The Arab American News
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Here are the three proposals appearing on your ballot in Michigan on November 8
October 28th, 20221 The November election has three statewide ballot proposals that will have direct and lasting impact on the state's residents for years to come. The three proposals ask voters to decide on government term limits and transparency, expanded voting access and state-guaranteed reproductive freedom. Unfortunately, there is a campaign of...
Israel, Lebanon finalize maritime demarcation deal without mutual recognition; Hezbollah mobilization to end
October 28th, 20220 BEIRUT — Lebanese and Israeli leaders finalized a U.S.-brokered maritime demarcation deal on Thursday, bringing a measure of accommodation between the enemy states as they eye offshore energy exploration. Leaders from Lebanon, Israel and the U.S. have all hailed the deal as "historic" but the possibility of a wider diplomatic...
Salman Rushdie lives, but loses use of eye and hand
October 27th, 20220 Salman Rushdie’s agent says the author has lost sight in one eye and the use of a hand as he recovers from an attack from a man who rushed the stage at an August literary event in western New York, according to a published report. Literary agent Andrew Wylie told the Spanish language newspaper El Pais in an article published...
Looped in “line by line”, Hezbollah shows pragmatic side in Lebanon-Israel deal
October 24th, 20220 Before Lebanon's government approved a U.S.-brokered deal settling a decades-long maritime boundary dispute with Israel, the powerful Hezbollah had scrutinized the final draft line by line and given a crucial nod of acceptance. Branded a "terrorist group" by Washington and a sworn enemy of Israel, the Iran-backed Hezbollah was certainly...
Our endorsements for Nov. 8: Don’t let bigotry and misinformation divide our community
October 21st, 20220 The November election is around the corner, and because of ongoing and unprecedented attacks on civil liberties and democracy itself, we cannot emphasize its importance enough. We know these elections will not occur in a vacuum. Recently, the nation turned its attention to our community once more; but sadly, this time it wasn’t due...
Students to get guaranteed admission to U of M-Dearborn from HFC through new partnership
October 21st, 20220 DEARBORN — Henry Ford College and the University of Michigan-Dearborn have announced a new guaranteed-enrollment partnership designed to advance student success and economic prosperity in Michigan. Learn4ward: Henry Ford College to the University of Michigan-Dearborn will put qualified HFC students on a path to earn both an...
Australia reverses decision to recognize West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
October 21st, 20220 SYDNEY — On Tuesday, Australia reversed a decision of the previous government to recognize West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, saying the status of the city should be resolved through peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian people. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said Australia "will always be a steadfast friend...
Lebanon fails to elect a president for third time amid financial meltdown
October 21st, 20220 BEIRUT — Lebanon's parliament failed to elect a president for the third time on Thursday, bringing the country closer to institutional deadlock amid a deep financial crisis. Outgoing President Michel Aoun's term ends on Oct. 31 and divisions remain among political blocs over the makeup of a new cabinet. Lebanon has been without...
Michigan to pay $20M to people wrongly accused of fraud
October 21st, 20220 LANSING — State lawmakers have agreed to set aside $20 million to settle a lawsuit by thousands of people who were wrongly accused of fraud when seeking unemployment benefits. The money was included in a larger bill recently signed into law by Democratic Governor Whitmer. It followed an agreement reached by the Attorney General’s...U.S. envoy in Lebanon next week with maritime deal to sign
October 19th, 20220 BEIRUT — U.S. energy envoy Amos Hochstein will be in Beirut next week, carrying a copy of the maritime agreement with Israel for Lebanese officials to sign, Lebanese negotiator Elias Bou Saab told Reuters on Wednesday. The deal — hailed by all three parties as a historic achievement — marks a diplomatic departure from decades...
Dearborn must embrace diversity, inclusion and freedom of expression
October 14th, 20225 By now, just about in everyone in Dearborn is aware of the book banning saga in the Dearborn Public Schools. A number of concerned citizens and parents have voiced their objections to the presence of certain books in school libraries, namely books that explore LGBTQ+ themes and lifestyles. Undoubtedly, parents should have a say in the...
Michigan gubernatorial hopefuls clash over abortion rights
October 14th, 20220 GRAND RAPIDS — The candidates for governor of Michigan criticized each other’s positions on abortion Thursday, with Governor Whitmer saying women’s “fundamental rights” are at risk and GOP challenger Tudor Dixon calling the Democrat’s support for abortion rights “extremely radical.” Dixon is a former commentator for a...
Iraq elects new president and premier, ending stalemate
October 14th, 20220 On Thursday Iraq’s parliament elected Kurdish politician Abdul Latif Rashid as president, who immediately named Mohammed Shia al-Sudani prime minister-designate, ending a year of deadlock after a national election last October. The presidency, traditionally occupied by a Kurd, is a largely ceremonial position, but the vote for...
Dearborn educators stand up for safe and welcoming schools
October 13th, 20220 DEARBORN – American Federation of Teachers local unions who are active in the Dearborn community released the following statement prior to the Dearborn Board of Education meeting on Thursday, October 13, at Stout Middle School. Dearborn educators are committed to providing a quality education to every single student and ensuring our...
Homeless crisis: Mental health agencies provides support
October 11th, 20220 Homelessness is a growing concern in the U.S., with many people struggling to get by in almost every community. While it's not a new problem, the number of people experiencing homelessness has increased significantly over the past couple of years. According to an organization called End Homelessness, homeless numbers grew by 2 percent......
Wayne State University President M. Roy Wilson: In Detroit I found my voice
October 8th, 20220 By Zeinab A. Lecanu, special to The Arab American News From a childhood marked by loneliness and want, Wayne State President M. Roy Wilson forged an extraordinary life of accomplishment and acclaim. His accomplishments include the presidencies of four universities, dean of two medical schools and deputy director of one of the National...
Cultural tradition and elder care in Detroit’s Arab American community
October 7th, 20221 By Lucas Resetar, special to The Arab American News and New Michigan Media In the year 2000, 11-year-old Marwan Mikhael left Iraq with his father. After crossing into Jordan and enduring a difficult and dangerous journey, he ended up at a small refugee camp in Bulgaria. “There was no food and little water,” Mikhael said. “I......
Biden overhauls U.S. policy on marijuana, pardons prior federal offenses
October 7th, 20220 WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Biden took steps to overhaul U.S. policy on marijuana on Thursday by pardoning thousands of people with federal offenses for simple marijuana possession and initiating a review of how the drug is classified. Biden said thousands of people with prior federal convictions could be denied employment, housing...
Lebanon says maritime deal “make or break” after Israel snubs request for changes
October 6th, 20220 BEIRUT — Lebanon said U.S.-brokered talks to demarcate its maritime border with longtime foe Israel were at a "make or break" point on Thursday after Israel rejected revisions to a draft deal requested by Beirut, throwing years of diplomatic efforts into doubt. The draft, which has not been made public, had a warm preliminary...
Resilient Neighborhoods: Delray earth upheaval incident raises concerns for Southwest Detroit neighborhood
October 3rd, 20220 By David Sands Authorities were baffled by a geological incident that caused the ground itself to buckle in Detroit's Delray neighborhood last fall. On the night of Sept. 11, 2021, the intersection of Dearborn and West Fort Street experienced a shifting of the ground that left a roughly eight-foot-high mound of earth. The upheaval...
Death toll rises in Iranian protests over young woman’s killing
September 29th, 20220 TEHRAN — Protests continued in several cities across Iran on Thursday against the death of a young woman in police custody, state and social media reported, as a human rights group said at least 83 people had been killed in nearly two weeks of demonstrations. Mahsa Amini, 22, from the Iranian Kurdish town of Saqez, was arrested......
Treasury: Don’t forget to file individual income tax returns
September 23rd, 20220 Taxpayers who requested an extension to file their individual income tax returns have less than a month to file a complete and accurate return, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury. Individual income tax returns due under an extension must be received by Treasury on or before Oct. 17. Returns can be sent through the U.S....
Lebanese dance troupe crowned winners of “America’s Got Talent”
September 16th, 20220 A Lebanese dance troupe has won the top prize on the popular American television show America’s Got Talent, becoming the first Arab participants to do so. Mayyas, an all-female dance act, won the $1 million prize, and the chance to headline a Las Vegas show, after they received the most votes from the public, beating the other 10......
Factbox: Just how bad is Lebanon’s economic crisis?
September 16th, 20220 Savers held up two banks in Lebanon on Wednesday to demand access to their own deposits frozen in the country's paralyzed financial system, underlining desperation among citizens unable to access savings since an economic crisis began in 2019. There were similar incidents in Beirut in August and in eastern Lebanon in January. The...
Syria may “return to larger-scale fighting,” U.N. warns in new report
September 16th, 20220 Syria's simmering 11-year war is at risk of boiling up once again with a return to large-scale combat after several frontlines across the country flared up in recent months, the United Nations warned on Wednesday in a new report. "Syria cannot afford a return to larger-scale fighting, but that is where it may be heading," said Paulo......
