The clock is ticking on whether Australian steel and aluminium producers will be the next victims of Donald Trump's America First agenda.

Tariffs of 25 per cent on more than a billion dollars of exports to the United States are scheduled to start this week, with hopes of an exemption fading.

Australian officials are dabbling at speed date diplomacy with American counterparts in a bid to win a tariff exemption before Wednesday.

LIVE UPDATES: Flood emergency in south-east Queensland

But so far, the signs aren't good.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese personally lobbied the president last month in a phone call, and for a while it was promising.

"I told him that's something we'd give great consideration to," Trump said at the time.

Now one of the president's senior advisers has suggested an exemption is unlikely.

"He really doesn't like the word 'exemption'," National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett said.

"If I walk in and offer an exemption then I'll probably get kicked out of the office, we'll see how it goes, but maybe there'll be some, but I doubt it."

READ MORE: Plane with five aboard crashes near retirement community

Albanese said: "It is in Australia's interest but it's also in the economic interests of the United States for Australia to be exempted."

The incoming Canadian prime minister has pledged to maintain his predecessor Justin Trudeau's tit-for-tat trade war with the US.

"My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect," Mark Carney said.

According to one senior source, whether Australia does dodge tariffs on steel and aluminium might depend on who Trump speaks to last.

The US president is unmoved by concerns that it'll be the American consumer who'll pay.

READ MORE: Albanese leads Dutton as preferred leader as chance of minority government increases: poll

"We're going to take in hundreds of millions of dollars in tariffs and we're going to become so rich, you're not going to know where to spend all that money, I'm telling you, you just watch," Trump said.

Residents are on alert as a flooding emergency continues to unfold across large parts of south-east Queensland, as waters rise in the aftermath of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

Brisbane saw its wettest day in half a century, with the deluge causing widespread flash flooding, sparking dozens of rescues and thousands of calls for help.

Almost 230,000 houses and businesses are still without power across Queensland and northern NSW, and there are fears high tides could bring even more floods.

READ MORE: Albanese leads Dutton as preferred leader as chance of minority government increases: poll

"This event is far from over," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said from Lismore.

Parts of Logan, south of Brisbane, and the Gold Coast have also been badly hit, with roads and suburbs underwater.

Residents in Ipswich, to Brisbane's west, were also told to prepare to evacuate as the Bremer River running broke its banks late this afternoon.

READ MORE: Plane with five aboard crashes near retirement community

Nambour on the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane, is also seeing dangerous floods.

One man there who climbed onto the roof of his car to escape rising water is "extremely lucky", according to local emergency services.

"The car started filling up so we climbed on the roof and grabbed our boat," the man told 9News.

Even 100km from Brisbane in the rural town of Grantham, residents were told to evacuate, with flood sirens sounding.

READ MORE: PM confirms ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred victims will be eligible for Disaster Recovery Allowance

Queensland SES volunteers had their busiest 24 hours in its history, the state's Premier David Crisafulli said, with 3676 calls for help.

Queensland Police Acting Commissioner Shane Chelepy said an extra 249 officers were out in the community as the flood response continues.

As of 4pm (AEST) in Queensland, major flood warnings were in effect for the Laidley and Lockyer Creeks, Bremer River and Warrill Creek and the Logan and Albert Rivers.

Severe weather warnings remain in place for parts of the Northern Rivers, Northwest Slopes and Plains, Northern Tablelands and Mid North Coast.

READ MORE: Israel says it is cutting off its electricity supply to Gaza

Meanwhile, hardship payments for residents affected by the cyclone are coming into effect.

Short-term relief payments through the government's Disaster Recovery Allowance will be rolled out, Albanese confirmed, with applications opening at 2pm tomorrow on myGov.

The Personal Hardship Assistance Scheme will also be activated for impacted residents in the Logan, Gold Coast and Redlands council areas.

There are currently 31 LGAs impacted by Alfred.

Hundreds of schools have reopened, but many still remain closed.

Emergency eases in Lismore, NSW

NSW Premier Chris Minns says there is "good news" out of the already flood-ravaged town of Lismore, where there is just one evacuation order still in place after major flooding over the weekend.

The order is covering Lismore North.

"As soon as it is safe, SES will lift that and get people into their houses as soon as possible," Minns said.

He said a levee breach now appears unlikely, with the Wilson River dropping after reaching a high of nearly 10 metres.

Minns says about 9800 homes and businesses in the Northern Rivers were without power, down from a high of 43,000 in the past three days.

Despite the constantly repeated warnings, NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Damien Johnston says that 18 flood rescues were carried out in the past 24 hours, among more than 1100 calls for support.

Soldiers are clearing debris from isolated roads.

READ MORE: Why the Bureau of Meteorology gives human names to tropical cyclones – and how they're picking the next one

Wet weather to ease

BoM senior meteorologist Christie Johnson said while rain and storms were expected to continue tomorrow, the amount of rain would be much more moderate.

Widespread falls of between 200 and 400mm hit Queensland's south-east in the 20 hours to 5am today, with a severe weather warning in place from Gympie to the NSW border, and west as far as Toowoomba.

Federal police have revealed the caravan filled with explosives found on the side of the road in north-western Sydney was a "fake terrorism plot" that aimed to cause fear in the Jewish community, but there was no risk of a mass casualty event.

Police launched several raids this morning in relation to recent antisemitic attacks and arrested 14 people who were charged with 49 offences.

While giving an update on the arrests, Australian Federal Police revealed that the caravan that was found full of explosives in Dural in January was an attempt driven by organised criminals to threaten the Jewish community rather than stage a terror attack.

READ MORE: The cyclone blew away an April election, so when will it be held now?

"Almost immediately (after the caravan was found), experienced investigators within the joint counter-terrorism team believed that the caravan was part of a fabricated terrorist plot, essentially a criminal con job," AFP Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett said.

"This was because of the information they already had, how easily the caravan was found and how visible the explosives were in the caravan. Also, there was no detonator.

"Today, I can reveal the caravan was never going to cause a mass casualty event but instead was concocted by criminals who wanted to cause fear for personal benefit."

Barrett said while the plot was not aimed at causing casualties, it was still a sinister crime.

"Regardless of the motivation of those responsible for this fake plot, this has had a chilling effect on the Jewish community," she said.

"This twisted, self-serving criminality has terrorised Jewish Australians.

READ MORE: Rare 'blood moon' will be visible from millions of Australian homes this week

"What organised crime has done to the Jewish community is reprehensible, and it won't go without consequence.

"There was also unwarranted suspicion directed at other communities – and that is also reprehensible.

"This is a rare time I will provide advice to criminals – serve your time quietly in prison and stop diverting the resources of terrorism investigators – otherwise your charges could be significantly upgraded."

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said all of the arrests made this morning were linked to other antisemitic crimes across Sydney rather than the caravan plot, but that there are significant links between the two.

"The caravan job, as I indicated, was orchestrated by the same individual or individuals that were orchestrating the (other) incidents," he said.

READ MORE: New South Wales man, 73, arrested for driving while disqualified until 2117

While no one has been arrested or charged in direct relation to the Dural caravan, police said they believe they know who was behind the plot.

"This person who we allege is pulling the strings is known to organised crime, known in the organised crime environment… we have a number of ongoing targets, some are based in Australia, some based offshore," Barrett said.

She added there was no evidence to suggest state actors were involved.

Hudson said no one arrested had displayed "any form of antisemitic ideology".

"However, the threat to the community through the use of arson and the presence of explosives was very real," he said.

"I understand the anxiety these incidents have had on the Jewish community who we have been in constant contact with.

"We don't believe there is any ongoing threat to the community from a terrorist act."

Alisha Burns had only just given birth as a solo-by-choice mother when the metaphorical steel gates around Melbourne slammed shut in 2020.

The Victoria mum was suddenly faced with isolation and a newborn to look after without any support network around her.

She's among the countless pandemic mums who raised babies under one of the toughest lockdowns in the world.

Tomorrow marks five years since the World Health Organisation (WHO) officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic, Burns has had a lot of time to reflect.

She told 9news.com.au the pandemic was tough, but it gave her moments with her daughter she may never have experienced.

"I actually think the pandemic was one of the best things that happened to me," Burns said.

"I was forced to actually really slow down, rest, recover and just enjoy this little newborn."

"There was no pressure to have a clean house, no pressure to leave or see anyone or do anything at all."

While Burns didn't have the support of her mother, who stayed in New Zealand, or any other immediate family, she was warmed by an online community of other single parents.

She doesn't regret falling pregnant during such a turbulent time.

"I just wanted to have a baby," she added.

For fellow Melbourne mum Emilia Rossi, though, her time in lockdown felt like a prison.

She had a toddler to wrangle, along with her newborn daughter Olympia, which she said left her feeling "despaired".

"It was more than just loneliness – it was an overwhelming sense of desperation," Rossi said.

"I had a strong support system in my husband, family, and a fantastic doctor, yet despite all of that, I still experienced minor postpartum depression while juggling the demands of a newborn and a toddler."

Rossi said she is lucky her husband was a great support during her early bout of postpartum depression.

But motherhood, combined with the shock of a global crisis, made for a painful hormonal cocktail.

"It was the worst feeling I have ever experienced. I cried for no reason," she said.

"I was physically present but mentally checked out. I felt like a zombie."

Burns, meanwhile, did experience the pitfalls of limited access to paediatric support.

Her daughter Alexandra had a delayed diagnosis of hip dysplasia because of Melbourne's tough restrictions.

"She was in the brace and then the cast for quite a long time," Burns said.

"Potentially it wouldn't have gotten to the stage of needing a cast had she been diagnosed earlier."

Thankfully, now five years have gone by, Rossi said her kids – and herself – are doing just fine.

"They are happy, healthy, and thriving," she said happily.

Samantha Page, chief executive of Early Childhood Australia, told 9news.com.au the initial impact on early childhood development during the pandemic can't be ignored.

While it was certainly positive for family bonding, Page said, it deprived many kids of important social experiences.

"We know how beneficial, really good quality early years experiences can be, and particularly those opportunities to play with other children and to engage in rich learning experiences," Page said.

"It can make it more difficult for children to feel confident and happy in environments with early childhood teachers."

Page said children unconsciously absorb their parent's emotions.

The trauma caused by the pandemic and lockdowns may also be felt by children, she said.

"Children sense that anxiety, but they don't know what it's about," she said.

As for the parents, Page also understands how both Rossi and Burns would have such polar opposite experiences.

"The pandemic affected different people in different ways," Page said.

"Some parents would've sailed through it and had a lovely bonding opportunity with, but other parents might have found it really hard to be cut off from that social support." 

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With over 1.3 million sandbags distributed last week by state emergency services in preparation for Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, councils and SES are now warning residents against hasty sandbag removal and irresponsible disposal as the storm continues to pass through south Queensland and northern NSW.

Byron Shire Council, Brisbane Council, and south Queensland SES units have all issued warnings online against removing sandbags too soon and irresponsible sandbag disposal as flooding from excess rainfall continues to impact parts of Brisbane and the Gold Coast, as well as the Northern Rivers, North-western slopes and planes, Northern Tablelands, and parts of the Mid North Coast of NSW.

READ MORE: Cyclone Alfred live updates

When is it safe to remove sandbags? 

"People are advised to hold onto to their sandbags, if they are not damaged, for a couple more weeks in case there is another weather event, as the catchment is now very wet and the dunes are eroded," said Byron Shire Council.

Residents in affected areas are also being urged by emergency services to check local weather warnings on council and SES dashboards for potential flash flooding and storm surge flooding before removing and disposing of sandbags.

Over a million sandbags were distributed to southeast Queensland communities by Friday, March 8 in preparation for flooding by SES and police, combined with over 300,000 sandbags provided to Lismore and Northern Rivers areas.

READ MORE: Search underway for missing teen amid Queensland flood emergency

How do you safely dispose of sandbags? 

Safely disposing of over a million sandbags poses a health and safety risk; cyclone or flood events can lead to sandbags being contaminated with sewage or chemicals toxic to humans, said state emergency services.

Contaminated sandbags can also adversely affect local wildlife if they're incorrectly disposed of, according to Byron Shire Council's Coastal and Biodiversity Coordinator Chloe Dowsett.

"We are getting a lot of enquiries from people asking whether they should put the sand on the beach given the erosion over the last week and the answer to that is no," said Dowsett.

READ MORE: 'It's crazy': Roof ripped off as Queensland man sleeps

"Sand can be dirty and contaminated from flood or stormwater with weeds, pests and even chemicals posing an environmental risk for marine life and the birds and insects that live in the dunes and on our beaches."

Residents of cyclone and flood-impacted areas are advised to check council guidelines for sandbag disposal and collection points, wear gloves and wash their hands when handling sandbags to protect themselves from potentially harmful contaminants, and seal sandbags in plastic before taking them to a designated waste facility.

If the sandbags stayed clean and dry, then they can be saved for future use.

A small plane has crashed into the parking lot at a retirement community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, injuring the five people on board and damaging about a dozen vehicles.

The plane, a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza, crashed at 3.18pm Sunday local time (Monday AEDT) on the property of Brethren Village retirement community in Manheim Township

Manheim Township Fire chief Scott Little said five people were on board and were transported to local hospitals.

READ MORE: 'It's crazy': Roof ripped off as Queensland man sleeps

About a dozen cars were damaged, five "severely", officials said. There was no structural damage to the retirement community building and no one on the ground was injured, Little said.

Video of the scene shows the wreckage of the plane engulfed in flames and dark smoke. The fire has since been put out using "copious amounts of water," Little said.

Pennsylvania State Police are "on the ground assisting local first responders," Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said in a post on X. The governor added: "All Commonwealth resources are available as the response continues."

One witness said the plane crashed shortly after takeoff.

"It was pretty high, but then it started veering left, and suddenly it nose-dived sideways while continuing to turn left," Brian Pipkin told CNN.

Pipkin said he rushed to the parking lot of the retirement centre, where he saw the cockpit of the plane engulfed in flames.

He described the intense heat as "feeling like opening an oven set to 500 degrees when you open the door and it hits your face."

"It was so hot," he said. "I was getting closer, praying to God that nothing would blow up."

The Federal Aviation Administration said it would investigate the crash, which comes after a devastating midair collision in January and a string of plane crashes across the country.

In Philadelphia, all six passengers and one person on the ground were killed when a medical evacuation jet crashed on January 31.

The pilot reported the plane had an open door, in a radio conversation with an air traffic controller. The controller instructed the pilot to "pull up" moments before the crash.

The plane was scheduled to depart from Lancaster Airport, just north of the crash site and was headed towards Springfield, Ohio.

This story has been updated with additional information.

A man who scaled the UK Parliament's historic 'Big Ben' clock tower with a Palestinian flag has been arrested, local police said.

The man, who was barefoot and wearing all black, clung precariously to the side of the tower – home to one of the world's most famous clocks – for several hours as the fire brigade attempted to speak with him.

Crowds of people gathered on Parliament Square below to watch the scenes unfold, while Westminster Bridge was closed in both directions due to the incident, local police said.

LIVE UPDATES: Search underway for missing teen in Queensland floods

London's Metropolitan Police, which was first alerted to the climber around 7.30am local time Saturday, said in a statement Sunday the man had been arrested after the "protracted incident". All roads have been reopened, it added.

Elsewhere, pro-Palestinian protesters vandalised one of US President Donald Trump's golf courses on the west coast of Scotland, saying the action was in direct response to his plan to "take over" the Gaza Strip.

The words "GAZA IS NOT 4 SALE" were painted on the lawn of the Trump-owned Turnberry golf resort, while other parts of the world-famous course, including holes used in Open Championships, were dug up, according to Palestine Action.

The campaign group, who claimed responsibility for the protest, said the action was "in response to the American administration's plans and threats to destroy, ethnically cleanse, and 'take over' the Palestinian Gaza Strip."

READ MORE: Israel says it is cutting off its electricity supply to Gaza

Palestine Action is a British-based activist group that aims to disrupt the operations of weapons manufacturers supplying the Israeli government.

Last month, Trump doubled down on his plans for the US to redevelop Gaza, saying that he viewed the war-torn enclave as a "big real estate site."

He previously said that the United States "will take over" the Gaza Strip – possibly with the help of American troops – while the Palestinians who live there should leave.

READ MORE: Emergency warning on Gold Coast as ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred dumps deluge

Police Scotland confirmed to CNN on Saturday that reports of damage had been made to them and enquiries were ongoing.

"Around 4.40am on Saturday, March 8, 2025, we received a report of damage to the golf course and a premises on Maidens Road, Turnberry," a spokesperson said.

Turnberry is one of two high-profile courses Trump owns in Scotland, the other the Trump International Golf Links situated amid the dunes of Aberdeen.

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Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred is dumping heavy rain across large parts of South-East Queensland and northern New South Wales as it moves inland after crossing the Queensland coast this morning.

Damaging wind gusts up to 100km/h north of Brisbane last night downed trees and ripped roofs off homes, including one where the occupant somehow slept through, blissfully unaware of the destruction.

About 300,000 homes and businesses remain without power in Queensland, as well as another 13,000 in New South Wales, as ongoing thunderstorms and substantial damage to trees complicate efforts to re-establish supply.

READ MORE: Mum gives birth during ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred

Hundreds of schools across Queensland and New South Wales are likely to remain closed today, some with significant damage to buildings and many without power.

Late last night, the Bureau of Meteorology warned intense rainfall leading to "life-threatening" flooding was expected to continue overnight, with 300 to 400mm of rain possible in 24 hours in some parts of the south-east.

Several suburbs of Brisbane experienced flash flooding yesterday, while homes and businesses were inundated in Hervey Bay on the Fraser Coast, which received 233mm in a six-hour period early this morning.

Several northern Gold Coast suburbs copped falls of more than 150mm across the same length of time, include 207mm at Kingsholme and 178mm at Wongawallan. 

Emergency warnings across south-east Queensland were replaced by instructions to monitor conditions with two major exceptions in Logan and the southern Gold Coast

Those in Currumbin, Currumbin Valley, Tallebudgera, Tallebudgera Valley and Elanora were warned to go "inside and up high" and avoid driving anywhere.

"Roads are now likely to be flooded. If you are near floodwater, you may need to get up as high as you can to survive," authorities said this afternoon.

"Follow your emergency plan if you are in danger. If you do not have a plan, it may be too late to leave safely.

"If it's flooded forget it."

A similar emergency warning was issued further north in the Logan suburbs ofTamborine, Cedar Creek, Wolfdene, Bannockburn, Windaroo, Mt Warren Park, Beenleigh and Eagleby.

The wider Gold Coast was on a lower watch and act warning to prepare for moderate to major flooding.

Even after being downgraded, Alfred's winds had a sting in the tail across Brisbane's north and around Redcliffe.

A neighbour filmed as violent wind gusts had several cracks at a corrugated iron roof in Brighton, before eventually ripping it off completely.

It was a similar story a couple of kilometres north on the Redcliffe Peninsula, where Newport, Scarborough and Redcliffe itself were smashed. 

Most residents said it was impossible to sleep amid the howling wind and creaking of homes and big trees.

But not for Daniel Goullet, who said he didn't even wake up when the roof was ripped from his home and onto nearby power lines.

"[I'm] in shock, to be honest," he said.

"This is crazy, like you always see this stuff on the news and stuff but you don't think it's going to happen to you, and then bang."

On Saturday afternoon, many thought the worst of the winds had passed. The night proved just how unpredictable systems like Alfred can be.

"This can be a feature of these sorts of systems," Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Sue Oates said.

"When they – even though it has – the systems do weaken below tropical cyclone intensity, they then interact with the surrounding environment in which they sit."

Across the border, evacuation orders for the Lismore CBD and East Lismore were lifted yesterday with residents advised to return home "with caution".

READ MORE: What Labor's crushing win in WA means for the federal election

But tensions flared at an evacuation centre in Mullumbimby, where a minor flood warning was current early this morning.

Police were told two men were involved in an altercation about 8pm last night, leaving a 26-year-old man recovering from facial injuries in a stable condition in Byron Bay Hospital.

A 44-year-old man was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and due to front Byron Bay Local Court today.

Heavy rain is expected to continue in parts of the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast and eastern parts of the Northern Tablelands extending into the Northwest Slopes and Plains.

Six-hourly rainfall totals between 50 and 100mm and 24-hourly rainfall totals between 100 and 150mm are possible.

The rain and wind gusts are expected to ease by Monday afternoon as Alfred continues to weaken and moves further inland.

More than 3000 insurance claims have already been lodged with thousands more expected as the focus of authorities now turns swiftly towards recovery.

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An accused thief has been filmed getting a little distracted as he allegedly broke into a Gold Coast restaurant locked up for ex-Cyclone Alfred.

After smashing through a glass door at Gelato Gemelli yesterday and opening it from the inside, CCTV shows a looter helping himself at the usually bustling Broadbeach restaurant while everyone was at home.

"It was very brazen of him to come at midday," Gemelli Group's Alec Carney said.

READ MORE: Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred dumping deluge as it moves inland, weakens

First he can be seen snooping around the till, before opting for something a little sweeter.

"We were a bit worried at the start, and then we realised they walked past all the expensive liquor and wine and went straight for the gelato cabinet," Gemelli Group's Alec Carney said.

He helped himself to six scoops of Gemelli's gelato, taking his time to savour the flavours.

"He had a bit of everything but he definitely had a good dig at the pistachio," Alec said.

"There was a little bit of humour in the whole thing, because it was like a mouse, a mouse trap, with the cheese, he walked past the gelati cabinet and was like ooh gelati."

But as he went to exit with a full stomach and two bottles of whiskey he left something important behind – his phone.

The accused thief returned an hour later to pick up his device, but police weren't far behind, chasing a man from the restaurant and arresting him just down the street.

Police charged a 40-year-old man with enter premises and commit indictable offence and unlawful possession of suspected stolen property.

He's due to appear in Southport Magistrates Court tomorrow.

But a ban from Gemelli wouldn't be part of the punishment, the owners said.

"Come down to Gelato Gemelli in Nobby's and we'll be more than happy to give you a free sample, even if he wants to come back for a free scoop," Paul said.

A new mum in Brisbane has described giving birth during ex-tropical Cyclone Alfred.

Annie Coburn went into labour on Friday night, and husband Harrison rushed her to the city's Mater Hospital.

Annie had a 13-hour labour in the middle of the cyclone before baby Winnie was born at 12.36pm on Saturday.

LIVE UPDATES: Warning of life-threatening flooding in coming hours

"We're doing very well considering everything and she's a little superstar," Ms Coburn told Today.

The couple drive to the hospital through the wild weather.

"To be honest, I wasn't even thinking about the cyclone, apart from when we were driving in and were going through the crazy winds and rain," Ms Coburn said.

"But once we got to the hospital I was just like, we were in a different world."

"It was all a bit of a whirlwind, to be honest," Mr Coburn said.

READ MORE: PM praises defence heroes injured after ADF trucks crash

"There were no cars on the road. The weather was deteriorating."

Mr Corburn said they had considered naming the baby Alfie, if it was a boy, but that wasn't to do with the cyclone.

"That is true – the cyclone was just a coincidence. I am a mad Brisbane Broncos fan, wanting to name him after Alfie Langer."

However, Ms Coburn said she was "happy she's a girl."

Meanwhile, another Brisbane mum gave given birth to a premature baby boy, which she named Alfie, on Wednesday as the cyclone approached.

Parents Han Zhang and his wife Ning welcomed their son seven weeks early on Wednesday at Mater Mothers' Hospital, weighing 1.8kg.