Meatballs Around the World

You may not know it, but March 9 is a day to celebrate the meatball. Thats right. Its International Meatball Day! Nearly all of the worlds cultures have some kind of meatball. This delicious food combines meat -- pork, fish, beef, ostrich, chicken, y

Chinese Officials Sign Deal to Create Giant Panda National Park

This is What's Trending Today. China is making plans to create a large protected space for one of its most famous creatures: the giant panda. The planned Giant Panda National Park would be two times the size of Yellowstone National Park in the United

11 Nations Sign Trans-Pacific Trade Deal Without US

Eleven countries in the Pacific region have signed a major Asia-Pacific free trade agreement in Santiago, Chile. The deal is a new version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership from which the U.S. withdrew last year. The agreement is called the Comprehens

Thinking About Using -ing Words?

In the English language, putting two -ing words together often is not only natural but correct. Listen to an example: Ive been avoiding going to the doctor. In todays Everyday Grammar, we will look at examples of when two or more -ing words appear ne

暴力使对叙利亚Ghouta地区的援助停止

Violence Stops Aid Efforts for Syrias Ghouta Area Aid efforts for an area of Damascus that is under siege recently had to be cut short when Syrian government forces began bombing the area. A local council reported that the incident took place in the

为妇女争取权力是国际妇女节的最高目标

Empowering Women a Top Goal for International Womens Day International Womens Day is a celebration of womens social, economic, cultural and political successes worldwide. The observance falls on March 8. International Women's Day events around the wo

印度建筑师获普里茨克奖

Indian Architect Wins Pritzker Prize This years top award in architecture goes to Balkrishna Doshi. This is the first time an Indian has won in the 40-year history of the award, known as the Pritzker Prize. Some compare the award to the Nobel Prize.

科学家称北极的暖冬气温已破纪录

Record Warm Winter in Arctic, Scientists Say New weather information shows the Arctic just had its warmest winter on record. The same information also shows that sea ice hit record lows for this time of year. That means there is plenty of open water

朝鲜:无军事威胁自然不需要核武器

North Korea Says No Need for Nuclear Program if Military Threats Disappear A South Korean official says North Korea has suggested there was no need to keep its nuclear program if military threats against the country are removed. He added that North K

Indonesian Islamic University Bans Burqas on School Grounds

An Indonesian state Islamic university faced criticism this week after it barred female students from wearing full-face veils. University officials say the veils were banned because of fears over the spread of extremist ideology at the school. Many M

美国航母越战后首次访问越南

US Aircraft Carrier Makes First Visit to Vietnam Since War An American aircraft carrier has arrived at a Vietnamese port for the first time since the Vietnam War. The USS Carl Vinson arrived Monday in the central city of Danang and will remain for se

VOA慢速英语2018 意大利反欧盟政党获胜，但不足以执政

Anti-EU Parties Win in Italy, Not Enough to Govern Two anti-European Union parties appear to be the biggest winners in Italys parliamentary elections on Sunday. 周日两大反欧盟政党成为意大利议会选举的最大赢家。 However, neither

研究显示埃博拉病毒摧毁了利比里亚的卫生保健系统

Study: Ebola Crisis Damaged Liberian Health Care System A new study says more than 100,000 malaria cases went untreated in Liberia during the height of the Ebola crisis. The deadly virus spread in West Africa for two years beginning in 2014. The dise

VOA慢速英语2018 奥斯卡奖纪念过去，放眼未来

Oscars Honoring, Correcting Past History The 90th Academy Awards honored the best films of 2017. Mexican director Guillermo del Toro was the big winner with the Best Picture and Best Director Oscars for his film The Shape of Water. 第90届奥斯卡颁

African Schools Add Soft Skills Training Programs

Some African schools are adding programs that teach what officials are calling soft skills to students. Soft skills are personal qualities that help a person relate effectively to others. Officials say this kind of training can help students succeed

US Turns to Music to Win Over Cambodians

With U.S.-Cambodian relations suffering, the United States is trying to a new way to spread positive opinions of America: through music. Yorn Young is a well-known Cambodian musician. Last week, he launched a new album called Lovin USA: Yorn Young Jo

Sick Venezuelans Flee to Colombia as Refugee Crisis Worsens

In a hospital near Colombias border with Venezuela, migrants fill beds with the wounds of the nation they left behind. An 18-year-old woman rubbed her stomach. She fled Venezuela with her new born daughter when the wounds she suffered while giving bi

Gun Sales Slump Since Trump’s Election

Gun store owners say they are selling fewer guns since the 2016 presidential election. Some are calling the drop a Trump slump. Sales of guns slowed after Donald Trump was elected president, ending fears that a Democratic president would strengthen g

What Does the US Supreme Court Say About Guns?

The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution says: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. What these words mean, exactly, is disputed in the U

Ways We Sleep Zzzzzz

Now, its time for Words and Their Stories, a program from VOA Learning English that explores common expressions we use every day. Sleep. Its important to our mental and physical health. From a quick cat nap to long, deep beauty sleep, we have many ex