The World’s Biggest Election Is Set to Begin
The World’s Biggest Election Is Set to BeginIn India, the question is not whether Modi and his party will win but by how much.
The World’s Biggest Election Is Set to BeginIn India, the question is not whether Modi and his party will win but by how much.
Russia Just Helped Swing a European ElectionSlovakia’s new Russia-friendly president won office with the help of a barrage of pro-Kremlin disinformation.
The Moral Hazard of Biden’s Support for IsraelThe U.S. president can’t stop Israel from retaliating against Iran, but he can choose whether to help Israel manage the consequences.
Why Modi Is So PopularSoon likely to win a third term, India’s prime minister has shaped the country in profound ways.
Washington Should Squeeze Europe Like It’s 1945U.S. support for NATO and Ukraine needs to be part of a new trans-Atlantic bargain.
Sudan Is Not a Lost CauseA year into the conflict, fatalistic rhetoric continues to limit the world’s attention—and actions—toward Sudan.
Anti-American Protests in NigerJunta leaders and demonstrators seek to replace U.S. presence in the country.
Trump has become the first president in US history to face criminal trial, with three other criminal cases pending.
Canadian province supplies most of the world’s maple syrup, but climate change is raising new questions for producers.
The Israeli government says it’s weighing its options amid calls from allies to de-escalate tensions.
Police say the attacker behind the stabbing of a bishop at a church in Sydney is a 15-year-old male.
Donald Trump arrives in court, becomes the first former US president to stand trial on criminal charges.
Despite concerns over Israeli abuses in Gaza, US lawmakers are calling for approval of $14bn in assistance to Israel.
Antonio Guterres says war is being waged on the Sudanese people, warns of escalating unrest in el-Fasher, Darfur.
Scientists warn that many of the world’s reefs may not recover from the intense, prolonged heat stress.
Several allies warn against an escalation after Iran’s weekend attack on Israel increases fears of wider regional war.
Probe will examine circumstances leading up to cargo ship’s collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, sources say.
April 15, 20244:49 PM ET
A year of war has had a devastating impact on Sudan. The country is suffering the worlds largest displacement crisis and in the grips of a humanitarian disaster, with no sign of a resolution in sight.
April 15, 20243:01 PM ET
Enlarge this imageA man looks at the smoke rising next to the Army General Command in Khartoum, Sudan, on April 16, 2023.
Faiz Abubakr
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Faiz Abubakr
A man looks at the smoke rising next to the Army General Command in Khartoum, Sudan, on April 16, 2023.
Faiz Abubakr
A year of war has torn through Sudan, causing devastation in a country that just a few years ago, was rich with immense promise. A revolution in 2021 toppled longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir and brought the prospect of a brighter future for Sudan’s 45 million people. But a coup later that year, led by the army and supported by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, dashed those hopes. And now a fierce battle for control of Sudan between the two sides, fueled by international powers, has caused a major collapse.
Africa Sudan’s conflict hits the 1-year mark, sparking fears of repeated atrocitiesSudannow has the world’s largest displacement crisis, according to ..
April 15, 20248:00 AM ET
Enlarge this imageSudanese refugees who have fled from the war in Sudan get off a truck loaded with families arriving at a transit center for refugees in Renk, South Sudan, on Feb. 13.
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Sudanese refugees who have fled from the war in Sudan get off a truck loaded with families arriving at a transit center for refugees in Renk, South Sudan, on Feb. 13.
Luis Tato/AFP via Getty Images
JOHANNESBURG — One of the world’s most brutal conflicts is marking its first anniversary this week, but with the war in Gaza and other events dominating news, the humanitarian crisis in Sudan is going underreported.
Since renewed fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the rebel paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on April 15, 2023,more than 8 million people have fled their homes and more than 14,000 people have been killed, according to conflict mon..
April 15, 20245:08 AM ET
NPR’s Michel Martin talks to Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, about the civil war that erupted in Sudan. A year later the suffering there isn’t getting global attention.
April 15, 20245:00 AM ET
Enlarge this imagePaul Rusesabagina in 2019.
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Paul Rusesabagina in 2019.
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From April to July 1994, the world watched as genocide unfolded in Rwanda. A million people died as neighbors brutally attacked their neighbors with clubs and machetes.
Thirty years later, the horror of the Rwandan genocide endures, but so does the humanity and bravery of Paul Rusesabagina, whose story that was captured in the 2004 movie Hotel Rwanda.
The real Rusesabagina recounted some of the details when he talked to All Things Considered host Juana Summers recently from his home in San Antonio.
Africa Bill Clinton and other leaders join Rwandans in marking 30 years since their genocide”I happened to be a hotelier in 1994, and I had 1,268 people who happened to come to hide in my hotel — Hutus and Tutsis. And none of t..
April 14, 20248:02 AM ET
Enlarge this imageSmoke is seen rising from Khartoum’s skyline, Sudan, Sunday, April 16, 2023. The Sudanese military and a powerful paramilitary group have been battling for control of the chaos-stricken nation.
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Smoke is seen rising from Khartoum’s skyline, Sudan, Sunday, April 16, 2023. The Sudanese military and a powerful paramilitary group have been battling for control of the chaos-stricken nation.
Marwan Ali/AP
The words of one Sudanese poet, draw attention to the devastation that one year of war has wrecked on her country.
Emi Mahmoud was born in Sudan where fighting erupted a year ago between the Sudanese army and a powerful paramilitary group. The violence has sparked the world’s worst displacement crisis, and for millions of families like her own, it has had a profound impact.
Mahmoud is also a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agencyand has been speaking to NPR’s Emman..
UN nuclear chief says accident is ‘dangerously close’ at Zaporizhzhia
FILE – A Russian serviceman guards an area of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in territory under Russian military control, southeastern Ukraine, May 1, 2022.
Zelenskyy calls for same defense from allies as for Israel
Officers of a special police force walk in front of apartment buildings destroyed by air bombs during the evacuation of local residents from the village of Ocheretine in the Donetsk region on April 15, 2024, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine.
Warming oceans hit coral reefs with 4th massive bleaching event, NOAA says
Coral reefs bleach in the Great Barrier Reef as scientists conduct in-water monitoring in Martin Reef, March 16, 2024, in this handout obtained by Reuters on April 12, 2024. (Australian Institute of Marine Science/Veronique Mocellin/ Handout via Reuters)
Gun supervisor gets 18 months in prison for fatal movie set shooting by Alec Baldwin
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, center, prepares for a sentencing hearing in state district court in Santa Fe, New Mexico, April 15, 2024. (Eddie Moore/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, Pool)
Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma, Kenya’s Hellen Obiri win Boston Marathon
Sisay Lemma, of Ethiopia, left, winner of the men’s division of the Boston Marathon, and Hellen Obiri, of Kenya, winner of the women’s division of the race, hold the trophy on the finish line of the Boston Marathon in Boston, April 15, 2024.
India’s journalists intimidated into silence, says veteran broadcaster
FILE – Indian journalist Ravish Kumar speaks during a press conference with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines in Manila on Sept. 6, 2019.
Writer jailed in Vietnam to be recognized with international award
FILE – Vietnamese journalist and blogger Pham Doan Trang is seen in an undated video grab. (VOA Vietnamese)
German chancellor promotes fair competition, warns against overproduction during China visit
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz takes part in a dialogue with students at Tongji University’s Jiading Campus in Shanghai, China, April 15, 2024.
FBI opens investigation into Baltimore bridge collapse
FILE – Aerial view of the Dali cargo vessel which crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing it to collapse in Baltimore, Maryland, March 26, 2024.
US citizen arrested in Moscow on drug charges appears in court
FILE – Robert Woodland Romanov speaks to a journalist during his interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper in Moscow, Russia, Dec. 2020. A U.S. citizen by the same name was arrested in Russia on drug charges. (Anastasia Vardanyan, Komsomolskaya Pravda via AP)
Their capture set off a global campaign to “Bring Back Our Girls.” But many are still missing, and kidnappings in Nigeria have proliferated.
World Leaders Urge Restraint as Israel Mulls Iran ResponseAttacks from Iranian soil add a fifth theater to Israel’s ongoing war.
Iran’s Attack Complicates Efforts to Condition U.S. Military Aid to IsraelCalls to curb U.S. support for Israel’s war in Gaza over the humanitarian crisis risk being upended by Israel’s pressing security needs.
3 Ways Israel Could Respond to IranIsraeli leaders have vowed to counterattack, but how they do so could jeopardize international support.
America Fueled the Fire in the Middle EastIsrael is in growing danger—but the responsibility lies more in Washington than in Tehran.
Why Israel-Iran War Is a Lifeline for NetanyahuAn isolated leader who faced widespread criticism a week ago now has the backing of the West and has deflected global attention from Gaza.
Why Oil Markets Are Calm Despite Iran-Israel TensionsAnd why that could change.
It’s Time for the World Bank to Break With TraditionThe bank must adopt a new model to alleviate extreme poverty.
Netanyahu Wants War With Iran. Biden Can Prevent It.Past U.S. presidents rejected Israel’s push to strike Tehran, but Biden is falling into his trap.
Washington’s Failed Africa Policy Needs a ResetInstead of trying to put out security fires, U.S. policy should focus on governance and growth.
How Will Israel Respond to the Iranian Attack?The answer could determine whether the region is heading for all-out war.
Tehran promises a response to Israeli attack on its consulate in Syria.
Germany says it will hand over Patriot air defence system and missiles, while Russia claims capture of another village.
In March, Niger suspended its military cooperation with the US after leaders severed ties with France last year.
Victor Manuel Rocha conducted one of the longest-lasting infiltrations of the US government, Justice Department said.
After an operation lasting almost 24 hours, 184 people stranded in midair since Friday afternoon have been rescued.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks which took place on the Quetta-Taftan Highway.
Pro-Palestinian activism is opening up universities to debate and learning and adding pressure for political change.
Dozens of settlers stormed villages, setting fire to homes in search for missing teenager.
Further warning that our planet faces irreversible damage without urgent action.
Botswana alone is home to a third of the entire African elephant population – more than any other country in the world.
April 12, 20245:37 PM ET
Josephine Dusabimana’s story of being a helper, though those she helped worried for her safety. A Hutu, she was nearby when soldiers burned Tuti houses — and people needed rescue.
April 12, 20245:26 PM ET
Rwanda has experienced considerable economic growth in the 30 years since the genocide. But some critics say it’s come at the cost of certain freedoms.
April 12, 20245:13 PM ET
Enlarge this imageAlbert Rudatsimburwa, a freelancer journalist reporting in the East African region poses for a portrait in his home.
Jacques Nkinzingabo for NPR
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Albert Rudatsimburwa, a freelancer journalist reporting in the East African region poses for a portrait in his home.
Jacques Nkinzingabo for NPR
It has been three decades since the East African country of Rwanda experienced a genocide that changed the country and shocked the world. We look at the state of their society today.
April 12, 20244:50 PM ET
Enlarge this imageJoel Breman trains scientists in malaria diagnosis in Côte d’Ivoire, 1986. Breman died this month at age 87.
Courtesy of the Breman family.
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Courtesy of the Breman family.
Joel Breman trains scientists in malaria diagnosis in Côte d’Ivoire, 1986. Breman died this month at age 87.
Courtesy of the Breman family.
Joel Breman, a leader in efforts to control smallpox, Ebola, malaria and several other infectious diseases, died this month in Chevy Chase, Maryland, at the age of 87.
Peter Piot, a fellow disease investigator, remembers the exact date that he met Breman. It was October 18, 1976, and Piot, then a young physician and microbiologist, had come to the city of Kinshasa in central Africa (in current-day Democratic Republic of the Congo) to investigate a terrifying, deadly, nameless new disease. Breman, already 40 years old and with several epidemic investigations under his belt, was there w..
April 11, 20245:17 PM ET
Loud Sound Studios is home to two of Rwanda’s up-and-coming hip-hop acts: Pro-Zed and Kenny K-Shot.
April 11, 20245:17 PM ET
Akagera National Park in eastern Rwanda was hard hit by the violence of the country’s genocide. For a time, the park floundered — but it’s now flourishing.
April 11, 20241:36 PM ET
Atlantic journalist Stephanie McCrummen says foreign interests are acquiring territory in Northern Tanzania, effectively displacing indigenous cattle-herders from their traditional grazing lands.
April 11, 20248:54 AM ET
Enlarge this imageA worker separates bags of donated blood at a campaign organized by the Rotary Blood Bank in New Delhi, India.
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A worker separates bags of donated blood at a campaign organized by the Rotary Blood Bank in New Delhi, India.
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When Caroline Wangamati was touring a rural Kenyan hospital in 2018, the doctors shared that two young mothers would likely be dead within hours.
Their hemoglobin levels were catastrophically low — a sign of life-threatening anemia. The typical response would be a blood transfusion, but the local blood bank was empty.
So Wangamati, the first lady of Bungoma County at the time, frantically called the regional blood center — 85 miles away — to have them send some units.
The delivery arrived a few hours later. “I was very proud of myself,” Wangamati tells NPR. “After t..
April 11, 20245:03 AM ET
Enlarge this imageMany members of Rachel Mukantabana’s family were killed in the 1994 genocide.
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Jacques Nkinzingabo for NPR
Many members of Rachel Mukantabana’s family were killed in the 1994 genocide.
Jacques Nkinzingabo for NPR
NYAMATA, Rwanda — Rachel Mukantabana was a teenager when the devastating genocide in Rwanda unfolded.
“I was 15 years old and I knew exactly what was happening,” she told NPR. “Even a five-year-old knew what was about to happen.”
Two days into the 100-day genocide, Mukantabana and her family fled their homes. They first went to a church, and then a school, before ultimately hiding in a large swamp — hoping that no one would be able to reach them in the water.
This week, Rwanda marks the 30th anniversary of the genocide in which nearly one million people, most of them ethnic Tutsis, were killed.
Africa Bill Clinton and other leaders join Rwandans in marki..
Diplomat tapped as Latvia’s new FM as incumbent quits amid scandal
Vatican complains after French court rules in favor of dismissed nun
FILE – Pope Francis listens to Cardinal Marc Ouellet speak at an event at the Vatican on Feb. 17, 2022. The Holy See said on April 13, 2024, that it has protested to France after a French court ruled Ouellet was liable for the wrongful dismissal of a nun from a religious order.
China’s Zhao, North Korea’s Kim hold highest-level talks in years
This picture released by the Korean Central News Agency shows China’s Zhao Leji, left, an official high in the Communist Party hierarchy, walking with Choe Ryong Hae, right, chairman of North Korea’s Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, at the Pyongyang airport.
Australia mulls recognition of a Palestinian state
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, shown here at Parliament House in Canberra on March 20, 2024, stirred up controversy when she said on April 9 that it was possible Australia could consider some kind of recognition of a Palestinian state.
1 Dead, 10 injured in cable car accident in southern Turkey
Rescue and emergency workers attend to passengers of a cable car outside Antalya, Turkey, on April 12, 2024. One person was killed and 10 injured when a cable car hit a pole and burst open, sending the passengers plummeting to the mountainside below, officials said.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard seizes cargo ship near Strait of Hormuz
In this photo taken from video, an Iranian commando rappels from a helicopter in a raid on the MSC Aries in the Strait of Hormuz on April 13, 2024.
Police arrest international gang in $686 million medicinal cannabis scam
A man smokes cannabis in Cologne, Germany, on April 1, 2024. European police on April 11 arrested members of a gang they say defrauded victims in 35 countries in a medical cannabis Ponzi scheme.
Sudan faces catastrophic crisis as world looks away, aid agencies say
Sudanese children suffering from malnutrition are treated at a Medecins Sans Frontieres clinic in Metche Camp, Chad, near the Sudanese border, on April 6, 2024.
At least 50,000 Russians killed in Ukraine war, report says
In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on April 13, 2024, Russian soldiers ride their armored vehicle to take positions and fire toward Ukrainian positions at an undisclosed location in Ukraine.
Pakistani police search for gunmen who abducted bus passengers, killed 10
Hospital staff gather beside the bodies of persons who were killed by gunmen, at a hospital morgue in Quetta, Pakistan, on April 13, 2024.
Trainers and equipment from Russia landed in the West African nation this week, putting the continued presence of 1,000 U.S. military personnel there in doubt.
Known for its annual fashion week, the region’s influence on style has been expanding, with the help of these designers.
Olaf Scholz Is on a Telltale China TripEurope is flexing its muscles with China—but may soon learn if Germany is really on board.
‘Civil War’ Succeeds Because Its Politics Make No SenseThe nightmare scenario is extra terrifying because of its dreamy lack of logic.
Republicans Are More United on Foreign Policy Than It SeemsSquabbles over Ukraine aid obscure broader consensus among the party’s two major wings.
Brussels Accuses Moscow of Interfering in EU Parliament ElectionsRussia allegedly paid far-right lawmakers from six European nations to promote pro-Kremlin propaganda.
What in the World?Test yourself on the week of April 6: Nicaragua goes to court, Biden hosts a state visit, and Zimbabwe unveils a new currency.
The Economics of Humanitarian Aid to GazaWill Palestinians ever recover from the famine and destruction?
The Tragedy of HaitiThe world has let this Caribbean country down for centuries. Will anything change now?
Court Victory Disturbs Malaysia’s Balancing Act on Islamic LawA new federal ruling has Islamists up in arms.
How Mexico’s Presidential Candidates Could Reshape Security PolicyAMLO’s “hugs, not bullets” approach was more slogan than strategy. Can his successor do better?
Israel Prepares for Iranian Attack in the Near FutureIran striking from its soil and Israel’s response could create a wider regional war.
Prosecutors announced this week they intended to pursue the right-wing Uribe on charges of witness tampering and fraud.
An Israeli air attack on a Gaza refugee camp has killed three sons and grandchildren of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Germany is one of the staunchest backers of Israel’s war on Gaza.
Protesting Britain’s arms sales to Israel, activists spray painted the UK’s Ministry of Defence building red.
China, nuclear fusion, space and cherry trees were on agenda for the fifth official state visit of Biden’s presidency.
Christians for a Free Palestine protest at the Senate cafeteria in Washington DC over Israel’s war on Gaza.
Floods caused by rising water levels in the Ural River broke a dam in a city near Russia’s border with Kazakhstan.
Colombia has one of the highest rates of internal displacement in the world with residents fleeing cartels and conflict.
Non-governmental organisations (NGO) have criticised the package for undermining human rights.
Some of the ‘prophets of doom’ of the 60s whose warnings went unheeded assess the current environmental fragility.
April 10, 20246:36 PM ET
Paul Rusesabagina, whose life inspired the movie Hotel Rwanda, and his daughter, Anaise Kanimba, have been vocal critics of Rwanda’s current president, Paul Kagame.
April 10, 20245:55 PM ET
Basketball is gaining popularity in Rwanda. We chat with a few players and fans to learn why.
Fashion retailer faces boycott amid allegations of Uyghur forced labor in China
FILE – A page from the Shein website is shown in this photo, in New York, June 23, 2023.
House lawmakers reject renewal of key US intelligence program
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican, speaks during a House Freedom Caucus press conference about the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s reauthorization, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 13, 2024. The House rejected a bid to reform the act on April 10.
Nigeria’s consumers upset at electricity rate hike
FILE – Electric wires are pictured in Ojuelegba district in Nigeria’s commercial capital of Lagos, June 18, 2018. Nigerian authorities announced on April 3, 2024, a nearly 300% increase in electricity rates for some of its consumers.
Think diplomacy is tough? Try a White House state dinner
U.S. first lady Jill Biden hosts a media preview on April 9, 2024, in advance of the April 10, 2024, state dinner in honor of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House in Washington.
Covering China brings surveillance, harassment, report finds
FILE – Foreign and local journalists attend the daily briefing at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Beijing, April 24, 2023.
Top US general warns Ukraine on brink of being overrun by Russia
FILE – General Christopher Cavoli, commander of the U.S. European Command, addresses media in Brussels, Jan. 18, 2024. Cavoli told Congress on April 10, 2024, that Ukraine will be outgunned 10-to-1 by Russia within a matter of weeks if Congress does not approve aid soon.
Trump says Arizona’s abortion ban goes ‘too far,’ defends overturning of Roe v. Wade
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks after arriving in Atlanta, April 10, 2024.
Hong Kong expels advocate who planned to monitor Jimmy Lai trial
Aleksandra Bielakowska, left, and Shataakshi Verma of Reporters Without Borders pictured outside a Hong Kong court for Jimmy Lai’s trial in December 2023. Authorities on April 10 expelled the media advocate from Hong Kong. (Courtesy RSF)
EU lawmakers approve an overhaul of migration law, hoping to deprive the far right of votes
Members of European Parliament participate in a series of votes as they attend a plenary session at the European Parliament in Brussels, April 10, 2024.
US restricts trade with companies tied to drones used by Russia, Houthis
FILE – The U.S. Department of Commerce announced on April 10, 2024, that the United States is restricting trade with five companies it said help provide drones for Russia and the Iran-backed Houthis.
Hasan Minhaj and Ramy Youssef joined hundreds of Muslims dressed to the nines at a morning prayer gathering in New York for the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
The 81-year-old former leader has been cleared to appear on the ballot as an opposition candidate in May’s parliamentary election. Unless the decision is reversed, he could become a kingmaker — or even president once again.
Biden-Kishida Summit Secures New Defense CooperationThe United States and Japan aim to counter Beijing’s influence in the South China Sea.
How Pakistan Plays Into India’s ElectionsAllegations that the Modi government orchestrated extrajudicial killings on Pakistani soil will give another boost to the ruling party.
NATO Doesn’t Have Enough TroopsFor the first time in decades, NATO has a plan to fight Russia. Now it just needs the forces to do it.
U.S. Foreign Aid Is Broken but FixableDonald Trump’s threats to cut all spending can spur actual changes.
The Islamic State Never Went AwayTerrorism is a tactic, and fighting it requires a concerted strategy.
Togo Readies for TurmoilThe country’s president has delayed elections indefinitely, but the political opposition is prepared for a fight.
Janet Yellen Has a Three-Body Problem With ChinaThe U.S. treasury secretary blasted Beijing’s industrial overcapacity, but it’s a tough message to carry off convincingly.
The raid spurred criticism as being violation of international law as Ecuador sought to arrest a former vice president.
Four people missing and three wounded taken to hospital after blast at power plant in the town of Bargi, near Bologna.
Thousands in Lebanon are homeless after 6 months of Israeli strikes.
The conservative-stacked court ruled 4-2 that the century-old law would be ‘enforceable’ within 14 days of the ruling.
Nicaragua alleges Germany violated UN Genocide Convention by supplying Israel with weapons.
British government is coming under growing pressure to halt weapons supplies to Israel as it continues its war on Gaza.
Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip has placed a pall over Eid celebrations for Palestinians.
About 44 million people are able to vote in closely fought election seen as a test of President Yoon Suk-yeol.
Germany says 98 percent of arms exports to Israel since October 7 were equipment like vests, helmets and binoculars.
A new app in the US is helping people to boycott businesses deemed to be supporting Israel and its war on Gaza.
April 9, 20244:40 PM ET
Three Rwandans under the age of 25 — Ornella Ineza, Kelvin Rwihimba, and Crispin Iradukunda — reflect on what it’s like to grow up in a country that’s been shaped by a genocide.
April 9, 20244:32 PM ET
Enlarge this imageDidas Kayinamura (left) and Rachel Mukantabana (right) talk about the legacy of the Rwandan genocide thirty years later.
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Didas Kayinamura (left) and Rachel Mukantabana (right) talk about the legacy of the Rwandan genocide thirty years later.
Jacques Nkinzingabo/NPR
Many of us don’t have the opportunity to handpick our neighbors. We buy or rent a place in a neighborhood with good schools or an easy commute.
Some of us become friends with those who live nearby, others of us never talk to our neighbors at all. For most though, we co-exist.
In the midst of a brutal civil war, neighbors killed their neighbors simply because of who they were.
Thirty years ago this month, that wasn’t the case in Rwanda.
We visit a Rwandan village where how neighbors live alongside one another is deliberate, and complicated.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up..
April 9, 20245:00 AM ET
Enlarge this imageA shattered father recounts his kidnapping and the struggle to negotiate with the kidnappers for the release of his children.
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Terna Iwar for NPR
A shattered father recounts his kidnapping and the struggle to negotiate with the kidnappers for the release of his children.
Terna Iwar for NPR
BWARI, Nigeria — “They pointed their guns through the window of the children’s room while they were sleeping,” says the 49-year-old father of four sons, describing the beginning of a three-month ordeal that has overwhelmed his family. “Then they told them to open the door or they will shoot them.”
In early January, around midnight, 20 men armed with AK-47s and machetes attacked his home in Bwari, a small town surrounded by outcrops of towering granite rocks and forest, on the hilly outskirts of Nigeria’s capital Abuja.
The attackers dragged him and his four sons, ranging in age from 12 to 24 y..
April 8, 20244:40 PM ET
It’s been 30 years since the Rwandan genocide began in 1994. In some places today, survivors of the genocide live side-by-side with perpetrators, so-called reconciliation villages.
Germany refutes claim it is enabling genocide in Gaza
People demonstrate outside the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, in support of Palestinians on the day Nicaragua asked the International Court of Justice to order Berlin to halt military arms exports to Israel, April 8, 2024.
EU to investigate Chinese wind turbine suppliers over subsidy concerns
FILE – European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager pauses during a press conference in Brussels, Belgium, March 5, 2024.
Gunmen kill 6 policemen in southeast Iran, media reports say
Sistan-Baluchistan, Iran
US Postal Service seeks to hike stamp prices to 73 cents
FILE – A U.S. postage stamp is seen on an envelope in Washington, D.C., May 28, 2021.
Zuma can contest elections, South African court rules
Former South African President Jacob Zuma walks through the Electoral High Court in Johannesburg, April 8, 2024. South Africa’s Electoral Court ruled April 9, 2024, that Zuma can stand for office as a lawmaker in the country’s upcoming elections.
US defense chief denies genocide committed in Gaza
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin testifies before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on President Joe Biden’s budget request for the Department of Defense in Washington on April 9, 2024.
Iran frees 4 conservationists convicted of espionage
FILE – The entrance sign of Evin prison is seen in Tehran, Iran, Oct. 17, 2022. As part of an Eid al-Fitr amnesty, Iranian authorities freed more than 2,000 prisoners, among them four conservationists who had been imprisoned for five years.
Governor, Congress members to meet over support for rebuilding bridge
The collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge continues to block the main shipping channel in the port at Baltimore, Maryland, April 5, 2024.
Arizona can enforce an 1864 law criminalizing nearly all abortions, court says
FILE – Arizona Supreme Court Justices listen to oral arguments on April 20, 2021, in Phoenix. The court ruled on April 9, 2024, that the state can enforce its long-dormant law criminalizing all abortions except when a mother’s life is at stake.
Biden-Kishida summit aims for deeper, more regionally integrated US-Japan security ties
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, center left, and his wife, Yuko Kishida, center right, participate in an arrival ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, April 8, 2024.
Russ Cook of Britain overcame danger in a year of running from South Africa to Tunisia.
Swiss Women Win Landmark Climate VictoryThe European Court of Human Rights ruled that Switzerland’s failure to address climate change violated its citizens’ human rights.
China Won’t Change Tack on Economic PolicyBeijing’s political leadership isn’t likely to listen to friendly advice from foreign investors or criticism from foreign officials.
Six months in, there’s still no plan for after the war, U.S. officials say.
How a Culture Shift in the Israeli Military Helps Explain Gaza’s Death TollAn execution, a prosecution, and then a backlash.
Everyone Is on Edge for South Korea’s Legislative ElectionsConservatives fear extinction, but the opposition is deeply divided.
It’s Too Soon for Biden and Kishida to Take a Victory LapThree uncomfortable questions still hang over the U.S.-Japan alliance.
Russia’s Rosatom Fuels Putin’s War MachineThe nuclear company’s expanding corporate empire is an urgent target for sanctions.
Ukraine’s Cheap Drones Are Decimating Russia’s TanksBut experts say they’re not a long-term solution to a lack of artillery rounds.
Germany Doesn’t Work Like It Used ToShort-term shocks and long-term trends are strangling Germans’ cooperative economy.
Nicaragua Accuses Germany of ‘Facilitating’ Genocide in GazaManagua urges the International Court of Justice to order Berlin to stop all weapons exports to Israel.
Russ Cook finishes the journey of more than 16,000km (9,940 miles) in 352 days, raising $870,000.
In a new document, the Vatican says these practices are ‘grave violations of human dignity’.
A landmark employment tribunal has given anti-Zionists in the United Kingdom renewed courage to speak up.
Rolla Abdeljawad, a Muslim woman, says it’s time to ‘defend the right to free speech’ after visit from FBI
The first day of Eid will be celebrated on April 10. Here is how to wish someone a blessed Eid in various languages.
Club receives an additional penalty for breaching the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules.
Raji Sourani left the strip as the war raged. He then joined colleagues in Sicily to try to take Israel to the ICJ.
Six months into the relentless war, Al Jazeera reached out again to Siham to document how her life in Gaza has changed.
Kyiv accuses Moscow of spreading ‘fake’ information of an attack on Europe’s largest nuclear plant to stir more tension.
April 8, 20246:28 AM ET
Starting in South Africa and finishing in Tunisia, it took Russ Cook 352 days. That’s about 28 miles on average each day — more than a marathon. Cook has in the past run from Istanbul to London.
April 8, 20245:07 AM ET
As Rwanda marks three decades since the genocide, President Paul Kagame says the international community failed them. An estimated 800,000 people were killed by government-backed extremists.
April 7, 20244:42 PM ET
Decades after a genocide that killed nearly 1 million Rwandans, NPR visits a church that was the site of a massacre where 7,000 people were killed, and talk to one man who perpetrated crimes there.
April 7, 20245:38 AM ET
Enlarge this imageFormer US President Bill Clinton, left, and South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa arrive to lay a wreath at a ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, held at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, in Kigali, Rwanda, Sunday, April 7, 2024. Rwandans are commemorating 30 years since the genocide in which an estimated 800,000 people were killed by government-backed extremists.
Brian Inganga/AP
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Brian Inganga/AP
Former US President Bill Clinton, left, and South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa arrive to lay a wreath at a ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, held at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, in Kigali, Rwanda, Sunday, April 7, 2024. Rwandans are commemorating 30 years since the genocide in which an estimated 800,000 people were killed by government-backed extremists.
Brian Inganga/AP
KIGALI, Rwanda — Rwandans are commemorating 30 years since the genocide ..
Experts fear Cambodian cybercrime law could aid crackdown
FILE – People walk while using their mobile phones in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Feb. 18, 2021. The Cambodian government is pushing a controversial internet law the experts say could be used to restrict freedom of speech. Authorities hope to enact a cybercrime law by the end of 2024.
Saudi Arabia says Eid al-Fitr holiday to start Wednesday
FILE – Saudi men look to spot the first crescent of the moon marking the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Hautat Sudair, Saudi Arabia, March 10, 2024. The kingdom announced that Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, will begin on Wednesday.
Spain to scrap ‘golden visas’ granting non-EU property buyers residency
FILE – A row of houses are under construction in Ronda, Spain, Feb. 5, 2024. The Spanish government said on April 8, 2024, it will scrap “golden visas” that allow people from outside the EU to obtain residency permits by investing in real estate.
Biden, Trump hold different views on key foreign policy issues
In this combination of photos, President Joe Biden, left, speaks on Aug. 10, 2023, in Salt Lake City, and former President Donald Trump speaks on June 13, 2023, in Bedminster, New Jersey.
UN officials in Zambia to assess worst drought in 20 years
A family walks home after collecting food from a distribution organized by the World Food Program and World Vision in Simumbwe, Zambia, Jan. 22, 2020. Four years later, the country is experiencing a severe drought threatening national food security.
Iran FM opens new Syria consulate after deadly strike
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, center left, walks with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad, center right, and Iran’s Ambassador to Syria Hossein Akbari, center, during a visit to the site destroyed by airstrikes, in Damascus on April 8, 2024.
Brazil Supreme Court strikes down military intervention thesis in symbolic vote for democracy
FILE – Supporters of Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro storm the Supreme Court building in Brasilia, Jan. 8, 2023. The court unanimously voted, April 8, 2024, that the armed forces have no constitutional power to intervene in disputes between government branches.
Actor Jonathan Majors sentenced to probation, counseling for assaulting ex-girlfriend
Actor Jonathan Majors leaves Criminal Court with his girlfriend Megan Good after his sentencing in Manhattan in New York, April 8, 2024.
Ethnic guerrillas in Myanmar look set to seize important town on Thai border
Captured weapons from Myanmar’s military battalion 275 in Thin Gan Nyi Naung, Myawaddy, in this undated photo. (Photo: KNLA & PDF)
Some of the victims were en route to a fair and others were fleeing for fear of being affected by a cholera outbreak, a local official said.
The Central African country is marking the anniversary of a monthslong rampage by militiamen that killed some 800,000 people.
Thirty years after a devastating genocide, Rwanda has made impressive gains. But ethnic divisions persist under an iron-fisted president who has ruled for just as long.
The India IssueIlliberal, democratic, and rising:
How a middle power is reshaping the world order.
Is the world’s most populous country booming or broken?
From average incomes to internet usage, New Delhi is still at the point where growth could really take off—or not.
The people who will shape the country’s next decades came of age during the Modi era.
The case for its economic ascent
is strong, but government policies still stand in the way.
Narendra Modi’s reign is producing a less liberal but more assured nation.
The strange story of a global literary hero who went on to inspire Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Over 30 years, the event became synonymous with the moral failures of a state-bound foreign-policy order.
In future wars, U.S. generals want to send robots to face the enemy’s first bullets.
Representatives of Iran’s ‘axis of resistance’ and political and religious leaders participate in rallies amid Gaza war.
A recent resurgence in pro-Palestinian protests near the Israeli embassy has been met with arrests, but continues.
UN Human Rights Council also backs call to halt all arms sales to Israel, highlighting warnings of ‘genocide’ in Gaza.
Israeli military claims its officers believed they were targeting Hamas fighters when they killed charity workers.
Backed by the controversial ex-president, uMkhonto weSizwe is challenging the ruling ANC in Zuma’s home province.
Exclusive video obtained by Al Jazeera shows Israeli forces opening fire and killing a Palestinian man.
The South Asian nation has, since 2013, officially allowed members of the hijra community to identify as a third gender.
The White House has said it could change its approach on Israel if aid is not increased, but hasn’t said exactly how.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ruholla Khomeini, started Quds Day 45 years ago to show solidarity with Palestinian resistance.
Transmission to humans is rare but with no vaccine, government has advised people to stay away from wild monkeys.
April 5, 20245:01 AM ET
Enlarge this imageThe Nkamira Transit Center in western Rwanda is home to more than 6,000 refugees who fled violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Jacques Nkinzingabo for NPR
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Jacques Nkinzingabo for NPR
The Nkamira Transit Center in western Rwanda is home to more than 6,000 refugees who fled violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Jacques Nkinzingabo for NPR
RUBAVU DISTRICT, Rwanda — The first thing that we noticed at the Nkamira Transit Center was the fact that no matter where we looked, in any direction, there were children.
Kids laying on foam mattresses, stacked on the rocky ground. Kids peeking out in curiosity from behind one of the long, semi-permanent shelters where they live. Kids singing, loudly, inside a big structure where they attend school.
David Rusanjonga is the manager at the camp that sits on the Rwanda side of the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, and sai..