Republicans and many conservative Democrats are balking on the cost of the reform, which could reach one trillion dollars over the next several years.

VOA: standard.2009.09.04

In 2000,confrontations at the site of the al-Aqsa mosque and the Western Wall sparked a bloody, Palestinian uprising known as the Second Intifada, which lasted for several years.

VOA: standard.2009.10.05

For several years,al-Shabab, which follows the ultra-conservative branch of Islam propagated by al-Qaida and the Taliban, has been trying to eradicate Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam, which has deep roots in Somalia.

VOA: standard.2010.01.02