VOA标准英语2009-Security Key Issue in Lebanon's Elections

As voters in Lebanon go to the polls on Sunday (June 7) , one issue seems to be dominating the elections more than any other: security. In the tumultuous landscape of Lebanese politics, the issue of security is of particular importance to one candid

VOA标准英语2009-Obama in Germany: Honors War Dead, Speaks of

U.S. President Barack Obama is calling for a redoubling of efforts to get the Mideast peace process back on track. He spoke in Dresden, Germany after talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. U.S. President Barack Obama (r) hugs Holocaust survivor

VOA标准英语2009-Harsh Austerity Measures Implemented in Ethi

Ethiopia, already among the poorest countries, has suffered a series of recent economic setbacks, forcing officials to take drastic countermeasures to avoid a financial meltdown. Economic growth projections have been slashed amid shortages of critic

VOA标准英语2009-Mexico's State of Chiapas Aims to Reduce Pov

Mexico's southernmost State of Chiapas is beautiful and well endowed with natural resources. It has all the elements for success. And, yet, it is the poorest region in the country. The reasons for this are many including a large indigenous populatio

VOA标准英语2009-Indian Students Claim Epidemic of Racist Vio

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has condemned as senseless acts of violence a series of race attacks on Indian students in Melbourne. The Indian high commissioner is demanding greater protection for Indians studying in Australia, as state autho

VOA标准英语2009-Lebanon Struggles for Stability on Eve of El

Lebanon is a fractured land that has a long-standing struggle among a mixture of Christian sects, Sunnis, Shias, Druze and other religious factions. Since a resurgence of hostilities in 2006, when Israel launched a major military campaign against th

VOA标准英语2009-West Africans React to Obama Speech

Many Muslims in West Africa watched U.S. President Barack Obama's speech from Cairo where he called for a new beginning between the United States and the world's one billion Muslims to end what he said is a cycle of suspicion and discord. US Preside

VOA标准英语2009-Pakistanis Praise Obama Cairo Speech But Awa

A group of Pakistanis who watched President Barack Obama's Cairo speech to Muslims are praising the American leader for his skill as a public speaker. But after seeing the speech on television at VOA's Islamabad bureau, they say it lacked specific p

VOA标准英语2009-Palestinians, Israelis Have Mixed Reactions

Palestinian officials are hailing U.S. President Barack Obama's speech to the Muslim world as a good first step toward resolving the Middle East conflict. Israel said it hoped the U.S. president's speech will help usher in a new period of reconcilia

VOA标准英语2009-c Addresses World's Muslims

U.S. President Barack Obama says it is time for a new beginning in relations between America and the world's Muslims. The president said they should unite to confront violent extremism and promote the cause of peace. Fresh start President Barack Oba

VOA标准英语2009-Mauritania Postpones Saturday Vote

Mauritania's military rulers have agreed to postpone Saturday's special presidential election. The deal brokered in neighboring Senegal means Mauritanian opposition parties will drop their boycott and join the vote rescheduled for July. The agreemen

VOA标准英语2009-Israel Says No Change in Settlement Policy a

Israel says it won't change its settlement policy despite new demands by the President of the United States. The settlers have announced their own response to U.S. pressure. Jewish settlers wash cement off their feet after laying foundation of new b

VOA标准英语2009-Former Military Ruler Joins Mauritanian Pres

Mauritania's former military ruler joined his county's presidential race late Saturday. Next month's election is part of a power-sharing deal between the country's current military rulers and their political opponents. Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall

VOA标准英语2009-European Parliament Elections Seeing Low Tur

Voters across Europe are casting their ballots in European elections, expected to see a record low voter turnout and gains for far-right and far-left parties. In Italy, scandal hit Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is the only leader of a large EU me

VOA标准英语2009-Gabon Journalists Face Hostile Environment

The Committee to Protect Journalists says it is alarmed by the suspension of two independent newspapers in Gabon and the increasingly hostile environment for private media in the country. The Committee to Protect Journalists says the suspensions are

VOA标准英语2009-US Unemployment Rate Gallops Ahead of Expect

The White House says America's employment picture is worse than the Obama administration had anticipated just a few months ago. The somber admission follows the latest jobless report showing the highest unemployment rate the United States has seen i

VOA标准英语2009-India, Pakistan Resume Sports Links, But Tal

When cricket teams from India and Pakistan met on the pitch this week, it raised hopes of a thaw in relations that were strained in last years terror attacks on the Indian commercial capital Mumbai. India blamed those attacks on suspected Pakistani-

VOA标准英语2009-US Climate Envoy Talks with China on Emissio

China and the United States have agreed to strengthen cooperation in areas like clean energy, as the international community gets ready to discuss a new climate treaty in Copenhagen, this December. U.S. special envoy for climate change Todd Stern ha

VOA标准英语2009-Indian Prime Minister Open to Peace Talks wi

In a wide-ranging policy speech to India's Parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has expressed hopes of restarting peace talks with Pakistan. The prime minister also called for a high-level dialog with Australia, in response to recent racist att

VOA标准英语2009-US Envoy Pushes Israel to Restart Peace Talk

U.S. Envoy George Mitchell is in Israel, meeting with officials in an effort to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. His aim is to turn the message of President Obama to the Muslim world last week - a message that included the U.S. call fo