For nearly two months, the Polynesian island nation of Samoa has been in the grips of a political crisis after one of the most dramatic elections in the country’s history. After a supreme court intervention, a parliamentary lockout and a swearing-in ceremony unlike any other, two groups continue to claim they are the legitimate government of Samoa. Reporter Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson explains what led to this crisis, and the dire implications of this for the people of Samoa

Samoa’s democracy in crisis

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This week the devastating killings at Bondi junction, the attack at Wakeley and the long-awaited judgment in the Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial dominated the headlines. Sensitive, traumatic and often violent images flooded people’s feeds. Bridie Jabour speaks to editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor and head of newsroom Mike Ticher about getting breaking news right, and what happens when we get it wrong

Newsroom edition: From Bruce Lehrmann to violence in Sydney, what happens when the media gets it wrong?

At about 7pm on Monday night, a teenager wearing a black hoodie walked up to a bishop conducting a service in an Orthodox church in western Sydney and allegedly stabbed him repeatedly. Police have labelled it an act of terrorism, and community leaders are calling for calm. Reporter Mostafa Rachwani tells Nour Haydar why emotions are running high in the Assyrian Christian and Muslim communities

Sydney church stabbing: how an alleged attack reignited tensions

After Iran launched an attack on Israel, is the region heading for all-out war? Emma Graham-Harrison reports

Is the Middle East on the brink?

Bruce Lehrmann has lost his defamation case against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson, bringing to an end a sprawling legal saga which has gripped the nation. In a live oral summary that took two and a half hours, Justice Michael Lee said the former Liberal staffer was not defamed by Wilkinson and Ten when The Project broadcast an interview with Brittany Higgins on Monday 15 February 2021 in which she alleged she was raped in Parliament House. He found that on the balance of probabilities Lehrmann raped Higgins. Guardian Australia’s media correspondent Amanda Meade tells Nour Haydar how Justice Lee reached his verdict.

The Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial verdict

Seven people have died in a stabbing attack at Sydney shopping centre Bondi Junction Westfield, including the perpetrator, Joel Cauchi. Police said he suffered from mental health problems. NSW state correspondent Tamsin Rose tells Nour Haydar what happened on Saturday afternoon, and production editor Nikki Marshall describes what it was like inside the shopping centre at the time of the attack You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport

Samoa’s democracy in crisis

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