Democrats trying to block Palestine-supporting Jill Stein’s party from key US swing state: Report

Democrats trying to block Palestine-supporting Jill Stein’s party from key US swing state: Report
Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein speaks at a Pro-Palestinian protest in front of the White House on June 8, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images via AFP)
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Updated 15 August 2024
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Democrats trying to block Palestine-supporting Jill Stein’s party from key US swing state: Report

Democrats trying to block Palestine-supporting Jill Stein’s party from key US swing state: Report
  • Complaint alleges Green Party is ineligible in Wisconsin
  • Stein emerging as top choice for Arab-American voters

RIYADH: The Green Party’s nominee for the upcoming US presidential election, Jill Stein, who is emerging as the most-favored candidate of Arab Americans, is reportedly being targeted by allies of Vice President Kamala Harris.

An employee of the Democratic National Committee, David Strange, filed a complaint Wednesday seeking to remove Stein from the ballot in the key state of Wisconsin, arguing that the party was ineligible, The Associated Press reported on Thursday.

It is the “latest move by the DNC to block third-party candidates from the ballot,” said the report, noting that Democrats are also seeking to stop independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in several states.

The report was carried by various media outlets in the US.

Stein, known for her vocal support of Palestinian rights, has emerged as the top choice among Arab-American voters for the Nov. 5 elections, according to a poll conducted late last month by the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee.

Stein, a physician and environmentalist, received support from more than 45.3 percent of the respondents, while Harris received 27.5 percent.

Republican candidate Donald Trump polled only 2 percent, while 17.9 percent were undecided.

The Green Party’s appearance on the presidential ballot could make a difference in the swing state of Wisconsin, where four of the past six presidential elections have been decided by between 5,700 and 23,000 votes, the AP report said.

Stein is expected to become the Green Party’s presidential nominee at its national convention, which begins Thursday. The party has yet to respond to the DNC’s move.

Why Jill Stein?

Arab-American voters have increasingly gravitated toward Stein owing to her advocacy for Palestinian rights and her opposition to the Israeli military’s actions in Gaza since October, the ADC’s national executive director Abed Ayoub explained earlier in a post on X.

The latest survey showed a big jump in backing since the ADC’s last opinion poll in May, where she led with 25 percent support. In that poll, President Joe Biden, who was still the presumptive Democratic candidate before he withdrew from the race in July, got 7 percent of the Arab-American vote.

Trump polled only 2 percent.

Chris Habiby, the national government affairs and advocacy director for the ADC, said Stein’s support for a two-state solution and an end to Israel’s brutal military offensive in the Gaza Strip is driving her popularity among Arab- and Muslim-American voters.

Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip has killed over 40,000 civilians, most of them women and children.

“Dr. Jill Stein has been very clear and emphatic in her anti-genocide message,” Habiby said on The Ray Hanania Radio Show, as reported earlier in Arab News.

In his column in Arab News, Hanania noted that while the poll numbers for Harris was much better compared to Biden’s, her scornful response to a handful of Detroit protesters calling on her to press for a ceasefire in Gaza may not augur well for her campaign.

Hanania said her response was “a major political blunder that has sparked robust debate in many swing states.” This was where Arabs and Muslims showed during the Democratic primary elections, over the past six months, that “they can deflect thousands of votes away from Biden.”

This had erased his slim margin of victory in 2020 over Trump, wrote Hanania.

“The Democrats are afraid to acknowledge the anti-Biden vote, and the likelihood that it will grow if Harris refuses to take the Arab and Muslim community seriously,” Hanania added.

 

Opinion

This section contains relevant reference points, placed in (Opinion field)

Veteran pollster John Zogby, president and founder of the polling company John Zogby Strategies, noted that Harris was currently leading the upward trendline mainly because she was enjoying a short honeymoon driven by her newness as a candidate.

However, this popularity could change, he said, noting that Arab and Muslim voters have more influence today than they have ever had since first settling in this country, and that the issue driving their vote was Gaza.

In 2022, 2.2 million people in the US reported having Arab ancestry in that year’s Arab Community Survey. The majority are native-born, and 85 percent in the US are citizens.

While the community traces its roots to every Arab country, the majority have ancestral ties in Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Palestine and Iraq. The top four states by Arab-American population size are California, Florida, Minnesota and Michigan.

DNC’s ‘Strange’ argument

The last time Stein was on the ballot in Wisconsin for the Green Party was in 2016, when she got just over 31,000 votes — more than Trump’s winning margin that year of just under 23,000 votes.

Some Democrats blamed Stein for helping Trump win the state and the presidency, the AP report said.




Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein speaks at a Pro-Palestinian protest in front of the White House on June 8, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images via AFP)

The bipartisan elections commission in February unanimously approved ballot access for the Green Party’s presidential nominee this year because the party won more than 1 percent of the vote in a statewide race in 2022.

Green Party candidate Sharyl McFarland got nearly 1.6 percent of the vote in a four-way race for secretary of state, coming in last.

But the complaint filed with the commission by Strange, deputy operations director in Wisconsin for the DNC, alleges that the Green Party cannot nominate presidential electors in Wisconsin, and without them they are forbidden from having a presidential candidate on the ballot.

State law requires that those who nominate electors in October be state officers, which includes members of the legislature, judges and others. They could also be candidates for the legislature.

The Green Party does not have anyone who qualifies to be a nominator, and therefore cannot legally name a slate of presidential electors as required by law, the complaint alleges.

Because the Green Party could have mounted write-in campaigns for legislative candidates in Tuesday’s primary, but did not, the complaint could not have been brought any sooner than Wednesday, the filing alleges.

“We take the nomination process for President and Vice President very seriously and believe every candidate should follow the rules,“ Adrienne Watson, senior adviser to the DNC, said in a statement.

“Because the Wisconsin Green Party hasn’t fielded candidates for legislative or statewide office and doesn’t have any current incumbent legislative or statewide office holders, it cannot nominate candidates and should not be on the ballot in November.”

This is not the first time the Green Party’s ballot status has been challenged.

In 2020, the Wisconsin Supreme Court kept the Green Party presidential candidate off the ballot after it upheld a deadlocked Wisconsin Elections Commission, which could not agree on whether the candidates filed proper paperwork.

This year, in addition to the Republican, Democratic and Green parties, the Constitution and Libertarian parties also have ballot access.

The commission is meeting on Aug. 27 to determine whether four independent candidates for president, including Kennedy and Cornel West, meet the requirements to appear on the ballot.

The DNC member, Strange, has asked that the commission also consider its complaint at that meeting.

The AP report stated that there “are signs in some swing states, including Wisconsin, that those behind third-party candidates are trying to affect the outcome of the presidential race by using deceptive means — and in most cases in ways that would benefit Trump.

“Their aim is to offer left-leaning, third-party alternatives who could siphon off a few thousand protest votes.”

The latest Marquette University Law School poll conducted July 24 through Aug. 1 showed the presidential contest in Wisconsin between Democrat Harris and Trump to be about even among likely voters.

Stein barely registered, with about 1 percent support, while Kennedy had 6 percent.


Germany suspends Syrian asylum decisions citing ‘unclear situation’

Germany suspends Syrian asylum decisions citing ‘unclear situation’
Updated 5 sec ago
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Germany suspends Syrian asylum decisions citing ‘unclear situation’

Germany suspends Syrian asylum decisions citing ‘unclear situation’
BERLIN: Germany has suspended decisions on asylum requests from Syrians amid the “unclear situation” in the war-torn country after the ouster of President Bashar Assad, the interior minister said Monday.
Germany took in almost one million Syrians, Europe’s biggest diaspora from the war-ravaged country, with the bulk arriving in 2015-16 under ex-chancellor Angela Merkel.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said that “the end of the brutal tyranny of the Syrian dictator Assad is a great relief for many people who have suffered from torture, murder and terror.”
“Many refugees who have found protection in Germany now finally have hope of returning to their Syrian homeland and rebuilding their country,” she said in a statement.
But she cautioned that “the situation in Syria is currently very unclear.”
“Therefore, concrete possibilities of return cannot yet be predicted at the moment and it would be unprofessional to speculate about them in such a volatile situation.”
“In view of this unclear situation, it is right that the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has today imposed a freeze on decisions for asylum procedures that are still ongoing until the situation is clearer,” she said.
The interior ministry says there are now 974,136 people with Syrian nationality residing in Germany.
Of these, 5,090 have been recognized as eligible for asylum, 321,444 have been granted refugee status and 329,242 have been granted subsidiary protection, a temporary stay of deportation, with tens of thousands of other cases still pending.
Foreign ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer on Monday highlighted the changing events and ongoing fighting in Syria.
“The fact that the Assad regime has been ended is unfortunately no guarantee of peaceful development,” he told a regular media briefing.
“Whether this new situation will result in new refugee movements or whether, on the contrary, if the situation stabilizes, displaced persons and refugees will have the opportunity to return to their homeland in the long term, remains to be seen,” Fischer said.

Weeks after blackout, restive Indian state lifts Internet block after ethnic clashes

Weeks after blackout, restive Indian state lifts Internet block after ethnic clashes
Updated 21 min 21 sec ago
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Weeks after blackout, restive Indian state lifts Internet block after ethnic clashes

Weeks after blackout, restive Indian state lifts Internet block after ethnic clashes
  • Blackout was ordered to contain deadly ethnic violence, clashes between protesters and police in Manipur
  • Internet services were shut down for months in Manipur last year during the initial outbreak of violence

NEW DELHI: Internet was restored in India’s conflict-torn northeastern state of Manipur on Monday, weeks after a blackout was ordered to contain deadly ethnic violence and clashes between protesters and police.
Ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur last year between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and the mainly Christian Kuki community, killing more than 250 people.
Since then, communities have splintered into rival groups across swaths of the northeastern state, which borders war-torn Myanmar.
Fresh clashes that killed at least 17 people last month in a part of Manipur previously spared from the violence prompted the latest of several Internet shutdowns imposed in the state.
That order came after protesters, outraged by the killings, tried to storm the homes of politicians in state capital Imphal, vandalising some of the properties.
The local government Monday ordered the lifting of “all forms of temporary suspension of Internet and data services” imposed on November 19.
Internet services were shut down for months in Manipur last year during the initial outbreak of violence, which displaced around 60,000 people from their homes according to government figures.
Thousands of the state’s residents are still unable to return home owing to ongoing tensions.
Long-standing tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities revolve around competition for land and public jobs.
Rights activists have accused local leaders of exacerbating ethnic divisions for political gain.
Manipur is ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party and Human Rights Watch has accused the government of facilitating the conflict with “divisive policies that promote Hindu majoritarianism.”


Dozens of schools in Delhi get bomb threats, Indian news agency says

Dozens of schools in Delhi get bomb threats, Indian news agency says
Updated 24 min 29 sec ago
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Dozens of schools in Delhi get bomb threats, Indian news agency says

Dozens of schools in Delhi get bomb threats, Indian news agency says
  • Schools, railway stations and airports this year have been subject to hundreds of hoax bomb threats
  • In May, over 50 schools in Delhi, adjoining suburbs received bomb threats that turned out to be hoaxes

NEW DELHI: At least 40 schools received a bomb threat by email in Delhi on Monday demanding $30,000, ANI news agency said, while police officials conducted initial searches on school premises.
Schools, railway stations and airports this year have been subject to hundreds of bomb threats, which have later turned out to be hoaxes.
Airlines and airports in India received 999 hoax bomb threats from the start of the year until mid-November, and 12 people had been arrested during the same period, government data shows.
Two schools got the threatening email on Sunday night, which said multiple bombs were planted inside buildings and would be detonated if the sender was not paid $30,000, according to ANI.
Many other schools received the emails on Monday morning, prompting school authorities to call parents to take the students home for the day.
Parents were seen picking their children up from the gates of some schools as police checked school premises for suspicious items.
Police officials in Delhi did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
In May, more than 50 schools in Delhi and the adjoining suburb of Noida received similar bomb threat emails that turned out to be hoaxes.


India’s Modi woos foreign investors at global investment summit in Rajasthan

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi touts his country’s economic prospects at a global investment summit in Rajasthan on Monday.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi touts his country’s economic prospects at a global investment summit in Rajasthan on Monday.
Updated 4 min 45 sec ago
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India’s Modi woos foreign investors at global investment summit in Rajasthan

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi touts his country’s economic prospects at a global investment summit in Rajasthan on Monday.
  • Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit will be held until Dec. 11
  • Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment is among the summit participants

JAIPUR: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi touted his country’s economic prospects at a global investment summit in Rajasthan on Monday, as the state seeks to attract foreign investors and position itself as a hub for innovation and development.

Rajasthan, India’s largest state by area, is hosting the inaugural investment event in its capital Jaipur from Dec. 9 to 11, as the government seeks to double the state’s gross domestic product to $350 billion in the next five years.

The summit seeks to attract international investors and foster new partnerships in various sectors, including renewable energy, electric vehicles, infrastructure, startups and tourism.

“Today, every expert and investor in the world is very excited about India,” Modi said at the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit.

He highlighted how the nation has become the world’s fifth-largest economy and almost doubled its exports in the last decade, also pointing to India’s young demographic — the world’s largest youth population — and tech expertise.

“We are going to see its huge benefits and huge impact here in Rajasthan as well. I have always believed that the development of the country comes from the development of the state,” Modi said, as he urged investors to explore the state’s manufacturing potential.

“Rajasthan has a network of modern connectivity, a rich heritage, a very large landmass and a very capable youth force … Rajasthan has a lot to offer. This potential of Rajasthan makes the state a very attractive destination for investment.”

Rajasthan is home to a large portion of India’s mineral reserves, including zinc, limestone and marble. It is also the location of the nation’s largest solar parks and contributes to its energy security.

The Rajasthan government has committed to making the state “a hub for investment, innovation, and development,” according to its Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.

“This summit will be a key platform to attract investors, highlight Rajasthan’s potential, and boost its position as a global business destination,” he said.

Thousands of people gathered in Jaipur for the summit’s opening day, including delegates from foreign countries, such as Saudi Arabia, the UK and Japan.

The Saudi Ministry of Investment brought its “Invest Saudi” initiative to the summit’s exhibition space, with a dedicated pavilion set up to highlight opportunities in the Kingdom.

“Everyone is coming to Rajasthan for this great summit, and everyone wants to see what Rajasthan has to offer,” Rayed M. Al-Homied, who is part of a business delegation organized by the Saudi ministry, told Arab News.

“I can see a lot (of potential) from every sector we can think about; agriculture, renewable energy,” he said. “This is our first day, and I can see a huge opportunity for investors.”

Saud M. Alshuraym, chairman of Riyadh-based agriculture company Leen Alkhair, said he is looking for joint venture opportunities at the summit.

“The prime minister, he talked today about the opportunity to invest in India … We see so many opportunities, and we hope we can do something here and there,” Alshuraym said.

For Jaipur-based entrepreneur, Parul Arora, the summit was also an opportunity to expand her business to the Middle East.

She was keen on promoting products made in Rajasthan, such as marble, furniture, dresses, gemstones and jewelry.

“I am just expecting to bring out more construction materials, more artistic things that people (from Rajasthan) can export into Saudi Arabia,” she said.


184 killed in Haiti capital violence over weekend: UN

184 killed in Haiti capital violence over weekend: UN
Updated 09 December 2024
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184 killed in Haiti capital violence over weekend: UN

184 killed in Haiti capital violence over weekend: UN

GENEVA: Close to 200 people were killed in brutal weekend violence in Haiti’s capital, the United Nations said on Monday, with reports that a gang boss orchestrated the slaughter of voodoo practitioners.
The killings were overseen by a “powerful gang leader” convinced that his son’s illness was caused by followers of the religion, according to civil organization the Committee for Peace and Development (CPD).
“He decided to cruelly punish all elderly people and voodoo practitioners who, in his imagination, would be capable of sending a bad spell on his son,” a statement from the Haiti-based group said.
“The gang’s soldiers were responsible for identifying victims in their homes to take them to the chief’s stronghold to be executed,” it added.
UN rights commissioner Volker Turk said over the weekend that “at least 184 people were killed in violence orchestrated by the leader of a powerful gang in the Haitian capital.”
“These latest killings bring the death toll just this year in Haiti to a staggering 5,000 people,” he told reporters in Geneva.
Both the CPD and UN said that the massacre took place in the capital’s western coastal neighborhood of Cite Soleil.
Haiti has suffered from decades of instability but the situation escalated in February when armed groups launched coordinated attacks in the capital Port-au-Prince to overthrow then-prime minister Ariel Henry.
Gangs now control 80 percent of the city and despite a Kenyan-led police support mission, backed by the US and UN, violence has continued to soar.
The CPD said that most most of the victims of violence waged on Friday and Saturday were over 60, but that some young people who tried to rescue others were also among the casualties.
“Reliable sources within the community report that more than a hundred people were massacred, their bodies mutilated and burned in the street,” a statement said.
More than 700,000 people are internally displaced in Haiti, half of them children, according to October figures from the UN’s International Organization for Migration.
Voodoo was brought to Haiti by African slaves and is a mainstay of the country’s culture. It was banned during French colonial rule and only recognized as an official religion by the government in 2003.
While it incorporates elements of other religious beliefs, including Catholicism, voodoo has been historically attacked by other religions.