Here are some international events that could be considered inciting factors, sparking extremist sentiment: 1. **COVID-19 and subsequent economic crisis**: The pandemic has triggered widespread uncertainty, economic instability, and feelings of social isolation. This can fuel resentment, distrust, and extremist sentiment, especially among marginalized groups. 2. **Climate change and extreme weather events**: Climate-related disasters and extreme weather events can create a sense of urgency and desperation, pushing people to seek radical or extreme solutions. 3. **Global migration and refugee crisis**: Mass migration can fuel xenophobia, racism, and anti-immigrant sentiment, potentially inspiring extreme nationalism and hate groups. 4. **Social media and disinformation**: The spread of social media can amplify extreme ideas, reach a wider audience, and create a bubble of reality “made in one’s own image.” 5. **Middle East conflicts and extremist groups**: Ongoing conflicts, such as in Syria, Yemen, and Libya, can create a fertile ground for the spread of extreme ideas and recruitment of new members. 6. **Economic inequality and food insecurity**: Growing economic inequality, poverty, and food insecurity can create feelings of despair and frustration, potentially pushing people to extreme actions. 7. **Comprehensive immigration policies**: Tight immigration policies, such as segregationist measures or the construction of border walls, can fuel xenophobia and resentment against immigrants. 8. **Foreign intervention and occupation**: Foreign military intervention or occupation can create a sense of colonization and resentment, increasing support for extremism. 9. **The rise of racism and hate crimes**: Growing racism, hate speech, and hate crimes in Western countries can fuel extreme nationalism and white supremacist ideas. 10. **Global power vacuum and geopolitical tensions**: Competition between major powers and shifting global power dynamics can create a sense of uncertainty and chaos, inciting extremist sentiment and behavior. 11. **Terrorist attacks and extremist group incidents**: High-profile terrorist attacks, such as those carried out by Islamist extremist groups or white supremacist groups, can create a sense of fear and vulnerability, fueling retaliatory extremism. 12. **World population and resource pressures**: Global population growth, resource depletion, and environmental degradation can create a sense of existential threat, increasing the likelihood of extremist sentiment and behavior. 13. **Cultural identity and value shifts**: Rapid cultural and social changes, such as advances in LGBTQ+ rights, can spark backlash and extremist sentiment among conservative or traditionalists. 14. **Cybersecurity threats and nation-state cyberwarfare**: Growing cybersecurity threats and nation-state cyberattacks can create a sense of vulnerability and uncertainty that could fuel extremist sentiment and behavior. 15. **Global health crises and pandemics**: Pandemics, such as COVID-19, have exposed weaknesses in the global health infrastructure and can create a sense of uncertainty and fear that could fuel extremist sentiment and behavior. It is critical to recognize that extremism is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon with deep roots in social, cultural, and economic factors. To effectively respond to and prevent extremism, a nuanced approach must be taken to address these underlying factors, rather than focusing solely on its symptoms.