US Air Force says a drone crashed on takeoff in southern Afghanistan

US military: Drone crashes in southern Afghanistan

KABUL – The U.S. Air Force says a remote-piloted drone crashed on takeoff in southern Afghanistan on Monday.
The U.S. Air Forces Central Command said the aircraft – an MQ-1 Predator – was not shot down by hostile fire. An air force statement released Tuesday said there were no reports … Original article on : US Air Force says a drone crashed on takeoff in southern Afghanistan.

Damage from storm may snarl commutes in Northeast as region copes with flooding, power outages

Damage from storm may snarl commutes in Northeast

EGG HARBOR CITY, N.J. – A torrential rainstorm that brought heavy winds to the Northeast is weakening as it moves north, but the damage and flooding left in its wake might keep some people from their homes for days and cause headaches for Monday’s commute.
At least seven people … Original article on : Damage from storm may snarl commutes in Northeast as region copes with flooding, power outages.

Speeding Scorpio runs down two pilgrims

AGRA – Two pilgrims from Agra on their way to an annual fair in Rajasthan’s Karauli district were crushed to death by a speeding Scorpio on the highway, police said Monday. In another incident, half a dozen pilgrims from this city were injured in a gas cylinder explosion that burnt 50 shops near the fair … Read more >>.

Six of family hurt in gas leak fire, three critical

NEW DELHI – Six people of a family sustained serious burn injuries Monday when a fire broke out in their east Delhi house due to a gas leak, fire department officials said.

Arvind Verma, 45, his wife Shobha, 40 and their four children were inside their Shastri Park house when the fire caused by …. Original article  : Six of family hurt in gas leak fire, three critical.

Five-year-old sex offender in New Zealand

AUCKLAND – A five-year-old boy and two six-year-olds were amongst the 12 children apprehended by New Zealand police for sexual assault last year, a media report said Monday.

Police did not give details, citing privacy issues.
The boys were among 716 children who were less than nine-years-old who were reprimanded in 2008-09 for offences ranging from … Read more »».

Spanish boat fights off pirates near Seychelles

Vitoria (Spain), March 15 (IANS/EFE) The security team aboard the Txori Argi, a Spanish fishing boat, have fought off a group of pirates who attacked the vessel off the Seychelles Islands, but no one was injured in the incident, the shipowner said.

The crew, made up of about 30 sailors and four security officers, Sunday spotted …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Spanish boat fights off pirates near Seychelles.

Brazil’s oldest prison razed to make way for housing

Rio de Janeiro, March 15 (IANS/EFE) The Frei Caneca Penitentiary Complex, Brazil’s oldest prison built in 1850, has been demolished to make way for the construction of 2,500 public housing units, the official Agencia Brasil news agency reported.

The prison’s eight cellblocks were imploded in 18 seconds Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, where the facility was … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Brazil’s oldest prison razed to make way for housing.

‘Our Girls’: A Tennessee church reaches out to Haitian children after the quake

Tennessee church rushes to aid Haitian girls

EDITOR’S NOTE – They were “our girls” – the children of a Haitian orphanage, taken to heart by a Tennessee church. But then an earthquake struck, and the congregation sprang to action. The second of two parts.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – “It has been a very long and deadly night …. Read the original article  : ‘Our Girls’: A Tennessee church reaches out to Haitian children after the quake.

26 killed as bus falls over bridge

JAIPUR – Twenty six people, including 11 women, were killed and 34 injured early Monday when a bus fell over a bridge into a river in Rajasthan’s Sawai Madhopur district, police said.

The bus was carrying about 60 students and staff of Mother India Teacher Training College, Jhalawar.
The bus was on its way back … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 26 killed as bus falls over bridge.

Fiji braces as tropical cyclone threatens to sideswipe main islands

Fiji braces as major tropical cyclone bears down

SUVA, Fiji – Cyclone Tomas battered island groups off Fiji’s northern coast Monday, causing flooding, pounding seas and one death, but officials said the storm likely would only sideswipe the main islands of the South Pacific nation.
Some 6,000 residents fled to cyclone shelters ahead of the storm, which …. Source article  : Fiji braces as tropical cyclone threatens to sideswipe main islands.

Blackout leaves millions of Chileans in the dark, frays nerves already raw from Feb. quake

Blackout leaves millions of Chileans in darkness

SANTIAGO, Chile – A power failure plunged nearly the entire Chilean population into darkness Sunday night, rattling a country already anxious after last month’s 8.8-magnitude quake.
The outage struck around nightfall and affected a 1,200-mile (2,000-kilometer) stretch from Taltal in the north to Chiloe in the south, according to the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Blackout leaves millions of Chileans in the dark, frays nerves already raw from Feb. quake.

Sean Penn pitches in as full-time aid worker at camp for survivors of Haiti’s earthquake

Penn spends serious time helping post-quake Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Look closely at the foreigners buzzing around a hospital tent above one of Haiti’s biggest earthquake-refugee camps and a face stands out: There, carrying the box of supplies, that’s Sean Penn.
Now he’s guiding a Haitian girl to waiting doctors. Now he’s lobbying the chief of U.N. … Read more >>>.

NJ town house kitchen fire kills 2 people in upstairs master bedroom a day after they moved in

2 people die in NJ home fire a day after moving in

FORT LEE, N.J. – Two people who’d moved into a northern New Jersey town house a day earlier have died in a fire that started in their kitchen and spread upstairs.
Police say 52-year-old Eliot C. Nisenbaum and 55-year-old Ronald Sandberg were found Saturday night …. Read the original article  : NJ town house kitchen fire kills 2 people in upstairs master bedroom a day after they moved in.

Search resumes after avalanche hits snowmobile rally in Canadian Rockies; 2 dead

Two snowmobilers dead in Canadian avalanche

REVELSTOKE, British Columbia – An avalanche that killed two people at an informal snowmobile rally in Canada’s Rocky Mountains may have been triggered by three daredevil sledders who apparently unleashed a deadly wall of snow on up to 200 people below, witnesses said Sunday.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said an … Read more : Search resumes after avalanche hits snowmobile rally in Canadian Rockies; 2 dead.

N. Dakota, Minnesota residents step up sandbagging as Red River rising faster than expected

Red River rising faster than expected in ND, Minn.
FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota and Minnesota residents who fought off record flooding a year ago in a frantic one-week sandbagging effort were jolted Sunday by the prospect of doing it over again.
The latest flood forecast from the National Weather Service shows the river … Read more »».

Northeast rainstorm, strong winds blamed for 6 deaths, power outages

Northeast wind-driven rain blamed for 6 deaths

EGG HARBOR CITY, N.J. – The weekend’s brutal Northeast rainstorm is being blamed for the deaths of at least six people.
Connecticut police say a woman died when a falling tree struck her as she was walking late Saturday in Greenwich (GREN’-ich).
Strong winds and heavy rains uprooted trees, downed power …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Andretti escapes injuries after scary accident at IndyCar season opener in Brazil

Andretti uninjured after scary accident in Brazil

SAO PAULO – Marco Andretti escaped injury after being involved in a scary accident at the start of the Sao Paulo Indy 300 on Sunday.
The car of Brazil’s Mario Moraes span and crashed on the back of Andretti’s slowing car as they approached the first chicane after the start.
Moraes’ … Read more >>>.

4 people on 2 motorcycles killed in western Florida after collision with pickup truck

4 on 2 motorcycles killed in Fla. collision

BUSHNELL, Fla. – Four people on two motorcycles have been killed in western Florida after a pickup truck struck both bikes.
All four motorcyclists were ejected and one victim was thrown through the windshield of another truck.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a truck driven by 45-year-old Paul Sermons … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 4 people on 2 motorcycles killed in western Florida after collision with pickup truck.

33 killed in Kazakhstan flood

Astana, March 15 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Rescuers have found 33 bodies in southern Kazakhstan, where heavy rains swept away two dams last week, causing massive flooding, authorities said.

Heavy precipitation and melting snows caused a dam to give way at Zhylbulak village, with a population of 820 people. Another dam breached in Kyzyl-Agash village, the local …. Read the original article  : here.

Iraq PM edges ahead of rival in partial election count, holds narrow lead over chief rival

Iraqi PM holds slim lead in partial election tally

BAGHDAD – Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki edged ahead Sunday in a tight race in the country’s parliamentary elections after partial results from all of Iraq’s 18 provinces showed his bloc leading in seven – two more than his chief rival.
The early tally strengthens al-Maliki’s chances of retaining …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

One whooping crane’s story of survival offers hope for the endangered species’ fight for life

Plucky whooping crane gives wildlife experts hope

ARANSAS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, Texas – After the poisonous snake slithered into the whooping crane family’s marshy grounds and sank its fangs into the chick’s neck, death seemed certain.
The bird’s head quickly turned red and swelled to the size of a basketball. He refused to eat for days and … Original article on : One whooping crane’s story of survival offers hope for the endangered species’ fight for life.

Fiji declares state of emergency after powerful cyclone lashes northern island groups

Fiji declares state of emergency for cyclone aid

SUVA, Fiji – Fiji declared a state of emergency Tuesday and ordered troops to launch relief operations in northern regions battered by a powerful cyclone that knocked out power and forced thousands of people to flee into shelters.
Cyclone Tomas’ onslaught began to weaken Tuesday, but the scope of …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Fiji declares state of emergency after powerful cyclone lashes northern island groups.

Fiji declares a state of emergency after powerful cyclone lashes northern island groups

Fiji declares a state of emergency for cyclone aid

SUVA, Fiji – Fiji declared a state of emergency Tuesday and ordered troops to launch relief operations in northern regions battered by a powerful cyclone that knocked out power and forced thousands of people to flee into shelters.
Cyclone Tomas’ onslaught began to weaken Tuesday, but the scope [..] Read the original article: here.

Afghan government to send more police to Kandahar after deadly Taliban bombings

Afghan gov’t to send more police to Kandahar
KABUL – Afghanistan’s government will provide more than 1,000 police reinforcements to the southern province of Kandahar after Taliban attacks killed dozens of people there ahead of a coming offensive on the insurgent stronghold, an official said Tuesday.
The Ministry of Interior agreed with a provincial request …. Original article  : Afghan government to send more police to Kandahar after deadly Taliban bombings.

Tropical cyclone begins to weaken after lashing Fiji’s northern island groups

Cyclone begins to weaken after lashing Fiji

SUVA, Fiji – Cyclone Tomas’ onslaught on Fiji began to weaken Tuesday, but a state of emergency was declared in the hardest-hit areas as the storm battered the South Pacific nation’s northern outer islands, knocking out power and forcing thousands of people into shelters.
With communications cut to outer islands … Original source on Gaea Times at : Tropical cyclone begins to weaken after lashing Fiji’s northern island groups.

Haitian leaders working to finish post-earthquake reconstruction plan

Haiti leaders rush to finish post-quake proposal

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Haiti’s government and business community are finalizing details of a reconstruction plan that economists say could cost nearly $14 billion.
Haitian Chamber of Commerce President Reginald Boulos says he told the prime minister and international financiers at a meeting Monday that the private sector’s earthquake losses alone …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Jets players travel to Haiti to assist recovery efforts following earthquake

3 Jets players travel to Haiti to assist efforts

NEW YORK – Three New York Jets players traveled to Haiti on Monday to help with the relief and recovery efforts following the earthquake that killed a government-estimated 230,000 people and made 1.3 million homeless in January.
Safety James Ihedigbo led a group of about 20 to Port-au-Prince, … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Jets players travel to Haiti to assist recovery efforts following earthquake.

Coalmine fire kills 25 in China

ZHENGZHOU – Twenty-five people were killed when a fire broke out in a coalmine in central China, Xinhua reported Tuesday.

The accident occurred at 8.30 p.m. Monday in the main pit of Dongxing Coal Mining Co. in Xinmi, in Henan provincial capital of Zhengzhou.
Thirty-one miners were working underground at the time of the accident. Six …. Original source  : Coalmine fire kills 25 in China.

Careless bus driver ticketed in girl’s 1999 death is charged in fatal crash at Pa. school

Pa. school bus driver charged in 2nd fatal crash

NORRISTOWN, Pa. – Prosecutors say surveillance video shows a sleep-deprived school bus driver running stop signs before causing a fatal crash last month outside a suburban Philadelphia middle school.
Frederick Poust III had been ticketed a decade ago for careless driving following a crash that killed a 2-year-old …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Collision of Houston transit train, bus sends 19 people to hospitals

19 hurt when Houston transit train, bus collide

HOUSTON – Officials say a collision between a transit bus and light-rail train in downtown Houston has sent 19 people to the hospital. No serious injuries were reported.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority says the accident happened at the same intersection where five weeks earlier another bus and light-rail train … Read more : Collision of Houston transit train, bus sends 19 people to hospitals.

Murray State player’s mother killed as team about to depart for NCAA tournament

Tourney-bound Murray St player’s mom dies in crash

MURRAY, Ky. – The mother of Murray State reserve guard Picasso Simmons has been killed in a car crash on the eve of the team’s departure for the NCAA tournament.
Murray State spokesman Dave Winder says Freeda Simmons died Monday morning in the crash in Nashville, Tenn. Her son … Read : Murray State player’s mother killed as team about to depart for NCAA tournament.

More than 10,000 evacuated in Fiji cyclone

WELLINGTON – Tropical Cyclone Tomas battered Fiji for a second day as more than 10,000 people took shelter in evacuation centres Tuesday throughout the Pacific island nation.

Torrential rains and winds averaging 175 km an hour generated waves up to seven metres high on the second biggest island Vanua Levu, flooding villages, toppling trees and bringing … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : More than 10,000 evacuated in Fiji cyclone.

Historic railway in downtown Los Angeles reopens with modern brakes 9 years after deadly wreck

Tiny LA railway back on track years after crash

LOS ANGELES – The city’s beloved Angels Flight began carrying passengers up and down a steep downtown hill again Monday, nine years after a fatal accident forced an extensive overhaul of the tiny railway’s operating and safety systems.
Fans of “The Shortest Railway in the World” waited eagerly …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Jury acquits man of vehicular homicide while DUI in 2008 crash that killed Pa. lawmaker

Acquittal in 2008 crash that killed Pa. lawmaker

STROUDSBURG, Pa. – A jury has acquitted a man of vehicular homicide while driving drunk in a 2008 crash that killed a Pennsylvania lawmaker.
Jurors in Stroudsburg decided Monday that 46-year-old Thomas Senavitis (Sehn-ah-VAI-tis’) was intoxicated but didn’t cause the crash in the Poconos that killed state Sen. James … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Jury acquits man of vehicular homicide while DUI in 2008 crash that killed Pa. lawmaker.

Collision of Houston transit train, bus sends 18 people to hospitals

18 hurt when Houston transit train, bus collide

HOUSTON – Officials say a collision between a transit bus and light-rail train in downtown Houston has sent 18 people to the hospital.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority, which runs Houston’s bus and light-rail system, says none of the injuries are reported to be life threatening.
Police say the accident happened …. Source article  : Collision of Houston transit train, bus sends 18 people to hospitals.

Trucks deliver piles of sandbags as residents in Fargo, ND, prepare for Red River flooding

Sandbags delivered ahead of expected Fargo flood

FARGO, N.D. – Marc Shannon says the prospect of using a sandbag wall to protect his Fargo home from the rising Red River doesn’t seem so alarming. Not after last year, when the city dealt with record flooding and Shannon had to maneuver around a 10-foot-high clay dike that … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Trucks deliver piles of sandbags as residents in Fargo, ND, prepare for Red River flooding.

RI official says no immediate threat from dam; dozens of businesses flooded downstream

RI official says no immediate threat from dam

WEST WARWICK, R.I. – The head of Rhode Island’s emergency management agency says there is no immediate threat that a dam on a flooded river in West Warwick will fail.
J. David Smith said Monday that officials are evaulating whether boards along the top of the private dam should … Read : RI official says no immediate threat from dam; dozens of businesses flooded downstream.

Northeast storm floods roads, topples power lines, creates headaches across Northeast

Stubborn storm darkens, floods much of Northeast

BOUND BROOK, N.J. – Torrential rains and high winds pounded the Northeast for a third day Monday, taking a heavy toll on people and property in a region that only recently restored power or finished digging out from the last of several major winter storms.
The rain and accompanying wind …. Read the original article  : Northeast storm floods roads, topples power lines, creates headaches across Northeast.

AP Enterprise: While Fla. begged for help with Haiti flights, US government reacted slowly

AP Enterprise: US botched Haiti flights to Fla.

MIAMI – As hundreds of injured survivors of the Haiti earthquake overwhelmed Florida hospitals in January, state officials pleaded with the federal government for basic information about arriving patients but got little assistance, e-mails obtained by The Associated Press show.
More than two weeks after the quake, Florida officials …. Source  : AP Enterprise: While Fla. begged for help with Haiti flights, US government reacted slowly.

Crews work to shore up Rhode Island dam that’s threatening to burst amid heavy rains

RI dam threatens to break amid heavy rains

WEST WARWICK, R.I. – Crews are using sand bags and granite blocks to shore up a Rhode Island dam that’s at risk of breaking amid heavy rains.
Officials and engineers are at the dam Monday afternoon on private land on the Pawtuxet River in West Warwick. The river has …. Source article  : Crews work to shore up Rhode Island dam that’s threatening to burst amid heavy rains.

Officials say equipment failure may have caused Mexico-bound bus to crash in Texas, killing 2

Cause of fatal bus crash in Texas unknown
CAMPBELLTON, Texas – The bus had been on the interstate about an hour when the spring breakers and other travelers headed toward the U.S.-Mexico border heard a noise and then felt the bus flip around before toppling on its side in a grassy median.

A jumble of passengers landed … Read more : Officials say equipment failure may have caused Mexico-bound bus to crash in Texas, killing 2.

Chip designer Actel sees better-than-expected 1Q revenue

Actel sees better-than-expected 1Q revenue

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Actel Corp. said Tuesday that it expects more revenue in the first quarter than it previously forecast.
The chip designer said quarterly revenue would be up 4 percent to 8 percent from the previous quarter, which translates to a range of $51.7 million to $53.7 million. The company’s …. Original source  : Chip designer Actel sees better-than-expected 1Q revenue.

Fiji cyclone damage is overwhelming, leader says as troops start relief operations

Fiji cyclone damage overwhelming, leader says

SUVA, Fiji – The South Pacific island nation of Fiji has suffered overwhelming damage from a powerful cyclone that battered its shores for more than three days, the prime minister said Wednesday as relief operations were launched in the country’s northern regions.
Fiji sent naval patrol boats laden with supplies and …. Read the original article  : Fiji cyclone damage is overwhelming, leader says as troops start relief operations.

Commander of Coast Guard Air Station in Sacramento, Calif., temporarily relieved of duty

Coast Guard removes California station commander

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station in Sacramento has been temporarily relieved of duty, five months after several crewmen died in a collision between one of the station’s aircraft and a Marine Corps helicopter.
Rear Admiral Joseph Castillo said the decision to remove Capt. … Read : Commander of Coast Guard Air Station in Sacramento, Calif., temporarily relieved of duty.

Bus headed to Mexico flips over along Texas highway, killing 2 and injuring at least 30

Mexico-bound bus crashes in Texas, killing 2

CAMPBELLTON, Texas – A crowded bus carrying young families and spring breakers toward Mexico went careening off a Texas highway and flipped onto its side Tuesday, killing two people and forcing dozens of bloodied passengers to climb to safety through broken windows and an emergency exit.
The Americanos USA bus …. Original source  : Bus headed to Mexico flips over along Texas highway, killing 2 and injuring at least 30.

UN assessor says Haiti needs $11.5 billion to rebuild from earthquake, attack inequities

UN assessor: Haiti needs $11.5 billion to rebuild

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The U.N. regional assessor for natural disasters says Haiti needs $11.5 billion over three years to rebuild and transform the hemisphere’s poorest nation after its catastrophic earthquake.
Alejandro Zapata says the figure is an estimate from the Haitian government and international agencies including the … Read more : UN assessor says Haiti needs $11.5 billion to rebuild from earthquake, attack inequities.

Interior secretary: Recent storms mean California farmers, cities will get more water

Storms mean CA farmers, cities will get more water

FRESNO, Calif. – A series of drenching storms have replenished many of California’s reservoirs, freeing up more water for parched farms and cities throughout the state, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced Tuesday.
Just in time for planting season, growers in the dry south-western part of the Central Valley …. Read the original article  : here.

Death against all odds: Plane lands on SC beach, killing jogger who never knew what hit him

A beach, a jogger, a failing plane, and death

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Robert Gary Jones was a pharmaceutical salesman on a business trip, looking forward to getting home to celebrate his daughter’s third birthday. He was enjoying a moment to himself on this resort island, jogging on the beach and listening to his iPod.
Officials … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Death against all odds: Plane lands on SC beach, killing jogger who never knew what hit him.

Rape is latest horror for Haitian women, girls who lost homes and loved ones in quake

Women, girls rape victims in Haiti quake aftermath

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – When the young woman needed to use the toilet, she went out into the darkened tent camp and was attacked by three men.
“They grabbed me, put their hands over my mouth and then the three of them took turns,” the slender 21-year-old said, wriggling with … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Rape is latest horror for Haitian women, girls who lost homes and loved ones in quake.

Kidnapped American was among 4 US citizens to die in Haiti since earthquake

American was kidnapped, killed in Haiti
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – The U.S. Embassy says a kidnapped person was among four U.S. citizens killed in Haiti since the Jan. 12 earthquake.

The U.S. State Department expanded its travel warning for Haiti on Monday to say that dangers of killings and kidnappings persist, and “some kidnap victims have been killed, … Read more »»».

Nerves rattled but no damage from magnitude-4.4 earthquake that awakened Southern California

No damage reported from magnitude-4.4 Calif. quake

LOS ANGELES – Southern Californians were jolted from their sleep before dawn Tuesday as a small but strongly felt earthquake struck beneath Los Angeles’ eastern suburbs.
No damage or injuries were reported, however, and jangled nerves appeared to be the biggest impact of the magnitude-4.4 temblor, which struck at 4:04 … Original source on Gaea Times at : Nerves rattled but no damage from magnitude-4.4 earthquake that awakened Southern California.

2 killed, at least 30 injured when bus headed to Mexico overturns along Texas highway

2 killed, at least 30 injured in Texas bus crash

CAMPBELLTON, Texas – A bus headed for Mexico carrying 40 people overturned along a southern Texas highway on Tuesday, killing at least two people and sending at least 30 people to hospitals, officials said.
The accident happened around 10 a.m. on southbound Interstate 37, about 45 miles …. Source article  : 2 killed, at least 30 injured when bus headed to Mexico overturns along Texas highway.

British bookmakers make Tiger Woods 4-1 favorite for Masters despite long absence

Tiger favorite for Masters with British bookies

LONDON – Despite not competing since his car crash in November, Tiger Woods is still the favorite to win the Masters.
Barely an hour after the announcement Tuesday that Woods will make his return at Augusta National next month, the British bookmaker William Hill installed him the 4-1 favorite. Phil …. Read the original article  : British bookmakers make Tiger Woods 4-1 favorite for Masters despite long absence.

Reid: Wife Landra, daugther Lana recovering from ‘violent’ crash with tractor-trailer

Reid’s wife, daughter recovering from truck crash

WASHINGTON – The wife and daughter of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are recovering from a violent crash last week that left them with injuries that could have been much worse, he told reporters Tuesday.
“It was a very violent collision,” a still-shaken Reid said in his first comments on …. Read the original article  : here.

American soldier dies in vehicle roll-over during patrol in northern Iraq

US soldier dies in vehicle accident in north Iraq

BAGHDAD – The U.S. military says an American soldier has died in a vehicle accident in Iraq.
A statement by the military says the United States Division – North soldier died of injuries sustained in a vehicle roll-over while conducting a patrol in northern Iraq on Monday.
It says … Read this article on Gaea Times at : American soldier dies in vehicle roll-over during patrol in northern Iraq.

Video shows militants training at camp in western Indonesia that was raided last week

Indonesian militants recruit fighters in video
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia – From the safety of a forest camp, a commander of a new Indonesian militant group looks into a camera and ridicules the notorious extremist group Jemaah Islamiyah: They are not violent enough, come and join us, he shouts, an automatic …. Read the original article  : Video shows militants training at camp in western Indonesia that was raided last week.

Learning lessons from ‘09 flood, more North Dakota and Minnesota residents buy insurance

Lesson learned: More buy flood insurance after ‘09

MOORHEAD, Minn. – When the swollen Red River threatened his uninsured house last spring, all Mark Baumgardner could do was pack up, leave and hope he wouldn’t lose everything.
In the end, his house was spared. But he learned a lesson: This year, he bought flood insurance.
“When the weather …. Original source  : Learning lessons from ‘09 flood, more North Dakota and Minnesota residents buy insurance.

Chile government says earthquake and tsunami killed 700, worst economic disaster ever

Chile says earthquake and tsunami left 700 dead

SANTIAGO, Chile – The earthquake and tsunami that struck Chile last month killed 700 people and caused damages of nearly $30 billion, according to the government. And the ground hasn’t stopped shaking.
A magnitude-6.7 aftershock rocked south-central Chile Monday night, adding to the raw nerves and mounting damages caused …. Original source  : Chile government says earthquake and tsunami killed 700, worst economic disaster ever.

Official: Bus headed for Mexico overturns in Texas, killing 2, injuring at least 30 others

Mexico-bound bus overturns in Texas, killing 2

CAMPBELLTON, Texas – A bus headed for Mexico carrying 40 people overturned along a southern Texas highway on Tuesday, killing at least two people and sending at least 30 people to hospitals, officials said.
The accident happened around 10 a.m. on southbound Interstate 37, about 45 miles south of San …. Source article  : Official: Bus headed for Mexico overturns in Texas, killing 2, injuring at least 30 others.

Iranian police guard against any demonstrations during bonfire night; no reports of clashes

Tehran police guard against festival demos

TEHRAN, Iran – Iranian riot police and militiamen fanned out around Tehran on Tuesday in a major show of force during a national festival that authorities feared could re-ignite anti-government protests.
Tehran police chief Gen. Hossein Sajedinia told the ISNA news agency his forces were deployed to prevent “any event in … Read more >>>.

Some Fargo residents determined to stay despite floods _ but 1 has a canoe just in case

Some Fargo residents refuse to move despite floods

FARGO, N.D. – Mac Butler believes he’ll beat the bloated Red River and save his home again this year. But a canoe and kayak are tied up outside his house just in case he’s wrong.
Butler and his wife, Jane, are among the final holdouts in an already flood-ravaged … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Some Fargo residents determined to stay despite floods _ but 1 has a canoe just in case.

As lake created by massive landslide grows, thousands in Pakistan fear lives will wash away

Expanding lake threatens thousands in Pakistan

ATTABAD, Pakistan – The water is rising day by day in this remote part of northern Pakistan, and with it, so is the fear among thousands who stand to lose their crops, their homes and maybe even their lives.
A massive landslide early this year formed a natural dam in the …. Original source  : As lake created by massive landslide grows, thousands in Pakistan fear lives will wash away.

Authorities near Phoenix rescue injured pilot from under plane wreckage after 8 hour search

Pilot trapped under plane’s wreckage for 8 hours

SANTA CRUZ, Ariz. – Authorities rescued an injured pilot who was trapped for about eight hours in the wreckage of an experimental plane that crashed on an Indian reservation south of Phoenix.
Authorities say the pilot radioed the Glendale Airport around 9 a.m. Wednesday, saying the home-built Varieze (very-ease) …. Source article  : Authorities near Phoenix rescue injured pilot from under plane wreckage after 8 hour search.

Lawyer: Harvard Law grad accused of setting fire at NYC chapel housing 9/11 remains was drunk

Lawyer: Man drunk during fire at 9/11 remains site

NEW YORK – A defense lawyer says a Harvard Law School graduate accused of setting a fire at a New York City chapel that temporarily housed the remains of Sept. 11 victims was so drunk he barely remembers being there.
Attorney Alan Lewis told a Manhattan judge Wednesday …. Source  : Lawyer: Harvard Law grad accused of setting fire at NYC chapel housing 9/11 remains was drunk.

Haitian parents reunited with 32 children they turned over to detained US missionary group

Haiti parents take back kids given to missionaries

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Joyful parents on Wednesday recovered the children that they gave to American missionaries about six weeks ago.
The 33 children had been living at the SOS Orphanage on Port-au-Prince’s outskirts since police stopped a group of 10 U.S. Baptist missionaries from taking them across the Dominican …. Read the original article  : here.

With a million sandbags at the ready, Red River flood fight turns to waiting for weekend crest

Sandbags on hand, Red River area waits for flood

FARGO, N.D. – Schoolchildren, parents and hundreds of residents have spent days packing and stacking sandbags to protect their cities against the rising Red River. The National Guard is in place, keeping watch over the water. Dike builders are finishing last-minute work.
Now comes the difficult part for …. Original article  : With a million sandbags at the ready, Red River flood fight turns to waiting for weekend crest.

Senior official: Al-Qaida leader linked to bombing of CIA post believed killed in US strike

Senior official: Al-Qaida leader believed killed

WASHINGTON – An al-Qaida leader believed to have played a key role in the bombing of a CIA post in Afghanistan last December was apparently killed by an American missile strike last week, a senior U.S. official said Wednesday.
The counterterrorism official said Hussein al-Yemeni was believed killed in a strike … Read more »»».

Haitian parents reunited with 32 children they gave to US missionaries

Parents take back kids they gave to missionaries

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Joyful parents on Wednesday recovered the children that they gave to American missionaries about six weeks ago.
The 33 children had been living at the SOS Orphanage on Port-au-Prince’s outskirts since police stopped a group of 10 U.S. Baptist missionaries from taking them across the Dominican …. Source  : Haitian parents reunited with 32 children they gave to US missionaries.

Police: Mentally disabled boy steals idling bus from Pa. depot, drives blocks, slams into cars

Police: Disabled teen steals bus, hits cars in Pa.

UPPER DARBY, Pa. – Police say a mentally disabled teenage boy stole a bus in suburban Philadelphia and hit several cars before crashing to a halt and being arrested.
Upper Darby police Superintendent Michael Chitwood says the 16-year-old spotted the empty bus in a transit depot Wednesday morning. … Read more : Police: Mentally disabled boy steals idling bus from Pa. depot, drives blocks, slams into cars.

Toyota official: Prius that crashed into stone wall in NY yielding data on engine speed, pedal

Toyota official: Prius in NY crash yielding data

HARRISON, N.Y. – Investigators from Toyota and the U.S. government inspected a crashed 2005 Prius in a suburb of New York City on Wednesday to see if a black box-like device or its wreckage could point to problems with the brakes or accelerator.
The black box, known as an …. Read the original article  : Toyota official: Prius that crashed into stone wall in NY yielding data on engine speed, pedal.

Small businesses need the right kinds and amount of insurance as they do disaster prep

Small business disaster prep includes insurance

NEW YORK – Small business owners are getting some reminders this month that the forces of nature can threaten a company’s survival. And that they need to be sure their businesses are well protected against a variety of disasters.
A storm in the Northeast caused flood and wind damage and left …. Original article  : Small businesses need the right kinds and amount of insurance as they do disaster prep.

Packers TE Havner arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after motorcycle crash in N Calif

Packers TE Havner arrested after Calif crash

GRASS VALLEY, Calif. – Prosecutors in Northern California said Wednesday they were waiting for a police report before deciding whether to file drunken-driving charges against Green Bay Packers tight end Spencer Havner.
The 27-year-old Havner was arrested for suspicion of drunken driving Monday after he lost control of his motorcycle …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Packers TE Havner arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after motorcycle crash in N Calif.

Toyota, US government inspectors look at wrecked NY Prius to find cause of runaway crash

Toyota, US inspectors examine wrecked NY Prius

HARRISON, N.Y. – Investigators from Toyota and the U.S. government inspected a crashed 2005 Prius in a suburb of New York City on Wednesday to see if its event data recorder or wreckage could point to problems with the brakes or accelerator.
A housekeeper who was driving the car told …. Source article  : Toyota, US government inspectors look at wrecked NY Prius to find cause of runaway crash.

Taliban fight back in Afghan town with campaign of fear, intimidation

Taliban fight in Afghan town with fear campaign

MARJAH, Afghanistan – A month after losing control of their southern base in Marjah, the Taliban have begun to fight back, launching a campaign of assassination and intimidation to frighten people from supporting the U.S. and its Afghan allies.
At least one alleged government sympathizer has been beheaded. There … Read more >>>.

Investigators: Broken drive shaft likely caused Texas bus crash that killed 2, injured 40

Broken drive shaft likely caused Texas bus crash

CAMPBELLTON, Texas – A broken drive shaft likely caused a Mexico-bound bus to veer wildly on a Texas highway before flipping over, killing two passengers and injuring 40 others on board, investigators said Wednesday.
The drive shaft, which transfers power from the engine to the wheels, apparently fell off … Read more >>.

Alaska officials to test 2 killed wolves, see if they are to blame for jogger’s death

Alaska vet determining if 2 wolves killed jogger

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Alaska wildlife veterinarian will examine whether two wolves shot by officials this week were the animals that killed a teacher out jogging alone along a rural village road.
The wolves, shot from a helicopter, matched the descriptions of wolves seen at the site where 32-year-old … Original source on Gaea Times at : Alaska officials to test 2 killed wolves, see if they are to blame for jogger’s death.

United Airlines predicts key revenue metric to rise 16-17 percent in 1st quarter

United Airlines sees higher 1Q passenger revenue

NEW YORK – United Airlines said Wednesday it expects a key revenue metric to rise 16 to 17 percent in the first quarter from a year ago.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Chicago-based airline said it expects consolidated passenger unit revenue per available seat mile …. Read the original article  : United Airlines predicts key revenue metric to rise 16-17 percent in 1st quarter.

Grenade-shaped lighter forces evacuation of 1,000 people from Polish airport

Grenade-shaped lighter forces airport evacuation

WARSAW, Poland – A grenade-shaped cigarette lighter in a boy’s checked luggage has forced the evacuation of some 1,000 people from an airport in Poland and delayed four international flights.
A spokesman for the airport in Katowice, Cezary Orzech, said passengers and workers were evacuated Wednesday from the airport after a grenade … Read more : Grenade-shaped lighter forces evacuation of 1,000 people from Polish airport.

Authorities release identity of 2 people killed when Mexico-bound bus crashes in Texas

Officials identify 2 killed in Texas bus crash

CAMPBELLTON, Texas – Authorities in Texas have released the identities of the two people who died when a tour bus headed for Mexico crashed.
Texas Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Tela Mange said Wednesday passengers 62-year-old Christina Lozano Campos of Lewisville and 27-year-old Efrain Dominguez-Valenzuela of Brownsville were killed …. Original source  : Authorities release identity of 2 people killed when Mexico-bound bus crashes in Texas.

Attackers kill 12 in latest Nigeria fighting in region where hundreds have been slaughtered

Attackers kill 12 in latest Nigeria fighting

LAGOS, Nigeria – Attackers killed 12 people Wednesday morning in a small Christian village in central Nigeria, officials said, cutting out most of the victims’ tongues in the latest violence in a region where religious fighting already has killed hundreds this year.
The attack almost mirrored the tactics used by … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Attackers kill 12 in latest Nigeria fighting in region where hundreds have been slaughtered.

Iraqi officials: Roadside bomb kills 3 people, gunmen kill soldier in Baghdad

Roadside bomb, gunmen kill 4 in Baghdad
BAGHDAD – Iraqi officials say a roadside bomb and a gun attack have killed four people and wounded seven others in Baghdad.

The officials say the roadside bomb went off Friday morning near a market in Baghdad’s teeming Shiite district of Sadr City. The explosion killed three people and wounded … Read : Iraqi officials: Roadside bomb kills 3 people, gunmen kill soldier in Baghdad.

Farmers near Fargo worry about back-to-back crop, livestock losses as floods submerge fields

Fargo floods turn farm fields into sprawling lakes

KRAGNES, Minn. – For farmer Brian Thomas, getting to town for errands is no simple matter these days as floodwaters cover fields and sections of country roads in the rural areas near Fargo, N.D.
He wades through shallow rapids cascading across his driveway, then drives a mud-spattered pickup on … Read more »».

Three killed in West Bengal accident

KOLKATA – Three people were killed when a bus overturned on Grand Trunk Road in West Bengal’s Hooghly district early Friday, police said.

Fifteen others were injured when the bus, bound for Patharpratima in South 24 Parganas district, met with the accident at Mogra as the driver lost control of the vehicle.
…. Original source  : Three killed in West Bengal accident.

9,000 tonnes of iron ore seized in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR – More than 9,000 tonnes of iron ore were seized in Orissa’s Mayurbhanj district in a crackdown on illegal mining, officials said Friday.

Police and forest officials made the seizure from a forested area in Bhoshrakacha Thursday. Over 20 trucks and dumpers engaged in mining and loading the iron ore were also seized.
In another … Read more »».

Boy who fell into borewell dead

BHOPAL – A six-year-old boy who fell into a 400-foot deep borewell in Madhya Pradesh is dead. Rescuers have pulled out Suraj’s body, 56 hours after the accident, officials said Friday.

The boy fell into the open borewell while playing in a field in Malvasa village in Ratlam district, 350 km from here, Tuesday evening. His …. Read the original article  : Boy who fell into borewell dead.

Bareilly now has only night curfew

BAREILLY – Day curfew was Friday lifted in Uttar Pradesh’s riot-hit Bareilly district but it will be clamped at night, the authorities said Friday.

With no fresh trouble, the curfew was lifted at 5 in the morning. It will be reinforced only at 10 p.m, District Magistrate Anil Garg told a news conference here.
This is … Original article on : Bareilly now has only night curfew.

Gujarat hope to get terror suspect in London

GANDHINAGAR – A Gujarat police team will fly to London for Hanif Umarji Patel alias Tiger Hanif’s extradition hearing March 25 hoping to get custody of the 1993 Surat bombings alleged mastermind.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Subhash Trivedi and inspectors J.M. Patel and R.H. Hadea will leave for London soon.
“He is wanted in the Surat …. Source  : Gujarat hope to get terror suspect in London.

Yelp under fire as local businesses allege it manipulates reviews for ad sales

Review site Yelp under fire in business’ lawsuits

SAN FRANCISCO – Yelp, one of the most popular Web sites that let people post opinions about restaurants, shops and local services, is being sued by several small businesses that claim they’ve been pressured to advertise on the site in exchange for getting negative reviews squashed.
Yelp denies the …. Original source  : Yelp under fire as local businesses allege it manipulates reviews for ad sales.

Japanese man claiming brake failure may face criminal charges in Prius accident

Japan police seek criminal charges in Prius crash

TOKYO – Japanese police are recommending criminal charges against a driver who says his Toyota Prius crashed because of brake failure after an analysis of “black box” data showed no defects.
The 37-year-old driver, whose identity is withheld because no charges have been filed, has told police he pressed …. Read the original article  : here.

Japanese man claiming brake failure may face charges in Prius accident

Japan police recommend charges in Prius crash

TOKYO – Japanese police are recommending charges against a driver who says his Toyota Prius crashed because of brake failure after an analysis of “black box” data showed no defects.
The 37-year-old driver, whose identity is withheld because no charges have been filed, has told police he pressed on the …. Original article  : Japanese man claiming brake failure may face charges in Prius accident.

NTSB: Better communication needed after Northwest flight overshoots airport by 100 miles

NTSB seeks better communications after NWA mishap

MINNEAPOLIS – Federal safety officials recommended Thursday that better communications procedures be adopted in the wake of a fatal Montana plane crash and a Northwest Airlines flight that overshot the Minneapolis airport by more than 100 miles last year.
The National Transportation Safety Board issued its recommendations to the Federal … Read more >>.

Body of second victim of Fiji cyclone found, as clean up gets under way

Second death in Fiji storm
SUVA, Fiji – Fijians cleaning up after a devastating cyclone discovered the body of a second victim on Friday, as military forces from three nations worked to find out the extent of damage to outlying islands and deliver aid.

Cyclone Tomas battered the north and east of the multi-island nation for several … Original source on Gaea Times at : Body of second victim of Fiji cyclone found, as clean up gets under way.

General says turbines would blowing ill wind for military radar, calls for better planning

Wind farm plans stir up storm over military radar

WASHINGTON – The U.S. military is growing increasingly concerned that proposed wind farms can disrupt or block radar designed to detect threats and protect America’s skies, a problem that is stalling the alternative energy projects around the country.
A top U.S. general told Congress on Thursday that federal [..] Read the original article: here.

Japan refuses to compensate victims of colonial rule

SEOUL – Japan has refused compensation for South Koreans who suffered during its colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula 1910-1945, Prensa Latina reported.

The Japanese foreign ministry has ignored the contents of a 1965 bilateral treaty. The document, declassified recently, sets the payment of what Tokyo calls payment of unpaid wages for forced labour and recognises …. Original article  : Japan refuses to compensate victims of colonial rule.

USGS seismologist says powerful aftershocks from Chile quake to continue, possibly reach 7.0

USGS seismologist warns of more Chile aftershocks

SANTIAGO, Chile – A U.S. seismologist says Chileans will continue to feel aftershocks from last month’s megaquake for a year or longer.
Walter Mooney of the U.S. Geological Survey predicts that in the coming month there will be 25 to 45 temblors topping magnitude 5.0. Already, dozens of powerful aftershocks …. Original source  : USGS seismologist says powerful aftershocks from Chile quake to continue, possibly reach 7.0.

US regulators say data from crashed New York Prius show throttle open, brakes not applied

Feds: brakes weren’t applied on crashed NY Prius

HARRISON, N.Y. – Computer data from a Toyota Prius that crashed in suburban New York City show that at the time of the accident the throttle was open and the driver was not applying the brakes, U.S. safety officials said Thursday.
The disclosure prompted an angry response from the … Original article on : US regulators say data from crashed New York Prius show throttle open, brakes not applied.

From chopping down trees to torching ice, Fargo residents use new methods in their flood fight

Fargo residents learn from mistakes in flood fight

FARGO, N.D. – Before this flood season, officials in Fargo asked homeowners to clear paths in their yards so that firm and straight walls of sandbags could be placed to protect their homes. One resident cut down his tree. Another went so far to use a torch to … Read more »»».

Robbers loot Rs.five lakh from petrol vend employees

GHAZIABAD – Armed robbers looted cash worth Rs.5 lakh from the manager of a petrol retail outlet here, police said Thursday.

The incident occurred Wednesday in Kavi Nagar’s Shastri Nagar locality.
According to police, manager Subhash Jha and Brij Mohan, an employee of Auto-Care, were robbed at 10 a.m. while they were going on … Read more »».

Will new traffic management bill reduce road accidents?

NEW DELHI – Anupama Mehta, 48, cannot forget the day her 17-year-old son left home to go to a friend’s place two kilometres away. Rammed by a speeding motorbike, the boy, Vinod, lost his life for no fault of his and the biker went scot-free.

“I lost my son and no one can bring him back …. Original article  : Will new traffic management bill reduce road accidents?.

Two killed in Mumbai apartment shootout

MUMBAI – A 14-year-old girl was shot dead after being taken hostage by her neighbour following an altercation over repair and renovation in an apartment complex here Thursday morning. The man was gunned down and two policemen injured in an effort to save the girl, police said.

Additional Police Commissioner (West) Amitabh Gupta said 65-year-old retired … Read more >>>.

Australian state official declares disaster zone as Tropical Cyclone Ului nears coast

Aust. state named disaster zone as cyclone nears

AIRLIE BEACH, Australia – The premier of Australia’s Queensland state has declared parts of its coast a disaster zone as a tropical cyclone approaches.
Premier Anna Bligh said Saturday that the declaration gives the state the power to order mandatory evacuations if required.
Tropical Cyclone Ului is forecast to cross …. Source  : Australian state official declares disaster zone as Tropical Cyclone Ului nears coast.

For a second year, tiny town in Fargo’s shadow worries its creaky dam could break

Bloated lake haunts North Dakota town again

KATHRYN, N.D. – Almost a year after worried authorities went door to door warning residents to flee as water carved through a nearby dam, this tiny North Dakota town is facing the possibility of having to evacuate again because of flooding.
Fueled by runoff from a winter of heavy snow, … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : For a second year, tiny town in Fargo’s shadow worries its creaky dam could break.

Year’s strongest sandstorm hits northern China, turns Beijing skies orange with grit

Year’s biggest sandstorm turns Beijing sky orange

BEIJING – China’s capital woke up to orange-tinted skies Saturday as the strongest sandstorm so far this year hit the country’s north, delaying some flights at Beijing’s airport and prompting a dust warning for Seoul.
The sky glowed and a thin dusting of sand covered Beijing, causing workers to muffle …. Source  : Year’s strongest sandstorm hits northern China, turns Beijing skies orange with grit.

Night curfew to continue in Bareilly

BAREILLY – While night curfew in the trouble-hit areas of Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district will continue, the authorities Saturday decided to lift all restrictions on vehicular movement.

“Be it two-wheelers or four-wheelers, from today (Saturday) there will not be any restrictions on the movement of vehicles on the roads,” District Magistrate Anil Garg said at a … Read more »».

Three held for IPL betting racket in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR – Three people were arrested in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur town for running a betting racket for the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, police said Saturday.

The three were caught Friday night in Bilaspur town, some 100 km from here, and were identified as Govind Ram, 30, Harpal, 32, and Srichand Chawla, 41, an official said.
“The [..] Read the original article: here.

Orange sky in Beijing as year’s strongest sandstorm hits northern China

Orange sky in Beijing for year’s biggest sandstorm

BEIJING – China’s capital woke up to orange-tinted skies Saturday as the strongest sandstorm so far this year hit the country’s north, delaying some flights at Beijing’s international airport and prompting South Korean weather officials to issue a dust warning for Seoul.
The sky glowed and a thin dusting …. Read the original article  : Orange sky in Beijing as year’s strongest sandstorm hits northern China.

No sign of missing Washington mother; medical examiner says her 8-year-old son drowned

No sign of missing Wash. mother; son drowned

SEATTLE – Another day of searching failed to turn up a missing Washington mother in the general area where her 8-year-old son’s body was found on Thursday.
Pierce County sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said Friday afternoon that a search plane was sent up to look for Shantina Smiley.
The county …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : No sign of missing Washington mother; medical examiner says her 8-year-old son drowned.

Car collides with school bus in mid-NJ, killing Camry driver, hurting passenger and 2 students

Car collides with NJ school bus; Camry driver dies

HILLSBOROUGH, N.J. – A car has collided head-on with a school bus in central New Jersey, killing the car’s driver and wounding three people, including two high school students.
The crash happened at about 2:45 p.m. Friday in Hillsborough, about 10 miles north of Princeton.
Police say a 1993 …. Source article  : Car collides with school bus in mid-NJ, killing Camry driver, hurting passenger and 2 students.

Contractor URS Corp. settles with state of Minn. for $5M in Minneapolis bridge collapse suit

URS settles with Minn. for $5M in bridge collapse

MINNEAPOLIS – Contractor URS Corp. and the state of Minnesota reached a $5 million settlement Friday in the state’s lawsuit over the 2007 downtown Minneapolis bridge collapse that killed 13 people and injured 145 others.
URS had a long-standing contract with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to evaluate … Original source on Gaea Times at : Contractor URS Corp. settles with state of Minn. for $5M in Minneapolis bridge collapse suit.

False report of mine disaster in Sierra Leone prompts government rescue effort, minister says

Minister: Sierra Leone rattled by disaster hoax

DAKAR, Senegal – A top official in Sierra Leone’s government said he raced to a town in the country Friday after news reports said at least 200 people had been killed in a mining accident there, only to find out it was a hoax.
Minister of Mineral Resources Alpha Kanu …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Feilhaber returns to training; Holden cast removed; Davies set to rejoin Sochaux

Feilhaber, Holden, Davies progress
American midfielders Benny Feilhaber and Stuart Holden have taken steps forward as they try to get healthy in time for the World Cup, and forward Charlie Davies is set to resume training with Sochaux as he recovers from injuries sustained in a car crash.

AGF Aarhus in Denmark said Friday that Feilhaber has …. Source article  : Feilhaber returns to training; Holden cast removed; Davies set to rejoin Sochaux.

American forward Charlie Davies to rejoin Sochaux next week

Davies to rejoin Sochaux next week
SOCHAUX, France – American forward Charlie Davies has left a rehabilitation facility and is ready to resume training with Sochaux as he recovers from injuries sustained in a car crash last October.

Davies departed the Cap Sport Centre in Capbreton, where he had been since late February.
“Your boy is finally home!!! …. Original source  : American forward Charlie Davies to rejoin Sochaux next week.

APNewsBreak: Contractor URS Corp. settles with state of Minn. for $5M in bridge collapse case

APNewsBreak: URS settles with Minn. in bridge case

MINNEAPOLIS – Contractor URS Corp. and the state of Minnesota reached a $5 million settlement Friday in the state’s lawsuit over the 2007 downtown Minneapolis bridge collapse that killed 13 people and injured 145 others.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation had hired URS to analyze the 40-year-old Interstate 35W …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Carl Edwards defends character as questions raised about crash with Brad Keselowski

Edwards defends character after Keselowski crash

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Carl Edwards is personable and polite, always approachable. When he talks on camera, he makes sure to take his sunglasses off so the audience can see him clearly.
Edwards attributes it to being raised right.
Others have doubted his motives, and Tony Stewart once even described Edwards as the …. Original source  : Carl Edwards defends character as questions raised about crash with Brad Keselowski.

False report of mine disaster in Sierre Leone prompts government rescue effort, minister says

Minister: Sierre Leone rattled by disaster hoax

DAKAR, Senegal – A top official in Sierre Leone’s government said he raced to a town in the country Friday after news reports said at least 200 people had been killed in a mining accident there, only to find out it was a hoax.
Minister of Mineral Resources Alpha Kanu … Original source on Gaea Times at : False report of mine disaster in Sierre Leone prompts government rescue effort, minister says.

Search for missing mother stretches into 6th day; medical examiner says her son drowned

Medical examiner: Boy found on Wash. beach drowned

SEATTLE – A day after a boy’s body was found on an island beach in Puget Sound, authorities searched unsuccessfully for his missing mother.
“No, we haven’t heard of anything being found,” Thurston Co. sheriff’s Lt. Chris Mealy said Friday night.
Thurston County had a boat in the water Friday … Original source on Gaea Times at : Search for missing mother stretches into 6th day; medical examiner says her son drowned.

Not your garden-variety winter: Storms’ heavy toll translates to boon for landscapers

Landscapers see green as weary East greets spring

TRENTON, N.J. – Gardeners and landscapers along the Eastern seaboard are making haste – and money – as spring begins and they pick up the pieces from the region’s particularly harsh winter, which toppled more than snowfall records.
Marian Anderson, a 73-year-old resident of Manchester, N.J., is having problems …. Source article  : Not your garden-variety winter: Storms’ heavy toll translates to boon for landscapers.

Recalls this week include remote control kits, mobile power packs

Recalls this week: Sweatshirts, power packs

NEW YORK – Among the recalled items this week are two products that can overheat and pose a fire risk – mobile power packs and remote control kits.
In the latter case, the company said it received about 5,000 reports of overheating, including an incidence of a house fire. No injuries …. Read the original article  : Recalls this week include remote control kits, mobile power packs.

Never the same river twice: Forecasting how much the Red River will rise is tricky business

Many tools but no guarantees in forecasting floods

FARGO, N.D. – A year ago, weather forecasters changed their estimate late in the game of just how high the Red River would rise, stoking an 11th-hour sandbagging flurry in Fargo that proved unnecessary in the end because the new prediction was wrong.
Now, as the Red swells again …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Never the same river twice: Forecasting how much the Red River will rise is tricky business.

Chile lowers earthquake death toll to 452, with 96 still missing

Chile lowers death toll from February quake to 452

SANTIAGO, Chile – Chile is lowering the confirmed death toll from its February earthquake to 452 victims.
Interior Minister Rodrigo Hinzpeter says 96 people are still missing. The previous estimated death toll was 497.
The government on Friday announced school repairs and other reconstruction efforts that are the focus …. Original source  : Chile lowers earthquake death toll to 452, with 96 still missing.

Suspected explosive on Kingfisher flight, probe ordered

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/NEW DELHI – A suspected explosive was found in the cargo compartment of a Kingfisher flight that arrived here from Bangalore, police said. The civil aviation ministry has ordered a probe into what officials admitted was a security lapse.

A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) official found the suspected explosive, the size of a cricket ball … Read more : Suspected explosive on Kingfisher flight, probe ordered.

Pakistani officials say Taliban kill 4 tribesmen, leave note accusing them of spying for US

Pakistani Taliban kill 4, calling them US spies

MIR ALI, Pakistan – The bullet-riddled bodies of four Pakistani tribesmen, killed by the Taliban for allegedly spying for the United States, were found Sunday in a semiautonomous tribal region near the Afghan border, witnesses and officials said.
Hours later, a bomb exploded in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Baluchistan, … Read more »».

Explosions rock Afghan New Year festivities, killing at least 2 civilians

Explosions rock Afghan New Year, kill 2 civilians

KABUL – A roadside bomb killed two civilians Sunday as a series of blasts targeted people celebrating the Afghan New Year, officials said.
The deaths occurred in Khost province southeast of Kabul near a large crowd that gathered at a mountaintop shrine to celebrate Nowruz, the start of spring … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Explosions rock Afghan New Year festivities, killing at least 2 civilians.

Hostel warden held for child abuse

BHOPAL – A 30-year-old warden of a children’s home has been arrested in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna district on charges of sexually abusing a 11-year-old boy for over one year, police said Sunday.

John Kuttikatil, warden of St. Joseph Bal Bhavan, was taken into custody after parents of the child complained.
…. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Bomb targeting Pakistani police kills 2 people, wounds 12 in southwest city of Quetta

Bomb kills 2, wounds 12 in southwest Pakistan

QUETTA, Pakistan – Police say a bomb planted on a bicycle exploded as a police van passed by in the city of Quetta, killing at least 2 people and wounding 12.
A senior police official says the bomb was apparently detonated by remote control. The police van was badly … Original article on : Bomb targeting Pakistani police kills 2 people, wounds 12 in southwest city of Quetta.

Fargo on brink of declaring victory as weeklong fight against river flooding nears its climax

Fargo’s fight against flooding nears its climax

FARGO, N.D. – A weeklong fight against flooding neared its climax in Fargo on Sunday, with miles of sandbags and clay dikes expected to hold back the bloated Red River at its crest with room to spare.
City officials and residents were on the brink of declaring victory and ready …. Read the original article  : Fargo on brink of declaring victory as weeklong fight against river flooding nears its climax.

Man set ablaze while asleep

NEW DELHI – A man suffered serious injuries after being set on fire while asleep here early Sunday, apparently over a property row, police said. Two of his cousins have been detained as suspects.

The victim, identified only as Amit, was burnt around 2.30 a.m in the hutments in Moti Bagh area and he received over …. Original article  : Man set ablaze while asleep.

Volcano erupts in Iceland, first at Eyjafjallajokull glacier since 1820s; US flights diverted

Volcano erupts in Iceland; US flights diverted

REYKJAVIK, Iceland – Authorities evacuated hundreds of people after a volcano erupted beneath a glacier in southern Iceland, Iceland’s civil protection agency said Sunday.
The eruption occurred around 11:30 p.m. Saturday (1930 EDT) beneath the Eyjafjallajokull glacier, the fifth largest glacier in Iceland.The volcano is covered by an ice cap.
Fearing …. Original article  : Volcano erupts in Iceland, first at Eyjafjallajokull glacier since 1820s; US flights diverted.

2 Baltimore officers shot during traffic stop; suspect killed by return fire from police

2 Baltimore officers shot during traffic stop

BALTIMORE – Baltimore police say two officers have been shot during a traffic stop and they are in serious but stable condition. The suspected shooter was killed by return fire.
Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi (goo-lee-EHL’-mee) says the shooting happened about 12:21 p.m. Sunday.
The officers had pulled over the suspected shooter for …. Read the original article  : here.

The next stage of Australia’s resources boom has arrived: Gas

Gas the next fuel to fire Australia’s boom

KARRATHA, Australia – First gold, then coal and iron ore. Now, a new bonanza is about to be unleashed from beneath Down Under: Australia’s got gas.
Projects being ramped up to tap huge undersea fields off the country’s northwest could quadruple Australia’s exports of liquefied natural gas in the … Read this article on Gaea Times at : The next stage of Australia’s resources boom has arrived: Gas.

Suspected explosive found on Kingfisher flight

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM – A security alert was sounded at the airport here Sunday morning after a suspected explosive was found in the cargo compartment of a Kingfisher flight that arrived from Bangalore, police said.

The Kingfisher flight from Bangalore arrived at 8.25 a.m. and a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) official found the suspected explosive, which [..] Read the original article: here.

Five burnt to death in Bihar village

PATNA – Five people, including a former village body head, were burnt to death when a group of men attacked them and set their vehicle on fire in Bihar’s Banka district, police said Sunday. One person has been arrested and 15 people have been booked for the crime.

Prayag Yadav, the former head of Tilkara panchayat, …. Original article  : Five burnt to death in Bihar village.

Volcano erupts in Iceland, first at Eyjafjallajokull glacier since 1820s; hundreds evacuated

Volcano erupts in Iceland, hundreds evacuated

REYKJAVIK, Iceland – Authorities evacuated hundreds of people after a volcano erupted beside a glacier in southern Iceland, Iceland’s civil protection agency said Sunday.
The eruption occurred around 11:30 p.m. Saturday (1930 EDT) beside the Eyjafjallajokull glacier, the fifth largest in Iceland. No damage or injuries were immediately reported.
Authorities initially said … Read more : Volcano erupts in Iceland, first at Eyjafjallajokull glacier since 1820s; hundreds evacuated.

Volcano erupts in southern Iceland; hundreds evacuated

Volcano erupts in southern Iceland
REYKJAVIK, Iceland – Authorities evacuated hundreds of people after a volcano erupted beneath a glacier in southern Iceland, Iceland’s civil protection agency said Sunday.

The eruption occurred around 11:30 p.m. Saturday (1930 EDT) beneath the Eyjafjallajokull glacier, the fifth largest glacier in Iceland.The volcano is covered by an ice cap.
Fearing flooding from … Read more >>.

Dozens of firefighters battling large brush fire in southern NJ; No injuries reported so far

Large brush fire burning in southern NJ
BARNEGAT, N.J. – A large brush fire has burned about 100 acres in southern New Jersey.

Dozens of firefighters are battling a the blaze. No injuries have been reported in Saturday’s blaze in Barnegat.
Police in the Ocean County community say several neighborhoods near the fire and a mobile home park …. Original article  : Dozens of firefighters battling large brush fire in southern NJ; No injuries reported so far.

Storm knocks out power to 60,000 homes on Australian coast, strong gusts down trees

Power cut to 60,000 as cyclone hits Australia

AIRLIE BEACH, Australia – About 60,000 homes are without power, trees and signs have blown over and boats have been smashed on the rocks after a massive storm blew across the coast of northeastern Australia.
Tropical Cyclone Ului crossed the coast at Airlie Beach as a category three storm … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Storm knocks out power to 60,000 homes on Australian coast, strong gusts down trees.

Strong earthquake jolts Papua New Guinea coast

SYDNEY – A strong earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale jolted the Papua New Guinea’s coast Saturday, according to the US Geological Survey, Xinhua reported.

The earthquake occurred at 1400 GMT. The epicentre was located about 100 km north of the New Ireland Region and at a depth of 423 km, the USGS said. … Read more : Strong earthquake jolts Papua New Guinea coast.

3 deaths reported as spring storm brings snow, blizzard conditions to southern Plains

3 deaths reported as snow storm strikes Plains

NORMAN, Okla. – A powerful storm began blowing through Oklahoma and the southern Plains on the first day of spring Saturday, bringing heavy snow and strong winds a day after temperatures reached into the 70s.
Forecasters said gusts of up to 40 mph could create drifts of blowing snow … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 3 deaths reported as spring storm brings snow, blizzard conditions to southern Plains.

Watermelons jam New Zealand highway

WELLINGTON – Two tonnes of watermelons fell from a truck on Auckland’s southern motorway Sunday, closing the highway for more than two hours.

Police said sweepers had to use hoses to shift the mess from all three lanes on one side of the motorway.
… Read more : Watermelons jam New Zealand highway.

3 people killed after 2 small planes collide in air over central Florida

3 killed after small planes collide over Fla.

WILLISTON, Fla. – A single-engine plane and a kit-built aircraft collided in clear, sunny skies Saturday over central Florida, killing three people, authorities said.
A Williston woman who thought she heard a gunshot discovered the kit-built plane upside down in a field near her house and called authorities, Levy …. Source  : 3 people killed after 2 small planes collide in air over central Florida.