Public figure overview focused on current events
Alison Zuend and Jo Treweek have completed a charity horseback journey across Britain, raising more than £20,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK. The pair, who began in May, faced cold Scottish weather and heat waves in England while navigated rivers, bridges and busy roads with a support trailer, documenting the effort on social media. They say the journey has been exhausting but uplifting, and they thank the generosity of strangers who helped push their fundraising past the target.
A District Court of Western Australia has convicted Christopher Saunders, 76, on 13 of 19 charges of sexual abuse dating from 2008 to 2019 in the Broome Diocese. He led the diocese from 1996 to 2021 and resigned after an earlier police inquiry. The verdict follows a lengthy trial in which four charges were dropped and six were acquitted; sentencing is set for September 21.
A 76-year-old former bishop in Broome, Western Australia, has been sentenced for 13 of 19 charges of sexual abuse against Indigenous men and youths. The church and Vatican investigations overlapped with police action, highlighting tension between canonical processes and criminal justice. The bouquet of reports notes the impact on victims and the church’s accountability.