International
Australia and New Zealand begin evacuations amid Israel-Iran conflict
The Australian government announced on Thursday that it has evacuated a first group of its citizens from Israel, while New Zealand has withdrawn two officials from Iran amid the ongoing armed conflict between the Hebrew and Persian nations.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong told the media that the previous day a “small group” of Australians were taken out of Israel via a land border during a “window of opportunity,” though she did not specify the exact number of evacuees or their destination country.
Wong added that they expect to continue with ground evacuation operations but provided no further details.
“So far, we have 1,500 Australians registered for assistance in Iran and 1,200 in Israel,” the Australian foreign minister said, adding that they anticipate these numbers to rise. She highlighted the difficulty of the situation in Iran due to the closed airspace and urged Australians in the Persian nation to “leave the country if it is safe to do so or otherwise find shelter.”
Meanwhile, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters stated in a release that two employees of the New Zealand Embassy in Tehran and their families were transported by land to Azerbaijan.
“Last night, an opportunity arose to evacuate our staff from the Embassy in Iran in a convoy alongside officials from other countries,” Peters said, urging all New Zealanders still in Iran and Israel to “leave the country by land as soon as possible if they consider it safe.”
Other countries, including China and Japan, have also announced evacuation plans for their citizens in Israel and Iran as airstrikes continue between the two nations in the war that began last Friday.
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.
International
Trump administration warnings prompt Bad Bunny to skip U.S. stops on World Tour
Puerto Rican rapper and reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny, one of the most-streamed artists in the world, recently announced that his world tour will not include the United States due to concerns over potential immigration raids during his concerts.
The warning comes after a U.S. government official indicated on Wednesday that immigration authorities could conduct raids during the next year’s Super Bowl, following the announcement that Bad Bunny will headline the halftime show.
Since returning to office in January, former President Donald Trump has launched a strict immigration agenda, promising to deport millions of undocumented individuals residing in the United States.
“There is no safe place for those who are in this country illegally. Not at the Super Bowl, not anywhere else,” said Corey Lewandowski, advisor to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. “We will find them. We will arrest them. We will detain them and deport them,” he added during a podcast on Wednesday with conservative influencer Benny Johnson.
Due to these risks, Bad Bunny confirmed that his U.S. dates are canceled, prioritizing the safety of fans and concertgoers who could be affected by immigration enforcement.
International
Trump pledges to restore ‘Warrior Spirit’ of U.S. military in rare meeting with Top Officers
President Donald Trump vowed on Tuesday to “revive the warrior spirit” of the U.S. armed forces that “won and built this nation,” during a speech before top military leaders outside Washington, D.C.
“Together, in the coming years, we will transform our armed forces into something stronger, tougher, and faster,” Trump told U.S. generals and admirals gathered at an unusual meeting in Quantico, Virginia.
Earlier, Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth said at the same meeting that the U.S. military must be reformed to end “decades of decline,” which he attributed to diversity policies.
In this rare gathering of senior commanders summoned from bases around the world, Hegseth declared the end of “ideological trash,” citing concerns about climate change, harassment, “toxic” leaders, and promotions based on race or gender as examples.
“We will end the war on warriors,” emphasized Hegseth, using the new terminology adopted by the Trump administration.
According to Hegseth, this new “warrior mindset” means the military will return to recruitment and training standards based on physical endurance.
“I want to be very clear: this is not about preventing women from serving,” he insisted. “Our female officers are the best in the world, but when it comes to jobs requiring physical power for combat, standards must be neutral and high,” he explained.
“If women can achieve it, excellent. If not, that’s just how it is,” he added.
Trump plans permanent federal cuts amid partial government shutdown
Trump administration warnings prompt Bad Bunny to skip U.S. stops on World Tour
Trump pledges to restore ‘Warrior Spirit’ of U.S. military in rare meeting with Top Officers
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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