Australia

Warm winds whipped up clouds of embers today that threaten to spread southern Australia's wildfires into more towns, as dozens more dead were found in the smoldering ashes of earlier blazes. At least 173 people have been confirmed dead, and with search teams recovering more charred corpses in fire-scorched areas, police warned that the final death toll in what is already the country's worst fire disaster could reach 300.

Beyond triggering a growing chorus of international criticism, China's detention of an Australian mining executive is a reminder that doing business here carries risks not found in other major economies. The controversy has sparked heated exchanges between Chinese and Australian officials in recent days, with Australians complaining that the Chinese have not released any evidence backing the charges against Stern Hu, an iron ore negotiator for mining giant Rio Tinto.

The statement wasn't as absurd as it sounded. A journalist here, looking over the crowd that had gathered, said to Lance Armstrong, "It looks as if Jesus Christ is going to cycle." "I've been called a lot of things in my life," Armstrong replied, "but not Jesus Christ. And I don't know that he rode, either. He can do a lot of things, apparently, but I don't know that he rode." Armstrong is back, and with a vengeance.

Adam watched as his mother and father were gunned down. Rosie was just 4 weeks old when her mother died after being caught in a trap. She almost didn't make it. Pixie lost her newborn, who suffered a broken leg, and even after she became pregnant again, was still deeply depressed.

Armored U.N. vehicles were guarding East Timor's leaders today and a beefed-up contingent of Australian troops patrolled streets and searched cars in the wake of rebel attacks Monday on the president and prime minister. The army chief has blamed the United Nations, which oversees a 1,400-member international police force, for failing to protect the country's top leaders and demanded an outside investigation. But the U.N.

G'Day travelers, air fares to Down Under are on their way down. Travel between Sydney, Australia, and Los Angeles, considered one of the more popular but most expensive routes in the world, may be soon be getting more competitive for airlines and cheaper for passengers. After a decade of wrangling, Australian and U.S. negotiators agreed to a landmark aviation pact to open their skies to each other's airlines, and Los Angeles International Airport may become the big winner.

Despite Australia's decision to withdraw all 550 combat troops from Iraq and the ouster of a government closely allied with the Bush administration, the new defense and foreign ministers said Saturday that there was no chill in U.S. relations and pledged not to remove any of their soldiers from southern Afghanistan. After a full day of talks with their American counterparts, the Australian ministers said the U.S.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates wrapped up a six-day visit to three regional democracies Wednesday, working to strengthen ties and upgrade the militaries of all three, which have increasingly complex relationships with a burgeoning China. In two days of talks with Indian leaders, Gates spent more time discussing New Delhi's security challenges with Beijing than with its traditional regional rival Pakistan, according to a senior Defense Department official who attended the meetings.

One of the more popular but most expensive routes in the world is getting some competition, and that means cheaper air fares for Southern California travelers. V Australia, a new airline started by British billionaire Richard Branson, said Monday that it would begin nonstop service between Sydney and Los Angeles International Airport in December with round-trip fares averaging about $250 less than the competition.

Runners bearing the Olympic torch were cheered by thousands of people waving Chinese flags today during a 10-mile relay through this capital, unimpeded by sporadic anti-China protests that led to several arrests. The event began as half a dozen officers in jogging pants, T-shirts and caps formed a loose cordon around the runner. Other officers stood at crowd-control barriers. Overhead, an airplane sky writer wrote the words "Free Tibet" in white.