A new international initiative to increase grain crop yields could help raise incomes for six million farmers in South Asia and combat hunger in one of the poorest regions of the world. Indian farmer women winnow mustard crop at Baraikapurva village...
Retailers around the world are slashing prices in the hopes of convincing wary consumers to spend money again, as one survey finds critical holiday sales in the United States fell by as much as four percent this year. But encouraging spending could...
The Bush administration says it is more than doubling emergency U.S. aid to Zimbabwe to combat a cholera epidemic it blames on the government of President Robert Mugabe. U.S. officials are trying to increase international pressure on Mr. Mugabe to s...
Australia has opened a new National Center for Bio-Security to build its defenses against infectious diseases and biological weapons. Medical experts say it will help protect the country from threats such as SARS and bird flu as well as attacks by t...
Republican presidential candidate John McCain's selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate has shaken up the U.S. presidential race in some unexpected ways. VOA national correspondent Jim Malone has more from Wash...
The United States plans to spend $600 million in coming years to propel development of renewable fuels and other new energy solutions. The funding goes along with millions that private investors are spending to find ways to cut the nation's dependen...
Environmental groups are praising a decision by the U.S. state of Florida to buy a vast tract of farmland to restore the Everglades wetlands. In Miami, VOA's Brian Wagner reports the deal aims to control water pollution and ensure fresh water suppli...
By Phil Mercer Sydney 19 May 2008 Australia will increase its annual migration intake to 300,000 people a year - the biggest rise since the end of World War II. The increase in the annual quota is intended to address the country's chronic skills shor...
By Ron Corben Bangkok 18 May 2008 The United Nations' efforts to increase assistance in cyclone-battered areas of Burma are to be stepped up with arrival of the U.N. humanitarian affairs chief, in Rangoon. Burma's military has put the official death...
By Bill Rodgers Washington 17 May 2008 In recent years, rapid technological progress has helped raise income and alleviate poverty in many developing countries. The spread of cell phones, computers, and other technological innovations has generated e...