International
Javier Milei calls Pedro Sánchez “coward” and says that he “applies Maduro’s model”
The president of Argentina, Javier Milei, called in a television interview “cowardly” the head of the Spanish Executive, Pedro Sánchez, of which he said that in terms of freedom of expression “he is applying the same model as (Nicolás) Maduro”, president of Venezuela.
“The coward (alluding to Pedro Sánchez) sent all his ministers to insult me. He started with the Transport and then, since I didn’t answer him, very cowardly he sent the women to assault me, and then call me a misogynist. And since I didn’t answer, he already joined,” he said in an interview with the Todo Noticias channel (TN).
The Minister of Transport of Spain, Óscar Puente, made a controversial statement on May 3 during a PSOE event, in which he accused the Argentine president, Javier Milei, of “ingesting substances.” This comment generated a strong reaction from the Argentine Government, which issued a statement of repudiation, describing the statements as “slander and insults.”
Puente later acknowledged that his words were a mistake and that he did not gauge the impact they would have. He stated that, if he had known, he would not have said them and described the context as “distended.”
“He is moving forward on freedom of expression, it is clear that it is Maduro’s model that he is applying,” Milei said today in reference to the head of the Spanish Executive. “What would happen if I did that here? What would the whole progressive band say?” he added.
The Argentine head of state published on Monday on social networks several messages of support for the press collaborator of the far-right Spanish political formation Se Acabó la Fiesta (SALF) Vito Quiles, immersed in a controversy with the Spanish minister Óscar Puente, whom the communicator accuses of having used an official car to attend a concert by the singer Taylor Swift.
The relationship between Milei and the president of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, as well as that of their respective cabinets, is going through a conflictive period, including the withdrawal by the Spanish authorities of their ambassador to Argentina, María Jesús Alonso.
The moment of greatest tension took place when Milei accused Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, of “corrupt” and called the head of the Spanish Government “coward”, during the participation of the president of Argentina in an event in Madrid of the far-right Vox party.
Next Thursday, Milei will leave again on a private trip to Spain to receive the next day an award from the Juan de Mariana Institute, a study center founded in 2005 whose name pays tribute to Juan de Mariana, a Spanish theologian and economist of the 16th century known for his ideas on the economy and individual freedom.
The spokeswoman for the Spanish Government, Pilar Alegría, has warned Milei that if she plans to visit Spain this week and make statements, she must “respect” the Spanish people and their institutions.
International
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in central Vietnam has risen to 28, with six people reported missing and 43 injured, local newspaper VnExpress reported Friday night.
More than 22,100 homes remain flooded, primarily in the cities of Hue and Da Nang. Floods and landslides have destroyed or swept away 91 houses and damaged another 181, the report added.
Around 245,000 households are still without electricity, particularly in Da Nang, where over 225,000 homes are affected.
Additionally, 80 stretches of national highways are blocked or disrupted due to landslides. Authorities expect the flooding to continue for another day or two in the region.
International
FBI foils ISIS-Inspired attack in Michigan, arrests five teens
Kash Patel did not provide further details, but police sources told CBS News that the potential attack was “inspired” by the Islamic State (ISIS).
“This morning, the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested several individuals in Michigan who were allegedly planning a violent attack during the Halloween weekend,” Patel wrote on X.
“Thanks to swift action and close coordination with our local partners, a possible terrorist act was prevented before it could be carried out,” he added.
CBS reported that five people between the ages of 16 and 20 were arrested on Friday. At least one of them was reportedly acquainted with a former member of the Michigan National Guard, who was arrested in May for plotting an ISIS-inspired attack on a U.S. military facility in the Detroit suburbs.
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.
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
FBI foils ISIS-Inspired attack in Michigan, arrests five teens
U.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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