International
Drug kingpin wanted by US escapes Colombian prison
AFP
A notorious drug lord wanted by prosecutors in the United States escaped from a prison in Colombia on Friday, authorities confirmed.
Juan Larrinson Castro Estupinan, known as Matamba, is a powerful figure in the Gulf Clan drug trafficking organization.
He was detained last May and accused of asset laundering and of trafficking cocaine and heroin.
But on Friday, he escaped from the La Picota prison in Bogota, allegedly with inside help.
President Ivan Duque told reporters that he had instructed the attorney general to ensure that those who helped Castro Estupinan escape are arrested.
One guard has already been detained, Justice Minister Wilson Ruiz said.
Duque said he was leading investigators in hatching a plan to “recapture this criminal.”
Castro Estupinan is also under investigation for committing crimes with the aim of committing murder, as well as extortion and the illegal carrying of weapons.
Formerly a communist guerrilla, he subsequently fought on the side of right-wing paramilitaries during Colombia’s 60-year conflict between the government and radical left-wing rebels.
He then struck a deal with Gulf Clan leader Dairo Usuga, known as Otoniel, who is also in prison, to take control of a group of 200 men inside the cartel, authorities said.
After Castro Estupinan’s escape, Duque announced “a comprehensive reform of Colombia’s penitentiary and prison system.”
The National Penitentiary and Prisons Institute (Inpec) has been embroiled in several scandals.
Earlier this month, the government fired the Inpec head and the director of the country’s largest prison over release permits granted to businessman Carlos Mattos, who is accused of bribery.
In videos published by the Caracol television channel, Mattos can be seen leaving La Picota prison on two separate occasions in an Inpec vehicle.
The videos also show him walking around unaccompanied and entering a building where his offices are.
“The system cannot continue with this behavior without there being exemplary punishments,” said Duque.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
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