The Arab American News
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Alabama’s immigration bill “turns back clock” on civil liberties
June 19th, 20110 WASHINGTON (IPS) — On Dec. 1, 1955, at the height of racial segregation in the United States, a little-known middle-aged seamstress named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery City bus in the southern state of Alabama. Governor Rober Bentley signs House...
Four months into uprising, Syria still plagued by unknowns
June 19th, 20110 WASHINGTON (IPS) — Journalists, analysts, and policymakers have struggled to separate truth from fiction as the political situation in Syria steadily deteriorates. The lack of accurate, credible information has mired the Syrian situation beneath a fog of war that has complicated the world's...U.S. activists prepare to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza
Recent weeks have seen renewed attention on the blockade of Gaza as international activists' efforts to break Israel's blockade with a flotilla come to a head. The Israeli government has begun to ramp up its propaganda efforts, claiming the flotilla has ties to terrorism. The United...
No ‘radical’ shift in new Lebanon government
June 19th, 20110 Members of Lebanon's new cabinet pose for an official group photo at the presidential palace in Baabda, near Beirut June 15, 2011. The members are: (front row L-R) Minister of State Mohammad Fneish, Minister of Health Ali Hassan Khalil, Minister of Public Works and Transport Ghazi Aridi, Deputy Prime Minister Samir Moqbel, Parliament...
Palestinian rivals to ‘finalize’ unity government next week
June 19th, 20110 Fayyad says he will not want to be stumbling block in reconciliation deal between Fatah, Hamas. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (left) shakes hands with Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh as Hamas Political Bureau Chief Khaled Mashal looks on.CAIRO — Palestinian...U.S. Agriculture Department: It now costs $226,920 to raise a child
WASHINGTON — The yearly estimate by the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been released, determining that it now costs about $226,920 ($286,860 factoring in expected inflation) for food, shelter, and other necessities to raise a child over a span of the next 17 years for a middle-income...
Dearborn Board of Education votes to lay off 48 teachers as funding issues continue
June 19th, 20110 DEARBORN — The Dearborn Public Schools Board of Education voted in favor of a plan including 48 teacher layoffs on Monday night from several schools and grades as it prepares to submit a balanced budget by its next meeting on Monday, June 27. Dearborn Schools Superintendent Brian Whiston and...NAAMA condemns violence against civilians in Syria
BIRMINGHAM — The National Arab American Medical Association, a non-political professional and humanitarian organization of physicians, has issued a statement concerning the security situation in Syria. The statement says the organization "continues to watch with a heavy heart the...CAIR-MI welcomes decision on center targeted by anti-Muslim campaign
SOUTHFIELD — The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) this week welcomed a decision of the Farmington School Board to grant approval for the sale of a closed school to be used as an Islamic educational and activity center, despite an anti-Muslim campaign to block...CIA building Mideast base for post-Saleh Yemen drone strikes
WASHINGTON — The United States is building a secret CIA air base in the Persian Gulf region to target terrorists in Yemen, preparing for the possibility that an anti-American faction may take over Yemen and ban U.S. forces from hunting a lethal al-Qaeda faction there, The Associated Press...
How long can we go on as we are in Libya?
June 19th, 20110 BENGHAZI, Libya (MEO) — Rebels said they suffered heavy losses in eastern Libya after being "tricked" by Moamar Gaddafi's forces, as the U.S. pressed Africa to take tougher action against the strongman's regime. The rebels meanwhile gained another diplomatic boost when Germany recognized their...Rally held against racial profiling by Customs and Border Protection
DETROIT – Fifty community members rallied in southwest Detroit June 11 against racial profiling and harassment by agents of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Testimonies were given by Lidia Reyes, Director of the Latino Family Services agency, and Ramon Morales, a victim of profiling. "Border...ADC’s incomplete civil and human rights building receives foreclosure extension
DEARBORN — The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee of Michigan has obtained a foreclosure extension on a civil and human rights center it built that was never completed. On June 5 the building was expected to go into foreclosure, but an extension was granted through July 15. Imad Hamad,...Bing warns of drastic changes if budget cut compromise isn’t made
DETROIT – Cuts in city bus services along with hundreds of police and firefighting jobs could be made because of the city council's proposed $50 million in cuts to the 2011-12 budget. Bing had vetoed the cuts earlier but the council overrode it. Bing told the Detroit Free Press that if the cuts...Man who cursed in private conversation removed from flight by Detroit Metro security
DETROIT — Robert Sayegh, a 37-year-old Brooklyn, N.Y. resident, was removed at the end of a Delta Airlines flight from Kansas City to Detroit Metro airport by security after a conversation with a fellow passenger was overheard by a flight attendant. Sayegh, a children's book author, said that he......
Fakih to hand over crown to new Miss USA on Sunday
LAS VEGAS - Dearborn native and current Miss USA, Rima Fakih, is scheduled to transfer her crown to the next winner of the pageant after Sunday's event, which airs on June 19 on NBC at 9 p.m. Fakih has said she has learned a great deal from her experience in the spotlight while staying in...University of Michigan — Ann Arbor to ban smoking effective July 1
ANN ARBOR – A smoking ban beginning on July 1 will take effect across all University of Michigan-Ann Arbor property on campus. Smoking will still be allowed in cars or on public sidewalks, however. According to a Detroit Free Press report, tickets won't be issued, however. Disciplinary issues for......
Dearborn officials remind residents to keep grass at 6 inches or less
DEARBORN – The city is reminding residents to cut their grass to six inches or less in accordance with its ordinances as summer approaches. Those in violation are given a notice reminding them to address the problem within a certain time period. If the city is forced to cut the grass, the owner...Metropolitan PHILIP, also known as Philip Saliba, celebrated his 80th birthday on June 10. He currently serves as the Metropolitan Archbishop Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America of New York and of all of North America. Philip Saliba grew up in Abou Mizan, a village in...
Jones march to festival cut short after scuffle, others rally at Warren and Appoline
June 18th, 20110 DEARBORN – A planned march from City Hall to the Arab International Festival by extremist Pastor Terry Jones was cut short today as Jones found himself in a scuffle with counter-protesters that resulted in six arrests. Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad reportedly said that five of the six were from outside the city. Jones and a...
Dearborn Mayor O’Reilly urges community to ignore Jones visit
June 14th, 20110 Dearborn Mayor Jack O'Reilly released the following letter on Tuesday, June 14. The Arab International festival will run from June 17-19 in the city.Dear residents and friends of Dearborn, This weekend we will again be visited by persons who want to use our community for their own ends. This time their......
Obama’s approval ratings take a small hit
UTICA, NY — IBOPE Zogby International's latest conducted poll has found President Obama's approval ratings dropping by two points since May. The results, which came from 2,022 likely voters, found that his approval rating now stands at 46%. However, the percentage of people who think he deserves to be re-elected has remained at 41%....Recall efforts underway with state government
LANSING — The state capital now has about half a dozen recall campaigns underway, with all of them targeting Republicans. The last time a major wave of recall efforts occurred against a single party was in 1983, when Democratic legislators were in control over the hike in the state income tax of......
Parents question narrative of “honor killing” in daughter’s death
The April 30 fatal shooting of 20-year-old Jessica Mokdad in Warren allegedly carried out by her stepfather has led to an outpouring of emotions and support for the Mokdad family as well as a murder charge against the man who raised her for much of her life. Jessica Mokdad was killed on April 30;...Why America is running on three flat tires
According to last month's employment numbers and housing prices across the country, it looks like the U.S. economy is hurting bad. The truth of the matter is that the picture is even grimmer than what is portrayed by these reports. The majority of Americans are starving, our interstate highway......