Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem
The behind-the-scenes when 3 musicians and a poet in the Middle East come together for the first time. By: Kerning Cultures This episode we take you behind the scenes to capture raw human talent: the intimate brainstorming, trials, and experimentation of 3 musicians and a poet in the Middle East preparing for a spoken word…
A Love Story to Defeat the Odds. A modern love story By Kerning Cultures Love in 56KB. He was in Beirut during the Lebanon-Israel war; she was in a small village outside of Rotterdam. They met on MSN Messenger. Episode Credits Produced by Alex Atack, Razan Alzayani, and Hebah Fisher, with sound design by Ramzi…
The FX Series Tyrant which features many Arab actors and actresses is the most racist and viciously anti-Arab series on Television. The series, which is in its second season, is the work of an anti-Arab hater and Israeli producer Howard Gordon and writer Gideon Raff. The show was rumored to have been cancelled after last season’s…
Palestinian group banned by Israel performs protest show By Mohammed Asad Palestinian band Dawaween, who were denied access to perform at a festival in Jerusalem, deliver a performance as part of a protest against the denial in Beit Hanun, near the Erez crossing point with Israel, in the northern Gaza Strip on August 6, 2016….
Read More “Palestinian group banned by Israel performs protest show” »
Exploring the plight of Christians in the Middle East makes it a difficult journey for those who wish to include Israel’s abuses of Arab Christians. The issue of Christian persecution in the Middle East, Arab World, Muslim World and in Israel, is not written about enough By Ray Hanania It always amazes me how the brutal…
Read More “Book explores plight of some MidEast Christians” »
Comedian Nemr pushes the envelope on Arab cultural habits, traditions and even politics using laughter to make audiences see past the stereotypes and anger in the post-Sept. 11, 2001 world. This week, he performs in Greater Detroit and expands his already impressive professional comedy resume By Ray Hanania Not many American Arab comedians have made the cover of Rolling Stone…
Read More “America’s #1 Arab comedian performs in suburban Detroit” »
BoomGen’s debut television series Of Kings and Prophets, executive produced by BoomGen cofounders Reza Aslan and Mahyad Tousi premieres on ABC on Tuesday, March 8 at 10pm. For the last eight years we have had the privilege to work with you (members of media and civil society) on incredible projects such as The Square, Rosewater, All-American…
Read More “BoomGen’s series Of Kings and Prophets premieres March 8” »
Now that the Oscars are over, can we have a real discussion about the absence of fairness, the racism, stereotypes and bias that consumes the Hollywood movie industry? And to be honest, African Americans have a lot to complain about here in America over the past 400 years for sure, but they really are the last…
Read More “Oscars debate still bothers me, even though it’s done” »
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan served as the backdrop for three Oscar nominated films in this year’s Academy Awards. Jordan has a long history as a setting for movies including Lawrence of Arabia, The Hurt Locker, Indiana Jones and the Lost Crusade and Zero Dark Thirty. This years entries include Martian, Theeb and A War. As…
Palestinian groups calls on Oscar nominees at this year’s Academy Awards to reject the “Israel propaganda trip” valued at over $50,000 that is included in this year’s “swag bags” Palestinian human rights activists are calling on Oscar nominees not to accept travel vouchers supplied by the Israeli government as part of the gift bag that…
Read More “Palestinians urge Oscars reject Israel trip swag” »
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…
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…
Read More “Lebanese National Conservatory plans Jazz Fest” »
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…
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…
Read More “Theeb, Arabic language film, nominated for Oscar” »
Usama Alshaibi’s documentary “American Arab” has its national television premiere on Tuesday, February 9, 2016, at 8 p.m. on WORLD Channel (check local listings), as part of the fourth season of AMERICA REFRAMED, public media’s newest documentary series. The film, made through Chicago production collective Kartemquin Films (makers of THE INTERRUPTERS), will be available for free streaming on www.worldchannel.org starting February…
Read More “New film explores challenges facing American Arabs” »
3 Golden Globe nominations for hit TV Series Mr. Robot and American Arab actor Rami Malek, and co-star Christian Slater By Ray Hanania Mr. Robot, the popular television series directed by an American Arab and starring an Arab American, received three nominations Thursday for the prestigious 73rd Golden Globe awards for 2015. The Golden Globe…
Palestinians protest Israeli violence with creative talents By Mohammed Asad Palestinian youths play music and paint murals during an event to show solidarity with the Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem, in Gaza city on November 18, 2015. The surge in violence across Israel, Jerusalem and the Israeli-occupied West Bank has been fueled in…
Read More “Palestinians protest Israeli violence with creative talents” »
New Book: “The Making of a Palestinian Suicide Bomber” by Author Mitri I. Musleh analyzes why suicide bombings exist, how to stop them They make the international news all the time, and yet they’re still an enigma to Western culture. The world became more accustomed to suicide bombers after the World Trade Center attacks on…
Read More “New Book: Understanding the suicide bomber phenomena” »