Australia court says former principal guilty of sexual abuse

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The former principal of a Jewish girls school in Australia was found guilty of sexually abusing two students. The verdict ends a nine-year legal battle that has strained relations between the Australian and Israeli governments. Malka Leifer was convicted on 18 counts and acquitted of nine other charges, including five that related to a third student. Leifer sat with her head tilted watching the jury and did not react as the verdicts were read Monday. Leifer had fought against her extradition to Australia following her return to Israel in 2008 as allegations against her first emerged. The two students she was convicted of abusing were in court for the verdicts. Later Monday, the third student told reporters that a guilty verdict was all they had wanted.