At least 16 civilians in Nigeria’s north-western Zamfara State have been killed in a military air strike, apparently after being mistaken for criminal gangs.
Residents told local media the victims were members of local vigilante groups and civilians defending themselves from armed gangs notorious for kidnapping people for ransom.
The strikes targeted militant gangs in Zurmi and Maradun areas and the state governor, Dauda Lawal, offered his condolences to the community.
The military has acknowledged conducting air strikes, which it said had dealt “a decisive blow to bandits terrorising villages in the area”.

Jeremy Sewall has cooked at eateries around the world, but home in Boston, he’s known for his clam chowder. Here are his top local bowls, from Neptune Oyster to Yankee Lobster.

New England Clam chowder – a stick-to-your-ribs cream-based clam and potato stew – is beloved all over the United States, but synonymous with the city of Boston.
Clear broth-style chowders or stews made by the New England region’s Indigenous peoples date back hundreds of years, including tribes in what is now Massachusetts. Quahogs, a type of local clam, along with other shellfish, fish and native ingredients like corn and beans were primary ingredients in early-recorded renditions of the chowder, which later incorporated traditions brought by English settlers, who swapped corn and beans for potatoes. And since 1836, chowder – or chowdah, as it’s often pronounced in Boston – has been proudly served at the city’s Union Oyster House, the oldest restaurant in continuous service in the US. Over the decades, New England-style clam chowder has become woven into the very fabric of the city’s culinary identity.
Though Boston’s food scene has become world-class and international, clam chowder is still found on menus all over town, from the city’s finest eateries to the concession stands at Fenway Park, the iconic Red Sox ballpark. But not all creamy clam chowders are made equal. To highlight Boston’s most extraordinary bowls, we spoke to Jeremy Sewall, chef and partner of Row 34 in Boston’s atmospheric Seaport.

The need for an increase in school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) has been highlighted by a new Swindon council report.
In the past year, demand for the services has risen at a greater rate in Swindon than the national average, with particular concern expressed about the lack of provision in the south and east of the borough.
Councillors who sit on the council’s adults’ and children’s overview and scrutiny committee will learn how the borough is matching up to an increasing demand for special provision at the committee’s meeting next week.
The report has been prepared after councillors agreed a motion put forward by the Conservative shadow member for education and children, councillor Jake Chandler.
It said: “There are currently over 2,720 children with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) in Swindon.