International
Rapper Diddy appeals the judge’s decision to keep him in custody until the trial
Rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs appealed on Wednesday the decision of Judge Robyn Tarnofsky to keep him in custody in a detention center until the trial is held on the charges of sex trafficking, human trafficking and organized crime conspiracy for which he was charged on Tuesday in New York.
At an appeal hearing held today, District Judge Andrew L. Carter rejected the defense’s proposal, which called for Combs to be released on $50 million bail, and agreed with the prosecution that he should remain in a detention center until the trial.
Carter said the prosecution had provided sufficient evidence to show that Combs is a danger to society and that in his case there is a high risk of obstructing justice and harassing witnesses.
Combs is currently in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he was transferred after his appearance yesterday in a Manhattan court, where he pleaded not guilty to all three charges.
Judge Tarnofsky already rejected the request of Combs’ lawyers yesterday and argued that the accused could commit the crimes “behind closed doors, even when the preventive detention services are watching.”
Tarnofsky also said there is a high risk that Diddy will obstruct justice, since he has repeatedly contacted victims and witnesses to try to manipulate them.
The rapper’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, stated in a letter presented today in court that his client is “trustworthy” and again asked for release on bail, endorsed by Combs, his mother, his sister, his three adult children and the mothers of two of his daughters.
The defense also proposed limiting women’s visits to the rapper’s home and frequently subjecting him to drug tests.
Agnifilo defended his client by indicating that when he learned that he would be charged he left his home in Miami and traveled to New York, “where prosecutors and agents are investigating him.”
In addition, he alleged that the rapper has been wanting to sell his private plane for some time, with which he ruled out that there was a risk of escape.
The prosecutor’s office yesterday accused the musician of continuously participating “in a widespread scheme of abuse of women and other people” and revealed that Combs regularly organized forced sexual encounters between women and sex workers.
Combs is accused of being the head of a criminal company, Combs Enterprise, whose members were involved in sex trafficking, forced labor, human trafficking, drug-related crimes, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice, among others.
International
U.S. to suspend visa processing for applicants from 75 countries
The United States announced on Wednesday that it will suspend visa processing for applicants from 75 nationalities, marking another move by President Donald Trump’s administration to curb the entry of migrants into the country.
“ The United States is freezing the processing of all visas for 75 countries, including Somalia, Russia and Iran,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X. According to Fox News, the measure will take effect on January 21 and will remain in force indefinitely.
Based on an internal State Department memorandum obtained by Fox News Digital, consular officers have been instructed to deny visa applications under existing law while the agency conducts an in-depth review of screening and vetting procedures. The stated goal is to tighten criteria to prevent the entry of foreigners who could eventually rely on public assistance.
The list of affected countries includes several nations in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Afghanistan, Russia, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Somalia and Yemen, among others. Fox News reported that exemptions to the suspension will be “very limited” and will only be granted once applicants pass an assessment related to the public charge requirement.
Other countries in the Americas subject to the suspension include Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The decision is based on a strict interpretation of the so-called “public charge” clause of U.S. immigration law. A cable sent to U.S. consulates worldwide in November 2025 had already signaled the shift, instructing officials to apply tougher standards when evaluating applicants, taking into account factors such as age, health status, English proficiency, financial situation, history of public assistance, and even the potential need for long-term medical care.
International
Peruvian Court Orders Definitive Dismissal of Money Laundering Case Against Keiko Fujimori
A court of Peru’s National Superior Court of Specialized Criminal Justice ordered the definitive dismissal of the criminal proceedings for alleged money laundering and criminal organization against presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, authorities reported on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
The ruling was issued by the Tenth National Preparatory Investigation Court in compliance with a previous decision by the Constitutional Court (TC). The decision was confirmed by Fujimori’s attorney, Giuliana Loza, who said on social media platform X that “there was no money laundering nor criminal organization.”
According to the defense, the case was closed for lacking legal grounds and for violating due process. “The proceedings concluded because they lacked a legal basis and constituted clear prosecutorial persecution,” Loza stated.
Judge Wilson Verastegui, whose ruling was reported by local media, said the Constitutional Court determined that the facts alleged in the so-called ‘Cocktails Case’ do not constitute a criminal offense under the principle of legality. The court noted that the crime of illegal financing of political organizations was not in force at the time the alleged acts occurred.
The dismissal also applies to other leaders of the Fuerza Popular party, including Pier Figari, Ana Rosa Herz, Jaime Yoshiyama and José Chlimper, as well as the party itself.
Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori (1990–2000), had been under investigation for the alleged irregular financing of her 2011 and 2016 presidential campaigns, a case that exposed her to a possible 30-year prison sentence. However, one year ago the National Superior Court annulled the trial and returned the case to the intermediate stage.
Fujimori is currently pursuing her fourth presidential bid, ahead of Peru’s general elections scheduled for April.
International
Colombian Defense Chief Meets U.S. Officials to Advance Bilateral Narcotics Strategy
Colombia’s Minister of Defense, Pedro Sánchez Suárez, is in the United States this Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss bilateral cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking, Colombian officials said, in a visit that comes as ties between Bogotá and Washington begin to ease after a period of diplomatic tension.
The trip is seen as a prelude to a scheduled visit by Colombian President Gustavo Petro to Washington, where he is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time in early February. Sánchez will remain in Washington through Wednesday, according to Colombian government sources.
During his stay, Sánchez is slated to meet with senior U.S. officials, including representatives from the Department of Defense, members of the U.S. Senate, and White House advisors, to outline a joint strategy to “defeat drug trafficking” and expand cooperation on intelligence against transnational crime.
According to a statement from the Colombian Defense Ministry, the agenda will include strengthening collaboration on technology, intelligence sharing, and efforts to disrupt criminal networks that operate across borders. Officials said the discussions will also help set the stage for Petro’s upcoming talks with Trump.
The visit follows a period of strained U.S.–Colombia relations last year, when Washington revoked Petro’s visa and withdrew Colombia’s certification as a key partner in anti-drug efforts — moves that coincided with disagreements over counter-narcotics strategy and broader diplomatic frictions. However, a recent phone call between Petro and Trump, described as cordial by officials, helped lower tensions and reopened channels for dialogue ahead of the presidential meeting.
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