VOA标准英语2009年-Ghana Prepares for Oil Boom

Ghana's coming oil boom brings with it questions of financial transparency and environmental protection. The government has just now put in place a regulatory structure to account for what could be $1 billion in annual revenue by the start of next y

VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Goes to Canada on First Foreign Trip as P

U.S. President Barack Obama made a quick trip to Canada on Thursday - his first foreign journey since assuming office. His talks with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper focused on the global economic recession, trade, energy, the environment and

VOA标准英语2009年-India Still Awaiting Word from Pakistan on Mumb

India's patience with Pakistan appears to be wearing thin. More than two months after the terror attack on Mumbai, Indian officials are expressing frustration that they have yet to hear any official communication from Islamabad regarding Pakistan's

VOA标准英语2009年-Russia Notes Positive Tone From Obama

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the Kremlin has noted a positive tone in the first statements made by the Obama administration on Russian and international relations. And President Dmitri Medvedev has indicated Russian willingness to coo

VOA标准英语2009年-Gates Says NATO Positive on Call for More Help

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he got a good response from NATO allies Thursday when he asked them to do more to help provide security for the elections in Afghanistan in August, and for longer term projects training the country's security

VOA标准英语2009年-Heavy Snowstorm Grips England

England is struggling with the heaviest snowfall to hit the country in nearly two decades. Among the hardest-hit regions are London and surrounding areas. Travel disruption and massive cancellations are widespread. A pedestrian falls over in North L

VOA标准英语2009年-Negative News Further Depresses Global Markets

World markets are lower after new figures show Japan's economy is shrinking at a rate not seen for decades and more bad financial news is released in Britain. Man walks past share prices board in Tokyo, 12 Feb 2009 In Japan, a fourth-quarter economi

VOA标准英语2009年-Clinton Cautious on Palestinian Reconciliation

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday reconciliation efforts between the main Palestinian factions will not mean progress for the region unless Hamas accepts international terms for peace talks with Israel. Clinton spoke to VOA in advance o

VOA标准英语2009年-World Markets Mixed Amid Stimulus and Corporate

World markets were mixed Thursday due to investor concerns over the U.S. stimulus plan and more gloomy corporate news. In Britain, the Royal Bank of Scotland, or RBS, has posted the largest annual loss in U.K. corporate history with a $34 billion sh

VOA标准英语2009年-Rival Palestinian Factions Meet in Cairo to Hea

Rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas are holding talks aimed at healing their divisions and creating a new unity government. Delegations from the two factions met at the Cairo office of Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who has been le

VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Announces Iraq Exit Plan

President Barack Obama says the United States will withdraw most of its combat troops from Iraq in the next 18 months. Roughly one-third of the troops would stay through 2011 to provide security and training. President Barack Obama speaks during a v

VOA标准英语2009年-US Economy Shrinks More Than Expected in Fourth

A U.S. government report released Friday shows that output in the U.S. economy fell at a faster pace in the October to December quarter than previously reported. Gross domestic product fell at more than a six percent rate. Hand-lettered sign stands

VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Administration Korea Envoy Heading to Reg

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday the new U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth will begin his first trip to the region early next week. Bosworth says he thinks North Korea is inclined to continue dialogu

VOA标准英语2009年-US Special Envoy Meets With Turkish Leaders

U.S. Middle East special envoy George Mitchell has met with the president of Turkey Thursday as part of his quest for peace in the region. U.S. Middle-East special envoy George Mitchell, left, is seen with Turkish President Abdullah Gul, center, and

VOA标准英语2009年-Death Toll Rises in Bangladesh Mutiny

Tanks rolled unchallenged into the headquarters of the Bangladesh Rifles Friday as government officials, soldiers and police began surveying a scene of carnage in wake of a two-day mutiny that may have left more 100 people dead, mostly Army officers

VOA标准英语2009年-Iraqi President Meets With Iranian Officials in

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani is visiting Tehran, Friday to meet with top Iranian leaders. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, left, shakes hands with his Iraqi counterpart Jalal Talabani, during official welcome ceremony in Tehran, 27 Feb. 2009

VOA标准英语2009年-Southern African Ministers Plan Regional Summit

Southern African ministers meeting in South Africa have pledged to help Zimbabwe's reconstruction and plan to hold a special regional summit on the matter soon. Ministers of the Southern Africa Development Community ended their meeting Friday in Cap

VOA标准英语2009年-Southeast Asia's Leaders Call for Faster Asian

Southeast Asian business and government leaders have urged faster regional economic integration to cushion the impact of the global economic downturn. The call comes as leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations gather in Thaila

VOA标准英语2009年-Public Health School Calls for Investigation in

A report led by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Medicine has called for a United Nations investigation into Burma's handling of aid and assistance to cyclone hit regions last year, accusing the military government of crimes against humanity. R

VOA标准英语2009年-UN Tribunal Acquits Milutinovic of War Crimes,

The United Nations war crimes court for the former Yugoslavia has acquitted a former Serbian president of atrocities committed in Kosovo but jailed five others on Thursday. It was the court's first ruling on Serbian crimes committed during the Kosov