The mini-report summarizes key developments: President Zelensky will travel to Turkey to seek renewed talks with Russia; a federal judge ruled that Meta lawfully acquired Instagram and WhatsApp; a Tennessee court temporarily blocked a National Guard deployment to Memphis while hundreds of federalized guardsmen are set to return home. Voters in Ecuador rejected a referendum to allow foreign military presence; U.S. health officials linked measles outbreaks across Texas, Utah and Arizona; the Justice Department sued California over restrictions on federal agents; an investigative report alleges White House intervention in a trafficking probe; and the U.N. Security Council adopted a U.S.-drafted resolution on Gaza.
Mini-Report — Nov. 18, 2025: Zelensky Heads to Turkey; Meta Wins Antitrust Case; Guard Deployment Blocked
The mini-report summarizes key developments: President Zelensky will travel to Turkey to seek renewed talks with Russia; a federal judge ruled that Meta lawfully acquired Instagram and WhatsApp; a Tennessee court temporarily blocked a National Guard deployment to Memphis while hundreds of federalized guardsmen are set to return home. Voters in Ecuador rejected a referendum to allow foreign military presence; U.S. health officials linked measles outbreaks across Texas, Utah and Arizona; the Justice Department sued California over restrictions on federal agents; an investigative report alleges White House intervention in a trafficking probe; and the U.N. Security Council adopted a U.S.-drafted resolution on Gaza.
07:53 AM, 11/19/2025Politics
Here is a concise roundup of notable developments from Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.
Ukraine and peace talks: President Volodymyr Zelensky said he plans to travel to Turkey on Wednesday to try to revive stalled peace negotiations with Russia. Ukrainian and Russian officials have not held direct talks in months, and efforts to end the war have been at an impasse since the last high-level discussions this summer.
Antitrust ruling involving Meta: A federal judge ruled that Meta did not violate the law when it acquired the then-emerging rivals Instagram and WhatsApp, handing the company a significant legal victory and complicating government efforts to rein in major tech firms.
National Guard deployment blocked in Memphis: A Tennessee judge temporarily barred the deployment of National Guard troops to Memphis after state and local lawmakers argued the governor exceeded his constitutional authority in ordering the deployment.
Federalized Guardsmen to return: In related developments, a defense official said hundreds of federalized National Guard members who had been sent to Illinois and Oregon are scheduled to return to their home states as soon as this week.
Ecuador referendum rejected: President Daniel Noboa, who had sought closer security ties with the United States and pressed to allow a foreign military presence in Ecuador, suffered a domestic setback when voters overwhelmingly rejected a referendum that would have authorized such a presence.
Justice Department sues California: The Justice Department filed suit against California over laws that restrict federal agents' use of masks and require identification during certain operations, arguing the state measures endanger federal officers conducting immigration enforcement.
Measles outbreak linked across states: Health officials said, for the first time, that a measles outbreak that began in Texas has been connected to cases in Utah and Arizona. That linkage could jeopardize the United States’ status as a country that had eliminated measles, according to a recorded public-health conference call obtained by reporters.
Investigative report on alleged White House intervention: A new investigative report alleges the White House intervened on behalf of an individual accused of sex trafficking during a federal probe, a development described as significant by those following the story.
U.N. Security Council endorses Gaza plan: The U.N. Security Council voted to adopt a U.S.-drafted resolution endorsing a plan to end the war in Gaza and authorizing an international stabilization force for the enclave, a move supporters say advances steps toward an eventual ceasefire and stabilization effort.
See you tomorrow.