six. big blow to big tobacco. the f.d.a.'s historic push to ban mentol cigarettes. why it could save hundreds of thousands of lives. sailor suicides: after at least seven service members take their own lives, we hear from sailors aboard the uss "george washington," about substandard living conditions. "eye on america": our nation's teacher shortage, and the need for black male educators. and helping our military and their families find a dress for all occasions. ♪ ♪ ♪ this is the "cbs evening news" with norah o'donnell, reporting from the nation's capital. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> o'donnell: good evening, and thank you for joining us on this thursday night. tonight, a clear sign from the white house that the war in ukraine will likely drag on for months or even years. president biden today asking congress for an additional $33 billion to support ukraine's defense against the russian invasion. the proposal includes more than $20 billion in military assistance, such as artillery and armored vehicles. the war ramped up again today with russian forces launching a barrage of new attacks across the country, including at least five missile strikes on the capital city of kyiv. explosions could be heard during president zelenskyy's meeting with the u.n. secretary-general in the capital. we'll get to cbs' chris livesay in ukraine in a moment, but first, let's start with cbs' weijia jiang at the white house. good evening, weijia. >> reporter: good evening, norah. this massive funding package stresses the biden administration's belief that there is a long road ahead before this war comes to an end. today, the president vowed that as long as the atrocities and assaults continue, the u.s. will keep providing military help. >> basically, we're out of money. >> reporter: president biden urged lawmakers to move quickly on a new aid package for ukraine, because money for military support, including heavy weaponry, needed on the battlefield, is almost depleted. >> the cost of this fight is not cheap. but caving to aggression is going to be more costly if we allow it to happen. >> reporter: the president is asking congress for $33 billion for economic humanitarian and defense funding. on top of the $13.6 billion already approved last month. top republicans today signaled they support the measure. >> they've earned it. they've shown their will to fight stronger than the morale of the russians. >> reporter: with some russian officials arguing the risk of newly war is now brewing, president biden today called that claim irresponsible. >> no one should be making idle comments about the use of nuclear weapons or the possibility they would use that. >> reporter: meanwhile, trevor reed is back in the u.s. after landing in san antonio overnight as part of a prisoner swap. reed, a marine veteran, spent nearly 1,000 days in a russian prison and now undergoing a medical evaluation for his declining health. the wife of wnba star brittney griner, who has been detained in russia since february, posted that her heart is overflowing with joy for the reed family. and paul whelan, who has been in russian custody since 2018 for alleged espionage, said he was thrilled, too. but in a statement, w whelan asked, "why have i been left behind? why wasn't more done to secure my relief." >> my goal is to get him home to see our parents once manufacture before they die. that's a little bit grim, but that's the reality that gets me up every morning. >> reporter: as the war rages on, president biden announced he is making new a expedited procedures to seek yachts and luxury homes, and liquidating the assets and using the funds to rebuild ukraine. norah. >> o'donnell: weijia jiang, thank you. on the ground in ukraine, the 234u678d secretary-geeral said he was shocked by how close the missiles landed near the hotel where he was staying. president zelenskyy called today's attacks an effort by russia to try and humiliate the united nations. cbs' chris livesay reports tonight from the capital. >> reporter: kyiv, once again in the crosshairs, after five missile strikes on the same day in the same city, the head of the united nations witnessed the russian devastation with his very own eyes. >> there is no way a war can be acceptable in the 21st century. look at that. >> reporter: from irpin to borodyanka, and bucha, antonio guterres visited where these bodies once lay. in mariupol, hundreds of soldiers and civilians, many of them wounded, continue to resist bombardment inside this steel mill. nearby, in the black sea, russian forces fire cruise missiles at ukrainian positions, they say striking weapons supplied by foreign countries, like the u.s. weapons ukraine desperately needs as the battle intensifies in the eastern donbas region. north of kyiv, ukrainian soldiers show us the open terrain that now typifies the warfare they're facing. this is the tangled aftermath of a russian position that was completely taken up on the by ukraine's long-range artillery. it's what they need more of in the donbas region, and they desperately hope to get it from the united states. but it's not only weapons they need. >> night vision. >> reporter: plus drones, medical kits, other and crucial equipment for the ukrainian military from the nonprofit "come back alive." they've raised $100 million since the start of the war. >> so in a war, even a printer and a telephone, those are deadly weapons. guns win battles, but logistics win war. >> reporter: the u.n. secretary-general also met with president zelenskyy. both sailed they were optimistic about reaching a deal with russia to rescue those trapped inside the mariupol steel mill. moments later is when those russian missiles hit here in the center of kyiv. norah. >> o'donnell: chris livesay in the capital tonight, thank you. well, back here at home, millions of parents with young children finally got the vaccine news they've been waiting for. moderna today asked the f.d.a. to authorize its two-dose covid vaccine for children as young as six months. that means 18 million more children could soon be eligible to get a covid shot. here's cbs' nancy chen. >> one, two,. >> reporter: moderna's vaccine is a major step toward protecting some of the country's youngest children. how would you characterize this step in the fight against the pandemic as a whole? >> i think it's a key step. you know, these kids represent. >> reporter: it would be administered in two doses a month apart. the strength would be a quarter of the adult dose. moderna's trial included nearly 7,000 participants between six months and five years old. it found the vaccine was effective against symptomatic infection from nearly 40% to 50%, depending on age. what do those rates of efficacy say to you? are they high enough? >> we think these vaccines will be highly protective against hospitalization and death in kids. >> reporter: still, some parents seem reluctant to get their children vaccinated. currently, only 28% of kids five to 11 are fully vaccinated, this as overall cases are rising in 39 states, up more than 19% week over week. >> all other age groups have access to a vaccine, but how about these, you know, youngest kids don't, and that's nerve-racking. >> reporter: anne rodriguez, from deerfield, wisconsin, enrolled her kids, theo and sam, in moderna's trial, to protect not only high-risk family members but the boys themselves. >> these vaccine feel like a light at the end of the tunnel, especially for those who do have small kids. we're still negotiating all of these things. >> reporter: and the f.d.a. has said it will move fast on moderna's application. and moderna tells us that once authorized, the vaccine could be available starting in late spring or early summer, norah. >> o'donnell: so important for parents. nancy chen, thank you. now to a milestone decision by the f.d.a. which announced a plan to ban all menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars in the united states. the move is being called the f.d.a.'s most aggressive action against the tobacco industry in history and would impact nearly 20 million cigarette users. cbs' omar villafranca has more. >> reporter: the food and drug administration says the proposed menthol ban could prevent more people from getting addicted and could save as many as 654,000 lives over the next 40 years. >> there's data that has shown that smoking cessation leads to improved survival from lung cancer. >> reporter: dr. raja flores, with mount sinai school of medicine, says he supports the ban because many of the patients, particularly people of color, are addicted to these cigarettes. >> they're a big source of profit. it's the same population that does worse with lung cancer, that gets less access to treatment, and their survival is much worse. so to me it's a no-brainer. >> reporter: the f.d.a. says menthol's cooling effect make it easier to start smoking and harder to quit. menthols make up 37% of the cigarette market. thy're the choice of 85% of black smokers, compared to just 24.6% of whites, and more than half of young smokers choose menthol. menthol cigarette sales made more than $30 billion. >> when i actually want to go and i'm craving to find those cigarettes and i can't find them, i think it will give me a little bit of an extra push to not smoke anymore. >> reporter: a spokesman for the maker of newport cigarettes told cbs news, "we do not believe the public science supports regulating menthol cigarettes differently from nonmenthol cigarettes." experts say it could be a year or two before this ban goes into effect. norah. >> o'donnell: omar villafranca, thanks so much. now to big news about steps the navy is taking following our recent reports on the suicides among sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier uss "george washington." we are learning more about the poor conditions on the ship, often lacking running water and working bathrooms. here's cbs' david martin. >> reporter: when the aircraft carrier "george washington" moved into the shipyard at newport news, virginia, for overhaul, it was the beginning of a nightmare. today, the navy acknowledged three more suicides occurred in 2019 and '20, bringing to seven the number of sailors who took their own lives while the ship has been in overhaul. the three most recent deaths, all of them young and low ranking, occurred in the space of a week earlier this month. last week, when theasychter visited the "george wnshington," the entire crew was wearing hard hats, a sure sign the ship is still in overhaul, which, because of covid and unexpected repairs, is now in its fifth year. during a question-and-answer session, a member of the crew listed his complaints about life in a construction zone. >> cold water, hot water, living standards that aren't necessarily up to par. >> reporter: the navy's senior enlisted man replied those are just the realities of shipyard overhaul, and things could be worse. >> what you're not doing is sleeping in a fox hole. what you are doing is going home and most nights, it's some of the ( bleep ) you have to go through logistically will drive you crazy. >> reporter: captain kenneth strong, the commanding officer in 2019 and '20 was forced to step down three months early due to what the navy calls "individual incidents of poor judgment." despite his early departure, strong was awarded the legion of merit at the ceremony in which he was replaced by the ship's current commanding officer. one of the the ship's crew told cbs news, it feels like big navy has left us out to dry. nobody cares. "big navy" meaning the admirals who run the navy, has now directed that all 360 sailors living aboard the ship while it's still in overhaul be allowed to move ashore, if they want. the navy would pay for the housing, but first, it has to find suitable accommodations. norah. >> o'donnell: that's a significant development. good reporting, david martin, thank you. well, the nation's teacher shortage is getting worse by the day with more than 330,000 fewer educators in the classroom than there were before the pandemic. the crisis among black men who are teachers is even more dire. but in tonight's "eye on america," cbs' jim axelrod looks at a philadelphia program that's working to change that. >> reporter: every day that joseph harris shows up for work at the high school he attended in south philadelphia, he addresses his past and these kids' futures. >> you're about to graduate, man. i see myself again in some of these students. i've had the same struggles. yeah! i felt pain, like these students felt pain. >> reporter: at 22, harris, who was prelaw, is now working toward a teacher certificate. how many male teachers of color did you have growing up? >> i didn't have a male black teacher until my ninth grade year. >> reporter: do you think it matters? >> oh, for sure. >> reporter: in fact, one study shows just one teacher of color in third through fifth grade reduce a student of color's chances of dropping out beore graduation by up to 39%. but black men make up just 2% of teachers in america, something sharif el-mekki is on a mission to change. nothing is more effective. >> nothing more effective. >> reporter: ...for black kid than having black teachers. >> absolutely. >> reporter: el-mekki runs the center for black educator development, a nonprofit aimed at attracting more black men into the teaching field. >> if a black child has a black educator, they're less likely to be expelled, suspended, or even referred for disciplinary actions. they're more likely to have a higher sense of belongingness in the classroom and within the school. and we say teachers of color are also important for white students as well. any progress? >> reporter: at the charles f. patton middle school in suburban philadelphia, ahmir williams is a student teacher. now a college sophomore, he didn't have a black teacher until mr. anderson taught him history in sixth grade. >> he told me to walk in my greatness, and hearing those words come from his mouth was, like, really liberating. it gave me a lot of confidence. >> reporter: had anyone ever said that to you before? >> no. >> reporter: that is exactly why el-mekki wants to quadruple the number of black male teachers over the next 10 years. >> it's as simple as if you can see it, you can be it. you have smrng a black male, who you look exactly aligning, and it makes you think that they can do it, why can't i? great job today. >> reporter: which may be the most important lesson these kids can ever learn. >> have a good one. have a good one. >> reporter: for "eye on america," i'm jim axelrod in philadelphia. >> o'donnell: and still ahead right here on tonight's "cbs evening news," an update on that mysterious outbreak of severe hepatitis among children. ♪♪ we all need a rock we can rely on. to be strong. to overcome anything. ♪♪ to be...unstoppable. that's why millions rely on the strength and financial guidance of prudential to achieve their dreams. who's your rock? ♪♪ for copd, ask your doctor about breztri. breztri gives you better breathing, symptom improvement, and helps prevent flare-ups. breztri won't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. it is not for asthma. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition... ...or high blood pressure before taking it. don't take breztri more than prescribed. breztri may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, mouth or tongue swelling,... ...problems urinating, vision changes, or eye pain occur. if you have copd, ask your doctor about breztri. bother the bugs... gotcha. ...not your family. zevo is made with essential oils which attack bugs' biological systems. it gets rid of the bugs plus is safe for use around people and pets. zevo. people-friendly. bug-deadly. liberty mutual customizes your car insurance so you only pay for whatchya... line? need. liberty biberty— cut. liberty... are we married to mutual? only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪ this is what people with eczema said about how their skin feels... ...when it comes to our skin, what if it could feel differently? say hello to opzelura for the treatment of mild to moderate eczema. opzelura is a steroid-free cream proven to help clear skin and significantly reduce itch. do not start opzelura if you have any infection as it may lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you are being treated for an infection;... ...have tb or have been in close contact with someone with tb; have had hepatitis b or c. serious lung infections, skin cancer, blood clots, and low blood cell counts have been reported with opzelura. in patients taking jak inhibitors, serious infections, increased risk of death, lymphoma, other cancers, immune system problems, and major cardiovascular events have occured. the most common side effect is pain and swelling in the nose or throat. it's a one-of-a-kind cream. so, what could that mean for your skin? ask your dermatologist about opzelura. . >> o'donnell: there was somediap unexpectedly shran aof that's thestee-mon stinwo years. back-to-back quarterly losses would signal a recession but some economists expect a rebound as hiring and wage gains pick up speed. tonight, that mysterious outbreak of severe hepatitis among children is growing. more than two dozen cases have been reported in seven states. health officials in wisconsin are investigating one death, which would be the first in the u.s. hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver usually caused by viruses. medications and toxins can also trigger the condition. all right, coming up next, a group of army wives are on a mission to help military families say yet to the dress. we exercise. i noticed i wasn't as sharp as i used to be. my wife introduced me to prevagen and so i said "yeah, i'll try it out." i noticed that i felt sharper, i felt like i was able to respond to things quicker. and i thought, yeah, it works for me. prevagen. healthier brain. better life. (dana)it's very difficult for the family because you too go through everything that they go through. maybe not in the same way. but you're still there. (announcer) you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit-now. my moderate to severe plaque psoriasis... the burning, itching. the pain. emerge tremfyant®. with tremfya®, most people saw 90% clearer skin at 16 weeks. the majority of people saw 90% clearer skin even at 5 years. serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. emerge tremfyant®. with tremfya®... ask your doctor about tremfya® today. . >> o'donnell: it's that time of the year for proms and graduations, which can be a challenge for some of our military families on tight budgets, unless they're one of more than a dozen bases with a very special store. here's cbs' janet shamlian. >> reporter: there can be issues when dress shopping for a special event. >> these didn't fit. >> reporter: but at this boutique on the fort hood army base, price isn't one of them. >> any specific color you want? >> i love this army green. >> reporter: major lisa northway a chaplain is looking for a ball gown. when she finds it, she'll take it home free. so will all military members and their families browsing here. >> the cost of a dress, which can sometimes be $two, three, 400 is the difference between buying food and going to a ball. >> reporter: yvonne coombes cofounded "operation deploy your dress," accepting donations of clothes and cash to make possible moments like this. >> oh! >> reporter: now on 13 bases, over seven years, giving away almost 18,000 dresses. >> trying to find some yellow. >> reporter: for chab lin northway, whose work can be heavy, a chance to step away. what's it like to come in here and have a slice of festiveness? >> it's like getting to join life's party. we do have reasons to celebrate and to cheer each otheron. >> reporter: saying yes to the dress. >> it feels like it was made for me. i did not expect that. >> reporter: the gift of more than a gown. janet shamlian, cbs news, fort hood, texas. >> o'donnell: love it. we'll be right back. we believe there's an innovator in all of us. ♪ ♪ that's why we build technology that makes it possible for every business... and every person... to come to the table and do more incredible things. why hide your skin if dupixent has your moderate-to-severe eczema, or atopic dermatitis under control? hide my skin? not me. because dupixent targets a root cause of eczema, it helps heal your skin from within, keeping you one step ahead of it. hide my skin? not me. and for kids ages 6 and up that means clearer skin, and noticeably less itch. with dupixent, you can change how their skin looks and feels. and that's the kind of change you notice. hide my skin? not me. don't use if you're allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems such as eye pain or vision changes, including blurred vision, joint aches and pain or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. when you help heal your skin from within, you can show more with less eczema. talk to your child's eczema specialist about dupixent, a breakthrough eczema treatment. igur? talk to your child's eczema specialist about dupixent, nothing. capital one shopping instantly searches for available coupon codes and automatically applies them. whoa! i look good in miniature. capital one shopping. (in s.l.j. voice) what's in your wallet? look ma, no cavities! oh, debbie that's great! you'll always need a healthy smile because in 60 years you'll be taking tons of selfies and sharing them on something called the internet. moms know best, that's why they trust crest. the #1 toothpaste brand in america. no matter who you are, that's why they trust crest. being yourself can be tough when you have severe asthma. triggers can pop up out of nowhere, causing inflammation that can lead to asthma attacks. but no matter what type of severe asthma you have, tezspire™ can help. tezspire™ is a new add-on treatment for people 12 and over... that proactively reduces inflammation... ...which means you could have fewer attacks, breathe better, and relieve your asthma symptoms. so, you can be you, whoever you are. tezspire™ is not a rescue medication. don't take tezspire™ if you're allergic to it. allergic reactions like rash or an eye allergy can happen. don't stop your asthma treatments parasiinfectionma worsens. re tezspire™ can help you be you.m, no matter who you are, ask your asthma specialist about tezspire™ today. . >> o'donnell: on tomorrow's "cbs evening news," steve hartman goes "on the road" for an update on a florida snowman named lucky that, yes, will melt your heart. and a reminder: if you can't watch us live, don't forget to set your dvr so you can watch us later. that is tonight's "cbs evening news." i'm norah o'donnell in our nation's capital. >> judge judy: why did you let somebody else drive a rental car? >> because they needed to get to and from. >> announcer: a family friend took a huge risk... >> judge judy: who drove the rental car? >> my boyfriend did. >> judge judy: and who gave him permission to drive the rental car? >> she actually handed him the keys the day we left. >> announcer: ...then trouble really got rolling. >> judge judy: the car was impounded why? >> he was on the run, were iving from the policse? >>ouncer: gey." you are about to enter the courtroom of judge judith sheindlin. leann watson is suing her former family friend, james millus, and his daughter, 20-year-old brittney, for impound fees, u-haul fees, and a jeep. >> byrd: order! all rise! this is case number 502 on the calendar on the matter of watson versus millus. >> judge judy: thank you. >> byrd: you're welcome, judge. parties have been sworn in. you may be seated. folks, have a seat. >> judge judy: this is your daughter? >> yes, ma'am. >> judge judy: and you know the plaintiff for a long time? >> yes, ma'am. >> judge judy: and you had an elderly father. your father was being evicted from the place where he was staying. he was also somewhat of a hoarder. he had a lot of stuff. you had to move all the stuff that he had hoarded from storage units, and put them where? >> we put them in storage units, and we moved part of it to my residence in riverside. >> judge judy: so you were moving things around. >> right. >> judge judy: and you enlisted the defendant and his daughter to help you. >> yes. >> judge judy: for money, because this was a big production. this was not, you know, an hour. >> right. >> judge judy: this was days and days of going through stuff and moving it. how many days did the defendant