1. It's been a day of gains and losses for the military in Iraq. Officials say they have captured two top al-Qaeda leaders there. However they also say seven troops have been killed in roadside bombings.

2. Federal investigators working in South Carolina say they have pinpointed where a deadly fire started. They say the blaze that killed nine firefighters ignited in a loading dock. However, they are not saying if they have determined the cause of the fire.

3. Lady Bird Johnson is said to be resting well in a Texas hospital. The former First Lady was taken there a couple of days ago with a slight fever. Her family says she is doing well and is undergoing more tests.

4. Er , there is not much more you can say about this poor mutt except that he is indeed the world's ugliest dog. Elwood won that title yesterday in a contest in California. Along with one thousand dollars, it could help pretty him up a little.

WORDS IN THE NEWS

1. pinpoint: [transitive]
to discover or explain exactly the real facts about something or the cause of a problem

2. dock: [countable]
a place in a port where ships are loaded, unloaded, or repaired

3. mutt: [countable]
a dog that does not belong to any particular breed