US Coast Guard Reverses Course, Bans Hate Symbols After Backlash Over ‘Divisive’ Label
The US Coast Guard issued a new policy late Thursday explicitly banning the display of hate symbols such as swastikas and nooses, reversing an earlier draft that referred to them only as “potentially divisive.”
The updated directive states that all divisive or hate-based symbols and flags are prohibited across Coast Guard facilities, reaffirming that their display will lead to investigation and disciplinary action.
The policy shift followed public outcry after reports revealed that a recent internal draft softened language from a 2019 rule that classified such symbols as “widely identified with oppression or hatred.”
The U.S. Coast Guard issued a new policy on Thursday that bans the display of swastikas, nooses and other hate-based symbols after The Washington Post reported that an earlier draft had classified them as “potentially divisive.” pic.twitter.com/4OqhqVAwYo
— Ground News (@Ground_app) November 21, 2025
Lawmakers, including Senator Jacky Rosen and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, condemned the earlier wording as weakening protections against bigotry amid rising antisemitism.
Acting Commandant Admiral Kevin Lunday said the Coast Guard never lifted the ban and described claims to the contrary as “categorically false.”
The new policy takes immediate effect and aligns with broader Defense Department standards under review for addressing harassment and hate-related conduct across the US military.
New Senior Enlisted Leader Takes Charge at US Army Garrison Poland
Command Sergeant Major Alejandro Romar assumed responsibility as the new senior enlisted leader of US Army Garrison Poland during a ceremony on Friday at Camp Kosciuszko, succeeding Command Sergeant Major Jason Jones.
The transition marks another milestone in the garrison’s rapid development along NATO’s eastern flank.
Romar, a veteran with deployments to Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa, arrives as the garrison’s mission expands to include oversight of Army Support Activity Black Sea sites in Romania and Bulgaria. He is also the first service member in Poland permitted to bring school-age dependents, reflecting the Army’s move toward a long-term presence in the country.
Outgoing leader Jones was recognized for improving living conditions and infrastructure across 12 US sites, including new barracks and dining facilities that support over 10,000 rotating troops. His tenure also saw the garrison earn the Army Community Partnership Award for cooperation with Polish military and government agencies, the first time the honor was shared with a host nation ministry.
Command Sgt. Maj. Alejandro Romar assumed responsibility from Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Jones, who departs after a year overseeing quality-of-life improvements across 12 U.S. sites in Poland.https://t.co/VNpKDJ6erB
— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) November 21, 2025
US Navy Takes Delivery of Submarine USS Massachusetts as Fleet Expansion Continues
The US Navy accepted delivery Friday of the future USS Massachusetts (SSN-798), the 25th Virginia-class fast-attack submarine, marking another milestone in its shipbuilding program.
Built jointly by HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat, the submarine completed sea trials in October after being christened in 2023. The vessel will be commissioned in Boston Harbor in spring 2026, according to Naval Sea Systems Command.
Newport News Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said the delivery demonstrates progress toward accelerating submarine production.
The U.S. Navy just welcomed a powerful new asset! ⚓
We’re excited to announce the delivery of the future USS Massachusetts (SSN 798), the 25th Virginia-class submarine, from HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division on Nov. 21.
With advanced stealth, surveillance, and special… pic.twitter.com/1zPWn1YT9K
— U.S. Navy (@USNavy) November 21, 2025
The event capped a series of recent Navy milestones, including commissioning the final Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship, USS Pierre (LCS-38), in Panama City, Florida, and taking delivery of the future Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG-124).
The Navy also christened the future Virginia-class submarine USS Utah (SSN-801) in Groton, Connecticut, in October, continuing the expansion of its undersea fleet amid efforts to meet long-term shipbuilding goals.
Hegseth Presses Nigeria on Christian Persecution as Trump Warns of Possible US Action
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met Thursday with Nigerian National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu at the Pentagon to discuss efforts to curb violence against Christians and combat jihadist groups in West Africa, the Defense Department said.
Hegseth later wrote on X that the US is working “aggressively” with Nigeria to end the persecution of Christians under President Trump’s direction.
Yesterday, I met with Nigeria’s National Security Advisor and his team to discuss the horrific violence against Christians in their country.
Under @POTUS leadership, DOW is working aggressively with Nigeria to end the persecution of Christians by jihadist terrorists. pic.twitter.com/NPjh2Gcp9b
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) November 21, 2025
Trump, speaking Friday, accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from what he called “genocide” and warned that US military action could follow if the situation does not improve.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu rejected claims of religious persecution, saying his government protects all faiths and that such depictions “do not reflect our national reality.”
The issue has become a focus of the Trump administration and its allies, despite skepticism from international observers who note that both Christians and Muslims have been victims of Nigeria’s long-running communal violence.
The meeting followed visits by US lawmakers and public figures who have amplified Trump’s claims about Christian persecution in the country.
Putin Welcomes US Peace Proposal as Zelenskyy Faces Pressure to Accept Terms Involving Territorial Losses
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that a new US peace proposal to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine “could form the basis for a final settlement,” though he claimed Washington has yet to win Kyiv’s approval.
The plan, which includes ceding territory to Russia, limiting Ukraine’s military, and blocking its path to NATO, has drawn cautious responses from both Moscow and Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country faces a difficult choice between preserving sovereignty and risking US support as negotiations move forward.
US President Donald Trump confirmed he expects an answer from Zelenskyy by Thursday but suggested he could extend the deadline.
⚡️⚡️⚡️ Putin commented on Trump’s “peace plan” for Ukraine for the FIRST TIME.
Putin said that in Alaska, Russia AGREED with Trump’s proposal for settlement.
Key points:
🔺 During the meeting in Anchorage, Russia confirmed that, despite the difficulties, it agrees with the US… pic.twitter.com/9qZwlRYPCI
— Lenka White (@white_lenka) November 21, 2025
Zelenskyy said he will discuss the proposal with US and Russian officials “calmly” but insisted Ukraine must retain dignity and fairness in any talks.
European leaders expressed continued backing for Ukraine’s sovereignty while privately voicing concern over a deal that appears to favor Moscow. European Union officials warned that forcing concessions on Kyiv could undermine European security.
The US plan, reportedly developed without prior consultation with European allies, remains under review in Kyiv amid heightened diplomatic tensions.
Netanyahu Meets Security Chiefs as Settler Violence Escalates Across West Bank
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened senior military, intelligence, and police officials Friday to address a surge in settler violence in the West Bank after new incidents of stone throwing and arson in the Palestinian village of Huwara.
Local officials said settlers hurled rocks at Palestinian cars before setting a scrapyard ablaze, while Israeli authorities confirmed reports of Israeli civilians starting fires and damaging property. Police have opened an investigation.
The United Nations reported 29 settler attacks between November 11 and 17, resulting in 11 injuries and damage to homes, mosques, vehicles, crops, and nearly 1,000 trees. Palestinian officials said Israeli forces have killed more than 200 Palestinians this year, including 50 children.
In the occupied West Bank town of Sair, illegal Israeli settlers—accompanied by Israeli forces—set fire to a Palestinian family’s home and two vehicles. Several Palestinians, including women and the elderly, were reportedly injured in the attack. Israeli violence across the… pic.twitter.com/Qjpz05scKJ
— TRT World (@trtworld) November 17, 2025
At the meeting, Netanyahu and security chiefs discussed measures to curb violence, including potential educational programs for offenders.
Critics accused the government, dominated by pro-settlement ministers, of failing to rein in extremist settlers.
Meanwhile, Singapore announced sanctions and travel bans on four Israeli settlers over “egregious acts of extremist violence,” joining similar actions by the European Union and the United Kingdom.
Iran Condemns UN Nuclear Watchdog Resolution, Threatens Retaliation
Iran’s Foreign Ministry denounced a resolution by the UN International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) board of governors as “anti-Iranian” on Friday and warned of unspecified retaliatory actions, including the possible end of cooperation with the agency.
The IAEA’s resolution, passed Thursday, calls on Tehran to fully cooperate with inspectors, provide detailed information on its near-weapons-grade uranium stockpile, and grant access to nuclear sites.
Iran strongly condemns the IAEA’s anti-Iranian resolution as illegal and unjustified, stressing that the West is misusing the agency to mount pressure on Tehran.
Follow: https://t.co/mLGcUTSA3Q pic.twitter.com/foF1ARBOCr
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) November 21, 2025
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Iran notified the IAEA that it was terminating a Cairo inspection agreement reached in September after the country suspended cooperation during its war with Israel.
Baghaei accused the agency of bias and of ignoring US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June that killed more than 1,000 people.
The resolution raises tensions between Tehran and the UN watchdog, which have clashed repeatedly over inspection access and uranium enrichment.
Iran previously resumed limited cooperation after the Cairo talks, but that process halted after the UN reinstated sanctions under the 2015 nuclear deal’s snapback mechanism.
Japanese Court Orders Government to Pay $24 Million Over US Base Aircraft Noise
A Japanese court has ordered the government to pay roughly $24 million to about 8,000 residents living near Naval Air Facility Atsugi, southwest of Tokyo, for health and lifestyle damages caused by aircraft noise.
The Yokohama District Court ruled that the noise “exceeded what could be tolerated in social life,” according to Presiding Judge Nobuhiro Okada. The plaintiffs, from seven nearby cities, said the noise disrupted sleep, hearing, and daily activities.
The lawsuit, filed in 2017, sought monthly compensation ranging from $50 to $254 per person. The court granted partial damages but denied some claims, citing reduced noise levels after US Navy fighter jets relocated to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in 2018. Residents disputed that finding, saying noise levels remain high.
The Defense Ministry said it is reviewing the ruling before deciding next steps.
The decision follows a similar 2024 judgment awarding $37.5 million to another group of residents near the same base, part of a decades-long series of legal challenges over military aircraft noise in the region.
Sources: News Agencies
Evening Brief: Hegseth Presses Nigeria on Christian Persecution, Putin Welcomes US Peace Proposal, Iran Condemns UN Nuclear Watchdog Resolution
US Navy expands fleet, Israel confronts settler violence, Iran threatens IAEA. Here’s what’s making headlines this Friday evening.
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