International
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un orders the mass production of drones for suicide attacks
North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, supervised a test of drones destined for suicide attacks and stressed the need for “their rapid large-scale mass production,” according to state media reports on Friday.
These types of drones are used in different attack ranges and have the mission of accurately aiming at any enemy target on land or sea, the North Korean state agency KCNA detailed on Friday, which also shared some images of the leader supervising the weapons tests.
Kim’s instructions on drones
Kim provided guidance on the tests to be carried out with these drones, by an institute affiliated with the Unmanned Aerial Technology Complex, according to the source, while the tests consisted of accurately reaching targets after flying along several pre-established tactical routes.
The leader of the hermetic country expressed his satisfaction with these new weapons and said that their mass production is essential “in the military aspect today.”
“The competition for the use of drones as the main means of military capabilities… is accelerating in the world,” he said, highlighting its growing range of military applications, its low production cost and the simplicity of its production line.
More unmanned vehicles
This call from Kim continues in line with the one he already made last August, when he urged to manufacture more unmanned vehicles, both aerial and aquatic, of a suicidal type or to incorporate artificial intelligence into this type of weapon.
North Korea has developed several drone models in the last decade, and even sent five of them to South Korea, with whom it is technically still at war, in December 2022, with one of them reaching the center of Seoul.
In the current period of intense bilateral military cooperation, it is known that Russia has delivered some drones to North Korea, although the exact type is unknown.
It is believed that in turn, some drones or missiles used by Iran to attack Israel last April could in turn be North Koreans.
International
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Ecuador’s Armed Forces carried out an operation on Monday — including airstrikes — against illegal mining in the town of Buenos Aires, in the country’s north, Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo reported.
The mountainous, gold-rich area has been a hotspot for illegal mining since 2017, located in the Andean province of Imbabura.
In 2019, former president Lenín Moreno deployed around 2,400 soldiers to the region in an attempt to curb the illegal activity. “The operation began with mortar fire, followed by gunfire and bombing runs by Supertucano aircraft,” Loffredo said in a video released by the Defense Ministry.
He added that the operation would continue on Tuesday with patrols across the area to locate possible members of “irregular armed groups that may have crossed from the Colombian border.”
The Armed Forces stated on X that the intervention focused on the “complete elimination of multiple illegal mining tunnels” in the areas known as Mina Nueva and Mina Vieja.
The operation coincided with the deployment of a military and police convoy into Imbabura, which has been the epicenter of protests against President Daniel Noboa since September 22, following his decision to scrap the diesel subsidy.
International
Caracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win
Venezuela has announced the closure of its embassy in Norway, just days after opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Venezuelan diplomatic mission provided no explanation for its decision on Monday.
“It is regrettable,” a ministry spokesperson said. “Despite our differences on several issues, Norway wishes to keep the dialogue with Venezuela open and will continue to work in that direction.” The ministry also emphasized that the Nobel Committee operates entirely independently from the Norwegian government.
In its announcement, the Nobel Committee stated that Machado met the criteria established by Alfred Nobel, “embodying the hope for a different future, where the fundamental rights of Venezuelans are heard.”
International
Sheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
Thousands of military personnel and civilians in Mexico worked tirelessly on Tuesday to clear roads blocked by the torrential rains of recent days, which have left more than 300 communities cut off across central and eastern regions of the country. Authorities also launched mass fumigation efforts in several affected areas to prevent the spread of dengue fever.
The official death toll remains at 64, though dozens of people are still missing. President Claudia Sheinbaumacknowledged that the government does not yet know the full situation in many of the isolated villages, which range in population from 500 to 1,000 inhabitants.
“The reopening of roads is one of the greatest urgencies,” Sheinbaum said. “It’s essential to guarantee air bridges, food supplies, clean water, and a proper census of the isolated communities so we can determine the condition of every person living there.”
Private construction companies are also assisting the effort with heavy machinery and technical support to help reopen highways and reconnect rural areas.
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Caracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win
Sheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
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 agoMexico reports 64 dead, 65 missing after devastating central region floods
-
Central America2 days agoGuatemala arrests first escaped gang member after Barrio 18 prison break
-
International5 days agoMaría Corina Machado calls 2025 Nobel Peace prize a victory for venezuelan people
-
International2 days agoVenezuela calls for continued global pressure to secure ‘just peace’ for Palestine
-
International2 days agoPope Leo XIV to skip COP30 in Brazil but plans future visit, Lula confirms
-
International5 days agoNetanyahu says Trump deserved 2025 Nobel Peace prize
-
International4 days agoPeruvian president Jerí leads prison raids to tackle organized crime
-
International4 days agoVenezuela launches ‘Independence 200’ defense plan amid U.S. naval presence
-
Central America2 days agoFraijanes II prison in Guatemala reports gradual escape of 18th Street gang inmates
-
International15 hours agoSheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
-
International2 days agoHeavy rains leave dozens dead in Hidalgo, Puebla, and Veracruz
-
International15 hours agoArmed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
-
International15 hours agoVenezuelan media faces fresh restrictions after reporting on opposition leader’s Nobel win
-
International15 hours agoCaracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win