Mount Semeru Eruption Traps Climbers, Raises Alert in Indonesia – 11/20/2025, 4:24:32 PM

Here are the major world news stories from November 20, 2025:

Security and Military Operations

Pakistani forces conduct raids near Afghan border – Pakistan’s military has raided two Pakistani Taliban hideouts in the country’s northwest near the Afghan border, resulting in intense shootouts that killed 23 militants.[1]

Mount Semeru volcano eruption in Indonesia – Indonesian authorities are assisting more than 170 climbers who were caught by Mount Semeru’s sudden eruption to return to safety. The volcano has been raised to the highest alert level following a series of eruptions.[1]

Russia strikes Ukraine as US officials visit – Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll and the Army’s top general have been sent to Ukraine by the Trump administration. This visit coincides with continued Russian attacks on Ukrainian territory.[1]

Ukraine receives 1,000 bodies of soldiers from Russia – Ukraine has received from Russia the bodies of 1,000 people that Moscow said were killed Ukrainian soldiers, marking the latest repatriation between the two sides.[4]

Humanitarian and Political Developments

Nigerian schoolgirl escapes captivity – One of 25 schoolgirls abducted from a dormitory in northwestern Nigeria’s Kebbi state has escaped and returned home. Nigeria’s president has postponed his trip to the G20 summit to intensify rescue efforts for the remaining abducted students.[1]

Bangladesh restores caretaker election system – Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has restored a nonpartisan caretaker government system for elections, though it will not apply to the polls being held early next year.[1]

Ukraine seeks Vatican mediation – Ukraine has asked the Vatican to formalize its role in facilitating negotiations for the return of Ukrainian children and civilians taken by Russia during the war.[1]

Corruption scandal pressures Ukraine’s Zelenskyy – Pressure is mounting on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to take stronger action to demonstrate accountability in response to a corruption scandal, which presents the greatest threat to his government since Russia’s full-scale invasion.[1]

Regional Issues

Bangladesh imposes curfew amid Gen Z protests – A curfew has been imposed in parts of Nepal after fresh clashes erupted between young protestors and loyalists of the former ruling party that was overthrown in a deadly uprising in September.[4]

Gaza ceasefire tensions escalate – Fresh Israeli air strikes killed four people in Gaza, prompting Qatar, a mediator of the weeks-long ceasefire, to warn that renewed attacks threaten to undermine the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas.[4]

China escalates trade dispute with Japan – China has announced it will suspend imports of Japanese seafood in a new escalation over Taiwan comments, marking one of the sharpest downturns between the two countries in recent years.[1]