VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Meets with Governors on Economy

U.S. President Barack Obama says the nation's governors will be held accountable for money flowing into their states as part of his economic stimulus plan. The money should start arriving this week. President Barack Obama and VP Joe Biden before add

VOA标准英语2009年-Palestinian Residents Brace for Demolition of H

Palestinians in East Jerusalem are protesting what they say are preparations by Israel to demolish scores of Arab homes. The Arab residents accuse the Israelis of trying to push them out of Jerusalem, which both Israel and the Palestinians claim as

VOA标准英语2009年-US Says Burmese Prisoner Release Insufficient

The United States has welcomed Burma's release of about 20 political prisoners, but said the military government should free all its political detainees including democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Obama administration is reviewing U.S. policy t

VOA标准英语2009年-South Korea Says North Increasing Special Force

South Korea says North Korea is enhancing its military strength by deploying a new missile and increasing its number of light and mobile elite forces. As analysts warn of an imminent missile test by the North, officials in Seoul say Pyongyang's mili

VOA标准英语2009年-Al-Shabab Group Threatens More Terror Attacks i

Somalia's militant al-Shabab group has promised to launch more attacks against African Union peacekeeping troops a day after 11 soldiers from Burundi were killed in blasts claimed by the group. On an Internet website, al-Shabab posted pictures of th

VOA标准英语2009年-Egyptian Economists Worry About Falling Suez Ca

Egyptian economists are fretting, as the global economic crisis bites, hitting vital sources of government revenue, like tariffs from Suez Canal traffic. The canal authority reported that traffic for January was off by 22 percent, and that revenue w

VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Expected to Give Sober, but Hopeful Addre

President Barack Obama addresses the U.S. Congress and the nation in a few hours, and faces huge expectations regarding the U.S. economic crisis. Democratic and Republican lawmakers made remarks ahead of the president's speech to a joint session of

VOA标准英语2009年-Obama's Speech in Congress Expected to Address

U.S. President Barack Obama will address a joint session of Congress for the first time, about the challenges the nation faces. The economy will be the main topic in the nationally-broadcast speech. President Barack Obama (file photo) The economic c

VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Administration Signals Thaw in Relations

Vice President Joe Biden gave a hint to the Obama administration's attitude toward relations with Russia in a Feb. 7 foreign policy speech in Munich, Germany. US Vice President Joe Biden addresses International Conference on Security Policy in Munic

VOA标准英语2009年-Taliban Militants Extend Cease-Fire in Pakistan

Pakistani Taliban militants in the country's troubled Swat valley say they are indefinitely extending a cease-fire with the government. Swat Taliban leader Maulana Fazlullah is expected to soon announce the terms of the cease-fire. Residents of Swat

VOA标准英语2009年-Mortars Greet Somali President's Return to Capi

Heavy fighting in Somalia's capital between Islamist rebels and government forces has killed at least 13. The clashes come a day after Somalia's new president returned to the country from neighboring Djibouti. A Somalian boy wounded in a mortar atta

VOA标准英语2009年-Imprisoned Businessman and Kremlin Critic Faces

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, formerly Russia's richest man, has been transferred from a Siberian prison to Moscow to face trial for alleged embezzlement and money laundering. Khodorkovsky is already serving an eight-year sentence on charges of fraud and ta

VOA标准英语2009年-UN Official Calls for Investment in Climate Tec

senior United Nations' official in Asia says the financial crisis hitting regional economies is an opportunity to boost investment in green technologies to impact climate change. The comments by U.N. Undersecretary General Noeleen Heyzer, head of th

VOA标准英语2009年-Former Thai PM Supporters Hold Rally in Bangkok

Government opponents and supporters of Thailand's former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, launched a rally by blockading the government's main administrative building and calling for Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to resign. The rallies ap

VOA标准英语2009年-US Lawmakers Stress Need for Afghanistan Strate

U.S. lawmakers just back from Afghanistan say the United States and its NATO allies must have a clearer strategy to stabilize the country and fight resurgent Taliban forces and al-Qaida. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democr

VOA标准英语2009年-Russia to Develop Strategic Nuclear Forces Desp

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov says development of his country's strategic nuclear forces will be the government's top military procurement priority in 2009. Ivanov's statement was made while Russia faces a budget deficit and its defens

VOA标准英语2009年-Clerics Condemn Somali Insurgents for Violating

Somali Islamic scholars have condemned Islamist insurgents for launching an attack on pro-government forces and African Union peacekeepers Tuesday in Mogadishu. The fighting is the heaviest of its kind since Ethiopian troops withdrew from Somalia la

VOA标准英语2009年-Iranian, Russian Technicians Test Bushehr Nucle

Iranian and Russian officials began a test run of Iran's first nuclear plant on Wednesday, after repeated delays in making the plant operational. An Iranian official says the test run was done with computers and uranium was not used. The pilot opera

VOA标准英语2009年-Bangladesh Agrees to Pardon Rebel Border Guards

Bangladesh's government is granting amnesty to mutinous border guards in exchange for them agreeing to peacefully return to their barracks. Bangladeshi media say several civilians were killed and two army colonels died in the early stage of the muti

VOA标准英语2009年-Struggle in Swat Valley Highlights Pakistan's C

This week top Pakistani, Afghan and U.S. officials are meeting in Washington to discuss how to counter al-Qaida and Taliban fighters, who now threaten both U.S.-backed governments in the region. In Pakistan, officials are moving forward with a contr