NAIROBI - A United Nations fact-finding mission is in Ethiopia’s restive Ogaden region to assess the food, water and health needs of civilians caught amid a military campaign against local separatist rebels. Human rights groups accuse the government of committing serious human rights violations against the civilians.
The eyewitnesses from the Ogaden region say they are […]
NAIROBI - Norway said Friday that it will cut development aid to Ethiopia by an estimated five million dollars. The move comes after Ethiopian officials said six Norwegian diplomats had to leave the country. Ethiopia has accused Norway of trying to spread instability across the Horn of Africa and undermining its national security.
Following an announcement […]
WASHINGTON - Former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee will officially enter the race for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination next Thursday, ending months of anticipation about a bid for the White House. Thompson’s entry into the race could have a major impact.
Thompson spent months testing the waters for a presidential run. His campaign says the […]
OSAKA, JAPAN - The United States has gathered more gold medals at the World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan.
Defending champion Allyson Felix won the women’s 200 meters in 21.81 seconds, the fastest time by a woman at a world championship since American Inger Miller in 1999.
World 100-meters champion Veronica Campbell of Jamaica finished second, .53 […]
NEW YORK - FBI agents were called to a United Nation’s building near the headquarters Thursday to remove vials of a possibly hazardous material found in weapons inspectors’ offices. U.N. officials say the substance poses no threat to the public.
Members of the U.N. weapons inspection commission say, while archiving files in a U.N. office building […]
By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News ServiceKABUL, AFGHANISTAN (ANS) – The last seven South Korean hostages held by the Taliban in Afghanistan have been handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The last seven South Korean hostages held by the Taliban in Afghanistan have been handed over to the International Committee of the […]
By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST MinistriesASHEVILLE, NC (ANS) – Evangelist Billy Graham was discharged from the hospital early this afternoon (Thursday, August 30, 2007) and has returned to his mountain home in nearby Montreat, NC, his staff has reported. He left by private vehicle and made the 20-minute drive home without incident.
Evangelist Billy Graham was […]
LONDON - Even 10 years after her death, Princess Diana’s legacy continues to stir controversy. From London, Tendai Maphosa has more on the eve of a 10th anniversary memorial service organized by her sons, Princes William and Harry.
The 10th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death has resurrected old controversies about the “People’s Princess.”
Since her death in […]
PORCUPINE, SOUTH DAKOTA - There are many ethnic radio stations and broadcast programs in the United States, but there are only a few fully independent community radio stations serving the residents of a Native American Indian reservation. One of them is KILI radio on the Pine Ridge reservation in southwestern South Dakota. It operates from […]
NICOSIA - The Greek government is facing pressure for a fourth day from opposition parties and the public as fire continues to threaten the southern part of the country. The fires have left thousands homeless, and at least 64 people died. More than 8,000 people demonstrated late Wednesday in front of the parliament building in Athens.
Opposition […]
ISLAMABAD - Afghan officials say U.S.-led forces have killed one of the Taleban’s top military commanders, Mullah Brader, in Southern Afghanistan. The insurgent leader was reportedly a confidant of Taleban leader Mullah Omar and a member of the extremist movement’s leadership council.
The Afghan Defense Ministry says it believes Brader was killed early Thursday in Helmand […]
By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News ServiceAFGHANISTAN (ANS) – Taleban rebels in Afghanistan have freed 12 South Korean hostages from a group of 19 they have been holding for five weeks, according to BBC, CNN and France 24 TV reports.
Taleban rebels in Afghanistan have freed 12 South Korean hostages from a group of 19 they […]
WASHINGTON - Fire officials in Greece say progress is being made in fighting deadly wildfires sweeping the country but many fires are not yet contained.With firefighting efforts concentrated Wednesday on the island of Evia, north of Athens, and on the Peloponnese Peninsula, Greek officials say there is no longer imminent danger of the fires spreading.
The fires […]
WASHINGTON - The New York-based monitoring group Human Rights Watch has issued a report accusing Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia of indiscriminate attacks on Israeli civilians during last year’s conflict with Israel. Human Rights Watch was to have released the report with a news conference Thursday in Beirut, but cancelled the event because of Hezbollah threats.
Human Rights […]
WHITE HOUSE - It has been two years since Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S. Gulf Coast, destroying whole stretches of the region, including much of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. President Bush says the process of recovery is well under way and there is hope for the future.
The president went to the Gulf Coast […]
UNITED NATIONS - United Nation’s Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday formally announced his plans to travel to Sudan next week.
Mr. Ban says he will travel to Sudan, including the capital Khartoum as well as the restive Darfur region, from September 3-6. It will be Mr. Ban’s first trip to Sudan as secretary general. The […]
NICOSIA - Forest fires continue to rage in Greece’s mountainous southern peninsula of Peloponnese. At least 63 people have died in the blazes, which are now in their fifth day. Police have charged seven people with arson and are offering a $1.4 million reward for information leading to more arrests.
Political commentators in Athens say whether […]
JERUSALEM - Israeli and Palestinian leaders held a summit meeting in Jerusalem aimed at giving a boost to the peace process.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discussed core issues of the Middle East conflict, including the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, and final borders.
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said the […]
ALACHUA - The state of Florida is a popular retirement location for many Americans. Its warm temperatures and sunny skies make it the ideal climate for many to live out their golden years. It is also an ideal environment for retired horses.
Retired couple Peter and Mary Gregory live on Mill Creek Farm, a 100-hectare sanctuary […]
WHITE HOUSE - President Bush says Iran must stop arming militants who are attacking U.S. troops in Iraq. Mr. Bush’s speech to a veterans group is part of a White House effort to restore public support for the war in Iraq.President Bush told a meeting of the American Legion, America’s largest veterans’ group, that winning […]
WASHINGTON - U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has resigned. His two-year tenure as head of the Justice Department was marked by controversy.The official announcement from the attorney general was brief.
“Yesterday, I met with President Bush and informed him of my decision to conclude my government service as attorney general of the United States effective as […]
WASHINGTON - Hawaiian Nainoa sums up his life in one word, “Lucky!” Even as a young boy he saw his future as a quest for knowledge about his native Hawaiian culture and the way it connected him to the ocean and other indigenous Pacific island peoples. He laments that he learned little about his heritage […]
SANTA FE - The western U.S. state of New Mexico has 19 Pueblo tribal communities, some of them among the oldest American Indian settlements in the United States. Many of them are well known for their pottery, and among the best known is Acoma Pueblo pottery with its distinctive black and white, geometric designs.
Sandra Victorino […]
CYPRUS - Wild fires in Greece have torn through villages and forests over the past few days, killing at least 62 people and triggering a nationwide state of emergency. On Sunday, as Greek authorities fought the blazes, fires drew perilously close to the town of Olympia, a major archeological site where the ancient Olympic games took […]
