The Trump administration wants to end the UN peacekeeping in Lebanon. Europe is pushing back
At issue is the peacekeeping operation known as UNIFIL, whose mandate expires at the end of August and will need to be renewed by the U.N. Security Council to continue. It was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after Israel's 1978 invasion, and its mission was expanded following the monthlong 2006 war between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah.
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Winnipeg Free Press
2 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
US attorney will no longer bring felony charges against people for carrying rifles or shotguns in DC
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors in the nation's capital will no longer bring felony charges against people for possessing rifles or shotguns in the District of Columbia, according to a new policy adopted by the leader of the nation's largest U.S. attorney's office. That office will continue to pursue charges when someone is accused of using a shotgun or rifle in a violent crime or has a criminal record that makes it illegal to have a firearm. Local authorities in Washington can prosecute people for illegally possessing unregistered rifles and shotguns. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a statement that the change is based on guidance from the Justice Department and the Office of Solicitor General and conforms with two Supreme Court decisions on gun rights. Pirro, a former Fox News host, has been a vocal critic of local officials' crime-fighting efforts since Republican President Donald Trump installed her in office in May. Her policy shift means federal prosecutors will not purse charges under the D.C. law that made it illegal to carry rifles or shotguns, except in limited cases involving permit holders. The change also overlaps with Trump's declaration of a crime emergency in the city, flooding the streets of Washington with patrols of hundreds of federal agents and National Guard members. The White House says 76 firearms have been seized since the crackdown started this month. The new policy also coves large-capacity magazines, but it does not apply to handguns. 'We will continue to seize all illegal and unlicensed firearms, and to vigorously prosecute all crimes connected with them,' Pirro said, adding that she and Trump 'are committed to prosecuting gun crime.' Pirro said a blanket ban on possessing shotguns and rifles violates the Supreme Court's ruling in 2022 that struck down a New York gun law and held that Americans have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense. She also pointed to the high court's 2008 decision in District of Columbia v. Heller striking down the city's ban on handguns in the home.
18 minutes ago
Trump administration sanctions Canadian judge who sits on International Criminal Court
ICC jurists Nicolas Guillou of France, Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal were also sanctioned, with the State Department linking the decision to the tribunal's investigation into Israel's actions (new window) in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. As a result of the sanctions, any assets they hold in U.S. jurisdictions are frozen. The court said on Wednesday that it deplored the sanctions (new window) , calling them "a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 [countries] from all regions. They constitute also an affront against [these countries], the rules-based international order and, above all, millions of innocent victims across the world, the statement continued. The ICC will continue fulfilling its mandates, undeterred, in strict accordance with its legal framework as adopted by the States Parties and without regard to any restriction, pressure or threat. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is shown in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 6. The State Department says Judge Kimberly Prost of Canada was sanctioned for ruling to authorize the ICC's investigation into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. Photo: Associated Press / Mark Schiefelbein In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the court a national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare against the United States and our close ally Israel and said the U.S. has remained steadfast in its opposition to the ICC's illegitimate judicial overreach. I urge countries that still support the ICC, many of whose freedom was purchased at the price of great American sacrifices, to resist the claims of this bankrupt institution, he said. The move drew ire from France and the United Nations, with Paris urging Washington to withdraw the sanctions. The ICC previously condemned the actions of the Trump administration, calling it an attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution. Canada's Prost joins a growing list of ICC judges facing similar sanctions. This second round of sanctions comes less than three months after the U.S. administration took the unprecedented step of imposing sanctions on four other ICC judges (new window) . It represents a serious escalation that will likely impede the functioning of the court and the prosecutor's office as they deal with major cases, including war crimes allegations against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The ICC, which was established in 2002, has international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in member states or if a situation is referred by the United Nations Security Council. War crimes investigations Prost served on an ICC appeals chamber that, in March 2020, unanimously authorized the court's prosecutor to investigate alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Afghanistan since 2003, including examining the role of U.S. service members. Since 2021, the investigation has deprioritized the role of the U.S. and focused on alleged crimes committed by the Afghan government and the Taliban forces. ICC judges issued arrest warrants (new window) for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli defence chief Yoav Gallant last November for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Gaza conflict. A warrant for the same alleged crimes was also issued for Hamas official Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, also known as Mohammed Deif, who is said by the Israeli military to have been killed in July 2024. The exterior of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, is shown on March 12. Photo: Associated Press / Omar Havana Guillou is an ICC judge who presided over a pre-trial panel that issued the arrest warrant for Netanyahu. Khan and Niang are the court's two deputy prosecutors. Netanyahu's office issued a statement welcoming the latest U.S. sanctions. Although the ICC has jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in its 125 member countries, some nations, including the United States, China, Russia and Israel, do not recognize its authority. It has high-profile war crimes investigations underway into the Israel-Hamas conflict and Russia's war in Ukraine, as well as in Sudan, Myanmar, the Philippines and Venezuela. 'Role is essential' Both France and the UN said the jurists' work is crucial for international justice. "Their role is essential in the fight against impunity," a statement from the French Foreign Affairs Ministry said. The U.S. sanctions undermine the foundation of international justice, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said, adding: "The [U.S.] decision imposes severe impediments on the functioning of the office of the prosecutor." The U.S. administration's dislike of the court goes back to President Donald Trump's first term. In 2020, the White House imposed sanctions on then-chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda (new window) and one of her top aides over the court's work on Afghanistan. With files from CBC News and The Canadian Press
Global News
32 minutes ago
- Global News
Macron calls Putin ‘an ogre at our doorstep,' doubts Russia will make peace
French President Emmanuel Macron says his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is 'a predator' and 'an ogre at our doorstep,' casting doubt on his willingness to make peace in Ukraine and refrain from future attacks on Europe. The comments, made in an interview with French broadcaster LCI that aired Tuesday, were Macron's harshest so far amid his repeated warnings in recent weeks that Moscow isn't serious about ending its invasion. They also came as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to lay the groundwork for a peace agreement, including what would be a historic meeting between Putin and Putin. That peace deal is expected to include security guarantees for Ukraine, which Macron is leading efforts to draw up alongside European, Canadian and international allies. NATO defence chiefs met Wednesday to discuss what those security guarantees could look like as well as 'the current security situation' in Ukraine. Officials called the meeting, which included Canada's chief of the defence staff Gen. Jennie Carignan, 'a candid discussion.' Story continues below advertisement In the interview, Macron said those security guarantees were essential for the future of not just Ukraine, but the larger European continent. He called Putin a 'destabilizing' force who, by investing so much of Russia's economy into its military since its 2022 invasion, 'will not return to a state of peace.' 'For his own survival, he needs to continue eating,' he said in French. 'So he's a predator, he's an ogre at our doorstep. 'I'm not saying that tomorrow France will be attacked, but it's a threat for the Europeans. We must not be naive.' 5:55 Easy for Putin to 'manipulate' Trump as stance changes on Russia-Ukraine ceasefire: expert Macron's comments were more critical than the ones he gave to NBC News on Monday following his meetings in Washington with Trump, Zelenskyy and other European and NATO leaders. In that interview, the French president said in English that it was important to develop security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a larger peace deal, but warned that more economic pressure on Putin may be needed to get him to end the war for good. Story continues below advertisement 'When I look at the situation and the facts, I don't see President Putin really willing to get to peace now,' he said, 'but perhaps I'm too pessimistic. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'As long as President Putin and his people will consider they can win this war and get a better result by force, they will not negotiate. This is my feeling and my conviction. So it's important to remain united … (and) to remain lucid about the situation.' Macron's pessimism has run counter to Trump's belief that Putin is ready to make peace and wants the war to end. Trump did acknowledge in an interview with Fox News early Tuesday that Putin might not want to make a deal after all, saying, 'We're going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks.' Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly called for an immediate ceasefire at Monday's summit at the White House, a demand Trump dropped after meeting with Putin in Alaska last week. 2:17 German chancellor 'can't imagine' Trump-Zelenskyy-Putin meeting without ceasefire Ukraine and western leaders have accused Putin of dragging out peace negotiations in the hope of capturing more land before any settlement. Story continues below advertisement Attacks on civilian areas in Sumy and Odesa overnight into Wednesday injured 15 people, including a family with three small children, Ukrainian authorities said. Russian strikes also targeted ports and fuel and energy infrastructure, officials said. Zelenskyy and European leaders say the ongoing attacks, including on the same day as the Alaska summit and ongoing negotiations, show Putin isn't serious about peace. 'All of these are demonstrative strikes that only confirm the need to put pressure on Moscow, the need to impose new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy is fully effective,' Zelenskyy wrote on X. Security guarantee talks ongoing, Canada involved Macron told LCI the expectation is to have draft plans for a future security guarantee completed by the beginning of September, before a future meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy and a subsequent trilateral that includes Trump. Story continues below advertisement The French leader said he then wants to have a multilateral meeting that brings in European leaders and sets those security operations in place with agreement from Russia and the U.S. The Kremlin has said it is willing to invite Zelenskyy to Moscow for talks, while Macron has said the summit could happen in Europe and that the Swiss city of Geneva has expressed its willingness to act as host. Putin's travel is limited due to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian children to Russia. In both the NBC and French interviews, Macron specifically mentioned Canada among the countries actively participating in security discussions as members of the so-called 'coalition of the willing' of Ukraine allies. A Department of National Defence spokesperson told Global News the Canadian government 'continues to engage closely' with Ukraine and allies 'on how we can best support Ukraine to defend itself and what security guarantees can be provided.' The statement suggested Canada's role in a future security guarantee may continue to be the training of Ukrainian military troops, which has been an active operation since 2015 but accelerated after Russia's invasion. 'Canada's support posture is always calibrated to the current security situation, with the needs of Ukraine at the core,' the spokesperson said. Story continues below advertisement Trump said on Tuesday he had ruled out putting U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine, but said the U.S. might provide air support to European troops. Russia has repeatedly said it would not accept NATO troops in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov chided efforts to work on security arrangements in Ukraine without Moscow's involvement. 'We cannot agree with the fact that it is now proposed to resolve collective security issues without the Russian Federation. This will not work,' Lavrov said Wednesday, according to state news agency RIA Novosti. 'I am sure that in the West, and above all in the United States, they understand perfectly well that seriously discussing security issues without the Russian Federation is a utopia. It's a road to nowhere.' — with files from Reuters
