VOA标准英语 WHO, US Declare Swine Flu Emergencies

The World Health Organization is expressing concern about a possible swine flu pandemic as the number of confirmed cases rises in the United States and Mexico - and new cases have been reported in Canada. The Obama administration declared a public h

VOA标准英语 Obama Outreach Weighed in Mideast

U.S. President Barack Obama has made dialogue with the Middle East a priority in his early months in office. As the Obama administration approaches the 100 day mark, regional leaders are assessing the result. US President Barack Obama with Jordan's

VOA标准英语 Clinton Assures Support for Lebanon

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made an unannounced stop in Lebanon. Clinton expressed hope that Lebanon's June parliamentary elections will be free and fair. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Lebanon, on the heels of he

VOA标准英语 Pakistani Forces Deploy in New Region Infiltrated by

Militants in Pakistan have ambushed paramilitary forces who were being rushed to a region near the capital that was recently overrun by Taliban forces from the nearby Swat valley. Witnesses say gunmen in Buner district, killed at least one of the pa

VOA标准英语 US Doctors, Airlines Monitoring for Swine Flu

U.S. health officials are increasing surveillance measures at doctors' offices and international borders to guard against the spread of swine flu. Washington also has begun dispersing medicine from a federal stockpile. Secretary of State Hillary Rod

VOA标准英语 Politicians Question Police Misconduct Charges at G-

The head of Britain's Independent Police Complaints Commission was questioned Tuesday by a host of politicians in parliament regarding the much criticized security tactics employed during London's G-20 summit earlier this month. British police in ri

VOA标准英语 Legal Ambiguity in Pakistan Emboldens Militants, Wor

The Pakistani government's recent approval of Islamic courts in parts of the country's northwest was aimed at bringing peace to a region that had long suffered from clashes between Taliban fighters and the military. But the agreement's legal ambigui

VOA标准英语 South Africans Prepare to Vote as Election Campaign

South Africans are preparing to vote Wednesday in national and provincial elections. Candidates are making last-minute appeals to voters. South Africa's Independent Electoral Commission Chairman Brigalia Bam said her organization is expecting a turn

VOA标准英语 Zimbabwe Political Prisoners Put Back Under Guard

Last Friday, Zimbabwe's remaining three political prisoners were released on bail. Two remained in the hospital nursing injuries sustained after they were detained late last year. But they are now back under armed prison guard at the hospital. Three

VOA标准英语 Gang Violence Turns Deadly in Central Kenya

Kenyan police say at least 29 people have died after members of a criminal gang clashed with residents of a village in central Kenya. The incident is the latest sign of tensions between the Mungiki gang and communities in the area. A woman mourns th

VOA标准英语 US Getting More Afghan Help to Reduce Civilian Casua

A senior U.S. defense official says American forces in Afghanistan are working more closely with the Afghan military to try to reduce civilian casualties. Gen. Petraeus (L), and Defense Undersecretary for Policy Flournoy testify on Capitol Hill, 01

VOA标准英语 Obama To Meet With Mideast Leaders

U.S. President Barack Obama is stepping up his personal involvement in the Middle East peace process. He has invited regional leaders to the White House for individual talks in the coming weeks. The invitations are going out to the leaders of Israel

VOA标准英语 US Treasury Secretary Says Confidence Returning to C

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has defended the Obama administration's program to rescue financially troubled banks. Secretary Geithner spoke before a congressional panel overseeing the massive bailout. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner

VOA标准英语 G8 Agriculture Ministers Conclude Summit on Food Sta

Agriculture ministers from the major industrialized nations called on Monday for increased agriculture production as a way to combat world hunger. At the end of a 3-day meeting in northern Italy, G-8 ministers also took a first step toward fighting

VOA标准英语 Top UN Nuclear Official Optimistic About North Korea

The head of the United Nation's nuclear watchdog agency says he believes the international community's nuclear disagreements with North Korea and Iran can be resolved through dialogue, not confrontation. IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei in Beijing, 20 A

VOA标准英语 South Africa's National Poll to Be Contested by 26 P

In South Africa's election Wednesday, 26 parties will field national candidates with several more choosing only to contest the provincial polls. President of S. Africa's ruling party African National Congress, Jacob Zuma If South Africa's current pa

VOA标准英语 Obama Tells Cabinet to Cut Spending

U.S. President Barack Obama has instructed his Cabinet to cut $100 million in federal spending during the next 90 days, a largely symbolic move designed to draw attention to cost cutting in Washington. President Barack Obama speaks to the media afte

VOA标准英语 White House Defends Obama-Chavez Meeting

A handshake at last weekend's Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago is continuing to stir controversy in Washington. Critics say President Barack Obama made a big mistake in greeting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. President Barack Obama,

VOA标准英语 New Report: Asia Stocks on 'Tentative Recovery'

Stocks in Asia reached a three-month high this week, injecting fresh hopes among investors of an early turnaround in the global financial crisis. A new report by the Asian Development Bank says, although Asia's stock markets are showing signs of sta

VOA标准英语 Former Russian Oil Tycoon Could Face More Jail Time

Former Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky has pleaded not guilty to a new set of charges that could add 22 years to the sentence he is already serving. Human rights activists say the imprisonment of Khodorkovsky, who was once Russia's wealthies