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The "uncommitted" movement announced on Thursday it would not be endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate for president.
“Vice President Harris's unwillingness to shift on unconditional weapons policy or to even make a clear campaign statement in support of upholding existing US and international human rights law has made it impossible for us to endorse her,” the group said in a statement.
The anti-war movement garnered about 30 delegates after earning more than 740,000 protest votes in the Democratic primaries, during which voters cast “uncommitted” ballots or left them blank to show support for a ceasefire in Gaza as well as an arms embargo on Israel.
When Ms Harris became the Democratic nominee, after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race in July, uncommitted leaders were initially optimistic that she could shift policy on Gaza. Her campaign also stepped up efforts to reach Arab and Muslim voters.
The lack of an endorsement from the uncommitted movement and potential loss of the Arab and Muslim-American vote may present a challenge for the Harris campaign as it tries to clinch swing states such as Michigan and Pennsylvania.
As the war approaches its first anniversary, more than 41,200 Palestinians have been killed, according to local authorities, and much of Gaza reduced to rubble. The war began after Hamas militants infiltrated southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies, taking another 250 hostage.
Layla Elabed, co-director of the uncommitted movement, said it not only comprises Arab and Muslim Americans, but has grown to include labour unions, progressive groups and climate change activists.
"We need a policy shift and we need promises around a policy shift from Vice President Harris in order to be able to mobilise uncommitted voters in key swing states like Michigan to vote for her in November," Ms Elabed told The National.
"But despite all of that work, and despite the fact that we actually have an infrastructure to turn out votes, it's fallen on deaf ears."
Imposing an arms embargo on Israel is a central demand of the uncommitted movement as well as Arab-American groups and allies, who argue there is ample evidence that Israel is deliberately attacking Palestinian civilians and infrastructure in Gaza.
Ms Elabed said that the group had been told by officials that Ms Harris had moved on the Gaza issue as much as she could.
While some say Ms Harris has made it a point during her campaign to recognise Palestinian suffering, the Vice President has at times shut down anti-war protesters during campaign events and has continued to push the same Biden administration messaging, which has not moved the needle on Gaza ceasefire efforts.
The tension with the Harris campaign was on full display during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last month, when organisers refused the uncommitted movement's request to allow a Palestinian-American speaker on stage. Meanwhile, the parents of an Israeli-American hostage received a prime-time speaking slot.
Uncommitted delegates who were attending the DNC held a sit-in outside the main convention hall in protest. The leaders of the movement requested that Ms Harris meet delegates by September 15. She did not.
Ms Elabed said that while the group will not endorse Ms Harris, it continues to oppose Donald Trump, the former president and Republican nominee. It will also not recommend voting for a third-party candidate, which could give the advantage to Mr Trump.
Many Arab-American voters support Green Party candidate Jill Stein due to her pro-Palestinian stance, a poll carried out by the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee found in July.
The movement, Ms Elabed said, would continue to mobilise voters to head to the polls, as there are other important issues as well as progressive candidates on the ballot. She also said efforts would be made to continue to call on Ms Harris to adopt a different policy on Gaza.
"It was a difficult decision," Ms Elabed said, "because obviously, our movement is also committed to blocking Trump."
The statement from the movement said members would continue efforts to push “for life-saving policy change which ends the bombing of Gaza and ends US support for the Israeli military's war crimes”.
Patrick deHahn contributed to this report from New York
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Scoreline
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan
Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Ad Astra
Director: James Gray
Stars: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones
Five out of five stars
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RESULTS
1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m
Winner: Lady Parma, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
2.15pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m
Winner: Tabernas, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash.
2.45pm: Handicap Dh95,000 1,200m
Winner: Night Castle, Connor Beasley, Satish Seemar.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,400m
Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
3.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Mutawakked, Szczepan Mazur, Musabah Al Muhairi.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner: Tafaakhor, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner: Cranesbill, Fabrice Veron, Erwan Charpy.
Oscars in the UAE
The 90th Academy Awards will be aired in the UAE from 3.30am on Monday, March 5 on OSN, with the ceremony starting at 5am
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
HEADLINE HERE
- I would recommend writing out the text in the body
- And then copy into this box
- It can be as long as you link
- But I recommend you use the bullet point function (see red square)
- Or try to keep the word count down
- Be wary of other embeds lengthy fact boxes could crash into
- That's about it
RESULTS
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,000m
Winner: AF Mozhell, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Majdi, Szczepan Mazur, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Athabeh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Eshaar, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi
4pm: Gulf Cup presented by Longines Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Al Roba’a Al Khali, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Younis Al Kalbani
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Apolo Kid, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muahiri
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
FIXTURES
Fixtures for Round 15 (all times UAE)
Friday
Inter Milan v AS Roma (11.45pm)
Saturday
Atalanta v Verona (6pm)
Udinese v Napoli (9pm)
Lazio v Juventus (11.45pm)
Sunday
Lecce v Genoa (3.30pm)
Sassuolo v Cagliari (6pm)
SPAL v Brescia (6pm)
Torino v Fiorentina (6pm)
Sampdoria v Parma (9pm)
Bologna v AC Milan (11.45pm)
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
More on Quran memorisation:
Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
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