Melbourne, November 15 : Aussie academics and politicians have slammed TV producers for exercising a "White Australia" policy while casting actors for top-rated soap operas.

The White Australia policy had begun in 1901 to restrict non-white immigration to the country, and was scrapped in 1973.

Experts fear that TV programmes that are not featuring families from ethnic minorities may give international viewers the "wrong impression" about Australia.

University of Queensland Aboriginal studies lecturer Sam Watson said that the dramas were operating an "exclusive white family club" that did not reflect the country’s true demographic.

Kabul  - The US-led coalition said Saturday that its forces killed 10 militants, including foreign fighters, during an operation against an al-Qaeda-linked militant network in east-central Afghanistan.

The militants of the Haqqani network who were targeted Thursday in the Zadran district of Paktia province planted roadside bombs and coordinated suicide bombings and other attacks on coalition and Afghan forces in the area, the coalition said.

Naxalites in Chhatisgarh opened fire on an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter carrying sealed Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) on Friday, which killed one crew member.

The attack took place in Bijapur, 310 miles south of Chhattisgarh state's capital Raipur.

"A Mi-8 helicopter on election duty was shot at in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Friday evening and flight engineer was killed," IAF spokesperson said. The deceased engineer was identified as Mustafa Ali.

The helicopter was carrying 4 injured BSF jawans and EVMs.

London, Nov 15 : In a quest to locate the tomb of d’Artagnan, an inspiration for Alexandre Dumas’s novel ‘The Three Musketeers’, Dutch archaeologists have discovered a small church – where they believe the adventurous hero is buried.

He died during the Siege of Maastricht on June 25, 1673.

According to a leading French historian, Charles de Batz de Castelmore d’Artagnan, who served Louis XIV as captain of the Musketeers of the Guard, was buried a few kilometres away at Saint Peter and Paul Church in Wolder, Holland.

“The trail is very precise,” Times Online quoted Odile Bordaz, author of several works on the musketeer.

Alltel Wireless surely deserves lots of congratulations for expanding its range of mobile phones with the launching of its latest addition the ‘LG Swift’ in the US market.

LG Swift, the new flip phone comes packed with host of exciting features including a 1.3MP camera with multi-shot and video capturing, microSDHC slot, Fastap technology, one touch speakerphone, external music buttons and media player.

The fastap technology provides six raised one-touch access Quick keys as well as the traditional keypad.