April 22nd, 20210WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill that targets hate crimes directed towards Asian Americans on Thursday. The legislation comes amid an increase in discrimination and violence against Asian communities in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Officially titled the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, the...
April 21st, 20210WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Wednesday, the U.S. House passed the NO BAN act, or H.R. 1333, which would limit presidents’ authority to suspend or restrict people from entering the country.
The act also prohibits religious discrimination in various immigration-related decisions, such as whether to issue an immigrant or nonimmigrant visa,...
April 14th, 20210WASHINGTON D.C. — In an address to the nation on Wednesday, President Biden announced his decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11.
"It is time to end America’s longest war," he said. "It is time for American troops to come home."
By doing so, this will end America’s military involvement in the country on...
April 13th, 20210DUBAI — A commercial vessel owned by an Israeli firm was attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in Gulf waters, pro-Iran media and an Israeli television channel said on Tuesday.
Israel’s top-rated Channel 12 quoted unnamed Israeli officials as blaming arch-foe Iran for the assault, which it described as a missile...
April 11th, 20210JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister pledged on Sunday to cooperate with the U.S. on Iran, voicing hope that Israeli security would be safeguarded under any renewed Iranian nuclear deal that Washington reaches.
“Israel views the United States as a full partner across all operational theatres, not the least Iran,” Benny Gantz...
April 9th, 20210WASHINGTON, D.C. — Metro Detroit Yemeni and other activists have been leading a hunger strike for 11 days in front of the White House, protesting the U.S.-backed Saudi blockade during an ongoing six year war in Yemen. The Yemeni Liberation Movement (YLM) is calling for the Biden-Harris administration to withdraw all material and...
April 8th, 20210WASHINGTON, D.C./WEST BANK — On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced it would provide $235 million in U.S. aid to the Palestinians, restarting funding for the United Nations agency supporting refugees and restoring other assistance cut off by former President Trump.
The package, including humanitarian, economic and...
April 8th, 20210AMMAN — Unprecedented public criticism of Jordan’s monarchy by a senior royal who has been placed under house arrest has shaken the country’s image as an island of stability in the Middle East.
On April 3, Jordan’s military told King Abdullah’s half brother, Prince Hamza bin Hussein, 41, to halt actions targeting...
April 6th, 20210WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) joined Reps. Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) in leading 76 of their congressional colleagues to call for the Biden administration to publicly increase pressure on Saudi Arabia to lift the blockade on Yemen immediately, unilaterally and...
April 6th, 20210- From contributor Laura Albast
Activists from the Yemeni Liberation Movement (YLM) and other organizations held a rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. on Saturday. They carried banners calling for an end to the U.S.-backed Saudi blockade on the embattled country.
The five Michigan natives leading the action staged a...
April 3rd, 20210This week, a federal appeals court in Virginia enshrined the federal government's use of the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB). After a lower court ruling held that the TSDB's application deprived Americans, especially those of Arab and Muslim descent, the right to due process under the law, this appeals court declared that the right...
March 31st, 20210LANSING — Michigan will continue its upward trajectory in getting more and more residents vaccinated against the dangerous COVID-19 virus, as positive news came down the pipeline from Lansing in recent days.
On Wednesday, Governor Whitmer raised the state’s vaccination goal from 50,000 to 100,000 shots per day. The new...
March 21st, 20210TEHRAN — Iran does not trust U.S. promises on lifting sanctions and will only return to its commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal once Washington fully removes the measures, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday.
The administration of President Biden is exploring ways to restore the 2015 nuclear deal that...
March 12th, 20210MICHIGAN - Beginning Monday, April 5, all Michiganders age 16 and up who were not previously eligible will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Governor Whitmer and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced on Friday the state is expanding vaccination eligibility for Michiganders ages 16 and older with...
March 12th, 20210A Gallup poll released Thursday shows particularly strong support among parents who identify as Republican to get their children back in classrooms for in-person learning.
The poll results are based on self-administered web surveys conducted Feb. 14-21, with a random sample of 860 adults, aged 18 and older, who are parents of students...
March 11th, 20210WASHINGTON, D.C. — In his first prime-time address to the American public, President Biden announced on Thursday that he is directing states to make all adults vaccine-eligible by May 1.
As vaccine supplies continue to increase, Biden is now confident the enormous goal to vaccinate much of America is possible. The U.S. is...
March 11th, 20210WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Biden signed into law his sweeping $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief and stimulus package on Thursday, just hours before delivering his first prime-time address since taking office.
The signing on Thursday means some Americans could expect their $1,400 stimulus payments to begin arriving in their bank...
March 11th, 20210President Biden will double the U.S. order of Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) one-shot vaccine — seeking another 100 million doses — bringing the country’s total vaccine supply to enough for 500 million people.
Biden made the announcement during an event at the White House on Wednesday with J&J Chairman and Chief...
March 10th, 20210“That’s certainly our goal and our intention.” This was the non-committal answer given by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki when, on February 12, she was asked by a reporter whether the new Joe Biden administration intends to shut down the notorious Guantánamo Bay Prison by the end of the president’s first term in...
March 9th, 20210LANSING — Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) announced on its website Monday the ending of unemployment extensions for those receiving Extended Benefits (EB) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).
The EB program gave Michiganders 20 additional weeks of unemployment benefits since it began in October.
The...
March 7th, 20210WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Biden said on Saturday that the U.S. Senate passage of his $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid bill means that $1,400 payments to most Americans will start to go out this month and the bill’s provisions will speed up manufacturing and distribution of vaccines.
Biden, speaking at the White House after the...
March 7th, 20210By Frank Giustra and Andrew Bacevich
If the escalating tensions between the United States and China aren't causing you concern yet, you've not been paying attention.
Any conflict between the two superpowers would result in unimaginable devastation — if not physical, at least economic. And don't forget: Both China and the United...
March 6th, 20210LANSING — The survey research firm EPIC-MRA has released a statewide poll of active and likely November 2022 voters.
The poll, completed on Feb. 25, sought to understand favorability ratings of various state and federal officials, on both sides of the aisle, and people’s opinions on important socio-economic issues like the...
March 5th, 20210WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday to take up President Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid bill, but put off the start of a contentious debate until the full text of the 628-page bill is read aloud.
The party-line vote of 51-50, with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie, illustrated that...
March 3rd, 20210WASHINGTON, D.C. — Under a deal struck with President Biden, Senate Democrats plan to give $1,400 direct payments to fewer Americans, as part of the government's latest COVID-19 relief bill.
Under the new agreement:
Individuals who make up to $75,000 will still get the full $1,400, while the amount will reduce at incomes above...
March 2nd, 20210WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Democratic party has effectively abandoned a push to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour as part of President Biden’s coronavirus relief legislation, despite wide popularity of the measure among Americans.
Democratic leadership, including Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, said the...
March 1st, 20210SANAA — Unable to find work, Ahmed Farea has sold everything, including his wife’s gold, to feed and house two young daughters in one small room.
Elsewhere in Yemen’s capital Sanaa, widow Mona Muhammad has work, but struggles to buy anything more nutritious than rice for her four children amid high prices.
And in a nearby...
February 27th, 20210WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Democratic controlled House passed a sweeping COVID-19 relief bill early Saturday, by a mostly party-line 219 to 212 vote, and sent it on to the Senate, where Democrats planned a legislative maneuver to allow them to pass it without the support of Republicans.
Democrats Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Jared Golden...
