International

In Canada’s Arctic, Inuit traditions help combat youth depression

AFP | by Anne-Sophie THILL

Filleting a fish, lighting a fire or building an igloo: In Canada’s Arctic, Inuit youth are being encouraged to connect with their culture in an attempt to prevent severe depression and save lives.

A dozen teenagers and young adults gather around instructor Alex Flaherty. They don’t want to miss any of the traditional hunter’s precise gestures as he carves a fish or lights a fire.

“Our culture has changed so much in the last 50 years when people used to live in igloos… the change is happening so fast, (and) we are losing our culture,” he tells AFP.

Flaherty blames the societal shifts for a series of social ills such as violent crime, substance abuse and a high rate of suicide.

Hoping to help remedy these problems, he’s taken hundreds of teenagers hiking, camping and hunting in the vast tundra in the past three years.

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In addition to keeping alive Inuit culture, his government-funded Polar Outfitting program also aims to bolster young people’s mental health and teach them to adapt to a changing climate — in a region that is warming much faster than elsewhere.

Flaherty says he takes mostly youth aged 12 to 20 years old, “because that’s when their lifestyle starts changing (and) when they need help.”

In the summer, they hike across the rocky, windswept lands near the bay city of Iqaluit that is home to some 7,000 residents — and is accessible only by plane most months.

They also learn to make fishing nets to catch Arctic char and to navigate and survive in the pristine but unforgiving environment.

In the dead of winter, when sunlight is reduced to just a few hours per day, they will go out on the ice to fish, and build igloos.

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‘Not just about fishing’

At 22, Annie Kootoo is the oldest in the current class. She gushes with joy after spending 10 days in the wilderness.

“I did a lot of activities that I don’t usually do, and it’s been very helpful for my mental health,” she says.

Chris Laisa, a 14-year-old echoes the sentiment. “I feel great,” he says after a lesson.

“It was fun because I learned how to fillet a fish, how to prepare it.”

Flaherty, standing nearby, adds that it’s “not just about fishing. It’s about clearing your mind, being outdoors and sharing with others.”

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In the Nunavut territory of northern Canada, where the average age is 28, young people are deeply affected by the isolation and intergenerational traumas caused by past colonial policies.

Like many Indigenous peoples in Canada, the Inuit are haunted by memories of being forced into residential schools where they were stripped of their language and culture, and abused by teachers and headmasters.

Here the suicide rate is much higher than the rest of the country — 76.6 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2020 compared to 10.1, according to Statistics Canada.

Camilla Sehti, the Nunavut government’s head of mental health and addictions services, goes through a long list of what’s contributed to the crisis: “It’s just so many factors.”

Healing, she says, “starts with reconnecting people to their culture.”

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“I think colonization had a huge impact on this territory and the ability for people to feel connected to self,” she explains, describing new mental health initiatives that emphasize “family, culture and community.”

After losing her best friend two years ago, Minnie Akeeagok started posting warnings on social media about depression and suicide.

“Everybody in Nunavut knows someone who has committed suicide or faced mental health issues. I personally know more than five,” the 18-year-old told AFP.

“We need more resources, more accessibility within the mental health field in Nunavut,” she says, noting that in the far off communities of this Arctic territory the situation is even more dire.

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International

King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”

King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”

The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.

While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”

The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.

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“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.

King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”

Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”

He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”

“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.

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The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”

International

Trump Administration Considers Denying Green Cards Over Political Views

The administration of President Donald Trump is evaluating new immigration guidelines that could deny permanent residency to immigrants based on their political views, according to a report published by The New York Times.

The proposed measures, outlined in internal Department of Homeland Security documents, would instruct immigration officials to take applicants’ public expressions and ideological positions into account when reviewing green card applications.

According to the report, cases involving “possible anti-American and/or antisemitic conduct or ideologies” would need to be referred to higher authorities for additional review.

Even if applicants have not violated any laws, authorities could still reject residency requests if they determine that individuals have “endorsed, promoted, or supported anti-American views.”

Among the factors listed in the guidelines are participation in pro-Palestinian activities, actions considered antisemitic, and the burning of the U.S. flag.

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The documents reportedly describe such actions as “heavily negative” factors in immigration evaluations, potentially blocking applicants from obtaining permanent residency and, eventually, U.S. citizenship.

The directives also place particular attention on demonstrations held on university campuses following the 2023 Hamas attacks against Israel.

However, flag burning has previously been recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court as a form of protected free speech under the Constitution.

The proposal has sparked criticism from immigrant advocacy organizations, including the New York Immigration Coalition.

Its president, Murad Awawdeh, warned that the policies could pose a threat to fundamental rights and freedoms.

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International

Mexico Arrests CJNG Leader “El Jardinero” in Nayarit

Mexican authorities arrested Audias Flores, known as “El Jardinero,” on Monday during a naval operation in the western state of Nayarit, delivering another major blow to the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).

Flores was considered one of the top regional leaders within the cartel and had reportedly overseen criminal operations along Mexico’s Pacific coast. Security analysts viewed him as a potential successor to slain drug kingpin Nemesio Oseguera.

The arrest was carried out by Mexico’s Navy Special Forces in a planned operation, according to Security Minister Omar García Harfuch.

The United States Department of the Treasury had previously identified Flores as a “significant foreign narcotics trafficker,” while U.S. authorities offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his capture and extradition.

A U.S. grand jury indicted Flores in 2021 on charges including conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin.

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His capture comes months after the reported death of “El Mencho,” an operation that Mexican authorities considered a priority due to the cartel leader’s alleged involvement in a 2020 assassination attempt against García Harfuch.