Colombia extended a state of emergency enacted on August 11, 2002 for 90 days ( to May 8), since "a serious disturbance of public order persists in Colombia. The extension allows security forces to continue to check documents, restrict movements and impose curfews in parts of the country under military control. Suspected leftist rebels also launched a fresh attack on Colombia's second-largest oil pipeline, detonating explosives under the pipeline on the outskirts of the town of Arauquita (about 50 km from U.S. operations). State-owned oil firm repair teams had already reached the area and hoped to replace damaged sections of the pipeline by evening. The attack was not expected to affect crude shipments. The entire Arauca area has been under curfew for days, as a consequence to the latest attack by the guerrilla against the Saravena power plant, followed two days ago by the assassination of the Governor's secretary. - Adam Geibel