: to we begin with what could be a bad start to the summer as covid cases and hospitalizations are on the rise in at least 40 states. and the breaking news about covid boosters for kids. alarming news about children and the pandemic: cases skyrocket, as c.d.c. advisors are now recommending a third shot. long lines for formula as families grow desperate. the f.d.a. announces shuttered michigan plant at the center of the crisis could reopen next week. abortion ban, oklahoma passes the nation's strictest bill in the country, prohibiting nearly all abortions starting at fertility. the war in ukraine -- new video tonight from inside mariupol, as congress authorizes billions

more in aid and weapons. plus president biden welcomes the leaders of finland and sweden, supporting their bids to join n.a.t.o. tonight's other top headlines, record-breaking heat in 19 states, wildfires surge across texas and new mexico, plus monkeypox found in the u.s., the symptoms of the rare disease. and finally tonight, they're in a class of their own. we'll introduce you to these four extraordinary cadets from west point who are now rhodes scholars. >> how historic. think about the four of you together, pretty special. >> yes, ma'am. just a little bit. ♪ ♪ ♪ this is the "cbs evening news" with norah o'donnell, reporting from the nation's capital. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> o'donnell: good evening to our viewers in the west, and thank you so much for joining us on this thursday night. tonight, some news for passports with small children. a top health panel is

recommending kids five to 11 get a covid booster. it comes as the pandemic is rearing its ugly head once again. more than two years since it began, infections are on the rise nationwide. just in the past month alone, covid cases have soared more than 168%. some health officials are concerned this could be the beginning of the fifth wave. about one-third of the nation lives in areas where covid infections are at medium or high-risk levels. public health officials areasesr pandemic measures, inc urging some communities with rising cases return to stricter pandemic measures, including those indoor masks. new cases nearing 100,000 per day with memorial day weekend around the corner. we have lots of news. nikki battiste starts us off from connecticut. good evening, nikki. >> reporter: norah, good evening. those pfizer booster shots for children ages five to eleven could be available at this pharmacy and others across the country as soon as tomorrow. there is an urgency for parents here in connecticut. covid cases have jumped more than 100% in just a month.

covid concern skyrocketing: nationwide, hospitalizations are on the rise in 40 states. cases are up in 41 states. >> the reality is much worse because we're undercounting covid cases. many people are testing at home using at-home rapid tests and many people are not testing at all. >> reporter: there's also deepening concern among parents. the american academy of pediatrics reports that cases among kids have climbed 76% in the past two weeks. late today, a c.d.c. scientific panel voted to recommend a third dose of the pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, even though only 29% in that age group have gotten their first two doses. >> this current wave of infections among kids could well land a lot of kids in the hospital. >> reporter: in connecticut, covid cases are up nearly 118% in the past month. that's where bridget tichar is raising two young immunocompromised kids.

both 5-year-old teddy and three- year-old liza have type 1 diabetes. >> vaccine is important to us because it's basically another tool in our arsenal to keep them safe. it's been wildly stressful the way i think all parents are dealing with the unknown. that is doubled or maybe even tripled for us. >> reporter: her son got his second dose last month just before his fifth birthday. do you feel parents are only thinking about their own child? >> i do think the vaccine really does save lives. >> reporter: the c.d.c. panel recommended today that kids ages five to eleven get their booster at least five months after their second dose. the f.d.a. has said a covid vaccine for children under five could receive emergency use authorization in june. norah. >> o'donnell: such important information, nikki battiste, thank you so much. we turn now to the baby formula

crisis. this just in, the federal government says its first flights of formula from europe to the u.s. are expected within days. cbs news learned the first plane goes from zurich to indiana. there will be enough for 1.5 million eight-ounce bottles on board. the f.d.a. faced a bipartisan grilling on tissue from house lawmakers today. more from cbs' meg oliver. >> reporter: with long lines in charlotte for formula and empty shelves across the country -- >> that is a dereliction of duty. >> reporter: -- angry lawmakers demanded answers from the head of the f.d.a. >> how much formula do you expect will be imported and what is the real timeline of seeing the products on our store shelves. >> we should begin to see improvement within days. it will gradually get better. >> reporter: in 43 states, 40% of formula was recently out of stock, families struggling and those with special dietary needs are growing desperate. 8-year-old izzy bradford is a

bundle from injure but suffers from pku. she relies on special formula for about 70% of her nutrition.r >> can you shake it? >> mm-hmm. >> reporter: what would happen to izzy's body if she didn't have this metabolic formula?f st have this >> she would start to break down psychologically, emotionally and physically. it is 70% of her nutrition. >> reporter: could it damage her brain. >> it would, long term not having the formula would result in permanent brain damage. >> reporter: about 17,000 americans suffer from pku, one of many metabolic disorders requiring specialized formula for life. how many cans arrived in your last order. >> two cans. >> reporter: how many were supposed to arrive? >> 16. >> reporter: pediatrician dr. paul levy fears if more patients run dry, treatment will be limited. >> it's going to be a big problem. even if they get sick and we admit them to the hospital, the tools we use are based on the formula, so we have a limited

repertoire of tools we can use even if they're in the hospital. >> reporter: today, abbott reassured cbs news that when it ramps up production again, it will prioritize special formula. meantime at pantries like here at st. peter's haven, they rely on donations. this is all the formula they have left to hand out. norah. >> o'donnell: so much urgency, meg oliver, thank you. we turn to the investigation into saturday's mass shooting at a buffalo supermarket. the suspected gunman made a five-minute court appearance and was in the same room with family members of the people he accused of killing. back in a jail cell with no bail as the community prepares funeral services. >> reporter: shackled and wearing an orange jumpsuit, payton gendron was back in a buffalo courtroom this morning. the 18-year-old showed no emotion and avoided eye contact

with anyone but the judge. >> you're a coward. >> reporter: he was jeered as led away. rabbi jonathan freirich sat with family members of some of the victims. >> they were stunned in silence and stillness. what do you do when the monster who destroyed your family walks into a courtroom? >> reporter: today we learned a grand jury indicted the suspect on first degree murder. at this time all charges remain under seal. the f.b.i. continues to investigate the possibility of hate crime and domestic terrorism charges. since the shooting, tops supermarket has been a crime scene, but today buffalo's mayor announced the evidence collection phase has concluded. however, there is still no word on when the store will reopen. >> we will be here, we will be in this store. we want to make sure that is done right, and we open it in a respectful manner for our associates, our employees, and for the community-at-large. >> reporter: during last saturday's rampage, a tops employee says a 911 operator hung up on her because she was

whispering while hiding from the shooter. that operator has been suspended. >> it is our intention to terminate the individual. however, there is a proper procedure we have to follow. >> reporter: late this afternoon, family members who lost loved ones gathered at this lost loved ones gathered at t buffalo church. >> i need the village to help me raise and be here for my son because he has no father. >> reporter: and she was referring to heyward patterson, 68 years old and a beloved deacon at his church. tomorrow is his funeral. tonight, there's a prayer vigil at this church behind me and many gatherings are planned just like this one in the next coming days and even weeks. norah. >> o'donnell: jericka duncan, thank you so much for all your reporting. today in texas, a wildfire is burning out of control. consuming 9,000 acres in just the last two days.

the mesquite heat fire near abilene destroyed nearly 50 homes, and in new mexico two national parks were shut down due the extreme fire danger. the largest wildfire in the state's history consumed an area roughly the size of los angeles. to the fight over abortion rights over a landmark supreme court decision that could overturn roe v. wade. oklahoma legislators passed an anti-abortion bill outlawing abortion from the moment of fertilization. it would be the most restrictive law in the nation. here's cbs' jan crawford with the details. >> reporter: the legislation would prohibit abortion at any point in pregnancy except to save a woman's life or in the case of rape or incest. it would take effect immediately after governor kevin stitt signs it, which he has said he will do. >> we believe life begins at conception and we'll protect life in oklahoma. >> reporter: the law goes further than a similar texas law which bans abortion there after

six weeks and gives private citizens the right to enforce it by suing abortion providers with $10,000 awards. its in effect, causing some texas women to seek abortions in oklahoma. oklahoma closed that door last month when it enacted its six week ban. today's would ban abortion before six weeks. other conservative states are considering similar laws, more than a dozen already have so- called trigger laws to immediately ban or greatly restrict abortion if the court overturns roe. vice president kamala harris met virtually today with abortion providers in some of the states just after oklahoma passed its near total ban. >> it's outrageous, and it's just the latest in a series of extreme laws around the country. >> o'donnell: and jan joins us now. a lot of anticipation about the

supreme court ruling. when could that come down? >> reporter: it's been nearly two weeks since a draft of the opinion leaked showing at some point a majority of the justices were ready to overturn roe v. wade. when a final decision comes could be anytime, we don't know. we also don't know what the final vote will look like or whether one of the justices may have changed their minds. in the meantime, norah, a significant increase including law enforcement in the number of abortion-related violent threats, which means the court and the justices are now under additional security. >> o'donnell: but a decision could come as soon as monday? >> reporter: potentially. >> o'donnell: jan crawford, thank you. in the nation's capitol. president biden met with the leaders of sweden and finland to discuss their bids to join n.a.t.o. the unanimous approval of member nations is required to join the alliance and while the support offered strong support for the proposal, neighborly member turkey remains adamantly opposed. the senate overwhelmingly passed a $40 billion aid package for ukraine along with additional

$100 million for weapons including 18 howitzers. the money and munitions are crucial as russian forces continue assault on areas in the east and south of ukraine. some of the images are disturbing. cbs' imtiaz tyab reports from odesa. >> reporter: ukrainian fighters over 1,700 surrendered to russia. an agonizing end to one of the most dramatic battle in ukraine over 85 days ago. the horrors were captured in detail on a body camera worn by yuliia paievska, a middic known as taira. she recorded her team's heroic efforts to save lives in the early weeks of the war including this brother and sister. the little girl lived but the boy couldn't survive the trauma. taira had the footage smuggled

out of mariupol on a tiny memory card and into the hands of the associated press. the next day, she was captured by russian forces and hasn't been heard from since appearing on this video the on russian tv shortly after. as vladimir putin's war on ukraine grinds on, near odesa, the tiny yet strategic snake island remains a front line, here a ukrainian soldier stared down a russian bombing threat with this now iconic phrase. in the same waters, ukrainians successfully have taken out patrol boats, a warship and fresh video shows a ukrainian drone striking a russian helicopter dropping paratroopers on the island. natalia humenuk is with odesa's military. these waters became a symbol of ukrainian resistance, do you feel the same way? >> ( translated ): yes, we gave

them a warm welcome, she says dryly, but the russians are persistent and keep trying to take our land. >> reporter: today in a dramatic moment, a captured russian soldier testified he was following orders when shot an unarmed civilian in the head. he later asked the victim's widow to forgive him. norah. >> o'donnell: imtiaz tyab, thank you. well, record heat is on the way for much of the nation. by the weekend, 19 states and washington, d.c. will see record high temperatures, from triple digits in mcallen, texas to a steamy from 98 in hartford, connecticut. more than 100 cities are expected to face dangerous heat. still much more news ahead on tonight's "cbs evening news." the mysterious new illness popping up in the u.s., how contagious is monkeypox? contagious is monkeypox? we eat healthy. we exercise.

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>> o'donnell: now to my favorite story. it's a story that's as inspirational as impressive. every year, 32 of america's best and brightest are selected to become rhodes scholars, and this year a record number of women were selected for the prestigious scholarship to study at oxford. for the first time, west point's class of scholars is entirely made up of women. in our series, profiles in service, we introduce you to these remarkable cadets. when i heard there were four cadets at west point who are rhodes scholars and all four were women, i said, "i want to meet them." ( laughter ) holland pratt, hannah blakey, krista flinkstrom and veronica

lucian are a sisterhood in scholarship and service, and they are the future of the u.s. army. how do you think the military has changed for women? >> i think women today feel more empowered in the military than they ever have, and that's the hard work of the legacy of women who have come before us. >> o'donnell: hannah, how important is it for younger cadets to see four women seniors win the rhodes scholarship. >> it's incredibly important. on the last day of summer one to have the new cadets came to me and said, i come from a place where nobody thought i could do it. she had a teacher in high school tell her girls like you don't go to places like that. she looked at me and said, but, ma'am, seeing you in this position and doing a good job makes me believe i belong here. >> o'donnell: how historic. think about the four of you together making history. pretty special. >> yes, ma'am. >> just a little bit. ( laughter )

>> o'donnell: has the cadets graduate this weekend, it's a time for reflection. what have you learned at west point about service? >> i've learned that it doesn't start with you, it starts with those that you're encountering, and that those personal connections mean more than anything. >> o'donnell: how would you define self-less service? >> self-less service, to me, ma'am, is a mindset, eager to 9serve, willing to lead. serve, willing to lead. >> i'd say service is others oriented. >> o'donnell: christa, what did you learn about service growing up? >> we focused a lot on grit and service together, so we would do a lot of things that were pushing you in a mental toughness way. whenever we would do a run together, we would never finish at the end, it would always be longer. >> o'donnell: what's the lesson you learned from that? >> service and grit don't stop at the finish line, there will be something more asked of you. you don't get to be off-duty when you're serving, you're always going to be on. >> o'donnell: their studies range from economics of developing nations to refugee studies to medicine. all expertise they will bring

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>> o'donnell: on tomorrow's "cbs evening news," cbs' steve hartman goes on the road for the search of a family's long lost cat and the surprise ending you have to see to believe. that's tonight's "cbs evening news." i'm norah o'donnell in our nation's capitol. good night. ♪ ♪ ♪ captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org

right now at 7:00. >> it is the perfect storm for wildfires. flames breaking out amid warm, gusty, and harsh conditions. >> i knew i could just jump over the fence and try to knock it out with my bag. >> our cameras catch someone taking matters into their one hands, as the weather forces aebts-bay firefighters to change their plans. the elevated fire threat is going to continue tonight and tomorrow. tracking how long the dry and breezy conditions will be worse w with us in the first-alert forecast. >> he was my best friend. >> a father and well-known restaurant owner killed in front of his own son leaving aeb ann east bay community reeling. the clues that could lead police to the gunman. and later,