Appeal for UK Savile cop to come forward

A FORMER UK police officer who anonymously told journalists that he caught Jimmy Savile trying to seduce an underage girl in 1965 has been urged to come forward and speak to investigators.

The ex-Leeds Pc spoke to the Daily Mirror and the BBC under the pseudonym Paul Leonard, claiming that Savile was found parked in a lay-by with a young girl in his Rolls Royce.

He told the newspaper that the disgraced DJ said he was waiting for midnight when the girl turned 16, and threatened: "If you want to keep your job I suggest you get on your bike and f-off."

Today West Yorkshire Police appealed for the man to speak to them about the incident.

The force released a statement that said: "West Yorkshire Police are appealing for a man who spoke to the media yesterday in relation to the Jimmy Savile case to get in touch.

Previous appeals have been made for witnesses with information about Savile to come forward, but the force said they do not believe that he has made contact before.

The statement went on: "To our knowledge, Mr Leonard was not one of those who made contact. Given that Paul Leonard used a pseudonym, a false name, in his media interviews his identity or the content of what he says is very difficult to verify.

"We are however keen to speak to 'Mr Leonard' in order that this can be investigated thoroughly."

The former officer told the Daily Mirror that he had been warned off pursuing the incident by a more senior officer.

He claimed that a sergeant had said: "Shut up, son, he's got friends in high places. If you know what's good for you, you'll leave it there."

The officer told the newspaper: "There wasn't a copper in Leeds who didn't know Savile was a pervert. But he was so well-connected. He was like a superstar."

09.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Drug offers hope for pancreas cancer

A BREAST cancer drug can double two-year survival rates of patients with pancreatic cancer, trial results have shown.

Nab-paclitaxel, marketed as Abraxane, also increased the proportion of patients still alive after one year by 59 per cent.

It is already approved for women with spreading breast cancer who have run out of other options.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers, killing 80 per cent of patients within a year.

The disease claimed the life of Hollywood star Patrick Swayze.

Data from the MPACT (Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Clinical Trial) study showed significant improvements when patients were treated with Abraxane in combination with standard chemotherapy.

Average survival increased from 6.7 months to 8.5 months. One year survival rates rose from 22 per cent to 35 per cent and at two years they doubled from 4 per cent to 9 per cent.

The results are published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

"Today's news represents a major step-forward in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer," said consultant oncologist Dr Harpreet Wasan, from Hammersmith Hospital in London, who runs a pancreatic cancer research program.

"The prognosis for these patients is exceptionally poor and, unlike many other cancers, current treatment options are limited. Based on this data, nab-paclitaxel offers patients a major new advance."

Ali Stunt, founder and chief executive of the charity Pancreatic Cancer Action, said: "Pancreatic cancer is lagging behind other cancers in terms of treatments that extend survival, but nab-paclitaxel has the potential to offer hope to patients with this deadly disease."

Abraxane's manufacturer Celgene has applied to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for a licence to use the drug to treat advanced pancreatic cancer.

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Conditions easing for NSW firefighters

LARGE fires continue to burn across NSW, but Friday should bring a welcome change of conditions for firefighters and residents in fire zones.

While the extent of the devastation was unclear on Thursday night, one of the worst-hit areas was Springwood, in the Blue Mountains, where up to 30 homes were known to be lost.

But authorities expect the number of destroyed or damaged properties across the state will be much worse and fear lives may be lost.

Elsewhere, thousands of firefighters are struggling against about 100 blazes across the state - on the Central Coast and further north, the Southern Highlands and the south coast.

Temperatures in the low to mid 30s, with a maximum of 37 recorded near Newcastle, combined with strong winds gusting up to 102 km/h provided terrible conditions for firefighters on Thursday.

Thousand of hectares were burnt, mainly around the state's Central Coast, and authorities expect hundreds of homes to be lost.

But the weather should ease on Friday, a Bureau of Meteorology spokesman told AAP.

Temperatures should drop by about 10 degrees, with the mercury expected to hit 20-25 degrees in most parts of the state.

During the night, winds will decrease and will be negligible for most of NSW on Friday, blowing below 15km/h.

The strongest breeze is predicted to swirl at 30km/h.

"We are not expecting winds to be of any significance because of a high pressure region," the BOM spokesman said.

"Apart from humidity, all the other factors will play in the favour of the firefighters."

No serious rain is expected but showers may come for the coastal parts of the state between Monday and Wednesday.

While firefighters will be flat-out, some students will be able to take the day off, with numerous schools closed on Friday.

Winmalee Primary School, Winmalee High School, Ellison Primary School and Zig Zag Primary School in the Blue Mountains and Yanderra Primary School in the Southern Highlands weren't damaged, but fires are dangerously close to the schools, a Department of Education spokesman told AAP.

St Columba's High School and St Thomas Aquinas Primary at Springwood, Bunya Child Care Centre and Rainbow Preschool at Winmalee are also closed.

Students from Winmalee High School and St Columba's can attend other schools to sit their HSC exams, or if they can't make it safely to an alternative location they can make an application to ensure they aren't adversely affected.

Parents and students are advised by the department to contact their schools on Friday morning for further updates.

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Time for human Hendra trial: scientist

THE scientist who developed the Hendra vaccine wants to see it trialled on humans.

Almost a year after the Equivac vaccine became commercially available for horse inoculation, Professor Christopher Broder is hoping to secure funding to start human trials.

The US scientist says the Hendra virus protein, in every vaccine dose, has already been successfully tested on cats, ferrets, monkeys and horses.

The first foals recently born to horses vaccinated against Hendra also showed no complications, and Prof Broder says there's no reason why human trials can't go ahead.

"I'd certainly like to see that done," Prof Broder told AAP.

"We picked the right protein and we've been able to show in not only one animal model - but now four animal models - that there are no adverse reactions to the vaccination."

However, Prof Broder said he wasn't sure how soon he could secure funding for a phase-one safety trial.

"Whether or not those funds will become available in the next few years is anyone's guess considering the current state of research support in both the United States and Australia," he said.

Prof Broder said current testing focused on how often a horse's immunity against Hendra should be boosted.

Horses are believed to contract the virus from feed contaminated by urine, saliva or birthing fluids from flying foxes.

There's no known cure for Hendra, but the Equivac HeV vaccine aims to break the cycle of transmission and prevent human deaths.

Four people have died from the virus in Australia since 1994.

Even if the Hendra vaccine can't be tested on humans, Prof Broder is confident it will go a long way towards preventing Hendra virus in horses and people.

Every person infected with Hendra has contracted the virus from a horse, he said.

"The vaccine is going to break that chain of potential transmission and, in reality, if 90 per cent of horses end up getting vaccinated and it's taken up very well then Hendra virus is definitely not going to be a problem any more.

"And I think it has a really good chance of being that way."

Prof Broder will spend the next two weeks in Australia discussing the progress of the vaccine with government representatives and those who have been instrumental in fighting the Hendra virus.

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Warships to leave Sydney Harbour

THEY sailed, they berthed and they entertained.

Now the warships in town for the International Fleet Review will depart Sydney Harbour, marking the close of the nine-day navy event.

Those from afar off as Nigeria, India and the United Kingdom arrived a week ago and helped celebrate 100 years since the Royal Australian Navy fleet entered the harbour.

Most will depart at 7am.

Many of the ships will also go on to participate in Exercise Triton Centenary in Jervis Bay on the NSW south coast, which will see nations display warfare skills and exchange maritime views.

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Vic police vow to continue bikie crackdown

POLICE have vowed to continue their crackdown on bikies involved in criminal activities after the largest raid on a single club in Victoria's history.

Guns, ammunition, drugs and cash were seized and 13 people arrested when more than 700 police, including federal and customs officers, swooped on Hells Angels clubhouses and members' homes on Thursday morning.

All of those arrested have significant roles within the Hells Angels, police say.

They include sergeant at arms Peter Hewat, 58, who faces 13 charges at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday after $47,000 of cash and weapons were allegedly seized from his Craigieburn business and Mickleham home.

Police had hoped to find a high-powered AK-47 and a M1 carbine assault rifle - used in recent drive-by shootings by Hells Angels members at rival clubhouses in Hallam, Dandenong and Clayton South - but were unsuccessful.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay has vowed to track them down and put pressure on the gang.

"We haven't recovered those firearms, so we will continue our operation, we will continue our work until we get those guns," he said.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Tess Walsh said the police crackdown will continue.

"Our operation is ongoing and we intend to continue to target all of those groups and individuals that are involved in criminal activities," she said.

Ms Walsh expects Hells Angels across Australia to feel the impact of Thursday's raid.

"The impact interstate has been significant and I think this type of activity and this type of show of strength puts ... all those that are involved in criminal activities on notice," she said.

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Church attempted to conceal crimes, FoI

THE Catholic Church believed it had an understanding with the NSW police in 2003 that allowed them to conceal evidence against pedophile priests, a freedom of information (FoI) document reveals.

The file, accessed through FoI laws by NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge and obtained by ABC's Lateline, documents the Catholic Church's attempt to co-opt NSW police to strike into the illegal agreement.

"Church authorities shall make available the report of an assessment and any other matter relevant to the accused's account of events only if required to do so by court order," the unsigned draft memorandum read.

Catholic Commission for Employment Relations executive director Michael McDonald wrote to the NSW child protection squad on June 18, 2003 seeking confirmation the memorandum of understanding (MOU) was still in place.

In response, Kim McKay from the child protection squad advised no agreement ever existed.

"The arrangements proposed by the draft MOU appear to be in direct conflict with the explicit legislative requirement of section 316 of the Crime Act," he wrote in August 20, 2003.

It's unclear how long the church had been acting according the draft MOU.

Michael Salmon, who was the Catholic Church's point of contact for police at the time, provided a statement to Lateline confirming the church had operated under the unsigned agreement.

"The church assumed it was operational, we were practicing the provisions of the MOU and dealing with the police under those provisions," he said.

"We had an understanding from police it was approved."

Mr Shoebridge says it's unclear how many cases were dealt with by the church under this assumption.

"It's likely that hundreds, if not more than that, cases were processed through this MOU," he told ABC.

"Processed in a way that didn't protect victims, didn't assist the police in prosecuting for crimes, but protected the good name of the church."

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Man stabbed after Sydney mugging

TWO men have been robbed and one stabbed on a busy west Sydney street.

A man turned up with stab wounds to a medical centre on Haldon Street, the main shopping strip in Lakemba, on Thursday night.

He was taken to St George Hospital but his injuries have been described as non-life threatening.

His uncle - who was not hurt - has told police the man was stabbed after the pair were robbed by two men on the street.

Police have established a crime scene and are urging witnesses to come forward.

09.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rudd to unveil outer suburbs plan

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd is to unveil his plan to make living in the outer suburbs more affordable.

Mr Rudd, who is campaigning in Perth on Friday, will commit to appointing Australia's first Minister for Cities and will also pledge to set up a task-force to look at boosting jobs and economic growth in the outer suburbs.

He's also expected to push for better roads and transport infrastructure to be built outside major cities as a way of easing cost of living pressures.

Mr Rudd will argue that Australia's outer suburbs will be central to the country's population and economic growth.

"They are home to almost three-quarters of all Australians - yet opportunities are not shared fairly across the different suburban areas in each city," he will say.

"The Labor government will ensure more of the jobs of the future are based in the suburbs of the future, improving the livability of our outer suburban regions."

The funding for the plan is already included in the federal budget, Labor says.

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Young women have more IVF success: study

ONE in two women aged under 35 will be rewarded with a baby if they persevere with assisted fertilisation attempts, according to a groundbreaking study.

But the chances of success drop dramatically after five tries.

The University of NSW (UNSW) study is the first in the world to track national success rates for IVF (in vitro fertilisation) and is based on 2011 statistics from 35 centres in Australia and New Zealand.

A major concern is the increasing number of older women seeking treatment, with limited success.

It is important for people to start planning their family at a younger age, says lead author UNSW Professor Elizabeth Sullivan.

Although fertility treatment can be useful, it is always best to conceive spontaneously if possible, says Prof Sullivan, whose study is included in an report to be presented at a Fertility Society of Australia scientific meeting on September 1.

The overall chance for all age groups of delivering a baby is 21 per cent after one cycle of treatment, increasing to 40 per cent by the fifth cycle.

When women aged 35 and older are removed from the statistics, the success rate jumps to more than 50 per cent after five attempts.

"This is a great result. It shows the benefit of getting treatment early," says Prof Sullivan.

Around one in 25 babies born in Australia are the result of assisted fertilisation, she says and the average age of women using their own eggs in 2011 was 36.

The fastest growing group is women aged 40 and older, making up 25 per cent of the clinics' clientele.

Prof Sullivan says although older women have a very low success rate using their own eggs, they usually manage as well as younger women using donor eggs.

Donor eggs are seldom used in Australia, however.

Prof Sullivan is particularly happy with the way Australia and New Zealand have led the way in reducing the number of multiple births through using single embryo transfers.

The percentage of multiple deliveries was at 6.9 per cent in 2011, compared with more than 25 per cent in 2010 in the US.

"Australia and New Zealand have the lowest multiple birth rate in the world," says Associate Professor Mark Bowman, a fertility doctor and the president of the Fertility Society of Australia.

"Importantly, this has been achieved while the clinic pregnancy rate has remained stable."

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