Lawmakers accuse airline executives of gouging travelers with “junk” fees. Carriers say they give people options. Source

Pete Hegseth says he’s not withdrawing from consideration to be the next secretary of defense, but sources say President-elect Donald Trump is considering a replacement for the embattled choice. Sources are also revealing new details about Hegseth’s departure from his CEO position at a veterans group in 2016. CBS News political reporter Olivia Rinaldi has more. Source

“Deny,” “defend” and “depose” were written on shell casings recovered at the scene of the shooting that killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Wednesday. Source

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department said it was increasing the reward for the top leader of the Jalisco cartel to $15 million. Source

First lady Jill Biden unveiled the White House decorations earlier in the week, with the theme of “A Season of Peace and Light.” Source

After UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot outside a Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan, a citywide manhunt continues. Source

Fabio Ochoa Vásquez and his brothers amassed a fortune when cocaine started flooding the U.S. in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Source

Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe is set to testify before the bipartisan House task force investigating the assassination attempts against President-elect Donald Trump. Source

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier is resigning after a no-confidence vote by lawmakers, fueling concern over a “new era of political instability.” Source

Philippine police say Elliot Eastman, American YouTuber kidnapped in October, likely died of gunshots sustained during his abduction in Zamboanga del Norte province. Source