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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 10 december 2019

Too much of a Greta thing? Activist urges focus on others

FRANK JORDANS ated Press. Thunberg said
ARITZ PARRA she felt a “moral duty” to
Associated Press use the media’s attention
MADRID (AP) — With doz- to promote others who
ens of cameras pointing at have struggled to get the
her across a room full of re- limelight.
porters, celebrity teen en- “It is people especially from
vironmentalist Greta Thun- the global south, especially
berg had an unexpected from indigenous communi-
message: Look the other ties, who need to tell their
way. stories,” she said before
“Our stories have been told handing the microphone
over and over again,” the to young environmentalists
16-year-old Swede said, from around the globe.
explaining why she and Among them was Kisha
prominent German activist Erah Muaña, a 23-year-old
Luisa Neubauer would be activist from the Philippines,
handing over the stage at who called on global lead-
the U.N. climate meeting in ers to take “robust and last-
Madrid to other young ac- ing action” against climate
tivists. change. “I am from Rus-
“It’s really about them,” sia, where everyone can
Thunberg added of the be arrested for anything,”
young activists from de- Climate activist Greta Thunberg, centre, stands with other young activists at the COP25 Climate said Arshak Makichyan, a
veloping countries already summit in Madrid, Spain, Monday, Dec. 9, 2019. 25-year-old violinist from
facing the effects of cli- Associated Press Moscow. “But I am not
mate change, including vi- her activism, including her Jennifer Morgan, the ex- ibly disproportionate.” afraid to be arrested. I’m
olent storms, droughts and combative speeches chal- ecutive director of Green- Thunberg was met by a afraid not to do enough.”
rising sea levels. “We talk lenging world leaders to do peace International. “And I crowd of cameras as she Thunberg’s angry accusa-
about our future, they talk more to stop global warm- think that the media needs arrived in Portugal last tions that world leaders are
about their present.” ing. But some say that it’s to do a better job at cover- week, having sailed back failing the younger gen-
Thunberg has become the time to put the spotlight on ing that.” to Europe to avoid air travel eration have made head-
face of the youth climate other young activists who Thunberg and those close for environmental reasons. lines, including her shouts
movement, drawing large also have a strong story to to her appeared to agree. On Friday, she left a protest of “How dare you?” at the
crowds with her appear- tell about climate change. Neubauer, a 23-year-old march through the Span- U.N. General Assembly ear-
ances at protests and con- “Greta and other youth who has become the face ish capital early after being lier this year. However, poli-
ferences over the past year leaders have been an in- of the Fridays for Future mobbed by crowds of pro- ticians have, by and large,
and a half. credible inspiration and student movement in Ger- testers and reporters. praised Thunberg and her
Veteran campaigners and catalyzed a whole group many, said the focus on her “We want to break this up,” movement as an important
scientists have welcomed of young people,” said and Thunberg was “incred- Neubauer told The Associ- voice of her generation. q

EU weighs response to Turkey-Libya maritime border deal

Associated Press has fueled tensions in Tur- ministers would study a Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt, Stef Blok. “International law
Brussels (AP) — European key’s long-running dispute “memorandum of under- which lie between Turkey should be upheld.”
Union foreign ministers de- with Greece, Cyprus and standing” agreed upon and Libya geographically, Although they are NATO al-
bated Monday how to re- Egypt over oil and gas drill- between Turkey and Libya, have blasted the accord lies, neighbors Greece and
spond to a controversial ing rights in the eastern which was only made pub- as being contrary to inter- Turkey are divided by a se-
agreement between Tur- Mediterranean. Greece lic in recent days. national law. Some EU part- ries of decades-old issues,
key and Libya that could has already expelled the Austrian Foreign Minister ners of Greece and Cyprus including territorial disputes
give Turkey access to a Libyan ambassador over it. Alexander Schallenberg seem to agree. in the Aegean Sea, and
contested economic zone Before chairing the meet- said “it’s a little bit astound- “The Netherlands is always have come to the brink
across the Mediterranean ing, new EU foreign policy ing how they split up the a staunch supporter of the of war three times since
Sea. The maritime border chief Josep Borrell said that Mediterranean among rule of international law, the 1970s, including once
deal, endorsed by the Turk- “it’s not a matter of sanc- themselves. We’ll have to and we side with Greece,” over drilling rights in the
ish parliament last week, tions today.” He said the see how we deal with it.” said Dutch Foreign Minister Aegean.q