United States: Missouri Governor Eric Greitens initiated a physically aggressive unwanted sexual encounter with his hairdresser and threatened to distribute a partially nude photo of her if she spoke about it, according to testimony from the woman released today by a House investigatory committee. The graphic report details multiple instances in which the woman said Greitens spanked, slapped, grabbed, shoved and called her derogatory names during a series of sexual encounters as he was preparing to run for office in 2015. The testimony contradicts Greitens' previous assertions that "there was no violence" and "no threat of violence" in what he has described as a consensual extramarital affair. The report, signed by all five Republicans and two Democrats on the committee, describes the woman's testimony as credible and notes that Greitens has so far declined to testify or provide documents to the panel. But it outlines some of the Republican governor's public comments that appear to run counter to her allegations. The special committee will make recommendations after the May 18 end of the regular legislative session on whether to pursue impeachment proceedings seeking to remove Greitens from office.
Australia: A search is under way for a fisherman who went missing from a far north Queensland creek inhabited by saltwater crocodiles. The man in his 60s was last seen yesterday when he went to place a crab trap in Chinaman Creek in Cairns, but he did not return home. A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said the land, air and water search started at first light today. It is understood the man finished work nearby and walked to the creek. His car was found locked at his workplace.
United States: The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office is reviewing a 1992 sexual assault accusation against Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said that the alleged incident involved an adult male. The department said it began investigating the matter on December 11 and presented its results to the district attorney last week, five months after Spacey was fired from Netflix political drama House of Cards over sexual misconduct accusations.
Africa: A new annual report on the death penalty calls sub-Saharan Africa a "beacon of hope" amid a decline in executions worldwide. Amnesty International says 20 countries across sub-Saharan Africa have now abolished the death penalty for all crimes. Just two countries in the region, Somalia and South Sudan, carried out executions last year. The report says executions worldwide dropped again in 2017, with at least 993 recorded in 23 countries. That's down 4 per cent from the year before.
