Thailand: A Russian sex guru and his followers, one of whom claims to have evidence of Moscow's interference in the 2016 US presidential election, were acquitted by a court in Thailand on charges of violating labour laws but still face other charges which could land them in prison for more than 10 years. Alexander Kirillov and follower Anastasia Vashukevich, a model and escort, told reporters they placed the blame for their continued detention on US officials, to whom they previously appealed for help and political asylum. Vashukevich's earlier revelation of an alleged affair with Oleg Deripaska, a Russian oligarch close to President Vladimir Putin, fuelled opposition allegations in Russia of official corruption and enraged the Kremlin. Vashukevich claims to have audio recordings of Deripaska that provide evidence of Russian meddling in the US polls. Deripaska has been linked to Paul Manafort, Donald Trump's former campaign manager who has been indicted on money laundering charges. The group was arrested on February 25 in a hotel meeting room in Pattaya, a Thai seaside resort city popular with Russian visitors. The sex lessons they hosted were attended by about 40 Russian tourists.
Yemen: African migrants who were detained in war-torn Yemen have described horrific abuses, including the rape of women and boys, at the hands of local security forces backed by the United Arab Emirates, an international rights group said. Migrants from the Horn of Africa continue to travel to Yemen en route to jobs in the oil-rich Gulf despite the three-year civil war between a Saudi-led coalition and Iran-linked Houthi rebels. Human Rights Watch says security forces linked to the UAE, which is a leading member of the coalition, have systematically abused women and children before forcing them to return to their countries of origin and preventing access to aid agencies.
Australia: The late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, is getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Irwin's wife Terri, daughter Bindi and son Bob will attend the April 26 ceremony on Hollywood Boulevard. "Steve's Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is an incredible honour for our family. Steve would have been so chuffed. He was always such a proud Australian ... " Terri Irwin said. Steve Irwin became a global star, particularly in the US, for his crocodile wrangling exploits and wildlife conservation efforts. On September 4, 2006 the 44-year-old was killed by a stingray while filming on the Great Barrier Reef near Port Douglas.
Iraq: Two Isis fighters allegedly connected to Australian terrorism — including a plot to blow up a plane leaving Sydney last year — have been captured in Iraq. Isis commander and Lebanese citizen Tarek Khayat and his Australian relative, Ahmed Merhi, were detained earlier this year, senior Australian officials have confirmed, the ABC reported. Tarek Khayat is alleged to have directed his Sydney-based brothers to smuggle a bomb hidden inside a meat grinder onto an Etihad plane due to depart from Sydney for Abu Dhabi on July 15.
Hungary: Police have questioned and taken into custody the former head of Hungary's swimming federation in the February 1998 slaying of a business rival. Police said that a suspect they identified as T. Gyarfas is suspected of ordering the murder of media mogul Janos Fenyo, who was fatally shot while his car was stopped at a Budapest traffic light. Hungarian media said the suspect was 69-year-old Tamas Gyarfas, who led the Hungarian Swimming Federation in 1993-2006 while also holding top positions in European and international swimming organisations and Hungary's Olympic committee. A Slovak man was sentenced to life in prison last year for Fenyo's murder, but the person who hired the gunman hasn't been found.
Iceland: A prisoner in Iceland suspected of masterminding the theft of about 600 computers used to mine bitcoin has managed to escape custody and flee the remote North Atlantic nation on a passenger plane. Police said surveillance footage showed a suspect they identified as Sindri Thor Stefansson boarding a passenger plane to Sweden. They said he travelled under a passport in someone else's name. Stefansson was among 11 people arrested earlier this year for allegedly stealing the powerful computers. Icelandic media have dubbed the country's biggest theft the "Big Bitcoin Heist." The stolen equipment has been valued at almost US$2 million. It's still missing. A passenger on the flight the escaped inmate allegedly caught told national broadcaster RUV that Iceland's Prime Minister was also on the plane.
Australia: About 50 refugees are expected to leave Manus Island and Nauru in coming weeks to start new lives in the US, as Australia continues the slow process of emptying the immigration camps. The refugees, who received their final approvals today, will join about 230 others who have been resettled in America.
- agencies
