Nick Meyer
Author's Posts
Syrian bakery, restaurant opens its doors to refugees in search of a better life
September 8th, 20190 OTTAWA, CANADA — Nearly a decade of war, conflict and foreign intervention in Syria has led to a full blown crisis in the once-thriving Middle Eastern nation, as well as the creation of millions of refugees. According to a 2018 report from the Pew Research Center, Canada has become the most common landing place for Syrian...
Westland to honor Arab American Tony Award winning actor and native son Gregory Jbara
September 8th, 20190 WESTLAND — Tony Award winning actor and native son Gregory Jbara will be honored during an unveiling ceremony at Westland City Hall on Saturday, September 28, during which two road signs commemorating his local heritage will be dedicated. "Westland has given rise to an incredible host of talented, successful individuals and Gregory...
Saudia Arabia struggles to hold Yemen coalition together as local allies turn on each other
September 8th, 20190 RIYADH/DUBAI — Local allies have reportedly turned on each other in a power struggle that has led to a strain between Saudi Arabia and its main regional and military coalition partner, the United Arab Emirates. The UAE has intervened on behalf of southern separatists battling the Saudi-backed government for control of the south,...
Trump’s Middle East envoy, architect of peace plan, set to leave post
September 8th, 20190 WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Jason Greenblatt, an architect of the administration's long-awaited peace plan for the region, is leaving the White House according to a report from The Hill. Greenblatt will depart the administration in the coming weeks and return to his home state of New...
Khalil Rahal recognized for Wayne County economic turnaround, envisions a more connected Detroit
September 8th, 20191 DETROIT — Wayne County, Michigan's most populous, has undergone a series of dramatic economic changes since staring down bankruptcy in 2015, culminating in a 2018 annual general fund surplus of $146.6 million under the leadership of County Executive Warren Evans. Among those engineering the turnaround has been Assistant County...
Dearborn native Kimberly Ismail wins Volunteer of the Year Award from Gov. Whitmer
September 8th, 20190 DETROIT — Dearborn volunteer and community activist Kimberly Ismail received a prestigious Volunteer of the Year award from Governor Whitmer as part of the 2019 Governor's Service Awards, a post from the Michigan Community Service Commission said. Ismail received the award along with four other Michigan community servants, including...
Michigan State University hit with record fine over Larry Nassar abuse scandal
September 8th, 20190 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Education has imposed a record $4.5 million fine on Michigan State University over the Larry Nassar scandal. The Lansing-based university was reprimanded for its failure to protect students from sexual abuse and was ordered to make changes. Two separate investigations had been launched...
Nasrallah warns Israel: “Your border, your forces and your settlements” at risk if strikes continue
September 8th, 20190 BEIRUT — The leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon said on Monday that a flare-up at the border with Israel was over, but also warned that a “new phase” has begun in which his group no longer has red lines. In a televised speech, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said that the new focus would be on targeting Israeli drones that enter his...
U.N. report finds Saudi Arabia, UAE and Western allies complicit in war crimes in Yemen
September 8th, 20190 CAIRO — Saudi Arabia and its Western allies, including the United States, may be complicit in potential war crimes, the United Nations said in a report on Tuesday that called for more accountability from all sides in the war. The report came from a team of investigators commissioned by the U.N. Human Rights Council and found that...
Detroit mental health authority announces new name change
September 4th, 20190 DETROIT — The Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority announced it will be changing its name to the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network on Tuesday. The organization said it made the change to more accurately reflect the direction of the organization, which is taking a more holistic approach to the care it provides to the 75,000...
Fox 2 anchor praised for response to ignorant social media user’s question
September 4th, 20190 SOUTHFIELD — A Fox 2 News anchor, Roop Raj, is being praised for his response to a social media user's question on his nationality that has been deemed ignorant. This past Thursday Raj, who grew up in Troy and is of Indian descent, wrote on Twitter about a story on how small businesses are preparing for tariffs to start. “Raj,...
Palestinian freshman arrives at Harvard after he was previously denied entry to the United States
September 3rd, 20190 CAMBRIDGE, MA — A 17-year-old freshman student named Ismail B. Ajjawi arrived on campus at Harvard University on time for the start of classes Tuesday after a difficult ordeal attempting to enter the country. Ajjawi, who is from the Harvard class of 2023, was turned away by United States border officials 11 days ago. His family says...
Netanyahu’s ban on Omar, Tlaib backfires, plays right into the hands of BDS movement
August 31st, 20191 A group of more than 70 Republican and Democratic members of Congress traveled to Israel on a delegation sponsored by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) earlier this month, but the annual trip was far more noteworthy for those who didn't make it; namely U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN). The...
New study finds Michigan’s suicide rate has increased nearly 50 percent since 1999
August 28th, 20190 LANSING — The suicide rate in Michigan has risen dramatically since 1999, climbing by nearly 50 percent, according to a newly released study from SeniorLiving.org. The study found that Michigan's rate has increased by 48.5 percent, marking the 21st largest increase of any state during the time period. Overall, Michigan's suicide...
State Rep. Hammoud, local leaders announce package of bills to hold corporations accountable and stop environmental pollution
August 26th, 20190 DEARBORN — A group of local Democratic leaders representing the communities of Dearborn, Detroit and other nearby cities gathered for a press conference outside of Salina School on Wednesday, in the shadow of steel plants that have been making life miserable for countless residents. Led by State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn),......
Asylum applications from Saudis up 106 percent this year alone, European Union says
August 26th, 20190 VALETTA, MALTA — The number of Saudi Arabian nationals applying for asylum in the European Union has increased by 106 percent in the first six months of 2019 alone, according to official figures released last week by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO). The latest data shows that 101 Saudis applied for asylum in the EU during...
Banana Republic questioned over portrayal of new line of hijabs
August 26th, 20191 NEW YORK - One of the most well known brands of clothing in the United States, Banana Republic, has been scrutinized by a popular Muslim fashion blogger following the release of its new line of hijabs. Melanie Elturk, the British-Moroccan model and influencer who founded lifestyle blog Haute Hijab, had the following to say after the......
Man sentenced to five years in prison on hate crime charges for threatening Arab American Institute employees
August 25th, 20190 WASHINGTON, D.C. — An Arlington, Virginia man was sentenced to five years in prison on hate crime charges after allegedly threatening employees of the Arab American Institute here because of their race and national origins. The man, 61-year-old William Patrick Syring, sent threatening emails to nine employees of the Institute, a...
Dearborn cancels prisoner housing contract with ICE after two protests
August 25th, 20190 DEARBORN — The Dearborn City Council announced that it will not be renewing its decade-long prisoner housing contract with Calhoun County, following two protests in the city this week against ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detentions. “We will not be renewing at this point in time and don't anticipate working with...
Oscar winner Rami Malek reveals he walks around New York City in disguise to avoid run-ins with fans
August 23rd, 20190 NEW YORK CITY — Rami Malek, who won the Best Actor Academy Award for his role in the Freddie Mercury biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” earlier this year, told GQ Magazine that he's been forced to walk around New York City in disguise due to the fame and overbearing attention that has resulted. Malek, 38, said he can't go out in public...
Netflix debuts original Lebanon-based drama, “Dollar”
August 20th, 20190 The Netflix original show “Dollar” debuted this month on the popular streaming service. The show, set in Beirut and other areas of Lebanon, stars iconic Lebanese film veteran Adel Karam and Algerian-Lebanese actor Amal Bouchoucha. The series tells the story of an advertising world star named Tarek (played by Karam) who is tasked......
Egyptian player (and 7-foot-7 “Giant”) turning heads in African Basketball League
August 19th, 20191 While the African Basketball League doesn't get nearly the same attention as major leagues worldwide like the NBA, the popularity of one of its players, Egyptian center Hamad Fathy, in recent months has demonstrated the power of social media, and the captivating abilities of one of the tallest human beings on the planet. Fathy, who...
Tlaib, Levin and Dingell urge Dearborn police to stop cooperating with ICE detainment of immigrants
August 17th, 20190 DEARBORN — More than 150 demonstrators gathered outside the Dearborn Police station on Michigan Avenue on Tuesday, demanding an end to the department's cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for detaining area residents. Among those leading the protests were U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit), Andy Levin......
Ann Arbor Human Rights Commission refuses to discuss Israeli occupation at contentious meeting
August 17th, 20191 ANN ARBOR — Nearly a month after scoring a breakthrough in their quest for a boycott resolution of U.S. military support for Israel, local activists were rebuffed by the Ann Arbor Human Rights Commission on Wednesday night, which refused to discuss the proposal. “This is a commission of killers!” Ann Arbor resident Mozhgan...
First major legal win for BDS activists achieved at Fordham University after two-year battle
August 17th, 20190 NEW YORK CITY — A landmark victory has been won by a group of students at Fordham University here, who won the right to establish a Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) club on campus after two years of legal battles. The student government's approval of SJP was originally vetoed by the school in December 2016, but in April......
