Below is a year-in-review of the most important news and developments as reported by The Arab American News. The following are 2012 headlines in local, statewide, national and international news. 

• Patriarch Rai in Detroit, “Time for Lebanese to unite in love and diversity” 

• Islamic Center of America celebrates 50 years 

• Department of Justice visits Dearborn Heights, hears concerns about Crestwood School District 

• Bridge card abuse placing pressure on local businesses.

• Titanic 100 year anniversary, Arab stories lost at sea. 

• Dearborn crowd pumps energy into Ron Paul campaign 

• Obama campaigns in Dearborn, visits city for the first time, ignores Arabs and Muslims.

• AAPAC gears up for historic election, encourages Arab voter turnout at grand annual banquet 

• Impact of Arab voters clearly visible at voting precincts in General Election.

• Sam Salamey elected first Arab American judge in Dearborn’s 19th District Court. Voters also returned Mary Lane and Aimee Blackburn to Dearborn Board of Education, despite puzzling endorsements for their opponent.

• Klint Kesto, first Chaldean American to serve in Lansing as state legislator

 • Rashida Tlaib returns to Lansing for a third and final term, continues to be the first Arab American Muslim woman to serve in Lansing as state legislature

• Rejecting Islamophobia counter conference in Dearborn overshadows bigotry 

• Community rallies against anti-Muslim Prophet Muhammed film, sends strong and unified message to extremists 

• Arab community questions Dearborn’s hiring practices, Congress of Arab American Organizations in Michigan opens an investigation

• Plans for Muslim Center in West Bloomfield face stiff resistance from residents, but receives support as well

• U.S. vice president discusses plight of Iraqi Christians with local Chaldeans on campaign stop in West Bloomfield 

• Football scuffle leads to questionable assault charges for local teens, Dearborn Heights judge dismisses charges

• Snyder bans synthetic marijuana; AFPD pushes products off local stores shelves 

• Billionaire “Matty” Moroun fails in quest to prevent second bridge to Canada from being built 

• Wayne County officials federally charged, Ficano rejects call to resign 

• Ficano modifies county ethics policy 

• Former Debuty of Ficano, Azzam Elder files lawsuit against Ficano, two commissioners 

• Remapped 14th Congressional District becomes Michigan’s hottest race 

• Several candidates endorsed by TAAN and AAPAC victorious in statewide primary races 

• Brian Mosallam new MSU trustee, scores landmark win for Arab Americans in general election 

• Conyers takes federal Amer Act to Capitol Hill 

• Iconic Michigan Chronicle publisher Sam Logan, 78, passes away 

• Michigan’s Right-to-Work laws, a huge blow to unions 

• Supreme court upholds Obama Health Care Act 

• U.S. Supreme Court upholds most controversial provisions of Arizona’s immigration law 

• If Colorado shooter was an Arab or Muslim would he be labeled a terrorist? 

• Obama signs bills making certain protests illegal 

• Diversity at DNC more prevelant than at RNC national conventions

• Romney accepts GOP nomination

• Libya, Egypt embassy attacks fuel U.S. presidential race, Obama vows to bring Libyan killers to justice 

• Barak Obama re-elected to a second term as president of the United States, what will second term hold for foreign policy

• U.S. Muslims sue to stop NYPD spying program 

• Obama piles new sanctions against Iran 

• Minority Report: White births no longer majority in the U.S. 

• NDAA indefinite detention provisions already being used

• Derogatory film on Prophet Muhammad sparks deadly protests across the world

• Obama sued over indefinite detention and torture of NDAA act

• U.S. condemns soldiers action in Afghanistan. Administrative discipline recommended in Afghanistan Qur’an burning 

• Obama administration guarantees Syrians temporary protected status  

• Documents obtained by ACLU: FBI using mosque outreach for intelligence gathering 

• GPS spying: Supreme Court says police need a warrant 

• U.S. military school taught soldiers to wage a “total war” against Islam 

• Pulitzer-winning reporter Anthony Shadid dies from asthma attack in Syria  

• U.S. ‘No Fly’ list doubles in just a year

• Egypt’s Christians mourn their ‘protector’ Coptic Pope Shenouda III 

• Muslim Brotherhood takes the reins in Egypt, Morsi becomes first post Mubarak president 

• Egypt’s new constitution debated: Will it take the country backwards? 

• Palestinian prisoner hunger strikes escalate as Nakba anniversary approaches

• Yemen elects new president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, in walkover election, in shadows of former president Ali Saleh 

• Life after Gaddafi: Libya a militia mess one year on 

• Outbreak of protests: Disillusioned Tunisians rise up against new government? 

• Who killed Arafat? Tests point to possible poisoning of late Palestinian leader, Israel is a suspect 

• Russia draws the line in the Syrian conflict, Lavrou says nation will stand firm with China on Syria, warns Western attack on Iran would be “catastrophe” 

• Arab league suspends Syria from the organization, Syrian government calls suspension illegal under organization’s charter 

• Syria rejects Arab League plan as UN showdown looms, sign arms deal with Russia

• China joins Russia in double-veto, blocks Western resolution at UN Security Council against Syria

• Tensions rise in Lebanon over the Syrian crisis

• Nine years after Saddam’s fall: Iraqis still wait for realization of dreams 

• Families of U.S. victims of drone attacks sue top American officials 

• Bloodbath in Gaza as Israel strikes again. Mistrust runs deep in Gaza after Israel breaches ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt 

• Iran threatens to attack U.S. bases if war erupts

• Experts: Israel attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities easier said than done?  

• Netanyahu draws “red line” on Iran’s nuclear program 

• A year on, violence erupts again at Bahrain flashpoint, uprising continues against Bahraini government

• Palestinian Statehood recognized at the UN. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to grant Palestinians limited recognition of statehood 

• Egypt divided, showdown between Morsi’s supporters and opposition over new drafted constitution 

• Islamist vigilantes begin to police Egypt, as oppostion occupies Tahrir Square