The Arab American News
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Dearborn to restrict outdoor smoking at hookah lounges
September 11th, 20150 Mango's on Warren Ave. DEARBORN — The city is aiming to restrict outdoor smoking at hookah lounges as part of the hookah lounge ordinance passed earlier this year. Several hookah lounges that incorporated outdoor smoking in their establishments must now petition the City Council for permission to continue serving hookah...
Good Burger blends American dining with halal options
September 11th, 20150 DEARBORN — The newly opened Good Burger restaurant on Michigan Ave. blends fast food and retro American dining, offering halal options and a casual place for people to hang out. Owner Zo Olabi called the third manifestation of the restaurant a fast-casual restaurant environment. Its original location was at a gas station...
YABA distributes scholarships at 46th annual dinner
September 11th, 20150 The Yemen American Benevolent Association (YABA) celebrated its 46 anniversary on Saturday, Sept. 5, by awarding scholarships to college students at its annual dinner. Community activists and elected officials attended the event at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center. Activist Hanan Yehya emceed the gala, introducing several speakers who...
Border Patrol frequently seizes international travelers’ money
September 11th, 20150 TSA agents check a passenger's bags, Secaucus, New Jersey Jan. 31, 2014.DETROIT - Border Patrol agents often seize large sums of money from individuals and families who are penalized for failing to declare the amount of cash they’re carrying when traveling outside of the United States. When traveling outside the U.S., people...
An open letter to the Chaldean community: Dialogue is needed
September 11th, 20150 Arab-Chaldean relations have reached a critical point. Repeated attempts by some Chaldeans to attack, smear and ridicule Arab and Muslim Americans can no longer be tolerated. This rising bigotry should be addressed with reason and dialogue within and between both communities. Members of the Chaldean community took turns trying to...Sterling Heights desecrated the Constitution; we must act
On Sept. 10, the Sterling Heights Planning Commission rejected the proposed mosque on 15 Mile Road. As explained in a previous editorial, zoning and residential concerns against the mosque were thinly veiled lies that failed to hide the rampant Islamophobia expressed by bigots who opposed the house of worship. We have to organize...
Sterling Heights rejects mosque proposal amid escalating tensions
September 11th, 20150 Hundreds of residents gathered outside of Sterling Heights to protest the mosque.STERLING HEIGHTS — The City Planning Commission voted unanimously to reject a proposed mosque on 15 Mile Road on Thursday, September 10, as hundreds of residents packed inside and outside of City Hall in opposition to the center. The proposal...Bishop on leave, under investigation for sexual misconduct
DEARBORN HEIGHTS — An Orthodox bishop has been placed on leave after allegations of sexual misconduct. Dearborn Heights Archbishop Nathaniel Popp announced on Tuesday that his auxiliary bishop the Right Rev Irineu Duvlea, is under investigation. In a statement, Popp said Duvlea, 53, is presumed innocent but will remain on leave and...Research finds a drastic increase in shark population on the east coast
MIAMI — U.S. shark researchers caught and tagged 2,835 sharks along the East Coast this spring, a record number which they say reflects a growing population thanks to federal protections. It surpassed the 1,831 sharks captured and tagged in 2012 during the survey which is conducted every three years by the National Oceanic and...Russia raises stakes on Syriaa head of U.N. meeting
DAMASCUS – By refusing to clarify the scale of its military presence in Syria, Russia keeps the West fearing a considerable build-up to win a stronger bargaining position when world powers sit down to talks on the conflict, Western diplomats in Moscow said. Those discussions could take place as soon as this month, when Russian...
Local imam meets American citizen in Iranian prison
September 10th, 20150 Amir HekmatiDEARBORN HEIGHTS – Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi, the spiritual leader of the Islamic House of Wisdom, visited imprisoned American veteran Amir Hekmati in Tehran last month and lobbied Iranian officials to release him. Hekmati, 32, a former U.S. marine from Flint, is one of four Americans detained in Iran. He was arrested...
H & M features hijabi model in new fall campaign
September 10th, 20150 H & M's fall campaign features a Muslim women and a Sikh man. This week, H&M surprised many when they launched a brand new denim collection featuring a Muslim woman in a headscarf and Sikh men in turbans. In the photo, the Muslim woman stands in a doorway, in big round movie star shades with wide legged palazzo pants,...
Snyder leads investment mission to Japan, Germany
September 10th, 20150 LANSING – Gov. Rick Snyder is leading an investment mission to Japan and Germany to strengthen trade relationships between Michigan and the two nations. Snyder aims to attract business investments that will create jobs and expand markets for Michigan-made goods.Snyder will meet with government and business leaders in both...Poetry corner: September
As a part of its continuing effort to share a portion of the literary wealth of Arabic poetry with the English reader, The Arab American News translates a poem by the legendary Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani.SeptemberPoetry always arrivesWith the rainAnd your beautiful face always arrivesWith the rainLove does not beginUntil the music of...Local artist to start art supply truck
Sami SalamehDEARBORN — Local resident Sami Salameh is starting a business out of a truck. But don’t expect to buy tacos, burgers or hot dogs. Salameh is looking to sell art supplies, including paint, paper and brushes. It will be the area's first mobile art supplies store. "I'm putting the whole concept of an art retail......
Local man raises $10,000 for Syria’s refugees
September 9th, 20150 A graffiti depicting the drowned Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi in Sorocaba, BrazilDETROIT – The photo of Aylan Kurdi's lifeless body on the shores of Turkey last week has moved the community to wish that we could do something about the plight of the Syrian people. But a Detroit man actually started an initiative to help...
Two brothers killed in Florida convenience store
September 9th, 20150 The Family of the Yousef brothers grieving at the scene of the crime. PALMETTO- Two brothers were killed in their convenience store in Palmetto Florida on Monday, September 6 by a lone gunman.23-year old Khasen and 17-year old Faares Yousef, were killed execution style at "Snappy's Convenience Store" by a man who has now been identified......
Sen. Peters to vote in favor of the Iran agreement
September 8th, 20150 Peters meets Arab American activists, Sept. 1WASHINGTON – Sen. Gary Peters announced on Tuesday that he will vote in favor of the Iran nuclear agreement. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed in Vienna in July between Iran, the United States and the other leading world powers in the P5+1. The deal decreases...
Islamophobia crimes up 70 percent in London: Muslim women being spit on and punched
September 7th, 20150 The number of hate crimes against Muslims in London has risen by over 70 percent, according to police figures.The majority of targets have involved women who wear veils.There were 816 Islamophobic offences recorded across the city in the 12 months up to July this year, compared with 478 for the previous 12 months.In Merton, the...Is Obama America’s first Muslim president? Republicans think so
54 percent of Republican voters still think that President Obama is a Muslim, despite numerous times where he identified himself as a Christian. The poll was taken by the left-leaning Public Policy Polling (PPP).Asked whether they thought Obama is a Christian or Muslim or if they were unsure, 32 percent said they were unsure. Only 14...
Mother of burned Palestinian baby dies of wounds
September 7th, 20150 18-month-old Ali Saad Dawabsha pictured with his father Saad and mother Riham RAMALLAH — The mother of an 18-month-old Palestinian baby burned to death in an arson attack in the occupied West Bank, has herself died from injuries sustained during the attack.Reham Dawabsheh, 26, who died on Sunday night in an Israeli hospital, had......
Britain to take in 20,000 Syrian refugees over five years
David Cameron leaves 10 Downing Street in London, Sept. 7. Photo: ReutersLONDON — British Prime Minister David Cameron pledged on Monday to take in up to 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next five years, responding to public clamor for his government to help those fleeing civil war in the country."We are proposing that Britain should...MSU museum features UAE modern art exhibit
LANSING — Michigan State University is feature the work of modern artists from the United Arab Emirates at its Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum. The exhibit, which opened on Aug. 29, is a part of Past Forward, a cultural diplomacy program that brings Emirati artwork and artists to the United States. The exhibition, organized by......
Palestinians push to fly their flag at the U.N.
RAMALLAH — Israel complained to the United Nations on Tuesday about a Palestinian initiative to fly the Palestinian flag alongside those of full member states at the world body's headquarters, calling it "another cynical misuse of the U.N. by the Palestinian Authority." Currently, only member states' flags fly at the U.N....Appeals court asked to halt NSA phone spying program
A U.S. appeals court appeared reluctant on Wednesday to put an immediate halt to the federal government's collection of millions of Americans' phone records, with the controversial spy program set to expire in November. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York found the program illegal in May, ruling that the Patriot Act did......