capitol, thank you, scott. we turn now to primary day across america. voters are heading to the polls in five states today, setting up pivot@races for november's midterm elections. one a candidate supported by former president trump facing off by one supported by his vice president. cbs' ed o'keefe is there. >> reporter: tonight in arizona, duelling republican candidates for governor backed by form esch president donald trump and former vice president mike pence are once again showing divisions as wide and deep as the grand canyon. >> the party of lincoln, the party of ronald reagan, and the party of our favorite president, donald j. trump! >> reporter: kerry lake is a former tv news anchor who earned trump's nod. >> i think our policies appeal to independents, democrats and republicans. >> reporter: but karen taylor robinson, a business executive backed by pence, doesn't think so, arguing lake is too extreme.

>> we must get back to a place where the republican party is about additional and multiplication. because on the current path that we're on where we're just dividing, dividing, dividing, dividing, and fighting, fighting, fighting all the time. >> reporter: the former president's preference remains a big factor for former republican voters. >> i love trump and all the people he is endorsing. >> i wouldn't vote for anybody he hadn't endorsed. >> reporter: 57% of republicans nationwide say they're more likely to vote for a candidate who gets a trump endorsement, but our cbs battleground tracker also finds trump makes registered voters overall less likely to vote for a candidate. in today's contests three incumbent house republicans who voted to impeach him face primary challenges from trump-backed candidates who believe the 2020 election was stolen. and in missouri's crowded senate primary, contenders have sought trump's backing for more than a year. he weighed in on monday night, announcing support for eric. but there is a problem.

the former president didn't specify which eric. did he mean eric greitens, the former governor or eric schmidt, the former general? it doesn't matter to them. a trump endorsement so valuable in the gop primary that they both accepted his support. >> ed o'keefe out on the trail for us. thanks, ed. there is a lot more ahead on the "cbs overnight news." after years on the battlefield and multiple concussions, migraine attacks followed me home. i wasn't there for my family and i was barely functioning. until nurtec odt changed all that. nurtec is the only medication that can treat and prevent my migraine attacks, all in one. don't take if allergic to nurtec. most common side effects, in less than 3% were nausea, indigestion, stomach pain. now, i run a non-profit for other green berets, and i can do so much more because i can treat & prevent, all in one.

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in kentucky, the death toll flng that swept away entire neighborhoods. in northern california, at least four people have now died in the mckinney fire, the largest wildfire in the state this year. much of the country is now facing extreme and potentially record-breaking heat. so for more, let's bring in weather channel meteorologist mike bettes. good evening, mike. >> john, good evening. excessive heat and expanding heat a bigger issue this week across the ohio valley all the way to the east coast, including places like hard hit eastern kentucky, where after the floods temperatures now climbing into the 90s. a lot of people here still without electricity, still without air conditioning. now that heat as the jet stream goes north expands all the way

to the i-95 corridor. temperatures could be 10 to 15 degrees above average through the remainder of the week, including temperatures 95 to 100 degrees along the i-95 corridor, including d.c. and philadelphia by thursday that heat also an issue across the northwest. we're also very dry. increasing fire danger here with red flag warnings and fire weather watches. then also comes, john, the threat for flooding. monsoon moisture in the southwest, more rain in the ohio valley. otsingnd going. thank you, mike. in texas, a jury is considering how much conspiracy theorist alex jones should pay for lying that the 2012 sandy hook elementary school massacre was a hoax. the parents of one of the 6-year-old victims is suing him, claiming his lies put them through a living hell. here is cbs' janet shamlian. >> reporter: emotional testimony from neil heslan. he is the father of 6-year-old jesse lewis killed at sandy hook elementary in 2012. >> when you lose a child, you're

losing part of yourself, and those feelings don't go aquay. >> reporter: heslan and jesse's mom scarlett lewis are suing conspiracy theorist alex jones. jones on his "infowars" program told his audience of millions that the massacre was a hoax, calling the victims and their families crisis actors. >> they staged sandy hook. the evidence is overwhelm ing. >> reporter: the parents are asking for $150 million, saying they've endured years of harassment and threat by jones' followers. >> alex started this fight and i'll finish this fight. >> reporter: calling jones a coward for not being present for his testimony, but jones was in court this afternoon as scarlett lewis, the boy's mother took the stand and addressed him directly. >> my son existed. you're still on your show today trying to say that i'm implying that i'm an actress. >> raise your right hand. >> reporter: late today jones

took the stand in his own defense. >> i never intentionally tried to hurt you. the internet had a loft questions. i had questions. >> reporter: jones put his company into bankruptcy last week, which may delay two other damage trials scheduled for september. janet shamlian, cbs news. still ahead, abortion is on the ballot for the first time since roe was overturned. we'll take you to the battleground state when we come back in 60 seconds.

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(soft music) tonight, the justice department is suing the state of idaho over its abortion law that will ban nearly all of those procedures, including abortions considered necessary to protect the life of the mother. that's something the government says conflicts with the state's obligation under medicare to provide emergency care. cbs' caitlin huey-burns is in kansas tonight where voters will be the first to weigh in on abortion rights since roe was overturned in june. >> reporter: for laurie mosqueda, tonight's vote on abortion access is personal. >> when i was 15 years old, i accepted a ride home from work from a coworker, and he took me down to the river and left me there. i screamed no, and i wasn't heard then. he didn't listen to me. but i'm going vote no, and people are going to listen. >> reporter: walking through these suburban wichita neighborhoods, it's easy to find

different points of view. >> vote yes, vote yes! >> ideally, of course, i think we would all love a total ban. >> reporter: right now there are only four abortion clinics left in the state where the procedure is legal up to 22 weeks of pregnancy. voters will decide whether to amend the state's constitution. voting no will keep abortion rights in place. voting yes will overturn them and allow the state legislature, which is controlled by republicans, to act. as a lawmaker, do you want to see a ban? >> well, my personal opinion, i think we need more restrictions. >> reporter: kansas is the first state in the nation to vote on reproductive rights following the decision to overturn roe. but it will not be the last, and the decision will have an impact beyond its borders. so what's at stake in this election? >> i think not just reproductive choice in kansas, but in missouri and every border state, and frankly, access to vital family and women's health care really in the great plains entirely. >> i think it reverberates

nationally. >> no matter how the vote goes tonight, abortions will still be legal here in kansas until the state legislature decides, and they come back into session in january. john? >> caitlin huey-burns in kansas, thank you. a group of robbers apparently targeted the wrong liquor store in southern california. surveillance video shows one of the masked suspects armed with an assault style rifle bursting into the store on sunday when he was greeted by more than the pleasing jingle on the door. the 80-year-old owner blasted him with a shotgun. the gunman ran out yelling "he shot my arm off." police later tracked down the suspects at a hospital. the owner later had a heart attack but is recovering. we'll be right back with a life-saving assist from a basketball champion.

(male) there are many voices in today's world. everyone is voicing their opinions about everything, and jesus is no exception to that. what if there was a clear voice telling you exactly who jesus is? (male announcer) join dr. david jeremiah as he teaches who jesus is and what that means for your life. tune in to dr. jeremiah's new series, "christ above all", on the next "turning point", right here on this station.

winning an nba championship comes with a lot of perks. there are the parades, trophy, and of course the championship ring. cbs' jamie yuccas introduces us to one former player using his rings to help the children of ukraine. >> reporter: slava medvedenko played alongside shaq and kobe, winning back-to-back championships with the l.a. lakers. and he's got bling to show for it. what did the rings mean to you before february? >> a lot, a lot. >> reporter: tell me why you're selling them. >> because i want to help my country. >> reporter: everything changed with russia's invasion of ukraine. medvedenko's homeland and where he remains. this week his two rings are up for auction. >> i just recognize i can die.

these rings will just sit inside and cannot help me. i have to do something positive. >> reporter: 100% of the money from the sale will go to medvedenko's fly high foundation. >> to help kids, to move them in a safe place. >> reporter: and once the war is over? >> to rebuild and fix the sport gyms in school because hundreds of schools totally destroyed. >> reporter: why are sports so important to kids? >> sport? it's mentally rehabilitation. >> reporter: so the simple things in life now really matter, not championship rings? >> yes, exactly. exactly. >> reporter: a safe future for children of ukraine. that has a nice ring to it. jamie yuccas, cbs news. >> and that's the "overnight news" for this wednesday. for some of you, the news continues. for other, check back later for "cbs mornings," and follow us online any time at cbsnews.com. reporting from the nation's capital, i'm john dickerson.

this is cbs news flash. i'm matt pieper in new york. cbs news projects that kansas voters will uphold the right to an abortion, rejecting a measure that would have tightened restrictions or banned abortions statewide. its first time the issue has appeared on a state ballot since the supreme court overturned roe v. wade. house speaker nancy pelosi in taiwan, says she and her delegation went there in peace for the region. the chinese military said it was on high alert and would launch a series of targeted military actions in response to that visit. and the bill to expand health care benefits for veterans who developed illnesses due to their exposure to burn pits during military service now heads to the president's desk.

for more news, download the cbs news app on your cell phone or connected tv. i'm matt pieper, cbs news, new york. ♪ >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." >> good evening and thank you for joining us. i'm john dickerson in for norah. tonight u.s./china tensions increase after house speaker nancy pelosi's arrival in taiwan. the highest ranking american official in 25 years to visit the self-ruled island that beijing claims as its own. pelosi was greeted on the tarmac at taipei's international airport by taiwan's foreign minister and other taiwanese and american government officials. in a statement on arriving, pelosi said the visit honors america's unwavering commitment

to supporting taiwan's vibrant democracy. china responded to the visit by putting its military on high alert and announcing a series of military demonstrations in the waters off taiwan. cbs' nancy cordes starts us off. >> reporter: the guessing game about pelosi's plans ended with this late-night touchdown in taipei. the house speaker was greeted by local officials, even hailed with a welcome message on taiwan's tallest skyscraper. but across the narrow taiwan strait, china responded, announcing new live fire military drills encircling taiwan, and warning that the u.s. would pay the price for undermining china's interests. >> the speaker has the right to visit taiwan. >> reporter: here in washington the administration offered cautious backing for the trip, but they weren't always so supportive. >> well, i think that the military thinks it's not a good idea right now. >> reporter: to reduce tensions, speaker pelosi's flight path from malaysia took her away from the chinese mainland and the

south china sea. her journey was tracked by nearly three million people online. >> i believe she has every right to go. >> you do not want the chinese communist party dictating to senior american leaders where they can and cannot travel. >> reporter: pelosi isn't the first lawmaker to visit taiwan this year, but she is the first house speaker to do so in 25 years, and she has been a thorn in china's side since 1991 when she unfurled a pro-democracy banner in beijing's tiananmen square. in an op-ed today, pelosi said she made the trip because, quote, we cannot stand by as china proceeds to threaten taiwan. >> what is this going to do to the u.s./china relationship, which is already so fraught? >> we don't want to see this spiral into any kind of a crisis or conflict. we want to be able to maintain those lines of communication. it's going to defend a lot on how china behaves over coming days and weeks.

>> reporter: one of the things the white house will be watching for is whether china tries to retaliate against the u.s. or taiwan economically. in fact, john, just today, china suddenly banned shipments from 100 taiwanese food exporters. >> nancy cordes for us at the white house. thank you, nancy. tonight we are learning more about the successful drone strike that killed al qaeda leader ayman al zawahiri in afghanistan. cbs' catherine herridge has the new details on how the decades' long manhunt finally came to an end. >> reporter: smoke rose after two hellfire missiles used by the u.s. military for target assassinations rained down on ayman al zawahiri. after the drone strike, green tarps hung from a building where it's believed he spent his final moments before he was killed on a balcony. >> americans can feel safer today now that the leader of al qaeda, ayman al zawahiri, is off the battlefield. >> reporter: even with a $25 million bounty on his head, the

al qaeda leader's whereabouts was a lingering mystery for u.s. intelligence. earlier this year, the terrorist leader was tracked down to the busy afghan capital of kabul, where he reunited with family. after an intelligence briefing where the president saw a model of the terrorist safe house, he authorized a strike. >> this mission was carefully planned, rigorously minimize the of harm to other civilians. >> reporter: the fact al zawahiri was in kabul underscores the relationship between al qaeda and senior taliban leadership and a violation of the taliban's commitment not to harbor terrorists. >> we are communicating directly with the taliban about their obligations not to allow al qaeda to use afghanistan as a basis for plotting. >> reporter: al zawahiri played a key role in the 9/11 attacks and plots that murdered two americans overseas and two embassies in east africa, and on the uss cole in yemen. after raiding this compound in

pakistan killing osama bin laden, al zawahiri took over. after last year's chaotic withdrawal of u.s. forces from afghanistan, mr. biden insisted the weekend strike shows the u.s. ability to target terrorists remains strong. >> no matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the united states will find and take you out. >> reporter: an egyptian saif al adel is described as the terror group's mikely successor. while the leadership has changed, al qaeda remains a resilient advocacy that seeks out safe havens. >> a resilient advocacy. thank you, catherine herridge. in texas, a jury is considering how much conspiracy theorist alex jones should pay for saying the sandy hook school massacre is a hoax. the patterns of one of the 6-year-old victims is suing him, claiming his lies put them through a living hell. here is cbs' janet shamlian.

>> reporter: emotional testimony from neil heslan. he is the father of 6-year-old jesse lewis killed at sandy hook elementary in 2012. >> when you lose a child, you're losing part of yourself, and those feelings don't go away. >> reporter: heslan and jesse's mom scarlett lewis are suing conspiracy theorist alex jones. jones on his "infowars" program told his audience of millions that the massacre was a hoax, calling the victims and their families crisis actors. >> they staged sandy hook. the evidence is overwhelming. >> reporter: the parents are asking for $150 million, saying they've endured years of harassment and threats by jones' followers. >> alex started this fight and i'll finish this fight. >> reporter: heslan called jones a coward for not being present for his testimony, but jones was in court this afternoon as scarlett lewis, the boy's mother, took the stand and addressed him directly. >> my son existed. you're still on your show today trying to say that i'm implying

that i'm an actress. >> raise your right hand. >> reporter: late today jones took the stand in his own defense. >> i never intentionally tried to hurt you. the internet had a loft questions. i had questions. >> reporter: jones put his company into bankruptcy last week, which may delay two other damage trials scheduled for september. janet shamlian, cbs news. the biden administration has appointed a top official from fema to coordinate the administration's response to the worsening monkeypox outbreak in the united states. robert fenton helped lead fema's mass covid vaccination effort last year. more than 5800 cases of monkeypox have now been confirmed in the u.s. in every state except montana and wyoming. at least four children have tested positive. states of emergency have been declared in california, illinois, and new york. the "cbs overnight news" will be right back.

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o ♪ >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." >> i'm jan crawford in washington. thanks for staying with us. the nfl preseason kicks off tomorrow with the hall of fame game between the jacksonville jaguars and the las vegas raiders. also tomorrow, the league must decide whether to appeal the suspension of brown's quarterback desean jackson. an arbitrator suspended him for six games without pay amid a string of sexual misconduct allegations. the national organization for women calls the ruling unacceptable, insulting, and dangerous, and the league may press for more serious penalty. no criminal charges were ever filed against watson. he denies any wrongdoing, and he

recently signed a $230 million contract. nancy chen has more. >> reporter: watson's contract with the browns guaranteed over five years is the largest ever in league history, but now he'll start the season on the sidelines after a disciplinary officer said his pattern of conduct is more egregious than any before reviewed by the nfl. desean jackson was on the field to practice with his teammates monday, just hours after an independent arbiter said he'd have to stay off of it for the first six games of the upcoming season. the decision follows an nfl investigation into the two dozen sexual misconduct lawsuits against watson, all brought by women he hired as massage therapists between 2019 and 2021 during his type as a member of the houston texans. watson has long denied their claims. >> the fact is i've never assaulted or disrespected or harassed any woman in my life.

>> reporter: former federal judge sue robinson was appointed by the nfl and its players association to decide the punishment. relying on the testimony of four women, she concluded that watson had a sexual purpose in soliciting the massages, and that he undermined the integrity of the nfl by leveraging his job to initiate the sessions. now beyond his suspension, watson must also limit massages to club-approved therapists for the rest of his career. after practice monday, browns coach steven stefanski voiced support for his quarterback. >> i'm confident that desean will make good decisions on and off the field. >> reporter: watson's six-game suspension makes up less than half of the 17 game regular season. and the money he'll lose in the process? >> it will be a little more than $300,000. >> reporter: when you talk than much in an nfl paycheck, that's really not that much. >> if he is at $230 million, that's much less than 1% of his guaranteed contract. >> reporter: jonathan jones covers the nfl for cbs sports

and points out that the league originally recommended a full season suspension for watson. >> this may not be the final step for desean jackson, for the nfl, for the cleveland browns. the league does have the ability to appeal this decision. >> reporter: in a statement, the nfl said it is reviewing judge robinson's move to suspend watson for six games, and now has two days left to appeal that decision. the browns ownership said it will continue to support the quarterback. nancy chen, cbs news, new york. from the gridiron to the baseball diamond, there is a movement to make the game safer by making the balls more sticky, right out of the factory. but that could cost baseball's mud man his job. brook silva-braga explains. >> reporter: at the end of a suburban street, somewhere in new jersey -- how often you out here? >> at least once a month. >> reporter: jim led us through the woods. this is the spot.

at the bank of the tributary of the delaware river. >> got to watch your step down. >> reporter: we reached jim's own secret field of dreams. what's so good about this mud? >> the geology of this area is unique. >> reporter: wadromised not to reveal the exact location. >> my boot might be staying in new jersey. >> reporter: and his assistant agreed to help with the work. at the end of the shovel, the peculiar mud jiggled like pudding. >> what i want is the sediment that is a mixture of clay and sand. >> reporter: for three generations, jim's family have ben the only people carefully harvesting the only substance legally applied to major league baseballs. >> the first time i ever shovelled mud, which us 9 years old. >> reporter: and who brought you out? >> with my grandfather. >> reporter: the story of the mud starts with tragedy. in 1920, ray chapman was fatally hit in the head by a pitch with an old dark ball.

baseball soon mandated new balls for each game, but they came slippery from the factory. in search of a better grip, lena blackburn, a major league player and coach, found this special mud by his new jersey home. before long, it was the major league standard. >> lena blackburn and my grandfather were childhood friends. they used to fish and swim around here. when lena found the need for the mud in baseball, he and my grandfather would come out and do this. >> reporter: blackburn eventually turned the business over to his friend, who turned it over to his son, who turned it over to jim. >> it's a gift. i love this. >> reporter: this ain't come easy. >> reporter: but hauling 45-pound bucks of mud back through the woods is no walk in the park. jim eventually plans to pass down the grueling business to

his daughter and son-in-law. the next time a pitcher grabs a ball and doesn't like the seams and throws it in the crowd, i'm going take personal offense. >> i don't. cha-ching! >> reporter: but the charming homespun nature of lena blackburn baseball rubbing mud, still processed exclusively in jim's garage is a bit out of step with the modernized, optimized direction of today's game. >> it's a romantic story. it's great. but it's 2022. we got to find a better way to treat the baseballs. >> reporter: last year, major league baseball cracked down on the equally old tradition of pitchers uniquely using foreign substances on the ball. >> that hit him. >> reporter: this year, coincidence or not, pitchers complained the balls were too slippery. >> the mlb has a very big problem with the baseballs. they're bad. everyone knows it. every pitcher in the league nose it. >> reporter: what did you make

of the people complaining of the balls being slippery this year? >> all i can tell them is it's not my mud. my mud has not changed. >> reporter: in response to the complaints, mlb announced new league-wide standards for exactly how to apply the mud. >> i spread it in my palms. >> reporter: which is meant to remove the factory gloss without leaving behind easy to grip scratches. >> all they'll do is they'll massage it around. >> reporter: at least that's how it works for now. allegedly other grip substances have been tested this year. do you worry about them not wanting to use the mud anymore? >> that would bother me if they decided not to. there is a couple of words i'd have for them. it wouldn't kill me. >> reporter: in addition to the big leagues, he ships mud to many minor league, college and even high school teams as well. the latter can get by on one small $25 jar per season. for most of his life, jim worked

as a short order cook. his dad was a carpenter. his grandfather a baker. but this unique family side hustle has managed to sprinkle a dusting of the bentlif's on to the fingertips and back barrels of every baseball moment you're likely to remember. does it still register to you when something big in the sport happens? a guy hits a record-breaking home run, wins the world series, that your mud's on the ball? >> yeah. that's why i do it. i ain't getting rich here. that's why i do it. >> brook silva-braga reporting. brooklyn dodgers legend jackie robinson did more than break the color barrier in baseball. he was also a pioneer for civil rights. now a new newsroom highlights his accomplishments on and off the field. michelle miller reports. >> reporter: in new york city, the 100-year-old widow of sports

and civil rights pioneer jackie robinson cut the ribbon on a new state-of-the-art museum dedicated to her late husband. it was 75 years ago in the spring of 19 tha rin walked on to emmetts field, brooks, and into history, breaking baseball's color barrier to become the first black player in the major leagues. >> april 15th, 1947 was an historic day in our country because america was tremendously polarized racially. >> reporter: della briton is the president and ceo of the jackie robinson foundation. >> when jackie stepped out on to ebbitts field, it was something momentous, and is something to this day is cited as the pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. >> reporter: during his ten years in the major, robinson was named and all star six years in a row, and played in six world series.

seven years later, he was inducted into the baseball hall of fame. but his legacy and impact extended far off the playing field. >> he used his baseball celebrity to push the envelope, to bring the issues of civil rights, to bring the issues of disparity throughout society to the forefront. >> reporter: robinson's life was cut short when he died of a heart attack in 1972 at the age of 53. but he remains a revered figure. in 1997, his number 42 was retired from every mlb team. and now this museum, 14 years in the making highlights include robinson's game-worn home uniform, his 1947 contract with the dodgers for a $5,000 annual salary, and honors from baseball and beyond, including the congressional gold medal and the presidential medal of freedom. >> it's a place to come and learn about jackie, but then to

be inspired to go on and continue his work. >> michelle miller reporting. the museum opens t

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giving back during the summer. but it wasn't until a local hero, chiefs quarterback patrick mahomes challenged students to volunteer 15 hours that it really scored. as he teamed up with the kansas city chapter of the national youth volunteer, which helps kids make a difference. when patrick mahomes puts his name on something like, this what type of impact does it have? >> oh, man, that's the man of the nfl. so just having his name associated with it was a big thing for us. >> reporter: a blitz of enthusiasm as kids scrambled to be on mahomes' special team. enrollment more than doubled. >> i like how he gives to charity a lot, and he's probably my -- one of my favorite players in the nfl right now. >> reporter: the work is helpful, like making dog toys for shelter pups. but it's as much about introducing kids to the concept of service. >> when i grow up, i do want to be a nurse. so this is a great start for me to help people out. >> reporter: tending to the garden that is our future. >> we'll use the shovel to dig

them up. >> reporter: and teaching the leaders of tomorrow there is no time like the president and few presents greater than their time 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.

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if you'd like to work just four days a week you might want to reconsider relocating to england. ian lee explains. >> reporter: taking care of business means working five days a week, or so we thought. the uk has launched the world's largest four-day workweek experiment. >> we're trying to be more productive and more creative in a shorter time span, and then get more rest. >> reporter: mobile game developer hutch is one of 73 companies participating. for shawn rutland, the idea makes sense. >> hiring talent is really hard, and you have to offer an attractive work environment. >> reporter: but fewer days doesn't mean less work. >> we have to work extremely hard and extremely compressed. so and i think investors need to hear that.

>> reporter: workers get 100% pay for fewer days, but have to maintain full productivity. >> i struggle at times to get on top of everything and stay on top of everything. >> reporter: still, that extra day off is kind of nice. >> oh, it's been wonderful. you know, i've managed to go and do a lot with my extracurricular activities. >> reporter: nonprofit four-day week global is spearheading the six-month study that involves roughly 3500 workers. >> if it's done right, this is something that can deliver very significant benefits for both the employer and the employee. this can be a win-win. >> reporter: is this something for everyone? >> this is not a one-size-fits-all approach. but some version of the shorter workweek can be achieved right across the economy. >> reporter: rutland says he won't hesitate to switch back is productivity slips, but sees four-day workweeks as the future. >> i don't have much control over what the government does, but i do have control over what this business does and what this business contributes to society. >> reporter: if everybody is

working toward the weekend, some day we all might have fewer days to go. ian lee, cbs news, london. >> and that's the "overnight news" for this wednesday. reporting from the nation's capital, i'm jan crawford. this is cbs news flash. i'm matt pieper in new york. cbs news projects that kansas voters will uphold the right to an abortion, rejecting a measure that would have tightened restrictions or banned abortions statewide. its first time the issue has appeared on a state ballot since the supreme court overturned roe v. wade. house speaker nancy pelosi in taiwan, says she and her delegation went there in peace for the region. the chinese military said it was on high alert and would launch a series of targeted military actions in response to that visit. and the bill to expand health care benefits for veterans who developed illnesses due to their exposure to burn ads to the president's desk. now for more news, download the cbs

news app on your cell phone or connected tv. i'm matt pieper, cbs news, new york. ♪ tonight, how far will china go after new hampshire becomes the highest ranking official to visit taiwan in 25 years. the speaker of the house arrives on a u.s. air force plane to fanfare, and china reacts. warships surround taiwan, and beijing promises a strong and forceful response. the planning behind a strike on a balcony in afghanistan that killed al qaeda's leader. new details tonight about how the u.s. tracked down one of the masterminds of 9/11. helping america's veterans. after days of protesting from comedian jon stewart and dozens of veterans groups, the senate votes on a bill to expand benefits to warriors with toxic exposure from burn pits.

primary day across america. voters in five states go to the polls tonight. what we might learn about the elections this november and the ones in 2024. plus kansas becomes the first state to vote on the future of abortion rights. confronting a liar. >> i wanted to tell you to your face, my son existed. >> reporter: the mom of a sandy hook victim addresses conspiracy theorist alex jones. they picked the wrong guy to mess with. robbers with an ar-15 style rifle target a liquor store, whose 80-year-old owner greets them with a shotgun. and finally, an nba champion on and off the court. what this former l.a. laker is doing to raise money for the children of ukraine. ♪ >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." >> good evening and thank you

for joining us. i'm john dickerson in for norah. tonight u.s./china tensions increase after house speaker nancy pelosi's arrival in taiwan. the highest ranking american official in 25 years to visit the self-ruled island that beijing claims as its own. pelosi was greeted on the tarmac at taipei's international airport by taiwan's foreign minister and other taiwanese and other american government officials. in a statement on arriving, pelosi said the visit honors america's unwavering commitment to supporting taiwan's vibrant democracy. china responded to the visit by putting its military on high alert and announcing a series of military demonstrations in the waters off taiwan. cbs' nancy cordes starts us off. >> reporter: the guessing game about pelosi's plans ended with this late-night touchdown in taipei. the house speaker was greeted by local officials, even hailed with a welcome message on taiwan's tallest skyscraper.

but across the narrow taiwan strait, china responded, announcing new live fire military drills encircling taiwan, and warning that the u.s. would pay the price for undermining china's interests. >> the speaker has the right to visit taiwan. >> reporter: here in washington the administration offered cautious backing for the trip, but they weren't always so supportive. >> well, i think that the ight . >> reporter: to re tensions, speaker pelosi's flight path from malaysia took her away from the chinese mainland and the south china sea. her journey was tracked by nearly three million people online. >> i believe she has every right to go. >> you you've do not want the chinese communist party dictating to senior american leaders where they can and cannot travel. >> reporter: pelosi isn't the first lawmaker to visit taiwan this year, but she is the first house speaker to do so in 25 years, and she has been a thorn

in china's side since 1991 when she unfurled a pro-democracy banner in beijing's tiananmen square. in an op-ed today, pelosi said she made the trip because, quote, we cannot stand by as china proceeds to threaten taiwan. >> what is this going to do to the u.s./china relationship, which is already so fraught? >> we don't want to see this spiral into any kind of a crisis or conflict. we want to be able to maintain those lines of communication. it's going to depend a lot on how china behaves over coming days and weeks. >> reporter: one of the things the white house will be watching for is whether china tries to retaliate against the u.s. or taiwan economically. in fact, john, just today, china suddenly banned shipments from 100 taiwanese food exporters. >> nancy cordes for us at the white house. thank you, nancy. tonight we are learning more about the successful drone strike that killed al qaeda

leader ayman al zawahiri in afghanistan. cbs' catherine herridge has the new details on how the decades' long manhunt finally came to an end. >> reporter: smoke rose after two hellfire missiles used by the u.s. military for targeted assassinations rained down on ayman al zawahiri. after the drone strike, green tarps hung from a building where it's believed he spent his final moments before he was killed on a balcony. >> americans can feel safer today now that the leader of al qaeda, ayman al zawahiri, is off the battlefield. >> reporter: even with a $25 million bounty on his head, the al qaeda leader's whereabouts was a lingering mystery for u.s. intelligence. earlier this year, the terrorist leader was tracked down to the busy afghan capital of kabul, where he reunited with family. where the president saw a mod to model of the terrorist safe house, he authorized the strike. >> this mission was carefully planned, rigorously minimize the of harm to other civilians.

>> reporter: the fact al zawahiri was in kabul underscores the close relationship betweenal and senior taliban leadership and a violation of the taliban's commitment not to harbor terrorists. >> we are communicating directly with the taliban about their obligations not to allow al qaeda to use afghanistan as a basis for plotting. >> reporter: al zawahiri played a key role in the 9/11 attacks in plots that murdered americans overseas at two u.s. embassies in east africa, and on the uss cole in yemen. after navy s.e.a.l.s raided this compound in pakistan, killing al qaeda leader osama bin laden, al zawahiri took over. after last year's chaotic withdrawal of u.s. forces from afghanistan, mr. biden insisted the weekend strike shows the u.s. ability to target terrorists remains strong. >> no matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the united states will find and take you out. >> reporter: an egyptian saif al

adel described as the terror l successor. while the leadership has changed, al qaeda remains a resilient advocacy that seeks out safe havens. john? >> a resilient adversary. thank you, catherine herridge. the biden administration has appointed a top official from fema to coordinate the administration's response to the worsening monkeypox outbreak in the united states. robert fenton helped lead fema's mass covid vaccination effort last year. more than 5800 cases of monkeypox have now been confirmed in the u.s., in every state except montana and wyoming. at least four children have tested positive. states of emergency have been declared in california, illinois, and new york. the "cbs overnight news" will be right back.

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♪ >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." >> after nearly a week of delays, outrage, and protests, the senate finally passed a bill tonight which expands health care and disability benefits to veterans exposed to toxic burn pits in iraq and afghanistan. cbs' scott macfarlane has the latest. >> reporter: with war veterans outside the capitol demanding action, a long-awaited plan to expand medical benefits for service members headed towards passage, making it easier for vets sickened by toxins from toxic burn pits to get treatment. heath robinson died of lung cancer, she believes from exposure to burn pits in iraq. >> the first words out of the oncologist's mouth when he was

giving him the diagnosis is "what the hell have you been exposed to?" >> reporter: veterans felt blindsided last week when republicans unexpectedly blocked the legislation. >> they haven't met a veteran they won't screw over. >> reporter: their protest was powered by talk show host jon stewart. we see a lot of protests around here. >> yes. >> reporter: is this one having more of an impact? >> if it takes this to get something so unbelievably low hanging and common sense done, holy god. what are we doing with the rest of it? >> reporter: tonight republicans dropped their opposition. >> the veterans service organizations will be pleased with the final result. >> reporter: veterans organizations tell cbs news this legislation could impact more than three million vets, including those exposed to toxins as far back as vietnam. the president supports the bill, says he'll sign it as soon as it reaches his desk. john? >> scott macfarlane at the capitol, thank you, scott.

we turn now to primary day across america. voters are heading to the polls in five states today, setting up pivotal races for november's midterm elections. in arizona, one of the republican contests featured a candidate supported by former president trump facing off against one supported by his vice president. cbs' ed o'keefe is there. >> reporter: tonight in arizona, duelling republican candidates for governor backed by former president donald trump and former vice president mike pence are once again showing divisions as wide and deep as the grand canyon. >> the party of lincoln, the party of ronald reagan, and the party of our favorite president, donald j. trump! >> reporter: kerry lake is a former tv news anchor who earned trump's nod. >> i think our policies appeal to independents, democrats and republicans. >> reporter: but karen taylor robson, a business executive backed by pence, doesn't think so, arguing lake is too extreme.

>> we must get back to a place where the republican party is about addition and multiplication. because on the current path that we're on where we're just dividing, dividing, dividing, dividing, and fighting, fighting, fighting all the time. >> reporter: the former president's preference remains a big factor for republican primary voters. >> i love trump and all the people he is endorsing. >> i wouldn't vote for anybody he hadn't endorsed. >> reporter: 57% of republicans nationwide say they're more likely to vote for a candidate who gets a trump endorsement, but our cbs battleground tracker also finds trump support makes registered voters overall less likely to vote for a candidate. in today's five contests, three incumbent house republicans voted to impeach him face primary challenges from trump-backed candidates who believe the 2020 election was stolen. and in missouri's crowded senate primary, contenders have sought trump's backing for more than a year. he weighed in on monday night, announcing support for eric. but there is a problem. the former president didn't specify which eric.

did he mean eric greitens, the former governor or eric schmidt, the attorney general? it doesn't matter to them. a trump endorsement so valuable in the gop primary that they both accepted his support. john? >> ed o'keefe out on the trail for us. thanks, ed. there is a lot more news ahead on the "cbs overnight news." do you have a life insurance policy you no longer need? now you can sell your policy - even a term policy - for an immediate cash payment. we thought we had planned carefully for our retirement. but we quickly realized we needed a way to supplement our income. if you have $100,000 or more of life insurance, you may qualify to sell your policy. don't cancel or let your policy lapse without finding out what it's worth. visit coventrydirect.com to find out if your policy qualifies. or call the number on your screen.

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get yours at kardia.com or amazon. in kentucky, the death toll is expected to rise as rescuers find more victims of powerful flooding that swept away entire neighborhoods. in northern california, at least four people have now died in the mckinney fire, the largest wildfire in the state this year. much of the country is now facing extreme and potentially record-breaking heat. so for more, let's bring in weather channel meteorologist mike bettes. good evening, mike. >> john, good evening. excessive heat and expanding heat a bigger issue this week across the ohio valley all the way to the east coast, including places like hard hit eastern kentucky, where after the floods temperatures now climbing into the 90s. a lot of people here still without electricity, still without air conditioning. now that heat as the jet stream goes north expands all the way to the i-95 corridor.

temperatures could be 10 to 15 degrees above average through the remainder of the week, including temperatures 95 to 100 degrees along the i-95 corridor, including d.c. and philadelphia by thursday. now that heat also an issue across the northwest. we're also very dry. increasing fire danger here with red flag warnings and fire weather watches. then also comes, john, the threat for flooding. monsoon moisture in the southwest, more rain in the ohio valley. >> got us coming and going. thank you, mike. in texas, a jury considering how much conspiracy theorist alex jones should pay for lying that the 2012 sandy hook elementary school massacre was a hoax. the parents of one of the 6-year-old victims is suing him, claiming his lies put them through a living hell. here is cbs' janet shamlian. >> reporter: emotional testimony from neil heslan. he is the father of 6-year-old jesse lewis killed at sandy hook elementary in 2012. >> when you lose a child, you're losing part of yourself, and

those feelings don't go away. >> reporter: heslan and jesse's mom scarlett lewis are suing conspiracy theorist alex jones. jones on his "infowars" program told his audience of millions that the massacre was a hoax, calling the victims and their families crisis actors. >> they staged sandy hook. the evidence is overwhelming. >> reporter: the parents are asking for $150 million, saying they've endured years of harassment and threats by jones' followers. >> alex started this fight and i'll finish this fight. >> reporter: heslan called jones a coward for not being present during his testimony, but jones was in court this afternoon as scarlett lewis, the boy's mother, took the stand and addressed him directly. >> my son existed. you're still on your show today trying to say that i'm implying that i'm an actress. >> raise your right hand. >> reporter: late today jones took the stand in his own defense. >> i never intentionally tried

to hurt you. the internet had a lot of questions. i had questions. >> reporter: jones put his company into bankruptcy last week, which may delay two other damage trials scheduled for september. janet shamlian, cbs news. still ahead, abortion is on the ballot for the first time since roe was overturned. we'll take you to the battleground state when we come back in 60 seconds.

tonight, the justice department is suing the state of idaho over its abortion law that will ban nearly all of those procedures, including abortions considered necessary to protect the life of the mother. that's something the government says conflicts with the state's obligation under medicare to provide emergency care. cbs' caitlin huey-burns is in kansas tonight where voters will be the first to weigh in on abortion rights since roe was overturned in june. >> reporter: for laurie mosqueda, tonight's vote on abortion access is personal. >> when i was 15 years old, i accepted a ride home from work from a coworker, and he took me down to the river and left me there. i screamed no, and i wasn't heard then. he didn't listen to me. but i'm going vote no, and people are going to listen. >> reporter: walking through these suburban wichita neighborhoods, it's easy to find different points of view.

>> vote yes, vote yes! >> ideally, of course, i think we would all love a total ban. >> reporter: right now there are only four abortion clinics left in the state where the procedure is legal up to 22 weeks of pregnancy. voters will decide whether to amend the state's constitution. voting no will keep abortion rights in place. voting yes will overturn them and allow the state legislature, which is controlled by republicans, to act. as a lawmaker, do you want to see a ban? >> well, my personal opinion, i think we need more restrictions. >> reporter: kansas is the first state in the nation to vote on reproductive rights following the decision to overturn roe. but it will not be the last, and the decision will have an impact beyond its borders. so what's at stake in this election? >> i think not just reproductive choice in kansas, but in missouri and every border state, and frankly, access to vital family and women's health care really in the great plains entirely. i think it reverberates nationally.

>> no matter how the vote goes tonight, abortions will still be legal here in kansas until the state legislature decides, and they come back into session in january. john? >> caitlin huey-burns in kansas, thank you. a group of robbers apparently targeted the wrong liquor store in southern california. surveillance video shows one of the masked suspects armed with an assault style rifle bursting into the store on sunday when he was greeted by more than the pleasing jingle on the door. the 80-year-old owner blasted him with a shotgun. the gunman ran out yelling "he shot my arm off." police later tracked down the suspects at a hospital. the owner later had a heart attack but is recovering. we'll be right back with a life-saving assist from a basketball champion.

winning an nba championship comes with a lot of perks. there are the parades, trophies, and of course the championship ring. cbs' jamie yuccas introduces us to one former player using his rings to help the children of ukraine. >> reporter: slava medvedenko played alongside shaq and kobe, winning back-to-back championships with the l.a. lakers. and he's got bling to show for it. what did the rings mean to you before february? >> a lot, a lot. >> reporter: tell me why you're selling them. >> because i want to help my country. >> reporter: everything changed with russia's invasion of ukraine, medvedenko's homeland and where he remains. this week his two rings are up for auction. >> i just recognize i can die. these rings will just sit inside

and cannot help me. i have to do something positive. >> reporter: 100% of the money from the sale will go to medvedenko's fly high foundation. >> to help kids, to move them in a safe place. >> reporter: and once the war is over? >> to rebuild and fix the sport gyms in school because hundreds of schools totally destroyed. >> reporter: why are sports so important to kids? >> sport? it's mentally rehabilitation. >> reporter: so the simple things in life now really matter, not championship rings? >> yes, exactly. exactly. >> reporter: a safe future for children of ukraine. that has a nice ring to it. jamie yuccas, cbs news. >> and that's the "overnight news" for this wednesday. for some of you, the news continues. for other, check back later for "cbs mornings," and follow us online any time at cbsnews.com. reporting from the nation's capital, i'm john dickerson.

this is cbs news flash. i'm matt pieper in new york. cbs news projects that kansas voters will uphold the right to an abortion, rejecting a measure that would have tightened restrictions or banned abortions statewide. its first time the issue has appeared on a state ballot since the supreme court overturned roe v. wade. house speaker nancy pelosi in taiwan, says she and her delegation went there in peace for the region. the chinese military said it was on high alert and would launch a series of targeted military actions in response to that visit. and the bill to expand health care benefits for veterans who developed illnesses due to their exposure to burn pits during military service now heads to the president's desk. for more news, download the cbs

news app on your cell phone or connected tv. i'm matt pieper, cbs news, new york. it's wednesday, august 3rd, 2022. this is the "cbs morning news." trip to taiwan. house speaker nancy pelosi becomes the highest level u.s. official to visit the self-ruled island in 25 years. china's military response this morning. breaking overnight, voters defend abortion rights in kansas. we have results from a busy primary night in several states. remembering vin scully. the longtime voice of the dodgers dies at his home in los angeles. a look back on his life and reaction from the team. good morning. i'm elise preston. anne-marie green is off. house speaker nancy pelosi is in

taiwan this morn