A powerful winter system gripped much of the country overnight. A blast of cold moved from the Upper Midwest into parts of the South while snow and ice snarled travel from Minnesota to Maine. Roads were treacherous and some communities faced temperatures well below normal. Utility bills are rising as households crank up heat, and local aid groups are preparing for increased demand. Forecasts also called for record lows in some towns. Out West, an atmospheric river was expected to deliver heavy rain to the Pacific Northwest, while fast-moving “clipper” systems were forecast to add more snow inland.
In New York, pretrial hearings continued in the homicide case against Luigi Mangione, arrested last year and charged in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel. Prosecutors displayed surveillance video and police testimony they say show a planned shooting. Defense lawyers are challenging the legality of searches — including officers’ opening of Mangione’s bag at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s after his arrest, which police say was done to check for a bomb and turned up a loaded gun magazine. Investigators also contend they found a 3D-printed ghost gun, a suppressor, writings about a plot and a list mentioning a “survival kit” at a police facility. Mangione has pleaded not guilty and his team is seeking to exclude some evidence as the court weighs claims of improper seizure.
In Hollywood business news, Paramount Skydance surprised the industry with a hostile $108 billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, coming days after Netflix announced a plan to acquire most of Warner Bros. for roughly $83 billion. Paramount CEO David Ellison says the Netflix-Warner combination would reduce competition. The Skydance offer is backed by family funds, Middle Eastern sovereign wealth, a Chinese tech company and private equity with ties to Jared Kushner. The competing proposals set up a likely regulatory and shareholder fight as Warner Bros. investors prepare to decide in January.
The Supreme Court appeared poised to expand presidential authority over independent agencies following oral arguments in a case challenging the long-standing limit on presidents’ power to remove agency heads. Justices expressed skepticism about arguments defending the current 90-year precedent, a change that could affect separation-of-powers protections for agency leaders.
From overseas: in Romania, a motorist reportedly fainted, sending a luxury car airborne through a roundabout; the driver survived. In entertainment, the Golden Globe nominations were announced, with multiple films earning slots; the ceremony will also present a new Best Podcast award in January.
A lighter national item: a Virginia raccoon that trashed a liquor store and was later found “passed out” inspired a fundraising campaign that raised more than $150,000 for the animal shelter that cared for it.
Regulators have opened a review of Waymo after several incidents in Austin, Texas, where company vehicles were recorded passing stopped school buses while children were boarding or exiting. Waymo acknowledged earlier software updates didn’t fully resolve the problem and said it will file a voluntary safety recall as it continues to analyze and update its systems. Federal safety officials are reviewing multiple occurrences; Waymo reports there were no injuries.
An Eye on America report examined continuing care retirement communities, or CCRCs, where seniors pay substantial entrance fees for lifetime care with a promise of partial refunds to heirs. Several CCRCs have filed for bankruptcy in recent years, and communities like Harborside Retirement Community in Port Washington, New York, collapsed, leaving residents and families facing significant losses, forced moves and disruptions when care needs changed. Experts advise prospective residents to ask how entrance funds are protected and what happens to refund promises if a community faces financial distress.
Back on politics and media: the exchange between Greene and Trump underscored fissures within the Republican Party and the broader consequences when high-profile figures trade incendiary labels. Meanwhile, the Netflix and Paramount bids for Warner Bros. Discovery are expected to draw intense antitrust scrutiny from the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission as regulators assess potential impacts on competition.
California community news: Altadena’s century-old Christmas Tree Lane, damaged by January wildfires that destroyed thousands of structures and killed nearly two dozen people, was restored this season. Thousands of volunteers and returning residents strung more than 20,000 lights along the mile-long street, drawing tens of thousands on opening night and serving as a symbol of recovery and resilience.
Economically, the cold snap has heightened concerns about winter heating costs for households already facing pressures from rent and food prices. Community service organizations report preparing for greater need as temperatures fall.
We leave you with that image of neighbors and volunteers returning to Altadena to rekindle a holiday tradition that began in 1920 — a small sign of recovery for a community still rebuilding.
From CBS News headquarters in New York, I’m John Dickerson. Good night.”}