NEWS: Army Chief gives the speech of 2013

1. Following the latest ADF scandal, which has seen three personnel suspended, five people still under investigation and 90 more under suspicion, Chief of Army Lieutenant General David Morrison, AO, has delivered a strong message to Australians soldiers.

“Evidence collected to date has identified a group of men within our ranks who have allegedly produced highly inappropriate material demeaning woman and distributed it across the internet and Defence’s email networks,” he said. “If this is true then the actions of these members are in direct contravention to every value the Australian army stands for.”

“Those that think it’s OK to behave in a way that demeans or exploits their colleagues have no place in this army… If this does not suit you, then get out,” he said. You can watch General Morrison’s full message here.

2. Facebook has altered its nudity policy to now allow images of people who’ve had mastectomies to post photos of themselves. The site issued a statement that said: “We agree that undergoing a mastectomy is a life-changing experience and that sharing photos can help raise awareness about breast cancer and support the men and women facing a diagnosis, undergoing treatment, or living with the scars of cancer.”

The change comes after more than 21,000 Facebook users signed a change.org petition against the policy.  Previously users who uploaded images of their mastectomies were banned by the social networking site from posting any photos for 30 days.

3. 6PR radio host Howard Sattler has been stood down after he asked the Prime Minister if her partner Tim Mathieson was gay live on air. Sattler has since been suspended by the Perth radio station and the incident will be investigated further. You can read more about the disturbing and disrespectful interview, plus see Julia Gillard’s graceful reaction, here.

4. Anti-abortion activists in Ireland have reportedly been sending letters to the country’s Prime Minister written in blood. Enda Kenny said in a statement this week: “I am now being branded … around the country as a murderer, that I’m going to have on my soul the death of 20 million babies.” Ireland is a Catholic country with strict abortion laws but a proposed legal amendment would allow doctors to perform abortions where a mother’s life is in danger.

A spokesperson for the billionaire confirmed the report, saying: “I can confirm for the record that Rupert filed in New York State Supreme Court this morning for divorce.”

A line from the filing says ‘the relationship between Mr Murdoch and Wendi has broken down irretrievably’.”

Murdoch has been married to 44-year-old Deng since 1999. They have two daughters together.

6. A third patient from a Brisbane hospital has contracted the legionnaires bacteria. Last week, one person died and another was critically ill after being infected via the hospital’s water system. The third victim – an elderly man – is reportedly showing no signs of legionnaires disease but will be treated as a precaution.

7. Australian marathon swimmer Chloe McCardel has been forced to abandon her attempt to swim from Florida to Cuba because of jelly fish stings. The 28-year-old was trying to swim the 166-kilometre stretch without a shark cage to set a new world record but was stung on the face and mouth and had to pull out as a precaution.