About 20 people injured by turbulence on United Airlines flight to Japan

20 hurt by turbulence on United flight to Japan

TOKYO – Police say about 20 people have been injured by turbulence aboard a United Airlines plane flying from the United States to Japan.
Tetsuya Shinozuka, a police official at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, says many of the injuries were bruises, but at least one person may have … Read more »».

Student attempts self-immolation over Telangana
HYDERABAD – The students’ protest over the Telangana issue here Saturday took a tragic turn with a one of them attempting self-immolation.

S. Yadaiah, a student of intermediate second year, set himself ablaze at the main entrance of Osmania University as police had prevented students from marching towards the state assembly to lay a siege demanding …. Source article  : Student attempts self-immolation over Telangana.

Afghan president says NATO’s effort to prevent civilian deaths still not enough

Karzai: NATO still causes too many civilian deaths

KABUL – Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Saturday that NATO’s efforts to prevent civilian deaths during its operations are not enough because innocent people keep dying, as the military alliance continued its offensive in a key Taliban stronghold.
In a speech at the opening session of the Afghan parliament, … Original source on Gaea Times at : Afghan president says NATO’s effort to prevent civilian deaths still not enough.

Authorities: 2 dead after small plane crashes near home on approach to Calif. airport

2 dead in plane crash near rural Calif. airport

GROVELAND, Calif. – A small plane crashed in flames in the backyard of a home in rural northern California Friday night, killing the two people aboard but causing no injuries on the ground, authorities said.
The single-engine Piper Saratoga went down near Pine Mountain Lake Airport in Groveland …. Source article  : Authorities: 2 dead after small plane crashes near home on approach to Calif. airport.

64 students, crew rescued from sunken Canadian sailing vessel head to Rio on Brazilian ships

Students rescued off Brazil coast expected in Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO – After clinging to life rafts in high seas for up to 16 hours, more than five dozen students and crew from a Canadian sailing ship that sank in the Atlantic headed to port Saturday aboard Brazilian naval vessels.
The three-masted SV Concordia was on a …. Original source  : 64 students, crew rescued from sunken Canadian sailing vessel head to Rio on Brazilian ships.

Man held in Uttar Pradesh for raping daughters
LUCKNOW – A 50-year-old man has been arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district for allegedly raping his two teenaged daughters for nearly two years, police said Saturday.

Siyaram Rawat, a farmer and resident of Sarai Saif village in Barabanki, some 35 km from Lucknow, allegedly raped his daughters, aged 17 and 14, at a secluded place …. Read the original article  : Man held in Uttar Pradesh for raping daughters.

Sean Penn charged with battery, vandalism
LOS ANGELES – Oscar winning actor Sean Penn has been charged with battery and vandalism for indulging in a scuffle with a paparazzo four months ago.

Penn is being charged on two counts, one for battery, and one for vandalism, said Frank Mateljan, spokesman for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office.
If convicted, Penn faces …. Read the original article  : Sean Penn charged with battery, vandalism.

Assam scam chargesheet doesn’t name ministers
GUWAHATI – The National Investigating Agency (NIA) has revealed a politician-militant-bureaucrat-contractor nexus in Assam relating to a multi-million rupees scam involving government funds but has not named any minister in its final chargesheet.

There is a political storm in Assam with the opposition baying for the resignation of the Congress-led government after The Week magazine published … Original source on Gaea Times at : Assam scam chargesheet doesn’t name ministers.

Punjab police bust gang of robbers, arrest 13
PATIALA – At least 13 people, who were accused in over 25 cases of robbery in the last few months, have been arrested in this Punjab town, police said Saturday.

Nine country-made pistols, live cartridges and a car have been recovered from their possession.
“Based on a tip-off, we laid a trap Feb 12. At that …. Source  : Punjab police bust gang of robbers, arrest 13.

Texas plane crash exposes gap in US security – but can and should anything be done about it?

Texas plane crash exposes gap in US air security

GEORGETOWN, Texas – After 9/11, cockpit doors were sealed, air marshals were added and airport searches became more aggressive, all to make sure an airliner could never again be used as a weapon. Yet little has been done to guard against attacks with smaller planes.
That point was [..] Read the original article: here.

Denied leave, Orissa trooper commits suicide
BHUBANESWAR – A trooper of the Orissa State Armed Police committed suicide by stabbing his bayonet into his belly after he was denied leave, police said Saturday.

Prakash Chandra Barik killed himself Friday evening in Gajapati district of Orissa. He hailed from Kendrapara district. He was posted in 3rd Battalion of Orissa State Armed Police in … Original article on : Denied leave, Orissa trooper commits suicide.

3 weeks and more than 70 witnesses later, pretrial hearing for Drew Peterson comes to close

Hearsay hearing for Drew Peterson comes to an end

JOLIET, Ill. – A hearing for Drew Peterson ended Friday night with the same question it began with a month ago: Is there enough evidence to convince a judge that the former police officer may have killed his third and fourth wives to keep them from testifying … Read more : 3 weeks and more than 70 witnesses later, pretrial hearing for Drew Peterson comes to close.

Singapore man gets jail, caning for raping sister
SINGAPORE – A Singapore court has sentenced a man who raped his younger sister to 13 years in jail, a media report said Saturday.

The now 21-year-old brother, who was not named to protect the victim’s identity, started to rape his sister, now 16, when both shared a bedroom in 2005 or 2006, the Straits Times … Original source on Gaea Times at : Singapore man gets jail, caning for raping sister.

Dominican agent details orphanage plans of leader of US missionaries detained in Haiti

DR agent shares orphanage plans of US missionary

SOSUA, Dominican Republic – Six months before Haiti’s earthquake, the leader of a group of U.S. missionaries accused of kidnapping 33 children flew to the Dominican Republic to open an orphanage, a real estate agent said Friday.
During that visit, Laura Silsby inquired about property in the northwestern village …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Dominican agent details orphanage plans of leader of US missionaries detained in Haiti.

At least 36 killed in mosque collapse in Morocco
RABAT – A minaret on a Moroccan mosque collapsed Friday, killing at least 36 worshippers and injuring 70 in the city of Meknes, the official MAP news agency reported.

Authorities had not determined the cause of the accident, which occurred during Friday prayers at the Bab Berdieyinne Mosque in the historic district of Meknes, about 130 …. Original article  : At least 36 killed in mosque collapse in Morocco.

Christina Kim shaken up by bus crash on way to LPGA Tour event in Thailand

Golfer Kim shaken by Thai traffic accident

PATTAYA, Thailand – Christina Kim was shaken but unhurt when the bus she was riding in crashed leaving the course hosting the LPGA Tour’s season-opening event.
The accident Friday involved the bus, a truck and a police car.
Kim, returning to her hotal after shooting a 72 in the second round …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Christina Kim shaken up by bus crash on way to LPGA Tour event in Thailand.

Environmental groups ask Justice Dept. to launch criminal probe of Vermont Yankee officials

Green groups call for federal probe of Vt. Yankee

MONTPELIER, Vt. – Two environmental groups on Friday asked the U.S. Justice Department to launch a criminal probe of Vermont Yankee nuclear plant officials, saying they had provided false information under oath and operated the plant with “careless disregard” of the potential for leaking radioactive substances.
Conservation Law …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Environmental groups ask Justice Dept. to launch criminal probe of Vermont Yankee officials.

Austin plane crash exposes gap in US security _ but can and should anything be done about it?

Austin plane crash exposes gap in US air security

GEORGETOWN, Texas – After 9/11, cockpit doors were sealed, air marshals were added and airport searches became more aggressive, all to make sure an airliner could never again be used as a weapon. Yet little has been done to guard against attacks with smaller planes.
That point was …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Bode Miller gets silver, fellow American Weibrecht bronze in super-G; US medal count hits 20

Bode Miller leads US to silver, bronze in super-G

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Two races, two medals. Bode Miller is putting together one heck of a Vancouver Olympics.
Miller picked up a silver in the super-G Friday to go with the bronze he won in the downhill.
Andrew Weibrecht, who’d never finished higher than 10th in a World … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Bode Miller gets silver, fellow American Weibrecht bronze in super-G; US medal count hits 20.

Lawmakers seek gas code changes following deadly explosion at NC Slim Jim plant

Lawmakers seek gas code changes after NC explosion

RALEIGH, N.C. – Lawmakers on Capitol Hill asked Friday for immediate changes to national safety codes after last year’s deadly explosion at a Slim Jim factory in North Carolina led federal investigators to issue industrywide warnings on gas-line purging.
A committee of the National Fire Protection Association will begin … Original article on : Lawmakers seek gas code changes following deadly explosion at NC Slim Jim plant.