Obama spotlights advanced auto technology in west Michigan
August 13th, 20110 HOLLAND – Deep in the heart of Republican West Michigan, President Barack Obama called for an end to partisan gridlock in Washington D.C. today as he toured the Johnson Controls-Saft advanced battery facility here. U.S. President Barack Obama tours an advanced battery facility, Johnson Controls, Inc. in Holland, Michigan, August 11,...
Whole Foods stands by Ramadan campaign
August 12th, 20110 For the last two weeks, Whole Foods promoted frozen products made by Saffron Road, maker of all-natural halal foods, in celebration of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Emphasis on these products, which include famous Indian and Thai dishes, drew the ire of right-wing bloggers like Debbie Schlussel, who in late July blasted the Whole...Fordson coach Zaban, Conyers among White House Iftar attendees
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama hosted the White House's Annual Iftar dinner celebrating Ramadan at the White House on Wednesday, August 10, a tradition began by former president Bill Clinton that was continued by President George W. Bush. Fordson High School of Dearborn football coach Fouad "Walker" Zaban got the call...State of Michigan says Federal assistance running out for needy families
LANSING — The state's tight budget and changes in policies mean that federal assistance could be running out for nearly 14,000 struggling families in Michigan, according to a report in the Detroit Free Press. With many families' five year period of receiving help having expired, hard times could be on the horizon. The state began...Dismay expressed over findings in ICE’s investigation on abuse by its agents
DETROIT — After months of waiting, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has finally issued its overdue report on an investigation into abusive enforcement at Hope of Detroit Academy, and throughout the Detroit area. On Monday at the Detroit Hispanic Development Center, community leaders gathered to condemn the...
U.S. Muslims more tolerant, opposed to violence than other faiths
August 6th, 20110 WASHINGTON (IPS) — Muslims in the United States express greater tolerance for members of other faiths than any other major religious group, according to a major new survey and report released here Thursday by the Abu Dhabi Gallup Center.They are also more likely than any other religious group to oppose violent or military attacks...
An un-American response to the Oslo attack?
August 5th, 20110 Over the last decade, virtually every terrorist plot aimed at the U.S. — whether successful or failed — has provoked greater security and surveillance measures. Within a matter of mere weeks, the 9/11 attacks infamously spawned a vast new surveillance statute (the PATRIOT Act), a secretly implemented warrantless eavesdropping...
Al Jazeera English launches in New York City
August 5th, 20110 NEW YORK — Six months after New York City news junkies flocked to Al Jazeera English's website for up-to-the-second coverage of the Egyptian uprising, they'll now have a chance to watch the 24-hour news network on its original platform: Television.Al Jazeera English launched in New York City this week on Time Warner Cable, a major step...
Obama’s immigration rhetoric at odds with record
July 29th, 20110 WASHINGTON (IPS) — "Our American family will only be as strong as our Latino community," U.S. President Barack Obama said in his address at the National Council of La Raza's annual conference in Washington on Monday."We're going to keep working with you because for more than four decades, NCLR has fought for opportunities for Latinos...New bill would eliminate 55,000 visas annually
The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill that eliminates the Diversity Immigrant Visa program, which issues 55,000 greencard visas every year. It must now proceed to the floor of the full House of Representatives for a vote.Since 1995, 785,000 visas have been issued under the program to enhance diversity within the United States....
FBI guide depicted Muslims as 7th-century simpletons
July 29th, 20110 As recently as January 2009, the FBI thought its agents ought to know the following crucial information about Muslims: They engage in a "circumcision ritual;" more than 9,000 of them are in the U.S. military; their religion "transforms country's culture into 7th-century Arabian ways."And this was what the FBI considered "recommended...Key committee slashes foreign aid, warns Palestinians
WASHINGTON — Amidst growing fears of a new fiscal crisis sparked by a possible U.S. debt default next week, a key Republican-led Congressional committee Wednesday approved deep cuts in foreign aid and contributions to the United Nations and other multilateral institutions next year.While leaving some eight billion dollars in President...
Candidates beware: Islam-baiting doesn’t work
July 23rd, 20110 During the 2010 midterm election campaign, virtually every hard-charging candidate on the far right took a moment to trash a Muslim, a mosque, or Islamic pieties. In the wake of those elections, with 85 new Republican House members and a surging Tea Party movement, the political virtues of anti-Muslim rhetoric as a means of rousing...Iran claims U.S. drone shot down over nuclear site in Qom
TEHRAN — Iran has shot down an unmanned U.S. spy plane that flew over its Fordu nuclear site, a state-run website reported Wednesday, a day after it confirmed it was installing a new generation of advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges."An unmanned U.S. spy plane flying over the holy city of Qom near the uranium enrichment Fordu site...
“Arab Attitudes”: U.S. standing plunges across Arab world
July 16th, 20110 WASHINGTON - The United States' popularity in the Arab world has plummeted to levels lower than the last year of the George W. Bush administration, according to a new survey of public opinion in six Arab countries released here last Wednesday.The "Arab Attitudes" survey found that favorable ratings of the United States have fallen by......
Michigan deaths in Afghanistan, Iraq: 204
A total of 204 Michigan servicemen have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan combined according to data released by CNN.com. More than 6,000 on the U.S. side have been killed altogether in both wars. The numbers from Michigan break down as 159 killed in Iraq and 45 in Afghanistan, according to the statistics. ...Zogby Poll: 67% say U.S. headed in wrong direction
UTICA, NY — Two-thirds of likely voters say the nation is headed in the wrong direction, the highest it has been since December of last year. Only 23% say the nation is headed in the right direction, while 67% say it is on the wrong track. The wrong track total is the highest since the 68% total found on December 14,...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...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...Muslim woman fired by Air France for wearing headscarf
Herndon, VA. — Nineteen-year-old Riham Osman, a Muslim from Herndon, Virginia, was reportedly fired on the job at Dulles International Airport by Air France in early June, after a supervisor had told her that her head scarf violated the company's uniform policy.Osman, who was hired to be a passenger service agent for Air France by an......
95-year-old woman forced to remove adult diaper for pat-down
A 95-year-old woman at the Northwest (Fla.) Regional Airport was reportedly forced to take off her adult diaper according to her daughter Jean Weber of Florida while heading to Michigan to visit family.The wheelchair-bound woman is battling leukemia and may not have much time to live according to reports. She was expecting to go to...
CAIR applauds weightlifting rule change to allow Islamic attire
July 1st, 20110 WASHINGTON — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) this week applauded a decision by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) to modify its policy on competitor apparel to allow modest Islamic attire. Kilsoom AbdullahThe IWF policy change, which now allows a full-body unitard under the compulsory weightlifting......