U.S. Rep. Gary Peters announces reform to Refugee Act
WASHINGTON - Congressman Gary Peters has announced a bill to reform the Refugee Act on its 31st anniversary. The Refugee Act helps assist political, ethnic and religious refugees around the world. The system that distributes funds for refugees is out of date and inefficient according to a report released by Peter's office. Refugee...Federal grants awarded to fight housing discrimination in MI
CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) earlier this month awarded more than $1.2 million to four fair housing organizations and non-profit agencies in Michigan to educate the public and combat housing and lending discrimination. Nationally, HUD awarded more than $40.8 million to 108 organizations. The...“Know Your Rights” meeting being held for immigrants
DEARBORN — Mother of the Savior Church in Dearborn and the Alliance for Immigrants Rights-Michigan (AIR) will host a bilingual (English and Arabic) "Know Your Rights" meeting for immigrant families on Sunday, March 20 at 1:30 p.m. at the church. Attendees will have the opportunity for a free consultation with an immigration attorney...Upcoming Sadr Foundation-USA dinner raises funds for orphans and unprivileged
Dearborn – The Sadr Foundation is widely known for turning the despair of young orphans into hope by giving them bright futures through higher education. In addition tens of thousands more visit the organization’s health and social centers annually. Those interested in helping the Foundation continue its humanitarian efforts in the...Red carpet welcome for new Lebanese Consul General
Diab receives "Key to the City" from O'Reilly DEARBORN — A private reception was thrown Tuesday at Byblos Banquet Hall in Dearborn to honor Mr. Houssam Assad Diab, the newly appointed Acting Consul General of Lebanon in Detroit. Organizer Chaker Aoun, Acting Consul General of Lebanon in Detroit Houssam Diab, Dearborn...Goldstone Report discussed at Wayne State
Several organizations came together to host a discussion with Philip Weiss titled "The Goldstone Report" at the Bernath Auditorium on the campus of Wayne State University in Detroit on Tuesday, March 8. Weiss is a co-author of a condensed version of the official fact-finding report to the UN investigating war crimes and crimes against...Local Yemenis hold separate, opposing rallies on Yemen unrest
Rally in support of Saleh on Saturday followed by larger anti-Saleh event Sunday Yemeni Americans turned out in large numbers over the weekend at Dearborn City Hall. At Sunday's anti-Saleh rally, some wore American and Yemeni flags. PHOTO: Nick Meyer/TAANDEARBORN —The ongoing mass protests in Yemen were the focus of two...LCN excited to bring 2011 national convention to Michigan
Oakland University in Rochester will be the site of the Lebanese Collegiate Network's 2011 annual convention from Friday, April 1 to Sunday, April 3, a wide-ranging national event uniting students, professionals and alumni for the purpose of academic and professional development. The LCN's annual convention is designed to help...Dearborn woman gives birth on I-94 with help of friend, dispatcher
DETROIT — Dearborn resident Rima Meroueh gave birth to son Mazen Hariri on Tuesday, Mar. 8 on the side of I-94, saying that the child wasn't originally expected to be born until the following Sunday night according to various local news reports. The 31-year-old Meroueh, a graduate student at Wayne State University, was on the way to...
Activists gather to oppose Arizona-style immigration bill in Michigan
March 12th, 20110 DEARBORN — Community members met Monday to discuss provisions on newly proposed Michigan HB 4305, also known as "Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act." The bill is similar to the Arizona-style immigration law. Community members gathered at the LAHC on Monday, Mar. 7 to discuss a plan to combat the...‘Interfaith in Action’ the theme of MSA dinner
Scholar Precious Rasheeda Muhammad was among the keynote speakers at the MSA's 8th annual dinner. The theme was 'Interaith in Action.' PHOTO: Nafeh AbuNab/American Elite StudiosDEARBORN — The University of Michigan-Dearborn (UM-D) Muslim Student Association (MSA) held its 8th annual Unity in Diversity Dinner on...Upcoming UM-D outreach program teaches disadvantaged youth about college options
The University of Michigan-Dearborn is holding "On the Move: College is an option!" inside the campus' Fairlane Center North Building on Mar. 17. The free one day outreach program is dedicated to introducing individuals experiencing socioeconomic challenges to post-secondary education. The deadline to apply for those who wish to...Arab American sues FBI for installing GPS tracking device in his car
Yasir Afifi, a 20-year old Arab American from San Jose, California, is suing the FBI for secretly installing a GPS tracking device in his car. When Afifi refused to give the device back the FBI threatened to hold federal charges against him. According to Zahra Billo, executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations,...Marathon Oil offers scholarships for Detroiters
DETROIT — City of Detroit residents are asked to apply for Marathon Oil's scholarship program, which is offering 10 scholarships for those who wish to pursue an education in Process Technology. Applications are now being accepted for scholarships at Henry Ford Community College and the Wayne County Community College District toward...Michigan-Ann Arbor students hold “Shot Down: Dying for Democracy” demonstration
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor students show their support for slain protesters in Libya, Bahrain, and Yemen at the Diag courtyard on campus. Photo courtesy of SAFEAnn Arbor - In response to what has been called one of the most remarkable regional uprisings in history in the Middle East and North Africa, the Students Allied for......
WSU students march in solidarity with uprisings
DETROIT — A group of more than 50 people demonstrated in support of Arab uprisings, with an emphasis on Libya, this past week at Wayne State University. The rally was organized by a student named Maryam and included members from Amnesty International and the Arab American Student Union on campus. The demonstrators circled campus and...STATE OF CITY ADDRESS: Dearborn’s O’Reilly: Cuts, tax raise looming
Mayor O'ReillyDEARBORN — Mayor Jack B. O’Reilly, Jr. spoke clearly and directly in his State of the City address on Wednesday, Feb. 23, saying that Dearborn's tremendous financial challenges are real and need to be immediately addressed. The evolving vision for Dearborn is still desirable and doable, he said, but realizing that......
STATE OF CITY ADDRESS: Upbeat Bing announces new projects
DETROIT— “A work in progress.” This was the key message of Detroit Mayor Dave Bing’s state of the city address. The address, which took place at the Max M. Fisher Music Hall on Tuesday February 22 at 7:00pm, drew a crowd that filled every seat. Bing focused on the many improvements made, including a drop in the homicide...‘ELEVATOR’: New suspense thriller film avoids stereotypical Arab role
If the opportunity to star in a Hollywood film means having to play a character that’s degrading to Arab Americans, Waleed Zuaiter won’t think twice about turning it down. Zuaiter is close to evolving into one of Hollywood’s most distinguished Arab American actors. He says Arab actors in Hollywood often avoid taking on roles...
Local Libyan Americans anxious as revolution unfolds
February 26th, 20110 An anti-government demonstrator holds a Kingdom of Libya flag in Benghazi city February 24, 2011. Muammar Gaddafi blamed a revolt against his rule on al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Thursday and said that as Libyan leader he only had "moral authority." REUTERS/Asmaa WaguihAs the world continues to look on in horror at the...
Dearborn hosts rally for Yemen, Bahrain and Libya
February 26th, 20110 DEARBORN — “Down, Down Ali Saleh.” “Freedom, Liberty, Justice for Libya.” “The people want to bring down the regime.” Hundreds of people of all ages attended Sunday's rally at City Hall. PHOTOS: Nafeh AbuNabThese are just a few of the many signs that stood out in front of city hall on the afternoon of Sunday,......
Renowned intellectual Abu-Khalil talks Egypt, Palestine in Dearborn
February 26th, 20110 DEARBORN — While the Palestinian aspect of the recent popular uprisings in the Arab world has been largely ignored by the American media, internationally-recognized Lebanese American intellectual, author, and activist Dr. As'ad Abu-Khalil has kept a close eye on the situation, which is of the utmost importance for world security....Spinning for a cause…Locals help support Gaza
CANTON — A DJ spins at Canton's Off the Hookah lounge, which hosted a fundraiser for US Boat to Gaza on Tuesday, Feb. 22 with proceeds going to the organization. A total of more than $800 was raised on the night by the fundraiser which was put on in part by Existence is Resistance of Detroit. The event was held as a lead-up to Friday's......
Dearborn’s Ford Community and Performing Arts Center undergoing renovations
Dearborn’s Ford Community and Performing Arts Center is amid a number of renovations that include the addition of two restrooms in the Center Court Café kitchen and storage areas, a full service vending center with four to six high quality vending machines in addition to the two already in place, the Center’s club rooms are being...Dearborn school officials express concern over Snyder’s budget
Gov. Rick Snyder’s dollar budget plan includes $1.2 billion in permanent spending cuts to respond to the $1.4 billion state deficit. The budget eliminates before and after school programs and state jobs. Snyder is expected to eliminate the Michigan Business Tax and replace it with a six percent corporate income tax, a promise he made......
