CNN 2008-06-21

（单词翻译）

Hello, I'm Melissa Long here at the CNN Center in Atlanta, with a look at some of the stories happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

Rising floodwaters have caused several more levees in Missouri to fail. Local officials in towns north of St. Louis believe even more will likely be swamped before the day is over. Missouri Governor Matt Blunt is expected to speak this afternoon to give an update on the flooding situation in his state.

A vote on the Foreign (Intelligence) Electronic Surveillance in the House has passed. The bill permits government eavesdropping² on suspected terrorists, the vote: 293 to 129. The bill would likely protect telecommunications companies that help the government eavesdrop¹ on some people without a court order after the 9/11 attacks. Dozens who believe their conversations were illegally monitored have sued the telecom companies. The bill now moves on to the Senate.

Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan says President Bush and Vice³ President Dick Cheney should come clean about their alleged⁴ roles in the leak of the CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity. Testifying today before House Judiciary Committee, McClellan said the president, vice president wanted him to say Cheney's then chief of staff, Lewis Scooter Libby was not involved. Libby was convicted of obstructing⁵ a probe into that leak. McClellan says he isn't sure whether any White House officials broke the law. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitters says he was the official who leaked Plame's identity.

The economy is a major topic for both major presidential candidates today. Senator Barack Obama's in Chicago this hour meeting with Democratic governors. The Democratic presidential hopeful will talk to state leaders about President Bush's economic polices. The meeting is also a show of unity⁶ with former Hillary Clinton's backers attending.

Senator John McCain is talking about free trade. He is north of the border in Canada. A campaign spokesperson says the Republican presidential hopeful wants to highlight his view on importance of the US-Canadian relationship. Canada's government has been careful, not to take sides in the presidential race.

A second robber, police say, shot a pregnant bank teller⁷, causing her to later lose her twins. And that person is now in police custody⁸. Twenty-nine-year-old Brian Kendrick is charged with attempted murder and two counts of feticide in the April shooting of 30-year-old Catherine Shuffield. Shuffield was five-month pregnant when she was shot in the abdomen⁹ during a robbery at a Huntington National Bank branch. Two days after, Shuffield lost her twin girls.

Those are the headlines making news at this hour. Do stay with CNN for more on these stories or other news of the day.