posting a video hitting a golf ball a few months after that horrific crash. cyber monday, have you done your online shopping? which products have the biggest discounts today, as americans are expected to spend at least $10.2 billion. sex trafficking trial, the woman accused of recruiting underage girls for sex offender jeffrey epstein faces up to 80 years in prison if convicted. remembering lee elder, the golf great who broke down racial barriers as the first black golf tore play at the masters. and a heart warming story about the world's most premature baby who survived and thrived -- tonight, his story of strength. this is the "cbs evening news" with norah o'donnell, reporting from the nation's capital. >> o'donnell: good evening, and thank you so much for joining us. we're going to begin with that new covid variant that the world health organizatiose high risk around the globe. the omicron strain hasn't turned up in the u.s. but dr. anthony fauci warns it's likely already circulating here in america, and that has the biden administration responding. the new omicron variant was first discovered earlier this month in south africa. it has since spread to more than a dozen countries around the world, and as a precaution, the u.s. joined other nations restricting travel from south africa and other countries in the region. the president saying today there's no need for longdowns now or drastic measures, which had wreath breathing a sigh of relief. after the dow had its first down day on saturday, it rebounded by 200 pounds today. fed chair jerome powell said the variant could negatively impact the economy. errol barnett will lied us off from newark international airport. good evening, errol. >> reporter: good evening, norah. tonight the c.d.c. is strengthening its recommendation all adults who received either the pfizer or moderna vaccine should get their booster shots as long as it's been six months since the last shot. previously, they recommended younger adults may get their boosters. also tonight "the post" reports pfizer is ready to recommended 16 and 17-year-olds get their boosters and it expects that to be approved quickly. calling omicron a variant of concern, the world health organization says it has the potential to pose a very high global risk as it is loaded with more mutations than delta. first identified last week in south africa, it's not yet clear whether omicron spreads more easily or causes more severe infections. today, president biden said it is inevitable that the omicron variant will reach the u.s. and pledged to fight it with science and speed, while appealing for calm. >> this variant is a cause for concern, not a cause for panic. if people are vaccinated and wear their masks, there's no need for lockdown. >> reporter: with more than 100 cases documented the south africa, new travel restrictions are in effect tonight barring non-u.s. residents from eight southern african nations from entering the country. dr. anthony fauci is the nation's top infectious disease expert. >> if it's not here already it's going to get here. the reason you do a travel ban is not that you think any evely that you're going to keep it out, but it buys you a couple of weeks because if you can keep things out in force for a couple of weeks, you can do a lot of things. >> reporter: moderna c.e.o. stephane bancel says there may be weeks before clarity on its vaccine as ability to fight the new variant. booster shots on all vaccines are recommended. >> as we see the new situation with the variant it's more important to not only get the primary series but make sure you have the booster. >> reporter: travel restrictions for the vaccination have been lifted but some are ae reversing including japan, closing borders to all foreign travelers. >> i have been planning this trip for about two years. >> reporter: tas news of the new variant surfaced in south africa, miljana vujosevic is enjoying her last days in capetown before returning home friday. >> i will exhale when i get my negative covid test friday morning because that will feel like an important milestone and i will exhale again while i'm at the airport. >> reporter: so much is still unknown about omicron. it is clear the new variant is spreading around the world quickly. while the u.s. races to limit some foreign nationals from traveling her, the best defense is to get as many people vaccinated as possible. >> o'donnell: errol barnett, thank you very much. we turn to a cbs news exclusive. we go inside one of the labs in south africa, where omicron was first discovered, and researchers are now working around the clock to learn more about it. cbs's debora patta reports from durbin, south africa. >> reporter: suiting up in protective gear, scientists are heading into the biohazard lab of the africa health research institute growing live omicron to be tested against the blood of fully immunized people as well as those previously infectioused. heading up the team is alex sigal. >> this is probably the most mutated virus we'd ever seen. >> reporter: the variant has more than 50 mutations is over 30 in the spike protein, the part of the virus that aids infection. >> it's more of a franken stein than others but it's always something new. the virus keeps surprising us. >> within 36 hours of discovering the new variant, these scientists had alerted the world the fear that the variant evades immune at this. bancel's team is speaking with other scientists. some of these samples are packed to be shipped to other research institutes in the country. they will know within ten days whether existing vaccines can stop omicron. stephane thinks they will provide some protections. the virus will continue to mutate. >> we will continue to learn the rest of the greek alphabet unless we understand why the variants evolve, how they evolve and be able to predict them. >> reporter: omicron has mainly infected young people here. doctors say their symptoms are mild but that could change as case numbers increase. norah. >> o'donnell: debora patta, thank you. there are still a lot of questions tonight about the omicron variant. joining us to answer some to have the questions, dr. ashish jha, the dean of the brown university school of public health. doctor, thank you so much for joining us. is omicron as dangerous as delta? >> well, we don't know, and there are two parts of dangerous i always think about, one is does it spread more easily and infect more people, that makes it dangerous. there is some evidence it seems to be spreading more easily. the second is does it cause more severe disease? that we don't have any data on at all. >> o'donnell: scientists are calling this the frankenstein of all variants? is that misleading or overly alarmist? >> i think it's a little alarmist. it does have a lot of mutations. number of mutations isn't the big issue. the big question in our minds is the going to make our vaccines less effective, more dangerous. we don't know now, there are concerning features of this variant that have many of us looking more carefully, but i think there's no reason for people to overreact and feel somehow this is a game changer. it may very well not be. >> o'donnell: what if we find out our vaccines we currently have are only 50% effective, what happens then? >> that is a good question. a possibility we could see a hit to the effectiveness to have the vaccines. the other part of the question will be what about severe illness and people with breakthrough infections and are they getting significantly sick, if not, i think we're in good shape. i think we will need to build a variant-specific vaccine, a vaccine against this variant. >> o'donnell: what additional measures should we take heading into the holiday season? >> the single biggest thing is people need to be vaccinated. with this highly contagious variant it is dangerous to not be vaccinated. if you are vaccinated but not boosted, there's plenty of reason to think boosted people will do better. other than that, we don't need to do anything else significant. continue to wear a mask in crowded indoor settings, avoiding large crowds. these are good pieces of advice in this pandemic altogether. i don't think that changes for this specific variant. >> o'donnell: dr. jha, seems like every time we're rounding the corner on covid 19, something else pops up or a new variant pops up. what do you say to americans who say are we back to square one? >> no, we are not back to square one. we are in a very different position than where we were in march of 2020. even if our vaccines take a hit, they will not be totally ineffective. we have great tests that can identify this variant. we've got therapies now. we also know how the virus spreads and we have lots of tools for preventing spread. so we're in a much much better place, not where i'd like to be. i'd like for this pandemic to be behind us, but that's not what we have as an option, be uh we are in a much better place than where we were. >> o'donnell: dr. jha, thank you so much for your time and expertise. >> thank you. >> o'donnell: we want to turn to the holiday shopping season off to a strong start, though not quite as pre-pandemic levels. about 63 million americans were expected to make purchases online today, cyber monday. here's cbs's meg oliver. >> i'm buying everything today. >> reporter: realitier kristinia sledge have been cashing in on deals all day long. >> i just saved $196 on two ralph lauren coats and an espresso machine. >> reporter: today is expected to be the best online shopping day to have the year with americans predicted to spend between $10 billion and is $1 billion. that could come in slightly less than last year. how many boxes are going out today? >> we anticipate about a million bachs will go out today from this facility. >> reporter: at this amazon fulfillment center in new jersey, more than 14 miles of conveyor belts passed along some of the first packages for cybermonday. >> it's mesmerizing. it's a well orchestrated ballet. >> reporter: retailers have been encouraging shoppers to buy early, with the global supply chain crunch translating into higher prices and fewer options. >> this is her -- >> reporter: stephanie valesquez found dog treats for her new puppy shilla. >> i said, oh, my god this is perfect. dog treats, 890 of st tido tr shepi fng.m,e this is great. >> reporter: shop today is the best day for buying tvs online. shoppers score cletus, computer and appliances. for computers, wednesday have the bigger discounts. how much more shopping do you plan to do? >> till the deal is over to probably till midnight tonight. >> reporter: did you boss let you go home early to start doing this? >> yes, she did, shout out to diane. >> reporter: and some important dates to remember for fed ex and the us postal service, december 15 is the last day to shep gifts for amazon packages, december 22 to make sure your gifts arrive on time. >> o'donnell: good info, meg oliver, thank you. opening statements started today in the sex trafficking guile of ghislaine maxwell, the british social ifs charged with recruiting girls and women for long time friend convicted sex offender jeffrey epstein who died by suicide in jail. >> reporter: prosecutors portrayed ghislaine maxwell as a sexual predators who enticed teenage girls by befriending them and serving them up to jeffrey epstein to be abused. the prosecutor said in at least one instance they were each more than double the age of their victim. the government alleges maxwell, now 59, assisted, facilitated and contributed to crimes by epstein by helping him recruit, groom and abuse girls as young as 14. today in court, the prosecutor charged that maxwell traded on the trust she earned from the girls, even being in the room when epstein abused them, but defense bobbi sternheim question that, telling the jury maxwell is a convenient stand in for the man who can not be here. epstein dade in august 2019 while waiting trial in what officially is criewld a suicide. maxwell had been in federal custody since june 2020, not far from the federal prison in manhattan where epstein was found hanging in his cell. >> six counts in the indictment, the most severe which is sexual traffic of minors. if ghislaine maxwell is convicted of that count, she may spend the rest of her life in prison. >> reporter: maxwell's trial is expected to last through the holidays and it's unclear if she'll take the stand in her defense, possibly portraying herself as a victim of epstein's as well. >> o'donnell: mola lenghi, thank you very much. tonight the breaking news, tiger woods is admitting he will never play golf full time ever again. in a new interview woods opens up about his recovery from the devastating car crash nine months ago. here's cbs's carter evans. >> i don't have to compete to have a great life. >> reporter: tonight for the first time, tiger woods is publicly acknowledging a stark reality. >> i can still maybe if my leg gets good enough, maybe click off a tournament here or there. but as far as climbing the mountain to get all the way to the top, i don't think that's a real estatic expectation of my. iinkomhings reislying the touainnentire one again. >> reporter: after the car acident woods said he thought he might lose his right leg. he was seen working on his swing. he is recovering from multiple back and knee injuries but says this time is different. >> i don't have the same endurance in my right leg yet. i am still developing that. it will take time and more work. it's an unfortunate reality but it's my reality. i understand it and ep is it. >> reporter: carter evans, cbs news, los angeles. >> o'donnell: today, we learned lee elder e one to have the golf legends who inspired tiger woods has died. elder made history in 1975 as the first black golfer to play in the masters. this year, elder served as an honorary starter at the masters. his health didn't allow him to tee off, but he called it one to have the most emotional experiences of his life. lee elder was 87 years old. and still ahead right here on tonight's "cbs evening news," a major player in social media calls it quits, and the white house decks the halls. it's the faster way to clean as you go. just spray, wipe and rinse. it cleans grease five times faster. dawn powerwash now available in free & clear. manhood looks different from guy to guy. but when yours bends in a different direction, you might feel bothered by it. so talk to a urologist. because a bend in your erection might be peyronie's disease or pd. it's a condition that involves a buildup of scar tissue. but, it's treatable. xiaflex is the only fda- approved nonsurgical treatment for appropriate adult men with peyronie's disease. along with daily penile stretching and straightening exercises, xiaflex has been proven to help gradually reduce the bend. don't receive if the treatment area involves your urethra, or if you're allergic to any collagenase or any of the ingredients. may cause serious side effects, including: penile fracture or other serious injury during an erection, and severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. seek help if you have any of these symptoms. do not have any sexual activity during and for at least 4 weeks after each treatment cycle. sudden back pain reactions after treatment may occur. tell your doctor if you have a bleeding condition or take blood thinners as risk of bleeding or bruising at the treatment site is increased. talk to a urologist about what your manhood could look like. find a xiaflex-trained urologist at bentcarrot.com welcome to allstate.you ps and enjoy the ride a little more. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ now, get new lower auto rates with allstate. because better protection costs a whole lot less. you're in good hands with allstate. click or call for a lower auto rate today. what makes salonpas arthritis gel so good for arthritis pain? you're in good hands with allstate. salonpas contains the most prescribed topical pain relief ingredient. it's clinically proven, reduces inflammation and comes in original prescription strength. salonpas. it's good medicine. >> o'donnell: the social media and business world was rocked today by the surprise resignation of jack dorsey as c.e.o. of stwitter. doshes j said it was his decision to step down from the social media platform he co-founded more than 15 years ago. he's being replaced by agerwal who has been with twitter since a decade and involved in a fight against its misinformation. the white house is decked out. red gift boxes frame the east wing to have the executive mansion. 41 christmas trees at the white house along with 10,000 ornaments. the theme for this year's decorations is gifts from the heart, inspired by people the bidens have met in their travels. coming up next, the tiny survivor, he weighed less than a pound at birth. but now look at him. all grown up. ♪ limu emu... & doug ♪ ♪ superpowers from a spider bite? i could use some help showing the world how liberty mutual customizes their car insurance so they only pay for what they need. (gasps) ♪ did it work? only pay for what you need ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪ spider-man no way home in theaters december 17th ♪♪ thousands of women with metastatic breast cancer are living in the moment ibrath an aromate inhitor is for postmenopausal women or for men with hr+, her2- metastatic breast cancer as the first hormonal based therapy. ibrance plus letrozole significantly delayed disease progression versus letrozole. ibrance may cause low white blood cell counts that may lead to serious infections. ibrance may cause severe inflammation of the lungs. both of these can lead to death. tell your doctor if you have new or worsening chest pain, cough, or trouble breathing. before taking ibrance, tell your doctor if you have fever, chills, or other signs of infection, liver or kidney problems, are or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. for more information about side effects talk to your doctor. ♪♪ be in your moment. ask your doctor about ibrance. ♪ be in your moment. ♪ ♪ downy's been taking you back, since way back. with freshness and softness you never forget. feel the difference with downy. i brought in ensure max protein, with thirty grams of protein. those who tried me felt more energy in just two weeks! (sighs wearily) here i'll take that! (excited yell) woo-hoo! ensure max protein. with thirty grams of protein, one gram of sugar, and nutrients to support immune health. >> o'donnell: now a story about a tiny but tough fighter, when curtis memes was born his chances of surviving were loom zero. against all odds, he's now an energetic toddler. here's cbs's orm ohm ohm. >> reporter: when curtis memes was born the tiny bundle of joy arrived early, the 21 weeks, one day, just 11 inches long, he weight less than a pound. the newborn and his twin had less than a 1% chance of survival. what's going through your mind? >> i just had to keep faith and keep og braying. >> reporter: one day later his sister c'asya passed away. curtis was so fragile he penned nine months in the i.c.u. he spend more time in the i.c.u. than p you. >> mm-hmm. >> reporter: and his mother my shell had to wait weeks to hold him. what did it feel like to finally be able to hold your son after one month. >> i actually started crying. >> reporter: curtis defied the odds with help of miracle worker dr. brian sims. when did you know that he was a little fighter? >> first breath. it was an amazing transition watching him get stronger and stronger and then the attitude he had from day one, he really was a character. >> reporter: at 16 months, curtis is happy, healthy and a guinness world record holder, not for just being adorable but as the most premature baby to ever survive. >> my baby boy, my miracle baby. >> reporter: proving again big things really do come in small packages. omar villafranca, cbs news, birmingham, alabama. >> o'donnell: what incredible doctors and nurses. we'll be right back. some people have joint pain, plus have high blood pressure. they may not be able to take just anything for pain. that's why doctors recommend tylenol®. it won't raise blood pressure the way that advil® aleve® or motrin® sometimes can. for trusted relief, trust tylenol®. you don't get much time for yourself. so when you do, make it count with crest pro-health. that advil® aleve® or motrin® sometimes can. it protects the 8 areas dentists check for a healthier mouth. the #1 toothpaste brand in america. crest. ♪ ♪ cases of anxiety in young adults are rising as experts warn of the effects on well-being caused by the pandemic. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ - hi, i'm steve. - i'm lea. and we live in north pole, alaska. - i'm a retired school counselor. [lea] i'm a retired art teacher. [steve] we met online about 10 years ago. as i got older, my hearing was not so good so i got hearing aids. my vision was not as good as it used to be, got a change in prescription. but the thing missing was my memory. i saw a prevagen commercial and i thought, "that makes sense." i just didn't have to work so hard to remember things. prevagen. healthier brain. better life. [upbeat acoustic music throughout] [upbeat acoustic music throughout] wet dishes? residue? spots? it's not your dishwasher's fault. simply add finish jetdry 3in1 to rinse, dry and shine your dishes. solve 3 problems at once with finish jetdry 3in1. (lightning strikes) we took the truck that helped build this country. and made it so it can power our homes. we took the vehicles businesses use to keep the lights on. and made them run on the same thing that turns the lights on. we took the original zero-to-sixty head turner. and gave it zero tailpipe emissions. we took the familiar. and made it revolutionary. >> o'donnell: on tomorrow's "cbs evening news," could you kids be buying drugs on snapchat, tiktok or instagram? the deadly consequences of illegal drug sales on social media and how easy it is to find them cronl. if you can't watch us live, set your d.v.r. so you can watch us later. that's tonight's "cbs evening news," i'm norah o'donnell here >> judge judy: how much money did you put on her credit card? >> i would say between $1,200 and $1,500. >> announcer: did he fake his passion for his ex... >> judge judy: and you liked him? >> i did. >> announcer: to pursue his love of car racing? >> judge judy: she makes $8 an hour. you make $800 tax-free a week. what did you need her to buy car parts for you for? >> she wouldn't let up. she kept insisting. >> judge judy: what would you think if i put a lien on your race car? that would really sting you, wouldn't it? >> announcer: "judge judy." you are about to enter the courtroom of judge judith sheindlin. twenty-three-year-old shaylynn stelly is suing her ex-boyfriend, jonathan fried, for unauthorized credit card charges. >> byrd: order! all rise! this is case number 571 on the calendar in the matter of stelly vs. fried. >> judge judy: thank you. >> byrd: you're welcome, judge. parties have been sworn in. you may be seated. ma'am, have a seat. >> judge judy: ms. stelly, what do you do for a living? >> i'm a caregiver. >> judge judy: do you work for one person or more than one person? >> i'm in a group home. i take care of eight individuals along with two other staff. >> judge judy: and how long have you been doing that? >> almost a year. >> judge judy: who do you live with? >> my sister. >> judge judy: is that your sister? >> that's my mom. >> judge judy: that's your mom. you should say, "thank you." [ laughter ] how much do you make annually? >> i don't know what i make a year. but i make $8 an hour. >> judge judy: eight dollars an hour? what do you do? >> i just started my own business last month. >> judge judy: what did you do before last month? >> i was working at another shop as well. >> judge judy: name of the shop? >> revtech motorworks. >> judge judy: how long did you work for them? >> roughly, about 2 years. >> judge judy: full-time? >> yes, ma'am. >> judge judy: you paid on the books or in cash? >> uh, cash. >> judge judy: how much did you make a week? >> i'd estimate between $500 and $800. it all depends on how many vehicles we do per day. >> judge judy: did you pay taxes last year? >> uh, no. >> judge judy: "uh" is not an answer. did you pay taxes last year? >> no. no, ma'am. i did not. >> judge judy: so then you have plenty of money if you made between $500 and $800 a week,