(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Overnight News Digest [1] ['View Profile', 'Greg Dworkin'] Date: 2026-04-17 Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame, jck, JeremyBloom, and doomandgloom. Alumni editors include (but not limited to) Interceptor 7, Man Oh Man (RIP), wader, Neon Vincent, palantir, Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse (RIP), ek hornbeck (RIP), rfall, ScottyUrb, Doctor RJ, BentLiberal, Oke (RIP) and jlms qkw. OND is a regular community feature on Daily Kos since 2007, consisting of news stories from around the world, sometimes coupled with a daily theme, original research or commentary. Editors of OND impart their own presentation styles and content choices, typically publishing each day near 12:00 AM Eastern Time. Please feel free to share your articles and stories in the comments. Well, here goes… We learn by doing and this is my first diary in this new format (how do I change from PDT to CDT or EDT on the scheduling for publication? I think I got it right, but it would be easier if I weren’t trying to use PDT?). Wish me luck! We begin with animal stories this evening. This comes from KTLA: From Mongabay: Colombia announces plan to cull Pablo Escobar’s feral hippos Naina Rao The Colombian government has authorized a plan to euthanize dozens of hippos descended from animals smuggled into the country by drug kingpin Pablo Escobar in the 1980s. There are an estimated 200 hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius) scattered throughout Colombia, according to a 2022 census, which could exceed 1,000 by 2035. The animals are not native to South America; all are descendants of four hippos (three females, one male) that Escobar brought over illegally for the private zoo at his Hacienda Nápoles estate, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) from the city of Medellín. From The Guardian: More than 15m oysters to be released in the North Sea for UK rewilding project Exclusive: Experts say scheme will help repair damaged marine ecosystems while sequestering large amounts of carbon Matthew Taylor More than 15m juvenile oysters are to be released into the North Sea in one of the biggest rewilding projects in UK waters. The scheme, which will use a unique rearing process, hopes to re-establish a huge oyster bed around Orkney that experts say will create a “trophic cascade” of climate and ecological benefits. From the NYTimes: The Long, Slow Race to Save Timmy, Germany’s Favorite Whale A month of efforts to help a stranded humpback escape the Baltic Sea have culminated in a tourist and media spectacle, with no guarantee of success. By Jim Tankersley, Reporting from Poel, a German island in the Baltic Sea The whale’s tail waved on Friday morning, before the big crowds arrived. It raked the water back and forth, then rose and slapped down with a splash. For the German faithful watching on livestream, it was a sign. Timmy still had a chance. “The animal is still alive,” Marco Thomas, 50, who had driven hours to see the whale, told me. “The animal is still fighting,” Mr. Thomas said, his emotion occasionally brimming into tears. From People Magazine: ‘Extinct’ Runaway Wolf That Evaded Capture for Days Is Finally Found Safe After Nationwide Search After slipping out of a South Korean zoo, a wolf named Neukgu sparked concern for its safety. The species is considered extinct in the wild By Ashley Vega NEED TO KNOW A 2-year-old wolf escaped from a South Korean zoo, prompting a days-long search Hundreds of rescuers worked to safely locate and capture the animal Officials confirmed the wolf is now back at the zoo and in stable condition For days, a runaway wolf kept rescuers — and an entire country — on edge. Now, after a dramatic search, he’s finally back home. Neukgu, a 2-year-old wolf who escaped from a zoo in South Korea, was safely captured after several days on the loose, officials confirmed. The young animal had slipped out of his enclosure, sparking a widespread search effort and growing concern for his safety. And a couple of environmental stories, This first one is from CBS News: Mexican environmentalist survives assassination attempt caught on video: “I told the hitman ‘good morning’” A defender of Mexican jaguars who survived an assassination attempt in March was described on Thursday as a “living miracle” during the presentation of a report that documented the killing of 10 activists in the country in 2025. The drug war violence convulsing Mexico also takes a toll on environmental activists, many from indigenous communities. The country is considered “megadiverse” for its variety of species and ecosystems. And from The Guardian A statue of Queen Victoria, memorial trees and a swimming pool: Judi Dench’s garden – in eight poignant items The storied actor has spent years campaigning to protect green spaces. She invites us into her Surrey sanctuary, where each tree represents a lost loved one Helena Horton Avisit to Dame Judi Dench’s garden in Surrey is bittersweet. The 2.4-hectare (six-acre) plot contains enough trees – about 100 – to count as an arboretum. Among them is a carpet of wild garlic and a wildlife pond from which rabbits like to sip. But each of these trees represents someone she knew who has died. As her eyesight has nearly gone, Dench, who features in the latest episode of the Royal Horticulture Society’s new podcast, Roots, navigates her way around the garden via memories and smell. Here, she shares her stories of the garden and discusses the items that mean the most to her. A young oak tree for her husband Dench was married to the actor Michael Williams for 30 years before he died of lung cancer in 2001. She is about to plant a young oak tree, sent to her by her daughter, Finty, and her grandson, Sammy, in commemoration of their wedding anniversary. “It was just a little kind of stick when it arrived. And now it’s full of buds at the top,” she says. “So, when we’re all together, probably in the next few weeks, we’ll choose a place to plant it.” News from Africa, beginning with Vatican News: Pope to academic community: Form leaders dedicated to serving the common good Speaking with members of the Catholic University of Central Africa, the Pope highlights the university’s role in forming future leaders and professionals who will have the responsibility to work for the common good in their own society and around the world. By Kielce Gussie Meeting with members of the Catholic University of Central Africa, Pope Leo expressed his gratitude to the academic authorities for their warm welcome and constant dedication to the service of education. The institution, founded in 1989 by the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (ACERAC), can be a “a beacon for the Church and for Africa in its search for truth, as well as its promotion of justice and solidarity.” Today, more than ever, the Pope stressed, it is important that universities—and Catholic institutions of higher learning—”become true communities of life and research, introducing students and professors alike to a fraternity in knowledge.” From NBC News: Pope Leo XIV greeted by crowd of 120,000 in Cameroon as he attacks uneven distribution of wealth Some spent the night on the ground, battling mosquitoes, to stake out their spot for the pontiff’s Mass in the economic capital of Cameroon. By Claudio Lavanga and The Associated Press DOUALA, Cameroon —Pope Leo XIV used a Mass attended by more than 100,000 people in Cameroon on Friday to openly criticize the uneven distribution of wealth. Speaking in the port city of Douala, Cameroon’s financial and economic hub, he said that despite the richness of the land in Cameroon, which is a young country and one-third Catholic, many experience both material and spiritual poverty. From Africa News: Congo’s Sassou-N’Guesso sworn in to fifth presidential term Denis Sassou Nguesso Denis Sassou-N’guesso of the Republic of Congo was sworn in as president on Thursday following his victory in March’s presidential election. In his inauguration speech, the 82-year-old leader promised development and jobs for young people as he begins his fifth term in office. Also from Africanews: Mugabe’s son pleads guilty to lesser charges in Johannesburg shooting case The son of Zimbabwe’s late former leader Robert Mugabe has pleaded guilty to lesser charges in a high-profile shooting case in South Africa. Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, 29, admitted in a Johannesburg court to illegally being in the country and pointing a firearm—but denied shooting and seriously injuring his gardener during an altercation in the upscale Hyde Park suburb. From Al Jazeera: UN warns South Sudan at risk of ‘full-scale famine’ as fighting intensifies UN aid chief Tom Fletcher says hunger is tightening its grip amid rising humanitarian needs and intensifying fighting. The UN’s humanitarian chief has warned that South Sudan is at a dangerous crossroads as it faces the risk of famine. Tom Fletcher, the under-secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs and emergency relief coordinator, called on the Security Council on Friday to “prevent South Sudan from sliding toward full-scale famine and collapse”. News from Europe We begin with a few stories from The Guardian: Daniel Kinahan, alleged leader of Irish organised crime group, arrested in UAE Arrest by Dubai police comes as Irish authorities issue warrant related to alleged organised crime offences Nadeem Badshah Daniel Kinahan, alleged to be the leader of the Kinahan organised crime group, has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates. Irish police said they were aware of the arrest of a man in his late 40s, on foot of an arrest warrant issued by the Irish courts in relation to alleged serious organised crime offences. Also this: More than half of Britons support rejoining EU 10 years on from Brexit vote Experts say Labour’s ‘halfway house’ approach risks losing support from progressives and ‘red wall’ voters Lisa O’Carroll Support for rejoining the EU rather than simply rejoining the single market is growing among British voters, with more than 80% of Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green party supporters favouring this option, according to research mapping voter attitudes 10 years after the Brexit referendum. Labour’s “muted” approach to the issue means it risks losing support among progressive voters and in “red wall” constituencies, experts have said as part of research by Best for Britain. Another from The Guardian: The Guardian view on Starmer and Mandelson: a story that doesn’t add up Editorial The prime minister’s explanation has shifted between being misled and admitting error, raising questions about vetting, accountability and what he knew In February, the prime minister apologised to victims of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying he had “believed (Peter) Mandelson’s lies” before making him Britain’s ambassador to the US. By March, that account had shifted. Faced with evidence that he was warned the appointment posed a “reputational risk”, but gave the peer the job anyway, Sir Keir Starmer accepted on a trip to Belfast that he “made a mistake”. On Thursday responsibility appears to have moved again – this time on to officials. Sir Olly Robbins, the top civil servant in the Foreign Office, was forced out after the Guardian reported that Lord Mandelson had been denied security clearance for the role. No 10 said it was not told. These are not complementary explanations. They are competing ones. Either Sir Keir was misled, ignored warnings, or was failed by the system. One last one from The Guardian: More than half of Windrush compensation claims rejected by Home Office, report finds Data shows only a third of concluded claims in scheme for those wrongly classed as illegal migrants resulted in pay outs Chris Osuh The Home Office has refused to pay compensation for more than half the claims made by victims of the Windrush scandal, new analysis by the UK’s public spending watchdog has shown. The National Audit Office’s (NAO) “government’s compensation and financial recognition schemes report” found that by January 2026, 11,475 claims had been received to the scheme. It was set up in 2019 to compensate mainly Black Britons whose lives were upended by being wrongly classed as illegal migrants by the Home Office. From the Associated Press: From Al Jazeera: Why Marie-Louise Eta’s appointment should be the norm, not the exception As the German coach makes history, experts believe her appointment should not be an exception in men’s football. By Samantha Johnson and Anushe Engineer All eyes will be on Marie-Louise Eta on Saturday when she makes history as the first female head coach of a men’s team in the German football league, but experts believe the milestone moment should serve as the beginning of long-overdue recognition for women’s leadership skills and abilities in a male-dominated sport. Eta will be in the limelight when Union Berlin host FC Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, but the trailblazing head coach wants the focus to shift away from her unique achievement and on to the game once the action begins at the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei. From euronews: Venice is threatened by rising sea levels. Will the city be forced to relocate? By Liam Gilliver Scientists warn that no adaptation measure can sustain Venice as rising sea levels threaten to swallow the city. Venice may be forced to relocate in the future as scientists scramble to save it from the growing threat of flooding. A new study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, has assessed existing and potential adaptation strategies for the Italian city against sea-level rise projections from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report. From The Atlantic: The Scapegoat Scam Hungarians stopped falling for an authoritarian’s trick. By Adam Serwer The Hungarian strongman Viktor Orbán, who lost his election in a landslide on Sunday after 16 years in power, presented himself as a defender of Western civilization. But at best, his lofty rhetoric was a code for bigotry and a justification for the persecution of minorities; at worst, it was a scam to fleece Hungarians by persuading them to blame everyone but those responsible for their problems. Maybe both. Eventually Hungarians decided that a major source of their problems was Orbán himself. Maybe someday Americans will come to a similar realization about Orbán’s great admirer, Donald Trump, who praised the former Hungarian leader before the election as a “fantastic man” who had done a “fantastic job.” From Al Jazeera: Bulgaria elections: Who’s running and what’s at stake? Bulgaria has held seven national elections in the past four years because of political and social divisions. Bulgaria ⁠will hold a snap parliamentary election on Sunday, April 19, amid a political crisis in which weak coalitions have ⁠failed to thrive and trust in democratic elections has waned. The election, the eighth in five years for the Black Sea nation of some 6.5 million people on the European Union’s southeastern frontier, comes following the resignation of the previous government in December, following weeks of anticorruption protests. News from Asia and Australia.. We begin with a photo essay from Al Jazeera: Afghan villagers turn to gold-panning to sustain livelihoods In the rugged Hindu Kush mountains, Afghan men pan for gold dust, forging livelihoods amid scarce economic opportunities. In the rugged Hindu Kush mountains of eastern Afghanistan, hundreds of men scour the rocky Kunar riverbed for precious gold dust, creating a livelihood amid limited economic options. Against the backdrop of towering peaks, some still snow-capped in April, workers labour near the Pakistan border, seeking valuable flecks that could change their fortunes in a country plagued by low wages. From The Guardian: Ben Roberts-Smith’s comrades say he ordered them to execute unarmed civilians, court documents show Former SAS corporal allegedly placed man on his knees and ordered fellow soldier to shoot him, according to statement of facts Ben Doherty and Penry Buckley Australian soldiers have told prosecutors they executed unarmed civilians at the orders of Ben Roberts-Smith or in complicity with him, according to a statement of facts tendered to the New South Wales local court. Roberts-Smith, a Victoria Cross recipient and once one of Australia’s most lionised soldiers, faces five charges of the war crime of murder, allegedly committed while he served in the Australian SAS in Afghanistan. One more from The Guardian: Row over Harry and Meghan’s ‘leaked’ Australian itinerary leaves tabloids stranded at the baggage carousel Amanda Meade Before Prince Harry and Meghan touched down in Melbourne on Tuesday, relations between the Sussexes’ media team and the Australian press had soured. When Guardian Australia asked for details of the four-day tour we were told the itinerary would no longer be shared due to some media breaking the “strict embargo” on the information five days early. Lastly, one from the Associated Press: [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/4/17/800022549/community/o/ Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/