Democrats are approaching their 2024 convention aware of the many critical issues at stake in the coming US election. There is deep concern about what a second Trump administration would mean for women’s rights, civil rights, environmental protections, immigration policy, civil discourse and the very foundation of America’s democratic order.
All of these issues and more will be discussed at length in the 2024 Democratic Party Platform and will be addressed by an assortment of speakers at the convention in Chicago, which begins on Monday.
What will not be discussed are: the killing that has been taking place in Gaza, the continued erosion of Palestinian rights in all the occupied territories, and the role the US continues to play in supporting Israel’s unconscionable violations of international law and American human rights legislation.
These are topics that should be addressed, but because they won’t, the Arab American Institute, together with Rev Jesse Jackson’s RainbowPUSH organisation and several other prominent progressive groups are hosting three days of talks during the afternoon hours of Monday through Wednesday before the convention’s official proceedings begin.
Among other things, those meeting to explore these topics will talk about the role of dark money in politics, specifically how pro-Israel groups spent more than $35 million this year to smear and defeat two progressive black members of Congress who had advocated for Palestinian rights. This problem of dark money has been a growing concern over the past three election cycles.
Twice, in Democratic Party meetings, we have tried to pass resolutions banning its use in primary contests. In both instances, party leaders refused to even allow a debate on the issue. Our concern is that, left unchecked, the problem posed by dark money will grow and before long not only pro-Israel, but also other special interest groups (like big pharma, banks, health and insurance) will similarly attempt to take advantage of the loophole that allows unlimited amounts of money to flood our elections.
Attendees will also debate the role of Congress in sponsoring legislation that silences free speech. Just as the US policy debate over Israel and Palestine has intensified, pro-Israel groups have worked with some members of Congress and state legislators to silence voices and penalise actions that are critical of Israel.
Polls show that most Democrats are opposed to Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, want a ceasefire and a conditioning of US aid to Israel
By expanding the definition of antisemitism to include most criticisms of Israel and by denying Americans the right to boycott or call for sanctions against any country for any reason, free speech is being constrained or outright denied. At this point, more than three dozen states have passed these laws and Congress is currently debating legislation that will not only conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism, but also require universities and other institutions receiving federal funds to establish enforcement mechanisms.
Another event will focus on the voices of Palestinians who should be heard. After 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of Gaza laid waste and with famine on the horizon, Democrats need to hear and listen to Palestinians. If the convention won’t invite them, they will be at the Arab American Institute event so they can tell their story.
Arab Americans and those concerned with justice in the Middle East have been waging battles to shape US political parties’ positions on Israel and Palestine. Another session to examine what’s not included in the Democratic Party’s platform will look at what’s changed and what hasn’t changed during the past four decades. Forty years ago, we couldn’t get the word “Palestinians” in the platform. Now it’s in the Democrats’ platform, but neither party will include the word “occupation” or any criticism of Israeli policies. That must change.
Israel’s war in Gaza has become central to the agenda of progressives in the Democratic Party. Polls show that most Democrats are opposed to Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, want a ceasefire and a conditioning of US aid to Israel, and support justice and rights for Palestinians. These numbers are largely driven by young voters, progressive Jewish groups, as well as black, Latino and Asian groups plus Arab Americans, all of whom are important to secure Democratic victories.
In addition to the three-day Arab American Institute event, there will be other meetings hosted by groups seeking to pressure the establishment to change direction on a variety of issues of concern. But the institute’s is the only one that will challenge the party to confront the elephant in the room – our unquestioning support for Israel in its unrelenting war on Palestinians. It’s an issue that most Democrats want the party to discuss and a policy they want the administration to change.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
THE SPECS – Honda CR-V Touring AWD
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Power: 184hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 244Nm at 3,900rpm
Transmission: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
0-100kmh in 9.4 seconds
Top speed: 202kmh
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
Price: From Dh122,900
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
Champions parade (UAE timings)
7pm Gates open
8pm Deansgate stage showing starts
9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral
9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street
10pm City players on stage
11pm event ends
In The Heights
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Stars: Anthony Ramos, Lin-Manual Miranda
Rating: ****
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Arabian Gulf Cup FINAL
Al Nasr 2
(Negredo 1, Tozo 50)
Shabab Al Ahli 1
(Jaber 13)
Sleep Well Beast
The National
4AD
Draw
Quarter-finals
Real Madrid (ESP) or Manchester City (ENG) v Juventus (ITA) or Lyon (FRA)
RB Leipzig (GER) v Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Barcelona (ESP) or Napoli (ITA) v Bayern Munich (GER) or Chelsea (ENG)
Atalanta (ITA) v Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
Ties to be played August 12-15 in Lisbon
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
