PENTAGON - The American general widely credited with turning around the war in Iraq takes command Friday of U.S. forces throughout the Middle East and Central Asia - putting him in charge of U.S. military efforts in Afghanistan, as well as Iraq and the surrounding region.
It is not difficult to find praise for General David […]
WASHINGTON - The Syrian ambassador to the United States lashed out at the Bush administration following a deadly suspected U.S. military raid inside Syria last Sunday. Ambassador Imad Moustapha called the raid a criminal, terrorist attack against innocent civilians.
Speaking to a conference in Washington on Thursday, Ambassador Moustapha says the assault on the Syrian village […]
CAIRO - The Syrian government appears to have mobilized tens of thousands of people, busing them in to Damascus from far-flung corners of the country. They were demonstrating against an American raid in eastern Syria, which the United States says targeted and killed a top al-Qaida operative.
Syrian government television showed images of tens of thousands […]
WASHINGTON - A new report says the U.S. economy shrank between July and September in the third quarter - an indication of a recession in the United States.
The U.S. Commerce Department says Thursday, the country’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, — the value of all the goods and services produced in the U.S. — fell by […]
Anti-Christian violence spills into Kenya as Somali Muslims attack in Nairobi
By Jeremy Reynalds
Correspondent for ASSIST News Service
NAIROBI, KENYA (ANS) – Among at least 24 aid workers killed in Somalia this year was one who was beheaded last month specifically for converting from Islam to Christianity, among other charges, according to an eyewitness.
According to a […]
WASHINGTON - The lower house of the Czech parliament has opened debate on two agreements permitting deployment of radar for a U.S. missile defense system on Czech soil.
The country’s center-right coalition government backs plans for the deployment. But officials say they expect a close vote in the lower house where the coalition has no majority.
The […]
WASHINGTON - Top officials of the U.S. central bank decided to cut their key interest rate by half a percent to one percent Wednesday.
That makes the U.S. Federal Reserve one of many central banks around the world cutting rates in an effort to stimulate the battered global economy.
China’s central bank has also cut […]
GENEVA - U.N. aid agencies are rushing aid to help thousands of people affected by devastating floods in Yemen. The agencies say many of the victims are without shelter, food and proper medical care.
The United Nations estimated at least 180 people have lost their lives and many remain missing in floods that began last week […]
WASHINGTON - U.S. President George Bush says he is hopeful and confident a security pact on the future of American troops in Iraq will be passed.
Mr. Bush said at the White House that amendments to the pact were received from Iraq Wednesday. He said the U.S. is reviewing the amendments, and wants to be helpful […]
ISLAMABAD - A strong aftershock has shaken southwestern Pakistan, about 12 hours after a major earthquake in the region killed at least 160 people and left many others buried under rubble.
The U.S. Geological Survey says the 6.2 magnitude aftershock struck Pakistan’s Baluchistan province Wednesday afternoon local time. There were no immediate reports of casualties or […]
WASHINGTON - The U.S. embassy in Syria’s capital has issued a warning to Americans in the country to be alert following a raid on eastern Syria that Damascus blames on U.S. forces.
The embassy says “unforeseen events” could prompt officials to close the embassy to the public indefinitely.
Syria has protested to the United Nations about Sunday’s […]
BAGHDAD - The Iraqi government has criticized Sunday’s helicopter raid on eastern Syria that Damascus blames on U.S. forces.
An Iraqi government spokesman said Baghdad “rejects” the raid. He added that Iraq does not want its territory to be used for attacks on neighboring countries.
It was Iraq’s first official criticism of Sunday’s attack.
Syria says four helicopters […]
WASHINGTON - Top U.S. officials say the government could come to the rescue of the country’s ailing auto companies.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino says the government has been in talks with General Motors, Ford and Chrysler - once known as the “Big Three.” And she says Tuesday the companies may be eligible for help through […]
JERUSALEM - Israeli President Shimon Peres says Israel is heading toward early elections after prime minister-designate Tzipi Livni failed to form a coalition government. The elections could lead to a change of direction for the Palestinian peace negotiations.
President Shimon Peres told Israeli lawmakers there is no choice but to hold elections, after Foreign Minister Tzipi […]
WASHINGTON - U.S. officials in the southern state of Tennessee say they have arrested two men who had been making plans to kill African-Americans including Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Court records unsealed Monday say agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms disrupted plans by two white supremacists to rob a gun store. They […]
WASHINGTON - Oil prices fell to less than $62 a barrel Monday amid continuing concerns about a global economic recession.
U.S. light crude hit a 17-month low at $61.30, while London’s Brent crude dipped below $60 a barrel.
Oil prices fell even though OPEC (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) members said last Friday they would cut […]
CAIRO - Stock markets in the Gulf and across much of the Middle East experienced another day of dramatic drops Sunday, amid a backdrop of falling oil prices, despite OPEC’s decision to cut production. Stock markets in the Asia-Pacific region have opened slightly lower Monday, amid indications governments will take additional measures to prop-up the […]
DAMASCUS - Syria has accused the United States of killing eight civilians in a military raid on Syrian territory, eight kilometers from the border with Iraq.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry called envoys from the U.S. and Iraq to discuss Sunday’s alleged attack.
Syrian officials called it an act of aggression and a violation of national […]
JERUSALEM - Israel is allowing the Palestinian Authority to extend its control of the West Bank.
Nearly 600 Palestinian police deployed in the volatile West Bank town of Hebron. Commanders say the aim it to crack down on militants and criminals.
Israel approved the deployment to strengthen Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, both of whom want to […]
WASHINGTON - U.S. President George Bush talked Saturday about the agenda for next month’s international economic summit at the White House.
President Bush devoted his weekly radio address to previewing his meeting with other leaders of the so-called Group of 20 nations on the global economic crisis.
“During the summit we will discuss the causes of […]
PENTAGON - The U.S. Air Force has announced plans to put all American nuclear-armed bombers and land-based missiles under a new command, in an effort to prevent further security lapses like the ones that resulted in the dismissal of top Air Force leaders earlier this year.
The Air Force leadership announced Friday the creation of Global […]
WASHINGTON - OPEC members decided to cut oil production by more than five percent, or 1.5 million barrels per day, Friday, in an attempt to stop what the group calls a “dramatic collapse” of oil prices.
Ministers of the 13-member OPEC cartel, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, took the action at an emergency meeting in […]
WASHINGTON - - The U.S. military has handed over Iraq’s once-violent Babil province to Iraqi security forces, making it the 12th of 18 provinces the U.S. has returned to Iraqi control.
The number two U.S. commander in Iraq, Lieutenant General Lloyd Austin, said at a handover ceremony Thursday that security gains in Babil have been remarkable. […]
WASHINGTON - The White House will host an international economic summit in Washington on November 15. Leaders of the so-called Group of 20 have been invited to attend.
Every region of the world will be represented at the summit, which will include leading industrialized nations plus emerging countries like Brazil, India, China and South Africa.
White House […]
