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1. The head of the United Auto¹ Workers Union says Congress needs to act now to help US automakers, or General Motors could fail by the end of the month. At a Senate hearing, GM's chief executive said the automakers have made mistakes, but are learning from them. The automakers say they need $34 billion in federal aid to survive.

2. Iraq's prime minister has heard from Barack Obama. The Iraqi government says the US president-elect placed a call yesterday to stress his commitment to a responsible pullout of US forces. He's also quoted as saying he's committed to respecting Iraq's sovereignty.

3. Two teenage girls who worked as part-time aides at a Minnesota nursing home are charged with abuse. According to the criminal complaint filed today, they are accused of taunting³, spitting on and groping residents who suffered from Alzheimer's disease.

4. The attorney for New York Giants football player Antonio Pierce says Pierce didn't know that teammate Plaxico Burress was carrying a gun last weekend when it went off, injuring Burress in the thigh⁴. The attorney says Pierce will cooperate with authorities looking into the incident.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. taunt²: v.

to try to make someone angry or upset by saying unkind things to them

2. grope: v.

informal
to move your hands over someone's body to get sexual pleasure, especially when they do not want you to do this

3. Alzheimer’s disease: n. 【医】阿耳茨海默氏病,早老性痴呆病

a disease that affects the brain, especially of old people, and that gradually makes it difficult to move, talk, or remember things

4. thigh: n.

Your thighs⁵ are the top parts of your legs, between your knees and your hips⁶.