Increased awareness of child sex abuse

Victorian political leaders have welcomed an increase in the reporting of child sex abuse to police. Source: AAP

A SURGE in child sex abuse cases reported to Victoria Police shows the problem is no longer being swept under the carpet, political leaders say.

THE number of cases reported annually in Victoria surged 43 per cent in the five years to the 2013/14 financial year.

There was also a 90 per cent increase in cases where a parent was the alleged perpetrator."I think those figures reflect, on the advice that I have, an increased reporting rate and I welcome an increased reporting rate," Victorian premier Denis Napthine told reporters on Saturday."The increased awareness of child sexual abuse is bringing to the fore cases that were under the carpet, behind closed doors."Opposition leader Daniel Andrews said it resulted from a new "culture of extra reporting, courage, transparency, and people feeling safe to come forward and report those despicable crimes".A justice system overhaul was also needed, Mr Andrews said, and Labor would hold a royal commission into family violence in 2015 should it win the November state election.Fairfax, which published the figures, has also reported concerning trends observed by police and support services.They are seeing more cases of children instigating sexualised behaviour at primary schools, men pretending to be boys online so they can trick girls into exchanging explicit photos, and sexual abuse of girls after arranged marriages.CHILD SEX ABUSE IN VICTORIA- 43 per cent increase in child sex abuse cases reported annually since 2009/10- 60 per cent increase in victims younger than 10 years.- 90 per cent increase in cases where a parent is the perpetrator.- 3905 child sex abuse cases reported in 2013/14.- Girls aged 10 to 14 most likely to be abused.

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Robert Downey's son guilty of drug charge

Actor Robert Downey Jr's 21-year-old son has pleaded guilty to a drug charge in California. Source: AAP

ACTOR Robert Downey Jr's son has pleaded guilty to cocaine possession at a California court hearing.

INDIO Downey, 21, was arrested after police spotted him smoking from a pipe while sitting in a car in West Hollywood in June, and he was later charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanour possession of drug paraphernalia.

On Friday, Indio, who attended the hearing with his father, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to complete a drug education program. He has been seeking treatment for the past 70 days at a facility and will remain there for another three months.If he stays sober and out of legal trouble, the case will be dismissed.During the hearing, Indio told the judge, "I appreciate this opportunity, and I hope to make the most of it."The judge responded, "You've learned a lot of good coping skills from the program, I hope. This is a 24/7 disease ... it can pop up at any time. You have to be vigilant and on top of it at all times."I know in life people always look up to superheroes. You have contact with one superhero, and that's Iron Man."Downey, Jr has previously offered to support his son through his legal and drug woes, insisting addiction problems are a family issue.Shortly after Indio's arrest, the actor released a statement, which read: "Unfortunately there's a genetic component to addiction and Indio has likely inherited it. Also, there is a lot of family support and understanding, and we're all determined to rally behind him and help him become the man he's capable of being."We're grateful to the sheriff's department for their intervention, and believe Indio can be another recovery success story instead of a cautionary tale."The movie star spent years battling drug problems after finding fame in Hollywood in the 1980s.

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Experts warn against 'fat shaming'

"FAT shaming" does not help people lose weight, experts say.

MAKING overweight and obese people feel bad about their size does not encourage them to shed excess pounds - and may even make them put on more weight, researchers found.

The study, published in the journal Obesity, saw almost 3000 British adults monitored over a four-year period.Experts found that the 5 per cent who experienced "weight discrimination" gained an average of 0.95kg over the time frame while those who did not lost an average of 0.71kg.The researchers, from University College London (UCL), said their findings contradict the common perception that "fat shaming" helps people lose weight.They suggested that people may "comfort eat" as a result of being discriminated against because of their weight."There is no justification for discriminating against people because of their weight," said lead author Dr Sarah Jackson from UCL."Our results show that weight discrimination does not encourage weight loss, and suggest that it may even exacerbate weight gain."Previous studies have found that people who experience discrimination report comfort eating. Stress responses to discrimination can increase appetite, particularly for unhealthy, energy-dense food."Weight discrimination has also been shown to make people feel less confident about taking part in physical activity, so they tend to avoid it."Professor Jane Wardle, director of the Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Centre at UCL, added: "Our study clearly shows that weight discrimination is part of the obesity problem and not the solution."Weight bias has been documented not only among the general public but also among health professionals, and many obese patients report being treated disrespectfully by doctors because of their weight."Everyone, including doctors, should stop blaming and shaming people for their weight and offer support, and where appropriate, treatment."

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Breathalyser to test for concussion

SCIENTISTS are developing a pitch-side breathalyser that can show if a soccer or rugby player is suffering from concussion.

SO far they have only tested gases in the laboratory, but a trial involving 40 students could pave the way to making such a device available to professional and amateur clubs.

The aim is to detect chemicals in the breath shown to be associated with concussion after a blow, or series of blows, to the head.The potentially serious condition is often missed and there is no practical objective way of testing for it.Concern is mounting over the health risk to athletes who suffer head knocks, especially children. Some experts have called for a ban on "headers" in school soccer.Evidence suggests that repeated blows to the head especially can cause serious damage, resulting in the dementia-like symptoms seen in "punch drunk" boxers.A controversial psychological concussion test that allows a player to return to the game within a few minutes of being given the "all clear" has been strongly criticised by both players and experts.Scientists behind the breathalyser research said the Pitch-Side Concussion Assessment (PSCA) test being trialled by the International Rugby Board was potentially putting players at risk.Speaking at the British Science Festival, Professor Tony Belli, from the University of Birmingham, said: "Some players have said it's easy to fudge that test."I'm concerned about the way it's being used. If a player has concussion and you send that player back on the pitch you are potentially putting that player's health at risk."University colleague Dr Michael Grey pointed out that obvious symptoms of concussion often only show up after a significant delay.The breathalyser would provide a simple, cheap and robust method of testing for concussion without having to resort to costly and difficult procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.Laboratory experiments have shown that tiny traces of certain chemicals associated with concussion can be detected in the blood, urine, and potentially even breath.The "panel" of chemicals included the central nervous system metabolite N-acetylaspartate (NAA), and the proteins S100B and GFAP.In the student trial at the University of Birmingham, the researchers will look for correlations between levels of the molecules in blood and urine and rates of concussion among young athletes.Prof Belli said the same chemicals can be detected in gases, raising the possibility of a breath test."It would be similar to a breathalyser," he told the Science Festival at the University of Birmingham. "You would have a detector attuned to measure these chemicals. It would take about five or 10 minutes."It wouldn't be quicker than the current test, but it would be more reliable."The scientists are also looking at using a technique called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to spot signs of concussion.TMS uses a magnetic field to stimulate electrical activity in the brain which can be translated to muscle movements. Research suggests that in concussed patients this connection is impaired.The scientists were accompanied by Dawn Astle, daughter of former West Bromwich Albion player Jeff Astle who was famous for his heading ability. Mr Astle died from brain trauma at the age of 59 after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's.A post mortem examination found that large areas of his brain had been irreversibly destroyed.

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Show death girl was Malaysian visitor

Terror threat: It's war on our way of life

A TERRORIST attack in ­Australia is now considered "likely" after the federal ­government raised the alert level yesterday from medium to high for the first time in our history.

Kindy cheaper than childcare

PARENTS are enrolling four-year-olds at school before they are ready to avoid out-of-pocket childcare costs — which have soared as high as $12,000 a year.

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U2 stunt destroys 30 years of legacy

ANGRY Apple customers were loud and fast on social media to complain about the digital violation after millions of downloads of U2's new album were shoved on to people's devices without permission.

WHAT both Apple and U2 failed to understand is that not everyone is a U2 fan, especially not now. The band's reputation went immediately to tatters but their bank balance is looking good.

Depending on various sources, including the Wall Street Journal, U2 is estimated to have done a $US100 million ($A108.20 million) deal with Apple to give their album away "for free". The figure was not disputed by U2 manager Guy Oseary.The songs from Songs of Innocence are thought to be the shelved U2 album from March, the album that failed to see the light of day after two singles before its expected release went nowhere.Those two singles Ordinary Love (2013) and Invisible (RED) (2014) had a minor chart impact in the UK (82 & 65 respectively), Ordinary Love reached no.84 in the USA but Invisible failed to chart and both songs failed to make the ARIA Top 100 in Australia. Both songs were recorded during the Songs of Innocence sessions but left off the album.Since Songs of Innocence a second album Songs of Experience has also been completed."If you like Songs of Innocence, stay with us for Songs of Experience. It should be ready soon enough," Bono said this week in a statement after the release of the spam album.U2 will probably now struggle with another record in the marketplace.One of the most searched phrases this week is "How to remove U2 album" with the topic a hot discussions in forums, including Apple's own Support Community.For Apple, a company with more cash in the bank that a lot of countries, it was a waste of shareholder funds, but with that much money it was loose change.For U2, selling out in the most corporate way may have a long-term impact as they now have to rebuild their reputation.For a band that clearly doesn't need the money, it was a strategically bad decision but financially extremely rewarding. Let's hope it was worth it.The post U2 Destroy 30 Years Of Legacy In One PR Stunt appeared first on Music News Noise11.com.

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Southwest China floods kill 44

FLOODING in southwestern China over the past week has left 44 people dead and 18 missing, and has caused massive damage to housing and crops, the Civil Affairs Ministry says.

CONSTANT heavy rain beginning on August 31 has caused widespread destruction in Sichuan and Guizhou provinces, as well as the mega-city of Chongqing, where all but one of the deaths occurred and all of the missing were reported.

The ministry said 121,700 people had been moved to temporary shelters and put the number of collapsed or heavily damaged houses at 42,000.It estimated total damage at more than 3.3 billion yuan ($A577.77 million).Southwestern China's mountainous terrain increases the chances of landslides brought on by the loosening of rain-saturated hillsides.Seasonal rains cause major flooding around China almost every year.The worst in recent history was in 1998, when 4150 people died, most of them along the Yangtze River, China's mightiest.The massive Three Gorges Dam has largely contained Yangtze flooding, but the problem persists in other parts of the country apart from the arid northwest.

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US man held after Aust credit card fraud

Family lost in rubble of city horror

IT was a devastated John O'Brien who returned to grapple with the reality that the smoking rubble in front of him was his own home.

NSW

• 1 video
  • Sydney shop blaze - still a rescue mission 1:15

Terrible cost of Sam's one bad decision

SAMANTHA Enright, a popular Year 11 student from the coastal hamlet of Skennars Head, made a fateful decision that cost her life in Wednesday's tragic north coast fatal accident

NSW

• 1 video
  • Highway smash 2:07

Gang's every move under surveillance

A SUSPENDED police officer and his two co-accused had allegedly been staking out a money exchange business for three weeks.

NSW

• 1 video
  • Police officer arrested 1:57

'Big man' Barry back in the box

FELLED premier Barry O'Farrell is set to make a dramatic return to ICAC next week he was identified as "the big man".

NSW

• 1 video
  • Gallacher at heart of fund-funnelling 2:10

Fatherly love gives courage to mayor's cause

NEVER being able to walk his beautiful daughter down the aisle was a reality Bansktown mayor Khal Asfour didn't think he could face.

NSW

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Liberia Ebola patients 'lying in street'

DOZENS of residents have fled their homes after visibly ill Ebola patients were refused entry to an overcrowded isolation centre in Liberia's capital Monrovia, local newspaper Front Page Africa reports.

SIX Ebola patients had been dropped off by government ambulances and taxis in front of a quarantine centre in Monrovia's Paynesville neighbourhood.

But when the centre did not have capacity to admit them, they were left lying on the street, residents said.Some patients were vomiting and urinating, according to witnesses."I spotted them through the window. I came outside (and) when they tried come near me, I ran away," resident Betty Zamay was quoted as saying.Community leader Anthony Kpahn said Paynesville residents were living in fear and called on the Liberian government to address the issue.Health workers eventually arrived to disinfect the area.Liberia is the country most affected by the Ebola outbreak, reporting more than 200 cases a week for the past three weeks, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).The country has a severe lack of health workers, equipment and facilities to treat patients.The number of deaths from the Ebola epidemic has now surpassed 2100 in West Africa, the organisation said.In addition to 2097 deaths in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, eight people died in Nigeria, where the outbreak is limited.The WHO has counted 3944 suspected and confirmed cases in the hardest-hit countries, 23 in Nigeria and one in Senegal.

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Push to return forensic teams to MH17 site

Tony Abbott will discuss the Malaysia Airlines disasters and counter-terrorism in Kuala Lumpur today Source: AAP

AUSTRALIA and Malaysia have signalled their intention to send investigators back to the MH17 crash site in war-torn eastern Ukraine before winter.

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott and his counterpart Najib Razak on Saturday agreed to intensify their efforts to recover any human remains still at the crash site and return them to their loved ones.

Australian investigators were forced to suspend their search in August as fighting around the crash site intensified.It was envisioned they would return but a timeline was never set.But there could be fresh urgency to get forensic experts back on the ground, with Mr Najib declaring they'd need "at least a few weeks" to scour the vast impact zone for any remaining evidence."We intend to send our teams to the crash site as soon as possible," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur following a meeting with Mr Abbott."We are very, very keen to re-enter the crash site, especially before winter sets in."Both leaders agreed that obtaining further evidence from the site would be crucial for building a criminal case to punish those responsible for the attack.Australia has pointed the finger at Russia, accusing it of arming the separatists in eastern Ukraine suspected of downing the passenger plane.Nearly 300 people - including 38 Australian citizens and residents - were killed when Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine in July.The first bodies of the Australian victims from the tragedy arrived back home earlier this week.Mr Abbott said it was likely there were still human remains at the crash site and the families of those who died deserved justice and closure."We want to be absolutely confident that everything has been done to ensure that no one is left untended and alone," he said.Mr Abbott also provided an update on the next phase of the Australian-led search for missing plane MH370, due to begin in a fortnight.It's been six months since the plane disappeared without a trace and exhaustive search efforts in the Indian Ocean have so far turned up nothing.Earlier in the day he thanked Malaysian officials in person for their "courage and resilience" dealing with the twin disasters.The two leaders also discussed the rise of terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria, with Mr Najib emphatically condemning Islamic extremism.Mr Abbott will return home on Sunday after a three-day trip to India and Malaysia.

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