they have? >> that is a question only their arrogance can answer. >> reporter: in this moment, nury martinez is politically radioactive, rejected by her former power base, latino constituents, and democratic party elites who got her elected. her comments have offended and embarrassed all of them. norah. >> o'donnell: mark strassmann, thank you. well, we are now just four weeks away from the midterms and election day, and one of the races that could determine the control of the senate is in georgia. republicans are trying to help anti-abortion rights candidate herschel walker fight off explosive allegations that he paid for a woman's abortion in 2009, and then later fathered a child with her. cbs's nikole killion is just outside atlanta. herschel walker teamed up with the senate's leading republicans, arkansas senator tom cotton and florida senator

rick scott, making little mention of the controversy, framing it as an attack on him. >> you can see what they're doing-- they'll do whatever it takes, say whatever they have to say, because they want this seat right here. >> reporter: while scott and cotton are embracing walker, cbs news has learned g.o.p. leaders and strategists are increasingly concerned his troubles could cost him in the pivotal senate race. what do you say to those in your party who have concerns? >> herschel walker lived the dream of this country. he's come from the ground up, from a small town with no money. he's worked hard every day. he believes in this country. and that's why people are going to vote for him. >> reporter: in recent days, new reports emerged that walker, who opposes abortion, paid for the procedure for a woman in 2009, then urged her to have a second abortion. the woman claims to be the mother of his child, and said walker's wife has reportedly texted her. today, walker continued to deny the allegations. >> i know nothing about an abortion, i know it's a lie, and-- and i said it was a lie and i'll just move on.

>> he threatened to kill us, and had us move six times in six months. >> reporter: a democratic group backing senator raphael warnock launched its first attack ad, using statements from walker's son christian, who lashed out at his father on social media last week. >> everything's been a lie. >> reporter: with early voting starting in less than a week, many voters are making up their minds. >> he's a down-to-earth person, he's not pretending, and, like he said, we all have a story. >> loved watching him play football, but he should not be in the u.s. senate. >> reporter: in a new interview tonight, senate minority leader mitch mcconnell said he's been speaking with walker often, and plans to stick with him. voters here in georgia will get a chance to see walker and his democratic opponent, senator warnock, in what could be their one and only debate later this week. norah. >> o'donnell: nikole killion, thank you.

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closing arguments ended, and jurors will now decide whether cruz gets life without parole or the death penalty. 14 students and three staff members were killed on valentine's day 2018. cbs's manuel bojorquez reports from fort lauderdale. and we want to warn you, that some of the images are disturbing. >> reporter: a trial that has been painful for the victims' families to listen to, ended with closing arguments that were no different. >> it was a systematic massacre. >> reporter: prosecutors said nikolas cruz, wh pleaded guilty to killing 17 people at marjory stoneman douglas high school in 2018, should be put to death for what they called a premeditated and heinous attack. >> what he did was to murder children at school, and their caretakers. >> reporter: the defense has to convince just one juror against the death penalty, for cruz to get life in prison. his lawyers argued, he's a broken and abused person,

starting with fetal alcohol syndrome due to his mother's addiction. >> do we kill brain-damaged, mentally ill, broken people? do we? i hope not. >> reporter: during the trial, jurors went to the high school building where it happened-- the crime scene preserved for them to see. they also saw the weapon and tactical vests the shooter wore, and, though he didn't testify, they heard a videotaped interview where he described why he did it. >> i felt like no one loved me and i didn't like valentine's day and wanted to ruin it for everyone. >> reporter: the jury will also weigh the words of the victims' families, like the hoyers, who lost their 15-year-old son luke. >> every morning when i wake up, knowing luke is not upstairs in his bed, is pure agony. >> reporter: if the jury decides in favor of the death penalty, that becomes a recommendation the judge can either follow or still grant life in prison.

the seven men and five women of the jury will be sequestered as deliberations begin tomorrow. norah. >> o'donnell: manuel bojorquez, thank you. well, tonight, a new development in the largest welfare scandal in mississippi history. cbs news has exclusively obtained text messages and documents that connect the plan to divert millions of dollars in welfarfunds to projects llme qrterback brett favre. s omar vfrancahe veevence. >> this is a game changer. >> reporter: a new concussion drug, backed by n.f.l. legend brett favre, needed financing, so he turned to his home state of mississippi, the poorest in the nation. the pitch was made in 2019, at favre's home, to the former head of the state's human services, and nancy new, a founder of a non-profit that distributes welfare funds in the state. in a document obtained exclusively by cbs news, the drug company, prevacus, asked for nearly $2 million from the

division of human services in the state of mississippi. they struck this agreement: "in exchange for funding, the drug would be made and tested in mississippi." former federal prosecutor brad pigott investigated the transactions for the state. >> both federal and mississippi law required 100% of that money to go only to the alleviation of poverty within mississippi. >> reporter: court documents show prevacus was sent $1.5 million, with favre's business associate later asking for the rest. "we would love $784k," he wrote with a smiley face emoji in a text message obtained by cbs news. new responded, "we can send $400k today," adding, "i will need to let brett know that we will need to pull this from what we were hoping to help with on other activities." she has since pleaded guilty for helping funnel millions in welfare money for a volleyball center at favre's alma mater. eric herschmann, brett favre's

attorney, insists his client didn't know the grants were coming from welfare funds, and that favre didn't personally receive any of the money paid to prevacus. you're almost making him sound like a patsy. like he was set up. it's that no one told him. do you want the outside quarterback to look at it and say, "wait a minute, let me challenge the entire state as to what they do with their own funds?" >> this is not philanthropy. it's not a passive investor. he invited the director of the mississippi department of human services into his house to receive the sales pitch. >> reporter: favre has not been charged with any crimes. the state of mississippi is suing to try to get back the $2.1 million from the drug company and its affiliates. last month, the company announced they had finished the first round of clinical trials, in australia. norah. >> o'donnell: omar villafranca, thank you. well, tonight, all charges have been dropped in a murder case that was followed by millions of people on a hit millions of people on a hit podcast. ♪i like to vöost it, vöost it♪

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asteroid millions of miles from earth two weeks ago, succeeded in shifting its orbit. that means, n.a.s.a. believes, if an earth-threatening asteroid was ever discovered, it could save the planet.

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on the next "turning point", right here on this station. o'donnell: tonight, we remember actress angela lansbury, who has died at the age of 96. here's cbs's jamie yuccas. ♪ >> reporter: it was the theme song for sunday nights. >> she's not a suspect, is she? >> reporter: angela lansbury captivated viewers, and captured killers, as jessica fletcher, a loveable mystery writer and amateur detective. born in london in 1925, her family escaped the blitz in 1940 and moved to america. >> it was just wonderful. i mean, it was just everything i had dreamed that it would be. >> reporter: from stage to screen... >> she's not the only one in the house, is she? >> reporter: ...in her first decade, she made 16 films. >> i was lucky i was offered a lot of things very fast. >> reporter: but lansbury felt typecast, often playing someone

twice her age-- so, despite her success on the silver screen, she moved back to broadway. >> i knew that i could do something more. >> reporter: in her 40s, she had a tony trifecta, winning for "mame," "dear world," and "gypsy." ♪ everything's coming up roses ♪ >> reporter: to an even younger audience, she was mrs. potts. >> i thought you might like a spot of tea. >> reporter: after seven decades in theater, film, and television, that angela lansbury loved acting was no mystery. jamie yuccas, cbs news, los angeles. well, that's the overnight news for this wednesday. for some of you, the news continues, and for others, check back later for "cbs mornings." remember, you can follow us online any time at cbs news.com. reporting from the nation's capitol, i'm norah o'donnell.

this is cbs news flash. president biden says he does not think vladimir putin will use a tactical nuclear weapon in the war with ukraine. the president was asked on cnn how realistic it would be for putin to use one, and he responded, i don't think he will. meta unveiled a reality headset that will then people see the metaverse in color. it has a $1,500 price tag. and the formal coronation of britain's new monarch king charles iii will take place on may 6th, eight months after the throne passed from his late mother, queen elizabeth ii.

for more news, download the cbs app on your cell phone or connected tv. i'm dan lieberman, cbs news, new york. >> announcer: this is the cbs overnight news. sirens sound as russian missiles rain down for a second day. multiple cities across the country were hit with fresh rockets and kamikaze drone attacks, as the death toll continues to rise. russia's military appear to be targeting residential areas, including a school and a medical facility in the contested city of zaporizhzhia. president biden and other g7 leaders held an emergency

meeting today, and pledged to stand firmly with ukraine. and tonight, we're learning details about the sophisticated weapons that could be headed to ukraine. cbs's charlie d'agata starts us off tonight from inside ukraine. good evening, charlie. >> reporter: good evening to you, norah. in his nightly address moments ago, president zelenskyy said russia launched another 28 missiles into ukraine today, on the same day he pleaded with the g7 for modern air defense systems, saying the key element of russia's terror, rocket strikes, will cease to work. ukraine's defense ministry says more than half of at least 75 cruise missiles fired in the onslaught were intercepted-- shot down, like this video is said to show. but while the kremlin attacks civilian targets, many of its battlefield. we headed south, where ukrainian forces smashed through russian defenses in the kherson region. not much more than a week ago this whole area was under

russian control. claudia vladychenko told us how she tried to shield her six- year-old daughter margherita, who's blind and cannot walk and talk, from the sounds and explosions of gunfire. "she was scared, but she got used to it eventually," she said. "i taught her how to smile." russian troops took over the local high school as their headquarters. the holes blown in the concrete, scorched walls, and smashed windows, speak of the battle that took place when ukrainian forces closed in. it's almost as if they didn't see it coming. two russian armored personnel carriers, torched where they stood, one still bearing the z of the russian army. inside, svetlana reznichenko said she cried seeing her school turned into a filthy barracks. "maybe our government can help us rebuild, and we can meet our students at the entrance again," she said.

in another nearby village, a tearful okasana described how relieved she was to see the faces of ukrainians. under run r seven months, long enough to start thinking their home would never be home again. yesterday's bombardment has had a huge impact on the civilian infrastructure here, cutting off electricity and water in parts of the country. residents have been asked to conserve energy, shut down businesses early, and even stock up on water. norah. >> o'donnell: charlie d'agata, thank you for your superb reporting. let's go now to the white house for more on president biden's emergency meeting with g7 leaders, and what they agreed on in response to russia's latest attacks. cbs's nancy cordes reports tonight from the white house. >> reporter: the latest wave of civilian casualties in ukraine is setting off alarm bells in washington. republican senator jim risch called russia a "terrorist state

committing acts of genocide" and urged the biden administration to do more to defend ukraine. the u.s. has already committed more than $16 billion worth of military assistance. the latest promise from the pentagon? eight advanced surface-to-air missiles, known as nasams, that can shoot down russian but cbs news has learned that the first two won't be delivered for about a month. after meeting virtually with ukraine's president today, president biden and the other g7 leaders issued a lengthy statement filled with warnings for vladimir putin. they said, "any use of chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons by russia would be met with severe consequences." >> i think he thought he was going to be welcomed with open arms, that this was-- this has been the home of mother russia and kyiv, and, therefore, he was going to be welcomed. and i think he just totally miscalculated. >> reporter: some top democrats are also pushing president biden to punish saudi arabia.

they argue, the supposed u.s. ally agreed to cut the already-tight oil supply in order to help boost russia's oil revenues. does president biden believe that saudi arabia sides with russia in this war? >> the decision that opec+ made last week-- they certainly are aligning themselves with russia. >> reporter: white house officials say the president is reviewing the u.s.-saudi relationship in light of this latest oil decision, but they would not say, norah, how long that review will take. >> o'donnell: nancy cordes at the white house, thank you. well, we are now just four weeks away from the midterms and election day, and one of the races that could determine the control of the senate is in georgia. republicans are trying to help anti-abortion rights candidate herschel walker fight off explosive allegations that he paid for a woman's abortion in 2009, and then later fathered a child with her. cbs's nikole killion is just outside atlanta.

>> reporter: former football star-turned-senate nominee herschel walker teamed up with the senate's leading republicans, arkansas senator tom cotton and florida senator rick scott, making little mention of the controversy, framing it as an attack on him. >> you can see what they're doing-- they'll do whatever it takes, say whatever they have to sy, because they want this seat rght here. >> reporter: while scott and cotton are embracing walker, cbs news has learned g.o.p. leaders and strategists are increasingly concerned his troubles could cost him in the pivotal senate race. what do you say to those in your party who have concerns? >> herschel walker lived the dream of this country. he's come from the ground up, from a small town with no money. he's worked hard every day. he believes in this country. and that's why people are going to vote for >> reporter: in recent days, new reports emerged that walker, who opposes abortion, paid for the procedure for a woman in 2009, then urged her to have a second abortion. the woman claims to be the mother of his child, and said

walker's wife has reportedly texted her. today, walker continued to deny the allegations. >> i know nothing about an abortion, i know it's a lie, and-- and i said it was a lie and i'll just move on. >> he threatened to kill us, and had us move six times in six months. >> reporter: a democratic group backing senator raphael warnock launched its first attack ad, using statements from walker's son christian, who lashed out at his father on social media last week. >> everything's been a lie. >> reporter: with early voting starting in less thaek many voters are making up their minds. >> he's a down-to-earth person, he's not pretending, and, like he said, we all have a story. >> loved watching him play football, but he should not be in the u.s. senate. >> reporter: in a new interview tonight, senate minority leader mitch mcconnell said he's been speaking with walker often, and plans to stick with him. voters here in georgia will get a chance to see walker and his democratic opponent, senator warnock, in what could be their one and only debate later this

week. norah. >> o'donnell: nikole killion, >> o'donnell: nikole killion, thank you. when a cold comes on strong, knock it out with vicks dayquil severe. just one dose starts to relieve 9 of your worst cold and flu symptoms, to help take you from 9 to none. power through with vicks dayquil severe. ♪♪

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>> announcer: this is the cbs overnight news. thanks for staying with us. united states military is joining the battle against climate change. the strategy includes fields of solar panels and fleets of electric vehicles. the army's goal is to reduce net emissions to zero by the year 2050. >> reporter: home to u.s. cyber command and the national security agency guarding against climate change is a mission

priority. >> this means 21st century energy. >> reporter: this cornell says that means beefing up clean energy with solar panels now topping 60% of housing here. >> 55% of the electricity comes from renewable energy. >> reporter: the base also has plans to transform this land fill into a solar farm, energy that can control power. >> losing power means we lose training and we lose operations. >> reporter: assistant secretary of the army for installation of the environment oversees the climate strategy, which includes building a microgrid on the base. they are also targeting net zero emissions by 2050. is that realistic? >> we hope it is. if you don't set goals and ambitions, you don't have

anything to strive for. we think we certainly have the capacity to try innovative solutions and technologies to achieve these goals. >> reporter: at fort bragg in north carolina, innovation includes a solar array, the largest of its kind in the southeast. fort carson in colorado is working on new battery technology, and fort wood has added new electric vehicle charging station zpls they're allowing us to be a part of the change as the army chooses to be more progressive. >> reporter: sergeant britney washington. >> if we can get ahead of it now, then the future, of course, will be a better army for it. >> reporter: the urgent threat the army is now training to fight. natalie brant, cbs news. one tactic being used is called carbon offset. that's when a company buys a forest and vows not to chop down the trees for 100 years.

wildfire?ns when those trees ben tracey ahas that part of the story. >> reporter: so the fire came right through here? >> yeah. >> reporter: the first thing you notice on a drive through this normally lush green forest is that nearly all the trees are dead. pretty much as far as your eye can see, it's burned down. >> yeah, it was a big fire. >> reporter: last summer's bootleg fire was the third largest fire in oregon's history. smoke turned the sky gray as far away as new york city, nearly blocking out the sun. more than 400,000 acres were lost. >> about 110,000 of that was on us. it was a tough thing to see. >> reporter: douglas reid is president of a company that logs and owns this land. they've found another way to make money on all these trees,

by not cutting them down. >> it allows us to change the way we manage this forest. >> reporter: companies like green diamond let their trees grow longer and longer allowing them to suck in more carbon die i don't care side. that grants credit. in theory, it's like balancing a scale. green diamond sold offsets to shell, phillip 66, and microsoft. but when those trees went up in smoke last year, so did those offsets. >> and all that carbon that was being stored in the trees went up in the atmosphere. >> the fact the fire released a bunch of carbon dioxide did make it more painful. we're not making that commitment idly.

we're making it with the intent to fulfill it. >> they're dead. so they're going to fall over and decompose. >> reporter: danny ward is the director for a nonprofit that tracks and analyzes carbon programs. so all the trees here were a part of the program? >> that's right. >> reporter: he says offsets are now a billion dollar business with almost no oversight. he says their carbon remain in the atmosphere forever while the offset is only temporary. >> the problem comes when people say, it's okay for me to pollute because i bought one of these kind of credits. >> reporter: they found major polluters including big oil, big tobacco, and big airlines are relying on carbon offsets to help them meet their carbon goals. >> you will find airlines, major

industries saying we've gone carbon neutral because we've purchased these credits. at best, we are getting started learning some things that work and some things that don't work. >> reporter: many climate-conscious consumers are using them too. >> a lot of individuals who care about these things are buying offsets for their plane trip. how do they know any of that is offsetting their pollution. >> they have no way of knowing. >> reporter: so a lot of this might just be making people feel good? >> some of it certainly is. >> reporter: he also worries some timber companies are now being paid to do what they would have done anyway, let their trees go. >> the offset looks like give me an offset or i'll shut down trees. >> reporter: it kind of sounds like holding trees hostage. >> yes. >> reporter: nearly half of all the carbon offsets in the world

are now stored in trees. but here in the american west which is getting hoert and dryer and more prone to wildfires, many are says forests like these are no longer a reliable weapon in the fight against climate change. new research shows wildfire risk could be four times greater by the end of the century, and at least six sites in california, oregon, and washington have burned in the past seven years. >> trees and soil and other nature-based solutions are risky, but we don't have a choice at this point. we need to have nature as a client solution. we're sober about the climate change. >> reporter: the tech giant is pledging to be carbon negative by 2030 and then remove the equivalent of all its carbon emissions by 2050. it is helping fund carbon removal projects, including this one we visited last year in iceland, which actually sucks

carbon dioxide out of the air and buries it underground. but she says it's incredibly hard to find legitimate offset and removal programs. >> we first started our carbon removal program, we got 200 project proposals, and many of those didn't actually describe carbon removal. >> reporter: microsoft paid green diamond to haul off tons of its co2 emissions, and many burned in the fire. isn't the very nature of an offset allowing a company to continue to pollute? it's not actually solving the problem. >> we need to both reduce and remove. so make dramatic cuts in our carbon emissions and offset what we can't. >> reporter: california runs one of the largest offset programs in the world. it tries to manage the risk of drought and wildfire by placing

a portion of each forest's offset credits into a forest account like insurance. to offset the offset, yeah. danny warren says it isn't keeping up with the new normal of climate change-fueled wildfires. california's air resource board disagrees with that characterization. >> in the span of aboutless than ten year, we've burned through the insurance protections that were meant to last 100. >> i don't think it's right to throw the baby out with the bath water. we have a lot of work to do. >> reporter: he argues they might need higher standards but says trees are worth the risk. is it possible the risk in trees burn? yes, that's a possibility. at this stage,d at this stage,d not to use all the (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.

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one pill a day. 24 hours. zero heartburn. when you can't sleep... try zzzquil pure zzzs gummies. from the world's #1 sleep aid brand. its special formula helps you fall asleep naturally with an optimal dose of melatonin. so you can wake up refreshed. for better sleep, like never before. >> there are times when the smallest act of kindness can have a dramatic impact on a lot of lives. steve hartman found this heartwarming story on the road ♪ amazing a richmond, indiana police officer was shot in the line of duty, days before her wedding, the whole community grieved, deeply.

28-year-old officer sierra burton, the idea that anything good could ever come from her passing was unimaginable, until one day a stranger walked into the department. he held in his hand a white envelope, and inside, a sliver of hope. to information clerk charlotte jones, the man appeared to be homeless. >> and i told him, this is the most amazing gift that we have gotten. >> reporter: inside the envelope, eight crumpled up $1 bills and a note that read, people from the street. he accepted a hug. the man didn't give his name. he said she was kind and often checked in the on the homeless. so he took donations from people on the street. people with virtually nothing to

give. >> they gave that knowing they don't know if they're going to have another dollar tomorrow. that is as genuine as you're going to get that that $8 was like $8 million. >> reporter: we'll never know what exactly all gave or why. th but by all accounts, sierra burton was generous and fair with a face that always defaulted to a smile. does it surprise you at all that people on the street -- >> not at all, not with her. >> reporter: she was her step mom. what do you hope comes from all of this? >> people don't forget who she was, and this is part of who she was. >> reporter: in her honor, donations from the homeless are already pouring in, but for the department, the greatest gift will always be that simple white envelope. >> there's hope out there. there are people out there who

will give everything. >> reporter: both those in the line of duty and those they serve.

around the world, a growing number of crops are sprouting underground as indoor smart farms become more cost effective. tina krauss has a look at what's on the menu. >> reporter: the daily commute in taiwan just got a lot more interesting as a tech company celebrates the opening of an underground farm in the capital city. metro fresh grows organic greens inside a subway station using technology to regulate light, temperature, and the best nutrients. the owner says since the covid-19 pandemic, people have been paying for attention to food safety. this farm grows veggies under

l.e.d. lights eliminating chemicals. the metro farm greens go directly into salads and lunchboxes, allowing commuters to watch their lunch grow before taking a bite. the concept of vertical indoor farms known as smart farms is also taking route in the u.s. and around the world. experts say the process uses 95% less water than traditional farming and there's no threat of weather or bad bugs. the down side is energy costs, but since it's grown in the city, transport costs are cheaper. they produce about 200 bags of lettuce each week and hopes to introduce more underground farming to bring more produce to the table. >> and that is the overnight news for this wednesday. for some of you, the news continues. for others, check back later for "cbs mornings" and don't forget that you can follow us online

any time at cbs news.com. reporting from the nation's capitol, i'm jeff pegues. >> thiscbs news flash. i'm dan lieberman in new york. president biden says he does not think putin will use a tactical nuclear weapon in the war with ukraine. the president was asked on cnn how realistic he thinks it would be for him to use one, and he responded, i don't think he will. meta unveiled a new virtual reality headset that will help people see the metaverse in color. >> and the formal coronation of britain's new monarch king charles iii will take place on may 6th. the palace confirms it will come eight months after the throne passed from his late mother,

queen elizabeth ii. for more news, download the cbs news app on your cell phone or connected tv. i'm dan lieberman, cbs news, new york. o'donnell: tonight, the world leaders promising severe consequences if putin uses nuclear weapons, as president zelenskyy pleads for more air defense systems. sirens sound as russian missiles rain down for a second day. the news from the emergency meeting of the g7. and, cbs's charlie d'agata reports that, on the ground, putin's forces appear to be retreating. >> reporter: two russian armored personnel carriers, torched where they stood, one still bearing the z of the russian army. >> o'donnell: america decides: the battle for the u.s. senate. cbs' nikole killion reports on why republican leaders are rushing to boost embattled candidate herschel walker.

outrage in los angeles. cbs's mark strassmann reports on a los angeles city council meeting erupting with anger, after racist comments were revealed in a secret taping. a cbs news investigation-- the never-before-seen text messages linked to brett favre and mississippi's massive welfare scandal. and, remembering angela lansbury. >> announcer: this is the cbs overnight news. russia's revenge continues as its missiles rain down from the skies across ukraine for the second straight day. air raid sirens sounded during the early morning rush hour, as residents took cover in bomb shelters and subway stations. multiple cities across the country were hit with fresh rockets and kamikaze drone attacks, as the death toll continues to rise.

russia's military appear to be targeting residential areas, including a school and a medical facility in the contested city of zaporizhzhia. president biden and other g7 leaders held an emergency meeting today, and pledged to stand firmly with ukraine. and tonight, we're learning details about the sophisticated weapons that could be headed to ukraine. cbs's charlie d'agata starts us off tonight from inside ukraine. good evening, charlie. >> reporter: good evening to you, norah. in his nightly address moments ago, president zelenskyy said russia launched another 28 missiles into ukraine today, on the same day he pleaded with the g7 for modern air defense systems, saying the key element of russia's terror, rocket strikes, will cease to work. ukraine's defense ministry says more than half of at least 75 cruise missiles fired in the onslaught were intercepted-- shot down, like this video is said to show.

but while the kremlin attacks civilian targets, many of its troops are in retreat on the battlefield. we headed south, where ukrainian forces smashed through russian defenses in the kherson region. not much more than a week ago this whole area was under russian control. claudia vladychenko told us how she tried to shield her six- year-old daughter margherita, who's blind and cannot walk and talk, from the sounds and explosions of gunfire. "she was scared, but she got used to it eventually," she said. "i taught her how to smile." russian troops took over the local high school as their headquarters. the holes blown in the concrete, scorched walls, and smashed windows, speak of the battle that took place when ukrainian forces closed in. it's almost as if they didn't see it coming. two russian armored personnel carriers, torched where they stood, one still bearing the z

of the russian army. inside, svetlana reznichenko said she cried seeing her school turned into a filthy barracks. "maybe our government can help us rebuild, and we can meet our students at the entrance again," she said. in another nearby village, a tearful okasana described how relieved she was to see the faces of ukrainian soldiers. under russian ownership for seven months, long enough to start thinking their home would. yesterday's bombardment has had a huge impact on the civilian infrastructure here, cutting off electricity and water in parts of the country. residents have been asked to conserve energy, shut down businesses early, and even stock up on water. norah. >> o'donnell: charlie d'agata, thank you for your superb reporting. let's go now to the white house for more on president

biden's emergency meeting with g7 leaders, and what they agreed on in response to russia's latest attacks. cbs's nancy cordes reports tonight from the white house. >> reporter: the latest wave of civilian casualties in ukraine is setting off alarm bells in washington. republican senator jim risch called russia a "terrorist state committing acts of genocide" and urged the biden administration to do more to defend ukraine. the u.s. has already committed more than $16 billion worth of military assistance. the latest promise from the pentagon? eight advanced surface-to-air missiles, known as nasams, that can shoot down russian but cbs news has learned that the first two won't be delivered for about a month. after meeting virtually with ukraine's president today, president biden and the other g7 leaders issued a lengthy statement filled with warnings for vladimir putin. they said, "any use of chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons

by russia would be met with severe consequences." >> i think he thought he was going to be welcomed with open arms, that this was-- this has been the home of mother russia and kyiv, and, therefore, he was going to be welcomed. and i think he just totally miscalculated. >> reporter: some top democrats are also pushing president biden to punish saudi arabia. they argue, the supposed u.s. ally agreed to cut the already-tight oil supply in order to help boost russia's oil revenues. does president biden believe that saudi arabia sides with russia in this war? >> the decision that opec+ made last week-- they certainly are aligning themselves with russia. >> reporter: white house officials say the president is reviewing the u.s.-saudi relationship in light of this latest oil decision, but they would not say, norah, how long that review will take. >> o'donnell: nancy cordes at the white house, thank you.

well, it was a terrifying scene today at a daycare center in allentown, pennsylvania. a carbon monoxide leak sent nearly 30 children and adults to hospitals. fortunately, all are expected to be okay. nine-year-old dan'yellis polanco said, when she got to the center this morning, she felt dizzy, and that she knew something wasn't right. >> i was a little worried because i saw somebody from my class that was on the floor and his eyes were closed. >> o'donnell: investigators say the leak was caused by a malfunctioning heater and blocked venting system. the building doesn't have carbon monoxide detectors. believe it or not, there is no state law that requires a daycare in pennsylvania to have one. there's a lot more news ahead on the cbs overnight news.

>> announcer: this is the cbs overnight news. president biden is weighing in tonight on a growing scandal here at home. he's calling on three los angeles city council members, all democrats, to resign over racist comments heard in a leaked audio recording. cbs's mark strassmann reports tonight from l.a. >> reporter: they came in, outraged... >> shame on you! >> reporter: ...united against their elected dividers. >> you are a disgrace! >> reporter: a moment of backroom bigotry, captured on a leaked tape. three los angeles city council members, all latino democrats, led by councilwoman nury martinez. >> i see a lot of little short, dark people.

>> reporter: hateful comments fired in all directions, and no one pushed back. >> on these tapes, i have heard the worst of what los angeles is. >> reporter: councilman mike bonin's young black son was a martinez target. on tape, in spanish... she calls him a "little monkey." >> my son? ma'am, that makes my soul bleed, and it makes my temper burn. >> reporter: her critics-- nury's jury-- include bonin, a furious father. >> first, you must resign, and then ask for forgiveness. >> reporter: martinez was a no-show today, taking what she called a leave of absence. councilmen gil cedillo and kevin deleon showed up, but never spoke. all three have apologized. >> as i listen to it more and more, i gasped more and more. >> reporter: gustavo arellano, a columnist for the "los angeles times." >> i'm glad latinos, especially, are being some of the loudest

voices against them. >> reporter: if they're on life support now, how much time do they have? >> that is a question only their arrogance can answer. >> reporter: in this moment, nury martinez is politically radioactive, rejected by her former power base, latino constituents, and democratic party elites who got her elected. her comments have offended and embarrassed all of them. norah. >> o'donnell: mark strassmann, thank you. well, we are now just four weeks away from the midterms and election day, and one of the races that could determine the control of the senate is in georgia. republicans are trying to help anti-abortion rights candidate herschel walker fight off explosive allegations that he paid for a woman's abortion in 2009, and then later fathered a child with her. cbs's nikole killion is just outside atlanta. >> reporter: former football star-turned-senate nominee herschel walker teamed up with the senate's leading republicans, arkansas senator tom cotton and florida senator

rick scott, making little mention of the controversy, framing it as an attack on him. >> you can see what they're doing-- they'll do whatever it takes, say whar ave sa twa tat coon are embcingalkebswsas lear. leaders and strategists are increasingly concerned his troubles could cost him in the pivotal senate race. what do you say to those in your party who have concerns? >> herschel walker lived the dream of this country. he's come from the ground up, from a small town with no money. he's worked hard every day. he believes in this country. and that's why people are going to vote for him. >> reporter: in recent days, new reports emerged that walker, who opposes abortion, paid for the procedure for a woman in 2009, then urged her to have a second abortion. the woman claims to be the mother of his child, and said walker's wife has reportedly texted her. today, walker continued to deny the allegations. >> i know nothing about an abortion, i know it's a lie, and-- and i said it was a lie and i'll just move on.

>> he threatened to kill us, and had us move six times in six months. >> reporter: a democratic group backing senator raphael warnock launched its first attack ad, using statements from walker's son christian, who lashed out at his father on social media last week. >> everything's been a lie. >> reporter: with early voting starting in less than a week, many voters are making up their minds. >> he's a down-to-earth person, he's not pretending, and, like he said, we all have a story. >> loved watching him play football, but he should not be in the u.s. senate. >> reporter: in a new interview tonight, senate minority leader mitch mcconnell said he's been speaking with walker often, and plans to stick with him. voters here in georgia will get a chance to see walker and his democratic opponent, senator warnock, in what could be their one and only debate later this week. norah. >> o'donnell: nikole killion, thank you. the cbs overnight news will

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jury. closing arguments ended, and jurors will now decide whether cruz gets life without parole or the death penalty. 14 students and three staff members were killed on valentine's day 2018. cbs's manuel bojorquez reports from fort lauderdale. and we want to warn you, that some of the images are disturbing. >> reporter: a trial that has been painful for the victims' families to listen to, ended with closing arguments that were no different. >> it was a systematic massacre. >> reporter: prosecutors said nikolas cruz, who's already pleaded guilty to killing 17 people at marjory stoneman douglas high school in 2018, should be put to death for what they called a premeditated and heinous attack. >> what he did was to murder children at school, and their caretakers. >> reporter: the defense has to convince just one juror against the death penalty, for cruz to get life in prison. his lawyers argued, he's a broken and abused person,

starting with fetal alcohol syndrome due to his mother's addiction. >> do we kill brain-damaged, mentally ill, broken people? do we? i hope not. >> reporter: during the trial, jurors went to the high school building where it happened-- the crime scene preserved for them to see. they also saw the weapon and tactical vests the shooter wore, and, though he didn't testify, they heard a videotaped interview where he described why he did it. >> i felt like no one loved me, and i didn't like valentine's day and i wanted to ruin it for everyone. >> reporter: the jury will also weigh the words of the victims' families, like the hoyers, who lost their 15-year-old son luke. >> every morning when i wake up, knowing luke is not upstairs in his bed, is pure agony. >> reporter: if the jury decides in favor of the death penalty, that becomes a recommendation the judge can either follow or still grant life in prison.

the seven men and five women of the jury will be sequestered as deliberations begin tomorrow. norah. >> o'donnell: manuel bojorquez, thank you. well, tonight, a new development in the largest welfare scandal in mississippi history. cbs news has exclusively obtained text messages and documents that connect the plan to divert millions of dollars in welfare funds to pet projects of hall of fame quarterback brett favre. cbs's omar villafranca has the never-before-seen evidence. >> this is a game changer. >> reporter: a new concussion drug, backed by n.f.l. legend brett favre, needed financing, so he turned to his home state of mississippi, the poorest in the nation. the pitch was made in 2019, at favre's home, to the former head of the state's human services, and nancy new, a founder of a non-profit that distributes welfare funds in the state. in a document obtained exclusively by cbs news, the drug company, prevacus, asked

for nearly $2 million from the division of human services in the state of mississippi. they struck this agreement: "in exchange for funding, the drug would be made and tested in mississippi." former federal prosecutor brad pigott investigated the transactions for the state. >> both federal and mississippi law required 100% of that money to go only to the alleviation of poverty within mississippi. >> reporter: court documents show prevacus was sent $1.5 million, with favre's business associate later asking for the rest. "we would love $784k," he wrote with a smiley face emoji in a text message obtained by cbs news. new responded, "we can send $400k today," adding, "i will need to let brett know that we will need to pull this from what we were hoping to help with on other activities." she has since pleaded guilty for helping funnel millions in welfare money for a volleyball center at favre's alma mater. eric herschmann, brett favre's

attorney, insists his client didn't know the grants were coming from welfare funds, and that favre didn't personally receive any of the money paid to prevacus. you're almost making him sound like a patsy. like he was set up. it's that no one told him. do you want the outside quarterback to look at it and say, "wait a minute, let me challenge the entire state as to what they do with their own funds?" >> this is not philanthropy. it's not a passive investor. he invited the director of the mississippi department of human services into his house to receive the sales pitch. >> reporter: favre has not been charged with any crimes. the state of mississippi is suing to try to get back the $2.1 million from the drug company and its affiliates. last month, the company announced they had finished the first round of clinical trials, in australia. norah. >> o'donnell: omar villafranca, thank you. well, tonight, all charges have been dropped in a murder case that was followed by millions of people on a hit podcast. podcast. that story, when we return. one prilosec otc each morning blocks

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o'donnell: tonight, we remember actress angela lansbury, who has died at the age of 96. here's cbs's jamie yuccas. ♪ >> reporter: it was the theme song for sunday nights. >> she's not a suspect, is she? >> reporter: angela lansbury captivated viewers, and captured killers, as jessica fletcher, a loveable mystery writer and amateur detective. born in london in 1925, her family escaped the blitz in 1940 and moved to america. >> it was just wonderful. i mean, it was just everything i had dreamed that it would be.to screen... >> she's not the only one in the house, is she? >> reporter: ...in her first decade, she made 16 films. >> i was lucky i was offered a lot of things very fast. >> reporter: but lansbury felt typecast, often playing someone

twice her age-- so, despite her success on the silver screen, she moved back to broadway. >> i knew that i could do something more. >> reporter: in her 40s, she had a tony trifecta, winning for "mame," "dear world," and "gypsy." ♪ everything's coming up roses ♪ >> reporter: to an even younger audience, she was mrs. potts. >> i thought you might like a spot of tea. >> reporter: after seven decades in theater, film, and television, that angela lansbury loved acting was no mystery. jamie yuccas, cbs news, los angeles. well, that's the overnight news for this wednesday. for some of you, the news continues, and for others, check back for "cbs mornings." remember, you can follow us online any time at cbs news.com. reporting here from the nation's capitol, i'm norah o'donnell.

this is cbs news flash. i'm dan lieberman in new york. president biden says he does not think putin will use a tactical nuclear weapon in the war with ukraine. the president was asked how realistic it would be for putin to use one, and he responded, i don't think he will. facebook parent meta unveiled a new virtual reality headset that will let people see the metaverse in color. the meta quest pro has a $1,500 price tag. >> and the coronation of king charles iii will take place on may 6th, eight months after the throne passed from his late

mother, queen elizabeth ii. for more news, download the news app on your it's wednesday, october 12th, 2022. this is the "cbs morning news." breaking overnight in the war in ukraine, bridge arrest. days after a massive explosion, russia says it has detained eight people. i am reeling from the revelations of what these people said. >> breaking his silence. a los angeles city councilman speaks for the first time after his son became the target of racist comments. remembering angela lansbury. a look back at her roles from broadway to the small screen in a career that spanned 70 years. good morning, and good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. breaking overnight, russia says