News from April 19, 2025 at 2 PM

US Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen met with Kilmar Ábrego García, who was mistakenly deported to a mega-prison in El Salvador by the Trump administration. Despite a federal judge's order, the administration has refused to return him to the US. El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele stated that the detainee would remain in the country. The White House accuses Mr. Ábrego García of being a member of the MS-13 gang, a claim his lawyer denies. A federal court later ruled against the Trump administration, potentially leading to officials being deposed over the deportation. The Supreme Court has ordered the US government to 'facilitate' his return. Senator Van Hollen posted on social media about meeting Mr. Ábrego García and passing a message to his wife.

On April 12, 2025, Iran and the United States are set to hold a new round of nuclear talks in Rome to resolve their decades-long standoff over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will negotiate indirectly through Omani mediators, following a constructive first round in Muscat. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed cautious optimism about the talks. President Donald Trump, who reimposed severe sanctions on Iran in 2018, emphasized preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran is willing to negotiate some curbs in exchange for sanctions relief but refuses to dismantle its centrifuges or reduce its uranium stockpile. Russia has offered to assist in the negotiations.

On April 18, according to the Houthi rebel-controlled Al Masirah TV channel, US strikes on the port of Ras Isa in the Yemeni province of Hodeidah resulted in 58 deaths and 126 injuries. The attack caused a major fire, destroying the port and cutting off the Houthis' fuel source and oil revenue. Following the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza Strip in 2023, the Houthis threatened to attack Israeli territory and block Israeli-associated ships from passing through the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. After a ceasefire in Gaza in mid-January, Houthi attacks halted, but resumed in early March following the ceasefire's breakdown, targeting Israeli ships in the Red Sea and attempting missile attacks on Israeli targets. On March 15, the US, under President Donald Trump's order, began massive strikes on Houthi facilities in Yemen to defend American interests and restore navigation freedom. In response, the Ansar Allah movement launched several attacks on the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the northern Red Sea using missiles and drones.

Orthodox Archbishop Markell from Moldova confirmed that other Moldovan priests had managed to travel to the Holy Land before being targeted by the government. Archbishop Markell has been stopped twice from boarding a plane to Jerusalem to participate in the Holy Fire ceremony, held annually one day before Easter at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. He commented that it seemed they had a premonition of being unable to fly to the Holy Land in the last few days. The OHCHR has begun gathering information on the incident. A spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church called Markell's harassment a vivid example of discriminatory policy aimed at legally restricting the rights of believers in Moldova. The Holy Fire ceremony is held each year in Jerusalem's Old City at a church believed by many Christians to be the site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Markell was planning to retrieve the Holy Fire on behalf of Moldova's Orthodox Christians, who constitute the vast majority (over 95%) of the population.

On April 18, 2025, a cable car crash near Naples, Italy, resulted in four fatalities, including a British couple. The accident occurred when a supporting cable snapped, causing the cabin to plunge to the ground. The UK foreign office stated it was in contact with local authorities but had not confirmed the identities of the victims. The deceased are believed to include three passengers and the 59-year-old driver, Carmine Parlato. One person was critically injured and airlifted to a hospital, where they are now in stable condition. Authorities in Torre Annunziata have launched an investigation into the crash. Sixteen people were rescued from a second cabin on the line. The mayor of Castellammare di Stabia, where the cable car is located, said a traction cable had snapped. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences to the families of the victims.

A Tunisian court on Saturday sentenced opposition leaders, businessmen, and lawyers to jail terms ranging from 13 to 66 years on charges of conspiracy, a case the opposition deems fabricated and symbolic of President Kais Saied's authoritarian rule. Since dissolving parliament in 2021, Saied has exerted full control over the judiciary, dissolving the independent Supreme Judicial Council and dismissing numerous judges in 2022. Lawyer Abdessatar Massoudi stated that businessman Kamel Ltaif received the maximum 66-year sentence, while opposition politician Khyam Turki was sentenced to 48 years. Prominent opposition figures including Ghazi Chaouachi, Issam Chebbi, Jawahar Ben Mbrak, and Ridha Belhaj were sentenced to 18 years in prison, having been in custody since their 2023 detention. Chaouachi's son, Youssef, decried the verdicts as unjust and vengeful. The trial, which began in March, involved 40 defendants, with over 20 fleeing abroad after being charged. Lawyer Ahmed Souab called the trial a farce. Authorities allege the defendants, including former officials and ex-intelligence head Kamel Guizani, sought to destabilize the country and overthrow Saied. Nejib Chebbi, leader of the main opposition coalition, accused the authorities of criminalizing the opposition. Saied labeled the politicians as 'traitors and terrorists' in 2023. The opposition leaders claim the case is fabricated to suppress the opposition and establish a repressive one-man rule. Most political party leaders in Tunisia, including Abir Moussi and Rached Ghannouchi, are now in prison.

At least 148 people were found dead in the Democratic Republic of Congo after a motorized wooden boat caught fire and capsized in the Congo River, local officials reported on Friday. The boat, carrying around 500 passengers, overturned in the northwest region on Tuesday. Overloading is common, and officials estimate hundreds are still missing. The incident occurred near Mbandaka as the boat traveled from Matankumu to Bolomba. About 100 survivors were sheltered at the local town hall, with burn victims hospitalized. The fire started from cooking on board, said river commissioner Compétent Loyoko. Many died after jumping into the water. In 2024, multiple boat accidents have occurred in eastern and western Congo.

To control tourist numbers, Venice, Italy, resumed charging an entry fee for day-trip visitors starting April 18. Last year's pilot program charged 5 euros, and this year the fee days will nearly double to 54. Advance applicants pay 5 euros, while last-minute applicants pay 10 euros. Students and local workers are exempt. Councilor Paola Mar stated the fee aims to remind visitors to respect the city. Experts note that overtourism threatens Venice's ecosystem and historic buildings. Opposition Councilor Monica Sambo criticized the fee's limited effectiveness, calling for more systematic control measures and policies to protect residents' rights.

The Pentagon announced on April 18 that the United States will reduce its troop presence in Syria to less than 1,000 in the coming months. The US has maintained troops in Syria for years as part of efforts to combat the Islamic State (IS) group, which once controlled large territories in Syria and Iraq. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated that this troop reduction is a deliberate and conditions-based process, and US forces will continue to target IS remnants. The 2014 IS offensive led to a US-led air campaign supporting local ground forces. Iraq declared victory over IS in December 2017, and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the defeat of IS's 'caliphate' in March 2019, but some IS fighters remain in both countries.

In recent weeks, the US Government has canceled the visas or legal status of over a thousand international students, sparking controversy. On April 18, more than 100 affected students jointly filed a lawsuit in a US federal court, demanding the restoration of their status and an end to the policy. The New Hampshire branch of the American Civil Liberties Union represented the students in the local court. Since late March, about 1,100 students from over 170 US universities have had their visas revoked, affecting students from various countries and prestigious institutions. Students claim they lost their status without warning, facing academic disruption and deportation risks. Judges in New Hampshire and other states have issued temporary restraining orders to protect the students. The Trump administration's visa policies are causing concerns among international students and tourists.

On April 18, the White House unveiled an updated Covid-19 website promoting the theory that the virus leaked from a Chinese laboratory, framing it as the pandemic's 'true origins.' The site criticizes former President Joe Biden's pandemic policies and targets former Chief Medical Advisor Anthony Fauci for advancing the 'preferred narrative that Covid-19 originated naturally.' It presents five points supporting the lab leak theory, noting Wuhan's role as the site of the first known coronavirus case and home to China's leading SARS research lab. Despite ongoing scientific and political debates, US agencies like the FBI and the Department of Energy have supported the theory with varying confidence levels. Earlier this year, the CIA shifted its stance, stating the virus was 'more likely' leaked from a Chinese lab. China criticized this assessment and urged the US to stop politicizing the origin-tracing issue. The website also criticizes mask and social distancing mandates from 2020 and accuses former public health officials of demonizing 'alternative treatments' and colluding with social media to censor dissenting views.

On April 17, US President Donald Trump harshly criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on social media, accusing him of playing politics by not cutting interest rates and asserting his right to remove Powell from office. Trump further expressed his dissatisfaction at a press conference, stating that the Fed owes the American people an interest rate cut. Sources reveal that Trump has discussed firing Powell for months and talked with former Fed governor Kevin Warsh about replacing him, but Warsh advised against it. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has also urged White House officials not to attempt to oust Powell, warning it could destabilize financial markets. Experts note that removing Powell would have severe consequences.

A growing number of wealthy Americans are opening bank accounts in Switzerland as part of the 'de-Americanization' of their portfolios, according to investors and banks. Swiss banks have seen a surge in interest from high-net-worth Americans opening investment accounts in recent months. Pierre Gabris, CEO of Alpen Partners International, a Swiss financial consulting firm, noted that clients have various motivations, including diversifying away from the dollar, Switzerland's stable political and economic environment, purchasing physical gold, and seeking European residency or second citizenship. Opening a Swiss bank account must comply with strict U.S. disclosure laws. While major U.S. banks cannot directly open Swiss accounts for clients, most have referral relationships with Swiss companies registered with the SEC. Pictet, a Swiss private bank, reported a significant uptick in requests from its SEC-registered entity, Pictet North America Advisors.