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1. Financial officials from the world's wealthy nations are meeting in Washington to discuss ways out of the financial crisis. President Bush met with them for about a half hour this morning at the White House. Afterward¹, the president said the US will lead the response to the crisis.

2. North Korea has been removed from America's terrorism list. The move comes after the communist nation agreed to every nuclear inspection² demand the Bush administration had asked for. The agreement is intended to salvage³ a nuclear disarmament agreement before Bush leaves office.

3. General Motors and Chrysler may possibly join. The automakers have reportedly held talks about a possible merger⁴ or some sort of other acquisition. The talks began more than a month ago but have stalled because of the financial market turmoil⁵.

4. Hurricane Norbert has come ashore⁶ on Mexico's Baja California peninsula. At last report, Norbert was lashing⁸ the southern end of the peninsula with winds over 100 miles an hour. It's expected to cross the peninsula and hit the Mexican mainland tonight.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. disarmament: n.

Disarmament is the act of reducing the number of weapons, especially nuclear weapons, that a country has.

2. acquisition: n.

If a company or business person makes an acquisition, they buy another company or part of a company.

3. lash⁷: v.

If wind, rain, or water lashes⁹ someone or something, it hits them violently.

4. Baja California: n. 下加利福尼亚半岛

A peninsula (=long thin piece of land) in Mexico that is connected to southern California and goes into the Pacific Ocean.