International
Trump says he has a very good dialogue with Moscow and Kiev to stop the “slaughter” in Ukraine
US President Donald Trump assured on Tuesday that he is having “very constructive” talks with Moscow and Kiev to end the conflict and stressed that the “massacre” that is taking place in Ukraine cannot be allowed to continue.
“An absolute slaughter is taking place on the beautiful farmland of Ukraine and we have to stop it. We cannot allow this to continue. It is a human tragedy and we will work hard to stop it,” he said at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump said that he is having “very good and constructive” talks with the Ukrainian leadership of Kiev and also with the Russian leadership of Moscow.
“This should not have happened,” added the Republican president, who began his second term on January 20, about that war.
The US leader therefore stressed that it must be put to an end. “We cannot allow this to continue. It is a human tragedy and we will do our hard effort to stop it,” he said alongside Netanyahu, the first foreign president he receives in the White House since his return to power.
Trump said on Monday that he wants Ukraine to deliver rare earths to the United States, key minerals for technological innovations ranging from electric vehicles and wind turbines to state-of-the-art aircraft, in exchange for the help that Washington is providing.
“We are telling Ukrainians that they have very valuable rare earths. We want what we offer to be guaranteed in some way. We want a guarantee,” Trump told the press in the Oval Office of the White House, insisting that Ukraine should give something to Washington in exchange for the aid it provides.
According to Trump, the previous president, Joe Biden, “never asked them for money” and only “gave them money,” in reference to the military and other aid that the United States has given to Ukraine worth more than 180 billion dollars since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022.
In the opinion of the president, the European Union is not putting itself at the level of the United States in terms of aid to Ukraine and that has to be “rebalanced”, because “we have an ocean in between and they don’t.”
Trump advocated before his arrival at the White House to end the conflict in Ukraine immediately, something he has not achieved for the moment.
He has also said that he hopes to be able to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin to be able to “end the war” in Ukraine, while last Friday he was again cryptic about whether or not he has already spoken to Putin.
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
-
International4 days agoArsenal stun Real Madrid at the Bernabéu to reach Champions League semifinals
-
Central America3 days agoNicaraguan Exiles to Mark 7th Anniversary of 2018 Protests with Global Commemorations
-
International3 days agoDominican ‘False Hero’ Arrested for Faking Role in Nightclub Collapse That Killed 231
-
International4 days agoBogotá residents line up for yellow fever vaccine amid national alert
-
International2 days agoACLU seeks emergency court order to stop venezuelan deportations under Wartime Law
-
International4 days agoDeSantis’ immigration crackdown sparks alarm in Venezuelan Communities in Doral
-
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
-
International18 hours agoThousands rally nationwide against Trump’s threat to U.S. democracy
-
Central America37 mins agoSenator Van Hollen Meets with Deported MS-13 Member in El Salvador; Trump and Bukele React
-
International38 mins agoPope Francis Appears for Easter Blessing, Calls for Peace and Religious Freedom