International
Meta’s WhatsApp denies iranian state TV’s spying allegations amid conflict

The social media platform owned by Meta has labeled as “fake news” the recent statements made by Iranian state television, which urged citizens to delete the app, accusing it—without evidence—of collecting user information, including location data, to leak it to Israel.
“We do not provide information to any government,” a WhatsApp spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday, the sixth day of cross-border attacks between Iran and Israel. “We are concerned that this false information could be used as an excuse to block our services at a time when people need them most.”
On Tuesday, the government, through state television, called on the population to remove WhatsApp from their mobile phones, sparking fears of espionage.
The criticism extended beyond Meta’s social network. Since last Friday, the conflict’s onset, Iran’s Ministry of Communications has imposed internet restrictions in the country, blocking some websites and applications from Iranian users. Authorities also urged “minimizing the use of internet-connected devices.”
WhatsApp also responded by stating that it “does not track exact locations, does not keep logs of who sends messages to whom, and does not monitor personal messages.” “Meta has provided transparency reports,” the statement added.
WhatsApp is owned by Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.
International
Supreme Court backs Trump move to end TPS for over 300,000 venezuelans

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday upheld the Trump administration’s decision to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 300,000 Venezuelan migrants living in the country.
In a 6–3 ruling, the high court sided with the Department of Homeland Security, overturning a previous federal court decision in California that had blocked the suspension of protections for about 600,000 immigrants, including Venezuelans and Haitians. While the ruling paves the way for the potential deportation of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, it is not expected to immediately affect Haitian beneficiaries under the program.
“Although the positions in the case have shifted, the legal arguments and the relative harms have not. The same outcome reached in May remains appropriate,” wrote the conservative majority, which had already ruled in a similar direction through emergency measures.
Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented. In her opinion, Justice Jackson warned: “I cannot agree with this repetitive, gratuitous, and harmful interference in cases still pending in lower courts while lives hang in the balance.”
President Trump had asked the Supreme Court in late September to authorize the termination of deportation protections that, since 2021, had shielded roughly 300,000 Venezuelans. Lower courts had repeatedly blocked the move.
The ruling marks a temporary conclusion to a legal battle spanning more than two years and grants the administration the green light to move forward with revoking TPS for Venezuelans, despite the possibility of further appeals in lower courts.
International
U.S. government shutdown likely to continue into next week amid Senate deadlock

A U.S. government shutdown is now almost certain to extend into next week, despite another scheduled Senate vote this Friday, as divisions between Democrats and Republicans show no sign of easing.
This will mark the fourth Senate vote since the Republican-led House of Representatives passed a temporary funding bill extending government operations until September 21.
Republicans hold a majority in the Senate with 53 out of 100 seats, but they need at least 60 votes to pass the budget package. Analysts widely expect Friday’s attempt to fall short.
Federal agencies, along with some 750,000 employees, have been left without official funding since Wednesday, when the U.S. fiscal year expired and Congress failed to approve a stopgap measure.
International
Trump plans permanent federal cuts amid partial government shutdown

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he is planning permanent cuts to the federal government as a result of the partial shutdown caused by disagreements between Democrats and Republicans.
The Republican administration also stated that it intends to slash billions of dollars in federal funding to several Democratic-led states. Trump shared on his social media platform Truth Social that he held a meeting with Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to discuss the planned cuts.
Approximately 750,000 federal employees have been affected since October 1 due to the government shutdown. “I will meet today with Russ Vought to determine which of the many Democratic agencies—most of which are political scams—should be cut, and whether these cuts will be temporary or permanent,” Trump wrote.
“I cannot believe the far-left Democrats have given me this unprecedented opportunity,” he added, referring to the Congressional deadlock.
During the political crisis, Trump has adopted a mocking tone, targeting opponents such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. “They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their quiet and swift way of wanting America to be great again,” he added.
The partial government shutdown began Wednesday, following the end of the U.S. fiscal year without a budget extension. Republicans are pushing to continue public spending until November 21.
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