VOA标准英语2009年-Growing Disenchantment Threatens Niger

Gilbert da Costa | Abuja 26 December 2009 Nigeria's fragile truce with rebels in the oil-rich Niger Delta appears to be under serious threat. Former militants are protesting the non-payment of allowances and militants have blown up an oil pipeline in

VOA标准英语2009年-Non-Profit Group Suits Up Women for Jo

Paige Kollock | New York 25 December 2009 Staffer at Dress for Success helps Marty Sanabria with a dress In the past year, the U.S. has shed more than seven million jobs in the global economic downturn. The media network CBS surveyed 700 unemployed A

VOA标准英语2009年-European Union Begins 2010 With New Lo

The European Union begins 2010 profoundly transformed. A landmark agreement called the Lisbon Treaty is in force, aimed to increase EU clout on the world stage and streamline its decision-making. The first EU permanent president starts work in Januar

VOA标准英语2009年-New England Town Brings Rockwell's Chr

Every year around Christmas, Stockbridge, a small town in western Massachusetts, puts on a display unlike any other in the US. The celebrated American artist Norman Rockwell, who passed away some 30 years ago, used the New England town as the setting

VOA标准英语2009年-Big Crowds Celebrate Christmas Eve in

Photo: AP Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal, center, walks towards Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, 24 Dec 2009 Thousands of people have attended Christmas Eve celebrations at the birthplace of Christianity in Bethlehem. Christmas Eve began wit

VOA标准英语2009年-US Buddhists Join in Christmas Celebra

Photo: Suli Yi, VOA Wilson Hurley has put up a Christmas tree in his house in front of an image of Buddha It has long been true that Christmas is not just for Christians any more. Many people, of many different religious persuasions or of no persuasi

VOA标准英语2009年-NFL Sees Infusion of Nigerian Talent

Over the years, NFL rosters have listed players from a cross-section of countries and territories other than the United States -- Canada, Germany and American Samoa to name a few. Nigeria also has produced its share, especially in the last decade. Mi

VOA标准英语2009年-Pope Delivers Christmas Blessing

Speaking in 65 different languages from the central balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica, Pope Benedict offeres a blessing of peace and joy for the holiday. Sabina Castelfranco | Rome 25 December 2009 Photo: AP Pope Benedict XVI gestures to the faithful

VOA标准英语2009年-Africa Working to Reduce Obstetric Fis

Health officials in Africa are working to better care for women who suffer the childbearing injury of obstetric fistula. Usually the result of days of obstructed labor, the baby often dies and the mother is left with chronic incontinence. Scott Stear

VOA标准英语2009年-Western-Style Diet Brings New Health P

Over the past few years, the country has seen a proliferation of so-called lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancers. Experts attribute this to rising incomes, Western diets and less physical activity. Cathy Majtenyi | Nairobi 22

VOA标准英语2009年-'Health Tourism' Increasingly Popular

Medical tourism brought in $1 billion in 2007 and that is expected to triple by 2012, when the Health Ministry expects more than two million medical tourists. Ron Corben | Bangkok 22 December 2009 Photo: AP James McLaurin of the United States recover

VOA标准英语2009年-Rising Jazz Vocalists Shine On 2 New C

Love and romance are alive and well on new CDs by Sophie Milman and Roberta Gambarini. Doug Levine | Washington 22 December 2009 Sophie Milman's 'Take Love Easy' CD For arrangement, I look for a presentation that allows the song to be the center of a

VOA标准英语2009年-High Cost of Housing in US, Unable to

Millions of Americans have been unable to pay the mortgage on their houses and have had to leave them. Many are now renting, but are finding it difficult financially Owning your home was once part of the American dream. But that dream has faded becau

VOA标准英语2009年-US Economic Recovery Not as Strong as

New economic data shows the U.S. economy grew more slowly than first thought. The US Commerce Department reports the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded at a 2.2 percent annual rate from July to September, down from an earlier estimate of

VOA标准英语2009年-Software Piracy in Asia Expands

Photo: VOA photo - Pos Laput A vendor sells pirated DVDs in Vietnam Despite some gains in fighting copyright infringement in many countries, brazen piracy remains visible in Asia. In a scene found in many Asian cities, pirated movies, music and softw

VOA标准英语2009年-Mixed Reviews in Europe, Middle East f

Barack Obama's election victory in November 2008 was greeted with enormous enthusiasm around much of the world. Most Europeans looked to the new president to restore the transatlantic partnership, work for peace and spearhead the fight against global

A标准英语2009年-Wave of Clergy Killings in Russia

Twenty-six Orthodox priests murdered since 1990, including 39-year-old Alexander Filippov on Tuesday Peter Fedynsky | Moscow 23 December 2009 Photo: AP Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (center) conducts the funeral service for slain priest Daniil Sy

VOA标准英语2009年-India Says At Least 12 Possible Terror

India's home minister has revealed that at least a dozen potential terror strikes on the country were thwarted this year. But he says, as part of a sweeping restructuring of India's intelligence apparatus, his own ministry needs to be split. Steve He

VOA标准英语2009年-Guinea Marks First Anniversary of Mili

All demonstrations banned with defense minister in charge and army captain still in Moroccan military hospital Scott Stearns | Dakar 23 December 2009 Photo: AP Guinea military leader Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara (L) salutes next to his aide Abubakar Tou

VOA标准英语2009年-US Senate Approves Historic Health Car

The U.S. Senate has approved a hard-fought measure to overhaul the U.S. health care system. The vote will be followed by the difficult process of reconciling the Senate-passed bill with one approved by the House of Representatives, in order to get a