{"id":58931,"date":"2026-02-22T16:08:31","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T20:08:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-security-alert-el-mencho-killed-in-us-backed-operation-iran-nuclear-talks-set-for-geneva-and-fonterra-resumes-trading\/58931\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T16:08:31","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T20:08:31","slug":"global-security-alert-el-mencho-killed-in-us-backed-operation-iran-nuclear-talks-set-for-geneva-and-fonterra-resumes-trading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-security-alert-el-mencho-killed-in-us-backed-operation-iran-nuclear-talks-set-for-geneva-and-fonterra-resumes-trading\/58931\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Security Alert: &#8220;El Mencho&#8221; Killed in US-Backed Operation, Iran Nuclear Talks Set for Geneva, and Fonterra Resumes Trading"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Mexican security forces have reportedly killed Nemesio \u201cEl Mencho\u201d Oseguera Cervantes<\/strong>, the leader of the <strong>Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)<\/strong>, in a high-stakes military operation supported by <strong>U.S. intelligence<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The UK and U.S. governments issued urgent travel warnings<\/strong> for the state of <strong>Jalisco<\/strong> and surrounding regions as cartel members responded with widespread violence, including &quot;narco-roadblocks&quot; and vehicle arsons.<\/li>\n<li><strong>High-level nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran<\/strong> are scheduled to resume in <strong>Geneva on Feb. 26<\/strong>, with President <strong>Donald <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a><\/strong> demanding a &quot;zero enrichment&quot; deal amid a massive military buildup in the Middle East.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fonterra Co-operative Group (<a href=\"\/stock\/FCG\">FCG<\/a>)<\/strong> ordinary shares will resume trading on the <strong>NZX Main Board<\/strong> on <strong>Feb. 23<\/strong> following a trading halt caused by a technical system error.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Mexico Security Crisis: &quot;El Mencho&quot; Targeted in Joint Operation<\/h2>\n<p>In a major blow to organized crime, the <strong>Mexican army<\/strong> reportedly killed <strong>Nemesio Rub\u00e9n Oseguera Cervantes<\/strong>, known as <strong>\u201cEl Mencho,\u201d<\/strong> during a military operation in <strong>Jalisco<\/strong> on Sunday. The <strong>Mexican Embassy in the U.S.<\/strong> confirmed that <strong>U.S. authorities<\/strong> provided critical intelligence for the mission, which targeted the head of the <strong>Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)<\/strong>, an organization the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a> administration<\/strong> recently designated as a <strong>foreign terrorist organization<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The operation triggered immediate and violent retaliation across at least five Mexican states, including <strong>Jalisco, Guanajuato, and Michoac\u00e1n<\/strong>. Cartel gunmen established burning roadblocks and engaged security forces, prompting the <strong>UK Foreign, Commonwealth &amp; Development Office (FCDO)<\/strong> to advise against all non-essential travel to <strong>Jalisco<\/strong>. The <strong>U.S. Embassy<\/strong> has urged citizens in the region to <strong>&quot;shelter in place&quot;<\/strong> as local authorities activated a &quot;code red&quot; security alert.<\/p>\n<p>Travel and tourism sectors are facing immediate disruption, with <strong>Air Canada<\/strong>, <strong>Delta<\/strong>, and <strong>WestJet<\/strong> among the airlines suspending flights to <strong>Puerto Vallarta<\/strong>. Panic was reported at <strong>Guadalajara International Airport<\/strong> as travelers sought cover during the unrest. Analysts suggest the death of <strong>El Mencho<\/strong> could lead to a prolonged power struggle within the <strong>CJNG<\/strong>, further destabilizing the region in the short term.<\/p>\n<h2>Geopolitical Tensions: U.S.-Iran Nuclear Talks Move to Geneva<\/h2>\n<p>Diplomatic efforts to address <strong>Iran\u2019s nuclear program<\/strong> are set to intensify as <strong>Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi<\/strong> and <strong>U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff<\/strong> prepare to meet in <strong>Geneva on Feb. 26<\/strong>. The talks come at a moment of extreme tension, with the <strong>Trump administration<\/strong> pressuring <strong>Tehran<\/strong> for a deal that includes <strong>&quot;zero enrichment&quot;<\/strong> of uranium. <strong>Araghchi<\/strong> has publicly pushed back, stating that enrichment is a &quot;right&quot; for Iran, though he noted a &quot;good chance&quot; for a diplomatic solution remains.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)<\/strong> is simultaneously preparing to review <strong>Iran\u2019s<\/strong> nuclear facilities following reports that <strong>Tehran<\/strong> may be rebuilding sites previously damaged by strikes. The <strong>U.S.<\/strong> has underscored its diplomatic pressure with a significant military presence, including <strong>two aircraft carriers<\/strong> stationed in the region. <em>Market participants are closely monitoring the talks for their potential impact on global oil supply and regional stability.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Market Update: Fonterra Resumes Trading on NZX<\/h2>\n<p><strong>NZX Product Operations<\/strong> has announced that <strong>Fonterra Co-operative Group (<a href=\"\/stock\/FCG\">FCG<\/a>)<\/strong> ordinary shares will resume trading on the <strong>NZX Main Board<\/strong> at market open on <strong>Monday, Feb. 23<\/strong>. The shares were placed on a trading halt on Friday, Feb. 20, due to a <strong>system error<\/strong> that rendered them unavailable for trading. The <strong>Fonterra Shareholders&#39; Fund<\/strong> units were reportedly unaffected by the technical glitch and continued to trade.<\/p>\n<p>The resumption of trading comes as <strong>Fonterra<\/strong> progresses with its significant divestment of the <strong>Mainland Group<\/strong> to <strong>Lactalis<\/strong>. The co-operative is targeting a <strong>tax-free capital return of $2.00 per share<\/strong>, totaling approximately <strong>$3.2 billion<\/strong>, once the sale is finalized. <em>Investors are expected to focus on the company&#39;s upcoming interim results on March 23 for further guidance on earnings and the progress of the capital return scheme.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Mexican security forces have reportedly killed Nemesio \u201cEl Mencho\u201d Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50383,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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