Detectives investigating race riots that rocked Sydney last week seized a pistol, ammunition, knives and smoke bombs in a series of raids today.

A heavy police presence at beaches in southern Sydney over the weekend prevented a repeat of racial violence that rocked the city a week ago and headed off potential tragedies, a senior officer said today.

POLICE seized petrol bombs, knives and iron bars around Sydney beaches yesterday, along with mobile phones used to spread racist messages, in a huge security operation to prevent fresh inter-communal violence.

AUSTRALIANS were warned yesterday to stay away from beaches in three cities this weekend with police saying they have credible evidence that racial violence was being planned.

New South Wales state parliament passed emergency laws today empowering police to crack down on race rioters after several days and nights of unrest plagued Sydney’s southern beach suburbs.

Police in Sydney expect more violence over the weekend following the race riots that rocked southern beachside suburbs for two days this week, a state government minister said today.

ATTACKS linked to two nights of race rioting in Sydney were reported in two other Australian cities yesterday, but an uneasy calm returned to the streets of Sydney.

Australia’s leader said race riots in Sydney involving whites and youths of Middle Eastern appearance in recent days were appalling, and that all parties must be prosecuted regardless of their background or grievances.

YOUNG people riding in vehicles smashed cars and store windows in suburban Sydney late yesterday, a day after thousands of drunken white youths attacked people they believed were of Middle Eastern descent at a beach in the same area in one of Australia’s worst outbursts of racial violence.

Violence has erupted in Sydney for a second night in a row, as youths battered cars and smashed store windows, police said.

Police formed a strike force today to track down the instigators of a day and night of racial riots that left more than 30 people injured in a string of Sydney beachside suburbs.

RACIAL tensions erupted yesterday into running battles between police and thousands of white youths, many chanting racial slurs against ethnic Middle Easterners, at a beachside suburb in southern Sydney.

Racial tensions erupted today into running battles between police and thousands of white youths, many chanting racial slurs against ethnic Middle Easterners, at a beachside suburb in southern Sydney.

Scotland opted to practise their line-out sessions in secret today in a bid to keep the Australians guessing before next weekend’s quarter-final shoot-out at the Suncorp stadium.

Scotland captain Bryan Redpath was forced to miss training at Shark Park, Cronulla today after stubbing his toe getting into bed.

Leeds prop Gavin Kerr has been forced to fly home from Scotland’s World Cup campaign after suffering a neck injury during last night’s 51-9 defeat to France at Telstra Stadium.

NAMIBIA have drastically altered their team and tactics for the game against Ireland tomorrow after the harsh lesson knocked into them by Argentina in Gosford this week.