The Arab American News
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Elected officials met Muslim constituents on Michigan Muslim Capitol Day
May 15th, 20150 LANSING — Muslim Americans from across the state gathered at the capitol for Michigan Muslim Capitol Day on May 12. Officials and leaders from both the Democratic and Republican parties participated in the event, organized by the Michigan Muslim Council. Muslim Americans had the opportunity to meet with elected officials...
United Healthcare donates laptops to HYPE Recreation Center
May 15th, 20150 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — United Healthcare recently donated seven laptop computers to HYPE Recreation Center in Dearborn Heights to increase computer and Internet access in the community. The donation is part of 35 computers the company is donating to community organizations across the state. The donation will help establish a...
Domestic violence discussions take center stage in the Arab American community
May 15th, 20150 DEARBORN – Discussion about domestic violence emerged from the shadows in the Arab American community following a tragic murder-suicide last week. While domestic violence appears to have no limits— it affects various communities and all ages and demographics— it is still a hard pill to swallow for many in this community. The...
Vatican recognizes state of Palestine
May 15th, 20150 VATICAN CITY — The Vatican concluded its first treaty that formally recognizes the State of Palestine, with an agreement on Catholic Church activities in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority, the Holy See said on Wednesday. The agreement "aims to enhance the life and activities of the Catholic Church and its recognition at...
Exhibit tells Muslims’ stories through gravestones
May 15th, 20150 DEARBORN — On his gravestone, Arab poet Al-Ma'arri wrote, "This is what my father gave me, and I did not give it to anybody." Even if you haven't heard of the poet, you can learn about his life from the stone marking his death. He lived a rough life and did not have children. University of Michigan-Dearborn political...Nakba Day: Palestine will not be forgotten
May 15 marks the 67th anniversary of al-Nakba, the catastrophe of Palestine that still haunts the conscience of every Arab on the globe. More than 700,000 Palestinians were driven out of their homeland to make space for the creation of the state of Israel. And while Palestinians commemorate their loss that continues to grow by the day,...
Activists demand Rush Limbaugh apologize for controversial statements about Dearborn Sweets
May 14th, 20150 DEARBORN—On Thursday, May 7 activists stood outside Dearborn Sweets demanding an apology from Rush Limbaugh after the radio host made controversial comments about the company. The event, “Fight Bigotry With Baklava” was held outside Dearborn Sweets only a month after a YouTube...
Vatican recognizes state of Palestine
May 13th, 20150 Pope Francis at Israel's Separation Wall in Bethlehem.The Vatican concluded its first treaty that formally recognises the State of Palestine, with an agreement on Catholic Church activities in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority, the Holy See said on Wednesday.The agreement "aims to enhance the life and activities of the...
Metro Detroit organizations join forces to host 11th annual National Arab American Service Day
May 13th, 20150 DETROIT—Over 300 Detroit-area residents will join nearly 2,000 volunteers from 10 cities and the District of Columbia on Saturday, May 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the 11th annual National Arab American Service Day. Hosted by the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), in partnership with DTE...
BREAKING: ICA board of directors accepts Sayed Hassan Qazwini’s resignation
May 10th, 20150 DEARBORN—The Arab American News has learned the Islamic Center of America’s (ICA) board of directors held a meeting Saturday, May 9 and voted to accept the resignation of Imam Sayed Hassan Qazwini. The longtime spiritual leader's resignation is effective immediately. The meeting was chaired by vice chair...
WDIV anchor Carmen Harlan apologizes for remarks that offended Arab groups
May 8th, 20150 DETROIT—During a newscast Thursday night WDIV news anchor Carmen Harlan apologized for marking remarks on air that Arab groups criticized. In a broadcast aired live on Channel 4 News on May 6, when asked about a possible, unauthenticated "ISIS threat in Michigan", Harlan suggested that she was "not surprised...
Civil rights leader Dr. Robert Green urges unity and education
May 8th, 20150 DEARBORN — From being an associate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to promoting diversity in education and urging the youth to pursue it, Dr. Robert Green has dedicated his life to the civil rights struggle. He says the faces of discrimination have changed from the peaceful march in Selma to the "riots" in Baltimore, but...
Muslim leaders urge community to ignore bigotry after Texas attacks
May 8th, 20150 DALLAS — U.S. investigators believe two men killed after opening fire on a Texas event that offered a prize for cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad represent an evolving model of “lone wolf” militants who are radicalized partly by themselves and partly through long-distance engagement with organized militants. The attack on Sunday,...
Students can register to win $2,500 from Red Cross summer scholarship program
May 8th, 20150 DETROIT — This summer, high school and college students can win a scholarship by hosting an American Red Cross blood drive through the Leaders Save Lives program. Registration is now open to host a participating blood drive between June 1 and Aug. 31. The Leaders Save Lives program encourages community-minded 16- to...
Vice President Biden says Detroit is coming back
May 8th, 20150 DETROIT — During his keynote address at the Detroit Branch NAACP’s 60th Annual Fight For Freedom Fund Dinner Sunday, May 3 at the Cobo Conference Center, Vice President Biden discussed Detroit’s comeback. "Buses are moving ... the streets are plowed, the trash is picked up. People ... are back to work. You are coming back.......
Senate panel raises privacy concerns in White House hacking incident
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee has written President Obama over concerns that a recently reported data breach on the White House computer system might have compromised the personal information of many Americans. "Just like any entity that handles personally-identifiable information, the White House has a...Baltimore asks Justice Department to investigate police practices
BALTIMORE — Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake asked the U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday to investigate the city's police department for civil rights violations after the death of a Black man from injuries sustained in police custody. The investigation will look into police practices such as frisks, street stops of......
Birzeit wins again: Students of the West Bank unite
In November 1993, I was on a mission. At the age of 21, I wanted to change the world, starting with Birzeit University, the second-largest Palestinian university in the West Bank, situated near Ramallah, in the heart of the occupied territories. Back then I had made a name for myself with my nationalist poetry and my first poetry...
Netanyahu forms new government with far right
May 8th, 20150 Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu shakes hands with Naftali Bennett, the head of the right-wing Jewish Home party, May 6.TEL AVIV — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed an agreement Thursday giving a senior role to the far-right Jewish Home party, which firmly opposes a Palestinian state, hours after forging a new...ISIS claims to have militants in 15 states
WASHINGTON — The extremist group has put an unverified warning message on the Internet and suggested that more bloodshed will come following the attack in Garland, Texas last weekend. ISIS had previously taken the credit for the shooting attack in Texas but the White House and other security experts are doubtful of the group’s...
NSA’s phone spying program ruled illegal by appeals court
May 8th, 20150 NEW YORK — A U.S. spying program that systematically collects millions of Americans' phone records is illegal, a federal appeals court ruled on Thursday, putting pressure on Congress to quickly decide whether to replace or end the controversial anti-terrorism surveillance. Ruling on a program revealed by former government......
Houthis attack Saudi town, air strikes continue
SANAA — Saudi-led forces said on Thursday they would respond harshly against Yemen's Houthi rebels following attacks on citizens in border areas, hours after the kingdom offered a five-day humanitarian truce if the militants stopped fighting. Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, said the Houthis had...
Hezbollah advances in Qalamoun, U.S. military to train rebels
May 8th, 20150 DAMASCUS — Syrian army bombing in the mountainous area along the border with Lebanon killed dozens of insurgents and helped regain hilly territory overlooking Hezbollah strongholds, the Lebanese group said on Thursday. For years, hideouts in the Qalamoun mountains have allowed al-Qaeda-linked insurgents to attack Syrian soldiers and......
Small business challenge offers $500,000 to existing businesses
May 8th, 20150 DETROIT — New Economy Initiative (NEI), a special project of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, kicked-off the return of NEIdeas: Rewarding Ideas for Business Growth, a two-tiered challenge awarding $500,000 to existing small businesses in Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park. Last year, a handful of Arab American...We condemn terror and bigotry in Texas
Two gunmen were shot dead Sunday while trying to attack a gathering in Garland, Texas that showcased cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammad. These men did not represent the Muslim community. Muslim Americans, like all Americans, reject violence and terrorism. But there is another side to the incident. The woman behind the cartoon......