International
Police kill an armed man who wanted to burn a synagogue in the north of France
The French police have killed an armed man who wanted to set fire to the synagogue in the city of Ruán, in the north of France.
This was announced this Friday by the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, who has so far ruled out the terrorist trail.
“I congratulate the reactivity and courage of the agents,” Darmanin said on Twitter.
For its part, the Prosecutor’s Office has announced the opening of two investigations, one regarding a voluntary fire in a place of worship and another about the circumstances of the man’s death, killed by one of the agents with his regulatory weapon.
The Ruán Prosecutor’s Office is in the process of verifying the identity of the deceased.
“The individual was carrying only a transport card from Ruan. We are in the process of verifying his identity,” the prosecutor, Frédéric Teillet, told the press.
However, French media assure that this man, whose nationality and age are unknown, was under an expulsion order issued more than a year ago for an irregular stay in French territory, a directive that was not executed due to the legal remedies presented.
Teillet explained that he informed the anti-terrorist Prosecutor’s Office about this incident, but clarified that, for the time being, the Ruán Prosecutor’s Office is in charge of coordinating the investigations, which means that the authorities still do not see enough clues to treat that attack as a terrorist.
As for the agent who shot him, he has been placed in police custody while the images of the events are being investigated and interrogated.
However, Teillet has anticipated that, after seeing the available images of the intervention, the policeman fired his weapon within the regulations.
According to the French press, the Police arrived at the synagogue of Ruan at 6:45 local time, alerted by the smoke coming out of it.
There they saw a man stationed on the roof of the building. Armed with an iron bar and a knife, he would have jumped on one of his agents, who responded with a shot.
The mayor of Ruán, the socialist Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, has assured on social networks that there have been no other victim of this incident and that the fire is being controlled by firefighters.
“I fully support the Israeli community of Ruhan,” said Mayer-Rossignol.
France has the most numerous Jewish and Muslim communities in Europe. Since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, both anti-Semitic and Islamophobic acts have multiplied in the country.
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
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Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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