Australian police say the attacker who fatally stabbed six people at a busy shopping centre in Sydney may have targeted women, as the country mourns the victims and hundreds of people lay flowers near the scene.
Joel Cauchi was known to Queensland police for mental health issues but had never been arrested before carrying out one of Australia's worst mass killings.
Police have ruled out terror or ideology as a motive after a man killed six people in a random stabbing attack in one of Sydney's busiest shopping centres.
President Joe Biden is considering Australia's request to drop the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who had released troves of confidential US classified documents and is battling extradition.
Residents across Sydney and southern New South Wales will continue mopping up the damage from record-breaking downpours as major flooding affects some communities.
Intense rainfall has been hitting Sydney and the NSW coast, leading to expected dam spills after a deluge hit Queensland and a man died in floodwaters.
A man has died in floodwaters southwest of Brisbane as Queensland braces for more severe weather, while NSW is also expected to cop thunderstorms and big downpours.
A betting website has copped a big fine for breaching gambling laws in Australia by allowing a customer to punt for 35 hours, racking up losses of nearly $34,000.
A woman had a narrow escape after falling into a flooded drain during storms in Victoria, as floods and building damage sparked hundreds of calls for help.