The Nigerian government has denied accusations by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) that a “mass murder” of Christians is taking place in the West African nation. In posts on social media, he alleged that 50,000 Christians have been killed there since 2009 and that 2,000 schools and 18,000 churches have been destroyed by “Islamist” armed groups. President Bola Tinubu’s special adviser, Sunday Dare, said that Cruz “would do well to engage with the facts before amplifying falsehoods that embolden extremists and malign an entire nation.” 

What has been alleged? 
The Republican senator’s claims have been “amplified” by “celebrities and commentators,” and some have even alleged that a “Christian genocide” is taking place in Nigeria, said The Associated Press. “Real Time” TV host Bill Maher has claimed that Nigerian terror group Boko Haram has killed more than 100,000 Christians since mounting an insurgency in 2009 and is “literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country.” It’s “unclear where Maher got his figures,” said Al Jazeera, and they have been widely disputed. 

Is there any truth to the claims? 
Nigeria’s population of 220 million is split almost equally between Christians and Muslims. There were 20,409 deaths from 11,862 attacks against civilians in Nigeria between January 2020 and September 2025, according to the independent conflict monitor Armed Conflict Location and Event Data. Of those attacks, 385 were categorized as “targeted events” in which the “Christian identity of the victim was a reported factor” and resulted in 317 deaths. But in the same period, 417 Muslim deaths were recorded in 196 attacks. 

There are “varying motives” for the violence in Nigeria, said The Associated Press. As well as “religiously motivated” attacks targeting both Christians and Muslims, there are “clashes between farmers and herders over dwindling resources, communal rivalries, secessionist groups and ethnic clashes.” 

What does Nigeria say? 
“Portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group is a gross misrepresentation of reality,” said Information Minister Mohammed Idris Malagi in a statement. The Christian Association of Nigeria denies that only Christians were being targeted and accuses foreign groups of seeking to “exploit domestic crises,” said Al Jazeera.

With trick-or-treating just around the corner, many parents are feeling the pain when budgeting for Halloween this year. Inflation means many elements of the holiday, including children’s costumes, candy and decorations, are becoming more expensive. Many experts attribute a significant portion of the blame to the tariffs implemented by the Trump administration.

Traditions and treats
Dressing up and getting candy are two hallmarks of Halloween for kids, but both of these things have seen price hikes in 2025. The average cost for a “100-piece bag of candy is $16.39 in 2025, up more than $2 from last year and 78% since 2020,” according to a study from the financial institution FinanceBuzz. This is “more than triple the national rate of inflation” of 25% during the same time period.

There was a slight dip several years ago when the cost for a “bag of Halloween candy increased by less than $1 year-over-year from 2020 to 2022,” said FinanceBuzz. But since then, the price has “gone up by more than $2 per year over the last two Halloweens.” 

Those who plan to pass out candy will “shell out an average of $70” this year, said LendingTree. At least 31% of Halloween spenders even report “going into debt by overspending” for the holiday.

Chinese tariffs are having a tangible effect on costume prices, as “90% of Halloween products contain at least one component made overseas,” said CNN. As a result, this year's Halloween costumes will cost a “little more, and you will see less variety.” 

Halloween companies are also feeling the hurt. “We are all kind of on edge, but we are trying to stay positive,” Chris Zephro, the president of costume manufacturer Trick or Treat Studios, said to CNN.

How to save
One way to save money this Halloween is to purchase costume pieces separately and in advance. Experts say “warehouse clubs tend to offer the best per-piece value” for candy in bulk, said Reuters.

Many plan to celebrate the holiday despite rising prices. “Even in challenging economic times or with price adjustments,” said Carly Schildhaus, of the National Confectioners Association, to CBS News, people are “leaving room in their budgets for chocolate and candy.” 

Kitesurfers show off their skills at sunset off a beach near Tel Aviv. Israel’s Mediterranean coast is a popular spot for the sport, a combination of surfing and paragliding.
Jack Guez / AFP / Getty Images

While some children have parents who let them watch literally anything from a young age, most people first encounter scary movies through more light-hearted fare aimed at school-age kids and tweens. These films, when done well, can provide thrills for the whole family without unnecessarily traumatizing children whose brains are still developing. 

‘Gremlins’ (1984)
The film (pictured above) “rouses nihilistic glee with the demonic antics of the title critters who rip its greeting-card facade apart,” even as it “elicits nostalgia for the idealized small town created on Hollywood back lots,” said Michael Sragow at Film Comment. Parents beware: This is probably the scariest move on this list. (HBO Max)

‘Super 8’ (2011)
Borrowing the “lightly supervised tweens in jeopardy” scheme from “The Goonies,” writer-director J.J. Abrams' thriller is about a group of small-town friends who witness a train derailment while filming an amateur zombie movie. Like the “Spielberg movies this film lovingly plunders,” the film makes for a “rollicking afternoon at the multiplex” for kids around the protagonist’s age, said Dana Stevens at Slate. (Paramount+)

‘Frankenweenie’ (2012)
It's almost impossible to choose between Tim Burton's films, any of which could be on this list, including "Corpse Bride" (2005), but "Frankenweenie" might be the one that speaks most directly to children about the death of a pet. The animated retelling of “Frankenstein” is a “great introduction to the horror genre for older kids and tweens who are ready for some scares,” said Sandie Angulo Chen at Common Sense Media. (Disney+)