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From the Washington Bureau
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| Audio News Coverage |
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Description |
| Introduction | Audio Sample of UNI Services - Real Audio |
| Today's News |
Weekend News - September 7, 2008 Listen - Real Audio Listen - Download - MP3 |
| Headlines |
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Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are under government conservatorship. James Lockhart, director of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise, made the announcement. He told reporters the situation regarding the two lenders has been under careful supervision as the housing market has taken a downturn. He remarked it would have been impossible for the two firms to fulfill their mission without intervention. Powerful and deadly Hurricane Ike is barrelling toward the Gulf of Mexico. Forecasters say the Category Four storm could intensify before it moves into Cuba late Sunday. It's said the storm is threatening Cuban sugar cane fields and tourist spots. U.S. oil companies with installations in the Gulf of Mexico are keeping a wary eye out for Ike. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Hanna hit land over North and South Carolina Saturday and moved along the East Coast. Red Cross volunteers from across the country are heading to Florida to prepare for Hurricane Ike's possible landfall. Gail McGovern, with the American Red Cross says storms like Gustav and Ike take a lot of resources. She says the agency is still operating shelters in Louisiana from Hurricane Gustav. The Red Cross is hoping more people will donate so they can continued helping those in need. Today is National Grandparents Day. Larry Wasserman, founder & director of Faithful Friends nursing home ministry, told UNI News this would be a great day to visit a grandparent who is a shut-in or who resides in a nursing home. He says National Grandparents Day was founded by West Virginia housewife Marian McQuade, who is still living and now 91 years old. |
| The Rest of the News |
| The Rest of the News is a news report by Jim Kress from the Washington bureau. Looking at today's news, this report covers a combination of stories and events that may not be carried by other news agencies, but that are of particular interest to a Christian audience. Listen in Real Audio.
Democratic National Convention Wraps up; Republican National Convention Gets Underway Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama delivered his acceptance speech to more than 70-thousand supporters last Thursday night in Invesco Field in Denver. (Full Story) Christians Targeted and Killed in India Pope Benedict XVI used his weekly audience at the Vatican last week to condemn deadly sectarian violence in India. The unrest broke out in the east Indian state of Orissa when gunmen killed a Hindu leader who tried to reconvert people away from Christianity. (Full Story) Rice Wraps Up Another Round of Mid east Peace Negotiations Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice presided over a round of Mid east peace discussions with Israel and the Palestinian Authority last week. Rice, who spent two days in Israel and the West Bank, met together with the chief Palestinian negotiator, Abu Ala, and Israeli foreign minister, Tzipi Livni. Afterward, Rice called it a very serious negotiating process and said that no issue is off the table (Full Story) Steps Taken to Protect Healthcare Professionals Opposed to Providing Abortions Federal health officials have released a proposed regulation on abortion care. The regulation, which no longer defines types of contraception as abortion, aims to help healthcare professionals who do not want to be involved with abortions or other health care services. (Full Story) Vietnam's Record on Religious Liberty Needs Continued Improvement The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom says, Vietnam needs to continue to improve its record on religious liberty. The commission's director of East Asia programs, Scott Flipse, says that church closures and efforts to make people renounce their Christian faith are no longer a major problem. (Full Story) Human Rights Concerns Addressed in China During Olympics Jubilee Campaign USA says that the Olympic Games in Beijing provided an opportunity for addressing human rights concerns in China. They say that President Bush was able to speak out for religious freedom. "President Bush did meet with the President of China and raised various human rights issues," said Ann Buwalda, president of Jubilee Campaign (Full Story) Equipment Stolen From African Children's Choir Tour organizers say laptop computers, passports and video equipment were stolen in Chicago recently from a van transporting a children's choir from Uganda (Full Story) WCC Celebrates 60th Anniversary The World Council of Churches celebrated its 60th anniversary recently. Noting some of the accomplishments of the WCC, National Council of Churches general secretary, Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, said, "In the early years, it brought together churches across the dividing line of World War II (Full Story) Mayor of Birmingham Faces Lawsuit A gay rights advocacy group has filed a federal lawsuit against the Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, for restricting city workers from hanging banners supporting Gay Pride Week on public property (Full Story) New Line of Greeting Cards Draws Fire From Pro-Family Groups Some pro-family groups are expressing outrage over release of a new line of greeting cards. Hallmark is out with four cards specifically for same-sex couples in response to increasing demand after gay marriage was legalized in California in May. (Full Story) Easy-to-Read Russian Bible Scheduled for Print Despite growing tensions in the conflict between Georgia and neighboring Russia, one outreach is hopeful for future ministry in the region. According to Mission Network News, a worker with World Bible Translation Center believes that the timing for their outreach is excellent because the group is in the process of revising its easy-to-read Bible in Russian. (Full Story) Charles Wesley's Journal Deciphered A secret, coded diary kept by one of Methodism's founders for 20 years, has been deciphered by an Anglican priest in Britain. Hymn writer Charles Wesley's handwritten 1000-page journal illuminates the historical efforts to keep Methodists in The Church of England. (Full Story) |
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Last updated on ... September 7, 2008