澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2013-01-17

 U.S president Barack Obama has launched a new offensive on America's gun culture, with packages of strict control, he is calling for bans on assault weapons and high capacity ammunition¹ magazines. And he wants broader background checks on gun customers. But he is facing strong opposition² by the American firearm lobby and many members of Congress.

 

Islamist militants³ are said to be holding more than 40 foreigners at a gas field in Algeria. The hostages include American, French, British and Japanese citizens, at least 2 people have been killed.

 

A helicopter has crashed in central London, killing⁴ at least 2 people and injuring 11. It hit a crane on top of a 50-story apartment building just south of the Thames River. There was panic on the streets when the helicopter plunged⁵ to the ground and exploded.

 

The prime minister will visit firefighters in New South Wales today as they continue to battle a huge blaze that destroyed 40 homes in the northwest of the state. More high temperatures and strong winds are on the way, and severe fire alerts are in place across many parts of the state. Fire warnings are also in place across central Victoria.

 

The Catholic Church has come under renewed criticism for failing to act on allegations of sex abuse by a priest. A report by former federal court judge Antony Whitlam makes a series of findings about the behaviour of a Catholic archbishop in regional New South Wales who since died.

1 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

4 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

5 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。