India Ink: Newswallah: Bharat Edition

Jammu and Kashmir: Demands for a discussion over the recent execution of Muhammad Afzal, who was convicted in a deadly attack on India’s Parliament, rocked the state legislature on Friday, according to an IANS report on the NDTV Web site. The call for debate was initiated by the opposition People’s Democratic Party, and it found support from the governing National Conference party in the state.Northeast:...

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U.S. Judges Offer Addicts a Way to Avoid Prison

Todd Heisler/The New York TimesEmily Leitch of Brooklyn, with her son, Nazir, 4, was arrested for importing cocaine but went to “drug court” to avoid prison. Federal judges around the country are teaming up with prosecutors to create special treatment programs for drug-addicted defendants who would otherwise face significant prison time, an effort intended to sidestep drug laws widely seen as inflexible...

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Economix Blog: Bernanke Defends Stimulus as Necessary and Effective

The Federal Reserve’s chairman, Ben S. Bernanke, picked an unusual time to offer his most recent defense of the Fed’s campaign to stimulate the economy: 7 p.m. on a Friday night in San Francisco, 10 p.m. back home on the East Coast.The basic message was the same as Mr. Bernanke delivered to Congress earlier this week: The Fed regards its current efforts as necessary and effective, and the risks, while...

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India Ink: How Will India Pay for the Perks in the New Budget?

Characteristic of a party headed for the polls, the Congress party’s budget Thursday morning had a lengthy list of handouts from increased spending on healthcare, education, rural and tribal welfare to a tax benefit for first-time home buyers and women’s development funds. Yet with all the additional spending adding up to a staggering 2.3 trillion rupees (about $42 billion), the minister projects...

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No. 2 Gonzaga survives scare from BYU 70-65

PROVO, Utah (AP) — No. 2 Gonzaga knew Brigham Young wouldn't be a pushover this time.On Thursday night, the Cougars even threw a converted football player at Bulldogs star Kelly Olynyk.Olynyk withstood the hit and Gonzaga withstood a furious rally for a 70-65 victory before a raucous crowd of 19,731.Olynyk scored 19 points, Gary Bell Jr. hit four 3-pointers and Gonzaga won its 10th outright West Coast...

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Jane C. Wright, Pioneering Oncologist, Dies at 93

Dr. Jane C. Wright, a pioneering oncologist who helped elevate chemotherapy from a last resort for cancer patients to an often viable treatment option, died on Feb. 19 at her home in Guttenberg, N.J. She was 93. Her death was confirmed by her daughter Jane Jones, who said her mother had dementia. Dr. Wright descended from a distinguished medical family that defied racial barriers in...

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F-35 Jets Returned to Service by Pentagon

The Pentagon lifted its grounding of the new F-35 jet fighter on Thursday after concluding that a turbine blade had cracked on a single plane after it was overused in test operations. The office that runs the program said no other cracks were found in inspections of the other engines made so far, and no engine redesign was needed. It said the engine in which the blade cracked was...

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Benedict XVI Begins Final Day as Pope

VATICAN CITY — A day after blessing the faithful for the last time as pope, Benedict XVI prepared on Thursday to meet the cardinals who will elect his successor. After a nearly eight-year papacy that he said was filled with “light and joy” but also darker moments, Benedict will later leave the Vatican by helicopter for the papal summer residence where his retirement will formally take effect at 8...

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Well: Think Like a Doctor: The Man Who Wobbled

The Challenge: Can you solve the medical mystery of a man who suddenly becomes too dizzy to walk?Every month, the Diagnosis column of The New York Times Magazine asks Well readers to try their hand at solving a medical mystery. Below you will find the story of a 56-year-old factory worker with dizziness and panic attacks. I have provided records from his two hospital visits that will give you all...

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European Union Agrees on Plan to Cap Banker Bonuses

BRUSSELS — The European Union moved a step closer early on Thursday to imposing strict curbs on bonus pay for bankers, which has been blamed by many politicians for inciting the risk-taking behavior that triggered the recent financial crisis. A provisional agreement struck between the European Parliament, the European Commission and national representatives could mean that the coveted...

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