美联社新闻一分钟 2006-12-27

（单词翻译）

1. At least 54 people have died in Iraq today following a string of coordinated¹ attacks. Meantime Iraq's former leader may soon face execution. Iraq's highest appeals court says Saddam Hussein could face execution in the next 30 days.

2. President Bush is spending some time in Crawford, Texas where he will be having a series of meetings about Iraq's future. A White House spokesman says the ruling concerning Saddam’s future marks an important milestone².

3. Residents and relief workers are cleaning up the Florida neighborhoods where Christmas celebrations were interrupted by a band of severe storms. At least 2 tornados³ touched down including one in the Daytona Beach area.

4. Doctors say California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is out of surgery. Schwarzenegger needed an operation today to fix the leg he broke while skiing in Idaho Saturday.

5. A day after the giving, it's a season of getting. Retail⁴ experts say shoppers are headed to retail stores and online sites to exchange gifts and used gift cards.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

touch down : PHR-V
When an aircraft touches down, it lands.
The first large contingent⁵ of troops touches down on American soil today.