US Designates Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as Foreign Terrorist Group Amid Rising Tensions
US President Trump formally designated Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, with the order taking effect November 24.
The US government accuses Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading the group, which it links to narcotics trafficking and organized crime. The move follows an expanded US military presence in the Caribbean and Pacific targeting drug smuggling networks.
President Donald Trump’s formal designation of Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization will go into effect on Nov. 24, escalating tensions between the US and Venezuela https://t.co/QqrTAXNsy2
— Bloomberg (@business) November 24, 2025
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the new designation gives Washington broader authority to act against “narco-terrorist” threats.
The Cartel de los Soles joins a list that includes Islamist organizations and Latin American drug cartels such as Mexico’s Sinaloa and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua.
Trump-Ordered Memphis Crime Task Force Sparks Overcrowding, Court Delays Amid Thousands of Arrests
A federal task force launched by US President Donald Trump to combat crime in Memphis has made more than 2,800 arrests and issued 28,000 citations since late September, overwhelming local courts and jails.
The Memphis Safe Task Force, which includes federal agents, state police, and National Guard troops, was deployed to curb violent crime but has strained the city’s justice system. Officials say overcrowding at the Shelby County Jail and packed court dockets could take months or years to resolve.
MEMPHIS SAFE TASK FORCE
Update as of November 21, 2025
Total Arrests 2,995
Firearms Seized 488
Missing Children Located 117
Gang Members Arrested 319#MemphisSafeTaskForce #USMarshals pic.twitter.com/j0RTOT36Ca
— U.S. Marshals Service (@USMarshalsHQ) November 21, 2025
Critics argue the crackdown disproportionately targets minority communities, with hundreds of arrests tied to immigration-related warrants. Jail capacity has exceeded 3,100 inmates—well above its 2,400 limit—forcing transfers to other facilities.
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and District Attorney Steve Mulroy have requested more judges, funding, and alternative court sessions to handle the surge.
Despite the strain, federal officials defend the task force’s results as proof of its effectiveness against violent crime.
US and Ukraine Report Progress in Peace Talks as Allies Voice Alarm Over Concessions to Russia
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior Ukrainian officials said Sunday that talks in Geneva made progress toward ending the Russia-Ukraine war, though details of the US peace proposal remain limited.
The 28-point plan, endorsed by President Trump, has raised concern in Kyiv and among European allies who fear it concedes too much to Moscow, including territorial losses. Rubio described the talks as “very worthwhile” and said negotiations would continue beyond the president’s Thursday deadline for Ukraine to respond.
The White House later said Ukraine’s key concerns (including security guarantees, sovereignty, and economic protection) had been incorporated into a revised framework.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the US for its support but reiterated that Russia started the war and Ukraine would continue defending its independence. European leaders, including Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz and France’s defense officials, warned against any deal limiting Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.
⚡️ Ukraine’s delegation wrapped up talks with U.S. officials in Geneva, and the message is upbeat.
Yermak said they made “real progress” and are moving toward the just and lasting peace Ukrainians deserve. pic.twitter.com/kbk8zkXUFF
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) November 23, 2025
Confusion in Washington grew after reports suggested Rubio had called the plan a Russian “wish list,” a claim the State Department denied.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would speak with Vladimir Putin to explore reviving the 2022 Black Sea grain export agreement as part of broader diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict.
Ukraine Says It Has Over 178,000 Open War Crimes Cases
Ukraine has opened 178,391 war crime investigations since Russia’s invasion, Prosecutor Vitalii Dovhal told CBS’ 60 Minutes in an interview aired Sunday.
The figure underscores the scale of alleged atrocities as Ukrainian and US officials continue talks on President Trump’s 28-point peace proposal, which would require Kyiv to cede more territory and grant amnesty to Russian war crime suspects.
The joint US-Ukraine statement released Sunday said the two sides made “meaningful progress,” though it did not specify whether the amnesty clause remains part of the draft framework.
Ukraine’s top prosecutor told 60 Minutes that the number of war crime investigations open at the beginning of the fall was 178,391. https://t.co/dW5KuyOOQu pic.twitter.com/cB9RwJY4JL
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) November 24, 2025
CBS correspondent Scott Pelley, reporting from sites of deadly missile strikes, described Ukraine as “the largest crime scene in the world.”
US Boycotts South Africa G20 Summit, Leaving Host Without Handing Over to Next Chair
The Group of 20 (G20) summit in Johannesburg ended Sunday without US participation after President Trump’s administration boycotted the event, citing claims that South Africa persecutes its white Afrikaner minority.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa closed the summit without handing the G20 gavel to an American representative, as no accredited US official attended.
The US is set to assume the G20 presidency next year and host the summit at Trump’s Doral golf club in Florida.
The boycott overshadowed the first G20 summit held in Africa and drew attention to divisions within the bloc. Despite US and Argentine opposition, leaders issued an early declaration focusing on climate change, debt relief, and inequality in developing nations.
🇿🇦 President Ramaphosa successfully concludes the #G20 Summit, highlighting South Africa’s commitment to inclusive global growth, sustainable development, and amplifying the voice of the Global South. A productive summit delivering real progress! #SouthAfricaG20… pic.twitter.com/n1SWwRnTKk
— G20 South Africa (@g20org) November 23, 2025
Ramaphosa said the summit highlighted Africa’s priorities but admitted it “was not easy” amid tensions.
French President Emmanuel Macron and other leaders praised the event’s symbolism but said the G20 remains divided on major geopolitical crises, including the war in Ukraine.
Israel Kills Hezbollah Chief of Staff in Beirut Strike, First Attack on Lebanese Capital in a Year
Israel carried out an airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs Sunday, killing Hezbollah’s chief of staff Haytham Tabtabai in the first strike on Lebanon’s capital since June.
The attack killed five people and wounded 25, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
Israel said Tabtabai was leading efforts to rebuild Hezbollah’s arsenal and warned the group not to rearm. Hezbollah confirmed his death and warned the strike could trigger an “escalation of assaults.”
IDF says today’s Beirut strike killed Hezbollah ‘Chief of Staff’ Hitham Ali Tabatabai
‘Tabatabai was a veteran and central operative in the terror organization’ https://t.co/1yaBgCa6Tx pic.twitter.com/Mfkp9g2deM
— RT (@RT_com) November 23, 2025
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strike as a violation of last year’s ceasefire and urged international intervention.
The attack comes days before Pope Leo XIV’s scheduled visit to Lebanon. Israel said it remains committed to existing ceasefire understandings and does not expect retaliation.
Tabtabai, who previously commanded Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Unit, had been designated a terrorist by the US in 2016.
The strike follows intensified Israeli operations against Hezbollah and Hamas targets in Lebanon amid ongoing regional tensions.
Suicide Bombers Attack Security Headquarters in Peshawar, Killing Three Officers
Two suicide bombers targeted the headquarters of Pakistan’s Federal Constabulary in Peshawar on Monday, killing at least three officers and injuring 11 others, according to police.
One attacker detonated explosives at the main gate, while the other was shot dead before reaching a parade ground where about 150 personnel were assembled. Police said the quick response prevented a larger tragedy.
Authorities have launched an investigation and are conducting DNA tests to identify the bombers. No group has claimed responsibility, though officials suspect the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), which has carried out similar attacks in recent months.
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing and praised the security forces’ response.
🔴CCTV footage of the attack on the Federal Constabulary (FC) Headquarters in Peshawar
⚠️A Suicide bomber detonated his device at the gates of the Federal Constabulary (FC) Headquarters in Peshawar, two other terrorists attempted to enter but due to the swift action of our… pic.twitter.com/a0lazolvnD
— Pakistan Armed Forces News 🇵🇰 (@PakistanFauj) November 24, 2025
The attack follows a recent surge in militant violence and comes less than two weeks after a suicide blast in Islamabad that killed 12 people.
The renewed violence has worsened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban of harboring TTP militants along the border.
China Warns Japan Over ‘Red Line’ After Tokyo Suggests Possible Military Role in Taiwan Conflict
China accused Japan of “crossing a red line” after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested earlier this month that a Chinese blockade or attack on Taiwan could justify a Japanese military response.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called the remarks “shocking” and said they signaled an attempt at military intervention in China’s internal affairs. He warned that Beijing would “resolutely respond” and urged the international community to prevent the “resurgence of Japanese militarism.”
Beijing followed up with a letter to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, in which China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong said any Japanese intervention in the Taiwan Strait would constitute aggression and prompt China to exercise its right to self-defense.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused Japan’s leader Sanae Takaichi of crossing a red line with comments about a possible military response to a Chinese attack on Taiwan, worsening relations https://t.co/iV00DNLykT pic.twitter.com/d4aCqioDvY
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 23, 2025
Takaichi, whose comments mark a tougher stance than her predecessors, has declined to retract them but said she would refrain from discussing specific military scenarios in the future.
Broken Pipe Cuts Water to 17 Okinawa Municipalities, US Bases Warn of Possible Outages
A burst water pipe in northern Okinawa on Monday caused widespread outages across 17 municipalities and threatened disruptions at several US military bases.
The damaged main, located in Ogimi Village’s Shioya district, supplies a key purification plant serving much of the island. Local authorities said the 1967-era pipe may have failed due to aging infrastructure.
The MCIPAC Facilities Directorate is currently monitoring a large water break in the central part of Okinawa (north of Nago). Marine Corps Camps, off post residences and businesses may experience water disruptions while the Okinawa Prefectural Government works on the situation. pic.twitter.com/HRIr0BSIXE
— MCIPAC (@OkinawaMarines) November 24, 2025
Marine Corps bases, including Camps Kinser, Courtney, and McTureous, reported possible low water pressure and advised conservation. Kadena Air Base urged residents to store water for essential use, while Marine gyms declared all water non-potable during and for 24 hours after the outage.
Water is being rerouted through another pipeline, but the Okinawa Prefectural Enterprise Bureau has not given an estimate for when full service will be restored.
Sources: News Agencies
Morning Brief: Top US General Visits Puerto Rico, US and Ukraine Report Progress in Peace Talks, Israel Kills Hezbollah Chief of Staff
US weighs strikes on Venezuela, Ukraine peace talks advance, Israel hits Beirut. Here’s your Monday morning rundown, November 24, 2025.
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