Genocide

Rishi Sunak’s plan to redefine extremism is disingenuous – and a threat to democracy

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

This, he has argued, is needed because “our democracy itself is a target” of antisemitic and Islamophobic extremists.

Key Points: 
  • This, he has argued, is needed because “our democracy itself is a target” of antisemitic and Islamophobic extremists.
  • However, the reality is that no measures do more damage to democracy than policy proposals like the one Sunak is promoting.
  • The UK already has a definition for extremism, which is used in efforts to tackle terrorism.
  • A key reason why this definition is not contained in legislation is because it is so vague and unclear.

Vague to vaguer

  • What does it mean to undermine or overturn the rights or freedoms of others?
  • Would arguing for the UK to leave the European convention on human rights count meet the bar?
  • What about calling for restrictions on the right to free speech or the right to protest?

Existing laws are enough

  • But the UK already has numerous laws in place to tackle what it considers to be unacceptable behaviour at protests.
  • The Terrorism Act (which is also incredibly broad) can be used to prosecute people who damage property or create a serious risk to public safety during protests.
  • Counter-terrorism laws can also capture forms of expression at public demonstrations or online.
  • This can now be applied by he police to criminalise protests that are considered to be making too much noise.

The right to protest

  • People may self-censor out of fear of being identified as extremist, not least when their employer has a duty under Prevent.
  • There is a deep danger of conflating protest with extremism and terrorism, undermining the legitimacy of these protests.
  • To stretch the concept of extremism to cover these views is what is actually undermining democracy and the rights and freedoms of others.


Alan Greene does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Canadians ramp up pressure on Trudeau and Joly with coordinated blockades of weapons manufacturers as UN calls for immediate arms embargo on Israel

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Over 82,000 Canadians signed a parliamentary petition demanding an embargo on military exports to Israel, and 75 civil society groups called on Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly to resign if she won’t impose an arms embargo.

Key Points: 
  • Over 82,000 Canadians signed a parliamentary petition demanding an embargo on military exports to Israel, and 75 civil society groups called on Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly to resign if she won’t impose an arms embargo.
  • Canadian communities are demanding that the government end its complicity with Israeli genocide and stop all military exports.
  • All of the companies that have been targeted by actions this week are producing weapons and arms components that are being used by Israel to attack Gaza’s civilian population and infrastructure.
  • “It’s been over a month since the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel is plausibly committing genocide in Gaza.

BREAKING: Another city joins the call: Three weapons manufacturers across Canada are now blockaded in an effort to stop flow of weapons to Israel

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 26, 2024

These rolling actions are a concerted effort to interrupt Canada's complicity in Israel's genocide against Gaza, just days after the UN called for an immediate arms embargo against Israel.

Key Points: 
  • These rolling actions are a concerted effort to interrupt Canada's complicity in Israel's genocide against Gaza, just days after the UN called for an immediate arms embargo against Israel.
  • In Peterborough, activists picketed a Safran Electronics facility, and spoke with many supportive workers about their employer's complicity in genocide.
  • "We are seeing different actions take place at arms companies across Canada demanding an immediate arms embargo against Israel.
  • Government officials have been misrepresenting the nature of Canada's military exports to Israel, and failing to uphold their legal responsibility under the Arms Trade Treaty.

BREAKING: Coordinated blockades at major weapons manufacturers to demand arms embargo on Israel

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 26, 2024

Toronto, Peterborough, Ontario, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Two major arms manufacturers are being disrupted this morning, kicking off rolling actions to interrupt the flow of weapons to Israel.

Key Points: 
  • Toronto, Peterborough, Ontario, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Two major arms manufacturers are being disrupted this morning, kicking off rolling actions to interrupt the flow of weapons to Israel.
  • Canada has enacted arms embargos before, and it must enact one now, immediately, to stop this genocidal violence."
  • "We are seeing different actions take place at arms companies across Canada demanding an immediate arms embargo against Israel.
  • On Friday, UN experts named Canada's military exports as a likely violation of international law in their urgent call for an immediate arms embargo against Israel.

National Geographic Documentary Films Acquires Sundance Film Festival Award-Winner SUGARCANE

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 21, 2024

On the heels of its fourth Oscar® nomination in six years, National Geographic Documentary Films announced today it has acquired worldwide rights to SUGARCANE following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival last month.

Key Points: 
  • On the heels of its fourth Oscar® nomination in six years, National Geographic Documentary Films announced today it has acquired worldwide rights to SUGARCANE following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival last month.
  • The Kassie Films and Hedgehog Films production, in association with Impact Partners and Fit Via Vi, was produced by Kassie and Oscar nominee Kellen Quinn.
  • “It was an honor to witness and experience the profound effect this exquisite film had on the audience at its Sundance Film Festival world premiere.
  • National Geographic Documentary Films has a long track record of championing epic and important stories that awaken audiences and transcend their moment.

Government of Canada introduces legislation to combat harmful content online, including the sexual exploitation of children

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 26, 2024

The Bill would create stronger online protection for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content.

Key Points: 
  • The Bill would create stronger online protection for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content.
  • Government of Canada introduces legislation to combat harmful content online, including the sexual exploitation of children.
  • The Bill would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content.
  • They could also include design features to limit children's exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.

The Courage Projects Demands Action for More Than 20,000 Ukrainian Children Taken by Russia

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 23, 2024

NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A day before the two-year anniversary of Russia's war on Ukraine, three Ukrainian children gave testimony at the United Nations, detailing their experiences being abducted by Russian forces. In recounting their personal stories, 13-year-old Sasha, 11-year-old Ilya, and 14-year-old Kira sought to advocate for the release of more than 20,000 kidnapped Ukrainian children remaining in Russian captivity. The closed-door session marked the first time that U.N. members have heard directly from survivors of Russia's mass child abduction, a violation of the Genocide Convention.

Key Points: 
  • In recounting their personal stories, 13-year-old Sasha, 11-year-old Ilya, and 14-year-old Kira sought to advocate for the release of more than 20,000 kidnapped Ukrainian children remaining in Russian captivity.
  • The Ukrainian government has identified more than 20,000 cases of children who have been unlawfully abducted, while Russia continues to illegally transfer Ukrainian children to Russian territory.
  • Sasha, Ilya, and Kira are among only a few hundred Ukrainian children who have been rescued from Russian captivity.
  • Russia has passed legislation making it easier for Russian families to adopt Ukrainian children and to grant them Russian citizenship.

LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES 2023 GEORGE POLK AWARDS IN JOURNALISM

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 19, 2024

NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Five recipients of the 2023 George Polk Awards, announced today by Long Island University, were for coverage of the Israel/Gaza and Russia/Ukraine wars in a year when the university is marking the 75th anniversary of one of American journalism's prized honors.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Five recipients of the 2023 George Polk Awards, announced today by Long Island University, were for coverage of the Israel/Gaza and Russia/Ukraine wars in a year when the university is marking the 75th anniversary of one of American journalism's prized honors.
  • The George Polk Awards were established in 1949 by LIU to commemorate George Polk, a CBS correspondent murdered in 1948 while covering the Greek civil war.
  • The awards, which place a premium on investigative and enterprising reporting that gains attention and achieves results, are conferred annually to honor special achievement in journalism.
  • At the same time, sixteen outstanding journalists whose careers reflect a commitment to deep investigative reporting will be honored as "George Polk laureates."

Kosovo: consolidating its statehood remains an uphill struggle 16 years after independence

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 15, 2024

The country is now recognised internationally by more than 100 states and has become a member of some international organisations.

Key Points: 
  • The country is now recognised internationally by more than 100 states and has become a member of some international organisations.
  • Kosovo has also established itself as one of the most functional and vibrant democracies in the Balkans.
  • But neighbouring Serbia doesn’t recognise Kosovo’s independence and ethnic Serbs living in the country’s north have largely rejected Kosovo’s state authority.

Accommodating Serbia

  • The breakdown in cooperation has been exploited by Serbia to undermine Kosovo’s standing as a sovereign state.
  • Concerned about Serbia’s potential to destabilise the Balkans, Brussels and Washington have adopted a lenient posture towards Vučić, aiming to pull Serbia away from Russia’s influence.
  • Russia’s war in Ukraine and its potential security implications for the Balkans (where Serbia is considered Moscow’s proxy) has, contrary to any reasonable expectation, amplified this approach.
  • However, there still hasn’t been any official public assessment of the attack, nor have any sanctions been imposed on Serbia.

Other priorities

  • Vučić is perceived as someone with enough popular legitimacy to sell Serbs a final settlement with Kosovo.
  • Kosovo’s concerns about the current approach to the dialogue between the two countries are legitimate having seen Serbia’s actions in the past.
  • In fact, Israel is the only country to establish diplomatic ties with Kosovo in the last six years.

An uphill struggle

  • The current US and EU administrations are likely to push Kosovo to bend to their demands and give Vučić something that he would be happy to live with.
  • Whichever way Kosovo chooses, the consolidation of its statehood will remain an uphill struggle.


Altin Gjeta does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Kasowitz: Penn's Meritless Motion to Dismiss the Lawsuit Challenging Penn's Pervasive Antisemitism Only Proves the Need for the Lawsuit in the First Place

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Marc E. Kasowitz, partner at Kasowitz Benson Torres, stated:  "Just weeks ago, Penn's president refused to confirm to Congress that calling for the genocide of Jews violates Penn's code of conduct.

Key Points: 
  • Marc E. Kasowitz, partner at Kasowitz Benson Torres, stated:  "Just weeks ago, Penn's president refused to confirm to Congress that calling for the genocide of Jews violates Penn's code of conduct.
  • Now, in its meritless motion to dismiss, Penn, while trying to downplay the virulent antisemitism it has tolerated and enabled for so long on its campus, also says that it should be trusted to fix the problem.
  • But since that infamous testimony, the antisemitic hatred, discrimination, and harassment permeating Penn's campus has if anything worsened.
  • Penn's motion only underscores the need for the lawsuit—unless compelled to, Penn will not change."