Transnational Islamist movement with long-running political and social wings
A former Israeli police official will run on Raam's election list, making him the first Jewish Israeli to stand for an explicitly Arab party. Mansour Abbas announces the anti-crime platform and Yoav Segalovitz joins, highlighting cross-communal cooperation as polls project Raam to win five or six seats in the Knesset.
Rights groups have reported at least 10 prisoner deaths in Tunisia during a severe August heatwave, citing overcrowding, water and power cuts and poor medical care; the Committee to Protect Journalists has urged release of jailed Tunisian reporters. In Iran, courts have handed death sentences to two women over January protests and lawmakers are considering a bill that would criminalise contact with foreign media, curbing reporting and international engagement.
The UAE has granted a presidential pardon to Abdul Rahman Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who faced a 10-year prison sentence and a 200,000 dirham fine in Abu Dhabi. The pardon follows extensive international scrutiny and his extradition from Lebanon in 2024-2025.
Leeds Crown Court has convicted two men, Baqa Haider and Nathan Rivers, for their roles in an "industrial scale" scheme that processed criminal cash into gold and exported it with fake invoices. Haider has been jailed for six years; Rivers has received a 27‑month suspended sentence and a curfew. Police are still seeking three men sentenced in absence.
Dr. Amy Acton’s campaign event at the Canfield Fair was interrupted when an armed individual lunged toward her. Law enforcement stopped the threat; Acton was unharmed and no serious injuries are reported. The incident, which occurred as Acton campaigns in Ohio’s gubernatorial race, underscores the persistent risks surrounding political events as elections approach.
An Omani co‑pilot has attacked the captain aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073 and has attempted to seize control to crash the aircraft on Sept. 30. Passengers and off‑duty crew have overpowered and restrained him; the jet has made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. UAE prosecutors have opened a terrorism probe and say the suspect has admitted planning a suicide attack inspired by 9/11.
Egyptian court has fined independent outlet Mada Masr under the 2018 media law, ordered confiscation of its equipment and briefly detained editor‑in‑chief Lina Attalah; she was released after the outlet paid the fine. Attalah has an outstanding 2024 sentence being challenged and a retrial hearing is scheduled for November 11.
El-Sayed has sparked controversy by saying Israel is not an ally if it drags the US into unnecessary wars, during a debate in Grand Rapids. Rogers pressed him on Israel vs. Iran, and the exchange has intensified scrutiny from Jewish Democrats and donors. The candidate maintains he has condemned Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, while critics push back on his foreign policy stance.
The midterm elections are shaping the final years of Donald Trump’s term. Republicans defend majorities in Congress while Democrats seek gains. Early voting and record spending highlight the intensity of the race as voters head to the polls on November 3.
President Trump has intensified claims linking Abdul El-Sayed to extremism at campaign events in Port Huron, portraying him as a security threat and warning that a hypothetical El-Sayed victory would threaten American traditions. The remarks, part of a broader effort to mobilize Republican voters ahead of the midterms, follow prior accusations without evidence of ties to extremist groups.
Trump has characterized Abdul El-Sayed as a jihadist and suggested he would require a metal detector to enter the Senate, remarks that have drawn sharp criticism for stoking anti-Muslim sentiment amid a closely watched Michigan race.
The 2026 elections are underway with high turnout across the country. Netanyahu and rival parties warn of irregularities, while Arab voters show strong engagement. Arabic-language ballot access and reports of arrests and suspected interference shape the day’s events.
Egypt has ordered the closure of independent outlet Mada Masr, fined its editor‑in‑chief Lina Attalah 3 million Egyptian pounds and confiscated the newsroom's equipment. Attalah has been detained and released after the fine was paid; she faces a separate retrial on an absentia 2024 conviction. Six journalists from fact‑checking platform Matsadaash remain in pretrial detention amid allegations of torture and forced confessions.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has sparked widespread backlash by saying Arabs do not produce science or literature at a campaign event in Michigan. Multiple outlets have documented Arab achievements, and critics label the remarks racist and unfounded as midterm campaigning intensifies.
Muslim and Arab-American candidates have secured multiple wins in the 2026 midterm elections, including Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed as the first Muslim senator and Adam Hamawy as New Jersey’s first Muslim congressman. The results reflect growing turnout among Muslim voters and a rejection of Islamophobic rhetoric, with several other Muslim and Palestinian-American candidates winning seats across the country.
Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed has launched Habibi PAC, a leadership committee that channels support for fellow Democrats. The move comes amid debates over using culturally specific language in political rhetoric and follows his historic victory as the first Muslim U.S. senator-elect.
Arab-American and Muslim candidates have won seats across federal and state levels, signaling greater representation. Abdul El-Sayed becomes Michigan’s first Muslim senator; Hamawy becomes New Jersey’s first Muslim congressman. Campaigns center healthcare, living costs, and opposition to certain foreign aid policies, with broader implications for American political inclusion.
The retrial of Lina Attalah, editor-in-chief of Mada Masr, has been postponed to 18 November as her defence seeks the recusal of the presiding judge. The case is part of a broader crackdown on independent journalism in Egypt, with Mada Masr's licence and operation facing ongoing legal challenges.