Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan Admits Defeat 2015-04-01

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has called his opponent, Muhammadu Buhari, to concede the election, according to a VOA reporter in Abuja.

Presidential election results on Tuesday showed Mr. Buhari led President Jonathan by almost 2 million votes, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission. He also won at least 25 percent of the vote in at least 24 states, as required by Nigeria's constitution.

The result marks the first time in Nigeria's history that a current president lost an election. It also marks the end of the 16-year-rule of Jonathan's Peoples Democratic Party.

Mr. Buhari, 72, is from the north and served as the country's military ruler in 1984 and 1985 following a coup.

Iran, US willing to continue nuclear talks Wednesday

Iran says it is willing to continue talks with six world powers for a deal on Tehran's nuclear program. Talks will continue into Wednesday, with the original midnight deadline passing.

A member of Iran's negotiating team said Iranian officials will continue to negotiate until the disputed issues are resolved and a deal is reached.

The White House said it is willing to continue the negotiations into Wednesday as long as the talks are productive.

Iran and the group of nations have a history of extending their deadlines. They've done so twice since agreeing to a short-term nuclear deal in November 2013.

U.S. Treasury targets Syrian banker and companies with sanctions

The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday placed sanctions on a Syrian official and three companies it said were helping the Syrian government.

Reuters news agency said the Treasury Department's sanctions targeted an official of the Central Bank of Syria. The department also targeted one Syria-based company and two companies in Lebanon for working with a Syrian weapons agency that the Treasury Department said had connections to Syria's chemical weapons program.

Myanmar government, rebels sign draft peace deal

The government of Myanmar and representatives from 16 major ethnic rebel groups have signed a draft cease-fire accord that aims to end decades of armed conflict.

Speaking at Tuesday's signing in Yangon, President Thein Sein praised the peace deal as the first step towards holding political dialogue with the rebel groups.

Before a final deal is signed, the rebels first plan to hold a conference to finalize the terms. No date for the conference has been set.

The United Nations praised the draft of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, or NCA, as a "historic and significant achievement."

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Words in the News

opponent n. a person, team, group, etc., that is competing against another in a contest or election

concede v. to admit that you have been defeated, and stop trying to win

negotiator n. a person who is involved in formal financial or political discussions in order to try to reach an agreement

sanction n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country,

draft n. a version of something (such as a document) that you make before you make the final version