Fall foliage colors muted in several regions due to drought
Leaf-peeping season has arrived in the Northeast and beyond, but weeks of drought have dulled this year's autumn colors and sent leaves fluttering to the ground earlier than usual.
Drought
Researchers search for new sources of fresh water
Researchers are searching for fresh water in a place you would never expect it, by drilling hundreds of feet below the seafloor in the North Atlantic off the coast of Massachusetts. Dave Malkoff explains.
Stark findings on recent droughts
Over the past two years, Earth has endured some of the most widespread and destructive droughts ever recorded, according to a new analysis by the U.S. National Drought Mitigation Center and the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification. Mark Svoboda, director and professor at the center, joins "The Daily Report" to discuss.
Either flooding or drought threaten most world heritage sites, U.N. says
From Yellowstone to the Garden of Eden, almost 75% of the world's heritage sites at risk of drought or flooding, U.N. warns.
How drought is impacting giant sequoia trees
In our Eye on Earth series, we are walking among giants: ancient trees. The huge sequoia groves of California draw millions of tourists a year, but these forests are more than photo opportunities. They are longtime warriors in the battle against climate change. Jonathan Vigliotti reports.
Eye on America: Small business issues
In Louisiana, we learn how a devastating drought has greatly diminished the area’s crawfish supply. Then in Ohio, we tour a small business that’s seeing promising results from a four-day work week model. Watch these stories and more on Eye on America with host Michelle Miller.
Eye on America: A labor shortage and more
We visit a New York City construction site where women are filling in the gaps of a labor shortage. And we see first-hand how scientists in California and Utah are using beavers to help create wetlands in a dry zone. Watch these stories and more on "Eye on America" with host Michelle Miller.
Eye on America: Innovative ranchers and more
Prolonged drought conditions in California are having profound impacts on cattle ranchers, but we introduce you to two cattlemen who are turning adversity into ingenuity. We also take a closer look at a vital program in Maryland that's helping young people connect with nature amid pandemic lockdowns. Watch these stories and more on "Eye on America" with host Michelle Miller.
Extreme weather impacts the California fires
High winds intersecting with historic drought levels are contributing to the dangerous conditions that sparked the multiple fires raging in the Los Angeles area. Dr. Helen Holmlund, an assistant professor of biology at Pepperdine University, joins CBS News with more on the extreme conditions.
Scientists say people hit with 41 extra days of dangerous heat this year
Researchers say human-caused climate change dealt people an average of nearly six weeks of extra extreme heat in 2024, while also fueling more destructive storms.
U.N. talks fail to reach agreement regarding increased risks of global drought
The biennial talks, known as COP 16, attempted to create strong global mandates to legally bind and require nations to fund early warning systems and build resilient infrastructure in poorer countries.
How severe weather could impact Christmas trees
Twenty to 30 million Christmas trees are sold every year, but droughts and wildfires have taken a toll. Lauren Pozen reports on how severe weather could impact the supply of live trees.
New Jersey farmers struggle amid drought conditions
Before temperatures dip to single digits, the cranberry bogs at the Lee Brothers Cranberry Farm will have to be flooded to keep the fragile buds from drying out.
New Jersey farmers face uncertainty amid drought
Before temperatures dip to single digits, the cranberry bogs at the Lee Brothers Cranberry Farm in South Jersey will have to be flooded to keep the fragile buds from drying out amid unprecedented drought conditions. Elaine Quijano explains.
Officials: Fire risk still high in Northeast
The Jennings Creek wildfire that's burned for 10 days along the New York-New Jersey border is now mostly contained, but conditions are still primed for fire in the Northeast. CBS News New York reporter Christina Fan has more.
New Jersey emergency drought warning
A fire is burning along the New Jersey-New York border as an emergency drought warning emerges. CBS News' Tom Hanson has the latest.
Maps show drought and fire conditions in Northeast states
Parts of the East Coast are under drought conditions and red flag warnings, from Massachusetts to the northern edge of Virginia and West Virginia.
Weather changes leave Greek town's waterways carpeted in dead fish
Officials in Volos, Greece, say the "strong stench along the seafront" from millions of dead fish is killing business.
Drought-stricken Namibia authorizes culling of elephants, hippos for meat
Namibia will cull more than 700 animals, including elephants, zebras and hippos, and distribute the meat to people impacted by severe drought in the southern African country.
The Climate Election: Grocery inflation explained
$15 for a pound of coffee? Groceries have been particularly expensive lately with inflation helping drive up the cost of nutritional staples 25% since 2019. But there's a root problem with the surge in grocery costs that's attacking food right at the source. CBS Los Angeles meteorologist Marina Jurica explains what to know about the rising costs of groceries as we get closer to Election Day and what Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have planned to address it.
New study estimates 47,000 heat-related deaths in Europe last year
Researchers say this is the second-highest heat related mortality burden in the last decade, following 2022 when an estimated 60,000 people in Europe died due to heat.
Movement races to preserve fertile land
About 52% of the earth's agricultural land is already in an infertile state, according to the Save Soil movement, citing data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. If the current trend holds, 95% of the earth could be degraded by 2050. Martin Frick, director of the World Food Program's global office in Berlin, joins to discuss what's at stake.
New drought maps show Minnesota's severely dry conditions are over
Since the end of April, Minnesota has managed to pick up at least another 2 inches of rain where it's really needed — in far southern, central and northwestern areas of the state.
Poll: Big majority of Americans favor taking steps to reduce climate change
People who have experienced extreme weather are especially likely to say climate change needs to be addressed right away.
What's fueling Mexico City's water crisis?
Mexico City, one of the world's most populated cities with nearly 22 million people, could run out of water in months. Florencia Gonzalez Guerra, an investigative video journalist, joins CBS News to examine the causes behind the crisis.
ICE officer shoots man in leg in Minneapolis after shovel attack, officials say
The shooting Wednesday night in north Minneapolis came after ICE officers were attacked by men with shovels during an arrest operation, three U.S. officials told CBS News.
4 space station crewmates back on Earth after medical issue cut mission short
Crew 11 is splashed down off the coast of Southern California at 3:41 a.m. ET, closing out a 167-day stay in space.
Iran officials deny detained shopkeeper Erfan Soltani facing execution
Iranian shopkeeper Erfan Soltani is among thousands of people who were feared to be facing death sentences, but after a warning from Trump, officials claim he never was.
Senate GOP kills war powers effort to limit Trump on Venezuela, with Vance breaking tie
Two Republicans switched their votes after pressure from the White House.
Trump administration investigates 5 Democrats over their video to troops
Five congressional Democrats say they have received inquiries from the DOJ after they appeared in a video urging members of the military not to follow "illegal orders" — a move the lawmakers allege is political intimidation.
What to know about Havana Syndrome and a device that might be linked to it
Years after the first reports of Havana Syndrome emerged, U.S. officials have obtained and are testing a device that could be linked to the debilitating condition.
Exclusive
ICE agent who shot Renee Good suffered internal bleeding, officials say
Jonathan Ross, who shot Renee Good in Minneapolis last week, suffered internal bleeding after the incident, two officials said, though it's not clear how extensive the bleeding was.
U.S. completes first sale of Venezuelan oil, valued at $500 million
The Trump administration has not yet disclosed many details about the deal.
Trump administration to suspend immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries
The State Department announced it will stop giving out visas to nationals of dozens of countries who are seeking to move to the U.S. permanently.
U.S.
More U.S.
Part that broke in UPS cargo plane crash had failed 4 other times, NTSB says
Boeing warned plane owners in 2011 about a broken part that contributed to last year's UPS cargo plane crash that killed 15 people, but at that time the plane manufacturer didn't believe it threatened safety, the NTSB said.
Newsom blocks Louisiana from extraditing doctor accused of mailing abortion pills
California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he is blocking Louisiana's effort to extradite a California doctor accused of mailing abortion pills out of state.
Trump signs bill allowing whole milk to return to school lunches
Whole milk is heading back to school lunch cafeterias.
ICE officer shoots man in leg in Minneapolis after shovel attack, officials say
A shooting occurred Wednesday night in north Minneapolis after ICE officers were attacked by men with shovels during an arrest operation, three U.S. officials told CBS News.
Chicago mayor explains how he's tackling the city's life expectancy gap
In 2023, life expectancy in the Loop was 87.3 years, while in West Garfield Park, life expectancy was just 66.6 years, according to the city's Health Department.
MoneyWatch
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Bilt offers credit cards with 10% APR after Trump proposes interest cap
FIntech company Bilt pounced on the opportunity to roll out low-APR credi cards, as big banks push back on proposed rate cap.
Apple, Google face pressure to remove X and Grok from their app stores
Grok faces mounting scrutiny from government officials and advocacy groups after people used the AI chatbot to create sexualized images of minors and women.
Verizon says outage resolved after customers lost service for hours
A Verizon spokesperson told CBS News that an outage that customers reported beginning around noon Eastern Time had been resolved.
ChatGPT served as "suicide coach" in man's death, lawsuit alleges
Mother of Colorado man who committed suicide in 2025 alleges that OpenAI's AI chatbot told him death was a "beautiful place."
Chew on this: U.S. food prices are still up 19% since 2022
Food prices in December saw their biggest jump in more than three years, data shows, while the cost of eating out has also risen.
Politics
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ICE officer shoots man in leg in Minneapolis after shovel attack, officials say
A shooting occurred Wednesday night in north Minneapolis after ICE officers were attacked by men with shovels during an arrest operation, three U.S. officials told CBS News.
Chicago mayor explains how he's tackling the city's life expectancy gap
In 2023, life expectancy in the Loop was 87.3 years, while in West Garfield Park, life expectancy was just 66.6 years, according to the city's Health Department.
Trump administration investigates 5 Democrats over their video to troops
Five congressional Democrats say they have received inquiries from the DOJ after they appeared in a video urging members of the military not to follow "illegal orders" — a move the lawmakers allege is political intimidation.
What to know about Havana Syndrome and a device that might be linked to it
Years after the first reports of Havana Syndrome emerged, U.S. officials have obtained and are testing a device that could be linked to the debilitating condition.
Trump administration to suspend immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries
The State Department announced it will stop giving out visas to nationals of dozens of countries who are seeking to move to the U.S. permanently.
HealthWatch
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Chicago mayor explains how he's tackling the city's life expectancy gap
In 2023, life expectancy in the Loop was 87.3 years, while in West Garfield Park, life expectancy was just 66.6 years, according to the city's Health Department.
Recalled "super greens" supplement linked to dozens of salmonella cases, CDC says
Illnesses linked to the New York-based Live it Up Super Greens brand powder were reported in 21 states from Aug. 22 to Dec. 30, 2025.
Trump administration said to reverse cuts in mental health, addiction programs
The Trump administration said to to have suddenly reversed slashes in grants for mental health and addiction treatment programs that a CBS News source said were valued at around $1.9 billion.
Wide variation found in funding for states' rural health proposals
Every state will receive at least $100 million annually from the federal Rural Health Transformation fund, but some scored millions more based on their plans and willingness to pass policies embracing MAHA initiatives.
ACA enrollment sinks sharply as coverage costs soar in 2026
Roughly 1.4 million fewer Americans have signed up for an Affordable Care Act plan as expiring tax breaks drive up premiums.
World
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What to know about Havana Syndrome and a device that might be linked to it
Years after the first reports of Havana Syndrome emerged, U.S. officials have obtained and are testing a device that could be linked to the debilitating condition.
Iranian mom searched morgue, sifting through hundreds of bodies, to find her daughter
Rubina Aminian's mother forced her way into a morgue in search of her daughter, who her family says was shot in the head at close range.
Trump says "killing in Iran is stopping," with "no plan for executions"
Potentially thousands have died from the crackdown to quash unrest amid protests.
U.S. says it's moving into next phase of Gaza peace plan, warns Hamas
Steve Witkoff said the U.S. expects Hamas to immediately return the final deceased hostage as part of its obligations under the deal.
Trump told Iranians help is coming, so what might it look like?
Experts tell CBS News what sort of options President Trump has to respond to Iran's brutal crackdown on protesters.
Entertainment
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Actor Timothy Busfield held without bond in New Mexico child sex abuse case
Another allegation against Busfield was reported to law enforcement the same day he turned himself in, according to a court filing.
Stars of "Sinners" talk about movie
"Sinners" stars Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton and Wunmi Mosaku talk to "CBS Mornings" about the movie's recent success at the Golden Globes, the atmosphere on set and what they learned through the process.
Ali Larter talks what's ahead in "Landman"
Actor Ali Larter plays Angela Harris, the ex-wife of an oilman played by Billy Bob Thornton in the Paramount+ series "Landman." She talks to "CBS Mornings" about the series, working with Thornton and how she landed her role.
Actor Timothy Busfield turns himself in following child sex abuse allegations
In a video provided to TMZ on Tuesday, Timothy Busfield said the allegations "are all lies."
François Arnaud on "Heated Rivalry" series
Francois Arnaud joins "CBS Mornings" to talk about the popular series "Heated Rivalry," based on the "Game Changers" book series. It follows rising hockey stars Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. What begins as a fling between two rivals turns into a yearslong journey of love, denial and self discovery. Arnaud plays Scott Hunter, a closeted gay professional hockey player in the same league who has fallen in love with a smoothie shop worker. He talks about the message in the series and how it developed into a hit show.
Technology
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Technology
Details on Verizon cell phone outage
A widespread Verizon outage hit the U.S. on Wednesday, leaving thousands of customers without service. CBS News' Karen Hua has more.
Apple, Google face pressure to remove X and Grok from their app stores
Grok faces mounting scrutiny from government officials and advocacy groups after people used the AI chatbot to create sexualized images of minors and women.
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.
ChatGPT served as "suicide coach" in man's death, lawsuit alleges
Mother of Colorado man who committed suicide in 2025 alleges that OpenAI's AI chatbot told him death was a "beautiful place."
"Are You Dead," viral Chinese app, changing its name
The Chinese mobile app "Are You Dead?" which sounds an alarm if a user doesn't check in every 48 hours, says it will drop its catchy name after it drew international media attention.
Science
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Fossils found in cave shed light on where our species emerged
Fossilized bones and teeth dating to 773,000 years ago are providing a deeper understanding of the emergence of Homo sapiens.
The history and mystery of kissing
If you rang in the new year with a kiss, you took part in a tradition millions of years in the making. Scientists now say the origins of kissing go back much farther than most think. CBS News' Tina Kraus has more.
2025 was so hot it pushed Earth past critical climate change mark
2025 was the third hottest year on record and pushed Earth past a critical climate change mark, scientists say.
Major climate research center on Trump administration chopping block
The Trump administration intends to dismantle one of the world's leading climate research institutions, in Boulder, Colorado, over what it said were concerns about "climate alarmism."
Researchers capture video of rare polar bear adoption
The footage of a bear caring for an adopted cub was captured during the annual polar bear migration along the Western Hudson Bay in Churchill, Manitoba.
Crime
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Au pair testifies ex-lover plotted murders of wife and stranger
Juliana Peres Magalhães testified that she turned against her former lover in a double homicide scheme involving his wife because she "wanted the truth to come out."
ICE officer shoots man in leg in Minneapolis after shovel attack, officials say
A shooting occurred Wednesday night in north Minneapolis after ICE officers were attacked by men with shovels during an arrest operation, three U.S. officials told CBS News.
Actor Timothy Busfield held without bond in New Mexico child sex abuse case
Another allegation against Busfield was reported to law enforcement the same day he turned himself in, according to a court filing.
Indicted Virginia coach still missing
The search continues in Virginia for a high school football coach charged with possessing child sexual assault material and using a computer to solicit a minor. CBS News breaking news correspondent Shanelle Kaul has the latest.
Au pair testifies in man's murder trial
A trial is underway in northern Virginia for a man accused of plotting his wife's murder with help from his affair partner - the family's au pair. The former au pair was the first witness called to testify against Brendan Banfield. Jericka Duncan reports on the case.
Space
More Space
4 space station crewmates back on Earth after medical issue cut mission short
Four space station Crew 11 fliers splashed down off the Southern California coast at 3:41 a.m. ET, closing out a 167-day stay in space cut short by a medical issue.
Former NASA astronaut on ISS undocking
The members of SpaceX Crew-11 undocked from the International Space Station on Wednesday, beginning their journey back to Earth. The crew is leaving a month early after NASA announced that an unnamed team member experienced an undisclosed "medical concern." Clayton Anderson, a former NASA astronaut who spent time on the ISS, joins "The Daily Report" to discuss.
ISS astronauts prepare for early return
Crew-11 is preparing for an unprecedented early return to Earth over concerns for an astronaut's medical condition aboard the International Space Station. Mike Massimino, a former NASA astronaut and engineering professor at Columbia University, joins with more.
Former astronaut on ISS crew coming home early
Four members of Crew-11 are preparing to return to Earth from the International Space Station later this week after a "medical concern" prompted NASA to cancel a scheduled spacewalk. Former astronaut Dr. Scott Parazynski joins with his reaction.
Space station changes command, setting stage for Crew 11 departure
Outgoing space station commander Mike Fincke, a member of the returning Crew 11, turned the station over to cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, saying the combined crew had developed deep friendships.
Latest Galleries
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Notable Deaths in 2025
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Evidence in the Barbara Kendhammer case
Does the evidence show a cover-up, or was Todd Kendhammer wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife?
The life & near death of prizefighter Christy Salters-Martin
Christy Salters-Martin dominated in the boxing ring but faced her toughest challenger at home.
Timeline: The disappearance of George Smith
Family seeks answers in death of newlywed who disappeared in 2005 while on Mediterranean honeymoon cruise.
Who is Alix Tichelman?
Meet the tattooed beauty charged in the death of Google executive Forrest Hayes.
Latest CBS News Videos
More Latest CBS News Videos
Latest CBS News Videos
Officials: Federal officer shoots man in leg
The Department of Homeland Security says a federal law enforcement officer shot a person in the leg on Wednesday night during an immigration operation in Minneapolis. Minnesota officials provided an update. Jessi Mitchell anchors this Special Report.
Details on Verizon cell phone outage
A widespread Verizon outage hit the U.S. on Wednesday, leaving thousands of customers without service. CBS News' Karen Hua has more.
Judge weighs law banning masks for ICE agents
Legal representation for the state of California and the federal government were in court on Wednesday over the Golden State's new law that bans federal agents from wearing face coverings during operations. CBS News correspondent Nidia Cavazos reports.
Next steps in Iran after Trump says killing stopped
President Trump says his administration has been notified that the killings and executions of anti-government protesters in Iran have stopped. CBS News Middle East reporter Courtney Kealy has more.
Chicago believes again as the Bears catch fire
It's a long winter in Chicago when the Bears are bad, but walk into any bar in the city, especially after last week's comeback win over the Packers, and the winter is gone. Tony Dokoupil has details.