. okay, feeling relief from overall symptoms. hmm. and trintellix had no significant impact on weight in clinical trials. so there's that. trintellix may increase suicidal thoughts and actions in people 24 and younger. call a doctor right away if you have these, or new or worsening depression, or new or sudden changes in mood, behavior, thoughts, or feelings. do not take with maois. tell your doctor about all medicines you take

to avoid a life-threatening condition. increased risk of bleeding may occur, especially if taken with aspirin, nsaid pain relievers, or blood thinners. manic episodes, eye problems, low sodium levels, and sexual problems can occur. suddenly stopping trintellix may cause serious side effects. common side effects include nausea, constipation, and vomiting. some reports of weight gain have been received since product approval. looking up. time for a change? ask your doctor about trintellix. time for a change? stomach... ♪ ♪ diarrheaaaa.♪ try pepto bismol with a powerful coating action. for fast and soothing relief. pepto bismol for fast relief when you need it most.

i am ben tracy in washington, thank you for staying was. president biden is calling on extreme rules on the right to vote. mr. biden is endorsing a car vout. republican lawmakers approved several story from

the battled ground state, michigan. >> reporter: this was the scene in detroit. the day after the 2020 elections, supporters of former president trump tried stopping election officials from could wanting votes. jocelyn benson warns it will happen again. >> the war over the future of our democracy continues to escalate. >> reporter: two-thirds of americans believe the 2020 election had widespread frauds or irregularities. the public trying to use a could recollect in michigan's constitution to change election laws. >> there is regular concerns of absentee ballots. we need to do some stuff to tighten the way it's handled. >> reporter: the plan is misguided and would make michigan the 20th state to add

new voting restrictions since 2020. possibly on the ballots soon, cbs news found reports of at least 31 people across 19 states running for state and federal office who were at january 6th rallies in washington. six of them were in michigan. he's leading a force to conduct what he calls as forensic audit of the 2020 election believing that trump won the state. >> we want to make sure what happened did happen that we go ahead and clear it up. >> it's the big lie that somehow the 2020 election was not accurate when indeed it was. it's a bigger lie how our democracy is unsafe and not secure. >> reporter: dozens of courts and hundreds of audit nationwide found no evidence of widespread election fraud in 2020. in michigan, republicans have

been replacing some election officials who certified the 2020 lts sparking fears among democrats and non partisan election efforts about how ballot counting will be this year. >> ed o'keefe reporting. 57-year-old david bennett was too sick to qualify for a human heart but for surgery he said "i want to live, i know it's a shot on the dart but it's my last choice." that choice so far looks like a good one. >> he simply does not want to die. >> patient bennett is awake and recovering days after a seven hours surgery to genetically mo pig. >> his harm has performed very well even beyond our

expectations. >> reporter: when he arrive at the medical center, he was dying and ineligible for a human transplant. >> my dad's prognosis was very bad. >> reporter: bennett agreed todd the procedure despite a slim chance of success. >> this was his best hope of getting out of the hospital and having some what of as normal quality of life. >> he said i don't want to die. if i do maybe you will learn something to help others. >> reporter: although it's too soon to know the long-term success of the surgery. doctors say it could offer hope to similar patients. >> there are hundreds and thousands of people who are waiting for the organ and unfortunately just like this patient may not qualify for an organ transplant. there has been attempts.

those have failed because the body rejects the organ rapidly. the pig that supplies the heart went through gene editing. >> we are learning everyday with this gentleman. so far we are happy of this decision. he is as well. a big smile on his face. >> cbs over night news will be right back.

(announcer) if you're an american age 50 to 85, and you're counting on social security to help your family with your final expenses, this news may surprise you. the social security death benefit is capped at just $255 and not everyone is entitled to claim it. today, the average funeral cost is over $8,700. that's quite a big gap. how will you fill it? hi, i'm jonathan,

a manager here at colonial penn life insurance company, and with coverage options starting at just $9.95 a month, you can get a whole life insurance plan to help close that gap,yoefa ifcoverage options start at just $9.95 a month, and the rate is locked in. and it comes with two lifetime guarantees. one: your coverage can never be canceled. and two: your rate can never go up. call for free information and you'll also get this beneficiary planner free just for calling. use it to record important information and helpful direction for your loved ones. so don't wait, call now.

what happens when you block heartburn with one prilosec otc in the morning? heartburn doesn't stand a chance - day... or night. excess stomach acid can cause heartburn. prilosec otc works differently by preventing excess acid production. so don't fight heartburn, block it. prilosec otc. one pill in the morning blocks heartburn, all day and all night. ♪♪ you pour your heart into everything you do, which is a lot. so take care of that heart with lipton. because sippin' on unsweetened lipton a heart. so take care of that heart with lipton. lipton. stop chuggin'. start sippin'. sweet pillows of softness! this is soft!e!oll it k everybody! stop chuggin'. charmin ultra soft is so cushiony soft, you'll want more! but it's so absorbent, you can use less.

enjoy the go with charmin. well, across the northeast, this was the coldest day in three years, with wind chills making it feel subzero in many areas. public schools were closed in boston and other cities, including syracuse, new york, and burlington, vermont, where the wind chill hit negative 23. in ellenburg, new york, it was downright dangerous, minus 37. the deep freeze should begin to ease tomorrow before a snowstorm threatens the region on sunday. all right, there is new on the highest point of

greenland ice sheets, rain was recorded for the first time. >> should we be concerned? absolutely. >> released by the u.s. government national oceanic atmosphere. >> we did have in parts of the arctics of the warmest in 2020. the theme is disruption in the arctic. >> disruption he says to the life of animals and people. >> changes occurred and they can't be undone in short order. wildfires scorching land. >> the heat that we saw in siberia would have been impossible without climate

change. >> reporter: the report warns if we don't curve greenhouse gas emissions, the changes in the arctic could unfold elsewhere with melting ice and warming waters raising sea levels speeding up global warming. >> what can we do? >> we have to reduce very dramatically the amount of carbon dioxide humans are causing to be put into the air. there is no doubt about that. it's late but the best time toih >> reporter: sooner we have to protect the arctic, the more we can keep dramatic disruptions there from cascading to the rest of the planet. cbs morning news, london. north korea fired another ballistic missile yesterday. it's the second in less than a week. it was a hyper sonic missile, flew about 450 miles and landed in the sea.

south korea calling the launch a grave threat to international peace and security. the two koreas are still at war despite an armistice. it turns out animals are finally finding refuge there. here is elizabeth palmer. >> reporter: on the banks of the river, biologyist finds what he sees. >> a family of endangered white-neck cranes is feeding near by. >> reporter: the zone that marks the border between war and north in south korea, heavily mined and patrolled by troops in the u.s. and both korea, it's a no go area for humans.

but a refuge for animals. like the bird life which thrives in the peace of what's technically a war zone. all 70 years ago the korean war hit the u.s. and south korean soldiers against the chinese. in 1953, the fighting ended in an armed standoff. with the dmz 160 miles long and 2.5 miles wide as a buffer it has become. kim shows me a haven for all kinds of creatures. >> so the military keeps people out of here because artillery range basically which is great for the animals. i think i just heard a boom. was that a tank or somebody firing? >> they're shooting now but not at us. >> reporter: kim has been

photographing the creatures that is lived here for years including the water deer with its vampire-like fang and sea eagles. >> reporter: kim is on a mission to show korean high school students how precious wild spaces like this are in heavily developed south korea. >> it's a rich source that korea is very fortunate to have. >> reporter: in 2019, donald trump and north korea's leader met in the dmz. those talks did not end. future ones may well succeed which could open this pristine area to develop. instead, kim tells his students and anyone else who will listen the best monument for peace between the korean people would be protective homes forts park.

elizabeth palmer near the dmz, south korea. when you humble yourself under the mighty hand of god, in due time he will exalt you. hi, i'm joel osteen. i'm excited about being with you every week. i hope you'll tune in. you'll be inspired, you'll be encouraged. i'm looking forward to seeing you right here. you are fully loaded and completely equipped for the race that's been designed for you.

michelle miller looks back on his long and remarkable life. >> reporter: for nearly a decade, the birthday parties for lawrence brooks whether on his porch in new orleans during the pandemic. >> morning. >> reporter: or at the national world war ii museum were must-see celebrations. >> happy birthday to you. >> reporter: the oldest world war ii veteran died this week at the age of 112. he was also thought to be the oldest person in america served from 1941 to 1945 when the

military was still segregated. within the pacific theaters with the mostly black 91st engineer battalion. he was a reluctant soldier opting instead to work as a cook in his unit. he made it through the war and after returning home to new orleans faced the challenge of the jim crow south. when he was in his 90s. hurricane katrina threatened his life and his wife. >> hurricane katrina took everything i own. >> reporter: and yet you survived that too. >> the law was that good to me. >> reporter: he shares his seret to a long life for anyone who asked including me. when i spoke with him on his 110th birthday. >> what's the secret to your

success? >> i love people. [ applause ] >> michelle miller reporting. that's the over night news for this wednesday report ing from the nation's capitol. i am tom hanson in new york, we begin in the nation's capitol. the senate agreed to avoid the congressional medal to emit till. his death sparked a civil rights move harry reid will lie inte starting around 11:0n 1986 and died in december. and for the first time since 2018, the oscars will have a host. but, we don't know who the emcee

will be for hollywood's biggest night. it's wednesday, january 12th, 2022. this is the "cbs morning news." glimmer of hope. some optimism in the fight against covid. where the worst of the omicron surge may be over. filibuster fight. president biden calls for action on voting rights. his challenge to the senate where legislation remains held up. can't wait to meet this gentleman and shake his hand for getting this plane down, the helicpter, the way he did. >> medical helicopter crash. four people including a baby all survive. the pilot's quick-thinking actions that saved their lives. well, good morning, and good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. federal health officials are