November 20, 2025

MIDDLE EAST | Updates from regional conflicts:

• In what reports say is among the deadliest action in the territory since the October 10 cease-fire went into effect, at least 33 people were killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza over the past day. Israel says the strikes followed an incident in which its soldiers were fired upon in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis yesterday. [more]
• A new report from Human Rights Watch suggests that Israel may have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity through its expulsion of some 32,000 Palestinians from three West Bank refugee camps earlier this year during military operations in the area. [full report] [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,363 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Ukrainian officials say some two-dozen people remain missing following Russian missile and drone strikes that hit two apartment buildings in the western Ukraine city of Ternopil earlier this week. At least 25 people were killed, and 73 others were injured, in the strikes, according to local authorities. [more]
• After reports began circulating yesterday that the U.S. and Russia have been discussing a draft peace proposal for Ukraine that includes Ukraine conceding territory, partially disarming, and limiting the size of its military, European leaders, including representatives of the E.U., France, and the U.K., criticized the proposal, saying any such agreement must respect Ukraine's sovereignty and that both Europe and Ukraine must be involved in any peace process. [more]

U.S. EMPLOYMENT | According to shutdown-delayed data released by the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics today, the U.S. added a higher-than-expected 119,000 non-farm jobs in September, but the unemployment rate rose to 4.4% for the month and August's employment data was revised to show a loss of 4,000 jobs for the month – down from the previously reported 22,000 gain. [full BLS report] [more]

U.S. EPSTEIN INVESTIGATIONS | President Donald Trump signed a measure he had previously opposed into law yesterday, compelling the Justice Department to publicly release all of its files related to late convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days. Reports note that the new law allows the Justice Department to withhold personally identifiable information of Epstein's victims and information that could jeopardize active investigations or prosecutions but requires the Department to produce reports on information it has withheld or redacted. [more]

U.S. CONGRESS | Florida Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick was indicted yesterday on charges accusing her of stealing some $5 million in funds paid to her family health care company through a federally funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract and using a portion of the funds for her 2021 political campaign. [more]

U.S. JAMES COMEY CASE | Justice Department prosecutors admitted in court yesterday that the full grand jury never reviewed the final two-count indictment that was returned earlier this year against former FBI Director James Comey on charges of lying to Congress. Attorneys for Comey say the failure to present the final indictment to the entire grand jury is grounds for dismissing the case, while Justice Department prosecutors say the two final charges were identical to those presented to the full grand jury before an additional charge was removed. [more]

U.S. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS | The Associated Press cites unnamed sources, including at least one former Federal Emergency Management Agency official, as saying a highly-anticipated draft report on proposed reforms to FEMA has been cut from its original 160-plus pages to about 20 pages and that there are concerns that removal of some of the report's original recommendations could ultimately leave states and other governments unequipped to prepare for or recover from disasters. The report is expected to be released in mid-December. [more]

U.S. MILITARIZATION | Calling it "overbroad" and "too prescriptive," a panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday temporarily blocked a lower court ruling restricting the use of force by federal immigration agents in Chicago but said the appeal process could lead to a "more tailored and appropriate" order from the lower court. [more]

INDONESIA | The Mount Semeru volcano in Indonesia's East Java province erupted several times yesterday, propelling hot ash, rock, and lava up to 4.3 miles from the mountain and sending a column of ash clouds 1.2 miles into the air. More than 300 local residents were evacuated from the area as authorities widened the danger zone around the volcano to 5 miles. [more]

AUSTRALIA | Facebook parent company Meta began notifying young Australians today that they should download their data and delete their accounts from Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp before Australia's social media ban on accounts for children younger than 16 takes effect on December 10. [more]

CZECH REPUBLIC | Regional emergency officials say at least 57 people were injured today when an express train collided with another passenger train near the southern Czech Republic city of Ceske Budejovice. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. [more]

PAKISTAN | In a second series of such operations this week, Pakistani security forces raided two Pakistani Taliban encampments yesterday in the country's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing 23 militants. [more]

COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY | Wireless carrier Verizon announced plans today to cut more than 13,000 jobs as part of efforts to lower costs and restructure operations. Reports note that the layoffs represent about 20% of non-union employee wage costs for the company. [more]

ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS | Lainey Wilson was named entertainer of the year and received the album of the year award for "Whirlwind" at last night's 59th annual Country Music Association Awards. The Ella Langley and Riley Green duet "You Look Like You Love Me" received the single and song of the year awards. [full list of awardees] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1969, Native American activists began an occupation of Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, protesting what they saw as the U.S. government's ongoing economic, social, and political neglect of Native Americans. They were forced off the island in June 1971. [more history]