Five held with spying gear in Mexico

Mexico City, Sep 21 (IANS/EFE) Five people have been arrested in Mexico for possessing spying equipment, including “software for doing spy work” that contain “databases with information on people in 30 states”, officials said.

The suspects, one of whom is a policeman, were arrested after they were found following a group of federal police officers in … Read more : Five held with spying gear in Mexico.

Two 80-year-olds die after being abandoned in van

Madrid, Sep 21 (IANS/EFE) Two 80-year-old wheelchair-bound men, suffering from dementia, died after they were abandoned inside a van on way to an old age centre near here, authorities said.

The driver of the van has been arrested and is accused of homicide due to negligence.
Relatives of the dead went to the Virgen del Consuelo …. Read the original article  : Two 80-year-olds die after being abandoned in van.

Chilean president chats with trapped miners

Santiago, Sep 21 (IANS/EFE) Chilean President Sebastian Pinera visited the mine in which 33 people have been trapped since Aug 5 and sent a message of hope in a video chat, amid the euphoria of Chile’s bicentennial celebrations.

The miners were trapped when a landslide caused a tunnel to collapse several hundred feet above them. They … Original article on : Chilean president chats with trapped miners.

Japan warns of fanning nationalism in dispute with China over detained fishing captain

Japan warns of fanning nationalism in China feud

TOKYO – Japan warned Tuesday against fanning “extreme nationalism” in a diplomatic standoff with China over the detention of a Chinese fishing captain after his boat collided with Japanese vessels near disputed islands.
Relations between the countries have been on a downward spiral since the captain was detained nearly … Read : Japan warns of fanning nationalism in dispute with China over detained fishing captain.

2 dead and millions of dollars in damage as Taiwan cleans up after powerful typhoon

Taiwan cleans up after powerful typhoon; 2 dead

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Residents waded through ankle-deep mud to clean up their homes Tuesday, after massive flooding spawned by a powerful typhoon killed two people in southern Taiwan, and caused tens of millions of dollars of damage.
Typhoon Fanapi made a direct hit on the island Sunday, dumping more …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : 2 dead and millions of dollars in damage as Taiwan cleans up after powerful typhoon.

NATO says 9 service members from international coalition killed in helicopter crash

NATO says 9 service members killed in crash

KABUL, Afghanistan – NATO says nine service members with the international coalition in Afghanistan have died after their helicopter crashed in the volatile south.
Two other coalition troops, an Afghan National Army soldier and a U.S. civilian were injured in Tuesday’s crash and were transported to a military medical …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Hurricane Karl claimed 16 lives in Mexico

MEXICO CITY – Hurricane Karl claimed at least 16 lives last week in Mexico, according to Monday’s updated official death toll.

The state of Veracruz, worst-hit by the hurricane’s rain and flooding, suffered 12 of the country’s fatalities. Several people remain missing.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon toured storm-ravaged areas Monday in Veracruz and met with civil …. Source article  : Hurricane Karl claimed 16 lives in Mexico.

Forecasters: 14th tropical depression of the season forms in Atlantic, likely to strengthen

14th tropical depression forms in Atlantic

MIAMI – Forecasters say a tropical depression has formed in the Atlantic on the heels of two hurricanes and is likely to become the next named storm.
The National Hurricane Center said late Monday that the 14th depression of the season was more than 500 miles (805 kilometers) from the Cape … Read more »»».

Owners of Missouri group home where 11 died in 2006 fire answer federal fraud charges

Fraud trial held for owner of Mo. group home

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Prosecutors say the former owner of a Missouri group home where 11 people died in a fire was running the business from prison and after his release despite a federal ban on his involvement.
Robert DuPont and his wife LaVerne went on trial Monday on …. Original source  : Owners of Missouri group home where 11 died in 2006 fire answer federal fraud charges.

20 percent containment reported at wildfire outside Utah National Guard base near Salt Lake

20 percent containment in Utah Guard wildfire

HERRIMAN, Utah – Fire officials are reporting progress battling a wildfire that started on a Utah Army National Guard base and forced the evacuation of 1,600 nearby homes.
Fire spokeswoman Kim Osborn said Monday that firefighters have 20 percent containment of the fire that destroyed three homes and damaged a … Read more »».

Gulf fund czar: No pay earned for spill cleanup to be subtracted from lost revenue claims

BP fund czar: No deduction for spill cleanup wages

NEW ORLEANS – The administrator of the fund for victims of the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster says he will waive a requirement that BP PLC wages earned by spill cleanup be subtracted from workers’ claims for lost revenue.
Attorney Kenneth Feinberg, who is doling out the $20 …. Source article  : Gulf fund czar: No pay earned for spill cleanup to be subtracted from lost revenue claims.

Consumer groups: Vehicles like church van that crashed in NY, killing 6, inherently unstable

Consumer groups: Type of van in NY crash unstable

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – A church van that rolled over on the New York State Thruway and killed six people is a type some consumer groups have been calling unsafe for nearly a decade.
Two groups said Monday in response to a question from The Associated Press that …. Read the original article  : Consumer groups: Vehicles like church van that crashed in NY, killing 6, inherently unstable.

Guard commander takes responsibility for wildfire that raged out of control near Salt Lake

Guard commander takes responsibility for wildfire

HERRIMAN, Utah – The commander of the Utah Army National Guard took responsibility Monday for a fast-moving wildfire that led to the evacuation of 1,600 homes, saying Guard officials erred when they allowed live-fire training despite high wind warnings.
Gen. Brian Tarbet said he was “deeply sorry” about what he called …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Small plane carrying Americans crashes in Bahamas after luggage door opens in air; no one hurt

Bahamas probes small plane crash, no injuries

NASSAU, Bahamas – An aviation official in the Bahamas says a small plane heading for Florida with six people on board, including four Americans, crashed shortly after taking off. Everyone aboard escaped without injury.
Aviation safety inspector Delvin Major says the baggage door on the twin-engine Piper PA-31 flung open …. Original article  : Small plane carrying Americans crashes in Bahamas after luggage door opens in air; no one hurt.

BP joins ExxonMobil-led well containment program, to provide underwater equipment, expertise

BP to join oil companies’ well containment program

HOUSTON – BP PLC says it will join a group of the world’s largest oil companies who are working together to improve response to spills, such as the massive one in the Gulf of Mexico.
BP’s announcement on Monday came just two days after its blown-out Gulf well was … Read more »»».

Mexico’s death toll rises to 16 in mudslides, floods from remnants of Hurricane Karl

Death toll rises to 16 in Mexico from flooding

VERACRUZ, Mexico – Mexican authorities say at least 16 people have been killed in several days of flooding and mudslides across southern Mexico.
President Felipe Calderon says the death toll in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz rose to 12 over the weekend as the remnants of Hurricane …. Original source  : Mexico’s death toll rises to 16 in mudslides, floods from remnants of Hurricane Karl.

Earthquake strongly felt in Anchorage and beyond

Earthquake jolts Anchorage
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An earthquake jolted Anchorage on Monday and was felt well beyond Alaska’s largest city.

The 4.9 magnitude quake struck at 1:24 p.m. about 10 miles southwest of Anchorage, according to earthquake monitors.
There were no reports of injury or damage, but people reported that the earthquake “shook awful hard,” said Cindi Preller, …. Original article  : Earthquake strongly felt in Anchorage and beyond.

Metro-North Railroad Disrupted due to Fire on the Harlem river bridge

NEW YORK (GaeaTimes.com) — Metro-North railroad has been suspended on the Hudson, Harlem and New Heaven lines due to a fire on the 138th Street Bridge over the Harlem river.
The fire under the bridge was first reported at around 11.45 am today. Initial reports suggests that the fire has been caused by the explosion …. Original article  : Metro-North Railroad Disrupted due to Fire on the Harlem river bridge.

Weather delays Oregon wine grape harvest by 2 weeks to a month

Weather pushes back Oregon wine grape harvest

PORTLAND, Ore. – A cool spring followed by a summer with only a scattering of hot days has delayed the Oregon wine grape harvest by at least two weeks and possibly up to a month.
Growers are trying different ways to speed up ripening before fall rains arrive, including pulling … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Weather delays Oregon wine grape harvest by 2 weeks to a month.

Pipeline info kept secret for security reasons; Calif. town found that out after lethal blast

Despite accidents, pipeline info is elusive

SAN FRANCISCO – Public records can reveal a lot about a neighborhood: who’s not paying their taxes, where sex offenders live, whether a house for sale has lead paint. Yet if a 2??-foot-wide pipeline carrying highly pressurized, explosive natural gas runs beneath the neighborhood, it’s a different story.
Citing fears that …. Source  : Pipeline info kept secret for security reasons; Calif. town found that out after lethal blast.