International
Florida judge dismisses case against Trump for taking confidential documents
Florida Judge Aileen Cannon on Monday dismissed the case of former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump (2017-2021) for the mishandling of confidential documents after his departure from the White House.
The ruling, which comes two days after an attempted assassination of Trump while he was holding a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, represents a legal victory for the former president.
It is the first time that one of the four criminal cases against Trump, who will formally receive his party’s nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week, has been dismissed outright.
Cannon, who was nominated during Trump’s presidency, argued that the special counsel in charge of the investigation, Jack Smith, was not legally appointed and therefore “violates the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.”
The federal judge noted in a 93-page document that Smith’s appointment did not follow the usual procedures, which include confirmation by the Senate.
He added that Congress has a fundamental role in the appointment of special officials and that “that role cannot be usurped by the Executive Branch or spread to other places, whether in this case or in another, whether in times of greater national need or not.”
Neither the Justice Department nor U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland have yet to comment, but they are expected to appeal the decision in the case in which Trump was accused of illegally retaining classified documents after leaving office and then obstructing repeated government efforts to recover them.
The question of whether Smith’s appointment was legal or not had already been brought to the attention of the judge at the initiative of the former president’s lawyers, during the hearings, to which the special prosecutor’s team argued that addressing this claim should not merit dismissing the case entirely.
The decision comes on the first day of the Republican Party convention, where Trump’s nomination will be made official and he will also announce his running mate for the presidential election next November.
On his social network, Truth, the former president celebrated the decision of the federal judge and pointed out that all criminal and civil cases against him should have the same fate, in pursuit of the “Unification” of the nation.
Trump still faces other trials in Washington, Atlanta and New York.
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
-
Central America4 days agoNicaraguan Exiles to Mark 7th Anniversary of 2018 Protests with Global Commemorations
-
International4 days agoDominican ‘False Hero’ Arrested for Faking Role in Nightclub Collapse That Killed 231
-
International3 days agoACLU seeks emergency court order to stop venezuelan deportations under Wartime Law
-
Central America3 days agoUN complaint filed against Costa Rica over detention of migrant children
-
International2 days agoThousands rally nationwide against Trump’s threat to U.S. democracy
-
Central America1 day agoSenator Van Hollen Meets with Deported MS-13 Member in El Salvador; Trump and Bukele React
-
International1 day agoPope Francis Appears for Easter Blessing, Calls for Peace and Religious Freedom