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Young people and violent extremism » Five-Eyes call for collective action

2024-12-06 /

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) have collaborated with other Five-Eyes law enforcement and security agencies to develop this message, which calls for a whole-of-society response to help identify and deal with the radicalization of minors – especially online – across the Five-Eyes nations — Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Radicalization is the process by which an individual or a group comes to adopt increasingly radical views in opposition to a political, social, or religious status quo.

The alliance are increasingly concerned about the radicalization of young people under 25 years, and young people who support, plan or undertake terrorist activities. They warn that radicalized minors can pose the same credible terrorist threat as adults, and law enforcement and security agencies are not able address this growing issue alone

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EU seals a massive trade agreement with South America’s Mercosur countries

2024-12-06 /

The European Union and four Mercosur countries – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – reached a political agreement on December 6, 2024 for a ground-breaking partnership agreement.

The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and her counterparts from four Mercosur countries (Brazilian President Lula, Argentinian President Milei, Paraguayan President Peña, and Uruguayan President Lacalle Pou) finalized negotiations for a EU-Mercosur partnership agreement


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Regular classroom time in nature benefits children with mental health difficulties

2024-12-06 /

A team of researchers from McGill and Université de Montréal’s Observatoire pour l’éducation et la santé des enfants (OPES, or observatory on children’s health and education) found that spending two hours a week of class time in a natural environment can reduce emotional distress among 10- to 12-year-olds who had the most significant mental health problems before the program began.

The study published this week in JAMA Network Open, looked at the effects of spending time in nature on the behaviour and mental health symptoms of over 500 schoolchildren across Quebec in the spring of 2023.

The researchers found that at the end of a three-month period, teachers noted that the biggest changes in behaviour occurred in children with the most significant problems at the outset, including anxiety, depression, aggression, impulsivity, or social problems relating to interaction with their peers.

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The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

2024-12-06 /

It has been 35 years since the murder of 14 young women at Polytechnique Montréal. This act of violent misogyny shook our country and led the Canadian government to designate December 6 as The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

Today we remember »

  • Geneviève Bergeron
  • Hélène Colgan
  • Nathalie Croteau
  • Barbara Daigneault
  • Anne-Marie Edward
  • Maud Haviernick
  • Maryse Laganière
  • Maryse Leclair
  • Anne-Marie Lemay
  • Sonia Pelletier
  • Michèle Richard
  • Annie St-Arneault
  • Annie Turcotte
  • Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz

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Harry Litman » Why I just resigned from The Los Angeles Times

2024-12-05 /

Harry Litman »

Trump has made it clear that he will make trouble for media outlets that cross him. Rather than reacting with indignation at this challenge to his paper’s critical function in a democracy, Soon-Shiong threw the paper to the wolves. That was cowardly.

And his decision had a sort of force multiplier effect with the similar conduct by Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos, who rammed a similar non-endorsement decision down the throat of his editorial staff. There as well, there was no argument that the intervention was based on sensible policy contrast between Trump and Harris. History will record it as a self-serving protection of other holdings, which, as in the case of Soon-Shiong’s, dwarf the newspaper itself.

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Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza

2024-12-05 / / 0 Comments

A report from Amnesty International published today concluded Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.

The London-based human rights watchdog’s 296-page report details how Israel has sought to deliberately destroy Palestinians in its war with Hamas, by mounting deadly attacks, demolishing vital infrastructure, and preventing aid deliveries.

The findings are based on satellite images documenting devastation, fieldwork, and ground reports from Gazans as well as “dehumanising and genocidal statements by Israeli government and military officials”.

 Rory O’Neill, writing for Politico »

The report, which analyzed interviews with 212 people, alongside satellite imagery, visual evidence and statements by Israeli officials, found Israel’s actions in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attacks are prohibited under the Genocide Convention and conducted with the specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza.

The report warned that countries supplying arms to Israel, including the United States and Germany, are failing in their obligation to prevent genocide. In the first year of its war in Gaza, Israel has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians, including over 13,300 children, and injured over 97,000 more, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Amnesty says the real figures could be even higher.

“Month after month, Israel has treated Palestinians in Gaza as a subhuman group unworthy of human rights and dignity, demonstrating its intent to physically destroy them,” said Agnès Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty International.

Israel has rejected the claim as “baseless.”

Amnesty International » The 296-page report

Elsewhere » The Intercept / France 24 / The Japan Times / Al Jazeera / El Pais / Swiss Info / Le Monde / BBC / Deutsche Welle / CBC / Salon / NPR

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