VOA标准英语2009年-Few Surprises, Little Excitement as Indone

By Douglas Bakshian Jakarta 22 October 2009 Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, left, receives a kiss from his wife Kristiani, after his inauguration at the Parliament building, Jakarta, 20 Oct. 2009 Indonesia's new Cabinet contains a mix

VOA标准英语2009年-S. Korean Scholar: North Experiencing Disc

By Kurt Achin Seoul 22 October 2009 A leading North Korea researcher and adviser to South Korea's president says the North is experiencing some friction at the very top of the ruling Kim family. The North's leader may have temporarily halted a succe

VOA标准英语2009年-Gates Might Agree to More Troops for Afgha

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates indicated Thursday he might be receptive if his new commander in Afghanistan asks for more troops, but he is still concerned that having too many foreign forces in the country could alienate its people. Defense Se

VOA标准英语2009年-In Aceh, Indonesia Foreign Aid Creates Ten

The 2004 tsunami that ravaged Indonesia's Aceh province helped convince Acehnese separatists and the central government in Jakarta to work together to end 30 years of war and rebuild the province. August 15 marks the fourth anniversary of the peace

VOA标准英语2009年-Uproar Over Swiss Apology to Libya

Switzerland is in an uproar over the government's decision to apologize to Libyan leader, Muammar Gadhafi, for the arrest of his son and daughter-in-law last year in Geneva for abusing their domestic servants. Libya had demanded an apology as the pr

VOA标准英语2009年-Thousands of Displaced in Kabo Living in A

The United Nations refugee agency says it finally managed to gain access over a week ago to a remote northern area of the Central African Republic, following months of insecurity. A UNHCR spokesman tells VOA aid workers found more than 2,000 displac

VOA标准英语2009年-Afghanistan Tries to Assure Voters About A

Afghanistan's government is trying to assure voters that adequate security is in place for Thursday's national election. The Taliban vow to disrupt the process by attacking polling stations and retaliating against those who dare to vote. In Kabul, t

VOA标准英语2009年-Nobel Laureate Former S. Korean President

Former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung has died in Seoul at the age of 85. He had been hospitalized since last month for pneumonia. Mr. Kim was credited with ushering a new era of reconciliation with wartime enemy North Korea. His own life story

VOA标准英语2009年-Pakistan Arrests Top Taliban Aide

Authorities in Pakistan say they have captured the chief spokesman for Taliban insurgents along with two companions in a tribal region bordering Afghanistan. The arrest comes nearly two weeks after a suspected U.S missile strike is believed to have

VOA标准英语2009年-US Lawmaker Arrives in Burma to Meet Top M

U.S. Senator Jim Webb has arrived in Burma's administrative capital for talks with the country's military leaders. The Democrat senator from Virginia will be the first high-ranking U.S. official to meet with General Than Shwe. Senator Jim Webb The v

VOA标准英语2009年-US Senator: Burma Denies Nuclear Plans

U.S. Senator Jim Webb, who recently held talks with Burma's military leaders, says the government denies reports that it is trying to acquire nuclear technology. The senator also says Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has indicated a willin

VOA标准英语2009年-Discovery of Possible Drug Labs Leads to C

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, along with INTERPOL and the government of Guinea, recently discovered four sites where they believe drugs such as heroin, cocaine and ecstasy could have been processed and manufactured in Conakry. These

VOA标准英语2009年-Second Term for US Fed Chairman

U.S. President Barack Obama has announced he plans to appoint the chairman of the nation's central bank, the Federal Reserve, to a second term. The president says Fed chief Ben Bernanke has helped to prevent a deeper recession or a depression. Presi

VOA标准英语2009年-Tajikistan Considers Russian Language Ban

Tajikistan is considering a bill that would prohibit the use of Russian by government agencies in the former Soviet republic. Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon is urging lawmakers in the Central Asian country to speed passage of the measure, which som

VOA标准英语2009年-Indonesian Airlines Welcome Access to Euro

The European Commission has partially lifted a ban on Indonesian airlines entering European air space. The ban was issued two years ago after the International Civil Aviation Authority identified 121 safety problems with Indonesian airlines. Police

VOA标准英语2009年-Lawless Atmosphere Cited in Death of Russi

Russian activists are blaming Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for maintaining a climate that resulted in Wednesday's murder in the Caucasus of journalist Natalya Estemirova. Her colleagues from the Memorial human rights organization and other groups t

VOA标准英语2009年-Fear Supports Russian Culture of Impunity

Russia's Memorial human rights organization has suspended its activities in Chechnya following last week's murder of its local representative, journalist Natalya Estemirova. Human rights activists have blamed Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Presid

VOA标准英语2009年-Honduran Economy in Peril From Political C

The forced removal of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya by his country's military on June 28 has left the Central American nation in a state of political turmoil. Already one of the poorest nations in the world, Honduras is now facing an even greater

VOA标准英语2009年-Election Underscores Splits Among Iranian

The disputed Iranian presidential election has highlighted the divide in Iran's clerical establishment. Conservative religious scholars welcomed the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, while reformist religious figures have criticized the

VOA标准英语2009年-Demonstrations, Counter Protests Expected

Both the interim government of Honduras and supporters of ousted President Manuel Zelaya plan demonstrations for Tuesday in the Central American nation's capital, Tegucigalpa. This follows a shooting incident on Sunday in which at least one person d