Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Girls Pay the Price as Aid Cuts Hit Countries with Deepest Gender Inequality
WESTPORT, Connecticut, Oct. 11 [Category: Sociological] -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release:
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Girls Pay the Price as Aid Cuts Hit Countries with Deepest Gender Inequality
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LONDON (Oct. 11, 2025) - About 167 million adolescent girls growing up in countries with the widest gender equality gaps are among those worst hit by this years' aid cuts, with the massive fall in global aid having a disproportionate impact on countries where it is hardest to be
... Show Full Article
WESTPORT, Connecticut, Oct. 11 [Category: Sociological] -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release:
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Girls Pay the Price as Aid Cuts Hit Countries with Deepest Gender Inequality
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LONDON (Oct. 11, 2025) - About 167 million adolescent girls growing up in countries with the widest gender equality gaps are among those worst hit by this years' aid cuts, with the massive fall in global aid having a disproportionate impact on countries where it is hardest to bea girl, according to Save the Children analysis.
The analysis, released on International Day of the Girl, found that 17 of the 20 countries most severely affected by global aid cuts this year were ranked as having 'poor' (4) or 'very poor' (13) gender equality on the global SDG Gender Index.
Girls living in Jamaica, Eswatini and Namibia are among the worst impacted--with the highest nexus of reduction in per capita country programmable aid and gender inequality--but around 167 million adolescent girls living in these 17 countries now have fewer opportunities to achieve their basic rights such as go to school, and face greater risks of violence and exclusion. [1]
The aid cuts come in a year already devastating for girls living in crisis-affected countries, with more than 3.5 million adolescent girls affected by natural disasters and their aftermath since the beginning of this year and 122 million living with the uncertainty, fear and tragedy that come with life in fragile and conflict-affected areas.
Despite these emergencies, global aid has fallen about 14%, with $22 billion lost in essential programs and humanitarian support. [2]
For many girls this translates directly into lost dreams, with no single country on track to achieve gender equality by 2030, a global Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target agreed by world leaders to help achieve more peaceful and prosperous societies.
Maria,* 16, lives in a refugee camp in Tanzania, one of the countries with low levels of gender equality and where girls have been worst impacted by 2025 aid cuts. She dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon. However, recent reductions in school services have made it difficult for her to continue her education. She told Save the Children:
"I want to study, I want to be a doctor, but without the right materials, it feels like I'm losing the fight. When we are given tests, only a few of us can do them because many don't have notebooks. It feels unfair, but what can we do?"
Isack, Maria's* teacher, said attendance rates, dropouts and academic performance at the school have worsened because funding cuts mean children no longer receive free notebooks and girls cannot receive the sanitary pads they need to attend school.
As a child rights organization dedicated to ensuring all children have an equal opportunity to survive, learn, and live free from violence, Save the Children works around the world to support girls' empowerment and gender equality.
This includes supporting the meaningful participation of girls in decision-making, providing improved and inclusive gender-responsive access to services, conducting research and budget analysis to inform good practice programming, laws and policies, and advocating to ensure decision-makers are accountable to girls.
NOTES:
* [1] 167 million adolescent girls figure is based on sex disaggregated population (aged 10-19 years) of countries rated 'very poor' in the Equal Measures SDG Gender Index that have experienced above average (<15% worse than average) aid cuts based on country programmable aid (excluding humanitarian) published in the ODA Donor Tracker, which includes the 17 largest DAC donors making up 95% of global ODA; this is true in 39 of 45 countries rated globally as 'very poor'.
* [2] In this analysis, we focus on country programmable aid (CPA), excluding humanitarian aid, refugee costs in donor countries and other expenditures not linked to recipient countries. With this more limited definition, we look at changes in aid from about US$153 billion in 2023 (latest officially reported and detailed figures) to US$131 billion in 2025/2026 (average across both years), a drop of 14%. "Worst affected" are based on per capita cuts.
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Original text here: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/media-and-news/2025-press-releases/girls-pay-price-of-aid-cuts
FFRF Action Fund: 'Theocrat' Sen. Tuberville Co-Sponsors 'Religious Education Week' Resolution
MADISON, Wisconsin, Oct. 11 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news on Oct. 10, 2025:
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'Theocrat' Sen. Tuberville co-sponsors 'Religious Education Week' resolution
FFRF Action Fund's "Theocrat of the Week" is Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., for co-sponsoring a resolution with theocratic underpinnings to establish a "Religious Education Week."
Last week, Tuberville and 26 other Republican senators
... Show Full Article
MADISON, Wisconsin, Oct. 11 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news on Oct. 10, 2025:
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'Theocrat' Sen. Tuberville co-sponsors 'Religious Education Week' resolution
FFRF Action Fund's "Theocrat of the Week" is Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., for co-sponsoring a resolution with theocratic underpinnings to establish a "Religious Education Week."
Last week, Tuberville and 26 other Republican senatorsintroduced a resolution intending to designate Oct. 5-11, 2025, as "Religious Education Week" to "celebrate the importance of religion in the United States" and to recognize the schools and churches offering religious education across the country.
"As Republicans, we believe that parents, not the government, should be in charge of a child's education," Tuberville said in a press release. "Our country was rooted in Judeo-Christian values, and private religious schools are a great option for many Alabamians."
Tuberville continued, professing, "There's a myth out there that our Founders wanted to keep God out of the public square. That just isn't true. This country was built on love of God, love of country, and love of family."
The press release delineated that, as chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Education and the American Family, Tuberville is a proponent for school choice and "believes that we should not have a one-size-fits-all approach to education."
The resolution argues that "religious education is useful for self-development" and "asks students to consider and respond to questions concerning the meaning and purpose of life, engages students in questions about morality and justice, and enables students to identify their values."
Alongside designating a "Religious Education Week," the resolution calls on the Senate to affirm the importance of religious education in civic and moral development, celebrate the schools that partake in religious instruction and require all U.S. states to accommodate those who want to be released from public school to attend religious courses, whether through sectarian schools or released time programs. Tuberville co-sponsored the same resolution in both 2024 and 2023.
Read the full resolution here (https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/46b75bd0-0dc1-44c9-8c01-929c9490bb09/religious-education-week-2025-resolution.pdf).
FFRF Action Fund condemns Tuberville's false claims that the United States was founded on Judeo-Christian principles and the "love of God," as well as his disregard for our secular democracy and public schools that serve students of all religions and nonreligion. Religious education is not a requirement for civic and moral development, and whether a student receives religious education should be a decision left to families, not public schools.
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FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
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Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/theocrat-sen-tuberville-co-sponsors-religious-education-week-resolution/
[Category: Sociological]
CAIR in the News, October 11, 2025
WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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CAIR in the News, October 11, 2025
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Video: CAIR-Florida Condemns Upcoming Visit of Indicted Israeli War Criminal Yoav Gallant to Sarasota
CAIR: Dozens of Muslim groups blocked from receiving federal security grants: Report - Middle East Eye
CAIR: Kata-kata Trump Usai Gagal Sabet Nobel Perdamaian 2025 - CNN Indonesia
CAIR: Nobel Peace Prize winner Machado slammed for support of Israel - The Mirror
CAIR: Calls for Nobel Prize winner to renounce Israel support
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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CAIR in the News, October 11, 2025
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Video: CAIR-Florida Condemns Upcoming Visit of Indicted Israeli War Criminal Yoav Gallant to Sarasota
CAIR: Dozens of Muslim groups blocked from receiving federal security grants: Report - Middle East Eye
CAIR: Kata-kata Trump Usai Gagal Sabet Nobel Perdamaian 2025 - CNN Indonesia
CAIR: Nobel Peace Prize winner Machado slammed for support of Israel - The Mirror
CAIR: Calls for Nobel Prize winner to renounce Israel support- The New Arab
CAIR slams Nobel panel for honoring 'anti-Muslim fascism supporter' - Daily Sabah
CAIR: US Muslim group slams Nobel for awarding Venezuela's Machado - TRT World
CAIR: Why Nobel Peace Prize Winner Maria Corina Machado Is Facing Criticism - NDTV
CAIR: Nobel a Machado, perche la sinistra non festeggia? Dai rapporti con l'ultra destra europea a Netanyahu e Trump - Europe Says
CAIR calls on Nobel Prize winner to renounce support for far-right, racist and fascist parties - Middle East Eye
CAIR: Machado receives Nobel Peace Prize as Trump claims credit and critics question her alliances - Frontline
CAIR: Maria Corina Machado's Nobel Win Triggers Criticism; Here's Why - News 18
CAIR: Why Maria Corina Machado's Nobel Peace Prize Has Set Off Political Storm? - Zee News
CAIR: Why has Maria Corina Machado's Nobel Peace Prize stirred a controversy - Economic Times
CAIR: US Muslim organisation condemns Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Corina Machado - Telegraph India
CAIR: Why Maria Corina Machado's Ties With Israel Are Fueling Nobel Prize Anger - Times Now
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-in-the-news-october-11-2025/
CAIR Calls on Trump to Hold Israel Accountable for Deadly Gaza Ceasefire Violations, Demand Release of Kidnapped Doctors
WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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CAIR Calls on Trump to Hold Israel Accountable for Deadly Gaza Ceasefire Violations, Demand Release of Kidnapped Doctors
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The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on President Trump to hold Israel accountable for ongoing deadly ceasefire violations and to demand the release of doctors kidnapped by Israeli forces in Gaza.
One person was reported killed and many others injured
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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CAIR Calls on Trump to Hold Israel Accountable for Deadly Gaza Ceasefire Violations, Demand Release of Kidnapped Doctors
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The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on President Trump to hold Israel accountable for ongoing deadly ceasefire violations and to demand the release of doctors kidnapped by Israeli forces in Gaza.
One person was reported killed and many others injuredin an Israeli drone attack in north Gaza. A Palestinian was shot dead and others injured in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood.
CAIR urged the president to demand the release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, who was kidnapped by Israeli forces and is reportedly held in a detention center notorious for torturing prisoners. Sources say he will not be released in the upcoming exchange called for in the ceasefire agreement.
The civil rights organization has repeatedly called for the release of the doctors and others kidnapped by Israeli forces in Gaza.
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
"We call on President Trump to hold the Israeli government accountable for its predictable, flagrant and deadly violations of the ceasefire agreement less than a day after it came into effect. We also call on the President to demand that Israel release Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya and all other kidnapped medical professionals."
Last week, CAIR condemned the Israeli government as "sadistic" for continuing to carry out deadly attacks on Gaza even after a ceasefire agreement was announced.
CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La mision de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprension del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR's work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR's advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
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CONTACT : CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-calls-on-trump-to-hold-israel-accountable-for-deadly-gaza-ceasefire-violations-demand-release-of-kidnapped-doctors/
Brady Applauds Gov. Newsom for Signing Slate of Bills to Prevent Gun Violence, Including Country's First Law Targeting 3D-printed Ghost Guns by Regulating Gun Barrels
WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 -- The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence issued the following news release:
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Brady Applauds Gov. Newsom for Signing Slate of Bills to Prevent Gun Violence, Including Country's First Law Targeting 3D-printed Ghost Guns by Regulating Gun Barrels
SB 704 will help stop the proliferation of deadly, 3D-printed ghost guns by requiring background checks for firearm barrels.
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Brady, the nation's oldest gun violence prevention group, celebrates California Gov. Gavin Newsom for signing Brady-sponsored bill SB 704 into law, as well as two other life-saving gun violence
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 -- The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence issued the following news release:
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Brady Applauds Gov. Newsom for Signing Slate of Bills to Prevent Gun Violence, Including Country's First Law Targeting 3D-printed Ghost Guns by Regulating Gun Barrels
SB 704 will help stop the proliferation of deadly, 3D-printed ghost guns by requiring background checks for firearm barrels.
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Brady, the nation's oldest gun violence prevention group, celebrates California Gov. Gavin Newsom for signing Brady-sponsored bill SB 704 into law, as well as two other life-saving gun violenceprevention laws.
SB 704, landmark legislation, will regulate and require background checks on the purchase of firearm barrels -- the only parts of a functional firearm that cannot effectively be produced using a 3D printer. Currently, these barrels are entirely unregulated and can be purchased online or in-store without a background check or any restrictions, contributing to their use in crime. This vital solution, which was championed by Sen. Jesse Arreguin and Assemblywoman Catherine Stefani, will help prevent individuals from manufacturing untraceable illegal ghost guns.
The other two bills, AB 1127 and AB 1363, prevent the sale of firearms that accept certain conversion devices that turn semi-automatic weapons into automatic weapons and ensure that protective orders are properly transmitted and verifiable, respectively.
Brady President Kris Brown said:
California continues to lead the nation in passing common-sense solutions to free America from gun violence. This new legislation will create meaningful barriers to people illegally manufacturing 3D-printed ghost guns, by requiring that gun barrels be sold only by licensed gun dealers and that those sales are subject to a background check. Brady is ready to partner with other state legislators and governors so this new law can be an inspiration for how to confront the emerging threat of illegal 3D-printed ghost guns plaguing communities. State legislatures across the country can pass this proactive measure to regulate gun barrels to stop the proliferation of 3D printed ghost guns and save American lives.
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Brady has one powerful mission -- to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It's in our hands.
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Original text here:https://www.bradyunited.org/press/california-3d-ghost-guns
[Category: Political]
Arrr You Serious? Long John Silver's Chicken-Centric Rebrand Nets PETA Plea: Hook New Customers With Vegan Fare!
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, Oct. 11 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release on Oct. 10, 2025:
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Arrr You Serious? Long John Silver's Chicken-Centric Rebrand Nets PETA Plea: Hook New Customers With Vegan Fare!
With Long John Silver's launching a new logo promoting its chicken menu items, PETA sent a letter today to the company's CEO, Nate Fowler, pointing out that with the tidal wave of people giving meat the heave-ho, the chain could reel in far more customers by offering tasty vegan chicken and delicious fishless filets.
In the letter, PETA notes that
... Show Full Article
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, Oct. 11 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release on Oct. 10, 2025:
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Arrr You Serious? Long John Silver's Chicken-Centric Rebrand Nets PETA Plea: Hook New Customers With Vegan Fare!
With Long John Silver's launching a new logo promoting its chicken menu items, PETA sent a letter today to the company's CEO, Nate Fowler, pointing out that with the tidal wave of people giving meat the heave-ho, the chain could reel in far more customers by offering tasty vegan chicken and delicious fishless filets.
In the letter, PETA notes thatthe vegan meat market is projected to reach over $24 billion by 2030--and that even the traditional British chip shops that Long John Silver's is modeled after are meeting the demand with plant-powered options.
"Long John Silver's best chance at staying afloat is by offering the delicious vegan fare today's compassionate diners want, not filling its menu with the body parts of another tormented animal," says PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk. "PETA is encouraging Long John Silver's to acknowledge the turning tide and make waves with hearty meat-free meals."
Fish feel pain as acutely as mammals do and sing underwater, while chickens form complex social structures, dream when they sleep, and worry about the future, just as humans do. Yet more fish and chickens are killed for food than all other land or sea animals combined. The fishing industry also leaves behind a trail of victims that includes millions of birds, turtles, and other animals who are killed or grievously injured after swallowing hooks or becoming entangled in nets or fishing line.
Every person who goes vegan saves the lives of nearly 200 animals every year, dramatically shrinks their carbon footprint, and avoids ingesting the many toxic chemicals found in the flesh of fish, including mercury, lead, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PETA's free vegan starter kit can help those looking to make the switch.
PETA--whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to eat"--points out thatEvery Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
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Original text here: https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/arrr-you-serious-long-john-silvers-chicken-centric-rebrand-nets-peta-plea-hook-new-customers-with-vegan-fare/
[Category: Animals]
ADC Welcomes FBI's Renewed Call for Justice in the Assassination of Alex Odeh; Unveils Times Square Billboard Demanding Accountability
WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 [Category: Sociological] -- The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee issued the following news release:
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ADC Welcomes FBI's Renewed Call for Justice in the Assassination of Alex Odeh; Unveils Times Square Billboard Demanding Accountability
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Anaheim, CA | On the 40th anniversary of Alex Odeh's assassination, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) welcomes the FBI's renewed public appeal for information and notes the Justice Department's ongoing $1,000,000 reward for tips leading to arrest and conviction. The appeal aligns with ADC's efforts to
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 [Category: Sociological] -- The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee issued the following news release:
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ADC Welcomes FBI's Renewed Call for Justice in the Assassination of Alex Odeh; Unveils Times Square Billboard Demanding Accountability
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Anaheim, CA | On the 40th anniversary of Alex Odeh's assassination, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) welcomes the FBI's renewed public appeal for information and notes the Justice Department's ongoing $1,000,000 reward for tips leading to arrest and conviction. The appeal aligns with ADC's efforts toelevate the case, including a billboard in Times Square, NYC, above Pedestrian Plaza, at the intersection of W 43rd St and Broadway.
"Forty years is far too long for a family and a community to wait. We welcome the FBI's renewed call and the reaffirmed $1,000,000 reward, but a renewed appeal must translate into concrete action," said Abed Ayoub, ADC National Executive Director. "Alex was a beloved Palestinian-American civil rights leader murdered on U.S. soil. Equal justice under law requires equal urgency--no exceptions, no double standards."
"Our Times Square billboard is a message to the nation's largest public square: we are not moving on, and we will not let this case fade. We are ready to work with federal and local partners, and we urge anyone with information, no matter how small, to step forward," continued Ayoub. "For Alex's family, and for every American who believes in the rule of law, accountability is not optional--it's overdue."
Odeh was killed when a bomb detonated as he opened the door to ADC's Santa Ana office on October 11, 1985. The case remains open. The FBI has reiterated its public appeal for information from anyone who may have knowledge relevant to the investigation. Members of the public can contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
Who was Alex Odeh?
Alexander Michel "Alex" Odeh (1944-1985) was a husband, father of three daughters, poet, and the West Coast Regional Director of ADC. Born in Jifna near Ramallah, he was part of the Al-Naksa generation whose lives were reshaped by the 1967 war. Prevented from returning home afterward, Alex lived in Amman before immigrating to the United States, where he made a life with his sister nearby and built community in Southern California.
Alex believed deeply in "suit-and-tie" civic engagement. He served on a local Human Rights Commission, supported electoral candidates, and wrote frequent letters to public officials and news outlets. His public work focused on improving Arab-American representation in media and politics, countering anti-Arab stereotyping, and building unity among Jews, Muslims, and Christians. In the days before his murder, he appeared on television to discuss these views and was scheduled to speak at a synagogue in Fountain Valley on the day he was killed.
He never stopped rooting himself in the community he loved. Even as he endured death threats and took precautions at home and at the office, Alex stayed visible and optimistic about America's promise of free speech, dignity, and equal protection. His life reflected a steady conviction: change is made through principled dialogue, public service, and the rule of law.
If you have information related to the murder of Alex Odeh, please contact the FBI at 1-800-225-5324 or your nearest FBI office.
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Original text here: https://adc.org/adc-welcomes-fbis-renewed-call-for-justice-in-the-assassination-of-alex-odeh-unveils-times-square-billboard-demanding-accountability/
