CNN 2009-04-16

From the CNN center in Atlanta, hello, everyone, I'm Catherine Callaway. So glad you're checking in with us. Here is a look at what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

The American cargo¹ ship Liberty Sun was hit with rocket-propelled grenades off the African coast Tuesday night. But none of the 20-member American crew were injured.

The ship is actually carrying food aid. The USS Bainbridge was sent in to help. It arrived though after the pirates fled. It is now escorting the Liberty Sun. Meantime the French Navy says it has captured 11 suspected pirates today off the Coast of Kenya.

 And today before President Obama heads for Mexico, the Department of Homeland Security is naming a chief to deal with drug violence along the Mexican border. The new chief will also oversee² a crackdown on illegal immigration. A source is saying that Allen Burnson, a former federal prosecutor³, will be named to that post.Thousands of teachers in Los Angeles could be laid off. School district officials approved that move last night. In all, more than 5,000 teachers and other district workers could lose their jobs. The district had to find a way to fix an almost 600-million-dollar budget shortfall. District officials are hoping that they can save some of the jobs depending on how much state and federal funding they receive.

Catholics in New York are welcoming their new archbishop. The church held Mass to officially install Timothy Dolan as the new leader of the New York Roman Catholic Archdiocese. The archbishop of New York is seen as the most prominent leader of the American Catholic church.

And funny man Stephen Colbert is getting some out-of-this-world recognition. NASA is renaming an orbital exercise machine after him with the help of his fans. Colbert received the most votes in a Space Agency's online poll and so a new treadmill⁴, huh, on the space station is now called the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill or COLBERT.

Be sure to stick with CNN.com 24/7 for news from around the world and we will of course have updates for you right here throughout the day.

1 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

2 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

3 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

4 treadmill   

n.踏车；单调的工作

参考例句：

• The treadmill has a heart rate monitor.跑步机上有个脉搏监视器。
• Drugs remove man from the treadmill of routine.药物可以使人摆脱日常单调的工作带来的疲劳。