The Arab American News
Author's Posts
The Arab Spring’s new Emir
June 27th, 20130 Doha – The "Arab Spring" will now have a young Emir as its leader. In recent months, 33-year-old Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, crown prince and son of the Emir of Qatar, gained increasing influence in the country’s affairs, having been entrusted with major decisions while his father was abroad.Tamim initiated contacts with Taliban...Syria war forces music festival from Lebanon’s Roman ruins
BEIRUT - Lebanon's annual Baalbek music festival has been forced to move from its usual venue among Roman ruins in the Bekaa Valley because of rocket fire and a spillover of fighting from Syria, organizers said on Thursday, June 20.Baalbek is a stronghold of the Lebanese militant group Hizbullah, which is fighting across the border...
Syria dominates G8 Summit discussions: Agree on Geneva II, disagree on Assad’s fate and arming rivals
June 21st, 20130 Moscow has insisted successfully that no demands for the resignation of Syrian President Bashar Assad be made in the G8 Summit’s communiqué on the issue. The eight world powers have called for a political solution to the ongoing Syrian crisis, on Tuesday, June 18.“We remain committed to achieving a political solution to the crisis...Poll: Americans oppose Obama on arming rebels
WASHINGTON - According to a new poll from the Pew Center, 70 percent of Americans oppose the Obama administration’s recently-revealed plans to send light weaponry to the Syrian rebels.The poll, conducted in roughly equal parts before and after the U.S. government revealed that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons against the...Toward a U.S.-Iranian detente
Last Friday’s presidential and local council elections in Iran show that the Islamic Republic is far more stable and politically dynamic than Western conventional wisdom commonly acknowledges.Moreover, the election of Hassan Rohani — who headed the Islamic Republic’s Supreme National Security Council for 16 years and was Tehran’s...Washington mulls surprise Rouhani victory in Iran vote
WASHINGTON — The surprise victory of Hassan Rouhani in Iran’s Jun. 14 election has provoked a range of reactions here, ranging from cautious optimism about possible détente between Tehran and Washington, to outright rejection of the notion that his presidency will produce any substantive change in policy, foreign or domestic.While...
Governor Snyder should not have visited Israel
June 21st, 20130 On Thursday, June 20, Governor Rick Snyder cut short a trade mission to Israel that was supposed to last nine days. The governor arrived to Israel on June 15, but headed back early to Lansing to take care of legislative business.The visit, which marks the governor's first official trip to the Middle East, comes at a time when notable...Obama’s Syria policy looks a lot like Bush’s Iraq policy’
Did the White House’s remarks about Syrian President Bashar al-Assad using chemical weapons sound familiar? Former congressman Ron Paul says the build up to a likely strike on Syria reminds him of the days before the invasion of Iraq.Paul, the longtime Republican lawmaker from Texas, who retired last year following an unsuccessful...
Rights groups file lawsuit to challenge NYPD’s Muslim surveillance program
June 21st, 20130 NEW YORK – Civil rights groups across the country say the NYPD is routinely violating the civil rights of Muslims across New York City by operating an unconstitutional religious profiling surveillance program, according to a federal lawsuit filed today by New York City residents represented by the New York Civil Liberties Union, the...Domestic workers: Modern day slavery in Arab countries
Last night at the hotel lobby of an Arab Gulf country, a family walked in aiming for the westernized café that sells everything but Arabic coffee. The mother seemed distant as she pressed buttons on her smart phone. The father looked tired as he puffed away on his cigarette, and a whole band of children ran around in refreshing chaos...New study expected to improve marriage outcomes in American Muslim community
A study being conducted by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) will help address and improve marriage outcomes in the American Muslim community. The study is examining different models of marriage education and divorce prevention programs and will document the effectiveness of these models. Findings from...‘Betroit’ director shares insights on Arab cinema and new film
Adel Serhan.Adel Serhan is a prominent Lebanese director. Throughout his 20-year career, he has directed dozens of music videos and commercials and worked with some of the Middle East's most acclaimed artists. In recent years, he has pursued his passion for cinema. His first movie, Khillet Warde, was featured in several film...Arab American entrepreneurs: Innovative or copycats?
DEARBORN — In the last few months, several new yogurt establishments have opened shop in the Dearborn-Dearborn Heights area, making it the hottest, and latest, business trend that local Arab American entrepreneurs seem to be wanting a piece of. However, whenever a new business trend emerges in the Arab American community, it seems...
Christian group returns to volunteer in Dearborn, despite cancellation of Arab Festival
June 21st, 20130 DEARBORN — While this past Father's Day weekend marked the first time, in 18 years, that the Arab International Festival was not held along Warren Avenue, it did not stop a Christian volunteer group that works to promote tolerance and understanding, from coming to town to continue a tradition of their own. In May, the American...Governor Snyder cuts visit to Israel short
Governor Rick Snyder visited Israel on an official trade mission from Saturday, June 15, to Thursday, June 20. The visit was supposed to last nine days, but was cut short, because the governor had to get back Michigan to push a bill to reform and expand Medicaid through the State Senate. The official stated purpose of the visit was......
U.S. Census undercounting Arab Americans raises concerns
According to a recent report from the U.S. Census, 1.5 million Americans are of Arab decent, however that figure is in sharp contrast with another report from the Arab American Institute, an advocacy group based in Washington D.C., which states approximately 3.6 million Arab Americans live in the country. The figure from the U.S....Chase bank criticized by civil rights group for closing business bank account
JPMorgan Chase has come under fire by civil rights groups for abruptly closing a business account for an Arabic language business, without explanation.The Council on American-Islamic Relations-Michigan (CAIR-MI) is asking the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which is a division of the U.S. Department of Treasury, to investigate......
Duggan ends his bid for Detroit Mayor after losing appeal
DETROIT — On Wednesday, Mike Duggan announced that he had officially pulled himself out of the race for Detroit Mayor. His decision comes one week after the Third Circuit Court declared that he was not eligible to run, based on a technicality in the City's charter.The issue, as presented to the circuit court by one of Duggan's...There are legal limits to what banks can do, even if it doesn’t always seem that way
The strength of the economy depends upon the smooth and predictable flow of money. Banks are at the center of economic activity. Not surprisingly, banks enjoy laws that favor them in many legal disputes with non-banks. And when anyone is used to winning, they begin to expect victory. It should be expected,...Detroit emergency manager orders investigation on two employee benefit programs
Orr.DETROIT — Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr has signed and issued an order to open an investigation into the City’s two employee benefit programs. The investigation is being launched by the Inspector General and Auditor General into possible waste, abuse, fraud, and corruption possibly connected with the benefit...LAHC-YLC continue efforts to feed Detroit’s needy
DETROIT — On Tuesday, the Lebanese American Heritage Club (LAHC) and its Young Leaders Committee (YLC) visited the Prayertime Tabernacle C.O.G.C. Church in Detroit and provided food and nutritional supplies to hundreds of people in dire need. This effort was carried out in partnership with Walmart. Over the years, this program,......
Three defendants plead guilty to brutal murder of local Arab American man
DEARBORN — Three of the four suspects involved in the case of a local Arab American man, who was brutally murdered at his home last summer, have pleaded guilty to the crime. On June 13, Kristan Kainnadenise Holmes pled guilty to one charge of second degree murder in the death of Hassen Jaber, 45. The counts of felony murder,...Domestic assault suspect arrested; charged with multiple crimes
DEARBORN — On June 6, Dearborn Resident Ferdinand Lansang was apprehended and arrested by Dearborn Police Special Operations officers, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Apprehension Team. Lansang was arraigned by 19th District Court Judge Sam Salamey for ‘assault with intent to murder,’ ‘assault by......
Tennessee hopes to be home of Fiat-Chrysler headquarters
While currently based in Auburn Hills, Chrysler, which is in the process of merging with Italian automaker Fiat, is being tempted by Tennessee officials to move its headquarters to their state.Fiat head Sergio Marchionne met with Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam on Sunday, June 16, at a ceremony to mark the expansion of a Fiat factory in...Michigan Republican Party opens 10 regional offices
LANSING — The Michigan Republican Party announced Tuesday that plans to open 10 regional offices on July 1, 2013. The 10 counties with offices will include Grand Traverse, Ottawa, Kent, Saginaw, Livingston, Kalamazoo, Washtenaw, Oakland, Wayne and Macomb. “The Michigan Republican Party’s new political strategy is......