CNN 2009-01-30

Good morning from the CNN Center in Atlanta. I am Reggie Aqui. Here is what’s happening Now In The News.

Last night, the Democrat-controlled House pushed through President Obama’s massive stimulus¹ bill, but not a single Republican voted in favor of it. So now it goes on to the Senate where debate on that stimulus bill could begin as early as Monday.

We are hearing even more layoffs² this morning. Eastman Kodak, the latest company to announce, that it is going to now cut more jobs. It plans to cut this year between 3,500 and 4,500 positions. Starbucks is planning to cut 6,700 positions and they are goona close 300 more underperforming stores. Jobless claims increase by 3,000 last week putting the number of American's filing for unemployment benefits at nearly 590,000.

In the cold, out of power, more than a million homes and businesses across the  Midwest have no electricity after that big winter storm this week. President Obama has signed emergence³ declarations for Kentucky and Arkansan. Utility crews are working nonstop in both states to repair power lines downed by thick ice. That storm has already been blamed for at least 17 deaths.

The Illinois state Senate will vote later today to decide if they should let embattled Blagojevich give a closing argument at his own impeachment⁴ hearing. Blagojevich submitted his request yesterday after a whirlwind medium tour protesting / hearings. If he is goona have enough votes , he is expected to speak later today.

Police in Phoenix⁵ are investigating a school bus crash that causes more than two dozen injuries. The driver lost the control of the bus Wednesday afternoon and it crashed into several cars. Polices say twelve other vehicles were involved in the mile long accident scene. None of those injuries was live threatening.

The list of products links to a salmonella outbreak is now growing. Peanut Corporation of American is expanding its recall to all peanut products made at its Georgia plant since Jan of 07. At least 8 people may have died in that salmonella outbreak. And the company says it is working with the FDA.

So there you have a quick look at what is making the news this hour. Please stick with us here in cnn.com and cnn.com live for your updates throughout the day.

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 layoffs   

临时解雇( layoff的名词复数 )； 停工，停止活动

参考例句：

• Textile companies announced 2000 fresh layoffs last week. 各纺织公司上周宣布再次裁员两千人。
• Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs. 当公司突然宣布裁员时，股票价格便大跌

3 emergence   

n.浮现，显现，出现，（植物）突出体

参考例句：

• The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
• Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生，随着社会的发展而发展的。

4 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。

5 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。