Headlines June 16, 2023 from Democracy Now!

Greek authorities have arrested nine Egyptian nationals and charged them with people-smuggling, after their overloaded fishing vessel capsized and sank in deep waters off the coast of southern Greece on Wednesday. Over 100 people were rescued, but hope is fading for an estimated 500 others who remain missing. That includes as many as 100 children who witnesses say were traveling below deck. It’s the deadliest shipwreck off the Greek coast this year, possibly among the deadliest ever in the central Mediterranean. Protests in support of the migrants have erupted across Greece amid reports that a Greek Coast Guard vessel escorted the trawler for hours and failed to properly render aid as the vessel capsized. On Thursday, Greek opposition leader Alexis Tsipras visited with survivors at the port of Kalamata, where he condemned the European Union’s policies on refugees and migrants.

Alexis Tsipras: “I want to say there are huge political responsibilities with the migration policy that Europe has been following for years, a migration policy that turns the Mediterranean, our seas, into watery graves. And I think it is time to speak the truth, because this policy has to change.”

Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott has taken credit for sending dozens of migrants to Los Angeles in a move condemned by Democrats as cruel and inhumane. It’s the latest in a series of similar moves by Republican governors in recent months. On Wednesday afternoon, a busload of 42 migrants — including eight children — arrived in Los Angeles after a 23-hour ride from McAllen, Texas, without food. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass blasted Abbott, writing in a statement, “It is abhorrent that an American elected official is using human beings as pawns in his cheap political games.” Los Angeles City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez also condemned Abbott.

Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez: “He’s obviously a person who’s been elected that is not strong enough to meet the moment in his state. But that’s OK, because all these people here in Los Angeles and in California are more than capable of welcoming these folks here, because Los Angeles is a place and a city for everyone. And we’ll keep pushing for our sanctuary policies to make sure that immigrants and migrants know that they are safe here, that they are welcome here. One-point-three million immigrants make up the city of Los Angeles. They are the nervous system, the heart of the city, and we have their back.”

Authorities on Mexico’s Pacific coast say hundreds of wild birds that have washed up along the shore died as a result of abnormally warm ocean waters resulting from the climate crisis and the warming trend known as El Niño. Mexico’s health ministry reports at least six people have died this year from heat-related illnesses, with more extreme temperatures forecast for this weekend.

On Thursday, the European Union’s climate agency said global surface air temperatures briefly rose by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels earlier this month for the first time ever. That’s the maximum global temperature rise agreed to under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

Here in New York, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said Thursday countries must immediately phase out the burning of coal, oil and gas, calling them incompatible with human survival. Guterres also accused fossil fuel companies of attempting to “knee-cap” progress on the climate crisis.

Secretary-General António Guterres: “Current policies are taking the world to a 2.8 degree temperature rise by the end of the century. That spells catastrophe. Yet the collective response remains pitiful. We are hurtling towards disaster, eyes wide open, with far too many willing it all on wishful thinking, unproven technologies and silver bullet solutions. It’s time to wake up and step up.”