Sydney  - The amazing run of technical problems at Qantas Airways Ltd continued Tuesday with a clanger in the hangar at its Melbourne maintenance base.

Qantas engineering general manager David Cox said two Boeing 747s had "come into contact with each other during towing this morning" and that "both aircraft did sustain some damage and the extent of this is being assessed."

One of the bashed jumbos was in for extensive repairs after an emergency landing in the Philippines capital Manila July 25. An oxygen cylinder exploded, punching a

Sydney  - Visitors to Sydney have often been puzzled by its No Standing signs. Melbourne does not have them and neither do other Australian state capitals, and they are unknown abroad.

Yet, there are over 100,000 of them and time is running out. From December 1, all will have been replaced by No Stopping or No Parking signs that leave motorists in doubt as to what is required of them.

Even local officials are glad to see the back of No Standing.

Sydney, Nov. 17 : Australian all-rounder Shane Watson could be given first preference ahead of Andrew Symonds in the first Test against New Zealand to be played later this week at the Gabba in Brisbane, because of the inclement weather prevailing in that region.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Watson and Symonds are competing for the sole all-rounder’s berth in the Australian XI.

There is a view within the team management that the prospect of rain and humidity in Brisbane might suit Watson''s bowling strengths.

Sydney, Nov. 15 : Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting, team coach Tim Nielsen and the cricket selectors ignored the basics of the game, and that is why they lost the series to India in India two nil, claims former player and noted commentator Peter Roebuck.

Responding to Ponting’s criticism of his write-ups during the series, Roebuck said that Ponting’s leadership was questionable and his field settings were contrived, but added that the pitches were also partly to blame for the final result.

Sydney, Nov. 15 : The recently concluded four-Test series between India and Australia, which India won two nil, would have been described by Australian cricketing legend Sir Donald Bradman as “Bloody Good Test Cricket”.

Sydney, Nov 15 : Australian all rounder Andrew Symonds scored a brisk 45 of 35 balls in his comeback match, but couldn’t prevent his side’s 64-run loss to the Australian Cricket Association All Stars in a Twenty20 charity fundraiser at the Gabba.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Symonds hit two sixes and a four in his entertaining knock for his team, but that was not enough to reach the All Stars’ 203 for four.

Importantly, the Queenslander, dumped from the Australian squad after missing a team meeting to go fishing, top-scored for them before he skied one to Simon Katich off Dan Marsh.