The Arab American News
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U.S. changes course on Iran
WASHINGTON In the seemingly never-ending internal battle between hawks and realists in the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush for control of foreign policy, the realists appear to have chalked up another win over their once-dominant foes. The decision to send the State Department's third-ranking official to Geneva...
Serious allegations against local judge
July 18th, 20080 DEARBORN β 19th District Court Judge Richard Wygonik has come under fire for allegedly making several disparaging comments about Arab Americans during a conversation with Dearborn Heights Councilman Tom Berry on July 10. 19th District Court Judge Richard Wygonik Berry circulated details of the conversation in an email and...
Syria comes in from the cold
July 18th, 20080 Paris Rarely has the French capital witnessed such an extravaganza as on July 13, when 43 heads of state and government launched the "Union for the Mediterranean" in the grandiose setting of the Grand Palais, and a day later attended a Bastille Day march past down the Champs-Elysιes, undoubtedly the finest parade-ground in Europe....Palestinian village sues Canadian builders
The West Bank Palestinian village of Bili'n has filed suit in Quebec Superior Court for $2 million against two Montreal firms, Green Park International and Green Mount International, for building and selling homes on Bili'n land which was seized and joined to an Israeli settlement. Lawyers for Bili'n claim that the activities of...
July 11th, 20080 DEARBORN Homecoming is near, time for Dearborn families, relatives and neighbors to come together and enjoy an annual hometown tradition. The 29th annual Homecoming will take place at the Ford Field Park in Dearborn on the weekend of August 1-3. A majority of the activities take place from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Headlining...
City Councilman George Darany named 2008 Outstanding Rotarian of the Year
July 11th, 20080 DEARBORN City Councilman and Dearborn Rotarian George Darany was recently presented with Dearborn Rotary Club's "2008 Outstanding Rotarian of the Year" award in recognition of his nearly 30 years of community service. Presenting the award at a recent Rotary meeting was Bob Ziolkowski, the Club's 2008-2009 president-elect, who...Prospects for the Syrian-Israeli talks
Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said last week that the indirect talks which his country has been conducting with Syria in recent weeks through Turkish intermediaries would shortly make way for direct negotiations. This has been widely interpreted as a sign that progress is being made. By highlighting the talks with Syria,...Conflict finds a creative side
BEIRUT (IPS) Can beauty arise from conflict? When looking at the art scene in the Middle East, where a fault line of political instability stretches from Lebanon, Syria and Israel to Iraq and Iran, the answer seems to be a resounding 'yes.' Artists living in war zones tend to express the harsh realities of battle, depicting...Militance and defiance in the Middle East
WASHINGTON One of the frightening lessons one learns from spending time in Washington, DC is that most of the men and women who make or influence American policy in the Middle East actually have little or no first-hand experience in the region. They know very little about its people, or its political trends at the grassroots level...Ottawa man’s family farm bulldozed by Israelis
Monzer Zimmo is an Ottawa Muslim who is deeply involved in interfaith activities. The following is an e-mail from him which has just been forwarded to me, though it was written in April. He explained that the destruction of farms in that area took place after a clash between Palestinian fighters and Israeli...Holy Land lost
The very words "The Holy Land" evoke powerful images. But the pictures that come to mind are rapidly disappearing from the landscape. The occupation of the West Bank, once a military and political reality that dominated the lives of Palestinians, has become concretized: with massive housing projects connected by ribbons of...Groups concerned about DOJ guidelines
Washington The Muslim Public Affairs Council, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the Arab American Institute (AAI), and other organizations are concerned by an Associated Press report quoting "senior FBI, Justice Department, and U.S. intelligence officials" concerning new Department of Justice guidelines...
Select Michigan and Associated Food & Petroleum Dealers launch “Buy Local, Eat Fresh”
July 11th, 20080 Farmington Hills The Associated Food & Petroleum Dealers (AFPD) and the Michigan Department of Agriculture's "Select Michigan" program wants to make fresh, local produce more readily available to Metro Detroit urban residents. To this end, they are launching a program called "Buy Local, Eat Fresh." "We have found that...“State Secrets” privilege derails rendition suit
NEW YORK (IPS) Maher Arar, whose "rendition" to Syria is widely viewed as an egregious example of mistaken identity, has again been denied the right to appear in court, and congressional efforts to rein in the George W. Bush administration's widespread use of national security as a defence appear to be foundering. Late last...A wave of Islamic insurers gears up to woo Syrians
Damascus Every morning, as Ibrahim al-Mohammed opens the shutters of his Damascus store, he invokes the name of God. For Mr. al-Mohammed, who sports a trim white beard and a portly belly, divine protection is key to safeguarding his array of soaps and cleaning products. The thought of insurance has never crossed his mind. "I......
Business mentoring initiative launched
July 11th, 20080 DETROIT Wayne State University's Executive and Professional Development Division and The Downriver Community Conference announce the launch of a new program aimed at increasing the competitiveness and capacities of emerging businesses in Michigan, particularly in Wayne County. Through the "360° Mentoring Project," the university's...Iraqi Shi’a party rises as Sadr falls
NAJAF At a teeming rally in this holy city last Thursday, thousands of Iraqi Shi'a made an election pledge. "We are at your beck and call, Hakim," they shouted in unison to Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, leader of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), arguably now the country's most influential and best organized Shi'a religious...
A peace package for the Iran crisis
July 11th, 20080 Reckless hawks in Israel and the United States continue to talk up the possibility even the unavoidability of a strike against Iran to destroy its nuclear facilities. Moreover, according to Seymour M. Hersh in the July 7 issue of The New Yorker, U. S. Special Forces are already engaged in extensive clandestine operations...Israel launches all-out war on Islamic institutions in the West Bank
Palestinian Muslim leaders have called on Arab and Muslim states as well as "all human beings who believe in justice" to strongly condemn an ongoing Israeli campaign against Muslim civilian institutions throughout the occupied West Bank. The Israeli army on Tuesday, July 8, rampaged through the northern town of Nablus,......
Saudi king to lead interfaith talks in Spain
RIYADH In a first for a Saudi Arabian leader, King Abdullah will convene a conference in Madrid as part of a Saudi outreach to defuse interfaith tensions, improve Islam's image, and restore respect for religious values. King Abdullah's initiative a three-day meeting starting July 16 that will include Muslim, Christian, and...Gaza under siege despite truce
CAIRO (IPS) Despite a torrent of mutual recriminations, the fragile truce between Israel and Palestinian resistance faction Hamas survived into its third week. Israel, however, has been slow to fulfill its pledge as laid down in an Egypt-brokered ceasefire agreement to allow desperately-needed humanitarian supplies into the......
Ellis leaves legacy of love for children, sports
July 11th, 20080 Sam Ellis, a Dearborn resident well known as a fiery high school principal and wrestling coach in various area school districts, died of a heart attack Wednesday morning on the way to Garden City Hospital. He was 57. Family members said Ellis' limitless, high-energy spirit made memories that will last generations. The large,...
Repair shop offers tips for saving gas
July 11th, 20080 WESTLAND Of all the places in the Metro Detroit area to run an auto shop, the spot on Marquette and Wayne Roads in Westland is one of the worst. At least 30 shops line Wayne Road in the city, and pricing competitions are constant. But the Westland Auto Lube shop has managed to stay afloat because of the hard work of its......
