Nigeria’s presidential spokesperson welcomes US assistance ‘as long as it recognises our territorial integrity’.
Published On 2 Nov 20252 Nov 2025
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Nigeria says it would welcome assistance from the United States in fighting armed groups as long as its territorial integrity is respected after US President Donald Trump threatened military action in the West African country over what he claimed was persecution of Christians there.
In a social media post on Saturday, Trump said he had asked the Department of Defense to prepare for possible “fast” military action in Nigeria if Africa’s most populous country fails to crack down on the “killing of Christians”.
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A spokesperson for Nigeria’s presidency, Daniel Bwala, told the Reuters news agency on Sunday that the country would “welcome US assistance as long as it recognises our territorial integrity”.
“I am sure by the time these two leaders meet and sit, there would be better outcomes in our joint resolve to fight terrorism,” Bwala added.
In his post, Trump said the US would immediately cut off all assistance to the country “if the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians”.
Earlier, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu pushed back against claims of religious intolerance and defended his country’s efforts to protect religious freedom.
“Since 2023, our administration has maintained an open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions,” Tinubu said in a statement.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians.”
Nigeria, a country of more than 200 million people, is divided between the largely Muslim north and mostly Christian south.
Armed groups have been engaged in a conflict that has been largely confined to the northeast of the country and has dragged on for more than 15 years. Analysts said that while Christians have been killed, most of the victims have been Muslims.
‘No Christian genocide’
While human rights groups have urged the government to do more to address unrest in the country, which has experienced deadly attacks by Boko Haram and other armed groups, experts say claims of a “Christian genocide” are false and simplistic.
“All the data reveals is that there is no Christian genocide going on in Nigeria,” Bulama Bukarti, a Nigerian humanitarian lawyer and analyst on conflict and development, told Al Jazeera. This is “a dangerous far-right narrative that has been simmering for a long time that President Trump is amplifying today”.
“It is divisive, and it is only going to further increase instability in Nigeria,” Bukarti added, explaining that armed groups in Nigeria have been targeting both Muslims and Christians.
“They bomb markets. They bomb churches. They bomb mosques, and they attack every civilian location they find. They do not discriminate between Muslims and Christians.”
Ebenezer Obadare, a senior fellow of Africa studies at the Washington, DC-based Council on Foreign Relations, agreed and said the Trump administration should work with Nigerian authorities to address the “common enemy”.
“This is precisely the moment when Nigeria needs assistance, especially military assistance,” Obadare said. “The wrong thing to do is to invade Nigeria and override the authorities or the authority of the Nigerian government. Doing that will be counterproductive.”
Gemma transformed into Glinda from Wicked for HalloweenCredit: InstagramShe looked stunning in a bright purple, bedazzled ball gownCredit: InstagramGemma showed off the gorgeous new look on her social mediaCredit: Instagram
“We’re doing a look today for Halloween,” Gemma explained, revealing her sparkling, bedazzled, bright purple ball gown.
Wearing a matching tiara and clutching a magic wand, she sang, “Popular, I’m going to be popular. I love, love, love Wicked.
“Like beyond. I’m obsessed.
“I know the premiere is coming to London, but for Halloween, I thought I’d do Glinda.
She started the NHS-approved Mounjaro weight loss jabs in November 2024.
Gemma previously told The Sun: “For me, taking the jab is more about helping me not to fixate on food, so I actually only eat once a day now and don’t snack.
“I used to fascinate about food all day, but now it’s not a major player in my life anymore, I’ve forgotten all about it.
“If I get a bit hungry, I’ll have something to eat, but it’s just about making smarter choices.
“The jabs aren’t for everyone but it’s a life changing drug for some people if it’s taken correctly and not abused. It has helped me a lot.”
Gemma has been open and honest about her weight lossCredit: InstagramShe started using NHS approved fat jabs last NovemberCredit: GettyShe has now dropped from a size 26 to a size 20Credit: GettyGemma told The Sun that fat jabs have changed her lifeCredit: Getty
Thousands of Moroccans filled the streets of Rabat singing and waving flags after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution describing autonomy for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty as the most feasible solution to the decades-long territorial dispute. The US-drafted text provides international endorsement of Morocco in its dispute with the Algeria-backed Polisario Front.
“Run, there’s a guy stabbing everyone”: Eyewitnesses describe attack
Passengers travelling from Doncaster to London were attacked in a mass stabbing on a train on Saturday night.
Eleven people were injured and received hospital treatment. Two of them remain in a life-threatening condition.
Two British men in their thirties were arrested and police said there was currently “nothing to suggest” it was a terror incident.
Witnesses reported that police used a Taser on one man who was holding a knife.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the attack was “appalling” and “deeply concerning”.
Here is what we know so far about what happened.
Where did the stabbings happen?
The attack took place on the 18:25 GMT London North Eastern Railway (LNER) service from Doncaster, South Yorkshire to London’s King Cross station.
Passengers said at least one person brandishing a knife began stabbing people on the train after it passed through Peterborough in Cambridgeshire.
Cambridgeshire Police received the first call from passengers on board at 19:39, and the British Transport Police (BTP) was also alerted at 19:42.
The train made an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon – which is some 15 minutes from Peterborough by train.
Altogether, the incident was estimated to last roughly 10 to 15 minutes – and passengers said it took place towards the rear of the train.
Armed police boarded the train and arrested two men within eight minutes of the call to BTP.
A large emergency service response was also sent to the scene, including air ambulances.
Getty Images
Emergency crews and police rushed to Huntingdon station in Cambridgeshire after 999 calls from the London-bound train
Uninjured passengers were interviewed by police and some boarded a coach bound for London.
Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty told the BBC there were about 10 ambulances, several fire engines and “well over 20 police cars” when he first arrived at the scene just after 21:00.
The station remained shut on Sunday morning, as well as the A1307 directly outside.
The empty train was still at the platform, while a police presence and forensics tents could also be seen.
What do we know about the suspects?
Supt John Loveless of the British Transport Police said two UK nationals were arrested.
The men, aged 32 and 35, were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Police said the 32-year-old man is a black British national and the 35-year-old is a British national of Caribbean descent.
They have not yet been named and are being held in separate police stations for questioning.
What do we know about the victims?
Emergency crews took 10 people to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge – which is some 30 minutes away from the train station – and one person later went to the hospital for treatment.
Shortly before 11:00 on Sunday, police said two people remained in a life-threatening condition and four had been discharged.
No victims have yet been named.
What have eyewitnesses said?
Getty Images
Forensics officers were at the scene on Sunday inspecting the empty train on the platform
Witnesses told the BBC of panic and confusion as passengers ran through the carriages, some wounded and bloodied.
Alistair Day, 58, told the BBC he hid in the buffet car with about 11 other passengers while the attacker attempted to gain entry.
He had run to to the car after seeing “a guy flailing out – a fracas with arms going everywhere”.
He said one passenger turned to him and calmly said he had been stabbed in the chest: “He had blood all over him, so we put pressure and stuff and held him.”
Olly Foster said he heard people shouting “run, there’s a guy stabbing literally everyone and everything” – and thought at first it might have been a Halloween prank.
He saw an older man with gashes on his head and neck after he “blocked” the attacker from stabbing a younger girl. Passengers then used their jackets to try to staunch the bleeding.
Watch: Police rush to scene of Cambridgeshire train attack
Another witness, Wren Chambers, said one person had been stabbed in the arm and bolted down the train to alert others – while another shouted “someone’s got a knife”.
Some passengers hid inside the toilets while others swarmed towards the front of the train.
London Underground worker Dean McFarlane said he saw multiple people running down the platform at Huntingdonbleeding, with one man in a white shirt “completely covered in blood”.
What have police said?
British Transport Police (BTP) declared a major incident and initially said counter-terrorism officers were supporting the investigation “to establish the full circumstances and motivation for this incident”.
The force said it had at one point declared “Plato” – the national code word used by emergency services when responding to a “marauding terror attack” – but later rescinded it.
Supt Loveless later said at a press conference on Sunday morning that “there is nothing to suggest this is a terrorist incident”.
Defence Secretary John Healey told the BBC early reports suggested it was an isolated incident.
He added that this was a service he used often – and that he had travelled along the same route just hours before the attack – and paid tribute to the emergency response.
What has the reaction been?
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the “appalling incident on a train near Huntingdon is deeply concerning”.
He wrote on X: “My thoughts are with all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services for their response.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said said her thoughts were with the victims, their friends and family and praised emergency workers who “responded rapidly, with the utmost professionalism and saving lives”.
King Charles issued a statement saying he and Queen Camilla extended their “deepest sympathy” to those affected and their loved ones.
“My wife and I were truly appalled and shocked to hear of the dreadful knife attack that took place on board a train in Cambridgeshire last night.”
“We are particularly grateful to the emergency services for their response to this awful incident.”
Reuters
Objects scattered across the station floor appeared to include belongings and medical supplies
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch told the BBC she was “horrified” by the attack: “I can only imagine how frightening it must have been to be in an enclosed environment with someone rampaging in that fashion.”
She praised the emergency response to the incident and urged people not to speculate, while questioning why “we’re seeing more and more violence on our streets” despite efforts to tackle knife crime.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey praised the “extraordinary bravery” of passengers who stepped forward to protect others, while Reform UK’s head of policy Zia Yusuf told the BBC said people were “being traumatised in this country by the act that we have appalling knife crime”.
Tickets for Saturday and Sunday will be valid until Friday, and those who no longer want to travel this week can get a refund.
Lines have reopened between Hitchin and Peterborough. Great Northern and Thameslink trains between London Kings Cross and Peterborough will run, but there may be delays or cancellations.
A rail replacement service is in place to and from Huntingdon, which will remain closed until the end of Sunday.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said passengers would see a “high visibility presence” of police at stations and on trains throughout the day “to reassure the public”, and that she was receiving regular updates from the police and LNER.
Universal Music Group said Wednesday it has reached licensing agreements with artificial intelligence music startup Udio, settling a lawsuit that had accused Udio of using copyrighted music to train its AI.
Users create music using Udio’s AI, which can compose original songs — including voices and instruments — from text prompts.
Udio has agreed with UMG to launch a new platform next year that is only trained on “authorized and licensed music,” and will let users customize, stream and share music.
“These new agreements with Udio demonstrate our commitment to do what’s right by our artists and songwriters, whether that means embracing new technologies, developing new business models, diversifying revenue streams or beyond,” Lucian Grainge, UMG’s chairman and chief executive, said in a statement.
Udio declined to disclose the financial terms of the settlement and licensing agreements. UMG did not immediately return a request for comment on the terms.
Artificial intelligence has brought new opportunities as well as challenges to the entertainment industry, as AI startups have been training their models on information on the internet, which entertainment companies say infringes on their copyrighted work.
In the music industry, music businesses have accused New York City-based Udio and other AI music startups of training on copyrighted music to generate new songs that are based on popular hits without compensation or permission.
UMG, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and other music businesses sued Udio last year. In the lawsuit, Udio was accused of using hits like The Temptations’ “My Girl,” to create a similar melody called “Sunshine Melody.” UMG owns the copyright to “My Girl.”
“A comparison of one section of the Udio-generated file and ‘My Girl’ reflects a number of similarities, including a very similar melody, the same chords, and very similar backing vocals,” according to the lawsuit. “These similarities are further reflected in the side-by-side transcriptions of the musical scores for the Udio file and the original recording.”
Udio said on its website at the time that it stands by its technology and that its AI model learns from examples, similar to how students listen to music and study scores.
“The goal of model training is to develop an understanding of musical ideas — the basic building blocks of musical expression that are owned by no one,” Udio had said in a statement. “We are completely uninterested in reproducing content in our training set.”
On Wednesday, Udio’s CEO and co-founder, Andrew Sanchez, said he was thrilled at the opportunity to work with UMG “to redefine how AI empowers artists and fans.”
The collaboration is the first music licensing agreement that Udio has reached with a major music label.
“This moment brings to life everything we’ve been building toward — uniting AI and the music industry in a way that truly champions artists,” Sanchez said in a statement. “Together, we’re building the technological and business landscape that will fundamentally expand what’s possible in music creation and engagement.”
Udio said that artists can opt in to the new platform and will be compensated, but declined to go into the specifics or the artists involved.
Udio, launched in 2024, was co-founded by former Google DeepMind employees. Udio’s backers include music artist will.i.am, Instagram co-founder and Anthropic’s chief product officer Mike Krieger and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.
Udio said millions of people have used Udio since it launched in 2024. Users can access the platform through its app or website. The company did not break out specifically how many downloads or website users it has.
Udio has had 128,000 app downloads in Apple’s App Store since its app was released in May, according to estimates from New York-based mobile analytics firm Appfigures.
On Thursday, UMG also announced a partnership with London-based Stability AI to develop music creation tools powered by AI for artists, producers and songwriters.
Police in Evanston, Illinois, are investigating a violent arrest by a Customs and Border Protection agent who repeatedly punched a man’s head against the road. It happened after the agent’s vehicle was rear-ended, and a hostile crowd formed telling federal officers to leave, who responded with pepper spray and pointing their guns at protesters.
It’s unclear whether the man being punched was the driver behind the collision or part of a crowd that formed to pressure federal officers to leave. The incident sparked outrage from local leaders and renewed tensions over federal immigration enforcement in the Chicago area.
United States President Donald Trump has directed the Department of War to prepare for what he called “possible action” to eliminate Islamic terrorists in Nigeria, citing alleged widespread attacks on Christians. The directive, issued through his Truth Social media platform on Saturday, marks one of the most aggressive foreign policy statements by the Trump administration since returning to office.
In the post, President Trump accused the Nigerian government of “allowing” the killing of Christians and threatened to end all U.S. aid and assistance to the country if what he described as “Christian persecution” continued.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote. “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”
The remarks came barely a day after Washington redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), a status applied to nations accused of tolerating or engaging in severe violations of religious freedom. Nigeria was previously placed on and later removed from the CPC list under the Biden administration.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu responds cautiously, “Nigeria is a Secular Democracy.” He rejected Trump’s claims and designation, describing them as “ill-informed and unhelpful”, adding that “Nigeria remains a secular democracy anchored on constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and belief.”
The Nigerian presidential office said in a statement from Abuja, “We reject any characterisation that seeks to define our complex security challenges through a single religious lens.” The Nigerian government maintains that ongoing violence in the country’s Middle Belt and northern regions is driven by multiple intersecting factors—including poverty, criminality, land disputes, and weak governance—rather than a campaign of religious persecution.
Security analysts and conflict researchers have similarly warned against oversimplifying Nigeria’s insecurity as a Christian–Muslim conflict. “What we see in places like Plateau, Benue, Zamfara, and Borno are overlapping crises involving ethnic competition, resource scarcity, violent crimes, and terrorism,” said a recent HumAngle report.
The HumAngle analysis titled Nigeria’s Conflicts Defy Simple Religious Labels revealed that communities of both faiths have suffered from terrorism and violent crimes, and that attackers often frame violence around identity to justify or mobilise support for their actions.
While Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), continue to target civilians and security forces in attacks that often include Christian victims, the violence has also claimed thousands of Muslim lives.
HumAngle’s investigations have shown that the narrative of a “Christian genocide” obscures the complex and fluid alliances that define local conflicts. Extremist groups, criminal gangs, and vigilante forces often operate with shifting motives, depending on context.
Analysts say Trump’s statement may reflect both foreign policy posturing and domestic political calculation. With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, evangelical Christian groups have increasingly highlighted claims of Christian persecution across the world, particularly in Africa and the Middle East.
President Trump accused Nigeria of permitting the persecution of Christians, threatening to cease U.S. aid if it continues, and expressed willingness to take military action against Islamic terrorists involved. This accusation emerged as Nigeria was redesignated as a “Country of Particular Concern” due to religious freedom violations. However, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu dismissed Trump’s assertions, emphasizing that Nigeria is a secular democracy with complex security issues not solely defined by religion.
The Nigerian government argues that conflicts in the country’s Middle Belt and northern areas are influenced by poverty, criminality, and governance challenges rather than a singular religious narrative. Security analysts caution against simplifying Nigeria’s conflicts as Christian-Muslim strife, noting that both communities suffer equally from terrorism and violence. Reports stress that extremist violence impacts all ethnic and religious groups, with shifting alliances complicating conflict dynamics. Analysts speculate that Trump’s statements may serve both foreign policy and domestic political interests, as claims of global Christian persecution gain traction among his evangelical base.
Netflix fans do not have long left to wait for a brand new season of Squid Game: The Challenge.
456 players will take part in Squid Game: The Challenge season two competing for a huge £4.56 million prize. (Image: NETFLIX)
Squid Game fans have just two days left until a brand new season of a high stakes reality game returns to Netflix screens.
Once again, 456 players will take on a series of brutal games in the hopes of winning a staggering $4.56 million cash prize for season two of Squid Game: The Challenge.
The hit Netflix reality show, based on the popular Korean thriller Squid Game, was a huge success when it first hit screens back in 2023. Another series was announced earlier this year, with it now being just days away.
Unlike the original phenomenon where players are killed if they lose, there will still be devastating impacts as contestant will miss out on winning the life-changing amount of money. Despite the full cast remaining under wraps, Netflix has already announced some huge names, including familiar faces from Selling Sunset and Big Brother.
Episode release schedule explained
Squid Game: The Challenge season 2 will return to screens on November 4. However, not all episodes will be released straight away.
Instead, fans will have to wait a week for different instalments for the three week run.
On November 4, fans will be treated to four episodes as a group of brand new players are introduced to the game.
November 11 will then see the next three episodes aired.
But fans will have to wait until November 18 for the remaining episodes in the huge season finale.
Squid Game The Challenge games
With subtle nods to various games, executive producer Nicola Brown told Tudum: “Those little Easter eggs are important for both the viewers at home and the players.
“The first thing they do when they walk into the dorm is look at the walls and try to figure out what the new games might be.”
Here are some games fans can look forward to:
The count – a brand new game that will determine how the competition continues
Six-Legged Pentathlon – teams race head to head, with legs tied together with mini games thrown in
Catch – a brand new game which games designer Ben Norman teases is not as simple as it sounds
Mingle – players on a carousel must gather in groups consisting of a number called out and walk into an adjoining room
Marbles – with the same rules as season 1 players again partner up and given a bag of marbles and 30 minutes
Slides and Ladders – a new game that turns the familiar board game into something high stakes and “oversized”
Circle of Trust – blindfolded at desks in a circle, the player who received a gift box must guess who gave it to them
Finale game – Remains a mystery for now
Is there a season 3?
With season 2 just days away, Netflix has already geared up for another season of the hit reality show. Anyone wishing to take part can apply online for a chance to compete.
However, according to Tudum, there is another way to get on the show. Tudum hints: “Player recruitment for Season 3 is also now taking place through Squid Game: The Experience inboth New York and London.
“Winners at the immersive, IRL experience will receive priority in the casting process, though this does not guarantee they will be selected to take part in Season 3.”
Squid Game: The Challenge season 2 premieres Tuesday, November 4 on Netflix.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
Russia has said that it conducted a long-awaited test of its mysterious Burevestnik (also known to NATO as SSC-X-9 Skyfall) cruise missile last week, claiming that it flew for 8,700 miles. The missile, which is nuclear-powered, is said to have remained in the air for around 15 hours. For the time being, we don’t know if those statements are factually accurate, and details about how the missile actually works remain very scarce. However, the claimed test has led to boasts about the missile’s performance from Russian President Vladimir Putin, while his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, called upon Putin to end the war in Ukraine “instead of testing missiles.”
Russia’s Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, told Putin yesterday that a successful test of the Burevestnik was carried out on October 21. Gerasimov said that the 15-hour flight “is not the [maximum] limit” for the missile. Regardless, if true, this would appear to be the first long-endurance test of the missile.
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov during a meeting earlier this month in Saint Petersburg. Photo by Mikhail METZEL / POOL / AFP MIKHAIL METZEL
In response to Gerasimov’s remarks, Putin commented: “I remember vividly when we announced that we were developing such a weapon, even highly qualified specialists told me that, yes, it was a good and worthy goal, but unrealizable in the near future. This was the opinion of specialists, I repeat, highly qualified. And now the decisive tests have been completed.”
People are asking what’s the purpose of Burevestnik and why develop a system that is very much useless as a weapon. The answer has always been right there, in the 1 March 2018 address. Russian president has always wanted to say these words. The rest doesn’t matter really. pic.twitter.com/0Q7JUGBqo3
Of all these weapons, the Burevestnik has long been among the most intriguing.
As TWZ described when it was first announced, the basic concept of a nuclear-powered cruise missile is by no means new.
After all, in the 1960s, the U.S. Air Force explored a similar idea with its Supersonic Low Altitude Missile, or SLAM. This weapon employed a nuclear-powered ramjet along with conventional rocket boosters to kickstart the system. Once at the appropriate speed, the engine would blow air over the reactor, which could have enough fuel to operate for weeks or months on end, and then force it out of an exhaust nozzle to produce thrust.
The Tory II-C nuclear ramjet engine that was tested in 1964 and which helped inform the abortive Supersonic Low Altitude Missile, or SLAM, program. Public Domain
A missile of this kind has extreme endurance, not limited by conventional fuel onboard as all other air-breathing missiles are, can be wildly unpredictable and tough to defend against.
While we don’t know what kind of nuclear propulsion the Burevestnik uses, provided this kind of technology can be made reliable, the implications are significant.
Of the latest test, Gerasimov said: “The technical characteristics of the Burevestnik generally allow it to be used with guaranteed accuracy against highly protected targets at any distance.” He added that: “vertical and horizontal maneuvers were completed,” something that would allow the missile to “bypass anti-missile and air defense systems.”
As we have surmised before, an operational Burevestnik would likely cruise at high subsonic speed on a circuitous route at extremely low altitude, helping it to avoid surface-based early warning systems and missile defense interceptors.
Using a two-way datalink, it should be possible to adapt the Burevestnik’s course in flight to further confuse an opponent or actively counter any attempts to intercept the missile.
The American SLAM concept involved a payload of multiple nuclear warheads that could be dropped on different targets along the way, but again, the warhead of the Russian missile remains mysterious. Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, claimed that the latest test involved a warhead. If true, it would almost certainly involve a mock warhead, without the nuclear material, which would serve to test fuzing and detonation, for example.
Congratulations to all Russia’s friends on the successful test of the unlimited-range Burevestnik (Storm petrel) cruise missile with a nuclear engine and warhead ⚡️😃
Nevertheless, a technically perfected Burevestnik remains a somewhat questionable goal given previous problems with the program. At the same time, there remains the very real issue of safety and environmental hazards. We will dive deeper into both these factors later.
Returning to last week’s test, Gerasimov didn’t say where it took place, but it’s widely assumed to have been in Novaya Zemlya, an archipelago in northern Russia, situated in the Arctic Ocean, and used for many previous weapons tests.
Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) orders issued for October 21 showed a large area around Novaya Zemlya closed off, corresponding to a Russian missile test or live-fire exercise.
Over on the other site, David was covering the lead up to the apparently successful Burevestnik test. Sadly, its almost all ship tracking because this late in the year, you don’t get many satellite images that far north. pic.twitter.com/k04x9u6whp
Meanwhile, several Russian vessels that are known to be used in missile tests were noted in positions along the coast of the Arctic archipelago, both on the Barents Sea and Kara Sea sides. Probable support aircraft belonging to Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear corporation, and the Russian Aerospace Forces were also seen at Rogachevo airfield on Novaya Zemlya.
There have also been flights by a U.S. Air Force WC-135 Constant Phoenix “nuke sniffer” aircraft in the region, which some observers suggested could have been related to a Burevestnik. After a flight by this aircraft around the Barents Sea on August 5, the Air Force told TWZ that this was “to conduct routine background collection … to ensure signatory nations are adhering to established United Nations treaties.” The Air Force spokesperson added that the deployment of the WC-135 to the United Kingdom was planned and scheduled months in advance.
Background collection is something that could be conducted in anticipation of a Burevestnik test in the future. This data will be used to compare that from a collection mission following a test. At the same time, the wider region hosts other Russian nuclear assets, which would also be of interest for such flights, which are fairly regular in occurrence.
Finally, the test site at Pankovo, north of Rogachevo, on Yuzhny Island in the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, has seen considerable activity starting this summer. Pankovo hosts what is understood to be the main launch site for the Burevestnik, with two rail-type launchers under a retractable covering.
A view of the test site at Pankovo, with a missile launcher in the raised position. via X
Update on the Burevestnik launch site. Launchers and covers for the first Burevestnik company are being installed. The presence of lightning rods suggest that assets will be on the pad for long periods of time. pic.twitter.com/UvhryhIJVd
On 21 October 2025 Russia conducted “the key test” of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile (also referred to as SSC-X-9 Skyfall). The test is reported to be successful. The missile travelled 14,000 km in a 15-hour flight (Image: Pan’kovo test site). Links follow 1/ pic.twitter.com/OVuCCjPiDO
Provided that last week’s test was conducted from Pankovo, making use of the area signaled by the NOTAM, then the missile must have flown in a racetrack or zigzag pattern around the Arctic archipelago. Less likely would be a longer route flown across the north of Russia.
A map showing Russia’s Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. The specific location of the Pankovo test site is also marked. Google Earth
Whatever the case, Norway, the closest NATO country to the test area, said it hadn’t detected any spikes in radiation at any of its monitoring posts.
“We have not measured anything abnormal at our measuring stations in Norway,” a spokesperson for the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA) told the Barents Observer. However, there is still time for such a reading to be made.
“If there has been a radioactive release in connection with Russia’s testing of the cruise missile, it will take a long time to travel to Norway, and it will take time before it can be registered at our measuring stations,” the DSA spokesperson added.
Previous tests of the Burevestnik have not been without incident.
When he announced the missile in 2018, Putin suggested that tests of the propulsion system had occurred the previous year, but there was no indication of whether this had been in flight or on the ground and under what conditions.
A grainy screengrab, released in 2018, that may show the nuclear-powered cruise missile during a test flight. via Channel One Russia
Soon after Putin’s 2018 announcement, the Norwegian-based environmental group Bellona suggested that a radiation spike in the Arctic that same winter was caused by the missile’s open-air-cooled reactor core.
Later in 2018, a U.S. intelligence report described the loss at sea of a Russian nuclear-powered missile during a 2017 test. The report added that Russia was expected to embark on a search and recovery mission to try to lift the missile’s wreckage from the seabed.
The Russian Ministry of Defense released the video below in 2018, saying that it showed an earlier Burevestnik test launch, as well as examples of the missiles themselves.
More dramatically, in 2019, an explosion occurred aboard a barge in the White Sea, outside Nenoksa, killing five Rosatom scientists. It also led to a radiation spike in the Russian city of Severodvinsk, as you can read more about here. The explosion has been blamed on a reactor from a Burevestnik recovered from the sea, likely the one that was lost in 2017.
While the details of these accidents remain murky, they point to a significant problem in using nuclear propulsion for a missile or any other vehicle flying in the atmosphere.
It should be recalled that, in the case of SLAM, the nuclear ramjet had no shielding to contain dangerous radiation, a requirement driven by the need for the powerplant to be small enough to fit inside the missile. The SLAM’s exhaust plume also contained unspent fissile material that would have contaminated any area, enemy-controlled or not, that it passed over on its way to the target.
While the Burevestnik has already been likened to a ‘tiny flying Chernobyl’ by some observers, it’s important to remember that we still don’t know how it functions.
Nevertheless, provided it does indeed use nuclear propulsion, as claimed, there exists the risk of accidents.
“The testing [of the Burevestnik] carries a risk of accidents and local radioactive emissions,” Norway’s Intelligence Service (NIS) stated in a threat assessment report published last year.
This is especially the case during an unarmed test, when the missile necessarily has to come down to the surface, impacting either land or water. Here, especially, there remain a lot of questions about how the missile is tested.
A screencap from an official Russian Ministry of Defense video that purports to show a Burevestnik test round. Russian Ministry of Defensescreencap
It’s possible that the missile came down in waters around Novaya Zemlya, in either the Barents Sea or the Kara Sea. According to the Barents Observerand other sources, there are several ships in this area, on both sides of the Matochkin Strait, which might be involved in a recovery operation.
These ships include Rosatom’s special-purpose vessel Rossita, on the eastern coast of the Kola Peninsula. This vessel was noted making port calls in Novaya Zemlya after previous presumed Burevestnik tests. The Rossita is equipped to transport spent nuclear fuel and other hazardous radioactive material.
Perhaps, if Norway subsequently detects a radioactive spike in this area, we might learn more about where the missile ended its flight.
In the meantime, Putin took the opportunity to push claims about the missile’s game-changing nature.
“We need to determine the possible uses and begin preparing the infrastructure for deploying this weapon in our armed forces,” Putin said yesterday. This is especially relevant considering that the New START treaty with the United States, which puts a limit on strategic nuclear warheads and launchers, expires next year. Gerasimov’s announcement of the long-distance test also came one day before Russia began its annual Grom strategic nuclear maneuvers.
When asked for his reaction to the claims of the Burevestnik test, President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. Navy has a nuclear submarine “right off their shores,” meaning that there is no immediate requirement for a missile with the kind of range that the Russian cruise missile should possess.
At the same time, Trump noted that Russia is “not playing games with us. We’re not playing games with them either.” As for Putin’s comments on the missile test, Trump said: “I don’t think it’s an appropriate thing for Putin to be saying,” reminding the Russian leader that the priority was to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.
Trump responded to Putin’s threats and the recent Burevestnik missile test by reminding that the US has a nuclear submarine “right off their coast.”
He said there’s no need to fire missiles 8,000 miles when such assets are already in place, and called on Putin to end a war that… pic.twitter.com/kRIlFdMzQZ
Still, the prospect of the Burevestnik entering service is a concerning one for adversaries of Russia. The missile can be launched preemptively and approach its target from any vector long after launch. For example, it could be launched from the Arctic, stay aloft for many hours, and then attack the United States from the south. Once launched, its flight path is entirely unpredictable, and it could exploit holes in defenses and weaker spots in early warning capabilities. It provides another reason why space-based tracking layers, including those that can spot low-flying aircraft, are currently very much on trend.
It is also worth noting that the latest Burevestnik test comes at a time when the U.S. Golden Dome initiative is taking shape, and the Russian missile reinforces the case for such a system. At the same time, it also underlines the reason why Russia wants weapons like this, so that it can better bypass existing strategic air defense systems.
The latest developments leave no doubt that the Burevestnik is a prestige program for Russia, even if many questions still surround it, and the nature of the latest test.
Geri Halliwell (L) and Kylie Minogue once kissed on live TVCredit: Channel 4The locked lips on Channel 4’s TFI FridayCredit: Channel 4
Hosted by Chris Evans, TFI Friday was a huge TV hit in the late 90s thanks to its mixture of music, stars and entertainment.
It was never short of unexpected moments, including the famous snog between Kylie and Ginger Spice.
A clip showing their kiss was shared to Instagram and showed how the pair were sitting opposite each other at a table before embarking on an intense arm wrestle.
As the pair battled it out, they began leaning in closer to each other and ultimately locked lips.
They then laughed and sat back before coming in together for a quick embrace.
“Back in ’99, pop royalty collided on TFI Friday when Geri Halliwell and Kylie Minogue shared a surprise kiss on live TV,” wrote the 90s TV Legacy Instagram account on the post.
Many people reacted to the video, including TV producer Nathan Eastwood, who was working on TFI Friday at the time.
“I had the job of asking Kylie to do the arm wrestle. She was so lovely, just said of course. The kiss wasn’t planned,” he wrote in the comments.
Other people who remembered the moment happening as they watched live also shared their thoughts.
“Watched it live, classic TV,” commented one person.
Another added: “I remember thinking ‘this is the best day of my life’ watching that as a kid.”
And a third wrote: “Late 90s early 00s was peak humanity and I will not be told any different.”
Kylie herself opened up about the kiss in 2012 when chatting to media outlet, Pride Source.
“That’s true, I hadn’t thought about that… We never discussed it – the kissing or anything. It just all happened,” she said.
Kylie confirmed the kiss wasn’t plannedCredit: GettyGeri is now married to F1 boss, Christian HornerCredit: Getty
Tens of thousands of people in Sudan have fled el-Fasher and the advance of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in the Darfur region. Al Jazeera’s Hiba Morgan reports from a camp for displaced civilians in the neighbouring Northern State where people are in desperate need of assistance.
During its 3rd grandiose summit in Luanda that brought together a distinguished panel of leaders, including the ministers of transport from Zimbabwe and Rwanda, the secretary-general of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), the director of strategies at Morocco’s Ministry of Transport and Logistics, the CEOs of Ethiopian Airlines and TAAG Angola Airlines, as well as representatives from the World Bank Group and the European Commission (EC), the African Union finally earmarked $30 billion for aviation infrastructure.
In his opening address, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola and Chairperson of the African Union (AU), stressed that Africa must invest between $130 billion and $170 billion annually to lay the foundation for sustainable growth. “We must move from words to action,” President Lourenço urged. “This summit represents a decisive step toward mobilizing the resources needed to enhance connectivity and integration across our continent.”
The ambitious investment plan strategically aims at modernizing the continent’s aviation infrastructure under the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), according to summit reports. Lerato D. Mataboge, African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, during the high-level session on Financing and Modernizing African Civil Aviation Infrastructure to Promote Integrated Continental Airspace and Enable Free Movement Under SAATM, emphasized aviation’s pivotal role as both an engine of integration and a cornerstone of Africa’s economic transformation.
“Aviation is not merely a mode of transport,” Mataboge stated, speaking at the session. “It is a strategic engine of continental integration and a core enabler of Agenda 2063 and the AfCFTA. The Single African Air Transport Market will only succeed if we build the modern, safe, and efficient infrastructure that Africa’s growth demands.”
Citing findings from a Continental Aviation Infrastructure Gap Analysis conducted with AFCAC, ICAO, and the World Bank, Mataboge revealed that Africa needs between $25 and $30 billion over the next decade to close critical aviation infrastructure gaps. Passenger traffic is projected to triple from 160 million in 2024 to nearly 500 million by 2050, intensifying the urgency for investment.
Key funding requirements include US$10 billion for airport and aerodrome infrastructure and $8 billion for modernizing communication, navigation, and meteorological systems. The AU’s strategy aims to mobilize $10 billion in catalytic public finance to attract an additional $20 billion in private and institutional investment. Through partnerships with Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and AUDA-NEPAD, the AU is aligning investment priorities with SAATM and the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA).
The modernization plan integrates cutting-edge technologies such as Airport Collaborative Decision-Making (A-CDM) and System-Wide Information Management (SWIM) to enable seamless continental airspace. It also incorporates renewable energy solutions at airports to attract green financing and advance sustainability goals.
“As we modernize African skies, we are doing so sustainably,” Mataboge added. “Every project we prepare is designed to meet global green standards, reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions, and make African aviation an attractive asset class for the world’s growing pool of climate-focused capital.”
Mataboge reaffirmed the AU’s commitment to ensuring that a modern, efficient, and sustainable aviation network drives Africa’s economic integration, connectivity, and global competitiveness. The AU’s officials reaffirmed their focus on Africa’s most strategic priorities, including building aviation infrastructure, digital data systems, and data interoperability. The discussion underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in building a better aviation sector across Africa.
Deals and Dollars: Concrete Commitments
The summit moved beyond dialogue to secure tangible commitments, marked by the signing of three key Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs):
– A partnership between the African Social Security Association and AUDA-NEPAD to channel African pension funds into continental infrastructure.
– An MOU with Qatar Airways establishing a $500 million endowment for renewable energy and climate-aligned industrialization.
– The establishment of the Angola Export and Trade Facility to promote regional cooperation and trade.
Ms. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of AUDA-NEPAD, reported significant progress since the previous summit in Dakar, Senegal. She announced that the AU, alongside African financial institutions, has already raised $1.5 billion to execute high-impact cross-border projects.
“The lesson from Dakar is clear: we can no longer treat financing as a fragmented market of scattered deals. We must transform it into a unified strategy,” Bekele-Thomas stated. She detailed new financial instruments, including the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa’s Project Development Fund, which has achieved a first close of $118 million and is managed by Africa50.
In his contribution, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf emphasized that Africa is entering a new phase of self-determination, one in which the continent must take ownership of financing, planning, and implementing its own development. He underscored that infrastructure investment is not merely technical but deeply political and strategic, vital to Africa’s economic sovereignty, competitiveness, and unity. Highlighting progress made under the PIDA framework, he called for an African-driven ecosystem for development financing through domestic resource mobilization, stronger private sector participation, and greater access to climate funds.
Echoing the urgency of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, framed infrastructure investment as a deeply political and strategic imperative for Africa’s economic sovereignty. “We are shifting from a logic of assistance to a logic of alliance, where partners align their engagement with priorities defined by Africa itself,” he declared. He concluded with a powerful vision: “What we are building here are not merely roads and bridges. We are building an Africa that is connected, confident, and sovereign.”
There were special sessions designed to facilitate in-depth due diligence and accelerate projects toward financial close. The summit for Africa’s infrastructure development stands as a definitive moment, signaling Africa’s unified resolve to finance its own destiny and build the interconnected, prosperous future its people deserve.
A mutant killer baby. Lampshades and pickle jars that come alive. Sinister sewers. A demonic clown that preys on children.
HBO Max’s “It: Welcome to Derry,” the latest adaptation of Stephen King’s epic 1986 novel about a deadly clown named Pennywise, has already scared up a lot of buzz since its Oct. 26 premiere with its mix of evil events and nightmarish images.
The first episode featuring Robert Preston warning “Ya Got Trouble” via the classic musical “The Music Man” is an ominous introduction to the subsequent terrors. Gruesome sequences revolving around birth in the first two episodes will likely make several viewers cover their eyes. (The second episode drops Friday on HBO Max in time for Halloween, and it will air in its usual 9 p.m. PT Sunday slot on HBO.)
A prequel to 2017’s “It” and 2019’s “It: Chapter Two” — both directed by Andy Muschietti — the new drama is set in 1962 in the fictional small town of Derry, Maine. Bill Skarsgård, who played Pennywise in the films, will reprise his role during the season.
The large ensemble of child actors and adults features several Black characters, including Air Force Maj. Leroy Hanlon (Jovan Adepo); his wife Charlotte (Taylour Paige), a civil rights activist in a Jackie Kennedy pillbox hat; and son Will (Blake Cameron James). Also featured is Hank Grogan (Stephen Rider), the town’s theater projectionist, and his teen daughter Ronnie (Amanda Christine).
Developed by Muschietti, his sister Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs, the creators have prioritized increasing the intensity of the films. But the Muschietti siblings add that they are also incorporating certain messages into the mayhem. Many of the Black characters face bigotry and resistance in the predominantly white town that echo challenges that people of color currently face.
“Stephen is a master of weaving these issues into his stories, and it’s impossible to think of doing one of his stories without having that texture front and center,” Barbara Muschietti said.
The Muschiettis, in a video call, discussed diving deeper into the story of Pennywise, getting their young cast to act like kids from the 1960s, and what gives them nightmares. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Siblings Barbara Muschietti and Andy Muschietti on the set of HBO’s “It: Welcome to Derry.”
(Brooke Palmer / HBO)
How soon after the two “It” movies did the idea of a deeper dive into the world of Pennywise come about?
Andy Muschietti: The novel was the inspiration. There are all these enigmas still lingering, enigmas intentionally left unresolved in the book. Part of the greatness of the novel is that you finish 1,200 pages and at the end, you still have no idea what “It” is and what it wants. It’s all speculation. We had conversations with Bill about how great it would be to do an origin story of Bob Gray, this cryptic character, and give him the opportunity to play the human side, the man behind the clown. It’s about completing the puzzle and uniting the stories that lead one to another, creating a story with the final purpose of getting to this conclusive event, which is the creation of Pennywise, the incarnation of evil.
Barbara Muschietti: Once the idea start percolating, we got in touch with Mr. King and he loved the idea. At the beginning of the pandemic we went to (then-Warner Bros. TV chief) Peter Roth. He bought it in the room and we’ve been on it ever since. Not a day of rest.
“The Music Man” plays a prominent role in the first episode, and it gets dark pretty quickly. I’m a huge fan of that movie, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to look at that joyful musical the same way again.
Andy Muschietti: I actually wanted us to create a musical ourselves that would pretend to be a movie from 1962. But we would have spent so much money and energy. So we started a quest for the right musical. “The Music Man” was made by Warner Bros. in 1962, and it’s about someone coming to a small town not unlike Derry, talking about trouble, trouble. And it just seemed to fit.
Barbara Muschietti: We also hope a lot of younger people will be curious and go see “The Music Man.”
What is the superpower of “It” that makes it a story that keeps giving and giving?
Andy Muschietti: There are a lot of things people connect to. One of them is childhood. Most of us cherish those years as being full of magic and imagination. We’ve all been children and we’ve all been afraid of something. The novel is a testament to the virtues of childhood, and those virtues normally disappear when you become an adult. Arguably the adults are always the enemy in the world of ‘It.’”
Apart from the clown, there’s a whole mythology that has yet to be connected. My purpose in this series is to reveal the iceberg under the water.
Black characters, including Hank (Stephen Rider), Ronnie (Amanda Christine), Leroy (Jovan Adepo) and Charlotte (Taylour Paige) play central roles in HBO’s “It: Welcome to Derry.”(Brooke Palmer / HBO)
You could not have planned the timing of the show coming on, but it seems like the topical issues addressed in this show, like bigotry, have a relevance to what’s going on in the country today.
Andy Muschietti: What’s going on is not new. It’s just found a new expression. It has been going on and on in cycles. We have this illusion that things are good, but around the corner is another dictator trying to come. We came from Argentina, and we don’t have the kind of racial tension that America has had for hundreds of years. Most of Stephen’s books are a song to empathy in general, and denouncing injustice everywhere. It is important to show, especially in an era where some people in the country are trying to delete history.
Barbara Muschietti: Sadly, these horrors keep haunting us, and racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia is still sadly a human condition, needing to find someone below you that you can punch. Yes, our history makes us a little more sensitive. We live in the United States, it’s a country we love, but it is surprising …
Andy Muschietti: Alarming.
Barbara Muschietti: … that more people are not more concerned.
Andy Muschietti: It’s the fog that Stephen King was talking about. People, basically out of fear, look the other way, trying to suppress things they see, and forget. It’s all part of the same reflection.
It’s immediately obvious that some horrific things will be happening in this show, even more so than the films. The imagery is really nightmarish.
Andy Muschietti: Being a shape-shifter is the thing which keeps giving and giving, and there was a clear intention for us to raise the volume of intensity. You need to meet the expectations of the audience — they don’t want to see more of the same. And we are also dealing with a different time when the collective fears were different because of the social and political situation of that era — the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis — was just around the corner. Then there’s social unrest and segregation.
Barbara Muschietti: I’d like to say it’s all very cathartic. We’re very nice people. I swear.
A demon baby birthed in Episode 1 is among the monsters seen in “Welcome to Derry.”
(HBO)
The show also has a great feel and look to it when it comes to depicting the 1960s.
Andy Muschietti: There was a lot of instinctive respect and attention to accuracy, aesthetically and spiritually. It was the true work of a team in every department, the same folks who had worked on the movies. There was also the research from the writers.
Most of the cast members are kids who did not live in that era. How do you communicate that era and feel to a young cast?
Andy Muschietti: There is a lot of talking. Stephen King knows a lot about this because he was a kid in the 1950s. The book is so rich in detail. We have Ben Perkins, who is a child actor coach. And there is imagination. These kids like to play and at this age, they thrive when you don’t put a lot of restrictions on them. The only thing that went overboard was the cursing.
Barbara Muschietti: That’s one thing that Stephen came back to us with. “There’s too many f—.” We also send the kids with Ben who basically sets up a camp — a bicycle riding camp, a swimming camp, stuff like that which kids in 2024 did not have access to. We’ve been doing that since 2016 very successfully. Because of all of this, all these kids have an incredible bond. They’re friends for life. They get to say goodbye to adolescence on our sets in the most beautiful way.
How long will you keep expanding the ”It” universe?
Andy Muschietti: It’s Derry, Derry, Derry all day. “Welcome” is an arc that expands over three seasons. Why is “It’” Derry, and why is Derry “It”? We will eventually reveal a bigger story revolving around the existence of Pennywise.
I have to ask — what gives you two nightmares? What is scary to you?
Barbara Muschietti: Fascism. Guns.
Andy Muschietti: Violence in general. We’ve come so far as a civilization, and it seems like we haven’t learned anything. What happened to empathy, and seeing what makes us similar, instead of things that divide us?
1 of 6 | On November 2, 1947, Howard Hughes built and piloted the world’s largest airplane, the 200-ton flying boat Spruce Goose, on its only flight, at Long Beach, Calif. The Goose remained airborne for just under 1 mile. File Photo courtesy the Federal Aviation Administration
Nov. 2 (UPI) — On this date in history:
In 1889, North and South Dakota became the 39th and 40th states of the union.
In 1920, in the first significant news broadcast, KDKA in Pittsburgh reported the U.S. presidential election results in Warren G. Harding’s win over James Cox.
In 1947, Howard Hughes built and piloted the world’s largest airplane, the 200-ton flying boat Spruce Goose, on its only flight, at Long Beach, Calif. The Goose remained airborne for just under 1 mile.
In 1959, Charles Van Doren told a U.S. congressional investigation he had been given questions and answers in advance of appearances on a television game show.
In 1962, U.S. President John Kennedy announced that Soviet missile bases in Cuba were being dismantled.
In 1976, Democrat Jimmy Carter, former governor of Georgia, was elected the 39th U.S. president, defeating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford.
In 1992, legendary filmmaker Hal Roach died at age 100. He was credited with discovering the comedy team of Laurel and Hardy and producing the Our Gang comedies.
In 2004, U.S. President George W. Bush was re-elected in a race with Democrat John Kerry.
File Photo by Greg Whitesell/UPI
In 2013, two French journalists, Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, were kidnapped and killed after interviewing a rebel leader in northern Mali. President Francois Hollande expressed “indignation at this odious act.”
In 2016, the Chicago Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 of the World Series, winning the team’s first championship in 108 years. Though the game began on Nov. 2, a rain delay pushed the final half hour of Game 7 into early Nov. 3.
In 2023, the Beatles released their last new song, “Now and Then,” using new technology to piece together vocals, guitar and piano recorded by the late John Lennon and George Harrison in the late 1970s with new additions by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
In 2024, Kemi Badenoch became the first Black woman to lead a major British political party after defeating Robert Jenrick to take the helm of the country’s Conservative and Unionist Party.
The battle over Ukraine’s Pokrovsk rages as both Russia and Ukraine continue to hit each other’s energy infrastructure.
Published On 2 Nov 20252 Nov 2025
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Here is how things stand on Sunday, November 2, 2025:
Fighting
At least four civilians have been killed and 51 injured across Ukraine by Russian attacks, according to local officials.
A strike blamed on Russia hit a shop in the Samariivskyi district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, killing two and injuring multiple people, regional military chief Vladyslav Haivanenko said.
The Ukrainian military has said Russian forces launched four missiles and dropped 139 guided bombs over the past day, as well as thousands of shells and drones.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its air defences intercepted 164 Ukrainian drones, including 39 over the Black Sea and 26 over Crimea, overnight.
Fighting continues to intensify near the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, with the Russian army saying its forces destroyed Ukrainian military formations near the railway station.
Oleksandr Syrskii, Ukraine’s top military commander, said Ukrainian troops were facing a “multi-thousand enemy” force in Pokrovsk, but rejected Russian claims that they were surrounded or blocked.
Ukraine confirmed that its special forces had been deployed to protect key supply lines in Pokrovsk, while Russia claimed Ukrainian troops were surrendering and some of the special forces were killed while landing in a helicopter.
Ukraine’s military intelligence announced a strike on the Koltsevoy fuel pipeline near Moscow, claiming all three lines were destroyed.
A drone attack by Ukraine reportedly hit an oil terminal pier and a tanker in Tuapse town, located on the northeast shore of the Black Sea, setting fire to port infrastructure.
Anti-drone nets are installed over a road in the front-line town of Kostiantynivka, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, November 1, 2025 [Yan Dobronosov/Reuters]
Politics
Ukraine condemned Russia’s attacks on key energy infrastructure. Its Foreign Ministry accused Moscow of carrying out strikes on a power substation feeding nuclear power plants in “nuclear terrorism”.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that its inspectors visited a substation critical to nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, and reported damage “as a result of recent military activities”.
In a statement on Friday, G7 energy ministers condemned Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, saying they are affecting civilians.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed on Friday that his foreign intelligence service has identified 339 Ukrainian children who have been allegedly abducted by Russia.
Regional security
Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius told the Reuters news agency he is confident that the country’s governing coalition can agree on a new model of military service for implementation next year as planned.
An unidentified drone was spotted over the Kleine Brogel Air Base in Belgium on Saturday, the second such sighting over the previous 24 hours.
THE once chart-topping boyband is said to have cut all final ties following a long-running secret divide, years of silence and bitter behind-the-scenes fallouts.
The Wanted shocked fans after they split in January 2014 to ‘pursue personal endeavours’Credit: GettyThey briefly reunited in 2021 for a charity concert in Tom’s honour, but old wounds have reopenedCredit: GettyNow, only some of them are on speaking terms, and one band member reveals why they will never sing together againCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The platinum-selling group were behind hit songs such as “Glad You Came”, “All Time Low” and “Chasing the Sun” before they disbanded.
They briefly reunited in 2021 for a charity concert in Tom’s honour, but old wounds have reopened – and some members are said to no longer be on speaking terms.
Insiders claimed friendships “never fully healed” after the band’s initial breakup, with egos, solo projects and clashing personalities driving a deeper wedge between the lads.
The break up
The Wanted announced they were to split in January 2014 to “pursue personal endeavours” after completing their upcoming ‘Word of Mouth Tour’.
In a statement posted on their website, the band said: “The Wanted are pleased to announce the release of their new video and single ‘Glow In The Dark’ taken from their November release ‘Word of Mouth’.
“They are very excited to perform ‘Glow In The Dark’ along with their smash singles ‘I Found You’, ‘Chasing The Sun’, and ‘Glad You Came’, amongst others for their fans on their upcoming ‘Word of Mouth Tour’.
“This tour will be their last for a while as Tom, Max, Jay, Siva and Nathan have collectively decided to take time to pursue personal endeavours following the tour’s conclusion.
“The band wants to stress to their fans that they will continue on as The Wanted and look forward to many successful projects together in the future.
“They thank their fans for their continued love and support and look forward to seeing them on tour.”
‘Very difficult conversations’
Although their official statement claimed they’d “continue on as The Wanted,” Max later revealed that simmering tensions and clashing ambitions had secretly driven the group apart.
Max admitted: “Over the past year, there has been a lot of tension. Our personal lives drove us apart – things started to happen and we were drifting. We used to be such a brotherly pact, but it started to feel like it wasn’t The Wanted anymore.”
He went on to confess that he and bandmate Nathan were the ones who pushed for the split – despite protests from the others.
“We had a very difficult conversation,” Max said. “Our manager Scooter Braun asked us who would want to take a step out after and try to do their own thing. Me and Nathan both said we have other ambitions.”
Both singers went on to be represented by Braun – with Nathan briefly finding solo success (and headlines) thanks to a short-lived PR romance with Ariana Grande, while Max landed a role on Glee.
But behind the scenes, the duo’s diverging paths reportedly caused even more tension within the group.
Siva hits out at Max
Siva hit back at bandmate Max after The Wanted split, slamming his comments about “personal relationships causing issues” as “untrue and very unfair.”
Speaking out in an interview, Siva instead blamed their E! reality show The Wanted Life for sparking tension within the group.
He said: “I think from doing the TV show we all kind of knew where we stood and from that I felt like there was some sense of… I felt like it was every man for himself looking back on when the show aired.
“I’ve never been that way and I’d never actually seen it before until I looked back at the show. I think that is where we lost the team element and from there it kind of just went.”
The boys gave fans an insight into their golden years in the E! reality show The Wanted LifeCredit: YouTubeThe Wanted Life saw the boyband living it up on tourCredit: YouTubeNathan has openly talked about falling out with co-stars Siva and Max in the pastCredit: YouTube
Despite the rift, Siva said he wanted to find common ground with Max, adding: “Aside from the drama with Max, I’m going to talk to him to find a way forward and be adults about it.
“All of us boys are like brothers, it’s all I’ve ever known and we’re going on tour together.
“I think we’re just going to be professional with each other and give the fans a good show – because it’s all about the fans at the end of the day.”
Nathan cutting ties
In 2016, Nathan admitted he wasn’t talking to Siva or Max anymore.
Nathan told Yahoo: “I still class Jay [McGuiness] as a really good friend. He’s a really nice person. And Tom [Parker], I’m not so sure about where the others are at but I’m sure they are very busy and very happy.”
However, Nathan admitted that if everyone was on board with a reunion, he would be happy to have a “conversation” about it.
He said: “Obviously, I am very focused on my solo career at the moment, so I haven’t thought about the band ever getting back together, but you never know what is going to happen in the future.
“If there was an opportunity and everyone wanted to, it’s a conversation, but if everyone is still happy doing their own thing, then I think everyone will just be happy to continue as they are.”
Meanwhile, Siva was living in Los Angeles, attempting to crack Hollywood.
His illness brought the group back together, reuniting them publicly in October that year.
Reflecting on the reunion, Max said: “I think I speak on behalf of everyone, in the time away from it, it gave me time to reflect and appreciate what we’d achieved and how good our music actually was.
“Because at the time we were doing it, it was so packed in that we didn’t get to really appreciate how much we enjoyed each other’s company or how good our music was because… like, every day, it was all a bit mad.”
Jay added: “Even when we were under so much pressure and we’d be squabbling and whatever was going on, we always had fun, we were always very down to earth. But really,” he continued on a more serious note, “time helps a lot. And all of our perspective has changed.
“We are grateful, we’re the boy band that walk into the room and are, like, ‘I’m just happy to be here.’ Back in the day, Max has said this a few times, we wanted a number-one after number-one because we’d had that, and we felt terrible when we didn’t get that. And when five young men have that sort of ambition, it can get really tense.”
Jay said he believes the group reunion proved they could finally let bygones be bygones and simply enjoy being together again.
“There was a moment where I thought I was going to break down and have a meltdown,” Tom admitted.
“But the boys just comforted me… It was just an emotional night all around, even for the whole day and stuff. And just walking into the venue – we had never played the Royal Albert Hall before, when we played all around the world.”
He added: “There’s just something beautifully special about it.”
The Wanted’s greatest hits include ‘Chasing the Sun’ and ‘Walks Like Rihanna’Credit: Alamy
Max and Siva tour
The Wanted fans were left baffled in May 2024 after Max announced he was heading on tour with just one of his bandmates.
The Strictly Come Dancing star revealed he would be touring alongside Siva – but without Jay or Nathan.
Before the tour, Max told fans: “Myself and Siva can’t wait for this! Our first time in India… dream come true!”
Fans were quick to question the absence of Jay and Nathan – sparking fears the original line-up had officially fallen apart.
It later emerged that Jay would be performing in 2:22 A Ghost Story in Dublin, while Nathan is thought to be focusing on new music.
The shows marked the first time members of the group have performed since the tragic death of bandmate Tom.
The divide
The band have openly admitted there was a clear divide during their heyday – with Max and Tom on one side, and the others forming their own group.
Max and Siva even confessed they never imagined they’d end up touring as a duo when The Wanted went on hiatus in 2014, admitting they “weren’t the closest” and barely spent time together off stage.
Max said: “I’m not going to lie, if you’d said to us 10 years ago that it’d be me and Siva doing this together we’d be like no, never.
Siva agreed: “Max was with Tom, I was with Nathan and Jay.”
Max continued: “Apart from working, we didn’t spend any time together, so I feel like I’ve got to know Siva more in the last year than in the whole 10 before it.
Reflecting on Jay and Nathan’s decision not to rejoin the group, Max added: “We had lots of conversations with the other boys and each other.
“The other boys are so happy doing what they’re doing and they’re really focused on their lives and their careers.
Siva added: “We missed being in the band… we really wanted to get back on stage.”
Future reunion?
Earlier this year, Nathan told The Sun they would never get back together – as the band “will only ever be a five-piece.”
Nathan, Tom, Max, Siva and Jay reunited for a greatest hits album and one-off show in 2021, which was followed by a tour in early 2022, ending just two weeks before Tom’s passing.
Speaking about the emotional concerts, Nathan said: “Obviously, you’d give anything for it not to have happened.
“But, equally, I’m so grateful that we were able to have that time, given that it did happen.
“It was just such a special time and the reception that he got every night, he really felt it. And it meant so much to him that he could do that.
“He was desperate to do that tour. There were tough moments, but we were having some of our fondest memories with Tom over that time.
While Max and Siva toured as The Wanted 2.0 – a four-piece reunion with Nathan and Jay seems out of the question.
Nathan said: “I’m really happy for them. They get a lot of enjoyment in performing the music and they see it as a tribute to Tom.
“Whereas Jay and I’s approach to it is that there’s a lot of emotion attached to that still. And I think we would find that really difficult.
“It’s just two different approaches and neither one is wrong. I think it’s really difficult imagining The Wanted as a four-piece because The Wanted has been and will only ever be a five-piece.
“It’s difficult imagining not performing with Tom.”
The Wanted’s Nathan Sykes wed Charlotte Burke this month – but Max and Siva weren’t present at the celebrationCredit: Instagram
Nathan’s wedding
Nathantied the knot with his girlfriend of six yearsCharlotte Burke in October 2025.
Nathan opted for an intimate celebration, inviting just 61 of their closest friends and family, among them was his bandmate Jay.
But Max and Siva were noticeably absent from Nathan’s wedding.
Speaking toOK!Nathan said: “We haven’t touched base recently, so I’m not sure they would have known the wedding date.
“With them being out in America at the time, we’ve not had the chance to [catch up], but I’m sure we will soon.”
He added: “We had a room full of people we’re comfortable with, so it was a really safe space and allowed us to relax.”
However, it now seems that Max and Nathan might not be talking at all.
Unfollow
Fans on Reddit noticed that the pair unfollowed each other on Instagram, cutting off social media communication.
One said: “Couldn’t help but notice Max and Nathan unfollowed each other? I wonder if there’s any beef between them lol.”
Another added: “I’ve always suspected Max and Nathan had a falling out before they broke up the first time.”
A third penned: “It’s a real shame because teenage me loved Nathan and Max’s interactions.
“I remember when Nathan used to comment on Max’s ig posts around 2 years ago.
“They haven’t followed each other in a very long time.”
Max and Nathan went head-to-head as they were both managed by Scooter BraunCredit: AlamyThe bandmates reunited for a greatest hits album and one-off show in 2021, which was followed by a tour in early 2022, ending just two weeks before Tom’s passingCredit: GettyIn 2024, Max and Siva went on tour without their bandmatesCredit: Getty – Contributor
