CNN 2009-03-08

Hi, everyone, I’m Asieh Namdar at the CNN.com newsroom in Atlanta. Here is a look at what’s happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

3.3 million jobs have been cut over the last 6 months. That’s after the latest round of unemployment numbers which show 651,000 people lost jobs just last month alone. Meantime, President Obama is urging Americans to hang in there and be wise in their spending.

“Like every family going through hard times, our country must make tough choices. In order to pay for the things we need, we can not waste money on the things we don’t”

The president also says these tough times offer a chance to discover a greater opportunity in the midst of a crisis. Meanwhile, by executive order, Mr. Obama is expected to end restrictions¹ on federal funding on human embryonic² stem cell research and that will happen on Monday. Many believe that embryonic stem cells hold the key to medical breakthroughs. Scientists say it could lead to treatments for many diseases, ranging from diabetes³ to Parkinson’s disease. Opponents argue that destroying embryos⁴ to extract the stem cells destroys human life.

While Secretary of State Hillary Clinton toward Turkey today, 12 envoys⁵ were out trying to heal America’s relationship with Syria. They met today with Syrian foreign minister in Damascus. The U.S. broke off diplomatic relations with Syria after the assassination⁶ of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri four years ago. Last week, one of the envoys met with Syria’s ambassador to the U.S.. Clinton says the purpose of the visit is to explore Washington’s relationship with Syria.

Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has been released from a hospital after being hurt in a car wreck⁷ Friday. The accident killed his wife Susan. President and political rival Robert Mugabe visited Mr. Tsvangirai in his hospital room Friday. Some are speculating the crash may not have been an accident.

And former First Lady Barbara Bush will be moved out of intensive care today, so good news there. Mrs. Bush underwent heart surgery earlier this week to replace an aortic⁸ valve in her heart. Doctors say Mrs. Bush will spend another week in Houston Hospital for observation.

And get ready for a little less beauty sleep, it’s time to spring forward again, that means you need to push you clocks ahead one hour  before you go to bed tonight. Most of Arizona and Hawaii are the only states that don’t make the change. Daylight saving time will end in November.

And those are the headlines at this hour. For more on these stories and other news of the day, CNN is you source, on line, on TV, or when you’re on the go.

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 embryonic   

adj.胚胎的

参考例句：

• It is still in an embryonic stage.它还处于萌芽阶段。
• The plan,as yet,only exists in embryonic form.这个计划迄今为止还只是在酝酿之中。

3 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

4 embryos   

n.晶胚；胚，胚胎( embryo的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Somatic cells of angiosperms enter a regenerative phase and behave like embryos. 被子植物体细胞进入一个生殖阶段，而且其行为象胚。 来自辞典例句
• Evolution can explain why human embryos look like gilled fishes. 进化论能够解释为什么人类的胚胎看起来象除去了内脏的鱼一样。 来自辞典例句

5 envoys   

使节( envoy的名词复数 )； 公使； 谈判代表； 使节身份

参考例句：

• the routine tit for tat when countries expel each other's envoys 国家相互驱逐对方使节这种惯常的报复行动
• Marco Polo's travelogue mentions that Kublai Khan sent envoys to Malgache. 马可波罗游记中提到忽必烈曾派使节到马尔加什。

6 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

7 wreck   

n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难

参考例句：

• Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
• No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

8 aortic   

adj.大动脉的

参考例句：

• The arterial pulse pressure in aortic insufficiency is widened. 主动脉瓣闭锁不全时脉搏压变宽。 来自辞典例句
• Valvular heart disease, usually aortic and mitral insufficiency, can complicate a variety of systemic diseases. 瓣膜性心脏病，以主动脉瓣及二尖瓣闭锁不全为最常见，可使各种全身性疾病变得复杂。 来自辞典例句