Country Captures Notorious Drug Lord’s Nephew Wanted By US, Official Says

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Authorities captured the nephew of drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman during a recent criminal operation, a Mexican official said Tuesday.

Mexican Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection Omar Garcia Harfuch said the suspect, identified as Isai “N,” was detained in Nogales, a city in the Mexican state of Sonora, according to a translation of his X post. The criminal operation that led to the suspect’s capture was coordinated by multiple agencies, including the Mexican National Guard.

In addition to the suspect’s capture, authorities executed a search warrant in Tapachula, Chiapas, and seized 687 kilograms of cocaine, 151 firearms, 363 magazines and 18 grenades, Harfuch said.

“These actions reflect the permanent coordination of the Mexican State to apprehend priority targets and weaken the operational capabilities of criminal groups. We thank the support and collaboration of the authorities of the Government of Chiapas,” his statement on X read in part.

The suspect’s uncle, El Chapo, got involved in drug trafficking in the late 1980s and eventually became the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, according to an archived version of the State Department’s website. He was arrested in June 1993 in Mexico and sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges related to murder and drug trafficking. El Chapo escaped from a federal maximum security prison in January 2001 before he was re-arrested in February 2014. He escaped from prison again in July 2015. (Read more from “Country Captures Notorious Drug Lord’s Nephew Wanted By US, Official Says” HERE)

Country Bans Nicotine Pouches

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France’s health ministry banned multiple nicotine products, with potential violators facing large fines and jail time.

The European country’s ban took effect April 1 and applies to nicotine sachets, or pouches, and beads, along with other oral nicotine products, according to the French Republic’s website. It represents one of the strictest bans against the pouches in Europe, covering import, use and possession of pouches as well as their sale, The Financial Times (FT) reported. Potential violators face up to 5 years in prison and an approximately $436,000 fine. The ban does not include certain medical products or chewing tobacco. Cigarettes and vape products also do not fall under the ban, which targets Zyn as one of the prohibited products, according to the New York Post.

In October 2024, then-French Health Minister Genevieve Darrieussecq said more teenagers were calling to report sometimes dangerous “nicotine syndromes linked to the use of e-cigarette pouches” during a Le Parisien interview. “It is our duty to ban their sale,” she said.

Nicotine pouches were used by around 0.3 percent of the adult European populace in 2021, though that rate was anticipated to triple by 2025, a European Parliament report found. Adolescents and young adults were the main users. The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety alleged advertising of nicotine pouches and products like them was flooding social media and targeting younger people in November 2023, the New York Post reported.

The rule from the country’s health ministry labels nicotine a “toxic substance,” citing health concerns such as addiction and episodes of “acute nicotonic syndromes.” The latter can result in serious vomiting and the possibility of dehydration, seizures and additional symptoms, according to the ministry. (Read more from “Country Bans Nicotine Pouches” HERE)

China, Japan, UAE, India Sell Billions in U.S. Treasuries

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As per latest data from the Treasury International Capital (TIC) System, several countries sold billions of dollars worth of U.S. Treasuries in March 2026.

Japan and China led the exit, selling $47.7 billion and $41 billion worth of U.S. Treasuries in March.

Luxembourg (13.7 billion), Taiwan ($12.7 billion), Saudi Arabia ($10.8 billion), India ($7.6 billion), Canada ($6.9 billion) and the United Arab Emirates ($5.8 billion) were also among the major sellers. . .

Overall, the U.S. Treasuries saw a sell-off of $138.4 billion in March 2026.

The development comes amidst the declining value of the U.S. dollar over the last few years. (Read more from “China, Japan, UAE, India Sell Billions in U.S. Treasuries” HERE)

‘A World Without America’: U.S., Israel Reportedly Floated Installing Ex-Iranian President as New Leader

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In the opening days of the Iran War, the United States and Israel were reportedly considering an unlikely choice as a potential new leader for Iran, according to The New York Times.

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was viewed as a favorable choice to replace the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the NYT reported, citing anonymous U.S. officials. Ahmadinejad was injured when Israeli airstrikes intended to free him from house arrest failed, the outlet reported.

Ahmadinejad has been an ardent anti-U.S. critic, according to public statements that he made in the past.

He called called for “a world without America,” on Oct. 26, 2005, at a conference in Tehran titled The World without Zionism, according to a congressional resolution passed on Jan. 27, 2006.

“As the Imam said, Israel must be wiped off the map,” Ahmadinejad said in reference to statements by Iran’s revolutionary leader Ayatollah Khomeini at the conference, Al Jazeera reported.

(Read more from “‘A World Without America’: U.S., Israel Reportedly Floated Installing Ex-Iranian President as New Leader” HERE)

US Used over Half its THAAD Interceptors Defending Israel from Iran

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The U.S. used more than half of its THAAD anti-missile interceptor inventory defending Israel from Iranian attacks during the war, according to reports.
The Washington Post reported the U.S. also used more than 100 SM-3 and SM-6 interceptors, while Israel used fewer than 100 Arrow interceptors and around 90 David’s Sling interceptors.

Citing an official, the outlet reported that if fighting resumes with Iran, the U.S. would likely need to use even more interceptors because the IDF has sent some missile defense batteries for maintenance.

“Israel is not capable of fighting and winning wars on its own, but nobody actually knows this because they never see the back end,” the official said.

The Pentagon denied there was any issue with sharing resources with Israel, saying, “Ballistic missile interceptors are just one tool in a vast network of systems and capabilities.” (Read more from “US Used over Half its THAAD Interceptors Defending Israel from Iran” HERE)

Explosive: CIA Reportedly Waging Secret Bloody War Against Mexico Cartel

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Government sources revealed this week that the CIA is secretly waging war against the Mexican cartel.

Earlier this spring, on one of Mexico’s busiest highways, just outside the country’s capital, an inexplicable explosion destroyed a car carrying an alleged cartel operative in broad daylight.

Francisco Beltran and his driver were both instantly killed by the concentrated blast; their bodies were discovered hunched over in their seats. Images and video from the March 28 attack show the car rolling forward and sliding off the highway after a brief flare of flames.

Numerous sources said the explosion was a targeted killing carried out by CIA operations officers, despite the Mexican government’s intense secrecy surrounding it. The State of Mexico’s Attorney General told CNN that an explosive device had been concealed inside the car.

According to those sources and two other people acquainted with the campaign, the Beltran operation was a part of a larger, previously unknown CIA campaign inside Mexico, led by the agency’s elite and covert Ground Branch, to destroy the established cartel networks. (Read more from “Explosive: CIA Reportedly Waging Secret Bloody War Against Mexico Cartel” HERE)

Mystery of Sunken Russian ‘Ghost Ship’ Grows after Explosions Reported while Carrying Alleged Nuclear Reactors to North Korea

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The mystery of how a Russian cargo ship sank deepened after it was revealed that the vessel suffered multiple explosions while allegedly carrying two nuclear reactors believed to be bound for North Korea, according to a new report.

The prevailing theory suggests that the West might have been involved in the incident that saw the Ursa Major sink 60 miles off the coast of Spain on Dec. 23, 2024, CNN reported.

The ship, also known as the Sparta 3, appeared to have been hit by a rare type of torpedo that breached the ship’s hull and forced it to sink to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, according to Spanish investigators.

The investigation suggested that the only thing that could have breached the ship was the Barracuda supercavitating torpedo, a powerful weapon of which only the US, a few NATO countries, Russia and Iran are believed to be in possession.

In the aftermath of the incident, the ship’s Russian captain allegedly told Spanish investigators that Ursa Major was hauling “components for two nuclear reactors similar to those used in submarines,” with the sailor unsure if the reactors were loaded with atomic fuel, CNN reported. (Read more from “Mystery of Sunken Russian ‘Ghost Ship’ Grows after Explosions Reported while Carrying Alleged Nuclear Reactors to North Korea” HERE)

Report: Pakistan Deploys Jets and Troops to Saudi Arabia for Iran War

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Pakistan sent a squadron of jet fighters, an air-defense system, and about 8,000 troops to Saudi Arabia to honor a mutual defense pact between the two countries during the Iran war, according to a Reuters report on Monday.

“The deployment, the full scale of which is reported here for the first time, was confirmed by three security officials and two government sources, all of whom described it as a substantial, combat-capable force intended to support Saudi Arabia’s military if the kingdom comes under further attack,” Reuters wrote.

This seems like a delicate point, since Iran has attacked Saudi Arabia without any sign of an overwhelming response by Pakistani forces. The Saudis intercepted three more inbound Iranian drones on Monday, the day after Iran is believed to have used drones to bomb the Barakah nuclear plant in the United Arab Emirates.

As with past Iranian attacks, the Saudi Defense Ministry vowed to “take the necessary operation measures to respond to any attempt to violate its sovereignty and security,” but did not take any dramatic action against Iran. There was no clear indication that Pakistani forces played any role in taking down the latest three Iranian drones.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a defense pact in September 2025, shortly after Israel conducted a surprise airstrike on Hamas terrorist leaders living in Doha, Qatar. Although the defense pact did not specifically mention Israel, many observers suspected the agreement was intended to make the Israelis think twice about conducting similar strikes on Saudi or Pakistani territory – or perhaps to make the United States think twice about supporting Israeli strikes. (Read more from “Report: Pakistan Deploys Jets and Troops to Saudi Arabia for Iran War” HERE)

Xi Raises Prospect of a Future US-China War in Meeting with Trump: ‘Thucydides Trap’

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By New York Post. Chinese leader Xi Jinping opened Wednesday’s high-stakes meeting with President Trump by ominously raising the prospect of a future war between the US and China.

Xi made reference to a geopolitical concept known as the Thucydides trap, which posits that there is a high probability of a violent clash when a rising power challenges the ruling hegemon.

“The whole world is watching our meeting,” Xi said inside Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, with Trump seated across the table.

“Currently, transformation not seen in a century is accelerating across the globe, and the international situation is fluid and turbulent,” he continued, according to one translation of his remarks. “The world has come to a new crossroads.

“Can China and the United States overcome the Thucydides trap and create a new paradigm of major country relations? Can we meet global challenges together and provide more stability for the world? Can we, in the interest of the well-being of our two peoples and the future of humanity, build a brighter future together for our bilateral relations?” (Read more from “Xi Raises Prospect of a Future US-China War in Meeting with Trump: ‘Thucydides Trap’” HERE)

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Melania Mysteriously Snubs Trump’s Big Trip

By Daily Beast. Donald Trump left Washington for a three-day state visit to China flanked by cabinet secretaries, sixteen corporate CEOs, his son Eric and daughter-in-law Lara—but not his wife.

Melania Trump’s office confirmed her absence in an email to the South China Morning Post hours before takeoff, without even attempting to offer an explanation: “First Lady Melania Trump is not travelling this time,” her spokesperson said.

Her office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on why she was sitting out the trip.

The move comes amid speculation about the first lady increasingly breaking with her husband as she seems to be trying to charter her own course. Trump and his White House aides were reportedly blindsided last month when she called a surprise press conference to read a statement declaring she had no ties to the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The move appeared only to revive the scandal that Trump himself had been eager to put to rest.

Melania’s absence, bizarrely, does not appear to have kept the man who produced her critically panned Melania documentary last year from tagging along. (Read more from “Melania Mysteriously Snubs Trump’s Big Trip” HERE)

Multiple Oil Spills May Plague The Persian Gulf Because Of Iran War

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The Iran War’s effects are moving past economics and into the environment.

Multiple instances of what appear to be oil spills have occurred this week in the Persian Gulf, Reuters reported. One apparent spill appears to be emanating from Kharg Island, while another spill appears to be streaming behind an ADNOC Logistics & Services oil tanker that was hit by Iranian drones on May 4.

The images are probably indicative of oil slicks, Reuters reported, citing Louis Goddard, co-founder of Data Desk, a climate- and commodities-focused consultant.

“The ADNOC Logistics & Services vessel Barakah remains at anchor off the coast of Oman ​after being impacted by two Iranian drones on May 4,” Reuters reported, citing an ADNOC company spokesperson. “A small amount of what is understood to be bunker fuel was unfortunately released as a result of the incident.”

The Barakah is classified as a crude oil tanker, according to MarineTraffic. It remains unclear how much fuel leaked into the Persian Gulf from the vessel. (Read more from “Multiple Oil Spills May Plague The Persian Gulf Because Of Iran War” HERE)

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