News Wrap: Winter storm slams Mid-Atlantic states

Geoff Bennett:

A major winter storm is still rolling across the U.S., beginning with blizzard conditions in the Plains last night and dropping snow onto mid-Atlantic states this morning.

The National Weather Service warned, some places could see their heaviest snowfall in a decade. It's having a major impact on travel, while students from Indiana to Maryland are enjoying a snow day.

In Washington, D.C., this morning, the competition was fierce…

Woman:

You just saw me nail that guy in the face, right?

Geoff Bennett:

… as huge crowds gathered at Meridian Hill Park for a timeless snow day tradition, the snowball fight.

The nation's capital received its first major snow of the winter, as a polar vortex chills a large part of the country. Baltimore was blanketed in white this morning as Maryland canceled classes and closed government offices. Temperatures are expected to plunge from the Northeast as far south as Georgia and Florida.

In Woodbridge, Virginia, residents like James Rastatter were snowed in.

James Rastatter, Virginia Resident:

My four-wheel drive broke down, so I'm using a two-wheel drive with chains. And, hopefully, I can get out today. And, hopefully, the plow comes tomorrow and gets us out.

Geoff Bennett:

The storm kicked off in the Central states on Sunday before moving eastward. Fighting winds created blizzard conditions in Kansas yesterday, covering the roads with snow and ice. Ten inches of snow has already fallen there. More than 14 inches are expected for Kansas and parts of Northern Missouri.

The storm also complicated air travel, causing more than 1,300 flights to be canceled and 8,500 to be delayed. As the storm spread to the East, dozens of semitrucks were backed up in downtown Cincinnati. A cluster of trucks stuck in the snow on a ramp led to a nearly seven-hour delay last night. Hundreds of thousands were without power across Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, West Virginia, Illinois and Missouri.

(Laughter)

Hugh Ross, Louisville Resident:

Couldn't be worse.

Geoff Bennett:

Kentucky declared a state of emergency, closing government buildings and many schools. Louisville recorded more than seven inches of snow, blowing out the date's old record of three inches set in 1910.

At a news conference, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said the snow would end soon, but urged residents to stay off the roads.

Craig Greenberg (D), Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky: Please, give us a little bit more time. Be patient. Don't get back on the roads yet. Let us have some time for the trucks, for the plows and the salt to continue making progress once the accumulation ends.

Geoff Bennett:

Also today, President Biden is taking steps to ban new offshore oil and gas drilling across a huge stretch of federal waters. Altogether, the action affects more than 625 million acres of ocean along both coasts, plus the Eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Northern Bering Sea in Alaska.

The Biden administration says the environmental and economic risks of drilling in those areas outweigh their potential economic benefit. It comes just two weeks before president-elect Trump is set to return to the Oval Office. He's vowed to — quote — "unban it immediately," but that would likely need an act of Congress.

U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel are suing the Biden administration for blocking their nearly $15 billion merger deal. In a lawsuit filed in federal court today, the companies say the decision was based on politics and had no legal basis. In a separate filing, they also alleged that the head of the steelworkers union and a rival steelmaker engaged in racketeering to tank the buyout.

On Friday, President Biden officially blocked the deal, citing America's national interests. In South Korea, the government's anti-corruption agency has asked the police there to take over its efforts to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. Pro-Yoon demonstrators gathered outside of his residence in Seoul today. That's where presidential guards blocked investigators from detaining Yoon last week.

Authorities are investigating whether Yoon's declaration of martial law back in December amounts to a rebellion. He has refused to be questioned about his actions.

It's all unfolding as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with his counterpart in Seoul today. He said South Korea's political crisis would not hurt its relationship with the U.S.

Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State: The United States has full confidence in South Korea's institutions, and we reaffirm our unwavering support for the Korean people as they work tirelessly to uphold those institutions. We trust that the Republic of Korea, as a leading global democracy, will proceed in full accordance with its Constitution and the rule of law.

Geoff Bennett:

A police official says they are considering all available options in addressing the standoff with Yoon, including arresting presidential guards who blocked them from detaining him.

Here at home, a judge in New York has rejected Donald Trump's attempt to delay sentencing in his hush money case scheduled for Friday. His lawyers had asked for time to appeal Justice Juan Merchan's decision last week to uphold the verdict. Trump's legal team said the sentencing as planned would force him to appeal the verdict while in office and deal with criminal proceedings for years to come.

Mr. Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records last may. Judge Merchan has said he does not intend to give Mr. Trump any jail time.

Meantime, a separate judge in New York found Donald Trump's former lawyer Rudy Giuliani to be in contempt of court today. That was for failing to cooperate in the handover of millions of dollars in assets to two former election workers he defamed. The lawyers for Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss say Giuliani has displayed a consistent pattern of willful defiance over the last few months in supplying what's needed to pay down the $148 million defamation judgment against him.

The judge has yet to detail what specific penalties Giuliani could face.

Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez met with President Biden at the White House today. The U.S. recognizes Gonzalez as the winner of last year's disputed presidential election. He's on a regional tour to rally support for removing Venezuela's incumbent President Nicolas Maduro from office. Maduro was set to start his third term later this week.

Outside of the White House today, Gonzalez would not reveal what he and Mr. Biden spoke about, but said the meeting was long and fruitful.

Edmundo Gonzalez, Venezuela Opposition Leader (through interpreter):

We are grateful for the support that the government of the United States has given us in this struggle for Democratic recovery in Venezuela. We will ensure that the road to restoration and democracy is paved as soon as possible.

Geoff Bennett:

Gonzalez also said he expects a very close relationship with president-elect Trump and that he's in contact with Mr. Trump's team.

The city of Minneapolis this afternoon approved a police reform deal with the federal government that stems from the 2020 murder of George Floyd. Today's agreement, known as a consent decree, requires long-term supervision of the city's police force by a federal court. It follows a scathing Justice Department report in 2023 that found systemic discrimination towards racial minorities and frequent violations of constitutional rights.

A judge must approve today's agreement, and then an independent monitor will oversee the changes.

The state of Louisiana has reported the nation's first bird flu-related human fatality. Health officials say the patient was over the age of 65 and was reported to have underlying medical conditions. In a statement, Louisiana's Department of Health said the unnamed person contracted the disease — quote — "after exposure to a combination of a noncommercial backyard flock and wild birds."

Since March, more than 60 confirmed bird flu infections have been reported in the U.S. but most of them have been mild. Officials say the current risk to the general public remains low.

The Pentagon said today that it's sending 11 Yemeni prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention center to Oman. That's as the Biden administration looks to draw down the prison population there. None of the released men had been charged with crimes during their two decades of detention. Their departures leave 15 men at Guantanamo.

On Wall Street today, stocks ended mixed to start the week. The Dow Jones industrial average gave up early gains to end just a fraction lower. The Nasdaq jumped more than 240 points. The S&P 500 also ended higher on the day.