Rohan Smith
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Articles by Rohan Smith
Tennesse woman, Christa Pike, makes special request days before execution Original
Christa Pike has “horrible nightmares.” Her “nerves are shredded.” In eight days, the 50-year-old who killed her friend when she was a teenager will have her worst nightmares realized inside the execution chamber in Nashville, Tennessee. Pike is set to become the first woman put to death in Tennessee since 1819 if Governor Bill Lee does not put a stop to the scheduled execution before 10 a.m. local time on September 30.
Major update on the world’s worst serial killer Original
The first sign of evil in Gary Ridgway appeared when he was a 16-year-old boy. The dyslexic teen from Tyee High School in the US state of Washington had an IQ as low as 80. His troubled home life spilled over into school, and one day his impulsive thoughts gave way to actual, horrifying violence. His victim was a six-year-old boy.
Children ‘scared’ by drug-affected man outside Melbourne primary school
“This is normal for our children”. That’s the chilling response from locals after pictures and videos emerged showing a drug-affected man writhing and crying out on the ground a short walk from a Melbourne primary school. Videos of the incident, captured by schoolchildren on their mobile phones and seen by news.com.au, show the man struggling less than 100m from the school — one that has made headlines in recent years because of its proximity to Melbourne’s only safe injecting room.
The other side of drug crisis unfolding on Richmond streets
Share Dead bodies on the street. Drug users injecting in broad daylight. It’s a horror show for some but recovering addicts say it’s not the whole story. News.com.au last week visited Richmond , an inner-city suburb that is home to Melbourne’s heroin epidemic and the site of the city’s only injecting room.
Melbourne Grand Prix: Middle Park split over massive event impact
The median house price here is $2.6m and the beach is a short walk away. It’s a dream suburb for 11 months of the year. But residents who live in Middle Park are divided each March when one of the biggest events on the planet moves in next door. Middle Park, for those who live outside Melbourne, is a small pocket between Albert Park and St Kilda — home to roughly 4000 people. It sits snugly between the Albert Park racetrack and the sandy foreshore that leads into Port Phillip Bay.
Irish trio Kneecap’s wild Melbourne show feat. King’s decapitated head
Federation Square is not small. Reaching capacity — where revellers are turned away — is no small feat. That’s exactly what three rappers from Belfast managed to do last Monday in scenes the city has rarely, if ever, witnessed. Kneecap, the trio from Northern Ireland, are loudly and proudly pro-Palestinian and anti-colonial. They sent the crowd into a frenzy for the free gig opposite Flinders Street Station while fans waved Irish, Palestinian and Aboriginal flags.
St Kilda crime, drug use, homelessness on rise as council considers solutions
EXCLUSIVE National Don't miss out on the headlines from National. Followed categories will be added to My News. A business owner has described the moment four tourists were set upon by a drug-affected man in one of Melbourne’s most affluent suburbs. On Monday just after 7.30pm, outside one of his venues in Fitzroy Street, Marc Allister watched as a man lunged at the group before he jumped in the air and punched an unsuspecting 21-year-old Dutch man in the jaw.
Donald Trump claims Palestinians ‘want to leave’ Gaza
COMMENT Donald Trump’s plan to permanently displace the entire population of the seaside enclave of Gaza was never going to be an easy sell. I think we can mostly all agree that framing it as an economic development opportunity and rebranding the region “the Riviera of the Middle East” was up there with the wildest ideas from a world leader in recent memory.
Phone call that changed boy’s life
Megan and Andrew had done it all before. The Canberra couple had two daughters before their son Jon came along, so they knew how to manage all the milestones. But at just six weeks of age, their beautiful little boy started missing some. He couldn’t lift his head. He couldn’t roll over. And he wasn’t strong enough to cough or cry. The devastating diagnosis that followed was, at the time, a death sentence.
Taylor Swift fixes ‘crime against Sydney’ as fans erupt: ‘I’m crying’
Taylor Swift pandemonium took over Sydney on Friday as the singer performed her first blockbuster opening concert. More than 81,000 people flocked to Accor Stadium for the first of Swift’s four Eras Tour shows, with the 14-time Grammy winner hitting the stage a bit after 7.30pm. She was without her support act, 24-year-old Sabrina Carpenter, because bad weather and the threat of lightning meant there was no time for her to perform before Swift took the stage.
Moment you missed at Taylor Swift concert
For two minutes, Taylor Swift sat perched at a piano on stage in the middle of the Melbourne Cricket Ground taking in the sound of 96,000 screaming Australians. She waited for it to stop, but months of anticipation from diehard fans had culminated in an explosion of admiration for the most popular music artist on the planet. It is difficult to explain the magnitude of that roar from the ground level. “Deafening” doesn’t quite do it. “Ear-splitting” comes close.
New beginnings
I love Australia. I was born here, have grown up here, spent my 20s taking road trips up and down the east coast, surfing, working on farms, enjoying all that this beautiful land has to offer. I now have a family who benefit from a safe and prosperous society. We can live out our dreams with a promise of a bright tomorrow. We are lucky. We want to acknowledge and celebrate this.
Melbourne crisis laid bare in horror pics
WARNING: Confronting images. A man in a wheelchair is unconscious and bleeding from wounds all over his legs. He sits alone on the bustling strip known as Melbourne’s ‘Little Vietnam’ for its array of Asian restaurants and supermarkets. Empty soft drink cans litter his lap and his feet are scabbed and cracked and swollen. It is 9.30am on a Monday in North Richmond, just a five-minute tram ride from the CBD. But it could be any day.
16yo Russian rewrites history with 54-minute demolition job at Australian Open
Teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva has rewritten history with a clinical display in front of adoring fans at Rod Laver Arena this morning. The 16-year-old Russian cruised past No. 6 seed Ons Jabeur 6-0 6-2 in just 54 minutes. The clinic she put on during the first set put her in record company and, she admitted after the match, came as a surprise even to her.
Ben Shelton, Novak Djokovic ‘phone’ celebration feud reignited at Australian Open
HOMETENNISAUSTRALIAN-OPEN Rohan Smith from News.com.au January 17th, 2024 12:02 pm US tennis phenom Ben Shelton loves the big stage. And for the most part, it loves him back. The big serving 21-year-old is full of bravado and swagger. All of that was on display as he as he stormed into the final four at the US Open in September last year. But a simple act has haunted him since.
Sole surviving victim in deadly dinner party poisoning released from hospital Original
Almost three months after pastor Ian Wilkinson attended a fatal lunch containing what police suspect was death cap mushrooms, the 68-year-old has been released from hospital. Mr. Wilkinson and his wife Heather joined host Erin Patterson and Erin’s former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson for lunch on July 29. The group ate beef wellington but the dish is believed to have contained the deadly death cap mushroom. Don, Gail, and Heather all died within days of the fatal lunch.
Astonishing find in Melbourne waters
A massive haul of drugs stashed in the hull of a cargo ship docked at the Port of Melbourne had a street value of $80 million but will be destroyed, police say. Pictures shared by the Australian Federal Police on Saturday show the staggering scale of packages of cocaine that divers retrieved from the ship last month. The AFP says the packages, which were heavily wrapped in plastic and tied together with rope, weighed more than 200kgs.
Major update after fatal mushroom lunch
Almost three months after pastor Ian Wilkinson attended a fatal lunch containing what police suspect was death cap mushrooms, the 68-year-old has been released from hospital. Mr Wilkinson and his wife Heather joined host Erin Patterson and Erin’s former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson for lunch on July 29. The group ate beef wellington but the dish is believed to have contained the deadly death cap mushroom.
‘Surrounded’: Orcas attack in shocking clip
The captain of a boat attacked by killer whales for the second time while sailing through the Straight of Gibraltar says his first reaction was, “please, not again”. Captain Dan Kriz’ boat was sailing off the coast of Spain on April 15 when orcas surrounded it. Footage shared on social media last week shows one of the orcas tearing rudders from the boat and dragging them away in its mouth.
Magic Weekend set to return in 2024 after plans to scrap format are overturned
But the almost unanimous enthusiasm of the sport’s top 12 clubs has made officials think again, and the return of the event in 2024 now looks to be secured. Leeds Rhinos coach Rohan Smith, whose injury-hit side face Castleford in a Yorkshire derby that concludes Saturday’s programme, described the concept – which was copied by Australia’s NRL for the first time in 2019 – as “a great thing for our sport”.
JobSeeker payments to increase for over-55s, young Aussies fuming
Young Australians have slammed a plan by the Albanese Government to ease cost of living pressures … for only those over 55. A major change to welfare payments was revealed on Monday night that means the JobSeeker rate will be bumped up by $50 a day. The move, first reported by Seven News, will be welcomed by the 200,000-odd long-term unemployed over the age of 55. But it means more than 680,000 other jobseekers get nothing. At least not yet.
Texas man hunt: Drunk neighbour on run after massacre of five neighbours
A Texas man whose eight-year-old boy was shot and killed by a disgruntled, drunk neighbour on the weekend has revealed what sparked the mass shooting. Wilson Garcia was inside his home about 11.30pm on Friday night when he asked his neighbour to stop firing his AR-15-style rifle late at night. He said it was keeping his baby awake. He says the neighbour flew into a rage at the request, stormed the house and opened fire. Five people were killed, including Mr Garcia’s wife and son.
UN world health report: Glaciers melting, climate change at record high
Earth is suffering in ways that are unthinkable as every indicator used to measure the overall ill-health of the planet broke new records. Climate Change Don't miss out on the headlines from Climate Change. Followed categories will be added to My News. Earth is suffering in ways that are unthinkable as every indicator used to measure the overall ill-health of the planet broke new records.
Beaumont children’s father dead: Grant Beaumont dies aged 97
Grant Arthur Beaumont died last week without ever getting answers to one of Australia’s most enduring tragedies and greatest mysteries. He never got to learn what happened on the Adelaide beach 57 years ago when his three precious children disappeared. “Jim”, as he was known, was 97 years old when he died on Tuesday.
Sydney Mardi Gras parade: Pictures, video from World Pride as city shuts down
Sydney has come alive for the 45th annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade — a history-making event that will see an Australian prime minister march with Australia’s LGBTI community for the first time. More than 75,000 people are lining the streets for the largest celebration of the event in history. The PM Anthony Albanese revealed to reporters earlier what he’ll be wearing for the parade. “I’ll be wearing jeans and a shirt, I won’t try and compete,” he said.
Fix our roads
Phil (Holloway) you’re still saying that Council has a $180M bill to fix our roads, and you must organise funding first. If Council is only at the point of putting funding applications together, what on Earth has it been doing for the past 12 months? It’s time for the Council to explain. Rohan Smith, Wilsons Creek
Australian Open 2023: American Ben Shelton beats Alexei Popyrin, message for ‘rowdy’ John Cain Arena crowd
There is no place for tennis quite like John Cain Arena. Nick Kyrgios last year called it “the zoo” and told fans who packed in to the $29-a-ticket stadium they were “out of control”. The crowd at JCA was at its wildest best again on Saturday night when Australian wildcard Alexei Popyrin tried to continue his remarkable run by booking a place in the last 16 at the Australian Open. But another young gun, newcomer Ben Shelton had other plans.
Australian Open 2023: Alex de Minaur beats Benjamin Bonzi, sets up Novak Djokovic 4th round showdown, secret weapon
Alex de Minaur’s motto, etched in sharpie on the side of his tennis bag, is “Don’t worry”. It has served the 22nd seed well as he advanced to his second consecutive Australian Open fourth round on Saturday afternoon. De Minaur cruised with a straight sets win over Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, taking just over two hours to advance, 7-6 6-2 6-1. After the match, de Minaur said he was stoked to get away in three sets. “Every time I get out here I have to pinch myself.
Meter reader Kane Minion mauled to death by dogs in Queensland
The meter reader who was killed when two dogs set upon him at a property in Queensland was an animal lover who was days away from celebrating the anniversary of his engagement. Kane Minion, 42, was mauled to death just after 10.45am on Saturday after a routine meter check went horribly wrong. A Bandog Bullmastiff and a Rhodesian ridgeback cross attacked the Energex worker in the front yard of the home on Ison Road at Greenbank — a rural suburb about 40km south of Brisbane.
China Covid-19: Real reason Xi Jinping chasing covid-zero policy
Violent clashes between anti-lockdown protesters and police in China have been widely condemned as the country chases its Covid-zero policy while the rest of the world moves on. More than three years after the pandemic started in Wuhan, Chinese authorities continue to come down hard on those breaking strict rules around movement in public places.
Idaho student murders: Travis and Jamilyn Juetten stabbing case probed
The hunt for a killer responsible for the grisly murders of four University of Idaho students has taken investigators over the border into the neighbouring US state of Oregon. It is there that a killer in a mask snuck into the bedroom of married couple Travis and Jamilyn Juetten sometime after 3am on August 13 last year and stabbed Jamilyn 19 times. The 24-year-old survived the brutal attack, but her husband died trying to save her.
Australian SAS soldiers in Russian PR stunt for Wagner Group
A pair of Australian elite SAS soldiers stand with their service weapons and an imposing military dog in front of a US Black Hawk helicopter in the mountainous Uruzgan province in Afghanistan. Behind the lens, US military photographer Gagan Dhiman instructs the pilot in the chopper to manoeuvre it into position. The image, captured in 2013, is “bad a**,” Dhiman tells news.com.au from his home in Sacramento. He says it was taken at the request of the Aussies.
Donald Trump speech: China conspiracy theory in 2020 election
The sometimes-rambling speech by Donald Trump today included a new conspiracy theory that nobody else is talking about. World Don't miss out on the headlines from World. Followed categories will be added to My News. Donald Trump used a speech from his luxury Florida resort on Tuesday night to boast about the things he achieved in four years in the White House. He talked about national security and jobs and healthcare and the friendships he made with leaders from Russia, Iran and North Korea.
Craig Foster to lead Republic Movement, Peter FitzSimons steps away
The push for Australia to cut ties with the Monarchy and establish an Australian as Head of State will be lead by former Socceroo and human rights activist Craig Foster. Foster, who was named NSW Australian of the Year in recent weeks, will replace Peter FitzSimons as chair of the Australian Republic Movement, it was announced on Wednesday. FitzSimons named his replacement on social media where he wrote: “Warmest congrats to the New Chair of the ARM. Please give it up for Craig Foster.
Victorian election 2022: Daniel Andrews free tampons pledge, men ‘crying’
Men who reacted angrily at Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ announcement about free tampons are being owned on social media. National Don't miss out on the headlines from National. Followed categories will be added to My News. When Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced he would give free tampons to women at public places if re-elected, he sparked a somewhat unsurprising response. Angry men on social media cried foul about the election promise made less than a month out from election day.
China Australia talks: Historic meeting will discuss strained relationship
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s breakthrough talks on Tuesday in Bali will go a long way towards re-establishing the type of relationship the two Asia-Pacific powerhouses must have to prosper in the region. The dialogue will be constructive and cordial. The meeting will act as a reset after relations became strained under the leadership of former PM Scott Morrison. Trade will be on the agenda – Beijing remains Australia’s largest trading partner.
Brett Sutton, Daniel Andrews face questions over slug gate saga
Just weeks from Victoria’s election, a number of social media pundits and government critics are calling for the face of the Andrews government’s Covid-19 response to resign. They are not being critical of his handling of the pandemic.
Melbourne journalists furious over depiction of women in Dan Andrews story
Melbourne’s media pack has united to denounce “blatantly sexist comments” about some of Victoria’s most respected female journalists. National Don't miss out on the headlines from National. Followed categories will be added to My News. Melbourne’s media pack has united to denounce “blatantly sexist comments” about some of Victoria’s most respected female journalists.
Elon Musk Twitter firings: Billionaire backtracks after sacking staff
Two emails sent on Thursday and Friday were supposed to seal the fate of Twitter employees whose jobs were at risk from billionaire Elon Musk’s whirlwind takeover of the social media giant. The first email warned them that firings were imminent. The second one confirmed the rumours that 50 per cent of staff would lose their jobs. Within days of taking over, Musk had culled two-thirds of the design department. He cited huge losses in the area of $6.3 million AUD a day.
Diamonds netball sponsorship saga: SA radio host feels sorry for Rinehart
A popular SA radio host has slammed Aussie netballers for “cracking the s***s” in a divisive social media post about the Diamonds’ sponsorship saga. Andrew “Cosi” Costello, who hosts breakfast radio in South Australia and has a long-running television travel show, took to Facebook to share his thoughts about the Australian national team turning its back on mining billionaire Gina Rinehart’s $15 million sponsorship.
Australian man James O’Flaherty dead in Ireland petrol station blast
An Australian man is among 10 people killed after an explosion at a petrol station in Ireland’s northwest that also claimed the life of a five-year-old girl. Ireland’s police force, An Garda Síochána, confirmed James O’Flaherty, 48, from Sydney, is among the dead from what police are calling a “tragic accident”. Mr O’Flaherty’s death notice notes that the former Sydneysider was living in Rinclevan, Dunfanaghy.
October cash rate prediction: Big four banks on interest rate rise
The big four banks have revealed exactly how high their economists expect the cash rate to rise when the Reserve Bank board meets tomorrow. Business Don't miss out on the headlines from Business. Followed categories will be added to My News. The big four banks have revealed exactly how high their economists expect the cash rate to rise when the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) board meets tomorrow. The central bank lifted its cash rate by 50 basis points to 2.35 per cent last month.
Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Victoria: Premier to change Maroondah Hospital name
In the wake of the Queen’s death, Victoria’s Andrews Labor Government came up with a plan to honour her. But it has not gone down well with many. Economy Don't miss out on the headlines from Economy. Followed categories will be added to My News. A decision by the Daniel Andrews-led Labor Government in Victoria to rename Maroondah Hospital after the late Queen Elizabeth has been labelled “tone deaf”.
Queen funeral: Australian PM Albanese visits monarch lying in state
Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese has been pictured during a solemn moment visiting the late Queen Elizabeth II lying in state. Entertainment Don't miss out on the headlines from Entertainment. Followed categories will be added to My News. Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese has been pictured during a solemn moment visiting the late Queen Elizabeth II lying in state.
Pauline Hanson’s tweet to Mehreen Faruqi: Human rights commission threat
The Queen’s death has ignited a feud between Australian senators that could see a racist, five-word slur from Pauline Hanson referred to the human rights commission. What started with a tweet from Greens Senator and deputy leader of the party Mehreen Faruqi offering condolences “to those who knew the Queen” has snowballed, dragging in Hanson and Senator Jacqui Lambie — with the latter forced to issue a lengthy statement.
Change the date: council’s huge push on Australia Day celebrations
Victoria’s most prominent council – City of Melbourne – has voted to support a change of date and reduce spending on Australia Day. In a small but important step towards change, councillors voted on Tuesday to lobby for the federal government to officially change the date from January 26, as well as to lower the federal funding for celebrations around the CBD – which currently sits at $1 million.
Buxton car crash victims named: Five teens identified, driver survives
The five teenagers tragically killed in a horror crash southwest of Sydney have been named. They are Antonio Desisto, Tyrese Bechard, Summer Williams, Lily Van De Putte and Gabby McLennan. All five are aged between 14 and 16. They died when a Nissan Navara ute driven by Tyrell Edwards, 18, left the road in Buxton just after 8pm on Tuesday and collided with a tree. The driver was the sole survivor of the crash that has devastated the local community.
Melbourne Australia Day date change from January 26
Melbourne residents have voted to change the date of Australia Day from January 26 as the city looks at making a monumental shift to celebrations. The City of Melbourne will consider an options paper for January 26 after a survey of more than 1600 people found nearly 60 per cent want to see Australia Day celebrated on a different date. Just 31 per cent of respondents were happy with celebrating Australia Day on January 26 — the same day that Sir Arthur Phillip arrived in Sydney Cove in 1788.
Anti-vaxxers lose in Federal Court, must pay $200k in costs
A group of Australian anti-vaxxers who tried to sue state and federal governments citing fears over “a new world order” have been slugged with $214,023 in legal costs after the case was thrown out of court. Nine applicants took the fight to the Federal Court of Australia in October last year claiming that lockdowns and vaccine mandates were “being implemented or undertaken in the context of a new world order” and “constituted a breach of the Nuremberg Code”.
Abigail Hay Urrutia: Four officials arrested over prison cell ‘suicide’
A glamorous young mother died hours after she was arrested. Officials say she took her own life but her family claims she was murdered. Abigail Hay Urrutia was found dead in a prison cell less than five hours after her arrest was captured on film in the Mexican city of Oaxaca last week. In the vision, the 30-year-old struggles with police as they try to force her into the back of a truck. “I’m the mother of your child,” Hay can be heard saying to her boyfriend in the footage.
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