Supreme Court rejects appeal from Louisiana man on death row
A confession from a fellow inmate supported David Brown's contention that he was not involved in the killing of a prison guard.
Death Penalty
Malaysia to end all mandatory death sentencing for serious crimes
Executions have already been on hold in the country since 2018, and rights groups say the latest "important step" could reverberate across the wider region.
Florida Senate OKs easier path to imposing death penalty
The vote came in the wake of the uproar after Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz got a life sentence because the jury couldn't agree unanimously on sentencing him to death.
Proposed Uganda law would impose death penalty for some LGBTQ acts
The bill approved by lawmakers would even make family members vulnerable to imprisonment for failing to report loved ones.
Idaho set to allow firing-squad executions in some cases
The measure is headed to the governor's desk after passing the legislature with a veto-proof majority.
Retrial ordered for the world's longest-serving death row inmate
Iwao Hakamada was sentenced for the 1966 killing of four family members. His lawyers say the conviction was based on a forced confession and fabricated evidence.
Texas execution delayed for "blind psychotic" inmate who cut out his eyes
Andre Thomas was sentenced for the 2014 killing of his estranged wife, their 4-year-old son and her 13-month-old daughter.
Secret audio tapes reveal "the only window into a live execution"
State law has forbidden taking pictures and shooting video during the execution process since the early 20th century.
Police general sentenced to death for murder of bodyguard in Indonesia
Sambo's wife was also sentenced to 20 years in prison, much higher than the eight-year term prosecutors were seeking.
Suspect in bike path attack to be sentenced
A man convicted of driving a truck down a New York City bath path on Halloween in 2017, killing eight people, now faces sentencing. Prosecutors have said they will ask for the death penalty. Shanelle Kaul has more.
Pope Francis says homosexuality "is not a crime," but gay sex is "a sin"
The Catholic leader spoke about laws discriminating against LGBTQ people, his health and his predecessor in a wide-ranging interview with the AP.
Prosecutors won't seek death penalty for alleged El Paso Walmart shooter
The alleged gunman is accused of targeting Mexicans during the 2019 massacre that left dozens wounded and killed 23 people.
Supreme Court revives DNA claims of Texas death row inmate
The Supreme Court has revived claims by a Texas inmate who has the unusual support of the state prosecutor's office.
Arizona inmate withdraws execution request
Aaron Gunches cited three recent executions he said were "carried out in a manner that amounts to torture," noting struggles to insert IV lines during the lethal injection process.
Number of executions continued to fall this year; many were botched: report
The report called 2022 the "Year of the Botched Execution" as seven of the 20 execution attempts in the U.S. were visibly problematic or took an inordinate amount of time.
Transgender woman on death row asks Missouri governor for mercy
A judge sentenced Amber McLaughlin to death for the 2003 killing of Beverly Guenther after a jury was unable to decide on the punishment.
Oregon governor commutes all 17 of the state's death sentences
Kate Brown said they'll get life in prison without the possibility of parole instead. A leading Republican state lawmaker said, "Democrats have consistently chosen criminals over victims."
Union "sickened" as Iran soccer player faces possible death sentence
A judiciary official said the 26-year-old stood accused of "rebellion, membership in illegal gangs, collusion to undermine security" and "emnity against God."
Taliban carries out 1st public execution since retaking Afghanistan
The extremists have made it clear that they'll bring back all of the brutal policies they were known for before being ousted with the U.S.-led invasion of 2001.
Alabama won't try lethal injection again on "execution survivor"
Any future effort to execute Miller will be done by nitrogen hypoxia, a method authorized in Alabama, but never used in the U.S.
"Botched" Alabama execution caused pain and torture, attorneys say
Prison staff subjected Kenneth Eugene Smith to numerous needle jabs, including in the neck and collarbone region while an official held his head, attorneys wrote in a court filing.
How a man's beheading 50 years ago led France to end the death penalty
On November 28, 1972, Roger Bontems was guillotined for a murder he did not commit. His lawyer would spend the rest of his life campaigning to end the death penalty.
19-year-old asks court to let her watch father's death by injection
Kevin Johnson, now 37, has been incarcerated since his daughter was 2 years old.
Alabama governor orders executions pause after third failed lethal injection
The state did not complete the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith because officials couldn't find a suitable vein to inject the lethal drugs.
Alabama stops execution due to trouble finding suitable vein
Officials were trying to put Kenneth Eugene Smith to death after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a stay issued hours earlier by a lower federal court.
Breaking
UnitedHealthcare CEO killed in targeted shooting, NYPD says
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed outside a Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan, police say.
Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for kids
The Supreme Court weighed whether Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors experiencing gender dysphoria violates the Constitution.
Gunman in CEO's shooting death is on the loose. What we know.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in New York City on Wednesday in what officials are calling a targeted attack.
Trump taps Peter Navarro, convicted of contempt of Congress, as trade counselor
Peter Navarro served as a trade adviser in the first Trump administration, and was recently released from a four-month prison sentence for defying a congressional subpoena.
9 states poised to end coverage for millions if Trump cuts Medicaid funding
About 3.7 million people are at immediate risk of losing health coverage should the federal government cut funding for Medicaid expansions, as some allies of President-elect Donald Trump have proposed.
Trump considering replacing Hegseth with DeSantis for defense secretary
This comes after President-elect Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attended a memorial for fallen law enforcement officers Tuesday in Florida.
Mitt Romney criticizes those who "tear at our unity" in Senate farewell speech
Sen. Mitt Romney warned in his farewell address of those who "tear at our unity," urging America to uphold the nation's values as he capped more than two decades in public service.
South Korean leader faces likely impeachment over martial law order
South Korea is reeling over a shock martial law declaration by President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose short-lived gamble will have major implications.
2 babies dumped from stolen car on freezing day were rescued by stranger
Two infant girls were reported missing after the car they were in was stolen. The babies were later found left out in the cold.
U.S.
More U.S.
Amazon sued over slower deliveries to low-income neighborhoods
Amazon allegedly stopped its fastest delivery service to almost 50,000 Prime subscribers in two District of Columbia zip codes.
Mitt Romney criticizes those who "tear at our unity" in Senate farewell speech
Sen. Mitt Romney warned in his farewell address of those who "tear at our unity," urging America to uphold the nation's values as he capped more than two decades in public service.
Trump taps billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as next NASA chief
Jared Isaacman, 41, the founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, has emerged as a leading figure in commercial spaceflight.
After shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO, here's what we know
Details are emerging in the hours after a gunman shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside of a Manhattan hotel. Here's what we know.
What we know about the suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO's shooting death
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in New York City on Wednesday in what officials are calling a targeted attack.
MoneyWatch
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Amazon sued over slower deliveries to low-income neighborhoods
Amazon allegedly stopped its fastest delivery service to almost 50,000 Prime subscribers in two District of Columbia zip codes.
Trump taps billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as next NASA chief
Jared Isaacman, 41, the founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, has emerged as a leading figure in commercial spaceflight.
Breaking
Who is Brian Thompson, the UnitedHealthcare CEO shot dead in Manhattan?
Here's what we know about UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot to death in Manhattan on Wednesday.
9 states poised to end coverage for millions if Trump cuts Medicaid funding
About 3.7 million people are at immediate risk of losing health coverage should the federal government cut funding for Medicaid expansions, as some allies of President-elect Donald Trump have proposed.
China bans export of key minerals to U.S. as trade row deepens
As China responds to the latest U.S. measures by banning the export of several key minerals, one analyst warns of "a trade war that has no winners."
Politics
More Politics
Trump taps Peter Navarro, convicted of contempt of Congress, as trade counselor
Peter Navarro served as a trade adviser in the first Trump administration, and was recently released from a four-month prison sentence for defying a congressional subpoena.
Mitt Romney criticizes those who "tear at our unity" in Senate farewell speech
Sen. Mitt Romney warned in his farewell address of those who "tear at our unity," urging America to uphold the nation's values as he capped more than two decades in public service.
Trump taps billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as next NASA chief
Jared Isaacman, 41, the founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, has emerged as a leading figure in commercial spaceflight.
Pete Hegseth's mother defends son, saying she wrote email "out of love"
Penelope Hegseth said she wrote the 2018 email "in haste" and with "deep emotions."
9 states poised to end coverage for millions if Trump cuts Medicaid funding
About 3.7 million people are at immediate risk of losing health coverage should the federal government cut funding for Medicaid expansions, as some allies of President-elect Donald Trump have proposed.
HealthWatch
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How to sleep, breathe and drink water better, according to an expert
Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist and author of "Sleep Drink Breathe: Simple Daily Habits for Profound Long-Term Health," shares tips on how to better hydrate and more.
CU Anschutz Medical Campus' grant to help restore vision to blind patients
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus received up to $46 million in a grant to help develop an innovative treatment to cure blindness.
9 states poised to end coverage for millions if Trump cuts Medicaid funding
About 3.7 million people are at immediate risk of losing health coverage should the federal government cut funding for Medicaid expansions, as some allies of President-elect Donald Trump have proposed.
Are flu and COVID high now? Here's how the season has started
Levels of both the flu and COVID viruses are still low across much of the country, the CDC says.
Here's how holiday drinking can affect your health, according to a doctor
Estimates show Americans drink twice as much during the holiday season as they normally do. Here's how the extra alcohol can impact your health.
World
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Pope Francis receives first all-electric popemobile from Mercedes
Pope Francis uses the popemobile to greet pilgrims in St. Peter's Square during general audiences and other papal ceremonies.
Man severely injured protecting wife from polar bear attack
The man had serious injuries to his arm and legs, said police in Fort Severn First Nation, Ontario, Canada.
China bans export of key minerals to U.S. as trade row deepens
As China responds to the latest U.S. measures by banning the export of several key minerals, one analyst warns of "a trade war that has no winners."
Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific apologizes for showing "Family Guy" episode
The episode, from the first season of the American cartoon, shows Peter Griffin, the father character in the show, standing next to the "Tank Man" in a recreation of the infamous photograph.
U.S. slams China for hitting Philippine vessels with water cannons
China put "lives at risk" with the "unlawful use of water cannons" against Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, the U.S. ambassador in Manila says.
Entertainment
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Dolly Parton's new children's book stars her French bulldog Billy
Dolly Parton appeared on "CBS Mornings" Wednesday from Nashville to unveil her latest children's book, "Billy the Kid Comes Home for Christmas."
Lisa Lisa on rediscovering her voice
Lisa Lisa talks about her unforgettable 80s hits, her journey in music and how her perspective has changed over the years.
Inside the world of freediving
Michael John Warren joins "CBS Mornings Plus" to talk about the art and challenges of freediving.
Dolly Parton on new children's book
Dolly Parton joins "CBS Mornings" to unveil her latest children's book, "Billy the Kid Comes Home for Christmas," which features her real-life French bulldog, Billy.
British indie-rock band Sports Team robbed at gunpoint in Vallejo, California
A touring British indie-rock band said they lost personal gear when armed robbery targeted their van while they were getting coffee at a Vallejo Starbucks Tuesday morning on the first day of their U.S. tour.
Technology
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Technology
Most common passwords of 2024 revealed
Hackers' favorites top this year's list of most common passwords, with "123456," "password" and "qwerty123" leading the pack. Experts warn these choices make your accounts an easy target.
Bluesky says X's "partisan microphone" are driving users to it
Bluesky has added millions of new subscribers in the last month as some users leave X. Here's what to know.
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.
Company pilots drone food delivery service
In California, a company is running a pilot program for drone food delivery. Itay Hod takes a look at how the service works.
Canada's antitrust watchdog files lawsuit against Google over its ad business
Canada's Competition Bureau says that an investigation found the company "unlawfully" tied together its ad tech tools to maintain its dominant market position.
Science
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Science
Starbucks plastic cup investigation
CBS News tracked plastic cups meant to be recycled by Starbucks and found that most of those did not end up at recycling facilities. CBS News' David Schechter breaks down the investigation's findings.
NASA shows off image of U.S. military's abandoned "city under the ice"
Scientists now have a clearer picture of Camp Century, an abandoned U.S. military base long hidden under the ice in Greenland, thanks to a NASA research team's good luck.
Divided U.N. negotiations for plastic treaty
Negotiators are far apart as the United Nations tries to work out the world's first treaty to curb plastic pollution. Issues creating roadblocks include limiting new manufacturing of plastic and the potential phasing out of some chemicals. For more on the talks, CBS News was joined by Erin Simon, vice president and head of plastic waste and business for the World Wildlife Fund in the U.S.
Honolulu hopes to identify long-unclaimed bodies with advanced DNA testing
Forensic pathologists hope advanced DNA testing technology will enable them to attach names to all the unidentified people at the Honolulu Medical Examiner's Office.
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.
Crime
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Crime
UnitedHealthcare CEO shot deadllll
There's a manhunt underway for the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot outside a New York City hotel, officials say. Felipe Rodriguez, a former detective with the New York City Police Department, joins CBS News with his take on the crime, and CBS News' Anna Schecter breaks down what's known so far.
After shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO, here's what we know
Details are emerging in the hours after a gunman shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside of a Manhattan hotel. Here's what we know.
What we know about the suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO's shooting death
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in New York City on Wednesday in what officials are calling a targeted attack.
UnitedHealthcare CEO killed in NYC shooting
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot Wednesday morning outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel, according to the NYPD. A United Healthcare spokesperson told CBS News the incident occurred during the company's investors conference.
Babies dumped from stolen car on freezing day rescued by stranger
Two infant girls were reported missing after the car they were in was stolen. The babies were later found left out in the cold.
Space
More Space
Trump taps billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as next NASA chief
Jared Isaacman, 41, the founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, has emerged as a leading figure in commercial spaceflight.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
More Latest CBS News Videos
Latest CBS News Videos
Hawley says Hegseth cancelled meeting
Sen. Joshua Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, says Pete Hegseth's team canceled a meeting before the Senate confirmation process begins. Axios' Juliegrace Brufke joins CBS News with more on President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of defense.
Search for grandmother near sinkhole
A 64-year-old grandmother who was searching for her cat may have fallen in a sinkhole in Pennsylvania. Officials provided an update on rescue operations.
Will DeSantis replace Hegseth pick?
President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of defense, news host Pete Hegseth, continues to face mounting backlash over allegations of impropriety in his past. CBS News campaign reporters Olivia Rinaldi and Taurean Small have more on what may happen next.
UnitedHealthcare CEO shot deadllll
There's a manhunt underway for the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot outside a New York City hotel, officials say. Felipe Rodriguez, a former detective with the New York City Police Department, joins CBS News with his take on the crime, and CBS News' Anna Schecter breaks down what's known so far.
NYPD update on UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting
The NYPD spoke with reporters Wednesday about their ongoing efforts to find the gunman who shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson earlier in the day outside a New York City hotel.