The Arab American News
Author's Posts
2024 a year of political, social and cultural milestones for local Arab Americans
January 4th, 20250 Pro-Palestinian and Pro-Lebanese activities continue amid regional conflicts with Israeli invasion of Gaza At the beginning of 2024, activities supporting the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples continued in the Dearborn area, mirroring similar events from the previous year. These activities were organized alongside Israel's aggressive...
Jimmy Carter was a true American hero
January 4th, 20250 By Tom Watkins Former President Jimmy Carter has died after a remarkable 100 years of life. He is the longest-lived ex-commander in chief. His life is not measured in years or even his ascent to the presidency, but by the kindness and human decency he shared here at home and around the globe. The humble president from Plains,...
Dearborn man sentenced to three years in prison for defrauding retailers of more than $4 million
January 4th, 20250 SEATTLE – A 27-year-old Dearborn, Michigan, man was sentenced Dec. 19 in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three years in prison and three years of supervised release for a fraud scheme damaging retailers across the country, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Teal L. Miller said in a press release. Sajed Al-Maarej operated “Simple...
FBI: New Orleans rampage driver acted alone, was inspired “100 percent” by ISIS group
January 4th, 20250 The Army veteran who drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers in New Orleans acted alone, the FBI said Thursday, reversing its position from a day earlier that he likely worked with others in the deadly attack that officials said was inspired by the ISIS group. The FBI also revealed that the driver, Shamsud-Din...
U.N. body accuses Israel of destroying Gaza healthcare
January 4th, 20250 Israeli attacks on hospitals in Gaza have devastated the Palestinian enclave's health system and raised serious concerns about Israel's compliance with international law, the U.N. Human Rights Office said in a report on Tuesday. The 23-page report, documenting various attacks between Oct. 12, 2023, and June 30, 2024, concluded that...
Unemployment benefits to increase to 26 weeks in Michigan with new law
January 3rd, 20250 LANSING – Unemployment benefits for Michiganders who are between jobs will increase from 20 to 26 weeks under a new law just signed by Governor Whitmer. The will was sponsored by Senator Paul Wojno (D-Warren). The bill reverses previous cuts to unemployment benefits that occurred under Whitmer's Republican predecessor, former...
Minimum wage in Michigan increased on Jan. 1: What to know
January 3rd, 20250 As part of a larger plan, Michigan’s minimum wage was set to increase on New Year’s Day. The first step called for a 23-cent increase on Wednesday, Jan. 1. However, the hourly minimum wage in Michigan will see two increases in 2025, though concerns still loom from some business owners and employees who fear higher wages could be a...
Death toll in Gaza from the Israel-Hamas war tops 45,000 Palestinians, health officials say
December 30th, 20240 More than 45,000 Palestinians have now been killed in the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, health officials in the embattled territory said Monday, as often-stalled ceasefire negotiations appeared to be gaining ground. Qatar, Egypt and the United States have renewed efforts to broker a ceasefire deal in recent days, and Israeli...
Resilient Neighborhoods: O’Hair Park: From a “terrible waste of land” to a neighborhood treasure
December 30th, 20240 By Jaishree Drepaul For some Detroiters, the houses in their neighborhoods are more than just brick and mortar puzzled together. They're a complex Rubik's Cube of community challenges, historical and current, and of resilience over time. This is especially true for many people living in the city's O'Hair Park neighborhood, where today...
Resilient Neighborhoods: Keeping Detroit homes in the family for future generations
December 30th, 20240 By Sarah Williams Poppy red stairs splash from the white house. Planters of brilliant geraniums hang. A front porch stretches wide to offer shade and swing. It’s a place to call home, all right. In the yard, Jeanine gardens to keep ancestors happy. Digging in the dirt is her least favorite thing, but the generations of women who...
Palestinians sue Biden administration for creating loopholes for Israel on military aid and human rights abuses
December 30th, 20241 The State Department has carved out exceptions for close ally Israel that block a U.S. law restricting foreign military support over human rights abuses, a lawsuit from a group of Palestinians in Gaza and American relatives asserted Tuesday. Former State Department officials and crafters of the 1997 Leahy law were among those advising...
Trump’s picks of pro-Israel “dream team” worry some Arab and Muslim Americans who voted for him
December 13th, 20240 Just weeks after winning several of the nation’s largest Arab-majority cities, President-elect Trump has filled top administration posts with staunch Israel supporters, including an ambassador to Israel who has claimed “there is no such thing as Palestinians.” The selections have prompted mixed reactions among Arab Americans and...
FBI Director Christopher Wray to resign following Trump’s nomination of Patel
December 13th, 20240 WASHINGTON, D. C. – FBI Director Christopher Wray will step down from his post early next year, he said on Wednesday, after President-elect Trump signaled his intent to fire the veteran official and replace him with firebrand Kash Patel. His resignation makes him the second straight FBI director driven...
State Senate approves new extension for unemployment benefits
December 13th, 20240 LANSING – Michigan residents could see their unemployment benefits grow under bills that passed the State Senate on Thursday. The legislation would extend the amount of time someone can claim unemployment benefits to up to 26 weeks in a year. That’s six weeks more than what’s currently available. Over the next three years,...
White House releases U.S. National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate
December 13th, 20240 On Thursday, the White House released the first-ever U.S. National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate. The Strategy was developed through a whole-of-government collaboration with a broad range of civil society partners to describe and address the bias, discrimination and threats Muslim and Arab Americans have long faced.......
The fall of Assad’s regime leaves Syria at a crossroads, as the people celebrate amid challenges
December 13th, 20240 After more than six decades of Ba'athist rule of Syria, 54 years under the Assad family, and 24 years of Bashar al-Assad’s presidency, the Syrian regime crumbled in a matter of just 11 days. This dramatic turn of events was driven by a rapid advance of armed opposition groups from Idlib to Damascus, supported by Turkey, timed with...
Abu Mohammed al-Golani: The former al Qaeda chief, now leading Syria’s rebels
December 6th, 20240 As the commander of al Qaeda's franchise in the Syrian civil war, Abu Mohammed al-Golani was a shadowy figure who kept out of the public eye, even when his group became the most powerful faction fighting President Bashar al-Assad. Today, he is Syria's most recognizable insurgent, having gradually stepped into the limelight since......
Who is Massad Boulos, Trump’s advisor for Arab and Middle Eastern affairs?
December 6th, 20240 On Sunday, President-elect Trump announced his selection of Lebanese American businessman Massad Boulos as his senior advisor for Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. This appointment has garnered significant attention from media outlets both within and outside the United States, including in the Arab world and in Boulos' homeland,...
Detroit’s Mayor Mike Duggan announces run for Michigan governor as independent, abandoning the Democratic Party
December 6th, 20241 In a bold political move on Wednesday, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced his 2026 campaign for governor as an independent candidate. This marks his departure from the Democratic Party, despite his longstanding ties with the party's leadership, including figures in the White House. Departure from the Democratic Party Duggan will...
Amnesty International investigation concludes Israel is committing genocide
December 6th, 20240 “We will look back and say, ‘Why did we not do more earlier?” Amnesty's director tells Zeteo. By Prem Thakker A young Palestinian man walks in the rubble following Israeli airstrikes on Khan Yunis, Gaza, on April 7. File photo Israel is committing...
Escalating offensive in Syria: Strategic advances and geopolitical realignments
December 6th, 20240 On Israel’s timing: Turkey turns against the “de-escalation” agreement as armed groups overrun northern Syria and advance southward The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has described the recent sweeping offensive involving formerly rival factions as a meticulously coordinated and long-prepared operation. This multi-faceted......
Lielle Saad appointed as new director of Dearborn Heights Community and Economic Development Department
November 29th, 20240 DEARBORN HEIGHTS – Mayor Bill Bazzi has announced the appointment of digital marketing specialist Lielle Saad as the new director of the city's Community and Economic Development Department (CEDD). Bazzi expressed optimism about Saad's ability to advance the department in alignment with the city’s goals and the needs of its residents...
Israel and Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire in Lebanon brokered by the U.S. and France, war on Gaza rages
November 29th, 20240 On Wednesday, tens of thousands of displaced Lebanese residents began returning to their homes in Southern Lebanon as a ceasefire was called, halting the fighting between Israel and Lebanese group Hezbollah. After a nearly 14 month cross-border fight and Israel's invasion into Lebanon last month, with thousands killed, displaced and......
Dearborn recognized nationally for promoting solar energy in the city
November 22nd, 20240 DEARBORN — In recognition of its efforts to remove barriers to solar energy adoption and educate residents about its benefits, SolSmart, which advocates for solar energy, awarded the city of Dearborn a Bronze National Designation. This honor makes Dearborn the seventh city in Michigan to receive such recognition. “Climate change...
From Dearborn to Washington: Calls to expedite implementation of a national law preventing drunk drivers from operating vehicles
November 22nd, 20240 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a push to expedite the implementation of new legislation aimed at preventing drunk drivers from operating vehicles, activist Rana Abbas Taylor from Michigan joined a sit-in alongside members of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and U.S. lawmakers. The group urged swift enforcement of the new law, set to take......
