澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2011-05-26

 The United Nations human rights commissioner¹ has slammed the Federal Government's plan to send 800 asylum² seekers to Malaysia. Navi Pillay has called for safeguards to protect against torture under the proposed scheme. She says Malaysia has a poor human rights record and assurances that it will comply with international standards are not sufficient.

 

US President Barack Obama is meeting with Britain's prime minister in London. Barack Obama and David Cameron are expected to discuss Afghanistan, Libya and the world economy. Earlier, Barack and Michelle Obama were treated to a star-studded banquet at Buckingham Palace. Mr Obama is only the second sitting US president to be accorded the full honours of a state visit to Britain.

 

Industrial action by the Maritime³ Union is set to spread to Fremantle tomorrow. The rift⁴ over fair pay and conditions for waterfront workers today paralysed ports in Sydney and Brisbane. Stevedore⁵ company Patrick says the union's demands will lead to a big hike in its overall spending.

 

And the New South Wales Supreme⁶ Court has heard a chance encounter between two rival bikies led to a fatal brawl⁷ at Sydney airport. The brother of the Hells Angel was bashed and kicked to death during the fight two years ago.

 

And those are the latest headlines from ABC News.

1 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

2 asylum   

n.避难所，庇护所，避难

参考例句：

• The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。
• Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。

3 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

4 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

5 stevedore   

n.码头工人；v.装载货物

参考例句：

• The stevedores'work is to load and unload ships.装卸工人的工作是装卸船只。
• The stevedores are reluctant to be ordered around by the employers.装卸工人们不愿被雇主们差来遣去地随便使唤。

6 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

7 brawl   

n.大声争吵，喧嚷；v.吵架，对骂

参考例句：

• They had nothing better to do than brawl in the street.他们除了在街上斗殴做不出什么好事。
• I don't want to see our two neighbours engaged in a brawl.我不希望我们两家吵架吵得不可开交。