International
Colombia police find second top leader of Clan del Golfo criminal organization dead
March 2nd |
Police in Colombia reported on Wednesday that the second most senior leader of the criminal organization Autodefensas Gaitanistas, better known as the Gulf Clan, was found dead on a road in the northwest of the country.
The body of Wilmer Antonio Giraldo, alias “Siopas,” the second-in-command of the Gulf Clan, was identified after being found shot a few kilometers from the municipality of Dabeiba, in the department of Antioquia.
“A criminal profile of 12 years within this criminal structure, this organized armed group,” said Colonel Oscar Hernan Cortes, commander of the Police Department of Uraba, after noting that they are investigating the cause of death.
Security and intelligence sources told Reuters that the death was apparently the result of internal fighting within the Clan del Golfo, an organization with more than 3,000 members dedicated to drug trafficking and illegal gold mining.
Alias ‘Siopas’, 40, had demobilized in 2009 from the fifth front of the now defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), long before a peace process the government signed with the guerrilla group in 2016.
“Today he was under absolute command of all criminal actions in the department of Chocó and in the Colombian Pacific,” Cortes added in a video.
President Gustavo Petro, the first leftist president in the country’s history, is promoting a policy of total peace with organizations such as the National Liberation Army (ELN), the Gulf Clan, the Autodefensas Conquistadores de la Sierra Nevada, as well as urban groups, to end the nearly six-decade armed conflict.
Siopas’ was against a negotiation with Petro’s government that seeks the submission to justice of the members of this criminal gang in exchange for legal benefits such as reduced sentences, the sources said.
The armed confrontation in Colombia, fueled by drug trafficking, has left more than 450,000 dead between 1985 and 2018 alone.
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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