Afternoon Update: US ‘freebirthing’ business linked to death of Melbourne woman; World Cup penalty shootouts; and eight days lost at sea

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A https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/30/freebirth-wellness-influencer-stacey-warnecke-death-ntwnfb">Guardian investigation has revealed links between a US business linked to baby deaths around the world and the Australian “birth keeper” Emily Lal, the central witness at the inquest into the death of a Melbourne wellness influencer.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jun/30/cairo-takeaway-court-win-ofir-birenbaum-sydney-ntwnfb">Cairo Takeaway secures court win over pro-Israel activist who claimed he was ‘completely vindicated’ after settlement

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jun/30/scorpio-alias-bullit-police-search-author-threatening-letters">Australian police close in on ‘Scorpio’, mystery author of threatening letters to high-profile people

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jun/30/truck-crash-hume-highway-drivers-nearly-unscathed-explosions-fire-nsw-ntwnfb">Truck drivers ‘miraculously’ emerge nearly unscathed from explosions and fire after Hume Highway truck crash

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jun/29/man-used-fake-tinder-profile-stalking-ex-jailed">Stalker who used fake Tinder profile to lure men to ex’s home jailed for eight years

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jun/30/neo-nazi-thomas-sewell-thug-slurs-chinese-consulate-melbourne-court-case-ntwnfb">Neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell emulated ‘Nazi thugs of 1930s Berlin’ while making ‘appalling racial slurs’, court finds