CNN 2009-02-21

Good morning, happy Friday to you from the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Reggie Aqui, thanks for checking in. here is a quick look at what's making news.

President Obama is meeting with mayors from dozens of U.S. cities this morning, they are gonna be discussing the best way to implement¹ the 787-billion-dollar economic stimulus² package. The mayors are also meeting with federal officials on improving transportation, housing and education.

To California now, where Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is set to sign the budget today. The measure will close a 42 billion-dollar state deficit³ with tax increases, spending cuts and increased government efficiency. The State Senate finally reached an agreement on the budget bill after 45.5 straight hours in session earlier this week.

Hundreds of investors⁴ who lost money in Bernie Madoff's alleged⁵ 50-billion-dollar Ponzi scheme, they are gonna be at a federal bankruptcy⁶ court in New York today. They are hoping to find out when they can recoup some of their lost investments. Madoff remains⁷ under house arrest.

Israel may have a new man in charge; President Shimon Peres picked Benjamin Netanyahu as the next prime minister this morning, but it's not a done deal. Netanyahu will have six weeks to form the next Israeli government and he may have to work with the Kadima party leader Tzipi Livni, Kadima actually won one more seat in parliament, but neither party earned a majority in recent elections.

The New York Post says it is sorry for a cartoon that some say compared President Obama with that violent chimpanzee in Connecticut. The post says the cartoon was meant to mock the stimulus bill but the paper also went on to say long-time critics with an axe⁸ to grind were using the controversy⁹ as an opportunity to slam the paper. The post offered them no apology.

LA police are trying to find out who leaked a picture of singer Rihanna battered¹⁰ and bruised¹¹. The photo is on TMZ.com, police say the leak is a serious violation¹² of its policy to protect victims of domestic violence. Rihanna was allegedly attacked by her boyfriend singer Chris Brown, who was arrested earlier this month.

Please stick with us here at CNN.com and CNN.com/live, of course we are gonna provide you updates right here throughout the day, thanks for watching.

1 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

2 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。

3 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

4 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

5 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

6 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

8 axe   

n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减

参考例句：

• Be careful with that sharp axe.那把斧子很锋利，你要当心。
• The edge of this axe has turned.这把斧子卷了刃了。

9 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

10 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

11 bruised   

[医]青肿的，瘀紫的

参考例句：

• his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子
• She had slipped and badly bruised her face. 她滑了一跤，摔得鼻青脸肿。

12 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。