美联社新闻一分钟 2005-12-13

（单词翻译）

1. As Iraqi patients, soldiers and prisoners cast early ballots¹ for this week's parliamentary elections, at least a dozen people are killed in new violence.

2. The Supreme² Court agrees to review a Texas congressional map engineered by Congressman³ Tom DeLay that helped Republicans gain congressional seats.

3. A mistrial is declared in the first federal lawsuit⁴ over the painkiller⁵ Vioxx, after a jury fails to agree on the case of a Florida man who died after taking the drug.

4. A prominent anti-Syrian journalist and lawmaker is killed in a Beirut car bombing. Lebanon blames Syria for the bombing--a charge Damascus denies.

5. An Ecuadorian woman with 5 kids, 4 grandkids, 9 great-grandkids, and 2 great-great-grandkids is confirmed as the oldest living person at 116.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. mistrial
2 mistrial mistrials
A mistrial is a legal trial which ends without a verdict, for example because the jury cannot agree on one. (AM)
The judge said he would declare a mistrial if the jury did not reach its verdict today.
N-COUNT

2. painkiller
painkiller painkillers⁶
A painkiller is a drug which reduces or stops physical pain.
N-COUNT
= analgesic