Nation in brief: No development of Alaska oil, gas

Anchorage, Alaska – A federal judge on Wednesday stopped companies from developing oil and gas wells on billions of dollars in leases off Alaska’s northwest coast, saying the federal government failed to follow environmental law before it sold the drilling rights.

The lease sale in February 2008 brought in nearly $2.7 billion for the federal government from the sale of 2.76 million acres in the Arctic waters of the Chukchi Sea, including $2.1 billion in high bids submitted by Shell Gulf of Mexico Inc.

Dallas – A suburban Dallas mother accused of strangling her two young children told a 911 operator she killed them because they were autistic and she wanted “normal kids,” according to a tape released Wednesday.

Irving police released the recording after Saiqa Akhter was charged with one count of capital murder in the strangling of her 5-year-old son, Zain Akhter, at the family’s apartment Monday night. Police spokesman David Tull said another capital murder charge is pending in the slaying of her 2-year-old daughter, Faryaal Akhter, who died Tuesday night.

Grand Teton National Park, Wyo. – Rescue teams used helicopters to remove 16 injured climbers from an exposed mountain in Grand Teton National Park on Wednesday after a thunderstorm and severe lightning struck the area, a park spokeswoman said. One climber was still unaccounted for Wednesday night.

Three separate climbing parties reported injuries after the storm hit around midday. The groups were all above 13,000 feet on the 13,770-foot Grand Teton mountain.