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1. Arkansas Democratic Party Chairman Bill Gwatney has died. Police say a suspect burst into Gwatney's office and fired three shots. Gwatney, a former state senator and Democratic superdelegate died at the hospital. The suspect also died after a 30-mile chase with police.

2. President Bush is demanding that Russia honor a ceasefire and end all military action in the former Soviet¹ Republic of Georgia. He also announced he's sending Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Paris to assist the West's diplomatic efforts on the crisis. Rice says that Russia must end military operations in Georgia now.

3. Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue crews rescued two workers after a scaffolding fell at a high-rise building. The rescuers had to rappel from the roof down the side of the building to save the two men left hanging by their safety harnesses. It's not known what caused the scaffolding to collapse².

4. Republican John McCain's wife has been treated for a “minor sprain” after someone at a campaign event in Michigan shook her hand firmly. A campaign spokeswoman says Cindy McCain had X-rays after an enthusiastic supporter squeezed a little bit too much. McCain's wife has had previous surgeries for carpal tunnel syndrome³.

WORDS IN THE NEWS
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online
Merriam-Webster Online

1. honor:  v.
to do what you have agreed to do.

2. scaffolding:  n. 脚手架
a set of poles and boards that are built into a structure for workers to stand on when they are working on the outside of a building.

3. rappel:  v.
to go down a cliff or rock by sliding down a rope and touching⁴ the rock or cliff with your feet.

4. harness:  n.
a set of bands used to hold someone in a place or to stop them from falling.

5. carpal tunnel syndrome:  n. 【医】腕管综合症
a medical condition in which you have a lot of pain and weakness in your wrist.