US sanctions Palestinian Authority officials, PLO members for ‘undermining' peace
The State Department condemned cases brought against Israel in the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice while accusing PLO members of supporting 'terrorism' through allegedly inciting and glorifying violence in textbooks.
U.S. officials said Palestinian leaders violated the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989, the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002 (MEPCA), in addition to the Security Council Resolution 242 and 338.
'The United States is imposing sanctions that deny visas to PLO members and PA officials in accordance with section 604(a)(1) of the MEPCA,' a Thursday statement from the Department read.
'It is in our national security interests to impose consequences and hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments and undermining the prospects for peace,' it added.
The move comes after France and the United Kingdom announced they would recognize Palestine as a sovereign state. Canada is expected to follow suit.
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USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Republicans are afraid of Mamdani in New York. That's a good thing.
Republicans think Zohran Mamdani will turn NYC into a socialist mecca because they forgot what a functioning government looks like. We're a few months out from New York City's municipal election, and Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani is still the frontrunner in the mayoral race. It's a positive sign for progressives who want to see democratic socialists transform the party. In a July poll by Zenith Research and Public Progress Solutions, Mamdani received 50% of support while the rest of the candidates trailed behind. Former Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo, who is now running as an independent, received 22% of support, followed by Republican Curtis Sliwa at 13%. Current Mayor Eric Adams, who is also running as an independent, received just 7% support. Mamdani may be polling well, but his path to victory in November is anything but smooth. There are already five anti-Mamdani PACs that have formed since the primary, backed by business moguls and real estate tycoons who warn that the Democratic nominee would be bad for the city's economy. He's also having to answer for some of his previous posts about 'defunding the police' and comments on Israel. Republicans criticizing Mamdani for 'defund police' comment are hypocritical The biggest criticism of Mamdani has come from his previous comments about the New York City Police Department. In the wake of George Floyd's murder in 2020, Mamdani posted to X that the NYPD was 'racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety' and called for defunding the force. Mamdani has also proposed creating a Department of Community Safety separate from the police department, which would respond to mental health calls. But the Democratic nominee is attempting to distance himself from these previous claims, calling the posts 'out of step' with his current stance on public safety. He recently met with the family of Officer Didarul Islam, one of the four people killed in a recent shooting in Midtown Manhattan. Republicans criticizing him seem more than willing to ignore the way President Donald Trump pardoned Jan. 6 rioters who attacked police officers, or his own criminal convictions. But he is the "law and order" president, for sure. And the GOP is the "law and order" party, right? Voters are increasingly agreeing with Mamdani on Gaza Another criticism from the right is that Mamdani is too critical of Israel. Fox News recently resurrected a clip of Mamdani from a 2024 panel where the mayoral candidate claimed, 'Israel is not a place, it is not a country.' Mamdani seems to be taking these attacks to heart. He recently said he would not use the phrase 'globalize the intifada,' and would also discourage others from using it. Mamdani had previously refused to condemn the phrase. On the other hand, Mamdani's criticisms of Israel proved to be popular with voters in the Democratic primary. A poll from Data for Progress and the Institute for Middle East Understanding Policy Project found that his 'support for Palestinian rights' was important for 96% of his voters, while his 'willingness to criticize the Israeli government' was important to 88% of his voters. Opinion: People are starving in Gaza. Why are we so comfortable just letting that happen? While conservatives are trying to attack Mamdani for his previous stances on Israel and his sympathy for the Palestinian people, it doesn't seem like it'll work. Democrats should listen to their voters, not conservatives, to know how to approach this issue. Only 8% of Democrats support Israel's actions in Gaza, according to a recent Gallup poll, while 71% of Republicans support it. Some Republicans are even breaking with the party to denounce mass starvation in the region, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, who recently called the crisis a "genocide." Republicans are afraid of what Mamdani stands for. Good. Mamdani won the primary largely thanks to his mobilization of young voters. It worked out for him: voters under 40 made up 40% of early voting turnout. Now, the question is whether they'll turn out for the general election. I'm hopeful that they will. I have personally seen the way my generation has reacted to Mamdani's campaign. There is a palpable excitement reminiscent of Barack Obama's first run for the presidency, an excitement fueled by the idea that the Democratic Party can change, in spite of itself. Opinion: Zohran Mamdani rallied Gen Z voters. We can't abandon him now. The reasons conservatives are criticizing Mamdani are the reasons people my age voted for him. We believe in moving funding from the NYPD into areas like mental health care and community building. We support Palestinian rights. We want to see that working-class New Yorkers can remain in this city. We see taxing corporations and the wealthy as a good thing. Some may call these things unrealistic, and they may have a point. There's no way New York City becomes a socialist utopia if Mamdani is elected, since he must work with the city council, state and national governments to achieve many of his campaign priorities. But his very election could signal to the Democratic Party that they should run to, not from, progressive politics. Mamdani's path to victory is not an easy one. He will continue to face criticism from the right throughout the next few months. But if polling is any indication, he's still likely to be the next mayor of the largest city in the United States. Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter, @sara__pequeno
Hamilton Spectator
11 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Disappointment, but no shock in Hamilton as tariff deadline passes without a deal
A deadline that could have spelled the end of an ongoing trade war with the United States has passed with no agreement — and increased across-the-board tariffs on Canadian goods. U.S. President Donald Trump's increased 35 per cent tariffs — up from 25 per cent — came into effect Aug. 1 and apply to goods not included in the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). The move, the U.S. government said, is due to 'Canada's lack of co-operation in stemming the flood of fentanyl.' Most Canadian goods meet the terms dictated by CUSMA, meaning they are not hit by the tariffs, which are separate from those targeting specific sectors. However, tariffs impacting Hamilton's steel industry — as well as aluminum and copper tariffs — remain unchanged at 50 per cent. Trump doubled them to 50 per cent in June, after previously hitting the Canadian industries with 25 per cent tariffs. Ron Wells, the president of the United Steelworkers Local 1005, which represents around 600 workers at Stelco's Hamilton site, said while he is disappointed a deal wasn't reached, it 'wasn't a shock.' Ron Wells is president of the United Steelworkers Local 1005, which represents about 600 workers at Stelco's Hamilton site. While he is disappointed a tariff deal wasn't reached before the Aug. 1 deadline, he said it wasn't a shock. 'This is the new normal,' he said of the tariffs, adding he was 'not really hopeful' about the potential for a deal in the lead-up to the deadline — particularly after Trump suggested Canadian plans to back Palestinian statehood at the United Nations would make it 'very hard to reach a deal.' Since the deadline has passed, Wells said Canada should hit back against the United States and match American tariffs on steel and aluminum, doubling them to 25 per cent. That echoes the sentiment of Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who called on the federal government to 'hit back' with a 50 per cent tariff on U.S. steel and aluminum in a post on X. 'The federal government needs to maximize our leverage and stand strong in the face of President Trump's tariffs,' Ford posted. Wells said he is hopeful measures announced by the Liberal government in July — including caps on imported steel, stiff tariffs if those caps are exceeded, prioritizing the use of Canadian steel in government procurement and $70 million in new funding over three years to help steel workers get retrained — help Canadian steelmakers. Hamilton Chamber of Commerce CEO Greg Dunnett said Hamilton may be the community that is 'getting hit the hardest' in Canada, due to the continued steel and aluminum duties – in addition to the new 35 per cent tariffs. Hamilton Chamber of Commerce CEO Greg Dunnett said Hamilton may be the community that is 'getting hit the hardest' in Canada, due to the continued steel and aluminum duties — in addition to the new 35 per cent tariffs. He noted creating a fair long-term deal is 'very, very difficult' due to the 'moving goalposts' from Trump. 'I think it is imperative of our government right now to be strategic,' he said, adding the government should work to strengthen the economy, diversifying trade within the country to move Canada forward in the long-term without a dependence on the U.S. 'Escalation is risky, but so is inaction.' He said the tariffs have been disruptive, bringing uncertainty and cost increases across the board — which is impacting jobs, investment and trade relationships. While he said Hamilton is 'resilient,' the longer the trade war drags on, the more difficult it will get for businesses. Dunnett noted the uncertainty due to the tariff situation is hurting innovation due to a lack of investment, and the chamber continues to advocate to all levels of government for support for the local business community. He added among the businesses hardest hit are restaurants, whose business drops when customers have less disposable income. Canadian Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Candace Laing said spending 'a little more time' on the right deal is worth the wait because it can 'deliver lasting benefits.' However, Laing stressed businesses in Canada and the U.S. 'urgently' need more certainty. Keanin Loomis, the president of the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC), said while he was hopeful for a deal, comments from the government and Prime Minister Mark Carney had made it clear negotiations were difficult. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Keanin Loomis, president and CEO of the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction, chat with employees of Walters Steel during a July funding announcement for the steel industry. 'We will give our government the time and space it needs to make a good deal, because we don't want them to rush into a bad deal,' he said. While there is disappointment the situation is ongoing, Loomis said 'everyone in Canada' likely understands the difficulty of dealing with the Trump administration. Loomis said the increase of tariffs from 25 to 35 per cent is somewhat 'token' when all CUSMA trade is tariff-free — and shouldn't cause 'major concern' in the broader economy. However, he said the ongoing 50 per cent U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum are 'not sustainable' for the industry — and something needs to change in the next couple of months. 'It would be really hard to see us being able to continue this way into the fall,' he said. While noting he doesn't speak for ArcelorMittal Dofasco and Stelco, he said he's 'really concerned' for them, adding it is alarming how much the steel producers have dealt with due to the tariffs. But for the CISC members, he said while some have suffered already, many are still working on previously arranged projects. The concern, Loomis said, is what happens in six months, as the tariff uncertainty means a lack of long-term investments — and future jobs for the industry. John McElroy, the United Steelworkers local union president at Stelco's Nanticoke steelmaking hub, said he had hoped for a resolution to the tariff war by now. McElroy said he and other USW local presidents were able to speak privately with Carney and share their concerns during his most recent visit to Hamilton. 'He basically told us, 'I could sign a deal now, but it would be a crappy deal,' recalled McElroy. 'I understand that.' McElroy added Stelco seems to be holding its own despite 50 per cent tariffs, thanks in part to higher steel prices and success finding new Canadian customers. 'We're kind of weathering the storm for now.' —With files from Matthew Van Dongen
Boston Globe
12 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Trump administration freezes $339M in UCLA grants and accuses the school of rights violations
The Trump administration paused the research funding as part of an investigation by the government's antisemitism task force, two administration officials said. The freeze included about $240 million in research grants from the Department of Health and Human Services and the NIH, $81 million from the NSF, and $18.2 million from the Energy Department, a White House spokesperson said. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The move makes UCLA the latest university to be targeted by Trump administration officials. It comes amid a broader pushback by the administration against what it sees as 'woke' ideologies. Advertisement The NSF said in a statement that it was 'suspending awards to UCLA because they are not in alignment with current NSF priorities and/or programmatic goals.' The NIH did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In recent weeks, Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, Brown, and others have had federal funding reduced or threatened based on broad accusations from the Trump administration that range from antisemitism to improper support for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. In some cases, the government has used the threat of funding cuts to extract concessions and hundreds of millions of dollars from universities. Advertisement Last year, UCLA was the site of one of the nation's biggest protests against the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip. The demonstrations prompted claims from across the political spectrum that the university didn't do enough to protect Jewish students or pro-Palestinian demonstrators. On Tuesday, the university agreed to pay more than $6 million to settle a lawsuit from Jewish students and a professor who said that the university had allowed a hostile protest on campus. After the settlement was announced, the Department of Justice separately said that it had found the university violated civil rights laws by failing to respond to students' complaints of antisemitism. Although the Trump administration intensified its attacks on UCLA this week, the school had been a target of the government's scrutiny for more than a year. In May 2024, Frenk's predecessor, Gene D. Block, testified before a congressional committee examining campus antisemitism. And in February, a Trump administration task force on antisemitism identified UCLA as one of 10 schools it intended to visit as it investigated whether 'remedial action is warranted.' In recent weeks, UCLA would not say whether any of the task force's investigators had been to the campus. Frenk said in his statement Thursday that UCLA had taken 'concrete action' to address antisemitism and discrimination, including creating a new office of campus safety. 'This far-reaching penalty of defunding lifesaving research does nothing to address any alleged discrimination,' he wrote. He called the cuts a 'loss for Americans across the nation' whose work and health rely on the university's research. Advertisement The funding cut is an early test for Frenk, who became chancellor in January, as well as James B. Milliken, who took over as the University of California system's leader Friday. State and education leaders have been deeply concerned about the possibility that the Trump administration would target the university system as a whole, but especially the campuses in Los Angeles and Berkeley. Both schools were on the antisemitism task force's list for potential visits. But the Department of Education has also said it was investigating accusations of antisemitism at several other UC campuses.
