International
Trump begins his first day in power with a mass in Washington Cathedral
US President Donald Trump began his first day in power on Tuesday with an interreligious service in the National Cathedral of Washington, an event that marks the closing of the acts of his inauguration, and later he will meet with leaders of Congress and make a “big announcement” on infrastructure.
Trump attended the ceremony with the first lady, Melania Trump. From the front row, both listened in silence and with a solemn gesture to the prayers, the melodies of the organ and the songs, including a ‘Hail Mary’. Next to him were the vice president, JD Vance and his wife, Usha.
This type of service has been a tradition since 1993, when the new president attends a prayer ceremony the morning after his inauguration.
Less than two weeks ago, Trump was in that same cathedral for the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter (1977-1981), where he was seen talking animatedly with Barack Obama (2009-2017). At that event, Trump sat in the second row, while the first was reserved for the then president, Joe Biden.
In addition to religious service, Trump plans to meet this Tuesday afternoon at the White House with important Republican legislators, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, and the leader of the majority in the Senate, John Thune, to discuss his legislative agenda.
Later, around 16.30 local time (21.30 GMT), he will make statements at the White House and make a “great announcement about infrastructure,” according to his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, in an interview with Fox News.
At 27 years old, Leavitt has become the youngest spokesperson in the history of the White House. Before her, Ron Ziegler held that record, assuming office at the age of 29 during the presidency of Richard Nixon (1969-1974).
Leavitt explained to the Fox network that there will be no press conference today, since Trump himself will appear before the journalists.
During the Biden Administration (2021-2025), press conferences were held almost daily, as were in the Obama (2009-2017) and George W. governments. Bush (2001-2009).
However, Trump, who has maintained a tense relationship with the press and has described the media as “enemies of the people” and “fake news”, ordered to drastically reduce the frequency of these appearances in his first term (2017-2021).
As a result, the press conferences became sporadic, depending on the acting press secretary, and a record of more than 300 days without appearances was set between March 2019 and January 2020.
It remains to be seen if in this new stage he will choose to maintain that strategy or if the spokesmen will have more frequent contact with the media.
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.
International
ACLU seeks emergency court order to stop venezuelan deportations under Wartime Law
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Friday asked two federal judges to block the U.S. government under President Donald Trump from deporting any Venezuelan nationals detained in North Texas under a rarely used 18th-century wartime law, arguing that immigration officials appear to be moving forward with deportations despite Supreme Court-imposed limitations.
The ACLU has already filed lawsuits to stop the deportation of two Venezuelan men held at the Bluebonnet Detention Center, challenging the application of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The organization is now seeking a broader court order that would prevent the deportation of any immigrant in the region under that law.
In an emergency filing early Friday, the ACLU warned that immigration authorities were accusing other Venezuelan detainees of being members of the Tren de Aragua, a transnational criminal gang. These accusations, the ACLU argues, are being used to justify deportations under the wartime statute.
The Alien Enemies Act has only been invoked three times in U.S. history — most notably during World War II to detain Japanese-American civilians in internment camps. The Trump administration has claimed the law allows them to swiftly remove individuals identified as gang members, regardless of their immigration status.
The ACLU, together with Democracy Forward, filed legal actions aiming to suspend all deportations carried out under the law. Although the U.S. Supreme Court recently allowed deportations to resume, it unanimously ruled that they could only proceed if detainees are given a chance to present their cases in court and are granted “a reasonable amount of time” to challenge their pending removal.
International
Dominican ‘False Hero’ Arrested for Faking Role in Nightclub Collapse That Killed 231
A man identified as Rafael Rosario Mota falsely claimed to have rescued 12 people from the collapse of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo—a tragedy that left 231 people dead—but he was never at the scene.
Intelligence agents in the Dominican Republic arrested the 32-year-old man for pretending to be a hero who saved lives during the catastrophic incident, authorities announced.
Rosario Mota had been charging for media interviews in which he falsely claimed to have pulled survivors from the rubble after the nightclub’s roof collapsed in the early hours of April 8, during a concert by merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was among those killed.
“He was never at the scene of the tragedy,” the police stated. The arrest took place just after he finished another interview on a digital platform, where he repeated his fabricated story in exchange for money as part of a “media tour” filled with manipulated information and invented testimonies.
“False hero!” read a message shared on the police force’s Instagram account alongside a short video of the suspect, in which he apologized: “I did it because I was paid. I ask forgiveness from the public and the authorities.”
Thousands rally nationwide against Trump’s threat to U.S. democracy
ACLU seeks emergency court order to stop venezuelan deportations under Wartime Law
UN complaint filed against Costa Rica over detention of migrant children
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 America5 days agoPetro questions Ecuador’s vote, cites reports of military control and arrests
-
International4 days agoArsenal stun Real Madrid at the Bernabéu to reach Champions League semifinals
-
International3 days agoDominican ‘False Hero’ Arrested for Faking Role in Nightclub Collapse That Killed 231
-
Central America3 days agoNicaraguan Exiles to Mark 7th Anniversary of 2018 Protests with Global Commemorations
-
International4 days agoBogotá residents line up for yellow fever vaccine amid national alert
-
International4 days agoDeSantis’ immigration crackdown sparks alarm in Venezuelan Communities in Doral
-
International2 days agoACLU seeks emergency court order to stop venezuelan deportations under Wartime Law
-
Central America2 days agoUN complaint filed against Costa Rica over detention of migrant children
-
International4 days agoMexico refuses to restore ties with Ecuador while Noboa remains in office
-
International11 hours agoThousands rally nationwide against Trump’s threat to U.S. democracy
-
International5 days agoColombia: Search continues for missing limb of italian scientist found dismembered