Can Trump dismantle the Department of Education? It won't be easy, experts say
"One thing I'll be doing very early in the administration is closing up the Department of Education in Washington, D.C.," President-elect Trump vowed in 2023.
Education in America: Degrees of Cost
When students graduate debt-free
Total student loan debt in the U.S. is now nearly $1.8 trillion, and experts say young people are delaying buying homes and starting families because of it. So, what could the lives of students look like when they graduate debt-free?
Education Department to forgive $415 million in student debt
The latest round of loan forgiveness brings the total amount approved by the department to approximately $2 billion for more than 107,000 borrowers.
2013 grads: Student loans affect job hunting and more
Moving home, and taking any job that will pay the bills
Scoring financial aid for college
Financial aid for college
Why 529 plans are the best college-saving tool
Jill Schlesinger explains the plans' tax advantages
What's behind the steep rise in college tuition?
More students graduating with debt is bad news for the economy
50 questions to ask before applying to college
The answers will help you weed out inappropriate institutions, landing you in the school that suits you best
Student debt: The next credit bubble?
CBS MoneyWatch editor-at-large Jill Schlesinger takes a look at the numbers and some possible solutions to the problem
U.S. student debt over $1 trillion
More Americans are burdened with student loan debt with the average balance of more than $26,000
CBS Essentials
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How to watch the Cardinals vs. Seahawks NFL game today
Here's how to watch the Cardinals take on the Seahawks today.
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How to watch the 49ers vs. Packers NFL game today
Find out how (and where) to watch the 49ers face off with the Packers today.
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Want to watch the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Rams NFL game today? Here's how.
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Here's everything you need to know about watching the Kansas City Chiefs-Carolina Panthers game today.
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Want to know how to watch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Giants NFL game today? Here's what you need to know.
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Holiday travel record predicted as government shutdown looms
More than 119 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between Saturday and New Year's Day, which would top the previous holiday-season high set in 2019, according to AAA.
JonBenét Ramsey murder: The ransom note and other evidence
A closer look at what police found at the Ramsey family's Boulder, Colorado, home following the murder of their 6-year-old daughter JonBenét.
Americans coexisted with 4-ton sloths for millennia, research shows
Early Americans may have spent millennia sharing prehistoric savannas and wetlands with enormous beasts, research shows.
Can JonBenét Ramsey's murder be solved by 7 items of evidence?
Her father John Ramsey said DNA testing on items like a blanket and a rope could point to the killer.
New details emerge about Utah mom, 3 kids killed at their home
One child survived being shot in the head and is hospitalized with a severe brain injury, police said.
MoneyWatch
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Holiday travel record predicted as government shutdown looms
More than 119 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between Saturday and New Year's Day, which would top the previous holiday-season high set in 2019, according to AAA.
Biden issues likely last round of student debt forgiveness before leaving office
The Biden administration is canceling federal student loans for another 55,000 workers to the tune of $4.28 billion in what's expected to be the last such round before he leaves office.
Looking for a home in 2025? Check out these 10 housing hotspots.
House-hunters may want to zero in on these hot housing markets next year, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Planned Starbucks strike in 3 cities could spread nationwide
Workers at Starbucks stores in three cities plan to go on a five-day strike that could spread nationwide.
He went in for a colonoscopy. The hospital charged $19,000 for two.
A Chicago man was stuck with a big medical bill after undergoing a colonoscopy that found no evidence of cancer. Here's why.
Politics
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Biden issues likely last round of student debt forgiveness before leaving office
The Biden administration is canceling federal student loans for another 55,000 workers to the tune of $4.28 billion in what's expected to be the last such round before he leaves office.
How Trump could undo portions of Biden's climate legacy
Biden's most recent climate initiatives are all but certain to be short-lived, mostly thanks to an obscure law that tends to come into play every four years.
Biden's top hostage envoy in Syria to ask for help in finding Austin Tice
Hostage envoy Roger Carstens is in Syria making the first known in-person U.S. in-person contact with the caretaker government and seeking help in finding missing American Austin Tice.
Deportations by ICE jumped to 10-year high in 2024, surpassing Trump-era peak
ICE deported more than a quarter-million unauthorized immigrants in fiscal year 2024, the highest tally in a decade.
Cuomo sues woman who accused him of sexual harassment for defamation
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo filed a lawsuit Thursday against a former aide, Charlotte Bennett, who alleged he sexually harassed her in 2020.
HealthWatch
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Why fish, birds and other animals yawn too, according to an expert
Humans aren't alone when it comes to yawning — all vertebrates do it. But why? An expert explains the likely reason behind this "evolutionarily ancient" act.
Stuffing stockings with skincare? Here's what kids should and shouldn't be using
Skin care is all the rage for teens and tweens these days, but be careful not to give products that could cause more harm than good.
He went in for a colonoscopy. The hospital charged $19,000 for two.
A Chicago man was stuck with a big medical bill after undergoing a colonoscopy that found no evidence of cancer. Here's why.
Frito-Lay recalls some Lay's chips over "life-threatening" allergy risk
Some 13 oz. bags of Lay's Classic Potato Chips may contain an undeclared allergen, according to the snack company.
"Sleepmaxxing" trend has young adults optimizing their sleep
Sleep optimization, or "sleepmaxxing," is a popular trend among a younger demographic, but experts share a few words of caution.
World
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Hip-hop star reportedly shot dead in parking garage in Sweden
In a video, seemingly filmed with a camera worn by the shooter, a person carrying a handgun can be seen firing multiple shots in a parking garage.
7 killed in prison riot as officers try to transfer 2 dangerous inmates
One of the inmates with a gun held out for about three hours, protected by 20 fellow prisoners, officials said.
7-year-old killed, 6 other people wounded in stabbing attack at Croatia school
A 7-year-old girl was killed and at least five other students and a teacher were wounded in a knife attack at a school in Croatia, police said.
Malaysia agrees to launch new search for missing MH370 plane
The Boeing 777 carrying 239 people disappeared from radar screens on March 8, 2014 while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
Two journalists killed in northern Syria
A journalists' association says two journalists working for Kurdish media outlets were killed in Syria while covering fighting between Turkish-backed fighters and Syrian Kurdish militia.
Entertainment
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Entertainment
The untold WWII story of "Six Triple Eight"
Tyler Perry and Kerry Washington team up on the film "Six Triple Eight," spotlighting the only all-Black women's battalion in Europe during WWII. Washington stars as Charity Adams, the highest-ranking Black female officer.
Alicia Keys surprises students at her former high school
The 16-time Grammy winner returned to the Professional Performing Arts School in New York, where she first began her career, and shares advice with current students.
Quirky Guinness World Records of 2024 include a skateboarding cat
As 2024 comes to a close, we took a look at some of the oddest Guinness World Records of the year.
Apollo Theater honored by Kennedy Center
For 90 years, the Apollo Theater has shaped American culture, launching icons like James Brown and Aretha Franklin. This year, it became the first institution honored by the Kennedy Center, cementing its legacy as a hub of innovation.
Alicia Keys surprises students at alma mater
Sixteen-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys celebrates her Broadway musical "Hell's Kitchen" earning a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album. In an exclusive interview, she revisits her alma mater to honor the teacher who inspired her and surprises students.
Technology
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Technology
Supreme Court agrees to hear case about TikTok ban
The Supreme Court said Wednesday it will hear an appeal from TikTok over a federal law that would ban the social media giant if it is not sold by its Chinese parent company. Jan Crawford has more.
Teen victim of deepfake porn urges Congress to pass "Take It Down Act"
Elliston Berry's life was turned upside down after a photo she posted on Instagram was digitally altered online to be pornographic.
How AI powered robots are helping small farms
From labor shortages to environmental impacts, farmers are looking to AI to help revolutionize the agriculture industry. One California startup, Farm-ng, is tapping into the power of AI and robotics to perform a wide range of tasks, including seeding, weeding and harvesting.
Supreme Court to decide on future of TikTok
The Supreme Court plans to hear arguments in January on a challenge to a new law that could lead to the popular social media app TikTok being banned in the U.S. The Biden administration and lawmakers say the Chinese government's ability to collect data from TikTok poses a significant national security risk, while the app and its Chinese parent company ByteDance argue that the law is unconstitutional. CBS News Supreme Court producer Catherine Cole has more.
FAA: Lithium battery fires on flights now occur nearly twice a week
FAA data shows that lithium battery fires on U.S. flights have risen 388% since 2015, now occurring nearly twice a week.
Science
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Why fish, birds and other animals yawn too, according to an expert
Humans aren't alone when it comes to yawning — all vertebrates do it. But why? An expert explains the likely reason behind this "evolutionarily ancient" act.
Americans coexisted with 4-ton sloths for millennia, research shows
Early Americans may have spent millennia sharing prehistoric savannas and wetlands with enormous beasts, research shows.
EPA tackling pollution in at-risk communities
The Environmental Protection Agency under President Biden created a new Office of Environmental Justice that seeks to address pollution levels in disadvantaged and marginalized communities. However, there is concern that the incoming Trump administration could do away with the new department. David Schechter reports.
"Murder hornets" eradicated in the U.S., agriculture officials say
Giant hornets, dubbed "murder hornets," have been eradicated in the U.S., five years after the invasive species was first detected in Washington state.
Coal use hitting record in 2024, which is likely hottest year yet, report says
World coal use is set to reach an all-time high in 2024, the International Energy Agency says, in a year all but certain to be the hottest in recorded history.
Crime
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Hip-hop star reportedly shot dead in parking garage in Sweden
In a video, seemingly filmed with a camera worn by the shooter, a person carrying a handgun can be seen firing multiple shots in a parking garage.
Allen gets 130 years for Delphi murders
Richard Allen, the man convicted of killing teenage girls Abigail Williams and Liberty German in Delphi, Indiana, has been sentenced to 130 years in prison for the 2017 murders.
JonBenét Ramsey murder: The ransom note and other evidence
A closer look at what police found at the Ramsey family's Boulder, Colorado, home following the murder of their 6-year-old daughter JonBenét.
JonBenét Ramsey's dad shares details on case
"48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty speaks with John Ramsey to discuss the ongoing investigation into the murder of his 6-year-old daughter JonBenét in December 1996. Nearly 28 years later, Ramsey says he believes the case can be solved "if the police take advantage of all the technology" available to them.
Federal charges brought against Luigi Mangione
After being arrested in Pennsylvania, Luigi Mangione is now in federal jail in New York City where he is facing charges related to the killing of United Healthcare's CEO. Lilia Luciano has the latest from Manhattan.
Space
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Discovery of "tipped over" black hole surprises NASA scientists
New analysis techniques and decades-old research helped NASA scientists identify an unusual black hole in a distant galaxy.
Why are the Boeing Starliner astronauts stuck in space?
Here's why NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are stuck, but not stranded, at the International Space Station after launching into space in June.
NASA delayes return date for astronauts
NASA has delayed the return date for Boeing's Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. CBS News' Manuel Bojorquez reports on the decision to keep the two in space.
NASA leader weighs in on Elon Musk, SpaceX and plans for moon rocket
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson says he's optimistic the Trump administration will support the space agency's agenda.
Boeing Starliner crew's return delayed again
Two astronauts who have been stuck in space since June will have to wait until at least the end of March to come home after NASA on Wednesday again pushed back their return date. Derrick Pitts, chief astronomer for the Franklin Institute, joined CBS News to discuss what's causing the delays.
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Notable Deaths in 2024
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
The Scott Peterson case: New evidence?
Peterson's death sentence for the murder of his pregnant wife Laci has been overturned. Now his supporters are pushing for a complete retrial.
The troubled marriage of Ashley and Doug Benefield
The seesaw marriage between the former ballerina and her much older husband only lasted four years, until she shot him on Sept. 27, 2020.
Texas couple investigates teen daughter's unusual death
Cayley Mandadi's mother and stepfather go to extreme lengths to prove her death was no accident.
Summer music heats up 2024
Live performances are in full swing this summer. Scroll through our concert gallery, featuring pictures by CBS News photojournalist Jake Barlow and photographers Ed Spinelli and Kirstine Walton.
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Latest CBS News Videos
U.S. Space Force celebrates five years
As the U.S. Space Force celebrates its fifth anniversary, General Michael Guetlein and Chief Master Sergeant John Bentivegna discuss the growing importance of space in military operations and the potential for future conflicts in space.
Where Biden stands as government shutdown looms
President Biden had endorsed the bipartisan spending bill that lawmakers worked out earlier this week before President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk pushed Republicans to scrap it. Now Congress is at an impasse with hours remaining before a government shutdown. CBS News senior White House and political correspondent Ed O'Keefe has more.
Renewed hope for Austin Tice's return
More than 12 years after Austin Tice's disappearance in Syria, U.S. state department officials arrive in Damascus. The development is raising hopes that the American journalist may be found alive. Margaret Brennan has the latest.
Government shutdown looms
With hours left to avert a shutdown, a plan backed by President-elect Donald Trump was killed after dozens of Republicans joined Democrats to vote against it. This is House Speaker Mike Johnson's second attempt at a deal.
Trump's position on the ongoing negotiations
In a phone interview with Robert Costa, President-elect Donald Trump outlines his key demands as the shutdown deadline looms.