The Arab American News
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Setting the standard in healthcare law and compliance: Hassan Abdallah’s leadership approach
January 30th, 20260 As healthcare organizations manage expanding volumes of sensitive patient information and rely more heavily on digital platforms, compliance and privacy leadership has shifted from a supporting role to a strategic one. For Hassan Abdallah, vice president and chief compliance & privacy officer at MRO, that evolution has shaped both...
Former U.S. Attorney Mark Totten suspends campaign for state attorney general
January 30th, 20260 LANSING — Former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten announced Tuesday that he is suspending his campaign to become Michigan’s next attorney general, citing a lack of momentum following key labor union endorsements. Totten, a Democrat, made the announcement on social media Tuesday afternoon, saying he no...
Governor Whitmer mourns the death of her father, credits career path to his encouragement
January 30th, 20260 Governor Whitmer's father, Richard Whitmer, died on Monday night, according to a statement from her office. "My beloved father passed away last night," Whitmer said. "He held a lot of impressive positions in his long life. He led major non-profits, sat on statewide boards and served in the cabinet of one of my predecessors, Governor...
Dearborn man sentenced to 25–40 years for years-long child sexual abuse in Macomb County
January 27th, 20260 A Dearborn man convicted of repeatedly sexually assaulting a child in Macomb County over several years has been sentenced to decades in prison. Elie Otayek, 43, was sentenced Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, to 25 to 40 years behind bars following his November 2025 conviction on three felony counts of criminal sexual conduct, two counts in the...
Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun sworn in, vows new era of services, safety and lasting flood solutions
January 23rd, 20260 DEARBORN HEIGHTS— During an official inauguration ceremony held Saturday, January 17 at the Crestwood High School auditorium, and attended by a large crowd of officials and community leaders, newly elected Mayor Mo Baydoun pledged to launch a new chapter centered on improving public services, strengthening community safety and...
Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin elected vice chair of Michigan Law Enforcement Standards Commission
January 23rd, 20260 DEARBORN — Continuing his distinguished career in law enforcement, Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin has been elected vice chair of the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) for 2026, becoming the first Muslim American to hold the senior leadership post in the agency’s 60-year history. Shahin, 50, joined the...
Syrian American pleads guilty to Social Security fraud after collecting benefits for mother living in Syria
January 23rd, 20260 DETROIT — A Syrian American man formerly of Dearborn has admitted to stealing nearly $190,000 in federal funds by continuing to collect Social Security benefits on behalf of his mother, despite the fact that she has been living in Syria for years, according to federal prosecutors. The defendant, Samer Succar, appeared earlier this...
Michigan legislature approves statewide ban on student smartphone use during class time
January 23rd, 20260 LANSING — Seeking to reduce student distractions and improve academic performance, the Michigan legislature has approved a statewide ban on the use of smartphones during instructional hours in all schools across the state, with limited exceptions and enforcement authority left to local school districts. The State House passed the bill...
The Arab American News marks issue 2084, celebrating 41 years as the voice of Arab Americans in North America
January 23rd, 20260 Forty-one years ago, issue “zero” of The Arab American News was published on January 23, 1985, marking the start of a long journey in what is often called “the profession of troubles.” The burdens and challenges of this demanding field were softened only by the steady rise of the Arab American community — growing and thriving...
Israeli strikes kill two, wound 19 in Southern Lebanon, as ceasefire violations mount
January 23rd, 20260 On Wednesday, at least two people were killed and 19 others wounded, including journalists, in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, marking a new violation of a ceasefire agreement in effect since November 2024. Lebanon’s state news agency NNA said an Israeli drone strike hit a car on the Zahrani-Msayleh road in the Zahrani district...
Five takeaways from the Reuters interview with President Trump
January 16th, 20260 In a Reuters Oval Office interview, President Trump dismissed concerns about Greenland, the economy and a probe into Fed Chair Jerome Powell, offered limited clarity on Iran, acknowledged obstacles in the Gaza and Ukraine peace efforts, defended ICE operations and warned Republicans could lose seats in the midterms. Here are some...
Wayne County urges residents to get flu shot as infections spike sharply across Metro Detroit
January 16th, 20260 DETROIT — As influenza cases and other seasonal respiratory infections surge sharply, the Wayne County Department of Public Health is urging residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible, warning that flu season is expected to reach its peak over the next two months. In a statement issued on Tuesday, health authorities said...
U.S. tells U.N. Security Council all options on table, Iran warns it will respond to any aggression
January 16th, 20260 The United States stands by the “brave people of Iran” and President Trump "has made it clear all options are on the table to stop the slaughter," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told the U.N. Security Council on Thursday. Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in support of protesters in Iran, where...
Resilient Neighborhoods: Preparing Southwest Detroit youth for power and purpose
January 9th, 20260 By Layla McMurtrie In the Springwells neighborhood of Southwest Detroit, a new generation of leaders is gaining skills, confidence and community through the Leaders in Training (LIT) program at Urban Neighborhood Initiatives (UNI). LIT supports youth ages 14 to 24 by creating a pathway — starting with early exposure in childhood...
Michigan braces for a pivotal election year and record-breaking spending
January 9th, 20260 LANSING — With the start of the new year, the state is preparing for a politically charged year, headlined by elections next fall widely expected to be the most expensive in Michigan’s history. That expectation is driven not only by fierce competition for open statewide offices, but also by the elections’ decisive role in shaping......
Inside Trump’s plans to protect killer ICE agents “no matter what”
January 9th, 20260 Minnesota officials want to investigate ICE’s killing of a mother in Minneapolis. Team Trump has been planning for a moment like this. By Asawin Suebsaeng and Prem Thakker Donald Trump and his administration have always known the time would come that they would have to protect one of their Immigration and...
Dearborn sees decline in traffic crashes as police issue record number of citations
January 9th, 20260 DEARBORN — Data released by the Dearborn Police Department for 2025 shows a noticeable improvement in curbing reckless driving and traffic accidents, amid a record number of citations and the implementation of additional measures aimed at improving road safety across the city. According to figures published on the city’s public......
Detroit records lowest homicide total since 1964, police say
January 9th, 20260 DETROIT – In a clear sign of continued improvements in public safety in a city once known decades ago as the “crime capital” of the United States, 2025 saw Detroit record its lowest number of homicides since 1964, according to Police Chief Todd Bettison. The city recorded 165 homicides last year, a 19 percent decline from the...
ICE kills legal observer in cold blood in Minneapolis
January 9th, 20260 A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Wednesday. The woman, a legal observer identified as Renee Nicole Good, was in her vehicle, apparently attempting to leave the scene. As she did so, an agent emerged, aimed his gun, and shot her in the...
Participating in civic life is our duty as American citizens
January 7th, 20260 It’s a fundamental premise of American democracy that our elected representatives will do what we expect them to do. That doesn’t mean we can dictate every action they take. Overall, however, their job is to represent their constituents, not anyone else. But here’s the catch. Politicians can only do what we want if they know what...
Resilient Neighborhoods: Senegalese immigrants find community of support in west Detroit
January 3rd, 20260 By Carole Hawke-Diop On August 13, the courtyard of the Khadimu Rassul Foundation was a colorful scene of men in kaftans and women in sequined robes and bright headwraps. It was Magal Touba, a feast commemorating the life and teachings of Ahmadou Bamba, a revered saint and leader for Senegal’s Mouride Muslims. On this day, a large......
Rep. Alabas Farhat named Lawmaker of the Year for bipartisan leadership and policy impact
December 26th, 20250 LANSING — State Rep. Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn) has been named Minority Lawmaker of the Year by the Michigan Information & Research Service Inc. (MIRS), a recognition that highlights his growing influence in the Michigan Legislature and his role as a key bridge between Democrats and Republicans on major policy issues. The honor...
National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard fuels anti-Muslim rhetoric, targets Muslim-majority cities led by Dearborn
December 26th, 20251 As anti-Muslim rhetoric intensifies across the United States, particularly toward American Muslim communities led by the city of Dearborn, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard rode what critics describe as a wave of incitement this week, through a highly charged speech at the Americafest Conference, amplifying narratives that......
Judge rejects ballot challenge and upholds Hamtramck’s mayoral election results, opposition appeals
December 26th, 20250 DETROIT, HAMTRAMCK — Hamtramck Mayor-elect Adam Alharbi took another decisive step toward confirming his victory in the November 4 municipal election after a Wayne County Circuit Court judge ruled on Tuesday to reject a request by his opponent, Muhith Mahmood, to count 37 absentee ballots that had been excluded by the county’s Board...
Why Zohran Mamdani won: Demographics, grassroots power and Gaza
December 26th, 20250 Analysts are still working to understand Zohran Mamdani’s decisive victory in last month’s New York mayoral race. Like the blind men in the old Indian story of the “Blind Men and the Elephant”, the explanations offered have been mostly accurate but incomplete. Mamdani’s focus on affordability was appealing, as was his......
