International

Colombian Defense Minister denounces the kidnapping of 29 uniformed men in the southwest of the country

The Colombian government denounced this Friday “the attempted murder and subsequent kidnapping of 29 members of the Public Force” in the department of Cauca (southwest), where the Army launched an operation last October to take control of the area from a dissident of the former FARC.

The events occurred on Thursday in the hamlets of El Plateado and La Hacienda, located in the municipalities of Algeria and El Tambo, as confirmed today by the Minister of Defense of Colombia, retired General Pedro Sánchez Suárez.

“The life and safety of the kidnapped members of the Public Force is the direct responsibility of those who committed this reprehensible crime,” the minister said in an extensive message on his X account.

The minister did not specify who the kidnapped are, but local media indicate that they are mostly members of the Police who yesterday helped repel a sason of residents of El Plateado against the Army and who also “set fire to two official vehicles.”

Sánchez attributed these attacks to the Carlos Patiño group, of the FARC dissidents, and to “invillants instrumentalized by this group”, who acted “with service and dressing in civilian clothes to infiltrate and attack the integrity of our uniformed men.”

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On October 12 of last year, the Army launched ‘Operation Perseus’, with more than a thousand soldiers, to regain control of El Plateado, the main stronghold of the Carlos Patiño group, a faction of the Central General Staff (EMC), the largest dissident of the former FARC, which is dedicated to drug trafficking.

However, five months later the military deployment has not given the expected result and the dissidents continue to control the area.

“Since entering the region, the Public Force has faced constant threats from Carlos Patiño, who seeks to sow fear, anxiety and stop the arrival of social and development projects that benefit communities,” the minister added.

Sánchez, who took office last week, also rejected “the recent blowing up of the bridge that connects El Plateado with La Hacienda,” an attack that he classified as “proof of how these actions directly affect communities, restricting their mobility and access to essential services.”

referring to the events that caused Thursday’s sasonada, the Minister of Defense reiterated that in the Micay Canyon, a strategic step for drug trafficking routes, “no actions of forced eradication (of coca bushes) will be advanced”.

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International

ICE to remain at airports amid DHS shutdown, Homan says

The U.S. “border czar,” Tom Homan, said Sunday that agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will remain deployed at airports until operations return to “100% normal,” as the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues.

“We will maintain ICE presence until airports feel they are fully back to normal operations,” Homan said during an interview on Face the Nation on CBS.

Homan justified the deployment on security grounds, noting that the measure was ordered by President Donald Trumpamid widespread absenteeism among agents of the Transportation Security Administration, who have gone without pay for over six weeks due to the DHS shutdown.

According to acting TSA administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, at least 460 TSA agents have resigned during the shutdown, while daily absenteeism has averaged 11%, exceeding 50% at some airports.

Homan warned that if TSA staffing levels do not recover after the shutdown, ICE agents will continue filling the gap. “ICE is there to support our TSA brothers and sisters. We will remain as long as needed to ensure airport security,” he said.

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The DHS shutdown reached 44 days on Sunday, making it the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The impasse stems from disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over ICE funding.

A recent bipartisan Senate proposal to fund DHS without including ICE failed after being blocked by House Republicans, who insist on full funding for the agency.

Amid the deadlock, Trump signed an executive order directing Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to immediately pay TSA agents to address what he called an “emergency situation” and restore order at airports, with payments expected to begin Monday.

International

Oil prices surge again as Middle East tensions persist

Oil prices climbed again on Friday for a second consecutive session, as markets remained concerned about a prolonged conflict in the Middle East with no tangible diplomatic progress.

North Sea Brent crude for May delivery rose 4.22% to close at $112.57 per barrel.

Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) approached the $100 mark, settling at $99.64, up 5.46%.

The decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to delay by ten days his ultimatum for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz failed to reassure market participants.

“It means there will be ten additional days of disruptions in the Middle East for crude and refined product flows,” said Andy Lipow, of Lipow Oil Associates.

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“For prices to come down, a resolution to the conflict is necessary,” Lipow added. “And even in the event of a ceasefire, it is not certain that Iran would allow oil shipments to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.”

International

Young Spanish Woman Receives Euthanasia After Legal Battle, Sparking Debate

A 25-year-old Spanish woman, Noelia Castillo, received euthanasia on Thursday following a prolonged legal dispute with her father.

She passed away at a care center in Sant Pere de Ribes, about 40 kilometers from Barcelona, where she had been living for some time, according to Spanish media reports.

In an interview broadcast a day earlier on Antena 3, Castillo expressed her exhaustion after enduring prolonged suffering. She indicated that her decision was influenced by a combination of personal circumstances and health-related challenges, including family conflicts and a condition of paraplegia following a previous incident that left her with lasting physical consequences.

Spain legalized euthanasia in 2021, becoming one of the few countries that allow patients under strict conditions to seek medical assistance to end their lives in order to avoid what the law defines as unbearable suffering.

The case has reignited debate in Spain over the ethical, legal, and family dimensions surrounding euthanasia, as well as the broader issue of support for individuals in vulnerable situations.