News Wrap: Powerful winter storm bears down on midsection of U.S.

Geoff Bennett:

In the day's other headlines: A powerful winter storm walloped the country's midsection, with some states expecting a foot of snow.

Blizzard warnings and other advisories were in effect across a swathe of states from Northeastern New Mexico to northern Michigan. This morning, people in Eastern Colorado captured near-whiteout conditions in their yards. And, in Kansas, drivers faced heavy slush as they rushed to stock up on staples. In Iowa, the snow could be followed by subzero cold for next Monday's Republican presidential caucuses.

In Ukraine, Russia fired its biggest barrage of hypersonic and cruise missiles yet, as it stepped up a winter assault. More than 50 missiles and drones targeted a string of urban areas from the eastern front to western parts of the country. In Kharkiv, rescuers pulled one man from his destroyed home as a layer of snow began to pile up on the rubble. The combined strikes killed at least four people across Ukraine and injured more than 30.

Pope Francis called today for a worldwide ban on surrogate motherhood. It was part of his annual speech on global threats to peace and humanity. The pontiff spoke to diplomats and addressed the issue of surrogacy, calling it a threat to human dignity.

Pope Francis, Leader of Catholic Church (through translator): I deem deplorable the practice of so-called surrogate motherhood, based on the exploitation of the mother's material needs. A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract. I hope for an effort by the international community to prohibit this practice.

Geoff Bennett:

The pope has long opposed surrogacy, calling it — quote — "uterus for rent." While surrogacy is common in the U.S., the practice is illegal in Italy and illegal or restricted in much of Europe.

The first U.S. moon landing attempt in 50 years now appears doomed. Astrobotic Technology's robotic lander successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, before dawn today. But it quickly developed a critical fuel leak that could prevent any landing. The company says it's considering an alternative mission for the spacecraft.

And on Wall Street, stocks made back most of last week's losses, as interest rates on Treasury bonds eased. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 217 points to close at 37683. The Nasdaq rose 319 points, more than 2 percent. The S&P 500 added 66 points.

Still to come on the "NewsHour": Congress makes progress on a spending deal to avoid a government shutdown; President Biden makes a campaign stop at the South Carolina church targeted by a racist mass shooting in 2015; Tamara Keith and Amy Walter analyze the presidential race one week before Iowa; and as the NCAA football championship kicks off, a look at the changing landscape of college sports.