Survivor advocates and relatives of Epstein’s victims said they now expect full accountability once the files are made public.
Over 250 Arrested in North Carolina Immigration Crackdown as Operation Expands to Raleigh
Federal authorities have arrested more than 250 people during a large-scale immigration enforcement operation centered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Wednesday.
Dubbed Operation Charlotte’s Web, the sweep is part of President Donald Trump’s broader national deportation campaign that has targeted cities nationwide, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland.
The number of arrests in North Carolina has doubled since the start of the week, and the crackdown has expanded into the Raleigh area, prompting fear among immigrant communities. Some local businesses closed, and school attendance dropped amid reports of Border Patrol agents near shopping centers.
WATCH: About 100 protesters gathered at a Home Depot store in North Carolina, where federal agents have now arrested more than 250 people during an immigration crackdown centered around Charlotte. Read more: https://t.co/YwtT0Ld9mA pic.twitter.com/J7cxL3HMqt
— Border Report (@BorderReportcom) November 19, 2025
Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell said late Wednesday that enforcement “appears to have been suspended,” though DHS has not confirmed any change. Meanwhile, documents show that roughly 250 federal agents are preparing a similar two-month operation in New Orleans starting December 1.
Protests have erupted in Charlotte, where demonstrators denounced Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions at local businesses. Civil rights groups, including the ACLU of Louisiana, are mobilizing to inform immigrants of their legal rights as enforcement expands.
Appeals Court Allows Federal Control of Oregon National Guard to Continue
The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday granted the federal government’s request to temporarily reinstate control over 200 Oregon National Guard troops, pausing a lower court’s injunction that had blocked their federalization.
Chief Judge Mary H. Murguia said the order preserves the status quo while the court considers a longer stay pending appeal and may await guidance from an upcoming US Supreme Court ruling in a related Illinois case.
The decision followed a day of confusion between Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, who announced that all federalized troops would be demobilized, and the Pentagon, which said no such orders had been issued. About 100 Guard members remain under federal control after half were released earlier in the week.
Kotek criticized the ruling as “deeply disheartening,” urging President Trump to end the deployment.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed for the continued federalization of 200 Oregon National Guard troops. https://t.co/rvSbjZPN78
— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) November 20, 2025
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered the Guard’s mobilization in late September to protect a Portland ICE facility targeted by protests.
Trump, NYC Mayor-Elect Mamdani to Meet at White House After Months of Clashing
US President Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will meet on Friday at the White House, both offices confirmed on Wednesday night.
The meeting follows months of public tension between the two, during which Trump repeatedly criticized Mamdani and threatened to withhold federal funding if he won the mayoral race.
In a Truth Social post, Trump again labeled Mamdani a “Communist” and said the meeting would take place in the Oval Office.
Trump says he’ll meet NYC Mayor-elect Mamdani at the White House, weeks after branding the democratic socialist a “communist” during the campaign
Mamdani, first South Asian mayor of New York, has said he’ll talk but not at expense of city residents https://t.co/o7NGYnqO2Q
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) November 20, 2025
Mamdani’s spokesperson, Dora Pekec, confirmed the visit, calling it a routine meeting for an incoming mayor and said Mamdani plans to discuss public safety, economic security, and affordability priorities supported by over a million voters.
Pentagon Data Shows Sharp Rise in Military Aviation Mishaps, 90 Dead Since 2020
Serious US military aviation accidents have increased by 55 percent since 2020, resulting in 90 deaths, 89 destroyed aircraft, and $9.4 billion in losses, according to new Pentagon data released to Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Between October 2019 and July 2024, the military recorded 4,820 aviation mishaps, including 222 “Class A” incidents—the most severe category. In the first half of 2024 alone, 25 people were killed and 14 aircraft lost.
The Marine Corps reported the steepest rise in severe mishaps, up 194 percent over four years.
The rate of severe US military aviation mishaps increased rapidly, and more than doubled, between 2020 and 2024, new Pentagon data provided to Sen. Elizabeth Warren show. https://t.co/VZnUidiYUL
— Bloomberg Government (@BGOV) November 19, 2025
Recent accidents include fatal helicopter and jet crashes across multiple services, including collisions near Washington, D.C., and over the South China Sea.
Warren and Senator Dan Sullivan have introduced a bipartisan amendment to the 2026 defense bill that would increase transparency by granting Congress access to military safety board summaries to improve oversight and accident prevention.
Former US Navy Chief Warns of Growing Iranian Naval Threat, Urges Focus on Energy Weapons and Allied Defense
Former US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead said recent US and Israeli operations against Yemen’s Houthi rebels exposed underestimated naval threats from Iran’s proxies and highlighted the need for better defensive investments. He noted that Houthi forces demonstrated surprising maritime and drone capabilities, including the downing of costly US MQ-9 drones with inexpensive Iranian-made munitions.
Roughead said nations dependent on maritime trade must adapt to emerging threats that are likely to expand under Iranian influence.
Roughead warned that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy could transfer its Gulf tactics to the Mediterranean, complicating security there. He also stressed the importance of directed-energy weapons for future defense, calling systems like Israel’s Iron Beam a cost-effective solution for missile interception and emphasizing the need to design ships with greater power capacity.
On the Indo-Pacific, he dismissed the likelihood of a near-term Chinese invasion of Taiwan, citing China’s current economic strain, but said Beijing could become more assertive by 2032.
Roughead also urged continued US security aid to Israel, praising bilateral cooperation in air-defense innovation and technology sharing.
Israeli Leaders Condemn Surge in Settler Violence as West Bank Attacks Escalate
Israeli leaders are facing mounting pressure to curb a surge of settler violence across the West Bank after masked mobs attacked Palestinian villages, torched a mosque, and clashed with Israeli security forces demolishing an illegal outpost near Hebron.
The violence, described by President Isaac Herzog as “shocking and serious,” has deepened divisions between radical settlers and Israel’s security establishment, which warns the unrest threatens national stability.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz condemned the attacks, while critics accused the government of enabling extremism through its pro-settlement policies and weak law enforcement.
Rights groups report that attacks by settlers and soldiers on Palestinians have reached record levels in 2025, coinciding with expanded settlement construction and Palestinian property demolitions.
Israeli political and military leaders are scrambling to contain a recent wave of settler attacks across the West Bank as vigilantes have rampaged through villages, beat local residents and torched a mosque. https://t.co/cvME4SB7l3
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 19, 2025
The latest incidents include assaults in the villages of Umm al-Butm and Jaba, where residents were beaten and homes burned following the army’s dismantling of a nearby outpost. No arrests were made.
Former military officials said the government’s leniency toward settler groups has fostered impunity, while opposition figures urged labeling the violence as “Jewish terrorism.”
Hours after the attacks, a separate Palestinian stabbing and ramming killed one Israeli near Gush Etzion, further fueling tensions.
US Pressures Ukraine to Accept Peace Plan Involving Territorial Concessions to Russia
Washington has urged President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to consider a US-drafted framework to end the war with Russia that would require Ukraine to cede territory and reduce its military size, according to two sources familiar with the proposal.
The plan, discussed between the US and Russia without Kyiv’s involvement, marks the most direct American effort yet to push for a negotiated settlement as Russian forces continue advancing in eastern Ukraine.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US is developing “realistic ideas” to achieve a durable peace through mutual concessions, while the White House declined to comment.
Zelenskyy, meeting Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, called for continued “strong” American leadership but did not directly address the proposal.
The US signaled to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Ukraine must accept a US-drafted framework to end the war with Russia that proposes Kyiv giving up territory and some weapons, two people familiar with the matter said https://t.co/0kEUvIdZZP pic.twitter.com/tsG74WnInt
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 19, 2025
The reported framework, cited by Axios, includes US security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe in exchange for Kyiv surrendering parts of eastern Ukraine not currently under Russian control.
European diplomats criticized the idea as aligning with Moscow’s demands and warned against sidelining Ukraine in negotiations.
Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet visiting US Army officials in Kyiv on Thursday as discussions over the proposal continue.
Russian Strikes Kill 26 in Western Ukraine as Zelenskyy Urges Allies to Step Up Pressure
At least 26 people were killed and 26 others, including three children, remain missing after Russian drone and missile strikes hit the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil overnight, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said Wednesday.
Nearly 100 people were injured as residential buildings were destroyed, leaving entire apartment blocks gutted by fire. Emergency crews continued searching through rubble for survivors.
Russia launched 476 drones and 48 missiles across Ukraine, targeting energy and transport infrastructure and forcing emergency power cuts amid freezing temperatures.
26 murdered, incl 3 children, 93 injured, tens are still missing.
Death or slavery is the only plan russia offers to Ukraine — none means peace.
Maybe at least Europe still has some self-preservation instincts left. But with the latest reparations loan debate I have doubts. pic.twitter.com/XOoEK2EXAj
— Olena Halushka (@OlenaHalushka) November 20, 2025
Poland briefly closed two nearby airports and scrambled aircraft as a precaution.
The attack coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Turkey for peace talks, where he urged stronger sanctions on Russia and more air defense support. Ukrainian officials said the strikes will be raised at a United Nations Security Council meeting.
Moscow claimed the assault was retaliation for alleged Ukrainian missile attacks on Russian territory, which Kyiv said targeted military sites.
US Approves $93 Million Sale of Javelin Missiles and Excalibur Artillery to India
The US State Department has approved a $93 million arms sale to India that includes Javelin anti-tank missile systems and Excalibur guided artillery munitions, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced Wednesday.
The deal marks India’s first purchase under Washington’s foreign military sales program since relations soured in August, when President Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods in response to New Delhi’s Russian oil imports.
India requested 216 Excalibur tactical projectiles and 100 Javelin systems, both of which are already compatible with its existing M777 howitzers.
The US has approved a $93 million sale of Javelin anti-tank missiles and Excalibur shells to India, marking the first such military deal since recent tariff tensions. The sale includes 12 Command Launch Units and 104 missiles, which will enhance India’s anti-tank capabilities… pic.twitter.com/0bAe4FPwzM
— Polymarket Intel (@PolymarketIntel) November 20, 2025
The DSCA said the sale advances US strategic goals by strengthening defense ties with India and supporting regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.
RTX Corp will supply the Excalibur rounds, while a joint venture between RTX and Lockheed Martin will produce the Javelin systems.
More Than 170 Climbers Rescued After Mount Semeru Eruption in Indonesia
Indonesian authorities rescued over 170 climbers and guides who were stranded on Mount Semeru after the volcano erupted suddenly on Wednesday, sending clouds of hot ash, lava, and gas cascading down its slopes.
Officials said all the climbers were safe and being escorted from the Ranu Kumbolo camping area, which lies outside the eight-kilometer danger zone but may have been affected by volcanic ash.
Mount Semeru, Java’s highest volcano at 3,676 meters, released pyroclastic flows and ash columns reaching two kilometers into the air, prompting officials to raise the alert level to its highest tier. Nearly 1,000 residents from nearby villages in East Java’s Lumajang district were evacuated as authorities warned of continued high seismic activity and potential expansion of the danger zone.
No deaths were reported, though two motorcyclists suffered severe burns from falling ash.
VIDEO: 🇮🇩 Indonesia on highest alert level after volcano near Bali erupts
Clouds of ash and gas rise above Mount Semeru in the east of Indonesia’s main island of Java after eruptions force officials to raise the alert status to its highest level. At least 300 people have been… pic.twitter.com/WHPD6mLtml
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 20, 2025
The eruption blanketed nearby communities in thick debris and blocked sunlight. Semeru’s last major eruption in 2021 killed 51 people and destroyed hundreds of homes. Indonesia, located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” remains one of the world’s most volcanically active nations.
Two Injured in Separate South Korean Military Incidents, Including DMZ Explosion and Mortar Misfire
South Korea reported two injuries this week in unrelated military accidents, one in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and another during a live-fire exercise.
A non-commissioned officer was injured Thursday morning in an explosion on the DMZ’s western front, south of the North Korean border, while reportedly searching for landmines.
The soldier was airlifted to a hospital, and the cause of the blast remains under investigation, according to the Defense Ministry.
A day earlier, a civilian was struck by debris from a misfired mortar round during a training exercise in Yanggu, Gangwon province, about 65 miles northeast of Seoul. The round landed nearly 2,000 feet off target.
The military is investigating the incident, which follows a March bombing error that injured 38 civilians in Pocheon after two air force pilots mistakenly dropped bombs on a residential area.
Sources: News Agencies
Morning Brief: North Carolina Immigration Crackdown Arrests 250, US Pressures Ukraine to Accept Peace Plan
Epstein files ordered public, mass ICE raids in NC, and deadly strikes in Ukraine. Here’s your Thursday morning rundown, November 20, 2025.
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