Reports on toxic waste dumping, US military contractors win Daniel Pearl journalism award

Story on toxic waste wins Pearl reporting award

GENEVA – A joint report by European journalists on the dumping of toxic waste in Ivory Coast has won the Daniel Pearl Award for international investigative reporting.
The Washington-based Center for Public Integrity says the “gutsy” series by Norwegian Broadcasting Corp., The Guardian, BBC and de Volkskrant newspaper “exposed [..] Read the original article: here.

Tiger census in Jharkhand stalled due to Maoists

RANCHI – A tiger census has been stalled midway in Jharkhand’s Palamau Tiger Reserve due to presence of Maoists in forests, an official said Sunday.

“We are unable to monitor tigers due to strong presence of the Maoists. The work has been stalled and we are seeking help from local people for the tiger census,” Manoj … Original source on Gaea Times at : Tiger census in Jharkhand stalled due to Maoists.

Aliens exist, but don’t talk to them, says Stephen Hawking

LONDON – According to Stephen Hawking, one of the world’s leading scientists, aliens are out there – but instead of seeking them out, humanity should avoid any contact with them.

Hawkin’s suggestions come in a new documentary series in which he reveals his latest thinking on some of the universe’s greatest mysteries, …. Read the original article  : Aliens exist, but don’t talk to them, says Stephen Hawking.

Thirsty bears venturing into Rajasthan villages

JALORE – With water becoming scarce in the forest areas of Rajasthan due to soaring temperatures, thirsty bears are increasingly beginning to stray into populated areas in this district.

In order to prevent bears from entering villages, the forest department has started constructing an 800-meter long wall in the foothills of Lohiyanagarh.
This area, which falls …. Read the original article  : here.

Endangered sea turtles begin nesting on Abu Dhabi beach

Abu Dhabi, April 25 (IANS/WAM) The Hawksbill turtles, a critically endangered species, have begun assembling in the coastal area of Abu Dhabi for nesting.

A group of sea turtles have begun nesting on Bu Tinah Island. Last week, 5 nests were seen and the number is expected to increase over the coming months, said the researchers …. Original article  : Endangered sea turtles begin nesting on Abu Dhabi beach.

Mercury to dip in Delhi

NEW DELHI – Delhiites can expect some respite from the heat as the weatherman Sunday forecast a dip in temperature over the next couple of days.

“The temperature rose to 44 degrees Celsius last week, comparatively it was not that harsh this week. With mainly clear skies and no rains, the temperature is likely to drop … Read more »».

Recycling: The latest buzzword in the Philippines

MANILA – Designing fashion accessories with waste items is fast catching up in the Philippines – a field which, besides providing employment to local artisans, is also solving the garbage issue.

Unemployed local youth are making custom jewellery and bags using materials which are often considered waste and thrown away like old glossy magazines, used tarpaulins …. Source article  : Recycling: The latest buzzword in the Philippines.

Climate bill placed on hold after Senate dispute over immigration politics

Climate bill placed on hold over Senate dispute
WASHINGTON – Long-awaited climate change legislation was put on hold by its authors Saturday when a dispute over immigration politics and Senate priorities threatened to unravel a bipartisan effort that took months of work.
Voicing regrets, Sen. John …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

GOP Sen. Graham blasts Democratic leader for moving immigration bill ahead of climate change

Graham blasts Reid’s ‘cynical ploy’ on immigration
WASHINGTON – Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham threatened Saturday to withdraw his support for energy and climate legislation if Democratic leaders move first on immigration reform in what he dismissed as “a cynical political ploy.”
The South Carolina senator is one of three co-sponsors of a comprehensive energy and … Original article on : GOP Sen. Graham blasts Democratic leader for moving immigration bill ahead of climate change.

Hubble Telescope Details

San Francisco (GaeaTimes.com) – The Hubble Telescope or Hubble Space Telescope has now completed two decades in space today. In these twenty years, it has served us with stunning images which had deep effect on our understanding of the universe. We knew how the stars are formed but before Hubble, there was no way to …. Read the original article  : Hubble Telescope Details.

Congo volcano symbolizes death, rebirth in resilient city

Congo volcano symbolizes death, rebirth
MOUNT NYIRAGONGO, Congo – I was startled to see it perched at the lip of the volcano’s rocky summit: a small cross marking the spot where one visitor tragically slipped from the crater’s edge and plummeted to her death.

Below, the mesmerizing lava lake that drew her here several years ago – …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Congo volcano symbolizes death, rebirth in resilient city.

Relief from heat wave in Orissa, toll rises to 15

BHUBANESWAR – One more death due to sunstroke was reported in Orissa, taking the toll to 15, although the maximum temperature witnessed a slight dip Saturday, an official said.

Ramesh Sethi, 32, died of sunstroke April 14 at Domadiha village in Sundergarh district, 407 km from here, an official of the state revenue control room told …. Source article  : Relief from heat wave in Orissa, toll rises to 15.

Temperature down in Himachal after rain

SHIMLA – Rain in Himachal Pradesh Saturday brought down the temperature by four to five notches, with the weatherman forecasting thundershowers in the state Sunday.

Shimla and nearby areas saw moderate rain Saturday afternoon. “Most of the towns saw a good spell of rain, bringing the temperatures considerable down,” Manmohan Singh, director of the meteorological office … Read more >>>.

Hubble Images: Nasa Hubble Telescope on 20th Anniversary

Today is the 20th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope. To mark this special occasion Nasa has released a breath taking image of Carina Nebula taken by Hubble, the telescope that was repaired recently.
The image is a stunning one, which shows us the massive gas pillars of nebula. There is a starry region, separated …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Hubble Images: Nasa Hubble Telescope on 20th Anniversary.

Russia launches US satellite

Moscow, April 24 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russia Saturday launched a Proton-M rocket to put a US telecommunications satellite into space, the defence ministry said.
The rocket blasted off from the Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan at 11.19 GMT. The satellite was due to separate from the carrier rocket at around 20.19 GMT.
The 2.6-tonne satellite has … Read more »».

South Africa, Brazil, India, China emerging as important voices on climate change

SAfrica hosts developing countries on climate talk

JOHANNESBURG – As the world struggles to break a deadlock in climate change negotiations, South Africa and three other influential developing nations are gathering for a strategy session to ensure poor countries are heard.
Brazil, South Africa, India and China began to coalesce as a bloc at U.N. climate talks …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Coming soon: House with edible walls, runs on sun, wind, rain and wastes!

WASHINGTON – A US university team is constructing a house that will be powered by the sun, wind, rain and waste, and which will also have edible walls.

The house, which is being built by a team of University of Maryland students, faculty and …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Coming soon: House with edible walls, runs on sun, wind, rain and wastes!.

Immobile biometrics don’t show promise when it comes to security

WASHINGTON – With the advent of mobile devices, such as netbooks, PDAs and smart phones, biometric logins would be impossible when one is on the move, say researchers from the US and Germany.

The researchers said that biometric logins, being immobile in nature might … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Immobile biometrics don’t show promise when it comes to security.

Shock wave from bomb blasts can generate electric fields in skulls

WASHINGTON – Shock waves produced due to a bomb blast may electrify the brain and damage it, according to a new study.

“It’s always exciting to look at a phenomenon that may have been missed in the past,” Live Science quoted Steven Johnson, a theoretical … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Shock wave from bomb blasts can generate electric fields in skulls.

Charging your iPod by running

WASHINGTON – If you’ve forgotten to charge your iPod and a power plug is nowhere in sight, a simple run could help you get out of the trouble – if new technology being developed is successful.

Every step you take can generate …. Source  : Gaea News Network.