International

“Corruption is betrayal”: Sheinbaum defends armed corces’ values in Veracruz

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated on Saturday that defending the country’s sovereignty requires values rooted in both individuals and institutions—values she said the Armed Forces possess. Her remarks came amid an ongoing investigation involving senior Navy officials accused of participating in a fuel smuggling network known as “huachicol fiscal.”

Sheinbaum delivered her speech in the port city of Veracruz, during a ceremony marking the 204th anniversary of the founding of the Mexican Navy and the 201st anniversary of the 1824 Federal Constitution, the first republican charter that established the nation’s three branches of government.

“The Mexican Armed Forces uphold honor, which demands integrity and reminds us that every action represents our nation; loyalty, which means absolute faithfulness to the people and the homeland; duty, which drives us to fulfill our mission without hesitation; patriotism, which is love for the nation expressed through dedication and sacrifice; and honesty, the foundation that gives meaning and strength to all other values—because without it, nothing endures,” Sheinbaum said.

She emphasized that corruption is the opposite of honesty, describing it as “a betrayal of all values and an act of disloyalty.” She insisted it “must have no place in our institutions and must be firmly punished.”

Her statements come after revelations of a corruption network allegedly led by Vice Admiral Manuel Roberto Farías Laguna, the detained nephew-in-law of former Navy Secretary Rafael Ojeda Durán (2018–2024), a close ally of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The case also involves ten naval officers and customs officials.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

“The loyalty we owe to the homeland also means loyalty to our values and to the truth,” Sheinbaum concluded, calling for honesty to be upheld as a core principle of public service.

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

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.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

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.”