Melbourne, Jan 30 : UK researchers have apparently solved a thirty-year puzzle: what makes birds to breed in spring?

The study led by Russell Foster of the University of Oxford wanted to unravel the secret behind how birds knew when it was spring breeding time, reports ABC Online.

After studying how body clocks are regulated by light, Foster, who is a circadian neuroscientist, came to know that the main way birds could know that it is spring is by detecting the changes in the number of daylight hours.

However, experiments in the 1930s showed that birds who had their eyes covered or removed still knew when to breed, according to Foster.

Melbourne, Jan. 30 : Jelena Dokic has capped a spectacular comeback in women''s tennis with a whopping million-dollar sponsorship deal, besides her prize money.

Dokic, 25 has signed a three-year-contract - her first in seven years - to become the new face of budget airline Jetstar, The Herald Sun reports.

As part of the deal she will receive free flights to all venues in Australasia.

Details of the contract are being negotiated, but Dokic is not expected to appear in television ads.

Brisbane, Jan. 30 : Former Australia batsman Stuart Law is angry at being treated like a cricket "leper" in Australia after his links with a rebel Indian Cricket League stopped him landing a prized coaching post.

The man who led Queensland to their first four Sheffield Shield titles was offered the position of Australian Centre of Excellence batting coach on the condition he severs his ties with the Indian Cricket League.

Law plays for ICL team Chennai Superstars, whose players are banned from mainstream cricket in most countries because, unlike the Indian Premier League, their competition is not sanctioned by the ICC.

Melbourne, Jan 30: Indian Pair Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi entered the finals of Australian Open mixed doubles after beating Czech duo Iveta Benesova and Lukas Dlouhy in straight sets.

The Indian pair beat their Czech rivals 6-4 6-1, and made into the finals of Australian Open for second consecutive year. They lost last year's final at the Melbourne Park.

Trailing in the opening set 1-3, Sania and Bhupathi stormed back to seal the match in just 54 minutes.

Brisbane, Jan. 30: Former Australia batsman Stuart Law is angry at being treated like a cricket "leper" in Australia after his links with a rebel Indian Cricket League stopped him landing a prized coaching post.

The man who led Queensland to their first four Sheffield Shield titles was offered the position of Australian Centre of Excellence batting coach on the condition he severs his ties with the Indian Cricket League.

Perth, Jan. 30 : Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has played down workload issues regarding the IPL, and said that it will not affect the team's preparations for the Ashes this year.

Heading into his fifth month of international cricket without a break, Ponting denied there was too much cricket, but questioned the tightly packed scheduling of Test series with New Zealand and South Africa this summer.