CNN 2009-01-25

Hello to you, I'm Creshon Saunders at the CNN.com newsroom in Atlanta; here is a look at what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

Severe storms ripped across Spain Saturday leaving down trees, darkness and destruction behind. The winds are also responsible for several deaths across the country. Four boys were killed and nine others were hurt when hurricane force winds blew down the roof at a sports complex outside Barcelona. Spanish media say six other people were killed in wind-related accidents in the country.

President Barack Obama used his first weekly radio address since taking office to urge quick action on his economic stimulus¹ plan. Obama says his plan would not only save taxpayers² more than two billion dollars but would create the jobs and incomes needed to jumpstart the economy.

"It's a plan that will save or create three to four million jobs over the next few years and one that recognizes both the paradox⁴ and the promise of this moment. The fact that there are millions of Americans trying to find work, even as, all around the country there's so much work to be done. That's why this is not just a short-term program to boost employment."

Republicans though are not so sure about this plan. They're concerned about the $825 billion price tag. House Minority leader John Boehner says the Democratic-backed plan is full of pork-barrel spending that will not provide the economic relief Americans need right now.

 Their plan also provides government-funded paychecks -- disguised as tax cuts -- for those who don't pay income taxes. All told, the plan would spend a whopping 275,000 dollars in taxpayer³ dollars for every new job it aims to create, saddling each and every household with 6,700 dollars in additional debt - paid for by our children and grandchildren.
The President meanwhile hopes to have the stimulus bill on his desk by February 16th.

 The attorney for embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich says he's had enough and he will not defend Blagojevich. Blagojevich is facing federal corruption⁵ charges as you know. No exact reason was given for Ed Genson's withdrawal⁶, last week Genson said he would not take part in Blagojevich's upcoming Senate impeachment⁷ trial that starts Monday.

College Basketball is mourning the loss of one of its greatest coaches, North Carolina State women's coach Kay Yow died Saturday of complications from breast cancer. Yow was initially⁸ diagnosed with cancer back in 1987.She is one of only six women coaches to win 700 games. Her teams won four ACC titles and appeared in one Final Four back in 1998.Yow also led the 1988 women's Olympic team to a gold medal. Kay Yow was 66 years old.

Those are the headlines this hour, for more on these stories and other news of the day, CNN is your source online, on TV, even when you're on the go.

1 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

2 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

3 taxpayer   

n.纳税人

参考例句：

• The new scheme will run off with a lot of the taxpayer's money.这项新计划将用去纳税人许多钱。
• The taxpayer are unfavourably disposed towards the recent tax increase.纳税者对最近的增加税收十分反感。

4 paradox   

n.似乎矛盾却正确的说法；自相矛盾的人(物)

参考例句：

• The story contains many levels of paradox.这个故事存在多重悖论。
• The paradox is that Japan does need serious education reform.矛盾的地方是日本确实需要教育改革。

5 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

6 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

7 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

8 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。