The Arab American News
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Tawakkul Karman: A tool for farcical democratic initiatives
February 23rd, 20120 Who is Tawakkul Karman and more importantly, how and why has this religiously-dressed Yemeni woman come to be the darling of Western-oriented democracy movements? To understand who is actually reaping the rewards of this activist, we should begin by following the money. Mrs. Karman has a non-governmental organization (NGO)...Rise of Islamists in Syria could threaten Jordan’s political stability, analyst warns
February 23rd, 20120 AMMAN - An eventual fall of Syria's regime, followed by the rise of an Islamist government could create a quandary for Jordan, a small country that has strategic ties with its northern neighbor, analysts say. Free Syrian Army fighters pose in front of a tank taken by defectors from the regular Syrian Army in Al Qusayr February 23, 2012....Victory of hunger striker Khader Adnan partial, but memorable
The Palestinian prisoners’ movement will never forget Khader Adnan. Its history will record that his “battle of the empty intestines,” as Palestinians refer to prisoners’ open hunger strike, lasted the longest. Adnan was able to do what hasn’t been done in a long time. His story turned the cause of Palestinian political...Israel will not strike Iran in the near future
February 22nd, 20120 Israel will not strike Iran without securing Washington’s approval. The Obama administration expects the sanctions on the Islamic Republic to work. As the U.S. economy starts to improve and the troops return home the last thing Americans want is a new war.The mood in Israel is different from that of the U.S. Iran’s suspect...Bridge Card abuses placing pressure on local businesses to cheat, witnesses say
The problem of Bridge Card abuse is one that is fueled by people across Michigan of various ethnic and social backgrounds, but according to witnesses, abuse has become a major problem locally. DEARBORN – Many local customers have created lasting friendships with the owners of the city's many locally owned shops, which stands as...Kashou designs highlight Super Bowl show
"It's a big stepping stone in my career to work on a project for Madonna, she is a global fashion icon who has been a reinventing her image for decades now and to be a part of that is a huge honor.”INDIANAPOLIS — The 2012 Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 5 was highlighted by Roman and ancient Egyptian themes, but what viewers may...Fact-checking: Terry Jones’ worst enemy
DEARBORN — Last week, Qur’an burning Florida Pastor Terry Jones sent out a press release in which he cited examples of the rise of “Shari’a Law” in Dearborn. But when one takes a closer look at the statements Jones is making by doing some fact-checking, they will find that Jones’ claims are either over exaggerated or even...Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities easier said than done?
February 20th, 20120 WASHINGTON — Despite renewed media speculation regarding possible Israeli attacks against Iran's nuclear facilities as early as this spring, skepticism that such a campaign could actually be successfully carried out remains relatively high, raising the question of whether there is more bark than bite to Israeli threats. Iran's...GOP candidates need to revise approach toward Middle East
Gingrich (C) made headlines when he infamously declared Palestinians an “invented people;” Santorum and Romney have continued to make similar statements about the Middle East. The leading Republican presidential candidates have a one-sided view of the Arab-Israeli conflict.During the Florida presidential debate, a Palestinian...BDS: Power of the people at work
The issue is not about hummus, chocolate bars or Dead Sea vacations. It is about civil society taking full responsibility for its own action (or lack of). The issue is not exactly about Israeli products either, but rather about how even a seemingly innocent decision like buying Israeli dates may enable the continued subjugation of the...Interfaith leaders meet with FBI Director to discuss training manual concerns
WASHINGTON — Last week, the Muslim Public Affairs Council along with other community and interfaith organizations met with FBI Director Robert Mueller and the FBI’s Public Affairs Office in an effort to address concerns regarding the agency’s use of inflammatory training material. The FBI provided an update on steps it has taken to...Arab League rolls cultural red carpet for Bahrain
An anti-government protester runs with a Bahraini flag and a banner that reads ''We will Return'' during a protest that attempted to march back to Al Farook Junction, formally known as Pearl Square, in the village of Sanabis, west of Manama, February 14, 2012. Anti-government protesters tried to march from all directions to reach to the...Martin Luther King’s legacy shines at ADC scholarship reception
DEARBORN — Martin Luther King Jr. Day might have been commemorated across the country last month, but the civil rights leaders influence was more than alive last Friday, February 10 at the Byblos Banquet Hall in Dearborn, where the American Arab Anti Discrimination Committee held its 13th annual Scholarship Awards Reception honoring...UN assembly adopts resolution, ratchets up pressure on Assad
February 19th, 20120 Syrian ambassador says country is being targeted as new constitution is drafted NEW YORK - The 193-nation UN General Assembly ratcheted up the pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday by overwhelmingly approving a resolution that endorses an Arab League plan calling for him to step aside. A weapons dealer checks...‘Underwear’ bomber gets life in prison
February 19th, 20120 Nigerian 'underwear' bomber gets life in prison in U.S.Taylor witness: “You are merely a government patsy” Abdulmutallab and the remnants of his failed underwear explosives. DETROIT - A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a Nigerian man to life in prison for trying to blow up a U.S. airliner bound for Detroit on Christmas Day in......
Snap decision by judge prolongs suffering for Zeidan family
February 19th, 20120 Family upset about second delay in high profile case A portrait of Hassan Zeidan, who was killed this past summer after a pickup basketball game, hangs in front of the Zeidan household in Dearborn. PHOTO: Nick Meyer/TAAN DETROIT – Fadi Hassan Faraj, the 35-year-old man accused of killing 23-year-old Hassan Zeidan after a...One year on: Bahraini protesters left on an island
February 19th, 20120 Gulf state's military goes in hard to prevent a repeat of clashes that marked start of uprisingThree months after a report condemned Bahrain's use of "excessive force" in 2011, the Gulf kingdom yesterday deployed armored vehicles and unprecedented numbers of troops in an effort to prevent a repeat of the lethal clashes. Three months......
Byblos: Dearborn’s “generous” banquet hall
Youssef (Joe) Bazzi has been known around the Dearborn community as “Mr. Generous,” after opening up his Byblos Banquet Hall in 2005. Since then, Byblos has quickly become a prime location for events such as weddings, dinners and parties with its fancy interior décor and its wide menu of food options. Bazzi with his wife (second...Wayne County officials federally charged, Ficano rejects call to resign
During a Wayne County Commission meeting Thursday commissioner Laura Cox asked County Executive Robert Ficano to resign, describing his administration as corrupt and incompetent.Ficano responded in this statement released by his office: "I am not resigning, and there have been no allegations of wrongdoing made against me. My...Landmark home loan settlement presents new opportunities for struggling homeowners
DETROIT — For those who will never be able to repay their existing home loan, today’s loan modification programs are nothing short of a golden opportunity. While the concept of modifying a loan is legally legitimate in its purpose, the inability of homeowners to seek the correct assistance has left millions “underwater.” Prior to...Arraf, fellow American citizens deported for peaceful protests in Bahrain
February 18th, 20120 University of Michigan graduate and human rights lawyer Huwaida Arraf has been a familiar face at many of the countless peaceful demonstrations in occupied Palestine and was also a participant on the original Gaza Freedom Flotilla, which landed her time in an Israeli prison. Huwaida Arraf (R) and Adam Shapiro.This past week, Arraf......
Interfaith initiative celebrated by Girl Scouts in metro Detroit
DETROIT — Members of the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan celebrated 100 years of the Connecting Communities Through Faith initiative at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church.Hundreds of Muslim Girl Scouts members from from the Islamic House of Wisdom participated while presentations were given by Bishop Hanchon, Rabbi Shere, Pastor...Pulitzer-winning reporter dies from asthma attack in Syria
February 18th, 20120 New York Times correspondent Anthony Shadid apparently died while on assignment, according to paper Anthony ShadidAward-winning journalist Anthony Shadid has died while on a reporting assignment to Syria, his employer The New York Times says.The exact circumstances for his death were not clear, but the paper said he apparently died of an......
The march to war against Syria: The long shadow of the 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon
February 18th, 20120 Syria has been on the Pentagon's drawing board for years, largely because of its important geo-strategic placement in the Middle East. The process of cornering the Syrian Arab Republic started with earlier accusations pertaining to the alleged development of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). From 2003 to 2004, George W. Bush Jr....Egypt to hold presidential poll in May
Egyptian man walks past a symbolic grave for former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Tahrir square in Cairo, February 16, 2012. REUTERS/Mohammed SalemEgypt will hold its first presidential election since the fall of Hosni Mubarak by late May, a government minister was quoted saying in the state newspaper al-Ahram on Wednesday.The......