A 16-year-old boy charged with a terrorism offence over an alleged stabbing at a Sydney church; the United States vetoes a Palestinian request for full UN membership, and in football, A-League women's club Canberra United will play again next season.
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TRANSCRIPT
- A 16-year-old boy charged with a terrorism offence over an alleged stabbing at a Sydney church
- The United States vetoes a Palestinian request for full UN membership
- A-League women's club Canberra United will play again next season
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with a terrorism offence following an Australian Federal Police investigation into a stabbing at a Sydney church.
Police were called to Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley on Monday evening where Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was allegedly stabbed up to six times during a live-streamed sermon.
The teenager is currently under police guard in hospital after undergoing surgery for a severed finger sustained following the attack.
He is due to have a bedside hearing today, facing the Paramatta Children's Court.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb says a heightened police presence is being deployed at places of worship across Sydney.
"We have extra officers deployed, we've deployed extra officer since Monday night, particularly in south west Sydney, but across Sydney, to patrol places of worship and other important installations. The community should have no current concerns for their safety."
Police allege the accused travelled 90 minutes to attend the Western Sydney church.
The charge also comes as investigators hunt for as many as 50 people involved in a violent riot that unfolded after the incident.
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Sydney's Westfield Bondi Junction, the site of a deadly stabbing attack that killed six people and injured several others, has re-opened for trading this morning.
The centre has been open to the public from 9.30am today, although not all stores have re-opened at this time.
Security guards working at the centre will be given stab-proof vests.
No advertisements or loud music will be played as a sign of respect to the victims and those injured.
One week's rent is being waived for tenants.
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The United States has vetoed a Security Council resolution recommending Palestine be granted full membership to the United Nations.
Twelve voted in favour of the resolution, with two abstentions from the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
In order for a draft resolution to pass, at least nine members must vote in favour with none of its permanent members - China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States - using their veto power.
Robert A. Wood is the US Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations.
"We have long called on the Palestinian authority to take necessary reforms to help establish the attributes of readiness for statehood and note that Hamas, a terrorist organisation, is currently exerting power and influence in Gaza, an integral part of the state and vision in this resolution. For these reasons, the United States voted no on this Security Council resolution."
Mr Wood says this vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood but instead is an acknowledgment that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties.
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The 12-person jury who will decide the verdict in Donald Trump's historic criminal trial has now been selected.
The former President is accused of trying to cover up paying $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels in return for her silence.
The 77-year-old has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of fraud and denies having an affair with Ms Daniels.
He spoke outside a New York court, calling the trial politically motivated.
"The whole world is watching this hoax. You've got a DA (District Attorney) that's out of control. You've got a judge that's highly conflicted. The whole thing is a mess."
The day began with seven jurors, two of whom were excused from the trial.
Judge Juan Merchan has urged the media to avoid sharing any personal descriptions of potential jurors, after one said she felt intimidated after some aspects of her identity was made public.
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A new report from the Australian Medical Association shows elective surgery wait times at Australia's public hospitals are the longest on record.
The latest Public Hospital Report Card shows the median wait time for elective surgeries in the last financial year was 49 days, up from 40 days the year before.
The national rate of patients completing a visit to the emergency room within four hours is 56 per cent, the lowest rate since 2011.
Dr Sarah Whitelaw from the Australian Medical Association says the greatest impact is on patients.
"It means that we are seeing elderly patients sitting in plastic chairs for hours. We are seeing patients getting intravenous fluids and antibiotics in waiting rooms. We are resuscitating people in corridors. We are breaking, traumatic, incredibly stressful news to people who had no privacy who are often in corridors."
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And in sport, A-League women's club Canberra United will play again next season, with the ACT Government committing $200,000 towards the team.
The future of the football club was in jeopardy at the end of the 2022-23 season, with Capital Football revealing the team needed additional investment to stay afloat.
