Good evening. Major storm that dumped snow across the Midwest has moved into the Northeast, leaving dense, wet snow and hazardous travel. Firefighters in West Virginia rescued a truck driver left dangling for hours after his rig plowed through an overpass barrier — slick roads may have been to blame. Snowplows worked through the day; in many interior areas from Ohio to Maine, totals ranged from several inches to a foot or more. The National Weather Service warned coastal Maine residents to delay travel if possible as temperatures fall and black ice becomes a concern. Some ski areas welcomed fresh powder after seasons of light snow.

In other news, the Pentagon and the White House face questions about a September strike on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Navy leaders are under scrutiny after reports allege a follow-up strike targeted survivors; legal experts say attacking shipwrecked combatants could violate the Law of War. At a cabinet meeting, President Trump distanced himself from the second strike and praised the admiral in charge. He also made a sweeping attack on Somali immigrants and singled out Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, calling her and others “garbage” and saying they “complain and do nothing.” Omar called the president’s obsession with her “creepy.” CBS News reports ICE plans a surge of resources to Minneapolis and parts of Minnesota this week, targeting people with deportation orders.

U.S. negotiators including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow as the administration continues efforts to broker an end to the war in Ukraine. Putin accused European leaders of obstructing a U.S.-brokered process and warned Europe could face conflict. Ukrainians expressed concern about territorial concessions and the effect on ongoing defense needs; President Zelenskyy says talks may offer a chance for peace but stresses Ukraine must not be sidelined.

From the U.S. capital, an Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House faced a judge by video from his hospital bed. Charging documents say the suspect fired at soldiers; one died on Thanksgiving and one remains in critical condition. The suspect pleaded not guilty. In Atlanta, police searched for an inmate who escaped after a hospital visit; investigators say he stole a car and later used rideshare. In Minnesota, police helped rescue sled dogs after their trailer split on the highway; none were injured.

Philanthropy and policy: Michael Dell and his wife Susan pledged more than $6 billion to open savings accounts for 25 million American children 10 and under. The accounts — part of a program administered by the Trump administration — will include a $1,000 seed deposit for children born between 2025 and 2028 and can accept up to $5,000 annually from parents, employers, or charities. Withdrawals before age 18 face penalties; after 18, funds used for college or a first-time home purchase would avoid a 10% withdrawal tax. Supporters call the accounts a financial head start; critics point to complexities and prior failed “baby bond” proposals.

San Francisco filed a novel lawsuit against makers of so-called ultra-processed foods — products with industrial ingredients and additives — alleging deceptive marketing and that such foods contribute to health problems like obesity, diabetes, and cancer. City Attorney David Chiu says the case targets companies that design foods to be harmful and addictive; the industry trade group contends there is no agreed-upon scientific definition and calls the claims misleading. This suits in a line of local government actions against large manufacturers and distributors for public health costs.

Eye on America: A CBS News investigation looked at classical charter schools after parents in Fort Myers were left waiting when an Optima Classical Academy site failed to open. Optima’s CEO, Erika Donalds, had launched several schools in Florida; tax filings show Optima-run schools paid millions to outside firms for back-office services — firms in which Donalds previously held stakes. Charter schools often receive taxpayer funding but can have less financial transparency than traditional public schools. Parents who enrolled children in the Fort Myers location say they were frustrated and felt burned when the promised school never opened.

From the overnight and human-interest beat: a major American city became the first to sue food makers over ultra-processed products; prosecutors and advocates argue the cost of treating diseases linked to these foods is a burden on government. Separately, a rock climber made history in Yosemite: 33-year-old Sasha DiGiulian became the first woman to free-climb El Capitan’s Platinum Wall via the longest route to the 3,000-foot summit. DiGiulian spent 23 days on the wall; a nine-day storm forced her to ride out intense winds, thunder, and lightning on a tiny ledge 2,600 feet up. Despite wet, slippery rock and bleeding fingers, she completed the ascent and described it as a “crazy experience of life.”

Other reports: President Trump and Defense officials defended themselves over the Caribbean strike while Trump also escalated rhetoric on immigration at a cabinet meeting. A U.S. delegation met with Putin in Moscow in talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, drawing concern in Kyiv over possible territorial concessions. Locally, snow and slick roads produced hundreds of crashes and required plow crews and rescues across the Northeast. And philanthropy efforts seek to give children a financial head start through government-seeded savings accounts.

That’s the CBS Evening News for tonight. See you tomorrow.

The Northeast is digging out after the season’s first major snowstorm — the same system that walloped the Midwest earlier in the week. Plows and crews worked through the day as dense, wet snow made driving treacherous and left record accumulations in parts of the region. Interior areas from Ohio to Maine saw at least half a foot in many spots; some places, including parts of Michigan and upstate New York, reported higher totals. Officials warned of black ice as temperatures fall below freezing, and highway crashes were widespread. In one dramatic rescue, West Virginia firefighters saved a truck driver who was trapped after his rig went through a barrier on an overpass. Snowplows kept roads moving where they could; ski areas welcomed fresh powder.

At the White House, President Trump and his Defense secretary sought to distance themselves from a follow-up strike on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean that reportedly targeted survivors. Questions about the legality of the action intensified after reports said a commander allegedly ordered killing survivors; legal experts noted that attacking shipwrecked, helpless people could violate the Law of War. At a cabinet meeting, the president said he relied on his defense officials for details and later praised the admiral in charge of the follow-up decision. The Department of Defense’s Law of War manual states shipwrecked combatants are in a helpless state and should not be made the object of attack.

During the same meeting, the president launched a blunt attack on Somali immigrants and Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who came to the U.S. as a Somali refugee. He called out individuals and criticized work and behavior in statements that drew sharp response. A U.S. official told CBS News that ICE planned to surge resources to Minneapolis and nearby areas to target people with deportation orders, some of whom are Somali.

Meanwhile, President Trump’s special envoy and son-in-law met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss possible peace talks for Ukraine. Putin accused European allies of standing in the way of U.S. efforts and warned Europe about meddling. In Kyiv, Ukrainians voiced concerns about negotiated deals that might cede territory to Russia. Officials and veterans treated in mental health clinics emphasized that many Ukrainians want peace but also fear concessions that could invite further aggression. Ukraine’s president said any deal must be made with Ukraine at the table.

More headlines:
– The Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guard soldiers near the White House appeared by video from his hospital bed and pleaded not guilty to charges. One soldier has died; the other remains in critical condition.
– An inmate in the Atlanta area escaped custody after being taken to a hospital for evaluation; authorities say he stole a car, ditched it, and later took a ride in a hired vehicle. He is considered armed and dangerous.
– Minnesota police helped a team of sled dogs after their trailer split on a highway; officers transported the animals and posted pictures with the handlers.
– Tech billionaire Michael Dell and his wife pledged more than $6 billion to open savings accounts — called “Trump Accounts” — for millions of American children ages 10 and under. The accounts, part of federal policy changes, will include a government seed deposit and restrict withdrawals until age 18, with some exceptions for college and first-home purchases.

San Francisco sued major food manufacturers, becoming the first U.S. city to take legal action over ultra-processed foods. City attorneys accused 11 companies of designing and marketing foods that are unhealthy and addictive, placing a public-health burden on the city. Ultra-processed foods — items with chemical-based preservatives or ingredients not typically found in a home kitchen — now account for a large share of many Americans’ diets and have been linked in research to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and higher cancer risk. The companies named in the suit said scientific definitions of “ultra-processed” are unsettled and disputed the claim the foods are being deliberately marketed as harmful.

CBS News’ Eye on America examined the rise of classical charter schools and oversight gaps after parents in Fort Myers said a charter school called Optima Classical Academy — backed by public funding and led by an executive who previously launched other charter schools — failed to open as promised. An investigation into the chain’s tax filings showed millions of public dollars paid to outside firms for back-office services; some firms had ties to the chain’s executives. Experts said charter schools are often required to disclose less financial detail than traditional public schools, making it harder to trace public spending. Families left behind by an Optima campus expressed frustration and disappointment after teachers and programs never materialized.

In a feat that made climbing history, Sasha DiGiulian became the first woman to free-climb Yosemite’s Platinum Wall — El Capitan’s longest route — ascending 3,000 feet using only ropes to catch falls. She planned for two weeks on the wall but was forced to contend with a severe storm, spending nine days perched 2,600 feet up waiting out intense winds, thunder and lightning. After the storm, wet and slippery rock added danger to the route. DiGiulian spent 23 days on the wall, enduring bleeding fingers and brutal conditions, then finished with an emotional, triumphant pull over the top.

Other coverage:
– A major U.S. city filed a lawsuit against ultra-processed food manufacturers, alleging deceptive marketing and public health costs.
– A CBS News investigation into classical charter schools found limited financial oversight and connections between operators and outside vendors.
– Human-interest and regional stories included rescues, local law enforcement updates, and community reactions to weather and school closures.

The broadcast closed with the note that the storm’s aftermath and the other stories will continue to unfold as officials assess damage, public-health effects and ongoing political developments. John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois signed off, promising more coverage in the next edition.