CNN 2009-07-14

Hello, everyone, I am Catherine Callaway at the CNN center in Atlanta. Good Monday morning to you. Here is what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

The Supreme¹ Court confirmation² hearings for judge Sonia Sotomayor began this morning. 19 senators on the senate Judiciary Committee will give opening remarks and then Sotomayor will read the statement. Now the tough questions will actually start tomorrow. Legal analyst's expecting that she will likely be confirmed.

There is a furious debate going on this morning. Over the discovery of a CIA counterterrorism program that's been kept secret from Congress since 2001. Sources say that the order to keep the program under wraps came directly from former vice³ president Dick Cheney. Some Democrats⁴ calling for an investigation⁵. Republicans firing back, accusing the left of plain politics. The former vice president hasn't commented.

Britain's war efforts in Afghanistan is under scrutiny⁶ after a sharp rise in UK combat death. The demonstration⁷ against the war, expected outside of Downing Street today. But government leaders are defending their Afghan strategy. The Defense⁸ Secretary is due to face some tough questions from members of Parliament today.

The US will spend another one billion dollars on a swine flu vaccine⁹. The Health and human services' secretary will announce that today. She says that a vaccine defying H1N1 virus will likely be ready by October. There are some concerns that it could hit harder this fall. The CDC is saying that 211 people have died from this disease in the US.

NASA hoping that the third time would be the charm for the Shuttle Endeavour. It is scheduled to launch tonight at 6: 51 eastern time. Bad weather forced NASA to scrub 2 attempted launch, uh, 2 launch attempts rather over the weekend. Endeavor carrying seven astronauts and a piece of Japanese science lab to the International Space Station.

Those are the headlines for you this hour, stay with CNN for more on these stories and other news of the day.

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

6 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

7 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

8 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

9 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。