Evening Brief: Putin Orders Plans for Nuclear Testing, Satellite Images Show Mass Graves in Sudan, Japan Deploys Troops Over Deadly Bear Attacks

According to an Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) complaint, the driver reversed the truck at high speed toward a group of officers stationed at Coast Guard Island in Alameda, ignoring commands to stop. Fearing for their lives and suspecting a potential car bomb, officers fired at the vehicle. The driver fled the scene, later receiving treatment for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound at a nearby hospital. U-Haul Truck Incident at Coast Guard Base Leads to Officer-Involved Shooting On October 23, 2025, a U-Haul truck driver reversed the vehicle directly toward a line of security personnel at the entrance to the U.S. Coast Guard Base Alameda in California, prompting officers to… pic.twitter.com/CceDy2anpP — Police Incidents (@PoliceIncident) October 24, 2025 The Department of Justice said the driver faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. A court appearance is scheduled for November 10.   US Air Force Successfully Tests Minuteman III Missile From California Base The US Air Force launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile early Wednesday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, as part of routine testing to assess the reliability and accuracy of the nation’s land-based nuclear deterrent. The missile traveled about 4,200 miles before landing at the Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site in the Marshall Islands. The launch, designated GT 254, was controlled remotely by a team aboard a US Navy E-6B Mercury aircraft. Overnight, at around roughly 01:35am Pacific Time, Nov. 5, 2025, the 576th Flight Test Squadron of the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) carried out the regularly scheduled launch of a LGM-30G “Minuteman III” Unarmed Nuclear-Capable Intercontinental Ballistic Missile… pic.twitter.com/0hBs0wswzv — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) November 5, 2025 Air Force Global Strike Command said the test validated the Minuteman III system’s operational readiness as the military prepares to replace it with the new LGM-35A Sentinel missile starting in 2029. The Minuteman III, first deployed in the 1970s, remains a core component of the US nuclear triad alongside submarine- and bomber-based systems. The US maintains about 400 Minuteman III missiles in underground silos across five states. The US Air Force plans to extend their service life until the Sentinel enters full deployment.   US Seeks UN Approval to Lift Sanctions on Syrian Leader Ahead of Historic White House Visit The United States has proposed a United Nations Security Council resolution to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab ahead of al-Sharaa’s scheduled Monday visit to the White House, according to a draft obtained by The Associated Press. If adopted, the measure would mark the first time sanctions on Syria’s top leadership are lifted since the country descended into civil war in 2011. The resolution requires at least nine affirmative votes and no vetoes from the Security Council’s permanent members. The United States has proposed a draft United Nations Security Council resolution that will lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is due to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House next week. pic.twitter.com/Wjkn5IfvX0 — Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) November 5, 2025 The move aligns with President Donald Trump’s plan to normalize relations with Damascus following the ouster of former President Bashar Assad in December. Al-Sharaa, a former rebel commander once linked to al-Qaeda affiliates, is expected to formally join the US-led coalition against the Islamic State during his Washington visit. While Trump has already eased some sanctions through executive action, the strictest penalties imposed by Congress in 2019 remain in effect and would need legislative approval to be fully lifted. Syria remains in a deep humanitarian crisis, with 90 percent of its population living in poverty and millions dependent on aid.   Putin Orders Officials to Draft Plans for Possible Nuclear Tests Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday directed senior officials to prepare proposals for potential nuclear weapons tests, responding to US President Donald Trump’s announcement that Washington would resume testing for the first time in more than three decades. Putin’s order, issued during a televised Security Council meeting, instructed Russia’s Foreign and Defense Ministries, intelligence agencies, and civilian bodies to gather information and present coordinated recommendations. Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and General Valery Gerasimov urged immediate preparation, saying the country’s Arctic site at Novaya Zemlya could host tests quickly. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov: “I believe it is advisable to begin preparations for full-scale nuclear testing immediately. The readiness of the forces and assets at the Central Test Site on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago allows for this to be carried out within a… pic.twitter.com/8HBqvqVeKH — Polymarket Intel (@PolymarketIntel) November 5, 2025 The move marks a sharp escalation in US-Russia tensions, already strained by renewed US sanctions and Trump’s cancellation of a planned summit with Putin. No nation other than North Korea has conducted a nuclear explosion this century. Analysts warn that testing by Russia or the US could trigger a global chain reaction, destabilizing decades of nuclear restraint. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no deadline had been set for the proposals, noting Moscow would first assess Washington’s intentions.   Satellite Images Reveal Mass Graves in Sudan’s El-Fasher After Paramilitary Seizure Satellite images analyzed by Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab show what appear to be mass burials in El-Fasher, Sudan, following the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) capture of the city. The images, verified and reported by The Associated Press on Wednesday, indicate graves at two sites near a mosque and a former children’s hospital used by the RSF as a prison. 🚨ATROCITY ALERT🚨 @HRL_YaleSPH identifies body disposal including 2 mass graves and ongoing mass killing in RSF-controlled El-Fasher. A checkpoint on Tawila road shows people grouped, possibly detained IDPs. 🛰️@Vantortech/@AirbusDShttps://t.co/1HApllgfVx pic.twitter.com/kynar4PVgB — Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) at YSPH (@HRL_YaleSPH) November 5, 2025 The findings come amid reports of widespread killings and destruction during the RSF assault, with witnesses describing corpses and blood stains visible from space. The RSF denies responsibility for the massacre, but footage and testimonies from residents show evidence of executions and burned-out vehicles. The violence in El-Fasher, part of Sudan’s two-year war between the RSF and the national military, has intensified humanitarian concerns as famine spreads and more than 14 million people are displaced. Separately, a drone strike in El-Obeid killed at least 40 people, with local media blaming the RSF. Since the RSF took control of the city of El Fasher from Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on 26 October, multiple videos have emerged revealing a series of mass killings and attacks on civilians. – At least 40 people reportedly killed in drone attack outside El Obeid. – Civilians… — Amnesty International (@amnesty) November 5, 2025 UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for accountability, warning that mass burials could hinder future investigations into war crimes.   Japan Deploys Troops to Help Contain Surge in Deadly Bear Attacks in Akita Japan deployed troops on Wednesday to assist local authorities in responding to a spike in bear attacks across Akita Prefecture, where more than 100 people have been injured and at least 12 killed nationwide since April. The country’s Defense Ministry said soldiers will help set traps, transport hunters, and dispose of dead bears but will not use firearms. The move follows near-daily bear encounters as the animals forage before hibernation, appearing near schools, farms, and even resorts. In Akita alone, bears have attacked over 50 people and killed four since May. 🇯🇵 Japan has begun deploying soldiers to a northern region hit by a spate of deadly bear attacks, which have risen to record levels this year. ➡️ https://t.co/444xOp2HLa pic.twitter.com/aM5sZfVum0 — AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 5, 2025 Officials attribute the rise in incidents to Japan’s growing bear population—now estimated at over 54,000—and the shrinking number of hunters in aging rural communities. The Japanese government has launched a task force to craft a nationwide bear control plan by mid-November, including population surveys, hunting reforms, and better warning systems.   Sources: News Agencies