澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2010-01-28（在线收听）

The Federal Government’s controversial new My School website has crashed just hours after its launch this morning. Users are reporting problems logging onto the site which lists student data comparing literacy and numeracy rates in almost 10,000 schools. Critics say the website will unfairly stigmatize disadvantaged schools, but the Federal Government says the site gives parents more information on the performance of their child’s school. 

Lawyers representing an Australian man facing the death sentence in Afghanistan are locked in negotiations to secure his release. Former soldier Robert William Langdon has been found guilty of murdering an Afghan colleague. Langdon’s lawyers have lodged an appeal and the Australian government is asking for clemency. 

House prices are at an all time high in most of Australian capital cities. An Australian Property Monitors' report says the medium house price rose 12 percent in 2009, the largest increase since 2003. Prices are expected to increase by up to 10 percent this year. 

And Mahinda Rajapaksa has been declared the winner of Sri Lanka’s presidential poll, but the outcome was immediately rejected by his rival. General Sarath Fonseka says he will challenge the result in court. General Fonseka has left a luxury hotel in Colombo where he complained of being intimidated. 

I’ll have more news later.