worldwide. late today the centers for disease control also announced surveillance program at u.s. airports in which passengers voluntarily undergo a nasal swab to better detect a new wave of cases. the new restrictions for travelers from china take effect after midnight, thursday, january 5th. only passengers under the age of 2 will be exempt. and jericka, this is happening as countries across the world add their own new restrictions on travelers from china. >> scott macfarlane from the reagan national airport, thank you. cbs news has confirmed that embattled congressman-elect george santos is under multiple investigations in new york over bogus claims he made while running for office. santos, a republican, has admitted to lying about his education, work experience, and even his faith. the republican district attorney of nassau county says she's looking into whether any of those fabrications amounted to

crimes. and federal prosecutors are also looking into santos' financial disclosures. well, turning now to the war in ukraine, russian forces bombarded the southern city of kherson with more than 30 missiles over the last 24 hours. ukrainian officials are now urging residents there to flee the city more than a month after it was liberated from the russians. cbs' ian lee has more tonight from inside ukraine. >> reporter: the russians may have retreated, but the people of kherson can't forget them. daily deadly reminders rain down, echoing around the former occupied city as russian rockets and artillery demolish homes and kill civilians. a shell destroyed this house. a woman inside survived. "punish the russians for their crimes. punish them their whole lives," she says. but tamara breshun wasn't so lucky. her son was killed when a russian shell leveled her home.

she comb through the wreckage for his id so she could retrieve his body from the morgue. why russia shells kherson is hard to tell. nothing they hit appears to hold military value, like this maternity hospital, the first strike hit just outside. nurses rushed the pregnant women, newborns and their mothers to the basement. the second smashed into the building. mercifully, no one was injured. "it was frightening and unexpected," this new mother says. "the explosions just began and the windows shattered. my hands are still shaking." workers gather the shattered glass, much like the lives of so many ukrainians. it's attacks like these on civilians that make ukrainian officials adamant that russia can't be invited to any peace summits unless the country first faces a war crimes tribunal. jericka? >> ian lee with that important reporting tonight, thank you. the "cbs overnight news" will be right back.

(pensive music) (footsteps crunching) (pensive music continues) - [narrator] for one in five children worldwide the holidays aren't a time to celebrate. they're just another day of hunger. no family dinners, no special treats, no full bellies. all around the world, parents are struggling to feed their children.

toddlers are suffering from acute malnutrition, which stunts their growth. kids are forced to drop out of school so they can help support their families. covid, conflict, inflation and climate have ignited the worst famine in our lifetime. and we're fed up. fed up with the fact that hunger robs kids of their holidays. fed up with the lack of progress. fed up with the injustice. help us brighten the lives of children all over the world by visiting getfedupnow.org. for as little as $10 a month, you can join 'save the children' as we support children and families in desperate need of our help. this is the perfect time of year to get fed up and give back. when you join the cause, your $10 monthly donation can help communities in need of life-saving treatments and nutrients, prevent children from dropping out of school. support our work with communities and governments to help children go from short-term surviving to long-term thriving.

and now thanks to special government grants, every dollar you give before december 31st can multiply up to 10 times the impact. that means more food, water, medicine and help for kids around the world. also ive a free toteildr in need. food iimaginle. and help for kids around the world. this holiday season: get fed up. visit getfedupnow.org today. wondering what actually goes into your multivitamin? at new chapter, its' innovation, organic ingredients, and fermentation. fermentation? yes. formulated to help you body really truly absorb the natural goodness. new chapter. wellness, well done. did you know, some ordinary cold medicines can raise your blood pressure? try new vicks nyquil high blood pressure for fast, powerful cold relief without ingredients that may raise your blood pressure. try vicks nyquil high blood pressure. the coughing, aching, fever, cold and flu, for people with high blood pressure, medicine.

pope francis today ended his nelod up with aem saying the 95d retired pope has been in failing health. back in 2013, benedict became the first pope in more than 600 years to resign, saying he was no longer well enough to run the church. well, back here in the united states, the epidemic of gun violence is taking a toll on children. the gun violence archive reports more than 6,000 children were killed or injured in the u.s. by gunfire this year alone. that's the most ever recorded. well, tonight we go in depth with a group of young people we first introduce you'd to several years ago. >> reporter: you don't have to see the wounds from gun violence to experience the pain of living through it, especially when you're young.

>> i think chicago has been labeled helpless by the nation. >> i'm more careful now. >> reporter: what is the right way to move in chicago? >> just knowing where you are at all times. >> reporter: jacari brown, jericka duncan, dejanae polk, and teshyra winters found refuge here at the marillac house. >> reporter: i first met them at the west side center in 2014. >> that's you. >> man, that's crazy. >> reporter: at that time, they ranged in age from 9 to 15. how many of you guys have been exposed to some type of violence in this neighborhood? jeremiah was the youngest. he told me about the loss of his father. >> he got shot while he was going to the store. >> reporter: do you talk about it often? >> no. i just try to forget it. >> when you think about what you felt, what you experienced at 9, how has that shaped you at 16? >> i mean, well, first off, that

shouldn't be something that any kid should have to go through. but it's going to mold you, and it's going to change your perspective on people around you. >> reporter: back then, jacari expressed fear. do you feel safe? >> at home, but not outside. >> reporter: in 2021, he was arrested for carrying an illegal gun. the case was later dropped. tell me about what went into that decision. >> just a lot of violence going on around me. seeing a lot of people that is my age, my brother age getting killed at a young age. so i'm going to get a gun. >> reporter: at just 14, dejanae couldn't conceal her caution. >> when a car goes slower, i'm very aware of my surroundings. >> reporter: the violence here has robbed them of a childhood free of tragedy, a cycle that has continued into adulthood. >> i recently lost a cousin who was really close to me.

and excuse me if i cry. >> reporter: how many more people have you lost to gun violence since the last time we spoke? >> i'd say at least about 20. >> reporter: 20? >> i couldn't tell you. >> reporter: you couldn't tell me? it's been that many? >> it's been ten years. i cannot tell you how many people i lost to the violence. i don't know. >> reporter: so where does that leave you all seven years from now? >> trying to make change within. >> reporter: make change to create the future that they want to see. >> we're happy to report that jacari, jeremiah, dejanae, and teshyra are all in school or working, and all of them still volunteer at the marillac house. the new warning of extremist threats linked to a

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tonight, cbs news has confirmed that the department of homeland security has sounded the alarm about potential violence if title 42 ban is lifted. the covid era policy allows border officials to turn away migrants. according to a law enforcement bulletin, there have been extremist calls for attacks targeting migrants. this includes the placement of land mines along migration routes and poisoning migrants with gas. the supreme court on tuesday allowed title 42 to remain in place for now. well, a police officer in tampa, florida has been fired after he was caught on video dragging a handcuffed woman inta

gregory dan was let go on tuesday following an internal investigation. he arrested the wom for passin outside a family officials say damon violated department policies, including not requesting assistance when dealing with an uncooperative person. heavy fog is being blamed for a massive pileup of cars and trucks on a bridge in central china. state media said at least 200 vehicles were involved. take a look at that video. one person was killed. dozens of rescue workers were sent to help people trapped in their cars and tow away damaged vehicles. well, tennis star novak djokovic is in australia tonight nearly a year after he was deported from that country because he refused to get vaccinated against covid. djokovic was granted a visa by the australian government after it lifted strict rules for unvaccinated travelers. the 35-year-old is playing in

the adeline international which is set to begin on sunday, and will compete for his tenth australian open title next month.

well, finally tonight, in the spirit of the holiday season, simple acts of kindness can make the world of difference in someone's life. need proof? cbs' steve hartman found the perfect example on a school bus.

>> we're going to care about each other, and we're going to love everybody, right? >> reporter: to show his love and understanding, curtis gave presents throughout the year. >> you say you like baseball. >> reporter: each one personally selected with that child in mind. >> my mom got divorced when i was only 4. >> see you tomorrow. >> he is the father that i always wanted. >> reporter: after we first told this story, curtis got a promotion to relationship expert for the district. >> it's going to be all right. we're going work with your mom. everything is going to be okay, okay? >> reporter: curtis jenkins' message of kindness has gone viral. >> i know i'm planting a seed for the future. >> be good, now. >> kindness, love, respect. it's simple, simple. >> and that is the "overnight news" for this thursday. for some of you, the news continues. for others, check back later for "cbs mornings." and of course follow us online any time at cbsnews.com.

reporting from our nation's capital, i'm jericka duncan. this is cbs news flash. i'm dan lieberman in new york. the january 6th committee released another batch of documents detailing how then chief of staff to former president trump mark meadows burned documents during the transition period. according to key witness cassidy hutchinson, who said staffers were told to keep some oval office meetings close holed, potentially omitting them from official records. tiktok has been officially banned from electronic devices managed by the u.s. house of representatives. a notice sent out to staff calls tiktok a high risk to users due to a number of security risks. new yorkers flock to times square ahead of new years to celebrate annual good riddance

day, throwing scrawled messages about this year's disappointments into the trash. for more down lows our app on your cell phone or connected tv. i'm dan lieberman, cbs news, new york. ♪ >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." >> good evening and thank you so much for joining us. i'm jericka duncan in for norah. we have some breaking news from the biden administration. the centers for disease control announces new covid-19 testing requirements for all airline passengers traveling from china. plus federal and local prosecutors open investigations into embattled congressman-elect george santos, who admitted to ing about his background. and while the death toll rises in buffalo tonight as it digs out from that monster blizzard, the western part of the country is now being hit by

torrential rain, snow, and continue for thousands of southwest airlines passengers who remain stranded following a meltdown of epic proportions. southwest canceled thousands more flights today and has already scrubbed more than 2300 flights on their schedule for thursday. the company's ceo says it could take until next week before everything returns back to normal. cbs' tanya rivero will start us off tonight from new york's la guardia airport. good evening to you, tanya. >> reporter: good evening, jericka. today overall there were more than 2,800 flights canceled either within, coming in or going out of the u.s. of those, 87% of those cancellations were southwest airlines flights. a day filled with challenges for passengers booked to fly on southwest, like sky-high prices for tickets on other airlines. alex elliott arrived at

buffalo's airport as soon as it reopened today. >> my flight got canceled on tuesday. and the next thing you know i'm spending about $1700 on a flight back to denver where i really didn't have the money, but i didn't have any other choice. >> reporter: and few available rental cars across the country, with hertz and enterprise both reporting an increase in demand for one-way rentals. >> they're all accepting reservations only to get to the rental car desk today to find out there are no rental cars. >> reporter: nothing but tough choices for stranded southwest passengers, who can't get an agent on the phone. >> they're not refunding your money. they're not doing anything. >> reporter: paul hudson is president of flyersrightsorg. >> i've never seen a meltdown like this. >> reporter: hudson says passengers are entitled to a full cash refund for a canceled flight, not just voucher. but ancillary costs like hotels, rental cars and replacement flights on other carriers are not likely to be reimbursed. >> they have weasel words in

there that basically eliminates any liability to them. >> reporter: hudson says in his 30 years of working as an advocate for air travelers, he has never seen it this bad, but he says problems plague the entire industry. >> u.s. air travel is the worst it's ever been. and no country, even a third world country has anything like it. >> reporter: hudson says southwest does not have agreements with any other carriers to help rebook passengers, and tonight southwest tells cbs news it is doing its best to accommodate customers on its flights as soon as possible. jericka? >> so many people impacted. tanya, thank you. the death toll from that brutal holiday winter storm has risen to 69 nationwide with at least 38 in western new york. right now a travel ban remains in effect in buffalo. the city is struggling to clear the streets and fully recover from that historic blizzard. today the erie county executive criticized the city officials for their response. >> the mayor is not going to be

happy to hear about it, but storm after storm after storm after storm, the city unfortunately is the last one to be opened. and that shouldn't be the case. it's embarrassing to tell you the truth. >> the national guard is going door to door to see they're doing wellness checks while state police are passing out meals. now to the major storm on the west coast, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and snow. it's all a part of a system that's being called an atmospheric river, which can lead to extreme flooding. cbs' carter evans explains from los angeles. >> reporter: high surf battered the coast of oregon as the intense storm blew ashore, dumping a deluge of rain across the pacific northwest, leaving nearly 200,000 in the dark at its peak. >> the power is out now all over the place here. >> reporter: the worst of it hit during unusually high king tides, flooding streets in seattle. at the peak of the storm, five people were killed on the road in oregon and powerful winds, some gusting more than 100 miles

per hour, toppled trees. this satellite view shows the atmospheric river funneling tropical moisture directly to the western u.s. as the storm moves south to california, rivers swell, prompting this swift water rescue. many were unprepared for flooding. >> i started knocking on the neighbors, and about 7:00 it just started filling up. >> reporter: the good news, all that moisture brought the snowpack to 162% of its normal level. >> and that sierra nevada snowpack really acts as a frozen reservoir for the majority of californians. >> reporter: two-thirds of residents rely on it for water, and most of the state remains in severe or extreme drought. >> i can't imagine a single water manager who is not breathing a little easier after these initial storms, but we're all hoping it continues, and that will be the true test. >> reporter: experts say we need about four more storms like the one we just got to really make a difference in the drought. in the meantime, dangerous

conditions along the coast here, not because of the high surf, but rather the dangerous bacteria in the storm water runoff. jericka? >> not a bad background, though. carter evans for us in los angeles. thank you. well, turning now to the war in ukraine, russian forces bombarded the southern city of kherson with more than 30 missiles over the last 24 hours. ukrainian officials are now urging residents there to flee the city more than a month after it was liberated from the russians. cbs' ian lee has more tonight from inside ukraine. >> reporter: the russians may have retreated, but the people of kherson can't forget them. daily deadly reminders rain down, echoing around the former occupied city as russian rockets and artillery demolish homes and kill civilians. a shell destroyed this house. a woman inside survived. "punish the russians for their crimes. punish them their whole lives," she says.

but tamara breshun wasn't so lucky. her son was killed when a russian shell leveled her home. she combed through the wreckage for his id so she could retrieve his body from the morgue. why russia shells kherson is hard to tell. nothing they hit appears to hold military value, like this maternity hospital, the first strike hit just outside. nurses rushed the pregnant women, newborns and their mothers to the basement. the second smashed into the building. mercifully, no one was injured. "it was frightening and unexpected," this new mother says. "the explosions just began and the windows shattered. my hands are still shaking." workers gather the shattered glass, much like the lives of so many ukrainians. it's attacks like these on civilians that make ukrainian officials adamant that russia can't be invited to any peace summits unless the country first

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♪ >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." >> i'm jericka duncan in washington. thanks for staying with us. china's about-face on its zero covid policy has touched off what some are calling a massive super spreader event that's expected to take a million lives over the next year. clinics, hospitals, and funeral homes are all overwhelmed. china also has plans to drop its covid border restrictions and will allow its citizens to travel around the world. lucy craft has the story from tokyo. >> reporter: japan is sharply limiting the number of flights

to and from china where covid cases are exploding. travelers from china will also be required to provide a negative test, and if in ffecte will have to quarantine at a designated facility for one week. japanese prime minister kishida called the precautions temporary, because of the true state of the pandemic in china which is lifting border protections early next year, likely to trigger a flood of chinese travelers abroad after three years of lockdowns under the country's draconian covid policy. relief of end of lockdowns has been tempered with a nation now in extreme distress. some estimates suggest more than half of all beijing residents are infected. dr. howard bernstein says his beijing hospital has run out of beds. >> the hospital is just overwhelmed from top to bottom. >> reporter: while china says covid has claimed only about 5,000 lives, scenes at funeral

homes tell a grimmer story. lines of coffins in an unidentified building in northern china seem endless. by at least one estimate, china's explosion of cases could kill one million of its citizens by the end of next year, and threatens to unleash new more dangerous mutations. lucy craft, tokyo. well, closer to home, the new year will bring a wave of changes on capitol hill. speaker nancy pelosi will end her decades' long service as a congressional leader. republicans will take control of the u.s. house. and 55 lawmakers will leave their current positions after making the decision not to run for reelection. among them is congresswoman jackie speier. 44 years ago, she was left for dead at an airstrip in a south american jungle after an ambush. scott macfarlane has her story. >> reporter: decades before coming to congress, jackie speier was lying on a deserted

airstrip in the small south american nation of guyana with five bullet wounds. >> i was on that airstrip for 22 hours without medical attention. >> reporter: on the ground? >> on the ground. >> reporter: congressman leo ryan of california is dead, shot along with four other americans. >> reporter: speier was on a fact finding mission with her boss, leo ryan at the people's compound of leader jim jones. after the visit, as they sought to return home, attackers dispatched by the cult leader assassinated ryan, shot speier multiple times. >> many of us thought we were just going to die there. i was thinking that no one would ever know. my family would never know what happened to me. >> reporter: shortly after, another horror unfolded when hundreds of men and women in the people's temple died in an act of mass murder -- suicide. >> the scene at jonestown assaults the sense, almost

describes description. >> reporter: speier was on the ground miles away, hoping for the arrival of a chopper. >> it's made me into a fighter and to not take no for an answer. >> i do. >> congratulations. >> reporter: she fought for and won leo ryan's old congressional seat in 2008. >> one of the biggest things about jackie, it's not about fighting for political ideology. it's fighting for people. >> reporter: erin ryan once served as a staffer to speier. >> sees something wrong and feels a compulsion and need to do something about it. >> reporter: erin ryan is also the daughter of leo ryan. when you describe the congresswoman and you describe your dad, it sounds like you're describing the same person. >> yeah. i am. i absolutely i am. >> reporter: speier would gain notoriety for two fights in particular. she secured a spot on the house armed services committee after learning about serious flaws in the system to protect members against sexual assault within the ranks. from her position, she would

grill military officials. >> sexual assault and harassment will not be tolerated. we pay your bills. we fund you. the game is over. >> reporter: and in 2017, amid an emerging sexual harassment scandal on capitol hill, it was speier who testified and detailed a pervasive culture of unwanted a vance. >> i have had numerous meetings and phone calls with staff members, both present and former, women and men who have been subjected to this inexcusable and oftentimes illegal behavior. >> reporter: republicans have bristled at some of speier's other ideas and tactics. her maiden speech on the house floor elicited some boos as she railed against the iraq war. >> suggest we could be in iraq for 100 years. but madam speaker, history -- [ booing ] >> reporter: and it was speier who first pushed the idea of invoking the 25th amendment against then president donald trump in 2017 after his response to the white nationalist rally

in charlotteville. speier, who faced death in the jungle in 1978 says she committed to her family a few years ago to finally step away from congress, to remain full-time in california. to leave the seat she and her former boss held for nearly two decades combined. >> everyone looks at guyana as horrific. yes, it was horrific. but my god, i had a second chance at life, and it's made me fearless, which i probably would not have been had i not had that experience. when you look death in the eye, you are not afraid anymore. >> reporter: jackie speier is leaving congress after a half century in politics, beginning as a volunteer on a state legislative campaign when she was a teenager. her final day here is monday, january 2nd. >> that again was scott macfarlane on capitol hill. well, new york's disgraced cot congressman-elect george santos says he is determined to be part

of the new congress getting sworn in on tuesday. in the run-up to his election, santos has admitted to telling a long list of lies to voters. republican leaders have been pretty quiet on santos, but some in the party are calling for an investigation. caitlin huey-burns reports. >> i'm not resigning. i have to leave congress, it's going to be by a pink slip by the voters november of 2024. >> reporter: george santos remains defiant, even after he said he embellished his resume, including claiming degrees from elite universities he didn't attend, and employment at top wall street firms where he never worked, all first reported by "the new york times." >> i understand everybody wants to nitpick at me. i'm going to reassure this once and for all. i'm not a facade. i'm not a persona. >> reporter: but santos did more than exaggerate his resume. these are blatant lies. my question is do you have no shame? >> tulsi, i can say the same

thing about the democrats and the party. >> reporter: santos doubled down on his claim of jewish heritage, even as he deleted a biographical section on his campaign website that described his grandparents fleeing nazi persecution. but i'm also jew-ish. >> reporter: but the republican jewish coalition did not find it funny, saying he deceived us and misrepresented his heritage. he will not be welcome at any future rjc event. republican leadership in the house has remained silent, but new york party members are speaking out. the chairman of the nassau county republican committee said santos has broken the public trust, and one republican congressman-elect nick with lalota is calling for possible investigation by law enforcement. congressional democrats are demanding an ethics probe, with some calling for him to resign

or be expelled. >> i'm not resigning. i'm getting sworn in, and i will get the job done for you. that's what what you elected me to do. >> reporter: the santos campaign released a statement yesterday claiming he did, quote, he did what he had to in order to avoid smear campaigns. the statement erroneously identified santos as the first openly gay person to be elected to congress, and said he is, quote, ready to stand tall and do the people's work. >> that is caitlin huey-burns reporting. you're watching the "cbs overnight news." did you know, some ordinary cold medicines can raise your blood pressure? try new vicks nyquil high blood pressure for fast, powerful cold relief without ingredients that may raise your blood pressure. try vicks nyquil high blood pressure. the coughing, aching, fever, cold and flu, for people with high blood pressure, medicine. ah, these bills are crazy. she has no idea she's sitting on a goldmine. well she doesn't know that if she owns a life insurance policy of $100,000 or more she can sell all or

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new year's eve is just two days away, and we'll say goodbye to 2022 and hello to 2023. ian lee looks back at the year that was. >> reporter: war engulfed eastern europe when russia envaded ukraine in millions of refugees fled their homes while the fighting killed tens of thousands on both sides, including thousands of ukrainian civilians. the conflict also triggered an energy crisis because of the world's dependence on russia's oil and gas. russia released american basketball star brittney griner in a high-stakes prisoner swap with the u.s. she was serving nine years for bringing cannabis oil into the country, but the white house released russian arms dealer

viktor bout from a u.s. prison in exchange for her freedom. a u.s. drone strike in afghanistan killed al qaeda leader ayman al zawahiri who had taken over after the killing of osama bin laden. >> justice has been delivered. >> reporter: north korean leader kim jong-un vowed to build the world's most powerful nuclear force as the country tested an unprecedented number of missiles, tightening tensions on the korean peninsula. japan's former prime minister shinzo abe was assassinated during a political speech. police arrested the shooter on the spot who used a homemade gun in the killing. the beijing olympics went ahead, but with all the masks and covid testing, it was far from the winter games. later in the year, china lifted its most severe restriction after its covid post office led to landmark protests in cities. 2022 proved to be one of the deadliest years for palestinians

in the west bank. around 150 palestinians were killed, along with more than two dozen israelis. an israeli soldier killed american journalist shoreen prompting an investigation. in iran the death of a young woman in custody for breaking the country's dress code led to a deadly government crackdown on protesters. queen elizabeth celebrated 70 years on the british throne in june, and died three months later. the monarch's funeral drew foreign leaders from around the world. political turmoil in the uk led to a string of new prime ministers, which ushered in britain's first leader of color, rishi sunak. sunak joined president biden and other leaders in egypt for the cop27 climate conference in september, where countries agreed to create a fund to support nations most vulnerable to climate disasters. and mother nature put on quite a show in 2022. the most powerful volcano in 140

years erupted off the coast of tonga. while the land of fire and ice drew thousands of tourists as lava gushed from one of jim mansfield: my job was more important to me than my family, and i started drinking a lot, staying out of town.

it took a toll on me. dr. charles stanley: you may be as low as the prodigal, but you are not hopelessly, helplessly lost if you will listen to what i'm about to say. jim: sitting on that couch, watching that sermon, something had happened to us. i'm talking about the joy and love in our hearts. i want more of that.

the butterfly effect is the idea that even a small event like the flap of a butterfly's wing can lead to widespread change. norah o'donnell introduces us to a girl whose love of butterflies inspired her family and friends to honor her memory by sharing positivity. >> reporter: penny lived every day with joy, humor, and bravery. >> she made a choice to live her life with joy and optimism. >> reporter: at a young age, she was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, a condition that can lead to tumors, and in her case led to terminal brain cancer. i've known you guys for a long time and never knew that penny was dealing with as many medical issues that she was dealing

with. she was always the face of positivity. >> you're not alone, norah. that's sort of how penny lived her life. she taught us a lot. she was quietly very brave. >> reporter: looking at her, you erck. seositiv pain,ndrsed to fd ipe. >> it'sotour norah,s wingspan.d penny lived in her 16 years than most people do in 100. so for that we could not be more grateful. >> reporter: her family launched a foundation. and after just a week, the butterfly effect took off. her friends have spread her message across the country with help from people like jimmy fallon and eli manning. >> she was a gift to all of us. and we know she lived her life's purpose. >> and that is the "overnight news" for this thursday. for some of you, the news continues. for others, check back later for "cbs mornings." and of course follow us online any time at cbsnews.com.

reporting from our nation's capital, i'm jericka duncan. this is cbs news flash. i'm dan lieberman in new york. the january 6th committee released another batch of documents detailing how then chief of staff to former president trump mark meadows burned documents during the transition period. according to key witness cassidy hutchinson, who said staffers were told to keep some oval office meetings close holed, potentially omitting them from officiofficial records. tiktok has been officially banned from electronic devices managed by the u.s. house of representatives. a notice sent out to staff calls tiktok a high risk to users due to a number of security risks. new yorkers flock to times square ahead of new years to celebrate annual good riddance day, throwing scrawled messages about this year's disappointments into the trash.

for more, download the cbs news connected tv. i'm dan lieberman, cbs news, new york. ♪ tonight, anger and frustration. thousands of airline passengers still stranded as southwest cancels another 2500 flights today. the airline's ceo apologizes. the federal government has launched an investigation into the meltdown and promises to cbs' tanya rivero was at la guardia airport in new york. death toll rises. the national guard in buffalo going door to door, searching for victims as rain, wind, and snow slam the west. breaking news. the u.s. reinstates covid-19 testing for all flights coming in from china. cbs' scott macfarlane reports on the decision amid a surge of new cases overwhelming china's

hospitals. massive car pileup. the extraordinary scene of a deadly accident on a busy bridge. and stories with heart. cbs' steve hartman shows us how one good deed can spark a global wave of kindness. ♪ >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." >> good evening and thank you so much for joining us. i'm jericka duncan in for norah. we have some breaking news from the biden administration. the centers for disease control announces new covid-19 testing requirements for all airline passengers traveling from china. plus federal and local prosecutors open investigations into embattled congressman-elect george santos, who admitted to lying about his background. and while the death toll rises in buffalo tonight as it

digs out from that monster blizzard, the western part of the country is now being hit by torrential rain, snow, and flooding. but first, travel nightmares continue for thousands of southwest airlines passengers who remain stranded following a meltdown of epic proportions. southwest canceled thousands more flights today and has already scrubbed more than 2300 flights on their schedule for thursday. the company's ceo says it could take until next week before everything returns back to normal. cbs' tanya rivero will start us off tonight from new york's la guardia airport. good evening to you, tanya. >> reporter: good evening, jericka. today overall there were more than 2,800 flights canceled either coming in or going out of the u.s. of those, 87% of those cancellations were southwest airlines flights. a day filled with challenges for passengers booked to fly on

southwest, like sky-high prices for tickets on other airlines. alex elliott arrived at buffalo's airport as soon as it reopened today. >> my flight got canceled on tuesday. and the next thing you know i'm spending about $1700 on a flight back to denver where i really didn't have the money, but i didn't have any other choice. >> reporter: and few available rental cars across the country, with hertz and enterprise both reporting an increase in demand for one-way rentals. >> they're all accepting reservations only to get to the rental car desk today to find out there are no rental cars. >> reporter: nothing but tough choices for stranded southwest passengers, who can't get an agent on the phone. >> they're not refunding your money. they're not doing anything. >> reporter: paul hudson is president of flyersrights.org. >> i've never seen a meltdown like this. >> reporter: hudson says passengers are entitled to a full cash refund for a canceled flight, not just voucher. but ancillary costs like hotels, rental cars and replacement

flights on other carriers are not likely to be reimbursed. >> they have weasel words in there that basically eliminating any liability to them. >> reporter: hudson says in his 30 years of working as an advocate for air travelers, he has never seen it this bad, but he says problems plague the entire industry. >> u.s. air travel is the worst it's ever been. and no country, even a third world country has anything like it. >> reporter: hudson says southwest does not have agreements with any other carriers to help rebook passengers, and tonight southwest tells cbs news it is doing its best to accommodate customers on its flights as soon as possible. jericka? >> so many people impacted. tanya, thank you. the death toll from that brutal holiday winter storm has risen to 69 nationwide with at least 38 in western new york. right now a travel ban remains in effect in buffalo. the city is struggling to clear the streets and fully recover from that historic blizzard.

today the erie county executive criticized the city officials for their response. >> the mayor is not going to be happy to hear about it, but storm after storm after storm after storm, the city unfortunately is the last one to be opened. and that shouldn't be the case. it's emb >> the national guard is going door to door to see they're doing wellness checks while state police are passing out meals. now to the major storm on the west coast, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and snow. it's all a part of a system that's being called an atmospheric river, which can lead to extreme flooding. cbs' carter evans explains from los angeles. >> reporter: high surf battered the coast of oregon as the intense storm blew ashore, dumping a deluge of rain across the pacific northwest, leaving nearly 200,000 in the dark at its peak. >> the power is out now all over the place here. >> reporter: the worst of it hit during unusually high king tides, flooding streets in seattle.

at the peak of the storm, five people were killed on the road in oregon and powerful winds, some gusting more than 100 miles per hour, toppled trees. this satellite view shows the atmospheric river funneling tropical moisture directly to the western u.s. as the storm moves south to california, rivers swell, prompting this swift water rescue. many were unprepared for flooding. >> i started knocking on the neighbors, and about 7:00 it just started filling up. >> reporter: the good news, all that moisture brought the snowpack to 162% of its normal level. >> and that sierra nevada snowpack really acts as a frozen reservoir for the majority of californians. >> reporter: two-thirds of residents rely on it for water, pand most of the state remains n severe or extreme drought. >> i can't imagine a single water manager who is not breathing a little easier after these initial storms, but we're all hoping it continues, and that will be the true test.

>> reporter: experts say we need about four more storms like the one we just got to really make a difference in the drought. in the meantime, dangerous conditions along the coast here, not because of the high surf, but rather the dangerous bacteria in the storm water runoff. jericka? >> not a bad background, though. carter evans for us in los angeles. thank you. for more on the forecast, let's bring in meteorologist chris warren from our partners at the weather channel. chris, good evening. >> good evening, jericka. more heavy rain and mountain snow pounding the west coast as the storm track remains pointed right here at the west coast, with very heavy snowfall expected in the mountains. strong winds and the snow will be measured in feet, several feet possible. flooding possible with the extremely heavy rain that is on the way. and the persistent heavy rain. travel forecast going into the weekend. storms in the gulf coast, up in the ohio valley. more rain and snow in the west. on new year's eve, the rain heads to the east, moves out on

sunday, with more rain and mountain snow in the west, while most of the country, jericka, will remain pretty mild. >> we like mild. thank you, chris. and there is a lot mor news

♪ news." >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news". >> tonight, the biden administration announced new covid-19 requirements for all passengers arriving in the u.s. from china. the cdc says the new measures follow a surge of new cases and a lack of transparency from the chinese government. here is cbs' scott macfarlane. >> reporter: effective one week from tomorrow, people traveling from china to the u.s. must have tested negative for covid within 48 hours of departure to be allowed through. health experts wonder if that will stop another covid wave

from crashing into america. >> by testing with a pcr or a self-administered antigen test within two days of going will catch some cases. but as we all know, there are false negatives. people aren't yet positive and can bring the virus with them. so it may have some benefit. it's going to be rather minimal in the big scheme of things. >> reporter: china is awash in covid cases. after mass protests last month, the chinese government abruptly lifted its strict zero covid restrictions which had limited movement and limited the spread of the virus, and left the world's most populous nation with tens of millions of people still vulnerable to infection and to spread. hospitals are overflowing, and beijing's data and case tracking are limited. >> if you go to beijing, they have so many good hospitals. but if you go further like rural areas, it's total different. >> reporter: health experts say such a surge in cases could lead to new variants in america and worldwide. late today the centers for

disease control also announced it's expanding its covid surveillance program at u.s. airports in which passengers voluntarily undergo a nasal swab to better detect a new wave of cases. the new restrictions for travelers from china take effect after midnight, thursday, january 5th. only passengers under the age of 2 will be exempt. and jericka, this is happening as countries across the world add their own new restrictions on travelers from china. >> scott macfarlane from the reagan national airport, thank you. cbs news has confirmed that embattled congressman-elect george santos is under multiple investigations in new york over bogus claims he made while running for office. santos, a republican, has admitted to lying about his education, work experience, and even his faith. the republican district attorney of nassau county says she's looking into whether any of those fabrications amounted to crimes. and federal prosecutors are also looking into santos' financial

disclosures. well, turning now to the war in ukraine, russian forces bombarded the southern city of kherson with more than 30 missiles over the last 24 hours. ukrainian officials are now urging residents there to flee the city more than a month after it was liberated from the russians. cbs' ian lee has more tonight from inside ukraine. >> reporter: the russians may have retreated, but the people of kherson can't forget them. daily deadly reminders rain down, echoing around the former occupied city as russian rockets and artillery demolish homes and kill civilians. a shell destroyed this house. a woman inside survived. "punish the russians for their crimes. punish them their whole lives," she says. but tamara breshun wasn't so lucky. her son was killed when a russian shell leveled her home.

she combed through the wreckage for his id so she could retrieve his body from the morgue. why russia shells kherson is hard to tell. nothing they hit appears to hold military value, like this maternity hospital, the first strike hit just outside. nurses rushed the pregnant women, newborns and their mothers to the basement. the second smashed into the building. mercifully, no one was injured. "it was frightening and unexpected," this new mother says. "the explosions just began and the windows shattered. my hands are still shaking." workers gather the shattered glass, much like the lives of so many ukrainians. it's attacks like these on civilians that make ukrainian officials adamant that russia can't be invited to any peace summits unless the country first faces a war crimes tribunal. jericka? >> ian lee with that important reporting tonight, thank you. the "cbs overnight news" will be right back.

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pope francis today ended his weekly address at the vatican asking catholics to say a special prayer for pope emeritus benedict. the vatican followed up with a statement saying the 95-year-old retired pope has been in failing health. back in 2013, benedict became the first pope in more than 600 years to resign, saying he was no longer well enough to run the church. well, back here in the united states, the epidemic of gun violence is taking a toll on children. the gun violence archive reports more than 6,000 children were killed or injured in the u.s. by gunfire this year alone. that's the most ever recorded. we, tonight we go in depth with a group of young people we first introduced you to several years ago. >> reporter: you don't have to see the wounds from gun violence to experience the pain of living through it, especially when you're young.

>> i think chicago has been labeled helpless by the nation. >> i'm more careful now. >> reporter: what is the right way to move in chicago? >> just knowing where you are at all times. >> reporter: jacari brown, jeremiah bell, dejanae polk, and teshyra winters found refuge here at the marillac house. >> reporter: i first met them at the west side center in 2014. >> that's you. >> man, that's crazy. >> reporter: at that time, they ranged in age from 9 to 15. how many of you guys have been exposed to some type of violence in this neighborhood? jeremiah was the youngest. he told me about the loss of his father. >> he got shot while he was >> repr:ut iteno. i just try to forget it. >> when you think about what you felt, what you experienced at 9, how has that shaped you at 16? >> i mean, well, first off, that shouldn't be something that any kid should have to go through.

but it's going to mold you, and it's going to change your perspective on people around you. >> reporter: back then, jacari expressed fear. do you feel safe? >> at home, but not outside. >> reporter: in 2021, he was arrested for carrying an illegal gun. the case was later dropped. tell me about what went into that decision. >> just a lot of violence going on around me. seeing a lot of people that is my age, my brother age getting killed at a young age. so i felt like i'm going to get a gun. >> reporter: at just 14, dejanae couldn't conceal her caution. >> when a car goes slower, i'm very aware of my surroundings. >> reporter: the violence here has robbed them of a childhood free of tragedy, a cycle that has continued into adulthood. >> i recently lost a cousin who was really close to me. and excuse me if i cry. >> reporter: how many more

people have you lost to gun violence since the last time we spoke? >> i'd say at least about 20. >> reporter: 20? >> i couldn't tell you. >> reporter: you couldn't tell me? it's been that many? >> it's been ten years. i cannot tell you how many people i lost to the violence. i don't know. >> reporter: so where does that leave you all seven years from now? >> trying to make change within. >> reporter: make change to create the future that they want to see. >> we're happy to report that jacari, jeremiah, dejanae, and teshyra are all in school or working, and all of them still volunteer at the marillac house. the new warning of extremist threats linked to a controversial covid restriction policy at the southern border

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[sfx: stomach gurgling] it's nothing... sounds like something. ♪ when you have nausea, heartburn, indigestion, ♪ ♪ upset stomach, diarrhea. ♪ pepto bismol coats and soothes for fast relief... when you need it most. tonight, cbs news has confirmed that the department of homeland security has sounded the alarm about potential violence if title 42 ban is lifted. the covid era policy allows border officials to turn away migrants. according to a law enforcement bulletin, there have been extremist calls for attacks targeting migrants. this includes the placement of land mines along migration routes and poisoning migrants with gas. the supreme court on tuesday allowed title 42 to remain in place for now. well, a police officer in tampa, florida has been fired after he was caught on video dragging a handcuffed woman into jail.

gregory damon was let go on tuesday following an internal investigation. he arrested the woman for trespassing outside a family health center in november. officials say damon violated department policies, including not requesting assistance when dealing with an uncooperative person. heavy fog is being blamed for a massive pileup of cars and trucks on a bridge in central china. state media said at least 200 vehicles were involved. take a look at that video. one person was killed. dozens of rescue workers were sent to help people trapped in their cars and tow away damaged vehicles. well, tennis star novak djokovic is in australia tonight nearly a year after he was deported from that country because he refused to get vaccinated against covid. djokovic was granted a visa by the australian government after it lifted strict rules for unvaccinated travelers. the 35-year-old is playing in

the adelaide international, which is set to begin on sunday and will compete for his tenth australian open title next

well, finally tonight, in the spirit of the holiday season, simple acts of kindness can make the world of difference in someone's life. need proof? cbs' steve hartman found the perfect example on a school bus. >> we're going to care about each other, and we're going to

love everybody, right? >> reporter: to show his love and understanding, curtis gave presents throughout the year. >> you say you like baseball. >> reporter: each one personally selected with that child in mnd. >> my mom got divorced when i was only 4. >> see you tomorrow. >> he is the father that i always wanted. >> reporter: after we first told this story, curtis got a promotion to relationship expert for the district. >> it's going to be all right. we're going work with your mom. everything is going to be okay, okay? >> reporter: curtis jenkins' message of kindness has gone viral. >> i know i'm planting a seed for the future. >> be good, now. >> kindness, love, respect. it's simple, simple. >> and that is the "overnight news" for this thursday. for some of you, the news continues. for others, check back later for "cbs mornings." and of course follow us online any time at cbsnews.com. reporting from our nation's

capital, i'm jericka duncan. this is cbs news flash. i'm dan lieberman in new york. the january 6th committee released another batch of documents detailing how then chief of staff to former president trump mark meadows burned documents during the transition period. according to key witness cassidy hutchinson, who said staffers were told to keep some oval office meeting close hold, potentially omitting them from official records. tiktok has been officially banned from electronic devices managed by the u.s. house of representatives. a notice sent out to staff calls tiktok a high risk to users due to a number of security risks. new yorkers flock to times square ahead of new years to celebrate annual good riddance day, throwing scrawled messages about this year's disappointments into the trash.

for more download the cbs news app on your cell phone or connected tv. i'm dan lieberman, cbs news, new york. it's thursday, december 29th, 2022. this is the "cbs morning news." southwest airlines issues another apology. thousands of passengers are still stranded at airports across the country after its system-wide meltdown. even more flights are scrubbed today. new covid travel policy. the cdc imposes new testing for people traveling to the u.s. from china. what they'll need to do before landing in the states. prayers for pope emeritus pope benedict. the vatican says the former pontiff's health is getting worse. the latest on his condition.

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