澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2009-12-30

Hundreds of firefighters are still battling two bushfires burning out of control north of Perth. Several homes have been destroyed in Toodyay with other properties still under threat. Water-bombing aircrafts’ve been used to contain the blazes in the state's wheat-belt area. And a cooler change is hoped to provide some relief to firefighters as it moves through later today.

China has shrugged¹ off international criticism after it executed a British man for drug smuggling². Akmal Shaikh's relatives said he was mentally unstable³ and was tricked by a criminal syndicate. But China said there was no proof to document the claim. He is the first European citizen in 50 years to receive the death penalty.

An Australian man has been arrested in Indonesia for alleged⁴ drug possession. Perth-based unionist Robert McJannett was stopped at Denpasar Airport in Bali where Indonesian customs officials allegedly found two grams of marijunana in his luggage. The Department of Foreign Affairs says consular⁵ assistance has been offered to his family.

And Australia needs seven last-day wickets to beat Pakistan in the Melbourne Test. The tourists will resume at 3-170. Shane Watson scored his first Test century yesterday after a run of high scores including a 96 against the West Indies in Adelaide.

We will have more news later.

1 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

3 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

4 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

5 consular   

a.领事的

参考例句：

• He has rounded out twenty years in the consular service. 他在领事馆工作已整整20年了。
• Consular invoices are declarations made at the consulate of the importing country. 领事发票是进口国领事馆签发的一种申报书。