International

Oil cleanup crews replace bathers on Peru beaches

AFP

At Miramar Beach in Peru’s popular resort of Ancon, there are no bathers despite the summer heat. Instead, it teems with workers in coveralls cleaning up an oil spill.

Almost a million liters (264,000 gallons) of crude spilled into the sea on Saturday when a tanker was hit by waves while offloading at La Pampilla refinery in Ventanilla, 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of Lima.

Its owner, Spanish oil company Repsol, attributed the accident to the swell caused by the volcanic eruption in Tonga, thousands of miles away.

“Oil reaches the beach during high tide at night… and deposits the oil on the shore,” Martin Martinez of the NGO AMAAC Peru, supervising the cleanup, told AFP.

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“We take advantage to remove it from the sea, that and the saturated sand,” he said.

The spill has dealt a blow to tourism in the popular resort, and to businesses who make most of their money in the summer season.

“There were many people until Sunday; the stain arrived on Monday, and since then, no one is swimming anymore,” said 48-year-old Richard Gutierrez, who has a food and soda stand on Miramar beach.

“We cannot sell anything, there are no vacationers, there is no one” apart from about 100 cleanup workers — soldiers, Repsol hired hands and volunteers — removing the polluted sand with spades to be taken to a toxic waste treatment facility.

– ‘Ecological disaster’ –

Peru’s government has declared the spill of some 6,000 barrels of oil an “ecological disaster” and has demanded compensation from Repsol.

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The company denies responsibility, saying maritime authorities had issued no warning of freak waves after the Tonga eruption.

The task, which began Tuesday, is an arduous one.

The workers deposit the polluted sand onto blue tarps, which are dragged to a pile further inland, awaiting removal to another site.

Work begins at 8:00 am and finishes at 6:00 pm, with a 30-minute break for lunch.

No one knows how long it will take to clean up the affected stretch of coastline, but in Miramar, it is estimated it will last at least two weeks.

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The environment ministry said 174 hectares — equivalent to 270 football fields — of coast were affected, and some 118 hectares at sea.

Marine currents have dispersed the oil all the way to the coast of Chancay district, more than 40 kilometers from where the spill occurred.

The health ministry has identified 21 affected beaches and warned bathers to stay away.

The spill has also affected hundreds of artisanal fishermen who operate on the central Peruvian coast.

They rely on catches of sole, lorna drum and Peruvian grunt — fish commonly used in the local delicacy ceviche, a marinated raw fish dish Peru is famous for.

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International

New York Announces First 2,000 Seats in Universal 2-K Program

The Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani took another step today in their universal early education agenda by announcing the communities that will have access to the first 2,000 seats in the new 2-K program this fall — an initiative backed by a $73 million investment.

The funding is part of the $1.2 billion package previously unveiled by Hochul to strengthen child care and early childhood education across the city, one of the key campaign promises of the now Social Democratic mayor.

At the time of the announcement, the governor also outlined additional funds to reinforce the existing 3-K early education infrastructure, a program launched under former Mayor Bill de Blasio (2014–2021).

When the 2-K initiative was introduced in January, Mayor Mamdani explained that its first phase would offer 2,000 seats, with the goal of eventually expanding into a universal program — a commitment supported by the governor.

State investment in child care and preschool services is expected to increase to $4.5 billion by fiscal year 2027.

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Among the first communities set to benefit from the 2,000 seats are Upper Manhattan and Inwood — areas with large Dominican populations — as well as Fordham and Kingsbridge in the Bronx, a borough with a Latino majority.

In East Brooklyn, Canarsie, Brownsville, and Ocean Hill will also be included. Meanwhile, Ozone Park and the Rockaways are among the neighborhoods that will see the rollout of the 2-K program.

International

Warner Bros. Developing First ‘Game of Thrones’ Movie With ‘Andor’ Writer

Warner Bros. is developing the first feature film based on the hit saga Game of Thrones, with Beau Willimon — screenwriter of Andor — attached to direct, according to a report published Tuesday by Page Six.

The project, currently in early development, will focus on the conquest of King Aegon I Targaryen. A separate television adaptation centered on the same historical storyline within the franchise is also in early stages at HBO.

However, the outlet noted that it remains unclear whether the film will move forward following the recent acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance.

If the merger is finalized, the movie could potentially be shelved, although that scenario appears unlikely given that the Game of Thrones franchise remains one of HBO’s most valuable and beloved properties.

After six seasons adapting the work of George R. R. Martin, the platform expanded the universe with House of the Dragon, a prequel series set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones that explores the history of House Targaryen.

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International

Spain’s Prime Minister to Address Nation Amid Trump’s Trade Threats

The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, will deliver an institutional address this Wednesday at the Moncloa Palace regarding the escalating situation in the Middle East and recent threats directed at Spain by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Spanish government announced that Sánchez will make a statement at 9:00 a.m. local time to outline his position on the latest developments following the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Sánchez is expected to reiterate Spain’s reasons for opposing the use of U.S. military bases on Spanish soil in the operation—an action he has already described as being outside international law—while also expressing criticism of the Iranian regime.

Government sources indicated that the address had been planned prior to Trump’s remarks criticizing Spain’s stance. However, following those comments, Sánchez is now also expected to respond directly to the U.S. president’s statements.

Trump has threatened to “cut all trade with Spain” and said he wants “nothing to do” with the country after Madrid refused to authorize the use of the Morón and Rota military bases in southern Spain for operations against Tehran.

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The U.S. president also labeled Spain “a terrible NATO partner” and warned that “no one” would tell him he could not use the facilities.

In response, the Spanish government stated that Spain fulfills its commitments to NATO and European defense. It also warned Trump that any review of bilateral trade relations must respect international law and the agreements in place between the European Union and the United States.