Wednesday afternoon's news in under 5 minutes.

We’ve rounded up all the latest stories from Australia and around the world – so you don’t have to go searching.

1. Two Australian teens are among those missing in Vanuatu, and one mum wants answers.

Canberra teenager Zoe Marshall has not been found after the Category Five Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu last week.

The 18-year-old is one of dozens of Australians unaccounted for across the islands.

Zoe was volunteering on Pentecost Island, along with another missing Australian teen, Ally Trueman.

Zoe’s parents last heard from their daughter on Thursday morning, in a text message which read:

“Sorry for the early text but don’t know when phone will work. We’ve got cat 5 warning. Should hit us tonight. Should be all good.”

Related content: Five important reasons why Vanuatu needs our help.

Since then they have been in the dark regarding Zoe’s whereabouts.

“I think she would be frantic knowing that we were worried about her, but I’m very hopeful that she’s safe and knowing Zoe, I think she’s just getting on and helping the villagers,” Zoe’s other, Alison, told news.com.au.

“Having had no experience with DFAT and Smartraveller in the past, my expectation and the reality of the information provided didn’t match at all.”

While Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has suggested contacting loved ones via social media or mobile devices, this has not been of any use to the parents of those on Pentecost, where communication services are down.

2. Daniel Kelsall is found guilty of murdering Morgan Huxley.

By ABC.

Daniel Jack Kelsall has been found guilty of the stabbing murder of Sydney businessman Morgan Huxley in his Neutral Bay apartment in September 2013.

The jury also found 22-year-old Kelsall guilty of indecently assaulting the 31-year-old Sydney man.

There were gasps from the public gallery when the verdict was read out. Kelsall showed no emotion.

The jury heard almost two weeks of evidence including allegations that Kelsall’s DNA was found on Mr Huxley’s body.

Kelsall, who pleaded not guilty to murder and indecent assault, told the jury he had a consensual sexual encounter with Mr Huxley who was assaulted by an intruder.

Judge Robert Allan Hulme said the sentencing hearing would be on April 29.

This article was originally published by the ABC and was republished here with full permission.

3. Elderly Aboriginal people rejected from shelters after Cyclone Pam.

Five Aboriginal people with medical conditions were turned away from the hospital and shelter in Carnarvon during severe Tropical Cyclone Olwyn.

The CEO of the Carnarvon Aboriginal Medical Service (CAMS) told the ABC four elderly people including amputees on dialysis, and one younger person suffering severe personal health issues, were declined access for up to seven hours while the Category Three Cyclone swept Western Australia last week.

“They were told to go to the hospital, the hospital declined. And then they were told to go to the evac (evacuation) centre where they were also declined,” said Mr Van Styn.

According to Mr Van Styn, the five people from the Mungallah Aboriginal community were denied because the shelter was dedicated to people staying in the Coral Bay tourist town, but the site was empty when they arrived.

“We were told by the volunteer there that they were under strict instruction that the evac. [sic] centre was only for people from Coral Bay and that they won’t be accepting our Aboriginal people from Mungullah Village,” he said.

“To sit there staring at an empty evacuation centre with five Aboriginal residents of Mungullah Village and being told, ‘There’s no room, no food, not sufficient power, the air-conditioning doesn’t work, the bedding’s not right, you’re not from Coral Bay,’ is pretty concerning.”

Related content: Vanuatu has been devastated by Cyclone Pam. Up to 40 may be dead.

While they were initially promised admission to the hospital, they were told only two hours later that all the beds were full.

After seven hours, one man was admitted to the hospital, and the rest to the evaucation centre.

“I’m a bit concerned with what would have happened to these guys simply sitting outside the centre. I’m sure humanity would have come along and let them in at some point, but it just shouldn’t have come to that.”

3. Genital piercings to be classed as mutilation in UK

Women with vaginal piercings are set to be classified as victims of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Britain, thanks to changes to the National Health Scheme.

The new rules are to be introduced next month, stating any woman whose labia or clitoris has been pierced will be recorded as suffering FGM, Daily Mail reports.

FGM is illegal in the UK, and may bear consequences for those responsible for carrying out the piercing, regardless of the individual’s consent.

Last year the World Health Organisation classified vaginal piercing as ‘harmful procedures’ and are considered under the bracket of FGM.

Debates are ongoing as to whether cosmetic surgery on a woman’s genitals should be classified as FGM.

4. Housing crisis is putting pressure on homeless shelters.

Homeless rates are sky high, putting significant strain on shelters and temporary accommodation.

According to the ABC, community service groups estimate there are 100,000 homeless people in Australia every night.

High rental costs and lengthy wait-lists for public housing are forcing more people onto the streets and into shelters.

One such person is Sharon, a mother who fled family violence with her three-year-old daughter, and is now residing in a rooming home — a community share house.

“I was a victim of violence. I never phoned the police, I never called the police, I was always afraid. As a victim of violence it’s very hard to speak up,” she said.

“I don’t feel safe out there when I’m driving the streets. I’m constantly checking the mirrors to see if I’m being followed.

“Living here is probably the safest and most secure I’ve felt in a long time even though it isn’t a permanent thing.”

While such accommodation is not appropriate for families, the current public housing and rental crisis leaves few alternatives.

“We are all in different and individual circumstances and homelessness isn’t a choice. If we all had our way [we would be] living comfortably in our own home setting,” Sharon said.

Currently, there are 34,000 people waiting for public housing in Victoria, with an 11-month wait list even for high priority cases.

ABC reports only 1 in 3 houses are affordable to single parent families.

The current capacity of shelters are placing people at risk of entering dangerous situations or living on the streets.

5. Man arrested on over 100 counts of child pornography.

Trigger warning: This post features explicit details of child abuse that could be distressing for some readers.

By ABC.

A Melbourne man faces more than 100 charges after allegedly forcing young girls in Australia and overseas to send sexually explicit pictures of themselves to him by threatening to send explicit images of them to their families and schools.

Broadmeadows man Daniel Thomas Watson, 32, allegedly created large numbers of fake social media and email accounts to pose as a teenage girl or boy and allegedly lure the children into sending the material to him.

Details of the charges emerged in a prosecution summary of facts presented to the court.

Police allege Watson even forced some of his victims to pose in explicit pictures with their younger siblings and send the pictures to him.

According to the police summary of facts, some of Watson’s alleged victims, who police believe number in the dozens, threatened to commit suicide if he did not stop demanding sexually explicit material, and threatening them with public humiliation if they did not comply.

It is also alleged Watson kept offending after he was first arrested in August 2013 and granted bail.

Watson faces more than 100 charges, including transmitting child pornography, causing a minor to be involved in the transmission of child pornography, using a carriage service to engage a person under 16 in sexual activity and causing a minor to be involved in the production of child pornography.

This article was originally published by the ABC and was republished here with full permission. 

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