Four astronauts in orbit since spring are headed back to Earth, aiming for a late night splashdown off the Florida coast.

The undocking of their SpaceX capsule from the International Space Station also paved the way for a launch of their four replacements as early as Wednesday night.

The newcomers were scheduled to launch first, but NASA switched the order because of bad weather and an astronaut's undisclosed medical condition. The welcoming duties will now fall to the lone American and two Russians left behind at the space station.

READ MORE: Hubble Telescope captures eerie image of dying star

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1457782822496657409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japan's Akihiko Hoshide and France's Thomas Pesquet should have been back Monday morning, but high wind in the recovery zone delayed their homecoming. Their splashdown was planned for the Gulf of Mexico off Pensacola.

“One more night with this magical view. Who could complain? I’ll miss our spaceship!” Pesquet tweeted alongside a brief video showing the space station illuminated against the blackness of space and the twinkling city lights on the night-time side of Earth.

From the space station, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei – midway through a one-year flight – bid farewell to each of his departing friends, telling McArthur "I’ll miss hearing your laughter in adjacent modules.”

IN PICTURES: A new look at our solar system's biggest planet

Before leaving the neighbourhood, the four took a spin around the space station to take pictures. This was the first time SpaceX attempted a fly around like this; NASA's shuttles used to do it all the time before their retirement a decade ago.

It wasn't the most comfortable ride back. The toilet in their capsule was broken, and so the astronauts needed to rely on nappies for the eight-hour trip home. They shrugged it off late last week as just one more challenge in their mission.

The first issue arose shortly after their April liftoff; Mission Control warned a piece of space junk was threatening to collide with their capsule. It turned out to be a false alarm.

Then in July, thrusters on a newly arrived Russian lab inadvertently fired and sent the station into a spin. The four astronauts took shelter in their docked SpaceX capsule, ready to make a hasty departure if necessary.

Among the upbeat milestones: four spacewalks to enhance the station's solar power, a movie-making visit by a Russian film crew and the first-ever space harvest of chili peppers. Their 200-day mission began last April.

Skipper and father-of-two Paul Norris was out on the water where he loved to be when he was taken in a boating tragedy.

A major search effort resumed this morning after the skipper's boat, which was carrying four passengers, hit trouble in the Kimberley region of Western Australia on Sunday afternoon.

The 6.4m vessel, which had two men, one woman and two girls onboard, overturned in Airport Creek, a tidal river system 5km south-west of Derby.

READ MORE: Eastern states brace for week-long drenching

Those who were out with him safely made it back to shore.

"It's such a tragic loss, he was a fantastic guy and he was a great father," Derby Shire president Geoff Haerewa said.

The alarm was raised yesterday afternoon, when the boat hit a sandbar at Airport Creek near Derby.

READ MORE: Mum locked out of Queensland has to 'exchange' kids at border

That's when the search effort began in the sky and on the water.

"A helicopter that had been deployed to the search area located the boat upside down on the bank, about 10km south of where it was initially reported getting into trouble," WA Police senior sergeant Brendan Barwick said.

Cr Haerewa said the tides in the area could be treacherous.

"But Paul was a sound fisherman, a sound skipper, where Paul went he went there often," he said.

The well-known businessman was on board with his two young daughters, partner and a friend, all of whom were found uninjured by locals last night.

This morning, almost a day later, police made discovered what they believed to be Mr Norris' body, 1km from the boat.

The Derby community is in shock, as many of them had been out looking for their mate.

READ MORE: NSW wakes to new freedoms as path out of lockdown accelerates

"There's not a dry eye in the house there," Senior Sergeant Barwick said

The 51-year-old has been remembered as someone who'd give anyone a helping hand.

"He probably spent more hours volunteering than he did actually doing work and he'll be greatly missed," Cr Haerewa said.

A murder of crows has been terrifying pedestrians on the Gold Coast's Cavill Avenue, captured swooping at passersby in what experts are calling a rare display of aggression.

The three crows have been seen terrorising people and have been reported to the local council.

Behavioural ecologist Darryl Jones from Griffith University said the behaviour was incredibly rare.

READ MORE: Eastern states brace for week-long drenching

"They don't seem to hit anybody, they are just scaring the crap out of people," Mr Jones said.

"It's not to be expected, it's still really unusual, but some crows have taken to doing it. Nobody really understands why."

READ MORE: Mum locked out of Queensland has to 'exchange' kids at border

He said the birds were highly intelligent and tend to hold grudges towards specific people.

"They will remember individual people, they will swoop them and probably give their lives hell. So if you're getting swooped by a crow, go a different direction until the crows have finished their breeding season," Mr Jones said.

While all reports of swooping birds are investigated by council, some are more difficult to catch and relocate than others.

"Crows are so insanely smart that they're virtually impossible to catch," Mr Jones said.

READ MORE: NSW wakes to new freedoms as path out of lockdown accelerates

The most common swooping culprits over spring tend to be magpies defending their nests, with experts warning people to be aware of swoopers from July through to December.

Residents are recommended to avoid areas where it's evident a bird may be nesting.

Making eye contact with the bird may make it less likely to attack you, with sunglasses recommended to protect your eyes.

If you are being swooped, it's recommended to walk away, not run.

Thunderstorms and possibly large hail have been predicted for south-east Queensland today, as parts of Australia's east coast prepare for a soaking, including warnings of flash flooding and strong winds.

Millions of people across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria have been told to brace for a week of heavy rain, and a storm-heavy Summer season.

Moist and unstable conditions are likely to see thunderstorms in Queensland's south-east most days this week.

https://omny.fm/shows/the-9news-lunch-podcast/nov-8-new-health-benefits-of-alcohol-with-a-catch/embed?style=cover

This week's stormy weather has been brought by a broad low-pressure trough which slowly crossed the region over south-east Australia during the weekend.

This system has now pushed further east and is contracting into Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Another round of wild weather is on the cards later this week as a further trough deepens over eastern Australia from Wednesday onwards.

READ MORE: Mum locked out of Queensland has to 'exchange' kids at border

https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1457554439389200386

Weather Zone's Ben Domensino said this week's storms are due to three separate weather events, including a developing La Niña, which is driving airborne moisture and unusually warm water across the Pacific Ocean and towards Australia.

A negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) causing moisture-laden air to travel towards Australia from the northwest and a positive Southern Annular Mode (SAM) is also helping to push humid air across Australia from the east.

"These climate drives have collectively caused a huge mass of moisture-laden air to sit above Australia, which will fuel rain throughout the week," Mr Domensio said.

https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1457536214156943364

Long-range weather forecaster and research director for the Bureau of Metrology, Hayden Walker, said wet conditions this week are only the start of what will be a particularly eventful storm season.

"We've certainly seen mother nature release a fury in relation to storm activity over the last month and we'll continue to see quite prevalent storm activity once again for the months of November, December January February," he said.

"That'll be concentrated in the south-east and then will start to head for the tropics.

"We've seen very intense storm activity which I say is savage, because we've seen a lot of destruction in the storm activity.

"It's going to occur again and people need to stay vigilant and be aware of what's happening in the next three or four months."

READ MORE: NSW wakes to new freedoms as path out of lockdown accelerates

https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1457536214156943364

READ MORE: Search called off for 57-year old attacked by shark

Queensland

South East Queensland is bracing for a wet start to the week, including warnings of possible flash flooding.

The Bureau of Meteorology has also warned of strong marine winds along the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.

A broad trough system over western and interior Queensland will move slowly eastward across central and south-eastern districts, leading to widespread showers and thunderstorms across much of the state over the next few days.

There is a risk of severe storms for south-eastern parts of the state, and regions around rivers in the south-west have been warned to brace for flooding, particularly along the Bulloo, Paroo and Diamantina River.

https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1457154805663768580

Brisbane is expected to receive a downpour of up to 35mm today, with a top temperature of 28C.

READ MORE: COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to roll out nationwide from today

New South Wales

A low pressure trough continues to track slowly towards the northern coastline while weakening this morning.

There will be heavy showers and thunderstorms in the east, possibly severe about the northeast of the state and an area along the central and northern ranges.

https://twitter.com/BOM_au/status/1457099185795342341?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

There are strong wind warnings for waters off Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour and Eden.

Sydney is headed for showers and a top temperature of 25C.

Victoria

After a weekend of heavy rain and flash flooding, Victoria is headed for calmer conditions today.

There is a chance of a light shower on and south of the ranges, mostly clearing for the afternoon. Isolated showers and possible thunderstorms in the morning and afternoon in the northeast of the state.

A new low trough will build over eastern Victoria later tomorrow and bring further heavy rain across the state.

Melbourne is forecast to have a cool day with a top temperature of 17C.

Flash flooding wreaked havoc across Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs on Saturday. There were more than 300 calls made to the SES, including 50 in the Springvale, Mulgrave and Keysborough area.

A glass of wine or beer a day could keep the doctor away, according to a major new study into alcohol consumption among older Australians.

The Monash University-led research has shown moderate alcohol intake in older Australians is better for heart and overall health than having no alcohol.

The study, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, looked at 18,000 adults in Australia and America, who had an average age of 74, for more than four years.

READ MORE: COVID-19 isolation period slashed to seven days for unvaccinated Victorian students

It found those who drank between five and 10 standard drinks a week showed a much lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who had no alcohol.

However, the lead author of the study, Professor Johannes Neumann, has warned the findings need to be interpreted with caution.

The study participants were all initially healthy without prior cardiovascular disease or other severe conditions, and may have been more physically and socially active than the wider ageing population.

A man who stood on the roof of his car outside Victoria's Parliament House while armed with a bow and arrow has been arrested.

The 18-year-old man was seen standing on the roof of a parked car at the intersection of Spring Street and Bourke Street in Melbourne's CBD while holding a bow and arrow around noon.

A small number of protesters gathered on the steps of Parliament House hollered as a group of police officers took the bow from the man's grip and led him off the car, arresting him.

READ MORE: 'Significant breakthrough' in search for missing Victorian campers

He was taken to hospital for assessment.

The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated.

The protesters gathered outside Parliament are believed to be speaking out against the state government's management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A Melbourne man accused of throwing missiles at police during the construction industry protests has faced court for the first time.

Steven Micallef, 47, fronted Melbourne Magistrates' Court today, facing 12 charges from the protests on September 21, including assaulting emergency workers, charging at a police vehicle and affray.

Police alleged the Hillside man was among the thousands of protesters who stormed the city on September 21 after the construction sector was shut down for two weeks.

READ MORE: 'Significant breakthrough' in search for missing Victorian campers

Mr Micallef is accused of joining others in throwing rocks at officers when rioters swarmed the CBD and the West Gate Bridge, angry at COVID-19 vaccinations being mandated for construction workers.

Members of the crowds charged at police cars and damaged vehicles by kicking them.

Today the court heard CCTV and police bodycam footage would form part of the case against Mr Micallef.

Although hundreds of protesters were arrested at the multiple rallies held that week in September, the work for police is not yet over.

A taskforce has been set up to investigate criminal incidents, and 30 people have been identified since.

Rapper Travis Scott and organisers of the Astroworld Festival are facing legal action after a crowd surge at the concert in Texas on Friday night left eight people dead and hundreds injured.

The first of many expected lawsuits has now been filed over the tragedy, Billboard reports.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of injured concertgoer Manual Souza in the Harris County District Court.

READ MORE: 'Stop the show!': Astroworld fans describe chaos after festival deaths

https://twitter.com/trvisXX/status/1457018948109705217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Mr Souza is seeking more than US$1 million in damages for what his lawyers are calling gross negligence and name Scott, organiser ScoreMore, and concert giant Live Nation as defendants.

The lawsuit claims the disaster was the direct result of "a motivation for profit" at the expense of safety.

Representatives for Scott, Scoremore and Live Nation did not immediately return requests from Billboard for comment about the lawsuit.

The news comes as more details of the victims who died in the tragedy come to light.

A 14-year-old boy and a man who was trying to save his fiancée are among the eight to lose their lives as a result of events at the festival, which is under police investigation.

Family and friends have paid tribute to those who died.

An emotional Scott posted a video message to Instagram on Sunday, saying he was devastated by the tragedy and his team was trying to get in contact with the families of the victims. 

"I just want to send out prayers to the ones that was (sic) lost last night," he says. 

"You know my fans … really mean the world to me and I always just really want to leave them with a positive experience.

Scott said he and his team were working with the police and fire department, to "help us figure this out" and he asked anyone with information to come forward. 

Officials said seven of the victims had been identified. Most of the victims were young people, with the youngest just 14.

Here is what is known about some of the victims so far.

Franco Patino, 21

Franco Patino, a senior at the University of Dayton, was studying mechanical engineering technology and human movement biomechanics, according to a statement from the university.

He was a member of Alpha Psi Lambda, a Hispanic-interest fraternity and was originally from Naperville, Illinois.

READ MORE: Astroworld concertgoers describe chaos after festival deaths

Danish Baig, 27

Danish Baig, from Euless, Texas, died trying to save his fiancée, who was stomped on and hit in the crowd surge at the concert, his brother Basil Baig told CNN on Sunday.

His family says he was an amazing individual who loved with all his heart.

"People would admire him for who he was," Basil Baig told CNN.

His funeral will be held on Sunday in Colleyville, Texas, his brother said.

Basil Baig said his brother's fiancée survived, but is bruised all over her body and is traumatised.

Rudy Peña, 23

Rudy Peña from Laredo, Texas, was also killed in the tragedy.

Speaking to the Laredo Morning Times, his sister said he was "the sweetest person, friendly, outgoing, he had many friends because he was always there for everyone… he was a big fan of Travis, he loved his music".

His cousin Kimberly Escamilla posted a tribute on Facebook saying "you will be missed".

"RIP to my cousin you will be missed. I can't believe this happened to you. You were always smiling and so nice," she wrote.

READ MORE: Breakthrough in case of missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay

Brianna Rodriguez, 16

Dancer Brianna Rodriguez, aged 16, attended Heights High School in Houston.

Her family posted a heartfelt tribute on Facebook.

Gone from our sites, but never from our hearts," the family wrote on a fundraiser.

"It is with profound sadness we lay to rest our beloved Brianna Rodriguez.

"Brianna was one of the victims from the Astroworld event. She was a beautiful vibrant 16-year-old high school junior.

"Dancing was her passion and now she's dancing her way to heaven's pearly gates."

Axel Acosta, 21

Axel Acosta, 21, was identified as the victim that police had previously sought to identify.

Mr Acosta was studying computer science at Western Washington University in Bellingham.

John Hilgert, 14

According to authorities, John Hilgert was the youngest person to die at the music event.

Green ribbons were displayed at Memorial High School, just outside of Houston, in memory of the 14-year-old freshman.

The teenager was an avid baseball player.

READ MORE: Ten scenarios that could rock the world in 2022

https://www.instagram.com/p/CV9eExyApx-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

The Houston Chronicle reported he told friends that he wanted to arrive at the event early to get a good view.

Jacob E. Jurinek, 20

Jacob E. Jurinek was known for his "larger-than-life personality" and "contagious enthusiasm, his boundless energy and his unwavering positive attitude", his family said in a statement.

The man attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where he was studying art and media. He was also on the dean's list.

– Reported with CNN

Waiheke Island has recorded its first local case of Covid-19 just weeks after an Aucklander awaiting test results travelled to the island. In a post to Facebook the chair of Waiheke’s local board confirmed a resident has tested…

A Melbourne woman was picking fruit from a tree in her backyard when she was suddenly mauled by a five-foot kangaroo.

Kerry Muller, 55, was rushed to Frankston Hospital with cuts and bruises to her arm, leg and back last month after a kangaroo savagely attacked her on her Cranbourne South property.

The marsupial ripped apart her jacket and tore through her skin.

READ MORE: 'Significant breakthrough' in search for missing Victorian campers

"All I saw was claws coming at me," she said.

"So I pivoted and dived into some bushes so quickly, but by that stage he was already on me."

"I was shocked at how quickly he ripped apart my jacket."

A screaming Ms Muller ran to the house and the animal left her property.

She was left with puncture wounds to her leg and hip and is still covered in scratches.

Ms Muller spent three hours being treated in hospital then had to spend four days off work.

She said she regularly saw the kangaroo on her property before the attack.

"Usually we have a quite a respectful relationship," she said.

"He sees me he moves away, I see him he moves away.

"He changed his mind and he set himself on me. Totally shocked."

Wildlife Victoria believes the kangaroo may have been unwell, saying they're social animals and it's highly unusual for one to wander away from its mob.

The advice is to maintain a respectful distance and not to encourage them to visit by activities such as feeding them.

Ms Muller said she still didn't have ill feelings towards the animal.

"I admire (kangaroos) and I think they're magnificent," she said.