6.4-magnitude earthquake strikes eastern Indonesia

JAKARTA – An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale struck islands in north-eastern Indonesia Saturday, but there were no immediate reports of injuries and damage, officials said.

The quake occurred at 4.41 p.m. (0741 GMT), the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) said. Its epicentre was 155 km south-east of Labuha city in North Maluku province … Original source on Gaea Times at : 6.4-magnitude earthquake strikes eastern Indonesia.

Weeping mourners hold funerals for Shiites killed in Baghdad bombs

Shiites bury victims of Baghdad mosque bombings

BAGHDAD – Weeping and wailing Shiites on Saturday buried the last of dozens of bombing victims killed while praying, and their leaders called for a three-day mourning period after the deadliest day in Iraq this year.
Shortly after dawn, a half-dozen funeral processions headed from the vast eastern Baghdad slum …. Original article  : Weeping mourners hold funerals for Shiites killed in Baghdad bombs.

Two girls gangraped in Greater Noida

GREATER NOIDA – Two girls were gangraped after they were lured by four youths to an apartment in Greater Noida, a satellite town of the national capital, police said Saturday.

Deepak, Jeetu alias Jitendra, Vicky and Prashant Kumar lured the victims, aged 19 and 20 years, to an apartment of NRI City of this Uttar … Original article on : Two girls gangraped in Greater Noida.

Civilian killed in Kashmir firing

SRINAGAR – A civilian was killed and five people were injured in a village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district when the army fired at suspected militants Saturday, police said.

Troops from the 53 Rashtriya Rifles laid an ambush near Chewan Keller village. “On noticing some movement, they opened fire, killing a civilian and wounding … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Civilian killed in Kashmir firing.

Man threatens to blow up plane

LOS ANGELES – A passenger on a US aircraft sprayed the first class cabin with a water bottle, tried to open a cabin door and threatened to blow up the plane, officials have said.

Stanley Dwayne Sheffield, 46, was taken into custody Friday for allegedly interfering with crew members on a flight from Los Angeles to …. Read the original article  : here.

Suspect says al-Qaida drafted him to be NYC suicide bomber; Prosecutors ID al-Qaida operatives

Suspect: al-Qaida ordered suicide attack in NYC

NEW YORK – They were former classmates at a New York high school, both on a mission to join the Taliban and fight U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
But when Zarein Ahmedzay and Najibullah Zazi arrived in Pakistan in the summer of 2008, two high-ranking al-Qaida operatives gave them another set … Original source on Gaea Times at : Suspect says al-Qaida drafted him to be NYC suicide bomber; Prosecutors ID al-Qaida operatives.

US officials watched internet porn during recession

WASHINGTON – US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) officials meant to mend the economy during the recession spent much of their working hours surfing the internet for pornography instead.

An investigation by the SEC at the request of Senator Chuck Grassley found 31 employees of SEC spent hours on the commission’s official computers looking at … Read more : US officials watched internet porn during recession.

6,000 kg chemicals, 4.5 tonnes cocaine seized in Venezuela

Caracas, April 24 (IANS/EFE) At least 6,000 kg of drug-making chemicals and 4.5 tonnes of cocaine have been seized from eight laboratories near the Venezuela-Colombia border, officials said.

“This has been one of the biggest operations in recent years,” Interior Minister Tarek El Aissami said Thursday.
The drugs belonged to Colombian “criminal groups”, El Aissami said. …. Source  : 6,000 kg chemicals, 4.5 tonnes cocaine seized in Venezuela.

Lawsuit against pope without merit, says Vatican

Vatican City, April 24 (IANS/AKI) The Vatican has rejected a lawsuit against Pope Benedict XVI and other Vatican officials for failing to defrock a Catholic priest accused of sexual abuse in the US, saying that it is “completely without merit”.

The plaintiff is an alleged victim of the priest, Father Lawrence Murphy, sacked in 1974 after … Read more >>>.

80-year-old Chilean priest accused of sexual abuse

Santiago, April 24 (IANS/EFE) An 80-year-old Chilean priest who trained numerous clergy members, five of whom went on to become bishops, has been accused of sexually abusing minors.

The church has launched a probe against Fernando Karadima Fari??a, erstwhile parish priest at the Sagrado Corazon de Jesus de El Bosque church in Santiago, archbishop Francisco Javier … Original article on : 80-year-old Chilean priest accused of sexual abuse.

Two drown, 150,000 people hit in Assam floods

GUWAHATI – At least two people drowned overnight as flash floods triggered by heavy rains inundated more areas in Assam, displacing over 150,000 people. A thunderstorm also swept parts of the state, damaging homes and uprooting trees, electric and telephone poles, officials said Saturday.

A government spokesperson said up to 250 villages in four … Original article on : Two drown, 150,000 people hit in Assam floods.

South Korea hoists 2nd half of sunken warship from water near disputed sea border with North

SKorea hoists 2nd half of sunken warship from sea
SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea pulled the bow of a sunken warship from waters near a disputed border with North Korea on Saturday, and authorities plan to search it for clues to the cause of the explosion that split the ship and killed …. Original article  : South Korea hoists 2nd half of sunken warship from water near disputed sea border with North.

Three Agra girls die as mud heap caves in

AGRA – Three girls, all under 15, died when a mud heap caved in near a canal here, police said Saturday.

Karamvati, Pooja and Laxmi of Baseri Chahar village died on the spot late Friday evening.
“Also, three girls were seriously injured. The mud heap caved in when over a dozen girls were digging the canal,” … Read more >>.

Mexican diplomat’s wife shot dead

San Salvador (El Salvador), April 24 (IANS/EFE) The wife of a Mexican diplomat working with the nation’s embassy in El Salvador was shot dead here in an attack that left her husband wounded.

Guillermo and Claudia Medina were driving down a busy street here Friday when assailants on a motorcycle opened fire on their car, media … Original source on Gaea Times at : Mexican diplomat’s wife shot dead.

Fire kills five of a family

At least five members of a family were killed and more than 300 houses were gutted in a devastating fire that engulfed a remote village in Bihar, police said today.

Police said fire broke out in a house at Mekara village in Nalanda district at around 12 noon and soon spread to almost the entire village, … Read : Fire kills five of a family.

Separatist guerrillas kill cable operator in Kashmir

SRINAGAR – Separatist guerrillas shot dead a cable operator in Sopore town of Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district, police said Saturday.

The guerrillas late Friday barged into a house in Khawaja Gilgit locality of Sopore, 54 km from here, and opened fire. Ashiq Hussain Khan, a local cable operator, was critically injured, a senior police officer … Read more »»».

Obama declares 3 Conn. counties as major disaster areas after flooding; federal aid to come

Obama declares major disaster in Conn. from floods
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster following floods in southwestern and southeastern Connecticut last month.
Obama made the declaration Friday and ordered federal aid to help with costs associated with the flooding beginning March 12 and continuing.
The counties of Fairfield, Middlesex and New … Original article on : Obama declares 3 Conn. counties as major disaster areas after flooding; federal aid to come.

Four tonnes of cocaine seized in Peru

Lima, April 24 (IANS/EFE) Peruvian authorities seized four tonens of cocaine hidden in a shipment of powdered sulfur that was due to be loaded on a ship bound for Europe, authorities said Friday.

Interior Minister Octavio Salazar told RPP radio that several people were detained in Thursday’s operation, though he withheld further information so as not …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Four tonnes of cocaine seized in Peru.

Six policemen killed in Mexico ambush

CIUDAD JUAREZ – Six police officers and one civilian were killed Friday in an ambush in the centre of Ciudad Juarez in northern Mexico.

Four federal police officers died at the scene, along with an officer of the municipal police and a 17-year-old civilian, the Public Security Ministry said in a statement.
Another federal police officer …. Source  : Six policemen killed in Mexico ambush.

US man to be executed by firing squad

WASHINGTON – A convicted murderer in the state of Utah in the US will be executed by firing squad after a judge signed an order Friday granting the man’s request to die in a hail of gunfire.

Ronnie Lee Gardner chose firing squad over lethal injection when he is put to death on June 18, a …. Original source  : US man to be executed by firing squad.