Two Indian students held for sexual assault in Australia

September 25th, 2009 NEW DELHI - John Brumby, the premier of Australian state of Victoria, Friday proposed to give separate transportation and safe housing for Indian students studying in Australia. Union Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi, after a meeting with a nine-member delegation led by Brumby, said: "It is a proposal by the Australian government.

September 17th, 2009 CANBERRA - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has warned Indian students living in Australia not to take the law into their own hands. The local Indian community has been told to take "some form of retaliation" following the assault of four men outside a bar in Melbourne on the weekend, reports The Age.

July 22nd, 2009 PHUKET - Ahead of Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna's visit to Australia Aug 5, Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith Wednesday assured him that his government was doing everything possible to ensure the safety of nearly 100,000 Indian students in that country.

July 8th, 2009 HYDERABAD - Australian authorities will counsel Indian students on the "dos and don'ts" to be kept in mind while pursuing higher studies Down Under following the spate of attacks on students there, Australian High Commissioner John McCarthy announced Wednesday. McCarthy assured the Andhra Pradesh government that his country would take all steps to protect Indian students.

June 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Australian High Commissioner John McCarthy says every possible effort will be made to ensure that attacks on Indian students in Australia are not repeated, adding that the authorities will "pursue those responsible" for the assaults. In a letter to the Non-Aligned Students and Youth Movement (NASYM) that had staged a demonstration here June 18 against the attacks on Indian students in Australia, McCarthy said: "The Australian government will make every effort to ensure that attacks are not repeated and that Australia remains a preferred destination for students from around the world." He said that the Australian government is working closely with the Indian government on the issue.

June 9th, 2009 BANGALORE - Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Tuesday urged Indian students in Australia to stay calm and not to get provoked by attacks on them. Time and again, Indians have demonstrated that peaceful methods of protest have a far greater power in achieving goals than any violent acts, the Art of Living founder said in a statement.

June 8th, 2009 NEW DELHI - With incidents of assault on Indians in Australia continuing, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj Monday said a delegation of young MPs should be sent to that country to reassure Indian students that the Indian government cares for them. "We need to ensure the security of our children in Australia, Swaraj, deputy leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha, told parliament.

June 4th, 2009 CANBERRA - China has joined India in asking Australia to provide improved protection for foreign students after a series of violent racist assaults on Indian students Down Under. "There are over 130,000 Chinese students in Australia.

June 3rd, 2009 WELLINGTON - Indian students based in Australia may opt to go to neighbouring New Zealand if the racially motivated attacks Down Under don't stop. Education New Zealand chief executive Robert Stevens said he had been in touch with the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise office in India yesterday, urging the office to market New Zealand and Australia as "totally different societies".

June 1st, 2009 GANDHINAGAR - Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Monday said students from the state studying in Australia are free to contact him if they faced any danger. "The chief minister is worried about the safety of the students from Gujarat studying in Australia after the racial attacks on some students of Indian origin last week.

May 31st, 2009 MELBOURNE - Hundreds of Indian students in Australia have embarked on a peace rally aimed at curbing racist violence. The march comes in response to a recent spate of violent attacks on Indian students.

May 28th, 2009 MELBOURNE - In the wake of the attacks on Indian students in the country, an Australian police officer is to travel to India to brief prospective students on avoiding street violence in Australia, media reports said. Police community liaison officer Senior Constable Victor Robb said that his advice would mainly cover "safety strategy tips", Radio Australia reported Thursday.

May 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Condemning allegedly racist attacks on Indian students in Melbourne, the government Wednesday said it will impress upon the Australian authorities that such attacks should not be permitted and the culprits should be brought to justice. "I have been appalled by the attack on our students in Melbourne.

May 9th, 2009 4 teens charged with sexual assault of teammateTAMPA, Fla. — Authorities say four teenagers at a Florida school have been charged with sexually assaulting a member of their flag football team with a broomstick and a hockey stick.

April 1st, 2009 MELBOURNE - Sexual assaults in Australia have reportedly risen by more than 50 per cent since the mid-1990s, with more attacks taking place during the warmer months. A study carried out by the Australian Institute of Criminology shows that the incidents of sexual assault increased by five per cent a year, on average, between 1995 and 2007.