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It’s hard to understand how a man could walk into a shopping centre on a Saturday afternoon and start stabbing people. 

It’s left so many people demanding answers. 

Today, we look at the offender Joel Cauchi’s mental health history and ask whether anything could have been done to stop the attack and save lives.   

Featured: 

Professor Kimberlie Dean, Chair of Forensic Mental Health at UNSW

It’s been an unsettling few days with two major knife crimes in Sydney. 

The Bondi Junction attack left six dead and just days later there was an alleged act of terrorism at a church in the city’s west. 

The circumstances are very different, but leaders are calling for calm and for the community to come together. 

Today, extremism expert Josh Roose on what we know about the latest attack and the threat of terrorism. 

Correction: This episode included a misleading quote of NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb discussing the Bondi attacker, when we were discussing the alleged church offender. We have removed this audio. 

Featured: 

Josh Roose, associate professor of politics at Deakin University

A defamation case brought by Bruce Lehrmann has ended with a dramatic finding against the former Liberal party staffer. 

Justice Michael Lee is satisfied that on the balance of probabilities Mr Lehrmann did rape Brittany Higgins inside Parliament House in Canberra in March 2019. 

Court reporter Patrick Bell steps through the judgement that was watched on a live stream by tens of thousands of people. 

Featured: 

Patrick Bell, ABC court reporter

How did the attacker at a busy Westfield shopping centre select his victims? 

Police are searching for answers after the Saturday afternoon rampage at Bondi Junction in Sydney’s east. 

A 40-year-old Queensland man, armed with a knife, made his way through the centre stabbing innocent shoppers, killing six people. 

Today, criminologist Xanthe Mallett reflects on the acts of heroism we saw and what may have driven the killer.

Featured: 

Dr Xanthe Mallett, criminologist and associate professor at the University of Newcastle

The appeal of music festivals seems to be dying away with a string of cancellations this year. 

Is it all about rising costs and fears of bad weather? Or is there more to it?

Today, Double Js National Music Correspondent Zan Rowe on whether the big music festival can be saved. 

Featured: 

Zan Rowe, Double J National Music Correspondent and host of Take 5 and Bang On podcasts

Australian Zomi Frankcom and six others died when their convoy of aid vehicles was struck by Israeli missiles in Gaza. 

Israel says it was a mistake and a tragedy. But is its explanation good enough?

Today, host of ABC’s 7.30 program, Sarah Ferguson, on what we learnt from her interview with an Israeli military spokesman and whether what unfolded was a war crime.

Featured: 

Sarah Ferguson, presenter of ABC 7.30