Trump administration: Hunters can lure bears with bacon, doughnuts
The administration is moving to reverse Obama-era rules barring hunters on some public lands in Alaska
National Park Service
Alcatraz escape letter
CBS station KPIX-TV obtained a letter allegedly written by one of the men who escaped from the federal prison on San Francisco's Alcatraz Island in 1962. The escape is one of the country's greatest mysteries. Betty Yu of KPIX-TV reports.
Missing Pittsburgh man found dead in West Virginia
The 56-year-old's truck was found inside a park late Monday
Park Service warns people not to skate on ice at National Mall Reflecting Pool
The Park Service warned that a number of people who attempted to skate or walk on the ice recently fell through into water, though no one was injured
White House tree cut
National Park Service employees worked to trim back the historic but decaying Jackson magnolia tree on Wednesday. It has stood on the White House grounds since the 1820s.
U.S. national parks are drastically reducing free days
Free admission days will be cut from 10 to four, a move criticized as making the parks "a playground of the rich"
Grand Canyon, other popular national parks may double fees
The National Park Service is considering hiking the entrance fees to $70 at 17 of its top-visited parks, including Yosemite and Zion
On The Trail: Caribou hunting in Alaska
At Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve, in a wild and remote stretch of the Last Frontier, locals survive with subsistence hunting of the largest caribou herd in the U.S.
Honoring the chief carver of Mount Rushmore
Decades after putting the twinkle in Lincoln's eye, the monument's chief carver, Luigi Del Bianco, is being officially recognized by the National Park Service
Wind-fueled wildfires threaten national park icons
Winds wreaked havoc on wildfires that were threatening two crown jewels of the National Park Service on Monday
Mountain lion desperate for love survives crossing busy Calif. freeway
P-55 is the fourth-known mountain lion to have crossed the 101 Freeway and lived to tell the tale through his GPS tracking collar
On The Trail: The "Parkitecture" of Grand Canyon National Park
Inspired by ancient Native American structures, architect Mary Colter's rustic buildings blended in - physically and culturally with their settings, spawning an architectural movement used in parks across the U.S.
"What might have been": Preserving Vietnam wall's heartbreaking mementos
Visitors to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington feel compelled to leave offerings of love or gratitude - and some hit harder than others
On The Trail: Decoration Days
During WWII, thousands of N.C. residents were relocated for a dam project, their land becoming Great Smoky Mountains National Park. One day a year, they return
Email: Trump "directly involved" in hunt for rogue tweeter
"The President has gotten directly involved," NPS staffer wrote the day after the agency retweeted a photo showing Mr. Trump's inauguration crowd next to Barack Obama's
Trump donates presidential paycheck to National Park Service
Sean Spicer during Monday's briefing presented Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke with a check for $78,333.32
Late winter storm causes widespread damage to D.C.'s cherry blossoms
National Park Service still says peak bloom is expected in next week -- but there may be fewer trees blossoming
"Firefall" wows visitors to Yosemite’s El Capitan
When the sun hits Horsetail Fall in Yosemite National Park at just the right angle, the falls light up as if on fire
Huge amount of ammo stolen from national park
Thousands of rounds of ammunition stolen from locked building at Oregon's Crater Lake National Park
Trump spoke with NPS chief after inauguration
The topic of conversation: inaugural crowd sizes
National Park Service staff steps up anti-Trump campaign
More tweets on climate change peppered official social media accounts
New administration orders EPA media blackout, contract freeze
The administration has instituted what it described as a temporary media blackout and barred staff from awarding new contracts
National Park Service Twitter account operating again
The National Park Service said it regrets the "mistaken RTs" from its account, one of which was about the attendance of Trump's inauguration
A year "On The Trail"
Conor Knighton looks back at his 12-month trek through all of America’s National Parks
Ellis Island photos capture "essence" of American history
Jarob Ortiz is using his old-fashioned camera to capture the immigrant experience at a forgotten corner of Ellis Island, where 12 million immigrants entered the country
German authorities had received tipoffs about Christmas market attack suspect
Police in Magdeburg, Germany, said Sunday that those who died were four women aged 45, 52, 67 and 75, as well as a 9-year-old boy.
Poll: Most Americans think government is hiding information about drones
Over half of Americans see the drones that have been spotted over the East Coast as a threat to the U.S.
Mayorkas "alarmed" by social media rhetoric on UnitedHealthcare CEO killing
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was gunned down in New York earlier this month, and there has been some celebration on social media of the suspected killer.
Winter weather interrupts some holiday weekend travel
Record holiday travel is expected in the U.S. this year, with the weekend before Christmas projected to be one of the busiest times for transit.
Rep. Gonzales says "it feels as if Elon Musk is our prime minister"
Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas compared Elon Musk to a prime minister after the Tesla CEO got involved in a tumultuous funding fight on Capitol Hill this week.
Rickey Henderson, MLB Hall of Famer, dies at 65
Rickey Henderson is widely considered to be one of the best leadoff hitters and base stealers in baseball.
Why drone hysteria has taken off
Alleged drone sightings have been multiplying exponentially, with more than 5,000 reported in the past few weeks. But experts say the majority of reports about unusual lights in the sky are probably anything but drones.
2 U.S. Navy pilots eject safely when jet shot down by likely "friendly fire"
An F/A-18 fighter jet was "mistakenly fired on" by the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, authorities said.
Kari Lake says she has no intention of turning Voice of America into "Trump TV"
Kari Lake, a former broadcast journalist who unsuccessfully ran for governor and for a U.S. Senate seat in Arizona, is President-elect Donald Trump's selection to lead Voice of America.
U.S.
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Sen. Joe Manchin on his time in the Senate and what the future holds
Sen. Joe Manchin sat down for an exit interview of sorts with "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."
Rep. Gonzales says "it feels as if Elon Musk is our prime minister"
Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas compared Elon Musk to a prime minister after the Tesla CEO got involved in a tumultuous funding fight on Capitol Hill this week.
Full transcript of "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Dec. 15, 2024
On this "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" broadcast, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Sen. Joe Manchin join Margaret Brennan.
Winter weather interrupts some holiday weekend travel
Record holiday travel is expected in the U.S. this year, with the weekend before Christmas projected to be one of the busiest times for transit.
Mayorkas "alarmed" by social media rhetoric on UnitedHealthcare CEO killing
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was gunned down in New York earlier this month, and there has been some celebration on social media of the suspected killer.
MoneyWatch
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Party City files for bankruptcy, a day after announcing mass layoffs
Party City informed employees in an email on Friday that it was conducting an immediate "mass layoff" at its headquarters.
Senate approves bill to expand Social Security to millions of Americans
Senators approve a bill to expand Social Security benefits to millions of Americans, with President Biden expected to sign it into law.
How much more will it cost to heat your home this winter?
Here's what's driving up home heating costs, and how much families are expected to spend this winter.
IRS sending up to $1,400 to 1 million people. Here's who qualifies.
The IRS said it's sending out checks worth up to $1,400 to 1 million people. Here's what to know about the "special payments."
Feds sue Zelle, alleging nation's biggest banks failed to stop fraud
Government watchdog claims Americans lost hundreds of millions to fraud related to the bank-operated mobile payments network.
Politics
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Sen. Joe Manchin on his time in the Senate and what the future holds
Sen. Joe Manchin sat down for an exit interview of sorts with "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."
Rep. Gonzales says "it feels as if Elon Musk is our prime minister"
Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas compared Elon Musk to a prime minister after the Tesla CEO got involved in a tumultuous funding fight on Capitol Hill this week.
Full transcript of "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Dec. 15, 2024
On this "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" broadcast, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Sen. Joe Manchin join Margaret Brennan.
Transcript: Roger Carstens on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Dec. 22, 2024
The following is a transcript of an interview with Roger Carstens, special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that aired on Dec. 22, 2024.
Transcript: Sen. Joe Manchin on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Dec. 22, 2024
The following is the full transcript of an interview with Sen. Joe Manchin, independent of West Virginia, on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that aired on Dec. 22, 2024.
HealthWatch
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HealthWatch
CDC releases concerning new flu numbers
Thirteen states reported "high" or "very high" levels of flu-like illness last week, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's double the number of states from the week before. Ali Bauman reports.
A teen's misdiagnosis led to medication, but surgery led to a cure
Isaac Klapper was 10 years old when he started having episodes of what doctors initially thought was a movement disorder.
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.
World
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Israeli settlements, and the expanding divide of settlers and Palestinians
Today, upwards of 700,000 Israelis live in settlements which the U.N. calls illegal. "Sunday Morning" talks with two settlers and with Palestinians in the West Bank living on opposite sides of an Israeli security barrier.
German authorities had received tipoffs about Christmas market attack suspect
Police in Magdeburg, Germany, said Sunday that those who died were four women aged 45, 52, 67 and 75, as well as a 9-year-old boy.
2 U.S. Navy pilots eject safely when jet shot down by likely "friendly fire"
An F/A-18 fighter jet was "mistakenly fired on" by the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, authorities said.
Pope Francis tells Vatican staff to stop gossiping in Christmas speech
Pope Francis has told Vatican bureaucrats to stop speaking ill of one another, calling gossip "an evil that destroys social life."
At least 38 dead after crash between a passenger bus and a truck in Brazil
In 2024, more than 10,000 people died in traffic accidents in Brazil, according to the Ministry of Transportation.
Entertainment
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Entertainment
"Christmas Dance" by Darren Criss
In this web exclusive, Darren Criss and the Young People's Chorus of New York City help "Sunday Morning" celebrate the holiday in a performance of Criss' "Christmas Dance."
Holiday music with Darren Criss: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
Darren Criss, the beloved star of television's "Glee," and the Broadway musical "Maybe Happy Ending," helps "Sunday Morning" celebrate Christmas with a performance of the Hugh Martin-Ralph Blane standard, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
Music with Darren Criss: "Happy Holidays/The Holiday Season"
Darren Criss (the beloved star of television's "Glee," and the Broadway musical "Maybe Happy Ending") and the Young People's Chorus of New York City help "Sunday Morning" celebrate Christmas with a performance of "Happy Holidays/The Holiday Season."
Darren Criss on counting his lucky stars
Darren Criss became a fan favorite on the hit TV series "Glee," and won an Emmy for "American Crime Story." Now he's starring in the acclaimed musical "Maybe Happy Ending." He talks about his road to Broadway, and his credo that "Life is a cabaret."
Darren Criss on "Maybe Happy Ending"
Darren Criss became a fan favorite on the hit TV series "Glee," and won an Emmy for "American Crime Story." Now he's starring in the acclaimed musical "Maybe Happy Ending." He talks with correspondent Kelefa Sanneh about his road to Broadway, his blessings and losses, and his credo that "Life is a cabaret."
Technology
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Why drone hysteria has taken off
Alleged drone sightings have been multiplying exponentially, with more than 5,000 reported in the past few weeks. But experts say the majority of reports about unusual lights in the sky are probably anything but drones.
Why drone hysteria has taken off
By most accounts, alleged drone sightings have been multiplying exponentially, with more than 5,000 reported in just the past few weeks. But experts say the majority of reports about unusual lights in the sky are probably anything but drones. Correspondent Tom Hanson reports.
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 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.
Science
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What to know about the winter solstice, 2024's shortest day
The 2024 winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, happens on Saturday, Dec. 21, and is marked with traditions and celebrations around the world.
Class-action lawsuit over plastic recycling
This week a group of plaintiffs in Missouri, Kansas, California and Florida filed a class-action lawsuit against dozens of companies and organizations, claiming they've falsely promoted how easy it is to recycle plastics. CBS News Los Angeles climatologist Marina Jurica has the details.
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.
Crime
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Who killed JonBenét Ramsey? Her dad believes DNA could reveal killer
A look back at how "48 Hours" covered the 1996 Christmastime murder of JonBenét Ramsey in 2002, and what her father John Ramsey says about the unsolved Colorado case nearly 28 years later.
Will convicted wife killer Scott Peterson get a new trial?
After California man's death sentence is overturned, there's a renewed push to clear him.
Several hurt after driver plows through Texas mall; suspect killed by police
The suspect drove through the doors of a JCPenny in Killeen, Texas, and continued inside for "several hundred yards," an official said.
CEO killing sparks concerns about extremism
Luigi Mangione, now held in a New York City lock-up, could face the death penalty if convicted of the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The killing is sparking new concerns about violent extremism bubbling across the country.
Dozens injured in Germany Christmas market attack
At least two people are dead and dozens more injured after a vehicle plowed into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany. Authorities say the driver of the car was arrested and that it appears to be a deliberate attack. Elaine Cobbe has details.
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.
Latest CBS News Videos
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Latest CBS News Videos
Biden's hostage envoy "stunned" by number of Assad prisons
Roger Carstens, the White House special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, speaks to "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" from Jordan after he traveled to Syria to seek information on Austin Tice. While in Syria, he said he was "stunned" by the number of prisons that were operating under the Assad regime, making it that much harder to find Tice.
Manchin: Senate will not "let the filibuster blow apart"
Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a former Democrat turned independent who is retiring in January, tells "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that despite the incoming Republican majority in the Senate, he believes both parties are "not going to let the filibuster blow apart." Manchin supports keeping the filibuster in place, despite having backed reconciliation for the Inflation Reduction Act, a key Biden administration bill.
Hill: GOP "united" behind Trump's border and energy agenda
GOP Rep. French Hill of Arkansas tells "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that despite 34 Republicans voting against Speaker Mike Johnson's own continuing resolution to fund the government, he believes his party in both Houses of Congress are "united" behind President-elect Donald Trump's border and energy agenda.
DHS Secretary: "Irresponsible politics" killed immigration solution
Biden administration Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tells "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that the White House turned to Congress for a solution to the immigration surge, but "looking back now in hindsight, in 2020 if we had known that irresponsible politics would have killed what was clearly a meritorious effort and a meritorious result, perhaps we would have taken executive action more rapidly."
Gonzales: "It feels as if Elon Musk is our prime minister"
Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas tells "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that the chaos that followed Elon Musk's intervention after a deal had been reached to avert a government shutdown makes it feel "as if Elon Musk is our prime minister," despite that Musk is not an elected official.