Raid on a gang that set up a 'toll' for robberies on the Cali bridge - Cali - Colombia

In an ambush at the entrance to a pedestrian bridge, a motorcyclist is surrounded by three armed youths who strip him of his belongings and then walk through commune 13 in Cali.

This is what is shown in one of the videos with which the Police and the Prosecutor’s Office processed the prosecution of the detainees who, between all, add up to more than 30 annotations for crimes such as homicide, theft, drug trafficking and conspiracy to commit a crime.

(Read in context: They carry out an offensive against criminality in the 15th commune of Cali)

The complaints, in reserve, about the activities of a gang that committed assaults on the bridge, the surroundings of sports centers, schools and churches in the Los Lagos and Charco Azul neighborhoods.

For six months, the National Police Intervention and Antiterrorism Unit (Unipol), as well as the Police Intelligence Section (Sipol), carried out investigative activities.

(You may be interested in: The 17 municipalities of the Valley that say goodbye to the outdoor mask)

Thus, evidence was collected of at least 56 criminal acts, 24 that have already been verified and among which are a homicide, 2 displacements, 12 thefts and 9 attempted homicides.

In four search and raid proceedings in commune 13 of Cali, the Metropolitan Police captured ‘Los del polvero’, a criminal structure dedicated to committing homicides, thefts and forced displacement in this part of the capital of the Valley.

Eight people were captured by court order, of which two will respond to the criminal responsibility system for Children and Adolescents for having committed the acts when they were minors.

A 16-year-old minor was also apprehended, another person was captured in flagrante delicto, and charges were filed against five others already deprived of their liberty.

The official statement says that they are known as ‘Gomelita’, ‘Blanquillo’, ‘Cacuero’, among others. The gang would have forced four families to leave their homes because they would have relationships with some people.

They are being investigated for conspiracy to commit a crime, aggravated homicide, attempted murder, aggravated robbery, forced displacement and illegal possession of weapons.

Those captured add up to 32 judicial annotations for crimes related to homicide, theft, drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit a crime and illegal possession of firearms.

They were handed over to the competent authority for conspiracy to commit a crime, aggravated homicide, attempted murder, aggravated robbery, forced displacement and illegal possession of firearms.

Intramural detention was imposed on five of those captured by court order, while another two and the minor were sent to a special center. The one caught in flagrante delicto remains at large, but linked to the investigation.

The Police command asks to send complaints about crime networks to the email sources.mecal@hotmail.com or contact the emergency line 123 or 156 of the Cooperating Network, where Police professionals guarantee complete confidentiality.

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Eln set fire to three trucks in Pailitas (Cesar) - Other Cities - Colombia

A new terrorist action was recorded in Cesar, within the framework of the armed strike announced by the subversive group Eln.

In the incident, three trucks loaded with vegetables from Ocaña (Norte de Santander), bound for Barranquilla, were burned.

(We invite you to read: The drama of merchants who close businesses for extortion in Barranquilla)

The event was recorded on the afternoon of this Thursday, on the path of the village of La Paz, jurisdiction of Pailitas (Cesar).

“As the Trujillo bridge is affected by the recent explosion that occurred last Wednesday, the drivers took a tertiary road in this village as an alternative. The section is a detour from the main road to go to other areas of the Atlantic coast” , explained Elexo Trigos, Secretary of Government of Pailitas.

The information handled by the authorities indicates that A guerrilla group made the drivers get out of the vehicle and proceeded to burn the trucks.

(Also: The drama of merchants who close businesses for extortion in Barranquilla)

“So far no injuries were reported. The municipality is in distress, therefore, we make a call to the authorities of the national order, public force that we reward our territory to protect our citizens in the best way”, said Carlos Toro, mayor of Pailitas.

In the same sense, he exhorted the armed actors of the law to cease their actions in this territory.

He recalled that this population is poor and this situation highly affects the economy of the region.

(Also read: A young university student was rescued after being kidnapped for a month in Medellín)

It should be remembered that before the emergence of the Trujillo Bridge, El Burro, Tamalameque (south of Cesar) and El Banco (Magdalena) were established as alternate routes.

From these points, the vehicles can be mobilized to Cuatro Vientos, district of Chiriguaná (Center of Cesar) and continue the route to other cities of the Caribbean region.

Ludys Ovalle Jacome
Special for Weather
Valledupar

Trump's Truth Social App Set for Release Monday in Apple App Store, Per Executive

Donald Trump’s new social media venture, Truth Social, appears set to launch in Apple’s App Store on Monday, according to posts from an executive on a test version viewed by Reuters, potentially marking the return of the former president to social media on the U.S. Presidents Day holiday.

Led by former Republican U.S. Representative Devin Nunes, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the venture behind Truth Social, will join a growing portfolio of technology companies that are positioning themselves as champions of free speech and hope to draw users who feel their views are suppressed on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

So far none of the companies, which include Twitter competitors Gettr and Parler and video site Rumble, have come close to matching the popularity of their mainstream counterparts.

“This week we will begin to roll out on the Apple App Store. That’s going to be awesome, because we’re going to get so many more people that are going to be on the platform,” Nunes said in a Sunday appearance on Fox News’ ‘Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo’.

“Our goal is, I think we’re going to hit it, I think by the by the end of March we’re going to be fully operational at least within the United States,” he added.

Also, in a series of posts late on Friday, a verified account for the network’s chief product officer, listed as Billy B., answered questions on the app from people invited to use it during its test phase. One user asked him when the app, which has been available this week for beta testers, would be released to the public, according to screenshots viewed by Reuters.

“We’re currently set for release in the Apple App store for Monday Feb. 21,” the executive responded.

The launch would restore Trump’s presence on social media more than a year after he was banned from Twitter Inc., Facebook and Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters, after he was accused of posting messages inciting violence.

On Feb. 15 Trump’s eldest son Donald Jr. posted on Twitter a screenshot of his father’s verified @realDonaldTrump Truth Social account with one post, or “truth,” that he uploaded on Feb. 14: “Get Ready! Your favorite President will see you soon!”

In addition to the post disclosing Monday’s launch date, the screenshots seen by Reuters show the app is now at version 1.0, suggesting it has reached a level ready for public release. As late as Wednesday, it was at version 0.9, according to two people with access to that version.

A representative for TMTG did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Apple’s App Store listing indicates that Truth Social is expected to be released on Feb. 21, a date that a source familiar with the venture confirmed in January. But in recent weeks, Nunes had said publicly that the app would launch by the end of March.

On Friday, Nunes was on the app urging users to follow more accounts, share photos and videos and participate in conversations, in an apparent attempt to drum up activity, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

Among Nunes’ posts, he welcomed a new user who appeared to be a Catholic priest and encouraged him to invite more priests to join, according to the person with knowledge of the matter.

The chief product officer’s other responses during Friday’s question-and-answer session suggested the startup’s features would resemble those of Twitter.

Asked whether users would be able to edit their “truths,” the executive replied “not yet.” The ability to edit posts after publication is something Twitter users have long sought.

The next significant feature released on the platform will be direct messages, or DMs, between users, the executive wrote.

The company is also considering allowing users to sign up to receive notifications when others post content, the executive said. He signaled that the ability to block other users would be an important component.

“There will always be block functionality in the app,” he wrote.

Truth Social will issue a policy on verified accounts “in the coming weeks,” the executive added.

Even as details of the app begin trickling out, TMTG remains mostly shrouded in secrecy and is regarded with skepticism by some in tech and media circles. It is unclear, for example, how the company is funding its current growth.

TMTG is planning to list in New York through a merger with blank-check firm Digital World Acquisition Corp (DWAC) and stands to receive $293 million in cash that DWAC holds in a trust, assuming no DWAC shareholder redeems their shares, TMTG said in an Oct. 21 press release.

Additionally, in December TMTG raised $1 billion committed financing from private investors; that money also will not be available until the DWAC deal closes.

Digital World’s activities have come under scrutiny from the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, according to a regulatory filing, and the deal is likely months away from closing.

Plans Set for New Private Spaceflights

A billionaire who led an all-private space crew into orbit last year has announced plans for up to three new missions in conjunction with SpaceX, including one with a spacewalk.

Jared Isaacman, who founded payment processing company Shift4, will lead the first of the new flights with a launch potentially coming by the end of this year.

FILE – Jared Isaacman at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California. (Photo by SpaceX.)

In addition to a mission featuring the first spacewalk attempted by non-professional astronauts, the planned flight also includes achieving a record altitude in Earth orbit.

As part of the partnership with SpaceX, the flights are set to utilize SpaceX spacecrafts.

Some information for this report came from Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

New York City Set to Fire Thousands of Municipal Workers for Not Getting Shots

New York City is preparing to fire up to 4,000 government workers for failing to comply with the city’s vaccine mandate.

Among those impacted are teachers, police officers, sanitation workers and firefighters.

Then-Mayor Bill de Blasio imposed vaccine mandates on municipal and private sector workers last year.

City workers have until the end of business Friday to comply with the mandate or lose their jobs. Most of those impacted have been on unpaid leave.

“We have to be very clear — people must be vaccinated if they are New York City employees,” Eric Adams, a Democrat who took over as mayor in January, said at a news conference Thursday.

Labor unions representing city workers have fought against the mandates by suing the city. So far, those efforts have failed.
On Monday, city workers staged a protest by walking across the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall.

The firings come as infection rates are falling sharply and many states and countries around the world are lifting many COVID-19-related restrictions, including vaccine mandates in some cases.

An estimated 95% of the city’s roughly 370,000 workers are vaccinated, according to news reports.

Iran Nuclear Talks Set to Resume with Deal 'In Sight'

Talks to revive a deal with Iran on its contested nuclear program were set to resume on Tuesday in Vienna after both Washington and Tehran signaled their willingness to clinch an agreement as soon as possible.

The negotiations — attended by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and indirectly the United States — were halted at the end of last month.

The resumption of talks comes after parties in recent weeks cited progress in seeking to revive the 2015 accord that was supposed to prevent Iran from acquiring an atomic bomb, a goal it has always denied pursuing.

“A deal that addresses all sides’ core concerns is in sight, but if it is not reached in the coming weeks, Iran’s ongoing nuclear advances will make it impossible for us to return to the JCPOA,” a US State Department spokesperson said on Monday, referring to the 2015 framework agreement.

Parties have been negotiating in Vienna, with indirect US participation, since last year.

A source close to the discussions told AFP that the delegations had arrived in the Austrian capital and that the discussions were set to resume in the afternoon at the upmarket Coburg Palace hotel.

The United States, under former president Donald Trump, unilaterally withdrew from the pact in 2018 and reimposed tough economic sanctions on Iran, prompting the Islamic republic to begin pulling back from its commitments under the deal and step up its nuclear activities.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday that answers that “the United States brings… to Vienna will determine when we can reach an agreement.”

“We have made significant progress in various areas of the Vienna negotiations” including on guarantees sought by Iran that the United States would not breach the deal once again, Khatibzadeh told reporters.

‘Decisive moment’

Experts say the Iranians have deviated so much from the restrictions of the 2015 deal that they are only weeks away from having enough fissile material to make an atomic weapon.

Washington has sought direct negotiations in this home stretch, but said talks remain indirect at Iran’s request.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called it “the decisive moment” in an interview with the Washington Post published on Monday.

“We gave them a clear message that now this is the time for decisions and for progress, and not for prolonging the process,” he said. “We hope that they will use the chance.”

“We are five minutes away from the finish line,” Russian negotiator Mikhail Ulyanov said in an interview to the Russian daily Kommersant.

“A draft of the final document has been crafted. There are several points there that need more work, but that document is already on the table,” he continued.

On Friday, Washington made a gesture by announcing it was waiving sanctions on Iran’s civil nuclear program, a technical step necessary to return to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.

The waiver allows other countries and companies to participate in Iran’s civil nuclear program without triggering US sanctions, in the name of promoting safety and non-proliferation.

The move “should facilitate technical discussions necessary to support talks on JCPOA return in Vienna,” negotiators of Britain, France and Germany said in a joint statement Saturday.

For Iran, though, the move fell short.

“Continuing maximum pressure against #Iran, current US administration has so far tried to meet the goals that Trump failed to achieve through bullying, by making unsupported promises.

“With this Washington’s illusions, the path to negotiations will not be smooth” Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said in a tweet written in English on Tuesday.

Olympic Opening Ceremony Set for Friday

China officially kicks off the 2022 Winter Olympic Games with the opening ceremony Friday at Beijing’s iconic National Stadium, also known as The Bird’s Nest, the site of the ceremonies for the 2008 Summer Games.

Friday’s opening ceremony is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. (1200 UTC) and will be attended by President Xi Jinping, who will announce the official opening of the Games.

Xi will be joined by dignitaries including Russian leader Vladimir Putin, World Health Organization head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. But several countries, including the United States, Britain and Canada, are staging a diplomatic boycott of the Games to protest what they say is the genocide of some 1 million Muslim Uyghurs in China’s far western Xinjiang province.

Beijing officials have rejected the allegations of human rights abuses.

India is the latest to join the boycott. New Delhi’s announcement came after China included in an Olympic torch relay ahead of Friday’s opening a soldier who was involved in a deadly 2020 border clash with Indian troops. The participation of the soldier, Qi Fabao, was reported by the Chinese media.

German slider Natalie Geisenberger said she had considered boycotting but decided against it. “We athletes have absolutely nothing to do with the decision to award the Olympic Games to Beijing — the (IOC) decides, and we athletes are presented with a fait accompli,” she said.

This year’s Games come amid a number of COVID-19-related restrictions imposed on the nearly 3,000 athletes, and the public. Tickets were not sold to the general public because of health concerns and even though some spectators will be present at the ceremonies the number of attendees is unclear.

The athletes will not have the opportunity to explore China outside the Olympic gates. They and the thousands of Olympic Village support personnel, press and volunteers have been restricted to designated venues, cutting them off from the rest of China during the competition. Officials say at least 290 COVID-19 cases have already emerged in the “bubble.”

Meanwhile, some countries have advised their athletes to not bring their cellphones and laptops to China because of cybersecurity concerns. The FBI said earlier this week that China’s hacking operations are “more brazen” than ever before.

The staging of the Olympics in China coincides with worldwide concerns about the safety of China’s star tennis player Peng Shuai after she said a high-ranking Chinese government official had sexually assaulted her.

The International Olympic Committee, however, said they have met with her and will meet with her during the Games.

Attack on the governor of Caquetá: reward set for those responsible - Other Cities - Colombia

After the attack against the governor of Caquetá, Arnulfo Gasca, the National Government announced a millionaire reward for the leaders of the 62nd front of the Farc dissidence, which is behind the event, according to the authorities.

Defense Minister Diego Molano traveled to Florence this Saturday to lead a security council with the military and police leadership.

(Read also: With an attack on the governor of Caquetá, attacks continue during the campaign)

From there, he announced that 1,300 million pesos will be delivered to those who provide information that allows the arrest of those responsible for the act, which left two police officers dead and five injured.

There are 1,000 million pesos for alias Calarcá, 200 million pesos for alias Darwin and 100 million pesos for alias Jimmy, who are said to be at the forefront of this group, which mainly affects Caquetá.

(Also: They attack a caravan in which the governor of Caquetá was mobilizing)

For Molano, actions like this, which he described as “ruinous”, are the response of this terrorist group to the blows they have suffered in recent weeks.

“Even if the dissidents seek to demonstrate power, our soldiers and police are ready here,” said the minister, who highlighted events such as the arrests of ‘Chichico’, ‘Cachetes’, ‘Macuri’, ‘Rondón’ and ‘Herney Henao’, and the seizure of war material, which occurred in January in the development of six military operations.

(We recommend: Intelligence revealed a union of dissidents in charge of a new secretariat)

During his stay in the capital of Caquetá, Molano took the opportunity to visit the three police officers who were injured after the attack.

They are Captain Juan Sebastián Prado and patrolmen Alipio Muñoz, Kevin Beltrán, Héctor Cante and Miguel Ángel Ochoa.
“You are a symbol of gratitude, respect and example of police; speedy recovery,” said the minister.

Medvedev saves match point to set Australian Open semis clash vs. Tsitsipas | Main | Spanish edition

Daniil Medvedev of Russia reacts after winning his men’s quarter final match against Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 26 January 2022. EFE-EPA/DEAN LEWINS

Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece celebrates after winning his Men’s quarterfinal match against Jannik Sinner of Italy at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park, in Melbourne, Australia, 26 January 2022. EFE-EPA/DEAN LEWINS

Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada reacts during his men’s quarter final match against Daniil Medvedev of Russia at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 26 January 2022. EFE-EPA/DAVE HUNT

Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in action against Daniil Medvedev of Russia during their men’s quarter final match of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 26 January 2022. EFE-EPA/DEAN LEWINS

Daniil Medvedev of Russia in action against Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada during their men’s quarter final match of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 26 January 2022. EFE-EPA/DEAN LEWINS

Jannik Sinner of Italy in action against Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in their quarter final match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park, in Melbourne, Australia, 26 January 2022. EFE-EPA/DEAN LEWINS