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> mason: good evening. scott's off tonight. i'm anthony mason. we begin tonight with a m" property="og:description">
> mason: good evening. scott's off tonight. i'm anthony mason. we begin tonight with a m">
life. this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> mason: good evening. scott's off tonight. i'm anthony mason. we begin tonight with a major development in a story many of you saw sunday on "60 minutes" about a michigan sports medicine doctor who treated the nation's top female gymnasts. today, 53-year-old dr. larry nassar was hit with 22 criminal charges, accused of sexually assaulting nine girls. and he has many more accusers. our dr. jon lapook has been investigating this story, and a word of caution-- some of what you're about to hear is graphic. >> this guy is disgusting. this guy is despicable. he is a monster. >> reporter: michigan attorney general bill schuette has charged dr. nassar with sexually assaulting young female gymnasts under the guise of medical treatment. today's complaint alleges the nine athletes, all under the age of 16, had treatments that included digital penetration of the vagina and anus. since december, nassar has been held without bail in michigan, charged with possession of child pornography, and criminal sexual conduct involving the daughter of a family friend. complaints against nassar first became public in september 2016 after an investigation by the "indy star" revealed sexual abuse allegations against gymnastics coaches. that prompted young women to come forward with accusations about nassar. he was the team doctor for the women's olympic gymnastics team. that's him right after kerri strug's famous ankle injury in the 1996 olympics in atlanta. according to the attorney general, more than 80 women have come forward so far with complaints against nassar. >> taking the apple cart and flipped it upside down. >> reporter: jamie dantzscher, who won a bronze medal in the 2000 olympics, says nassar treated her without a glove or chaperone. she spoke with "60 minutes" on sunday. >> i started having really bad lower back pain on my right side of my back. so i went to him for my back pain. >> reporter: what specifically would he do? >> he would put his fingers inside of me, move my leg around. he would tell me i was going to feel a pop, and that that would put my himself back and help my back pain. >> reporter: how old were you then when he first did that procedure? >> i was either 13 or 14. >> reporter: nassar pleaded not guilty to the previous charges against him in michigan. in a statement from his lawyers, he has defended his treatment as legitimate. >> mason: dr. jon lapook, thank you, jon. protesters taking a stand against the dakota access pipeline were ordered to break camp today, but some ignored the deadline and refused to go quietly. omar villafranca is there. >> reporter: north dakota authorities moved in and arrested several holdouts just after 4:00 p.m. some of them put up a fight. most of the protesters left earlier. some packed up in cars. others marched out chanting to drums. chase stayed through the brutal winter. >> right now, there is a forced removal happening an ethnic cleansing. >> reporter: tents and other structures were set on fire in what protesters say is part of a native american ceremony for sacred structures. today's eviction, for safety concerns according to the governor, marks the end of a seven-month-long protest that sometimes turned violent. the sheriff's department says between 50 and 75 people are still in the camp and will be arrested. anthony, construction on the pipeline has resumed and completion of that one-mile section is expected in less than 80 days. >> mason: omar, thanks. president trump sent two members of his cabinet south of the border today to explain his new crackdown on illegal immigration. more about that now from state department correspondent margaret brennan. >> reporter: the fence-mending mission began with secretary of state rex tillerson's arrival in mexico city for a meeting with mexico's president. earlier, homeland security chief john kelly assured guatemala's leader that president trump is not interested in mass deportation. >> he has given me-- empsized a mission of intercepting irregular immigrants from any country on our border, treat them humanely, and return them to their country of origin as fast as possible. >> reporter: but the topic of fence building is still a sore subject. mexico's foreign minister said today he'd take the fight to the u.n. to defend the rights of immigrants in the u.s. president trump's new immigration order could subject millions of people living in the u.s. illegally to deportation back to mexico, even if they're originally from a third country. it prioritizes anyone convicted of a crime or charged with an offense. the policy is deeply unpopular in mexico, as is the wall that president trump has vowed to build along the 2,000-mile shared border. today, house speaker paul ryan's office released a picture of him touring the border area. white house spokesman sean spicer downplayed the tension, calling relations with mexico "phenomenal." >> i think that secretary tillerson and secretary kelly are going to have a great discussion down there and to walk through the implementation of the executive order. >> reporter: now, this is the first high-stakes trip for tillerson, who has largely been silent during his almost three weeks on the job. anthony, state department officials insist he's in close contact with the president and point out that they met earlier today. >> mason: margaret brennan, thanks, margaret. today, vice president mike pence visited the jewish cemetery outside st. louis that was desecrated by vandals over the weekend. after sharing a prayer, he helped clean up the sacred ground where more than 150 headstones were damaged. pence denounced the vanity limp and said the outpouring of support for the jewish community have inspired the nation. republican members of congress holding town meetings with constituents are facing loud protests from opponents of president trump. the administration claims professional outside agitators are partly to blame. congressional correspondent nancy cordes went to louisiana to look into it. >> reporter: if professional agitators were lurking in the line outside the jefferson parish library today, we didn't meet them. >> look at us. >> yes. >> yes. >> do we look like loud individuals? do we look like paid protesters? >> reporter: this group of meeftly retired women, brought home made signs, umbrellas for the sun, and a newfound sense of activism. >> i'll be in this until i die, if that's necessary. >> there you go. >> reporter: really, you feel that strongly? >> i feel that strongly about it. >> reporter: they came to confront louisiana senator bill cassidy about the trump agenda and about obamacare. >> where is he! >> reporter: and when he was late, they started without him. >> this child standing in front of you is completely-- >> reporter: cassidy is a doctor himself, and one of the few republicans to introduce his own obamacare replacement. >> now, under our plan, you could actually end up with more people insured. >> no, no! >> reporter: but the tax credits he's proposing to help buy insurance have turned off colleagues on the right, while the left worries about the power he'd give states to scale back medicaid. >> and the instability that that would create in the state, in our health insurance market, that's not good for anyone. >> reporter: susan todd runs a local association of nonprofit health care providers. she helped spread the word about today's town hall. how does this crowd match up to your expectations? >> it's pretty good. we did have, you know, over 1,000 people r.s.v.p. on facebook. >> reporter: could you pay protesters if you wanted to? >> no. nor would i. >> reporter: the white house calls these protesters a vocal minority, and here in louisiana, they may well be right. president trump won the state by about 20 points. but, anthony, the tea party was a vocal minority, too, and still succeeded in pushing congressional republicans to the right. >> mason: nancy cordes in louisiana. thanks, nancy. in one of his first executive actions, the president gave the pentagon until next week to develop a new strategy for defeating isis in the middle east. such a plan could include more u.s. ground troops on top of the 5,000 already in iraq. david martin is traveling with the head of u.s. central command as he evaluates what's needed. >> reporter: with iraqi forces closing in on what remains of the isis self-proclaimed capital of mosul, the commander of u.s. forces in the middle east says he won't hesitate to ask for more american ground troops in both iraq and syria. >> i've always been encouraged if we need more, we will ask for more. >> reporter: general joseph votel told cbs news additional american troops would be especially useful in syria. the u.s.-backed fighters are preparing an offensive to retake raqqa, want other self-proclaimed capital of isis. >> the forces that we're operating with in syria are much more indigenous. they're much lighter. they don't have as good a mobility. they don't have as much firepower. so, you know, we have to be prepared to fill in some of the-- some of those gaps for them, and that may involve, you know, additional fire support capability to help offset some of those gaps that they have and we would take the burden on ourselves to provide that aspect of the fighting. >> reporter: that sounds like more boots on the ground in syria. >> perhaps that is what we're doing. we may do that, but right now i haven't made that determination. >> reporter: votel said the basic strategy, begun by the obama administration, of letting local forces do the fighting will not change. but in iraq, 450 american advisers are moving forward with iraqi forces into the city of mosul, getting closer to the front lines than ever before. general votel is in jordan tonight as he makes one last tour of the battlefield before recommending to the secretary of defense ways to accelerate the campaign against isis. his top field commander already has predicted both mosul and raqqa will be liberated within six months. anthony. >> mason: david martin in amman tonight. thanks, david. there's a new strange twist in the airport murder of the half-brother of north korean dictator kim jong-un. investigators in malaysia say the female suspects used their bare hands to deliver a fatal dose of toxic chemicals. adriana diaz is following this. >> reporter: airport security footage shows how kim jong-nam's female assassin attacked him from behind, wiping his face with poison before rushing to the bathroom. inspector general khalid abu bakar: >> she knew very well that it is toxic, and she needed to wash her hands. >> reporter: police don't know what kind of chemical was used but say the woman and her accomplice practiced the attack in local shopping malls. >> we strongly believe they are being trained to do that. see this is not something just shooting movies. >> reporter: the women were likely trained by these four men, all north koreans, who police believe have fled the country. today, police announced they're also looking for a senior north korean diplomat, pointing to possible government involvement in the plot. the mystery deepened further when police revealed there was an attempted break-in at the morgue where kim jong-nam's body is being kept. north korea still refuses to acknowledge that the man killed was, in fact, the half-brother of its leader kim jong-un. and, anthony, it's yet to respond to malaysia's request for d.n.a. samples that could settle the matter. >> mason: adriana diaz with a case that just keeps getting more bizarre. thanks, adriana. coming up next on the cbs evening news, nascar's popularity, it's a bump in the road. coaching means making tough choices. jim! you're in! but when you have high blood pressure and need cold medicine that works fast, the choice is simple. coricidin hbp is the only brand that gives powerful cold symptom relief without raising your blood pressure. coricidin hbp. the full value of your totaled new car. the guy says, "you picked the wrong insurance plan." no, i picked the wrong insurance company. with new car replacement™, we'll replace the full value of your car plus depreciation. liberty mutual insurance. what twisted ankle?ask what muscle strain? advil makes pain a distant memory nothing works faster stronger or longer what pain? advil. takes off on sunday as the green flag is waved at the daytona 500, but there have been rumbling lately that stock car racing's popularity is wearing thin. manuel bojorquez in daytona kicked the tires on that theory. >> reporter: ever since its birth on daytona beach in 1948-- >> number 25 snags the guardrail on the backstretch. >> reporter: ...nascar has been for decades one of the most thrilling, unpredictable, and dangerous sports americans love to watch. but enthusiasm for the sport has been sputtering in recent years, and today, nascar is facing record declines. in 2004, eight million people tuned into nascar's sprint cup series. last year, only 4.6 million did, a decrease of almost half. there are also fewer fans in the stands. admissions are down 30% since 2010. david scott covers nascar for the "charlotte observer." he says there are several factors to the decline. >> if the new generation of drivers is more corporate than the so-called good old boys that made it famous. >> they're going to have to watch what they say and what they do a little more carefully than they did in the old day. >> reporter: the second is safety. in the past, fans would fill stadiums to watch their favorite racers crash into each other. >> the safety has become so much improved over recent years, that there hasn't been as much a risk of serious injury as there used to be. >> i feel like our sport-- >> reporter: 19-year-old greg gaulding is the youngest racer on the circuit. he believes the sport sells itself. >> you don't get that feel until you show up to the race track, you smell the fumes, you see the tires. i feel like a lot of people still come to the races just because it's so exciting. >> reporter: promoting young drivers like gray is parent of nascar's strategy to counter-act an aging fan base. anthony, they're also change the race itself with a new point system which is meant to create more action on tv. >> mason: manuel bojorquez in daytona. and still ahead, scientists discover planets that could be just like earth. i thought i neededgled cigarettes to cope. i was able to quit smoking, and then i started running. now i feel a lot better. (announcer) you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit-now. look at you, saving money on your medicare part d prescriptions. at walgreens we make it easy for you to seize the day by helping you get more out of life and medicare part d. now with zero-dollar copays on select plans... ...and rewards points on all prescriptions, walgreens has you covered. so drop by and seize the savings! walgreens. at the corner of happy and healthy. >> mason: for as long as humans have looked to the heavens, we've wondered whether there is life on other planets. chip reid on a discovery announced today that has scientists very excited. >> reporter: for astronomers, finding seven earth-sized planets orbiting a single sun is like finding a pot of gold next to the holy grail. nasa scientist thomas zurbuchen: >> the discovery gives us a hint that finding a second earth is not just a matter of if but when. >> reporter: in fact, it may be the best place yet found to search for life. sarah seager of m.i.t.: >> we've made a giant, accelerated leap forward in the search for habitable worlds. >> reporter: three of the planets are independent so-called goldilocks zone-- not too hot, not too cold, just the right temperature for liquid water, the key to life as we know it. it's possible all seven have water. a nasa artist with a vivid imagination thinks this is what the fifth planet could look like. its neighbors easily visible and the sun much closer than ours. fortunately, it's also much smaller and cooler, which keeps the planets from getting fried. these heavenly bodies are 39 light-years away. that's 235 trillion miles, but by astronomical standards, they're practically next door, close enough that when the james webb space telescope is launched next year, it will be able to analyze the planets' at motion fears, a big step towards answering the question, "are we alone?" chip reid, cbs news, washington. >> mason: that is exciting news. up next, teenage refugees wonder whether america is still a beacon of hope. pcountries thatk mewe traveled,t what is your nationality and i would always answer hispanic. so when i got my ancestry dna results it was a shocker. i'm everything. i'm from all nations. i would look at forms now and wonder what do i mark? because i'm everything. and i marked other. discover the story only your dna can tell. order your kit now at ancestrydna.com. when i was too busy with the kids to get a repair estimate. i just snapped a photo and got an estimate in 24 hours. my insurance company definitely doesn't have that... you can leave worry behind when liberty stands with you™ liberty mutual insurance wonly new alka-seltzer plus st want powerful relief. free of artificial dyes and preservatives liquid gels delivers the powerful cold symptom relief you need without the unnecessary additives you don't. loudspeaker: clean up, aisle 4. alka-seltzer plus liquid gels. it'sand your doctor at yoto maintain your health.a because in 5 days, 10 hours and 2 minutes you are going to be 67. and on that day you will walk into a room where 15 people will be waiting... 12 behind the sofa, 2 behind the table and 1 and a half behind a curtain. family: surprise! but only one of them will make a life long dream come true. great things are ahead of you when your health is ready for them. at humana, we can help you with a personalized plan for your health for years to come. >> ninan: the trump administration is still re-writing the executive order that would temporarily close america's doors to refugees. courts blocked the first version. the ban is part of the president's plan for fighting terrorism, but mark strassmann talked to some teenage immigrants who think mr. trump should reconsider. >> there's always, like, a second chance. >> reporter: as a nation of second chances, america welcomed these young somali war refugees. 18-year-old abba tobe and his 17-year-old sister, zeytun came here seven years ago. do you think the exprt his team understand what it is to be a refugee? >> no. >> i definitely don't, you know. they don't really think about who they're affecting. you leave everything in your old country just to get here, and then it's like a slap in the face. >> exactly. >> they don't understand how hard it is. >> reporter: more than 100,000 somali refugees have fled to the u.s. since 1991. they escaped decades of civil war, famine, and islamic extremism. 15-year-old shadia saeed was born here after her parents fled that war. 18-year-old abdul kareem arrived a year ago. >> i felt like america was like you had opportunities. there's always money and everyone's happy. and you actually meet humans and no one would actually really want to kill you. so that's what i thought it was. then when you came you had trump, and he's-- he's him. i guess ideas changed of what i thought america would be. >> most of us are looking for a second chance, you know. and i felt like as if he just-- just was like, "oh, all muslims are bad,", you know. >> reporter: has this issue changed your view about what america represents? >> since the u.s. is a country of liberty, freedom and such, and then you ban all these countries that have weak economies and weak governments and no one's there to help. whatever the u.s. does affects every other country. you're the leader. you should actually lead with some respect and dignity. >> all over the world, it's taught to be the country where people who have no hope, that's where they go. but now you see that, you know, they've changed their-- their core ideals what they believed in. so they're losing that special thing that they had for people all over the world. >> reporter: if you had the chance to talk to president trump about this, what would you say? >> i would say you need to be more understanding of others, not just yourself. try to put yourself in other people's shoes. >> islam is not the enemy. all the muslim countries are not the enemy. alienating all these other countries will not help you in the long run. >> reporter: mark strassmann, cbs news, clarkston, georgia. >> mason: and that's cbs evening news. scott will be back tomorrow. i'm anthony mason. thanks for watching. good night. tonight, george clooney opens up on why his marriage is so strong and where he and amal plan to raise their kids. then is gwen using blake to win "the voice." >> plus the shocking weight loss everyone will be talking about. >> on a diet. >> we talk to honey boo boo about mama june's transformation, down to size 4. >> mama, she is a very stubborn person. >> and how celine dion is moving forward fter the death of her husband. >> he gave me the best of him. i feel stronger. >> music and laughter. >> i'm a singer. and talker. >> the wild side of the singer you have never seen. >> we will tell you to stop the interview. and keep going our way. >> now for februar,