‘The answer is no’: Pro-Palestinian delegates say their request for a speaker at DNC was shut down

Uncommitted delegates hold a press conference outside the United Center before the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago. (AP)
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Updated 23 August 2024
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‘The answer is no’: Pro-Palestinian delegates say their request for a speaker at DNC was shut down

  • After failing to get a slot for a Palestinian American speaker at the DNC, members of the “Uncommitted” movement staged a sit-in outside the convention venue
  • The sit-in outside Chicago’s United Center has exposed cracks in a Democratic Party that otherwise has rallied around the Harris campaign

CHICAGO: Leaders of an “Uncommitted” movement, which garnered hundreds of thousands of votes in Democratic primaries across the nation in protest of the Israel-Hamas war, have been negotiating for weeks to secure a speaking slot for a Palestinian American at the Democratic National Convention this week.
The negotiations stalled late Wednesday when leaders with the Uncommitted National Movement say a Democratic National Committee official called and delivered a firm response: “The answer is no.”
The leader, Abbas Alawieh, an “Uncommitted” delegate to the convention and co-founder of the movement, described the call as shocking after weeks of talks that he felt were positive. In response, he and other delegates decided to stage a sit-in outside Chicago’s United Center, where the convention is being held. They spent the night on the sidewalk on Wednesday, and vowed to remain until their request was granted or the convention ended Thursday night.
“When we ran out of options — doing everything we can and working from the inside, when we ran out of options as uncommitted delegates, we just sat down,” Alawieh said in an interview Thursday.
The Harris campaign declined to comment.




Arab American Abbas Alawieh, Michigan delegate, wears a "Democrats for Palestinian Rights" scarf as he attends the first day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 19, 2024. (AFP)

The sit-in outside the United Center has exposed cracks in a Democratic Party that otherwise has rallied around the Harris campaign that has energized the vast majority of party members this week.
The news that the DNC had denied the request of a Palestinian American speaker, just a day after featuring the parents of an Israeli American hostage held by Hamas, ignited fresh criticism from some on the left. The politically powerful United Autoworkers Union, which has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, said the party “must allow a Palestinian American speaker to be heard from the DNC stage tonight.”
Cook County, where Chicago and the convention is located, holds the largest population of Palestinian Americans in the country.
The party, however, has not budged. The Senate’s top Democrat shrugged off the potential political impact of the sit-in outside the convention. New York Sen. Chuck Schumer recalled Harris saying when protesters interrupted her at a recent rally in Michigan that their disruptions might be benefiting Republican Donald Trump.
“She said, ‘Be quiet unless you want to elect Trump,’” Schumer told a small group of reporters on Thursday, ahead of the convention’s final evening.
“We believe we need unity, and there’s overwhelming — I have never seen such unity,” he said. “A small handful of people does not represent close to even a sliver of where the Democratic Party is right now.”

Tensions over the war in Gaza have at times escalated outside the convention center this week, as thousands marched through Chicago demanding a ceasefire. A smaller group of activists clashed with police outside the Israeli Consulate on Tuesday night, leading to 56 arrests.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, a Muslim Democrat, spoke Wednesday at the convention and praised Harris for saying “we need a ceasefire and an end to the loss of innocent lives in Gaza and to bring hostages home.” In an interview Thursday, he said that “not only is the content of the message important, the messenger is also important.”
“A Palestinian-American sharing his or her story, calling for ceasefire and release of all hostages, and calling everyone to support the ticket against fascism would be powerful,” Ellison said on social media Thursday.
Many other Democratic leaders urged the party to reconsider the request. In a statement, California Rep. Ro Khanna said that “the Democratic Party, which aspires to be the party of human rights, must not in 2024 perpetuate this erasure of the Palestinian story.”
When asked at a roundtable discussion Thursday whether he agreed with the “Uncommitted” delegates’ demand to add a Palestinian American speaker to the DNC lineup, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said, “Yes, of course.”
“We’re talking about thousands of babies and elderly people being brutalized by an act of war,” said Johnson. “You have to have a voice that can call for peace as well as the releasing of hostages.”
According to Alawieh, the “Uncommitted” movement provided a number of potential Palestinian Americans who could speak at the convention, including Georgia State Rep. Ruwa Romman.
Romman on Thursday released a draft of the speech she said she planned to deliver if asked. In it, she calls for electing Harris, defeating Donald Trump — and outlines demands for a ceasefire and to “end the killing of Palestinians, free all the Israeli and Palestinian hostages.”
Earlier this week, activists were granted unprecedented space at the convention to hold a forum addressing the plight of Gaza residents, who have been under Israeli bombardment since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and its taking of hostages, as well as to share deeply personal stories about family members lost in the conflict. The panel was viewed as an olive branch from the Harris campaign, with hopes that other requests might be fulfilled later in the week.
The convention has officially made Harris the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, with the vast majority of the nearly 4,000 delegates enthusiastically casting their votes for her.
But those calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war — among other demands, such as an arms embargo on Israel — believe they will have an outsized influence in the November election, now just over 70 days away.
Michigan, one of the key swing states, has the largest percentage of Arab Americans in the country. The UAW, which hosted Harris at a union hall event earlier this month, also has its largest membership base in Michigan. In a statement, the leader of the state Democratic Party, Lavora Barnes, said “a Palestinian American should have a speaking role Thursday night so that their voices can be heard — all of our delegates are part of our Michigan Democratic Party family.”
Through Thursday, Democrats on their way into the convention stopped by the sit-in. Rep. Cori Bush, a member of the progressive congressional group known as the “Squad,” who lost her primary earlier this month, stopped to mingle with “Uncommitted” delegates.
“We are Democrats. We are a part of this party. And we are just saying, ‘hear us because it matters,’” said Bush.
 


Bangladesh records rise in skilled migration with Saudi Arabia as top destination

Updated 4 sec ago
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Bangladesh records rise in skilled migration with Saudi Arabia as top destination

  • Out of 700,000 Bangladeshis going abroad for work this year, 374,000 chose the Kingdom
  • KSA launched a new employment scheme in Bangladesh last year to upgrade workers’ skills

DHAKA: The migration of skilled Bangladeshi workers abroad has been on the rise since the beginning of the year, with most seeking employment in Saudi Arabia’s giga-projects.

Out of almost 700,000 who sought employment abroad this year, more than 374,000 went to Saudi Arabia, which since 2017 has been the preferred destination among Bangladeshi expats.

The Kingdom was followed by Malaysia and Qatar, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training.

“Due to several ongoing giga-projects, Saudi Arabia is in high demand for migrant workers,” BMET additional secretary Shah Abdul Tarique told Arab News.

“Recently, we noticed an increase in the export of skilled migrants. Many of our construction workers go to Saudi Arabia under skilled categories. There are many drivers and electricians also employed as skilled workers.”

Saudi Arabia has launched a number of giga-projects under its Vision 2030 transformation plan, including the multibillion-dollar NEOM smart city that is overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi officials launched the Workers’ Recruitment and Skill Verification Program in Bangladesh last February, aimed at advancing the professional competence of employees in the Saudi labor market.

It focuses on several professions, including plumbers, electricians and construction workers.

BMET had set up at least 150 technical centers upon the program’s launch, offering free training to support prospective Bangladeshi migrant workers seeking employment in the Kingdom.

“We are also focusing on preparing the training centers more with market-driven equipment and logistics,” Tarique said.

“Our private sector recruiting agents are working sincerely to be attached more with the Saudi giga-projects. If this trend continues, I think our skilled manpower exports to the Kingdom will increase in the coming period.”

Friendly ties between the two countries have also driven Bangladeshi migrant workers to choose Saudi Arabia, said Shariful Hasan, head of the migration program at the country’s largest development organization, BRAC.

“They feel much more comfortable while working in the Kingdom. It’s a diversified market for us as both skilled and unskilled migrants are being employed together,” Hasan told Arab News.

“Starting from construction to many other job fields, Saudi Arabia is now looking for skilled workers from Bangladesh. That’s why our number of skilled workers increased in the Kingdom.”

Hasan said that skilled Bangladeshi migrants are also being employed in the IT and financial sectors, as the Kingdom seeks to establish itself as a global investment powerhouse with sophisticated digital infrastructure.

“It will be an excellent approach if we can prepare our technical training centers in line with the demands of the Saudi giga-projects,” he said. “These migrants will be able to earn better in the kingdom and eventually send better remittances to Bangladesh.”


Russia’s grain policies help Ukraine secure sales

Updated 6 min 7 sec ago
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Russia’s grain policies help Ukraine secure sales

  • Egypt’s state grains buyer GASC bought 290,000 metric tons of wheat
  • Russia was kept out of the sale due to unofficial policies to prevent a price spike at home as the country seeks to combat inflation partly fueled by military spending

HAMBURG/CAIRO: Russia’s curbs on wheat exports have inadvertently helped Ukraine secure lucrative sales to Egypt this week while also inflating prices for the world’s top importer, traders said.
Egypt’s state grains buyer GASC bought 290,000 metric tons of wheat in an international tender on Monday. The purchase included 120,000 tons from Ukraine as well as 120,000 tons from Romania and 50,000 tons from Bulgaria.
Russia, the world’s top wheat exporter and Egypt’s most important supplier, was kept out of the sale due to unofficial policies to prevent a price spike at home as the country seeks to combat inflation partly fueled by military spending.
The restrictions, mostly not officially announced, include a minimum export price, export taxes and limiting sales of Russian grain by foreign trading houses.
“Had Russian exporters been allowed to offer realistic market prices, which would be much lower, I think they would have pretty much wiped up the Egyptian sale,” one trader said.
“The Russian moves are making Ukrainian supplies look more attractive, especially to importers in a difficult financial state like Egypt,” the trader added.
Russia’s agriculture ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether government grain export policies had led to the loss of business to Ukraine at this week’s Egyptian tender.
A trader in Ukraine said the Russian restrictions had provided more opportunites although the country had already realized about 60 percent of its potential sales this year.
“The cheapest supplier is leaving, so it’s probably not who wins but who loses,” the trader said, referring to how Russian policies could raise the cost of wheat for importers.
Hesham Soliman, a trader in Egypt, said Russia was holding off waiting for prices to rise and profitability to increase.
“This isn’t just about Russian export restrictions. Russia knows it controls the market and is acting accordingly,” he said, adding Egypt’s state buyer had pushed back by purchasing Black Sea wheat from other sources.
Noamany Nasr, a former adviser to Egypt’s supply ministry, said Russia frequently introduced subtle barriers to curb its own exports, whether to raise prices or for internal reasons.
“Ironically, this benefits Russia’s competitors.”
Egypt’s supply ministry said on Tuesday that after the purchase it now has strategic reserves for five months of consumption although traders expect it will need to secure additional supplies in coming months.
“There’s still supply in Romania where farmers have been holding onto a lot of their crop,” another European trader said.
“In Bulgaria, supply is gradually getting tighter. In Ukraine, there’s not a huge amount left, though they haven’t been shipping as vigorously as the Russians.”


Kashmir assembly demands restoration of special status revoked by Modi in 2019

Updated 25 min 27 sec ago
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Kashmir assembly demands restoration of special status revoked by Modi in 2019

  • Kashmir lost semi-autonomy when PM Narendra Modi’s government repealed Article 370 of Constitution
  • All parties in the assembly supported the move except for lawmakers from Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party

NEW DELHI: The newly elected assembly of Jammu and Kashmir passed on Wednesday a resolution requesting the Indian government to start talks for the restoration of the region’s special status.
Kashmir lost its semi-autonomy in August 2019, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government repealed Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and downgraded it from state to union territory.
Article 370 acknowledged the special status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in terms of autonomy and its ability to formulate laws for its permanent residents.
The region has been under direct control of New Delhi since, with India’s Parliament as its main legislator, but last month the territory elected its local legislative assembly, with voters choosing representatives in opposition to Modi’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
The election was the first in 10 years, with the restoration of statehood being a main promise of all contenders, including the BJP.
The National Conference, the oldest party in Kashmir, won the polls and formed a government led by Omar Abdullah, who had earlier served as the chief minister of the state of Jammu and Kashmir between 2009 and 2014.
Wednesday’s resolution was filed by Abdullah’s deputy, Surinder Kumar Choudhary.
“This assembly upon the Government of India to initiate dialogue with elected representatives of people of Jammu and Kashmir for restoration of special status, constitutional guarantees and to work out constitutional mechanisms for restoring these provisions,” the resolution read.
“This Legislative Assembly reaffirms the importance of the special status and constitutional guarantees, which safeguarded the identity, culture, and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and expresses concern over their unilateral removal.”
All parties in the 90-member assembly supported the resolution except for 29 BJP lawmakers.
After the revocation of Article 370, a series of administrative changes followed, with the Indian government removing protections on land and jobs for the local population, which many in the Muslim-majority region likened to attempts at demographically altering it.
While the restoration of Kashmir’s statehood was on the table, with the region’s New Delhi-appointed lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha bringing it up earlier this week, the assembly’s call to restore the special status and protections came as a surprise.
“It was a surprise, but it was expected. It was not expected that this would happen quickly. The NC in its manifesto was committed to do it,” Prof. Noor Ahmad Baba, political science lecturer from the University of Kashmir, told Arab News.
“That is implied that the with the special status statehood, too, would be restored.”
The wording of the resolution, which did not mention Article 370 of the Constitution, allowed room for negotiation with New Delhi.
“They have not asked for the restoration of Article 370 they have asked for the safeguarding of culture, identity and rights of the people,” Baba said.
“On the face of it, it looks difficult for New Delhi to accept the demand for special status. But there is also a window open here. It can be a negotiated kind of relationship, which can be symbolically different from Article 370.”
An agreement could also help improve India’s relationship with Pakistan, he said, and become a “basis for that.”
Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir is part of the larger Kashmiri territory, which has been the subject of international dispute since the 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.
Both countries claim Kashmir in full and rule in part. Indian-controlled Kashmir has, for decades, witnessed outbreaks of separatist insurgencies to resist control from the government in New Delhi.


Kashmir assembly demands restoration of special status revoked by Modi in 2019

Updated 47 min 40 sec ago
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Kashmir assembly demands restoration of special status revoked by Modi in 2019

  • Kashmir lost semi-autonomy when PM Narendra Modi’s government repealed Article 370 of constitution
  • All parties in the assembly supported the move except for lawmakers from Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party

NEW DELHI: The newly elected assembly of Jammu and Kashmir passed on Wednesday a resolution requesting the Indian government to start talks for the restoration of the region’s special status.

Kashmir lost its semi-autonomy in August 2019, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government repealed Article 370 of the Indian constitution and downgraded it from state to union territory.

Article 370 acknowledged the special status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in terms of autonomy and its ability to formulate laws for its permanent residents.

The region has been under direct control of New Delhi since, with India’s Parliament as its main legislator, but last month the territory elected its local legislative assembly, with voters choosing representatives in opposition to Modi’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

The election was the first in 10 years, with the restoration of statehood being a main promise of all contenders, including the BJP.

The National Conference, the oldest party in Kashmir, won the polls and formed a government led by Omar Abdullah, who had earlier served as the chief minister of the state of Jammu and Kashmir between 2009 and 2014.

Wednesday’s resolution was filed by Abdullah’s deputy, Surinder Kumar Choudhary.

“This assembly upon the Government of India to initiate dialogue with elected representatives of people of Jammu and Kashmir for restoration of special status, constitutional guarantees and to work out constitutional mechanisms for restoring these provisions,” the resolution read.

“This Legislative Assembly reaffirms the importance of the special status and constitutional guarantees, which safeguarded the identity, culture, and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and expresses concern over their unilateral removal.”

All parties in the 90-member assembly supported the resolution except for 29 BJP lawmakers.

After the revocation of Article 370, a series of administrative changes followed, with the Indian government removing protections on land and jobs for the local population, which many in the Muslim-majority region likened to attempts at demographically altering it.

While the restoration of Kashmir’s statehood was on the table, with the region’s New Delhi-appointed lieutenant governor, Manoj Sinha, bringing it up earlier this week, the assembly’s call to restore the special status and protections came as a surprise.

“It was a surprise, but it was expected. It was not expected that this would happen quickly. The NC in its manifesto was committed to do it,” Prof. Noor Ahmad Baba, political science lecturer from the University of Kashmir, told Arab News.

“That is implied that the with the special status statehood, too, would be restored.”

The wording of the resolution, which did not mention Article 370 of the constitution, allowed room for negotiation with New Delhi.

“They have not asked for the restoration of Article 370, they have asked for the safeguarding of culture, identity and rights of the people,” Baba said.

“On the face of it, it looks difficult for New Delhi to accept the demand for special status. But there is also a window open here. It can be a negotiated kind of relationship, which can be symbolically different from Article 370.”

An agreement could also help to improve India’s relationship with Pakistan, he said, and become a “basis for that.”

Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir is part of the larger Kashmiri territory, which has been the subject of international dispute since the 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.

Both countries claim Kashmir in full and rule in part. Indian-controlled Kashmir has, for decades, witnessed outbreaks of separatist insurgencies to resist control from the government in New Delhi.


New bird flu outbreak confirmed in UK

Updated 12 min 21 sec ago
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New bird flu outbreak confirmed in UK

  • The virus was detected at a farm in Yorkshire, meaning the UK is no longer free from bird flu as per World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) rules

LONDON: The UK government warned bird keepers to remain vigilant after bird flu was detected at a commercial poultry farm in northern England, the second outbreak this year and first of the season.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) confirmed on Tuesday the presence of the H5N5 strain of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu.
The virus was detected at a farm in Yorkshire, meaning the UK is no longer free from bird flu as per World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) rules.
All poultry on the premises was set to be culled, with a three-kilometer (1.8-mile) protection zone placed around the farm, near the seaside town of Hornsea.
While the last outbreak in February 2024 was of the H5N1 strain of the virus, the H5N5 virus detected this time around follows previous findings in Europe, according to DEFRA.
No bird flu cases have yet been detected during this outbreak in Wales or Scotland.
While the risk level to poultry remains low for premises with strong biosecurity, the risk was increased from medium to high for wild birds.
Between 2021 and 2023, the UK experienced its largest ever bird flu outbreak due to the H5N1 strain. It killed 3.8 million birds and the virus became widespread in wild bird populations.
Some UK seabird populations experienced “extensive declines” in the period, said a study by conservationists at the start of 2024.
The disease mainly affects birds and the risk to the general public’s health is very low, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
However, scientists have raised concerns about the virus’s ability to spread to and between mammals.