The Arab American News
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Saudi women’s group wins EU rights prize
46 years of philanthropic activities give Al-Nahda Society first Chaillot Prize. RIYADH - A Saudi charity that helps divorced and underprivileged women has won a European Union prize for human rights groups in the Gulf, the Riyadh office of the European Commission said on Wednesday. The Al-Nahda Philanthropic Society for Women won...Economy, ecology go hand-in-hand
Imagine a world that employs logic, knowledge, science and common sense to face the challenges of global warming, which is threatening to bring famine and disaster in biblical proportions. Imagine a world without the Federal Reserve. The world is so focused on dealing with the financial collapse caused by the flawed design of the...Art exhibit to showcase Arab American heritage, struggle
DEARBORN — "Reflections: An Exhibition of Contemporary Arab American Art" is set to open in January to showcase the work of first generation Arab Americans is being prepared at Henry Ford Community College, curated by well-known local artist and professor Hashim Al-Tawil. "The Bleu Line" by artist May Abutaam The...“Chronicles of a Refugee”
DEARBORN — A screening of the episode three of the documentary film series "Chronicles of a Refugee" is set for Wednesday, Dec.17, 6:30 p.m. at the Arab American National Museum, 13624 Michigan Avenue. "Chronicles of a Refugee" is a six-part documentary series created by Perla Issa, Aseel Mansour and Adam Shapiro looking at the...Abbatt withdraws recount request
DEARBORN — November’s race for 19th District Judge in Dearborn was expected to be hotly contested, and it lived up to that billing as incumbent Mark W. Somers won by just 228 votes. Challenger Candyce Abbatt talked about a possible recount following the election after she lost by a vote count of 17,077-16,849, and on Monday, the...
FBI responds to concerns about new guidelines
December 13th, 20080 New U.S. Justice Department guidelines handed down to the FBI and put into effect on Dec.1 have concerned many in Arab American, American Muslim and other communities. Some believe the new rules put them at greater risk of being treated unfairly or unreasonably subjected to investigation. Special Agent in charge of the FBI...
Maliki’s tenure on ice as rift with Kurds widens
December 13th, 20080 Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki BAGHDAD AND SULAYMANIYAH, IRAQ — Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's coalition of support is fraying. The Kurds, his chief Iraqi ally, are increasingly at odds with the Shiite premier over issues of power, oil, the military, and Kirkuk. Maliki's other main sponsor – the Bush...
Situation in Gaza desperate, contact your elected officials
December 13th, 20080 A Palestinian boy waves a Palestinian flag as a boat carrying international activists arrives at Gaza's seaport December 9, 2008. A boat carrying international activists docked in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday after sailing from Cyprus. REUTERS/Ismail Zaydah Washington — The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)...Advocacy groups announce border profiling hotline
Citing growing concerns over border patrol’s persistent targeting and ongoing detention of people at the border based on their race, ethnicity or religion, a coalition of concerned advocacy agencies in Michigan have announced the creation of a border complaint hotline in honor of International Human Rights Day. People with complaints...
Around town
December 13th, 20080 "Dearborn Aglow" holiday home decoration judging takes place December 13-15 A holiday tradition returns to Dearborn when judging takes place for the 44th annual "Dearborn Aglow" holiday home decoration awards. Judging will take place nightly from 6-10 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13, Sunday, Dec. 14, and Monday, Dec. 15. Members of the...
Crescent halal chicken lands on Wal-Mart shelves
December 13th, 20080 Wal-Mart recently completed a deal with Crescent Foods, a Chicago-based Halal chicken producer, to supply products to the world's largest retail chain. Five Wal-Mart stores in the Michigan-area now stock a range of eight different Crescent chicken products, as the first deliveries were completed in November to stores in Dearborn,...
Local boutique offers unique gifts
December 13th, 20080 DEARBORN — Holiday gift giving has changed dramatically over the years. What used to be a time to pick out something special and unique for loved ones has devolved into a mad dash to grab the latest frivolous technology item from store shelves before it’s long gone. LuLu by Design owner Majed Younes poses in front of the...
Auto bailout: Congress gets closer to a decision
December 6th, 20080 Lawmakers say bankruptcy for Detroit's Big Three is 'not a viable option.' From left to right, Richard Wagoner, chairman and CEO of General Motors, Ron Gettelfinger, President of the United Auto Workers International Union, Alan Mulally, president and CEO of Ford Motor Company, and Robert Nardelli, chairman and CEO of Chrysler...Settlers occupy Palestinian home in Hebron
Grenades and gunfire have been heard in the West Bank city of Hebron after Israeli forces stormed a disputed building to remove Jewish settlers following days of clashes with Palestinians. An Israeli police officer orders a group of Jewish settlers out of a house during the eviction of Jewish settlers from a disputed building in...U.N. Assembly head blasts Israel
UNITED NATIONS (IPS) — The president of the General Assembly, Father Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, dropped a political bombshell last week when he lashed out at Israel for repressive actions in the occupied territories, including the blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza, which was partially eased on Thursday. United Nations......
Aoun sees ‘bright future’ for ties with Damascus
December 6th, 20080 Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Michel Aoun on Wednesday predicted a "bright future" for ties between Lebanon and his former foe Syria after talks in Damascus with Syrian President Bashar Assad. Syria's President Bashar al-Assad (R) shakes hands with Lebanese Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun before a meeting in...Saudi officals hope for safer Haj after renovations
RIYADH – Over two million Muslim pilgrims arrive in the holy city of Mecca this week for the haj pilgrimage amid a vast security operation to avert any militant attacks or deadly stampedes. Muslim pilgrims pray at the top of Mount Noor in Mecca, during the annual pilgrimage (Haj) December 4, 2008. The pilgrims will visit the......
Treaty signed to ban cluster bombs
Handicap International says about 100,000 people have been killed or maimed by cluster bombs since 1965.A landmark treaty to ban some forms of cluster bomb has been signed by more than 100 nations in Oslo. Norway, which played a key role in hammering out the worldwide ban on using, producing, transferring and stockpiling...America’s diminishing role in Iraq
Many Iraqis say passage of the US-Iraqi security pact ushers in a new era in which US military power will be replaced by Iraqi political power. BAGHDAD — A surprising development has emerged in this city's streets and its corridors of power – the U.S. and its 140,000 troops have become increasingly irrelevant. Iraqi Prime...Obama urged to quickly engage Iran, Syria
WASHINGTON (IPS) — The incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama should move quickly to engage Iran without preconditions and to promote an Israeli-Syrian peace accord, according to two veteran Middle East experts whose views are likely to have influence over Obama's just-announced foreign policy team. U.S....Al Haq lawyers tour in Canada
The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations is sponsoring a Canadian tour by two lawyers with Al Haq, a Ramallah-based human rights organization that monitors and defends human rights in the Occupied Territories. On Oct. 22, they spoke at Ottawa's Carleton University. Their appearance, publicized by a co-sponsoring campus group......
Arabic calligraphy explained
December 6th, 20080 Quebec, Canada – Syrian calligrapher Khaled al-Saa’i discussed Arabic calligraphy at a lecture held Nov. 11 at the Galérie Montcalm in Gatineau, Quebec. The same poetic verse ("wounding a dead man does not torment") written in the eight basic types of Arabic calligraphy by Khaled al-Saa'i. From top to bottom: Riq'a,...Will Palestinians hit Hillary’s glass ceiling?
It is difficult to recall a U.S. secretary of state who embodied the ideals of the position: the promotion of dialogue and privileging of diplomacy. Unfortunately, U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's nominee, Hillary Clinton, is not likely to restore these ideals to the office. U.S. President-elect Barack Obama (L) announces......
JFK episode suggests Obama’s Iraq plan at risk
WASHINGTON (IPS) — The decision by President-elect Barack Obama to keep Robert M. Gates on as defense secretary has touched off a debate over whether Obama can pursue his commitment to rapid withdrawal from Iraq even though Gates has defended George W. Bush's surge policy and opposed Obama's 16-month timetable for...Novella serves as historical record of ‘Naqba’
Khirbet Khizeh, by S. Yizhar, Ibis Editions, 1949,translated from Hebrew by Nicholas de Lange and Yaacob Dweck. While Israel, as a collective entity, continues to wander the corridors of the retirement home of history as an old man with Alzheimer's, there are those who forever remain young and alert. One of those was S. Yizhar,......