14 states challenge Obama’s historic healthcare reforms

WASHINGTON - Minutes after President Barack Obama signed sweeping health care reform legislation into law, 14 opposition Republican states went to court as the party vowed to do everything to undo the historic measure.

Ruling expected this spring on whether board can ban fish pedicures at Phoenix-area salon

Ruling expected this spring in fish pedicure suit

Parents of girl killed by boat in junior lifeguard class sue city of Huntington Beach, Calif.

Parents of girl killed by boat sue Calif. city

Jose Canseco tweets he’s been subpoenaed by grand jury investigating Roger Clemens

Canseco tweets about grand jury subpoena

NEW YORK — Jose Canseco says he has been subpoenaed by a grand jury investigating whether Roger Clemens lied to Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs.

Judge: Burden is on government to disprove unlawful command influence in Marine’s Haditha case

Judge says burden is on government in Haditha case

Oprah Winfrey settles Pa. lawsuit filed by ex-headmistress of her South African girls school

Oprah Winfrey settles headmistress’ Pa. lawsuit

APNewsBreak: Winfrey settles Pa. defamation suit with ex-boss of South African girls school

APNewsBreak: Winfrey settles Pa. defamation suit

Yemen: 2 southern activists sentenced to jail amid secession struggle

Yemen: 2 southern activists sentenced to jail

Britain considers changing laws to curb libel tourism, bolster public interest defenses

Brave new words? Britain ponders libel law changes

Tribune allowed to withdraw motion on bonuses, will include in reorganization plan

Judge allows Tribune to drop bonus motions

CIC order for disclosing Sharm-e-Sheikh files stayed

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Tuesday stayed the order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) to disclose the file notings related to the India-Pakistan joint statement at Sharm-el-Sheikh.

Obama signs landmark health care legislation

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama Tuesday signed into law a drastic overhaul of the US health care system, the culmination of a year-long struggle that deeply divided the country and threatened to derail his vast domestic agenda.

Court orders CRPF to reinstate sacked trooper

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Tuesday told the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to reinstate a trooper, sacked for not revealing his involvement in a case when he was eight years old.

Water shortage can cause global conflict, warns UN

UNITED NATIONS - Increasing demand for water and shortage of the resource across the world can become a potential source of conflict, the United Nations has warned.

Russian court finds police officer guilty of slander for decrying corruption in YouTube videos

Russian YouTube cop found guilty of slander

Delhi serial blasts accused sent to police custody

NEW DELHI - A suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorist and Delhi serial blasts accused, who claims to be a minor, was Tuesday sent to police custody for five days by a city court.

Move on Padma Bhushan for Chatwal challenged in court

NEW DELHI - A petition was filed Tuesday in Delhi High Court against the government’s decision to award Padma Bhushan to NRI hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal.

Dubai airport sees surge in passenger traffic

DUBAI - Dubai witnessed an increase of more than 20 percent in the number of passengers transiting through its international airport in February.

Afghans are top asylum seekers in the West: UN

GENEVA - The number of Afghans seeking asylum in industrialised countries nearly doubled last year and the group became the largest seeking protection, the United Nations said Tuesday.

Manipur youths post ire agaist army’s special powers

IMPHAL - As part of their pressure on the central government, Manipur youth would send al least 15,000 postcards to President Pratibha Patil demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in the militancy-ravaged northeastern state, youth leaders said here Tuesday.

Dhaka cops shut down exhibition on extra-judicial killings

DHAKA - A photography exhibition on extra-judicial killings carried out by government agencies was shut by police here. Indian writer and human rights activist Mahasweta Devi, however, went ahead and inaugurated it on the road outside the gallery.

Demand for woman president in BJP’s Madhya Pradesh unit

BHOPAL - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which wholeheartedly supported the passage of the women’s reservation bill in the Rajya Sabha, is now witnessing demands from women members in its Madhya Pradesh unit that the post of state president should go to one of them.

Reopening of Swiss cases tantamount to trial of Benazir’s grave: Pak govt.

ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan government has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) verdict to reopen the Swiss cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, saying that doing so would be tantamount to a trial of former premier Benazir Bhutto’s grave.

“Dr. Death” Jayant Patel faced disciplinary action in US in 2000: Brisbane SC told

BRISBANE - Former Indian-origin surgeon Dr. Jayant Patel a.k.a. “Dr. Death” was disciplined by an American medical body in August 2000 for “gross acts of negligence”, the Brisbane Supreme Court has been told.

“Dr. Death” Jayant Patel lacked experience for major surgery: Brisbane SC told

BRISBANE - The Brisbane Supreme Court has been told that former Indian-origin surgeon Dr. Jayant Patel a.k.a. “Dr. Death” lacked the experience or medical support facilities to undertake major surgery on a patient who later died.

Pak government moves petition in LHC to quiz AQ Khan over proliferation disclosures

LONDON - The Pakistan government has moved a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking permission to quiz disgraced nuclear scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan regarding his disclosure to a foreign newspaper about his involvement in offering nuclear know how to Iraq and Iran.