The United States' largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, is facing a sexual abuse crisis after a bombshell report revealed hundreds of predators and more than 700 victims since 1998.

The report by two Texas newspapers found some<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-says-church-hasnt-known-how-to-listen-193036"> 380 church leaders and volunteers have faced public accusations of abuse,</a> mostly of children as young as three years old.

Some of the accused continued to work at Southern Baptist churches, the newspapers said.

In response to the report, church officials acknowledged the number of victims could actually be higher and urged survivors to come forward.

"One of the things I'm encouraged by are the number of pastors that are actively engaged right now," in the report's aftermath, convention leader Russell Moore told AFP on Tuesday.

The revelations threatened to engulf the denomination — with some 47,000 churches and 15 million members mostly in the southern US — in the same type of scandal that has roiled the Catholic Church.

A more comprehensive response was likely to come from the Southern Baptist organization next week when president JD Greear "is scheduled to give an update on a sexual abuse study he commissioned last summer," said spokesman Roger Oldham.

Unlike the Vatican, the Southern Baptist Convention is a loose network of churches allowed to run autonomously, ordain their own ministers — who are not required to be celibate — and hire staff and volunteers based on each church's own standards.

The decentralized system, which lacks a shared database of personnel records, has been rife for exploitation by sexual abusers, according to the investigative report first published over the weekend by the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News.

Lax oversight allowed some abusers with criminal convictions — even registered sex offenders — to continue working at Southern Baptist churches, according to the report, which found 220 offenders who were convicted or took plea deals.

"In the denomination, each congregation governs its own affairs. There are no bishops. There are no supervisors," Moore said.

"But churches can decide with whom they fellowship," he said. "No one can use church autonomy as an excuse." In at least 35 cases, abusers were able to leave one church and find work in another over the last two decades. In some cases, congregations knew about past abuse.

For example, Illinois pastor Leslie Mason was convicted in 2003 on two counts of sexual assault. After being released from prison, he went on to lead a different church nearby.

Florida pastor Darrell Gilyard, released from prison in 2011 after a criminal sex abuse conviction involving two girls, returned to preach services which children could not attend because a court order required him to stay away from minors.

Moore said some Southern Baptists held erroneous views of forgiveness that "assumes these predators should be simply given a second chance." In other instances, he said, churches believed horrific crimes could not occur within their ministries.

Moore also acknowledged that the Southern Baptist Convention rejected a proposal in 2007 that it should establish a registry to track abuse claims and prevent predators from getting rehired by other churches.

The newspapers found hundreds of abuse cases in the years since. And past church leaders have been accused of concealing or mishandling complaints.

"As a denomination, now is a time to mourn and repent. Changes are coming. They must," said Greear, the convention's current president, on Twitter.

The Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests (SNAP), an organization mostly focused on the Catholic Church's abuse scandal, urged Southern Baptist survivors to report crimes to law enforcement.

"It is critical that law enforcement officials at every level of government look into these cases," the organization said in a statement.

Failure by Catholic Church officials to take action on sexual abuse allegations involving minors has been an urgent crisis hitting Roman Catholicism globally in recent years.

Pope Francis last week admitted that priests and bishops also had sexually abused nuns.&nbsp;

The United States' largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, is facing a sexual abuse crisis after a bombshell report revealed hundreds of predators and more than 700 victims since 1998.

The United States' largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, is facing a sexual abuse crisis after a bombshell report revealed hundreds of predators and more than 700 victims since 1998. The report by two Texas newspapers found some 380 church leaders and volunteers have faced public accusations of abuse, mostly of children as young as three years old. Some of the accused continued to work at Southern Baptist churches, the newspapers said. In response to the report, church officials acknowledged the number of victims could actually be higher and urged survivors to come forward. "One of the things I'm encouraged by are the number of pastors that are actively engaged right now," in the report's aftermath, convention leader Russell Moore told AFP on Tuesday. The revelations threatened to engulf the denomination — with some 47,000 churches and 15 million members mostly in the southern US — in the same type of scandal that has roiled the Catholic Church. A more comprehensive response was likely to come from the Southern Baptist organization next week when president JD Greear "is scheduled to give an update on a sexual abuse study he commissioned last summer," said spokesman Roger Oldham. Unlike the Vatican, the Southern Baptist Convention is a loose network of churches allowed to run autonomously, ordain their own ministers — who are not required to be celibate — and hire staff and volunteers based on each church's own standards. The decentralized system, which lacks a shared database of personnel records, has been rife for exploitation by sexual abusers, according to the investigative report first published over the weekend by the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News. Lax oversight allowed some abusers with criminal convictions — even registered sex offenders — to continue working at Southern Baptist churches, according to the report, which found 220 offenders who were convicted or took plea deals. "In the denomination, each congregation governs its own affairs. There are no bishops. There are no supervisors," Moore said. "But churches can decide with whom they fellowship," he said. "No one can use church autonomy as an excuse." In at least 35 cases, abusers were able to leave one church and find work in another over the last two decades. In some cases, congregations knew about past abuse. For example, Illinois pastor Leslie Mason was convicted in 2003 on two counts of sexual assault. After being released from prison, he went on to lead a different church nearby. Florida pastor Darrell Gilyard, released from prison in 2011 after a criminal sex abuse conviction involving two girls, returned to preach services which children could not attend because a court order required him to stay away from minors. Moore said some Southern Baptists held erroneous views of forgiveness that "assumes these predators should be simply given a second chance." In other instances, he said, churches believed horrific crimes could not occur within their ministries. Moore also acknowledged that the Southern Baptist Convention rejected a proposal in 2007 that it should establish a registry to track abuse claims and prevent predators from getting rehired by other churches. The newspapers found hundreds of abuse cases in the years since. And past church leaders have been accused of concealing or mishandling complaints. "As a denomination, now is a time to mourn and repent. Changes are coming. They must," said Greear, the convention's current president, on Twitter. The Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests (SNAP), an organization mostly focused on the Catholic Church's abuse scandal, urged Southern Baptist survivors to report crimes to law enforcement. "It is critical that law enforcement officials at every level of government look into these cases," the organization said in a statement. Failure by Catholic Church officials to take action on sexual abuse allegations involving minors has been an urgent crisis hitting Roman Catholicism globally in recent years. Pope Francis last week admitted that priests and bishops also had sexually abused nuns.

US Southern Baptist churches embroiled in sex abuse scandal

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-urges-predator-priests-who-sexually-abused-minors-to-turn-themselves-in-185719">Pope Francis vowed justice for victims </a>of clerical sex abuse Monday, describing paedophilia as one of the "vilest" crimes ahead of a historic global meet on the crisis roiling the church.

"I cannot refrain from speaking of one of the plagues of our time, which sadly has also involved some members of the clergy," he said in his annual address to ambassadors to the Holy See.

"The abuse of minors is one of the vilest and most heinous crimes conceivable. Such abuse inexorably sweeps away the best of what human life holds out for innocent children, and causes irreparable and lifelong damage," he said.

Francis swore to "render justice to minors", and said a meeting of the world's bishops in February was "meant to be a further step in the church’s efforts to shed full light on the facts and to alleviate the wounds caused by such crimes".

A litany of child sexual abuse scandals has rocked the Catholic church, which has 1.3 billion followers around the world.

In December the pontiff had vowed the church would never again treat abuse allegations without "seriousness and promptness", calling on abusers to hand themselves in to police.

The Argentine has struggled to resolve the problem as the steady drip of scandal corrodes the church's authority amid sharp divisions in Rome over how to handle the fallout and an apparently endless stream of bad news.

In the latest case to shake the Catholic church, the highest-profile Catholic cleric to be caught up in a paedophile scandal in France went on trial on Monday charged with failing to report a priest who abused boy scouts in the 1980s and 90s.

Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, the archbishop of Lyon, in central eastern France, is accused along with five others from his diocese of helping cover up abuse in one of the parishes in the area.

On Friday the Vatican confirmed that an Argentinian bishop who has held a senior position at the Holy See since 2017, is under preliminary investigation over sex abuse claims.

'I cannot refrain from speaking of one of the plagues of our time, which sadly has also involved some members of the clergy,' Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis vowed justice for victims of clerical sex abuse Monday, describing paedophilia as one of the "vilest" crimes ahead of a historic global meet on the crisis roiling the church. "I cannot refrain from speaking of one of the plagues of our time, which sadly has also involved some members of the clergy," he said in his annual address to ambassadors to the Holy See. "The abuse of minors is one of the vilest and most heinous crimes conceivable. Such abuse inexorably sweeps away the best of what human life holds out for innocent children, and causes irreparable and lifelong damage," he said. Francis swore to "render justice to minors", and said a meeting of the world's bishops in February was "meant to be a further step in the church’s efforts to shed full light on the facts and to alleviate the wounds caused by such crimes". A litany of child sexual abuse scandals has rocked the Catholic church, which has 1.3 billion followers around the world. In December the pontiff had vowed the church would never again treat abuse allegations without "seriousness and promptness", calling on abusers to hand themselves in to police. The Argentine has struggled to resolve the problem as the steady drip of scandal corrodes the church's authority amid sharp divisions in Rome over how to handle the fallout and an apparently endless stream of bad news. In the latest case to shake the Catholic church, the highest-profile Catholic cleric to be caught up in a paedophile scandal in France went on trial on Monday charged with failing to report a priest who abused boy scouts in the 1980s and 90s. Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, the archbishop of Lyon, in central eastern France, is accused along with five others from his diocese of helping cover up abuse in one of the parishes in the area. On Friday the Vatican confirmed that an Argentinian bishop who has held a senior position at the Holy See since 2017, is under preliminary investigation over sex abuse claims.

Pope vows justice for victims of 'vile' sex abuse

FIFA on Wednesday suspended the president of the Afghanistan Football Federation Keramuddin Karim for 90 days pending an investigation into allegations of sexual and physical abuse against the national women's team.&nbsp;

FIFA's independent ethics committee said in a statement that the provisional ban "may be extended pending proceedings on the merits of the case."&nbsp;

Karim is barred from all football-related activities at both the national and international level, the statement said.

Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani has ordered an investigation into claims of abuse by male officials against members of the women's team, which were first reported in Britain's Guardian newspaper.

The Guardian cited what it described as senior figures associated with the women's team who said the abuse had taken place in Afghanistan, including at the AFF headquarters, and at a training camp in Jordan last February.

The story quoted former captain Khalida Popal -- who fled the country after receiving death threats and has spoken out previously about the discrimination women face in Afghanistan -- as saying male officials were "coercing" female players.

Afghanistan has made strides to promote female football. Four years ago, it launched its first all-women's football league that ran in parallel with the men's. 
In 2017 the female teams were sidelined by a lack of funding.

FIFA on Wednesday suspended the president of the Afghanistan Football Federation Keramuddin Karim for 90 days pending an investigation into allegations of sexual and physical abuse against the national women's team.

FIFA on Wednesday suspended the president of the Afghanistan Football Federation Keramuddin Karim for 90 days pending an investigation into allegations of sexual and physical abuse against the national women's team. FIFA's independent ethics committee said in a statement that the provisional ban "may be extended pending proceedings on the merits of the case." Karim is barred from all football-related activities at both the national and international level, the statement said. Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani has ordered an investigation into claims of abuse by male officials against members of the women's team, which were first reported in Britain's Guardian newspaper. The Guardian cited what it described as senior figures associated with the women's team who said the abuse had taken place in Afghanistan, including at the AFF headquarters, and at a training camp in Jordan last February. The story quoted former captain Khalida Popal -- who fled the country after receiving death threats and has spoken out previously about the discrimination women face in Afghanistan -- as saying male officials were "coercing" female players. Afghanistan has made strides to promote female football. Four years ago, it launched its first all-women's football league that ran in parallel with the men's. In 2017 the female teams were sidelined by a lack of funding.

FIFA bans Afghan football chief pending sex abuse probe

Pope Francis has defrocked two Chilean bishops for the alleged sexual abuse of minors, the Vatican said in a statement on Saturday after a meeting between the pontiff and the president of Chile.

The decision to expel former archbishop Francisco Jose Cox Huneeus and former bishop Marco Antonio Ordenes Fernandez -- the latest heads to roll in a country hit hard by the cleric abuse scandal -- could not be appealed, it said.

Both were stripped of their priesthood "as a consequence of overt acts of abuse against minors".

Defrocking is considered the harshest penalty for priests within the Church and means the offender is forbidden from exercising any clerical duties at all, even in private.

Scores of new cases of priestly sexual abuse of minors have come to light in Chile, deepening a crisis in the Roman Catholic church that has also embroiled Pope Francis.

On Saturday, Francis met with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera at the Vatican for talks on the "difficult situation" in Chile.

They discussed "the painful scourge of abuse of minors, reiterating the effort of all in collaboration to combat and prevent the perpetration of such crimes and their concealment", the Vatican said.

The leaders "shared the hope that the church could live a true rebirth," Pinera said in a statement.

A total of 167 bishops, priests and lay members of the church are now under investigation for sexual crimes committed in the South American country since 1960.

Pope Francis has already apologised repeatedly to Chileans over the scandal, admitting the church failed "to listen and react" to the allegations, but vowed to "restore justice".&nbsp;

In May, the Argentine pontiff accepted the resignation of five Chilean bishops amid accusations of abuse and related coverups.

Pope Francis has defrocked two Chilean bishops for the alleged sexual abuse of minors, the Vatican said in a statement on Saturday after a meeting between the pontiff and the president of Chile.

Pope Francis has defrocked two Chilean bishops for the alleged sexual abuse of minors, the Vatican said in a statement on Saturday after a meeting between the pontiff and the president of Chile. The decision to expel former archbishop Francisco Jose Cox Huneeus and former bishop Marco Antonio Ordenes Fernandez -- the latest heads to roll in a country hit hard by the cleric abuse scandal -- could not be appealed, it said. Both were stripped of their priesthood "as a consequence of overt acts of abuse against minors". Defrocking is considered the harshest penalty for priests within the Church and means the offender is forbidden from exercising any clerical duties at all, even in private. Scores of new cases of priestly sexual abuse of minors have come to light in Chile, deepening a crisis in the Roman Catholic church that has also embroiled Pope Francis. On Saturday, Francis met with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera at the Vatican for talks on the "difficult situation" in Chile. They discussed "the painful scourge of abuse of minors, reiterating the effort of all in collaboration to combat and prevent the perpetration of such crimes and their concealment", the Vatican said. The leaders "shared the hope that the church could live a true rebirth," Pinera said in a statement. A total of 167 bishops, priests and lay members of the church are now under investigation for sexual crimes committed in the South American country since 1960. Pope Francis has already apologised repeatedly to Chileans over the scandal, admitting the church failed "to listen and react" to the allegations, but vowed to "restore justice". In May, the Argentine pontiff accepted the resignation of five Chilean bishops amid accusations of abuse and related coverups.

Pope defrocks two Chilean bishops for sex abuse of minors

New South Wales became the second state in Austalia after Victoria as it introduced new reforms allowing victims to sue churches in child sexual abuse cases.

New South Wales on Sunday made new reforms in NSW's civil litigation laws under which the vicitms of child sexual abuse will be able to&nbsp;sue institutions like churches orphanges, sporting clubs, youth groups and schools.

These reforms are based on recommendations of the royal commission which released its final report last year.

Earlier those insitutions cannot be put liable for offences like child sexual abuse as their assets were church trustees could not be held accountable for crimes of individuals of the church,&nbsp;but after these recent reforms come into effect it removes legal barries that had stoppped vicitms from seeking justice. Now the courts will have the power&nbsp;to appoint trustees to be sued if such institutions fail to appoint an entity with assets and allow the assets of the trust to be used to satisfy the claim.

The media reports quoted, New South Wales attorney, General Mark Speakman saying, "The Royal Commission found many survivors felt let down by the current civil litigation system which made it difficult for them to seek damages and hold institutions to account."

''These reforms will provide access to new avenues to allow survivors to pursue compensation so they can focus on recovering and moving forward with their lives,'' a US Daily reported Speakman as saying.

Under the new reforms, such organisations would need to provide proof that they took reasonable precautions to prevent abuse as the government announced the reversal of the burden of proof.&nbsp;

According to media reports thousands of children in Australia are victim of sexual assault. The royal commision while preparing the report heard testimony of over 15,000 survivors as they detailed their claims.

The reports further say that more than 4,000 such institutions are accused of sexual abuse.

Earlier in May the Victoria state of Australia became the first state to introduce such reforms in their law.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

These reforms are based on recommendations of the royal commission which released its final report last year

New South Wales became the second state in Austalia after Victoria as it introduced new reforms allowing victims to sue churches in child sexual abuse cases. New South Wales on Sunday made new reforms in NSW's civil litigation laws under which the vicitms of child sexual abuse will be able to sue institutions like churches orphanges, sporting clubs, youth groups and schools. These reforms are based on recommendations of the royal commission which released its final report last year. Earlier those insitutions cannot be put liable for offences like child sexual abuse as their assets were church trustees could not be held accountable for crimes of individuals of the church, but after these recent reforms come into effect it removes legal barries that had stoppped vicitms from seeking justice. Now the courts will have the power to appoint trustees to be sued if such institutions fail to appoint an entity with assets and allow the assets of the trust to be used to satisfy the claim. The media reports quoted, New South Wales attorney, General Mark Speakman saying, "The Royal Commission found many survivors felt let down by the current civil litigation system which made it difficult for them to seek damages and hold institutions to account." ''These reforms will provide access to new avenues to allow survivors to pursue compensation so they can focus on recovering and moving forward with their lives,'' a US Daily reported Speakman as saying. Under the new reforms, such organisations would need to provide proof that they took reasonable precautions to prevent abuse as the government announced the reversal of the burden of proof. According to media reports thousands of children in Australia are victim of sexual assault. The royal commision while preparing the report heard testimony of over 15,000 survivors as they detailed their claims. The reports further say that more than 4,000 such institutions are accused of sexual abuse. Earlier in May the Victoria state of Australia became the first state to introduce such reforms in their law.

Australia: NSW allows child sexual abuse victims to sue churches

A monsignor who was a former advisor at the Vatican's US embassy in Washington will face charges of possessing and exchanging child pornography, the Holy See announced Saturday.

In a statement it said that Carlo Alberto Capella was ordered to face trial on Thursday, with the first hearing set for June 22.

Capella, who was in office until last year, was recalled from Washington by the Vatican in September.

The US State Department notified the Vatican in August through diplomatic channels of a possible violation of child pornography laws by a member of its diplomatic corps in Washington, the Vatican said at the time.

The United States had made "an official request" for the man's diplomatic immunity to be lifted but the Vatican refused, said a US official on condition of anonymity.

It is the latest case the Catholic Church has faced after repeated criticism for the way it has handled scandals over paedophile priests.

Last week Pope Francis wrote a letter to Chileans expressing "shame" that the Catholic church failed "to listen and react in time" to allegations of sexual abuse by the country's clergy.

The Chilean church has been rocked over accusations of wide-scale ignoring and covering up of child abuse by paedophile priest Fernando Karadima during the 1980s and 1990s.

In May the pontiff promised to "restore justice" after reading the conclusions of an investigation into the abuse, carried out after his defence of Chilean bishop Juan Barros -- accused of covering up Karadima's abuses -- caused a public outcry.

He later apologised to three of Karadima's victims at the Vatican and last weekend he received seven more people abused by the priest, who was suspended for life by the Vatican.

Two weeks previously 34 Chilean bishops announced their resignation over the scandal after being summoned to the Vatican by Francis.

In a statement, it said that Carlo Alberto Capella was ordered to face trial on Thursday, with the first hearing set for June 22

A monsignor who was a former advisor at the Vatican's US embassy in Washington will face charges of possessing and exchanging child pornography, the Holy See announced Saturday. In a statement it said that Carlo Alberto Capella was ordered to face trial on Thursday, with the first hearing set for June 22. Capella, who was in office until last year, was recalled from Washington by the Vatican in September. The US State Department notified the Vatican in August through diplomatic channels of a possible violation of child pornography laws by a member of its diplomatic corps in Washington, the Vatican said at the time. The United States had made "an official request" for the man's diplomatic immunity to be lifted but the Vatican refused, said a US official on condition of anonymity. It is the latest case the Catholic Church has faced after repeated criticism for the way it has handled scandals over paedophile priests. Last week Pope Francis wrote a letter to Chileans expressing "shame" that the Catholic church failed "to listen and react in time" to allegations of sexual abuse by the country's clergy. The Chilean church has been rocked over accusations of wide-scale ignoring and covering up of child abuse by paedophile priest Fernando Karadima during the 1980s and 1990s. In May the pontiff promised to "restore justice" after reading the conclusions of an investigation into the abuse, carried out after his defence of Chilean bishop Juan Barros -- accused of covering up Karadima's abuses -- caused a public outcry. He later apologised to three of Karadima's victims at the Vatican and last weekend he received seven more people abused by the priest, who was suspended for life by the Vatican. Two weeks previously 34 Chilean bishops announced their resignation over the scandal after being summoned to the Vatican by Francis.

Vatican orders ex-diplomat to face child sex abuse trial

US Olympic Committee Chief Executive Scott Blackmun is resigning for medical reasons, the organization said on Wednesday, following months of sustained criticism stemming from the sex abuse scandal involving former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.

In a statement, the USOC cited Blackmun&#39;s &quot;ongoing health issues&quot; related to prostate cancer, for which he has been receiving treatment. As part of the same press release, the group also outlined new reforms aimed at protecting its athletes from abuse.

The Colorado Springs, Colorado-based USOC, which announced the change less than a week after the Winter Olympic Games ended in Pyeongchang, South Korea, had resisted calls to fire Blackmun over the Nassar case. Blackmun, 60, did not attend the Games.

The scandal prompted the entire board of directors at USA Gymnastics, the sport`s governing body, to resign, along with the president and athletic director at Michigan State University, where Nassar also worked. It also spawned lawsuits and criminal and civil investigations.

A number of critics, including athletes who said they were abused and two US senators - Iowa Republican Joni Ernst and New Hampshire Democrat Jeanne Shaheen - had called for the ouster of Blackmun and USOC board members, accusing them of failing to promptly act on complaints raised against Nassar and fostering a culture of silence.

&ldquo;Scott Blackmun&rsquo;s resignation as CEO of the US Olympic Committee is long overdue,&quot; John Manly, a lawyer representing 120 of Nassar`s victims, said in a statement.&nbsp;

&quot;Under his leadership, USOC has focused nearly all its efforts on money and medals while the safety of our athletes has taken a back seat.&quot;

Shaheen also welcomed the resignation, citing Nassar`s years of abuse. &quot;It&#39;s clear that the culture at the US Olympic Committee desperately needs to change,&quot; she said in a statement.

Olympic gold medalist swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Makar, an advocate for female athletes and member of the Committee to Restore Integrity to the USOC, said in a Twitter post that Blackmun &quot;didn`t enact basic #ChildProtection policies or educate the membership about how to prevent it.&quot;

&quot;His legacy will be that he failed athletes,&quot; she added.

The USOC statement did not address whether the sexual abuse scandal played a role in Blackmun`s departure. His compensation in 2016 totalled $1.075 million, according to USOC tax filings.

&quot;Given Scott`s current health situation, we have mutually agreed it is in the best interest of both Scott and the USOC that we identify new leadership,&quot; USOC Chairman Larry Probst said in the statement.

Nassar pleaded guilty to molesting female athletes under the guise of medical treatment and was sentenced to life in prison. Authorities say Nassar victimized more than 260 women and girls, including several Olympic gold medalists. Nearly 200 of them offered testimony during a pair of sentencing hearings in Michigan earlier this year.

USOC board member Susanne Lyons, who in January was chosen to head up a working group to address problems that the Nassar case had exposed, will serve as acting CEO while the organization searches for a permanent replacement.

The USOC also said Wednesday it will increase funding for support and counselling for victims as well as investigations into abuse allegations, among other reforms.

Separately, USA Gymnastics said its vice president of development, Luan Peszek, has left the organization after nearly 30 years.&nbsp;

Following a lengthy stint with the team`s communications department, Peszek was the top administrator for the women&#39;s program for two years, before assuming her most recent post in 2015. Her daughter Samantha was a 2008 Olympic silver medalist.

A team spokeswoman, Leslie King, declined to explain the circumstances of Peszek`s departure or say when the exit occurred.

The scandal prompted the entire board of directors at USA Gymnastics

US Olympic Committee Chief Executive Scott Blackmun is resigning for medical reasons, the organization said on Wednesday, following months of sustained criticism stemming from the sex abuse scandal involving former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. In a statement, the USOC cited Blackmun's "ongoing health issues" related to prostate cancer, for which he has been receiving treatment. As part of the same press release, the group also outlined new reforms aimed at protecting its athletes from abuse. The Colorado Springs, Colorado-based USOC, which announced the change less than a week after the Winter Olympic Games ended in Pyeongchang, South Korea, had resisted calls to fire Blackmun over the Nassar case. Blackmun, 60, did not attend the Games. The scandal prompted the entire board of directors at USA Gymnastics, the sport`s governing body, to resign, along with the president and athletic director at Michigan State University, where Nassar also worked. It also spawned lawsuits and criminal and civil investigations. A number of critics, including athletes who said they were abused and two US senators - Iowa Republican Joni Ernst and New Hampshire Democrat Jeanne Shaheen - had called for the ouster of Blackmun and USOC board members, accusing them of failing to promptly act on complaints raised against Nassar and fostering a culture of silence. “Scott Blackmun’s resignation as CEO of the US Olympic Committee is long overdue," John Manly, a lawyer representing 120 of Nassar`s victims, said in a statement. "Under his leadership, USOC has focused nearly all its efforts on money and medals while the safety of our athletes has taken a back seat." Shaheen also welcomed the resignation, citing Nassar`s years of abuse. "It's clear that the culture at the US Olympic Committee desperately needs to change," she said in a statement. Olympic gold medalist swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Makar, an advocate for female athletes and member of the Committee to Restore Integrity to the USOC, said in a Twitter post that Blackmun "didn`t enact basic #ChildProtection policies or educate the membership about how to prevent it." "His legacy will be that he failed athletes," she added. The USOC statement did not address whether the sexual abuse scandal played a role in Blackmun`s departure. His compensation in 2016 totalled $1.075 million, according to USOC tax filings. "Given Scott`s current health situation, we have mutually agreed it is in the best interest of both Scott and the USOC that we identify new leadership," USOC Chairman Larry Probst said in the statement. Nassar pleaded guilty to molesting female athletes under the guise of medical treatment and was sentenced to life in prison. Authorities say Nassar victimized more than 260 women and girls, including several Olympic gold medalists. Nearly 200 of them offered testimony during a pair of sentencing hearings in Michigan earlier this year. USOC board member Susanne Lyons, who in January was chosen to head up a working group to address problems that the Nassar case had exposed, will serve as acting CEO while the organization searches for a permanent replacement. The USOC also said Wednesday it will increase funding for support and counselling for victims as well as investigations into abuse allegations, among other reforms. Separately, USA Gymnastics said its vice president of development, Luan Peszek, has left the organization after nearly 30 years. Following a lengthy stint with the team`s communications department, Peszek was the top administrator for the women's program for two years, before assuming her most recent post in 2015. Her daughter Samantha was a 2008 Olympic silver medalist. A team spokeswoman, Leslie King, declined to explain the circumstances of Peszek`s departure or say when the exit occurred.

US Olympic chief resigns after sex abuse scandal, health cited

Oxfam&#39;s chief executive said criticism of the charity following a sex abuse scandal had been disproportionate, according to comments published on Saturday.

In an interview with British daily the Guardian, Mark Goldring again apologised over allegations of sexual abuse by Oxfam staff in Haiti, which broke last week and have shaken the whole aid sector.

&quot;(But) the intensity and ferocity of the attacks make you wonder, what did we do? We murdered babies in their cots?,&quot; he was quoted as saying.

&quot;Certainly the scale and intensity of the attacks feel out of proportion to the level of culpability.&quot;

UK-based Oxfam, one of the world&#39;s biggest disaster relief charities, has neither confirmed nor denied the Haiti allegations but has said an internal investigation in 2011 confirmed unspecified sexual misconduct occurred.

It has also agreed not to bid for any new state funding until Britain&#39;s government is satisfied the charity meets appropriate ethical standards, development minister Penny Mordaunt said on Friday.

&quot;Anything we say is being manipulated... We&#39;ve been savaged,&quot; Goldring also told the Guardian, which ran a full-page ad from the charity saying sorry for the &quot;appalling behaviour that happened in our name&quot;.

The CEO&#39;s comments drew rebukes on Twitter, including from former interior minister Jacqui Smith, who posted: &quot;Dear Mark Goldring. You&#39;re not the victim here.&quot;

Haiti&#39;s president told Reuters on Friday that sexual misconduct by Oxfam staff was only the tip of an &quot;iceberg&quot; and called for investigations into Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) and other aid organisations that came to the country after a devastating earthquake in 2010.

Doctors Without Borders said on Wednesday it had dealt with 24 cases of sexual harassment or abuse among its 40,000 staff last year, and dismissed 19 people as a result.

Britain has said it will deny cash to aid organisations that fail to come clean on abuse.

But Prime Minister Theresa May said it would continue to meet its legal obligation to spend 0.7 percent of economic output on international development.

She made the comment in a speech in Munich on Saturday, in which did not directly address the allegations against Oxfam and other charities.

The CEO's comments drew rebukes on Twitter, including from former interior minister Jacqui Smith, who posted: "Dear Mark Goldring. You're not the victim here."

Oxfam's chief executive said criticism of the charity following a sex abuse scandal had been disproportionate, according to comments published on Saturday. In an interview with British daily the Guardian, Mark Goldring again apologised over allegations of sexual abuse by Oxfam staff in Haiti, which broke last week and have shaken the whole aid sector. "(But) the intensity and ferocity of the attacks make you wonder, what did we do? We murdered babies in their cots?," he was quoted as saying. "Certainly the scale and intensity of the attacks feel out of proportion to the level of culpability." UK-based Oxfam, one of the world's biggest disaster relief charities, has neither confirmed nor denied the Haiti allegations but has said an internal investigation in 2011 confirmed unspecified sexual misconduct occurred. It has also agreed not to bid for any new state funding until Britain's government is satisfied the charity meets appropriate ethical standards, development minister Penny Mordaunt said on Friday. "Anything we say is being manipulated... We've been savaged," Goldring also told the Guardian, which ran a full-page ad from the charity saying sorry for the "appalling behaviour that happened in our name". The CEO's comments drew rebukes on Twitter, including from former interior minister Jacqui Smith, who posted: "Dear Mark Goldring. You're not the victim here." Haiti's president told Reuters on Friday that sexual misconduct by Oxfam staff was only the tip of an "iceberg" and called for investigations into Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) and other aid organisations that came to the country after a devastating earthquake in 2010. Doctors Without Borders said on Wednesday it had dealt with 24 cases of sexual harassment or abuse among its 40,000 staff last year, and dismissed 19 people as a result. Britain has said it will deny cash to aid organisations that fail to come clean on abuse. But Prime Minister Theresa May said it would continue to meet its legal obligation to spend 0.7 percent of economic output on international development. She made the comment in a speech in Munich on Saturday, in which did not directly address the allegations against Oxfam and other charities.

Oxfam sex abuse criticism disproportionate, chief executive says

Michigan&#39;s attorney general promised Saturday a &quot;full and complete investigation&quot; into how ex-USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar got away with abusing young women over the two decades he worked at a university.

Speaking at a press conference, Attorney General Bill Schuette said his department would &quot;put a bright light at every corner&quot; of Michigan State University (MSU), where Nassar worked until 2016.

&quot;This will be done right, period,&quot; said Schuette, also a Republican gubernatorial candidate in Michigan&#39;s November election.

&quot;No individual and no department at Michigan State University is off limits,&quot; he warned.

&quot;My department and this investigation will find out who knew what, and who took action, who failed to take action, what did or did not happen and what should have happened.&quot;

Nassar was sentenced Wednesday to up to 175 years in prison after being convicted of abusing young female patients. The abuse occurred at his sports&nbsp;medicine clinic at Michigan State University as well as training facilities sanctioned by USA Gymnastics.

The case attracted huge attention for its scope and the victims included high-profile stars such as Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney.

About 160 women appeared in court or testified anonymously to the emotional pain caused by Nassar.

MSU has come under scrutiny in particular for a 2014 investigation that cleared Nassar of serious wrongdoing.

Mark Hollis, director of MSU&#39;s prestigious intercollegiate athletics program since 2008, announced Friday he was stepping down from his post -- two days after the university&#39;s president resigned.

Schuette said Michigan State University&#39;s board of trustees asked him to examine their handling of the scandal -- but he&nbsp;strongly rejected any input from them.

&quot;Frankly, they should be the last ones to be providing advice given their conduct throughout this entire episode,&quot; Schuette said.

He also revealed that a special independent counsel, Bill Forsyth, has been chosen to direct the investigation.

Forsyth, a veteran prosecutor, said he had &quot;never seen anything with the scope... of this particular investigation&quot; during his 43-year career, and that the investigation would take &quot;a great deal of time.&quot;

&quot;How was he allowed to engage in this behaviour for almost 20 years?&quot; Forsyth asked.

&quot;Who at Michigan State knew or was aware of what he was doing?&quot;

Michigan State Police will contribute to the investigation, joining senior investigators in the attorney general&#39;s office.

State police director Colonel Kriste Kibbey Etue said the unit &quot;welcomes this opportunity to help the attorney general to fully investigate and determine if any other crimes have been committed.&quot;

Nassar&#39;s case has shaken US gymnastics and the US Olympic Committee subsequently announced an independent inquiry into the scandal. It demanded that the USA Gymnastics board resign en masse -- which they did on Friday.

&nbsp;

Nassar was sentenced Wednesday to up to 175 years in prison after being convicted of abusing young female patients

Michigan's attorney general promised Saturday a "full and complete investigation" into how ex-USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar got away with abusing young women over the two decades he worked at a university. Speaking at a press conference, Attorney General Bill Schuette said his department would "put a bright light at every corner" of Michigan State University (MSU), where Nassar worked until 2016. "This will be done right, period," said Schuette, also a Republican gubernatorial candidate in Michigan's November election. "No individual and no department at Michigan State University is off limits," he warned. "My department and this investigation will find out who knew what, and who took action, who failed to take action, what did or did not happen and what should have happened." Nassar was sentenced Wednesday to up to 175 years in prison after being convicted of abusing young female patients. The abuse occurred at his sports medicine clinic at Michigan State University as well as training facilities sanctioned by USA Gymnastics. The case attracted huge attention for its scope and the victims included high-profile stars such as Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney. About 160 women appeared in court or testified anonymously to the emotional pain caused by Nassar. MSU has come under scrutiny in particular for a 2014 investigation that cleared Nassar of serious wrongdoing. Mark Hollis, director of MSU's prestigious intercollegiate athletics program since 2008, announced Friday he was stepping down from his post -- two days after the university's president resigned. Schuette said Michigan State University's board of trustees asked him to examine their handling of the scandal -- but he strongly rejected any input from them. "Frankly, they should be the last ones to be providing advice given their conduct throughout this entire episode," Schuette said. He also revealed that a special independent counsel, Bill Forsyth, has been chosen to direct the investigation. Forsyth, a veteran prosecutor, said he had "never seen anything with the scope... of this particular investigation" during his 43-year career, and that the investigation would take "a great deal of time." "How was he allowed to engage in this behaviour for almost 20 years?" Forsyth asked. "Who at Michigan State knew or was aware of what he was doing?" Michigan State Police will contribute to the investigation, joining senior investigators in the attorney general's office. State police director Colonel Kriste Kibbey Etue said the unit "welcomes this opportunity to help the attorney general to fully investigate and determine if any other crimes have been committed." Nassar's case has shaken US gymnastics and the US Olympic Committee subsequently announced an independent inquiry into the scandal. It demanded that the USA Gymnastics board resign en masse -- which they did on Friday.

Michigan launches probe into US gymnastics sex abuse doctor

Former president and chairman of Marvel, Stan Lee has denied allegations of sexual abuse.

Lee, co-creator of numerous&nbsp;comic book heroes including &quot;Spider-Man&quot;, &quot;X-Men&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;The Incredible Hulk&quot;, said in a statement that various anonymous individuals have tried to extort him for money and that he &quot;categorically&quot; denies accusations that he sexually abused young nurses.

It was reported earlier in a leading UK publication that young nurses who cared for the 95-year-old Lee complained he demanded that they &quot;perform sex acts&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;groped&quot;&nbsp;them.

In their complaint, they also reported that he walked around naked.

A source told the British news outlet that Lee doesn&#39;t appear to care much about how people view him and had &quot;lost his filter.&quot;&nbsp;

The source added, &quot;He walks around naked and is vulgar towards the women, he asks them for oral sex in the shower and wants to be pleasured in his bedroom,&quot; the source said. &quot;He uses the word p---y and f--k in their presence.&quot;

Breaking silence on these, Lee&#39;s&nbsp;attorney Tom Lallas called the claims &quot;false and defamatory.&quot;

The statement said,&nbsp;&quot;Various anonymous individuals have attempted to extort money from Mr. Lee based on false allegations, but when we have asked them to identify themselves and provide their full legal names and contact information, they have, not surprisingly, gone radio silent. Lee categorically denies these false and despicable allegations and he fully intends to fight to protect his stellar good name and impeccable character. We are not aware of anyone filing a civil action, or reporting these issues to the police, which for any genuine claim would be the more appropriate way for it to be handled.&quot;

The statement continues: &quot;Instead, Mr. Lee has received demands to pay money and threats that if he does not do so, the accuser will go to the media. Mr. Lee will not be extorted or blackmailed, and will pay no money to anyone because he has done absolutely nothing wrong.&quot;

Lee has&nbsp;served as Marvel&#39;s president, chairman and publisher. he has created several hundred characters beginning in the early 1960s, including the Fantastic Four, Thor, Captain America and Doctor Strange, all of which have been made into blockbuster films.

In 1994, Lee was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame. He&#39;s reportedly worth an estimated $50 million.

The 95-year-old co-creator of Spider-Man, X-Men and The Incredible Hulk, was accused of groping nurses and demanding 'sex acts'

Former president and chairman of Marvel, Stan Lee has denied allegations of sexual abuse. Lee, co-creator of numerous comic book heroes including "Spider-Man", "X-Men" and "The Incredible Hulk", said in a statement that various anonymous individuals have tried to extort him for money and that he "categorically" denies accusations that he sexually abused young nurses. It was reported earlier in a leading UK publication that young nurses who cared for the 95-year-old Lee complained he demanded that they "perform sex acts" and "groped" them. In their complaint, they also reported that he walked around naked. A source told the British news outlet that Lee doesn't appear to care much about how people view him and had "lost his filter." The source added, "He walks around naked and is vulgar towards the women, he asks them for oral sex in the shower and wants to be pleasured in his bedroom," the source said. "He uses the word p---y and f--k in their presence." Breaking silence on these, Lee's attorney Tom Lallas called the claims "false and defamatory." The statement said, "Various anonymous individuals have attempted to extort money from Mr. Lee based on false allegations, but when we have asked them to identify themselves and provide their full legal names and contact information, they have, not surprisingly, gone radio silent. Lee categorically denies these false and despicable allegations and he fully intends to fight to protect his stellar good name and impeccable character. We are not aware of anyone filing a civil action, or reporting these issues to the police, which for any genuine claim would be the more appropriate way for it to be handled." The statement continues: "Instead, Mr. Lee has received demands to pay money and threats that if he does not do so, the accuser will go to the media. Mr. Lee will not be extorted or blackmailed, and will pay no money to anyone because he has done absolutely nothing wrong." Lee has served as Marvel's president, chairman and publisher. he has created several hundred characters beginning in the early 1960s, including the Fantastic Four, Thor, Captain America and Doctor Strange, all of which have been made into blockbuster films. In 1994, Lee was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame. He's reportedly worth an estimated $50 million.

Marvel comic book legend Stan Lee denies sex abuse allegations

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