'No corporate rivalry behind Ambani chopper sabotage'

As Anil Ambani helicopter sabotage case took a mysterious turn with the death of a witness, Maharashtra government on Wednesday said no evidence has been found to suggest that a "corporate rivalry between two groups" was behind the incident.

A day after Bharat Borge, who spotted the pebbles in the fuel tank of the industrialist's chopper, was found dead on a railway track, state Home Minister Jayant Patil said, "We have not found any evidence that there is a corporate rivalry between two groups and that is why this had happened."

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Buner operation continues as troops seize key town

Troops took the main town in Buner district, 60 miles northwest of Islamabad, after being dropped by helicopters behind Taliban lines, a military spokesman said on the second day of the offensive on Wednesday. The spokesman said troops had secured Daggar town in Buner valley and linked up with police and officers from the Frontier Constabulary.

Earlier, at least 60 personnel of police and the Frontier Constabulary were taken hostage by Taliban in Buner’s Pir Baba area as security forces, backed by helicopter gunships and jet fighters, launched an operation in the district on Tuesday and pounded suspected hideouts of militants in some of its border areas.

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Ludhiana doctor couple get 10 year jail for illegal abortion

The additional Session Judge Ludhiana has sentenced Dr Sharan Kaur and her husband Dr Avtar Singh of Guru Ram Dass Hospital, Field Ganj, Ludhiana to 10 years imprisonment in a case of illegal abortion. The court also ordered them to pay fine of Rs 1,000 each.

The couple was caught while conducting illegal abortion of Baljinder Kaur of Ashok Nagar, near Jallandhar bypass. The prosecution had also claimed to have recovered the 12 to 14- week foetus from their possession, allegedly aborted by the doctor couple. The police had raided premises of the couple on a complaint of then Family Welfare Officer Dr Manorma Avasthi.

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US economy's free-fall probably eased in Q1

The recession's grip on the country may be letting up a bit. The government is set to release a report Wednesday expected to show the economy shrank at a pace of 5 percent in the first three months of this year. If Wall Street analysts' forecasts' are correct, the figure — while still extremely weak — would be viewed as a hopeful sign that the worst of the recession — in terms of lost economic activity — may be past.

"The recession is easing up," said John Silvia, chief economist at Wachovia. "We're probably bottoming out here in the first half of this year." The economy in the final three months of last year logged its worst downhill slide in a quarter-century, contracting at a 6.3 percent annual rate as nervous American consumers ratcheted back spending in the face of rising unemployment, falling home values and shrinking nest eggs.

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Defiant Chelsea withstand Barca's barrage for goalless draw

Chelsea saw mission accomplished after they stood firm against a barrage from Barcelona at the Camp Nou to draw 0-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final here on Tuesday leaving the hosts goalless for the first time at home this season in the competition. As expected Barca took the game to Chelsea and enjoyed the vast majority of the possession but they were unable to find a way through to goal.

Petr Cech made a couple of important blocks from Samuel Eto'o and substitute Alexandr Hleb but too often they were restricted to strikes from distance. "This was a good result but the tie is not decided yet and we have another very hard game ahead of us," said Chelsea's manager Guus Hiddink.

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