And here is at least part of the reason why: Since late July the government has been paying for people to trade in older vehicles for newer ones with greater fuel economy.

VOA: special.2009.08.07

In order to participate in the plan, car buyers like Georgie need to trade in a car that is at least 10-years old.

VOA: standard.2009.05.18

Thornton says the new amendment to the Lacey Act is a wake-up call for anyone who wants to trade in the lucrative U.S.wood products market.

VOA: standard.2010.05.28

In Asian countries, the high demand for shark fins for cooking has led to an illegal trade worth millions of dollars.

VOA: special.2009.04.03

More recently, Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus discovered new lands while seeking to expand trade with spice-growing areas in Asia.

VOA: special.2009.05.19

In his comments Wednesday, he said the United States must work to remove trade barriers and open new markets.

VOA: special.2010.07.09

The trade was so important to national economies that rulers launched wars in their struggle to control spices.

VOA: special.2010.06.01

But he hopes to raise billions through a system in which businesses that release greenhouse gases would buy and trade pollution permits.

VOA: special.2009.02.27

And last week two American congressmen asked the Federal Trade Commission to see if Google broke any laws in the United States.

VOA: special.2010.05.28

These trade disputes between China and Britain resulted in China being forced to open more of its ports to trade with western countries.

VOA: special.2010.03.03

Hundreds of indicators are used to measure progress in areas such as education,health,poverty, the environment and trade.

VOA: special.2010.04.26

Foster and Partners is also to build one of several buildings that will make up the new World Trade Center area in New York.

VOA: special.2011.04.13

They have urged America to take a position of international leadership in coral reef protection and to take steps to reduce the trade's environmental effects.

VOA: special.2010.08.10

But world trade is expected to fall at the fastest rate in eighty years.

VOA: special.2009.03.13

He said the United States offers some of the world's lowest barriers to trade -- and expects free and fair access to other countries in return.

VOA: special.2010.07.09

That reduced the monthly trade deficit to the lowest level in 5 years.

VOA: special.2009.01.16