Australia

Victoria police rule out arson in bushfire-hit town

Melbourne, Feb. 11 : Victoria police has ruled out arson as the cause of the fire in the town of Kinglake.

More than 100 people have died in the fires that burnt through Kilmore, Humevale, Taggerty and Wandong and surrounds on Saturday.

Police have also ruled out arson in three other blazes - Bendigo-Maiden Gully, Redesdale and Mudgeegonga.

The cause of the Marysville, Narbethong and Murrindindi Mill fire is still being investigated, but police say the 40, 000 hectare Churchill fire in the Gippsland, where 21 people died, is suspicious.

Golf great Norman to do his bit for Victoria bushfire victims

Melbourne, Feb. 11 : Golfing great Greg Norman has agreed to participate in a celebrity tournament next week to support Victoria''s bushfire victims.

Norman will be joined by the likes of cricketer Justin Langer and swimmer Todd Pearson, at The Vines Resort in Queensland on Tuesday to help raise money for the bushfire appeal, reports news. com. au.

Money raised on the day will be added to a contribution to be made by the Johnnie Walker Classic, which will be held at The Vines from February 19.

Warner waits for either Twenty20 or Sheffield Shield call-up

Sydney, Feb. 11 : New South Wales batting dynamo David Warner may have been dropped from the Australia squad, but the cricket world still holds an abundance of opportunities for him.

On Sunday, Warner is expected to play for his country again in a Twenty20 match against New Zealand, and if not, will make his first-class debut against Victoria.

Even with young sensation Phil Hughes not playing as he prepares to leave with the national squad for South Africa the following day, NSW coach Matthew Mott claims there are an ample number of options to partner Phil Jaques.

"I think if David was to come in it would be in the middle order somewhere," Mott said.

Symonds fails again in redemption bid

Symonds fails again in redemption bidMelbourne, Feb. 11: Troubled Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds failed to score a one-day hundred on Wednesday in what was pegged as his road to redemption at the MCG.

The Queenslander scored just 36 runs in a one-day match against Victoria.

The man once regarded as the most destructive limited-overs batsman in the world has never scored a one-day century for his state.

In 74 interstate one-day matches stretching back to his debut against South Australia in 1994, when current Australian coach Tim Nielsen caught him behind - he has never reached triple figures.

Virgin Atlantic’s ‘steamy’ ad dubbed ‘sexist, offensive to women’

Melbourne, Feb 11 : Virgin Atlantic's new ad showing men lusting over glamorous red-suited airhostesses has come under fire for promoting `sexism'.

The advert has also been deemed `offensive'.

England's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has received 29 complaints over the ad campaign, which also includes press advertising, insisting that the ads are insulting to women.

The 90-second TV commercial shows female cabin crew walking through an airport for Virgin Atlantic's first flight in 1984.

Onlookers turn their heads and men ogle the sexy hostesses with dreamy looks on their faces, enthralled with the progression. One man drops his mobile phone and another squirts sauce from his hamburger down his shirt.

Fires spark friction as police hunt arsonists

Fires spark friction as police hunt arsonistsSydney  - Australian police said they were homing in on arsonists Wednesday as victims vented their anger over forest fires north of Melbourne expected to claim well over 200 lives.

At least 1,000 houses were razed, 450,000 hectares blackened and 5,000 rendered homeless in the nation's worst natural disaster. The official death toll from Saturday's inferno stands at 181 but some expect the body count to go as high as 300.

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