Rapid geopolitical shifts are unfolding across continents.
Several nations including the United States, India, Sweden and South Korea have urged their citizens to leave Iran immediately amid escalating tensions.
Tehran has issued a fresh missile warning to Israel, claiming it is now in a stronger defensive position than during the June 2025 conflict.
In Mexico, cartel leader El Mencho has reportedly been killed in a military operation, triggering violent retaliation in Puerto Vallarta and leaving tourists stranded.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared the strengthening of Russia’s nuclear triad an “absolute priority” following the expiry of the last remaining nuclear arms treaty with the United States.
Watch World News with Pankaj Mishra.
#IranCrisis
#IsraelIran
#BreakingNews
#MexicoCartel
#ElMencho
#RussiaNuclear
#Putin
#Geopolitics
#WorldNews
#GlobalTensions
~HT.178~GR.538~PR.282~CA.502~
Several nations including the United States, India, Sweden and South Korea have urged their citizens to leave Iran immediately amid escalating tensions.
Tehran has issued a fresh missile warning to Israel, claiming it is now in a stronger defensive position than during the June 2025 conflict.
In Mexico, cartel leader El Mencho has reportedly been killed in a military operation, triggering violent retaliation in Puerto Vallarta and leaving tourists stranded.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared the strengthening of Russia’s nuclear triad an “absolute priority” following the expiry of the last remaining nuclear arms treaty with the United States.
Watch World News with Pankaj Mishra.
#IranCrisis
#IsraelIran
#BreakingNews
#MexicoCartel
#ElMencho
#RussiaNuclear
#Putin
#Geopolitics
#WorldNews
#GlobalTensions
~HT.178~GR.538~PR.282~CA.502~
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NewsTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome to One India. You are watching World News. My name is Pankaj Mishra.
00:04There have been rapid developments across the globe, from urgent evacuation advisories in West Asia,
00:10to missile warnings from Tehran, from cartel warfare spilling into Mexican resort towns,
00:16to Moscow placing nuclear deterrents at the center of its strategic doctrine.
00:21We begin in Iran, where rising regional tensions have triggered a wave of international alerts.
00:30Several major governments are urging their citizens to leave Iran immediately.
00:36The United States, India, Serbia, Sweden, South Korea and Poland have issued advisories
00:42warning of deteriorating security conditions, possible violence and travel disruptions.
00:48This comes amid escalating regional tensions and internal unrest,
00:53a volatile mix that has raised the risk threshold for foreign nationals.
00:57Diplomatic channels remain open, but the advisory language is urgent, not precautionary.
01:04Let's take a closer look.
01:06The countdown to diplomacy has begun, but the shadow of conflict is growing.
01:13The United States and Iran are set to meet in Geneva this week for another round of nuclear talks.
01:21Washington believes Tehran may be willing to reduce its stockpile of highly enriched uranium,
01:27but even as negotiations continue, military deployments, political ultimatums,
01:33and street protests inside Iran are raising fears that the region could be moving toward a crisis instead of a
01:41deal.
01:42And now, governments around the world are quietly preparing for the worst.
01:47Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, says diplomacy is still possible.
01:54But Tehran also fears that Washington could suddenly shift course,
01:59especially after Donald Trump reportedly gave Iran just 10 to 15 days to accept a nuclear deal.
02:06At the same time, the U.S. has deployed a major naval force to the region,
02:12including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, along with destroyers and frigates.
02:19Military pressure outside the country and protests inside it.
02:24Together, they are creating a climate of deep uncertainty.
02:27India has now urged its citizens in Iran, including students, pilgrims, business travelers,
02:35and tourists, to leave the country using any available transport.
02:40The advisory follows earlier warnings issued in January and reflects growing concern that the situation could deteriorate quickly.
02:49Embassy officials have advised nationals to avoid protest areas, stay in close contact with authorities,
02:56and monitor local media.
02:59It's a precaution, but a serious one.
03:02India is not alone.
03:04South Korea has issued a red alert, urging its citizens to depart while commercial flights remain available,
03:12warning that travel routes could close suddenly.
03:15Poland's prime minister has called on all Polish nationals to leave Iran immediately,
03:21saying evacuation options could disappear within hours if tensions escalate.
03:26Serbia has also advised its citizens to exit the country as soon as possible,
03:32citing a deteriorating security situation.
03:36These warnings reflect a shared concern,
03:38that the window for safe departure could close without notice.
03:43For now, diplomacy continues.
03:46But embassies issuing departure advisories,
03:49warships moving into position,
03:51and protests growing inside Iran all point to one reality.
03:56The coming days could determine whether this moment becomes a diplomatic breakthrough
04:01or the beginning of another Middle East crisis.
04:07Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araujji, has claimed the country is now in a better defensive position
04:14than during the June 2025 war with Israel.
04:17In an interview with CBS News, he said that while Iran faced challenges in air defense,
04:23Israeli systems too were penetrated,
04:26an Iranian missile successfully hit targets inside Israel.
04:31Araujji insisted that Israel initiated the 12-day conflict
04:35and that it was Tel Aviv that ultimately sought an unconditional ceasefire.
04:40The message from Tehran is clear.
04:43If attacked again, Iran will respond,
04:46and it believes its missile capabilities are now stronger than before.
04:52Tensions between the United States and Iran are once again rising.
04:58Iranian President Masoud Pazeshkian says nuclear talks with Washington
05:03are showing encouraging signals.
05:05But at the same time, Tehran warns it is prepared for any scenario.
05:11The warning comes as the United States boosts its military presence in the Gulf
05:16and President Donald Trump signals that really bad things could happen
05:21if negotiations collapse.
05:24They cannot continue to threaten the stability of the entire region
05:28and they must make a deal.
05:31Or if that doesn't happen, I maybe can understand.
05:34If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen.
05:36But bad things will happen.
05:39Behind the diplomacy lies a stark military reality.
05:44If a conflict erupts,
05:47Iranian ballistic missiles could reach Israel in less than eight minutes,
05:52and that short flight time could define the first moments of any regional war.
06:00The distance between western Iran and Tel Aviv is roughly 1,300 to 1,600 kilometers.
06:07For modern ballistic missiles, that's not far.
06:11Most Iranian medium-range ballistic missiles would take around 10 to 12 minutes to reach Israel.
06:18But newer systems, especially high-speed or maneuverable designs,
06:23could shorten that window to under seven minutes.
06:26In military terms, that's barely enough time for detection, tracking,
06:31interception, and civilian warning systems.
06:34For comparison, cruise missiles take hours.
06:38Drones can take half a day.
06:41Ballistic missiles are different.
06:43They strike fast, and they strike hard.
06:45They keep repeating this empty boast to Israel.
06:50We've dispatched a warship towards Iran.
06:53Oh, what a mighty force.
06:55A warship, of course, is a dangerous piece of machinery.
06:59But what's far more dangerous than any warship is the kind of weapon
07:04that has the capability to send this very warship to the bottom of the ocean.
07:13Iran has built the largest ballistic missile arsenal in the Middle East.
07:18Many launch sites are hidden in underground missile cities carved into mountains.
07:23Others are mobile, designed to fire and relocate before being detected.
07:29Iran caps most missile ranges at around 2,000 kilometers,
07:33just enough to cover Israel and U.S. bases across the region.
07:38And while Israeli air defenses intercept many incoming threats,
07:43even a few successful strikes can have strategic impact.
07:48So which missiles matter most?
07:50Let's break down the top five systems capable of reaching Israel quickly.
07:58The Qoramshar-4 is one of Iran's heaviest hitters.
08:03Designed for high-impact strikes, it can carry massive payloads
08:07and reach Israel from deep inside Iranian territory.
08:15Iran's most controversial missile is the Fatah-1.
08:19Iran claims it can evade missile defenses using hypersonic speeds and maneuvering re-entry paths,
08:26though analysts debate how advanced it really is.
08:33The Sejil represents Iran's shift to solid fuel missiles.
08:37Because it doesn't require fueling before launch, it can fire quickly,
08:42making pre-emptive strikes much harder.
08:47The Kaibar Shekhan is part of Iran's newer generation of precision missiles.
08:53Its ability to zigzag through the atmosphere complicates tracking and interception.
09:02The Emad is an upgraded version of the Shahab-3.
09:06Unlike older ballistic missiles, it's designed to hit specific targets, not just cities.
09:15It's designed to hit specific targets.
09:16During missile exchanges in 2024 and 2025,
09:20ballistic missiles launched toward Israel arrived within roughly that predicted window,
09:26often under 12 minutes.
09:28Most were intercepted by Israel's multi-layered defenses,
09:32Aero, David's Sling, Iron Dome, and U.S. support systems.
09:37But some did get through.
09:39And in modern warfare, even a handful of successful strikes can reshape the battlefield
09:45and the politics that follow.
09:50As nuclear negotiations continue, the shadow of missile warfare hangs over the region.
09:57Because diplomacy may move slowly, but ballistic missiles do not.
10:01And in a future crisis, the difference between peace and escalation could be measured not in days or hours,
10:09but in minutes.
10:11And now to the news of the day.
10:14According to Mexico's Secretariat of National Defense, a major operation in Talalpa, Jalisco,
10:21the birthplace of the cartel, led to the capture of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as El Mencho.
10:30During the operation, troops came under heavy fire.
10:34Four people were killed at the scene.
10:36Three more, including Cervantes, were wounded and later died while being transported for medical treatment.
10:42Authorities say armored vehicles, rocket launchers, and heavy weapons were seized.
10:47Three members of the Mexican Armed Forces were also injured.
10:51Here's the full report.
10:54He was untouchable.
10:56For more than a decade, that was the belief surrounding Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes,
11:02the elusive founder of the Jalisco New Generation cartel known to the world as El Mencho.
11:10On February 22nd, 2026, that belief shattered in the mountains of Tapalpa.
11:18Before dawn, Mexican Special Forces, backed by the Army, Air Force, and National Guard,
11:25launched a precision raid on a suspected cartel compound.
11:30The mission had one objective, capture the most powerful drug lord in Mexico.
11:36For years, he had evaded authorities.
11:40A $15 million U.S. bounty hung over his head.
11:44Intelligence cooperation between Mexico and the United States, including support from United States
11:50Northern Command, reportedly helped pinpoint his location.
11:54Then came the assault.
11:58Helicopters thundered over rugged terrain southwest of Guadalajara.
12:03Troops stormed the stronghold.
12:06Gunfire erupted.
12:08CJNG gunmen responded with heavy weapons.
12:11Explosions echoed through the hills.
12:17Armored vehicles and high-caliber firearms were later seized, underscoring the cartel's military-grade capabilities.
12:25At least four cartel members were killed at the scene.
12:29Three Mexican soldiers were wounded but survived.
12:33El Mencho himself was gravely injured in the crossfire.
12:37Captured alive but in critical condition,
12:40he was rushed onto a military helicopter bound for Mexico City.
12:45He never arrived.
12:47Mexico's Secretariat of National Defense confirmed he died en route from the wounds sustained during the firefight.
12:55In total, at least seven cartel members, including El Mencho, were reported dead.
13:01But his death did not bring calm.
13:04Within hours, cartel loyalists unleashed coordinated retaliation.
13:09Highways were blocked with burning buses, vehicles torched, businesses set ablaze.
13:15In cities like Puerto Vallarta and Zapopan, flights were diverted, schools closed, and smoke rose over major roadways.
13:26Panic spread across more than a dozen states.
13:30The so-called narco blockades were seen as both revenge and a show of force.
13:37Under El Mencho's leadership, the CJNG had evolved into a global trafficking powerhouse,
13:44challenging even the powerful Sinaloa cartel.
13:47His iron grip kept the organization unified.
13:51Now, that grip is gone.
13:57Experts warn that while his death marks one of the biggest blows to organized crime in over a decade,
14:04it could also trigger internal power struggles, splinter factions, and renewed bloodshed.
14:12Mexico has captured kingpins before.
14:15History shows that removing a cartel leader does not always end violence.
14:21Sometimes, it reshapes it.
14:25For now, authorities treat his death as final.
14:29No public images have been released, but multiple Mexican and US officials have confirmed it.
14:35The era of El Mencho is over.
14:39The question is, what rises from the ashes of the empire he built?
14:49Following reports of El Mencho's killing, American tourists in Puerto Vallarta described scenes resembling urban warfare.
14:57Flights were canceled, authorities issued shelter-in-place orders, vehicles were set ablaze, major roads were reportedly blocked.
15:06Witnesses spoke of looted stores and panic spreading through hotel zones.
15:11Here is the first-person account from Mexico.
15:17A cartel boss fell.
15:19And within hours, a vacation paradise turned into a war zone.
15:26On February 22nd, 2026, Mexican Army Special Forces killed Nemesio El Mencho Oseguera Cervantes,
15:34the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG, during an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco.
15:42And then, the retaliation began.
15:46If you're an American tourist in Puerto Vallarta, this is what the last 48 hours looked like.
15:52Black smoke rising over the waterfront.
15:55Burning cars and buses blocking highways.
15:59Taxis set on fire.
16:01Gunfire echoing through streets that, just a day before, were filled with beachgoers.
16:06Puerto Vallarta isn't some remote border town.
16:09It's one of Mexico's top tourist destinations, welcoming more than 1.2 million American visitors every year.
16:16And suddenly, it was under lockdown.
16:19The U.S. State Department issued urgent shelter-in-place alerts for Americans in Jalisco,
16:25including Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, and Chapala,
16:28and in other states like Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Guerrero, and Nuevo León.
16:33The message was clear.
16:35Stay in your hotel.
16:37Avoid crowds.
16:39Minimize movement.
16:40Monitor local media.
16:42Canada and other governments issued similar warnings.
16:46At the same time, air travel collapsed.
16:49Major airlines—United, American, Delta, Alaska, Southwest, Air Canada, and Aeromexico—canceled
16:57or suspended flights to and from Puerto Vallarta International Airport.
17:01Some travelers couldn't even reach the airport because roads were blocked with burning vehicles.
17:07Inside terminals, passengers ran for cover as panic spread.
17:12Hundreds, possibly thousands, of U.S. visitors were left stranded.
17:16Some flights are not expected to resume until later this week.
17:20On the ground, tourists described a city that no longer felt like a resort, but like a conflict zone.
17:27Families with children stayed locked inside hotel rooms.
17:30Long-time visitors—people who had vacation there for years without incident—
17:35said the shift from calm to chaos happened in hours.
17:38From balconies, some watched as vehicles burned below.
17:42Streets emptied.
17:43Stores were looted.
17:45Public transportation stopped.
17:47A curfew went into effect.
17:48Schools, banks, shops closed.
17:52And this wasn't just Puerto Vallarta.
17:55Violence spread across between 12 and 20 states.
17:58More than 250 roadblocks were reported nationwide.
18:02Clashes with security forces.
18:04Attacks on businesses and banks.
18:06This is what happens when a powerful cartel leader is suddenly removed.
18:10A power vacuum forms, and retaliation follows.
18:14CJNG has been a central player in global drug trafficking,
18:17including fentanyl flows into the United States.
18:21And its response was vast and highly visible.
18:25As of Monday afternoon, February 23rd, some areas of Puerto Vallarta have quieted overnight.
18:30Smoke has cleared in parts of the city.
18:32But curfews and shelter advisories remain in place.
18:35There are no confirmed reports of major tourist casualties.
18:39But the disruption and the fear have been real.
18:43For Americans on the ground, official guidance is simple.
18:46Contact the U.S. Embassy in Mexico if you need help.
18:48Check directly with your airline.
18:50Follow official State Department elects.
18:56On Defender of the Fatherland Day, President Vladimir Putin declared the development of Russia's nuclear triad as an absolute priority.
19:05His remarks come after the expiry of the last remaining nuclear arms treaty between Moscow and Washington.
19:12Putin said strengthening Russia's army and navy remains central to maintaining strategic balance,
19:19drawing lessons from the nearly four years of war in Ukraine.
19:23Details in this report.
19:26Putin just put nuclear weapons back at the center of global politics.
19:32In a video address marking Defender of the Fatherland Day,
19:36Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a message that wasn't just ceremonial.
19:54It was strategic. And it was pointed. Putin declared that strengthening Russia's nuclear forces,
20:02specifically its nuclear triad, is now an absolute priority.
20:07That triad includes land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles,
20:14and strategic bombers.
20:16In other words, the full spectrum of nuclear delivery.
20:21He said this buildup is essential to guarantee Russia's security,
20:25to maintain strategic deterrence, and to preserve what he calls the global balance of power.
20:30But this speech comes at a moment when that balance is already under strain.
20:35Putin also promised to modernize Russia's army and navy,
20:39drawing lessons from what he still calls the Special Military Operation in Ukraine.
20:44He framed the war as a testing ground, a laboratory for high-tech domestic weapons production.
20:50And he praised Russian troops as patriots defending national sovereignty.
20:54But here's the bigger story.
20:57For the first time since 1972, there are no binding nuclear arms control treaties between the United States and Russia.
21:05The New START Treaty, signed in 2010 and extended in 2021, expired on February 5, 2026.
21:12It had capped deployed strategic warheads at 1550 each and limited launchers to 700.
21:19Just as important, it allowed for inspections, data exchanges, transparency.
21:25Those inspections stopped during COVID. Russia suspended participation in 2023.
21:30And now, there are no legal limits. As of early 2025 estimates, Russia has over 4,300 nuclear warheads.
21:38About 1550 were deployed under previous limits. The United States has around 3,700.
21:44And without a treaty, both sides can upload more warheads onto existing missiles quickly.
21:50No new missiles required. This is how arms races quietly begin. Not with explosions, but with worst-case planning.
21:58If one side assumes the other might expand, it expands first.
22:01And it's not just Washington and Moscow. China is in the middle of its fastest nuclear expansion ever.
22:08Its arsenal has grown from around 200 warheads in 2019 to more than 600 by late 2025,
22:14with projections of 1,000 by 2030. New silos, new submarines, low-yield weapons.
22:20Beijing maintains a no-first-use policy, but it has refused to join arms control talks,
22:25arguing its arsenal is still smaller than those of the U.S. and Russia.
22:29Then there's North Korea. On February 22, 2026, Kim Jong-un was re-elected as reader of the Workers' Party.
22:36State media celebrated his nuclear buildup as central to national strength.
22:40Pyongyang has unveiled dozens of tactical nuclear-capable systems.
22:43It is developing submarine technology, and it is deepening ties with Russia.
22:48Estimates suggest around 50 warheads, with material for dozens more.
22:51And in the Middle East, the U.S. and Iran remain locked in high-stakes tensions over Tehran's nuclear program.
22:58Iran has enriched uranium to near weapons-grade levels.
23:01The U.S. has increased military presence.
23:03Threats and diplomacy are moving in parallel, which is often when things become most unstable.
23:07So what does all of this mean?
23:09It means we are entering a multipolar nuclear era.
23:12More nuclear states, fewer rules, less transparency.
23:19So, to sum up the day, diplomacy is being tested, deterrence doctrines are being recalibrated,
23:25and civilians once again are caught in the crossfire.
23:29That's all for now on World News.
23:31I am Pankaj Mishra.
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