Community News (V11-I41)

Dr. Juzar Ali appointed hospital director

BATON ROUGE, LA–The Louisiana State University Health System has appointed Dr. Juzar Ali Medical Director of the Interim LSU Public Hospital (ILPH).

A Professor of Medicine in the LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans (HSC) School of Medicine, Dr. Ali holds the Russell C. Klein, M.D., LSU Alumni Professorship and is former Vice Chair of Medicine for Clinical Affairs in the LSU HSC School of Medicine Department of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary/Critical Care. He is the director of the LSU Tuberculosis Clinics and the OPH Region 1 Metro-Wetmore TB Clinics.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians of Canada and a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Pulmonary Medicine.

He is the author of chapters in, and serves as co-editor of, Pulmonary Pathophysiology, a symptom-based clinical and pathophysiologic review of lung diseases, whose 2009 third edition is currently under print, and he coauthored Clinical Chest Radiology: PreTest Series for medical students and residents. His scholarship has appeared in numerous peer-reviewed journals including International Union Against Tuberculosis and CHEST.

He has served as a reviewer, by invitation, of the journals CHEST, Annals of Internal Medicine, International Union Against Tuberculosis, Medical Principles and Practice 2002, International Journal of Infectious Diseases, and American Journal of Public Health. His clinical research interests include the diagnosis and management of tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease, and he has participated in various multicenter national and international studies and trials of tuberculosis and atypical mycobacteria. He has made scientific presentations locally, nationally, and internationally.

His impressive scholarship complements his success as a professor, a role in which his students hold him in high esteem, and makes him indisputably well suited for the position of medical director of a teaching hospital. Most recently, in 2008, he received the Allen Copping Excellence in Teaching Award for the School of Medicine and was accepted as a teaching scholar by the LSU HSC Academy for the Advancement of Educational Scholarship. In 2002, he received the Fulbright International Scholar Lecturer Award and, in 2004, the Fulbright Alumni Award. He fulfilled both at Ege University Medical School and Hospital in Izmir, Turkey.

He was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society as the recipient of its outstanding faculty award in 1997 and received from the LSU HSC Aesculapian Honor Society its Outstanding Professor of the Senior Class award in 1996, 2000, and 2004 and the society’s Junior Students’ Class Favorite Professor Award in 1997 and 1999. He received the first annual LSU HSC Excellence in Teaching Award in Internal Medicine from the Class of 1998 and also received the LSU HSC Excellence in Teaching awards for the Department of Medicine in 1996, 1997, 2000, and 2004 and in its pulmonary subspecialty in 2007. Besides his teaching, scholarship, and patient care, Dr. Ali has been instrumental in the acquisition of NIH and foundation grants for tuberculosis awareness and education, including the development of the Tuberculosis Education Aimed at Community Health (TEACH) program and www.lsumc-wetmore-tb-info.org. His volunteer activities include increasing TB education, awareness, and screenings for the homeless through community clinics.

Navislam–The new iphone application launched

SEATTLE, WA–”We are excited to announce NavIslam is now available on iTunes,” said Ms. Samira Khan VP of Communications for Vendo Concepts. Ms. Khan went on to say, “The newest iPhone application allows Muslims to search and locate Halal Restaurants, Mosques, Prayer Times and Qibla direction anywhere in North America – all from one application NavIslam”.

For all cities in North America (US/Canada) – an all in one Muslim application. The perfect companion for business travelers, family getaways, vacations or simply for locating the best and most accessible options in Halal dining. It’s the perfect App for Muslims on the go. All the data is stored locally so you don’t have to be connected to the Internet, Wi-Fi, or pay costly Data Roaming charges no matter where you are travelling in North America. NavIslam is great for iPod Touch users as users as well. NavIslam is a unique application designed with ease of use in mind. Our Nearby feature and localized data make it the number one choice in Halal Restaurant/Mosque finding applications. For a demonstration of the application, please visit www.navIslam.com or iTunes.

Ms. Khan states, “This is a great tool and will be powerful to use to locate mosques and find some great new places to eat – at home or if you are travelling for work or pleasure.” She adds ” the other key differentiator is that NavIslam is the only application available that doesn’t require you to be connected to the Internet or using up your costly data usage, since all the data is stored locally on your device, this makes it especially great for iPod Touch users too.”NavIslam searches the Internet daily for new Restaurants and Mosques and provides free updates so you won’t miss a thing.

Hawaii celebrates Islam Day

HONOLOLU–Hundreds of people in Hawaii have celebrated the island’s first Islam Day in recognition of the rich religious, scientific and cultural contribution of the Muslim world.

“It’s a historic day. It’s long overdue,” Hakim Ouansafi, president of the Muslim Association of Hawaii, told the Honolulu Advertiser on Friday, September 25.

“It’s a day of celebrating our commonality, a day of people of faith and no faith to get together and talk story.”

Hundreds of people packed the McCoy Pavilion at Ala Moana Beach Park on Thursday to celebrate Hawaii’s Islam Day.”We expected 200 to 300, so we’re very pleased with the turnout,” said Ouansafi.

The Day featured entertainment activities, games for children, free food and a panel discussion on coexistence in a pluralistic society.The Hawaii state legislature has passed a resolution to mark Islam Day in recognition of the rich religious, scientific and cultural contributions of the Muslim world.

Though adopted overwhelmingly, the resolution sparked debate across the island. “A lot of people reacted out of fear and ignorance,” said Ouansafi.

“They’ve had a chance to reflect a little bit more and people are coming around.”

Last Defendant in Tennessee Islamic Center Burning Pleads Guilty

WASHINGTON–Eric Ian Baker pleaded guilty on Sep.22 in federal court in Nashville, Tenn., for his role in burning and vandalizing the Islamic Center of Columbia, Tenn., on Feb. 9, 2008. Baker was charged with violating civil rights that protect religious property and for using fire in the commission of a felony. Two other defendants, Michael Corey Golden and Jonathan Edward Stone, had previously pleaded guilty in November 2008 for their roles in the arson.

During the plea hearing, Baker admitted that he, Golden and Stone assembled Molotov cocktail incendiary devices, broke into the Islamic Center, ignited the devices and used them to completely destroy the mosque. He admitted to painting swastikas and the phrase “White Power” on the mosque in the course of the arson and that they acted because of the religious character of the property.

“The law protects the right of all Americans to worship where and how they choose without fear of violence or intimidation,” said Loretta King, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will vigorously prosecute those who, through acts of terror, attempt to interfere with that right.”

“This type of crime strikes at the heart of our civil rights and religious freedoms in America. I am very pleased that through local, state and federal cooperation all defendants responsible for this vile attack have been brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Edward M. Yarbrough for the Middle District of Tennessee.

“Every Muslim who saw the news photos with the Swastika painted on the burned out Islamic center was victimized by this attack. Today, they can clearly see that American law enforcement stands strongly with them to guarantee their freedoms to worship and assemble,” said ATF Nashville Field Division Special Agent in Charge James M. Cavanaugh.

“The FBI is committed to protecting the civil rights of all people through the enforcement of federal civil rights statutes,” said FBI Memphis Division Special Agent in Charge My Harrison. “The destruction of any place of worship will not be ignored and the FBI will make every effort to bring those who commit such heinous acts to justice.”

A date for Baker’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time. Stone and Golden are scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 23, 2009. All three defendants face prison sentences of up to 30 years for damaging religious property and for using fire and an explosive device to commit a federal felony offense.

The case was investigated by the Columbia, Tenn., Police Department and special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal McDonough and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Jonathan Skrmetti.

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