Tides bring oil _ and resentment _ to Florida, lone Gulf holdout on offshore drilling

In Fla., resentment washes ashore along with oil

PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. – For decades, billions poured into Gulf Coast states that allowed oil drilling off their shores. Economies grew, jobs were created and millionaires were born all along the waterfront. Everywhere, that is, except Florida.
People of all political stripes largely banded together in the Sunshine State, …. Original article  : Tides bring oil _ and resentment _ to Florida, lone Gulf holdout on offshore drilling.

Sainthia train accident throws up real life heroes

SURI – The horrific train accident at Sainthia that has claimed at least 63 lives also brought out the undying human spirit among ordinary people, among them an 80-year-old woman who walked a long distance to donate blood for victims.

Khojtaba Bibi has become an icon in Suri, the headquarters of Birbhum district where Sainthia is … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Sainthia train accident throws up real life heroes.

Feds say oil and gas leaking from cap on BP’s well of minor concern, focus instead on big fix

Feds look past oil leaking from BP’s cap
NEW ORLEANS – Oil from BP’s blown out well is again seeping into the Gulf of Mexico, but this time, more slowly and scientists aren’t convinced the cap that stopped the flow last week is making things worse.

The government said Monday that oil was seeping into the Gulf …. Read the original article  : Feds say oil and gas leaking from cap on BP’s well of minor concern, focus instead on big fix.

China’s Three Gorges dam withstands peak flood test

BEIJING – The Three Gorges Dam, China’s main reservoir built on Yangtze river last year, Tuesday passed its biggest flood control test by sustaining a massive water flow, greater than the 1998 floodings which claimed over 4,000 lives.

According to Xinhua, the flow on the river’s upper reaches topped 70,000 cubic metres a second Tuesday — …. Original source  : China’s Three Gorges dam withstands peak flood test.

Floods, landslides kill 37 in central China as world’s largest dam at its highest level ever

Floods, landslides kill 37 in central China

BEIJING – Rescuers in China were searching Tuesday for 30 people buried in landslides as flood waters from days of heavy rain surged past the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest.
Soldiers used bulldozers to plow through debris in search of survivors on Tuesday in Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces, while …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Floods, landslides kill 37 in central China as world’s largest dam at its highest level ever.

Karzai reaffirms goal of having Afghan security forces take lead by 2014

Karzai reaffirms 2014 goal for Afghan-led security
KABUL, Afghanistan – President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday reaffirmed his commitment for Afghan police and soldiers to take charge of security throughout the nation by 2014 and urged his international partners to spend their money on Afghan priorities, not short-term projects.
Karzai spoke at an international …. Source article  : Karzai reaffirms goal of having Afghan security forces take lead by 2014.

Limbs of victims being found from accident site

SAINTHIA – Severed limbs of victims were found Tuesday by rescue workers from the site of the ghastly train accident here in West Bengal’s Birbhum district as railwaymen worked overtime to repair the damaged footbridge where one of the coaches of the Vananchal Express had incredibly mounted after being slammed from the rear by the …. Source article  : Limbs of victims being found from accident site.

Floods, landslides kill 15 in central China as world’s largest dam at its highest level ever

Floods, landslides kill 15 in central China

BEIJING – Rescuers in China were searching Tuesday for 17 people buried by landslides as flood waters from days of heavy rain surged past the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest.
The landslides that hit Lingao county in central Shaanxi province late Sunday killed three people and left 17 missing, …. Original article  : Floods, landslides kill 15 in central China as world’s largest dam at its highest level ever.

Nine prisoners escape from Meerut jail

MEERUT – Nine inmates, including seven serving life terms, fled from the Meerut jail in Uttar Pradesh after scaling the boundary wall, police said Tuesday.

The incident came to light at 6 a.m. when the jail warden saw a ladder attached to the boundary wall.
“Seven inmates were convicted to life imprisonment while two … Read more : Nine prisoners escape from Meerut jail.

Beware! Burglars have an eye on your Facebook status

LONDON – Think twice before updating your status on social networking site Facebook as burglars now see it before breaking-in, a survey by a British insurance firm has found.

The survey was carried out on 50 former thieves by insurance firm More Than.
Richard Taylor, from South Wales, said burglars were now using Facebook and … Original source on Gaea Times at : Beware! Burglars have an eye on your Facebook status.

Train accident averted in Punjab

CHANDIGARH – A major accident was averted in Punjab Tuesday when the alert crew of an express train realised that its iron hook had broken, detaching the engine and four bogies from the train that was moving at nearly 100 km per hour.

No casualties were reported, initial reports say.
The engine and four compartments of … Read more »»».

Extended jail term sought for Indian-origin doctor

SYDNEY – The jail term of Indian-origin doctor Jayant Patel, sentenced to seven years in prison for manslaughter and causing grievous bodily harm on patients at an Australian hospital, should be extended, a law official has said in a fresh appeal.

Queensland’s Attorney-General Cameron Dick in his appeal Monday sought Patel to be declared a serious … Read : Extended jail term sought for Indian-origin doctor.

Youth Congress leader missing from Uttar Pradesh hotel

LUCKNOW – A prominent Youth Congress activist hand-picked by Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi to handle organisational elections has been missing from a hotel in Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi town, police said Tuesday, a day after he disappeared.

Nishant Patel went missing Monday morning from Utsav Hotel in Hardoi, about 100 km from here, where he had …. Original source  : Youth Congress leader missing from Uttar Pradesh hotel.

Food delivery man held in Australia for sexual assault

SYDNEY – A 21-year-old delivery driver with a restaurant in Australia was arrested at Sydney airport while boarding a flight to Nepal on charges of sexually assaulting a woman customer, a media report said Tuesday.

Australian Federal Police arrested the man at 9 p.m. Monday as he tried to board a flight to Kathmandu. He … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Food delivery man held in Australia for sexual assault.

Art vs. Oil Spill: Poets, painters, musicians find ways to protest, raise awareness and funds

Artists find ways to protest Gulf spill
NEW ORLEANS – Musician Shamarr Allen was flying back into Louis Armstrong International Airport when he got his first real glimpse of the BP oil spill. The words of CEO Tony Hayward’s TV spot – “To those affected and your families, I’m deeply sorry” – were ringing in his … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Art vs. Oil Spill: Poets, painters, musicians find ways to protest, raise awareness and funds.

Spanish police use insects to solve 150 cases

Madrid, July 20 (IANS/EFE) When a murder or some other crime is committed, insects are the first to arrive at the crime scene, even before the police show up, and in Spain these small creatures have helped to solve 150 crimes over the past 10 years.

The National Police Corps is a pioneer in forensic entomology … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Spanish police use insects to solve 150 cases.

Philly suspends tugboat contract, hires new operator after duck boat crash that killed 2

Philly hires new tugboat firm after fatal crash

PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia says it has hired a new tugboat operator for a sludge-hauling contract following a fatal collision between a barge and an amphibious tour boat on the Delaware River.
Mayor Michael Nutter’s spokesman Doug Oliver says McAllister Towing & Transportation Co. will provide service on a month-to-month …. Original article  : Philly suspends tugboat contract, hires new operator after duck boat crash that killed 2.

Train looted in Bihar

PATNA – An armed gang of robbers looted and assaulted the passengers of a train in Bihar’s Begusarai district early Tuesday, police said.

According to police officials, over a dozen armed men looted cash and valuables from nearly a dozen passengers of the Amarpali Express between Khagaria and Begusarai railway stations. Two passengers were injured when …. Source  : Train looted in Bihar.

Attorney: Prosecutors scapegoating 3 men charged in deadly blaze at toxic ground zero tower

Att’y: 3 men scapegoated in NYC toxic tower fire

NEW YORK – Three construction company figures have been unfairly blamed for a blaze that killed two firefighters in a condemned ground zero skyscraper where city officials have acknowledged oversight failures, defense lawyers said Monday.
Mitchel Alvo, Jeffrey Melofchik and Salvatore DePaola have pleaded not guilty to manslaughter … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Attorney: Prosecutors scapegoating 3 men charged in deadly blaze at toxic ground zero tower.

Turkey charges 196 people of coup plot

ISTANBUL – A Turkish court has charged 196 people, mostly retired senior army officers, of a coup plot to topple the ruling government.

The 968-page indictment approved by an Istanbul court accused the suspects of being involved in an alleged conspiracy in 2003 to create chaos and pave the way for a military takeover, Xinhua reported … Read : Turkey charges 196 people of coup plot.