Some Crops Can Help Farmers Prepare for Disasters

AGRICULTURE REPORT: Farmers may not be able to prevent natural disasters, but they can at least try their best to reduce losses. For example, they can plant crops that are more likely to survive extreme weather.

About Seat Belts and Kevlar

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS: I'm Shirley Griffith. BOB DOUGHTY: And I'm Bob Doughty. Today we tell about two recent inventions that have helped to save lives. We will also tell about the people who developed them.

Valentine's Day Offers a Chance to 'Refocus on What Love Is All About'

THIS IS AMERICA: These are important days for makers of sweets and sellers of flowers. For owners of fine restaurants and publishers of greeting cards. For salespeople at clothing stores. And for all the people whose job is to make other people's hair and fingernails look their best.

Increasing Food Security in Dry Areas of the Middle East

DEVELOPMENT REPORT: Agricultural experts have launched a land and water management project in the Middle East. The project seeks to increase food security in dry areas.

Short Story: A Jury of Her Peers (By Susan Glaspell)

AMERICAN STORIES: The transcript is at http://skyel.net/zh-hans/node/5724 (Rerun from 2008)

Some People's Names Have Special Meanings in American Expressions

WORDS AND THEIR STORIES: a cup of Joe, an average Joe, did not know Jack, John Q. Public, Jeez Louise, for Pete's sake, be a doubting Thomas, Joe Blow, a plain Jane, No way, Jose, did not know either of these two people from Adam, a Jack of all trades, Uncle Sam, sign his John Hancock, Johnny One Note (Rerun from 2008)

Arthur Ashe, 1943-1993: Tennis Champion and Civil Rights Activist

PEOPLE IN AMERICA: Today we tell about the life of tennis champion Arthur Ashe. He was an athlete and a social activist who died before he was fifty.

US Military Officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, Says to Let Gays Serve Openly

IN THE NEWS: Last week President Obama again called for ending a ban against people in the military who are openly homosexual.

US Groups Working to Help Earthquake Victims in Haiti

AMERICAN MOSAIC: Also Super Bowl 44 (American Football Championship) and Music of Grammy Award Winners

Toyota Cars Recent Problems with Cars that Speed Up Unexpectedly

ECONOMICS REPORT: Toyota became the world's largest automaker in 2008. But after years of building loyalty, the Japanese company may have put its quality brand name at risk, at least temporarily.

Some US Students Learn Mandarin With China's Help

EDUCATION REPORT: Some schools in the United States and other countries offer Chinese language classes with government support from China.

American History Series: Rebuilding the South

MAKING OF A NATION: In March, 1868, Congress tried to remove President Andrew Johnson from office. At that time, Congress was controlled by radical members of the Republican Party. They opposed Johnson, a Democrat.

Two Studies Give a Lift to Running Barefoot

HEALTH REPORT: Two new studies suggest that modern running shoes could increase the risk of injuries to runners.

The Vatican Museums Hold Some of the World's Greatest Art Treasures

EXPLORATIONS: The Vatican in Rome, Italy, is the world headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. But the Vatican is more than a religious center. Over the centuries, church leaders gathered priceless objects including cloth textiles, books, documents, paintings and sculptures. (Rerun from 2005)

Mapping the Way to a Better Soybean

AGRICULTURE REPORT: Soybeans are eaten by people and fed to animals. Some farmers grow them to replace lost nitrogen in the soil. Soybeans were first grown in Asia thousands of years ago.

How to Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS: Winter conditions are affecting many countries in Earth's northern hemisphere. Winter brings cold weather and, with it, a danger as old as man's knowledge of fire. The danger is death or injury by carbon monoxide poisoning. (Rerun from 2008.)

Breathing Easier: The Art of Stove Making

DEVELOPMENT REPORT: More than three billion people are at risk from indoor air pollution because of the heating or cooking fuels they use.

Reaching Out to the People of Haiti

THIS IS AMERICA: The January twelfth earthquake in Haiti killed or injured hundreds of thousands of people.

Farm Expressions

WORDS AND THEIR STORIES: farm, hedge, hedging, hedging his bet, make hay while the sun shines, not worth a hill of beans, altogether not worth a bean

Pioneers Who Shaped the Sounds of Radio

PEOPLE IN AMERICA: Guglielmo Marconi, Lee De Forest, Edwin Armstrong, David Sarnoff, William S. Paley, Edward R. Murrow and William Shirer

Short Story: Wanderlust (By Charles Kuralt)

AMERICAN STORIES: The word 'wanderlust' means a strong desire to travel. For many years Mr. Kuralt traveled across America, telling interesting stories about Americans. (The transcript is at http://www.wwenglish.com/en/voa.)

Obama Urges His Party Not to 'Run for the Hills'

IN THE NEWS:President Obama gave his first State of the Union speech Wednesday night.

The International Civil Rights Center and Museum

AMERICAN MOSAIC: A new museum to honor power of a sit-n protest, Americans' favorite winter sports and music from singer/songwriter Jason Mraz

For Youths in US, a Jump in Media Use

ECONOMICS REPORT: American children and teenagers have increased their use of entertainment media by more than one hour a day in the last five years. On an average day they now spend seven and a half hours using media.

Students' Writing and the Web: Motivator or OMG?

EDUCATION REPORT: Web browsers first appeared on computers in the early 1990s. Since then, the Internet has greatly changed the way people communicate. But some teachers think the changes are not all for the better.

American History Series: Impeachment Trial of President Andrew Johnson

MAKING OF A NATION: After America's Civil War ended in 1865, tensions grew between Congress and the President. Radical members of the Republican Party controlled Congress. They wanted strong policies to punish the southern states who left the Union and were defeated. (Rerun from 2005)

The United States Capitol in Washington, DC

EXPLORATIONS: The United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., is one of the most recognized buildings in the world. Its design was influenced by the classical buildings of ancient Greece and Rome. *Added to 'About Places' (http://www.manythings.org/voa/places/)

Less Salt Can Mean More Life

HEALTH REPORT: Even a small reduction in salt in the diet can be a big help to the heart.

In Consumer Electronics, the Money Is on 3-D and All Things Wireless

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS: This week, we look at the newest devices demonstrated at the recent International Consumer Electronics Show.

New Understanding of How Plants Use Water

AGRICULTURE REPORT: Scientists have discovered more details about how plants use water.

Steps Urged to Prevent Snakebites, Improve Treatments

DEVELOPMENT REPORT: Snakes bite an estimated five and a half million people worldwide each year. Experts say tens of thousands of people die from venom poisoning.

How the Lomax Family Helped Save American Folk Music, Part 2

THIS IS AMERICA: This week on our program, we finish the story of the Lomax family.

Short Story: A Girl for Walter (By Theodore Jacobs)

AMERICAN STORIES: See the transcript at http://www.unsv.com/voanews/specialenglish/scripts/2010/01/23/0045/printer.html

Words and Their Stories: Back, Shoulders and Chest

WORDS AND THEIR STORIES: on my back, get off my back, turn my back on her, behind my back, stab in the back, pat on the back, I will scratch your back if you will scratch mine., straight from the shoulder, on her shoulders, rub shoulders, cold shoulder, at the top of my lungs, off my chest, save my breath

Scott Joplin, 1867-1917: Ragtime Music Composer

PEOPLE IN AMERICA: Today we tell about the life and work of one of America's greatest music writers: Scott Joplin, the King of Ragtime. (Rerun from 2006)

Weighing the First Year of Obama as President

IN THE NEWS: President Barack Obama has begun his second year in office. The 44th president, and first African-American president, was inaugurated last January 20th.

New Orleans Still Struggles to Recover from Hurricane Katrina of 2005

AMERICAN MOSAIC: We also play music from several of the city's many jazz bands.

President Obama Is Proposing Rules to Limit the Size of Banks

ECONOMICS REPORT: President Obama is proposing rules to limit the size of banks and the risks they can take. He wants to prevent banks from using government-insured deposits to make risky investments.

The Green Charter Schools Network

EDUCATION REPORT: Charter schools operate with public money but without many of the rules that govern traditional public schools.

Andrew Johnson: The Story of America's 17th President

MAKING OF A NATION: In the spring of 1865, America's Civil War was over. The man who had led the Union during the war, Abraham Lincoln, was dead. He had been assassinated before the final surrender of Confederate forces. (Rerun from 2005)

Study Adds to Understanding of Language and the Brain

HEALTH REPORT: A new study of the brain is helping scientists better understand how humans process language.

From 'Dracula' to 'Twilight,' Vampires Evolve with the Times

EXPLORATION: Today we get to know more about a famous creature known for its pale skin, pointy teeth and big hunger for human blood. Vampires have held an important place in the popular imagination since ancient times.

Revisiting the Accord From Copenhagen

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS: This week, we will tell about an agreement to limit temperatures in Earth's atmosphere. We will tell about an incident that brought attention to climate change disputes. And we will report on a study of China's giant pandas.

Giving Grasslands a Rest

Grasslands need time to rest when cattle and other animals feed on them. Moving animals from one area of pasture to another can provide the time needed for new growth. This is called rotational grazing. (Rerun from 2009-01-05)

New Vaccine Joins Campaign to End Polio

DEVELOPMENT REPORT: The World Health Organization has begun to use a new vaccine against polio. Officials say it will become a major tool in the campaign to end a disease that mainly affects children under age five. The new formulation is known as B.O.P.V. , or bivalent oral polio vaccine.

How the Lomax Family Helped Save American Folk Music

THIS IS AMERICA: Lomax is a name well known to historians of American musical culture. Today we have the first of two programs about how the Lomax family helped keep American folk music from being lost.

Margaret Mead, 1901-1978: A Public Face of Anthropology

PEOPLE IN AMERICA: People around the world mourned when Margaret Mead died in 1978 The president of the United States at the time, Jimmy Carter, honored the social scientist with America's highest award for civilians.

A Race Against Time to Get Help to Haitians After the Earthquake

IN THE NEWS: Food. Water. Medicine. Hope. All that and more is urgently needed after a powerful earthquake wrecked much of Haiti's capital on Tuesday.

Katherine Paterson Becomes the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature

AMERICAN MOSAIC: This week on our program we listen to music from superstar Whitney Houston. And answer a question about the Old Believers religious group. But first, we meet a new ambassador in Washington whose wants to spread the message that reading is fun.

Google May Leave China

ECONOMICS REPORT: China says it has passed Germany and become the world's top exporter. Exports totaled more than one trillion dollars last year. That was down from 2008.

American History Series: The Final Surrender of the Confederate Army

THE MAKING OF A NATION: As we reported in our last few programs, President Abraham Lincoln did not live to see the final surrender of the armies of the Confederacy. However, before he was murdered on April 14, 1865, the war was really over. The surrender of Robert E. Lee, early in April, brought an end to four years of bloody fighting. (Rerun from 2005)

A Military Education at West Point

EDUCATION REPORT: West Point is a college for future Army officers. It has more than four thousand students, called cadets. The school is located about 80 kilometers north of New York City.

William Shakespeare, 1564-1616: How Culture Affected Him and How He Affected Culture

EXPLORATIONS: Today, we complete our story about the influential English writer William Shakespeare. He wrote plays and poems during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.

Health: Now, an Update on Those New Year's Resolutions

HEALTH REPORT: People who stop smoking often replace cigarettes with food. A new study says the weight they gain may increase their diabetes risk in the short term. Type two diabetes is common in people who eat too much and exercise too little and those with a family history of it. Smoking is another risk factor.

Keeping Plants and Trees Warm When Temperatures Drop

AGRICULTURE REPORT: Florida, in the southeastern United States, is called the Sunshine State. It grows more oranges than anyplace except Brazil. But Arctic air has damaged some Florida oranges and strawberries in recent days, and killed fish at tropical fish farms.

About Earthquakes and the Process that Causes Earthquakes

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS: Scientists who study the Earth tell us that the continents and ocean floors are always moving. Sometimes, this movement is violent and might result in great destruction. Today, we examine the process that causes earthquakes.

Solar-Powered Pumps Aid African Farmers

DEVELOPMENT REPORT: A new study in West Africa shows how farm irrigation systems powered by the sun can produce more food and money for villagers.

The History of Transportation in the United States: Ships, Trains, Cars and Planes

THIS IS AMERICA: In 1800, Americans elected Thomas Jefferson as their third president. Jefferson had a wish. He wanted to discover a waterway that crossed from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. He wanted to build a system of trade that connected people throughout the country.

Nicknames for Chicago

WORDS AND THEIR STORIES: The Second City, the Windy City, Hog Butcher for the World, The City of the Big Shoulders or City of Broad Shoulders

William Faulkner, 1897-1962: He Won the Nobel Prize in Literature

PEOPLE IN AMERICA in VOA Special English. Today, we finish the story of the writer William Faulkner.

Short Story: No Place to Hang the Lantern (By John Wahtera)

AMERICAN STORIES: No transcript this week on VOAnews.com, but it's on www.for68.com.

Attention Turns to Yemen in Anti-Terror Fight

IN THE NEWS: Yemen is the poorest Arab nation. Poverty can help breed extremism -- al-Qaida is a growing concern for the Yemenis.

The TV Series 'Glee' / The Number 86

AMERICAN MOSAIC: This week on our program we tell all about the very popular American television series "Glee." And we play music from the show's many stars. But first we answer a question about the strange American use of the number eighty-six.

Electronics Industry Hopes for a Reset in 2010

ECONOMICS REPORT: This year's Consumer Electronics Show opened Thursday in Las Vegas. The event is the world's biggest technology trade show.

John Dewey, 1859-1952: Educator and 'America's Philosopher'

EDUCATION REPORT: John Dewey was an influential thinker and educator.

American History Series: After Lincoln's Murder

MAKING OF A NATION: President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in the spring of 1865. For four years, he had led the Union of northern states in America's Civil War. (Rerun from 2005)

William Shakespeare, 1564-1616: An English Poet and Playwright

EXPLORATIONS: Today, we tell about one of the most influential and skillful writers in the world. For more than 400 years, people all over the world have been reading, watching and listening to the plays and poetry of the British writer William Shakespeare.

How Loneliness Can Infect Social Networks

HEALTH REPORT: Loneliness has been linked to depression and other health problems.

All About Snow

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS: Today, we tell you everything you ever wanted to know about snow.

New Alliance to Study Greenhouse Gases in Agriculture

AGRICULTURE REPORT: Experts say that agriculture provides fourteen percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions each year. The gases released include carbon dioxide, a major cause of global warming.

New Treatment for Sleeping Sickness

DEVELOPMENT REPORT: The World Health Organization is using a new combination of drugs to treat human African trypanosomiasis disease, also known as sleeping sickness.

White Sands National Monument: A Wonder of Nature

THIS IS AMERICA: One of the world's great natural wonders is in the state of New Mexico, in the American Southwest. Nature has created huge moving hills of pure white sand. (Rerun from 2007)

William Faulkner, 1897-1962: He was America's Greatest Southern Writer

PEOPLE IN AMERICA: Today, we begin the story of the life of a famous Southern writer, William Faulkner. He wrote about an imaginary place and described changes in the American South.

Nicknames for Los Angeles

WORDS AND THEIR STORIES: L.A., the City of Angels, the City of Flowers and Sunshine, the Big Orange, the Entertainment Capital of the World, Tinseltown, La-La Land.

The Top 10 News Stories of 2009

IN THE NEWS: At the end of each year, editors and news directors of the Associated Press in the United States vote for the top ten news stories of the year.

The Best Movies and Books of 2009

AMERICAN MOSAIC: And we play some great music we did not have a chance to play last year.

American History Series: President Lincoln Is Shot at Ford's Theatre

MAKING OF A NATION: After the Civil War: Death of Lincoln Helps Unite a Divided Nation

Space 2009: Water on the Moon, Methane Gas on Mars and the Ares Program

EXPLORATIONS: This week, we tell about some of the biggest space stories of 2009.

Time -- One of the Great Mysteries of Our Universe

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS: This week our program is about a mystery as old as time (Rerun from 2006)

Saying Goodbye to 2009, Hoping for a Better 2010

THIS IS AMERICA: This week on our program, we find out how some people will be welcoming 2010.

Remembering Six Interesting Americans Who Died in 2009

PEOPLE IN AMERICA: John Updike, Frank McCourt, Farrah Fawcet, John Hope Franklin, Abe Pollin and Mary Travers

A Compromise on Climate Change at Copenhagen

IN THE NEWS: Almost 200 countries met for 2 weeks at a United Nations conference on climate change in Copenhagen, Denmark. In the end, only 5 of them reached an agreement: the United States, China, India, Brazil and South Africa.

The Purloined Letter (by Edgar Allan Poe

AMERICAN STORIES: One evening in Paris, during the autumn of 1845, I went to visit a friend, Auguste Dupin. We were smoking our pipes and talking when the door of his apartment opened. Mr. Germont, the head of the Paris police force, came into the room.

Making Merry With This Year's Holiday Music

AMERICAN MOSAIC: Let's listen to some of 2009's new Christmas music.

Bronner's Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan

ECONOMICS REPORT: There is a place where Christmas lives all year long. It is called Bronner's Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan. The family-owned business calls itself the world's largest Christmas store.

Words And Their Stories: Nicknames for New York City

WORDS AND THEIR STORIES: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World, Empire City, Gotham, The City So Nice They Named it Twice, The City That Never Sleeps.

American History Series: Robert E. Lee's Surrender

MAKING OF A NATION: The end had finally come for the great soldier, General Robert E. Lee, and for the Confederacy which he served with such brilliant military leadership.

Letting Religion Into the Classroom, but Setting Limits

EDUCATION REPORT: Public schools in the United States have to be neutral about religion, even though they close for holidays like Christmas. The Constitution separates religion from government.

Eleanor Creesy, 1814-1900: She Guided One of the Fastest Sailing Ships

EXPLORATIONS: The name Eleanor Creesy is almost unknown today. But in the middle 1800s she was a famous woman. Those were the days of wooden sailing ships. It was a time before ships had engines.

Want to Stay Warm in Winter? Think COLD

HEALTH REPORT: Freezing weather can mean frostbite and hypothermia unless a person is prepared. Today we talk about how to stay warm, dry and safe. (Rebroadcast from Dec. 23, 2008)

Study Shows Loneliness Can Be Infectious

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS: People who are lonely can spread that feeling to others. We will tell about an experimental treatment for a birth defect. And, we will tell about efforts to create new weapons against the disease malaria.

How a Hoop House Can Extend the Growing Season

AGRICULTURE REPORT: Hoop houses are sometimes called a temporary greenhouse or passive solar greenhouse.

Christmas 2009 in America: A Joyful Season in Not So Joyful Times

THIS IS AMERICA: Our program, our subject is Christmas in America. This Friday, millions of American Christians will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, their lord. Many families will sing traditional Christmas carols and exchange gifts around decorated trees.

Bringing Light to Homes in Poor Countries

DEVELOPMENT REPORT: More than one and a half billion people around the world live without electricity.

Irving Berlin, 1888-1989: He Wrote Songs that Made America Sing

PEOPLE IN AMERICA: He wrote the words and music for some of the most popular songs of the twentieth century. (Rebroadcast from 2006)

Words and Their Stories: Santa Claus

WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. Santa Claus is someone who will remain in the hearts of children forever. He is the make-believe person who brings toys and other gifts to children at Christmas.

Short Story: A Brooklyn Christmas

AMERICAN STORIES: This week, there is no transcript;.

Why We Should Care About Trust, and Worry About a Lack of It

IN THE NEWS: Recently, Forbes magazine declared Tiger Woods the first athlete to reach one billion dollars in career earnings.

Virgin Galactic Plans Passenger Space Travel

AMERICAN MOSAIC: Today, we play jazz music by a young saxophonist, Hailey Niswanger, answer a question about the history of blue jeans and tell about one company's plan to send passengers into space.

US Banks Under Pressure to Lend More

ECONOMICS REPORT: President Obama said that America's banks received extraordinary assistance from American taxpayers to rebuild their industry. And now that they're back on their feet, we expect extraordinary commitment from them to help rebuild the economy.

The American Civil War: Victory Is Close for the Union / Confederate Capital Falls

MAKING OF A NATION: On March fourth, 1865, Abraham Lincoln was sworn-in as President for a second term. The election had taken place in the Union of northern states.

Educational Technology: Not Just Computers

EDUCATION REPORT: A question from the West Bank: Zuheir Khlaif wants to know how American schools use educational technology.

Study Finds Treatment Cured Sickle Cell in 9 Adults

HEALTH REPORT: Last week, researchers in the United States reported curing nine adults with sickle cell disease. Ten patients in all were treated in a study with donated bone marrow.

Visiting the Galapagos and the Unusual Creatures That Live There

EXPLORATIONS: Today, we tell about the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean and the unusual creatures that live there. (Rebroadcast from 2007)

In Egypt, King Tut's Tomb Getting a Makeover

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS: This week, we will tell about efforts to protect the burial place of Egypt's King Tutankhamen. And we will tell about what imaging tests found in ancient human remains.

Officials in US Look for Fixes to Carp Problems

AGRICULTURE REPORT: Last week our subject was illegal fishing. Now we report on two cases where fish are both the victims and the offenders.

Joshua Abraham Norton, (c. 1819-1880): The Man Who Declared Himself Emperor of the USA

THIS IS AMERICA: He declared himself to be Emperor of the United States on September 17, 1859. He sent an announcement to the newspapers of San Francisco saying he was Emperor Norton the First of the United States and the Protector of Mexico. The newspapers did not publish it.

Increase in Illegal Killing of Rhinos in Africa, Asia

DEVELOPMENT REPORT: A new report says the illegal killing of rhinos for their horns is increasing in Africa and Asia. Rhinoceros poachers are killing an estimated two to three of the rare animals each week.