Melbourne, February 2: Angelina Jolie had to face and swallow her "biggest fear" before she agreed to star in director Clint Eastwood''s `Changeling'-the threat of one of her kids being kidnapped.

The Oscar-winning actress plays the role of a woman whose son was kidnapped in Los Angeles in the 1920s, and later realised that the boy returned to her is not hers in the true-life story.

The mum-of-six confessed that she had turned to several people for advice before gathering up the courage to face her worst nightmare, and go ahead with the role.

"This one (role) was very hard for me," the Herald Sun quoted her as saying.

Melbourne, Feb. 2 : Spaniard Rafael Nadal is using his Australian Open triumph to call for a shorter ATP Tour season.

Expressing major concerns for player welfare and the tour itself, the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Nadal as saying on Monday: "I worry about the tour more than I worry about myself because the life after tennis continues."

Melbourne  - Even if he never wins another Grand Slam, Rafael Nadal will still be counting the blessings of a world-beating career.

"I have six right now, and I'm happy with my six," the Spanish superman said after his five-set triumph over Roger Federer, which lasted into early Monday morning. "I'm going to continue trying my best and improving my tennis."

That cannot be welcome news for Federer, whose emotions overcame him on the trophy stand after losing for the 13th time in 19 matches against Nadal.

Sydney  - Melbourne residents braced for another week of extreme heat Sunday as officials copped criticism for failing infrastructure and an unofficial death toll as high as 30.

Those who succumbed to the intense heat were all over 70 and had pre-existing medical conditions.

The 3.8 million people of Australia's second-biggest city last week endured the hottest spell since 1855 and their worst power failures ever.

The state government of Victoria defended its efforts against claims it was unprepared for four days of above 40-degree heat.

Melbourne, Feb 1: Cricket great Jeff Thomson has compared Australian bowling attack with a "third-grade club side," and said that South Africa will relish on the pace battery.

Thomson believes Australia will struggle to take the required 20 wickets to win a Test on their tour of South Africa, following Stuart Clark's injury setback on last Thursday,.

Thomson took particular aim at off-spinner Nathan Hauritz, tour hopeful Shaun Tait and spearhead Mitchell Johnson.