US Holiday Shopping Season off to Good Start

VOAVideo: US Holiday Shopping Season off to Good Start

Early indications show the holiday shopping season in the United States is off to a promising start. The National Retail Federation says the number of Americans who visited stores and websites during the so called "Black Friday" holiday weekend was up significantly from last year. As Mil Arcega reports, retailers are hoping the online equivalent, called Cyber Monday, turns out to be just as successful - as the

Chinese Increasingly Hit the Road in Their Own Cars

VOAVideo: Chinese Increasingly Hit the Road in Their Own Cars

As China's economy grows, salaries rise, and more city residents are feeling the need to hit the road in what has become a symbol of individuality and freedom - a car.

China's Economic Growth Leads to Packed Roads, Push for Expanded Railways

VOAVideo: China's Economic Growth Leads to Packed Roads, Push for Expanded Railways

China's rapid economic growth is causing some strains - and they are increasingly evident on the roads of the country's big cities. Traffic jams fill news headlines and create headaches for a growing number of people.

Holiday Shopping Rush Begins in US

VOAVideo: Holiday Shopping Rush Begins in US

Shoppers turned out in large numbers on Friday, looking for bargains as the traditional holiday shopping season kicked off in the United States. Falling the day after the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., the day is widely known as Black Friday because it is the day when retailers often start moving into the black, the common term for making a profit. American consumers wasted no time, some camping for hours to get the best deals.

Survey Shows US Consumers Plan to Spend More During Holiday Season

VOANews: Survey Shows US Consumers Plan to Spend More During Holiday Season

There are more signs that American consumers are coming back as the key holiday shopping season gets underway. Revised figures show the U.S. economy grew faster than initially reported during the third quarter, thanks in part to an uptick in consumer and government spending. Retailers are hoping consumers will continue spending as the traditional holiday shopping season begins in the U.S. As Mil Arcega reports, a new consumer survey seems to think so.

SeniorESL Thanksgiving at Milpitas Buffet

SeniorESL Thanksgiving at Milpitas Buffet

VOANews: A Traditional Thanksgiving Meal, With Modern Shortcuts

Thanksgiving Day is America's version of a harvest festival. The holiday is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November download MP3

President Obama Pardons Turkey

WH.gov: President Obama Pardons Turkey

President Obama grants a pardon to 'Apple', the National Thanksgiving Turkey. November 24, 2010.

A Traditional Thanksgiving Meal, With Modern Shortcuts

VOANEWS: A Traditional Thanksgiving Meal, With Modern Shortcuts

Prepared foods and restaurants help Americans celebrate a holiday older than the nation itself l AGRICULTURE REPORT (download mp3)

Training Medical Teams to Communicate Better During Operations

VOA Learning English: Training Medical Teams to Communicate Better During Operations

No one wants a pilot to make a mistake. This is why flight crews are trained in teamwork and communication. Now a study finds hospitals that trained their operating room teams had a lower rate of surgical deaths than other hospitals.

US Considers First Genetically Modified Animal for Food

VOAVideo: US Considers First Genetically Modified Animal for Food

Farmers in the United States have grown genetically engineered crops since the late nineteen nineties. Now, a federal agency is deciding whether to let a genetically modified animal into the food supply for the first time. A company, AquaBounty Technologies, has developed the AquAdvantage Salmon.

PC Recycler Strikes Gold in Old Computer Chips

VOA Learning English: PC Recycler Strikes Gold in Old Computer Chips

Information security, reselling and precious metals are all part of the electronics recycling business TECHNOLOGY REPORT (download mp3)

ESL Podcast 393 – Trash and Recycling

ESL Podcast 393 – Trash and Recycling

Rajid: Don't you recycle? You're supposed to separate out your recyclables. Download Podcast

Lesson 3a - Prepositions - English Grammar

JenniferESL Lesson 3a - Prepositions - English Grammar

This is a lesson in 3 parts. The topic is prepositions of location and direction. The list of prepositions is long, so this is meant to be a review and not an introduction. Level: high beginner - intermediate.

Aung San Suu Kyi's Release Sparks Worldwide Celebration and Caution

VOAVideo: Aung San Suu Kyi's Release Sparks Worldwide Celebration and Caution

Aung San Suu Kyi's release from house arrest in Burma, also known as Myanmar, has sparked worldwide celebrations among supporters of the long-time pro-democracy activist. But her supporters are also cautious in noting the daughter of Burma's assassinated independence leader, Aung San, has been previously released before being detained again. VOA's Nico Colombant reports from Washington.

Taiwan Animators Mine News for Comedic Gold

VOANews: Taiwan Animators Mine News for Comedic Gold

When news breaks, most reporters focus on the facts captured on tape to bring the story alive. But Taiwan’s Next Media Animation is taking a different approach to create compelling material. Their team of writers, actors, artists and computer programmers create digital animations that depict -- and embellish -- the stories behind the headlines.

ESL Podcast 630 – Making a Medical Diagnosis

ESL Podcast 630 – Making a Medical Diagnosis

If you’re feeling sick, you should go see a doctor. Learn how to understand what the doctor says to you in English in this episode. Download Podcast

Museum of Chinese in America Shows a Little-Known History

VOAVideo: Museum of Chinese in America Shows a Little-Known History

Chinese have been in America since before the United States was founded, though few in numbers until the 1840s. Like other ethnic groups, they faced prejudice and exclusion, until the civil rights movements of the 1960s began to tear down racial barriers in education and jobs. In 1980, a museum dedicated to their story started as the Chinatown History Project. The Museum of Chinese in America opened this year at a new site in New York's Chinatown. VOA New York correspondent Carolyn Weaver has more.

Obama Aims to Expand, Strengthen Relationships on 10-Day Asia Trip

VOAVideo: Obama Aims to Expand, Strengthen Relationships on 10-Day Asia Trip

President Barack Obama sets off this week (November 5) on a 10 day trip through Asia, starting in India, followed by Indonesia, South Korea and Japan. VOA Chief White House Correspondent Dan Robinson will accompany him and reports that Mr. Obama will be seeking to move U.S. economic and security ties forward with each country, while sending a message that the United States intends to remain fully engaged in Asia in economic and security terms.

Voters Head To Polls in Midterm Elections

VOAVideo: Voters Head To Polls in Midterm Elections

Voters will decide who will occupy all 435 seats in the US House of Representatives, as well as 37 of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate. Gubernatorial races are also important, as states redraw Congressional districts following a 10-year census. Democrats are hoping for a good turnout so they can deter what many pundits say might be a Republican landslide. VOA headed to the polls today in the Virginia suburbs of Washington DC. Laurel Bowman has the latest.

San Francisco Giants Win World Series

VOANews: San Francisco Giants Win World Series

The San Francisco Giants have won Major League Baseball's World Series for the first time since 1954, when the team was based in New York City. The National League champion Giants beat the American League champion Texas Rangers in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series to clinch baseball's 2010 overall title, four-games-to-one.

ESL Podcast 619 – Packing Clothes for a Trip

ESL Podcast 619 – Packing Clothes for a Trip

If you’re leaving on a jet plane, and don’t know when you’ll be back again, then you better bring a lot of clothing. Learn all about it on this episode. Download Podcast