India keeps close watch on Kosi, `Bihar’s sorrow’

KATHMANDU – With the crisis of 2008 still fresh in mind, when a rain-gorged Kosi river wreaked havoc in southern Nepal and India’s Bihar state, India has begun de-silting the mighty river to avert a fresh crisis this monsoon, the first such effort in nearly 50 years.

India’s Minister of State for Water Resources Vincent H. …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : India keeps close watch on Kosi, `Bihar’s sorrow’.

Bus bomb kills 6 at Baghdad office of Arab satellite channel Al-Arabiya, say police

Bomb kills 6 at Baghdad office of Arab channel

BAGHDAD – A suicide bomber driving a minibus blew himself up in front of the Baghdad office of a popular Arabic-language satellite news channel early Monday, killing six people, police and hospital officials said.
The bomber was apparently waved through the first checkpoint at the Al-Arabiya television station …. Read the original article  : Bus bomb kills 6 at Baghdad office of Arab satellite channel Al-Arabiya, say police.

1 family grieves as another clings to hope after Ariz. authorities misidentify women in crash

ID mixup: Family planning funeral now hopeful

PHOENIX – Instead of planning Abby Guerra’s funeral, family and friends hope for her recovery after learning that Arizona authorities misidentified her in an auto accident.
Guerra was initially listed as having died at the scene of the July 18 crash, and her friend, Marlena Cantu, as one who survived, …. Original source  : 1 family grieves as another clings to hope after Ariz. authorities misidentify women in crash.

Teens set fire to chickens in school

LONDON – Three British teenagers set fire to live chickens kept as pets at a primary school, a judge ruled, saying it was “horrific” and the court was “sickened during the trial”.

The three boys – aged 15, 15, 13 – used inflammable liquid to ignite the two birds at the St Peter’s Primary School in …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Teens set fire to chickens in school.

Paraglider crashes through bus window in Italy

LONDON – A British paraglider had a miraculous escape after he crashed through the window of a bus in an Italian town.

Matthew Cullen, 43, went off course and smashed through the window of the bus while it was waiting for the traffic lights to turn green in Crespano city in northern Italy, sending shards of …. Original source  : Paraglider crashes through bus window in Italy.

Ousted Thai leader Thaksin marks birthday with tweets from exile amid new political tensions

Divisive ex-Thai leader marks birthday on Twitter

BANGKOK – Thailand’s deposed leader Thaksin Shinawatra marked his 61st birthday Monday with tweets from exile that called for peace, a day after a grenade exploded in downtown Bangkok that left one person dead and 10 wounded.
There have been no claims of responsibility for Sunday’s blast at a bus … Read : Ousted Thai leader Thaksin marks birthday with tweets from exile amid new political tensions.

Four killed as car runs over labourers in Delhi

NEW DELHI – Four labourers were killed and four sustained serious injuries when a speeding car ran over the men engaged in road repair work in south Delhi early Monday, police said.

The accident occurred around 1.30 a.m. when a Honda City ran over them near the Safdarjung flyover. The men were working with the public … Read : Four killed as car runs over labourers in Delhi.

Two planes collide mid-air in New Zealand

WELLINGTON – Two planes collided mid-air in New Zealand Monday, one of which crashed while the other landed safely at an airfield. Two people were killed.

Two Cessna 152 planes were involved in the crash near Feilding in the North Island at 3.30 p.m., Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Bill Sommer said.
Two people from the plane … Read : Two planes collide mid-air in New Zealand.

Girl dies after being stuffed in sack

MANILA – A six-year-old girl died in the Philippines after her mother allegedly stuffed her into a sack for being stubborn, police said Monday.

Police arrested Melba Gamongan, 34, who tried to flee with her two other children after the incident late Saturday in Tabuk city in Kalinga province, 330 km north of Manila.
Senior Superintendent …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Police: Car bomb strikes at Baghdad office of Arab satellite channel Al-Arabiya, 4 killed

Bomb kills 4 at Baghdad office of Arab channel

BAGHDAD – A suicide bomber driving a minibus blew himself up in front of the Baghdad office of a popular Arabic-language satellite news channel early Monday, killing four people, police and hospital officials said.
Majid Hamid, a Baghdad-based correspondent for the Saudi Arabia-owned, Dubai-based channel, said the bomber … Read more : Police: Car bomb strikes at Baghdad office of Arab satellite channel Al-Arabiya, 4 killed.

21 killed in Afghan bus accident

KABUL – At least 21 passengers were killed and 26 injured when a bus veered off the road in southern Afghanistan Monday, officials said.

The accident happened in the southern province of Kandahar, on the highway from Kabul to the provincial capital Kandahar city.
Two girls, two women and 17 men were killed in the accident, … Read this article on Gaea Times at : 21 killed in Afghan bus accident.

Police say 22 people killed in bus accident in southern Afghanistan

Police: 22 killed in Afghan bus crash
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – A speeding bus flipped over Monday in southern Afghanistan, killing 22 people who were on board, Afghan police said.

The bus ran off the road in Daman district south of Kandahar city just after dawn and flipped over, said the head of traffic police for the province, … Original article on : Police say 22 people killed in bus accident in southern Afghanistan.

US official: BP CEO Tony Hayward is out; American running spill response could be successor

Could American take over Britain’s BP?
NEW ORLEANS – The man overseeing the much-maligned response by BP PLC to the Gulf oil spill crisis is the likely choice to replace gaffe-prone Tony Hayward to run the company and would become the first American to ever head the oil giant.

A senior U.S. government official said Sunday that … Original source on Gaea Times at : US official: BP CEO Tony Hayward is out; American running spill response could be successor.

Pacheco granted bail in culpable homicide case

PANAJI – Former Goa tourism minister Francisco alias Mickky Pacheco was Monday granted conditional bail by a trial court in a culpable homicide case related to the mysterious death of his alleged lover Nadia Torrado.

After evading arrest for nearly a month, Pacheco was arrested July 5 in connection with the mysterious death of 28-year-old Torrado. … Read more : Pacheco granted bail in culpable homicide case.

Police say 26 people killed in bus accident in southern Afghanistan

Police: 26 killed in Afghan bus crash
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – A speeding bus flipped over Monday in southern Afghanistan, killing 26 people who were on board, Afghan police said.

The bus ran off the road in Daman district south of Kandahar city just after dawn and flipped over, said the head of traffic police for the province, …. Original source  : Police say 26 people killed in bus accident in southern Afghanistan.

Man hides 140,000 pounds in aunt’s grave

LONDON – A Briton hid 140,000 pounds in his aunt’s grave to dodge tax sleuths, but the cache was uncovered after the tax inspectors were tipped-off.

The man buried the money so as to fool the Inland Revenue. He planned to leave the cash there for 20 years before digging it up. The 20 year period …. Read the original article  : Man hides 140,000 pounds in aunt’s grave.

Indian-origin man becomes road safety envoy

KUALA LUMPUR – An Indian-origin man who lost his arm in a road accident in Malaysia has turned into a road safety ambassador, urging public to use helmets and drive carefully.

T. Nantha Kumar, 24, had his right arm amputated in May 2009 after a speeding car on the Jelutong Expressway in Georgetown rammed into …. Read the original article  : here.

Six, including three schoolgirls, drown in Assam

GUWAHATI – Six people, including three schoolgirls and three of a family, drowned Monday in Assam’s rain-swollen rivers, police said.

Three school girls drowned and two went missing while they were taking a dip at Mangaldoi river near Mangaldoi town (about 80 km from here), a police spokesperson said.
“As part of the Hindu festival of … Read more >>>.

China prepares for more floods as summer rains persist, 3 Gorges Dam reservoir may rise again

China braces for more flooding as rains continue

BEIJING – Troops sandbagged swollen rivers Monday and storm-battered regions across China prepared for more floods and potential landslides as forecasters predicted torrential rains this week.
State broadcaster CCTV showed footage of soldiers using sandbags to patch up breached riverbanks ahead of heavy rains that were expected to continue … Read more >>.

Khmer Rouge torturer sentenced to 35 years

PHNOM PENH – Comrade Duch, the former head of the Khmer Rouge’s notorious torture and execution prison known as S-21, was Monday sentenced to 35 years in jail at the UN-backed war crimes tribunal.

However, in his decision, court president Nil Nonn said Duch would benefit from deductions totalling 16 years, making the effective sentence 19 … Original source on Gaea Times at : Khmer Rouge torturer sentenced to 35 years.