The Arab American News
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Sphinx Organization hosts conference dedicated to furthering diversity in the arts
DETROIT — The Sphinx Organization, a Detroit-based national arts and youth development non-profit organization dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts, is hosting its second annual "SphinxCon" this year, entitled "Solutions 2014." Simon Shaheen will be featured as a speaker at the conference....
Multilingual Super Bowl Coke commercial draws mixed reaction
February 7th, 20140 DEARBORN — "I, too, sing America," African American poet Langston Hughes wrote in the mid-1940's, affirming his belonging and contributions to this nation. Seventy years later, a Coca-Cola Super Bowl ad features "America the Beautiful" being sung on national television in seven different languages. The commercial, which presents varied...
The doggie debate: Muslim dog owners debunk stigmas
February 7th, 20141 DEARBORN — 47 percent of American households own at least one dog, and 20 percent own a second. But in Dearborn, a town with a large concentration of Arabs and Muslims, there are far less barks heard around the neighborhood. A dog’s place in Islam has been heavily debated, with many Muslim families believing that owning,...Local business owner finds and returns $100K in savings bonds
Saleh.DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Norman Saleh, the owner of XS-Trash found $100,000 in savings bonds inside a house he was hired to clean. Saleh immediately returned to the money to the owner, and was tipped $15,000 and given the keys to the house which is valued at $160,000. Norman told the owner that he didn’t expect anything it...Arab American NFL coach’s team wins Super Bowl
DEARBORN — Growing up, Dearborn native and Fordson High School graduate Robert Saleh dreamed about being part of the NFL. Today, Saleh is a quality control coach for the Seattle Seahawks, who beat the Denver Broncos in the 2014 Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 2. Saleh’s uncle, Robert Saleh, who played football at Michigan State...DDOT hiring qualified mechanics and bus drivers
DETROIT — Mayor Mike Duggan and new Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Dan Dirks have made it a priority to improve DDOT transit services for its customers. As part of this commitment, DDOT is seeking qualified individuals to fill several mechanic and bus driver positions. To qualify for the General Auto...Deadline extended to March 1 to submit ‘ animal tales’ to Dearborn Public Library as part of The Big Read community celebration
Deadline extended to March 1 to submit ‘ animal tales’ to Dearborn Public Library as part of The Big Read community celebration. DEARBORN — Are you an animal lover? Do you have a great story about your pet, the outdoors or wildlife? As part of The Big Read celebration of Jack London’s “The Call of the Wild”, Dearborn...Groups call on universities to protect open debate on Palestine Israeli conflict
MICHIGAN — The National Lawyers Guild and other organizations calling for human rights and for the rule of law in Palestine and Israel on Thursday urged academic institutions to reaffirm their commitment to free and open campus debate. The plea for free expression, including the right to call for human rights boycotts, was...New book features collection of passages from popular stand-up comedian’s blog, “The Civil Arab”
Amer Zahr, a popular stand-up comedian and well-respected writer, recently announced the release of his new book, “Being Palestinian Makes Me Smile.” The book is a collection of passages from Zahr’s blog, “The Civil Arab,” and is a combination of diary, biography, political analysis, and prose. The passages were compiled from...Tuberculosis exposure at local hospitals being investigated
DETROIT — State health officials are investigating numerous cases of tuberculosis exposure at four health care facilities in Detroit. The Michigan Department of Community Health said Thursday a healthcare worker who was unknowingly infected with TB worked last year at multiple hospitals. The MDCH says the worker was in contact...Man sentenced to 12 years for Michigan interstate shootings
WIXOM — A Michigan man was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Tuesday for a three-day shooting spree in October 2012 on a busy interstate highway that earned him the nickname "I-96 shooter," court officials said. Raulie Casteel, 44, who was convicted last week in a separate case involving the highway shootings, was sentenced Tuesday...St. Clair Shores nurse accused of dismembering son’s body parts
ST. CLAIR SHORES — On Monday, a St. Clair Shores nurse was arraigned on charges of dismemberment and removal of her son’s body parts, which were discovered in bags last week in areas of St. Clair County. Donna Scrivo still hasn’t been charged with murder in connection with her son’s death, as police are still gathering...CBP accused of teaching kids to shoot at targets that resemble immigrants
DETROIT— Unsettling images spread over the web recently showing Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents helping children aim at targets some groups say resemble brown-skinned immigrants. The Northern Borders Coalition and other groups fighting for immigrant families expressed outrage at the practice they believe could instill bigotry in...NYC schools will get Islamic holidays, and Lunar New Year off
NEW YORK CITY — This week New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans to implement a policy that would close schools for Muslim holidays and the Chinese New Year. The two Muslim holidays include, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Bill de Blasio didn’t discuss whether Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights which is very popular...Big media again pumps for Mideast wars
Journalistically, there’s a problem with this passage from Monday’s New York Times: “Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon of Israel … castigated Iran as being dedicated to a nuclear weapon and acting to deceive, and he repeated Israel’s warning that it would not allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon.” Can you tell what the flaw is?If......
Poll shows diminishing support for two-state solution
WASHINGTON — Twenty years of the Oslo peace process between Israelis and Palestinians have made a solution more difficult to attain, rather than easier. That was the conclusion of a poll of Israelis and Palestinians released on Friday, Jan. 31.The poll, conducted by Zogby Research Services, showed that barely one-third of Israelis (34...UN, Syrian government reach agreement over besieged Homs
DAMASCUS — The United Nations on Thursday, Feb 6, welcomed reports that an agreement had been reached to allow the evacuation of civilians from the besieged Syrian city of Homs and for aid to be delivered, a U.N. spokesman said.The United Nations made clear that it was not a party to the deal and while it was ready to send in aid, it......
Libya TV studios attacked by gunmen
BENGHAZI — Gunmen attacked the Benghazi studios of two privately run television channels overnight, journalists and security officials said Thursday, Feb. 6, as violence in Libya's second city showed no let-up.The attacks were the latest in a spate of assaults by suspected former-rebel militia on the independent media, which have...Yemenis protest to scrap ‘corrupt’ gas deals with foreign firms
SANAA — Several hundred protesting Yemeni youths demanded Thursday, Feb. 6, that the government scrap "corrupt" gas deals with foreign firms, including France's Total, which they claim are at vastly lower rates than market prices."Total out! Our gas is ours," chanted the demonstrators, who had gathered outside the Sanaa residence of...Israel approves plans for 550 settlement homes in East Jerusalem
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — Israel on Wednesday, Feb. 6, approved building plans for more than 550 new homes in illegal settlement neighborhoods of annexed east Jerusalem, the city council said.In a statement listing "building permits that were approved" during a local planning committee session, it said permits were granted to private...CVS becomes first big U.S. drugstore chain to drop tobacco
CVS Caremark Corp said this week that it would stop selling tobacco products at its 7,600 stores by October, becoming the first national drugstore chain in the United States to take cigarettes off the shelves.Public health experts called the decision by the No. 2 U.S. drugstore chain a precedent-setting step that could pressure other......
Senate passes long-overdue farm bill, sends to Obama
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate gave final congressional approval on Tuesday, February 4, to a nearly $1 trillion farm bill that trims food stamps for the poor, expands federal crop insurance and ends direct payments to farmers, and sent it to President Barack Obama for his expected signature.The Senate voted 68-32 to pass the...Lawmakers warn ‘clock is ticking’ on surveillance reforms
WASHINGTON — U.S. lawmakers warned on Tuesday, Feb 4, that time is running out to make specific reforms to the National Security Agency's telephone surveillance program and promised Congress would act if the Obama administration does not.The House Judiciary Committee examined recommendations for reforms to the U.S.......
Bahrain toughens penalties for insulting king
MANAMA — The king of Bahrain has approved on Thursday, Feb. 6, a law imposing a jail sentence of up to seven years and a fine of up to 10,000 dinars ($26,000) for anyone who publicly insults him.bin Isa Al-Khalifa's measure highlights the sensitivity of Bahrain and other Gulf Arab states to criticism of senior officials and ruling...Law corner: Employment discrimination still exists
Many people believe that there is no way that racial, sex, religious or other forms of discrimination could still exist in the workplace in 2014. The laws against such practices have been in place for decades. People should just know that you can’t do that sort of thing, right? In fact, workplace discrimination is......