澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2010-01-29（在线收听）

The United Nations says it held secret talks with the Taliban to discuss a truce. The revelation was made as Foreign Ministers gathered in London to map out a plan to hand security back over to Afghan forces. They've also unveiled a 550-million-dollar fund, aimed at luring Taliban fighters into education, training in employment programs.

There's a new twist in the search for the missing millionaire Herman Rockefeller. Police raided a property in Melbourne's west overnight. They're not saying whether the case has been treated as a murder investigation.

Toyota is extending its recall of vehicles that may have a dangerously faulty accelerator. Seven-five thousand drivers in China are now being told to send their vehicles back to the carmaker because of a sticky accelerator that may cause cars to speed out of control. Similar recalls have already been issued in Europe and the US.

It seems taxpayers are spending more on public hospitals but the quality of care hasn't improved much. A new report on government services shows spending on public hospitals increased six percent to 29 billion dollars in the 2007 financial year. Sixty-nine percent of emergency patients were seen within the recommended time.

And the American author J.D. Salinger has died. The acclaimed writer who wrote “Catcher in the Rye” was 91.

We'll have more news later.