1. Iraqi flags are flying throughout Baghdad as residents prepare to mark the 4th anniversary of the city's fall in the US-led invasion of Iraq. Supporters of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr planned to mark the day with a demonstration in Najaf.

2. Pope Benedict XVI used the Easter Mass to lament the continual slaughter in Iraq. The Pope told the Easter crowd nothing positive is coming from Iraq.

3. Northwest Airlines is apologizing to passengers after a pilot went on the obscenity-laden tirade. The airline cancelled the flight, stranding 180 passengers booked on the Las Vegas-to-Detroit trip. Northwest will decide if the pilot is punished.

4. Germany's baby polar bear may be cute and cuddly, but is also making big money for the Berlin Zoo. Visitors to the zoo have doubled since Knut made his public debut. The zoo is also unveiling a line of Knut merchandise.

 WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. cleric: n-count
A cleric is a member of the clergy.

2. obscenity: n-uncount
Obscenity is behavior, art or language that is sexual and offends or shocks people.

3. -laden
-laden combines with nouns to form adjectives which indicate that something has a lot of a particular thing or quality.
e.g. a fat-laden meal, smoke-laden air

4. tirade: n-count
A tirade is a long angry speech in which someone criticizes a person or a thing.

5. cuddly: adj
A cuddly person or animal makes you want to cuddle them.

6. debut: n-count
The debut of a performer or sports player is their first public performance, appearance or recording.