Chad army claims Mali's al-Qaeda on the run

Chad army claims Mali's al-Qaeda on the run


Chad army claims Mali's al-Qaeda on the run

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 11:08 PM PST

Al Jazeera gains exclusive access to destroyed fighters' base in the Tirgharghar Mountains.

Zimbabwe to bar Western election observers: paper

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 10:52 PM PST

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe will not invite Western observers for a constitutional referendum and general election due this year, state media said on Tuesday, a decision likely to trigger a dispute in his shaky coalition government.

Russian police detain suspect over Bolshoi acid attack

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 10:44 PM PST

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian police detained a suspect on Tuesday over an acid attack that nearly blinded the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet.

Russian police detain suspect over Bolshoi acid attack

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 10:43 PM PST

Filin, artistic director of Russia's Bolshoi Ballet, speaks to journalists as he leaves a hospital in MoscowMOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian police detained a suspect on Tuesday over an acid attack that nearly blinded the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet. A brief Moscow police statement gave no other details and did not say who was being questioned. Until now, the police had said they had only questioned witnesses in the case. Life News, a Russian website with close ties to the police, quoted an unnamed source as saying the suspect had been seized in a police operation in Moscow's suburbs and was not an employee of the Bolshoi Theatre. ...


Venezuela: Chavez hit by new, severe infection

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 10:27 PM PST

FILE - In this file photo released on Feb. 15, 2013 by Miraflores Presidential Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, center, poses for a photo with his daughters, Maria Gabriela, left, and Rosa Virginia at an unknown location in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. Venezuela's government says that President Hugo Chavez's respiratory problems have gotten worse and that the ailing leader is in "very delicate" condition. Venezuela's Communications Minister Ernesto Villegas said late Monday, March 4, 2013, in a statement read on national television that the cancer-stricken socialist leader has a "severe infection." (AP Photo/Miraflores Presidential Press Office, File)CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Hugo Chavez is breathing with greater difficulty as a new and severe respiratory infection has taken hold, Venezuela's government said, describing the cancer-stricken president's condition as "very delicate."


Images of Japan's barren tsunami coast 2 years on

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 10:22 PM PST

In this Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 photo, a fishing boat washed ashore during the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami sits in the devastated area in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture. Japan's progress in rebuilding from the tsunami that thundered over coastal sea walls, sweeping entire communities away, is mainly measured in barren foundations and empty spaces. Clearing of forests on higher ground due to be leveled to make space for relocating survivors has barely begun. Japan will next week observes two years from the March 11, 2011 disasters which devastated in the northeastern Pacific coast of the country. (AP Photo/Junji Kurokawa)KESENNUMA, Japan (AP) — Japan's progress in rebuilding from the tsunami that thundered over coastal sea walls, sweeping entire communities away, is mainly measured in barren foundations and empty spaces.


Group says Google shopping ads fuel ivory trade

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 10:45 PM PST

BANGKOK (AP) — A conservation group claims that Google has something in common with illicit ivory traders in China and Thailand: It says the Internet search giant is helping fuel a dramatic surge in ivory demand in Asia that is killing African elephants at record levels.

The Obamacare Insurance Plans will be Expensive, with Consumers left Disappointed

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 10:12 PM PST

I have an article on RealClearMarkets.com today, arguing that the health insurance plans that will be sold in the Obamacare exchanges next year are likely to be pricey – at least relative to the benefits they offer.

Forecasting the EPL Table With Ten Matches To Go

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 10:03 PM PST

There are only ten games left in the EPL season, which means clubs are making the final push for table positions.  Here are the forecasts for positions at the top and the bottom of the table based upon the Transfer Price Index (TPI) mSq£ model.

China to provide loan for rail track to key Sri Lankan port

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 09:58 PM PST

Sri Lanka's President Rajapaksa attends the presentation of the 2011 Central Bank of Sri Lanka annual report, in ColomboCOLOMBO (Reuters) - China's Export-Import Bank will provide a loan of $278.2 million to Sri Lanka to help lay a rail track to a key port which Beijing is building that has stoked concern in neighboring India. The port of Hambantota on the southern tip of the Indian Ocean island nation is envisioned as a refueling and service point for cargo ships, which pass a few kilometers away on one of the world's busiest East-West shipping lanes. ...


Mexican union boss must stay in jail pending trial: judge

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 10:08 PM PST

Elba Esther Gordillo, leader of Mexico's teacher's union, listens as Mexican authorities complete documentation after her arrest in Mexico CityMEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A judge on Monday ruled there was enough evidence to prosecute the charismatic former boss of Mexico's teachers' union for allegedly embezzling around $200 million in union funds, and ordered her to remain in jail ahead of her trial. Alejandro Caballero Vertiz, Mexico city's sixth federal court judge, said in a statement on Monday night that evidence of misuse of funds by Elba Esther Gordillo, 68, was strong enough to merit trial and continued incarceration. ...


Mexican union boss must stay in jail pending trial: judge

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 10:08 PM PST

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A judge on Monday ruled there was enough evidence to prosecute the charismatic former boss of Mexico's teachers' union for allegedly embezzling around $200 million in union funds, and ordered her to remain in jail ahead of her trial.

China to provide loan for rail track to key Sri Lankan port

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 09:58 PM PST

COLOMBO (Reuters) - China's Export-Import Bank will provide a loan of $278.2 million to Sri Lanka to help lay a rail track to a key port which Beijing is building that has stoked concern in neighboring India.

Swiss Bank's Tax Evasion Sentence is Really Death

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 09:43 PM PST

The "8 Great" Challenges Every Business Faces (and How to Master Them All)

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 08:58 PM PST

This week I interviewed a personal mentor of mine – his name is Neal Jenson, Managing Director of consulting firm Qazztek, in Salt Lake City. He has one of the most diverse business backgrounds I've known, ranging from stints with Fortune 500 firms including Citigroup and Bank of America to start up firms looking to bootstrap or seeking their start through Angel funding or SBA loans.

The "8 Great" Challenges Every Business Faces (and How to Master Them All)

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 07:14 PM PST

This week I interviewed a personal mentor of mine – his name is Neal Jenson, Managing Director of consulting firm Qazztek, in Salt Lake City. He has one of the most diverse business backgrounds I've known, ranging from stints with Fortune 500 firms including Citigroup and Bank of America to start up firms looking to bootstrap or seeking their start through Angel funding or SBA loans.

The "8 Great" Challenges Every Business Faces (and How to Master Them All)

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 08:58 PM PST

This week I interviewed a personal mentor of mine – his name is Neal Jenson, Managing Director of consulting firm Qazztek, in Salt Lake City. He has one of the most diverse business backgrounds I've known, ranging from stints with Fortune 500 firms including Citigroup and Bank of America to start up firms looking to bootstrap or seeking their start through Angel funding or SBA loans

Money-Laundering Suspicion Stalls Europe's Latest Bailout

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 09:39 PM PST

Cyprus's newly elected government is bargaining for a €17 billion bailout from its euro-zone peers. But the little island won't get a cent until it wrestles with a long-standing issue: money laundering.

Indonesia Puts Brake on Card Collectors

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 09:37 PM PST

Credit cards are just taking off in Southeast Asia's largest economy. But the intense competition is creating a new class of card holder—one who carries 10 or more cards just for the freebies and discounts they promise.

GM Executive Defends Keeping Opel

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 08:28 PM PST

GM's vice chairman said the auto maker's decision to quash a sale of its Opel unit three years ago and keep the ailing business was correct.

Why Obama can't just call Kim Jong Eun, as Dennis Rodman suggested

Why Obama can't just call Kim Jong Eun, as Dennis Rodman suggested


Why Obama can't just call Kim Jong Eun, as Dennis Rodman suggested

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:45 PM PST

Dennis Rodman famously (infamously?) offered President Obama a piece of diplomatic advice in his first public appearance since returning from North Korea.

"He wants Obama to do one thing: Call him," Rodman said of Kim Jong Eun on ABC's "This Week." "He said, 'If you can, Dennis I don't want [to] do war. I don't want to do war.' He said that to me."

Read full article >>

VIDEO: Hi-tech bid to end species smuggling

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 05:54 AM PST

Nearly 200 governments are to meet in Thailand to discuss ways of halting the illegal trade in wildlife around the world.

China set for People's Congress

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 08:56 AM PST

China's annual National People's Congress is set to open in Beijing, setting in train the final stage of the country's once-a-decade leadership change.

Yemen suicide bomb attack kills 12

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 01:08 PM PST

Twelve members of a pro-government militia group have been killed in a suicide car bomb attack in south Yemen.

Officials: At least 7 killed in Congo plane crash

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 01:15 PM PST

A plane crashed Monday evening in the center of Goma, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, killing at least seven of around 30 people on board, Congolese officials said.

East Asia universities 'gain ground'

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 01:00 PM PST

Universities in East Asia are gaining ground on their western counterparts, according to the latest university rankings.

Split Israel Bus Lines Spur Debate

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:53 PM PST

New bus lines for Palestinians, created at the urging of Jewish settler leaders in the West Bank, have sparked a debate over segregation in Israel and refocused attention on the deep inequalities that govern Palestinians and Israelis in the territory.

Germany's Merkel Yields on Gay Rights

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 01:19 PM PST

German Chancellor Angela Merkel abruptly abandoned a push to grant gays many of the rights enjoyed by heterosexual couples, bowing to conservative members of her party who vigorously opposed the move.

Dozens feared dead in DR Congo plane crash

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:59 PM PST

Governor of North Kivu province estimates 30 to 50 passengers killed by crash near Goma city brought on by bad weather.

VIDEO: Hi-tech bid to end species smuggling

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 05:54 AM PST

Nearly 200 governments are to meet in Thailand to discuss ways of halting the illegal trade in wildlife around the world.

VIDEO: Protests continue in Bangladesh

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:43 PM PST

Protests and rallies continue in Bangladesh, after its war crimes tribunal sentenced an Islamic leader to death last week.

Argentina dismisses Falklands vote, says oil industry unfeasible

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:41 PM PST

LONDON (Reuters) - A referendum on the fate of the Falkland Islands is a publicity stunt with no legal status, Argentina's ambassador to Britain said on Monday, warning that oil exploitation around the territory was impossible without better regional ties.

Hafiz Khan, Miami Imam, Found Guilty of Supporting Pakistani Taliban

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:49 PM PST

Hafiz Khan, the imam of a mosque in Miami, has been found guilty of two counts of conspiracy and two counts of providing material support to terrorists.

12 Charged With Manslaughter in Florida Hazing Death

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:53 PM PST

Twelve former Florida A&M University band members were charged Monday with manslaughter in the 2011 hazing death of a drum major.

VIDEO: Protests continue in Bangladesh

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:43 PM PST

Protests and rallies continue in Bangladesh, after its war crimes tribunal sentenced an Islamic leader to death last week.

VIDEO: Caracas children drum up hope for the future

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:39 PM PST

A social project run by a non-profit cultural and musical association in Venezuela is hoping to keep disadvantaged children out of trouble on the streets of Caracas by donating special drums to their schools.

Rights group urges U.N. not to lift Somalia arms embargo

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:33 PM PST

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The human rights group Amnesty International warned the U.N. Security Council on Monday not to lift the 21-year-old arms embargo in place for Somalia as called for by a draft resolution, describing the idea as premature.

Czech Senate Votes to Impeach President

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:23 PM PST

The Czech Senate charged departing President Vaclav Klaus with treason and petitioned the Constitutional Court to impeach him in connection with an amnesty that freed more than 6,000 prison inmates.

Hungary Bank Chief's Moves Raise Investor Fear

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:14 PM PST

Hungary's new central bank governor rewrote bank rules as economy minister to give himself more power days before taking his new office, fanning fears about institutional independence and the country's future monetary policy.

Swarm of Locusts Threatens Israel

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:21 PM PST

A swarm of locusts crossed into Israel from neighboring Egypt on Monday, raising fears that Israel could be hit with a biblical plague ahead of the Passover holiday.

1Malaysia Retirement Savings Scheme attracts over 60,000 individuals

1Malaysia Retirement Savings Scheme attracts over 60,000 individuals


1Malaysia Retirement Savings Scheme attracts over 60,000 individuals

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:58 AM PST

The Employees Provident Fund (EPF), which actively encourages the self-employed to contribute voluntarily, said 60,518 individuals have participated in the 1Malaysia Retirement Savings Scheme with contributions todate totalling RM200.54 million.

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Father dies sheltering girl from Japan blizzard

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:21 AM PST

A father froze to death while sheltering his nine-year-old daughter from severe weekend blizzards that swept northern Japan, two years after her mother died, reports said Monday.

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French military chief says "probable" al Qaeda commander Abou Zeid killed

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:01 AM PST

PARIS (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's senior field commander in the Sahara, Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, has probably been killed in Mali, the head of France's joint chiefs of staff said on Monday.


Turning your smartphone into a therapist

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:18 AM PST

Network operator Telefónica has showcased a linguistic analysis engine that can accurately compile a psychological profile of anyone making a phone call, bringing a whole new meaning to the concept of a mood ring.

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App allows users to share their dining history with friends

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:16 AM PST

Want to know what your friends are eating and where they're dining? A restaurant reservation site has launched a Facebook app that allows users to rate the places they've been and share their dining experience with friends.

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"Arab spring" brings new buyers for bulletproof cars

Posted: 03 Mar 2013 11:39 PM PST

DUBAI (Reuters) - In a workshop in a dusty industrial area on the outskirts of Dubai, engineers are stripping down a Toyota Land Cruiser to install armoured plating, bullet resistant glass and run-flat tyres.


Google hacked over Malaysia-Filipino standoff

Posted: 04 Mar 2013 12:02 AM PST

Supporters of an armed bid by Filipino intruders to lay claim to a Malaysian state took their campaign to cyberspace on Monday, manipulating Google search listings to show a message backing the incursion.

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Cuba cigar auction raises money for health system

Posted: 03 Mar 2013 11:55 PM PST

An auction of luxury cigar humidors in Cuba fetched $1.1 million, which will go toward the public health system, the state news agency said Sunday.

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Peruvian mayor at book fair: I don't read

Posted: 03 Mar 2013 11:54 PM PST

The mayor of Peru's third-largest city inaugurated a book fair by saying he does not like to read.

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Owner claims dog show poisoning fishy

Posted: 03 Mar 2013 11:52 PM PST

Call it skulldog-ery. The owner of a fluffy white contestant in New York's prestigious Westminster Dog Show is claiming foul play in the poisoning death of her beloved pooch.

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Man with 94 kg of dried caterpillars stopped at UK airport

Posted: 03 Mar 2013 11:52 PM PST

British border officials have seized 94 kilogrammes (207 pounds) of dried caterpillars from a man who claimed they were "for personal consumption", Britain's interior ministry said Friday.

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Two time-bombs in Sabah

Posted: 03 Mar 2013 11:50 PM PST

How are they going to prevent the Sultan Army from intruding Sabah again? How are they going to solve the bitter fruit of illegal immigrant issue? The people will continue to feel ill until the two time-bombs are dismantled!

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Penang Education Department urges public to report school dropouts

Posted: 03 Mar 2013 11:41 PM PST

The Penang Education Department has called on anyone with information on school dropouts to make a report to the department.

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S. Korean 'comfort women' sue Japan rock band

Posted: 03 Mar 2013 11:39 PM PST

A group of South Korean women forced into wartime sexual slavery by Japan filed a defamation suit Monday against a little known, far-right Japanese rock band for calling them prostitutes.

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Higher caffeine intake may prolong pregnancy, study finds

Posted: 03 Mar 2013 11:33 PM PST

Expecting mothers have one more reason to ban coffee altogether from their diets after a Swedish study found that caffeine intake is linked to longer pregnancies and low birth weights in babies.

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Nine policemen butchered as Kenyans queue in tense vote

Posted: 03 Mar 2013 11:19 PM PST

NAIROBI, March 4 – Kenyans stood patiently in long lines today to elect a new president but machete-wielding youths on the coast killed nine policemen, casting a shadow over a vote seen as vital to repairing Kenya's image after tribal bloodshed five years ago. A few hours before the 6am start of voting and with long queues formed across the nation ...


Australia fire survivors sue Singapore power firm

Posted: 03 Mar 2013 11:11 PM PST

Survivors of a 2009 firestorm which killed 119 people in Australia Monday launched a class action against a Singapore power company over the disaster which lawyers described as "entirely preventable".

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Four policemen butchered as Kenyans queue in tense vote

Posted: 03 Mar 2013 10:33 PM PST

NAIROBI/MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) - Kenyans stood patiently in long lines on Monday to elect a new president but machete-wielding youths on the coast killed four policemen, casting a shadow over a vote seen as vital to repairing Kenya's image after tribal bloodshed five years ago.


Sulu Army and election, coincidence or conspiracy?

Posted: 03 Mar 2013 10:34 PM PST

I still insist that war is not the only way, nor the best solution.

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S. Korean president apologises over political deadlock

Posted: 03 Mar 2013 10:21 PM PST

South Korea's new president, Park Geun-Hye, publicly apologised Monday for a political deadlock blocking the formation of her government at a time of heightened nuclear tension with North Korea.

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