International
Trump signs a decree to ban the teaching of race and gender theories in schools
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday that prohibits the use of federal funds in schools that teach what he considers “critical race theory” and other content related to race and gender identity.
Those educational centers that do not comply with this measure could lose their federal funding.
The order, aimed at schools for students between 5 and 18 years old, states that federal funds cannot be allocated to the “indoctrination” of children with “anti-American ideologies”, such as “radical gender ideology and critical theory of race”.
“Imposing anti-American, subversive, harmful and false ideologies on the children of our nation not only violates in many cases the civil rights laws against discrimination, but also usurps the basic authority of the parents,” says the document signed by Trump.
The term “critical race theory” has been used by conservative sectors of the US to encompass a wide variety of educational content that they reject. However, in the academic field, this theory studies how racism is rooted in American laws and institutions.
In addition, the order instructs the future Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, and other senior government officials to develop, within 90 days, a strategy to “eliminate indoctrination” in schools.
McMahon, an executive of the wrestling company World Wrestling Entertainment, has yet to receive Senate approval to assume the position of Secretary of Education.
During his campaign for the November elections, Trump promised that as soon as he arrived at the White House he would sign an executive order, like the one signed today, to cut federal funding for schools that promote the critical theory of race or content that he considers inappropriate.
The federal government, however, has limited power in the day-to-day life of schools in the United States, which receive the most funding from state and local sources.
Trump signed an executive order to identify foreign students and faculty who participated in pro-Palestinian university protests in order to deport them.
The document instructs the Secretaries of State, Education and Homeland Security to request U.S. universities to monitor and report on activities of foreign students and professors who may be considered anti-Semitic, in order to take action in accordance with the law and, if appropriate, act to expel them from the country.
The order establishes several provisions on anti-Semitism, but focuses especially on the protests that broke out in April 2024 on campuses throughout the United States against the war in Gaza and Washington’s support for Israel, which lasted for about three months and left a balance of about 3,100 detainees.
In the text, Trump emphasizes that he decided to sign this executive order on anti-Semitism after returning to the White House on January 20, noting that “Jewish students, in particular, faced anti-Semitic harassment in schools and university campuses.”
Although the document assumes that the demonstrators committed anti-Semitic acts, they have denied that their protests had that intention or that they supported Hamas in any way, and maintain that they demonstrated against the Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which has left more than 47,000 dead.
The Islamic-American Relations Council (CAIR), one of the country’s main organizations in defense of the rights of Muslims, warned that if the order is implemented it will be challenged in court.
International
FBI Says It Disrupted Alleged Plot Targeting White House During UFC Event
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced Tuesday that it had disrupted an alleged plot to attack the White House during a major Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event held in Washington over the weekend.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the threat was identified on June 10 through a joint investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies. According to Patel, swift action by authorities led to the arrest of several suspects before the alleged plan could be carried out.
“On June 10, the FBI and our law enforcement partners became aware of a potential threat targeting UFC America 250 in Washington. Thanks to the rapid response of the FBI and our partners, multiple individuals are now in custody, and the alleged attack plans were stopped before they could be executed,” Patel said.
He emphasized that the operation demonstrated the ability of security agencies to detect and prevent potential threats at large public gatherings. Patel added that the investigation remains ongoing and that additional details will be released as court proceedings move forward.
According to reports from U.S. media outlets, five individuals have been arrested so far. The suspects were identified as Tycen Proper of Ohio, Daniel Eskridge of Missouri, Abraham Hermosillo Álvarez of Nebraska, and Bryan Omar Roa and Michael Alan Thomas, both from California. Authorities are also investigating the possible involvement of 18 additional individuals.
Investigators allege that the plot involved the use of drones equipped with explosives to target buildings near the sporting event. The plan reportedly sought to trigger a mass evacuation and direct attendees toward areas where snipers were allegedly positioned. Authorities further claim that a second phase of the operation included an attempted assault on the White House.
The U.S. Secret Service confirmed that it worked closely with the FBI throughout the operation. Secret Service Director Sean Curran stated that security teams conducted extensive efforts to identify those involved and eliminate any threat to attendees and protected facilities.
The investigation reportedly uncovered communications conducted through the messaging application Signal, where several suspects allegedly discussed details related to the planned attack. A forensic analysis of one of the seized mobile phones revealed at least 23 users participating in conversations connected to the alleged planning activities.
Court documents also indicate that some of the suspects allegedly intended to target U.S. political figures. Among the reported targets were members of Congress who had received contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Investigators further stated that one of the primary suspects had posted antisemitic messages and expressions of support for Adolf Hitler on social media, evidence that is now part of the ongoing judicial investigation.
International
Brazil helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro kills six, including pilots and international figures
The Rio de Janeiro Civil Police confirmed on Monday the identities of three of the six victims killed in a helicopter collision that occurred the previous morning in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood.
All three identified victims are Brazilian nationals: the pilots of the aircraft, Charles Marsillac and Alexandre Souza, and music producer Lucas Brito.
The identities of the three foreign victims have not yet been officially confirmed. They include U.S. singer Oliver Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim—known online as “Gaspi”—and Argentine producer Lucas Vignale, all of whom were listed on the flight manifest.
According to police, forensic experts from the Legal Medical Institute have already collected DNA samples in order to identify the foreign victims, whose bodies were severely burned.
One of the helicopters crashed into a private parking lot, triggering a fire that destroyed around twenty electric vehicles. That aircraft was carrying the pilot and four passengers, including the three foreign nationals.
The second helicopter, which had only the pilot on board, crashed approximately 100 meters away from the first impact site.
Rio de Janeiro’s deputy mayor, Eduardo Cavaliere, stated that both helicopters were operating transport flights toward Angra dos Reis on the Rio coastline and toward the mountainous region of the state.
Oliver Tree, 32, was in Brazil as part of an international tour. The artist, known for songs such as “Life Goes On” and “Miss You,” had performed to a large audience in São Paulo a week earlier and was scheduled to continue his tour in Europe.
Argentine content creator Gaspar Prim, 23, had built a following of more than two million on social media platforms, gaining popularity for humorous and often controversial video productions that had occasionally been removed by hosting platforms.
International
Mexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
The governments of Mexico and the United States officially launched the Bilateral Implementation Group (BIG) on Friday, a new initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation on security issues and enhancing joint efforts against transnational crime.
In a statement, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson announced that he and Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco addressed officials from both countries who will lead what he described as a “new phase of bilateral cooperation.” The initiative seeks to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, illegal firearms, and human trafficking across the shared border.
Earlier this week, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed that senior security officials from both nations would meet in Mexico City on June 12 to review and advance existing cooperation agreements.
Through social media, Ambassador Johnson explained that the new bilateral group is designed to improve coordination between the two governments by placing greater emphasis on implementation, accountability, and measurable results. The effort will also focus on combating transnational criminal organizations operating across North America.
“The participation of 15 U.S. government agencies, working alongside their Mexican counterparts, reflects the seriousness of this effort and our shared commitment to delivering measurable results,” Johnson said.
The ambassador also highlighted several achievements that he attributed to ongoing bilateral cooperation. According to Johnson, maritime drug trafficking into the United States has declined by more than 95 percent, while overdose deaths have fallen by 35 percent.
He further noted that Mexican authorities have seized more than 400 metric tons of illegal drugs and dismantled over 2,300 clandestine laboratories as part of their efforts to combat organized crime and narcotics production.
The launch of the Bilateral Implementation Group marks the latest step in the security partnership between Mexico and the United States, as both countries seek to address shared challenges related to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and the activities of criminal networks operating across the region.
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