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The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran has led to a substantial increase in global fuel prices, affecting Americans and forcing them to make difficult trade-offs. Many are struggling to access essential items, including medication and groceries, while others are facing financial insecurity and even homelessness.The impact of rising gas prices is being felt across various aspects of life, from accessing essential medicines to facing the brink of homelessness amid an already rising cost of living. For Mandy, a 42-year-old mother in central Utah, higher gas prices have made it harder to visit one of her children, who has disabilities and lives hours away.“Before [Donald] Trump and [Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu started their war, gas in my town was $2.70 a gallon. Now it’s $4.19 and I’m terrified it’s going to go closer to $5 before all is said and done. One of our children is disabled and lives in a group home two and a half hours away,” she said.Rising gas prices are also affecting people’s ability to access necessary medication. Lisa, a 56-year-old living with disabilities on a tribal reservation in Oregon, said rising gas prices had disrupted her ability to access necessary medication.“My caregiver and I have had to cut back our trips to pick up my prescriptions, even though they are necessary. Because I live in rural Oregon, the basic necessities are 40 minutes away, so if a doctor calls in an additional prescription after I’ve already been in town for the week, that prescription has to wait for the following week for me to pick it up,” she said.The strain is also being felt by food banks and pantries. Melissa Meyer, chief executive of IPM Food Pantry in Cincinnati, Ohio, said rising gas prices had driven more people to rely on food pantries – even as those same costs strain the operations of local food banks and their volunteers.“Increased gas prices put additional costs on our operations as we must increase gas costs for picking up and delivering food across five counties of south-west Ohio … We are not cutting back our services in any way, yet,” she said.The rising cost of fuel is also having indirect effects, such as impacting small businesses and artists. Cathi Newlin, a 63-year-old ceramic artist in Sacramento, California, who also cares for her husband with Parkinson’s disease, said her income had been hit as consumers pull back.“A substantial portion of our household income is generated from the sale of my art and the classes I teach. These are surely luxury items in any economy but when people have to spend more on basics like gasoline, they don’t have as much money or desire to spend on art. The rise in oil prices very much affects my income and the price of my materials,” Newlin said.

Massive Attack has returned with their first single in a decade, 'Boots on the Ground', featuring the iconic voice of Tom Waits. The song is a seven-minute track that showcases the band's signature dark and experimental sound.The song's release marks a significant event in the music world, especially given Massive Attack's influential history in shaping the trip-hop genre with their debut album Blue Lines in the 90s. The band's music has since evolved to incorporate more abstract and disquieting elements, as evident in 'Boots on the Ground'.The track features a haunting intro and coda with Tom Waits's labored breathing, creating an unsettling atmosphere. Waits's vocals are unmistakable, and his presence elevates the song to a new level of intensity. The lyrics are surreal and disturbing, tackling themes of violence and authority.The song's accompanying video features the work of a documentary photographer, showcasing powerful images of Black Lives Matter protests, ICE raids, and homeless veterans. This visual component adds to the song's impact, making it a thought-provoking and timely release.'Boots on the Ground' is a fitting addition to Massive Attack's discography, reflecting the band's continued ability to push boundaries and create music that resonates with the current times. The song's dark and ominous tone, combined with Tom Waits's haunting vocals, makes it a standout track in the band's oeuvre.

For the first time, a detailed map identifies the UK’s most severe ammonia pollution hotspots in regions where intensive pig and poultry farms are most concentrated.The analysis, produced by Compassion in World Farming (CiWF) and the environmental group Sustain, shows the highest emission densities in Lincolnshire, Herefordshire and Norfolk. These counties host a large number of confined‑livestock units that drive dangerous levels of ammonia, a nitrogen‑based gas primarily released from animal manure.In the United Kingdom, agriculture accounts for 89% of national ammonia emissions. When released into the atmosphere, ammonia reacts with other pollutants to form fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a leading cause of premature death. The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) estimated that PM2.5 exposure caused between 28,861 and 29,000 early deaths in 2010.The timing of the report is notable: the government is currently reviewing planning regulations that would make it easier to approve new intensive livestock facilities, despite growing concerns over air quality, water contamination and local opposition.Health professionals warn that ammonia‑derived PM2.5 fuels heart disease, stroke, asthma and chronic lung conditions. Dr Amir Khan, a GP and CiWF patron, said, “As a GP, I see first‑hand the toll that air pollution takes on people’s health – and ammonia from intensive farming is a major, yet often overlooked, part of that problem.”Beyond human health, excess nitrogen from ammonia deposition acidifies soils and pollutes rivers. Recent activism in Shropshire halted a proposed poultry megafarm of 230,000 chickens after campaigners argued the council failed to assess the full environmental impact.Rising numbers of industrial poultry units—known as IPUs—along the River Wye and River Severn valleys are identified as a key driver of river pollution. Chicken manure is especially rich in phosphates, which deplete oxygen in waterways and threaten aquatic life.Calculations for the map were based on permitted stocking numbers and average ammonia production factors for different livestock categories, including broiler chickens, indoor egg layers and pigs.Local residents are already feeling the impact. Michele Franks, who lives near a Lincolnshire poultry megafarm, described how shed clean‑outs force her to stay indoors, causing “chest tightness, eye irritation and breathing difficulties” that can last for days.CiWF and Sustain are calling for an end to the expansion of factory farming. Anthony Field, head of Compassion in World Farming UK, warned, “Factory farming sits at the heart of the UK’s ammonia crisis. By cramming large numbers of animals into confined spaces and relying heavily on fertilisers, these intensive systems release far more ammonia than the environment or our bodies can cope with.”

The UK is bracing for possible gaps on supermarket shelves this summer as the ongoing conflict in Iran threatens to disrupt carbon dioxide (CO2) supplies, a critical component in the food industry. CO2 is essential for the humane slaughter of livestock, packaging of fresh meats and produce, and production of fizzy drinks and beer.Government ministers are reportedly drawing up contingency plans for a 'reasonable worst-case scenario' if the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane, remains closed. This could lead to shortages of CO2, impacting supplies of chicken, pork, and fizzy drinks.The business secretary, Peter Kyle, has reassured the public that ministers are making contingency plans to deal with possible consequences of the Iran war. The government has invested £100m to reopen the mothballed Ensus bioethanol plant on Teesside to mitigate potential CO2 shortages.The CEO of Tesco, Ken Murphy, has expressed confidence in the company's ability to manage supply chains, stating that they have 'seen nothing at this point' in terms of problems within their supply chain caused by CO2 availability issues. However, the UK is one of Europe's largest users of CO2, and any disruption could have significant impacts on the food industry and beyond.

A Pakistani delegation headed by Army Chief General Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Wednesday, bearing a fresh message from Washington and urging the launch of a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran. The effort comes as the two‑week ceasefire that halted hostilities last week is set to expire on April 22, leaving a narrow window to end a war that has claimed more than 4,000 lives across the Middle East, primarily in Iran and Lebanon. The initial round of talks, held in Islamabad on April 11‑12, marked the most significant direct engagement between Washington and Tehran in decades. Mediated by Pakistan, the sessions lasted over 20 hours and featured both indirect and direct exchanges between U.S. Vice President JD Vance and senior Iranian officials led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Despite covering core issues—nuclear programme, sanctions relief, frozen assets and control of the Strait of Hormuz—the talks concluded without a memorandum, with Vance asserting that Iran “did not accept our terms” and that the U.S. requires a “fundamental commitment” to forego nuclear weapons. President Donald Trump has described the conflict as “very close to being over” and hinted that a second round could resume within days, possibly in Islamabad. However, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is currently on a four‑day tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey to rally regional backing, making a rapid return to Islamabad uncertain. U.S. officials have offered an “in‑principle” agreement to extend the ceasefire, yet a Reuters‑cited source confirmed that Washington has not formally committed to an extension. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed optimism, stating that “there can be no negotiating with clenched fists.” Key sticking points remain: Nuclear programme: The United States and Israel demand a complete halt to uranium enrichment, accusing Iran of weaponization despite a lack of public evidence. Iran maintains its enrichment is for civilian use and cites its obligations under the 1970 Non‑Proliferation Treaty. Strait of Hormuz: One‑fifth of global oil and LNG passes through this chokepoint. Since the February strikes, shipping through the strait has dropped by 95 %. Iran permits passage for “non‑hostile” vessels and seeks the right to levy tolls, while the U.S. insists on unrestricted navigation. Lebanon/Hezbollah: Iran demands that Israel cease its offensive against Hezbollah. While Tehran claims the ceasefire covers Lebanon, both the United States and Israel reject this, and Israel continues attacks on Hezbollah positions. Complicating the diplomatic landscape, President Trump announced a naval blockade of Iranian ports, adding pressure on Tehran and potentially hindering any imminent talks. With the ceasefire deadline looming and regional actors issuing mixed signals, the prospects for a renewed U.S.–Iran dialogue hinge on whether Pakistan can secure a consensus among the parties before the window closes.

Sudan, one of the world's most impoverished countries, has been ravaged by a civil war that began in 2023. The conflict, driven by a power struggle between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has left the nation unrecognizable. Over 40,000 people have been killed, and about 14 million – a quarter of the population – have been forced to flee their homes. Civilian infrastructure across the country has been extensively damaged.“We are not just facing a crisis – we are witnessing the systematic erosion of a country’s future,” Luca Renda, the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP’s) resident representative in Sudan, told Al Jazeera. A report by the UNDP and the Institute for Security Studies highlights the scale of Sudan’s economic collapse. Even under the most optimistic scenario of peace being achieved in 2026, Sudan would still lose an estimated $18.8 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) by 2043.The war has had a devastating impact on Sudan's infrastructure and basic services. $6.4 billion was lost in GDP in 2023 alone, reflecting a simultaneous collapse across all major parts of Sudan’s economy. The destruction of infrastructure has triggered displacement and made it difficult for people to secure adequate housing or access basic services. Up to 40 percent of power generation capacity has been lost, and key water infrastructure has been destroyed or seized, cutting communities off from clean water and sanitation.The labor market has also been severely affected, with agriculture – once the backbone of Sudan’s economy – severely hit. Cultivated land has shrunk, adversely impacting rural livelihoods. Average incomes have fallen back to levels last seen in 1992. About 90 percent of manufacturing activity has been destroyed in key economic hubs, eliminating thousands of jobs.The oil industry has suffered significantly, with oil output falling amid widespread instability and infrastructure damage. The Khartoum refinery, which previously processed up to 100,000 barrels per day, has been out of operation since July 2023. Key infrastructure, including pipeline routes carrying crude to Port Sudan, has been hit.The collapse of the Sudanese pound and supply chains has caused a sharp rise in living costs. Food prices have surged, with four pieces of bread now costing about 1,000 pounds, an amount that had previously bought six pieces. Wages have failed to catch up with inflation, leaving many households without access to necessities. Nearly half the population is now experiencing acute food shortages.The economic collapse has had a profound impact on Sudan's people, with 34 million people in need of assistance and 19 million facing acute food shortages. The war has caused death, trauma, and profound loss, casting a long shadow over Sudan’s future and dimming the prospects of a generation whose lives are being shaped by violence. If the conflict continues to 2030, Sudan’s economy in 2043 would be about $34.5 billion smaller than it would have been without the war, and GDP per capita would drop by roughly $1,700.

On the third anniversary of Sudan's civil war, international donors have pledged $1.5 billion in humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of millions affected by the conflict. The pledges were made during a conference in Berlin, attended by about a dozen foreign ministers and over 60 delegations.United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the anniversary as a 'tragic milestone in a conflict that has shattered a country of immense promise.' He emphasized that the consequences of the war are not confined to Sudan, but are destabilizing the wider region.The conflict in Sudan began in April 2023, when fighting erupted between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after a long-simmering power struggle. The war has resulted in nearly 34 million people needing humanitarian assistance and over 4.5 million being forced to flee their homes.Guterres also highlighted the dire situation for women and girls in Sudan, who have been terrorized and subjected to systematic sexual violence. The conference aimed to not only rally donors but also to help revive stalled negotiations to end the fighting, although the two sides fighting the war were excluded.Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the meeting as a 'colonial tutelage approach,' accusing Western leaders of trying to impose their agenda and vision without consulting or coordinating with Khartoum. The ministry stated that it 'will not accept that countries and regional and international organizations convene to decide on its affairs and bypass the Sudanese government under the pretext of neutrality.'German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced that his country pledged 212 million euros ($250m) in humanitarian aid and thanked donors for their pledges. He emphasized that the aid will help alleviate the suffering of the people in Sudan, save lives, and show that the conflict has not been forgotten.

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate voted 47‑52 to reject a resolution that would have limited President Donald Trump’s power to wage war against Iran, marking the fourth defeat of the measure despite weekly attempts by lawmakers. The vote follows a two‑week ceasefire agreed upon last week, though subsequent negotiations in Islamabad failed to produce a longer‑term deal. Both sides have indicated openness to a second round of talks. President Trump’s earlier threats, including a statement on April 7 that a “whole civilisation will die tonight,” intensified congressional calls for constraints on his war‑making authority. Party lines largely dictated the outcome: Republican Rand Paul voted in favor, while Democrat John Fetterman broke with his party to oppose the resolution. Supporters argue that Trump acted beyond constitutional limits when he joined Israel in launching the February 28 offensive. The U.S. Constitution reserves the declaration of war for Congress, allowing presidents to act unilaterally only in cases of immediate self‑defence. Senator Chris Murphy, speaking before the vote, described the conflict as a “bungled, mismanaged war” that has failed to meet the administration’s objectives. He criticized the lack of transparency and oversight, noting that the war is costing “billions of dollars every week,” has claimed “over a dozen American lives,” and is destabilising economies worldwide. Republican Senator Jim Risch defended Trump’s actions, dismissing the resolution as “same old, same old” and asserting that the president has both the right and duty to act. The House of Representatives is slated to consider its own war‑powers resolution this week, with a higher likelihood of passage given growing wariness among some Republicans. Even if both chambers approved the measure, Trump could veto it, requiring a two‑thirds supermajority to override. Under the War Powers Act of 1973, Congress must either authorize the military action or approve a 30‑day extension when the conflict reaches its 60‑day mark at the end of April. Failure to do so would legally compel the president to begin withdrawing forces. U.S. blockade updates: U.S. Central Command reported that no vessels have successfully breached the blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz over the past 48 hours, with nine ships complying with orders to turn back. The U.S. Navy warned that vessels attempting to transit will be boarded for interdiction and seizure. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a forthcoming set of financial measures described as the “financial equivalent” of military attacks, while noting that some sanctions had been lifted to ease soaring global energy prices. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the administration has not formally requested an extension of the ceasefire, which is set to expire next week, but expressed optimism about a second round of talks in Islamabad. Iran’s state‑run television reported that a high‑level Pakistani delegation arrived in Tehran to coordinate new negotiations. Meanwhile, Major‑General Ali Abdollahi of the IRGC warned that the ongoing naval blockade could jeopardise the fragile ceasefire, describing it as a “prelude to a violation of the ceasefire.”

When fighting erupted in Sudan’s streets in April 2023, families fled their homes, cities and even the country itself. Three years on, the exodus continues, with millions still on the move.The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) surveyed 1,293 displaced households in Sudan, Chad and South Sudan, exposing a grim cycle of loss. Each forced relocation strips survivors of the last remnants of their former lives.According to the findings, about 90 % of respondents have lost their homes and nearly three‑quarters report having no income. Food scarcity has become critical: more than 80 % of households in Sudan and virtually all in South Sudan regularly skip meals.Within Sudan alone, over nine million people remain displaced, while an estimated 28.9 million face acute hunger. The cumulative trauma is evident—by the fourth displacement, almost two‑thirds of individuals feel completely exhausted and depleted of resources, and roughly 65 % have been separated from family members.Despite these hardships, a remarkable degree of solidarity persists. In Sudan and Chad, one in three aid recipients continue to share their limited supplies with neighbors, strangers and newly arrived families.“In Sudan now, you are always running,” says Amina, who escaped Khartoum with four children and only the clothes on her back after her husband vanished in the early days of the fighting. “Running from war. Running for food.”Education has collapsed: only 45 % of displaced children across the three nations attend school regularly, while 18 % of households have been forced to send children to work.The NRC’s conclusion is stark. While resilience and generosity have kept the humanitarian response afloat, communities are signaling that they can no longer bear the burden alone. The mutual support that has acted as an “invisible backbone” is now stretched to its breaking point.This photo essay is provided by the Norwegian Refugee Council.