CNN 2009-07-18(在线收听

Good morning, I am Melissa Long here at the CNN center in Atlanta. It is Friday, the 17th of July. Here's a look at some of the stories making news at this hour.

Two suicide bombers have been blamed for blasts that ripped through two luxury hotels in Jakarta, Indonesia today. The hotels are right next to each other. This is some exclusive live video of the aftermath. At least eight people were killed in the bombings that include(s) the two suicide bombers. No one has claimed responsibility yet.

A dramatic show of strength from the opposition in Iran. Leading reformist cleric Ayatollah Ali Rafsanjani spoke during Friday prayers for the first time in weeks. In his remarks, Rafsanjani called on Iran to release those arrested following last month's disputed presidential election, saying there's no need to have them in prison. Tens of thousands of people gathered to hear the sermon.

A funeral is going to be held today for a Florida couple known for adopting special-needs children. Bryd Melanie and Billing were murdered last week in a home invasion robbery in Pensacola. The couple, parents of four children, had adopted 13 others for special needs. Eight people have now been arrested in connection with this case.

President Obama is being criticized by members of his own party on health care reform. Some Democrats in the Senate are working on how to pay for a trillion-dollar overhaul once the President is against taxing employer-provided health benefits.

Basically, the president is not helping us anyway. He does not want the exclusion. That makes it. . . That's making it difficult.
Yesterday the House Ways and Means Committee passed the version of that bill.

Harley-Davidson's ride has hit another recession pothole. The company says it is cutting another 1000 employees. Those layoffs come on top of about 1500 job cuts announced earlier this year. Harley's US sales fell during the last quarter by 35%. The company's CEO says the economy is making people wary about big-ticket discretionary purchases.

You're up to date. Those are the headlines. Do stay with CNN and CNN. com for more on these stories or other news that develops today.

  原文地址:http://www.tingroom.com/lesson/cnn2009/7/79388.html