here on cbs. for more news, download the cbs news app on your cell phone or it's wednesday, january 19th, 2022. this is the "cbs morning news." website launched. americans can now order free covid test kits. the government's plan to give out free n95 masks. 5g rollout. new mobile technology threatens to disrupt flights nationwide starting today. the last-minute agreement two avoid mass delays and cancelations. it sounded like a bomb. that's the only thing -- that's the only thing i could compare it to, like a bomb went off. >> partial building collapse. what set off an explosion that left one person dead and eight injured in new york city.

good morning, and good to be with you. i'm tom hanson in for anne-marie green. we begin with the government's campaign to tackle the rising number of covid cases. the website covidtests.gov is officially live. that's where you can order free at-home test kits. there's also a plan under way to make n95 masks free to the public. another million cases of the virus were reported in the u.s. yesterday, renewing a sense of urgency to slow the spread of the omicron variant. laura podesta is in new york with more. laura, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, tom. well, the government ramps up its covid response, some americans including students are taking matters into their own hands because they don't think that schools have the right safety measures in place. americans can now order up to four free covid-19 rapid tests to be delivered to their home. the biden administration quietly rolled out covidtest.gov yesterday ahead of today's formal launch.

>> if you have congestion or fever or body aches -- >> reporter: dr. angelique campen says the tests are reliable but people who test negative should follow up with a pcr test. >> the home tests are good as a screening tool. what we're seeing is the pcr tests turn positive usually one to two days before a home test. >> reporter: cbs news has learned the biden administration will also announce today that it plans to provide 400 million n95 masks for free to americans. the actions by the white house come as the omicron variant is disrupting everyday life. >> people start lining up about 5:00 a.m. >> reporter: in north carolina, covid-related hospitalizations are at a pandemic high, and one in three are testing positive. >> it's daunting because people are not getting vaccinated, and we are not wearing masks as we would like for them to. >> reporter: on tuesday, students in oakland, california, staged a sickout. and in st. paul, minnesota, they walked out of class.

both groups are demanding their schools take more safety precautions. >> it is blissfully ignorant not to have prepared for this current situation. >> reporter: in oklahoma, state employees are able to fill in as substitutes because so many teachers are out sick. houston schools were closed yesterday because of staffing shortages. here in new york, tom, attendance levels since students returned from winter break have been lower than usual with anywhere from a quarter to a third of students not showing up to class most days. >> some challenging weeks ahead. laura podesta in new york, thank you for the update. airlines face a major test with the debut of 5g technology. there was a deal reached to scale back the rollout but some air carriers have canceled flights to u.s. cities. kris van cleave reports. >> reporter: fearing massive flight disruptions as soon as wednesday morning, an 11th hour compromise to a bureaucratic standoff that had put cell phone providers and airlines on a

collision course with the white house stepping in to mediate. >> certainly minimizing flight disruptions, ensuring safety in travel is a top priority. >> reporter: at&t and verizon will activate 90% of their ultra fast 5g networks as planned wednesday. cell phone towers within a two-mile radius of airports will remain off line specifically to avoid potential interference with cockpit systems that help pilots land in bad weather and low visibility. united ceo scott kirby warned of potential catastrophe. >> 5g is the biggest issue facing the airline industry. remarkable to say in a world where we're still in covid. >> reporter: 1,100 flights a day could be delayed, diverted, or canceled due to 5g, with national commerce grounding to a halt. the faa says it still expects some issues. the agency has only cleared equipment on about 45% of airliners to operate with 5g networks. already emirates, a&a, jal, and air india canceled flights to

several u.s. cities until the situation was worked out. airline industry analyst henry harteveldt -- >> if you don't have to travel on wednesday, don't. if you can postpone your trip even 24 hours, you may be better off. i think wednesday's going to be a very chaotic day. >> reporter: the threat of 5g-related flight disruptions comes after a trying month for flyers who have suffered through tens of thousands of delays and cancelations due to weather and covid-19 staffing issues. >> it's a fasten your seat belt, hang on kind of week. the next few weeks, as well. >> that was kris van cleave reporting. last night, delta said it's preparing for dozens of cancelations. it's offering fare difference waivers to affected customers who need to rebook their flight. breaking overnight, the new york state attorney general's office says it has uncovered evidence of possible financial fraud at former president trump's family business. in a court filing late yesterday, prosecutors say they found evidence that allegedly shows the trump organization

misrepresented the value of its properties and golf clubs to get loans and tax breaks. there is no decision on whether to file a civil lawsuit. prosecutors also filed a motion to compel mr. trump and two of his children to testify. the house select committee investigating the january 6 attack on the u.s. capitol issued subpoenas to four allies of former president trump. the panel wants documents and testimony from former trump lawyers rudy giuliani, jenna ellis, and sidney powell. it also wants to hear from former trump white house aid boris epshteyn. all four pushed trump's false claims about the 2020 election results. just days after a fire killed 17 in new york city, there was a suspected gas explosion and fire at an apartment building less than three miles away. flames could be seen shooting out of the collapsed three-story row house yesterday in the bronx. a 77-year-old woman was killed. eight others were hurt including

five police officers. police body cam video shows officers rushing to save residents inside the burning building. two adjacent buildings also caught fire. >> we have a lot of seniors that live on this block. these are small homeowners. it's really the bedrock of this community. so the goal is is to be expeditious but safe investigation so we can get people back into their homes. >> the cause of the explosion is under investigation. a fire official says somebody smelled gas before the blast. initial voting could begin today in the senate on new voting rights legislation even though the measure is expected to fail. debate on the bill which supporters say is vital for protecting democracy began yesterday. it would allow early voting, voting by mail in every stated, and making election day a national holiday. two democratic senators refused to support rule changes to overcome republican opposition to the bill.

the biden administration is ramping up diplomatic efforts as tensions with russia increase over a possible military invasion of ukraine. secretary of state antony blinken will meet with russia's foreign minister in geneva on friday. this morning, blinken arrived in ukraine where he is meeting with ukraine's president. russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops on its border with ukraine. it is also sending troops to its ally, belarus, for joint military drills. ukraine says russia could launch an attack from several directions including from belarus. all right. coming up, an icon in the fashion industry has died. we'll remember former "vogue" creative director andre leon talley. and blunt message. why one senate candidate is openly smoking marijuana in his campaign ad. this is the "cbs morning news." smoking marijuana in his campaign ad. this is the "cbs morning news." after my dvt blood clot... i was uncertain... was another around the corner?

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breaking overnight, influential fashion journalist andre leon talley has died. he was the former creative director and editor at large at "vogue" magazine. he was often in the front row of fashion shows. he promoted diversity in the industry and encouraged designers to use more black models in their shows. he also appeared as a judge on "america's next top model" and on "sex and the city." he was 73 years old. the planet earth escaped a near collision with an asteroid, and help is on the way to tonga. those are some of the headlines on the "morning newsstand." "reuters" reports two new zealand navy vessels carrying disaster relief supplies will reach tonga on friday. the ships loaded with water and other supplies departed yesterday. an underwater volcano erupted saturday triggering a tsunami. 50-foot waves destroyed every home on one island. at least three people were killed. >> the ship can hold --

currently olds over 250,000 liters of water and will be able to provide that once we arrive. then every day thereafter we're going to be producing another 70,000 liters of water that we can put ashore. >> scientists say the force of the volcanic eruption was estimated to be more than 500 times more powerful than the nuclear bomb dropped on hiroshima at the end of world war ii. the "austin american statesman" says families in the path of a wildfire in central texas were asked to evacuate. officials say the fire has burned about 640 acres and is only 10% contained. they also say it may have started with a planned burn in a state park that was spread by high wind gusts. no injuries have been reported. and cbs miami says a giant asteroid safely zoomed by earth thankfully. the more than half mile-wide asteroid came within 1.2 million

miles of planet earth yesterday. it was traveling at more than 47,000 miles per hour. the space agency says it is the closest an asteroid will come to earth for the next two centuries. all right. still to come. burgers, fries, and romance. a fast food chain is offering you and a loved one a special meal for valentine's day. alenti. (computer keys clicking) (mouse clicks) - shriners hospitals for children is awesome! my favorite people in shriners are the doctors and the nurses because they help people through life. wow, i was a really cute kid! (chuckles) but it's true! shriners hospitals for children is awesome! the first time i went to shriners hospitals for children, i was two months old. since then, they have helped me with over 18 operations, and thousands of rehabilitation hours. because of their care,

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>> reporter: good morning, tom. stock futures are indicating a lower open this morning following a sharp selloff yesterday after disappointing earnings from goldman sachs. the next round of big banks reporting results today include bank of america and morgan stanley. now yesterday the dow tumbled some 543 points. the nasdaq dropped 386, closing at lowest level in three months. the s&p 500 lost 85. game on for microsoft, it's buying the maker of "call of duty" and "candy crush." the all-cash deal is valued at more than $68 billion, turning microsoft into one of the world's largest video game companies. the move would also help it take on rivals including meta, formerly known as facebook. keep in mind, activision has been marred by allegations of workplace sexual misconduct and unequal pay. youtube is pulling the plug on original programming. the company said yesterday it will stop making most original shows.

instead, it will devote more time and money to shopping-related programming and content that supports black creators and kids entertainment. youtube originals started in 2016 and helped launch "cobra kai," a hit on netflix. the majority of other shows failed to gain traction with users. and white castle may break some hearts with its latest announcement. the chain will not host its fine dining experience on valentine's day because of the pandemic. in the past the chain would spruce up for the romantic occasion offering hostess seating and tableside service. this year, it will offer a love cube to go options with eight cheese sliders, two drinks, and two sides for $15. tom, to go might be a better thing for white castle. just saying. >> you know, nothing says romance like white castle. >> cupid, pull back your bow. >> i am all for a cheap date which, hey, this sounds like a cheap date. you know what, all white castle has ever given me -- no romance,

but an upset stomach. >> yep. >> i don't know about there one. i have my doubts. >> same. >> diane king hall in new york, thank you for the update. >> all right. all right. up next, time to break out the accordion. musician "weird al" will be featured in a new biopic. we'll tell you who will play him. featured in a new biopic. we'll tell you who will play him. ables touch fabric spray. it doesn't just eliminate odors... simply shake and spray to unlock the breakthrough power of touch-activated scent technology. that lasts, even hours later! that's because febreze touch stores scent in your fabrics so you get bursts of freshness with every touch. your whole world will come alive. welcome home to fresh with febreze touch. la, la, la, la, la your shipping manager left to “find themself.” leaving you lost. you need to hire. i need indeed. indeed you do.

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the country. ♪ a u.s. senate candidate from louisiana is being blunt about his support for legalizing marijuana in a new ad campaign. >> every 37 seconds someone is arrested for possession of marijuana. since 2010, state and local police have arrested an estimated 7.3 million americans for violating marijuana laws. over half of all drug arrests. black people are four times more likely -- >> democratic community activist gary chambers is seen smoking pot in on the online ad released yesterday. he talks about how much money is spent enforcing marijuana laws and says black people are four times more likely to be arrested for the drug than white people. chambers lost in his bid for a house seat last year.

we now know when the grammy awards will take place. the recording academy and cbs say they will be handed out april 3rd. the show is moving to the mgm grand garden arena in las vegas. it was originally scheduled for later this month in los angeles but was postponed due to a surge in covid cases. you can watch the grammys right here on cbs. and actor daniel radcliffe will play "weird al" yankovic in an upcoming biographical film for the roku channel. the "harry potter" star will take on the role of the grammy-winning song parody specialist in "weird: the al yankovic story." he's the best selling comedy recording artist of all time and said, "i am thrilled that daniel radcliffe will be portraying me in the film. i have no doubt whatsoever that this is the role future generations will remember me for." production starts next month in los angeles. i'll be watching.

coming up on "cbs mornings," actor bill murray and cellist jan vogler stop by the times square studio to tell us about their film "new world: the cradle of civilization." fil: t cradle of civilization." laundry. both will be washed with detergent, but only one will be sanitized. wait, what? make the wash work harder protection. because adding lysol laundry sanitizer to your wash... ...kills 99.9% of illness causing bacteria detergent alone, can't. why can't hers be sanitized too? aw, thank you! clean is good, sanitized is better. lysol. what it takes to protect.

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our top stories this morning -- the biden administration quietly launched its website yesterday where americans can order free at-home covid test kits. site formally launches today. cbs news has learned the administration will also 0 ios o today a plan to provide the public. and the new york state attorney general's office says it has uncovered evidence of possible financial fraud at thee yesterday, pt dlmilyes properties to get loans and tax breaks. they also filed a motion to compel former president trump and two of his children to

testify. in a stunning twist, three suburban philadelphia police officers have been charged in the shooting death of an 8-year-old girl last summer. as meg oliver reports, they fired into a crowd trying to break up a gun fight. >> reporter: nearly five months after the shooting of 8-year-old fanta bility, three sharon hill police officers were charged in connection with her death. following a grand jury investigation, officers devon smith, sean doland, and ryan brian devaney were charged with manslaughter and ten counts of reckless endangerment. when did you determine the fatal bullet was from an officer's gun? >> we initially determined i think in the september time frame, we're now sure beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer's shot not only killed fanta bility but wounded three other young people. >> reporter: the young girl was killed last summer after two teens exchanged gunfire at the end of a football game. >> shots fired! shots fired!

>> reporter: the three responding officers fired 25 rounds, striking four people including young fanta and her 12-year-old sister. >> they returned fire at the wrong target, in the wrong direction, and into a group of people. that's what they're being held accountable for. >> reporter: attorney bruce castor represents the family. >> this one was a bright, a bright shining light, the kind of person that made people happy looking at her. to have her gone is a terrible tragedy. >> reporter: initially the two teens were the only ones charged in her death. now the district attorney is withdrawing the charges. >> what we're trying to do is hold everyone accountable for their actions that night and to make sure that we can as a community at the end of this begin to heal. >> reporter: the officers' attorneys released a statement maintaining their innocence saying they rushed to the sound of gunshots to protect the community. the preliminary hearing is set for january 27th. fanta bility would have turned 9

years old last saturday. meg oliver, cbs news, media, pennsylvania. all right. coming up first on "cbs mornings," actor bill murray and cellist jan vogler stop by the times square studio to tell us about their new concert film "new worlds: the cradle of civilization." plus, we'll take you to italy and give you a tour inside one of the world's mos exe on tket. and first on "cbs mornings," brian chesky talks about travel and working remoteli. that is the "cbs morning news" for this wednesday. i'm tom hanson.ch for watching. have a great day. ♪ day. ♪