Leaders say private investment is the key to Haiti’s reconstruction

Coke, telecom lead investors to post-quake Haiti
UNITED NATIONS – As governments pledged billions in reconstruction aid for Haiti at a U.N. donor conference, leaders and businessmen said the key to improving lives in the hemisphere’s poorest country was money of another kind: private investment.
On Wednesday, nearly 50 international donors pledged $9.9 billion to …. Original article  : Leaders say private investment is the key to Haiti’s reconstruction.

DEA says Afghan opium seizures soar 924 percent in 2009, cultivation down in key province

DEA says Afghan opium seizures soar in 2009

KABUL – Opium seizures in Afghanistan soared 924 percent last year because of better cooperation between Afghan and international forces, the top U.S. drug enforcement official said Thursday.
The Taliban largely funds the insurgency by profits from the opium trade, making it a growing target of U.S. and Afghan …. Read the original article  : DEA says Afghan opium seizures soar 924 percent in 2009, cultivation down in key province.

Flooding from record-setting rains overwhelms homes and businesses throughout New England

Floods overwhelm homes, businesses in New England
WEST WARWICK, R.I. – Stacey Marcure thought she and her family had survived the worst of flooding two weeks ago, when just 5 inches of water seeped into her basement. Then she woke Tuesday to a fresh burst of heavy flooding spurred by record-setting rainfall … Original source on Gaea Times at : Flooding from record-setting rains overwhelms homes and businesses throughout New England.

Indian state framing mobile tower policy to check health hazard

A state government in eastern india is formulating a Mobile Phone Tower Policy to check possible health hazards, a senior state official said today.

Officials said Bihar government is forming this policy in view of surveys and researches which said the mushrooming growth of mobile phone towers in the region was causing severe health problems.
Researchers have …. Original source  : Indian state framing mobile tower policy to check health hazard.

Four held with heroin worth over Rs.1 crore

LUCKNOW – Four drug peddlers, who operated in several states, have been arrested with heroin worth over Rs.1 crore in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra district, police said Thursday.

“The men, who operated in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and parts of Uttar Pradesh, were nabbed Wednesday evening in Pipri town. They were going to hand over a …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Four held with heroin worth over Rs.1 crore.

Hyderabad calm during curfew relaxation

HYDERABAD – The situation in riot-hit parts of Hyderabad Thursday remained peaceful as police relaxed curfew in the old parts of the city.

Thousands of people, living under curfew for the last three days, came out to buy essential commodities. Long queues were seen outside grocery shops, milk booths and medical stores during the two-hour relaxation … Read : Hyderabad calm during curfew relaxation.

Billions pledged, but private investment remains key to Haiti’s post-quake future

Private investment key to Haiti’s future
UNITED NATIONS – Government officials pledged billions in reconstruction aid for Haiti at a U.N. donor conference, but leaders and businessmen stressed private investment would be the key to improving the lot of the hemisphere’s poorest nation.
On Wednesday, nearly 50 donors pledged $9.9 billion to help Haiti recover …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Donor countries pledge $10 bn in aid to Haiti: UN

New York, April 1 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Dozens of countries and organisations have pledged to give $10 billion to quake-hit Haiti in the next 10 years, the UN said.

Of that amount, some $5.3 billion will be provided within the next 18 months. The sum is well above the $3.9 billion sought initially for that period.
“Today, [..] Read the original article: here.

Two children killed in Delhi slum fire

NEW DELHI – Two children were burnt to death while two other persons were injured in a fire in the slum clusters of south Delhi Thursday, fire officials said.

The incident took place in Batla House area around 6.45 p.m. when three slums caught fire.
“Two children were burnt to death while two other persons were … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Two children killed in Delhi slum fire.

I didn’t even slap anyone: Bangladesh war crimes accused

DHAKA – A top Islamist leader of Bangladesh accused of leading a militia that killed thousands of civilians during the 1971 freedom struggle has claimed he had “not even slapped anyone”.

Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid has been listed as president of the Al Badr, an islamist force of Razakars (volunteers), who looted … Original source on Gaea Times at : I didn’t even slap anyone: Bangladesh war crimes accused.

Chinese rescuers say some trapped miners could still be alive, though still no contact

Chinese rescuers hopeful some miners still alive

BEIJING – Four days after a flood trapped 153 miners in a coal mine, rescue officials in northern China held out hope that some of those stuck underground could be alive even though no contact had been made.
The flood at the Wangjialing mine in Shanxi province started when workers … Read : Chinese rescuers say some trapped miners could still be alive, though still no contact.

Storms prevent divers’ rescue searches for 46 sailors missing after SKorea ship sinking

Weather prevents dive searches for SKorea sailors
SEOUL, South Korea – A second day of bad weather and rough seas Thursday prevented divers from resuming searches for 46 sailors missing since a mysterious blast blew apart their South Korean navy ship last week, officials said.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said more than 100 military …. Original article  : Storms prevent divers’ rescue searches for 46 sailors missing after SKorea ship sinking.

Poor visibility delays search for climber stranded near summit of Calif.’s Mount Shasta

Weather again delays search for Calif climber

MOUNT SHASTA, Calif. – Rescue teams planned to make another attempt Thursday to find a climber stranded near the top of California’s Mount Shasta after bad weather hampered search efforts Wednesday for a fourth straight day.
Poor visibility prevented a helicopter crew from completing a reconnaissance flight to the top …. Source article  : Poor visibility delays search for climber stranded near summit of Calif.’s Mount Shasta.

DHS official: Napolitano to tour flooded Rhode Island on Friday, assess weather’s damages

DHS official: Napolitano to tour flood-damaged RI
WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano plans to travel to Rhode Island on Friday to assess damage caused by the worst flooding there in 200 years, a department official told The Associated Press.
The official spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity because Napolitano’s trip …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : DHS official: Napolitano to tour flooded Rhode Island on Friday, assess weather’s damages.

DHS official: Napolitano tour flooded Rhode Island on Friday, assess weather’s damages

DHS official: Napolitano tour flood-damaged RI
WASHINGTON – Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is planning to travel to Rhode Island on Friday to assess damage caused by the worst flooding there in 200 years.
A DHS official says the secretary will be touring the areas hard hit by several days of record-setting rain.
President Barack Obama … Read : DHS official: Napolitano tour flooded Rhode Island on Friday, assess weather’s damages.

Campaign against child abuse launched in Dubai

DUBAI – A campaign was launched here to highlight the issue of child abuse, WAM news agency reported.

The month-long Protect Childhood Campaign was unveiled Wednesday by the NGO Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC).
The NGO stressed the importance of maintaining vigilance to protect children from various abuses, including sexual assault.
The …. Read the original article  : Campaign against child abuse launched in Dubai.

Obama phones SKorean president to offer support, condolences after mysterious ship sinking

Obama offers support, condolences to SKorea
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is offering South Korea’s leader his support and condolences after the mysterious sinking of one of that country’s naval vessels.
The White House on Wednesday said Obama told President Lee Myung-bak that the thoughts and prayers of the U.S. are with the victims and … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Obama phones SKorean president to offer support, condolences after mysterious ship sinking.

Hundreds of residents leave as RI bridge threatens to collapse into swollen river

RI bridge threatens to collapse; hundreds leave

COVENTRY, R.I. – Authorities in Rhode Island are concerned a bridge in danger of collapsing could fall into the Pawtuxet (paw-TUKS’-it) River and damage several dams downstream, sending a torrent of water into the already swollen river.
A neighborhood below the bridge in Coventry was evacuated Wednesday afternoon, bringing the …. Source article  : Hundreds of residents leave as RI bridge threatens to collapse into swollen river.

US offshore drilling plan to tap huge resources, but don’t expect a drop in pump prices soon

Offshore drilling could tap large supplies
Opening more of America’s coastlines to oil and natural gas drilling won’t cut energy prices anytime soon. And it won’t greatly reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil.
But it could bring sizable royalties for a handful of states and soften the blow of future price spikes.
President Barack Obama …. Original article  : US offshore drilling plan to tap huge resources, but don’t expect a drop in pump prices soon.

Authorities assess search conditions for climber stranded near summit of Calif.’s Mount Shasta

Weather could again delay search for Calif climber

MOUNT SHASTA, Calif. – Weather could again delay the search for a climber stranded near the summit of California’s Mount Shasta even though authorities had hoped to take advantage of a break in the storm Wednesday.
A helicopter crew carrying a U.S. Forest Service ranger took a reconnaissance flight …. Original article  : Authorities assess search conditions for climber stranded near summit of Calif.’s Mount Shasta.

One killed, 10 injured in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR – One person was killed and 10 injured when a speeding truck rammed into a shop on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar Friday, police said.

The accident occurred at Khandagiri Chowk.
Three of the injured were in serious condition and undergoing treatment at hospitals in Bhubaneswar.
Irate people later went on a rampage, torching a … Read more »».

Two women killed in Punjab accident

HOSHIARPUR – Two women, including one who is resident in Britain, were killed when their car collided with a speeding truck in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur town Friday, police said.

The Indian-origin woman who lives in Britain came to Punjab to attend a family function, a police official said in Hoshiarpur, around 100 km from Chandigarh.
…. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Two women killed in Punjab accident.

In hard-luck Rhode Island, flooding is bad business for state economy and workers

Flooding disaster is latest blow for hard-luck RI

WESTERLY, R.I. – For 20 years, he parked his car there. Now, the parking lot outside Bradford Printing and Finishing was a lake, and 60-year-old Kenneth Guilmette stood on its shore. What he saw turned his stomach.
Swirling gray water from the Pawcatuck River had engulfed the 103-year-old textile … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : In hard-luck Rhode Island, flooding is bad business for state economy and workers.

Fire at ITO, seven rescued

NEW DELHI – Fire broke out on the fourth floor of a building near I.P. Bhavan at ITO in central Delhi, a fire official said Friday. Seven people have been rescued so far.

A fire department official said: “We received a call at around 11:45 a.m. about a fire in the Drum-Shaped Building at ITO.” …. Original article  : Fire at ITO, seven rescued.

Married woman gang-raped in Pune

PUNE – In a shocking incident, a 25-year-old married woman was gang-raped by three persons after they offered her a lift in their car and took her to a desolate location, police said Friday. Two of the three accused have been arrested.

The victim was staying alone in Hinjewadi area, a suburb on the outskirts of …. Source  : Married woman gang-raped in Pune.

Three-year-old child hurt in slum fire

NEW DELHI – A slum fire in south Delhi’s Kishangarh area early Friday left three people injured, including a three-year-old girl. A similar fire in another south Delhi slum had left two children dead Thursday.

“Three people, including a three-year-old girl, were injured in a fire accident which took place in the slum clusters of Kishangarh … Original source on Gaea Times at : Three-year-old child hurt in slum fire.

Italian police seize expired Easter products worth $2.7 mn

Rome, April 2 (IANS/AKI) Police in Italy have conducted raids throughout the country and confiscated 270 tonnes of expired Easter cakes, chocolate and other treats worth two million euros ($2.7 million).

Police found thousands of traditional Italian Easter “colombe” made in the shape of doves Thursday, which had expiry dates of up to two years ago, …. Original source  : Italian police seize expired Easter products worth $2.7 mn.

Curfew continues in riot-hit Hyderabad

HYDERABAD – Curfew continued in riot-hit parts of Hyderabad for the fourth day Friday. Even though the situation remained peaceful, police were on high alert because of Friday prayers.

Police decided not to relax the curfew in all 25 police station areas since they anticipated trouble during Friday prayers. They have requested Muslims to pray in …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Curfew continues in riot-hit Hyderabad.

Maoists blow up school in Bihar

PATNA – Suspected Maoist guerrillas blew up a government school in Bihar’s Rohtas district, police said Friday.

Armed Maoists used dynamite to blow up a government school building in Yadunathpur in Rohtas, 150 km from here Thursday, police officers said.
According to police, three rooms of the school were badly damaged in the incident.
Just three … Read more »»».

March 2010 ‘bloodiest’ month in Mexico

Mexico City, April 2 (IANS/EFE) With 958 killings, March 2010 was Mexico’s “bloodiest month” ever since President Felipe Calderon launched a military operation against the drug cartels in December 2006, a media report has said.

The figure brings the total number of gangland killings during the Calderon administration to 18,757, El Universal newspaper said Thursday.
More … Read : March 2010 ‘bloodiest’ month in Mexico.

Mine explosion death toll rises to 19 in central China, 24 still trapped underground

Toll rises to 19 in blast at mine in central China

BEIJING – The death toll from an explosion at a mine in central China has risen to 19 people, with 24 still trapped underground, the government said Friday, in the second major mine disaster in the country this week.
Rescue attempts were continuing for 153 workers …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Maoists kill doctor in Bihar

PATNA – Suspected Maoist guerrillas shot dead a doctor in Bihar’s Rohtas district, police said Friday.

Armed Maoists killed Dinesh Prasad in Nauhatta in Sasaram, the headquarter town of Rohtas district, about 150 km from here, late Thursday.
A police officer said the rebels forcibly entered Prasad’s house and shot him dead.
Police have filed a … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Maoists kill doctor in Bihar.

2 workers dead, 1 injured in accident at Kansas chemical fertilizer plant

2 dead, 1 injured in Kansas industrial accident

LAWRENCE, Kan. – An industrial accident at a Kansas fertilizer plant has left two workers dead and another injured.
The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the MagnaGro International plant in Lawrence.
Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Chief Mark Bradford says a worker fell into a tank of a nonhazardous …. Source article  : 2 workers dead, 1 injured in accident at Kansas chemical fertilizer plant.

FAA: Chicago-bound plane with open cargo door crashes in field near Ohio airport, killing 2

FAA: Plane with open door crashes at Ohio airport

MIAMISBURG, Ohio – Air safety authorities say a single-engine plane flying with an open door has crashed in Ohio, killing two people.
Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham (EYE’-shum) Cory says the private plane left Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport on Thursday afternoon and was headed for the DuPage Airport …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : FAA: Chicago-bound plane with open cargo door crashes in field near Ohio airport, killing 2.

Killer of US abortion doctor gets 50-year sentence

WASHINGTON – The man who shot dead a Kansas abortion doctor was sentenced Thursday to 50 years in jail, which will likely see the killer spend the rest of his life in prison.

In May 2009, Scott Roeder, 52, walked up to his victim, George Tiller, during church services in the town of Wichita and shot …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Killer of US abortion doctor gets 50-year sentence.

Fargo mayor says it’s time to take down levees as Red River recedes, major flood risk ends

Red River recedes, ending major flood risk in ND

FARGO, N.D. – Residents hauled sandbags to the street, the National Guard departed, and city officials lined up bulldozers to tear down clay levees Thursday as the major risk of flood passed in Fargo and Moorhead, Minn.
The river separating the two cities was measured at 29.99 feet … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Fargo mayor says it’s time to take down levees as Red River recedes, major flood risk ends.

In Massachusetts, Obama visits emergency management site struggling against Northeast flooding

Obama visits flood emergency site in Massachusetts
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – Detouring from his schedule, President Barack Obama on Thursday thanked emergency workers struggling against disastrous flooding in the Northeast.
“When these kind of natural disasters hit, what matters are the people on the ground,” Obama told crews at the Massachusetts …. Read the original article  : here.

Florida Highway Patrol: 9-year-old boy hit, killed by Walt Disney World bus

9-year-old boy killed by Disney bus in Fla.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – A 9-year-old boy was struck and killed by a Walt Disney World bus while riding his bike with a friend on the theme-park’s property Thursday, authorities said.
The boy hit the bus near the Fort Wilderness area, which offers camping and an outdoor experience …. Read the original article  : here.

Florida Highway Patrol: 10-year-old boy hit, killed by Walt Disney World bus

10-year-old boy killed by Disney bus in Fla.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – A 10-year-old boy was struck and killed by a Walt Disney World bus while riding his bike with a friend on the theme-park’s property Thursday, authorities said.
The bus hit the boy near the Fort Wilderness area, which offers camping and an outdoor experience …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Rhode Island reopens stretch of Interstate 95, major East Coast link, as floodwaters abate

I-95, major East Coast link, reopens in flooded RI

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The main interstate highway linking major East Coast cities has reopened after flooding shut a stretch down in Rhode Island.
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation said Thursday that Interstate 95 has reopened in Warwick in both directions.
I-95 is the main route from New York …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

‘Australian police tried to hush up attack on Indian’

BRISBANE – Police tried to hush up a knife attack on an Indian last month at one of the busiest train stations in Australia to prevent sparking off another racial abuse debate, a media report said Saturday.

Thirty-four-year-old Narendrakumar Patel’s throat was slashed in an attack on Platform 9 at Brisbane’s Roma Street Station about 4.20 … Original source on Gaea Times at : ‘Australian police tried to hush up attack on Indian’.

Officials: Fire at Minneapolis building containing apartments, pub kills 3 adults, 3 kills

Fire above Minneapolis pub kills 3 adults, 3 kills

MINNEAPOLIS – Investigators were trying to pinpoint the cause of a fire that gutted a building containing several apartments and an Irish pub, killing three adults and three children. Friends and family feared the victims were a bartender and several of his girlfriend’s relatives.
The blaze broke out … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Officials: Fire at Minneapolis building containing apartments, pub kills 3 adults, 3 kills.

Crimes involving Facebook up 346 percent: Police

LONDON – Crimes involving social networking site Facebook have increased by 346 percent in less than a year, a police report said.

Incidents of abuse or other crimes involving the site reported to Nottinghamshire police rose to 58 between April 2009 and February 2010 from 13 the previous year.
This led to six people being … Read : Crimes involving Facebook up 346 percent: Police.

Survival strategy movies to be shown to Haiti quake victims

MEXICO CITY – More than 70,000 people in quake-hit Haiti capital Port-au-Prince and nearby cities will be shown free movies on survival strategies, a media report said Saturday.

Under a programme launched in 2005 which aims at sharing cinematic experience with communities devastated by poverty or natural disasters, the Mexican government will show 11 films free …. Original source  : Survival strategy movies to be shown to Haiti quake victims.

Honduras most dangerous country for journalists

Paris, April 3 (IANS/EFE) With the killing of five journalists in March, Honduras has become the world’s most dangerous country for media professionals, a new report says.

The report by Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Sans Frontieres Borders (RSF) said Friday “no one has been brought to justice for any of the murders or any of the … Read more »».

Rs.4 million IPL betting racket busted in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR – The Chhattisgarh Police Saturday claimed to have busted an over Rs.4 million Indian Premier League (IPL) betting racket in a raid carried out at a house Friday night here.

A police team led by Additional Superintendent of Police Rajnesh Singh stormed into the house in Kanchan Vihar colony in Rajendra Nagar locality when the …. Source article  : Rs.4 million IPL betting racket busted in Chhattisgarh.

Businessman abducted in Bihar

PATNA – A businessman has been abducted in Bihar’s Begusarai district and his family has received a Rs.10 lakh ransom demand, police said Saturday.

Dharmendra Kumar, who runs a cell phone business, was abducted late Friday by unidentified men from Narepur in Begusarai, about 125 km from here.
Kumar’s family received a ransom demand from abductors …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Businessman abducted in Bihar.

Rescuers, divers enter flooded Chinese coal mine where 153 workers are trapped

Rescuers enter Chinese mine where 153 are trapped

BEIJING – The first group of rescuers and divers entered a flooded Chinese mine where 153 workers have been trapped for almost a week Saturday, while no further signs of life came from underground since tapping was heard the previous day.
Seven rescuers and four divers entered the mine …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Rescuers, divers enter flooded Chinese coal mine where 153 workers are trapped.

5 dead after blast at Washington state refinery recently fined for multiple safety violations

5 dead, 2 hurt in blast, fire at Wash. refinery

ANACORTES, Wash. – A Tesoro Corp. oil refinery blast and fire that claimed five lives is now the subject of state and federal investigations. The company has also launched its own probe.
The refinery was recently fined for safety violations amid what federal watchdogs call a troubling …. Source  : 5 dead after blast at Washington state refinery recently fined for multiple safety violations.

Rescuers prepare to enter flooded Chinese coal mine where 153 workers are trapped

Rescuers to enter Chinese mine where 153 trapped

BEIJING – Rescuers, including boats and divers, prepared Saturday to enter a flooded Chinese mine where 153 workers have been trapped for almost a week, while no further signs of life came from underground since tapping was heard the previous day.
The governor of the northern province of Shanxi …. Read the original article  : Rescuers prepare to enter flooded Chinese coal mine where 153 workers are trapped.

5th person dies after Wash. oil refinery blast; 2 still critical

5th person dies after WA refinery blast
ANACORTES, Wash. – Tesoro Corp. says a fifth person has died of injuries suffered in a deadly blast and fire early Friday at the company’s oil refinery at Anacortes, Wash.

On its Web site, Tesoro identified the fifth victim as 36-year-old Donna Van Dreumel, employed at the plant since 2001. … Read more »».

Curfew relaxation gives relief to people in riot-hit Hyderabad

HYDERABAD – The two-hour relaxation in curfew Saturday provided much-needed relief to the people in riot-hit areas of Hyderabad while the situation remained peaceful in the city.

Thousands of men and women came out of their homes in eight police station areas as curfew was relaxed from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. to enable people to …. Read the original article  : Curfew relaxation gives relief to people in riot-hit Hyderabad.

Rescuers prepare to enter flooded China coal mine where 153 workers are trapped

Rescuers may enter China mine where 153 trapped

BEIJING – Rescuers missed a noon deadline Saturday to enter a flooded Chinese mine where 153 workers have been trapped for almost a week, while no further signs of life came from underground since tapping was heard the previous day.
The governor of the northern province of Shanxi had …. Original article  : Rescuers prepare to enter flooded China coal mine where 153 workers are trapped.

All accused nabbed in Pune gangrape case

PUNE – The main accused in the gangrape of a 25-year-old married woman was arrested as he tried to flee Pune early Saturday, police said.

Two of the three accused were nabbed early Friday. The police cracked the case within two hours by moving swiftly and using mobile tracking methods
The third accused Subhash Bhosale was …. Source  : All accused nabbed in Pune gangrape case.

NATO soldier killed in bombing in southern Afghanistan

NATO soldier dies in Afghanistan bombing
KABUL – NATO says one of its soldiers has been killed by a bomb in southern Afghanistan.

The alliance says the soldier died on Friday as the result of an improvised explosive device, but gave no further details.
The latest death was the fifth NATO fatality in the so far this month. … Read : NATO soldier killed in bombing in southern Afghanistan.

Homeland Security chief flies over flooded RI, where disaster declaration is extended

Napolitano tours flooded RI, deemed disaster area
WARWICK, R.I. – U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano took a helicopter tour over still-flooded Rhode Island on Friday, witnessing waterlogged shopping malls and homes with people’s possessions laid out to dry in their yards, as residents and officials in the already economically …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Homeland Security chief flies over flooded RI, where disaster declaration is extended.

Disaster declaration extended to cover all of RI after DHS boss tours state by helicopter

Disaster declaration extended to cover all of RI
WARWICK, R.I. – Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri (kuh-CHEHR’-ee) and the flooded state’s Emergency Management Agency say the president has approved their request to amend a federal major disaster declaration, meaning the entire state now is considered a disaster area.
President Barack Obama had already declared a …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Disaster declaration extended to cover all of RI after DHS boss tours state by helicopter.

Last remaining county of flooded RI declared disaster area after DHS boss tours state by air

Last remaining RI county declared disaster area
WARWICK, R.I. – Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri (kuh-CHEHR’-ee) and the flooded state’s Emergency Management Agency say the president has approved their request to amend a federal major disaster declaration, meaning the entire state now is considered a disaster area.
President Barack Obama had already declared a disaster [..] Read the original article: here.

Rescuers hear taps, lower supplies into flooded China coal mine where 153 workers are trapped

Rescuers hear taps in China mine where 153 trapped

BEIJING – The governor of the Chinese province where 153 miners have been trapped in a flooded coal mine for almost a week has ordered rescuers to enter the mine by noon Saturday, an official said, while no further signs of life came from underground since tapping …. Source article  : Rescuers hear taps, lower supplies into flooded China coal mine where 153 workers are trapped.

Heavy rain causes landslides in Peru, killing 28 people and leaving 25 others missing

Peru landslides kill 28, leave 25 others missing

LIMA, Peru – Landslides caused by heavy rains have hit two towns in northeastern Peru, killing at least 28 people and leaving 25 others missing, regional officials said Friday. At least 54 people were injured.
Civil defense chief Hipolito Cruchaga said a landslide in the town of Porvenir killed …. Original article  : Heavy rain causes landslides in Peru, killing 28 people and leaving 25 others missing.

Five killed in road accident near Indore

INDORE – At least five people, including a woman, were killed and an equal number injured when the SUV in which they were travelling collided head on with a speeding truck at Dewas Gate near here, police said Sunday.

The collision took place late Saturday when the car was on its way to Bhopal from Indore. … Original source on Gaea Times at : Five killed in road accident near Indore.

Court dismisses woman’s maintenance plea

NEW DELHI – For Sheena, concealing her income from a city court in a divorce matter proved costly as the court rejected her maintenance plea stating that it cannot allow the law to be used as a tool to get enriched unjustly at the expense of the spouse.

Additional District Judge (ADJ) Virender Bhatt rejected Sheena’s … Read : Court dismisses woman’s maintenance plea.

Aerial stunts by Brazil air force suspended after accident

Rio de Janeiro, April 4 (IANS/EFE) The Brazilian air force has announced the provisional suspension of aerobatic shows by its Aerial Demonstrations Squadron after one of its planes crashed, killing the pilot.

Shows by the group popularly known as the “Smoke Squadron” – because of the smoke the airplanes use to draw figures in the sky … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Aerial stunts by Brazil air force suspended after accident.

Rescuers set up equipment, prepare to search for 153 trapped in flooded Chinese coal mine

Rescuers prepare for search in flooded China mine

XIANGNING, China – Rescue workers set up equipment and prepared Sunday to mount an operation to try to find survivors among 153 trapped miners in a northern China, saying they have not given up hope one week after the mine flooded.
But no decisions have been made yet on … Read : Rescuers set up equipment, prepare to search for 153 trapped in flooded Chinese coal mine.

Group that asked US governors to quit, looked to Gandhi, Mandela

WASHINGTON – The Guardians of the free Republics, an anti-government group that recently asked 50 US governors to quit office within three days, claims their ideology is non-violent and inspired by the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, Jr.

In the letters sent to the governors this week, the group demanded they …. Original source  : Group that asked US governors to quit, looked to Gandhi, Mandela.

Ruchika’s school claims inquiry ignored facts

CHANDIGARH – Faced with the threat of disaffiliation, the Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School claims a magisterial inquiry “willingly ignored” facts while indicting it for the expulsion of teenaged molestation victim Ruchika Girhotra, a charge denied by the Chandigarh administration.

Following the school’s indictment, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), New Delhi, had issued a … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Ruchika’s school claims inquiry ignored facts.

SKorea starts works to salvage navy ship, after halting underwater hunt for missing sailors

SKorea starts works to salvage sunken navy ship

SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea started work Sunday to salvage a navy ship that sank following a mysterious explosion near the sea border with North Korea, hours after ending its underwater hunt for dozens of sailors on board, officials said.
Families of the sailors asked the military to [..] Read the original article: here.

Rescuers hold out hope 1 week after flood traps 153 workers in Chinese coal mine

Chinese rescuers hopeful 1 week after mine flood

XIANGNING, China – One week after a flood trapped 153 workers in a northern Chinese mine, rescuers who have worked around the clock said Sunday they had not given up hope of finding survivors.
But no decisions have been made yet on a next step after a dive team … Read : Rescuers hold out hope 1 week after flood traps 153 workers in Chinese coal mine.

Denver bus runs red light, hits car, truck; 1 killed, 15 injured

Denver bus runs red light; 1 killed, 15 injured

DENVER – A Denver city bus struck two vehicles after running a red light at a downtown intersection Saturday, killing one person and injuring 15 others, police said.
Police spokesman Matthew Murray said the Regional Transportation District bus was northbound on Lincoln Street, a major route in the …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Authorities fear coal carrier aground on Great Barrier Reef off Australia will break apart

Officials fear ship breaking apart on Barrier Reef

BRISBANE, Australia – A coal-carrying ship that ran aground and was leaking oil on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef was in danger of breaking apart, officials said Sunday.
The Chinese coal carrier Shen Neng 1 ran aground late Saturday on Douglas Shoals, a favorite pristine haunt for recreational fishing east …. Source  : Authorities fear coal carrier aground on Great Barrier Reef off Australia will break apart.

Denver bus runs red light, hits car, truck; 1 dead, 15 injured

Denver police say bus crash kills 1, injures 15

DENVER – Denver police say a city bus struck two vehicles after running a red light at a downtown intersection, killing one man and injuring 15 other people.
Police spokesman Matthew Murray said the Regional Transportation District bus was northbound on Lincoln Street, a major route in the … Read more »».

Denver police say 16 injured in RTD bus crash; 2 in critical condition

Denver police say 16 injured in Denver bus crash

DENVER – A Denver city bus struck two vehicles after running a red light at a downtown intersection Saturday, injuring 16 people, two of them critically, police said.
Police spokesman Matthew Murray said the Regional Transportation District bus was northbound on Lincoln Street, a major route in the …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Friends: Father, grandmother, 3 children killed in apartment fire planned to stay only 1 night

Friends: Family killed in fire planned 1-day stay

MINNEAPOLIS – Andrew Gervais and his three children were trying to get settled, moving from place to place, but planned to stay just one night with his sister’s boyfriend who lived above an Irish pub in Minneapolis, friends said. Now, all are feared dead after the city’s deadliest … Original article on : Friends: Father, grandmother, 3 children killed in apartment fire planned to stay only 1 night.

Final Four: Butler has a long scoring drought in tight game

Final Four: Butler has a long scoring drought

The Bulldogs have survived to the final media timeout with a 47-43 lead, despite not hitting a field goal since there was 12:18 left in the game.
How are they doing it?
They’re shooting just 32 percent from the field and 5 of 18 from the field, but Butler has … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Final Four: Butler has a long scoring drought in tight game.

Inquiry begins into Wash. refinery blast as families of badly burned survivors hope for best

Inquiry begins into deadly Wash. refinery blast

SEATTLE – Investigators launched an inquiry into a deadly Washington state oil refinery blast as families hoped for the best Saturday for two employees who suffered severe burns over most of their bodies.
It could take months to find out what caused the explosion and fire that killed five employees …. Original source  : Inquiry begins into Wash. refinery blast as families of badly burned survivors hope for best.

Hometown of Russian suicide bomber rattled as details emerge about what motivated the attack

Hometown of Russian suicide bomber rattled

KOSTEK, Russia – When a 16-year-old girl married a militant Islamist separatist entangled in a long-running and bloody struggle against Russian government forces, her relatives in this dusty North Caucasus village say they disowned her immediately.
They knew they could face torture from Russian security forces or even death for associating …. Original article  : Hometown of Russian suicide bomber rattled as details emerge about what motivated the attack.

Haryana home minister attacked by opposition activists

SIRSA – Haryana Home Minister Gopal Kanda’s cavalcade was attacked by activists of the opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in this Haryana district Saturday, police said.

Kanda’s cavalcade was attacked while he was on way to his office, police said. However, timely intervention by police prevented any untoward incident.
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda … Read more »»».

In Rhode Island, Catholic church opens its doors to flooded neighbor for Easter services

RI flooding brings 2 churches closer for Easter

WEST WARWICK, R.I. – At St. Joseph Church, the Easter Sunday flock will be a little bigger than usual this year. Maybe a little damp, too.
Spared from damage because of its hilltop location, the Roman Catholic church in the heart of flood-ravaged West Warwick is taking in parishioners … Read more >>.

Three held for circulating fake currency

BHUBANESWAR – In two separate incidents, three people were arrested Saturday for printing and circulating fake Indian currency notes in Orissa, police said.

In Sundergarh district, police arrested one person for printing fake notes and seized printing machines from him.
“We have seized the printers and about 300 counterfeit notes of different denominations from Trilochan … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Three held for circulating fake currency.

In rubble from Haiti’s quake, planners see valuable material for capital’s reconstruction

Haiti to use quake rubble in capital’s rebuilding

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – The rubble from Haiti’s shattered capital is rising in heaps at the port, dumped for sorting and recycling by a fleet of heavy, exhaust-belching trucks.
A tangle of twisted metal and broken blocks, it’s an eyesore for now. But officials planning the reconstruction see only value …. Original article  : In rubble from Haiti’s quake, planners see valuable material for capital’s reconstruction.

115 miners pulled out alive from flooded China mine after 8 days in ‘miracle’ rescue

‘Miracle’ in China: 115 trapped miners rescued

XIANGNING, China – More than 100 Chinese miners were pulled out alive Monday after being trapped for over a week in a flooded coal mine, where some ate sawdust and strapped themselves to the shafts’ walls with their belts to avoid drowning while they slept.
Miners wrapped in blankets, some … Read more »».

Over 200 kg charas missing from Goa police warehouse

PANAJI – More than 200 kg of charas (hashish), worth Rs.2 crore, is missing from a highly-protected warehouse at the Goa police headquarters, sources said.

Crime Branch officials stumbled upon the revelation while auditing the stock of drugs stored inside the ‘muddemal’ (material evidence) warehouse of the anti-narcotics cell (ANC) following the arrest of five …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Police say gunfire, blasts taking place close to US Consulate in northwest Pakistan

US consulate in NW Pakistan attacked: police

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Police and witnesses say three large explosions have taken place close to the U.S. consulate in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar.
Police officer Aziz Khan says gunfire is also being heard close to the heavily guarded and fortified building in Peshawar.
The attack came hours after a … Original article on : Police say gunfire, blasts taking place close to US Consulate in northwest Pakistan.

Orissa police probing lapses leading to Sunday landmine blast

BHUBANESWAR – Senior Orissa police officials Monday began a probe into allegations that a security lapse led to the killing of at least 10 police personnel in a landmine blast triggered by Maoist guerrillas in a forest Sunday.

“The standard operating procedure (SOP) was not followed in this case. We are probing to know what prompted …. Read the original article  : Orissa police probing lapses leading to Sunday landmine blast.

Cops seize Shoaib’s passport after two-hour grilling

HYDERABAD – Police Monday seized the passport of Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik after quizzing him for nearly two hours at his fiancee Sania Mirza’s home in connection with a complaint filed against him by Ayesha Siddiqui, who claims to be his first wife.

Shoaib was unhappy that his passport had been seized and said he would …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Cops seize Shoaib’s passport after two-hour grilling.

Police face criticism after rapists let off with a caution

LONDON – Police in Britain’s Avon and Somerset have been criticised for letting off over 600 self-confessed sex offenders, including 11 rapists, with a caution in the past five years, a media report said Monday.

Daily Express reported that figures from Avon and Somerset police show the force, since 2004, had issued 611 cautions as punishment …. Original source  : Police face criticism after rapists let off with a caution.

Maoist carrying Rs.50,000 bounty held in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – A Maoist who carried a reward of Rs.50,000 for his capture has been arrested from a forest area in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra district, a police official said Monday.

Ram Sajeevan alias Guruji, 50, was arrested Sunday night from the Jachikala forest after a gunfight that continued for over an hour, Superintendent of Police …. Read the original article  : Maoist carrying Rs.50,000 bounty held in Uttar Pradesh.

‘Pakistan hub of fake Indian currency network’

KATHMANDU – Two Pakistani cities are the major manufacturers of fake Indian currency and Pakistanis are the main couriers spreading the counterfeit currency notes to India through Nepal, say Nepal police.

On Saturday, Nepal police arrested yet another Pakistani, Mohammad Hamid, from a hotel in the capital, acting on a tip-off that he was a new …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

10 killed in Pune accident

PUNE – Ten people travelling in a sports utility vehicle were killed when it hurtled off a highway here after ramming into a truck’s rear, police said.

Nine people were injured, some seriously, in the accident on the Pune-Satara highway, police officer Ashish Kale told IANS. They have been taken to the Sassoon Hospital here.
The … Read more : 10 killed in Pune accident.

Mexicali Earthquake Causes Damage

MEXICALI, MEXICO (GaeaTimes.com)- Mexicali, the capital city of the Mexican state of Baja California, had been struck by an earthquake of considerable intensity on Sunday, Apr 5, 2010. The Mexicali earthquake managed to cause considerable damage, although nothing in comparison to the ones that had been incurred by the other earthquakes that have been … Read more : Mexicali Earthquake Causes Damage.

Government employees on strike in Jammu and Kashmir

SRINAGAR – Government employees across Jammu and Kashmir went on a strike Monday demanding the release of arrears as recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission even as the administration cited its inability to do so owing to paucity of funds.

The strike was called after talks between the government and the employees failed to break the …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Facebook debate leads to clash in Palestine

GAZA – A debate on social networking website Facebook turned ugly when students of a university in Palestine clashed with one another, leaving dozens injured.

After quarrelling on the website, students of An Najah University in Nablus in the West Bank took out iron chains and rods and started fighting one another Sunday. Many were hospitalised, … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Facebook debate leads to clash in Palestine.

114 miners rescued from flooded mine in China (Second Lead)

BEIJING – At least 114 of the 153 miners trapped in a flooded coal mine in China’s Shanxi province for over a week were rescued Monday, an official said.

Rescuers are continuing the search for the 39 trapped miners, Shanxi Governor Wang Jun was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
The flood occurred around 1.40 p.m. March …. Source  : 114 miners rescued from flooded mine in China (Second Lead).

Rathore’s bail plea hearing adjourned till July 19

CHANDIGARH – In the wake of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking more time to investigate fresh cases registered against tainted Haryana police officer S.P.S Rathore, the Punjab and Haryana High Court Monday adjourned his anticipatory bail plea hearing till July 19.

Rathore has been convicted of molesting teenager Ruchika Girhotra, leading her to …. Source  : Rathore’s bail plea hearing adjourned till July 19.

Cold delays Florida strawberry harvest to coincide with California’s, results in cheap berries

Strawberry prices drop as late harvest hits market

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – It’s a good spring for strawberry lovers: Prices are unusually low in many places because cold weather delayed Florida’s harvest to coincide with California’s, and the two states are flooding the market with cheap berries.
A record number of strawberries for this time of the … Read more : Cold delays Florida strawberry harvest to coincide with California’s, results in cheap berries.

Australia rushes to contain oil spill from ship that rammed into Great Barrier Reef

Australia rushes to contain Barrier Reef oil spill

ROCKHAMPTON, Australia – Workers rushed to contain an oil spill Monday from a coal-carrying ship grounded on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, sending two tugboats to stabilize the vessel so that it would not break apart and further damage the fragile coral beneath.
Traveling at full speed of 10 mph [..] Read the original article: here.

Three arrested for massacre of 16 people in Bihar

PATNA – Three people were arrested Monday for their alleged involvement in the massacre of 16 people, including five children, in Bihar’s Khagaria district last year, police said.

A Special Task Force team along with the district police arrested Alu Alam, Mohd Zahoor and Devi Lal Sada in Khagaria for allegedly killing 16 people at Amausi … Original source on Gaea Times at : Three arrested for massacre of 16 people in Bihar.

More than 100 miners pulled alive from flooded China mine after weeklong rescue effort

100-plus trapped miners freed in China ‘miracle’

XIANGNING, China – More than 100 Chinese miners were pulled out alive Monday after being trapped for more than a week in a flooded coal mine, sparking cheers among the hundreds of rescue workers who had raced to save them and almost given up hope.
A live state television broadcast …. Source  : More than 100 miners pulled alive from flooded China mine after weeklong rescue effort.

7.2 quake kills 2 in Mexico, damages buildings in Arizona, California

Strong quake kills 2 in Mexico, rattles US states

TIJUANA, Mexico – A powerful earthquake swayed buildings from Los Angeles to Tijuana, killing two people in Mexico, blacking out cities and forcing the evacuation of hospitals and nursing homes. One California city closed off its downtown due to unstable buildings.
The 7.2-magnitude quake centered just south of … Read this article on Gaea Times at : 7.2 quake kills 2 in Mexico, damages buildings in Arizona, California.

2 police killed by suicide bomber in Russia’s North Caucasus

Suicide bomber kills 2 police in Russia’s Caucasus

NAZRAN, Russia – A suicide bomber blew himself up at a police station in a restive Russian province on Monday, killing two officers and wounding two others, officials said.
The bomber’s car later also exploded, wounding an investigator.
The attack occurred a week after two suicide bombers killed 40 rush-hour …. Original source  : 2 police killed by suicide bomber in Russia’s North Caucasus.

W.Va. gov.: Situation dire but not giving up hope of finding 4 missing miners; 25 are dead

W.Va. gov. wants miracle to find missing miners

MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Gov. Joe Manchin says he is hoping for a miracle that four missing West Virginia coal miners will be found alive after a blast killed 25 people.
Manchin’s comments came early Tuesday morning as rescue crews prepared to begin drilling bore holes into Massey Energy’s Upper … Read : W.Va. gov.: Situation dire but not giving up hope of finding 4 missing miners; 25 are dead.

Police to present chargesheet against accused BSF troopers

SRINAGAR – The state police Tuesday will present a chargesheet in a local court against a suspended commandant of the paramilitary Border Security Force (BSF) and a trooper in the alleged murder of a 16-year-old youth here Feb 5.

BSF commandant of the 68th battalion R.K. Birdi and trooper Lakhwinder Kumar were suspended by BSF authorities … Original source on Gaea Times at : Police to present chargesheet against accused BSF troopers.

Two Indians among eight killed in Nepal fires

KATHMANDU – With rapid deforestation, dwindling water resources and a feeble past monsoon turning Nepal into a combustible tinder box, two Indians became the latest victims as fires began spreading across the dry nation, killing at least eight.

Ajay Sharma, 25, from Champaran in Bihar, and Amish Kumar Sharma, a 15-year-old from Sitamarhi in the same [..] Read the original article: here.

Federal safety officials to discuss Learjet crash that killed 4, injured drummer and DJ

NTSB discussing cause of SC Learjet crash
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Federal officials will discuss why a Learjet hurtled off a South Carolina runway, causing a crash that killed four people and injured Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and celebrity disc jockey DJ AM.

The National Transportation Safety Board is scheduled to meet in Washington on Tuesday to determine … Read : Federal safety officials to discuss Learjet crash that killed 4, injured drummer and DJ.

Triple explosions strike Baghdad apartment buildings, killing at least 11

Explosions hit Baghdad apartments, 11 dead

BAGHDAD – An Iraq military official says at least 11 people have been killed and 72 injured by explosions at residential buildings across Baghdad.
The death toll was expected to rise.
Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Mousawi, a spokesman for the city’s operations command center, said the blasts crumbled apartment buildings in three neighborhoods.
At … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Triple explosions strike Baghdad apartment buildings, killing at least 11.

Panchayat orders killing of couple in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – A panchayat in Uttar Pradesh has ordered the killing of a couple after they eloped and married against their families’ wishes, police said Tuesday.

The Khedka village panchayat in UBaghpat district, about 400 km from Lucknow, passed the order against Jameel, 30, and his wife after their families complained.
After the panchayat order Sunday, … Read more »»».

Mine Explosion In West Virginia: 19 Trapped, 7 Killed

MONTCOAL (GaeaTimes.com)- A mine explosion in a West Virginia mine has reportedly led to the death of seven crew members, injured two and left 19 others missing or trapped. The explosion took place at Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch mine in Raleigh County at around 3 p.m on Monday. According to reports, the explosion … Original source on Gaea Times at : Mine Explosion In West Virginia: 19 Trapped, 7 Killed.

Three Orissa cops suspended for custodial death

BHUBANESWAR – Three police officials, including the head of a police station, were suspended Tuesday for the death of a man in police custody in Orissa’s Keonjhar district.

Abhiram Nayak, 45, was arrested from Chalia Nala village Monday on charges of extortion and was found hanging during a power cut.
“Nayak hanged himself inside the … Read more >>.

Calexico business owners try to get back to normal following 7.2-magnitude quake

Business owners work to repair damage from quake

CALEXICO, Calif. – Business owners in Calexico are working to repair damage to their stores and trying to resume some sense of normalcy following one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the region in decades.
Businesses already were suffering from the hard economic times on both sides of the …. Source  : Calexico business owners try to get back to normal following 7.2-magnitude quake.

China executes Japanese drug smuggler

BEIJING – China executed a Japanese citizen Tuesday for attempting to smuggle drugs out of the country, a media report said.

Mitsunobu Akano, 65, was executed in Liaoning province after being caught with more than 1.5 kg of the contraband methamphetamine, Xinhua quoted the Supreme People’s Court as saying.
Akano was caught at an airport in …. Source  : China executes Japanese drug smuggler.

Safety officials probe Learjet crash that killed 4 and injured Blink 182 drummer and DJ AM

NTSB probes crash that injured Blink 182 drummer

WASHINGTON – Federal safety officials are meeting to determine the cause of a Learjet crash 18 months ago that killed four people and seriously injured Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker and celebrity disc jockey DJ AM.
Among the safety issues likely to be raised by the National Transportation Safety …. Read the original article  : Safety officials probe Learjet crash that killed 4 and injured Blink 182 drummer and DJ AM.

25 dead in W. Va. coal mine blast, 4 missing; worst US mine disaster since 27 killed in 1984

25 dead in W.Va. mine blast, worst since 1984

MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Rescue teams planned to search again for four workers missing in a coal mine where a massive explosion killed 25 in the worst U.S. mining disaster in more than two decades, though officials said Tuesday that the chances were slim that the miners survived.
The … Read more >>>.

Shoaib-Sania marriage may be postponed

HYDERABAD – As events around the wedding between Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik and tennis ace Sania Mirza get murkier by the day, the Indian sports icon’s family was “keeping all options open”, including postponing the wedding, indicated a close family friend.

Andhra Cricket Association’s former secretary V. Chamundeswaranath, a close friend of Sania’s family, told … Read more »».

Better call the police, cop tells Briton chasing thieves

LONDON – A shopkeeper who asked a policeman for help while chasing thieves was left bemused when the cop told him: “You had better call the police.”

Graham Taylor gave chase to two thieves who stole from his store in Hessle, East Yorkshire, and made off on foot, Daily Mail reported.
While chasing the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Better call the police, cop tells Briton chasing thieves.

Massey Energy: 25 miners dead in W. Va. coal mine blast; worst US mine disaster since ‘84

Massey Energy: 25 dead in W.Va. mine explosion
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – An explosion at a remote coal mine with a history of safety problems killed 25 workers and at least four others were still missing early Tuesday more than a thousand feet underground in the worst U.S. mine disaster since 1984.
Rescuers had been making … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Massey Energy: 25 miners dead in W. Va. coal mine blast; worst US mine disaster since ‘84.

12 killed in US coalmine blast (Second Lead)

WASHINGTON – At least 12 miners have been killed and 10 missing after a blast at a coalmine in the US state of West Virginia.

The blast occurred Monday afternoon at Massey coalmine located near Charleston in West Virginia, Xinhua reported Tuesday.
Kevin Stricklin, an administrator with the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, said …. Source article  : 12 killed in US coalmine blast (Second Lead).

Antenna failure hampers astronauts’ survey of space shuttle Discovery, laser images delayed

Antenna failure hampers crew’s shuttle inspection

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Discovery’s astronauts surveyed their ship Tuesday for signs of launch damage, but the job was complicated by the failure of the space shuttle’s big dish antenna.
The antenna failed to operate after Discovery blasted into orbit Monday on a space station supply run. That leaves the seven …. Original source  : Antenna failure hampers astronauts’ survey of space shuttle Discovery, laser images delayed.

Brazilian president’s daughter’s house robbed

Rio de Janeiro, April 6 (IANS/EFE) Robbers broke into the apartment of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s daughter and stole a computer and other objects, police said.

The criminals entered the apartment of Lurian Cordeiro da Silva, an adviser to the Florianopolis city government and one of the president’s daughters, through an open window …. Source  : Brazilian president’s daughter’s house robbed.

1,500 people in Colombia forced to leave land

Bogota, April 6 (IANS/EFE) A guerrilla group in Colombia has forced around 1,500 people to leave their land, officials said.

The people, mostly peasants, from the hamlet of La Vega del Ingles, left their land Saturday and sought refuge in a nearby school after being forced off their land by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of … Original source on Gaea Times at : 1,500 people in Colombia forced to leave land.

60 notices but few responses to Kandhamal riots probe

BHUBANESWAR – The 2008 communal violence in Orissa’s Kandhamal district may have attracted heated debate, but the anxiety seems to have whittled away with political parties, religious groups and the media cold-shouldering the inquiry commission set up by the government.

The one-man Justice Sarat Chandra Mohapatra inquiry panel has made virtually no headway in investigating …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : 60 notices but few responses to Kandhamal riots probe.

Indonesia Earthquake Today: No Major Damage

ACEH, INDONESIA (GaeaTimes.com)- The Indonesia earthquake today struck off the coast of Aceh, the city in the north western part of the Indonesian archipelago. Measured at 7.7 in the Richter Scale, the earthquake triggered a tsunami alert, and had the residents of the coastal areas fleeing their homes in order to take refuge to …. Read the original article  : here.

Woman beats daughter to death for not reciting poem

BEIJING – A Chinese woman is suspected of beating her three-year-old daughter to death for not being able to recite a poem, a media report said Wednesday.

The woman told the police in Jiashan, Zhejiang province, March 30 that her daughter died from a fall the night before. However, a medical examination revealed injuries on the …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Woman beats daughter to death for not reciting poem.

Thai protesters briefly storm Parliament; Black Hawk helicopter evacuates trapped lawmakers

Thai Parliament stormed; chopper rescues lawmakers

BANGKOK – Emboldened anti-government protesters briefly stormed Thailand’s Parliament building Wednesday as lawmakers scaled walls to flee and a Black Hawk helicopter evacuated VIPs trapped by the encircling crowd, officials said.
“Red Shirt” protesters led by one of their hardcore leaders smashed through the Parliament compound gate with a truck and …. Original source  : Thai protesters briefly storm Parliament; Black Hawk helicopter evacuates trapped lawmakers.

Indonesia shook by 7.7 Earthquake

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (GaeaTimes.com) — After Maxico, Indonesia is the poor victim of earthquake. At least 46 people died when a powerful earthquake of 7.7 magnitude struck Indonesia around 5:15 AM today. There was also a brief tsunami warning, but removed later.
The tremor was felt in a widespread area, even from Jakarta, the capital 200 … Original article on : Indonesia shook by 7.7 Earthquake.

Trial of two men who ate girl postponed

LONDON/MOSCOW – The trial of two men accused of chopping up a teenager and serving her meat with potatoes to a lodger in the Russian city of St. Petersburg was postponed after a juror fell sick on seeing the images of the victim.

Maxim Golovatskikh and his friend Yury Mozhnov are accused of drowning 16-year-old Karina … Read more »».

Fires kill 17 in Bihar

PATNA – Seventeen people, including nine children, lost their lives and many were rendered homeless in a string of fires in rural Bihar over the last two days, police said Wednesday.

Seven people, including four children and a woman, died in West Champaran district, four in Sitamarhi, three in Chapra and one each in Purnia, Madhubani … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Fires kill 17 in Bihar.

Man killed over water row

BHOPAL – A man was shot dead following an altercation over water in Madhya Pradesh, which is facing a severe water crisis, police said Wednesday.

The incident took place Tuesday in Ratlam district’s Ramsingh Darbar area when Ramchandra, 33, stopped Ram Singh from drawing water from a borewell.
According to police, Ram Singh whipped out …. Original source  : Man killed over water row.

W.Va. mine where blast killed at least 25 not safe for rescuers waiting to locate 4 missing

Gases make W.Va. mine unsafe; 4 missing, 25 dead

MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Crews were drilling early Wednesday to ventilate toxic gas from a West Virginia coal mine shattered by a deadly explosion, trying to make a section of it safe enough for rescuers to search for four missing miners as hope for their survival grew dim.
Two … Read more >>>.

Thai protesters break into Parliament; Black Hawk helicopter evacuates trapped lawmakers

Thai protesters break into Parliament
BANGKOK – Emboldened anti-government protesters briefly stormed Thailand’s Parliament building Wednesday as lawmakers scaled walls to flee and a Black Hawk helicopter evacuated VIPs trapped by the encircling crowd, officials said.

“Red Shirt” protesters led by one of their hardcore leaders smashed through the Parliament compound gate with a truck and rushed …. Read the original article  : Thai protesters break into Parliament; Black Hawk helicopter evacuates trapped lawmakers.

17 killed in eastern India holocaust

At least 17 people, including nine children, were killed overnight in holocaust in eastern India, officials said today.

Officials said all the fire-related deaths were reported from northern and eastern regions of Bihar state.
According to them, four each were killed in West Champaran and Sitamarhi, three each in Saran and Lakhisarai, two in Muzaffarpur and one …. Original article  : 17 killed in eastern India holocaust.

Sinking vessel Titanic saved

LONDON – A vessel ironically called Titanic was saved from sinking near the island of St Kitts after one of three men on board dialled a friend in distant Britain — just in time.

It was the only telephone number he could remember when tragedy struck.
Mark Corbett and two other crewmen were aboard the 1,700-tonne …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Sinking vessel Titanic saved.

Tipsy tourist plunges to death from Hong Kong escalator

HONG KONG – A tourist died when he toppled over the side of an escalator in Hong Kong following a drinking session, a news report said Wednesday.

The South Asian man, aged 29, fell 12 metres to his death after leaning on the handrail of the escalator in the Two IFC office and shopping complex, the …. Read the original article  : Tipsy tourist plunges to death from Hong Kong escalator.

Strong quake jolts Indonesia’s Aceh

JAKARTA – A strong earthquake jolted Indonesia’s Aceh province at the northern end of Sumatra Wednesday, damaging buildings and injuring at least a dozen people, officials said.

Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami warning, but it was lifted more than an hour later after no big waves materialised.
The quake, measuring 7.2 on the …. Read the original article  : Strong quake jolts Indonesia’s Aceh.

13 years on, families hope for justice in Laxmanpur-Bathe massacre

PATNA – Thirteen years after the Laxmanpur-Bathe massacre in which 58 Dalits were killed by upper caste men, families of the victims are hoping that justice will finally triumph with a Bihar court Wednesday slated to pronounce its verdict on the case.

“We are at last hoping for justice,” Balram Paswan, a relative of one of …. Original source  : 13 years on, families hope for justice in Laxmanpur-Bathe massacre.

Search continues for last 31 miners trapped in China after 115 pulled out alive

Rescuers race to reach 31 trapped in China mine

XIANGNING, China – Rescuers pumped water Wednesday in a fading bid to find more survivors in a flooded mine in northern China where earlier 115 miners had been pulled to safety in dramatic rescues after being trapped for more than a week.
A seventh body was recovered Wednesday … Read more : Search continues for last 31 miners trapped in China after 115 pulled out alive.

Survivors describe ordeal after explosion sank South Korean navy ship

Survivors of sunken SKorean ship describe ordeal

SEOUL, South Korea – Survivors from a South Korean naval ship that sank after a mysterious explosion publicly recounted their ordeal for the first time Wednesday, describing how the deafening blast interrupted a routine patrol near the disputed border with North Korea.
Fifty-eight of the 104 sailors on board the … Read more : Survivors describe ordeal after explosion sank South Korean navy ship.

Hundreds gather for funerals after spate of Baghdad bombs that killed 50

Funerals held after spate of Baghdad bombs

BAGHDAD – Hundreds of mourners marched through the streets of a predominantly Shiite area of Baghdad on Wednesday in funeral processions for some of the 54 people killed the previous day in a series of bombings in the Iraqi capital.
In one procession, families and friends of one victim carried … Read more »».

Suicide attack on NATO convoy kills civilian, injures 15 others in eastern Afghanistan

Afghan suicide blast kills civilian, injures 15

KABUL – Officials say a suicide attack in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad has killed one civilian and wounded 15 others.
The Afghan Ministry of Interior says the explosion early Wednesday appeared to have targeted a NATO convoy passing through the city’s main intersection.
It says the attack was carried …. Original source  : Suicide attack on NATO convoy kills civilian, injures 15 others in eastern Afghanistan.

More rain falls in Rio as officials fear death toll could rise after heaviest deluge on record

Rain resumes in Rio and officials fear more deaths

RIO DE JANEIRO – Rains began pelting Rio again early Wednesday, hours after the heaviest deluge on record sent killer mudslides cascading down hillsides and turned streets into raging torrents in Brazil’s second-biggest city.
Authorities feared the added water could dislodge more saturated ground and raise the death …. Original source  : More rain falls in Rio as officials fear death toll could rise after heaviest deluge on record.

He is asleep, say women who tried to take dead man on flight

LONDON – Two women placed sunglasses on their 91-year-old dead relative, put him on a wheelchair and insisted he was asleep as they attempted to catch a flight to Germany from a British airport, a media report said Wednesday.

Gitta Jarant and her stepdaughter Anke Anusic managed to convince a taxi driver that Curt Willi Jarant, …. Read the original article  : He is asleep, say women who tried to take dead man on flight.

Afghan police: 5 suicide bombers arrested while entering Afghan capital

Afghan police: 5 suicide bombers arrested in Kabul

KABUL – Afghan police arrested five would-be suicide bombers in Kabul on Thursday, the largest suicide team ever apprehended in the capital, officials said.
“If this team had made it through it would have been a disaster as we’ve seen in past instances,” said Abdul Ghafar, deputy commander of … Read more : Afghan police: 5 suicide bombers arrested while entering Afghan capital.

In one quiet W.Va. hollow, neighbors anxiously wait for word on 3 missing coal miners

One W.Va. hollow awaits word on 3 of its own

DOROTHY, W.Va. – Along Clear Fork Road, tiny communities blend seamlessly, bound by geography, coal mining and the sheltering mountains all around. Anxiety cinches them closer than usual this week.
Days after an explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine eight miles away killed 25, three from … Original article on : In one quiet W.Va. hollow, neighbors anxiously wait for word on 3 missing coal miners.

Rescue crews to start long trek to find possible W.Va. mine disaster survivors; hope is slim

Crews to start search for mine disaster survivors

MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Rescue crews planned to start the hourslong five-mile trek into a West Virginia coal mine Thursday to find signs of possible survivors of the worst U.S. mining disaster in a generation.
Officials and townsfolk alike admitted they didn’t expect to find any of the four still-missing …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

New mudslide smashes into shantytown as overall toll from Rio’s rain disaster rises to 147

New mudslide hits slum as Rio toll rises to 147

RIO DE JANEIRO – Beleaguered rescue workers struggled early Thursday to find survivors after another mudslide surged into a rain-sodden hillside shantytown, engulfing at least 40 homes in a huge cascade of mud.
The state Civil Defense department said the latest slide unleashed by heavy rains hit …. Source article  : New mudslide smashes into shantytown as overall toll from Rio’s rain disaster rises to 147.

Rescue crews to enter W.Va. coal mine in search of 4 missing 2 days since blast killed 25

Crews to search for 4 missing in W.Va. coal mine

MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Authorities say air quality is good enough to allow crews to search for four men missing in a West Virginia coal mine for more than two days since a blast killed 25 miners.
Federal safety official Kevin Stricklin says crews plan to go into …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Rescue crews to enter W.Va. coal mine in search of 4 missing 2 days since blast killed 25.

Kyrgyzstan’s opposition forms iterim govt, dissolves parliament

Kyrgyz opposition dissolves parliament
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan – An opposition coalition in Kyrgyzstan said it has formed an interim government that will rule the turbulent Central Asian nation for six months.
Opposition leader Roza Otunbayeva said Thursday she will head the government that dissolved the parliament and will take up legislative duties.
She told a news conference …. Original article  : Kyrgyzstan’s opposition forms iterim govt, dissolves parliament.

AP Exclusive: US team recovers Chile’s last weapons-grade uranium

AP Exclusive: Chile gives US weapon-type uranium
SANTIAGO, Chile – With U.S. President Barack Obama shifting his nuclear nonproliferation strategy to rogue states and terrorists, Chile has become an example of how small countries can play a big part in making the world safer.
Vast amounts of highly enriched uranium, or HEU, is …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : AP Exclusive: US team recovers Chile’s last weapons-grade uranium.

Aiming to keep Obama’s promise, US team recovers Chile’s last weapons-grade uranium

Chile gives its last weapons-grade uranium to US
SANTIAGO, Chile – With U.S. President Barack Obama shifting his nuclear nonproliferation strategy to rogue states and terrorists, Chile has become an example of how small countries can play a big part in making the world safer.
Vast amounts of highly enriched uranium, or HEU, is being … Read more »».

Kyrgyzstan’s opposition controls government headquarters, death toll rises to 68

Kyrgyz opposition controls government building
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan – The opposition seized Kyrgyzstan’s government headquarters Thursday following clashes between protesters and security forces that have left 68 people dead nationwide, and appeared to control this Central Asian country that houses a key U.S. air base.
No police guarded the government headquarters, and hundreds of jubilant but …. Original source  : Kyrgyzstan’s opposition controls government headquarters, death toll rises to 68.

Brief rain shower leaves half-foot of standing water in dangerous Haiti quake camps

Rain dumps lakes of water into Haiti quake camps

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – A brief rain storm flooded Haiti’s earthquake camps Wednesday, worrying residents hours after they were told to brace for a more-active-than-usual hurricane season.
A windy 20-minute downpour left a half foot of water inside makeshift tents on the sloping golf course of the Petionville Club, …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Brief rain shower leaves half-foot of standing water in dangerous Haiti quake camps.

Dangerous gas levels drop at W.Va. mine where 25 killed; crews may start search for survivors

Gas levels drop at WV mine; crews may start search

MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Two days after the worst U.S. mining disaster in a generation, rescue crews were called to the Upper Big Branch coal mine late Wednesday to prepare to descend underground and search for possible survivors of the explosion that killed 25.
Chances were slim that …. Original article  : Dangerous gas levels drop at W.Va. mine where 25 killed; crews may start search for survivors.

Tale of 2 brothers: 1 W. Va. miner survives underground while his elder brother dies in blast

W.Va. miner emerges unscathed while brother dies

MOUNT HOPE, W.Va. – First, Melvin Lynch felt his ears pop. Then the power went out at the mine where he was working. But he only learned about the explosion that killed his elder brother and 24 other colleagues about an hour later when crews working the other side …. Read the original article  : Tale of 2 brothers: 1 W. Va. miner survives underground while his elder brother dies in blast.

Rescuers pump out water in fading bid to save 26 miners still trapped in China mine

Rescuers in fading bid to save 26 from China mine

BEIJING – Rescuers pumped water Thursday in a fading bid to find more survivors in a flooded mine in northern China where 115 workers were dramatically rescued this week after being trapped for eight days.
The death toll rose to 12 early Thursday, the state-run Xinhua News …. Source  : Rescuers pump out water in fading bid to save 26 miners still trapped in China mine.

Federal official says there is a possibility rescue crews could enter W.Va. mine Wed. night

Crews close to rescue attempt of 4 W.Va. miners

MONTCOAL, W.Va. – A federal official says he is confident that two safety citations issued on the day of the West Virginia mine explosion didn’t factor into the blast.
Kevin Stricklin, an administrator from the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, said the citations occurred in an area … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Federal official says there is a possibility rescue crews could enter W.Va. mine Wed. night.

Masters staff works overtime so Augusta National looks like usual after unusual winter

Winter weather does a number on Augusta National

It’s hard work making Augusta National look so beautiful.
Especially when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate.
Augusta National chairman Billy Payne admits that, as recently as a month ago, he worried whether the golf course would be in its usual shape for the Masters because of the unusually harsh winter. All … Original article on : Masters staff works overtime so Augusta National looks like usual after unusual winter.

Sewer line trench collapses at Ohio construction site, killing 1 worker, hurting another

Ohio sewer line trench collapse kills 1 worker

HUDSON, Ohio – Crew members dug through rain-soaked muck to rescue two workers trapped after a sewer line trench at a residential construction site collapsed Wednesday. One worker was pulled alive from the trench six hours after the collapse, but the second worker died.
Hudson Fire Chief Bob Carter …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Sewer line trench collapses at Ohio construction site, killing 1 worker, hurting another.

AP: Emergency air systems among slew of safety lapses at WV mine in months before deadly blast

AP: Major safety lapses at mine long before blast

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – At the sprawling coal mine where 25 perished in an explosion this week, regulators found that dirty air was being directed into an escapeway where fresh air should be. An emergency air system was flowing in the wrong direction, which could leave workers without …. Source article  : AP: Emergency air systems among slew of safety lapses at WV mine in months before deadly blast.

FAA administrator says some LAX runways are too close, need to be separated

FAA chief says some LAX runways too close
LOS ANGELES – The head of the Federal Aviation Administration said failing to further separate two runways at Los Angeles International Airport would be a serious mistake.

The warning by FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt came two months after an academic panel concluded there was no need to reconfigure the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : FAA administrator says some LAX runways are too close, need to be separated.

Mich. Muslim leader: Crime scene photos of slain Imam raise questions about FBI’s actions

Mich. Muslim leader: Pix of slain Imam troubling

DETROIT – A Muslim civil rights group released crime scene photos Wednesday of the body of a mosque leader shot 20 times during an FBI raid – images the group’s director says suggest the imam likely had to defend himself against a vicious dog attack before he was … Original article on : Mich. Muslim leader: Crime scene photos of slain Imam raise questions about FBI’s actions.

Lethal gases keep rescuers from entering W.Va. mine; governor sees only a ’sliver of hope’

Lethal gas stops rescuers from entering W.Va. mine

MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Two full days after the worst U.S. mining disaster in a generation, dangerous gases underground prevented rescuers late Wednesday from venturing into the Upper Big Branch coal mine to search for any survivors of the explosion that killed at least 25 workers.
Crews drilled holes deep [..] Read the original article: here.

Al-Qaida front group in Iraq claims it’s behind triple suicide bombing at Baghdad embassies

Iraq al-Qaida group says it’s behind embassy hits

BAGHDAD – Al-Qaida’s umbrella group in Iraq claimed responsibility Friday for a triple suicide bombing outside foreign embassies in Baghdad, which killed more than 40 people.
The group, known as the Islamic State of Iraq, posted a statement on a Web site that carries al-Qaida and other militant declarations.
The … Read more >>.

Crews cling to hope, trek underground to search for mine survivors, find answers for families

Search on again for WV coal mine blast survivors
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Rescue workers clinging to the slimmest of hope pushed deep into a shattered coal mine early Friday, trying to get far enough to finally resolve whether four miners somehow survived an explosion that killed 25.
Search teams had gotten frustratingly close a …. Original source  : Crews cling to hope, trek underground to search for mine survivors, find answers for families.

As funerals for fallen W.Va. miners begin, busy floral designers help in the healing

Florists toil in own way to honor fallen miners

BECKLEY, W.Va. – Hours after closing time, the phone is still ringing and bits of ribbon, flower stems and sheared-off thorns are dropping to the floor in a steady shower. The sweet scents of thousands of flowers – lilies, roses, snapdragons and more – mingle with the [..] Read the original article: here.

Promises not kept: Mine-safety rules probably did little to help victims of latest disaster

Promises not kept: Mine safety fixes fall short

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Coal companies spent more than $1 billion on new safety measures after a 2006 mine explosion killed a dozen workers, but the equipment did nothing to save the lives of at least 25 more men under similar circumstances this week.
The problem is that the safety … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Promises not kept: Mine-safety rules probably did little to help victims of latest disaster.

Amnesty International report: US is guilty of Katrina-related human rights abuses

Amnesty: US guilty of Katrina-related abuses

NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. government and Gulf Coast states have consistently violated the human rights of hurricane victims since Hurricane Katrina killed about 1,800 people and caused widespread devastation after striking in August 2005, Amnesty International said Friday.
The report, entitled “Un-Natural Disaster,” said the treatment of hurricane victims and … Original source on Gaea Times at : Amnesty International report: US is guilty of Katrina-related human rights abuses.

Coal Miners In West Virginia Still Missing

WEST VIRGINIA (GaeaTimes.com)- It has been reported that the four coal miners who had been left trapped in the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia has not yet been rescued. The rescue party is having a hard time in carrying out the task as the mine is filled with the deadly combination of … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Coal Miners In West Virginia Still Missing.

NATO says Osprey aircraft crashed in southeastern Afghanistan; 4 killed, others injured

NATO aircraft crashes in Afghanistan, killing 4

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – A U.S. Air Force tilt-rotor aircraft crashed in southeastern Afghanistan, killing three service members and one government contractor, NATO said Friday.
Other personnel aboard were injured and were taken to a military base for treatment, NATO said.
The CV-22 Osprey went down about 7 miles (11 kilometers) from … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : NATO says Osprey aircraft crashed in southeastern Afghanistan; 4 killed, others injured.

Pakistan’s security forces killed 15 militants in fresh gunfight in Orakzai agency; fight displaces 46000 people from the area

BY GAEA TIMES CORRESPONDENT
ISLAMABAD: Security forces of Pakistan kave captured four and killed as many as 15 militants in a gunfight after an attack on a checkpoint situated in Orakzai Agency of pakistan—-a tribal area.

This time clashes were reported between the security forces and the militants in Bezot Khel village of Orakzai Agency. This is …. Source  : Pakistan’s security forces killed 15 militants in fresh gunfight in Orakzai agency; fight displaces 46000 people from the area.

Rescuers again search W.Va. mine for possible blast survivors; nitrogen flushes toxic gases

Rescue crews back in WV mine to look for survivors
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Searchers desperately hoping to find up to four survivors of a mine blast that killed 25 went back underground early Friday, while workers above pumped nitrogen into the earth to flush out dangerous gases that have kept rescuers at …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Rescuers again search W.Va. mine for possible blast survivors; nitrogen flushes toxic gases.

Salvage crews transfer oil from ship stuck on Great Barrier Reef; operation to take days

Crews begin moving oil from ship stuck on reef

BRISBANE, Australia – Salvage crews at a damaged coal carrier stuck on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef began pumping fuel oil Friday from the stricken vessel onto another barge to carry it away and prevent it from leaking onto the delicate reef.
Patrick Quirk, general manager of Maritime Safety …. Read the original article  : Salvage crews transfer oil from ship stuck on Great Barrier Reef; operation to take days.

Gov. spokesman: Rescue crews again making way into W.Va. mine to try to find blast survivors

Rescue crews back in mine to look for survivors
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – A spokesman for West Virginia’s governor says rescue teams have headed back into a West Virginia mine to look for four miners missing since an explosion killed 25 workers.
Officials say they will also pump nitrogren in to flush dangerous gases out.
Gov. Joe … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Gov. spokesman: Rescue crews again making way into W.Va. mine to try to find blast survivors.

Crews get ready to go back into WV mine in desperate rescue bid; nitrogen to stabilize air

Crews prepare desperate rescue effort at WV mine
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Crews prepared early Friday to pump nitrogen into a coal mine where an explosion killed 25 in a bid to flush dangerous gases out and allow anxious rescuers to reach up to four survivors.
Safety officials conceded that any hope of finding workers alive … Read more >>.

Nitrogen to be pumped into W.Va. coal mine to make atmosphere safe for rescue crews to search

Nitrogen to be used to make W.Va. mine air safe
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Officials say they will pump nitrogren into a coal mine where an explosion killed 25 in a bid to flush dangerous gases out and allow rescuers to reach up to four survivors.
Federal coal safety administrator Kevin Stricklin says ventilating the noxious …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

NATO forces in Afghanistan say helicopter downed in southeastern province

NATO helicopter downed in southeastern Afghanistan

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – A helicopter belonging to international forces in Afghanistan went down in the country’s southeast, NATO reported Friday. A spokesman for the Taliban said its fighters had shot it down, but an Afghan official said it appeared to have crashed due to mechanical failure, causing four deaths.
A NATO … Original source on Gaea Times at : NATO forces in Afghanistan say helicopter downed in southeastern province.

More air testing needed before rescue teams can re-enter coal mine to search for missing

Rescue crews waiting to re-enter mine; air unsafe
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Anxious search crews prepared late Thursday to pump nitrogen into a coal mine where an explosion killed 25, a last-ditch bid to flush dangerous gases out and allow rescuers to reach up to four survivors.
Safety officials conceded late Thursday that any … Original source on Gaea Times at : More air testing needed before rescue teams can re-enter coal mine to search for missing.

Toxic gas levels in W.Va. mine drop; rescuers hope to get inside soon to look for survivors

Conditions improving for W.Va. mine rescue effort
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Searchers who came within 500 feet of a rescue chamber where possible survivors of a deadly mine explosion may have taken refuge hoped for another chance Thursday night if levels of noxious gas continue to drop.
Teams spent more than …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Toxic gas levels in W.Va. mine drop; rescuers hope to get inside soon to look for survivors.

Gov. Joe Manchin: conditions improving in W.Va. mine, rescuers not yet ready to re-enter

Conditions improve for W.Va. mine rescue attempt
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Gov. Joe Manchin is saying that conditions are improving in a West Virginia mine, but rescue crews are not yet ready to re-enter to look for four miners because gases are still too dangerous.
Manchin said the crews may be able to enter the mine …. Original source  : Gov. Joe Manchin: conditions improving in W.Va. mine, rescuers not yet ready to re-enter.

1 survivor of West Virginia mine explosion that killed 25 released from hospital

1 survivor of W.Va. mine explosion out of hospital

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A miner who survived an explosion that killed at least 25 people at a West Virginia coal mine has been released from the hospital.
Cathy Boyd, a nursing supervisor at Raleigh General Hospital, said Thursday that the miner had been released but his family has …. Source article  : 1 survivor of West Virginia mine explosion that killed 25 released from hospital.

PROMISES, PROMISES: New rules for mine safety missed the mark

PROMISES, PROMISES: Mine safety fixes fall short

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After a 2006 West Virginia mine explosion killed a dozen miners, coal companies spent more than $1 billion on new safety measures that did nothing to save the lives of at least 25 more men under similar circumstances this week.
The problem is that the safety reforms …. Read the original article  : PROMISES, PROMISES: New rules for mine safety missed the mark.

Deadly West Virginia mining explosion figures to be drag on Massey’s profit, expansion plans

Mine explosion dampens Massey’s growth plans

Massey Energy could see where the demand for coal was coming from. So, it made a $1 billion bet that it could cash in on the burgeoning economies of Asia.
Now, the deadly explosion at one of its mines in West Virginia could hamper its expansion plans, be a drag on … Read : Deadly West Virginia mining explosion figures to be drag on Massey’s profit, expansion plans.

Militants burn vehicles, equipment in attack on Indian road construction camp in Afghanistan

Militants attacks Indian camp in Afghanistan
KABUL – Militants launched a pre-dawn attack on an Indian road construction camp in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, burning vehicles and equipment and sending the crew fleeing, authorities said.
No deaths or injuries were reported in the attack in Khost province’s Domanda district, the Interior Ministry said in a … Read more »»».

Polish President Lech Kaczynski, wife and 130 others die in Russian plane crash

Polish president among 132 dead in plane crash

MOSCOW – Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife died Saturday along with 130 others when their plane crashed while coming in for a landing in western Russia, officials said.
The governor of the Smolensk region, where the crash took place about 11 a.m. (0700 GMT), said no one …. Read the original article  : here.

Polish president, wife and 130 others die in Russian plane crash

Polish president dies in Russian plane crash

MOSCOW – Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife died Saturday along with 130 others when their plane crashed while coming in for a landing in western Russia, officials said.
The governor of the Smolensk region, where the crash took place about 11 a.m. (0700 GMT), said no one survived.
“The …. Source article  : Polish president, wife and 130 others die in Russian plane crash.

Hopes dashed: Searchers find bodies of 4 missing in WV mine; death toll 29, worst since 1970

Last hope gone: 4 W.Va. coal miners found dead
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Searchers found four bodies deep in a West Virginia coal mine shattered by an explosion, raising the death toll to 29 and ending an excruciating week for families holding onto faint hopes that their missing miners had somehow survived.
Crews are to soon …. Original article  : Hopes dashed: Searchers find bodies of 4 missing in WV mine; death toll 29, worst since 1970.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski Plane Crashes: 87 killed

SMOLENSK, RUSSIA (GaeaTimes.com) — Polish president Lech Kaczynski and his wife are feared dead in a tragic plane accident. A plane with 87 people on board including Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski crashed near a Russian airport.
The plane was heading towards Smolensk airport in western Russia, where Polish leader was going to participate on commemoration … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Polish President Lech Kaczynski Plane Crashes: 87 killed.

Russian official says no survivors in crash of Polish president’s plane; at least 87 killed

Official: no survivors in Polish plane crash

MOSCOW – The governor of a Russian region where a plane carrying Poland’s president has crashed says there are no survivors.
Smolensk governor Sergei Anufriev made the statement to state news channel Rossiya-24 about an hour after the Saturday crash.
The Tu-154 plane crashed near the Smolensk airport, about 400 kilometers … Read more >>.

Russian official says no survivors in crash of Polish president’s plane

Official: no survivors in Kaczynski plane crash

MOSCOW – The governor of a Russian region where a plane carrying Poland’s president has crashed says there are no survivors.
Smolensk governor Sergei Anufriev made the statement to state news channel Rossiya-24 about an hour after the Saturday crash.
The Tu-154 plane crashed near the Smolensk airport, about 400 kilometers [..] Read the original article: here.

Polish president’s plane crashes in Russia; reports say 87 dead

Polish president’s plane crashes in Russia; 87 die

MOSCOW – Officials say a plane carrying Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife has crashed in western Russia and that at least 87 people have been killed.
The Polish Foreign Ministry confirmed that the president and his wife were aboard the plane that crashed Saturday near the city [..] Read the original article: here.

Obama orders official report on deadly West Virginia mine explosion

Obama: more needs to be done to ensure mine safety
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says more needs to be done to ensure mine safety.
He has asked federal officials to report to him next week on the cause of Monday’s deadly explosion in a West Virginia coal mine. Officials have suggested a … Read more >>.

Officials: 4 missing miners found dead in W.Va.; death toll at 29, worst in coal since ‘70

4 missing W.Va. miners dead; final toll at 29
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Rescue workers located four bodies deep in a West Virginia coal mine, dashing any faint hopes of finding more survivors of a deadly explosion that has claimed 29 lives, the worst U.S. … Read more >>.

5 ambulances have arrived at W.Va. coal mine where crews were looking for blast survivors

Ambulances arrive at W.Va. coal mine
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Five ambulances have arrived at a West Virginia coal mine where crews were underground looking for survivors of an explosion that killed at least 25.
Officials said on Friday they are close to determining whether four missing West Virginia miners survived Monday’s blast at Upper Big … Read this article on Gaea Times at : 5 ambulances have arrived at W.Va. coal mine where crews were looking for blast survivors.

Report: North Korea denies involvement in sinking of South Korean navy ship

NKorea denies involvement in SKorean ship sinking

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea has denied any involvement in a mysterious blast that sank a South Korean navy ship last month near their disputed sea border, a news report said Saturday.
A North Korean military delegation told Chinese military officials during its trip to Beijing on March 30 … Original article on : Report: North Korea denies involvement in sinking of South Korean navy ship.

Elephant kicks trainer at northeastern Pa. circus, killing him; police say no threat to public

Elephant kicks trainer at Pa. circus, killing him

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Police say an elephant at a northeastern Pennsylvania circus startled and kicked its animal trainer, killing him.
It happened at around 5 p.m. Friday at the Irem Shrine Circus in Wilkes-Barre (WILKS’-behr-ee). The circus wasn’t open at the time.
Police say other trainers rushed to the area …. Read the original article  : here.

Magnitude-4.7 quake hits California-Mexico border region, aftershock to Sunday’s jolt

Aftershock hits California-Mexico border region

GUADALUPE VICTORIA, Mexico – A moderate earthquake has shaken residents of the California-Mexico border region, five days after a magnitude-7.2 jolt. There are no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
The magnitude-4.7 aftershock at 4:05 p.m. local time was centered nine miles southwest of Guadalupe Victoria, a Mexican farming town that was … Read more >>>.

Officials promise finality soon in search for W.Va. miners missing in massive blast

Search continues for W.Va. miners missing in blast
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Grieving relatives hoped to finally find the answers early Saturday to whether four miners missing for nearly a week were in airtight chambers awaiting rescue or would be added to 25 known dead.
Crews late Friday were deep … Read more : Officials promise finality soon in search for W.Va. miners missing in massive blast.

Crews within 2,000 feet of last refuge chamber at W.Va. mine, plan run to see if miners alive

Crews within 2,000 feet of last W.Va. mine chamber
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Grieving relatives began burying victims of the Upper Big Branch coal mine disaster Friday as crews ventured closer to a refuge chamber deep underground where they had faint hope that survivors might be awaiting rescue.
It was their fourth attempt to find the …. Source  : Crews within 2,000 feet of last refuge chamber at W.Va. mine, plan run to see if miners alive.

Officials say they are making progress in W.Va. mine rescue attempt of 4 missing

Officials say conclusion of W.Va. mine saga near
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Officials are saying they are close to a conclusion in the rescue attempt of four West Virginia miners.
Gov. Joe Manchin said Friday night that finality could come by midnight. Crews are within 2,000 feet of the refuge chamber and prepared to make a …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Officials say they are making progress in W.Va. mine rescue attempt of 4 missing.

Rio floods, mudslides kill 205 with toll expected to rise

Rio flood death toll hits 205, expected to rise

RIO DE JANEIRO – The death toll from landslides and floods in and around Rio de Janeiro this week reached 205 on Friday and was expected to rise as searchers continued looking for bodies in an operation expected to last through the weekend, authorities said.
Morning and afternoon …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

At least 954 US military deaths in Afghan region since 2001

US military deaths in Afghan region at 954

As of Friday, April 9, 2010, at least 954 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count.
The AP count is five more than the Defense Department’s …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : At least 954 US military deaths in Afghan region since 2001.

Inspector’s records show management deemed production more important than safety at W.Va. mine

Records: production over safety at W.Va. mine

MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Records show a safety inspector found that management considered production more important than safety twice at a West Virginia mine under scrutiny since an explosion killed 29 people.
In two evacuation orders in 2009, a federal inspector cited the operators of Upper Big Branch mine for skipping …. Original source  : Inspector’s records show management deemed production more important than safety at W.Va. mine.

5 Afghan deminers killed by roadside bomb; 1 Polish soldier lightly wounded in base shooting

5 Afghan deminers killed in roadside bombing

KABUL – A bus carrying Afghans working for a U.S.-supported demining group was struck by a roadside bomb in Kandahar province Sunday, killing five workers and wounding 13 others.
Also Sunday, NATO said an Afghan soldier shot and lightly wounded a Polish soldier with whom he had been arguing. The … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 5 Afghan deminers killed by roadside bomb; 1 Polish soldier lightly wounded in base shooting.

Poland Plane Crash Shocks The World

SMOLENSK, POLAND (GaeaTimes.com)- Poland has declared a week of mourning in memory of the victims of the tragic Poland plane crash that occurred in the morning of Saturday, near the Smolensk airport. According to reports provided by the eyewitnesses, the Presidential aircraft, the Tupolev Tu-154, was just about to enter the Smolensk airport when … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Poland Plane Crash Shocks The World.

8 more bodies recovered at China mine where 115 saved; death toll at 33, search continues

8 bodies recovered at China mine where 115 saved

BEIJING – Rescuers recovered five more bodies Sunday at a flooded mine in northern China, bringing the death toll to 33 and leaving little hope of finding survivors, state media reported.
Authorities continued pumping water from the pit where 115 workers were rescued last week after more than …. Original source  : 8 more bodies recovered at China mine where 115 saved; death toll at 33, search continues.

To war and back and back again: Multiple tours linked to higher risk of PTSD

Revolving door of multiple tours linked to PTSD

It wasn’t his first tour in Iraq, but his second and third when Joe Callan began wondering how long his luck would last – how many more months he could swerve around bombs buried in the dirt and duck mortars raining from the skies.
It was only natural, considering …. Source article  : To war and back and back again: Multiple tours linked to higher risk of PTSD.

6 children burnt alive in devastating fire

At least six children aged between two to five years were burnt alive in a devastating fire in Bihar, officials said today.

The shocking incident occurred at Kothia village in north Bihar’s Saran district.
Officials said the fire broke out from a hearth and spread to entire village, engulfing over 200 houses which reduced valuables and property … Read more »»».

Magnitude-4.5 earthquake part of swarm of seismic activity shaking California-Mexico border

Magnitude-4.5 quake, others shake San Diego area

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A moderate earthquake near the U.S.-Mexico border rattled parts of Imperial and San Diego counties as a swarm of seismic activity continues nearly a week after a magnitude-7.2 quake slammed the area.
The U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude-4.5 quake hit at 2:12 a.m. Saturday, about …. Original article  : Magnitude-4.5 earthquake part of swarm of seismic activity shaking California-Mexico border.

Chicago’s large Polish community mourns crash deaths of Chicago sculptor and Polish president

Chicago artist among dead in Polish plane crash

CHICAGO – One of Wojciech Seweryn’s main passions in life was reminding people of the Katyn massacre, a 1940 slaughter that killed thousands of Polish military officials, including his own father.
It was that passion that ultimately led to the 70-year-old Chicago sculptor’s death.
Seweryn, a respected artist in the … Original source on Gaea Times at : Chicago’s large Polish community mourns crash deaths of Chicago sculptor and Polish president.

First Haitian families moved to new camps as rains loom and aid groups criticize government

Haitians relocated to new camps as rains loom

CORAIL-CESSELESSE, Haiti – The first of 50,000 earthquake victims that officials fear are most threatened by Haiti’s looming rainy season were relocated Saturday as nonprofit groups scrambled to receive them.
Adults and children living at the Petionville golf course walked up a steep hill with their belongings and climbed …. Read the original article  : First Haitian families moved to new camps as rains loom and aid groups criticize government.

Bomb blast breaks windows at US consulate in northern Mexico border city, but no injuries

Bomb damages US consulate in Mexico; no injuries

MEXICO CITY – An attacker threw an explosive device over the wall around the U.S. consulate in the border city of Nuevo Laredo, breaking windows and startling employees inside but causing no injuries, the U.S. Embassy said Saturday.
The attack, which took place about 11:30 p.m. Friday, is under … Read more >>>.

Moderate earthquake strikes south San Diego County; no reports of damages or injuries

Moderate quake strikes south San Diego County

SANTA ANA – A moderate earthquake near the U.S. border rattled parts of Orange and San Diego counties and the Coachella Valley.
The U.S. Geological Survey says a 4.5 magnitude quake hit at 2:12 a.m. Saturday, about 16 miles west southwest of Calexico. The USGS reports that residents in nearly …. Original article  : Moderate earthquake strikes south San Diego County; no reports of damages or injuries.

Karate, swimming, farming among interests of West Virginia coal mine blast victims

W.Va. miners were varied in experience, interests

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – They ranged in age from 20 to 61. Some had been miners only a few months, others for 34 years.
Their passions ranged from karate, farming, swimming, hunting, basketball and the beach. Collectively they loved family and working at Massey Energy’s Upper Big Creek mine.
The 29 killed …. Original source  : Karate, swimming, farming among interests of West Virginia coal mine blast victims.

3 moderate earthquakes strike south San Diego County; no damages or injuries reported

3 moderate quakes strike south San Diego County

SANTA ANA – Three moderate earthquakes near the U.S. border have rattled parts of Orange and San Diego counties and the Coachella Valley.
The U.S. Geological Survey says a 4.5 magnitude quake hit at 2:12 a.m. Saturday, about 16 miles southwest of Calexico. A similar earthquake struck at 9:12 …. Read the original article  : here.

For 29 W.Va. mine families, grieving begins; for thousands more in coal country, life goes on

Grieving begins, but life goes on at W.Va. mines
COMFORT, W.Va. – Time stopped five days ago for the families of 29 coal miners killed in the devastating explosion at Upper Big Branch mine.
As thousands waited, hoping for any word someone might have survived Monday’s blast, life in coal country … Read more : For 29 W.Va. mine families, grieving begins; for thousands more in coal country, life goes on.

Iranian ambassador says new Iraqi government must include Sunnis

Iran: Iraq’s government must include Sunnis

BAGHDAD – The Iranian ambassador to Baghdad said Saturday that Iraq’s new government should include all political blocs – including Sunnis – in a shift for a country that has long advocated an Iraqi government dominated by fellow Shiites.
Hassan Kazemi Qomi’s comments were a sign that Iran, which has promoted … Read more : Iranian ambassador says new Iraqi government must include Sunnis.

In W.Va., crews begin grim work of removing bodies from mine where 29 died in massive blast

Crews begin removing bodies from W.Va. coal mine
MONTCOAL, W.Va. – Crews on Saturday began the bleak task of carrying bodies out of a coal mine shattered by an explosion that left 29 men dead, only hours after families’ hopes were crushed when they found out none of the workers survived.
It had been an …. Source  : In W.Va., crews begin grim work of removing bodies from mine where 29 died in massive blast.

Crews begin recovering bodies of victims from nation’s worst coal mining disaster in 40 years

Crews begin recovering bodies from W.Va. mine

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mine crews have started the solemn task of bringing the victims of this week’s underground coal mine explosion to the surface.
West Virginia Medical Examiner’s spokesman John Law says several bodies were received Saturday.
He did not know when the remaining victims will be transported from Massey Energy’s …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Crews begin recovering bodies of victims from nation’s worst coal mining disaster in 40 years.

Police: Elephant who killed worker before Pa. circus show was shocked by electrical wire

Elephant startled by shock kills Pa. circus worker

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Authorities say a circus elephant that kicked a worker and killed him before a performance in northeastern Pennsylvania was shocked by an electrical wire.
Wilkes-Barre (WILKS’-behr-ee) Sgt. Ken Lukasavage says the Irem Shrine Circus groomer was trying to get the animal away from the wire when …. Original source  : Police: Elephant who killed worker before Pa. circus show was shocked by electrical wire.

President Obama says there must be thorough probe and accountability in mine blast

Obama calls for accountability in mine blast
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama said Saturday that there must be a thorough investigation and accountability in America’s worst mining disaster in 40 years.
Obama made the statement after learning that four missing miners did not survive an explosion in the Upper Big Branch Mine in … Read more »».

LA power couple famous for promoting pomegranates, pistachios sued over water sales

LA billionaires sued over Calif. water sales
FRESNO, Calif. – They grew their fortune in the California sun, turning pedestrian fruits and nuts into a vast and varied empire that secured their place in Hollywood.
Stewart and Lynda Resnick’s flashy bottles of Fiji Water and POM Wonderful are now coveted across the globe. …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : LA power couple famous for promoting pomegranates, pistachios sued over water sales.

Chile’s new president to visit New Orleans, learn lessons of Katrina for quake recovery

Chile’s new president to study lessons of Katrina
SANTIAGO, Chile – Chile’s new president is looking to New Orleans and its recovery after Hurricane Katrina for lessons to help him lead the South American nation’s own comeback from a devastating earthquake and tsunami.
Embarking on his first trip to the United States since taking office … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Chile’s new president to visit New Orleans, learn lessons of Katrina for quake recovery.

Reports: train derails in northern Italy, causing 6 deaths, injuries

Reports: train derails in northern Italy
ROME – News reports say a train has derailed in northern Italy and left six people dead and several injured.

Sky Italia says there were six dead after Monday’s derailment near the city of Merano, about 300 kilometers (185 miles) north of Venice.
The cause of the accident was not immediately clear. …. Original article  : Reports: train derails in northern Italy, causing 6 deaths, injuries.

Beat police protect NYC subway tunnels from terror, including one in a Brooklyn brownstone

Beneath NYC, police protect tunnels from terror

NEW YORK – The tidy, three-story brownstone looks like any other on the cobblestoned block in Brooklyn, but it isn’t. It’s a fake, leading directly to the belly of the nation’s largest subway system.
The unmarked emergency exit behind the facade is one of many posts protected by beat cops …. Original article  : Beat police protect NYC subway tunnels from terror, including one in a Brooklyn brownstone.

Russian investigators say no technical problems with Polish presidential plane before crash

Investigators say no problems with Polish plane
WARSAW, Poland – Russian investigators say readings from flight recorders indicate that there were no technical problems with Polish President Lech Kaczynski’s Soviet-made plane that crashed, killing him and 95 other people.
In footage broadcast on Poland’s TVN24 Monday, the investigators told Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin the … Read : Russian investigators say no technical problems with Polish presidential plane before crash.

Federal investigators to arrive as officials look into what caused deadly W.Va. mine explosion

Investigators to look into cause of mine blast

PETTUS, W.Va. – A team of federal investigators is expected to arrive Monday in West Virginia as officials try to figure out what caused the blast that killed 29 men in the worst U.S. mining disaster since 1970.
While some of the dead have been laid to rest, efforts …. Read the original article  : Federal investigators to arrive as officials look into what caused deadly W.Va. mine explosion.

Bomb Blast By IRA Rebels

DUBLIN, IRELAND (GaeaTimes.com)- The British spy headquarters in Northern Ireland witnessed a car bomb blast caused by the heterodox clan of the Irish Republican Army. They detonated the blast in the wake of the election of new Justice Minister for which the Protestant and the Catholic leaders were about to hold a peace keeping meet. … Read more >>>.

7-alarm fire in New York City injures 13, 2 civilians in critical condition, 10 firemen hurt

7-alarm fire in NYC injures 13, 2 critical

NEW YORK – Officials say 13 people, including 10 firefighters, have been injured in a seven-alarm fire on Manhattan’s Lower East Side that burned for more than four hours before being declared under control.
Fire Chief Edward Kilduff said two elderly residents were hospitalized in critical condition with smoke …. Source article  : 7-alarm fire in New York City injures 13, 2 civilians in critical condition, 10 firemen hurt.

Afghan official says 4 civilians killed, 18 wounded in shooting by international troops

Afghan official: 4 civilians killed by NATO troops

KABUL – International troops opened fire on a civilian bus early Monday in a southern Afghan city, killing four people and wounding 18, the local governor’s spokesman said.
NATO was sending investigators to the scene but didn’t immediately say its troops were responsible for the shooting in Kandahar.
The governor’s …. Source  : Afghan official says 4 civilians killed, 18 wounded in shooting by international troops.

Magnitude-4.4 earthquake part of swarm of seismic activity shaking California-Mexico border

Magnitude-4.4 quake, others shake San Diego area

SAN DIEGO – A cluster of moderate earthquakes near the U.S.-Mexico border has rattled southern San Diego County as a swarm of seismic activity continues one week after a magnitude-7.2 quake slammed the area.
The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude-4.4 earthquake struck at 9:42 a.m. Sunday about 11 miles … Read : Magnitude-4.4 earthquake part of swarm of seismic activity shaking California-Mexico border.

Dissident IRA bomb rattles British spy HQ in Northern Ireland hours before power-sharing vote

Bomb rattles British spy HQ in Northern Ireland

DUBLIN – Irish Republican Army dissidents detonated a bomb outside the British spy headquarters in Northern Ireland Monday, police said, just hours before rival Catholic and Protestant leaders were to elect a new justice minister in a long-sought step in peacemaking.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland said IRA …. Source article  : Dissident IRA bomb rattles British spy HQ in Northern Ireland hours before power-sharing vote.

US officials emphasize Afghan President Hamid Karzai is his nation’s ‘commander in chief’

US emphasizes Karzai is Afghan commander in chief

KABUL – After days of discord, U.S. officials went one step farther in their new gentler approach to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, expressing sympathy Sunday for the pressure he faces and promoting him as commander in chief of the warring nation.
U.S.-Afghan relations grew tense earlier this month when … Read more : US officials emphasize Afghan President Hamid Karzai is his nation’s ‘commander in chief’.

Clinton says US joins Poland in mourning; president’s legacy ‘will live forever’

Clinton says US joins Poland in mourning
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday that the Polish leaders, including President Lech Kaczynski, who were killed in a plane crash Saturday leave behind “a legacy that will live forever.”

Clinton visited the Polish embassy in Washington to sign a condolence book commemorating the deaths … Read more >>>.

Colombian pop star Shakira visits Haiti earthquake survivors living in sprawling tent camps

Shakira visits Haitians living in tent camps

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Hip-shaking Colombian pop star Shakira is meeting with Haitian earthquake survivors living in makeshift camps and she says she is searching for suitable land to build a school for needy children.
Arriving Sunday, the singer waved to onlookers and greeted infants living on a Haitian golf course …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Colombian pop star Shakira visits Haiti earthquake survivors living in sprawling tent camps.

In churches and at memorials, Polish immigrants worldwide mourn plane crash victims

Polish immigrants worldwide mourn crash victims

CHICAGO – Polish immigrants and their descendants around the world shared the anguish of their mother country on Sunday, mourning the 96 victims of a devastating plane crash as they crowded into Polish-language Masses.
Millions of Poles have emigrated over nearly two centuries, establishing large communities in the United States and … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : In churches and at memorials, Polish immigrants worldwide mourn plane crash victims.

Police in Antigua say American tourist apparently drowns in waters off upscale resort

US tourist apparently drowns off Antigua coast

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Antiguan authorities say they have found the body of an American tourist who apparently drowned off an upscale beach resort.
Police Sgt. William Holder says the body of Alberto Mejia, 25, was found by a team of divers in waters near the exclusive Mill Reef Club …. Source  : Police in Antigua say American tourist apparently drowns in waters off upscale resort.

Station wagon crashes into Pa. guardrail and down embankment, killing 3 young children

Station wagon crashes in Pa., killing 3 children

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Pennsylvania state police say a station wagon has crashed into a highway guardrail and rolled down an embankment, killing three young children.
Police say a 57-year-old woman was driving the car Saturday night in tiny Middle Paxton Township, in Dauphin County. They say the car veered …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Poles grieve over president killed in plane crash, as government promises it remains on track

Poles grieve over president killed in plane crash
WARSAW, Poland – Poland’s government moved swiftly Sunday to show that it was staying on course after the deaths of its president and dozens of political, military and religious leaders, even as tens of thousands of Poles expressed their grief over the plane crash … Original article on : Poles grieve over president killed in plane crash, as government promises it remains on track.

Bitter irony: Some of Polish elite die on way to forest where others were killed 70 years ago

One forest, two Polish tragedies, 70 years apart

WARSAW, Poland – The leader of Poland’s government in exile while the nation was under Soviet-backed rule. The shipyard worker whose firing helped ignite the labor uprising that ultimately toppled communism here. A banking head who helped keep the country stable while the rest of the European Union … Read : Bitter irony: Some of Polish elite die on way to forest where others were killed 70 years ago.

Magnitude 4.4 earthquake part of swarm of seismic activity shaking California-Mexico border

Magnitude 4.4 quake, others shake San Diego area

SAN DIEGO – A cluster of moderate earthquakes near the U.S.-Mexico border is continuing to rattle southern California one week after a magnitude 7.2 quake slammed the area.
The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck at 9:42 a.m. Sunday, about 11 miles west of downtown Calexico.
At … Read : Magnitude 4.4 earthquake part of swarm of seismic activity shaking California-Mexico border.

AP IMPACT: In Toyota lawsuits, tests and documents vanish in tactic under scrutiny

AP IMPACT: In Toyota cases, evasion becomes tactic

MIAMI – Toyota has routinely engaged in questionable, evasive and deceptive legal tactics when sued, frequently claiming it does not have information it is required to turn over and sometimes even ignoring court orders to produce key documents, an Associated Press investigation shows.
In a review of lawsuits filed …. Read the original article  : here.

Luge officials aim to rebuild people’s trust in sport after fatal accident at Vancouver Games

Luge aims to rebuild its image after fatal crash

ST. LEONHARD, Austria – The president of the International Luge Federation president acknowledged that the sport’s image has been damaged by Nodar Kumaritashvili’s death at the Vancouver Olympics.
Josef Fendt told The Associated Press on Sunday that confidence must be rebuilt in the sport after the 21-year-old Georgian … Read more : Luge officials aim to rebuild people’s trust in sport after fatal accident at Vancouver Games.

At least 3 crew members dead after Navy plane crashes in north Georgia woods

At least 3 dead in north Ga. Navy plane crash

MORGANTON, Ga. – Navy investigators are expected to arrive Tuesday in north Georgia at the scene of a Navy plane that crashed in dense woods, killing at least three crew members.
Officials say the Florida-based plane just missed a house when it crashed Monday and authorities were …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Body of Polish First Lady being returned from Russia; Parliament holds special session

Body of Poland’s First Lady returned home
WARSAW, Poland – The body of Polish First Lady Maria Kaczynska is being flown back from Russia as members of parliament prepare to hold a special observance in memory of their president and numerous lawmakers.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife Maria and 94 other officials were killed in a … Read more >>.

3 vehicle crash kills 5 people, 4 of them children, during heavy rain north of Los Angeles

5 people killed in crash during heavy rain near LA

LOS ANGELES – Authorities are investigating a crash on a rain-slicked freeway north of Los Angeles that left five people dead – four of them children – and injured six others, the California Highway Patrol said.
A pickup truck spun out of control on southbound Interstate 5 …. Source  : 3 vehicle crash kills 5 people, 4 of them children, during heavy rain north of Los Angeles.

Suspected Muslim rebels attack southern Philippine town; 9 killed

9 dead as suspected rebels attack Philippine town

MANILA, Philippines – Suspected Muslim rebels wearing police and military uniforms detonated bombs and opened fire Tuesday in a southern Philippine city, triggering clashes that killed at least nine people, officials said.
The attack began with a series of simultaneous bomb blasts that hit a sports center, near a …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

FDNY: Body of elderly man found in fire-ravaged NYC Chinatown apartment building

FDNY: Body found in fire-ravaged NY Chinatown bldg

NEW YORK – Authorities say the body of an elderly man has been pulled from a Chinatown apartment building where a fast-moving fire injured about 30 firefighters and four others and left 200 people temporarily homeless.
Fire Department spokesman Jim Long says the man was found on the top …. Source article  : FDNY: Body of elderly man found in fire-ravaged NYC Chinatown apartment building.

27 injured in Delhi fire

NEW DELHI – A fire broke out Tuesday in a tea stall in Shalimar Bagh area here injuring 27 people, including 20 children and four women, a fire official said.

Four fire tenders brought the fire under control, the official said.
–Indo Asian News Service
… Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 27 injured in Delhi fire.

Childless couple ’sacrifice’ three-year-old to get son

LUCKNOW – A man and his wife have been arrested on charges of ’sacrificing’ a three-year-old boy in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanshiram Nagar district so that a son is born to them, police said Tuesday.

The childless couple beheaded their neighbour’s son Ompal Monday at a temple in Shahpur village in Kanshiram Nagar, 250 km from Lucknow. …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Childless couple ’sacrifice’ three-year-old to get son.

4 Afghan policemen killed in roadside bombing, 3 civilians die in mortar attack

4 Afghan policemen killed in roadside bombing

KABUL – Four Afghan policemen were killed when their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in the country’s northwest, the Interior Ministry said Tuesday.
Two others were injured and their vehicle destroyed in the attack Monday in Faryab province’s Ghormach district, the ministry said.
Elsewhere, three women were killed and … Read more »».

Indonesian plane falls into river

JAKARTA – A commercial plane operated by Merpati Airline Tuesday skidded off the runway and plunged into a river near an airport in Indonesia’s Papua province, injuring 20 people on board, police said.

The head of the plane sank in the water and its body broke into two parts, Papua police spokesman Agus Rianto told Xinhua. …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Indonesian plane falls into river.

Great Barrier Reef scientist says ship that ran aground on reef caused ’severe’ damage

Barrier Reef damage ’severe’ from ship grounding

SYDNEY – A coal carrier that ran aground and leaked about 3 tons of oil on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef completely pulverized parts of a shoal and caused damage so severe it could take marine life 20 years to recover, the reef’s chief scientist said Tuesday.
Initial assessments by the … Read : Great Barrier Reef scientist says ship that ran aground on reef caused ’severe’ damage.

Bicyclist killed by N-summit security vehicle

WASHINGTON – A female bicyclist was struck and killed here by a security vehicle deployed with the Nuclear Security Summit, authorities said.

The accident occurred around 6 p.m. Monday at the intersection of 12th Street and New York Avenue NW, a few blocks away from the summit venue and within the restricted area, Xinhua reported.
Fire … Original article on : Bicyclist killed by N-summit security vehicle.

Three die in US plane crash

WASHINGTON – Three US Navy personnel were killed when their aircraft crashed in Georgia state, Xinhua reported Tuesday.

The accident occurred Monday. The plane was on a routine mission.
…. Source  : Three die in US plane crash.

Six die on road, mob attacks hospital

KOLKATA – Hundreds overran a hospital here Tuesday causing widespread destruction alleging doctors did not take enough care of the victims of a road accident that killed six people, police said.

A speeding truck collided head on with a van at Patuli in the adjoining district of 24-Parganas earlier in the day, killing six people and … Read more : Six die on road, mob attacks hospital.

500 Malaysian Indians jailed abroad for crime

KUALA LUMPUR – About 500 ethnic Indians have been detained abroad for involvement in drugs and credit cards rackets, a Malaysian minister has said.

Tamil newspaper Malaysia Nanban quoted Deputy Foreign Minister A. Kohilan Pillay, an ethnic Indian, as saying that there were about 1,500 Malaysians in the jails of foreign countries.
The ethnic Indians were …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : 500 Malaysian Indians jailed abroad for crime.

Youth dies as shop catches fire

GHAZIABAD – A 23-year-old salesman was burnt to death after a fire broke out in a liquor shop in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district, police said Tuesday.

The incident took place Monday night in Lohia Nagar. The victim was identified as Anuj. “The cause of fire is yet to be investigated,” Ghaziabad police circle officer Kalyan …. Original source  : Youth dies as shop catches fire.

Passenger plane in Indonesia skids off runway in heavy rain, injuring some 20 people

20 injured as Indonesian airplane skids off runway

JAKARTA, Indonesia – A passenger plane with about 100 people on board skidded off the end of an airport runway while landing in heavy rain Tuesday on Indonesia’s remote Papua province, injuring some 20 people, officials said.
The Boeing 737, operated by Merpati Nusantara Airline, was landing at Manokwari … Read : Passenger plane in Indonesia skids off runway in heavy rain, injuring some 20 people.

Tragic plane crash brings ‘emotional breakthrough’ to Polish-Russian relations haunted by past

Russians’ outpouring of emotion touches Poles
MOSCOW – The plane crash in Russia that killed the Polish president and a long list of notable Poles has brought a sudden rush of warm feelings between two nations whose relations have been fraught with historical hatreds.
In Russia, the normally stoic Vladimir Putin has set the tone … Read more : Tragic plane crash brings ‘emotional breakthrough’ to Polish-Russian relations haunted by past.

40 years on, cops face heat for killing Maoist

KOCHI – Forty years after a Maoist leader was shot dead in an alleged shootout, a Kerala court is examining witnesses to ascertain the truth. At the centre of it lies the statement of a trooper that he shot the rebel – who was blindfolded and tied to a tree – at the behest of … Read : 40 years on, cops face heat for killing Maoist.

Los Angeles police say nurse who ran from car to help accident victim had her car stolen

Police: Nurse helps crash victim, gets carjacked

LOS ANGELES – A nurse who left her vehicle at a gas station to help a nearby accident victim was the victim of a carjacking and dragged about 20 yards after she tried to grab the keys, Los Angeles police said Monday.
The nurse, who police didn’t identify, was filling … Original article on : Los Angeles police say nurse who ran from car to help accident victim had her car stolen.

3 crew members dead in Navy plane crash in north Georgia; search on for 4th person aboard

3 crew dead in north Ga. Navy plane crash
MORGANTON, Ga. – A Florida-based Navy plane just missed a house and crashed in dense woods in north Georgia on Monday, killing three crew members, and authorities were looking for a fourth person believed to be aboard, officials said.

Naval Air Station Pensacola spokesman Harry White said authorities …. Source article  : 3 crew members dead in Navy plane crash in north Georgia; search on for 4th person aboard.

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.

Rescuers fight winds, altitude as bodies pile up after quake kills more than 600 in China

Bodies pile up after quake kills 600-plus in China

MADOI, China – Rescue teams fought gusty winds and altitude sickness Thursday as supplies of food, water and almost everything ran thin after strong earthquakes left more than 600 dead in a mountainous Tibetan area of western China.
Survivors, many of whom spent the night outside in freezing … Read more »».

Man gets death penalty for rape, murder of minor

RANCHI – A Jharkhand court Thursday awarded the death sentence to a man for rape-cum-murder of a minor girl in Dhanbad, some 240 km from here, in 2005.

Dhanbad’s Additional District Judge Vijay Shanker Singh awarded death penalty to Amit Chakravarty, in his thirties, for raping and killing his eight-year-old neighbour when she went to his …. Read the original article  : here.

Red Cross says civilian bomb injuries rise 30-40 percent in southern Afghanistan over 2009

Civilian bomb injuries soar in south Afghanistan

KABUL – Civilian injuries due to roadside bombs and other explosives in southern Afghanistan have soared amid worsening Taliban violence, the International Committee for the Red Cross said in a report Thursday.
Hospitals in the provinces of Kandahar and Helmand admitted up to 40 percent more patients with such injuries …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Red Cross says civilian bomb injuries rise 30-40 percent in southern Afghanistan over 2009.

Toll in Bihar storm rises to 81

PATNA – The death toll from a violent storm that ravaged the eastern part of Bihar rose to 81 Thursday, a day after it left a trail of destruction rendering thousands homeless.

The high-velocity storm ravaged the Seemanchal region including the districts of Araria, Purnia, Kishanganj, Katihar and Supaul districts.
The number of dead has gone … Read more »».

Minor fire at Shastri Bhawan

NEW DELHI – A minor fire broke out Thursday at Shastri Bhawan that houses several central government offices here, but it was put down quickly, the fire department said.

The blaze began on the seventh floor of the building. Six fire tenders battled the fire and brought it under control, a fire officer said. The … Read : Minor fire at Shastri Bhawan.

Ash cloud from Iceland’s erupting volcano disrupts air traffic across northern Europe

Ash from Iceland volcano disrupts European flights

LONDON – British airport operator BAA says all flights in and out of Heathrow and Stansted airports are to be suspended shortly because of ash clouds drifting from Iceland’s spewing volcano.
Hundreds of flights across Britain have already been canceled, and airports in Scotland closed. Heathrow is Europe’s busiest airport, …. Read the original article  : here.

Iceland volcano ash disrupts air traffic

OSLO/LONDON – Air traffic in several northern European countries including Britain, Norway and Sweden was disrupted Thursday due to ash from an erupting volcano in Iceland.

Drifting ash from the volcano near the Eyjafjallajoekull glacier, about 120 km east of the Icelandic capital Reykjavik, poses a threat to jet engines.
About half the flights from Norway’s …. Source  : Iceland volcano ash disrupts air traffic.

Bomb detected on Delhi-bound train, defused

LUCKNOW – An improvised explosive device (IED) detected in a coach of the New Delhi-bound Sampark-Kranti express at Mahoba railway station in Uttar Pradesh was defused early Thursday, averting a major tragedy.

According to state Additional Director General of Police Brij Lal: “The IED was planted in the toilet of a three-tier coach where it was … Original article on : Bomb detected on Delhi-bound train, defused.

Three charred to death in Mumbai

MUMBAI – Three people were charred to death in their sleep when a fire broke out in a tenement of Santacruz west here early Thursday, a fire brigade official said.

He said the blaze in the congested Khotwadi chawl started at 4 a.m. and was brought under control after firemen battled it for more than five … Read more >>.

Zookeepers in China eat monkey meat

BEIJING – Zookeepers at a zoo in China are eating monkey and giraffe meat believing that these have extra nutritional value, a media report said.

The bizarre report came from a soon-to-be-opened zoo in Dongguan in China’s Guangdong province, where dead animals were reportedly given away as gifts or eaten by zoo workers, Global Times reported. …. Source article  : Zookeepers in China eat monkey meat.

Drifting ash from Iceland’s volcano causes major air traffic disruptions at British airports

Ash from Iceland’s volcano disrupts UK air traffic

LONDON – Officials say ash clouds drifting from Iceland’s erupting volcano have disrupted air traffic across Britain.
Flights have been suspended at the English cities of Manchester and Birmingham, as well as in Belfast in Northern Ireland and the Scottish airports at Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The ash has also …. Original article  : Drifting ash from Iceland’s volcano causes major air traffic disruptions at British airports.

British airports close due to drifting ash from Iceland’s erupting volcano

UK airports close due to ash from Iceland volcano

LONDON – Airports in Scotland have shut down due to ash from Iceland’s spewing volcano as it erupts for the second time in less than a month.
Hundreds in Iceland have fled rising floodwaters around the volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier.
Airports in the Scottish cities of Aberdeen, Glasgow …. Original article  : British airports close due to drifting ash from Iceland’s erupting volcano.

Delhi fire service gets 30 calls in 10 hours

NEW DELHI – You could blame it on the rising mercury level – the Delhi fire service number has not stopped ringing since early Thursday with the department receiving 30 calls of fire incidents from across the city until 10.30 a.m.

“Since midnight until now we have received 30 calls of fire incidents across the [..] Read the original article: here.

16-year-old jailed for shaking his baby to death

LONDON – A 16-year-old Briton has been sentenced to a prison term for shaking his seven-week-old daughter to death, a media report said Thursday.

Joshua Bacon has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail. He lost his cool when he attempted to feed his daughter, Caitlyn Smith, and shook her so violently that he caused a …. Read the original article  : 16-year-old jailed for shaking his baby to death.

Storm victims in Bihar await relief, toll reaches 72

PATNA – Thousands of people rendered homeless in Bihar awaited relief Thursday, a day after a violent storm ravaged parts of the state’s eastern region killing at least 72 people.

The high velocity storm, which hit the Seemanchal region early Wednesday, destroyed thousands of houses and snapped power and communication lines besides uprooting hundreds of trees … Read more >>.

China quake survivors narrate tales of grief and fear

QINGHAI – Survivors in a devastating earthquake in northwest China were in a state of shock Thursday, a day after the temblor killed nearly 600 people.

People were leaving for work or school Wednesday when the magnitude 7.1 quake struck Qinghai province.
The residents in Gyegu town, close to the epicentre in the Tibetan Autonomous …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Race to reach survivors as China quake toll hits 617

BEIJING – Rescuers fought chilly weather, strong winds and frequent aftershocks Thursday to claw through rubble and reach survivors of the devastating earthquake that left 617 people dead and nearly 10,000 injured in northwest China.

The 7.1 magnitude quake, which struck Yushu prefecture in southern Qinghai province early Wednesday, also toppled 15,000 residential buildings and forced …. Original source  : Race to reach survivors as China quake toll hits 617.

Death toll from cyclone rises to 112 as relief starts arriving in eastern India

Aid arriving after cyclone kills 112 in east India

CALCUTTA, India – Aid workers distributed rice, dried fruits, water and tarpaulins Thursday to the victims of a ferocious cyclone that killed 112 people in northeastern India and demolished ten of thousands of mud huts.
Rescuers also cleared hundreds of uprooted trees blocking road access to the devastated …. Read the original article  : Death toll from cyclone rises to 112 as relief starts arriving in eastern India.

Indian-American on trial for selling bomber secrets to China

WASHINGTON – An Indian-American B-2 stealth bomber engineer Noshir Gowadia is under trial in a US court on charges of selling defence secrets to China, but his lawyer says such “meaningless” information was no secret.

Gowadia, 66, who was born in India but is a naturalized US citizen, is charged with 17 counts of espionage, conspiracy, …. Original source  : Indian-American on trial for selling bomber secrets to China.

Cargo plane crashes in northern Mexico city of Monterrey, killing 5 crew members, 1 motorist

Cargo plane crashes in Mexico, killing 6 people

MONTERREY, Mexico – A cargo plane crashed onto a road while trying to land in this northern Mexico city, killing all five crew members on board and one person on the ground, authorities said Wednesday.
Local civil defense director Jorge Camacho Rescue said the entire crew died and one … Original source on Gaea Times at : Cargo plane crashes in northern Mexico city of Monterrey, killing 5 crew members, 1 motorist.

Amid concerns about ash cloud and state funeral, Polish investigators examine black boxes

Poland closes most air space due to volcanic ash
WARSAW, Poland – Polish investigators have begun examining the one of three black boxes from the plane crash that killed the president and 95 others, after Russian officials said their study of the boxes suggested pilot error was to blame.
Poland is preparing for a state … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Amid concerns about ash cloud and state funeral, Polish investigators examine black boxes.

South Korean investigator says ‘high possibility’ that external explosion sank naval ship

SKorea: External explosion probably sank navy ship

SEOUL, South Korea – An external explosion most likely caused a South Korean navy ship to split apart and sink three weeks ago, officials said Friday, leaving open the possibility that a North Korean torpedo or mine may have caused the disaster.
The 1,200-ton Cheonan broke into two pieces after …. Source article  : South Korean investigator says ‘high possibility’ that external explosion sank naval ship.

Volcanic ash cloud drifts east, flight disruptions get even worse in Europe

Flight disruptions in Europe get even worse

LONDON – Ice chunks the size of houses tumbled down from a volcano in Iceland as hot gases melted a glacier, and the skies over Europe remained eerily quiet for a second day Friday as thousands of planes stayed on the tarmac to avoid volcanic ash.
Eurocontrol, the European air …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Volcanic ash cloud drifts east, flight disruptions get even worse in Europe.

Maoists suspected to have killed Bengal villager

KOLKATA – Maoists are suspected to have killed a former Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) worker who had later joined the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal’s Purulia district, police said Friday.

The incident took place in Dulaghati of Bandwan area where residents saw the blood-splattered body of Mansaram Singh lying in a shrub near to his [..] Read the original article: here.

IT raids at builders’ premises in Madhya Pradesh

BHOPAL – Income Tax (IT) raids were conducted at the premises of over 10 builders in seven cities across Madhya Pradesh for alleged tax evasion, IT officials said Friday.

“Incriminating documents indicating tax evasion worth crores of rupees have been seized during the IT raids conducted at 19 premises in Bhopal, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Rewa …. Original article  : IT raids at builders’ premises in Madhya Pradesh.

Navy to speed up probe against officer in Gorkshov project: Antony

NEW DELHI – Defence Minister A.K. Antony Friday said he has asked the Indian Navy to speed up the probe into allegations against an officer accused of “loose moral conduct” during his posting in Russia to oversee the re-fit of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov.

He said the navy has completed one part of the investigation against …. Original source  : Navy to speed up probe against officer in Gorkshov project: Antony.

Attacks in southern Afghanistan show need for better intelligence, official says

South Afghan attacks show need for intelligence

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – An Afghan official called Friday for better intelligence on insurgent activities to help prevent attacks like the dual bombings in the southern city of Kandahar that killed at least three people.
Thursday’s attacks on a hotel and compound housing foreign companies showed how vulnerable targets remain in …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Attacks in southern Afghanistan show need for better intelligence, official says.

UK aviation authorities say no flights over English airspace through Saturday

UK flight restrictions continue through Saturday

LONDON – British civil aviation authorities say there will be no flights over England until Saturday morning at the earliest, as a huge ash cloud from Iceland’s erupting volcano disrupts air traffic around the world.
The National Air Traffic Services says some flights could start leaving and arriving at airports in … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : UK aviation authorities say no flights over English airspace through Saturday.

European air navigation agency: ash cloud will disrupt air traffic for at least another day

Eurocontrol: flights disrupted at least 1 more day

BRUSSELS – The European air navigation agency says air traffic disruptions from the volcanic ash cloud will last at least another day.
Eurocontrol says the cloud’s impact “will continue for at least the next 24 hours.”
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier … Read more >>.

Passengers stuck as volcanic ash spreads across Europe

REYKJAVIK/BERLIN/LONDON – Tens of thousands of passengers remain stuck at European airports as ash from an erupting volcano in Iceland causes flight disruptions and airport closures across the continent.

Airport authorities in Germany predicted the ash from the volcano under the Eyjafjallajoekull glacier, which is spreading to the east and south-east, would affect air traffic for …. Read the original article  : Passengers stuck as volcanic ash spreads across Europe.

$25,000 award for missing Sikh woman, family suspect

TORONTO – A Sikh family here is under investigation after the disappearance of its daughter-in-law in February. Her husband has meanwhile announced an award of $25,000 for clues about her whereabouts.

Poonam Litt, who worked as a receptionist with a dentist, went missing Feb 5 on her way to work. She has never been heard of …. Read the original article  : $25,000 award for missing Sikh woman, family suspect.

Police say suicide bomber kills 8 at hospital in southwest Pakistani city of Quetta

Police: Bomber kills 8 at SW Pakistan hospital

QUETTA, Pakistan – A suicide bomber attacked a hospital emergency room where Shiite Muslims were mourning a slain bank manager on Friday, killing eight people including a journalist and two policemen in Pakistan’s main southwest city, police said.
The explosion in Quetta underscored the poor security conditions in Pakistan, … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Police say suicide bomber kills 8 at hospital in southwest Pakistani city of Quetta.

Help floods into China quake zone; rescuers dig for survivors, struggle with altitude

Soldiers, monks clear rubble in quake-hit China
JIEGU, China – Rescuers probed the rubble for sounds or movement Friday in a rush to find anyone buried alive more than 48 hours after an earthquake hit western China, killing at least 791 people. Many survivors shivered through a second night outdoors as they waited …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Help floods into China quake zone; rescuers dig for survivors, struggle with altitude.

Mumbai school CEO held for cyber crime

THANE – The CEO designate of Ecole Mondiale International School has been arrested after a two-year search for allegedly hosting a defamatory blog about a school in Singapore of which he was the principal, police said Friday.

Nandakumar Venkataraman, former principal of the Global Indian International School (GIIS) in Singapore, was taken into custody by … Read more >>.

Thunderstorm lashes Assam, 300 homes destroyed

GUWAHATI – At least 300 homes were flattened in a thunderstorm that lashed parts of Assam and uprooted trees, electric and telephone poles, officials Friday said.

Heavy rains accompanied by gushing winds swept many parts of Assam, including the main city of Guwahati, late Thursday. The damage was reported to be extensive in the riverine [..] Read the original article: here.

Police say suicide bomber kills 7 at hospital in southwest Pakistani city of Quetta

Police: Bomber kills 7 at SW Pakistan hospital

QUETTA, Pakistan – A suicide bomber attacked a hospital emergency room where Shiite Muslims had gathered Friday to mourn a slain bank manager, killing at least seven people including a journalist in Pakistan’s main southwest city, police said.
The explosion in Quetta underscored the poor security conditions in Pakistan, …. Original source  : Police say suicide bomber kills 7 at hospital in southwest Pakistani city of Quetta.

Police say suicide bomber kills 4 at hospital in southwest Pakistani city of Quetta

Police: Bomb kills 4 at SW Pakistan hospital

QUETTA, Pakistan – A suicide bomber attacked a hospital emergency room where Shiite Muslims had gathered Friday to mourn a slain bank manager, killing at least four people in Pakistan’s main southwest city, police said.
The explosion in Quetta underscored the poor security conditions in Pakistan, a U.S. ally …. Read the original article  : Police say suicide bomber kills 4 at hospital in southwest Pakistani city of Quetta.

Utah Earthquake Reports Minor Damages

SALT LAKE CITY (GaeaTimes.com)- Utah earthquake which measured a magnitude of 4.9 on the Richter scale is said to be the biggest Utah earthquake in many years now. Although the magnitude of earthquake wasn’t as heavy as the recent earthquake in China, it did manage to cause disturbances in the houses back in the city. …. Source  : Utah Earthquake Reports Minor Damages.

12-year-old Dalit killed for stealing wheat

LUCKNOW – A 12-year-old Dalit boy was allegedly beaten to death by a group of villagers in Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district for stealing wheat from the fields, police said Friday.

Three men have been booked for killing the Dalit boy, police said.
Kamlesh Kumar, a resident of Kashipur village in Hardoi, about 110 km from … Original source on Gaea Times at : 12-year-old Dalit killed for stealing wheat.

Now poachers go for leopards

NEW DELHI – The hunter has once again become the hunted.
But this time it’s the agile leopard that is on the radar of poachers as vigilance has tightened around the illegal trade in tiger parts across India, say wildlife experts.

The leopard’s skin and bones are equally in demand in the international market and wildlife …. Read the original article  : Now poachers go for leopards.

AP Top News at 4:49 a.m. EDT

AP Top News at 4:49 a.m. EDT
Iceland volcano activity increases
LONDON – A geologist says activity has increased at an erupting Icelandic volcano, causing an ash plume to rise some 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles) into the air. Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson of the University of Iceland says winds have cleared visibility for scientists and Saturday will be … Read this article on Gaea Times at : AP Top News at 4:49 a.m. EDT.

Nat’l memorial for Polish plane crash victims; ash causes some to miss Sunday’s state funeral

Poland holds public memorial for crash victims
WARSAW, Poland – Church bells pealed and emergency sirens blared across Poland at 8:56 a.m. (0656 GMT) Saturday to mark the minute a week earlier that a plane crashed as it attempted to land in Russia, claiming the life of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife and …. Source article  : Nat’l memorial for Polish plane crash victims; ash causes some to miss Sunday’s state funeral.

AP Top News at 4:42 a.m. EDT

AP Top News at 4:42 a.m. EDT
Iceland volcano activity increases
LONDON – A geologist says activity has increased at an erupting Icelandic volcano, causing an ash plume to rise some 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles) into the air. Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson of the University of Iceland says winds have cleared visibility for scientists and Saturday will be …. Original source  : AP Top News at 4:42 a.m. EDT.

AP Top News at 4:35 a.m. EDT

AP Top News at 4:35 a.m. EDT
Iceland volcano activity increases
LONDON – A geologist says activity has increased at an erupting Icelandic volcano, causing an ash plume to rise some 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles) into the air. Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson of the University of Iceland says winds have cleared visibility for scientists and Saturday will be …. Original article  : AP Top News at 4:35 a.m. EDT.

Scientists say Iceland volcano activity increases, more travel disruptions feared

Iceland volcano activity increases
LONDON – A geologist says activity has increased at an erupting Icelandic volcano, causing an ash plume to rise some 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles) into the air.
Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson of the University of Iceland says winds have cleared visibility for scientists and Saturday will be the first day they can … Read more >>.

Japanese woman gangraped in Bihar

PATNA – A Japanese woman was allegedly gangraped in Bihar by four people, including an autorickshaw driver, police said Saturday. The four accused have been arrested.

The tourist was on her way from Bodh Gaya to the Gaya railway station when she was raped Friday night, police said.
A First Information Report (FIR) was lodged in … Original source on Gaea Times at : Japanese woman gangraped in Bihar.

AP Top News at 4:14 a.m. EDT

AP Top News at 4:14 a.m. EDT
Flight disruptions in Europe get even worse
LONDON – Officials further extended no-fly restrictions over Europe Saturday as a vast, invisible plume of grit continued to billow out of an Icelandic volcano and drift across the continent. The flight ban seemed likely to disrupt world leaders’ plans to attend Sunday’s …. Source article  : AP Top News at 4:14 a.m. EDT.

Police say twin bombs kill 20 people at refugee camp in northwestern Pakistan

2 Bombs kill 20 at Pakistan refugee camp in NW

ISLAMABAD – Two bombs exploded Saturday in camps for people fleeing a military offensive in northwest Pakistan, killing at least 20 people and wounding around 50 others, police said.
The blasts went off when officials were distributing food in the camp in Kohat, said officer Zafar Iqbal.
Pakistan …. Read the original article  : Police say twin bombs kill 20 people at refugee camp in northwestern Pakistan.

British teacher used hidden camera to spy on female students

LONDON – A teacher in Britain has pleaded guilty to voyeurism as he had placed a camera in a bathroom air freshener to spy on female students as they took a shower, a court was told.

Paul Hwang, who has taught and studied at Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard, kept the camera in the house that he …. Source  : British teacher used hidden camera to spy on female students.

Police say twin bombs kill several people at refugee camp in NW Pakistan

Bombs kill several people at Pakistan refugee camp

ISLAMABAD – Police say several people have been killed in twin bombings at a camp for displaced people in northwest Pakistan.
Officer Zafar Iqbal said the blasts Saturday took place in Kohat district close to the Afghan border.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. …. Read the original article  : here.

Twin blats killed 25 refugees injures many in Kohat, Pakistan

Pakistan, Kohat: As many as 25 people were killed and dozens others injured in two powerful explosions at a refugee camp in Kohat’s Katcha Pakka area.

The injured and bodies are being rushed to nearby hospitals, where emergency has been declared.It should be mentioned the refugee camp is 20 kilometers from the Hungu city. According to …. Read the original article  : Twin blats killed 25 refugees injures many in Kohat, Pakistan.

AP Top News at 3:35 a.m. EDT

AP Top News at 3:35 a.m. EDT
Flight disruptions in Europe get even worse
LONDON – Officials further extended no-fly restrictions over Europe Saturday as a vast, invisible plume of grit continued to billow out of an Icelandic volcano and drift across the continent. The flight ban seemed likely to disrupt world leaders’ plans to attend Sunday’s … Read more »».

Toyota recalls 600,000 Sienna minivans to address corrosion in spare tire carrier cable

Toyota recalls 600,000 Sienna minivans
WASHINGTON – As congressional investigators dig further into potential electronic problems in runaway Toyotas, the automaker is facing other safety concerns, recalling 600,000 Sienna minivans over rusting spare tire holders.

The recall Friday came as House investigators said they would hold another hearing in May to review possible electronic problems in runaway …. Original article  : Toyota recalls 600,000 Sienna minivans to address corrosion in spare tire carrier cable.

AP Top News at 3:21 a.m. EDT

AP Top News at 3:21 a.m. EDT
Flight disruptions in Europe get even worse
LONDON – Officials further extended no-fly restrictions over Europe Saturday as a vast, invisible plume of grit continued to billow out of an Icelandic volcano and drift across the continent. The flight ban seemed likely to disrupt world leaders’ plans to attend Sunday’s …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : AP Top News at 3:21 a.m. EDT.

AP Top News at 3:12 a.m. EDT

AP Top News at 3:12 a.m. EDT
Flight disruptions in Europe get even worse
LONDON – Officials further extended no-fly restrictions over Europe Saturday as a vast, invisible plume of grit continued to billow out of an Icelandic volcano and drift across the continent. The flight ban seemed likely to disrupt world leaders’ plans to attend Sunday’s … Read more >>>.

AP Top News at 3:11 a.m. EDT

AP Top News at 3:11 a.m. EDT
Flight disruptions in Europe get even worse
LONDON – Officials further extended no-fly restrictions over Europe Saturday as a vast, invisible plume of grit continued to billow out of an Icelandic volcano and drift across the continent. The flight ban seemed likely to disrupt world leaders’ plans to attend Sunday’s …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : AP Top News at 3:11 a.m. EDT.

Church bells toll in Poland 1 week after plane crash that killed president, 95 others

Church bells toll in Poland 1 week on
WARSAW, Poland – Church bells across Poland have tolled and an emergency siren has wailed to mark the minute a week ago that a plane crashed in western Russia, killing Poland’s president, his wife, and many of the country’s civilian and military elite.

The plane crashed at 8:56 a.m. … Read more : Church bells toll in Poland 1 week after plane crash that killed president, 95 others.

NKorea accuses South of spreading rumors it was behind sinking of naval ship

NKorea accuses South of framing it in ship sinking

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea accused South Korea on Saturday of spreading false rumors that the communist North was to blame for the mysterious explosion that sank a southern warship near the tense sea border.
North Korean officials have denied involvement in the blast that broke the … Read : NKorea accuses South of spreading rumors it was behind sinking of naval ship.

Church bells toll in Poland one week after plane crash that killed president, 95 others

Church bells toll in Poland one week on
WARSAW, Poland – Church bells across Poland have tolled and an emergency siren has wailed to mark the minute a week ago that a plane crashed in western Russia, killing Poland’s president, his wife, and many of the country’s civilian and military elite.

The plane crashed at 8:56 a.m. …. Source article  : Church bells toll in Poland one week after plane crash that killed president, 95 others.

West Bengal governor’s visit to cyclone-hit area cancelled

KOLKATA – West Bengal Governor M.K. Narayanan’s visit to cyclone-ravaged North Dinajpur district was cancelled Saturday due to poor weather conditions, an official said.

“The governor’s helicopter was to reach the district headquarters of Raiganj but it could not land because of poor weather conditions.
“It (helicopter) finally returned to Siliguri as we came to know …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

One dead, 400 slum dwellings gutted in Delhi fires

NEW DELHI – A person was burnt to death and 400 slum dwellings gutted in two fire incidents in the slum areas of the capital early Sunday, a fire official said.

In a fire that broke out in a slum area near Patparganj in east Delhi, a person died and two were injured.
“We got … Read more : One dead, 400 slum dwellings gutted in Delhi fires.

Indian youths jailed in Bangladesh now missing

AGARTALA – Two Indian youths from Tripura, arrested for illegally entering Bangladesh in November last year, have been missing for nearly four months now, officials said here Sunday.

“The two youths from southern Tripura — Sanjoy Bhowmik, 20 and Pintu Debnath, 21 — were arrested in Bangladesh by the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) for illegal entry …. Read the original article  : Indian youths jailed in Bangladesh now missing.

KLM says no damage to plane that flew through volcanic ash, wants to resume flights

KLM pushes to resume passenger flights after tests

AMSTERDAM – KLM, the Dutch subsidiary of Air France, said Sunday it wants to resume passenger flights in Europe as soon as possible after it flew a plane through the cloud of volcanic ash covering much of the continent without suffering any damage.
KLM carried out the test flight … Read this article on Gaea Times at : KLM says no damage to plane that flew through volcanic ash, wants to resume flights.

China quake toll rises to 1,706

BEIJING – The death toll in the 7.1-magnitude quake in China’s Qinghai province has risen to 1,706, it was announced Sunday.

At least 256 people were still missing, Xinhua quoted the rescue headquarters as saying.
The devastating quake, which struck Yushu prefecture Wednesday morning, injured over 12,000 people. Of this, 1,424 were in critical condition, the …. Source  : China quake toll rises to 1,706.

Australian dies in rubbish bin prank

SYDNEY – A 22-year-old Australian died when the wheelie bin he and a friend were riding down a hill crashed into a tree at high speed, New South Wales police said Sunday.

The deceased, who was in the rubbish bin with a 19-year-old friend, sustained head injuries.
“They travelled a distance of about 300 …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Australian dies in rubbish bin prank.

Inspector commits suicide inside police station

MUMBAI – A police inspector committed suicide early Sunday by shooting himself with his service revolver inside the suburban Borivli Police Station here, authorities said.

P.I. Shivaji Patil shot himself in his cabin. “Patil was on night duty. He was found dead when other policemen came to the station in the morning,” Additional Commissioner of Police …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Inspector commits suicide inside police station.

Bodies of Polish president, wife, flown to Krakow for traditional-laden burial

Polish leader, wife flown to Krakow for burial
KRAKOW, Poland – The bodies of President Lech Kaczynski and his wife were flown from Warsaw to Krakow early Sunday for burial among Polish kings and poets at a tradition-laden ceremony that will be bereft of many world leaders whose travel plans were paralyzed by a …. Original source  : Bodies of Polish president, wife, flown to Krakow for traditional-laden burial.

Woman commits suicide after kids fail in exams

AGRA – A 32-year-old woman committed suicide by jumping before a train in this Uttar Pradesh district after three of her school-going children failed in their exams, police said Sunday.

Anjana, a resident of Arjun Nagar, killed herself Saturday afternoon near Madia Katra close to Raja ki Mandi station here.
“Anjana had gone to collect the …. Read the original article  : Woman commits suicide after kids fail in exams.

Government official gang raped in Pune, four men held

PUNE – A senior government official from Pune was allegedly raped by four men while she was returning from a pilgrimage with her family. The accused have been arrested, police said Sunday.

The woman, a resident of Pune, was returning with her husband and son from the Vaidyanath temple in Parli village of Maharashtra’s Beed district …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Government official gang raped in Pune, four men held.

Suicide bomber rams truck at Pakistani police station, killing 7 passersby

Suicide bomb at police station kills 7 in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – A suicide bomber rammed a truck loaded with explosives into a police station in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday, killing a child and six other civilians, police said.
The attack on the Saddar police station in the Kohat region wounded 26 people, said Abdullah Khan, the deputy …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Suicide bomber rams truck at Pakistani police station, killing 7 passersby.

6.3 magnitude quake hits Papua New Guinea

MELBOURNE – A strong earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck Papua New Guinea Sunday, US geologists said, but there was no tsunami warning.

The quake struck at 9.15 a.m. local time, with its epicentre located 28 km east of Lae town, and at a depth of 66 km, the Australian reported quoting the US …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

One more booked for illegal mining in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR – Police in Orissa Sunday charged one more person under the National Security Act (NSA) in the mineral-rich Keonjhar district over crimes related to mining, taking the number of people booked under the act in the region to four, an official said.

Kashinath Behera, 38, was arrested last month from Joda area for his involvement …. Source  : One more booked for illegal mining in Orissa.

Qinghai quake: China should now directly engage Dalai Lama (Comment)

The deadly earthquake in the Qinghai Province in northwestern China, which killed 1400, mostly Tibetan people, on April 14, offers an extraordinary opportunity to Beijing to allow the Dalai Lama to make his first visit home in over 50 years.

While the Dalai Lama has been quick to request that he be allowed to visit the …. Original article  : Qinghai quake: China should now directly engage Dalai Lama (Comment).

Poisonous gas kills 18 in Bihar

At least 18 people have been killed after leakage of a poisonous gas from a house led to devastating fire and polluted the air in Bihar.

The incident occured at Jaitipur village under Islampur block of Nalanda district, home district of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.
Police said Arjun Swarnkar was engaged in making duplicate petroleum by …. Read the original article  : Poisonous gas kills 18 in Bihar.

Chinese President Hu flies to devastated earthquake zone as flow of aid increases

Chinese president Hu flies to Tibetan quake zone
JIEGU, China – Chinese President Hu Jintao met with earthquake survivors Sunday in a remote, mountainous Tibetan region where rescue supplies were arriving at a faster pace.
Hu cut short an official trip to South America to deal with the disaster, which killed more than 1,700 … Original article on : Chinese President Hu flies to devastated earthquake zone as flow of aid increases.

Rescuers save 17,000 lives in China quake

BEIJING – Rescuers have saved 17,000 people from the rubble of the collapsed buildings following a devastating earthquake in northwest China, Xinhua reported Sunday.

The magnitude 7.1 quake Wednesday left more than 1,400 people dead.
The epicentre of the temblor was in the Yushu prefecture of China’s Qinghai province.
More than 15,000 rescuers, including 11,000 personnel …. Source  : Rescuers save 17,000 lives in China quake.

Ash spreads south as Europe air shutdown causes havoc

REYKJAVIK/LONDON/WARSAW – The closures of European airspace were moving southward with the rolling cloud of ash from an Icelandic volcano, which continued to wreak havoc Sunday with tens of thousands of stranded airline passengers.

Flight bans were imposed in Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine and northern Italy and northern Serbia, after similar action across the British Isles and … Read more >>>.

South Africa sets up team to tackle wildlife poaching

CAPE TOWN – The South African government has allocated two million rands (about $270,000) to set up a unit to tackle wildlife crimes, mainly rhino poaching in the country.

Water and Environment Minister Buyelwa Sonjica made the announcement to the media after her budget vote speech, BuaNews reported Saturday.
She said 55 rhinos had been …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : South Africa sets up team to tackle wildlife poaching.

Border agents shoot man who speeds from gate, rams pickup at San Diego County crossing

Man shot, hurt at San Diego County border crossing

SAN DIEGO – Federal officers shot and injured a man at the nation’s busiest border crossing Saturday after he sped away from a gate agent and rammed a pickup while crossing into San Diego County from Mexico, authorities said.
The shooting by two U.S. Customs and Border Protection …. Original source  : Border agents shoot man who speeds from gate, rams pickup at San Diego County crossing.

Jailed militia member says he was unaware of any specific plans to wage war against government

Militia member says he wasn’t aware of any plot

DETROIT – An Ohio man charged in what federal prosecutors say was a Christian militia’s plot to wage war against the government said Saturday that he wasn’t aware of any such specific plans and regrets not severing ties with the group.
Kristopher Sickles, 27, of Sandusky, told The … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Jailed militia member says he was unaware of any specific plans to wage war against government.

MBA graduate held for duplicating credit cards

GURGAON – An MBA graduate and a courier delivery boy have been held here for cloning credit cards, officials said Monday.

“They used to clone the cards and used them for shopping,” said Babu Lal, station house officer, DLF phase two police station. The MBA graduate, identified as Faraz Ahmed, reportedly asked the courier delivery …. Original source  : MBA graduate held for duplicating credit cards.

Eco-tourism city to come up in quake-hit Yushu

BEIJING – An eco-tourism city will be built in Yushu in China’s Qinghai province, devastated by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, a media report said Monday.

The post-disaster reconstruction of Yushu is already on the agenda, and an eco-tourism plateau city is expected to be built in the future, even as relief work is still going on, … Original article on : Eco-tourism city to come up in quake-hit Yushu.

Rescuers pull out 2 survivors 5 days after China quake as work switches slowly to rebuilding

2 survivors pulled out 5 days after China quake
JIEGU, China – Rescuers pulled out a 4-year-old girl and a Tibetan woman alive from the rubble of an earthquake more than five days after they were trapped, as trucks carrying aid and equipment rolled into this shattered town in western China.
China Central Television said …. Original article  : Rescuers pull out 2 survivors 5 days after China quake as work switches slowly to rebuilding.

Aviation industry claims ‘no leadership’ in volcanic ash crisis from EU govts, blasts lockdown

Aviation industry blasts EU govts for lockdowns

LONDON – The aviation industry sharply criticized European governments on Monday for their handling of airport closures, saying there was “no coordination and no leadership” in the volcanic ash crisis that shut down European airports for a fifth straight day.
Some smaller airports reopened, and European officials had hoped that …. Source article  : Aviation industry claims ‘no leadership’ in volcanic ash crisis from EU govts, blasts lockdown.

Man who stood up to Nepal’s security forces dies without justice

KATHMANDU – A man who singlehandedly battled the state and security forces relentlessly for seven years to free his son passed away without getting justice.

Jai Kishore Labh, a lawyer in Dhanusha district in Nepal’s Terai plains, staked his life filing complaints against security forces to free his 23-year-old son, Sanjeev Karna, who was spirited away …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Man goes to strip club leaving baby in car

AUCKLAND – A man left his 18-month-old baby locked up and unattended in a car while he went to a strip club to indulge in “fantasies of desire,” a New Zealand court heard Monday.

Wayne Ricardo Schwamm, 42, pleaded guilty to leaving a child under 14 without supervision at the Wellington District Court, after which he … Original source on Gaea Times at : Man goes to strip club leaving baby in car.

Two held with heroin worth over Rs.1 crore

LUCKNOW – The Uttar Pradesh police Monday arrested two drug peddlers with heroin worth more than Rs.1 crore from the state’s Ambedkar Nagar district.

The two men, in their early 30s, were nabbed from Akbarpur town in Ambedkar Nagar, some 200 km from Lucknow, while they were on their way to hand over the consignment to …. Read the original article  : Two held with heroin worth over Rs.1 crore.

Seven killed in Afghan quake

KABUL – At least seven people were killed and more than 30 injured Monday when a magnitude-5.3 earthquake hit a mountainous province in northern Afghanistan, officials said.

The quake hit the Dara-e-soof and Doaab districts of Samangan province shortly after midnight Monday, destroying and damaging more than 200 houses, said Haji Gholam Sakhi, the deputy provincial …. Original source  : Seven killed in Afghan quake.

Civil aviation authorities hold flight restrictions until early Tuesday

UK airspace restrictions in place until Tuesday

LONDON – Civil aviation authorities in Britain say flight restrictions in the country’s airspace because of drifting volcanic ash will remain in effect until at least early Tuesday.
The National Air Traffic Service said in a statement that while “conditions remain dynamic” the flight ban would be in effect until … Read more : Civil aviation authorities hold flight restrictions until early Tuesday.

UAE shuts down schools for breaching safety rules

Abu Dhabi, April 19 (IANS/WAM) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has shut down six schools as their buildings breached safety rules and posed a threat to the safety of students, community and environment.

The schools will no longer be allowed to enrol students in the next academic year as the conditions of their buildings do not … Read more : UAE shuts down schools for breaching safety rules.

Survivors, victims’ family members to commemorate 15th anniversary of Oklahoma City bombing

Ceremony to commemorate 1995 Oklahoma City bombing

OKLAHOMA CITY – Survivors and family members those who died in the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building are expected to gather at to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the attack.
Hundreds of people are expected at the Oklahoma City National Memorial on Monday to remember the 168 people … Read more >>.

After losing parents in Oklahoma City bombing, children build new lives with donors’ help

Okla. bombing victims’ children build new lives

OKLAHOMA CITY – Dion Thomas’ life began spiraling out of control after her mother was killed in the Oklahoma City bombing, when the straight-A student started skipping classes and saw her grades slip to D’s, F’s and incompletes.
She stayed in her bedroom for days, unable to come out. No … Original source on Gaea Times at : After losing parents in Oklahoma City bombing, children build new lives with donors’ help.

Student killed, 50 hurt as school bus falls into river

PATNA – At least one child was killed and 50 students were injured early Monday after their school bus skidded off a bridge and fell into a river in Bihar’s Kaimur district, police said.

The bus fell into a river near Bhabhua, about 160 km from here, police said.
“Ten of the 50 injured children are …. Original source  : Student killed, 50 hurt as school bus falls into river.

Woman raped after a night out drinking, risks Dubai jail

LONDON – A 24-year-old British woman risks prison in Dubai after she told the police that she was raped after a night out drinking with friends, a media report said.

If the woman’s account is not believed, she may face jail for drinking and having sex outside marriage, The Sun reported Monday.
The accused man … Read more : Woman raped after a night out drinking, risks Dubai jail.

Final door closed for Manu Sharma: Jessica’s sister

NEW DELHI – Sabrina Lall, sister of Jessica Lall who was shot dead in April 1999, said she was happy that the “final door has been closed” for Manu Sharma as the Supreme Court Monday upheld his life sentence for the murder.

“After 11 years…I am glad that the final door has been closed on this … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Final door closed for Manu Sharma: Jessica’s sister.

Tearful SKorean president vows strong action against masterminds of deadly ship sinking

SKorea’s Lee vows strong action in ship sinking
SEOUL, South Korea – An emotional President Lee Myung-bak vowed Monday to respond “resolutely and unwaveringly” against those behind the deadly sinking of a naval ship near the tense maritime border with North Korea.
Seoul has not openly blamed Pyongyang for the March 26 explosion …. Source article  : Tearful SKorean president vows strong action against masterminds of deadly ship sinking.

Boy loses sight in one eye after teacher’s beating

RANCHI – A student lost sight in his left eye after he was beaten by a school teacher in Jharkhand’s Lohardagga district, an official said Monday.

Akash Kumar, a Class 7 student of Saraswati Sishu Mandir of Lohardagga district, about 70 km from here, was beaten with a stick by Anita Verma April 17. Akash’s left … Original source on Gaea Times at : Boy loses sight in one eye after teacher’s beating.

Apex court upholds life for Manu Sharma in Jessica murder case (Second Lead)

NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court Monday dismissed an appeal by Manu Sharma, Congress leader Venod Sharma’s son, challenging his conviction and life sentence in the April 1999 murder of ramp model Jessica Lall.

A bench of Justices P. Sathasivam and Swatanter Kumar upheld the Delhi High Court judgement, which convicted Sharma, who is serving life …. Original article  : Apex court upholds life for Manu Sharma in Jessica murder case (Second Lead).

At least 7 killed, 30 injured after magnitude 5.3 earthquake hits northern Afghanistan

7 killed, 30 injured in northern Afghanistan quake

KABUL – A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck in mountains north of Afghanistan’s capital early Monday, killing at least seven people and injuring 30, officials said.
The temblor hit just before 1 a.m. (2030 GMT Sunday) in Samangan province, about halfway between Kabul and the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, according … Read more : At least 7 killed, 30 injured after magnitude 5.3 earthquake hits northern Afghanistan.

Car door closed with buttock, repair cost 400 pounds

LONDON – The repair to a British police car that was damaged by an officer “closing the door with buttock” was 400 pounds, the police has admitted.

Bedfordshire Police gave the detail after a request was made under Freedom of Information for accidents caused by officers while on duty, Daily Express reported Monday.
It spent 179,965 …. Original article  : Car door closed with buttock, repair cost 400 pounds.

Government moving to prevent radiation disasters

NEW DELHI – The government Tuesday assured parliament that all possible care was being taken to ensure that the country is prepared to handle any radiation emergency arising in the public domain.

“The Department of Atomic Energy has organised forces to train frontline officers on the issues of detection and response relating to radiation incidents,” Minister … Read more : Government moving to prevent radiation disasters.

Passengers cheer with relief as limited flights resume over Europe; volcanic ash still a worry

Whoops of joy as some flights resume over Europe

PARIS – Applause, cheers and whoops of joy rang out from Asia to New York to Paris on Tuesday as airplanes gradually took to the skies after five days of being grounded by the drifting volcanic ash that has crippled European air travel.
Only limited flights were allowed … Original source on Gaea Times at : Passengers cheer with relief as limited flights resume over Europe; volcanic ash still a worry.

Pakistan: Islamist blames US-Pakistan alliance for suicide bomb that killed colleagues

Pakistan: Islamist blames US for suicide bombing

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – An Islamist politician whose party lost several members in a suicide attack blamed Pakistan’s alliance with the U.S. for the violence and urged Islamabad on Tuesday to break ranks in the war on terror.
The comments showed the depth of anti-Americanism in Pakistan, whose support Washington considers … Read more >>.

European no-fly zone shrinks, but remains subject to change

LONDON/REYKJAVIK/COPENHAGEN – The no-fly zone over Europe caused by a cloud of ash from an Icelandic volcano was ratcheted back Tuesday, with flights able to operate over a swathe of southern Europe, the continent’s air-traffic control agency, Eurocontrol said.

Several countries reopened sections of their airspace, while others held off, pending the movement of a volcanic … Read this article on Gaea Times at : European no-fly zone shrinks, but remains subject to change.

Quake hits Australia’s historic goldmining town

SYDNEY – Some of Kalgoorlie’s most famous hotels were damaged Tuesday by the biggest earthquake to hit the Western Australia tourism and goldmining town in 50 years.

The quake, measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale, caused buildings to shake in Kalgoorlie and neighbouring Boulder.
But there were no reports of buildings collapsing or injuries, Geoscience Australia …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Quake hits Australia’s historic goldmining town.

Student attempts suicide after being denied scholarship

BHOPAL – A backward class student who attempted suicide here allegedly after being denied a scholarship is in stable condition, police said Tuesday.

Alleging harassment by the management of the NRI Institute of Pharmacy, final year student Mahendra Singh Kirar consumed poison at the campus Monday. The boy was taken to a private nursing home.
According …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Mines evacuated as 5.0-magnitude quake strikes western Australia, damaging hotels, schools

Quake hits western Australian mining town
PERTH, Australia – A powerful earthquake struck Australia’s major gold-mining region in the west Tuesday, collapsing roofs of several buildings and prompting the evacuation of mines, schools and hospitals.

Two people were treated for minor injuries, including a teenage girl who was hit by falling rubble, news reports and police said.
The …. Read the original article  : here.

eBay seller convicted for bidding on his own goods

LONDON – An eBay seller has become the first person in Britain to be convicted for bidding on his own items to raise prices.

Paul Barrett, who faces a fine of up to 50,000 pounds, hiked the value of the items he was selling by bidding on them after operating a separate user name. It’s a …. Read the original article  : here.

Decisions on volcanic ash and planes presents society one of hardest risk choices in years

To fly through ash or not? That’s no easy question

To fly, or not? There’s no right answer about when it’s safe to fly through a cloud of volcanic ash. But it’ll be all too obvious if there’s a wrong answer, experts say.
With the volcano in Iceland, Mother Nature is giving high-flying Europe a lesson in …. Read the original article  : Decisions on volcanic ash and planes presents society one of hardest risk choices in years.

Father questions suicide angle in doctor’s death

CHANDIGARH – The father of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) doctor, who died after falling from the fourth floor of the building here, said he was being harassed by some seniors and his death could not be a case of suicide.

The body of the doctor, Nagender Reddy, who hailed from … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Father questions suicide angle in doctor’s death.

Ex-boyfriend murders British woman by stabbing 130 times

LONDON – A British woman was killed in a frenzied knife attack by her jealous ex-boyfriend who stabbed her 130 times and gouged out her right eyeball. The assailant has been sentenced to a jail term.

Thirtyfive-year-old Katie Cullen, a nurse, was repeatedly knifed in the face and neck by Iranian born Iman Ghaefelipour in Cheshire, …. Source article  : Ex-boyfriend murders British woman by stabbing 130 times.

Over 6,000 people arrested in Shanghai

BEIJING – Over 6,000 people, including 31 foreigners, have been arrested in Shanghai ahead of an international expo for their alleged involvement in theft, pornography and prostitution.

Police launched a 12-day crackdown in an effort to make Shanghai city safer during the upcoming international expo to be held from May 1.
More than 30,000 police officers … Read more : Over 6,000 people arrested in Shanghai.

Bihar police beat NRI, father for overtaking vehicle

PATNA – An NRI businessman from Russia and his elderly father were allegedly beaten by policemen in Bihar’s Patna district for overtaking the vehicle of a probationer Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. A probe has been ordered, authorities said Tuesday.

Shajendra Bihari Singh, in his early 40s, was beaten Sunday after he overtook the car of … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Bihar police beat NRI, father for overtaking vehicle.

African national critical after freak accident

NEW DELHI – A Nigerian, seriously injured in a freak accident when iron rods jutting out of a truck pierced his body, continued to be in a critical condition Tuesday, doctors said. His friend who was with him at the time is “comparatively stable”.

“The condition of one of the two victims who was in the … Read more »».

Indian-origin solicitor murdered for insurance in Britain

LONDON – An Indian-origin solicitor was murdered in Britain by a hitman who was hired by her business partner in a plan to claim a 1.5 million pound insurance payout, a court was told.

Vina Patel, 51, died of asphyxiation and a broken neck in a contract killing allegedly arranged by John Cort, her colleague who …. Read the original article  : Indian-origin solicitor murdered for insurance in Britain.

Kidnappings in Mexico rise by 90 percent

Mexico City, April 20 (IANS/EFE) The number of kidnappings in Mexico in the first three years of President Felipe Calderon’s regime have risen by 90 percent, official statistics reveal.

A total of 2,593 kidnapping complaints were filed during former president Vicente Fox’s 2000-2006 term, while 2,455 kidnappings were reported in 2007-2009, the first three years …. Read the original article  : Kidnappings in Mexico rise by 90 percent.

Drunk-driving in Barbie car costs man licence

LONDON – A Briton caught drunk while driving a toy Barbie car, whose top speed is barely four miles per hour, has been banned from driving.

Forty-year-old Paul Hutton received a three-year ban as he had received another drink-drive ban within the past 10 years.
He was pulled over by police when he was driving an … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Drunk-driving in Barbie car costs man licence.

Sex abuse victims described emotional meeting with pope

Rome, April 20 (IANS/AKI) Victims of clerical sex abuse have described their meeting with Pope Benedict XVI as “emotional” and “great”, though the pontiff did not offer a formal apology.

“It was emotional, I saw tears in his eyes,” a victim said Monday referring to his Sunday meeting with the pope in Rabat town in Malta. … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Sex abuse victims described emotional meeting with pope.

1,577 kg cocaine seized in Mexico

Mexico City, April 20 (IANS/EFE) Over 1,500 kg of cocaine that came in containers aboard a Colombian vessel have been seized in Mexico, officials said.

The cocaine was inside several containers unloaded in Veracruz port by a Liberian-flagged ship that arrived from Cartagena in Colombia over the weekend, the Attorney General’s Office said Monday.
Acting on …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : 1,577 kg cocaine seized in Mexico.

Two Canadians desecrate American flag

TORONTO – Two Canadians face the music for lowering an American flag, maintained in honour of the Sep 11, 2001 victims, in California and replacing it with a Canadian flag.

The incident took place after the Canadian men’s hockey team beat the US to win the gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The two Canadians … Read more »».

Airlines group says industry lost over $1.7 billion from ash cloud disruptions over Europe

IATA: airlines lost over $1.7BN in ash chaos

BERLIN – The International Air Transport Association says disruptions to European air travel from the volcanic ash cloud have cost the industry at least $1.7 billion.
IATA says airlines lost revenues of $400 million each day during the first three days of grounding.
The group’s chief executive says the scale … Original article on : Airlines group says industry lost over $1.7 billion from ash cloud disruptions over Europe.

Goa police on lookout for LTTE cadres, sympathisers

PANAJI – Police are keeping an eye on Sri Lankan Tamils possibly working on fishing trawlers and in the mushrooming hotel industry in coastal Goa after the union home ministry warned of infiltration by surviving cadres of the decimated Tamil Tigers.

“The home ministry circular was forwarded to us by the state home department Monday. … Read : Goa police on lookout for LTTE cadres, sympathisers.

Chinese media turns black-and-white to mourn quake victims

BEIJING – Print and online versions of major Chinese newspapers including China Daily, Global Times, People’s Daily and Shanghai Daily wore a black-and-white look Wednesday to mourn the more than 2,000 victims of the devastating quake in northwestern Qinghai province.

The banner on top of the China Daily website read “Sharing Sorrow, Moving Forward”, while that …. Original source  : Chinese media turns black-and-white to mourn quake victims.

Thief lynched in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW – A man was lynched for attempting to burgle a businessman’s house in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district, police said Wednesday.

The man, in his early 30s, was caught Tuesday night by the locals of Ganeshpuri colony in Meerut, some 350 km from Lucknow, while he was attempting to burgle the house.
“The locals assaulted … Original source on Gaea Times at : Thief lynched in Uttar Pradesh.

12 girl students ‘poisoned’ in Afghanistan

KABUL – At least 12 girl students were Wednesday hospitalised after they fell unconscious after inhaling some poisonous substance sprayed in a school in Afghanistan, a media report said.

The 12 students of the Fatima Zahra Girl School, a teacher and an assistant were mysteriously poisoned, Hamayon Khamush, director of the hospital in Kunduz city, was [..] Read the original article: here.

Man killed in water row

BHOPAL – A man was killed in Madhya Pradesh’s Vidisha town after a scuffle over a water pipeline, police said Wednesday. It is the fifth murder in three weeks over water disputes in the state.

Shivcharan Yadav, 55, had an altercation with his relative Virsingh Yadav over the shifting of a water pipeline Tuesday. … Read more >>.

Six coaxed to hang in sex games in China

BEIJING – A former pub singer in China’s Hunan province is suspected of coaxing six men to hang themselves while playing sex games.

Thirtyeight-year-old Zhou Youping is awaiting prosecution and facing murder charges regarding a series of hangings between October and November in Hunan’s capital Changsha, Shanghai Daily reported Wednesday.
At least six of the …. Read the original article  : here.

Seattle fisherman dies when boat sinks in Gulf of Alaska; 3 other crew members rescued

Seattle fish boat crewman dies in Gulf of Alaska

KODIAK, Alaska – One of four crew members on a Seattle-based fishing boat died Tuesday when the 75-foot vessel sank in the Gulf of Alaska.
The crewman who died suffered a head trauma while exiting the boat and was already deceased when rescuers arrived, but it’s not clear … Read : Seattle fisherman dies when boat sinks in Gulf of Alaska; 3 other crew members rescued.

Fire destroys 60 shops

RANCHI – Around 60 shops were burnt and goods worth Rs.30 lakh destroyed early Wednesday when a fire broke out in the busiest market of this Jharkhand capital, police said.

The fire, caused by a short circuit, enveloped the Daily Market on Main Road. Seven fire engines battled the flames.
…. Source  : Fire destroys 60 shops.

Poland sets early presidential election for June 20 after incumbent dies in plane crash

Poland sets new presidential election for June 20

WARSAW, Poland – Poland’s parliament speaker has set the date for an early presidential election after the death of President Lech Kaczynski in a plane crash 11 days ago.
Bronislaw Komorowski, who is the acting president and will be a candidate, set June 20 as the date for the …. Read the original article  : Poland sets early presidential election for June 20 after incumbent dies in plane crash.

Two killed as CPI-M, Trinamool workers clash

KOLKATA – Two people were killed early Wednesday when Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Trinamool Congress supporters clashed in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, police said.

The clash occurred at Chanuch village in Dubrajpur block with the rival groups using sharp weapons and firearms following a dispute, Birbum superintendent of police Rabindranath Mukherjee told IANS.
He …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Two killed as CPI-M, Trinamool workers clash.

Skies opening for aviation over Europe

LONDON/COPENHAGEN/HAMBURG – More airports in Europe, including many in Britain and Germany, reopened Wednesday, almost a week after airspace over large parts of Europe was shut down over ash clouds from a volcano in Iceland.

Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority said flight bans had been lifted late Tuesday after a reassessment of risks.
British Airways said on …. Original source  : Skies opening for aviation over Europe.

Goan drug dealer’s assets worth Rs.2 crore frozen

PANAJI – Goa police has frozen all the assets, including cash, properties and investments, of a notorious drug peddler, a senior police officer said. It is the first time that such action has been taken against a drug peddler.

Cash, several properties and assets worth Rs.2 crore belonging to Sadanand Chimulkar were frozen under the …. Read the original article  : Goan drug dealer’s assets worth Rs.2 crore frozen.

Flags at half-staff in China as country mourns 2,000 quake victims

China mourns earthquake victims
BEIJING – Bowing their heads in silent tribute, thousands of officials, soldiers and civilians gathered Wednesday in ceremonies across China to mourn the 2,064 victims killed in a devastating quake that hit one week ago in a remote Tibetan region.
At the quake’s epicenter in Yushu County in western Qinghai province, …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Flags at half-staff in China as country mourns 2,000 quake victims.

Cops to criminal – stay away from all rooftops

LONDON – A petty criminal who routinely escapes the police by getting on the roof of his house in Britain has been barred from every rooftop in his area as officials fear he may sue them if he falls.

Adam Paul Corbett has forced 10-hour rooftop stand-offs when police officials came to arrest him and … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Cops to criminal – stay away from all rooftops.

Briton goes to jail over kiss in Dubai

LONDON – A 26-year-old British woman, who was convicted of indecency for kissing a man in Dubai, waived her right to a final appeal and has begun a month-long prison term.

Charlotte Adams gave up the effort to prove her innocence Tuesday and went to the Dubai Central Prison as she believes she will get back …. Source  : Briton goes to jail over kiss in Dubai.

Woman killed as sex session goes wrong

LONDON – A British woman was strangled by her boyfriend during a sex session that went wrong. The man claims that the victim encouraged him to squeeze her throat during sex, a court was told.

Jason O’Malley, 39, told the police that his girlfriend Kerry Sneddon liked him to apply “a little bit of pressure” and …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Goods train derails, Delhi-Howrah traffic disrupted

LUCKNOW – Rail traffic on the busy Delhi-Howrah route was disrupted Wednesday when three wagons of a goods train derailed in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur district early Wednesday. No one was injured, authorities said.

The accident took place near Amiapur railway station in Kanpur, some 80 km from Lucknow, when the train was headed for Delhi from … Original article on : Goods train derails, Delhi-Howrah traffic disrupted.

150 gold coins seized from American in Mexico

Mexico City, April 21 (IANS/EFE) At least 150 gold coins were found in the baggage of a US citizen as he awaited a flight to Panama here at the Mexico City airport, officials have said.

Thomas Arnold Martin, 58, “appeared visibly nervous”, prompting agents to run his suitcase through a scanner, which detected several containers inside, … Original article on : 150 gold coins seized from American in Mexico.

Hollywood film on murdered Indian-origin girl

VANCOUVER – Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon will produce a film on the murder of Indo-Canadian girl Reena Virk who was beaten and then drowned in Victoria city near here in 1997.

The murder of Reena Virk by white teenagers had made international headlines 13 years ago, leading to calls for stricter juvenile justice laws in …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

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.

Ansal brothers get bail in Uphaar cinema case

NEW DELHI – A city court Friday granted bail to Uphaar theatre owners Sushil and Gopal Ansal after they confessed to destroying evidence in the fire tragedy which killed 59 people in June 1997.

Metropolitan Magistrate Gitanjali Goel ordered the Ansals to furnish a personal and surety bond of Rs.1 lakh each for their bail.
The …. Source article  : Ansal brothers get bail in Uphaar cinema case.

Belgian bishop resigns over sex abuse case

BRUSSELS – A bishop in the Belgian city of Bruges has resigned over a sexual abuse case, the Belga news agency reported Friday, quoting a relative of the prelate.

However, no details were known of the events that led Roger Vangheluwe, 74, to quit after serving for 25 years as bishop of Bruges.
A press conference …. Original source  : Belgian bishop resigns over sex abuse case.

Oil rig blast off La. coast prompts environmental concerns; hope dims for 11 missing workers

Oil rig blast prompts environmental concerns

NEW ORLEANS – As hope dimmed for the lives of 11 crew members missing since a drilling rig exploded in flames in the Gulf of Mexico, authorities turned their focus to controlling an oil spill that could threaten the fragile ecosystem of the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts.
The Deepwater Horizon had …. Read the original article  : Oil rig blast off La. coast prompts environmental concerns; hope dims for 11 missing workers.

CBI questions MCI president

NEW DELHI – Medical Council of India (MCI) president Ketan Desai, arrested on corruption charges, continues to be interrogated, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said Friday.

“Investigations are on, but we can’t provide further details,” CBI spokesman Harsh Bahl told IANS.
Desai was arrested along with two others, Jitendar Pal Singh and Kanwaljit Singh, Thursday … Read more >>>.

Series of roadside bombs targeting homes of policemen kills 6 in western Iraq

Series of roadside bombs kills 6 in western Iraq

BAGHDAD – Iraqi officials say a series of roadside bombs targeting the homes of policemen has killed 6 people in western Iraq near the city of Ramadi.
The explosions struck the town of Khalidiya, 15 miles (25 kilometers) east of Ramadi. Ten people were wounded.
The information on casualties …. Original source  : Series of roadside bombs targeting homes of policemen kills 6 in western Iraq.

Woman burnt to death as car catches fire

NEW DELHI – A 27 year-old woman was burnt to death here after her car caught fire, a police officer said Friday.

Simran Kaur, a resident of Karol Bagh, was in central Delhi’s Rohini sector-16 when her car caught fire after an electrical short circuit.
A Delhi Fire Service (DFS) official said: “We received …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

100,000 displaced by floods in Assam, 100 villages hit

GUWAHATI – Flash floods triggered by heavy rains in Assam have displaced more than 100,000 people in an estimated 100 villages in Lakhimpur district, officials said Friday.

“The situation is critical with up to 50 more villages hit by flash floods overnight (Thursday),” a district official said.
An estimated 100,000 people are now displaced … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 100,000 displaced by floods in Assam, 100 villages hit.

Ballantine’s Championship shortened to 54 holes due to bad weather

Bad weather shortens Ballantine’s to 54 holes

JEJU ISLAND, South Korea – The fog-disrupted Ballantine’s Championship has been shortened to 54 holes.
“It has become clear that the completion of 72 holes within the required time frame is not feasible,” tournament directors said Friday in a statement.
The first day’s play was delayed for six hours by fog, … Read more : Ballantine’s Championship shortened to 54 holes due to bad weather.

Gangster gunned down near Indo-Nepal border

LUCKNOW – A dreaded gangster, wanted by the police in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in 40 criminal cases, was Friday gunned down by cops near the Indo-Nepal border.

Ram Awadh Yadav, 45, was shot dead in Uttar Pradesh’s Khadda town in Kushinagar district, about 300 km from Lucknow.
Cases of murder, abduction, loot and other …. Read the original article  : here.

Fire preparedness in urban India not up to standards: Expert

PANAJI – Fire safety measures in urban India are only one-sixth of the required standards while in rural India they are virtually nil, a top fire safety expert said Friday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a fire safety seminar here, G.B. Menon, founder president of the National Association of Fire Officers (NAFO) and a … Read more : Fire preparedness in urban India not up to standards: Expert.

Bright student commits suicide after 200 job rejections

LONDON – A bright 21-year-old Briton committed suicide after over 200 unsuccessful job applications and a family member said that she found “it humiliating that she had been out of work for so long”.

Vicky Harrison was keen for a career as a teacher or a television producer, but a day after her latest rejection, she … Original source on Gaea Times at : Bright student commits suicide after 200 job rejections.

Obamas plan weekend in politically important North Carolina, golf likely on agenda

Obamas head to North Carolina for quick vacation
WASHINGTON – The last time Barack Obama was in Asheville, N.C., he complained he was too busy to play golf. The president plans to fix that this weekend.
Obama and his family were to leave the White House at midday Friday and fly to Asheville, located …. Source article  : Obamas plan weekend in politically important North Carolina, golf likely on agenda.

Youth found hanging from tree in Delhi

NEW DELHI – The body of a 26-year-old man was found hanging from a tree here, a police officer said Friday.

Dharmveer, a resident of Katwaria Sarai in south Delhi, was found hanging in front of a temple early Friday.
“We received a call regarding a dead body at around 6:00 a.m. in front of Gorakhnath … Read more >>.

Action mulled against Nalini

CHENNAI – Sriharan Nalini, serving life sentence over former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, may face disciplinary action following the seizure of a mobile telephone from her cell, a senior official said Friday.

As possession of a mobile phone by a convict is a criminal offence, she could be shifted from the Vellore prison to another … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Action mulled against Nalini.

Jailed mafia leader wants priest to secure release

Rome, April 23 (IANS/AKI) An Italian mafia leader, currently in prison, wants a senior cardinal to mediate for his release on compassionate grounds, officials have said.

Toto Riina, 79, who has heart problems, wants Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, the Archbishop of Milan, to help him get released from prison on compassionate grounds, officials have said, according to …. Original source  : Jailed mafia leader wants priest to secure release.

Colombian model dies after falling from balcony

Bogota, April 23 (IANS/EFE) Colombian model and television presenter Lina Marulanda died when she fell from the balcony of her sixth-floor apartment here in the Colombian capital, authorities have said.

Marulanda died instantly Thursday, authorities said, adding that it was a case of possible suicide.
The model was going through a divorce from her second husband, … Original source on Gaea Times at : Colombian model dies after falling from balcony.

Maoists kill tribal on spying charge

RAIPUR – A group of about 40 Maoist guerrillas murdered a tribal man in Chattisgarh’s violence-hit Dantewada district allegedly because he was a spy, police said Friday.

The incident took place Thursday night at Bhusaras village, about 40 km south of state capital Raipur.
The Maoist rebels stormed into 35-year-old Marwi Manoj’s house and beat him [..] Read the original article: here.

Mexican gang leader gets 101 years for kidnapping

Mexico City, April 23 (IANS/EFE) The leader of a kidnapping gang employed by drug traffickers in Mexico has been sentenced to 101 years and nine months in prison, officials have said.

Jose Alfredo Torres Contreras of the Los Linces gang from Jalisco state was also ordered to pay a fine of 1.04 million pesos ($87,000) for … Original source on Gaea Times at : Mexican gang leader gets 101 years for kidnapping.

Malayalam actor Sreenath found dead in hotel room

KOTHAMANGALAM – Popular Malayalam film and TV actor Sreenath was found dead in a hotel room in this Kerala town Friday morning, police said.

His body was discovered by the hotel staff at about 8.30 a.m., a police official said.
Police have not ruled out the possibility of suicide as his wrist was found slashed, he [..] Read the original article: here.

Two Dominicans wanted for 36 murders held

Santo Domingo, April 23 (IANS/EFE) Two Dominicans, who fled to Mexico after they were implicated in 36 murders-for-hire, were detained there and have now been sent back to the Dominican Republic, police said.

Joel Bautista Vasquez and Sergio Humberto Mota Reynos are also accused of wounding 15 other people.
The pair fled the Dominican Republic for …. Original source  : Two Dominicans wanted for 36 murders held.

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.

Air Pocket Ruins Return Flight

KOCHI, INDIA, (GaeaTimes.com)- Emirates Flight services witnessed its passengers in a panic stricken phase when the airplane got trapped inside an air pocket of 15000 feet. The air pocket made the airplane lose its balance in the higher altitudes which ultimately made it steep down all the way in its flight from Dubai to Kerala.

The … Read more »».

Suicide attack kills 4 in southeastern Afghanistan; crowd protests civilian deaths

Suicide attack kills 4 in southeastern Afghanistan

KABUL – A suicide bomber attacked private security guards while they were at a bazaar in southeastern Afghanistan on Sunday, killing four Afghans and wounding 12, the government said.
Two of the dead and five of the wounded worked for the U.S. Protection and Investigations security firm, an Interior Ministry …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Suicide attack kills 4 in southeastern Afghanistan; crowd protests civilian deaths.

Porn star saves man from prison term

NEW YORK – A porn star helped a US national escape a prison sentence in Puerto Rico for possessing underage pornography by testifying in court that she was actually 19 when the film was shot.

Carlos Simon-Timmerman, who is from Brooklyn, was put on trial in Puerto Rico for allegedly carrying child pornography, New York …. Original source  : Porn star saves man from prison term.

Coast Guard says oil leaking from damaged well after La. rig explosion; weather delays cleanup

Weather delays oil cleanup at Gulf rig blast site

NEW ORLEANS – Stormy weather delayed weekend efforts to mop up leaking oil from a damaged undersea well after the explosion and sinking of a massive rig off Louisiana’s Gulf Coast that left 11 workers missing, authorities said.
The leak was a new discovery Saturday and could have …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Authorities: 10 dead after Miss. tornado obliterates homes; severe thunderstorms hit the South

10 dead in Miss. after tornado, storms hit South

YAZOO CITY, Miss. – Rescuers combed neighborhoods of splintered homes in Mississippi, ferrying the injured on all-terrain vehicles where roads were impassable after a devastating tornado sliced through the state and killed at least 10 people, including three children.
The high winds on Saturday tore roofs off buildings …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Fire in Chandigarh office complex

CHANDIGARH – A major fire broke out Sunday in a shopping-cum-office complex here, gutting a restaurant of a leading chain and badly damaging some offices in the area, officials said.

The restaurant, Barbeque Nation, located on Madhya Marg in Sector 26 was gutted in the blaze.
According to officials, the fire was first noticed by people …. Source article  : Fire in Chandigarh office complex.

SKorea defense minister says torpedo likely tore apart warship near sea border with NKorea

SKorean minister: Torpedo likely sank warship

SEOUL, South Korea – An explosion from a torpedo likely sank a South Korean warship that went down near the tense border with North Korea last month, the South’s defense minister said Sunday amid growing speculation Pyongyang may be behind the blast.
Defense Minister Kim Tae-young said the most likely cause …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : SKorea defense minister says torpedo likely tore apart warship near sea border with NKorea.

‘I saw death from close quarters on Emirates flight’

KOCHI – A passenger, who was onboard the Emirates flight which fell almost 15,000 feet in an air pocket Sunday morning, said he was shocked at “seeing death from close quarters”.

The passengers suffered anxious moments when the aircraft from Dubai to this Kerala city fell sharply from 20,000 feet to 5,000 feet around 7 a.m. …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Poachers kill elephant for ivory in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR – Poachers shot dead an elephant and brutally hacked around its tusks to extract ivory in the Redhakhol Forest Range in Sambalpur district of Orissa, forest officials said Sunday.

The tusker’s mutilated body was found Sunday by officials during the ongoing elephant census in Rampur area of the forest range, over 300 km from here. …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Assam storm kills two, damages 1,500 homes

GUWAHATI – A devastating thunderstorm in Assam overnight has claimed two lives and injured up to 100 people, besides damaging over 1,500 homes, officials said Sunday.

“It was a real devastating storm with the damage quite extensive. We are assessing the damage and doing our best to provide relief to those affected,” state Relief and Rehabilitation … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Assam storm kills two, damages 1,500 homes.

Emirates aircraft suffers air pocket fall

KOCHI – The passengers of an Emirates flight from Dubai to this Kerala city suffered anxious moments Sunday morning when their aircraft fell almost 15,000 feet in an air pocket, an official said.

The official said the incident took place when the aircraft fell sharply from 20,000 feet to 5,000 feet before the pilot could bring …. Original article  : Emirates aircraft suffers air pocket fall.

Mississippi Tornado Kills 10

JACKSON (GaeaTimes.com)- A massive tornado on Saturday reaped the central Mississippi. As per the reports, the estimated 1.6 km tornado had lashed through at least 13 counties and had affected badly at least three counties. 10 people that include three children died on Saturday due to the Mississippi tornado and dozen more have been … Read : Mississippi Tornado Kills 10.

Facebook users’ details on sale in New Zealand

AUCKLAND – A Russian computer hacker is suspected to have set up an underground nexus in New Zealand for selling secret details of people using online social networking site Facebook.

Police are hunting the hacker who may have set up shop in New Zealand, selling the account details of millions of Facebook users, tvnz.co.nz reported.
Detectives …. Read the original article  : Facebook users’ details on sale in New Zealand.

China says quake relief efforts shift from search to reconstruction

China says quake relief will shift to rebuilding

BEIJING – A senior government official said earthquake relief efforts in a Tibetan region will shift from searching for possible survivors to reconstruction and the resettlement of those who lost homes after the temblor flattened tens of thousands of houses, state media reported Sunday.
Saturday was the final day … Original article on : China says quake relief efforts shift from search to reconstruction.

Jason Bohn has 3-stroke lead in suspended third round of Zurich Classic

Bohn leads weather-plagued Zurich Classic
AVONDALE, La. – Jason Bohn had a three-stroke lead Saturday when third-round play in the weather-plagued Zurich Classic was suspended because of darkness.

Bohn, celebrating his 37th birthday, shot a 5-under 67 in the completion of the second round and was even par through six holes in the third.
“What I’m most excited … Read more »».

Meteorologist: Deadly storm likely started in La. before hitting multiple Miss. cities

Deadly Miss. tornado likely started in Louisiana

JACKSON, Miss. – The National Weather Service says it appears the deadly tornado that swept across Mississippi formed to the west in Louisiana before hitting a string of cities.
Meteorologist Mark McCallister says it appears the storm started in Tallulah, La., and went on to Yazoo City, Miss. There was … Original source on Gaea Times at : Meteorologist: Deadly storm likely started in La. before hitting multiple Miss. cities.

Oil spill looms in Gulf of Mexico after rig disaster

WASHINGTON – A major environmental disaster was looming in the Gulf of Mexico as US Coast Guard officials confirmed Saturday that the well under the site of an oil rig disaster was leaking.

Petty Officer John Edwards told CNN that 1,000 barrels of oil – about 168,000 litres – were seeping from at least two places … Original source on Gaea Times at : Oil spill looms in Gulf of Mexico after rig disaster.

Rain, storm leave thousands homeless in Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, April 25 (IANS/EFE) Incessant rain and a powerful storm have battered southern Brazil, leaving thousands of people homeless, officials said.

In Parana, the most affected state, close to 6,000 residents had to leave their flooded houses and are living in public shelters or at the homes of their relatives, regional civil defence agency … Read more »»».

Emergency official: 10 killed by Miss. tornado that also obliterated homes, businesses

10 killed as tornado strikes Miss.; others injured

YAZOO CITY, Miss. – Tornadoes ripped through four states in the South on Saturday, leaving broken crosses in front of a flattened church, splintering houses and overturning vehicles as they killed 10 people, including three children.
One of the hardest hit areas was Mississippi’s Yazoo County, where Gov. Haley …. Source article  : Emergency official: 10 killed by Miss. tornado that also obliterated homes, businesses.

Seven killed in US tornado

WASHINGTON – Seven people died Saturday when a huge tornado scrubbed Louisiana and Mississippi with 240-km-an-hour winds, Mississippi officials said.

“There’s untold damage,” Greg Flynn of Mississippi Emergency Management services told CNN.
The storm system that delivered the twister spawned at least another 40 tornadoes across a broad swath of the US south and mid-west, including … Read more »».

Taiwan Earthquake

TAIPEI, TAIWAN (GaeaTimes.com)- A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.9 was felt in the southern coast of the island of Taiwan on Monday morning. The United States Geological Survey has revealed that the earthquake rocking Taiwan was of the magnitude 6.9 and was initiated at a depth of around 10 km. However, the Central Weather Bureau … Read : Taiwan Earthquake.

SKorea mourns sailors killed in explosion that defense minister believes came from torpedo

SKorea mourns sailors killed in sinking of warship
SEOUL, South Korea – The scent of incense filled the air Monday as South Korea’s president bowed before a memorial for young sailors killed when their warship sank last month in an explosion the defense minister has blamed on a torpedo.
A solemn President Lee Myung-bak joined …. Original source  : SKorea mourns sailors killed in explosion that defense minister believes came from torpedo.

Two arrested with deer skin

LUCKNOW – Two poachers have been arrested with spotted deer skin and several antlers in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district, police said Monday.

The men, in their mid 30s, were nabbed late Sunday from Margoobpur village, about 150 km from here.
“The two admitted they have been selling the skin and hide of wild animals, antlers and [..] Read the original article: here.

Woman, two kids killed in Delhi collapse

NEW DELHI – A 25-year-old construction worker and her two daughters were killed when a building under construction collapsed here, a fire brigade official said Monday.

Gunjan, six-year-old Narmada and six-months-old Bharti were crushed to death when the four-storeyed building in Sector 6 of Rohini came down Sunday night.
“The incident occurred around 8.30 p.m. Seven …. Source  : Woman, two kids killed in Delhi collapse.

12 deaths from violent storms that rip through South; survival tales show toll could be worse

Dozen dead in violent southern storms; 10 in Miss.

YAZOO CITY, Miss. – Morgan Hayden and Joe Moton treaded carefully through nails, broken glass and pink tufts of insulation, the remnants of their home leveled by a tornado that killed at least 10 in rural Mississippi.
The couple had planned to marry in a small ceremony in … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : 12 deaths from violent storms that rip through South; survival tales show toll could be worse.

College student drowns in Punjab dam

MOHALI – A 20-year-old student drowned in the Siswan dam on the outskirts of this city while he was on an excursion trip with his friends, police said Monday.

The victim was identified as Parul Gupta, who was pursuing a diploma course in hotel management from a college in Chandigarh.
“Parul, a resident of …. Read the original article  : College student drowns in Punjab dam.

Tibetan writer detained after signing open letter critical of China’s quake efforts

Tibetan writer detained after quake critique

BEIJING – A Tibetan writer who had signed an open letter critical of the Chinese government’s quake relief efforts in western Qinghui province has been detained by police, according to a family friend.
The writer, who publishes under the name Zhogs Dung but whose real name is Tagyal, was among eight [..] Read the original article: here.

Fire sweeps through slum in Philippine capital, killing 1 and leaving thousands homeless

One dead, thousands homeless in Manila slum fire

MANILA, Philippines – A huge fire that swept through a shantytown outside the Philippine capital has killed one resident, destroyed about 600 houses and left more than 10,000 people homeless.
Metropolitan Manila Fire Marshal Pablito Cordeta says about 200 firetrucks battled Sunday’s fire, which also injured five people, including … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Fire sweeps through slum in Philippine capital, killing 1 and leaving thousands homeless.

Two arrested with animal hides

BHOPAL – Two people were arrested with 13 skins of wild animals during a joint operation launched by police and forest officials in Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh, an official said Monday.

Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of 100 police personnel and 50 forest department officials raided three villages and arrested Ramadhar Saket (60) … Read : Two arrested with animal hides.

6.9 quake hits Philippines

MANILA – A strong earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale hit a sea area off the Philippines Monday, but there was no report of any casualty, a media report said.

The quake struck at 10.59 a.m. local time (0259 GMT) Monday, 271 km off the northwest coast of the Philippines near Batan Islands, Xinhua reported … Read more >>>.

SP legislator booked for manufacturing moonshine

LUCKNOW – A Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator in Uttar Pradesh has been booked for allegedly being involved in supplying and manufacturing illicit liquor in the state, police said Monday.

Vijay Mishra, who represents the Gyanpur assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi district, about 250 km from here, was booked Sunday night.
The case against Mishra was …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : SP legislator booked for manufacturing moonshine.

Afghan police say 2 explosions hit downtown Kandahar; 2 civilians are killed

Afghan police: Explosions hit Kandahar, 2 dead
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – Two explosions struck downtown Kandahar within a minute of each other Monday, killing two civilians in a key southern city where the U.S. is planning an offensive to clear out the Taliban.
The explosions were caused by a car bomb and …. Original article  : Afghan police say 2 explosions hit downtown Kandahar; 2 civilians are killed.

Spanish matador gored during bullfight

Mexico City, April 26 (IANS/EFE) A Spanish bullfighter was gored during a bullfight in Mexico and is now in a serious condition after losing litres of blood.

Jose Tomas was seriously injured when one of the bull’s horns penetrated his body “some 15 centimetres”, piercing his upper left thigh and damaging the superficial and deeper femoral … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Spanish matador gored during bullfight.

Thai protesters block roads to capital, vow to continue occupation of key Bangkok sites

Thai protesters block police on roads to Bangkok

BANGKOK – Thailand’s “Red Shirt” protesters have told followers to fight until victory but ditch their signature red shirts so they can go undercover in case of a possible crackdown as more bomb threats Monday rattled the tense Thai capital.
There was no violence in the central Bangkok shopping … Read : Thai protesters block roads to capital, vow to continue occupation of key Bangkok sites.

Two killed in hot air balloon crash in UAE

Al Ain, April 26 (IANS/WAM) Two people were killed and two injured when a hot air balloon crashed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), aviation officials said.

The crash occurred in Al Nahel area Sunday and the balloon had 14 people on board at the time of the crash, the General Authority of Civil Aviation said … Read more : Two killed in hot air balloon crash in UAE.

1,000 doses of flu vaccine stolen in Peru

Lima, April 26 (IANS/EFE) A box containing 1,000 doses of swine flu vaccine, which were to be used for vaccinating over three million Peruvian citizens, has been stolen in Lima, the health ministry has said.

The theft occurred Saturday, when the vehicle was transporting the vaccines to a warehouse.
The vaccine doses that were stolen were … Read more »».

USGS says major earthquake strikes off southeast coast of Taiwan

Major earthquake hits off Taiwan coast
TAIPEI, Taiwan – A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck off the southeast coast of Taiwan on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake swayed buildings in the capital, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage and no tsunami alert was issued.

The quake hit at 10:59 a.m. local …. Source article  : USGS says major earthquake strikes off southeast coast of Taiwan.

SKorea defense minister says torpedo blast likely sank warship, as country mourns victims

SKorea mourns victims of ship blast
SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea’s president Monday bemoaned the “precious deaths” of dozens of sailors killed when an explosion destroyed their warship, as suspicion increasingly fell on a North Korean torpedo blast in the disaster.
Defense Minister Kim Tae-young said Sunday that an underwater explosion appeared … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : SKorea defense minister says torpedo blast likely sank warship, as country mourns victims.

Complex underwater operation could be quick fix for gulf oil leak; drilling needed if it fails

Quick end to gulf oil leak depends on robot subs

NEW ORLEANS – It could take hours or it could take months to stop a 42,000-gallon-a-day oil leak polluting the Gulf of Mexico at the site of a wrecked drilling platform. Whether the environmental threat grows many times bigger depends on whether the oil company can …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Air Arabia plane makes emergency landing in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – An Air Arabia flight, carrying 165 passengers from Dubai to Chittagang in Bangladesh, made an emergency landing at Pakistan’s Karachi airport soon after fire broke out in the cargo section of the plane.

Spokesman of the Pakistani Civil Aviation Authority said that all the passengers were safely evacuated after it was landed at the …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Air Arabia plane makes emergency landing in Pakistan.

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.

Man who killed Indian American doctor carried 1,000 bullets

WASHINGTON – The Chinese doctor who shot dead his former Indian American supervisor after stalking him was found to be carrying 1,000 rounds of ammunition, enough to carry out a massacre.

The suspect, Lishan Wang, 44, was arraigned Tuesday on charges that he shot Dr. Vajinder Pal Toor, 34, five times in Branford, Connecticut Monday …. Source  : Man who killed Indian American doctor carried 1,000 bullets.

Probe into politician-cops-drug mafia nexus hits dead end?

PANAJI – The much touted investigation into Goa’s police-politician-narcotics mafia nexus may have reached a dead end, a senior crime branch official has admitted.

The official also denied claims by Swedish model Lucky Farmhouse, former girlfriend of arrested Israeli drug dealer Yaniv Benaim alias Atala, that no efforts had been made by the Goa police … Original article on : Probe into politician-cops-drug mafia nexus hits dead end?.

Unidentified man found hanging from tree in Delhi

NEW DELHI – The body of an unidentified 26-year-old man was found hanging from a tree in a park in south Delhi’s Kalkaji area Wednesday, police said.

“We got to know about the incident at 7 a.m. Our team found a person hanging from a tree. He was dead. Investigations are on to determine the cause …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Coast Guard may light oil spill on fire in Gulf of Mexico; worry along gulf coast grows

Coast Guard considers lighting oil spill on fire

NEW ORLEANS – Efforts to close a well spewing oil in the Gulf of Mexico are failing so the Coast Guard is considering lighting the mess on fire.
Crews have been unable to stop thousands of barrels of oil from fouling gulf waters since an April 20 explosion sank … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Coast Guard may light oil spill on fire in Gulf of Mexico; worry along gulf coast grows.

Ring for appointment, cops tell Briton

LONDON – A Briton who went to a police station to report his car being vandalised was told he must call up first as “you can’t just pop in, you have to ring”.

Andy Bevan, 57, went to Peeler House police station in Hessle, Hull, the morning after his car was vandalised.
“The officer said something …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Arshad, Tusshar smoke in college campus, NGO complains

PANAJI – Tobacco watchdog National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) has filed a police complaint against Bollywood actors Arshad Warsi and Tusshar Kapoor for smoking in a college campus in Goa.

In his complaint to the district Superintendent of Police Allen D’Sa and officials of the state tobacco control cell, NOTE general secretary Shekhar … Read more »»».

Spring storm in northern NY, New England drops a foot of snow or more in some areas

Northern NY, New England storm drops foot of snow

ALBANY, N.Y. – A spring storm in northern New York and New England has dumped more than a foot of snow in some areas.
Some of the heaviest-hit places are in Vermont. The National Weather Service says North Underhill received more than 13 inches of snow by early …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Spring storm in northern NY, New England drops a foot of snow or more in some areas.

Malcolm X assassin freed on parole

NEW YORK – The man who shot dead US civil rights leader Malcolm X has been granted parole after spending 44 years in jail.

Malcolm X was murdered Feb 21, 1965 in New York while giving a speech at the Audubon ballroom here. He was addressing a gathering of Organisation of Afro-American Unity.
His horrified family … Original source on Gaea Times at : Malcolm X assassin freed on parole.

Doctor who killed 8 kids executed in China

BEIJING – A mentally-unstable doctor who stabbed eight schoolchildren to death was executed Wednesday in China’s Fujian province, a media report said.

Zheng Minsheng, 41, who murdered the eight children March 23 at the gate of the Nanping Experimental Elementary School, had admitted in court that he “intentionally” killed them.
He was put in front of …. Source  : Doctor who killed 8 kids executed in China.

Over 2,700 shots fired at Mexican official

Mexico City, April 28 (IANS/EFE) More than 2,700 bullets were fired at a Mexican official in a failed attempt on her life, an official has said.

Public safety secretary Minerva Bautista Gomez, who was wounded in the attack in the western state of Michoacan, “is now stable and she’ll leave the hospital very soon”, the official …. Original article  : Over 2,700 shots fired at Mexican official.

Criminal case against BJP MLA for land grabbing

LUCKNOW – Uttar Pradesh police have filed a criminal case against a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator for allegedly grabbing a farmer’s land and assaulting his family members in Rampur district, officials said Wednesday.

Kanshiram Diwakar, who represents the Shahbad assembly constituency in Rampur district, about 200 km from here, forcibly occupied Asharfi Lal’s land last … Read more >>.

In new book, Laura Bush writes of guilt, losing faith for many years after ‘63 fatal accident

Laura Bush discusses fatal crash in her new book

NEW YORK – Former U.S. first lady Laura Bush is going public about a car crash in Midland, Texas, that claimed the life of a high school friend when she was 17.
In her new book, “Spoken from the Heart,” she describes being wracked by guilt and losing … Read this article on Gaea Times at : In new book, Laura Bush writes of guilt, losing faith for many years after ‘63 fatal accident.

Indian American doctor killed by former Chinese colleague

WASHINGTON – A Chinese doctor allegedly murdered his former Indian American supervisor after stalking the victim who he blamed for getting him fired, according to prosecutors.

The suspect, Lishan Wang, 44, was arraigned Tuesday on charges that he shot Dr. Vajinder Pal Toor, 34, five times in Branford, Connecticut Monday morning in the parking lot of …. Source  : Indian American doctor killed by former Chinese colleague.

Indian gets jail term for brokerage fraud in US

WASHINGTON – An Indian national has been sentenced to 81 months in prison for his alleged role in an international fraud scheme to “hack, pump and dump” online brokerage accounts in the US.

Jaisankar Marimuthu, 36, a native of Chennai, who was extradited to the US following his arrest in Hong Kong, was also ordered Tuesday … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Indian gets jail term for brokerage fraud in US.

Pilot error blamed in 2007 Kenya Airways crash in Cameroon that killed 114 people

Pilot error blamed for 2007 crash that killed 114

NAIROBI, Kenya – An investigative report released Wednesday blamed pilot error for the 2007 crash of Kenya Airways flight in Cameroon that killed all 114 people on board.
The pilot of the Kenya Airways flight didn’t notice the plane was banking right and when he did he turned … Read more »».

Officials: Trans-Atlantic flight diverted after man claims to have explosives in luggage

Source: Man cites explosives, jet diverts to Maine

BANGOR, Maine – The former Air Force member who was detained Tuesday on a trans-Atlantic flight after allegedly claiming he had explosives in his luggage and a fake passport lives a “squeaky clean” life and has never been in trouble before, his father told The Associated Press.
Richard Stansberry … Read more : Officials: Trans-Atlantic flight diverted after man claims to have explosives in luggage.

Ex-Air Force member detained on flight allegedly claimed to have explosives, officials say

Man allegedly claimed to have explosives on plane

BANGOR, Maine – The former Air Force member who was detained Tuesday on a trans-Atlantic flight after allegedly claiming he had explosives in his luggage and a fake passport lives a “squeaky clean” life and has never been in trouble before, his father told The Associated Press.
Richard Stansberry …. Original article  : Ex-Air Force member detained on flight allegedly claimed to have explosives, officials say.

Federal judge rules University of Wyoming must allow William Ayers to speak on campus

Judge: Univ. of Wyo. must allow Ayers’ speech
CASPER, Wyo. – A judge who served as a Marine in Vietnam ruled Tuesday the University of Wyoming must allow William Ayers to speak on campus, but also expressed disdain for an anti-war group co-founded by the former radical that claimed responsibility in the 1960s … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Federal judge rules University of Wyoming must allow William Ayers to speak on campus.

Chile Catholic church bombed as men allege abuse on national TV

Chile Catholic church hit by abuse claims, bomb

SANTIAGO, Chile – Chile’s Roman Catholic Church was shaken by a series of dramatic televised interviews of men alleging they were abused by a respected former priest, followed hours later by a bombing that damaged a church’s facade.
Four men detailed their claims – which also are the subject … Read more >>>.

Official: Man who forced flight to be diverted to Maine is former member of Air Force

Source: Former Air Force member claims explosives

BANGOR, Maine – The former Air Force member who was detained Tuesday on a trans-Atlantic flight after allegedly claiming he had explosives in his luggage and a fake passport lives a “squeaky clean” life and has never been in trouble before, his father told The Associated Press.
Richard Stansberry said …. Original article  : Official: Man who forced flight to be diverted to Maine is former member of Air Force.

Delhi University apologises for radioactive leak

NEW DELHI – Delhi University Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental Thursday accepted “moral responsibility” for the radioactive accident that killed one man and injured seven in a scrap market here. The radioactive source was traced to the university’s chemistry department laboratory.

“The university is very apologetic and takes moral responsibility (for the accident)… No amount can compensate …. Read the original article  : Delhi University apologises for radioactive leak.

Ayers draws crowd at University of Wyoming appearance, few protesters and no heckling

Ayers speech at Univ. of Wyo. without incident
LARAMIE, Wyo. – In the end, the former 1960s radical delivered a professional speech that drew more than a thousand listeners and very few protesters.
Security was tight Wednesday as William Ayers spoke on education concerns at the University of Wyoming after a federal judge forced the … Original article on : Ayers draws crowd at University of Wyoming appearance, few protesters and no heckling.

Coast Guard: Feds offer to step in to contain massive Gulf oil spill; leak worse than thought

Officials: Leaks spewing more oil into Gulf
NEW ORLEANS – A massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is even worse than officials believed and the federal government is offering to help industry giant BP contain the slick that is threatening parts of the U.S. shoreline, the Coast Guard said.
A new leak discovered …. Original article  : Coast Guard: Feds offer to step in to contain massive Gulf oil spill; leak worse than thought.

Lightning kills five in Tripura

AGARTALA – Five people, including two children, were killed and 11 injured in lightning strikes in different parts of Tripura, officials said Thursday.

Eight-year-old Rajiv Bhoumij and his six-year-old sister Sunimalal died on the spot and their parents suffered burns in the incident in west Tripura district’s Bishalgarh block Wednesday night. The family was sleeping … Original source on Gaea Times at : Lightning kills five in Tripura.

SKorean buries 46 sailors killed in warship sinking at military funeral, vows to retaliate

South Korea buries sailors killed in ship sinking
DAEJEON, South Korea – South Korea laid to rest 46 sailors killed in the sinking of a navy warship during an emotional and solemn burial Thursday, as officials vowed retaliation against those responsible for what many believe was a North Korean attack.
Wailing families placed white chrysanthemums, … Read : SKorean buries 46 sailors killed in warship sinking at military funeral, vows to retaliate.

New Orleans restauranteurs, oyster dealers eye oil slick that threatens traditional delicacy

Leaking oil threatens Gulf Coast delicacy
NEW ORLEANS – Al Sunseri can get oysters shipped from the Pacific Northwest, the mid-Atlantic coast or the Northeast if he needs to, but the customers of his family-owned oyster business in the French Quarter – mostly New Orleans restaurateurs – have palates and recipes geared to the salinity and …. Original article  : New Orleans restauranteurs, oyster dealers eye oil slick that threatens traditional delicacy.

Damaged cable hits train services

LUCKNOW – Movement of several trains has been affected on the busy Delhi-Howrah rail route after an overhead power cable was damaged in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district Thursday, officials said.

At least six long-distance trains came to a halt near Pura railway station in Hathras, some 300 km from Lucknow, after the cable snapped around 11 …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Damaged cable hits train services.

Briton gets 18 months in jail for molesting student

HONG KONG – A British private tutor has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for molesting a five-year-old girl student, a media report said Thursday.

Nigel Russell Harris, 43, pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of indecent assault after being accused of touching the girl’s private parts at a flat here Sep 9 and 14 last [..] Read the original article: here.

$800,000 found in abandoned car

Mexico City, April 29 (IANS/EFE) Nearly $800,000 in cash was found inside an abandoned car after police gave it a chase in Mexico’s Culiacan city, officials said.

Police were patrolling the streets of Culiacan when they noticed a car speed off on seeing them. When they pursued it, the driver pulled into a parking lot and … Read more >>.

Man gets life for killing woman lawyer

BHUBANESWAR – An Orissa court Thursday awarded life term to a man for raping and murdering a woman advocate last year in Bhadrak district, a lawyer for the prosecution said.

Fast track court judge Pradumna Kumar Nayak, based in Bhadrak town, 142 km from here, declared Chitta Ranajn Sahu, 36, guilty after examining 22 witnesses, …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Fire officials: 4 children killed, 2 adults injured in California apartment blaze

4 children die in California apartment fire

FAIRFIELD, Calif. – Fire officials say four children have been killed and two adults injured in an apartment building fire in Fairfield.
Fairfield Assistant Fire Marshal Jerry Clark says when fire crews reached the single-story fourplex around 9:10 p.m. Wednesday they found three of the children dead at the scene. …. Source article  : Fire officials: 4 children killed, 2 adults injured in California apartment blaze.

Madhuri Gupta visited area near LoC this March

JAMMU – Indian diplomat Madhuri Gupta, arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan’s spy agency ISI, had visited the Sunderbani border area in Jammu and Kashmir last month and stayed with a doctor couple, intelligence sources said.

Gupta, 53, had been to Sunderbani, close to the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district, for two …. Read the original article  : Madhuri Gupta visited area near LoC this March.

Crises over volcanic ash and Greek credit reveal dysfunction at heart of European project

Ash, Greek credit crises reveal a disunited Europe

LONDON – It can be easy to forget about borders in Europe, a continent united by fast trains, cheap flights, a single currency and passport-free travel stretching from Portugal to Poland.
A pair of massive crises that hit the European Union this month have been a startling reminder, however, … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Crises over volcanic ash and Greek credit reveal dysfunction at heart of European project.

Teen stabs brother to death over videogame

Santiago (Chile), April 29 (IANS/EFE) A 16-year-old boy stabbed his brother, 18, to death in the Chilean capital here after a quarrel while playing a videogame, police said.

The incident occurred Tuesday night when the two siblings were playing a videogame with two other friends, police said Wednesday.
The victim, Manuel Mu??oz Gonzalez, and his brother, … Read : Teen stabs brother to death over videogame.

SKorean mourns 46 sailors killed in warship sinking at military funeral, vows to retaliate

South Korea honors sailors killed in ship sinking
PYEONGTAEK, South Korea – Sirens blared across South Korea on Thursday as a solemn military funeral honored 46 seamen killed after a blast sank their warship last month. Officials vowed retaliation against those responsible for an attack many believe North Korea launched.
Warships anchored at the base … Read more »».

Delhi University staff to be questioned in radiation case

NEW DELHI – Delhi University’s department of chemistry staff will be questioned Thursday after the source of the radioactive material, which claimed one life and affected seven in a west Delhi scrap market, was traced to the department’s laboratory, police said.

Late Wednesday, police revealed that the radioactive gamma cell containing Cobalt 60 was auctioned …. Source  : Delhi University staff to be questioned in radiation case.

28 children stabbed in China

BEIJING – Twenty-eight children were stabbed by a 47-year-old man at a kindergarten in China’s Jiangsu province Thursday, the second such knife attack on children in the country in as many days.

Two teachers and a security guard were also injured in the incident that took place at 9.30 a.m. local time in Zhongxin Kindergarten in … Original source on Gaea Times at : 28 children stabbed in China.

Coast Guard: 5 times more oil leaking from well in Gulf of Mexico; BP disputes estimate

New oil leak in well of sunken drilling rig
NEW ORLEANS – Five times more oil a day than previously believed is spewing into the Gulf of Mexico from a blown-out well of a sunken drilling rig, the Coast Guard said Wednesday, an estimate the oil company trying to contain the massive spill disputes.
A … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Coast Guard: 5 times more oil leaking from well in Gulf of Mexico; BP disputes estimate.

Eight die in Bihar boat mishap

At least eight people drowned when a country boat capsized in a local river in Bihar last night, officials said today.

Officials said the victims were crossing a river on a boat when it capsized in the midstream.
The victims were returning after attending a feast on the other side of the river when the boat sank. …. Source article  : Eight die in Bihar boat mishap.

40 arrested for communal clash in Rae Bareli

LUCKNOW – Around 40 people have been arrested for their involvement in a communal clash that left at least 12 people injured in Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli district, police said Thursday.

An altercation Wednesday between boys of two communities playing cricket Wednesday in Rae Bareli’s Jais town, some 80 km from Lucknow, snowballed into a clash … Read more >>>.

Civilian dies as separatists protest in Srinagar

SRINAGAR – A 40-year-old man died Friday after supporters of hardline senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani stoned a vehicle in which he was travelling even as the protesters, shouting anti-India slogans, tried to take out a march in this Jammu and Kashmir capital, police said.

Shafiq Ahmad Sheikh, a peon in the secondary school board, … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Civilian dies as separatists protest in Srinagar.

Major Bangkok hospital evacuates after anti-government protesters storm in to hunt for troops

Thai hospital evacuated after protesters storm it

BANGKOK – A major Thai hospital evacuated patients and suspended all but emergency surgery Friday after anti-government protesters stormed in to hunt for security forces they suspected were taking positions there overlooking their barricaded enclave.
A group of the so-called Red Shirts broke into Chulalongkorn Hospital late Thursday despite pleas …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Major Bangkok hospital evacuates after anti-government protesters storm in to hunt for troops.

Two CRPF troopers held for smuggling explosives

LUCKNOW – The Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh police Friday claimed to have busted a gang, including Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men, involved in smuggling of arms and explosives with the arrest of four people, including two troopers.

“Those arrested are a retired sub-inspector (armourer) of the state police, two CRPF men …. Original article  : Two CRPF troopers held for smuggling explosives.

Storm kills six in Bihar

A powerful storm hit Bihar again last night, killing six villagers, including two children.
Officials said the storms hit Begusarai district in central Bihar last night, causing a heavy damage to life and property.

Most of the victims were asleep and were caught unawares by the storms.
Storms also damaged around 200 houses.
Early this month, another powerful storm …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Punjab cop who mistakenly shot youth suspended

MOGA – Punjab police Friday suspended an official who mistook a 19-year-old for a criminal and shot him.

According to police, head constable Baljeet Singh had fired at Budh Singh, who was sitting in his car with his fianc?? at a roadside near Daudhar village here Thursday. The cop said he thought that Budh Singh was … Original article on : Punjab cop who mistakenly shot youth suspended.

Large number of endangered sea turtles wash up dead on Texas Gulf Coast as nesting begins

Many endangered turtles dying on Texas Gulf Coast

HIGH ISLAND, Texas – Flies buzz everywhere and the stench is overwhelming as biologist Lyndsey Howell stops to analyze the remains of yet another endangered sea turtle washed up from the Gulf of Mexico.
“It’s been on the beach for a while,” Howell says, flipping over the decomposing, dried-out …. Read the original article  : Large number of endangered sea turtles wash up dead on Texas Gulf Coast as nesting begins.

With oil slick headed ashore in Gulf, BP faces largest PR challenge since Exxon Valdez

Rig explosion dirties BP’s green image
NEW YORK – BP brands itself a friend of the environment, an energy company that goes “beyond petroleum.”

That image, worth billions of dollars, is being sullied by the company’s inability to contain a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
As the expanding oil slick threatens marshlands and wildlife along … Read more »».

10 arrested for helping criminals escape police custody

BHOPAL – Ten people have been arrested for attacking a police party that was escorting three criminals to a jail in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district, police said Friday. Two of the criminals managed to escape in the melee.

The incident occurred Thursday when three undertrials – Bhim Thakur, Kuldeep Parihar and Vinod – accused in a …. Source  : 10 arrested for helping criminals escape police custody.

Australian court hands over sex toys to cops

MELBOURNE – An Australian court has awarded control of sex toys seized from a brothel to the police, but the prosecutor wasn’t sure “what police would do with them”.

Georgia Nicola, the former manager of Snoopy’s brothel, Friday pleaded guilty to running a brothel and living on the earnings of prostitution, Adelaide Now reported.
Adelaide Magistrates … Read more : Australian court hands over sex toys to cops.

Rajasthan couple defy panchayat, prefer death to separation

BARMER – A newly-married couple in Rajasthan’s Barmer district have requested the authorities to allow them to commit suicide, as they would rather die than be separated on the orders of their panchayat.

Khama and her husband Chatraram approached the district collector during a public hearing session Tuesday and urged him to permit them to end … Read : Rajasthan couple defy panchayat, prefer death to separation.

Massive spill means uncertain future for new offshore ventures

Gulf spill spells uncertainty for new drilling

PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. – In the conservative Florida Pandhandle, where Sarah Palin’s battle cry “Drill, Baby, Drill” is still visible on car bumpers, some are reconsidering their support of offshore drilling as a growing spill in the Gulf of Mexico drifts closer to shore.
Charter captain Jim McMahon, who spent … Read more : Massive spill means uncertain future for new offshore ventures.

Major Bangkok hospital evacuates patients after break-in by Thai anti-government protesters

Thai protesters storm major hospital in Bangkok

BANGKOK – A major hospital in the Thai capital evacuated patients and suspended all but emergency surgery Friday after anti-government protesters who occupy a nearby zone stormed in to hunt for security forces they suspected were positioned there.
A group of so-called Red Shirts broke into Chulalongkorn Hospital late Thursday …. Original article  : Major Bangkok hospital evacuates patients after break-in by Thai anti-government protesters.

Major Bangkok hospital evacuates patients after break-in by Thai anti-government protesters

Thai protesters storm major hospital in Bangkok

BANGKOK – A major hospital in the Thai capital evacuated patients and suspended all but emergency surgery Friday after anti-government protesters who occupy an adjacent zone stormed in to hunt for security forces they suspected were positioned there.
A group of so-called Red Shirts broke into Chulalongkorn Hospital late Thursday … Read more »»».

Relatives of Miss. tornado victim say she lost her life shielding her 3 sons from raging winds

Relatives: Tornado victim lost life shielding sons

JACKSON, Miss. – Nikki Bradshaw Carpenter was tough: she could kill a deer and skin it. But when it came to her three sons, the 31-year-old mother was a nurturer and a protector.
Thus, friends and family say it came as no surprise to learn Carpenter had lost her life … Read more : Relatives of Miss. tornado victim say she lost her life shielding her 3 sons from raging winds.

Man stabbed 28 kids to take ‘revenge on society’

BEIJING – A 46-year-old unemployed man who stabbed 28 children at a kindergarten school in China’a Jiangsu province has said the attack was his “revenge on society”, police said Friday.

Xu Yuyuan, detained after the horrific knife attack Thursday at a kindergarten in Taixing city, said he was angry over a series of business and personal … Read more : Man stabbed 28 kids to take ‘revenge on society’.

Murdered India-American’s family goes to US for funeral

MOHALI – The family of an Indian-American doctor, shot dead by his former Chinese colleague, has left for the US to attend his funeral.

Vajinder Pal Toor, 34, was shot by Lishan Wang, 44, five times at the former’s condominium complex parking in Branford, Connecticut, Monday. Wang was sacked two years ago from a Brooklyn hospital …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Pelicans, otters, mink along fragile La. islands, marshes in path of oil spill oozing ashore

Pelicans, otters along La. shore in path of spill
MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER – Oil from a massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico was starting to ooze ashore, threatening migrating birds, nesting pelicans and even river otters and mink along Louisiana’s fragile islands and barrier marshes.
Crews in boats were patrolling … Read more »»».

Man kills himself after attacking school kids in China

BEIJING – A Chinese man immolated himself after viciously hitting five kindergarten children and a teacher with a hammer at a school in China’s Shandong province Friday, police said. This is the third attack on school children in as many days

The attacker, identified as Wang Yonglai, a farmer from Shangzhuang village in Fangzi district of …. Original source  : Man kills himself after attacking school kids in China.

Five women killed in Haryana religious meet stampede

SIRSA – At least five women devotees were killed in a stampede early Friday during a religious gathering at the Dera Sacha Sauda sect headquarters near this Haryana town, police said.

The stampede took place around midnight when a congregation of the sect ended and ‘prasad’ and gifts were being distributed to devotees of sect chief …. Original article  : Five women killed in Haryana religious meet stampede.

Five killed in Uttar Pradesh road accident

LUCKNOW – At least five people, including three women, were killed and seven injured when a mini-truck rammed into their tempo in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi district Friday, police said.

The accident occurred along the Varanasi-Allahabad Highway in Gopiganj area in Bhadohi, some 250 km from here, when the speeding mini-truck ploughed into the tempo, …. Read the original article  : Five killed in Uttar Pradesh road accident.