5 things to know for Dec. 3: Special election, Ukraine talks, Immigration, Dell donation, Glucose monitors

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

The latest winter storm is heading out, but a sweeping chill is moving in — and parts of the US could soon face their coldest temperatures of the season. See which cities are bracing for record lows.

Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.

1️⃣ Special election

Republicans have dodged a potentially embarrassing upset in a Tennessee special election. CNN projects Republican Matt Van Epps will defeat Democrat Aftyn Behn for the state’s 7th District House seat. His win means Republicans will hold on to a narrow majority in the House, which will stand at 220-213 once he is sworn in. Van Epps’ 9-point margin of victory marks a significantly tighter race than one year ago, when President Donald Trump won by 22 percentage points in the district. The congressman-elect, a former Army helicopter pilot, appeared to benefit from strong endorsements from President Trump, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and House Speaker Mike Johnson.

2️⃣ Ukraine talks

A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Trump’s top negotiators failed to reach a breakthrough on the plan to end the war in Ukraine. US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner sat down for the high-level discussions in Moscow on Tuesday. The nearly five-hour talks were “very useful, constructive and highly substantive,” a top Kremlin aide said, though he added some of the proposals “do not suit us.” Some of the main sticking points stem from Putin’s maximalist demands that Ukraine shrink the size of its army, surrender some of its territory and forgo a future bid to join NATO.

3️⃣ Immigration

The US is pausing immigration applications for people from 19 countries “of concern,” according to a Trump administration policy memo. The countries include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Immigration officials announced last week that they will reexamine all green cards issued to people from the 19 countries currently facing full or partial travel restrictions. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is also recommending that the administration add roughly a dozen more countries to the list.

4️⃣ Dell donation

Michael and Susan Dell of Dell Technologies announced that they are donating $6.25 billion to fund investment accounts for at least 25 million American children. The enormous pledge will go toward funding “Trump Accounts,” an initiative set to launch in 2026 that would provide parents of newborns with $1,000 to invest on behalf of their child’s future. The Treasury Department is set to deposit the $1,000 into the account of every eligible US citizen child born from January 2025 through December 31, 2028. The Dells’ charitable gift will go toward children ages 10 and under who were born before the cut-off for the Treasury’s funding.

5️⃣ Glucose monitors

Millions of glucose monitors from Abbott Diabetes Care are providing users with incorrect readings, the FDA said in an alert Tuesday. The errors have been linked with at least seven deaths and more than 700 serious injuries worldwide. “If undetected, incorrect low glucose readings over an extended period may lead to wrong treatment decisions for people living with diabetes, such as excessive carbohydrate intake or skipping or delaying insulin doses,” the FDA said. Abbott warned that about 3 million of its products are impacted. Patients can visit FreeStyleCheck.com to see if their sensors are affected and to get a replacement for free.

Breakfast browse

AT&T commits to ending DEI programs

US wireless carrier AT&T is pulling the plug on its diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Read why.

Sabrina Carpenter calls White House video using her song ‘evil and disgusting’

The White House social media team is in hot water with one of the world’s biggest pop stars.

Chinese space mission ends in crash

A Chinese reusable booster crashed while attempting to land today during its historic first orbital test, highlighting the challenge of chasing American rivals like SpaceX.

Why more people are partying sober

With alcohol consumption declining globally, a growing number of events are looking to provide a nightlife-style experience — minus the booze.

Worried about your kid’s phone use?

Fortunately, a few tools can keep it in check. Watch the video here.

Weather

🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect.

And finally…

▶️ How to fall asleep anywhere

Sleep coach Nick Littlehales developed techniques to help professional climbers sleep while hanging off the side of a mountain. Learn how you can train yourself to nap practically anywhere.

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Today’s edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN’s Andrew Torgan.