US regulators expanded a probe into Tesla's "Autopilot" system,

 

US regulators expanded a probe into Tesla's "Autopilot" system, moving the investigation closer to a potential recall of a controversial feature in Elon Musk's electric vehicles.

"Autopilot and associated systems may exacerbate human factors or behaviour safety risks by undermining the effectiveness of the driver's supervision," according to a summary statement.

The agency now considers the probe an "engineering analysis" — which in NHTSA parlance upgrades the status from a "preliminary evaluation" — to determine "whether a safety recall should be initiated or the investigation should be closed." Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

NHTSA opened the probe in August 2021 after identifying 11 crashes involving a first responder vehicle and a Tesla in which Autopilot or Traffic Aware Cruise Control was engaged, and five additional cases were later found that fit into this group.

Additional forensic data on 11 of the incidents showed the drivers took no action to avert a crash between two and five seconds prior to impact,

The agency also probed more than 100 crashes not involving an emergency vehicle in which Tesla Autopilot or another driver-assistance system was engaged.

In about half of these cases, evidence suggests the driver was "insufficiently responsive" to driving conditions, NHTSA said.

Looking at a subset of 43 of those crashes that yielded more detailed data, NHTSA determined that in 37, the driver's hands were on the steering wheel in the last second prior to the collision.

The automaker has defended the safety of the Autopilot feature, and say when used correctly it reduces the chance of an accident.

But NHTSA said, "A driver's use or misuse of vehicle components does not necessarily preclude a system defect" particularly "if the driver behavior in question is foreseeable in light of the system's design."

Beni-Tatopani road blacktopped

Road connecting Beni municiplaity-4, Tatopanikunda and Myagdi district headquarters Beni has been blacktopped.

The blacktopped Beni-Tatopani road section is of strategic importance as it connects Mangala, Malika and Dhaulagiri rural municipality with district headquarters Beni. Acting Chief of Infrastructure Development Office Myagdi Guru Dutta Adhikari informed that the blacktopping of Beni-Tatopani road section has been almost completed. "Blacktopping has been completed in almost all parts excluding landslide-hit and disputed areas", he said, adding that blacktopping has been done on seven meters out of 11-meter wide road

Maoist Centre's Chaudhary wins in Khadak Municipality

 

CPN (Maoist Centre)'s candidate Jaya Prakash Chaudhary has been elected the Mayor of Khadak Municipality in Saptari district.

Chaudhary won the election by getting 5,882 votes against his rival Hemayu Hak of Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), who got 5,067 votes. This is the first victory of the Maoist Centre in the district of Saptari in this local level election. The party's candidates had also lost in all local levels in the previous local level election held in 2017. Likewise, Rita Kumari Chaudhary of JSP made to the post of deputy mayor by getting 6,231 votes while her rival Sultan Khatun of Nepali Congress garnered 3,210 votes. Of the 11 wards in the municipality, Maoist Centre won the election in a ward, JSP in four wards, NC in three wards and CPN (Unified Socialist) in two wards. Loktantrik Samajwadi Party's candidate also won election in a ward.

NC wins mayor, UML deputy mayor in Nagarain Municipality

 Nepali Congress (NC) candidate has been elected mayor of Nagarain Municipality in Dhanusha district while CPN (UML) candidate in deputy mayor post. Binay Kumar Yadav won the mayoral post with 5,556 votes defeating his closest competitor CPN (UML)'s Rambabu Panjiyar by a margin of 42 votes. Panjiyar collected 5,514 votes, according to the Returning Officer Sudip Kumar Dangal.

Similarly, CPN (UML)'s Radhadevi Yadav was elected to deputy mayor post with 5,730 votes. Her nearest rival Nepali Congress' Ranju Kumari Shah conceded defeat with 5,523 votes

Bagmati government recommends provincial assembly budget session for May 22

A meeting of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers of Bagmati Province held today decided to recommend the office the Province Chief to call budget session of Bagmati province Assembly on May 22.

Similarly, the meeting also passed the working procedure to provide Rs 50,000 to chronic patients for the treatment.

Earlier, the Bagmati province government had decided to provide Rs 50,000 to patients suffering from non-communicable diseases like brain hemorrhage, heart attack, asthma, cancer and fistula for the treatment. Spokesperson of Bagmati Province government and Minister for Internal Affairs and Law, Krishna Prasad Sharma Khanal, said that the working procedure was passed today itself considering the situation where general people have been facing problems to get the service in lack of working procedure. Similarly, the meeting also took the decision to make arrangement of smooth supply of firewood at old-age home, orphanage and crematorium under social security programme.

NC wins local election in Bhanu municipality

 

The Nepali Congress has emerged victorious at the Bhanu municipality in Tanahu in the local level elections held recently.

According to the final counts of the ballots concluded today, Ananda Raj Tripathi has won the post of mayor while Uma Gautam has been elected the deputy-mayor. Tripathi secured 12,252 votes against 9,043 by his nearest competitor Sitaram Bajgain from the CPN (UML), according to election officer Meen Bahadur Kunwar. Similarly, Gautam obtained 10,054 against 5,817 by independent candidate Keshar Bahadur Gurung The total number of voters in the municipality is 40,966 while 25,572 had taken part in the voting. Of 13 wards in the town, nine are won by the NC, two by the UML and two by independent candidates

Demonstration in front of PM's residence against rape (photo feature)

Kathmandu,

Youths have protested against rape and sexual violence in front of the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar. The youths staged a protest in front of the Prime Minister's residence on Friday morning after the incident of rape of a teenager by a member of the beauty pageant became public.