Key international blocs and nations have dismissed United States President Donald Trump’s warning of possible military action against Nigeria over alleged persecution of Christians, cautioning that such assertions misrepresent the country’s multifaceted security problems.

In separate statements, the European Union (EU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and China urged restraint and emphasized respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty. They stressed that terrorist activities in the region affect people of all faiths without discrimination.

The EU pointed out that religion is only one among several contributors to Nigeria’s insecurity and, in many cases, not the main factor driving violence.

Meanwhile, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the legislature would work closely with the executive arm to address the U.S. president’s remarks. He explained that the American position relied on outdated intelligence and reaffirmed that Nigeria’s security challenges cut across all religions, not a single faith group.

The EU’s spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy, Anouar El Anouni, said the Union had taken note of the statements from Washington and extended condolences to families affected by recent attacks in southern and northeastern Nigeria.

“The EU reaffirms its commitment to freedom of religion and belief, and to the protection of all communities, especially minorities, and we underline our commitment to the peaceful coexistence of the Nigerian population beyond geographical, ethnic, political, or religious differences. We recognise the many factors behind the violence in Nigeria. Let us note that religion is only one of these factors, and only in certain instances,” he said.

El Anouni also explained that the EU is partnering with Nigerian institutions to strengthen peacebuilding efforts, prevent further violence, and support victims displaced by attacks.

Similarly, ECOWAS reiterated that violent extremism in West Africa does not target any particular religion, stressing that the crisis has affected Muslims, Christians, and followers of other beliefs alike.

According to the regional body, extremist groups have killed civilians of diverse backgrounds and continue to spread insecurity that disregards ethnicity, gender, or creed.

“The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) wishes to draw the attention of partners and the international community as a whole to the growing level of violence that terrorist groups of different colouration have perpetrated in some countries in the West African region, including Nigeria.

“Perpetrators of this violence target innocent civilians of all religious denominations, including Muslims, Christians, and adherents to other religions. As independent reports have confirmed over the years, terrorist-related violence does not discriminate on the basis of gender, religion, ethnicity, or age,” ECOWAS stated.

The Commission appealed to the United Nations and other global partners to support regional counterterrorism efforts and disregard narratives portraying the situation as one-sided or as genocide against Christians.

“ECOWAS strongly rejects these false and dangerous claims that seek to deepen insecurity in communities and weaken social cohesion in the region. ECOWAS calls on the whole world to stand by the countries in the region in their fight against terrorism that targets all communities,” the statement added.

China also urged the United States to avoid interfering in Nigeria’s domestic affairs on religious or human rights grounds.

At a press briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that China opposed any form of sanctions or threats of military intervention against Nigeria.

“As a comprehensive strategic partner of Nigeria, China firmly supports the Nigerian government in leading its people to a development path that fits Nigeria’s national realities. We oppose any country’s interference in other countries’ internal affairs under the pretext of religion and human rights. We oppose the wanton threat of sanction and use of force,” Mao said.

She was responding to a journalist’s question referencing Trump’s decision to label Nigeria a “country of particular concern” on October 31, citing alleged persecution of Christians. The reporter also mentioned Nigeria’s response, in which the government rejected the U.S. assessment as inaccurate and reaffirmed its dedication to protecting citizens, promoting diversity, and combating violent extremism.

Meanwhile, U.S. lawmaker Riley Moore defended Trump’s remarks in a post on X, stating, “President Trump is absolutely right to defend our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering horrific persecution, and even martyrdom, for their faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. China will not dictate our foreign policy to us, and we will not be lectured to by a Communist autocracy that recently arrested 30 Christian pastors for their faith and throws ethnic minorities in concentration camps.”

A cargo aircraft crashed during takeoff from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday evening, leaving at least seven people dead, according to the state’s governor.

Governor Andy Beshear stated that the plane’s three crew members were believed to be among those killed after the aircraft exploded shortly after departure at around 5:15 p.m. local time (10:15 p.m. GMT).

At least eleven others sustained injuries in the crash, which sent thick, dark smoke billowing into the air.

Authorities reported that several people suffered “very significant” injuries and warned that the number of fatalities could increase.

Two employees at an auto shop struck by the plane were still missing as of Tuesday night, and it was unclear how many customers had been inside when the crash occurred.

The company operating the flight confirmed that three crew members were on board, saying, “we have not confirmed any injuries/casualties.”

A preliminary investigation has been launched, but officials said it remains too soon to determine what led to the crash.

They noted, however, that the intense fire resulted from the large quantity of jet fuel the plane was carrying for its planned 4,300-mile (6,920-kilometre) flight to Hawaii.

The aircraft reportedly contained about 38,000 gallons (144,000 litres) of fuel when it went down.

Officials have not disclosed the nature of the cargo, but confirmed that nothing onboard posed a heightened contamination threat.

The explosion spread to at least two nearby businesses, including one that handled petroleum materials. Initially, residents within five miles of the airport were told to shelter indoors due to possible secondary explosions and air quality concerns, though the order was later narrowed to a one-mile radius.

All outbound flights scheduled for Tuesday night were cancelled, according to an airport statement released on X.

Fire Chief Brian O’Neal said the large volume of fuel spilled at the crash scene created a “very dangerous situation.”

The shelter-in-place order was later reduced from a five-mile to a one-mile radius as emergency teams continued battling the blaze on Tuesday night.

During a press briefing, Beshear urged people to avoid the area of the crash.

“Anyone who has seen the images and the video knows how violent this crash is,” he said.

“There are still dangerous things that are flammable, that are potentially explosive.”

Beshear added that he would not “speculate” about the cause, explaining that the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) will lead the investigation.

The NTSB team is expected to arrive in Kentucky on Wednesday.

Louisville’s police chief, Paul Humphrey, said the location will remain “an ongoing active scene for the next several days.”

He added: “We don’t know how long it’s going to take to render that scene safe for the investigation to take place.”

The downed aircraft was an MD-11F, a three-engine jet that first entered service 34 years ago as a passenger plane before being converted for cargo use in 2006.

The model was originally built by McDonnell Douglas, which later merged with another major aircraft manufacturer in 1997.

In 2023, both major cargo carriers operating in the United States announced plans to gradually retire their MD-11 fleets over the next decade as part of modernization efforts.

A statement from the aircraft manufacturer said it is “ready to support our customer” and that “our concern is for the safety and well-being of all those affected.” The company added that it would provide technical assistance to the NTSB.

Louisville serves as a major hub for global air cargo operations and is home to one of the largest package-handling facilities in the world.

At the press conference, city council member Betsy Ruhe described Louisville as a “UPS town,” emphasizing that nearly everyone in the community knows someone employed by the company.

“They’re all texting their friends, their family, trying to make sure everyone is safe,” she said.

The company said it was “terribly saddened” by the incident and confirmed that sorting operations at its Louisville hub had been paused for the night.

It added: “UPS is committed to the safety of our employees, and customers and the communities we serve. This is particularly true in Louisville, home to our airline and thousands of UPSers.”

State Senator Keturah Herron remarked, “Many of us watch our family members and loved ones pass through [Louisville airport] on a regular basis.”

In a message posted on X, Mayor Craig Greenberg described the crash as an “incredible tragedy that our community will never forget.”

He added: “We are so thankful for our brave first responders who have flooded the scene to help try and control the fire and provide support for any victims on the ground.”

At least three people have died and nearly 400,000 others have been displaced after Typhoon Kalmaegi tore through the central Philippines, unleashing widespread flooding and destruction, according to the country’s disaster management agency.

The storm, locally known as Typhoon Tino, inundated several areas, including large parts of Cebu Island, where entire towns were submerged. Videos circulating online showed residents stranded on rooftops as floodwaters swept away vehicles and shipping containers.

Authorities confirmed that a Philippine Air Force (PAF) helicopter deployed for rescue operations crashed in northern Mindanao. Communication with the aircraft was lost, prompting an immediate search and rescue mission, though details about casualties remain unclear.

While Kalmaegi has weakened since making landfall early Tuesday, it continues to bring fierce winds exceeding 80 mph (130 km/h) as it moves across the Visayas region toward the South China Sea.

“The situation in Cebu is really unprecedented,” said provincial governor Pamela Baricuatro in a Facebook post. “We expected the winds to be the problem, but the flooding has been catastrophic. The water is what’s putting lives at risk.”

Residents like Don del Rosario, 28, recounted the chaos as floodwaters surged through neighborhoods. “I’ve lived here all my life, and this is the worst we’ve seen,” he told AFP.

The Philippines, which experiences around 20 typhoons annually, has faced a string of natural disasters in recent months. Just weeks ago, Super Typhoon Ragasa (Nando) and Typhoon Bualoi (Opong) struck in quick succession, killing more than a dozen people and damaging crops and infrastructure.

Adding to the country’s woes, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit the central region on September 30, leaving dozens dead and compounding recovery challenges in Cebu now again devastated by flooding.

Officials say relief operations are ongoing, with emergency shelters set up for displaced residents as authorities brace for potential after-effects of the storm.

‎China has voiced robust backing for President Bola Tinubu’s government after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened military action against Nigeria.
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‎At a Beijing press conference on Tuesday, Mao Ning, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declared that Beijing “firmly opposes any country using religion and human rights as an excuse to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, and threatening other countries with sanctions and force.”
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‎She underlined that China stands beside Nigeria as the country “leads its people on the development path suited to its national conditions,” describing the two nations’ relationship as both strategic and long-lasting.
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‎Ning was responding to reporters’ questions about Trump’s warning of possible armed intervention over the alleged mistreatment of Christians.
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‎“As Nigeria’s comprehensive strategic partner, China firmly supports the Nigerian government in leading its people on the development path suited to its national conditions.
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‎“China firmly opposes any country using religion and human rights as an excuse to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, and threatening other countries with sanctions and force,” Ning said.
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‎Bayo Onanuga, President Bola Tinubu’s spokesman, posted China’s statement on his X account the same day.
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‎Onanuga has repeatedly rejected claims of religious bias or persecution on behalf of the Presidency.
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‎Trump recently charged the Nigerian authorities with failing to shield Christians and suggested the U.S. might deploy troops.
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‎Abuja has consistently refuted accusations of religious persecution, stressing its unwavering commitment to safeguarding freedom of worship.
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‎President Bola Tinubu, addressing Trump’s comments, stated: “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.
‎Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so. Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it.”
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Romania intends to create a special infrastructure fund aimed at addressing flood emergencies over a span of at least five years, Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu announced. The initiative is a key step required to unlock pending European Union recovery funds.

Over the past two years, the country has experienced some of its most destructive floods in about two decades, leading to ten fatalities, overflowing rivers, collapsed bridges, and extensive damage to thousands of homes.

Under a reform agreement with the European Commission connected to access to recovery funds, Romania must put in place a financial mechanism by the first quarter of 2026 to support flood-prevention infrastructure.

Buzoianu explained that the fund will be structured using findings from a comprehensive study showing that Romania requires between 10 billion and 40 billion euros ($11.66 billion–$46.65 billion) over at least five years to restore dams, build bridges, strengthen defences, and complete related projects. However, the coalition government currently in power is already struggling to reduce one of the largest budget deficits in the region cannot yet meet the entire funding requirement.

“At the moment we cannot cover absolutely all the ideal necessary works,” Buzoianu said. “But what I want is for this fund to cover works in areas where we already know we have high risk of flooding without which communities and lives are endangered.”

While the government will determine the final size of the fund, Buzoianu noted that financing will come from water management fees and taxes and will be directed toward high-priority projects highlighted in the study.

Because of delays that prevented projects from being completed before the August 2026 deadline, the environment ministry lost access to 2 billion euros ($2.33 billion) in recovery funds.

Since taking office in late June, Buzoianu has been working to overhaul forestry and water management institutions and ensure compliance with EU targets to secure the remaining funds. Around 40% of the lost amount will now be financed through the national budget.