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The National
6 hours ago
- The National
US states and cities boycotting Israel won't receive disaster funds, Trump administration says
US President Donald Trump 's administration has said states and cities will not receive funding to prepare for natural disasters if they choose to boycott Israeli companies. States must certify that they will not cut commercial relations with Israeli companies to receive the money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Reuters reported, quoting grant notices posted last week. The condition applies to at least $1.9 billion on which states rely for search and rescue equipment, emergency manager salaries and back-up power systems, among other expenses. 'DHS [Department of Homeland Security] will enforce all anti-discrimination laws and policies, including as it relates to the BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions] movement, which is expressly grounded in anti-Semitism," a DHS representative said in a statement to The National. They were referring to a campaign designed to put economic pressure on Israel to end the occupation of the Palestinian territories. "Those who engage in racial discrimination should not receive a single dollar of federal funding.' More than 30 states already have anti-BDS laws or policies, according to Newsweek. Fema will require major cities to agree to the Israel policy to receive a cut of $553.5 million set aside to prevent terrorism in dense areas. New York City is due to receive $92.2 million from the programme, more than all other recipients. It is the latest example of the Trump administration making use of routine federal funding to advance its political message at the state level. Fema said in July that states will be required to spend part of their federal terrorism prevention funds on helping the government to arrest migrants, which is an administration priority. Mr Trump has said that Fema should be eliminated, and that states should take on more responsibility for responding to and preparing for disasters including extreme weather.
The National
7 hours ago
- The National
Anti-tech extremism: How AI could become target of political violence
Major investment in artificial intelligence in countries around the world, along with the societal changes it causes, could lead to a surge in anti-technology extremism, an expert has warned. Author and technology researcher Mauro Lubrano said that various issues brought about by AI development, such as job losses, might prompt anarchists and eco-terrorists to increase their attempts to make their message more public. "They believe that technology is a system that is beyond reform and cannot be changed, therefore, it must be dismantled. And they believe the only way to dismantle is to try and accelerate its collapse," Mr Lubrano said on Monday during a discussion hosted by the George Washington University programme on extremism in Washington. He said the potential for AI to disrupt labour, combined with other issues such as the burden it places on energy grids and the environment, means that elements of the far left and far right might be easily co-opted by groups with an extremist anti-technology agenda. That could come in the form of violence and attacks against infrastructure, said Mr Lubrano, who wrote the book Stop the Machines: The Rise of Anti-Technology Extremism. He warned that data centres, which have become a symbol of economic aspirations in parts of the world, could also become a target for extremist groups. "Technology extremism is quite flexible," Mr Lubrano said, comparing it to the recent anti-vaccine movement. "There's also a Maoist interpretation of anti-technology, whereby they say, 'We need to retreat to the parts of the country' where technology is less strong, and sort of build up strength, build up momentum, and carry out an assault on the centre of technologies." He said that while researching his book, learning about the groups emerging in the anti-technology extremist movement proved difficult because of their paranoia of anything remotely mainstream, but that paradoxically, because they use technology so much, he was able to gather ample source material. "You will find their manuals online on how to take down technology and so on, and these extremists are completely aware of the irony and and they also provide justifications for it," he said. Unlike other extremist movements, Mr Lubrano warned, the increasingly quickening pace of change could give anti-technology extremism significantly more staying power. A recent poll from the Pew Research Centre showed an increasing chasm between experts and the general public in terms of enthusiasm for AI in the US. Experts surveyed by Pew Research were significantly more likely - 56 per cent compared with 17 per cent - than the average American to say that AI would have a "very or somewhat positive" impact in society over the next 20 years. Pew data also showed that 73 per cent of experts believed AI will have a positive impact on how people do their jobs, while only 23 per cent of the general public felt that way. Mr Lubrano said that while many concerns about anti-technology extremism are legitimate and worth following up, those seeking to destroy the technological world will probably fail. He said history has shown those with 'realist views' about technology, along with government interventions to regulate its impact, have always managed to succeed in winning over hearts and minds. "We cannot get rid of technology but we can revisit the way that we interact with it to promote activities that foster a more meaningful relationship with one another and with nature," he said. Mr Lubrano said there was no indication that law enforcement agencies are incapable of dealing with a rising anti-technology extremist threat. Some level of violence, he said, will always be present "given the nature of many living in a democratic society", adding that "good intelligence" and "good law enforcement" have been able to disrupt similar threats in the past.
UAE Moments
8 hours ago
- UAE Moments
US President Trump Announces Increased Tariffs on India
U.S. President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social on Monday, August 4, that the United States would 'substantially' increase tariffs on all goods imported from India, specifically targeting its ongoing purchase and resale of Russian oil. Trump accused India of buying "massive amounts of Russian Oil" and reselling much of it on the open market for profit, while showing 'no care' for the human toll of Russia's war in Ukraine. His administration had already imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods starting August 1, labeling India's trade barriers as 'strenuous and obnoxious'. A senior Trump aide on Fox News further accused India of nearly matching China as Russia's largest oil buyer, indirectly funding Moscow's war efforts, and described India's continued energy trade as 'astonishing'. The move arrives amid growing global economic tensions. Analysts warn the tariff announcement has rattled markets, contributing to a stock sell‑off and elevated inflation concerns, while triggering fears of fragmented global supply chains. In India, trade officials have confirmed that New Delhi plans to continue sourcing energy from Russia despite U.S. pressure. Meanwhile, exporters are bracing for fallout, particularly in sectors like engineering goods, with projections of a $12 billion annual hit due to the tariff regime. This latest escalation follows Trump's broader trade policy framework launched in April—referred to as 'Liberation Day'—which imposed a universal 10% baseline tariff on all imports and higher country-specific duties under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). At the same time, U.S. financial markets remain nervous: following weak jobs data and fears of a prolonged trade war, equity indices have declined sharply, and investor sentiment remains volatile. The announcement marks a significant escalation in U.S.–India trade tensions, driven by geopolitical implications of energy policy, defense ties, and global alignment. India's strategic balancing between its energy needs and relations with both Russia and the United States is now under intense pressure, economically and diplomatically. With further details yet to emerge on the final tariff levels, all eyes are on how markets and policymakers will respond.
