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Colombia Suspends Intelligence Sharing with the United States Amid Rising Tensions Over Drug War
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has ordered the country’s military and security forces to suspend all communications and intelligence sharing with U.S. security agencies until Washington halts its recent attacks on speedboats suspected of carrying narcotics. The move marks a sharp deterioration in relations between two nations that were once close allies in the fight against drug trafficking.
In a statement posted on X, Petro instructed Colombia’s armed forces to “end communications and other agreements with U.S. security agencies,” condemning what he described as unlawful strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific. “The fight against drugs must be subordinated to the human rights of the Caribbean people,” he said.
According to figures released by the Trump administration, at least 75 people have been killed in U.S. military operations targeting suspected drug traffickers in international waters since August. The strikes began in the southern Caribbean near Venezuela and have since expanded to the eastern Pacific, with boats off the coasts of Mexico and Central America among those targeted.
Petro has accused the U.S. of committing human rights violations, claiming that civilians from Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Trinidad and Tobago were among those killed. He has also called for former U.S. President Donald Trump to face investigation for war crimes over the strikes.
“The man may have been carrying fish, or he may have been carrying cocaine, but he had not been sentenced to death,” Petro said during a summit between Latin American and European Union leaders in Bogotá. The Colombian president said he recently met with the family of a fisherman allegedly killed in one of the operations.
Petro, a long-time critic of U.S. anti-narcotics policy, has argued that Washington’s strategy punishes impoverished farmers who grow coca—the raw ingredient of cocaine—rather than targeting major traffickers or money-laundering networks. His administration has sought to shift focus toward rural development and crop substitution programs instead of aerial eradication or militarized crackdowns.
Relations between Bogotá and Washington have soured in recent months. In October, the Trump administration imposed financial sanctions on Petro and several members of his family, accusing them of facilitating the drug trade. “President Trump is taking strong action to protect our nation and make clear that we will not tolerate the trafficking of drugs into our nation,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at the time.
The diplomatic standoff comes as the United States increases its naval presence in the southern Caribbean, deploying warships, fighter jets, and marines to the region. While U.S. officials insist the buildup is aimed at disrupting drug routes, Venezuela has denounced the deployment as a threat to its sovereignty.
Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced Tuesday that troops, police, and civilian militias would be mobilised for training exercises to defend the nation’s airspace, underscoring the growing regional unease over Washington’s military operations.
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Investigation Underway After Goa Nightclub Fire Kills at Least 25
Authorities in the Indian state of Goa have opened an investigation into a nightclub fire that killed at least 25 people, including several tourists, in one of the region’s most popular party districts. Six others were injured in the blaze, which broke out shortly after midnight in Arpora, a nightlife hub about 25 kilometres from the state capital, Panaji.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed the death toll in a statement posted on X, saying the victims included many of the club’s kitchen staff and a small number of visiting tourists. He added that all the injured were in stable condition and receiving medical treatment. Rescue teams recovered all bodies from the site.
Early reports from local police, cited by the Press Trust of India, indicated that a gas cylinder explosion triggered the fire. Witnesses, however, told the agency that the blaze appeared to start on the club’s first floor, where nearly 100 tourists were dancing at the time. As smoke and flames swept through the building, many people ran toward the lower floor, where they became trapped along with staff members.
Sawant said a formal inquiry would determine the exact cause and whether the club complied with fire safety regulations. He pledged strict action against anyone found responsible, writing on X that any negligence uncovered by investigators would be “dealt with firmly”.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as patrons attempted to flee the burning building. “We rushed out of the club only to see that the entire structure was up in flames,” said Fatima Shaikh, who was inside when the fire began.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences in a message on X, calling the incident “deeply saddening” and wishing the injured a swift recovery.
Local media reported that the club’s location along the Arpora River backwaters posed challenges for emergency crews. A narrow approach road forced fire engines to park about 400 metres from the entrance, slowing their response. Reports also revealed that the building had previously received a demolition notice after officials found it lacked a construction permit. That order was later withdrawn by senior state authorities, according to Arpora councillor Roshan Redkar.
Incidents involving gas cylinders and electrical faults are not unusual in India and often lead to heavy casualties, prompting renewed calls for stronger enforcement of safety standards. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the tragedy as a “criminal failure of safety and governance” and urged a transparent investigation to establish accountability and prevent future disasters.
The probe into the fire is expected to assess structural safety, emergency exits and compliance with existing regulations as authorities work to piece together how the late-night gathering turned into one of the deadliest incidents in the state in recent years.
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