Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for secretary of defense, is in for an uphill battle to be confirmed for the role. CBS News political reporter Hunter Woodall has more on the process ahead for Hegseth. Source

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to be his attorney general after his original pick, Matt Gaetz, decided to withdraw from consideration due to strong pushback on Capitol Hill. CBS News political reporter Olivia Rinaldi has more on how the change in prospective nominees happened. Source

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. Source

Georgia’s top health official dismissed all members of a state committee that investigates pregnancy-related maternal deaths after the leak, presumably by a committee member, of information about two such deaths. Source

Leilani Simon was spared the maximum punishment of life without a chance of parole. Source

U.S. guns are fueling conflict in Latin America and the Caribbean. Source

London police said a “loud bang” heard near the U.S. Embassy was a controlled explosion carried out after a suspicious package was discovered. Source

The federal government put guardrails in place to limit unauthorized plan sign-ups and switches. But the changes could prove to be a burden to consumers. Source

The death toll has inched up after tourists drank tainted alcohol in the tourist town of Vang Vieng, Laos. Authorities say several people are in custody. Source

The U.S. Department of Justice filed charges in what could be the nation’s first death-resulting criminal case involving a synthetic opioid that is possibly more dangerous than fentanyl. Source