VOA标准英语2013--California Cities Crack Down on Unlicensed Maternity Hotels

California Cities Crack Down on Unlicensed Maternity Hotels Unlicensed maternity clinics that cater to women from Asia have sprung up around the United States, especially in California. Local officials are cracking down on the maternity hotels, which

VOA标准英语2013--Cyprus Crisis Burns Russian Investors

Cyprus Crisis Burns Russian Investors For years, construction companies in Cyprus lured Russians to invest in the Mediterranean island. Over the last decade, 40,000 Russians moved to Cyprus. They now make up five percent of the population. The lure,

VOA标准英语2013--NATO Commander: ‘Cautious Optimism’ Ahead of Afghanistan Withdrawal

NATO Commander: Cautious Optimism Ahead of Afghanistan Withdrawal Its been nearly four years since Stavridis took over at U.S. European Command, and a few days later as commander of NATO operations worldwide. Since then, he has made numerous visits t

VOA标准英语2013--Boston Mosque Condemns Terrorist Bombers

Boston Mosque Condemns Terrorist Bombers During the prayer service at the Islamic Society of Boston, Imam Ismail Fenni said the Boston Marathon bombing attacks that killed three people and injured more than 250 others were against the teachings of Is

VOA标准英语2013--Multi, Social Media Play Huge Role in Solving Boston Bombing

Multi, Social Media Play Huge Role in Solving Boston Bombing Millions across the world saw these photos instantly. And this video of the suspects on a surveillance tape from a store across the street from the marathon finish line. Today we are enlist

VOA标准英语2013--Floods Challenge Midwest Farmers

Floods Challenge Midwest Farmers On his land outside Peoria, Darrel Kammeyer is keeping one eye on the rising Illinois River and another on the only thing standing between it and his farmland, a seven-meter-tall levee. It was constructed to hold back

VOA标准英语2013--Music Fans Mourn Country Legend George Jones

Music Fans Mourn Country Legend George Jones In 1955, Jones recorded Why Baby Why, his first hit for Starday Records. Born in Saratoga, Texas, he began performing in local clubs at age 10. In the late 1940s, he worked as a disc jockey at various radi

VOA标准英语2013--Trees Planted in Memory of US Civil War Soldiers

Trees Planted in Memory of US Civil War Soldiers These are the faces of soldiers who were pitted against one another during the U.S. Civil War. More than half the soldiers died and most are no longer remembered. Now the group Journey Through Hallowed

VOA标准英语2013--Aid to Syrian Opposition Falls Short of Expectations

Aid to Syrian Opposition Falls Short of Expectations The continuing death and destruction in Syria have intensified international concern, but have not changed the strategic situation: The West and key Arab countries don't want to do anything that wo

VOA标准英语2013--Iran, Israel and Palestinians To Top AIPAC Convention

Iran, Israel and Palestinians To Top AIPAC Convention Every year, thousands of Jewish Americans arrive in Washington for the annual convention of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee - or AIPAC. The group is the most influential pro-Israel lo

VOA标准英语2013--Benedict Bids Farewell; Cardinals Face A Difficult Choice

Benedict Bids Farewell; Cardinals Face A Difficult Choice Pope Benedict is bidding farewell and preparing for the time when he will no longer lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. But Vatican officials say that as pope emeritus he will still wear a

voa标准英语2013--Sri Lanka Denies Accusations of Abusing Tamils

Sri Lanka Denies Accusations of Abusing Tamils The group Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka says the photos show Balachandran Prabhakaran, the son of the late Tamil Tiger rebel leader, in the custody of government soldiers in May 2009. Another ph

VOA标准英语2013--Survivors of Kenya's Past Election Violence Are Hopeful Now

Survivors of Kenya's Past Election Violence Are Hopeful Now Theres plenty of work to be done at this metal workshop in Nakuru. Workers here are fashioning security doors for local businesses and homes. But it is not as busy as it was five years ago,

VOA标准英语2013--Kenyan Political Satire Show Prepares for Electi

Kenyan Political Satire Show Prepares for Electi The XYZ Show, now in its seventh season, satirizes Kenyas politicians and other personalities using puppets. No well-known figure is spared, and right now, political candidates are being lampooned in t

VOA标准英语2013--Online Universities Offer Free Classes to Millions

Online Universities Offer Free Classes to Millions An engineering class at Stanford University is being recorded as an online course. The university is offering 30 to 40 free courses online, and more than 1.5 million students have enrolled. There are

VOA标准英语2013--Senior Citizens Express Anxiety About US Budget Cuts

Senior Citizens Express Anxiety About US Budget Cuts The volunteers and staff at Meals on Wheels in Takoma Park, Maryland feed two meals a day to between 30 to 40 home-bound senior citizens and disabled clients. Many of the volunteers are seniors the

VOA标准英语2013--Burma Struggles to Crack Down on Wildlife Consumption

Burma Struggles to Crack Down on Wildlife Consumption Catering to tourist The pagoda on the Golden Rock of Kyaiktiyo attracts thousands of visitors who ascend the steep mountain to see what appears as a miraculous balance. Restaurant hawkers compete

VOA标准英语2013--Iraqi Journalists Battle to Report Freely

Iraqi Journalists Battle to Report Freely Live from a studio at al-Baghdadia TV, Murtada Mohamed Ali is reporting on how journalists are being prevented from covering a Baghdad cultural festival. Al-Baghdadia focuses a great deal on political events,

VOA标准英语2013--Texas Teen Examines the Music of the Backyard

Texas Teen Examines the Music of the Backyard At this year's South By Southwest Festival, the Saxon Pub put established Texas singers and their musical offspring onstage together. For singer John Dee Graham's 13-year-old son, William, this was a debu

VOA标准英语2013--Iraqis Hope Kerry Visit Revitalizes Ties

Iraqis Hope Kerry Visit Revitalizes Ties Iraqis reacted positively to the visit Sunday by Secretary of State John Kerry. In Baghdad's Karada district, coffee-shop owner Raid Fahmi said stronger ties with the Americans would help Iraqis deal with thei