Australia's most decorated soldier has been arrested over alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.

The ABC reports Ben Roberts-Smith has been arrested at Sydney Airport, and is expected to be charged with five counts of murder.

In 2023, a Federal Court found on the balance of probabilities, Roberts-Smith was involved in the murder of four unarmed men, rejecting his defamation suit against several newspapers.

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Roberts-Smith is currently in custody - with more set to be unveiled this evening. 

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Australia's most decorated soldier has been arrested over alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.
The ABC reports Ben Roberts-Smith has been arrested at Sydney Airport, and is expected to be charged with five counts of murder.
In 2023, a Federal Court found on the balance of probabilities, Roberts-Smith was involved in the murder of four unarmed men, rejecting his defamation suit against several newspapers.
Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Roberts-Smith is currently in custody - with more set to be unveiled this evening.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Murray Olds: Australian correspondent on Ben Roberts-Smith being arrested for alleged war crimes

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/8337ea6b-916f-4190-8328-b4250055d90c/transcript

Midday tomorrow - our time. That is the deadline Donald Trump has given Iran.

Now, if your reaction is something along the lines of not really caring because Donald Trump has set plenty of deadlines before and then walked away from them, that’s fair enough. All of that is true.

But this one does feel ever so slightly different.

This time he has set a very specific deadline - an exact hour on an exact day. He doubled down on it this morning in a lengthy news conference. It isn’t weeks away. And the threat itself is very specific: he says he will target bridges and power plants.

It also appears the administration has, to some degree, thought through how such an attack would unfold. Trump has even claimed it would take a precise amount of time - four hours.

Now, even if he sounds more serious and more prepared, that doesn’t mean he’ll actually go through with it.

The obvious off-ramp is the same one he’s used before: announcing that Iran has come to the table, that progress has been made in peace talks - progress no one else can verify - but insisting we simply trust that it’s happening behind closed doors.

What’s clear, though, is that Trump is deeply frustrated.

At the weekend, that frustration has centred on the Strait of Hormuz. And this should be dawning on everyone: Donald Trump can’t force it open. That reality seems to be hitting him now, hence the expletive-laden messages on social media in the past few days.

He has two options.

One is to escalate - to hit Iran so hard that it concedes and opens the strait. That’s a long shot.

The other is to declare victory, claim he’s achieved everything he set out to do and walk away - leaving Iran effectively in control of the strait.

Iran would then be able to levy a charge of around US$2 million a ship, split with Oman, which sits across the water. We know this because Iran has now put forward a 10-point peace plan that explicitly lays out this intention.

Those appear to be the only two paths left.

Trump has made a very big deal out of choosing the first - out of threatening massive escalation. So at midday tomorrow, it’s either all on…or it’s the most spectacular walk-back yet.

LISTEN ABOVE

Midday tomorrow - our time. That is the deadline Donald Trump has given Iran.
Now, if your reaction is something along the lines of not really caring because Donald Trump has set plenty of deadlines before and then walked away from them, that’s fair enough. All of that is true.
But this one does feel ever so slightly different.
This time he has set a very specific deadline - an exact hour on an exact day. He doubled down on it this morning in a lengthy news conference. It isn’t weeks away. And the threat itself is very specific: he says he will target bridges and power plants.
It also appears the administration has, to some degree, thought through how such an attack would unfold. Trump has even claimed it would take a precise amount of time - four hours.
Now, even if he sounds more serious and more prepared, that doesn’t mean he’ll actually go through with it.
The obvious off-ramp is the same one he’s used before: announcing that Iran has come to the table, that progress has been made in peace talks - progress no one else can verify - but insisting we simply trust that it’s happening behind closed doors.
What’s clear, though, is that Trump is deeply frustrated.
At the weekend, that frustration has centred on the Strait of Hormuz. And this should be dawning on everyone: Donald Trump can’t force it open. That reality seems to be hitting him now, hence the expletive-laden messages on social media in the past few days.
He has two options.
One is to escalate - to hit Iran so hard that it concedes and opens the strait. That’s a long shot.
The other is to declare victory, claim he’s achieved everything he set out to do and walk away - leaving Iran effectively in control of the strait.
Iran would then be able to levy a charge of around US$2 million a ship, split with Oman, which sits across the water. We know this because Iran has now put forward a 10-point peace plan that explicitly lays out this intention.
Those appear to be the only two paths left.
Trump has made a very big deal out of choosing the first - out of threatening massive escalation. So at midday tomorrow, it’s either all on…or it’s the most spectacular walk-back yet.
LISTEN ABOVE

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Do we think Trump will go through with the Iran threats?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/43d727ab-bf2e-4ca6-b9cc-b4250075c704/transcript

A potential new law could restrict Crown funds reaching gang-linked organisations.

Takanini National MP Rima Nakhle's proposed amendment to the Public Finance Bill has been pulled from the biscuit tin. 

It would prohibit agencies from providing money to organisations run, administered or associated with gangs. 

Nakhle says the last Government gave $2.75 million to gangs via Kainga Ora.  

"There's no doubt that there's people that choose to change their lives, but we're not going to accept that public money goes to gangs, basically, when they're the ones selling the drugs. So how do they become the saviours?"

LISTEN ABOVE

A potential new law could restrict Crown funds reaching gang-linked organisations.
Takanini National MP Rima Nakhle's proposed amendment to the Public Finance Bill has been pulled from the biscuit tin.&nbsp;
It would prohibit agencies from providing money to organisations run, administered or associated with gangs.&nbsp;
Nakhle says the last Government gave $2.75 million to gangs via Kainga Ora. &nbsp;
"There's no doubt that there's people that choose to change their lives, but we're not going to accept that public money goes to gangs, basically, when they're the ones selling the drugs. So how do they become the saviours?"
LISTEN ABOVE

Rima Nakhle: Takanini National MP on the proposed changes set to be made to the Public Finance Bill

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/7a7b2ee3-6688-4332-bced-b425006e8a66/transcript

If you're in search of a budgie or a pheasant or even a sulphur-crested cockatoo, Waitaki District Council may bring good news.

The council is looking to re-home over 48 birds as it plans to demolish two aviaries that are no longer fit for purpose.

Waitaki mayor Mel Tavendale says these birds are all free to good homes - and they've seen over 50 applications from interested prospective owners.

She explained the council's trying to find a better life for the birds, as the aviaries can no longer offer that.

LISTEN ABOVE

If you're in search of a budgie or a pheasant or even a sulphur-crested cockatoo, Waitaki District Council may bring good news.
The council is looking to re-home over 48 birds as it plans to demolish two aviaries that are no longer fit for purpose.
Waitaki mayor Mel Tavendale says these birds are all free to good homes - and they've seen over 50 applications from interested prospective owners.
She explained the council's trying to find a better life for the birds, as the aviaries can no longer offer that.
LISTEN ABOVE

Mel Tavendale: Waitaki mayor on the district looking to give away 48 aviary birds

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/57e65654-27fe-4cf8-9e5e-b42500690b5d/transcript

Murray Olds: Australian correspondent on Ben Roberts-Smith being arrested for alleged war crimes

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