BRISBANE: The two police officers who shot dead a suspect in a northern suburb recently – hitting the knife-wielding man eight times – have been cleared of any wrongdoing by an internal police probe. The internal investigation unit has accepted one of the officers' explanation that his Glock service pistol jammed mid-way through the confrontation.

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CANBERRA: Defence Minister John Moore has denied that his recent decision to promote Interfet forces leader and East Timor hero Major General Peter Cosgrove to defence forces chief had anything to do with the fact that they played at Wimbledon together in the late 50s where they reached the semi-finals as doubles partners, or that they have remained very good friends since on the senior pro circuit.

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MELBOURNE: An excited Victorian Police Commissioner told a media conference here last night that his police force scientists were 'very close' to perfecting a high-powered rubber gun that fired real bullets.

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SYDNEY: There's more bad press in store for SOCOG, with leaked news that the southern grandstand at Stadium Australia is to be officially named the Nicoletta Kotsakis-Spiropoulous Stand, in honour of the 11-year-old daughter of the head of the Greek Olympic Committee.

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ADELAIDE: In a PR coup for organisers of the upcoming Olympic boxing selection trials, Queensland Works Minister Robert "Rocky" Schwarten is to fight Anthony "The Man" Mundine in a 15 round undercard to the final night's program.