VOA标准英语2011--Unrest Engulfs Parts of Middle East Afte

Unrest Engulfs Parts of Middle East After Friday Prayers Large demonstrations were reported in over half a dozen Syrian cities Friday, as opponents of the government demanded more freedom and called on the government to release political prisoners. L

VOA标准英语2011--Smithsonian Celebrates Jazz Appeciation

Smithsonian Celebrates Jazz Appeciation Month It's April and time once again to celebrate one of America's greatest treasures, jazz with the 10th anniversary of Jazz Appreciation Month. Jazz took a giant step forward when pianist Mary Lou Williams pe

VOA标准英语2011--NATO Asks Other Members to Do More in Li

NATO Asks Other Members to Do More in Libya NATO foreign ministers wrapped up two days of talks in Berlin still divided on ways of intensifying the air campaign on Libya. NATO foreign ministers offered a show of unity in calling for the departure of

France Calls for Global Nuclear Safety Standards

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is calling for new international nuclear safety standards, warning radiation leaks at Japan's Fukushima Power Plant could affect the entire world. Sarkozy is calling for nuclear officials from the G20 group of industr

Activists Fight to Save Crumbling Algiers Casbah

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Algiers' historic Casbah, or old quarter, bears the hallmarks and the scars of the country's turbulent past. During the bloody black decade of Algeria's 1990s civil war, the Casbah was the feared bastion of Isl

VOA标准英语--Asian Government Subsidies Ease Inflation Pa

Consumer prices are rapidly rising in Asia, and many people are trying to stretch their budgets. As governments are giving out cash and increasing subsidies on fuel and staple goods to soften the blow on consumers. In Thailand, food vendors say infla

Papua New Guinea Makes Gains in AIDS Battle but Faces Challe

Papua New Guinea, with one of the world's highest rates of new HIV infections, has made gains in reducing the spread of AIDS. However, AIDS advocates and counselors, meeting at a UNAIDS conference in Bangkok, say changing male behaviors and ensuring

VOA标准英语--Texas Boasts World-class Latin American Art

Members of the wealthy Rockefeller family of New York helped establish the Museum of Modern Art and revive the old Cloisters medieval museum, both in New York City. The Rockefellers contributed to the restoration of Versailles Palace in France. And t

Artificial Leaf Turns Sunlight into Electric Power

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have turned to Mother Nature for inspiration, inventing a device that mimics photosynthesis, the process plants use to convert sunlight and water into usable energy. MIT chemistry professor Dani

Donor DNA May Identify Early Heart Transplant Rejection

Scientists are reporting a new way to identify when a heart transplant recipient is starting to reject the new organ. The new technique could help doctors ensure the success of more transplants. The human immune system is programmed to reject foreign

Egyptian Women Search for Place in New Government

Egyptian women played a critical role in the revolutionary protests that brought down former president Hosni Mubarak last month. But as Egypt transitions toward a new government, questions are being raised about whether women will gain a stronger rol

Fish Passes Roddick to Become Top American Tennis Player

When the new men's world tennis rankings come out next week, Mardy Fish will be the highest ranked American on the list. He has reached this milestone in his tennis career, remarkably, at the age of 29. With his 7-5, 6-2 win late Wednesday at the Son

New Drug Combination Improves Hepatitis C Cure Rate

Researchers are in the final steps of evaluating two new drugs to add to the existing treatment for hepatitis C. An estimated 170 million people worldwide have the liver infection known as hepatitis C. The standard, two-drug treatment is not effectiv

VOA标准英语2011--Obama: March Jobless Numbers 'Good News'

The U.S. unemployment rate dipped in March to its lowest level in two years, and President Barack Obama hailed the good news. The Labor Department says 8.8 percent of the U.S. work force was unemployed in March. That is one-tenth of a percent lower t

VOA标准英语2011--Unrest Ripples Across Troubled Middle Ea

Unrest Ripples Across Troubled Middle East Tensions continue to mount in a number of Syrian cities after violent crackdowns against anti-government protesters. Witnesses say government forces have surrounded the town of Banias, and clashes have been

VOA标准英语2011--First of Japan Disaster Survivors Get Te

First of Japan Disaster Survivors Get Temporary Houses A month after the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami devastated northeastern Japan, more than 125,000 people remain in evacuation centers. Others are living with relatives. Most of th

VOA标准英语2011--Virtual Choir Offers Global Harmony

Virtual Choir Offers Global Harmony American composer Eric Whitacre is a star in choral circles. His music is performed by amateur and professional choirs. Now he's unveiled his Virtual Choir 2.0 on YouTube. It features over 2,000 singers from around

VOA标准英语2011--Kenya Faces Criticism Over Nationals Det

Kenya Faces Criticism Over Nationals Detained in Uganda Pressure is mounting on the Kenyan government to seek the release of eight human rights activists being detained in Uganda in connection with the July terrorist attacks in Kampala. In the past f

VOA标准英语2011--Libyan Opposition Gives War Lessons to Y

Libyan Opposition Gives War Lessons to Youth The uprising against the 41-year rule of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi began peacefully. But when government troops used force to suppress the demonstrations, they escalated into what increasingly looks li

VOA标准英语2011--Stakes High in US Battle Over Debt Limit

Stakes High in US Battle Over Debt Limit The political wrangling in Washington about federal budgets is likely to get more intense as the stakes rise from billions of dollars to trillions. Some of the focus is changing from a squabble over government