Melbourne, Apr 27 : There has been a drastic increase in the number of sex crimes Down Under, according to a new report.

The recent police figures on pub and club offences have revealed that there were 61 sexual attacks in Victorian licensed premises last financial year including 22 rapes and 39 sexual assaults.

According to the police and rape support groups, drunk and drug-affected women in bars were easy targets of sex predators.

Most rapes took place in toilets, private rooms, alcoves and offices and sexual assaults happened anywhere from beer gardens to dance floors.

Sydney - Australian police have given up trying to prosecute civil libertarian Ian Bryce for driving around Sydney in a fake pope-mobile during the real pope's visit in July for World Youth Day. Charges were dropped Monday after the police case collapsed for a fourth time. A Sydney judge dismissed the case.

"It was against the pope's claims to have supernatural authority and all the harm he's doing in the world in banning condoms and trying to avoid family planning," Bryce said.

Melbourne, Apr 27 : Votes in the Swiss Alps have passed legislation banning naked hiking after dozens of mostly German nudists started rambling through their region.

The government recommended the ban after citizens objected to seeing the nude walkers, wearing nothing more than boots.

"The reactions of the population have shown that such appearances over a large area are perceived as thoroughly disturbing and irritating," News. com. au quoted the government as saying.

Melbourne, Apr 27 : About a quarter of Aussie parents believe that it is acceptable to let their kids drink before they reach legal age, a new study has found.

According to The Generation Next Parental Research Study, 24 per cent of parents believe 16 is an appropriate age for their children to start drinking under adult supervision.

Nearly 11 per cent said that they are happy to serve alcohol to children under 16, despite growing evidence of the harm it can cause.

Hindus have asked Australia to create a “bill of rights” as a high-priority.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that Australia was one of the few Western countries that did not have a charter of rights.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, says that although Australia does have a National Action Plan for Human Rights, but according to a report of Australia Human Rights Commission (AHRC), a statutory organization that reports to the federal Parliament, this “plan however does not adequately identify positive, forward-looking measures to address the human rights issues…”

Sydney - Five Australians recently returned from either North America or Mexico and who developed flu-like symptoms are being tested for swine flu, authorities said Monday. New South Wales chief health officer Kerry Chant said the symptoms in the three adults and two children were mild.

"There have been some tests performed, but no cases meet the probable case definition, and there have been no confirmed cases," she said.