A major winter storm that dumped heavy, wet snow across the Midwest moved into the Northeast Tuesday, creating hazardous travel and dozens of crashes. Plow crews worked through the day as interior totals from Ohio to Maine ranged from several inches to a foot or more. In West Virginia, firefighters rescued a truck driver who was left dangling for hours after his rig breached an overpass barrier; slick roads may have contributed to the crash. The National Weather Service warned coastal Maine residents to delay travel as falling temperatures raise the risk of black ice. Some ski areas welcomed the fresh powder after seasons of light snowfall.
Washington and national security officials faced scrutiny over a September strike on a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean. Reports allege a follow-up attack targeted survivors, prompting questions about whether the action could have violated the Law of War. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Navy leaders have been singled out for review. At a cabinet meeting, President Trump distanced himself from the second strike and praised the admiral in charge, while also attacking Somali immigrants and singling out Representative Ilhan Omar, calling her and others “garbage” and criticizing their actions; Omar called the president’s focus on her “creepy.” Separately, CBS News reports that ICE plans to surge resources to Minneapolis and parts of Minnesota this week to target people with deportation orders.
U.S. negotiators, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, traveled to Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin as the administration pursues a U.S.-brokered path toward ending the war in Ukraine. Putin accused European leaders of obstructing the process and warned Europe could face conflict. Ukrainian officials and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed concern that negotiations could require territorial concessions and emphasized that Ukraine’s defense needs must not be sidelined, even as they said talks might offer a chance for peace.
From the capital, an Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House appeared before a judge by video from his hospital bed. Charging documents say the suspect fired at soldiers; one victim died on Thanksgiving and another 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 a rideshare service. In Minnesota, highway crews and police helped rescue sled dogs after their trailer split open; fortunately, none of the animals were injured.
In philanthropy and policy news, Michael Dell and his wife Susan pledged more than $6 billion to open government-administered savings accounts for 25 million American children ages 10 and under. The program would seed accounts with $1,000 for children born between 2025 and 2028 and allow up to $5,000 in annual contributions from parents, employers, or charities. Withdrawals before age 18 would face penalties; after 18, funds used for college or a first-time home purchase would avoid a 10% withdrawal tax. Supporters say the accounts give children a financial head start; critics point to the program’s complexity and note prior “baby bond” proposals have faced implementation challenges.
San Francisco filed a novel lawsuit against makers of ultra-processed foods — products that include industrial ingredients and additives — alleging deceptive marketing and claiming these products contribute to public health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and cancer. City Attorney David Chiu said the case targets companies that design foods to be harmful and addictive. The industry trade group countered that there is no agreed scientific definition of “ultra-processed” and called the claims misleading. The suit follows a pattern of local governments taking legal action over the public costs of widespread health conditions.
A CBS News investigation examined the rise of classical charter schools after parents in Fort Myers, Florida, were left scrambling when an Optima Classical Academy site failed to open as promised. Optima’s CEO, Erika Donalds, has launched several schools in the state; tax filings show Optima-run schools paid millions to outside firms for back-office services, including firms in which Donalds previously held stakes. The report highlights concerns about financial transparency at charter schools that receive taxpayer funding but can operate with different oversight than traditional public schools.
On the human-interest beat, climber Sasha DiGiulian made history in Yosemite by becoming the first woman to free-climb El Capitan’s Platinum Wall via the longest route to the 3,000-foot summit. The 33-year-old spent 23 days on the granite face, enduring a nine-day storm that forced her to shelter on a tiny ledge 2,600 feet up while facing wind, thunder, and lightning. Despite wet, slippery rock and bleeding fingers, she completed the ascent and called it a “crazy experience of life.”
Briefly: officials defended the Pentagon and White House over the Caribbean strike; President Trump again escalated rhetoric on immigration in a cabinet meeting; snow and slick roads prompted numerous rescues and plow operations across the Northeast; and philanthropic efforts aim to give millions of children a government-seeded financial start.
That’s tonight’s roundup. We’ll have more tomorrow.