International

Oil spill pollutes nature reserve in Ecuadoran Amazon

AFP

An oil spill in eastern Ecuador has reached a nature reserve and polluted a river that supplies water to indigenous communities, the country’s environmental ministry said Monday.

Nearly two hectares (five acres) of a protected area of the Cayambe-Coca national park have been contaminated, as well as the Coca river — one of the biggest in the Ecuadoran Amazon, the ministry said in a statement.

The park of some 400,000 hectares is home to a wide variety of protected animals and holds important water reserves.

Heavy rains caused a mudslide in the eastern Napo province on Friday, during which a rock struck and ruptured a pipeline owned by private company OCP Ecuador.

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The company said Sunday it had begun repairing the pipeline and that “crude oil has been collected in retention pools to be taken to the Lago Agrio station in tanker trucks.”

OCP’s executive president Jorge Vugdelija blamed the incident on “force majeure.”

OCP’s pipelines can transport up to 450,000 barrels a day from the Amazon to ports on the Pacific coast, although the company only extracted 160,000 barrels between January and November 2021.

In May 2020 in the same area, a mudslide damaged pipelines, resulting in 15,000 barrels of oil polluting three Amazon basin rivers, affecting several riverside communities.

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International

Mexico Calls for Immediate Probe After National Dies in ICE Custody

Mexico’s Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE) on Monday called on U.S. authorities to conduct an “immediate and thorough” investigation into the death of a Mexican national while in custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a processing facility in California.

In a statement, the Mexican government described the death as “regrettable” and urged U.S. officials to clarify the circumstances surrounding the case in order to “determine responsibilities and ensure that such events do not happen again.”

Death at Adelanto Processing Center

According to available information, the Mexican citizen died at the Adelanto Processing Center in California while under ICE custody. Authorities have not yet released the individual’s identity or the cause of death.

Following the incident, Mexico’s Foreign Ministry formally requested “detailed information” from U.S. authorities, including the detainee’s medical records and custody reports.

Consular Assistance Activated

The Mexican Consulate in San Bernardino, California, has activated consular assistance protocols to provide ongoing support to the deceased’s family. Officials have contacted relatives to express condolences and offer legal guidance, as well as assistance with the necessary procedures to repatriate the remains.

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“The handling of situations like this and the establishment of mechanisms to resolve them are priorities for the Government of Mexico,” the Foreign Ministry said, adding that it will formally request an investigation into any systemic conditions that may have contributed to such incidents.

Local Mexican media reported that seven Mexican nationals died while in ICE detention last year — the highest number recorded since the agency was created.

International

Anti-ICE Billboard Campaign Targets Immigration Spending in 31 U.S. Cities

More than 200 billboards criticizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began appearing Monday in 31 cities across the United States, including Miami, as part of a campaign highlighting the high cost of immigration enforcement operations for taxpayers.

The initiative, titled “ICE Costs Us,” was launched by the civil rights organization Mijente and will run for four weeks.

Criticism of Spending and Enforcement Tactics

The billboards feature images of ICE agents during arrests or carrying military-style weapons. According to the organization, spending on military-grade equipment for the agency has increased by 600 percent in recent years.

Several signs display messages such as:
“Your taxes are being wasted” and “ICE’s cruelty costs you $28 billion,” referring to the agency’s annual budget.

In a statement, Marisa Franco, co-founder of the Mijente Support Committee, said:
“For too long, our government has prioritized building cages and investing billions in an immigration enforcement apparatus that has left families torn apart and communities terrified.”

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She added that “Millions of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, yet this violent agency continues operating with a blank check. These decisions do not make us safer nor improve our economic security. Our billboards highlight these choices and demand a different path.”

Budget Debate and Medicaid Comparison

The campaign also draws a comparison between ICE’s funding and the estimated 17 million people who could lose health coverage under Medicaid due to federal budget cuts under President Donald Trump.

Other billboard messages seen in various cities include:
“They get billions to beat us; we get layoffs and rising rents” and “Funding ICE is a fast track to fascism.”

Organizers say the goal is to spark public debate about the allocation of federal funds for immigration enforcement and the broader economic and social impact of such policies on communities nationwide.

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International

Trump Warns of ‘Major Wave’ of Attacks as Iran Conflict Escalates

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday praised the success of his military campaign against Iran and warned that the “major wave” of attacks has not yet been launched, suggesting it could come “very soon.”

In a phone interview with CNN, Trump said U.S. Armed Forces are “pounding” Iranian targets and described the operation as going “very well.”

“We have the best military in the world and we’re using it. (…) We haven’t even started hitting them hard yet. The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon,” he warned.

Operation “Epic Fury”

The United States launched Operation “Epic Fury” on Saturday in coordination with Israel. The initial strikes reportedly resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with much of the country’s top military leadership.

Tehran has vowed to avenge Khamenei’s death and has responded with missile attacks against Israel and several Arab countries hosting U.S. military bases, including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

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Trump told CNN that the “biggest surprise” of the campaign was Iran’s decision to strike Gulf nations with an American military presence. He said those countries now “want to fight,” despite U.S. assurances that Washington has the situation under control.

“They’re fighting aggressively. They were going to have very little involvement, and now they insist on participating,” he added.

Possible U.S. Casualties

Trump, who campaigned in 2024 on a promise to keep the United States out of prolonged foreign wars, acknowledged that additional American casualties could occur. So far, four U.S. service members have reportedly been killed.

“I always thought it would last four weeks. And we’re a little ahead of schedule,” he said.

When asked whether his administration is helping the Iranian people regain control of their country and pursue regime change, Trump responded, “Yes.”