2 years since Taliban retook Afghanistan, its leader rules from the shadows
He is rarely seen in public. So who is he and what motivates him?
Afghanistan: The New Reality
U.S. pushes Taliban on human rights 2 years after Afghan takeover
Afghan women's rights activists blasted the U.S. delegation for even meeting Taliban officials, demanding that the U.S. not "compromise our rights."
Pakistan police eye ISIS affiliate as suicide blast toll soars over 50
The attack targeted a political rally for a pro-Taliban cleric, and that group's rival, the local ISIS affiliate, is based just over the border in Afghanistan.
Taliban orders beauty salons to close in latest blow for Afghan women
Women who work in Afghanistan's salons say thousands more are about to be forced out of work by the latest Taliban decree.
Pence says Trump administration would have kept U.S troops in Afghanistan
The Trump administration made an agreement with the Taliban to withdraw U.S. troops by May 2021.
Dozens of girls poisoned at 2 schools in Afghanistan, officials say
Local officials said almost 80 elementary schoolers, along with a handful of teachers and a parent, were affected in the latest mass-poisoning of Afghan children.
How 2 brave sisters "lost everything" under the Taliban just for singing
"One day, when the Taliban is destroyed, our minds and nerves will calm down, and I will continue my art," singer Khushi Mehtab told CBS News.
State Department offers to share classified cable with key lawmakers
House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul has threatened to hold Secretary of State Antony Blinken in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with a subpoena over the cable.
U.N. calls on Taliban regime to halt executions in Afghanistan
The Taliban says 175 people have been sentenced to death since it took back control of the country, as public, corporal punishment makes a violent return.
Protests as U.N. hosts meeting on "how to engage with the Taliban"
Many Afghan women worry the Doha meeting could lead to something they vehemently oppose, official recognition of the Taliban as Afghanistan's government.
Taliban kills ISIS-K leader behind 2021 Kabul airport attack, U.S. officials say
The White House described him as the "mastermind" of the assault on Abbey Gate, one of the main entry points for those trying to leave Afghanistan during the U.S. withdrawal.
Are U.S. taxpayers helping to fund Afghanistan's Taliban regime?
Aid workers in Afghanistan whose organizations are supported by U.S. funding say they're forced to "serve the Taliban first" since the U.S. withdrawal.
U.N. to review presence in Afghanistan after Taliban bars women workers
Distribution of desperately needed food and medical aid has been impeded by the Taliban edict banning women from working at international organizations.
Biden administration blames Trump in part for chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal
The White House blamed former President Donald Trump for two factors that played a major role in the withdrawal of U.S. troops in 2021.
Taliban bars Afghan women from working for the U.N.
The latest step in the Taliban's systematic obliteration of women's rights will also be a major blow to the humanitarian aid work millions of Afghans rely on.
House GOP subpoena Blinken for dissent cable on Afghanistan withdrawal
The subpoena is Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul's first since taking the panel's helm.
Taliban arrests prominent education campaigner who refused to back down
Matiullah Wesa, whose Pen Path organization worked to ensure education access for all Afghans, was detained over "his activities and high-level meetings with Westerners."
6 killed in latest suicide attack aimed at Afghanistan's Taliban rulers
A suicide bomber was spotted and killed as he approached a checkpoint near the foreign ministry in Kabul, but his bomb still went off in the heart of the capital.
Afghan schoolyear begins with empty classrooms under Taliban rule
Afghanistan under the Taliban is the only country in the world to bar teenage girls from school, but even boys appeared unaware of Tuesday's start date.
On International Women's Day, Afghan women say world "neglected us completely"
"Afghanistan has become a prison for women," one activist told CBS News, "and the world is just watching."
How U.S. and Afghans failed to adequately train Afghan security forces
Watchdog releases report on why Afghan security forces fell to the Taliban so quickly.
Could the Afghan Taliban ruler's crackdown on women cause a mutiny?
One of several senior figures to take a jab at the supreme leader was the head of the Haqqani network, who said the "situation cannot be tolerated any longer."
House Republicans begin probe into Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan
The chaotic August 2021 withdrawal was underway when 13 U.S. troops were killed in an explosion caused by a suicide bomber.
Suicide bomber kills dozens in Pakistan mosque attack targeting police
The mosque was full when the Pakistani Taliban suicide bomber struck, and many of those inside were officers based in Peshawar's fortified "Police Lines" zone.
U.N. women press Taliban on rights, but visit marred by "a mistake"
Two senior, Muslim women from the global body visited Afghanistan to push the hardline group to restore women's rights. Not everyone they met was willing to engage.
World
Best-selling novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford dies at 91
Barbara Taylor Bradford was one of the world's most popular and wealthiest writers, her net worth estimated at more than $200 million.
17 people missing after Egyptian tour boat sinks on Red Sea diving trip
Authorities in Egypt say a luxury yacht that set off with 45 people from the Red Sea port of Ghalib for a week-long diving trip sank, with 28 rescued and 17 still missing.
Deaths soar as Israel and Hezbollah clash despite cease-fire push
Hezbollah allegedly fires a barrage of some 250 rockets at northern Israel after dozens are killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
Over 30 stranded whales saved by people lifting them on sheets
Officials praised as "incredible" the efforts made by hundreds of people to help save the foundering pilot whales.
41 bodies allegedly used for meditation found at monastery
The head of the Phichit province monastery told a local TV station that the use of corpses was part of a "meditation technique" he developed.
DHL plane crashes in Lithuania amid concern over Russian sabotage
A DHL cargo plane crash landed in Lithuania, killing one crew member, but authorities say it's too soon to link it to suspected Russian sabotage operations.
Former Israeli hostages mark 1 year since war's only release deal
The only truce in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war on Nov. 24, 2023 – fewer than two months after fighting began – led to the release of 80 Israelis held by militants in Gaza.
Gunmen in southeast Mexico open fire in a bar killing 6 and injuring 5
The shooting took place in the coastal province of Tabasco, which is struggling with a recent increase in violence.
Israeli strike kills Lebanese soldier as Hezbollah fires 185 rockets at Israel
Israeli strikes have killed over 40 Lebanese troops since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah, even as Lebanon's military has largely kept to the sidelines.
U.S.
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Microsoft 365 is experiencing an outage. Here's what to know.
Microsoft said it's investigating an issue impacting access to Microsoft 365 and its Teams app.
Best-selling novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford dies at 91
Barbara Taylor Bradford was one of the world's most popular and wealthiest writers, her net worth estimated at more than $200 million.
Thanksgiving travel week faces several possible obstacles
Airports and highways are expected to be jam-packed during Thanksgiving week, a holiday period likely to end in another record day for air travel in the U.S.
A team of researchers has warned about "pink cocaine" for over a year
The death of music star Liam Payne has thrust "pink cocaine," sometimes also called Tusi, into the national spotlight. The National Drug Early Warning System predicted its rise back in 2023.
Connecticut couple charged in $1 million Lululemon theft operation
A couple from Connecticut is charged with allegedly orchestrating a retail theft operation that may have cost Lululemon as much as $1 million.
MoneyWatch
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Microsoft 365 is experiencing an outage. Here's what to know.
Microsoft said it's investigating an issue impacting access to Microsoft 365 and its Teams app.
Charlotte airport workers walk off job at start of busy holiday travel week
Service workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport have gone on strike at the start of a busy week of Thanksgiving travel to protest what they say are unlivable wages.
Hyundai, Kia recall more than 208,000 electric vehicles over power loss issue
Car dealers will inspect and replace the control unit and a fuse if needed, as well as update software.
Who is Scott Bessent? What to know about Trump's Treasury secretary pick.
If confirmed, Bessent would runn the department that manages the nation's finances as well as its tax agency, the Internal Revenue Service.
Trump selects Scott Bessent for Treasury secretary
Scott Bessent, the founder of the Connecticut-based hedge fund Key Square Group, had been making a full-court press for the post.
Politics
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Congress stalemate causing backlog in aid applications after Helene
Helene ransacked western North Carolina on Sept. 27, leaving a path of devastation, death and an economic calamity from which the state will need years to recover.
H.R. McMaster says coming months are "really critical" for Ukraine
Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster said that Russia and Ukraine are both incentivized to make "as many gains on the battlefield as they can before the new Trump administration comes in."
Full transcript of "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Nov. 24, 2024
On this "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" broadcast, Sen. Rand Paul and Tammy Duckworth join Margaret Brennan.
Duckworth says Trump Pentagon pick is "flat-out wrong" about women in combat
Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth said that Pete Hegseth is "flat-out wrong" in his view that women should not serve in the military in combat roles.
Transcript: Rep.-elect Sarah McBride on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Nov. 24, 2024
The following is a transcript of an interview with Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, Democrat of Delaware, on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that aired on Nov. 24, 2024.
HealthWatch
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A study to devise nutritional guidance just for you
When it comes to eating healthy, all of us respond to foods differently. The National Institutes of Health's new nutrition study hopes to finally provide Americans a personalized answer to the question: "What should I eat?"
A study to personalize nutrition guidance just for you
From the four food groups to the Food Pyramid, the U.S. government has long offered guidance to Americans hoping to eat a healthier diet. But there's growing scientific consensus that when it comes to eating healthy, all of us respond to foods differently. And to prove it, the National Institutes of Health has embarked on the most ambitious nutrition study ever, hoping to finally provide Americans a personalized answer to the question: "What should I eat?" Correspondent Lee Cowan reports.
New treatments offer hope for older patients with a deadly cancer diagnosis
Glioblastoma typically kills within 18 months, but a new type of treatment has kept Nadya El-Afandi's scans clear 17 months after diagnosis.
1 infant dead in California, 9 hospitalized in latest listeria outbreak
Laboratory findings show that Yu-Shang Food ready-to-eat meat and poultry products were making people sick, the CDC said.
E. coli outbreak in St. Louis sickens 106, hospitalizes 2
More than half of the cases involve students, parents and guests of Rockwood Summit High School who attended events where food from Andre's Banquets and Catering was served.
World
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Best-selling novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford dies at 91
Barbara Taylor Bradford was one of the world's most popular and wealthiest writers, her net worth estimated at more than $200 million.
17 people missing after Egyptian tour boat sinks on Red Sea diving trip
Authorities in Egypt say a luxury yacht that set off with 45 people from the Red Sea port of Ghalib for a week-long diving trip sank, with 28 rescued and 17 still missing.
Deaths soar as Israel and Hezbollah clash despite cease-fire push
Hezbollah allegedly fires a barrage of some 250 rockets at northern Israel after dozens are killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
Over 30 stranded whales saved by people lifting them on sheets
Officials praised as "incredible" the efforts made by hundreds of people to help save the foundering pilot whales.
41 bodies allegedly used for meditation found at monastery
The head of the Phichit province monastery told a local TV station that the use of corpses was part of a "meditation technique" he developed.
Entertainment
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Entertainment
"Wicked," "Gladiator II" soar at box office
While "Gladiator II" earned $55 million at the box office domestically, "Wicked" soared with $114 million. It was the biggest pre-Thanksgiving weekend opening since the COVID-19 pandemic, with the two movies earning the nickname "Glicked."
Best-selling novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford dies at 91
Barbara Taylor Bradford was one of the world's most popular and wealthiest writers, her net worth estimated at more than $200 million.
Chuck Woolery, host of "Love Connection" and "Scrabble," dies at 83
Chuck Woolery was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978.
What makes a martini a martini?
There are very few American inventions more American than the martini – a classic cocktail of gin and vermouth, garnished with lemon. But today, a martini's ingredients may be up for debate.
Mick Fleetwood plays to the future in Maui
Last year's horrific wildfires turned Lahaina into a disaster zone, and destroyed the Fleetwood Mac founder's club, Fleetwood's on Front Street. Today, Mick Fleetwood is determined to rebuild, saying, "There has to be music."
Technology
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Microsoft 365 is experiencing an outage. Here's what to know.
Microsoft said it's investigating an issue impacting access to Microsoft 365 and its Teams app.
A new generation of shopping cart, with GPS and AI
At a Price Chopper outside Kansas City, shoppers are test driving the new Caper Cart, featuring digital screens, GPS, cameras equipped with artificial intelligence, and packaging scanners that spit out coupons. Correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti looks at the technology used to "reinvent the wheel" of the shopping cart.
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.
Who has the best Black Friday tech prices?
Black Friday is almost here, but some of the hottest tech items are already on sale. CNET senior editor Lisa Eadicicco joins CBS News to discuss high-demand gifts and what retailers offer the best prices.
AI grandma fights back against scammers
Daisy's mission is two-fold: To waste scammers' time so they can't speak to real people and to draw attention to fraud by warning consumers to be vigilant.
Science
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Science
Dishing up space food
At the Johnson Space Food Systems Laboratory in Houston, NASA scientists develop dishes – freeze-dried, heat-stabilized, or irradiated – to serve on the International Space Station. Correspondent David Pogue checks out what's on the menu in Earth orbit.
How are U.S. winters permanently changing?
This winter, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted above-average temperatures throughout the U.S. because of a "slowly developing" La Niña pattern. CBS News Sacramento meteorologist Tracy Humphrey reports on the changing winter conditions.
Emperor penguin found on Australian beach released at sea after 20 days of care
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.
Iceland volcano flares in region's 7th eruption in one year
A volcano erupted in southern Iceland, near the town of Grindavík and the Blue Lagoon spa, marking the region's seventh eruption in a year.
How collecting pine cones helps renew Oregon forests after wildfires
Conservationists are teaming up with the U.S. Forest Service and logging companies to clear scorched land and make room for new reforestation projects.
Crime
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Venezuelan gangs trying to recruit kids from migrant families, NYPD says
There is growing concern among the police over an increase in Venezuelan gang activity across New York City.
Law enforcement raises warning over "pink cocaine"
Law enforcement is raising alarm bells over a drug called pink cocaine. It doesn't actually contain cocaine, but is instead a combination of other substances. Tom Hanson has more on the spread of the potentially deadly drug.
Connecticut couple charged in $1 million Lululemon theft operation
A couple from Connecticut is charged with allegedly orchestrating a retail theft operation that may have cost Lululemon as much as $1 million.
Fugitive Kaitlin Armstrong caught after answering ad for a yoga instructor
When cyclist Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson was murdered in Texas, U.S. Marshals assigned to the case used a unique tactic to track down her suspected killer in Costa Rica and bring the fugitive to justice.
$20 million settlement reached in death of woman fatally shot by officer
Teresa Gomez, 45, was fatally shot in 2023 after a Las Cruces police officer on a bicycle approached her while she sat in a parked car with another person, authorities said.
Space
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Blue Origin launches 6 tourists to the edge of space
Marc and Sharon Hagle, both making their second space flight, were among the passengers for the NS-28 mission.
Blue Origin launches 9th space tourism flight
The ninth Blue Origin space tourism flight launched from West Texas Friday morning. CBS News space consultant Bill Harwood and space expert Scott Heidler offered analysis of the flight.
Trump, Musk attend SpaceX launch
President-elect Donald Trump attended SpaceX's sixth flight test of its Super Heavy-Starship on Tuesday with CEO Elon Musk. The burgeoning friendship between the two men played a key role in Trump's reelection, with Musk now set to run a government efficiency agency in the coming months. CBS News political reporter Jake Rosen and Politico aviation reporter Oriana Pawlyk join "America Decides" with more.
SpaceX launches Super Heavy-Starship, with Trump there to watch
President-elect Donald Trump was on hand with Elon Musk for the sixth test flight of SpaceX's huge Super Heavy-Starship rocket.
Far side of the moon once had erupting volcanoes, lunar soil shows
Researchers analyzed lunar soil brought back by China's Chang'e-6, the first spacecraft to return with a haul of rocks and dirt from the little-explored far side.
Latest Galleries
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Notable Deaths in 2024
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Serial killer Rodney Alcala's secret photos
See some of convicted serial killer Rodney Alcala's photographs that were discovered by detectives in a Seattle storage locker.
The troubled marriage of Ashley and Doug Benefield
The seesaw marriage between the former ballerina and her much older husband only lasted four years, until she shot him on Sept. 27, 2020.
Evidence in "The Dexter Killer" case
A look at the evidence in "The Dexter Killer" case; plus, newly revealed letters from the man police say wanted to be like fictional serial killer Dexter Morgan.
Summer music heats up 2024
Live performances are in full swing this summer. Scroll through our concert gallery, featuring pictures by CBS News photojournalist Jake Barlow and photographers Ed Spinelli and Kirstine Walton.
Latest CBS News Videos
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Latest CBS News Videos
"Wicked," "Gladiator II" soar at box office
While "Gladiator II" earned $55 million at the box office domestically, "Wicked" soared with $114 million. It was the biggest pre-Thanksgiving weekend opening since the COVID-19 pandemic, with the two movies earning the nickname "Glicked."
Orlando Pride win NWSL championship game
The new champions of the National Women's Soccer League will celebrate with their fans Monday in central Florida. The Orlando Pride beat the Washington Spirit, 1-0, in the NWSL championship game. It's the first title for the Pride and star player Marta.
Israel, Hezbollah trade strikes
Israel says hundreds of Hezbollah rockets targeted northern Israel, causing injuries. The Israeli military responded with air attacks near Lebanon's capital, Beirut, killing more than 80 people, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Iconic game show host Chuck Woolery dies
Chuck Woolery, known for hosting games shows "Love Connection" and "Scrabble" died over the weekend at 83 years old. Before "Love Connection," Woolery was the first-ever host of the iconic game show, "Wheel of Fortune."
Trump picks Chavez-DeRemer for Labor sec.
President-elect Donald Trump continued to fill out his administration over the weekend, choosing Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon to run the Labor Department in a move that was praised by the president of the Teamsters. CBS News political reporter Hunter Woodall has more.