Karzai summons top NATO commander in Afghanistan

KABUL: Afghan president Hamid Karzai has summoned the new commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan over an air strike that allegedly killed ten civilians, according to a statement issued Thursday.General Joseph Dunford, who took over from General John Allen on Sunday, was called in "for explanations" to the Afghan presidential palace following the air strike in the insurgency-plagued Kunar...

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Rafale talks progressing well: PM

NEW DELHI: French president Francois Hollande on Thursday ruled out any AgustaWestland-type scam in India's purchase of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA), one of India's biggest defence deals ever, saying that there will be nothing in the ongoing negotiations contrary to the "principles common to us". France and India entered exclusive negotiations for purchase of Dassault Aviation's Rafale...

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Study: Fish in drug-tainted water suffer reaction

BOSTON (AP) — What happens to fish that swim in waters tainted by traces of drugs that people take? When it's an anti-anxiety drug, they become hyper, anti-social and aggressive, a study found. They even get the munchies.It may sound funny, but it could threaten the fish population and upset the delicate dynamics of the marine environment, scientists say.The findings, published online Thursday in...

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Dorner Hid Just Steps From Command Center

Christopher Dorner, the fugitive ex-cop who authorities believe died in a fiery standoff with police Tuesday night, was apparently holed up in a snow-covered cabin in the California mountains just steps from where police had set up a command post and held press conferences during a five-day manhunt.The charred remains of a body believed to be Dorner was removed from another...

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Ovation for Pope Benedict at final public mass

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - A capacity crowd in St Peter's Basilica gave Pope Benedict a thunderous standing ovation on Wednesday at an emotional last public Mass before he resigns at the end of the month. "Thank you. Now, let's return to prayer," the 85-year-old pontiff said, bringing an end to several minutes of applause that clearly moved him. In an unusual gesture, bishops took off their...

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Tennis: Azarenka rides Gulf breeze past Oprandi in opener

DOHA: Victoria Azarenka's bid to hold on to her Qatar Open title, and the world number one ranking, began with victory over herself, a treacherous wind, world number 62 and Romina Oprandi on Wednesday.Azarenka's 6-2, 6-3 success was encouraging both in the way she responded to being within a point of losing the first three games in irritating conditions and for her maturing sense of adaptability.There...

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Tyagi cousins got benefit of clout?

NEW DELHI: The emergence of the three low profile Tyagi brothers as key middlemen in swinging the huge defence contract for VVIP helicopters in 2010 has surprised many, given the dominance of India's arms trade by a few families as illegal agents. In the past several years, the three Tyagi brothers have never been known to be major middlemen, capable of illegally manipulating big defence contracts....

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Clues to why most survived China melamine scandal

WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists wondering why some children and not others survived one of China's worst food safety scandals have uncovered a suspect: germs that live in the gut.In 2008, at least six babies died and 300,000 became sick after being fed infant formula that had been deliberately and illegally tainted with the industrial chemical melamine. There were some lingering puzzles: How did it cause...

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Fort Hood Hero Says President 'Betrayed' Victims

Three years after the White House arranged a hero's welcome at the State of the Union address for the Fort Hood police sergeant and her partner who stopped the deadly shooting there, Kimberly Munley says President Obama broke the promise he made to her that the victims would be well taken care of."Betrayed is a good word," former Sgt. Munley told ABC News in a tearful interview...

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North Korean nuclear test draws anger, including from China

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea conducted its third nuclear test on Tuesday in defiance of U.N. resolutions, drawing condemnation from around the world, including from its only major ally, China, which summoned the North Korean ambassador to protest. Pyongyang said the test was an act of self-defense against "U.S. hostility" and threatened stronger steps if necessary. The test...

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