Early in Asian trading, oil prices experienced a decline following Iran’s retaliatory strike on Israel during the weekend. Despite this, Brent crude, a crucial global oil price benchmark, remained lower but hovered around $90 per barrel on Monday morning.

The UN chief has warned that it is time to “step back from the brink” after Iran attacked Israel late on Saturday. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the UN Security Council that people in the Middle East face the danger of a devastating full-scale conflict.

Joel Cauchi, 40 – the man who went on a stabbing attack in a Sydney shopping mall appears to have targeted women, police say. Cauchi attacked people at the busy Westfield Bondi Junction complex on Saturday. He stabbed and killed six people – five women and 1 man, with a long blade.

The US has told Israel it will not participate in any retaliatory strikes on Iran, according to senior administration officials. Over 300 drones and missiles were fired at Israel overnight, which Iran said was in response to the strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria. 

Former President Donald Trump has vowed to take the stand in his own defense in his upcoming Manhattan hush-money trial, marking a historic moment as the first time a former US president will stand trial on criminal charges. The trial, brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, centers around allegations of falsifying business records related to a payment made to ex-porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.

Booms and air raid sirens sounded across Israel early Sunday after Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles in an unprecedented revenge mission that pushed the Middle East closer to a region wide war. A military spokesman said the launches numbered more than 300 but 99% of them were intercepted.