International
The Northern Irish unionist leader resigns after being accused of sexual crimes
The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) of Northern Ireland, Jeffrey Donaldson, resigned from office after being accused of alleged sexual crimes committed in the past.
According to the public broadcaster BBC, the 61-year-old politician faces a rape charge, among other charges, arising from a police investigation that began a few months ago, after two women denounced him.
The so far head of the second Northern Irish, Protestant and pro-British political formation, was arrested and charged on Thursday along with a 57-year-old woman, and they must appear on April 24 before justice.
The DUP, which was the majority in Northern Ireland until the historic electoral victory of the Catholic-pro-Irish Sinn Féin in 2022, explained in a statement that Donaldson informed them by letter of the accusations, which he denies, and of his resignation with immediate effect.
“According to the party’s statutes, the board has suspended him from affiliation pending the outcome of the judicial process,” he said in the note.
This Friday, the formation unanimously appointed Gavin Robinson, so far its deputy leader, as acting leader while internal elections are organized.
The Northern Irish Police indicated, without identifying the accused, that a 61-year-old man has been charged with “non-recent sexual crimes” and a 57-year-old woman, of “helping and inciting additional crimes.”
Elected leader of the DUP in 2021, Donaldson is Northern Ireland’s oldest deputy in the British House of Commons, where he initially joined in 1997 with the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). He was decorated by Elizabeth II in 2016 for his services to politics.
He managed the return of the DUP to the Northern Irish Government – which had been suspended since February 2022 – after reaching an agreement with the United Kingdom Executive to guarantee the status of the British province within the United Kingdom in the face of the divergences imposed by Brexit.
On February 3, Michelle O’Neill, of Sinn Féin, assumed the position of chief minister of Northern Ireland, with the deputy minister being the deputy of the DUP Emma Little-Pengelly.
The unionists left the Belfast Government in February 2022 for their rejection of the Brexit Protocol for Northern Ireland – later replaced by the Windsor Framework Agreement – which imposed border controls between Great Britain and the region in order to avoid a physical border on the island of Ireland, in compliance with the 1998 peace agreements.
Central America
Senator Van Hollen Meets with Deported MS-13 Member in El Salvador; Trump and Bukele React
U.S. Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, representing the state of Maryland, held a meeting in El Salvador with deported MS-13 gang member Kilmar Ábrego García, a member of the criminal group classified by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization.
“Kilmar Ábrego García, miraculously resurrected from the ‘extermination camps’ and ‘torture chambers,’ now sipping margaritas with Senator Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!” wrote President Nayib Bukeleon X (formerly Twitter), sharing photos of Van Hollen, Ábrego García, and a lawyer sitting together at a Salvadoran hotel.
The deported gang member is seen wearing a plaid shirt and a flat-brimmed cap, seated at a table with glasses and coffee cups. The senator also shared images of the meeting on his own social media accounts.
Bukele reaffirmed that Ábrego will remain in El Salvador and will not be returned to the United States.
“Now that his health has been confirmed, he has earned the honor of remaining under the custody of El Salvador,” Bukele added.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the senator’s meeting with Ábrego on Truth Social, calling Van Hollen “a fool” for advocating for Ábrego’s return to the U.S.
International
Pope Francis Appears for Easter Blessing, Calls for Peace and Religious Freedom
Pope Francis, still recovering from pneumonia, appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Easter Sunday and, with a faint voice, wished a “Happy Easter” to the thousands of faithful gathered to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ.
A month after being discharged from a lengthy hospital stay, the presence of the 88-year-old pontiff had remained uncertain, with the Vatican not confirming his attendance ahead of time.
Eventually, the pope made a brief appearance in a wheelchair shortly after 12:00 p.m. (10:00 GMT) to deliver his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing (“to the city and to the world”).
Although no longer wearing an oxygen cannula, the Argentine Jesuit relied on a close aide to read his Easter message, which touched on major global conflicts.
Francis condemned the “dramatic and unworthy humanitarian crisis” in Gaza and called for a ceasefire, while also expressing concern over the “growing climate of antisemitism spreading across the globe.”
He further emphasized the importance of religious freedom and freedom of thought, stating that without mutual respect, “peace is not possible.”
International
Thousands rally nationwide against Trump’s threat to U.S. democracy
Thousands of protesters gathered on Saturday (April 19, 2025) in major cities like New York and Washington, as well as in small communities across the United States, in a second wave of demonstrations against President Donald Trump. The crowds denounced what they view as growing threats to the country’s democratic ideals.
In New York City, demonstrators of all ages rallied in front of the Public Library near Trump Tower, holding signs accusing the president of undermining democratic institutions and judicial independence.
Many protesters also criticized Trump’s hardline immigration policies, including mass deportations and raids targeting undocumented migrants.
“Democracy is in grave danger,” said Kathy Valyi, 73, the daughter of Holocaust survivors. She told AFP that the stories her parents shared about Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in 1930s Germany “are happening here now.”
In Washington, demonstrators voiced concern over what they see as Trump’s disregard for long-standing constitutional norms, such as the right to due process.
Senator Van Hollen Meets with Deported MS-13 Member in El Salvador; Trump and Bukele React
Pope Francis Appears for Easter Blessing, Calls for Peace and Religious Freedom
Thousands rally nationwide against Trump’s threat to U.S. democracy
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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