U.S.

This Morning from CBS News, Feb. 20, 2015

By Dan Woo

February 20, 2015 / 7:43 AM EST / CBS News

Severe cold

People from the Midwest to the Northeast are experiencing a deep freeze, and the South is facing a new winter storm warning. CBS News correspondents Vinita Nair and Dean Reynolds, and Cuthbert Langley of CBS Nashville affiliate WTVF give team coverage of the cold blast. Some areas haven't been this cold in more than 50 years.

Measles poll

According to a CBS News poll released this morning, two-thirds of Americans think parents should be required to vaccinate their children, and a similar percentage say children who are not vaccinated should not be allowed to attend public schools. Nearly nine in 10 Americans think vaccines for measles are safe. Most do not think they are likely to cause disorders such as autism, but a quarter of the public thinks this is at least somewhat likely. A majority says the recent outbreak of measles is a serious problem .

"Superbug"

Among the seven people infected by a "superbug" outbreak tied to medical instruments at a Los Angeles medical center is an 18-year-old student who has spent nearly three months in the hospital and is in grave condition, one of his attorneys said. The young man was struggling to avoid becoming the third of those infected at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center to die, Kevin Boyle said yesterday. Also, the manufacturer of the device in focus disclosed previously that it is under federal investigation.

Safety warning

U.S. health officials yesterday issued a safety warning on a specialty endoscope that has been linked to the transmission of a drug-resistant "superbug." Infections contributed to the deaths of two patients at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles who had undergone a procedure with this particular type of endoscope, known as the duodenoscope. In all, more than 170 patients may have been exposed.

Spring offensive

A U.S. military official said Thursday that 20,000 to 25,000 Iraqi forces would launch an assault on ISIS militants to reclaim Iraq's second largest city this spring. But CBS News was in Iraq earlier this month, and senior figures there said a spring offensive on Mosul was simply not realistic. Some of them, reports CBS News correspondent Holly Williams, said the earliest they could be ready was autumn 2015.

Fight against ISIS' social media

World governments are turning up the heat on social media companies like Twitter over terrorism, as ISIS continues to recruit fighters online with its sophisticated digital propaganda operations. They believe the sites can take a bolder stand against ISIS and other groups online. CBS News correspondent Margaret Brennan reports from the State Department, where an international summit tried to tackle violent extremism.

Republican core

Common Core federal education standards are riling the conservative base, and as the 2016 Republican presidential field takes shape, the standards -- seen by right wing activists as a federal overreach and a threat to parental rights -- are poised to play a big role in the GOP nominating process. That's doubly true in Iowa, where the kinds of Republican voters most vehemently opposed to Common Core live.

Malcolm X

Saturday marks 50 years since the assassination of Malcolm X. The charismatic and controversial leader was gunned down while giving a speech in Harlem, in New York City. CBS News correspondent Vladimir Duthiers spoke to Malcolm X's daughter, Attallah Shabazz, about his complicated legacy.

Micro pollutant

New York's attorney general is asking that state's legislature to ban microbeads, tiny particles of plastic used in many beauty and skin care products. New York would join a growing number of states taking aim at the ingredient. CBS News MoneyWatch reports New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman's announcement yesterdayboosts the push against microbeads, which environmental groups say are becoming an increasingly significant pollutant.

Super mosquitoes

A British company wants to release millions of genetically modified mosquitoes in a Florida neighborhood. They say this will stop the spread of two deadly diseases, but residents are skeptical. CBS News correspondent Anna Warner reports the mutant bugs would target a specific species of mosquito that is so troublesome, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District spends more than $1 million a year trying to fight it.

Facebook likes

Whether it's a Facebook video of a cat jumping through snow or a photo of a dwarf planet 250 million miles away, clicking the Like button may cost you your next job. Peter Maulik says social media activity has completely changed the way he screens potential employees for his New York-based consulting firm, Fahrenheit 212.

Flag raising

It was 70 years ago yesterday, during the Second World War, that U.S. forces began a bloody but successful battle to capture the Japanese island of Iwo Jima -- needed as a staging area to attack the mainland. The picture of Marines raising the flag on Iwo Jima may be the most famous ever -- a split second that seemed to capture all that it took to win World War II. But, reports CBS News Pentagon correspondent David Martin, in truth, nothing could capture the hell that was Iwo Jima.