Rule change by federal regulators allowed BP to avoid drawing up blowout plan for Gulf rig

Feds let BP avoid filing blowout plan for Gulf rig

NEW ORLEANS – Petrochemical giant BP didn’t file a plan to specifically handle a major oil spill from an uncontrolled blowout at its Deepwater Horizon project because the federal agency that regulates offshore rigs changed its rules two years ago to exempt certain projects in the …. Source  : Rule change by federal regulators allowed BP to avoid drawing up blowout plan for Gulf rig.

Floods threaten Kashmir Valley after incessant rains

SRINAGAR – Low lying areas in the Kashmir Valley faced the prospect of floods Thursday with water levels in all major rivers and streams rising alarmingly following two days of incessant rain.

Jhelum, the biggest river in the valley, and its tributaries like the Sindh, Lidder, Ferozepur, Ramiyar and Pohru were brimming over due to …. Original source  : Floods threaten Kashmir Valley after incessant rains.

Official: Researchers pin down zone in Atlantic depths that held Air France crash black boxes

Searchers locate zone of Air France black boxes

PARIS – Investigators have narrowed down the zone in the Atlantic depths where the black box flight recorders of Air France Flight 447 are believed to be located, nearly a year after it crashed, officials said Thursday.
Researchers have determined an area of 5 square kilometers (about 2 square … Original source on Gaea Times at : Official: Researchers pin down zone in Atlantic depths that held Air France crash black boxes.

Official: NYC car bomb suspect did a dry run 3 days before failed attack on Times Square

Official: NY car bomb suspect did a dry run

NEW YORK – In the days before his failed attempt to detonate a car bomb in the heart of Times Square, the man who had recently returned from his native Pakistan did a dry run and dropped off a getaway car blocks from the site, a law …. Original source  : Official: NYC car bomb suspect did a dry run 3 days before failed attack on Times Square.

Boat with 100-ton containment contraption to capture Gulf oil gusher sails to disaster site

Expedition to contain oil leak begins in Gulf

ON THE GULF OF MEXICO – A 100-ton concrete-and-steel contraption designed to siphon off the oil fouling the Gulf of Mexico was being hauled to the spot in the sea where a blown-out well is spewing hundreds of thousands of gallons of petroleum a day.
Engineers hope it will …. Read the original article  : here.

Nashville residents return home to devastation, others still can’t reach flooded homes

Nashville residents return home to devastation

NASHVILLE, TENN. – Amanda Fatheree had about an hour to flee the floodwaters from her west Nashville home Sunday with her husband, mother and three young children. What she saw when she returned a day later left her heartbroken.
Furniture she and her husband spent years paying off stood in their … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Nashville residents return home to devastation, others still can’t reach flooded homes.

While oil spill hurts offshore drilling bids, a wider impact on energy policy is unclear

Bid to enact energy bill might survive Gulf spill
WASHINGTON – The Gulf oil spill has dealt a big blow to expanded offshore drilling, leaving the nation’s energy problems as murky and unsettled as ever.
The disaster may bolster arguments for greater energy conservation and renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, environmentalists say. …. Read the original article  : here.

UK, Ireland hopeful volcanic ash clouds dissipating so normal air traffic can resume

UK, Irish hopeful volcanic ash clouds dissipating

DUBLIN – British and Irish authorities are hopeful of re-establishing normal air traffic Thursday following two days of shutdowns caused by a new wave of dense volcanic ash from Iceland.
The ash clouds snarled air traffic Wednesday in Ireland and Scotland, stranding tens of thousands of people, but narrowly missing … Read more >>>.

Russian tanker freed from Somali pirates

Moscow, May 6 (IANS/RIA Novosti) A Russian anti-ship cruiser has freed a Russian tanker hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, an official from the maritime coalition forces said Thursday.

Officials decided to seize the tanker, Moscow University, as they knew the sailors on board had taken cover in a place inaccessible to the …. Source article  : Russian tanker freed from Somali pirates.

Dhaka seeks Delhi’s help to nab Mujib killers

DHAKA – Bangladesh has sought New Delhi’s help to nab two of the six fugitive killers of its founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who was assassinated 35 years ago.

Home Minister Sahara Khatun, who made the request to Indian High Commissioner Rajeet Mitter, did not say when the fugitive killers visited India.
Mitter assured … Read more »»».

Nine killed in Haryana road accident

PANIPAT – Nine pilgrims returning from the famous shrine of Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir were killed Thursday morning when their vehicle collided with a truck near here.

The incident occurred at National Highway (NH) No.1 (Ambala-Delhi) in Samalkha town, 15 km from this industrial city.
“The victims were returning from Mata Vaishno Devi temple … Original source on Gaea Times at : Nine killed in Haryana road accident.

Five arrested with counterfeit notes printed in Pakistan

LUCKNOW – Five people were arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur districtfor circulating counterfeit currency notes printed in Pakistan, police said Thursday.

The five men, in their mid 30s, were nabbed from Asuran, about 300 km from here, Wednesday.
“All five are residents of Gorakhpur district and were entrusted with the task of circulating fake … Read : Five arrested with counterfeit notes printed in Pakistan.

Poacher arrested, 23 kg dolphin oil seized

PATNA – A team of forest officials and police recovered 23 kg of dolphin oil and arrested a poacher in separate raids in Patna district, officials said Thursday.

The team raided two houses in Islamganj village and seized 20 kg dolphin oil.
“Dolphin oil was kept in three containers but no arrest was made in … Original source on Gaea Times at : Poacher arrested, 23 kg dolphin oil seized.

25 dead after tornado, storm in southwestern China, more than 150 injured

25 dead after tornado, storm in southwestern China

BEIJING – A tornado and strong winds in southwestern China killed 25 people and injured more than 150 early Thursday, state media reported.
Several homes collapsed in the city of Chongqing, but the number was still being tallied, said the disaster relief director at the Chongqing civil affairs bureau.
The … Read more >>.

Haiti president seeks to remain in office if post-quake election for successor is not held

Haiti prez to extend term if election not held

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Haitian President Rene Preval said Wednesday he will stay in office up to three months past the end of his term if his earthquake-ravaged nation does not hold a presidential election as scheduled.
His aide said the extension is needed to avoid chaos in case … Read more »».

Magnitude 6.4 quake hits southern Peru; near Chile border

Magnitude 6.4 quake hits southern Peru
LIMA, Peru – A magnitude-6.4 earthquake shook southern Peru near the Chilean border late Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. There were reports of toppled electricity poles in the Peruvian city of Tacna.

The USGS said the quake’s epicenter was 25 kilometers (15 miles) west of Tacna at a depth of …. Read the original article  : Magnitude 6.4 quake hits southern Peru; near Chile border.

23 killed in China thunderstorm

BEIJING – At least 23 people were killed and 161 injured after strong gale and heavy rain swept China’s Chongqing region Thursday morning, officials said.

The disastrous weather started at around 2.00 a.m. local time in Dianjiang and Liangping counties, toppling houses and damaging crops, Xinhua quoted government officials as saying.
Six people were killed and [..] Read the original article: here.

Japan restarts troubled fast-breeder reactor for first time in 14 years

Japan reactor reopens after 1995 accident
TOKYO – Japan restarted a costly fast-breeder nuclear reactor Thursday for the first time since it was shut down 14 years ago because of a major accident and cover-up.

After getting a final government go-ahead, workers began Thursday removing control rods from the plutonium-fired reactor in the northern fishing town of … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Japan restarts troubled fast-breeder reactor for first time in 14 years.

Officials: 1 dead, 1 critically injured in blast on north Ala. Army base that tests missiles

Officials: 1 dead, 1 hurt in Army base explosion

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – One of two contract workers injured in an explosion Wednesday while removing a propellant from rockets at Redstone Arsenal has died.
Deputy Public Affairs Officer Kimberly Henry said the two injured were taken to the burn unit at UAB Hospital in Birmingham. UAB Hospital spokesman …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

300 kg synthetic drugs seized in Mexico

Mexico City, May 6 (IANS/EFE) More than 300 kg of synthetic drugs valued at $7.8 million have been seized by Mexican army troops in Tijuana city, near the border with San Diego, the defence secretariat said.

The quantity of drugs was sufficient to produce nearly 942,000 doses, it said.
The drugs were found packed in 276 … Read : 300 kg synthetic drugs seized in Mexico.