The day

Wednesday 30 April 2025

13 stories, biggest first.

1. 1

   NewsLas Anod conflict

   Puntland releases fifteen prisoners of war in exchange for Somaliland releasing eleven combatants captured during the conflict in the contested Sool region. This is the second prisoner exchange of prisoners captured during the conflict in Las Anod.

2. 2

   NewsForeign relations of Taiwan

   Amid strengthening ties between Taiwan and Somaliland, the Somali government bans Taiwanese passport holders from Somalia, citing UN Resolution 2758 and the One China policy. Taiwan lodges a protest with Somalia and claims China instigated the ban.

3. 3

   MoneyNigeria and the International Monetary Fund

   Nigeria fully repays its US$3.4 billion debt to the International Monetary Fund that it borrowed during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is expected to pay some residual honorary charges for special withdrawing rights of US$30 million annually.

4. 4

   News

   Five people are killed and six injured after a gas cylinder exploded in a shop in Lahore, India.

5. 5

   NewsNorth Korean involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine

   South Korean intelligence claims North Korean troops have suffered around 4,700 casualties, including about 600 fatalities among 15,000 soldiers. Their combat capability has also significantly improved, with increasing proficiency in new weapons such as drones.

6. 6

   NewsColombian conflict

   The Colombian government says fifteen police officers and twelve soldiers have been killed over the past two weeks in targeted attacks by the Gulf Clan cartel and other armed groups.

7. 7

   Science

   The world's oldest person, Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, dies at the age of 116 years and 326 days. The new oldest living person is British supercentenarian Ethel Caterham, who is the last person born in the 1900s decade, the last living subject of King Edward VII, and the oldest British person ever.

8. 8

   News2025 Israel fires

   Wildfires rage out of control in at least 100 different locations throughout Israel and the West Bank, prompting the Israeli government to declare a state of emergency and forcing evacuations near Jerusalem. At least 40 people are reportedly injured due to the fires.

9. 9

   NewsUS–UK airstrikes on Yemen

   The Royal Air Force launches airstrikes on buildings they claimed were used by the Houthis to manufacture drones south of Sanaa, Yemen.

10. 10

    CrimeBelarus–United States relations

    An American citizen detained in Belarus after being accused of being part of a US-backed coup to oust Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is released from the country. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirms the release.

11. 11

    MoneyUkraine–United States relations

    The United States and Ukraine sign the Ukraine–United States Mineral Resources Agreement to share profits from the future sales of Ukraine's mineral and energy reserves.

12. 12

    NewsNew Zealand–Philippines relations

    New Zealand defence minister Judith Collins and Philippine defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro sign a visiting forces agreement in Manila.

13. 13

    Crime

    Kenyan parliament member Charles Ong'ondo is shot to death in Nairobi by unknown gunmen on a motorcycle in an apparent assassination.

Stories adapted from Wikipedia’s Current events portal for 30 April 2025, by Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.