Indian pacer Mohammed Shami&#39;s wife Hasin Jahan today sought &quot;help&quot; of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her pitched battle against her husband.

Jahan has levelled numerous allegations on her husband, ranging from adultery, match fixing to even attempt to murder.

In a press conference at the Bankshall Court sought the chief minister&#39;s intervention, reiterating that there&#39;s no question of a reconciliation.

&quot;It&#39;s a fight for truth by a helpless woman against a celebrity cricketer who has fame, name and money. No one is with me and I request the chief minister to come for the support of truth, but not me or Shami,&quot; Jahan told reporters.

&quot;Our fight has reached a stage that there&#39;s no question of a compromise now. I will fight my own battle. If I give up now, it will be the loss of face for the whole women community. And why should I? I&#39;ve all the evidence with me. No chance,&quot; she said firmly.

Jahan further alleged that Shami is still giving her threats as she sought for a police protection.

&quot;Shami called me today saying &#39;Aren&#39;t you ashamed of yourself? You have framed me.&#39; He further asked me to take back all the allegations for the sake of my and my daughter&#39;s lives,&quot; she said.

Pleading for privacy, Jahan also apologised to the media for losing her cool as she had a fight with a TV journalist and even broke a video camera.

The incident took place outside the St Sebastian&#39;s School as the journalist was trying to get Jahan&#39;s reaction on Shami.

She was then spotted hurriedly going off in a red SUV. 
&quot;From morning to night, wherever I go I&#39;m now hounded by the media. Please let me live my life, I&#39;ve a small daughter at home and I&#39;m fighting alone.&nbsp;

In this way, I will not be able to live. I&#39;m going through a lot of stress. Please stop disturbing me,&quot; she said.

The Kolkata Police last week booked Shami and four others under various non-bailable and bailable sections after Jahan lodged a complaint of domestic violence and infidelity against the cricketer.&nbsp;

Mohammed Shami's wife Hasin Jahan today sought "help" of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her pitched battle against her husband

Indian pacer Mohammed Shami's wife Hasin Jahan today sought "help" of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her pitched battle against her husband. Jahan has levelled numerous allegations on her husband, ranging from adultery, match fixing to even attempt to murder. In a press conference at the Bankshall Court sought the chief minister's intervention, reiterating that there's no question of a reconciliation. "It's a fight for truth by a helpless woman against a celebrity cricketer who has fame, name and money. No one is with me and I request the chief minister to come for the support of truth, but not me or Shami," Jahan told reporters. "Our fight has reached a stage that there's no question of a compromise now. I will fight my own battle. If I give up now, it will be the loss of face for the whole women community. And why should I? I've all the evidence with me. No chance," she said firmly. Jahan further alleged that Shami is still giving her threats as she sought for a police protection. "Shami called me today saying 'Aren't you ashamed of yourself? You have framed me.' He further asked me to take back all the allegations for the sake of my and my daughter's lives," she said. Pleading for privacy, Jahan also apologised to the media for losing her cool as she had a fight with a TV journalist and even broke a video camera. The incident took place outside the St Sebastian's School as the journalist was trying to get Jahan's reaction on Shami. She was then spotted hurriedly going off in a red SUV. "From morning to night, wherever I go I'm now hounded by the media. Please let me live my life, I've a small daughter at home and I'm fighting alone. In this way, I will not be able to live. I'm going through a lot of stress. Please stop disturbing me," she said. The Kolkata Police last week booked Shami and four others under various non-bailable and bailable sections after Jahan lodged a complaint of domestic violence and infidelity against the cricketer.

Now, Shami's wife Hasin Jahan seeks CM Mamata's help

After all the controversy surrounding Sanjay Leela Bhansali&#39;s &quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmaavat-review-ranveer-singh-shines-in-bhansalis-visually-grand-historical-saga-30568">Padmaavat&quot;</a>, the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) has decided to revise some sensitive facts related to Chittor&rsquo;s queen Padmini from its history textbooks.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-ranveer-singh-on-threats-to-deepika-padukone-during-padmaavat-row-had-the-urge-to-speak-out-but-instructed-not-to-32321">Ranveer Singh on threats to Deepika Padukone: Had the urge to speak out but was asked not to </a>

The RBSE is in the process of eliminating and correcting the content in the textbooks before the new session begins in April. People familiar with the matter at the board said some changes have been made with regard to content on Padmini, the queen of Rawal Ratan Singh, the 14th-century ruler of Chittor.&nbsp;

As per reports, the history textbooks in school had been teaching the same distortions about Queen Padmini of Chittor which have allegedly been shown the film &quot;Padmaavat&quot;.

Reports say that people in connection with the matter have already made a revised copy. RBSE chairperson BL Chaudhary said that the changes have been successfully made. He had earlier informed that syllabus in the history textbooks has not been changed since the last 50 years.&nbsp;

The section which states that Delhi ruler Alauddin Khilji saw Padmini&rsquo;s reflection in a mirror and was smitten by her and later attacked Chittor fort has been omitted. Also, the sub-head Padmini ki kahani (Padmini&rsquo;s story) has been revised as Padmini ka Itihas (Padmini&rsquo;s history).&nbsp;

Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmaavat-earns-rs-212-crores-within-two-weeks-of-its-release-31875">&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmaavat-earns-rs-212-crores-within-two-weeks-of-its-release-31875">Padmaavat</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmaavat-earns-rs-212-crores-within-two-weeks-of-its-release-31875"> continues impressive run, enters 200-crore club </a>

While making the modifications, the book, however, goes on to say that one of the reasons Khilji attacked Chittor was to capture Padmini, who, according to legend, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmaavat-deepika-padukone-opens-up-about-the-jauhar-scene-and-the-controversy-around-it-31318">chose to commit </a>&quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-padmaavat-deepika-padukone-opens-up-about-the-jauhar-scene-and-the-controversy-around-it-31318">jauhar&quot;</a> along with 1,600 other palace women, rather than be captured by Khilji.

The film had been facing protests by the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-not-sit-quiet-if-padmavati-releases-threatens-rashtriya-rajput-karni-sena-28377"> Karni Sena</a> and other fringe groups over allegations that historical facts were distorted in the movie. The Rajput community led by the Shri Rajput Karni Sena had demanded a ban on the movie &quot;Padmaavat&quot; for misrepresenting facts like Khilji seeing Padmini&#39;s reflection in the mirror even though there were none in the 14th century in Mewar, reports said.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmaavat-now-rajasthan-bans-the-film-keeping-public-interest-in-mind-29892">Padmaavat</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/padmaavat-now-rajasthan-bans-the-film-keeping-public-interest-in-mind-29892">: Now, Rajasthan bans the film keeping public interest in mind</a>

The film, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, and Ranveer Singh, is based on the saga of the 13th century battle between Maharaja Ratan Singh of Mewar and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi.

The section which states that Delhi ruler Alauddin Khilji saw Padmini’s reflection in a mirror and was smitten by her and later attacked Chittor fort has been omitted. Also, the sub-head Padmini ki kahani has been revised as Padmini ka Itihas

After all the controversy surrounding Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Padmaavat", the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) has decided to revise some sensitive facts related to Chittor’s queen Padmini from its history textbooks. Also read: Ranveer Singh on threats to Deepika Padukone: Had the urge to speak out but was asked not to The RBSE is in the process of eliminating and correcting the content in the textbooks before the new session begins in April. People familiar with the matter at the board said some changes have been made with regard to content on Padmini, the queen of Rawal Ratan Singh, the 14th-century ruler of Chittor. As per reports, the history textbooks in school had been teaching the same distortions about Queen Padmini of Chittor which have allegedly been shown the film "Padmaavat". Reports say that people in connection with the matter have already made a revised copy. RBSE chairperson BL Chaudhary said that the changes have been successfully made. He had earlier informed that syllabus in the history textbooks has not been changed since the last 50 years. The section which states that Delhi ruler Alauddin Khilji saw Padmini’s reflection in a mirror and was smitten by her and later attacked Chittor fort has been omitted. Also, the sub-head Padmini ki kahani (Padmini’s story) has been revised as Padmini ka Itihas (Padmini’s history). Also read: Padmaavat continues impressive run, enters 200-crore club While making the modifications, the book, however, goes on to say that one of the reasons Khilji attacked Chittor was to capture Padmini, who, according to legend, chose to commit "jauhar" along with 1,600 other palace women, rather than be captured by Khilji. The film had been facing protests by the Karni Sena and other fringe groups over allegations that historical facts were distorted in the movie. The Rajput community led by the Shri Rajput Karni Sena had demanded a ban on the movie "Padmaavat" for misrepresenting facts like Khilji seeing Padmini's reflection in the mirror even though there were none in the 14th century in Mewar, reports said. Also read: Padmaavat: Now, Rajasthan bans the film keeping public interest in mind The film, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, and Ranveer Singh, is based on the saga of the 13th century battle between Maharaja Ratan Singh of Mewar and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi.

Rajasthan: History textbooks to revise chapter about Padmini following 'Padmaavat' row

Just over a week after she blazed into controversy for plagiarising Michelle Obama, the website of Donald Trump&#39;s third wife Melania mysteriously vanished following questions about her university education. 
 
&quot;The website in question was created in 2012 and has been removed because it does not accurately reflect my current business and professional interests,&quot; the mother of one tweeted yesterday. 
 
The website disappeared after US media questioned whether the wife of the Republican nominee for president had a degree in architecture from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, as the online biography stated. 
 
Trump told MSNBC in February only that she &quot;studied&quot; design and architecture. A follow-up interview with GQ Magazine published in April said she dropped out after a year to pursue a modeling career in Milan and later Paris. 
 
Those who try to access www.melaniatrump.com are now automatically diverted to her husband&#39;s company website. 
 
While his three adult children, who hold executive positions at The Trump Organization, have biographies on the site, she does not. Neither is she mentioned in her husband&#39;s more than 4,000-word online biography. 
 
Yesterday&#39;s tweet was a rare update from Melania Trump in the 13 months since her husband launched his controversial bid for the White House. 
 
While the ex-model used to post regular style, food and scenic photographs, she has tweeted rarely since his foray into politics. 
 
Last week, a staffer apologised for cribbing remarks from the current Democratic first lady for a speech Melania Trump delivered at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
Melania Trump had &quot;always liked&quot; Michelle Obama and read out passages from one of her speeches as examples of what she wanted to say, said the staffer. 
 
&quot;I did not check Mrs Obama&#39;s speeches. This was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused,&quot; she said. 
 
(AFP)

The website was removed because it did not 'accurately reflect my current business and professional interests', Melania tweeted yesterday

Just over a week after she blazed into controversy for plagiarising Michelle Obama, the website of Donald Trump's third wife Melania mysteriously vanished following questions about her university education. "The website in question was created in 2012 and has been removed because it does not accurately reflect my current business and professional interests," the mother of one tweeted yesterday. The website disappeared after US media questioned whether the wife of the Republican nominee for president had a degree in architecture from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, as the online biography stated. Trump told MSNBC in February only that she "studied" design and architecture. A follow-up interview with GQ Magazine published in April said she dropped out after a year to pursue a modeling career in Milan and later Paris. Those who try to access www.melaniatrump.com are now automatically diverted to her husband's company website. While his three adult children, who hold executive positions at The Trump Organization, have biographies on the site, she does not. Neither is she mentioned in her husband's more than 4,000-word online biography. Yesterday's tweet was a rare update from Melania Trump in the 13 months since her husband launched his controversial bid for the White House. While the ex-model used to post regular style, food and scenic photographs, she has tweeted rarely since his foray into politics. Last week, a staffer apologised for cribbing remarks from the current Democratic first lady for a speech Melania Trump delivered at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. Melania Trump had "always liked" Michelle Obama and read out passages from one of her speeches as examples of what she wanted to say, said the staffer. "I did not check Mrs Obama's speeches. This was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused," she said. (AFP)

Melania Trump's website deleted after degree questions

The International Olympic Committee&#39;s decision to reject calls to ban all Russian competitors from the Rio Olympics could lead to &quot;lesser protection for clean athletes,&quot; the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Sunday. 
 
The global anti-doping agency said it stood by its earlier recommendation that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decline all entries for the Rio Games submitted by the Russian Olympic Committee. 
 
The IOC on Sunday resisted calls for a blanket ban on Russians competing in next month&#39;s Rio games due to the country&#39;s doping record, leaving decisions on individual athletes&#39; participation with their sports federations. 
 
&quot;WADA is disappointed that the IOC did not heed WADA&rsquo;s Executive Committee recommendations that were based on the outcomes of the McLaren Investigation and would have ensured a straight-forward, strong and harmonised approach,&rdquo; WADA President Craig Reedie said in a statement. 
 
&ldquo;The McLaren Report exposed, beyond a reasonable doubt, a state-run doping program in Russia that seriously undermines the principles of clean sport embodied within the World Anti-Doping Code,&quot; Reedie added. 
 
&#39;Why did IOC not allow Stepanova to run as independent athlete?&#39; 
 
WADA also joined other anti-doping leaders in expressing concern over the effect of the IOC decision. 
 
&quot;The approach taken and the criteria set forward will inevitably lead to a lack of harmonisation, potential challenges and lesser protection for clean athletes,&rdquo; WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said. 
 
He also questioned why the IOC had not allowed Russian whistleblower Yulia Stepanova to run as an independent athlete in Rio. 
 
&quot;Ms. Stepanova was instrumental in courageously exposing the single biggest doping scandal of all time,&rdquo; Niggli said. &ldquo;WADA is very concerned by the message that this sends whistleblowers for the future.&quot; 
 
Evidence from the McLaren report had also been sent to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), WADA said. 
 
The IPC will make its own decision on whether to permit Russian athletes in the Paralympics. It has already started suspension proceedings against Russia following the McLaren report. 
 
Responding to IOC calls that the agency review the anti-doping system, WADA said it was fully committed to further strengthening system. 
 
It also confirmed professor Richard McLaren would continue his investigative work into doping and &quot;identify athletes that might have benefited from manipulation of the doping control process to conceal positive doping tests&quot;. 
 
(Reuters)

The IOC resisted calls for a blanket ban on Sunday on Russians competing in next month's Rio games due to the country's doping record

The International Olympic Committee's decision to reject calls to ban all Russian competitors from the Rio Olympics could lead to "lesser protection for clean athletes," the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Sunday. The global anti-doping agency said it stood by its earlier recommendation that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decline all entries for the Rio Games submitted by the Russian Olympic Committee. The IOC on Sunday resisted calls for a blanket ban on Russians competing in next month's Rio games due to the country's doping record, leaving decisions on individual athletes' participation with their sports federations. "WADA is disappointed that the IOC did not heed WADA’s Executive Committee recommendations that were based on the outcomes of the McLaren Investigation and would have ensured a straight-forward, strong and harmonised approach,” WADA President Craig Reedie said in a statement. “The McLaren Report exposed, beyond a reasonable doubt, a state-run doping program in Russia that seriously undermines the principles of clean sport embodied within the World Anti-Doping Code," Reedie added. 'Why did IOC not allow Stepanova to run as independent athlete?' WADA also joined other anti-doping leaders in expressing concern over the effect of the IOC decision. "The approach taken and the criteria set forward will inevitably lead to a lack of harmonisation, potential challenges and lesser protection for clean athletes,” WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said. He also questioned why the IOC had not allowed Russian whistleblower Yulia Stepanova to run as an independent athlete in Rio. "Ms. Stepanova was instrumental in courageously exposing the single biggest doping scandal of all time,” Niggli said. “WADA is very concerned by the message that this sends whistleblowers for the future." Evidence from the McLaren report had also been sent to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), WADA said. The IPC will make its own decision on whether to permit Russian athletes in the Paralympics. It has already started suspension proceedings against Russia following the McLaren report. Responding to IOC calls that the agency review the anti-doping system, WADA said it was fully committed to further strengthening system. It also confirmed professor Richard McLaren would continue his investigative work into doping and "identify athletes that might have benefited from manipulation of the doping control process to conceal positive doping tests". (Reuters)

Rio Olympics 2016: WADA 'disappointed' by IOC decision on Russia

The top elected US Republican formally asked the country&#39;s intelligence chief not to give Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton any classified information during the election campaign, according to a letter released today. 
 
House of Representatives speaker Paul Ryan said in the letter to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper that denying Clinton classified briefings during her run for the presidency would be an appropriate sanction for her improper handling of classified emails while secretary of state. 
 
Presidential candidates normally get access to classified information once they are formally nominated. 
 
The issue of Clinton&#39;s use of private email servers during her tenure as secretary of state has cast a cloud over her presidential campaign for the Nov. 8 election, raised questions among voters about her trustworthiness and given presidential rival Donald Trump an avenue of attack. 
 
Ryan&#39;s letter comes as congressional Republicans will get their first chance to grill FBI Director James Comey when he goes to Capitol Hill today to explain his decision not to recommend criminal charges against Clinton after a year-long investigation of her handling of classified emails while at state. 
 
Comey&#39;s testimony before the House Oversight Committee at 10 a.m. (1400 GMT) will be the first time he has taken questions publicly since his announcement this week that the FBI was not recommending charges against Clinton. US Attorney General Loretta Lynch has accepted the FBI recommendation and will appear at a separate hearing next Tuesday. 
 
Comey said on Tuesday that 110 classified emails passed through Clinton&#39;s servers, which were not kept on a secure government server. He rebuked the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee for &quot;extremely careless&quot; handling of classified information but said no reasonable prosecutor would charge her or her staff criminally. 
 
The Clinton campaign said it was pleased at the FBI&#39;s announcement and called the Republican-led call for Comey&#39;s hearing a &quot;taxpayer-funded sham of an inquiry&quot; intended to hurt Clinton politically. 
 
The Oversight Committee is chaired by Republican U.S. Representative Jason Chaffetz, known for his persistent questioning of Obama administration officials. 
 
Reputation for Independence 
 
Comey, a Republican who was appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama and also served in the administration of former Republican President George W. Bush, has built a reputation as a straight shooter who does not bend to pressure from either party. 
 
He has differed sharply with the Obama administration, most recently over gun control and whether high-profile police brutality cases had inhibited law enforcement from stopping crime. 
 
Questions about the propriety of Clinton&#39;s use of unauthorized email servers in her Chappaqua, New York, home during her time as secretary of state from January 2009 until February 2013 have raised questions about her judgment from all sides of the political spectrum. 
 
Despite clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, Clinton can expect a further onslaught of attacks from Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, who has accused her of playing by a different set of rules from the American public. 
 
&quot;Hillary Clinton can&#39;t keep her emails safe, and you know what, folks, she sure as hell can&#39;t keep our country safe,&quot; Trump told a recent rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, charging that the investigation was &quot;rigged&quot; in Clinton&#39;s favor. 
 
Comey left the door open for other actions in the case, including downgrading security clearances for anyone who mishandles classified information as Clinton and her staff did. 
 
(Reuters)

Ryan said denying Hillary Clinton classified briefings would be an appropriate sanction for her improper handling of classified email

The top elected US Republican formally asked the country's intelligence chief not to give Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton any classified information during the election campaign, according to a letter released today. House of Representatives speaker Paul Ryan said in the letter to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper that denying Clinton classified briefings during her run for the presidency would be an appropriate sanction for her improper handling of classified emails while secretary of state. Presidential candidates normally get access to classified information once they are formally nominated. The issue of Clinton's use of private email servers during her tenure as secretary of state has cast a cloud over her presidential campaign for the Nov. 8 election, raised questions among voters about her trustworthiness and given presidential rival Donald Trump an avenue of attack. Ryan's letter comes as congressional Republicans will get their first chance to grill FBI Director James Comey when he goes to Capitol Hill today to explain his decision not to recommend criminal charges against Clinton after a year-long investigation of her handling of classified emails while at state. Comey's testimony before the House Oversight Committee at 10 a.m. (1400 GMT) will be the first time he has taken questions publicly since his announcement this week that the FBI was not recommending charges against Clinton. US Attorney General Loretta Lynch has accepted the FBI recommendation and will appear at a separate hearing next Tuesday. Comey said on Tuesday that 110 classified emails passed through Clinton's servers, which were not kept on a secure government server. He rebuked the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee for "extremely careless" handling of classified information but said no reasonable prosecutor would charge her or her staff criminally. The Clinton campaign said it was pleased at the FBI's announcement and called the Republican-led call for Comey's hearing a "taxpayer-funded sham of an inquiry" intended to hurt Clinton politically. The Oversight Committee is chaired by Republican U.S. Representative Jason Chaffetz, known for his persistent questioning of Obama administration officials. Reputation for Independence Comey, a Republican who was appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama and also served in the administration of former Republican President George W. Bush, has built a reputation as a straight shooter who does not bend to pressure from either party. He has differed sharply with the Obama administration, most recently over gun control and whether high-profile police brutality cases had inhibited law enforcement from stopping crime. Questions about the propriety of Clinton's use of unauthorized email servers in her Chappaqua, New York, home during her time as secretary of state from January 2009 until February 2013 have raised questions about her judgment from all sides of the political spectrum. Despite clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, Clinton can expect a further onslaught of attacks from Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, who has accused her of playing by a different set of rules from the American public. "Hillary Clinton can't keep her emails safe, and you know what, folks, she sure as hell can't keep our country safe," Trump told a recent rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, charging that the investigation was "rigged" in Clinton's favor. Comey left the door open for other actions in the case, including downgrading security clearances for anyone who mishandles classified information as Clinton and her staff did. (Reuters)

Speaker Paul Ryan formally asks that Clinton be denied classified data

A Luxembourg court today handed out suspended sentences to the two former accounting firm employees who leaked data about Luxembourg&#39;s tax deals with large corporations, which gained prominence in the so-called &quot;LuxLeaks&quot; affair. 
 
Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet, both French citizens and former employees of accounting firm PwC, received suspended sentences of 12 and nine months respectively. 
 
Deltour also received a fine of 1,500 euros ($1,665) while Halet was fined 1,000 euros. Both said they would appeal. 
 
French television journalist Edouard Perrin, who used the leaked data for a broadcast made in 2012, was acquitted of all charges. 
 
The case was seen as a delicate balancing act for the judge between upholding Luxembourg&#39;s strict secrecy laws and protecting whistleblowers. 
 
One of Deltour&#39;s lawyers William Bourdon called the verdict &quot;scandalous&quot;. The message of Luxembourg&#39;s justice system was for multinationals to &quot;sleep tight&quot;, he said. 
 
Outside of the court, Deltour was greeted by singing supporters. 
 
Over the course of the trial the court heard how Deltour had copied 45,000 pages of documents to which he gained access through a glitch in the company&#39;s servers, which had since been fixed. 
 
Prosecutors say this data and material supplied by Halet was used in the &#39;LuxLeaks&#39; revelations of November 2014 by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. 
 
The prosecutor had requested 18-month prison sentences and fines, far less than the five-year maximum for the charges that range from violating secrecy laws to theft and IT fraud. 
 
For Perrin the prosecutor had sought a fine, without specifying how high it should be. 
 
The leaked documents showed that companies such as PepsiCo, AIG and Deutsche Bank secured deals from Luxembourg to slash their tax bills. 
 
Luxembourg, a small country wedged in between France, Belgium and Germany, says other states have similar arrangements, and has offered to share details of the tax deals. 
 
(Reuters)

Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet received suspended jail sentences for sharing data about Luxembourg slashing taxes for big corporations

A Luxembourg court today handed out suspended sentences to the two former accounting firm employees who leaked data about Luxembourg's tax deals with large corporations, which gained prominence in the so-called "LuxLeaks" affair. Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet, both French citizens and former employees of accounting firm PwC, received suspended sentences of 12 and nine months respectively. Deltour also received a fine of 1,500 euros ($1,665) while Halet was fined 1,000 euros. Both said they would appeal. French television journalist Edouard Perrin, who used the leaked data for a broadcast made in 2012, was acquitted of all charges. The case was seen as a delicate balancing act for the judge between upholding Luxembourg's strict secrecy laws and protecting whistleblowers. One of Deltour's lawyers William Bourdon called the verdict "scandalous". The message of Luxembourg's justice system was for multinationals to "sleep tight", he said. Outside of the court, Deltour was greeted by singing supporters. Over the course of the trial the court heard how Deltour had copied 45,000 pages of documents to which he gained access through a glitch in the company's servers, which had since been fixed. Prosecutors say this data and material supplied by Halet was used in the 'LuxLeaks' revelations of November 2014 by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The prosecutor had requested 18-month prison sentences and fines, far less than the five-year maximum for the charges that range from violating secrecy laws to theft and IT fraud. For Perrin the prosecutor had sought a fine, without specifying how high it should be. The leaked documents showed that companies such as PepsiCo, AIG and Deutsche Bank secured deals from Luxembourg to slash their tax bills. Luxembourg, a small country wedged in between France, Belgium and Germany, says other states have similar arrangements, and has offered to share details of the tax deals. (Reuters)

'LuxLeaks' whistleblowers given suspended prison sentences

Former Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat&nbsp;was sentenced today to nine years in prison for abuse of power, a charge his lawyer said was a politically motivated attempt to humiliate him. 
 
Filat was arrested during a parliamentary session last October after months of mass street protests over the disappearance of $1 billion from the banking sector, equivalent to one-eighth of the tiny ex-Soviet republic&#39;s economy. He denies any connection to the crime and all charges against him. 
 
Prosecutor Adriana Betisor, who had sought a sentence of 19 years, said the ruling, at the end of a closed trial, was &quot;too soft&quot;, and vowed to continue pursuing other cases against Filat connected to the banking fraud. 
 
&quot;He has pleaded not guilty, but his guilt is clear ... Investigations will continue in other areas,&quot; Betisor said. 
 
Filat&#39;s lawyer, Igor Popa, called the case &quot;a political, well-directed spectacle.&quot; 
 
&quot;Its goal was to destroy Filat as a person, in the most humiliating and crushing manner possible. We will seek a fair trial outside Moldova and will find a lawful ruling,&quot; he said. 
 
Filat, who served as prime minister from 2009 to 2013, is credited with putting Moldova on a pro-European path by signing an association agreement with the European Union. But an enduring economic crisis and perceived corruption in the ruling elite pushed his public trust rating into single digits. 
 
He says he has become a scapegoat over the banking scandal, which weakened Moldova&#39;s currency and damaged living standards in what was already Europe&#39;s poorest country. 
 
The crisis has held up the disbursement of valuable budget support from international lenders and highlighted the corrosive rivalry between oligarch groups in Moldova. 
 
The appointment of a new prime minister in January with close ties to Vladimir Plahotniuc, one of Moldova&#39;s richest and most unpopular public figures, angered opposition lawmakers and citizens, who wanted a snap parliamentary election. 
 
(Reuters)

Vlad Filat was arrested last October after months of mass street protests over the disappearance of $1 billion from banking sector

Former Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat was sentenced today to nine years in prison for abuse of power, a charge his lawyer said was a politically motivated attempt to humiliate him. Filat was arrested during a parliamentary session last October after months of mass street protests over the disappearance of $1 billion from the banking sector, equivalent to one-eighth of the tiny ex-Soviet republic's economy. He denies any connection to the crime and all charges against him. Prosecutor Adriana Betisor, who had sought a sentence of 19 years, said the ruling, at the end of a closed trial, was "too soft", and vowed to continue pursuing other cases against Filat connected to the banking fraud. "He has pleaded not guilty, but his guilt is clear ... Investigations will continue in other areas," Betisor said. Filat's lawyer, Igor Popa, called the case "a political, well-directed spectacle." "Its goal was to destroy Filat as a person, in the most humiliating and crushing manner possible. We will seek a fair trial outside Moldova and will find a lawful ruling," he said. Filat, who served as prime minister from 2009 to 2013, is credited with putting Moldova on a pro-European path by signing an association agreement with the European Union. But an enduring economic crisis and perceived corruption in the ruling elite pushed his public trust rating into single digits. He says he has become a scapegoat over the banking scandal, which weakened Moldova's currency and damaged living standards in what was already Europe's poorest country. The crisis has held up the disbursement of valuable budget support from international lenders and highlighted the corrosive rivalry between oligarch groups in Moldova. The appointment of a new prime minister in January with close ties to Vladimir Plahotniuc, one of Moldova's richest and most unpopular public figures, angered opposition lawmakers and citizens, who wanted a snap parliamentary election. (Reuters)

Moldovan court jails ex-PM for 9 years for abuse of power

The head of Malaysia&#39;s anti-graft body will step down on August 1, the agency said on Thursday, more than two years before the scheduled end of a term that included an investigation of Prime Minister Najib Razak. 
 
The revelations of the investigation, first reported by the Wall Street Journal last year, have shaken investors in Southeast Asia&#39;s third-biggest economy and dented confidence in Najib&#39;s ruling coalition. 
 
Abu Kassim Mohamed, the chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), asked for his contract to be terminated earlier than expected, the agency said in a statement. 
 
&quot;There was no pressure from any parties towards the decision made by Abu Kassim to shorten his contract,&quot; it said, dismissing speculation in domestic media that pressure from the Prime Minister&#39;s office might have prompted the resignation. 
 
The Prime Minister&#39;s office did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters seeking comment. 
 
Under Abu Kassim, who took on his role in the beginning of 2010, the anti-graft body began investigations into allegations of graft and financial mismanagement at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the transfer of 2.6 billion Ringgit ($647.09 million) to Najib&#39;s bank accounts. 
 
Malaysia&#39;s attorney-general cleared Najib of any criminal offences or corruption in January. Najib has denied any wrongdoing and said he did not take any money for personal gain. 
 
Abu Kassim&#39;s contract was to have run until December 4, 2018, the anti-graft body said, adding that the request to cut short his tenure followed an offer to be a visiting expert at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Austria. 
 
&quot;The request was made after I got the opportunity to improve Malaysia and MACC&#39;s name and international standing,&quot; Abu Kassim told reporters, adding that he will stay in the civil service until mandatory retirement in 2020. 
 
A second vacancy is coming up as his deputy, Shukri Abdull, will retire on October 3, Abu Kassim added, in a video of the news conference released by the agency. 
 
Najib was widely criticised last year after the government replaced Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail, who had led investigations into 1MDB, with Mohamed Apandi Ali. It cited Patail&#39;s failing health for the change ahead of his retirement. 
 
($1 = 4.0180 ringgit) 
 
(Reuters)

Abu Kassim Mohamed, the chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, will vacate the post on August 1

The head of Malaysia's anti-graft body will step down on August 1, the agency said on Thursday, more than two years before the scheduled end of a term that included an investigation of Prime Minister Najib Razak. The revelations of the investigation, first reported by the Wall Street Journal last year, have shaken investors in Southeast Asia's third-biggest economy and dented confidence in Najib's ruling coalition. Abu Kassim Mohamed, the chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), asked for his contract to be terminated earlier than expected, the agency said in a statement. "There was no pressure from any parties towards the decision made by Abu Kassim to shorten his contract," it said, dismissing speculation in domestic media that pressure from the Prime Minister's office might have prompted the resignation. The Prime Minister's office did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters seeking comment. Under Abu Kassim, who took on his role in the beginning of 2010, the anti-graft body began investigations into allegations of graft and financial mismanagement at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and the transfer of 2.6 billion Ringgit ($647.09 million) to Najib's bank accounts. Malaysia's attorney-general cleared Najib of any criminal offences or corruption in January. Najib has denied any wrongdoing and said he did not take any money for personal gain. Abu Kassim's contract was to have run until December 4, 2018, the anti-graft body said, adding that the request to cut short his tenure followed an offer to be a visiting expert at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Austria. "The request was made after I got the opportunity to improve Malaysia and MACC's name and international standing," Abu Kassim told reporters, adding that he will stay in the civil service until mandatory retirement in 2020. A second vacancy is coming up as his deputy, Shukri Abdull, will retire on October 3, Abu Kassim added, in a video of the news conference released by the agency. Najib was widely criticised last year after the government replaced Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail, who had led investigations into 1MDB, with Mohamed Apandi Ali. It cited Patail's failing health for the change ahead of his retirement. ($1 = 4.0180 ringgit) (Reuters)

Malaysia's anti-graft panel chief to step down

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has sparked controversy in India by saying his heavy training schedule for an upcoming film left him feeling &quot;like a raped woman&quot;. 
 
Khan made the comments in an interview to promote his latest Bollywood movie Sultan, which tells the story of an ageing wrestler trying to make a comeback. 
 
&quot;When I used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, I used to feel like a raped woman. I couldn`t walk straight,&quot; 50-year-old Khan said in an interview with local news site Spotboye.com published on Monday.&nbsp; 
 
In the same interview, Khan said he had been able to quit every &quot;vice&quot; except women, saying that he had given up cigarettes, coffee and alcohol, but not female company.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;There`s nothing left to quit anymore,&quot; he told the site. 
 
Social media users slammed the actor&#39;s comments. 
 
&quot;If you are a Salman Khan fan, it&#39;s good, but if you support his pathetic statement, you are nothing but a disgusting creature,&quot; wrote Twitter user @gautamverma23.&nbsp; 
 
Shaina NC, a spokeswoman for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra state, tweeted: &quot;Rape is an exercise of power to destruct a woman&#39;s self esteem, (from what) I (know) of @BeingSalmanKhan he respects #women so he must apologise&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Khan&#39;s personal life has also been dogged by controversy. 
 
Last year he was cleared of killing a homeless man in a hit-and-run crash, and he is battling allegations he used unlicensed arms to shoot antelopes in western India.&nbsp; 
 
Bollywood films are notorious for their sexism and Khan in particular is accused of having weaker female parts in his movies. 
 
While several Indian filmmakers are breaking with stereotypes to produce women-oriented films, these are still few and far between. 
 
More recently, in April, India&#39;s sports stars reacted with dismay after Khan was appointed goodwill ambassador for the Olympic team in the Rio Games later this year. 
 
His appointment, by the Indian Olympic Association, triggered a row over whether an actor was best suited to promote athletes. 
 
Khan is one of Bollywood&#39;s biggest box-office draws, starring in more than 100 films and television shows since his first hit &quot;Maine Pyar Kiya&quot; (I Fell in Love) in the 1980s. 
 
(Reuters)

Khan made the comments in an interview to promote his latest Bollywood movie 'Sultan'

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has sparked controversy in India by saying his heavy training schedule for an upcoming film left him feeling "like a raped woman". Khan made the comments in an interview to promote his latest Bollywood movie Sultan, which tells the story of an ageing wrestler trying to make a comeback. "When I used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, I used to feel like a raped woman. I couldn`t walk straight," 50-year-old Khan said in an interview with local news site Spotboye.com published on Monday. In the same interview, Khan said he had been able to quit every "vice" except women, saying that he had given up cigarettes, coffee and alcohol, but not female company. "There`s nothing left to quit anymore," he told the site. Social media users slammed the actor's comments. "If you are a Salman Khan fan, it's good, but if you support his pathetic statement, you are nothing but a disgusting creature," wrote Twitter user @gautamverma23. Shaina NC, a spokeswoman for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra state, tweeted: "Rape is an exercise of power to destruct a woman's self esteem, (from what) I (know) of @BeingSalmanKhan he respects #women so he must apologise". Khan's personal life has also been dogged by controversy. Last year he was cleared of killing a homeless man in a hit-and-run crash, and he is battling allegations he used unlicensed arms to shoot antelopes in western India. Bollywood films are notorious for their sexism and Khan in particular is accused of having weaker female parts in his movies. While several Indian filmmakers are breaking with stereotypes to produce women-oriented films, these are still few and far between. More recently, in April, India's sports stars reacted with dismay after Khan was appointed goodwill ambassador for the Olympic team in the Rio Games later this year. His appointment, by the Indian Olympic Association, triggered a row over whether an actor was best suited to promote athletes. Khan is one of Bollywood's biggest box-office draws, starring in more than 100 films and television shows since his first hit "Maine Pyar Kiya" (I Fell in Love) in the 1980s. (Reuters)

Indian Actor Salman Khan under fire for 'raped woman' comment

Volkswagen&#39;s former boss Martin Winterkorn is under investigation for having allegedly manipulated the market by holding back information about emissions cheating at the automobile giant, German prosecutors said today. 
 
&quot;The initial suspicion of market manipulation is directed against two former board members of the VW Group. Among them is the former chief executive of the Volkswagen group, Professor Dr Martin Winterkorn,&quot; said prosecutors in a statement. 
 
Investigators in Brunswick, in Lower Saxony state where VW is based, did not name the second suspect but said the individual was not the group&#39;s current chairman. 
 
Listed companies are required to disclose information that could affect market prices immediately. 
 
But VW complied with its disclosure obligation only on September 22, 2015, prosecutors said, four days after US regulators went public that they were charging the company for fitting devices designed to skew emissions data in their vehicles. 
 
&quot;There are sufficient indications suggesting that the obligation to make a disclosure statement could have been met at an earlier date,&quot; prosecutors said. 
 
Shares in VW plunged 17.14 percent on Monday September 21, 2015 the first trading day after the US charge was made public. 
 
They sank another 19.82 percent on Tuesday, wiping out 25 billion euros in market capitalisation in two days.

Investigators in Brunswick, in Lower Saxony state where Volkswagen is based, did not name the second suspect

Volkswagen's former boss Martin Winterkorn is under investigation for having allegedly manipulated the market by holding back information about emissions cheating at the automobile giant, German prosecutors said today. "The initial suspicion of market manipulation is directed against two former board members of the VW Group. Among them is the former chief executive of the Volkswagen group, Professor Dr Martin Winterkorn," said prosecutors in a statement. Investigators in Brunswick, in Lower Saxony state where VW is based, did not name the second suspect but said the individual was not the group's current chairman. Listed companies are required to disclose information that could affect market prices immediately. But VW complied with its disclosure obligation only on September 22, 2015, prosecutors said, four days after US regulators went public that they were charging the company for fitting devices designed to skew emissions data in their vehicles. "There are sufficient indications suggesting that the obligation to make a disclosure statement could have been met at an earlier date," prosecutors said. Shares in VW plunged 17.14 percent on Monday September 21, 2015 the first trading day after the US charge was made public. They sank another 19.82 percent on Tuesday, wiping out 25 billion euros in market capitalisation in two days.

VW ex-boss probed for market manipulation: prosecutors

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