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They fired tear gas at children?
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Yes, that's what happened last week in Greece. Police fired tear gas at thousands of refugees and migrants. Look. Why? They were trying to march to the town of Mytilene to tell everyone, 'hey we are not doing so great. hear us out.' (Al Jazeera)
Tell me more.
People are essentially stuck on the islands and it is getting more and more overcrowded. Because, yes, refugees and migrants are still arriving by boats.
- For example, last week's clashes broke out around Moria, a camp that has welcomed close to 20,000 people in and around the camp but that only has space for 3,000 people.
They are all waiting for approval to travel to the Greek mainland to pursue their refugee status and new lives.
- More than 36,000 people currently live in camps on five islands. Normally, they'd only have space for around 6,200 people. (Al Jazeera)
But few on the mainland want them, and the new government has struggled to find places willing to take them. Other European governments have mostly closed their doors. (The New York Times)
What's next?
We have to talk. About humanitarian migration. (The Guardian)
The good in the bad
Greek artist Olga Stefatou has created a breathtaking portrait series called Chrysalis. She's celebrating the individuality of several female refugees and asylum seekers in Greece. (Al Jazeera)
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The future of Syria's Idlib
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Unfortunately, I can't talk about Greece without Syria. These past two weeks have been horrible, especially in the northwestern city of Idlib. Why? The Syrian government has been fighting its last 'rebel-held' areas and — as a result — around 150,000 civilians have had to flee their homes in the last two weeks alone. In total? 580,000 since December 1, about 300,000 of them are children. (AP)
Further, it's also created a political crisis between Turkey and Syria.
- 8 Turkish soldiers (who fought the Syrian government in Idlib) died. Because of that, Turkey has 'neutralized' (a lot of people say this probably means 'killed') 76 Syrian troops in response.
- Turkey is also mad at normally-good-friend Russia who is supporting Syria with fighting the 'rebels'.
How to read this news: Basically, this is an 'arm wrestle' between Turkey and Syria.
Why this matters
150,000 civilians.
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French Apple's Walk of Shame
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Apple had to pay a €25 million fee because it slowed down older iPhone models on purpose — without making it clear to customers. Apple admitted that even. (BBC)
Who found that out?
France's competition and fraud watchdog DGCCRF.
Does Apple still slow down older iPhones?
Yes.
Why?
To keep the aging phone battery alive.
Has Apple learned from ‘slap on the wrist’?
Yes. iOS now offers clearer information to consumers about when performance management has been switched on.
However, as part of the agreement, Apple must now show a notice on its French-language website for a month, saying Apple "committed the crime of deceptive commercial practice by omission" and had agreed to pay the fine.
- But: The fine amounts to less than 0.003% of Apple Inc.'s current worth.
Why this matters
When you buy products, you should (ideally) know what you're buying.
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Hottest on Europe, hottest on continental Antarctica
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Time to update your latest climate change facts,
- Esperanza Base on the Antarctic Peninsula reached a temperatuare of 18.3 °C (64.9 °F), the hottest on record for continental Antarctica. (The Washington Post)
- 2020 was the warmest January ever on record in Europe. (Time)
In other science-y news, Christina Koch came back to Earth from the International Space Station after being up there in space for 328 days.
- Why this matters: 328 days is longer than any woman in history. (CNN via MSN)
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I love longreads. Hence why I love the app Audm. If I am not reading longreads on there, I am looking for them elsewhere.
And last week, I found A Continent Remade. Reflections on 1960, the Year of Africa by The New York Times.
Why should I read it?
Photos of Africa from the year 1960 that make you go 'wow i need to become a photographer and travel the world' and featured essays from prominent Africans including the Ivorian former soccer star Didier Drogba and architect David Adjaye.
What's so special about the year 1960?
In 1960, 17 different African countries gained independence and it was known as the "Year of Africa".
- "The Year of Africa, as it came to be known, was a victory for the black world. It emerged from longstanding global movements for racial equality and gave rise to political and cultural revolutions that forever transformed Africa’s place in the world."
Talking about African development...
Do you know any scholars and/or activists studying or living on the continent? If yes, tell them about the Lionel Cliffe Memorial Research Scholarship. The scholarship offers £3,000 research grants to African scholars. Deadline: March 15, 2020. (Review of African Political Economy)
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WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE
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Traffic lights stay red if you're rude
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There is a lot of traffic in Mumbai, India. And people honk there a lot, too.
While reducing traffic isn't something that can be done overnight, Mumbai police has figured out a pretty clever way to solve the honking aka noise pollution problem.
Now, traffic lights on the busiest streets have noise detection technology. And when people honk at red lights so you f*cking move, they... stay red. (CNN)
Here comes the best part
The cops filmed the first time the #HonkResponsibly traffic control campaign started.
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American actor Keanu Reeves made a surprise appearance in a Ukrainian textbook.
A 10th grade history textbook used the famous 1932 photo 'Lunch Atop a Skyscraper' to illustrate a chapter on the U.S. in the interwar period.
But the book used a photoshopped version of the photo that added a sad Reeves as the 12th worker like so. (Kyiv Post)
- "However, Ihor Shchupak, a history professor who authored the textbook, claimed that the photoshopped image was put in the book intentionally. He said he wanted to check how carefully students read textbooks."
Uh huh.
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The end.
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