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[announcer] be a part of their journey, learn more today at uso.org. the decision by fox news to fire bill o'reilly may not end the sexual harassment scandal there. federal prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation, according to a lawyer for a woman who is suing roger ailes, the former chairman of fox news. anna werner is following this. >> reporter: the board of 21st century fox met inside fox news headquarters today-- >> shame on fox! >> reporter: while outside, the national organization for women declared the ouster of host bill o'reilly isn't enough. >> we thought it was really important to come out and shame the 13 members of the board of directors of 21st century fox who have allowed this culture to flourish. >> reporter: federal prosecutors have questions, too. a lawyer representing former fox news cohost andrea tantaros, who is suior chairman roger ailes, says the u.s. attorneys have subpoenaed one of his other clients. >> i want to be clear they don't know what the nature of the investigation is. >> reporter: but attorney judd burrsteen said the subpoena suggests the investigation by the securities fraud division relates to the method in which the settlements were paid. >> i do know that when fox news fought to settle with andrea tantaros, they wanted to pay the settlement out as salary. the inference i draw from that is there may have been a studied effort to hide the fact that there were all these settlements being paid out by disguising them as salary. >> reporter: tucker carlson will replace o'reilly, but of the 50 or so companies that yanked ads from the show, most told us today they have not decided whether to move their ads back to the time slot. viewership has remained steady. public relations specialist howard breathman: >> viewers are not their problems. advertisers, yes. their advertisers, the people that pay for their network, where the profits come from, and say, "here's the changes we've made, and here's why we're a safe place for you to put your money." >> reporter: fox news did not respond today to our questions about the u.s. attorney's investigation. o'reilly called the allegations against him unfounded yesterday, and roger ailes has denied the allegations against him in the past. scott? >> pelley: anna werner, thanks. well, as you just saw, members of the national organization for women protested outside fox news headquarters, demanding that the company fire executives who were aware of sexual harassment but did nothing. america's perception of workplace harassment has been evolving over these years, and alex wagner has more on this. >> fire bill o'reilly. >> reporter: intense public outcry over the latest sexual harassment allegations against bill o'reilly ultimately brought down one of the most powerful people in cable news. >> professor, do you swear to tell the whole truth? >> reporter: but the reaction 26 years ago was much different, when anita hill accused supreme court nominee clarence thomas of harassment. >> of his own sexual prowess. >> reporter: last october, hill told cbs news that the focus of the issue has to change. >> starting, really: how are we going to measure punishment from the point of view of the person who has been harmed? >> companies are going to be held to account. >> reporter: fatima goss graves, incoming president at the national women's law center, says that may be happening. >> so we are at, really, a tipping point of public attention, public awareness, and transparency on the issue of harassment. >> reporter: according to a cbs news poll conducted last september, 78% of women and 71% of men believe sexual harassment exists in the workplace. but just 37% of victims report it to a supervisor. >> most women never report harassment at all. because they fear retaliation, because they believe that they won't be believed, because they think they'll be discounted. and that has been true for a long time. >> fox news. >> reporter: graves says while the ouster of o'reilly and former fox chairman roger ailes could signal a sea change, other examples show there's more work to do. >> i moved on her and i failed, i'll admit it. because she was married. >> reporter: she says last fall's leaked "access hollywood" tape of then-presidential candidate donald trump is one of them. >> unfortunately, the lesson that we learned after the election was that sometimes harassers are rewarded. >> reporter: the equal employment opportunity office, which tracks harassment allegations, reports that in the last three years, some 36,000 people have filed federal complaints, receiving $110 million in settlements. but, scott, fatima graves says because harassment is under-reported, that is just the tip of the iceberg. >> pelley: alex wagner for us tonight. alex, thank you. surveillance video has just been released from the tragic shooting incident last summer. police in punta gorda, florida, were conducting a training exercise with members of the community and 73-year-old mary knowlton was playing a cop. officer lee cole was playing the suspect. he fired, not knowing that his gun was loaded with live rounds. knowlton was killed. cole was fired and faces felony manslaughter charges. police chief tom lewis is charged with misdemeanor negligence. a 15-year-old tennessee girl is on her way home tonight, after being rescued near a cabin in northern california. she disappeared more than a month ago with her teacher. police say 50-year-old tad cummins surrendered without incident, and was arrested. he faces multiple charges, including aggravated kidnapping and sexual contact with a minor. coming up next on the "cbs evening news," support for legalized pot has never been higher. and later, a possible new danger linked to diet soda. as 12 hours. s in as lite wow! but what other teen problems can it fix fast? will clearasil act fast to help this teen concentrate on his math test? darn! it only worked on the acne. can it hel... nope. no. so let's be clear: clearasil works fast on teen acne, not so much on other teen things. and now there's new clearasil overnight spot patches with patented technology for faster healing. yeah, i just saved a whole lot of money by swhuh.ing to geico. we should take a closer look at geico... you know, geico insures way more than cars. boats, motorcycles... even rvs! geico insures rvs? what's an rv? uh, the thing we've been stuck on for five years! wait, i'm not a real moose?? we've been over this, jeff... we're stickers! i'm not a real moose? give him some space. deep breaths, jeff. great savings. and a whole lot more. it says you apply the blue one ok, letto me. this. here? no. have a little fun together, or a lot. k-y yours and mine. two sensations that work together, so you can play together. she pretty much lives in her favorite princess dress. but once a week i let her play sheriff so i can wash it. i use tide to get out those week old stains and downy to get it fresh and soft. you are free to go. tide and downy together. i'm joy bauer, and as a nutritionist i know probiotics can often help. try digestive advantage. it's tougher than your stomach's harsh environment, so it survives a hundred times better than the leading probiotic. also in chocolate. probiotic bites! no matter who was in there last. protection. new lysol power & fresh 6 goes to work flush after flush for a just-cleaned feeling that lasts up to 4 weeks. lysol. what it takes to protect. >> pelley: today is 4/20, and for some, it's national marijuana day. a new cbs news poll shows support for legalizing pot has never been higher, 61%, up five points from just a year ago. 29 states allow medical marijuana, while pot is legal for recr states, plus d.c. barry petersen reports they may be headed for a clash with the federal government. >> reporter: they lit up in d.c. and san francisco, and rocked in denver. but at this year's 4/20 celebrations, anxiety is also in the air after statements from the trump administration. homeland security secretary john kelly recently warned of a possible crackdown in states that have legalized pot. >> its use and possession is against federal law, and until the law is changed by the united states congress, we in d.h.s., along with the rest of the federal government, are sworn to uphold all the laws that are on the books. >> reporter: john hickenlooper is governor of colorado, the first state where legal recreational marijuana went on sale in 2014. do you think you or other states will go to court and fight this? >> well, we'll certainly explore every option. we should communic >> reporter:in colorado, medical and recreational marijuana are now a $1.3 billion industry. shutting it down, says the governor, will drive people to the dangerous black market. >> there's just going to be a vacuum to fill, and it's all going to be cash and guns. drug dealers don't care who they sell it to. >> reporter: there are also concerns that not enough studies have been conducted on pot's effects, especially on unborn babies or teenagers whose brains are still developing. and pot shop owner sally vander veer of medicine man worries a crackdown will put thousands in this industry out of work. these are good jobs. these are full-time jobs. >> these are full-time jobs. we-- our average salary is probably $35,000 a year. these are people paying taxes. >> reporter: as you can see and you will occasionally hear, scott, the party is still going on in denver. now, our poll shows 71% of americans oppose any federal action in states that have re that said, here in colorado, people in the pot business are hastily drawing up contingency plans, just in case. >> pelley: barry petersen, and we'll be right back. you don't even want to know protection detergent alone doesn't kill bacteria but adding new lysol laundry sanitizer kills 99.9% of bacteria with 0% bleach. lysol. what it takes to protect. sure! shut-up! ♪ i can do that! ♪ do i have to? i don't want there to be white marks. good bye beautiful dress i never got to wear. nothing! no dust, there's no marks... it's really dry! what is this? oh my god, it's dove! it's a 48 hour antiperspirant... no white marks... ...on a 100 colors. i would absolutely use this. i think you converted me! ♪ ♪ new lysol kitchen pro eliminates 99.9% of bacteria without any harsh chemical residue. lysol. what it takes to protect. >> pelley: a new study is raising health concerns about diet soda. here's dr. jon lapook. >> reporter: about one out of every five americans consume diet drinks. that's more than three billion gallons a year. >> yeah, i prefer diet because i think it tastes better. >> reporter: the researchers analyzed 10 years of data where people gave detailed information about their eating and drinking habits. over that decade, 5% developed dementia. drinking at least one artificially sweetened beverage a day more than doubled the risk of dementia. but researchers found that other causes, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or high cholesterol, might be to blame. matthew pase is an investigator with the framingham heart study and was the lead author on today's report. this can be confusing to people. can you help make this more clear to people? >> sure. it might be that those who consume diet sodas may have an increased risk of getting diabetes or becoming overweight, and this might be associated with an increased risk of dementia. >> reporter: what are you telling your friends who are asking you for advice? >> well, since diet soda and regular soda have no real nutritional benefits, i suggest that people avoid them and drink water instead. >> reporter: that's your water cooler advice. >> that's my water cooler advice. >> reporter: this kind of study cannot prove cause and effect. people who start drinking diet soda may already be at increased risk for dementia, for example, scott, because they're overweight or have diabetes. >> pelley: jon, thanks very much. coming up, we will save the cheetahs. >> pelley: the fastest animal on earth can't outrun the threats in a changing world, but can scientists help slow things down? here's chip reid. >> reporter: oh, my god! five little cheetah cubs. at just three weeks old, the newest residents of the smithsonian's cheetah science facility are getting a checkup. >> this is where it's hard because they don't like to sit still. 1.75 kilos. >> reporter: that's just under four pounds. do they have personalities at this young age? >> some of them are a little more feisty. some are a little bit more laid back. >> reporter: they sound like they're purring. is that purring? >> no, they're actually growling. >> reporter: they're growling! because they're not happy. that's a growl, huh? the smithsonian conservation biological institute in virginia had a baby cheetah boom at the end of march, two litters in a week, ten cubs in all. biologist adrienne crosier runs the breeding program. >> part of what i try to do is make the best genetic matches but also the best matches based on temperament. >> reporter: so you are cupid for cheetahs? >> yes, i try. >> reporter: while cheetahs are thriving here, they're disappearing in the wild. they're in such peril, some scientists are calling for them to be moved to the endangered species list. why are they vulnerable? >> mostly loss of habitats. the areas they occupy in africa have been reduced dramatically. there are only 7,500 cheetahs left in the wild. >> reporter: 7,500, and that's down from what? >> when i first started working on cheetahs about 15 years ago, they thought there were about 10,000 to 12,000. >> reporter: with a top speed of 60 miles an hour, it's been said thath cheetah except, perhaps, extinction. but these little guys are doing their best to leave extinction in their dust. chip reid, cbs news, front royal, virginia. >> pelley: that's the "cbs evening news," for some of you the news continues, and check back with us in the morning. from the broadcast center, i'm scott pelley. this is the cbs overnight news. >> president trump faced reporters at the white house as several global hot spots test his leadership as commander in chief. the president held a conference with the prime minister of italy. no. trump's remarks come as rth korea flexes its might. this month, the mother of all bombs was dropped in afghanistan against isis, and they sent war ships to korea to deter nuclear threat. those are not the only policy threats on the radar. here is some of what the president had to say. >> italy is also a key partner in italy is now the second largest contributor of troops to the conflicts in iraq and afghanistan. i would also like to thank you, prime minister, for your leadership on seeking stabilization in libya, and for your crucial of the efforts to isis a foothold in the mediterranean. we're grateful for your help. all nations must condemn this barbaric enemy and support the effort to achieve its total and complete destruction. our condolences from our country to the people of france, again, it's happening, it seems. i just saw it as i was walking in. so that is a terrible thing, a very, very terrible thing that is going on in the world today but it looks like another terrorist attack. and what can you say? just never we have to be strong and we have to be vigilant. and i've been saying it for a long time. as far as north korea is concerned we are in very good shape. we're building our military quickly. a lot of things have happened over the last short period of time. i've been here for approximately 91 days. we're doing a lot of work, we're in very good position and we'll see what happens. i can't answer your question on stability. i hope the answer is a positive one, not a negative one. but hopefully that will be something that gets taken care of. i have great respect for the president of china, as you know we had a great summit in florida. and palm beach. and got to know each other and i think like each other. i can say from my standpoint i liked him very much and respect him very much. and i think he is working very hard. i can say all the they have never seen china work like they're working now. many coal ships have been sent back, many things have happened. some very unusual moves have been made in the last two or three hours. and i really have confidence the president will try very hard. we don't know whether or not they're able to do that but i have absolute confidence that he will be trying very, very hard. and one of the reasons that we're talking about trade deals and we're talking about all of the different things but we're slowing up a little bit. i actually told him. i said you will make a much better deal on trade if you get rid of this menace of north korea, because that is what it is. it's a menace right now. so we'll see what happens. as far as iran is concerned i think they're doing a tremendous disservice to an agreement that was signed. it was a terrible agreement. it should not have been signed or negotiated the way it was negotiated. i'm alor was a bad one, as bad as i have ever seen negotiated. they are not living up to the spirit of the agreement. i can tell you that. and we're analyzing it very, very carefully and we'll have something to say about it in the not too distant future. but iran has not lived up to the spirit of the agreement. and they have to do that. they have to do that. so we will see what happens. a strong europe is very, very important to me as president of the united states. and it's also in my opinion, in my very strong opinion important for the united states. we want to see it. we will help it be strong. and it's very much to everybody's advantage. and i look very much forward to meeting the pope. i do not see a role in libya. i think the united states has right now enough roles. we're in a role everywhere. so i do not see i do see a role in getting rid of isis. we're being very effective in that regard. we are doing a job with respect to isis that has not been done anywhere near the numbers that we're producing right now. it's a -- it's a very effective force we have. we have no choice. it's a horrible thing to say but we have no choice. and we are effectively ridding the world of isis. i see that as a primary role and that is what we're going to do, whether it's in iraq or in libya. or anywhere else. and that role will come to an end at a certain point. and we'll be able to go back home and rebuild our country which is what i want to do. >> some people on capitol hill believe you can get one of two things next week, a vote on health care or a vote on a government funding bill. so my question is which one is more important to you to have? a vote on health care or a vote on a bill to keep the government open? >>ok are you shocked to hear that? and we're doing very well on health care, and we'll see what happens. this is a great bill, there is a great plan and this will be great health care. it's evolving. you know, there was never a give-up. the press sort of reported there was like a give-up. there is no give-up. we started. remember it took obamacare 17 months. i have really been negotiating this for two months, maybe even less than that. we had a 30-day period where we did lots of other things. the first 30 days, but this has really been two months. this is a continuation, and the plan gets better and better and better. and it's gotten really, really good. and a lot of people are liking it. we have a good chance of getting it soon. i would like to say next week but i believe we'll get it. and whether it's next week or shortly thereafter, as far as keeping the government open i think we want to keep the government open, agree? so yeah, i think we'll get both. the cbs overnight news will be right back. clearasil rapid action begins working fast for clearly visible results in as little as 12 hours. wow! but what other teen problems can it fix fast? will clearasil act fast to help this teen concentrate on his math test? darn! it only worked on the acne. can it hel... nope. no. so let's be clear: clearasil works fast on teen acne, not so much on other teen things. and now there's new clearasil overnight spot patches with patented technology for faster healing. it says you apply the blue one ok, letto me. this. here? no. have a little fun together, or a lot. k-y yours and mine. so you can play together. i'm joy bauer, and as a nutritionist i know probiotics can often help. try digestive advantage. it's tougher than your stomach's harsh environment, so it survives a hundred times better than the leading probiotic. also in chocolate. probiotic bites! marijuana users across the country celebrated 4/20 yesterday, a date known as america's unofficial weed day. a new poll shows more americans than ever favor legalizing marijuana, 61% believe pot should be legal, more than half of last year, barry peterson is at a marijuana dispensary with more on how college is handling weed sales and the stigma. >> well, the marijuana plants just in this room are worth half a million dollars. part of colorado's pot industry, $1.3 billion in sales last ait tu and it turns out good pot business is good news for cities, and even college kids. >> edgewater is all america, and oh, by the way, it has six pot shops drawing big business from nearby cities that opted not to allow marijuana sales. this town of 5,300 is generating $1.4 million in sales tax revenue from pot. that is 20% of its annual budget. money for repaving 12 miles of streets. and the old city hall will soon be replaced by a new $10 million complex that will include the police station and library to be finished by 2018. >> how much of that will be pot money? >> if it remains legal, all of it. >> wow. >> h.j.stolff is city manager. does anybody ever jump up and say it's great to have all that money, city. it's a drug operation that is paying for all of this? >> i would say there are a few people in town that feel that way but it's not commonly discussed. >> the denver shop owner wanted to abusigive back to the communy donating several thousand to a nonprofit. several said thanks but no thanks. he believed it was the stigma of pot money. >> i was shocked. it was more difficult than i thought it would be. >> he took us to a denver park where the city accepted his donation as part of a private/public project to build a pavilion for free concerts. >> does the day come when you make a donation like this and nobody pays attention? you could be the pot shop or the corner grocery? >> maybe, i think we're years away from that being the case. >> reporter: about 110 miles south of denver, public county is also benti marijuana taxes. the county gets its taxes when marijuana is harvested and sold to pot shops statewide. money, now giving college kids a first in american history, pot-funded scholarships. >> now, are you comfortable with the fact that it's sales tax from marijuana? >> yeah, because it's helping me continue my education. >> she wants to be a teacher and is getting a thousand dollars a semester at colorado state university in pueblo. >> i don't think without the scholarship i would be able to continue my education without taking out loans and worrying about how i'm going to pay them back. >> reporter: and this coming spring, every graduating high school student in pueblo county will qualify for a pot scholarship to be used at local colleges. those scholarships and their help for the cities will really be hurt if the trump administration bans the sale of legal recreational pot, even if it still allows medical purposes. pot advocates say they will still buy pot for recreational use, but the cities will still get sales from the black market. >> the cbs office north wiverni be right back. you don't even want to know protection detergent alone doesn't kill bacteria but adding new lysol laundry sanitizer kills 99.9% of bacteria with 0% bleach. lysol. what it takes to protect. because your carpet there's resolve carpet care. with five times more benefits than vacuuming alone... it lifts more dirt, pet hair and removes odours. while softening every fibre because your carpet never stops working, resolve carpet care with five times benefits few experiences may be more profound than the moment a blind person can see again. blindness and partial blindne but they're an epidemic in some parts of the world. a new partnership is working to combat that, one is a calm buddhist surgeon, together, they have restored sight to more than 150,000 people. and doctors they have trained have restored sight to many more. >> reporter: one by one, the patches are peeled away and the world comes back to focus. you're witnessing the moment when the people in this room realize they can see for the first time in years. >> can you see my fingers? >> reporter: their eyes and their faces begin to light up with a quiet sort of joy and wonder at the gift of sight. as they look around, they see who changed their world, with an operation the day before that took just minutes. >> beautiful. r surgeons, and now they are lifesavers. to hear the doctors speak, they are the beneficiaries. what's it like when that bandage is taken off? and that person sees for the first time, sees you? >> i've seen it thousands of times, but every time there is a new tickle there. and i feel like my battery has been recharged. i still get a thrill when people don't expect or realize they're going to have their sight restored. and then the transformation when they see, and the sort of moment of hesitation when they see, and then the smile. >> he had not seen for two years until this moment. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. >> reporter: others here had been blind no decadefor decades they all had cataracts, a white protein that affects the eye. in the u.s., they have operations. but here, blindness is a way of life as the cataracts go untreated. >> there is an acceptance as you get old, your hair turns white, your eye turns white, and then you die. the idea that you can have your eyesight restored has not gone through all the levels of myanmar society. >> it's one of the poorest countries of asia, slowly coming out of the darkness of decades of dictatorship. after years of trying, they were finally able to bring their treatment here. we met them in central burma, where the lack of care h to some of the highest rates of cataracts in the world. through radios and materials and conversation word of the doctors' visits spread. hundreds of people there found their way to the hospital with the help of caregivers, many walking for days. here, cataracts are not just an illness of the old age, they take the sight of the young too, caused by infections and malnutrition. by the time the doctors scrubbed in, the corridors were choked with people hoping to have their sight restored. >> is it every daunting? i mean, you see that line of people who need that surgery. >> it's daunting on the worldwide surgery, but those are people i'm going to give the very best care to. >> the doctor repaired he got up, the next patient was on the add jojoining table. the doctor performed the surgery just feet away. >> four or five minutes, and it's going from total blindness to great vision. >> oh, wow. >> they kept up this pace until 7:00 p.m. >> it's almost like an assembly line, but it sounds too mechanical. i mean, this is -- people's eyes. you're dealing with -- >> people's lives. once somebody goes blind in the developing world their life expe expectancy is much less, in the developing world it takes often a person out of the work force or a child out of school to care for the blind person. so when you restore sight to a blind person, we're freeing up their family and restoring their life. >> among the groups of people waiting to have their lives restored we found konchi. her son, a farmer, had been her eyes and devoted caretaker since cataracts took her sight. 15-year-old yanu had been blind since age seven. he was overwhelmed but grateful. thank you, he said. doctors ruit and herban heard that a lot. in tonji with the help to perform the surgery, they performed over 300 surgeries. her eyes were bandbandaged. and she waited with her son. >> we are performing more than in a year. >> basically, it's to ignite fire of the possibility of doing high quality, high-volume cataract surgery. >> you want to ignite a fire. >> we want to ignite a fire here. >> as long as he can remember, ruit has been burning to change the world around him. he grew up desperately poor in this village with no electricity or running water, high in nepal. the nearest city was a day away. his parents saw education as a way out for their children but the grip of poverty and poor health was too strong to escape. his younger sister, with whom he was very close died of tuberculosis. >> i saw her pass away in front of me. and -- then -- it was a very strong determination from inside that maybe this is the direction i should take and make health care of a level for my countrymen. >> that determination took him to medical school in india. he came back to nepal an eye doctor, committed to bringing care to remote mountain villages. the documentary "out of the darkness" showed them carrying equipment on their backs, their team hiked for days. his goal, as revolutionary as it was simple, to cure blindness in the third world, with a cheap technique to remove cataracts. soon, the medical world took notice, and so did a juyoung je taylor. >> what did you think of him when he first showed up? >> you know i was a bit scared in the beginning. he had tremendous energy. he would never get tired. energy in working, eating, drinking. energy in talking. >> and to see bill whittaker's full cheetahs are the fastest animals on legs, but extinction is catching up with them. this morning, there is a celebration of a big success, the arrival of ten new cheetah cubs in virginia, here is chip reid. >> reporter: these tiny cubs are just three weeks old and steadily gaining weight, they're brothers and sisters born to 7-year-old mitci. >> is that pitchurring? >> no, that is growling. >> adrienne croisier, a biologist with the smithsonian is manager of the resea weighs them about twice a week. >> does this ever get old? >> no, it's always fun to have cubs. >> the scientists hope for at least one litter a year, and this year they got two, 12 cubs total. while two babies didn't survive, having this many born this close together is a virtual population explosion. >> every day that they make it through, we just have a better chance of them surviving to adulthood. >> cheetahs are listed as vulnerable, and some scientists are calling for the fast cat to be moved to the endangered species list. why are they vulnerable? >> mostly loss of habitats. the areas that they occupy in africa have been reduced dramatically. >> cheetahs have disappeared from an estimated 76% of their natural range. today they are mostly found in southern africa, especially namibia. but here in mountains, crosier and her team are doing critical work to help the cheetah survive. i hear you have been called the cheetah cupid. >> yes, we try to make as many matches as we can find. >> scientists refer to the walkway as lover's lane. >> often we let the males meet the females for the first time on the fence. >> so far the institute has bred 46 cheetahs in virginia, and crosier is hopeful they will help the fastest land animal stop disappearing forever. >> just in the past two weeks, we have huge hope. very optimistic about the population we manage under our care, and linking more with the populations in the wild. >> so the cheetah is here to stay? >> the cheetah is here to stay. >> and that is the overnight news for this friday, for some, the news continues, for others, check back the broadcast center in new york city. >> pelley: attack in paris. police officers are shot on the crowded champs-elysees. also tonight, could bill o'reilly's firing mark a tipping point in the handling of workplace harassment? >> we are not going to see employees stand for it anymore. employers are going to have to get it together. >> pelley: our cbs news poll shows sky-high support for legal pot, but some fear a crackdown by the federal government. >> reporter: do you think you or other states will go to court and fight this? >> well, we'll certainly explore every option. >> pelley: and, the race is on to save the fastest animals on land. pid foorter: so you are cu eer ch.tahs >> yes, i try. this is the "cbs overnight news." an act of terror in the heart of paris has shaken the city of light. the famous champs-elysees was locked down after the attacker shot and killed a police officer and wounded two others. police shot and killed the attacker. this happened three days before the french begin electing a new president. at least one candidate has called for the campaign to be suspended. elizabeth palmer is in paris. >> reporter: minutes after the shooting, police rushed to secure central paris, clearing panicked bystanders away to safety. in this video from social media, and not yet confirmed, you can see two armed men, possibly police, moving near a vehicle. french officials say a man armed with a kalashnikov opened fire on police officers. one of them was killed and two more were injured, and the attacker himself was shot dead. this man is a tourist here in paris and saw it all. >> the guy, he was shouting to police. he tried to shoot, and then suddenly five, 10 seconds, or whatever, policemen came and start to shoot this guy, and immediately he is-- he was down. >> reporter: french president francois hollande, in a special televised address, confirmed tonight that the shooting was a terrorist attack. forensic teams are still gathering evidence at the scene on one of paris' busiest boulevards. already, isis has claimed responsibility for the attack, and they've named the attacker. abu-yusuf al-baljiki, which indicates he's from belgium, although french authorities have not yet confirmed that. although, scott, french media tonight are identifying the man by a completely different name. kareem see. time here in france for attempted murder before, of three men, including two police officers. this couldn't come at a more sensitive time. the presidential election is supposed to take place on sunday, and there's a real chance this could affect the result. >> pelley: elizabeth palmer in paris for us tonight. liz, thank you. speaking to reporters at the white house today, president trump was quick to call the paris shootings a terrorist attack, and he said, "it never ends." earlier, the president talked tough on trade, which could affect relations with china and canada. margaret brennan is at the white house tonight. margaret, what did the president say? >> reporter: well, scott, the president launched an investigation into foreign-made steel and whether it's a threat to national security. this could be the first step before putting tariffs on steel imports. of course, china is the world's biggest steel producer, but the president stopped short of directly challenging beijing because, of course, he needs their help on many issues, particularly, north korea. now, the president did not mince words, though, when he was talking about canada. he said that country's trade practices were a "disgrace," and he promised again to renegotiate nafta. but to do that, the white house first has to get congress to sign off on a plan, and, scott, they still have not sent a final proposal up to the hill. the white house did tell us, though, that they're working on it. >> pelley: and, margaret, also, today, the president's attorney general, jeff sessions, raised some eyebrows with what appeared to be some criticism of the judicial branch. >> reporter: yes. well, the second version of the president's travel ban on six muslim-majority countries is being held up by a federal court judge in hawaii. and in a radio interview recorded on tuesday, attorney general jeff session seemed to raise some questions about the judge and the state of hawaii. >> i really am amazed at a judge sitting on an island in the pacific can issue an order that stops the president of the united states from what appears to be clearly his statutory and constitutional power. >> reporter: now, hawaii's senators, who are both democrats, pounced on those remarks in a series of tweets. i'll read you some of them. pointing out, senator brian schatz, that sessions actually voted in the senate to confirm the judge in question here. and the other senator from hawaii, mazie hirono, accused jeff sessions of what she said was "dog whistle politics." scott, that's another way of suggesting he's being racist. >> pelley: still 50 stars in the flag. margaret brennan for us at the white house. margaret, thank you. well, another federal judge that mr. trump clashed with during the campaign is back in the spotlight tonight. gonzalo curiel has been assigned to preside in a lawsuit brought by a 23-year-old illegal immigrant who has been deported to mexico. the man claims that his dreamer status should have allowed him to stay in the country because he arrived here as a child. judge curiel presided over two lawsuits involving the now-defunct trump university, which were settled. mr. trump questioned his impartiality, calling him, "a mexican." judge curiel was born in indiana. today, the university of california at berkeley reversed its decision to cancel a speech by conservative commentator ann coulter. they're now offering a later date. john blackstone is following this. >> reporter: on the berkeley campus, opposition to ann coulter's appearance adds to a growing impression that conservative opinions are not welcome at many of the nation's public universities. invited ann coulter. >> reporter: this is the spokesman for the berkeley college republicans. >> these students are trying to create a liberal echo chamber on campus where one viewpoint is allowed and the other viewpoints are attacked and harassed. >> reporter: violence erupted on february when outspoken milo yiannopoulos was scheduled to appear. he was rushed from the building for what campus police said was his own safety. berkeley officials worry the same thing could happen to ann coulter. demonstrations against conservative speakers have turned violent from campuses from nyu to the university of washington in seattle where one man was shot in a clash between protesters. berkeley officials blame recent violence there on what they call the black bloc, not students but outsiders who come to the campus causing destruction. >> clad in black, wearing masks, highly organized, rather disciplined, armed-- not with firearms, but armed with a number of weapons. son: it's been more daughter: no, it hasn't. mom: hey, can you two keep it down? son: i want it. it's my turn. daughter: no it isn't. mom: please just keep it down. [tires screeching] mom: i remember days when just driving down the street would give me anxiety. and now look at me. [restaurant sounds] man 1: don't get me wrong, i still don't love crowded places, but it's good to get out again. [restaurant sounds] [plates crashing] man 2: noises like that used to make me hit the deck, but now i can keep going. announcer: transitioning from the military can be tough. we all have unique experiences, but many veterans are facing similar challenges. life goes on, but some things are different now. visit maketheconnection.net to watch our stories and learn ways to create the story you want to live. no one can write it for you. make the connection. j . the decision by fox news to fire bill o'reilly may not be enough, according to some. anne werner is following this. >> the board met inside fox news headquarters today, while outside the national organization for women declared the ouster of host bill o'reilly is not enough. >> we thought it was really important to come out and shame the 13 members of the board of directors of 21st century fox who have allowed this culture to flourish. >> federal prosecutors have questions, too. a lawyer representing former fox news cohost andrea tantaros, who is suing former fox news chairman roger ailes, says the u.s. attorney has subpoenaed one of his other clients. >> i want to be clear that i don't know what the nature of the investigation is. >> reporter: but attorney judd burrsteen said the subpoena suggests the investigation by the securities fraud division relates to the method by which the settlements were paid. >> i do know that when fox news fought to settle with andrea tantaros, they wanted to pay the settlement out as salary. the inference i draw from that is that there may have been a studied effort to hide the fact that there were all these settlements being paid out by disguising them as salary. >> reporter: tucker carlson will replace o'reilly, but of the 50 or so companies that yanked ads from the show, most told us today they have not decided whether to move their ads back to the time slot. viewership has remained steady. public relations specialist howard bregman: >> viewers are not their problems. advertisers, yes. their advertisers, the people that pay for their network, where the profits come from, and say, "here's the changes we've made, and here's why we're a safe place for to you put your money." >> reporter: fox news did not respond today to our questions about the u.s. attorney's investigation. o'reilly called the allegations against him "unfounded" yesterday, and roger ailes has denied the allegations against him in the past. scott. >> pelley: anna werner, thanks. well, as you just saw, members of the national organization for women protested outside fox news headquarters, demanding that the company fire executives who were aware of sexual harassment but did nothing. america's perception of workplace harassment has been evolving over these years, and alex wagner has more on this. >> fire bill o'reilly. >> reporter: intense public outcry over the latest sexual harassment allegations against bill o'reilly ultimately brought down one of the most powerful people in cable news. >> professdo tell the whole truth? >> reporter: but the reaction 26 years ago was much different when anita hill accused supreme court nominee clarence thomas of harassment. >> of his own sexual prowess. >> reporter: last october, hill told cbs news that the focus of the issue has to change. >> starting, really, how are we going to measure punishment from the point of view of the person who has been harmed? >> companies are going to be held to account. >> reporter: fatima goss graves, incoming president at the national women's law center, says that may be happening. >> so we are at, really, a tipping point of public attention, public awareness, and transparency on the issue of harassment. >> reporter: according to a cbs news poll conducted last september, 78% of women and 71% of men believe sexual harassment exists in the workplace. but just 37% of victims report it to a supervisor. >> most women never report harassment at all. because they fear retaliation, won't be believed, because they think they'll be discounted. and that has been true for a long time. >> fox news. >> reporter: graves says while the ouster of o'reilly and former fox chairman roger ailes could signal a sea change, other examples show there's more work to do. >> i might haved on her and i failed. i'll admit it. because she was married. reporter: she says last fall's leaked "access hollywood" tape of then-presidential candidate donald trump is one of them. >> unfortunately, the lesson that we learned after the election was that sometimes harassers are rewarded. >> reporter: the equal employment opportunity office, which tracks harassment allegations, reports that in the last three years, some 36,000 people have filed federal complaints, receiving $110 million in settlements. but, scott, fatima graves says because harassment is under-reported, that is just the tip of the iceberg. >> pelley: alex wagner with us tonight. alex, thank you. surveillance video has just been released from the tragic shooting incident last summer. police in punta gorda, florida, were conducting a training exercise with members of the community, and 73-year-old mary knowlton was playing a cop. officer lee cole was playing the suspect. he fired, not knowing that his gun was loaded with live rounds. knowlton was killed. cole was fired and faces felony manslaughter charges. police chief tom lewis is charged with misdemeanor negligence. a 15-year-old tennessee girl is on her way home tonight after being rescued near a cabin in northern california. she disappeared more than a month ago with her teacher. police say 50-year-old tad cummins surrendered without incident, and was arrested. he faces multiple charges, including aggravated kidnapping and sexual contact with a minor. coming up next on the "cbs evening news," support for legalized pot has never been higher. linked to diet soda. how your clothes smell can say at lot about you. that's why new downy protect and refresh conditions fibers to lock out odors. so clothing odors don't do the talking for you. lock out odors with new downy protect and refresh. it says you apply the blue one ok, letto me. this. here? 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(laughing) left foot. right foot. left foot. stop. twitch your eyes so they think you're crazy. if you walk the walk you talk the talk. it's what you do. if you want to save fifteen percent or more on car insurance you switch to geico. hide the eyes. it's what you do. show 'em real slow. i'm joy bauer, and as a nutritionist i know probiotics can often help. try digestive advantage. it's tougher than your stomach's harsh environment, so it survives a hundred times better than the leading probiotic. also in chocolate. probiotic bites! no matter who was in there last. protection. new lysol power & fresh 6 goes to work flush after flush for a just-cleaned feeling that lasts up to 4 weeks. lysol. what it takes to protect. >> pelley: today is 4/20, and for some, it's national marijuana day. a new cbs news poll shows support for legalizing pot has never been higher, 61%, up five points from just a year ago. 29 states allow medical ju for recreational use in eight states, plus d.c. barry petersen reports they may be headed for a clash with the federal government. >> reporter: they lit up in d.c. and san francisco, and rocked in denver. but at this year's 4/20 celebrations, anxiety is also in the air after statements from the trump administration. homeland security secretary john kelly recently warned of a possible crackdown in states that have legalized pot. >> its use and possession is against federal law, and until the law is changed by the united states congress, we in d.h.s., along with the rest of the federal government, are sworn to uphold all the laws that are on the books. >> reporter: john hickenlooper is governor of colorado, the first state where legal recreational marijuana went on sale in 2014. do you think you or other states will go to court and fight this? >> well, we'll certainly explore every option. we should communicate and decision. >> reporter: in colorado, medical and recreational marijuana are now a $1.3 billion industry. shutting it down, says the governor, will drive people to the dangerous black market. >> there's just going to be a vacuum to fill, and it's all going to be cash and guns. drug dealers don't care who they sell it to. >> reporter: there are also concerns that not enough studies have been conducted on pot's effect, especially on unborn babies or teenagers, whose brains are still developing. and pot shop owner sally vanderveer of medicine man, worries a crackdown will put thousands in this industry out of work. these are good jobs. these are full-time jobs. >> these are full-time jobs. our average salary is probably about $35,000 a year. these are people paying taxes. >> reporter: as you can see and you will occasionally hear, scott, the party is still going on in denver. now, our poll shows 71% of americans oppose any federal already legalized marijuana. that said, here in colorado, people in the pot business are hastily drawing up contingency plans just in case. >> pelley: barry petersen, and we'll be right back. now the cart and the history you need are easy to find. show me used minivans with no reported accidents. boom. love it. [struggles] show me the carfax. start your used car search and get free carfax reports at the all-new carfax.com. daughter: uh oh. irreplaceable monkey protection. detergent alone doesn't kill bacteria, but adding new lysol laundry sanitizer kills 99.9% of bacteria with 0% bleach. lysol. what it takes to protect. clearasil rapid action begins working fast for clearly visible results in as little as 12 hours. wow! but what other teen problems can it fix fast? will clearasil act fast to help this teen concentrate on his math test? darn! it only worked on the acne. can it hel... nope. no. so let's be clear: clearasil works fast on teen acne, not so much on other teen things. and now there's new clearasil overnight spot patches with patented technology for faster healing. >> pelley: a new study is raising health concerns about diet soda. here's dr. jon lapook. >> reporter: about one out of every five americans consume diet drinks. that's more than three billion gallons a year. >> yeah, i prefer diet because i just think it tastes better. >> reporter: the researchers analyzed 10 years of data where people gave detailed information about their eating and drinking habits. over that decade, 5% developed dementia. drinking at least one artificially sweetened beverage a day more than doubled the risk of dementia. but researchers found that other causes, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or high cholesterol, might be to blame. matthew pase is an investigator with the framingham heart study and was the lead author on today's report. this can be confusing to people. can you help make this more clear to people? >> sure. it might be that those who consume diet sodas may have an increased risk of getting diabetes or becoming overweight, and this might be associated with an increased risk of dementia. >> reporter: what are you telling your friends who are asking you for advice? >> well, since diet soda and regular soda have no real nutritional benefits, i suggest that people avoid them and drink water instead. >> reporter: that's your water cooler advice? >> that's my water cooler advice. >> reporter: this kind of study cannot prove cause and effect. people who start drinking diet soda may already be at increased risk for dementia. for example, scott, because they're overweight or have diabetes. >> pelley: jon, thanks very much. coming up, we will save the cheetahs. ople take action against housing discrimination? my friends were told they might be more comfortable in another neighborhood. my co-worker was pressured by her landlord my neighbor was told she needs to get rid of her dog, even though he's an assistance animal. they all reported these forms of housing discrimination. when you don't report them, landlords and owners are allowed to keep breaking the law. housing discrimination is illegal. if you think you've been a victim, report it. like we did. narrator: if you suspect that you've been discriminated against because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability, report it to hud or your local fair housing center. visit hud.gov/fairhousing or call the hud hotline at 1-800-669-9777. fair housing is your right. use it. >> pelley: the fastest animal on earth can't outrun the threats in a changing world, but can scientists help slow things down? here's chip reid. >> reporter: oh, my god! five little cheetah cubs. at just three weeks old, the newest residents of the smithsonian's cheetah science facility are getting a checkup. >> this is where it's hard because they don't like to sit still. 1.75 kilos. >> reporter: that's just under four pounds. do they have personalities at this young age? >> some of them are a little more feisty. some are a little bit more laid back. >> reporter: they sound like they're purring. is that purring? >> no, they're actually growling. >> reporter: they're growling! because they're not happy. that's a growl, huh? the smithsonian conservation biology institute in virginia had a baby cheetah boom at the end of march, two litters in a week, 10 cubs in all. biologist adrienne crosier runs the breeding program. >> part of what i do is make the best genetic matches but also the best matches based on individual temperament. >> reporter: so you are cupid for cheetahs? >> yes, i try. >> reporter: while cheetahs are thriving here, they're disappearing in the wild. they're in such peril, some scientists are calling for them to be moved to the endangered species list. why are they vulnerable? >> mostly loss of habitats. the areas that they occupy in africa have been reduced dramatically. there are only 7,500 cheetahs left in the wild. >> reporter: 7,500, and that's down from what? >> when i first started working on cheetahs 15 years ago, they thought there were about 10,000 to 12,000. >> reporter: with a top speed of 60 miles an hour, it's been said that nothing can outrun a cheetah except, perhaps, extinction. but these little guys are doing their best to leave extinction in their dust. chip reid, cbs news, front royal, virginia. and that is the overnight news for this friday, for some, the news continues, for others, check back with us this morning on the cbs news. from the broadcast center, i'm scotllt peey. this is the cbs overnight news. welcome to the overnight news. president trump faced reporters at the white house as several global hot spots test his leadership as commander in chief. the president held a meeting with the prime minister of italy. yesterday's meeting came as the muscles were flexed. this week, the mother of all bombs were dropped against isis in afghanistan and sent war ships to korea to deter a nuclear threat. and those are not the only foreign policy issues on the radar. here is some of what the president had to say. >> italy is also a key partner in the fight against terrorism. contributor of troops to the conflicts in iraq and afghanistan. i would also like to thank you, prime minister, for your leadership on seeking stabilization in libya, and for your crucial efforts to deny isis a foothold in the mediterranean. you fought hard. the anti-isis campaign. all nations must condemn this barbaric enemy and support the effort to achieve its total and complete destruction. our condolences from our country to the people of france, again, it's happening it seems. i just saw it when i was walking in. it's a very, very terrible thing going on in the world today but it looks like another terror attack. d just never ends. we have to be strong and vigilant and i have been saying it for a long time. as far as north korea is concerned we are in very good shape. we're building our military quickly. a lot of things have happened over the last short period of time. i've been here for approximately 91 days. we're doing a lot of work and are in very good position. we're going to see what happens. i can't answer your question on stability. i hope the answer is a positive one, not a negative one. but hopefully that will be something that gets taken care of. i have great respect for the president of china. as you know, we had a great summit in florida. and palm beach. and got to know each other and i think like each other. i can say from my standpoint i like him very much and respect him very much. i think he is working very hard have never seen china work like they are working now. many coal ships are sent back, some very unusual moves have been made over the last two or three hours and i really have confidence that the president will try very hard. we don't know whether or not they're able to do that but i have absolute confidence that he will be trying very, very hard. and one of the reasons that we're talking about trade deals and we're talking about all of the different things, but we're slowing up a little bit. i actually told him. i said you will make a much better deal on trade if you get rid of this menace, or do something about this menace in north korea, because it's a real concern. as far as iran is concerned i think they're doing a tremendous disservice to the agreement that was signed. it was a terrible agreement, it was go have been negotiated. i'm all for agreements but it should never have been negotiated. they are not living up to the spirit of the agreement. i can tell you that. and we're analyzing it very, very carefully and will have something to say about it in the near future. but iran has not lived up to the spirit of the agreement and they have to do that. they have to do that. so we will see what happens. a strong europe is very, very important to me as president of the united states. and it's also, in my opinion, in my very strong opinion, important for the united states. we want to see it. we will help it be strong. and it's very much to everybody's advantage and i look very much forward to meeting the pope. i do not see a role in libya. i think the united states has right now enough roles. we're in a role everywhere. so i do not of isis. we're being very effective in that regard. we are doing a job with respect to isis that has not been done anywhere near the numbers that we're producing right now. it's a -- it's a very effective force we have. we have no choice. it's a horrible thing to say but we have no choice. and we are effectively ridding the world of isis. i see that as a primary role and that is what we're going to do whether it's in iraq or in libya. or anywhere else. and that role will come to an end at a certain point. and we'll be able to go back home and rebuild our country which is what i want to do. >> some people on capitol hill believe you can get one of two things next week, a vote on health care or a vote on a government funding bill. so my question is which one is more important to you to have? a vote on health care or a vote on the bill to keep the government open? >> okay, i wan are you shocked to hear that? and we're doing very well on health care. we'll see what happens. but this is a great bill. a great plan. and this will be great health care. it's evolving. you know, there was never a give-up. the press sort of reported there was like a give-up. there is no give h-up. remember, it took obamacare 17 months, i've really been negotiating it two months, maybe even less than that. we had a 30-day period where we did lots of other things, this has really been two months. this is a continuation, and the plan gets better and better and it's gotten really, really good. a lot of people are liking it a lot. we have a good chance of getting it soon. i would like to say next week. but i believe we'll get it. and whether it's next week or shortly thereafter, as far as keeping the government open i think we want to keep the government open, don't you so yeah, i think we'll get both. >> the cbs overnight news will be right back. it says you apply the blue one ok, letto me. this. here? no. have a little fun together, or a lot. k-y yours and mine. two sensations that work together, so you can play together. i'm joy bauer, and as a nutritionist i know probiotics can often help. try digestive advantage. it's tougher than your stomach's harsh environment, so it survives a hundred times better than the leading probiotic. also in chocolate. probiotic bites! ♪ you don't even want to know protection detergent alone doesn't kill bacteria but adding new lysol laundry sanitizer kills 99.9% of bacteria with 0% bleach. lysol. what it takes to protect. marijuana users across the country celebrated 4/20 yesterday, a day known as america's official weed day. a new poll shows more americans than ever favor legalizing marijuana. 61% of people believe it should be legal. eight states plus the district of columbia allow marijuana for recreational purposes. barry peterson is at a marijuana dispensary in denver, with how colorado is handling the weed sales. >> the plants in this room are worth half a million dollars, part of colorado's pot industry, $1.3 billion in sales last year. and it turns out good pot business is good news for cash-strapped cities and even college kids. a small denver suburb of flags and front porches, edgedwater is all-american. and oh, by the way, it has six pot shops drawing big business from nearby cities who opted not to allow marijuana sales. this town of 5,300 is generating $1.4 million in sales tax revenue from pot. that is 20% of its annual budget. money for repaving 12 miles of streets. and the old city hall will soon be replaced by a new $10 million complex that will include the police station and library to be finished by 2018. >> how much of that is going to be pot money? >> if it remains legal, all of it. >> wow. >> h.j.stolff is city manager. does anybody ever jump up and say it's great to have all that money but it's kind of sin city, it'sru paying for all of this? >> ild but it's not commonly discussed. >> reporter: denver marijuana shop owner tim cullen wanted to give back to the community by donating $200,000 to a nonprofit. several said thanks but no, thanks. he believed it was the stigma of pot money. >> i was shocked, honestly i was shocked. it was more difficult than i thought it would be. >> reporter: he took us to a denver park where the city accepted his donation as part of a private public project to build a pavilion for free concerts. does the day come when you make a donation like this and nobody pays attention? i mean, you could be the pot shop or the corner grocery store? >> maybe, maybe, i think so. i mean, i think we're years away from that being the case. >> reporter: about 110 miles south of denver, pueblo county is also benefitting from ma the county gets its sales taxes when marijuana is harvested and sold to pot shops statewide. money, now giving college kids a first in american history pot-funded scholarships. now, are you comfortable with the fact that this is sales tax but it's from marijuana? >> yeah, because it's helping me continue my education. >> reporter: freshman janet diaz wants to be a teacher. she is getting a thousand dollars a semester at colorado state university in pueblo. >> i don't think without the scholarship i would be able to get through college without taking out loans and worrying how i'm going to pay them back. >> reporter: and this coming spring, every graduating high school student in pueblo county will qualify for a pot scholarship to be used at local colleges. those scholarships and the help for the cities will really be hurt if the trump administration bans the sale of legal recreational pot, even if it still allows sales for medical services. pot advocates say they still will buy pot for medical use but the cities and states will get zero sales tax up from the black market. >> the cbs overnight news will be right back. nobody does underwater stunts, sylvia. except me, of course. this is my stop. adios! ♪ if you're a stuntman, you cheat death. it's what you do. if you want to save fifteen percent or more on car insurance, you switch to geico. it's what you do. número uno! clearasil rapid action begins working fast for clearly visible results in as little as 12 hours. wow! but what other teen problems can it fix fast? will clearasil act fast to help this teen concentrate on his math test? darn! it only worked on the acne. can it hel... nope. no. so let's be clear: clearasil works fast on teen acne, and now there's new clearasil overnight spot patches with patented technology for faster healing. ito become dangerous.d for an everyday item new tide pods child guard pack. helps keep your laundry pacs safe and your child safer. align, press and unzip. i'm joy bauer, and as a nutritionist i know probiotics can often help. try digestive advantage. it's tougher than your stomach's harsh environment, so it survives a hundred times better than the leading probiotic. also in chocolate. probiotic bites! few experiences may be more profound than the moment a blind person can see again. blindness and partial blindness but they're an epidemic in other parts of the world. an unusual partnership from two doctors will change that. one is an adrenalin junky from the u.s., the other is a doctor from nepal, together, sthey hav restored sight to many. bill whittaker went to see them in a series from "60 minutes". >> reporter: one moment, and the world comes back into focus, you are witnessing the moment when the people in this room realize they can see for the first time in years. >> can you see my fingers? >> reporter: their eyes and faces begin to light up with a quiet sort of joy and wonder at the gift of sight. as they look around, they see who changed their world. with an operation the day before that took just minutes. >> beauti tateman and sanduk ruit are eye surgeons and now life savers. to hear the doctors speak, they are the beneficiaries. >> what is it like to have the bandage taken off and that prson sees for the first time? >> i have seen it thousands of times but every time there is a new tickle there. and it's like my battery has been recharged. >> i still get such a thrill when people have their sight restored. and the transformation, when they see, the hesitation, and then the smile. >> reporter: mintoo had not seen for years. others here had been blind for decades. they all had cataracts. a milky white build-up of protein that clouds t the eye. in the u.s., they mainly afflict the elderly. but here in burma, also known as myanmar, cataracts go untreated and blindness is a way of life. >> it's a buddhist population, there is an acceptance that as you get older, your hair and eyes turn white and then you die. and the idea that you can actually have your sight restored has not really gotten into the society. it's a place where we can make a difference. >> reporter: pburma is one of te poorest countries in asia, slowly coming out of the darkness of dictatorship. after years of trying, the two doctors were finally able to bring their we met them in the capital of burma, through word of conversation, word of the doctors' visits spread. hundreds who lost their sight found their way to the city, many treking for days. here, cataracts are not just the malady of old age. they take the sight of the young, too, caused by infections and malnutrition. by the time the doctors scrubbed in, the corridors were choked with people hoping to have their sight restored. >> is it ever daunting? i mean, you look out there and see the line of people. they need this surgery. >> it's daunting on a worldwide basis, there may be a long line, but there is an individual person that i'm going to give the very best care i can. >> reporter: doctor sanduk ruit set a quick pace, he repaired an eye, the next patient sat down, the other got up, just minutes for an eye and then on to the next. dr. tabin performed the delicate surgery just feet away. >> want to take a look? nice and clear, that was maybe four or five minutes going from total blindness to great vision. >> reporter: they kept up this pace until 7:00 p.m. >> also almost like an assembly line. but assembly line sounds too mechanical. i mean, this is people's eyes. you are dealing with -- >> people's eyes, once somebody goes blind in the developing world, their life expectancy is about one third. and for a blind child, the life expectancy is five years. also in the developing world it takes often out of the work force, or a child out of school to help the blind person. so when we restore sighto blind person, we're restoring their way of life. >> among others who had their life restored, we found konchi. her son, a farmer, had been a devoted caretaker since cataracts took her sight. 15-year-old yanu had been blind since age seven. he was overwhelmed but grateful. thank you, he said. doctors ruit and tabin heard that a lot. in four days in tonji with the help of local doctors they were training they performed 503 cataract surgeries. her eyes now bandaged, kanji waited with her son. >> we're going to perform as many as a hospital does normally in a year. >> we're basically here to ignite fire. ignite fire of the possibility of doing high quality, high volume cataract surgery. it is still >> you want to ignite a fire. >> ignite a fire, yeah. >> as long as he can remember, sanduk ruit has been burning to change the world around him. he grew up desperately poor in this village with no electricity or running water high in the himalayas of nepal, the nearest school was miles away. his parents saw the way out with education, but the grip of poverty was too strong to escape. his younger sister, with whom he was very close, died of tuberculosis. >> i saw her pass away in front of me. and then -- it was a very strong determination from inside that maybe this is the profession that i should take and make health care at a level for my countrymen. >> reporter: that determination took him to medical school in india. he came back to nepal an eye doctor, committed to bringing care to remote mountain villages. the documentary "out of the darkness" showed them carrying equipment on their backs. his team hiked for days. his goal, as revolutionary as it was simple. to cure blindness in the third world with a cheap technique to remove cataracts. soon, the medical world took notice and so did a young jeff tabin. >> i improved myself. sanduk ruit and i came to work in nepal. >> what did you think of him when he first showed up? >> you know, i was a bit scared of him in the beginning. he had tremendous managenergy, never got tired, energy in drinking, eating and talking. >> and to see full report, a promise that hit the beaches of normandy. a covenant that split the skies over berlin. a vow that captured iwo jima. a promise was made. a solemn oath that liberated seoul. a sacred trust that defended khe sanh. a pact that dug in in da nang. a contract that weathered tet. a promise was made. a pledge that stormed the desert in iraq. a bond that patrolled door-to-door in fallujah. an iou that braved ieds in kandahar. a promise was made. to america's veterans. a promise we all must keep. dav fights for all veterans and their families so they get the health care, financial benefits and support they earned. if your'e a veteran who needs help, or you'd like to help us keep the promise, visit dav.org. it's friday, april 21st, 2017. this is the "cbs morning news." breaking overnight. with time running out before a lethal drug expires, arkansas executed its first inmate in more than a decade. terror in paris. overnight police raided the home of the suspect killed by the police in the deadly attack on the city's iconic champs-elysees. this morning isis claims responsibility that left one dead t

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