ICYMI | #127

Our weekly roundup of stories you may have missed.

Climate Crisis

The first week of July may have been the hottest in history, as climate change continues to drive up temperatures across the globe. Southern Europe experienced another week of heatwaves and other forms of extreme weather. On the Greek island of Rhodes, almost 20,000 people were evacuated – Greece’s biggest-ever evacuation – due to wildfires. In Italy, temperatures continue to hover around 45 degrees in Sicily, while the northern town of Seregno saw flash flooding and severe hailstorms that injured more than 100 people.

Meanwhile, Shell, ExxonMobil and BP and more of the world's largest oil companies have been quietly scaling back their climate commitments and de-investing in renewable energy, despite publicly acknowledging the need to phase out fossil fuels in order to prevent climate collapse. Last year oil companies registered record-breaking profits, and continue, in the words of climate scientist Naomi Oreskes, to do “everything they can to block climate action and keep us dependent on their products.”

Spain Elections

Spain’s snap election on Sunday resulted in a defeat for the far-right anti-immigrant and anti-feminist Vox party, who were widely predicted to win enough votes to form a coalition with the centre-right PP party. The ruling PSOE party performed better than expected, but the results leave Spanish politics in a deadlock for now, with no party winning enough to secure an absolute majority.

BVG fined for racism

In a historical ruling, Berlin’s public transport company BVG has been ordered to pay damages for racist discrimination against a passenger. Jeremy Osborne, an African-American opera singer, was verbally and physically attacked in 2020 after asking for a ticket inspector’s ID card. It’s the first time BVG has been sanctioned for racism, but not the first time the spotlight has been on BVG ticket inspectors for violent conduct and discrimination on Berlin transport. 

UK's Illegal Migration Bill

On a “dark day” for British politics, the UK parliament have passed a controversial new Illegal Migration Bill that will make it impossible for most people to claim asylum in the UK if they arrived by “irregular” routes. The bill has been condemned by activists, NGOs and even the United Nations. It means that thousands more people fleeing war, persecution and climate breakdown will face deportation, lengthy detention and exploitation from criminal gangs and traffickers. 

CDU could work with AfD in local government

CDU party leader Friedrich Merz faced criticism last week after saying that he would be willing to cooperate with far-right populists AfD in local politics, a move that would violate previous pledges and break a major taboo in German politics. The AfD is currently enjoying record-high polling numbers and won its first-ever mayoral post earlier this month. Merz has since backtracked after widespread backlash, including from within his own party.

EU/Tunisia partnership

The EU has signed a new €1 billion deal with Tunisia to curb migration across the Mediterranean, despite the country’s poor recent human rights record. Earlier this year Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed made a racist speech that triggered a wave of violence and discrimination against Black Africans across the country. This month, Tunisian security forces pushed hundreds of migrants into the desert towards the Libyan and Algeria borders. This deal makes the EU complicit in these ongoing abuses.

Nebraska teen jail time for abortion

A teenager in Nebraska has been sentenced to three months of jail time after using pills to end her pregnancy. The case has intensified fears that women could be criminalised after being forced to seek abortions illegally due to ever-tightening restrictions across the United States. Meta has also been criticised for its role in the conviction after police were given access to private Facebook messages that the girl, who was 17 years old at the time, sent to her mother. 

Oona

This week on Weserstraße:

Tuesday: Jaxx TMS, Akirahawks, Twirl!

Wednesday: Vio PRG, Maveen, The Honey Tapes

Thursday: Zoë Mc Pherson, Llupe

Friday: ELLLL, Dangermami, Nalamazon

Saturday: Rafiki, Lacaty