International

Víctor Manuel opens the 37th Black Week of Gijón, with a record of guest authors

The singer-songwriter Víctor Manuel has opened this Friday the program of cultural activities that for ten days, until July 14, will take place in the thirty-seventh edition of the Black Week of Gijón, which has reached the record number of 250 guest authors of different literary genres.

After the cut of the traditional black tape in an enclosure of 33,000 square meters in an old shipyard, Víctor Manuel has starred in the first round table with a conference on the song ‘Asturias’, by the poet Pedro Garfias, to which he put music and became an unofficial anthem for Asturians.

The Tent of the Encounter, the main of the four in which writers’ meetings with their readers take place, has also hosted the screening of the documentary ‘Asturias, the journey of a song, produced by Televisión del Principado de Asturias (TPA), which narrates the genesis of the poem created by Garfias in 1937.

Hours before the opening ceremony, which has been attended by the president of the Principality of Asturias, Adrián Barbón, the enclosure has been opened to the public, which houses the tents for meetings of writers with readers, book and craft markets, an amusement fair and stages for musical performances.

Barbón and the director of the festival, Miguel Barrero, have presided over the cut of the film at the inauguration accompanied by municipal authorities to the sound of the music of the charanga ‘El ventolín’.

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Social movements of solidarity with Palestine, the Sahara and peoples of Ibero-America have concentrated in front of the Tent of the Encounter to make their demands heard.

This Black Week, which will be the largest in its 37 years of history by number of authors and cultural activities, will pay tributes to Paco Ignacio Taibo, Julio Cortázar, Juan Carlos Onetti and Antonio Machado.

During the contest, the winners of the Dashiell Hammett awards will be announced, for the best crime novel written in Spanish and published during the past year; Rodolfo Walsh, of non-fiction literature; the Spartacus, of a historical novel; the Celsius, of science fiction or fantasy: and the Silverio Cañada, the first crime novel by an author.

International

Spain’s irregular migrant population rises to 840,000, study finds

The number of migrants living in Spain without legal residency status continues to rise and has reached 840,000 people, with 91% originating from the Americas, particularly Colombia, Peru and Honduras, according to a report by the Spanish think tank Funcas (Foundation of the Savings Banks).

An estimated 17.2% of the non-EU foreign population living in Spain is in an irregular administrative situation. The estimate is based on the gap between the number of foreign residents effectively living in Spain, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE), and those who hold a residence permit, benefit from international protection, or are in the process of obtaining it.

The data, as of January 1, 2025, point to a notable and sustained increase in irregular migration since 2017, when the estimated figure stood at around 107,000 people, representing 4.2% of the non-EU population residing in Spain.

By origin, migrants from the American continent stand out, totaling around 760,000 people, or 91% of all irregular migrants. Colombians account for nearly 290,000, followed by Peruvians with almost 110,000, and Hondurans with about 90,000. Migrants from Africa (50,000), Asia (15,000) and Europe (14,000) trail far behind.

The figures predate Spain’s latest immigration regulation reform, which came into force in May 2025 and introduces measures to ease access to legal status through residency ties. According to Funcas, the reform would, in principle, tend to reduce the number of migrants in an irregular situation.

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International

Historic snowstorm paralyzes Toronto after 60 centimeters of snow

Toronto, Canada’s largest city and the fourth most populous in North America, was largely paralyzed on Monday after a historic snowstorm dumped up to 60 centimeters of snow and sent temperatures plunging to -15 degrees Celsius, authorities said.

Late Sunday, as the scale of the snowfall became clear, city officials declared a climate emergency, triggering extraordinary measures including parking bans on several major streets to facilitate snow removal operations.

Toronto’s public transit authority reported that while some buses remain immobilized, subway and streetcar services are operating with relative normality, though localized disruptions may occur.

A similar situation is affecting the city’s commuter rail network, which remains operational but is experiencing significant delays on its main routes due to the severe weather conditions.

International

Venezuela frees at least 80 political prisoners, NGO says

At least 80 political prisoners were released on Sunday across Venezuela, human rights group Foro Penal reported, as the broader process of detainee releases continues at a slow pace under the interim government.

Foro Penal’s director, Alfredo Romero, wrote on social media platform X that verified releases took place nationwide and that the figure could rise as more confirmations are completed.

Attorney Gonzalo Himiob, also from Foro Penal, said the excarcelations occurred during the early hours of the day and emphasized that the number is not yet final pending further verification.

The releases are part of a series of steps announced by Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, who took power after the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation on Jan. 3, 2026. Rodríguez has pledged a significant number of liberations but has been criticized by opposition groups and rights organizations for the slow and nontransparent nature of the process.

So far, the Venezuelan government reports that 626 detainees have been freed since December, though independent counts by human rights groups suggest the number of actual political prisoner releases is lower and that many remain behind bars.

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Families of those still detained have maintained vigils outside prisons, hopeful for further releases even as broader concerns about political imprisonment and due process persist.