International
Thousands of Israelis protest in Jerusalem against Netanyahu and demand an agreement in Gaza
Thousands of people demonstrated in Jerusalem and other cities in Israel this Thursday against the Government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is accused of “sabotaging the hostage agreement, leaving the north and making Israel fall into the abyss,” according to the call released this afternoon by the anti-government movement Banderas Negras.
After a black, red and white banner that reads “Netanyahu endangers Israel’s security,” thousands of people crossed the streets of the city on the way to Netanyahu’s residence on Azza Street, where the protest will conclude.
“We are running out of time: there is an agreement on the table!”, says one of the slogans disseminated by the Black Flags on their digital channels during the march, which demands that Netanyahu reach a pact with Hamas that guarantees the safe return of the 120 hostages that remain in Gaza (116 of them, kidnapped in the Islamist attacks of October 7, in which about 1,200 people died).
Also in Tel Aviv, the Israeli pro-democracy movement called a demonstration in which hundreds of people went to the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense.
Tonight, the Prime Minister will meet with his Cabinet to evaluate the proposal launched last night by Hamas in view of the ceasefire and exchange of hostages agreement, in which the organization claims to have taken a more “flexible” position in order to talk with Israel about the points of the agreement in which both parties clash.
“Today, and I say it cautiously, we are closer than ever” to the agreement, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told the families of the hostages, according to information from Channel 12, the most popular Israeli television network.
Along with the protests in Jerusalem, the Black Flags called for another march in the coastal town of Caesarea (north), where the other private residence of the Likud leader is located.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz also picked up a protest against the war in Haifa, also on the northern coast, where four people were arrested after the police declared the meeting illegal.
The protesters also called for the call of early elections in the country, an option increasingly demanded among Israelis, as revealed in mid-June by a survey by the newspaper Maariv, which placed 57% of the population who want to go to the polls.
Along with the call for elections, the protesters call for the return of the thousands of Israeli evacuees to their homes, both in the south (near the border with Gaza) and in the north (next to the divide with Lebanon), where more than 60,000 people continue to live in hotels and other state-funded accommodation following the peak of hostilities with the Shiite militia Hizbulah.
The center of the protests today is the demand for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza that allows the return of the hostages who remain in the enclave. Of the 251 kidnapped on October 7, 116 captives remain there, at least 40 of them dead according to Israel – more than 70 according to Hamas – while there have been four other hostages for years, of them two dead.
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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