The United States military has reportedly submitted contingency plans for potential military action in Nigeria, according to a report by The New York Times.

The development follows President Donald Trump’s directive to the U.S. Department of War to prepare options for possible intervention over allegations of widespread persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

According to the report, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has drawn up and forwarded a set of contingency options to the Department of War at the request of Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The plans reportedly outline three levels of military response “heavy,” “medium,” and “light” each designed to allow for controlled escalation depending on the situation.

Officials cited in the report said the “heavy option” represents the most forceful response, involving the deployment of an aircraft carrier group to the Gulf of Guinea and potential airstrikes using fighter jets or long-range bombers on targets inside northern Nigeria.

The “medium option” focuses on the use of drone strikes against militant camps, convoys, and vehicles, while the “light option” would center on intelligence operations and limited advisory support.

Retired U.S. Army Major General Paul D. Eaton, a veteran of the Iraq War, warned that such an operation would be “a fiasco,” noting that the American public has little appetite for another large-scale military campaign reminiscent of Iraq or Afghanistan.

The report added that Trump has shown particular interest in airstrike-based strategies, though officials cautioned that such an approach would likely deliver “shock and awe” without resolving underlying conflicts.

President Trump recently designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern”, citing what he described as ongoing violence against Christians and the alleged failure of the Nigerian government to protect religious minorities.

The Nigerian government, however, has strongly denied allegations of religious persecution, insisting that the country remains committed to protecting all faith communities.

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Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani has made history as the newly elected Mayor of New York City, winning by a landslide and setting the stage for a political showdown with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly attacked him as a “little Communist.”

Mamdani, 34, will take office on January 1, becoming one of the most left-leaning figures ever to lead America’s largest city. Here are five things to know about his victory and what lies ahead for his administration.

1. Landslide Victory

Mamdani secured over one million votes, winning 50 percent of ballots cast compared to his closest rival, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who earned just under 42 percent. The election saw the highest voter turnout since 1969.

His campaign’s vast grassroots network of 100,000 volunteers reached every borough and community, running on a message of economic equality, affordable housing, and public welfare.

“We have toppled a political dynasty,” Mamdani said, referencing the end of the Cuomo family’s decades-long influence in New York politics.

2. Trump on the Horizon

Mamdani’s outspoken criticism of President Trump’s policies has already drawn sharp rebukes from the White House. The president has threatened to cut off federal funding to New York and labeled Mamdani “a little Communist.”

Mamdani previously urged Americans to “reject Trump’s fascism”, signaling that his tenure could bring renewed political tension between City Hall and Washington.

3. Time to Prepare

With less than two months before taking office, Mamdani must assemble a capable team to deliver on his ambitious progressive agenda including city-run supermarkets, free daycare, and fare-free bus routes.

He has already appointed five women to co-chair his transition team, including Maria Torres-Springer, who resigned as deputy mayor under outgoing Mayor Eric Adams due to his engagement with Trump.

Political analysts say he will need a savvy cabinet capable of navigating both City Hall and Albany, especially as the city faces threats of federal funding cuts and a possible loss of food assistance for 1.8 million residents amid a government shutdown.

“His vision for New York is not crazy,” said Lincoln Mitchell, a Columbia University politics professor. “It’s filling in the gaps in our tattered social safety net.”

4. Jewish Outreach

New York, home to the largest Jewish community outside Israel, has seen a surge in antisemitic incidents, with 57 percent of hate crimes in the city targeting Jewish people, according to outgoing Mayor Adams.

Mamdani faced criticism from pro-Israel groups over his support for Palestinian rights and his condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza, which he described as “a genocide.” The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has announced plans to monitor his policies closely.

In his victory speech, Mamdani pledged to stand “steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers” and confront antisemitism head-on, while insisting the ADL’s scrutiny must be “honest and fair.”

5. End of an Era

Mamdani’s triumph marks the end of an era in New York politics, sidelining both Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams, and signaling a leftward shift for the Democratic Party.

Backed by Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mamdani’s insurgent campaign energized young voters and working-class communities, promising a fresh, inclusive approach to governance.

“This is not just a political win,” he said. “It’s a mandate for a fairer, freer New York.”

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U.S. President Donald Trump, ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, said he has instructed the Department of Defense to immediately resume testing nuclear weapons on an “equal basis” with other nuclear powers.

“Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately,” Trump said on Truth Social, ahead of the meeting with Xi in South Korea.

“Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years,” Trump noted.

President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday Russia had successfully tested a Poseidon nuclear-powered super torpedo that military analysts say is capable of devastating coastal regions by triggering vast radioactive ocean swells.

As Trump has toughened both his rhetoric and his stance on Russia, Putin has publicly flexed his nuclear muscles with the test of a new Burevestnik cruise missile on October 21 and nuclear launch drills on October 22.

The United States last tested a nuclear weapon in 1992.

Tests provide evidence of what any new nuclear weapon will do and whether older weapons still work.

Apart from providing technical data, such a test would be seen in Russia and China as a deliberate assertion of U.S. strategic power.

The United States opened the nuclear era in July 1945 with the test of a 20-kiloton atomic bomb at Alamogordo, New Mexico, and then dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 to end World War Two.

A tragic plane crash in Venezuela has claimed two lives and left two others injured after a Piper Cheyenne I aircraft erupted into flames shortly after takeoff on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.

The incident occurred at Paramillo Airport in Táchira State, with the aircraft crashing within the vicinity of San Cristóbal National Park moments after takeoff.

A shocking video circulating online shows the aircraft struggling to gain altitude before tilting sharply, striking one of its wings on the ground, and exploding into a massive fireball.

Witnesses nearby can be heard screaming in horror as the plane hit the ground and burst into flames.

According to Mail Online, local authorities identified the deceased as Toni Bortone and Juan Maldonado, while two other passengers survived but sustained serious injuries.

Preliminary reports suggest the pilot may have lost control after one of the aircraft’s tires exploded during takeoff.

Emergency services, including firefighters, Táchira Civil Protection, and the Bolivarian National Police (PNB), responded swiftly to the crash site around noon, battling the blaze and rescuing survivors from the wreckage.

Officials confirmed that the aircraft was being used for government logistics operations, although further details about its mission remain under investigation.

The ill-fated plane, identified as a Piper Cheyenne I (PA-31T1), is a twin-engine turboprop model manufactured by Piper Aircraft in the late 1970s. The aircraft type is widely used in both civilian and governmental operations due to its reliability and performance.

Aviation authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash, focusing on potential mechanical failure or maintenance issues.

This latest tragedy follows another aviation accident in Venezuela last month. In September 2025, a Learjet 55 crashed near Simón Bolívar International Airport outside Caracas during takeoff amid adverse weather conditions, leaving two passengers injured.

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Nepali government was overthrown in 48 hours and I think i just witnessed the first internet native revolution a social media user from Nepal Wrote…

In what may be the world’s first internet-native revolution, the Nepali government collapsed in less than 48 hours after TikTok protests and decentralized organizing on Discord and Reddit spiraled into mass demonstrations, street violence, and ultimately the resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. The uprising, dubbed the Nepal Gen Z revolution, has already reshaped political discourse in South Asia and beyond.

From the Fall of the Monarchy to Digital Disillusionment

Over two decades ago, Nepalis toppled the monarchy, ushering in multiparty democracy with hopes of a brighter, more equitable future. Yet, the same leaders who once claimed to fight for the people ended up living in lavish mansions, while ordinary citizens struggled to afford daily meals.

By the late 2010s, however, everything began to change. Widespread internet access exposed government scandals in real time. Citizens could see how much faster other developing nations were advancing, and frustration mounted. The digital public sphere became the real opposition party.

The “Nepo Babies” TikTok Movement

In August 2025, the tipping point came. Nepali youth launched a viral TikTok trend called “Nepo Babies”, contrasting the glamorous lifestyles of politicians’ children with ordinary Nepalis who couldn’t afford a proper restaurant meal. Instagram and TikTok lit up with reels, memes, and exposés.

The backlash was immediate and vicious: elite children were cyberbullied nationwide, becoming living symbols of inequality.

The Social Media Ban That Sparked a Firestorm

On September 4, 2025, the Nepali government abruptly banned TikTok, Instagram, Discord, and Reddit, demanding that platforms register in Nepal and submit to government censorship.

But the move backfired. More than 20% of Nepalis live abroad, and the ban cut off communication between them and their families back home. Coupled with the growing anger around “Nepo Babies,” the timing was seen as both authoritarian and deeply out of touch.

September 8: Peaceful Protest Turns Deadly

By September 8, calls for protest had spread across every platform still accessible. Over 12,000 demonstrators gathered in Kathmandu for what began as a peaceful rally.

But by afternoon, police opened fire. More than 20 protesters were killed and 300 injured, their final moments livestreamed and shared across banned networks via VPNs. The grisly images ignited nationwide rage.

September 9: Burn Their Mansions

The very next day, protests escalated beyond imagination. Fueled by anger and coordinated through Discord and Reddit, demonstrators launched real-time “mimetic actions” across Nepal.

The day’s rallying cry “burn their mansions” spread like wildfire online. Politicians’ homes were set ablaze. Ministers were dragged into the streets, beaten, even humiliated by mobs. Police forces, demoralized and outnumbered, largely stood down.

By nightfall, Prime Minister Oli resigned and sought army protection.

The World’s First Discord Vote for a Prime Minister

But with the old guard gone, one question remained: who would lead Nepal?

Unlike past uprisings, there was no central revolutionary figure. Instead, thousands of Nepali youths gathered on Discord and Reddit, debating and polling in real time. For hours, usernames argued, meme-posted, and finally voted on who could represent the revolution.

Their choice? Sushila Karki, former Chief Justice, respected for her incorruptibility. Within days, negotiations with the army and president confirmed her as Nepal’s first female prime minister the first leader in history effectively chosen by a Discord poll.

A Glimpse Into the Network State Era

The Nepal Gen Z revolution marks more than just a political transition. It may be the first time a national government was toppled and replaced through internet-native coordination.

As one protester put it on Discord:
“The protest happened on the internet for years. The government just didn’t listen.”

The implications stretch far beyond Kathmandu. The experiment in digital democracy has shown young people worldwide what’s possible: that governments can fall, and leaders can rise, based on the viral will of the networked crowd.

Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia.

It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north, and India to the south, east, and west, while it is narrowly separated from Bangladesh by the Siliguri Corridor, and from Bhutan by the Indian state of Sikkim.

Nepal has a diverse geography, including fertile plains, subalpine forested hills, and eight of the world’s ten highest mountains, including Mount Everest, the highest point above mean sea level on Earth.

Kathmandu is the nation’s capital and its largest city. Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious, and multi-cultural state, with Nepali as the official language.

Grid

US Military Submits Contingency Plan for Action in Nigeria

Five Things to Know About New York’s New Mayor, Zohran Mamdani

Trump asks Pentagon to immediately start testing U.S. nuclear weapons

Two Killed, Two Injured as Plane Bursts Into Flames After Takeoff Crash in Venezuela

Nepal Gen Z Revolution: How Discord Polls and TikTok Protests Overthrew a Government in 48 Hours

Nepal’s Gen Z Digital Uprising Installs First Female Prime Minister

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