This week on "Sunday Morning" (Jan. 4)
- - This week on "Sunday Morning" (Jan. 4)
David MorganJanuary 3, 2026 at 12:38 AM
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The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. "Sunday Morning" also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.)
Guest host: Lee Cowan
The first rebuilt home in Pacific Palisades, Calif., to have received a certificate of occupancy after the previous structure on Kagawa Street was destroyed by the Palisades Fire, Nov. 21, 2025. / Credit: Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
COVER STORY: One year after Calif. wildfires, progress is slow in rebuildingA year after wildfires decimated much of Pacific Palisades and Altadena, California, construction has begun on around 500 of the more than 16,000 structures lost. Jonathan Vigliotti talks with some of the residents, business owners and officials navigating the complex web of permits, insurance payouts, rising construction costs, and stalled federal aid that is slowing the path to rebuilding a better and safer community.
For more info:
Betsy, Altadena, Calif. Los Angeles County Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn BargerKaren Martinez (palisadesfirerebuild) on Instagram:
ALMANAC: January 4"Sunday Morning" looks back at historical events on this date.
New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, May 31, 1941. / Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
U.S.: How Mayor Fiorello La Guardia made New York the greatest city in the worldAfter he took office in the middle of the Great Depression, New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia reshaped the city through massive public works projects (like housing, bridges, schools and hospitals) while championing immigrants and the working class. Mo Rocca talks with historian Kenneth T. Jackson about how La Guardia – a 5'2" bundle of dynamite and inveterate PR hound – changed the role that government plays in people's lives, and became the mayor that made New York great.
For more info:
Kenneth T. Jackson, professor emeritus of history, Columbia University"The Encyclopedia of New York City (Second Edition)," edited by Kenneth T. Jackson (Yale University Press), in Hardcover and eBook formats, available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.orgNew York City CenterLa Guardia and Wagner Archives, CUNY
WORLD: Look ahead to 2026: Prospects for peace in UkraineLast February, American policy on Ukraine took an unexpectedly sharp turn after President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly criticized Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House when the Ukrainian president pressed for continued U.S. support against the Russian invasion. As Putin's assault continues, Holly Williams reports on the progress of peace talks, and the war's impact on Ukrainians.
Filming the HBO Max medical drama
TV: Behind the scenes of "The Pitt"The Emmy-winning HBO Max drama "The Pitt" immerses viewers in the hour-by-hour struggles faced by the overworked-yet-superhuman emergency room staff at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook visits the series' hyper-realistic set at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, Calif. (where cast members undergo a two-week medical boot camp), and talks with star, writer, director and executive producer Noah Wylie about why the former "ER" actor returned to the medical drama genre.
WATCH A PREVIEW: Dr. Jon LaPook on "The Pitt" (Video)
To watch a trailer for Season 2 of "The Pitt" click on the video player below:
For more info:
Season 2 of "The Pitt" begins streaming January 8 on HBO MaxNoah Wylie on Instagram
PASSAGE: In memoriam"Sunday Morning" remembers some of the notable figures who left us this week.
U.S.: Look ahead to 2026 - Shifting views of WashingtonAs America enters its 250th year since declaring independence, longtime political journalist Dan Balz says the country is taking stock and measuring the consequences of the Trump administration's actions to drastically reshape the government. He talks with Robert Costa about the political landscape in 2026, including the disruptions caused by government layoffs; President Trump's age; and the prospects for Republicans in November's midterm elections.
For more info:
Dan Balz, The Washington PostPines of Rome, Bethesda, Md.
Norah O'Donnell and Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, author of
HEALTH: Doctor's orders: Eat ice cream, and other tips for a long and healthy lifeIn his new wellness book, "Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules For a Long and Healthy Life," Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, a prominent oncologist and health policy expert, goes beyond the basics of eating, exercise and sleep. He talks with Norah O'Donnell about the importance of being happy, social engagement, and recommended behaviors (like "don't be a schmuck") that can benefit longevity.
For more info:
Ezekiel Emanuel, M.D."Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life" by Ezekiel J. Emanuel, M.D. (W.W. Norton & Co.), in Hardcover, eBook and Audio formats, available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.orgThanks to Dolcezza Gelato & Coffee
Tracy Smith interviews actor Michael B. Jordan, star of Ryan Coogler's
MOVIES: Michael B. Jordan on "Sinners"Michael B. Jordan, who plays twin brothers in "Sinners," says shooting Ryan Coogler's horror film set in the Depression Era South – a drama that melds Jim Crow racism with vampires – is also a testament to the power of family. He talks with Tracy Smith about portraying the characters Stack and Smoke; his ties to his parents; and what it took for him to recover from playing the villain Killmonger in "Black Panther."
To watch a trailer for "Sinners" click on the video player below:
For more info:
"Sinners" is now streaming on HBO MaxFirst Baptist Church of Venice Historic Cultural Monument
WORLD: Look ahead to 2026 - Europe as a frenemy to TrumpIn the decades since World War II, the relationship between the United States and its European allies has been solid, cooperative and cordial – until President Trump took office. Elizabeth Palmer talks with European security expert Camille Grand about Trump's attacks on the European Union, and how the EU hopes to preserve its alliance with America, even as Washington takes a more aggressive posture toward Europe.
For more info:
Camille Grand, European Council on Foreign Relations
Mt. Washington is the highest peak in New Hampshire - and a draw for
U.S.: Peak travel - Viewing the U.S. from each state's highest point"Highpointers" are people with a quirky goal: summiting the highest point in each of the 50 states, from Denali in Alaska (elevation: 20,310 feet above sea level), to Florida's Britton Hill (elevation: 345 feet). Conor Knighton talks with some intrepid travelers whose mission is to view the United States from the unique perspective of each state's tallest peak.
For more info:
Highpointers ClubU.S. Highpoint GuideApex to Zenith Newsletter
SCIENCE: How iNaturalist app users have fun while aiding scienceThe iNaturalist cellphone app not only helps users identify plant, animal and insect species; it also provides invaluable data to scientists studying biodiversity, species decline, and habitat loss. It also provides opportunities for fun: David Pogue joins iNaturalist fan Martha Stewart in a "bio blitz" – a timed competition with other users to spot and ID species.
For more info:
iNaturalist appGlobal Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)marthastewart.com
U.S.: Heartwarming follow-ups to "Sunday Morning" storiesLee Cowan revisits some of the most impactful "Sunday Morning" stories of 2025, with updates on the positive outcomes since they aired.
NATURE: TBD
WEB EXCLUSIVES:
MARATHON: Those we lost in 2025 (YouTube Video)"Sunday Morning" looks back on our conversations with some of the noted celebrities, newsmakers, and creative figures who left us this past year, including:
Filmmaker David Lynch Actor and novelist Gene Hackman Boxer and grill pitchman George Foreman Photographer Sebastião Salgado Estée Lauder CEO and art collector Leonard Lauder Political commentator David Gergen Novelist Martin Cruz Smith Secretariat jockey Ron Turcotte Fashion designer Giorgio Armani Actor and director Robert Redford Olive Garden reviewer Marilyn Hagerty Musician and TV theme song composer Sonny Curtis Naturalist Jane Goodall Actress Diane Keaton Former Vice President Dick Cheney Actress Diane Ladd Playwright and screenwriter Tom Stoppard Actor and director Rob Reiner
MARATHON: Stories from New England (YouTube Video)"CBS Sunday Morning" travels through New England in this marathon, exploring quaint towns, rural stores and exciting landmarks:
Visiting every town in VermontBecorns in Rhode Island Towns for sale Uncovering a Connecticut dumpster worth millions Rescuing sea turtles A new breed of frontier family A separate peace How Erin French found herself at The Lost Kitchen Saving rural general stores A 101-year-old lobster lady Oysters, the pearls of Cape Cod A unique cross-border institution Maine's most celebrated young beekeeper The cream of the crop in butter Dog Mountain Two Maine seniors and their very odd honeymoon Hunting treasures on Block Island Art by the incarcerated Store owner gets some help Abandoned houses A lobsterman's friend Alex Katz spotlights his favorite artists The little patriot
The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. Executive producer is Rand Morrison.
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High school softball coach recruited ex-player in murder plot, prosecutors say
Mamdani signs executive orders undoing some of Eric Adams' orders
Trump now says he had CT scan, not MRI in October
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
