Assam floods displace 50,000 people

GUWAHATI – Heavy rains triggered flash floods in Assam Thursday displacing at least 50,000 people in the state’s Lakhimpur district, officials said. No casualties have been reported.

A government spokesman said floodwaters of Singora river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra river, entered at least 50 villages forcing residents to take shelter on raised platforms and … Read more >>.

Survivors of La. oil rig explosion back on land; Coast Guard searches Gulf for 11 missing

La. oil rig survivors back on land; 11 missing

PORT FOURCHON, La. – Families welcomed survivors of a thunderous blast that rocked an oil platform they were aboard as Coast Guard rescuers combed Gulf of Mexico waters Thursday for signs of 11 missing from the rig that was still in flames.
About 100 workers on the Deepwater …. Read the original article  : Survivors of La. oil rig explosion back on land; Coast Guard searches Gulf for 11 missing.

Massey executives expected to provide details on expected Q2 loss from fatal W.Va. explosion

Massey executives plan briefing on outlook

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Massey Energy’s top executives are due to speak to Wall Street for the first time since an explosion killed 29 men at the company’s Upper Big Branch coal mine in West Virginia.
A conference call with securities analysts is scheduled for 9 a.m. EDT Thursday.
Massey expects the second-quarter … Original article on : Massey executives expected to provide details on expected Q2 loss from fatal W.Va. explosion.

Cyclonic storm kills four in Tripura

AGARTALA – At least four people were killed and more than 50 injured when a cyclonic storm lashed several parts of Tripura, causing a trail of destruction, officials said Thursday.

The pre-monsoon rains accompanied by strong winds and hailstorm Wednesday night also damaged more than 2,000 houses and killed many cattle in western and southern …. Original source  : Cyclonic storm kills four in Tripura.

Runaway luxury train for tourists derails in South African capital, 3 dead

Runaway luxury train derails in S.Africa, 3 dead

PRETORIA, South Africa – The death toll has risen to three after a luxury train filled with American and other foreign tourists sped out of control and derailed in South Africa, the rail company’s chief said Thursday.
Rovos Rail Managing Director Rohan Vos told The Associated Press a third …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Fisherman: Captain who died when boat sank near Alaska was worried vessel had too much cargo

Fisherman: Captain was worried boat was overloaded

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The captain of a commercial fishing vessel who died when the boat sank in the Gulf of Alaska had been nervous about the amount of cargo the Northern Belle was carrying when it left Seattle earlier this month, one of the surviving crewmen said.
Robert Jack said … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Fisherman: Captain who died when boat sank near Alaska was worried vessel had too much cargo.

Relative: Boat with 100 survivors of La. oil rig blast reaches shore; search on for 11 missing

Boat with survivors of oil rig blast reaches shore

PORT FOURCHON, La. – A relative says a boat carrying 100 survivors of an oil drilling platform blast off the Louisiana coast has arrived on shore.
Dana Eugene says her brother, Kevin Eugene, is among those aboard. She says before the workers can be reunited with waiting families, …. Original article  : Relative: Boat with 100 survivors of La. oil rig blast reaches shore; search on for 11 missing.

Canadian police hunt for Sikh trouble-makers

TORONTO – Canadian police has launched a big hunt for people behind the recent violence at two Sikh temples in Brampton on the outskirts of Toronto that has outraged the Sikh community as well as common people here.

In the first incident, former Akal Takht jathedar Darshan Singh Ragi was targeted at the Sikh Lehar Centre … Original source on Gaea Times at : Canadian police hunt for Sikh trouble-makers.

Families of La. oil rig blast survivors wait to see loved ones; search on for 11 missing

Families of Louisiana oil rig blast survivors wait

PORT FOURCHON, La. – Families eagerly waited to welcome survivors of a thunderous blast that rocked the oil platform they were aboard as Coast Guard rescuers combed Gulf of Mexico waters Thursday for signs of 11 missing from the still-burning rig.
About 100 workers aboard the Deepwater Horizon when … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Families of La. oil rig blast survivors wait to see loved ones; search on for 11 missing.

Snow the latest challenge in China earthquake recovery as survivors huddle in thin tents

Snow the latest challenge in China quake recovery

BEIJING – Homeless earthquake survivors huddled in thin tents against strong winds Thursday while traffic slowed on ice- and snow-slicked roads, the latest challenges to recovery in mountainous far western China.
Snow started falling early Thursday in Yushu county, the center of the disaster, and more was expected through …. Original article  : Snow the latest challenge in China earthquake recovery as survivors huddle in thin tents.

Two killed by speeding mini bus in Delhi

NEW DELHI – A speeding mini bus crushed two men to death in northwest Delhi early Thursday, police said.

Arvind, 28, and Captain, 22, were on a bicycle when they were hit by the speeding vehicle near a bus depot in Keshavpuram.
“The victims were rushed to a nearby hospital where they were declared dead. The …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Speedy trial begins in Japanese woman’s gangrape case

PATNA – A Bihar court Thursday began the trial into the gangrape of a Japanese woman on April 16. Three people have been arrested.

The speedy trial began in the court of the chief judicial magistrate in Gaya, a day after police filed its chargesheet against the three accused.
The 25-year-old Japanese woman was …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Speedy trial begins in Japanese woman’s gangrape case.

Man doused with Coke to put out fire

LONDON – A quick-thinking British teenager used a bottle of Coke to douse flames that had engulfed his father who was lighting a bonfire.

Nicholas, 15, took the two litre bottle of cola, shook it violently and aimed it at his father, Andrew Wythe, whose arms, chest, neck and ears were on fire, Daily Express reported … Original source on Gaea Times at : Man doused with Coke to put out fire.

Four drug peddlers held with Rs.2 cr worth smack

LUCKNOW – Four drug peddlers, including two women, were arrested with smack worth over Rs.2 crore in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district, police said Thursday.

The four people, aged between 35-40 years, were nabbed Wednesday night with more than two kg of smack, a derivative of heroin, in Barabanki, some 35 km from Lucknow.
“Those arrested used … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Four drug peddlers held with Rs.2 cr worth smack.

Snow storm hits China’s quake zone

BEIJING – Heavy snow and strong winds hit China’s quake-affected northwestern Qinghai province Thursday, making life difficult for rescuers and quake survivors.

Snow started falling at around 5.05 a.m. local time in Gyegu town, epicentre of the 7.1 magnitude quake that killed over 2,000 people in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu.
The devastating quake that … Read more »».

20-year grudge over caning sees ex-pupil thrash teacher

LONDON – A Briton, who harboured a 20-year-old grudge for being caned in school, viciously attacked his former teacher in an Indian restaurant after saying that he had been beaten up when he was six and had been “waiting for all these years” to meet up.

Kieran Heakin has been left deaf in one ear … Read : 20-year grudge over caning sees ex-pupil thrash teacher.

All bodies in Polish plane crash identified

Moscow, April 22 (IANS/RIA Novosti) All 96 bodies recovered from the wreckage of the Polish presidential plane, which crashed near Smolensk in Russia April 10, have been identified, an official has said.

The Soviet-made Tu-154 aircraft carrying a top-level Polish delegation, including President Lech Kaczynski and his wife, hit a few trees as it attempted to … Read more : All bodies in Polish plane crash identified.

Farmer’s eyes gouged out over land dispute

BHOPAL – A Madhya Pradesh farmer’s eyes were gouged out with a knife and his parents beaten up by a former village headman and his supporters over a land dispute, police said Thursday.

Pyarelal Sen, 26, was blinded Wednesday in his village in Kashipura in Chhatarpur district. Police said the former sarpanch Dayaram Yadav and three …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Farmer’s eyes gouged out over land dispute.

78 bureaucrats involved in graft cases in three years

NEW DELHI – A total of 78 officers of the Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Revenue Service (IRS) have been found to be involved in corruption cases in the last three years, says Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prithviraj Chavan.

“Thirty-two officers were found involved in corruption cases in …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : 78 bureaucrats involved in graft cases in three years.

Robbers walk away with safe containing $515,000

Moscow, April 22 (IANS/RIA Novosti) A group of masked men tied up a businessman in an office here and took off with a safe containing cash worth 15 million rubles ($515,000), police said Thursday.

The men broke into the office near Taganskaya subway station at about 8 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) Wednesday, tied up the … Read more : Robbers walk away with safe containing $515,000.