Author: Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland. His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing. Email Ray Hanania at [email protected]. Follow RayHanania at Twitter

Arab Americans participate in Orland Park Memorial Day Commemoration May 25, 2026

May 26, 2026May 26, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

Arab Americans participate in Orland Park Memorial Day Commemoration May 25, 2026 By Ray Hanania Leaders of the Arab American community joined in the celebration of Memorial Day in Orland Park on Monday, May 25, 2026, led by Mayor Jim Dodge and including former Consolidated School District 230 Board member and current member of the…

American Arabs, Christian & Muslim, News, NewsWire, Ray Hanania, war

Arab community thanks Aviation Officials for permanent O’Hare prayer center for hired drivers

May 23, 2026May 23, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

Arab community thanks Aviation Officials for permanent O’Hare prayer center for hired drivers By Ray Hanania Chicago’s Aviation Department has erected a permanent structure for Limo, Uber Black and Lyft drivers as a safe place to address personal and religious needs while they wait for customers. The new permanent structure replaces a modified Tent that…

Activism, American Arabs, Christian & Muslim, Human Rights, Islamophobia, News, NewsWire, racism, Ray Hanania

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) welcomes two new board members

May 16, 2026May 16, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) welcomes two new board members Board Additions Bring Decades of Legal Excellence and Deep-Rooted Commitment to Arab American Civil Rights The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) today announces the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors: Johnny Simon, a nationally recognized trial attorney, and Cheryl Faris, a veteran civil rights…

American Arabs, Civil Rights, Culture, Human Rights, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Politics, racism, The Arab Street, US Arab Politics

New expo in New Jersey to focus on Arab and Middle Eastern foods

May 13, 2026May 16, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

New expo in New Jersey to focus on Arab and Middle Eastern foods A new food expo to be held in New Jersey June 22 – 24, 2026, will, for the first time, put the focus on Arab and Middle East foods, and features Greek, Iranian, Indian, Turkish foods, making it easier for North American,…

American Arabs, Business, Culture, Event, Events, Food, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, recipe, Spotlight

Federal Indictment Charges filed against Suburban Chicago Businessman with orchestrating $4 Million fraud schemes

May 8, 2026May 8, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

Federal Indictment Charges filed against Suburban Chicago Businessman with orchestrating $4 Million fraud schemes A suburban Chicago businessman from Indiana who operated a business in Orland Park, Illinois, has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly orchestrating a pair of fraud schemes that netted him more than $4 million. An indictment unsealed Wednesday in U.S….

American Arabs, crime, News, NewsWire, US Attorney Northern Illinois

AHRC: Mental Health Month Renews Calls for Bold, System‑Wide Action on Mental Health:

May 7, 2026May 7, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

AHRC: Mental Health Month Renews Calls for Bold, System‑Wide Action on Mental Health: The American Human Rights Council (AHRC) joins the nation in recognizing May as Mental Health Month, which has been observed annually since 1949. This month honors the millions of people living with mental health conditions—circumstances no one chooses, yet many still endure…

American Arabs, Christian & Muslim, Civil Rights, Culture, Health, Human Rights, immigrants, Michigan, News, NewsWire, Spotlight

AG Nessel Charges Fay Beydoun with 16 Felonies for Stealing Global Link International Grant Funding

May 7, 2026May 7, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

AG Nessel Charges Fay Beydoun with 16 Felonies for Stealing Global Link International Grant Funding On May 6, 2026, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced 16 felony charges against Fay Beydoun, 62, of Farmington Hills, for the alleged theft of funds and fraudulent administration of a $20 million state legislative grant awarded to Global Link International,…

American Arabs, crime, Michigan, News, NewsWire

Politics in a Parallel Universe: Iraq’s Leadership Crisis and the Iran War

May 1, 2026May 13, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

Politics in a Parallel Universe: Iraq’s Leadership Crisis and the Iran War By Harith Hasan The Iraqi government and the leaders of the country’s ruling political factions have every reason for alarm. The US–Israeli war on Iran—and its profound consequences for Iraq’s security, political stability, and economy—has produced a national crisis. Yet in Baghdad, political…

Arab Center Washington DC, Arab World, International news, Iraq, Middle East, News, NewsWire

Sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians driving displacement, warn UN experts

April 30, 2026April 30, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

Sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians driving displacement, warn UN experts UN experts today, April 30, 2026, expressed grave concern that sexual violence has become a tool of Israeli occupation, committing genocide, perpetuating the system of oppression by intimidating the Palestinian population and driving their forcible transfer. “Israeli sexual violence has become embedded in Palestinians’…

Christian & Muslim, Civil Rights, Human Rights, Israel, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Press Releases, refugees, Terrorism, war crimes, Women's rights

24 members of Congress demand US probes of American Arabs killed by Israel

April 30, 2026May 14, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

24 members of Congress demand US probes of American Arabs killed by Israel By Ray Hanania As the one-year anniversary of the killing of an American Arab Khamis Ayyad by Israeli settlers approaches, 24 members of the U.S. Congress expressed frustration in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Acting U.S. Attorney…

Activism, American Arabs, Christian & Muslim, Civil Rights, Congress, crime, Human Rights, Israel, Middle East, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Politics, Ray Hanania

Cook County Treasurer Pappas Honors Arab American Leaders during Heritage Month Celebration

April 29, 2026April 29, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

Cook County Treasurer Pappas Honors Arab American Leaders during Heritage Month Celebration Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas celebrated Arab American Heritage Month by recognizing more than two dozen distinguished business, civic, political and religious leaders from across Chicagoland at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 29th. The event took place today, Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at 2…

Activism, American Arabs, Christian & Muslim, Culture, Event, Events, Food, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Press Releases

Hearing this week on bill to repeal Illinois’ discriminatory BDS bill

April 27, 2026April 27, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

Hearing this week on bill to repeal Illinois’ discriminatory BDS bill Statement from State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid on the drive to repeal the discriminatory anti-BDS Bill in Pringfield: The Illinois Human Rights Advocacy Protection Act, HB 2723, is officially in committee, and the hearing is scheduled for Thursday. Our bill repeals Illinois’ 2015 anti-boycott law,…

American Arabs, Christian & Muslim, Civil Rights, Culture, Islamophobia, Israel, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Politics, racism, Spotlight

Chicago to dedicate street in honor of Arab American businessman Jamil “Jimmy” Ayesh

April 23, 2026April 23, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

Chicago to dedicate street in honor of Arab American businessman Jamil “Jimmy” Ayesh Jamil “Jimmy” Ayesh owned a grocery store that helped all of the neighbors in the Back of the Yards community. In honor of his legacy, Chicago will install an honorary sign recognizing his humanity. The street sign placement will be dedicated on…

American Arabs, Business, Christian & Muslim, Culture, immigrants, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Photographs, Spotlight

Israel’s death penalty law constitutes discriminatory regime of capital punishment: UN experts

April 9, 2026April 9, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

Israel’s death penalty law constitutes discriminatory regime of capital punishment: UN experts Israel’s new law effectively providing for the death penalty solely against Palestinians constitutes a discriminatory regime of capital punishment and manifestly violates Israel’s obligations under international human rights law, UN experts* said today. “We condemn the Knesset’s adoption of this law and call…

Christian & Muslim, Israel, Middle East, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, racism, Terrorism

National Arab American Heritage Month Launches April 1, 2026—Arab America Foundation Unites Communities Nationwide

April 1, 2026April 1, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

National Arab American Heritage Month Launches April 1, 2026—Arab America Foundation Unites Communities Nationwide April 2026 is National Arab American Heritage Month in the United States WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 1, 2026)— The Arab America Foundation (AAF) is leading the nationwide celebration of National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM) this April, uniting communities across the United States…

American Arabs, Christian & Muslim, Culture, Event, Events, Features, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Spotlight

Arab Center Washington D.C. hosts conference on Trump upending democracy and diplomacy April 9, 2026

March 31, 2026April 5, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

Arab Center Washington D.C. hosts conference on Trump upending democracy and diplomacy April 9, 2026 Chicago, IL — The Arab Center of Washington D.C. has a power-packed program to address the dramatic international foreign policy changes and policies being pursued by President Donald Trump. Trump was inaugurated to his second term in January 2025, succeeding…

American Arabs, Arab Center Washington DC, Arab Radio, Arab World, Arab World Politics, Christian & Muslim, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Middle East, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Podcast, Politics, Radio Podcast, Ray Hanania, Spotlight, US Arab Politics, war, war crimes

ADC Sues City of Miami Beach for Silencing Pro-Palestine Speech

March 27, 2026March 27, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

ADC Sues City of Miami Beach for Silencing Pro-Palestine Speech The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) today filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Miami Beach, its mayor Steven Meiner, and several other city officials for violating the First Amendment rights of Raquel Pacheco, a veteran and resident of Miami Beach, after police were sent to…

Activism, Legal, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, racism

Heeb Magazine offers new podcast, and join Heeb Media Guild

March 27, 2026March 27, 2026 Ray Hanania No Comments

Heeb Magazine offers new podcast, and join Heeb Media Guild Your friends at Heeb have been busy! In this issue: It’s a podcast network! We found your long lost Heeb t-shirt Does Bibi belong in jail? A nostalgic newsletter for OG Heebsters Join the Heeb Media Guild Check it all out below! Introducing… the Heeb…

Activism, Commentary, Entertainment, Israel, Journalism, Middle East, News, NewsWire, Palestine & Jordan, Politics, Satire