The Arab American News
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Final results confirm Sadr’s victory in last month’s Iraqi vote
November 30th, 20210 BAGHDAD — Iraq released final results on Tuesday from last month's general election, confirming populist Shi'a cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's movement's victory as the biggest bloc, with 73 seats in the fractious 329-seat house. The Taqaddum Party, which draws support from minority Sunni Muslims, won 37 seats. Former Prime Minister...
Apple files lawsuit against NSO Group, saying U.S. citizens were targets
November 25th, 20210 CALIFORNIA — Apple Inc. said on Tuesday it has filed a lawsuit against Israeli cyber firm NSO Group and its parent company OSY Technologies for alleged surveillance and targeting of U.S. Apple users with its Pegasus spyware. The iPhone maker said it is also seeking to ban NSO Group from using any Apple software, services or devices...
We need a new way to measure COVID
November 25th, 20210 — This article by Abdul El-Sayed originally appeared in the newsletter The Incision. It has been edited for style. Subscribe to The Incision here: incision.substack.com Throughout the pandemic, Europe has been a harbinger of what’s coming next on this side of the pond. And across Europe, COVID cases are climbing. In the U.K.,...
Children skipping meals in majority of families in Lebanon, UNICEF says
November 25th, 20210 BEIRUT — More than half of families in Lebanon had at least one child who skipped a meal by October amid a "dramatic deterioration of living conditions," the U.N.'s children's fund said in a report released on Tuesday. Children have been hit hard by the country's deep economic crisis exacerbated by the global coronavirus pandemic,...
What’s really on trial in Kenosha and Glynn County?
November 19th, 20211 — This article by Abdul El-Sayed originally appeared in the newsletter The Incision. It has been edited for style. Subscribe to The Incision here: incision.substack.com Last week, Kyle Rittenhouse pulled a Brett Kavanaugh and ugly cried on the witness stand in a desperate plea for sympathy. His made-for-Twitter hysterics were...
U.S. senators move to block $650 million arms sale to Saudi Arabia
November 18th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — A group of U.S. senators are opposing the Biden administration's first major arms sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over Riyadh's involvement in the conflict in Yemen, three senators announced on Thursday. A joint resolution of disapproval to block a proposed $650 million in U.S. arms sales to the Kingdom of...
Dearborn trash collection delayed for Thanksgiving holiday, Nov. 25
November 18th, 20210 DEARBORN — The city of Dearborn is reminding residents that trash, recycling and curbside waste pickup will be interrupted due to Thanksgiving and that most city buildings will be closed for the Thursday, Nov. 25 holiday. Trash, recycling and curbside waste collection will be delayed by one day for the Thursday and Friday trash...
Gaddafi, Haftar announce election bids amid political uncertainty in Libya
November 16th, 20210 TRIPOLI — The entry of two men accused of war crimes into Libya's presidential race has ramped up the perils of an election meant to help end years of chaos but which could instead set the fuse for a new conflict. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, wanted by the International Criminal Court for his role in crushing the 2011 revolution that...
Dearborn City Council election results broken down by precincts show plunking citywide
November 15th, 20210 DEARBORN – Now that the general election dust has settled, The Arab American News examined Dearborn election results broken down by precincts. Here are some observations based on the detailed results: • The candidates' rankings in the different areas of the city (see tables) offer several key conclusions: 1. Dearborn’s...
Republican state senator-elect who expressed Islamophobia in tweets “committed to renouncing” hate speech during meeting with Muslims
November 12th, 20210 NEW JERSEY – The Republican who defeated New Jersey's State Senate president last week has "committed to renouncing" hate speech amid criticism of old tweets he posted expressing Islamophobia, a Muslim advocacy group in the state said Wednesday. State Sen.-elect Edward Durr met with Muslim community leaders in the state last...
Palestinian ends 113-day hunger strike
November 12th, 20210 A Palestinian prisoner ended a 113-day hunger strike on Thursday after Israel agreed not to extend his detention without trial beyond February, Palestinian officials said. Miqdad al-Qawasmi's mother voiced concern for his life earlier this week after his condition deteriorated. The officials said he refused food during the protest, but...
A Florida man who threatened to kill U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar has been convicted
November 11th, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. – A 73-year-old man in Venice, Florida, has been convicted of threatening three members of Congress, and U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) said she was one of the targets. A federal jury found Frank Anthony Pezzuto guilty Wednesday of sending "three separate threatening communications to injure certain members of...
A long journey to a “historic” election
November 5th, 20210 This week, headlines regarding Tuesday’s election across local, national and international media included some version of the word "historic." Not surprising when one takes into consideration that three Arab American candidates in some of the state’s densest cities enjoyed landslide victories for mayoral races: Amer Ghalib in...
U.S. blacklists Israeli hacking tool vendor NSO Group
November 3rd, 20210 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Commerce Department added Israel's NSO Group and Candiru to its trade blacklist on Wednesday, saying they sold spyware to foreign governments that used the equipment to target government officials, journalists and others. Positive Technologies of Russia and Computer Security Initiative Consultancy PTE...
Israel, France to handle NSO spyware case “discreetly”, Israeli official says
November 1st, 20210 Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett agreed with French President Emmanuel Macron that the alleged misuse of spyware developed by an Israeli company, including against Macron, would be handled "discreetly", an Israeli official said on Monday. Israel says it has been investigating whether cyber firm NSO Group's Pegasus software,......
Let us make history on November 2
October 30th, 20211 Elections are always important. That is why, in every election since its inception, The Arab American News has encouraged the Arab American community to be involved in the decision-making process and to show up to vote and run for public offices. This local election is no different in terms of importance, but it is also unique in the...
Why we chose not to endorse either candidate for Hamtramck mayor
October 30th, 20210 Endorsing candidates for important offices is a major responsibility for local organizations and newspapers. For an ethnic newspaper, the voice of the community we advocate for has to be taken into consideration, as should the issues that affect it the most. But decisions on endorsements cannot simply come about with a superficial......
The Arab American News endorsements for Hamtramck’s City Council elections
October 30th, 20211 The Arab American News interviewed the six candidates who are running for the three seats on the Hamtramck City Council and have decided to endorse the following three candidates for the four-year term. Khalil Refai Khalil Refai is the front-runner during this election, leading in the polls during the August primary. Recently, he has...
Jerusalem’s mayor says he won’t shun U.S. consulate if it reopens
October 26th, 20210 JERUSALEM — Jerusalem's mayor dismissed media speculation on Tuesday that a U.S. consulate for Palestinians in the city would be denied municipal services if the Biden administration reopens it despite Israeli opposition. The rightist mayor, Moshe Lion, also said Washington's plan to reverse the Trump administration's subsuming of...
Dearborn, beware of rumors, haters and dividers in this election season
October 23rd, 20210 As much as we all hope and work for better outcomes, it seems as though Dearborn cannot have an election season without anonymous and false attacks and rumors. For the last few days, some individuals have been circulating on social media and through chats what they claim is a statement (in Arabic and English) issued by “Arab...
Deadly shooting rocks Beirut as tensions over blast probe erupt
October 14th, 20210 BEIRUT — At least six Shi'as were shot dead in Beirut on Thursday, in an attack on protesters who were heading for a demonstration called by Hezbollah to demand the removal of the judge investigating the explosion that ripped through the city's port last year. The Iran-backed Hezbollah and its ally, the Shi'a Amal Movement, accused......
Cleric Sadr wins Iraq vote, former PM Maliki close behind
October 11th, 20210 Shi'a Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's party was the biggest winner in an Iraqi election on Monday, increasing the number of seats he holds in parliament, according to initial results, officials and a spokesperson for the Sadrist Movement. Former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki looked set to have the next largest win among Shi'a...
Climate choices: Scenes from 2050
October 9th, 20210 A yellow-gray haze stains Midwestern skies. Fueled by years of drought and record-setting heat, smoke from the annual devastation of Western wildfires mixes with that from fires spreading across Wisconsin and Minnesota’s Northwoods. Tired of running on an indoor treadmill since May, a young man from Detroit joins his friends for a......
Facebook is a public health hazard
October 8th, 20210 — This article by Abdul El-Sayed originally appeared in the newsletter The Incision. It has been edited for style. Subscribe to The Incision here: incision.substack.com On Tuesday, former Facebook data scientist Frances Haugen testified before a Senate subcommittee, putting words to what we all knew but couldn’t quite...
U.N. ends Yemen war crimes probe opposed by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Russia
October 8th, 20210 GENEVA — Bahrain, Russia and other members of the U.N. Human Rights Council pushed through a vote on Thursday to shut down the body's war crimes investigations in Yemen, in a stinging defeat for Western states that sought to keep the mission going. Members narrowly voted to reject a resolution led by the Netherlands to give the......
