International
Ex-guerrilla leader returns to Colombia after Mexico arrest
AFP
A leader of the disbanded left-wing rebel group FARC returned to Colombia on Wednesday, just hours after he was briefly detained in Mexico under a “red notice” from Interpol.
Rodrigo Granda is the Marxist group’s head diplomat and played a crucial role in a historic 2016 peace accord signed with the government that turned the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia into a political party.
The 72-year-old former guerrilla thanked Mexico and the international community for facilitating his return to Colombia as he arrived at Bogota’s international airport, according to local media.
“We’re showing our face, here we are,” said Granda, who denied he had been arrested in Mexico.
Mexican government sources confirmed his arrest to AFP, without giving details.
On Tuesday, Colombian Defense Minister Diego Molano said on Twitter that Granda’s arrest “for kidnapping, criminal association and intentional homicide” followed a request from Paraguay.
But a lawmaker from Comunes, the political party descended from FARC, who accompanied Granda to Mexico for an event organized by a left-wing party, also denied he was arrested.
Carlos Lozada was originally one of two Comunes lawmakers to claim on Tuesday that Granda had been detained but on Wednesday he insisted his colleague was merely “isolated” and held incomunicado for seven to eight hours before “voluntarily returning” to Colombia.
“We saw that it was much better to return to Colombia given that … this red notice was circulating,” Lozada told W Radio.
Paraguay announced it had summoned the Mexican ambassador in Asuncion to explain Granda’s release.
Granda said he was authorized to leave Colombia by authorities from the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, a body investigating crimes committed during Colombia’s half century long conflict.
He claimed the international arrest warrant was a manoeuver by “high-level officials in the Colombian government” that are opposed to the conditions of the peace process.
Colombian President Ivan Duque is a vocal critic of the peace deal signed by his predecessor Juan Manuel Santos, considering it to be too lenient on former guerrillas.
It is not the first time Paraguay has requested Granda’s detention, having previously done so in 2008, accusing him of involvement in the 2005 kidnapping and murder of the daughter of Raul Cubas, a former president.
International
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
The Ukrainian government on Wednesday declared a nationwide energy state of emergency amid continued Russian military attacks and extreme winter weather, with nighttime temperatures dropping as low as minus 18 degrees Celsius.
“The consequences of Russian attacks and worsening weather conditions are severe (…) Overall, a state of emergency will be declared for Ukraine’s energy sector,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement posted on social media following a meeting with senior officials.
Zelensky announced the creation of a “permanent coordination headquarters” to manage the crisis in the capital, Kyiv, and tasked former defence minister and current energy chief Denys Shmyhal with overseeing support efforts for affected individuals and communities, including addressing power outages, heating shortages and other “practical issues.”
“There are many problems that require urgent solutions,” the president said, noting that repair crews, energy companies, municipal services and the State Emergency Service are working “around the clock” to restore electricity supplies. Kyiv has been particularly affected after Russian strikes last Friday disabled key parts of the power grid, as daytime temperatures hover around minus 12 degrees Celsius and plunge to minus 18 at night.
Zelensky added that public authorities will “maximize efforts with partners to obtain the necessary equipment and additional support,” while the government will ensure “maximum deregulation of all processes” to speed up the connection of backup power equipment to the grid. He also confirmed that work is underway to significantly increase electricity imports into Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader further instructed his Cabinet to review curfew regulations in light of the extreme cold, arguing that citizens must have the greatest possible access to assistance centers, while businesses should be given flexibility to plan their operations according to the state of the energy system.
International
France joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed in the early hours of Thursday (Wednesday afternoon in El Salvador) that France will take part in “Operation Arctic Resistance,” after Denmark announced it would expand its military presence in Greenland amid rising tensions with the United States over Washington’s stated ambitions regarding the semi-autonomous territory.
“At Denmark’s request, I have decided that France will participate in the joint exercises organized by Denmark in Greenland, ‘Operation Arctic Resistance,’” Macron said in a brief message posted on social media at 5:18 p.m.
The French president added that “the first French military elements are already on their way, with others to follow,” though he did not specify the number of troops being deployed or the scale of France’s planned contribution.
The governments of Sweden, Norway and Germany have also confirmed the deployment of military contingents to Greenland. Germany’s armed forces will send a 13-member reconnaissance team to the Greenlandic capital, Nuuk, to take part in a mission scheduled to run from Thursday through Saturday, according to the German Ministry of Defence.
Denmark’s announcement came shortly before a Danish delegation met at the White House with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss Washington’s plans regarding Greenland. Copenhagen said the military activities would be carried out “in close cooperation with NATO allies.”
International
Iran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
Iranian authorities closed the country’s airspace in the early hours of Thursday, according to data from flight-tracking website FlightRadar24, amid growing threats of a possible U.S. attack as protests across the country continue and have reportedly left thousands dead.
According to FlightRadar24, the Iranian government suspended all flights to and from the country, except for international flights that have received special authorization. The notice was initially issued for a duration of just over two hours.
The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump in recent days threatened to strike Iran if its security forces failed to halt the deaths linked to weeks-long protests that began in Tehran and later spread to other Iranian cities. Despite the threats, the White House said diplomacy remains Trump’s preferred option.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump claimed that “the deaths in Iran have stopped” and said there would be no executions of protesters following his warnings to Tehran. He added that his administration would seek to verify those claims.
“I’ve been told the deaths in Iran are stopping. They’ve stopped, and that there are no plans for executions,” Trump told reporters, cautioning that the United States would be “very upset” if those assurances proved to be untrue.
The statements contrast with reports from rights groups. The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) said on Wednesday that more than 3,400 people have been killed since the protests erupted. Meanwhile, Kurdish-Iranian rights group Hengaw reported this week that a 26-year-old Iranian man, Erfan Soltani, was facing execution as of Wednesday.
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
France joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
Iran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
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