[explosion] >> norah: the israeli army advances on gaza city as president biden calls for a humanitarian pause on military operations. plus, the house approves a $14 billion aid package for israel. 1 of 5 former memphis police officers involved in the beating death of tyre nichols pleads guilty in a deal with federal prosecutors. >> this is really the first time i actually heard somebody tell and say what they actually did to my son. >> a breaking point after a months-long standoff over the future of hundreds of u.s. military officials. >> i object. >> i object. >> and with that, i object. >> norah: the lone republican senator denounced by his own party. >> you've just denied this lady a promotion. you did that. >> norah: "eye on america." the story of a pen with history and the ability to change lives. >> coming here, you see what people are capable of. i saw that the world was open to me. >> ♪ now and then ♪ >> norah: and the new and final beatles song made with a little help from ai. ♪ ♪ we will get to those headlines in the moment, but first breaking news, let's go to those details. >> reporter: sam brinkman freed was ordered by the judge to stand, face the jury, and learn his fate. his parents who were seated two rows in front of this reporter were holding each other while waiting with bated breath. the jury's decision. and after what was fewer than four hours after liberation, this 12 person juries decision was unanimous. tonight sam brinkman freed found guilty on all seven charges of fraud and conspiracy. >> this kind of fraud, this kind of corruption is as old as time. we have no patience for it. speak of the entrepreneur and founder of trading company ftx is accused of stealing as much as $10 billion in customer funds defrauding those customers and the lenders of alameda resed hedge funds. in november of last year, the company filed for bankruptcy and he resigned as ceo. >> sam beckman freed had one of the biggest frauds and history. a multibillion-dollar scheme designed to make him the king of crypto. speakof the jury of nine women and three men began deliberating just this afternoon on the seven counts that include wire fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering. key witnesses against the 31-year-old included his ex-girlfriend and former roommates who also pleaded guilty as coconspirators. >> it's also a message, it's a warning, this case to every single fraudster out there who thinks they are untouchable. >> reporter: mr. sam beckman freed's legal team maintains his innocence. they say they will appeal, but still, he has experienced one of the most swift falls from grace in modern men and almost a year to the day since his company collapsed he is now a convicted felon, and it's not over yet. the government intends to bring additional charges, seven from this case and a trial to begin in march of next year. norah. >> norah: a breakthrough in the desperate effort to evacuate americans out of gaza. at least 74 americans fleeing today making their way out of the war zone and into safety in egypt. the breakthrough comes with a major new battle underway tonight in northern gaza. the israeli army launching heavy attacks from land, sea, and air. prime minister netanyahu saying "we are at the height of the battle." israel's military is facing off with hamas militants in close combat battles as they advance deeper into gaza city. and for the third day in a row, israeli air strikes hit the jabalia refugee camp as it targets members of hamas. more than 100 trucks with aid made their way into gaza today. that's a big number. as the humanitarian crisis there worsens. secretary of state antony blinken is on his way to israel where the white house says he will urge leaders for a pause in the fighting to allow aid to be distributed and for the possible release of hostages. and there's breaking news. the house passed a $14 billion aid package for israel. but without funding for ukraine. we have team coverage tonight from the middle east to washington, and cbs's charlie d'agata will start us off from tel aviv. good evening, charlie. >> reporter: good evening, norah. the israeli defense forces say face-to-face fighting is underway between israeli soldiers and hamas militants as troops push deeper into densely populated gaza city, while further south, there is a desperate rush for those trying to escape the war zone. by the thousands, they gathered at the gate today, daring to hope this time they would make it out of gaza. like susan beseiso, a palestinian american born in gaza who moved to utah. >> i'm leaving gaza today. god knows if i'm going to be able to leave, for the fifth time, i come to the border. but i'm leaving a huge part of me here. people i love and care about. nobody is safe in gaza. if you're in school, if you're in hospital, if you're underground, on the ground, you're never safe. >> reporter: even a few feet from the safety of egypt, one last reminder of the war. >> the internet has been cut off for the past -- [explosion] [bleep] >> reporter: hours later, she made it safely over. >> this is one of the toughest days of my life. to be leaving my family, my friends, and my hometown. it's just unbearable. it's devastating. and it's really hard. >> reporter: back in the embattled strip of land they managed to flee, israeli air strikes pounded the area around the jabalia refugee camp north of gaza city for the third day in a row. "they even hit the school," cries a young woman, referring to a u.n. run school where displaced residents had sought shelter. but being a school provided no more protection than the concrete pillars that collapsed around them. a father shouts "find my son!" a terrified child wails "we did nothing wrong. we did nothing wrong." the u.n. said today four of their schools turned shelters were hit in the last 24 hours. israeli defense forces release new video as the top commander claimed forces are encircling gaza city on three sides. but even as they clear the battlefield, hamas militants overground, dangers still lurk below. what first began two decades ago as a labyrinth of tunnels to move smuggled goods around has since become an advanced underground network known as the gaza metro, housing command-and-control centers and weapons storage. hamas released this new video said to show one of its militants emerging from a tunnel and planting explosives on an israeli tank. the skies over gaza lit up tonight in another series of air strikes. clouds of thick smoke rising as explosions ring out in the distance. a renewed bombardment from the air, even as israeli troops fight it out on the ground. and even as that fighting rages in gaza tonight, there is an escalation in attacks from iranian-backed hezbollah in the north. the militant group's leader is scheduled to speak tomorrow for the first time since fighting in gaza began and what might indicate whether that group is about to launch a wider war. >> norah: a second front. all right, charlie d'agata, thank you for that update. there's breaking news on capitol hill as house republicans have passed an emergency funding bill for israel tonight, providing $14 billion in aid. but it does face opposition from the white house and senate leaders who also wanted billions in aid for ukraine in this bill. cbs's nancy cordes is at the white house where the president is under pressure, as the humanitarian crisis in gaza worsens. >> reporter: secretary of state antony blinken left washington for his third visit to israel in three weeks. before departing, he said his main focus would be on ways to better protect palestinian civilians. >> how israel does this matters. >> reporter: that's about as close as u.s. officials will get to publicly criticizing a key ally over civilian deaths. president biden will only say that israel needs to abide by international law. that suggests that he thinks that israel isn't following international law, doesn't it? >> no. we have been saying it since the very beginning, nancy. that we want to see our good friend and partner abide by our shared commitments. >> reporter: but with pressure mounting to slow the death toll, president biden did tell donors at a fund-raiser in minnesota last night, "i think we need a pause to give time to get the prisoners out." with two major allies now at war, the white house asking congress for $14 billion in emergency funding for israel, $61 billion for ukraine, and $9 billion for humanitarian assistance. but the bill proposed by the new republican speaker, mike johnson, strips out the humanitarian and ukraine funding and cuts $14 billion from the irs. >> that was the easiest and largest pile of money that's sitting there for us to be able to pay for this immediate obligation. >> reporter: the congressional budget office projected this week that shrinking the irs would actually add to the deficit. >> this is republicans playing politics with aid to israel. >> reporter: that bill may have jut passed the house a short time ago, but the white house has threatened a veto, and the bill has been declared dead on arrival in the senate, where many democrats and many republicans want to send funding to both israel and ukraine right away. how they'll get there, norah, is very unclear right now. >> norah: all right, nancy, with all those important pdates from the white house. thank you. now to a stunning development today in the deadly police beating of tyre nichols. a former memphis officer, 1 of 5 charged in the case changed his plea to guilty today on federal charges and intends to do the same on state charges. we get the details now from cbs's elise preston. >> this was just one of many that i hope will come in our favor. >> reporter: tyre nichols' mother, rowvaughn wells, spoke outside the federal courthouse today just minutes after watching former memphis police officer desmond mills plead guilty in the beating death of her son during a traffic stop. >> this was really the first time i actually heard somebody tell and say what they actually did to my son. >> reporter: her son died january 10, three days after he was repeatedly kicked and punched by mills and four other memphis police officers which was caught on police body cams. they were all part of the now disbanded scorpion street crime unit. in september, the federal grand jury indicted all five officers on four counts, which carried a life sentence. they are all facing state charges. but today, mills agreed to plead guilty to two counts, excessive force and conspiracy to witness tampering. he is now facing 15 years. >> he is fully cooperating, and we expect him to continue to fully cooperate, answering all questions truthfully. >> reporter: as part of the plea agreement, mills is also expected to plead guilty to related state charges. >> the pressure that is now put on the other four is really huge. so, one can anticipate that any of the four will try to be the second one in line. >> reporter: elise preston, cbs news, los angeles. >> norah: now to new york where former president donald trump's second oldest son eric trump took the stand today in the civil fraud trial. the younger trump testified he had little knowledge of his father's financial statements despite being the company's vice president. the trumps are accused of exaggerating the value of their properties as much as $2 billion in one year. the former president calls the case "a witch hunt." he and his daughter ivanka are set to testify next week. senate republicans have erupted in anger over senator tommy tuberville's hold on military promotions that could endanger national security. today they did find a workaround to approve three promotions. including admiral lisa franchetti who will be the new chief of naval operations, making her the first female member of the joint chiefs of staff. cbs's scott macfarlane with more on the months-long blockade. >> reporter: hundreds of top military positions remain in limbo tonight, held up by alabama republican tommy tuberville, who rose to fame as coach of auburn university's football team. senator tuberville says there's no risk to the military. all >> there absolutely is risk to the military. that's maybe because he hasn't served in uniform. >> reporter: tuberville is blocking action on 376 nominees protesting a biden administration policy allowing service members paid time off to travel out of state for abortion services. >> why would you punish them for something they've got nothing to do with? >> reporter: wednesday night, a dam burst among his fellow republicans as tuberville stood and objected to 61 straight nominees. >> object. object. with that, madam president, i object. >> reporter: they claim foreign adversaries could take advantage of the dysfunction. >> xi jinping is watching this right now, so is putin. they are loving it. how dumb can we be, man? >> are you at risk of weakening the military? >> no. as i've told you all along, if i thought there was any problem with writing this, we wouldn't be doing this. >> reporter: secretary of defense disagreed. >> the whole is unncessary, unprecedented, and unsafe and is bad for military. >> reporter: tuberville is now being questioned about marine corps commandant eric smith, forced to hold down two high-level positions and had an apparent heart attack last weekend. smith had spoken about the demanding nature of the job. >> it is not sustainable. >> reporter: tuberville bristled at the suggestion he was responsible. >> this guy's going to work 18, 20 hours a day no matter what. that's what we do. i did that for years. >> reporter: senators managed to work through tuberville's holds to confirm those three senior military leaders today. but tuberville isn't backing down. next week, democrats consider a true rarity, norah, changing senate rules to break the blockade. >> norah: this is such an important story. scott macfarlane, thank you so much. in tonight's "eye on america" we take a look at a pen that's been used by the u.s. military in every conflict zone on earth for five decades. cbs's janet shamlian got a rare look at what really makes these pens so extraordinary. it's the people who make them. >> reporter: more than 4 million pens roll off the assembly line in this north carolina manufacturing plant every year. but the people who make them have never seen them and don't use them. >> i think that this place saved me. it brought me back. >> reporter: stefani sellers like most here is legally blind. working for the national industries for the blind which inked a deal to produce the skilcraft brand pens for the government 55 years ago and has been doing so since. >> coming here, you see what people are capable of, and i saw that the world was open to me. will >> reporter: richard oliver is a 27-year employee. >> how are you? >> reporter: the work has given him and hundreds over five decades the ability to provide for their family, buy a house, put children through college. that's critical, because the unemployment rate for the blind and visually impaired hovers near 70%. without the jobs that exist here, where would some of these workers be working? >> they wouldn't be working. they would be at home. >> there's a lot of us that are blind or impaired. we've got a reason to get up we have a job, and we have fun doing it. >> reporter: it's work that's changing lives, even if the pen used everywhere from u.s. post offices to combat front lines, hasn't changed. >> so you think that people who are blind or have other disabilities can't produce and they can't perform at the same levels of other people, and we are proving that wrong every single day. >> reporter: through their work, writing a new story. for "eye on america," janet shamlian, greensboro, north carolina. >> norah: a great piece about what's right in america. all right, a gas explosion destroys a home and leaves more than a dozen people injured in new york. we've got the details next. >> announcer: tonight's "eye on america" is sponsored by weather tech. auto, home, pet. find your fit at weathertech.com weather tech. auto, home, pet. find your fit at whethertech.com." whethertech.com weathertech... laser measured floorliners that fit perfectly in the front and rear... seat protector to guard against spills and messes... cargoliner, bumpstep, and no drill mudflaps to protect the exterior... and cupfone keeps phones secure and handy... [honk honk] surprise!! shop for everyone on your list with american made products at weathertech.com... if you have chronic kidney disease you can reduce the risk of kidney failure with farxiga. because there are places you'd rather be. farxiga can cause serious side effects, including ketoacidosis that may be fatal, dehydration, urinary tract, or genital yeast infections, and low blood sugar. a rare, life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop taking farxiga and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this infection, an allergic reaction, or ketoacidosis. ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ ma, ma, ma— ( clears throat ) for fast sore throat relief, try vicks vapocool drops. with two times more menthol per drop, and powerful vicks vapors to vaporize sore throat pain. vicks vapocool drops. vaporize sore throat pain. why give your family just any eggs when they can enjoy the best? eggland's best. the only eggs with more fresh and delicious taste. plus, superior nutrition. which is now more important than ever. only eggland's best. with gold bond... you can age on your own terms. retinol overnight means... the smoothing benefits of retinol. are now for your whole body. plus, fast-working crepe corrector diminishes wrinkled skin in just two days. gold bond. champion your skin. we're here today to set the record straight about dupuytren's contracture. surgery is not your only treatment option. people may think their contracture has to be severe to be treated, but it doesn't. visit findahandspecialist.com today to get started. >> norah: more than a dozen people were injured today when a construction crew accidentally cut a gas line, sparking a tremendous explosion and fire. this happened in wappingers falls. that's about 70 miles north of new york city. ring camera video shows a huge wall of flames that erupted. officials say children and first responders are among the injured. doordash has a tip for customers if they want their food delivered quickly. we've got the details next. elp - with lybalvi. once-daily prescription lybalvi is proven to treat manic or mixed episodes of bipolar 1 in adults to help you push back. elderly patients with dementia have an increased risk of death or stroke. do not take lybalvi if you are taking opioids or are in opioid withdrawal. the samidorphan in lybalvi can cause severe opioid withdrawal that can lead to hospitalization or increase risk of life-threatening overdose. get emergency help if you have trouble breathing, become very drowsy with slowed or shallow breathing, or feel faint, very dizzy, or confused; or if you have fever, stiff muscles, confusion, rash, swollen glands, or problems with your liver, kidneys, heart, or lungs. other serious side effects may include high cholesterol, weight gain, potentially fatal high blood sugar, uncontrolled body movements, which may be permanent, dizziness upon standing, or falls. are you ready to push back against bipolar 1? ask your doctor if lybalvi is right for you. ♪oh♪ ♪then you take me by the hand♪ ♪i feel better again♪ ♪oh i feel better now♪ my most important kitchen tool? my brain. so i choose new neuriva ultra. unlike some others, it supports 7 brain health indicators, including mental alertness from one serving. to help keep me sharp. try new neuriva ultra. think bigger. rsv can severely affect the lungs and lower airways. but i'm protected with arexvy. arexvy is a vaccine used to prevent lower respiratory disease from rsv in people 60 years and older. rsv can be serious for those over 60, including those with asthma, diabetes, copd, and certain other conditions. but i'm protected. arexvy is proven to be over 82% effective in preventing lower respiratory disease from rsv and over 94% effective in those with these health conditions. rsv? make it arexvy. >> norah: doordash is advising customers to tip their delivery people or expect to wait. the delivery service has been testing a warning message for customers who leave a $0 tip at checkout, saying it could take longer to get your food. that's because delivery drivers are less likely to accept orders without a tip. the fab four is back more than a half-century after breaking up. we've got the new beatles song -- that's right -- next. tles song. that's right. next. she found it. the feeling of finding the psoriasis treatment she's been looking for. sotyktu is the first-of-its-kind, once-daily pill for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis... for the chance at clear or almost clear skin. it's like the feeling of finding that outfit psoriasis tried to hide from you. or finding your swimsuit is ready for primetime. dad! once-daily sotyktu is proven to get more people clearer skin than the leading pill. don't take if you're allergic to sotyktu; serious reactions can occur. sotyktu can lower your ability to fight infections including tb. serious infections, cancers including lymphoma, muscle problems, and changes in certain labs have occurred. tell your doctor if you have an infection, liver or kidney problems, high triglycerides, or had a vaccine or plan to. sotyktu is a tyk2 inhibitor. tyk2 is part of the jak family. it's not known if sotyktu has the same risks as jak inhibitors. find what plaque psoriasis has been hiding. ask your dermatologist about sotyktu for clearer skin. so clearly you. sotyktu. when i first learned about my dupuytren's contracture, my physician referred me to a hand specialist. and i'm glad he did, because when i took the tabletop test, i couldn't lay my hand flat anymore. the first hand specialist i saw only offered surgery. so, i went to a second hand specialist who also offered nonsurgical options — which felt more right for me. so, what i'd say to other people with dupuytren's contracture is this: don't wait — find a hand specialist trained in nonsurgical options, today. i found mine at findahandspecialist.com. (♪♪) honey... honey... dayquil severe honey. powerful cold and flu symptom relief with a honey-licious taste. because life doesn't stop for a cold. dayquil honey, the daytime, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever, honey-licious, power through your day, medicine. okay everyone, our mission is to provide complete, balanced nutrition for strength and energy. yay - woo hoo! ensure, with 27 vitamins and minerals, nutrients for immune health. and ensure complete with 30 grams of protein. (♪♪) my mom's alzheimer's never changed how much we love her. but it did change her. she developed agitation that may happen with dementia due to alzheimer's disease. she started yelling. pacing around. kept repeating the same questions. she got agitated often. so we asked her doctor for help. rexulti is the only fda-approved medication proven to reduce agitation symptoms that may happen with dementia due to alzheimer's disease. rexulti can cause serious side effects. elderly dementia patients have increased risk of death or stroke. report fever, stiff muscles, and confusion, which can be life-threatening, or uncontrolled muscle movements, which may be permanent. high blood sugar which can lead to coma or death; weight gain; increased cholesterol; low white blood cells; unusual urges; dizziness on standing; falls; seizures; trouble swallowing, or sleepiness may occur. take action for your loved one. ask their doctor about rexulti. >> norah: finally tonight we leave you with something the world has been waiting for. for more than 50 years. the last beatles song, the perfectly titled "now and then." >> ♪ now and then ♪ ♪ i miss you ♪ >> norah: after a hard day's night, paul mccartney and ringo starr, along with a little help from artificial intelligence, have come together to complete an unfinished demo by john lennon. the late george harrison recorded his new guitar parts for the song in the 1990s. >> ♪ please please me whoa, yeah like i please you ♪ >> norah: from 1963's "please please me" to 2023's "now and then," beatlemania is alive and well. as the beatles would say, all you need is love. and that is tonight's i'm juliette goodrich. here in the bay area, a family with a grandmother stuck in the gaza war zone. >> she is already in war, she has no medication, has not eaten or drank for 30 days, no lights, no electricity. >> why her family is now suing the u.s. government. plus, protecting our bay area communities from rising seawaters. part of the solution is in space. and, a rough start to the season after gun violence forced them off of the field. tonight, this oakland football team has something to celebrate. >> i am excited t. is all about these young men that came and sacrificed everything they could. four weeks into the war in the middle east. agonizing wait for so many bay areas. today, duel citizens were allowed to cross into egypt through the rafah border. president biden says americans were among those that were allowed to leave. >> unfortunately i am not even excited to leave gaza because we have so many people we love and care about. so, right now i am between ice and fire. i don't know if i am ever going to be able to see the family that i left behind or the friends that i left behind. >> heartbreaking. evacuees are bussed into egypt. 300 americans are still waiting to