Community groups push Arab American issues
April 25th, 20090 WASHINGTON — With a former community organizer in the White House, now is the perfect time for Arab American community activists to visit Washington, D.C. The National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC) came to the capital last week to advocate for key issues and improve their contacts with federal officials and elected...
Take a spin, Fordson High School wins
April 25th, 20090 The Ford Flex DEARBORN — Test-driving a new car at Fordson High School on April 29 can help raise money for the school's band. Ford Motor Co. and Fairlane Ford dealership are offering to contribute $20 per spin. From 4-9 p.m. that day, for every person who stops by the school during the Drive One 4 UR School event and...The false hope of a long rope
In my daily conversations with ordinary people, I've discovered that many don't know how much a billion or a trillion dollars is. It means the same thing to them as a gazillion. So they don't begin to understand the stimulus package that is promising to inject $789 billion into the economy, nor what kind of impact it is supposed to...
Lebanese food ‘the way it’s supposed to be’
April 25th, 20090 DEARBORN — With so many restaurants focusing on the late-night youth demographic in Dearborn, it seems as if a good, honest family restaurant is becoming harder and harder to find. But New alAmin restaurant on Warren between Greenfield and Chase in Dearborn has stuck to its roots as a clean, relaxing place for an authentic,...
Afghanistan could torpedo Obama’s domestic agenda
April 18th, 20090 President Obama (R) meets with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai of last year. Last week, the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing on Afghanistan and Pakistan. It was revealed that the Obama administration is planning on sending an additional 21,000 troops to Afghanistan with no clear benchmarks for progress...Can the United States put pressure on Israel?
Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and now Barack Obama have all publicly stated that the United States seeks a "two-state" solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In other words, the United States supports the creation of a viable Palestinian state in virtually all of the West Bank and Gaza. The new Israeli government led by...
The killing of Islamic secularism
April 18th, 20090 Debate about the relationship between religion and state has been stifled by history – and the influence of a colonizing West. Ninety years ago in Egypt a new political party was formed. The Secular Party, as it was initially known, campaigned under the slogan: "Religion belongs to God, the homeland belongs to everyone." The...
Group assails MSU’s Tutu invitation
April 18th, 20090 EAST LANSING — Michigan State University announced last week that retired South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu would give this year's commencement address. Two days later, the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy organization, filed a protest. South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu In a letter to Michigan State...
Local Arab, Jewish groups to talk peace
April 18th, 20090 DEARBORN — In a gesture during the Jewish Passover holiday, Brenda Naomi Rosenberg of the Pathways to Peace Foundation presented Imad Hamad, regional director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), on his birthday, with a Reuniting the Children of Abraham Peacemaker award Tuesday. Brenda Rosenberg of the...
Car thefts on Warren Ave., across town
April 18th, 20090 DEARBORN — In the wake of last week's murder-suicide involving two students at Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn, crime in the city has been a hot topic. Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad While the shooting was tragic, Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad said that residents shouldn't be worried about the shooting being a...
CIOM says FBI spying on Michigan Muslims
April 18th, 20090 WARREN — The Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan (CIOM) has asked U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to launch an investigation into complaints that Michigan Muslims are being approached by the FBI to spy on activities of Muslim congregations. Through coercion of certain members of congregations, the FBI is reportedly...
“Tayyar” official visits Michigan, speaks to community
April 18th, 20090 May Akl, press secretary for Lebanese MP Michel Aoun speaks in Troy on Monday. PHOTO: Khalil AlHajal/TAAN Dr. May Akl, press secretary for Lebanese MP Michel Aoun, of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), spoke at the San Marino Club in Troy on Monday. Akl spoke on fighting corruption in Lebanon as one of the key points in the...Ebeid named Guardian Chairman
AUBURN HILLS — President of Guardian Glass Group Russell Ebeid has been named chairman of the board of Guardian Industries, following the March 13 death of former Guardian CEO and owner Bill Davidson. Guardian Industries Chairman Russell Ebeid Ebeid is a son of Lebanese immigrants. Also elected to the five-member board were...Feith charged with sanctioning torture
Doug Feith, former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, is best known for cooking up bogus prewar Iraq intelligence linking Iraq and al-Qaeda and 9/11. Former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Doug Feith But in addition to his duties stove piping phony intelligence directly to former Vice President Dick Cheney, Feith was...
Horse trains as guide for blind woman
April 11th, 20090 DEARBORN — Being blind is tough. Being a blind, female, Muslim, 28-year-old Arab American living with parents is tougher. Mona Ramouni and her miniature guide horse Cali prepare for their day Thursday morning inside a barn-like shed that Ramouni had placed outside her Dearborn home. PHOTOS: Khalil AlHajal/TAAN Mona Ramouni of......
Muslim group hosts Dutch minister
April 11th, 20090 DEARBORN — While campaigning to become president of the United States, Barack Obama was accused of a lot of things. Being of Dutch ancestry was not one of them. But according to the Netherlands' Cabinet Minister of European Affairs, Frans Timmermans, Obama's election actually received more attention in the Netherlands than the...
Cockrel praises ACC’s 7 Mile project, pledges support
April 11th, 20090 Mayor Ken Cockrel Jr. addresses Arab American and Chaldean Council executives and advisors at ACC's Youth Recreation and Leadership Center in Detroit on Tuesday.DETROIT — Mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr. told Arab American and Chaldean Council executives and advisors on Tuesday that the city supports the group's Seven Mile Project......
Why Steve Rosen is suing AIPAC
April 11th, 20090 On March 2, former American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) foreign policy chief Steve Rosen filed a civil lawsuit in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Rosen accuses his former employer, directors, and outside public relations firm of libel and slander. Rosen seeks damages of $5 million from AIPAC and punitive...
Arab American doctors recognized for major WSU contribution
April 11th, 20090 Students from the Arab American community have long been important contributors to the Wayne State School of Medicine, and soon they will have a permanent reminder of that, thanks to a generous donation. Ronald Spalding, chief administrative officer of academic and student programs at Wayne State University, points out progress...
Dingell honored for service to community, country
April 11th, 20090 DEARBORN — Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives John Dingell was honored on Thursday by the Islamic Center of Detroit (ICD) and the Congress of Arab American Organizations (CAAO) in a public ceremony. Representives of the Congress of Arab American Organizations (CAAO), from right, Ali Baleed Almaklani, Sufian Nabhan, Imad...
Grosse Pointe school hosts speaker on importance of Arabic instruction
April 11th, 20090 GROSSE POINTE WOODS — Taking a foreign language class is a requirement at many high schools and colleges across the country, but for most students, the options are limited. Karin Ryding Old standbys like French, Spanish, and German are usually offered but Arabic is extremely hard to find despite the need for better......
ACC donates van to charity group
The Arab American and Chaldean Council on Wednesday donated a van to a local group that serves Iraqi refugees in the area. ACC President Haifa Fakhouri hands off to Chaldean American Ladies of Charity President Sally Najor the keys to a van donated by ACC for use in helping local Iraqi refugees, Chaldean American Ladies of...Police seek 4th man in traffic ticket scheme
DEARBORN — Police have identified two alleged co-conspirators in an investigation of a traffic ticket-fixing scheme that previously resulted in the arrest of a police officer and an Arab American resident. Police believe Hasan Charara has fled and is in hiding, Police announced on April 3 the arrest of Isoam Mahmoud Nimer, and......
Hamtramck peace activists to gather, demonstrate
HAMTRAMCK — A group of peace and Palestinian rights activists are to hold a silent vigil and a luncheon on April 11 in Hamtramck. The Women in Black vigil is scheduled at noon at Pope Park, on the corner of Joseph Campau and Belmont Streets. The luncheon, organized by Hamtramck Supporters of Palestine, includes a Bangladeshi buffet...Levin, Dingell to hold free financial workshop
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, and a group of federal agencies and local advocacy organizations are co-hosting a financial literacy workshop scheduled for April 13, from 2:30-5 p.m. at the University of Michigan-Dearborn's Social Sciences Building, 4901 Evergreen Road in Dearborn. U.S.......
