International
Clashes between insurgents and the military cause 44 deaths in southern Pakistan
Clashes between insurgents and members of Pakistan’s security forces caused at least 22 deaths in the southern province of Balochistan, police sources reported on Monday, and that add to the death of 22 other travelers in the conflicting region at the hands of armed men.
In addition, at least three people died and 18 others were injured on Monday when a bomb exploded in a market in the northwest of the country, according to the police.
A first attack took place last night, when a group of insurgents tried to assault an Army camp in the Lasbela district, which resulted in a shooting that continues on Monday.
“We have no information about how many members of the security forces have died, but at least 12 insurgents have been killed in the exchange of fire so far,” an officer from the control room of the district police, Nasir Uddin, told EFE.
The assault was claimed in a statement by the main separatist group in the region, the Liberation Army of Balochistan (BLA), where he claimed to have taken “total control of all the main roads of Balochistan” and that 56 soldiers had died and dozens had been injured.
The insurgent formation also announced the launch of a large-scale operation throughout the province.
The district of Kalat was the scene of another shooting between insurgents and the Pakistani security forces, which began shortly before last midnight and ended in the death of ten people.
“In the exchange of fire, ten people were killed, including eight security officers, and another eleven were injured,” an officer of the Kalat Police control room, Abdullah Hussain, told EFE.
No insurgent group claimed the attack so far.
To these deaths is added the murder of 22 other people last night also in Balochistan, in an insurgent attack against travelers mostly from the Pakistani Punjab region.
These actions coincide with the 18th anniversary of the death of a popular Baluchi leader in a Pakistani Army operation.
Balochistan, where insurgent groups operate that fight for the independence of the region, is along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa one of the provinces of Pakistan that have experienced a greater increase in violence in recent years.
Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban, who took control of Kabul in August 2021, of sheltering insurgent groups such as their Pakistani ideological brothers, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
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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