Governor Whitmer declares April as Arab American Heritage Month in Michigan; Trump ignores it nationally
April 4th, 20250 LANSING – On Tuesday, for the fifth consecutive year, Governor Whitmer announced that April will be recognized as Arab American Heritage Month in the state. This designation celebrates the contributions of Arab Americans to Michigan's culture and economy. In stark contrast, President Trump has refrained from officially recognizing the...
75 days of chaos
April 4th, 20250 By Mark Haidar It’s been 75 days since Donald Trump took the oath of office for the presidency for the second time. A perfect storm of circumstances and the rewriting of history from his first term led to his slim, non-majority victory in November. After his first term in office, he faced the voters in 2020 and lost by 7 million...
How much does a U.S. passport cost in 2025? Here’s what to expect
April 3rd, 20250 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Starting at the beginning of this year, the federal government implemented new procedures and updated fees for obtaining or renewing a U.S. passport, which include increased costs. To obtain a passport for the first time, applicants must pay: $130 for the application fee. $35 for the execution...
Palestinian American YouTuber Kat Abughazaleh announces Congressional run
April 1st, 20250 CHICAGO — Katherine Abughazaleh, a Palestinian American influencer and content creator, who has reported on the far right for both Media Matters and Mother Jones, and posts on YouTube as Kat Abu, has announced that she's running for Congress as a Democrat in Illinois' Ninth District. "We need a vision bigger than we've been told is...
Trump administration detains Turkish student at Tufts for voicing support for Palestinians, revokes visa
March 29th, 20250 BOSTON - U.S. immigration authorities have detained and revoked the visa of a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University near Boston who had voiced support for Palestinians in Israel's war on Gaza. Rumeysa Ozturk's supporters say her detention, late on Tuesday, is the first known immigration arrest of a...
These universities are in Trump’s crosshairs. Many don’t know why.
March 29th, 20250 NEW YORK — When Muhlenberg College learned in January 2024 — as pro-Palestinian protests were sweeping campuses across the United States — that it was under investigation for discriminating against Jewish students, the small liberal arts institution in Pennsylvania took action. The college fired a...
Kennedy to slash 10,000 jobs in major overhaul of U.S. health agencies
March 28th, 20250 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced plans to reshape federal public health agencies on Thursday, including cutting 10,000 employees and centralizing some functions of the FDA, CDC and others under his purview. The job cuts include 3,500 at the Food and Drug Administration,...
A region in crisis from Gaza to Istanbul: War, resistance and power struggles
March 28th, 20250 The Arab American News weekly Arab world report: The Middle East remains in the eye of the storm, with many of its nations burdened by decades-old political, security, economic and social crises. These issues continue to erupt in connection with regional conflicts. Against this backdrop, Iran’s announcement of its willingness to...
Federal judge transfers case of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil out of Louisiana to New Jersey court in positive legal turn
March 21st, 20250 On Wednesday, in a positive development in the case of the Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, one of the leading figures in the protest movement on U.S. college campuses against the Israeli war on Gaza, a federal judge ordered the case to be transferred to a court in New Jersey from Louisiana, the hardline state chosen by the Trump...
Religious leaders condemn Trump’s treatment of immigrants
March 21st, 20250 By Pilar Marrero Even as Donald Trump presents himself as a “defender of the Christian faith”, a growing number of church leaders are denouncing his policies, including on immigration. Many are also taking aim at the Christian nationalist ideology underpinning them. Critics say Trump’s approach threatens the First...
Judge blocks deportation of pro-Palestinian Georgetown University scholar Badar Khan Suri
March 21st, 20251 On Thursday a federal judge ordered immigration officials not to deport a Georgetown scholar who was detained by the Trump administration and accused of spreading anti-Israeli propaganda in the latest battle over speech on U.S. college campuses. U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles in Alexandria, Virginia, ordered that Indian...
Trump-backed escalation: Gaza massacre resumes, U.S. bombs Yemen, Israeli strikes hit Lebanon and Syria amid regional turmoil
March 21st, 20250 With a green light from President Trump and no deterrent in sight — except for Yemen’s steadfast support front — Israel’s killing machine has resumed its genocide in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan, as desired by Benjamin Netanyahu, who is desperately trying to preserve his shaky ruling coalition committed to pursuing...
U.S., Israel to hold high-level talks on Iran at White House next week
March 21st, 20250 WASHINGTON — The United States and Israel will hold high-level talks on Iran's nuclear program at the White House early next week, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The planned meeting follows President Trump's letter to Iran's leadership earlier this month in which he warned Tehran it had the choice of either...
FBI issues warning over toll scam text messages
March 18th, 20250 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning Americans not to respond to scam text messages related to toll fees, after receiving more than 2,000 complaints this month, according to ABC News. These messages impersonate official toll collection agencies and attempt to trick mobile phone users into revealing...
Trump nominates Lebanese American Michel Issa to be the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon
March 15th, 20250 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Michel Issa, a prominent Lebanese American businessman and financial investor, was nominated by President Trump on Friday, March 7, to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, replacing Lisa A. Johnson, who has held the position since early 2023. Johnson, a seasoned career diplomat with the rank of......
CAIR reports increase of hate against Arab and Muslim Americans, amid war on Gaza and anti-Israel occupation protests
March 15th, 20250 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported a 7.4 percent increase in discrimination and attacks against Muslim and Arab Americans in 2024 compared to the previous year, detailing crackdowns on university students protesting in support of Palestine. The annual report, titled "Unconstitutional...
Federal court rejects deportation of Palestinian student arrested under Trump’s order for protesting against Israel
March 15th, 20250 Mahmoud Khalil: A Columbia University student becomes a symbol of free speech in America WASHINGTON, D.C. – The arrest of a Palestinian student from Columbia University and the federal authorities' attempt to deport him despite being a lawful permanent resident and a Green Card holder, have sparked the largest wave of protests......
U.S. court orders deportation of Lebanese businessman accused of funding Hezbollah
March 14th, 20250 The U.S. federal court has ordered the deportation of Lebanese businessman Mohammed Ibrahim Bazzi following his conviction for conspiring with Talal Chahine, founder of the La Shish restaurant chain, to illegally transfer millions of dollars. Bazzi, 60, was sentenced to time served — approximately two years since his arrest in Romania...
Trump reverses plan to displace Gaza residents; Israeli aggression on the strip resumes amid “second phase” talks
March 14th, 20250 The past week was filled with contrasting developments, some carrying serious dangers while others offered cautious optimism, shaped by the region’s ongoing conflicts and shifting diplomatic efforts. Gaza: the struggle of the second phase of the ceasefire As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government pushes...
Iran’s president tells Trump: “Do whatever the hell you want.”
March 14th, 20250 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has rejected negotiations with the U.S. under threats, telling President Trump to "do whatever the hell you want," according to Iranian state media. He also criticized U.S. foreign policy, referencing the recent Oval Office clash between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "You...
Illinois man found guilty of murder of Palestinian American boy
March 7th, 20250 PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, IL – Plainfield Township resident Joseph Czuba has been found guilty of murder and hate crime charges for fatally stabbing a 6-year-old Palestinian American and gravely wounding his mother in October 2023. Czuba, 73, was the landlord of the home where the 6-year-old, Wadee Alfayoumi, and his mother, Hanan......
America faces the worst flu season in 15 years
March 7th, 20250 By Sunita Sohrabji Vaccine skepticism, public policy changes, misinformation and a fear of deportation has created the perfect storm for a severe flu season, experts say. Vaccine skepticism, along with a more virulent strain of the influenza virus, is contributing to an extremely difficult season for the...
Facing Trump’s threats, Columbia investigates students critical of Israel
March 7th, 20250 NEW YORK — Columbia University senior Maryam Alwan was visiting family in Jordan over winter break when she received an email from the school accusing her of discriminatory harassment. Her supposed top offense: writing an op-ed in the student newspaper calling for divestment from Israel. The probe is part of a flurry of recent......
Trump delays tariffs for goods under Mexico, Canada trade deal
March 7th, 20250 WASHINGTON, D.C – On Thursday, President Trump suspended the 25 percent tariffs he imposed this week on most goods from Canada and Mexico, the latest twist in a fluctuating trade policy that has whipsawed financial markets and fanned worries over inflation and a growth slowdown. The exemptions, covering...
Israeli aggression escalates in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon amid regional tensions
March 7th, 20250 Israeli aggression continues to escalate in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, following a clear strategy that Israeli leadership has openly admitted aims to redraw the regional map of the Middle East. This aggressive policy is bolstered by strong U.S. support, further reinforced by President Trump’s threats against the residents of Gaza,......
