Taiwan faces Chinese resistance in cross-strait flight negotiations

Taiwan-China flight negotiations hit snag
TAIPEI, Taiwan – Taiwan’s negotiations with China on new cross-strait flights hit a snag after Beijing refused to reopen talks on scheduling and destination arrangements for the island’s airlines, a senior Taiwanese official said Wednesday.

The statement by Deputy Transportation and Communications Minister Yeh Kuang-shih underscores the difficulties President Ma Ying-jeou faces …. Read the original article  : here.

Couture Week starts in New Delhi

NEW DELHI – The Delhi Couture Week has started here with a fashion show featuring designs of renowned couturists.

The weeklong event, that started on Tuesday, will exhibit designs of renowned designers such as Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Manish Malhotra, Gaurav Gupta, Rohit Bal, Rina Dhaka, Raakesh Agarwal, Manav Gangwani, Pallavi Jaikishan, Anamika Khanna, and J. J. Valaya.

The … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Couture Week starts in New Delhi.

Chidambaram says Railway Ministry’s response to Sainthia train crash slow

NEW DELHI – Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday accused the Railway Ministry of responding slowly to Monday’s train collision at Sainthia station in West Bengal.

Chidambaram said the first relief train after the Sainthia accident reached the site two and a half hours late. The second relief train was late by seven hours.

Chidambaram said … Read more »».

Abbas says he won’t go to direct peace talks without US assurances on Palestinian borders

Abbas: Specific US assurances on borders needed
RAMALLAH, West Bank – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has told his Fatah movement he wants a more specific U.S. commitment on the borders of a future Palestinian state before agreeing to direct talks with Israel.
Abbas says he received assurances from President Barack Obama, but that they weren’t … Read : Abbas says he won’t go to direct peace talks without US assurances on Palestinian borders.

Brit girl, 10, in soup for using Chaplin song in charity video

LONDON – A young UK girl who made a Charlie Chaplin tribute video to gather funds for dying kids has been asked to remove the lyrics or pay 1,300 pounds for it.

Bethany Hare, 10, performed Chaplin’s song Smile on a film that she paid for from money earned as an extra on ITV1’s soap Emmerdale. … Read more >>.

Opposition to mosques in US on the rise: Observers

WASHINGTON – The American opposition to the building of mosques across the country is on the rise.

According to the Christian Science Monitor (CSM), residents from California to Tennessee are opposed to mosques.

Several proposed Islamic centers, including one near Ground Zero, have touched off a heated nationwide debate that raises questions about the state of religious … Read more : Opposition to mosques in US on the rise: Observers.

Indian rail expert blames poor implementation, political will for frequent mishaps

NEW DELHI – An expert on railways transportation has blamed poor implementation of safety policies and lack of political will for the frequent train mishaps in the country.

I.I.M.S Rana, a former Railway Board Chairman, who also headed the Railway Disaster Management Committee, said in New Delhi on Tuesday, that though the railways is looking to …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Women don’t look after their car as well as men: UK study

Sydney, July (ANI): A new UK survey has revealed that women are less likely to wash their cars regularly than men.

The survey found that 56 per cent of women left their car unwashed for six months or longer, compared to 44 per cent of men.

More than half the men surveyed washed their cars at [..] Read the original article: here.

No agreement over transit trade with Afghanistan yet: Pak Commerce Ministry

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Commerce Ministry has rejected media reports regarding the country signing a trade agreement with Afghanistan.

A statement issued by the ministry said that reports regarding the Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) being signed were ‘baseless’ and contrary to the facts.

“Some of these reports are not based on facts and are causing …. Original article  : No agreement over transit trade with Afghanistan yet: Pak Commerce Ministry.

Al-Qaeda linked website ‘Blogetery.com’ shut down for posting terror propaganda

WASHINGTON – BurstNET, the host of al Qaeda-Linked blogging site Blogetery.com that shut down the site, has issued a statement saying that the latter had a lengthy history of breaking the law and it violated the BurstNET Acceptable Use Policy, which prohibits the posting of “terrorist propaganda, racist material, or bomb/weapon instructions.”

“Upon review, BurstNET determined …. Read the original article  : Al-Qaeda linked website ‘Blogetery.com’ shut down for posting terror propaganda.

Bush won’t campaign for ‘ditch dumped’ Republicans

WASHINGTON – Former US President George W. Bush has said that he will not campaign on behalf of Republican candidates before the mid-term elections this fall.

“He’s not interested,” National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions told reporters today, according to Politico.

Sessions said the former president has maintained from the day he left office … Read more >>.

Friendship boils down to just ???40 a year

LONDON – Friends lend each other nearly 40pounds a year, but one-fourth end up writing off small loans because they are too embarrassed to ask their pals to pay them back, a new survey reveals.

The poll by Moneybookers, an online payment service, saw one in three people saying they had no qualms about lending …. Source article  : Friendship boils down to just ???40 a year.

Was Qureshi’s ‘personal’ condolence to Krishna over rail tragedy result of US rebuff?

ISLAMABAD – In an apparent bid to ease tension between him and his Indian counterpart S M Krishna, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has reportedly sent a ‘personal’ condolence message over the horrific train disaster in West Bengal’s Sainthia earlier this week.

According to reports, Qureshi, in his letter, extended his condolences to the …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Was Qureshi’s ‘personal’ condolence to Krishna over rail tragedy result of US rebuff?.

Palin, conservatives accuse media of bias

WASHINGTON – Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and other conservatives are pointing to a “BOMBSHELL!” story in the Daily Caller as evidence of media bias.

The story centers on a former listserv called JournoList. It documents how the members of the listserv – many of them journalists – complained about ABC News’ treatment of then-candidate Barack …. Source  : Palin, conservatives accuse media of bias.

Toronto Burlesque Festival to showcase ‘Naked Girls Reading’

TORONTO – Toronto Burlesque Festival has come up with an item called as “Naked Girls Reading”, which will literally feature nude women reading books.

The five-day, third-annual festival will be taking place at the Gladstone Hotel on July 21, and the “Naked Girls Reading” is the newest event in the burlesque revival.

The idea for the show …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Toronto Burlesque Festival to showcase ‘Naked Girls Reading’.

Musharraf’s confidants see no ‘political’ role for him in Pakistan in future

LAHORE – Former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf might have vowed to return to the country’s political stage riding on his newly floated political party, however, his former colleagues, whom Musharraf trusted to help him in his motive, are not very enthusiastic about the general’s future.

Musharraf recently held meetings with several of his former …. Source  : Musharraf’s confidants see no ‘political’ role for him in Pakistan in future.

UN court orders retrial for former Kosovo prime minister acquitted of war crimes

UN court orders retrial for former Kosovo PM

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The Yugoslav war crimes tribunal has ordered a retrial for former Kosovo prime minister Ramush Haradinaj, two years after he was acquitted of murder, rape and torture charges.
Tribunal President Patrick Robinson says the original trial of Haradinaj and two other former commanders in the …. Source  : UN court orders retrial for former Kosovo prime minister acquitted of war crimes.

Ex-Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and wife Elena exhumed to determine corpses’ identities

Ex-Romanian dictator Ceausescu and wife exhumed

BUCHAREST, Romania – Forensic scientists have exhumed what are believed to be the bodies of late Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena at the request of the couple’s survivors.
A team of pathologists and cemetery officials Wednesday hoisted the wooden casket of Ceausescu and his wife Elena out of …. Original article  : Ex-Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and wife Elena exhumed to determine corpses’ identities.

Reckitt Benckiser makes 2.54 bln pounds ($3.9 bln) bid for SSL International, maker of Durex

Durex maker accepts $3.9B bid by Reckitt Benckiser

LONDON – SSL International PLC, maker of Durex condoms and Scholl foot care products, said Wednesday that its board is recommending a 2.54 billion pounds ($3.9 billion) takeover offer from Reckitt Benckiser PLC, the owner of consumer brands like Vanish, Lysol and Clearasil.
Reckitt Benckiser said its offer of …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Reckitt Benckiser makes 2.54 bln pounds ($3.9 bln) bid for SSL International, maker of Durex.

Sweeping financial overhaul about to become law; victory for Obama

Obama poised to sign sweeping financial overhaul
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is set to sign a sweeping overhaul of financial regulations Wednesday, nearly two years after Wall Street’s failures knocked the economy into the worst recession since the Great Depression.
The law assembles a powerful council of regulators to be on the lookout for …. Original article  : Sweeping financial overhaul about to become law; victory for Obama.