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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 28 January 2025
Hundreds of U.S. visa appointments canceled in Colombia

following spat over deportation flights

By MANUEL RUEDA edly arriving in Brazil with
Associated Press shackles on their legs. He
BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) said Colombia would only
— A dispute over deporta- accept deportation flights
tion flights from the United when the United States
States to Colombia entered had established protocols
its second day on Monday, that ensured the “dignified
with the U.S. backing down treatment” of expelled mi-
on a threat to impose steep grants.
tariffs on Colombian goods U.S. President Donald
after the South American Trump responded with a
nation agreed to accept post of his own on Truth
flights of deported migrants Social, in which he called
from the U.S. for 25% emergency tariffs
But while Colombia has on Colombian exports to
avoided tariffs that would the United States, and also
have a devastating ef- said that the U.S. visas of
fect on its economy, visa Colombian government
restrictions that were is- officials would be revoked,
sued on Sunday by the U.S. while goods coming from
State Department are still in the South American coun-
place. try would face enhanced
On Monday, dozens of Co- A U.S. consular official explains to people with scheduled visa document submissions that their customs inspections.
lombians arrived at the U.S. appointments were canceled due to Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s refusal to accept Meanwhile, the State De-
Embassy in Bogota and repatriation flights of Colombian citizens from the U.S., at a U.S. Embassy Applicant Service Center partment said Sunday it
were handed letters by lo- in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. Associated Press would stop issuing visas to
cal staff that said their ap- Colombian nationals un-
pointments had been can- Visa applicants who turned ta for his appointment. escalated Sunday after til deportation flights re-
celed “due to the Colombi- up at the embassy on Mon- “There is a lot of uncertainty President Gustavo Petro sumed.
an government’s refusal to day said they were frustrat- now over what will happen wrote an early morning Tensions decreased Sun-
accept repatriation flights ed with the new restrictions, next,” said Mauricio Man- message on X saying he day night following nego-
of Colombian nationals.” which mean they will likely rique, who had his Monday would not allow two U.S. tiations between the coun-
In Colombia it can take up have to wait several more morning appointment can- Air Force planes carrying tries, with the White House
to two years to get a visa months for a new appoint- celled. Colombian deportees to saying in a statement that
appointment at the U.S ment. He had travelled from land in the country. He had Colombia had allowed the
embassy in Bogotá, which “President Petro did not Popayan, 600 km (372 previously authorized the resumption of deportation
has also been handling visa represent our interests,” miles) south of Bogota, for flights. flights and “agreed to all
requests from neighbor- said Elio Camelo, a U.S. visa his appointment. Petro also shared a vid- of President Trump’s terms,”
ing Venezuela for several seeker from the city of Cali Tensions between Colom- eo that showed another including the arrival of de-
years. who had traveled to Bogo- bia and the United States group of deportees report- portees on military flights.q

2 killed in southern Lebanon as protests against Israeli presence

erupt for a second day

By SALLY ABOU ALJOUD raeli forces were to with- ing the fact that the Leba- particularly in eastern bor- son in the town of Odaisseh
Associated Press draw from southern Leba- nese government had al- der villages, where resi- and wounding seven oth-
BEIRUT (AP) — Firing by non, and Hezbollah was ready done so. dents again attempted to ers across four southern vil-
Israeli troops killed two to move north of the Litani “Israel has to withdraw return home. Israeli troops lages, the Health Ministry
people and wounded 17 River by Jan. 26. While the because the 60 days are opened fire, killing one per- reported.q
on Monday in the second Lebanese army and U.N. over,” Kassem said. “We
day of deadly protests in peacekeepers had al- won’t accept any excuses
southern Lebanon, health ready deployed in several to extend one second or
officials said, as residents villages before the dead- one day.”
displaced by the 14-month line, Israel remained in over “Any delay in the with-
war between Israel and a dozen villages. drawal is the responsibility
Hezbollah attempted to re- The United States and Leb- of the United Nations, the
turn to villages where Israeli anon announced later on US, France and Israel,” he
troops remain. Sunday that the deadline added.
The shooting came a day to meet the ceasefire terms Kassem also said his group
after 24 people were killed had been extended to has not violated the cease-
and more than 130 wound- Feb. 18. fire terms and acknowl-
ed when Israeli troops In a pre-recorded speech edged that they consid-
opened fire on protesters aired Monday, Hezbollah ered retaliating against
who breached roadblocks leader Naim Kassem said Israeli airstrikes but were
set up along the border. his group won’t accept the advised by Lebanese au- Lebanese citizens shout slogans against Israel as they try to
Under a U.S.-brokered extension of the ceasefire thorities against it. enter with Lebanese soldiers a neighbourhood in the southern
Lebanese village of Aitaroun, Lebanon, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025.
ceasefire on Nov. 27, Is- deadline, without address- Protests resumed Monday Associated Press