Australian MP Helen Haines has lost a leg after being struck by an SUV in what police are investigating as a deliberate attack outside her office.

The independent MP remains in critical condition in hospital after being hit in Wangaratta, Victoria.

Ms Haines was removing belongings from the boot of her car at about 3.30pm local time when she was hit by a white 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series Troop Carrier.

Victoria Police said the mother-of-three was taken to hospital with severe injuries to the lower part of her body.

Australian broadcaster 9News Melbourne reported that Ms Haines had lost a leg following the alleged attack.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a 43-year-old man had been arrested in connection with the incident.

He said counter-terrorism and security agencies were involved in the investigation.

Speaking to ABC, Mr Albanese said: “This wasn’t an accident. There was a deliberate act, it would appear.”

“We certainly hope for good news about Helen’s condition over the next 24 hours,” Mr Albanese said.

Reports said the driver passed Ms Haines, 65, before making a U-turn and crashing into her, pinning her beneath the vehicle.

A local barber told 7News that he rushed to the scene, pulled the driver from the vehicle and allegedly wrestled him to the ground.

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Victoria Police said a knife was recovered from the vehicle. The arrested man was due to be interviewed later that day.

Investigators are examining whether the incident was intentional. Police said it was not yet known whether Ms Haines and the driver were acquainted.

Ms Haines was elected as a Victorian MP in 2019 after a career in healthcare.

At a press conference, Mr Albanese said: “There is a major police investigation underway, and I can confirm that a suspect is in custody.”

“The Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police and ASIO are working together on this. The Joint Counter Terrorism Team has been activated, but the motive is not known.”

The PM added that he had spoken with Victoria’s state leader Ben Carroll but that it was ‘too early’ to provide more details.

Mr Albanese said Ms Haines was ‘fiercely intelligent, but most importantly… a thoroughly decent human being, full of integrity and respected right across the Parliament and by everyone who comes into contact with her’.

The MP’s family praised the ‘swift assistance’ of bystanders, police and medical workers in a statement following the incident.

‘This afternoon, our beloved Helen was involved in an incident outside her Wangaratta Electorate Office, and is receiving medical care,’ the family said. 

‘We thank the swift assistance of bystanders and the dedicated health workers who assisted her, and police for their response.

‘Our family, and Helen’s staff, will be making no further comment at this time, and ask that their privacy be respected by the public and media. Please keep Helen in your thoughts.’

The family of a British woman murdered in the United States say she was groomed on a fetish website, where she allegedly met the man accused of killing her.

Sonia Exelby, 32, was discovered in a shallow grave in Florida on October 17 last year, just days after travelling 4,000 miles to meet 54-year-old Dwain Hall, prosecutors allege.

The pair had first connected through a fetish website. Early findings from the police investigation suggest Ms Exelby may have paid Hall—whose murder trial is due to begin next month—to kill her.

Ms Exelby, a music tutor who lived with depression and body dysmorphia, travelled from Portsmouth to Marion County in northern Florida days before her death. Police said she had “left evidence on her computer indicating that she was again suicidal”.

Her relatives, however, have rejected the suggestion that the case was simply a suicide pact, claiming instead that Ms Exelby had been groomed and that they had raised concerns about the fetish website.

A medical examiner determined that Ms Exelby had been stabbed four times. Her body was found in woodland near a highway. Hall, a father of two, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder and kidnapping.

He had previously been detained over allegations of fraudulent credit-card use and the unlawful use of a two-way communication device connected to Ms Exelby.

Hall denies the charges. His trial is scheduled to begin on November 16.

Ms Exelby’s five siblings said several close relatives, along with their partners and nieces, could not afford to make the journey to Florida.

Gemma Isaj, the eldest sibling, has launched a GoFundMe appeal to help pay for the family’s travel. She told The Times: “We all have to be there to tell Sonia’s story. This is about mental health [but also] there are websites and a bigger movement.”

Ms Isaj also said an Airbnb in Florida cancelled the family’s reservation after they explained why they were visiting.

The family said Hall should face the “full extent of justice” if convicted. They claim Ms Exelby was “known” to him as someone vulnerable and allege that he groomed her over a period of two years.

Luke Wilton, Ms Exelby’s 47-year-old brother, said: “When Sonia first raised this, she was saying she had to protect others, by gathering evidence and talking with them, taking them down.

“She had a purpose to stop this from happening to others. She told us she lost friends [this way]—she wanted to shine awareness on what was happening to people.”

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According to her siblings, Ms Exelby said she had uncovered a group of American men who were killing vulnerable women. They allege she planned to travel to the US to expose the crimes.

After reaching Florida, her family said Ms Exelby sent messages to friends asking for help.

The Daily Mail reported in August that a US police officer assigned to guard the crime scene where Ms Exelby was found had described her as a “crazy freaking lady”.

Bodycam footage showed the officer making the comments to his mother after she called her son to wish him a happy birthday as he protected the site where Ms Exelby’s body was found.

During the exchange the officer said: ‘We’ve got FDLE [Florida Department of Law Enforcement] here, we’ve got Interpol here, we’ve got all kinds of people here.’

After his mother asks ‘what happened?’ he replies: ‘This crazy freakin’ lady from the UK was talking to this dude online from Marion Oaks.

‘She told him all her sexual fantasies, and he was like, “I could facilitate that.” And she was like, “At the end of it I wanna be killed.” And he facilitated that too.

‘It’s an international thing because she’s from UK. I guess he was using her credit cards afterwards and stuff too.’

Weeks after Ms Exelby died police said she recorded footage describing in graphic detail how she wanted to die.

In the video she can be seen sitting on a chair ‘looking dishevelled’ and with multiple bruises across her face, neck and breasts – after being tortured by Hall who told police he used the name ‘alphasadist’ on fetish websites.

Hall, who claimed Ms Exelby had also asked for rough sex, can be heard asking her why she was in the US before she replied in tears: ‘Because I am an awful person,’ adding: ‘I’ve crushed everyone who ever loves me.’

Ms Exelby, who described herself as a content creator, went on to detail why she was an awful person before Hall asked her ‘how’ she wanted to die and to ‘describe it’.

Initially she refused to answer but eventually said she wanted ‘to be stabbed’.

For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit www.thecalmzone.net/get-support 

Adam Hamilton, the Democratic megachurch pastor running for the U.S. Senate in Kansas, has built his campaign around condemning billionaires and special interests. But his financial disclosure shows a personal net worth of as much as $20 million, while his compensation from the Church of the Resurrection is more than twice the salary of a sitting U.S. senator.

Hamilton’s campaign website argues that “we need to get their influence out of politics.” At the same time, he receives $394,239 from the church he founded with his wife. Kansas’ median household income is $75,514.

Hamilton’s income extends beyond his megachurch salary. His assets include a vacation property in the Lake of the Ozarks resort area of Missouri valued at nearly $1 million, as well as a primary residence in Stilwell reportedly worth $1.4 million.

The disclosure also lists $417,372.70 in publishing royalties Hamilton received from United Methodist Publishing House, adding substantially to his reported earnings.

As polls showed the Kansas Senate race tightening in late September, scrutiny intensified around Hamilton’s past sermons, the church’s activities and his connections to national Democrats.

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Under Hamilton’s leadership, the Church of the Resurrection partnered with Kansas City PrideFest as a sponsor of a “Drag Queen Story Time & Gay Pride Festival.” Images identified the church as a 2025 PrideFest sponsor and featured promotional material for the event’s “Youth & Teen Tents,” which advertised stage performances, free books, story time, arts and crafts, and other activities, according to previous reporting by – News. 

Hamilton also contributed to Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign and served on an Obama-era council that recommended broadening eligibility for commutations and pardons. 

President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a rally Monday in support of Republican Sen. Roger Marshall near Wichita, the state capital. An Insider Advantage survey released Oct. 15 showed Marshall leading Hamilton by one percentage point, 48% to 47% among likely voters. 

Follow Matt Mercer on X: @mattmercer.

Two men and two women have been arrested after a police officer was allegedly shot with a sawn-off shotgun in Nottingham.

The suspects reportedly fled after the shooting in the Radford area of the city centre at around 4.50am on Sunday. The injured officer was taken to hospital and remains in a stable condition after receiving treatment for gunshot wounds.

Nottinghamshire Police said the officer approached two of the suspects at a bus stop on Angel Row before being shot in the foot.

A major police operation launched on Sunday resulted in four arrests. All four suspects remain in custody and are being questioned by detectives.

One of those arrested is a 27-year-old woman, who is being held on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

A 24-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Separately, officers stopped a vehicle in Bedfordshire during the early hours of Monday and arrested a 30-year-old man on suspicion of assisting an offender.

The cordon put in place after the shooting has now been removed, although several police teams remain at the scene.

Video footage captured the immediate aftermath, showing officers rushing to help their colleague moments after the shooting.

One officer treated the injured man outside a Taco Bell restaurant, while bouncers stood nearby and a member of the public lifted his foot into the air.

More officers soon arrived, with sirens echoing across the busy street.

Bystanders gathered on Angel Row, close to Nottingham City Council’s offices, as the police response continued.

Traffic ground to a halt while shouting and car horns added to the confusion at the scene.

A sawn-off shotgun was recovered by police, who quickly established a cordon while forensic and investigative work began.

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Assistant Chief Constable Claire Rukas, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: ‘A team of experienced detectives continues to work tirelessly to establish exactly what happened before, during and after this appalling incident.

‘I am pleased that four arrests have now been made and hope this provides some reassurance to the public as those detained are questioned in connection with the discharge of the firearm.

‘The police cordon in Angel Row has now been lifted, and I would like to thank local businesses, residents and members of the public for their patience, support and understanding while officers carried out vital enquiries and recovered evidence from the scene.

‘The injured officer continues to recover in hospital and is receiving support from colleagues and loved ones. We ask that his privacy is respected at this time. 

‘Our thoughts remain with him, and with his family, friends and colleagues, who have all been affected by this deeply shocking incident.’

Nottingham East Labour MP Nadia Whittome wrote on X: ‘My thoughts are with the injured police officer and his family following this truly shocking incident. We all wish him a full and speedy recovery.’ 

The Police Federation of England and Wales also sent its best wishes to the officer.

It said in a social media post: ‘This is a stark reminder of the dangers police officers face every day while protecting the public.

‘Their courage and commitment must never be taken for granted.’

Forensics experts on Angel Row retrieved the sawn-off shotgun, which is understood to have been used to fire at the male police officer.

The early morning shooting happened in one of the busiest streets in the heart of the city.

It overlooks the town hall and market place where work was continuing this weekend to erect a large ice rink for the city’s Christmas market, which opens next month.

Pubs and fast food shops, which would normally be bustling on a Sunday, remained closed due to the police cordon.

Nottingham was a gun-crime hotspot during the early 2000s and the city council even appointed a ‘reputation manager’ to remove the perception of it as an area blighted by gun-toting criminal gangs.

The crime rate in Nottingham as of this month is 1.4 per 1,000 people – or 143 per cent of the national crime rate.