Ricky Dillard on wings of melody soars into International Acclaim

Ricky Dillard on wings of melody soars into International Acclaim

Ricky Dillard and the New Generation Chorale are performing Monday for the Albertina Walker Scholarship Fund and Dillard's fame is skyrocketing into the realm of superstars.

While the Crystal Rose Records gospel star is soaring throughout the earth because of his new CD, "No Limit," he never forgets his beginning. Recently, he was featured at the Monument of Faith Church, 2750 W. Columbus Ave. and appeared as a guest on a Home Box Office TV special.

Once upon a time when Ricky was just a young man fronting his group the New Generation Chorale, he was suggesting that he and his group appear on the main …

HRW rebukes Jordan for alleged torture

A New York-based human rights group accused Jordan's security services Wednesday of carrying out widespread torture in the country's jails.

The Human Rights Watch report comes a year after the U.N. special rapporteur on torture, Manfred Nowak, said he found evidence of systematic abuse in at least two Jordanian detention facilities but did not believe torture was widespread in the country.

"Torture in Jordan's prison system is widespread, even two years after King Abdullah II called for reforms to stop it once and for all," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director for Human Rights Watch.

But Jordanian police spokesman Maj. Mohammed …

Mountains found on Saturn moon

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Cassini spacecraft spotted a nearly mile-high mountain range on Saturn's giant moon Titan, scientists …

Perez Outduels Rocket to Slow Yankees

NEW YORK - Just the sight of the New York Yankees energized the Mets. Oliver Perez outdueled Roger Clemens, Jose Reyes was 3-for-3 with three steals, two RBIs and a home run, and Carlos Gomez leapt to prevent a three-run homer.

The Mets won the opener of the season's second Subway Series 2-0 Friday, stopping their five-game losing streak and their rival's nine-game winning streak.

Perez (7-5), a flamboyant lefty known for high-jumping foul lines, allowed five hits in 7 1-3 innings to beat the Yankees for the second time this season. He struck out six and walked three, combining three relievers on a five-hitter.

"He pitched a big game for us in a huge situation," …

Mugabe Tied to 'Fuel-From-Rocks' Suspect

President Robert Mugabe has said ministers at a Cabinet meeting he chaired agreed to pay two head of cattle and three buffaloes to a woman who claimed she could produce gasoline out of rocks, the official media reported Friday. Mugabe later ordered the woman's arrest on fraud charges.

The Herald newspaper, a government mouthpiece, reported the woman claiming to be a tribal healer, known in the West as a witch doctor, also took large sums of money, a car and a piece of land from the nation's highest ranking politicians, promising in return to use spells to produce diesel fuel from rocks in the bush outside the provincial town of Chinhoyi, 70 miles northwest of …

Philippine storm death toll goes down to 1,249

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The number of people who died in massive flash floods in the southern Mindanao region a week ago was smaller than earlier reported, Philippine disaster management officials said Tuesday.

Civil Defense chief Benito Ramos said that he has corrected an earlier death toll from the health department of nearly 1,500 to 1,249 based on an actual count of identified and unidentified bodies recovered by soldiers, police, firemen and other rescue workers.

He said the exact number of missing could no longer be determined but the search for bodies will continue.

Heavy rains overnight Monday over the eastern provinces of Mindanao have triggered floods and …

Statewide branching passes in Nebraska

Nebraska lawmakers have given final approval to a statewide branching/deposit cap bill, sending it to the governor for signature. The bill authorizes all Nebraska banks to branch statewide on a de novo basis. The bill also increases the deposit cap from 14% to 22% and expands mobile branching rights to counties contiguous to the bank's home county.

An amendment seeking to delay the effective date until May 15, 2003, was defeated. If signed by the governor, the bill will become effective July 20, 2002.

Once a bank exceeds the 22% deposit cap, it would be prohibited from acquiring another institution, merging with another …