Boston bombing trial opens with jury selection
The long-awaited trial of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev began Monday with jury selection, 20 months after the devastating attack that killed three at the city's signature race.
Tsarnaev, a 21-year-old Muslim of Chechen origin, faces the death penalty if convicted in federal court for what was the worst act of terror on US soil since the September 11 attacks in 2001.
Dressed in a dark pullover and light pants and with a shock of tangled hair and small beard, Tsarnaev appeared opposite a first group of 200 to 250 potential jurors as US District Judge George O'Toole briefly reviewed the charges against him.
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Extreme cold grips Canada, parts of United States
Extreme cold gripped Canada and northern parts of the United States on Monday, prompting calls for residents to stay indoors amid increased risks of frostbite and hypothermia.
Freezing rain on top of snow over the weekend draped most of eastern Canada under a sheet of ice, making driving impossible.Hundreds of thousands in Quebec province were without electricity overnight, but most power was to be restored by the end of the day, according to the local utility.
In Montreal and Toronto, dozens of flights were delayed or cancelled due to ice build-up and blowing snow. Chicago, Minneapolis and Buffalo airports also reported delays.
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Oil market collapses under US$50 a barrel, as Singapore traders predict further price drop
Global oil prices on Monday collapsed under US$50 (S$66.77) for the first time in more than five years on the strong dollar, plunging equities, demand worries and plentiful crude supplies.
The renewed slump came as the Dow index stood down more than 200 points and European equity markets lost more than two per cent on fears of a Greek exit, or so-called Grexit, from the eurozone.
At about 12:30 am Singapore time, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for February delivery tumbled to US$49.95 per barrel, touching the lowest level since May 1, 2009.
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Solar plane to leave Switzerland ahead of round-the world trip
A sun-powered plane was loaded onto a cargo carrier in Switzerland late Monday heading for the Middle East from where it will attempt a revolutionary round-the-world trip.
The carrier transporting Solar Impulse 2 is due to leave early Tuesday for Abu Dhabi, from where the long-winged plane will begin its record-making bid in March with the aim of completing the trip by July.
It is the successor of Solar Impulse, a pioneering craft which notched up a 26-hour flight in 2010, proving its ability to store enough power in lithium batteries during the day to keep flying at night.
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Football: Manchester United handed Cambridge trip in FA Cup
Manchester United will have to subdue another potential giant-killer after the 11-time FA Cup winners were handed a fourth round trip to League Two minnows Cambridge United in Monday's draw.
Louis van Gaal's team were paired with the lowest ranked team left in the Cup and will head to the tiny Abbey Stadium on the weekend of Jan 24-25.
A total of 79 league places separate Richard Money's side with van Gaal's star-studded line-up, who were able to avoid an embarrassing third round defeat at League One outfit Yeovil on Sunday as they cruised to a 2-0 win.
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