International
Ukraine assures that the first North Korean soldiers will be deployed on the war front in two days
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, warned this Friday citing information collected by his intelligence services, that the first North Korean soldiers who according to Seoul, Washington and Kiev already receive instruction in Russia will be sent with the Russian Army at the front in two days.
“According to intelligence information, on October 27 or 28 the first North Korean military will be deployed by Russia in combat zones,” Zelenski said after meeting with his military and security leadership.
“Obvious escalation” of Russia
The Ukrainian president described the alleged imminent deployment of North Korean soldiers on the front as an “obvious escalation” by Russia.
“The world has to do with it clearly what Russia really wants, which is the continuation of the war,” Zelenski said in his report of the meeting with his military leadership, published on his Telegram channel.
The Ukrainian president also called for “a forceful reaction” from the international community.
“The consummation of North Korea’s entry into combat actions should not be received with closed eyes and vague comments, but with tangible pressure on both Moscow and Pyongyang to respect the UN Charter and punish this escalation,” Zelenski said.
North Korean soldiers on the Kursk front
Both the United States and South Korea have confirmed that about 3,000 North Korean soldiers are already training in Russia to enter the war with the Russian Army.
According to Seoul intelligence, North Korea has decided to contribute up to 12,000 men to the Russian war effort.
Ukrainian sources say they have evidence of movements of North Korean soldiers from the Russian Far East, where they would have begun training, to the west of Russia, from where they would join the ranks of the Kremlin troops fighting against Ukraine.
According to some Kiev sources, the Russian oblast of Kursk – where Ukrainian troops control part of the territory – is the destination chosen for the first North Korean contingent to join the Russian Army.
“Compliance” with international law
Meanwhile, North Korea said that sending its troops to Russia “would comply with international law” if it occurred, in a statement from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs that is the first of the regime on the North Korean deployment allegedly destined for Ukraine.
“If something like what the international media talk about happens, I think it would be an action that complies with international legal norms,” Kim Jong-gyu, Deputy Foreign Minister in charge of Russia, said in a statement distributed by the state agency KCNA.
“I think there will surely be forces that want to present it as illegal,” Kim added in response to a question posed by a journalist from this official North Korean agency about the deployment of this country’s army in Russia, according to the KCNA.
“Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not participate directly in what the Ministry of Defense does and does not feel the need to confirm it separately,” said the deputy minister.
International
Foro Penal Reports 404 Political Prisoners Still Held in Venezuela
The Venezuelan human rights organization Foro Penal, which leads legal defense efforts for political prisoners in the country, reported on Wednesday that 404 people remain imprisoned for political reasons, five fewer than the figure released a week earlier. Among those detained are 39 foreign nationals or individuals with dual citizenship.
According to data published by the organization, the current total includes 369 men and 35 women being held on political grounds. The report also indicates that 225 of the detainees are civilians, including one teenager, while 179 are members of the military.
Foro Penal stated that 167 of the prisoners have been convicted, whereas 237 remain behind bars without a final sentence. The organization also noted that it has documented 19,102 politically motivated detentions in Venezuela since 2014.
The updated figures come amid an ongoing process of prisoner releases announced by Venezuelan authorities. Two weeks ago, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said that approximately 300 detainees would be freed as part of a new round of releases, separate from those granted under an amnesty approved earlier this year.
Days later, acting President Delcy Rodríguez stated that the number of releases would reach 500 in the coming days. However, relatives of political prisoners and human rights organizations have questioned the pace of the process, arguing that the number of verified releases remains significantly lower than the figures announced by the government.
Foro Penal has reported that dozens of prisoners have been released in recent weeks, but the organization maintains that hundreds of people continue to be detained for political reasons despite the government’s promises and the implementation of the amnesty process.
Families of detainees have continued to demand greater transparency regarding the release process, alleging that many of the promised excarcerations have yet to materialize and calling on authorities to provide clear information about those who remain in custody.
International
Eight Bodies Found in Ecuador as Authorities Probe Link to Missing Persons Case
Ecuadorian police reported on Wednesday the discovery of eight bodies inside bags in a coastal area of southwestern Ecuador known as a strategic corridor for drug trafficking, as the country continues to grapple with an unprecedented wave of violence.
Authorities are now investigating whether the victims are the same eight people who disappeared on Sunday while traveling to complete a personal errand.
“We have confirmed that there are eight bodies,” said Colonel Galo Muñoz, the police chief for the area, during a press briefing. The bodies were found on the outskirts of the city of Babahoyo.
Interior Minister John Reimberg stated that investigators recovered a note near the bodies suggesting the killings may have been an attack carried out by the criminal organization Los Lobos against Los Choneros, two of Ecuador’s most powerful and violent criminal groups.
According to Muñoz, the bodies were wrapped and transported to a forensic center where specialists will work to establish their identities.
Milagro prosecutor Modesto Freire said the condition of the remains has complicated the identification process.
“The victims’ faces cannot be seen because the bodies are inside bags,” Freire explained.
In a statement posted on social media, Ecuador’s Attorney General’s Office said investigators are collecting evidence to determine whether the remains correspond to the eight individuals reported missing on May 31.
The discovery underscores the ongoing security crisis in Ecuador, where escalating violence linked to organized crime and drug trafficking has become one of the country’s most pressing challenges.
Central America
El Niño could intensify global climate risks, warns World Meteorological Organization
Latin American countries, one of the regions in the world most affected by El Niño, must “take extreme precautions” and make use of so-called “climate intelligence” to mitigate the most severe impacts of the phenomenon, the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Celeste Saulo, told EFE on Tuesday.
With a 90% probability, El Niño is expected to return in the second half of this year, and a strong intensity cannot be ruled out.
As a result, the phenomenon could trigger intense rainfall and flooding in some areas, while causing droughts in others, leading to direct impacts on communities and a wide range of economic sectors, including fishing and agriculture.
Saulo said countries in the region have improved their scientific and institutional capacity to monitor and respond to El Niño, as well as to understand how it interacts with other climate variables, including those linked to climate change, in order to better forecast “more or less severe impacts.”
When describing likely consequences in South and Central America, the Argentine scientist first referred to the “Coastal El Niño,” as the phenomenon is known in Peru and Ecuador.
She explained that this event brings increased rainfall and ocean warming, which strongly affects the fishing industry.
She added that northern South America, Central America, and northeastern Brazil are typically exposed to below-normal rainfall or drought conditions. In past extreme episodes, El Niño has even affected the operational capacity of the Panama Canal and created serious water access and management challenges during severe droughts.
In contrast, southeastern South America—including southern Brazil, Paraguay, northern and northeastern Argentina, and Uruguay—can expect above-average rainfall, increasing the risk of flooding, severe storms, and landslides.
Given the potential for fear and misinformation among populations, Saulo urged people to “trust the institutions responsible for meteorological information,” stressing that national meteorological services are the official and authoritative sources in each country.
“These are the ultimate responsible authorities and the voices of expertise,” she emphasized.
The most recent El Niño episode occurred between 2023 and 2024 and was among the five strongest ever recorded, contributing to record global temperatures.
The WMO chief noted that climate models remain uncertain about the intensity of the next El Niño, though more accurate forecasts are expected in the coming weeks.
While climate change has not been proven to increase the frequency or intensity of El Niño events, scientists do know that both can interact and amplify extreme weather impacts, potentially leading to natural disasters.
Although Latin America is often heavily affected, El Niño impacts can also be felt in North America, the Caribbean, central and eastern Africa, parts of Asia, and Australia.
Foro Penal Reports 404 Political Prisoners Still Held in Venezuela
Eight Bodies Found in Ecuador as Authorities Probe Link to Missing Persons Case
El Niño could intensify global climate risks, warns World Meteorological Organization
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El Niño could intensify global climate risks, warns World Meteorological Organization
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International5 hours agoEight Bodies Found in Ecuador as Authorities Probe Link to Missing Persons Case
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International5 hours agoForo Penal Reports 404 Political Prisoners Still Held in Venezuela