hi everyone I'm Vladimir G we are watching all the news happening in the United States and around the world let's begin ceire broken Israel bombards Gaza with air strikes overnight saying Hamas has not responded to demands to release hostages we look at what happens next plus president Trump is speaking with Vladimir Putin this morning about the war in Ukraine we're going to tell you what both sides are asking for and look at if a deal can be brokered and they are on their way finally Butch and sunny headed back to Earth after their extended stay at the International Space Station we get you ready for the splash down that has been months in the making this is CBS news [Music] 24/7 but we begin with the shattered ceasefire in the Middle East overnight Israel struck targets up and down Gaza blaming Hamas for not agreeing to its latest demands to release the remaining hostages the Israeli military says it will begin targeted ground offensive as well the Arab world is condemning Israel for the escalation while Hamas is blaming the United States for providing unconditional Military Support to the state of Israel so joining us now from Jerusalem for more on this is CBS News contributor Robert burer so uh Robert uh at this hour what is the latest situation on the ground in Gaza well Israel carried out very heavy bombing overnight in Gaza and it's continuing now not at quite the same intensity which is typical of this kind of War you you see more air strikes at night but all indications are from Israeli officials that this was just the opening salbo in a pressure campaign against Hamas they are targeting according to the military leaders of Hamas political leaders military leaders of course gunman at the same time remember you know Hamas sorry Gaza is about the most heavily populated place on Earth and there have also been reports of a lot of Civilian casualties so Robert uh I I listened to Senator Chuck Schumer this morning on our show CVS mornings talking about uh the the fractured ceasefire ceasefire that no longer exists at one point he said uh that the two sides were very very close so why did Israel decide to launch these strikes now mainly because hasn't been releasing more hostages the last hostage release was 3 weeks ago and then the phase one ceasefire ended two weeks ago so from the Israelis are saying well we've extended the ceasefire but we're not getting back any hostages and propo various proposals by us Envoy Steve witkoff had been rejected by Hamas so basically from the Israelis said well Hamas is getting a free ride and now we're going to negotiate under military pressure to try and get some hostages back so uh prime minister Netanyahu is not uh popular in Israel other than with the members of his far-right party lud uh what's been the reaction to this escalation in Israel well two twofold I mean within his own Coalition it's actually strengthened it a far right-wing party led by itamar benir which had pulled out out of the government because of the ceasefire has now returned to the government so his Coalition is actually a little stronger but on the street certainly among the families of the hostages there's enormous concern they're saying that this is a death sentence for the remaining Israeli hostages remember 24 living hostages still left in Gaza among 59 of the rest are dead and there's a lot of concern about whether they're going to be able to make it back home now and yet Robert uh we saw those images uh when uh they released uh that young mother and her two babies uh the bodies of those Israeli citizens back to Israel uh and there was parading in the streets there was uh Jubilation and celebration in the streets of Gaza uh during that release of those of of that family and so I wonder what the reaction was with that I mean it it's sort of like trying to keep two thoughts in your head right on one hand uh those families who still have remaining hostages want to see them come home they don't want this to be a death sentence as you say that uh some people feel that it might be and on the other uh to prime minister netanyahu's point they're not releasing any hostages so this maybe sends a message yeah absolutely I I mean that I think uh on the street or among the public in Israel there's an understanding that you uh you know you're going to need to do something to get those hostages back I would say the country is divided with most people according to polls anyway supporting uh an end to the war in order to get the hostages back and then to resume uh fighting against Kamas but this Israeli government uh is taking a harder line and they um they say that this military campaign will continue until some hostages come back one idea being proposed by the mediators cutter in Egypt is at least a release of several hostages to to try and get this ceasefire back on track all right well let's hope uh that some peaceful resolution uh can uh get those families reunited with their loved ones uh Robert Berger uh thank you as always my friend appreciate it right thank you all right I want to bring in CBS News White House reporter Aaron Navaro for more on this uh so uh Erin uh what's the latest reaction from the administration to these air strikes yeah a US National Security Council uh spokesperson said last night Hamas could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but quote instead chose refusal and War that's a reference to the refusal by Hamas to release more of the 59 hostages that Israel uh Israel says they have Hamas has instead tried to get to phase two of the ceasefire including the withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza we also heard from White House spokesperson uh and press secretary Caroline levit who confirmed last night uh that the Trump Administration was consulted by the Israelis on their attacks in Gaza take a listen to what she had to say president Trump has made it clear Hamas the houthis Iran all those who seek to terrorize not just Israel but also the United States of America will see a price to pay all hell will break loose and all of the terrorists in the Middle East again the houthis Hezbollah Iranian backed Terror proxies in Iran themselves should take president Trump very seriously when he says he is not afraid to stand for law-abiding people and at the beginning of this month us officials were abroad trying to extend that first phase of the ceasefire in hopes of getting more hostages released uh over the weekend we saw the Middle East special onvoy Steve witkoff said that if Hamas did not release more hostages they would quote pay a severe price are starting to see some of that of course with these latest strikes from Israel all right Aaron let's pivot now to that call between President Trump and uh Russian President Vladimir Putin which is said to be happening as we speak you and I uh what have we heard from the white house uh do we expect a readout I know that uh the president never lets anybody know what uh he has uh discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin I can't recall the last time we actually got a readout from uh one of the presidents uh this president uh calls with foreign leaders but maybe we can expect one White House officials said yesterday that they would provide a readout after this very crucial call uh that we have learned was expected at least to start at 9: potentially end at 11:00 a. m. but president Trump was asked earlier this week about potential concessions uh that would be discussed during this call he brought up a power plant in Ukraine under Russian Russian control since 2022 a potential sticking point since it's one of the largest in Europe and Ukraine has called on Russia to leave uh control of that power plant Trump also talked about a division of assets referring to land uh and we also heard from National Security adviser Mike Waltz over the weekend say and question whether it's realistic to push and all Russian troops out of Ukrainian uh territory waiting to see if there's any concessions Trump can get uh from Russia uh who has not accepted the ceasefire agreement that the US laid out in Ukraine at least in terms of the 30-day ceasefire has agreed to and as you know Aaron of course that uh nuclear power plant zapara is actually in Ukraine's uh territory in Ukraine's Sovereign border but it is in Russian controlled territory at the moment um all right Aaron Navaro for us at the White House thank you Aaron take care all right while President Putin has said that he accepts the idea of a ceasefire Ukrainian president vmir zalinski does not believe the Russian leader is ready to end the war CBS News senior foreign correspondent Holly Williams has more from Ukraine president Trump says negotiations with Russia are at a critical stage and he'll discuss land and power plants with Vladimir Putin on their call today now Russia's occupying around 20% of Ukraine has laid claim to even more and likely wants international recognition for the land that it seized and Russian forces have occupied The zapar Regan nuclear power plant since 2022 with fighting in that area repeatedly sparking fears of a radiological disaster Ukraine's already agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the US and last week Putin said he supported it in principle but with conditions Ukraine's President Vladimir zalinsky accused the Russian leader of using delaying tactics and after invading this country twice and breaking previous agreements many ukrainians believe Putin cannot be trusted to stick to his word if Ukraine gives up some some of its territory permanently to Russia it could help secure a ceasefire but many here and in Europe fear that it would set a dangerous president rewarding Vladimir Putin for his bloody invasion of Ukraine and perhaps even encouraging him to start more Wars back to you all right Holly thank you very much we're going to have much more on that call uh when we get a readout as you just heard from Aaron Navaro uh later on today the Lowden County Sheriff's Office in Virginia tells CBS News the family of sudika kanaki has requested that she be declared deceased kanaki disappeared in the Dominican Republic earlier this month while on spring break CBS News National correspondent Manel borquez is in pakana with more Joshua riby has not been labeled a suspect and US investigators who interviewed him extensively tell me that he was forthcoming but authorities here in the Dominican Republic seized his passport during this investigation he's been confined to his hotel local media report that his attorney have filed a petition to have him released given that he's not been charged with a crime riby was the last known person to be with 20-year-old sudika konanki uh when they were out on the waters in the very early morning hours of March 6th he is told investigators that they were overtaken by a large wave that he tried to save her and himself that he got out of the water became sick and passed out thinking that she was also out of the water but not being 100% sure we have also confirmed that her parents are saying at this point they're asking authorities here in the Dominican Republic uh that she be declared legally dead given that the person lasting with her has been cooperating and no evidence of Foul Play has been discovered as for ri's release there is a hearing set for later today back to you all right Manny thank you very much new evacuations have been ordered in parts of Oklahoma from a wallfire that was fueled by last weekend's powerful storm that packed Rous wind conditions the same system is stirring up dangerous winds and fire threats across parts of the already dry south as it crawls across the country so let's bring in CBS News Philadelphia meteorologist Grant Gilmore with a first look at the national forecast hey Grant hey good morning V look it's incredible how active the pattern has been one and then two how windy all of these storms have been let me pull up the map here let me show you the map of all of the wind alerts in effect 26 million people underneath either a high wind watch high wind warning or wind advisories and this is as the system really starts to crank up over the next couple of days and it begins today and that's why there is this extreme fire risk because of these really Gusty conditions over this very dry part of the country Northern Texas Southeastern uh New Mexico into Western Arizona or Oklahoma where we really have to watch out for those Gusty winds potentially sparking and spreading these wildfires this storm system though is not just a windstorm but it's a snow producer as well blizzard conditions expected from Nebraska through Iowa up up into southern Minnesota as the storm system moves to the east over the next couple of days blizzard conditions there the south side of the system as we go into the Midwest and Ohio Valley is going to produce a threat for severe weather tomorrow so once again tracking another system moving across the country producing multiple threats fly back to you all right grant thank you very much today a jury will hear directly from the Iranian journalist who prosecutors say was the target of murder for higher plot we'll go live to the courthouse next you're streaming CBS news [Music] 24/7 the Trump Administration has until noon today to share details with a federal judge about the deportation flights carrying undocumented Venezuelans the administration says they all had gang ties the White House carried out the flight to El Salvador on Saturday even after a judges order to have the planes return it is justifying the flights citing a law from 1798 CBS News immigration and politics reporter K Monto galves joins me here in Studio 55 good to see you my friend all right uh so I always want to provide context for people who might be just tuning in to this story for the very first time not paying attention to it so what happened and what is this law that the secretary of state is citing in his uh efforts to deport these individuals well president Trump has invoked the alien enemies Act of 1798 a wartime law that was signed into law just 22 2 years after the Declaration of Independence and it allows the government to summarily arrest detain and Deport people from countries that are invading the us or staging an incursion into the country the administration is arguing the that the traga transnational gang from Venezuela is orchestrating that so-called Invasion or incursion into the country and that anyone who is from Venezuela 14 and older and allegedly part of this transnational gang can now be subject to this law and summarily deported from the country and we saw several dozen detainees from Venezuela allegedly part of this gang sent to El salador over the weekend 137 of them as part of a larger group of deportation flights to that country and now they're being detained in El Salvador's Maximum Security Prison which of course is notorious for alleged human rights abuses and substandard conditions and it's part of that broader Crackdown that that government has staged on gangs in that country and so right now there is a legal battle Vlad as we speak over whether the president can actually invoke this law on a gang and not an actual government or country that the US is not currently at war with but also whether or not the government actually violated his order over the weekend to return the planes that were carrying deepor subject to this order back to the US so the question here and I see a lot of people online positing well they're gang leaders they've done they've committed heinous crimes allegedly and so why would we want these people in the United States of America but the judge is saying that everybody whether you're an American citizen or not whether you're UND whether you're undocumented or not uh under our constitution has the right to doe process and that wasn't carried out here and why is that important even if we don't like the people that are not uh receiving the due process it's a good question because under regular immigration law migrants including potential criminals are entitled to a hearing in Immigration Court and also potentially an opportunity to request Asylum to halter deportation if they qualify for that relief if they're fleeing persecution because of the religion political views or other certain grounds established under us law but under the statute dating back to the 18th century The Government Can essentially bypass that process and the port people without any due process and any of the protections under US immigration law because they are considered enemy aliens not just migrants who are here illegally they are essentially enemies of the State under this law and can be summarily arrested and deported and this is why Advocates are so concerned that people are being deported without any sort of legal screening and due process and that people who are innocent may be swept up in this operation too and so the president or the Secretary of State or the president of the United States can designate anybody who they disagree with anybody who they think uh is a representative of what this law suggests that could be me or you we are children of immigrants that's the presedent that's being set here well the law says that the government or nation that these people are from has to be staging an invasion or incursion into the country and the administration is making this far-fetched sweeping argument that traga is orchestrating an invasion of this country and so forth the people who are allegedly part of this gang have to be treated as enemy aliens and so that is an argument that obviously has not been done before there are only been a few times in US history that this war time of Authority has been invoked in including during the second world war when the government at the time used to detain and surveil immigrants from Japan Italy and Germany this has never been invoked during peace time until this week and what happens at noon the judge will decide whether or not the administration violated his court order based on the information they provide all right Camila Monto galz always great to have you right here in Studio 55 with us breaking it down really important stuff appreciate it as always all right uh journalist and Iranian dissonant masi uh alinad will testify in Manhattan today in the trial of two men that are implicated in a murder for higher plot against her life both of the men are azerbaijani citizens and could face decades in prison if convicted I want to bring in CBS News legal reporter and attorney Katrina Kaufman to talk about this uh all right Katrina uh walk us through the details of this case uh I don't think a lot of people are familiar with this case at all and what are these two men accused of so Masia lad is a prominent Iranian activist who's been very vocal about women's rights in Iran she is a leader of the movement to free the hijab and as a result she's become a target of the Iranian government Vlad what prosecutors are saying is that a group of men were part of a murder For Hire plot to assassinate masi alinad here in New York at her home in Brooklyn uh so the two men who are on trial are accused of directing that plot there was another man who is now become a cooperating witness and he had shown up at Mas lad's door she apparently was on a zoom call at that time that was very important so she didn't answer but when he left he ran a stoplight was stopped by police and they found a gun in the back of his car and today Vlad she is supposed to testify here in court so uh what is expected in her testimony today Katrina we're expecting that she's going to talk about why she's become such a target of the Iranian government Vlad as well as what happened that day and you know potentially the impact that this has had on her life she is a very significant figure for Iranian women a real hero Vlad she led this movement to free the hijab she started something called White Wednesdays where Iranian women are encouraged to wear white to take off their hijabs many of them send her photos and videos which she has disseminated and she has drawn so much wrath from the Iranian government Vlad that there was actually a plot to assassinate her by someone who was also supposed to assassinate president Donald Trump before he was even elected she has called that a badge of honor because it shows that what she's doing is having such an impact that the Iranian government has made multiple attempts flat to kidnap her to kill her um and today we are going to get to hear more of her story in court Trina Coffman for us thank you Katrina I appreciate it officials in Texas have charged a midwife in the state's first arrest under strict abortion law details about the case just ahead you're streaming CBS News [Music] 247 hey here as we look at some of the top stories we're following for you this morning we're learning new details about the deaths of actor Jean Hackman and his wife Betsy arakawa cell phone records reveal she called a private medical clinic three times the morning of February 12th that's one day after State medical examiners believe she died Amman is believed to have died a week later their bodies were found in their Santa Fe home on February 26th arakawa is believed to have died from a rare respiratory illness amman's death has been attributed to heart disease Complicated by Alzheimer's a plane crash near Honduras has killed at least 12 people authorities say the small passenger plane crash just minutes after takeoff you can see in this eyewitness video the massive rescue effort victims had to be carried out of the wreckage and through the water just five passengers survived and we don't know yet the cause of the crash Prince Harry's legal status is now the subject of increased scrutiny the Department of Homeland Security has until the end of today to release his visa application record records that's because a conservative group wants to know if Harry lied about taking drugs before moving to the US in his Memoir 2023 it is 2023 Memoir rather spare Harry admitted to using cocaine and other drugs drug use of course isn't a disqualifying factor for Visa but lying about it could pose a challenge new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says he has not spoken with President Trump since he was sworn in last week Carney is in the UK for meetings this week with King Charles and British prime minister Kier starmer a coms as president Trump has promised to increase tariffs on Canadian Imports he often floats the idea of making Canada the 51st US state something Carney says is inappropriate we've called out those comments they're disrespectful they're not helpful and they need to stop before and they they will have to stop before we sit down and have conversation about our broader our broader partnership with the United States carne has emphasized the import importance of strengthening ties with quote reliable allies in Europe consumers are showing signs of reluctance sus spend money as president Trump's trade War heats up and it's affecting business owners across the country CBS News correspondent Janet Shaman went to an Irish pub in Chicago to get a sense of the impact the tariffs could have there we went to ma O'Brian's in Chicago you have to drink Guinness today with the St Patrick's Day party started early and the trade war with Europe was top of Mind pis comes from irel land president Trump has threatened tariffs as high as 200% on European wine spirits and beer what's your level of concern about the tariffs if there's massive uh tariffs put on then unfortunately we will have to pass those along to our customers a pint of Guinness is $7 here there another Guinness O'Brien says tariffs could force an increase to $9 would you be willing to pay a lot more for those beers if there were tariffs on them uh I don't know probably not president Trump's threatened tariff is in response to the eu's plan for a 50% tax on us whiskey Imports which itself is in retaliation to Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum Imports the Tit for Tat has cost the stock market nearly $4 trillion in the last month and has major retailers like Dollar General and Target warning of a spending slowdown some of us drink a half at a time O'Brien who moved to the US from Ireland hopes the trade War doesn't damage the friendship yeah today's the high holiday exact the reason I opened ma br's was because I wanted to bring a slice of Ireland to to a small neighborhood in Chicago so this would be a little painful if we had to raise prices on our on our Irish Stock essentially and painful for customers as well several telling me they voted for President Trump but right now they are very concerned about the economy and even a small increase in the price of something like a pint might make them rethink how often they come out to a Pub like this Janet shamley and CBS News Chicago all right Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer is defending his controversial pivot on the spending Bill last week he told CBS mornings that voting against the plan would be more damaging than supporting it listen the idea that they would go to the negotiating table is Absolut is they don't do it this is a new group this is not the old group let me explain I knew when I took this vote there'd be a lot of protest but I felt I had to do it for the future not only if the Democratic party but the country cuz here's as bad as that CR bill was and it was bad a shutdown is 10 times worse let me give you what happens blamed on the Democrats and would you're right G CBS News Congressional correspondent Nicole Killian joins us now uh so Nicole you heard uh the comments made by uh leader Schumer on CBS mornings and I thought it was interesting that he set the context for what actually would happen if the government shut down he talked about the services uh that would be cut off to people in dire need um and that he was willing to take the umbrage and and the flak from his members of his own party because he knew that the damage uh to the country uh would be greater than the damage that is inflicted on him personally yeah I mean he basically argued that Democrats would likely lose leverage if there were a shutdown primarily because he said it would be kind of up to the Trump Administration to decide who might be deemed essential he also said you know he heard from some Republican colleagues who said a potential shutdown could have dragged out for 6 to9 months so he thought that was a worse option compared to you know stomaching this continuing resolution which you know he he didn't really think was a great bill but certainly better than the alternative that being said you know certainly there are a lot of Democrats Who Remain frustrated by his decision which of course uh Gail and others pressed him on uh while he was at the table here's his response to questions about his leadership there are people in your own party there are saying look it's time for you to go they no longer trust your leadership they want somebody else in there what do you say about that here's what I say your own party saying that's to go here's I'm saying I'm the best leader for the Senate we have a lot of lead you know when you don't have a president there's not one leader of the party there a lots of them we have a lot of good people but we I I am the best at keep winning Senate seats I've done it in 2005 to just in 2020 no one thought we'd take back the Senate under my leadership we took it so we now are executing so obviously the minority leader making clear that he is not going anywhere and while many Democrats haven't necessarily outwardly called on him to step down there have been some Rumblings about whether or not somebody should mount a primary challenge to him in 2028 so again that has not fully come to fruition but certainly as you heard the leader they are trying to quiet or dispel uh any potential challenges down the road all right Nicole let me ask you about uh this uh since last week's vote both Schumer and House minority leader Hakeem jeffre seem like they are trying to get back on the same page uh what can you tell us about Democrats planned day of action today what's that all about yeah so this is a day of action around the issue of Medicaid Democrats are trying to use this day to highlight uh potential cuts to Medicaid if Republicans move forward with a budget Bill to advance a president Trump's agenda of course a big part of that legislative agenda is extending his tax cuts but you got to pay for that some kind of way and so uh you know Republicans are potentially looking at making some cuts to Medicaid although some have expressed concerns about uh doing that and certainly the president has made clear that that is something that he does not intend to touch but many argue look the money's got to come from somewhere so uh that is what Democrats are doing you see their leader Jeff is holding an event today in Brooklyn other members are doing it in their respective District dists across the country uh but this comes after leader Jeff and leader Schumer met in Brooklyn on Sunday leader jeffre is calling it a good meeting uh in an interview just yesterday so yes they are trying to at least appear superficially uh that they are back on the same page even though they took different positions on that continuing resolution last week all right Nicole Killian on the hill thank you Nicole as always my friend appreciate it all right let's go back to weather and bring back CBS News Philadelphia meteorologist Grant Gilmore with another look at the national forecast hey Grant hey Vlad look I mean look just as we we get rid of that first storm system that moved off the coast that brought multi-day severe weather outbreaks across the nation's heartland over to the east coast here we are tracking another storm system that will have multiple impacts across the country let me pull up the radar because it doesn't look like much right now right you got some snow falling across the Inner Mountain West up into the northern Rockies this storm system will really strengthen as it moves east of the Rockies throughout the day today and then into the mid and second half of the week yet again bringing multiple rounds of severe weather we've got winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories for the Rockies but you had east of the Rockies that yellow there that is blizzard warnings blizzard warnings stretching from Kansas all the way to Southern Minnesota where we're looking at a lot of wind and it's not just on the winter side of this but on the warm side of the storm system you've got high wind watches high wind warnings in effect with wind gust today up to 85 mph that's going to produce a significant fire concern across West Texas into southern New Mexico throughout the day today into tomorrow flad back to you all right grant thank you very much turning back now to the escalating situation in the Middle East as we've reported Israel has launched a wave of air strikes on Gaza overnight the Hamas run Health Ministry says 400 people have been killed meanwhile Israel is demanding the release of the remaining the remaining hostages Nat joins us now thanks so much for being with us uh what more can you tell us about these strikes that's right we understand that the fierce intensity of these strikes that began around 2: a.
m. last night have mostly uh dwindled now um we understand there's just been a few in the past few hours but a very heavy series of strikes which as you mentioned the local Health authorities there are putting at the the number of casualties at over 400 of which they're saying around 260 women and children have been brought to hospitals Hamas for their part part have also acknowledged that at least four of their senior leaders have been killed in the air strikes including their head of government and another militant group there in Gaza Islamic Jihad have acknowledged the death of their spokesperson now last night the the Israeli government said they were going to strike with increased force and this indeed appears to be a shattering of this Loosely holding fragile ceasefire that we'd had since the beginning of January it had technically expired at the beginning of March but there were these ongoing negotiations uh for a next stage of the ceasefire Israel is now saying that they don't have faith in continuing those uh negotiations with Hamas Hamas for their part has said they intend to continue the negotiations and a call and are calling for a halt to the violence Hamas have not said that they intend yet to start fighting again so what does this mean uh for the prospects of perhaps getting a second phase ceasefire talk back on track let's right at the beginning of March when the first stage of the ceasefire expired Israel imposed a total blockade on Aid going into Gaza and it was seen as a way to put pressure on Hamas to extract some new concessions in the negotiations Israel wants more hostages to be released it's it's work been working with the United States with the presidential Envoy Steve wickoff to put forward a new proposal however the Hamas side are pushing for the original ceasefire deal where the next stage any further release of hostages would coincide with Israeli troops beginning to withdraw from Gaza and a sort of leading towards a permanent end to the war now it seems like Israel is trying to resist this first we saw the the aid being halted going into Gaza compounding the humanitarian situation there and now these very heavy air strikes however there is still this huge gap between the kind of ceasefire deal uh going forward that Israel wants and the US indeed wants to and the one that Hamas wants which is Paving some kind of way to a permanent ceasefire and indeed a kind of a win for Hamas where perhaps they can continue uh in some form after the uh next stage of the ceasefire uh comes into to play heartbreaking on all sides uh BBC News correspondent Amir Nat joining us from Jerusalem this morning thank you very much appreciate it all right coming up we'll hear from the Columbia University doctoral student whose Visa was revoked after Homeland Security characterize her as a quote terrorist sympathizer you're streaming CBS News 247 Texas has made what appears to be its first arrest under the state's controversial abortion law which bans abortions after about 6 weeks when a fetal heartbeat is detected the 48-year-old woman arrested is a midwife named Maria roas she operates multiple clinics in the Houston area the State Attorney General's office accuses her of employing unlicensed people who quote falsely presented themselves as licensed medical professionals roas is also charged with performing illegal abortions under the state's restrictive abortion law which is a second degree felony in a statement Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in part quote Texas's law protecting life is clear and we will hold those who violate it accountable if convicted roas could spend decades in prison the punishment for performing an illegal abortion is up to 20 years and practicing medicine illegally carries a possible sentence of up to 10 years CBS News spoke to a friend of roas that woman told us quote she was adamant she was innocent midwives around the state are rallying around her close quote now to this Columbia University PHD student who who fled the country shortly after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents came to her door last week she's finally speaking out ranani cavason flew to Canada in the days following the Detention of recent graduate Mahmud Khaled she is Khalil rather she is disputing allegations that she advocated for violence and terrorism CBS News correspondent Lily Luciano spoke exclusively to her and joins us now from Studio 55 Lil good to see you good to um so breakdown for our audience who again I always want people who are just tuning into to us to what exactly happened here what is she being accused of and what did she say she actually did that's a very good question because Vlad in the communications from the government to her she received an email from the Consulate in chenai and India where she's from saying that her student visa had been revoked that information had come up but no direct information nothing specifically you know linking her to anything uh what we know from DHS is they're pointing to a a couple of Cit Pati so here is what she was explaining to me that she was she's a gra was a graduate student at Columbia University in her final semester of this PhD program on her urban planning that she had been out of the country during the entirety of those encampments and on April 30th she said she came back to the US she was in a picnic uh that same day with friends and family who we've collaborated with at least one of her friends that that was the case and that when she was coming back to campus and I remember the Mayhem that day that was the day that students took over occupied Hamilton Hall and at around 9:30 p. m she was trying to access her apartment she was trying to come in from different places she says they were asking her for a rental agreement to show that in fact she lived there she didn't have it with her her phone was dead anyway in all of that confusion she was taken in along with the protesters and cited uh for a c couple of citations including like obstructing the sidewalk and not dispersing but that those citations were dismissed DHS is saying that because she didn't when she uh renewed her visa her student visa in December because she didn't reveal that uh to the government even though they were dismissed she thought look if there's no conviction if this was just dismissed why should I report it to the government that that is why they're revoking her visa under the same uh under the same provision that they used for for khil but she says she was not a major protester in any way and certainly not a Hamas sympathizer as secretary of DHS Christin has accused her yeah so that's what the statement from DHS says which is that she supported and this is using their language supported uh Hamas which is a terrorist organization and they have video have you seen any evidence of that there is a video that's going around that I asked her about I asked her attorneys they've all said that is not her it's of a a a a woman I a brown woman a brown woman who is I I don't know exactly what the video says but it was shared in aleser at some point um but the point is that she's saying that's not me her attorneys are saying that is not her and are they just picking any video of a brown woman to say that it's me and how unfair that is that she has never supported Hamas she said look I've signed some petitions calling for peace in Gaza like so many people around the world um and that she participated in protest like the women's March and at some protest she says not on campus not at the height of the of the encampments that she was part of the encampment this is all that what she's saying and her attorneys are supporting but that she's certainly not a Hos so Lilia the press secretary Caroline levit has suggested uh that people should self- Deport and she mocked that the whole concept of deportations by saying so that you don't end up in one of these fun videos right um but I wonder did this young woman did she self-deport was she afraid of what was happening she was very afraid of what was happening she he said look I I don't consider it self- deporting I came knocking without a warrant I was scared I knew that her her visa was revoked from one day to the next without an uh an explanation so she left she says she did not use any app and she didn't consider it self-de deporting she's trying to fight to come back wow all right uh how did you find her great reporting well I have to thank our booking unit for a group team effort in talking to her yeah excellent work as always my friend thank you very much for sharing it with us thank you all right uh after months in space Butch Wilmore and sunny Williams are finally on their way back to Earth coming up we'll have all the details about their long waited return home you're streaming CBS News [Music] 247 after more than nine months in space NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and sunny Williams are finally on their way back to Earth a SpaceX capsule carrying the two undocked from the International Space Station earlier this morning capsule is expected to splash down off the Florida coast later this evening CBS News senior National correspondent Mark stman is live at the Johnson Space Center in Houston Mark they are finally on their way home break it down for us what can we expect a little later this afternoon hey Vlad good to talk to you yeah we got a homecoming here in Houston right I mean we got two astronauts that have been up in space for more than 9 months finally coming home they undocked in their SpaceX crew dragon capsule about 1:00 eastern time this morning and they are now on their way for a what amounts to a 17-hour trip to uh to splash down out of the gulf off the course to Florida uh just a couple of minutes before 6:00 pm.
