WHITE HOUSE - U.S. lawmakers begin debate on reforming the nation’s immigration laws in the coming week. President Bush wants bipartisan action on immigration reform while opposition Democrats continue to criticize his conduct of the war in Iraq. 
At a time of deep partisan politics over the war in Iraq, President Bush says he is optimistic […]

By Elizabeth Kendal
World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC)
Special to ASSIST News ServiceAUSTRALIA (ANS) – The remnant Christians of Iraq and Gaza have survived war and civil strife but they may not survive al Qaeda. Al Qaeda is not interested in nationalism: its goal is total religious cleansing and complete Islamisation.
The remnant Christians of […]

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News ServiceWASHINGTON, D.C. (ANS) – Among the honorees being celebrated by President George W. Bush yesterday at the White House to recognize Asian Pacific American Heritage Month was Mr. Kay Hiramine of the Englewood, Colorado-based Humanitarian International Service Group (HISG).
Among the honorees being celebrated by President George W. Bush yesterday […]

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News ServicePAKISTAN (ANS) – Christian residents of Charsadda in the Northwest Province of Pakistan received a threatening letter with an ultimatum of 10 days to convert to Islam or face dire consequences and bomb explosions.
Christian residents of Charsadda in the Northwest Province of Pakistan received a threatening letter with an […]

CAPITOL HILL - U.S. lawmakers have introduced legislation to increase the number of Iraqis fleeing conflict in Iraq who can be admitted to the United States. The focus is on people whose lives are threatened for assisting U.S. and coalition forces, and international organizations in Iraq.
Called The Responsibility to Iraqi Refugees Act, the proposed measure […]

JAMESTOWN VIRGINIA - Monday (May 14th) marks the 400th anniversary of the first permanent English settlement in the United States.  One of the key figures in that history is a young Indian girl named Pocahontas — the daughter of the Powhatan chief.  Pocahontas’ story has been told many times, but not always accurately. 
Disney portrayed her […]

CAIRO - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says he may not cooperate with a U.N.-backed court to try suspects in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. 
President Assad told the Syrian parliament he would not cooperate with the U.N. tribunal if it would undermine Syria’s sovereignty.
“We consider the international tribunal to be a matter […]

WHITE HOUSE - President Bush is under increased pressure from members of his own political party to show positive results in Iraq. The president met behind closed doors with concerned Republicans from the House of Representatives.
While Congress is wrestling with how to fund the Iraq war at a time of growing public opposition, Republican lawmakers […]

WHITE HOUSE - President Bush offered comfort Wednesday to the victims of one of the worst tornados to hit the United States in years. Mr. Bush spent the day touring the small midwest town of Greensburg, Kansas, where 11 people died and most of the homes and businesses were destroyed by the twister that touched […]

WASHINGTON - Scientists have announced they have begun assembling an Internet catalog of every living thing on Earth. The organizers say the new website will become the single location where researchers can go to study the nearly 2 million known plant and animal species.  This so-called Encyclopedia of Life is expected to be a major […]

ATLANTA — From July 20 thru 29, the world is set to descend upon Atlanta for the 19th annual National Black Arts Festival (NBAF). The 10-day summer festival — packed with music, theatre, visual arts, dance, spoken word, film and family events — offers something for everyone without regard to race, age or ethnicity.
This year […]

STATE DEPARTMENT - The State Department Wednesday called on Iran to allow two detained American women, both with dual U.S. and Iranian citizenship, to return to the United States. The women, an academic and a journalist, went to Iran on visits several months ago and have not been allowed to leave. 
The State Department says the […]

George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton will be on hand to dedicate Charlotte, NC library 
By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries 
CHARLOTTE, NC (ANS) – Two former US presidents, along with family and friends, will be among the guests joining Billy Graham in Charlotte to help dedicate the new Billy Graham Library May 31 at 2 p.m.
The […]

WASHINGTON - Republicans and Democrats in Congress are looking at ways to find a compromise that will provide continued funding for the war in Iraq. President Bush vetoed an earlier $124-billion spending measure because it contained a Democratic-backed timeline for withdrawing U.S. troops.
The debate is focused on President Bush’s military strategy and the the desire […]

JERUSALEM - An Israeli archaeologist says he has discovered the tomb of King Herod, one of the legendary rulers of the ancient world. The discovery follows nearly a half-century of excavation work at one of Herod’s palaces, located about 15 kilometers south of Jerusalem.
For 35 years Israeli archaeologist Ehud Netzer has been searching the ruins […]

BEIJING - Health experts say tobacco consumption is hitting alarming rates in China.  World health officials estimate that one-third of the male population under the age of 29 is likely to die from tobacco-related illnesses.  But officials in the communist government have said the country - the world’s largest producer and consumer of tobacco products […]

PARIS - French voters celebrated Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidential election victory well into the night, as thousands of people gathered in central Paris, for a party sponsored by Mr. Sarkozy. But there were also protests in some parts of France, with nearly 400 cars burned.
The Place de Concorde in central Paris is usually filled with tourists. […]

WASHINGTON - A U.N. body committed to defending the rights of the world’s over 370 million indigenous peoples meets later this month (May 14-25) in New York. Among the topics of discussion will be ways to increase international recognition of indigenous rights and to improve the participation of native peoples in their own development.
The forum […]

WHITE HOUSE - President Bush and congressional Democrats are negotiating new funding for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq after the president vetoed a measure earlier this week because it included a timetable for a troop withdrawal from Iraq. 
President Bush says he is confident political leaders can agree on a war spending bill as he […]

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST MinistriesASMARA, ERITREA (ANS) – The Presbyterian Mehret Yesus Church in Asmara, Eritrea, was raided by government forces during a Sunday Service on 29 April 2007, according to sources close to human rights NGO Release Eritrea-UK. Around 80 people were detained, including several foreign nationals and the head of the Eritrean […]

WASHINGTON - Britain’s Queen Elizabeth visited the historic Jamestown Settlement Friday, in the U.S. state of Virginia. Jamestown was the first permanent English colony in what would become the United States. The Queen’s visit is part of commemorations of the Virginia settlement’s 400th anniversary.  
The Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, accompanied by U.S. Vice President […]

STATE DEPARTMENT - The United States and Russia have agreed to hold special cabinet-level talks in an effort to resolve a dispute over U.S. plans to put elements of a missile defense system in central Europe. Russia contends the U.S. plan would undercut its strategic deterrence.
A senior State Department official says Secretary of State Condoleezza […]

NEW ORLEANS - For more than 30 years, New Orleans has held a Jazz and Heritage Festival. This year’s festival wraps up this weekend. Many well-known musicians come to play at Jazz Fest, but it is also an important showcase for local talent. That is especially important as the city still struggles to recover from […]

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton has introduced legislation to repeal President Bush’s authority to wage war in Iraq on October 11 of this year, exactly five years after Congress granted that authority.
Senator Clinton announced the legislation on the Senate floor late Thursday. “It is time to sunset the authorization of […]

WASHINGTON - The U.S. plan to base defensive missile system in Poland and the Czech Republic to defend Europe against potential future threats from Iran was the subject of a congressional hearing Thursday. Bush administration officials urged Congress to reverse a cut to funding for the program made by a congressional committee, while opponents raised […]