2026-04-30 — Hefoki

Armed conflicts and attacks

Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda says that his country may consider joining a U.S. campaign to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, he also states that it will need approval by the government and parliament. (RBC-Ukraine)
- https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/another-nato-country-to-join-operation-in-1777559686.html
Armed conflicts and attacks

Russia says that it will continue its military presence in Mali to provide assistance to the Malian government. (Reuters)
- https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/kremlin-says-russian-forces-will-stay-mali-to-fight-extremism-2026-04-30/
Armed conflicts and attacks

Niger announces that the Alliance of Sahel States conducted airstrikes in Mali against Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists and Tuareg separatists hours after the attacks began. (AFP via Indo Premier)
- https://www.indopremier.com/ipotnews/newsDetail.php?jdl=Niger_says_joint_anti_jihadist_force_launched_strikes_in_Mali&news_id=1728503&group_news=ALLNEWS&taging_subtype=FRANCE&name=&search=y_general&q=FRANCE,%20&halaman=1
Armed conflicts and attacks

Talks between participants from the Taliban government in Afghanistan and Pakistan are held in Istanbul, Turkey under a Track 1.5 format in an effort to lower tensions between the two countries. (Islamabad Post) (Pakistan Today)
- https://islamabadpost.com.pk/pak-afghan-talks-in-istanbul/
- https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2026/04/30/track-15-talks-begin-in-istanbul-to-help-reduce-pakistan-afghanistan-tensions
Armed conflicts and attacks

More than 1,000 homes are evacuated in Plymouth, England, following the discovery of an unexploded World War II-era German SC250 bomb on a building site. (Sky News)
- https://news.sky.com/story/homes-evacuated-as-suspected-ww2-device-found-13538317?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter
Arts and culture

The jury of the Venice Biennale in Italy resigns ahead of the exhibition's opening, amid disagreement involving the government over Russia's participation. (CP via Lethbridge Herald)
- https://lethbridgeherald.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2026/04/30/venice-biennales-international-jury-resigns-as-italys-government-opposed-russias-participation/
Arts and culture

Reporters Without Borders reports that global press freedom has declined to its lowest level since the index began in 2002, with more than half of countries classified under severe conditions and the share of the world's population living in countries with strong press freedom falling to below one percent. (AFP via France 24)
- https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260430-press-freedom-at-lowest-level-in-25-years-rsf
Business and economy

United States president Donald Trump announces that he will lift tariffs on all whisky products, including Scotch whisky. (BBC News) (Politico)
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjrp3pew2d5o
- https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/30/trump-tariffs-scottish-whisky-00901743
Disasters and accidents

Camp Mystic in Texas, U.S., withdraws an application to reopen during the summer in the wake of the floods last year, which killed 25 campers and two counsellors. (NBC News)
- https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/camp-mystic-withdraws-application-open-summer-rcna342947
Disasters and accidents

Eight people are killed in a collapse at a coal mine in Magadan Oblast, Russia. (The Moscow Times)
- https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/05/04/all-8-miners-confirmed-dead-after-coal-mine-collapse-in-russias-far-east-a92670
International relations

The first direct commercial flight from the United States to Venezuela in seven years arrives at the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Caracas. (AFP via NDTV) (AP)
- https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/first-direct-us-venezuela-flight-in-years-arrives-in-caracas-11433603
- https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-us-commercial-flight-caracas-5d9a5e8dde5d3384c8f96a6f5096755d
Law and crime

Thirty-eight-year-old Christopher Okello Onyum is sentenced to death by hanging for the murders of four children at a nursery school on April 2 in Kampala, Uganda. (BBC News)
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3d2vzmgekjo
Law and crime

Myanmar's president Min Aung Hlaing orders the remaining prison sentence of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to be served under house arrest and announces a one-sixth reduction of sentences for all prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi. (AFP via CNA) (AFP via Taipei Times)
- https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/aung-san-suu-kyi-moved-house-arrest-myanmar-6092826
- https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2026/05/01/2003856579
Politics and elections

Antiguans and Barbudans vote to elect 17 members of the House of Representatives. Incumbent prime minister and Labour leader Gaston Browne, who is running for a fourth term, is being challenged by United Progressive leader Jamale Pringle. (Reuters)
- https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-visa-fallout-takes-center-stage-antiguas-election-2026-04-30/
Politics and elections

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approves a bill passed by the Senate to fund the Department of Homeland Security, the Secret Service, the Coast Guard, FEMA, TSA, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in an effort to end the 76-day government shutdown. (AFP via SCMP) (AP) (Politico)
Politics and elections

The bill is signed by U.S. president Donald Trump, officially bringing an end to the shutdown. (BBC News) (PBS)
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce3pw5x3z54o
- https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-signs-homeland-security-funding-bill-ending-record-shutdown
Politics and elections

Russia announces the creation of a censorship council. (The Moscow Times in Russian)
- https://ru.themoscowtimes.com/2026/04/30/v-rossii-sozdadut-sovet-dlya-tsenzuri-istoricheskogo-kontenta-v-internete-knigah-i-kino-a194240
Sports

FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirms that Iran's football team will participate in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, including matches in the United States, despite the Iran war. (Time)
- https://time.com/article/2026/04/30/iran-world-cup-fifa/