Ecuador rejects return of US military bases in setback for Trump ally President Noboa

The UN Security Council adopted a US-backed resolution on Gaza with 13 votes in favor and two abstentions. This resolution is largely based on President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan for the Palestinian enclave. The plan aims to address the ongoing conflict and establish a framework for future governance and stability in the region.

A giant IUD installed at Paris’s Place de la République draws attention to the increasing anti-contraception movements globally and the blockage of contraceptive shipments in Belgium. Activists attribute these issues to aid cuts during the Trump administration. This traveling sculpture aims to raise awareness about the ongoing barriers women face regarding access to contraception worldwide.

President Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House for his first visit in seven years. This meeting is significant as it marks a renewal of diplomatic engagement between the two nations, which have been navigating complex geopolitical dynamics. The visit is expected to address key issues including security cooperation and economic partnerships.

A federal bankruptcy court judge has approved Purdue Pharma's settlement plan regarding thousands of lawsuits related to the opioid crisis. The plan mandates that members of the Sackler family, who own the company, contribute up to $7 billion over a period of 15 years. The majority of the funds will be allocated to government entities to combat the opioid epidemic, which has been associated with approximately 900,000 deaths in the United States since 1999.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet with a U.S. envoy from the Trump administration in Turkey to discuss efforts to intensify peace talks. The Kremlin has stated that there are no plans for Russian representatives to participate in these discussions, highlighting the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia. This meeting aims to explore potential pathways to revive negotiations amidst the conflict.

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse have condemned former President Donald Trump for his attempts to obstruct a vote regarding the release of files related to Epstein's case. The criticism comes as the U.S. House of Representatives prepares to vote on a measure that would compel the Justice Department to disclose all records from its investigation into Epstein. The survivors argue that transparency is crucial for justice and accountability.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican congresswoman from Georgia, has been on a 'revenge tour' against former President Trump, challenging his alignment with the MAGA movement. Despite her controversial reputation, Greene's actions are gaining traction, suggesting a shift in loyalty among some MAGA supporters. Her criticisms focus on Trump's perceived disconnect with his base regarding economic and foreign policy issues, as well as the Epstein case, raising questions about his influence within the party.

Cloudflare, a US company that protects millions of websites from malicious attacks, experienced a global outage on November 18, 2025. This incident caused error messages to appear across various websites, preventing users from accessing certain online services. The company has stated that it believes the issue is now resolved, although the exact cause of the outage remains unidentified.