CNN 2009-01-10

Good morning, hope your Friday is up to a good start. From CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Reggie Aqui. Here is your NOW IN THE NEWS update.

The Labor¹ Department has just released unemployment numbers today for the month of December and the unemployment rate now stands at 7.2%. 524,000 jobs were lost last month, and that brings the total number of jobs lost last year to more than 2.6 million. That is the largest one-year job loss in more than 60 years.

President-elect Barack Obama is ready to officially name two key intelligence nominations² today. We're talking about former Clinton White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta as head of the CIA, and retired³ Admiral Dennis Blair as director of National Intelligence. Also Senate confirmation⁵ hearings begin today for Congresswoman Hilda Solis. She is Obama's choice for a labor secretary.

Vice⁶ president-elect Joe Biden is in Pakistan this morning. Biden is making the trip as the outgoing chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He scheduled to meet with the government officials to discuss a number of issues including the US war on terror.

Israel is vowing⁷ to press on with its offensive in Gaza despite a UN call for a ceasefire. Hospitals are bursting with wounded. The death toll⁸ now climbs toward 800, and the food, fuel and water situation, well, it's pretty dire⁴. An estimated 778 Palestinians and 13 Israelis including 10 of their soldiers have been killed in the air and ground assault. Palestinian medical sources say more than 3,100 Palestinians have been wounded.

Emotions are still running high in Oakland, California following that shooting death by a transit⁹ police officer of a man on New Year’s Day. The Bay Area Rapid Transit board got an air flush ,  just say , from citizens.

Police say vandals cause about 150,000 dollars in damage during riots this week in one neighborhood. One officer was also slightly hurt.

And the winner is the 'Florida Gators'. They are College Football’s national champions. They beat number 2 Oklahoma in last night's title game, 24 to 14. It is the gators’ second national championship in three years.

Be sure to stick with us at CNN.com and .com live as we bring you the news from around the world, we will have your updates here throughout the day.

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

3 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

4 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

5 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

7 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

8 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

9 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。