International
The Pokrovsk sector is still the hottest of the war in Ukraine
This Friday, 139 fighting was recorded at the front, most of them in the Pokrovsk sector, in the eastern region of Donetsk, according to the part of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine updated on Saturday morning.
Russian forces launched six missile attacks on July 5, using twelve missiles, 55 air strikes (with 72 guided aerial bombs) and carried out more than 3,000 bombings, including 105 of them with multiple rocket launch systems.
The Russian army carried out air strikes mainly in the regions of Kharkov, Donetsk and Zaporiyia.
In the Kharkov sector, Russian troops continued offensive and assault operations with the support of aviation, with a total of eight combats.
In the Kupiansk sector, the number of fights increased to five throughout the day, in the Liman sector 21 attacks were repelled and in Siversk, seven.
In the Kramatorsk sector, Ukrainian defenders thwarted ten Russian attempts to break the defensive lines.
In the Toretsk sector, Russian troops were quite active and launched 18 attacks with air support.
In the Pokrovsk sector, 45 Russian attacks were repelled and in the Kurajove sector, the Ukrainian defense forces continued to contain the Russian troops that tried to break the defensive lines on nine occasions.
In the Vremivka sector, Russian troops attacked Ukrainian positions seven times and in the Orijiv sector there were two fights.
In the Dnieper River sector, the Russians continue to try to evict the Ukrainian defense forces from their positions on the bridgeheads on the left bank. The five attacks were unsuccessful.
In the Volin and Polissia sectors, the operational situation has not changed significantly and there are no indications of the formation of Russian offensive groups.
In addition, eleven civilians were killed and another 43 were injured in several Russian attacks on Friday in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, reported the head of the regional military administration, Vadim Filashkin.
On the other hand, about 100,400 subscribers in a total of 348 settlements were still without electricity this morning after a Russian attack last night against an energy infrastructure in the Sumi region, in northern Ukraine, the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy reported on Saturday.
Ukrainian drones attacked and set fire to two fuel tanks last night in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar, near the annexed Crimean peninsula, regional authorities reported today.
According to the statement, the drones were shot down, but their fragments impacted and set fire to two fuel tanks in two localities. The emergency services did not specify the volume of the deposits reached.
As a result of the night attack, a mobile phone tower in the city of Yeisk, located on the shores of the Sea of Azov, also suffered damage.
The Russian Ministry of Defense in turn reported that the anti-aircraft defense systems shot down seven Ukrainian fixed-side drones last night over the Kursk region and one on the Belgorod region.
These two Russian regions are bordered by Ukraine and suffer almost daily attacks with drones and artillery.
In addition, the Ukrainian air defense forces shot down 24 of the 27 Shahed-131/136 attack drones launched by Russia during the night from the occupied territory of Crimea and the Russian region of Kursk, the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, Lieutenant General Mikola Oleshchuk, reported on Saturday.
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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