As you've no doubt heard, Santa Claus is coming to town. In fact, he's already been to Baltimore. Steve Hartman met him "On the Road."

An anonymous donor known as Secret Santa teamed up with Dr. Michael Zollicoffer in Baltimore to give away approximately $10,000 to patients, grocery shoppers, and community members. Secret Santa, who annually distributes cash gifts across the country, chose Baltimore after learning about Dr. Z's commitment to treating all patients regardless of their ability to pay.

Together, they visited locations such as grocery stores and food pantries, handing out hundred-dollar bills to strangers and longtime patients. Recipients expressed gratitude, and Dr. Z described the experience of spreading unconditional love as profoundly moving and beyond description.

Secret Santa teams up with doctor to give money to patients

Finally tonight, as you've no doubt heard, Santa Claus is coming to town. In fact, he's already been to Baltimore. Steve Hartman met him on the road. Let me go see this next patient. Dr. Michael Zollicoffer's next patient came in for congestion, and she will definitely breathe easier this holiday season. Good. Thanks to Dr. Z's new helper. I'm Dr. Claus. As in Santa Claus. One little prescription that I think may make your Christmas just a little bit better. His medicine, four crisp hundred dollar bills. Look at that. I don't even feel congested anymore. Yeah, that's why I'm here. As you may have guessed, Dr. Claus is actually Secret Santa. That anonymous wealthy businessman who every year goes around the country handing out hundreds of hundred dollar bills to random strangers. This year, he decided to come to Baltimore, Maryland. This is to my sweetie. After seeing a story I did about Dr. Z, about how he never takes a real vacation and doesn't even care if you pay or not. Now I'm gonna see you no matter what. You walk in that door, you will be seeing, you bring your grandma with you, I'm gonna see her too. Yeah, I mean, what an amazing individual. A physician who practices medicine the way it was meant to be practiced. So, as a thank you to Dr. Z for all he's done, Secret Santa made him an elf. Put those in your pocket. Loaded him up with Benjamins. You watch what I do. And then together, they set out to just give away about $10,000. Oh my goodness, is it real? Yes, baby. They found people inside grocery stores and outside food pantries. I see you, brother. They helped total strangers and lifelong customers. Look at this, this is one of my patients right here. I'm Secret Santa. I love it. Dr. Z has always been a giver, but he says this felt way different. This going out into the community for the sole purpose of spreading unconditional love. It's too good. And that's the beauty of what this is about. It wasn't just the money. It's beyond description, folks. It's beyond description. This is a senior center, right? At their last stop, they met a guy named John Hancock. It means a lot when you can help people. John said he planned to use his gift to feed hungry people in his building, as he's been known to do. Oh my goodness. I know Dr. Z said that spreading unconditional love is a feeling beyond description. Thank you, bro. But moments like this sum it up pretty well. Oh my God. Oh my God. Steve Hartman, on the road in Baltimore. A Secret Santa and a guardian angel on earth.

The U.S. is conducting airstrikes against ISIS targets in Syria in retaliation for the attack that killed two American soldiers and a U.S. interpreter on Saturday, multiple sources told CBS News.

Damascus

U.S. launches massive strike on ISIS targets in Syria

The suspect in the Dec. 13 mass shooting on the campus of Brown University was found dead by suicide in a storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire, authorities said. He has been identified as 48-year-old Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a former Brown grad student.

Providence

How a Reddit post led police to the suspected university shooter

Seven people were killed, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his wife and children, in a plane crash in North Carolina. Investigators hope to find clues about why it happened on the cockpit voice recorder. Cristian Benavides has the latest.

Plane crash kills NASCAR driver, family

President Trump announced new agreements on Friday with nine pharmaceutical companies aimed at making certain prescription drugs cheaper. CBS News reporter Karen Hua has the details.

Washington

Trump announces agreements with major drugmakers to lower prices

The U.S. military has carried out airstrikes in central Syria targeting suspected sites linked to the Islamic State terror group. The strikes follow last Saturday's ISIS attack that killed two soldiers and a U.S. civilian working as an interpreter.

Palmyra

Middle East Conflict

U.S. launches retaliatory strikes on ISIS in Syria

The U.S. Justice Department released a new trove of documents from its investigations into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, bowing to pressure from lawmakers who forced their disclosure with a new law.

Washington County

Justice Department releases new tranche of Epstein files

The Justice Department has released a new batch of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. CBS News legal reporter Katrina Kaufman has more.

Combing through newly released Epstein files

TikTok has signed a deal to sell its U.S. operations to a group of investors in America, a source familiar with the deal tells CBS News.

TikTok nears deal to avoid ban in the U.S.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted to the European Union's massive $108 billion loan to fund Ukraine's war against Russia.

Kyiv

European Union loans Ukraine billions as Putin boasts about war

The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, continues to take a heavy toll on civilians, particularly in frontline areas such as Zaporizhzhia, where fighting and shelling persist.

Moscow

Ukraine Invasion

Putin accuses Kyiv of rejecting peaceful settlement

The man believed to be responsible for carrying out the Brown University shooting and killing an MIT professor was found dead in a storage unit in New Hampshire on Thursday, officials said.

Salem

Suspect in Brown and MIT shootings found dead

Australia will launch a national gun buyback program in the aftermath of a deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Council of the City of Sydney

Australia announces gun buyback program after Bondi Beach shooting

TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, signed binding agreements with American investors to allow the U.S. arm of the business to continue operating.

Beijing

TikTok signs deal to allow app to continue operating in the U.S.

Under a law passed by Congress and signed by President Trump, the Justice Department has until Friday to release its files on the Jeffrey Epstein case. House Democrats released more photos from the estate of the convicted sex offender. Scott MacFarlane reports.

House Democrats release more Epstein photos ahead of DOJ deadline

The European Commission announced it will delay the signing of the Mercosur trade agreement until the new year after Meloni asked for more time. No date has been set. Backers hope deal won't be further derailed.

Brussels

Mercosur signature delayed to January after Meloni asked for more time

President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug. CBS News White House reporter Aaron Navarro has more on that and the president's year-end address from Wednesday night.

Trump signs executive order reclassifying marijuana

President Donald Trump laid out what he claims are the reasons that America's economy is thriving in an address to the nation. This comes as Americans remain concerned about high prices.

Trump touts economic record during address to nation

Multiple sources tell CBS News a person of interest has been identified in the mass shooting at Brown University. CBS News' Tom Hanson reports.

Person of interest identified in deadly Brown University shooting

Brazil’s Senate passed a bill that could drastically reduce former President Jair Bolsonaro’s 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup, potentially cutting his time behind bars to just over two years.

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil Congress passes bill to cut Bolsonaro prison term

EU leaders are split in Brussels over using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine. Poland backs urgent action, while Belgium resists over legal and financial risks. Ukraine is pressing for a decision by year’s end.

EU leaders urge swift decision on frozen Russian funds for Ukraine

The U.S. military said Wednesday that it attacked a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing four people on the same day the House rejected efforts to limit President Donald Trump’s power to use military force against drug cartels.

New U.S. strike on alleged drug boat kills four

The U.S. Justice Department said late on Wednesday (December 17) the federal government was liable in the fatal January 29 collision of an Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines regional jet that killed 67 people near Reagan Washington National Airport.

U.S. admits liability in fatal Black Hawk-American Airlines crash

Nick Reiner made his first court appearance after being charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.

Los Angeles

Nick Reiner appears in court on murder charges in killing of parents

The United States on Wednesday (December 17) approved $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, marking the largest ever U.S. weapons package for the island, which is under increasing military pressure from China.

U.S. approves $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan, largest ever

EU leaders will gather in the coming hours to vote on potentially using nearly 200 billion dollars in frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. But it's a controversial and risky plan.

EU leaders to vote on Ukraine loan backed by frozen Russian assets

Nick Reiner made his first court appearance on Wednesday since being arrested for the killings of his parents, Rob and Michele.

Nick Reiner makes first court appearance since parents' deaths

Vladimir Putin said Russia would achieve its goals by diplomatic or military means and would seek to expand a “security buffer” zone in Ukraine.

Putin warns Russia will extend gains in Ukraine if peace talks fail

Newly-released surveillance video shows Nick Reiner at a gas station convenience store just hours after he allegedly fatally stabbed his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, and minutes before he was taken into custody.

New surveillance video shows Nick Reiner before his arrest

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media a "total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers" going in and out of Venezuela. Some details remain unclear, including when the order would be implemented and how many tankers could be involved.

Caracas

Trump orders blockade on Venezuela oil tankers

A man who allegedly opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's famed Bondi Beach has been charged with 59 offences, including murder and terrorism, New South Wales Police said.

Breakdown