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US Republicans stormed the Senate by thumping Democrats in the mid-term elections on Tuesday, and now control both houses of Congress, virtually assuring a testy final two years in office for President Barack Obama. Riding on a frustration among voters with Washington’s politicians and policies, Republicans captured at least 7 seats from Senate Democrats in the poll. This will be …

The following are some interesting figures from October: November 2016: the deadline the Palestinian Authority asked the U.N. Security Council to impose on Israel to end its occupation of all Palestinian lands. $50,000 was donated to rebuild U.N. schools damaged during Israel’s summer assault on Gaza by 17-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. The young Pakistani, who has spoken …

Saudi authorities on Wednesday blamed militants linked to the al-Qaeda for Monday’s attack on Shi’ite worshippers that highlighted sectarian tensions in the predominantly Sunni kingdom. Late on Monday, masked gunmen in the Eastern Province killed six Shi’ite worshippers, including children, during the commemoration of Ashura, one of the holiest days of the Shi’ite faith. Interior Ministry spokesman General Mansur al-Turki …

The UK will send more security force personnel to Iraq to train Iraqi forces in the battle against extremist group Islamic State (IS), UK Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said on Wednesday. Britain has been supporting the US-led air strikes to force IS militants out of Iraq and has already trained Kurdish fighters in the country. “We will be stepping up …

British-Iranian Ghoncheh Ghavami, who was jailed in Iran after trying to see a volleyball match, is currently on a hunger strike, her brother told AFP. The 25-year-old law graduate is refusing to eat liquids or food because the judge has not confirmed her one-year jail sentence, her brother said. “She’s been on hunger strike from Saturday. She’s not eating any …

Rights group Amnesty International accused the Israeli military of displaying “shocking disregard” for civilian lives in the Gaza Strip during the 50-day war. In a report published on Wednesday, the group said that it had documented eight instances in which Israeli security forces attacked houses in Gaza “without warning”, killing “at least 104 civilians including 62 children”. “The report reveals …

 What will it take for Hollywood to recognise Palestinian cinema? By Hamid Dabashi- After it was premiered in Ramallah at the Ramallah Cultural Palace, Najwa Najjar’s second feature film “Eyes of a Thief” (2014) is now officially selected as this year Oscar contender in the best foreign-language film category from Palestine. Six years in the making, the nomination of Najjar’s …

Arab American patriots will be honored on Veteran’s day at an original exhibition presented by the Arab American National Musuem (AANM) at the Rotunda of the Russell Senate Office Building at Capitol Hill, Washington. The exhibition, titled “Patriots and Peacemakers”, is open from November 10th to the 14th, and is open to all; admission is free. The interactive, multimedia presentation …

Israeli policemen overnight arrested over 23 Palestinians in east Jerusalem, Palestinian officials said on Monday; the crackdown transpired after months of clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian people in the city. However, an Israeli spokeswoman said that only four Palestinians were arrested, and did not account for the people being held by other security forces. The Palestinian were arrested from …

There is hope for mental illness in Canada, but the system is broken By Clay Nikiforuk– Ricochet Just three weeks after Mental Illness Awareness week, the media is still reverberating with the shocking news of what appears, to me, to be a murder–suicide in Canada’s capital. This tragedy has sparked conversation about mental health services in Canada, and it should. …