North Korea launches suspected ballistic missile as Seoul seeks talks over border tensions

North Korea launches suspected ballistic missile as Seoul seeks talks over border tensions



This picture taken on October 11, 2026 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on October 13, 2026 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, his wife Ri Sol Ju, and his daughter Kim Ju Ae touring the Second Economic Committee National Defense Revolution Museum in Pyongyang. — AFP pic



First Published: Thursday, 29 Oct 2026 1:02 PM MYT



SEOUL, Oct 29 — North Korea fired an unknown projectile off its east coast on Thursday, Seoul's defence ministry said, less than a week after South Korea proposed talks over a growing border row.

Japan's defence ministry separately confirmed the launch of what it said "appears to be a ballistic missile".

"The North fired an unidentified projectile into the East Sea," South Korea's military said, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan.


Thursday's launch comes against the backdrop of growing tensions over a landmine explosion along the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas that saw three South Korean soldiers wounded.

A joint Seoul-UN investigation earlier this month concluded that North Korea had planted the landmines that exploded in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) more than a year ago, something Pyongyang has angrily denied.


Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has blasted South Korean demands for an apology as "despicable" while separately rejecting an offer of medical equipment from Seoul.

The ratcheting tensions come as US President Donald Trump's recent overtures to Pyongyang have raised concerns that Seoul — an ally of Washington — could be sidelined in potential nuclear talks involving the North.


In October, North Korea launched several short-range ballistic missiles a day after Trump suggested he might meet with Kim Jong Un this year. — AFP

Report: Bersatu to sign confidence and supply agreement with Madani govt this evening

Report: Bersatu to sign confidence and supply agreement with Madani govt this evening



Details of the signing ceremony, the terms of the agreement and the MPs involved have yet to be disclosed, with a press conference expected to be held on the matter. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri



First Published: Thursday, 29 Oct 2026 3:09 PM MYT



KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) will sign a confidence and supply agreement (CSA) with the Madani government this evening, Sinar Harian reported.

The Malay daily said a party leader confirmed the matter when contacted today.

However, details of the signing ceremony, the terms of the agreement and the MPs involved have yet to be disclosed, with a press conference expected to be held on the matter.


An online news portal reported that the signing would take place at the office of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Sinar Harian added.

According to the report, the agreement covers all 19 MPs who remain with Bersatu and is meant to guarantee support for Budget 2027 should Barisan Nasional (BN) withdraw its backing.

Under the agreement, the MPs are expected to receive allocations for their respective constituencies from next year.

The pact is believed to be aimed at providing additional support to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s administration, particularly during the vote on Budget 2027.


The report said the CSA could alter the balance of support in the Dewan Rakyat and reduce the government’s reliance on BN votes.

A CSA typically involves an agreement to back the government on matters of confidence and supply, including the Budget, without necessarily joining the administration.

Malaysia to proceed with repatriation of 5,000 Myanmar refugees after court ruling, says home minister

Malaysia to proceed with repatriation of 5,000 Myanmar refugees after court ruling, says home minister



The government will continue efforts to repatriate Myanmar refugees to their country of origin through lawful channels and established diplomatic processes, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin


First Published: Thursday, 29 Oct 2026 2:10 PM MYT


PUTRAJAYA, Oct 29 — The government will continue efforts to repatriate Myanmar refugees to their country of origin through lawful channels and established diplomatic processes, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said.

He said the repatriation efforts would proceed in line with the court’s decision to dismiss the Malaysian Bar’s application for a stay.

Saifuddin Nasution said the Home Ministry and the Foreign Ministry would continue negotiations with the Myanmar government to facilitate the repatriation of the second group, unless the court ruled otherwise.

“Let the legal process determine the outcome. Until there is a decision to the contrary, we will continue with the repatriation.


“For now, the Malaysian Bar’s application for a stay has been dismissed, so we will proceed. The judicial review has been fixed for Dec 8,” he said in his speech at the Home Ministry’s monthly assembly and Innovation Day celebration here today.

Media reports said the High Court had dismissed the Malaysian Bar’s application to temporarily halt the repatriation of about 5,000 Myanmar refugees and asylum seekers, ruling that a stay could not be granted before leave for judicial review was given.

Judge Norliza Othman said the dismissal did not affect the Malaysian Bar’s right to renew its application after the court had decided whether to grant leave for judicial review.

Meanwhile, Saifuddin Nasution urged the public not to take matters into their own hands over the presence of Myanmar refugees, stressing that enforcement should be left entirely to the authorities.


He acknowledged that refugee issues could give rise to various socioeconomic problems, but said the public should not go to extremes or act beyond the law.

“Their arrival has caused economic, political and social problems in certain communities, prompting some members of the public to take matters into their own hands, such as attacking their homes or forcing them out of their villages.


“The police are carrying out their duties and are urging the public not to take the law into their own hands. Leave it to the authorities and immigration enforcement agencies, which are conducting continuous operations,” he said.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia had opted for a diplomatic approach with Myanmar to address the refugee issue, despite facing international condemnation and criticism over the government’s stance.

He said that following discussions with the Myanmar authorities, the country had agreed to repatriate some of its nationals in Malaysia at its own expense, including by air and sea.

To date, about 10,300 Myanmar nationals have been repatriated, while another 3,000 are expected to undergo the repatriation process this month. — Bernama

 

Activists accuse Israeli settlers of assault in occupied West Bank

Video footage posted online showed several men, some of them armed, beating Nathaniel and Andrey X.

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Israeli settlers next to a fire amid clashes with Palestinians during olive harvest in Abu Falah near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, October 16, 2026. [File: Ammar Awad/Reuters]

By Al Jazeera Staff

Published On 29 Oct 202629 Oct 2026

Russian activist Adele Shoko has said that Israeli settlers attacked her alongside two of her colleagues in the Palestinian village of Umm al-Khair, in the Masafer Yatta area of the occupied West Bank, according to social media posts.

Shoko said on social media platform X that she, US journalist Jasper Nathaniel, and Israeli-Russian activist Andrey X were beaten and threatened by armed settlers who stole equipment and personal items.

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“Jasper and I were also beaten. Jasper was then pepper-sprayed and arrested,” Shoko wrote, adding that Nathaniel was taken away by Israeli forces.

Shoko said Andrey X suffered a concussion and lost consciousness multiple times during the incident before being detained by authorities.

“Andrey was severely beaten and lost consciousness several times in front of police. Despite this, he was denied hospital treatment. He was put in an ambulance – but instead of being taken to hospital, he was taken to a police station. He is still there, arrested and being denied medical care,” she wrote.

Video footage Shoko posted online showed several men, some of them armed, beating Nathaniel and Andrey X. Further video showed Israeli authorities leading away Nathaniel while he shouted that he had just been beaten up.

The assault follows an October 16 incident in Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah, where masked Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers harvesting olives, setting trees on fire and throwing stones using slingshots.

Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine, who was covering the attack, was beaten, robbed, and hospitalised, while a Palestinian man was shot in the leg by Israeli soldiers who arrived on the scene and fired live ammunition and tear gas.

Levine, who was wearing a protective vest marked “PRESS”, said settlers repeatedly kicked and beat her on the ground before stealing her passport, phone, and camera equipment. Washington Post Executive Editor Matt Murray condemned the “unwarranted attack on a journalist doing her job”, while several US lawmakers called for an investigation and an end to settler violence in the region.

***

Beasts of Babylon, sons of Moloch

Anwar warns decline in reading and shallow thinking threaten civilisation

Anwar warns decline in reading and shallow thinking threaten civilisation



Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the threat to civilisation does not stem from a loss of access to knowledge — of which there is now a glut — but from society’s waning love and patience for reading, reflecting, and thinking critically and deeply. — Bernama pic



First Published: Thursday, 29 Oct 2026 10:02 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — The decline of reading culture and the rise of shallow thinking in the digital age are pressing challenges that could threaten the future of civilisation, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

In a Facebook post yesterday, the prime minister shared his thoughts after taking time to read the latest work by James Marriott, titled The New Dark Ages: The End of Reading and the Dawn of a Post-Literate Society.

He said the threat to civilisation does not stem from a loss of access to knowledge — of which there is now a glut — but from society’s waning love and patience for reading, reflecting, and thinking critically and deeply.

“We may be increasingly wealthy in information, yet impoverished in wisdom. The question, therefore, is not merely whether humanity still reads, but whether humanity still wants to think,” he said.


Reflecting on history, Anwar recalled society’s deep reverence for intellectual and literary traditions upon the death of great French writer Victor Hugo in 1885, which saw around two million people gather in Paris to pay their last respects.

He said a similar scene unfolded following the death of renowned Russian literary giant Fyodor Dostoevsky in 1881, when tens of thousands joined his funeral procession in Saint Petersburg, demonstrating how deeply society at the time valued literature, culture, intellectual traditions, and thought.

“Neither of them was a king nor a victorious warlord, but they were thinkers and scholars whose ideas resonated deeply in the hearts and minds of society,” he added. — Bernama

Malaysia records 3,581 child abuse cases in first half of 2026

Malaysia records 3,581 child abuse cases in first half of 2026



Picture for illustration purposes only. The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) said 1,522 cases were recorded in the first quarter (January to March), with the number rising to 2,059 in the second quarter (April to June). — Freepik pic



First Published: Thursday, 29 Oct 2026 8:56 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — The Social Welfare Department (JKM) recorded a total of 3,581 cases of physical, sexual and emotional abuse involving children in the first six months of this year.

The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) said 1,522 cases were recorded in the first quarter (January to March), with the number rising to 2,059 in the second quarter (April to June).

The ministry disclosed the figures in a written reply published on the Parliament website today in response to a question from Sabri Azit (PN-Jerai) on child abuse and neglect cases recorded in the first and second quarters of 2026, as well as the number of cases brought to court.

KPWKM also highlighted an upward trend in cases involving child neglect and abandonment during the same period.


“JKM recorded 987 cases of abandonment, including child neglect, in the first quarter of 2026. The number rose to 1,292 in the second quarter, bringing the total to 2,279 cases for the first half of the year,” the ministry said.

KPWKM also said that as of June 2026, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) had opened 867 investigation papers into child abuse cases, with 267 cases brought to court.

The ministry stressed that it remained committed to safeguarding children’s welfare and safety through JKM, in accordance with the provisions of the Child Act 2001 (Act 611).

It said JKM was responsible for rescuing victims, arranging safe accommodation and providing rehabilitation support.


The department had also stepped up efforts under the Child Protection Advocacy Programme: KASIH Kanak-Kanak since 2023, KPWKM said.

“A total of 220 KASIH Kanak-Kanak programmes were conducted at 220 schools between January and September 2026, involving 57,012 participants comprising children, parents and teachers.


“Since 2023, the programme has been implemented at 1,244 schools and 74 children’s activity centres, involving more than 270,000 participants,” the ministry said.

KPWKM urged the public to report cases of child neglect or abuse through the 24-hour Talian Kasih hotline at 15999 or via WhatsApp at 019-2615999 to facilitate prompt intervention and rescue efforts. — Bernama

Lim Guan Eng urges Anwar to scrap TuJu, call open tender for new navigation app for civil servants

Lim Guan Eng urges Anwar to scrap TuJu, call open tender for new navigation app for civil servants



Lim Guan Eng said he had received complaints from civil servants who were confused over which navigation app to use following the government’s ban on Waze, which was to be replaced by TuJu, developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) and Prosignal Consortium Sdn Bhd. — Malay Mail file pic



First Published: Thursday, 29 Oct 2026 12:45 PM MYT
Last Modified: Thursday, 29 Oct 2026 1:26 PM MYT



KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng today urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to abandon the TuJu navigation app, find a reliable temporary replacement for Waze and hold an open tender for young Malaysians to design a new road navigation application.

The DAP lawmaker said he had received complaints from civil servants who were confused over which navigation app to use following the government’s ban on Waze, which was to be replaced by TuJu, developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) and Prosignal Consortium Sdn Bhd.

“TuJu has turned out to be a national embarrassment and failed miserably following the directive to 1.7 million civil servants by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to switch to TuJu over national security concerns,” he said in a statement today.


Lim said LLM chairman and Simpang Renggam MP Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad had “further muddied the waters” by admitting that TuJu was developed primarily to improve services along tolled highways rather than to compete directly with Waze.

He noted that Hasni had described TuJu as an additional service for tolled highway users, providing traffic updates, information on rest areas, locations of enforcement cameras and emergency assistance contacts, rather than a navigation app covering all roads.

Lim also highlighted Hasni’s remark that TuJu could perhaps be expanded to federal, municipal and village roads in 10 to 15 years.

“In other words, TuJu is not ready now for 1.7 million civil servants,” Lim said.


“Clearly the Prime Minister has been badly misled that TuJu can rival or be an adequate replacement to Waze, especially when TuJu was not selected by open tender,” he added.

Lim questioned how civil servants were expected to find their way around when they could neither use Waze nor rely on TuJu, which he said had since been disabled.


“Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should bail out the country’s 1.7 million civil servants by pressing the reset button on seeking an alternative to Waze, by abandoning the failed TuJu and finding a reliable temporary replacement, as well as conducting an open tender for young Malaysians to design a new and effective road navigation application,” he said.

Malaysia to boost maritime security with four helicopters, new mission ship and two patrol vessels

Malaysia to boost maritime security with four helicopters, new mission ship and two patrol vessels



Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this strong support is crucial given that the agency shoulders the heavy responsibility of safeguarding nearly 600,000 square kilometres of the nation’s waters against intrusion and cross-border crime. — Bernama pic



First Published: Thursday, 29 Oct 2026 1:19 PM MYT


PUTRAJAYA, Oct 29 — The government remains committed to strengthening the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency’s (MMEA) air, sea and land asset capabilities to safeguard the country’s maritime borders.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this strong support is crucial given that the agency shoulders the heavy responsibility of safeguarding nearly 600,000 square kilometres of the nation’s waters against intrusion and cross-border crime.

Among the assets the agency will acquire are four new AW189 helicopters, a Multi-Purpose Mission Ship and two additional Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).

“We are allocating a reasonably sufficient budget to ensure that air, sea and even land assets in the form of radar and so on are managed, so that the MMEA knows the government stands firmly behind it in carrying out its major duties. That is the message I want to convey.


“If our air assets are ageing, that will certainly affect the MMEA’s ability to deliver or carry out its tasks,” he said at the Home Ministry’s (KDN) Monthly Assembly and Innovation Day celebration here today.

Also present were Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Awang Alik Jeman, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail and MMEA director-general Maritime Admiral Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah.

Saifuddin Nasution said the government is committed to completing the construction of two more OPVs to strengthen the agency’s operations.

“Hundreds of millions have already been spent — the project cannot just be left abandoned halfway. The message I want to deliver this year is, first, that no one can question the government’s seriousness in helping the MMEA strengthen its asset capability,” he said.


Saifuddin Nasution also extended his condolences to the family of MMEA member Senior Maritime Officer (Technical) Mohd Roshaimi Mohd Ridzuan, 41, who died in a boat collision off Perlis on Tuesday.

“We pray that he is received as a martyr, because he died while defending the country’s security,” he said.


Mohd Roshaimi was killed, while three other personnel were injured after the boat they were in was believed to have struck a concrete structure in the waters off Kuala Sungai Padang near Kuala Perlis.

At the time, they were pursuing a boat suspected of carrying undocumented migrants. — Bernama

Home minister: Border Control Agency chief Shuhaily returning to police force, next posting to be decided

Home minister: Border Control Agency chief Shuhaily returning to police force, next posting to be decided



Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain is being redeployed to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM). — Bernama pic


First Published: Thursday, 29 Oct 2026 12:36 PM MYT
Last Modified: Thursday, 29 Oct 2026 12:43 PM MYT


PUTRAJAYA, Oct 29 — The Home Ministry has decided to redeploy Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), where he previously served.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the decision concerning Mohd Shuhaily, who was seconded to AKPS, was made last week.

“He was a police officer seconded to AKPS. So, we are returning him to the police force. The police will decide on his next assignment.

“We have decided to return him from his secondment to AKPS to the police force. The decision was made last week,” he told reporters at the Home Ministry’s monthly assembly and Innovation Day celebration here today.


Also present were Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Awang Alik Jeman, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency director-general Maritime Admiral Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah.

When asked who would be appointed to head AKPS, Saifuddin Nasution only replied: “The police.”

Yesterday, Mohd Khalid said Mohd Shuhaily’s position was being reviewed and referred to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) before a decision was submitted to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

He said the matter had also been raised with the Police Force Commission before being submitted to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for consent on further action.


Meanwhile, the Home Ministry said in a statement that arrangements concerning Mohd Shuhaily’s service were still being finalised to ensure an orderly process in accordance with the applicable rules and procedures.

The ministry also stressed that ensuring continuity of operations and the smooth execution of AKPS duties remained among its priorities in managing the service matters of its officers.


Mohd Shuhaily was appointed AKPS director-general for a two-year term from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2027.

On Oct 21, Mohd Shuhaily pleaded not guilty at the Sepang Magistrate’s Court to two charges of causing injury to two police personnel at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Sept 28. — Bernama

Singapore, Indonesia leaders hold top-level talks to resolve bilateral tensions, says Vivian

Singapore, Indonesia leaders hold top-level talks to resolve bilateral tensions, says Vivian



Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir (right) and Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan walk together after their bilateral meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta on October 27, 2026. — AFP pic


First Published: Thursday, 29 Oct 2026 10:20 AM MYT


SINGAPORE, Oct 29 — Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto have held high-level communication amid recent bilateral challenges.

Singapore Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said the communication has established political commitment on both sides to do “what is necessary,” and that the focus now is to implement and execute the plans and commitment.

“I am not at liberty to discuss the details, but just let me give you the assurance that communication has occurred at the highest level between my prime minister and with President Prabowo,” he told Singapore media following the conclusion of his working visit to Indonesia on Wednesday.


He was asked about the state of bilateral relations between Singapore and Indonesia following recent developments, as well as details of his meeting with Prabowo the same day. The transcript of the interview was made available by Singapore’s Foreign Ministry.

Balakrishnan described his visit to Jakarta as also involving engagement at the highest level, having met his newly appointed counterpart, Indonesia Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir, as well as having called on Prabowo.

“We had good conversations, honest conversations, sincere conversations, and we have come up with a few constructive approaches, some of which we are in the midst of implementing.

Balakrishnan said their announcement yesterday (Tuesday) on the Joint Task Force “is a recognition that in the case of haze, it is a transboundary problem and it requires a collegiate, collective response on the part of both Indonesia and Singapore.”


The minister said the task force aims to facilitate a collective response, enhance information sharing, and strengthen coordination to deter companies engaging in such anti-social and, frankly, dangerous acts.

“We can also hold them accountable, and we can try our best to make sure that this does not recur,” he added. — Bernama

 

Hezbollah says does not care who governs Israel

Hezbollah says does not care who governs Israel

3 hours ago

AFP

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem says the group will continue its resistance and reject disarmament as long as Israel’s occupation and attacks persist.

Naim Qassem said Hezbollah does not concern itself with who governs Israel. (AFP pic)

BEIRUIT:

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said Wednesday the Iran-backed Lebanese movement was not concerned with the results of Israel’s election, vowing to continue its “resistance” against the neighbouring country no matter who wins.

With 85% of ballots counted, the right-wing bloc of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a slight lead over the main opposition bloc, but was still short of a majority after Tuesday’s election.

“We do not concern ourselves with who governs Israel, but let it be perfectly clear that it cannot continue its occupation and must leave our land,” Qassem said in a written statement.

“The resistance will continue… and will stand up to the aggression directed against it and against Lebanon, and there is no room to discuss the disarmament” of Hezbollah “as long as the occupation persists and its aggression continues”, he added.

The group, which once dominated political life in Lebanon, has been weakened by two wars it waged against Israel since 2023.

In June, Lebanese and Israeli authorities signed a framework agreement which involves the disarmament of Hezbollah, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory, and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the area.

But Israel continues to carry out sporadic strikes and demolitions in and around the territory it occupies, while Hezbollah refuses to submit to government plans to disarm it.

Abdul El-Sayed could make history – if dark money cannot stop him

James Zogby

Abdul El-Sayed could make history – if dark money cannot stop him

October 29, 2026



Michigan could elect the first Muslim senator in US history after a campaign shaped by extraordinary outside spending, attacks on Islam and a fierce argument over Gaza.

The Michigan Senate race between the Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, and his Republican opponent, Mike Rogers, is this year’s most important election.

It’s significant on a number of levels, not the least of which is that El-Sayed is an Arab American Muslim of Egyptian descent. Prior to this, there have been four Arab Americans elected to the US Senate – former Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-ME), James Abourezk (D-SD), James Abdnor (R-SD), and John Sununu (R-NH) – none of them Muslim.

If elected, El-Sayed would be the first Muslim in the Senate. This is a breakthrough that hasn’t been lost on Republicans and President Trump, who have made a determined effort to exploit it at every turn. They’ve done TV ads alleging that El-Sayed’s mother was affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood in the 1970s. The problem with this charge is that El-Sayed’s parents separated when he was three; she moved back to Egypt and he grew up with his father in Michigan. But when using slanderous attacks to tarnish a candidate is the goal, facts don’t matter. And so, the GOP has persisted in spreading the Muslim Brotherhood lie on social media and by sending paid hecklers to El-Sayed’s campaign events pestering him with questions and comments like: “Will you denounce the Muslim Brotherhood?” A recent exchange of this sort backfired on the Republican instigators.

At a town hall when a young man asked whether El-Sayed would denounce the group, El-Sayed shot back, “Yes, absolutely,” and then pivoted by asking the questioner, “Why are you asking me this?” wanting to know whether it was because of his name and how he prayed. He then made clear that the document to which he would take an oath was the US Constitution and smartly compared the attacks against his religion with those levelled against President Kennedy – that Kennedy would be more loyal to the Catholic pope than to the Constitution. El-Sayed concluded by noting that he wasn’t running to be a Muslim senator, but a senator who happened to be a Muslim.

That exchange went viral on social media, drawing more than 50 million viewers the first night. The next day it was revealed that the heckler was a former staffer for a very conservative anti-Muslim senator. He had been hired by a group that had received a very substantial contract to hire hecklers to disrupt El-Sayed events.

This brings into focus another reason why this election is so important: the role of dark money in American politics. Dark money refers to money raised by ‘super PACs’ and independent expenditure funds that are not required to report donors before elections. This has allowed billionaires and special interest groups to amass large sums and spend them to defame candidates who oppose their agendas. Increasingly, these dark money sources are raising and spending more on campaigns than the candidates raise for themselves.

In the primary, El-Sayed was confronted by dark money expenditures of $70 million ($31 million from pro-Israel groups), much of it on negative attacks against him. Despite being outspent by a margin of 11 to 1, El-Sayed won. In the general election, it is estimated that another $100 million in dark money will be spent against him. If he wins, it will demonstrate the limits of dark money and help advance the argument that dark money should be banned because of its corrosive role in our democracy.

From the beginning of his campaign, El-Sayed has been a clear and consistent critic of US support for the Israeli genocide in Gaza. This was the main reason why so much pro-Israel super PAC money was spent to defeat him. His Democratic primary opponent made support for Israel central to her campaign, at one point emotionally noting how much she loved and would always stand by Israel. Pro-Israel Jewish organisations denounced El-Sayed and did their best to tarnish him, labelling him antisemitic. This succeeded in costing El-Sayed some support from Jewish American Democratic voters. In spite of this attrition, he won the primary, with one pre-election survey saying he had nevertheless retained the support of a bloc of progressive Jewish voters.

Now in the general, El-Sayed is still being confronted by the same attacks and an organised effort among these same pro-Israel groups who are pledging to vote for his opponent. El-Sayed has made it clear that instead of spending billions to buy bombs to kill Palestinians, America’s wealth ought to go to build better schools, provide health care, and provide for people’s needs here at home. While this was once a taboo topic, it has resonated with Democrats and independent voters. This, in itself, is a breakthrough.

Finally, an El-Sayed victory will succeed in advancing a progressive agenda. Despite being attacked as a socialist, he maintains that he is a supporter of capitalism who wants to see it work to meet the needs of people. He makes this point with a mantra he uses to begin his rallies: “Money out of politics, money in your pockets, Medicare for all.”

His arguments are simple: it shouldn’t be easier for a billionaire to make another billion than it is for a family to be lifted out of poverty. Health care should be seen as a human right for all, not a privilege that can only be afforded by some. And instead of spending billions on wars, we need to invest in schools and the quality of life here at home.

These are the challenges El-Sayed presents to our politics. If he wins, he will have succeeded in shattering taboos and raising issues that will have a lasting impact. And even if, God forbid, he loses, our politics will never be the same. On so many levels, this is a historic, transformative campaign.



Republished from Common Dreams

The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.

James Zogby


Dr. James J. Zogby is the author of Arab Voices (2010) and the founder and president of the Arab American Institute (AAI), a Washington, D.C.-based organisation which serves as the political and policy research arm of the Arab American community. Since 1985, Dr. Zogby and AAI have led Arab American efforts to secure political empowerment in the U.S. Through voter registration, education and mobilisation, AAI has moved Arab Americans into the political mainstream.