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1. President Barack Obama's stimulus¹ plan should clear its first hurdle² today. The House is expected to pass the 825-billion-dollar package. Yesterday, Obama went up to Capitol Hill to rally Republicans' support. However, today's vote is expected to fall mainly along party lines.

2. Former Senator George Mitchell is in Israel, part of his Middle East peace mission for the new administration. Mitchell told reporters in Egypt that it is critical that the ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas be extended. Mitchell plans to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders during his trip.

3. Police in Los Angeles are investigating an apparent murder-suicide that left a family of seven dead. Officials think a father, who was distraught over losing his job, shot and killed his wife and five children before killing³ himself. Police say the man sent a fax to a TV station, claiming he and his wife had recently lost their jobs and planned the killings⁴ together.

4. And icy winter storm has knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of customers from Texas to New England. At least 19 deaths are blamed on the weather, hunderds of schools are closed. The governors of Kentucky and Oklahoma have each declared a statewide emergency.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. distraught: adj.

so upset and worried that you cannot think clearly

2. knock out: phr v.

to damage something so that it does not work