The inaugural edition of the $15 million ATP Cup men's team event will be hosted in Sydney, Brisbane and one other city in the lead-up up to the Australian Open next January, Tennis Australia announced on Monday (January 7).

Sydney, which will host the final, announced a $50.5 million ($36 million) upgrade of the Olympic Tennis Centre venue on Friday (January 4), which includes putting a roof on the main showcourt. Perth, which has hosted the mixed team Hopman Cup for the last 30 years, and Adelaide are the other cities likely to be in the running to host the group stage of the event.

The 24-team tournament is seen as a threat to the International Tennis Federation's (ITF) revamped 18-nation Davis Cup competition starting in Madrid in November.

The new ATP event also has major implications for the other men's and mixed events in Australia and further afield that have traditionally been used by players to prepare for the year's first grand slam at Melbourne Park.

The inaugural edition of the $15 million ATP Cup men's team event will be hosted in Sydney, Brisbane and one other city in the lead-up up to the Australian Open next January, Tennis Australia announced on Monday (January 7).

The inaugural edition of the $15 million ATP Cup men's team event will be hosted in Sydney, Brisbane and one other city in the lead-up up to the Australian Open next January, Tennis Australia announced on Monday (January 7). Sydney, which will host the final, announced a $50.5 million ($36 million) upgrade of the Olympic Tennis Centre venue on Friday (January 4), which includes putting a roof on the main showcourt. Perth, which has hosted the mixed team Hopman Cup for the last 30 years, and Adelaide are the other cities likely to be in the running to host the group stage of the event. The 24-team tournament is seen as a threat to the International Tennis Federation's (ITF) revamped 18-nation Davis Cup competition starting in Madrid in November. The new ATP event also has major implications for the other men's and mixed events in Australia and further afield that have traditionally been used by players to prepare for the year's first grand slam at Melbourne Park.

ATP Cup men's team event goes to Sydney and Brisbane

Wildfires burned in parts of Australia`s densely-populated southeast on Saturday, although weather officials expected falling temperatures to bring relief for Sydney by early afternoon.

One fire in eastern Victoria, the second most populous state, prompted fire authorities to issue a watch and act warning for residents in 14 different towns.&nbsp;

The fire near Rosedale, about 200 km (124 miles) east of Melbourne, had burnt more than 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres) and sudden wind changes on Friday created risky conditions for roughly 40 firefighters, an emergency official said.

"They found themselves in a very serious situation and they were shaken," Andrew Crisp, the state`s emergency management commissioner, told reporters on Saturday.&nbsp;

The origin of the Rosedale fire and another in Victoria were being treated as suspicious, with police and fire authorities investigating their cause, he added.

In the southern island state of Tasmania, a bushfire had burnt through 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) of southwestern wilderness by Saturday, fire officials said.

Both Victoria and Tasmania had sweltered through above average temperatures on Friday, with Melbourne recording a near-record 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 F) and Hobart reaching 40 C (104 F).

But both states will see far cooler temperatures over the weekend, following a rapid cool change on Friday, weather officials said.

"At 4.00 p.m., (Melbourne) was at 42 degrees, by 4.20 p.m. it was down to 26 degrees, and then continued to drop after that," Keris Arndt, a meteorologist with the weather bureau, told Reuters.&nbsp;

Yet by Saturday morning the cooling temperatures had not reached parts of Sydney, Australia`s most populous city, where the mercury reached almost 38 C (100.4 F) by midday.

A Bureau of Meteorology forecaster told Reuters the weather pattern that brought temperature drops to Melbourne and Tasmania was expected to reach Sydney by afternoon.

Wildfires burned in parts of Australia`s densely-populated southeast on Saturday, although weather officials expected falling temperatures to bring relief for Sydney by early afternoon.

Wildfires burned in parts of Australia`s densely-populated southeast on Saturday, although weather officials expected falling temperatures to bring relief for Sydney by early afternoon. One fire in eastern Victoria, the second most populous state, prompted fire authorities to issue a watch and act warning for residents in 14 different towns. The fire near Rosedale, about 200 km (124 miles) east of Melbourne, had burnt more than 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres) and sudden wind changes on Friday created risky conditions for roughly 40 firefighters, an emergency official said. "They found themselves in a very serious situation and they were shaken," Andrew Crisp, the state`s emergency management commissioner, told reporters on Saturday. The origin of the Rosedale fire and another in Victoria were being treated as suspicious, with police and fire authorities investigating their cause, he added. In the southern island state of Tasmania, a bushfire had burnt through 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) of southwestern wilderness by Saturday, fire officials said. Both Victoria and Tasmania had sweltered through above average temperatures on Friday, with Melbourne recording a near-record 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 F) and Hobart reaching 40 C (104 F). But both states will see far cooler temperatures over the weekend, following a rapid cool change on Friday, weather officials said. "At 4.00 p.m., (Melbourne) was at 42 degrees, by 4.20 p.m. it was down to 26 degrees, and then continued to drop after that," Keris Arndt, a meteorologist with the weather bureau, told Reuters. Yet by Saturday morning the cooling temperatures had not reached parts of Sydney, Australia`s most populous city, where the mercury reached almost 38 C (100.4 F) by midday. A Bureau of Meteorology forecaster told Reuters the weather pattern that brought temperature drops to Melbourne and Tasmania was expected to reach Sydney by afternoon.

Bushfires rage in Australia's southeast but Sydney temperatures could drop

Indian wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant has been magnificent so far in the Test series against Australia. He slammed his second Test century in the first innings of the final Test on Friday at Sydney Cricket Ground.&nbsp;

The 21-year-old scored an unbeaten 159 runs off 189 balls to record the highest ever score by an Indian wicket-keeper in an away Test.&nbsp;

He also became the first Indian wicket-keeper to score a hundred on Australia soil.

In the ongoing Test series, Pant earned praises for his batting, wicket-keeping skills and good-humoured on-pitch banter.

Apart from that, the Sydney Test became even more interesting for Pant when a bunch of Indian fans started chanting his name from the SCG stands,&nbsp; singing a hilarious song.&nbsp;

The lyrics of the song goes as: 
"We've got Pant 
Rishab Pant 
I just don't think you’ll understand&nbsp; 
He'll hit you for a six 
He'll babysit your kids&nbsp; 
We’ve got Rishab Pant

The video was posted via the Twitter handle of @thebharatarmy [The Bharat Army], that claims to be the global Indian cricket supporters group.

Watch the song here:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> 
We’ve got Pant 
Rishab Pant 
I just don’t think you’ll understand 
He’ll hit you for a six 
He’ll babysit your kids 
We’ve got Rishab Pant 
. 
. 
.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BharatArmySongBook?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BharatArmySongBook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabPant777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RishabPant777</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BharatArmy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BharatArmy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/12thMan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#12thMan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeveGotPant?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeveGotPant</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COTI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COTI</a> 🇮🇳👶🍼 <a href="https://t.co/ZiXaPWqi6M">pic.twitter.com/ZiXaPWqi6M</a>
— The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/thebharatarmy/status/1080987378590728193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Earlier Pant, whose picture of holding Tim Paine's son along with the Australian skipper's wife Bonnie went viral after the "babysitter" banter by Paine.&nbsp;

The incident happened when Pant was batting in the Melbourne Test.&nbsp;

"Big MS (Dhoni) is back in the one-day squad too, we might get him (Pant) down to the (Hobart) Hurricanes we need a batter. Fancy that, Pantsy? Extend your little Aussie holiday. Beautiful town Hobart too, I'll get you a nice apartment on the waterfront. (I'll) have him over for dinner. Can you babysit? I'll take the wife to the movies one night and you'll look after the kids," Paine was heard saying on the stump mic.&nbsp;

However, Pant said, "That (banter) is also one of the methods to keep yourself positive and to keep yourself busy. "

Indian wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant has been magnificent so far in the Test series against Australia. He slammed his second Test century in the first innings of the final Test on Friday at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Indian wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant has been magnificent so far in the Test series against Australia. He slammed his second Test century in the first innings of the final Test on Friday at Sydney Cricket Ground. The 21-year-old scored an unbeaten 159 runs off 189 balls to record the highest ever score by an Indian wicket-keeper in an away Test. He also became the first Indian wicket-keeper to score a hundred on Australia soil. In the ongoing Test series, Pant earned praises for his batting, wicket-keeping skills and good-humoured on-pitch banter. Apart from that, the Sydney Test became even more interesting for Pant when a bunch of Indian fans started chanting his name from the SCG stands, singing a hilarious song. The lyrics of the song goes as: "We've got Pant Rishab Pant I just don't think you’ll understand He'll hit you for a six He'll babysit your kids We’ve got Rishab Pant The video was posted via the Twitter handle of @thebharatarmy [The Bharat Army], that claims to be the global Indian cricket supporters group. Watch the song here: #AUSvIND We’ve got Pant Rishab Pant I just don’t think you’ll understand He’ll hit you for a six He’ll babysit your kids We’ve got Rishab Pant . . .#BharatArmySongBook @RishabPant777 #BharatArmy #TeamIndia #12thMan #WeveGotPant #COTI 🇮🇳👶🍼 pic.twitter.com/ZiXaPWqi6M — The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) January 4, 2019 × Earlier Pant, whose picture of holding Tim Paine's son along with the Australian skipper's wife Bonnie went viral after the "babysitter" banter by Paine. The incident happened when Pant was batting in the Melbourne Test. "Big MS (Dhoni) is back in the one-day squad too, we might get him (Pant) down to the (Hobart) Hurricanes we need a batter. Fancy that, Pantsy? Extend your little Aussie holiday. Beautiful town Hobart too, I'll get you a nice apartment on the waterfront. (I'll) have him over for dinner. Can you babysit? I'll take the wife to the movies one night and you'll look after the kids," Paine was heard saying on the stump mic. However, Pant said, "That (banter) is also one of the methods to keep yourself positive and to keep yourself busy. "

Watch: Hilarious song composed for Rishabh Pant by fans

The spectacular fireworks show on Sydney's harbour that rang in 2019 and dazzled spectators around the world was picture perfect, except for one element -- it got the year wrong.

More than 1.5 million people packed the harbour front of Australia's largest city to watch the extravaganza, and noticed a signage beamed onto one of the Sydney Harbour Bridge's pylons had the words "Happy New Year 2018!"

Photos of the typo were shared on social media sites.

"According to Sydney, it's still 2018, so I'm going back to bed," one Twitter user quipped.

Another wrote: "Oh will this horrible year never end."

Organisers the City of Sydney, who invested huge resources and time into planning one of the world's first New Year's parties, saw the funny side of the mistake.

"We just laughed about it, you know these things happen as we said, it takes 15 months to organise an event of this size and scale," the fireworks' executive producer Anna McInerney told reporters in Sydney Tuesday.

"Obviously we weren't pleased, but look you move on, you just get back to doing the show."

The spectacular fireworks show on Sydney's harbour that rang in 2019 and dazzled spectators around the world was picture perfect, except for one element -- it got the year wrong.

The spectacular fireworks show on Sydney's harbour that rang in 2019 and dazzled spectators around the world was picture perfect, except for one element -- it got the year wrong. More than 1.5 million people packed the harbour front of Australia's largest city to watch the extravaganza, and noticed a signage beamed onto one of the Sydney Harbour Bridge's pylons had the words "Happy New Year 2018!" Photos of the typo were shared on social media sites. "According to Sydney, it's still 2018, so I'm going back to bed," one Twitter user quipped. Another wrote: "Oh will this horrible year never end." Organisers the City of Sydney, who invested huge resources and time into planning one of the world's first New Year's parties, saw the funny side of the mistake. "We just laughed about it, you know these things happen as we said, it takes 15 months to organise an event of this size and scale," the fireworks' executive producer Anna McInerney told reporters in Sydney Tuesday. "Obviously we weren't pleased, but look you move on, you just get back to doing the show."

Sydney puts on dazzling 2019 fireworks, but gets the year wrong

Sydney explodes into 2019 with spectacular fireworks

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - December 21st, 2018

Breaking News: Jim Mattis to step down in February, 2019

Torrential rain and gale force winds lashed Australia's biggest city Sydney on Wednesday causing commuter chaos, flooding streets, railway stations and homes, grounding flights and leaving hundreds of people without electricity.

The New South Wales State Emergency Service answered hundreds of calls for assistance and reported 15 successful flood rescues.

One person was killed in a car crash during the storm and two police officers were seriously injured when a tree fell on them as they assisted a stranded motorist. New South Wales Ambulance said nine people in Sydney were transported to hospital.

Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said within just a few hours, Sydney received more than 100 mm of rain, a level that the country's most populous city would normally receive throughout the whole of November.

Sydney Airport, the country's busiest, said it cancelled at least 20 flights after closing two of its three runways, while the majority of flights that continued suffered delays.

Torrential rain and gale force winds lashed Australia's biggest city Sydney on Wednesday causing commuter chaos, flooding streets, railway stations and homes, grounding flights and leaving hundreds of people without electricity.

Torrential rain and gale force winds lashed Australia's biggest city Sydney on Wednesday causing commuter chaos, flooding streets, railway stations and homes, grounding flights and leaving hundreds of people without electricity. The New South Wales State Emergency Service answered hundreds of calls for assistance and reported 15 successful flood rescues. One person was killed in a car crash during the storm and two police officers were seriously injured when a tree fell on them as they assisted a stranded motorist. New South Wales Ambulance said nine people in Sydney were transported to hospital. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said within just a few hours, Sydney received more than 100 mm of rain, a level that the country's most populous city would normally receive throughout the whole of November. Sydney Airport, the country's busiest, said it cancelled at least 20 flights after closing two of its three runways, while the majority of flights that continued suffered delays.

Torrential rain lashes Sydney causing flash flooding

Australia won the toss and opted to bat in the third and final T20I match against India at Sydney's cricket stadium on Sunday.

Aaron Finch-led Australia are leading the three-match series 1-0 after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/1st-t20i-rohit-falls-cheaply-in-174-chase-178589">winning the first match</a> at Brisbane, while the second match was called off due to heavy rains in Melbourne on Friday.

After winning the toss, Finch said, "Looks a pretty good wicket, a bit dry and if we can put runs on the board, we are backing ourselves to defend anything,"

Australian pace spearhead has been <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australia-star-pacer-mitchell-starc-summoned-for-india-t20-179109">Mitchell Starc called up</a> for his first Twenty20 international in two years. He replaced Jason Behrendorff.

Stanlake was ruled out of the series decider after sustaining an ankle injury in the warm-up before the washed-out second T20I.

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Australia wins the toss and they have put us to bowl first <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/yNo3RdNrvo">pic.twitter.com/yNo3RdNrvo</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1066593006579576832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"It's exciting to have Mitchy back in the side, it's been two years since he's played a game and is raring to go," said Finch.

On the other hand, Virat Kohli's will enter Sydney Cricket Ground with the same combination.

"The last game we played here, we chased down a big score. Even at the MCG, we were able to restrict them to a decent score," said Indian skipper Virat Kohli.

"It's always lovely to play in Sydney, we get a lot of support here. Always a full house and 85 per cent Indian fans here," he added.

"Our intensity was right up there in the last game and we're really looking forward to this one."

Playing XI:

India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Virat Kohli(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Dinesh Karthik, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, K Khaleel Ahmed, Jasprit Bumrah.

Australia: D Arcy Short, Aaron Finch(c), Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Ben McDermott, Alex Carey(w), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.

Australia won the toss and opted to bat in the third and final T20I match against India at Sydney's cricket stadium on Sunday. Aaron Finch-led Australia are leading the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first match at Brisbane, while the second match was called off due to heavy rains in Melbourne on Friday.

Australia won the toss and opted to bat in the third and final T20I match against India at Sydney's cricket stadium on Sunday. Aaron Finch-led Australia are leading the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first match at Brisbane, while the second match was called off due to heavy rains in Melbourne on Friday. After winning the toss, Finch said, "Looks a pretty good wicket, a bit dry and if we can put runs on the board, we are backing ourselves to defend anything," Australian pace spearhead has been Mitchell Starc called up for his first Twenty20 international in two years. He replaced Jason Behrendorff. Stanlake was ruled out of the series decider after sustaining an ankle injury in the warm-up before the washed-out second T20I. Australia wins the toss and they have put us to bowl first #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/yNo3RdNrvo — BCCI (@BCCI) November 25, 2018 × "It's exciting to have Mitchy back in the side, it's been two years since he's played a game and is raring to go," said Finch. On the other hand, Virat Kohli's will enter Sydney Cricket Ground with the same combination. "The last game we played here, we chased down a big score. Even at the MCG, we were able to restrict them to a decent score," said Indian skipper Virat Kohli. "It's always lovely to play in Sydney, we get a lot of support here. Always a full house and 85 per cent Indian fans here," he added. "Our intensity was right up there in the last game and we're really looking forward to this one." Playing XI: India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Virat Kohli(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Dinesh Karthik, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, K Khaleel Ahmed, Jasprit Bumrah. Australia: D Arcy Short, Aaron Finch(c), Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Ben McDermott, Alex Carey(w), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.

IND vs AUS, 3rd T20: Ozzies opt to bat first, India have to win to level series

Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, returned to Australia from their visit to Tonga on Friday (October 26) but their plane was forced to abort a landing at Sydney airport as another aircraft on the runway failed to get out of the way.

Their Qantas plane, charter flight QF6031, dropped to 125 feet of altitude before performing a "go-around", according to FlightRadar24.

In aviation terminology, a go-around is a when a pilot pulls out of a landing and makes another attempt after circling the airport. According to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, a go-around is a "common and very safe practice". A Reuters witness on the plane said the episode was smooth and calm. In Australia, more than 800 standard go-arounds are performed in a typical year.

The royal couple will next visit New Zealand as part of their 16-day Commonwealth tour.

Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, returned to Australia from their visit to Tonga on Friday (October 26) but their plane was forced to abort a landing at Sydney airport as another aircraft on the runway failed to get out of the way.

Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, returned to Australia from their visit to Tonga on Friday (October 26) but their plane was forced to abort a landing at Sydney airport as another aircraft on the runway failed to get out of the way. Their Qantas plane, charter flight QF6031, dropped to 125 feet of altitude before performing a "go-around", according to FlightRadar24. In aviation terminology, a go-around is a when a pilot pulls out of a landing and makes another attempt after circling the airport. According to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, a go-around is a "common and very safe practice". A Reuters witness on the plane said the episode was smooth and calm. In Australia, more than 800 standard go-arounds are performed in a typical year. The royal couple will next visit New Zealand as part of their 16-day Commonwealth tour.

Harry and Meghan back in Sydney after plane landing hiccup

Britain's Prince Harry and wife Meghan were greeted by rapturous applause on Saturday when they arrived for the final day of the Invictus Games in Sydney. 
 
The royal couple watched most the wheelchair basketball final and then presented gold medals to the US&nbsp;team which comfortably beat the Netherlands by 29 points to 17. 
 
A large crowd had packed into Sydney's Olympic Park to watch the last day of the week-long competition, with attention only diverted from the match for a short time as the couple entered and sat with the crowd. 
 
The Invictus Games, founded by Harry, is an international paralympic-style event for military personnel wounded in action. 
 
Former England soccer captain David Beckham, who is an Invictus ambassador, also attended the basketball match. 
 
Both Harry and Meghan wore remembrance poppies on their chests, with Meghan's fixed upon her maroon top. 
 
On Saturday evening, Harry and Meghan are due to attend the closing ceremony of the event, which has seen some 500 competitors from 18 nations take part.&nbsp; 
 
The royal couple will move on to New Zealand on Sunday, where they are expected to be greeted by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. 
 
The tour of Commonwealth countries has seen the royal couple meet drought-stricken Australian farmers, visit the world-famous Bondi Beach and spend time in the Pacific nations of Fiji and Tonga.

Britain's Prince Harry and wife Meghan were greeted by rapturous applause on Saturday when they arrived for the final day of the Invictus Games in Sydney. The royal couple watched most the wheelchair basketball final and then presented gold medals to the US team which comfortably beat the Netherlands by 29 points to 17.

Britain's Prince Harry and wife Meghan were greeted by rapturous applause on Saturday when they arrived for the final day of the Invictus Games in Sydney. The royal couple watched most the wheelchair basketball final and then presented gold medals to the US team which comfortably beat the Netherlands by 29 points to 17. A large crowd had packed into Sydney's Olympic Park to watch the last day of the week-long competition, with attention only diverted from the match for a short time as the couple entered and sat with the crowd. The Invictus Games, founded by Harry, is an international paralympic-style event for military personnel wounded in action. Former England soccer captain David Beckham, who is an Invictus ambassador, also attended the basketball match. Both Harry and Meghan wore remembrance poppies on their chests, with Meghan's fixed upon her maroon top. On Saturday evening, Harry and Meghan are due to attend the closing ceremony of the event, which has seen some 500 competitors from 18 nations take part. The royal couple will move on to New Zealand on Sunday, where they are expected to be greeted by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The tour of Commonwealth countries has seen the royal couple meet drought-stricken Australian farmers, visit the world-famous Bondi Beach and spend time in the Pacific nations of Fiji and Tonga.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend Invictus Games final in Sydney

Australia's embattled conservative coalition was bracing for defeat as polls opened in a crucial by-election Saturday, with a loss set to snuff out its slim parliamentary majority.

The by-election in the wealthy Sydney seat of Wentworth was triggered after former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull was ousted in a party-room coup in August -- the sixth change of leader in the last decade.

Turnbull's successor, Scott Morrison, is facing public anger about the leadership merry-go-round and constant infighting in Canberra, and could be made to pay at Wentworth, traditionally a Liberal Party seat.

The Liberal-National coalition has a one-seat parliamentary majority, and a loss in Wentworth would transform it into a minority government and effectively turn Morrison into a lame duck prime minister.

The sprawling Sydney constituency takes in the famous Bondi Beach and the haunts of stars like Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman.

While the seat was easily held by Turnbull, polls before the by-election were pointing to defeat for the Liberal Party's Dave Sharma at the expense of high-profile independent candidate Kerryn Phelps.

A defeat would prove hugely embarrassing to Morrison, who even&nbsp;floated the idea of moving the Australian embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem -- upending decades of Australian foreign policy -- in a bid to woo Wentworth's Jewish voters.&nbsp;

On Friday the prime minister appeared resigned to a defeat.

"The events of a couple of months ago would have caused a great deal of anger and outrage here in Wentworth," Morrison told reporters of Turnbull's removal.

"I know, I was in the parliament."

Counting will start after polls close on Saturday evening.&nbsp;

Australia's embattled conservative coalition was bracing for defeat as polls opened in a crucial by-election Saturday, with a loss set to snuff out its slim parliamentary majority.

Australia's embattled conservative coalition was bracing for defeat as polls opened in a crucial by-election Saturday, with a loss set to snuff out its slim parliamentary majority. The by-election in the wealthy Sydney seat of Wentworth was triggered after former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull was ousted in a party-room coup in August -- the sixth change of leader in the last decade. Turnbull's successor, Scott Morrison, is facing public anger about the leadership merry-go-round and constant infighting in Canberra, and could be made to pay at Wentworth, traditionally a Liberal Party seat. The Liberal-National coalition has a one-seat parliamentary majority, and a loss in Wentworth would transform it into a minority government and effectively turn Morrison into a lame duck prime minister. The sprawling Sydney constituency takes in the famous Bondi Beach and the haunts of stars like Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman. While the seat was easily held by Turnbull, polls before the by-election were pointing to defeat for the Liberal Party's Dave Sharma at the expense of high-profile independent candidate Kerryn Phelps. A defeat would prove hugely embarrassing to Morrison, who even floated the idea of moving the Australian embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem -- upending decades of Australian foreign policy -- in a bid to woo Wentworth's Jewish voters. On Friday the prime minister appeared resigned to a defeat. "The events of a couple of months ago would have caused a great deal of anger and outrage here in Wentworth," Morrison told reporters of Turnbull's removal. "I know, I was in the parliament." Counting will start after polls close on Saturday evening.

Australia government braces for defeat in crucial by-election

Swimmer Ian Thorpe, Australia's most decorated Olympian, has called on national bodies to stop setting gold medal targets as it puts too much pressure on athletes.

Speaking at an Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) summit on "Athlete Wellbeing" on Tuesday, the five-times Olympic gold-medallist and 11-times world champion said the focus should be on athletes representing the country "well".

"I don't think it's beneficial when sporting organisations are talking about how many gold medals we'll win at a competition and that will be the highest number we've ever won," the 35-year-old told the Beyond the Podium forum in Canberra.

"It puts an immense amount of pressure on athletes around something they have no control over.

"What I'd prefer to see happen is we know the athletes represent our communities, they'll represent the diversity of this country and they're going to represent it well, to the best of our ability, and that will lead to gold medals."

The Australian Olympic Committee has set, but not met, a target of a top-five finish in the medals table at the last three Summer Games and individual sports have also made their own targets.

Thorpe won three gold and two silver medals at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, which made him the most successful athlete of the Games.

Despite his success, he revealed in a 2012 autobiography that he struggled with "crippling" depression throughout his career, self-medicating with alcohol and considering suicide on more than one occasion.

Swimmer Ian Thorpe, Australia's most decorated Olympian, has called on national bodies to stop setting gold medal targets as it puts too much pressure on athletes

Swimmer Ian Thorpe, Australia's most decorated Olympian, has called on national bodies to stop setting gold medal targets as it puts too much pressure on athletes. Speaking at an Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) summit on "Athlete Wellbeing" on Tuesday, the five-times Olympic gold-medallist and 11-times world champion said the focus should be on athletes representing the country "well". "I don't think it's beneficial when sporting organisations are talking about how many gold medals we'll win at a competition and that will be the highest number we've ever won," the 35-year-old told the Beyond the Podium forum in Canberra. "It puts an immense amount of pressure on athletes around something they have no control over. "What I'd prefer to see happen is we know the athletes represent our communities, they'll represent the diversity of this country and they're going to represent it well, to the best of our ability, and that will lead to gold medals." The Australian Olympic Committee has set, but not met, a target of a top-five finish in the medals table at the last three Summer Games and individual sports have also made their own targets. Thorpe won three gold and two silver medals at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, which made him the most successful athlete of the Games. Despite his success, he revealed in a 2012 autobiography that he struggled with "crippling" depression throughout his career, self-medicating with alcohol and considering suicide on more than one occasion.

End gold medal targets, says Australian Ian Thorpe

Flames raced up scaffolding at a Sydney building site on Thursday, in a morning rush-hour fire that prompted the evacuation of nearby offices and caused downtown traffic gridlock.

"The flames really started to leap," lawyer Doug Thompson who photographed the fire from across the street, told Reuters by text.&nbsp"Once it was off, it was away."

Pictures and video circulated online showed bright orange flames, briefly rising six storeys high, consuming plastic covering that wrapped the scaffolds in front of the office building on Macquarie St.

The fire took hold around 8 am (2200 GMT on Wednesday), as office workers were making their way into the city.

The building is being renovated and it was not immediately clear if there were any office or renovation workers inside when the fire took hold. No injuries were reported.

A dozen firetrucks arrived and together with police blocked off the street before firefighters extinguished the blaze.

"The fire is out," fire and rescue service official Norman Buckley told reporters, adding that the cause was being investigated. 
&nbsp

A dozen firetrucks arrived and together with police blocked off the street before firefighters extinguished the blaze

Flames raced up scaffolding at a Sydney building site on Thursday, in a morning rush-hour fire that prompted the evacuation of nearby offices and caused downtown traffic gridlock. "The flames really started to leap," lawyer Doug Thompson who photographed the fire from across the street, told Reuters by text. "Once it was off, it was away." Pictures and video circulated online showed bright orange flames, briefly rising six storeys high, consuming plastic covering that wrapped the scaffolds in front of the office building on Macquarie St. The fire took hold around 8 am (2200 GMT on Wednesday), as office workers were making their way into the city. The building is being renovated and it was not immediately clear if there were any office or renovation workers inside when the fire took hold. No injuries were reported. A dozen firetrucks arrived and together with police blocked off the street before firefighters extinguished the blaze. "The fire is out," fire and rescue service official Norman Buckley told reporters, adding that the cause was being investigated.

Spectacular blaze engulfs office building in Australia's Sydney

Burmese politician and diplomat, Aung San Suu Kyi, has reportedly sought help with the ongoing Rohingya crisis, from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) nations and Australia, in a closed-door meeting.

At a meeting of leaders at the Australia-ASEAN summit in Sydney on Sunday, Suu Kyi addressed the issue &quot;comprehensively [and] at some considerable length,&quot; The Guardian quoted the Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull as saying.

&quot;Aung San Suu Kyi ... seeks support from ASEAN and other nations to provide help from a humanitarian and capacity-building point-of-view. Everyone seeks to end the suffering,&quot; Turnbull said.

Over 650,000 of the Rohingya ethnic and religious minority have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since August, escaping systemic violence from the country&#39;s military, including murder, rape and the deliberate torching of villages.

Suu Kyi has spoken little publicly about the conflict and pointedly refused to use the word Rohingya, which is not a minority recognised by the Myanmar government.

&quot;It is not the intention of the Myanmar government to apportion blame or to abnegate responsibility. We condemn all human rights violations and unlawful violence,&quot; she had said earlier.

ASEAN had a declared policy of non-interference in the affairs of member states but the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has said the ongoing persecution of Rohingya was of international concern.

&quot;Because of the suffering of Rohingya people and that of displacement around the region, the situation in Rakhine state and Myanmar can no longer be considered to be a purely domestic matter because it has the potential of developing into a serious security threat to the region,&quot; The Guardian quoted Razak as saying.

Further, the ASEAN chairman, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said instability in one ASEAN state held ramifications for all.

&quot;All of us in the region, we will be anxious if there is any instability if there is trouble in any of our member countries. We are also concerned as human beings if there&#39;s a humanitarian situation which has developed and people&#39;s welfare and lives and safety are at stake. And we do our best to help the governments to re-establish stability and tranquillity in the situation,&quot; he said.

He, however, said he was not aware of specific security threats posed by the ongoing displacement of Rohingya from Myanmar.

Malcolm Turnbull said the issue of the Rohingya crisis was &quot;discussed constructively&quot; and that Australia and ASEAN member states were ready to assist.

At a meeting of leaders at the Australia-ASEAN summit in Sydney on Sunday, Suu Kyi addressed the issue

Burmese politician and diplomat, Aung San Suu Kyi, has reportedly sought help with the ongoing Rohingya crisis, from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) nations and Australia, in a closed-door meeting. At a meeting of leaders at the Australia-ASEAN summit in Sydney on Sunday, Suu Kyi addressed the issue "comprehensively [and] at some considerable length," The Guardian quoted the Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull as saying. "Aung San Suu Kyi ... seeks support from ASEAN and other nations to provide help from a humanitarian and capacity-building point-of-view. Everyone seeks to end the suffering," Turnbull said. Over 650,000 of the Rohingya ethnic and religious minority have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since August, escaping systemic violence from the country's military, including murder, rape and the deliberate torching of villages. Suu Kyi has spoken little publicly about the conflict and pointedly refused to use the word Rohingya, which is not a minority recognised by the Myanmar government. "It is not the intention of the Myanmar government to apportion blame or to abnegate responsibility. We condemn all human rights violations and unlawful violence," she had said earlier. ASEAN had a declared policy of non-interference in the affairs of member states but the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has said the ongoing persecution of Rohingya was of international concern. "Because of the suffering of Rohingya people and that of displacement around the region, the situation in Rakhine state and Myanmar can no longer be considered to be a purely domestic matter because it has the potential of developing into a serious security threat to the region," The Guardian quoted Razak as saying. Further, the ASEAN chairman, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said instability in one ASEAN state held ramifications for all. "All of us in the region, we will be anxious if there is any instability if there is trouble in any of our member countries. We are also concerned as human beings if there's a humanitarian situation which has developed and people's welfare and lives and safety are at stake. And we do our best to help the governments to re-establish stability and tranquillity in the situation," he said. He, however, said he was not aware of specific security threats posed by the ongoing displacement of Rohingya from Myanmar. Malcolm Turnbull said the issue of the Rohingya crisis was "discussed constructively" and that Australia and ASEAN member states were ready to assist.

Rohingya crisis: Aung San Suu Kyi asks ASEAN, Australia for help

Germany&#39;s Angelique Kerber beat Australia&#39;s Ashleigh Barty in straight sets to win the Sydney International for her ninth consecutive win of the new season on Saturday.

With this win Kerber cracks top 20 again, going to the 14th place. She will definitely be among the ones to watch at the Australian Open.

The former world No.1 was too strong for Barty, winning the final 6-4, 6-4 to give her a massive confidence boost for next week&#39;s Australian Open in Melbourne.

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...that winning feeling ???????????????? <a href="https://twitter.com/SydneyTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SydneyTennis</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamAngie?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamAngie</a> #????11 <a href="https://t.co/YNpKdUh1sM">pic.twitter.com/YNpKdUh1sM</a>
&mdash; Angelique Kerber (@AngeliqueKerber) <a href="https://twitter.com/AngeliqueKerber/status/952095249907830785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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It was Kerber&#39;s second win over the 19th-ranked Barty in three meetings.

Kerber, who began last year as No.1 before finishing at No.22, continued her 2018 resurgence and remains unbeaten this year.

Kerber won her four matches at last week&#39;s mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth before her five victories in Sydney.

It was the first time an Australian woman featured in the Sydney International final since 2005 when Alicia Molik took the title over Sam Stosur.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Kerber defeated Australia's Barty in straight sets, 6-4 6-4 after an hour and 11 minutes long rally

Germany's Angelique Kerber beat Australia's Ashleigh Barty in straight sets to win the Sydney International for her ninth consecutive win of the new season on Saturday. With this win Kerber cracks top 20 again, going to the 14th place. She will definitely be among the ones to watch at the Australian Open. The former world No.1 was too strong for Barty, winning the final 6-4, 6-4 to give her a massive confidence boost for next week's Australian Open in Melbourne. ...that winning feeling ???????????????? @SydneyTennis #TeamAngie #????11 pic.twitter.com/YNpKdUh1sM — Angelique Kerber (@AngeliqueKerber) January 13, 2018 × It was Kerber's second win over the 19th-ranked Barty in three meetings. Kerber, who began last year as No.1 before finishing at No.22, continued her 2018 resurgence and remains unbeaten this year. Kerber won her four matches at last week's mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth before her five victories in Sydney. It was the first time an Australian woman featured in the Sydney International final since 2005 when Alicia Molik took the title over Sam Stosur.

Angelique Kerber beats Ashleigh Barty to win Sydney International

Daniil Medvedev fought off tigerish Australian youngster Alex de Minaur to win his first ATP Tour title at the Sydney International on Saturday.

Medvedev completed an all-conquering week to hit back from losing the opening set to extinguish de Minaur, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.

It was 21-year-old Medvedev&#39;s seventh win this week, giving him solid preparation for next week&#39;s Australian Open in Melbourne where he faces another Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis in the first round.

&quot;I&#39;m the kind of person, the more emotions I feel, the less I show them, actually, especially if they are good ones,&quot; Medvedev said.

&quot;After the match, I didn&#39;t fall down or anything, but I&#39;m really happy. I mean, to make it through the quallies, there were so many circumstances.&quot;

Looking ahead to the Australian Open he added: &quot;I need to be humble with this because to win this tournament is good, but I want to win some rounds in Australia.

&quot;And it&#39;s going to be very tough to get back again on the court, especially against Thanasi, I&#39;m sure the crowd will be crazy in Melbourne for him.

&quot;It&#39;s a five-set match, so I just need to do my best at recovery to be good on Tuesday.&quot;

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/DaniilMedwed?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DaniilMedwed</a> is the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SydneyTennis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SydneyTennis</a> champion! 
 
Incredibly gutsy three set win 1-6 6-4 7-5 over de Minaur. <a href="https://t.co/RpPiXmF4Sb">pic.twitter.com/RpPiXmF4Sb</a>
&mdash; Sydney International (@SydneyTennis) <a href="https://twitter.com/SydneyTennis/status/952124588359495680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Medvedev struggled in the opening set as the 167th-ranked de Minaur grew in confidence and was willed on by a supportive home crowd.

The longer the rallies the more dangerous de Minaur became and he claimed the opening set after winning six games on the trot.

But Medvedev found his way back in the second set, breaking serve in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead and went on to level the match at a set apiece.

Winners flowed from the Russian&#39;s racquet with a running backhand crosscourt passing shot he played for a 3-0 lead an outstanding moment.

Down 4-1, the young Aussie appeared well out of the contest, but two double-faults handed de Minaur a break point and Medvedev surrendered serve when he sprayed a forehand long.

Fired up young de Minaur worked away at Medvedev&#39;s lead amid the din inside Ken Rosewall Arena.

Medvedev held a match point in the ninth game, but when serving for the title at 5-4, de Minaur broke serve to send the crowd roaring.

But with the match beyond two hours, the 18-year-old Aussie began to show signs of fatigue and it was his errors that handed Medvedev another chance to serve out for the title at 6-5.

The 84th-ranked Medvedev also came back from a set down to upset Italian fourth seed Fabio Fognini 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the semi-finals of the tournament.

It has been a sensational fortnight for 18-year-old de Minaur. He beat Frenchman Benoit Paire to reach the Sydney final after upsetting Milos Raonic to advance to the Brisbane International semi-finals last week before losing to American Ryan Harrison.

&quot;It&#39;s been a roller coaster, and I honestly wouldn&#39;t have it any other way,&quot; de Minaur said.

&quot;I have enjoyed every second of it. It&#39;s been a thrill, and I just want it to keep on going.

&quot;I&#39;m tremendously proud. I put in all the hard yards, and it&#39;s great to see the results coming through.&quot;

&nbsp;

Daniil defeated Alex de Minaur, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 to claim the ATP Tour in the Sydney International finals

Daniil Medvedev fought off tigerish Australian youngster Alex de Minaur to win his first ATP Tour title at the Sydney International on Saturday. Medvedev completed an all-conquering week to hit back from losing the opening set to extinguish de Minaur, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5. It was 21-year-old Medvedev's seventh win this week, giving him solid preparation for next week's Australian Open in Melbourne where he faces another Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis in the first round. "I'm the kind of person, the more emotions I feel, the less I show them, actually, especially if they are good ones," Medvedev said. "After the match, I didn't fall down or anything, but I'm really happy. I mean, to make it through the quallies, there were so many circumstances." Looking ahead to the Australian Open he added: "I need to be humble with this because to win this tournament is good, but I want to win some rounds in Australia. "And it's going to be very tough to get back again on the court, especially against Thanasi, I'm sure the crowd will be crazy in Melbourne for him. "It's a five-set match, so I just need to do my best at recovery to be good on Tuesday." .@DaniilMedwed is the #SydneyTennis champion! Incredibly gutsy three set win 1-6 6-4 7-5 over de Minaur. pic.twitter.com/RpPiXmF4Sb — Sydney International (@SydneyTennis) January 13, 2018 × Medvedev struggled in the opening set as the 167th-ranked de Minaur grew in confidence and was willed on by a supportive home crowd. The longer the rallies the more dangerous de Minaur became and he claimed the opening set after winning six games on the trot. But Medvedev found his way back in the second set, breaking serve in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead and went on to level the match at a set apiece. Winners flowed from the Russian's racquet with a running backhand crosscourt passing shot he played for a 3-0 lead an outstanding moment. Down 4-1, the young Aussie appeared well out of the contest, but two double-faults handed de Minaur a break point and Medvedev surrendered serve when he sprayed a forehand long. Fired up young de Minaur worked away at Medvedev's lead amid the din inside Ken Rosewall Arena. Medvedev held a match point in the ninth game, but when serving for the title at 5-4, de Minaur broke serve to send the crowd roaring. But with the match beyond two hours, the 18-year-old Aussie began to show signs of fatigue and it was his errors that handed Medvedev another chance to serve out for the title at 6-5. The 84th-ranked Medvedev also came back from a set down to upset Italian fourth seed Fabio Fognini 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the semi-finals of the tournament. It has been a sensational fortnight for 18-year-old de Minaur. He beat Frenchman Benoit Paire to reach the Sydney final after upsetting Milos Raonic to advance to the Brisbane International semi-finals last week before losing to American Ryan Harrison. "It's been a roller coaster, and I honestly wouldn't have it any other way," de Minaur said. "I have enjoyed every second of it. It's been a thrill, and I just want it to keep on going. "I'm tremendously proud. I put in all the hard yards, and it's great to see the results coming through."

Tennis player Medvedev claims first ATP Tour title in Sydney

Novak Djokovic returned after six months with a bang. He defeated&nbsp;Dominic Thiem 6-1, 6-4 in straight sets. He was suffering from an elbow injury and has not played since Wimbledon in July, where he was ruled out by&nbsp;Tomas Berdych&nbsp;in the quarterfinals.

The exhibition match at Kooyong was his first match of the year. His performance showed no signs of injury. He&nbsp;was in good form and full of optimism&nbsp;as he played exceptionally well.

The Serbian 12-time Grand Slam winner&nbsp;could not control his smile after the winning the match and in the post-match presentation, said that&nbsp;he felt &quot;great&quot; after defeating world number five Dominic Thiem.

Djokovic has dropped to number 14 in the world ranking but seemed fit enough to chase his&nbsp;record seventh Australian Open crown next week.

&quot;I feel great, I was eager to get onto the court,&quot; he said after playing with a flesh-coloured sleeve on his right arm.

&quot;I had a great opponent, it was a test for me to see where I am, how the work we did pays off on the court. It worked pretty well.&quot;

&quot;There was a doubt, especially after I pulled out of the first week of the year,&quot; he admitted.&nbsp;

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Really looking forward to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TieBreakTens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TieBreakTens</a> Melbourne Jan 10. Excited to try out this new fast paced format. It&rsquo;s a great line up and I can&rsquo;t wait to get out on court! Are you ready? <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RafaelNadal</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/stanwawrinka?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@stanwawrinka</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/tomasberdych?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tomasberdych</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ThiemDomi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ThiemDomi</a>.. ???? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryPointCounts?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryPointCounts</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZSc3bUkICA">pic.twitter.com/ZSc3bUkICA</a>
&mdash; Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/950599664923037701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;I personally didn&#39;t know what&#39;s going to happen. We did some treatment and obviously gave it a lot of thought. Luckily for me, I&#39;m here and so I&#39;m hoping in the next four, five days everything will go well and I&#39;ll be ready for the Open.&quot;

&quot;I don&#39;t want to be over-confident, but I&#39;m very, very happy with how it went today,&quot; added the 30-year-old.

&quot;I don&#39;t say I&#39;m at 100 percent, I can only say that when I get the feel of a tournament. Ideally, I would have had another tournament before the start of the Open,&nbsp;&nbsp;but it was not meant to be.

&quot;I&#39;ll take whatever I can -- one or two matches here will be good preparation.&quot;

&quot;Especially the serve &ndash; that was the biggest question mark because of the elbow, that shot in my game was compromised.&quot;

Thiem, who only arrived in Melbourne on Monday night from Doha after four days in bed with a virus, presented only a minimal challenge to the recharged Serb.

&quot;I&#39;m free of fever and healthy again,&quot; the Austrian said. &quot;I&#39;m still jet-lagged and was slow at the beginning of the match. I&#39;ll sleep, eat and train and not do too much. I&#39;ll be fine for the Open.&quot;

&quot;The most important thing is to feel the conditions, to get comfortable,&quot; he said. &quot;It&#39;s important to find a good rhythm.

&quot;Overall, I&#39;m quite happy with my level. I was feeling the ball well and hitting cleanly from both sides.&quot;

&quot;I&#39;m hoping in the next four or five days everything will go well and I&rsquo;ll be ready for the Open.&quot;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Djokovic has not played since Wimbledon 2017 due to an elbow injury, now he will chase a record 7th Australian Open crown next week

Novak Djokovic returned after six months with a bang. He defeated Dominic Thiem 6-1, 6-4 in straight sets. He was suffering from an elbow injury and has not played since Wimbledon in July, where he was ruled out by Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals. The exhibition match at Kooyong was his first match of the year. His performance showed no signs of injury. He was in good form and full of optimism as he played exceptionally well. The Serbian 12-time Grand Slam winner could not control his smile after the winning the match and in the post-match presentation, said that he felt "great" after defeating world number five Dominic Thiem. Djokovic has dropped to number 14 in the world ranking but seemed fit enough to chase his record seventh Australian Open crown next week. "I feel great, I was eager to get onto the court," he said after playing with a flesh-coloured sleeve on his right arm. "I had a great opponent, it was a test for me to see where I am, how the work we did pays off on the court. It worked pretty well." "There was a doubt, especially after I pulled out of the first week of the year," he admitted. Really looking forward to #TieBreakTens Melbourne Jan 10. Excited to try out this new fast paced format. It’s a great line up and I can’t wait to get out on court! Are you ready? @RafaelNadal @stanwawrinka @tomasberdych @ThiemDomi.. ???? #EveryPointCounts pic.twitter.com/ZSc3bUkICA — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 9, 2018 × "I personally didn't know what's going to happen. We did some treatment and obviously gave it a lot of thought. Luckily for me, I'm here and so I'm hoping in the next four, five days everything will go well and I'll be ready for the Open." "I don't want to be over-confident, but I'm very, very happy with how it went today," added the 30-year-old. "I don't say I'm at 100 percent, I can only say that when I get the feel of a tournament. Ideally, I would have had another tournament before the start of the Open, but it was not meant to be. "I'll take whatever I can -- one or two matches here will be good preparation." "Especially the serve – that was the biggest question mark because of the elbow, that shot in my game was compromised." Thiem, who only arrived in Melbourne on Monday night from Doha after four days in bed with a virus, presented only a minimal challenge to the recharged Serb. "I'm free of fever and healthy again," the Austrian said. "I'm still jet-lagged and was slow at the beginning of the match. I'll sleep, eat and train and not do too much. I'll be fine for the Open." "The most important thing is to feel the conditions, to get comfortable," he said. "It's important to find a good rhythm. "Overall, I'm quite happy with my level. I was feeling the ball well and hitting cleanly from both sides." "I'm hoping in the next four or five days everything will go well and I’ll be ready for the Open."

Very happy with return ahead of Australian Open: Djokovic

Usman Khawaja went big at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on the 3rd day of the fifth and final Ashes Test, putting Australia in the box seat for a 4-0 series win.

The left-handed batsman hit a mammoth 171 guided Australia to 479 for the loss of four wickets at stumps on Saturday.

Khawaja&#39;s 171 was vital as Australia overtook England&#39;s first innings total and established a lead at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Khawaja shared a stand of 188 with captain Steve Smith, who was dismissed just before lunch at 83, and another of 101 with Marsh, who just missed out on his second hundred of the series in the over before stumps.

Khawaja&#39;s 381-ball innings was finally ended when he skipped down the wicket to Mason Crane, missed the ball and was stumped by Jonny Bairstow.

However, Marsh will resume on 98 on day four with his brother Mitchell, who was 63 not out.

England dismissed just two Australians on the third day with one of them being Steve Smith and the other was Usman Khawaja, despite its strong rally on Friday morning by their lower order which lifted the tourists to a competitive 346.

Khawaja's knock was vital as Australia overtook England's first innings total in Sydney

Usman Khawaja went big at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on the 3rd day of the fifth and final Ashes Test, putting Australia in the box seat for a 4-0 series win. The left-handed batsman hit a mammoth 171 guided Australia to 479 for the loss of four wickets at stumps on Saturday. Khawaja's 171 was vital as Australia overtook England's first innings total and established a lead at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Khawaja shared a stand of 188 with captain Steve Smith, who was dismissed just before lunch at 83, and another of 101 with Marsh, who just missed out on his second hundred of the series in the over before stumps. Khawaja's 381-ball innings was finally ended when he skipped down the wicket to Mason Crane, missed the ball and was stumped by Jonny Bairstow. However, Marsh will resume on 98 on day four with his brother Mitchell, who was 63 not out. England dismissed just two Australians on the third day with one of them being Steve Smith and the other was Usman Khawaja, despite its strong rally on Friday morning by their lower order which lifted the tourists to a competitive 346.

Ashes: Usman Khwaja's 171 help Aussies build 133 run lead on Day 3

England won the toss and chose to bat against Australia in the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. After a rain delay and an early lunch, the play was started a bit late.

&quot;It looks a good wicket, there is a bit of weather about but if we bat well enough in the first few sessions I expect the pitch to deteriorate and spin will come in the game later on,&quot; England captain Joe Root said.

Seamer Chris Woakes has been ruled out with a side strain, opening the way for young leg-spinner Mason Crane to make his debut for England.

&quot;Mason is a very excited young man and we expect him to do really well in his first Test,&quot; Root said.

Australia captain Steve Smith said he was in two minds about what he would have done if he had won the toss. &quot;I&#39;m not too bothered and not too disappointed to lose the toss,&quot; Smith said.

&quot;There&#39;s a bit of moisture in the wicket coupled with overhead conditions and the wicket is a pretty good one.&quot;

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England have won the toss and elected to bat as the 5th and final <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ashes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ashes</a> Test finally gets underway. 
 
Follow LIVE: <a href="https://t.co/zIa7LHi9S8">https://t.co/zIa7LHi9S8</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvENG</a> <a href="https://t.co/QvMRupT1C3">pic.twitter.com/QvMRupT1C3</a>
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Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc returns to Australia&#39;s bowling line-up. Left-arm Starc is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 19 despite only playing three Tests.

Australia has already clinched the Ashes with an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-Test series ahead of the Sydney finale.

England is bidding to save face in Sydney, where they have won twice in the last four Ashes Tests.

England were 122&nbsp;for three&nbsp;at tea on the opening day of the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.

&nbsp;

England won the toss and chose to bat against Australia in the final Ashes Test, England were 122-3?at tea

England won the toss and chose to bat against Australia in the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. After a rain delay and an early lunch, the play was started a bit late. "It looks a good wicket, there is a bit of weather about but if we bat well enough in the first few sessions I expect the pitch to deteriorate and spin will come in the game later on," England captain Joe Root said. Seamer Chris Woakes has been ruled out with a side strain, opening the way for young leg-spinner Mason Crane to make his debut for England. "Mason is a very excited young man and we expect him to do really well in his first Test," Root said. Australia captain Steve Smith said he was in two minds about what he would have done if he had won the toss. "I'm not too bothered and not too disappointed to lose the toss," Smith said. "There's a bit of moisture in the wicket coupled with overhead conditions and the wicket is a pretty good one." England have won the toss and elected to bat as the 5th and final #Ashes Test finally gets underway. Follow LIVE: https://t.co/zIa7LHi9S8 #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/QvMRupT1C3 — ICC (@ICC) January 4, 2018 × Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc returns to Australia's bowling line-up. Left-arm Starc is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 19 despite only playing three Tests. Australia has already clinched the Ashes with an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-Test series ahead of the Sydney finale. England is bidding to save face in Sydney, where they have won twice in the last four Ashes Tests. England were 122 for three at tea on the opening day of the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.

Cricket: England is bidding to break through in the final Ashes Test

The CEO of Britain&#39;s Compass Group CEO, Richard Cousins, was among six people who died after a seaplane crashed into a river in Sydney on New Year&#39;s Eve.

The other five who died in the crash were Emma Bowden, 48, Heather Bowden, 11, Edward Cousins, 23, William Cousins, 25, and the 44-year-old pilot Gareth Morgan, Detective Superintendent Mark Hutchings from the New South Wales Police said.

Hutchings said Heather was with her father onboard and that all passengers knew each other. He added that police had already been in contact with UK authorities.

Police are working with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to recover the wreckage of the plane, which is submerged in 13 metres of water near Cowan, north of Sydney.

An investigation into the cause of the crash has begun, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days. Authorities have warned that it may take up to a year to find out what happened.

The seaplane was part of the Sydney Seaplanes business, which has operated since 2005 with no previous record of mishap. Seaplane flights have been cancelled until further notice.

Police are working with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to recover the wreckage of the plane, which is submerged in 13 metres of water near Cowan, north of Sydney.

The CEO of Britain's Compass Group CEO, Richard Cousins, was among six people who died after a seaplane crashed into a river in Sydney on New Year's Eve. The other five who died in the crash were Emma Bowden, 48, Heather Bowden, 11, Edward Cousins, 23, William Cousins, 25, and the 44-year-old pilot Gareth Morgan, Detective Superintendent Mark Hutchings from the New South Wales Police said. Hutchings said Heather was with her father onboard and that all passengers knew each other. He added that police had already been in contact with UK authorities. Police are working with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to recover the wreckage of the plane, which is submerged in 13 metres of water near Cowan, north of Sydney. An investigation into the cause of the crash has begun, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days. Authorities have warned that it may take up to a year to find out what happened. The seaplane was part of the Sydney Seaplanes business, which has operated since 2005 with no previous record of mishap. Seaplane flights have been cancelled until further notice.

Compass Group CEO, five others dead in Sydney seaplane crash

The Australian Federal Police arrested a 59-year-old Korean man from Sydney for allegedly working as an economic agent for North Korea, reports said on Sunday.&nbsp;

Chan Han Choi was the first person in Australia charged with working as a black-market agent, brokering sales and discussing the supply of weapons of mass destruction.&nbsp;

He had reportedly been getting income from the North Korean government for sale of ballistic missile technology to foreign entities, reports further claimed.&nbsp;

Choi has broken the UN and Australian sanctions and has also been charged with attempts to brokering the sale of coal from North Korea to groups in Indonesia and Vietnam, media reports say.&nbsp;

The 59-year-old has been charged under the 1995 Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act for being in touch with top officials from North Korea.&nbsp;

The arrested man is facing six charges in connection with the acts.

There was no threat to Australians and that the man was not considered a &quot;spy&quot;, AFP assistant commissioner Neil Gaughan told the media in Sydney on Sunday.

&quot;This man was acting as a loyal agent for North Korea who believed he was acting to serve some higher patriotic purpose,&quot; he said.

&quot;At the end of the day, he would sell whatever he could to make money for the North Korean government&quot; and is believed to have endeavored to sell gemstones and other product as well.

The man who has been identified as Choi Han Chan, a 59-year-old from Sydney's Eastwood, allegedly breached United Nation's sanctions and Australian federal law, and has been charged with brokering sales and discussing the supply of weapons of mass destruction

The Australian Federal Police arrested a 59-year-old Korean man from Sydney for allegedly working as an economic agent for North Korea, reports said on Sunday. Chan Han Choi was the first person in Australia charged with working as a black-market agent, brokering sales and discussing the supply of weapons of mass destruction. He had reportedly been getting income from the North Korean government for sale of ballistic missile technology to foreign entities, reports further claimed. Choi has broken the UN and Australian sanctions and has also been charged with attempts to brokering the sale of coal from North Korea to groups in Indonesia and Vietnam, media reports say. The 59-year-old has been charged under the 1995 Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act for being in touch with top officials from North Korea. The arrested man is facing six charges in connection with the acts. There was no threat to Australians and that the man was not considered a "spy", AFP assistant commissioner Neil Gaughan told the media in Sydney on Sunday. "This man was acting as a loyal agent for North Korea who believed he was acting to serve some higher patriotic purpose," he said. "At the end of the day, he would sell whatever he could to make money for the North Korean government" and is believed to have endeavored to sell gemstones and other product as well.

Sydney man charged with acting as agent for North Korea

Two teenagers have been charged with planning an attack at a school in Australia using guns and explosives in an act police Wednesday alleged was designed to harm &quot;a large number of people&quot;.&nbsp;

The plot targeting the school in South Australia&#39;s Riverland region came to the attention of authorities earlier this month with the two young men arrested soon after.

Detective Superintendent Des Bray said they were accused of planning &quot;an attack at a school involving the use of firearms and explosives which could have led to multiple deaths&quot;.

&quot;Two teenage boys -&ndash; aged 16 and 18 -&ndash; are in custody. The younger has been charged with a count of solicit to murder, while the older teenager has been charged with aggravated counts of threatening to kill,&quot; he said.

&quot;There is no evidence to show that any other person was linked with this matter, nor did the two individuals have possession of firearms.&quot;

The alleged plot was foiled a day after police in Melbourne arrested a 20-year-old man who they claimed was planning to buy a gun and kill as many revellers as possible on New Year&#39;s Eve in the city.

Police said that man, Ali Ali, was an Islamic State sympathiser, but there was no mention of any extremist group link to the teenagers in South Australia.

Bray said it will be alleged the pair were involved in planning the attack between June 1 and November 7 this year.

The main towns of the fruit-producing Riverland region northeast of Adelaide include Renmark, Berri, and Loxton.

Two teenagers have been charged with planning an attack at a school in Australia using guns and explosives in an act police Wednesday alleged was designed to harm 'a large number of people'

Two teenagers have been charged with planning an attack at a school in Australia using guns and explosives in an act police Wednesday alleged was designed to harm "a large number of people". The plot targeting the school in South Australia's Riverland region came to the attention of authorities earlier this month with the two young men arrested soon after. Detective Superintendent Des Bray said they were accused of planning "an attack at a school involving the use of firearms and explosives which could have led to multiple deaths". "Two teenage boys -– aged 16 and 18 -– are in custody. The younger has been charged with a count of solicit to murder, while the older teenager has been charged with aggravated counts of threatening to kill," he said. "There is no evidence to show that any other person was linked with this matter, nor did the two individuals have possession of firearms." The alleged plot was foiled a day after police in Melbourne arrested a 20-year-old man who they claimed was planning to buy a gun and kill as many revellers as possible on New Year's Eve in the city. Police said that man, Ali Ali, was an Islamic State sympathiser, but there was no mention of any extremist group link to the teenagers in South Australia. Bray said it will be alleged the pair were involved in planning the attack between June 1 and November 7 this year. The main towns of the fruit-producing Riverland region northeast of Adelaide include Renmark, Berri, and Loxton.

Police foil teenage attack on school in Australia

Australians have voted overwhelmingly for same-sex marriage, paving the way for legislation by the end of 2017 and sparking rainbow celebrations on Wednesday, with people wearing wedding dresses and sequined suits and declaring &ldquo;our love is real&rdquo;.

Australia will become the 26th nation to formalise the unions if the legislation is passed by parliament, which is expected despite some vocal opposition within the government&rsquo;s conservative right wing.

Thousands of people in a central Sydney park broke into a loud cheer, hugged and cried as Australia&rsquo;s chief statistician revealed live over a big screen that 61.6 percent of voters surveyed favoured marriage equality, with 38.4 percent against.

Australian Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe, who came out as gay three years ago, said the result was a huge relief.

&ldquo;It means that the way you feel for another person, whoever that may be, is equal,&rdquo; Thorpe told reporters at the Sydney celebrations.

The voluntary poll is non-binding but Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull immediately said he would fulfill a pledge to raise a bill in parliament with the aim of passing laws by Christmas.

Turnbull played down concerns of a split in his coalition government over the policy as the conservative faction presses for amendments to protect religious freedoms that discriminate against same-sex couples.

&ldquo;It is unequivocal, it is overwhelming. They have spoken in their millions and they have voted overwhelmingly yes for marriage equality,&rdquo; Turnbull told reporters in Canberra after the survey results were announced. &ldquo;They voted yes for fairness, yes for commitment, yes for love.&rdquo;

The result marks a watershed moment for gay rights in Australia, where it was illegal in some states to engage in homosexual activity until 1997.

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It&rsquo;s a g&rsquo;day. Way to go Australia. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarriageEquality?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarriageEquality</a> <a href="https://t.co/0tdnBHPAW1">pic.twitter.com/0tdnBHPAW1</a>
&mdash; Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheEllenShow/status/930573863955472391?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a g&lsquo;day. Way to go Australia &rdquo; tweeted U.S. TV host Ellen DeGeneres, who is married to Australian actress Portia de Rossi in the United States.

Almost 80 percent of the country&rsquo;s eligible voters took part in the survey - a higher voter turnout than Britain&rsquo;s Brexit vote and Ireland&rsquo;s same-sex marriage referendum.

Mark Barry, 59, wiped away tears as he took the result with his partner of 35 years, Gerrard Boller.

&ldquo;I know a celebrant who is going to be very happy about this,&rdquo; Barry told Reuters.

TURNBULL TROUBLES

Irish-born Qantas Airways Chief Executive Alan Joyce, one of the few openly gay business leaders in Australia, told the Sydney crowd, many of whom sheltered from the hot sun under rainbow umbrellas, that the result was &ldquo;an amazing outcome&rdquo; and urged Turnbull to move quickly on legislation.

Turnbull, under pressure amid a citizenship crisis that has cost him his deputy and the government&rsquo;s majority in parliament, finds his leadership tested again as the marriage equality bill enters parliament, possibly as early as later on Wednesday.

The conservatives&rsquo; planned amendments to the bill would allow private businesses to refuse services like wedding cakes for same-sex weddings by objecting on religious grounds.

The overwhelming votes have been paving the way for legislation by the end of 2017 and sparking rainbow celebrations on Wednesday, with people wearing wedding dresses and sequined suits and declaring ?our love is real?

Australians have voted overwhelmingly for same-sex marriage, paving the way for legislation by the end of 2017 and sparking rainbow celebrations on Wednesday, with people wearing wedding dresses and sequined suits and declaring “our love is real”. Australia will become the 26th nation to formalise the unions if the legislation is passed by parliament, which is expected despite some vocal opposition within the government’s conservative right wing. Thousands of people in a central Sydney park broke into a loud cheer, hugged and cried as Australia’s chief statistician revealed live over a big screen that 61.6 percent of voters surveyed favoured marriage equality, with 38.4 percent against. Australian Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe, who came out as gay three years ago, said the result was a huge relief. “It means that the way you feel for another person, whoever that may be, is equal,” Thorpe told reporters at the Sydney celebrations. The voluntary poll is non-binding but Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull immediately said he would fulfill a pledge to raise a bill in parliament with the aim of passing laws by Christmas. Turnbull played down concerns of a split in his coalition government over the policy as the conservative faction presses for amendments to protect religious freedoms that discriminate against same-sex couples. “It is unequivocal, it is overwhelming. They have spoken in their millions and they have voted overwhelmingly yes for marriage equality,” Turnbull told reporters in Canberra after the survey results were announced. “They voted yes for fairness, yes for commitment, yes for love.” The result marks a watershed moment for gay rights in Australia, where it was illegal in some states to engage in homosexual activity until 1997. It’s a g’day. Way to go Australia. #MarriageEquality pic.twitter.com/0tdnBHPAW1 — Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) November 14, 2017 × “It’s a g‘day. Way to go Australia ” tweeted U.S. TV host Ellen DeGeneres, who is married to Australian actress Portia de Rossi in the United States. Almost 80 percent of the country’s eligible voters took part in the survey - a higher voter turnout than Britain’s Brexit vote and Ireland’s same-sex marriage referendum. Mark Barry, 59, wiped away tears as he took the result with his partner of 35 years, Gerrard Boller. “I know a celebrant who is going to be very happy about this,” Barry told Reuters. TURNBULL TROUBLES Irish-born Qantas Airways Chief Executive Alan Joyce, one of the few openly gay business leaders in Australia, told the Sydney crowd, many of whom sheltered from the hot sun under rainbow umbrellas, that the result was “an amazing outcome” and urged Turnbull to move quickly on legislation. Turnbull, under pressure amid a citizenship crisis that has cost him his deputy and the government’s majority in parliament, finds his leadership tested again as the marriage equality bill enters parliament, possibly as early as later on Wednesday. The conservatives’ planned amendments to the bill would allow private businesses to refuse services like wedding cakes for same-sex weddings by objecting on religious grounds.

Rainbow celebrations galore as Australians vote for same-sex marriage

After winning his court case against Australia&#39;s Fairfax Media group, Chris Gayle has said he is willing to sell his side of the story -- for a starting price of $300,000.&nbsp;

The cricketer had accused the media group, publishers of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, of defamation after it published a series of stories alleging the cricketer had exposed himself to a massage therapist and had indecently propositioned her.&nbsp;

But a New South Wales Supreme Court jury had ruled in Gayle&#39;s favour last month, finding the articles were motivated by malice.&nbsp;

Gayle has now said he is willing to tell all in an interview.&nbsp;

&quot;I have a very interested (sic) successful story to tell!! It can be an exclusive 60mins interview or y&#39;all just have to wait on my next book!,&quot; he tweeted Friday.

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I have a very interested successful story to tell!! It can be an exclusive 60mins interview or y&rsquo;all just have to wait on my next book! It&rsquo;s about what transpired in court and behind the scenes in Australia, how they went to bigger heads to get me ban...
&mdash; Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) <a href="https://twitter.com/henrygayle/status/928708766081667072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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How they want to use me as a scapegoat over a interview-I&rsquo;ll tell you what I do every day after court, believe me, when I break this down to y&rsquo;all it will be like a movie! No holding back! Biding starts at US$ 300K for this interview! So much to say &amp; I will!
&mdash; Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) <a href="https://twitter.com/henrygayle/status/928709087239471107?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Even what transpired in the mediation couple weeks before court...they take me lightly but I never scared of the media! I was ready to fight until my last breath! Who ready for my story just let me know..you will have to visit Jamaica ???? for this interview!
&mdash; Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) <a href="https://twitter.com/henrygayle/status/928709480094846982?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Fairfax published the allegations in the wake of an uproar after Gayle attempted to flirt with an Australian presenter on live TV, AFP reported, asking her out for a drink and telling her: &quot;Don&#39;t blush, baby.&quot;

Speaking after the trial, AFP reported Gayle as saying the case had been &quot;very emotional&quot;.

&quot;I&#39;m a good man. I&#39;m not guilty,&quot; he had said.

Australia's Fairfax Media group, in a series of newspaper articles, had alleged the cricketer had exposed himself to a massage therapist and had indecently propositioned her

After winning his court case against Australia's Fairfax Media group, Chris Gayle has said he is willing to sell his side of the story -- for a starting price of $300,000. The cricketer had accused the media group, publishers of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, of defamation after it published a series of stories alleging the cricketer had exposed himself to a massage therapist and had indecently propositioned her. But a New South Wales Supreme Court jury had ruled in Gayle's favour last month, finding the articles were motivated by malice. Gayle has now said he is willing to tell all in an interview. "I have a very interested (sic) successful story to tell!! It can be an exclusive 60mins interview or y'all just have to wait on my next book!," he tweeted Friday. I have a very interested successful story to tell!! It can be an exclusive 60mins interview or y’all just have to wait on my next book! It’s about what transpired in court and behind the scenes in Australia, how they went to bigger heads to get me ban... — Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) November 9, 2017 × How they want to use me as a scapegoat over a interview-I’ll tell you what I do every day after court, believe me, when I break this down to y’all it will be like a movie! No holding back! Biding starts at US$ 300K for this interview! So much to say & I will! — Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) November 9, 2017 × Even what transpired in the mediation couple weeks before court...they take me lightly but I never scared of the media! I was ready to fight until my last breath! Who ready for my story just let me know..you will have to visit Jamaica ???? for this interview! — Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) November 9, 2017 × Fairfax published the allegations in the wake of an uproar after Gayle attempted to flirt with an Australian presenter on live TV, AFP reported, asking her out for a drink and telling her: "Don't blush, baby." Speaking after the trial, AFP reported Gayle as saying the case had been "very emotional". "I'm a good man. I'm not guilty," he had said.

After winning defamation case, Chris Gayle says he's willing to sell his side of story for $300,000

With the Pokemon Go fever gripping the countries across the world, the true Pokemon fans can now also munch on their favourite Pokemon characters. Dine-N-Out, a restaurant run by a group called Hashtag Burger in Australia&#39;s Sydney has created limited-edition Pokemon burgers.&nbsp; 
 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3HS88d2A0lQ?list=PLmWa9ZZLlCjt0Jlg7kN3JBNX4LH1sRsGh" width="970"></iframe> &nbsp; 
 
There are three types of Poke burgers -- Pikachu burger, Bulbasaur burger and Charmander burger. The flavours of these Pokemon burgers match the Pokemon&#39;s characteristics and personality.&nbsp; 
 
The most fun part of ordering these burgers is that the person who orders them, cannot choose the type of burger they want. They will randomly receive any Poke burger out of the three types available. Also, the restaurant allows only one burger per person.?

The flavors of the Pokemon burgers match the Pokemon's characteristics and personality

With the Pokemon Go fever gripping the countries across the world, the true Pokemon fans can now also munch on their favourite Pokemon characters. Dine-N-Out, a restaurant run by a group called Hashtag Burger in Australia's Sydney has created limited-edition Pokemon burgers. There are three types of Poke burgers -- Pikachu burger, Bulbasaur burger and Charmander burger. The flavours of these Pokemon burgers match the Pokemon's characteristics and personality. The most fun part of ordering these burgers is that the person who orders them, cannot choose the type of burger they want. They will randomly receive any Poke burger out of the three types available. Also, the restaurant allows only one burger per person.?

Video: Get a Pokemon burger at this Sydney restaurant

An Australian court today convicted Sydney man Hamdi Al Qudsi of recruiting seven young men to travel overseas and fight alongside Islamic State and al-Qaeda affiliates in Syria, a spokeswoman for the court said. 
 
Al Qudsi, 42, was found guilty by the New South Wales state Supreme Court in Sydney of aiding the men to fight with extremist groups in 2013, the spokeswoman told Reuters. 
 
&quot;The charges were give money/goods to promote/support foreign hostile acts,&quot; she said. Each of the seven charges carries a 10 year prison sentence. Al Qudsi is yet to be sentenced. 
 
Prosecutors alleged that Al Qudsi made arrangements for the men to travel to Syria in 2013 for the purpose of fighting alongside groups listed by the Australian government as terrorist organisations. 
 
Under tough new security powers passed in 2014, Australians face up to a decade in prison for overseas travel to areas declared off limits, which includes the province of Raqqa in Syria, a key strategic hub for Islamic State militants. 
 
A copy of the indictment provided to Reuters lists seven men that Al Qudsi recruited to fight in Syria. Two of those men - Tyler Casey and Caner Temel - were killed in Syria, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported. 
 
Two other men listed in the indictment, Muhammed Abdul-Karim Musleh and Mehmet Biber, have since returned, the ABC said. 
 
About 100 people have left Australia for Syria to fight alongside organisations such as Islamic State, Australia&#39;s Immigration Minister said earlier this year. 
 
Australia, a staunch US ally, has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown radicals since 2014 and authorities say they have thwarted a number of plots. 
 
There have been several &quot;lone wolf&quot; assaults, including a 2014 cafe siege in Sydney that left two hostages and the gunman dead. Also in 2014, police shot dead a Melbourne teenager after he stabbed two counter-terrorism officers. 
 
In 2015, a 15-year-old boy fired on an accountant at a police headquarters in a Sydney suburb and was then killed in a gunfight with police. 
 
(Reuters)

Hamdi Al Qudsi made arrangements for seven young men to travel to Syria in 2013 to fight with IS, and gets 10 years in jail for each recruit

An Australian court today convicted Sydney man Hamdi Al Qudsi of recruiting seven young men to travel overseas and fight alongside Islamic State and al-Qaeda affiliates in Syria, a spokeswoman for the court said. Al Qudsi, 42, was found guilty by the New South Wales state Supreme Court in Sydney of aiding the men to fight with extremist groups in 2013, the spokeswoman told Reuters. "The charges were give money/goods to promote/support foreign hostile acts," she said. Each of the seven charges carries a 10 year prison sentence. Al Qudsi is yet to be sentenced. Prosecutors alleged that Al Qudsi made arrangements for the men to travel to Syria in 2013 for the purpose of fighting alongside groups listed by the Australian government as terrorist organisations. Under tough new security powers passed in 2014, Australians face up to a decade in prison for overseas travel to areas declared off limits, which includes the province of Raqqa in Syria, a key strategic hub for Islamic State militants. A copy of the indictment provided to Reuters lists seven men that Al Qudsi recruited to fight in Syria. Two of those men - Tyler Casey and Caner Temel - were killed in Syria, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported. Two other men listed in the indictment, Muhammed Abdul-Karim Musleh and Mehmet Biber, have since returned, the ABC said. About 100 people have left Australia for Syria to fight alongside organisations such as Islamic State, Australia's Immigration Minister said earlier this year. Australia, a staunch US ally, has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown radicals since 2014 and authorities say they have thwarted a number of plots. There have been several "lone wolf" assaults, including a 2014 cafe siege in Sydney that left two hostages and the gunman dead. Also in 2014, police shot dead a Melbourne teenager after he stabbed two counter-terrorism officers. In 2015, a 15-year-old boy fired on an accountant at a police headquarters in a Sydney suburb and was then killed in a gunfight with police. (Reuters)

Australian convicted of recruiting foreign fighters for Islamic State

The threat of Zika at the Rio Olympics is on the mind of many athletes, but may be not more than&nbsp;China&#39;s former badminton world champion, Wang Yihan, who was attacked mercilessly by insects while competing in Indonesia last week. 
 
The svelte 28-year-old, who won silver in the women&#39;s singles at the London Games, was still smarting from red bites up and down her arms as she competed at the Australian Badminton Open in Sydney on Wednesday. 
 
&quot;They&#39;re itchy,&quot; she told Reuters, lathered in sweat after a tough opening round win over Scotland&#39;s Kirsty Gilmour at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre. 
 
&quot;And the sweat makes it worse.&quot; 
 
&quot;I&#39;m really not sure what kind of bugs they were. I don&#39;t think they were mosquitoes. Maybe it was on the bed that I was sleeping on. 
 
&quot;I bought some cream for them, but they&#39;re still itchy.&quot; 
 
A number of athletes have already pulled out of the Olympics citing health risks associated with the mosquito-borne virus, which can cause crippling birth defects and development problems in babies. 
 
Others are declining to bring family members and loved ones with them. Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford decided to freeze his sperm to safeguard future plans for extending his young family. 
 
However, the outbreak in Brazil will not stop China from unleashing its full artillery of badminton champions, who will attempt to defend their sweep of five titles at London. 
 
&quot;Yes, I think everyone&#39;s been thinking about (Zika),&quot; Wang said. &quot;But obviously we&#39;ve been told about how to be safe, wearing repellent and staying indoors and so on.&quot; 
 
Shanghai-born Wang is determined to go one better at Rio, having been upset in London&#39;s gold-medal decider by compatriot Li Xuerui, an unheralded player, before her Olympic triumph. 
 
Wang&#39;s anguish upon losing the final was written large on her face and she was still gloomy as she mounted the podium next to her beaming team mate. 
 
&quot;I did feel disappointed at the time, even though it was my team mate who won the gold,&quot; she said. 
 
&quot;Of course it&#39;s great to get any medal but in the end, there&#39;s only one champion.&quot; 
 
World badminton has changed the Olympic rules so that nations can only enter two shuttlers into the singles events, which will make it harder for China to repeat their London domination. 
 
Wang is currently ranked third in the world, ahead of fourth-ranked Li, with the top two spots occupied by Spain&#39;s world number one Carolina Marin and Thai Ratchanok Intanon. 
 
China&#39;s women have traditionally dominated the singles rankings, so the variety at the top has been welcomed by badminton fans and raised hope of a more open tournament at Rio. 
 
Wang said any number of players could win her event but felt Chongqing-born Li would be hard to beat and perhaps the biggest threat to her own gold ambitions. 
 
&quot;I think Li&#39;s game is really complete overall,&quot; she said. 
 
&quot;We&#39;ve both got our different strengths. 
 
&quot;There are other players like Ratchanok, Marin and (Indian player) Saina Nehwal who all have a chance but I think Li is still at a higher level.&quot;

Citing health risks associated with Zika virus, many athletes have pulled out of Olympics, while others are unwilling to bring family

The threat of Zika at the Rio Olympics is on the mind of many athletes, but may be not more than China's former badminton world champion, Wang Yihan, who was attacked mercilessly by insects while competing in Indonesia last week. The svelte 28-year-old, who won silver in the women's singles at the London Games, was still smarting from red bites up and down her arms as she competed at the Australian Badminton Open in Sydney on Wednesday. "They're itchy," she told Reuters, lathered in sweat after a tough opening round win over Scotland's Kirsty Gilmour at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre. "And the sweat makes it worse." "I'm really not sure what kind of bugs they were. I don't think they were mosquitoes. Maybe it was on the bed that I was sleeping on. "I bought some cream for them, but they're still itchy." A number of athletes have already pulled out of the Olympics citing health risks associated with the mosquito-borne virus, which can cause crippling birth defects and development problems in babies. Others are declining to bring family members and loved ones with them. Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford decided to freeze his sperm to safeguard future plans for extending his young family. However, the outbreak in Brazil will not stop China from unleashing its full artillery of badminton champions, who will attempt to defend their sweep of five titles at London. "Yes, I think everyone's been thinking about (Zika)," Wang said. "But obviously we've been told about how to be safe, wearing repellent and staying indoors and so on." Shanghai-born Wang is determined to go one better at Rio, having been upset in London's gold-medal decider by compatriot Li Xuerui, an unheralded player, before her Olympic triumph. Wang's anguish upon losing the final was written large on her face and she was still gloomy as she mounted the podium next to her beaming team mate. "I did feel disappointed at the time, even though it was my team mate who won the gold," she said. "Of course it's great to get any medal but in the end, there's only one champion." World badminton has changed the Olympic rules so that nations can only enter two shuttlers into the singles events, which will make it harder for China to repeat their London domination. Wang is currently ranked third in the world, ahead of fourth-ranked Li, with the top two spots occupied by Spain's world number one Carolina Marin and Thai Ratchanok Intanon. China's women have traditionally dominated the singles rankings, so the variety at the top has been welcomed by badminton fans and raised hope of a more open tournament at Rio. Wang said any number of players could win her event but felt Chongqing-born Li would be hard to beat and perhaps the biggest threat to her own gold ambitions. "I think Li's game is really complete overall," she said. "We've both got our different strengths. "There are other players like Ratchanok, Marin and (Indian player) Saina Nehwal who all have a chance but I think Li is still at a higher level."

Zika threat bugging Chinese shuttler Wang

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