Author's Posts
Muslim women changing American scenes with a clothing line at Macy’s
June 30th, 20190 DEARBORN— Designer and Muslim convert Lisa Vogl, who launched her Verona Collection in February 2015, brought it to Macy's at Fairlane Mall in Dearborn this past spring. Vogl and Verona Collection Co-Designer and Co-Director Alaa Ammuss launched the brand out Vogl’s apartment. “We launched our brand to help make modest...
Bernie Sanders proposes canceling entire $1.6 trillion in U.S. student loan debt
June 24th, 20190 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) proposed a bill on Monday eliminating all $1.6 trillion of student debt held in the United States, two days before the candidates' first debate in Miami, adding to the 2020 policy fight of the Democratic presidential primary. Sanders' proposal suggests that the federal government pay to wipe clean the student...
Trump hits Iran with new sanctions in retaliation to downing of drone
June 24th, 20190 WASHINGTON — President Trump announced on Monday that he was imposing new sanctions on Iran, further squeezing the Iranian economy in retaliation for what the United States says are recent "aggressive" acts by Tehran, but the response to the penalties targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were "is that all you got?" This...
Lebanese consul general explains mission’s services to the community
June 22nd, 20190 SOUTHFIELD – The Lebanese Consulate in Detroit is an active and contributing member in the community, with Suzan Mouzi-Yassine as its consul general and the head of the mission. In an interview with The Arab American News, Mouzi-Yassine explained the various services the Consulate offers to the large Lebanese American community in...
Arab American author who lost book deal sues publisher for $13.4 million
June 22nd, 20192 Natasha Tynes, a Jordanian American author who lost a book deal after shaming a Black train worker for eating on a train, has sued her publisher for $13.4 million, claiming their condemnation led her to have "suicidal thoughts" and receive death threats. Tynes filed a lawsuit against publisher Rare Bird Lit in a Los Angeles court on...
Canadian Arab businessman awarded $2.5M for suffering hate speech
June 22nd, 20190 ONTARIO, CANADA — An online media personality whose websites frequently air anti-Muslim content has been ordered to pay the owner of a prominent Middle Eastern restaurant chain millions of dollars after publicly accusing him of funding terrorism. Ontario Superior Court Justice Jane Ferguson ordered Kevin J. Johnston to pay a total...
Mohamed Morsi died in court, in a soundproof cage under guards’ watch
June 18th, 20190 CAIRO - Egypt's former civilian president, Mohamed Morsi, ousted by the military in 2013 after one year in office, collapsed in a courtroom and died on Monday, June 17. A leader in the now-banned Islamist movement Muslim Brotherhood, Morsi had just spoken from a cage at a hearing on charges of espionage. State TV said the cause of...Yemeni American Osama Saleh wins $4.7M lawsuit for being called ‘Bin Laden’
BROOKLYN —A federal jury awarded $4.7 million to Osama Saleh, a Yemeni American who was punched and bullied by a co-worker who had repeatedly called him "Bin Laden" and "terrorist." Saleh went from earning $7.15 per hour as a stock clerk at the Pretty Girl women's clothing store on Knickerbocker Ave. in Brooklyn to being a...
Netanyahu thanks Indian prime minister for vote against Palestinian group
June 14th, 20190 TEL AVIV — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for voting in favor of a decision introduced by the Jewish state that objected to granting consultative status to a Palestinian group at the U.N.'s Economic and Social Council. In its first pro-Israel move, India voted on Tuesday...
Egypt, Jordan and Morocco to attend U.S. sponsored “Bahrain workshop” despite Palestinians’ objection
June 14th, 20190 WASHINGTON — Egypt, Jordan and Morocco have told the Trump administration they will attend a U.S.-led conference in Bahrain this month on proposals for boosting the Palestinian economy as part of a coming U.S. peace plan, U.S. officials said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Palestinians urged Egypt and Jordan on Wednesday to reconsider their...
Let’s talk about the new “Bollywood” Aladdin
June 13th, 20190 A remake of Disney’s Aladdin movie has remedied a lot of its cultural mistakes from the 1992 animated musical film, but what’s with the Bollywood features that were supposed to be symbolic of a fictional Arab country called “Agraba?” From the characters' clothes, to the dance moves that are typical of Bollywood’s dancing...
Israel strikes Hamas in Gaza, calling attack a “response” to rocket fire
June 13th, 20190 SDEROT, Israel — Israeli aircraft attacked a Hamas target in the Gaza Strip on Thursday after a Palestinian rocket strike, the Israeli military said, in the first serious cross border conflict since last month's border-fight surge. A second rocket launched in the evening hit a house in the Israeli border town of Sderot but caused no...
Freedom of expression in America has a different meaning when it comes to Israel
June 10th, 20190 When then-graduating PhD candidate Steven Thrasher made a speech at the NYU graduation commencement last month, endorsing the BDS movement, some parties felt the need to disassociate from Thrasher’s views and go out of their way to express their “outrage” and “shock” at his remarks. Thrasher, who earned his doctoral degree...
African Union suspends Sudan after death toll rises
June 10th, 20190 KHARTOUM – The official death toll in Sudan from violence that erupted on Monday, June 3, has risen to 61, the director general of the Health Ministry said on Thursday, up from a previous toll of 46, leading to Sudan's suspension from the African Union. The African Union’s Peace and Security Council voted on Thursday, June 6, to...
Dearborn Public Schools’ classes of 2019 are at an all time high
June 10th, 20190 DEARBORN - This year, Dearborn’s three public high school have a 95 percent graduation rate, an all-time high, with 86 percent of the 1,500 graduates going on to college. Graduating students from Fordson High, Edsel Ford High and Dearborn High together received $16.3 million in scholarships. Dearborn Public Schools’......
Local self-proclaimed cleric Mohammad Hajj Hassan embroiled in scandal, condemned by High Islamic Council
May 3rd, 20190 DEARBORN — The Dearborn-based Shia cleric Mohammad Hajj Hassan, who is the so called leader of the Free Shia Movement, has been the center of controversy following the release of pictures on social media that show him naked and allegedly indulging in adulterous sexual activity. The pictures were circulated widely over Facebook,...
Dr. Mohamad Hakim of Beaumont Dearborn dies at 59, shocks community
May 3rd, 20190 DEARBORN - One of Dearborn's beloved surgeons, Dr. Mohamad Hakim, M.D., P.C., passed away on April 24 following a massive heart attack. Hakim, 59, was a physician/surgeon who was recently elected as the chief of staff at Beaumont Hospital of Dearborn. Hakim practiced medicine for 27 years after graduating from Wayne State......
Suspect in attack at San Diego synagogue also investigated for mosque arson
April 29th, 20190 POWAY - The 19-year-old suspect accused of opening fire at a synagogue in Poway on Saturday brings concerns about rising incidents of anti-Jewish hate across the nation. Police say the gunman walked into the suburban San Diego synagogue late on Saturday morning, the last day of the week-long Jewish holiday of Passover, and killed one...
Civil liberties avenger, federal Judge Damon Keith, dies at 96
April 28th, 20190 Federal Judge Damon Keith, who decided cases that involved some of America’s controversial political and social issues, died early Sunday morning, family members said. He was 96. Keith, a grandson of slaves whose judicial career spanned five decades and 10 presidents, decided cases from school desegregation to government...
Islamic House of Wisdom honors interfaith leaders at semi-annual fundraising dinner
April 26th, 20190 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — The Islamic House of Wisdom hosted its 2019 semi-annual fundraiser on Thursday, April 25, at the Bellagio Banquet & Conference Center in Dearborn Heights in the presence of many leaders and members of the community. Part of the message the center aims at bringing forth is fighting Islamophobia. "We in the...
From Peddling to Prophecy: Arab American journalism history told in a photo exhibition
April 26th, 20190 DETROIT – On Friday, April 12, the Lebanese Consulate in Detroit hosted an exhibition featuring journalists' works entitled "From Peddling to Prophecy.” It was organized by U.N. journalist Samar Nader in collaboration with the two universities in Lebanon — The Holy Spirit and the Lady of Luiza. The exhibition was held at the......
Egyptian voters approve extension of Sisi’s presidency until 2030
April 25th, 20190 CAIRO — Nearly 90 percent of referendum voters approved constitutional amendments that could keep the president in power until 2030. Egyptian voters have overwhelmingly backed constitutional changes allowing President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to remain in power until 2030, the election commission has said. "These are effective from...
Massage therapist summarily suspended for alleged inappropriate sexual contact with clients
April 25th, 20190 SOUTHFIELD — The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) served an order suspending the massage therapist license belonging to Carl Ellis of Southfield for allegations of inappropriate sexual contact with two clients. “This case was handled collaboratively by LARA and the Department of the Attorney General and driven......
Police arrest Florida man for threatening calls to Tlaib, others
April 24th, 20190 Washington — Police have arrested a Florida man and charged him with making threats by phone last week to freshman U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Detroit, and two other Democratic lawmakers in Congress. Police say John J. Kless of Tamarac, Florida, called Tlaib and left threatening and profane voicemail messages. Sen. Cory Booker...
State Representative Abdullah Hammoud to receive Distinguished Service Award at HFC commencement ceremony
April 18th, 20190 Dearborn, Mich. — The 2019 Henry Ford College (HFC) Distinguished Service Award will be presented to State Representative Abdullah Hammoud at the afternoon commencement ceremony, Saturday, May 4. The ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, located at 15801 Michigan Ave. in......
