Chad claims killed mastermind of Algerian gas plant bloodbath

N'DJAMENA: Chad said its troops in northern Mali on Saturday killed the one-eyed Islamist leader who masterminded an assault on an Algerian gas plant that left 37 foreign hostages dead in January.The Chadian army, whose troops have been at the forefront of the hunt for Al Qaeda-linked fighters hiding in northern Mali, said Mokhtar Belmokhtar was killed during an operation in the Ifogha...

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BJP to adopt graft as main poll ammunition against Congress

NEW DELHI: BJP hit out at the Congress-led government on Saturday and focused on the ruling UPA's "corruption" as the primary reason for economic slowdown over the past few years. Bihar's deputy CM and finance minister Sushil Modi said that the annual budget had cut down on every possible fund allocation that the Centre makes to states and pegged the amount to around Rs 60,000 crore. He rattled off...

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Abandoned Baby's Tooth Used in Search for Parents

Authorities are using the bottom tooth of the week-old infant abandoned in a plastic bag outside an apartment complex in Cypress, Texas, as a clue in the search for her parents.The newborn's early tooth, seen in just one of 2,000 births, is a unique genetic trait that may prove to be a link to her family history, according to investigators.The baby, named Chloe by rescuers, weighed...

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Chad says soldiers in Mali kill al Qaeda's Belmokhtar

N'DJAMENA (Reuters) - Chadian soldiers in Mali have killed Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the al Qaeda commander behind a bloody mass hostage-taking at an Algerian gas plant in January, Chad's military said on Saturday. His death would be a major blow to Islamist rebels in northern Mali who have been pushed into their mountain strongholds by French and African forces. "On Saturday,...

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Oil prices drop as US spending cuts kick in

NEW YORK: World oil prices fell on Friday, with New York crude striking a two-month low point, as traders eyed huge US spending cuts due to take effect and weaker Chinese manufacturing data.New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate crude for delivery in April, sank as low as $90.04 a barrel -- the lowest level since late December, before recovering to close at $90.68, down $1.37...

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Shinde names Bhandara rape-murder victims in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: In what could be a case of violation of law by its custodian, Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Friday committed a gaffe when he named the victims (three minor sisters) of the Bhandara rape incident in the Rajya Sabha while making statement during live televised proceeding of the Upper House. Although names of the victims were later expunged from the House records in the wake of...

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WHO: Slight cancer risk after Japan nuke accident

LONDON (AP) — Two years after Japan's nuclear plant disaster, an international team of experts said Thursday that residents of areas hit by the highest doses of radiation face an increased cancer risk so small it probably won't be detectable.In fact, experts calculated that increase at about 1 extra percentage point added to a Japanese infant's lifetime cancer risk."The additional risk is quite small...

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Sequester Government Shutdown Looks Unlikely

Mar 1, 2013 4:13pm Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg/Getty ImagIt may not be readily obvious from the blizzard of news out there today on the “sequester,” but a government shutdown became significantly less likely today, even as the automatic budget cuts barreled ahead toward reality.What happened? Both sides – Republicans and Democrats – basically seem to have agreed that...

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Oil prices fall as US sequester cuts loom

NEW YORK: Oil prices fell late in the session Thursday after trading slightly higher much of the day, with traders blaming portfolio adjustment on the final day of the month.But prices were also soft as the United States appeared headed for slower economic growth due to mandated spending cuts that kick in beginning Friday.New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate crude for April...

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6 Bihar cops get 3-year jail term for assaulting judge

BHAGALPUR: A Bhagalpur court on Thursday awarded three years' imprisonment to six police officers for assaulting an additional district judge (ADJ) inside the court premises more than 15 years ago. The incident took place on November 18, 1997 when a group of policemen went on the rampage after ADJ D N Barai ordered inspector Joku Ram to be sent in judicial custody. A non-bailable warrant of arrest...

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