Maria Sharapova defeated&nbsp;Germany&#39;s Tatjana Maria 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and 18 minutes on Tuesday.

She will either face&nbsp;14th seed Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia or American Varvara Lepchenko.

&quot;Look, I&#39;ve got shivers,&quot; said Sharapova pointing to her arm when asked on the court how much being back in Melbourne meant to her.

&quot;I cherish these moments. I love it here,&quot; she added.

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&quot;It was really meaningful to be out here today.&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/MariaSharapova?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MariaSharapova</a> happy to be back in Melbourne.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/oQkEUUr2cl">pic.twitter.com/oQkEUUr2cl</a>
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&quot;It&#39;s been a couple of years and I wanted it to be really meaningful to me. But we know it&#39;s only going to get tougher.&quot;

The Russian star&nbsp;has won 36 singles titles and&nbsp;marked her presence in the first round of Australian Open after&nbsp;returning from a 15-month doping ban.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-rafa-through-to-second-round-29592" target="_blank">Australian Open: Rafa through to second round</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-belinda-bencic-on-first-round-win-over-venus-williams-29570" target="_blank">Watch: Belinda Bencic on first-round win over Venus Williams</a>

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Sharapova defeated Tatjana Maria 6-1, 6-4 of Germany and likely to meet Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia or American Varvara Lepchenko in the second round

Maria Sharapova defeated Germany's Tatjana Maria 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and 18 minutes on Tuesday. She will either face 14th seed Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia or American Varvara Lepchenko. "Look, I've got shivers," said Sharapova pointing to her arm when asked on the court how much being back in Melbourne meant to her. "I cherish these moments. I love it here," she added. "It was really meaningful to be out here today."@MariaSharapova happy to be back in Melbourne.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/oQkEUUr2cl — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2018 × "It's been a couple of years and I wanted it to be really meaningful to me. But we know it's only going to get tougher." The Russian star has won 36 singles titles and marked her presence in the first round of Australian Open after returning from a 15-month doping ban. Australian Open: Rafa through to second round Watch: Belinda Bencic on first-round win over Venus Williams

Australian Open: Sharapova enters second round after beating Tatjana Maria

Rafael Nadal thrashed Victor Estrella Burgos, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 to qualify for the second round of the Australian Open on Monday on Rod Laver Arena.

He will play Leonardo Mayer of Argentina in the next round.

&quot;I&#39;m very happy to be back, it&#39;s a very important beginning for me. It&#39;s good news for me,&quot; said Rafa.

&quot;I want to enjoy every moment I&#39;m here on this court,&quot; he added.

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Long may we see <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RafaelNadal</a> on Rod Laver Arena! 
 
The World No.1 speaks after progressing through to the second round. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/F9YaRO1XZV">pic.twitter.com/F9YaRO1XZV</a>
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In 94 minutes long game, the Spaniard left no chance to outplay Victor Estrella Burgos, with&nbsp;eight service breaks and 28&nbsp;winners.

Rafa wore no strapping on his knee and appeared in full power and there were no signs of injury to be seen.

He had&nbsp;suffered a knee injury in the past and also missed the scheduled warm-up matches in Brisbane. He even expressed doubts about his fitness just ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year.

Nadal needs to reach the quarter-finals to be certain of retaining his world number one ranking. 
&nbsp;

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Rafael Nadal thrashed Victor Estrella Burgos, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1, to play Argentina's Leonardo Mayer in the next round

Rafael Nadal thrashed Victor Estrella Burgos, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 to qualify for the second round of the Australian Open on Monday on Rod Laver Arena. He will play Leonardo Mayer of Argentina in the next round. "I'm very happy to be back, it's a very important beginning for me. It's good news for me," said Rafa. "I want to enjoy every moment I'm here on this court," he added. Long may we see @RafaelNadal on Rod Laver Arena! The World No.1 speaks after progressing through to the second round. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/F9YaRO1XZV — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 15, 2018 × In 94 minutes long game, the Spaniard left no chance to outplay Victor Estrella Burgos, with eight service breaks and 28 winners. Rafa wore no strapping on his knee and appeared in full power and there were no signs of injury to be seen. He had suffered a knee injury in the past and also missed the scheduled warm-up matches in Brisbane. He even expressed doubts about his fitness just ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year. Nadal needs to reach the quarter-finals to be certain of retaining his world number one ranking.

Australian Open: Rafa through to second round

For the first time since 1997, &nbsp;Australian Open will be without Williams sisters. Serena Williams is already out following the birth of her daughter and Venus failed to qualify for the next round.

20-year-old <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-20-year-old-swiss-belinda-bencic-beats-venus-williams-in-first-round-29535" target="_blank">Belinda Bencic saw off seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams</a> in the first round of Australia Open in straight sets.

Bencic recently featured with 19-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer at the Hopman Cup. He gave her advice and tips to improve the game. She had received a huge confidence boost.

&quot;I think all the week it was so great learning from him on the court or off the court,&quot; Bencic said on Federer.

&quot;Even now, I think it&#39;s amazing he&#39;s giving me advice, trying to give me tips, help me, like, looking how I&#39;m doing. That feels great. I saw him after the match... he was very happy for me,&quot; she added.

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&quot;It feels amazing to have the chance to play against both because I never thought I would ever play against them when I was a little kid.&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/BelindaBencic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BelindaBencic</a> on playing both Serena &amp; Venus.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/LNT9dQFRNF">pic.twitter.com/LNT9dQFRNF</a>
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&quot;Last year is last year. This is, like, a new year. You can&#39;t live in the previous year. It&#39;s impossible,&quot; said Venus Williams after losing.

&nbsp;

Belinda Bencic ranked No-78 beat Venus Williams in straight sets in the first round of the Australian Open on Monday

For the first time since 1997, Australian Open will be without Williams sisters. Serena Williams is already out following the birth of her daughter and Venus failed to qualify for the next round. 20-year-old Belinda Bencic saw off seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in the first round of Australia Open in straight sets. Bencic recently featured with 19-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer at the Hopman Cup. He gave her advice and tips to improve the game. She had received a huge confidence boost. "I think all the week it was so great learning from him on the court or off the court," Bencic said on Federer. "Even now, I think it's amazing he's giving me advice, trying to give me tips, help me, like, looking how I'm doing. That feels great. I saw him after the match... he was very happy for me," she added. "It feels amazing to have the chance to play against both because I never thought I would ever play against them when I was a little kid."@BelindaBencic on playing both Serena & Venus.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/LNT9dQFRNF — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 15, 2018 × "Last year is last year. This is, like, a new year. You can't live in the previous year. It's impossible," said Venus Williams after losing.

Watch: Belinda Bencic on first-round win over Venus Williams

Jelena Ostapenko said that ever since winning the French Open she has become a marked woman with everyone trying to beat her.

That included corset-wearing Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone, who failed in her task in the Australian Open first round on Monday, losing 6-1, 6-4.

World number seven Ostapenko raced through the first set on Rod Laver Arena against the 2010 Roland Garros winner.

But she found herself 4-1 down in the second to the world number 93 who was bizarrely wearing a weightlifter-style back brace over her tennis top.

The big-hitting Latvian soon found her range again and hit back with two breaks of the Schiavone serve, the second achieved with a trademark forehand winner.

Ostapenko then served out with no further alarms to take the match in one hour and 14 minutes.

&quot;I mean, of course, it&#39;s tough, especially after winning at the age of 20. Everybody wants to beat you,&quot; she said of entering a major tournament as a former Grand Slam champion.

&quot;You have to prepare very well for every match. But on the other side, I have nothing to lose. I&#39;ve already won the Grand Slam. I just enjoy every match and show my best.&quot;

Following her French Open success, Ostapenko finished the year in the top 10 for the first time in her career and has taken the leap to being a high-profile player in her stride.

&quot;I think after French I did well at Wimbledon. That gave me even more confidence,&quot; she said.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;ve had a good pre-season, and now I&#39;m ready. I&#39;m looking forward to my second match here.&quot;

That will be against China&#39;s Duan Yingying who overcame Colombia&#39;s Mariana Duque-Marino in straight sets.

&nbsp;

Jelena Ostapenko said that ever since winning the French Open she has become a marked woman with everyone trying to beat her. That included corset-wearing Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone, who failed in her task in the Australian Open first round on Monday, losing 6-1, 6-4. World number seven Ostapenko raced through the first set on Rod Laver Arena against the 2010 Roland Garros winner. But she found herself 4-1 down in the second to the world number 93 who was bizarrely wearing a weightlifter-style back brace over her tennis top. The big-hitting Latvian soon found her range again and hit back with two breaks of the Schiavone serve, the second achieved with a trademark forehand winner. Ostapenko then served out with no further alarms to take the match in one hour and 14 minutes. "I mean, of course, it's tough, especially after winning at the age of 20. Everybody wants to beat you," she said of entering a major tournament as a former Grand Slam champion. "You have to prepare very well for every match. But on the other side, I have nothing to lose. I've already won the Grand Slam. I just enjoy every match and show my best." Following her French Open success, Ostapenko finished the year in the top 10 for the first time in her career and has taken the leap to being a high-profile player in her stride. "I think after French I did well at Wimbledon. That gave me even more confidence," she said. "I've had a good pre-season, and now I'm ready. I'm looking forward to my second match here." That will be against China's Duan Yingying who overcame Colombia's Mariana Duque-Marino in straight sets.

Australian Open: Jelena Ostapenko beats Francesca Schiavone in first round

Bulgaria&#39;s world No.3 Grigor Dimitrov breezed through his opening round in straight sets at the Australian Open on Monday.

Chasing his first Grand Slam title, he was too strong for Austrian qualifier Dennis Novak, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in 98 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

Dimitrov, in Rafael Nadal&#39;s top half of the draw,&nbsp;broke Novak&#39;s service six times and only had two break points on his own serve.

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That&#39;s what you call taking care of business ???? 
 
Third seed <a href="https://twitter.com/GrigorDimitrov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GrigorDimitrov</a> defeats Dennis Novak 6-3 6-2 6-1 on <a href="https://twitter.com/RodLaverArena?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RodLaverArena</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/OBvltbSkM5">pic.twitter.com/OBvltbSkM5</a>
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It was a smooth opening performance by a man who has never been beyond the semi-finals of a Grand Slam.

&quot;I love playing on this court, it was tricky weather with a lot of wind in the warm-up and I tried to be compact and focused,&quot; Dimitrov said.

&quot;It&#39;s always a dream of mine to win a Slam, this is the next step, and the only thing I can do is to give 100 percent in each match.&quot;

&nbsp;

Grigor Dimitrov defeated Dennis Novak in straight sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in 98 minutes

Bulgaria's world No.3 Grigor Dimitrov breezed through his opening round in straight sets at the Australian Open on Monday. Chasing his first Grand Slam title, he was too strong for Austrian qualifier Dennis Novak, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in 98 minutes on Rod Laver Arena. Dimitrov, in Rafael Nadal's top half of the draw, broke Novak's service six times and only had two break points on his own serve. That's what you call taking care of business ???? Third seed @GrigorDimitrov defeats Dennis Novak 6-3 6-2 6-1 on @RodLaverArena.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/OBvltbSkM5 — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 15, 2018 × It was a smooth opening performance by a man who has never been beyond the semi-finals of a Grand Slam. "I love playing on this court, it was tricky weather with a lot of wind in the warm-up and I tried to be compact and focused," Dimitrov said. "It's always a dream of mine to win a Slam, this is the next step, and the only thing I can do is to give 100 percent in each match."

Australian Open: Dimitrov beats Novak in opener

A morning that brought two wickets for England and a sniff of a drought-breaking Ashes win gave way to a bleak afternoon for the tourists on Friday as rain washed out most of day four on Friday and left Australia well-placed to save the fourth test.

The home side were 102 for two in their second innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when rain interrupted play before tea and the showers lingered long enough for umpires to abandon the day without another ball bowled.

David Warner was 40 not out, with captain Steve Smith on 25 and Australia still needing another 61 runs to make England bat again.

But even with the promise of reverse swing, Joe Root`s bowlers face a big task on an unresponsive pitch to prevent Australia&#39;s batsmen from batting them out of the game.

&quot;(The pitch) is getting slower,&quot; Australia coach Darren Lehmann told host broadcaster Channel Nine. &quot;It`s tough work for a new batter. So once you`re in, you`ve got to stay in.

&quot;Our boys are fighting really hard. A couple of good (England) balls to get the wickets and Smith and the vice- captain (Warner) went about their work.&quot;

Australia regained the Ashes after the third test in Perth and hold an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series but England had hope of cracking a first win after Alastair Cook&#39;s unbeaten 244 propelled them to a first innings lead of 164.

They had resumed their first innings on 491-9 in the morning but were unable to extend their total, with tail-ender James Anderson dismissed first ball by paceman Pat Cummins, fending a catch straight to Cameron Bancroft at short leg.

That left former captain Cook unbeaten on his overnight score, a record total among openers who have carried their bat through an innings.

Cook became the 46th player to achieve the feat in tests and also the first England batsman to do so in 20 years, since Mike Atherton&#39;s 94 not out against New Zealand in Christchurch in 1997.

Australia&#39;s second innings began brightly on a cloudy but dry morning, with England losing a review for a caught behind decision when opener Bancroft played at a Tom Curran ball in the seventh over of the innings.

However, the tourists seamers struck twice to leave Australia wobbling at 65-2 before Warner and Smith showed patience and poise in their unbroken stand of 38.

All-rounder Chris Woakes made the early breakthrough, bowling Bancroft for 27, with England quick Anderson having number three Usman Khawaja caught behind for 11.

Australia resumed on 70-2 after lunch but added only 16 runs before the first rain interruption.

Play was soon back on but only another 33 minutes were possible before the session was brought to a premature close.

The home side were 102 for two in their second innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when rain interrupted play before tea and the showers lingered long enough for umpires to abandon the day without another ball bowled.

A morning that brought two wickets for England and a sniff of a drought-breaking Ashes win gave way to a bleak afternoon for the tourists on Friday as rain washed out most of day four on Friday and left Australia well-placed to save the fourth test. The home side were 102 for two in their second innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when rain interrupted play before tea and the showers lingered long enough for umpires to abandon the day without another ball bowled. David Warner was 40 not out, with captain Steve Smith on 25 and Australia still needing another 61 runs to make England bat again. But even with the promise of reverse swing, Joe Root`s bowlers face a big task on an unresponsive pitch to prevent Australia's batsmen from batting them out of the game. "(The pitch) is getting slower," Australia coach Darren Lehmann told host broadcaster Channel Nine. "It`s tough work for a new batter. So once you`re in, you`ve got to stay in. "Our boys are fighting really hard. A couple of good (England) balls to get the wickets and Smith and the vice- captain (Warner) went about their work." Australia regained the Ashes after the third test in Perth and hold an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series but England had hope of cracking a first win after Alastair Cook's unbeaten 244 propelled them to a first innings lead of 164. They had resumed their first innings on 491-9 in the morning but were unable to extend their total, with tail-ender James Anderson dismissed first ball by paceman Pat Cummins, fending a catch straight to Cameron Bancroft at short leg. That left former captain Cook unbeaten on his overnight score, a record total among openers who have carried their bat through an innings. Cook became the 46th player to achieve the feat in tests and also the first England batsman to do so in 20 years, since Mike Atherton's 94 not out against New Zealand in Christchurch in 1997. Australia's second innings began brightly on a cloudy but dry morning, with England losing a review for a caught behind decision when opener Bancroft played at a Tom Curran ball in the seventh over of the innings. However, the tourists seamers struck twice to leave Australia wobbling at 65-2 before Warner and Smith showed patience and poise in their unbroken stand of 38. All-rounder Chris Woakes made the early breakthrough, bowling Bancroft for 27, with England quick Anderson having number three Usman Khawaja caught behind for 11. Australia resumed on 70-2 after lunch but added only 16 runs before the first rain interruption. Play was soon back on but only another 33 minutes were possible before the session was brought to a premature close.

Ashes: Rain hits England's hopes of win

A car ploughed into a crowd in Australia&#39;s second-largest city on Thursday injuring 19 people in what police said was a &quot;deliberate act&quot; but one they did not believe was terror-related.

Witnesses said people were thrown through the air after being hit by the vehicle, which did not appear to be trying to stop as it &quot;mowed everybody down&quot; at a busy intersection in downtown Melbourne.

Victoria state police said the 32-year-old driver, an Australian of Afghan descent, was known to authorities for traffic and &quot;minor assault&quot; offences and had mental health issues.

Video:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/australia-car-hits-pedestrians-in-melbourne-several-injured-27349" target="_blank">Car hits pedestrians in Melbourne, several injured</a>

The car was driven &quot;intentionally&quot; through the intersection and collided with a &quot;large number&quot; of pedestrians, Acting Chief Commissioner Shane Patton told reporters in Melbourne.

The driver &quot;has a history of drug use and mental health issues... At this time we do not have any evidence or intelligence to indicate a connection with terrorism&quot; or extremism, he said.

The man was arrested after a tussle with an off-duty police officer.

Investigators were waiting to interview the driver, who was in hospital under police guard.

Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews, called the incident an &quot;evil, deliberate, cowardly act&quot; that left 19 people hurt -- four of them critically.

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A man sits at the scene of the incident. (Reuters)
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Police and emergency services attend to the scene of the incident. (Reuters)
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&#39;Thump, thump&#39; 
In a tweet, police appealed to members of the public to upload any images they might have of the incident to help assist with their investigation.

A witness, named only as Sue, told Melbourne radio station 3AW that she heard screams and saw &quot;people flying everywhere&quot;.

&quot;We could hear this noise, as we looked left, we saw this white car, it just mowed everybody down,&quot; she said.

&quot;People are flying everywhere. We heard thump, thump. People are running everywhere.&quot;

Another witness, John, told ABC Radio Melbourne that he saw an &quot;SUV coming at high speed&quot;.

&quot;(I) really just heard the collision with people with bags and what must be shopping trolleys -- and I hope not prams,&quot; he said.

&quot;I&#39;ve really never seen anything like this before and I haven&#39;t stopped shaking.&quot;

The intersection is one of Melbourne&#39;s busiest, a local shop owner told national broadcaster ABC, and is particularly crowded at this time of the year ahead of the Christmas break, with school holidays under way.

Vehicle attacks 
The incident came after a car mowed down pedestrians in Melbourne&#39;s busiest mall in January, killing six people.

The driver, whose case is still being heard in court, had been pursued by police prior to the rampage after he had allegedly stabbed his brother.

Canberra has become increasingly worried about homegrown extremism and officials say they have prevented 13 terror attacks on home soil in the past few years.

The Australian government in August unveiled a strategy aimed at preventing vehicle attacks in crowded public places.

Suggested steps include deterrent options like fencing and closed circuit cameras, and delaying approaches such as trees and bollards to slow down vehicles.

Melbourne has also been installing a public siren system and more security cameras to warn people of a possible terrorist attack or other serious threats.

Andrews said there would an inquiry into the incident, and whether any further changes to Melbourne&#39;s security measures needed to be made.

Over the next few days, hundreds more police would patrol the city, he added.

While the circumstances surrounding Thursday&#39;s incident were still unclear, there have been several cases of vehicles being used to deliberately maim and kill.

The most deadly such case was in the southern French city of Nice on July 14, 2016, when 31-year-old Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel ploughed a 19-tonne truck down a beachside promenade, killing 86 people and injuring hundreds more.

Other deadly attacks using vehicles have taken place in &nbsp;Berlin, New York, London, Stockholm and Barcelona.

Witnesses said people were thrown through the air after being hit by the vehicle, which did not appear to be trying to stop as it 'mowed everybody down' at a busy intersection in downtown Melbourne

A car ploughed into a crowd in Australia's second-largest city on Thursday injuring 19 people in what police said was a "deliberate act" but one they did not believe was terror-related. Witnesses said people were thrown through the air after being hit by the vehicle, which did not appear to be trying to stop as it "mowed everybody down" at a busy intersection in downtown Melbourne. Victoria state police said the 32-year-old driver, an Australian of Afghan descent, was known to authorities for traffic and "minor assault" offences and had mental health issues. Video: Car hits pedestrians in Melbourne, several injured The car was driven "intentionally" through the intersection and collided with a "large number" of pedestrians, Acting Chief Commissioner Shane Patton told reporters in Melbourne. The driver "has a history of drug use and mental health issues... At this time we do not have any evidence or intelligence to indicate a connection with terrorism" or extremism, he said. The man was arrested after a tussle with an off-duty police officer. Investigators were waiting to interview the driver, who was in hospital under police guard. Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews, called the incident an "evil, deliberate, cowardly act" that left 19 people hurt -- four of them critically. A man sits at the scene of the incident. (Reuters) × Police and emergency services attend to the scene of the incident. (Reuters) × 'Thump, thump' In a tweet, police appealed to members of the public to upload any images they might have of the incident to help assist with their investigation. A witness, named only as Sue, told Melbourne radio station 3AW that she heard screams and saw "people flying everywhere". "We could hear this noise, as we looked left, we saw this white car, it just mowed everybody down," she said. "People are flying everywhere. We heard thump, thump. People are running everywhere." Another witness, John, told ABC Radio Melbourne that he saw an "SUV coming at high speed". "(I) really just heard the collision with people with bags and what must be shopping trolleys -- and I hope not prams," he said. "I've really never seen anything like this before and I haven't stopped shaking." The intersection is one of Melbourne's busiest, a local shop owner told national broadcaster ABC, and is particularly crowded at this time of the year ahead of the Christmas break, with school holidays under way. Vehicle attacks The incident came after a car mowed down pedestrians in Melbourne's busiest mall in January, killing six people. The driver, whose case is still being heard in court, had been pursued by police prior to the rampage after he had allegedly stabbed his brother. Canberra has become increasingly worried about homegrown extremism and officials say they have prevented 13 terror attacks on home soil in the past few years. The Australian government in August unveiled a strategy aimed at preventing vehicle attacks in crowded public places. Suggested steps include deterrent options like fencing and closed circuit cameras, and delaying approaches such as trees and bollards to slow down vehicles. Melbourne has also been installing a public siren system and more security cameras to warn people of a possible terrorist attack or other serious threats. Andrews said there would an inquiry into the incident, and whether any further changes to Melbourne's security measures needed to be made. Over the next few days, hundreds more police would patrol the city, he added. While the circumstances surrounding Thursday's incident were still unclear, there have been several cases of vehicles being used to deliberately maim and kill. The most deadly such case was in the southern French city of Nice on July 14, 2016, when 31-year-old Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel ploughed a 19-tonne truck down a beachside promenade, killing 86 people and injuring hundreds more. Other deadly attacks using vehicles have taken place in Berlin, New York, London, Stockholm and Barcelona.

Australia car ramming: 19 hurt; police say 'deliberate act' but not terror-related

Cricket Australia (CA) has recovered thousands of scalped tickets for the third Ashes test against England in Perth, the governing body said on Wednesday.

The 2,890 tickets were &quot;identified as linked to scalped tickets being sold at a premium&quot; on online market place eBay, CA said in a statement.

The tickets for the Dec. 14-18 Test at the WACA will go back on sale on August&nbsp;28.

The five-Test Ashes series against current holders England is one of Australia&#39;s most well-attended sporting events. The first Test starts in Brisbane on November&nbsp;23.

The 2,890 tickets were "identified as linked to scalped tickets being sold at a premium" on online market place eBay

Cricket Australia (CA) has recovered thousands of scalped tickets for the third Ashes test against England in Perth, the governing body said on Wednesday. The 2,890 tickets were "identified as linked to scalped tickets being sold at a premium" on online market place eBay, CA said in a statement. The tickets for the Dec. 14-18 Test at the WACA will go back on sale on August 28. The five-Test Ashes series against current holders England is one of Australia's most well-attended sporting events. The first Test starts in Brisbane on November 23.

Ashes tickets resold online at a premium, recovered by Cricket Australia

Australian cyclist Shane Perkins has been given the green light to attain Russian citizenship by President Vladimir Putin, paving the way for the twice world champion to represent his new country at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The Melbourne-born 30-year-old won a sprint bronze for Australia at the 2012 Olympics in London but missed out on selection for last year&#39;s Rio Games.

&quot;The President resolved to grant Russian Federation citizenship to Shane Alan Perkins,&quot; the Kremlin said in a statement on its website. 
Perkins posted a picture of himself on Twitter wearing Russia colours on his bike and wrote: &quot;I&#39;m the most excited guy in the world right now! I can make my dreams come true!&quot;

Perkins, a good friend of Russia&#39;s reigning world champion sprinter Denis Dmitriev, who took bronze in the sprint at Rio, began seriously considering defecting less than a year ago, frustrated at being shut out of Australia&#39;s high performance programme, he told local media.

Perkins&#39; father Daryl, a former national champion, raced in the now defunct tandem sprint with Ian Browne at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. They were beaten by the silver medal-winning Soviet Union pair of Imants Bodnieks and Viktor Logunov in the quarter-finals.

Australia has granted citizenship to a number of top Russian athletes over the years, including women&#39;s tennis player Daria Gavrilova, the world number 26, and former European champion speed skater Tatiana Borodulina.

The Melbourne-born 30-year-old won a sprint bronze for Australia at the 2012 Olympics in London but missed out on selection for last year's Rio Games.

Australian cyclist Shane Perkins has been given the green light to attain Russian citizenship by President Vladimir Putin, paving the way for the twice world champion to represent his new country at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The Melbourne-born 30-year-old won a sprint bronze for Australia at the 2012 Olympics in London but missed out on selection for last year's Rio Games. "The President resolved to grant Russian Federation citizenship to Shane Alan Perkins," the Kremlin said in a statement on its website. Perkins posted a picture of himself on Twitter wearing Russia colours on his bike and wrote: "I'm the most excited guy in the world right now! I can make my dreams come true!" Perkins, a good friend of Russia's reigning world champion sprinter Denis Dmitriev, who took bronze in the sprint at Rio, began seriously considering defecting less than a year ago, frustrated at being shut out of Australia's high performance programme, he told local media. Perkins' father Daryl, a former national champion, raced in the now defunct tandem sprint with Ian Browne at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. They were beaten by the silver medal-winning Soviet Union pair of Imants Bodnieks and Viktor Logunov in the quarter-finals. Australia has granted citizenship to a number of top Russian athletes over the years, including women's tennis player Daria Gavrilova, the world number 26, and former European champion speed skater Tatiana Borodulina.

Cyclist Perkins gets nod from Putin for Russia switch

A light aircraft exploded Tuesday in a &quot;massive fireball&quot; with police saying none of the five people aboard survived as it smashed into a shopping centre near the Australian city of Melbourne.

The Beechcraft plane veered just after take-off into the shopping centre, that was still closed, next to Essendon Fields airport.

&quot;Five on the aircraft and looks like no-one has survived the crash,&quot; said Victoria police assistant commissioner Stephen Leane.

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<h5>Live television footage showed burned out wreckage, flames and major damage at the shopping centre and adjacent buildings</h5>
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Victoria premier Daniel Andrews described it as the state&#39;s worst air accident in three decades.

The private charter from Essendon, north of Melbourne, to King Island, 55 minutes to the south, came down just short of a major motorway packed with the heavy traffic of early morning commuters.

Live television footage showed burned out wreckage, flames and major damage at the shopping centre and adjacent buildings.

A column of thick black smoke rose into the air as witnesses spoke of an explosion.

&quot;It appears a light plane, which is a charter flight, has impacted the DFO (Direct Factory Outlet) at Essendon Fields,&quot; police minister Lisa Neville said.

The centre was not due to open for another hour and the authorities confirmed no one inside was hurt.

&quot;There&#39;s also debris that&#39;s been left on the freeway,&quot; she added.

A taxi driver called ABC radio and told of the &quot;massive fireball&quot;.

&quot;I saw this plane ... when it hit the building there was a massive fireball,&quot; said the man called Jason.

&quot;I could feel the heat through the window of the taxi, and then a wheel -- it looked like a plane wheel -- bounced on the road and hit the front of the taxi as we were driving along.&quot;

Victoria police superintendent Mick Frewen said investigations centred on a &quot;catastrophic engine failure&quot;.

The flight made a May-Day call before crashing, he added.

A DFO shopworker identified as Ash told Sky News he saw &quot;the fireball go up into the air&quot;, adding it &quot;felt like a bomb had gone off&quot;.

&quot;The fire was just so hot we could not get anywhere near it,&quot; he said. &quot;We could see the wreckage, or what was left of it.

Plumber Michael Howard, 29, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he saw a &quot;blue flash&quot;.

&quot;I was ... just looking out the window ... and then all of a sudden I just saw a blue flash come down and then all of a sudden there was a massive fireball.&quot;

&quot;It was like something from a movie,&quot; Howard said.

Melbourne fire brigade chief Paul Stacchino tweeted that &quot;more than 60 firefighters have worked hard to bring the fire ... under control. Crews to remain on scene for some time&quot;.

The Australian Safety Transport Bureau said it had sent investigators to the scene.

Essendon Fields had been closed and all traffic diverted to Melbourne&#39;s two larger airports Tullamarine and Avalon.

One side of a major freeway which runs alongside the local airport remained shut to allow wreckage to be cleared.

(AFP)

&nbsp;

All five casualties were on board the plane

A light aircraft exploded Tuesday in a "massive fireball" with police saying none of the five people aboard survived as it smashed into a shopping centre near the Australian city of Melbourne. The Beechcraft plane veered just after take-off into the shopping centre, that was still closed, next to Essendon Fields airport. "Five on the aircraft and looks like no-one has survived the crash," said Victoria police assistant commissioner Stephen Leane. Live television footage showed burned out wreckage, flames and major damage at the shopping centre and adjacent buildings × Victoria premier Daniel Andrews described it as the state's worst air accident in three decades. The private charter from Essendon, north of Melbourne, to King Island, 55 minutes to the south, came down just short of a major motorway packed with the heavy traffic of early morning commuters. Live television footage showed burned out wreckage, flames and major damage at the shopping centre and adjacent buildings. A column of thick black smoke rose into the air as witnesses spoke of an explosion. "It appears a light plane, which is a charter flight, has impacted the DFO (Direct Factory Outlet) at Essendon Fields," police minister Lisa Neville said. The centre was not due to open for another hour and the authorities confirmed no one inside was hurt. "There's also debris that's been left on the freeway," she added. A taxi driver called ABC radio and told of the "massive fireball". "I saw this plane ... when it hit the building there was a massive fireball," said the man called Jason. "I could feel the heat through the window of the taxi, and then a wheel -- it looked like a plane wheel -- bounced on the road and hit the front of the taxi as we were driving along." Victoria police superintendent Mick Frewen said investigations centred on a "catastrophic engine failure". The flight made a May-Day call before crashing, he added. A DFO shopworker identified as Ash told Sky News he saw "the fireball go up into the air", adding it "felt like a bomb had gone off". "The fire was just so hot we could not get anywhere near it," he said. "We could see the wreckage, or what was left of it. Plumber Michael Howard, 29, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he saw a "blue flash". "I was ... just looking out the window ... and then all of a sudden I just saw a blue flash come down and then all of a sudden there was a massive fireball." "It was like something from a movie," Howard said. Melbourne fire brigade chief Paul Stacchino tweeted that "more than 60 firefighters have worked hard to bring the fire ... under control. Crews to remain on scene for some time". The Australian Safety Transport Bureau said it had sent investigators to the scene. Essendon Fields had been closed and all traffic diverted to Melbourne's two larger airports Tullamarine and Avalon. One side of a major freeway which runs alongside the local airport remained shut to allow wreckage to be cleared. (AFP)

Five dead after light plane crashes into shopping centre near Melbourne

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