The Arab American News
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Michigan cancels Tuesday, Wednesday prison visits
JACKSON – Prisoner visitations for Tuesdays and Wednesdays will be cut in a move that is expected to save the Michigan Department of Corrections millions. The new schedule went into effect on June 13 according to officials and will eliminate the need for extra staffing. Some have questioned the move saying it further isolates...
Nasrallah: Justice in Hariri case key to sustained stability
July 8th, 20110 BEIRUT — Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said Tuesday that serving justice into the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was the way to stability in Lebanon, reiterating Hizbullah’s rejection of accusations that some of its members was involved in the killing. “We do not accept abandoning justice for...
Frustrated Egyptians return to Tahrir Square to claim their rights, protect revolution
July 8th, 20110 Egyptian youth to military rulers: we want real cleansing, real trials, real governmentCAIRO — Five months after the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak, Egyptians are being asked to return to the streets for new mass protests amid frustration over the military rulers' handling of a promised transition to democracy.Hailed...MLHS report: Michigan unemployment down but food stamps up
LANSING - A report entitled "Economic Security Bulletin" was released last week showing that the Michigan unemployment rate is dropping in 82 of 83 counties comparing the 2010 first quarter with the 2011 first quarter. The lone county that did not show a drop was Ontonagon in the Upper Peninsula. But the report also shows that every...Smoking ban begins on UM-Dearborn campus
DEARBORN – The campus of the University of Michigan-Dearborn, along with the Flint and Ann Arbor campuses, implemented a smoking ban on Friday after years of careful study. Cars will now be the only place smoking is allowed on the premises as smoking will be banned in parking lots, courtyards, and other areas. Similar...Family and youth workshop to be held at Islamic House of Wisdom
DEARBORN — On July 16th, the Islamic House of Wisdom in collaboration with local mosques and organizations, will hold a one day workshop to tackle family and youth issues that impact the local Muslim community.The workshop will run from 1:30 pm until 7:00 pm and will feature distinguished speakers and activists from the local...Deadline for voter registration is July 5
LANSING – The office of new Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson is reminding potential voters that the deadline to register is Tuesday, July 5 in order to vote in the upcoming Aug. 2 primary election.Polls on Election Day will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.; applicants must be 18 years old by Election Day and be U.S. citizens. They...Boxer Al-Mashadi continues Kronk’s championship tradition
DETROIT – The world-famous Kronk boxing gym is known for its many champions including heavyweights like Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and more. The 9-year-old boxing prodigy has already won two national tournament championships. But the gym's latest champion comes in a much smaller size. Husam Al Mashadi, age 9, who trains at Kronk,...MPAC honors voices of courage and conscience at 20th Media Awards Gala
LOS ANGELES — Before a full house last weekend, the Muslim Public Affairs Council honored acclaimed actress Hiam Abbass for her portrayal of Hind al-Husseini in the film "Miral," the thought-provoking legal drama "The Good Wife," and the poignant documentary "Fordson." In a night filled with celebration and emotional moments, the...Immigrant rights advocates applaud decision to delay vote on E-Verify bills
LANSING — Recently Michigan State Rep. Wayne Schmidt, Chairman of the House Commerce Committee, reversed his plan to put both House Bills 4024 and 4026 to a vote and placed them on hold until the fall. Both bills require state contractors and temporary staffing companies to use the federal E-Verify system when hiring workers...Metro Detroit Youth Day set for July 13 on Belle Isle
DETROIT — One of the highlights of summer for more than 37,000 youngsters from the Metro Detroit area is the annual Metro Detroit Youth Day (MDYD). This year (2011) the colorful event for children will celebrate its 29th anniversary on July 13. It is the largest youth event in Michigan. Ed Deeb: "Metro Detroit Youth Day is...New peace flotilla to Gaza: A voyage of audacious hope
ATHENS, Greece — Later this week, I will be on board a ship named The Audacity of Hope, bound for Gaza along with 50 other Americans. Part of an international flotilla of about 10 vessels from a variety of countries, my fellow passengers and I will be unarmed. Our only cargo is thousands of letters to the people of Gaza from...Targeting minorities: The “black” drug that isn’t
SAN FRANCISCO — Ethnic Americans — whether black, Hispanic, Asian or members of other groups — face different and usually more serious health risks than our majority-group compatriots. We face higher rates of cancer, diabetes and heart disease, as well as greater difficulty in accessing the U.S. healthcare system to get needed...National dialogue set to begin in Bahrain
MANAMA — Bahrain on Monday announced a high-ranging "national dialogue" opening on July 2, although the largest Shi'a opposition bloc said it has not yet decided whether to take part."The National Dialogue chairmanship has received views and recommendations" on parliament, the cabinet, electoral districts, citizenship, corruption and...Iran fires medium-range missile in war game
TEHRAN - Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards fired 14 missiles in an exercise Tuesday, one of them a medium-range weapon capable of striking Israel or U.S. targets in the Gulf, state media said.The Guards' aerospace commander, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, insisted Iran's missile program posed no threat to European nations but was......
Lebanon: Indictment timing raises questions
July 1st, 20110 Four indictments issued in Hariri killing probe Timing of indictments slap in the face of newly formed government after months of intense discussionBEIRUT — A United Nations-backed court has handed down indictments requesting the arrest of four members of Hizbullah in connection with the 2005 killing of former Lebanese...Threats to Arab spring are both domestic and international
In the Arab Spring there is a steady turbulence: dynastic regimes, patriarchal order, fanatic movements and self-serving foreign intervention. Over the last century, the entire nation-building process has been dysfunctional. Rulers legitimize people, not the reverse; religion trumps human rights; reactionary political movements...
“Fordson” wins over audience, takes Best Documentary Award at Detroit-Windsor Film Festival
July 1st, 20110 Award-winning documentary slated to premiere in Dearborn on September 7DETROIT — The 2010 debut of the trailer for the movie documentary "Fordson: Faith, Fasting, Football," generated a huge amount of buzz among local Arab Americans and Muslims as well as many others eager to see a real-life portrayal of the community on...
Al Jazeera wilts in Arab Spring
July 1st, 20110 Al Jazeera English was recently hailed by no less a person than U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for providing "real news." Viewership of the Los Angeles public television station, KCET-TV, increased by 135 percent after it started broadcasting Al Jazeera English. Al Jazeera Arabic, however, seems to have fallen from grace.......
Saudis tell NATO they’ll pursue Nukes if Iran does
LONDON/TEHRAN - Saudi Arabia has warned NATO that it would pursue policies that could lead to “untold and possibly dramatic consequences” if Iran obtains nuclear weapons, a British newspaper reported Wednesday.The Guardian newspaper quoted Prince Turki al-Faisal, a former Saudi intelligence chief and ambassador to Washington and...Iran shows Russia downed U.S. drones
Iran has said it has shown Russia U.S. drones it shot down over the Gulf, Revolutionary Guards aerospace commander Brigadier General Amir Ali Hadjizadeh was quoted as saying on Tuesday."Russian experts requested to see these drones and they looked at both the downed drones and the models made by the Guards through reverse engineering,"......
Local mosques among several non-profits to apply for federal security grant
July 1st, 20110 DEARBORN — Although non-profits across the United States take advantage of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Non-profit Security Grant Program (NSGP) every year, the Islamic Center of America's interest in it has been misunderstood, officials say. FEMA is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security...
Ongoing unrest threatening Syrian economy
July 1st, 20110 DAMASCUS — As protests persist in Syria, the economy is becoming an increasing concern for many, who wonder if it will eventually falter in light of the recent unrest. "The global financial crisis had a moderate affect on Syria," Syrian economist Samir Seifan told IPS. But now, "people are only spending on basic items, which is......
