134 Konbanwa, Everybady!

Sato, a Japanese student, goes to a smiling class in Beijing. (S=Sato; T=teacher) S: Konbanwa, evali-badi! (everybody!)(The whole class laughs.) Ha!Ha!Ha! T: What on earth is that? S: Wow! You see. It

Maduro registers as Venezuelan presidential candidate

CARACAS, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's Acting President Nicolas Maduro on Monday formally registered with the National Electoral Council (CNE) as the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV)'s candidate for the upcoming presidential elect

Eurozone Gives Final OK for Greek Bailout

After months of negotiations with its European neighbors, Greece has secured final approval of a new $170 billion bailout, the country's second rescue package in two years. Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker said Wednesday the first instal

OECD: Eurozone Needs Bigger Bailout Fund, Reforms

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) demanded more reforms and a stronger financial rescue fund to help the eurozone recover from its debt crisis. The call by the Paris-based group comes just days before a key European fin

Euro 2012: Scandal might help Italy again

MADRID, June 3 (Xinhua) -- With days away from the Euro 2012 opener, a police raid on Italy's pre-tournament training camp cast shadow on the team's fate. Well-known defender Domenico Criscito was handed a search warrant as part of an investigation i

Euro 2012 ticket design unveiled in Ukraine

KIEV, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Ticket for the Euro 2012 Soccer Championship was officially presented on Monday by UEFA Events executive Martin Kallen in the Ukrainian capital Kiev. Representatives of UEFA and Ukraine's tournament executing committee atte

VOA标准英语2008年-Obama to Visit Middle East, Europe Next Week

Reports from the Middle East say US Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama will visit both Israel and the West Bank next week as part of a major foreign trip. VOA's Michael Bowman reports, other stops include Iraq, Afghanistan, and several E

研究:男女同工同酬还要等57年

Working women who thought they might live to see Britain's pay gap finally shorten will have to hold out for another 57 years, according to a research published on August 19. Forty years after the Equal Pay Act was passed, the study showed that the g

Eurozone Leaders Try Again to Resolve Debt Crisis

For more than two years, Europe's 17-nation euro currency bloc has grappled with containing its burgeoning governmental debt crisis. Its leaders often took half-steps they thought surely would calm international financial markets worried about the fa

Eurozone Braces for Greek Election

PARIS - Eurozone countries will be anxiously watching the outcome of second-round of legislative elections Sunday in Greece, which may determine the country's future role in the eurozone. Greek voters will be choosing between parties that call for tw

Europe's Chief Banker Says Eurozone 'Unsustainable'

Europe's chief banker says the current operation of the 17-nation euro currency bloc is unsustainable and that it must create a new vision of how it will manage its affairs in the coming years. The head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, sai

IMF: Eurozone Crisis at 'Critical Stage'

The International Monetary Fund says the eurozone's debt crisis has reached a critical stage, and that European leaders need to move quickly toward greater financial unity. The IMF's executive board said Wednesday that the 17-nation currency union ne

Europe to cooperate with China for financial stability

BEIJING, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said Wednesday that the European side will consult and cooperate with China in a concrete way to ensure the financial stability of the eurozone. Together with European Commissi

Eurozone ministers agree to bail out Spain

BRUSSELS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Eurozone finance ministers agreed to bail out Spain by giving a first payment of 30 billion euros (37 billion U.S. dollars) to its reeling banks by the end of July, Eurogroup President Jean-Claude Juncker said here early

Europe Continues to Suffer Severe Winter Weather

severe winter weather continues to dominate in many European countries with air and road travel disrupted and gas supples running low. The hardest hit country is Ukraine, where temperatures as low as minus 32 degrees Celsius have left at least 122 pe

Europe Evaluates Sanctions on Iran

The European Union has responded with a shrug to Iran's threat to cut off oil exports to some EU members several months before an EU embargo on Iranian oil takes effect. At the same time, Iran has floated an offer to resume talks on its nuclear progr

VOA常速英语2007-South African Rugby Springboks Return to Rapturo

By Delia Robertson Johannesburg 23 October 2007 South Africa's rugby world-champion, the Springboks, have returned home to a rapturous welcome following their victory over England at the Rugby World Cup in France. VOA's Delia Robertson reports from J

Neymar foresees hard fouls in Europe

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Giving hints about his future career, 20-year-old Santos striker Neymar described a future scenario in one of the prestigious soccer leagues in Europe. The player foresees a career littered by hard fouls in Europe

Europe Keeps Interest Rate Steady

The European Central Bank is keeping its key interest rate unchanged, even as its leader says there is increased downside risk for economic growth in the euro currency bloc. The bank kept its key lending rate at a record low 1 percent Wednesday, desp

Europe Central Bank Lowers Rates

The European Central Bank lowered its benchmark interest rate Thursday to a record 1.0 percent. The move by the bank to help stimulate Europe's economy came as France and Germany urged other European leaders to adopt their eurozone crisis plan at a k