A visit by Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler to the White House for talks on Tuesday (November 17) with U.S. President Donald Trump will be Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's first since Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi was killed by Saudi agents in 2018, sparking a global uproar.

Riyadh

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has reemerged as a key global figure, making his first White House visit since the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which had led to widespread condemnation. Despite initial calls for Saudi Arabia to be treated as a pariah, U.S.-Saudi relations have remained strong due to mutual interests in energy, security, and technology.

MBS has introduced significant social reforms in Saudi Arabia, such as easing religious restrictions and promoting women's rights, while also consolidating power and suppressing dissent. His current visit with President Donald Trump signals renewed cooperation, with major investment pledges and negotiations over defense and economic agreements, though human rights issues are not expected to be addressed.

How Saudi's MBS pivoted from pariah to Trump-backed power player

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is on a mission to reclaim his place on the world stage, with his first White House visit since the 2018 killing of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi sparked global outrage. With long-running oil and security ties at stake, Tuesday's meeting with President Donald Trump underscores a relationship built on strategic interests that has endured beyond Saudi Arabia's mottled human rights record. So how did the man commonly known as MBS pivot from pariah to power player? MBS's rise began when his father became king in 2015 and gave him powerful portfolios, including defence. Two years later, he ousted his older cousin as heir in a palace coup and became crown prince at age 31 with almost unprecedented powers. MBS vowed to open the kingdom to the world, marking a generational shift. He defanged the once feared religious police and swept away decades of austere social codes. Women now drive, work and mingle with men, freedoms once punishable by flogging. This year, Jennifer Lopez strutted on stage in Riyadh as models swept the catwalk in a high-profile fashion show. But the same hand that opened Saudi society also tightened its grip on power. Dissent is crushed, with critics and activists given prison and death sentences, according to rights groups, though the kingdom rejects accusations of human rights abuses. U.S. intelligence linked Jamal Khashoggi's killing in 2018 to the prince. MBS denied ordering it, but admitted responsibility as de facto ruler. Then-presidential candidate Joe Biden said Saudi Arabia should be made a pariah over the killing. But Washington ultimately moved on, driven by energy, defence and technology. Seven years on, MBS now casts himself as a broker of peace, repairing ties with Iran, pushing for a Gaza ceasefire and welcoming Syria back into the Arab fold. Under MBS, Saudi Arabia has grown its soft power, pushing itself as a tourist destination and pumping billions of dollars into global sporting events in a move critics call sports-washing. Trump's return to the White House this year revived a transactional warmth, with $600 billion in Saudi investment pledges made when the president visited Riyadh in May. While MBS presses for deals in nuclear energy and artificial intelligence under his ambitious Vision 2030 plan to diversify the Saudi economy, the pair are also looking to deepen ties over a decades-long security deal that sees the Saudis selling oil at favourable prices and the U.S. providing security in exchange. But a defence pact MBS wants has a hurdle. Washington is requiring the kingdom to normalise ties with Israel. For that, Riyadh is pushing Israel's government to commit to Palestinian statehood, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has staunchly opposed. Analysts say deals are set to be struck this trip, but with both sides likely getting less than they want. And in the meantime, what's not set to be brought up are the human rights concerns that previously sparked moral outrage.

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called an explosion on a railway line “an unprecedented act of sabotage.” Donald Tusk did not say who he believed had carried out the attack, but a government minister said "foreign intelligence agencies" were responsible.

Warsaw

Railway line blast in Poland ‘unprecedented act of sabotage’

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy signed a landmark deal in Paris on Monday to buy 100 Rafale jets, drones, and air defense systems from France.

Paris

Ukraine signs deal with France for jets, air defense systems

The Federal Aviation Administration ended mandated cuts in domestic flights at 40 major U.S. airports, easing restrictions that had been imposed over air traffic control concerns during the federal shutdown.

Washington

FAA ends mandated cuts in domestic U.S. flights

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to oppose any attempt to establish a Palestinian state, a day before the UN Security Council will vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution on Gaza that leaves the door open to Palestinian independence.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Middle East Conflict

Netanyahu insists there can be no Palestinian state ahead of UN vote

A Bangladesh court sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity on Monday (November 17), concluding a months-long trial that found her guilty of ordering a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising last year.

Dhaka

Bangladesh's ousted PM sentenced to death for protest crackdown

President Donald Trump now appears to support the release of all Jeffrey Epstein files as the House of Representatives readies for a vote on the matter. CBS News' Natalie Brand reports.

House vote on Epstein files expected Tuesday

In the latest round of the Trump administration's sweeping immigration raids, federal agents arrested 81 people in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday alone. In videos posted online, some who were detained said they do have legal status.

Charlotte

ICE detains dozens in Charlotte

If the bill passes, the U.S. Justice Department would be required to release all files and communications related to Epstein, as well as details about the investigation into his death in federal prison.

Trump calls on House Republicans to vote to release Epstein files

Chile heads to a December runoff after Sunday's presidential vote left no clear winner. Leftist Jeannette Jara and far-right José Antonio Kast will now face off in a race dominated by concerns over crime and migration.

Santiago

Chile leftists advance to next month's presidential runoff

Construction work of a concrete wall continued on the Israeli side of southern border with Lebanon, despite the Lebanese presidency's threat to complain to the U.N. Security Council over the wall's extension into Lebanese territory.

Israel constructs wall along Lebanon border

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro slammed planned joint military exercises by the United States and its ally Trinidad and Tobago as "irresponsible," with Washington increasing its armed presence in the Caribbean.

Caracas

Maduro denounces US military exercises

Despite U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated attempts to kill the effort to release federal files related to Jeffrey Epstein, House Republican leaders are planning to hold a vote this week on legislation to force the issue.

Claims Epstein emails mentioning Trump were 'selectively leaked'

President Trump says he has "sort of made up my mind" on whether to take military action in Venezuela. The comments come as America's largest aircraft carrier, the Ford, and other U.S. forces move within striking distance of the country. Charlie D'Agata has new details.

Trump says he's "sort of made up my mind" on Venezuela military action

President Trump says he will no longer support onetime close ally and Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene amid the ongoing fallout over the Epstein files. Willie James Inman reports.

Marjorie Taylor Greene 'threatened' by Trump supporters amid Epstein fallout

Flash flood warnings expanded on Saturday as rain hit wide swaths of California amid fears that the atmospheric river will intensify. Andres Gutierrez has the latest details.

Pacific Palisades

Rainstorm pummels California, triggering flash flood warnings

Large-scale protests at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, have drawn attention to environmental concerns and the preservation of the Amazon rainforest. Inside the summit, negotiations have been complicated by the absence of the United States.

Belém

Protesters block entrance to COP30 climate talks in Brazil

The UN climate talks in Brazil are facing increasing disruption from protesters. Thousands joined the "Great People's March" outside the conference venue to demand action on global warming instead of empty promises.

Thousands join protest at COP30 climate talks in Brazil

Air travel and other government services, including SNAP benefits, are returning to normal following the end of the longest shutdown in U.S. history.

Los Angeles International Airport

Flights begin to get back on track as shutdown ends

The U.S. military is expanding operations in the Caribbean and Puerto Rico amid its deadly boat strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats, while the Trump administration weighs military action against Venezuela.

Trump administration weighs U.S military action in Venezuela

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced "Operation Southern Spear" in the Western Hemisphere as U.S. strikes continue in the region near Colombia and Venezuela. CBS News' Eleanor Watson reports.

Hegseth announces 'Operation Southern Spear'

The U.S. has approved the sale of $330 million worth of weapons to Taiwan as tensions rise in the region with China. CBS News' Nancy Cordes reports.

Taipei City

U.S. approves massive sale of weapons to Taiwan

Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn rocket on Thursday with NASA twin spacecraft destined for Mars aboard, and in a breakthrough nailed the landing of its booster.

Cape Canaveral

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket deploys Mars satellites

A three-person crew stranded at China’s space station after their spacecraft was apparently hit by space debris are to return Friday using the craft that brought their replacement crew.

Chinese astronauts return to earth after spacecraft damaged

The AI firm Anthropic says Chinese hackers used its artificial intelligence tools to spy on tech companies, financial institutions and government agencies in what it believes is the first documented case of a worldwide cyberattack with minimal human involvement.

Rise of AI

Anthropic says Chinese hackers used its AI chatbot in cyberattack

Senior U.S. military officials have presented President Donald Trump with options for potential military operations inside Venezuela, including strikes on land, sources tell CBS News. Charlie D'Agata reports.

Trump weighs military plans against Venezuela

U.S. President Donald Trump is ducking press questions about newly released emails connecting him to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal activities ahead of an expected vote on releasing all Epstein case files by the U.S. House of Representatives as early as next week.

Trump avoids media’s Epstein email questions

The U.S. government lumbered back to life on Thursday (November 13) after the longest shutdown in U.S. history snarled air traffic, cut food assistance to low-income Americans and forced more than 1 million workers to go unpaid for more than a month. But the deep political divisions that caused the 43-day shutdown in the first place remain unresolved.

U.S. government opens up again but deep political divisions remain

China's factory output and retail sales grew at their weakest pace in over a year in October, piling pressure on policymakers to revamp the $19 trillion export-driven economy as mounting supply and demand strains threaten to further curtail growth.

Beijing

China's factory output, retail sales growth worst in over a year

Germany's government plans to bring back military service, to boost troop numbers to deal with the perceived threat from Russia. But voluntary conscription could become compulsory, if not enough recruits come forward.

Berlin

Germany outlines potential shift to compulsory conscription

As F-35 stealth fighter jets fly missions from a reopened naval base in Puerto Rico and Marines practice beach landings, sources tell CBS News the Pentagon is preparing for possible military action in Venezuela. Charlie D'Agata reports.

Breakdown