1. A wildfire has burned more than 800 acres in downtown Los Angeles. Animals at the nearby city zoo were moved indoors and dozens of homes were evacuated.

2. There were more evacuations in Missouri where levees have been topped by rising flood waters. The state fears at least 20 levees have been compromised in low-lying communities along the Missouri River.

3. It was a surprise trip to Baghdad for Vice President Dick Cheney. During his visit, he met with the Iraqi leaders who are under pressure to ease the country's escalating sectarian violence.

4. And after a week of complaints, this racy Chicago billboard has been removed from its downtown perch. But it wasn't the photos or the wording that did it in. The firm that owns the ad didn't have a permit for it.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. levee: n-count
Levee is the embankment built to prevent a flooded river from overflowing.

2. low-lying: adj
Low-lying land is at, near or below sea level.

3. racy: adj
Slightly improper or indecent.

4. wording: n-uncount
The wording of a piece of writing or a speech are the words used in it, especially they are chosen to have a particular effect.