The Arab American News
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Political split deepens over nuclear spying
TEHRAN (IPS) — Charges of spying for Britain persisting against former nuclear negotiator Hossein Mousavian appear to have intensified rifts within the alliance of conservatives and hardliners that made Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Iran's president more than two years ago. Mousavian, who was a deputy of the Supreme National Security Council and a...
Iran leader claims win in nuke faceoff
December 9th, 20070 President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday called the dramatic U.S. turnaround in a new intelligence review a victory for Iran's nuclear program, suggesting it shows the success of his hard-line stance rejecting compromise. But his more moderate opponents at home are hoping the assessment's conclusion that Tehran shelved its effort...Ex-principal of Arabic Khalil Gibran school loses round in court
According to a report in the New York Daily News, a federal judge this week shot down a last-minute attempt by the former principal of a Brooklyn Arabic-language school to keep the city from selecting her successor. Debbie Almontaser wanted the judge to delay the selection of a new principal for the Khalil Gibran International...Ann Arbor doctor ‘not guilty’ for protest involvement
ANN ARBOR — Catherine Wilkerson, a doctor in Ann Arbor, was among a small group of protestors at a talk on Iran sponsored by a pro-Israel group at the University of Michigan. She was not aware that this event last November would lead to criminal charges against her for fulfilling the responsibilities of her profession. Her...Darkness surrounds spotlight on peace talks
NEW YORK (IPS) — In the aftermath of the Annapolis peace conference, foreign policy analysts and human rights advocates are finding considerable irony in Israel's Arab neighbors pressing for freedom for Palestinians while their own citizens continue to carry a heavy burden of unrelenting political repression. Most of those representing...
Will army commander take control of Lebanon?
December 9th, 20070 BEIRUT (IPS) — As the constitutional clock ticks away the last few hours of Emile Lahoud's presidential term, Lebanon faces its worst political deadlock since the end of the civil war. Five parliamentary sessions to elect Lahoud's successor have already been postponed since Sep. 24, with the danger of civil strife looming over the...Arab American faces deportation after Afghanistan service
A highly decorated Arab American sergeant in the U.S. army, who is currently serving as a paratrooper in Afghanistan, faces deportation on his return to the United States because of an irregularity in his immigration papers. Sgt Hicham Benkabbou has been served with an order to stand trial for deportation as soon as he arrives...Civic, political integration of American Muslims
America is known as a "melting pot," with many cultures, religions, ethnicities and races integrating into the mainstream American culture. Muslims have been a relatively new addition to the immigrant population. Their integration had just begun to progress when it came to an abrupt standstill with the events of September 11, 2001....Israeli avoids UK arrest threat
LONDON — An Israeli minister has canceled a visit to the U.K. over concerns he could be arrested on war crimes charges. The foreign ministry said an "extreme leftist" organization was likely to file a legal complaint against Public Security Minister Avi Dichter. He was the domestic intelligence agency chief in 2002 when Israel bombed a...White House invokes secrecy in Abramoff lawsuits
Washington - The Bush administration is laying out a new secrecy defense in an effort to end a court battle about the White House visits of now-imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The administration agreed last year to produce all responsive records about the visits "without redactions or claims of exemption," according to a court order....Bush announces Middle East visit
WASHINGTON — U.S. President George Bush will visit the Middle East in January, the White House has said. The announcement comes a week after Bush hosted talks at which Israeli and Palestinian leaders pledged to seek a peace deal before the end of 2008. Iran will also be a key issue, after U.S. intelligence said on Monday that the country...
Community reacts to ‘Our Arab American Story’
December 8th, 20070 Documentary premieres at gala event; gets mixed reviews Since the premiere of the documentary "Our Arab American Story," shown in Novi last week, producer Keith Famie said he's gotten mostly positive feedback from those who watched it. The film was shown at the Rock Financial Showplace during "Flavors of the Arab World," a...Panel discusses needs of Iraqi refugees
ANN ARBOR — Refugees, or people who flee from their homes in times of crisis, are often treated as political pawns. Political leaders debate who caused the refugees, what should be done with them, and what their status means politically. Meanwhile, the refugees are ignored, victimized or treated as a burden. ...Rights group needed now more than ever
ADC struggling for funds as anniversary approaches DEARBORN — The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) in Michigan will hold its Annual Fundraising Gala on Friday, December 7, at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn. ADC Michigan will host the Gala for the eighth year, as it celebrates another year of promoting the civil...Ann Arbor peace groups discuss support for Annapolis conference
ANN ARBOR — A group of peace organizations against the occupation in Palestine gathered in Ann Arbor on Tuesday to show support for the Annapolis Mideast peace conference, despite being generally skeptical of its chances for ultimate success. "We feel we should support whatever can happen there," said Odile Hugonot-Haber, of the Women's......
Fight dedicated to slain uncle
DEARBORN — One of two local Arab American boxers initially scheduled to perform at an upcoming nationally televised event in Dearborn has pulled out of the show. Undefeated middleweight Brian "The Lion" Mihtar and promoters of the event said they could not agree on the amount of money Mihtar was to be paid and the opponent he was to...Students donate to Locks of Love
DEARBORN — A group of Dearborn girls had their long hair lopped off last Monday at McDonald Elementary School, offering their thick locks to a charity that provides hairpieces for disadvantaged children who suffer from illness-related hair loss. Fifth-grade teacher Reem Bathish organized an assembly at the school where students with...Niqab farce continues
When my partner Adèle, unable to get around because of knee replacement surgery, filled out her ballot at home, no one came around to see if she was wearing a niqab or other face covering. Perhaps the matter was overlooked. The bill forbidding voting while wearing a face covering is now moving through Canada's House of...Liberal leader attacks Khadr’s Gitmo ordeal
Stéphane Dion, leader of Canada's opposition Liberal Party, has called upon Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper to "demand that Omar Khadr be removed from Guantanamo Bay detention facility to be transferred to the United States to be tried in a legitimate court." Khadr, a Canadian citizen whose family has had close ties to Osama......
Almrei denied bail from Gitmo North
Hassan Almrei is the last inmate of Guantanamo North, the detention facility for people with suspected terrorist affiliations seeking to avoid deportation from Canada. The facility is on the grounds of the Kingston Penitentiary. Justice François Lemieux refused to give him bail. Judge Lemieux listed several factors...Abu Dhabi spending billions in Alberta
Because of their province's substantial oil wealth, Albertans have been called Canada's blue-eyed Arabs. Now some dark-eyed Arabs are moving in. Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. (TAQA), majority-owned by the government of Abu Dhabi, has put down $5 billion to purchase Prime West Energy Trust, through its Canadian subsidiary TAQA......
Muslim groups support rape victims
Recently, a Muslim student was sexually assaulted on an Ottawa campus. At first, the media described the assault as rape, a description which was later corrected. The woman made a point of having the correction noted because of the shame associated in some Muslim traditions with being the victim of rape. In response to...Canadian Islamic Congress stubs its toe
With Maclean's, the simplest description would be that it is more or less the Canadian Time, though, while over the decades Time has become somewhat less right wing, Maclean's has moved in the other direction. On October 20, Maclean's carried an excerpt from a book by Mark Steyn in which he argues that, as the title puts it, "The......
