Strong quake kills 400 people in western China, mud and wood houses collapse, burying many

Quake in western China kills 400, buries more

BEIJING – A series of strong earthquakes struck a far western Tibetan area of China on Wednesday, killing at least 400 people and injuring thousands as houses made of mud and wood collapsed, trapping many more, officials said.
Paramilitary police were forced to use shovels to dig through the … Read more »».

Chinese state TV says death toll in Qinghai quake climbs to 400

Death toll in China earthquake climbs to 400

BEIJING – Chinese state television says that the death toll from a strong earthquake in a western province has climbed to 400.
CTTV quoted emergency official Pubucairen as saying Wednesday that the number of injured has risen to more than 10,000 as rescue workers struggle to dig trapped people … Read : Chinese state TV says death toll in Qinghai quake climbs to 400.

Storm kills 20 in Bihar, lakhs affected

A powerful storm accompanied with rain killed at least 20 people and damaged over 6,000 houses in Bihar, officials said today.

Officials said the overnight storm caused extensive damage to three eastern Bihar districts with Araria being the worst affected.
Officials said the storm killed at least 12 people in Araria, six in Purnia and two in … Read more >>>.

Amid national mourning for Poland’s dead president, lawmakers set to announce new elections

Poland in mourning, new election date to be set

WARSAW, Poland – Polish lawmakers are set to announce the date of early presidential elections after President Lech Kaczynski was killed in a plane crash last weekend along with his wife and 94 others,
Parliament Speaker Bronislaw Komorowski, who is acting president, will give the date later Wednesday. [..] Read the original article: here.

Hundreds of people in Iceland evacuated amid fears of 2nd volcanic eruption

Iceland evacuates hundreds near restless volcano

LONDON – Icelandic emergency officials evacuated hundreds of people near a restless volcano Wednesday amid fears of second eruption.
Some 800 people near the Eyjafjallajokull (AYA-feeyapla-yurkul) volcano were evacuated after seismic activity suggested it may have erupted for the second time, said Rognvaldur Olafsson, a chief inspector for the Icelandic Civil …. Original source  : Hundreds of people in Iceland evacuated amid fears of 2nd volcanic eruption.

Storm kills 16, hundreds homeless in Bihar

PATNA – A massive storm hit Bihar’s Araria, Purnea and Kishanganj districts on the border with West Bengal Wednesday, killing at least 16 people and rendering hundreds homeless.

“A storm with high wind velocity hit the entire Seemanchal region including Araria, Purnea and Kishanganj and badly disturbed normal life,” Vayasji, principal secretary in the disaster … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Storm kills 16, hundreds homeless in Bihar.

Chinese ship captain, officer arrested by Australian police for damages to Great Barrier Reef

Police arrest 2 from ship that crashed on reef

SYDNEY – A Chinese ship captain and a chief officer have been arrested and charged with causing damage to the Great Barrier Reef, more than a week after their coal carrier ran aground, leaking oil and tearing a two-mile (three-kilometer) gash in the protected area.
The Australian Federal …. Source article  : Chinese ship captain, officer arrested by Australian police for damages to Great Barrier Reef.

Hundreds of people in Iceland evacuated amid fears of second volcanic eruption

Iceland evacuates hundreds amid volcano fears

LONDON – Civil Protection Agency officials say hundreds of people in Iceland have been evacuated amid fears of second volcanic eruption.
Rognvaldur Olafsson, a chief inspector for the Icelandic agency, says some 800 people near the Eyjafjallajokull (AYA-feeyapla-yurkul) volcano were evacuated Wednesday morning after reports of seismic activity suggested it may … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Hundreds of people in Iceland evacuated amid fears of second volcanic eruption.

Cargo plane crashes in Mexico’s northeastern city of Monterrey, 5 crew members dead

Cargo plane crashes in Mexico, 5 crew dead

MEXICO CITY – A cargo plane crashed overnight in the Mexican city of Monterrey, killing five crew members, an official with the civil protection authority said Wednesday.
The plane went down in rainy and cloudy conditions near Monterrey’s international airport on Tuesday night, said the official, who spoke on …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Cargo plane crashes in Mexico’s northeastern city of Monterrey, 5 crew members dead.

Philippine troops hunt down militants who attempted to seize southern city in deadly attack

Filipino troops chase militants after deadly raid

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine troops clashed Wednesday with a top Muslim militant commander and dozens of fighters suspected of trying to seize a key predominantly Christian southern city in a daring attack the previous day that killed at least 13 people.
There was no word of casualties in the latest … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Philippine troops hunt down militants who attempted to seize southern city in deadly attack.

31 dead, thousands homeless as storm lashes West Bengal

KOLKATA – At least 31 people were killed and over 50,000 houses destroyed when a massive storm swept through West Bengal’s North Dinajpur district, snapping power and communication lines and uprooting trees, officials said Wednesday.

The storm with wind speed of 120 km per hour broke out at about 10.30 p.m. Tuesday and swept four …. Read the original article  : here.

Toyota suspends sales of Lexus GX 460 after Consumer Reports issues rare ‘do not buy’ rating

Lexus GX 460 rated ‘do not buy,’ Toyota halts sale

WASHINGTON – Toyota Motor Corp. has suspended sales of the 2010 Lexus GX 460 after Consumer Reports warned car shoppers not to buy the sport utility vehicle because handling problems could lead to rollover accidents during sharp turns.
Toyota said Tuesday it had asked dealers to temporarily … Original source on Gaea Times at : Toyota suspends sales of Lexus GX 460 after Consumer Reports issues rare ‘do not buy’ rating.

Brothers arrested for releasing poisonous snakes in feud in southern China

Two men arrested in China snake attack
GUANGZHOU, China – Police say in southern China say they have arrested two brothers suspected of releasing poisonous snakes to seek revenge in a dispute with a local leader.

Guangzhou city police said Wednesday that brothers Guo Gongwei and Guo Gongtian bought the short-tail pit vipers at a market, where …. Original article  : Brothers arrested for releasing poisonous snakes in feud in southern China.

Man attempts suicide after killing younger sister

PUNE – A man stabbed his 23-year-old sister and then attempted suicide on the outskirts of Maharashtra’s Pune city Wednesday, police said.

Sabrojit Bose, 29, repeatedly stabbed his younger sister Priyadarshini around 3 a.m. at their home in Hinjewadi, Crime Branch inspector N.S. Bhosale-Patil said.
Later, Sabrojit attempted suicide but survived. He is admitted in a …. Read the original article  : here.

Official says cyclone kills 31 people in eastern India, destroys thousands of mud huts

Cyclone kills 31 people in eastern India
CALCUTTA, India – A cyclone demolished thousands of mud huts and uprooted trees in several villages in eastern India, killing at least 31 people, an official said Wednesday.

Srikumar Mukherjee, the civil defense minister, said the cyclone struck Tuesday night in North Dinajpur district of West Bengal state, snapping telephone …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Official says cyclone kills 31 people in eastern India, destroys thousands of mud huts.

Two convicts dress up as sheep to evade capture

LONDON – Two convicts who escaped from a high security prison in Argentina have managed to evade arrest by disguising themselves up as sheep by wearing full sheepskins including the sheep’s head.

Maximiliano Pereyra and Ariel Diaz stole the sheep hides from a ranch after fleeing from an Argentinian maximum security prison a week ago, The …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Two convicts dress up as sheep to evade capture.

300 dead, 8,000 hurt in China earthquake (Third Lead)

BEIJING – About 300 people were killed and more than 8,000 injured Wednesday when a devastating 7.1-magnitude earthquake tore through northwest China’s Qinghai province, officials said.

Xinhua quoted local official Huang Limin as saying that the quake struck the Yushu prefecture at 7.49 a.m. at a depth of about 33 km.
At least three aftershocks …. Original source  : 300 dead, 8,000 hurt in China earthquake (Third Lead).

30 hours on, part of Thane factory still in flames

MUMBAI – A fire that engulfed the edible oil manufacturing major Liberty Oil Mills’ factory in Maharashtra’s Thane district continued to rage Wednesday morning, 30 hours after it had started.

The roof of the burning building in Bamne village collapsed around 2 a.m. Wednesday, said police inspector Shivnath Shinde of Shahapur police station. There are no … Read this article on Gaea Times at : 30 hours on, part of Thane factory still in flames.

1.5 tonnes of cocaine seized in Panama

Panama City, April 14 (IANS/EFE) Three Colombians were arrested and 1.5 tonnes of cocaine was seized from Panama’s Pacific coast, a police official said.

The cocaine was found Sunday aboard a speedboat in Isla Leones, located in the Gulf of Montijo, more than 250 km southwest of Panama City, Judicial Investigations Agency, or DIJ, deputy director … Read : 1.5 tonnes of cocaine seized in Panama.

Blaze in Delhi plastic scrap market

NEW DELHI – A major fire broke out in a plastic scrap market in west Delhi’s Mundka area early Wednesday. No one was injured, an official said, adding that a fire had gutted a part of the same market three days ago.

The incident took place around 3.30 a.m.
“The blaze spread in the …. Source  : Blaze in Delhi plastic scrap market.