Melbourne

Family of Tongan man killed in Melbourne appeal for suspects to come forward

Tuivasa’s father, who appeared on a live stream by Victoria Police earlier this month, said he has forgiven and forgotten and he is pleading for who anyone who saw the incident to come forward.

He said he wants to see who did this.

Tuivasa’s partner whom he have five children with said the family wants “closure and peace.”

Serena returns to tennis

The 23-time Grand Slam champion, who is warming up for the Australian Open, was at her dominant best after a slow start in which she saved four break points in the opening game of the contest at Margaret Court Arena.

Former world number one Williams has not played since withdrawing from last year's French Open second round in September with an Achilles injury, but made quick work of Gavrilova, striking 27 winners including 16 in the opening set.

Emirates to resume flights to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane

From Monday, flights will resume to Sydney, while services will return to Melbourne from Tuesday and to Brisbane from Thursday.

Passenger flights between Dubai and Perth, as well as cargo operations to all Australian points, continue as scheduled.

Hundreds of Australians were last week left stranded after the major airline announced the cancellation on Friday night.

"We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers in the period where we had to temporarily suspend our services," a statement distributed by the airline read.

Players unable to practice before season-opening grand slam

Two dozen players who arrived from Los Angeles entered strict hotel quarantine after an aircrew member and Australian Open participant who is not a player tested positive for the new coronavirus.

Later, another non-player passenger on a flight from Abu Dhabi tested positive, prompting the organisers to usher 23 players into hotel quarantine.

All three who tested positive had been transferred to a health hotel, the organisers said in a statement.

The players would not be able to leave their hotel rooms for 14 days and until they are medically cleared, they said.

Australian F1 Grand Prix could be postponed

Tickets for the March 21 race at Albert Park have yet to go on sale.

A Formula One spokesman, asked on Monday about media reports of a likely postponement, said the sport looked forward to racing again in March.

He did not specify where, with Bahrain's Grand Prix also scheduled for March.

Local organisers in Melbourne were not immediately available for comment but various reports said a postponement, rather than a cancellation for the second year in a row, was likely to be announced later in January.

Melbourne Bledisloe Cup Test pushed back to 2022

The annual three-match Bledisloe Cup series is normally contested as part of the southern hemisphere’s Rugby Championship, which also includes South Africa and Argentina.

Melbourne’s Docklands Stadium was due to host a Bledisloe Test for the first time since 2010 as part of a doubleheader involving both countries’ men’s and women’s sides this year.

“Victorians are sticking together as the state works to slow the spread of coronavirus and it’s not possible to play this match in 2020,” RA’s interim chief executive Rob Clarke said in a statement.

Coronavirus: Melbourne lockdown extended by two weeks

Victoria State Premier Daniel Andrews said the restrictions would be in place until 28 September, with a slight relaxation.

A gradual easing of the measures will be implemented from October.

The state has been the epicentre of the country's second wave, accounting for 90% of Australia's 753 deaths.

Australia has recorded a total of 26,000 cases in a population of 25 million.

Melbourne begins new shutdown

Melbourne's five million residents will be barred from leaving home for six weeks, except for essential reasons.

Police say they are setting up a "ring of steel" around the city, with "checkpoints anytime and anywhere" to enforce the measures.

Borders between Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, and neighbouring states closed on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison paid tribute to Melburnians' resilience on Wednesday.

Melbourne locks down tower blocks as cases rise

The 3,000 or so residents of the blocks are being told not to leave their homes for any reason for at least five days.

At least 23 cases of infection were found on two estates in recent days.

The state of Victoria recorded 108 new cases on Saturday, its second-biggest daily increase. Australia as a whole has seen 104 coronavirus deaths.

There have been at least 8,362 infections nationwide.

Victoria State Premier Daniel Andrews said the latest figures there were a very real concern to everybody.

Australia lorry crash: Four police officers killed in Melbourne

The police chief for the state of Victoria said it was the worst loss of life in the history of the state's police force.

Officers had pulled over a car for speeding on a motorway when the lorry ploughed into them, officials said.

The driver of the car - a Porsche 911 sports car - fled the scene and is being sought by police.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said the lorry driver was under guard in hospital and would be tested for alcohol and drugs.