Sydney, Nov 21: Almost all the leading news agencies across the world have decided to boycott covering the first Test between Australia and New Zealand, which began yesterday at the Gabba, because of ‘conditions imposed by the organizers’.

The agencies — Agence France-Presse, Associated Press, Reuters and Getty Images — have also suspended coverage of all Australian cricket news until further notice over demands made by the governing body, Cricket Australia (CA), reported The News.

Los Angeles - Rajon Rondo picked the right time to snap out of scoring slump.

Rondo scored a season-high 18 points and handed out eight assists as the defending NBA Champion Celtics routed the visiting Pistons 98- 80 in a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference finals.

In the previous four games, Rondo totaled just 13 points on an icy five-of 25 shooting. However, the speedy point guard connected on seven-of-11 shots, including a three-pointer, while managing to outscore Piston's hotshot Allen Iverson, 18-16.

"You never expect Rondo to outscore Iverson, but it's definitely a big plus on a night like this," said Celtics' leading scorer Paul Pierce, who finished with just nine points.

Chennai, Nov. 21: World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand today returned to his hometown. He was given a warm welcome at the Chennai Airport for retaining his world title and doing the country proud at international level.

Anand defeated Russia''''s Vladimir Kramnik in a match-play series to retain his title in Bonn, Germany.

Anand, who won the official title in Mexico last year, defeated Kramnik 6.5-4.5 after a draw in the penultimate game to take an unassailable lead in the 12-match contest.

Islamabad, Nov 21: The PCB has reportedly decided to appoint a sub committee to look into the suggestions made to make the Board’s Constitution ‘more practical and democratic’.

The constitution committee formed recently by the Ministry of Sports held its first meeting in Islamabad last evening under the chairmanship of Law Minister Farooq H Naik. At the meeting, some former and present Test cricketers, regional association representatives and some other experts gave their opinions on the ideal PCB constitution.

London, Nov. 21 : Formula One tycoon Bernie Ecclestone’s wife has confirmed that she will be divorcing her husband after 24 years of marriage.

Slavica Ecclestone, 50, moved out of their home in Chelsea, West London, three weeks ago, while Ecclestone attended the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Divorce lawyers said that their settlement could break all records as the former model and mother of the motor racing chief’s two daughters sought her share of the family billions.

Sydney, Nov 21: Defending his “third world country” remark, Australian opener Matthew Hayden has insisted that he meant no disrespect to any nation or its citizens in that category.

Hayden felt that he had been made a victim of “certain sections of humanity (who) want to take someone like myself down.”

“The politics of cricket, I think, has gone mad,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Hayden, as saying.