A former FBI chief was tasked Wednesday with leading a beefed-up investigation into whether Donald Trump’s team colluded with Russia to tilt the 2016 election in the president’s favour. He will head up the FBI’s ongoing probe of “Russian government efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election and related matters,” with the authority to prosecute crimes unearthed by the investigation. Pressure has spiked in Congress for an independent probe into ties between Trump’s campaign and Moscow, which US intelligence chiefs accuse of interfering to sway the election in Trump’s favour. A special counsel is empowered to conduct the investigation independent of the Justice Department hierarchy, with a dedicated staff of his choosing. The counsel is not required to consult with or keep informed the Justice Department on the course of the probe.

Source: Dhaka Tribune May 18, 2017 20:05 UTC