Author: rayhanania

RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books. Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007). Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. Click here to send Ray Hanania email. Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter

Christa McAuliffe, an American Arab in shuttle disaster

January 28, 2016January 28, 2016 rayhanania 1 Comment

30 years ago, the world watched in horror as the Shuttle Challenger exploded on live television 73 seconds after lift-off at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. Among the seven astronauts who died was the first American Arab astronaut, Christa McAuliffe By Ray Hanania I remember standing in the offices of one of my editors…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Journalism, News, News Media, Ray Hanania

Appeal from Jewish Voice for Peace

January 28, 2016April 13, 2019 rayhanania No Comments

Jewish Voice for Peace takes on bias in the United Auto Workers (UAW) and other unions that have turned their backs on human rights By Karen Ackerman I was the Political Director of the AFL-CIO (the largest federation of unions in the U.S.) for 8 years. But long-before I worked for the AFL-CIO, one of my…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, Guest Columnist, Israel, Palestine & Jordan

Nothing Holy about the Holy Land

January 28, 2016January 28, 2016 rayhanania No Comments

There is nothing Holy about the Holy Land. Israel complains a lot about Palestinians, but rarely does a self-evaluation that might expose its own hypocrisies on things like normalization, hate and hypocrisy. If it did, and corrected things, we might have a genuine peace By Ray Hanania Much is criticized by Israelis about how Arabs…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Israel, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania

Palestinian Journalist Dying in Israeli Gulag

January 26, 2016January 26, 2016 rayhanania No Comments

In Bad Waters — Palestinian journalist Muhammad al-Qiq is dying in an Israeli Gulag. He is one of many thousands of Palestinians suffering in the Israeli prison system By Dezeray Lyn Muhammad al-Qiq is starving to death. He is unconscious. He hasn’t taken a meal in over 60 days. He is 33. He is a journalist. He has been placed on ‘administrative detention’…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Israel, Journalism, Palestine & Jordan

Lydda Roman mosaic showcased in Miami

January 25, 2016August 20, 2019 rayhanania No Comments

Ancient Roman mosaic from Lydda (Lod) to be showcased at Miami’ Frost Art Museum between Feb. 10 and May 15, 2016. “Predators and Prey” a Roman Mosaic from Lydda (Lod), Israel Visitors to Miami this winter travel season have a chance to meet a true “Roman Rock Star” up close in the magnificent Lydda (Lod) Mosaic, a 3rd-century CE Roman Mosaic from…

Arab World, Entertainment, Events, Features, Israel, Palestine & Jordan

Survey says most Israeli Arabs feel discrimination

January 25, 2016January 25, 2016 rayhanania No Comments

Study shows overwhelming majority of Israeli Arab citizens believe they are victims of discrimination. The survey by the Israeli International Fellowship of Christians and Jews also shows that Israeli Arab citizens believe that if they were treated more fairly, they would be more involved in Israeli society A recently conducted survey of Israel’s Arab citizens shows that an…

Arab World, Israel, News, Palestine & Jordan

Reading the grinds in Arabian coffee

January 24, 2016January 25, 2016 rayhanania No Comments

If you have never had your coffee grounds read, you are missing out on understanding your potential future. The art of reading coffee grounds in the Middle East traces back to thousands of years of practice, fortune tellers and seers By Ray Hanania When I was younger, my mother and aunts used to read my…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Features, Food, Ray Hanania

Antiquities threatened in Middle East region

January 24, 2016September 24, 2018 rayhanania No Comments

Antiquities threatened in Middle East region Antiquities and heritage sites representing the history of mankind throughout the Middle East and North Africa are being threatened by terrorists including Daesh (ISIS). A coalition of world leaders and activists called the Antiquities Coalition has been formed to help bring more public attention to the destruction of heritage…

Arab World, Iraq, News, Terrorism

Tunisia Quartet commit to partnership with EU

January 24, 2016January 24, 2016 rayhanania No Comments

Tunisia Quartet commit to partnership with EU The representatives of Tunisian civil society, winners of the Nobel Peace Prize, reminded of their commitment to close cooperation with civil society in the European Union’s countries Five years after the Jasmin Revolution that toppled an authoritarian regime and its President, the representatives of the “Tunisian quartet” presented…

Arab World, News, North Africa

Lebanese National Conservatory plans Jazz Fest

January 24, 2016January 24, 2016 rayhanania No Comments

Lebanese National Conservatory plans Jazz Fest The only Jazz Orchestra in the Middle East, the Big Band of the Lebanese National Conservatory of Music (LNCM), will present a free concert featuring specially composed newly released pieces arranged by, among others, multiple Grammy Award Winner Michael Mossman, a renowned New York-based hard bop jazz trumpeter. The…

Arab World, Entertainment, Events, Features

Point Theme from MyThemeShop is the Worst

January 24, 2016February 18, 2016 rayhanania No Comments

Point Theme from MyThemeShop is the Worst “Point Theme” from MyThemeShop.com is the worst theme center for wordpress. The system is corrupt and flawed. Everytime they update their theme, it rearranges your design dramatically and you have to spend hours re-aligning your WordPress web site. Worse is that they exploit you and the force you…

Bloggers, Commentary, Features, News, Ray Hanania, Technology

Recipe: Nenae ma’a Lemon (Lemon with Mint) drink

January 22, 2016January 22, 2016 rayhanania No Comments

Recipe: Nenae ma’a Lemon (Lemon with Mint) drink This is a very popular and tasty Middle Eastern refreshment. It’s easy to make but requires fresh mint leaves. Mint (nenae in Arabic) is an easy to grow plant that produces a wonderful and essential flavor and ingredient in many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Arab recipes. The plant grows…

American Arabs, Features, Food, Ray Hanania, recipe

Muslim countries condemn Iran

January 22, 2016September 24, 2018 rayhanania No Comments

Over 45 Muslim countries at meeting organized by worlds largest Muslim organization condemn Iran for Saudi Embassy attack and for supporting terrorism. Saudi Embassy condemns Iran accusing it of violating the Charter of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) The Organiation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the worlds second largest inter-governmental organization after the U.N. held…

Arab World, Gulf States, Iran, News, religion, Terrorism

Boycott Not Answer to Lack of Oscar Diversity

January 21, 2016January 21, 2016 rayhanania No Comments

African Americans left out of this year’s Oscar Nominations have again complained, but the focus seems not to be on diversity but rather on African Americans. Minority minorities and other people of color left out of the movie industry are being left out in this debate, too. The issue of the Hollywood bias isn’t about…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, Movies, Ray Hanania

Flip or Flop HGTV one of my favorite shows

January 14, 2016September 29, 2018 rayhanania 3 Comments

There are so few positive images of American Arabs on television but one stands out, Tarek El Moussa who with his wife, Christina, star in the popular HGTV series Flip or Flop, purchasing and remodeling homes in need of major repair By Ray Hanania Most people buy and remodel maybe two or three of their own…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, Entertainment, Features, Ray Hanania

Radio podcast: Obama, Nikki Haley and Donald Trump

January 14, 2016September 24, 2018 rayhanania No Comments

Ray Hanania joins Bentley “Bawb” Patterson on Patterson’s weekly radio show on Yalaha Voice to discuss reaction to the news that Al Jazeera American (AJAM) will be closed in April, and to the State of the Union speech by President Barack Obama and the Republican reaction by South Carolina Governor Nikki R. Halley Columnist and…

American Arabs, Commentary, Editors Picks, Israel, Palestine & Jordan, Podcast, Radio Podcast

Theeb, Arabic language film, nominated for Oscar

January 14, 2016April 13, 2019 rayhanania No Comments

An Arabic language film, Theeb, was nominated for an Oscar by the Academy Awards on Thursday. The film is the story about a young boy who helps a British soldier during World War I. Theeb, the Arabic language story of a young bedouin boy who embarks on a journey through the Ottoman Empire during World…

American Arabs, Entertainment, Features, Movies, News

Tunisia five years after the revolution: Was it worth it?

January 14, 2016 rayhanania No Comments

Tunisia five years after the revolution: Was it worth it? International Institute for Management (IMD) Professor Tawfik Jelassi discusses the country’s progress and challenges At the five-year mark after the Arab Spring uprisings, IMD Professor and former Tunisian minister Tawfik Jelassi talks about Tunisia today in an interview: What comes to your mind when you think…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Features, North Africa