12/17: CBS Evening News
Largest wildfire in California history rages on; new warning for voice-activated digital assistants.
Google Home
Popular tech buys
Digital voice assistants like the Amazon Echo or Google Home were some of this holiday's top-sellers. The Nintendo Switch video game console sold more than 10 million units after this year's launch. CNET's Dan Ackerman joins "CBS This Morning" to discuss popular tech buys and what to expect in 2018.
Are digital assistants spying?
An organization called Consumer Watchdog says in the future, you may want to watch what you say around voice-activated assistants sold by Google and Amazon. The group says patent applications reveal the smart devices may one day record your conversations, to sell you things. Jamie Yuccas reports.
Smart home assistants listening
Digital assistants by Amazon and Google are listening – possibly even when you think they aren't. A consumer watchdog organization studied patent filings for both companies and found Alexa and her high-tech counterpart Google Home could start recording more information than you realize. Jamie Yuccas reports.
Smart home gifts
Smart home devices have become some of the most popular tech products on the market this year. Lindsey Turrentine, editor-in-chief of CNET.com, joins CBSN to discuss the top products that can change your living experience.
Smart home devices
People have fallen in love with smart home speakers like Amazon's Echo and Google Home, but this technology can also raise privacy and security concerns that could expose personal data. CNET reporter Alfred Ng joins CBSN to discuss what people should consider before purchasing one of these devices.
Privacy concerns smart toys
Some of the hottest buys these days are internet-connected devices, like the Amazon Echo and Google Home. They use voice recognition technology to answer users' questions. But how much of what you ask is stored or shared by tech companies? A consumer protection group is also asking major toy stores to discontinue sales of My Friend Cayla, an internet-connected doll, alleging the doll poses a threat to children. CNET senior editor Scott Stein joins "CBS This Morning" to discuss the privacy concerns.
Google Home virtual assistant
"CBS This Morning" has a first look at the new voice-activated speaker, Google Home. The worldwide market for smart home speakers is expected to top $2 billion by 2020, which is nearly a 500 percent increase from 2015. Google is jumping into that market with its product. CNET News editor-in-chief Connie Guglielmo joins "CBS This Morning" to discuss how it compares to the Amazon's Echo.
From Amazon Echo to Google Home, the biggest technology companies are betting big on virtual assistants powered by artificial intelligence
From Amazon Echo to Google Home, the biggest technology companies are betting big on virtual assistants powered by artificial intelligence. Google CEO Sundar Pichai predicts "we will move from mobile-first to an AI-first world." NewYorker.com editor and CBS News contributor Nicholas Thompson joins "CBS This Morning" to discuss the emerging technology.
Google Assistant's human workers listen to customer recordings
Contractors at Google regularly listen and review some recordings of what people say to their Google Assistant
Macaulay Culkin is "Home Alone" again in new ad
"You have the house to yourself," Google Assistant tells a grown-up Kevin McCallister, 28 years after he was first left home alone
Amazon, Google patent applications hint at devices listening more
Information obtained could be used to identify a person's desires or interests
Roku to launch voice-controlled digital assistant
Streaming video company faces tough competition in segment dominated by Amazon, Apple and Google
Are smart home assistants listening more than you realize?
A consumer watchdog organization reveals what patent filings for both companies show
Possibly lifesaving 911 call sparks mystery for police
Authorities can't explain how call credited with alerting police to domestic violence situation went through
How secure are your "smart home" speakers?
Here’s what the Apple HomePod, Amazon Echo and Google Home offer in terms of privacy
Burger King makes a whopper of a mess with Google Home ad
The ad urged people to ask Google for the Whopper's Wikipedia entry, but wags added unflattering entries
Siri and Alexa's future: Health and emotional support?
Ahead of CES 2017, experts weigh the potential of giving voice assistants more health awareness
How "smart devices" could compromise your privacy
CNET senior editor Scott Stein explains how internet-connected devices like Amazon's Echo, Google Home – and even a child's doll – could be spying on you
Virginia voters approve new congressional map favoring Democrats, CBS News projects
Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a new congressional map that would give Democrats an advantage in 10 House districts, leaving just one safe Republican seat, CBS News projects.
Live
Trump extends ceasefire as uncertainty over U.S.-Iran peace talks remains
With a two-week ceasefire set to expire and Iran balking at the resumption of peace talks, President Trump said he would be extending the deadline to allow for Iran to "come up with a unified proposal."
Exclusive
Parents of slain Loyola student Sheridan Gorman say, "We've got to make changes"
Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old Loyola freshman, was shot and killed in Chicago last month and an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela is under arrest.
DOJ charges Southern Poverty Law Center with fraud
A federal grand jury indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center on wire and bank fraud-related charges on Tuesday, the Justice Department says, accusing it of paying members of extremist groups as part of its efforts to investigate them.
Cherfilus-McCormick resigns from Congress before hearing on sanctions
The Florida Democrat stepped down shortly before a House Ethics Committee hearing to determine whether she should be punished.
Lawmakers demand answers at hearing on hospice fraud
Congress asks experts, advocates and victims how to combat hospice fraud, after a CBS News investigation uncovered widespread signs of potential fraud in California.
Court upholds Texas law requiring Ten Commandments in classrooms
Appeals court upholds Texas' Ten Commandments classroom law, but critics say the fight isn't over.
FBI investigating deaths, disappearances of staff at government labs
The disappearances and deaths of 10 government workers tied to nuclear or space technology have sparked speculation online. President Trump said the cases are "hopefully, coincidence."
Will gas dip below $3 a gallon this year? Here's what experts think.
It could take months for U.S. gas prices to recede to their level before the outbreak of war in Iran, economists and energy experts say.
U.S.
More U.S.
Duffy on AI replacing air traffic controllers: "That's not gonna happen"
"Am I gonna replace a controller and have AI manage the airspace? The answer to that is hell no, that's not gonna happen," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told CBS News.
Exclusive
Parents of slain Loyola student Sheridan Gorman say, "We've got to make changes"
Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old Loyola freshman, was shot and killed in Chicago last month and an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela is under arrest.
Louisiana shooting exposes "dangerous gaps" in domestic violence, gun laws
After the mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, advocates are urging policymakers to reform domestic violence and gun control legislation.
Contract reveals fundraising deal for Trump's East Wing overhaul
The agreement, which was signed this fall, ensures donor anonymity, establishes a fee structure and institutes a ban on foreign contributions.
Florida opens criminal probe over ChatGPT's alleged role in FSU shooting
Attorney General James Uthmeier said his office launched a criminal investigation into OpenAI after reviewing conversation logs between ChatGPT and a Florida State University student accused of killing two people last year.
MoneyWatch
More MoneyWatch
Meta failed to protect social media users from scam ads, lawsuit alleges
The Consumer Federation of America accused Meta of allowing scam advertisements to "proliferate on its platforms."
UPS, FedEx and DHL file for tariff refunds. What it means for consumers.
Shippers have pledged to share refunds with customers who paid tariffs once the government issues refunds.
Will gas dip below $3 a gallon this year? Here's what experts think.
It could take months for U.S. gas prices to recede to their level before the outbreak of war in Iran, economists and energy experts say.
Kevin Warsh testifies that the Fed will remain "strictly independent"
Warsh, nominated by President Trump to replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell, also said he'll work with the White House on some matters.
Who will run the Federal Reserve if the Senate doesn't confirm Trump's pick?
President Trump is fighting to reshape the Federal Reserve by replacing Chair Jerome Powell with Kevin Warsh — but if the Senate doesn't confirm Warsh by next month, it's not clear who will run the nation's central bank.
Politics
More Politics
Virginia voters approve new congressional map favoring Democrats, CBS News projects
Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a new congressional map that would give Democrats an advantage in 10 House districts, leaving just one safe Republican seat, CBS News projects.
Duffy on AI replacing air traffic controllers: "That's not gonna happen"
"Am I gonna replace a controller and have AI manage the airspace? The answer to that is hell no, that's not gonna happen," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told CBS News.
Contract reveals fundraising deal for Trump's East Wing overhaul
The agreement, which was signed this fall, ensures donor anonymity, establishes a fee structure and institutes a ban on foreign contributions.
Lawmakers demand answers at hearing on hospice fraud
Congress asks experts, advocates and victims how to combat hospice fraud, after a CBS News investigation uncovered widespread signs of potential fraud in California.
Trump extends ceasefire in Iran indefinitely
President Trump said he's extending the ceasefire until Iran has submitted a proposal in talks with the U.S. "and discussions are concluded."
HealthWatch
More HealthWatch
Food stamp work rules don't increase employment, researchers say
Work requirements will encourage people who are able to work to seek and maintain jobs, proponents say. But researchers haven't found that they lower the unemployment rate.
New CDC pick may face "threat to follow ideology over evidence," ex-official says
Former Trump Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams described Dr. Erica Schwartz as a "home run pick."
Trump signs executive order to research psychedelics for mental health
The order will open the door for more research into psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine, sources told CBS News earlier this week.
Mom's labor turns into fight for life after 1 symptom: "I think I'm about to die"
Casey Gould wanted to be a mom her whole life. Her long-awaited pregnancy went smoothly — until she saw something alarming.
Dr. Erica Schwartz nominated for CDC director
President Trump nominated a new director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday. Dr. Erica Schwartz is a former deputy surgeon general and retired Coast Guard rear admiral.
World
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Trump says U.K.'s Starmer can "recover" as Epstein scandal hits him again
Trump says British leader Keir Starmer has "time to recover" from the latest scandal over his decision to tap an Epstein associate as his U.S. ambassador.
Iran war shows "era of fossil fuel security is over," says U.K energy secretary
President Trump recently encouraged the U.K. to "drill baby, drill" in the oil-rich North Sea.
NATO intercepts Russian bombers and fighter jets over Baltic Sea
The Russian mission included two supersonic Tu-22M3s, as well as about 10 fighters, the French detachment said.
Mass murder trial in El Salvador for almost 500 alleged MS-13 members
Nearly 500 alleged MS-13 members, including several alleged leaders, are on trial collectively in El Salvador, accused of thousands of murders.
Live
Trump extends ceasefire as uncertainty over U.S.-Iran peace talks remains
With a two-week ceasefire set to expire and Iran balking at the resumption of peace talks, President Trump said he would be extending the deadline to allow for Iran to "come up with a unified proposal."
Entertainment
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Entertainment
Vinyl record sales continue resurgence
New data shows interest in vinyl records is only getting stronger, with social media and and special releases from artists like Taylor Swift helping drive the trend. Jarred Hill has more.
Opening statements in Weinstein rape retrial
Opening statements have concluded in Harvey Weinstein's New York rape retrial. CBS News' Jericka Duncan has more.
D4vd charged with murder in14-year-old's death
Singer D4vd appeared in court Monday, hours after prosecutors announced he would be charged with first-degree murder in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Matt Gutman reports.
Details on charges against D4vd in teen's death
Los Angeles prosecutors on Monday charged singer D4vd in the murder of a 14-year-old girl whose dismembered body was found in his car last year. CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman has the details.
What to know on the "Matlock" season finale
"Matlock" stars Skye P. Marshall and Jason Ritter join CBS News with more clues ahead of the show's season finale.
Technology
More Technology
Duffy on AI replacing air traffic controllers: "That's not gonna happen"
"Am I gonna replace a controller and have AI manage the airspace? The answer to that is hell no, that's not gonna happen," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told CBS News.
John Ternus to become Apple CEO
Tim Cook announced he would be stepping down as Apple CEO on Monday. Jo Ling Kent reports on John Ternus, the mechanical engineer preparing to take the wheel.
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.
Where does Apple go after Tim Cook?
Apple CEO Tim Cook will step down in September after 15 years at the helm of the company. CBS Sunday Morning correspondent David Pogue joins to discuss Cook's legacy and where Apple's future could lead.
Florida opens criminal probe over ChatGPT's alleged role in FSU shooting
Attorney General James Uthmeier said his office launched a criminal investigation into OpenAI after reviewing conversation logs between ChatGPT and a Florida State University student accused of killing two people last year.
Science
More Science
Mars rover carries out chemistry experiment never done beyond Earth
"This experiment's never been run before on another world," said Amy Williams, an astrobiologist working on the Curiosity mission.
Cementing a more sustainable alternative to concrete
The process of making 30 billion tons of concrete every year produces more carbon pollution than all the world's ships and planes put together. Now, the North Carolina and Denmark-based Biomason is using biotechnology, including naturally-occurring microbes, to create "biocement" that's just as sturdy but emits much less CO2. David Pogue reports.
Breeding a better bread
Over the past century, the cultivation and processing of wheat has led to strains of grain that are less nutritious, less flavorful, and more vulnerable to climate change. The researchers at Breadlab, at Washington State University, are trying to breed varieties of whole grains that are better for farmers, consumers – and taste buds. David Pogue reports.
Using the ocean to power data centers
The renewable energy company Panthalassa says it has a solution to the proliferation of AI data centers, which consume massive amounts of energy and are the cause of increased carbon pollution: sea-based data centers, powered by wave energy.
Using the ocean to power data centers
The renewable energy company Panthalassa says it has a solution to the proliferation of AI data centers, which consume massive amounts of energy and are the cause of increased carbon pollution: sea-based data centers, powered by wave energy. Correspondent David Pogue examines what Panthalassa's alternative to land-based data centers may mean.
Crime
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Crime
DOJ charges Southern Poverty Law Center with fraud
The Justice Department on Tuesday announced fraud charges against the Southern Poverty Law Center over its nonprofit investigations into extremist groups. CBS News justice reporter Jake Rosen has the details.
New details about Mexican pyramid shooting
Mexican authorities say a gunman atop the Pyramid of the Moon, one of Mexico's most popular archaeological sites, shot at tourists and taunted first responders on Monday. CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman reports on the new details.
Louisiana shooting exposes "dangerous gaps" in domestic violence, gun laws
After the mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, advocates are urging policymakers to reform domestic violence and gun control legislation.
FBI investigating missing staff at labs
The FBI is investigating possible connections in the cases of 10 missing or dead scientists and staff who worked at sensitive nuclear or space technology laboratories. CBS News' Anna Schecter reports.
Florida opens criminal probe over ChatGPT's alleged role in FSU shooting
Attorney General James Uthmeier said his office launched a criminal investigation into OpenAI after reviewing conversation logs between ChatGPT and a Florida State University student accused of killing two people last year.
Space
More Space
Mars rover carries out chemistry experiment never done beyond Earth
"This experiment's never been run before on another world," said Amy Williams, an astrobiologist working on the Curiosity mission.
Blue Origin New Glenn rocket puts satellite payload into wrong orbit
The launching appeared to go off without a hitch, but a problem prevented the rocket's upper stage from putting its payload into the correct orbit.
Artemis II crew on historic moon mission and what it means for Earth
"We are carrying back everything we learned, not only about where we went but ourselves," mission specialist Christina Koch told "CBS Evening News" anchor Tony Dokoupil.
Artemis II astronauts still awed by moonshot experience: "It was otherworldly"
The four Artemis II astronauts struggled to describe the view and overall experience of flying around the moon's far side and witnessing a solar eclipse in deep space.
"God of chaos" asteroid will pass close to Earth in 3 years, NASA says
People on the ground in the Eastern Hemisphere will be able to observe the asteroid with their own eyes, weather permitting, according to NASA.
Latest Galleries
More Latest Galleries
Notable Deaths in 2026
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
Lawmakers on Cherfilus-McCormick resignation
Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned on Tuesday, minutes before her House Ethics hearing to determine whether she should be sanctioned for allegations of theft and other misconduct. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill shared their reaction.
Vinyl record sales continue resurgence
New data shows interest in vinyl records is only getting stronger, with social media and and special releases from artists like Taylor Swift helping drive the trend. Jarred Hill has more.
Starting over with a divorce gift registry
Gift registries are common for baby showers and weddings, but now people are turning to them for one of life's toughest moments. Evyn Moon looks at the growing trend of divorce registries.
2026 expected to be bad year for ticks
The 2026 outlook for ticks shows cases of Lyme disease are expected to rise and the CDC is reporting the most weekly emergency room visits for tick bites, for this time of year, in at least a decade. Bradley Blackburn has more on how you can protect yourself.
What is "nuclear dust"?
Over the past several days, President Trump has made multiple statements on the U.S. goal to seize Iran's "nuclear dust." "The Daily Report" dives into what the president means by "nuclear dust" and how much Iran has. Will Todman, the chief of staff of the Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department at CSIS, has more analysis.