AP美联社一分钟新闻 2009-01-02（在线收听）

1. Israel assassinates a top figure in Hamas, one of the first assaults on the leadership of Gaza's rulers. The airstrike targeted an apartment building. Palestinian officials say 18 others were killed. Israel is escalating its air offensive and seems ready to launch a ground invasion.

2. Police say a bomb threat that shut down Aspen, Colorado on New Year's Eve was real. Four packages in holiday wrapping held dangerous bombs. The man suspected of scattering the devices later shot and killed himself.

3. The Rose Bowl Parade roared down the streets of Pasadena, California. Floats festooned with flowers pay tribute to this year's theme, "Hats off to Entertainment". Police estimate more than a million people will see the parade and the game that follow(s).

4. Several hundred brave "polar bears" took the plunge into 2009 by taking a dip in the frigid waters of New York Harbour. Air temperature about 20 degrees but those blustery winds made it feel much colder. The swim raises money for terminally ill children.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. festoon: v.

If something is festooned with, for example, lights, balloons, or flowers, large numbers of these things are hung from it or wrapped around it, especially in order to decorate it.

2. dip: n.

informal a quick swim

3. frigid: adj.

formal very cold

4. blustery: adj.

blustery weather is very windy.

5. hats off to someone

Idiom something that you say when you want to express your admiration for someone