The Arab American News
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Saudi princess charged with human trafficking in California
Prosecutors in Southern California charged a Saudi Arabian princess on Wednesday, July 10, with human trafficking and accused her of bringing a Kenyan woman to the United States and holding her against her will as a servant.The accused woman, Meshael Alayban, 42, brought the Kenyan to the United States in May and paid her $220 a month...
Violence across Iraq kills at least 44
July 12th, 20130 Bombers and gunmen attacked policemen and a wake in Iraq among other targets, killing at least 44 people across the country on Thursday, July 11.Gunmen opened fire on two checkpoints, guarding oil installations on the road between Haditha and Baiji, 111 miles north of the capital, killing 11 people, police said.In the town of Muqdadiya,...Israel’s indigenous invaders
On June 24th, the "Prawer Plan for the Arrangement of Bedouin-Palestinian Settlement in the Negev" passed its first reading in the Israeli parliament. If implemented, the Plan will constitute "the largest single act of forced displacement of Arab citizens of Israel since the 1950s", expelling an estimated forty thousand Palestinian...A message to Washington: There’s no room for failure
In the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, many legislators are positioning themselves to, not only resist, but also undermine immigration reform. Speaker John Boehner has said that he will not bring a bill to the floor unless a majority of Republicans support it.Immigration reform has been on hold for more than a decade,...ElBaradei’s democracy: How Egypt’s ‘revolution’ betrayed itself
“The revolution is dead. Long live the revolution,” wrote Eric Walberg, a Middle East political expert and author, shortly after the Egyptian military overthrew the country’s democratically elected President Mohammed Morsi on July 3.But more accurately, the revolution was killed in an agonizingly slow death, and the murders were...Arab Americans avoid traveling to Middle East this summer
Dearborn — Every summer, thousands of Arab Americans from Metro Detroit journey to their home countries in various parts of the Middle East to visit family and take time away from the stress of their daily lives. Unfortunately, this year the Middle East is embroiled in crisis--Syria is in the middle of a civil war that has claimed...House Republicans divided on immigration reform
Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives emerged from an immigration meeting on Wednesday, July 10, divided over whether to help the 11 million undocumented people living in the United States, but eager to bolster border security.Several lawmakers said there appeared to be no consensus over calls for granting legal status to the...Majority of Americans believe Snowden did the right thing
Fifty-five percent of registered American voters consider former NSA contractor Edward Snowden to be a whistleblower, and only 34 percent call him a traitor - despite U.S. lawmakers labeling him as such.A poll conducted by Quinnipiac University found that the majority of Americans perceive Snowden as a man who exposed the inappropriate...Fasting? Health should come first
The Islamic Holy Month of Ramadan this year coincides with some of the hottest and longest days of summer.Fasting in such conditions could create health risks for people with certain medical conditions.Although the Qur'an says, "God does not require a person more than his abilities," some Muslims, who should not fast for medical...What is Ramadan?
In Islam, Ramadan is a holy month, during which fasting, Quran recital, self-restraint and prayer is observed. Fasting is one of the five fundamental pillars of Islam. Each day during Ramadan, Muslims do not eat, or drink from sunrise to sunset. Charity, good will, and personal reflection is also practiced....Teen web designer optimistic about expanding business
DEARBORN — At first glance, Mike Berro appears to be your average teenager, who possesses an overt fascination of all things technological. However, at 17 years of age, he has already managed to establish his own successful business. The Dearborn resident is both a web designer and developer, who looks forward to expanding...Floods cause backup, damage in Dearborn-Dearborn Heights
DEARBORN — Last Monday evening, over 2.5 feet of rain drenched main roads and neighborhood roads in the Dearborn-Dearborn Heights area, causing flooding in dozens of homes, according to Dearborn's Department of Public Information. Southfield Freeway service drive near Routanda, where traffic was directed after the freeway was blocked...Michigan college students return from Egypt safely
DETROIT — Students from the University of Michigan-Dearborn, who were studying Arabic in Egypt, returned home safely this week.The students cut their trip short, as a result of the turmoil currently plaguing Egypt.Last week, former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi was ousted from power, after only serving a year of the term for...
Egyptians gather in Dearborn, denounce Morsi’s ouster
July 12th, 20130 DEARBORN — About 350 people gathered in front of Dearborn City Hall on Saturday, July 6, to denounce the Egyptian military "coup" against President Mohamed Morsi and demand reinstating him.The Egyptian military, headed by Commander Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi, ousted President Morsi on July 3, following mass protests that began on June 30,...Millage proposal detrimental to future of Dearborn Heights libraries
DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Dearborn Heights' two libraries could possibly face closure in the near future, if the city council and residents don't take action soon, according to Library Director Michael McCaffery.McCaffery discussed the financial situation of the City’s two libraries with The Arab American News, explaining that funding for......
Dearborn residents divided over proposed garage ordinance
July 12th, 20130 DEARBORN — On Monday, the Dearborn City Planning Commission hosted a meeting at city hall with the objective of moving forward on a garage ordinance that has generated wide spread attention in recent months. The controversy has triggered questions, regarding racial preference in the City's decisions to implement and enforce laws.In a...Hookah is more harmful than cigarettes
During my formative years in Lebanon, it wasn’t uncommon for me to witness older men sitting around and smoking "argilah," which is widely known as hookah in the United States. These men would lounge for hours, talking, debating and laughing the day away, well into the evening hours. Only prayer time and dinner could......
Law Corner: Sewage backup? Act quickly to protect your rights
This past week brought heavy rainfall to the metro Detroit area. The cities of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, among others, experienced more rainfall than their sewage systems were capable of handling in some areas. As a result, several Dearborn and Dearborn Heights residents experienced sewage backup onto their property....LAHC distributes food to senior citizens in need
The LAHC.DEARBORN — On Monday, July 8, the Lebanese American Heritage Club (LAHC) distributed food items to low income senior citizens. The program, known as “Feeding Our Neighbors, Supporting our Families,” serves community members that are in need of additional assistance, due to limited budgets. Over 100 bags, filled with...Poetry Corner: Her/Him
Darwish As a part of its continuing effort to share a portion of the literary wealth of Arabic poetry with the English...HFCC offers one-time tuition amnesty program
DEARBORN —Henry Ford Community College (HFCC) is offering a one-time tuition amnesty program, from July 15 to Aug. 14, to help students clear debt and return to college. This program provides students an opportunity to pay 50 percent of what is owed on their account to settle their debt with the College.“In this difficult economy,......
Dearborn school encourages walking to reduce traffic
Maple Elementary School is partnering with the Dearborn Police Department to initiate a "Walking School Bus" program, in an effort to reduce traffic around the school in the mornings during drop-off times.The program encourages parent volunteers to walk groups of students to school from a designated corner, two blocks away from the...Election officials allow Duggan to run write-in campaign
DETROIT — Mayoral candidate Tom Barrow's efforts to keep Mike Duggan off the election ballot as a write-in candidate have been rejected by Michigan Election Director Chris Thomas.In a letter sent out by Thomas on Tuesday, he explains that the State has no authority to remove write-in candidates. The Detroit City Charter requires no......
Michigan woman tries to pay hit man to kill her husband
Muskegon - A Michigan woman tried to hire a hit man to kill her husband this past April. In a video that was released on Tuesday July 6, 20-year-old Julia Charlene Merfeld, of Muskegon, tells an undercover police detective, posing as a hit man, that killing her husband would be "easier than a divorce." Merfeld.Merfeld provided the...Class action lawsuit filed against Huntington National Bank over mass bank account closures
DEARBORN — On Thursday, the Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL) held a press conference at its office to announce a class action lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan against Huntington National Bank, regarding the mass bank account closures which have swept through the......