International
Elon Musk could support a candidate in the final stretch of the U.S. presidential elections
The executive director of Tesla and owner of X, Elon Musk, said he could support a U.S. presidential candidate “in the final stretch” of this November’s elections, although he did not specify who, in an interview with former CNN presenter Don Lemon.
“I may, in the final stretch (of the elections), support a candidate, but I don’t know yet,” said Musk, who pointed out that he will make the decision later and that when he does he will explain “exactly why” he opted for that candidate.
However, Musk, who is one of the richest men in the world – and increasingly critical of Joe Biden’s Democratic government – said that it is “unlikely” that he will donate any of the candidates money.
Trump met with Musk in Florida this month but, according to the billionaire, the former president and Republican candidate did not ask him for support, donations or help to pay his legal fees, increasingly bulging by the multitude of court cases he faces.
Although Musk has never given explicit support to Trump, he has been very critical on his social network with the policies of Biden and the Democratic Party, especially with regard to immigration.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the supporters of Robert F. Kennedy, nephew of former President John F. Kennedy and independent candidate in the presidential elections, expect Musk to support his candidacy.
The interview between Lemon and Musk lasted an hour and had a tense tone; both talked about several topics related to hate speech in X and Musk’s own opinions about some of the theories most beloved by the far right – such as the racist theory of the “great replacement” of the white population – and even the billionaire’s consumption of ketamine.
At one point in the interview, which took place at Tesla’s headquarters in Austin (Texas), Lemon showed several hate posts in X and told Musk that his platform should eliminate them because “they can lead to violence.”
To which Musk replied that although Lemon “loves censorship,” X will only remove content that is illegal, such as pornographic.
Musk also said that the US should “overcome” racism and look to the future, since if you look to the past “everyone descends from slaves.”
Another tense part of the interview was when Lemon asked Musk about his medical prescription to use ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic with hallucinogenic potential.
Musk said that he uses ketamine from time to time to treat depression, a disease, which he said, sometimes suffers from.
Last week the former presenter of the CNN network announced that Musk canceled his agreement to make a program with X because he said he was not happy with the interview that the journalist had given him.
Lemon left CNN in April, two months after receiving criticism on ´CNN This Morning´ for saying that former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was not in her fullness as a woman, fullness that is achieved “at 20, 30 and perhaps 40”; she was later forced to apologize for the comment.
Lemon, who became a face synonymous with CNN, worked on the network for 17 years.
The company has been trying to introduce more videos and long-format content since Musk took the reins after buying the company.
One of his X star collaborators is the controversial former Fox News presenter, Tucker Carlson, who has published exclusive interviews on X with Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the president of Argentina, Javier Milei.
International
U.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth expressed concerns over China’s growing military activity near Taiwan during a meeting on Friday with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun in Kuala Lumpur.
“It was a constructive and positive meeting,” Hegseth wrote on X. “I emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and raised U.S. concerns about China’s actions around Taiwan,” the self-governed island that Beijing claims and does not rule out invading.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus, one day after U.S. President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea. According to Trump, Taiwan was not discussed during their talks.
“The United States does not seek conflict and will continue to firmly defend its interests, ensuring it maintains the capability to do so in the region,” Hegseth added in his message.
Friday’s encounter followed a September 9 video call between Hegseth and Dong. Their previously planned meeting at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore was canceled due to Dong’s absence from the event.
Trump’s sit-down with Xi — their first since 2019 — resulted in some trade agreements but avoided addressing the issue of Taiwan, a long-standing source of tension between the world’s two largest powers.
Trump has taken a more ambiguous stance on Taiwan’s future compared with former President Joe Biden, who repeatedly stated that Washington would support Taipei if China launched an invasion. The Republican president has also criticized Taiwan for “stealing” the U.S. semiconductor industry.
International
U.S. considering airstrikes on military sites in Venezuela, reports say
The United States may soon carry out airstrikes on military facilities inside Venezuela as part of an escalating offensive against Nicolás Maduro’s regime, according to reports Friday from the Miami Herald and The Wall Street Journal, citing sources close to the Trump administration.
Airstrikes could take place “within days or even hours,” the Herald reported. The Journal noted that while the option is under serious consideration, President Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision on authorizing strikes on Venezuelan soil.
Potential targets allegedly include military-controlled ports and airports used in drug trafficking operations, such as naval installations and airstrips, officials told the Journal.
The Herald also quoted a source saying that “Maduro’s time is running out”, suggesting that more than one Venezuelan general may be ready to detain and hand him over. However, officials declined to confirm whether the Venezuelan leader would be among the military targets.
Trump has repeatedly vowed to block the flow of illegal drugs into the United States, following nearly two months of airstrikes against vessels in the Pacific and the Caribbean. Those operations have destroyed 15 boats and left 61 people dead and three survivors since September 1.
“We are finally waging a war against the cartels — a war like they’ve never seen before — and we are going to win that battle. We are already winning at sea,” Trump told U.S. troops during a speech in Japan.
The reports on possible airstrikes come on the same day the United Nations accused the U.S. of violating international law with its maritime operations, saying those killed at sea may have been victims of extrajudicial executions.
International
Pope Leo XIV revives Global Compact on Education to confront cultural crisis
Pope Leo XIV announced on Friday that he will revive and update the Global Compact on Education, an initiative launched by the late Pope Francis aimed at deeply transforming global culture through education.
The announcement was made during an audience in St. Peter’s Square, held on the occasion of the Jubilee of the Educational World, which this week gathers more than 20,000 participants from 124 countries in Rome.
During his address, the pontiff — who is of U.S. origin and Peruvian nationality — emphasized the importance of restoring the value of educators and reinforcing the principles that support the pact.
“We must be careful: damaging the social and cultural role of educators means mortgaging our own future,” he warned before thousands in attendance. “A crisis in the transmission of knowledge leads to a crisis of hope.”
The Global Compact on Education, launched by Pope Francis, seeks an integral and long-term cultural transformation. It is structured around five pillars: dignity and human rights; fraternity and cooperation; technology and integral ecology; education for peace and citizenship; and culture and religions. To date, the initiative has been joined by over 553 schools and nearly 410,000 students, according to Catholic Schools data.
Pope Leo XIV also expressed concern over the widespread inner fragility affecting both students and teachers — many of whom feel overwhelmed by bureaucratic burdens.
He additionally addressed the role of artificial intelligence in education, warning that it may worsen emotional isolation among learners: “It can further isolate students who are already isolated, giving them the illusion that they do not need others — or worse, the feeling that they are unworthy of them,” he said.
U.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
U.S. considering airstrikes on military sites in Venezuela, reports say
Pope Leo XIV revives Global Compact on Education to confront cultural crisis
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
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