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The Ecuadorian government has declared that it will significantly raise tariffs on imports from Colombia, increasing the rate from 30 percent to 50 percent starting March 1.

The decision, announced on Thursday, represents a major escalation in the intensifying trade and security dispute between the two neighbouring Andean countries.

Ecuador’s right-wing president, Daniel Noboa, has been pressuring his left-wing counterpart in Colombia, Gustavo Petro, to crack down on border security.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Ecuador has seen a surge in violence linked to the expansion of organised crime in the country.

Noboa, echoing President Donald Trump in the United States, has blamed Petro for not acting aggressively enough to combat narcotics trafficking. Colombia has, for many years, been the world’s largest source of cocaine.

And like Trump, Noboa has increasingly relied on tariffs against Colombia to force adherence to Ecuador’s national security strategy.

His government has accused Petro’s of failing to cooperate with border security measures. The two countries both sit on the Pacific coast, and they share a land border that stretches roughly 586 kilometres, or 364 miles.

Questions about electricity

Thursday’s announcement follows an initial 30 percent tariff imposed by Quito in early February.

Ecuadorian officials have also justified the protectionist measures by citing a growing trade deficit.

According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, a data analysis firm, nearly 4 percent of Colombian exports go to Ecuador, worth roughly $2.13bn. Ecuador imports significant quantities of medicines and pesticides from Colombia.

Fewer exports go from Ecuador to Colombia, though. Roughly 2.3 percent of Ecuador’s exports abroad go across the shared border, amounting to a value of $863m.

Ecuador’s trade deficit with Colombia sits at roughly $1.03bn through 2025, according to government data, excluding oil.

But in spite of the anticipated tariff hike, it is unclear whether Ecuador will apply the new tariffs to Colombian electricity — a critical resource for the country.

In a retaliatory move following the initial tariffs, Colombia suspended all energy sales to its neighbour.

That suspension risks fuelling tensions in Ecuador against Noboa’s government. Recent droughts have created disruptions to Ecuador’s hydroelectric dams, which provide nearly 70 percent of the country’s power.

Those disruptions have caused widespread power outages in recent years, which in turn have prompted antigovernment protests. In the past, Noboa has responded by buying electricity from Colombia.

Pipeline standoff

The transportation of fossil fuels has also become a flashpoint between Ecuador and Colombia in the aftermath of February’s tariffs.

Noboa’s government has hiked fees for Colombian crude delivered through the Trans-Ecuadorian System Oil Pipeline (SOTE) by 900 percent.

That raises the cost to approximately $30 per barrel. Colombia has responded by halting all oil shipments through the line.

Despite high-level diplomatic efforts, tensions between the neighbouring countries remain at an impasse.

Officials representing foreign policy and security held a meeting this month in Ecuador, but the gathering concluded without a breakthrough.

In announcing the latest tariff hike, Ecuador’s Ministry of Production and Foreign Trade levelled criticism at Colombia for failing to implement “concrete and effective” measures to curb drug trafficking along the border.

Once considered a bastion of stability, Ecuador has seen a spike in homicide and other violent crimes.

According to the Geneva-based Organized Crime Observatory, the Andean nation recorded a homicide rate of approximately one murder every hour last year.

NEW passport rules are causing chaos for more than one million people – and they start this week.

It was announced earlier this month that all dual national citizens will no longer be able to use their foreign passport to enter the UK.

Instead, from February 25, they must show their British passport to return to the country.

Anyone without one must instead pay for a “certificate of entitlement” that costs £589 and it attached to the passport.

Passengers trying to enter without either could face being banned from their flight and prevented from returning to the UK.

A Home Office spokesperson previously explained: “From February 25, 2026, all dual British citizens will need to present either a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement to avoid delays at the border.”

PASS ON

Airlines could accept expired passports from 1million passengers ahead of new rules

PASS IT ON

New passports being rolled out across the UK will be ‘most secure ever’

It is thought as many as 1.2million people across England and Wales currently hold more than one passport.

This works out to just over two per cent of the population.

Yet the new rules have sparked fury due to the lack of notice given.

Many people currently living abroad have slammed the change as it doesn’t allow enough time to order a new passport.

Dual national Kara Przybylski, from Brisbane, doesn’t have a British passport, and said: “It sucks for people who have flights booked, the government should have allowed more time before it comes into effect.”

The UK government said last week that an expired British passport could be used as “alternative documentation.”

Yet this is at the airline’s discretion, so could still risk families being turned away at the border.

A Home Office official told Sun Travel: “We recognise that this is a significant change for carriers and travellers, but we have been clear on requirements for dual British citizens to travel with a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement, in line with those for all British citizens.

“At their own discretion, carriers can accept an expired British passport as alternative documentation.

“Separately, individuals who have previously had a British passport can apply for an emergency travel document if they urgently need to enter the UK.

The new passport change is on the same day as the rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

Costing £16, any non-British or non-Irish tourists will have to pay the fee to enter the country, with it acting like a visa waiver.

Dual nationals are not able to apply for it.

Brits living in the UK will also not need an ETA, although will need an ETIAS later is travelling to Europe.

Set to start later this year (with a confirmed date yet to be announced) it will cost £17 and act like an American ESTA, lasting three years.

Here are some other passport rules that are still catching Brits out.

Feb. 13 (UPI) — The Department of Homeland Security will shut down indefinitely at 12:01 a.m. EST Saturday after Senate Democrats opposed a bipartisan fiscal year 2026 budget .

Congress is taking a weeklong break next week, so no action is likely until at least Feb. 23.

While Congress is on break, some congressional lawmakers are planning to attend a security conference in Munich, Germany, while most others are returning to their home districts for the week.

“We are not even going to pretend that we are trying to figure it out,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, told The New York Times.

She is among the federal lawmakers who are expected to make the trip to Munich next week.

“It doesn’t look great,” Murkowski said of the apparent ease with which the Senate allowed the pending shutdown to occur without doing more to overcome their differences.

The Senate voted 52-47 in favor of the department’s House-approved funding on Thursday, but the measure required 60 votes to overcome the Senate filibuster rule. Instead of returning for another go on Friday, lawmakers left the Capital.

The only Senate Democrat to support the department’s funding was Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. Senate Republican leader John Thune of South Dakota changed his vote to “no” to make it possible for the measure to be reconsidered quickly when the Senate resumes session.

Congressional Democrats have called for defunding the department after the recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge in Minneapolis that resulted in the deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in January.

They are demanding that all immigration enforcement officers end broad sweeps, wear body cameras, remove their masks and use more judicial warrants instead of administrative warrants when undertaking targeted arrests, among other demands.

Border czar Tom Homan on Thursday said the surge has ended and most of the federal officers are leaving Minneapolis.

ICE and Customs and Border Protection will remain on duty amid the pending shutdown due to receiving three years of full funding in the recently One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, but Homeland Security’s remaining funding ends Friday.

The Department of Homeland Security shutdown affects the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Science and Technology Directorate, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which processes visa applications.

It also affects the Coast Guard, Secret Service, Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Even with essentially his entire starting lineup unavailable because of injuries, Lakers coach JJ Redick still looked forward to competing against a worthy opponent in the San Antonio Spurs.

Even facing a Spurs team with the second-best record in the Western Conference without LeBron James (left foot arthritis), Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain), Austin Reaves (left calf injury), Marcus Smart (right ankle) and Deandre Ayton (right knee soreness), Redick still wanted his group to compete at a high level.

It’s just that Spurs All-Star Victor Wembanyama competed at a level the Lakers were unable to reach, the 7-foot-4 center dominating with his season-high-tying 40 points to go along with 12 rebounds in just 26 minutes during San Antonio’s easy 136-108 win Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

Wembanyama had 25 points in the first quarter alone and 37 by halftime.

“I know right now we have to contend with him and he’s one of the five best players in the world,” Redick said. “He’s put that stamp on himself. It’s more than counting the stats with him, because there is such an avoidance of him defensively and there is an awareness you have from him defensively.”

Luke Kennard had 14 points and five assists, Drew Timme had 14 points and Bronny James had 12 points and six assists for the Lakers (32-21).

For LeBron James, missing the game meant the Lakers’ All-Star became ineligible for NBA postseason awards, ending his streak of making the All-NBA team at 21 seasons. The league’s threshold to be eligible for postseason awards is 65 games. The most James can reach is 64 if he does not sit out another game.

James, playing in his NBA-record 23rd season, missed the first 14 games of the season because of sciatica, making it difficult to meet the threshold.

Redick said James has been “dealing with the history of injuries he’s had and to start the year.”

“Just depends on how he wakes up the next day and as he goes through his treatment in the morning,” Redick added. “But we ruled him out.”

Doncic missed his third straight game with his injury. The Lakers next play Thursday night here against the Mavericks, Doncic’s former team. Redick said Doncic was listed as “day to day” when asked if his All-Star would play against the Mavericks.

Doncic, the leading-vote getter for Sunday’s All-Star Game, has been working out and playing some five-on-five action to get ready.

“Luka continues to progress,” Redick said.

Before playing in the last four games, Reaves had missed the previous 19 with his calf injury.

Redick said Reaves “was coming back from a tissue injury” and was “only going to play in one of these games.”

Lakers forward Drew Timme tries to fend off Spurs guard Dylan Harper in the first half.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Redick said Smart tweaked his ankle in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game and had a “pretty high level of soreness” when he woke up Tuesday.

Ayton had been listed as questionable and was being called a game-time decision before the game because Redick said Ayton is dealing with “his knee again.”

So, it was left up to the rest of the healthy Lakers to deal with Wembanyama and the Spurs.

The Lakers lost on Monday night to the Thunder, the defending NBA champions, who also have the best record in the league, and then had this back-to-back game against the tough Spurs.

“He makes me feel like a normal size dude,” Timme, who is 6-0, said laughing. “It’s crazy. But I mean, it’s that size, coordination and athleticism, it’s crazy. I mean, he’s really one of a kind. What they call him, the ‘Alien?’ Like, he’s a really good player. A lot of times people are like, ‘Well, if I had that height or if I had that…’ I mean, he has that but he also has the skill. I mean, he’s a really skilled, talented player and I think that’s why he’s so good. There’s a lot of tall players that can’t do that and I think that’s what really separates him.”