Gaza-bound ship refuses Israeli order to change course

TEL AVIV/LARNACA – The Israeli Navy made contact early Saturday with a ship headed for the blockaded Gaza Strip but the vessel refused an order to divert to the Israeli port of Ashdod.

An Israeli military spokesman said the ship, the Rachel Corrie, identified itself in response to a navy request, but rejected two calls to … Read more >>.

Homegrown terrorism, a result of a combination of factors: Ex-Pak envoy

WASHINGTON – Pakistan’s former envoy to Great Britain and current Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University’s School of International Service, Akbar Ahmed, has expressed the view that homegrown terrorism is the result of a combination of factors.

“Muslim Americans feel discriminated against and misunderstood by their fellow Americans. There is a definite … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Homegrown terrorism, a result of a combination of factors: Ex-Pak envoy.

Hydropower production rises in Himachal Pradesh

KULLU – Himachal Pradesh has shown an increase in hydropower generation this year on account of the rising temperature, as the water levels of all Himalayan regions rivers have gone up.ue to water surplus in the River Beas, a single hydropower plant of the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board is generating over 10 to 15 percent …. Read the original article  : Hydropower production rises in Himachal Pradesh.

German-born Brit kills wife, keeps corpse in freezer for three years

LONDON – A man in Britain murdered his wife and kept the dead body in a freezer at his home for three years.

Peter Wallner, 35, has been sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison for the heinous crime.

The German-born ex-chef at London’s five-star Lanesborough Hotel was caught after he tried to dump his … Original source on Gaea Times at : German-born Brit kills wife, keeps corpse in freezer for three years.

11th-century Chinese calligraphy scroll sells for record 438m yuan

LONDON – An 11th-century calligraphy scroll has been sold for 438 million yuan, setting new record for a Chinese work of art.

The scroll, 11m (36ft) long, by Huang Tingjian fetched more than double the previous high price set at auction last year.

An anonymous buyer purchased the relic in Poly International Auction in Beijing.

Before this, … Read : 11th-century Chinese calligraphy scroll sells for record 438m yuan.

Cycle rally in Delhi on World Environment Day

NEW DELHI – A cycle rally was organized in New Delhi on Saturday by the Organizing committee of the Commonwealth Games to mark the World Environment Day.

The rally, which started from the headquarters of the Commonwealth Games, witnessed an enthusiastic response from the citizens, who turned up in large numbers.

Shera, the official mascot for …. Read the original article  : Cycle rally in Delhi on World Environment Day.

Heather Mills celebrates winning legal battle over nanny’s bully claims

LONDON – Heather Mills has expressed her delight at winning the legal battle brought about by her nanny who claimed she was bullied out of her job by the former model.

Mills, 42, said she felt vindicated that a tribunal recognised her “fair and generous” treatment of Sara Trumble, and welcomed the result as she arrived …. Source  : Heather Mills celebrates winning legal battle over nanny’s bully claims.

Firing not aimed at Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : Karnataka DGP

BANGALORE – Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP) Ajai Kumar Singh on Saturday said the bullet that was fired from a country made weapon was not aimed at Art of Living (AoL) founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

“The firing was done to scare away the wild dogs,” added Singh.

The Karnataka Polive quizzed Mahadev Prasad, who has …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Firing not aimed at Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : Karnataka DGP.

UN’s Indian rapporteur on health slams ‘apartheid’ at Australian hospitals

MELBOURNE – An apartheid-style practice of separate entrances for indigenous people at some Australian hospitals has drawn criticism from a United Nations investigator.

Anand Grover, the UN’s special rapporteur on health, has raised the issue of dividing screens at hospital entrances in a report critical of the Northern Territory intervention and indigenous health performance.

“I think it … Read : UN’s Indian rapporteur on health slams ‘apartheid’ at Australian hospitals.

PPP central leader calls for drone attacks to rid South Punjab from terrorists

LAHORE – While the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led government has been opposing drone strikes in the restive tribal areas along the Afghan border, a central leader of the PPP, Abida Hussain, has called for similar missile hits in South Punjab, which has seen severe bloodshed in the recent past.

“If drone attacks can be made … Read more >>>.

Palin blames environmentalists for oil spill

WASHINGTON – Former US vice-presidential hopeful Sarah Palin has blamed environmentalists for British Petroleum’s massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill.ky News quoted Palin as saying that the ‘misguided radicalism’ of environmentalists was to blame for BP’s oil spill

The former Alaskan governor, whose catchphrase during her campaign was “drill, baby, drill”, made the comments on her … Original source on Gaea Times at : Palin blames environmentalists for oil spill.

Fire guts over a hundred shanties in New Delhi

NEW DELHI – Over hundred shanties were burnt down as a massive fire gutted a slum area near Okhla on Saturday.

The locals here said that they do not know the exact cause of the fire.

“Within half an hour, everything got burnt. We don’t know how did it occur, we saw smoke and because of … Read : Fire guts over a hundred shanties in New Delhi.

Busan G-20: Mukherjee calls for strong, sustainable, balanced growth

BUSAN – Reiterating the need for building a consensus on the Framework of the G-20 and for refining the Mutual Assessment Process in the second stage, India’s Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said: “Since policy actions have to be taken at the country level, we have to see how this important dimension can be rolled into … Read more : Busan G-20: Mukherjee calls for strong, sustainable, balanced growth.

Militants kill 3 hostages in southern Philippines; soldiers kill 2 gunmen

Militants kill 3 hostages in southern Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – Al-Qaida-linked militants fatally shot three abducted rubber farm workers after their families failed to pay a ransom, the military said Saturday.
The victims’ bullet-riddled bodies were found by residents in a village outside Sumisip township on the island of Basilan, a stronghold of Abu Sayyaf militants, Basilan …. Read the original article  : Militants kill 3 hostages in southern Philippines; soldiers kill 2 gunmen.

Pak investigators suspect police officials’ role in Lahore mosque attack

LAHORE – Pakistani investigators probing last Friday’s ghastly terror attacks on two Ahmedi mosques in Lahore’s Garhi Shahu and Model Town areas have got some crucial leads in the case which point fingers towards the involvement of some police officials deployed at both places of worship.

According to sources, during interrogation, Muaaz, the militant who was …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Indian American teen wins 2010 US Spelling Bee contest

WASHINGTON – Indian American teen Anamika Veeramani has been crowned champion of the 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee here. She won the contest on Friday night.

A 14-year-old from North Royalton, Ohio, Veeramani successfully spelled “juvia” and “stromuhr” to become the bee’s 83rd champion and defeat Shantanu Srivatsa of West Fargo, N.D. in the final round.

According …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Indian origin gubernatorial candidate Haley says will resign if affairs are proved

WASHINGTON – Indian origin South Carolina gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley has vowed to resign if either of the two men who say they’ve had an affair with her is ever able to prove it.

Both blogger Will Folks and lobbyist Larry Marchant have claimed in the last fortnight that they had sex with Haley while …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Indian origin gubernatorial candidate Haley says will resign if affairs are proved.

Pillai demands end to economic blockade

SHILLONG – Union Home Secretary G K Pillai has appealed to both Nagaland and Manipur Government to speak to various student organizations and ensure that they call off the economic blockade.

Calling the blockade as ‘illegal’, Pillai said the illegal activity needs to be stopped at the earliest.

“Blockade has been done by various student organizations … Read more : Pillai demands end to economic blockade.

AP Enterprise: Alleged North Korean ship attack came near US-SKorea anti-sub maneuvers

AP Enterprise: Sub attack came near drill
WASHINGTON – Military officials tell The Associated Press that the U.S. and South Korea were engaged in joint anti-submarine warfare exercises just 75 miles away from where a torpedo-armed North Korean submarine allegedly sank a South Korean patrol ship.

The blast that sank the Cheonan resulted in the worst South …. Original source  : AP Enterprise: Alleged North Korean ship attack came near US-SKorea anti-sub maneuvers.

Autopsy reveals dead Gaza flotilla activists were shot 30 times at close range

LONDON – The nine Turkish men killed onboard the humanitarian aid ship Mavi Marmara were shot 30 times at close range, an autopsy has revealed.

This revelation has exposed the falsity of Israel’s claim that its commandos were first attacked, and therefore, it had to retaliate.ccording to The Guardian, Israel is under pressure now to allow …. Original article  : Autopsy reveals dead Gaza flotilla activists were shot 30 times at close range.