CNN 2009-08-25

From the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Nicole Lapin. Here's a look at what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

President Obama has approved the creation of an elite¹ team to interrogate² terror suspects. The Washington Post is now reporting that the new unit will be made up of experts from several intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The high value detainee interrogation group will be based out of the FBI, but the National Security Council will oversee³ it.

And the Iraqi government says a key suspect in one of last week's bombings of the government buildings in Baghdad has confessed. An Iraqi official played the video, showing the former police chief calmly admitting his involvement. The man says he received orders to bomb the Finance Ministry⁴ from an ex-Saddam Hussein official who now lives in Syria. That attack and two other bombings on Wednesday killed at least 100 people.

And firefighting planes from several countries and the European Union are trying to help fight massive wildfires in Greece. Winds were calmer earlier this morning but forecasters say the gale-force winds will return, just making it even harder for the fire crews. The fires have burned close to 37, 000 acres. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed. So far though, no reports of any fatalities⁵.

The remnants of what was hurricane Bill could now affect Britain. Officials say the remnants of Bill could cause heavy rains in parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland on Wednesday. The huge, once huge system lost strength over the weekend. Bill never actually made landfall, but it has been blamed for two deaths.

The government's rebate⁶ offer that fueled a race in new-car showrooms across the country reaches the finish line tonight. Dealers⁷ have until 8 p.m. Eastern Time to turn in their paperwork for the Cash for Clunkers deals. Some are handing out rebates⁸ up until the very last minute, while others, including the country's largest dealership⁹ chain, stopped offering their rebates last week to avoid any last minute's snags.

Those are the headlines at this hour. For more on those stories and other news of the day, CNN is always your source online, on TV, or on your cell phone.

1 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

2 interrogate   

vt.讯问，审问，盘问

参考例句：

• The lawyer took a long time to interrogate the witness fully.律师花了很长时间仔细询问目击者。
• We will interrogate the two suspects separately.我们要对这两个嫌疑人单独进行审讯。

3 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。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 fatalities   

n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运

参考例句：

• Several people were injured, but there were no fatalities. 有几个人受伤，但没有人死亡。
• The accident resulted in fatalities. 那宗意外道致多人死亡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 rebate   

v./n.折扣，回扣，退款；vt.给...回扣，给...打折扣

参考例句：

• You can claim a rebate on your tax.你可以要求退回部分税款。
• Customers are to benefit from a rebate on their electricity bills.顾客将从他们的电费退费中得到实惠。

7 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。

8 rebates   

n.退还款( rebate的名词复数 )；回扣；返还（退还的部份货价）；折扣

参考例句：

• The VAT system offers advantages, such as rebates on exports. 增值税有其优点，如对出口商品实行回扣。 来自辞典例句
• In more recent years rate rebates have been introduced for households. 近年地方税的减免已适用于家庭。 来自辞典例句

9 dealership   

n.商品特许经销处

参考例句：

• The car dealership has a large inventory of used cars. 这家汽车经销商拥有数量庞大的二手车。
• A key to this effort is the experience in the dealership. 达到这个成果的关键是销售的体验。