International
At least 409 minors were recruited in Colombia in 2024, according to the Ombudsman’s Office
At least 409 minors were recruited by armed groups in Colombia in 2024, with the Central General Staff (EMC) of the FARC dissidents being the group with the most cases, as reported on Tuesday by the Ombudsman’s Office.
“With pain we inform that last year we reported 409 boys and girls recruited, 300 in (the department of) Cauca. Last year we had closed with the alarming number of 342,” reported the ombudsman, Iris Marín.
More than half of the children and adolescents recruited are indigenous, especially from Cauca.
“The group identified with the greatest responsibility is that of the dissidents of the so-called ‘Central General Staff’,” the defender added.
In the vast majority of cases, the dissidence of the FARC that recruited them cannot be specified, but after the EMC, which recruited a total of 135 minors, the next group with the most recruitments was the ELN with nine cases.
Of the 409 cases, 61% are boys and 39% are girls, although the Ombudsman’s Office admits that there is an under-registration of cases, so the magnitude and alleged responsibilities cannot be concluded.
Throughout 2024, the Police managed to rescue 34 children and adolescents who forcibly recruited armed groups.
The Army, for its part, rescued 447 minors last year, especially in the department of Cauca, where dissidents have the most presence and where 72 children and adolescents were recovered.
International
Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
Irish rock band U2, which spent Tuesday and Wednesday filming a new music video for its song Street of Dreams in the Historic Center of Mexico City, received an invitation to perform at the capital’s iconic Zócalo square from Mayor Clara Brugada.
Brugada shared the invitation through social media posts accompanied by photos and a video showing her meeting with the band members.
“This is an invitation for you to perform in our wonderful public square, the Zócalo. You are welcome here, and we would love to have you,” Brugada said in the video while handing a document to Bono, the band’s lead singer.
Bono responded by saying that the group would like “to begin its new tour in Mexico City.”
Referencing one of the band’s most famous songs, In the Name of Love, Brugada said she was greeting Bono along with The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr..
“Welcoming U2 to our capital means celebrating music, connection and the emotion that can be felt in every corner of this city,” Brugada wrote in one of her messages. “We are a city open to the world, vibrant and full of stories shared from the stage to the streets.”
She also described the Zócalo as “the country’s most important public square” and a cultural landmark for Latin America.
Over the years, the Zócalo has hosted massive concerts by internationally renowned artists and bands including Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, Manu Chao, Café Tacvba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Tigres del Norte, La Maldita Vecindad, Silvio Rodríguez, Joan Manuel Serrat, Rosalía and Shakira, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans.
International
Marco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Washington hopes to persuade China to take a more active role in stopping Iran from escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, arguing that the crisis directly threatens Asian commercial interests.
“It is in China’s interest to resolve this situation. We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to stop what it is doing now and trying to do in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio said during an interview with journalist Sean Hannity on Fox News while traveling aboard Air Force One.
The top U.S. diplomat said the conflict and concerns over the possible disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have already affected China’s interests.
Rubio noted that “a Chinese cargo ship was struck over the weekend,” referring to the exchange of attacks reported last Friday between Iran and the United States.
The remarks come amid growing international concern over rising tensions in the region and the potential impact on global trade routes and energy supplies.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
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International4 days agoTrump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
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Central America4 days agoPanama confirms drug contamination of El Salvador coffee shipment occurred on its territory
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International3 days agoMarco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
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International3 days agoMexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
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Central America1 day agoArévalo Announces Overhaul of Guatemala’s Prison System Amid Security Crisis
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Central America1 day agoMulino Vows Tougher Crackdown as Homicides Increase in Panama