VOA标准英语 US Defends Boycott of Racism Conference

The Obama administration on Monday defended its decision not to attend the United Nations Conference on racism in Geneva, which included in its opening session a sharp rhetorical attack on Israel by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Human right

VOA标准英语 South African Parties Hold Final Rallies Before Wedn

Political parties in South Africa have held their final rallies as the nation prepares for national and provincial elections on Wednesday. As South Africa's electoral campaign entered its final days, more than 100,000 people filled two sports stadiu

VOA标准英语 Obama Wraps Up Summit with Call for Partnership

President Barack Obama has hailed a renewed spirit of cooperation in the Americas, one in which the United States is an equal partner that listens to its neighbors. Speaking at the conclusion of the fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobag

VOA标准英语 Obama, Mexican President Discuss Drug Trafficking, B

President Barack Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon have pledged to work together to fight drug trafficking, border violence, environmental dangers and other shared challenges. The two leaders met at the country's presidential residence. Pr

VOA标准英语 Clinton Welcomes 'Overture' From Cuban Leader

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Friday said U.S. policy toward Cuba's communist government, which features a decades-old economic blockade, has failed and she is calling Raul Castro's offer of talks with Washington on the full range issues betwee

VOA标准英语 Rescued Ship Captain Returns Home to US After Somali

The U.S. shipping captain who was held hostage for five days by Somali pirates has returned homeand received a hero's welcome in the small Northeastern state of Vermont. Captain Richard Phillips (right) arrives in US after his rescued from pirates.

VOA标准英语 Russia Ends Counterterrorism Operation in Chechnya

Russia has ended its decade-long counterterrorism operation in Chechnya, an undertaking that led to broad restrictions on civil liberties in the war-torn Caucasus republic. The move could lead to the withdrawal of 20,000 Russian police and serviceme

VOA标准英语 Economists Complain About Big US Banks Receiving Tax

Former International Monetary Fund chief economist Simon Johnson said Wednesday that the biggest U.S. banks are too powerful and exert too much influence over the government. Johnson told an audience at Washington's School of Advanced International

VOA标准英语 Obama: US Moving Toward High-Speed Railways

President Barack Obama wants the United States to join other industrialized countries in having an extensive high-speed rail system. The president has unveiled his plan to accelerate the development of high-speed rail in the U.S. President Obama, ac

VOA标准英语 Turkey Begins Dig for Missing Kurds

State prosecutors in Turkey have ordered the excavation of several sites around Turkey that they say may hold Kurdish victims of state death squads from the 1980s and 1990s, a step ahead in efforts to force the country's security establishment to co

VOA标准英语 Mauritania's Military Ruler Steps Down to Run for Pr

Mauritania's military ruler has stepped down to stand as a candidate for president in June elections. The civilian president who was toppled in last August's coup wants Mauritanians to boycott that vote. Mauritania's military ruler Gen. Mohamed Ould

VOA标准英语 Ethiopia's Opposition Holds First Rally Since 2005

Supporters of imprisoned Ethiopian political leader Birtukan Mideksa have marched in the streets of Addis Ababa to demand her release. The march was the first officially sanctioned political demonstration since the violent protests of 2005. A carefu

VOA标准英语 India Completes First Phase of Voting in National El

At least 18 people were killed as India's voters cast ballots in the first part of a five-stage election in the world's largest democracy. More than 2.5 million security officers were on duty in the 15 Indian states and two territories where balloti

VOA标准英语 Foreign Donors Pledge $5.2 Billion in Aid for Pakist

International donors meeting in Japan have pledged more than $5 billion to help the Pakistani government shore up its shaky economy and shrink the pool of militant recruits. President Asif Zardari said the world continues to underestimate the threat

VOA标准英语 Medvedev Outlines Path to Better US-Russian Ties

The U.S. and Russia presidents are scheduled to meet for the first time Wednesday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in London. The new Kremlin leader comes to the meeting with a record of policy initiatives that have swung between belligerent threa

VOA标准英语 Italy Pushes For Steps to End Illegal Immigration Pr

Italian officials are pressing for steps to prevent a repeat of the tragedy involving hundreds of migrants from Africa who are missing and believed to have drowned in the Mediterranean over the weekend. The migrants were cramped in un-seaworthy vess

VOA标准英语 ADB Predicts Sluggish Growth for Developing Asia

A new report predicts developing Asia's economic growth will slow by almost half this year, but the Asian Development Bank forecasts that the region will rebound in 2010. Developing Asian economies are likely to grow by an average of 3.4 percent in

VOA标准英语 Southern Africa Floods Affect Hundreds of Thousands

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported excessive rainfall is causing havoc with the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people in seven Southern African countries. People take the high road to p

VOA标准英语 Obama Urges Sudan to Allow Aid Groups to Return

U.S. President Barack Obama is urging Sudan's government to let recently expelled humanitarian aid groups return to the country. Mr. Obama is sending an envoy to Khartoum this week to make his case. President Barack Obama meets with the US Envoy for

VOA标准英语 Hundreds of Migrants Feared Drowned Off Libyan Coast

The International Organization for Migration says it believes more than 300 African migrants, possibly as many as 500, drowned after their boats sank off the coast of Libya. Libyan officials say 21 people are confirmed dead and about 20 others have