International

North Korea makes a seemingly failed launch of a missile into the Sea of Japan

North Korea fired as a test an unidentified ballistic missile towards the Sea of Japan (called the East Sea in the two Koreas) that apparently failed, according to the South Korean Army, in what is the first launch of its kind since last May 30.

“Around 05.30 (Tuesday’s 20.30 GMT) today, Wednesday, June 26, North Korea launched an unknown type ballistic missile from the Pyongyang area to the East Sea, but it is believed that it failed,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement.

The intelligence authorities of the Republic of Korea (official name of South Korea) and the United States are carrying out more analysis,” the text adds.

A military source cited by the Yonhap agency indicated that the projectile launched was apparently a hypersonic missile that only managed to travel about 250 kilometers before falling into the water.

In turn, the Japanese authorities have pointed out that the projectile would have fallen outside the Japanese exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the waters of the Sea of Japan.

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The launch comes after the day before Pyongyang sent another wave of balloons with waste to the South for the second consecutive day – and for the fifth time in the last month – in retaliation for the sending, in a northerly direction, of propaganda against the regime made days earlier by a group of activists from the South.

In addition, on Monday the North Korean regime charged against the arrival at the South Korean port of Busan of the American aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, with nuclear propulsion, a gesture that is interpreted as a show of strength after the summit held last week in Pyongyang between the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un and the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.

The South Korean president himself, Yoon Suk-yeol, visited the aircraft carrier, which today plans to start trilateral maneuvers with the South Korean and Japanese armies.

Pyongyang threatened to take “new and overwhelming” measures in response to that “provocative act,” in a statement by the North Korean Deputy Minister of Defense, Kim Kang-il, picked up by the state agency KCNA.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”

International

Mexico security chief meets DEA director in Washington to boost anti-drug cooperation

Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, met in Washington with the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Terrance Cole, to discuss cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and illegal arms flows.

The Mexican official said Monday on social media that he attended the meeting in representation of the Mexican government’s Security Cabinet.

“In Washington, D.C., I represented the Security Cabinet to hold talks with DEA Director Terrance Cole on the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation to combat drug trafficking, curb the flow of weapons into our country, and reduce violence in Mexico through significant arrests,” García Harfuch wrote.

He added that, following instructions from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the government will continue strengthening international cooperation on security matters.

For his part, Cole said the meeting focused on cross-border collaboration to tackle drug trafficking and to build safer communities on both sides of the border.

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The meeting comes as Mexico and the United States begin a new round of dialogue on economic and security issues.

Earlier Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said she will look for the “best moment” to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that maintaining a good relationship with Washington is a priority for her administration.

International

Venezuela’s foreign minister accuses UN rights chief of “immoral bias”

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil criticized the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, accusing him of having an “immoral bias” and acting as an “echo chamber for falsehoods” regarding the situation in Venezuela.

Gil’s remarks came after Türk stated that his office had not received an official list from Venezuelan authorities detailing the release of political prisoners, nor authorization to carry out visits related to the issue.

“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights insists on a narrative biased against our country, repeating unfounded accusations while deliberately omitting the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the rights of the Venezuelan people,” Gil said in a message posted on his Telegram channel.

Without directly addressing the question of prisoner releases, the Venezuelan foreign minister also accused Türk of aligning with what he described as the “agenda of extremism in Venezuela.”

Gil added that, despite serious human rights violations occurring in other parts of the world, the UN official has chosen to maintain what he described as an “immoral bias” against Venezuela.

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The criticism is part of a broader dispute between the Venezuelan government and the UN human rights office over reports and investigations concerning the human rights situation in the country.