News Wrap: Winter storm brings blizzard to Midwest, tornadoes to South

Amna Nawaz:

In the day's other headlines: Winter storms battered much of the country, with everything from tornadoes to blizzards. One system killed at least three people in the south. Heavy rain and several reported twisters struck the floor at a Panhandle.

Hurricane-force winds peeled roofs off homes, downed trees and knocked out power to thousands. In the Midwest, more than half-a-foot of fresh snow fell in some areas, disrupting travel. Interstates and schools were closed in several states.

Senate Republicans signaled today that Congress will need to pass another short-term funding bill to avoid a partial government shutdown. They have agreed on overall spending but need more time to pass 12 individual appropriations bills. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said a short-term continuing resolution would get them passed the looming January 19 deadline.

Sen. Mitch Mcconnell (R-KY):

They have a top-line agreement. In the meantime, we need to prevent a government shutdown. And so the obvious question is, how long does the C.R. need to be? And that will be up to the majority leader and the speaker to determine the length of the C.R.

Amna Nawaz:

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he would oppose any further short-term funding bills. He did not immediately comment on today's developments.

The president of Ecuador says his nation is in a state of internal armed conflict tonight. That comes after masked men broke into a public television station with guns and shouted they had bombs. Police said later they'd arrested all the intruders. The president said he's designating 20 drug gangs as terror groups and ordering the military to neutralize them.

In Ukraine, the power grid operator reports more than 1,000 towns have lost power amid Russian attacks on the electrical grid. Scenes of damage are widespread, and authorities say more than 500 drones and missiles struck Ukraine just over New Year's weekend. A Ukraine air force official says air defenses are stretched thin.

A new South Korean law will ban the centuries-old practice of raising and selling dogs for food. Parliament voted today to ban the production and sale of dog meat. Animal rights groups pushed for the change, but reactions among the general public were mixed.

Lee Soo-Jin, South Korea Resident:

I'm raising my children and a dog together. The dog is my third child. I'm so glad the bill was passed today. Consuming dog meat should never happen again in the future.

Kim Bong-Ok, South Korea Resident (through interpreter):

I don't eat dog meat, but it's been consumed for a long time in our country. It's a unique part of our culture. It's not like everyone is consuming it. It's just a matter of preference.

Amna Nawaz:

The law is set to take effect after a three-year grace period.

NASA has decided to delay sending astronauts to circle the moon until 2025. That's a year later than planned. An attempt at a human landing on the moon is also being pushed back to 2026. Meanwhile, a Pittsburgh company gave up today on trying a moon landing with a robotic craft. It launched Tuesday, but a fuel leak ended its chances.

On Wall Street, stocks lost Monday's momentum. The Dow Jones industrial average shed nearly 158 points to close at 37525. The Nasdaq rose 14 points, but the S&P 500 slipped seven.

And Michigan is polishing its first college football championship trophy since 1997. The Wolverines cemented an undefeated season last night, beating the Washington Huskies 34-13. Afterward, white and gold confetti showered the field in Houston, as coach Jim Harbaugh and his players celebrated. Back in Ann Arbor, bars filled with students erupted in cheers.

Still to come on the "NewsHour": the increasing risk of criminal charges for women who experience a miscarriage; a revelatory eyewitness account of the Ukrainian resistance against Russia's invasion; and how women's sports are breaking into mainstream media coverage.