voa标准英语2008-Poor Marks, High Fees Keep Students Away in Sier

School administrators in Sierra Leone say they are worried by high dropout rates and poor exam results. They say having few graduates is not good for the future of a country still struggling to recover from civil war. But in the town of Makeni, desp

voa标准英语2008-Guinea Coup Plotters Announce Curfew, New Leader

Mutinous soldiers trying to take power in Guinea have named an army captain as the country's new leader while promising to hold democratic elections in two years. The civilian government in Conakry says it is still in charge. New ruling council says

voa标准英语2008-US Prepares to Fight 'Irregular' Wars for Years

The U.S. Defense Department has taken several steps in recent weeks to ensure that hard won lessons in counterinsurgency are not lost when the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are over. The military has been ordered to establish organizations to preserv

voa标准英语2008-Russia Expects Early Meeting with Obama in 2009

The United States and Russia have a testy relationship over a number of issues, including NATO expansion, the U.S. proposal to deploy a missile-defense system in central Europe, and the Russian attack on Georgia earlier this year. Russia eager for e

voa标准英语2008-US Looks at Iraq-Style Community Policing for Af

The Pentagon is preparing what it calls a pilot program to organize local Afghan citizens to help secure their towns and neighborhoods. The program is similar to one in Iraq that was a key factor in security improvements there during the last year.

voa标准英语2008-India's Auto Industry Faces Slowdown

India's auto industry is facing a slowdown, prompting many automobile manufacturers to scale down plans for expansion. Many global automakers headed to India, in recent years, to take advantage of a growing economy. Some consumers are avoiding expen

voa标准英语2008-Bush, Obama Remember Troops at Christmas

Both U.S. President George Bush and President-elect Barack Obama are spending a quiet Christmas out of the media spotlight with family and friends. They are urging Americans to remember U.S. troops abroad as they celebrate this holiday season. Presi

voa标准英语2008-Christians Celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem

It is a festive Christmas Eve in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Christian worshipers light candles inside the Church of Nativity, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, 24 Dec 2008 Palestinian boy and girl scouts marched through Manger Square in Beth

voa标准英语2008-No Apology for Victim of Botched Australian Terr

The Australian government says it will not apologize to an Indian doctor, Mohamed Haneef, who was wrongly detained and charged in connection with bomb attacks in Britain in 2007. After an official report on Tuesday concluded that officials had made

voa标准英语2008-African Union Condemns Guinea Coup Attempt

The African Union has condemned the attempt by military officers in Guinea to seize power following the death of President Lansana Conte. The continent's top peace and security officials are calling the attempted coup a worrisome sign of a reversal

voa标准英语2008-US Examining Options in Response to Apparent Cou

The State Department says U.S. officials are examining options including possible aid cuts in response to the apparent military coup in Guinea. The United States is calling for an immediate return to civilian rule in the west African state. Guinean

voa标准英语2008-Pilgrims Flock to Bethlehem for Christmas

The faithful have flocked to the West Bank town of Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas. Christians gather on Christmas Day inside the Church of Nativity, believed by many to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Thursda

voa标准英语2008-Bush Administration Nears Decision on Helping Au

President Bush on Thursday said he has not yet decided what government assistance to provide the distressed U.S. automobile industry. The president says he worries about the economic consequences that an automaker bankruptcy could cause. President G

voa标准英语2008-Iraq Arrests Alleged Coup Plotters

A senior Iraqi security official say as many as 50 Interior Ministry officials have been arrested during the past three days for allegedly trying to topple the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. But some reports say many of those arrested

voa标准英语2008-ZANU-PF Prepares for Annual Conference as Choler

Harare's streets are busy as hundreds of delegates to President Robert Mugabe's annual ZANU-PF conference converge from all over the country. The annual conference is being held as the death toll continues to climb from a cholera epidemic that has f

voa标准英语2008-US House Prices Continue to Fall Despite Low Mor

The U.S. housing sector remains weak, two years into an unprecedented decline. House prices, house sales, and house construction are all continuing to fall. Houses for sale in Denver, Colorado Home prices in the United States have fallen over eight

voa标准英语2008-Muslim, Jewish Groups Promote Peace During Paris

Imams and rabbis from around the world have wrapped up a three-day meeting in Paris aimed at finding ways to promote peace in the Middle East and work more closely together. French Jewish and Muslim leaders attend a demonstration in Paris, 14 Dec 20

voa标准英语2008-Bangladesh Lifts 23-Month State of Emergency

The interim government of Bangladesh has lifted the state of emergency. That clears the way for campaigning on the streets, ahead of this month's national election. It is hoped the polls will lead to the restoration of stable democratic governance i

voa标准英语2008-New Cabinet Ministers Take Oath in Nigeria

Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua has reconstituted his Cabinet, almost two months after sacking half the panel in a drawn-out re-organization. Cabinet appointments part of efforts to rejuvenate administration, says Pres. Umaru Yar'Adua (file photo)

voa标准英语2008-US Central Bank Cuts Short-term Interest Rates t

Saying the economy is continuing to weaken, the U.S. central bank Tuesday cut short-term interest rates to nearly zero. Officers of the U.S. Federal Reserve stand watch in front of the Fed building in Washington, D.C., 29 Oct 2008 The Federal Reserv