Politics

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In a decision that allows the Democrats to maintain their majority in the Senate during the lame-duck session that convened this week, newly appointed senator and Independence Party member Dean Barkley announced he would not side with either party.

A Colombian judge on Thursday ordered the release of a former Cali drug cartel leader from his maximum security jail, as Colombian and U.S. investigators rushed to compile evidence to extradite Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela to the U.S. to face charges.