澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2013-02-11

 Sports scientist Steven Dank has launched a ten-millon-dollar lawsuit¹ against the media. His lawyers say they'll be seeking damages for defamation² and loss of income. Dank had worked for Essendon which is one of the AFL clubs being investigated for the possible use of performance enhancing drugs.

 

The Federal Govenment is planning to extend the right to ask for flexible working conditions beyond the parents of young children. The government wants to change the laws to include people over 55, anyone with a disability, carers, people experiencing domestic violence and parents of school-aged children.

 

Fire crews at Victoria's Alpine³ region have been backburning around a bushfire burning near Harrietville. Conditions have eased, but an watch-and-act alert remains⁴ in place. The blaze has burnt through 20,000 hectares and locals are being urged to stay vigilant⁵.

 

At least ten people have died in a stampede in a train station in India during the busiest day of Hindus festival of Kumbh Mela. Tens of millions of Hindu pilgrims have gathered where the Ganges and two other rivers meet. Pilgrims believe a dip in those waters will help wash away their sins and help bring salvation⁶.

 

And NATO forces in Afghanistan have a new commander. US General Joseph Dunford has formally taken control from General John Allen at a ceremony at the Alliance headquarters outside Kabul.  General Dunford will oversee⁷ the withdrawal⁸ of most of the foreign troops there by the end of next year.

1 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

2 defamation   

n.诽谤；中伤

参考例句：

• Character defamation can be either oral or written.人格诽谤既可以是口头的也可以是书面的。
• The company sued for defamation.这个公司因受到诽谤而提起诉讼。

3 alpine   

adj.高山的；n.高山植物

参考例句：

• Alpine flowers are abundant there.那里有很多高山地带的花。
• Its main attractions are alpine lakes and waterfalls .它以高山湖泊和瀑布群为主要特色。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。

6 salvation   

n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困

参考例句：

• Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
• Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。

7 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

8 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。