At least 20 killed in northwest Nigeria attacks

Armed men killed at least 20 people in Nigeria's northwestern Niger state, residents and humanitarian reports said, with several more abducted. The attack occurred in Niger's Shiroro district about 250 kilometers (155 miles) or a four-hour drive from the capital, Abuja. Kidnapping gangs and Islamist militants are active in the area. What do we know

Iran’s March Execution Spike Targets Political Prisoners

The Iranian authorities launched a new wave of executions of people believed to be political prisoners in March, even as the US and Israel were conducting airstrikes against the Islamic Republic. The clerical regime has executed 14 individuals since the war started in late February. On March 18 — two days before Nowruz, the Persian new year —

Vance Praises Orban, Criticizes Zelensky and EU

US Vice President JD Vance welcomed the sudden temporary ceasefire in Iran but also turned his attention to the war in Ukraine and its impact on Budapest during the second day of his visit to Hungary on Wednesday.  Touring the country just days before Prime Minister Viktor Orban will fight for a sixth term, trailing a fellow

Pakistan Brokers US–Iran Ceasefire: What Happens Next

Islamabad is being praised for convincing Washington and Tehran to stop the war and give mediation a chance for the next two weeks. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump announced that he received a ceasefire proposal from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and that he agreed to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for

Fertilizer shortage: how farmers are adapting

Choked off shipping in the Strait of Hormuz isn't just grinding oil tankers to a halt. The Iran war is creating a one-two punch for the world's fertilizer supply, blocking both the export and one of its critical ingredients from leaving the Persian Gulf. It remains to be seen whether the temporary ceasefire reached on

Should Western Influencers Promote Taliban‑Controlled Afghanistan?

With sensational headlines packed with superlatives and often written in all caps, travel influencers battle for our attention on social media platforms — the more exotic the destination, the better. As a result, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and similar platforms are increasingly filled with travel videos from countries that are far from conventional tourist destinations. With titles like "The worst country on

Home Solar Cuts Bills and Increases Power Resilience

About $150 (€130) is what Brian McGowan says he spent on power last year in his home in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. And since installing additional solar panels in the fall, he expects his bill to be even lower this year. Ordinarily he would have had to spend over $2000 per year on electricity, around $1000 on

Trump: Strikes Will Resume Unless Iran Honors Deal

First responders and residents gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's Tallet al-Khayyat neighbourhood, on April 8, 2026. Fadel Itani/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Fadel Itani/AFP via Getty Images President Trump said late Wednesday that U.S. forces deployed in the Middle East will "remain in place" until an agreement

When High Oil Prices Help — and When They Hurt

A pumping jack is visible at sunrise on Feb. 24, 2025, in Hobbs, New Mexico. Julio Cortez/AP hide caption toggle caption Julio Cortez/AP Higher prices are good news for the oil industry — to a point. But they can bite, too. Crude oil prices were around $70 a barrel before the war in Iran. After

Make a High-Deductible Plan and HSA Work for You

Oona Zenda/KFF Health News An elementary school teacher chose a low-price health insurance plan but soon realized she wasn't clear about what it would mean for her family's finances. "Once I got the insurance card, I compared our old plan to our new plan, and that's when I really got worried, because I didn't really
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