The Arab American News
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Jordan’s shift to democracy slows
AMMAN - The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was supposed to take a big step (this week) toward becoming the democracy that both its people and its rulers say they want it to be. But instead of a breakthrough vote that might have seen this desert state emerge from a long history of one-man rule, the parliamentary elections will again return...Reporters ordered to reveal sources
In a classical collision between an accused's rights and the right of journalists to maintain the confidentiality of sources, Canadian Federal Court Judge Simon Noël has come down on the side of the accused. The case involves Adil Charkaoui, a Moroccan, who was imprisoned in 2003 under a security certificate, accused of being an...Rachel Corrie does Vancouver
"My Name is Rachel Corrie" opened in Vancouver's Havana Theatre on January 25. The play, using the writings of the young American woman who served as a peace activist in Palestine and who was killed by an Israeli bulldozer while trying to protect the house of a Palestinian doctor, was canceled in New York and Toronto because of...U.S. and Israel accused of torture
There were red faces in Ottawa on January 18, when a Canadian Foreign Affairs document became public, listing the U.S. and Israel among countries using torture. Amnesty International (AI) obtained the report as disclosure in connection with its suit challenging Canada's transferring Afghan prisoners to Afghan authorities. ...Feeding the hungry is goal of Rotary project
Super Greenland Market donates 1,000 pieces of fruit to effort DEARBORN — Eighteen Rotarians, including their guests, gathered in the kitchen of Christ Episcopal Church in Dearborn on a recent Saturday morning to assemble nearly 1,500 lunches to be distributed by the Salvation Army. The lunches are part of a "Bed and Bread"...Students demonstrate skills at future city competition
After spending extra hours at school every day for the last several months channeling their inner-engineers to craft their own little cities of the future, more than 1,200 elementary and middle school students got to show off the fruits of their labor Tuesday. Teams from 60 schools gathered at the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi to...Henry Ford Village announces dining services royalty
Dearborn — Each year Henry Ford Village, a full service retirement community in Dearborn, pays tribute to members of their student dining services staff by crowning "honorary" kings and queens. The students are nominated and elected by their peers. Mary Voiles, staff development manager, announced the latest honorees as Queen...Celebrating 45 years as business leader
WARREN — Ed Deeb, president of the Michigan Food and Beverage Association, celebrated his 45th anniversary in 2007 as an association and business leader. Recently, a group from Washington came to Detroit to see if there has been improvement in Detroit since the 1967 Detroit riots. They were gathering information about...Christian Zionists feel ‘betrayed’ by Road Map
OAKLAND (IPS) — President George W. Bush returned home from his trip to the Middle East optimistic about the possibility of a peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians before he leaves office in January of next year. "In order for there to be lasting peace, President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert have to come together...Educational program provides student, professional development
ROCHESTER HILLS — A new educational program has been developed to provide a hands-on cultural education experience for students while teachers and staff receive simultaneous professional development as required by the No Child Left Behind Act. The program is a result of a joint venture between MBC Global, a Rochester Hills cultural...Power to the Palestinians!
The people of Palestine have done it again, taking their own fate in their hands after being let down by their own "moderate" political leadership and, indeed, the entire international community in their struggle for freedom. Early this morning they simply blew up the wall separating Gaza from Egypt, breaking a siege imposed on them by...OPEC rejects U.S. calls for more oil
ABU DHABI — OPEC has dismissed further calls by the U.S. to boost oil output, saying the global market is well supplied. Abdullah al-Attiyah, the Saudi oil minister, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Abu Dhabi, on Sunday: "I don't think there is a need to increase because the market is well supplied." Sam Bodman, the...Lebanon vote delayed again
BEIRUT — A parliament session scheduled for Monday to elect Lebanon's president has been postponed to February 11, despite Arab mediation to break the deadlock. The latest delay brings to 13 the number of sessions that have had to be postponed since September 25 to pick a successor to Emile Lahoud, the president who stepped down in...Local educator runs top high school
• The U.S. News and World Report analyzed more than 18,000 high schools in 40 states, identifying 1,591 of them as gold, silver or bronze medal schools. • Six Wayne County high schools were ranked, one silver and five bronze, including Star International Academy, founded in 1998 by Arab American Nawal Hamadeh. DEARBORN — One of the...Movie preview gets high praise
An excited crowd of moviegoers flocked to the Uptown Palladium in Birmingham Wednesday to get an early look at Academy Award nominated Lebanese film "Caramel." Director, co-writer and lead actress Nadine Labaki attended and heard roaring laughter from the largely Arab American crowd. She received intense praise afterward from Arabs......
Muslim athlete disqualified over uniform
The outfit allows her to compete while adhering to her Muslim faith, which forbids displaying any skin other than her face and hands. "It's not special," Kelly said. "It doesn't make me perform better." WASHINGTON — A high school track star has been disqualified from a meet because officials said the custom-made outfit she wears...The Islamophobic movement – what it is and what needs to be done about it
As we bid farewell to 2007, it's important to look back on three separate events that, taken together are significant, but went largely unreported. A video surfaced on the Internet, showing two masked Russian neo-Nazis with two hostages, one from Tajikistan and the other from Dagestan. With a swastika flag waving in the background,......
How children learn religion can make or break their lives, their societies
Is it possible to critique systems of religious education without shocking sensibilities or touching sacred cultural symbols? The way children learn about their religion can lay the foundation of their abilities in critical thinking. When children are made to think that their religion is the only perfect faith, their biased...A bankrupt Mideast policy
The presidency of the United States of America is a position of immense power, even when the office is tarnished and debased, as it has been by its present occupant. George W. Bush’s recent Middle East tour was a unique opportunity — very probably his last — to restore his country's prestige and his own reputation by making a decisive...Kazemi case reopened
The Iranian Supreme Court has now ordered a reopening of the case of Zahra Kazemi. In July, 2003, Kazemi, a photojournalist with dual Canadian and Iranian citizenship, was arrested in Teheran while taking pictures of a student demonstration outside Evin Prison. She was put in that very same prison herself, and she died as a...Abu Dhabi funds translations
The push is on to translate important Western and other non-Arab works into Arabic. Egyptian Karim Nagy initiated a non-profit agency, Kalima, to undertake this work, and the Abu Dhabi government's Authority for Culture and Heritage is supplying the bulk of the funding. Publishers are on board, with Beirut being a prime......
Canadians wary of U.S.
A poll of 1000 Canadians carried out by the firm Strategic Counsel from December 6 to 9 found that Canadians prefer a somewhat arms-length relationship with the United States. When asked what they saw as the major factor influencing Canadian foreign policy, the largest percentage, 25%, said that it is the relationship with the...ADC to distribute scholarship awards
DEARBORN — The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee's Michiganchapter has announced its scholarship award winners and other honorees to be recognized at its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Awards Dinner. Winners were chosen from among Arab and Chaldean high school students from throughout the region who submitted......
Canada shifts toward Israel
During his current visit to the Middle East, Canada's Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier was asked about Israel's expansion of construction at Har Homa, in the West Bank near Jerusalem. While he said that expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank is "contrary to the peace process," he pointedly refused to comment on Har...Marygrove College honors MLK, Jr. with week-long celebration
DETROIT — From January 16-22, Marygrove College will honor the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The theme for the 2008 Martin Luther King Week Celebration is: one community, one society, one humanity. All activities planned for the week are intended to communicate his messages of unity to the campus and the......