Sydney  - The Hong Kong-owned ship that spilt oil over 60 kilometres of beaches on Australia's east coast was impounded in Brisbane harbour Sunday.

The start of legal action against the Pacific Adventurer came as the state government in Queensland said it was half way through a clean up operation that began after Wednesday's spill.

Bribie Island and the Sunshine Coast are now almost free of oil but only a quarter of the fouled beaches on Moreton Island are clear.

Oil sprang from the 180-metre vessel when containers that fell overboard in a storm holed the hull and pierced fuel tanks.

Melbourne, Mar. 15 : The Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) has said that if its security concerns are not addressed, it could withdraw from the
2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi.

According to the Courier Mail, for the first time in Australia''s Commonwealth Games history, team officials will consider hiring private security to protect the country''s best athletes in India.

Sydney, Mar. 15 : Australia's Brett Lee has revealed that he intends to return to international cricket by bowling faster than ever.

Once regarded as the "Golden Boy" of Australian cricket, Lee, 32, is under pressure to reclaim his place in the Test and one-day teams for the Ashes Tour.

He will try to win his place on a diet of four-over spells in the Indian Premier League that gets underway next month.

Sydney  - The Australian Navy intercepted a boat suspected of carrying 54 asylum-seekers off the coast of the Northern Territory, officials said Sunday.

The passengers and crew were taken to the immigration detention centre on Christmas Island, a Australian territory in the Pacific Ocean.

"The Australian government is committed to strong border security arrangements and is determined to deal effectively and appropriately with people smugglers," Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus.

Melbourne, March 14 : Tania Zaetta dropped her layers to strike a raunchy pose for the cover of Ralph magazine''s latest issue.

The former Bollywood star, who played a minor role as an American billionaire''s wife in "Bunty Aur Babli" and was featured in "Salaam Namaste", in one picture appeared topless while her long hair covered her breasts.

The 38-year-old revealed she was least bothered about the criticism regarding her tropical-themed snaps taken near the Gold Coast.

``If Jennifer Aniston and other amazing women like that can get out there and lead a healthy lifestyle and not be afraid to wear a bikini on the beach, then I''m not either,'''' the Herald Sun quoted her as saying.

Melbourne, Mar 14 : The Australian Nudists Foundation has issued "no overt sex" guidelines for unofficial nude beaches, in response to a rising backlash over public sex and swingers parties.

The foundation published guidelines of appropriate behaviour for naturists in a website that was launched on March 13.

The guidelines come amid the adverse publicity surrounding a month-long orgy at a controversial north Queensland nudist colony.

ANF secretary Paul Brown said that they wanted to show a new public face, and also felt that it was important to issue guidelines for novices about appropriate behaviour.