Scientists at CSIRO, Australia's government-funded scientific research institute, say that climate change has played a role in the increase.

VOA: standard.2009.11.09

The king,while being viewed as above politics, has played a stabilizing role over the years in Thailand's often fractious political climate.

VOA: standard.2009.09.21

Better known as a stand-up comic, Mo'Nique has been widely praised for her role in the raw and gripping drama .

VOA: standard.2010.03.08

House Financial Services Committee chairman Democrat Congressman Barney Frank has taken a lead role in working with the administration on regulatory reform.

VOA: standard.2009.03.26

The 81-year-old king of Thailand has no formal political role but has been a unifying force in Thailand during periods of political uncertainty.

VOA: standard.2009.10.15

president has done so. He told the council that the United Nations has a "pivotal role to play" in preventing a nuclear crisis.

VOA: standard.2009.09.24

It is a political culture, Smith argues, in which violence has always played a central role.

VOA: standard.2010.03.18

For many investors in Asia, gold's role as a source of safety and value has been reinforced over the past year of economic uncertainty.

VOA: standard.2010.07.21

Recently,AMISOM has begun taking a more active role in the conflict, patrolling far beyond their bases, and at one point, fighting alongside government forces.

VOA: standard.2009.08.21

So to that extent, absolutely social networking has a big role in helping Iranian youth."

VOA: standard.2010.06.15

And that TV station has been playing a very unique role in many ways.

VOA: standard.2009.07.02

But it has played a particularly important role in Japanese culture.

VOA: standard.2010.03.17

"We do know that your friend, Senator George Mitchell, who,of course, played such a valuable role in Northern Ireland, has applied himself diligently and with great attention to detail."

VOA: standard.2010.03.16

Cairo prides itself on its role in trying to restart stalled peace talks and just this week, has been trying to mediate a calm between Palestinians and Israelis over Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque.

VOA: standard.2009.10.08

"Because cardiovascular death is the number one cause of death in the world, not just in developed countries, but throughout the world, the role that air pollutants play on this has a tremendous effect on overall world mortality."

VOA: standard.2010.08.04