Latest news with #aggression
CBC
a day ago
- Politics
- CBC
Alberta government will appoint 'action team' to address classroom aggression
Alberta's education minister will be assembling a group of superintendents, teachers and school trustees to study how to best tackle what the government says is a rising incidence of aggression in classrooms. Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced an "aggression and complexity in schools action team" in Calgary on Monday, promising to consider some of the team's recommendations by fall. "Alberta's government believes that every student and every staff member deserves to feel safe, respected and supported at school, and we're taking concrete steps here today to make sure that that happens," Nicolaides said. The panel comes as Alberta's 51,000 public, Catholic and francophone school teachers belonging to the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) are in a legal strike position after voting 95 per cent in favour of job action. Among the top concerns are classroom conditions, including what they say are growing class sizes with more students who have labour-intensive or specialized needs. The complexities include a growing proportion of English-language learners, children with intellectual, behavioural or physical disabilities, and mental health challenges. "We recognize that this is a serious and growing issue, and that is why we are taking action today, immediately and in the long term, to ensure that every student and staff member has the supports that they need to thrive," Nicolaides said. The government is still finalizing a list of 20 team members, and their names will be publicly posted later. They will include school trustees from Edmonton and Calgary, ATA representatives, and the College of Alberta School Superintendents. The group's timeline for work will be six months. Nicolaides expects the team to submit to him a report with recommendations by fall 2025. Province wants 'practical' solutions However, the minister told reporters he doesn't have billions of extra dollars to invest in the system, and would not commit to acting upon costly solutions. "We really want to focus on what's really practical, what's really achievable," Nicolaides said. He said data gathering would be a part of the team's work, to get a better understanding of how often students act aggressively. He would not commit to restoring the collection of class-size data, which the UCP government eliminated in 2019. Speaking at the announcement, Alberta School Boards Association president Marilyn Dennis said her board, the Calgary Board of Education, has leaders and programs in place to address complex needs. The board needs more resources to roll them out to students, she said. ATA president Jason Schilling says he's pleased to see the government acting upon teachers' concerns about class complexity and violence. But he is concerned about the short timeline to find potential solutions. "Teachers are struggling to meet the needs of their students day in and day out," Schilling said. "We are seeing members leave the profession altogether." He said teachers know what they need to better meet student needs, and declining public funding granted per student is a major problem. Members who have experienced violence or aggression on the job say they need more teachers in schools, smaller class sizes, and mental health support for students with behavioural challenges, Schilling said. Failing to track class sizes will leave the government without a full picture of the challenges, he said. Advocate concerned about segregation The action team will also seek input from Inclusion Alberta, an organization that represents families of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. CEO Trish Bowman said in an interview Monday these students face barriers to accessing full-time classes with the general student population. Staffing shortages sometimes prompt schools to tell parents to keep their students home for part or all of a school day, she said. The government will have to go beyond boosting funds to hire more educational assistants, Bowman said. Success depends on leaders who get kids access to the right professionals, teachers having training and resources to help students with challenges, and having the time to understand and use those resources. "I'm not sure what can be more important than children and education and making sure that all children have access to a high-quality education," she said. Bowman worries the action team exercise will lead to more segregation of disabled students in specialized classrooms rather than shared classrooms with their more typical peers. She said research does not support this approach. "It's a concern for us that without access to the right training and resources, that the default answer becomes removing kids from the classroom and then, potentially, disciplinary practices that can be really harmful, like seclusion and restraint," she said. Premier Danielle Smith said last weekend on her Your Province, Your Premier radio show that some teachers rejected a contract offer from government because they do not feel safe on the job. Smith questioned whether there are places where integration of students with disabilities doesn't work. "We've gone down the path of inclusion for a very long time. I think most students can be included, but maybe some can't," Smith said.
CBC
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Alberta government appoints 'action team' to address classroom aggression
Alberta's education minister has assembled a group of superintendents, teachers and school trustees to study how to best tackle what the government says is a rising incidence of aggression in classrooms. Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced an "aggression and complexity in schools action team" in Calgary on Monday, promising to consider some of the team's recommendations by fall. "Alberta's government believes that every student and every staff member deserves to feel safe, respected and supported at school, and we're taking concrete steps here today to make sure that that happens," Nicolaides said. The panel comes as Alberta's 51,000 public, Catholic and francophone school teachers belonging to the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) are in a legal strike position after voting 95 per cent in favour of job action. Among the top concerns are classroom conditions, including what they say are growing class sizes with more students who have labour-intensive or specialized needs. The complexities include a growing proportion of English-language learners, children with intellectual, behavioural or physical disabilities, and mental health challenges. "We recognize that this is a serious and growing issue, and that is why we are taking action today, immediately and in the long term, to ensure that every student and staff member has the supports that they need to thrive," Nicolaides said. The government is still finalizing a list of 20 team members, and their names will be publicly posted later. They will include school trustees from Edmonton and Calgary, ATA representatives, and the College of Alberta School Superintendents. The group's timeline for work will be six months. Nicolaides expects the team to submit to him a report with recommendations by fall 2025. Province wants 'practical' solutions However, the minister told reporters he doesn't have billions of extra dollars to invest in the system, and would not commit to acting upon costly solutions. "We really want to focus on what's really practical, what's really achievable," Nicolaides said. He said data gathering would be a part of the team's work, to get a better understanding of how often students act aggressively. He would not commit to restoring the collection of class-size data, which the UCP government eliminated in 2019. Speaking at the announcement, Alberta School Boards Association president Marilyn Dennis said her board, the Calgary Board of Education, has leaders and programs in place to address complex needs. The board needs more resources to roll them out to students, she said. ATA president Jason Schilling says he's pleased to see the government acting upon teachers' concerns about class complexity and violence. But he is concerned about the short timeline to find potential solutions. "Teachers are struggling to meet the needs of their students day in and day out," Schilling said. "We are seeing members leave the profession altogether." He said teachers know what they need to better meet student needs, and declining public funding granted per student is a major problem. Members who have experienced violence or aggression on the job say they need more teachers in schools, smaller class sizes, and mental health support for students with behavioural challenges, Schilling said. Failing to track class sizes will leave the government without a full picture of the challenges, he said. Advocate concerned about segregation The action team will also seek input from Inclusion Alberta, an organization that represents families of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. CEO Trish Bowman said in an interview Monday these students face barriers to accessing full-time classes with the general student population. Staffing shortages sometimes prompt schools to tell parents to keep their students home for part or all of a school day, she said. The government will have to go beyond boosting funds to hire more educational assistants, Bowman said. Success depends on leaders who get kids access to the right professionals, teachers having training and resources to help students with challenges, and having the time to understand and use those resources. "I'm not sure what can be more important than children and education and making sure that all children have access to a high-quality education," she said. Bowman worries the action team exercise will lead to more segregation of disabled students in specialized classrooms rather than shared classrooms with their more typical peers. She said research does not support this approach. "It's a concern for us that without access to the right training and resources, that the default answer becomes removing kids from the classroom and then, potentially, disciplinary practices that can be really harmful, like seclusion and restraint," she said. Premier Danielle Smith said last weekend on her Your Province, Your Premier radio show that some teachers rejected a contract offer from government because they do not feel safe on the job. Smith questioned whether there are places where integration of students with disabilities doesn't work. "We've gone down the path of inclusion for a very long time. I think most students can be included, but maybe some can't," Smith said.
Arab News
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia condemns Iranian strikes on targets in Qatar
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Monday condemned strikes launched by Iran on targets in Qatar, a foreign ministry statement said. 'The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemns and denounces in the strongest terms the aggression launched by Iran against the sisterly State of Qatar, which constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and the principles of good neighborliness,' the statement said. 'It is unacceptable and cannot be justified under any circumstances,' it added. The Kingdom affirmed its solidarity and full support for Qatar and is deploying all its capabilities to support the country in all measures it takes, the ministry added.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iran Delivers New Furious Threat to U.S. After Trump Strikes
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi delivered blistering remarks on Sunday as he responded to the overnight strikes conducted by the U.S. which, overseen by President Donald Trump, targeted three key Iranian nuclear sites. Araghchi warned of 'everlasting,' 'dangerous,' and 'far-reaching' consequences for what the Iranian Foreign Ministry called an 'egregious act of aggression and heinous crime.' Araghchi delivered his response in a speech at the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul, and also via a series of online posts. "The warmongering and lawless Administration in Washington is solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far-reaching implications of its act of aggression," Araghchi said. 'The U.S. military aggression against the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of a U.N. member state—carried out in collusion with the genocidal Israeli regime—once again laid bare the depth of depravity that governs American foreign policy and revealed the extent of hostility harbored by the U.S. ruling establishment against the peace-seeking and independence-loving people of Iran.' The Iranian politician went on to request an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, citing 'a violation of the U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231' and threatened that silence on this matter would only worsen the situation. 'Silence in the face of such blatant aggression would plunge the world into an unprecedented level of danger and chaos,' he warned. Read More: Iran Issues New Grave Warning, Says U.S. Involvement in Israel Conflict Would Be 'Very Dangerous for Everybody' Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has also condemned the Trump-ordered strikes and referred to the U.S. as the "primary instigator." 'This aggression showed that the United States is the primary instigator of the Zionist regime's hostile actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran,' Pezeshkian said. 'Although they initially tried to deny their role, after our armed forces' decisive and deterrent response and the Zionist regime's clear incapacity, they were inevitably forced to enter the field themselves.' Pezeshkian urged the public to come together in the face of the attacks from Israel and the U.S. Prior to the initial Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets on June 13, conducted amid a growing concern over Iran's nuclear capabilities, Iran and the U.S. had been engaging in talks surrounding a potential nuclear deal. Those talks were suspended in light of the active conflict, and it remains to be seen if they will get back on track. But Araghchi said diplomacy is no longer an option following the U.S. military action. 'They crossed a very big red line by attacking nuclear facilities… We have to respond based on our legitimate right for self-defense,' he said. Araghchi's warnings at the council meeting somewhat mirrored the initial reaction he shared via social media. "The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the U.N. must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior,' Araghchi said in the early hours of Sunday morning. 'In accordance with the U.N. Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.' Meanwhile, Trump has referred to the U.S.' attack on three key Iranian nuclear sites as 'very successful.' The U.S. launched a series of B-2 stealth bombers—some of which were reported as moving across the Pacific on Saturday, hours before the strikes were announced—and targeted the sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. 'A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!' Trump said in his initial announcement. Read More: How Netanyahu Pushed Trump Toward War The President then went on to address the nation directly from the White House on Saturday night. Flanked by Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump said the U.S. bombers had 'totally obliterated' the nuclear sites and called the mission 'a spectacular military success.' Trump instructed Iran to move toward peace, warning that the U.S. would pursue other targets with 'speed' and "precision" if not. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine appeared with Secretary Hegseth at the Pentagon on Sunday morning to share more information about the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. Hegseth said the U.S. is hopeful the attack on Iran's Fordow facility "achieved destruction of capabilities." However, Gen. Caine was clear that it is 'way too early' to comment on whether Iran still retains some of its nuclear capabilities, as investigations and debriefs are ongoing. The pair also said the U.S. is taking 'proactive' steps to protect U.S. troops in the Middle East region. The U.S. strikes mark a significant turning point in the Israel-Iran conflict. The U.S. is no longer supporting Israel from afar, but are now active participants in an extensive military operation aiming to stifle Iran's nuclear capabilities. As the world awaits to see what Iran's next move will be, Trump issued a stark warning to the Middle Eastern country, telling them not to retaliate to the U.S. strikes. 'Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight,' Trump said in a charged social media post. Hegseth doubled down on this point on Sunday morning, saying it 'would be a very bad idea for Iran or its proxies to attempt to attack American forces.' Meanwhile, Israel and Iran continue to trade deadly missiles 10 days into their active conflict. Israel's military said Iran launched a fresh wave of missiles toward the country following the U.S. strikes. Write to Olivia-Anne Cleary at
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
ORYZON Announces Submission of Phase III Protocol to FDA to Initiate PORTICO-2 Trial of Vafidemstat in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) Patients
PORTICO-2 designed to validate vafidemstat's efficacy in reducing aggression in BPD patients Primary endpoint: STAXI-2 Trait Anger (patient-reported) Key secondary endpoint: Overt Aggression Scale-Modified (OAS-M) (clinician-rated) Additional secondary endpoints will assess global clinical improvement Protocol finalized following FDA guidance and input from leading US psychiatry experts Upcoming KOL webinar to discuss trial design and the urgent medical need in BPD MADRID and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oryzon Genomics, S.A. (ISIN Code: ES0167733015, ORY), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company and a European leader in epigenetics, announced today that it has submitted the clinical trial protocol for its Phase III PORTICO-2 trial to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate a registrational trial to evaluate vafidemstat in patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The PORTICO-2 trial builds upon the encouraging results observed in the previous PORTICO Phase IIb study, where vafidemstat demonstrated significant and clinically meaningful reductions in secondary endpoints measuring aggression and overall BPD improvement. Aggression is a key symptom domain in BPD that currently represents a major unmet medical need and will be the primary endpoint in PORTICO-2. Vafidemstat, an orally active LSD1 inhibitor with a novel epigenetic mechanism of action, has shown a favorable safety and tolerability profile across multiple clinical studies. "The submission of PORTICO-2 to the FDA marks a major step forward for Oryzon and for the field of neuropsychiatry of personality disorders," said Carlos Buesa, Chief Executive Officer of Oryzon. "Borderline Personality Disorder is a highly disabling condition with no approved pharmacological treatments. With its novel epigenetic mechanism, vafidemstat has the potential to become the first targeted therapy specifically addressing aggression and overall improvement in BPD, offering real hope for patients and clinicians confronting this serious disorder. Vafidemstat has also the potential to manage aggression in other neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, and we are planning to explore it in a new trial in aggression in ASD." The Phase III protocol was developed through multiple interactions and constructive exchanges with the FDA. Its final design was further refined with the scientific contribution of internationally recognized psychiatric experts, including Dr. Alan Schatzberg (Stanford University), Dr. Eric Hollander (Albert Einstein Medical School), Dr. Emil Coccaro (Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center), and Dr. Sarah Fineberg (Yale University). PORTICO-2 will employ two clinical outcome measures for aggression: the STAXI-2 Trait Anger scale (patient-reported) as the primary endpoint, and the Overt Aggression Scale-Modified (OAS-M) (clinician-rated) as key secondary endpoint. Additional secondary endpoints will evaluate broader clinical improvements in BPD symptomatology and quality of life. A dedicated Key Opinion Leader (KOL) webinar is planned in the coming weeks to discuss the PORTICO-2 study design, the substantial unmet medical need in BPD, and the role of aggression as a clinical target. Details will be announced in a further communication. PORTICO-2 will be a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center study to assess both the efficacy and safety of vafidemstat in BPD patients, and aims to randomize 350 patients. BPD affects approximately 1-2% of the general population and is characterized by pervasive emotional instability, impulsivity, interpersonal dysfunction, unstable self-image and frequent episodes of aggression and self-harm. More than 75% of BPD patients attempt suicide, and the rate of completed suicide has been estimated to be approximately 10%, 50-times higher than in the general population. Currently, there are no FDA-approved medications specifically indicated for the treatment of BPD, underscoring the urgent need for novel therapeutic approaches. Additional exploratory data from earlier Phase IIa studies suggest that vafidemstat may also reduce aggression in other patient populations, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The company is planning to explore this further in a new trial in aggression in ASD to be conducted within the activities of the Med4Cure IPCEI-EU Grant. About OryzonFounded in 2000 in Barcelona, Spain, Oryzon (ISIN Code: ES0167733015) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company and the European leader in epigenetics, with a strong focus on personalized medicine in CNS disorders and oncology. Oryzon's team is composed of highly qualified professionals from the pharma industry located in Barcelona, Boston, and San Diego. Oryzon has an advanced clinical portfolio with two LSD1 inhibitors, vafidemstat in CNS (Phase III-ready) and iadademstat in oncology (Phase II). The company has other pipeline assets directed against other epigenetic targets like HDAC-6 where a clinical candidate, ORY-4001, has been nominated for its possible development in CMT and ALS. In addition, Oryzon has a strong platform for biomarker identification and target validation for a variety of malignant and neurological diseases. For more information, visit About Vafidemstat Vafidemstat (ORY-2001) is an oral, CNS-optimized LSD1 inhibitor. The molecule acts on several levels: it reduces cognitive impairment, including memory loss and neuroinflammation, and at the same time has neuroprotective effects. In animal studies vafidemstat not only restores memory but reduces the exacerbated aggressiveness of SAMP8 mice, a model for accelerated aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD), to normal levels and also reduces social avoidance and enhances sociability in murine models. In addition, vafidemstat exhibits fast, strong, and durable efficacy in several preclinical models of multiple sclerosis (MS). Oryzon has performed two Phase IIa clinical trials in aggressiveness in patients with different psychiatric disorders (REIMAGINE, see Ferrer et al, Psychiatry & Clin Neurosci, 2025, and in aggressive/agitated patients with moderate or severe AD (REIMAGINE-AD), with positive clinical results reported in both. Additional finalized Phase IIa clinical trials with vafidemstat include the ETHERAL trial in patients with Mild to Moderate AD, where a significant reduction of the inflammatory biomarker YKL40 was observed after 6 and 12 months of treatment, and the pilot, small-scale SATEEN trial in Relapse-Remitting and Secondary Progressive MS, where anti-inflammatory activity was also observed. Vafidemstat has also been tested in a Phase II in severe Covid-19 patients (ESCAPE) assessing the capability of the drug to prevent ARDS, one of the most severe complications of the viral infection, where it showed significant anti-inflammatory effects in severe Covid-19 patients. Vafidemstat is currently advancing as a Phase III-ready asset in Borderline Personality disorder (BPD) following completion of the global, randomized, double blind Phase IIb PORTICO trial (final data presented at ECNP-2024). Following receipt of the minutes from the End-of-Phase II meeting with the FDA to discuss PORTICO's results, the company announced plans to move forward with a Phase III PORTICO-2 trial in agitation/aggression in BPD (PhIII protocol submitted to FDA). Vafidemstat is also being investigated in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase IIb trial in negative symptoms of schizophrenia (EVOLUTION trial, recruitment ongoing). The company is also deploying a CNS precision medicine approach with vafidemstat in genetically defined patient subpopulations of certain CNS disorders, as well as in neurodevelopmental syndromes, and is evaluating the feasibility of conducting clinical trials in autistic conditions like Fragile X syndrome and Phelan-McDermid syndrome. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This communication contains, or may contain, forward-looking information and statements about Oryzon, including financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, and expectations with respect to future operations, capital expenditures, synergies, products and services, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally identified by the words 'expects,' 'anticipates,' 'believes,' 'intends,' 'estimates' and similar expressions. Although Oryzon believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors and holders of Oryzon shares are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Oryzon that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include those discussed or identified in the documents sent by Oryzon to the Spanish Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV), which are accessible to the public. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and have not been reviewed by the auditors of Oryzon. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. All subsequent oral or written forward-looking statements attributable to Oryzon or any of its members, directors, officers, employees, or any persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statement above. All forward-looking statements included herein are based on information available to Oryzon on the date hereof. Except as required by applicable law, Oryzon does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward‐looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. This document does not constitute an offer or invitation to purchase or subscribe shares in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017, and/or the restated text of the Securities Market Law, approved by Law 6/2023 of 17 March, and its implementing regulations. Nothing in this document constitutes investment advice. In addition, this document does not constitute an offer of purchase, sale or exchange, nor a request for an offer of purchase, sale or exchange of securities, nor a request for any vote or approval in any jurisdiction. The shares of Oryzon Genomics, S.A. may not be offered or sold in the United States of America except pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 or pursuant to a valid exemption from registration.. Spain Oryzon IR & Media, Europe & US Patricia Cobo/Mario Cordera Emili Torrell Sandya von der Weid Atrevia Chief BD Officer LifeSci Advisors, LLC +34 91 564 07 25 +34 673 33 97 65 +34 93 515 1313 +41 78 680 05 38 pcobo@ mcordera@ etorrell@ svonderweid@
