Melbourne, Jan 26 : Australia's former Labor Party leader Kim Beazley, Olympic swimming champ Stephanie Rice, and singer Marcia Hines are among those that are being awarded at this year''s Australia Day Honours.

This year 536 Australians, 369 men and 167 women, were awarded for their achievements in arts, education, business, law and sport, with a majority of the recognition going to those involved in community work, reports News. com. au.

Melbourne, Jan. 26 : The last survivor of the family that founded the Reuters news agency, Marguerite, Baroness de Reuter, has died. She was 96.

A Reuters website report said that she was the widow of Oliver, 4th Baron de Reuter, whose grandfather Paul Julius Reuter established his news service in London in 1851.

The barony - a German title granted to Paul Julius in 1871 but later confirmed by Queen Victoria as conferring the privileges of the nobility in England - becomes extinct on her death, as she and her husband had no children, Reuters reported.

News. com. au quoted her close friend, John Fox as telling Reuters that the baroness had suffered successive strokes late last year.

Adelaide, Jan. 26: Even as Australia takes on South Africa in the fourth of five one-day internationals here today, skipper Ricky Ponting has called on his charges to draw inspiration from Australia Day.

According to Fox Sports, Ponting said he was buoyed by the patriotism of the occasion - and hoped his players felt the same way.

"There''s been a good turnout at training and lots of people waving their Australian flags which is terrific," Ponting said.

Melbourne, Jan. 26: Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds is likely to be sent to a psychological and alcohol rehabilitation course and may not be considered for February''s Test tour to South Africa.

While there is mounting pressure from some Cricket Australia board members to tear up Symonds'' contract after his bizarre radio rant, it appears he may not be sacked.

According to Fox Sports, there are serious concerns being expressed about his state of mind.

Now drinkers have another reason to cheer!

A new study conducted by Australian researchers revealed that alcohol consumption betters men’s performance in the bedroom.

Until now it has been trusted that alcohol use can lead to erectile dysfunction (impotence), often called ‘brewer's droop’.

The researchers think that the study’s outcome will cheer men who worry about the affects of drinking on their sex lives.

Melbourne, Jan. 26 : Controversy surfaced at the Australian Open here on Sunday when tennis player Tomas Berdych questioned the accuracy of the Hawk-Eye electronic line-calling system at a vital stage of his quarter-final match against defending champion Roger Federer.

The system which simulates ball flight to determine close calls was unable to offer an opinion on a line call, leading to an angry Berdych questioning the chair umpire over the apparent failure of the system to show a simulation of a ball called out early in the fourth set, reports The Australian.