Today's Headlines: Trump Bows to Reality in Epstein Reversal, Beating a Rare Retreat

November 18, 2025, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

Trump Bows to Reality in Epstein Reversal, Beating a Rare Retreat

Faced with a mass defection on a bill to demand the release of the Epstein files, the president rushed to avoid an embarrassing loss, suggesting a slip in his iron grip on the G.O.P.

In Major Breakthrough, U.N. Security Council Adopts U.S. Peace Plan for Gaza

Russia and China abstained in the vote, which provides a legal mandate for the Trump administration’s vision of how to move past the cease-fire to rebuild the war-ravaged enclave after two years of war.

Tennessee Judge Temporarily Blocks National Guard Deployment in Memphis

The judge said the case “raises important questions concerning the use of the state’s military forces for domestic law enforcement purposes.”

World

Tanzania, a Nation Known for Peace, Is Rocked by Deadly Protests

Post-election violence has tarnished the country’s reputation for stability, and the crackdown may have backfired on the government, as officials in Washington call for a re-examination of U.S. ties.

Where Mao’s Peasants Tilled the Soil, Tourists Now Pay for the View

Decades ago, a Chinese village became an official symbol of revolutionary “self-reliance.” The slogan hasn’t changed, but nearly everything else has.

After Hundreds of Gazans Arrive on Mystery Flights, South Africa Asks How

A little-known group sold passage to desperate Palestinians who didn’t know their destination, catching the South African government by surprise.

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U.S.

Summers, ‘Ashamed’ Over Epstein Ties, Steps Back From Public Commitments

New emails showed that Lawrence H. Summers, a former Harvard president, had stayed in touch with Jeffrey Epstein for years after Mr. Epstein faced sex trafficking charges.

MacKenzie Scott Gives $700 Million to Historically Black Colleges

The donations to over a dozen schools come as the Trump administration is directing more funds to the historically Black institutions, too.

Man Charged in Shooting of Cleaning Woman Who Arrived at Wrong House in Indiana

A man was charged with manslaughter after a woman was shot through the front door of a home before dawn this month in suburban Indianapolis.

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Politics

Trump Says America Is in ‘Golden Age,’ Straining to Address Affordability

Speaking at a gathering of McDonald’s franchise owners and operators, the president boasted that he had “normalized” inflation.

Trump Has the Power to Release the Epstein Files, With or Without Congress

The president has reversed himself and encouraged lawmakers to vote for compelling the Justice Department to turn over investigation documents, but he never really needed their approval.

Trump Won’t Rule Out Sending Troops to Venezuela

President Trump said that he was open to talking with President Nicolás Maduro but that the United States has “to take care of Venezuela” as the U.S. builds a military force in the Caribbean.

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Business

The Fed Is Cutting Bank Oversight. Critics See Risks.

The regulator is cutting staff and easing oversight in ways that critics say might make supervisors less equipped to spot a crisis in advance, risking deeper damage to the economy.

After Climate Push, Energy Companies Return to Fossil Fuels in Europe

Recent oil and gas deals in Europe suggest that the growing demand for energy may be leading companies to adopt a more pragmatic approach.

As Struggling Farmers Take On Debt, a Bailout From D.C. May Come Too Late

It could be months before they receive aid, well after the winter period when they talk to their bankers and make decisions about the planting ahead.

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Arts

Met Returns Buddhist Painting Thought Taken During the Korean War

The 18th-century painting, which the Met acquired in 2007, is believed to have been removed from a South Korean temple while it was controlled by the U.S. Army.