The Arab American News
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Once strong Syria industry is crumbling
ALEPPO, Syria — Once cogs in a dynamic industrial engine that helped power Syria's economy, the factories in a sprawling zone in the heart of battle-ravaged Aleppo now stand largely silent, the workers mostly fled.In their place, thousands of people sheltering from the violence that has swept Syria's northern commercial capital since...Saudi clerics protest female Shura Council appointments
RIYADH — A group of hardline clerics protested outside the royal palace in Riyadh against the king's decision to appoint 30 women to the kingdom's top advisory body, a YouTube video posted on Wednesday showed.The footage of Tuesday's demonstration showed clerics protesting what they said were "dangerous changes in the country and these...Group collects clothes for needy families
DEARBORN — If you have additional clothing items you’re not planning to wear again, there’s a fast and easy way to get them to needy families. The Lebanese American Heritage Club located here is continuing to collect clothing items for needy families in the region as part of its Winter Clothing Drive. Donations are being sent to...Iraqis reject divisiveness among religious sects in their homeland
DEARBORN — More than 50 Iraqi Americans rallied outside city hall on Saturday, Jan. 12 in support of the country they trace their roots to. The demonstrators called for unity among all religious sects in the Iraq, and rejected the idea of division among Iraqi civilians. They held up signs in support of Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri Al...State Department denies Syria’s use of chemical weapons despite media reports
A classified State Department cable relayed US officials’ beliefs that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons against opposition rebels but an investigation on Monday concluded that Assad was in fact using riot-control gas.Foreign Policy’s “The Cable” reported Tuesday that a secret diplomatic cable provided...Number of low-income working families increases Michigan ranks 26th in the number of low-income working families
MICHIGAN — The number of low-income working families continues to grow, with nearly a third of all working families in the United States now struggling to earn enough money to meet basic needs, a new report by the Working Poor Families Project shows.In Michigan, the data found there were 308,000 low-income working families in 2011,...
A peaceful but difficult farewell
January 12th, 20130 It was an extraordinary Monday morning by all measures. The sun was shining and there wasn't a single cloud in the crisp, bright sky. At the same time, it was a day that I never wanted to come. It was 10 in the morning and time for the countdown for Kay Siblani's funeral services, then to the grave site where she would be laid to...Dearborn Police seek help finding missing woman
Dynasty MylesDEARBORN — Dearborn Police are requesting the assistance of the community in locating a missing person. Twenty-three-year-old Detroit resident, Dynasty Myles has been missing since approximately 10 p.m. on Jan. 1. She was last seen near Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn. Dynasty left her young child...Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano ordered to give deposition
DETROIT — On Wednesday, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano was ordered to give a deposition in connection to a lawsuit filed by his former aide, James Wallace, a graphic artist for the county who was let go last year, and claims he was fired for refusing to do political work. Ficano must answer questions under oath about the...Man arrested in connection to multiple lottery ticket thefts
Joseph DemarteDEARBORN — On Jan. 6 at approximately 8 p.m. Eric Joseph Demarte, an Ohio resident, was arrested for the multiple lottery ticket thefts which occurred at the Dearborn Liquor, Sunoco Gas Station, 7-11 and Joseph’s Market in the City of Dearborn. On January 09, 2013, the Wayne County Prosecutors Office charged Demarte...Federal Judge allows plaintiffs to include Chamber in Arab festival lawsuit
DETROIT — A federal judge has ruled that the American Arab Chamber of Commerce (AACC) can be named as a defendant in a civil rights lawsuit involving the arrest of Christian missionaries in the city of Dearborn, which occurred during an altercation at the 2010 Arab International Festival.The four Christian missionaries, Dr....Carnival company sues former Dearborn officer for claims of rigged games at Arab Festival
DEARBORN — A retired Dearborn police officer who has been claiming certain carnival games are rigged, including those at Dearborn's annual Arab International Festival and Dearborn Height's Spirit Festival, is now being sued by the carnival company North American Midway Entertainment. Richard Margittay, 67, a former Dearborn Police...Take a stance against breast cancer, participate in Komen Detroit Race for The Cure
DETROIT — On May 18 metro-Detroiters will have the opportunity to take a stance against breast cancer by participating in the Komen Detroit Race for the Cure at Comerica Park. Registration for the event has already opened and special pricing is being offered through Feb. 1. Team registration will close May 3. After that date...Group calls for release of American Muslim in Iran
SOUTHFIELD — The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations this week renewed its call for due process for a Michigan Muslim on the 500th day of his indefinite detention in Iran. Amir Hekmati, a former U.S. Marine, has been detained in Iran since August of 2011 on allegations of espionage. Family members say...Petitions filed to run for Dearborn City Council
DEARBORN — Two city residents have already filed petitions to run in the upcoming city council race. The elections for the city council, mayoral and city clerk are nearly one year away. The city’s current clerk Kathy Buda has also reportedly filed a petition to run for re-election. To date no one has filed a petition to run for......
A community bids farewell to one of its greatest advocates
January 11th, 20130 WARREN — “People don’t know the amount of work Kay put behind some of the things that led to advances in this community,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Abed Hammoud said speaking at a funeral service here Monday for Kay Siblani, the longtime executive editor of The Arab American News (TAAN). Siblani was one of the paper’s...Remembering Kay Siblani
Heartfelt condolences on the passing of longtime executive editor of The Arab American News, Kay Siblani continue to be sent, and show the mark she left on journalism and the community. Siblani succumbed to cancer on Jan. 1, 2013 “We are so deeply saddened to learn of Kay’s death. She was a truly wonderful woman in every......
Walling in Israeli occupation
If it is possible to invest in companies that supply fencing material to the Israel government, they should be rated a “buy.” Likewise with any companies that make the components of the barriers that Israel sometimes calls fences but are actually more like walls.We’re familiar with the fence/wall that Israel has constructed in the...NGO: Israel sanctions illegal West Bank settlement
Israel has quietly "legalized" an unauthorized settlement in the West Bank, an Israeli watchdog said on Wednesday, in the sixth such move within a year.Peace Now's Hagit Ofran said the move to legalize the Nofei Nehemia outpost, south of the Palestinian city of Nablus, was taken "a few days ago" in contravention of Israel's commitments...A Jewish problem: Anti-Muslim hate-mongers
Three weeks ago a Muslim man was pushed from behind into the tracks of an incoming New York subway meeting instant death. The perpetrator was apprehended and she declared, “I hate Muslims (and Hindus) ever since 2001 when they put down the twin towers. I’ve been beating them up.”This is just one instance of violence and...IRS plans Jan. 30 tax season opening For 1040 Filers
WASHINGTON — Following the January tax law changes made by Congress under the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA), the Internal Revenue Service announced today it plans to open the 2013 filing season and begin processing individual income tax returns on Jan. 30.The IRS will begin accepting tax returns on that date after updating forms......
Hate crimes against American Muslims remain near decade high
Societies have laws in order to protect people from serious threats made by other people. To protect innocent victims, judges should take into consideration the criminal background of the alleged perpetrator in a climate of growing crimes. The job of the police is not only to enforce the law, but also to prevent crimes from...Halting anti-Muslim violence
There has been a sudden uptick in the number of violent hate crimes where the victims are thought to be Muslim or "Middle Eastern". Sunando Sen, a Hindu man originally from India, was shoved in front of an oncoming subway train in New York City, where he died. Cameron Mohammed, a Catholic American man whose parents are from Trinidad, was......
U.S. health worse than nearly all other industrialized countries
WASHINGTON— U.S. citizens suffer from poorer health than nearly all other industrialized countries, according to the first comprehensive government analysis on the subject, released Wednesday.Of 17 high-income countries looked at by a committee of experts sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, the United States is at or near...Dearborn Mayor and City Councilwoman recognize work of late editor, Kay Siblani
DEARBORN-Dearborn Mayor Jack O'Reilly and Dearborn city councilwoman Suzanne Sareini recently recognized the contributions Kay Siblani, the late executive editor of The Arab American News for 28-years, made to the city over the decades, and expressed sincere sympathy to her family over her passing Jan. 1, when she lost her battle with......