International
The British Government activates emergency measures due to saturation in English prisons
The British Government announced on Monday that it has activated emergency measures to prevent overcrowding in English prisons, due to the increase in those convicted of the violent riots that broke out two weeks ago.
The measures, activated under the so-called ‘Operation Early Dawn’, allow the accused to be held in police stations cells and not have to appear before a court until a place is available in a prison.
The emergency provisions affect the regions of the north of England, such as Yorkshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, Manchester, Mersydide and Cheshire.
The prison system in England, already quite saturated, has been overwhelmed by the recent increase in those convicted of violent acts.
The anti-immigration riots were instigated by far-right groups in response to the knife attack three weeks ago in a recreational center in Southport, in the English northwest, where an aggressor killed three girls and injured ten other people.
The Secretary of State for Prisons, James Timpson, said today that the Labour Executive “has inherited a judicial system in crisis” and, therefore, “we have been forced to make difficult but necessary decisions to keep it in operation,” so “Operation Early Dawn has been activated to manage the pressure felt in some parts of the country.”
Nev Kemp, deputy director of the National Council of Police Chiefs, told the media that law enforcement will continue to make arrests in order to “maintain the safety of the public, including the surveillance of protests and events and the guarantee that people will be arrested, as expected.”
According to the Government, the rapid measures to prosecute and accuse those responsible for the riots “have exacerbated the capacity problems that have already existed for a long time in our prisons.”
More than 470 people have been accused of various crimes after the revolts that broke out in several British cities, where numerous people – in many cases with their faces covered – threw stones, bottles and cans against the police who tried to contain the violence, but also attacked hotels that housed asylum seekers and mosques.
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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