Four days before the US election, presidential candidate Donald Trump made a surprise, last-minute visit to a popular restaurant in downtown Dearborn, Michigan.
The visit, during which Mr Trump was given gifts, signed "Make America Great Again" hats and posed for pictures with locals, was the first by a presidential candidate to the majority Arab-American city.
It energised many voters who were outraged over Kamala Harris and Joe Biden’s policies on Gaza and the Middle East. But it also angered many residents, who stopped frequenting the business and began leaving bad reviews. Many employees were upset.
Less than three weeks later, the owners announced that they would be selling the restaurant.
“Everyone knows that business and politics don’t mix,” Jimmy Chammout, the cafe's new owner, tells The National. He said that while there was some support for the visit, there was a large loss of business. He hopes having new management and a new menu will bring diners back.
The events at The Great Commoner cafe can be viewed as a microcosm of the atmosphere in Dearborn, the capital of Arab America, weeks after Mr Trump took office for the second time.
“There is absolutely a level of contention between those who supported Trump and those that voted for Harris, and even the ones that didn’t,” says Samra Luqman, a community activist and Trump supporter.
“When Trump makes a statement, the people that supported him are getting backlash for it, as if we're responsible for everything he says and does. And at the same time, there is still an ostracisation of those who supported Harris.”
Republican Mr Trump won 43 per cent of the vote in Dearborn, home to the nation’s largest concentration of Arab Americans, and a city that had traditionally been a Democratic stronghold.
A day before Mr Trump took office, the ceasefire in Gaza was announced, bringing with it a sense of relief and some validation to Dearborn.
But in the weeks since, the President, who campaigned on promises to bring peace to the Middle East, has said he plans to take over Gaza and permanently relocate nearly two million Palestinians to neighbouring countries. He also signed an executive order that could revive the so-called Muslim travel ban and said he would crack down on pro-Palestinian protests.
"When we voted for Trump, it wasn't because we liked him; it was because of the war that was happening in Gaza," Ibrahim Tamimi, a Palestinian American who lives outside Dearborn, tells The National.
On the night of the election, Mr Tamimi attended the main celebration of the pro-Trump group of Arab Americans at a shisha shop in Dearborn. He said he knew that if Ms Harris were to win, the war and the horrifying daily images coming out of Gaza would continue.
"He was just the last hope. He said he's going to come and stop the war, but we knew from the past how he was, how he banned Muslims," Mr Tamimi said. "And the war did stop. It was a relief."
Mustapha Hammoud, a Dearborn city councilman who did not vote for Mr Trump, says he was not surprised when he heard of the Gaza takeover plans, referring to his statements before he won the election in which he said he intended to "finish the job".
"I don't know what anyone else was expecting. Anybody who's political knew that this was going to happen," Mr Hammoud told The National. "The question is, are people on the ground feeling different? I still have not spoken personally to one Trump supporter who says they regret their vote yet."
Hussein Dabajah, a resident of nearby city of Dearborn Heights who did not vote for Mr Trump, also says he has not heard anyone say they regret voting for him, and some are saying that his comments on Gaza are a ploy to pressure Israel or urge Arab states to act.
"They say Donald Trump is only saying this because he's going to use this to negotiate a better deal for Palestinians. Whatever," he says.
Ms Luqman says she still attends regularly meetings with the President’s team, including with Ric Grenell, Mr Trump's surrogate during the campaign charged with relations with Arab and Muslim Americans.
Although she finds Mr Trump’s statements on Gaza “horrifying”, she hopes he will rethink his position and that the Arab-American community can use its political power to advance its causes.
Ms Luqman says she has received several calls from people in tears, questioning their decision to vote for Mr Trump.
Arab Americans for Trump, a group that helped the President to lobby in the community, recently condemned the Gaza plans and changed the group name to Arab Americans for Peace.
Last Monday, the group issued a statement urging the Trump administration to do more to stop Israel from halting the entry of aid to Gaza.
"The name change was not really a declaration of war," Bishara Bahbah, chairman of Arab Americans for Peace, tells The National. "I believe Trump at least partially fulfilled his initial promise of stopping the war in Gaza. So far, we've saved thousands of civilians' lives because of the ceasefire."
Residents in Dearborn say despite anger over Mr Trump's statements, there is still little evidence that Ms Harris, who had very little contact with the community, would have been the better choice.
Osama Siblani, publisher of the Dearborn-based, Arabic-English weekly newspaper The Arab American News, did not endorse a candidate this election, nor did the city’s Democratic mayor or its congresswoman, Rashida Tlaib. About 18 per cent of Dearborn residents voted for a third-party candidate.
Mr Siblani says he gets almost daily emails, phone calls and voice messages from people who say Arab and Muslim Americans "deserve" what Mr Trump is doing.
“I don't think anybody is defending Trump right now," he tells The National. "Some people may defend why they voted for him because they thought that he would be a peacemaker. Others say the choices were bad.
“Some other people were just fooled by Trump’s promises to bring peace to the Middle East, and by his reaching out to the community, culminating with his visit to Dearborn.”
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
THE DETAILS
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Director: Ron Howard
2/5
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Crazy Rich Asians
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeon, Gemma Chan
Four stars
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
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Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
More on Quran memorisation:
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
