The Arab American News
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Fall registration now open at Henry Ford College
July 23rd, 20150 DEARBORN — Students can now register for fall courses at Henry Ford College. The fall semester begins Thursday, Aug. 27. HFC offers courses and programs that respond to the changing needs of students, community and corporate partners. In addition, HFC continues to develop relationships with industry sectors and organizations that...Where the presidency is headed
Before the ins and outs of the 2016 presidential contest become a preoccupation for many of us, it seems a good time to step back and look at the office of the presidency for which so many candidates are vying. The presidency inherited by whoever wins next November will be substantially changed from the position his or her predecessors...Camps for Arabs and Muslims?
Bigotry in America is reaching dangerous levels. There has always been a fear in our community that the growing xenophobia would lead to World War II-style interment camps for Arab and Muslim Americans. While the idea seemed far-fetched, a national figure recently suggested putting people who are "likely to be radicalized" in...
Dearborn Board of Education appoints Fadwa Alawieh
July 23rd, 20150 Alawieh.DEARBORN – On Monday, June 20, the Dearborn Board of Education selected Fadwa Alawieh to fill the vacant seat left by former trustee Aimee Schoelles, who resigned last month after accepting a job in Ohio.Alawieh was one of 20 Dearborn residents who applied for the position. The school board conducted 15 minute interviews with...The economic upshot of the Iran deal
For all the hot air in Washington this week from Republicans denouncing the historic deal the United States and five world powers reached with Iran, keep in mind that gasoline may soon fall back to $2 a gallon. That is just one of many economic benefits to America, Europe and the Middle East we can anticipate because the smart use of...At least six U.S. states move to arm National Guard offices
FLORIDA - The governors of Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Indiana on Saturday ordered National Guard members at offices and other facilities to be armed in the wake of attacks that left five servicemen dead in Tennessee. "It is painful enough when we lose members of our armed forces when they are sent in harm's way,...Flag dispute triggers clash at South Carolina capitol
COLUMBIA, S.C - At least five people were arrested on Saturday as white-supremacist and African-American groups clashed outside the South Carolina State House, where the Confederate battle flag was removed last week after a half-century, authorities said. Beginning at noon, a Florida-based group called Black Educators for Justice...South Carolina church shooting suspect to face U.S. hate crime charges
WASHINGTON - The white man charged in South Carolina with the murders of nine African-Americans at a historic Charleston church last month will face federal hate crime charges, media outlets reported on Wednesday, citing U.S. law enforcement sources. The federal charges against Dylann Roof are expected to be made public later on...
FBI says still not known if Tennessee shooting suspect was radicalized
July 22nd, 20150 The FBI still has not determined whether the suspect in the fatal shootings of five U.S. servicemen in Tennessee last week was radicalized in the run-up to the rampage, the special agent in charge of the investigation said on Wednesday. But investigators believe that the suspect, Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez, acted on his own on the...Four plead guilty in death of Westland woman
Westland — Four men pled guilty Monday in the fatal beating death of a Westland woman whose body was dumped along a road in Dearborn Heights six months ago. Randy Batts and Terrence Johnson plead guilty to second degree murder in the death of 46-year-old Diedra Akins in the home she shared with Johnson. In addition, Michael Bashlor...
BREAKING: Gov. Rick Snyder declares financial emergency in Wayne County
July 22nd, 20150 Wayne County Executive Warren Evans DETROIT—Gov. Rick Snyder confirmed Thursday that a financial emergency exists in Wayne County. The announcement comes after Snyder appointed a review team to closely examine Wayne County’s finances. This week, the team determined a financial emergency exists. Snyder had 10...Mass surveillance is all about money and power
“We are under pressure from the Treasury to justify our budget; and commercial espionage is one way of making a direct contribution to the nation’s balance of payments” -Sir Colin McColl, former MI6 Chief. For years, public figures have condemned cyber espionage committed against the United States by intruders launching their...U.S. officials accuse Oregon imam of hiding militant past
PORTLAND, ORE. - U.S. authorities are seeking to revoke the citizenship of an Oregon imam who they say fought with Afghan mujahideen in the 1980s and dealt with al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, then lied about his past when he became a naturalized citizen, court documents showed. The civil complaint filed in federal court in Portland,...
Dearborn City Council refers parks smoking ban to Recreation Commission
July 21st, 20150 DEARBORN— The city council will not vote at tonight’s meeting on an ordinance that would ban smoking at city-owned parks. It has referred the proposal to the recreation commission, which will make recommendations to amend the ordinance.However, according to the council and commission's calendars, it is unlikely that the ordinance...Man stabbed 15 times in busy Beirut street
A still image from a video that captured the incidentBEIRUT — The deadly stabbing of a man in broad daylight in one of Beirut’s busiest streets and in front of dozens of bystanders has shaken Lebanese society and raised questions about the perceived culture of impunity in the country.Scores of people took to the streets on Friday......
Updated: Two arrested suspects linked to larceny and home invasions
July 20th, 20150 ChoucairDEARBORN — An Arab American woman and her male accomplice were arrested on July 14 after Dearborn Police responded to a breaking and entering 911 call.Alicia Choucair, 21, and Derrick Fletcher are believed to be linked to a string of home and car invasions in both Dearborn and Dearborn...
Muslim woman photographed with paintball gun causes scare in New York
July 19th, 20150 NEW YORK CITY - A Muslim woman captured carrying a paitball gun caused a scare in Staten Island on Friday. The woman in a headscarf was seen with four young men along Midland Beach transferring the black "weapons" between two cars. After the photos began circulating, local residents in the area feared that an attack was......
Exiled Yemeni government ministers return to Aden
ADEN — Senior members of Yemen's exiled administration flew into Aden on Thursday to make preparations for the government's return, an official said, three months after being pushed out by the armed Houthi group. The visit by ministers and intelligence officials follows military setbacks for the Houthis at the hands of Saudi-backed...Syrian army, Hezbollah advance in Zabadani
BEIRUT — The Syrian army backed by Lebanese ally Hezbollah has advanced deeper into the besieged Syrian city of Zabadani two weeks into a campaign to capture it from insurgents, both rebels and the army said. The control of the city, about 30 miles northwest of the capital Damascus, is seen as crucial to consolidate government-held...Snapchat features Tel Aviv, the West Bank and Mecca in separate feeds
CALIFORNIA — On July 7, Snapchat’s live feed focused on Tel Aviv, with various people who lived in the city sharing their daily experiences. The live Snapchat story quickly received criticism and sparked outrage on Twitter because the focus on Tel Aviv occurred during the one year anniversary of the 50 day war between Israel and the...Thank you, Aimee
Schoelles.This week, the Dearborn Board of Education bid farewell to its president, Aimee Schoelles (formerly Aimee Blackburn). She resigned her position after nearly 15 years of service on the Board of Education and local community organizations, especially as an active member of the Arab American Political Action Committee......
The Iran deal is a good one
A historic deal has been reached with Iran over its nuclear program. The Obama administration has succeeded in convincing the Islamic Republic to considerably reduce its nuclear activities to a point that makes it impossible to produce a nuclear weapon. The agreement, which lifts economic sanctions on Iran, is sensible. It...
Councilman Abraham: My commitment to the community is unwavering
July 17th, 20150 DEARBORN — After supporting a string of ordinances that some Arab Americans perceived as targeting them, Councilman Robert Abraham's connection with his Arab American identity has been questioned. But in an interview with The Arab American News, the councilman said he is loyal to his heritage, which has helped shape him as a......
Arab American presence in Michigan Democratic Party solidified
July 17th, 20150 New MDP chair Brandon Dillon (C) with the head of the Dearborn Democratic Club Sami Khaldi and his wife Sahar Khaldi, who is also a political activist.PORT HURON — The Michigan Democratic Party elected a new chairperson at its annual convention in Port Huron on July 11. The gathering also solidified the role of Arab Americans within...
Happy Pizza’s founder to serve four years in prison
July 17th, 20150 DETROIT — On Friday, July 10, Happy Asker, the president and founder of the pizza chain Happy’s Pizza, was sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay 2.5 million in restitution for tax fraud. Asker started Happy’s Pizza with a single store, which later grew to include 75 locations around the country. Asker and......
