Melbourne, Jan. 15 : Australian police have vowed to crack down on troublemakers at the Australian Open tennis tournament this year, following two years of racially charged violence.
The Australian quoted Victoria Police Superintendent John Cooke, as saying there would be more uniform and plainclothes officers and security working there than ever before when the tournament starts next Monday.
"I wouldn''t say it''s reflective of any particular issue, the event changes from year to year and we work on a risk assessment process with Tennis Australia,'''' he said today.
Melbourne, Jan. 15: Cricket authorities are expecting Friday's 50-over one-day international between Australia and South Africa on Friday to show which format is more popular among fans -- Twenty20 or the 50-over game.
According to the Courier Mail, Cricket Victoria CEO Tony Dodemaide expects a smaller crowd than the 63,000 who watched the pyrotechnics of Twenty20 specialist David Warner in Melbourne four nights ago, and said the turnout would say a lot about the health of "traditional" limited-overs cricket.
Melbourne, Jan. 15 : The National Retailers Association has backed a radio announcer's call for a ban on Islamic hijabs.
The peak national body has called for all hijabs, helmets and hoodies to be banned in shops and banks for security purposes.
Brisbane radio presenter Michael Smith angered listeners after calling for Muslim women who wear a hijab to be fined.
The 4BC drive presenter said on Wednesday that wearing the hijab or burka posed a security risk because it obscured the face, making it difficult to identify the wearer in the instance of a crime.
Sydney - Serena Williams felt the effects of a long night match and the searing heat as the top seed crashed out of the Medibank International 6-3, 6-1 to Olympic champion Elena Dementieva on Thursday.
Williams, second in the world, was coming off a nearly three-hour effort the previous evening against Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki, where she had to save match points for the second time this week.
The 27-year-old American's early season fitness wilted in the summer heat as Dementieva went through into the final - a repeat of the Beijing Olympic gold medal match - against Dinara Safina despite firing six double-faults.
Jakarta - A court in Indonesia's Papua province on Thursday jailed five Australians for two and three years in prison for landing a plane illegally, a prosecutor said.
The five Australians were arrested in September after landing a small plane in the Papuan district of Merauke. The plane departed from Australia's Horn Island.
Judges at the Merauke district court sentenced the pilot, William Scott-Bloxam, to three years in prison and fined him 50 million rupiah (4,550 dollars), said prosecutor Rifky Firmansyah.
Melbourne - Roger Federer got in a good workout as he won the semifinal of the AAMI Classic on Thursday, holding off Spain's Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) at the Australian Open tune-up event.
2006 Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis, beaten by the Swiss three years ago in the Melbourne Park title match, finally had something to smile about after winning a relegation round match at the eight-man event.
The Cypriot defeated Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.
Melbourne, Jan. 15: Cricket authorities are expecting Friday's 50-over one-day international between Australia and South Africa on Friday to show which format is more popular among fans -- Twenty20 or the 50-over game.
Jakarta - A court in Indonesia's Papua province on Thursday jailed five Australians for two and three years in prison for landing a plane illegally, a prosecutor said.
Melbourne - Roger Federer got in a good workout as he won the semifinal of the AAMI Classic on Thursday, holding off Spain's Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) at the Australian Open tune-up event.
