By VOA News

The U.S. military has transferred control of Iraq's once-violent Babil province to Iraqi forces, making it the 12th of 18 provinces returned to Iraqi control.

During a handover ceremony Thursday, the number two U.S. commander in Iraq, Lieutenant General Lloyd Austin said security gains in the central province, south of Baghdad have been remarkable, with attacks declining 80 percent over the past year.
Iraq's National Security Advisor, Mowaffaq al-Rubaie said the handover is proof Iraqi forces in Babil have reached self-sufficiency. The White House press secretary, Dana Perino said the transfer was another example of improving security.

Meanwhile, a top U.S. military commander, Major General John Kelly, told reporters Thursday U.S. troop levels could be

(inan.info)-Colorado Springs, Colo. – Focus on the Family founder and Chairman James C. Dobson, Ph.D., issued the following statement today after Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter signed SB 200:

"Who would have believed that the Colorado state Legislature and its governor would have made it fully legal for men to enter and use women's restrooms and locker-room facilities without notice or explanation?

"Henceforth, every woman and little girl will have to fear that a predator, bisexual, cross-dresser or even a homosexual or heterosexual male might walk in and relieve himself in their presence. The legislation lists every conceivable type of

(inan.info)-Washington D.C. -Christian Coalition of America Asks Senators Clinton, McCain, and Obama to Speak out Against Today's Abominable Homosexual "Marriage" Decision by California Supreme Court

Christian Coalition of America condemns the second state top court this decade -- the California Supreme Court -- for their abominable 4-3 decision today approving homosexual "marriages." Today's decision follows the Massachusetts' top court's decision in 2003; also a narrow 4-3 decision. Christian Coalition of America urges

(inan.info)-VOA News-New York

A new survey released Tuesday by a U.S.-based research center shows a significant number of people around the world support the use of torture when related to terrorism. From VOA's New York Bureau, Mona Ghuneim reports on the findings.

The international poll surveyed about 19,000 people in 19 countries, presenting them with a specific scenario. The group WorldPublicOpinion.org conducted and published the poll through a consortium of research centers around the world. The group's director, Steven Kull, says the survey "pushed the envelope" somewhat by trying to locate people's vulnerability to the argument in favor of

(inan.info)-By Scott Stearns
White House

U.S. President George Bush has approved more than $32 million in additional funding to support refugees and victims of conflict in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns has the story.

First Lady Laura Bush announced the additional funding at a White House ceremony marking World Refugee Day.

"We recognize citizens from African nations like Somalia and Sudan, who were forced to flee their homes by ongoing violence," she said. "We recognize families from Iraq and

(inan.info)-By Jessica Berman
Washington

Researchers have determined that commonly prescribed triple-drug combination therapies that use old antiviral drugs are the most effective for suppressing the deadly virus that causes AIDS. The findings have major implications for doctors as they grapple with different drugs to treat HIV infected individuals. VOA's Jessica Berman reports from Washington.

While there's still no cure for AIDS, and new anti-HIV drugs become available, doctors keep puzzling over which combinations of drugs to prescribe to their patients to halt the progression of the deadly disease.

Sharon Riddler, a professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh in

(inan.info)-By VOA News

The U.S. Census Bureau says the Hispanic population has grown to more than 45 million people, and now represents 15 percent of the total population in the United States.

Census Bureau statistics released Thursday show the Hispanic population grew by more than three percent (1.4 million) in the year ending July 1, 2007.

Officials say 16 U.S. states have Hispanic populations of more than 500,000, led by the west coast state of California, the southwest state of Texas and the southeastern state of Florida. They also say births -- not immigration -- are the main reason for the increase in the Hispanic population.

The statistics show blacks are the second largest minority group in the U.S. (more than 40 million), followed by Asians (more than 15 million).

The states of Hawaii, New Mexico, California, and Texas, along with Washington D.C. have

(inan.info)-VOA NEWS.com-By Brian Wagner
Port-au-Prince

Foreign aid groups in Haiti say they are hurt by the high cost of food just as much as ordinary citizens whose anger over the rising prices led to violent protests in the Caribbean nation last week. In Port-au-Prince, VOA's Brian Wagner reports pressure on food costs is showing little signs of easing.

Haitians who live on less than two dollars a day rely on food aid and other assistance from abroad. Catholic Relief Services is one of several organizations that seeks to aid working poor, handicapped and other residents.

The group's director in Port-au-Prince, Bill Canny, says it relies on funding from the U.S government, which appropriates two billion dollars each year for humanitarian aid spending, under a program called title two.

He says U.S. funding levels have

(inan.info)-Washington, D.C. - Concerned Women for America (CWA) will join with Students for Life in a silent protest to bring attention to the issues surrounding the nation's largest abortion provider. Planned Parenthood currently receives over $330 million annually from local, state and federal government. They are the top recipient of Title X funds, which provides federal funds for family planning services.

Allegations are swirling that Planned Parenthood may violate state laws by underreporting the cases of statutory rape. And that's not all. Most recently, the former Vice President of Finance and Administration for the Los Angeles Planned Parenthood office has accused California Planned Parenthood of defrauding taxpayers of nearly $180 million. In Kansas, Planned Parenthood and abortion provider George Tiller are allegedly performing late-term abortions and

(inan.info)-Washington-President George W. Bush addresses his remarks in honor of Malaria Awareness Day Friday, April 25, 2008, during his visit to the Northwest Boys & Girls Club in Hartford, Conn., where the Boys & Girls members were learning about the cause and prevention of malaria. Earlier in the day President Bush signed a proclamation on the United States commitment to help fight malaria