Some of the most prominent Arab and Muslim candidates in the American midterm elections

Some of the most prominent Arab and Muslim candidates in the American midterm elections

    Thursday, November 10, 2022   No comments

Muslim-Americans are active in local and national US politics. They are members of both major parties. During the most recent elections, some won, some lost, but overall, it was a banner year for politicians who are members of the Arab and/or Muslim communities. 

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim organization in the United States, said that 145 Muslim-American candidates ran in the midterm elections at the local (district), state (state legislature and executive positions), and at the federal level. (The Senate and the House of Representatives). Kerr saw that this represents a new record for the volume of Islamic participation in the midterm elections, which included 48 candidates for legislative councils in 23 states.

A statement by CAIR stated that there are currently 29 Muslim-American legislators in the councils of 18 states, and New York and Minnesota lead these states with three legislators each.

A total of 82 Muslim candidates won the races on Tuesday, the highest percentage since CARE began tracking the electoral progress of American Muslims.

Some of the Muslim policians who ran for national offices:

Daryl Issa - Republican - California - House of Representatives / win

In California's 48th District, Arab-American Republican Representative Daryl Issa faced a challenge from Democratic newcomer Stephen Houlahan, but was victorious with 61% of the vote.

Darren Lahoud - Republican - Illinois - House of Representatives / win

Republican candidate Darren Lahoud, a Lebanese-American, handily defeated his Democratic opponent, Elizabeth Haderlin, in Illinois' 16th district with 66% of the vote.

Abraham Hamadeh - Republican - Arizona - Attorney General/ Not yet determined

For the position of state attorney general, Republican Abraham Hamadeh, a former military intelligence officer and lawyer of Syrian origin, is vying with Democrat Chris Mays, and the winner will represent the state on important issues related to immigration, abortion, and election management. Hamadeh won the support of former President Donald Trump.

As of the end of yesterday, Wednesday, Hamada had obtained 50.1% of the vote, compared to 49.9 percent for his democratic rival, and the completion of the counting and counting of votes had not yet been announced.

Rashida Tlaib - Democrat - Michigan / win

Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib won for the third time in the 12th district in Michigan, after defeating Republican Stephen Elliott, and got 73.3% of the vote, despite being bullied by the former president, in addition to campaigns directed by the Jewish lobby.

Ilhan Omar - Democrat - Minnesota / win

Ilhan Omar won a landslide victory in the fifth district in the state for a seat in the House of Representatives. Ilhan is considered one of the most effective Muslims in defending Arab and Islamic issues in Congress. She received the votes of 75% of the electorate, while her Republican opponent, Cecily Davis, received less than 25% of the vote.

Garrett Greaves, Republic of Louisiana/Foz

In the southern US state of Louisiana, Garrett Graves, a Republican of Lebanese descent, won the 6th District over another Republican contender, Brian Bayzer, by 80%.

Andrew Carson, Indiana, Democrat, House of Representatives

Farrow, Representative Andrew Carson in his seat, which he has held for several years, won by 68% over Republican candidate Angela Grabowski.

State legislatures

At the local level, dozens of Arab candidates achieved important victories, including Harvard-educated Democratic candidate Abdel Nasser Rashid, who won the Illinois State House of Representatives in the 21st district in the southwestern suburbs of Chicago, which includes one of the largest concentrations of Palestinian Americans. In Iowa, Democrat Sammy Sheetz won the 78th District in the state House of Representatives.

The Somali-born American, Zainab Muhammad, won the 63rd district seat in the Minnesota local Senate, and Zainab won the votes of 39 thousand 63 voters, or 85.8%, compared to 14.2% for her Republican challenger, Sean Holster. Zainab will be the first Muslim woman elected to the state senate, joining her fellow Democratic senator Omar Fateh, who won re-election.

Commenting on the election results, CARE National Executive Director Nihad Awad said, “The historic string of electoral victories for American Muslims that broke previous records is a testament to our community’s continued rise in American politics and the trust our neighbors have placed in us to represent them and fight for their interests. ".

In the press release, Awad called on "all elected American Muslim leaders to be inspired by their Islamic faith, and to work towards the best possible future for all Americans."

Iran builds hypersonic ballistic missile

Iran builds hypersonic ballistic missile

    Thursday, November 10, 2022   No comments

Iran has produced a hypersonic ballistic missile for the first time, as announced by the commander of the Aerospace Force of the Revolutionary Guards, General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, today.

"This new missile can penetrate all missile defense systems, and I do not think that the technology capable of confronting it will be found for decades to come," Iran's Fars news agency quoted Hajizadeh as saying.

He continued, "This missile targets the enemy's anti-missile systems, and is considered a great generational leap in the field of missiles."

Hypersonic missiles are known for their high maneuverability while in motion, and these missiles can change their trajectory while moving very quickly and make their movement difficult to track and predict.

Jane's Bulletin stated that hypersonic missiles, which fly at speeds of more than six thousand kilometers per hour, pose a challenge to radar designers because of their high speed and maneuverability.

Several countries are seeking to develop hypersonic missiles, while Russia appears to be advanced in this field with several types of these missiles.

Reactions:

The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, said today, in an interview with Agence France-Presse in Sharm el-Sheikh, that the manufacture of an Iranian hypersonic ballistic missile, exacerbates international "concerns" about Iran.

Grossi said on the sidelines of the COP27 Climate Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh that this issue is not within the agency's competence, "but we cannot look at things in isolation (...) These announcements exacerbate fears and increase attention to the Iranian nuclear file." "It must have an effect," he said.

Background:

In spite of sanctions; or perhaps because of sanctions, Iran was able to develop an indigenous military program consisting of drones, missiles, and marine vessels that the world knows very little about. The efficacy of the drones was tested recently in a battlefield crowned by weapons supplied by the most advanced nation-states in the world.

Biden: "We Will Free Iran"; Raisi: "Mr. President! Iran was liberated 43 years ago, and it’s determined to never become a milk cow."

Biden: "We Will Free Iran"; Raisi: "Mr. President! Iran was liberated 43 years ago, and it’s determined to never become a milk cow."

    Friday, November 04, 2022   No comments

On Thursday, US President Joe Biden vowed to "liberate" Iran.

On Friday, a White House spokesman flet the need to clarify: President Joe Biden was expressing his solidarity with protesters in Iran by telling a crowd of his supporters, "We will liberate Iran."

White House national security spokesman John Kirby made the remarks to reporters a day after Biden made his comment at a rally in California.

On Friday, too, Iran's president said that the country had been freed by the 1979 Islamic revolution in response to a vow by US president Joe Biden to "free Iran". Ebrahim Raisi said: “Maybe he said this because of a lack of concentration...He said we aim to liberate Iran," 

“Mr. President! Iran was liberated 43 years ago, and it’s determined not to become your captive again. We will never become a milk cow.”

   

The Sheikh of Al-Azhar calls for a dialogue with Shiite Muslim scholars

The Sheikh of Al-Azhar calls for a dialogue with Shiite Muslim scholars

    Friday, November 04, 2022   No comments

Today, Friday, Al-Azhar Sheikh Imam Ahmed Al-Tayeb appealed to Shia Muslim scholars to hold an Islamic-Islamic dialogue in order to renounce "sectarian strife," at a time when several countries in the region and the world are experiencing tensions over a sectarian background.

In a speech delivered at the conclusion of the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue "East and West for Human Coexistence", in the presence of Pope Francis at the Royal Palace of Sakhir, Al-Tayeb appealed to "Islamic scholars in the whole world, regardless of their sects, sects and schools, to hasten to hold a serious Islamic-Islamic dialogue." In order to establish unity, rapprochement and acquaintance, the causes of discord, strife and sectarian conflict in particular are rejected.

The Imam of Al-Azhar said: “This invitation, as I address it to our fellow Shiite Muslims, I am ready, along with the senior scholars of Al-Azhar and the Council of Muslim Elders, to hold such a meeting with open hearts and outstretched hands to sit together at one table.”

The Imam of Al-Azhar set the meeting’s goal by “overcoming the page of the past and promoting Islamic affairs and the unity of Islamic positions,” suggesting that its decisions “provide an end to mutual hate speech, methods of provocation and infidelity, and the need to overcome historical and contemporary conflicts with all their problems and bad sediments.”

Al-Tayyib stressed that “it is forbidden for Muslims to listen to the calls of discord and discord, and to beware of falling into the trap of tampering with the stability of countries, exploiting religion by stirring up national and sectarian strife, interfering in the affairs of states, undermining their sovereignty or usurping their lands.”

The Sheikh of Al-Azhar calls for an end to the war in Ukraine

In a separate context, the sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif called for an end to the war in Ukraine for the sake of world peace and stability, saying: “I add my voice to the voice of benevolent people who call for peace and an end to the Russian-Ukrainian war, and to spare the blood of innocents who have no elegance or utterance in this tragedy, And raising the banner of peace instead of the banner of victory, and sitting in the circle of dialogue and negotiations.”

Al-Tayeb also called for "stopping the fighting going on in various parts of the world by rebuilding bridges of dialogue, understanding and trust, in order to restore peace in a world riddled with wounds, so that the alternative is not more suffering for poor peoples, and more dire consequences for the East and West."

The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly, 185 to 2, Thursday to condemn the American economic embargo of Cuba

The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly, 185 to 2, Thursday to condemn the American economic embargo of Cuba

    Thursday, November 03, 2022   No comments

The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Thursday to condemn the American economic embargo of Cuba for the 30th year, with the Biden administration continuing former President Donald Trump’s opposition and refusing to return to the Obama administration’s 2016 abstention.

For the second year in a row, the vote in the 193-member General Assembly overwhelming--185 countries supporting the condemnation, the United States and Israel opposing it, and Brazil and Ukraine abstaining.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said before the vote that since 2019, the U.S. government “has escalated the siege around our country, taking it to an even crueler and more humane dimension, with the purpose of deliberately inflicting the biggest possible damage on Cuban families.” 

US disregard to the will of the global community was mirrored by the absence, bias, or blunt Western press coverage of the event. 

Here is a sample, for reference purposes.

Vote from previous years:

 

A Columbia University study found that 100% of the mass killings were initiated by males of whom 66.7% were White

A Columbia University study found that 100% of the mass killings were initiated by males of whom 66.7% were White

    Wednesday, November 02, 2022   No comments

 A Columbia University study found that 100% of the mass killings were initiated by males (mean age 28) of whom 66.7% were Caucasian who viewed themselves as engaging in some form of “final act.” 

To conduct their study, the researchers analyzed data from the Columbia Mass Murder Database (CMMD), developed by the COPE team to gain much-needed insight into the relationship between serious mental illness and mass shootings. Creating the CMMD involved extensive review of 14,785 murders publicly described in English in print or online, occurring worldwide between 1900 and 2019.  

Read the publishing Research Findings

   

How the Russian Federation is Relying on the Chechen Republic to Foster Stronger Relations with Muslim-Majority Countries

How the Russian Federation is Relying on the Chechen Republic to Foster Stronger Relations with Muslim-Majority Countries

    Wednesday, November 02, 2022   No comments

Russian large Muslim population has always played a bridging role between Muslims and the Russian State. With the rebranding of the Russian Federation as the new framework designed to keep Muslim-majority areas tethered to Russia, the Chechen Republic is now integrated into the Federation system to not necessarily play a role in foreign policy, but to showcase Russian Muslims’ role in Russia’s foreign policy. 

In this video release, the head of the Chechen republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, describes Grozny’s hosting of an important economic meeting between Iran and Russia.

Grozny hosted an important state event aimed at strengthening friendly, businesslike and mutually beneficial relations between Russia and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Today, the Chechen Republic has become a kind of bridge connecting Russia and Iran, providing a platform for delegations to work in Grozny. The outcome of the 16th plenary session of the Permanent Russian-Iranian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was the signing of documents on cooperation in various fields by the parties.

The agreements and agreements reached will have a fruitful impact on long-term relations between the two states. The Russian side, headed by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak, is doing a great job in this direction.

Over the eight months of this year, the trade turnover between Russia and Iran increased by 36.4 percent and is approaching $4 billion. And this is far from the limit.

At the end of the meeting, I had the pleasure of talking at the dinner table with Alexander Novak and with the head of the Iranian delegation, Javad Ouji.

I was pleased to hear warm comments from our Iranian friends about the beauty of Grozny, about the good-natured and hospitable Chechen people. I'm glad they all liked it. For my part, I thanked the foreign delegation for coming to the Chechen Republic.

  

 

Erdogan presents the expected tidings to Europe at the gates of the winter crisis: We will distribute Russian gas to you through our Turkish lands

Erdogan presents the expected tidings to Europe at the gates of the winter crisis: We will distribute Russian gas to you through our Turkish lands

    Friday, October 28, 2022   No comments

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey will distribute natural gas coming from Russia to Europe through its territory through the “Turkish Stream” project.

In a speech during an introductory event for the "Turkey Century" campaign in the capital, Ankara, Erdogan indicated that this will be the result of talks with Moscow.

On the other hand, the President revealed that his government will soon start work on the Istanbul Canal project, and that it will thus save the Bosphorus Strait from environmental threats.

He referred to the discovery of 540 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves in the Black Sea previously, adding: "God willing, we will soon share good news with our people in energy."

The “Turkish Stream” is two pipelines to transport gas from Russia to Turkey and Europe, passing through the Black Sea. The first pipeline feeds Turkey, and the second is eastern and southern European countries.

Erdogan stressed that one of the first goals of the “Turkey Century” vision is to give the country a new constitution that will be the product of the national will.

He said, "In the past twenty years, we have implemented historical monuments and services in all fields, from education to health, from justice to security, from transportation to energy, and from industry to agriculture, but there are also things that we have not been able to achieve despite our efforts."

He added: "Acquiring a new constitution for our country, the product of the national will, is one of the first goals of our vision, the century of Turkey. This new constitution will enhance the stability of the country, increase the prosperity of the people, enhance the rule of law, pluralism and justice, guarantee the freedoms of every citizen, and provide our young people with a hope for the future."

And he added: “We will raise the century of Turkey by meeting the aspirations of our young people in all fields from technology to art, and from sports to the environment. We will advance Turkey’s century by making our country one of the top ten countries in the world in all political, economic, technological, military and diplomatic fields.”

Erdogan indicated that “Turkey’s century” is the century of replacing identity politics with a politics of unity, polarization with integration, denial with embrace, domination with freedom, and hate with love.

He pointed out that "Turkey's Century" is the name of a new beginning for combining real actions with sincere acceptance, putting human values ​​before ideological fanaticism, giving preference to truth over fanaticism, and showing the truth to those who turn their backs on it.

He explained that the vision, spirit and philosophy of "Turkey's Century" means the Century of Sustainability, saying: "Based on this concept, we will strengthen an ecosystem that embraces life with all its elements. In parallel, we will move forward in our struggle to keep pace with the path of the world."

He stressed that "Turkey's century" will be the century of peace for the country, and that it will continue to work to achieve stability in its geographical region and the world, based on the concept of "the world is greater than five."

The Turkish president set a short-term goal for Turkey to reach a trillion dollars in foreign trade, and 100 billion dollars in tourism revenues.

He pointed out that they are moving forward in establishing and developing infrastructure facilities in order to transform Turkey into a global production and supply center whose necessity has been demonstrated during the Corona pandemic.

In this regard, President Erdogan announced raising the production capacity of electric energy from 31,846 megawatts to 101,518 megawatts.

According to Erdogan, successive Turkish governments have worked to increase the number of archaeological sites of the country included in the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization "UNESCO", and increased the number of archaeological sites that have been restored from 46 to 5,781 sites.

In addition to the Istanbul Canal project, President Erdogan indicated that he will announce new projects in Turkey before the elections.

In light of the "Turkey Centenary" vision, Erdogan confirmed their goal of transforming Turkey into the most important and largest industrial and commercial country in the world, saying: "In the next stage, we will discuss the latest and most effective production strategies and implement them on the ground."

To achieve this goal, the Turkish President promised to continue supporting high-tech value-added industries, increasing direct production centers in order to expand the market and increase world opportunities.

He stressed the importance of science in the "centennial of Turkey", saying: "We are going through a stage in which we are looking for the impact of science and technological development on the future of humanity, and we plan to have a say in this field in the future, by supporting scientific research in the public and private sectors in order to achieve the well-being of our country and our citizens. “.

He added, "We will work to enter at least 10 Turkish universities in the global ranking of the first 500 universities in the world."

Ukraine Conflict Has never been just about Ukraine: The Danger Catastrophic of Out-of-Control Escalation is Real

Ukraine Conflict Has never been just about Ukraine: The Danger Catastrophic of Out-of-Control Escalation is Real

    Thursday, October 27, 2022   No comments

After warning that the military operation in Ukraine could  turn into a world war three, Russia now says it could become a space war, too.

Konstantin Vorontsov, Deputy Director of Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Affairs in the Russian Foreign Ministry, announced that "American satellites may become legitimate targets for striking them if they are used in the conflict in Ukraine."

"We want to focus on a very dangerous trend that was clearly demonstrated in the course of events in Ukraine. We are talking about the use by the United States and its allies of civilian infrastructure components in space, including commercial ones, in armed conflicts," he said during the meeting of the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly. .

He noted that "US quasi-civilian infrastructure may become a legitimate target to strike. As a result of the West's actions, peaceful space activities and the world's social and economic processes, on which the well-being of people primarily depends in developing countries, are exposed to unjustified risks."

And the company "Starlink" owned by the American businessman and billionaire Elon Musk announced, last March, to send equipment to provide Internet in Ukraine.

It is noteworthy that the provision of free internet services to Ukraine, through Starlink, is one of the most effective tools on the battlefield, by obtaining secure and impenetrable communications by the Russian army, and able to provide the Ukrainian side with the locations and movements of the Russians, thus facilitating the possibility of Targeted by modern Western weapons.

In this regard, the American “Axios” website said, earlier, that “private space companies parallel, and often exceed, the capabilities of governments, which gives not only technological power but also geopolitical power to those who run them,” referring to Starlink owned by Musk.

Russia had announced, earlier, that it would treat any penetration of its satellites as a justification for war.

Also, the Director of the Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, Vladimir Yermakov, confirmed earlier that "American weapons to Kiev bring Russia and NATO closer to a direct confrontation."

   

Soccer, Religion, Culture, and Politics: Qatar may live to Regret hosting the Global Event

Soccer, Religion, Culture, and Politics: Qatar may live to Regret hosting the Global Event

    Tuesday, October 25, 2022   No comments

The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, expressed his regret that his country is being subjected to an "unprecedented campaign" due to its hosting of the 2022 World Cup, whose matches will start in the emirate in less than a month.

In a speech he delivered at the opening of the Shura Council, Tamim said: "Since we won the honor of hosting the World Cup, Qatar has been subjected to an unprecedented campaign that no host country has faced."

He added, "We initially dealt with the matter in good faith, and even considered that some criticism is positive and useful that helps us develop aspects of ours that need to be developed."

Sheikh Tamim also expressed his regret, because “it soon became clear to us that the campaign continues and expands and includes slander and double standards, until it reached such a ferocity that many wondered, unfortunately, about the real reasons and motives behind this campaign.”

And while the Emir of Qatar considered that “criticism is useful only if it is based on correct information and an understanding of the contexts,” he stressed that “hosting the World Cup combines several elements and challenges, including civilizational and cultural openness.”

Sheikh Tamim stressed that his country’s hosting of the World Cup in football is “an occasion in which we show who we are, not only in terms of the strength of our economy and our institutions, but also in terms of our civilizational identity,” considering that “this is a great test for a country the size of Qatar, which impresses the whole world with its You have done it and you have done it.”

Emphasizing that "Qatar is currently more like a workshop in preparation and preparation for the occasion," Tamim recalled that it is the first time that an Arab country will host such an occasion, saying: "We have accepted this challenge (...) in recognition of the importance of hosting a major event such as the World Cup. in the Arab world".

He added, "This is a tournament for everyone, and its success is everyone's success."

With the approaching date of the most expensive World Cup ever, Qatar finds itself facing a growing torrent of criticism and attacks, due to various issues, ranging from the emirate's hot climate and conservative society, to its record in the field of human rights and freedoms.

The Qatari authorities have made unremitting efforts to refute the accusations leveled against them, noting in particular that they have carried out in recent years reforms to their laws, while the President of the "International Football Association" (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, confirmed that this version of the World Cup would be "the best ever".