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 City Beat, Detroit, News

Yalla Eat! Culinary Walking Tour Explores Dearborn’s Warren Avenue in September

arab-american-national-museum(DEARBORN, MI) — Who’s ready for some conspicuous cultural consumption? The Arab American National Museum (AANM) says, “Yalla (Arabic for ‘let’s go’) eat!”

AANM’s Yalla Eat! Culinary Walking Tour is an immersive cultural activity that takes the Museum experience into the community. On Tuesdays and Saturdays from Sept. 13-30, Museum docents will offer guided tours of select markets, bakeries and specialty food retailers along Warren Avenue in East Dearborn, amid the largest concentration of Arabs in the United States.

yalla-eat

Culinary tourists will learn how Arab Americans began to revitalize this shopping district in the early 1980s, turning vacant storefronts into a thriving cultural retail destination. Participants will also explore the diverse current offerings of Arab and Middle Eastern food businesses along Warren Avenue – all founded by immigrants and family run – meet and talk with the owners, enjoy some free samples and do some old-school shopping.

“Before supermarkets like Kroger and Meijer, you would have to visit multiple family-owned stores to secure all of your groceries,” says Dr. Matthew Jaber Stiffler, AANM researcher and culinary guide.

“We could not begin to replicate that experience inside the Museum walls, so we are taking our audiences into the community itself,” Stiffler continues. “It’s a way of embedding the AANM into its hometown while supporting small businesses that represent vital economic activity in Dearborn.”

Yalla Eat! tickets are $20 per person; $15 AANM Members and are available online at www.arabamericanmuseum.org/yallaeat.

The ticket price includes the guided tour, a Yalla Eat! tote bag, food samples, and one free admission to the Arab American National Museum. Tickets are only available online, no walk ups. Minimum six, maximum 12 people per tour date.

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 City Beat, Detroit, News

Lebanese Forces Detroit host annual picnic

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(SHELBY TOWNSHIP, MI) — The Lebanese Forces Detroit Chapter hosted their annual summer picnic at Stony Creek Metropark on Sunday, offering catered food by Ike’s Restaurant, children’s activities, and card games.

A mobile video game trailer also gave kids an opportunity to play Wii, PS3, and XBox 360 games in an air conditioned truck.

“This was our last opportunity to say farewell to summer and bring everyone together before things start getting cold,” said Tony Malouf, president of the local Lebanese Forces chapter.

Several Lebanese Forces members engaged in political discussions about the ongoing presidential void in Lebanon. Malouf says parliament members that are supposedly “boycotting” the election are “not doing their job.”

“It’s their duty to elect a president. Here in the United States, we are talking with congresspeople and senators, trying to orchestrate a free election there.”

Malouf also said Lebanese who support the March 8 movement and other offshoots are “(seeing) what’s best for Syria and other countries.”

He expressed condolences to the family of American journalist James Foley, who was reportedly beheaded by ISIS, and said Lebanon needs to “stay out” of the region’s chaos.

“The whole Middle East will be affected by ISIS and our biggest reason why ISIS came to Lebanon is because what Hezbollah did in Syria. Hezbollah interfered and now we pay the price.”

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 City Beat, Detroit, News

Rai to visit Cleveland in mid-September

beshara-rai(CLEVELAND, OH) — Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai will visit Cleveland, Ohio on September 14, 15, and 16, multiple sources told LebaneseExaminer.com on Sunday.

The source said Rai will arrive in Cleveland after 6pm on September 14 and will be hosted by an “informal reception” at the Parish Pastoral Center.

On Monday, the Patriarch will visit Westwood Country Club for an afternoon luncheon. They say tickets begin at $250 for a silver sponsorship, or $500 for a gold sponsorship.

A divine liturgy will supposedly follow at 5pm.

At 7pm, a grand banquet will be held at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Cleveland. Tickets begin at $65 per person, according to the source.

The Patriarch will leave Cleveland at 1pm, following a brunch in downtown Cleveland.

For more information, contact Saint Maron Church at (216) 781-6161.

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Geagea: Lebanon would be ISIS’ “graveyard”

samir-geagea(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Lebanon will be the end of ISIS fighters if they decide to come, adding that he will refuse to withdraw from the presidency without a solution to the conflict.

“I have never underestimated ISIS’ criminality. On the contrary, I see them as a group of criminals because I could never imagine a human being could slaughter a hostage in cold blood in front of a camera,” Geagea told Ash-Sharq al-Awsat.

“Who said ISIS will come to Lebanon or that they are capable of reaching Lebanon? If they come, (Lebanon) would be their graveyard to say the least.”

Geagea also said that Lebanon should close its borders to prevent the infiltration of ISIS fighters from Syria, blaming Hezbollah for the government’s failure to seal off borders.

“So why not close the border? They say that the number of troops is not enough. That is correct but there are 50 countries that want to help the Army control the Lebanese-Syrian border,” said Geagea, who supports recruiting a peacekeeping force along the border with Syria. 

“Why don’t we take advantage of such offers since they would use technologically developed means that would only require five soldiers to monitor every 10 kilometers?” he asked.

Geagea urged Christians in Iraq not to fear ISIS and to “hold on to their land and unite.” He added that Christians can only live and survive under a democratic system.

“Christians are the roots of culture there … they did not arrive to that land yesterday. I realize it’s difficult and we have to help them but they should hold on to their land.”

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Rai says he’s willing to meet with Nasrallah

patriarch(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Visiting the Kurdish capital Irbil, Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai called Wednesday on the international community to help Iraq’s minorities, asking the country’s Christians to stick to their roots and not leave the country.

“Those who want to help the Christian people in the region can come help them in their own land by creating jobs and building hospitals and schools,” Rai said in press conference after touring the Kurdish capital. “Not by calling on them to emigrate.”

Rai also said on Wednesday that he is willing to meet with Secretary General of the Lebanese Hezbollah Resistance Movement Sayed Hassan Nasrallah as part of efforts to promote national unity in the Arab country.

There already exists a dialogue committee between Bkerke (the seat of the Maronite church) and Hezbollah, Rahi said in response to Nasrallah’s call for national unity against the terrorist groups in Lebanon, the Lebanese National News Agency reported.

Rahi also highlighted the Lebanese people’s responsibility to demonstrate their unity against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group, which has recently carried out attacks against Lebanon.

“We thank God that the Lebanese Army was able to foil the plots (hatched by) the ISIL in (the Lebanese town of) Arsal, but this does not mean that we have managed to fully control ISIL existence in Lebanon,” said the bishop.

“As far as we know, they are hiding in huge numbers here and there,” Rahi said of the ISIL militants.

He also called on the Lebanese politicians to cooperate and reach a compromise on the election of a new president.

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Lebanese Examiner demanding action from President Obama

(DETROIT, MI) — In a letter postmarked on August 21, 2014, LebaneseExaminer.com Editor Charlie Kadado called on President Obama to address the security crisis in Lebanon and “ultimately protect Lebanon, the Middle East, and the United States from barbaric threats.”

Kadado says his recent trip to Lebanon opened his eyes to what he called “evolutionary changes” the country is facing. He also referenced threats made by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and called on Obama’s support to Lebanon.

Text of the letter:

Mr. President:

As our nation contemplates military and humanitarian action in the Middle East in response to increased threats of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), we want to assure you and your Administration of our prayers.

Last month, I had the privilege of traveling to Lebanon for 25 days on a literary project. Although this was not my first trip, I noticed evolutionary changes the country is presently facing. The daily threats of terror and unforeseen explosions have infected the once resilient culture of Lebanese natives.

I am proud to have been born in the United States, and also proud of my Lebanese ancestry. However, the Lebanon I have read about, heard about, and previously visited, certainly doesn’t correlate with the insensitive threats that burden the Lebanese people on a day-to-day basis.

Earlier this year, I founded and launched LebaneseExaminer.com, America’s first and only 24-hour Lebanese-American news organization to provide English news and editorial content and community coverage to the Lebanese diaspora worldwide. Through this avenue of news media, I have met and interviewed hundreds of Lebanese-Americans who are angered and frightened by the spillover crisis that is plaguing our beloved Lebanon.

As Pope John Paul II has said, Lebanon should be a model for people of different faiths to live together in peace. Instead, the country has been ruthlessly torn apart, often at the hands of its neighbors. The influx of Syrian and Palestinian refugees, for instance, has overwhelmed Lebanon’s economy and security, thus threatening the lives of Lebanese natives along with the impoverished future of refugees.

The people of Lebanon are exhausted of living in fear. As our ally, we need your continued support, friendship, and leadership to pull an innocent Lebanon from its brutal surroundings. I, along with the millions of other Lebanese-Americans, would like to thank Ambassador David Hale and your administration for your recent contributions to the Lebanese Armed Forces. More importantly, we hope you are planning a course that will keep Lebanon and surrounding countries safe from daily threats and terrorist activity, most recently identified by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

President Obama, what will you do to protect the Lebanese people from the ongoing spillover? We call on your administration to lead the international community to address our concerns and ultimately protect Lebanon, the Middle East, and the United States from barbaric threats.

Sincerely,

Charlie Kadado

Image of the letter:

Letter to President Obama

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 Lifestyle, News

Two Lebanese on MIT innovators list

innovators(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Two young Lebanese natives have been featured on the “35 innovators under 35” list by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

fadel-adibFadel Adib, a 25-year old student from Tripoli, invented a new technology that detects the movement of people using Wifi signals.

In 2011, Adib received his undergraduate degree in computer engineering with a minor in mathematics from the American University of Beirut, and later moved to MIT for to complete a masters degree in computer science. Now in his third year, Adib is focusing on improving wireless technologies and creating innovative products using them.

Ranking first during all his semesters at AUB, Adib has the highest cumulative GPA in the digitally-recorded history of Lebanon’s leading university.

Lebanese-Canadian Ayah Bdeir, who grew up in Beirut and studied at AUB, also was selected to be part of ayah-bdeirthe list. She founded her own company called “littleBits” in New York City several years ago.

Combining arts and electronic technology, littleBits are educational toys that have been compared to electrified Legos that stick together with magnets. So far, they have found their way to 70 countries.

littleBits sells a kit of different electronic pieces that the user can sort into different combinations to get different results. The wide range of possibilities provided by this simple learning tool allows people of all ages to feel involved, by creating robots and circuits as complicated as they want.

The company also recently added a new concept called “Cloud bit”, which allows users to create prototypes that are connected to the Internet. A video on its website suggests a user could feed his or her fish through an application on an smartphone.

Before creating littleBits, she had been a longtime advocate of open source hardware and software to make education and innovation more accessible to people around the world. In this vein, she co-founded the Open Hardware Summit and founded Karaj, Beirut’s first nonprofit lab for experimental arts, architecture and technology.

Bdeir is also a co-founder of the Open Hardware Summit, a TED Senior Fellow and an alumna of the MIT Media Lab. Bdeir was named one of Inc. Magazine’s 35 Under 35, one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business and one of Popular Mechanics’ 25 Makers Who Are Reinventing the American Dream. littleBits was named as one of CNN’s top 10 Emerging Startups to watch.

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Mother of murdered U.S. journalist ‘never prouder’

(WASHINGTON, DC) — The mother of American journalist James Foley, apparently executed by Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) jihadists, Wednesday paid tribute to her son who she said had died trying to expose the suffering of the Syrian people.

Condolences and shocked messages poured in after the Islamist group released a video showing a masked militant beheading a man resembling Foley, who has been missing since he was seized in Syria in November 2012.

“We have never been prouder of our son Jim. He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people,” Foley’s mother Diane said in a Facebook message to supporters.

“We implore the kidnappers to spare the lives of the remaining hostages. Like Jim, they are innocents. They have no control over American government policy in Iraq, Syria or anywhere in the world.”

“We thank Jim for all the joy he gave us. He was an extraordinary son, brother, journalist and person.”

A second captive, said to be U.S. reporter Steven Sotloff, was shown alive in the video, along with a warning that his fate rests on U.S. President Barack Obama ordering a halt to strikes against the jihadist group which seized swath of Syria and Iraq.

Sotloff, whose kidnapping in August last year has not been widely reported, has written for several U.S. newspapers and magazines, including Time, Foreign Policy and The Christian Science Monitor.

The White House said U.S. intelligence was studying the video.

President Barack Obama says the United States will continue to confront Islamic State extremists despite the brutal murder of journalist James Foley.

Speaking from Matha’s Vineyeard where he’s vacationing with his family, Obama says the entire world is “appalled” by Foley’s killing. The president says he spoke Wednesday with Foley’s family and offered condolences.

Obama says the Islamic State abducts women and children, and tortures, rapes, enslaves and kills people. He said the Islamic State targets Christians and other minorities and aims to commit genocide.

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Lebanese-American congressman pledges support for Lebanese Army

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — United States Republican Congressman Darrell Issa held meetings with top Lebanese officials Monday and Tuesday, in a brief visit to discuss U.S. support for the Lebanese state and Army, a U.S. embassy statement said.

Along with the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale, Issa met with former President Michel Sleiman, Prime Minister Tammam Salam, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

Following his meeting with Prime Minister Salam, Congressman Issa highlighted that the United States was “dedicated to ensuring that the Lebanese Armed Forces has all the tools it needs in order to preserve the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon.”

He affirmed continued U.S. support for Lebanon’s security institutions, and coordination with regional allies to meet the training and equipment needs of Lebanon’s security services.

The National News Agency had reported Tuesday that Issa also met with March 14 officials at the group’s headquarters in Beirut’s Ashrafieh neighborhood.

NNA said the talks focused on political and security developments in Lebanon and the region. In addition to Issa and Ambassador Hale, the agency stated that March 14’s General Secretariat Fares Soueid, MP Marwan Hamade and MP Nadim Gemayel attended the meetings.

Issa chairs the powerful U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government. The congressman, who is of Lebanese descent, has been active in Middle Eastern affairs and arrived in Lebanon after a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo Sunday.

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 Lifestyle, News

New app helping to create addresses in Lebanon

traffic-in-lebanon

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Dots Addresses is a free and collective service that has been made available in Lebanon, to enable every citizen to finally possess a fixeddots-addresses geographic address.

Thanks to its network of virtual addresses and structured system of postcodes, Dots Addresses is a mobile app that will help all Lebanese to better share their addresses and locations.

Once registered to Dots Addresses, the app will give each user a 7 digit postcode that has to be completed with a personalized address. The user will then be able to add other addresses that can be easily shared with friends. A live step-by-step navigation service is also provided to simply guide the users to their final destinations.

The app is free and is now available for download in the iTunes App Store for iPhone users, and in Google Play store for Android users.

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