Morning Mail: alleged church stabbing sparks clash with police, Lehrmann judgment fallout, Trump trial begins
Morning everyone. An Orthodox Christian bishop has allegedly been stabbed while giving mass at his church in western Sydney, and there were clashes between angry locals and police guarding a 15-year-old suspect held after the incident. Riot police were called in to disperse the crowd and the New South Wales premier has called for calm. We have a full report, plus news, analysis and a podcast on the dramatic conclusion of Bruce Lehrmann’s failed defamation case. And Donald Trump’s hush-money trial has begun.
Australia
Church attack | Hundreds of people clashed with police in western Sydney last night after a prominent Orthodox Christian leader was allegedly stabbed at the altar of his church. Three others were also injured in the incident at the Assyrian church in Wakeley. Police arrested a teenager at the scene and a large crowd gathered outside the church, clashing with police (pictured).
‘True story’ | Lisa Wilkinson has claimed vindication for a “true story” about a rape after Bruce Lehrmann’s libel accusations against her and Channel Ten were dismissed at the federal court in Sydney. See below for more on the judgment.
Bondi stabbings | NSW police are investigating if Bondi Junction killer Joel Cauchi deliberately targeted women and children as a coronial inquiry into the stabbings was launched, while people travelled far and wide to show their respect at the scene.
Coral damage | Global heating has pushed the world’s coral reefs to a fourth planet-wide mass bleaching event that is on track to be the most extensive on record, US government scientists have confirmed. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef endured its most widespread heat stress event on record this year.
Music crisis | Live music industry operators have called for Australian governments to pause funding for the festival sector in the aftermath of the cancellation of events such as Splendour in the Grass.
World
Trump trial | Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money trial involving adult movie actor Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal started in New York overnight amid a media frenzy. Trump, however, appeared to doze off as jury selection took place.
Middle East tension | Israel’s top general has said the country will respond to Iran’s missile and drone attack, but it remains unclear what form that response will take after another night of mounting tension saw the UK and French governments urge Israel not to escalate the situation. The Israeli government may push Australia to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation.
Rust sentence | Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the weapons supervisor on the film Rust, is facing up to 18 months in prison for the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set when she is sentenced today.
‘Just not right’ | A UK couple were divorced by mistake after solicitors at a leading law firm made a computer error, but a senior judge has said it cannot be overturned.
Football | The whipping of Al-Ittihad player Abderrazak Hamdallah by a spectator after the Saudi Arabian Super Cup final has been condemned by the country’s football federation and players’ union.
Full Story
The Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial verdict
After sitting through weeks of courtroom drama, Amanda Meade tells Nour Haydar how Justice Michael Lee reached his verdict that, on the balance of probabilities, Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins.
In-depth
With the forensic style of a criminal trial, Justice Michael Lee unstitched Bruce Lehrmann’s lies in his defamation case against Channel Ten. Richard Ackland salutes “a remarkable judgment” that represents one of very few where the media has successfully defended a defamation action in the federal court. We also have an analysis of the judge’s comments about the key players, a roundup of his best zingers, and a read on how the saga played out.
Not the news
The author Salman Rushdie has released a new memoir about the near fatal knife attack he suffered two years ago in upstate New York which cost him the use of his right eye. Knife reveals how he is still plagued by premonitions and PTSD nightmares, but feels he could be protected by a “greater force”. Here are 10 things we learned from his book.
The world of sport
Basketball | Houston Rockets star Boban Marjanović (51) has intentionally missed a free-throw late in an NBA game against the Clippers to ensure the home crowd would receive free chicken sandwiches as part of a Chick-fil-A promotion.
Cricket | Derek Underwood, the most prolific spin bowler in England’s Test history with 297 wickets and Kerry Packer World Series rebel, has died at the age of 78.
Premier League | Chelsea added to Everton’s problems by beating them this morning, helped by a 17-minute hat-trick from Cole Palmer.
Media roundup
All main sites lead with the Lehrmann verdict with the Canberra Times concluding that we need to do a “better job” bringing up the next generation of men. The Australian calls it a “hollow victory” for Ten which could not vindicate the “trial by media”. The parents of Bondi Junction killer Joel Cauchi say he “lost touch with reality” and was “frustrated out of his brain”, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. In Tasmania, an environmental group will return to court tomorrow in a final bid to stop the logging of native forests near the Derby mountain biking trails, the Mercury reports.
What’s happening today
Canberra | Supermarket bosses will appear at the Senate inquiry.
Victoria | A state funeral will be held for youth worker Les Twentyman OAM at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne.
Culture | There will be a public hearing into national cultural policy focusing on music festivals.
Sign up
If you would like to receive this Morning Mail update to your email inbox every weekday, sign up here. And finish your day with a three-minute snapshot of the day’s main news. Sign up for our Afternoon Update newsletter here.
Prefer notifications? If you’re reading this in our app, just click here and tap “Get notifications” on the next screen for an instant alert when we publish every morning.
Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
