Remains found in 1987 ID'd as woman who had "explicit" letter sent to her
The sheriff's office hasn't publicly disclosed the cause of Christine Lester's death because it doesn't want to jeopardize the investigation,
California
Why are earthquakes getting more expensive?
The estimated annual cost from earthquake damage is soaring in California, and it already makes up more than half of the nation's annual earthquake costs. Los Angeles Times reporter Rong-Gong Lin II joined CBS News to discuss the possible reasons behind the increase.
Calif. hazardous sites at risk of severe flooding due to rising sea levels
A study found that 129 sites including oil refineries, sewage treatment plants and nuclear and fossil fuel power plants could see flooding by 2050.
Bank stocks tumble as First Republic deal fails to stem investor fears
Shares of Los Angeles lender PacWest Bancorp fell 28% as spooked investors bail from regional banks.
What happens to First Republic Bank's stock and deposits now?
JPMorgan Chase is buying the troubled lender after it became the second biggest bank failure in U.S. history.
First Republic Bank seized by regulators, then sold to JPMorgan Chase
The regional lender, whose collapse is the second-biggest bank failure in U.S. history, is the third bank to be seized by regulators since March.
Warm temperatures accelerate snow melt in West
Unusually warm temperatures in California are leading to flooding fears caused by the accelerated snow melt. Most of Yosemite National Park was closed Saturday over the risk of flooding from the rising Merced River. Elise Preston has the details.
California man guilty of killing 3 after doorbell prank
Anurag Chandra was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder.
San Francisco repealing boycott of anti-LGBT states
The ban on city-funded travel to 30 states San Francisco says restrict abortion, voting and LGBTQ rights is being scrapped after the city determined it's doing more harm than good.
Extreme weather sweeps across U.S.
Texas was dealing with storms on Wednesday as hail, thunderstorms, strong winds and a possible tornado battered the state. Several other states, including Alabama, Florida and California, were also experiencing severe weather. Omar Villafranca reports.
Wet winter leads to California "super bloom"
California is awash in color as record rainfall has led to an eye-catching "super bloom" of flowers. Jamie Yuccas reports.
Theme restaurants make comeback in California
Theme restaurants are making a comeback in parts of Southern California. Some hope it will help the industry as it continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Joy Benedict reports.
How a herd of goats is helping protect San Francisco from wildfires
The huge herd of goats is also providing an important educational lesson for California students.
How goats are preventing California wildfires
A herd of over 100 goats are using San Francisco as a pasture. The goats are eating the grass grown during an especially wet winter, minimizing the risks of wildfires in the summer, and teaching local students an important lesson about sustainability. John Blackstone reports.
Lawsuit against Antioch, California police
Five people are suing the city of Antioch, California over the police department's alleged pattern of abuse towards residents. The federal lawsuit claims the plaintiffs or their family members were targeted by officers based on their race or gender. CBS News correspondent Elise Preston has more.
17 states urge recall of Kia and Hyundai cars following thefts
Videos on social media show how to easily hot-wire the vehicles, many of which lack anti-theft engine immobilizers.
Racist texts by California police officers lead to federal lawsuit
The texts include frequent use of the terms "monkey" and "gorilla," and boast about beating up suspects and targeting Black people for traffic stops.
2 men wrongly convicted are declared innocent, will get nearly $1 million each
"I thought about this day for so long. I thought about it when I was locked up for 17 years," Juan Rayford said.
Police scandal widens in Northern California
Several people are suing the Northern California city of Antioch and police officers, claiming a pattern of abuse. They point to racist text messages sent by officers, which were revealed in a recent investigative report. Elise Preston reports.
California to fill 100% of water requests from cities and farms after wet winter
While this forecast is good news for cities and farmland across the state, water officials say Californians "should continue to use water wisely to help the state adapt to a hotter, drier future."
FBI: California officers sent racist texts
An FBI report has found that 45 officers for the Antioch Police Department in Northern California have sent and received racist text messages since 2019. Elise Preston has more.
Oakland A's reach deal on Las Vegas stadium
Sad news for Oakland sports fans: the Oakland A's appear to be heading to Las Vegas. The team announced it has purchased land just off the Las Vegas Strip for a new 35,000-seat stadium with a retractable roof. Oakland A's president Dave Kaval joins CBS News to discuss the decision and what comes next.
Key Democrats won't say whether they'll back Biden's labor secretary nominee
President Joe Biden's nominee to be the next labor secretary, Julie Su, is testifying before the Senate.
Frank Ocean pulls out of Coachella Weekend 2, citing leg injury
Doctors told Ocean he couldn't headline Coachella for a second weekend after a leg injury resulted in two fractures and a sprain, his representatives said.
Home Depot employee killed while trying to stop a shoplifter
The suspects were arrested just 15 minutes after the shooting and are being booked on multiple charges including murder, robbery, child endangerment and conspiracy.
President Biden announces ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah
Israel's Cabinet has approved the ceasefire after urging from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Thanksgiving weather forecast maps show snow storms, winter cold fronts
Winter storm weather is forecast to bring snow to different parts of the country in the days around Thanksgiving 2024, potentially interrupting travel.
Mexico suggests it could retaliate with tariffs after Trump threat
Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico suffered from an influx of weapons smuggled in from the United States, and that drugs were a U.S. problem.
Fugitive on FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists list arrested in U.K.
Daniel Andreas San Diego was indicted more than 20 years ago in connection with two 2003 bombings.
Walmart U.S. CEO explains the retailer's DEI policy rollback
John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart U.S., talks about the company's decision to scale back its DEI policies.
Trump "border czar" Tom Homan vows "there is going to be a mass deportation"
Tom Homan and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott served meals to troops stationed in Eagle Pass and Edinburg as part of Operation Lone Star.
More than 3,000 fake Gibson guitars seized in California, U.S. Customs says
More than 3,000 fake Gibson guitars were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in what authorities are calling the largest seizure of counterfeit musical instruments at the massive Los Angeles-Long Beach Seaport.
Best Buy says Trump tariffs could force it to raise prices
Consumers could face higher prices for electronics if President-elect Donal Trump hits Canada, Mexico and China with new tariffs, Best Buy CEO said.
Airport closes runways in search for dog that escaped from plane
The plan is to get close enough to tranquilize the animal with a hypodermic needle, airport officials said.
U.S.
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Here's why Trump thinks tariffs are good for the U.S.
President-elect Donald Trump is proposing sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office. Here's why.
Best Buy says Trump tariffs could force it to raise consumer prices
Consumers could face higher prices for electronics if President-elect Donal Trump hits Canada, Mexico and China with new tariffs, Best Buy CEO said.
Some tax refunds can come with hidden fees, government report warns
Americans paid an estimated $842 million in fees to cover advance loan refunds or refund anticipation checks last year.
Trial of ex-FBI informant indicted for lying about Bidens delayed
Alexander Smirnov, an FBI informant, was accused of lying about President Biden and Hunter Biden and now faces new charges of tax evasion.
Rudy Giuliani says he's out of money during court appearance
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani appeared in court Tuesday to face questions about his payments in the Georgia election defamation case. He claimed he's out of money.
MoneyWatch
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Here's why Trump thinks tariffs are good for the U.S.
President-elect Donald Trump is proposing sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office. Here's why.
Best Buy says Trump tariffs could force it to raise consumer prices
Consumers could face higher prices for electronics if President-elect Donal Trump hits Canada, Mexico and China with new tariffs, Best Buy CEO said.
Some tax refunds can come with hidden fees, government report warns
Americans paid an estimated $842 million in fees to cover advance loan refunds or refund anticipation checks last year.
Child care can cost more than families pay for rent, mortgage, college
In some parts of the U.S., parents pay more than $30,000 annually for infant care at a center, federal data shows.
Walmart U.S. CEO explains the retailer's DEI policy rollback
John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart U.S., talks about the company's decision to scale back its DEI policies.
Politics
More Politics
Trial of ex-FBI informant indicted for lying about Bidens delayed
Alexander Smirnov, an FBI informant, was accused of lying about President Biden and Hunter Biden and now faces new charges of tax evasion.
Poll: Most say they'll try to avoid political talk at Thanksgiving
Americans are most thankful for family and friends, which may be why they'll try to steer away from politics at Thanksgiving.
Mexico suggests it could retaliate with tariffs after Trump threat
Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico suffered from an influx of weapons smuggled in from the United States, and that drugs were a U.S. problem.
Trump "border czar" Tom Homan vows "there is going to be a mass deportation"
Tom Homan and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott served meals to troops stationed in Eagle Pass and Edinburg as part of Operation Lone Star.
No-fault divorce advocates start to fret as talk of banning it bubbles up
Warnings have been popping up on social media urging women who might be considering divorce to "pull the trigger" while they still have the option of no-fault divorce.
HealthWatch
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Why Thanksgiving may feel different for Americans on weight loss drugs
This may be the first Thanksgiving for millions of Americans who are on GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic, Zepbound or Wegovy.
West Virginia ends promising subsidy program for GLP-1 weight loss drugs
In 2020, West Virginia launched a pilot program to subsidize GLP-1 drugs for public employees, but the program was shuttered in March.
As many as 1 in 5 people won't lose weight with GLP-1 drugs, experts say
About 20% of patients — as many as 1 in 5 — may not respond well to medications like Mounjaro and Wegovy, according to several obesity experts.
A study to devise nutritional guidance just for you
When it comes to eating healthy, all of us respond to foods differently. The National Institutes of Health's new nutrition study hopes to finally provide Americans a personalized answer to the question: "What should I eat?"
A study to personalize nutrition guidance just for you
From the four food groups to the Food Pyramid, the U.S. government has long offered guidance to Americans hoping to eat a healthier diet. But there's growing scientific consensus that when it comes to eating healthy, all of us respond to foods differently. And to prove it, the National Institutes of Health has embarked on the most ambitious nutrition study ever, hoping to finally provide Americans a personalized answer to the question: "What should I eat?" Correspondent Lee Cowan reports.
World
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Airport closes runways in search for dog that escaped from plane
The plan is to get close enough to tranquilize the animal with a hypodermic needle, airport officials said.
Mexico suggests it could retaliate with tariffs after Trump threat
Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico suffered from an influx of weapons smuggled in from the United States, and that drugs were a U.S. problem.
Fugitive on FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists list arrested in U.K.
Daniel Andreas San Diego was indicted more than 20 years ago in connection with two 2003 bombings.
President Biden announces ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah
Israel's Cabinet has approved the ceasefire after urging from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
U.S. says unexplained drone sightings near U.K. military bases ongoing
The U.S. Air Force says more unexplained drones have been sighted near major British military bases used by American forces.
Entertainment
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Entertainment
The Script on loss, resilience in new album
Irish band The Script continues to inspire with hits like "Hall of Fame," while moving forward after the loss of guitarist Mark Sheehan. Danny O'Donoghue talks to Natalie Morales about the band's journey, and how boxing helps him cope.
Danielle Pinnock talks "Ghosts"
Actor Danielle Pinnock joins "CBS Mornings" to talk about her role in the hit CBS comedy "Ghosts," where she plays a spirited 1920s jazz singer with plenty of sass.
Colman Domingo on starring in "The Madness"
From Emmy wins to Oscar nods, Colman Domingo reflects on his career and dives into his latest role in Netflix's "The Madness."
Brittney Griner shares pictures of baby Bash
Brittney Griner and her wife Cherelle welcomed their son, Bash, in July. Now, they're sharing adorable family photos and looking ahead to their first Christmas together.
Drake accuses Spotify, UMG of inflating Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us"
The petition alleges UMG used bots to drive up streams on "Not Like Us," paid radio promoters to increase air play and paid Apple to have Siri misdirect users to Kendrick Lamar's hit song.
Technology
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Technology
AI grandma tool helps fend off phone scams
British phone company Virgin Media O2 has developed an AI-generated grandmother to talk to scammers all day and waste their time so you don't have to. CBS News Confirmed executive producer Melissa Mahtani has more on the "grandma" and how you can protect yourself from phone scams.
Starbucks impacted by ransomware attack on software vendor
Starbucks managers forced to rely on manual systems to handle baristas' pay, but customers unaffected.
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.
How AI can help to plan your next vacation
More than one third of travelers says they've incorporated artificial intelligence into their travel planning, according to a recent survey. CBS News compared how efficient booking a trip with the help of AI is compared to doing the research yourself.
Microsoft 365 is experiencing an outage. Here's what to know.
Microsoft said it's investigating an issue impacting access to Microsoft 365 and its Teams app.
Science
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Science
Dishing up space food
At the Johnson Space Food Systems Laboratory in Houston, NASA scientists develop dishes – freeze-dried, heat-stabilized, or irradiated – to serve on the International Space Station. Correspondent David Pogue checks out what's on the menu in Earth orbit.
How are U.S. winters permanently changing?
This winter, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted above-average temperatures throughout the U.S. because of a "slowly developing" La Niña pattern. CBS News Sacramento meteorologist Tracy Humphrey reports on the changing winter conditions.
Emperor penguin found on Australian beach released at sea after 20 days of care
The only emperor penguin known to have swum from Antarctica to Australia was released at sea 20 days after he waddled ashore on a popular tourist beach.
Iceland volcano flares in region's 7th eruption in one year
A volcano erupted in southern Iceland, near the town of Grindavík and the Blue Lagoon spa, marking the region's seventh eruption in a year.
How collecting pine cones helps renew Oregon forests after wildfires
Conservationists are teaming up with the U.S. Forest Service and logging companies to clear scorched land and make room for new reforestation projects.
Crime
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More than 3,000 fake Gibson guitars seized in California, U.S. Customs says
More than 3,000 fake Gibson guitars were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in what authorities are calling the largest seizure of counterfeit musical instruments at the massive Los Angeles-Long Beach Seaport.
Fugitive on FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists list arrested in U.K.
Daniel Andreas San Diego was indicted more than 20 years ago in connection with two 2003 bombings.
Menendez brothers resentencing delayed
A hearing for Erik and Lyle Menendez, brothers convicted of killing their parents more than three decades ago, was postponed Monday after technical issues with the brothers' virtual appearance. The family of the brothers are asking a judge to reduce their sentences of life without parole.
FBI agent acquitted in 2020 train shooting is arrested for sexual assault
An FBI agent who was acquitted of attempted murder for shooting a man on a train near Washington, D.C., has been accused of sexual assault.
Menendez brothers resentencing delayed
A California judge on Monday delayed his decision on whether to resentence the Menendez brothers until January. In October, the outgoing Los Angeles district attorney requested a judge reconsider Lyle and Erik's sentences for the 1989 murders of their parents after new evidence was introduced. CBS News correspondent Elise Preston reports.
Space
More Space
Webb telescope captures stunning new image of the "Sombrero galaxy"
The Sombrero galaxy, named for its resemblance to the Mexican hat, is about 30 million light-years from Earth.
Blue Origin launches 6 tourists to the edge of space
Marc and Sharon Hagle, both making their second space flight, were among the passengers for the NS-28 mission.
Blue Origin launches 9th space tourism flight
The ninth Blue Origin space tourism flight launched from West Texas Friday morning. CBS News space consultant Bill Harwood and space expert Scott Heidler offered analysis of the flight.
Trump, Musk attend SpaceX launch
President-elect Donald Trump attended SpaceX's sixth flight test of its Super Heavy-Starship on Tuesday with CEO Elon Musk. The burgeoning friendship between the two men played a key role in Trump's reelection, with Musk now set to run a government efficiency agency in the coming months. CBS News political reporter Jake Rosen and Politico aviation reporter Oriana Pawlyk join "America Decides" with more.
SpaceX launches Super Heavy-Starship, with Trump there to watch
President-elect Donald Trump was on hand with Elon Musk for the sixth test flight of SpaceX's huge Super Heavy-Starship rocket.
Latest Galleries
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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.
Serial killer Rodney Alcala's secret photos
See some of convicted serial killer Rodney Alcala's photographs that were discovered by detectives in a Seattle storage locker.
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.
Evidence in "The Dexter Killer" case
A look at the evidence in "The Dexter Killer" case; plus, newly revealed letters from the man police say wanted to be like fictional serial killer Dexter Morgan.
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.
Latest CBS News Videos
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Latest CBS News Videos
Businesses struggle with pandemic-era loans
In 2020, the Federal Reserve established the Main Street Lending Program to support mid-size businesses during the pandemic. Now, those businesses are having trouble catching up on those loan repayments. Bloomberg News economics and Federal Reserve reporter Catarina Saraiva has more.
Woman donates kidney to twin sister
Linda Thomas survived cancer, but the treatment left her kidneys severely weakened. Her twin sister, Karen Rodman, donated a kidney and, thanks to their identical DNA, Thomas didn't even need to take rejection drugs. Jamie Yuccas shares their story.
Musk, Ramaswamy threaten Planned Parenthood funding
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy laid out their plan to cut federal spending under the newly-established and unofficial Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. In an op-ed, they wrote that they plan to "end federal overspending" by taking aim at funding for "progressive groups like Planned Parenthood." NOTUS reporter Oriana Gonzalez has more.
Doctor on Biden's GLP-1 drug coverage plan
The Biden administration is proposing a new rule that would make popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic covered by Medicare and Medicaid. CBS News medical contributor Dr. Celine Gounder discusses whether the current or next administration can make this happen.
Trump's "border czar" details his plans
President-elect Donald Trump's pick for "border czar," Tom Homan, toured the U.S. southern border alongside Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday. He vowed to "put a plan in place" before the Trump administration takes over in January. CBS News correspondent Omar Villafranca has more.