International
Netanyahu to Iran: “Whoever hurts us, we will hurt him”
The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, issued a message to Iran on Thursday: “Whoever hurts us, we will hurt him.”
“We will know how to defend ourselves and we will act accordingly,” the prime minister said at the beginning of a war cabinet meeting to address, among other things, the threat from Iran, which could retaliate after the attack attributed to Israel in the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
In one that the Jewish State has admitted in a veiled way against the Iranian consulate in Damascus, thirteen people died, including seven Iranian revolutionary guards, in parallel to the war in the Gaza Strip.
“For years, Iran has gone against us directly and through its emissaries, and therefore, Israel has gone against Iran and its emissaries, defensively and offensively,” Netanyahu said.
Israeli media point out that Israel is closing embassies around the world for fear of Iranian reprisals. According to the newspaper Maariv, some employees have been asked not to go to work in the next few days.
The Israeli Army suspended vacation permits to all troops “after a new security assessment,” the same argument with which yesterday increased the personnel and number of reservists serving in the air forces, in “maximum alert” before the possibility of attacks with missiles or drones from Iran or some of its pro-Irani satellite militias in the region, such as Hizbulah in Lebanon.
“The Israel Defense Forces are at war and the issue of the deployment of forces is constantly reviewed as necessary,” said a military statement about these decisions that have aroused concern among Israelis.
“His responsible behavior on the internal front saves lives. My only recommendation is to be alert and attentive to updates,” said the spokesman for the Israeli Army, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, although he warned that at the moment there are no changes in the instructions for civilians.
The president of Iran, Ibrahim Raisi, yesterday launched a serious threat to Israel, after the attack attributed to this country, in which senior Iranian officials were killed, including Mohamed Reza Zahedi, commander of the Quds Force of Syria and Lebanon.
“The attack will not go unanswered. Zionists must know that they will never achieve their evil goals through such inhumane actions,” he said.
He was joined by the supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, who even promised to take revenge on Israel for the attack on Damascus, pointing out that Israel “will regret it,” while Iran’s ambassador to Syria stressed that “Israel crossed the red lines.”
Israel’s attack on Monday in Damascus is the worst blow to the elite military corps after the death of Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian general who led the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard until he was eliminated by the United States in 2020 in a bombing in Iraq.
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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