Did ‘boobquake’ really spark off Taiwan tremor?

LONDON – An Iranian cleric’s claim that showing skin causes earthquakes was almost proved to be true, after Taiwan experienced a temblor coinciding with women across the globe baring their breasts in defiance, a media report said Tuesday.

Cleric Kazem Sedighi had said April 12: “Many women who do not dress modestly… lead young men astray, …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Did ‘boobquake’ really spark off Taiwan tremor?.

Bangladesh border guard mutineers’ trial adjourned

DHAKA – Troopers of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) had “pre-planned” last year’s mutiny during which officers who had raised their hands were gunned down, a special court was told Tuesday.

A bunch of troopers Feb 25 last year demanded at gunpoint the surrender of officers who were at a meeting being held at Durbar Hall, the …. Original article  : Bangladesh border guard mutineers’ trial adjourned.

Cook aboard oil rig that exploded off the La. coast recalls her escape as crews work on leak

Cook on La. oil rig that exploded recalls escape

NEW ORLEANS – Oleander Benton, a cook on an oil rig that exploded off the Louisiana coast, was sitting at a laundry room table with a friend when the lights went out. Then, there was the blast.
The Deepwater Horizon platform shuddered, debris fell from the ceiling and …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Cook aboard oil rig that exploded off the La. coast recalls her escape as crews work on leak.

Karzai’s brother says UN should not pull out of southern Afghan city of Kandahar

Karzai’s brother says UN should not leave south

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – The powerful half brother of President Hamid Karzai urged the international aid community Tuesday not to pull out of the troubled southern city of Kandahar, where the security situation is deteriorating.
The United Nations said Monday it was scaling back its operations in Kandahar, relocating several … Original article on : Karzai’s brother says UN should not pull out of southern Afghan city of Kandahar.

Assets of Rs.2 crore found in tax official’s home

BHOPAL – A raid in a tax official’s house in Indore in Madhya Pradesh has yielded assets worth Rs.2 crore, disproportionate to his known sources of income. The officer has been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, police said Tuesday.

Searches that continued till late Monday at the house of Assistant Commercial Tax officer Bhim …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Assets of Rs.2 crore found in tax official’s home.

Maoist fighter held with grenade ahead of indefinite shutdown

KATHMANDU – Ahead of an indefinite nationwide general strike announced by Nepal’s former guerrillas to press for the ouster of the current government, a combatant of their People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been arrested with a grenade, police said.

Santosh Rai, a PLA soldier from the cantonment in Udaypur district, was caught in Chitwan in southern … Original article on : Maoist fighter held with grenade ahead of indefinite shutdown.

`Die, die, die’, shouted teacher as he hit student

LONDON – A teacher in Britain screamed “die, die, die” as he mercilessly hit a 14-year-old student on the head with a dumbbell after the victim used an expletive, a court was told.

Fifty-year-old Peter Harvey lost his cool when when the teenager told him to “f*** off” during a science lesson, Daily Express reported Tuesday. … Read more >>.

Star-studded Hong Kong concert raises $4.8M for China quake victims

Concert raises $4.8M for China quake relief

HONG KONG – With Jackie Chan, Andy Lau and other celebrities appealing for donations, the Chinese-language entertainment industry raised nearly $4.8 million for victims of the recent earthquake in China’s west after a five-hour charity concert in Hong Kong.
A spokeswoman for the concert, Bonnie Wong, said the biggest individual …. Source  : Star-studded Hong Kong concert raises $4.8M for China quake victims.

Snatching incidents, robberies jolt Chandigarh

CHANDIGARH – A series of daylight robberies and incidents of snatching targeting morning walkers has left Chandigarh residents, especially senior citizens, feeling insecure and police red-faced.

In separate incidents April 19, four women on their morning walk in different parts of the city were robbed of their gold ornaments by motorcycle-borne youths in a span …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Snatching incidents, robberies jolt Chandigarh.

Concert raises $2.5 mn for Haiti quake victims

Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), April 27 (IANS/EFE) A concert for helping out the victims of the devastating quake in Haiti has raised over $2.5 million, organisers said.

The concert “A Song of Hope for Haiti” held in the weekend was an “overwhelming success”, Dominican singer-songwriter Juan Luis Guerra said in a statement Monday.
Guerra was joined …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Concert raises $2.5 mn for Haiti quake victims.

Delfino scores 22, hits 6 3-pointers as Bucks shock Hawks 111-104 to draw even in series

Bucks shock Hawks 111-104 to draw even in series

MILWAUKEE – Carlos Delfino scored 22 points with six 3-pointers and the Milwaukee Bucks pulled off their second straight playoff surprise, beating the Atlanta Hawks 111-104 Monday night to draw even in the first-round series.
Brandon Jennings scored 23 points and John Salmons added 22 for the Bucks, …. Source article  : Delfino scores 22, hits 6 3-pointers as Bucks shock Hawks 111-104 to draw even in series.

Six killed in Mexico violence

Mexico City, April 27 (IANS/EFE) Six people, including three women, were killed and 12 injured in different incidents of violence in Ciudad Juarez city of Mexico, authorities said Monday.

According to the Chihuahua state Attorney General’s Office, a group of gunmen broke into a house Saturday night in the Independencia neighborhood and opened fire on people …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Six killed in Mexico violence.

375 kg of cocaine seized in Hong Kong

HONG KONG – Hong Kong police have seized 372 kg of cocaine worth about 337 million HK dollars ($43. 5 million), police said Monday.

After receiving a tip-off, the police raided a house in Tai Po Tin village Saturday and found 372 kg of cocaine, Xinhua reported.
Four men and four women, aged between 22 and … Read more »»».

Hawks’ team bus involved in accident after shootaround, team reports no injuries

Hawks’ team bus in accident, no injuries reported

MILWAUKEE – A car collided with the Atlanta Hawks’ bus as the team was leaving a shootaround session in downtown Milwaukee early Monday afternoon.
Team officials said nobody on board was injured, and a woman and young boy in the car also appeared to be OK.
Hawks coach Mike Woodson …. Read the original article  : Hawks’ team bus involved in accident after shootaround, team reports no injuries.

Victims of a Mississippi tornado ranged from a great-grandmother to a Navy veteran

A look at the victims killed by a Miss. tornado

YAZOO CITY, Miss. – A quiet, lovable 78-year-old great-grandmother was among the 10 victims of a Mississippi tornado that devastated part of the state.
Stella Martin, a devout Baptist and homemaker who had a daughter, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, died when the storm destroyed her mobile … Read more »»».

Obama calls Miss. governor after deadly tornadoes, discusses oil rig leak

Obama calls Miss. governor after deadly storms
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is expressing his concern for the people of Mississippi after a deadly tornado struck the state over the weekend.
Obama called Republican Gov. Haley Barbour on Monday to discuss the federal response to the storms. At least 10 people in rural Mississippi and …. Read the original article  : here.

Haiti drops kidnapping case against US missionaries; only 1 still in jail faces lesser charge

Haiti tosses kidnapping charges against Americans

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – A Haitian judge said Monday he has dismissed kidnapping and criminal association charges against 10 American missionaries detained for trying to take a busload of children out of the country after the Jan. 12 earthquake.
Judge Bernard Saint-Vil said Laura Silsby, the last of the 10 missionaries jailed … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Haiti drops kidnapping case against US missionaries; only 1 still in jail faces lesser charge.

Federal, state emergency teams surveying damage from Mississippi tornado that killed 10

Survivors assess damage from storms that killed 12
YAZOO CITY, Miss. – Some Mississippi residents cracked jokes Monday to keep from crying while they looked for salvageable items among the rubble left by severe storms that killed 12 people over the weekend.
State officials were tallying the cost of the damage so they …. Source article  : Federal, state emergency teams surveying damage from Mississippi tornado that killed 10.

Officials say no shoreline impact from oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico for at least 3 days

No shore impact from oil spill for at least 3 days

NEW ORLEANS – Officials say there will be no shoreline impact from an oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico for at least another three days.
Crews were ramping up Monday to protect the coastline after an oil rig exploded off the Louisiana coast nearly a … Read : Officials say no shoreline impact from oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico for at least 3 days.

Oil leaking from sunken rig spreads, raising fear of Gulf Coast environmental disaster

Oil leak from sunken rig off La. could foul coast

NEW ORLEANS – Crews raced to protect the Gulf of Mexico coastline Monday as a remote sub tried to shut off an underwater oil well that’s gushing 42,000 gallons a day from the site of a wrecked drilling platform.
If crews cannot stop the leak quickly, they … Original article on : Oil leaking from sunken rig spreads, raising fear of Gulf Coast environmental disaster.