International
Blinken announces in Kiev another $2 billion in military funding to Ukraine

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, announced on Wednesday in Kiev an additional amount of 2 billion dollars to help Ukraine acquire weapons from the United States and other countries and increase the production capacity of its own military industry.
These new funds are in addition to the nearly $61 billion in military aid to Ukraine approved by Washington last month, Blinken said at a press conference held in the Ukrainian capital.
“Today I want to add to that (to the aid item approved in April) $2 billion in financing for foreign military aid for Ukraine that we have collected in a fund for the defense industry that is the first of its kind,” Blinken said after meeting with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmitro Kuleba.
Blinken then explained that this new fund will serve in the first place to provide Ukraine with more weapons in the short term by acquiring military material from the United States and other countries.
The money will also finance investments to expand the production capacity of the Ukrainian military weapons industry for its own Army and to be exported.
Blinken highlighted the positive impact that these investments in the military industry will have on entrepreneurship and innovation in Ukraine.
The US Secretary of State began a two-day visit in Kiev yesterday to reaffirm his support for Ukraine after Russia opened a new front last Friday in the northeastern region of Kharkov.
Blinken said that the new aid fund arrives at a “critical moment” for Ukraine due to the “renewed brutal aggression of Russia.”
The US Secretary of State also insisted that the White House is “accelerating” the supply of “munition, missiles and air defenses” to Ukraine so that Kiev can stabilize the situation on the battlefield as soon as possible.
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.
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