captioning funded by cbs it's friday, may 19th, 2017. this is the "cbs morning news." hours from now, the president leaves for his first foreign trip. it's been a whirlwind week of bombshell allegations. the baggage the president is bringing abroad. and an 18-year-old woman is dead and many more injured after a man plowed his car through times square. >> i came off the street and if i hadn't, i'd probably be dead. >> the driver's erratic actions and what he told police as he was being arrested.

good morning from the studio 57 newsroom at cbs news headquarters here in new york. good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. well, president trump leaves on his first foreign trip as president today, but he leaves behind a political train wreck that's rattled even some of his staunchest allies. yesterday he was defiant and emphatic, saying he never urged former fbi director james comey to drop the investigation of michael flynn, and he never colluded with the russians. but we've learned the trump/rusia probe may turn into a criminal investigation. weja jnweijia jiang is in washington. >> reporter: from the first moment, donald trump has stressed his america first message, so this is an opportunity for him to calm worried allies, but you're right, he may be weighed down from controversies here at

>> there was no collusion. >> reporter: the fbi's ongoing russia investigation dominating a joint press conference with colombian president juan manuel santos. president trump responding to the justice department naming special counsel robert mueller to lead the way. >> well, i respect the move, but the entire thing has been a witch hunt. >> reporter: senate lawmakers emerged from a private meeting with deputy attorney general rod rosenstein yesterday with one of them alluding the investigation has taken a new turn. >> it's now considered a criminal investigation. >> reporter: democrats in attendance also contradicted the president's latest narrative for firing james comey as fbi director. >> i also got a very, very strong recommendation, as you know, from the deputy attorney general. >> reporter: after pressing rosenstein himself on the issue. >> he knew that comey was going to be removed prior to him writing his memo. >> reporter: amid all the turmoil, president trump leaves washington today for a

overseas trip meant to bolster relations with muslim and nato allies. >> i'm going to saudi arabia, going to israel, i'm going to rome, and we have the g7. >> reporter: back at home, the president also faced questions about his former national security adviser, michael flynn. >> did you at any time urge former fbi director james comey in any way, shape or form to close or to back down the investigation into michael flynn? and also, as you look back -- >> no. no. next question. >> reporter: while abroad, president trump will visit five countries in a little over a week. president trump has said he could name a new fbi director before taking off for this foreign trip, and on thursday, he said he was very close to making a decision. and he added former senator from connecticut joe lieberman is among his top choices. >> weijia jiang in washington. thank you so much, weijia. well, we are learning more about possible links between the trump campaign and russian officials.

>> reporter: sources say individuals connected to the trump campaign may have been coordinating with the russians as far back as april 2016, seven months before the presidential election. a former u.s. government official tells cbs news, "you could see the hallmarks throughout," including conversations picked up by electronic intercepts. some of the contacts appear to be business-related or innocuous, but sources tell cbs news investigators also discovered multiple contacts that were cause for concern. the fbi is scrutinizing former trump campaign chairman paul manafort, foreign policy adviser carter page, and the former national security adviser, michael flynn, but it is unclear if there are other trump associates under investigation. flynn joined the trump campaign in february of 2016. a three-star general, he had previously headed the defense intelligence agency but was fired by

flynn was selected as mr. trump's national security adviser shortly after the election. the u.s. intelligence community became especially concerned during the transition that sensitive information being provided to the trump team could be passed on to the russians. flynn was also fired by president trump just 24 days into his term for lying to vice president pence about his contacts with russian ambassador sergey kislyak. former director of national intelligence james clapper said flynn changed after leaving the military. >> what do you think changed him? was it that he was fired? >> i don't know. that could be. i'm speculating. i really don't know. he just became angry about it. i don't know. >> but there was something changed? >> well, it appeared to me, yes. >> reporter: russia was looking for relief from sanctions imposed by the obama administration and investigators want to know if any trump associates made any promises. but more than 100 days into his ,

removed any sanctions. jeff begaze, cbs news, washington. ahead on "cbs this morning," we will talk to cbs chief washington correspondent john dickerson about the russia investigation and the president's overseas trip. here in new york, the man accused of driving his car on to the sidewalk in times square and mowing down pedestrians for three blocks is a navy veteran who had been court-martialed. at least one person was killed and more than 20 others injured. richard rojas told police he was hearing voices. he's expected to be charged with one count of murder and 20 counts of attempted murder. cameras were rolling on thursday when a car plowed into a crowd of pedestrians in times square just before noon. >> i looked down at my phone for a minute or two, and next thing you know, boom! it was like a big old, like a boom or something, an explosion. >> reporter: it happened during the busy lunchtime hour. police quickly

square. photos taken right after the crash show the driver, 26-year-old richard rojas, in a highly animated state. he was tackled by a traffic agent at the scene and held for police. investigators say he has two prior arrests for drinking and driving. >> there is no indication that this was an act of terror. >> reporter: paramedics tended to the injured. several of the victims are in serious condition. >> i decided to cross the street, and if i hadn't, i'd probably be dead. >> reporter: the woman who was killed was identified as elisa elsman, an 18-year-old tourist visiting from michigan. she and her 13-year-old sister were run down as they stood on a sidewalk. the police chief credited the city's first responders for their quick response helping victims. well, rojas ran through the streets after getting out of his car but was tackled by a group, including a ticket seller and a door supervisor at a nearby

restaurant. and at least three people, including a child, fell from a malfunctioning ferris wheel northwest of seattle. witnesses say the ferris wheel stopped suddenly yesterday and one of the carts turned over. the passengers tried to hold on, but they fell about 30 feet to the ground. one woman is in critical condition. more severe weather is forecast for the southern plains today. tornado watches are posted for parts of missouri, arkansas, and oklahoma. severe thunderstorms and flash flooding are also possible. at least four tornadoes touched down in rural western oklahoma yesterday. some farms were damaged, but there were no reports of injuries. well, today the city of new orleans will take down a statue of confederate general robert e. lee. it is the last of four confederate monuments the city has removed. overnight, a man was arrested at the statue's base with about 200 protesters gathered below. e

prominent, and it will be taken down midday, unlike the other three, which were carried away in the early-morning hours. and today, iran is holding its first presidential election since it agreed to a nuclear deal, which went into effect last year. 56 million iranians are eligible to vote. the election is seen as a referendum on president hassan rowhani's more moderate policies, including the nuclear accord. there are growing calls on capitol hill for the trump administration to respond to actions by turkish presidential guards who attacked demonstrators at the ambassador's residence. the trouble began tuesday when president erdogan arrived. men in dark suits are seen attacking the demonstrators. video showed erdogan watching the violence unfold. the state department called the incident deeply disturbing. well, coming up on the morning news now, chelsea manning's big reveal.

the first photo of herself since being released from prison. and a wildfire in northern california explodes, forcing evacuations. (announcer vo) when you have type 2 diabetes, there's a moment of truth. and now with victoza® a better moment of proof. victoza® lowers my a1c and blood sugar better than the leading branded pill, which didn't get me to my goal. lowers my a1c better than the leading branded injectable. the one i used to take. and better than that diabetes pill i used to take. (jeff) victoza® works with your body to lower blood sugar in three ways-- in the stomach, the liver, and the pancreas. and while it isn't for weight loss, victoza® may help you lose some weight.

(announcer vo) victoza® is not recommended as the first medication to treat diabetes, and is not for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. do not take victoza® if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to victoza® or any of its ingredients. stop taking victoza® and call your doctor right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck or if you develop any allergic symptoms including itching, rash, or difficulty breathing. serious side effects may happen, including pancreatitis. so, stop taking victoza® and call your doctor right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area. tell your doctor your medical history. taking victoza® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. the most common side effects are headache, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. side effects can lead to dehydration, which may cause kidney problems. now's the time for

tor about victoza®. a northern california highway was closed while crews battled a fast-moving wildfire southwest of fresno. the elm fire started yesterday and scorched more than 5,500 acres. nearby residents were ordered to evacuate. the fire is 20% contained. firefighters are dealing with steep and rugged terrain. chelsea manning reveals her look as a woman, and a magazine illustrates the latest white house scandal. those are some of the headlines on "the morning newsstand" "time" uses architecture to describe the crisis growing in the trump administration. it graphs russian touches on to the white house. it's the first time in a decade that the magazine has had no text on its

reports the environmental protection agency budgeted $12 million for buyouts and retirements. the white house has proposed cutting the agency's funds by nearly one-third and eliminating more than 3,000 jobs. the epa is under a hiring freeze. the "kansas city star" has the first photo chelsea manning released of herself since she was freed from prison. it was taken by a filmmaker who is making a documentary about her. manning was freed wednesday after serving seven years for leaking government secrets. "the philadelphia inquirer" covers the arraignment of former acre track engineer brandon bastian. he's accused of manslaughter and other counts in the crash that killed eight people. he was freed and will not have to pay bail as long as he appears for all court dates. and "the oregonian" says the state's governor forgave a fourth grader who swiped a pen and hazelnut while touring the capitol. kate brown replied to the boy after he confessed in a letter

to her. he sent back the pen and enclosed a dollar to pay for the hazelnut. still ahead, bidding war. a graffiti painting of a skull breaks an auction record at sotheby's. don't put up with almost clean. finish quantum, proven to clean better than cascade complete gel. switch to finish quantum and get really clean dishes first time, every time. befi was active.gia, i was energetic. then the chronic, widespread pain drained my energy. my doctor said moving more helps ease fibromyalgia pain. he also prescribed lyrica. fibromyalgia is thought to be the result of overactive nerves. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves.

fibromyalgia pain and improve function, so i feel better. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions... or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior. or swelling, trouble breathing, rash, hives, blisters, muscle pain with fever, tired feeling, or blurry vision. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. those who have had a drug or alcohol problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. with less pain, i can be more active. ask your doctor about lyrica. here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country.

an artwork by jean michel bass quiet was auctioned yesterday for $110.5 million. a japanese entrepreneur bought the untitled 1982 work after a ten-minute bidding war. sotheby's in new york said the price is an auction record for an american artist. on the "cbs money watch" now. rolling back net neutrality, and uber takes on trucking. jill wagner's at the new york stock exchange with that and more. good morning, jill. >> good morning, anne-marie. stocks on wall street staged a comeback after their worst day of the year, and despite growing fears that political turmoil in the nation's capital will push president trump's plan to cut taxes to the back burner. before the opening bell yesterday, some positive news on jobs. applications for unemployment benefits fell by 232,000, a three-month low. the dow yesterday gained 56 points, the s&p rose 8, the

higher. the s.e.c.k too the first step to repeal so-called net neutrality. by a vote of 2-1, the three commissioners voted to begin the process. net neutrality blocks internet service providers from giving priority for certain content that moves through their system. tech giants like apple, alphabet and facebook support it and it will be months before it's up for a vote. airbag maker takata agreed to a $34 million settlement with carmakers, covering toyota, subaru and bmw. it would compensate the owners of nearly 16 million cars and trucks following the recall of defective airbags. those defective takata airbags are blamed for at least 16 deaths and 180 injuries. a federal court still has to approve the deal. ibm's reportedly reversing course on having its employees work from home. ibm was a pioneer in remote work, but it plans to tell thousands of workers to return to the office or leave the

street journal." ibm says working in the office will improve collaboration and pick up the pace of work. and uber's getting into the trucking business. the ride-hailing company is launching uber freight. the app connects professional truck drivers with shippers looking to transport big loads. uber says for the drivers, it takes the stress out of finding and booking freights. anne-marie. >> all right, jill wagner at the new york stock exchange. thanks a lot, jill. still to come, the skinny on whole milk. why nutrition experts say drinking whole milk instead of skim could be better for you in the long run. lindt excellence created by our master chocolatiers. pure, rich, elegantly thin. experience excellence with all your senses. from the lindt master chocolatiers. the toothpaste that helps new parodontax. prevent bleeding gums. if you spit blood when you brush or floss you may have gum problems and could be on the journey to much worse. help stop the journey

try new parodontax toothpaste. ♪ doctors recommend taking claritin every day distracting you? of your allergy season for continuous relief. claritin provides powerful, non-drowsy, 24-hour relief. for fewer interruptions from the amazing things you do every day. live claritin clear. every day. ykeep you sidelined.ng that's why you drink ensure. with 9 grams of protein and 26 vitamins and minerals. for the strength and energy to get back to doing... ...what you love. ensure. always be you.

here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. well, if you love baseball, you can

facebook will live stream a big league game without local blackouts every friday night. tonight's colorado/cincinnati game will be the first of 20 games shown under the deal with major league baseball. and more and more people are ditching low-fat dairy products and choosing whole milk instead. daniel nottingham has more on why full-fat dairy could be the better choice for some people. >> reporter: sarah stubbs spent most of her life drinking skim milk but changed to full-fat milk when her son was born. >> i'll do whole milk with yogurt. >> reporter: sarah says she always thought low-fat milk was better for her health, but nutrition experts say there can be big health benefits to working full-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese into your diet. >> even though there's more calories, that fat is very satiating, so it keeps people full for longer and they tend to not eat as much otherwise during

>> reporter: studies also show the fat can slow down the body's absorption of sugar, helping to lower the risk of diabetes. full-fat yogurts are also popping up on store shelves. they can be a healthier option, since many low-fat yogurts have more added sugar for taste. registered dietician alyssa rumsy says it's important to look at your whole diet before making the switch. >> for someone who's already consuming a lot of saturated fat, maybe a lot of red meat products, a lot of animal fats, and not so much of the good stuff, i probably wouldn't want to add in more saturated fat. >> reporter: stubbs says she's enjoying the taste of whole milk. >> i like it. i'm going to probably stick with it. >> reporter: and hasn't noticed any weight gain. danielle nottingham, cbs news, los angeles. coming up after your local news on "cbs this morning," the series "real food" looks at the growing trend of kelp and how the seaweed is is not just for salad anymore. i'm anne-e

this is the "cbs morning news." is that ice cream? no, it's, uh, breyers gelato indulgences. you really wouldn't like it. it's got caramel and crunchy stuff. i like caramel and crunchy stuff. breyers gelato indulgences. it's way beyond ice cream. finish quantum, proven don't to clean better thanlean. cascade complete gel. switch to finish quantum and get really clean dishes first time, every time. ♪

give extra. get extra.

breaking news from overnight. police are looking for a hit and run driver who killed a woman overnight. >> so

nixon's downfall is russia president trump's. we're looking at the history and adding perspective this morning. >> and it's only 4:25. already 73 degrees here in our area, and the temperatures are only going up from there. hot, hot, hot. good morning, allyson. >> good morning. it is going to be a hot one today. this is going to be the last hot day before we return to the low to mid-70s. it is going to be a little uncomfortable. yesterday we only made it to the upper 80s, even though with that humidity factored in it felt much warmer than that. this dew point is so high for this time of the year, upper 60s. that's uncomfortable. you are going to notice it when you step outside. 72 degrees, clear skies. right now 67 for gaithersburg, 68 for frederick and 70 for manassas and we will see those temperatures start to soar as soon as the sun comes up. a quick up

fredericksburg. we are dry right now. we had those thunderstorms yesterday. we literally had one thunderstorm. man, did it pack a punch yesterday. it brought hail and even gusty winds and a ton of lightning. today we're going to see more of those. we have a cold front coming on through. that's going to spark some showers. starting getting going around 3:00. and then areas off to the south have a much better chance. coming up, we'll go through the futurecast and show you where those storms are going to be. ellen. >> that lightning last night, that was crazy. we have an accident closing down your northbound leaps on route 210 indian head highway between livingston road and farmington road. sounds like it was a fatal hit and run. southbound lanes are all running fine. checking on alternate routes this morning to get you around these delays. we do have a crash on route 50 as you're heading westbound between enterprise road. no

50. president donald trump taking his first international trip today, a five-stop marathon across the middle east and europe. he will face heads of state who he's criticized in the media. >> an image of attorney general jeff sessions in a kkk road projected on the side of the department of justice headquarters with phrases saying sessions must go. >> at least one person arrested early this morning at the robert e. lee monument in new orleans. pro and anti-monument groups gathered around the statue. >> a man had a history of problems with police including getting discharged from the navy. about 21 ,000 at&t wireless workers say they're going on strike if they don't get a contract by

they're welcome oohing for better pay and get -- they're looking for better pay and better job security. we're going to get day 3 of a heat wave, man, it's hot again. thanks for joining us this friday, happy friday. i'm mike hydeck. >> let's get into those temperatures with meteorologist allyson rae. sweltering again today. >> not only is it sweltering outside, i think it is cooler outside than it is in the studio right now. excuse our glistening. 72 degrees right now for washington. 67 for gaithersburg. and as we head farther to the south even warmer. i'm going to keep my eye on any patchy fog developing. it's going to be hot and humid today. the front is going to kick things out for the weekend. we're going to have to go through some showers and storms along with it. i saw a fan arrive in the studio. >> this is a puny fan. i don't know if that's going

work. it's pretty uncomfortable. by 1:00 we're still dry. >> what is this? this is not going to work. >> that breeze you just brought, when you walked over, it felt so good. it's got to be about 85 degrees in this studio. i am sweating. let's talk about this afternoon, this is 3:00. we're looking at showers and thunderstorms. like yesterday, some of these could be on the strong to severe side. a drier weekend but a cooler one. >> i am so happy, i love it, but i'm trying to be quiet about it because everyone else is not happy happy about it. i'm in a dress. i feel bad for mike who's in pants, a shirt, a tie. we do have problems on the roads. route 210 there was a fatal hit run between livingston road, farmington road. a little dark but you can see some of the cars. the medical examiner