White House announces $300 million in aid to Detroit
DETROIT — The federal government announced that it would provide $300 million in aid to assist Detroit, which this year became the largest city in United States history to file for municipal bankruptcy. The money will be used to demolish blighted buildings and homes, advance public safety and improve public transportation....Legal Matter: Preemptive military strikes are illegal under international law (Part 2)
Osirak – An Illegal Use of ForceThe 1981 Israeli bombing of the Iraqi Osirak nuclear reactor, on the other hand, was widely condemned by the international community. The Israelis sent a number of aircrafts into Iraqi airspace to bomb Osirak, which was near the final stages of construction. According to the Israelis,...Community mourns loss of Saadallah Goutimy, LAHC founding member
DEARBORN — The local community suffered a great loss on Tuesday, October 1, with the passing of Saadallah Goutimy, 77, a renowned professor and scholar, who helped bring the Lebanese American Heritage Club (LAHC) to prominence in its early days. GoutimyGoutimy, who was born in Lebanon, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1959, had...Dearborn school board discuss grade advancements, bond proposal, and summer school project at meeting
DEARBORN — Board Trustees were divided at the last Dearborn School Board meeting over whether freshman students should be able to advance to the next grade level, even after coming short on credits. According to Superintendent Brian Whiston, under a guideline change, ninth-graders would now be considered sophomores, even if they...Upcoming seminars aim to educate public on enrolling in new health insurance marketplace
MICHIGAN — Over the next few weeks, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) will be hosting seminars to assist consumers with understanding the changes that are taking place, as a result of the new healthcare law. The sessions will outline the basics of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including subsidy eligibility, ways to...
State Rep. Rashida Tlaib issues statement on ADC sexual harassment investigation
September 30th, 20130 Tlaib.State Representative Rashida Tlaib has issued a statement on the findings of ADC's sexual harassment investigation against former Regional Director of ADC-MI, Imad Hamad. The organization issued a statement on Friday, stating that there had been "insufficient evidence" in determining whether sexual harassment had been conducted by...
ADC: “Insufficient evidence to make a conclusive determination” in sexual harassment allegations
September 27th, 20130 DEARBORN-After a four month pro-longed investigation, the American-Arab-Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) announced on Friday that there was "insufficient evidence" to make a conclusive determination on whether ADC-MI Regional Director Imad Hamad, had sexually harassed several women at his workplace. Imad HamadHamad had...Hamtramck mayoral candidate stays in race; EM says he’s not a defaulter to City
HAMTRAMCK — Emergency Manager Cathy Square has determined that mayoral candidate and city councilman Dr. Abdul Algazali is not a defaulter to the City. Square says the finding was made by the City attorney. There was much speculation that Dr. Algazali’s name would be removed from the November General Election ballot, and...
Religious leaders meet with Iranian President in New York
September 27th, 20130 NEW YORK — A group of American Muslim community leaders, in addition to Congressmen Keith Ellison and André Carson, were invited by Iran's mission at the United Nations in New York to have a dinner and hold a discussion with the president of Iran Dr. Hassan Rouhani Tuesday night, right after Rouhani’s address at the General...Sexual harassment investigation, four months later: ADC-MI future in limbo as national office remains silent
DEARBORN — Last May, sexual harassment allegations surfaced against Regional Director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee of Michigan (ADC-MI) Imad Hamad, shaking the organization and, in turn, the community. Yet, four months later, as the organization heads into the fall, during which it usually hosts two of its largest...Two-state solution or illusion?
Peter Beinart is a “liberal Zionist” who has written a piece in the New York Review of Books (in the Sept. 26 edition) entitled “The American Jewish Cocoon.” In this essay he laments, “The organized Jewish community a closed intellectual space.”By this he means that most American Zionist Jews (it is important to remember...Legal Corner: Preemptive military strikes are illegal under international law – Part 1
Recently, and quite suddenly, there has been a significant improvement in the overall mood about the prospects for peace in the Middle East. One of the constant looming dangers hanging over the region over the past decade was the prospect of a regional war triggered by a preemptive strike by...Leaders to select new BRIDGES co-chair, address civil rights issues at meeting
DEARBORN — On Tuesday, September 24, community leaders gathered at the Dearborn Performing Arts Center for a meeting held by the group, BRIDGES (Building Respect In Diverse Groups to Enhance Sensitivity), in order to discuss agenda items pertaining to both the community and the organization itself.BRIDGES was formed shortly after 9/11,...Dearborn City Council tables garage ordinance for revision, again
DEARBORN — On Tuesday, Sept. 24, Dearborn City Council tabled the garage ordinance amendment that would ban garages from being converted into habitable spaces, to review and clarify parts of it. The council said the part of the ordinance that would ban transparent or sliding garage doors needs clarification before the amendment is...Arab League ambassador to U.S. shares thoughts on “Arab Spring” at HFCC
DEARBORN — The Ambassador of the League of Arab States to the U.S., Mohammed Al Hussaini Al Sharif, delivered a lecture on the "Arab Spring" and the role of the League in the Middle East on Monday, Sept. 22, at Henry Ford Community College.Sharif began his lecture by stressing on the economic, geographic and religious importance of the......
Mayor O’Reilly endorses city council candidate Susan Dabaja at fundraiser
O'Reilly and Dabaja.Mayor Jack O’Reilly attends City Council candidate Susan Dabaja’s fundraiser at Habib’s Cuisine, on Wednesday, September 25. O’Reilly, who was amongst 400 supporters in attendance, publicly announced that he was endorsing Dabaja’s run for City Council. Dabaja is one of fourteen candidates up for the seven...NAAMA honors ACC President and CEO Dr. Haifa Fakhouri
On Sunday, Sep. 1, Arab American and Chaldean Council President and CEO Dr. Haifa Fakhouri was honored by the National Arab American Medical Association (NAAMA) for her support and commitment to making a difference. Dr. Fakhouri was recognized at NAAMA's 35th National Medical Convention in Newport Beach, California. The ACC......
Dearborn resident killed by car while crossing Warren Avenue
DEARBORN — Ibrahim Beidon, 59, of Dearborn passed away Friday, Sept. 20, after being hit by an SUV on Warren Avenue in the evening that same day. He was rushed to Oakwood Hospital afterwards, and passed away there. Beidon was a supporter of The Arab American News, and volunteered his time to the paper. TAAN extends its sympathy and...Dearborn Police warn residents of “Apple Picking”
Dearborn — Dearborn has witnessed an increase in iPhone thefts, police say.The Apple smart phones, which can be quickly sold for cash, make for an attractive target to thieves. Stealing iPhones from the hands of their users and running away has been coined "Apple Picking." Last year, several iPhone theft stories made national...DHS awarded major grant to help eliminate client identity theft
LANSING — The Michigan Department of Human Services has been awarded a $1.3 million grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology to help clients avoid identity theft within their DHS food assistance program (FAP) accounts.The grant, which is part of the United States Department of Commerce and its National Strategy for...$40 billion cut to food assistance program contested
MICHIGAN — Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted, 217-210, to pass H.R. 3102, the “Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act.” The legislation would cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $40 billion, and includes other drastic changes. The move would affect low income families and individuals......
Detroit organizations join forces to help local aspiring citizens
MICHIGAN — An unprecedented effort to help legal permanent residents become U.S. citizens is underway in Detroit, bringing together immigrant service providers, local government, faith leaders and community organizations. This unique collaboration serves as the Detroit arm of the national New Americans Campaign. It not only...
For women, getting an Islamic divorce can be difficult
September 20th, 20130 DETROIT — Recalling the day her Islamic divorce was finalized, Olivia a Dearborn woman, said, "I was more than ecstatic, because it was almost like having a noose around your neck, and just relieved that somebody doesn’t have that power over you, and you’re out of such a hostile situation."Olivia chose not to use her real name. She......
HFCC begins semester with a projected financial turn-around, despite enrollment drop
DEARBORN — Henry Ford Community College (HFCC) may have faced a near crisis a few months ago, as it ended its winter semester with a vacant presidential seat and a $10.5 million deficit that left its large body of faculty torn over the direction of the College's future.Now, however, newly appointed HFCC president Stan Jensen says the...Arab American National Museum to expand through rehabilitation project
The Arab American National Museum (AANM) will rehabilitate and occupy the former Zamboni Room bar and Dynamic Mortgage office, located directly east of the Museum. Both spaces have been vacant for several years and are considered blighted; they will now comprise a 4,200-sq.-ft., single-story expansion of the existing......
