Afghan attacks — In one of the most deadly insurgent attacks in the decade-long war in Afghanistan, nine Taliban fighters dressed as Afghan soldiers stormed a government compound in the western part of the country Wednesday morning, leaving at least 44 people dead and wounding more than 100 in a hostage standoff. The assault began at around 8:45 a.m., when two suicide attackers detonated explosives packed into an army truck, according to police officials. After the explosion, which ripped through the mayor’s office and neighboring buildings, insurgents rushed the packed provincial courthouse, taking civilians and a handful of employees hostage. At some point during the nearly seven-hour gunfight, the insurgents took the hostages downstairs to the basement and shot them, police said.

Fort Knox shooting — An Army civilian employee was shot and killed in a parking lot at Kentucky’s Fort Knox on Wednesday, and investigators were seeking to question a man in connection with the shooting, authorities said. Army officials said in a news release late Wednesday that the victim was an employee of the U.S. Army Human Resources Command, which handles personnel actions for soldiers. The shooting occurred in a lot outside the command. The victim was transported to the Ireland Army Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

N. Korea threats — North Korea warned early Thursday that its military has been cleared to attack the U.S. using “smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear” weapons, while the U.S. said it was strengthening protection in the region and seeking to defuse the situation. Despite the intense rhetoric, analysts do not expect a nuclear attack by North Korea, which knows the move could trigger a destructive, suicidal war that no one in the region wants. It’s not believed to have the ability to launch nuclear-tipped missiles, but its other nuclear capabilities aren’t fully known. The Pentagon will deploy a missile defense system to the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam to strengthen regional protection against a possible attack.

Mandela hospitalization — Former President Nelson Mandela’s health is improving after nearly a week in the hospital, where he is being treated for pneumonia, South Africa’s government said Wednesday. “President Nelson Mandela continues to make steady improvement in hospital,” said a statement released by the office of President Jacob Zuma. “His doctors say he continues to respond satisfactorily to treatment and is much better now than he was when he was admitted to the hospital.” The statement did not say when Mandela, 94, might be discharged.

Colo. prison chief shooting — Authorities investigating the death of Colorado’s prisons chief are telling law enforcement officers to watch out for two men associated with a white supremacist prison gang. El Paso County sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Kramer says deputies are seeking 47-year-old James Lohr and 31-year-old Thomas Guolee in connection with the death of Tom Clements. Kramer said Wednesday that both men are associates of the 211 Crew. That’s the same gang whose members included Evan Ebel, who is suspected of fatally shootings Clements. Ebel was killed in a shootout with Texas authorities.

Obama salary — Sharing a bit of budget pain, President Barack Obama will return 5 percent of his salary to the Treasury in a show of solidarity with federal workers smarting from government-wide spending cuts. Hundreds of thousands of workers could be forced to take unpaid leave — known as furloughs — if Congress does not reach an agreement soon to undo the cuts. A 5 percent cut from the president’s salary of $400,000 per year amounts to $20,000.