在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, hello to you I’m Stacey Elgin. Here are some of the headlines NOW IN THE NEWS.

State-run radio says over 22,000 people are dead in Myanmar after a monster cyclone¹ struck over the weekend. Tens of thousands more are now homeless. The town of Bogalay in the southern Delta² was hardest hit. Meanwhile, President Bush is urging Myanmar’s military government to allow in international agencies to help those in need. The US increased assistance to cyclone victims in Myanmar by three million dollars today. Other countries are now lining³ up to send aid, but Myanmar’s military regime hasn’t yet approved visas for many of their staffs.

Voters are taking to the polls this afternoon in North Carolina and Indiana. Both Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama say their fight for the Democratic presidential nomination⁴ will continue regardless of today’s primary outcome. The two states are the biggest prizes left in the campaign.

Presumptive Republican nominee⁵ John McCain is blasting his Democratic opponents for their votes on judge appointments. McCain promises to appoint only strict constructionist judges. The Arizona Senator took aim at Obama for opposing the nomination of Chief Justice John Roberts. He also criticized Obama for not voting to confirm Supreme⁶ Court Justice Samuel Alito, saying Obama’s justification⁷ for the decision sounded like it was (quote) “written by an activist⁸ judge”.

Cities that were holding up against the mortgage meltdown are apparently⁹ taking a downturn. Seattle, Portland, and Charlotte are among some of the cities that posted gains in existing houses’ pricing last year, but are now showing those prices falling this year. Real estate economists¹⁰ say those cities that were once considered bullet-proof markets will likely recover more quickly than others thanks to their own unique characteristics.

And it is back to court today for Britney Spears and ex-husband Kevin Federline. They are scheduled to attend a child’s custody¹¹ hearing. Federline has been given full custody of their two sons since January. Spears’ visitation rights have been gradually restored in recent months since her apparent meltdown earlier this year.

And be sure to find out much more on these stories and continuing coverage¹² of the latest news, just log on to CNN.com. And be sure to tune¹³ in to CNN television or just use your cell phones on the go. Thanks for watching.