Mugabe's Son Pleads Guilty to Gun Charge in South Africa
Bellarmine Mugabe, son of the late Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, has pleaded guilty to pointing a firearm in South Africa. He was arrested in February after a 23-year-old man was shot at his home in Johannesburg....
25 Hostages Freed After Naples Bank Gang Escapes Through Sewer Tunnel
Three masked robbers held 25 people hostage during a bank heist in Naples, Italy on April 16, 2026, before fleeing through a tunnel connected to the city's sewer network. Authorities confirmed the hostages were freed but...
Allies Hold Hormuz Security Summit as U.S. Blockade Persists Despite Iran's Open-Strait Claim
France and the UK hosted allies for a summit on establishing a post-war maritime security force in the Strait of Hormuz, with the United States notably absent from the talks. Iran announced the strait is open, but Al Jaz...
Israel-Lebanon ceasefire declared but defence minister says operation 'not complete'
US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon following a meeting between the two countries' ambassadors — the first direct diplomatic talks between them in decades. However, Israel'...
Pope Leo Urges Cameroonians to Reject Violence at Mass of 120,000 in Douala
Pope Leo addressed a packed stadium in Douala, Cameroon, during his Africa trip, delivering a message of hope, peace, and faith. An estimated 120,000 people attended the outdoor Mass....
Nearly 900 Rohingya refugees dead or missing in 2025 shipwrecks, UNHCR reports
The UN refugee agency UNHCR says close to 900 Rohingya refugees have died or gone missing in shipwrecks in 2025. The Rohingya largely depart from overcrowded camps in Bangladesh, where over one million refugees live in d...
17 Students Abducted in Nigeria on Way to University Entrance Exams
A group of students were kidnapped en route to sit university entrance examinations in Nigeria, with local media reporting 17 abducted. The governor did not confirm an exact figure, and the incident adds to a recent surg...
Strait of Hormuz shipping paralysis continues as US-Iran standoff drags on
Maritime traffic through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz remained at minimal levels on Friday, creating a massive backlog of vessels. The standoff between the United States and Iran has persisted in a cautious s...
Israel and Lebanon Begin Tense 10-Day Ceasefire
A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect on April 17, 2026, following an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump. Displaced residents began streaming south toward their homes, though the Lebanese arm...
Berlin Affordable Art Fair opens with works priced under €500
Germany's Affordable Art Fair Berlin runs from 16 to 19 April 2026, bringing together dozens of galleries offering contemporary artworks priced at €500 or less. The event is designed to make art collecting accessible t...
Australia Seeks Emergency Energy Alternatives Amid Iran War Uncertainty
Heavily reliant on imported oil, Australia is scrambling to secure energy supplies as the war on Iran disrupts global markets. Measures being considered range from regional diplomatic outreach to domestic steps such as f...
Three charged in attempted arson attack on UK-based Persian-language TV channel
UK police have charged three individuals in connection with an attempted arson attack on Iran International, a Persian-language television channel critical of Iran's clerical leadership that broadcasts from abroad....
Nueva Germania: Paraguay's Failed 19th-Century 'Aryan Utopia' Revisited
A feature examines the origins and collapse of Nueva Germania, a colony founded in Paraguay in 1886 by German emigrants seeking to build an 'Aryan' settlement. Though the original vision failed, a version of the town sur...
North Korea's economy recovering on back of China and Russia ties, Seoul says
South Korea's ministry says North Korea is experiencing an economic recovery driven by its deepening ties with China and Russia. Pyongyang has drawn especially closer to Moscow since Russia launched its full-scale invasi...
NPR Weekly News Quiz: Who Says They Fear No Trump Administration?
NPR's weekly news quiz tests readers on recent events including figures who have publicly claimed no fear of the Trump administration. The quiz features personalities including Fela, Pope Leo, and Queen Camilla....
Tips for Working Parents Returning to Jobs After Having a Baby
NPR offers practical guidance for new parents navigating the transition back to work, addressing the emotional and logistical challenges of balancing a newborn with professional responsibilities....
Labor Department Launches AI Training Course Amid Ethical and Accuracy Concerns
The U.S. Labor Department has introduced a short course aimed at teaching workers to use artificial intelligence tools. An NPR review found the course provides useful basics but also misidentifies AI products, links to u...
Blue-State Hospitals Quietly Drop Transgender Youth Care Under Trump Pressure
Despite state-level legal protections in places like Massachusetts, some hospitals have voluntarily stopped providing gender-affirming care to minors in response to threats from the Trump administration. Families are lef...
Immigration Application Backlog Leaves Millions of U.S. Immigrants at Deportation Risk
An NPR analysis reveals a severe bureaucratic logjam in U.S. immigration applications, with millions of immigrants' bids to live or work legally in the country stalled. The delays increase deportation exposure for applic...
Human Rights Groups Sound Alarm Over Fate of Salvadorans Deported from U.S.
Migrants deported from the United States to El Salvador are routinely disappearing into prisons upon arrival, with many held incommunicado for weeks or longer. Rights groups warn that El Salvador's extended suspension of...