UN Says Afghan Elections on Track

By Peter Heinlein United Nations officials say preparations for Afghanistan's October 9 presidential election are on track, despite expectations of violence. U.N. and Afghan diplomats reject warnings

UN Says Sudan Should Do More to Protect Darfur Refugees

By Cathy Majtenyi A senior U.N. official says the Sudanese government is not doing enough to provide security for people displaced by fighting in the war-torn Darfur region of western Sudan. The offic

Bush Marks Earth Day Announcing Wetland Protection Program

Scott Stearns President Bush marked Earth Day with a new program to better protect American wetlands. The president's presumptive Democratic challenger, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry said that Mr.

Israeli Defense Minister Warns Hezbollah Attacks Will be 'Ca

Ross Dunn Israel is warning that it would strike government targets in Syria and Lebanon if these countries do not restrain the militant Islamic group Hezbollah. The warning came after recent violence

Afghan Government Sends Troops to Control Northwest Factiona

Michael Kitchen Afghanistan 's transitional government is deploying troops in the country's northwest to stem an outbreak of factional fighting. The government intends to dislodge a local warlord from

New Polish PM Vows to Fight Unemployment

注释： Marek Belka 马雷克·贝尔卡，波兰总理。 Poland [5pEulEnd] n. 波兰，中欧国家。 technocrat [5teknEkrAt] n. 专家政治论者 ruling [5ru:liN] adj. 执政的 Democratic Left

Should the Saudis Fight Terrorism Differently?

By Jim Bertel Muslim militants in Saudi Arabia stormed the heavily fortified U.S. consulate in Jeddah Monday, prompting a gun battle that left twelve dead, including three gunmen. The U.S. consulate s

UN: Rwandan Border Troop Buildup Threatens Peace

Cathy Majtenyi The U.N. peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo said that the recent buildup of troops by Rwanda along the borders of Rwanda, Burundi and Congo poses a threat to peace

US Consumer Confidence Hits 2-Year High

By Kerry Sheridan The U.S. Consumer Confidence Index has hit a two-year high, according to a New York-based business research group. The findings signal an improved outlook for more jobs and an upswin

Schroeder: Germany Ready to Contribute to Iraq's Reconstruct

Schroeder: Germany Ready to Contribute to Iraq's Reconstruction Ruth Elkins In a short news conference after a working dinner in Berlin Thursday evening, Mr. Schroeder said Germany is ready to contrib

Germany Says US Troop Withdrawal Regrettable

Douglas Bakshian U.S. plans to withdraw 30,000 troops from Germany are a sign of changing international conditions, according to a German government spokesman, and he says the move comes as no great s

US Concerned About Religious Freedom in Saudi Arabia

By David Gollust The US State Department has added Saudi Arabia to its list of Countries of Particular Concern with regard to violations of religious freedom. Vietnam and Eritrea were also added to th

OSCE Chief Promises Freedom, Tolerance, Democracy

OSCE Chief Promises Freedom, Tolerance, Democracy Melanie Sully The new head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) says messages of freedom, tolerance, and democracy are cr

EU Worried About Rising Euro, Sinking Dollar

By Roger Wilkison European Union finance ministers are calling for the United States to shore up the sagging dollar by bringing its trade and budget deficits under control. The ministers are worried t

Private Sector in Ivory Coast Blames Government, Army for Lo

By Nico Colombant Leaders of the private sector in Ivory Coast have blamed the government for the widespread looting against their businesses earlier this month. They accused the government of encoura

Long Standing Zimbabwe Private School Faces Closure

By Tendai Maphosa One of Zimbabwe's oldest private schools could be the first casualty of a standoff over fees between private schools and the Education Ministry. The board of Eaglesvale Junior and Hi

Palestinian Group Picks Abbas as Presidential Candidate

By Sonja Pace Interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas is a candidate in upcoming elections to succeed Yasser Arafat. The nomination followed a visit by Secretary of State Colin Powell, who promised A

Bush Support for Gay Marriage Ban Intensifies Debate

Jim Malone A national debate over whether homosexuals should be allowed to marry one another intensified Tuesday when President Bush announced that he favors a constitutional amendment that would proh

Pakistan Welcomes Peace Pledge by New Indian Leader

Ayaz Gul Pakistan is welcoming Indian prime minister-designate Manmohan Singh's stated intention to continue the peace process with Islamabad. Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman, Masood Khan, says hi

Murder in the Peace Corps

By Ed Warner Since its founding in 1961, the Peace Corps has sent 170,000 Americans to developing countries around the world offering help in projects ranging from housing to health to education to ag