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It is 15:30 universal time. I'm Steve Ember in Washington.

 

Senator Barack Obama has claimed the presidential nomination of American's Democratic Party. The senator spoke late Tuesday to crowd thousands of supporters in /Minisota. He won 2118 democratic delegates needed to capture the party's nomination. Mister Obama is the first African-American to become the expected presidential candidate for a major political party. The senator praised his opponent senator Hillary Clinton as a leader who influenced millions of Americans. Senator Clinton has refused to admit defeat. She said she plans to meet with her supporters and party officials before making a final decision.

 

American navy ships are preparing to leave waters near the coast of Burma because the country's government has refused to accept American aid. American / //says the USS SX and its supporting ships will leave Thursday. The ships have been waiting from Burma permission to take the aid to survivors Cyclone Nagles. The storm struck/ more than a month ago. Adam Kitting said the United States attended 15 times to persuade Burmese military leaders to let the ships enter Burmese ports. He said the ships would return if Burmese leaders change their decision. The French Navy also has suspended its efforts to send aid and is leaving the area.

 

The United Nations says it will take 15 billion to 20 billion dollars each year to ease the problem of rising food prices. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged countries to work together and quickly to fight the problem. The UN chief spoke Wednesday to an international conference in Rome, Italy. Delegates from more than 180 countries are attending the conference. World Bank President R also spoke to the delegates. He urged governments to lift trade barriers. He said these barriers are partly to blame for sharp price increase for many products.

 

South Korea says it is ready to provide 50,000 tons of corn to North Korea. In a /, Minister / said South Korea had offered the corn to North Korea last month. But, he said, the North has yet to comment on the offer. Mister Cane told newspaper reporters in Seoul that he hopes the North Korean government will acceded. If not, he said, his country will share the food through international aid agencies.

 

The Indian government has raised the country's fuel prices for the second time this year. The government says the price of fuel for automobiles will be raised by about 12 cents a liter. This raw fuel will be increased by about seven cents. But the price of / will not be raised. Many poor people used / for cooking. Officials say the price increases are necessary to help India's state oil companies. The oil companies are suffered tens thousands of dollars in losses.

 

You are listening to the news in VOA Special English.