Search

Home and Away star accused of "stomping" on woman's head

A former Home and Away star, who has been accused of "stomping" on a woman's head during a violent altercation, was cast to appear on Seven's reality show SAS while battling “declining mental health and escalating drug use” according to court documents. Orpheus Pledger has been accused of the violent alleged assault that took place on March 25th, and was arrested on Thursday following a three-day manhunt by police after he absconded from a Melbourne hospital on Tuesday while on remand. At a bail application that lasted two days, the court heard details of Pledger's years-long deterioration of his mental health, in addition to his alleged prolonged and increasing drug use. A police statement submitted to the court alleged that Pledger was dealing with “declining mental health and escalating drug use” between February 2021 and his alleged attack in March this year. Court documents also alleged that Pledger has been “refusing to engage with mental health services and appears to spend his Centrelink payments on drugs” and had been known to police for many years. During a difficult period with his mental health and drug use, Pledger was cast on Seven's reality show SAS, before he abruptly quit after just two episodes over concerns of his "erratic behaviour". At the bail application, documents alleged the accused is at an “extreme risk of further assaulting” the alleged victim, although Pledger’s lawyer Jasper MacCuspie argued his client’s mental health would deteriorate if he were to remain in custody. Pledger’s matter will be heard again by the Melbourne Magistrates Court in May, where he will face the charges of assault. Image credits: Seven

Legal

Former SAS Australia contestant recalls terrifying Ozempic overdose

Former SAS Australia contestant Roxy Jacenko has opened up on the terrifying experience she had after overdosing on Ozempic. Jacenko was desperate to lose 15kg of extra weight, which she gained as a result of taking Tamoxifen - a hormone therapy drug she took for her breast cancer for seven years. “The Tamoxifen made me put on 15kg,” she said during a special 7NEWS Spotlight TV investigation into the drug. “And whilst to other people, they didn’t look at me and go, 'Oh well, she’s put on a lot of weight,' I didn’t feel comfortable. “And I tried everything. I tried the fad diets. I tried starting at a gym, doing workouts. I tried not eating much and I couldn’t shake the weight. I just wanted to fix it, and this seemed like the way. Ozempic seemed like the easy answer.” Weight loss is one of the side effects of the medication, which is usually used to help adults with Type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar. It is this side effect that has millions wanting to use it for weight loss. Despite Novo Nordisk - the pharmaceutical company supplying Ozempic - advising the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration that supplies throughout 2023 and 2024 will be limited and it should only be prescribed by doctors to diabetics, people have found other ways to obtain it. Jacenko revealed that despite her local GP telling her she didn't meet the criteria for the injection, she bought it on the black market in Nowra, NSW and ordered an Uber to collect it for her. “It was about $2,500 for the drive there and back, and then it was another $700 for the two pens,” she said. “I was actually like a junkie. I look at it now and I was like a junkie.” She recalled how she took more than the recommended amount in a desperate attempt to lose weight. “I took four times the amount in one hit,” she revealed. “I felt OK at that point in time. The aftermath of it was I think I’m going to die. She added, “in the morning, I was driving to work. I was sweating. I was so hot and then I just kept vomiting nonstop. What not to do? One milligram of Ozempic.” “That night, I ended up in hospital. They had never seen this before. This was the first they had seen of an Ozempic overdose. Like the shaking, my whole body was shaking, I couldn’t control my legs. It’s like I had no control of my body. “My arms and legs were like this. And then in addition to that, they just start pumping you full of fluid. You can rest assure I came out skinny, but it didn’t last for long. Literally, I truly thought this is it. I’ve been sick in my time. Cancer was a walk in the park compared to how bad I felt for those three days. As a result, Jacenko no longer takes the the medication and has since stopped drinking and started following a healthy diet. "And if anyone asks me, “Would you do it again, Ozempic?” No freaking way. I literally thought, “This is it. I’m going to die.” Image: Getty

Body

"Disgraced actor, bully, monster": Craig McLachlan opens up on assault allegations

Craig McLachlan has opened up about how the incident assault trial took a toll on his mental health and career. The former Neighbours actor was charged with seven counts of indecent assault and six of common law assault in 2019, after four women, who he starred alongside with in the stage production of the Rocky Horror Show came forward. McLachlan has long denied the allegations, and was eventually cleared of all charges. Now, the former actor is appearing on the new season of SAS Australia, and has spoken candidly about how his life changed after the trial. “When I started on Neighbours, I was in people’s lounge rooms night after night, day after day,” he told SAS producers. “But there was something that happened about five years ago that was shocking for the public and shocking for me." “Craig McLachlan, disgraced actor. Workplace bully, monster. “So I’m here to exorcise some pretty extreme pain with some pretty extreme pain.” Speaking with SAS Chief Instructor Ant Middleton and DS Jamie ‘Jay’ Morton, McLachlan said he is still angry about what happened, and carries a lot of emotional weight from the trial. "I suffer extreme social anxiety. I find it very difficult to trust situations where there are a lot of people, especially women." “I’m more anxious about being in a new group of people than I am about climbing up the side of a mountain." “I know that sounds bizarre, but for me, I’m afraid it’s true.” Middleton sensed McLachlan was becoming angry when talking about the case, to which McLachlan responded, "I was charged with 14, 15, 16 offences ... It’s one thing to be so publicly crucified, it’s another thing to be charged. I was found not guilty of any wrongful behaviour. It’s because I was f***ing innocent ... I’ve been profoundly hurt, so there’s always going to be some residual anger." McLachlan went on to share how he was "abandoned" by close friends in the entertainment world when the allegations first came to light. He said, "People who only months before looked me in the eye and said 'You create the most wonderful work environments imaginable' ... abandonment, total abandonment. A tiny handful of courageous people I have friendships with over 30 years were always there, but the vast majority - gone." He said the abandonment from his friends "really f**king hurt", to which the SAS team told him he has "gotta let it go". "That’s why I’m here," McLachlan said. "For me, the big takeaway from this experience will be moving forward, to find that I can function without anger and fear. But beyond that, learning to trust people again." Image credits: Channel Seven - SAS Australia

No apologies: Ben Roberts-Smith breaks silence

Former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith has returned to Australia for the first time since losing his defamation case against Nine newspapers. Roberts-Smith touched down in Perth on June 14 and said he was shattered by the outcome of his defamation case against The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times. This is the first time he has spoken out publicly since the landmark ruling. "It was a terrible result and obviously the incorrect result. We will look at it and consider whether or not we need to file an appeal," Roberts-Smith said after landing in Perth. "There is not much more I can say about it ... we just have to work through it and I'll take the advice as it comes.” He was spotted checking into business class with his girlfriend in Queenstown, New Zealand prior to touching down in Perth. Roberts-Smith rules out apologising to families of the victims impacted by his actions in Afghanistan. "We haven't done anything wrong, so we won't be making any apologies," he said. As he was collecting his luggage at Perth airport, he was approached by a man who voiced his support for the former soldier. Roberts-Smith's return comes on the same day as reports that an Australian Federal Police investigation into his alleged war crimes had collapsed. The decision by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions not to prosecute Roberts-Smith based on evidence collected by the AFP has led to a new joint task force being assembled to investigate alleged executions. The task force is comprised of detectives from the specialist war crimes agency, the Office of the Special Investigator and a new team of federal police investigators not related to the abandoned AFP probe. Roberts-Smith did not appear in the Federal Court when a judge found allegations he murdered or was complicit in the killing of four unarmed Afghans while deployed overseas were "substantially true” in a bombshell defamation ruling. The former soldier insists there was never any foul play. Image credit: A Current Affair

News

Father of murdered Aussie soldier voices support for Ben Roberts-Smith

The father of an Australian soldier murdered in Afghanistan has spoken out in defence of former SAS member Ben Roberts-Smith. Hugh Poate’s son, Robert, was playing cards with two other Australians when they were tragically shot by a rogue Afghan soldier named Hekmatullah in 2012. According to Poate, Roberts-Smith was simply following orders in a bid to apprehend Hekmatullah, who had brutally taken the lives of their son. Acting on intelligence, they were taken to the village of Darwan, where Roberts-Smith had allegedly kicked a farmer named Ali Jan off a cliff and ordered his execution. “These citizens in the village could well have been a civilian one day and pulling the trigger the next, that‘s the way the Taliban operated. This perspective should have been included to provide some balance and context,” Poate told the Daily Telegraph. The federal court <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/a-win-for-the-press-a-big-loss-for-ben-roberts-smith-what-does-this-judgment-tell-us-about-defamation-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dismissed</a> Roberts-Smith’s defamation trial against the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and the Canberra Times, with Justice Besanko concluding the various titles had substantially proven the former soldier unlawfully killed four unarmed Afghan prisoners during his service in the SAS between 2009 and 2012. The judgement also acknowledged instances of Roberts-Smith’s alleged bullying of fellow soldiers. However, the court dismissed two other murder allegations and an accusation that he had assaulted his mistress. In his thorough 736-page judgement, the judge determined that Roberts-Smith and four key witnesses called to testify were both dishonest and unreliable in their evidence. Following the release of the completed judgement, Roberts-Smith’s legal team is now closely inspecting the document to identify potential grounds for an appeal. Poate emphasised the fact that Hekmatullah was captured and convicted of war crimes and subsequently released. In comparison, Roberts-Smith <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/australian-war-memorial-urged-to-remove-ben-roberts-smith-s-uniform-from-display" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has not been convicted</a> of any war crimes. Potae perceives the treatment of Roberts-Smith as a case of double standards. Additionally, Poate asserted that the responsibility for any wrongdoing committed by the SAS in Afghanistan lies with others in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). By acknowledging the collective accountability within the organisation, Poate has suggested a wider perspective on the matter. Image credit: Getty

Legal

Ben Roberts-Smith’s furious phone call to fellow soldier

A livid Ben Roberts-Smith has berated a fellow soldier he believed had been speaking to the media about war allegations, demanding he “stick to the f**king code”, newly released audio has revealed. Nine’s 60 Minutes played a recording of the exchange between Roberts-Smith and a fellow SAS member known as “Soldier M” in 2018 amid a media frenzy. Soldier M is a relative of Australia’s most wealthy individual, billionaire Gina Rineheart, and prior to the phone call, Roberts-Smith had sent him a threatening legal letter, with the mining magnate CC’d in. “Yeah, it’s RS, mate,” Mr Roberts-Smith says in the audio. “Because I know you’ve talked s**t about me, right? I know that. “I’ve got no ill will towards anyone that has no ill will towards me, it’s real simple. So you know, like, I’m 100 per cent, I stick to the f**king code, mate, 100 per cent, and I have. So all the s**t that’s going on, I’m still probably the only c**t that hasn’t f**king spoken. “I don’t trust you, mate, I haven’t been able to trust you for a long time. You say we’re mates. We used to be actually, but for some f**king reason I’ve just become the centre of all evil for you and the group of people … “You’ve got a young child, I’ve got a f**king family, I want to move on, I’m so sick of f**king army, the unit and all the bulls**t. Just remember I was minding my own business, just trying to do my job, and I get attacked by all these f**king journalists. I haven’t spoken a word about it to anyone in the unit.” On June 1 Roberts-smith lost his lengthy defamation trial against Nine newspapers’ The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times. Following the verdict, The Australian War Memorial has faced calls to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/australian-war-memorial-urged-to-remove-ben-roberts-smith-s-uniform-from-display" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remove the decorated soldier’s uniform</a> from its display. The 22-week trial saw 32 current and former SAS members provide evidence. One of the 32, known as “Person Y”, who has never spoken to the media, appeared anonymously on 60 Minutes on June 4. “You don’t win insurgencies on body counts, yet here is a guy who thinks he’s going to win the war by killing as many people as possible,” he told the program. “We are not above the law, we are not above the rules of engagement, but I think for him he felt he was above all that, that the rules don’t apply. Many people are having a hard time reconciling the fact that someone they thought was a national hero is in fact the complete opposite, proven to be a bully, a liar and a murderer. “It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially for a country that’s believed the lies for so long. “I think they thought they were above the law, that they were not going to be caught, that it was a free-for-all. “I think I could say on behalf of every guy who took the witness stand that none of us wanted to be there, that’s just not who we are.” One day after the verdict was reached, Seven CEO James Warburton revealed Roberts-Smith had resigned from the network. “We thank Ben for his commitment to Seven and wish him all the best,” he said. Image credit: Getty

Legal

SA board member quits after allegedly caught shoplifting

A prominent figure in South Australia has been captured on CCTV appearing to steal a handbag and a jumper. Leah York, the Australian Education Union state branch secretary, can be seen picking up a $280 handbag and walking out with it in CCTV footage released. Three minutes before she snatched up the bag, she can be seen adding a jumper to the bag, which is still visible on CCTV under the handbag as she left the shop. York’s team said she meant to pay for the bag, and she did so after footage was released on the store’s social media. The store uploaded the footage alongside the caption, ”After receiving more information about your theft, we took a closer look at the footage and discovered you failed to mention before you left the store the first time, that you had already stolen an orange knit," "This footage speaks volumes. You have impacted our staff greatly." York, who reportedly earns more than $200,000 a year, told 9News she had taken leave for health reasons and resigned from her position on the board of Funds South Australia. The board is responsible for the state's $30 billion superannuation fund for public sector workers. Police have not charged York with any crime but are investigating the alleged incident. Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said reporting alleged theft was up to the "individual businesses”. "We would certainly encourage people to report to police and provide those videos to police so we can investigate and hold people accountable," Stevens said. Image credit: Facebook

Legal

Outrage over Craig McLachlan’s TV return

Christie Whelan Browne has condemned the decision to put Craig McLachlan back in the limelight as part of the 2023 cast for SAS Australia. The series, which has been known to give its cast members ‘redemption arcs’, has faced criticism in the past for highlighting the likes of Wayne Carey and Sam Burgess. And now Browne - who accused McLachlan of sexually assaulting her during their theatre performances run - has taken to Twitter to voice her disgust at his return to television, asking the question, “how do we feel about someone who was charged on multiple sexual assault charges being put back on tv and being referred to simply as a ‘controversial figure’? “I also saw a post saying he was the ‘winner’ of that case. But if you bother to read the judgement- he was acquitted on a technicality and the judge WHO HEARD THE EVIDENCE, believed it happened. “I am so f***ing sick of this s**t.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> How do we feel about someone who was charged on multiple sexual assault charges being put back on tv and being referred to simply as a ‘controversial figure’? — Christie Whelan (@Christie_Whelan) <a href="https://twitter.com/Christie_Whelan/status/1632555087989211137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2023</a></blockquote> Browne’s supporters were in agreement, with many unhappy to see yet another disgraced star given a free pass back to national attention. “SAS have a type, they gave Sam Burgess a redemption song story, now McLachlan. It's poor form, next they will give the guy from Hey dad another go, wrote one, before pleading with Channel 7 to “DO BETTER”. “I hate it,” wrote another. “In the same way as a sportsman gets past sexual assault charges and then in a post-match interview refers to it as ‘a hard year for me. I'm just glad to be on the field doing what I do’.” “As soon as I read the headline I knew exactly what tv show it was that he’d be appearing on,” shared one, a comment alongside dozens on how people were unsurprised at SAS Australia’s move. McLachlan was charged in 2018 when Browne - along with two fellow female cast members - brought forward allegations of indecent assault. McLachlan was the star of their 2014 The Rocky Horror Picture Show production. He denied the allegations against him, and was found not guilty by a magistrate in December 2020 after a criminal trial. McLachlan has not had an acting job since the accusations were brought to light, and the SAS Australia announcement marks his return to television. The 57-year-old was reported by The Daily Telegraph to be flying from Sydney to train with ex-special forces in preparation for his time on the challenging reality series. The 2023 season has been declared to have a gruelling training regime that is set to have its participants “sweating bullets”. The mission statement for the 2023 season says the training regime will have the cast “sweating bullets”. McLachlan will be joined by convicted drug smuggler ‘cocaine Cassie’ Sainsbury, former world boxing champ Anthony Mundine, Thai cave rescue hero Dr Craig Challen, Brownlow medallist Jason Akermanis, model Lindy Klim, and Olympians Stephanie Rice, Peter Bol, and Matthew Mitcham. Footy commentator Abbey Holmes, former reality TV star Tim Robards, actor Zima Anderson, retired NRL star Boyd Cordner, and rugby star Mahalie Murphy will also be joining the crew for the 2023 season. Images: Instagram

"He was a mess": Harry's drunken behaviour outed by ex-soldier

A former soldier has revealed Prince Harry accidentally triggered a panic alarm at St James’s Palace after a drunken night out. The Duke of Sussex reportedly stumbled into a sentry box when he returned from a night out, banging into the emergency response button. Three armed soldiers from the Guards Division dashed out to find Harry, who was 27 at the time, on the floor in a “mess”. Two armed police officers also attended the scene and helped carry the young prince back to his apartment. A former soldier, who served in the Guards Division and was part of the Quick Response Force that found Harry, revealed how the Prince was “blind drunk”. He recalled, “He was a mess, he was on the floor drooling on himself.” “When we tried to get him up he was uncooperative and abusive.” The ex-soldier, who did not want to be named, said, “It was around midnight. An alarm went off in the guard room, but we’d never heard it before.” “One of the senior lads said it was one of the sentry boxes.” “Within a couple of minutes three of us who were in the QRF were out the door. There were two Met Police guys there as well.” “But instead of an intruder or terrorist, we found Prince Harry.” “He was slurring his words, not making any sense.” “When we tried to pick him up he started yelling, ‘Get off me, I don’t need any help’.” “He was pushing us off and being very abusive.” The source said they took him inside and up to his apartment – which was in a “right state”. He said, “It was like student digs, it was sh*t.” “The double bed was unmade, there were clothes and socks over the floor, cans of lager and dirty coffee cups lying around and packs of cigs.” He said the team carried Harry to his bed where the royal “passed out” and was left to sleep it off. He said, “We all had a good laugh and a joke about it.” The ex-soldier, an injured veteran with more than a decade’s service, came forward about the incident after becoming enraged by claims Harry made in his memoir Spare. He said the Prince had a reputation among military circles for being a “social hand grenade” who would often make trouble with his drunken antics. Image credits: Getty Images

News

Pauline Hanson's bold move into reality TV

Controversial One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, who regularly sparks outrage with her questionable comments - is set to be shipped out to the Middle East as she makes her big break on reality TV, starring on Channel 7’s SAS Australia. She’s survived jail, Dancing with the stars and now returns to the small screen once again. In fact, Hanson could be up for a six figure pay out to appear on the program. It has not yet been revealed if she’s being paid or not but It is more than likely she could expect a lump-sum payment. The payment would be equal to $2500 a day and a bonus of between $1000-$5000 every three days. 7’s SAS Australia is shot over a 14 day period with a 13-episode run plus a reunion special. “The new season will be filmed in the Middle East, so it will definitely take Pauline out of her comfort zone,” a Seven insider told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11427603/SAS-Australia-Pauline-Hanson-joins-new-season-set-Middle-East.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Mail</a>. Only five years ago did the former senator dramatically rip off a black veil in Parliament, declaring: “I’m quite happy to remove this because it’s not what should belong in this Parliament. “In light of what is happening with national security… will you work to ban the burqa?’’ she said. Pauline isn't the first contentious public figure to appear on the reality show. The series has also seen the likes of Sam Burgess, Wayne Carey, host Ant Middleton, and more. Image: Getty

“We will miss you brother”: Kiwi soldier killed in Ukraine identified

A New Zealand soldier who died in Ukraine fighting alongside other foreign troops in the International Legion has been remembered by fellow soldiers as “strong, hardcore and handsome”. Corporal Dominic Abelen was fighting on the frontline in the east of Ukraine while on leave away from the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and not on active duty, as reported by the <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/russia-ukraine-war-off-duty-new-zealand-soldier-dominic-abelen-killed-in-ukraine/M45ZWJEZ47I2Z5XD4Q44KNJFD4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a>. The 30-year-old soldier was based at Burnham Military Camp, outside Christchurch, with the Royal New Zealand Regiment’s 2nd/1st Battalion. “At this early stage, there is still more information to be gathered in order to understand the circumstances fully,” the NZDF said in a statement. Brigadier Rose King, the Acting Chief of Army, said <a href="https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/news/further-details-released-on-nzdf-soldier-reportedly-killed-in-ukraine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a statement</a> that their efforts would be concentrated on supporting Abelen’s family and NZDF personnel. “Any loss of one of our whānau (‘family’) is deeply felt across the New Zealand Defence Force. We are concentrating our efforts on supporting Corporal Abelen’s loved ones and our personnel as they grieve,” she said. His family have requested not to be approached by the media, with his father, Bryce, sharing a statement with the NZDF. “Dominic was in the New Zealand Army for 10 years but never got to fight for his country,” Bryce said. “He didn't tell us he was going to Ukraine until he was there. He knew we would talk him out of it. He also knew the risks of going there but still went to fight for them. “That is Dominic, always thinking of helping others. “We understand why he went and hold no grudge against the NZ or Ukraine Army and fully support what he did. “Dominic loved being in the army, the life-long friends he made there. “There has been relentless support from half the Burnham Military Camp that knew him, as well as personnel from overseas. “A kind, gentle man with the most infectious smile that you couldn't help but smile back. “He had a love of the outdoors and did a lot of tramping. He spent his holidays travelling around New Zealand and the world. “I'm extremely proud of my children and especially Dominic for standing up and doing what he thought was right. He leaves a massive hole in all our hearts.” Abelen’s siblings describing him as “the most amazing human being”, the “buffest” member of their family, and that he had “the biggest heart to match”. A former NZDF soldier who is also fighting with Ukraine’s International Legion paid tribute to his fallen comrade, describing him as “a warrior until the end”. “The bro was anything but scenery. Strong, hardcore, handsome but extremely humble,” he wrote online. “Best believe he died doing what he loved and was extremely good at. “We will miss you brother. So much. You have left a hole that we are feeling and we could never hope to fill.” Sources have since told the <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/russia-ukraine-war-off-duty-new-zealand-soldier-dominic-abelen-killed-fighting-re-taking-trench-in-ukraine/26EVXCDFPOAROXLSARVPKIZSQU/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Herald</a> that Abelen was involved in a joint operation to retake the frontline of a trench network and was instantly killed in a firefight during a dawn assault. Another American fighter is also said to have died. Defence Minister Peeni Henare expressed his condolences to Abelen’s family, friends, and colleagues. “I have been advised the New Zealand Army are supporting the soldier’s family through this difficult time,” he said. Tenby Powell, the former commanding officer of the NZDF who is currently in Ukraine undertaking humanitarian work, said he was asked by Abelen’s family to bring him home. Though he didn’t go into the details surrounding the soldier’s death, he told Today FM that the family were distraught. “It’s a very sad day here in Ukraine, not just for New Zealanders but for everyone,” Powell said. “I’ve talked to a family member they have asked me and I have agreed to go and get him. We need to do this in a very respectful and expedient manner. I have given the family my assurances that he will be well looked after all the way back. “The critically-important thing is to ensure that he is recovered and brought back in a way where he is looked after for the entire trip back to New Zealand.” Powell intended to drape the New Zealand flag over the coffin for the trip home and ensure that Abelen had all the care a person serving in the defence force warranted. Abelen would be taken first through Warsaw, then Ukraine and on to New Zealand. “We are determined to bring him out. He will come out and he will be looked after all the way,” Powell said. The soldier’s passing comes after the New Zealand government announced that a further 120 NZDF personnel would be sent to Britain to help train Ukrainian soldiers, on top of the 30 personnel deployed in May. "New Zealand has been clear that we will continue to answer the call of Ukraine for practical support as they defend their homeland and people against Russia's unjustified invasion," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on August 15. "We know that one of the highest priorities for Ukraine right now, is to train its soldiers, and New Zealand is proud to stand in solidarity alongside a number of other countries to answer that call." Image: NZDF

Caring

Senior soldier confirms Ben Roberts-Smith’s story, contradicts another

A senior SAS soldier has testified in the defamation case launched by Ben Roberts-Smith, backing claims made by the veteran but contradicting another of his key witnesses. The soldier, referred to as Person 81, began his evidence in the Federal Court on Wednesday and is likely to be the last of 40 witnesses called by Mr Roberts-Smith in the year-long trial against Nine newspapers. The court heard that Person 81 was heading a patrol of a Taliban compound known as Whiskey 108 in Afghanistan’s Uruzgan province in 2009. The newspapers alleged in their defence that two men who were found in a tunnel in Whiskey 108 were killed, with one elderly man being shot by a “rookie” on Mr Roberts-Smith’s orders, and the other, who had a prosthetic leg, being shot by Mr Roberts-Smith with a machine gun. However, Mr Roberts-Smith denied the allegations as impossible and that “there were no men in the tunnel”. He said he shot and killed the man with the prosthetic leg, who was armed and running, outside the compound. The 43-year-old said the elderly man was also killed outside the compound by another soldier who was unknown to him. Person 81 backed up these claims, telling the court he heard no engagements at Whiskey 108 and wasn’t told of any insurgents being killed. He testified that he entered the compound after SAS troops stormed and secured the site, and that he saw Afghan civilians inside. He also said he saw “body parts” amongst “rocket paraphernalia” in the rubble. Defence barrister Arthur Moses SC, representing Mr Roberts-Smith, asked Person 81: “Did you see any engagements in the Whiskey 108 compound after the compound was declared cleared?” “No,” Person 81 answered. Moses: “Do you recall hearing any engagements while you were in the compound?” Person 81: “No.” Moses: “Do you recall reports of any engagements?” Person 81: “No.” Person 81 also said he “would have reported it” when asked if any members of his troop had told him that unlawful activity had occurred that day, as reported by <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/crime/senior-sas-officer-backs-ben-roberts-smith-c-7017617" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>. Though his testimony supports Mr Roberts-Smith’s claims, it contradicts evidence given by Person 5, Mr Roberts-Smith’s patrol commander, who said he heard gunshots from outside the compound during a “rendezvous (RV) meeting” with other patrol and troop commanders. Person 5 told the court he discovered Mr Roberts-Smith killing an insurgent, who was later discovered to be the man with the prosthetic leg, and returned to the meeting after he confirmed the man was killed in action (KIA). “When you went back to the RV meeting, did you say anything to Person 81 or anybody else?” Mr Moses asked Person 5 during his testimony. “I informed Person 81 there were two KIA on the north-west corner of the compound,” Person 5 said. Though it is undisputed that the two men were killed during the raid on Whiskey 108, the question of whether they were legitimately killed or unlawfully killed as prisoners has become a point of contention during the trial. Mr Roberts-Smith and five other soldiers have said no men were found in the tunnel, while another five said there were men in the tunnel. Person 4, another soldier who is alleged to have shot the elderly men on Mr Roberts-Smith’s order, has also refused to testify on grounds of self-incrimination. Most of Person 81’s evidence was concealed behind a closed courtroom on Wednesday, and he is due to continue his testimony on Thursday before Justice Anthony Besanko. Image: Getty Images

Legal

Chloé: how a 19th-century French nude ended up in a Melbourne pub – and became an icon for Australian soldiers

Chloé, the French nude by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Joseph_Lefebvre">Jules Joseph Lefebvre</a>, is an Australian cultural icon. Chloé made its debut at the 1875 Paris Salon and won medals at the 1879 Sydney and 1880 Melbourne international exhibitions. In December 1880, Thomas Fitzgerald, a Melbourne surgeon, bought Chloé for his private collection. Two years later, when Fitzgerald loaned Chloé to the National Gallery of Victoria, a furious debate erupted in the press. Public opinion was <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224814361">sharply divided</a> over the propriety of displaying a French nude painting on the Sabbath. Chloé spent the next three years at the Adelaide Picture Gallery, before Fitzgerald <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/94392855">removed her</a> from the public gaze. After the surgeon’s death in 1908, Henry Figsby Young bought Chloé for £800 and hung the famous nude in the saloon bar of Young and Jackson Hotel, opposite Flinders Street Station in Melbourne. Enjoying a drink with Chloé at the hotel has been a good luck ritual for Australian soldiers since the first world war. <h2>Longing for her lover</h2> According to the 1875 Paris Salon catalogue, Chloé depicts the water nymph in “Mnasyle et Chloé” by 18th century poet martyr <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Ch%C3%A9nier">André Chénier</a>. Toes dipped in a puddling stream, longing and heartache etched on her lovely features, she listens for the voice of her lover. Chloé was created in the winter of 1874-75. France was still rebuilding after its defeat in the <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/the-franco-prussian-war-150-years-on">Franco Prussian War</a> and the Versailles government’s brutal repression of the revolutionary <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWrnGZ_975I">Paris Commune</a>. Newspapers in France and around the world described women who supported the Commune as lethal <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A9troleuses">pétroleuses</a>, or petrol carriers. The women were often blamed for destructive acts of arson carried out by Versailles troops during <a href="https://www.historytoday.com/miscellanies/paris-communes-bloody-week">The Bloody Week</a>. <a href="https://index-journal.org/issues/identity/evanescence-of-an-artist-s-model-by-katrina-kell">Jules Lefebvre claimed</a> his working class model for Chloé was involved with former Communards. She may have fought alongside other girls and women, and witnessed the widespread bloodshed that stained the streets of Paris red in 1871. This volatile chapter in French history has been absent from <a href="https://index-journal.org/issues/identity/evanescence-of-an-artist-s-model-by-katrina-kell">Chloé mythologies</a>. But Chloé was painted in the wake of war and revolution and of women’s inspiring activism, as women challenged the class and gender barriers that had limited their opportunities. <h2>Chloé and the Australian soldier</h2> The ritual of having a drink with Chloé at Young and Jackson Hotel, opposite <a href="https://heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/get-involved/tours/melbourne-at-war-hidden-histories-1914-18-audio-tour/melbourne-at-war-stop-2a/">Melbourne’s busiest railway station</a>, began after <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article89096318">Private A. P. Hill</a>, who was killed in action, put a message in a bottle and tossed it overboard. When the bottle was found in New Zealand in January 1918, his message read, "To the finder of this bottle. Take it to Young and Jackson’s, fill it, and keep it till we return from the war." The <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article148561880">hotel and Chloé</a> proved irresistible for returning soldiers. By the start of the second world war, Chloé and Young and Jackson’s were so enmeshed in military mythology they were included in the 2/21st Australian Infantry Battalion’s <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11305333">official march song</a>: "Good-by Young and Jackson’s, Farewell Chloé too, It’s a long way to Bonegilla, But we’ll get there on stew." Tragically, on February 2 1942, the B and C Companies of the 2/21st Australian Infantry Battalion were massacred by Japanese forces at Laha Airfield on the Indonesian island of Ambon. Those who weren’t killed became prisoners of war. After Japan’s surrender in 1945, the Australian prisoners’ hopes for liberation were frustrated when Japanese officers refused to give them radio access. When they finally got a radio transmitter their SOS message was received on the neighbouring island of Morotai. The men were asked questions to prove they were “dinki-di Aussies”. One of the first questions Melbourne soldier John Van Nooten <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23494802-ambon">was asked was</a> “how would you like to see Chloé again?” When Van Nooten replied “Lead me to her”, the operator asked “where is she?” Van Nooten responded with Young and Jackson’s, finally convincing the operator he was Australian. <h2>A soldier’s consolation</h2> In his 1945 article <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/38559150">Seein’ Chloé</a>, West Australian journalist Peter Graeme claimed, "Chloé is to Melbourne what the Bridge is to Sydney. From the soldier’s point of view of course. All over Australia you meet men who have seen her […] Chloé belongs to the Australian soldier." Graeme recalled meeting a soldier at Young and Jackson’s who drained three drinks in front of Chloé. When he asked the soldier why he drank the beers in quick succession, the soldier said he was honouring a promise he and two mates had made to Chloé. The three of them had pledged to have a drink with her when they returned to Melbourne. His two friends never returned, buried at Scarlet Beach in New Guinea. As Graeme concluded in his poignant tale, Chloé may have been, "the symbol of the feminine side of his life. That part which he puts away from him, except in his inarticulate dreams." The soldier’s grief for the mates he lost, and the comfort drinking with the painting gave him, seems to resonate with the longing in Chloé’s melancholy expression, and the war-torn history behind this celebrated Melbourne icon. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared in <a href="https://theconversation.com/chloe-how-a-19th-century-french-nude-ended-up-in-a-melbourne-pub-and-became-an-icon-for-australian-soldiers-180032" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation. </a>

Art

"Pink flamingo": Jett Kenny explains bizarre new hairstyle

Model and former SAS Australia contestant Jett Kenny has drastically changed his hair colour for a good cause. Sharing the incredible snaps to Instagram, Jett showed off bright pink locks in support of his friend’s daughter who was diagnosed with leukaemia. Jett has already raised a whopping $8,200 for the Leukaemia Foundation and will cut his hair on April 9, in honour of his friend’s daughter. “When I said pink, I meant PINK,” he wrote in the caption. “A whopping $8200 has been raised so far for team #allinforaspen and @worldsgreatestshave “Nine more days till it all comes off, let’s see what targets we can hit next. Let’s smash 10k!” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CbwyASkhCx2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CbwyASkhCx2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jett Kenny (@jettkenny)</a> </div> </blockquote> Jett shared his own story on the World’s Greatest Shave website, saying his hair might also not grow back. “I started growing my hair in 2012 and has been long and tied up ever since being able to do so,” he wrote. “There’s a strong chance my hair may not grow back as, like my father, I’m leaning towards the bald side of life. “So please donate what you can, but more importantly, share this with all of your family and friends and encourage them to donate and share also! To see how much we can raise together as a team! “Thankyou for your support!” At the time of the publication, Jett had raised $21,146.51 of his $1,000 goal. Images: Instagram

Caring

“Did we just witness an execution?”: New details in Ben Roberts-Smith trial

A former SAS soldier <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/court-told-roberts-smith-execution-163125145.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has told</a> a Sydney court that he saw Ben Roberts-Smith throw an unarmed Afghan prisoner on the ground before opening fire on the man’s back. The witness, codenamed Person 24, told the Federal Court that right after the event, he turned to another soldier referred to as Person 14. “Did we just witness an execution?” he recalled asking Person 14. Mr Roberts-Smith has strenuously denied the allegation, having said the person he killed during that 2009 mission - dubbed Whiskey 108 - was an insurgent, and that it was within the rules of engagement. However, Person 24 said the unarmed prisoner had a prosthetic leg, and that he later saw another colleague pack it into his backpack after the man was executed. He earlier told the court that he watched the Victoria Cross recipient march out of the compound carrying the man in his arms, parallel to the ground. “It appeared he had come off his feet,” Person 24 said, and was held either by his pants or the back of his shirt. “(Mr Roberts-Smith) marched approximately 15 metres, directly out from that entrance, dropped the man on the ground and immediately began with a machine gun burst into his back.” The witness recalled watching Mr Roberts-Smith shoot eight to ten rounds of ammunition into the prisoner, who was making a “grunting noise”, and that he couldn’t have missed seeing it as it was “right in my field of view”. He said he felt Mr Roberts-Smith had been treated unfairly and only agreed to testify because of what happened to his friend, referred to as Person Four. Person 24 alleged a patrol commander known as Person Five boasted that “we’re going to blood the rookie” at Australia’s base in Tarin Kowt. The court previously heard that Person Four, as a young and inexperienced soldier, was ordered to execute a prisoner to “get a kill under his name”. Person 24, who was medically discharged from the army in 2017, said the alleged killing negatively impacted Person Four over time and denied lying about evidence. Monday’s testimony was the latest in the defamation trial Mr Roberts-Smith launched against The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times over reports he allegedly committed war crimes while serving in Afghanistan between 2006 and 2012. It continues before Justice Anthony Besanko. Image: Getty Images

Legal

Russia 0, Door 1: Soldier’s shocking defeat blows up online

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine wages on, a battle between a Russian soldier and a door has <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/russia-ukraine-war-hapless-russian-soldier-loses-fight-against-door/I246LNFUTCXAE3Q2OVUSJ34Y7A/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resulted</a> in a crushing defeat. A clip of the incident from Yeshiva World News reported Moshe Schwartz has gone viral online, with the interaction dubbed the Battle of Techno House. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> At the Battle of Techno House, the door secured a decisive victory against Russian forces <a href="https://t.co/QnMowf5T7l">https://t.co/QnMowf5T7l</a> — 🇺🇦 Sid Chambers, PhD 🇺🇦 (@ArtfulTakedown) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArtfulTakedown/status/1499180997526663174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2022</a></blockquote> The soldier, reportedly in Kherson, Ukraine, is seen attempting to gain access into a store. When his first attempts fail, the soldier smashes the glass on the door but that also fails. Seemingly exasperated, the soldier tugs on the door handle before accepting defeat and walking away. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Geolocation confirmed. 46.65046, 32.60758 <a href="https://t.co/bfjntnsPsG">https://t.co/bfjntnsPsG</a> <a href="https://t.co/fYUZxlLZGo">pic.twitter.com/fYUZxlLZGo</a> — GeoConfirmed (@GeoConfirmed) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeoConfirmed/status/1499153094076153860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2022</a></blockquote> The soldier, reportedly in Kherson, Ukraine, is seen attempting to gain access into a store. When his first attempts fail, the soldier smashes the glass on the door but that also fails. Seemingly exasperated, the soldier tugs on the door handle before accepting defeat and walking away. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/FM3zsz5WYA0bOOl.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="1176" /> A Wikipedia page was allegedly created documenting the incident. Image: <a href="https://twitter.com/SwarmDMX/status/1499122912493809670" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a> The page said the incident ended with a “decisive” victory for the door, and that casualties and losses included “ammunition, pride and a window”. One video of the incident was viewed more than a million times in one hour and attracted thousands of comments joking about an otherwise grim situation. It comes as Russian forces have captured the strategically significant hub of Kherson, the first to be captured since the invasion began last week. Image: Twitter

Travel Trouble

SAS soldier claims Ben Roberts-Smith catapulted unarmed man off cliff

A former SAS soldier <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-28/ben-roberts-smith-trial-hears-more-evidence-from-afghanistan/100856732" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has said</a> he witnessed Ben Roberts-Smith kick and “catapult” an unarmed, handcuffed Afghan man over a slope before he was killed while testifying before a Sydney court. Mr Roberts-Smith launched a defamation case against The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times early last year over several articles he claims contained false allegations of unlawful killings, domestic violence, and bullying. The trial has continued with the testimony of Person 4, a former Special Air Services soldier who was with Mr Roberts-Smith during a 2012 September mission in Darwan, in relation to a central allegation in the case. Person 4 told the court on Monday that an Afghan man with a donkey was searched, questioned and taken prisoner, becoming a PUC (person under control) of the Australian soldiers. The witness said he later saw the handcuffed man being held by a colleague referred to in court as Person 11, with his back towards a slope. “At the same time, I noticed Ben Roberts-Smith, he had walked to a position maybe three to four metres away,” Person 4 said. “As I was trying to understand what was happening, he turned around and walked forward and kicked the individual in the chest. “The individual was catapulted backwards and fell down the slope. “I saw the individual’s face strike a large rock and sustain a serious injury. He had knocked out a number of his teeth, including his front teeth.” Person 4 said he was “in shock” and that the man, who was injured and lying at the bottom of the slope in a dry creek bed, failed to sit up. He said Mr Roberts-Smith directed him and Person 11 to grab the man “and start to drag him” towards a tree. At that point, Person 4 said Mr Roberts-Smith and Person 11 had a “quick conversation” which he didn’t hear and was followed by two to three shots. Though he didn’t witness the shots, Person 4 turned around to see Person 11 in a “position to shoot”. He said that when the man’s body was photographed, there was an ICOM radio next to him. However, he said he didn’t see how it got there and that the man didn’t have it when he was being questioned. When he noticed the radio was “slightly wet” and had a fogged-up screen, he said, “It dawned on me that I did know where it had come from.” Person 4 previously told the court that Mr Roberts-Smith took items off a dead enem prior to their arrival in Darwan, including a detonation cord and a radio - which he carried while crossing a river to return to the patrol. Mr Roberts-Smith has previously told the court that a suspected Taliban “spotter” was killed that day in a cornfield, but has denied other details including that he was kicked off a cliff. Person 4 claimed that Mr Roberts-Smith later outlined a “story” to him, Person 11, and a third colleague referred to as Person 56, about the man and the slope. “Your Honour, it was words to the effect of ‘the story is that we engaged a spotter whilst moving to our HLS’.” The trial will continue before Justice Anthony Besanko. Image: Getty Images

Legal

Fiery start to new season of SAS Australia

The explosive opening night premiere of SAS Australia saw football legend Wayne Carey, aged 50, touch on the humiliating moment his life came off the rails back in 2002 – all during an intense challenge that saw him set on fire. As the former Kangaroos captain-turned-AFL commentator approached chief instructor Ant Middleton, he reflected on the infamous affair, when he was caught in a bathroom tryst with Kelli Stevens, the wife of North Melbourne Kangaroos vice captain Anthony Stevens. 'The affair, it's the biggest regret of my life as an adult,' said Carey in a cutaway confessional. 'As an adult, I've done a lot of work, I'm trying to overcome it,' he continued. Carey was then doused in accelerant and spectacularly set ablaze in a task that required him to race to water to put out the flames. This task also gave him time enough to ponder his past mistakes. 'People say people don't change, but people can change, they evolve,' he added. 'I'm a perfect example of someone that's been able to evolve.' Carey, winner of two premierships as captain of North Melbourne and regarded as one of the best players of all time, was just one of many celebrities looking for redemption on the fourth season of SAS Australia. Other contestants include retired NRL star Darius Boyd, model Simone Holtznagel and Bachelor star Locky Gilbert. Also appearing are former Olympic swimmer Geoff Huegill, Olympic diver Melissa Wu, AFL star Barry Hall, Real Housewives of Sydney's Melissa Tkautz and convicted cocaine dealer Richard Buttrose. Boxers Ebanie Bridges and Michael Zerafa as well as comedian Pauly Fenech, rugby star Ellia Green, NRLW player Millie Boyle and motorsports presenter Riana Crehan are also set to compete on the show. Rounding out the group is troubled Home and Away star Orpheus Pledger. Image: Channel 7

Queen Elizabeth soldiers on despite Covid diagnosis

Despite her diagnosis of COVID-19, Queen Elizabeth II is still performing her royal duties in a promising sign that her symptoms may not be too serious. The monarch <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/queen-elizabeth-tests-positive-to-covid-19-signs-personal-message-to-winter-olympics-team/385681fe-ab37-461e-98b4-1c88e9e56834" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tested positive</a> to the virus over a week after she was in contact with Prince Charles, who contracted Covid for the second time. Buckingham Palace released a statement confirming Her Majesty’s diagnosis over the weekend, noting she was experiencing “mild cold-like symptoms” so far. “Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week,” the statement read. “She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines.” Soon after the statement was released, Buckingham Palace also said the Queen had signed a personal message congratulating Team GB’s men’s and women’s Curling teams, after they claimed silver and gold respectively at the Winter Olympics in Beijing. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CaM99bnsoFf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CaM99bnsoFf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily)</a> </div> </blockquote> “I send my warmest congratulations to the Team GB Women’s Curling team on your outstanding performance in winning the Gold Medal at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, following the Silver Medal achieved by the Men’s Curling team yesterday,” the Queen said. “I know that your local communities and people throughout the United Kingdom will join me in sending our good wishes to you, your coaches and the friends and family who have supported you in your great success.” According to <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/2022-02-20/the-queen-tests-positive-for-covid-and-is-experiencing-mild-cold-like-symptoms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ITV</a>, several members of the Windsor Castle team have also been diagnosed with COVID-19. The 95-year-old monarch met with her son on February 8, two days before it was announced that he tested positive to the virus. <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/queens-health-fears-after-close-contact-meeting-with-charles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">At the time</a>, Buckingham Palace declined to confirm whether the Queen had tested positive or negative. She went on to hold various engagements, including a face-to-face audience with UK Defence Services Secretary Major General Eldon Millar and his predecessor where she appeared stiff on her feet and said she <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/i-cant-move-queens-first-visit-since-covid-scare" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“can’t move”</a>. The Queen is understood to be triple vaccinated and under the care of the Royal Household’s medical team, including Professor Sir Huw Thomas, head of the Medical Household and Physician to the Queen. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I’m sure I speak for everyone in wishing Her Majesty The Queen a swift recovery from Covid and a rapid return to vibrant good health. — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1495383017786945536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2022</a></blockquote> British Prime Minister Boris Johnson took to Twitter to wish for the Queen’s swift recovery, writing: “I’m sure I speak for everyone in wishing Her Majesty The Queen a swift recovery from Covid and a rapid return to vibrant good health.” Image: Getty Images

News

SAS soldier claims Ben Roberts-Smith threatened to shoot him in the head

A former soldier who served alongside Ben Roberts-Smith <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/ben-roberts-smith-defamation-trial-new-witness-claims-bullying-death-threat/7df734b2-d86b-44c5-ab2d-a57f1e26a7d3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has testified</a> in the SAS soldier’s ongoing defamation trial, claiming Roberts-Smith bullied and threatened to kill him during their time serving together. The soldier, known as Person 1, told the Federal Court he was a victim of a seven-year intimidation campaign while giving evidence for Nine newspapers. During the trial, the court heard of a mistake Person 1 made during a 2006 mission in the Chora Valley, with the same mission seeing Mr Roberts-Smith receiving a Medal for Gallantry for single-handedly fighting off 16 Taliban insurgents. Person 1 admitted that his machine gun jammed at least three times during the mission because he forgot to bring his weapon oil. His error later prompted a commanding officer to issue him a warning for “not performing to standard”. The incident was followed by several alleged run-ins between Person 1 and Mr Roberts-Smith which the witness claimed became threats. “[He] said words to the effect of ‘if your performance doesn’t improve on the next patrol, you’re gonna get a bullet in the back of the head’,” Person 1 said. Nine’s barrister Nicholas Owens SC <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-17/soldier-tells-oourt-ben-roberts-smith-threatened-to-shoot-him/100833982" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> the witness what he understood Mr Roberts-Smith to mean by that comment, to which Person 1 replied: “That he was going to shoot me in the back of the head on the next patrol if my performance doesn’t improve”. Person 1 told the court he lodged a formal complaint about the remark, which he said led to another confrontation. “If you’re going to make accusations **** you better have some f***ing proof,” he claimed Mr Roberts-Smith said to him. “Not only did I have to worry about the Taliban, but I also had to look over my own back at my own people,” Person 1 told the court. He also claimed that even after he switched patrols and climbed the ranks, Mr Roberts-Smith described him to other soldiers as “incompetent” and a “coward”. When they entered mediation in 2013, the soldiers agreed to disagree and shook hands. Mr Roberts-Smith has denied the claims while giving evidence last year and said Person “just wasn’t a very good soldier”. He also accused the witness of attempting to “cover up his poor performance”. The soldier’s testimony comes as part of Mr Roberts-Smith’s defamation trial, in which he is suing Nine newspapers over articles alleging he is a war criminal. Image: 9News

Legal

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Home and Away star accused of "stomping" on woman's head

Former SAS Australia contestant recalls terrifying Ozempic overdose

"Disgraced actor, bully, monster": Craig McLachlan opens up on assault allegations

No apologies: Ben Roberts-Smith breaks silence

Father of murdered Aussie soldier voices support for Ben Roberts-Smith

Ben Roberts-Smith’s furious phone call to fellow soldier

SA board member quits after allegedly caught shoplifting

Outrage over Craig McLachlan’s TV return

"He was a mess": Harry's drunken behaviour outed by ex-soldier

Pauline Hanson's bold move into reality TV

“We will miss you brother”: Kiwi soldier killed in Ukraine identified

Senior soldier confirms Ben Roberts-Smith’s story, contradicts another

Chloé: how a 19th-century French nude ended up in a Melbourne pub – and became an icon for Australian soldiers

"Pink flamingo": Jett Kenny explains bizarre new hairstyle

“Did we just witness an execution?”: New details in Ben Roberts-Smith trial

Russia 0, Door 1: Soldier’s shocking defeat blows up online

SAS soldier claims Ben Roberts-Smith catapulted unarmed man off cliff

Fiery start to new season of SAS Australia

Queen Elizabeth soldiers on despite Covid diagnosis

SAS soldier claims Ben Roberts-Smith threatened to shoot him in the head

Our Partners