A coalition of US states unveiled on Friday an antitrust investigation of Facebook, the first of what is expected to be a wave of action against dominant technology firms.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced the action on behalf of seven other states and the District of Columbia to probe "whether Facebook has stifled competition and put users at risk."

The case may be the first in a series of antitrust actions against Big Tech firms and highlights growing "techlash," based on worries about platforms that control the flow of online information and dominate key economic sectors.

"We will use every investigative tool at our disposal to determine whether Facebook's actions may have endangered consumer data, reduced the quality of consumers' choices, or increased the price of advertising," James said.

Joining the action were attorneys general of Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee, said, James.

Earlier this year the US Justice Department said it would launch a "review" of major online platforms to determine if they have stifled innovation or reduced competition.

It was not immediately clear if the states would be working in coordination with federal officials.

'Rising fears'

Facebook offered no immediate comment, but in the past, it has claimed it is not a monopoly and that consumers have many choices for how to connect with people online.

The new probe "shows how unease with large tech companies is spreading beyond Congress and the federal government agencies to the states," said Michael Carrier, professor of antitrust law at Rutgers University.

"With each passing day, there are greater fears about these companies controlling our online lives."

Yet the legal basis for an antitrust action remains unclear, said Eric Goldman, director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University.

"It remains to be seen if the (attorneys general) has any merit to their complaints or if they will be conducting a fishing expedition hoping to find some damning evidence," Goldman said.

"Companies as large as Google or Facebook probably have minor problematic practices the AGs could target, but I'm still waiting for any evidence that would support more structural challenges to the internet giants' practices."

'More on Monday'

A separate coalition of states was set to launch another antitrust initiative, with Google reportedly a target.

The office of the Texas attorney general scheduled an event Monday in Washington with a "broad coalition of states" to unveil a probe into "whether large tech companies have engaged in anticompetitive behaviour that stifled competition, restricted access, and harmed consumers."

Google spokesman Jose Castaneda said the company's services "help people every day, create more choice for consumers, and support thousands of jobs and small businesses across the country" and pledged to "work constructively with regulators."

'What's the remedy?'

Maurice Stucke, a University of Tennessee law professor, said he expects one of the areas being investigated will be online advertising markets, which are dominated by Google and Facebook.

"This is a great area to look at because the market has been criticized as being opaque," Stucke said.

Stucke said the investigations may go further by looking at how tech platforms control data, potentially examining "the intersection between competition law and privacy."

Amazon and Apple may also be in the crosshairs. Critics have complained that Amazon wields too much power in online retail and that Apple may disadvantage rivals offering services in its app store.

In the European Union, Google has faced a series of antitrust actions and Amazon is now being targeted by enforcers.

Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has made a breakup of the big tech firms a part of her campaign platform.

But some analysts say the case against the tech firms faces challenges because the companies have in many cases provided services for free and brought prices down, making it hard to prove they harmed "consumer welfare," a longstanding judicial precedent.

Jessica Melugin of the Competitive Enterprise Institute said the state officials are stretching the limits of antitrust.

"This sort of high-profile activism may benefit state AGs' political ambitions, but impose harmful costs on consumers, businesses, and the economy," she said in a statement.

But Stucke said it would be wrong to view antitrust law as solely focused on consumer prices, and that it may be applied to questions of competition and innovation.

The probes could end up with a variety of outcomes including fines, restrictions on conduct or a breakup, Stucke maintained.

"You'd have to show how the remedy would address the concerns," he said.

A coalition of US states unveiled on Friday an antitrust investigation of Facebook, the first of what is expected to be a wave of action against dominant technology firms.

A coalition of US states unveiled on Friday an antitrust investigation of Facebook, the first of what is expected to be a wave of action against dominant technology firms. New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced the action on behalf of seven other states and the District of Columbia to probe "whether Facebook has stifled competition and put users at risk." The case may be the first in a series of antitrust actions against Big Tech firms and highlights growing "techlash," based on worries about platforms that control the flow of online information and dominate key economic sectors. "We will use every investigative tool at our disposal to determine whether Facebook's actions may have endangered consumer data, reduced the quality of consumers' choices, or increased the price of advertising," James said. Joining the action were attorneys general of Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee, said, James. Earlier this year the US Justice Department said it would launch a "review" of major online platforms to determine if they have stifled innovation or reduced competition. It was not immediately clear if the states would be working in coordination with federal officials. 'Rising fears' Facebook offered no immediate comment, but in the past, it has claimed it is not a monopoly and that consumers have many choices for how to connect with people online. The new probe "shows how unease with large tech companies is spreading beyond Congress and the federal government agencies to the states," said Michael Carrier, professor of antitrust law at Rutgers University. "With each passing day, there are greater fears about these companies controlling our online lives." Yet the legal basis for an antitrust action remains unclear, said Eric Goldman, director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University. "It remains to be seen if the (attorneys general) has any merit to their complaints or if they will be conducting a fishing expedition hoping to find some damning evidence," Goldman said. "Companies as large as Google or Facebook probably have minor problematic practices the AGs could target, but I'm still waiting for any evidence that would support more structural challenges to the internet giants' practices." 'More on Monday' A separate coalition of states was set to launch another antitrust initiative, with Google reportedly a target. The office of the Texas attorney general scheduled an event Monday in Washington with a "broad coalition of states" to unveil a probe into "whether large tech companies have engaged in anticompetitive behaviour that stifled competition, restricted access, and harmed consumers." Google spokesman Jose Castaneda said the company's services "help people every day, create more choice for consumers, and support thousands of jobs and small businesses across the country" and pledged to "work constructively with regulators." 'What's the remedy?' Maurice Stucke, a University of Tennessee law professor, said he expects one of the areas being investigated will be online advertising markets, which are dominated by Google and Facebook. "This is a great area to look at because the market has been criticized as being opaque," Stucke said. Stucke said the investigations may go further by looking at how tech platforms control data, potentially examining "the intersection between competition law and privacy." Amazon and Apple may also be in the crosshairs. Critics have complained that Amazon wields too much power in online retail and that Apple may disadvantage rivals offering services in its app store. In the European Union, Google has faced a series of antitrust actions and Amazon is now being targeted by enforcers. Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has made a breakup of the big tech firms a part of her campaign platform. But some analysts say the case against the tech firms faces challenges because the companies have in many cases provided services for free and brought prices down, making it hard to prove they harmed "consumer welfare," a longstanding judicial precedent. Jessica Melugin of the Competitive Enterprise Institute said the state officials are stretching the limits of antitrust. "This sort of high-profile activism may benefit state AGs' political ambitions, but impose harmful costs on consumers, businesses, and the economy," she said in a statement. But Stucke said it would be wrong to view antitrust law as solely focused on consumer prices, and that it may be applied to questions of competition and innovation. The probes could end up with a variety of outcomes including fines, restrictions on conduct or a breakup, Stucke maintained. "You'd have to show how the remedy would address the concerns," he said.

Antitrust probe of Facebook may be first step against Big Tech

A rescue worker was killed and 10 others were injured after twin IED blasts rocked Quetta`s Khezai Chowk area on Thursday evening, police said.

The first explosion occurred at a transport company office in the area. Later, the second blast took place when rescue workers and journalists gathered at the site, The Dawn reported.

The number of casualties was confirmed by Liaqat Shahwani, the spokesperson for the Balochistan provincial government.

Six policemen, a TV reporter, and a cameraman were among the wounded, said Shahwani.

The injured were rushed to various hospitals in Quetta for treatment. Police have launched an investigation into the incident.&nbsp;

A rescue worker was killed and 10 others were injured after twin IED blasts rocked Quetta`s Khezai Chowk area on Thursday evening, police said. The first explosion occurred at a transport company office in the area.

A rescue worker was killed and 10 others were injured after twin IED blasts rocked Quetta`s Khezai Chowk area on Thursday evening, police said. The first explosion occurred at a transport company office in the area. Later, the second blast took place when rescue workers and journalists gathered at the site, The Dawn reported. The number of casualties was confirmed by Liaqat Shahwani, the spokesperson for the Balochistan provincial government. Six policemen, a TV reporter, and a cameraman were among the wounded, said Shahwani. The injured were rushed to various hospitals in Quetta for treatment. Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

Pakistan: Rescue worker killed, 10 injured in Quetta blasts

A small plane carrying three people crashed into a house in New York, said<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-regulator-cites-new-flaw-on-grounded-boeing-737-max-230998"> US Federal Aviation Administration</a> (FAA).

The plane crashed into the house located in the state's Dutchess County on Saturday at 4:29 pm&nbsp;(20:29 GMT), Sputnik reported citing local media reports Details regarding the passengers are still unknown, the FAA said.

The FAA said it will initiate an investigation into what caused the crash.

A small plane carrying three people crashed into a house in New York, said US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The plane crashed into the house located in the state's Dutchess County on Saturday at 4:29 pm (20:29 GMT), Sputnik reported citing local media reports Details regarding the passengers are still unknown, the FAA said.

A small plane carrying three people crashed into a house in New York, said US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The plane crashed into the house located in the state's Dutchess County on Saturday at 4:29 pm (20:29 GMT), Sputnik reported citing local media reports Details regarding the passengers are still unknown, the FAA said. The FAA said it will initiate an investigation into what caused the crash.

Small plane with 3 on board crashes into a house in New York

New York City's chief medical examiner determined on Friday that&nbsp;suicide&nbsp;by&nbsp;hanging&nbsp;was the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/serious-irregularities-at-prison-where-epstein-died-us-attorney-general-242548">cause of&nbsp;death&nbsp;for financier Jeffrey&nbsp;Epstein</a>, whose body was found six days ago in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

The sparely worded&nbsp;official&nbsp;announcement detailing the&nbsp;autopsy&nbsp;conclusions rebutted a host of conspiracy theories - including one promoted by President Donald Trump - that had circulated on social media about the&nbsp;death&nbsp;of the well-connected former money manager.

Epstein's lawyers said they were "not satisfied" with the medical examiner's conclusions and planned to carry out their investigation, seeking prison videos taken around the time of his&nbsp;death.

Epstein, 66, was found unresponsive on Saturday in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC), triggering investigations into the circumstances of his&nbsp;death.&nbsp;

He was arrested on July 6 and pleaded not guilty to federal charges of sex trafficking involving dozens of underage girls as young as 14.

Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson said her determination of the cause of&nbsp;death&nbsp;came after a "careful review of all investigative information, including complete&nbsp;autopsy findings."

"Cause:&nbsp;Hanging. Manner:&nbsp;Suicide," the statement said, without providing supporting details for Sampson's findings.

Details of the findings had been leaking into the news media over the past few days.

Two law enforcement sources told Reuters on Thursday that&nbsp;Epstein's neck had been broken in several places, confirming a Washington Post report that to some had raised questions about possible foul play.

Epstein, a registered sex offender who once counted Trump and former President Bill Clinton as friends, pleaded guilty in 2008 to Florida state charges of unlawfully paying a teenage girl for sex.

Epstein&nbsp;had been on&nbsp;suicide&nbsp;watch at the jail but was taken off before his&nbsp;death, a source who was not authorized to speak on the matter said previously.&nbsp;

At the MCC, two jail guards are required to make separate checks on all prisoners every 30 minutes, but that procedure was not followed, the source added.

"It is indisputable that the authorities violated their protocols,"&nbsp;Epstein's lawyers Martin Weinberg, Reid Weingarten, and Michael Miller said in a statement, describing conditions in the area he was held as, "harsh, even medieval."

US Attorney General William Barr has criticized "serious irregularities" at the facility.

New York City's chief medical examiner determined on Friday that suicide by hanging was the cause of death for financier Jeffrey Epstein, whose body was found six days ago in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

New York City's chief medical examiner determined on Friday that suicide by hanging was the cause of death for financier Jeffrey Epstein, whose body was found six days ago in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The sparely worded official announcement detailing the autopsy conclusions rebutted a host of conspiracy theories - including one promoted by President Donald Trump - that had circulated on social media about the death of the well-connected former money manager. Epstein's lawyers said they were "not satisfied" with the medical examiner's conclusions and planned to carry out their investigation, seeking prison videos taken around the time of his death. Epstein, 66, was found unresponsive on Saturday in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC), triggering investigations into the circumstances of his death. He was arrested on July 6 and pleaded not guilty to federal charges of sex trafficking involving dozens of underage girls as young as 14. Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson said her determination of the cause of death came after a "careful review of all investigative information, including complete autopsy findings." "Cause: Hanging. Manner: Suicide," the statement said, without providing supporting details for Sampson's findings. Details of the findings had been leaking into the news media over the past few days. Two law enforcement sources told Reuters on Thursday that Epstein's neck had been broken in several places, confirming a Washington Post report that to some had raised questions about possible foul play. Epstein, a registered sex offender who once counted Trump and former President Bill Clinton as friends, pleaded guilty in 2008 to Florida state charges of unlawfully paying a teenage girl for sex. Epstein had been on suicide watch at the jail but was taken off before his death, a source who was not authorized to speak on the matter said previously. At the MCC, two jail guards are required to make separate checks on all prisoners every 30 minutes, but that procedure was not followed, the source added. "It is indisputable that the authorities violated their protocols," Epstein's lawyers Martin Weinberg, Reid Weingarten, and Michael Miller said in a statement, describing conditions in the area he was held as, "harsh, even medieval." US Attorney General William Barr has criticized "serious irregularities" at the facility.

The official autopsy concludes Epstein death was suicide by hanging

More than 800 firefighters battled a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-1000-firefighters-battle-portugal-wildfires-237372">wildfire sweeping across central Portugal</a> on Sunday, after bringing under control two other blazes which left 20 people injured and prompted authorities to partially evacuate a village.

In a statement released on Sunday afternoon, police said a 55-year-old man was detained on suspicion of starting a blaze in the Portuguese district of Castelo Branco, where the wildfires started on Saturday before spreading to nearby Santarem.&nbsp;

"The suspect`s actions put people`s lives, houses and the forest at risk," the police said, without explicitly saying the detained man was responsible for the ongoing wildfire.&nbsp;

Internal administration minister Eduardo Cabrita said police had opened an investigation into the fires, adding that local authorities considered it unusual that all the blazes had started in a narrow time frame between 1430 and 1530 local time (1330-1430 GMT) on Saturday in the same area.

Strong winds and high temperatures were making it harder for firefighters to put out the remaining wildfire, although they have been able to control 85% of the flames in Vila de Rei, a municipality in Castelo Branco, 225 kilometres (139 miles) northeast of the capital Lisbon.&nbsp;

"(It will be) an afternoon of intense work," Belo Costa, a Civil Protection official, told reporters.&nbsp;

Thirteen airplanes and 243 firefighting vehicles on the ground are battling the blazes, along with 20 soldiers and four bulldozers.

Twelve civilians and eight firefighters were injured in Saturday`s fires, Cabrita said. One is in a serious condition and remains hospitalised with first and second-degree burns.

Castelo Branco remains under a yellow risk alert with temperatures expected to reach 31 degrees Celsius on Sunday, according to the national meteorological agency.&nbsp;

Ricardo Aires, the mayor of Vila de Rei, one of the affected municipalities, told Portugal`s public broadcaster RTP that there weren`t enough firefighters or resources.&nbsp;

Portuguese president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, said in a statement that he was following the situation closely and sent solidarity to those affected. 
&nbsp; 
In June 2017, a devastating wildfire in the central town of Pedrogao Grande killed 64 people and injured more than 250. The fire was the worst disaster in modern Portuguese history.

More than 800 firefighters battled a wildfire sweeping across central Portugal on Sunday, after bringing under control two other blazes which left 20 people injured and prompted authorities to partially evacuate a village.

More than 800 firefighters battled a wildfire sweeping across central Portugal on Sunday, after bringing under control two other blazes which left 20 people injured and prompted authorities to partially evacuate a village. In a statement released on Sunday afternoon, police said a 55-year-old man was detained on suspicion of starting a blaze in the Portuguese district of Castelo Branco, where the wildfires started on Saturday before spreading to nearby Santarem. "The suspect`s actions put people`s lives, houses and the forest at risk," the police said, without explicitly saying the detained man was responsible for the ongoing wildfire. Internal administration minister Eduardo Cabrita said police had opened an investigation into the fires, adding that local authorities considered it unusual that all the blazes had started in a narrow time frame between 1430 and 1530 local time (1330-1430 GMT) on Saturday in the same area. Strong winds and high temperatures were making it harder for firefighters to put out the remaining wildfire, although they have been able to control 85% of the flames in Vila de Rei, a municipality in Castelo Branco, 225 kilometres (139 miles) northeast of the capital Lisbon. "(It will be) an afternoon of intense work," Belo Costa, a Civil Protection official, told reporters. Thirteen airplanes and 243 firefighting vehicles on the ground are battling the blazes, along with 20 soldiers and four bulldozers. Twelve civilians and eight firefighters were injured in Saturday`s fires, Cabrita said. One is in a serious condition and remains hospitalised with first and second-degree burns. Castelo Branco remains under a yellow risk alert with temperatures expected to reach 31 degrees Celsius on Sunday, according to the national meteorological agency. Ricardo Aires, the mayor of Vila de Rei, one of the affected municipalities, told Portugal`s public broadcaster RTP that there weren`t enough firefighters or resources. Portuguese president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, said in a statement that he was following the situation closely and sent solidarity to those affected. In June 2017, a devastating wildfire in the central town of Pedrogao Grande killed 64 people and injured more than 250. The fire was the worst disaster in modern Portuguese history.

Police launch investigation as wildfire sweeps central Portugal

Investigations Hint At The Growing Presence Of ISIS In India.

Gravitas: Has ISIS Set Up A Camp In India?

Cleared by Mueller, Trump still faces some ongoing investigations & lawsuits

Minister for Arts and Culture Govind Gaude has ordered an inquiry into alleged purification rituals held at Kala Academy, where <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/india-bids-farewell-to-goa-chief-minister-manohar-parrikar-204123">late Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar</a>'s body was kept for public homage.

"I have taken a strong note of some activities carried out in the Kala Academy premises as rituals today. I have ordered an inquiry into it. We cannot promote or patronise unscientific activities inside government buildings," Gaude said in a Facebook post.

Parrikar, a senior BJP leader, died on March 17 evening after a prolonged battle against cancer at the age of 63.

A day after his death, Parrikar's mortal remains were kept at the Kala Academy in Panaji for public to pay their last respects before his last rites.

Minister for Arts and Culture Govind Gaude has ordered an inquiry into alleged purification rituals held at Kala Academy, where late Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar's body was kept for public homage.

Minister for Arts and Culture Govind Gaude has ordered an inquiry into alleged purification rituals held at Kala Academy, where late Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar's body was kept for public homage. "I have taken a strong note of some activities carried out in the Kala Academy premises as rituals today. I have ordered an inquiry into it. We cannot promote or patronise unscientific activities inside government buildings," Gaude said in a Facebook post. Parrikar, a senior BJP leader, died on March 17 evening after a prolonged battle against cancer at the age of 63. A day after his death, Parrikar's mortal remains were kept at the Kala Academy in Panaji for public to pay their last respects before his last rites.

Parrikar death: Goa minister orders probe into 'purification' ritual performed at Kala Academy

During her days in opposition, Mamata Banerjee had accused an IPS officer of tapping the phones of political rivals of the ruling Left Front. A decade down the line, she&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mamata-banerjee-calls-off-her-dharna-says-will-take-up-issue-next-week-in-delhi-195408">staged a dharna to protest the CBI's bid to question him</a>.

Meet Rajeev Kumar, the Kolkata police commissioner, known for his impeccable investigating and electronic surveillance skills, who was once a blue-eyed boy of former West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya.

Banerjee had then accused Kumar of snooping on telephonic conversations of opposition leaders, an allegation rejected by the then Left Front government.

An IPS officer of the 1989 batch, 53-year-old Kumar, who holds an engineering degree in computer science from IIT Roorkee, is a native of Uttar Pradesh.

During his impressive career, Kumar has held important positions including those of Joint Commissioner (Special Task Force) and Director General (CID).

It was under&nbsp;his manship that the STF of Kolkata Police became a byword for terror for several top Maoists leaders and notorious criminals.

He was instrumental in the arrest of Chattaradhar Mahato, the much-feared convenor of People's Committee Against Police Atrocities, a frontal organisation of CPI (Maoist), at the height of Lalgarh movement. Kumar's officers disguised as the journalist had arrested Mahato.

The tribals of Lalgarh, backed by Maoists, had begun a movement in the region against alleged police atrocities over a decade-and-half ago.

They had targeted the then chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's convoy at Salboni in Paschim Medinipur, prompting the government to launch a massive crackdown to flush out the rebels.

Former Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar, in his book 'Dial D for Don', reminisced how Rajeev Kumar, then SSP (CID), did extensive work after the American Center attack in 2001 and the high-profile kidnapping case of Khadim shoe company's CEO Partha Pratim Roy Burman.&nbsp;

The former Delhi police boss was full of praise for Kumar.

Former IPS officers say Kumar always stood by his subordinates.

"He always stood by his men and officers. He is a team leader in the true sense," a former IPS officer said, adding he enjoys "immense respect" among the rank and file of the Kolkata police force.

In 2011, when Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress came to power ending the 34-year Left Front rule, she wanted Kumar to be moved to some insignificant position.

She was, however, dissuaded by senior police officers from taking such a course.

Over the next eight years, a lot of water has flown down the Howrah bridge.

In January 2012, when Bidhannagar Police Commissionarate was formed, Rajeev Kumar was appointed its first commissioner.

When the Saradha chit fund scam was busted in 2013, thousands of collection agents for the company converged at the TMC headquarters and demanded action against its chairman Sudipta Sen.&nbsp;

The first cases against the group were lodged under the jurisdiction of Bidhannagar police commissioner.

Kumar and his team arrested Sen and his partner in crime Debjani Mukherjee from Jammu and Kashmir on April 18, 2013.

The state government formed a special investigation team (SIT) under him to probe the fraud which saw lakhs of depositors getting duped of their hard earned money with the promise of abnormally high returns.

It was during his stint as SIT chief that he grew closer to the ruling dispensation.

His proximity to the establishment also brought with it criticism, as opposition parties accused the SIT of trying to destroy evidence against ruling TMC leaders and stalling the probe.

In November 2013, rebel TMC MP Kunal Ghosh was arrested by the SIT.

A CBI probe into the chit fund scam was ordered by the Supreme Court in May 2014 on a petition by senior Congress leader Abdul Mannan.

Meanwhile, the TMC dispensation elevated him as Additional Director General of CID.

During his tenure as ADG (CID), he outsmarted the CBI and arrested the first accused in the case of rape of a 70-year-old nun.&nbsp;

The nun was raped by a gang of seven dacoits inside a Convent in Nadia district on March 14, 2015.

Amid growing outrage, the state government had decided to hand over the case to the CBI on March 18, 2015.

But before the federal probe agency could lay its hands on the perpetrators, Kumar arrested the first accused on March 26.

He took over as 21st police commissioner of Kolkata on February 2016, the year the state had its last assembly polls.

A month later, two officers of Kolkata police, disguised as cow smugglers, tried to bribe BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha to help them in their trade.

The incident happened just a fortnight after Narada news released sting videos showing Trinamool Congress leaders purportedly accepting money from a fictitious company.

In April that year, the Election Commission decided to replace Kumar with Somen Mitra.

Once back in power, Mamata Banerjee reinstated Kumar.

Last September, a series of audio clips of purported telephone conversations between Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP general secretary in charge of West Bengal, and Mukul Roy, a former confidante of Banerjee and now a frontline leader of the saffron party, started doing the rounds in social media.

The clips included a conversation where Roy purportedly asked Vijayvargiya to talk to BJP president Amit Shah and get CBI to keep a "watch" on four IPS officers serving in the state so as to "scare" them.

Roy had then alleged that their phones were tapped by Kolkata police, which rejected the allegations.

During her days in opposition, Mamata Banerjee had accused an IPS officer of tapping the phones of political rivals of the ruling Left Front. A decade down the line, she staged a dharna to protest the CBI's bid to question him.

During her days in opposition, Mamata Banerjee had accused an IPS officer of tapping the phones of political rivals of the ruling Left Front. A decade down the line, she staged a dharna to protest the CBI's bid to question him. Meet Rajeev Kumar, the Kolkata police commissioner, known for his impeccable investigating and electronic surveillance skills, who was once a blue-eyed boy of former West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya. Banerjee had then accused Kumar of snooping on telephonic conversations of opposition leaders, an allegation rejected by the then Left Front government. An IPS officer of the 1989 batch, 53-year-old Kumar, who holds an engineering degree in computer science from IIT Roorkee, is a native of Uttar Pradesh. During his impressive career, Kumar has held important positions including those of Joint Commissioner (Special Task Force) and Director General (CID). It was under his manship that the STF of Kolkata Police became a byword for terror for several top Maoists leaders and notorious criminals. He was instrumental in the arrest of Chattaradhar Mahato, the much-feared convenor of People's Committee Against Police Atrocities, a frontal organisation of CPI (Maoist), at the height of Lalgarh movement. Kumar's officers disguised as the journalist had arrested Mahato. The tribals of Lalgarh, backed by Maoists, had begun a movement in the region against alleged police atrocities over a decade-and-half ago. They had targeted the then chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's convoy at Salboni in Paschim Medinipur, prompting the government to launch a massive crackdown to flush out the rebels. Former Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar, in his book 'Dial D for Don', reminisced how Rajeev Kumar, then SSP (CID), did extensive work after the American Center attack in 2001 and the high-profile kidnapping case of Khadim shoe company's CEO Partha Pratim Roy Burman. The former Delhi police boss was full of praise for Kumar. Former IPS officers say Kumar always stood by his subordinates. "He always stood by his men and officers. He is a team leader in the true sense," a former IPS officer said, adding he enjoys "immense respect" among the rank and file of the Kolkata police force. In 2011, when Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress came to power ending the 34-year Left Front rule, she wanted Kumar to be moved to some insignificant position. She was, however, dissuaded by senior police officers from taking such a course. Over the next eight years, a lot of water has flown down the Howrah bridge. In January 2012, when Bidhannagar Police Commissionarate was formed, Rajeev Kumar was appointed its first commissioner. When the Saradha chit fund scam was busted in 2013, thousands of collection agents for the company converged at the TMC headquarters and demanded action against its chairman Sudipta Sen. The first cases against the group were lodged under the jurisdiction of Bidhannagar police commissioner. Kumar and his team arrested Sen and his partner in crime Debjani Mukherjee from Jammu and Kashmir on April 18, 2013. The state government formed a special investigation team (SIT) under him to probe the fraud which saw lakhs of depositors getting duped of their hard earned money with the promise of abnormally high returns. It was during his stint as SIT chief that he grew closer to the ruling dispensation. His proximity to the establishment also brought with it criticism, as opposition parties accused the SIT of trying to destroy evidence against ruling TMC leaders and stalling the probe. In November 2013, rebel TMC MP Kunal Ghosh was arrested by the SIT. A CBI probe into the chit fund scam was ordered by the Supreme Court in May 2014 on a petition by senior Congress leader Abdul Mannan. Meanwhile, the TMC dispensation elevated him as Additional Director General of CID. During his tenure as ADG (CID), he outsmarted the CBI and arrested the first accused in the case of rape of a 70-year-old nun. The nun was raped by a gang of seven dacoits inside a Convent in Nadia district on March 14, 2015. Amid growing outrage, the state government had decided to hand over the case to the CBI on March 18, 2015. But before the federal probe agency could lay its hands on the perpetrators, Kumar arrested the first accused on March 26. He took over as 21st police commissioner of Kolkata on February 2016, the year the state had its last assembly polls. A month later, two officers of Kolkata police, disguised as cow smugglers, tried to bribe BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha to help them in their trade. The incident happened just a fortnight after Narada news released sting videos showing Trinamool Congress leaders purportedly accepting money from a fictitious company. In April that year, the Election Commission decided to replace Kumar with Somen Mitra. Once back in power, Mamata Banerjee reinstated Kumar. Last September, a series of audio clips of purported telephone conversations between Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP general secretary in charge of West Bengal, and Mukul Roy, a former confidante of Banerjee and now a frontline leader of the saffron party, started doing the rounds in social media. The clips included a conversation where Roy purportedly asked Vijayvargiya to talk to BJP president Amit Shah and get CBI to keep a "watch" on four IPS officers serving in the state so as to "scare" them. Roy had then alleged that their phones were tapped by Kolkata police, which rejected the allegations.

Rajeev Kumar: Kolkata Police chief who was once close to being moved to insignificant post by Mamata Banerjee

Authorities in Pakistan's Baluchistan province said on Sunday they had launched an investigation into the death of a regional leader of a Pakistani civil rights group, who died in what his movement called a "targeted attack" by police at a sit-in.

Arman Loni died on Saturday after police tried to break up a four-day demonstration in the city of Loralai by the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), which stages demonstrations nationwide against violence and disappearances carried out by the state.

A police spokesman said Loni had died of a heart attack following clashes between protesters and police. But Mohsin Dawar, a member of parliament and founding member of PTM, said the police had singled Loni out and deliberately beat him to death because of his role as a leader of the group.

"It was a targeted attack on him by police, I think his neck was broken and this was confirmed in the postmortem," Dawar told Reuters, adding that he was killed for his "association with PTM".

The group, which was founded a year ago to protest against the death of a Pashtun man killed by police in the southern port of Karachi, regularly draws thousands of protesters to its demonstrations against state violence. It has called nationwide protests for Tuesday to highlight the killing of Loni.

The Baluchistan chief minister has ordered an inquiry into the killing. Both the Baluchistan home minister and information minister said they had no knowledge of how he died.

PTM blames the Pakistani military and other state organs for what it says are forced disappearances resulting in thousands of unresolved missing person cases, primarily from the ethnic Pashtun region bordering Afghanistan.

Dawar and fellow lawmaker Ali Wazir, both PTM founders who were elected to parliament in July, were initially barred from entering Baluchistan by security officials and had to use "alternate routes" to make it to Loni's funeral, Dawar said.

A notification from the provincial home department reviewed by Reuters said Dawar and Wazir were barred from entering the province for 90 days in "the best interest of peace and security".

Provincial Home Minister Agha Umer Bangulzai confirmed that PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen had been barred from the province but said he knew nothing about movement restrictions on the two lawmakers Dawar and Wazir.

Last month Alamzeb Mehsud, another senior PTM leader, was arrested in Karachi, causing a social media outcry. He has been charged under anti-terrorism and public order laws. Supporters say he has been targeted for protesting against abuses by the military.

Authorities in Pakistan's Baluchistan province said on Sunday they had launched an investigation into the death of a regional leader of a Pakistani civil rights group, who died in what his movement called a "targeted attack" by police at a sit-in.

Authorities in Pakistan's Baluchistan province said on Sunday they had launched an investigation into the death of a regional leader of a Pakistani civil rights group, who died in what his movement called a "targeted attack" by police at a sit-in. Arman Loni died on Saturday after police tried to break up a four-day demonstration in the city of Loralai by the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), which stages demonstrations nationwide against violence and disappearances carried out by the state. A police spokesman said Loni had died of a heart attack following clashes between protesters and police. But Mohsin Dawar, a member of parliament and founding member of PTM, said the police had singled Loni out and deliberately beat him to death because of his role as a leader of the group. "It was a targeted attack on him by police, I think his neck was broken and this was confirmed in the postmortem," Dawar told Reuters, adding that he was killed for his "association with PTM". The group, which was founded a year ago to protest against the death of a Pashtun man killed by police in the southern port of Karachi, regularly draws thousands of protesters to its demonstrations against state violence. It has called nationwide protests for Tuesday to highlight the killing of Loni. The Baluchistan chief minister has ordered an inquiry into the killing. Both the Baluchistan home minister and information minister said they had no knowledge of how he died. PTM blames the Pakistani military and other state organs for what it says are forced disappearances resulting in thousands of unresolved missing person cases, primarily from the ethnic Pashtun region bordering Afghanistan. Dawar and fellow lawmaker Ali Wazir, both PTM founders who were elected to parliament in July, were initially barred from entering Baluchistan by security officials and had to use "alternate routes" to make it to Loni's funeral, Dawar said. A notification from the provincial home department reviewed by Reuters said Dawar and Wazir were barred from entering the province for 90 days in "the best interest of peace and security". Provincial Home Minister Agha Umer Bangulzai confirmed that PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen had been barred from the province but said he knew nothing about movement restrictions on the two lawmakers Dawar and Wazir. Last month Alamzeb Mehsud, another senior PTM leader, was arrested in Karachi, causing a social media outcry. He has been charged under anti-terrorism and public order laws. Supporters say he has been targeted for protesting against abuses by the military.

Prominent human rights leader killed by police in Pakistan: Civil rights group

Chinese drone-maker DJI has placed 45 employees under investigation for alleged fraud that could cost the company more than one billion yuan ($150 million) in losses, the firm said Monday.

The world's top civilian drone maker said in an internal memo that most of the employees involved in the fraud worked in the supply chain, and 29 were fired while 16 were reported to the police.

The case is expected to involve more than 100 people and many people will be facing a sentence in jail, according to Friday's memo, whose authenticity was confirmed by a company spokeswoman on Monday.

The initial investigation is just "the tip of the iceberg," the spokeswoman told AFP.

The memo said the employees fraudulently inflated the prices of parts for personal financial gains.

The staffers received kickbacks from suppliers that charged double or triple the price to sell parts to DJI, the memo said.

A company spokeswoman said DJI has established a special anti-corruption group to conduct in-depth investigations.

"DJI will not tolerate corruption because of the rapid development and will not stop its development because of corruption," she told AFP.

The company has become the latest in a string of Chinese tech firms dealing with internal misdeeds in recent months.

China's dominant ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing uncovered more than 60 cases of corruption within the company last year.

Yang Weidong, former president of Alibaba's video-streaming platform Youku, stepped down and was put under investigation in December on suspicion of accepting improper payments, according to Chinese media.

Chinese drone-maker DJI has placed 45 employees under investigation for alleged fraud that could cost the company more than one billion yuan ($150 million) in losses, the firm said Monday.

Chinese drone-maker DJI has placed 45 employees under investigation for alleged fraud that could cost the company more than one billion yuan ($150 million) in losses, the firm said Monday. The world's top civilian drone maker said in an internal memo that most of the employees involved in the fraud worked in the supply chain, and 29 were fired while 16 were reported to the police. The case is expected to involve more than 100 people and many people will be facing a sentence in jail, according to Friday's memo, whose authenticity was confirmed by a company spokeswoman on Monday. The initial investigation is just "the tip of the iceberg," the spokeswoman told AFP. The memo said the employees fraudulently inflated the prices of parts for personal financial gains. The staffers received kickbacks from suppliers that charged double or triple the price to sell parts to DJI, the memo said. A company spokeswoman said DJI has established a special anti-corruption group to conduct in-depth investigations. "DJI will not tolerate corruption because of the rapid development and will not stop its development because of corruption," she told AFP. The company has become the latest in a string of Chinese tech firms dealing with internal misdeeds in recent months. China's dominant ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing uncovered more than 60 cases of corruption within the company last year. Yang Weidong, former president of Alibaba's video-streaming platform Youku, stepped down and was put under investigation in December on suspicion of accepting improper payments, according to Chinese media.

Staff fraud may cost China's DJI drone maker $150 million

Three people were injured, one of them seriously, when a country-made bomb exploded near Kuttiyadi police station limits, police said Tuesday.

The explosion occurred at around 12 last night at the compound of one Abdulla Musaliyar and his son, Sali, was among the injured, they said.

A country-made bomb has been recovered from the blast site, they added.

Police were informed about the incident this morning.

A case has been registered and the investigation has begun.

Further details are awaited.

The explosion occurred at around 12 last night at the compound of Abdulla Musaliyar and his son, police said.

Three people were injured, one of them seriously, when a country-made bomb exploded near Kuttiyadi police station limits, police said Tuesday. The explosion occurred at around 12 last night at the compound of one Abdulla Musaliyar and his son, Sali, was among the injured, they said. A country-made bomb has been recovered from the blast site, they added. Police were informed about the incident this morning. A case has been registered and the investigation has begun. Further details are awaited.

Three injured as country bomb explodes in Kerala

The West Bengal Police has filed a charge sheet against three persons in connection with the brutal gangrape of a woman in Jalpaiguri district, five days after the incident on October 20, a police officer said Friday.

The 35-year-old woman was raped and an iron rod inserted in her private parts brought back memories of the ghastly Nirbhaya rape case of 2012.

Police filed a charge sheet against the three accused Thursday, the police officer said.

The accused have been charge-sheeted under Sections 376D (gangrape), 326 (causing grievous injury) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

Under Section 326 the minimum punishment is 10 years and under Section 376 D it is 20 years. The maximum punishment under both these provisions is life term. Under Section 307 the maximum punishment is 10 years.

While we have arrested two persons, one is still absconding, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Jalpaiguri Mitava Maity said.

The incident had taken place near the victim's home at Niranjan Pat locality of Jalpaiguri district.

The prime accused, a relative of the woman, had called her out of her home on the pretext of resolving a land dispute, the SP had earlier said.

He then allegedly raped her and tortured her by inserting an iron rod in her private parts, the SP had said.

Two other persons accompanied the accused, but they did not rape or torture her, the SP had said after he had spoken to the woman, following her operation, at the hospital.

The accused relative and another person who allegedly helped him in the crime were arrested, but the third accused has been absconding.

The tribal woman's husband, a labourer, was away from home during the incident. The woman has three children.

A rickshaw-puller had found her and took her home. She was taken to Dhupguri hospital on October 21 morning and shifted to Jalpaiguri Sadar Hospital.

Doctors operated on her at the Sadar Hospital here on that night and the woman was kept in the intensive care unit.

She was administered blood as she had been bleeding profusely.

"She is in a serious condition but is stable," doctors treating her had said Wednesday.

She was shifted to the critical care unit (CCU) from the ICU on Thursday and doctors at the hospital said that her condition was stable, they said on Friday.&nbsp;

The West Bengal Police has filed a charge sheet against three persons in connection with the brutal gangrape of a woman in Jalpaiguri district, five days after the incident on October 20, a police officer said Friday.

The West Bengal Police has filed a charge sheet against three persons in connection with the brutal gangrape of a woman in Jalpaiguri district, five days after the incident on October 20, a police officer said Friday. The 35-year-old woman was raped and an iron rod inserted in her private parts brought back memories of the ghastly Nirbhaya rape case of 2012. Police filed a charge sheet against the three accused Thursday, the police officer said. The accused have been charge-sheeted under Sections 376D (gangrape), 326 (causing grievous injury) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code. Under Section 326 the minimum punishment is 10 years and under Section 376 D it is 20 years. The maximum punishment under both these provisions is life term. Under Section 307 the maximum punishment is 10 years. While we have arrested two persons, one is still absconding, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Jalpaiguri Mitava Maity said. The incident had taken place near the victim's home at Niranjan Pat locality of Jalpaiguri district. The prime accused, a relative of the woman, had called her out of her home on the pretext of resolving a land dispute, the SP had earlier said. He then allegedly raped her and tortured her by inserting an iron rod in her private parts, the SP had said. Two other persons accompanied the accused, but they did not rape or torture her, the SP had said after he had spoken to the woman, following her operation, at the hospital. The accused relative and another person who allegedly helped him in the crime were arrested, but the third accused has been absconding. The tribal woman's husband, a labourer, was away from home during the incident. The woman has three children. A rickshaw-puller had found her and took her home. She was taken to Dhupguri hospital on October 21 morning and shifted to Jalpaiguri Sadar Hospital. Doctors operated on her at the Sadar Hospital here on that night and the woman was kept in the intensive care unit. She was administered blood as she had been bleeding profusely. "She is in a serious condition but is stable," doctors treating her had said Wednesday. She was shifted to the critical care unit (CCU) from the ICU on Thursday and doctors at the hospital said that her condition was stable, they said on Friday.

Police files charge sheet against three in Bengal gangrape case

British police are investigating after footage of a man shouting racist abuse at an elderly black woman on a Ryanair flight went viral over the weekend, with the airline facing criticism over how it dealt with the incident.

The unidentified man insulted her after complaining that she had inconvenienced him as he tried to reach his seat aboard.

"Don't talk to me in a fucking foreign language you stupid ugly cow," the man tells the woman before a man in the row behind asks him to stop.

"I will carry on as long as I can with this ugly black bastard," he retorts.

Ryanair said that they were aware of the matter and had reported it to the police. The airline's chief financial officer declined to comment on the story.

"Essex Police takes prejudice-based crime seriously and we want all incidents to be reported. We are working closely with Ryanair and the Spanish authorities on the investigation," the police said in a statement.

The video was taken by another passenger while the plane was waiting to take off from Barcelona to London Stansted airport on Friday.

After the argument, the woman was eventually moved from her seat. A flight attendant appears to tell the man he will discuss the incident with his supervisor, but the passenger is left in his place.

"I've seen airlines ground to a halt, and police called, and passengers escorted off of planes for less," David Lawrence, who recorded the video, told BBC Radio.

The police investigation comes as the Irish low-cost carrier, Europe's largest, announced on Monday a 7 per cent fall in profits in the first six months of the year. Ryanair has been grappling with the impact of recent strikes, high fuel costs and intense competition.

Britain's interior minister resigned earlier this year over the treatment of some Caribbean "Windrush" migrants who were invited to Britain after World War Two but were left without documents and denied basic rights, a scandal that highlighted persistent racial inequalities in British society.

Lawrence added that the woman, who he is in touch with, was from the Windrush generation, and that the frequency of such racist abuse made people numb to it.

"If the roles had been reversed, if that was a black man abusing an elderly, disabled white woman, I know that the outcome would have been completely different," he said.

British police are investigating after footage of a man shouting racist abuse at an elderly black woman on a Ryanair flight went viral over the weekend, with the airline facing criticism over how it dealt with the incident.

British police are investigating after footage of a man shouting racist abuse at an elderly black woman on a Ryanair flight went viral over the weekend, with the airline facing criticism over how it dealt with the incident. The unidentified man insulted her after complaining that she had inconvenienced him as he tried to reach his seat aboard. "Don't talk to me in a fucking foreign language you stupid ugly cow," the man tells the woman before a man in the row behind asks him to stop. "I will carry on as long as I can with this ugly black bastard," he retorts. Ryanair said that they were aware of the matter and had reported it to the police. The airline's chief financial officer declined to comment on the story. "Essex Police takes prejudice-based crime seriously and we want all incidents to be reported. We are working closely with Ryanair and the Spanish authorities on the investigation," the police said in a statement. The video was taken by another passenger while the plane was waiting to take off from Barcelona to London Stansted airport on Friday. After the argument, the woman was eventually moved from her seat. A flight attendant appears to tell the man he will discuss the incident with his supervisor, but the passenger is left in his place. "I've seen airlines ground to a halt, and police called, and passengers escorted off of planes for less," David Lawrence, who recorded the video, told BBC Radio. The police investigation comes as the Irish low-cost carrier, Europe's largest, announced on Monday a 7 per cent fall in profits in the first six months of the year. Ryanair has been grappling with the impact of recent strikes, high fuel costs and intense competition. Britain's interior minister resigned earlier this year over the treatment of some Caribbean "Windrush" migrants who were invited to Britain after World War Two but were left without documents and denied basic rights, a scandal that highlighted persistent racial inequalities in British society. Lawrence added that the woman, who he is in touch with, was from the Windrush generation, and that the frequency of such racist abuse made people numb to it. "If the roles had been reversed, if that was a black man abusing an elderly, disabled white woman, I know that the outcome would have been completely different," he said.

Video: Ryanair passenger's racist rant prompts British police investigation

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump on Monday said he had committed no wrongdoing but has the "absolute" power to pardon himself, echoing a sweeping argument put forth by his lawyers amid the US&nbspspecial counsel's investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

In the memo to US&nbspSpecial Counsel Robert Mueller, which was sent in January and reported on by the New York Times on Saturday, Trump's lawyers argued the president could not have obstructed the investigation, given the powers granted to him by the US&nbspConstitution.

One of Trump's lawyers on Sunday also spoke of Trump's broad claim to power, saying the president probably could pardon himself but was unlikely to do so.

"As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?" Trump said in a Twitter post on Monday, reiterating his claim that the Russia investigation was a "witch hunt."

"The appointment of the Special Counsel is totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL," Trump said in another post.

Several pardons already issued by Trump also have raised questions about his use of the presidential pardon power. Last week he pardoned Dinesh D'Souza, a conservative pundit convicted of campaign finance crimes, and last year he pardoned former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, who campaigned for Trump before being convicted in a case regarding racial profiling.

Critics say Trump has undermined the rule of law with pardons based on political considerations.

The rebukes came again on Monday as several Democratic lawmakers pushed back against Trump's claim and noted that Mueller's investigation has already led to multiple indictments, including against several Trump aides who have pleaded guilty.

'YOU'RE NOT A KING'

"You can’t pardon yourself," Democratic US&nbspRepresentative Ted Deutch said in response to Trump on Twitter. "Let me remind you of something, we don’t live in a monarchy and you are not a king."

Harvard Law School constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe called Trump's position "ludicrous" and "legal fantasy."

Trump first opened the door to what he said was his "complete power to pardon" last July in a series of tweets that appeared to be in response to a report that Trump and his legal team had examined presidential powers to pardon Trump aides, family members and possibly even himself.

On a Sunday, Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani told on ABC's "This Week" program it was an "open question" as to whether the president could pardon himself but that Trump "has no intention" of doing so. Giuliani said the U.S. Constitution, which gives a president the authority to issue pardons, "doesn't say he can't."

The 20-page letter from Trump's lawyers to Mueller in January came in response to repeated requests by the special counsel's office asking to interview Trump, according to the Times.[L2N1T40CM]

Russia has denied U.S. intelligence agencies' assessment that Moscow sought to interfere with the 2016 U.S. election to boost Donald Trump's prospects of becoming president. Trump has also said there was no collusion by his campaign.

Some of Mueller's actions remain under seal but so far five people have pleaded guilty, including former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn and longtime Manafort business partner Rick Gates.

Mueller's team has also charged 13 Russians and three Russian companies as well as Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort, who has not pleaded guilty.

As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?' Trump said in a Twitter post on Monday

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump on Monday said he had committed no wrongdoing but has the "absolute" power to pardon himself, echoing a sweeping argument put forth by his lawyers amid the US&nbspspecial counsel's investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. In the memo to US&nbspSpecial Counsel Robert Mueller, which was sent in January and reported on by the New York Times on Saturday, Trump's lawyers argued the president could not have obstructed the investigation, given the powers granted to him by the US&nbspConstitution. One of Trump's lawyers on Sunday also spoke of Trump's broad claim to power, saying the president probably could pardon himself but was unlikely to do so. "As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?" Trump said in a Twitter post on Monday, reiterating his claim that the Russia investigation was a "witch hunt." "The appointment of the Special Counsel is totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL," Trump said in another post. Several pardons already issued by Trump also have raised questions about his use of the presidential pardon power. Last week he pardoned Dinesh D'Souza, a conservative pundit convicted of campaign finance crimes, and last year he pardoned former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, who campaigned for Trump before being convicted in a case regarding racial profiling. Critics say Trump has undermined the rule of law with pardons based on political considerations. The rebukes came again on Monday as several Democratic lawmakers pushed back against Trump's claim and noted that Mueller's investigation has already led to multiple indictments, including against several Trump aides who have pleaded guilty. 'YOU'RE NOT A KING' "You can’t pardon yourself," Democratic US&nbspRepresentative Ted Deutch said in response to Trump on Twitter. "Let me remind you of something, we don’t live in a monarchy and you are not a king." Harvard Law School constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe called Trump's position "ludicrous" and "legal fantasy." Trump first opened the door to what he said was his "complete power to pardon" last July in a series of tweets that appeared to be in response to a report that Trump and his legal team had examined presidential powers to pardon Trump aides, family members and possibly even himself. On a Sunday, Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani told on ABC's "This Week" program it was an "open question" as to whether the president could pardon himself but that Trump "has no intention" of doing so. Giuliani said the U.S. Constitution, which gives a president the authority to issue pardons, "doesn't say he can't." The 20-page letter from Trump's lawyers to Mueller in January came in response to repeated requests by the special counsel's office asking to interview Trump, according to the Times.[L2N1T40CM] Russia has denied U.S. intelligence agencies' assessment that Moscow sought to interfere with the 2016 U.S. election to boost Donald Trump's prospects of becoming president. Trump has also said there was no collusion by his campaign. Some of Mueller's actions remain under seal but so far five people have pleaded guilty, including former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn and longtime Manafort business partner Rick Gates. Mueller's team has also charged 13 Russians and three Russian companies as well as Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort, who has not pleaded guilty.

As Special Counsel's investigation progresses, Trump says he has 'absolute' power to pardon himself

Cricket Australia has banned Steve Smith and David Warner for 12 months and a 9-month ban has been given to Cameron Bancroft after the ball-tampering row which has engulfed the cricket world. The incident happened in the third Test of Australia-South Africa four-match series.

After the scandal, Cricket Australia released a statement of the investigation. According to the statement Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft have been charged with a breach of Article 2.3.5 of the CA code of conduct. They have been accused of the following:

<ul>
	<li>Their conduct was contrary to the spirit of the game</li>
	<li>Their behaviour was unbecoming of a representative or official</li>
	<li>Their conduct is or could be harmful to the interests of cricket.</li>
	<li>All the three players brought disrepute to the game of cricket.</li>
</ul>

The punishments are:

Steve Smith

"Suspension of 12 months from all international and domestic cricket"

David Warner

"Suspension of 12 months from all international and domestic cricket"

Cameron Bancroft

"Suspension of 9 months from all international and domestic cricket"

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Key findings and sanctions from the Cape Town investigation have been announced <a href="https://t.co/aWf8M0YSB9">https://t.co/aWf8M0YSB9</a>
— Cricket Australia (@CAComms) <a href="https://twitter.com/CAComms/status/978937718234267649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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CA allowed all the three players&nbsp;to play club cricket and will be encouraged to do so to maintain links with the cricket community. Also,&nbsp;all three players will be required to undertake 100 hours of voluntary service in community cricket.

Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft will not be considered for team leadership positions until a minimum of 12 months after the conclusion of their respective suspensions from international and domestic cricket.

Any consideration of future leadership would be conditional on acceptance by fans and the public, form and authority among the playing group.

David Warner will not be considered for team leadership positions in the future.&nbsp;

Cricket Australia Chairman, David Peever said, "These are significant penalties for professional players and the Board does not impose them lightly. It is hoped that following a period of suspension, the players will be able to return to playing the game they love and eventually rebuild their careers."

Cricket Australia CEO, James Sutherland said, "I am satisfied that the sanctions in this case properly reflect a balance between the need to protect the integrity and reputation of the game and the need to maintain the possibility of redemption for the individuals involved, all of whom have learned difficult lessons through these events."

CA allowed all the three players to play club cricket and will be encouraged to do so to maintain links with the cricket community

Cricket Australia has banned Steve Smith and David Warner for 12 months and a 9-month ban has been given to Cameron Bancroft after the ball-tampering row which has engulfed the cricket world. The incident happened in the third Test of Australia-South Africa four-match series. After the scandal, Cricket Australia released a statement of the investigation. According to the statement Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft have been charged with a breach of Article 2.3.5 of the CA code of conduct. They have been accused of the following: Their conduct was contrary to the spirit of the game Their behaviour was unbecoming of a representative or official Their conduct is or could be harmful to the interests of cricket. All the three players brought disrepute to the game of cricket. The punishments are: Steve Smith "Suspension of 12 months from all international and domestic cricket" David Warner "Suspension of 12 months from all international and domestic cricket" Cameron Bancroft "Suspension of 9 months from all international and domestic cricket" Key findings and sanctions from the Cape Town investigation have been announced https://t.co/aWf8M0YSB9 — Cricket Australia (@CAComms) March 28, 2018 × CA allowed all the three players to play club cricket and will be encouraged to do so to maintain links with the cricket community. Also, all three players will be required to undertake 100 hours of voluntary service in community cricket. Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft will not be considered for team leadership positions until a minimum of 12 months after the conclusion of their respective suspensions from international and domestic cricket. Any consideration of future leadership would be conditional on acceptance by fans and the public, form and authority among the playing group. David Warner will not be considered for team leadership positions in the future. Cricket Australia Chairman, David Peever said, "These are significant penalties for professional players and the Board does not impose them lightly. It is hoped that following a period of suspension, the players will be able to return to playing the game they love and eventually rebuild their careers." Cricket Australia CEO, James Sutherland said, "I am satisfied that the sanctions in this case properly reflect a balance between the need to protect the integrity and reputation of the game and the need to maintain the possibility of redemption for the individuals involved, all of whom have learned difficult lessons through these events."

Key highlights of Cricket Australia statement on ball-tampering investigation

A Russian law enforcement committee which is running an investigation into the Yulia Skripal poisoning said it has sent a request to Britain to provide Moscow with legal assistance.

Moscow is seeking "the British colleagues to perform a number of procedural actions aiming at establishing the circumstances of the crime, as well as provide copies of the materials of the criminal investigation".

Russia is asking London to provide it "with the results of the inspection of the place where Yulia Skripal was found unconsciousness as well as with the results of her medical examination".

Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a nerve toxin that had been left on the front door of their home in England, British counter-terrorism police said&nbsp;on Wednesday.

A Russian law enforcement committee which is running an investigation into the Yulia Skripal poisoning

A Russian law enforcement committee which is running an investigation into the Yulia Skripal poisoning said it has sent a request to Britain to provide Moscow with legal assistance. Moscow is seeking "the British colleagues to perform a number of procedural actions aiming at establishing the circumstances of the crime, as well as provide copies of the materials of the criminal investigation". Russia is asking London to provide it "with the results of the inspection of the place where Yulia Skripal was found unconsciousness as well as with the results of her medical examination". Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a nerve toxin that had been left on the front door of their home in England, British counter-terrorism police said on Wednesday.

Russia sends request to Britain, wants to help in investigation into Yulia Skripal poisoning

The main accused arrested in connection with the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh will be taken to Goa and Belgaum for investigation.

The move came after a Bengaluru court on Friday gave the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Karnataka police five-day additional custody of the accused.&nbsp;

Six months after the murder of Lankesh, Karnataka police arrested alleged gunrunner KT Naveen Kumar, who was taken into police custody on March 2 for interrogation in connection with the case.

Naveen, who is said to be linked with a right-wing radical group, had allegedly gone to these places as a part of the conspiracy to carry out the journalist-activist&#39;s&nbsp;murder.

Meanwhile, Kumar&#39;s family has maintained that he was innocent and in no way connected to the crime.

The state government, which constituted the SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) BK Singh, had announced Rs 10 lakh reward for anyone giving clues about the perpetrators of the crime.

The killing of the journalist had drawn widespread condemnation and the Siddaramaiah government had come under flak for not making any headway in nabbing the culprits.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The accused was arrested six months after the murder of Lankesh

The main accused arrested in connection with the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh will be taken to Goa and Belgaum for investigation. The move came after a Bengaluru court on Friday gave the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Karnataka police five-day additional custody of the accused. Six months after the murder of Lankesh, Karnataka police arrested alleged gunrunner KT Naveen Kumar, who was taken into police custody on March 2 for interrogation in connection with the case. Naveen, who is said to be linked with a right-wing radical group, had allegedly gone to these places as a part of the conspiracy to carry out the journalist-activist's murder. Meanwhile, Kumar's family has maintained that he was innocent and in no way connected to the crime. The state government, which constituted the SIT headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) BK Singh, had announced Rs 10 lakh reward for anyone giving clues about the perpetrators of the crime. The killing of the journalist had drawn widespread condemnation and the Siddaramaiah government had come under flak for not making any headway in nabbing the culprits.

Gauri Lankesh murder case: Accused to be taken to Goa, Belgaum for probe

South African spinner Imran Tahir has alleged that he was racially abused by an Indian fan during the fourth ODI against Virat Kohli&#39;s men, prompting the country&#39;s board to launch an investigation.

Tahir did not feature in the rain-curtailed match that India lost by five wickets in Johannesburg on Saturday. South Africa team manager Mohammed Moosajee said the tweaker was abused while he was carrying out his duties as 12th man.

&quot;My understanding from Imran&#39;s perspective is that he was racially and verbally abused by a certain gentleman throughout the match. He reported to stadium security stationed in front of the dressing room and two of the security personnel accompanied him to identify the perpetrator,&quot; said Moosajee.

&quot;According to what Imran said, it was an Indian fan,&quot; Moosajee added.

The verbal jousting allegedly took place when he was traversing up and down the passageway connecting the field and the players&#39; dressing rooms at the Wanderers. Tahir has told the CSA that the fan kept at it whenever he was on the field during breaks.

Tahir reported the incident to the stadium security and was subsequently accompanied by two security personnel to identify and to have the fan ejected from the stadium, the media release said. Tahir made no physical contact with the offender or any of the children in the vicinity.

The incident is under investigation with the CSA and stadium security teams, Moosajee confirmed.

&quot;...when he (Tahir) got up there, there was some hostile verbal exchanges. And to neutralise the situation, they removed him from the scene and brought him back to the changing room,&quot; he narrated.

&quot;So that&#39;s what we&#39;ve been told. There were definitely no (physical) exchanges and no children involved in the incident as has been reported on social media.&quot;

Moosajee also stated that Tahir is in no danger of being sanctioned by Cricket South Africa as the board has accepted his version of the incident.

From his side, he hasn&#39;t done anything untoward. He had reported it to the stadium security and he was up there just to identify the suspect,&quot; he added.

The video has been put on Facebook and it shows Tahir in a heated argument with a group of fans, one of them donning an Indian jersey. The video, shot by another fan, doesn&#39;t show any physical altercation between the two sides.

Tahir has alleged that he was racially abused by an Indian fan during the fourth ODI

South African spinner Imran Tahir has alleged that he was racially abused by an Indian fan during the fourth ODI against Virat Kohli's men, prompting the country's board to launch an investigation. Tahir did not feature in the rain-curtailed match that India lost by five wickets in Johannesburg on Saturday. South Africa team manager Mohammed Moosajee said the tweaker was abused while he was carrying out his duties as 12th man. "My understanding from Imran's perspective is that he was racially and verbally abused by a certain gentleman throughout the match. He reported to stadium security stationed in front of the dressing room and two of the security personnel accompanied him to identify the perpetrator," said Moosajee. "According to what Imran said, it was an Indian fan," Moosajee added. The verbal jousting allegedly took place when he was traversing up and down the passageway connecting the field and the players' dressing rooms at the Wanderers. Tahir has told the CSA that the fan kept at it whenever he was on the field during breaks. Tahir reported the incident to the stadium security and was subsequently accompanied by two security personnel to identify and to have the fan ejected from the stadium, the media release said. Tahir made no physical contact with the offender or any of the children in the vicinity. The incident is under investigation with the CSA and stadium security teams, Moosajee confirmed. "...when he (Tahir) got up there, there was some hostile verbal exchanges. And to neutralise the situation, they removed him from the scene and brought him back to the changing room," he narrated. "So that's what we've been told. There were definitely no (physical) exchanges and no children involved in the incident as has been reported on social media." Moosajee also stated that Tahir is in no danger of being sanctioned by Cricket South Africa as the board has accepted his version of the incident. From his side, he hasn't done anything untoward. He had reported it to the stadium security and he was up there just to identify the suspect," he added. The video has been put on Facebook and it shows Tahir in a heated argument with a group of fans, one of them donning an Indian jersey. The video, shot by another fan, doesn't show any physical altercation between the two sides.

South African spinner Imran Tahir says he was racially abused by Indian fan

China launched a nationwide investigation into its kindergartens on Friday after parents at a Beijing preschool said toddlers had apparent needle marks and were given mysterious pills - sparking outrage days after another daycare scandal.

Security personnel installed a cordon at the gate of the RYB Education New World kindergarten on Friday after dozens of curious onlookers crowded outside the high-end, bilingual Chinese-English nursery, which was still operating.

A day earlier, furious parents had gathered in front of the gate to demand answers from RYB, which is run by a company that started trading on the New York stock exchange in September. Its shares plunged by more than 40 percent in after-hours trading.

China&#39;s official Xinhua news agency said children were also &quot;reportedly sexually molested&quot; but gave no further details.

Li Jing, a mother of a three-year-old girl, told AFP her daughter had not been abused but said other children had explained how they were coerced into taking pills.

&quot;Other kids were saying it&#39;s not to be called taking a pill, but a reward. And the pill is not to be called a pill, but a jelly bean, and is a little secret between the child and the teacher,&quot; Li said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

She chose to bring her daughter to school on Friday because she trusted the girl&#39;s teacher, but admitted: &quot;I still feel a bit uneasy.&quot;

The Chaoyang district government said police opened an investigation after parents reported the suspected abuse on Wednesday.

Though authorities have so far declined to confirm or provide more details about the allegations, the incident prompted the education steering committee of China&#39;s State Council, its top administrative body, to call for an &quot;immediate&quot; investigation into kindergartens across the country.

&quot;Lately, many places have had incidents where children have been violated and harmed in kindergartens, which has had an abominable impact and caused major harm to their families,&quot; it said in a circular published on the Ministry of Education&#39;s official website.

&#39;Two white pills after lunch&#39;&nbsp;

The magazine Caixin said eight children had apparent needle marks and that the incidents occurred in two classes with kids aged between two and six. Parents also said children were fed unidentified pills.

&quot;I asked my child after I heard what other parents said and my child said that they had taken two white pills after lunch, and slept after eating the pills,&quot; one father told CCTV outside the school on Thursday.

The kindergarten is located adjacent to a large military base, and rumours flew online that military officials there were involved in sexually abusing the children.&nbsp;

Fun Junfeng, the base&#39;s political commissioner, confirmed in an interview with the PLA Daily that the husband of the school&#39;s director was previously an official there, but said there was so far &quot;no evidence&quot; that military personnel had been involved in the abuse.

&quot;But this is just the first step of the investigation,&quot; he added.

RYB apologised to parents and said it was cooperating with the police investigation.&nbsp;

&quot;We are currently working with the police to provide relevant surveillance materials and equipment. The teachers in question have been suspended,&quot; the company said in a social media statement.

&#39;Severe mistakes&#39;&nbsp;

RYB Education directly operates 80 kindergartens and has franchised another 175 in 130 cities across China for children ranging from newborns to six-year-olds, according to its Nasdaq listing.

It is the third time in just over a year that one of its schools has faced abuse allegations.

RYB already apologised in April and suspended the head of a Beijing kindergarten after admitting that teachers committed &quot;severe mistakes&quot;. The Beijing News had obtained videos showing teachers throwing a child on a bed and kicking another in the back.

The People&#39;s Court Daily reported that two teachers from an RYB kindergarten in northeast Jilin province were sentenced to 34 months in prison for jabbing children in the head, inside their mouths, and on their legs and buttocks with sewing needles in October 2016.

Zhang Zhiqiang came to the Beijing nursery on Friday to cancel his two-year-old daughter&#39;s enrollment after reading about the latest scandal, though she was not among the alleged victims.

He said the school refunded him the 18,000 yuan ($2,725) annual tuition fee.

The &quot;international&quot; class in which children were allegedly abused was even more expensive, parents told AFP, with tuition of more than 5,000 yuan ($760) a month.

The latest allegations came a week after Chinese online travel agency Ctrip suspended two officials after footage emerged of workers abusing toddlers at a company daycare centre in Shanghai.

The clips showed young children of Ctrip employees being roughly handled and punished by being force-fed what parents claimed was spicy mustard at the company&#39;s Shanghai headquarters.

Police detained three daycare staff for suspected abuse.

China launched a nationwide investigation into its kindergartens on Friday after parents at a Beijing preschool said toddlers had apparent needle marks and were given mysterious pills - sparking outrage days after another daycare scandal

China launched a nationwide investigation into its kindergartens on Friday after parents at a Beijing preschool said toddlers had apparent needle marks and were given mysterious pills - sparking outrage days after another daycare scandal. Security personnel installed a cordon at the gate of the RYB Education New World kindergarten on Friday after dozens of curious onlookers crowded outside the high-end, bilingual Chinese-English nursery, which was still operating. A day earlier, furious parents had gathered in front of the gate to demand answers from RYB, which is run by a company that started trading on the New York stock exchange in September. Its shares plunged by more than 40 percent in after-hours trading. China's official Xinhua news agency said children were also "reportedly sexually molested" but gave no further details. Li Jing, a mother of a three-year-old girl, told AFP her daughter had not been abused but said other children had explained how they were coerced into taking pills. "Other kids were saying it's not to be called taking a pill, but a reward. And the pill is not to be called a pill, but a jelly bean, and is a little secret between the child and the teacher," Li said. She chose to bring her daughter to school on Friday because she trusted the girl's teacher, but admitted: "I still feel a bit uneasy." The Chaoyang district government said police opened an investigation after parents reported the suspected abuse on Wednesday. Though authorities have so far declined to confirm or provide more details about the allegations, the incident prompted the education steering committee of China's State Council, its top administrative body, to call for an "immediate" investigation into kindergartens across the country. "Lately, many places have had incidents where children have been violated and harmed in kindergartens, which has had an abominable impact and caused major harm to their families," it said in a circular published on the Ministry of Education's official website. 'Two white pills after lunch' The magazine Caixin said eight children had apparent needle marks and that the incidents occurred in two classes with kids aged between two and six. Parents also said children were fed unidentified pills. "I asked my child after I heard what other parents said and my child said that they had taken two white pills after lunch, and slept after eating the pills," one father told CCTV outside the school on Thursday. The kindergarten is located adjacent to a large military base, and rumours flew online that military officials there were involved in sexually abusing the children. Fun Junfeng, the base's political commissioner, confirmed in an interview with the PLA Daily that the husband of the school's director was previously an official there, but said there was so far "no evidence" that military personnel had been involved in the abuse. "But this is just the first step of the investigation," he added. RYB apologised to parents and said it was cooperating with the police investigation. "We are currently working with the police to provide relevant surveillance materials and equipment. The teachers in question have been suspended," the company said in a social media statement. 'Severe mistakes' RYB Education directly operates 80 kindergartens and has franchised another 175 in 130 cities across China for children ranging from newborns to six-year-olds, according to its Nasdaq listing. It is the third time in just over a year that one of its schools has faced abuse allegations. RYB already apologised in April and suspended the head of a Beijing kindergarten after admitting that teachers committed "severe mistakes". The Beijing News had obtained videos showing teachers throwing a child on a bed and kicking another in the back. The People's Court Daily reported that two teachers from an RYB kindergarten in northeast Jilin province were sentenced to 34 months in prison for jabbing children in the head, inside their mouths, and on their legs and buttocks with sewing needles in October 2016. Zhang Zhiqiang came to the Beijing nursery on Friday to cancel his two-year-old daughter's enrollment after reading about the latest scandal, though she was not among the alleged victims. He said the school refunded him the 18,000 yuan ($2,725) annual tuition fee. The "international" class in which children were allegedly abused was even more expensive, parents told AFP, with tuition of more than 5,000 yuan ($760) a month. The latest allegations came a week after Chinese online travel agency Ctrip suspended two officials after footage emerged of workers abusing toddlers at a company daycare centre in Shanghai. The clips showed young children of Ctrip employees being roughly handled and punished by being force-fed what parents claimed was spicy mustard at the company's Shanghai headquarters. Police detained three daycare staff for suspected abuse.

China launches national kindergarten probe after 'needle marks' on toddlers

China will use all necessary means to defend the interests of the country and its companies against a US&nbsp;trade investigation, a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

The ministry on Monday expressed &quot;strong dissatisfaction&quot; with the US&nbsp;launch of the probe into China&#39;s alleged theft of US&nbsp;intellectual property, calling it &quot;irresponsible&quot;.

The probe is the Trump administration&#39;s first direct measure against Chinese trade practices, which the White House and US&nbsp;business groups say are bruising American industry.

&quot;We will take all the necessary measures to resolutely defend the interests of China and Chinese firms&quot; in the face of the unilateral US&nbsp;actions, commerce ministry official Gao Feng told reporters at a regular news conference.

Gao also said that China&#39;s support for overseas investment by Chinese firms will not change, but that oversight of deals will increase and projects related to China&#39;s Belt and Road initiative will be given priority.

China&#39;s cabinet released guidelines to manage overseas investments, with certain sectors encouraged and others restricted or banned outright.

Mergers and acquisitions by Chinese companies in countries linked to the Belt and Road initiative have been growing at a rapid rate, even as the government takes aim at China&#39;s acquisitive conglomerates to restrict capital outflows.

&quot;We will further improve the overseas investment reporting management system,&quot; said Gao, adding China would push forward legislation to govern foreign investment.

The probe is the Trump administration's first direct measure against Chinese trade practices, which the White House and U.S. business groups say are bruising American industry

China will use all necessary means to defend the interests of the country and its companies against a US trade investigation, a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday. The ministry on Monday expressed "strong dissatisfaction" with the US launch of the probe into China's alleged theft of US intellectual property, calling it "irresponsible". The probe is the Trump administration's first direct measure against Chinese trade practices, which the White House and US business groups say are bruising American industry. "We will take all the necessary measures to resolutely defend the interests of China and Chinese firms" in the face of the unilateral US actions, commerce ministry official Gao Feng told reporters at a regular news conference. Gao also said that China's support for overseas investment by Chinese firms will not change, but that oversight of deals will increase and projects related to China's Belt and Road initiative will be given priority. China's cabinet released guidelines to manage overseas investments, with certain sectors encouraged and others restricted or banned outright. Mergers and acquisitions by Chinese companies in countries linked to the Belt and Road initiative have been growing at a rapid rate, even as the government takes aim at China's acquisitive conglomerates to restrict capital outflows. "We will further improve the overseas investment reporting management system," said Gao, adding China would push forward legislation to govern foreign investment.

Beijing dissatisfied over US probe into China's alleged theft of intellectual property

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) urged the Kenyan government to act &quot;quickly in the interest of protecting clean sport&quot; after the athletics powerhouse found itself caught in the eye of a fresh doping storm. 
 
A new investigation by German television channel ARD and Britain&#39;s Sunday Times newspaper alleged on Saturday that doping is rife at the elite training centre in Iten. 
 
Previous joint research by ARD and the British newspaper led to the banning of the Russian athletics team from the Olympic Games for state-sponsored doping. 
 
Over the past three years, around 40 Kenyan athletes have failed doping tests, shredding their reputation for probity and laying bare the reality behind their reputation as the most dominant middle-to-long distance running nation in the world.&nbsp; 
 
The allegations are a major blow as they follow only weeks after Kenyan lawmakers passed a law, having been threatened with a similar sanction as the Russians by WADA - making it a criminal act to either dope or to supply such products. 
 
The documentary, largely filmed with a hidden camera, says it successfully infiltrated a team, posing as an athlete, in the training centre, a favoured spot for distance runners, both Kenyan and European, as it is at high altitude - 2,400 metres above sea level. 
 
The documentary shows images of boxes of the endurance-boosting drug EPO on the inside of the training centre and used syringes dumped in a bin. 
 
EPO is shown to be widely available in the pharmacies around the centre whilst two doctors are only too willing to propose supplying the journalist posing as an athlete with doping products. 
&nbsp; 
One of the two doctors claims to have supplied to &quot;more than 50 athletes, including three British runners, based on his guarantee he could dramatically improve their performances in &quot;three months&quot;. 
 
&quot;Even if the athletes are subjected to doping tests they will find nothing,&quot; says the doctor. 
 
&quot;That is what the top level athletes take.&quot; 
 
The same doctor, according to ARD, when approached again retracted his claims and said he had nothing to do with doping and to have made up supplying the products. 
 
However, both he and the other doctor featured have since been arrested by Kenyan police, according to ARD. 
 
A man said to be the coach of an Olympic champion, appearing with his face hidden, confirms the claims made in the documentary. 
&quot;The great majority of the athletes who appear out of nowhere are doped,&quot; he says. 
 
The chief executive of UK Anti-Doping, Nicole Sapstead, said the report was &quot;of grave concern and of significant interest&quot;, adding they were investigating. 
 
&quot;I can confirm that this evidence is being treated with the utmost importance and urgency, and two UKAD staff are currently in Kenya pursuing a number of lines of enquiry,&quot; she said in a statement. 
 
Newly-installed WADA director-general Olivier Niggli, in a statement issued from the organisation&#39;s Montreal headquarters, said he had &quot;full confidence &quot; in UKAD. 
 
He added: &quot;This article is one in a series of reports questioning Kenya`s ability to effectively address doping; and, suggesting that there exists a culture of doping in the country. 
 
&quot;At the very least, this is an indication that the Kenyan government must quickly put the necessary human resources behind Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) in the interest of protecting clean sport.&quot; 
 
Earlier, ADAK head Japhter Rugut told ARD: &quot;We can see that we have a lot of problems at grassroots level and we will work with the police so as to weed out all those implicated in these criminal activities, both sports people and doctors, who will have to answer for their actions. 
 
&quot;We want to go to Rio with a clean team.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

A documentary by German TV and British newspaper showed boxes of endurance-boosting drug EPO and syringes inside the training centre at Iten

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) urged the Kenyan government to act "quickly in the interest of protecting clean sport" after the athletics powerhouse found itself caught in the eye of a fresh doping storm. A new investigation by German television channel ARD and Britain's Sunday Times newspaper alleged on Saturday that doping is rife at the elite training centre in Iten. Previous joint research by ARD and the British newspaper led to the banning of the Russian athletics team from the Olympic Games for state-sponsored doping. Over the past three years, around 40 Kenyan athletes have failed doping tests, shredding their reputation for probity and laying bare the reality behind their reputation as the most dominant middle-to-long distance running nation in the world. The allegations are a major blow as they follow only weeks after Kenyan lawmakers passed a law, having been threatened with a similar sanction as the Russians by WADA - making it a criminal act to either dope or to supply such products. The documentary, largely filmed with a hidden camera, says it successfully infiltrated a team, posing as an athlete, in the training centre, a favoured spot for distance runners, both Kenyan and European, as it is at high altitude - 2,400 metres above sea level. The documentary shows images of boxes of the endurance-boosting drug EPO on the inside of the training centre and used syringes dumped in a bin. EPO is shown to be widely available in the pharmacies around the centre whilst two doctors are only too willing to propose supplying the journalist posing as an athlete with doping products. One of the two doctors claims to have supplied to "more than 50 athletes, including three British runners, based on his guarantee he could dramatically improve their performances in "three months". "Even if the athletes are subjected to doping tests they will find nothing," says the doctor. "That is what the top level athletes take." The same doctor, according to ARD, when approached again retracted his claims and said he had nothing to do with doping and to have made up supplying the products. However, both he and the other doctor featured have since been arrested by Kenyan police, according to ARD. A man said to be the coach of an Olympic champion, appearing with his face hidden, confirms the claims made in the documentary. "The great majority of the athletes who appear out of nowhere are doped," he says. The chief executive of UK Anti-Doping, Nicole Sapstead, said the report was "of grave concern and of significant interest", adding they were investigating. "I can confirm that this evidence is being treated with the utmost importance and urgency, and two UKAD staff are currently in Kenya pursuing a number of lines of enquiry," she said in a statement. Newly-installed WADA director-general Olivier Niggli, in a statement issued from the organisation's Montreal headquarters, said he had "full confidence " in UKAD. He added: "This article is one in a series of reports questioning Kenya`s ability to effectively address doping; and, suggesting that there exists a culture of doping in the country. "At the very least, this is an indication that the Kenyan government must quickly put the necessary human resources behind Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) in the interest of protecting clean sport." Earlier, ADAK head Japhter Rugut told ARD: "We can see that we have a lot of problems at grassroots level and we will work with the police so as to weed out all those implicated in these criminal activities, both sports people and doctors, who will have to answer for their actions. "We want to go to Rio with a clean team." (AFP)

World agency calls for 'quick action' after another Kenya doping scandal

Tesla said on Thursday a driver was killed while using its &quot;autopilot&quot; self-driving mechanism on its Model S electric car, leading to a US federal safety investigation. 
 
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that it has opened a &quot;preliminary evaluation&quot; into the performance of Autopilot after the electric car company notified the agency of a fatal crash in Florida in May. 
 
In a statement, Tesla said the fatality was &quot;a tragic loss&quot; and was the first such incident with its Autopilot system activated. 
 
&quot;This is the first known fatality in just over 130 million miles (209 million kilometers) where Autopilot was activated,&quot; the company said. 
 
&quot;Among all vehicles in the US, there is a fatality every 94 million miles. Worldwide, there is a fatality approximately every 60 million miles,&quot; it said. 
 
&quot;It is important to emphasize that the NHTSA action is simply a preliminary evaluation to determine whether the system worked according to expectations.&quot; 
 
NHTSA communications director Bryan Thomas said in a release that the agency deployed a special team to the scene of the crash and opened a &quot;defects investigation&quot; focused on the automated driving system. 
 
Preliminary reports indicated that the crash happened when a tractor-trailer made a left turn in front of the Tesla at an intersection, according to Thomas. 
 
Tesla said the car was on a divided highway when the tractor-trailer drove across the road to be situated perpendicular to the Tesla. 
 
The NHTSA cautioned that it was too early in the investigation to determine whether a defect existed or played a part in the crash. 
 
Tesla, known for its high-end electric cars, unveiled the system last year which allows the vehicle to automatically change lanes, manage speed and even hit the brakes. The system is activated and overridden by the driver. 
 
Blinded by light 
&quot;Neither Autopilot nor the driver noticed the white side of the tractor-trailer against a brightly lit sky, so the brake was not applied,&quot; the statement said. 
 
&quot;The high ride height of the trailer combined with its positioning across the road and the extremely rare circumstances of the impact caused the Model S to pass under the trailer, with the bottom of the trailer impacting the windshield of the Model S.&quot; 
 
Tesla said that if there had been an impact against the front or rear of the trailer, even at high speed, &quot;its advanced crash safety system would likely have prevented serious injury as it has in numerous other similar incidents.&quot; 
 
Tesla said it followed &quot;our standard practice&quot; by informing federal safety officials. 
 
&quot;It is important to note that Tesla disables Autopilot by default and requires explicit acknowledgement that the system is new technology and still in a public beta phase before it can be enabled,&quot; Tesla said. 
 
When drivers activate the system, they see a warning saying that it is &quot;an assist feature that requires you to keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times,&quot; and that &quot;you need to maintain control and responsibility for your vehicle&quot; while using it, according to the company. 
 
The news comes amid growing interest in self-driving cars following tests over the past few years by Google and research by several major automakers. 
 
Investments are also being made in autonomous trucks and small buses. 
 
A major study released earlier this month said the looming arrival of self-driving vehicles is likely to vastly reduce traffic fatalities, but also poses difficult moral dilemmas. 
 
The scientists said autonomous driving systems will require programmers to develop algorithms to make critical decisions that are based more on ethics than technology, such as whether to sacrifice a driver or passenger rather than pedestrians. 
 
(AFP)

The carmaker's self-driving Autopilot system regulates speed, allows a vehicle to change lanes, and even applies the brakes

Tesla said on Thursday a driver was killed while using its "autopilot" self-driving mechanism on its Model S electric car, leading to a US federal safety investigation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that it has opened a "preliminary evaluation" into the performance of Autopilot after the electric car company notified the agency of a fatal crash in Florida in May. In a statement, Tesla said the fatality was "a tragic loss" and was the first such incident with its Autopilot system activated. "This is the first known fatality in just over 130 million miles (209 million kilometers) where Autopilot was activated," the company said. "Among all vehicles in the US, there is a fatality every 94 million miles. Worldwide, there is a fatality approximately every 60 million miles," it said. "It is important to emphasize that the NHTSA action is simply a preliminary evaluation to determine whether the system worked according to expectations." NHTSA communications director Bryan Thomas said in a release that the agency deployed a special team to the scene of the crash and opened a "defects investigation" focused on the automated driving system. Preliminary reports indicated that the crash happened when a tractor-trailer made a left turn in front of the Tesla at an intersection, according to Thomas. Tesla said the car was on a divided highway when the tractor-trailer drove across the road to be situated perpendicular to the Tesla. The NHTSA cautioned that it was too early in the investigation to determine whether a defect existed or played a part in the crash. Tesla, known for its high-end electric cars, unveiled the system last year which allows the vehicle to automatically change lanes, manage speed and even hit the brakes. The system is activated and overridden by the driver. Blinded by light "Neither Autopilot nor the driver noticed the white side of the tractor-trailer against a brightly lit sky, so the brake was not applied," the statement said. "The high ride height of the trailer combined with its positioning across the road and the extremely rare circumstances of the impact caused the Model S to pass under the trailer, with the bottom of the trailer impacting the windshield of the Model S." Tesla said that if there had been an impact against the front or rear of the trailer, even at high speed, "its advanced crash safety system would likely have prevented serious injury as it has in numerous other similar incidents." Tesla said it followed "our standard practice" by informing federal safety officials. "It is important to note that Tesla disables Autopilot by default and requires explicit acknowledgement that the system is new technology and still in a public beta phase before it can be enabled," Tesla said. When drivers activate the system, they see a warning saying that it is "an assist feature that requires you to keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times," and that "you need to maintain control and responsibility for your vehicle" while using it, according to the company. The news comes amid growing interest in self-driving cars following tests over the past few years by Google and research by several major automakers. Investments are also being made in autonomous trucks and small buses. A major study released earlier this month said the looming arrival of self-driving vehicles is likely to vastly reduce traffic fatalities, but also poses difficult moral dilemmas. The scientists said autonomous driving systems will require programmers to develop algorithms to make critical decisions that are based more on ethics than technology, such as whether to sacrifice a driver or passenger rather than pedestrians. (AFP)

Tesla driver on 'autopilot' mode killed in crash, US opens probe

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