Federal investigators released new cockpit voice recorder details from the LaGuardia runway collision that killed two pilots when an Air Canada Express jet struck a fire truck. The NTSB says controllers cleared the truck to cross runway 4 shortly before the Air Canada flight landed; the tower issued multiple last‑second “stop” commands. The truck lacked a transponder, so the airport’s ASDE‑X ground detection system did not register it, and investigators described the disaster as the result of “many, many things” going wrong. Thirty‑nine people went to hospitals; six remain hospitalized. The NTSB plans interviews with controllers and the firefighters from the truck.
At U.S. airports, TSA checkpoints remain strained as officers work without pay during the partial government shutdown. TSA says hundreds of officers have quit and thousands are calling out. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told CBS News that jet fuel costs and the shutdown are pushing airfares up — he said fares rose about 15–20% in the last month. Congress appears to be nearing a deal to pay TSA workers; some lawmakers also propose bonuses for officers who have worked without pay.
In the Oval Office, President Trump told reporters he believes Iran is negotiating and “gave us a present” related to oil and the Strait of Hormuz, though he declined to provide details. The U.S. has sent additional troops to the region amid the escalating conflict; reports say more than 5,000 additional personnel are deploying, including elements of the 82nd Airborne. Republican lawmakers and others are pressing the White House for clearer plans about possible operations, including operations around Kharg Island and along Iran’s coast.
Fighting continues in Ukraine as Russia launched a massive drone barrage — nearly 1,000 drones over 24 hours, about half in daylight — that damaged historic sites and killed and wounded civilians. In Western Ukraine, a nearly 400‑year‑old church was damaged. Casualties include several dead and many injured.
CBS News investigators reported on possible hospice fraud in California. State records flagged hundreds of hospice programs in Los Angeles County for potential fraud; House Republicans opened an oversight inquiry following the reporting, calling the findings “alarming evidence of fraudulent activity.”
On the Gulf Coast, firefighters battled a large explosion and fire at Valero’s Port Arthur refinery in Texas. The facility, one of the nation’s largest, temporarily halted operations; no injuries were reported.
The Southeast baked under an unseasonable heat wave, with nearly 2,000 warm temperature records set in two weeks. Meteorologists warned of severe storms midweek across parts of the Midwest, driven by Gulf moisture and wind shear. The forecast included damaging winds and a tornado threat as cooler air arrives for some regions.
U.S. markets saw suspicious trading in the minutes before President Trump announced the postponement of strikes on Iranian energy targets. Traders placed large bets predicting a drop in oil prices just before non‑public information became public — activity that raises insider‑trading questions. Regulators typically investigate such patterns, but analysts and enforcement observers say investigations can be limited by resources and regulatory priorities.
In court in Hawaii, the wife of an anesthesiologist accused of trying to kill her testified at his trial. Prosecutors say Gerhardt König pushed his wife off a cliff, attacked her with a syringe and a rock and tried to silence her during a birthday hike. The alleged victim, Arielle König, testified about the attack; a nurse who witnessed the aftermath described the wife’s injuries. The husband’s attorney says she attacked him; prosecutors call his statements to family members a confession. If convicted, the defendant faces up to life in prison.
A jury in New Mexico found Meta liable for endangering children’s mental health and exposing minors to predators through its social platforms, awarding $375 million in damages. The state had accused Meta of failing to protect minors; Meta is appealing the verdict.
OpenAI announced it will shut down Sora, its app for generating video from text prompts, which drew both popular use and concerns about deepfakes. The company did not give a precise timeline for the shutdown.
In lighter coverage, a quick‑response helicopter rescue saved a goldendoodle from the Seneca River near Syracuse minutes after a 911 call; the dog was returned home safe. And in Chicago, a delivery robot drove into a glass bus shelter, shattering it on camera — the robot kept rolling, unharmed.
Only in America tonight: a national debate over dress codes. Ruth’s Chris steakhouse posted a policy requesting guests not to wear hats, gym clothes, poolwear, tank tops or exposed underwear; casual chains like Chili’s responded that they only require customers be dressed. The debate revisits conversations about standards and public attire, including recent airport and government reactions to casual dress.
That’s the CBS Evening News for March 24.