International
US offers up to $5 mn reward for tips to help capture Mexican drug kingpins
AFP
The US State Department announced Friday it would offer up to $5 million each for information that would help authorities capture and convict four Mexican drug cartel kingpins, including the brother of infamous trafficker “El Chapo.”
Along with the brother of jailed drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, Aureliano Guzman-Loera, brothers Ruperto Salgueiro-Nevarez, Jose Salgueiro-Nevarez and Heriberto Salgueiro-Nevarez are also wanted by the United States.
The four have been “charged in US indictments for violation of US drug laws, to include international conspiracies to distribute marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl,” State Department Ned Price said in a statement.
The highly dangerous synthetic opioid fentanyl is “responsible for more than 63 percent of the 96,779 drug overdose deaths in the United States between March 2020 and 2021,” Price added.
The four operate under the umbrella of the federation of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico’s most notorious drug trafficking groups, which “El Chapo” led until his imprisonment.
He was extradited in 2017 to the United States where he was sentenced to life in prison two years later in a trial held under high security.
The State Department statement comes the same day as a Justice Department announcement of indictments charging the four with violating international trafficking laws.
For over a decade, the United States and Mexico have worked together to fight drug trafficking under a program called the Merida Initiative, with the United States providing military firepower, technical support and security training.
In October, the neighboring states agreed to overhaul their approach to address the root causes and step up efforts to curb cross-border arms smuggling.
Mexico is plagued by cartel-related bloodshed that has seen more than 300,000 people murdered since the government deployed the military in the war on drugs in 2006.
International
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
The Ukrainian government on Wednesday declared a nationwide energy state of emergency amid continued Russian military attacks and extreme winter weather, with nighttime temperatures dropping as low as minus 18 degrees Celsius.
“The consequences of Russian attacks and worsening weather conditions are severe (…) Overall, a state of emergency will be declared for Ukraine’s energy sector,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement posted on social media following a meeting with senior officials.
Zelensky announced the creation of a “permanent coordination headquarters” to manage the crisis in the capital, Kyiv, and tasked former defence minister and current energy chief Denys Shmyhal with overseeing support efforts for affected individuals and communities, including addressing power outages, heating shortages and other “practical issues.”
“There are many problems that require urgent solutions,” the president said, noting that repair crews, energy companies, municipal services and the State Emergency Service are working “around the clock” to restore electricity supplies. Kyiv has been particularly affected after Russian strikes last Friday disabled key parts of the power grid, as daytime temperatures hover around minus 12 degrees Celsius and plunge to minus 18 at night.
Zelensky added that public authorities will “maximize efforts with partners to obtain the necessary equipment and additional support,” while the government will ensure “maximum deregulation of all processes” to speed up the connection of backup power equipment to the grid. He also confirmed that work is underway to significantly increase electricity imports into Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader further instructed his Cabinet to review curfew regulations in light of the extreme cold, arguing that citizens must have the greatest possible access to assistance centers, while businesses should be given flexibility to plan their operations according to the state of the energy system.
International
France joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed in the early hours of Thursday (Wednesday afternoon in El Salvador) that France will take part in “Operation Arctic Resistance,” after Denmark announced it would expand its military presence in Greenland amid rising tensions with the United States over Washington’s stated ambitions regarding the semi-autonomous territory.
“At Denmark’s request, I have decided that France will participate in the joint exercises organized by Denmark in Greenland, ‘Operation Arctic Resistance,’” Macron said in a brief message posted on social media at 5:18 p.m.
The French president added that “the first French military elements are already on their way, with others to follow,” though he did not specify the number of troops being deployed or the scale of France’s planned contribution.
The governments of Sweden, Norway and Germany have also confirmed the deployment of military contingents to Greenland. Germany’s armed forces will send a 13-member reconnaissance team to the Greenlandic capital, Nuuk, to take part in a mission scheduled to run from Thursday through Saturday, according to the German Ministry of Defence.
Denmark’s announcement came shortly before a Danish delegation met at the White House with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss Washington’s plans regarding Greenland. Copenhagen said the military activities would be carried out “in close cooperation with NATO allies.”
International
Iran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
Iranian authorities closed the country’s airspace in the early hours of Thursday, according to data from flight-tracking website FlightRadar24, amid growing threats of a possible U.S. attack as protests across the country continue and have reportedly left thousands dead.
According to FlightRadar24, the Iranian government suspended all flights to and from the country, except for international flights that have received special authorization. The notice was initially issued for a duration of just over two hours.
The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump in recent days threatened to strike Iran if its security forces failed to halt the deaths linked to weeks-long protests that began in Tehran and later spread to other Iranian cities. Despite the threats, the White House said diplomacy remains Trump’s preferred option.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump claimed that “the deaths in Iran have stopped” and said there would be no executions of protesters following his warnings to Tehran. He added that his administration would seek to verify those claims.
“I’ve been told the deaths in Iran are stopping. They’ve stopped, and that there are no plans for executions,” Trump told reporters, cautioning that the United States would be “very upset” if those assurances proved to be untrue.
The statements contrast with reports from rights groups. The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) said on Wednesday that more than 3,400 people have been killed since the protests erupted. Meanwhile, Kurdish-Iranian rights group Hengaw reported this week that a 26-year-old Iranian man, Erfan Soltani, was facing execution as of Wednesday.
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
France joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
Iran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
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
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International2 days agoDeadly van accident near Brazil border leaves 11 dead in Bolivia
-
Central America2 days agoTaiwan’s $10 million donation after 2001 earthquakes allegedly diverted in El Salvador
-
Central America2 days agoU.S. and El Salvador maintain close partnership, embassy says
-
International2 days agoDominican court postpones hearing in deadly nightclub collapse case
-
International2 days agoU.S. to host Danish and Greenlandic Foreign Ministers at the White House
-
International2 days agoPolice hunt gunmen after fatal shooting in Corsica
-
International2 days agoEx-President accused of bid to establish dictatorship as verdict nears in South Korea
-
International2 days agoVenezuelan opposition leader dedicates Nobel Prize to Trump
-
International4 days agoU.S. Issues Urgent Evacuation Call for Citizens in Venezuela
-
International2 days agoColombian Defense Chief Meets U.S. Officials to Advance Bilateral Narcotics Strategy
-
Central America1 day agoBukele warns crime can become a ‘parallel government’ during visit to Costa Rica
-
International2 days agoPeruvian Court Orders Definitive Dismissal of Money Laundering Case Against Keiko Fujimori
-
International1 day agoU.S. to suspend visa processing for applicants from 75 countries
-
International14 hours agoIran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
-
International14 hours agoUK Intelligence estimates russian casualties in Ukraine at over 1.2 million
-
International14 hours agoUkraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
-
International14 hours agoU.S.–Denmark tensions escalate as Trump pushes NATO to back U.S. claim on Greenland
-
International14 hours agoFrance joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
-
International14 hours agoSwiss Canton of Valais Grants Emergency Aid to Victims of Crans-Montana Bar Tragedy
-
International14 hours agoHillary Clinton skips Epstein inquiry as house panel threatens contempt charges
-
International14 hours agoX moves to block Grok from creating sexualized images of real people amid legal scrutiny