Australia's weather will be a tale of two halves this week, with cool, wet conditions coming for the south and warmer days for the east and north.

Weatherzone says the weather in much of the country will be affected by a developing negative southern annular mode (SAM).

"A negative SAM is associated with a northward shift in the belt of westerly winds that flows between Australia and Antarctica," Weatherzone said.

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"During spring, a negative SAM pattern typically causes cold fronts and low pressure to deliver more rain in southern Australia, while high pressure systems centred further north cause drier and warmer weather across much of northern and eastern Australia."

The differences can be seen in the forecasts for Australia's capitals.

Sydney and Brisbane are set to see mostly warm and sunny weather for the coming week, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, though Sydney will cool from the high 20s to mid 20s later in the week.

Brisbane is forecast to crack the 30-degree mark on most days, peaking at 35 on Thursday.

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By contrast, Melbourne and Adelaide are facing frequent rainy days with top temperatures unlikely to pass 20 degrees before the weekend.

"Northern Australia will see heat building up under this week's weather pattern, with temperatures likely to reach the low forties in parts of the Kimberley, Pilbara and Top End," Weatherzone said.

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"This won't be the first time temperatures have exceeded 40 degrees in Australia this spring, but it has a good chance of being the country's hottest weather so far this season."

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A statue standing at 3 metres tall of rock queen Tina Turner has been unveiled in the rural Tennessee community where she grew up — before becoming a Grammy-winning singer, an electrifying stage performer and one the world's most recognisable and popular entertainers.

The statue was revealed during a ceremony at a park in Brownsville, located about an hour drive east of Memphis.

The city of about 9000 people is near Nutbush, the community where Turner went to school as a child. As a teen, she attended high school just steps from where the statue now stands.

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The statue shows Turner with her signature wild hairdo and holding a microphone, as if she was singing on stage.

It was designed by sculptor Fred Ajanogha, who said he tried to capture her flexibility of movement on stage, how she held the microphone with her index finger extended, and her hairstyle, which he compared to the “mane of a lion".

Turner died on May 24, 2023, at age 83 after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich.

Her Grammy-winning singing career included the hit songs Nutbush City Limits, Proud Mary, Private Dancer, and We Don’t Need Another Hero, from the film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Her movie credits also include Tommy and Last Action Hero.

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Turner teamed with husband Ike Turner for hit records and live shows in the 1960s and ’70s.

She survived her troubled marriage to succeed in middle age with the chart-topping What’s Love Got To Do With It, released in 1984.

Her admirers ranged from Mick Jagger to Beyoncé to Mariah Carey, and she was known as the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll".

The unveiling was part of the annual Tina Turner Heritage Days, a celebration of her life growing up in rural Tennessee, before she moved away as a teenager.

The statue was sculpted in clay by Ajanogha in Atlanta and cast in bronze by a West Tennessee foundry, and it took about a year to complete. It is 7 feet and 9 inches tall with a base of 2 feet, making it stand about 3 metres.

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Karen Cook said she traveled from Georgia to attend the event with her friend, a cousin of Turner's, to honour the legendary performer.

“She's a great artist, I love her music,” said Cook, 59.

“My mom listened to her a lot. It's a big deal and a great thing for the community to have Tina Turner in her small town.”

About 50 donors gave money for the statue, including Ford Motor Company, which donated $US150,000 ($228,000). Ford is building an electric truck factory in nearby Stanton.

The statue stands near a museum honouring Turner at the the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center in Brownsville.

The museum opened in 2014 inside the renovated Flagg Grove School, a one-room building where Turner attended classes in Nutbush. The school closed in the 1960s and was used as a barn before the dilapidated building was moved by tractor-trailer from Nutbush to Brownsville.

An expanded five per cent first home deposit scheme will come into effect on Wednesday, fulfilling a core government election pledge, but some observers are warning of the effect it will have on a frenzied housing market.

All first home buyers will be able to enter the property market with a five per cent deposit, with the rest of the deposit backed by the government under the Labor scheme.

It's set to kick off on Wednesday, October 1.

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Under the changes, all first home buyers will have access, with no caps on places or income limits, according to government statements.

Property price caps will also be set higher in line with average house prices, providing access to a greater variety of homes.

The government expects first home buyers using the scheme in just its first year are expected to avoid around $1.5 billion in potential mortgage insurance costs.

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But the Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia has warned of potential adverse effects on the market.

REBAA president Melinda Jennison said prices had jumped significantly in many locations in the past month as home buyers started to panic about the impact of the scheme on the wider market.

"Properties that were selling for $750,000 last month are now selling for close to $800,000," Jennison said.

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"Many buyers are reportedly panicking with some purchasing sight unseen or overpaying to secure a property before 1 October."

Jennison said it was admirable for the government to help more first home buyers enter the market, but without more housing supple, extra demand would only drive up the market.

"What was $800,000 will soon be $900,000, which will make it even more difficult for first timers to secure finance for a home – even with the scheme's five per cent deposit on offer," she said.

"Markets are already in frenzy, let alone what the next few months will bring once the scheme has started.

"Property buyers need to calm down, stick to their budgets, and seek out expert advice from professional buyers' agents to ensure they don't overpay because of their fear of missing out."

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Police have stormed a unit and arrested a man after an hour of negotiations following a stabbing in western Sydney.

Neighbours called police to a unit block on Graham Street in Berala about 9.55am today after hearing screams and finding a 45-year-old man with stab wounds on the driveway.

"My neighbour heard the screaming. When he came out and saw he was on the floor, he called me and called the police, and I called the ambulance," a witness told 9News.

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Another witness said the man had six stab wounds to his head and body.

Police said the man was seriously injured and taken to hospital in a stable condition.

Officers tried to speak with an armed man at the scene, but he barricaded himself inside a unit.

A perimeter was established and the community were urged to avoid the area as police negotiators, riot police and the dog unit were called in to help.

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After an hour-long siege, police stormed the home about 11.10am and arrested a 25-year-old man.

He was treated at the scene for minor injuries before being taken to hospital for further treatment under police guard.

Police told 9News the pair are known to each other, but it is unclear what sparked the attack. 

Both men remain in hospital as investigations are ongoing.

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Four teenagers have been arrested in Melbourne CBD and a woman has been taken to hospital after a police pursuit across multiple suburbs.

The incident began when police spotted a car being driven "erratically" on the Eastern Freeway in Doncaster in the city's east about 12.30pm.

Officers then followed the car into the CBD, where a pedestrian was hit on Exhibition Street, police said.

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The woman, aged in her 40s, was treated at the scene for injuries and taken to hospital.

She remains at Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious condition.

Driver Nathan told 3AW the woman was crossing the road when she was struck by the allegedly stolen car.

"It pulled in front of me, it then hit a pedestrian that was crossing on a green man," he said.

"It flew her off… she hit the side. I've slowed down but there would have been 10 or 15 other pedestrians crossing that helped her up."

A BMW, which police allege was stolen yesterday from Boroondara, east Melbourne, was then dumped a short time later at Bourke Street Mall, which does not permit cars.

Four occupants of the car then fled the scene on foot.

They were arrested a short time later outside Emporium Melbourne shopping centre on Lonsdale Street.

Two 17-year-old boys, a 16-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy are being interviewed by police.

One witness told 9News that shoppers and business owners feared for their lives as the BMW was allegedly seen speeding down tram tracks about 1pm.

"It was just mayhem… people coming around from everywhere," he said.

"People were a bit disorientated as to what [was] going on. Shops started to shut their doors because they were in fear that maybe they would come in."

Another witness described the incident as "shocking".

"You know, you think these things will never happen here in Melbourne, but it is now," he said.

A fellow pedestrian told 9News it was lucky nobody died as people were forced to jump out of the way of the moving car.

"They could have killed someone in the intersection," witness Vince said.

"Next minute this car has come straight down and I thought, thank God we weren't walking in the middle of Bourke Street Mall."

Another said the incident had haunting similarities to the deadly 2017 Bourke Street attack, which saw driver James Gargasoulas kill six and injure 27 after ploughing into pedestrians.

"Bourke Street all over again. Literally," he told 9News.

A witness told 3AW she earlier saw what appeared to be a white BMW with smashed windows travelling down Punt Road in South Yarra.

Another caller named Craig said multiple police cars were seen heading down Elizabeth Street as the incident unfolded.

"There's police cars absolutely everywhere. They're coming rolling down Elizabeth Street, up the wrong side of the road," he said.

"Cops everywhere, all running into Melbourne Central [Shopping Centre].

"I've never seen so many police cars in my life."

Two tram routes were delayed due to the incident.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan described it as "disgraceful, dangerous behaviour".

"Victorians won't tolerate it and neither will we," Allan said.

Car allegedly stolen from Balwyn family

Andy Tran told 9News his BMW was stolen from his home early this morning.

He said the alleged offenders broke into his Balwyn, in Melbourne's east, while six people slept – including a 12-year-old.

"We were quite lucky but we've got young kids, we've got [an] elderly mum, so a bit traumatised," he said.

Tran said his mother-in-law heard a commotion but didn't get up to confront the intruders.

"She heard the noise around 1.30ish and then thought it was just us," he added.

He alleges the offenders also stole a wallet, keys and a mobile phone.

9News understands police are investigating whether the same group is responsible for targeting four other homes in the Boorondara area.

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Police said the formal identification process is ongoing.

A gunman opened fire inside a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Michigan during a Sunday service and set the building ablaze, killing at least four people and injuring eight others before police shot him, authorities said.

Hundreds of people were inside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township when a 40-year-old man rammed a ute through the front door, then got out of the vehicle and started shooting, Police Chief William Renye told reporters.

Police believe he "deliberately" set the building on fire.

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After the suspect left the church, two officers pursued him and "engaged in gunfire," Renye said. The man was killed.

Flames and smoke could be seen pouring from the church for hours before the blaze was put out. First responders were then sifting through the wreckage.

"We do believe we will find some additional victims once we find the area where the fire was," Renye said.

He said as well as two victims killed by gunfire, two other bodies had been found in the ruins of the burned church.

According to CNN, a law enforcement source said seven people remain unaccounted for, but cautioned that number could include survivors who had not yet contacted their families.

The search through the wreckage of the church has been called off for the night and will resume tomorrow.

The FBI is leading the investigation into the attack as an "act of targeted violence", according to Reuben Coleman, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Detroit Field Office.

"This act of violence has no place in our state or anywhere else in our country," he said.

"The FBI is committed to continue finding out the facts, circumstances and motives behind this tragedy."

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Who is Thomas Jacob Sanford?

Renye identified the suspect as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, from neighbouring Burton. Reyne did not specify a motive at a news conference on Sunday evening. Police cordoned off the street leading to the suspect's home.

Sanford was an Iraq War veteran and outdoorsman, according to military records and social media posts.

A Marine Corps spokesperson told CNN that Sanford served as a sergeant and received several medals for his service, which lasted from 2004 to 2008. He was deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom for several months starting in the summer of 2007.

Sanford graduated from Goodrich High School in 2004 and was recognised among other veteran alumni, according to an archived page from the school's website. A local news profile of Sanford from 2007 said he was deployed with the US Marine Corps to Japan before preparing to head for service in Iraq.

Social media accounts linked to Sanford's family show he was married with at least one child, a young son. According to a GoFundMe page from 2015, the family was in need of donations to help pay for the medical care of Sanford's son, who was born with a rare genetic disorder.

The newborn was diagnosed with a condition called congenital hyperinsulinism, which required a lengthy hospital stay and several surgeries to remove portions of the pancreas, according to a family Facebook page documenting the difficult journey.

The child's medical condition took a financial toll on the family, with one local news article reporting Sanford took leave from his work as a truck driver for Coca-Cola to be with his son.

"Don't ever take having healthy kids for granted," Sanford is quoted as saying in another article.

"We are proud of our child. I spent four years in the Marine Corps and was in Iraq and this is still the most unique thing to deal with."

Other posts on Sanford's mother's Facebook page show that Sanford was a hunter, posing with deer and other game.

No motive known

Renye said one of the wounded people was in critical condition Sunday evening and seven others were stable.

Police said they did not yet have a motive for the fire or shooting. Investigators are searching the suspect's residence in nearby Burton. Authorities did not provide any additional details about the suspect, including whether he was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church.

It was the latest of many shooting attacks on houses of worship in the US over the past 20 years, including one in August that killed two children during Mass at the Church of the Annunciation in Minneapolis.

US President Donald Trump said he was briefed on the shooting. In a social media post, he applauded the FBI, who local authorities said are sending 100 agents to the area, for responding.

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"PRAY for the victims, and their families. THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!" Trump wrote.

The church building, circled by a parking lot and a large lawn, is near residential areas and a Jehovah's Witness church. It is in Grand Blanc Township, a community of roughly 40,000 people outside Flint.

The impact spread quickly to neighbouring communities, including the small city that shares a name with the township.

"Although we are two separate governmental units, we are a very cohesive community," said city of Grand Blanc Mayor John Creasey.

"This sort of thing is painful for our entire community. I'm struggling to digest all that has happened, and my heart goes out to all of the affected families."

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement that her heart was breaking for the community. "Violence anywhere especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable," she said.

The shooting occurred the morning after Russell M Nelson, the oldest-ever president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died at 101. The next president of the faith is expected to be Dallin H Oaks, per church protocol.

"The church is in communication with local law enforcement as the investigation continues and as we receive updates on the condition of those affected," Doug Anderson, a spokesperson for Utah-based faith said in a statement.

"Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection. We pray for peace and healing for all involved."

Some striking nurses at nearby Henry Ford Hospital left the picket line and ran the short distance to the church to help first responders, Teamsters Local 332 President Dan Glass said.

"Human lives matter more than our labour dispute." Glass said.

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More than 13 years after a vibrant and "fiercely free-spirited" young woman disappeared without a trace, a coroner has concluded she was killed by her controlling lover.

Leisl Smith, 23, was last seen alive on CCTV getting into a white ute at Tuggerah railway station on the NSW Central Coast in August 2012.

The vehicle belonged to her accused killer, James Church, who was charged with her murder and faced trial 10 years later.

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But the trial verdict has been sealed after Church died by suicide on the eve of it being delivered in the NSW Supreme Court in July 2022.

Smith's family finally received answers to painful questions about the fate of the vibrant 23-year-old on Monday as inquest findings were handed down.

Coroner Harriet Grahame determined Smith had been killed by Church before midnight on August 19 at a remote location in the NSW Upper Hunter region.

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Her body has never been found, despite extensive searches spanning more than a decade.

Evidence showed Church was alarmed he could no longer control Smith, who had the potential to affect his standing in the community and his relationship.

She complained the then-42-year-old had previously been physically aggressive and threatened to kill her.

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The inquest was told Church had a "significant history" of inflicting serious harm on his intimate partners, including an incident of grievous bodily harm.

Grahame found he killed Smith after collecting her from the train station and told a myriad of documented lies to conceal his crime.

"Leisl is obviously deeply loved and missed by all," she said as she expressed her sincere condolences to the family.

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"She was a fiercely free spirited daughter and sister … someone who danced to the beat of her own drum, who was adventurous, and always looking for the joy in life."

The coroner acknowledged the "tenacity and strength" of Smith's family, who bore the "particularly cruel burden" of not seeing her live to achieve her potential.

She also formally recommended a legal change be considered to allow trial verdicts to be released where they are settled before an accused person dies.

Justice Elizabeth Fullerton, who presided over his judge-alone trial, had settled on her verdict and finalised her written reasons but had not yet handed them down.

When Church died, the verdict was sealed and the legal proceedings were terminated in accordance with the laws of abatement.

Smith's family called for an exception to the laws in the instance a verdict has already been reached to prevent another family from suffering as they have done.

Grahame noted that sealing the outcome of Church's trial caused "deep distress" to Smith's family and the diligent police officers whose investigation came to an abrupt end.

The coroner recommended NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley refer the question to the law reform commission for consideration.

The lead detective in June said he believed Smith's body lay near Church's area of work.

"It's something that I think about all the time," he said, before addressing Smith's mother Sandi Harvey in the courtroom.

"I'm sorry I couldn't give you the ultimate answers that you really wanted … you deserve them.

"I've done my best and I'm sorry."

Smith's sister Jerildene Cane told the inquest of her last conversation with her sister, who shared bright plans for the future including a return to study.

"The only thing I wish I had done is hug her," Cane said.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

The venue has received multiple abatement notices and environmental fines.

Sky News Australia has axed its new program Freya Fires Up after six weeks on the air.

The network confirmed the After Dark show, hosted by Freya Leach, has been pulled from its line-up following an incident where a guest wore bacon rashers on his shoulders during a segment in which he made anti-Islam comments.

A spokesperson for News Corp Australia, which owns Sky News Australia, said Freya Fires Up will be cancelled after just six episodes.

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Leach, 22, will remain a co-host of The Late Debate on Sky.

"We have undertaken a thorough internal review, implemented its recommendations and taken appropriate action with everyone involved in this incident," a spokesperson told The Sydney Morning Herald.

"We took immediate action during the live broadcast to cut off the guest, our host promptly apologised, and we ensured the content was not published or republished to any of our digital platforms."

Scottish-born Ryan Williams, 33, appeared on the show on Sunday, September 21.

He was introduced by Leach as a "social media sensation", before Williams made disparaging remarks about Islam.

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The segment was pulled from the air just one minute into the live broadcast.

"I've just been told we have to apologise for what was just aired, those comments earlier," Leach told viewers shortly after.

Leach then apologised during The Late Debate the following Monday.

It was initially reported that Sky News Australia would pre-record Freya Fires Up after Williams' appearance.

"Sky News Australia apologises unreservedly for the deeply offensive comments made by a guest during a live broadcast on Sunday evening," Sky said last week.

"We recognise the harm such rhetoric can cause and take full responsibility for this failure in our editorial processes."

The show did not air last night.

9news.com.au has contacted News Corp and Leach for comment.

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